The Waking (The Upturned Hourglass) (19 page)

He closed the phone with a snap that echoed on the damp streets. He glanced up at the window unexpectedly and Valie quickly pulled away out of sight. Without looking out, Valie heard some rustling of the bushes and a moment later the
click, click
of dog nails tapping on the sidewalk.

After settling back down, she fell into a fitful sleep for the next few hours with only dreams of werewolves and dark blue eyes to comfort her.

The next morning, after Mr. and Mrs. Whitworth had left for their respective jobs and Luci and her brother, Jimmy, had reluctantly left for school, Valie was left to stare at the canopy of Luci’s bed as she lay comfortably on the mattress. Valie had dressed, intending to go to school with Luci, but when it came time to leave, she couldn’t make herself go. In the face of so many trials, it all seemed so trivial, now—school, classes, Candace, parties. None of it mattered, because…well, the werewolves would be waiting for her.

What she didn’t expect, however, was that when she came down the stairs to find something to eat, they would be waiting for her
inside
the house.

“What are you
doing
in here?” Valie demanded, wide-eyed and incredulous as she gawked at Jack and Shane who sat, relaxed, on the Whitworth’s leather couch. “Don’t you know breaking and entering is a crime?”

Jack rose from the couch and clasped his hands behind his back. It was a formal posture that oddly fitted him.

“Human law doesn’t really concern us,” he stated simply. When Valie didn’t reply—or even move—he went on. “You’re up.”

Valie rolled her eyes.
“Brilliant deduction. I’ll ask again. What are you doing in here?”

“Time is short. Isaac--“

“My father who wants to kill me,” Valie interjected the epithet with resentment.

The boy scowled at the stubborn girl in front of him. “Yes,” he growled. “Your
father will most likely return in twenty-four hours and we need to be gone long before that.”

“I can’t run from a man I’ve never met! A man who might not even
be
my father! Maybe it’s just some huge mix-up! Maybe if we just talked to him….”

“No,” Jack growled. “
Talking
would be the worst possible course of action.
Talking
will get us
killed
.”

“You just want me to pack up and leave?
With you two?” Valie descended the final stair and drew herself closer to Jack to squarely face him. She was resolved to learn all she could as Luci had counseled, but she didn’t know exactly how far she was willing to go for that kind of information.

“Three,” said Noah as he exited from the kitchen. He was newly dressed, but something about him still looked tired.

Valie smiled at the boy in greeting. He didn’t smile back, but something about him softened.

“Sweets,” Jack said in earnest drawing Valie’s attention back to him. “We
need
to—” Jack’s cell phone buzzed, cutting him off. He glanced wearily from the unpromising scene in front of him to the electronic screen.

It was Isaac.

He motioned for everyone to be quiet as he answered. By the look on Jack’s face, even a confused and wary Valie obeyed the command.

“Hello, Isaac.”

Valie’s ears pricked. On the other end of that phone call, her father might be speaking at this very minute. The rational side of her brain rejected such a senseless notion, but she found hope alive inside of her nonetheless. 

“Yes,” Jack responded, clenching his jaw in response to something the other speaker had said. “All right . . . fine. We’ll be there. . . .Yes, Shane can watch her.” He looked at Valie.  “No. I won’t take my eyes off her until then . . . .  See you later.” And he snapped the phone shut.

“What was that about?” Shane asked apprehensively.

“He wants me to meet him at the lake just north of the city. 
You’re to watch the Mark—I mean, Valie.” Jack nodded in Valie’s direction.

Valie interrupted, “You’re going to go see my father?”

Jack frowned. “Yes.”

“What for?”
  Shane persisted. “I thought he was supposed to be gone for another day at least….”

“I’m not sure what’s going on, which
has me worried that he might be moving up his schedule.”

“His schedule to kill me,” Valie stated skeptically, voicing what had been left unsaid. Jack could tell she didn’t want to believe him.

“What can we do to help you come to terms with this? What will make you trust us?”

Valie thought for only a moment. 

“Take me with you. Take me to see Isaac.”

THE ROADS TWINE

“I
am
going with you,” Valie asserted, crossing her arms in determination.

Jack glared back at the stubborn teenager. “For once in your sure to be short life, could you
please
just follow my instructions? Stay with Shane until I call.”

Valie glared right back at him.

“If you don’t take me, I will find someone who will.”

“Well, now you are catching on. That’s Shane’s real job—to guard you from
yourself.
” Jack seemed extraordinarily pleased with his response, which made Valie fume even more. 

“
Not.
A
.
Chance.
Wolf-boy
. Werewolf or not, Shane is far from infallible. No offense, Shane,” she offered to the irritated blonde. “I
will
find a way to the lake. Now do you want me there with or without your knowledge?”

Jack’s momentary smugness vanished. He stood over her with anger and frustration written all over his face. 

Between clenched teeth, he managed to reply, “You could hardly escape
my
knowledge and, therefore, you could never escape
Isaac’s
. It’s too dangerous, Valentine. Don’t you get that? We are werewolves! Far be it from me to try and save your life.” The bitter sarcasm in Jack’s words stung, but Valie’s will was strong. It may have been foolish, but her decision was also a point of pride and she would not back down.

“He’s my father. I have a right to see him.”

Jack clenched his teeth so hard his jaw ached. “No,” he growled and moved menacingly toward her.

Valie stood toe to toe with him and never let her eyes waver.

“I’m coming,” Valie declared as if there were no question about the outcome of this argument.

Jack glowered at the fiery girl in front of him. He could not understand why she so desperately had to fight
everything.

The boy sighed in exasperation and turned away sharply.

“Noah. Meet us somewhere near the lake. I’ll scent you whenever we’re close,” Jack ordered the others. “Shane, you’ll have to stay here. Isaac will be expecting one of us to stay with Valentine at all times. It will only raise suspicion if we left Noah, so I’m afraid you’re sitting this one out. Keep your phone on you and wait for my call.”

“But, Jack, you aren’t going to
take
her, are you?” Shane  protested in a panic.

He snarled back at her, “Just go!”

Shane closed her mouth, but for almost a full minute stood there facing him with an icy stare. Jack knew exactly what she was thinking. This could get them all killed. He wouldn’t blame her if she refused to help. Finally, she pushed past him and strode out of the front door without another word.

Noah wasn’t happy with the scheme either. “Jack, you know. . . .” the boy began, but Jack cut him off. 

“Go to the lake and keep a lookout. Let me know if anything and I mean
anything
happens. Scout the area. I want to know the ins and outs of the location.”

The boy nodded, but he, too, hesitated before running the same way Shane had exited.

“When do we
leave?” Valie asked in a spitefully good-natured tone. She even threw in a smile.

Jack growled so loud it exploded from him as a small roar. “Now,” he rumbled,
then stalked away in long, impatient strides. Valie had to almost run out the door to keep up with his pace. “But we have to stop to get something first,” he snapped.

“What? Why?” Valie asked, though she was pleased to hear the term ‘we’.

“Aconite. It’s an herb. And we need it because
someone
suicidally intends to get as close as possible to werewolves who want her dead.”

Valie tried to ignore his sarcasm and asked, “How will the herb help?”

“It’s repugnant to our kind—the worst thing you’ve ever smelled. It should mask your scent well enough when mixed with a bit of the surrounding flora.  Hopefully, it will save your life.”

“Oh.”

“
Oh
,” he repeated mockingly. “How does your brilliant plan sound now?”

Valie didn’t answer. She knew that she deserved his anger, but a part of her really didn’t care. She was going to see her father
.
That was what mattered to her—mattered more than anything had for a long time. She would deal with the consequences later.

Valie had assumed Jack drove a car, now figuring that was where they were headed. She began to dread the conversation about her claustrophobia which she inevitably had to explain whenever she road in anyone’s automobile—why she had to have the windows rolled down despite the weather or temperature, why it was wise to keep a paper bag with her at all times. Luckily—and to her horror—Jack did not
drive a car. He drove a motorcycle—a big, flashy, bright yellow motorcycle with black trim and two matching helmets strapped to the seat.

“Wow,” Valie gasped, having stopped dead in her tracks. Her throat began to close up with anticipatory anxiety. She’d never really thought about riding a motorcycle before—she didn’t drive and barely knew how to ride a bicycle—but the realization that she was terrified of getting on one hit hard.

Jack read her reaction and smirked.

“You’ll be fine, I swear,” he assured her brusquely, but the fear in her eyes remained. Jack sighed, while squaring up in front of her.  “It’s perfectly safe,” he began impatiently, “But, if you
really don’t want to go, I can call Shane. . . .”

Valie grabbed a helmet.

The rounded headpiece felt awkward in her inexperienced hands, and heavier than she expected. She handled it clumsily, trying to figure out exactly how to put the thing on. 

Jack rolled his eyes and took it from her. He paused for a moment, wordlessly warning Valie of his intention, before shoving it down on her head.

“Ow,” Valie complained when the sides pressed down on her ears.

“Sorry,” the boy said with no conviction.

Once the helmet was on, Valie looked out the visor as Jack put on his. She had almost no peripheral vision and her breath was hot and moist inside the headgear. Suddenly, she found herself breathing too fast.  She wanted more air. She
needed
more air. 

Jack observed Valie’s mild panic almost before she herself did. He took hold of the helmet and slid the face shield upward—allowing the cool air to hit her face, but it wasn’t enough. Valie struggled with the thing, tugging it off of her head as fast as she could.

“You okay?” he asked with real concern in his voice, momentarily forgetting himself. 

Valie sucked down the fresh air, trying to slow her breathing back to its normal rhythm.

“Yeah. Fine,” she gasped.

He looked skeptical.

So much for avoiding the conversation. . . .

“I’m claustrophobic,” Valie explained. “Tight spaces kind of freak me out….”

“Helmets?” he asked, sounding more amused than worried.

Valie frowned at him, still trying to catch her breath.

“Sorry,” he chuckled, but then became thoughtful. “I don’t want you to ride without a helmet. . . .”

“Give me a sec,” Valie interjected. She inhaled deeply a few times. “Sometimes I can get used to the feeling.”

Valie began to slide the helmet onto her head, but stopped and pulled it back off.