WINTER'S BROKEN MATE

EPISODE 5

The next few days were spent in anguish. Casey would say: shopping has never been her favorite thing to do, but she would tolerate it as long as she could for her sister, who spotted a smile all through the tedious endeavor. Casey reckoned she was an anomaly; she’d never met a girl who didn’t like shopping. The activity appears to be a genetic marker ingrained in every female’s DNA. She smiled slightly at her thoughts.

“Okay, I may be done for the day.” She heard Amy say. After hours of begging her sister to end the torture she had heard, Casey could only thank the moon goddess. It was a miracle!

“Finally!” she exclaimed as she hurried to hurdle the bunch of shopping bags at her feet. She wanted to get out of there before something else caught her sister’s eye. Amy chuckled, but helped her sister. They were in their rental car in no time, and Amy was driving back to their hotel. Casey decided to sleep for a few hours before they went out that night with the friends they’d made at the mall. Amy, of course, opted to unpack the bags of clothes, shoes, jewelry, paintings… the list was endless, just thinking about it, Casey was exhausted. As soon as her head hit the pillow, she was fast asleep.

*****

Somewhere in the city,

“I could never forgive him; he must hurt just as I did!” the scarred man said to his chauffer. He was more than a chauffeur, really: he was the only one who cared about the scarred man; his confidante, his servant, his friend, his family, his voice of reason like he was now.

“You know you can’t attack him and win. He will kill you!”

“NOO!” He screamed, “That vile creature took everything from me, I shall make him pay. He will bleed and cry and beg for mercy just as I did.”

The chauffer understood his master’s pain, the anguish he’d undergone at the hands of the Winter boys. He also knew for a fact that they were unstoppable, invincible even, and that his master’s wishes may never be fulfilled. But most of all, he understood the madness that seemed to seep in from the darkest of places, the madness that could clearly be traced in the eyes of his master; once a great, kind man; his best friend. He felt the magnitude of his own loss, then the anger rose for the monster who destroyed them both.

“I shall wait! I just need one opportunity, and then I’ll have him wreathed in pain for eternity!” the scarred man rumbled to himself.

The chauffer understood there was no reasoning with him while he was in such a state, he simply left him to embrace the darkness. He took one last glance at his master before he left him to the darkness. He will be back; he always came back to fight the dark for him and hopefully one day with him. But until that day came, he would be what he’d always been as an aide; the kind that helped you with anything, even vengeance. And on Calisto’s grave, he vowed Damien Winter would grovel at the feet of his master if it was the last thing he did.

****

Back at the hotel room

“Casey, Casey, wake up!” Impatient hands shook the red head awake.

“We’re going to be late!”

Casey woke up aggravated she was having the most peaceful sleep ever, her sister had ruined it for her.

“What are you doing?” Casey asked, annoyed.

“What does it look like I’m doing, waking you up?” Amy said sarcastically. That did nothing for Casey’s foul mood, she just sat on the bed waiting for the sass to leave her sister’s voice. Amy sighed defeated, she tried reason instead.

“Okay, okay.” Amy said, “We promised Shay and her friends we’d meet them at 8 pm. It's already 7 and we haven’t gotten anything done. They’ll be waiting for us.” She continued.

Casey listened with attentive ears, like a child being taught the easiest of concepts. Amy made sense, and she didn’t want to be difficult. The couple of days they’d spent in the city, Shay, Covey and Amara, had been most helpful. Casey decided it would be bad to make a promise and renege on it. With that, she dragged her surprisingly well rested body and went to take a shower. Casey paid particular attention to her long strands, but none the less tried to take the least time in the showers they were already behind on schedule. Casey was out as fast as she could, and Amy did not dally around. As soon as Casey was out of the bathroom, Amy was in.

Casey dried herself with the big feathery towel she loved, and used one of the hotel towels to dry her hair. She then quickly blow-dried it and put it in a messy bun. She lathered her favorite mango butter on her skin and splashed on some perfume. Her clothes were already laid out for her by Amy, so all she had to do was put them. That night, she’d be wearing some German stockings with a leather red miniskirt and a sparkly crop top with a lovely pair of ankle boots. She saw the weather outside and decided there was no need for a jacket. Casey was just about done when Amy stepped out of the bathroom, her damp hair sticking to her face. The phone rang, and Casey saw that it was their parents.

“It’s mum and dad. I’ll get this out in the lobby, you dry your hair.” Amy nodded in agreement as Casey strolled out of the room. She answered the phone.

“Hello?” came the unsure voice of her mother, Casey smiled.

“Hi mum.”

“My green-eyed baby. How are you? How is the city? Are you having fun? Have you bought anything yet? Is the weather okay?” Maze asked a series of questions at once; she hadn’t talked to Casey in the past few days they’d been in the city. The time difference always found her asleep, of the two Amy was the lighter sleeper. Casey giggled.

“Calm down, mum.” Casey said. “I’m alright, everything is just fine here, how are you?” Casey heard her mum sigh on the other line and then she literally saw the smile form on her face with her next words.

“Well, I’m fine, but your father is just a bundle of tears over here. He misses you terribly.”

“Don’t tell them that!” Casey heard her dad say on the line before her parents had a little scuffle about who should talk to her and relay the true information. Brett finally won, she figured when his voice came through the phone,

“Hey princess, you know your mum is just being funny, right? I’m a tough man.” Brett said in all seriousness.

“I know dad.”

Brett’s ‘tough man’ demeanour seemed to falter with those words.

“I miss you terribly princess, when are you coming back?” he pouted, an act Casey couldn’t see but envisioned. Both Casey and her mum giggled, her dad was everything, she’d decided.

“Dad, we only left a couple days ago!” Casey countered.

“I know, but I’m so used to having all my princesses with me.” Brett offered whinier than he cared to admit. Casey giggled lowly.

“Well, if Amy continues to shop the way she is, I might be home sooner than you’d imagine. Death by shopping isn’t my idea of a fun time, you know.” Casey joked. Her father laughed that hearty laugh of his, it made her heart full.

“Princess, you are Light. Do you need anything, more money perhaps? I’m sure Amy isn’t done with her shopping.” He quipped.

“Dad!” Casey scolded; Brett only laughed some more, then in a serious tone, “but you are sure you don’t need anything princess, you know we’d be more than happy to help.”

“Dad, we are fine.” Casey said reassuringly. “We are more than fine, honestly. Thank you.”

“Okay, okay. I’m handing the phone back to your mother before she breaks one of my ribs. I love you princess, say hi to your sister and send her my love.”

“Will do dad, I love you too bye.”

“You are keeping safe, my green-eyed baby, aren’t you?” came the much softer voice that was her mother’s.

“Yes mum,” Casey chided, “and we are keeping away from wolf territory as much as possible.” She offered, it seemed, to assure her mother.

“Good. Okay, I don’t want to keep you from your plans for the evening, so we’ll talk tomorrow?”

“I’ll wait up for your call.” Casey said eagerly, talking to her parents made her happy. She would gladly give up a few hours of sleep to hear their voice.

“Oh, my baby. You’re just the sweetest, aren’t you? I love you, my green-eyed baby, don’t ever forget it.” The gentle words brought tears to her eyes; she loved her parents very much.

“I love you too mum.” She said while sniffling. “We’ll talk tomorrow, bye.”

“Bye sweet baby, send your sister my love.”

“Will do mum.” Casey said before she ended the call, she took a deep breath and quieted down, before walking back into the room where her sister was.

“Mum and dad say hi and send their love.”

Amy smiled, “I’ll talk to them tomorrow morning. Come, let me do your make up, I’m already done with everything.”

“I can see that, you look lovely.” Amy wore a powder blue camisole top with a black split lace mini skirt and some vegan suede thigh high boots. She’d gone for the messy bun look with a soft flush to her cheeks, mascara only and a light pink lipstick.

“Thank you.” Amy said with a smile. She then got to work with her sister’s look, which she was done with in like fifteen minutes. Casey reckoned she looked badass when she caught her reflection in the mirror. Her hair was in waves down her back, her smoky eyes and red lips seemed to fit her perfectly. She smiled back at her sister.

“Good?” Amy asked, unsure.

“Great! Thank you.” Casey assured her sister.

“Okay, then let’s get going. We are late.”

The girls took their sling bags and walked out of their room for a night of fun with their friends. If they knew of the horrors ahead, they would have lingered a little longer.