Cassie

                “Alright, I will see you in about half an hour.” Cassie closed her cell phone and sat it down on the vanity table in front of her and stared at her own reflection. She was nervous, and she didn’t like the feeling. She ran her hands through her wavy chestnut hair and took a deep breath then let it out slowly.
         Here goes nothing, she thought.
         Her cell phone started vibrating when she got up from her seat. She looked at the caller ID. It was Kali. Cassie wondered what she could possibly want.
         She clicked the send button. “Hello?”
         “Hey, what are you doing?” Kali asked. Her voice was all husky as if she had just woken from a nap.
         “Getting ready to go out with Derek, what are you doing,” she answered.
         Kali was silent for a minute. “Who’s Derek?”
         “The guy I told you about, that I have been chatting online with for the past month. We finally decided it was time to meet.” Cassie checked herself in the mirror, turning this way and that. She had decided to wear a peach spaghetti strap shirt and her favorite butt jeans. She didn’t hate what she saw, but she wished there were a few things that she could change. But then again who didn’t?
         Another pause. “He doesn’t know about us does he?” Kali asked with a cautious tone.
         “Of course not,” Cassie answered. “I would never tell someone I hardly know about me or any of us.” 
         “That’s a good thing. Listen, I won’t keep you, however Mesmer has just informed me that there have been a few reports that some people have turned up dead in Covetsville in the last few days, their bodies torn apart or beheaded.” Kali paused for a minute, Cassie thought she may be reading from something or she could just be thinking. “Mesmer believes it is the work of the Blythei Clan, and we should check it out.”
         Cassie was afraid that was where this was leading. “I’m sorry Kali, I can’t tonight. I promised Derek I would go see a movie with him . . .”
         “Isn’t he blind?” Kali interrupted.
         Now it was Cassie’s turn to pause. “Yes, mostly . . . he is. However, he has made it very clear he doesn’t allow that to stop him from going out and doing normal everyday things. I made mention of seeing a movie and he jumped at the chance.”
         “Hmm. Alright, anyway. I really think we need to check this out tonight CC, Mesmer wouldn’t have made mention of it if it wasn’t important. Are the lives of other people not as important as . . .?”
         “Don’t even use that line with me Kali.” Cassie cut her off. “It wasn’t two months ago that you took the lives of those guys at the club with the power of the succubus. Where was your compassion for human life then?”
         Kali scuffed. “Oh please, that was a mistake; I had not anticipated that happening when acquiring that witches power. And because of that incident I returned the power to the succubus and killed her. That power had no business being welded by anyone.”
         “Mmmhmm. Bottom line, I’m going out tonight, it’s my night off, ask Nicolette or Miles to go with you.” Cassie started applying lipstick to her mouth, using her finger to clear off the extra around the corners of her mouth.
         “CC, neither of them has the fire power you do,” Kali explained, “I promise we will be quick. I can fire up the Hummer and be over to pick you up in five minutes, we can go get Derek, and there is even a theatre over in that area you can take him to. While your in the movie I can find out whatever I can about the area, see if I can find any leads to where the clan is hiding out and who or what their leader is.”
         She let Kali go on her spiel while she applied her mascara and plucked a few stray eyebrow hairs. She realized she hadn’t been paying much attention when Kali had stopped talking.
         “Sorry, can’t go.” Cassie said.
         There was a click. Kali had hung up.
         Good, she thought. She was tired of never having any time to herself. Ever since she had joined the Green Circle, she hardly had a day to herself. It also didn’t help that she had been forced to live as roommates with Nicolette, who was such a stickler for going by the rules and going after everything that came across Mesmer’s desk. Kali was almost as bad, but at least she was fun on the job.
         She grabbed a light sweater, her cell phone, her purse, gave herself one more quick look in the mirror and then headed out the door. She had just locked the front door and turned to walk towards her car when the headlights of a big black Hummer truck shone on her.
         Wonder who that is, Cassie thought sarcastically.
         “Don’t think just because you drove all the way over here in means I am going with you Kali!” Cassie yelled as she continued towards her car, fumbling for her car key on her massive keychain. Snow was coming down pretty hard making it harder to see them. 
         “CC listen,” Kali said walking around her vehicle to stand in the way of Cassie reaching hers, “You can go on your date that’s fine, I wont interrupt that. But just in case I want help, or things get out of control, I need you to be within the area.”
         Cassie sighed. “Fine, just don’t get in my way or make fun of me for anything and don’t be all nosey and watching us the entire time.”
         Kali smirked. “Like I care what you mortals do. I just want the clan responsible for those murders to pay for what they did.”
         She rolled her eyes at Kali. “All work and no play . . .”
         “Yeah yeah,” Kali retorted, climbing back into the Hummer. “You just be there if I need you.” She tossed Cassie her ear piece and closed the black door.

         Cassie pulled her red mustang into the parking lot of Derek’s apartments and found the closest spot to take. She turned the engine off and sat in her car for a moment. Why was she so nervous? So what that she hadn’t been out on a date in a long time. Was she still upset about her ex boyfriend from last year that had cheated on her? No. Could it be that she really liked this Derek guy and she was worried he wouldn’t like her back? Probably. This sucked.
         “You planning on going to the front door or are you waiting for the welcome party to roll in?” Kali said in Cassie’s ear piece.
         “Eat me,” Cassie replied back.
         She climbed out of her car and clicked the automated lock on her remote. She took one more look at herself in the rear view mirror and then reminded herself that Derek was blind and therefore it wouldn’t matter if her hair was green with purple polka dots he wouldn’t even notice.
         She looked around the place while walking up the sidewalk. She wondered where Kali parked at. She had no idea how Kali had followed her, she had not noticed her Hummer the whole way here. Kali was definitely good at her job. Most people didn’t know she was onto them until it was too late.
         Okay, she though. Here we are. Ring the doorbell.
         A moment later the door swung open and a tall blond woman stood in the door. “You must be Cassie,” she exclaimed with way to much enthusiasm. She opened the screen door and allowed Cassie inside. The first thing she noticed about the woman was her thick curly blond hair framing her petite little face. She was taller then Cassie, by almost a foot, and that was definitely intimidating. Not to mention she was very voluptuous and seemed to know just how good she looked to people.
         “You must be Gina,” Cassie asked, extending her hand.
         “Oh, Derek must have told you about me.” She took Cassie’s hand and gave it a firm squeeze. “He will be out in just a minute, he had to do a few last minute things to his hair or something, I am not sure.” She moved to the side and allowed Cassie to walk further into the apartment. It was small but very nicely decorated with a nice country look to it. The smell of apple cinnamon clung to the air.
         “Please sit down,” Gina said showing her the couch. “Can I offer you a drink or maybe a slice of apple pie?”
         “Oh no thanks Gina, I’m good.” She smiled a warm smile and got the same back from Gina.
         “Well Derek should be out in a minute, I will just busy myself so you guys can get acquainted.
         “Who’s the chick?” Kali asked, startling Cassie.
         “The ex girlfriend.” She whispered. “She helps take care of some of Derek’s seeing needs.”
         There was a short pause before the inevitable statement followed. “And I bet she helps with a few other needs as well.”
         She would have said something back to Kali, if Derek had not turned the corner and came into the room at the very moment. She smiled when she saw him; he was everything she had thought he would be. Tall, dark hair, nice kind eyes and a charming smile.
         “Hello Derek.” She got up from her seat and went to hug him. He wrapped his arms around her and gave her a gentle squeeze.
         “MMM you smell good Cassandra.”
          She gave a nervous giggle. “It’s so funny you call me that. I don’t let anyone use my full name except my mother and she only uses it when she is mad at me.”
         “Did you just giggle?” Kali asked.
         “Shut up.”
         “Excuse me?” Derek asked.
         “Not you, sorry.” She laughed. “So are you all ready to go?”
         “She’s gorgeous, Derek. Just like you said she would be.” Gina interjected, suddenly appearing in the kitchen door way. She was drying her hands with her apron that she had tied around her waist. Cassie hadn’t noticed her wearing it before. “That mess of wild brown hair and those bright green eyes. I bet she used to model.”
         Cassie heard laughing in her earpiece.
Cassie smiled politely at her. “Nope, sure did not. Never was my kind of scene, but thanks for the compliment.”
         Gina just smiled back.
          “I figured I wouldn’t bring my walking stick if you don’t mind,” Derek said reaching an arm forward and talking Cassie by the elbow, “I can just hold on to you.”
         “Oh sure that’s fine.” She said, feeling a little out of place. She had never really spent anytime with a blind person before, and the last thing she wanted was to make him feel like he was an invalid or needed any special help.
         They said their good-bye to Gina and she helped Derek to the door of her mustang. After making sure he was in, she closed the door and headed to the other side.
She opened her side and got in and started the car.
         “She seems nice.” Cassie offered, smiling over at Derek, and then realizing he couldn’t see her so she turned back to the road. At least she didn’t have to worry whether her make up was running or not, right?
         “She really is. She’s a great girl, a great person even. She helps me out a lot.” Derek placed his hands in his lap and just stared straight forward with a pleasant smile of content ness on his lips. “She helps me with getting around form time to time if I don’t take the bus, or if I need something little. But I promise you, I do most everything on my own now. I only lost my sight about 3 years ago, so I have not mastered everything but I do a damn good job I think.”
         “Well I knew you were very independent. I got that through all the emails. I think its amazing how good looking you  . . err. . how good you seem to be at getting around.” Cassie shut up. . Just shut up!
         Derek laughed. “Good looking huh. Are you flirting with me?”
         “Maybe,” Cassie answered with a little pat on the knee. “But I’ll never tell.”
         Derek nodded and placed his hand over hers. “It will be you’re little secret.”
         Cassie couldn’t help but keep stealing glances at Derek, he was gorgeous. She loved the scruff around his chin. The way his lips formed such a nice little pout. His hair was short and he wore a baseball cap over it. He definitely didn’t look the thirty he claimed to be. Cassie knew if she wasn’t careful she could get hurt. She had been exchanging emails with him for a month now, sometimes twice a day, and every night they would call to say goodnight to each other. It had just become part of the norm. Was it possible she had finally found someone she could actually count on?
         Okay, reality check. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket, she thought. We know what happened last time that was thought. You don’t have the best luck when it comes to love Cassie.
         She was quite aware of the internal conversation going on in her head when she happened to turn and see him staring at her, which for a blind person he seemed to be doing a good job at looking her right in the eye.
         “I’m sorry, what?” She asked.
         Derek grinned. “I asked if you like pizza. I was going to suggest that we order one at the concession stand to munch on while we see the movie, or in my case, listen to the movie.” He laughed at his own joke.
         Okay so we can laugh and make jokes about his sight, Cassie thought. That’s a good thing. That takes some of the pressure off her.
         “Sounds good, but I warn you, I can put pizza away like no one else I know.”
         “Well that I would like to see,” Derek mocked and gave her hand a squeeze. “I have been known to empty a pizza box or two in my time also.”
         Her mouth dropped. “A pizza box or two? Gees you piglet.”
         They both laughed.
         “I’m going to be sick.” Kali announced in the earpiece. Cassie had forgotten she had been wearing it. Enough was enough. She pulled the piece out of her ear and closed her first around it. For a second flames danced around her fist and then were extinguished.
         “Do you smell smoke?” Derek asked.
         Rolling down her window and flicking the burnt instrument out of it she turned back to Derek. “Nope, sure don’t.”
         
         After getting the tickets and the pizza they sat down in two seats close to the front where they could prop their feet on the bar that stretched in front of them. “Are you sure you don’t mind seeing ‘The Notebook’,” Cassie asked.
         “Here’s a little secret,” Derek turned to look at Cassie, “I’m not really here for the movie, I am here for the company.”
         Cassie blushed.
         “That was cheesy wasn’t it?” He asked.
         Cassie laughed hard. “Yeah a little, but I liked it.”
         “Good.” He responded.
         She realized his face was starting to come towards hers, and the instinct to meet his movement caught her by surprise. The next thing she knew they were kissing. His scruff was rubbing gently against her face and his mouth gently pushed her lips apart and she felt his tongue lick against her bottom lip. It had been a long time since she had kissed someone.
         When the music for the theatre advertisements began, their kiss ended. Their heads stayed close to each other.
         “You are a damn good kisser Cassandra.”
         She looked into his eyes and watched his lips as they formed his words. She hadn’t expected the evening to go so well so quickly, but then again, it felt nice. “You are not so bad yourself Mister Derek.”
         She was just relaxing back against her seat and nestled against Derek when she happened to look to her left and see a woman standing with her arms crossed and her very long blond hair falling around her waist. Her crystal moon necklace glowed, which wasn’t a good sign.
         Shit.
         “I'll be right back Derek,” she explained. “I need to go to the restroom.”
         “Hurry back, I don’t want people to think I came to see this sappy movie by myself.” He grinned. God he had perfect teeth too.
         Cassie took the steps two at a time and met Kali at the bottom.
         Kali held out her hand and in it was what looked like a piece of melted steel.
         Cassie grinned. “Yeah, don’t know how that happened.”
         “This isn’t a game CC. People’s lives are in danger here. If we can save them then we need to do everything we can.” She tossed the metal into the nearby trash container.
         “Well I was tired of hearing your stupid remarks.”
         “Deal with it.” She handed her another ear piece and turned to walk away, then turned back. “Be careful CC. I felt a few strong auras’s when I walked into this place. If any of the clan is here, they may be planning another attack. Keep your eyes open.”
         “Yeah, I got it.” Cassie put the ear piece in her pocket and ran back up the stairs to go sit back down with Derek.
         “All better?” He asked when she sat back down.
         “Much thanks.”
         
         The next morning Cassie sat at her kitchen table, knees brought up to under her chin while she ate her morning cereal. The other members of the Green Circle were sitting around the same table. Nicolette was going over the report that each of the members received from Mesmer. Kali was trying to meditate in the corner and Mesmer was sitting in the windowsill looking out at who knows what.
         “So no one has any leads? And we have no game plans?” Mesmer asked the crowd without looking away from the window. He was in his usual outfit, black sleeveless shirt and jeans. His muscular frame barely fit in the window. He didn’t look much older than the rest of them, but had a wisdom about him that made it seem he was ancient.
         “What’s the big deal?” Cassie asked. “We find them and then we kill them. Isn’t that how it works?”
         Nicolette looked up from her reading and pushed her glasses up her nose. “Not quite Cassie.”
         Cassie threw her a dirty look. “I think it seems pretty simple. Find out how many there are of them, then we take them out. Done and done.”
         Miles came around the corner with a cup of coffee in his hands. “And what happens if one of us gets killed like last time? Because our plan wasn’t thought through enough we lost Sychra. I don’t want to see another one of us dead.”
         “Dying is part of our job,” Kali quietly added. She gracefully arose from her sitting position and walked across the room with the ease of a cat. “Only the strongest survive.”
         “Or if your immortal, you mean.” Cassie said.
         Kali tilted her head towards her direction. “No, that is not what I mean at all.”
         Cassie took a bite of her cereal. “But it is true. You don’t have to worry about dying, because you cant.”
         “That theory has yet to be proven,” Kali answered, taking a seat at the table, giving her head a sway that she was accustomed to that kept her from sitting on her hair. “It is very possible I could die along with the rest of you. But that is not the reason for this early meeting. We need to find leads; we need to find the Blythei Clan, more so we need to find its leader. If they are indeed the ones that are responsible for the slaying in Covetsville, then it’s up to us to stop them.”
         Mesmer moved from the window and walked to the table. His heavily muscled chest puffed out and the veins in his neck visible. “There is more to it then that Kali. The report I got this morning said they are almost impossible to kill. The only clue we have to find them is that they are branded. They have the Mark of Thymus.”
         “Mark of Thymus?” Cassie asked. “What’s that?”
         Nicolette was the one to answer. “A black eight pointed star. It is only visible to another clan member.”
         “Well that blows.” This from Miles.
         “Not necessarily,” Kali said. She looked over at Nicolette who pulled a vile from her hooded sweatshirt. “This vile holds the answer to our problem,” Kali continued.
         Miles smirked. “Will it kill the clan without us even leaving the house?”
         Kali glared. “No. But the next best thing I suppose.”
“What is it?” Cassie asked.
         “The end of us all, possibly.” Mesmer answered.
          “Don’t be dramatic Mesmer!” It wasn’t a common thing for Kali to yell, and when she did, people listened. Cassie put down her empty bowel of cereal and stared at Kali.
         “Nicolette found a spell created this potion. If we each take a drink of this, it will give us the power to view the Mark of Thymus.” Kali looked from one person to the other. “However, it will also make us stand out to them. Their mark will burn hot when in our presence.”
         Cassie put one and two together. “So if we drink it, and we are alone, and we find a clan member, it’s possible they will kill us on the spot?”
         “Basically.” Nicolette answered.
         Shit.
         Mesmer looked around. “If we do this guys, there is no turning back. The potion never wears off. It’s either them, or us.”
         “Wait a cotton picking moment,” Miles said. “What if it’s not them? What if it’s some other clan? We would be putting ourselves in danger for no reason.”
         “One way or another, they need to be taken out anyway.” Kali turned and walked to stand next to Mesmer. Her long hair swayed around her like a cloak. “We will just be saving ourselves from doing it later anyway.”
         Miles sat down at the table. His thick brown hair that falls in his face matched his usual brown hooded sweatshirt he wore. Cassie always thought Miles looked like he was hiding something with his eyes always covered, but she found out it was just a type of security he needed.
         “So let’s throw ourselves to them? Cool, sounds like a plan. Should we tie ourselves up and sit on their doorstep also?” Miles asked.
         Mesmer straightened himself. He ran his hand through his short hair. “They move around in tight closed circuits. They kill their victims to use their blood for sacrifice for their gods and some eat from their flesh. The only known way to kill them is to kill their leader. Each circuit has their own appointed leader. Kill them, kill the collective.”
         Cassie raised her hand. 
         “Yes CC?” Kali said with a raised eyebrow.
         “So what kind of powers do they have?” She asked.
         Kali looked at Mesmer. “Each member of the clan can transfigure into an animal of that circuits mark. We think that by the slash wounds and decapitation that we are dealing with a wolf based clan.”
         “Fuck that!” Miles exclaimed.
         Cassie’s mouth dropped open. She was speechless.
         “Even with Cassie’s fire power, Nic's spells, and Kali’s godhood, we would not stand a chance against werewolves!” Miles leaned back in his chair, pushed his hair out of his eyes and kept his hands behind his head while rocking back in the chair. “There is no way.”
         “If Mesmer is with us he can freeze them while we take them out.” Nicolette offered.
         “Or your sketches?” Cassie added looking at Miles.
         “It could be enough,” Kali said. “If we work together, and do exactly as Mesmer says.”
         Everyone looked at each other. There was a silent agreement as the vile was passed from one person to the other. Each drank and passed it without a word, starting with Kali and ending with Mesmer. Now the only game plan was to stay alive.

         
         “I’m scared,” Cassie said as her and Kali walked down the hall towards the Meeting Room. “The idea of going up against werewolves.”
         Kali tilted her head towards Cassie, causing her long white hair to wave around her shoulder. “I know you are. I think we all should be. Werewolves, for lack of a better word, are scary to deal with; however they are also not the brightest. So that might be an advantage to us also.”
         Cassie nodded. She didn’t really want to think about it until she had to. So she changed the subject. “I had a good time last night. Sorry you couldn’t find any leads.”
         Kali smiled. “Me too. So what happened?”
         Cassie blushed.
         “You didn’t!”
         Cassie grinned wide. “It was really unexpected, but was reeeeaaalllllyyy good though.”
         Kali poked Cassie with her elbow. “You whore.”
         They both laughed. They were interrupted by Cassie’s cell phone. It was Derek. Kali pointed that she was going to go ahead and go into the Meeting Room: Cassie nodded and said she would be there in a minute. When Kali had disappeared around the corner Cassie answered her phone.
         “Hey, Derek.” She couldn’t help the smile that spread across her face.
         “Cassandra, how are you?” Derek asked. His voice was different she picked up, tired, not so energetic.
         Her stomach started to churn. “Not much . . . what’s up?”
         There was a silence. Then there was a sigh.
         “Derek?”
         “I’m so sorry to be saying this. Especially after last night.” She heard him take a deep breath. “Last night was wonderful Cassandra, it really was. You’re an amazing kisser, your body . . .”
         “But?” Cassie interrupted. She wrapped her one arm around her chest and leaned against the wall.
         Silence.
         “Derek?” This time she barely whispered it.
         “Last night, the entire night, I felt like I was cheating on Gina. I know it is silly, I know that I don’t still have feelings for her, but at the same time I can’t shake this feeling I have.” He paused for a minute. “And I had such a good time with you. But. . I just think I need to get my head together and work on some things.”
         Cassie hung up the phone. Her body began to slide down the wall until her knees were under her chin and her butt hit the dirty tunnel’s floor. For a second she thought how much she hated these meeting’s that took place in the darkest and deepest tunnels of New York’s sewer system. Then her mind immediately turned back to heart ache. It seems almost surreal. Did she really just sleep with a man that afterwards decided he wanted his ex back?
         She felt like a fool. How did she not see this coming? He lived with his ex for god sake! Who cares if he claimed over and over again that there was nothing there? She put her head in her hands and began to cry. How could she be so naïve and stupid? How? How?
         Her cell phone began to vibrate. She had a text message. For a second her mind raced with ideas, maybe he was texting her to say he was the stupid one and of course he wanted her and not Gina. When she pushed the side button and the text was revealed she couldn’t believe what it said.
         ‘You left your sweater here last night. You might want to pick it up.’
         She began to cry harder.


         “Are you okay?” Kali asked with her hand on Cassie’s leg. Cassie knew Kali wasn’t used to the touchy feely things.
         “I will be.” She answered.
         They were sitting out in front of Derek’s apartment. Kali had insisted going with her when she heard what happened on the phone and that Cassie was going to his house to get her sweater. Mesmer had instructed them all not to go out alone because of the attacks, so Cassie gladly accepted the company.
         They sat in silence for a while.
         “Want me to drain his soul and put it inside a frog?” Kali said with a straight face. “I would do it.”
         Cassie looked over. The corners of her mouth twitched a little. “No thanks. This is all fault.”
         “It is not your fault that you were used by some creep, CC. There are plenty of them out there, look at my ex Alden. He probably knew he still liked Gina the whole time, he just wanted to get with you also.”
         Cassie ran her hands through her hair and then put them on her knees. “Okay, it’s now or never.”
         She opened the car door. “Want me to go with you?” Kali offered.
         “That’s alright. I appreciate it though.” She got out the car, closed it gently, and started up the stairs. God this is going to be awkward. Please don’t let this be weird. Just go up to the door, get your sweater, and punch him in the face. No! Must not punch in face, got to remember that.
         She rang the door bell. A few seconds later the door opened and Gina stood in the doorway. Great.
         “Cassandra,” Gina greeted. “I expect you are here for your sweater.” She had a mocking smile to her, and Cassie immediately knew she must have been aware of the situation.
         “Yes please.” Cassie replied.
         “Come in Hun, Derek is taking a nap; I will get it for you.” She opened the door wider and allowed Cassie to pass. She stayed by the door though, not wanting to walk to far in and had sudden flashbacks of last night. She needed to get out of here with her dignity and pride, at least what was left of it.
         Gina turned with a smile and began walking away. Suddenly she grabbed the back of her neck and screamed the highest pitched scream Cassie had ever heard. Gina dropped to her knees and clawed at the back of her neck, pushing her curly blond hair away.
         Cassie’s heart stopped when see saw it. Her body froze and even though she wanted to cry for help, she couldn’t. She just stared. There it was, small and black.
         An eight pointed star.