South
Southern werewolf estate
It was already midday but the sun still couldn't be seen, due to the clouds outside. Sloane was dressed in warmer clothes as she came down the stairs.
Earlier
Due to the castle having more rooms, more members of Sloane's group, and the elders had moved in, which had caused a rearrangement to be made. As such, the elders stayed at the top of the castle, the boys rooms were next to each other on the next floor, the girls were on the fourth floor, the children followed on the third floor, the demon generals on the second floor and the servants on the first floor.
Priya's new room was now two rooms away from Sloane's room and a single room away from Fernanda's room, Tim's was now opposite Clark's, while Lilith, Rosco, Mackenzie and Giselle had rooms next to each other, Kathy and Xavier had rooms in the empty hallways of the second floor.
Sloane's order for the two demon generals, was to rest up so, they had both gone into hibernation mode. And during her rest, everyone else in the settlement had been busy carry out the tasks they could handle that day, in accordance with the meeting. After finishing their work early, they each took up resting in their own ways.
Present
As Sloane reached the end of the stairs, she was surprised to see Priya sitting on a chair with a foregone gaze while Timothy was reading a book away from her.
"I thought you two would be resting" Sloane said with a smile and Timothy dropped the book
"I didn't participate in the war and only helped with the hospital and other stuff. I still have lots of energy to burn" Timothy said
"You know I haven't needed much sleep since opening my meridians" Priya said with a smile but soon noticed Sloane's dressing "Oh? So, where are you headed?"
"Greenwood Springs" Sloane said with a sigh "I need to pick up some very important documents"
"You do know we don't have to return to Greenwood University, right?" Priya said
"About that...how sure are you?" Sloane asked before pushing the matter aside "The stuff I need, is related to the settlement. After getting all my memories back, something has been bothering me and I need to check it out"
"Tim and I will come with you" Priya said as she got up from the chair and grabbed her coat "The settlement is pretty boring now"
"Don't make decisions for me" Timothy said while standing up
"You say that but you still want to come" Priya said "Stop contradicting yourself"
"Sure. Let's go" Sloane said with a giggle and just as she opened the door, she stepped out, and noticed Nathan standing there, while also dressed slightly warmly. "I was wondering when you'd come out" she said while coming down the stairs
"You're coming too?" Priya asked while following behind Sloane
"I was the first person she asked" Nathan said
'No wonder' Timothy thought
"The car's parked in front of the settlement" Nathan said while walking side by side with Sloane
"I thought all our vehicles were destroyed" Timothy said
"There's nothing Sloane and Nathan's magic power can't restore" Priya said before staring at the back of Sloane's head "By the way, Sloane, do you really think it's a good idea to head into town now? After the whole of summer was sucked into a winter wonderland thanks to your powers, I bet those guys aren't having it easy"
"They're a little on edge but, they're calmer than earlier" Sloane said
"It isn't their first time witnessing a clash of magic powers" Nathan said "If they're still shaking in their boots, then this generation has far weaker minds compared to their ancestors" he said which made Sloane giggle
After walking for a while, they were finally out of the woods and onto the open road where they stopped in front of a black Chevrolet Camaro
"You demons are stinking rich" Priya said with a whistle as she stared at the car
"When you live for a couple hundred of years, you have access to money many humans can only dream of" Nathan said as he took the car keys out of his pocket and opened the car door "Get in" he said as he opened the driver seat door and got in
"You don't have to tell me twice" Priya said as she ran like an excited child and got into the back seat while Timothy begrudgingly entered and sat at the back with her. Sloane chuckled at this scene before getting into the passenger seat.
Nathan brought the car to life, and made a quick reverse before driving in the direction of Greenwood Springs.
******
Greenwood Springs
Rodik Residence
Since Priya's disappearance, no member of the Rodik family had been able to leave the house freely. Greenwood Springs well known habit for criticising, was directed at them thanks to word of Sloane leaving the town, having spread. However, the family used the excuse of Priya being an adult who was responsible for her decisions, as a method to push aside their lack of care about her whereabouts
"Mum, is that bitch back yet?" a boy asked as he came down the stairs with headphones on. He had short dirty-blond hair, hazel eyes and a muscular frame. He was shirtless and only wore a pair of boxers as he entered the dining room
"Why are you so worried about her, Jake?" a girl asked. She was dressed in a tracksuit with long dirty-blond hair in a messy ponytail and hazel eyes hidden behind short bangs with piercings going up her two ears
"I need money, Sarah" Jake said while sitting at the dining table "It's been a while and she hasn't called or come home to pick up her stuff. I've also searched around her room and I can't find the piggy bank anywhere"
"Did you try calling her cell?" their mother, Irene asked as she dropped food on the table for them. "What about the guy she slept with? You asked him?" she asked
"First of all, I don't know her freaking phone number" Jake said "And secondly, that guy doesn't know anything about her. It was just a fling, mum. I doubt she'd go back to him"
"You're talking like her boyfriend" Sarah said
"Her job earns a thousand bucks every week. That's four thousand a month" Jake said "The town is in chaos and some people are planning on leaving Greenwood Springs. The guys and I, plan to hit all the pubs in Greenwood with some chicks before the town completely loses it. And yet, my favourite cash cow went missing when I need her the most"
"That's rude" Sarah said with a chuckle "What if your cash cow found a new owner and went off with them?"
"Then it means she's forgotten who I am" Jake said while stabbing his fork on his plate
Just then, the door opened and their father walked in with a foregone look. He had curly brown hair, a beard of the same colour, and brown eyes.
"Dad, you're back" Sarah said "That was quick"
"Welcome back, Dian" Irene said as she walked up to him and gave him a quick peck "How did it go?"
"Mr Grey wasn't at the office and the mayor is sick" Dian said as he loosened the knot of his tie and sat at the dining table "Has Priya called?"
"Ugh. That ungrateful child hasn't even called" Irene said "Let's just forget about her. We all know how bad her morals are" she said as she went over to the kitchen to get a plate for Dian
"She still refused to call you mother after so many years. I wonder what that child doesn't understand" Dian said with a sigh
******
As Nathan was already approaching the town, Timothy and Priya looked out the window. It had been a while for them since entering Greenwood Springs
"Sloane...." Priya called out and Sloane hummed "...I'd like to stop by my former work place and maybe even my house"
"What for?" Timothy asked
"My mother's belongings and...something doesn't sit right with me" Priya said "The owner of the eatery and my mother were pretty close. My mother always kept things from the past with her. To top it all off, she was closer with the mayor than Dian Rodik who works there. I need to know where she once lived and look for anything that could be helpful to us plus, I don't want to have any regrets"
"Sure" Sloane said and Nathan pulled up as soon as he spotted the eatery
"This is the place, right?" Nathan asked
"Oh. Yeah" Priya said as she got out of the car and Timothy followed along "Why are you coming with me?"
"To stop you from doing something stupid if you happen to run into your family" Timothy said as he shut the back seat door
"They're not my family" Priya said
"We'll meet again at the Connor residence. Contact via telepathy if something pops up" Sloane said before Nathan drove off
Priya pushed her hair away from her face and looked at Timothy
"Let's head inside" she said
"You first, my lady" Timothy said which made her laugh as she went ahead of him
As soon as the two of them entered inside, a waitress walked up to them to take their orders. As the waitress looked at them, she dropped her notebook and pen on the floor
"Manager" the waitress shouted as she went to the back office
"What a reaction" Timothy said as he sat on a bar stool by the counter
"Maybe she saw your face and ran away" Priya said "There aren't many handsome guys on your level in this town....Not to even talk of Nathan's level"
"Priya!!!" the manager shouted as he ran out of the back office. He was a plump man with many grey hairs. It seemed like age and the stress from work had gotten to him
"It's been a while, sir" Priya replied back and the old man rushed and hugged her
"Where have to been?" the manager asked
"I went with Tim to the town down South, after some men tried to kidnap me" Priya said and the man pulled away before looking behind Priya
"Kidnap? Tim?" the manager repeated
"Yeah. My name's Timothy but people call me Tim" Timothy introduced
"Thanks for looking after Priya, son" the manager said as he pat Timothy on the shoulder "Priya, why didn't you mention that your family was abusing you?"
"Family?" Priya asked with a smile and laughed to herself "Sir, I don't have a family. My mother's already dead and my father abandoned me as soon as I was born. Those strangers at the Rodik residence aren't my family"
"You're not returning to Greenwood, are you?" the waitress asked from behind
"I didn't want to have any regrets. I have a lot to ask and a lot to say to Dian Rodik but other than that, and taking my mother's stuff, I have no reason to stay here" Priya said
"Then, I guess I'll have to give you what your mother left with me" the manager said as he went back inside his office. When he came back out, he was holding an old book and a pendant with a bright pink crystal. "She said it was something your grandmother treasured, something she treasured, and something she's sure you'll treasure" the manager said
"Thank you" Priya said as she took it from him
"There was one last stuff but, Dian..." the manager stopped talking when he saw the frown on Priya's face
"I'll take it back myself" Priya said
"Take care" the manager said and Priya left the eatery with Timothy
"To think we'd have to go to the Rodik residence" Priya growled "I hope that old devil hasn't tampered with my mother's stuff. She really did a lot to get my mother's ghost out of that house" she put the things she got, in her spatial pouch as she walked
"It's a good thing I came then" Timothy chuckled
******
Meanwhile
Nathan and Sloane pulled up in front of the Connor residence and they got out of the car. There were a lot of people in the area so, seeing Sloane get out of an expensive car with the extremely handsome Nathan, really caught the eyes of everyone on the street.
"Let's get the remaining stuff and get out of here" Nathan said while stretching his hand towards her
"Still hate it when everyone easily gets attracted by your appearance?" Sloane asked with a smile as she took his hand
"I also don't like how they're looking at you" Nathan said
"Word probably went around that I had already left town" Sloane said "They're most likely wondering what I'm doing here"
"Sloane?" a woman wondered and Sloane turned around to look at her. It was clear the woman had only just come out from her house. It was the house directly opposite the Connor residence
"Yeah, what is it?" Sloane asked
"So you finally got involved in the bad crowd" the woman said spitefully "Dying your hair and wearing contacts-"
"I didn't get involved with the bad crowd" Sloane said "My....aunt, Kathy, thought I needed a change of image. The old Sloane needed to die for me to move on"
"And this young man?" the woman said "I can sense bad energy from him"
"Are you a psychic now?" Nathan asked and Sloane almost laughed
"Sorry, this is Nathan" Sloane said "He's arrogant and rude but, he's a nice guy, honestly. His father was a friend of my father and since I needed someone to drop me off, he offered to help"
The woman stared at them for a while; clearly very suspicious
"Sloane, we don't have much time" Nathan said "Let's get the stuff and head back. Before they notice we're gone"
"Excuse us" Sloane said as she walked up to the door and opened it before letting Nathan in and shutting the door
"Where to next?" Nathan asked as she tucked some hair behind her ears and sighed
"The basement" she said