Chapter 1

     Noëlville Ontario, is a small town in northern Ontario, which sits between two major highways, highway 69 and highway 17, also dubbed the trans-Canada highway. It possessed one elementary school and one high school, everything worth seeing was on the main road, the church, bank, restaurant, corner store, Foodland, gas station, on the outside were nothing but homes, camps and farms.  The town’s population stood at 2,442 citizens as of 2011, probably much less today. To an outsider looking in the town really didn’t have anything going for it, mostly cracked sidewalks and abandoned businesses, just another little hole in the wall. To the people of the town, it was home and for some of them it was the only home they had ever known. Let’s not get our facts warped, the small town definitely had its charms, its vast lakes and rivers made it a hot spot for tourism and camping. Majestic forests reached out as far as the eye can see, sprawling fields of flowers and massive farming properties. Whatever the town lacked in grandeur and sophistication they made up in simplicity and natural beauty.

                We shouldn’t all be fooled by the alluring prospects of a small town with beautiful lakes and forests. Like all small towns Noëlville held on to its own secrets, it carried its own dirty past like a cross. This small town didn’t share the same secrets as other small towns around the world, this was the last and the largest mecca for witches. The only town left, since Salem, Massachusetts, where the whole town were witches, minus a few. Others also habituated within its borders creatures of fairy tales and nightmares crawled its forest and lakes. No human had stepped foot into the town since 1969, 46 years ago, but of course nothing was written in stone and things always change.

***

                The sun was shining in the bright blue sky, clouds drifting by lazily, and trees bowing and dancing in the light afternoon breeze. Everything was calm and silent, no birds chirping, no dogs barking, it almost seemed as though time had stopped. The town is no exception to the silence, nothing within it was stirring it seemed to be deserted, shops were closed and curtains were drawn, even the roads were bare. Surrounding the church and the areas around the church where hundreds of vehicles, some parked in the restaurant parking lot across the street from the church, and other’s parked along the curb of the street. Even with all the cars around the place still seemed to be deserted.

                This was not the case within the church. Packed to the brim with people all piled into the long pews, some standing around the perimeter and others leaning against the large pillars that rose to the ceiling, the massive church seemed to be a hot spot. Everywhere people chattered, children screamed and babies cried, the large domed ceiling amplifying the sound. Some conversations between people seemed to be getting heated and the level of chatter began to increase. Sitting on a chair on a raised platform Shawn tried desperately to ignore the glances people threw is way, the dirty looks and the whispers behind hands. Of course he had to give props where they were due, some actually said what they felt about him out loud so he could hear.  

                “Look at them, it’s like they blame you for what happened.” Anyssa whispered in his ear.

                Shawn nodded, acknowledging what she told him but not adding to the conversation. Anise was his best friend, had been since they were young, but their band ran deeper than friendship. She has been his bodyguard assigned to him since the day they were born and now she stood beside his chair all six feet, two inches of her. Tall, dark skinned and raven black hair, she was pretty hard to miss, even in a crowded room. Her mother was a descendant of the Salem witches, her father was a man from the first nations, Anyssa had inherited her father’s look but also her mother’s legacy. Lethal, yeah, that’s how Shawn described her and he thank the Goddess every day that he was on the right side of her gun, she wasn’t well known for her patience to the disappointment of her mentors.            

From a door to their right a woman dressed in pure white silk robes emerged. Marlona, she was the high priestess, said to be the eyes and hears of the Goddess on earth and maybe the third most powerful witch in the town. As she walked across the raised platform everyone in the church subsided into whispers and when she turned to face them from behind the altar, all went silent.

                “The Queen will step out momentarily.” Her voice rang with a calm power.

                When it was obvious that that was all she was going to say the room broke out in chatter once more, although it was short lived.

                Stepping out through the same door Marlona did, came Cordelia. Queen of the witches, Shawn’s grandmother and the most powerful witch that walked the earth. She wore a long black gown, her short grey hair supporting a delicate jewel incrusted crown of silver. Four guards surrounded her, two at the front and two following behind, they wore full black suits, all of them scanning the area around the queen. The queen was not a very large woman, quite the opposite she was tall and very slender; her face beginning to show the signs of age. Cordelia stopped before the altar, nodded at Marlona and then turned to face her subjects, pain showing on her face. Everyone in the room stood, including Shawn.

                “Blessed be,” it came out almost a whisper, but a power seemed to carry her silent voice.

                “Blessed be,” everyone echoed out at the same time.

                “I think we all know why I have called this meeting,” Cordelia’s voice began gaining its strength. “In the last few months we have been subjected to acts of violence, Jackson, five, Emery, six, Diana, four and Nicolas, five have all been abducted from their homes during the small morning hours. Yesterday I was alerted to an emergency at Celina’s home where she and her daughter lived. Sara is still presumed missing, Celina was found dead upon entering the house, her body drained of blood. We are still attempting to reach her husband who was away on business in France. In the meantime Celina’s father, Alastor, as asked that we remember his daughter and asks you to send a blessing to her spirit. Her funeral will be held in two days, all those who’d like to pay their respects are within their rights to do so.”

                Cordelia paused, letting her words sink into the crowd. From the front row, Shawn could hear Alastor, now eighty weep silently. Several people around him reached out to comfort the old man. Before beginning again, Cordelia took a deep breath, seeming to try and control her anger.

                “It began as several abductions and as now escalated into murder, I am here to assure you that I take this with the utmost seriousness. As your Queen I share in the pain of losing a sister and I also share in your anger towards those who have threatened, not just her, but all of us. We will not rest until we have found the ones who are responsible for this.” As Cordelia spoke the room seemed to fill with strength. “It is at times like these that we are reminded of what family means and I promise you that I will do everything within my power to protect my family.”

                With that Cordelia turned on her heels and walked out of the door, she came from, the guards that stood at attention followed her out. People began chatting immediately, their voices a little more quiet than before and their anger better controlled.

                “Well, it looks like they won’t rip your head off after all.” Anyssa said, a small smile playing on her lips.

                “I guess not,” Shawn sighed.

                “Okay your majesty of the grumpy wood gnomes let’s get out of here shall we?”

                “How the hell can you joke and be so cheerful? Really Anyssa do you not see what’s going on?” Shawn snapped back at her.

                “Yes, I do see it,” Anyssa’s eyes narrowed. “But I won’t let it completely consume me, there’s nothing we can do about it right now and besides grandma seems to have everything under control.”

                “You're right, just sucks to think about those kids.”

                Shawn stretched out his muscles and followed where Cordelia exited. Beyond the door was a large room that was dominated by a very large oak table, at the head in an elaborately decorated chair Cordelia sat silently. All around her chaos erupted, all the politicians and advisors screaming over one another.

                “Grandma,” Shawn approached her and for the first time noticed how tired and frail she actually looked.               

                “Yes?”

                “Me and Anyssa are going to take off, if that’s okay with you.”

                “I and Anyssa sweetheart,” Cordelia sighed, rubbing her temples. “I’ve tried teaching you everything, the Goddess only knows, but English was never your strong suit was it? Never mind. Yes, you may leave, but straight home and tell the guards to set up a perimeter around the house, don’t go anywhere without guards.”

                “Grandma, I don’t think-“

                “Those are my conditions Shawn, can’t you see how dangerous it is? I am sorry but being a future king does put a very large target on ones back.”

                Nodding Shawn agreed that he would stay home.

                “Anyssa sweetheart come here please.” Cordelia motioned for her to approach, she rose from her chair, and all the advisors rose and bowed to her. Then she walked through another door into a smaller chamber.

                “Yes gran- I mean your Majesty,” Anyssa bowed stiffly.

                “That’s alright child, you can call me grandma, and I’ve only known you since you were in diapers. Come to think of it, I probably changed your diaper once or twice.” Cordelia smiled at Anyssa like she was as much hers as Shawn was. “But what I mean to talk to you about is security. Anyssa we can no longer wait, I’ve spoken to master Edgar and we have agreed that your training is of the outmost importance. I realize that a guardians training isn’t supposed to start till after their graduation, but we have both agreed that you will start you’re training when school starts next week. Things are getting serious around here and we get wait another year.”

                “That’s alright, Shawn is my best friend and his protection means just as much to me as to anyone else. I will do it and I promise to work hard.”

                “Blessed be my child.” Cordelia gave Anyssa a hug.

                Back out in the cacophony of politicians Anyssa felt instantly irritated.

                “Okay, let’s get the hell out of here before I rip off some unsuspecting politicians head. Mainly Roger, can anyone be any more of a moron.” Anyssa grabbed Shawn by the arm and almost raced through the door.

                Once inside Anyssa’s four seat Volkswagen Eos they dropped the convertible’s top and sped off out of town, homebound. Once out of sight and on to Wolsey Bay road Anyssa brought them from sixty kilometers an hour to a hundred, about twenty over the legal speed limit, but it wasn’t like cops patrolled the road and when they did, they didn’t often feel like pulling over the future king and his personal guard, one of the perks to being a royal. Shawn reached for the radio and turned it way up, Lady Gaga’s Applause blasted through the speakers and he let the wind and music wash over him.

                Closing his eyes, he let the afternoon sun fill his pores, the music infecting his mind and lulling him into a state of complete relaxation. Fresh air filled is nostrils as the red car sped past open fields, forests and small ponds. The sky was as blue as ever, beautiful white clouds crept slowly across its surface. Watching all this Shawn couldn’t help but wonder how such a beautiful world could harbor so much hate, so much pain.

                Anyssa brought the car to a slower pace as they approached the almost ninety degree hill that led down to the water front of Wolsey Bay. When approaching the hill one could look straight out and for an instant the road would vanish as if you were about to fall off the face of the world and then the slope would appear. Anyssa released the gas petal and let the car roll down at forty miles per hour, once bellow the bay opened up in front of them a narrow expanse of water surrounded by tourist cabins. During the summer those cabins were occupied by witches who came by to visit the town and share in celebration and prayer with their fellow witches. Now only a few of them remained occupied as the summer season was drawing to a close and kids had to begin school.

                Bypassing the cabins, Anyssa turned the car to the left and crossed over a small bridge and drove up another steep hill where the paved road turned to dirt and a two lane morphed into a very small one lane, where only one car could fit at a time. It was a small nuisance when you met another vehicle head on since there was absolutely no room for vehicles to be side by side. On each side of the small road where steep ditches and trees on each side that formed a very large canopy overhead, blocking out all the sun’s rays.

                A little way ahead a driveway opened up and Anyssa turned the car to the right. Down the small drive was small house, very quaint. This is where Shawn and Cordelia lived, it wasn’t a grand palace that most kings and queens lived in, and it was modest and small but a very beautiful place to be. Pulling up front Anyssa turned off the car and they stepped out. The front of the house was dominated by a very large porch with steep stairs and a built in pavilion equipped with large mosquito screens.

                “How about we go for a quick swim?” He asked Anyssa.

                “Sure! Let’s go get changed.”

                Shawn walked up the stairs of the front porch and he turned to his left and walked into the porches built in pavilion that Cordelia had had built. He grabbed his bathing suit from one of the chairs he had set it to dry on and walked into the camp through the two French doors. The inside was small, there was a wood stove on the left, a TV in the corner, a futon covered in blankets against the wall and two rocking chairs separated the kitchen and living room. The kitchen had a small electric stove and stove top, a decent sized kitchen table with four chairs around it, an L shaped counter followed the far wall and a fridge stood in the corner. Between the kitchen and living room was a hallway, to the left was Shawn’s room and straight across from his room was Cordelia’s room. Pushed up against the wall outside is bedroom door was an antique table with a chair and there sat the phone and no it wasn’t a cordless phone. A little further down the hall to the right was a closet, at the very end was the bathroom and to the left was the laundry room, pantry, freezer and another door that led out the back. Cordelia always kept the house tidy, she had very small seashell knickknacks and various sized plants covered the small tables and counters.  

                Stepping into his room, Shawn jumped as their big black cat Nala leaped off his bed and trotted down the hall meowing on her way.

                “Nice to see you too Nala.” He muttered under his breath.

                His room was very simple, he had his bed, a dresser and his desktop computer. On his walls he had a few posters hanging up of Lady Gaga, Kylie Minogue and other various artists that he enjoyed listening to. Of course, Cordelia didn’t enjoy any of their music, but what did she know? She was getting old. Other things hung around his room, a dream catcher by the window, a few canvas paintings sat around the room and hand drawn portraits littered the wall.

 Stripping out of his clothes Shawn quickly pulled his bathing suit on and walked back into the hall, he slipped on a pair of flip flops and walked down to the lake. He looked out into Cordelia’s very large garden and saw a few fairies fluttering around watering some plants and chasing a few pixie’s away from their garden. He heard the sliding door open and saw Anyssa step out in her black bathing suit, again with the black, he swore it’s all that girl owned was black.

                They both walked down the large cement block and down the ramp to the boathouse, inside was the boat floating in its spot. The large crank door was closed and so where the side doors, leaving very little light in the boathouse. Shawn opened up one of the doors that opened up to an attached dock.

                “Race you!” Anyssa darted out from behind him and plunged head first into the water.

                Not waiting for an invitation Shawn took off after her and dove in head first, the water still retained some of its heat, another few weeks and it would be too cold to swim. Shawn surfaced and shook the water out of his face, Anyssa was swimming lazy circles around him and then they both set off. The physical exercise of swimming was comforting, it set his mind at ease.

                After about fifteen minutes Shawn had had enough and swam back towards the boathouse, he pulled himself out of the water and lay out on the deck letting the sun dry him off. Of course he couldn’t stay out in the sun for long, with is blonde hair and fair skin he couldn’t risk getting the worst sun burn of life. Not everyone was as lucky as Anyssa and had their dark complexion to protect them from the UV rays. Anyssa dropped beside him with a huff.

                “That was nice, I’m going to miss having summer around.”

                “Yeah, give the water another two weeks and it’ll be too cold to even put your big toe in.” Shawn said. “Not to mention we have one more year and then real life starts, this is ultimately our last summer and school year.”

                “Yeah about that,” Anyssa frowned a little. “The reason grandma pulled me aside was to say my training starts when school does on Monday. With everything going on she needs someone to protect you.”

                “The world is one fucked up place isn’t it?” Shawn sighed.

                “Okay, who keeps calling doctor gloom and doom to the conversation? His such a buzz kill not even Lindsay Lohan could put up with him and trust me she’s more buzzed out than Howard the town drunk.”

                “Sorry, it’s been a long month.”

                “Yes, I know it sucks, missing children and now a murder, but in the name of the Goddess you can’t let it control you or else everyone around you are going to cut their ears off. Now look at that going up in the tabloids, thousands of ears missing after the future king of witches’ turns into depressing blob. Try having that on your conscious.”

                “You are a very rare kind of special you know that right?” Shawn said, looking at Anyssa.

                “Yup! Mom says she dropped me on my head, but don’t worry the doctors said it would wear off sooner or later.”

                “Looks like its later, much later.”

                “Oh, shut up, why don’t we do something constructive?” Anyssa said, getting up off the dock.

                “Yeah, we do have some homework to do-“

                “Oh my goodness you’re so far gone it’s unbelievable. I meant we should watch a movie or something. Do homework, if the teachers ask we got attacked by some insane demon I kicked its butt while you ran screaming like a little girl. Then I spent all night trying to convince you all would be okay.”

                “Hey! What do you mean screaming like a little girl?” Shawn asked.

                “Well, I’m a kick a*s warrior and you’re a king to be who snaps his fingers and orders people around. Of course you’d run off in the face of danger.”

                “Remind me when I’m king to banish you to house work.”

                “Grow up you wouldn’t know what to do without me! Help Anyssa the cat is attacking me, help Anyssa Roger the politician is being mean to me-“

                “Okay, okay a movie it is.”

                The two walked off towards the house, they both slipped out of their bathing suits and jumped into their pajamas and put in The Devil Wears Prada, which was only the best movie in the whole world, Meryl Streep duh. When the movie finished the sun was setting, the world glowed with a soft orange glow, and the water stood still its surface a perfect mirror of calm. Everything inside the house had turned into a beautiful gold colour.

                The sun had completely set when they finally heard several vehicles pull up the front of the house, Shawn and Anyssa went to the front doors and watched as Cordelia’s driver climbed out and went around to open her car door. Stepping out Shawn couldn’t help but notice how utterly exhausted she seemed. Her eyes had large dark circles under them and when she took the first few stairs, she leaned heavily against the railing pulling herself up. But once she reached Shawn and Anyssa she offered them a bright smile.

                “I’ll be with you two in a minute I just need to get out of this accursed dress.” Cordelia walked into her room and two maids followed her in to help with the undressing.

                “Maybe we should make something tonight? Grandma looks too tired to even lift a finger never mind cook.” Shawn said.

                “Yeah, you’re right,” Anyssa moved towards the kitchen and both set out on the task of supper.

                Ever since the last attempt on their life through poisoning Cordelia had insisted that they no longer have maids do the cooking and the only time maids would even be present at the house were during special outings or occasions. The only people who staid anywhere near the house where the guards who lived in the guard house behind the property. Cordelia stepped into the kitchen and watched as Shawn and Anyssa whipped up a quick spaghetti sauce. She watched the two going at it and waved away her two maids. Both maids silently stepped out of the house and jumped into a black unmarked SUV, the driver closing the door behind them and driving off.

                “Shawn, whatever happened to the guards around the perimeter?” Cordelia asked, taking a seat in her rocking chair.

                “Oh, I forgot. We went swimming and it skipped my mind completely.”

                “You can’t be forgetting things like this Shawn, we haven’t seen this kind of mess since-. Well, it’s been a while.” Cordelia sighed and rubbed her eyes.

                “I know I’m sorry,” Shawn mixed the sauce and chewed his bottom lip.

                “What question do you have to ask me Shawn? I know that look.”

                “Well, I was thinking, your advisors seemed very agitated today and I understand that everything is a bit crazy, but it seemed a little excessive for them to be that insane. I mean they never cared about anybody, well, anybody who doesn’t pay their checks anyways.” Shawn said, Anyssa turned to face Cordelia, her curiosity peaked as well.

                “Can’t get much by you, can we? It’s in the family genes I suppose.” Cordelia seemed to be contemplating something. “Alright, I’ll tell you, you’ll find out soon enough anyways. With everything that’s been going on the federal government is sending in an investigator to look into these disappearances. No humans have set foot in this town for years and a private investigator equipped with DNA testing, especially now a days, is a threat to us.”

                “I think everyone is wrong about that grandma, I mean lots of people would probably welcome the idea of witches. Look at all the literature and TV shows, people would probably better accept us nowadays.” Shawn added.

                “Maybe, but we can’t risk putting a target on our backs, we have enough going around, we don’t need the hatred of humans to add to our pile of growing problems. Now the detective needs to be completely fooled by what’s actually going on here, for once I agree with all those greedy b******s, we need to cover up the fact that we are witches. Your job is to get close to his son and make sure his son doesn’t see anything unusual. He’ll be finishing his last year of high school here, make him feel welcome. Oh, and I’ve heard he swings for your team. If you know what I mean.”

                Cordelia winked at Shawn.

                “I can’t believe you're trying to be cool.” Shawn shook his head and Anyssa smirked.

                “What I’m hip and down with the youngsters!”

                All three of them busted out laughing, tears running down their faces. As they sat down for supper they forgot about all their problems, they spent the night talking, laughing and eating. 

***

                “Bastian! Hurry up will you, I don’t have all night for this.” Evelyn hissed.

                “I’m coming! You can’t rush this Eve, damn beasts are skittish as Ch-“The man named Bastian choked before he could finish his sentence.

                “Stupid vampire you can’t use the Lords name or any name of the Holy.” Evelyn laughed.

                “Shut up alright. Keep your damn eyes on the mission.”

                Evelyn and Bastian both turned towards the clearing, the trees cloaking them in darkness. In the middle of the clearing a unicorn stood, its large head bent, grazing the grass at its feet. The large horn protruding from its forehead catching the full moons glow, a couple of fairies danced around it.

                “Now is as good a time as any Evelyn.”

                Reaching behind her Evelyn pulled out a large bow and arrow, both made of pure oak, the tip of the arrow was made of pure silver. Raising the bow to eye level Evelyn took aim at her target, the poor beast didn’t even know what was coming next. Taking a deep breath and steadying herself over the uneven ground, she let her arrow fly.

                With a loud thud the unicorn lets out a shrill cry and leapt into the air, for a moment Evelyn panicked thinking she had missed her mark. But the beast buckled and toppled over on the ground, the fairies that hovered nearby scrambled over to the unicorn. Not that their magic could do much, the arrow’s iron tip made sure the fairies magic couldn’t work.

                “That’s what I would call a good shot Bastian, maybe you should take note.” Evelyn smirked in his direction as she walked out into the clearing.

                Most of the fairies who were trying to help the unicorn had left, scurried away for help. Hovering alone over the unicorn was a beautiful fairy, no more than ten inches high she stood her ground as Evelyn approached.

                “Harming a unicorn is both unlucky and against the accord. This creature will soon be extinct and I know this might have been a mistake, but I beg of you-“

                Not thinking twice Evelyn rose her hand, a ball of flame appeared within her palm and she threw it in the direction of the tiny fairy. The fairy rose her arms, a light blue shield put itself between her and the fire, but the shield was a little late in coming. Some of the flames licked up the fairies arms as she was thrown backwards and slammed into the dirt. Her long red petal dress and hair were singed, her tiny arms burnt and her wings broke. Bastian went over to the fairy, panicked, she turned onto her stomach and tried crawling away from Bastian, tiny moans of pain filled the meadow. She didn’t get far, Bastian picked up a small branch from the ground, sharpened the end on it and pierced the fairy between the shoulder blades. A small gasp of pain escaped her lips, before darkness came out to claim her.

                Leaning over the unicorn Evelyn pulled a knife out of her belt and slit a clean cut across the unicorn’s throat. Quickly she placed a bucket under its throat, letting the blood spill into it, using his vampire strength Bastian pushed on the unicorn’s chest, continuing the flow of blood even after death.

                “Okay, we have enough,” Evelyn said, inspecting the silver liquid that was unicorn’s blood.

                “Guess it’s my turn to bleed a little.” Bastian said, his teeth expanding he pricked the tip of his finger with his fang.     

                Rubbing his finger, he let three drops of crimson blood fall into the bucket, then he pulled back his hand quickly sucked the tip of his finger. The silver blood of the unicorn turned from a brilliant silver to a bright emerald has the vampire’s blood mixed with it.

                “Okay, let’s get out of here before those damn faeries come back.” Bastian said.

                “Why are you scared of a few little fairies?” Evelyn mocked.

                “No, but I am scared of those damn things identifying us and running to the damn queen.” Bastian shot back, anger in his voice. “I didn’t do all this work for nothing Eve.”

                “Yeah, you’re right,” Evelyn sighed. “Take the blood over to Sylvia, you know at a run.”

                Bastian picked up the bucket and ran off, in a blink of an eye, he was gone, nothing more than a blur of motion. Evelyn threw another look around the clearing, from within the trees, she could see the lights of other fairies approaching. Making sure none of them saw her, she pulled energy towards her and pictured a cave with a cauldron in the middle with a low flame below it. The walls covered in small vials and a work table with a large book on it, in the corner a bed of straw and browned sheets. Holding on to that image she released her energy letting it engulf her whole body and just like that she was gone.