Chapter 1

It was hot out today, but it was expected as we are in the heat of the summer. I loved the month of August. I was out swimming in the lake that was near my home to cool down from the summer heat. I found the afternoon sun very pleasant as the heat dried the cool lake water from my skin. I laid out on the sand enjoying my last few weeks of summer break before school starts again. I wanted to soak up the energy from the sun and water as I can.

Goddess knows that I will be too busy when the school year picks up again. I start my second year of college in the fall. I was excited to continue on, but I enjoyed the leisure time I've grown accustomed to the past three months. I don't want to move back to the dorms, living in cramped rooms and eating the terrible food. I missed my mom's cooking and my comfy bed when I'm away. I do love chicken strip day.

"Georgianna!"

I tilted my head back and looked back to see my mother at the head of the stairs that lead down to the lake. She called my name again and asking for me to come back up to the house. I gathered my things that I had brought with me to the lake, and I ran up the trail and stairs to the back porch where my mom stood.

"What's up?" I asked her as I shook the sand out of my hair.

"I have to go to town." She said. "There's an emergency council meeting. Do you wanna come into town with me?"

I studied her face briefly, and she looked a little worried.

"Yeah." I smiled. "Let put some real clothes."

"You should shower." She teased. "You smell like fish and dirt."

I chuckled looking down to see I was an absolute mess. "Thanks, mom, I sure do feel the love today."

"Just looking out for you, chickie." She smiled at me.

I went into the house and straight to the bathroom to get cleaned up. Gotta to hurry. I jumped into the shower with my suit on so I could rinse it out before taking it out to be washed. I was rinsing out the soap from my hair when I heard my mom tell me that she left clothes for me on the toilet seat.

I finished my shower and got dressed in record time. I left my hair down to air dry after I ran a towel through it. Mom was waiting for me in the living room gathering papers into file folders that I assume must be for the meeting. She placed the folders in her accordion binder to take with her.

"Ready to go." I smiled at her while grabbing my bag.

"Let's go, hon." She grabbed the car keys.

She drove us the 20 minutes into town, Safe Haven. It was the location of the Council of Witches of North America and a place where our kind is safe and protected from all sorts of dangers in the world. Safe Haven was the only safe place for witches and their families in this part of the world. The founders placed wards and protections spells around the town and surrounding area including the lake.

I loved growing up here despite the closeness of the community where everyone was in everyone's business, and secrets were hard to hide. It was pretty large for a small town, population size 1,000, but we needed the space for celebrations hosted here every year. A few weeks ago, Lughnasadh Festival was one of the largest seen here since the founding. I think my mom said that there was almost 3,000 visitor from across the world here. However, we stood together because how else were we supposed to survive. We have been prosecuted for so long, and we knew that we had to band together in order to remain strong enough to stand against those who wish to hard us.

We arrived at the council building. I remember as a child hiding behind the council bench playing with my toys, and my mom would take care of her business that needed to be taken care of. My mom sent me to Henry's Diner across the street when "little eyes and ears" shouldn't be in the room. The diner was really like a second home to me throughout my childhood and high school years. I remembered working there during high school and the summer before college. I waved goodbye to my mom and crossed the street to the diner. I really want a slice of Selene's Huckleberry Pie topped with a mountain of whipped cream.

"I'll call when we are done." She called to me.

I entered the diner and sat at the breakfast bar and waited for someone to notice me.

"Well looked who it is." Henry teased when he saw me. "Little Miss Georgi. I see that you have decided to leave your hiding spot to join us here in the world."

"I wasn't hiding." I rolled my eyes and said in the most 'I'm-an-adult-and-serious' voice I could muster. "I was enjoying my time in solitude to reflect and meditate."

He just laughed and bent over the counter to kiss the top of my head. He walked over to the dessert cooler to grab me a slice of pie. He placed it in front of me and grabbed the whipped cream so he could cover the pie with it. He then yelled for Selene.

"Georgi's here!"

Selene came out if the kitchen with a large smile on her face.

"I see that you have come out of hiding, girly." She walked over to kiss my head.

"You all make it sound like I haven't been here at all. Wasn't I here last week? And I was with Star!" I said with a mouth full of pie.

"Don't talk with your mouth full, Georgianna." Selene scolded flicking my ear. "It's rude."

"Ow!" Some pie and whipped cream sprayed across the counter. I swallowed the rest of the food in my mouth. "That hurt."

"Don't talk with your mouth full," Selene commanded.

"Sorry, Selene. I won't do it again." I answered.

"Good girl. Now, sit and enjoy the pie, hon." She kissed my head once more before both Henry and Selene return to work.

I sat there enjoying my pie while reading the book I brought with me. I was at the diner for about an hour before I hear my name being yelled from the door. I turned to see Star walking toward me.

"Twinkle!" I sorta yelled. "I thought you were training today. I've missed your face."

"I've missed you too!" She hugged me. "I see that you have finally joined us here in the real world. Finally done hiding?"

"Not you too!" I whined like a toddler. "I am not hiding!"

"Yes, you are!" She said as we both sat down. "I know it's because we ran into Nathaniel last week!"

"I have no idea what you are talking about." I crossed my arms and refused to look at her. Stupid Bestie.

"Then you will have no problem knowing that that jerk face has been asking about you since - oh, you know, slept with the diseased bag of dicks." Star waved her hand in the air.

I rolled my eyes. "I did not have sex with him."

"Um-hum."

"And he is not the reason I haven't come to town." I snapped. "I haven't been in because I needed to meditate."

"The whole two weeks?" Star gave a look. "You can't lie to me, George, remember? Built-in lie-detector." She pointed to her head.

"Fine." I crossed my arms. "I have been avoiding that idiot because he wants to get back together after we may have or may not have hooked up at the festival."

"Georgianna!" She yelled hitting me in the arm. "What is wrong with you? Why would you something so disgusting with that douche bag?"

"It's not my fault," I whined. "I told him that it was a one time deal and that we were not going to get back together."

"Please tell me you used protection!"

"What are you? My mother?"

"Georgi!"

"Yes, mother," I said with sarcasm. "We practiced safe sex."

"Still can't believe you slept with him," Star whined.

Star's phone rang.

"Oh shit." She said before answering it. "Hey, boss." pause. "Yep, on my way right now."

"In trouble?" I teased when she hung up.

"Always." She smiled back at me. "I have to get back to the council building. Velmer is a little upset that my 30-minute lunch break turned into 45 minutes. So I'm gonna have to blame you when he is yelling at me."

"Go right ahead." I smiled standing up with her. "If asks, I tell him that I held you hostage."

"Don't think that I won't." She turned her head so her nose was in the air.

"I'll walk over with you," I said gathering my stuff. "I don't want to stay in one place for too long. Douche bag might find me."

Star laughed at my predicament. I told her to shut it and packed up my things. I pulled out a few dollars to pay for the pie and left it on the counter.

"Bye Henry! Bye Selene!" I yelled. "Money's on the counter!"

"Bye Georgi! Bye Star!" they yelled back.

Star and I both left the diner, and we crossed the street to the council building. Our arms were linked together, and we walked in step together. When we entered through the front door instead of the side door of the council building. We smiled at the receptionist as we stopped to greet her.

"Hey girls."

"Hi Sara," we said at the same time.

"Star, Velmer is looking for you, and he looks a little upset," Sara said. "You better go find him."

"I'm on it." Star smiled. "Stay out of trouble, George."

Sara went down the hall that leads to the Protector Enforcement Office. I continue my way to the back entrance of the council room. I cracked the door open a little to make sure I wasn't interrupting the council issuing a punishment or a fight. I remember one time when I was 12, I barged into the room, and I was terrified to see my mother and Pollux Storm (Star and I were convinced that 'Pollux Storm' is a fake name), another council member, in the middle of fight throwing blasts of energy at each other. So after that, I made it a point to never enter without peeking in the room, and it's something I will continue to do.

"We can't just send someone in!" I heard the illustrious Pollux yell. "You all know how dangerous that is!"

"Of course, I know how dangerous it is." My mom argued back all calm, cool, and collected. "But, are you forgetting one simple fact. If it were not for his support, money, and land, we would not have this community. Without him, we would not have this safe place to practice, to live, to celebrate. We would not have Safe Haven to raise our children! We are indebted to him."

"But how can we justify sending a witch, a single witch, into a vampire nest!"

"We understand that, Pollux." The high priestess, Opalina, spoke in a raspy voice. "However, Celeste is right. We have to do something. We owe him that."

Pollux continued. "Who do we send? Are we not short enchanters?"

"Who is available and qualified for such a mission?" High Priestess Opalina asked.

"Johnathan Marks?" my mother suggested.

"He waiting his wife to go into labor in the next few days," Pollux explained. "We have given him time off for his family."

"What about Blair St. Paul?" Opalina suggested.

"She's in London helping to resolve some problems there." my mother said. "As is Markus Jameson."

"Those are all of our qualified witches to deal with vampires of this magnitude," Pollux said thoughtfully.

There was a silence that covered the room as they tried to think of a solution.

"Hi, guys." I smiled pretended like I wasn't listening in on their conversation. "How's it going?"

"Georgianna, dear." Opalina stood up, and I walked over to her to give her a hug and kiss. "How are you?"

"I'm great." I smiled at her. "How are you, Opalina?"

"I'm feeling wonderful, sweetheart." Opalina sat back down.

"Georgianna." Pollux said in his scary I'm-in-charged voice. "You are interrupting in a very important meeting."

"Sorry Councilor Pollux," I said so politely it was on the verge of sarcasm. "I just wanted to see if you guys needed anything. Lunch, something to drink, a break from screaming at each other."

My mom rolled her eyes knowing my tone. "Georgi."

"Sorry." I smiled not really sorry at all and sat down in my mother's seat as she was standing probably getting ready for an all-out battle against Pollux.

"As I was trying to say," My mother continued, "I can go."

"You can't Celeste," Opalina said. "You are needed here. If you leave, some of the wards will be lost, and we can't have the wards down. Not with the rumors."

"We might not have a choice." She said. "We need to send someone."

"I'll go," I said confidently.

Pullox scoffed.

"But I can do it!" I glared at the jerk. "My mother has trained me well, and Opalina has instructed on the nature of vampires."

"She is right," Opalina said carefully after a moment of silence. "She is equipped to handle the mission. It would be an excellent way to join the ranks of enchanters."

"No.," mom stated. "Absolutely not."

"Why not?" I said defiantly. "Is it because of dad?"

My mom didn't say anything because we both know I hit the nail on the head. It was a part of the large argument that we had when I decided to go to college in Michigan, and my desire to become an enchanter. She had a difficult time with me leaving Safe Haven for an extended period of time.

"Do you not have confidence in my ability?" I asked almost hurt. "I go to school away from town for months at a time where vampires live. How is this is any different?"

"This is entirely different. You'll be on your own in a vampire's nest with no prior experience with them." She explained. "Or are you telling me that you regularly encounter vampire while at school?"

"But I have encountered vampire!" I said. "You know that we have a student group at school where we meet and socialize with them! And Opalina has taught me how to interact with them just fine."

"Celeste, she can handle this mission." Opalina smiled. "She is a powerful witch who has been well educated. It's a simple search and, possibly, rescue mission. She won't completely alone. The king will assign her a handler to escort her throughout the mission. We could request Hector."

I really didn't want to hurt my mom's feelings. I'm 19, and I can accept this mission with or without her permission seeing as Oplina approved it.

"Seeing as I am 19," I began looking at my mom, "I can accept this mission with or without your permission. But I would like your support."

"Georgianna," Pollux said, "Why don't you step outside while we discuss this."

I nodded not wanting to argue further. I know that both Pollux and Opalina will talk sense into my mother, and they will overrule my mom if needed. I stepped outside and paced back and forth. I waited for 20 minutes before Pollux opened the door and asked me to come back in. I saw that the councilors, with the exception of Pollux, were seated in their chairs. I was nervous because I was never really on this side of the table.

"Georgianna Raine." Opalina began her formal address. "You have been selected to carry out a mission to located a prominent vampire and rescue him if necessary."

"Are you okay with this mom?" I asked hoping she would be.

She looked very serious as she nodded.

"I accept," I said.

"Excellent," Opalina continued, "the vampire King of Texas has called the council requesting our help to find the missing sheriff from Dallas. You will be leaving tonight."

I nodded.

"Dismissed," she said.

I smiled stiffly and left the room and stood in the waiting room. I waited for my mom to come out so we could go home and talk about this. I know she isn't going to be happy with me, but I wanted to talk to about this. When she walked out of the chamber, she said nothing and refused to look at me. I followed her to the car in silence. This was going to be a long drive home. I was scared to say anything to her in case she'd just snap. After we got home, we sat in the car.

"Mom?" I said quietly. "Are you really okay with this?"

"No, Georgiana." She answered. "I'm scared to lose you. Dealing with vampires is dangerous."

"I know."

"But if this is what you want, I'll support you." She told me.

"Really mom?" I smiled at her. "Because-"

"Yes, Georgi," She kissed my forehead head. "I'll support you no matter what."

"Thanks, Mom," I wrapped my arms around her so she wouldn't move.

"Now, let's go," She said with a sad smile. "We need to get your packed for your first mission."

"You go pack your clothes, and I'll gather the materials you are going to need for the mission. We'll go over them together," my mom nudged me.

"Okay," I said running upstairs to begin packing a suitcase.

I wasn't what to pack, exactly. I knew that the mission was Dallas, and it was probably hot and humid. I guess I'll pack shorts, dresses, and loose shirts to keep cool. I grabbed my large suitcase to pack my things. I also packed a hoodie and a pair of jeans just in case it was chilly at night because I'll likely be working at night. I made sure to leave enough room for the stuff my mother is gathering.

I went down to the living room to see if my mom needed any help. I saw mom was packing a variety of herbs, stones, and small candles into a clear plastic container.

"Come, sit, Georgi," mom said patting the seat next to her. "Let me show you what I have."