SWNOVELS Chapter 1
*** Disclaimer ***
Cover art was found when typing in Google search: copyright free pictures and or royalty free images. I have done my best to confirm as much. I apologize if it is otherwise noted somewhere and will change the cover if need be or give full credit to the artist. However, the images that I find are exactly what I picture my characters would look like should they be real living, breathing humans. Also, though some places are real towns, all characters and events are purely fiction from my imagination.
Kallikantzaros (Kal-la-CAN-droze)Variations: CALLICANTZARO, KalkesThe myth of the vampiric creature kallikantzaros is specific to the Aegean, Crete, and Messenia regions of Greece (see GREEK VAMPIRES). When a child is conceived on the Day of the Annunciation (March 25), a holy day, that exactly nine months later on Christmas Day (December 25) or anytime during the Feast of Saturnalia (December 1723), a kallikantzaros child will be born. Once a year, starting on the winter solstice and then every night for the next sixteen days, the vampire is free to roam the world doing evil. By day it will hide in an underground lair away from the lethal rays of the sun. Fortunately, for as dangerous a kallikantzaros can be, it is balanced by having a great number of weaknesses. It is most susceptible to sunlight, and any direct exposure will kill it, as will throwing it into a bonfire. Https://vampire_mythology.en-academic.com/335/Kallikantzaros (en-academic.com)
CHAPTER 1
I breathed a sigh of relief as the wheels of the small passenger plane finally hit the runway. It’s not that I’m afraid of flying per se, but the thought of crashing scares me to death. The plane bumps against the ground a couple of times until we are fully just rolling on the pavement. We wait for the flight attendant to flip the sign from ‘buckled’ to ‘unbuckle’ and then we all begin to stand in the isle, some grabbing carry-on luggage from the overhead compartments before we settle into a line and exit the aircraft.
Luckily the airport isn’t a large one and a quick walk later finds me walking into the baggage claim area so I can pluck my stuff off of the conveyor belt. As I watch the suitcases and luggage of different sizes wrap around the cycle track, I am in a daydream of sorts as I wish I could have still been with the Salvino’s for just a bit longer or forever... but that isn’t the case and January 1st had me flying back into my hometown of Nahant, Massachusetts.
Spotting my suitcase at the last second, I lean and stretch forward so that I can pull my suitcase off as it moves along the track. Pushing a button, I release the lever that will allow me to loosen the hand that way I can pull my luggage using the black wheels that are attached to it.
Making my way to the sliding doors that will lead out to the pick-up of passengers area, I release a breath as I spot Natalie Harris and James Hopkins waiting for me as I step through the large windowed sliding doors inside the airport; in the back of my mind for some unknown reason, I had a fear that they had forgotten about coming to pick me up.
It’s crazy to think that just a few short hours ago I left my best friend Alina Hopkins in Ambrosial City, (a realm hidden within the town of Cape Cod) with her soul mate, Dominic Salvino. My boyfriend, Devon Salvino and yes, before you question me, Devon is Dominic’s younger brother, dropped me off at the airport so I could return to my school, the Black Sun Academy and finish my final semester of my senior year there.
I follow them out of the airport and into the very brisk and windy December morning, with just a dusting of powdery snow covering the ground, giving the appearance of a winter wonderland. Pulling up the collar of my jacket, wrapping it tighter against my neck, trying to block the wind that wants to force its way inside, I watch as Natalie and James chat amongst themselves as we make our way to James’ vehicle, causing a small smile to slip across my lips.
It’s wild how much life has changed in just over a month’s time. Those two are in fact a prime example of how things have changed at the Academy. Prior to Alina’s 18th birthday, which just so happened to fall on Halloween, (not that we celebrate the holiday, but it gave Ali an excuse to have an awesome costume party), James was a ‘happily’ married man to his wife Beth Hopkins of twenty years and a proud father to Alina. The three of them were held in high regard amongst the Hunter’s community, most around town viewed them like royalty. This was mostly in part, due to Mr. Hopkins’ great—great, many times over, great grandfather, Mathew Hopkin’s.
At some point in the 17th century, Mathew Hopkin’s became a renowned witch hunter. In three years, he had destroyed close to 200 witches. However, as laws began to change in Europe, Mathew’s popularity began to fade, and he found himself not to be needed. He took it upon himself to move his family to the ’New World’, where he then built the Academy for training witch hunters. Mathew lived in a time of superstition and religious prejudice. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that this justifies anything, just simply stating that this was the way things were back then.
So, he moved his family to Nahant, Massachusetts and structured the school in what he thought would benefit him and other hunters like him. Many followed his lead and migrated westward as well. This caused a community to develop. And progress, though slow, has come about. Well, I should probably add that Alina and Dominic had a very large hand in the progress that has occurred and that most of the progression has literally happened within the last month.
James’ says something, drawing me out of my thoughts briefly. I see we are standing in front of his 2020 Chevy Blazer, the most amazing color of blue that I have ever seen on a vehicle is reflecting the sunlight, causing the light to flash across my eyes, making me blink as I go to grab the back passenger door handle. “Did you want to put your suitcase into the back of the Blazer, Ella?”
I smile at him and shake my head no causing my stupidly curly blond hair to bounce around my head. “It’s okay Mr. Hopkins. The suitcase isn’t very big and should fit just fine in the back seat with me.” I push a black button on the side of my silver pull handle that is attached to my obnoxiously pink and grey colored suitcase, sliding it back into its proper spot and then lift it by its smaller, wider, solid grey handle before pushing it into the back seat and then I climb in, plopping onto the charcoal grey, leather seat next to the bag.
James makes sure Natalie is situated up front before going around to the driver’s side and climbing in himself. Once I hear the engine start up, I lean into the seat, resting my head against the cool tempered glass of the window. Now that I have relaxed, I continue to reflect over the past month of events.
Everything began exactly one week before Alina turned eighteen. Dominic had just showed up to begin shadowing with our combat instructor, Jay. Jay had been planning to do field work the following school year and in turn, needed to train his replacement. Hence Dominic’s presence. Al and I were on our way to the training room when we came across Nic looking as lost as ever. As he questioned us about where he could find Jay, I saw instant sparks occur between him and my bestie. She denied it of course, but it didn’t matter. I knew attraction when I saw it. And they most definitely had it brewing between them!
One night after Alina and I had left a dinner party that had been held at her parents’ house, I had called her to ask about an assignment that was due the next day, only to hear her squealing with excitement when she answered. We hadn’t driven together, so I had no idea what had caused her unexpected happiness. But let me tell you, it was killing me to not know, so I urged her to spill. I would like to say I was shocked when she told me that she and Dominic had kissed but I wasn’t. None-the-less I was so happy for her. From that point on she couldn’t really deny her feelings for him, and I think she did manage a secret rendezvous or two with him.
The days quickly flew by and before we knew it, it was the day of her party. We met up at the Grand Hall where I proceeded to help her into her Cinderella ballgown and transformed her into the princess I knew she was.
The party went off without a hitch, I have never had so much fun before. As I danced with my boyfriend at the time, I watched as someone went up to her, took her by the hand and began to twirl her around the dance floor. With a smile I turned back to dancing with Joey and continued to enjoy my night. I did not know Alina had vanished from her party until late the next day.
Okay, so first thing first, I have to tell you that alcohol had been snuck into Ali’s party and I consumed my fair share of it. So, when banging began to start against my dorm door, I moaned and cried out; “for the love of God, STOP!” Honestly, I thought it was Al on the other side. I slowly made my way to the door and with lots of effort, I swung the door open to yell at her, only to see Mrs. Hopkins standing in front of me. “Oh! Um, hi.” I tilted my head to one side in confusion. “What’s going on Mrs. Hopkins? I didn’t know you were going to stop by.”
Beth’s piercing green eyes are glaring at me, searing into my soul. I began to squirm under her stare, slash glare, completely at a loss as to why she was here. She drapes her arms across her chest and then she gives me the third degree. “Where is she? Have you spoken to her? Did she stay with you here last night? I have her phone! Well?”
I’m sure my eyes have gone wide in shock by this point. “W-what?” I stutter, “Who are you talking about Mrs. Hopkins?”
The ice daggers she’s shooting my way, are freezing me where I stand. With a huff she answers me in exasperation; “Alina! Where is my daughter?” She tosses her hands in the air like I was being an idiot and I couldn’t help stuttering even more, “I-I, I honestly don’t know where she is. I figured she was still in her room. She’s not here.” With that said, I open my door wider to give her a better view of my dorm room. She peered around my shoulder to make sure I wasn’t lying to her and then turned on her heel and stomped away from me. I was left standing in my doorway, jaw dropped and gawking at her back side.
A couple of days later, rumors started to spin that Alina had actually run off with Dominic and I started to believe them. Both she and he had disappeared from campus, and no one had been able to get in contact with Ali. Though at first, we feared she had been kidnapped but then that suspicion fizzled quite quickly.
It was a week before I learned why she had disappeared and where she had been staying during that time frame. I was astounded to find out she had been living with a coven of witches called the Silver Heart Coven. Um, come again! Yeah, a witch hunter living with a bunch of witches. I could not process the thought of doing such a bizarre thing. My world began to crumble. And the worst of the situation was, my people were going to hunt one of their own down! I could not fathom the thought that Ali’s own parents were willing to hunt her down to serve what they thought was justice for betraying them. Luckily, I came across Ms. Harris chatting quietly on her cell phone about the predicament Alina was going to be facing.
I don’t know what led me to suggest that we could sway Mr. Hopkins to help us, but I knew he would and so I told Ms. Harris as much. James could not, would not harm Alina and was more than willing to help us in trying to prevent noxiousness…
Realizing we were no longer moving; I shook my head trying to focus on what James and Natalie were saying to me. It took me a moment for the words to sink in and I chuckled quietly to myself. Offering a smile in their general direction, I slid out of the back seat of the car, pulling my suitcase with me and then hopped to the ground. “Thank you, guys, for picking me up. I really appreciate it!” I hug each of them tightly as we say our farewells and then we part ways.