Well I may be back, want to see how you feel about the start of this story and if you are interested in more. If you think it has a chance leave me a review and I will continue down this path. If you read I want to thank you in advance, it make me smile.

NC


Chapter 1

The night air was cool to her skin as she gazed up at the starry sky. She loved this time when the creatures of the night crept out of their hiding and played in the surrounding forest. Of course, there was also creatures that you didn't want to meet on any dark night.

How did she know about the things that go bump in the night, that most people believe are make believe, are real and dangerous? Her mother was a witch, a white witch. She came from a generation of witches, all good ones. Her family had been in the business of helping hunters and preventing evil for more years than she could count.

Her mother would be proud of her, she was carrying on with the family business. Selene, her mother had died when she was ten years old. Asteria, her mother's sister had helped with raising her until she turned sixteen. Her aunt still looked in on her, but she had been on her own for over a year now.

The young woman knew all about the hunting world. She grew up being around hunters with the family business. Her mother sold herbs and special items to a small number of hunters and even helped them with warding spells, when needed. These hunters knew her secret and would protect her with their lives. She had been a special person among an élite few and her passing was a loss for each and every one of them. They were slowly warming up to her daughter as a replacement for a source of items or spells.

Her constant companion was Electra, a hybrid female wolf, given to her by her mother when she was ten as a birthday present and protector. Selene knew she was dying and wanted to be sure her daughter would be protected. The wolf never left her side, except to hunt, but always had a link telepathically to her. Electra was half wolf and half hell-hound.

"Ellie look a shooting star." Aurora whispered as she leaned back into the wolf's soft back. "Aunt Asteria must be mad at something." She smiled to herself at the joke. Ellie's soft gruff was like a laugh at the joke.

It was getting late, so Aurora pulled herself up and clicked her tongue to Ellie to follow. They made their way back to the cabin. The cabin where she lived was nestled in a small valley in Western North Carolina. Her family owned the entire valley, had for over a century. Other family members were scattered around the valley. There were a few families that lived on the outskirts of the valley, the only way in, and protected the ones who lived there.

The morning sun pushed its way up over the peak of the mountains casting brilliant hues of rose, purple and blue as the sun-kissed the clouds with its rays. Postcard moments were an everyday thing for the people who lived there. Most were up before the sun completely crested the ridge and started their day.

Aurora was up and having her usual breakfast of fruit, yogurt, and toast and jam. She was sitting on the porch swing as Ellie trotted back from her run and hunt. "Hey girl, cleaning day today, so I best get at it." she sighed grabbing up her dishes and heading for the kitchen.

With cleaning supplies in hand, she headed for her bedroom, what was once her mother's bedroom, to start the spring cleaning. She opened windows and allowed the cool, crisp breeze to waft thru the room. She changed the sheets, dusted the furniture, wiped the wooden paneling and mop the floor. As she was moving a dresser belonging to her mother she felt a give on the side.

Curious about what would cause this, she began to inspect the side. Pressing and pulling gently, she found a small hidden drawer and inside was a leather-bound journal with the initials of SHG and a small wooden box. Those were her mother's initials, so this was her journal. She decided to finish her room before stopping to look at the treasures she found.

She took them to the living room and laid them on the mantel for safe keeping until she could look at them. There wasn't much left to clean in her bedroom and she made fast work of it. Deciding the bathroom had to have a quick once over, she moved her supplies in there.

Sitting her mop on the back porch to dry, she washed her hands and grabbed water from the fridge. Ellie was laying on the front porch of the cabin taking a snooze. She opened one eye and saw Aurora heading for the swing.

She made herself comfortable and picked up the journal running her hand over the rich leather cover. Her fingers shook as she opened it to the first page. She recognized her mother's small, neat, handwriting and began to read her handwriting.

April 4-Had two hunters pass thru today needing some items for a spell. One I knew, the other was new, I was leery at first, but Josiah said he could be trusted. He was a handsome one, quiet and soft-spoken. I sold them what they needed and wished them luck on the hunt. Hoped that JW would come by again.

This was interesting, Aurora thought, she knew most of the hunters from when she was little but didn't remember one with the initials of JW. She looked back to the front trying to figure out when her mother had started this journal. She finally found a small date in the upper right corner 1993. So this was before she was born. Maybe this JW wasn't around anymore and that's why she never met him.

Aurora read a few more pages when she came across another reference to JW dated May 10th.

May 10-JW came back through, was on the way to a hunt in Kentucky and he needed a few things. Was nice to see him again, he stayed and chatted for a bit, nice to have company. Told me about his two sons, they were with a friend. Told him to stop by anytime, man is he nice on the eyes.

May15-JW showed up on my doorstep in the middle of the night torn up and bleeding. I got him inside and tended to his wounds. I had to stitch up some nasty gashes on his chest and leg. Not sure what he was hunting, but it did a number on him. I sat up all night with him watching for a fever.

May 17-I made JW stay for a few days because of his injuries. He protested, that he needed to get back to his boys, but I convinced him to wait until he was a little stronger. He finally agreed once he called BS and checked on the boys S & D. He pushes himself too hard, I can feel his hurt and pain, it radiates off him.

May 19-I can not describe the love I had tonight. He was so gentle and so caring, I have never met a man like him. JW needed this and I gave him the love he needed. Love he longed for and needed. We were careful of his wounds, but that didn't stop him. I knew he would leave in a day or two and when he did, I didn't know if I would see him again or not. A hunter's life was dangerous and could be deadly. I hoped he would come by again.

She paused in her reading, Aurora felt a little funny reading about her mom and a man, but she wanted to know more. She really didn't tell me much about my father, but that he had died. She never knew his name, not sure why, maybe he mother was waiting and didn't get a chance to tell her before she died.

It was past lunch time and Aurora's stomach was growling wanting to be fed. Hugging the book to her chest, she went inside and to food. She fished out some chicken tenders from the night before and the remaining salad. Tossing that together, she added cheese and dressing and sat at the table thinking about what she had read.

Ellie growled to get her attention and scratched at the door. "Hold on, El." she called going to the door and opening it. The wolf walked in and went to her bed by the fireplace and wiggled around getting comfortable. Aurora smiled at her companion as she went to finish her salad. She decided to give the living room a quick clean before doing anymore reading. She didn't like breaking her routine and wanted to have the cleaning done so she could head for town tomorrow for supplies.

The reading she would continue tonight, cleaning she wanted to get done this afternoon. She was anxious to head into town and check out any new books or movies. Living in the valley made it difficult to get to a town large enough to have the shops she liked. That was why she only went once a month because it was a three-hour drive one way. It was usually her treat for the month to go on a supply run and get mail. Finishing up her salad, she decided not to put it off any longer and started her cleaning.

Aurora drug herself to bed tired from all the physical labor she had done that day. She lay in bed and listened to Ellie howl in the woods behind her house. She knew Ellie would return and guard the house while she slept.

"Good luck hunting Ellie." she thought as she pictured the dark woods through the wolf's eyes. She drifted to sleep listening to the chirps of the crickets and buzzing of other insects. These familiar noises had lulled her to sleep since she was a baby. They brought comfort and peace to her sleep.

Her hair blew in her face as she drove her battered truck down the highway. Ellie was hanging her head over the side in back as the wind blew in her face. The truck had been her mother's. It wasn't much to look at, but it still ran good and got her where she wanted. It was just before lunch when she pulled into the town. She slowly drove down the main street, heading for the diner she usually got lunch at before continuing to do her shopping.

Aurora pulled into an empty spot and jumped out. She admired a black '67 Chevy Impala parked below her as she walked toward the door. Looking for her list in her jacket pocket, she didn't see the two guys coming out of the diner until she ran into a wall of muscle.

Aurora bounced off the person losing her balance. A hand quickly shot out and grabbed her before she fell backwards.

"Sorry, I didn't see you." a male told her as a second-hand helped her get her balance. She looked up into kind gentle hazel eyes of a very good-looking guy.

"My brother can get in the way sometimes." another deeper male voice commented.

Glancing his way and not having to look quiet as high she saw green eyes watching her with his head tilted slightly to the side smiling at her.

"No problem, my fault." she said getting her balance.

"Sure you're ok?" the green-eyed asked as he released her arm.

"Yes, thank you for catching me."

'My pleasure." he smiled. "Come on Sammy."

"Bye." she said to both of the down right handsome guys. They both nodded their head to her and head for the Impala. Nice car, nice guys, she thought. They must be passing through, she had never seen them around before and she knew most of the towns folk.

The shorter of the two glanced over at Ellie in the back of her truck and made a comment to the taller one pointing to the wolf. The younger one said something back before getting into the car. The shorter glanced one more time at Ellie and then got in the car, cranking it up and pulling out of the parking lot. Aurora watched them leave and frowned slightly as goose bumps ran down her arms. She looked back up and watched the Impala turn the corner. Why did she have a funny feeling about those two? Tucking the information in the back of her mind, she continued into the diner.