Chapter One
October 31, 2004
"Esie, we gotta get going if you want to have my beautiful niece in Labor & Delivery, instead of the back seat of my Ford Fiesta. Not very roomy back there ya know!" Lucinda yelled at the bottom of the stairs. Her baby sister was about to have a baby. She still couldn't wrap her mind around it nor did she know who baby daddy was, and her little witch of a sister ( literally) put a blocking spell on that part of the miracle she was about to have.
"I'm coming Lucy..." Esmeralda said walking...well more like waddling down the stairs.
"Yeah well so is Samhain. And in case you have forgotten this year a very rare blood moon with an eclipse happening. Hasn't happened in over 100 years. You know it's been stated that..."
Esmeralda interrupted her sister's rambling " Anyone born on this night will be very powerful. I know... I know. But if you don't help me to your car, I'll have her right here." Esie's contractions are getting closer together. "But your not driving me to the hospital.. we are going to the cabin by Topaz Lake."
"WAIT WHAT!?!? Your joking right?" Lucinda said not liking what she knew her sweet, young, yet stupidly gullible sister was going to say. "You're really going to let them do this ritual while you are giving birth? What if something goes wrong for you or my niece? I can't lose either one of you. I already love that little pumpkin squash and you know I love you too." she said tearing up and sniffling.
"Don't you fret, Lucy, nothing will happen. I promise." Esmeralda smiling softly. Then she was bent over groaning in pain, another contraction it, this time much harder. Breathing through the contraction, she was focused on this little black speck on the wall in front of her, when she got this bad feeling. As the contraction subsided, so did the uneasy feeling. Shaking off the feeling, she stood straight up and grabbed her overnight bag and walked out the door of her cute, but very quaint cottage.
And four hours later, during the rare blood moon, just when the eclipse was at its peak, you could hear the squalling of a new born baby. Some say that when she was born, there was this almost bluish-white light that glowed all around her. Almost like she was glowing herself. Esmeralda, holding her babygirl, whispered to her.."You will do incredible things with your powers and many talents." she then gently kissed her on her temple. She looked at her sister and motioned for her to come closer and raised the baby to her. Lucinda gently grabbed the tiny little thing and cradled her in her arms.
"Auntie Lucinda, meet Greenleigh, your niece. You will teach her so many things. My sweet daughter, make sure you listen to your Auntie. I love you always." and with that she laid back down with a tear running down her cheek. Deep down she knew she wouldn't be the one raising her daughter, teaching her the craft, watching her grow into the amazing woman she'd become. She could feel her pulse weakening and her body temperature dropping lower. She could hear some of the others saying something about too much blood loss and the howling of her sister and baby girl. Her eyes grew heavy and she couldn't hold them much longer. She silently whispered a protection chant for her daughter and sister, then an enchantment spell for herself, so that her spirit when the time was right would be her Spiritual Guide. Before she took her last breath, she barely whispered to her sister, her last wishes for her daughter.
"I promise." Lucinda said with tears pouring down her cheeks, her niece in one arm, and her sister's frail hand in hers. "I won't disappoint you, I promise." She knew the moment her sister was gone because all the light and warmth left the circle. "Well kiddo, it's just you and me now." When she glanced at this tiny little person in her arms, she noticed a light strawberry, tear shaped birthmark on the side of her tiny neck. Hmmm.... strange she thought, very strange.
Such an amazing intro!