The Goldeneyes

Chapter 1

A loud yawn echoed through the bustling airport as Athena trudged along, her body aching after a grueling 27-hour flight. To say she was exhausted would be an understatement. After gathering her bags from baggage claim, she headed towards the pickup lane, where a certain redhead was supposed to be waiting. Distracted by her emails as she walked, Athena failed to notice the redhead already spotting her and making a beeline in her direction.

"Thea!" a familiar voice called out, cutting through the noise. Athena glanced up just in time to see a blur of red hair barreling towards her. She barely had time to brace herself before she caught the flying figure in her arms, a groan escaping her lips from the impact.

"Ugh, you've gotten heavy, Maggie," Athena grumbled, trying to hide her smile.

A burst of laughter rang out as Maggie slide from her arms, playfully slapping her shoulder.
"Rude! Is this how you greet me after I drove an hour to pick you up?" she teased, holding out a hand to take one of Athena's bags.

Athena chuckled, handing over the suitcase. "Don't worry, I brought you a gift to make up for it," she said, patting Maggie's head affectionately.

Maggie's face lit up with a grin. "I can't wait to see what it is!" she exclaimed as they made their way out of the airport, heading towards the sleek matte-black BMW waiting for them.

Once they were settled in the car, Athena reclined her seat, letting the familiar comfort of the vehicle ease her travel fatigue. Maggie pulled onto the highway, the rhythmic hum of the road filling the air as they began the hour long drive to Forks, Washington, where their home awaited. After twenty minutes of peaceful silence, Athena turned to her best friend, ready for an update.

"So, what have you found out since you've been here?" She asked her voice calm but curious.

Maggie glanced over briefly before replying, "It's a small town, so word gets around pretty fast. The weather is mostly cloudy, lots of rain. A sunny day is rare. Oh, and I've picked up the presence of vampires after I found some dead animals while exploring the woods."

Athena hummed thoughtfully. "Vampires that feed on animals?  You don't see that every day."

Maggie nodded. "Yeah I was surprised too, but I guess it explains how they've stayed here unnoticed for so long."

"Blending in with humans, smart. But it's probably not easy,"Athena mused, her eyes watching the tree blur by. "Any other species around?"

Maggie thought for a moment. "Well, there's a rumor about a tribe that can turn into wolves, but I haven't seen any yet."

A smirk crept onto Athena's face "So we're dealing with mutts too?"

Maggie burst into laughter, and soon Athena joined in, their shared amusement filing the car. When they finally arrived at their home, they both stepped out, stretching after the long ride. Athena decided to leave her bags in the car for now, her stomach grumbling with hunger.

While Athena hopped in the shower to freshen up, Maggie busied herself in the kitchen, whipping up a quick lunch for them both. The warmth of home, the ease of their friendship, and the mysteries of forks hung in the air as the two settled in, ready for whatever was to come.

Athena pov

The hot water cascaded over me, releasing the tension I didn't realize I'd been holding onto. Pure bliss. After what felt like forever, I finally grabbed the soap and began to wash up. Staring at my reflection in the foggy mirror, I sighed. Jet lag was going to knock me out sooner rather than later. As I reached for my brush and began working through my hair, I found myself thinking about the supernatural world. You're probably wondering how I know about it well, it's simple. I'm a Sorceress.

For generations, my family has been born with the ability to control magic. Our duty is to maintain peace between the supernatural beings and the humans, who remain oblivious to our existence. Sometimes, that means we stop wars before they start. That's actually how I met Maggie, my best friend, 15 years ago. My father had sent me to help a coven of vampires he was close with, to resolve conflict with a local wolf pack. I found Maggie, cornered by three wolves. What surprised me was how well she was holding her own, despite being outnumbered. I had to step in, I sent the wolves flying into the trees. After helping her up, we teleported to her coven, and from that moment on, we've been inseparable.

I wandered into the kitchen just as Maggie finished setting the table. The smell of home cooked food instantly made my stomach growl.

"I made your favorite gumbo. And cheesecake for dessert," Maggie said with a grin, sitting down.

I smiled back. "Thanks, it looks amazing," I said settling in across from her. We chatted lightly throughout the meal, catching up on the time we'd spent apart. Laughter came easily between bites of food, the familiarity of it all soothing me.

Later, I sank into the soft cushion of the couch, my warm cup of chamomile tea cradled in my hands. I felt the cushions dip as Maggie plopped down next to me, grabbing the remote.

"So how was the council meeting." She asked, scrolling through options for a movie.

I took a long sip of my tea before answering. "Ugh, it was exhausting. Everyone was bickering about who's going to take over as head of the family now that father stepped down."

Maggie sat up, surprised. "But I thought your mom was next in line?"

"Technically, she is for now. But she wants my brother to take over since she feels she's too old," I explained, taking another sip.

Maggie frowned. "Your brother?
He's...not ready. He's too immature."

I nodded. "True, he can be immature at times. But when it comes to his duties, he's a force to be reckoned with. The real issue is that I nominated him as well to take over."

Maggie's eyes widened. "Wait, you turned them down?"

I couldn't help but chuckle at her being shock. "Of course I did. Who wants to deal with a brunch of old, stuck in their ways council members? Besides, I hate politics. I'd rather be on the front line than behind a desk doing paperwork."

Maggie crossed her arms, giving me a look. "You're exactly like your dad. You've got incredible power and leadership skills. You could lead them to a greater future."

I sighed, placing my cup on the table. "I don't doubt that. But we both know I'm better suited for action. Ziya will make a great leader, especially with mother guiding him."

Maggie leaned back, nodding as she finally settled on a movie
"Okay, I get that. But why did your mom send us here? From what I've seen, nothing seems wrong."

I smirked at her, leaning into the couch. "There are only two words for that, my dear friend."

Maggie tilted her head, confused. I turned my attention to the TV, letting my smirk widen as I whispered, knowing she'd hear me loud and clear.

"Soulmate."

Author note
This is my first time writing a book, so I hope you enjoy it.
Thank you for reading.