And We Shall Shine On by Sheryl

Chapter 1

Zac wilted against the wall, as the tour guides voice droned on. Captains chair. Big deal. He was about to fall asleep on his feet. Leave it their mom to find some kind of learning experience no matter where they went.
He'd been so hopeful, when she'd talked about seeing Salem. That was the witch place, where they burned 'em all. Sounded cool in Zac's eyes, but what was up with all this? So far they'd seen a church. It was old. Big deal. the "Witch House" that for all of it's suggestion, was really only the old house that some long dead judge had lived in. It was mostly empty anyway, what was so great about that? Some wharf... lots of stores... would she let him go in the wax museum? No way. What about that
big hearse? "Terror on the Wharf... if we don't scare you, you're already dead" Cool! No way. Instead here he stood, bored beyond consciousness, in the House of the Seven Gables. More antique furniture. More history of that writer... Hawthorne. Who cared? Counting house. Oh yay. Birthplace. Oh what a thrill. Salem was turning out to be one huge drag. Sure, the secret staircase had been cool, but all that was at the top was some dudes bedroom.
Blinking, struggling to keep his eyes open, he glanced over at his brothers, who appeared to be undergoing the same struggle he was. This was just deadly. Where were the witches? Where were the ghosts? Wasn't Salem supposed to be haunted? Sighing deeply, he trudged out behind his tour group, hoping it was nearly over. Ah... the light of day. It was.

Taylor watched his brother stretch and jump up onto the curbstone. Zac was going nuts, he could see it. This was dull enough for him, with his love of history and literature, it must be killing Zac. Ike looked kind of glazed over too. There had to be something better to do. All that Halloween stuff... they had to do some of that. It would be a total waste to come here and skip it all. Nodding to himself, he trotted up to his mother, at the head of the group of tourists.
"Mom listen..." He draped an arm across her shoulders. "This is all very educational y'know, but... d'you think we could do something fun?"
Her eyes sparkled as she bit her tongue. "What Tay, you don't think this is fun?"
He sighed and pointed back at his brothers. "Well sure, I do, but look at them... Zac's about to melt into some kind of boredom goop, and Ike's not even here. He's a walking zombie. We gotta do something... for them."
She laughed and removed his arm. "Sure, YOU think it's a load of fun, and you're just thinking of your brothers? I know... enough is enough. We'll find something more up your road Tay, now get off me, it's hot."

"We gotta do something fun, before I die here, guys"
Taylor scowled, and gave his brother a shove. "Zac, shut up, we're trying, okay? We have to get from here to there, there's nothing fun to do on the sidewalk."
"Well you don't have to be so grouchy!"
"Well you don't have to keep complaining!"
"Guys..." Isaac's voice was soft. "Keep it down, we keep her sweet our chances are a lot better. Besides, we're almost there, look..."
His pointing finger showed a vast milling crowd of people, in what appeared to be a marketplace. Vendors, kiosks, music. Tourists and locals ran amok.
"Look Zac, art galleries, costume shops, street vendors, people in costume, there's your fun. Now come on, before she thinks we're lost"

Minutes later the boys were swept into the heart of the crowd, captivated by the sights and sounds around them. A man played a pan flute on the corner, another perched atop a hitching post, birdlike. People handed out flyers everywhere, in moments their hands were clogged with adds for events
all over town.

"Ike, look at this" Taylor held out a brochure. "Cry Innocent. The people versus Bridget
Bishop. It's April 1692. Bridget Bishop is on the witness stand. YOU are on the jury. Play your part in history. What do you figure this is Ike? Is it a show?"
Isaac shook his head. "I don't know, I guess it must be."
"That's kinda cool, to be in the jury for a witch trial..." He trailed off, a bright sparkle catching his eye. A small window, cluttered with glass and glitter, beside the most amazing looking man he'd ever seen, seated on stone steps. His gaze took in the shop name. Crow Haven Corner. A Witch Shop.
"Oh... wow... Ike..." He grabbed his brother and pulled him over to the steps. "Head mom off, I want to check this place out."
"Oh she will SO not let you in there, dork."
Taylor rolled his eyes. "I know, that's why I said to distract her. Now go..."
Smiling, thinking his brother was an idiot, Isaac slid up to keep their mother busy. Zac watched, smirking.
Taylor would get busted, he always did. He could never manage to sneak out anywhere, just look what happened when he tried in NY? He'd get caught, there was no doubt in his mind.

"Well how long would I have to wait?"
The man on the steps grinned. This kid was funny, watching over his shoulder as if he expected something to swoop from the heavens and carry him away.
"Just a few minutes, the shop is small. When someone comes out, I let you in. This your first time in Salem?"
Taylor took in the black cap and t-shirt, the encircled star around his neck, and nodded.
"Yeah. We've been to Boston lots, but we've never been here before. Are you a real witch?"
The man nodded. "I am. My names Starr. Everyone who works here practices the craft. Wouldn't be much of a witch store with no witches in it." He smiled a little as Taylor backed away slightly, his smile turning to a wince and a grin as the boy collided with one of the ever present actors, out recruiting the jury.

Zac watched fascinated, as his brother and the young man in costume collided, the actor turning to excuse himself, suddenly stopping, staring intensly at the boy's face. "Wonder if he see's the zit Tay's growing... that's pretty gross." He giggled and waved to Ike, gesturing toward Taylor. "Hehe... he's so busted now." He vaguely saw his mother, more than a little annoyed, starting back toward them, as he watched the actor continue to stare at his brother. He glanced back at the steps of the store and saw the man watching, with real interest. This was going to be good, he could feel it.

Taylor stared back at the young man, too confused to look away. What was he looking at? What on earth... he jumped back suddenly, heart in his mouth, as the young man's hand came up, brushing lightly against a fading bruise on his face, and his voice whispered urgently. "The mark of the witch, you bear the mark of the witch, are you recently attacked?"
Taylor backed up another step, shaking his head... not sure if this was part of a show or
some escaped lunatic. "No, no nobody attacked me..."
The young man nodded, and grasped Taylor's arm firmly, pointing down at him.
"The mark of the witch! The lad bears the mark of the witch, he is recently attacked!" He turned back to Taylor, who was trying desperately to quiet him down.
"The witch Bridget Bishop is this moment taken to the jury, come you must give
testimony!"
Confused, Taylor pulled his arm away, taking in Starr's laughing face, and his mother's grin. She waved a Cry Innocent brochure in his face, and laughed as she turned to Zac. "Well honey, here's your fun, let's go watch your brother give testimony."
Taylor shook his head, frantic to get away. "No, no..."
The young man reached for his elbow again. "The witch must hang! Come this way..."

Sighing, knowing there was no choice, he shrugged and followed, wishing with each step that the ground would open up and swallow him. He looked back once, at the grinning Starr, and shrugged guiltily. Starr nodded, and waved, calling out in a friendly voice. "Ah... enjoy Salem!"

"Zac, if you EVER act that way again, I swear I'll duct tape you to the van!"
Zac winced and tried to look innocent. "But mom, they encourage participation! They want us to interact!"
"Interact yes! Fidget like you're possessed by all the spawn of Hell, no! And accusing your brother of witchcraft was not funny!"
"Well he had the mark, they even said so!"

Taylor shook his head, wishing his family would just go away. His eye caught a flash and he turned, grimacing into the lens of the omnipresent video camera.
"Dad, you taped that whole thing, didn't you?"
Walker chuckled and walked on, slipping an arm around his wife who was muttering to herself about Satan spawned children, and her Borg husband. "Damn video camera, you look like a Borg with it glued to your eyeball, and you know Taylor will never let us hear the end of it if we have to keep watching it..."

Isaac found himself grinning. His family was loud, cranky, argumentative and exhausting, but damn it they were funny. His smile held as they wandered aimlessly, more or less flowing with the crowd. This was a cool place that was for sure, with blowing leaves, and pumpkins all over, and all of the costumes... it had the feel of a celebration.
"Hey..." He tapped Taylor's arm. "Check that out." He nodded toward a costume store,
elaborite displays overflowing onto the sidewalk. "Can we do something in costume?"
His mother smiled. "Like what? We're not..."
Taylor was riffling through the handful of brochures he'd been absently clutching.
"Well... there's a haunted hearse ride. There's a tour of Gallows Hill. There's a haunted house. There's a candlelight ghost walk. There's the vampires ball..."
"What's that one?" Isaac's eyes lit up at the thought.
"Well... it's a big party, but tickets are a hundred bucks."
Isaac's eyes widened comically. "I guess maybe NOT! A hundred?"
"A hundred... look..." Taylor held out the brochure, idly glancing down at his feet as he walked.
"Hey... look. there's writing on the stones." They stopped, realizing that the noise of the crowd had faded somewhat.
"Wow... hey we're in a cemetery!" Zac's voice rang loudly in the quiet.
"Yeah moron, that's what this is... move your foot, I want to read that."
Zac stepped aside, sticking his tongue out.
"Look... each block has something different on it. What is this?"
Taylor shook his head. "I don't know... For my life lies now in your hands... Ike move your foot" He stepped to the next block. "But if I would confess I should save my life." He shivered a little, the soft wind carrying a bite it hadn't had earlier. "Oh Lord help me, I am wholly innocent of such wickedness." He looked up at his brother, his eyes dark, then back down at the stones. "God knows I am innocent. I do not plead guilty. I can deny it to my dying day. I am no witch." He stopped, pausing at the last inscription, and folded his arms. The play he'd seen earlier seemed a lot more serious now. Sighing, he stepped away, eyes roving the graves.
"Does it say that the people they hung are buried here?"
His father shook his head, reading from a plaque. "No, it says there are some judges
though..."
Taylor plopped down onto the stone wall, the words on the ground heavy on his mind. Innocent people had died here. The whole witch thing was fun, but this was a reminder of grim reality. He watched absently as some girls wandered over, reading the same stones he just had. He watched their faces, wondering what they thought, feeling a tingle of anger in him as one girl smirked and the other laughed outright, mocking the
words in a high, hysterical voice. His brows knit together as he listened to the girls make fun, his blue eyes going icy. He held his tongue until one of the girls looked up at him, her grin widening.
"You're Taylor Hanson aren't you."
He nodded, brushing it off, pointing down at the stones. "You think that's funny?"
The girl laughed, and shrugged. "Oh well, it's so dramatic y'know, "Oh lord help me!!!" She giggled again and threw her hand to her forehead. Hopping down from his perch on the wall, he stepped into her space, face cold.
"Y'know..." His voice was soft, and direct. "You'd laugh a whole lot less if it was you it happened to. Or your sister. Or your mother. Those were real people who died, for something they didn't do. Innocent people DIED! You think that's funny? I think you suck." He shrugged off the shocked exclamation from his mother, and quietly took himself down the path. He wasn't sure why he'd gotten so angry at the girls, but something inside him just couldn't let them get away with it.

He never noticed the gathering mist around him, as he made his way back to the hotel.
"Tay, wake up."
Taylor groaned and pulled the pillow over his head. He was so tired, why couldn't Zac just shut up?
"Tay, come on, aren't you going out with us?"
He flipped the pillow down, a spark of interest taking hold. "Going out? Where y'going?"
"Well, sleeping um... well whatever, we made reservations to go on the ghost walk. The candlelight one. Mom said we can go to that cool costume store and get all decked out with whatever we want." He frowned as his brother's eyes closed again, and he yawned. "How come you're so tired, anyway?"

Taylor shook his head. He didn't know. He just was. It seemed like something had sucked all of the energy out of him, over at that graveyard.
Still, it sounded like fun, dress up and go out on Halloween night, in Salem, of all places.
"Awright Zac, move it, I'll get up." He staggered slightly getting out of bed, and Zac moved to steady him.
"Tay you're not sick are you?"
Taylor shook his head. He felt fine. The lethargy was draining away by the moment.
"No, I just got up too fast. You seen my shoes?"
Zac watched as he hunted around under the bed, rubbing his eyes. Taylor seemed a little blurry to him. "Man Tay, I inherited your bad eyes, I need glasses or something." Taylor smiled absently. "Aw don't worry Zac, you'll still be a chick magnet even with glasses." He laced on his boots and started out of the room, glancing quizzically at Zac as he passed. "What're you staring at? Y'okay?"
Zac shook his head and got up. Taylor had seemed, for a moment, to be covered with some sort of glittering mist.

"Whattaya want to be, Ike?"
Isaac grinned, eyeing the displays in the window. "I don't know, something creative. What about you?"
Zac had barely opened his mouth to answer when the woman behind the counter stood up, pointing at the three boys.
"Okay! I have just the thing. You..." her gaze lighted on Isaac. "Come on over here, lets get a look at you."
Grinning, mildly embarrassed, Isaac did as she asked, laughing a little as she circled
him, taking him in.
"Nice hair, nice and shiny... we don't want to cover that up. Tall... slim... I think... a vampire." She turned to the younger woman working the register. "Do you agree? This one? A vampire?"
The girl giggled, and nodded. "Not some cheap sleazy vamp either, no, an Anne Rice
sort of vampire. A HOT vampire."
Isaac's face went redder and he dropped his gaze, cuffing his sniggering brother lightly.
"Come on over here, I know exactly what you need." She smiled at Zac, who was trying on mask after mask, pursued by an annoyed Taylor throughout the store. "Boy does he ever shut down?"
Isaac shook his head, grinning. "No, he never does. Not even when he's asl..." He broke off, wonder stealing his words. The cape the woman was holding out to him was a thing of beauty, heavy wool, lined with red satin, the clasp at the throat a glittering ruby colored stone.
"This goes with it..." She held out a slim velvet shirt, and equally sleek trousers. "You can try those on in there. I usually eyeball people pretty well though. You'll want these...", she held out soft black gloves. "There are fangs of course too, but we ask you not to try those on unless you decide on the costume. Nobody will want to buy what someone else has had in their mouth. You go on and see if this fits, while I catch your brother. You are brothers, no?"
Isaac nodded, faintly overwhelmed. "Yeah... good luck" He disappeared into the dressing room, and the woman set her sights on Zac.
"Okay dynamo, freeze where you stand and let me get a look at you."

Taylor watched, astonished, as his brother underwent a transformation. The woman had offered him a makeup kit to compliment the costume, but his dubious expression had made her laugh, and she'd instructed him to sit down, handing the makeup to the cashier.
"Make him look otherworldly."
Taylor had to admit she was doing just that. The makeup she was putting on him was a faint silver shimmer, just faintly visable, but astounding in its effect. He'd declined the offer of contacts, not liking the idea of putting anything in his eye, but it was hardly necessary. Ike looked pretty amazing, Taylor had to admit.
He glanced over at Zac, who was, surprisingly enough, tolerating having outfit after outfit held against him. The woman had taken one look, laughed, and proclaimed him "Biker dude, there is no other option for you my friend, now come with me".
Zac had been in ecstasies, and was cheerfully trying on costume after costume.
Taylor grinned and continued to alternate between browsing and watching Isaac become a vampire. He wasn't finding anything that particularly spoke to him, pirates, ghosts, monsters, movie killers, cops, hula dancers... he wasn't much interested in any of it.
He was feeling kind of run down again anyway, and toying with the idea of just going back to the hotel, when a soft hand on his shoulder broke his thoughts. He jumped slightly, looking up into the eyes of the woman.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. He's set..." Her eyes rested warmly on Zac, who was enthusiastically yanking the costume on right over his clothes.
"Boy you sure picked him right, he's really into that."
She smiled. "I'm good at people. You though... I don't know about you. Come on over in the light."
He shook his head. "I don't know, I'm kinda tired, I think I'll probably just go back
and they can go out..."
The woman's hands went to her hips. "Tired? No, no, no, tired is not an option. You just pick something out and you go out and have a good time. Tired..."
Her scolding made him laugh, and he sank down onto a milk crate.
"Okay. But I don't have any idea what I..."
She waved him silent. "Blond. Pretty. Androgynous. Just slender enough but not too
delicate. I think I know." It occurred to him to be offended at the term "androgynous" but he let it go, amusement replacing his mild offense.
She was pulling items off hangers left and right.
"Okay. Here. You go put this on." She handed him a shirt and pants similar to Isaac's, though of flat cotton, rather than shimmering velvet.
"Zac gimme your backpack"
Zac handed it over and Taylor headed into the dressing room, grinning at his brother
who was in front of a three way mirror. Zac looked great, he practically had "harley" tattooed across his face. He shucked off his jeans and slipped into the costume, marveling. She sure could eyeball it, the stuff fit him like it had been made for him. He crammed his street clothes into the backpack, already knowing he was going to take the costume. This woman was good, probably nobody ever went in and came out wearing their own idea.
Grinning, he went back out, and she gestured to him to sit down. "You don't dye that hair do you?" Her voice was teasing and he laughed.
"No, no..."
"Good." She pulled a small bottle from the shelf, a pale golden oil, and instructed him. "Now close your eyes." He did, and felt her spraying the oil on his face, hair and arms. "Good. Perfect. Keep your eyes closed."
He felt something else, fine and powdery, falling around him, risking a glimpse when he heard Zac gasp. He opened his eyes full, when he saw Zac staring at him in what almost looked like fear.
"Zac, what is it?"
Zac shook his head. For some reason, the fine glitter falling on his brother had taken on the tone of a nightmare. "I don't know, nothing. Goose walked on my grave. You look awesome..."
The woman chuckled. "Now close those baby blues again honey, or you'll have an eye full of glitter"
"What am I anyway?"
"You? You're a witch my dear. A full fledged, Salem native, spell casting, altar building, rune reading witch. Or you will be, when I'm done with you" She grinned. "You can open your eyes, but hold still while it all sets."
Taylor smiled, puzzled. A witch? Okay if she said so. So long as he didn't have to wear any funky red and white striped socks.
He looked over at Isaac, who had fastened the fangs in. "Ike, a vampire with braces is gonna look silly."
Isaac shook his head, and flashed the fangs. Taylor's face lit up happily. "Amazing. They show without you having to growl. How cool"
The cashier spoke up. "Those are professional fangs, these are professional costumes. They don't look silly."
Taylor nodded. Ike looked far from silly.
The girl had darkened his lashes and lined his eyes in black, the effect rather than looking drawn on, making his eyes look even more deep-set than they were. His skin glowed faintly, the silver/white shimmer making the warm brown of his eyes almost luminescent. It was incredible.
"Wow, Ike... look in the mirror, you look incredible." The woman smiled, agreeing.
"Yes you do, the mirrors right over there. She touched Taylor's face gently, brushing at the glitter. "Okay that's set. You may find it falling out of your hair all night though. Here... now look up and hold still." He did, and she pulled a heavy gold colored circlet from a case. In the center glittered a design that reminded Taylor of horns. She slipped the headband across his forehead, and fastened it with a slim chain, under his hair. "Now move your head a little so we know it'll stay put." He did, and it did, making them both smile. She handed him gloves similar to Ike's, and reached behind her to a hanger. "Here." He took from her a robe, sleeved and hooded, voluminous as Isaac's, wool, lined in purple satin. No clasp on this, simple laces that began at the throat and ran to mid chest.
"Oh wow..." He looked in the mirror and his eyes went wide. He wasn't sure he liked it. "Oh God, I look like a girl"
The woman laughed. "Oh do you really? Look closely. If you were to see yourself as a stranger, would you think you were a girl?"
Taylor looked. He had to admit, it was hard to tell. He looked... laughing he shook his head. "It figures. I look like both."
"Not like that's anything new for you, Emma."
"Shut up, Zac."
The woman laughed, not bothering to tell him that she understood the Spice Girl reference.
"Here..." She handed Taylor a pair of fingerless gloves. "Try these."
He slipped them on, and glanced up into the mirror. Better. And the black clothes showed off what definition of muscle there was, much the way Isaac's did. Oh, it was a good costume, he couldn't argue at all.
"Definitely male my friend, beyond a doubt." She eyed him for a moment longer, and reached into a case beside the cash register. "Turn around." She pulled the glittering hair into a ponytail, and fastened a heavy golden clip around it. "There. Perfect. Now you look."
He looked again, this time his satisfaction untempered. The headband was heavy, not at all feminine, and the black outfit made him look sleak, shadowy. He grinned over at Isaac, who looked similarly satisfied.
"I think we're done."
"I think we are".
The cashier slid back behind the counter to ring them up, while Zac fidgeted.
"Okay Tay, you know you don't look like the good fairy anymore, that's good. Can we go now? And what'm I gonna do with this stupid backpack?"
"We'll bring it back to the room Zac, it's only a block away."
"What's in there?"
Taylor looked down at the pouches hanging from the side of his cape. Smiling he looked inside one of them. "Nothing Zac, they're just for show. Supposed to be full of potions or something. Let's go..." He grinned at the woman and waved, feeling absurdly happy. He led Zac out of the shop, stopping for a moment to eyeball the little shop he'd wanted to go in before. As he stood, waiting for Isaac, a shadow detached itself from the doorway, and came toward him.

Isaac glanced into the mirror one more time. It really was an amazing costume. He never mentioned it, but his satisfaction with his looks was minimal.
"Man... if I could look like this all the time..." He smiled a little, seeing the fangs peek through. He didn't notice the cashier watching him.

The girl moved quietly behind him, gazing at the reflection. The light picked up golden glints in his hair, curling softly around his face, the glimmer of his hair offsetting the luminescent skin. God he was beautiful.
She stepped closer, her eyes meeting his in the glass. His smile slipped a little as he felt a tingling heat rush through him. He reached out, just a little, and felt her hand slip into his. He pulled gently, leaning back into her as her body pressed against his. Their eyes locked in the mirror, he gently lifted her hand to his lips, kissing it softly. The tingle becoming a surge, he turned her hand and brushed his lips against the inner
edge of her wrist, watching as her eyes closed. Smiling a little, he let the tips of the fangs touch her skin, and bit down slightly, a shiver taking him over. Her breath sighed out and she moaned softly... the moan suddenly breaking the spell, as her eyes opened and her face flushed crimson. He let go of her hand, blushing almost as deeply as she was. She smiled, waved a little wave, and moved back behind the cash register.
Shaking his head, he headed out of the shop, turning to look back just as the night air touched his face. She was watching him leave, eyes glowing, her wrist pressed to her mouth. Another tingle thrilled through him, and he turned his back. It was time to go.

Taylor sat on the steps, watching with Starr while Zac entertained himself talking to passersby. He was so up, it was disarming everyone, bringing grins and smiles to everyone he accosted. Starr had complimented the costume, and taken it upon himself to fill the empty pouches with dried herbs.
"They don't mean much, Taylor, but they'll make you smell the part."
Taylor had laughed, but for some reason Starr was making him a little edgy.
His gaze was so direct, so piercing, Taylor had the unnerving sensation of being looked through. Now, as he saw Isaac coming out of the costume shop, he stood up to go.
"Well... it's been awesome talking to you. I have to go now... there's ghost walk with my name on it." He grinned, but his eye caught on the medallion hanging around Starr's neck. "What does that mean? I see all kinds of people here wearing them"
Starr nodded. "Wait just a minute." He went back into the store, and emerged again carrying a similar pendant, in gold. "Here. No witch should be without their pentagram. The points stand for Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Spirit" This one is old, it was custom made for someone. We never really knew who, but it's always stood that when the right person came along, we'd know it. And well, I think I know it. You take it, you need it to finish off that costume."
"Well... but it looks like it's gold!"
"It is gold, Taylor. Strictly speaking that's incorrect. The pentacle should be silver. But for a man, they're sometimes gold, and that's fine. If you think it's too big a deal, bring it back in the morning. I trust you with it." His grin was contagious and Taylor found himself smiling back.
Starr reached over Taylor's head and looped the chain around his neck, disturbing the glitter and sending a fine cloud around both of them.
Zac's eyes darkened.
Something about that...

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