Dr. Aisha Jackson of Trinidad

After authoring seven best-selling books on modern psychiatry, and appearing on RDI, CBC, CNN and even Al Jazeera, sixty-something psychiatrist Dr. Aisha Jackson thought she had few challenges left to face. The good doctor, a native of Trinidad, has made the list of 100 Most Intriguing Black Canadians. This is an accomplishment that the Trinidadian-Canadian psychiatrist and author is particularly proud of.

Dr. Aisha Jackson surprised many when she turned down a position at her alma mater, McGill University. Citing her wanderlust and renowned independence, Dr. Jackson declined the offer. Of course, she did book tours and maintained a lively practice, seeing a few select patients in her office in the north end of Montreal, Quebec. An encounter with the supernatural proved to be an injection of life into the good doctor, and now she's a woman on a mission...

"I hate witches, I hope they all burn in Hell," said Sebastien Sabers, and the tall, dark-skinned and downright hulking Afro-Caribbean Vampire shook his head, as if casting aside some bad memories. Dr. Aisha Jackson, once one of the psychiatric profession's brightest lights, now confessor to the Undead, casually scribbled notes on a pad. Treating the Undead was no different from treating the living, except the former were far more neurotic, with centuries of baggage.

"Mister Sabers, please, tell me what happened," Dr. Jackson said, and she motioned for him to sit down. After a brief moment, Sebastien Sabers, Jamaican-born hustler turned Vampire, now one of the key enforcers for Club Labelle, finally sat down. All of his pacing was slowly driving Dr. Jackson up the wall. Like all of his kind, Sabers could move at supernatural speed, and when he did so in her office, it irked the good doctor.

"I'd grown tired of Montreal and felt like taking a vacation, so I went to Saint Lucia," Sebastien Sabers said, flicking his tongue over his too-white, too-sharp teeth. Dr. Jackson repressed a shudder. The Undead looked human most of the time, and it was easy to forget that they were not. Sebastien Sabers looked like an NBA player most of the time, but he hadn't been human in over a century.

The City of Montreal, Quebec, has a sizeable population of monsters hiding in plain sight. Dr. Jackson was shocked to discover that her daughter-in-law Lucy was a werewolf, and she tried to turn her husband Caleb into one as well, before being stopped by none other than Sebastien Sabers. The tall, dark-skinned, hulking Vampire came along and killed Lucy the werewolf with his bare hands, thus saving Caleb and Aisha.

Any human who discovers the existence of the Vampires, werewolves, demons, spirits, witches and monsters who call Montreal home usually meets a grisly end. If there is one thing that the nonhuman population agrees on is that humans must not discover the truth of their existence. In the age of smart phones, YouTube and all that, the monsters have become paranoid and any threat to their existence is taken out swiftly. Which is why Dr. Aisha Jackson was surprised when Sebastien Sabers boss, an ancient Vampire named Clayton Signet, approached her with a unique proposition.

"Doc, I've been alive for a thousand years, I'm a Frenchman but the France I loved is gone, we immortals lose track of time, and of who we are, and this is no good, we could use your help in that regard," said Signet. Tall and elegant, the silver-haired, green-eyed and bearded, thin and handsome Elder Vampire smiled at the good doctor while she considered his words. The terrified mortal in her was scared, but the brilliant psychiatrist was intrigued at the thought of gaining such unusual patients...

"I will do my very best, so long as you guarantee my safety," Dr. Jackson replied, and Clayton Signet smiled. The ancient Vampire overlord, who, as a mortal, had participated in the Crusades, nodded respectfully at the good doctor. Thus, Aisha Jackson, one of McGill University's most famous alumni, was brought into the world of the supernatural. Monsters have emotional issues just like everyone else, and they could certainly use psychiatric care. One of her first patients, of course, was Signet's favorite henchman, the Vampire known as Sebastien Sabers.

"Saint Lucia was cool at first, lots of beautiful landscapes, hot women, good wine, I wasn't complaining," Sabers said with a reminiscent smile. The Vampire leaned back on the couch, and for a brief moment, there was a haunted look in his golden brown eyes. When he wasn't in feral mode with bright red eyes and fangs, or moving at super speed, Sebastien Sabers looked like a twenty-something professional athlete. Looks could certainly be deceiving, though...

"What happened on the island, Mr. Sabers?" Dr. Jackson asked, and Sebastien Sabers stroked his goateed chin. Even though, as far as Dr. Jackson knew, Vampires did not breathe, and lacked a pulse, Sabers exhaled sharply. He leaned forward, and began wringing his hands, a gesture indicating stress and discomfort, regardless of whether one is alive or Undead.

"Well, Doc, I met this woman, Valeria, and she was fine, tall and thick, with midnight skin, and the kind of butt Serena Williams would envy," Sabers said, chuckling softly. Dr. Jackson smiled politely, and Sabers relaxed, downright collegiate demeanor reminded her of her son Caleb and his college buddies when they would hang out at the old house, watching TV and talking about women. Some things never change, the good doctor mused.

Like any good doctor, Dr. Jackson kept detailed files on all of her patients. For instance, even though Sebastien Sabers appeared to be a tall, burly black man in his mid to late twenties, he was much older than that. He'd been born in Portmore, Jamaica, in 1903, and became a Vampire in 1930. In the nine decades since he became one of the Undead, Sebastien Sabers had been a wanderer, a hustler, a pirate and a professional killer, among other things. In 2000, Sebastien crossed paths with Signet, Lord of the Vampires, in Montreal, and came into his employ. They'd been together ever since.

"What was Valeria like?" Dr. Jackson asked cautiously, even though she'd been provided with detailed files on Sebastien Sabers activities. As an enforcer for Club Labelle, owned by Mr. Signet, he eliminated beings whom the Lord of the Vampires considered rivals or enemies. Sebastien Sabers was one tough cookie. Like a lot of powerful men, the chaos of his professional life seeped into his private life, thus causing an imbalance needing immediate rectification.

"Valeria was beautiful and smart, but that's not what drew me to her, I could sense she wasn't totally human, a lot of people have some unnatural blood in them, from interspecies hookups, and those people can command magic," Sabers said evenly. A faraway look came into his eyes, and Dr. Jackson took a sip of her water before continuing. Sebastien Sabers was in Lala Land for the moment, and she loudly rubbed her hands together, the sound causing him to blink.

"Valeria was a witch, and I'd dealt with humans with unnatural abilities in the past, but she was ambitious, the crazy broad tried to summon a demon from Hell," Sebastien Sabers said, a haunted look creeping into his darkly handsome face. Dr. Jackson slowly let out her breath. The witch must have been something indeed if she'd been powerful enough to put such fear into an Undead enforcer...

"What did she do to you?" Dr. Jackson asked gently, and Sebastien paused, exhaled sharply and rubbed the back of his smooth shaved head. The Vampire shifted uncomfortably in his seat. No need to be a brilliant psychiatrist with celebrity patients and best-selling books to know that this particular bloodsucker was experiencing some severe emotional discomfort. What is to be done about Sebastien Sabers and that which ails him?

"Valeria seduced me and tried to sacrifice me to the Old Gods in order to summon a demon from Hell, but I killed the witch," Sebastien Sabers said, his voice rising in anger. Dr. Jackson willed herself to stay calm. Part of the reason why the Vampires, werewolves, monsters and demons who called Montreal home respected her was her unshakeable poker face. A woman who's seen the darkest side of the human soul isn't easily intimidated, that's for damn sure.

"Sebastien, you emancipated yourself from someone who used you and betrayed you, congratulations," Dr. Jackson said, and when the Vampire looked at her, his eyes crimson and his fangs bared, she locked eyes with him. Looking into the doctor's eyes, Sebastien Sabers, a blood sucker who'd killed hundreds of victims, both human and nonhuman, looked for fear, and instead found...compassion? The doctor was not what the Undead enforcer expected, that's for damn sure.

"Thanks, Doc, I had to kill Valeria but I almost regret it, I wish she hadn't turned against me, we could have had something," Sebastien Sabers said, shaking his head. Dr. Jackson looked at her patient, who'd calmed down and now seemed as relaxed as anyone could be on a psychiatrist's couch. In his black leather jacket, blue silk shirt, black silk pants and black Timberland boots, Sebastien Sabers looked like an urban outfitters model. The brother looked good, for real.

"Mr. Sabers, a life, even an immortal life, is full of regret, but what gives us strength is moving on, you conquered adversity and I think the next witch will think twice before crossing your path," Dr. Jackson said evenly. Sebastien Sabers nodded, processing the doctor's words. He'd been a rogue Vampire, without a family or truly lasting connections, before Signet, the Vampire Lord and ruler of Montreal, welcomed him into the fold. He had a purpose, and lots of money and power, but yearned for someone to share it with. He wanted that person to be Valeria, but it was not to be...

"Doc, you are right, I can see what the Old Man sees in you, and I concur with his good judgement," Sebastien Sabers said, smiling. Dr. Jackson nodded, and was about to thank the Vampire enforcer for his praise, but he instead sped out of her office, moving at a rate of speed that even Cartoon speedsters would be hard pressed to emulate. The Undead are powerful, and constantly remind Dr. Jackson of that simple fact. Still, they're not invulnerable, though...

Dr. Aisha Jackson is a McGill-educated psychiatrist who has lectured at Harvard, Yale, the University of Montreal, Carleton University, Brunel University and Cambridge College, among others. She possesses a keen insight into the human soul, and is secretly writing a book on the psychology of supernatural beings. Of course, such a book would only be published as speculative fiction, for obvious reasons.

With a growing stable of patients including a Vampire enforcer, a shape-shifting serial killing monster, a sexually promiscuous witch, a werewolf with mommy issues and a demon with multiple personality disorder, the good doctor is embracing this new challenge that life has thrown her way so late in the game. Monsters have baggage and need psychiatric help too, and Dr. Aisha Jackson of Montreal, Quebec, is the only woman for the job!