Read Online Vanquished by Nancy Holder, Debbie Viguié - Free Book Online
Authors: Nancy Holder, Debbie Viguié
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seemed to catch the old woman’s determined expression, and dipped his head. “Thank you, Esther. Accepted.”
“Can you . . . can you use this elixir to change Heather back?” Jenn’s mom asked, her voice small and agonized. She slid a glance toward Antonio. “Though I suppose you’d have already done that. Unless he likes being a vampire.”
Antonio frowned, clearly offended. But Jamie thought what she said held some truth. Immortality, superstrength—lots of men would trade their souls for that.
Father Juan looked at the others. “Jamie, you may go look for Skye.” He picked up the gym bag and unzipped it, retrieving a rectangular white crystal.
“This scrying stone may alert you when you’re closing in on her. The range is approximately twenty miles.”
“Finally,” Jamie said, grabbing it. He’d been wondering how, with all his magicks, the priest hadn’t offered anything in the search for Skye. It was about time.
“Then I should be the one—,” Holgar began, but Father Juan shook his head.
“There will be werewolves after you, Holgar. You will also go to Romania. You have a better chance of fightingthem off with Antonio and Jenn than you would alone, distracted by so personal a mission.”
Now it was Holgar’s turn to sigh. Jamie reveled in Holgar’s defeat.
“When did you make this stone?” Jamie asked. “How long have you planned to give me leave to find her?”
Father Juan’s only answer was a philosophical shrug. “There are billions of square miles on the planet, Jamie. That will only work when you’re within twenty miles of her.”
“It’s a start,” Jamie insisted.
Father Juan gave Jamie a measured look, then turned to Jenn and Antonio. “You two and I have something to discuss before we part.” And then he said to Jenn’s grandmother, “Señora Esther, please go into the next room and tell Father Sebastian that we accept the offer of the Brotherhood of Saint Andrew, and that Antonio de la Cruz will travel in the company of Jennifer Leitner and Holgar Vibbard.”
“Yes, Juan,” Esther said. Jamie liked her. He remembered how well she had run her camp in Montana. She was worth twenty of Jenn any day.
Sade was starting to rock back and forth.
“Who’s looking for Heather? Why didn’t you make a—a stone for her ?” Mrs. Leitner cried.
“We’ll find her, Mom,” Jenn said. “You have to trust Father Juan. And—and me.” Her voice was tight and anxious. But she didn’t go over to hug her mother. Jamie took note, and filed that information away.
Sade wrapped her arms around Jenn’s mother. Tears spilled down her cheeks, and the two held each other.
“Here are new cell phones for all of you,” Father Juan continued, dipping into the bag. “I’ve programmed everyone’s numbers, but I want you to take the time to memorize them. I’ve already given one to Noah.”
At Noah’s mention, Jenn’s cheeks reddened. Jamie’s eyes narrowed. Oh, she fancied him, then? Had Antonio figured that out? That would make their trip to Romania all the more interesting. Now Jamie was almost sorry he wasn’t going along.
“Now, for other matters,” Father Juan said to Jenn and Antonio. “Private ones.”
* * *
Father Juan led Jenn and Antonio into a side chapel separate from where he had given Jenn’s mom the terrible news about Heather. There was one small pew, barely big enough for two people. At the end of the pew, a statue of St. John of the Cross stood elevated above a row of flickering candles. Antonio and Father Juan dipped their fingers into a small silver font attached to the wall, bent their knees, and crossed themselves. Jenn just waited, feeling the odd person out.
“We don’t have much time,” Father Juan said, “and so I’ll be blunt.”
Jenn’s chest tightened. It seemed that every time they spoke in private, there was more bad news. Reflexively, shebegan to reach for Antonio’s hand, then stopped herself. Those days were over.
But
“Can you . . . can you use this elixir to change Heather back?” Jenn’s mom asked, her voice small and agonized. She slid a glance toward Antonio. “Though I suppose you’d have already done that. Unless he likes being a vampire.”
Antonio frowned, clearly offended. But Jamie thought what she said held some truth. Immortality, superstrength—lots of men would trade their souls for that.
Father Juan looked at the others. “Jamie, you may go look for Skye.” He picked up the gym bag and unzipped it, retrieving a rectangular white crystal.
“This scrying stone may alert you when you’re closing in on her. The range is approximately twenty miles.”
“Finally,” Jamie said, grabbing it. He’d been wondering how, with all his magicks, the priest hadn’t offered anything in the search for Skye. It was about time.
“Then I should be the one—,” Holgar began, but Father Juan shook his head.
“There will be werewolves after you, Holgar. You will also go to Romania. You have a better chance of fightingthem off with Antonio and Jenn than you would alone, distracted by so personal a mission.”
Now it was Holgar’s turn to sigh. Jamie reveled in Holgar’s defeat.
“When did you make this stone?” Jamie asked. “How long have you planned to give me leave to find her?”
Father Juan’s only answer was a philosophical shrug. “There are billions of square miles on the planet, Jamie. That will only work when you’re within twenty miles of her.”
“It’s a start,” Jamie insisted.
Father Juan gave Jamie a measured look, then turned to Jenn and Antonio. “You two and I have something to discuss before we part.” And then he said to Jenn’s grandmother, “Señora Esther, please go into the next room and tell Father Sebastian that we accept the offer of the Brotherhood of Saint Andrew, and that Antonio de la Cruz will travel in the company of Jennifer Leitner and Holgar Vibbard.”
“Yes, Juan,” Esther said. Jamie liked her. He remembered how well she had run her camp in Montana. She was worth twenty of Jenn any day.
Sade was starting to rock back and forth.
“Who’s looking for Heather? Why didn’t you make a—a stone for her ?” Mrs. Leitner cried.
“We’ll find her, Mom,” Jenn said. “You have to trust Father Juan. And—and me.” Her voice was tight and anxious. But she didn’t go over to hug her mother. Jamie took note, and filed that information away.
Sade wrapped her arms around Jenn’s mother. Tears spilled down her cheeks, and the two held each other.
“Here are new cell phones for all of you,” Father Juan continued, dipping into the bag. “I’ve programmed everyone’s numbers, but I want you to take the time to memorize them. I’ve already given one to Noah.”
At Noah’s mention, Jenn’s cheeks reddened. Jamie’s eyes narrowed. Oh, she fancied him, then? Had Antonio figured that out? That would make their trip to Romania all the more interesting. Now Jamie was almost sorry he wasn’t going along.
“Now, for other matters,” Father Juan said to Jenn and Antonio. “Private ones.”
* * *
Father Juan led Jenn and Antonio into a side chapel separate from where he had given Jenn’s mom the terrible news about Heather. There was one small pew, barely big enough for two people. At the end of the pew, a statue of St. John of the Cross stood elevated above a row of flickering candles. Antonio and Father Juan dipped their fingers into a small silver font attached to the wall, bent their knees, and crossed themselves. Jenn just waited, feeling the odd person out.
“We don’t have much time,” Father Juan said, “and so I’ll be blunt.”
Jenn’s chest tightened. It seemed that every time they spoke in private, there was more bad news. Reflexively, shebegan to reach for Antonio’s hand, then stopped herself. Those days were over.
But
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