said Stanza.
Jonah gaped at her in disbelief, but she wouldn't look his way. When he shot a glance at Mavis, she was rolling her eyes as if to say, Oh, brother.
But Jonah wasn't so totally cynical. He was amazed at the possibility that Stanza had babysat for that ancient crone. Was she serious, or just playing along with a senile old woman?
What was Stanza's story , anyway?
"So what can I do for you?" said Mother Nothing.
Stanza moved to sit on the sofa and gestured for Jonah and Mavis to do the same. Jonah sat beside her, but Mavis stayed standing.
"Jonah's parents hired me to trace his family history." Stanza put a hand on Jonah's knee.
Jonah felt himself blush. He hadn't had much time to consider it, given the surreal chaos of the past days...but Stanza was a very attractive woman.
"It turns out Mavis is his cousin," said Stanza, "so it's her family history, too."
"I wonder who their most recent shared ancestor might be," said Mother Nothing.
"His name is Shadrack Kirkellan," said Stanza. "He's their great-grandfather."
"Yes, of course." Mother Nothing rocked her chair with creaking vigor. "Shadrack. My son."
Â
*****
Â
Chapter 14
Â
Even as Jonah laughed at what sounded like a joke, he did the mental math. Was it possible the old woman wasn't kidding about being his great-grandfather's mother?
No way. That would have been his answer two days ago. But now he was on the other side of the mirror.
Haven't you wondered what the old woman is doing down here in vampire town?
"Oh my God." The words slipped out of Jonah's mouth before he could catch them.
It was too incredible to be true.
Play it cool. You're a vampire, remember? This shouldn't surprise you a bit.
"So you're my great-great grandmother?" Jonah couldn't quite keep all the amazement out of his voice.
"That's right." Mother Nothing smiled.
Jonah stared closely at her mouth and found what he was looking for: a pair of fangs. She didn't have many other teeth left, but the fangs were still there.
She's my great-great grandmother, and she's a vampire. I don't know which is weirder.
Stanza turned to Jonah. "This is my specialty, remember?" she said. "Long-lived supernaturals. Meet your own great-great grandmother in the flesh. Why settle for dusty old marriage licenses, deeds, and death certificates?"
Jonah had pressing questions for Stanza, but held back for fear of giving away his non-vampire status. Better to wait until later.
Not like I don't have other questions I can ask.
"She's your great-great grandmother, too, Mavis," said Stanza.
Mavis shrugged. "If you say so."
Mavis doesn't buy it. Maybe she's right.
"Where were you born?" said Jonah.
"A little town called Gondola, in the Shenandoah River valley in Virginia." Mother Nothing tugged a wadded tissue from her sleeve and dabbed at her nose. "In 1848."
"Wow," said Jonah. "That was a long time ago."
"I guess it was," said Mother Nothing. "My husband and I had a pretty little farm where we raised two girls and three boys. Lost one of the girls and two of the boys in the war between the states. The son who survived was your great grandfather, Shadrack."
In spite of his doubtsâand the fact that the old woman was a vampireâJonah was fascinated. "What was he like?"
"Tough as nails," said Mother Nothing. "That was how he got through the war. Was a general for a while, tooâat least until he got The Big Bite."
Jonah's eyes widened, and he leaned further forward. "He was a vampire, too?"
Mother Nothing winked. "Runs in the family, right?" She looked completely incongruous when she opened her mouth wide, bared her fangs, and hissed at Jonah.
No one would ever believe this. I can never tell anyone. My vampire great-great grandmother just hissed at me.
"There's a picture of him beside you on the table," said Mother Nothing. "From the old days."
Jonah looked over and found the image, set in a round pewter frame the size of an apple. He searched the face of the
Jonah gaped at her in disbelief, but she wouldn't look his way. When he shot a glance at Mavis, she was rolling her eyes as if to say, Oh, brother.
But Jonah wasn't so totally cynical. He was amazed at the possibility that Stanza had babysat for that ancient crone. Was she serious, or just playing along with a senile old woman?
What was Stanza's story , anyway?
"So what can I do for you?" said Mother Nothing.
Stanza moved to sit on the sofa and gestured for Jonah and Mavis to do the same. Jonah sat beside her, but Mavis stayed standing.
"Jonah's parents hired me to trace his family history." Stanza put a hand on Jonah's knee.
Jonah felt himself blush. He hadn't had much time to consider it, given the surreal chaos of the past days...but Stanza was a very attractive woman.
"It turns out Mavis is his cousin," said Stanza, "so it's her family history, too."
"I wonder who their most recent shared ancestor might be," said Mother Nothing.
"His name is Shadrack Kirkellan," said Stanza. "He's their great-grandfather."
"Yes, of course." Mother Nothing rocked her chair with creaking vigor. "Shadrack. My son."
Â
*****
Â
Chapter 14
Â
Even as Jonah laughed at what sounded like a joke, he did the mental math. Was it possible the old woman wasn't kidding about being his great-grandfather's mother?
No way. That would have been his answer two days ago. But now he was on the other side of the mirror.
Haven't you wondered what the old woman is doing down here in vampire town?
"Oh my God." The words slipped out of Jonah's mouth before he could catch them.
It was too incredible to be true.
Play it cool. You're a vampire, remember? This shouldn't surprise you a bit.
"So you're my great-great grandmother?" Jonah couldn't quite keep all the amazement out of his voice.
"That's right." Mother Nothing smiled.
Jonah stared closely at her mouth and found what he was looking for: a pair of fangs. She didn't have many other teeth left, but the fangs were still there.
She's my great-great grandmother, and she's a vampire. I don't know which is weirder.
Stanza turned to Jonah. "This is my specialty, remember?" she said. "Long-lived supernaturals. Meet your own great-great grandmother in the flesh. Why settle for dusty old marriage licenses, deeds, and death certificates?"
Jonah had pressing questions for Stanza, but held back for fear of giving away his non-vampire status. Better to wait until later.
Not like I don't have other questions I can ask.
"She's your great-great grandmother, too, Mavis," said Stanza.
Mavis shrugged. "If you say so."
Mavis doesn't buy it. Maybe she's right.
"Where were you born?" said Jonah.
"A little town called Gondola, in the Shenandoah River valley in Virginia." Mother Nothing tugged a wadded tissue from her sleeve and dabbed at her nose. "In 1848."
"Wow," said Jonah. "That was a long time ago."
"I guess it was," said Mother Nothing. "My husband and I had a pretty little farm where we raised two girls and three boys. Lost one of the girls and two of the boys in the war between the states. The son who survived was your great grandfather, Shadrack."
In spite of his doubtsâand the fact that the old woman was a vampireâJonah was fascinated. "What was he like?"
"Tough as nails," said Mother Nothing. "That was how he got through the war. Was a general for a while, tooâat least until he got The Big Bite."
Jonah's eyes widened, and he leaned further forward. "He was a vampire, too?"
Mother Nothing winked. "Runs in the family, right?" She looked completely incongruous when she opened her mouth wide, bared her fangs, and hissed at Jonah.
No one would ever believe this. I can never tell anyone. My vampire great-great grandmother just hissed at me.
"There's a picture of him beside you on the table," said Mother Nothing. "From the old days."
Jonah looked over and found the image, set in a round pewter frame the size of an apple. He searched the face of the
Similar Books
