black-bearded general in Confederate gray, but he did not recognize any family traits.
"Mother Nothing," said Stanza. "I've connected the dots from Shadrack to Jonah and Mavis. What we want to know is who came before Shadrack. Who came before you. "
Mother Nothing slowly closed her milky eyes. "My parents came from England. Their names were Martin and Evelyn Gaunt."
"And they were vampires?" said Stanza.
"My father was," said Mother Nothing. "That side of the family was nothing but vampires."
Stanza nodded thoughtfully. "Where in England did your parents live?"
"An island called Lyonesse." Mother Nothing cackled softly. "Lyonesssse."
"Why did they leave?" said Jonah.
"They were searching for something. Never did find it." Mother Nothing shrugged and looked him in the eye...or as close as she could through the milkiness clouding her sight. "Maybe you will."
Mother laughed loudly, and Stanza cleared her throat. Jonah had the feeling he and Mavis were the only ones in the room who weren't in on the joke.
What the hell's that all about?
"I've been to Lyonesse," said Stanza. "I know how to get there."
"Planning a visit?" Mother Nothing grinned.
"Depends," said Stanza. "What can you tell us about your grandparents?"
Mother Nothing sighed. "Never met them. All I know is they were from the Old Country. Germany, I think. And they were vampires on my father's side."
"If that's all you can tell us, then yes," said Stanza. "We're going to Lyonesse."
Mother Nothing raised her eyebrows. "That's a long trip."
Stanza got up from the sofa. "I know a shortcut."
"Good for you." Mother Nothing's demeanor darkened. "Just remember, you might not come back."
"We'll be fine," said Stanza. "I've got a friend there."
"Well, then. Good luck to you." Mother Nothing smiled sweetly and waved.
Stanza headed for the exit, with Mavis close behind. Jonah swung toward Mother Nothing on his way out.
"Nice meeting you," he said.
Mother Nothing reached out with tiny, trembling hands. Her milky eyes stared in his general direction. "Always happy to see a great-great grandson," she said.
Jonah gazed at herâso withered and weathered and frail. What a miracle, seeing his own great-great grandmother in the living, breathing flesh.
How many people can say they've done that?
So much for not having any family left. Just days after losing his parents, Jonah had found a cousin he hadn't known existed and an ancestor he'd never imagined meeting.
I'm not alone anymore.
Mesmerized by Mother Nothing's ancient face, he continued to stare at her. In a daze, he felt her fingertips brush his forearms and wrap around his hands.
Only when she got up out of her rocking chair did he realize he couldn't move.
"I'm so hungry," she whispered in his ear. "And lucky me, you're not a vampire at all."
Oh my God! My own great-great grandmother's going to suck my blood!
Just as Mother Nothing lunged for his throat, her head suddenly snapped back. As she thrashed and squealed, Jonah saw Stanza standing behind her, pulling her away by a fistful of brown hair.
"Now that's not polite, is it? Putting the bite on your own great-great grandson?" Stanza pitched the old woman to the floor.
The fall would have hurtâmaybe brokenâany other woman who was as old as Mother Nothing looked. Being a vampire, however, Mother Nothing just rolled and bounced back up to her feet.
Then, she hissed and clawed directly at Stanza.
I guess the old woman's not so blind, after all.
Stanza ducked Mother's claws and kicked her in the side, sending her right back down to the floor.
"Don't get up," said Stanza.
Mother Nothing started to rise, then hissed and relaxed. "Can you blame me? I can't remember the last time I had fresh-squeezed."
"Apologize to your great-great grandson," said Stanza.
Mother Nothing sighed like a petulant child. "Sorry for trying to drink your blood."
Jonah nodded nervously and backed toward the exit.
So much for the miracle of meeting my
"Mother Nothing," said Stanza. "I've connected the dots from Shadrack to Jonah and Mavis. What we want to know is who came before Shadrack. Who came before you. "
Mother Nothing slowly closed her milky eyes. "My parents came from England. Their names were Martin and Evelyn Gaunt."
"And they were vampires?" said Stanza.
"My father was," said Mother Nothing. "That side of the family was nothing but vampires."
Stanza nodded thoughtfully. "Where in England did your parents live?"
"An island called Lyonesse." Mother Nothing cackled softly. "Lyonesssse."
"Why did they leave?" said Jonah.
"They were searching for something. Never did find it." Mother Nothing shrugged and looked him in the eye...or as close as she could through the milkiness clouding her sight. "Maybe you will."
Mother laughed loudly, and Stanza cleared her throat. Jonah had the feeling he and Mavis were the only ones in the room who weren't in on the joke.
What the hell's that all about?
"I've been to Lyonesse," said Stanza. "I know how to get there."
"Planning a visit?" Mother Nothing grinned.
"Depends," said Stanza. "What can you tell us about your grandparents?"
Mother Nothing sighed. "Never met them. All I know is they were from the Old Country. Germany, I think. And they were vampires on my father's side."
"If that's all you can tell us, then yes," said Stanza. "We're going to Lyonesse."
Mother Nothing raised her eyebrows. "That's a long trip."
Stanza got up from the sofa. "I know a shortcut."
"Good for you." Mother Nothing's demeanor darkened. "Just remember, you might not come back."
"We'll be fine," said Stanza. "I've got a friend there."
"Well, then. Good luck to you." Mother Nothing smiled sweetly and waved.
Stanza headed for the exit, with Mavis close behind. Jonah swung toward Mother Nothing on his way out.
"Nice meeting you," he said.
Mother Nothing reached out with tiny, trembling hands. Her milky eyes stared in his general direction. "Always happy to see a great-great grandson," she said.
Jonah gazed at herâso withered and weathered and frail. What a miracle, seeing his own great-great grandmother in the living, breathing flesh.
How many people can say they've done that?
So much for not having any family left. Just days after losing his parents, Jonah had found a cousin he hadn't known existed and an ancestor he'd never imagined meeting.
I'm not alone anymore.
Mesmerized by Mother Nothing's ancient face, he continued to stare at her. In a daze, he felt her fingertips brush his forearms and wrap around his hands.
Only when she got up out of her rocking chair did he realize he couldn't move.
"I'm so hungry," she whispered in his ear. "And lucky me, you're not a vampire at all."
Oh my God! My own great-great grandmother's going to suck my blood!
Just as Mother Nothing lunged for his throat, her head suddenly snapped back. As she thrashed and squealed, Jonah saw Stanza standing behind her, pulling her away by a fistful of brown hair.
"Now that's not polite, is it? Putting the bite on your own great-great grandson?" Stanza pitched the old woman to the floor.
The fall would have hurtâmaybe brokenâany other woman who was as old as Mother Nothing looked. Being a vampire, however, Mother Nothing just rolled and bounced back up to her feet.
Then, she hissed and clawed directly at Stanza.
I guess the old woman's not so blind, after all.
Stanza ducked Mother's claws and kicked her in the side, sending her right back down to the floor.
"Don't get up," said Stanza.
Mother Nothing started to rise, then hissed and relaxed. "Can you blame me? I can't remember the last time I had fresh-squeezed."
"Apologize to your great-great grandson," said Stanza.
Mother Nothing sighed like a petulant child. "Sorry for trying to drink your blood."
Jonah nodded nervously and backed toward the exit.
So much for the miracle of meeting my
Similar Books
