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evil again.”
    “Antonio is battling his curse, and I think he will win.” Father Juan cleared his throat.
    He’s going to tell them the truth about Heather. He has to. It’s not a secret among the hunters, and if he doesn’t reveal it, Jamie might, out of pure spite.
    “It is true that Heather has gone missing,” he said.
    Jenn’s mother sobbed once, heavily. Jenn squeezed her hand, then put her arm around her mother.
    Her grandmother was very still. “Go on. Say what you need to say, Father.”
    “Aurora, the Cursed One who kidnapped Heather, turned her into a vampire,” he said, his voice soft, his words crystal clear.
    Jenn’s mom stared at him. For a full ten seconds shewas silent. And then a wrenching wail tore out of her—the scream of a mother who had been told her child was dead. Jenn held her with both arms, trying to contain her mom’s shock. But her mom pushed her away and got to her feet, still screaming. She flailed her fists at Father Juan, then showered Jenn with punches. She kicked at Jenn’s legs, shrieking. Jenn scooted away, protecting her mother from her instinctive response to fight back, but her mother came at her.
    “You! You!” she screamed, over and over again.
    Gramma Esther tried to grab her daughter-in-law’s upper arms, to stop her from pounding Jenn. Jenn slid out of the pew and stood in the aisle, her arms outstretched.
    “Mom, we’ll get her back. And we’ll help her. I promise!” Jenn had to shout to be heard over her mother’s screams.
    Father Juan joined her in the aisle. “We have to leave,” he said into her ear. “The brothers will hear. Tell the others to get ready. We’ll depart the second the sun goes down.”
    She looked over at her mother, who had collapsed in the pew. She was rocking back and forth, shaking her head as she shrieked and cried.
    “I should stay with my mom,” she said, but as soon as she spoke, she knew she was wrong. She needed to put distance between her mother and herself.
    Because she blames me. She thinks I made this happen. Just like Daddy thought when I left for the academy.
    Gramma Esther caught her gaze and held it. Shegestured for Jenn to leave the two of them alone. Shaking all over, Jenn obeyed. Tears blinded her as she hurried out of the chapel.
    Framed by a stone archway, Antonio was shielded from the dying sun. He remained silent, but his expression—sympathy, pity—spoke volumes.
    Oh, why can’t you love me? she thought, crumbling inside. Her heart was breaking, for herself, for her mother and grandmother, for Heather.
    And for him.
    Why do you have to be a vampire and a priest?
    Why does it have to be this way?
    Antonio retreated into the shadows, becoming almost invisible. As Jenn brushed past him, she cleared her throat and said, “We’re leaving as soon as the sun sets.”
    He didn’t reply.
I N A B UNKER B ENEATH THE W HITE H OUSE , W ASHINGTON , D.C.
S OLOMON AND P RESIDENT K ILBURN
    The room was octagonal, and ringed with high-definition monitors. Solomon, the leader of the Vampire Nation, strolled beside Jack Kilburn, the president of the United States, pausing before each screen so Kilburn could get the full effect. Solomon had been very busy.
    “This beautiful new ‘hospital’—he made air quotes—isin New Mexico,” Solomon explained, gesturing to an enormous structure that towered against the brilliant sunshine. “Filled to capacity already. Six hundred beds. People are dropping like flies from ‘causes unknown,’ and they’re begging for help. People are talking about a worldwide epidemic. Which is what we want them to talk about.”
    President Kilburn tried to smile as his sweat beaded on his brow. Solomon could smell the tantalizing odor of fear. Solomon enjoyed a mini fantasy about ripping into the president’s throat and killing him on the spot. Kilburn’s price for cooperating with Solomon was eternal life. Solomon had yet to pay it.
    Kilburn had yet to earn it. The president was hesitant