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There are bottles. Could be booze, though.
In a church?
Hey, they do use wine in ceremonies, don't they?
Just check.
The shelf rattled, and the spawn's mass became agitated.
Hurry.
If I go any faster that thing will attack.
Her tension and fear simmered through the link, sharper than before. Glass clinked, and the spawn zipped sideways, as if trying to see where the sound was coming from. In the warm light still leaping from Nikki's hands, its eyes gleamed like soulless diamonds.
Got something. She hesitated, then sniffed and added, It's water. I think. Okay, the minute I move, you spray that water across the room. Hopefully, it'll deter the spawn long enough for me to grab the pew. He paused. Ready?
No. Her spirit reached out to his, wrapping him in heat and love. Now I'm ready. Let's do it. Okay. He took a deep breath, then said, Go.
He dove for the pew. The spawn screamed and zipped towards him, its vaporous curtains reaching out, ready to smother and consume.
He hit the ground, sliding through the dirt as he grabbed the pew. The spawn screamed again, teeth gleaming as it tried to wrap vaporous arms around him. Water slewed through the air, glittering brightly in the fire of Nikki's flames. The droplets lashed across the spawn's mass, and it hissed, snapping its skirts away. Michael lifted the pew and threw it toward the coffin. The spawn howled in fury and lurched forward, wrapping its gowns around the pew in midair. There was a retort, a bright flash, then the pew and the spawn were gone.
He blew out a relieved breath and climbed to his feet.
Why did you throw the pew at the coffin rather than the spawn? Nikki twined her fingers through his and squeezed lightly.
Because I figured the spawn might have been programmed to protect the coffin, whereas the first spawn had been set to attack anyone who touched the handle. Anyone but Dunleavy.
He nodded. By throwing the pew at the coffin, I made the spawn attack the pew rather than us. But why would Dunleavy have a spawn here, when he's protecting the coffin with magic?
Extra insurance. He squeezed her fingers then released her. We'd better get out of here She raised an eyebrow. We're not going to try to destroy the coffin?
I doubt that we can. I don't know enough about magic, and I'm sure the magic protecting Weylin's brother is pretty powerful.
He cupped his hands, and she stepped into them. He boosted her up, ensuring she'd climbed safely onto the second step before following her up.
"Where next?” she asked, dusting her hands on her skirt. “The Standard Mine?"
"Yeah. I don't think we have any other choice.” It was either that or sit back and wait for Weylin to come to them, and he'd never been one to do that.
"Neither have I.” A smile teased her lips. “Which is why I'm always so surprised that you're so surprised when I do something rather than wait, as ordered."
"That's because you tend to rush in where angels dare not tread.” He caught her arm and pulled her into his embrace, kissing her quickly. “Or vampires, as the case may be." He slid his grip down to her hand and again twined his fingers through hers. “Let's go." They walked into the church's main room. He scanned the outside of the building as they headed for the door, using his vampire vision so that he could detect blood heat. No one waited for them. Yet, tension crawled through his limbs, and he had a peculiar feeling that the men from the bar would soon be making an unwelcome appearance.
"Which is odd, you know,” Nikki commented, as he released her hand to put the wire mesh in place.
"What's odd?” He couldn't do much about the lock, as he'd broken it when he'd snapped it free. But he hooked it onto the latch. From a distance it would look as if the mesh and the lock had been undisturbed.
"These feeling's you're getting. It's almost as if you're somehow siphoning my abilities." He glanced at her. “Could be. After all, you're siphoning mine." She raised her eyebrows. “Am not."
"Then how do you explain the fact you've developed brilliant night sight?"
"But—” She hesitated. “I don't see blood rushing through bodies or anything like that."
"No. But from what you said, you're vision is somewhat similar.” He led the way down the steps and into the main street. It was eerily quiet. Too quiet. Even the blustery wind made little sound as it blew around the old buildings.
"So how is something like that possible?"
