Read Zen and the Art of Vampires for Free Online

dawn,” I said slowly as my mental fog cleared. “It’s this, isn’t it?” I waved the bookmark around. The moonstone at the end of it glowed gently in the dim interior of the church. “That’s where all the confusion comes from. I’m happy to tell you that this isn’t mine.”
    â€œNo, it isn’t; it belongs to no one, but you are its keeper now, and you must guard it well. We have much work for you to do,” Kristjana said primly. She gestured toward the back of the church. “You will come now and we prepare for the first ceremony. We were told you would be arriving earlier.”
    I glanced as casually as I could manage around the church. Relief filled me at the sight of the half-open front door. With an expression I hoped bore no indication of my intentions, I shuffled backward a few steps. “This is really a lovely church. I like the moons; they’re pretty, as well. Is that something your group worships?”
    Mattias frowned a little as Kristjana watched me, her face expressionless. I hoped neither of them noticed I was still moving backward, toward the door, in tiny little baby steps.
    â€œThe Brotherhood are children of the moon, although we do not worship it,” she said carefully. “We are of the light. We spread the light. It is through the light that we cleanse the world.”
    Hairs on my arms started to prickle at her words. I had no doubt now that I had somehow managed to get myself mistaken for someone expected by this odd pagan cult. They didn’t look dangerous, but I felt it was wiser to make as few waves as possible before I dashed for freedom. “You spread light? You mean you do good works?”
    â€œThrough us, the light cleanses darkness from the world,” she answered, her voice almost singsong, as if she was speaking a catechism. “Through us, the light purges evil.”
    â€œWe definitely need less evil in the world,” I agreed, and shuffled a few feet closer to the door. If either of them had noticed that the distance between us was growing, they didn’t comment on it.
    â€œThe Midnight Zorya focuses the light, using the power on behalf of us all.”
    â€œYou said that word before,” I said, slapping a pleasantly curious look on my face. I took another two steps backward, reaching out with a hand behind me to feel for the door. I was still too far away to touch it. “What exactly is a Zorya?”
    Kristjana didn’t even blink. Mattias shot me a puzzled glance before turning his gaze on his companion.
    â€œThere are three Zoryas who rule the skies—morning, evening, and midnight. Auroras, they are called by the Westerners, but the Brotherhood call them by their true names.”
    â€œAuroras. That’s really interesting.” This had to be some sort of a pagan cult. Who else would worship the northern lights and the moon?
    â€œTradition says that the sun dies in the Midnight Zorya’s arms each night, and is reborn each morning. That is why you must wed tonight.”
    â€œWhoa!” I said, stumbling to a stop. “Wed? Excuse me?”
    â€œYou must wed the sacristan, the sun,” the woman said. She nodded toward Mattias. “The Zorya has little power until she has taken a husband and been recognized by the Brotherhood.”
    â€œWed as in marry?” I asked, wondering if perhaps their English was not as good as I had assumed.
    â€œYes, marry. Zoryas are always wed. It is the way.”
    A horrible suspicion dawned that both relieved and annoyed me. “This is part of the tour, isn’t it? You’re not some wacky cult after all—you’re just doing a lot of hand waving and mystical mumbo jumbo to distract my attention away from the fact that this is a blind date, right?”
    â€œThe Brotherhood are earnest in their intent to cleanse the world of evil,” Kristjana said, an annoyed look flitting across her face.
    â€œI can