Page 73 of Nun’s Prayer

Hickson frowned.

I gazed at Vengeance lying on the bed. My sister seemed so tiny that it broke my heart. I choked back a sob. Tubes came from her mouth, helping her to breathe, and she was wired up with cannulas and a catheter. She had scratches on her arms, and her hands were bandaged. Vengeance looked nothing like her usual vital self. The machine monitoring her made me worry because her stats were so low. Vengeance was dying.

“What are you doing?”

“Doc, we’re going to need the room,” I stated.

“No. Explain yourself.”

“Christ, she’s circling the drain. I have to start now, or we’ve lost her. Belladonna, you’re up,” Stitch said with real alarm. Ignoring Hickson, she moved over to the bed and held her hands over Vengeance. They started glowing as Wylde shoved a chair behind Belladonna.

“Please don’t distress her. What is that? What are you doing? Don’t touch her!” Hickson began babbling.

I grabbed his shoulders and turned him to face me. “Stitch is a healer. She can stop Vengeance from dying, and she’s healing her.”

“Psychic healing is bullshit. Back away from my patient.”

“Wylde,” I said and moved closer to the bed. The white, blue light flowed from Stitch’s hands now. It almost covered Vengeance from head to toe. “Pace yourself. You only have us here,” I ordered Stitch. She didn’t reply, and I knew she was in the zone.

“I’ll call the stable back. We will need their energy.”

“I insist—”

“Doc, I get it. People like Stitch are charlatans, and they usually are. Totally agree with you. Stitch is the real thing. You’re here and watching. Stitch can’t make Vengeance any worse, right? Vengeance is going to die. What is the harm in letting her try? Vengeance has no idea what’s happening; she’s oblivious. You can put a complaint in with my captain if you want, but I have to insist you let Stitch work,” Wylde said.

“Give us an hour, doc. If Vengeance is better, you don’t create a fuss. Nor do you tell anyone what’s happening in here,” I argued.

“This is highly irregular. If that woman is genuine, why doesn’t she help others?” Hickson spat.

“She does. She’s saved loads of lives, but she isn’t a public figure. Each healing drains Stitch to the point of her own death. We protect her because she would kill herself to save a child. If she goes to see someone, she takes at least one sister with her for the power boost. Today, she’s about to drain all of us here for sure, and she may need more. If Vengeance is going to die, let us try. What will it hurt?” I asked.

Hickson shook his head, his focus on Stitch’s hands. He opened his mouth, and then Stitch separated her hands, and his eyes widened. He could see them now, and there was no fake light she was holding. The glow really emanated from her.

“I’ll contact Cass to bring the others,” I murmured as I squeezed Vengeance’s feet. “Don’t you dare stop fighting, bitch! I’ll follow you to hell and drag you back,” I promised.

Wylde gripped my shoulder in reassurance. “Stitch will save her,” he declared with complete faith.

“Highly irregular,” Hickson muttered, but kept watching.

Priest

“Any updates?” I asked, pulling in alongside Cassidy. Nun had been gone four hours. She could be anywhere.

“Nothing. Hatton just called and said he’s sending a cleaned-up picture of the driver. He’s giving it to the news stations too.” Cassidy’s phone pinged, and he held it up. Blue nearly knocked me out of the SUV as he stared at it.

“No fuckin’ way! Are you certain that person is the kidnapper?”

“Yes,” Cassidy nodded.

“You recognise him?” I asked.

Blue confirmed. “So do you. That’s the guy who was with her family. One of the brothers-in-law!”

I stared again. I hadn’t got a good look at him. “You’re telling me Nun’s relatives are harbouring a serial killer?”

“Yup. If that image is correct, then he has her,” Blue growled out.

“Where do they live?” Cassidy asked, starting his engine.