Firelight (Band 2) - Flammende Träne

Von Sophie Jordan

Eine außergewöhnliche Romantic Fantasy-Reihe um eine verbotene Liebe.

Um das Leben des Jungen zu retten, den sie über alles liebt, hat Jacinda das Unvorstellbare getan: Sie hat sich vor den Augen von Menschen in einen Draki verwandelt. Nun wird sie in die nebelverhüllte Siedlung in den Bergen zurückgebracht, wo sie nicht nur lernen muss, sich den Gesetzen des Rudels unterzuordnen, sondern auch Will zu vergessen.
Während die Tage vergehen, fühlt sie sich widerwillig zu Cassian hingezogen, dem Drakiprinzen, der schon immer in sie verliebt war. Und doch klammert sie sich an die Hoffnung, dass sie eines Tages wieder mit Will zusammen sein wird.
Als dieser Wunsch zum Greifen nah erscheint, muss Jacinda sich entscheiden: Wird sie alles aufs Spiel setzen, um ihrer großen Liebe zu folgen?

"Flammende Träne" ist der zweite Band der Firelight-Trilogie. Der Titel des ersten Bandes lautet "Brennender Kuss".

Mehr Infos rund ums Buch unter: firelightfans.de

• Sprache: Deutsch
• Herausgeber: Loewe Verlag
• Erscheinungsdatum: 1. Juni 2013
• ISBN: 9783732000197

Sophie Jordan

Sophie Jordan grew up in the Texas hill country, where she wove fantasies of dragons, warriors, and princesses. A former high school English teacher, she’s the New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling author of more than fifty novels. She now lives in Houston with her family. When she’s not writing, she spends her time overloading on caffeine (lattes preferred), talking plotlines with anyone who will listen (including her kids), and streaming anything that has a happily ever after.

Buchvorschau

Titelseite

Für meine Agentin Maura –

die so viel mehr ist als nur eine Agentin

Wahre Liebe vergisst nie.

Sprichwort

1

Manchmal träume ich, dass ich falle.

Natürlich beginnen diese Träume damit, dass ich fliege. Weil es schließlich das ist, was ich tue. Was ich bin. Was ich liebe.

Vor ein paar Wochen noch hätte ich gesagt, dass es das ist, was ich auf der ganzen Welt am liebsten mache. Aber seitdem hat sich viel verändert. Um nicht zu sagen, alles.

In diesen Träumen rase ich über den Himmel und bin so frei, wie ich es eigentlich sein sollte. Aber dann passiert auf einmal irgendetwas und plötzlich stürze ich strudelnd in die Tiefe.

Ich greife ins Leere und meine Schreie werden von einem zornig aufheulenden Wind verschluckt. Wie ein Stein falle ich nach unten. Wie ein Mensch ohne Flügel. Wie ein ganz normales Mädchen – und nicht wie ein Draki. Machtlos. Verloren.

Genau so fühle ich mich jetzt: Ich falle und falle und kann nichts dagegen tun. Ich kann das Fallen nicht aufhalten. Ich bin wieder in demselben Albtraum gefangen.

Bevor ich auf dem Boden aufschlage, wache ich immer auf. Das war bisher stets meine Rettung.

Nur, dass ich heute Nacht nicht träume. Heute Nacht schlage ich wirklich auf dem Boden auf. Und es ist genauso schmerzhaft, wie ich es erwartet habe.

Während Cassian den Wagen durch die Nacht steuert, lehne ich meine Wange gegen das kühle Fensterglas und starre hinaus in die reglose Dunkelheit. Mein Blick streift Steingärten und Stuckhäuser, die an uns vorüberziehen, und ich suche nach einer Antwort, einem Grund für das, was passiert ist.

Die Welt scheint den Atem anzuhalten, während wir langsam an einem Stoppschild zum Stehen kommen. Meine Augen wandern zu dem dunklen Himmel über uns. Ein tiefes, sternenloses Meer, das auf mich wie ein Zuflucht verheißendes Zeichen wirkt.

Vom Rücksitz aus dringt Mums Stimme an mein Ohr. Sie spricht in einem sanften Flüsterton mit Tamra und versucht, ihr eine Antwort zu entlocken. Ich löse meine Wange von der Fensterscheibe und werfe einen Blick über die Schulter. Meine Schwester liegt zitternd in Mums Armen. Ihre Augen starren ins Leere, ihre Haut ist leichenblass. »Ist alles in Ordnung mit ihr?«, frage ich, weil ich einfach etwas sagen muss. Ich muss Gewissheit haben. Habe ich ihr das angetan? Ist auch das meine Schuld? »Was ist los mit ihr?«

Mum runzelt die Stirn und schüttelt den Kopf, so als ob ich besser den Mund halten sollte. Ich habe sie beide enttäuscht. Ich habe die eiserne Regel gebrochen.

Ich habe Menschen – schlimmer noch: Jägern – gegenüber meine wahre Gestalt gezeigt und jetzt müssen wir alle für diesen Fehler büßen. Dieses Wissen lastet schwer auf mir, wie ein erdrückendes Gewicht, das mich tief in meinen Sitz presst. Ich sehe wieder nach vorn und plötzlich werde ich von einem unkontrollierbaren Zittern erfasst. Ich verschränke die Arme und presse die Hände seitlich an den Körper in der Hoffnung, dadurch das Zittern unterdrücken zu können.

Cassian hat mich gewarnt, dass das, was ich heute Abend getan habe, Folgen haben wird, und ich frage mich, ob ich die ersten Konsequenzen bereits zu spüren bekomme. Ich habe Will verloren. Tamra ist krank oder steht unter Schock oder vielleicht ist es sogar noch schlimmer. Mum bringt es kaum fertig, mir ins Gesicht zu sehen. Jeder meiner Atemzüge verrät, wie elend ich mich fühle, während die Ereignisse des heutigen Abends hinter meinen Augenlidern brennen. Ich sehe, wie ich meine menschliche Haut ablege und mich vor Wills Familie verwandle. Wie ich verzweifelt durch die knisternde Luft zu ihm fliege. Doch wenn ich Will nicht im Flug zu Hilfe gekommen wäre, dann wäre er jetzt tot und diesen Gedanken könnte ich nicht ertragen. Ich werde Will nie wiedersehen, auch wenn er mir versprochen hat, dass er mich finden wird. Aber zumindest ist er am Leben.

Cassian neben mir sagt kein Wort. Er hat alles gesagt, was nötig war, um Mum dazu zu bringen, mit uns ins Auto zu steigen und ihr begreiflich zu machen, dass eine gemeinsame Rückkehr die einzige realistische Option ist – eine Rückkehr an den Ort, vor dem wir geflohen sind. Seine Finger halten das Lenkrad so fest umklammert, dass seine Knöchel weiß hervortreten. Ich bezweifle, dass er seinen Griff lockern wird, bevor wir nicht endgültig aus Chaparral heraus sind. Wahrscheinlich sogar erst, wenn wir wieder sicher zurück im Rudel sind. Sicher. Ich ersticke fast an einem Lachen – oder vielleicht ist es auch ein Schluchzen. Werde ich mich jemals wieder sicher fühlen?

Die Häuserreihen fliegen an uns vorbei und lichten sich, als wir uns dem Stadtrand nähern. Bald werden wir weg sein. Frei von dieser Wüste und den Jägern. Frei von Will. Dieser Gedanke frisst sich tief in die blutende Wunde, die bereits in meinem Herzen klafft, aber daran ist nichts zu ändern. Hätte das mit uns denn jemals wirklich eine Zukunft gehabt? Eine Draki und ein Drakijäger? Ein Drakijäger, in dessen Adern das Blut von meinesgleichen fließt.

Dieser Teil der ganzen Sache spukt mir noch immer durch den Kopf, wenngleich ich die Tragweite dieser Tatsache noch nicht gänzlich erfasst habe. Ich kann nicht meine Augen schließen, ohne sofort das Bild seines in der Nacht dunkelrot schimmernden Blutes aufblitzen zu sehen. Sein Blut, das genauso aussieht wie mein eigenes. Mein Kopf schmerzt und hat Mühe, diese schreckliche Wahrheit zu akzeptieren. Egal, wie verständlich Wills Erklärung war, und egal, dass ich ihn immer noch liebe – das alles ändert nichts an der Tatsache, dass gestohlenes Drakiblut in seinen Adern pulsiert.

Cassian atmet langsam aus, als wir das Stadtgebiet verlassen.

»Das war’s dann also«, murmelt Mum, als sich die Entfernung zwischen uns und Chaparral vergrößert.

Ich drehe mich um und sehe, wie sie durch die Heckscheibe zurückblickt. Sie nimmt Abschied von ihrer Hoffnung, der Hoffnung auf eine bessere Zukunft in Chaparral. Dort hatten wir noch einmal von vorn angefangen, weitab vom Rudel. Und jetzt sind wir auf dem Weg zurück zu ihm, direkt in seine Mitte.

»Es tut mir leid, Mum«, sage ich nicht allein aus Pflichtgefühl, sondern weil ich es wirklich ernst meine.

Mum schüttelt den Kopf und öffnet den Mund, um etwas zu sagen, bekommt aber kein Wort heraus.

»Sieht ganz so aus, als wären wir in Schwierigkeiten«, verkündet Cassian. Vor uns versperren mehrere Autos die Straße und zwingen uns abzubremsen.

»Sie sind es«, bekomme ich gerade so über die Lippen und fühle mich wie betäubt, während Cassian auf die Autos zufährt.

»Sie?«, will Mum wissen. »Jäger?«

Ich nicke heftig. Jäger. Wills Familie.

Gleißendes Scheinwerferlicht durchschneidet die Dunkelheit und erleuchtet Cassians Gesicht. Sein Blick zuckt zum Rückspiegel und ich kann genau erkennen, dass er überlegt, einfach umzudrehen und in die entgegengesetzte Richtung zu fliehen. Aber dafür ist es jetzt zu spät – eines der Autos hat sich in Bewegung gesetzt, um uns den Fluchtweg abzuschneiden. Ein paar Gestalten bauen sich vor unserem Wagen auf. Cassian steigt auf die Bremse, während seine Hände das Lenkrad noch fester umklammern. Ich weiß, dass er versucht, dem Drang zu widerstehen, die Jäger einfach umzupflügen. Ich verrenke mir den Hals auf der Suche nach Will, weil ich spüre, dass er hier ist, irgendwo da draußen unter all den anderen.

Harte, bissige Stimmen rufen uns zu, dass wir aussteigen sollen. Ich verhalte mich still und meine heißen Finger brennen sich in meine nackten Beine, bohren sich in die Haut hinein, als würde ich versuchen, zu dem Draki durchzudringen, der darunter verborgen liegt.

Eine Faust schlägt auf unsere Motorhaube und plötzlich sehe ich es – den Umriss einer Waffe in der Dunkelheit.

Cassians Blick trifft auf meinen und teilt mir mit, was ich bereits weiß. Wir müssen überleben. Sogar wenn es bedeutet, dass wir das tun müssen, was nur Drakis können. Genau das, was ich bereits getan habe und was uns heute Abend überhaupt erst in diese missliche Lage gebracht hat. Warum auch nicht? Es ist ja nicht so, als ob wir unser Geheimnis noch offensichtlicher preisgeben könnten.

Ich nicke und klettere aus dem Auto, um unseren Feinden die Stirn zu bieten.

Wills Cousin Xander macht einen Schritt nach vorn, stellt sich vor die anderen und grinst mich spöttisch an. »Hast du wirklich geglaubt, dass du einfach so davonkommst?«

Ein erdrückender Schmerz legt sich auf meine Brust. Es ist die Wut darüber, welchen Preis mir diese Monster heute Abend abgerungen haben. Asche sammelt sich hinten in meiner Kehle. Ich lasse zu, dass sich ein beißendes Brennen aufbaut, und mache mich bereit für alles, was kommen mag.

Ein Jäger schlägt mit der Faust gegen das Seitenfenster der Rückbank und schreit Mum und Tamra an. »Raus aus dem Wagen!«

Mum steigt mit aller Würde, die sie aufbringen kann, aus und zieht Tamra hinter sich her. Meine Schwester ist seit Big Rock immer blasser geworden; ihr keuchender Atem scheint die Luft regelrecht zu durchkratzen. Als sie so ins Leere starrt, wirken ihre bernsteinfarbenen Augen, die dieselbe Farbe haben wie meine, benebelt, ja nahezu glasig. Ihre Lippen öffnen sich, aber sie bekommt kein Wort heraus. Ich helfe Mum, sie zu stützen. Tam fühlt sich eiskalt an und ihre Haut wirkt ganz und gar nicht wie Haut. Eher wie kühler Marmor.

Mit der königlich-würdevollen Haltung, die einem Prinzen wie ihm gebührt, baut Cassian sich vor Xander auf. Das Licht spielt mit den violetten und schwarzen Strähnen seines Haares und bringt sie zum Glitzern.

Ich befeuchte meine Lippen und frage mich, wie ich Xander am besten davon überzeugen kann, dass er nicht gesehen hat, wie ich mich verwandelt habe. »Was willst du?«

Wills Cousin bohrt mir seinen Finger in die Brust. »Wir fangen mit dir an – was immer zum Teufel du auch bist.«

»Lass sie in Ruhe«, befiehlt Cassian.

Xanders Aufmerksamkeit richtet sich nun auf Cassian. »Und dann kommen wir zu dir, Großer … und dazu, wie es sein kann, dass du zusammen mit Will diesen Abhang hinuntergefallen bist und nicht einen einzigen Kratzer abbekommen hast.«

»Wo ist Will?«, platze ich heraus. Ich muss es einfach wissen. Xander zeigt mit dem Daumen auf eines der Autos neben uns. »Ist auf dem Rücksitz eingeschlafen.«

Ich blinzele gegen die Düsterkeit an und bemerke eine in sich zusammengesunkene Gestalt auf dem Rücksitz eines Autos. Will. Er ist so nah und doch fühlt es sich an, als läge ein ganzer Ozean zwischen uns. Als ich ihn das letzte Mal gesehen habe, hat er versprochen, dass er mich wiederfinden wird. Er war verletzt, aber bei Bewusstsein. Bei dem Gedanken daran, was seine eigene Familie getan haben könnte, um das zu ändern, läuft es mir kalt den Rücken hinunter.

»Er braucht einen Arzt«, sage ich.

»Später. Wenn ich mit euch beiden fertig bin.«

»Hör zu«, fängt Cassian an und stellt sich vor mich. »Ich weiß ja nicht, was du denkst –«

»Ich denke, dass du den Mund halten solltest. Jetzt rede ich!«

Xander packt ihn an der Schulter. Ein schwerer Fehler.

Cassian knurrt und seine glänzende kohlrabenschwarze Haut blitzt auf. Schnelle, wirre Bewegungen wechseln einander in rascher Folge ab und schon liegt Xander rücklings auf dem Boden. Er wirkt genauso sprachlos und überrumpelt wie die anderen sechs, die um uns herumstehen.

»Schnappt ihn euch!«, ruft Xander.

Sofort fallen die anderen über Cassian her. Ich schreie auf und sehe Cassians Gesicht in der Menge der Jäger immer wieder kurz aufblitzen. Die klatschenden Geräusche von Faustschlägen lassen mich zusammenzucken und ich marschiere auf die Gruppe zu, fest entschlossen, ihm zu helfen, werde aber von mehreren Händen zurückgehalten.

Plötzlich grollt lautes Tiergebrüll durch die Luft. Es kommt von Cassian. Mehrere Jäger halten ihn am Boden fest. Angus grinst und stellt ihm einen seiner Stiefel auf den Rücken. Cassians Wange wird gegen den Asphalt gedrückt und sein Blick trifft auf meinen. Seine dunklen Augen zittern und seine Pupillen verengen sich zu senkrechten Schlitzen.

Kochend heiße Luft dringt aus meinen Lippen, aber ich kämpfe dagegen an und schüttle den Kopf, um Cassian zu bedeuten, dass er noch warten soll. Ich glaube noch immer, hoffe noch immer, dass wir uns mit Worten aus dieser Situation retten können. Dass er sich nicht auch als Draki zu erkennen geben muss. Vielleicht kann ich ihn noch beschützen. Vielleicht kann er es schaffen, zusammen mit Mum und Tamra von hier zu verschwinden.

Der kalte Lauf einer Waffe bohrt sich in meine Rippen und lässt mich erstarren.

Mum schreit auf und ich hebe eine Hand, um sie davon abzuhalten, etwas Unüberlegtes zu tun, nur um mir zu helfen. »Bleib bei Tamra, Mum. Sie braucht dich!«

Xanders dunkler Blick mustert mich verächtlich. »Zum Teufel, ich weiß genau, was ich gesehen habe. Einen Freak mit Flügeln.«

Ich habe Mühe, die Angst, die mich erfasst hat, zu kontrollieren. Sie droht mich in einem einzigen hitzigen Schwall zu verschlingen – und es wäre fatal, sollte ich ausgerechnet jetzt meine Drakigestalt annehmen.

»Jacinda!« Cassian ruft meinen Namen und versucht erneut, sich loszureißen.

Xander spricht weiter. »Keine Sorge. Ich werde dich nicht umbringen. Es ist nur eine Schreckschusspistole. Wir werden dich am Leben lassen und herausfinden, was genau du verdammt noch mal bist.«

Jetzt schlagen sie auf Cassian ein, der versucht, sich freizukämpfen.

»Aufhören!« Ich schubse Xander zur Seite, doch Angus versperrt mir den Weg. Schmerzerfüllt sehe ich zu, wie sie weiter auf ihn eintreten. »Aufhören! Bitte hört endlich auf!« Mein Herz zieht sich qualvoll zusammen. Entweder sie oder wir.

Feuer entzündet sich in meinen enger werdenden Lungenflügeln und steigt meine Luftröhre hoch.

Ich kann nicht zulassen, dass sie uns gefangen nehmen.

Doch ehe ich Feuer speien kann, erfasst mich auf einmal ein kalter Windstoß. Ein Schwall unnatürlicher Kälte. Der plötzliche Temperaturunterschied treibt mir einen kalten Schauder über den Rücken.

Ich drehe mich um und meine Kehle zieht sich zusammen, als mein Blick auf Tamra fällt. Sie steht dort ganz allein. Mum befindet sich ein paar Schritte hinter ihr und beobachtet sie mit weit aufgerissenen Augen.

Das Gesicht meiner Schwester ist leichenblass und ihre Augen sehen nicht mehr wie meine aus, sondern so, als würden sie nicht mehr ihr gehören. Ihr eisiges Grau versetzt meinem Herzen einen kalten Stich. Dampf perlt von ihr ab. Aber er ist kalt. Der frostige Nebel schwillt an und bildet eine immer größere Wolke um uns herum.

Tamras Körper bäumt sich in einer geschmeidigen Welle auf, sie zerrt an ihrer Bluse und zerreißt sie schließlich mit einer einzigen ungestümen Bewegung ihrer Hände. Hände, die auf einmal perlenartig schimmern und funkeln.

Diese Farbe habe ich sonst nur bei einer einzigen Person gesehen. Bei einer anderen Draki: Nidia, der Wächterin unseres Rudels. Ich sehe zu, wie Tamras Haaransatz ein silbernes Weiß annimmt, das auch den Rest ihres Haares durchwirkt.

Der Dampf wird intensiver. Es ist ein frostiger Nebel, der mich an zu Hause erinnert, an die Nebelschwaden, die sich wie eine kühle Decke über die Siedlung legen. Sie schirmen uns vor Eindringlingen ab; vor jedem, der uns jagen oder uns etwas anhaben könnte. Sie vernebeln allen die Sinne, die über unseren Zufluchtsort stolpern.

»Tamra!« Ich strecke die Hand nach ihr aus, doch Cassian, der sich von seinen Angreifern losgerissen hat, hält mich mit seinen kräftigen Armen zurück.

»Lass sie«, sagt er.

Ich blicke ihm ins Gesicht und bemerke eine tiefe, instinktive Genugtuung in seinen Augen. Er ist … froh. Glücklich darüber, was da gerade passiert. Was nicht passieren darf. Tamra hat sich noch nie verwandelt. Wie kann es sein, dass sie es ausgerechnet jetzt tut?

Ich wende den Blick nur eine Sekunde lang ab und dann ist es auch schon geschehen. Als ich Tamra wieder ansehe, schwebt sie bereits ein paar Meter über dem Boden. Ihre hauchzarten Flügel flattern in schneller Folge auf ihrem Rücken und die kantigen Spitzen schauen hinter ihren silbernen Schultern hervor.

»Tamra.« Ich atme tief durch, lasse ihren Anblick auf mich wirken und ringe mit dieser neuen Tatsache, vor die man mich so plötzlich stellt. Meine Schwester ist eine Draki. Nach so langer Zeit. Nachdem ich schon dachte, dass wir das nie miteinander teilen würden. Sie ist sogar noch mehr – sie ist eine Wächterin.

Ihr geradezu unheimlich ruhiger Blick streift alle, die hier auf der Straße herumstehen. Als wüsste sie genau, was sie zu tun hat. Wahrscheinlich weiß sie das auch wirklich. Sie handelt instinktiv.

Ich bin nicht imstande, mich zu bewegen, während ich sie beobachte. Sie wirkt wunderschön und furchterregend zugleich mit ihrer schimmernden Haut und ihrem völlig pigmentfreien Haar. Sie hebt ihre schlanken Arme und Nebel ergießt sich über uns wie schnell verbrennender Rauch. Er ist so dicht, dass ich kaum die Hand vor Augen sehen kann. Die Jäger sind jetzt komplett darin eingehüllt, doch ich kann sie rufen und brüllen hören. Ich höre, wie sie aneinanderstoßen, husten und zu Boden fallen wie Dominosteine. Einer nach dem anderen. Dann ist es auf einmal ganz still.

Angestrengt lausche ich auf ein Geräusch – irgendein Geräusch – in der plötzlichen Totenstille, während Tamras Nebel genau das tut, was seine Aufgabe ist: Er hüllt alles ein. Alles, alles, alles … alles, was ihm in die Quere kommt, jedes menschliche Wesen ringsum. Auch Will.

Ich reiße mich von Cassian los und kämpfe mich verzweifelt durch die kühlen Dunstschwaden, die sowohl die Luft als auch die Sinne vernebeln. Zu meinen Füßen verstreut liegen die Jäger, die Tamra niedergestreckt hat. Der Dampf ist überall, ich kann kaum etwas sehen; meine Arme rudern blind durch den kalten Kuss der Nebelschwaden und tasten suchend nach dem Auto, in dem Will sich befindet.

Dann sehe ich ihn zusammengesunken auf dem Rücksitz des Autos liegen. Die Fahrertür springt weit auf und Nebel dringt ins Innere des Wagens. Die rauchigen Schwaden legen sich fast zärtlich über den schlafenden Will. Einen Augenblick lang bin ich unfähig, mich zu bewegen. Ich kann ihn nur anstarren und ersticke fast an meinem eigenen Atem. Sogar verprügelt und mit blauen Flecken übersät ist er noch wunderschön.

Dann lodert Tatkraft wie Feuer in meinen Gliedern auf. Ich reiße die Tür zum Rücksitz auf und greife nach ihm. Mit zitternden Fingern berühre ich sein Gesicht und streiche ihm die honigblonden Haarsträhnen aus der Stirn. Sie fühlen sich auf meiner Haut wie Seide an.

Mein Kopf schnellt herum, als Cassian meinen Namen brüllt. »Jacinda! Wir müssen hier weg! Jetzt sofort!«

Und dann hat er mich auch schon gefunden und zerrt mich in Richtung unseres Autos davon. Mit der anderen Hand packt er Tamra und zieht sie mit zu Mum. Ihr funkelnder neuer Körper erleuchtet die Wüstennacht und bahnt uns einen Weg durch die wabernden Nebelschwaden.

Bald werden sie verschwinden und sich in Luft auflösen. Wenn Tamra weg ist. Wenn wir entkommen sind. Dann wird sich der Nebel lichten. Und mit ihm werden die Erinnerungen der Jäger an diesen Abend verschwinden.

Ich habe einmal zu Tamra gesagt, dass ihre Gabe sicher einfach noch nicht ausgereift sei. Dass sie bestimmt nur ein Spätzünder sei. Obwohl ich selbst nicht wirklich daran geglaubt habe. Obwohl ich tief im Inneren genau wie alle anderen im Rudel dachte, dass der Draki in ihr gestorben war. Stattdessen ist sie eines der seltensten und höchst geschätzten Wesen unserer Art. Genau wie ich.

Cassian setzt sich hinter das Steuer des Wagens, jagt den Motor hoch und schon rasen wir die Autobahn entlang. Ich blicke durch die Heckscheibe zurück auf die große weiße Wolke. Will ist dort drin. Meine Finger graben sich immer tiefer in das Polster des Sitzes hinein, bis ich spüre, wie der abgenutzte Stoff unter ihrem Druck nachgibt und zerreißt. Nein, ich darf jetzt nicht an ihn denken – es tut viel zu weh.

Mein Blick schweift ab, streift die blasse Version meiner Schwester und ich muss wegsehen. Der Anblick meiner Zwillingsschwester wirkt alarmierend auf mich und sie ist mir jetzt ebenso fremd wie diese Wüste hier.

Zittrig atme ich tief ein. Wir sind auf dem Weg nach Hause, in die Berge, in unsere vertraute Umgebung. Zu dem einzigen Ort, an dem ich gefahrlos ich selbst sein kann. Ich kehre zurück in das Rudel.

2

Die Siedlung unseres Rudels erhebt sich fast magisch in der dunstigen Abendluft. Der schmale Feldweg unter den hoch aufragenden, von Nebel umhüllten Bäumen verbreitert sich und da liegt sie. Cassian neben mir seufzt und die Enge in meiner Brust lässt etwas nach. Zu Hause.

Auf den ersten Blick wirkt es wie ein imposantes Gewirr aus Wein- und Brombeerranken, doch bei näherem Hinsehen bemerkt man, dass es sich eigentlich um eine Mauer handelt. Dahinter versteckt sich meine Welt. Der einzige Ort, an dem zu leben ich mir je vorstellen konnte. Zumindest, bis ich Will kennengelernt habe.

Ein Wachposten verrichtet seinen Dienst an dem bogenförmigen Eingang. Nidias Nebel umgibt ihn in dichten Schwaden. Ich erkenne Ludo sofort. Einer von Severins Lakaien, ein Onyxdraki, der gerne seine Muskeln zur Schau stellt. Seine Augen weiten sich, als er uns bemerkt. Wortlos macht er sich auf den Weg in die Siedlung.

Es ist eigenartig, hier einen Wachposten zu sehen. Schließlich steht Nidias Haus aus gutem Grund gleich in der Nähe des Eingangs – damit sie jedermanns Kommen und Gehen im Auge behalten kann. Wir haben sie und die Wachtürme. Ein Wachposten bedeutet eine zusätzliche Sicherheitsvorkehrung und ich frage mich, was wohl der Grund dafür ist. Haben wir das uns zuzuschreiben? Hat unsere nicht genehmigte Abreise zu diesen übertriebenen Sicherheitsmaßnahmen geführt?

Cassian parkt vor Nidias Häuschen. Sie steht bereits vor der Tür und wartet auf uns, als hätte sie gespürt, dass wir im Anmarsch sind. Wahrscheinlich hat sie das auch. Das ist schließlich ihr Job.

Sie steht vollkommen gelassen da, die Hände in die Hüften gestützt. Ihr dichtes silbernes Haar hat sie zu einem langen Zopf gebunden, der ihr über die Schulter hängt. Ihre Haare sehen fast genauso aus wie Tamras. Unwillkürlich schweift mein Blick zu meiner Schwester auf dem Rücksitz, die jetzt ebenfalls eine Wächterin ist. Mum berührt eine Strähne ihres Haares, als wolle sie prüfen, ob sie auch wirklich echt ist. Ich habe gesehen, dass sie das jetzt schon ein paar Mal gemacht hat.

»Du bist zu uns zurückgekehrt, nach Hause«, murmelt Nidia, als ich aus dem Auto steige. Das Lächeln auf ihren Lippen passt nicht zu dem Blick in ihren Augen und ich muss an die Nacht denken, in der wir das Rudel verlassen haben – an ihren Schatten am Fenster und meine Überzeugung, dass sie uns hat ziehen, uns hat entkommen lassen. »Ich wusste, dass du zurückkommen würdest. Ich wusste, dass wir dich erst einmal gehen lassen mussten, damit dir klar wird, dass du hierhergehörst.«

Ich nehme die Umgebung in mich auf und spüre die wohltuende, nasse Luft auf meiner Haut – vermutlich hat Nidia recht. Die Erde unter meinen Füßen fühlt sich gut an und mein Körper vibriert regelrecht, als ich die Energie in mich aufsauge. Hier fühle ich mich zu Hause. Begierig suche ich die Straße mit den Augen nach meiner Freundin Az ab. Aber weit und breit ist niemand zu sehen.

Mum legt schützend einen Arm um Tamra, als beide aus dem Auto aussteigen. Nidia eilt ihnen zu Hilfe.

Rezensionen für Firelight (Band 2) - Flammende Träne

[a_reader_of_fictions · Bewertung: 1 von 5 Sternen]

It's late and I'm feeling lazy so there's no summary for this one. Vanish is the sequel to Firelight, which I had high hopes for and was exceedingly disappointed by. At the end of my review of that one, I declared my distaste for it and had no intention of continuing on. Still, when I saw Vanish come up on NetGalley, I couldn't resist it.

Suffice it to say that Vanish fits with its predecessor. I will not harp on the problems that remain from the first, because I already knew they would be there and that's my bad. Overall, I think I liked this one better, probably because I knew to lower my expectations considerably.

The one thing I really need to point out that's unique to this one is that Jacinda is really dumb. She's in trouble and has a chance to save herself (by pointing out to Severin how she can maybe save someone else)...but she doesn't. Also, why can draki not shift at will? Some are tied up in draki form at one point, which could probably be escaped easily by shifting...only they don't. Why not? Because of plot points?

Another problem: I'm totally starting to ship Cassian with her rather than Will. She and Will are just too gross together. Although Will is maybe getting more interesting...which bodes poorly, as I will probably read the next book too, wondering why I've done so the whole time.

[pnh002 · Bewertung: 3 von 5 Sternen]

Let's first start with the cover.... You guys, its beautiful! I love how she went from the "firey" red one on the first one featuring Jacinda and on this one choosing a cool soothing one featuring her sister Tamara. And the way her draki skin is coming through on the top left corner, ahhh I love it! This series is by far some of my top favorites when it comes to covers. Now, on to the book. Vanish picks up right where Firelight left off. Tamara experiences a huge event in her life by a sick twist of fate and from then on things change. They then escape back to the pride. When they reach it, things are nowhere near the same. Everyone looks at Jacinda as a traitor and but at Tamra with a new sense of admiration. But out of nowhere Jacinda begins getting lonely and amazingly through it all Cassian is still there on her side. Which is why I LOVEEEE him! He is not giving up on his love for her. Although I was a little perturbed on some of the things he did at first, I was impressed that he didn't let that cloud his judgement. But in the end, Jacinda ultimately made her decision, and it was one that was not expected. Then, there's Cassian's sister, Miram. Although we are just introduced to her.... I hate her lol She made me so mad because instead of being a teenage girl she was acting like a bratty child who's never heard the word "No" before. Then there was Corbin..... Yeah don't want to go too much into him because I don't want to give anything away... I know anything I say about him won't be pretty. So after all that, things begin to get serious. Will comes back into the story and it causes a big turn of events. This story mainly shows how even your smallest choices never effects JUST you. The story ends on yet another cliffhanger which I would be upset about if I didn't have Hidden's ARC sitting on my shelf lol But overall, I kind of felt like this was sort of a filler book. I sort of saw it as her moping around alot because she was so depressed about not being with Will anymore... But yet she wasn't doing anything about it. Until almost the end. And then when the action arrived again, that's when I dove back into the story. It made me realize again why I don't like the dreaded second novel in a series. Don't get me wrong, Jordan did not disappoint. She hooked me again with her beautiful language. I felt like this was for the older crowd of YA. She really knows how to write. She also hooked me with the end. I will be reviewing Hidden soon, just stay tuned!

[rjgonzales_1 · Bewertung: 4 von 5 Sternen]

WARNING: The second paragraph may contain spoilers for FIRELIGHT. Please skip it if you do not want to have things spoiled.VANISH was, by far, an entertaining read. In fact out of FIRELIGHT and VANISH, I'd say this one was the best in my opinion. It is very rare that a series progresses and improves for me, usually they just can't match the success I felt with the first. This was not the case.This second book in the FIRELIGHT series begins right where the first left off and we find Jacinda back to the cooling mists and mountains of her home. Things have changed and Jacinda does not go unpunished for her crimes that threatened not only herself, but her people as well. Now she has to adjust to her life, being treated like a prisoner, not like how it was before she and her family left to move to the desert down of Chapparal. To top it off, now she is no longer the coveted Draki, as in a turn of events, her twin sister Tamera manifests into another rare form: A Shader. Soon Jacinda finds herself torn between forgetting the past, forgetting Will, and accepting her new fate, new life.My one and only issue was Jacinda still doing the "I need to forget him/I WANT HIM!!" bit over and over again. Like I've stated before once is understandable, twice is okay, more than that and it becomes a little insipid. Jacinda is a fierce character, I know she is, and I really would have loved for her to have validated that fact in this sequel rather than living a humdrum life without Will. Here's to hoping for her to bust out the bad ass in the third book.After reading Firelight, I was most definitely Team Will. Now, after reading Vanish, he seemed to come off as more of a loveable pest, while Cassian, who in Firelight yielded the title of charming pest, now stands front and center as the one to be desired. I loved how Sophie Jordan, even it if wasn't intentional, was able to do that. Make you really question which one you want Jacinda to end up with and giving steamy and romantic scenes that will drive you absolutely mad. In the end, Jacinda can only choose one. Who will it be? I'm sure we will find out in September, when HIDDEN, the final book in the trilogy releases.

[jaidisshaw · Bewertung: 5 von 5 Sternen]

Jacinda’s adventure continues in Vanish – book two of the Firelight series. After exposing herself to human hunters, she is forced to flee with her twin sister back to the pride with Cassian. With a broken heart and spirit, she faces the Pride Elders as they prepare to punish her for not only risking her own life, but every Draki by exposing herself. No matter the punishment they choose from her, she has resigned that none can compare to the loss of Will and the new way that she is treated. Will, on the other hand, has not given up so easily and starts out to fulfill his promise to Jacinda to find her. After locating her, they quickly form a plan to run away together but Jacinda finds herself now torn between her love for Will and her love for her twin sister Tamra who has now come into her Draki power.I was slightly saddened to see that Jacinda’s attitude was the same as in book one, Firelight. Having faced what she has, I thought that it would mature her a bit and although she does have a few moments, she still relies on thoughts of herself and what she wants such as using Cassian as a means to push thoughts of Will from her mind while trying to stay on the pedestal that everyone has placed her on. Towards the end of the novel, I was glad to see her start thinking about others and putting her feelings on hold while she aids in the planning of rescuing of her fellow Draki friends that have been captured. I’m excited to see what happens in Hidden – book three of the Firelight Series.

[burgandyice · Bewertung: 3 von 5 Sternen]

This book is very hard for me to rate. It’s not a whole book. It’s the front half of the ending of this story… yes, I mean “cliffhanger” and I mean a great, big, huge “WHAT?!?!”Here’s the thing… I entered Vanish with specific questions leftover from Firelight. I was hoping the romantic attraction would find more depth than Draki-hormones (my term, not Sophie's.) This was a huge question for me, and Vanish did not answer my question. If anything, it added to it.Because Will became demanding. He froze in his awesome state last seen in Firelight and his non-progress basically left him behind, as far as I was concerned. Choosing Will over the Colony for Jacinda transformed from a question of True Love to a question of True Rebellion. Basically, would she able to stick to her choices and ditch her natural habitat for someone she doesn’t know but has gushing feelings for when she’s in the presence of him… or what?!And then Cassian becomes this huge, respectful, patient, gorgeous Mr. Right waiting for Jacinda to get over her dumb rebellion. He’s in a position of up-n-coming power, too, so he can arrange her future however she’d like it to be. The only thing holding her back from Cassian is this tremendous unexplained physical draw to Will. Until… she is physically drawn to Cassian, too!!WHAT?!So, by ¾ way through Vanish, I was irritated with Jacinda. She is torturing herself over this guy she really doesn’t know (yet). She hasn’t had the opportunity to create lasting connections with him, and I haven’t been convinced that this Draki-hormone thing isn’t flip-a-switch changeable. So… why the self-torture?! I mean, she’s just turning Cassian into some martyr, you know? If he’s really a jerk, I’m going to be furious. If Will turns out to be a jerk, I’ll really be furious!!! I suppose that’s a strong love triangle, right? Who knows which way to turn?! Huh.But Sophie Jordan takes “love triangle” to another level by opening up Jacinda’s sister’s character - Tamra. All of a sudden, she’s vulnerable and loveable. I love the sisters’ relationship and their lasting bond of trust and commitment. And she loves Cassian forever. Uh-huh. So, now it’s clear why Jacinda should just choose Cassian, but she never can… and Cassian ought to just choose Tamra, but apparently he can’t. Now throw Draki-bonding into the mix. Yea… no joking. Hormones weren’t enough, now we have bonding. (This is Sophie's term.) This bonding is cool, too… and the tension increases like 100 times. Then… then, the story begins to build towards a climax that is just got to straighten out the futures and loves of everyone… and the book is OVER! Like, lopped off at the head!I could have thrown the book, I was so mad. I could feel the pages dwindling down as the climax built and I just humphed and shook the pages and groaned and writhed around… which is really dramatic for a book I don’t want to rate very highly. It’s just… it’s not a book!!!! This is the first half of the ending!!!!! And I don’t have less questions, I have MORE. And that’s just unfair!!!! I don’t recommend anyone read this book until the final one comes out in the fall. SO THERE!! Only if you want some amazing kissing scenes with well described hand placement and breathing with lip biting and… uncontrollable hormones that draw out the inner dragon... Well, this book does have that.This book bugged me too much. My Rating: 3 - but not "cute", more like "maddening". It's well written, but... I can't really rate it higher without reading the next book, since this is only a piece.

[pacey1927 · Bewertung: 4 von 5 Sternen]

After I finished Firelight, I was so eager for the follow up that I purchased this one at full price on my Kindle. I needed to read it asap! That is quite a testimony in and of itself as I have a TBR pile 100 books deep, no exaggeration. "Vanish" has Jacinda, her twin Tamara and her mother heading back to the Pride. Jacinda has broken the biggest rule in all of the draki world and has revealed herself to humans. Now she must face her kind and pay the price. Cassian, the draki leader's son, has always wanted Jacinda. In "Firelight", I never liked him much and hated the scenes with him featured actively. Since Cassian is the only draki other than family willing to stand up for Jacinda, I felt like I got to know his character much better. I still don't care for him and I am still a Will fan, for the record.There is much less Will here but he is the same character that I remember from the first book. I can truly feel his love for Jacinda. I was also very pleased with the relationship between the twins in "Vanish". In "Firelight" I couldn't ever got a good read on their relationship. It felt many times like Tamara hated Jacinda. She certainly resented her for always having a prominent part in the pack, as she was a firebreathing draki.The story takes on some twists and turns. There is a new development involving the hunters and some issues come back up regarding Jacinda's long lost father. There are some very close calls for Jacinda and her friends. When one of them gets kidnapped, the frantic pace surges to a new level. The characters learn more about what happens to the draki after they have been sold by the hunters. Also, there is a shocking development that I didn't believe would actually occur in regards to Jacinda and her punishment. This is an author that isn't afraid to take risks.I find it very difficult to review five star books. In my mind a five star book is just about perfect. "Vanish" easily falls in this category. I can't find anything to truly complain about. I don't want to give a single detail away to potential readers. Sure some things happen I didn't personally want to see, including Cassian and Jacinda getting closer. Yet the story is worth any developments I don't personally agree with because it is written so well and these characters and their world as so fully and realistically developed. My only disappointment is that the third book hasn't been published yet and so I couldn't immediately download it for my Kindle!

[yabotd · Bewertung: 3 von 5 Sternen]

For me, Firelight by Sophie Jordan was one of the best books I read last year. It was original and well-written with a complex story and steamy romance. Don't forget the thrilling nature of running for your life and trying not to be discovered. It had everything I wanted in a fantasy book. Obviously, with a book like that, I couldn't wait to get my hands on Vanish.Vanish was a good book, but it suffers from Book II Syndrome. The first half of the book is dealing with what happened at the end of Firelight and it seems like we don't get into the new, good stuff till about halfway through. That's not to say the first half isn't interesting or enjoyable. It is. It just isn't as good as the second half.Also, Book II Syndrome involves a mix-up in the romance. With the way Firelight ended, readers knew Will wouldn't be in the story as much, at least at first. Without as much Will, the steamy romance can't happen. It wasn't a surprise that Cassian became a possible romantic interest. I actually never minded Cassian in Firelight, though he didn't seem like a good match for Jacinda. In Vanish, I like him even more, though I still don't want the two to end up together. I appreciate that Jordan didn't make it a full on love-triangle, but I still didn't like the romance that didn't involve Will. Thankfully, Will does show up.The end of the book was awesome. I loved the set up for the next book as well as the turn the story took. I'd guess that Hidden is going to be pretty fast-paced and fantastic, by the way Vanish ended. Besides the plot, I also liked how Jacinda's relationships developed, particularly her relationship with her sister, Tamra. By the end, I absolutely loved Tamra. Her dialogue in the last few chapters was wonderful. :)Overall, if you enjoyed Firelight, definitely read Vanish. It's not quite as good, but Firelight is hard to live up to. If you haven't already read Firelight, what are you waiting for? It's an awesome fantasy book.Final thoughts: If you bought Firelight and/or like fantasy, buy. If not, borrow.

[yabookiemonster · Bewertung: 5 von 5 Sternen]

After I finished reading Firelight by Sophie Jordan (which I completely adored!), I could not wait to get started on Vanish, and thankfully I had an ARC to dig into!As I had hoped while reading Firelight, we got to learn much more about the way that things worked in the draki prides (large groups of draki that live together in a sort of community secluded from humans) in its sequel, Vanish. We didn't get to see much of how things worked in the pride in the first book, so getting to delve deeper into the pride dynamics, as well as getting to know certain characters that only made brief appearances in the first book, was awesome!It was really interesting to see how much Jacinda's view on the pride had changed since the beginning of the first book! You could tell that she was much more aware of the fact that she was only really valued by the pride for her ability to breathe fire, that it wasn't really her that they thought was important, but what she could do. I also think that Jacinda got a much better perspective on what her sister's life was like in the pride, what it was like to be shunned, to be looked down upon. I think that this, along with a few other things, allowed Jacinda and Tamra to grow closer to each other and bond. I think that both sister's got to walk a mile in the other's shoes in this book and I feel like their relationship grew so much because of this, that they both had a much better understanding of the other as a result.I think that in Vanish Jacinda proved to be even more of a fighter then she did in the first book. For a good part of the book, she resigned herself to obeying the pride, to forgetting Will, because she thought that it would make things easier for her sister, that Tamra could finally be happy. I feel like she was even more of a fighter because when she realized that her sister was being used by the pride in the same way that she had, that her sister still wan't happy, she knew that they had to leave again, even if it meant putting themselves in danger from the pride and the hunters. I also feel like Jacinda was also much more of a fighter in this book because even though everything and everyone was against her being with Will, even though she herself knew that she had to forget him, she eventually realized that she couldn't forget him and that it was worth everything to be with him again.As much as I love Will, I also really enjoyed getting to know Cassian a lot better in this book. In Firelight he was portrayed as the tough alpha male of Jacinda's draki pride who only wanted Jacinda because he felt like she was rightfully his, but I liked that in this book we got to see a much softer side of him. As him and Jacinda grew closer in this book, it was nice to see that he really had true feelings for her, that he wanted her for her and not just the other reasons. He was willing to sacrifice so much to keep Jacinda safe. I really grew much more fond of Cassian throughout the course of this book.As a whole, I loved Vanish even more than I loved Firelight! I loved getting to learn more about Jacinda's pride, watching Jacinda grow closer with both Tamra and Cassian, getting to see a completely different side of Cassian, as well as getting to see Jacinda fight for her love for Will, fight to be with him. If you've read Firelight, then I'm telling you right now that you should go snatch up a copy of Vanish as soon as it's released, you won't be disappointed! If you haven't yet read Firelight then you better go read it right now because you're in for a treat!

[damarisgcr · Bewertung: 5 von 5 Sternen]

I am so in love! I never thought I can love a series so much as I do this one. Sophie Jordan has an amazing imagination! Just like with Firelight, I read Vanish in FOUR HOURS! It's so fast paced and an easy read, that I quickly got lost inside. I loved every minute of it! I want to share so much about Vanish, but I feel I would ruin it for those who have not read Firelight, the first in the series. I will try my best not to ruin it for anyone.Vanish begins right where Firelight left off. They find themselves in a bit of trouble yet again and don't know how to get out of the mess their in. With Jacinda's sister Tamra freaking out, Cassian trying to control his anger, and Jacinda worried about Will, they were seriously losing grip. They decide to try and fight their way, but Tamra does something that surprises them all. Including me!I was at the edge of my seat with every word. For Jacinda, forgetting Will was a lot harder than she thought. She tried really hard to fall back into her old life, but that becomes even harder for her when Will takes the risk of coming to find her. Not knowing what to do, who to trust or turn to, she decides to follow her heart and do what she feels is right. With the help of Tamra, they set out on a whole new journey and things quickly get out of control...AGAIN.Will and Jacinda's relationship is just beautiful in every way. They are my Edward and Bella. I love everything about them! Sophie Jordan did a fantastic job with creating these two. Event after event, it was so hard to take a breather and put Vanish down. I want to keep going on and on about Vanish and how much I love this series, but it breaks my heart to think that I now have to wait even longer for the next in the series.Vanish is an incredible sequel to Firelight. I am always so worried that a sequel will not compare to the first, or that the characters personalities would change somehow, but in Vanish everything remains the same and it's a lot more suspenseful. The suspense was killing me. I needed to know what would happen to Will and Jacinda. I feel like I am not making sense and jumping from one thing to the next lol that's how in love I am with this series. I want to cover everything and giveaway spoilers.This is a series I think should be on every one's To Be Read list, if you haven't read it already. It's amazing, it's romantic, suspenseful and fast paced. A DEFINITE GOOD CHOICE FOR READING! I am sure you guessed... 5 out of 5 Stars!!!

[mrsboswellbooks · Bewertung: 4 von 5 Sternen]

I love what Sophie Jordan has done with this series! I really enjoyed Firelight, but after reading Vanish I feel like Ms. Jordan change my entire perspective on this series. Where I once loathed Jacinda's mother and twin sister, Tamra, I found myself getting to know more about them and understanding them. Where I once detested Cassian and could not stop myself drooling over Will, I now find myself crossing my fingers hoping that Sophie will switch things up and put Cassian out in the lead.Vanish picks up right where Firelight left off, literally. Everyone is packed in the car trying to escape the hunters when suddenly, they are surrounded. You could probably think of one hundred different scenarios on how they escape the clutches of the hunters, but Tamra gives everyone quite a shock and ends up saving the day. Once they've all returned back to the pride - Cassian toting Jacinda, Tamra and their mother - it's obvious that Jacinda and her mother aren't exactly welcome or trusted. Where Jacinda was once revered, everyone begins fawning over Tamra.Vanish is packed with so much action, drama and emotion. Sophie's love for writing just pours out of this book. We're welcome to a little more information about the draki, hunters and the enkros. We see Jacinda taking a stand for herself and her family. She handles a lot in this installment, and she is such a strong character. Tamra and Cassian also step up to bat and have their time to shine. I found each of these characters growing on me more and more as the story went along.After reading Vanish, I find myself torn between Will and Cassian. With Firelight I was clearly enamored with Will. This time around, I find that Cassian is neck and neck with Will, if not just a couple steps ahead... in my book. My fingers are actually crossed for him, but I'm pretty sure I know where Jordan will go with this love triangle.Vanish does not end with as much of a cliffhanger as Firelight did. Jordan leaves you walking a fine line between being sated and desiring to dive right in to the third installment right now. The perfect follow-up to Firelight, Vanish does not disappoint and will leave thoughts of book 3 lingering in your mind.

[booktwirps · Bewertung: 4 von 5 Sternen]

When Jacinda manifested into her draki form in front of a group of hunters in order to save Will’s life, she not only put herself in danger, but also exposed the most treasured secret of her kind. To keep she and her family safe, Jacinda must return to her pride with Cassian, the boy she is to be bonded to, leaving Will behind.Jacinda, her mother and twin sister Tamra are all welcomed back to the pride, but there is a cost. Jacinda is closely guarded and her mother is treated as a second-class citizen because she took her daughters away in the first place. Jacinda does her best to regain the trust of the elders, but she can’t help but think about Will. Is there a chance that he will keep his promise and come for her, and if he does, can she risk leaving again? Even more importantly, will she be able to extinguish the feelings she’s started to feel for Cassian?Vanish picks up right where Firelight leaves off. The book starts out with a bang and keeps a fast pace the entire way through. The writing is strong and fluid, and I especially enjoyed getting a deeper look into the lives of the different types of draki. Ms. Jordan has definitely crafted an interesting and very involved society. I think my biggest complaint about the book is that there didn’t seem to be anything new as far as central conflict. I felt the book got a little repetitive in the sense that the reader spends a lot of time witnessing Jacinda’s bad decisions and how she manages to get herself out of them. I think my biggest problem with the whole story is the love triangle. It felt overly familiar to me. With that said, the book is enjoyable and worth reading. The ending definitely leaves you hanging (which also kind of bothered me) but it sets up for what appears to be a very exciting book three.(Review based on an Advanced Reader’s Copy courtesy of the publisher via GoodReads Giveaways)

[alaiel4kreuz · Bewertung: 4 von 5 Sternen]

Review By Alaiel Kreuz:Things have changed a lot for Jacinda. The last time we saw her she had revealed the biggest secret of her kind to save the live of her true love, Will. Now her family and her are going back to the Pride with Cassian who was the one that found them. But nothing is going to be the same now...There was a time when Jacinda was the favorite of the Pride because she is the last fire-breather and that made her very special. Special enough to marry the heir of the throne, Cassian and "create" more fire-breathers with him. Sadly for her Tamra, her twin sister, is now in the spotlight. When Jacinda showed her draki form to the hunters in order to save Will's life Tamra, in some sort of trance, was the one who saved them all when she her power finally bloomed and became a shader. Now, as the future protector of the Pride she has become the favorite draki leaving Jacinda in a lower rank after what she did.Looking at her future everything looks dark: after what Tamra did Will shouldn't be able to remember anything that happened that night, not even what she did to save him or why she left without a word so despite their promise their relationship is lost. She fears that her punishment for her actions are going to be the clipping of her wings -and that, besides from painful, is going to kill her- unless she agrees to pair with Cassian -but she doesn't love him...right?-. And her mother is trap, just like her in a place where nobody cares if she is okay or not.Meaning? Her life is a living hell.Now, what I liked about this book? Tamra, no doubt. Her development is really good and somehow I'm beginning to like her more than Jacinda. Why? Because Tamra knows what she wants and who she wants... nothing like Jacinda who is one page thinking in Will and in the next page flirting whit Cassian.But their relationship as sisters also grows and I sure had a good time reading how they help and need each other, just like they need their mother.The ending was predictable but really interesting nonetheless. Will I read the third book? Of course I will :D

[psteinke1122_1 · Bewertung: 4 von 5 Sternen]

To save Will’s life, Jacinda has done the unthinkable and revealed her true nature. And Cassian has arrived to bring them all back to the protection of the pride.The pride is not likely to forgive Jacinda’s indiscretion and since her twin, Tamra, has finally manifested, then there is no way anyone will allow Jacinda back into the place of honor she once held. Jacinda clings to the hope that Will will somehow remember her and find a way for them to be together. Meanwhile Cassian is there to help pick up the pieces of her broken heart.OH MY…let me just say I belong to “Team Cassian”. Nothing against Will, but Cassian makes my blood raise a few degrees, or 20. This series just gets better! Vanish doesn’t seem to move as fast as Firelight did, but there was no lack of stuff going on. So the pacing change didn’t bother me like I thought it might.I am finding I really enjoy Sophie Jordan’s writing style. She knows how to make some steamy (pardon the pun) kissing scenes…they make my knees weak! Probably TMI but it’s true!I felt for Jacinda, between the two books she went from “hero to zero”, initially through no fault of her own. But when she saw the Pride for what they truly were, I couldn’t blame her for just wanting to be free of everyone and everything. Poor lamb is in such a tough position. Staying with her “home” pride is suicide at this point, going it alone is suicide at this point, and trying to join another pride is suicide. She is truly damned if she does and damned if she doesn’t. Good job Sophie!I can’t wait to see what happens next…I will continue to root for Cassian, I loves me some tall, dark and handsome underdogs!

[smplexlyree · Bewertung: 3 von 5 Sternen]

Vanish picks up where Firelight left us and takes us on a journey into the heart of Draki society. Ms. Jordan shows us more of the mythology behind the dragons in this sequel, which is nice, but it seems that this book just doesn’t quite have the pep and zing that the first in the series had. I think this book suffers a bit from being the middle child. That said, Vanish is definitely not a bad book and is most certainly worth the read.What I really liked: The introduction of more info about the mythology, the way pack dynamics are portrayed, and the attention to detail on both main and supporting characters. Oh, and there’s dragons, of course…I totally love that.What I didn’t like: The pacing was a lot slower, the plot seemed to suffer from disorganization, the love triangle (must there always be one?) isn’t believable, and there’s absolutely no feeling of urgency in the story. I just didn’t get pulled in like I did with Firelight.Despite my lack of total love, I’ll still be reading the final book in the Firelight series

[sithereandread · Bewertung: 4 von 5 Sternen]

VANISH, by Sophie Jordan, is the highly anticipated sequel in the Firelight series. For those who have read my review of Firelight (above) know that I was not quite into the first book as much as I would like. But Vanish, BLEW ME AWAY. We pick up right where Firelight left off where Cassian is bringing Jacinda, Tamra, and their mother back to the pride. These three have to deal with Tamra's new manifestation, the pride's doubt about their loyalty, and Jacinda's love for the draki hunter. A lot of things to put into a book, so as you can guess it was non-stop insanity and I could not put it down.In Firelight, I definitely disliked the relationship between Jacinda and Will for reasons I could not put into words, until now. I didn't like Will and Jacinda because I LOVE Cassian and Jacinda. I tend to root for the double supernatural couple over the supernatural/human combination more often then not. In the first book, Cassian seemed hard and unapproachable which could turn a girl off, but in this book the exploration of his actual love for Jacinda softened my heart. And therein lies the love triangle. But in Jacinda's mind, the draki-hunter human (who had draki blood inside him) came to the forefront of her mind. Grrr.I loved the transformation of Tamra into a shader. Her time had finally come to be a great asset to the pride. Through the seclusion of the twins and their mother, we learn a lot more about the pride and just how not-human they are. The hierarchy and instincts that keep the pride safe make Jacinda and Tamra question their true loyalties.Poor Jacinda. Jordan did not give this girl a break! Each time she came closer to being a part of the pride again, something happened to make them question her motives. Until ultimately a decision had to be made (I won't ruin it!) that changed the course of the story and love triangle. But Cassian fans will love it!As I neared the end of the book I knew it could not be wrapped up that quickly so obviously there was a big cliffhanger. I didn't feel unsatisfied though. The major plot points were covered and just the loose ends were left hanging for the next book. I feel really bad that I wasn't into Firelight, but Vanish definitely made me invest so much more into the series and I am dying to read the next book!

[bookishbrunette · Bewertung: 5 von 5 Sternen]

At the close of Firelight, Jacinda had revealed herself to the hunter's in order to save Will's life after Cassian had shown up and went all, "You belong to me." on her. Narrowly escaping the hunters, they collect their mother before Cassian has them in the car and already returning them to their pride 's home in the mountains.This is literally where Vanish picks back up! No, seriously... they had almost made it out of town, when the hunters surround their car! Will is nowhere to be seen, but his family is relentless. The hunters beat Cassian to the ground, as the air around them begins to shift and change... I won't tell you what happens, but- Oh. My. God.Anytoobadyouhavetoreadit... When Jacinda returns to the pride, so returns the threat of having her wings clipped by the elders for her continued disobedience in the first book. Cassian has promised to do whatever he can to ensure her safety, but Jacinda can't forget Will...Just when she is sure all is lost, no one speaks to her and she's treated as a pariah- Cassian comes to her, "My feelings haven't changed for you, Jacinda. Even if you drive me crazy, here, in the pride... you're still that single bright light for me." ~CassianUm YEAH. Lets' pause for a moment and have a Team Cassian moment...Never fear, I was a complete fictional boy toy "chick with no inhibitions" in this book- so I switched teams as often as I turned the pages okay? I couldn't choose!!!Jacinda has accepted that she has to let Will go. But, does that mean can she really take the ONE person her sister has always loved? Cassian swears that his feelings for her are true, and run deeper than just because she's a fire-breather. Can she trust him?Then WILL SHOWS UP... but is he too late?! Cassian's sister is taken by the hunters, aka: Will's family, while she is spying on Jacinda! Oh yeah! Did I mention the BEAR?This book was freaking fabulous! Like Firelight, I read this in one sitting! Yet again, my only complaint was the back and forth between not only Jacinda and Will, but also her and Cassian! So many feelings for everyone, I was on overload!I found myself rooting for Cassian through most of Vanish, unlike in Firelight when I desperately loved Will! Then Will would fight his way onto the page and back into my heart... Like I said, I switched teams OFTEN in this book!Sophia Jordan has weaved us a tangled web in Vanish and I'm already wishing for the third installment of the Firelight series!4.5 Stars!

[pollywannabook · Bewertung: 3 von 5 Sternen]

Review courtesy of All Things Urban FantasyBeing a teenage girl torn between obligations and dreams is never easy. When you’re a teenage girl who also happens to be a fire breathing draki shifter whose obligations include mating to someone you don’t love and giving up on a star-crossed romance with a human who hunts your kind, things are exponentially more difficult. VANISH picks up immediately after the cliffhanger ending in FIRELIGHT. Jacinda is forced to flee with her mother and sister again, but this time they aren’t escaping pride life, they are fleeing to it. Much to my delight, the draki mythology that was only touched on in FIRELIGHT is explored in much greater detail in VANISH. Since the majority of the book takes place within the draki pride, we get to see more of the politics, relationships, distinctions, and practices of the draki. How they have remained a secret from the world, how their various abilities are ranked within the pride, and how they view humanity. It was all fascinating. I especially responded to the way the female draki were treated within the pride like possessions, with no choices, and severely punished for any perceived disobedience. I saw red so many times I lost count and can’t wait for Jacinda to finally and fully rise up against the pride.I only wish that Jacinda had been more consistent in her thoughts. When she was within the pride and forced to submit to the barbaric subjugation of the elders, she rightly longed to escape. But when she was faced with freedom, she only remembered the too few benefits to pride life. I understand that she’s a teenager and therefore prone to conflicting emotions and indecisiveness, but I could not fathom how she could forget about the atrocities that waited for her in the pride just hours after escaping it. VANISH is a very different story from FIRELIGHT. Jacinda isn’t trying to control her draki and blend in at high school. She isn’t struggling with a heart that keeps leading her to a draki hunter. Instead, she is forced to try and reacclimatize into the draki pride while weathering the animosity of her fellow draki who view her as a traitor, and ward off the attentions of two draki who want to claim her as a mate. Life is fairly miserable for her and promises only to get worse since her pride gives her no choices. So, yes, I missed the impossible romance from FIRELIGHT, and as interesting as pride life was, I preferred watching Jacinda in the human world.Overall, VANISH mixes of dragons, danger, and despotism in a well written love story that while not burning quite as bright as FIRELIGHT, does still continue what is currently my favorite dragon paranormal YA series and sets up what promises to be another wild and romantic ride for the next book in the Firelight series.Sexual Content:Kissing. References to sex

[bookswithbite · Bewertung: 4 von 5 Sternen]

I loved this book! Loved it so much that as soon as I got it to read on my e-reader I flew through it fast! So fast, that I sad at the end. I did not want to start this book and have it end. I wanted more. I will beg for more!!!The plot line of this book is intense! Really intense that I had to sit up the entire while reading this. I could not relax. It is the tension of the book. The action. The characters. Everything that Ms. Jordan wrote is dynamic and SWEET! As the reader, you are immediately thrown in the chaos of the Hunters and the Draki. Jacinda, I love this girl. Even when things got dark, she held her head high. She fought back silently, just wanting for her moment to pounce! The characters of this book are growing up fast. There are some major changes with some characters that I gasped a lot. I loved that Ms. Jordan surprised me with certain characters. She weaved the characters so carefully, that I did not see the betrayal till it was right in front of me. That, is amazing. That is what I call some amazing writing right there.The love interest in this book is not what I was expecting either. It had it ups and down, but in the end she pretty much made her decision. I won't tell you who it is but OMG, it's good.So can I get a WHOOP WHOOP! This book its great and I was honored to read it! Super exciting, fast paced, with amazing story line, you want this book. It is a must read. A fantastic sequel, it will not disappoint you!

[fayeflame · Bewertung: 4 von 5 Sternen]

"Jordan never stops surprising me! Vanish is absolutely stunning, a great follow up to Firelight!Back into the world of Draki, Vanished is seriously an understatement when it comes to Jacinda’s life. Everything is just not going well for her. In Firelight we see her as a free spirited, (trying to past as) a normal teenager, In Vanish she’s kind of defeated, lost her brethren’s trust & respect. I admired Jacinda for her determination, strength and bravery.But when I comes to guys…she is just torn. It’s a recipe for someone getting hurt (someone always does.). I was Team Will but Caspian surprised me. He’s definitely not the guy I pictured him to be. My mom LOVES this series, with much great debate (Will vs. Caspian) She thinks Jacinda “wants her cake and eat it too” I think she’s confused. But she can’t have it all.I have my predictions for the 3rd book in the Firelight series. They’re not good. I have a feeling that someone is either going to die or seriously get hurt. After that ending…Will, Tamra, Jacinda, and Caspian marching into the “hell mouth” itself, is not a good feeling. It can either be a complete WIN or turn into a complete disaster.I’m so invested into her characters and plot. Jordan’s writing is so vivid and capturing, I wonder what she has coming for us next. I can’t wait for the 3rd book! Team Caspian! lol

[truly_bookish · Bewertung: 4 von 5 Sternen]

I loved Firelight. It was original, exciting and hands down, one of my favorite books of 2010. Needless to say, Vanish was one of my most anticipated books for this year and it delivered. Vanish picks up right where Firelight left off, with Jacinda, Tamra and their mom fleeing Chaparral and returning to the pride with Cassian. When they get home, Jacinda is heartbroken and misses Will terribly but to make matters worse, she is shunned and treated as outcast by the other Draki when they find out she had a relationship with a hunter. There is so much tension and angst in Vanish. Jacinda has to choose between being with the boy she loves and the safety of the entire pride; between doing what everyone in the pride wants and expects her to do and doing what will truly make her happy. While I do not like the fact that Jacinda vacillates between two boys, it is understandable. Her choices are hard and there is so much at stake. The characters, especially Cassian and Tamra, are more developed in Vanish which is great because neither were particularly likable in the first book. Because the book is set in the pride, we meet more Draki with cool paranormal abilities. The story is very exciting and fast paced with some unexpected twists thrown in. I have to warn you that like Firelight, Vanish ends with a huge cliffhanger. I hate that I have to wait until next year to find out what happens but I bet it’s going to be fiery and explosive! Content: Kissing and violence

[icecream18 · Bewertung: 4 von 5 Sternen]

Vanish is the much awaited sequel to Firelight. So, what's going on with the characters? In this book, Jacinda struggles with adapting to the pride-the community of dragons-and to her former life. Cassian appears in this novel a lot (!) as well, much to the excitement of *ahem* certain readers. Jacinda's sister, Tamra, also discovers a unique part of herself and actually grows closer in a sense to the pride while Jacinda is left out. The crush Tamra has on Cassian doesn't abate much in the beginning of the book. Jacinda's mother becomes depressed and turns to the dragon's equivalent of alcohol. Severin, Cassian's father, remains as controlling and manipulative as ever-going so far as to send his daughter, Miram, on a certain errand that will work against Jacinda in the long run. The plot is still phenomenal. New developments with the enkros, dragon hunters, occur that force Jacinda to set out on a task she never would have imagined herself doing. Cassian and Jacinda actually grow closer in the beginning of the novel...but then Jacinda still vacillates between Cassian and Will. Normally, love triangles become annoying and too irritating to read about; however, this love triangle, though it verges on annoying, is bearable for whatever reason in this book. Jacinda is a tad too "doom and gloom" and subservient to be the "great main character", however, a flawed main character can make for a better read. The reader will love getting to know the secondary characters and potential love interests, Cassian and Will, better in this novel. The plot is fast-paced and contains quite a few intriguing little sub-plots to keep the reader occupied. The ending leaves the reader on a cliff-hanger, which means...ANOTHER GREAT BOOK will be coming soon! This novel is recommended for young adult/teen readers who enjoy fantasy and romance genres.

[kmartin802_1 · Bewertung: 5 von 5 Sternen]

This was an exciting story that is a love triangle with dragons and dragon hunters. After escaping from the Hunters, Jacinda, Cassian, her mother and sister Tamra are on their way back to the Pride. Jacinda is forced to leave Will behind. Jacinda is not happy to be back in the pride. The leader separates Tamra from her mother and sister because Tamra has manifested as a shader and is living with the current shader to learn her job. Jacinda and her mother are forced to do unpleasant duties and are viewed with suspicion by the others. Jacinda has to be courted by Cassian when all she wants is Will. Tamra, however, would love to be courted by Cassian making a second love triangle in the story. Cassian's cousin Corbin is also hanging around Jacinda and wanting her to belong to him. Jacinda tries to reconcile herself to the idea of bonding with Cassian and forgetting Will but it doesn't work. She is determined to run away again to be with Will. However, on her escape attempt, she is caught by Hunters. Also caught is Cassian's sister Miram who has been spying on Jacinda for her father. Will helps Jacinda escape but Miram refuses to go along.I can certainly understand why Jacinda wants to leave the pride. It is a very closed and restrictive society run by a cruel despot. Jacinda knows that if she stays she will be forced to bond with someone she doesn't love and forced to have babies for the pride. Both she and her sister are very rare draki. There is no chance that the leader will ever let them go their own way.The story was filled with action, adventure and romance. I recommend it to young adults who enjoyed Firelight and who want to read a dragon story.