Page 72 of The Vampire and the Case of the Cursed Canine

‘You said the gems were wielded by angels so that will work best.’

I could get the other items, but I’d have to run around town: I could get holy water from the nearest church but she also needed silver dust. I Googled whether there was an assayer in town, someone who checked quality of metals. Being a mining town, I found not one but three – surely one of them would have silver dust? Sage would be at the witchy store on main street, or maybe even at the greengrocer’s. I grabbed the list and my purse and ran out the door, using my vampiric speed to get me into the centre of town.

I went to the church first. ‘Hello?’ I called into the white building. ‘I need some holy water. It’s an emergency.’

A man wearing black with a white clerical collar came towards me. Silver hair dusted his head and he had laughter lines around his eyes. He was a little on the round side and looked friendly. ‘Hello, I’m Father Brennan.’ He spoke with an Irish lilt and graced me with a warm smile.

‘I’m Officer Barrington, I work for the Nomo’s office. We have an emergency,’ I repeated. ‘We need holy water.’

‘Is it enough that I bless some water, or do you need water from a holy site?’

Panic rose in me. ‘I have no idea!’

He gave me a comforting smile. ‘Well then, let’s give you water from a holy site and I’ll bless it, too. Better safe than sorry.’

‘Thank you!’

‘Come on in whilst I get it for you.’

‘Um, I’m a vampire. Can I come in?’

He grinned. ‘You can. That’s fake news, as they say these days.’ I followed him and he rattled around by the altar. He retrieved a small bottle. ‘It’s from the Jordan River,’ he explained as he blessed it. ‘Here you go, it should suffice.’

‘Thanks.’ As I took the bottle, I thought of Liv. ‘Can you do an exorcism of a curse?’

‘Normally exorcisms are for demons, but I’ve a few rituals I could try if you have a need. What is possessing whom?’

‘We think a banshee spirit from the cursed gem stones powering the barrier might be possessing Liv.’

He blinked. ‘That’s not good.’

‘No, it’s not great. Can you help?’

‘I can do my best. Now?’

‘Now.’

‘Let me get a book and robe.’ He bustled off. Mum’s plan might be enough to rescue Liv but it was always good to have backup.

While I waited for Father Brennan, I called the assayers. Thankfully, the second one I spoke to thought he had some silver dust.

The priest returned, dressed in a robe and carrying a heavy book. He had some beads and a cross around his neck. ‘I’m ready,’ he announced.

‘Great. We have a couple more stops first.’ On the way to the assayer, we bought some sage.

I banged on the assayer’s door and hurried in. ‘Silver powder,’ I panted to the lady behind the desk.

‘He’s checking the back now,’ she assured me. ‘We mine chromium here and we get a little gold and silver, but it’s not our main focus.’

I nodded and waited on tenterhooks. ‘Please,’ I begged the universe.

The assayer came out two minutes later. ‘Found some, but it’s not much and it’s not very pure.’

‘I’ll take it!’

He handed it over and I paid, yelling thanks as I ran out. I was sure I’d seemed very rude, but me being rude was better than the entire town being dead.

Father Brennan and I headed back to my house where I gave everything to Mum. She blinked at the addition of a priest. ‘Not a bad idea,’ she mumbled. One of her bags was open and she was measuring and adding ingredients to a boiling pot as she chanted. I knew something was working because I was itching uncontrollably and my teeth were humming.

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