Page 28 of The Vampire and the Case of the Cursed Canine

I followed his gaze but saw nothing. ‘Stan? What’s wrong?’ I asked.

He was sweating and panting. He raised a hand and pointed again to the corner. ‘The beast!’ he shouted, then gave a horrific scream before he fell to the floor, his back arched and his mouth opened in a soundless scream.

‘He’s been cursed!’ Mum barked. ‘Everyone away from him while we determine the source.’ And that was when Sigrid let out a blood-curdling scream, too. Her eyes were wide and her back was arched uncomfortably in her chair.

‘Sigrid!’ Gunnar roared,

As he reached out to her, I slapped his hand down. ‘No touching!’ He glared at me. ‘She’s been cursed. The last thing we need is you being affected too. If you need to do something helpful, call the ambulance.’

I turned to Sidnee. ‘Can you contact Anissa?’ She was trembling as she looked at Sigrid and Stan, but she pulled out her phone and started dialling her friend.

My eyes zeroed in on the mug from the black market. ‘Nobody touch the mug!’ It was the only thing that Stan and Sigrid had both handled.

‘Sigrid said it was clear,’ Gunnar said faintly.

‘Evidently not. Maybe the curse was hidden. Let’s box it up – we can take it with us to the hospital. Anissa can verify if it’s the cause.’

Mum’s hands were out doing God-knows-what. ‘This curse is a strong one and it’s incredibly malevolent.’

I nodded. ‘If we can get them to the hospital they can be put into stasis. We know what we have to do to break it, but we can’t do anything without that damned plant.’

‘I can help,’ Mum said firmly.

I looked at her. ‘Please.’

She stood over Sigrid, hands outstretched, and chanted low and rhythmically in Latin. It had been a while since I’d done high-school Latin but luckily my memory never let me down. She was chanting something like ‘Give my energy to them, keep them safe’.

As she put a protective, energising ward around Sigrid, my skin started to itch. She went to Stan and did the same. When she was done, she looked wrung out and ready to collapse. Connor carried a chair over to her and she sank gratefully into it. ‘I gave them some extra energy to help them fight the curse a little longer.’ She sat back in the chair. ‘I’m not a curse breaker or maker, but it’s something.’

‘Thanks, Mum,’ I said, meaning it with all my heart.

‘While they’re warded, they’re safe to touch,’ Mum promised.

Gunnar ran to Sigrid, picked her up and cradled her in his arms. ‘I’m here, baby.’ He kissed her forehead.

Sidnee knelt beside Stan and wrapped an arm around his waist. ‘You’ll be okay,’ she whispered. ‘Come on, big bro, fight this shit.’

Outside, the screaming wail from the sirens told me the ambulances were here. Just in the nick of time.

We followed the ambulances to the hospital. Anissa was waiting when we arrived and she hurried over. She looked at both victims, her eyes glassy as her magic thrummed around us, then she nodded solemnly. ‘It is the same curse.’

Gunnar swore loudly. ‘The nightmare curse? They’re both stuck in their nightmares?’

Anissa nodded. ‘I’m sorry. Yes.’

‘There’s no runes painted on them.’

She grimaced. ‘Then the curse is even more potent. Hurry. Let’s get them settled and in proper stasis.’ She touched my mother’s arm. ‘I don’t know you but I can see your magic around them. You’ve really helped. Thank you.’

Mum smiled tightly. ‘You’re quite welcome, I’m sure.’

‘I’m going to find the ingredients tomorrow,’ I said firmly to Gunnar. ‘You stay here with Sig and Stan.’

‘I don’t know what to do.’ Gunnar’s eyes were locked on Sigrid as she was hooked up to all manner of tubes.

‘Trust me to get it done.’

He turned to me. ‘I do.’

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