Page 50 of The Vampire and the Case of the Cursed Canine

‘Right, of course. Sorry.’ I swung my legs whilst I waited.

She grinned at me. ‘You are terrible at being bored.’

I really was. I was rarely bored: I usually had work or I was home doing chores or watching TV, or I was with Connor. I preferred it that way; idle hands do devilish things.

Shadow chose that moment to jump into my lap from out of nowhere. I jumped and earned a firm set of claws in my thighs. ‘Ow, you son of a bitch!’ I yelped.

He relaxed and started kneading my legs. ‘Gently!’ I chastised and he retracted his claws. I swept my hand down his silky kitten fur and noticed that he had grown again. I stared at his shadowed coat and wondered yet again what the heck he was. Whatever he was was key to whatever the beast was, and once you knew your enemy you could defeat it. Or bribe it – I’d be totally happy to end the beast’s years of terror with a little well-placed bribery. My mother had taught me well.

Fluffy whined at me pointedly and I reached down to rub his ears. ‘You’re right,’ I said to him. ‘I’ll text Anissa and see if she’s ready to help you. The worst thing she can say is that she’s busy.’

I started to text: Anissa, when you have a moment, I’d really like you to take a thorough look at my dog to see about getting the curse taken care of. I do appreciate all you’ve been doing, but please let me know when you’re free. Thanks.

I watched the phone for a few seconds but there was no response; she must be busy or at work. I patted Fluffy again. ‘Maybe we can go talk to John while Sidnee is collecting records on potential racketeers,’ I suggested. She was still typing away. ‘The rabble and I are heading out to talk to John. Are you good?’ I asked her.

She nodded then pursed her lips. ‘Maybe leave me Shadow?’

‘Sure. He’s great company.’ And a liability when he was out and about; as his little battle with the beast had shown, he did not listen to me.

Shadow obligingly stayed with Sidnee, padding over and lying on the desk so she had to type over the top of him. Typical.

I placed her car keys on the desk in front of her with a muttered thanks and went to the car park to the Suburban. Fluffy jumped in with me. I was halfway to Kamluck, where John was bunking down, when Anissa called me.

‘Hi, Bunny, it’s Anissa. Sorry for the delay in getting back to you, I was putting the baby down. I’m free for a few moments now if you can bring your dog by. We can look at him while the baby naps.’

‘Yes! I’m on the road now. I can be there in five minutes.’

‘Perfect. I’ll watch for you so please don’t knock. If you wake the baby, I’ll have to kill you and I’m all out of hiding places.’ She sounded like she was only half-joking.

I laughed. ‘Sure, of course. I’ll be as quiet as a mouse.’ I pulled over, waited for a car to pass then did a U-turn. I drove quickly to the old-fashioned, sod-roofed cabin and Fluffy and I walked up to the front door. ‘Be as quiet as you can, boy. The baby is asleep and we don’t want to enrage Anissa before we get some help.’

He flicked his ear at me to show he’d understood. His body was taut and alert; he was excited – or at least intrigued.

Anissa opened the door of her cottage as we approached and quietly invited us in with a warm smile. ‘Is your mother here?’ I asked, more to set her at ease than out of any genuine curiosity.

‘Yes, but she’s having a lie down. She watches the baby for me when I’m at work, so she likes to grab a nap when she can. She’s actually my grandmother but she raised me, and I’ve always called her mother. Please have a seat. I’ll get my drum and see what I can see.’

The drum? I blinked. ‘Er, won’t the drum wake the baby?’

‘No – it’s what we use to put her to sleep on bad days. She loves the rhythm.’

‘Oh.’

Anissa laughed. ‘It’s part of my shamanic tradition and the baby will probably have the power, too. It often runs in families.’ Like mine did. I pushed the thought away. Now was not the time to think about my mum and the bus; I was here for Fluffy.

Anissa sat on the floor with her eyes closed to centre herself then she picked up her drum and started beating a rhythm. She was chanting in a language I didn’t recognise, and she started to glow slightly. When she called Fluffy, he looked at me and whined a little but then stood in front of her. As she looked him over, the glow extended from her to my dog.

Finally, after at least ten minutes, the drumming stopped. Anissa stood up, replaced the drum in its spot next to the playpen and sat on the couch next to me. She sighed. ‘That is one complex curse.’

My heart sank. ‘Does that mean it can’t be removed?’ I buried my hands in Fluffy’s fur to reassure him – and myself.

‘I really don’t know. I’m good with curse breaking but I’m not a world-class expert. It’s only one aspect of my work. Honestly? Your best bet would be to find whoever laid the curse.’

I watched Fluffy droop. ‘We don’t know who did it and even if we did, it was almost certainly done back in London. You said it was old?’

‘I’d say a good two or three months. I’ll speak to the elders, they might have some ideas.’

‘I’d appreciate it.’

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