Page 90 of Dead Serious Case 5 Madame Vivienne
“It’s a glamour,” Harrison says as he continues to slowly twirl around on his rope.
I frown in confusion. “A what?”
“A glamour. Honestly, with all the films you and Danny have watched, have you never seenThe Craft?”
“Nineties classic.” Danny nods. “Fairuza Balk as Nancy was suitably unsettling. You remember, Tris, they use a glamour spell to change their appearance.”
“Oh, like a disguise. Why didn’t you just say so?”
I stare at Patrick Byrnes; his face seems to have resolidified, only now he looks completely different. Older. Byrnes had beenin his forties, whereas this guy looks like he’s in his seventies. His hair is white and sparse, and his eyes, small and beady, are so dark they almost look black. His skin is wrinkled and weathered and the whole effect looks like the type of face that has seen a really hard life.
“You’re not Patrick Byrnes,” Danny says flatly.
“Well done, Detective Hayes.” The man smirks. “My name is Issac Crawshanks. I took back the name that was denied me and now I’ve come for my birthright.”
“Mate, you’re sounding a tad entitled right now,” Sam says dryly. “That demon down there doesn’t belong to you, it belongs in Hell, and as for this place, technically it belongs to Harrison.”
Issac bares his teeth in an animal-like hiss of displeasure at Sam’s words.
“Where’s the real Byrnes?” Danny asks.
Issac’s eyes blaze maliciously. “In a shallow grave somewhere in the greater Manchester area.”
I draw in a sharp breath as my gaze lands on Dusty; more specifically, the symbol on her wrist. “You’re the one who killed Viv.” I look back at Issac. “That day in the mortuary when Dusty pulled you away from me, you could see her all along, couldn’t you? The whole time you were in that room. That’s why you tried to banish her as soon as she left.”
“Hmm,” Issac hums as he scrutinises me, a tiny wrinkle of confusion between his brows. “I did banish her. I’m still not sure how you were able to bring her back. Demon magic has never failed me before. It certainly piqued my curiosity about you and your merry little band of misfits.”
As I keep Issac’s attention on me, I can see Sam edging closer to the circle, but when he tries to cross the edge, there’s a loud hiss, like a spark, and Sam is flung backwards. He hits the floor on his back, knocking the breath from him.
“Sam,” Harrison shouts desperately.
“Aww,” Issac tuts insincerely. “Poor little PI, I’m afraid your bright little bird is going to stay trapped in here with me. You didn’t really think I’d allow you into my building if I thought you could derail the rising, did you? The circle is protected and you cannot cross it.”
Sam hauls himself to his feet, breathing heavily. “Why him? You got what you needed from Viv.” His eyes flick to the woman in question, who has reappeared and now looks to be slowly circling the shielded demon trap—strangely enough, almost like a predator.
“Ah yes, dear Vivienne. Sadly, she proved to be more wily than I gave her credit for. She’d been dosing her booze with a rather potent little spell. It rendered her blood absolutely useless to me. Harrison, on the other hand, has everything I need and is as pure as natural spring water. His blood fused with mine will break open the trap and the demon will rise, bound to me and my will.” Isaac’s eyes flare hungrily. “The ultimate power.”
My heart leaps when I realise it had been Viv that had spiked her own gin, and that whatever she’d used meant her blood couldn’t open the trap. We’d all drunk the gin! But a moment later, my elation comes crashing back down as I remember that Harrison wasn’t there. He was the only one of us who didn’t drink the spiked alcohol.
And his is the only blood that matters.
Sam growls, bracing himself as he throws himself against the circle again. This time, a bright shimmer ripples over it like a dome.
“It’s impenetrable,” Issac gloats. “All you’ll do is tire yourself out, and my demon is going to be hungry when he rises.”
“Uh, getting eaten by a demon wasn’t really on today’s to do list,” I mutter in alarm. Not at the thought of being eaten by a demon –although,oh my fucking god!– but because Harrison istrapped on the inside with that fruit loop and we can’t get to him. “What do we do?” I ask Danny in a panic.
“I don’t know,” Danny replies. He’s obviously just as anxious as I am.
Suddenly, Viv, who’s been prowling the boundary of the circle in her near catatonic state, screeches like a banshee, a howl of absolute incandescent rage that sends ice through my veins. She throws herself against the circle and the shield around it blazes and pulses. But that doesn’t stop her—she throws herself against it over and over again, beating her fists at it and clawing desperately.
She’s trying to get to her child.
My heart nearly shatters and I close my eyes, reaching out to all the ghosts and gathering them close to me.
Help her…I send out the thought and feel it ripple through their collective consciousness.Help her save her son.
They begin appearing, dozens and dozens of them, surrounding the circle and beating their fists against the shield. With a warrior’s cry, Dusty charges towards the circle with only one shoe on, the other stiletto clutched in her hand as she starts to rain down blows, using the spiked heel for a hammer. Even Bruce smashes his fists against the dome.