Lights of the Circle

After the mysterious death of a young boy, Victor Dunwich VI, born to a line of exorcists dating back to the holy crusades, begins to feel an omen when the news coverage of the case. Victor begins to see omens in the form of anachronistic candies scattered through the school. Victor soon finds that only he and those being drawn to him when he encounters Alphonse Monroe a young black man being haunted by the same demon that killed the young boy. Victor recognizes that the drawing, a supernatural pull that brings individuals together by fate, like magnetism, is happening and immediately attempts to avoid it. Later Victor encounters Detective Marsh investigating the death of William Massey calling on his help to solve the unsolvable case. While Victor attempts to avoid the drawing, the others who are being pulled in by fate begin to come together in spite of his efforts. The demon attacks Alphonse and he is only saved when Victor finds him, revealing that he is being haunted by the same demon that killed William. It is further enforced when Marisol's dog alerts them to the demon just before it attacks Victor for interfering. The Oneiroi attacks continue until the circle is forced together after narrowly escaping the demon's haunting. Victor, Alphonse, Aubrey, Duncan, and Marisol come together in fear of the next attack being the last and Victor takes them to investigate the Massey's home where they find Detective Marsh being attacked in the home and Alphonse is dragged in. Once the spirit finds that it could not kill a member of the circle while they are together it retreats and changes tactics after wounding the detective. The mystery begins to unravel when the detective and Alphonse recognize each other because their fathers worked together in the police department. Alphonse later discovers that his grandfather along with Marsh's grandfather and the grandfather of William Massey all hid the brutal murder of a serial killer in the 70's. That killer became the demon haunting their families. When the circle comes together again, they find that the demon killed Marsh in his hospital bed and that Alphonse's younger brother is now the target to divide the circle's attention. In the final act of the book the circle is trapped into nightmares with the demon and forced to come together to face the demon. They find that concepts like will and faith are tools that can fight in that space, after Victor is able to strike and wound the demon with his rosary. The circle survives the ordeal, though not unharmed with Victor hospitalized. They slay the demon and save Alphonse's family finding the courage to move forward with their lives and whatever comes next for the circle.