The Serpent’s Coin (The Demon Hunters #2)

A cursed coin. A city drowning in sin. A darkness that wears a familiar face.

In the rain-slicked streets of 1920s San Francisco, spiritual private eye Byron Hayes is no stranger to the darkness that lurks behind mortal eyes. When a corrupt slumlord’s car plunges off a cliff, Byron is called to a scene that reeks of more than just gasoline and fear. He discovers an ancient Roman coin, an artifact pulsing with a malevolence so profound it poisons the very air—a relic tied to the ultimate betrayal, now home to a demon with two faces.

Just as this new evil bleeds into the city, Byron’s world is upended by a miracle: his sister, Nora, awakens from a fifteen-year, demon-induced madness. But her recovery feels fragile, a flickering candle in a rising storm. He and his gifted, street-smart ward, Raven Rossi, soon realize their protected home is no longer a sanctuary. The cursed coin is only the beginning. A far more ancient and powerful demoness has come to claim San Francisco, and she is unleashing hell one Deadly Sin at a time through a series of cursed objects.

From a painter’s brush that inspires violent envy to a starlet’s ring that fuels insatiable lust, the demonic artifacts turn the city’s inhabitants into puppets of their own worst impulses. Hunted by a serpent-like evil and navigating a web of spiritual corruption that reaches the highest echelons of power, Byron and Raven must fight a war on two fronts. They must not only banish the demons from these cursed objects, but also conquer the insidious temptations they awaken in their own hearts. Can they unmask the master of this chaos before the city—and their own souls—are devoured by sin?

Fans of Frank Peretti, Ted Dekker, and classic supernatural suspense will be captivated by this thrilling dive into a world where faith is a weapon, temptation is a trap, and the battle for a city’s soul is fought in the shadows of the human heart.

Similar Novels:

• The Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher
• Felix Castor series by Mike Carey
• Rivers of London (Peter Grant series) by Ben Aaronovitch
• Hellblazer comics (and associated Constantine media)
• Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman

Included Tropes:

Story & World: Supernatural Investigator/Detective, Ancient Evil, Weakened Ward, Magical Sanctuary, Demonic Hierarchy, Prophecy of Doom

Dark Forces: The Big Bad, The Seven Deadly Sins, Cursed Object, Demonic Possession, Exorcism, The Shadow Self, Corrupt Authority Figure

Destiny & Heroes: The Chosen One, Destined Hero, Reluctant Hero, Antihero, The Oracle/Seer, Magical Memory Wipe

Relationships: Found Family, Enemies to Lovers, The Power of Love/Friendship, Magical Animal Companion

Sacrifice & Redemption: Heroic Sacrifice, Divine Intervention, The Wounded Hero

Characters in The Serpent’s Coin:

Main Characters:

Byron Hayes

Personality: Byron is introspective, principled, and stoic, with a strong moral compass shaped by his faith and traumatic losses. He is protective and empathetic toward his loved ones, often suppressing his emotions to focus on duty, but can become fiercely determined when provoked. He is intellectual and resourceful, drawing on extensive knowledge of demon lore.

Primary Motivation: To protect San Francisco from demonic threats and safeguard his makeshift family, driven by guilt. He seeks redemption and spiritual purpose through exorcisms.

Appearance: A tall, lean man in his mid-40s with disheveled dark hair, sharp brown eyes, and faint lines of worry on his face. He dresses in practical 1920s attire like trench coats, fedoras, and Oxford shoes.

Strengths and Weaknesses: Strengths include divine spiritual authority to banish demons, vast knowledge of the occult, and unyielding loyalty. Weaknesses: Physical vulnerability after injuries, emotional suppression leading to isolation, and a tendency toward pride in his abilities, making him underestimate personal temptations.

Raven Rossi

Personality: Raven is resilient, intuitive, and fiercely independent, with a sharp wit and rebellious streak born from a loveless upbringing. She is empathetic toward outcasts but harbors deep-seated anger and insecurity, often masking vulnerability with sarcasm or defiance.

Primary Motivation: To find belonging and purpose after years of rejection, using her emerging spiritual gifts to fight demons and protect her chosen family, ultimately seeking redemption from her past traumas.

Appearance: A petite woman in her mid-20s with chin-length messy black hair, piercing green eyes, and a lithe build. She favors 1920s flapper styles like short dresses, cloche hats, and pumps.

Strengths and Weaknesses: Strengths: Acute spiritual senses to detect demons, growing ability to exorcise spirits, and unyielding courage. Weaknesses: Impulsiveness leading to risky decisions, lingering trust issues from abuse, and emotional volatility that demons exploit.

Jimmy Garret

Personality: Jimmy is loyal, hot-tempered, and straightforward, with a protective “big brother” vibe. He is humorous and affable in calm times but quick to anger when loved ones are threatened, blending blue-collar grit with romantic idealism.

Primary Motivation: To protect and provide for Nora, reclaiming the life stolen from them, while supporting his friends against supernatural threats despite his skepticism and lack of powers.

Appearance: A broad-shouldered man in his late 30s with tousled blond hair, rugged features, and a square jaw. He wears a police uniform or casual 1920s suits, often rumpled, with a perpetual five-o’clock shadow.

Strengths and Weaknesses: Strengths: Physical strength and marksmanship from police work, unwavering loyalty, and street smarts. Weaknesses: Impatience and susceptibility to wrath, limited spiritual insight leading to frustration, and overprotectiveness that blinds him to risks.

Secondary Characters:

Nora Hayes

Personality: Nora is gentle, resilient, and optimistic, with a creative spirit and quiet strength. She is empathetic and adaptable but struggles with lingering insecurity from her lost years, often masking pain with cheerfulness.

Primary Motivation: To reclaim her life and sanity after demonic torment, building a future with Jimmy while supporting her brother’s mission, driven by a newfound faith to atone for her past vulnerability.

Appearance: A slender woman in her early 30s with thick dark hair in a fashionable bob, large gray eyes, and delicate features. She wears modest 1920s dresses, often in soft blues, with a youthful, ethereal glow.

Strengths and Weaknesses: Strengths: Intuitive empathy, creative insight (from her writings), and emerging spiritual resilience. Weaknesses: Fragility from trauma, initial naivety about modern changes, and susceptibility to envy or self-doubt.

Archbishop Rossi

Personality: Rossi is calculating, arrogant, and authoritarian, with a facade of piety masking deep-seated resentment and pride. He is manipulative and unyielding, viewing others through a lens of superiority, but shows rare glimpses of regret.

Primary Motivation: To maintain control over San Francisco’s spiritual and political landscape, to bolster his power and legacy, driven by a need to erase his humble origins and secure his reputation.

Appearance: A tall, gaunt man in his 60s with graying dark hair, hawkish features, and piercing dark eyes. He dresses in formal black clerical attire, always with a cane (often skull-headed), exuding an air of austere authority.

Strengths and Weaknesses: Strengths: Intellectual cunning, vast influence via the Council, and the ability to sense spirits. Weaknesses: Blind pride leading to isolation, emotional detachment causing cruelty, and vulnerability to demonic corruption.

Cassi Wu

Personality: Cassi is perceptive, resilient, and quietly intelligent, with a mystical intuition that makes her seem ethereal. She is cautious and introspective, blending youthful curiosity with trauma-induced wariness.

Primary Motivation: To escape institutionalization and use her “oracle” visions to warn others of dangers, seeking belonging and purpose among those who understand her gifts.

Appearance: A young Asian woman (early 20s) with short black hair, big brown eyes, and a slender, delicate build. She wears simple 1920s dresses.

Strengths and Weaknesses: Strengths: Prophetic visions and spiritual perception, empathy for the afflicted. Weaknesses: Social isolation from her “madness,” vulnerability to demonic bindings, and difficulty articulating insights in the physical world.

Fatty Arbuckle

Personality: Fatty is jovial, charismatic, and indulgent, with a larger-than-life exuberance that masks insecurities. He is generous and flirtatious but impulsive and easily influenced by vice.

Primary Motivation: To enjoy fame, fortune, and pleasures of Hollywood life, seeking validation through parties and relationships while pursuing business opportunities like art collections.

Appearance: A heavyset man in his 30s with a round face, twinkling eyes, and slicked-back hair. He wears flashy 1920s suits with ruby tiepins and diamond cufflinks, exuding showman flair.

Strengths and Weaknesses: Strengths: Charismatic networking and wealth. Weaknesses: Impulsiveness leading to scandals, gluttony for excess.

Included Themes:

The Nature of Good vs. Evil, Free Will vs. Demonic Influence, Grief and Loss, Redemption and Forgiveness, The Power of Love and Connection, The Corrupting Nature of Power, Found Family, Identity and Self-Acceptance, The Illusion of Reality, The Burden of Knowledge/Power, Social Critique, The Battle for the Soul of a City.