Black Hollow: Beating Around the Bush

by Sheri Lyn

  “Where are you?” Shayde called out as loud as he dared. “We have to get out of here before someone calls the cops on us.” He walked farther into the shadow covered playground searching the equipment for any sign of them. “Fucking hell,” He cursed as he finally saw two shadows emerge from the playhouse. He really needed to beat some sense into Choal before he got them all busted.

  “Hey.”

  Shayde closed his eyes and groaned, ‘You’re going to be the death of me. Remind me later to explain why this,” Shayde gestured to the park around them, “Was not the place to pick.”’

  “I hadn’t heard from you in hours, we needed to get away from the body. I didn’t know what to do. What happened with the council? Are you okay?”

  “Slow down, it’s fine. They told me about a place we could go until things got settled and maybe we’d even be able to find some answers.”

  Kohen scowled, “How are we getting there?”

  “It’s a town called Black Hollow.” Shayde continued to explain ignoring the look Kohen was giving him. “It’s a place for paranormals to go and live without fear. They did warn me that we’d need to pop in right outside town and walk in. They couldn’t be sure it’d let us pop in without notice.”

  “Pop?” Kohen repeated in wide-eyed fear. “No way. Not happening.” He stepped back and held both hands up in the universal stop gesture.

  Shayde arched one eyebrow at the kid, “Why the hell not?”

  “Because he,” Kohen pointed to Choal, “Said that he couldn’t guarantee it’d be safe for me. I don’t want my arm coming out of my head or something. And before you tell me you’ll just keep ‘popping’ until I’m somewhat normal, like he did, that’s not acceptable.”

  “What in the hell?” He turned to a sheepish Choal, “I leave you with him for a few hours and that’s what you tell him?”

  Choal shrugged, “I told him it would probably only make him nauseous, he said the thing about the arm. But I might have told him we’d fix him... I’m sorry, I was worried and stressed out. I didn’t think he’d believe me.”

  “Fucking hell, you two are going to be the death of me.” Shayde offered his hand to Kohen, “Our bosses have assured me that as a paranormal you’re safe to teleport with us. No harm will become of you, I swear it on all that I am. You will come out on the outside just as you are now.”

  “What if I still say no?” Kohen questioned as he shifted the bag on his shoulder. “What then?”

  “We wait till you fall asleep and do it anyway,” Choal interjected with a wink that quickly turned into a grunt of pain as Shayde smacked him in the stomach. “Kidding.” He gasped out.

  “Ignore him.” Shayde sighed and stepped closer to Kohen, “I know it sounds scary, but it really is the best thing to do. It’ll be a quick trip, and then we can find a safe place to figure things out. Just think if we get answers, we can find you a permanent solution. No more new ‘anchors’ every few weeks. This is safe, I wouldn’t ask you to do it otherwise.”

  “It really is safe.” Choal offered with a small smile. “I’m sorry for saying that stuff and scaring you. I was freaked out, and worried and I took it out on you. I won’t let that happen again, or at least I’ll try not to.”

  Kohen hesitated and nodded, “You both promise it’s safe?”

  Shayde said yes, just as Choal said I promise.

  “Fine. But if I come out of this with anything wrong, I will make you both regret lying to me.” Kohen took Shayde’s offered hand and then reached for Choal. “I don’t want to get lost, so both of you hold on tight, okay.”

  Before the kid could react or make any more demands, Shayde teleported all three of them to a small clearing of trees just outside the town limits of Black Hollow. “Not so bad was it?”

  Kohen’s wide-eyed, open-mouthed pale face said differently, but Kohen nodded slowly as he looked around. “We’re here?”

  “Yup,” He supplied as he grabbed Kohen’s fallen bag and put it on his shoulder with their bags he still carried. “It’s a short walk, and the council said they’d notify someone of our presence. Someone should find us soon.”

  “Shayde,” Kohen called out. “You suck, man. Next time give me a warning or something.”

  Choal chuckled, “Then you would have had time to freak out. This way it’s over and done with and as you can see you’re still intact without extra appendages or features.”

  “Wait. Was that really a worry or are you messing with me again?” Kohen demanded as he chased after the two men.

  Chapter Four

  Bishop

  What in the hell had he been thinking when he’d agreed to do this run for the pack. It was a job for the younger members, the ones who had the spare time to do it. Logically he knew the reason, and her name was Seraphine. When she showed up and suggested to Kian, his alpha, that Bishop be the one to do it, then that’s what was done. No one questioned her. There was always a reason for everything she did, even if the rest of the world wasn’t privy to it.

  He could count on one hand the number of times she’d spoken directly to him, and this was the first she’d asked anything of him. He wasn’t upset by that by any stretch of the imagination. She was a Seer, a very powerful one at that. When you came under her notice, it meant something was going to happen and it involved you in some way. Bishop just hoped that this time he was only a cog in the wheel, and not the freaking wheel itself.

  Out of the corner of his eye, he saw two guys and a boy walking out of the woods. Without conscious thought, he slowed the truck to a stop and watched as they emerged a couple dozen feet in front of him. What a dichotomy the trio of them made. The taller one carried three bags on his shoulder with ease, and even Bishop could see they were packed full. He was lean but powerfully built if the muscles in his arms were any indication. He’d never understood the term ‘arm porn’ before, but suddenly he got it. He wasn’t good looking in the traditional sense, but there was something about him that Bishop had trouble looking away from.

  The man beside him on the other hand was gorgeous. Wavy black hair, a strong jaw, and piercing blue eyes that dared you to fall in. He was dressed in a pair of expensive jeans, and a blue polo that brought out his eyes even more.

  The taller guy was his complete opposite in the clothing department. He wore black cargo pants, biker boots, and some band t-shirt that had seen better days.

  Bishop forced his eyes away from the two men, to study the child standing beside them with his head cocked as if listening to a voice only he could hear. The kid couldn’t be more than eight or nine, but when you looked into his eyes, he looked so much older. A child that had seen too much, grown up too fast, and was aware of how harsh the world really was.

  He didn’t look like either man, he was thin, wore jeans that he had to constantly pull up and a t-shirt with plaid over it. His shaggy brown hair was a bit long and hung in his face.

  Bishop debated for only a minute before pulling up beside them and rolling his window down. They weren’t far from Black Hollow, and he couldn't tell if they were human or not, but either way, he couldn’t leave them alone on the side of the road. One way or the other he’d get them someplace safe and warm for the night. “Evening.” Bishop greeted them.

  The taller of the two nodded and stepped forward, “Hello.”

  Bishop arched one eyebrow, “You get lost or something? I didn’t see a vehicle anywhere around here, and there isn’t a town close by….” Well, there was, but he wasn’t giving that information away until he knew more.

  “Uh….” The taller man hesitated and glanced at the other man. “We’re not lost really. Just taking our time I guess you’d say.”

  Bishop bit his lip as he thought about what to do. They had no car and weren’t lost. That meant they were here for a reason, and could probably use other means of travel. But how did he ask without giving anything away if they were indeed only humans? “These woods aren’t known to be the safest, and it's as black as death out here.
You know some people say this is hollow ground…” He made sure to emphasize the words black and Hollow to see if that would spark any recognition in the men.

  The taller man smirked, “Where you headed? Any chance you could give us a lift into town. We were told someone would meet us and take us in. That’s why we're out here like this.”

  “Yeah.” Bishop let out a relieved breath. “I can do that. Seraphine sent me out here, which means I am your contact.” He pushed the unlock button for the doors, “hop in. It’s a short ride.”

  “Thanks. I’m Shayde.” He offered his hand, “That’s Choal and the kid is Kohen.”

  Bishop waited until everyone had climbed into the pack’s crew cab truck and buckled up before he began to drive away. “I’m Bishop, it’s nice to meet you all.”

  Choal sat forward so his head was between the two front seats, “What can you tell us about Black Hollow? Can I ask what type of paranormal you are or is that rude to ask?”

  “Well, normally yes, it’s not something you ask. But in Black Hollow things tend to be a bit more relaxed. I’m a wolf shifter. And you guys are?”

  “Shayde and I are Psychopomps, the kid…. We have no idea, yet. It’s a long story, but we were told to come here, so that’s what we're doing.”

  Bishop frowned, “What in the hell is a psychopomp? I’ve never heard of you before.”

  “You have, you just didn’t know that’s the name for our type.” Shayde explained, “Psychopomps act as guides for deceased souls. Grim Reapers, Thanatos, Charon, Anubis, Hermes, Azrael, and Shamans are a few of the names you might recognize. We don’t judge, we just deliver the souls to purgatory to make their journey depending on their faith, religion, or belief system.”

  “Oh, yeah okay. Sorry I didn’t realize that. You know we have a pair of twin Grim Reapers living in Black Hollow by the name of Misha and Vasily Rasputin. They own and run Cuddles Pet Store.”

  “That’s quite a jump of occupations.” Choal grinned, “Good for them if that’s what makes them happy.”

  “Black Hollow is unique and unlike anything you could ever imagine. We’re a hodgepodge of creatures, paranormals, and even a few humans. We all get along for the most part, think of it as an extended family. Seraphine’s family built this town for us, she’s a force to be reckoned with, as you’ll soon find out. There is nothing that happens within the town or to its residents that she doesn’t know about.” He trailed off as he got closer to town. “So, if you’ve never been here, this might come as a shock. Watch up to our right.”

  A chorus of gasps filled the cab of the truck as suddenly the town of Black Hollow appeared before them. “It has protections to hide it from humans unless they’re supposed to be there for some reason,” Bishop explained as he took the fork on the highway that led directly into town. “Those that don’t belong, won’t see it or the road that leads there. They’ll just keep driving by, none the wiser.”

  “Would we have seen it if we’d continued walking?” Choal asked as they passed by the sign welcoming them to town.

  “Probably.” Bishop agreed. “Any paranormal can find this place, no invite needed after all.” He slowed down as they approached the main street of town. “Um… I’m not sure where to take you guys or what to do now. She didn’t really say I was picking you up….”

  “The council just told us to come here, I didn’t think that far ahead honestly.” Shayde hesitated as he bit his lip in thought. “I could call Lennox, he gave me his number and said to call if we needed anything.”

  Bishop scowled at the thought of someone aiding these men besides him. He froze as he realized what had just happened. How could he be jealous of two men he’d just met? “Well, I need to get this stuff to our shop. So, while you do that, do you mind coming with me? Once that’s done we can figure out the next step?”

  Both men nodded their agreement as Bishop drove the short distance to the pack butcher shop. “It’s hard to see this late at night, but Black Hollow is pretty amazing. This is the Full Moon Butcher Shop, my pack runs it. Come inside and I’ll ….” He trailed off as he looked up and saw Seraphine standing on the curb.

  Chapter Five

  Shayde

  “Welcome to Black Hollow, I’m Seraphine.” She announced as soon as the truck doors opened before anyone had a chance to climb from the vehicle. “Bishop, have the pack unload the truck, you come right back, please. We need to talk.”

  “Yes, Ma’am.” He called as he shut his door and headed inside with a glance over his shoulder to the group standing there.

  “As I said I’m Seraphine and I’d like to welcome you to our town. And who are you?”

  Kohen stepped forward hesitantly, “My name is Kohen, ma’am. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

  “I’m Choal and this is Shayde.” Choal offered as he extended his hand in an offer of greeting. “Thank you for allowing us to come on such short notice.”

  Seraphine smiled, “Of course this place will always be a refuge for those of our kind who need a safe place to live, love, and be oneself.”

  “So you know why we’re here and what’s happening?” Shayde asked in excitement. “You can help us, right?”

  “Not in the way you’re expecting I’m afraid. But yes I can help.” Seraphine paused as she waited for Bishop to make his way over. “As I was saying. I know, and I can help. But it’s late, and Kohen has had a rough day. As have the two of you. This is an adjustment for all of you. I’ve secured temporary lodging for the three of you. Bishop can take you there, it’s furnished, so you’ll have everything you need until permanent arrangements can be made.”

  Shayde hesitated meeting Choals eyes. “As much as we appreciate that, we don’t have any human money to pay.”

  “That’s the beauty of Black Hollow, gentleman.” Seraphine winked as she turned her attention to Bishop. “It’s on Gargoyle street, I assume you know which one I’m speaking of, it’s across from the back of your shop as it happens.”

  Bishop nodded, “I can take them there now.”

  “Good.” Seraphine smiled, “And in the morning if you’d be so kind as to pick them up and take them to the bank to get everything squared away?”

  “Of course.” Bishop agreed.

  Choal shook his head and glanced to Shayde, “This is crazy.”

  “Yes, it is.” Shayde murmured, “I don’t mean to be a pessimist, but this seems too good to be true. We just showed up and you’re bending over backward to help us. Why?”

  Seraphine sighed, “I understand your hesitancy to believe this is without strings but believe me when I say, my only goal is to help you. To help all of our kind, really. But don’t worry, it’s not exactly free. One day I may have need of your assistance, and all I ask is you do as I say without question or fail.”

  Bishop nodded, “It’s true. That’s why I was out there tonight. She asked me to make this run when normally it’d be one of our lower ranked pack members. I didn’t ask questions, just did it. Everything she does is for the good of this town and the people in it, never doubt that. I told you we’re family, this is what family does. Support each other until you’re back on your feet. Come on, I grabbed something for you to eat. Let me get you to the house and let you settle in.”

  Shadye hesitated a moment longer before nodding his agreement when he went to thank Seraphine she was already gone. “Can she teleport?”

  “Not that I know of, but she does have a way of appearing and disappearing without notice.”

  Shayde pulled open the truck door as he glanced around, but couldn’t figure out where the strange woman had gone. It was forgotten moments later when the smell of warm bread and fresh meat made his mouth water. “That smells amazing.”

  “Seraphine had it delivered for you guys. She figured you wouldn’t have had time to eat with everything that’s happened today.”

  “Thank you for everything you’ve done. I’m sorry she shanghaied you into helping us, but I do appreciate it.”

&nb
sp; “No problem Shayde, I’m happy to help actually. What time do you guys think you’ll be ready to go tomorrow? I’ll make sure I’m here to show you around town and take you guys to the bank and whatever else you need.”

  “Thanks. When we’re all settled, I’ll take you out for a drink as payment.” Shayde offered, “It’s the least I can do.”

  They pulled into the driveway of the house, Shayde leaned forward but couldn’t see much with it being so dark out. “Did you want to come in and eat with us?”

  “Nah, but thanks. I’ll see you guys tomorrow.” Bishop called out as they all climbed out of the truck. “If you need anything you can always find me or one of my packmates at the butcher shop, right behind us.”

  “Thanks but I’m sure we’ll be set for the night,” Choal replied as he shut his door.

  They watched as Bishop backed out of the driveway before they turned and approached the front door. “How do we get in? We can’t just pop in, can we?” Choal asked after they all stared at the front door in silence.

  Kohen laughed as he reached for the door handle and turned it, “She knew we were coming, she sent food. No way was the door going to be locked.”

  Shayde rubbed the back of his neck with his free head sheepishly, “Yeah, guess I didn’t think of that. Or to ask about a key. Not used to having to worry about that type of thing and all.”

  “Me either,” Choal replied. “I hardly ever come to this realm, you at least have spent time here. Everything is so weird and different. I feel like I’m invading a foreign land or something.”

  “How many years have I been telling you to watch their TV and visit this plane, but no you were too stubborn and now look at you,” Shayde smirked as he followed Kohen inside.

  Choal sighed, “Whoever thought we’d be in a situation like this though?”