Ghostly Shorts: Ghosts, Inc. - The Short Story Anthologies, #1

By Bethany M. Sefchick

For the first time, the original six “Ghosts, Inc. Ghostly Shorts” are available in a single collection.

Meet Kendra Huntwell and Carson Beck in “All Night Long,” as they work together to unravel the mystery of the strange black blobs that haunt him!  Enter Callie Hughes’ sleeping mind in “Dream Lover,” where she encounters her soul mate, Reed Talbott.  In “Root Beer Float For Two,” spend a night in The Hop, a haunted dinner with Harold D’Arcangelo and paranormal researcher Kendra Morton.

Enjoy a night in the Florida Keys with Penny Hawthorne Hugh McKenzie aboard Torchlight House in “Key Largo.”  Journey to the streets of Wheeling, West Virginia with Martin Scott, in “A Man After Midnight,” as he attempts to rescue psychic Hope Tanner.  Stroll the sands of Sunside Beach, South Carolina, with Melanie O’Shea and Taggart LeClaire as they search for the hauntingly mysterious beach music in “Music of the Night.”

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bethany M. Sefchick
• Release date: May 28, 2014
• ISBN: 9781386535317

Bethany M. Sefchick

Making her home in the mountains of central Pennsylvania, Bethany Sefchick lives with her husband, Ed, and a plethora of Betta fish that she’s constantly finding new ways to entertain. In addition to writing, Bethany owns a jewelry company, Easily Distracted Designs. It should be noted that the owner of the titular Selon Park - one Lord Nicholas Rosemont, the Duke of Candlewood, a.k.a. "The Bloody Duke" - first appeared in her mind when she was eighteen years old and had no idea what to make of him, or of his slightly snarky smile.  She has been attempting to dislodge him ever since - with absolutely no success. When not penning romance novels or creating sparkly treasures, she enjoys cooking, scrapbooking, and lavishing attention on any stray cats who happen to be hanging around. She always enjoys hearing from her fans at: [e-mail]

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The Ghosts Inc. Anthology, Vol. 1

The Ghostly Shorts 1-6

By Bethany M. Sefchick

This book is a work of fiction.  Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real.  Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Copyright ©  2013     Bethany M. Sefchick

All rights reserved

For Ed, who made Ghosts, Inc. a reality

All Night Long

Ghostly Short, Vol. 1

Chapter One

Kendra Huntwell glared at the small group of investigators as they filed into the elevator that would take them to the third floor equipment room before they left to continue the investigation at Rosewood House, all of them jabbering like over- caffeiniated magpies, high on anticipation.  Rosewood.  It was all anyone at Ghosts, Inc., the Altoona, Pennsylvania, based paranormal investigation agency where she worked, could talk about and it was starting to drive her crazy.

She understood perfectly well that seeing the case to the bitter end was now a battle of wills between Justin Grant, the lead investigator on the case and Mia Thorpe, the head of the agency, with a dash of Rose, the star-crossed lover slash ghost mixed in, but in Kendra’s mind, it shouldn’t command the attention of the entire organization.

Still, it was and Kendra, for one, was sick of the entire situation.   

She was just glad that she had been assigned other cases a few days before what was now being called The Rose Incident had occurred and wasn’t forced to make the thirty minute drive to the small town of Blue Spring.  She really didn’t care to watch Justin make a fool of himself over a very dead woman who had zero chance of ever returning from the dead.

Call her cynical and blunt, but Kendra called things the way she saw them.  Always.

Instead, she would leave that to the woman she referred to as The Other Kendra, better known as Kendra Morton.  Kendra M., or often just plain M, as she was known around the office, was something of an enigma, though Mia had her consult on nearly every case that came the organization’s way.  Rumor had it that The Other Kendra was possibly a Gage, a psychically gifted person who could sense paranormal abilities in others.

Whether the rumor was true or not, the presence of The Other Kendra in the office had freed up Original Flavor Kendra, as her co-workers often called her, for other, nastier and ickier cases, the kind that most investigators would prefer not to take on.  Those were the cases that usually involved a class of people known as Undesirables.

Like Gages, Undesirables were paranormally gifted people with what were politely termed issues.  In some cases, an Undesirable was mentally unstable or unable to control their ability.  In others, the person was physically challenged in some way, or in certain cases, haunted themselves for one reason or another, which disrupted their natural abilities.  

Though there were groups within the paranormal community fighting for general acceptance of Undesirables, change was slow in coming.  Most paranormally gifted people had enough difficulty being accepted by mainstream society as it was.  They didn’t want to be bothered by the problems of the Undesirables as well.

Kendra, however, had no such issue.  Until his death by suicide at age eighteen, her brother Sam had been an Undesirable, plagued for years by physic nightmares he not only didn’t want, but couldn’t ever seem to control or even understand.  Kendra, who was psychic herself, had tried to help her older brother, working with him nearly every day to try to at least gain some measure of control over the nightmares that made him fear sleep.

She consulted specialists and healers, people who claimed to know how to cure Sam of his delusions.  She’d even appealed to the International Paranormal Committee for help, but had been told that as an Undesirable, Sam couldn’t be helped, at least not now.  It was the first time Kendra had ever heard that now-hated term, but it hadn’t been the last.

Shortly after her failed appeal to the Committee, Sam had decided it was better to take his own life than to live with the continuous stream of horrific visions that plagued his every thought, both awake and asleep.

After that, Kendra had made it her mission to seek out and try to help other Undesirables, hoping in some way to make her brother’s death have meaning.  She’d been working just such a case when she’d met Mia.  The other woman had listened to Kendra’s story and, surprisingly, understood.  Mia had offered Kendra a position within Ghosts, Inc., as well as all of the technical and paranormal support that went with it.

That had been four months ago and now, Kendra was a full-fledged investigator within the organization.  It didn’t mean that she’d given up on the Undesirables, however, and usually, Mia offered Kendra whatever help she needed if a case involving one or more of the special needs clients came to her attention.

Tonight, however, the entire organization was in an unparalleled frenzy over Rose, and Kendra’s request for backup for her upcoming case had been denied.  Hence the scowl she’d directed at the departing group mere moments before.  Kendra had no doubt that the ghost of Rose needed help, but so did the still very much alive Carson Beck, the man whose photograph Kendra now held in her hands.  If her suspicions were right, the man was living his life in isolation, believing he had no other choice.

The grainy, black and white photo showed Carson trimming a hedge, his gardener’s uniform pulled down around his waist as he worked, showing off a well-muscled chest and what she suspected was sun-bleached blonde hair.  There weren’t any of the typical physical signs indicating that the person was an Undesirable, no missing limbs or strange physical features or even an overwhelming look of fatigue.  The man in the photo didn’t look like an Undesirable in need of help.  

Actually, he looked nothing short of gorgeous, like the kind of man Kendra dreamed about.  There didn’t appear to be anything deformed or mentally unstable about him.  He was all hard planes and angles from years of physical work, the kind of physique that came from manual labor rather than a gym.  He boasted a classically handsome face that might look better on a magazine cover than in a gardener’s uniform.  He really just looked like prime, Grade-A hunk.  He was, in short, perfection, and Kendra had spent the last few days drooling over his photo.

Mia, however, had insisted Carson had issues of a paranormal nature that fell into the Undesirables classification.  So Kendra had trusted Mia’s instincts without question.  She was glad she had.  After some research, Kendra had a strong hunch she knew what kind of demons were plaguing Carson Beck and she knew just how to help him.

It would be relatively easy, but she would have to be quick with her plan.  If the man even suspected she was up to something, he would toss her out faster than she could apologize for even knocking on his door.  She didn’t want that.  

If nothing else, Kendra was good at her job and she knew that she could help Carson if he would only allow her to get close enough.  She could offer him a new perspective on life, a chance to finally be free of what he saw as his curse.  She could give Carson his life back.  That he was good-looking and might, just might, be appropriately thankful would merely be a bonus.

Shoving the photo back in with the rest of the papers, Kendra gathered up her investigator’s kit before plucking the file from her desk.  It was time to pay Carson Beck a visit.

Chapter Two

Carson Beck flopped down on his couch, a small pizza and two beers already waiting for him on the coffee table where he’d placed them earlier.  It had been a long day working for Green’s Landscaping and he was ready for a quiet night of junk food and baseball on TV.  He also just needed to pretend the dark, vaguely human-shaped mass in the corner wasn’t there and maybe he could actually have a quiet night for a change.

The black forms, or Others, as he called them had been appearing and disappearing from his life since he’d been twelve years old.  Though the shapes never hurt him, they were always there, at least one and usually several at once, as if they were waiting for him to do or say something.  Sometimes, Carson had the feeling the Others needed help, but he had no idea how to go about accomplishing something like that, especially when he didn’t even know what they were.

Carson had tried a few times to find ways to help the shadowy figures, even going so far as to contact various paranormal groups.  Each time, however, he’d been told that the black figures were figments of his imagination.  In Carson’s mind, if the people who looked for ghosts for a living didn’t believe in the Others, then they probably were just figments of his imagination and he was crazy.  Except that Carson didn’t completely believe it.

Like now, for instance, when the shadow figure seemed to pulse and breathe, as if it were a living thing.  In the other corner, two smaller figures crouched down, looking just as real as the larger mass.  Based on past experience, Carson knew the figures would stay for a while, sometimes even a few days, before disappearing.

However, the impressions the creatures left in the room itself, be it fear or anger or even despair, would linger far longer, often plaguing Carson for days.  Those emotions would torment him for the next several nights until finally fading away, just in time for the cycle to begin again a day or so later.  It was just one of the reasons he knew the figures were real, despite claims to the contrary, and he knew he needed to find a way to help them with whatever it was they needed.

He just wasn’t sure how to go about it.  Even after all this time.

A knock at the door made Carson freeze, disrupting his musing about the black masses.  No one ever came to visit him.  He’d been very careful over the years to ensure that.  He didn’t want anyone else to see the Others.  After living with them for years, he knew the creatures wouldn’t hurt him, but he wasn’t sure how they felt about other people.  

There was also the possibility that a visitor might see the shadowy masses and end up being afraid of Carson for one reason or another.  That had happened once back in college when he’d invited a girl back to his room for a night of sex.  She’d taken one look inside his room and presumably seen the shadows, which Carson had been surprised to note, were moving menacingly towards the dorm room door.  In general, the Others never moved except to perhaps scurry from one side of the room to the other and never towards a person.

That night, however, the normally sedentary figures decided that Carson’s date needed to leave, for whatever reason, and had taken matters into their own hands, so to speak.  The woman had screamed for all she was worth, called him cursed and taken off running, never to return.  It was the only time Carson could remember the shadows approaching a person.

That night hadn’t been one of his better evenings.  Coupled with a few similar incidents with female friends, Carson had long since decided that it was better if he didn’t encourage visitors, particularly women, instead allowing the Others to occupy his home in relative peace.  If he wanted female company, Carson went elsewhere, including motels on occasion, seedy and tacky as that sounded.  After all, he was a man with certain needs.  He just thought it was easier not to have someone, especially a female someone, potentially at risk from whatever was haunting him.

It was also part of the reason why Carson liked to work alone at Green’s Landscaping.  The fewer people he was around on a daily basis, the less chance there was of ticking off whatever was following him.  In time, Carson hoped to own his own landscaping service, but he often wondered if the Others would somehow affect his business.  He sincerely hoped not.

Now there was someone at his door, threatening his quiet little world.  He didn’t like it.  Not one bit.  The knock came again, this time more insistent.  I know you’re in there, Mr. Beck, a woman’s voice called and Carson’s eyes immediately strayed to the Others.

They continued to pulse and shift as they had been doing earlier, but the smaller figures now seemed a bit larger and, well, more alert, if such a thing were possible.  The knock came a third time and the larger figure began to pulse and twitch as well.  Carson had to get rid of the woman at his door.  He didn’t want to be responsible for whatever the shadows might decide to do.

Go away, Carson yelled, keeping one eye on The Others.  Whatever you’re selling, I don’t want any.  I just want to be left alone.  He figured that if the shadows could understand human speech, and apparently they could, based on their past actions, they would understand that he was trying his best to protect them.

My name is Kendra Huntwell, came the voice again from the other side of the door, "and I’m here because Mia Thorpe of Ghosts, Inc. sent me.  She knows about your little shadow creature problem and she wants me to help you."  Her voice was light and slightly musical, with a slight southern accent, almost bordering on Louisiana Creole.  He idly wondered if she looked as luscious as she sounded.  Because she sounded very, very hot and more than a little spicy.

Carson shook his head, disgusted with himself.  This was no time to allow his other head to do the thinking.  There was still the issue of his shadow creatures to deal with, after all.  Maybe if they ever disappeared, he could invite someone like this Kendra to his place.  Until then, she had to go.  Except that she said she was with a paranormal investigation agency.  That alone almost made Carson reconsider sending her away. 

He’d heard of Ghosts, Inc. of course, but had never contacted them, even though his apartment was only a few blocks away from their headquarters.  By the time the group came into existence, Carson had long since given up on appealing to paranormal organizations for help.  He had no idea how this Mia person had heard of him or his shadows or why she would send this unknown woman to see him.

Kendra seemed to take his silence for some kind of consent, because she continued in that same amazing voice, one that made Carson’s groin tighten.  "I can help you, Mr. Beck.  I know what your shadows are and how to help them.  More importantly, I know what you are and how to help you.  She paused and Carson could have sworn he heard her swallow.  If you’ll let me, that is.  Please, Mr. Beck, let me in.  I promise you, the shadows won’t hurt me.  That’s what you’re worried about, isn’t it?"

If her earlier words had stunned him, those brought him up short.  How did this woman know about the shadows he lived with all day, every day?  How had she guessed, and he knew it had to be a guess, that he was worried one of the shadows might hurt her?  He wanted to know.  No, he needed to know.  After all this time, he wanted answers and this woman seemed like she might be able to provide them.  At this point, he felt as if she’d left him no choice but to allow her inside.

Slowly, Carson approached the door and opened it slightly to reveal one of the most stunningly beautiful women he’d ever seen.  Tall and slender, she had mysterious, dark eyes that bordered on black and gorgeous caramel colored skin with waves of lush chocolate brown hair cascading down past her shoulders.  It was all he could do not to yank her into the room and drag her back to his bedroom.  He knew he’d been lacking in female companionship recently, but he hadn’t thought it was quite that bad that he’d want to jump the first woman he saw.

Behind him, he felt the Others begin to move toward the center of the room.  He forced his thoughts away from what this lovely woman might look like naked and instead, concentrated on the problem at hand.

You can help me? he asked, slightly incredulous as he pushed a stray lock of sun-kissed blonde hair from his eyes.  Seriously?  Because somehow, I don’t think you know what you’re up against, lady.  He didn’t want to be cruel but this thin slip of a woman couldn’t possibly help him with his problem when everyone else had failed.  More than that, he needed to get her to leave before one or possibly both of them did something very stupid.  Personally, he thought that he was close to making the first stupid move himself.

Her dark eyes bored into him and suddenly, Carson felt as if she were probing into his mind, seeing all of his secrets, even the ones he worked so hard to hide from himself.  He wanted to look away but found that he couldn’t.  Instead, he was captivated and he felt his heart begin to beat rapidly, his groin tightening in anticipation of something, anything, of a horizontal nature happening with this gorgeous creature.  His mind had gone blessedly blank.

Let me in and find out.  I’m stronger than I look.  Her words were soft, almost seductive and Carson felt himself unable to resist, as if he no longer had a will of his own.  He opened the door a bit wider and she slipped inside, almost before he knew what was happening.  She was quick; he’d give her that.

When he turned around, he was amazed to discover that she was already approaching the largest of the shadow figures, speaking to it in a language he didn’t understand.  It sounded vaguely like Latin, but not quite.  Unlike that night in his college dorm, the shadow didn’t appear to be threatening Kendra.  Instead, it was almost as if it was listening to her, perhaps in deference or respect.  Off to the side, he could see the two smaller shadows moving in the same manner.  Kendra turned and spoke to them as well in that same peculiar language.

As Kendra continued speaking, Carson, his lust-filled brain finally refocusing, noticed that the room was slowly losing its foreboding air, the feelings of anger and despair that were his near-constant companions slowly disappearing, as if being drawn out by some unseen force.