Resurrecting His Heart: Black Hollow

By J.C. Layne

Julian Anders owns the Raven's Call Mortuary in Black Hollow, Mass. Julian chooses to be behind the scenes in the mortuary and prefers his life to be the same…solitary. Truth is, this choice is a result of his curse.

Julian is a necromancer. He despises the curse and using his powers; powers that have cost him relationships in the past. Staying alone is the best way to protect himself…he won't go through that sort of pain again. 

Jenner Channing's grandfather has just passed away and something is off about his death. She doesn't buy that it was of natural causes, and obviously, neither does the Medical Examiner. When Jenner asks for help to get to the bottom of her grandfather's death, Julian and his employees, Ella and Deron (and the resident ghost, Agnes), jump in to help her find closure. 

The last thing Jenner expected was to find herself falling for Julian Anders. 
The last thing Julian expected was for Jenner Channing to capture his heart.

As the investigation unfolds, will the challenges prove to be too much for their budding romance or has Julian finally found someone to accept him, curse and all?

• Language: English
• Publisher: J.C. Layne
• Release date: Jun 4, 2019
• ISBN: 9781393691464

Book preview

1

A gnes! Where are you? Julian Anders yells in irritation.

He storms out of the prep room of the Raven’s Call Mortuary, closely followed by the mortician, Deron Turner.

Julian stops abruptly by the reception desk, nearly causing Deron to crash into his back. Scanning the room, his eyes squinting, he shouts, Agnes! I mean it…now!

The ethereal form of Agnes Higgins manifests in front of the desk. The silver-white haze surrounding Agnes is light and lovely, sharply contrasting Julian’s mood.

Agnes crosses her arms over her once-ample bosom and smiles sweetly, What is it, hon?

Julian stiffens, and with measured words asks, Where is Mrs. Hansford’s hat?

In a show of solidarity, Deron crosses his arms across his chest and glares at Agnes, too.

Agnes rolls her eyes as she replies in her thick southern accent, "For heaven’s sake, kids these days…it’s not a hat, Julian, it’s a bonnet."

Julian rubs his temples hard with his thumb and forefinger as he sighs deeply. Trying hard to maintain his composure, he takes a deep breath, "Fine…where is Mrs. Hansford’s bonnet?"

She sighs as if bored, I’m sure I have no idea what you mean.

He spits, Agnes, we know you took it. Her service is this afternoon and the family will be here in an hour, he grits his teeth, where…is…her…bonnet?

Agnes releases a frustrated sigh and parks her hands on her hips, "Julian, trust me, I’m doing Mrs. Hansford a favor. That bonnet is hideous! Nobody wears bonnets anymore. She looks like some deranged outcast from Little House on the Prairie…goodness knows they wouldn’t let her on that prairie looking like that!"

Julian sighs loudly, That’s not for you to decide. The family wants the thing on her, so she’ll have it on her!

She replies defiantly, No self-respecting southern woman would be caught dead in that thing! She giggles at her own joke, Oh look! I made a funny.

Julian bristles, She’s not southern, Agnes, as if that will change her mind.

Deron pleads, Come on, Agnes. I need to finish getting her ready.

Agnes retorts, We’ll settle this. Wake her up and ask her if she wants it on her head. They’re messing up a perfectly lovely hair set.

Both men look at her as if she’s insane. After a moment, Julian laughs sharply, Are you kidding? I’m not waking her to ask her about a hat.

Agnes corrects him again, "Bonnet…" as she floats in a small circle in the foyer area just in front of the reception desk, her floral blue skirt seeming to undulate with the breeze.

Julian clenches his fists by his sides as he feels heat flood into his face. He’s got to hold his temper. Bad shit can happen when he loses his temper.

Generally, Julian is one of the most laid back, even-keeled people you’d ever want to meet. He’s rarely angry or in a bad mood, but Agnes can take him from cheerful to hovering on the edge of exploding in mere seconds.

Through clenched teeth, he mutters, Agnes, you’re testing my patience.

She stops circling and hovers in front of him, Oh all right! It’s her funeral. Oh look, another funny. She giggles once again at her own joke.

Julian booms, Now, Agnes!

She replies sharply, It’s in the cabinet behind the formaldehyde.

Deron turns abruptly and trots back to the prep room.

Julian stares at Agnes as he smooths back his hair, wrangling two escaped strands back into submission.

Agnes rolls her eyes, I can’t be here to see that poor woman look like an idiot.

Julian blurts, Great idea, and with a sweep of his index finger, she disappears.

Agnes isn’t a poltergeist or a vengeful spirit that Sam and Dean Winchester would eliminate by salting and burning her bones. She’s just a pain in the ass.

Agnes could reside anywhere at all in Black Hollow, and indeed, she moves about, but she chooses to live here, at Raven’s Call Mortuary.

Julian is pretty sure the goal of her afterlife is to bug the shit out of him as much as inhumanly possible.

Raven’s Call Mortuary has been owned by Julian for the better part of 60 years, which equates to something like 30 human years. Thankfully, no one really cares about the math of his age in Black Hollow; it’s really confusing.

Mostly, he handles the business side of the mortuary, or fills in when an employee is away. Thankfully, his funeral director, Ella Hampton, will be here to handle the family and the service today.

While he loves people, he’s damn sure that he isn’t the best person to assist them in this particular time of need.

So, his main goal at the mortuary? To stay out of sight and handle the behind the scenes stuff. Unfortunately, that isn’t what usually happens.

Julian is friendly, soft-spoken, and even a little bit shy, but he seems to draw people to him. People just like him.

In his mid-forties in human years, Julian has a full head of natural salt and pepper (mostly pepper) hair. It hangs to just above his shoulders, thick with very slight waves. When he isn’t wearing it pulled back in a tie to look more professional, his bangs naturally fall to one side just enough to cover one beautiful brown eye. The other is left exposed, seeming to alone have the power to charm the pants off anyone who meets him…that is, if he opens himself up enough to talk to them.

Julian is 6’ 1" and average build. He isn’t ripped, in fact, he despises working out, but his body naturally adjusts itself to be perfectly proportioned. That’s one of the few benefits of his curse.

You see, Julian is a necromancer. He comes from a long line of Anders men who have been given this gift of necromancy. Really, Julian is around 90 years old. Necromancers age slower than humans do, by about half.

Julian doesn’t like to talk about his gift. When he does, there are usually questions. Those questions always lead to how he came into his gift, and that topic is completely off limits.

For that and many other reasons, he limits any use of his power to only speaking with or controlling the dead on rare occasions. Or, more frequently, when he needs to send Agnes to another part of town to maintain his own sanity.

As he plops in the chair behind the reception desk, he mumbles, She’s going to drive me to drink…a lot.

In about a half hour, Deron returns, She’s finally ready. I’ve wheeled the body into the chapel.

Julian sighs in relief, Thank you, Deron. I don’t know what I’d do without you.

Deron laughs, I know that’s right! What’d you do with Agnes?

He snickers, She’s at the library…

Deron nods and sits on the edge of the desk, Just talked to Ella. She’s on her way. She and jackass are at it again.

Julian rolls his eyes, When’s she gonna wise up and lose that asshole?

I don’t know, but it’s way past time, Deron spits.

Julian studies Deron’s face, Why don’t you just tell her how you feel?

Deron stands and shoves his hands in his pockets, It’s pointless, man. Why would she want anything to do with a vile djinn? I mean, she’s beautiful, caring, wonderful...

Julian stands, too, Deron, you’re wrong. You’re a great man, one of the best I know...

Deron frowns and shrugs as Ella rushes in, I know! I know…it won’t happen again.

Julian stops her, Are you all right? Do I need to kick somebody’s ass?

She shakes her head, No. I’m done with him.

It’s about damn time! Julian replies.

Deron whispers, I’m glad, Ell. You’re way too damn good for that loser.

Ella’s smiles sheepishly, Thank you, Deron.

He smiles at her, Um, okay, so Mrs. Hansford is in the chapel. Everything is ready for you.

She tweaks his chin, You’re the best, then turns to rush down the hall to deposit her things in the office.

Julian looks at Deron and waggles his eyebrows.

Deron blushes and mumbles, Shut up… as he returns to the prep room, shaking his head slowly as he goes.

Julian hears a car pull up in the parking lot. He murmurs, That’s my queue, as he turns and strides toward the office.

Ell! They’re here.

Ella rushes by him toward the entrance doors, straightening her navy-blue sheath dress, Okay, I’m ready.

Thanks, Ell, Julian says as he continues into the office and quietly shuts the door. He sits down behind the desk and tucks ear buds into his ears. The music begins to play, bringing a grin to his lips. This playlist is Shinedown, one of his favorite bands. As the first song begins, Hello, let me introduce you to… Julian pulls up QuickBooks on the computer and begins to work.

He isn’t particularly a computer geek, but he can certainly make spreadsheet and math programs his bitch. He really kind of loves this time, when he can zone out and take care of the mortuary’s business without being interrupted.

Being as Raven’s Call is the only mortuary in Black Hollow, the place gets steady business. While Black Hollow is full of supernatural beings, they may live longer, but they still need these services at some point. And there are some humans that live here, too. The three of them who run the mortuary pride themselves on the customer service here. It’s stellar…just check it out on the website. Five stars, bitches!

2

After all his time in Black Hollow, Julian still finds it amusing that humans who come to Black Hollow believe this is all put on…y’know, costumes and acting. He smiles to himself as he thinks about the pet wash that happened a few weeks back. Boy, humans would probably have a coronary if they saw any of that.

Black Hollow is a haven for supes. That’s why Julian loves it here. He blends right in. Even if he looks human and only uses his powers when needed, he’s still supernatural. Anywhere else, he’s a freak. This is his home and these people are his family.

In fact, Julian isn’t the only supernatural at Raven’s Call. There are reasons that Ella is so good at her job. She’s an empath. She has the power to feel the emotions of other people. Empaths sometimes have issues with being overwhelmed or depressed by feeling the emotions of other people, especially the bad ones. Ella, though, has an additional power that allows her to turn those