Page 165 of Home to the Hollow

“In part?” I ask curiously.

Nelia turns and gestures to the murals on the walls of the chamber. “There are many things that have not yet come to pass, Hugo. You, more than anyone, know that the threads of Fate are a mystery to most, and we must be ready for anything.”

Nodding slowly, I consider my words before I speak. I am not permitted to say so many things, but I also want to feel less outside of everyone. It’s a feeling that never bothered me before Jolene crash landed in the Hollow, but it’s been festering under my skin for weeks now. “The future is hard to predict. Even someone like myself does not always receive clear signals.”

“I am not trying to supersede your oath, Hugo. There is a guest coming to visit in the coming weeks, and this person is of the highest importance. They travel with their own security, of course, but no one must know—outside of myself and now, you—that this supe even exists. I may call on you for assistance during that time. I need you to respond without questions and come immediately.”

Frowning, I tilt my head at the Mayor. “Is this being dangerous?”

“Oh, extremely, but not to us. They have a vested interest in the Hollow and its residents. This is more like a… planned inspection. Our town is one of their greatest interests for a variety of reasons,” Nelia says carefully.

She’s choosing each word specifically to ensure I don’t have a vision triggered by a slip-up; that’s unlike our forthright mayor.

“I was sent here by my Mistress and her acolytes to serve them and the Society at your leisure, Mayor. If you have a need of me that will not test my fealty to my oaths, I will do whatever is necessary.”

“Excellent,” she says, standing up and gathering all the formal documents regarding the trial. Zareb yawns and stretches behind her, finally pushing to his paws and giving me a narrowed gaze. “I will send for you when it is time. Now, Zareb and I are late and I fear my consorts are going to beverycranky when we get home. We missed dinner yet again.”

“Have a good evening, Mayor,” I say as I turn to walk up the stairs. I’ll have to take the long way around to my car, but I don’t want to share the ride up with them.

I’m definitely not stupid enough to get into an elevator with a hungry lion.

Week Five

Sugarplum is about as nervous as a preacher in a cathouse.

Her lawyer called Teddy a few days after the trial and dropped the bomb that he’d traced one their leads to a computer on State U’s campus. After a heated discussion abouthowhe knew Jackson Thorn and an evenmoreheated session involving ceiling hooks, we all agreed to drive up to campus. For most of us, State U is our alma mater, and asking some idiot P.I. to take care of this would be silly.

Except Jolene has been a wreck since we made that decision.

She hasn’t broken down or camped out in a blanket fort or anything, but I canfeelthe change in her aura. Something at the university is making her upset, and since she has told none of us, I can’t help her. At least, I can’t help her without violating her trust, and I don’t do that to people. Being able to access and ease others’ emotions is a gift and burden, but unlike many of my kind, I don’t choose to abuse it.

It just feels slimy and I don’t like it.

When I tune back into the conversation in the borrowed SUV, Teddy and my sugarplum are bickering about how he knows Thorn—again. Prez and Doyle are enjoying the hell out of her calling the judge to the carpet about his bookie business, and I smile to myself. As if any of them lack secrets about illicit behavior—Teddy should call Haggerty out about his pool and poker hustles or Prez about his days as a bare-knuckle boxer at Swallowtail. Not to mention Jolene’s jaunt with her Guardian in Southeast Asia…

But instead of pointing that out, I reply to Prez’ taunt. “Ew. No thanks. Though if you smelled like fish, Teddy, it might make Jekyll and Hyde like you better.”

The argument swings to Haggerty and Prez taking potshots at one another, so I turn to watch as our girl strokes her fingers over the python that stays wrapped around her most of the time. Once again, Jolene named her companion without checking to see what gender it was, but we’ve all grown used to her eccentricities. She seems off—lost in thought when she isn’t trying to keep the peace between all of the personalities in the car.

“Did Jax happen to specifywherethis computer is when you were having your chat with him, Teddy?”

I chuckle as he tries to explain what Jackson and Eli told him, finally giving in when he butchers the message. “Because the signal dead-ended at a VPN run through several onion routers bouncing from country to country like a ping-pong ball. At least, that’s what Eli said. I only understand about thirty percent of that, but it’s why he couldn’t pinpoint a building to check first.”

Teddy reaches over to ruffle my hair fondly and gives me a brilliant smile, flashing those white teeth and lush lips. For a second, I feel my heart jump and my chest tightens with worry. “Good job, pup,” he rumbles.

It makes my dick jump as well because I’m an absolute sucker for praise from a dominant.

I should probably keep that to myself.

Sugarplum arches a brow at me, and I flush bright red. “Yes, I agree. He’s beensucha good boy lately.”

Biting my lower lip, I flop back into my seat as I try not to let the two of them see the evidence of my reaction. Prez simply smirks at me, tucking me against his side and whispering into my mind. Itdefinitelydoesn’t help my situation, but at least he’s not outing me to Teddy just yet. The miles tick by quietly for a few moments and while I get myself under control, I watch our girl.

She’s distracted, drifting off in thought, and the frown that keeps appearing worries me. “Sugarplum, you’re awfully quiet.”

My hand lands on her arm, and the snake readjusts as Jolene jumps in surprise. “I… I don’t have fond memories of my time here. It’s why I finished all my upper grad degrees online.”

“Have a bad professor, magpie? A nightmare roomie, perhaps?” Prez asks. When his question puts a furrow in her brow, I grab the Twizzlers from our snack bag and hand them to him, hoping to distract his attention.

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