Awakening (Book One of the Eklektos Series)

Chapter Three

Kali almost jumped out of her skin, but she managed to contain her reaction to a small jerk. Her head smacked against the wall and she winced but held back her cry. She looked at the man touching her wrist and saw that he literally melted into the shadows. His grip was tight on her, and she wondered if he thought she would run from him.

For some reason, she didn't really mind that he was still touching her. His hand had loosened somewhat when she had relaxed against the wall and now it was almost comforting, like an anchor. Without the contact, Kali might have wondered if he was even real. Watching the shadows clinging to him, a chill ran through her and seeped into her bones. But it was nothing new to her.

A long moment passed between them in silence, and Kali realised that she had been gazing at him. She blushed, and dropped her eyes, but the voice came again. Soft and deep, the man murmured "You are calmer than I would have expected." At her silence, a tinge of amusement trickled into the man's tone and he sighed "Tut, tut, little dove. Eavesdropping hardly suits you."

"Says the man skulking in the shadows." She muttered, flashing him a smile. She was met by silence and felt that the man was weighing her up. "How long have you been listening and watching without anyone knowing that you're there?" She continued quietly, her voice barely a whisper.

"Ah." He replied, the hint of amusement growing in his gentle voice. "Touché."

Kali smirked slightly, pleased with herself, but her smugness was short-lived. The man in the shadows suddenly gripped her wrist tighter and pulled her into the darkness with him. She heard him breathe an apology in her ear, and he covered her mouth. "I know this is difficult, but it would be better if you remained silent."

Her breath caught in her throat as he pressed her gently against the wall. His lips brushed her ear at his quiet warning, and Kali took a deep breath to steady herself. She had never been in such close proximity to a man and, even if he was practically invisible, he was a stranger. So why was her face was flushed, and why was her heart racing? She didn't feel uncomfortable even so close to him. Even in the darkness.

Kali could only look at him and she could feel his hesitation. "You...are not afraid." He stated, curiously. Kali didn't know why she wasn't; this situation should be unnerving in the least. But, with a small sigh, the man put something small in her hands and crushed them around it. A chill crept over her body and the first hint of fear gripped her. But the sensation evened out soon enough into something that felt like a cool breeze against her skin. It wasn't pleasant, but it was almost refreshing.

While the feeling took hold, the man was silent. Kali could feel his eyes on her and opened her mouth to ask what he was doing but he pressed a finger to her lips. Lightning crackled across her skin at his touch, and she gasped softly. He froze, looking down at her. Her eyes found his even though she could not see him. In that instant, time stopped.

"Don't move until I come back over to you." He suddenly whispered, and the moment was broken.

The man stepped out of the shadows towards Apollo, who had just rounded the corner, and they embraced like brothers. But Kali just took another deep breath and tried to control her trembling. What was the matter with her? She looked down at her hands and saw that they were shadowy. Even as she looked down at them, her eyes wouldn't quite focus.

Kali came back to her senses as Apollo fixed his glittering eyes on the man. Even in the middle of the room, the darkness would not release him. She couldn't get any kind of idea what he looked like. Not even his height was discernible. "When did you get here, Hades?"

"A few minutes ago, perhaps. Not long. I didn't think it wise to...interrupt." Hades said calmly, the shadows still masking his expression.

"You're getting sloppy, old friend." Apollo's eyes narrowed, and his voice took on a decidedly suspicious note. He was clearly testing the waters when he continued "When I heard a noise back here, I thought I would have to deal with some pesky mortal."