Dark Callings (Phoenix Intelligence Agency) (5 page)

He lowered his head, strolling over to his team. They stood on the floor in a circle below, watching. They nodded, parting to give him space. Lennox joined them.

“Allure is kicking you all’s butts at training,” Lennox said.

“Nice of you to join us, Lennox,” Tyr, one of the new Amazonian Warriors on their team, said.

Lennox observed the amusement on his face. “Wh—”

“Shh… Watch.”

Lennox returned his attention to the fighting agents. They came together in a clash of energy then a flurry of blows before they spiralled down to the ground. Seconds before they hit with the floor, they pushed off from each other, spinning back into the air. Allure turned to him. Cat-like, hazel-green eyes studied him, her expression sombre.

“Harmony,” he whispered, stunned to realise that it wasn’t Allure as he had assumed.

Harmony shifted her gaze, finishing her flip. Harmony raised her hand and blasted energy at the other agent. The ultimate control she had on her power was impressive. For her to be so new to her abilities and be able to wield so much was surprising. She would be a formidable opponent. The agent, a pyro, put up a shield of brimstone fire, making it rebound onto Harmony. That amount of power could hurt her. Lennox took a step forward but the sensation of steel surrounding him overcame him, stopping him in place.

“Don’t you dare!” Harmony lashed out.

Harmony met his gaze, and her eyes blazed fiercely. She returned her attention to the oncoming backlash. It hit her mid-chest. She moulded it, then with a boom it was sucked back into her body. Harmony and the agent bowed to each other then lowered to the floor. Some of the other agents surrounded them. Lennox stood back, watching the interaction. He’d known Harmony was attending the training but he’d had no idea she was taking part.

“She’s good. The soul of a warrior,” Tyr stated. For him, an Amazonian Warrior, to say such a thing about another race was the highest of compliments.

“She doesn’t have it in her to kill, if necessary,” Lennox stated abruptly.

“She might surprise you.”

Lennox didn’t correct him. He knew she would not—it was not in her nature. Harmony glared at him, then strode out of the room.

“Pebbles is pissed off at you,” Tyr said.

“I really need to see this Pebbles you all keep referring to.”

“Maybe when Harmony isn’t so pissed off at you, she can show you.”

Lennox scowled. “Get back to work.”

The agents dispersed. He followed behind them slowly. At Harmony’s office, he knocked then waited a few moments but got no response. Lennox’s frown deepened. He continued to his office then pushed open the door before he stepped in. Immediately he spotted the woman he had been seeking and quickly closed the distance between them.

“Don’t you ever do it again. A stunt like that is dangerous,” Lennox stated coldly.

“Don’t tell me what to do,” she snapped.

“I will ban you from training.” He lowered his tone.

“Use that voice on me again, and I will deck you,” she warned.

Lennox studied her, finally noticing that Harmony was shaking. The rage on her face was evident.

“What is wrong with you? Why are you so pissed off? I’m just trying to protect you.”

“You know what’s wrong with me.”

“If I did, I wouldn’t ask.”

Harmony closed her eyes then opened them. The hurt in them made his knees weak.

“How could you shut me out?” Her voice was raw.

Stupefied, Lennox stared at her. “You felt our connection?”

“I did. We’ve been connected since you were in Shadow World. And for you to cut me off as you did, then leave without a word—it hurt me, Lennox.”

Lennox thought about what she’d said. She was correct… He hadn’t known it had been so long.

“You know. How?”

“Yes, I know. I’ve had this awareness of you since I met you. But it wasn’t until after the first meeting we all had with Eve that I suspected what it truly was. Then it was solidified when you were gone in Shadow World. I felt you while you were there. Knew when you were in despair and had need. I soothed you. Did you never wonder why you slept so well, even though you wanted to be alert in case someone tried to hurt you? I watched over you on this plane while you slept. Protected you. You are mine, Lennox, and no one will hurt you on my watch. And you will not push me away again.” Harmony’s face was fierce.

His heart raced and fear filled him. “You should not have done such a thing, Harmony. You could have been…”

“Hurt? Don’t you get it? I would go to the end of the Earth and beyond for you.” She had poked her finger in his chest with each of her last few words.

He caught her finger, then slid his hand into hers, pulling it to their side. “Don’t make statements when you could not possibly know what they mean.”

“I know exactly what they mean, even if you try to convince yourself it’s better to deny me. You will have to make a decision. I’m your bond shadow, Lennox.”

The world stilled a moment as the consciousness he didn’t want to ever acknowledge came to being with her words.

“What have you done?” he whispered.

“Started what should have been since you found out. Now you’ll have to face it. Don’t be late for dinner tomorrow night.” Harmony jerked her hand away and walked around him.

The door clicked closed behind her. Lennox clenched his fist. Harmony, in her usual no-holds-barred way, had blown all his carefully constructed plans. Now they would both have to deal with her being his shadow match, whether they wanted to or not.

Chapter Three

Lennox said his goodbyes to the others, then retreated to the living room. He heard the murmur of voices as Harmony escorted them out, but couldn’t make out what they were saying. He paced in front of the window, his palms facing out behind his back.

He felt she was in the kitchen. His awareness of Harmony had heightened since her words. Her footsteps came towards him then went silent as she entered the carpeted living room. As she got closer, his nerve endings went on high alert. Harmony’s progression to him stopped.

“Ebony is spending the weekend with Aunty Storm. So if you want to talk this out, we can. Or you can go into hiding, as you have been.” She still sounded pissed off.

“The term ‘bond shadow’ is not one bandied about. Did you hear about it from the
Lexicon
?” Lennox asked.

“No. It only had about you all being as old as the
Maji
.”

“Then how would you know about such a thing?” Lennox turned to face her.

Harmony sat on one corner of the couch with her legs crossed under her. She held out a hand, saying, “Come and sit, Lennox.”

He did as she had bidden, sitting at the opposite end from her. Harmony’s smile was soft. She edged closer to him on the couch.

She spoke again. “I learnt it from your time in Shadow World. Sometimes I heard and felt as you did.”

Lennox glanced at her sharply. “What do you mean ‘sometimes’?”

“Just sometimes. Conversations you had with people about Blagden. It was in one of those conversations someone mentioned about a bond shadow. That’s what they called it. I was thinking it was a mate, but it’s much more, isn’t it?”

“Yes. The bond shadow doesn’t have to actually be a Shadower mate. It’s the one person whose shadow can merge with your own shadow. It takes an intense sexual exchange in which they share shadows. It will stabilise us. A relationship, marriage, or a mate bond isn’t necessary,” Lennox admitted.

“But more desirable, at least in my case. I want it all, Lennox,” Harmony stated.

“You don’t know what you want. You have no idea what being a bond shadow entails.”

“Then tell me,” she countered.

“Some don’t survive the bonding. I won’t do that to you. To Ebony. I won’t leave her motherless.”

“This isn’t about her or me. Come on. Say it. It won’t hurt you to,” Harmony teased.

He looked at her, exasperated. “This isn’t a joke. It’s very serious.”

Harmony’s face blanked, becoming sombre. “I know it isn’t. I’m very aware of what I am asking for. You’re worth it.”

“You don’t even know me. How can you know?”

“We’ve been practically in each other’s pockets since all this stuff with Eve started going down.”

“That’s not the same. We’ve never been on a date, gotten to know each other outside of work. None of that.”

“And whose fault is that? I’ve asked you to spend time together, but you always have an excuse to blow me off. Unless it’s around others, you avoid it.”

Lennox couldn’t fault what she was saying. He did avoid her in one-on-one situations, unless it was work related.

“Let’s go on a date and get to know each other. After a few dates, when you feel comfortable enough, we can do this bond shadow deal and move on—as a couple.”

“It’s not that easy. Didn’t you hear you might not survive the linking? Hell, we don’t even know if we’re compatible, much less attracted to each other.”

“Do you need me to stroke your ego and say you’re a sexy man?” Harmony slid her finger along his thigh.

His semi-hard cock went rigid. “You get that smart mouth from your aunt.”

“She taught me well. She did suggest I forgo conversation and just jump your bones, getting down to the good stuff.” Harmony smiled wickedly.

“You did not talk about sex and me with your aunt.”

“I did. Allure too. You’d better get used to it. We’re a close family.”

“I know. It’s good to see. And because of that, I won’t let you do this.” Lennox went to stand.

“Uh-uh. Tell me why you’re so hesitant about this bond shadow thing.” Harmony placed her hand on his thigh, stilling him.

“I feel the shadows beckoning me, ready to take me,” he whispered with raw emotion.

“What do you mean?” she demanded, shifting nearer.

Lennox resisted embracing her. If he started, he didn’t know if he would be able to stop until they were bond shadowed. He moved away a bit, then explained, “You trust me, and some in the agency do also. But by most other races, we’re treated as criminals—feared and hated more than even some of the least desirable races. It’s due to our power. They’re scared, yet envious. Very few beings could walk in any realm as a ghost, shifter, or a warlock all wrapped up in one. They know we are able to take power from the strongest of beings. They want that ability, but don’t know the repercussions of it. Walking so close to the shadows has a price.”

Harmony’s pulse pounded. Lennox’s expression was grim. Fear at what he would tell her filled her. Even as she braced herself for it, he said the words.

“Shadowers tend to have a short lifespan compared to most immortal creatures. The shadows call us to the shadow aspect. That’s what some speculate, since we don’t know for sure. Those who have reached the aspect can’t communicate. We sort of die. Not a true death—we start to fade in and out of the shadows without controlling it, and eventually vanish. None of us knows if they truly are gone, or if they’re just stuck in the shadows forever. At least, that’s what we assume. In my case, sometimes when I’ve been in the shadows, I’ve had a feeling as if there was something there with me, just beyond my reach. But when I try to see it, I can’t. I’ve been fighting for some time to keep on this plane.”

Harmony was staggered at the realisation that he was, in a form, dying. She had known a little about the disdain from other races. But hearing this, she realised he lived day to day with the knowledge that at any moment he could fade into the shadows never to return.

“If we do the bond shadow, will that save you?” She gripped his thigh.

“It would.”

“Let—”

He placed his finger over her lips, stilling her offer. “I won’t do that to you.”

She yanked his hand down and held it. “Stop being such an ass and accept my offer.”

He shook his head. She cupped the side of his face, meeting his gaze.

“I care what happens to you, Lennox. I don’t want you to fade into the shadows. Do this with me,” she begged.

Lennox studied her intently, then sighed. A triumphant feeling filled Harmony.

“We can try dating. Let things progress naturally. And if we are compatible, maybe I will consider letting us shadow bond. We’ll have to discuss it thoroughly before.”

“We can’t afford to wait.”

“We can’t not wait. I don’t want you or Ebony to be hurt.”

Warmth filled Harmony. “That right there—your caring for her and me—lets me know we will work.”

“You have such faith in me. I don’t deserve it.”

“Us. I believe in us. I will accept your terms, for now. But at the first sign that you are heading for the aspect, I will take the choice out of your hands,” she warned.

Lennox quirked an eyebrow, a small grin on his face.

“I can see you don’t believe. You’ll find out.” She shrugged, then continued, “So, we are a dating couple, and this is our first date.”

“No. I’ll take you out. Tomorrow morning, be ready at six a.m. Don’t eat breakfast. I’ll prepare something.”