Touch (Denazen #1)(77)

When I opened my eyes, Mercy was back to a forty-something-year-old woman with mousey hair and a way-too-tight pink bikini. I was right. It was getting easier. Like a muscle needing to be conditioned. All these years I was afraid to mimic because of the effect it had on my body, and it could have been avoided. I could have been living it up all this time.

I jumped to my feet and was out the door, locking it behind me before she came to. Even if she yelled and pounded on the door for the rest of the night, the chances of someone hearing her over the music were slim.

With Mercy out of the way, I had to figure out how to find Kale and my mom. I also needed to find Fin. I had no clue what his gift was, but he was obviously important. I debated shifting back to myself, but for the moment, I was less noticeable as Alex.

With the dance floor full now, crammed like veal into a small wooden box, it was hard to see across the room. I pushed and shoved my way through, trying to see over the crowd. No sign of Alex. I hoped he’d tucked himself away somewhere—or better yet, left—but knowing him, the chances were slim.

“Dude, that’s not a costume,” a voice said from behind me. I turned to see Dax smiling, thrusting a beer into my hands. “I’ve been looking for you for days. Dez said you’d gone to Denazen?”

I smiled and shrugged, trying to walk away. The jig was up as soon as I opened my mouth.

Dax wasn’t having it. He grabbed my arm and spun me to face him. “What were you thinking, running off to Denazen? You did it for her, didn’t you?” Dax groaned and pulled me off the dance floor. I may have had Alex’s body but not his coordination. “I thought you were over her.”

I shook him off. “I don’t have time for this now.”

Dax hesitated for a moment, but let go of my arm. “It won’t work,” he called.

I didn’t look back.

I searched the entire first floor and didn’t see any sign of Kale. By the time I’d reached the second floor, I starting to get worried. I found a dark corner and shook off the mimic. If Alex didn’t know what my mom looked like, the chances of her seeking him out were probably nil.

People yelled and hooted as I passed in my skimpy white tank top and tan short shorts, trying to get my attention. Want to dance? Need a drink? Head to the back room with me! I ignored them all.

When rounding the back corner on the second level, I caught site of Kale making his way out of the crowd. I was relieved to see he hadn’t been picked off by one of my dad’s goons. Calling out to him would be pointless. I didn’t want to draw attention to myself, and he wouldn’t have heard me above the music anyway, so I simply followed. I got right about to the edge of the crowd when I realized there was someone else following him. The blonde girl stayed far enough back not to be noticed, but she was definitely following. Kale veered off into a hallway past the restrooms. The girl followed. I brought up the rear.

Kale neared the end of the hall.

And just as he lifted his hand to open a door at the other end, the girl must have called out to him, because he stopped and turned. I sped up.

The two, lost in conversation, didn’t see me approaching. “Kale, don’t move.” I called, starting to run. He didn’t hear me. Arm extended, he reached for her and it was at that moment she looked up.

Or rather, I looked up.

I forced my feet to move faster, trying to drive my voice above the music the entire way. “Kale! Stop!” Inches. That’s all that separated their hands. Inches. And the distance was closing fast. “She’s not me!”

“Stay where you are. I don’t want to hurt you,” my imposter said, turning to me.

I laughed—I couldn’t help it. “You don’t want to hurt me? Do you have any idea who I—”

“Dez?” Kale looked from her to me, understanding flashing in his eyes. Then horror. He’d almost accidentally killed my Mom.

“What happened? Where’s Fin?” I asked, while at the same time, the other me said in a truly horrified voice, “Kale? It’s really you?”

Kale took another step away from her. “Who did you think I was?”

She was pale and her voice shook a little when she spoke. “They told me there was another shifter here—a traitor. They brought him here for termination. I was told they’d instructed him to look like you. They gave me a picture of her”—she pointed to me—“and said to engage you in conversation. That the shifter knew this face.” She looked around. “There was supposed to be someone here to apprehend you. They—”

She was speaking fast, not coming up for air, but Kale interrupted her. “It’s okay Sue, this is—”

“Cross is here to capture two new Sixes. If he finds you, you’ll never get another chance at freedom.”

He stepped back, giving her an impossibly wide berth, and grabbed my hand. Her jaw—well mine—fell open. “Sue, this is Deznee Cross. Your daughter.”





30


She said nothing at first, only stood there, blinking. When she did speak, it wasn’t what I’d hoped to hear.

“You’re—a Six?” she asked, horrified.

“I’m a Six. I can mimic, like you—only a little different.”

If possible, she turned even whiter. “He told me you were a Nix—that you had no abilities,” she breathed, turning away. “I thought you were safe!”