Toxic (Denazen #2)(13)

“It’s fine, Kale. Trust me.”

Jade, who still had that annoying smile plastered across her face, stepped forward again and shook Kale’s hand—without shriveling up and blowing away. “It’s very nice to finally meet you, Kale. I’ve been looking forward to this for months.”

He said nothing, only stared at her small hand clasped in his. An itch I hadn’t felt in a long time started worming in my gut. I was a bottle of soda that had just bounced down ten flights of stairs. Open me up, and I was going to explode. Ka-frigging-boom.

I wanted to wipe the smile from her face, but more than that, I wanted to pry their hands apart. Because they were still holding on to each other—something they should not be able to do.

Until this moment, there was only one human alive to ever touch Kale and live to talk. Me. Well, until a few minutes ago, anyway. Now Little Miss Sunshine comes along and just lays it on?

Forget not liking her. I freaking hated her.

She giggled and chewed the corner of her bottom lip—a move not many chicks could have pulled off without looking stupid. Unfortunately for girls everywhere, Jade nailed it. “You seem surprised.”

Kale didn’t answer. His hand was still attached to hers.

Okay, this was getting annoying. Someone had to step in because if they didn’t let go soon, there was a good chance I’d implode. Or start ripping limbs off. I turned to Ginger. “How can she touch him?”

“Jade is very special.” Ginger waved Mom over.

She had tears in her eyes and looked at Kale like he was some mythical creature she’d never seen before. “I’ve been waiting your whole life to do this.” There was another shock to my system as Mom wrapped her arms around Kale and squeezed—with the same result Jade had. Nothing.

After a few moments of stunned silence, Kale’s arms tightened, and he squeezed back. “How—”

Ginger wore a smug smile. “Jade is able to ground harmful gifts within an approximate fifteen-foot radius.”

“Plus I can do this.” Jade took the pen from Mom—thank God—and jammed it hard into her neck. For a moment, no one said a word. Tiny bits of plastic and droplets of ink trickled down her neck and fell to the floor. When she moved her hand, her annoyingly creamy skin was unmarred. No broken skin or red mark where the pen made contact.

Okay, so that was kind of cool. I was starting to feel a little inadequate. All I could do was mimic things—mostly small things—into something else. Apple to a pear. Dime to a penny. Ordinary paper to cash—all right, that came in kind of handy when eyeing a new pair of kicks. Sometimes I could mimic myself. I even did it to someone else—but that had been a disaster. Plus the whole thing came with a nasty, painful side effect.

“Jade is impervious to harm,” Ginger said. “But she also gives off an aura that stifles harmful gifts. The only drawback is that it has an individual, diminished effect.”

“Diminished effect?” Kale asked, looking at me. I knew exactly what he was thinking, because I was thinking it, too.

“Based on previous encounters, as long as Jade is near, she will restrain Kale’s gift and enable him to walk safely though a crowded room. The diminished effect comes into play on a person-to-person and encounter-to-encounter basis. The more physical contact an individual has with Kale, the less Jade’s aura affects them.” She turned to me, frowning. “This shouldn’t be an issue for most people.”

Kale looked a little pale. “So after a while, the aura won’t allow Dez to touch me at all?”

“That won’t happen.” Ginger looked from Jade to me. “We don’t think.”

Jade took his hand again and squeezed, and I had to bite my tongue to keep from saying something colorful. Kale chose that exact moment to look up. He blinked several times, then pulled his hand out of Jade’s with a look of apology. I couldn’t really blame him. To discover a way to have finally have the thing you’d always wanted had to have been overwhelming.

Still, as sick as it would have sounded out loud, I wished he’d paw my mom instead because I wasn’t thrilled with the shit-eating grin this chick wore whenever she looked at him.

Jade looked from him to me, rolled her eyes, and continued without missing a beat. “In the past, people who have essentially overdosed on my aura just need some space. After a day or so, it seems to work again just fine.”

“So what happens if someone overdoses on your aura? They’d touch Kale and, what, die?”

“I imagine it would be extremely painful before it came to that. Hopefully the person touching him would be smart enough to let go. His gift is very strong. Even I can feel it.” Jade giggled and flashed him a flirty smile. “It sort of tickles. I imagine anyone coming in contact with Kale’s skin is going to feel something. Even if it’s nothing more than a twinge.” With a smug grin, she said, “Keep it brief, and you should be fine.”

Every second we stood here with this bimbo, the room felt smaller and smaller.

Ginger turned to Mom. “Did you feel anything?”

Mom glanced at Kale and hesitated. He was statue still, waiting for her answer. If there was anyone besides me on earth that he would die before hurting, it was her. She’d raised him inside Denazen.

“I felt—something. But it wasn’t pain.” She rushed on. “More like a tingle. Similar to acupuncture needles.”