Toxic (Denazen #2)(72)

I tugged him around to the side of the building. Thankfully it was trash day, and the Dumpster had been emptied. When I was sure we were alone, I ran my hands through my hair, picturing the brown it’d been in the days just after Sumrun.

Kale reached out and fingered a small lock of hair. “That’s why your hair turned green last night. You can change it now.”

“You don’t seem surprised.”

He frowned. “It was green when you left last night. It was blonde with blue when I saw you this morning. As Alex so helpfully pointed out last night, you wouldn’t have had time to dye it.”

Um, duh. Of course he would have noticed. Which begged the question; who else had noticed? Everyone, of course. How could they not? Mom had asked outside the hotel last night. I ignored it and she’d let it drop, but she couldn’t have been the only one who’d noticed. It was green, for Christ’s sake. Seriously, what was wrong with me? I’d never been lacking in common sense before. Sure, it was a little odd no one had said anything, but I guessed with everything going on, changing hair color wasn’t the most immediate thing on their minds.

“It’s a little out of control, though, hence the green. I didn’t do that on purpose—it just happened.” I ran my hands through my hair again. Back to blonde and blue streaks. “It’s not limited to touch anymore. It works through visual. I see it, I can mimic it.”

“And you can’t control it?”

On the street across from the alley, a large truck passed, and I had to wait for it to get to the end of the road so Kale would be able to hear me. “I can do it when I want to—so far—but sometimes it happens when I’m not trying.”

“That could be bad.”

“Tell me about it.”

He was quiet for a moment, then frowned. “You can change parts of yourself?”

“You sound worried,” I said as the bell above Shaker’s door rang again. Even though we were around the corner, every time someone opened the door, the smell of pizza wafted out. It was making my mouth water.

“I like you the way you are.”

That brought a smile to my face. Old-school Kale. Simple and to the point. “I’m not changing, I promise. My clothes, on the other hand…” I checked to make sure the coast was still clear. A couple was passing in front of the alley, pizza box in hand. I wanted till they were gone, then grabbed a handful of my borrowed black sweatpants. The fabric got stiff and tightened to fit snug around my thigh. The pair of jeans I’d tried on at the beginning of summer. They did awesome things for my ass. “Much nicer, ya think? And it’s not just me I can change, either—I think.”

I laid my palm flat against his chest. It felt good to touch him, even if there was a layer of cloth between us. Closing my eyes, I pictured deep purple. I didn’t know if it would work, but it was worth a shot. When I opened my eyes, Kale’s long-sleeved T-shirt had changed color. It was also a bit more snug. This could have its uses.

“Plus major win—no more headaches or brain-blurring nausea!”

He smiled for a moment, but it didn’t last. “You didn’t want to tell me that your abilities had increased? What does this have to do with that other boy? Able.”

“Nothing,” I said. I’d started to believe Dad was telling the truth about Able’s poison, sort of, and that made me even less likely to tell Kale. I knew what he’d say and how he’d react.

I knew what he’d want to do.

“Then you haven’t told me what I wanted to know. There’s something going on, and it involves him.”

“He’s just another Denazen flunky that works for Dad. There’s nothing going on.”

“Dez…”

“You’re gonna have to trust me, Kale. I have everything under control.”

He backed up a bit and sighed. He wasn’t buying it, but let it go.

And I felt like the worst girlfriend in history.





27


When we finished everything on Ginger’s list, there was a note at the bottom that instructed us to be at Bella’s, the newly opened Italian bakery, at exactly five-oh-five. We were to sit at the fourth table from the door and order coffee. Ten minutes later, Mom and Dax settled across from us.

“Any trouble?” Mom asked, looking between Kale and me.

“Nada,” I answered. Reaching for the sugar with my left hand, I cringed.

Kale, never missing anything, saw. “I knew you hurt your shoulder last night.” He twisted in his seat, eyeing me.

“Just a pulled muscle. Nothing to call the paramedics over.”

Kale was going to argue, I could see it in the stubborn set of his jaw, but rescue came from the most unlikely source. Jade.

“So what’d we miss?” She pulled a chair from the next table and wedged it between Kale and Dax. Kiernan sat down next to Mom. They’d both changed clothes.

“We were just about to vote you off the island,” I said, stirring my coffee.

“You’ve got my vote,” Kiernan said enthusiastically, glaring at Jade.

Dax pulled out a blue slip of paper. Sliding it across the table to Kale, he said, “You and Jade are going to head to this address. Work on your control. Someone will be by to get you when it’s time to head to the party.”