Tremble (Denazen #3)(40)
“A place called Denazen happened,” I spat without thinking. To most people, the name wouldn’t mean anything. The company made the news at the beginning of summer when the building burned down, but other than that, as far as the world was concerned, they were a simple law firm specializing in juvenile and divorce cases. This woman, though…this woman knew who they were. Her expression softened, but there was a distinct twitch in her right eyebrow. Fear. “They scrambled his brain,” I continued. “Turned him against his real family and friends.”
“So you’re the girlfriend?” she said with a sad smile. “One of the Supremacy children?”
A chill raced through me, chased by a healthy dose of fear. I stood, and to my surprise, Kale rose and stepped close. It was an unconscious gesture. I could tell because after he did it, he stopped and looked down at me, taking a step away, confused, as if he hadn’t been aware of his own actions.
She threw up her hands. “Please. I mean you no harm.”
“How do you know who I am—and more importantly, who are you?” At the mention of Denazen, she’d been afraid—but that didn’t necessarily make her an ally.
“I know who you are through Kale.”
“Who you’ve said you’d never met until we showed up on your doorstep,” I finished for her. “But then you said you thought something was wrong.” Shoulders squared, I narrowed my eyes and gave her my most intimidating stare. “You’re all over the place, lady. Make up your mind already because you’re making me dizzy.”
“Answer her questions,” Kale said, voice low. “Who are you? And how did you know something was wrong with me?”
“It’s true. I’ve never met Kale in person, but I know you from his memories. You were inside his head—and his heart.” She turned to Kale. “And I know you because my blood moves through your veins.”
“You’re a relative?” His eyes became impossibly wide and just a little bit hopeful, but I knew that wasn’t the case. Ginger was his only living relative. If there’d been someone else, she would have told us.
Then again, maybe not. This was Ginger.
The woman shook her head. “I’m sorry, no. But you are as you are because of me.” She stood and held out her hand to him. “I’m Penny Mills.”
16
I couldn’t speak. Now that she’d said it, I could see a faint resemblance to the picture Ginger had shown us at the cabin. The eyes were the same, and the shape of her face similar, but not much else. She’d obviously gone to great lengths to change her appearance.
“I can’t believe it,” I whispered, sinking back onto the couch. Kale took a seat beside me. “My friends are looking for you. Denazen is looking for you.”
“Yes, I’m quite popular, aren’t I?”
“But how have you stayed hidden? Denazen is looking under every rock in the country right now—and let’s face it, those guys have some pretty insane resources.”
“I’ve been extremely careful since parting ways with Denazen. I only managed to maintain my freedom because they believed me dead. It wasn’t until recently that they uncovered the truth about my survival. I’m afraid my carelessness in being discovered has led to the current predicament.”
“Current predicament? You mean the creation of a working trial of the new Supremacy? Domination?”
“Yes,” she said. “They used my blood to make it, but it’s not one hundred percent successful. People are still dying.”
“Exactly!” I exclaimed—but that still didn’t answer all our questions. If she didn’t stop being so cryptic I was likely to implode. “How do you know all this? Do you have contacts inside Denazen? You still haven’t said how you know Kale. The thing about your blood is a little vague…”
“Contacts inside Denazen?” She laughed. “How absurd! No, I have a special connection to the latest trial. Apparently, since my blood was used, I can communicate on a subliminal level with anyone given the new drug. That’s how I know Kale. It’s how he knew where to find me.”
“Wait,” Kale said, paling. “You’re saying I was given Domination? That’s impossible.”
“I’m afraid it’s true. I wouldn’t have been able to feel you otherwise. The drug was administered in late September. I knew you the moment it integrated with your system.”
“How many others are there besides Kale? Have you spoken to any?”
She looked at me as if I were insane. “Spoken to them? Of course not. Kale is the only one I’ve contacted.”
Holy crap. Getting information from her was like dragging an elephant out of a mouse hole. “You keep saying that. Contacted. What do you mean?”
“And why me?” he added. “Why contact me at all?”
“I’m what Denazen calls an empath. I feel the emotions of those physically close to me. When given the Supremacy drug, my ability became heightened. I was able to focus on a specific person—no matter where he or she was—and use my ability. In the case of those administered the new drug, the one that contains my blood, I found I didn’t need to try establishing a connection. It was automatic. I felt people involuntarily. I also found I could communicate with them while in a rested state.”