Untouched (Denazen #1.5)(17)

I tried to push forward, but my feet remained locked in place. I would remain immobile until Samsen wished me to move. “Let Dez go.”

He watched me for a moment, and it all came back. The small details. The kinds of games he liked to play. Pushing slowly, he’d poke. Little things at first, to prove he had power over me. Making me move where and when he wanted. Making me do things he wanted—even making me speak the words he wanted. But those simple things never lasted long.

Samsen grew bored easily.

Slowly, he shook his head and held out his hand. Dangling between his thumb and pointer finger was a small silver key. “You’re going to walk forward and unlock her cuffs. You’re not going to touch me or attempt to harm me in any way.”

I stepped forward and extended my own hand. He dropped the key into it. The cool metal was a shock to my skin.



“We’ll be okay,” I said to Dez, leaning close to unlock the cuffs. Her wrists were red and bruised and felt too warm under my fingers.

She leaned into me, heartbeat slightly quickened. “What’s he going to do?”

Samsen chuckled and patted her shoulder in mock comfort. “I’m not going to do anything—98 is.”

The look on Dez’s face was nothing compared to the feeling of icy dread in my gut.

“See, I screwed something up a few weeks ago. Something big. There was this hot little Six girl and I couldn’t help myself… Anyway, I won’t bore you with the details. Suffice it to say, Denazen wasn’t thrilled to have to clean up my mess. My only chance at redemption in Denazen’s eyes was to agree to come out here and haul in you and that little bitch.”

He began to pace. “But I have a problem. You made me look bad. Got me into a heap of trouble when you ran off. You owe me for that.” He stopped pacing and turned toward us. With a wink and a shuffle, he stepped forward and flicked Dez’s nose.

She flinched and a small noise escaped her lips.

He smiled and nodded to the steps. “Let’s get this show on the road. Move it. Up to the platform.”

I guided her toward the steps and was thankful when she began to climb on her own. If she fought it, I’d have no choice but to force her.

There was a way out of this. There had to be. I hadn’t endured years of torment to be rewarded with Dez, only to lose her. Surely life didn’t work that way. Give you what you want only to snap it away.

Once we were at the top, Samsen peered over the edge and smiled. “Be careful and hang on to her tight. It looks like it’s a long way down.”

“Samsen,” I whispered.



Dez tensed and tried to pull free, but my fingers involuntarily clamped down. She hissed in pain and tried to loosen my grip, but my limbs wouldn’t obey. The more I tried to let go, the tighter my grip became. I hadn’t begged for anything since I was seven. I made a vow never to again—but this was something entirely different.

“Please…”

“Tick tock, 98.”

“Samsen,” I tried again, even though I knew it wouldn’t do any good. He’d been unstable even before Denazen found him. They’d played on that aspect of his personality and made it a thousand times worse. There was no remorse or pity in his eyes. He had no soul. Denazen hadn’t stolen his humanity like it did with so many others—he’d never had it to begin with.

“Fair is fair,” he said, face serious. “You stole my credibility, so I get to take something from you.” He nodded once, then smiled. “Move her a little closer to the edge. Dangle a limb or something. Make it dramatic!”

Every muscle in my body rebelled, but it wasn’t enough. His voice was a command that couldn’t—wouldn’t—be ignored. This is why Samsen remained the only person I’d ever come in contact with who truly scared me. Because no matter how strong my own will was, he could take it away—even when Denazen couldn’t.

Fingers twitching, I pushed out, moving Dez to the edge of the platform.

“That guardrail looks a little rickety. You should probably give it a good kick. Get it out of the way.”

It didn’t need a kick. One nudge with the toe of my shoe was all it took. It came loose with a clatter, sailing through the air before hitting the ground, several pieces coming loose and bouncing away.

“Was there something you wanted to add, dear?” Samsen said with a sickly sweet smile. “Last words or a final declaration of love, perhaps?”



“If you kill me, my dad will be pissed,” Dez breathed. She was trembling slightly, still trying to shrink away from my grasp. Her Poker Face was gone. She was desperate. “You think you got spanked when you let Kale go? That’ll be nothing compared to this. They sent you to get us—not to kill us.”

Samsen backed up a step, frowning. It was too much to hope he’d trip and tumble over the edge. “You may be right… You’re part of that pet project of his. That Supremacy thing, right?”

“Yeah,” she said, voice shaking just a bit.

A disturbing smile slipped across his lips. A voice in my head begged, over and over, for him to stay silent. But he didn’t. He opened his mouth to speak and my heart stopped.

“Oh well.” He shrugged and waved to the ground with a flourish. “Push her over.”

“No!” I screamed…