Untouched (Denazen #1.5)(20)

“What—”

The realization in his eyes sparked the same moment I let go. It was the first—and last—flicker of life I’d ever see there.

He screamed the entire way down, silenced finally with the sickening sound of impact.





12


“You have everything? Money? Directions?”

I kept my distance. I’d lost one glove during the chaos and was still feeling a little wound-up. Accidents could happen. Distance was the safest thing right now.

We’d left through the employee exit in the Master’s Chamber and followed the path to the main gate. Two blocks away, Dez used the first pay phone we came to—she had lost her cell again—to call home and let them know Kiernan would be along shortly.

Sue had gotten on the call, and I cringed. Even from several feet away, I could hear her yelling. I recognized that tone all too well. She and Dez were still getting to know each other, and even though Dez sometimes wondered, Sue worried about her. She always had and always would. Finding out we’d had an incident with Denazen agents didn’t make her happy.

Kiernan was still hesitant about the Sanctuary, but after seeing firsthand the lengths Denazen would go to get what they wanted, she was more than convinced life would be safer with us than on her own. At least for a little while. She was going on a trial basis with the promise that if things weren’t to her liking, she would leave without warning. Dez hadn’t seemed worried, convinced that once Kiernan set foot in the Sanctuary, she’d never want to leave.



We watched Kiernan pull the purple truck from her driveway and disappear down the road. Once she was out of sight, I turned to Dez, who was leaning against Ginger’s old car. She was frowning.

“What’s wrong?”

“He deserved it,” she said, her hand slipping into mine. “Stop feeling guilty.”

I didn’t know what to say. My mind was warring with my heart, concepts of right and wrong furiously battling for dominance inside my head. Dez could always tell when something was wrong—and she was right.

Sort of.

I did feel guilty…but not about what I’d done to Samsen. I should have, but I simply didn’t. It would have been easy to pull up and incapacitate him so we could get away. It would have been equally easy to render him unconscious and let Ginger handle him in a more humane way. Possibly law enforcement. But the truth was, I felt no real remorse. Worse than that, it made me happy to know he was gone. To know I’d finally won…

And I knew that was wrong.

She squeezed my hand. “Accidents happen, Kale. With only one glove, there wasn’t much you could do.”

Accident. She didn’t realize what I’d done. She’d seen me kill Denazen agents before. Watched as I purposefully touched their skin and they crumbled to dust. But this was different. I’d had another choice and had chosen to ignore it. What would she say if she knew the truth? Could she still claim I was a good person?

I wanted to tell her the truth about what I’d done, but the words wouldn’t come. Not all of them. “I’m not sorry that he’s dead, Dez. I don’t feel guilty about what happened to him; I feel guilty about the way it makes me feel. I feel…happy. Relieved.”



She sighed. “The things he did to you were horrible—and I’m sure you weren’t the only one he did them to. He wouldn’t have stopped. People like him—like my dad—they don’t ever stop. It’s okay to feel the way you do.”

She pulled her hand from mine and turned. We were face to face. Inches apart. With the lightest brush of her lips, she rested her forehead against mine. “It’s normal—human. But don’t let it eat away at you. I know you don’t believe me when I say it, but you’re a good person.”

I wasn’t a good person. Today, I’d proven that. If not to her, then to myself. But arguing wouldn’t do any good with Dez. The Kale she saw was pure and perfect, and I wanted it that way.

Needed it to stay that way.

I forced a smile and wrapped my arms around her shoulders. “I think next time I would prefer something different.”

“Different?”

“I don’t think amusement parks are really for me…”





Acknowledgements


As always, there are many people to thank. My village is amazing and I—as well as Dez and Kale—wouldn’t be here without them.

Thank you to my parents. For always letting me be me. It worked out in the end!

To my husband, Kevin, who has the patience of a saint. I promise, now that this is out, I’ll make you dinner…as long as I don’t forget…

And to my critique partners, who are quick to read as well as support.

A huge thank you to my editor, Liz, who not only keeps my comma fetish in check, but also has super hot-guy-eye. ahem—check the cover, peeps

My agent, Kevan, for her patience and continued support.

And last, but most definitely not least, the fans. It’s you that make this all worthwhile. For all your love and support, thank you.





Keep reading for sample chapters of

TOUCH

book one of the Denazen series by Jus Accardo

When a strange boy tumbles down a river embankment and lands at her feet, seventeen-year-old adrenaline junkie Deznee Cross snatches the opportunity to piss off her father by bringing the mysterious hottie with ice blue eyes home.