Good question. Maybe you could tell me?
Why are you here?
I love a nice dose of electric current in my body.
What were you looking for?
Answers.
Well. Raquel gave him a thin-lipped smile. So am I. Her communicator buzzed. Relief flashed across her face as she read the message. Looking up, she nodded at her mirror image. Tomorrow, then.
She turned and started down the hall with Jacques. I was still staring at Lend-as-Raquel, watching his real face beneath hers. I could almost pick out features now. He stuck his tongue out at me and, before I could stop myself, I giggled. It was too ridiculous coming from Raquels face.
Raquel barked from down the hall. Evie! Now! Giving Lend-as-Raquel a final glare, I ran to catch up. They found Denise, shes fine. And Fehl got back, too. I dont want you talking to that thing until we know what it is and why its here.
No way, I thought. Okay, I said.
What do you see when you look at it?
I dont know. At first I couldnt really see anything, I could just tell there was someone under your face. But when hes not wearing anyone, its likeI cant catch onto anything. I was getting better, though, staring at him in there. His eyes are the only things I can really focus on. Other than that its like a silhouette or a clear shadow orI dont knowa person made out of water and a hint of light.
Im going to call in some researchers. First we find out what he is, then we find out what he wants.
I shrugged, feigning nonchalance. Cool, whatever.
You should be in bed. Her voice was stern. Youd think the whole not-having-a-mother thing, or the whole being six-freaking-teen years old, would get me off the hook for bedtimes. But no. And dont forget your class tomorrow.
Fine. But if any more alarms go off, Im going to ignore them instead of saving the day.
She heaved a give me vampires and gremlins over pouty teenagers any day sigh and waved as she turned off down another hall.
After heating up some milk for hot chocolate, I curled up with a blanket on my couch. My mind was racing too much to sleep. Today had been weird. And for something to be weird in my day, its downright freaky. I popped in another movie and let my mind glaze over. The light from the screen flickered hypnotically. I didnt notice the light coming from behind me.
Come and dance with me, my love. His voice was like the color goldbright and sparkling with the promise of warmth. So much warmth. I smiled, closing my eyes and letting myself be pulled up off the couch and into an embrace. He rested his cheek against mine and the heat spread out, through my face and then down my neck, inching toward my heart. My heart, he whispered. I nodded against his cheek. His heart.
My vid screen beeped, jarring me out of the trance. I jumped back and shoved Reth off me. The heat slowly drifted away from my heart. It had been close. Too close.
Reth looked disappointed. He held out his arms. I swore. What is your freaking problem? Get out!
Now!
Evelyn. His voice was a magnet with his warmth still in me. I leaned forward against my will.
No! Ripping myself away from the pull, I ran to the partition dividing the TV room from the kitchen and grabbed my communicator. Get out. I glared, my hand over the panic button. His beautiful face fell. I wanted to comfort him. Closing my eyes, I lowered my finger. Out. Now.
I could see the light of a door from behind my eyelids and waited until it faded to open them again.
Reth was gone.
I went over to my vid screen and turned it on. What good are freaking palm-coded locks when faeries can make their own doors any time they want to! I shouted at Lish. Her green eyes widened in surprise and concern. I took a deep breath. It wasnt her fault. Thanks for the interruption, I added.
Reth?
Yeah. Can you file a report for me?
Yes, of course. We will try to make his instructions more explicit.
I shook my head. He always found a way around them. My guess was when they told him to go get me today he applied it as a blanket statement rather than a simple onetime retrieval command.
What did you need?
She looked embarrassed. I wanted to ask about the disturbance. I will talk to you tomorrow.
Yeah, Im kind of exhausted. Ill come visit and tell you everything, okay?
Do you want to spend the night here? When I first came to the Center and had bad dreams, I would drag my blanket and pillow in and sleep on the floor next to Lishs aquarium. Shed tell me stories until I fell asleep. I was tempted, but felt too silly about not being able to spend the night alone because of a stupid faerie.
Ill be okay. I forced a smile. Thanks, though. Good night, Lish.
The mermaids eyes smiled, and the vid screen went blank. I plopped back down on the couch. Reth had been so close. Again. Andworst of allpart of me wished that we hadnt been interrupted.
But I had learned the hard way with faeries. Its all about possession and taking advantage, and, unlike human boys on all the TV shows, they arent in it for sex. They couldnt care less about that.
They want your heart, your soul. I was never giving mine back to Reth.
Deciding that hadnt stopped the ache of missing him, though.
I spent the rest of the night wide awake, wrapped in three blankets and freezing. When the clock read 4 A.M. I gave up. I got dressed in my warmest clothes and walked to Containment. Lend was curled up asleep on the floor. I sat against the wall and watched, fascinated, as his body flicked through identities the way I click through channels. After maybe an hour he went into his strange water-and-light state. I was so tired I could barely focus my eyes at alland suddenly I could see him. It was like once I stopped trying so hard to look, he was just there. He actually had hair and normal featurescute even, if he had pigment. Even more surprising, he didnt look much older than me.
After a moment his eyes opened and met mine. Color flooded through himhe was wearing me again. The eyes were still flickering, trying to find the right shade.
What are you? I whispered.
What are you?
Offended, I frowned. Human.
Funny, me, too.
No, youre not.
Funny, neither are you.
I set my jaw and glared. What a jerk. Why did you come here?
My voice came from his mouth, disconcerting as always. I could ask you the same thing. Are you going to kill me?
HAVE A BLEEP BLEEP DAY
"I no, thats not what IPCA does, I said. They dont kill paranormals, they
Lend raised a hand to stop me and sat up, large eyes narrowing. Are you going to kill me?
Why would I kill you?
After a moment he let out a deep breath. I dont think its you.
Whats not me?
Standing, he stretched. Did I mention how weird it was watching my body do this stuff? He even had the hair righta little messy this morning, since I hadnt bothered to brush it yet.
Can you please go back to normal? I wanted to look at him more now that I could see him better.
He smiled, flashing my perfect teeth at me. I had to go through three years of braces for that smile; no fair that he could copy it in a second. Normal? Whats that?
How you really look.
Can you take off all your clothes?
Okay, weirdest thing everI just asked myself to take off all my clothes. It doesnt get much creepier. Why on earth would I do that?
You asked me to be naked; I thought it was only fair.
I just meant stop wearing me. Be yourself. But yourself with clothes.
These are my clothes. But, if it bothers you. I melted off him and he grew a few inches. In my place was a teenage guy. Black hair, dark brown eyes, olive skin, and, oh yeah, absolutely gorgeous.
Like, belonged on one of the shows I loved so much gorgeous. Better? His voice had changed, deepened, and I wished I was talking with an actual teenage guy.
Definitely. I looked closer. Still Lend under there. Even the dark eyes didnt hide his water-colored ones; I could see him shimmering through.
This seems to be a popular one.
Yeah, I can imagine. Then I frowned, curious. What does your real voice sound like?
What makes you think this isnt it?
I think it would sound different. Softer. Like water. I realized how stupid that sounded, but his smile dropped off and he gave me a considering look.
If you didnt come here to kill me, why are you here, Evie?
Awkward. Here I was, no makeup, ratty hair, in front of the hottest teenage guy Id ever seen, fake or not. Why was I here? Its my job.
His smile returned, this time with the usual ironic twist to his lips. Oh. Your job. Quite the career for someone your age.
Youre not much older than me. Now that Id seen him better, I was sure of it. Corrupted mortals like vampires show their real bodies agesold and nastyunderneath. True immortals, like faeries, have eternal youth, but theres something different in their faces. All those years dont add lines; they smooth, like a piece of glass turned around forever on the ocean floor. No mortal has that polish. His face was neither old nor ageless.
The shift in his expression confirmed it. Ha! I smiled smugly. Im guessingfifteen. I went low on purpose.
He looked indignant. Seventeen.
See? You told the truth. That wasnt so bad, now, was it?
Lend shook his head, then sighed. Trouble.
You bet Im trouble, I countered with a smile. Sure, maybe I was flirting, a little. Could you blame me? The only guys I ever met were too old, half monsters, living corpses, or immortal creeps. At least Lend was close to my age, whatever else he was.
No, youre in trouble. He looked and I followed his eyes right to Raquel, who was not happy. At all. She finished crossing the hall and fixed a steely glare on me.
I was about to apologize, but then I rolled my eyes. What are you going to do, ground me? Maybe
I shouldnt have been so flip about it, but really. After the night I had, the last thing I wanted was a lecture.
Out. Now.
I walked past her, turning my head to glance back at Lend. He winked at me and I couldnt help but smile.
Instead of going to my room, I made my way to Central Processing. It was still early but thats another great thing about Lish: she doesnt sleep. I loved Central Processing. Unlike the rest of the
Center, it didnt look sterile. The entire room was a circle, with desks placed against the wall and everything based around Lishs gorgeous aquarium. About fifty feet in diameter, it was fifteen feet high and a perfect circle. They even managed to transplant a living coral reef, complete with tropical fish in the crystal blue water. Way better than my unit.