Dead Girl Dancing

I really should have been terrified, but now that I was just a whisper away from using my GEM, I grew braver. “Sure, I have a semi-automatic weapon hidden in my hands.”

He started for my hands, then realized I was mocking him and drew back with an expression I could only describe as embarrassment. “You’re not in a position to make jokes.”

“I’m not in a position to do much of anything.”

“So why the sarcasm when you should be begging for mercy?” He pursed his lips tight. “Don’t you realize what could happen to you?”

“Stuff happens. Like this book advised: The rock that rolls with the flow reaches its goal quickly. So why get all stressed out over something I have no control over?”

“That’s very odd advice. What sort of book is that from?”

“Bottom Feeders Rise to Stardom.”

“That’s an actual book?” He knelt down close to me. “Or are you joking again?”

“It’s a book, but it’s sort of dumb, more comedy than commonsense. I can’t recite poetry like you, but I do know my self-help books.”

“I thought you only read romance novels and poetry,” he said in a puzzled tone.

“People change.”

“But not this much. You look the same, but you move and talk like a different person.”

“Like I care?” I snapped, hoping to irritate him so much he’d leave. “If you aren’t going to let me go, get your ugly face out of here.”

Instead of getting mad, he laughed. “So you think I’m ugly?”

“Hideous. I can’t stand looking at you, so why don’t you leave?”

He ignored my request, moving to check his reflection in a mirror mounted on a cabinet, turning his head right, then left, quizzically. “This is a pleasant face. Nice eyes, straight nose and good bone structure. I doubt other girls would complain.”

“So kidnap another girl and let me go.”

He laughed again. “Did you think Gabe was ugly, too?”

“Not at first, but lies and duct tape are real turn-offs.”

Dyce turned from the table, studying me with a shiver-worthy intensity. “There’s something unusual about you that I can’t figure out. It’s tempting to change my plans and keep you longer.”

Keep me alive longer? Is that what he meant? I was all for staying alive, but running out of patience with this egotistical control freak and his obsessive talk about plans. What motivated him to hijack random bodies? Was he afraid of the unknown, a wacko psychopath, or did he just hate women? I was guessing number three because of his sick love-them-and-duct-tape-them routine.

“A penny for your thoughts, Sharayah,” he said softly.

“You wouldn’t like them.”

“Still, I’d like to know.”

“All I’m thinking is that I want to leave,” I said wearily. Should I try to calmly reason with him or would tears be more likely to work?

“It will all be over soon,” he added with a smile.

I did not like his smile. I did not like anything about him — especially the telltale glow shining from his hand. My gaze fixed on his hand as he reached up to push back a wet strand of hair, then followed it down to the table. Dyce idly drummed his fingers. The glowing seemed brighter now, a beacon drawing my gaze.

If only he would leave the room! I thought. Then I could send an SOS through the GEM. What had he meant when he said it would “be over soon”? If I didn’t use the GEM immediately, I might never get a chance.

“I have to go pee,” I announced, squirming for effect.

He scowled. “Can’t it wait?”

“No.”

“Nice try. You can manage on your own. The bathroom is right there.” He pointed to a door which I’d assumed was a closet.

I shifted slowly, placing my bound feet on the ground, then standing up. I bunny-hopped a few feet, then wobbled.

“Don’t fall—” Dyce jumped up to catch me.

“Nooooo!” I screamed as his Dark Lifer hands came toward me. “Stay away from me, Gabe!”

He stopped abruptly. “What did you call me?”

“Um … nothing.” Steadying myself against the wall, I avoided his gaze. “I’ll just hop over to the bathroom.”

“Wait. Why did you call me Gabe?” He blocked my way.

“A slip of the tongue.”

“It was more than that. What have you guessed, Sharayah?”

I faked confusion. “I don’t know what you mean. We only met yesterday.”

“You know better than that,” he said softly.

“I only know that my arms and legs hurt, I want out of here, and I need to pee.”

As I waited for him to answer, my gaze returned to the shiny patch on his hands. He caught my look, and glanced down and covered the shiny skin with his other hand.

“Who are you?” he demanded, sounding more confused than angry.

“That’s a stupid question,” I snapped. “You admitted to studying me for months, so you probably know me better than I do.”

“I’m not so sure anymore.”

He reached out toward my face with his arm — the one with the shiny patch — and I recoiled. “No! Don’t touch me!”

“Why not?” he asked, moving closer.

“I–I just don’t like being touched.”

“Or could it be you don’t like my touch?” he said, reaching out with both hands. “Tell me why.”

His palms hovered so close that my pulse raced with fear.

“No!” I cringed, turning away.

“I’m going to place both of my hands on you and keep them there, pressing down harder and harder until you tell me the truth. Just like this—”

At the touch of his palms, I screamed, “Keep your Dark Lifer hands off me!”

My words seemed to steal the air from the room. Instantly Gabe pulled his hands back and went silent. Overwhelmed, I collapsed on the bench.

Gabe crossed to the table, sitting in a chair with his arms bent and his head resting against his hands. He sat like this for at least five minutes. The only sound was my quick breathing and an occasional drop of sea water slipping from his shirt to the floor. I wanted to kick myself, but of course I couldn’t with my legs bound. I’d forgotten to act like Sharayah. Dumb, so dumb! I’d blundered big time. I’d thought that knowing his secret while he didn’t know mine would give me power. But maybe I was looking at this the wrong way. Maybe the truth, as the saying goes, could literally set me free.

As long as I mixed in a good amount of lying.

“Okay, I admit it,” I said. “I know what you are.”

He arched one dark brow, his expression like stone. “What do you know about Dark Lifers?”

“They’re renegade Temp Lifers but without energy from the other side, so their hands and fingernails are gray and glowing. I guessed that you sprayed on a tan to hide your glow.”

“How does a mere girl know this?” he demanded.

“My grandmother told me.”

“Your grandmother?” he repeated doubtfully. “I suppose you believe in the Big Bad Wolf and Humpty Dumpty, too.”

I didn’t appreciate his mocking tone. “FYI, my grandmother has an important job on the other side. And I know Dark Lifers are real because I’ve met one. He tried to hurt me, too, but I got rid of him.”

“Oh?” Gabe looked doubtful. “And how did you do that?”