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ANGELA FELT HERSELF stirring to consciousness slowly. It was like rising through thick gel, the likes of which slowly leaked out of her eyes, nose, mouth, ears, and finally, her brain. The cottony, numbed feeling slowly went away as she broke the surface of consciousness like an underwater swimmer.
Of course, the knowledge that she was captive came to her. This seemed to be a game with the captors, waking her to taunt her. To test her while still in a stupor. So far, she managed to remember she was pretending to be Everly. It was utmost on her mind because protecting her sister was most important to her.
“Your sister’s coming, Everly,” the voice said. “Won’t it be nice to finally see her?”
She shook her head, trying to clear it of cobwebs.
“We’re going to hurt Angela. Reopen that scar she has on her head and see what went wrong.”
Her scar. Obviously the makeup was still in effect. It was supposed to be waterproof—but it was also supposed to wear off on its own.
None of them knew when.
“Of course, we may not need to open her up if you’d talk to us. Tell us when you started to feel the abilities. Was it when you reached adulthood? Adolescence? Had you ever expended them prior to that fateful day?”
She didn’t respond.
“Tell me, Everly. Was Angela aware of these powers within you? Did you ever talk about it?”
“She shouldn’t be giving us this much resistance.” A different voice said. “Attach the electrodes.”
Something was brought down over her head.
“Everly, I need an answer. Do you remember having the powers as a child?”
She held her tongue.
A searing pain exploded inside her head, setting off a siren. It was shut off abruptly, and she realized the siren was her scream. She stopped, her chest heaving with exertion.
The two people in the room were in the middle of an argument.
“The questions aren’t as important as the ramifications of damaging her brain! Angela was the one for pain and experimentation, not Everly.”
“Nonsense! We have her now. We have to get as much out of her as we can.”
“It won’t be long before we have Angela, too. We have to keep Everly safe until then. This is taking too much risk.”
There was a deep sigh. “Fine,” a voice snapped.
The familiar numb of drugs flooded her limbs. And when she dreamed, she dreamed of Zee.
* * * * *
GODDESS, ZEALISH HAD the most beautiful hair ever. Rich, thick, glossy. Carefully she brushed it out over the pillow.
“Angela?” A female voice came over the intercom. It sounded like Dr. Amanda, but she couldn’t be sure. She was still aware of being held captive in the hidden facilities of Crested Ute. Aware that she was in the midst of a dream. Waiting for that moment when she would get lost in the different reality.
“Yes?” Her voice was tentative, wondering which way the dream would go.
“It’s bath day for Zee. I don’t suppose you’d mind? I mean, I can always call one of the guys to do it, but he just seems calmer when you’re there.”
“I don’t mind,” she said.
“Excellent! Supplies will be in the cabinet at the end of the hallway. Just holler at the house computer if you need anything.”
“Will do,” Angela said. “But it should be fine.”
After all, it wasn’t her first time. She’d been there the first day when one of the guys bathed him and was well aware of how he’d rolled his eyes when she made him take more care with Zee. To not scrub so hard with the scrub brush. It may take a bit more time to rub the dirt from his skin than scrubbing did, but he wouldn’t end up tender afterward. After that, they’d just handed her the washrag. Apparently, they’d let Amanda assume they were still taking turns bathing their comrade, however. It was okay. She didn’t mind.
She headed down the hall to get the tub and towel, the soaps, the washcloths. Even from down the way, she could hear his whining when she left the room.
“Shh,” she soothed when she re-entered, closing the door behind her.
He stopped shifting in his sleep.
Huh. Crazy Xeno Sapien. Even after all this, he still believed she was his mate. Boy, would he be in for a rude awakening when he woke up.
Singing softly, she raised the bed slightly. She shoved a thick towel behind his back to catch any drips and then lowered his gown.
A soft rumble caught her attention. Did he purr? Yes. That’s exactly what the noise was. The giant Xeno Sapien was purring for her.
Must be a really good dream he was in. At least one of them was having a good time.
She whipped his hair into a type of man-bun since it had already been washed and brushed. She kept track of the schedule. It would be a shame not to care for such beautiful hair. He really was a lucky man. A gorgeous man.
But her heart broke, knowing he’d wake up soon and find out he still pined after Everly and that Everly was happily mated to Thane. Angela couldn’t really blame Zee for trying to mold her into the second best thing. She’d probably have tried to do the same herself.
She did do the same thing herself.
She was currently pretending to be Everly. Protecting her sister—her twin—from the experimentation that would befall her now that Crested Ute realized she had the psychic powers Angela could never quite attain.
She looked down at Zee’s naked body. The dark skin in a gloriously swirled myriad of colors, molded around perfectly sculpted muscles. Was he real? Or was this a memory? Or was it a dream?
Or...was it all a figment of her imagination? What if she’d never escaped? What if she was still in the same coma from when she was eighteen years old? With Everly dead in prison, Angela was unable to deal with her sister’s death, and she’d manifested this entire piece of her life.
God, she was pathetic.
“What’s going on with the lights?” The voice sounded like one of the Crested Ute officials.
Sure enough, there was a hissing and popping that sounded electrical.
“Drop the temperature.” A voice ordered. “She’s doing it.”
Ha. There was no way she could be doing it. If only they knew they had the wrong twin. It was the briefest thought—and then she returned to the dreams she loved best.
Zee.
