In a few moments, the dog’s barks became whimpers, which soon gave way to nervous panting. It wasn’t long until Kudzu/Storm lay down and rolled over, angling for a belly rub, which his new family was more than happy to provide.

Zin turned to the Ogre. “I hate you,” she said, and she meant it with every bit of her being.

“You can hate me all you want,” he told her. “But you’ve just shown your loyalty by putting your orders ahead of your personal feelings. That kind of loyalty is rewarded … lieutenant.”

Then he reached forward with his chocolate-covered hand, and painted a fresh brown chevron on the sleeve of her uniform. Then he said something that put it all into focus for Zin, making her admire him almost as much as she hated him.

“I want you to remember what it took to push Kudzu into the living world,” the Chocolate Ogre told her, “because very soon, that’s exactly what you’ll be doing to Mary Hightower.”

PART FIVE
The Skinjacker Revelations

CHAPTER 25
Lair of the Cat Woman

When it came to memory, Mary’s observations didn’t hold true for skinjackers. Unlike Nick, Allie never forgot her last name. It was Johnson.

With such a common last name, however, locating her parents in Memphis was not an easy matter. Her parents names were Adam and Andrea, so naturally they chose A names for their daughters. There were ten Adams, two Andreas, and more than a hundred A. Johnsons in the Memphis phone book. She had already determined that both their cell phone numbers had been disconnected, so Allie would have to skinjack someone, and start making cold calls.

It had to be done by skinjacking—she already knew that. She didn’t know whether or not the “gravity” of home would apply here, but she didn’t want to take the chance. Showing up at her family’s new house and witnessing their lives moving forward without her might turn the ground to quicksand just as standing on her old doorstep had.