Chapter 2: The Hunt Begins
The word hung in the smoky air between them—bro—and for a second, Kyle’s flawless composure truly cracked. His eyes, wide and unblinking, dragged from Blake’s furious green ones, down the improbable leather-clad curves, and back up. He blinked rapidly, as if trying to clear a stubborn hallucination. The brunette he’d been talking to earlier had melted away, sensing drama.
“Blake?” The name was a breath, disbelieving. Then a laugh burst out of him, sharp and strained. “No. No way. This is a joke. You’re… you’re a cousin or something. A sister. This is insane.”
“The drug, Kyle! The fucking silver liquid! Cogni-whatever-the-hell!” Bella’s voice cracked, the high pitch making her sound hysterical even to her own ears. She gestured wildly at herself, the movement making her chest wobble traumatically. “You said it was a perspective shift! You said I’d wake up back in my life! What is this?”
Kyle’s initial shock was cooling, solidifying into something more calculating. He leaned back against the bar, his eyes now performing a slow, thorough inventory. The disbelief was being replaced by a dawning, predatory fascination. “Holy shit,” he murmured, almost to himself. “It actually worked. He wasn’t lying.”
“Fix it!”
“I can’t.” Kyle held up his hands, a picture of reasonable helplessness. “It’s somatic. Temporary, but it has to run its course. Twenty-four hours, maybe thirty-six. You’re just gonna have to ride it out, bro.”
“Don’t call me bro!” She wanted to scream, but it came out a strained hiss. “I look like a… a video game character! I can’t go home like this!”
A sly grin touched Kyle’s lips. “So don’t go home. Look…” He moved closer, dropping his voice. The scent of his cologne, something expensive and woody, cut through the bar stench. It was unnervingly familiar, a touchstone from her old life. His hand came up, not touching her, but hovering near her elbow. A gesture of guidance. Of possession. “You said you wanted to know what it was like. To be the prize. Well, congrats. You just won the genetic lottery. Look around.”
Against her will, she did. The earlier, scattered glances had consolidated. Men at the bar were openly staring. A group near the jukebox were nodding in their direction. The attention was a physical pressure, a spotlight that was equal parts terrifying and electrifying.
“This is a nightmare,” she whispered.
“It’s data,” Kyle corrected smoothly. “And yeah, the packaging is… extreme. But the mission doesn’t change. You wanted to score. So let’s score.” His eyes lit up. “I’ve got it! Just because you’re a hot chick now doesn’t mean the goalposts moved. We just need a different playbook. We need to find some sexy, open-minded bi girls. A duo. You get your experience, I get mine. Everyone wins.”
The sheer audacity of it left her speechless. He was already pivoting, treating her apocalyptic transformation as a quirky new wingman strategy. Her protest died in her throat. What was the alternative? Sit in the bathroom and sob for 24 hours? The anger was still there, a hot coal in her gut, but it was being smothered by a wave of helpless practicality. And underneath that, a treacherous, curiosity was sparking. What would it be like?
“This is deranged,” she muttered.
“It’s adaptive.” His hand finally settled on the small of her back. The touch was a brand through the thin leather. It was meant to steer her, but it sent a confusing jolt through her system—a flinch, followed by a shudder that wasn’t entirely revulsion. “C’mon. Let’s work the room. And for God’s sake, try to walk like you’ve worn heels before. You’re wobbling like a baby deer.”
He propelled her into the crowd. The Rusty Bolt seemed to have grown denser, a jungle of groping hands and loud laughter. Kyle’s tall form carved a path, his hand a firm guide on her back. She was acutely aware of everything: the sway of her hips she couldn’t control, the brush of her own thighs against each other, the crushing weight on her chest that made her feel top-heavy and precarious. Every passing glance, every leer, felt like a small violation. Yet, with Kyle as a shield, it also felt… safe. Dangerous, but contained.
“There,” Kyle murmured, his lips close to her ear. His breath was warm. “Two o’clock.Corner booth. Perfect.”
Bella followed his gaze. Two women sat in a crescent-shaped booth, a nest of empty shot glasses between them. One had dark, choppy hair and an easy smile, laughing at something her friend said. The other was a ginger with sharp bangs and animated hands, telling a story. They were both cute, dressed in the kind of casually cool clothes Bella, in her old life, would have spent weeks mentally working up the courage to approach. Rachel was gorgeous and Bella was immediately attracted, if he could have her while in his male body he’d marry her on the spot.
“The brunette is Jade. The redhead is Rachel. I’ve seen them here before. They’re fun.” Kyle’s assessment was clinical.“Ready? Just follow my lead. And smile. You look like you’re headed to a firing squad.”
He didn’t wait for an answer. They were at the booth in seconds.
“Ladies,” Kyle said, his voice shifting into its practiced, charming register. “Seeing you two from across the room was the highlight of this thoroughly mediocre beer. I’m Kyle. This is Bella.” He said the name without a flicker of irony, as if he’d known her for years.
Bella felt a fresh jolt of betrayal at the name. Bella. It was ridiculous. Frilly.
Jade, the dark-haired one, looked up with a friendly, slightly tipsy smile. Rachel’s sharp green eyes scanned Kyle, approvingly, then landed on Bella. Her gaze was more assessing, lingering on the leather dress and the glasses.
“Hi,” Jade said. “I like your dress.”
“Thanks,” Bella heard herself say. The voice still startled her. It sounded soft. Pleasant.
“You two together?” Rachel asked directly, a teasing lilt in her voice as she gestured a finger between Kyle and Bella.
Kyle laughed, a rich, dismissive sound. “Bella? God, no. She’s my best friend’s little sister. Just keeping her out of trouble tonight.” The lie was seamless, building a backstory with a single sentence. It also neatly boxed her into a role: off-limits, yet under his protection. “Mind if we join you? Your booth looks significantly more fun than standing at the bar.”
Jade slid over instantly. Rachel’s eyes sparked with interest. “Only if you’re buying the next round,” Rachel said, a challenge in her smile.
Kyle snapped his fingers. “Done.” He slid in next to Jade, forcing Bella to slide in beside Rachel. The booth was tight. Bella’s leg pressed against Rachel’s from knee to thigh. The contact was immediate, electric. She stiffened.
“So, Bella,” Rachel said, turning toward her. She had a faint spray of freckles across her nose. “Where’s your brother, then? Letting this one babysit?” She jerked a thumb at Kyle, who was already ordering a round of tequila shots from a passing waitress.
“Uh… out of town,” Bella stammered, her mind racing. She could feel the heat of Rachel’s leg through both their clothes.
“Lucky you,” Rachel winked. “Escaped supervision. You in school?”
“Grad school. Physics,” Bella said automatically, then winced. It was Blake’s life, his answer.
Rachel’s eyebrows shot up. “No shit? A sexy little brainiac. I love it.” She said it with a grin, nudging Bella’s shoulder with her own. The compliment, delivered so casually, hit Bella in a strange place. It wasn’t like a guy’s blunt approval. It felt… different. Warmer. More disarming.
The shots arrived. Kyle raised his. “To new friends,” he toasted, his eyes holding Jade’s. “And more interesting conversations than starfish tattoos.”
They downed the shots. The tequila was a fireball in Bella’s new, smaller system. It bloomed in her chest, warming the cold knot of panic. Rachel immediately flagged the waitress for another round.
“So, Kyle,” Jade said, playing with the edge of a coaster. “What’s your deal?”
“I’m in pharmaceutical sales. It’s boring. I’d rather hear about you.” He was a master, turning the focus back, making them feel fascinating.
Bella watched, detached, as Kyle worked. This was his natural habitat. She was just… set dressing. The second round of shots arrived. Rachel pressed one into Bella’s hand. “Catch up, brainiac. You’re thinking too hard. I can see the gears grinding behind those cute glasses.”
They drank again. The room developed a soft, hazy edge. The incessant buzz of her own anxiety began to dull. The press of Rachel’s leg was no longer an alarm; it was just a fact, a point of grounding warmth.
“You two would make a stupidly hot couple, you know,” Rachel announced suddenly, gesturing between Kyle and Bella. Her words were slightly slurred. “I’m just saying. Look at you. It’s, like, aesthetically perfect. Opposites attract. Tall blonde dude, tiny brunette bombshell with a PhD. It’s a movie poster.”
Jade giggled, but her smile seemed to tighten slightly. “Rach, don’t be weird.”
“I’m not! I’m a connoisseur of vibes.” Rachel leaned into Bella, her voice a conspiratorial whisper that carried. “He’s totally into you. I can tell. The way he looks at you when you’re not looking.”
Bella’s stomach twisted. She glanced at Kyle. He was shaking his head, laughing, playing the modest role. “Rachel, please. She’s practically family. You’re gonna scare her off.”
But his denial felt performative. And the way he’d looked at her in the bar… it hadn’t been brotherly.
“I think,” Rachel said, her gaze locking onto Bella’s, “that everyone needs to relax. We need more shots. And then…” She grinned, a wild, promising glint in her eye. “My place isn’t far. I have a killer sound system. And something a little stronger than tequila. If you’re all brave enough.”
The offer hung in the air, thick with implication. Jade looked unsure but game. Kyle’s expression was one of polite interest, but Bella saw the flicker of triumph in his eyes. The plan was accelerating.
Bella felt the world narrowing to this booth, to the heat of the alcohol, the pressure of Rachel’s leg, and the expectant looks on three faces waiting for her answer. She was drowning in the fiction, her own protests muffled by the soft, smiling face of the beautiful stranger she’d become. The mission, absurd as it was, was in motion.
She took a shaky breath. The leather dress creaked softly.
“Okay,” Bella heard herself say.