Shiver (2 page)

“Kenzie?”

My head snapped up. It was Mom’s voice. I blinked.

“Kenzie? Are you okay?” Mom stood over me, a worried look
on
her face.

I glanced around the room. The lights were on. The TV blared in the background. I held the remote in my hand. Had I fallen asleep? Was it just another dream?

“Yeah,
I’
m fine.”

Only I wasn’
t. Not at all
.

*****

“Is your mom still threatening to send you to your grandma’s this summer?” Haley stretched her legs ou
t over my bed
. Light streamed inside
painting stripes on her pale, freckled legs.
It was Friday afternoon
,
and Haley had come over to help me get ready for my big date with Caleb.

I perused my closet for something to wear
. “Yeah, but it’s just a threat. We all know my mom isn’t one to follow through.”

Haley chuckled. “Yeah, I know. Like the time she grounded you to your room for two weeks and it only lasted two hours
?
”

“Or when she restricted me from using the phone, b
ut then she called from the salon
and I didn’t answer. That wasn’t the best plan.”
I pulled out a short black skirt
and assessed it
.

“You’re so lucky. Your mom is way cooler than my parents.”

I nodded. “Yeah, but at least your parents are around. My mom’s never home.”

“They’re around
,
but they’re always breathing down my neck. Trust me, you’re the lucky one.”

I thought of Haley’s big house and warm
family
,
and jealousy snaked around my heart
. I wouldn’t mind being smothered if it meant I would have a mom and dad who loved me. And I would give anything to live in a beautiful clean house with new furniture, instead of in a stinky, run-down rental decorated with mismatched thrift store finds.

“
I hope she doesn’t really send you. That will
totally suck. Then I’
ll
be alone all summer.”

“Y
ou won’t be alone. You’ll
have Derek.”

“Still.”

“Anyway, it will
be worse for m
e. I’ll
be the one stuck living with some religious nut I’ve only met like once in my life.”

“I know. What’s up with that? Why would your mom even want to send you to live with someone she can’t stand?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know. All I know is that I’m not leaving now that Caleb and I are finally going out. No way.”
I held up
a sparkly top. “What about this?”

She smiled. “Perfect.
It
will look so good with your blue eyes.”

Haley helped me straighten my thick blonde hair
with a flat iron
,
and then she headed home. The minute I finished my make-
up I heard a knock
. I slipped on a pair of black flats and flew down the hallway. When I opened the door, my heart sunk.

Caleb wore a pair of jeans and t-shirt. I squirmed. Clearly, I was overdressed.

“Wow. You look gorgeous.” A broad smile swept his face.

My cheeks warmed.
Okay, maybe it was alright.

“Where are we going?” I asked after getting in Caleb’s car.

“You’ll see.” He winked.

I settled into the seat, pulling my skirt down as it rode up my legs. A dark shadow played at the
edge of my vision
,
and
a
funny feeling nagged at the pit of my stomach. I turned my head but saw nothing. Scolding back the paranoid thoughts I faced forward. Why was I
so jumpy lately? It had to have been
because of the nightmares. I had no idea why they were increasing, but I wished they’d just
stop
.

“You okay?” Caleb re
ached over and squeezed my hand
.

I bit my lip and nodded. I had been waiting for this night for so long. No way was I messing it up.

“We’re gonna have so much fun tonight.” Caleb smiled, revealing his gleaming white teeth. For some reason his calm demeanor did nothing to settle my nerves.
The further we drove, the more uncomfortable I became
. Where was Caleb taking me? I took a deep breath and shifted in my seat.

When he parked in front of our destination I knew exactly what Caleb had planned. In fact, I had no idea why I was deluding myself with fantasies of a romantic date. I should have known this was what he would have in mind.

*****

The dark figure stood in the shadows watching as the two teenagers emerged from the car. A tingly feeling spread through his limbs. He’d been observing the girl her entire life. He kn
ew everything about her. Lately
he’d been taking more chances. He’d been following more closely, and becoming bolder.

He was ready to make his move. Pretty soon he would strike and the girl would be his.

The moment he’d been anticipating for years was finally here.

It was time.

Thank you for reading! If you have enjoyed this bonus short story for the Prowl Trilogy, I would really appreciate
it
if you could do a couple of things for me. First, it would b
e awesome if you could review the story
on Amazon, Goodreads, your blog and anywhere else you want!
Spread the word!
Second,
continue reading Kenzie’s story to find out what happened with Caleb and who the mysterious figure is. You can read the first two chapters by simply turning the page. All three books in the Prowl trilogy are now available in both paperback and e-book. Thanks again for taking the time to read this teaser. I appreciate my fans more than words can express!

Amber Garza

http://www.ambergarza.wordpress.com

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Amber-Garza-author

1 Peter 5:8 - Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

Chapter One

“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’m actually glad my mom’s sending me away for the summer. I can’t wait to get outta here.”

My best friend Haley sat next to me on the couch with her feet propped up on the coffee table as she painted her toenails bright pink. Haley wouldn’t dare do that if her mom were home. Haley’s mom was a total neat freak and she’d never let us do our nails in her house.  I glanced around at the spotless family room with its shiny furniture, which smelled like lemon, and the cream colored carpet striped with even vacuum lines. It was such a contrast to my own home. Haley didn’t realize how lucky she had it.

“Weren’t you totally freaking out about leaving yesterday?”

“Yeah.” I leaned back, blew my bangs off my forehead. “That was before I found out what a jerk Caleb was.”

“Cause he wanted to sleep with you?”

“Yeah, you should’ve seen him last night. He was all over me.”

Haley peered up at me, her curly red hair falling like a curtain over her eyes. “I don’t get it. That’s never bothered you before.” She put down the nail polish and wiggled her glossy toes.

“I guess I just thought Caleb was different. I thought he wanted more than just my body.”
She dropped her feet to the carpet, but I could see the outline of her footprints on the coffee table. “I’m sorry.”

I waved away her sympathy. Now, I felt silly. After all, I had a reputation to uphold. “It doesn’t matter. I’l
l spend the whole summer at my g
randma’s house in California and meet tons of guys.”

“Cute, tan California boys.” Haley frowned.  “Man, I am so jealous. You’re going to hang out on the beach while I’m stuck here in boring Washington.”

“My grandma doesn’t live anywhere near the beach.”

Haley raised her brows in a question. “I thought she lived in California.”

“There’s not a beach everywhere in California. She lives in Folsom, it’s close to Sacramento.”

“That makes me feel a little bit better. If I don’t get to hang out at the beach all summer you shouldn’t either.”

“Thanks. That’s very selfless of you,” I teased. “Besides, there’s no way you’d survive all summer on the beach. Your pale skin would burn so bad.”  I, on the other hand, was born to be a California girl with my blonde hair and blue eyes. A thought struck me.  “Hey, there is a lake near my grandma’s house though.”

“Ugh,” she groaned. “No fair. I’m going to be bored all summer and you’re going to meet some hot guy at the lake.”

I giggled, even though inside I knew the truth. I was done with boys. However, I couldn’t share that news with anyone. No one would understand. Everyone thought I was tough. I’d been pretending for so long I sometimes fooled myself. Honestly, I was tired of being used. I really liked Caleb and I thought he liked me too. But after last night it was clear that I’d been wrong. I could still smell his garlicky breath as he pushed up against me and feel the urgency of his touch as he forced his hands on me.  But it was his words that stung. “You’re nothing but a tease. I thought you were different.”

“That makes two of us,” I’d replied.

How stupid of me. Obviously he was only after one thing. I needed to go someplace where nobody knew me; where my reputation didn’t follow.

“I can’t believe you’re leaving for the whole summer,” Haley whined now.

“You’ve known about this for weeks.”

“I know, but I seriously thought you’d get out of it. I mean, come on. We’re almost seniors. We’re practically grown-ups. Your mom can’t tell you what to do anymore.”

“Really? Why don’t we ask your parents what they think of that?”

Haley’s eyes widened. Her parents were way stricter than my mom. 

“Anyway, you’ll have plenty of fun without me. You spend practically all your time with Derek anyway.”

“I do not.”

I narrowed my eyes.

“Okay, okay. I know. But still we’ve never spent the summer apart. Who will I talk with when Derek and I are in a fight?”

“Chelsea.”

“Chelsea? Seriously?”

“She’s your friend, isn’t she?”

Haley pursed her lips. “I guess. It’s just not the same.”

“I know.”  Haley and I had been inseparable since we were in seventh grade. I had just moved here and we quickly became friends. I thought she was the most beautiful girl I’d ever seen but everyone else teased her for being different. It’s funny because that’s what I liked about her. She signified a break from the tired pattern that had ruled my life.

“I just don’t understand why your mom insists on you leaving. Since when does she care what you do?”

She had a point. My mom was known for being pretty lax. Mom said the reason she was sending me away was so Grandma could talk some sense into me. Mom thought I was too wild or something, even though I was way tamer than most of my friends. Okay, other than Haley. I think Mom just wanted to get rid of me so she could spend all summer with her new boyfriend. She swore she didn’t have one. However, the cheesy grin on her face, and nonstop ringing of her cell told a different story.

Anyway, none of that mattered because I was ready to leave town. Maybe I’d even come back a new person.

When I returned home Mom sat at the grimy kitchen table with the phone pressed against her ear and giggled like a lovesick teenager. I didn’t even sound like that. I knew, because I worked hard at never sounding like my mom. In my opinion she always made a fool of herself. Something I never intended to do. 

The minute she saw me she whispered good-bye to her phantom caller and hung up. “Hey Mackenzie. Did you have fun at Haley’s?”

I nodded, making a beeline for the fridge. I passed the sink, overflowing with dirty dishes. The scent of rotting food lingered. After pulling out a can of soda, I turned to her. “What about you? Have fun talking to your new boy toy?”

Mom glared, the wrinkles around her heavily made-up eyes crinkling. “Look, I know you’re upset with me for sending you to Grandma’s for the summer, but that’s still no way to speak to me.”

I popped open the can and poured some liquid down my throat. “I’m actually not upset about that at all. I can’t wait to go.”

“Really?” Her eyebrows shot clear up to the darkened roots of her over-bleached hair.

“Yep. The sooner the better, actually.”

“What’s going on, Kenzie? Is this your way of punishing me? Acting like you can’t wait to get away from me?”