Tremble (Denazen #3)(85)
“No one deserves the things they’ve done to you. No one deserves to have someone he loves taken away. Cross knew I’d never leave Able behind—so he made sure Able stayed. I’ll never get my brother back. I’ve got no one now. Not really. Even if you never find your way back to her, I wanted you to know you’ll have me. I’ll stand with you.”
Acknowledgments
As always, a huge thank you to my family—my parents who are always supportive, and my brother for his computer wizardry. And to my saintly patient husband who is willing to forage for his own food when I get too wrapped up in work (which is most days).
My editors, Erica, a trusted friend and sounding board, and Liz, who continues to take chances on me, I’m eternally grateful.
A special thank you to Cathy Yardley for brainstorming titles with me. T is a lot harder than you’d think! And to Mary, JJ, and Marie for taking the time to share their thoughts and suggestions on the early drafts of this book.
For the hard work of my publicity team, Dani and Anjana, thank you. You guys are awesome and rock my socks ten times over.
Don’t miss Prophecy Girl by
Cecily White
Available online and in stores now!
Amelie Bennett. . . . Ending the world, one prophecy at a time.
I was born to slay Crossworld demons.
Big black flappy ones, little green squirmy ones. Unfortunately, the only thing getting slain these days is my social life. With my high school under attack, combat classes intensifying, and Academy instructors dropping right and left, I can barely get my homework done, let alone score a bondmate before prom.
Then he shows up.
Jackson Smith-Hailey. Unspeakably hot, hopelessly unattainable, and dangerous in all the right ways. Sure, he’s my trainer. And okay, maybe he hates me. Doesn’t mean I’ll ignore the wicked Guardian chemistry between us. It’s crazy! Every time I’m with him, my powers explode. Awesome, right?
Wrong.
Now my teachers think I’m the murderous Graymason destined to bring down our whole race of angelbloods. Everyone in New Orleans is hunting me. The people I trusted want me dead. Jack and I have five days to solve the murders, prevent a vampire uprising, and thwart the pesky prophecy foretelling his death by my hand. Shouldn’t be too difficult.
Getting it done without falling in love. . . that might take a miracle.
Chapter One:
The Beginning
(…five days earlier)
“I’m not going to the dance, so quit asking,” I announced, extending a hand to my best friend Lisa Anselmo. “Binoculars, please.”
Lisa yanked a pair of black, dual-tube goggles out of her backpack and handed them over with a calculated pout. Enough to tug the heartstrings, not enough to wreck the mascara.
“Amelie, it’s our senior year. We’ve been planning this forever.”
“You’ve been planning this—”
“We’ve been planning this,” she insisted. “Katie and I have our dresses and everything. Don’t you remember? We swore never to go to these things without each other.”
“That was second grade, Lisa.”
“Like that makes it okay to ditch a pinkie swear?”
Groaning, I stared through my goggles into the dimly lit, fish-scented night.
The evening had begun pretty normally. Well, normal for me, anyway. Out the window by midnight, encamped at New Orleans’ Commercial Street wharf by twelve thirty, scoping the area for demons by twelve thirty-three. Not that there were any demons to be found. Apart from an Irish setter who tried to hump Lisa’s leg, the only activity we’d seen was a drunken sorority girl stumbling along the water’s edge. She looked young. Nineteen, maybe twenty. Her green sequined minidress hung off one shoulder, dyed-blond hair in rumpled disarray. Obviously trashed.
Hmm. Why would a girl like that be wandering around here?
“Seriously, Amelie, a pinkie swear is a pinkie swear. It’s like BFF code. You of all people should know that.” Lisa glared at me, her frosted plum lips curled down at the corners. “And don’t give me any garbage about how you can’t get a date.”
“I didn’t say I couldn’t get a date,” I muttered, distracted. “I said I didn’t want a date. Now, can you zip it? We’re on a stakeout here.”
“What about Paul? He’d go with you.”
“Waterfall Paul? After the Jell-O shot incident? No, thanks.” I flipped the visor down to increase the power on my new night vision binoculars. (Okay, not mine, exactly. Borrowed. Certainly not stolen.)
“How about Zeke?”
“Beer-breath. And he wears skinny pants.”
“There’s always Matt,” she suggested hopefully. “He doesn’t drink.”
“Matt’s awesome. He’s also in love with you,” I reminded her.
Lisa flicked a handful of thick chestnut curls over her shoulder and gave a tolerant sigh. “I don’t understand why this is so hard. We’re Guardians.”
“We’re trainees.”
“Same diff. Every Guardian Channeler needs a Watcher. We’re supposed to bond with them, Ami. It’s like destiny or something. If our friendship means anything to you, you’ll do this for me.”