Wake
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For my mom and for Eric—for the ridiculous amount of love and support they give me.
And to Jeff Bryan—for always letting me bounce ideas off him.
CONTENTS
Title Page
Copyright Notice
Dedication
Prologue: Ours
1. Midnight Swim
2. Capri
3. Pursued
4. Mother
5. Stargazing
6. Cornered
7. Picnic
8. The Cove
9. Lost
10. Hangover
11. Ravenous
12. Pearl’s
13. Rebellion
14. Revelations
15. Remember Me
16. The Dirty Gull
17. Falling
18. Discoveries
19. A Way Out
20. Coping
21. The Island
22. Confessions
23. Peace
24. Monsters
25. Poor Voyager
26. True Form
27. Helpless
28. Pact
Stay Tuned
Also by Amanda Hocking
About the Author
Copyright
PROLOGUE
Ours
Even over the sea, Thea could smell the blood on her. When she breathed in, it filled her with a familiar hunger that haunted her dreams. Except now it disgusted her, leaving a horrible taste in her mouth, because she knew where it came from.
“Is it done?” she asked. She stood on the rocky shore, staring over the sea, her back to her sister.
“You know it is,” Penn said. Although Penn was angry, her voice still kept its seductive edge, that alluring texture she could never completely erase. “No thanks to you.”
Thea glanced back over her shoulder at Penn. Even in the dull light of the moon, Penn’s black hair glistened, and her tanned skin seemed to glow. Fresh from eating, she looked even more beautiful than she had a few hours before.
A few droplets of blood splattered Thea’s clothes, but Penn had mostly been spared from it, except for her right hand. It was stained crimson up to her elbow.
Thea’s stomach rolled with both hunger and disgust, and she turned away again.
“Thea.” Penn sighed and walked over to her. “You know it had to be done.”
Thea didn’t say anything for a moment. She just listened to the way the ocean sang to her, the watersong calling for her.
“I know,” Thea said finally, hoping her words didn’t betray her true feelings. “But the timing is awful. We should’ve waited.”
“I couldn’t wait anymore,” Penn insisted, and Thea wasn’t sure if that was true or not. But Penn had made a decision, and Penn always got what she wanted.
“We don’t have much time.” Thea gestured to the moon, nearly full above them, then looked over at Penn.
“I know. But I already told you, I’ve had my eye on someone.” Penn smiled widely at her, showing her razor-sharp teeth. “And it won’t be long before she’s ours.”
ONE
Midnight Swim
The engine made a bizarre chugging sound, like a dying robot llama, followed by an ominous click-click. Then silence. Gemma turned the key harder, hoping that would somehow breathe life into the old Chevy, but it wouldn’t even chug anymore. The llama had died.