Darkened Shadows: The Call

By A. Watkins

Cameron Evans never had a typical childhood with the death of her mother, her father leaving at a young age, and the disappearance of her older brother Abraham. Everyone knew about her life’s story and everyone gossiped about it even now. After the death of her mother her step-father, Richard, being the only living person eligible to keep her adopted her and thus raised her until the events during her senior year of High School. The summer before Cameron's last school year she joined her friend Kelsey to a party that was said to be the party of the year. Little did Cameron know that night would be the start of a very up and down spiral in her life. It had been years since she had nightmares about her brother Abraham and years since she had spoken to her ex-boyfriend Adam whom on the night of the party brings terror to Cameron at which introduces Sawyer a male who unknowingly to Cameron was sent to protect her against the unknown creatures that were coming after her.

• Language: English
• Publisher: World Castle Publishing, LLC
• Release date: Aug 15, 2014
• ISBN: 9781629891316

A. Watkins

Amber Watkins began writing the Darkened Shadows series in her teens and has enjoyed writing her whole life. Darkened Shadows is very close to her heart and a story she will forever cherish. She also loves playing with her pets, reading, and being in the great outdoors.

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Darkened Shadows

The Call

by

A Watkins

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locations, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

WCP Logo 7

World Castle Publishing, LLC

Pensacola, Florida

Copyright © A. Watkins 2014

Smashwords Edition

Paperback ISBN: 9781955086011

eBook ISBN: 9781629891316

First Edition World Castle Publishing, LLC, August 15, 2014

http://www.worldcastlepublishing.com

Smashwords Licensing Notes

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in articles and reviews.

Cover: Karen Fuller

Editor: Katrina Haritos

Editor: Maxine Bringenberg

CHAPTER ONE

I just don’t understand. Why did it have to be her? Of all people! Danny said as he hurried to reach the two ahead of him.

And you’re sure this chick is going to be here? Shane asked, looking back at Danny. Sawyer, the serious one in the group, ignored both of them as they walked. When Sawyer didn’t reply, they both knew that the conversation was over. Walking side by side towards the loud music, they were silent as they headed towards the fire that finally came into view. The sun had just crested over the hills, and the teens were out on the prowl. The tallest of the three, Sawyer, pulled his hair back into a tie as they walked into the group of teens. It wasn’t something he enjoyed doing―going out into the middle of a bunch of humans when he knew he couldn’t handle his new title just yet―but he was told to find the girl. She needed protection. He was never told why.

Danny spoke to Shane as he glanced over at Sawyer. She’s here alright. I know Kelsey way too well. She’d drag Cameron to any party if she could, and this happens to be one of those parties.

As they passed through the group, each male glared at them, while the females were flirtatious and obviously interested. Shane sent a faint smile to a nearby female who turned with a giggle, but Sawyer’s eyes searched through the crowd.

There―there’s Kelsey! Danny pointed across the field to a tall blonde female dancing with a much shorter boy. Cameron can’t be far.

And there she was, sitting on the steps of a shed, the petite girl who was Sawyer’s purpose for being there.

CAMERON

The fire blew up higher and higher as I stared at it. The music was loud, very loud, but with the city so far away, nobody there would be able to hear it. Some kids danced around the fire, some leaned up against Old Benjamin Martin’s shed, drinking without thought, and some were even disappearing into the dark woods with their partners. I, on the other hand, was sitting on the stairs of the shed, trying to avoid anyone that I didn’t know. Of course, Kelsey, my best friend since the beginning of high school, was doing the opposite as she dragged drunken boys over to me.

Kelsey and I had met our freshman year in Mr. Smith’s English class. At the time, I had naturally good teeth and brilliantly clear eyesight, while she wore glasses and had braces. But by the end of her sophomore year, she’d completely changed; her braces came off, she got contacts, and, of course, she grew boobs.

It never seemed to fail with her, though. She was now the hot blonde who was known as a whore, and even though I wouldn’t tell her that out loud, I really didn’t think she would see it as an insult. Even she knew that by being with a new guy every week, she was earning her reputation. I personally didn’t see how she did it but to each their own.

I looked up at them with disgust when they reached me.

Come on, Cam! This party is amazing, and Carl here wants a dance! Kelsey yelled over the music, pushing one of the guys towards me. He winked at me as he put his arms out to grab me, but I quickly scooted down the stairs away from him, stood up, and left my Coke where I had been sitting.

How about no? I said, looking up at the woozy male who was so drunk his eyes were crossed. I’d rather sit alone and drown in the music. Thanks. I looked back to Kelsey, who shrugged. It would have been great to dance and have fun, but I had better things to do than to party hard and get high. The only reason I had come tonight was because Kelsey had guilted me into it with pleas of, What if something happened to me? I loved the girl to death and would have hated to have something bad happen to her, but sometimes I wished I could just have the guts to tell her no and stay at home where I was comfortable.

I stood there glancing around the woods. Everyone had seemed to move apart, letting three guys walk into the circle. Kelsey followed my glance before looking back at me and smirking, lifting her sharp eyebrows up and down. Let’s go meet them! She screeched, taking my hand and pulling me towards the guys, leaving her dance partner and Carl behind. I pulled against her, but her drunken grip was much stronger than my sober efforts.

Each of the newcomers looked at us oddly as Kelsey jumped in front of them. I looked down at the ground, rubbing my arm.

I―I don’t think we’ve seen you all around these parts…. Kelsey mumbled, leaning up against the tallest one with sandy-colored hair as she twirled her own hair with her middle and pointer finger. I quickly pulled her away from him. He didn’t seem fazed, but then he smirked towards me, pushing his hair from his face and showing off his strong cheekbones and pointed chin.

Sorry about her. She’s had a lot to drink tonight, I said, glaring at her. She gawked at me while rubbing her cheek as if I had slapped her.

You are one to say, Ms. Saint, she said, pushing me away with her pointer finger. Go home and make me some soup, mummy dearest―pah-lease. She then flipped her long blonde hair before turning her attention back to the tallest male. Don’t mind her. She’s just a bug…she’ll…she’ll fly away soon. She began to laugh at her own joke that no one else seemed to catch on to, then bent over and began to dry heave.

Come on, Kels. Let’s get you home. I began to pull her with me, but she turned to me and pushed me off, hard. I stared at her with surprise. Did it ever end where I got a thanks for helping her? No. She loved to party, she loved to do bad things, and yet here I was still trying to pull her butt out of a mess. Like embarrassing herself in front of the…well, rather cute boys.

Kelsey flipped her hair again straight across my face. A cough caught my attention, and I turned back to the guys to find Danny coming from amidst the trio. Other than Kelsey, Daniel had always been one of my closest friends. His mother and my stepfather were also close. I smiled at Danny, and with a breathless laugh, I said, Can you help me please?

He looked at Kelsey then. I think you need to go home, Kels. You look horrible, he said in his cute boy voice.

Kelsey bit the inside of her cheek, looking at Danny before she rolled her eyes. Be the one to ruin the fun, Camer-never-been-done. She laughed at her own joke again, but still, no one seemed to catch on. I stood there staring at her till I finally decided to leave. I looked at Danny again.

You’ll make sure she gets a ride? I asked. He nodded in response, catching Kelsey as she slumped forward to heave once again. I turned from the group and headed towards my Jeep.

I walked on till the fire was far behind me, and I was surrounded by darkness. It was scary walking out in the woods by myself, but it wasn’t far to where I’d parked my Jeep. I sighed, pulling my waves over my shoulder.

Pulling my jacket around me, I placed my hands into the pockets to warm them a little. As I walked, the shame began to slip in. I knew leaving Kelsey back there by herself was a bad idea. I was her ride home, and she was drunk…I felt like a horrible friend. What if Danny couldn’t find anyone else to take her home? I sighed again before turning around to head back to the party.

A voice echoed around the woods and straight to me as if on a breeze, stopping me midstride. Great, Adam was there. He was one of those guys who was a jerk and just wouldn’t stop even when you said no, get lost, or even drop dead. What made it better was that he was my ex-boyfriend. Trying my best to not look at him, I started to move my feet.

Hey, Cammy baby! He called over to me. I could hear the leaves under his feet crackle behind me. This made me move my feet even faster, almost in a jog, until he ran up behind me and wrapped his left hand around my waist. I pushed his arm away and turned slightly to him, just enough to see the glare of the moon that brightened his cheek. He wiped the side of his mouth and, at the same time, dropped the drink from his right hand. My eyes flicked back to where I was heading.

Get back to the party; get back to the party; get back to the party―I kept repeating the mantra in my head.

I am not your baby, I huffed and began to move my feet again. He followed right on my heels, throwing his arms crazily around him as if to get my attention, but I kept my eyes on the direction I was heading.

Come on, babe, he said as he followed me.

I’m not your babe either!

Come on, babe. We can settle this. Well, we could, if you would stop being a total bitch about it and listen to me. Things don’t have to be this way, babe, come on.

I increased my speed till he grabbed my arm and pulled me aside so he could face me.

Adam! I said, shoving him from me. Go away. I don’t want anything to do with you. I’m through with you and your stupid little mind games. Why can’t you get that?

He looked me straight in the eyes, his never blinking. I just had to open my big mouth, didn’t I? I glanced around the woods; would anyone hear me if I screamed?

Come with me, he said as his friends came up beside him, smiling at me.

Where had they come from?

I’m not going anywhere with you, I protested, trying not to look as I felt―scared.

Come with me, now. His brows furrowed as he took hold of my arm with an intense grip, one that I had never felt before.

I’ve had enough! Surprisingly, I was able to pull from his grasp and rushed toward my Jeep, completely forgetting about Kelsey. She would find a ride home―surely I wasn’t the only person there that she knew. Besides, Danny wasn’t one to leave a friend hanging. All I knew at that moment was that I needed to get away from Adam before something bad happened.

Leave me alone…. I mumbled over and over. I’d always known there was something weird about Adam, but lately, he’d been getting worse. He ran up next to me, brushing my hair off my shoulder. This is the last time I am telling you to get lost! I yelled. This time he grabbed me so quickly I didn’t even have a chance to blink. His hand slid up my neck, slowly, seductively, then pressed tightly against my pulse. S― I tried to speak, but it was too hard. His friends around him watched with smiling eyes like they knew what he was doing and why he was doing it.

I am so tired of tracking your ass, he spat. I watched him holding onto the tree he had me pushed up against. I tried to push myself from his grip so that I could breathe. Do you know how hard it is not to just kill you? So fragile, soft, warm…but no! He wants you for himself! I didn’t understand anything he said. Who wanted me? What kind of shit did I get myself into this time? My typical night was reading a good book and then watching some Oxygen, not going out to find myself in the middle of an ex-boyfriend beer fest.

Hey!

I looked over, clawing the tree, hoping I would slide from his grip soon. The sandy blond guy I had seen with Danny at the party ran up to us. I slowly realized that his friends were surrounding us, including Adam’s friends.

Let her go, Adam! The guy’s friend said. Sandy blond took hold of Adam’s arm, and Adam’s jaw clenched as he let go of my neck. I took in a deep breath as I dropped to the ground.

Cam, Cameron! Look at me.

I looked up as best I could, still trying to catch my breath. Danny! It was such a great relief to see him again. He picked me up in his arms without hesitation, looking at me worriedly. I’d never seen him so pale, especially considering how tan he was. I held onto him tightly, taking no chances of him dropping me.

Remember that time when you broke your ankle in the sixth grade after trying to race me around the field with the guys? Did I drop you then? He smirked.

Guys aren’t that graceful. I coughed, then looked over to find Adam and the other guy staring each other down. Hatred…hatred burned from within their stares.

"Are you okay? Seriously, you look awful. It’s a wonder I didn’t see it before. I would’ve taken both you and Kelsey home. The guys wouldn’t have minded,