Six-Sentence Sunday--Follow the fun! You can navigate to other six-sentence authors from the SSS website.  Better yet, follow and join the fun with your own six sentences!

Set up:  This snippet is from a WIP. In Book One of Shapeling Trilogy, I introduced Fawn Woods. In Book Two, she gets to tell her story. The Thirteen co-Princes have sent her on a mission to Cortez, Colorado to become caretaker to Zoe, a troubled seven year old girl, and housekeeper at Dream Catcher Ranch. Wade Spencer, the child's father and ranch owner, had expected the employment agency to send a matronly type, not a raven-haired beauty who looks like she should be on the cover of a romance novel. In this scene, he's just met her at the airport.

Wade led her to his decades old, rusty Ford pickup, and set her suitcases in the back. Sam, his ancient hound, sat stoically in the bed of the truck among a bale of hay, ropes of varying lengths, a tool chest, and several empty coke cans. When she reached to pet Sam, Wade warned, "Careful; he don't take well to strangers."

As if to make him a liar, Sam sidled over to the woman's hand and licked it like she was his best friend.

"Now, aren't you a sweetheart," she cooed, while Sam shivered and wagged his tail uncontrollably.

The dog actually cried when she turned to enter the cab.

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Set up: Fawn has just arrived at Dream Catcher Ranch to a strange reception.

The moment they stepped onto the wide porch of the two-storied ranch house, Eileen Porter, Wade's closest neighbor from three miles down the road, scurried through the door looking flustered. "She just started that yellin' when you drove up." Eileen looked beyond Wade to the new nanny, and her eyebrows almost hit her hairline.

Wade said, "Thank's Eileen. I appreciate you watching Zoe while I picked up Ms. Woods." He sighed, and thought, Looks like Zoe's gonna send Ms. Woods packin' sooner'n later.

"I'll call you this evening Wade and check on Zoe." Mrs. Porter gave another curious glance at Fawn before extending her hand and saying, "Pleased to meet ya."

Wade tipped his Stetson. "Excuse me, ladies. I'll leave you to get acquainted." He entered the house and heard Fawn say, "I'm Fawn Woods and I'm pleased to meet you, too, Mrs. Porter, but I should probably go with Wade to help with Zoe."

Halfway up the stairs Wade heard the screen door open and close.

Wade entered Zoe's bedroom to find her sitting in the middle of her pink princess bedspread shrieking like a banshee. She had her hands over her ears, shouting, "Make them stop talking to me. Make the voices stop."

He sat beside her and placed his arm around her thin shoulders. "Honey, it's okay. It's Daddy." She continued shrieking. "Make them stop! Make them stop!"

He glanced up to see Fawn standing in the doorway looking concerned. He shook his head, and said, "It may take some time for her to calm down."

Suddenly, Ms. Woods said sharply, "Zoe, I'm going to make the voices stop!"

Zoe paused in her shrieking.

Fawn said with quiet authority, "Voices, I command you to stop, NOW!"

Zoe studied Fawn and then said, "Okay, they stopped. Are you my new nanny? You're really pretty and so are your colors. I bet my daddy thinks you're pretty, too."

Wade's mouth went slack, but not because of the "pretty" comment. He'd never seen Zoe stop yelling so abruptly. He looked back at Fawn and narrowed his eyes.

Zoe jumped up, seemingly dismissing the two of them, and walked to her book shelves. Pulling out a book and sitting cross-legged on the floor, she started reading as if he and Fawn weren't in the room.

Set up: Roth Beowolf is transporting Rainey Childress to Egypt for her protection. She's not happy about it!

Roth moved his gaze from staring at emptiness outside the porthole of the jet, to Rainey seated across from him. She'd tilted her seat back and her head lolled to one side. Her deep breathing evidenced her exhaustion. He studied her face. In sleep, she looked young, innocent, and vulnerable; unlike the hellcat that had fought him earlier. He sighed and looked back out the porthole. The black night called to his animal instincts. To distract the desire of his body to shapeshift, he thought about their destination in Egypt.

Located two hundred miles southwest of Cairo, the town of Bawiti in the oasis of Bahariya, made him quirk a smile. He remembered a previous assignment as a camel with a Bedouin tribe. He had been sent to make sure a young man named Tahnoon Kahlifa arrived for his nuptials. The Thirteen co-Princes believed the marriage of Tahnoon to a girl he had been espoused to since childhood, would prove favorable to the human condition. However, the young man didn’t want to marry, and when he’d attempted to turn his camel around, Roth had steadfastly stayed on the path. The tenacity of the camel had unnerved the young bridegroom so much so that he’d decided his marriage was the will of Allah. Later, Roth had learned from the co-Princes that the marriage had turned out well.

He glanced at Rainey again, and then allowed himself to drift into sleep. A bank in the plane's direction roused him. He opened his eyes to a lovely pink glow rising in the eastern sky—and Rainey shooting arrows at him with her eyes.

"Good morning to you, too, Sunshine."

She looked away and stood. When she started to step into the aisle, he moved his leg to block her exit. She looked back at him and said acidly, "Do you think I’m going to commandeer the plane? I’m going to the bathroom."

He moved his leg back. "I just wanted to hear your sweet voice," he chuckled.

Rainey jerked past him and stalked down the aisle.

The pilot spoke over the speaker. "We’ll begin our descent in fifteen minutes."

Excerpt from Chapter Three

As the magnitude of the moment solidified in their hearts, a hush fell over the Fairies-on-Assignment. Jazmine had never felt as proud as she did at that moment. Her dream of visiting the human realm and carrying out an assignment from Boss-at-the-Top had finally been realized. The only thing left to do was succeed. “I can do this,” she whispered.

One by one, the Fairies-on-Assignment entered the raspberry portal. Jazmine was the last to enter. Turning for a last look at Teacher-Fairy, he winked at her. She nodded and flew into the unknown.

Thank you for visiting Sample Sunday! To read more about this sweet romance, go to the books page.

Six-Sentence Sunday--Follow the fun! You can navigate to other six-sentence authors from the SSS website.  Better yet, join the fun with your own six sentences!

For the time being, Perky's in cryogenics whether she likes it or not. This week, we get another peek at Roth. Ahhhh, I'm in love.

From: Shapeling Trilogy Book One: Roth: Protector

Roth glanced at the glow in the eastern sky. Soon the edge of the sun would appear. He smiled and walked the short distance to the Cave of Thirteen. At the exact moment the sun made its appearance, he stepped inside the cave lit by fire torches. Reverently, he approached the Thirteen and knelt, speaking the Prayer of Respect, "May the embers of truth always glow."

"Rise, Roth," commanded the Prominent Prince.

Thank you reading my snippet. It is VERY much appreciated!

Set up: Psychic Mariel Dorian is pondering the voice she keeps hearing in her mind.

After Mrs. Johnson left, I went to the kitchen to prepare dinner, still pondering the vision and impression that had distracted me earlier. In less than two weeks, the same soul had contacted me five times. In my mind's eye, I envisioned the vague outline of a man. He appeared neither old nor young, nor had he transitioned to the other side. He remained in this dimension, crying out; or rather, his soul was crying out to me for help. That concerned me. Rarely, did the soul of a living person call for help separate from its body. My grandmother said she had encountered the phenomena only once. For me, this was a first. People came and asked me for help while still in their bodies. Apparently, this soul had partially detached from its physicality. I couldn't imagine where to begin looking for the owner of this confused soul, but one thing remained certain, its cry was becoming stronger.

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Six-Sentence Sunday--Follow the fun! You can navigate to other six-sentence authors from the SSS website.  Better yet, join the fun with your own six sentences.

Instead of continuing Perky's interrogation of Wells Ashby, here's a snippet from my just released ebook and soon to be available paperback:
Shapeling Trilogy Book One: Roth: Protector

Set up:
Roth Beowolf is about to receive an important mission from his elders.

Roth soared high again, intent on reaching the Cave of Thirteen before sunrise. He arrived in record time. Gently landing and pulling his wings closed, he lowered his head and prayed to the Source, repeating the Prayer of Secrecy he had been taught as a child by his Guide. Before the last word in the prayer had been uttered, he no longer had wings or talons; he now stood tall on two feet, his raven hair long and whipped by the wind. Pale blue eyes that observed everything looked upward in a gesture of respect for the Source. Wearing only white linen breeches, he flexed and stretched his lean muscular form, feeling the rush that always accompanied a shapeshift.

A hearty thank you for reading my contribution! I look forward to Six-Sentence Sunday every week and appreciate your comments!