Sample Sunday: Fawn: Shapeling Trilogy Book Two: Master

This sample is from Book Two in the Shapeling Trilogy and it's part of the sequel to Book One.

Excerpt:

After Fawn left, Roth touched his lips to Rainey's ear. "Let's go home, Soiuer."

She turned her head and met his azure gaze. "I love it when you call me that."

"The term is only for you."

"I know that now, but the first time you said it, I went crazy not knowing the meaning. And you weren't any help. Every time I asked for the translation you got mad."

"That's because I was calling you my lover when I had no intention of making it a reality. I was very frustrated." He bent and whispered in her ear again, "Soiuer, let's go home and make sure neither of us are frustrated."

Rainey giggled and playfully pushed at her husband's chest. With a twinkle in her eyes, she said coyly, "Only if you shift into your shapeling form."

Roth tilted his head back and laughed. "Anything for you, love." He captured her face in his palms and planted his mouth on hers. A little sound escaped her throat as she leaned into his passionate kiss. Pulling back, she glanced self-consciously past him and into the lab. Jim grinned and gave her a thumbs-up sign.

Late that night, Roth returned from soaring over the forests surrounding the Childress estate. He landed at the open French doors of their balcony and spoke the Prayer of Secrecy, shifting from a Bald Eagle into his human form. He approached his sleeping wife, gazing fondly at her round belly under the covers.

A moan from Rainey brought his attention back to her face. She grimaced and turned her head back and forth on her pillow. Roth knew she was having the dream again. The only thing marring their happiness was her recurring dreams about the hieroglyphs from the Sacred Cave in Egypt.

According to Tahnoon, leader of the Bedouin tribe who had led them to the cave, the ancient etchings contained the secrets of sound.

Roth heard Rainey moan again and sat on the side of the bed, stroking her forehead. "Soiuer, it's okay. It's only a dream." Roth waited for her to awaken and thought about the translation of the hieroglyphs.

Amun, Lord of silence, without mother, without father, being everything, creates nothing. Mut, Lady of Heaven, without mother, without father, balances everything with a feather. Khonsu, great snake, son of Amun and Mut, fertilizes the cosmic egg with disharmony to create.

He trailed his fingers across her cheek. At first she had scoffed at the poetic words having relevance to anything. However, upon their return to the United States, the dreams had begun. She said the dreams were always similar; she was in a black void consumed by thought forms. At first, the thoughts passed slowly through her mind, but then began speeding up until she waited for the inevitable explosion because there was no release for them.

Roth continued stroking her forehead and she relaxed and opened her eyes. He bent and softly kissed her lips. "It's only a dream. I'm here."

He looked at the strange expression on her face. "What is it?"

With a quick intake of breath, she said, "I understand the dreams, Roth. I know the secrets of sound."