Naomi Roberts lives in Germany and has been waiting for a chance to study abroad. Now she has finally received a scholarship for a semester in Maine. When her overprotective grandmother suddenly claims that Naomi will soon be transformed into a panther, like her great-grandmother Romina, Naomi dismisses it as a final and desperate attempt to keep her from leaving.
Having arrived in Maine, Naomi enjoys her student life with new friends and her first love, Roman. Even though she begins to sleepwalk, cannot shake the feeling of being watched, and feels magically drawn to a mysterious clearing in the woods, she never thinks about her grandma’s prophecy. Until her first transformation. And Naomi is not the only shape-shifter around, which not only exposes her to mortal danger, but Roman as well.
Due to reader feedback, the text was edited by Claudia Rapp – 01 October 2013 – I hope you will enjoy reading the revised edition of the novel.
Part 1 of the series – approx. 255 print pages – 57.133 words
Sample:
Her heartbeat became louder, and was pounding now against her temples. She could hear her blood rush through her veins. Yet she continued walking, for Roman’s sake. Until she finally stood before the hotel entrance, which, contrary to her fearful expectations, offered enough space to step inside. She heard the voices of the other guests. Music came swirling from the inside, and blended with the noise inside her head. Step by painful step, she forced herself to enter the brightly lit hotel foyer; the room was threatening to crushed her.
Roman greeted a group of guests at the bar with a nod. Naomi hesitated. She just couldn’t go any further. Her feet seemed as heavy as lead. She looked for an exit. An arrow designated the way to the rest rooms. They were next to the entrance. The voices and noise in her head prevented her from thinking clearly. She only wanted to get out. Away from all the people, away from everything, even away from Roman. She stood still.
Roman turned to her. “Is everything really alright?”
Her insides screamed that it wasn’t. Absolutely nothing was right. She heard herself say Roman should lead the way to the bar, and order a glass of wine for her. She’d be with him in a couple of minutes. Apologetically, Naomi pointed to the sign leading to the restrooms, handed Roman her trench coat and hurried to the door. She stopped and turned back to Roman. He smiled at her before he turned away and headed for the bar. A new group of guests entered the hotel, flocked to the bar and obstructed her view of Roman. Naomi followed the sign down a narrow hallway to the rest rooms. The hallway looked suffocating and far too narrow for her to pass through. In desperation, she turned around again looking for Roman, who was standing at the bar with his back to her, before she stormed out of the hotel into the open.
