Birth of the Forbidden

In a world where knowledge is power, Sophia holds the key to something forbidden--a discovery that could reshape reality itself. As she fights to protect her research and evade those who would stop at nothing to control it, Sophia finds herself tangled in a web of intrigue, deception, and betrayal.

A race against time ensues, with Sophia searching for allies in the most unexpected places. Every decision has consequences, and the line between friend and enemy blurs as she uncovers shocking secrets and faces unimaginable dangers.

Birth of the Forbidden is a suspenseful tale of scientific ambition, moral dilemmas, and the power of one woman's relentless pursuit to unlock the mysteries of the universe. Can Sophia navigate the treacherous path she's chosen, or will her life's work be lost forever?

A woman lay on the metal
gurney, dressed in a white hospital gown, jet black hair drowned in sweat and
matted to her ashen face. Scientists surrounded the table, noting vitals and
monitoring her progress while ignoring pleas for an epidural. The men and women
scurried around the table, writing on their clipboards and checking her progress.

Her screams remained
unheard.

Above the room, Sophia
Collingsworth peered through the double paned glass at the test subject below, arms crossed tight across her chest. After months of preparation and tests and failures—deaths—a success. Finally, a success.

The first success since the
birth of a little girl fifteen years earlier. Fifteen years…

Sophia drew in a heavy,
silent sigh. Time to reminisce over that child has long since passed, and Sophia was not a woman to trudge down memory lane. No time to think about that right now. The agreement was never to think about it again, and if Sophia Collingsworth was anything, she was a woman of her word. Instead, the procedure below
required her full attention. One hour into labor—the tip of the iceberg. Not that she’d know by experience, but scientists knew those kinds of things and
Sophia was the best. The best in the state of Montana, the best in the country, among the best in the world. She possessed the certifications and recognitions, written the world-renowned publications to prove it.

This birth—as controversial
and morally questionable as it was—proved it.

The test subject shrieked,
so piercing Sophia considered the double pane glass with a studied glance. Shook her head. It wouldn’t break. A human scream didn’t carry the right decibel during normal, or even most abnormal, circumstances.

Another scream and blood
soaked the bottom half of the table. The scientists scurried to the foot of the table, surrounded the woman from the waist down. As they worked on the child,
Sophia’s eyes narrowed as she leaned forward, concentrating on the test subject’s chest. It didn’t appear to be moving.

She pushed the intercom
button. "The baby?"

The crowd at the foot of the
table dispersed a thin sheet covering the woman to the waist. One man held the
child high enough for Sophia to see from above. "Alive. A boy."

Good, good. "And the mother?"

He looked to a younger
scientist, a woman who’d join the projects just weeks earlier. The woman studied the monitor, glanced at the woman on the table and shook her head. The lead scientist nodded. "She didn’t make it."

A loss, not a complete
success with the test subject lost. But the death was a small price to pay for the child. "She knew the risks when she volunteered for the experiment. Is the infant’s breathing regular, vitals steady?"

"All healthy."

Sophia nodded and watched as
the baby reached for his dead mother. Impossible at seconds old. Crying for his mother, sure. Not reaching for her.

One little leg kicked the
scientist, who grunted. "You can’t tell me that hurt, Snyder."

"He is strong." The child cried louder, both arms flailing, reaching. "He wants his
mother."

Sophia let go of the button,
watched the child for a moment. Babies weren’t violent and yet this small male’s temper surpassed those possibilities. What could account for such behavior? Her mind circled as she pressed the button once more. "Put him
in with the other donor. The wolf."

Language: English

Number of Pages: 73 pages

Estimated Time to Read: 1 hour

Word Count: 10,713

Series & All Books in Series: Shadows (Veil of Secrecy, Dark Crossings, Revelations, & Birth of the Forbidden

Formats:ePub & Mobi

Devices:Kindle, Apple, & Android Devices, Nook & Kobo Readers, Computers

Delivery Time & Method: Instant delivery to domestic and international readers via the email address provided at check-out

Also available on:Amazon, Nook, Apple, Google Play, Smashwords