"Always."

"Sweet."

"Oh, yeah," she agreed. "Sweet."

Gently, reverently, I took tiny Rowena from Lorrie. So small she was, but in spirit and in potential, no smaller than any of us.

Holding her so that she faced away from me, I turned in a full circle.

Even if her eyes were as yet unfocused, perhaps she could see the room in which she had been born and see the people who had been present for her entry. Perhaps she wondered about them and about what waited beyond this room.

Turning with her, turning, I said, "Rowena, this is the world. This is your life. Prepare to be enchanted."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR.

DEAN KOONTZ, the author of many #1 New York Times bestseller; lives with his wife, Gerda, and their dog, Trixie, in southern California.

Correspondence for the author should be addressed to:

P.O. Box 9529 Newport Beach, California 92658

Berkley titles by Dean Koontz

THE EYES OF DARKNESS.

THE KEY TO MIDNIGHT.

MR. MURDER.

THE FUNHOUSE.

DRAGON TEARS.

SHADOWFIRES.

HIDEAWAY.

COLD FIRE.

THE HOUSE OF THUNDER.

THE VOICE OF THE NIGHT.

THE BAD PLACE.

THE SERVANTS OF TWILIGHT.

MIDNIGHT.

LIGHTNING.

THE MASK.

WATCHERS.

TWILIGHT EYES.

STRANGERS.

DEMON SEED.

PHANTOMS.

WHISPERS.

NIGHT CHILLS.

DARKFALL.

SHATTERED.

THE VISION.

THE FACE OF FEAR.