Here's another Zodiac Shifters story coming your way!!

A collection of books with an astrological spin on love. From Aries to Virgo… discover all-new tales of paranormal romance and urban fantasy.

Zodiac Shifters features New York Times, USA Today, and other bestselling authors. Each month expect new releases based upon the twelve astrology signs.

Pisces – Artist, Dreamer, Romantic

Out of the Ashes by Julia Mills

Meet the Guardian of the Zodiac and their companions the Dragon Guard of the Sea! Lost and thought dead, these mighty dragons arise from the depths to not only help to save all mankind but reunite with others of their kind.

The mission is simple – get into the enemy camp, free the humans, return the demons to Hell and return home the victor. For a Daughter of Poseidon and her constant companion, Drákon – a centuries old water dragon, that’s called a good day at work.

Everything is going as planned. Una, eldest daughter and Guardian of Pisces, has checked one and two off her list, and is headed to three when things get complicated. Brody Mason bows at her feet, pledging his allegiance to not only her but also, the gods and the Light. As a show of loyalty, he promises to take her to the portal from Hell and with his own blood help her close the door on the Underworld. This one act will rid the world of evil forever. There’s only one problem…he’s a Hellhound.

It doesn’t matter that Drákon doesn’t believe him, fearing it yet another trick of Hades to deter them from their mission or that there’s fire in his eyes and the smell of brimstone on his olive skin, she can feel the truth in his words. It also doesn’t hurt that with just one glance he sets her heart ablaze and her pulse racing. Not that this is about love or lust, it is all about saving the Earth, protecting the humans, defeating her uncle’s evil…or is it?

One leap of faith leads Una and Brody on a race against time and facing the fight of their lives. Hiding from Poseidon, Hades and an army of Guardians led by her sister, Zoe, this couple may have the best intentions but in the end, isn’t that what paves the road to Hell?

Release date: Feb. 28th 2017

AMAZON | AMAZON UK | AMAZON CA | AMAZON AU

NOOK | KOBO | iBOOKS

Excerpt of Out of the Ashes

“They have invaded the entire western and southern borders. I fear the coast is next. I’m going to need you to go and help the humans with this battle. They are ill-equipped and just not strong enough to fight evil on such a widespread scale.”

Una looked at her father, Poseidon, the god of the sea, as hestood beside his periscope with a worried look. She’d never, in all the millennium since her birth, seen the great god anything but confident and unencumbered by the woes of the Earth and Her human population, but this was different and much more personal. She hated to see the deep lines feathering from his glowing blue eyes or the downturned expression emphasized by his thick white mustache and beard.

Family issues sucked, especially when you were a deity and your whims effected the world as everyone had come to know it. Hades, Una’s uncle and Poseidon’s older brother had caused trouble in the past but nothing so catastrophic or life how to order valium online no prescription threatening to the beings Una and her sisters had been charged with keeping watch over.

Named the Guardians of the Zodiac, the Daughters of Poseidon had long been protecting Earth and her humans from afar. Una could scarcely remember the last time her boots had walked the terra firma, smelled the sweet scents of the many blossoms and tasted of the bounty only the small blue and green planet had to offer. It had always been their directive to lend assistance from afar, never to cross paths with the humans and always remain the deities they were intended to be. Things had now changed. Una would be the first of her sisters to fight alongside the ever resilient race with the hopes of saving them from certain demise. The first to do what they’d been training for since they were old enough to hold their weapons.

Bowing, her bow at her side, the Guardian of Pisces asked, “When shall I leave? Shall I take Drákon?”

Without turning away from his view of the Earth, Poseidon nodded, “You will need to leave this night, my daughter. When the veil between our worlds is the thinnest. By all means, take the dragon with you. You will need the help.”

Breathing asigh of relief, Una called to her constant companion and training partner, Drákon, a centuries old sea dragon her father had given the power to change from his original form to that of a human man. “We’re a go. Put on that flesh suit you’re so fond of and meet me in a hour at the docks.”

“Hell yeah,” Drákon cheered, using the human vernacular he’d been studying for centuries. “Yippee ki yay…”

“Whoa, there cowboy,” Una smiled, glad she’d been paying attention when her companion read out loud. “That’s a good way to meet the pointy end of Dad’s trident.”

“Duly noted.” The ancient being was once again all business. “See you at the docks.”

Working hard not to chuckle and happier than she could admit to be leaving the pomp and circumstance of her father’s court, Una answered, “See you there.”

About the Author

Hey Y’all! I’m Julia Mills, the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of the Dragon Guard Series. I, without a doubt, admit to being a sarcastic, southern woman who would rather spend all day laughing than a minute crying. Living with my two most amazing daughters and a menagerie of animals, keeps me busy but I love telling a good story. Now, that I’ve decided to write the stories running through my brain, life is just a blast!

My beliefs are simple. A good book along with shoes, makeup, and purses will never let a girl down and no hero ever written will compare to my real-life hero, my dad! I’m a sucker for a happy ending and alpha men make me swoon.

I’m still working on my story but I promise it will contain as much love and laughter as I can pack into it! Now, go out there and create your own story!!! Dare to Dream! Have the Strength to Try EVERYTHING! Never Look Back!

I ABSOLUTELY adore stalkers so look me up on Facebook and sign up for my newsletter at JuliaMillsAuthor.com. Send me a message!

Thank you for reading my stories!!!

XOXO Julia

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For you history buffs out there, I thought I'd include some notes I used for the research I did when I wrote Midnight Savior – Book 5 of the Bonded By Blood Vampire Chronicles. Additionally, for those who don't know much about Jack the Ripper, I'll include a brief account of the Autumn of Terror and why this topic has been so fascinating to me through the years. WARNING: Some of the subject matter ahead borders on the gruesome to downright hideous. The Ripper murders were not pretty.

Whitechapel Murders: An Unsolved Case

The biggest draw for most people fascinated with Jack the Ripper – including myself – is the fact that over one-hundred years later, the case is still unsolved. Forensic evidence was just coming into use with police procedures and, if I did my research correctly, the Whitechapel murders were one of the first cases where photographs were taken of any evidence.

There were a lot of other murders through the years that have been loosely associated with the Ripper murders, but the five “canonical victims“, as they are called, are as follows with the date of their murders:

• Mary Ann Nichols – 31 Aug 1888 – Approx. Age 44
• Annie Chapman – 8 Sep 1888 – Age 47
• Elizabeth Stride – 30 Sep 1888 – Age 45
• Catherine Eddowes – 30 Sep 1888 – Age 46
• Mary Jane Kelly – 9 Nov 1888 – Approx. Age 25

In short, during the autumn months of 1888, which became known as the Autumn of Terror, women who lived and/or worked in the Whitechapel area were being targeted by the killer who was dubbed Jack the Ripper by the papers (mostly because of the infamous “Dear Boss” letter that was mailed to the press). All the women had two main characteristics in common: they were heavy drinkers and they were known to sell their bodies as a supplemental income to keep a roof over their heads or put food in their bellies.

At this time in history, and in this area of London known as the East End, this included a vast majority of the female population. Most anyone could have fallen prey to the Whitechapel Murderer. Alcohol was a common escape from the woes of poverty and eased the pain of their circumstances. People literally lived in stairwells or in crates in alleyways. Some people had enough money to rent a bed box for part of the day, which was frequenty shared with other tenants at other times of the day. Landlords took advantage of the space they had in ways that were not only unsanitary, but downright cruel.

Christabelle Williams – aka Davina reincarnated and heroine of Book 5 – was indeed poor, but she was better off than most women in her class because she had a respectable job as a laundress. Hard labor, for sure, but she made enough money to rent a one-room flat with Darla, her best friend and companion. The proximity of her location and her connection to Broderick is what puts her in the path of Jack the Ripper. Though Belle is no stranger to drink, she is lucky enough to have a good-paying skill so she doesn't have to prostitute herself. I know the conditions of her accommodations and the state of her world were pretty bleak, so I know some of the story was a bit dark. But that served its purpose as well and gave Broderick that much more reason to want to get Belle out of there and into a better life.

History Meets Fiction (Spoilers Ahead!)

If you're already familiar with my series, you may have noticed I included dates throughout Midnight Savior, which I don't usually do in my novels. The main reason was for those Ripper aficionados who might be tracking along with how my fictional events blended with the real-world events. Most authors should use everything that is put into a story. Although I could very well have just set the story in 1888 London and had the Whitechapel murders overshadow the the setting, I wanted them to be a key part of the storyline. Not only did I want the story to fall apart if the historical events were removed, I wanted Jack the Ripper to be a real threat to my heroine and hero, Broderick. A mere mortal would be no match for my vampire hero, which is why I made Jack the Ripper a vampire. And not just any vampire – one of the Ancients! Yes, I know…I put poor Rick through hell…again.

Real Life Characters Used in Midnight Savior

We already know Jack the Ripper was one of the main people in history I used in the story. But there were a few side characters who played roles with my fictional characters as part of the storyline.

• Thomas J. Bulling – Thousands of letters came into the police and the press of people either claiming to be the Whitechapel Fiend or knowing the identity of the killer, so there weren't too many correspondences that were taken seriously. However, the Dear Boss letter, which I feature in Midnight Savior, had a connection to the double murders of Elizabeth Stride and Catherine Eddowes, due to the reference of cutting a piece of the victim's ear and the two murders in one night. Later, however, evidence shows this letter could have actually been written by a journalist who was trying to stimulate paper sales (newspaper sales were suffering at the time). I, therefore, used this opportunity to rectify why a journalist would have key facts related to the double murders if his letters were hoaxes. In Chapter 5, 25 September, 1888, the Whitechapel Fiend forces Thomas to write the letter, and thereby keeps to the historical theory that Thomas J. Bulling of the Central News Agency did indeed write the letter, but under duress.
• Catherine Eddowes – As I've already mentioned, she was one of the victims of Jack the Ripper. In Chapter 7, September 30, 1888 – Early Morning, I include a scene through her eyes as she is being murdered by the Whitechapel Fiend…and it was a very tough scene to write. Having to put myself in the mind of the victim and do the research to ensure how he killed her and all the grisly details ended up being a very disturbing experience. I, like many people who have “heard” about the Ripper murders, never really comprehend the reality of what this psychotic killer did. I won't post the pictures here. They're just too disturbing. but if you'd like to read the full account of her murder and see the post mortem photographs, CLICK HERE. In summary, her face was almost mutilated beyond recognition, her throat was cut through to her spine, and her abdomen was slashed open and stabbed multiple times, even organs removed. And this is being nice in my description. The only saving grace was she died almost instantly after her throat was cut and the mutilations to her face and body were done post mortem.
• Mary Jane Kelly – In Chapter 28, November 3, 1888, I introduce Mary Jane Kelly as a friend of Christabelle's. Of all the victims, Mary Jane Kelly was the youngest and out of pattern for the killer. No one really knows why, so I decided to give the killer motivation by creating this fictional connection to my heroine and hero. Mary Jane and Christabelle do a little catching up and Belle gives Mary Jane her new address – Broderick's townhouse in London – encouraging Mary Jane to contact her for a possible job opportunity and to help Mary Jane get out of the slums by means of honest work. That little slip of paper spells doom for both women. In Chapter 29, I have Laurent sitting at the Ten Bells Public House, where in real-life witness accounts place Mary Jane Kelly sharing a pint of beer with Elizabeth Foster. He overhears their conversation, which I invent and Mary Jane is telling Elizabeth that she ran into “Crystal Bells”, her nickname for our heroine, and how she is about to marry the wealthy Broderick MacDougal. That seals her fate and Belle's. Laurent stalks Mary Jane to get that coveted piece of paper with Broderick's address and poor Mary Jane becomes the last victim of the Jack the Ripper. This murder was the most brutal of them all. The killer had the victim in a secluded room – the woman's one-bedroom flat – for almost a half hour. The gruesome photos can be found HERE. I hope you have a strong stomach.

Although I do play around with historical settings and take some artistic license, I do try my best to be as historically accurate as I can be, given the nature of the paranormal storylines. Research can be a little grueling and tedious, but in the end it lends a rich environment for my settings and characters. I hope you enjoyed some of the behind-the-scenes information connected to Midnight Savior!

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Cheers!

Arial 😀