by Julia Mills
Leaning back, his Queen, the woman who had stolen his heart, cupped his cheek and with more love than he ever imagined possible, murmured aloud, “I have no idea what I ever did to deserve someone as wonderful as you, but I thank the Goddess that I did.” Kissing the tip of his nose, she added with a twinkle in her eye, “Even if you are an arrogant, pig-headed dragon.”
THE END
(For Now, Anyway…)
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HER DRAGON TO SLAY
Check Out the One that Started It All for the Dragon Guard
Dragon Guard Book #1
FREE ON ALL RETAILERS
Sassy and stubborn have gotten Kyndel through everything life had to throw at her. Will her moxie help when destiny falls at her feet?
Hundreds of years of loyalty to Dragon Guard have made Rayne a fearless leader. When the long-foretold pull of his mate rocks the Commander’s world to its core will he be able to save her from his enemies in time?
The chemistry between this strong-willed curvy girl and fierce warrior makes all the difference in the world where nothing is as it seems. The existence of an ancient race of honor-clad, tradition-bound protectors might be hard to accept but now the dead are coming back to life and holding a knife to her neck.
Can these fated mates defeat their greatest enemies and get their happily ever after?
Fate Will Not Be Denied!!
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ACHILLES: Soul of Her King ~ Kings of the Blood ~ Book 3
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“I am only here to keep you from getting us all reduced to ash,” Bain sighed, drinking his orange juice and staring at the clouds out the window.
Rolling his eyes for the umpteenth time, Lee grumbled, “I am well aware of why you are here and as I have said before, you didn’t have to come.”
Shaking his head and throwing another disapproving look at Lee, the tall, bald, normally silent one of their group, refused to respond, making the archer wonder why on earth he put up with any of his brothers.
“You put up with them because they are your brothers and you’d be lost without them.” He mumbled to himself, knowing full well that Bain had heard him and was once again choosing to be ambivalently silent.
Settling back into his seat, Achilles tried to relax and think of anything other than the fact that he had not been able to make contact with Juliette since leaving Roman’s mansion almost four hours ago. His only communication had been with the excavation crew he’d had his contacts on that side of the world round up and at last call they had just arrived at the site. With at least thirteen hours more in the air until they reached Mumbai and then another four over treacherous terrain by jeep to reach Juliette’s dig site, the archer was about to lose what little was left of his mind.
Listening to the whir of the engines of Viktor’s private jet, Lee let his mind wander, thinking about the first time he’d ever heard the term, fýlakas tis kardís mou and understood what it truly meant to him…
Achilles pushed through the earth and sand, unaware of his surroundings. The burn in his lungs unbearable as the need to take his first breath drove his every action. Bursting into the abrasive night air, his rear end hit the sand as he gulped in the beautifully fresh, clean air.
Looking at the night sky for several long minutes, the archer jumped to his feet as the true gravity of his present situation came bursting into his mind. Running first one way and then another, he stopped dead in his tracks as a chuckled, “Do you always run naked through the desert, Achilles? I thought I had taught you better than that?” Reached his ears.
“General?”
Stepping forward into the light of the crescent moon, Romanus nodded, “Yes, Achilles, it is I. Now, come, cover yourself. We have much to discuss.”
Covering himself with one hand while cautiously making his way towards what appeared to be his long-dead General, the archer snatched the tunic, pulled it over his head and took two quick steps backward. Watching Romanus, he asked, “I was not dreaming? You are not a mirage?”
His mentor stepped forward, stood with his feet shoulder width apart and put his hands behind his back just as Achilles had seen the General do so many times before then with his usual tone of authority stated, “I am as you always knew me, Romanus of Athens, General of the mighty Grecian army and the man who saved you from certain death.”
Looking for any sign of subterfuge, the archer asked, “If you are as you appear to be, how many arrows did I break on my first attempt at the bow?”
Smiling like a proud father, Romanus answered straight away, “None.”
“And when asked to shoot a dove and a raven what did I come back with?”
“Two ravens,” the General shook his head. “You told me that doves were a sign of peace and your blessed mother’s favorite animal and that I could whip the skin from your hide but you would never willingly kill a dove.” Romanus took a step forward. “It was then I knew you had the makings of not only a great archer but also a leader of high esteem.” A sad look crossed the General’s face then he added, “I am only sorry I missed that part of your illustrious career.”
It was getting harder and harder to deny that the man, ghost, specter, whatever it was standing before him was not the man Achilles had thought of as his surrogate father since the first day they met. Needing one more bit of proof, the archer asked, “Where did we bury the bodies of my mother and my sisters after…” He took a deep breath, anger still raging through him at their cruel deaths even after the passage of so much time. “After the Persian scum brutally murdered them?”
Bowing his head, as he had always done when they discussed Achilles’ family, Romanus answered in a low, reverent tone, “We did not bury them. Your beloved family was burnt on a funeral pyre to prevent the final resting place of their mortal bodies from being disturbed by vagabonds.” The General raised his head, took a step forward and added, “You were the bravest child I had ever seen. Never shedding a tear, demanding to collect all the wood for the fire yourself and finally, taking the flame to the wood while offering a prayer to the gods for the safe delivery of their souls to the afterlife.”
Holding back the tears, Achilles gave a single nod and whispered, “It is good to see you again, my General.”
Many hours were spent explaining what Romanus and on very few occasions, Viktoras, called his ‘new life’. It was incredibly confusing and more than a little disturbing to think he would need another’s life essence to survive but his General had been very specific and did not falter as he explained the minute amount the archer would need to remain alive and that the donor was to be willing and unharmed. The longer he listened, the more honored Achilles felt. His General, the one man he truly held in high regard, had chosen him to be one of Zeus’ mighty warriors.
After his first taste of blood, Romanus had taken him out into the night. They had walked for miles, the General explaining that his renewed body needed to be exercised, his muscles stretched and his heart and lungs made to work to their full capacity. It wasn’t long before they reached a rare patch of desert grass with a tall petrified tree casting a shadow in the sand.
Motioning for Achilles to follow, Romanus took a seat on the stiff, brown lawn and began to speak. “In his infinite wisdom, the father of the gods knew that no man can live an eternity alone, especially one who must face the rigors of a life such as ours. So, for each King of the
Blood, he created a mate, your fýlakas tis kardiás mou, the keeper of your heart. This woman, above all others, will captivate your soul from the moment of her birth. She, and she alone, will have the power to save your doomed soul and breathe life anew into your heart that until the moment she appeared on this earth, had felt cold and barren. Her light will brighten even the darkest corners of your soul. There will be nothing you can hide from her or her from you. Together, you will create one perfect being, the strength to one another’s weaknesses and the answer to one another’s unspoken prayers. She will be a blessing unlike any other you have ever received but you must heed my words, Achilles, follow them to the letter less you be struck down by Zeus’ lightning and your ashes strewn to the four corners of the Universe.”
The archer leaned closer, hanging on every word from his mentor’s mouth. His heart beat like the drum in the coliseum and sweat rolled down his spine like the great River Nile as he waited for what was to come. When Romanus finally continued, it was with conviction and power that can only come from absolute faith. “No matter how much your heart may pull you to her and your soul cry out for what only the keeper of your heart can give you, it is imperative that you wait for her to come to you, to recognize you as the other half of her soul, on this, the King of the Gods is unbending. Your fýlakas tis kardiás mou’s heart and soul will lead her to you when, and only when, the time is right. It will then be your responsibility to indoctrinate her in the ways of our kind and prepare her to become immortal, so that she may stand by your side throughout all time.”
The General smiled and patted the archer on the shoulder before adding, “The mating must be completed before nightfall of your three thousandth year or you will cease to exist. You will return to the ether from whence you came, ashes to ashes and dust to dust. You will enter the Elysian Fields and live a hero’s afterlife.”
Romanus stood, “But I have no doubt the keeper of your heart will come long before three millennia have passed and together you will leave a legacy blessed by the Pantheon.”
Jumping to his feet, emotion unlike any other he’d ever felt filled his soul to overflowing, Achilles, in an uncharacteristic gesture, hugged his General and whispered, “I shall live every day of my life to make you proud for choosing me to this blessed life. Thank you, sir.”
Pulling back, the General chuckled, “See that you do, Achilles. See that you do.”
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COMING SOON
Her Dragon’s Treasure
Sitting on the rocks, sunning herself under the waterfall, Talullah, or Lulu as her sisters had called her since she was a little girl, waited for a ship or whale or anything to pass by and break up the monotony of just another day of the same old crapola. She’d left the house before dawn, needing to be anywhere but in the vicinity of her six sisters and her parents. The last few sleepless nights had left her restless and cranky and basically unwilling to deal with the everyday hassles of being the youngest.
The only place she felt like herself anymore was in the water. She knew it was something all the females of their kind went through, however, during all the endless lectures about maturity and mating, no one had ever warned her about the crazy dreams she’d experience. It would’ve been nice to have a heads up that she could expect nightly visions of a man with long, scraggly, auburn hair and gorgeous violet eyes begging for her help. The man, whether he be real or a figment of her imagination, had Lulu tossing and turning like baby sea turtles in the undertow. Every morning she would awaken, more tired than the night before, more irritable than the day before, and needing the comfort of the water to soothe her frazzled psyche.
“Did you really think the Falls was a good hiding place, Lulu?” Nessa, the middle daughter of the O’Halloran pod asked as she made her way down the side of the cliff. “You always come here. It’s no secret.”
“Wasn’t hiding?” Talullah rolled her eyes and harrumphed.
“Then what are you doing here, not in the water but with your tail on, looking out at the sea?”
Nessa was the least offensive of Lulu’s sisters and usually easy to get along with…well, usually. On this occasion, however, it appeared she was going to do her impression of a reporter and ask endless questions.
“I’m thinking. Okay? Just thinking,” Lulu sighed, running her hands through her long platinum hair and wondering what it was going to take to actually get some alone time.
“Whatcha thinkin’ about?” Nessa asked before adding, “Those dreams you’ve been havin’?”
Turning on her sister, Lulu asked through gritted teeth, “Have you been pokin’ around in my mind again?”
“No!” Nessa quickly replied, rubbing her arm. “I still have the mark from where you hit the last time.”
“You better not be.” The youngest mermaid threw a scowl with a narrowing of her eyes at her sister to make sure there was no mistake that she meant business.
Reading minds was just one of the many talents that came naturally to mermaids. It helped them talk to the undersea life in their daily interactions and kept them apprised of danger in the deep dark waters they frequented, but using it on one another was a huge no-no. Not that it stopped any of the O’Halloran sisters from taking advantage of their gifts. A gift that for Lulu was a double-edged sword since she’d been born with what her mother called ‘an extra dose of mind power’. It allowed the youngest of the O’Halloran pod to hear anyone’s thoughts, at any time, with about a thousand-mile range, without even thinking about it.
She’d embarrassed her oldest sister just before her first real date by saying, “You’re right, Ailbe, he does have a nice butt.” She’d caused her mother to find a new butcher by repeating, “Your pork chops look like pig slop,” just after her mother had thought it. But the kicker had come while they were attending a picnic with the humans her parents insisted they get to know. The afternoon had been going pretty well, except for a group of teenage boys who kept harassing Ciara and Daireann, sisters two and three. It seemed the girls’ long yellow-blonde hair and bright Kelly green eyes were too much of a lure for the pubescent buttheads to resist, so they had begun chanting, “Freak! Freak! Freak!”
Hearing her sisters’ distressed thoughts, Talullah had screamed. “Do it, Ciara, just do it. Turn them into sea slugs!” And to make matters worse, when her sisters only reacted with a gasp and a shake of their heads, Lulu dipped her hand into the fountain, tapped into the magic of the water, and did it herself.
Needless to say, the O’Hallorans gave up their attempts to appear normal, moved to the cliffs overlooking the sea, and that had been their home for almost two hundred years. It was safer. They didn’t have to hide their abilities or their tails and it meant no more swimming in the bathtub.
Yeah, moving to the shore had been great but it hadn’t stopped Talullah’s abilities from growing stronger with each passing year. Not only could she read anyone or anything’s mind at any time, if she was asleep or distracted or let her mental blocks slip just the tiniest bit, her sisters could listen to hers, too.
Luckily, she led a boring life and the worst thing that had happened had been when she fell asleep watching Terminator and Nessa heard her thinking about the caves under the reef where they were forbidden to go. Of course, her sister had shouted, “Lulu’s been to the caves.” Which had resulted in three weeks of being grounded and two additional weeks tending the nets for her father’s seaweed business. From that night forward, she only dared to sleep in her room with the wards her grandpop had taught her to put in place.
Hoping that ignoring Nessa would get her to leave, Lulu soon groaned in frustration when her sister quietly asked, “I promise I haven’t been snooping but I still gotta ask. Who is that guy and why does he look so creepy?”
“He doesn’t look creepy,” Lulu unintentionally spat, staring at Nessa for daring to say the man who haunted her dreams was anything less than perfect. “He’s been hurt or something. I think he’s trapped.
” She looked back at the sea. “I can feel his pain.” The mermaid rubbed the spot on her chest just over her heart and added with a whisper, “And his anger.”
Shaking her head, she decided to tell Nessa more. Turning back to her sister, she grabbed Nessa’s hands and looked her in the eye. “He keeps begging for my help. He calls my name like he knows me, like I’m the only one who can help him.” She let go and turned toward the water again. “I can’t sleep. I can’t eat. My heart hurts. It’s just a bunch of emotions all tangled in a ball making me crazier by the minute.”
Finally saying it out loud, Tallulah immediately knew what she had to do. Without a second thought or a glance back at her sister, the mermaid jumped off the ledge into the cool water of the falls, diving straight for the bottom of the pool and the underground cavern that led to the open waters of the sea.
“What the hell are you doing, Lulu? Where are you going?” Nessa’s scream sounded in her mind.
“To save the man from my dreams. You coming?”
COMING SOON
Dragon in the Mist
One small voice in the dark…
One tortured plea for help…
Two hearts beating as one…
Two lives hanging in the balance…
Three seconds to decide between life and death…
Three words that changed his life…
“Please help me,” she cried. Now, it’s out of the mist and into the fire.
Fate Will Not Be Denied.
About Julia
Find all my stories on Amazon!
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!