Louisville, Kentucky 1898.
Ten years earlier, Jack the Ripper terrorized London's Whitechapel district. Assigned to the case, Detective Inspector Nathan James discovered the Ripper's true nature, and made a decision that changed his life. But the murders stopped and the Ripper disappeared. Now living in Louisville, Kentucky, Nathan runs a saloon, while trying to keep his relationship with his manservant, Stephen, secret. He's never forgotten his failure to stop the Ripper, and when murdered prostitutes start showing up, suspects the elusive killer stalks the city's streets. But is the Ripper responsible for these deaths, and will he reveal Nathan's and Stephen's darkest secret?
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Excerpt
Something
hit my back, knocking me forward. I hit the floor with a whoosh, lungs burning.
A sharp pain raked across my back. Panic seized me. What was happening? Was I
dying? I twisted, trying to throw the heavy weight off, but my body refused to
cooperate.
Through
a wavering haze, I looked up, unable to comprehend what I saw, and yet
understanding it was a wolf. No, not a wolf. Rosie. Forepaws planted on my
chest, she leaned down. Hot saliva dripped onto my neck.
I
stared into a mouthful of fangs and swallowed hard. Adrenaline raced through my
blood, yet my energy level had plummeted. I pushed against her broad, muscular
chest, hoping to dislodge her, but her weight and strength surpassed mine, and
sharp claws sought purchase in my flesh.
I
screamed, writhing in pain. The coppery smell of blood filled my nose. My
blood. Rage and fear fought within me, fueled by a desire to kill Rosie. I
needed to escape this corpse‑infested hovel.
Instead,
my world faded into a myriad of shimmering colors. Entranced, I gazed at this
new scene, unable to look away.
A
loud crack, then a mangled yelp.
I
reached heavenward, trying to stop my beautiful aurora borealis from leaving.
But my weakened muscles betrayed me, and my arms fell, useless, to my sides.
How
strange and wonderful this afterlife seemed…
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