Ever since meeting my good friend Chimar, I have been fascinated with the Native Indian culture. Although I 
got a taste of it when living in Alaska, I didn’t start investigating their beliefs and way of life until Chimar introduced me to the Ojibawe language.
When I decided to write an Ojibawe character, I was so excited and I fell in love with her world. Here is Minidoo facing off against hellhounds summoned by a bigoted jerk who serves the big bad. Thank you, Chimar for the inspiration.
Behind Markham, Minidoo cried out as several beasts attacked her at once. He ran to her side, kicking the dogs away and slashing at them with his knife. Minidoo moved behind him, panting. Markham did his best to keep the beasts at bay, but there were too many of them.
“Gaa damaa, chi mgzi minwaa gookookoo.” Minidoo’s voice called out from behind him. “Kiinaa waa bneshiinhog gaa damaa mog gii migaazwad!”
Markham had no idea what she said, but the meaning became clear. Thunder in the distance crackled and lighting zapped in the sky. A strong gust of wind blew against his back and whipped around him, blowing the hood off his head. The snow stirred in circles around his feet. An eagle’s cry and the flap of hundreds of wings turned his eyes skyward. Birds of all shapes and sizes descended on the hounds. Cawing, pecking, and confusing them into chaos.
“Come here! Take shelter!” Minidoo called to Markham. He ran to a tree-covered area where they could watch without being targets.
“Thank you,” Markham said as he looked over her, wondering how injured she was. “Why didn’t you call them earlier?”
“I would not have involved them if I felt I had a choice. This is not their fight and many will die. It will be a great loss to my people.”
Markham could do nothing more than nod. She’d sacrificed so much to save him. It was to be thankful for, but he couldn’t return the loss of birds to her clan.
“Who was that man?” Minidoo asked.
“His name is Ridge. He got away, but I expect he’ll be back fer ya’.”
Minidoo looked over the battlefield. Markham followed her gaze to a young eagle who pecked ferociously at the head of one of the hounds. The hound snarled, jumped up, and caught the bird by a wing. Slamming the eagle to the ground, the hound devoured it, spitting out feathers and going back for the innards.
Despite bird carcasses littering the snowy ground, the birds seemed to be holding their own against the demon dogs. The remaining hellhounds were either exhausted or injured.
“Such a waste,” Minidoo said.
“Aye.” Markham breathed deep. “I’ll clear out the last ‘a the pups, then you can come with me and get fixed up.”
“I’ll be all right on my own.”
“Not with Ridge out there.”
“He won’t come back today and when he does, I’ll be gone.”
“But your injuries.”
“Will heal. Thank you, Markham, but I will be fine on my own. It’s about time for my hibernation and when I awake, this man Ridge, and the birds he has caused me to sacrifice…will be but a distant memory.” Minidoo stood, staggering a few steps, but then righted herself. The snow where she’d been was stained red with blood.
“You must need help. What if you—”
“Goodbye, Markham.” As she left, the remaining birds left with her.
Standing amid the carcasses of Minidoo’s friends, Markham felt like he should say something. An owl hooted from the high trees above. Markham looked up, feeling as if he were addressing nature as a whole.
“Thank you.”
Dusk’s Warriors by Emerian Rich
Heaven has opened up and welcomed the vampires of Night’s Knights into a new reality. As they struggle to find their place in their new world, trouble brews on Earth.
Demon servant, Ridge, is causing havoc by gathering up all the souls on Earth that have been touched by immortality. When he injures one of the Night’s Knights crew, he launches a war between the vampires of Heaven, the Big Bad in Hell, and a mortal street gang of vigilante misfits.
Will Julien, Markham, and Reidar be able to defeat the evil that’s returned, or will they once again need Jespa’s help?
Praise for Dusk’s Warriors:
“All hail, the queen of Night’s Knights has returned! Emerian Rich’s unique take on vampires delights my black little heart.” ~Dan Shuarette, Lilith’s Love
“A world of horror with realistic characters in a fast paced thriller you won’t be able to put down.”
~David Watson, The All Night Library
Praise for Night’s Knights:
“Fresh, original, and thoroughly entertaining.” ~Mark Eller, Traitor
“Emerian brought the Vampire Novel back from the dead.” ~C. E. Dorsett, Shine Like Thunder
Available now at Amazon.com in print and eBook
https://www.amazon.com/Dusks-Warriors-Nights-Knights-Vampire/dp/1544628803
Emerian Rich is an artist, horror host, and author of the vampire series, Night’s Knights. She is the hostess of the internationally acclaimed podcast, HorrorAddicts.net. Under the name Emmy Z. Madrigal, she writes the musical romance series, Sweet Dreams and she’s the Editorial Director for the Bay Area magazine, SEARCH. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and son.
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