Blood Oath, Blood River (The Downwinders Book 1) Read online

  KACHINA – A personification of a spirit or of something in the real world. Common in western Native American cultures, particular the Hopi. Each pueblo community has its own pantheon of Kachinas, which can represent anything including astronomical features, such as the sun and stars. Kachinas are not worshiped, but are venerated. See Wikipedia “Kachina” page, and the “Blue Star Prophecy” glossary entry.

  LAFFERTY BOYS – Ron and Dan Lafferty, members of a fundamentalist Mormon sect known as the “School of Prophets.” In 1984, acting on a revelation Ron claimed he received from God, they brutally murdered the wife and daughter of their brother, Allen. Brenda Lafferty and her infant daughter, Erica, were killed in their home, their throats slashed. Police found Ron’s written “revelation” and along with Dan were convicted. Dan was sentenced to life without parole, and Ron is on death row in Utah. Their story was told in the bestselling Under the Banner of Heaven. See Wikipedia, “Under the Banner of Heaven” page, and Under the Banner of Heaven, by John Krakauer.

  LDS – Abbreviation for Latter Day Saint, a name given to followers of any of the various religious sects which sprang from Joseph Smith. Latter Day Saints are commonly called “Mormons” because of their belief that Smith’s work, the Book of Mormon, is divine scripture. The largest and most common of the sects is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, headquartered in Salt Lake City, UT, with an estimated worldwide membership of 15 million as of 2013. Communities in areas of Utah outside of Salt Lake City are heavily dominated by Mormons and Mormon culture, particularly southern Utah and Nevada, northern Arizona, western Colorado, and southern Idaho. See Wikipedia, “List of Sects in the Latter Day Saint Movement” page.

  LEE, JOHN D.– An early prominent Mormon, executed in 1877 by firing squad for his role in the Mountain Meadows Massacre (1857). He was an alleged Danite. He was excommunicated, and tried twice for the massacre. Lee maintained that he’d become a scapegoat, drawing attention away from the church leaders who had authorized the action. Lee was the only person held accountable for the massacre. His final words were: “I do not believe everything that is now being taught and practiced by Brigham Young. I do not care who hears it. It is my last word... I have been sacrificed in a cowardly, dastardly manner.” In 1961 his membership in the LDS Church was reinstated. See Wikipedia, “John D. Lee” page.

  MORONI (“right out of Moroni”) – A character in the Book of Mormon who authored the final section of the book. The most famous and oft-repeated part of Moroni’s writings is a passage that is routinely used by Mormon missionaries to challenge a potential convert to accept the book as true. It’s referred to as “Moroni’s Promise,” and it reads: “And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.” The idea is that, if something is true, God will cause some sort of sign to tell you that it is true. Moroni, incidentally, is the gold statue seen on most LDS temples. See Wikipedia, “Moroni (Book of Mormon prophet)” page.

  MOUNTAIN MEADOWS MASSACRE – A series of attacks on an emigrant wagon train from Arkansas, passing through Utah in 1857 on its way to California. Stopped at Mountain Meadows, north of St. George, UT, the wagon train was attacked for five days by a band of Mormons dressed as Native Americans, along with some Paiutes that the Mormons had solicited to participate. Fearful that members of the wagon train had discovered their disguises, the attackers ensured that anyone over the age of seven was killed. One hundred and twenty men, women and children were murdered and hastily buried in the meadow. Seventeen children, under age seven, were placed with local Mormon families. Historians have decided the attack was a result of several elements, including strident Mormon teachings (such as the Oath of Vengeance), a strong mistrust of outsiders, a fear of impending war with the United States and invasion of the Utah territory by US soldiers, retribution for the death of Parley Pratt, killed in Arkansas that year, and taunting from the wagon train itself, claiming, as it passed through Mormon settlements, that they had in their possession the gun that killed Joseph Smith. The attack was organized by church leaders in Cedar City. Only John D. Lee was tried for the murders, although many others were involved. Historians disagree whether Brigham Young had knowledge of the event or sanctioned it. Today, the site of the massacre is marked by a monument. See Wikipedia, “Mountain Meadows Massacre” page.

  OKAZAKI – A reference to Chieko N. Okazaki (1926-2011) who was one of the most-read LDS authors, specializing in books for LDS women. She confronted tough subjects honestly and with an unusual candor and insight. Her first book, Lighten Up! is a collection of her speeches. See Wikipedia, “Chieko N. Okazaki” page.

  PRIESTHOOD MEETING – All males in the LDS Church over twelve years of age hold the priesthood. A priesthood meeting is one of a weekly series of meetings that LDS men attend, usually held on Sundays. At the beginning of the meeting, all men meet together. After an initial prayer, hymn, and announcements, the men break into classes according to their priesthood office (if they are over eighteen) or divide by age groups (if they are under eighteen). See Wikipedia, “Worship Services of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints” page, “Priesthood Meetings” section.

  PRIMARY – A weekly meeting for children in the LDS church, held on Sundays. It is divided into two age groups. See Wikipedia, “Worship Services of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints” page, “Primary” section.

  SACRAMENT MEETING – A weekly Sunday meeting for members of the LDS church, open to visitors. The service is similar to most protestant churches where communion is offered. The meeting is characterized by prayers (invocations and benedictions) hymn singing, ward announcements, talks given by selected speakers, and the passing of the sacrament, which is consecrated bread and water, passed among the participants. See Wikipedia, “Sacrament Meeting” page.

  SEALINGS – A sealing is an ordinance performed by the LDS in temples. Most sealings are marriages, “sealing” the marriage partners for both time and eternity, a bond that is considered to transcend death. Children born to the couple are considered “born under the covenant” and are automatically sealed to their parents. The LDS teach that a temple sealing is a necessary ordinance to achieve the highest level of the celestial kingdom. Proxy sealings are ordinances conducted on the behalf of a couple who is dead, with the belief that the deceased persons may choose to accept or reject the ordinance. See Wikipedia, “Sealing (Mormonism)” page.

  SHILAH – Navajo for “brother.”

  SMITH, JR., JOSEPH – Founder of Mormonism and first president of the church. He was born in Vermont in 1805. By age 24, he had published the Book of Mormon. He led the church as it moved from upstate New York, where it was founded, to Ohio, Missouri, and finally Illinois. He originated almost all of the church’s doctrinal teachings, including the Endowment ceremony, which he tasked Brigham Young to construct and organize for presentation in the Nauvoo, IL temple. He was murdered by a mob in Carthage, IL at the age of 38. He had attracted thousands of followers from around the world, most of whom chose to follow Brigham Young after his death. Many smaller groups continued on their own in Illinois, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. See Wikipedia, “Joseph Smith” page.

  STAKE – A geographical collection of LDS wards (congregations). Usually five to ten wards form a stake. There is usually one meetinghouse in the stake that is larger than the others, and contains the offices for the stake officers (such as the stake president and high council.) This larger meetinghouse is called the “stake center.” See Wikipedia, “Stake (Latter Day Saints)” page.

  STAKE PRESIDENT – A position in the LDS church hierarchy. Local members are part of a ward, overseen by a Bishop. Five to ten geographically contiguous wards form an administrative unit called a stake. General Authorities appoint a stake president, to whom all loca
l Bishops within the stake boundaries report. The stake president chooses two men from within the stake to serve as his counsellors. The three men, together, are referred to as the “stake presidency.” See Wikipedia, “Stake (Latter Day Saints)” page, “Stake Officers” section.

  TAYLOR, JOHN – Third president of the LDS Church, following Brigham Young. Once a man is appointed the leader of the church, they serve until they die. Taylor was president from 1880 to 1887. He was a strong supporter of polygamy. See Wikipedia “John Taylor (Mormon)” page.

  TEMPLE MARRIAGE – See “Sealings” glossary entry.

  UNSER, JAMES – (Spoiler alert: skip this paragraph if you have not read Eximere, the fourth book in The River series.) James Unser is a character is the book Eximere. Steven and Roy Hall, along with Eliza Winters, discover that Unser was gifted, but despised his gift and sought to eliminate it in others. He would capture and kill other gifteds, and keep their memoirs and objects, denying their heirs their inheritance. He built an underground area called “Eximere” as a home base for his activities. Steven, Roy, and Eliza, having discovered Eximere, are working to return memoirs and object to their rightful owners. See “Eximere” by Michael Richan. Better yet, read all of the book in The River series! See “By The Author” at the beginning of this book for a list.

  VISITING TEACHERS – Most LDS women are asked to visit other women in the ward on a monthly basis, along with an assigned female companion, to check on the welfare of those they have been assigned. The visit usually includes the delivery of a spiritual message selected for that month by Salt Lake. Since most of those receiving visits are also Visiting Teachers to others, they’re in the awkward position of listening to the presentation of a spiritual message they’ve likely delivered to other women already.

  WARD – A local congregation of LDS members, usually from 25 to 500 members in size. A bishop, selected from among the congregation, oversees the temporal and spiritual needs of the ward, and serves without pay. The bishop reports to a stake president.

  WINZE – A vertical passageway in an underground mine used to connect levels (as opposed to a shaft, which is connected to the surface.)

  YOUNG, BRIGHAM – Second leader of the LDS Church, from 1847 to 1877. Under his leadership, members of the LDS Church emigrated from the United States to the west, settling in areas that are now the states of Utah, Nevada, Arizona, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Oregon, and California. Prior to Young’s exodus, the LDS church had struggled to survive in New York, Ohio, Missouri, and Illinois, constantly running into problems with neighbors, but in the western deserts of North America they were able to gain a foothold and grow. Young wielded considerable power; in addition to being the president of the Church, he was also the first governor of the Utah territory. He essentially presided over a theocracy, and church doctrines and practices under his leadership reflected that. See Wikipedia, “Brigham Young” page, and Forgotten Kingdom: The Mormon Theocracy in the American West, 1847-1896, by David Bigler.

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  Michael Richan lives in Seattle, Washington. He was born in California and raised in Utah.

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  The Impossible Coin is the next book in The Downwinders series. A complimentary first chapter has been included for you to enjoy!

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  The Downwinders series:

  Blood Oath, Blood River

  The Impossible Coin

  The Graves of Plague Canyon

  The River series:

  The Bank of the River

  Residual

  A Haunting in Oregon

  Ghosts of Our Fathers

  Eximere

  The Suicide Forest

  Devil’s Throat

  The Diablo Horror

  The Haunting at Grays Harbor

  It Walks At Night

  The Dark River series:

  A

  All three series are part of The River Universe, and there is crossover of some characters and plots. For a suggested reading order, see the Author’s Website.

  Complimentary first chapter of the next title in The Downwinders series

  The Impossible Coin

  “I’ll go first,” Awan said. “You two stay to the side. They know me, but if they see you, they’ll be suspicious. Once I walk through the door, you can come out of hiding and follow me in.”

  “Do you think they’re armed?” Deem asked.

  “Hard to say,” Awan replied. “They’re both a couple of bozos, really.”

  “Great,” Winn said. “Stupid people with guns.”

  “Just be forceful, don’t take any backtalk,” Awan said. “They’ve never heard of blood souring anyway, so they won’t know what I’m doing. Keep them confused until I’m done.”

  Winn was itching to get on with it. “Alright,” he said. “Let’s go.”

  “Deem?” Awan asked. “You ready?”

  Deem looked a little nervous. “I’ve only used a shotgun before,” she said, looking down at the pistol Awan loaned her.

  “Remember, we’re not here to shoot anyone,” Awan said. “If I wanted to kill these guys, I wouldn’t have gone to the trouble to get the ghost matter. Your job is just to scare them and get them onto the floor; I’ll handle the rest.”

  “Right,” she said, gulping.

  They got out of Awan’s truck, parked a few hundred feet from the trailer on the outskirts of town. As they walked toward it, they passed piles of rusted metal and discarded objects, items the brothers had disposed of without bothering to cart off to the county landfill. The closer they got to the trailer, the more junk rose out of the desert sand.

  Deem and Winn positioned themselves on either side of the door, and Awan paused for a moment, looking at both of them before he knocked, making sure they were ready.

  Winn held the gun up against his chest. As he released the safety, he recalled scouting for ghost matter with Awan several weeks back, harvesting it from a mine outside of Fallon. The brothers inside the trailer had been using Callers to extort money from local townsfolk, threatening them with ghostly visitations if they didn’t pay up. The brothers had become way too greedy and frightened so many people that some had approached Awan to see if he could do anything to help. Awan, Winn, and Deem all had the gift, an ability to enter a place called “the River” and see all of the things others could not: a constant flow of hidden images, including ghosts.

  This should go fine, Winn thought, as long as they don’t have a Caller in there with them right now. Winn hated Callers – always had. Callers were ghosts that became ambitious and struck deals with local cave spirits. Callers were more powerful than normal ghosts, thanks to abilities bestowed upon them by the cave spirit in exchange for what the cave spirits desired most – blood. Callers were always looking for blood to provide to the cave spirits, to keep up their end of the deal. Cave spirits preferred human blood but would take whatever blood the Caller supplied.

  The brothers inside the trailer struck a deal with a Caller to scare people in town who didn’t pay their extortion money. In exchange, the brothers kept the Caller supplied with fresh kill they could use to feed their cave spirit. Awan discovered that the brothers were usually supplying the Caller with coyotes they’d hunt in the land south of their trailer, but lately a lot of dogs had disappeared from town.

  Awan agreed to help the people in town who were paying money to the brothers, and Winn and Deem had agreed to help Awan. Awan found a blood souring technique in his grandfather’s journals, and he spent the past few weeks preparing the materials. Once they applied the blood souring to the brothers, the blood of anything they touched would become slightly tainted, just enough to cause the cave spirit to reject it. The Caller would be forced to locate blood som
ewhere else, and would stop helping the brothers. Problem solved.

  Awan knocked on the door. “Ernie?” he shouted. “Delmar? Open up. I need to talk to you.”

  Winn pressed himself against the side of the trailer next to the door and felt it move under his back as someone inside began walking. He looked at Deem, who was similarly pressed against the other side of the door. She looked amped up. This isn’t her thing, he thought. Holding people at gunpoint. More my thing.

  “Is that you, Awan?” they heard from inside as the door cracked open. It slowly swung wider, and Winn could see and smell a large cloud emerge from the trailer. He immediately recognized the odor – pot. “Whatchu want?”

  “I want to talk to you,” Awan said, marching up the steps toward the door.

  “Ain’t got nothin’ to talk to you about,” came the voice from inside, but Awan was still moving, determined to enter. As he passed the doorframe, Winn slid in behind him, jumping to the third step. Deem was right behind him.

  Awan walked into the trailer and quickly stepped aside to allow Winn and Deem to enter. It was dark inside, but Winn could see the brother in front of him, dressed in overalls. He raised the gun to him.

  “What is this, Awan?” the man asked.

  “Just get down on the ground, Ernie,” Awan replied. “Where’s Delmar?”

  The man in the overalls began to descend to the floor. “Ain’t gonna tell ya,” he said.

  “Deeper in the trailer,” Awan said to Winn and Deem. As Ernie reached the floor, Awan placed a knee in his back, pinning him down. He reached under Ernie’s chest, releasing one of the straps on his overalls, and pulled the material down, exposing the skin on Ernie’s back.