Title: THE SPIRIT BREATHER (Native Guardians #1)
Author: Bekah Harris
Publisher: Dreamlake Media
The Vampire Diaries meets Native lore in this dark fantasy romance.
An immortal guardian.
A soul-stealing enemy.
A dangerous, new power.
Only the Spirit Breather can stand against the darkness…
A dangerous, new power.
Only the Spirit Breather can stand against the darkness…
Months after surviving an assault that nearly claimed her life, Emily Morrow’s summer goal is to forget about the memories that lurk in her nightmares. So when her friends invite her on a
post-grad camping trip in the mountains, she jumps at the chance to escape her haunting past, even for just a few days.
post-grad camping trip in the mountains, she jumps at the chance to escape her haunting past, even for just a few days.
But even miles from home, Emily’s past is closer than ever.
When her best friend, Kadie, is snatched by the dark creatures nesting in the forest, Emily
comes face to face with the truth behind her chilling past. Together, with the mysterious Joseph
Stomper, who is much more than he seems, Emily must find the courage to embrace her role in
a centuries-old prophecy and harness a dangerous gift before she loses everyone she loves.
comes face to face with the truth behind her chilling past. Together, with the mysterious Joseph
Stomper, who is much more than he seems, Emily must find the courage to embrace her role in
a centuries-old prophecy and harness a dangerous gift before she loses everyone she loves.
With Kadie’s life hanging in the balance, will Emily learn to control her new power? Or will the
darkness destroy them both?
darkness destroy them both?
Filled with deadly magic, frightening folklore, and forbidden romance, The Spirit Breather is a
spine-tingling paranormal fantasy that will keep you turning pages well past your bedtime.
spine-tingling paranormal fantasy that will keep you turning pages well past your bedtime.
What Readers are Saying:
the story and make you a part of the world. This is such a book!! This book was simply
brilliant!!! I adored every minute of it". - Natalie, A Book Lover's Life
"It was so refreshing to open this book up to a new kind of story, with Native American
characters taking center-stage and diving into an entire mythos of lore, spiritual awakening,
latent magical powers, ageless sage leaders, and, naturally, angsty young people battling not
only big scary monsters, but themselves in a conflict of deep personal struggle, of self
discovery, of a painful past, and of a hopeful future". - Dustin Street, Big Small Town Books
"The amount of detail and heart Harris put into her characters and setting make The Spirit
Breather stand out from the crowd. The story is wildly entertaining, the characters are easy to
love, the plot is carefully crafted, and the writing is lovely. This was a refreshing read and I'm
looking forward to more about Joseph and Emily in the future". - Amazon Customer
Bookish Links: Goodreads*Amazon Kindle*TBD* Bookshop.org*READ FOR FREE WITH A KU SUBSCRIPTION! (A 30 day trial is free!)
Excerpts
Joseph sniffed the air. In the thick forest beyond the creek, there were no trails, and Joseph didn’t
smell the gamey pelts of deer or the deep musk of bear.
He closed his eyes, nostrils flaring, as he concentrated on the smells of the forest: the clean, sun-
kissed air, the perfume of flowering plants, the damp scent of moss and tree bark.
kissed air, the perfume of flowering plants, the damp scent of moss and tree bark.
But amid those normal smells, he detected the stench of a festering wound.
“Raven Mockers,” he said. “Two, maybe three of them.”
“Are you kidding?” Chandler said. “We’ve been tracking them for two weeks, and they decide to
show up now? Perfect.”
Joseph couldn’t deny the timing was bad. Chandler’s guests would be waiting at the campsite, so he
wasn’t exactly thrilled the Mockers had chosen that exact moment to go hunting.
“How close?” Chandler asked.
“Maybe a mile or so. We have to hurry.”
“What about Kadie and Emily? What about our orders?”
“They’ll have to wait,” Joseph said. He put a hand on Chandler’s shoulder. “You remember what to
do?”
do?”
With a nod, Chandler shrugged off Joseph’s touch and backed up as far as the trees would allow. He
took a shaky breath.
took a shaky breath.
“You are ready,” Joseph said. “You were born for this.”
Chandler sprinted forward, his dark eyes igniting with fire as he gained speed. His black hair
separated into crimson feathers. The edges of his lean body smoked as he launched himself from the
ground and, in midair, burst into flames.
separated into crimson feathers. The edges of his lean body smoked as he launched himself from the
ground and, in midair, burst into flames.
Thunder rumbled overhead, followed by snakes of lightning that illuminated the Phoenix, his fiery
plumage roaring behind him. In his new form, Chandler took to the sky, soaring above the treetops to
locate the oldest adversaries of his people.
plumage roaring behind him. In his new form, Chandler took to the sky, soaring above the treetops to
locate the oldest adversaries of his people.
Joseph followed on foot, pushing his legs faster and faster until he felt the familiar warmth of power
spread through his extremities, propelling him to a blurring speed that sent the trees and underbrush
into a frenzy as he passed.
spread through his extremities, propelling him to a blurring speed that sent the trees and underbrush
into a frenzy as he passed.
He breathed steadily in and out, dodging roots, leaping over fallen trees, and ducking away from stray
branches. Just as Chandler was born for the sky, Joseph had been created for earth and trees, rocks and water. His people had always been connected to nature, from which they drew their power, and he felt most alive not in his village, but in the forest, with soil and leaves beneath his feet. Never breaking stride, Joseph relaxed his mind, reaching out with heightened senses, but the forest remained silent.
branches. Just as Chandler was born for the sky, Joseph had been created for earth and trees, rocks and water. His people had always been connected to nature, from which they drew their power, and he felt most alive not in his village, but in the forest, with soil and leaves beneath his feet. Never breaking stride, Joseph relaxed his mind, reaching out with heightened senses, but the forest remained silent.
The deeper he sprinted through the trees, the thicker the air became and the more difficult it was to
breathe, even for him. He slowed his pace and glanced at the sky. Above him, Chandler spread his wings and circled the treetops, signaling the enemy’s location. Joseph skidded to a stop. He crept forward.
The Raven Mockers were close.
It had been ten months since Emily had nearly died outside an Atlanta nightclub. Clearly, her parents
were still freaked out.
Despite months of therapy, Emily wasn’t doing much better. She brought her fingers to the left side
of her face to trace the fleshy rise of the scar that stretched from her ear to her chin.
of her face to trace the fleshy rise of the scar that stretched from her ear to her chin.
“Quit it.” Kadie swatted Emily’s hand away from her face. “You’ve not gone and cheated on that
healthy thought diet Dr. Jennings put you on, have you?”
healthy thought diet Dr. Jennings put you on, have you?”
Emily snorted, recalling the ramblings of her therapist, and tapped her head. “Nothing but good vibes
and positive energy up here.” According to Dr. J, those were the only two ingredients necessary to
maintain a healthy emotional state.
and positive energy up here.” According to Dr. J, those were the only two ingredients necessary to
maintain a healthy emotional state.
Well, aside from prescription medication.
“Please,” Kadie said. “That man’s cheese slid off his cracker a long time ago. Let’s just be thankful he told your parents you needed to go ‘find yourself ’ this summer. They never would’ve let you come this far if he hadn’t.”
Kadie was right. For all of Dr. Jennings’ psychobabble, he did have a point about this trip. Maybe away from Duluth and her parents and the horrible memories, Emily could finally figure out who she was apart from that terrible night.
She took a deep, jagged breath, suddenly aware that Kadie had stopped throwing crackers at the bird
and was trying to meet her eyes. Emily popped her knuckles and crossed her legs. She hated when
people stared at her. Now, the bird was watching her, too.
and was trying to meet her eyes. Emily popped her knuckles and crossed her legs. She hated when
people stared at her. Now, the bird was watching her, too.
“Look, I know this trip is a big deal for you, and it’s got to be scary,” Kadie said. “I mean, you haven’t left Duluth since it happened. But you need to put yourself back out there. You can’t keep living your life just waiting for someone to jump out from the shadows.”
“I know,” Emily said. But the nerves still squirmed up her throat, despite the dose of anxiety meds she had taken that morning.
The bird wasn’t helping matters. Ignoring the cracker crumbs lining the grass, it hopped to the rim of
the fire pit just in front of Emily’s boots.
the fire pit just in front of Emily’s boots.
She shifted away and tried to quiet the resurfacing English class lectures about ravens symbolizing
death, wisdom, and the heavy weight of grief.
“Anyhow, we just graduated, and all seniors are supposed to go on a kick-ass trip.” Kadie tapped
Emily’s knee with the back of her hand. “I just don’t want you to miss out on all this stuff because you’re too scared. If you do, you’re going to regret it later. It’s going to take some time for you to trust people again, especially guys. But not all guys are jerks. You know that, right?”
death, wisdom, and the heavy weight of grief.
“Anyhow, we just graduated, and all seniors are supposed to go on a kick-ass trip.” Kadie tapped
Emily’s knee with the back of her hand. “I just don’t want you to miss out on all this stuff because you’re too scared. If you do, you’re going to regret it later. It’s going to take some time for you to trust people again, especially guys. But not all guys are jerks. You know that, right?”
Emily ran a hand through her hair. “You don’t understand, Kadie,” she whispered. “No one does.
Sometimes when I close my eyes at night, I can still feel their hands on me. I can feel the cold steel of
the blade they used. If I’m in a crowd or watching TV, I can hear their throaty whispers.”
Sometimes when I close my eyes at night, I can still feel their hands on me. I can feel the cold steel of
the blade they used. If I’m in a crowd or watching TV, I can hear their throaty whispers.”
She swallowed back the fear, refusing to let it to cripple her. “I just want it to go away like it was
never there, but that’s not going to happen.”
never there, but that’s not going to happen.”
“It’s going to take some time. It’s been ten months, Em. Might be ten more before you feel normal,
but you can’t stop living right now.”
but you can’t stop living right now.”
Kadie elbowed her lightly in the ribs, trying to draw a response, but Emily shook her head. “Look, I
really don’t want to talk about this, okay?”
really don’t want to talk about this, okay?”
As if the universe had heard her, the raven hopped down from the fire pit and wobbled toward Emily.
Its eyes blinked from black to purple and then back again. Emily bolted off the bench.
Its eyes blinked from black to purple and then back again. Emily bolted off the bench.
Her sudden movement didn’t faze the bird. Emily turned to Kadie, who was looking up with raised
brows from her phone.
brows from her phone.
“Did you see that?” Emily asked.
“It’s okay, Em. I think that means it likes you. Ravens have a second eyelid and blink to it when they’re excited.”
She handed Emily a cheese cracker “Here, sit down and feed it something else. I don’t think it likes
the wheat ones.”
the wheat ones.”
“Fine.” Against her better judgment, Emily sat down and tossed the orange square toward the bird.
Instead of eating the cracker, though, it cocked its head, like it was interested in her.
“I told you it likes you,” Kadie said. Emily shook her head and forced an exhale that relaxed her tight
shoulders. Her paranoia had reached a whole new level. She couldn’t believe she was freaking out over a stupid bird.
Kadie handed her another cracker. She gripped it between her thumb and forefinger and held it out
to the bird. Blinking its weird eyes again, it avoided the cracker. Then, it raised its sharp beak and
pecked.
Emily’s hand exploded in pain.
She looked down at her throbbing hand.
A drop of blood had blossomed across her skin.
Born and raised in the mountains of East Tennessee, Bekah Harris has been writing since she could hold a pencil. The beauty of her home in the Appalachian Mountains, along with the legends, myths, and folklore of that area, is what inspires the unique plots and settings captured in her young adult fiction. In addition to her love of all things fictional, Bekah is also a freelance writer and editor, an occasional adjunct professor, and a high school English teacher. When not working, Bekah can be found at home building block towers for her son to knock down, drinking coffee and watching Netflix with her husband.
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