THE STIKINI: Until The Last Heart Is Eaten

A horror novel that blends historical events with Seminole folklore, telling the story of a medicine man who summons the serpent spirit of an ancient witch to transform his people into Stikini—winged shapeshifters who devour hearts, blood, and brains—to seek vengeance against the U.S. government for land theft during the forced removal of the Seminole people. The book combines historical facts, fiction, and dark folklore, exploring themes of race hatred and vengeance through the lens of supernatural horror. 

"You will be the instruments if you help me regain physical form and honor me," the witch said. "I will make you strong, and you will feast on the white man's hearts until there is no more to eat. You will become Stikini--children of the owl."

Twelve of us agreed to honor her because our anger was more significant than our wisdom. Her magic twisted us and broke all our bones. We were flesh without form; our spirits captured in a fog of magic that hovered over what was once our bodies. Then an unbreakable curse was attached to our spirits.  We screamed in silent agony as flesh and spirit rejoined.  Our bodies were covered in feathers, wide and powerful wings expanded from our backs, and our features became twisted imitations of owls.

Our hunt began with the combined screech of our new voices and the powerful flapping of wings. Our war, our vengeance, would begin in Florida with the deaths of the government's soldiers who'd forced many Seminole from their homes. We will eat their hearts and brains, then drink their blood. We will take their shapes, become their children, parents, their dogs, and the trees that surround their homes.  We will kill all of them, take back our land, and then follow them across the land until all are gone.