The Ultimate Fan Guide Read online

  Blaise and Thea are two of the last Harman girls directly descended from Hellewise. What lost witch can trace her matrilineal lineage back to Hellewise?

  A. Tanya Jun

  B. Gillian Lennox

  C. Amy Nowick

  D. Sylvia Weald

  E. Mary-Lynnette Carter

  ANSWER: B

  Gillian Lennox learns about her witch lineage after completing her first spells. Using two wax figurines to represent her rivals, Gillian enacts spells that give Tanya a rash and cause Kimberly to lose her voice. Angel praises Gillian for her good work, then reveals that Gillian is a “full-fledged witch.” Gillian’s great-grandmother Elspeth was a Hearth-Woman, descended from the revered mother of all witches, Hellewise.

  Mary-Lynnette likes to solve mysteries.

  Who is her favorite detective?

  A. Sherlock Holmes

  B. Nancy Drew

  C. Perry Mason

  D. Miss Marple

  E. Encyclopedia Brown

  ANSWER: B

  Mary-Lynnette is quite the sleuth! She frequently references Nancy Drew, wondering what the girl detective would do if she were in Mary-Lynnette’s situation. Inspired by Nancy, Mary-Lynnette decides to investigate when she sees three girls burying a big black plastic bag in Mrs. Burdock’s backyard. And when Mary-Lynnette and the Redferns speak with Jeremy at the gas station, she faults herself for not thinking up a cover story ahead of time because “Nancy Drew would definitely have thought of that.”

  “Go mark a fire hydrant or something.”

  It doesn’t take a vampire’s heightened sensitivity to sniff out the werewolf in this quote. But to which werewolf is this remark addressed?

  He was in human form at the time he spoke these words, but you may remember Ulf as the first werewolf to appear in the Night World series. Despite his lanky appearance, Ulf works as a bouncer at the Black Iris.

  And who says it? James in Secret Vampire.

  Witches

  Witches have an innate ability to draw on their inner strength to effect magic through spells and chants. Enchantments are often produced with simple words and intense focus, but many are accompanied by fire, a complicated assortment of ingredients, and a physical representation of those to be changed by the charm. Members of this clan can call upon Hecate, the first and most powerful witch, for power. They can also call upon their own power as daughters and sons of Hecate when casting spells, as demonstrated by Thea in Spellbinder.

  Some witches also have prophetic visions—either brief glimpses into the future or puzzling revelations that must be unraveled with careful study. Witches who have these tendencies are usually unable to guide or extend their visions, but as this power is rare, prophetic witches are revered and hold a distinctive place in the hierarchy.

  This clan is a matrilineal society that celebrates women, and the most powerful witches are the Crone, the Mother, and the Maiden. The witches with these titles have demonstrated their awesome powers for enacting spells and witnessing visions. Witches age like humans with regard to physical appearance and life span, so the Maiden is expected to one day become the Mother, then the Crone. The Crone is the leader of the Inner Circle, a group akin to the Vampire’s Elder Council.

  The Inner Circle is a governing body composed of nine of the most powerful witches in Night World. As Thea describes with awe, “These people were the witch geniuses, the prodigies and the sages, the far-seers, the teachers, the policy-makers.” Despite the matriarchal emphasis of this clan, the Circle consists of both women and men. In addition to Grandma Harman, the Crone; Mother Cybele, the Mother; and Aradia, the Maiden, the other members of the Circle are Rhys, Belfana, Creon, Old Bob, Ursula, and Nana Buruku.

  The rest of the witches in the Night World divide themselves between those who practice moderate magic, Circle Twilight, and those who practice the darkest magic, Circle Midnight. All of the Circles mark themselves with the sign of the black dahlia and are sensitive to iron. And all witches can communicate telepathically among themselves.

  Psychics are a subgroup of witches whose powers lie dormant, waiting to be discovered. Psychics have been raised outside of the Night World and are ignorant of their legacy. Some psychics, like Poppy North and Gillian Lennox, find their way into the Night World fold by accident. Others, like Gary Fargeon and Iliana Harman, are sought out by their clan—traced through family and welcomed to their birthright. But some, having only moderate powers or suppressing their talents for fear of being ostracized by their human peers, never connect with the Night World.

  NOTABLE WITCHES

  Hellewise Hearth-Woman: Hellewise, the daughter of Hecate Witch-Queen, lives during the Stone Age and is worshiped as the head of the Harman family, the most powerful family of witches. Hellewise is frequently called upon as a source of power in casting and is admired for her benevolence and beauty.

  Maeve Harman: The mother of Hunter Redfern’s daughters, Lily, Garnet, Dove, and Roseclear, Maeve casts the protective spell on the haven that Hunter creates for vampires. Her spell staves off human interference, protecting the Night World residents from discovery. Maeve is not fond of Hunter, despite their blood-tie, and raises their youngest daughter as a witch far from the enclave.

  Blaise and Thea Harman: The granddaughters of the Crone, Blaise and Thea are cousins and the end of the Harman line. With personalities as opposite as night and day, these two gals are at once intense rivals and best friends.

  Phillip North: The brother of the well-known made vampire Poppy North, Phil is a psychic who discovers his witch heritage. Linked to the Night World through his father’s family, Phil is glad to learn why he can telepathically communicate with his sister—but has no interest in exploring his witch powers.

  YOU MIGHT BE A WITCH IF …

  * you have a knack for knowing something is going to happen before it actually does.

  * your spice rack is overflowing with different herbs.

  * you can telepathically communicate with animals.

  * your favorite shape is a circle.

  * you have an enchanting personality.

  * you are always in touch with your inner goddess.

  Who is Paula Belizer and what happens to her in Dark Angel ?

  ANSWER: Paula Belizer is the young girl who disappears from Gillian Lennox’s small town in southwestern Pennsylvania. Paula is killed by a spell cast by renegade witch Gary Fargeon.

  Gary experiments with a fire elemental, a very dangerous spell that burns white with heat, when he is alone in the woods. But Paula runs through the woods after her dog, accidentally breaking the circle. Gary loses control of the flame, and Paula is killed on contact.

  Not knowing what to do, Gary buries Paula in the snow. Gary dies later that night in a car crash. A year later, with some persuasion, Gary tells Gillian where Paula’s body is located, so Paula’s parents can have closure and Gary’s spirit can find peace.

  Rowan, Kestrel, and Jade’s father thinks his daughters are disobedient because

  A. they refuse to go to school.

  B. of the stars’ unusual alignment when each was born.

  C. of an ancient blood-tie ceremony linking vampires and witches.

  D. the girls feed only on large game.

  E. Kestrel, who was adopted from a werewolf family, is a bad influence.

  ANSWER: C

  Rowan, Kestral, and Jade’s father blames their disobedience on a kinship ceremony performed in the sixteenth century. At that time, the Redfern line was in danger because Hunter Redfern’s son had disappeared and Hunter couldn’t produce a new heir. To secure this vampire’s ancient legacy, Hunter performed a blood-tie ceremony with a witch. Descendants on both sides share a hint of blood from the other clan. (In Spellbinder, you’ll remember Thea and Blaise mentioning they have a bit of vampire in them.) Vampires look down on witches and their matrilineal society, so the girls’ father blames their wild behavior on this blood tie.

  What is Poppy’s first thought afte
r her first kiss?

  A. “And I’m comatose. Great.”

  B. “I wish it would last forever.”

  C. “James’s mouth tastes sweet—for a vampire.”

  D. “I’m floating. This must be true love.”

  E. “Now we can never just be friends….”

  ANSWER: A

  James first kisses Poppy after they complete the last exchange of blood that will turn Poppy into a vampire. James cradles Poppy as soft music plays from her CD Music to Disappear In. Poppy struggles to open her eyes to tell a concerned James, “I’m all right. Just … sleepy.” That is when James settles Poppy on her pillows and kisses her on the forehead, and Poppy thinks, “And I’m comatose. Great.”

  As a member of the First House of Shapeshifters, Galen has the power to choose his transformational animal. He decides to change into

  A. an eagle.

  B. a lion.

  C. a giraffe.

  D. a dove.

  E. a leopard.

  ANSWER: E

  Galen originally wants to take the shape of a peaceful creature, yet in the heat of battle he takes Keller’s impression and shifts into a leopard. Galen’s leopard, with beautiful golden tones, shares the same coloring as his person. As a leopard Galen is able to defend Keller, his soulmate, and Iliana, the mysterious Witch Child, in battle against the dragon in Witchlight.

  “This kitten has claws.”

  After killing a vampire, Rashel’s ritual is to mark the newly mummified body with a back scratcher. Then she says, “This kitten has claws.”

  Why is this part of Rashel’s mantra? Rashel’s mother nicknamed her Kitten, and the ritual is a way to honor the memory of her mother. Rashel is known by the Night World community as The Cat for this practice and Rashel likes the ironic nod to Catwoman.

  Shapeshifters

  Shapeshifters play a complicated role in Night World society. They are at once the most powerful and the most despised clan. The dragons’ brute force made shapeshifters dominant, but throughout the ages, the malicious abuse of power by all shapeshifters made them “the lowest of all the Night People.”

  Shapeshifters have four main divisions in their race: those who can choose the animal they shift into, those whose shape was determined for them, werewolves (see page 95), and dragons (see page 113). Because of these four subdivisions, shapeshifters do not always act as a unified group.

  Members of the First House of Shapeshifters, the Drache family, have the ability to determine their shape. It is a decision that must be made carefully—as it cannot be reversed. To transform for the first time, a shapeshifter of this heritage must touch the animal he or she wants to shift into. Most of the Draches turn into warring beasts, and they have a reputation for exerting their power unilaterally. These ’shifters don’t show allegiance to the Night World or Circle Daybreak. Their loyalty falls with whomever they believe will win the battle at hand. Slow to make pacts with others, these shapeshifters are firmly committed to the cause when they do.

  Those whose shape is determined for them—at birth or by the bite of a ’shifter who is in animal form—become animals with great presence, such as jungle cats or bears or birds of prey.

  The ability to shift between human and animal forms is innate, but not without complications. Shapeshifters can get stuck between shapes. ’Shifters are taught never to transform in front of people, rather to change in safe, discreet places. A great deal of energy is released when one shape-shifts. According to Keller, a ’shifting panther, changing is “painful in a nice way, like the feeling of having a tight bandage removed. A release.”

  As shapeshifters spend much of their time in human form, they frequently wear clothing that is made from the hair and hides of other shapeshifters. This enables them to change smoothly and efficiently, without ripping or ruining their “people clothing.” A seamless transformation is important if a shapeshifter is trying to protect someone or defend something.

  NOTABLE SHAPESHIFTERS

  Rasha Keller: Stuck in mid-shift with cat ears and a tail, Keller is abandoned by her human parent as a baby. After being rescued and raised by Circle Daybreak, Keller decides to work for the organization to pay them back for taking care of her as a child. Like the cat she shifts into, Keller is always very independent.

  Galen Drache: The descendant of dragons and other demonic creatures, Galen tries to reject his powers in favor of a more positive life. He wants to choose an animal that demonstrates peace, not enacts violence, when deciding his shifting shape. But he can’t escape his role in the First House of the Shapeshifters. Promised to the Witch Child, Galen is called to unify the witches and the ’shifters in Witchlight.

  NIGHT WORLD ETIQUETTE

  How do you greet a witch?

  A. “Descendant of Hecate, salutations.”

  B. “Hocus-pocus.”

  C. “Unity.”

  D. “Kinship.”

  E. The same way you would any other Night Person or human.

  ANSWER: C

  “Unity” is the proper way to greet a fellow witch. It is an ancient address that demonstrates the promise of oneness and harmony among this Night World clan. When witches part company, they say, “Merry meet and merry part and merry meet again.”

  How does Quinn get the scar in his side?

  ANSWER: When Quinn awakes in the Redfern household after being made into a vampire, he is livid. And afraid. Quinn’s father, a Puritan minister, is the only person Quinn thinks might be able to help him now that he is “a monster. An unholy creature who needed blood to survive.” Dove Redfern, a born vampire and Quinn’s true love, pleads with him not to go, but to no avail. Instead Dove agrees to accompany Quinn to his home in the hope that he will be calmed.

  Quinn is right. His father knows what to do. He grabs a wooden stake from the fire, determined to purge the devil from their bodies. Quinn’s father impales Dove, and Quinn gets the scar in his side as he tries to shield her from the blow. Dove dies, Quinn escapes, and thereafter he vows to sever ties with the human race.

  While Jez sometimes has difficulty sharing her feelings, she admits to loving

  A. Hugh Davis.

  B. her Harley 883 Sportster Hugger.

  C. Morgead Blackthorn.

  D. all of the above.

  E. none of the above.

  ANSWER: D

  Jez loves Hugh Davis for befriending her when she arrives at her Uncle Jim’s family home. She doesn’t know any humans at the time, and other members of Circle Daybreak don’t yet trust her. Jez also loves her Harley, describing it as “her steel and chrome thoroughbred.” Last, but certainly not least, Jez loves Morgead. Of the three, Jez is in love with Morgead, her soulmate. She just doesn’t realize it until Morgead is in danger.

  Maya is a formidable character in the Night World. She is

  A. a witch.

  B. a vampire.

  C. a werewolf.

  D. a shapeshifter.

  E. all of the above.

  ANSWER: E

  Maya is a fierce power, arguably the most ferocious creature of the Night. Maya begins her life as a witch, just like her sister Hellewise. But an intense desire to be immortal drives Maya to cast a spell that turns her into the first vampire. Maya now can live forever, provided she drinks human blood each day. Among the powers Maya has are those of a shapeshifter and a werewolf. Maya uses these powers of transformation while hunting Hana of Three Rivers and Hannah Snow’s other incarnations.

  Who is the “princess of forbidden spells”?

  A. Aradia

  B. Aunt Ursula

  C. Blaise

  D. Iliana

  E. Thea

  ANSWER: E

  Thea and Eric break one of Night World’s cardinal laws when they fall in love. And when Thea and Blaise brainstorm ways to protect Eric from the Night World, Thea refers to herself as the “princess of forbidden spells.” Thea has already cast a powerful and illegal spell to call back a spirit. But she is willing to risk even more tro
uble with the Elders if it means protecting Eric!

  “She will come clothed in flowers, shod in blue and scarlet, and she will speak of freedom.”

  Maggie’s blue cotton slouch sock and red velveteen anklet pairing are quite a fashion statement! When Maggie falls asleep in her pajamas doing homework, she never dreams she’ll set off on a quest to another world to find her missing brother. But lucky for her, Maggie’s mismatched outfit identifies her as the Deliverer in the Dark Kingdom, gaining her recognition and much-needed help on her journey. A slave named only the Soaker is the first to recognize Maggie from the prophecy, and she rejoices that Maggie has arrived to save the slaves at Black Dawn and pledges to help Maggie however she can.

  KNOW YOUR LINGO

  How does the Crone greet people?

  A. “Good tidings, friends.”

  B. “Unity, I speak with the voice of Hecate.”

  C. “I, Crone of the house of Harman, am pleased to meet you.”

  D. “The Goddess’s bright blessing on you all.”

  E. “May you find comfort in the daylight, serenity in the night.”

  ANSWER: D

  In Witchlight, Grandma Harman makes the trip from Nevada to North Carolina to meet Iliana. The matriarch of the witches, Grandma Harman is very old and very influential. She uses the greeting “The Goddess’s bright blessing on you all,” demonstrating her allegiance to the otherworldly powers and her benevolence.