The Ultimate Fan Guide

by L. J. Smith

  Werewolves

  Humans that change into wolves at the full moon? Not in the Night World! No, the members of this clan are werewolves through and through. They are feral canines that shapeshift to look like humans, and they can change regardless of the phase of the moon.

  These growling, drooling creatures are an intimidating breed. With large incisors and lean, muscular bodies, they can jump and run and strike with great viciousness. Werewolves hunt to eat, so there is no disguising a werewolf attack. Werewolves feast on an animal’s internal organs and have a particular taste for hearts and livers.

  Because of their fierce territorial instincts, Night World were-wolves are frequently employed in the security industry as bouncers, bodyguards, and henchmen. ’Wolves have a talent for watching and stalking their prey, whether it is an animal in the woods or a human in town. So it is fitting that this clan’s symbol is the highly toxic, black foxglove. The flower got its name from an old myth in which foxes magically donned the blooms on their paws so they could creep into henhouses at night and eat the plump birds.

  Often considered the lowest class of shapeshifter, this subgroup has not been favored by Night World politics. Werewolves are demeaned partially because they represent a smaller organization of the shapeshifters and partially because their loyalties lie in their individual advancement. Despite there being some upstanding werewolves, most have earned their reputations as sneaky and unstoppable. Unless they see you wielding silver, that is. Silver is fatal to werewolves.

  NOTABLE WEREWOLVES

  Jeremy Lovett: Mary-Lynnette loves how helpful Jeremy is, carefully washing the windshield of her beat-up station wagon whenever she visits the gas station. But Jeremy never gets too close to anyone. He is a loner—and a renegade werewolf. Jeremy does not adhere to Night World feeding laws, even going so far as to kill his uncle for trying to enforce them. Jeremy also devises some creative ways to intimidate Jade, Kestrel, and Rowan when they move to Briar Creek.

  Azarius: This werewolf thug is hired by Lily Redfern to help find the Wild Power in Huntress. He has a mangy, dark coat and likes to pick fights. After wrestling with Jez on the BART platform, Azarius happily takes his revenge on the feisty half-breed, helping kidnap Jez and then impaling her. Azarius dies in the Wild Power’s Blue Fire.

  Lupe Acevedo: Half-werewolf and half-human, Lupe’s father is killed by werewolves, but Thierry rescues Lupe and her mother. Lupe becomes a member of Circle Daybreak and goes to work for Thierry, as one of Thierry’s bodyguards and as a locator and protector of Hana’s reincarnating soul. Lupe is recognizable as a grey-brown ’wolf with amber eyes and strong, graceful legs.

  YOU MIGHT BE A WEREWOLF IF …

  * jewelry stores creep you out.

  * you’ve been mistaken for Sasquatch.

  * you have excellent teeth and gums despite never flossing.

  * your favorite foods are calves’ liver (just barely brushed over a flame, please) and steak tartare.

  * when you throw a tantrum, your howling can be heard for miles.

  In Soulmate, why does Hannah Snow have a birthmark?

  ANSWER: Hannah Snow has a birthmark on her left cheek that doctors cannot remove. This rose-colored streak on her pale skin is more than a birthmark: it is a psychic brand. Hannah receives this brand from Thierry during her first lifetime when she is Hana of Three Rivers.

  Overtaken by bloodlust, the newly made vampire Thierry attacks everyone in the small village of Three Rivers—including Hana. Thierry comes to his senses moments before Hana dies, but it is too late to save her. Thierry is tortured knowing he has killed an innocent girl, the girl who is his soulmate. As he cradles Hana’s dead body, Thierry gently sweeps the hair off her face, leaving a smear of Hana’s blood on her cheek. After that, every time Hana of Three Rivers reincarnates, she bears the mark of Thierry’s sorrow upon her cheek.

  BONUS: How does Hannah feel about her birthmark?

  ANSWER: Hannah likes the birthmark. She believes it is the perfect imperfection. It reminds her of who she is and that she is human.

  Who does Thea bring back from the dead?

  A. Suzanne Blanchet

  B. Phoebe Garner

  C. Dew Ratih

  D. Annie Butter

  E. Omiya Inoshishi

  ANSWER: A

  Thea intends to bring back the docile Phoebe Garner, a witch who died of consumption before the Burning Times. But Blaise interrupts Thea’s spell. During Blaise’s struggle to keep Thea from throwing Phoebe’s amulet into the fire, an amulet with a lock of Suzanne Blanchet’s hair lands in the flame. And with a great burst of lightning, Suzanne’s vengeful spirit is released into the world.

  When Maggie first sees Sylvia in the Dark Kingdom, Sylvia is dressed in medieval clothing and has a falcon on her wrist. Who is the shapeshifting falcon?

  A. Hunter, Prince Delos’s great-grandfather

  B. Miles, Maggie’s brother

  C. Galen of the First House of Shapeshifters

  D. Gavin, one of Sylvia’s henchmen

  E. An unnamed nobleman

  ANSWER: B

  Sylvia punishes Miles when they arrive in the Dark Kingdom and has Gavin, a ’shifter falcon, change him. Sylvia then casts a spell on Miles so that he can’t return to human form until the leather band is removed from his ankle. Miles returns to human form at the end of Black Dawn, but he will forever be a shapeshifter.

  Why does Angel lure Gillian into the woods with the sound of a crying child at the beginning of Dark Angel ?

  A. Angel is lonely.

  B. An injured animal needs rescuing.

  C. Angel wants to show Gillian something frozen in the ice.

  D. A member of Circle Daybreak is waiting there to tell Gillian about her heritage.

  E. Angel is playing a prank.

  ANSWER: A

  Caught between Earth and the Other Side, Angel is stuck in the between-place. He is lonely and desperate for company. So he lures Gillian into the woods and orchestrates her accident on the ice. But just before Gillian can slip into the Middle Place, Angel reconsiders. Instead of killing Gillian he follows her back to Earth as her spirit rejoins her body. Then Angel devises a plan to take on a physical form by inhabiting David’s body.

  “Even when we’re apart, we’ll be looking at the same sky!”

  Oh, Ash. He sure knows how to charm a girl! Intense, assertive, and incredibly smart, Ash has a distinctive bad-boy streak. And a winning smile. Mary-Lynnette is smitten with Ash and loves how he understands her passion for the night. The electricity between these soulmates is palpable, and these parting words are full of tenderness, if not a little of Ash’s signature humor.

  Dragons

  Dragons are the oldest and most formidable of the shapeshifters, and long predate the first vampire. It is important to remember that dragons are not beings who turn themselves into scaly beasts with horns. As with werewolves, these creatures are dragons at their core.

  At one point dragons reigned over all of Night World with terror and violence. These immortal beasts were known to breed humans for consumption, much like humans breed cattle. The more human flesh a dragon consumed, it was believed, the more powerful the dragon became. Dragons were put to sleep by the witches more than thirty thousand years ago, and it is said that their blood still runs in the First House of the Shapeshifters.

  Dragons dominated the shapeshifters, not just because of their strength, but because dragons have the ability to shift into an infinite number of forms. If a dragon touches any living being, it can assume that figure. Removing a dragon’s horns, the seat of a dragon’s power, is the only way to prohibit a dragon from changing its appearance and defeat it. Most dragons have one to three horns. But, according to an old parchment kept by the shapeshifters, rare cases of four-horned dragons have been noted. Azhdeha, the dragon in Witchlight, broke this record with a remarkable five.

  When a dragon changes from its secondary form into its dragon form, it is likened to “a moth b
eing born.” A dragon will split his borrowed skin, growing in size and stature to bear a reptilian face and muscular, clawed legs. All dragon fluids release an over powering sugary odor, and Keller declares that the dragon’s battle-torn human skin reeked of such sweetness that it was “an odor to make your stomach lurch.”

  A dragon’s energy is sinister and unassailable. When Keller feels the dragon’s mind in the Hallmark store, it is “a core of mindless hatred and evil that seemed to reach back into the mists of time.” And this was not even the full force of the dragon’s darkness, as he was still in his human shape!

  NOTABLE DRAGON

  Azhdeha: The first dragon to appear in the Night World series is named Azhdeha. He spends most of his time masquerading in different human forms but reveals his true yellow-green scales at the end of Witchlight. Azhdeha claims to have been awakened by a “witch who isn’t a witch.” With the Old Powers rising and a dragon proclaiming an alliance with the mysterious Night Person who roused him, the threat of other dragons emerging from their sedated slumber is very real. The apocalypse of Strange Fate cannot be far behind.

  YOU MIGHT BE A DRAGON IF …

  * you love the Atkins diet and could eat meat at every meal.

  * you really hate being woken from a deep sleep.

  * everyone you know is afraid of you.

  * you embrace all types of change.

  * you feel a kinship with T. rex.

  * sometimes it feels like you’ve been around since the beginning of time.

  In Huntress, Hugh mentions that Circle Daybreak discovered an interesting theory about the end of the world. Who came up with the theory and what is it?

  ANSWER: According to Hugh, the Hopi Tribe has a theory for the sequence of supremacy among the Night World clans. They believe each clan rules the earth until a natural disaster transitions the authority from one group to another.

  The first culture was that of the shapeshifters. They ruled with their animal spirits and were thought of as deities by the humans they governed. During this realm, humans lived in caves and were afraid of what lay beyond. The shapeshifters’ society ended when great, fiery volcanoes erupted around the world, changing the weather patterns.

  As humans then migrated to different parts of the world, the witches gained control. But after ten thousand years of domination, there was another shift. This shift was brought on by the Ice Age. The witches fought against the vampires to maintain power but ultimately lost.

  The vampires also enjoyed a rule of ten thousand years, until another disaster struck. This time a flood transferred the power into human hands. According to Hugh, this is the current realm. And with humans ruling the earth, the Night People have been lying in wait, anticipating the next evolution of power. Hugh feels the transition is rapidly approaching with the millennium—and that blood and darkness will bring the next succession. The apocalypse is coming….

  Thierry promises Hana never to kill again and that he will atone for his sins. Thierry spends centuries doing good deeds and leading Circle Daybreak. Who else must make amends for his past?

  A. Ash Redfern

  B. John Quinn

  C. Galen Drache

  D. Todd Akers

  E. Chris Grady

  ANSWER: A

  Bad-boy Ash Redfern knows he has a lot to make up for when he parts company with his soulmate Mary-Lynnette in Briar Creek. He tells her, “I’ll fight dragons, just like any knight for his lady. I’ll prove myself. You’ll be proud of me.” And Ash is working to set things right when he meets Hannah at Thierry’s mansion. Ash shares his story with Hannah, hoping that his experience—and those of other Daybreakers—will bring her comfort.

  What is the “Armageddon of Accessories”?

  A. A bracelet that Iliana admires at the mall

  B. The silver rose ring Thierry gives to Hannah Snow

  C. The brace Prince Delos wears on his arm to protect the Blue Power

  D. A necklace that Blaise designs to destroy Eric

  E. A locket, worn by Jade, that holds her sisters’ pictures

  ANSWER: D

  “With swirls of stars and moons in enchanting patterns,” Blaise’s unique necklace captivates everyone who sees it. Blaise designs this necklace, like all of her jewelry, to enact a powerful spell— and this one is intended for Eric. In addition to the gems that she incorporates into the design, Blaise laces the necklace with some of Eric’s blood, which she lifts from the tissue at the Sun City Animal Hospital.

  Whose nickname is Steely Neely?

  A. Aradia

  B. Tanya

  C. Sylvia

  D. Gillian

  E. Maggie

  ANSWER: E

  Maggie is known as “Steely Neely” by her soccer team. Her brother, Miles, even tells his girlfriend, “Maggie’s no rocket scientist, but once she gets hold of something she’s just like a little bull terrier.” Maggie’s remarkable determination saves her brother’s life—and that of the Blind Maiden—in Black Dawn.

  “The five classes would be, from most advanced to most primitive, Animalia, Plantae, Fungi, Protista … and Eugene.”

  When Gillian meets Angel, she surrenders her will and independence in exchange for a chance to be popular. Gillian’s creative take on the five classes of living creatures comes at the expense of Eugene, Gillian’s best friend’s boyfriend. Gillian craves popularity and learns a hard lesson: one doesn’t rise in status by cutting down someone else’s reputation.

  Humans, Vermin, Outsiders

  It’s no wonder that the Night People want to keep their society secret from humans. Humans are not the most tolerant beings. Not only do they fight among themselves, but humans lash out at those who are not like them, consciously and unconsciously making it their mission to eradicate Night People. Humans are responsible for the Witch Hunts during the Burning Times, tend to be vampire hunters, and rarely react positively to Bigfoot sightings.

  Humans don’t have supernatural powers, but their kind have taken charge of the world for the past ten thousand years. With the apocalypse on its way, the Night World is looking to unseat the humans’ power and regain control. It is the radically divergent beliefs of the Night World and humankind that will bring about a great clash of blood and darkness.

  But despite the extremes of thought, humans can also demonstrate great compassion and empathy—for their fellow humans and for those in the Night World. Many humans become ardent supporters of Night World when they learn of its existence. And many humans, still unaware of its reality, practice tolerance and kindness in every facet of their lives.

  NOTABLE HUMANS

  Mary-Lynnette Carter: Mary-Lynnette is smart, spunky, and a little nosy. Mary-Lynnette is protective of those she loves—including her sensitive brother, Mark, and elderly neighbor, Opal Burdock. Mary-Lynnette contemplates becoming a vampire to be closer to her soulmate—and so that she can better view the stars.

  Eric Ross: Eric loves animals and wants to study to become a vet. He is very patient with Roz, his outspoken little sister, and his charm completely captivates Thea. Thea believes him to be “tender but intense. Brave. Profoundly insightful. Shy but with a wicked sense of humor.” Aside from not being part of the Night World, Eric is the perfect guy.

  Claire Goddard: Jez’s human cousin, Claire is prim and prissy, and a miniature of her mother, Nanami. Claire is ignorant of the Night World until she follows Jez to the BART station, where they are both attacked by werewolves. Claire is shocked to learn about the Night World but becomes astonishingly protective and supportive of her cousin. Claire is also suspected of carrying the Blue Flame.

  Maggie Neely: Strong, bold, determined, Maggie Neely is a born organizer. Maggie has a will of steel but a heart of gold. She stands up for herself—and for those who cannot stand up for themselves. Maggie treats everyone she encounters with respect, which in turn earns her great devotion. Maggie is not one to take shortcuts—and she refuses to be changed into a vampire when the possibility presents
itself as the easy way out of a tough situation.

  YOU MIGHT BE A HUMAN IF …

  * you think all vampires turn into bats and all witches wear black capes.

  * you’ve heard Night World is a theme park like Disney World.

  * you believe werewolves are humans that turn into wolves at the full moon.

  * you know casting is for fishing rods and that spelling involves the arrangement of letters to form words.

  * you think the place to start looking for other life-forms is on another planet.

  * you think the only person who could suck the life out of you is an annoying teacher.

  To which clan did Sylvia show her allegiance?

  ANSWER: In Black Dawn Sylvia declares, “I may be a spell-caster, but I’m not a witch anymore.” Raised in the witch tradition by her parents, Sylvia is 100 percent witch but only half Harman. Sylvia’s link to this reigning family of Hearth-Women is through her father. But as witches are a matriarchal society, names are passed from a mother to her children— making Sylvia part of the less influential Weald family.

  So why does Sylvia denounce her clan? Sylvia has ambitions of becoming part of the Witch Council in Night World, but her birthright keeps her from joining. It angers Sylvia to see other witches—especially half-human witches—superseding her with their matrilineal ties to the Harmans.

  As a result, Sylvia pledges her loyalty to Hunter Redfern in an attempt to secure a place of power in the new order. Sylvia believes the vampires will rule in the millennium and expects Hunter will serve as the head of the Elders. Unfortunately for Sylvia, Hunter is even more power hungry than she is. When Sylvia is compelled by Aradia and the voice of Hellewise to remove the spell from Prince Delos’s arm, she does and then is staked at Hunter’s command.