The Dark-Hunters (849 page)

C
URRENT
L
OCATION
: Transylvania

Petcu, Viktor
    A Lykos Were, Viktor is the older brother of Francesca.

C
URRENT
L
OCATION
: Transylvania

Petra
    (deceased) A Katagari she-wolf, Petra was shunned by Vane when she tried to sleep with him, and then he stopped her from sleeping with his brother Fang. She was killed by Bryani.

Petrakis, Arion
    The Gerakian Arcadian Regis, Arion travels with a human sorcerer. The two of them are sure to find mischief at every available opportunity. He isn’t married to one time period, and is often found traveling between them. Arion is a scoundrel and has never been known to pass up a willing female.

He has a long-standing rivalry with the Were-hawk Jasyn Kallinos, and has vowed to see him dead (as lifelong enemies are wont to do).

B
ORN: A.D.
812

B
IRTHPLACE
: Gwynedd, Wales

Pontis, Angel
    Cousin of Dante Pontis and his brothers.

Pontis, Bonita
    (deceased) The bonded mate of Donatello Pontis. Bonita accidentally killed her mate (and in doing so, herself) in the throes of passion. Their tale is often told as a warning to young Katagaria Were-panthers.

Pontis, Dante
    A Katagari Were-panther, Dante is the eldest of a litter of eight. He has a wicked sense of humor, and as both a panther and man is an extremely laid-back (but lethal) creature. He owns Dante’s Inferno in Twin Cities, Minnesota, a known sanctuary, where he follows his own set of rules. He has his own creed and code of behavior, Dark-Hunters, Were-Hunters, and gods be damned.

Dante killed his brother Salvatore, who betrayed them to the Daimons. He is the mate of Pandora Kouti, whom he met at Dragon*Con in Atlanta. Dante represents his patria at the Omegrion as the Katagaria Panthiras Regis.

B
ORN: A.D.
1392

B
IRTHPLACE
: Florence, Italy

H
EIGHT
: six foot six

H
AIR
/E
YES
: black/clear blue

W
ERE
-F
ORM
: panther

C
URRENT
L
OCATION
: Twin Cities, Minnesota

F
EATURED
S
TORY
: “Winter Born”

Pontis, Donatello
    (deceased) The Pontis Were-panther brother who was accidentally killed by his bonded mate (Bonita) in the throes of passion.

Pontis, Gabriel
    A Were-panther brother of Dante Pontis.

Pontis, Leonardo
    Nickname: Leo. A Katagari Were-panther, Leo is the younger brother of Dante Pontis and is Mike’s twin.

Pontis, Michaelangelo
    Nickname: Mike. A Katagaria Were-panther, Mike is the younger brother of Dante Pontis and is Leo’s twin.

Pontis, Pandora
    (née Kouti) This Arcadian Were-pantheress is the wife and mate of Dante Pontis, whom she met at Dragon*Con in Atlanta. Pandora belonged to a near-future Arcadian Panthiras patria whose women were subject to a bargain with an all-male Katagaria patria from the current time. Pandora was kidnapped from the future, and her older sister was killed by this pack.

Pandora wears her husband’s signet ring, an object he uses as a homing beacon so that he will always be able to find his wife across space and time.

H
AIR
/E
YES
: brown/lavender

F
EATURED
S
TORY
: “Winter Born”

Pontis, Romeo
    A mated Katagaria Were-panther. The older brother of Dante Pontis, Romeo is one of the most vicious of the panther pack. He has a particularly morbid sense of humor and lives for the thrill of the kill. His greatest pleasure in life is tormenting his younger brothers, especially Dante. Quick and lethal, he is a Strati to be reckoned with. Romeo works at Dante’s Inferno most often as a bouncer, but he will double as a DJ from time to time.

Resist the urge to make fun of his name, or to quote Shakespeare in his presence. Your life will be all the longer for your prudence.

B
ORN: A.D.
1116

B
IRTHPLACE
: Venice, Italy

H
EIGHT
: six foot five

C
URRENT
L
OCATION
: Twin Cities, Minnesota

Portakalian, Justin
    A Were-panther, Justin is a bouncer, waiter, and bartender at Sanctuary. He’s an ex-con with a chip on his shoulder. There’s nothing like being a Katagari Were-Hunter in prison. It makes for some interesting stories. Only … you might not want to ask him to tell them if you’ve got a weak constitution.

H
EIGHT
: six foot six

H
AIR
/E
YES
: dark brown/hazel

C
URRENT
L
OCATION
: New Orleans, Louisiana

Regis
    The leader of a Were-Hunter pack who in essence acts as their king (or queen) and representative at the Omegrion.

Romano, Anelise
    A snow leopard Arcadian Were-Hunter, Anelise represents her patria at the Omegrion as the Niphetos Pardalia Regis.

Rytis
    The invisible stream of waves that move through everything in the natural world. These waves echo, flow, and occasionally buckle. Were- and Dream-Hunters use the Rytis to move through time and space. Many have equated the Rytis to Ley Lines, though the Rytis is much less geographically stable and virtually impossible to map.

Sasha
    A Katagari Were-Hunter, and best friend to the justice nymph Astrid. Sasha was barely a pup when his Lykos patria sided with the Egyptian goddess Bast in her war against Artemis, and so was judged innocent of his actions. Unfortunately, the Arcadians still want him dead because of his prior association with Slayers, and the Slayers want him dead because they think he betrayed his patria. Smart Sasha tries to stay out of it all by sticking close to Astrid’s side.

Sasha helps Astrid when she is stricken blind during judgment—they communicate telepathically.

H
AIR
/E
YES
: pale blond/electric blue

W
ERE
-F
ORM
: white timber wolf

Scooby
    Derogatory Lykos Katagaria term for a brainless, cowardly pup.

Sebastienne, Paris
    One of the few Katagaria Slayers who travels with friends of a different patria, Paris is often found in the company of Trey, Ax, and Trion Xanatos. This Were-lion travels in human form, usually on a custom-built Harley. His one known weakness is full-bodied brunettes; it seems as though he is always being lured by one. Paris has left in his wake a long line of dead Sentinels, dark beauties, and broken hearts.

Paris represents his patria at the Omegrion as the Katagaria Litarian Regis.

B
ORN
: 3162
B.C.

B
IRTHPLACE
: Athens, Greece

Stefan
    A Strati leader, and Vane Kattalakis’s mortal enemy. Stefan is Markus Kattalakis’s second-in-command.

Stefanopoulos, Myles
    The Katagaria Were-jaguar Regis. Myles represents the Balios patria in the Omegrion.

Stephanos, Lysander
    Nickname: Sander. The Tigarian Katagaria Regis whose entire family was executed by a clan of Arcadians. He alone survived. Vowing vengeance on the ones responsible, Lysander has sought these Arcadian butchers throughout history. Like many of his vengeful brethren, he won’t stop until he has claimed them all.

Pronounced a Slayer the moment he entered puberty, he has a death warrant on his life that is equal to Vane’s, and in some centuries even more. Because of his relentless pursuit of Arcadians, the Katagaria have offered rewards for his hide in hopes of buying a truce from their enemies.

Lysander has a shoulder and bicep covered in a tattoo of a heart pierced by a sword.

B
ORN
: 6523
B.C.

B
IRTHPLACE
: Athens, Greece

H
AIR
/E
YES
: brown

Strati
    The term used for Katagaria soldiers who seek out Arcadians to fight. Some Arcadians refer to all Strati as Slayers. The Strati are the Katagaria equivalent of Sentinels, only without the facial markings.

Much like their predatory ancestors, Strati will not engage an enemy unprovoked. They will only kill to defend themselves, their pack, or their territory.

-swain
    Suffix for a male Were-Hunter. (Example: dragon-swain, pantherswain, bearswain, and so on.)

-swan
    Suffix for a female Were-Hunter. (Example: dragon-swan, pantherswan, bearswan, and so on.)

Tessera
    From the Greek word for “four,” this is the term used for a group of four Were-Hunters sent out to hunt others of their kind. Of course, just to be contrary, a tessera can also have eight members.

Theodorakopolous, Colton
    Nickname: Colt. One of the more powerful modern Ursulan Arcadian Sentinels. Unlike many of his brethren, Colton doesn’t have an ax to grind with the Katagaria. In fact, he owes his life to a few of them. Colt was orphaned at birth (his mother escaped a Slayer attack). He was harbored and raised at Sanctuary—the Peltiers were responsible for rescuing Colt and his mother, and then they fostered Colt after her death. He is the only child Mama Peltier has officially adopted. Colton has never forgotten what he owes this particular Katagaria clan, but he doesn’t let that detract from his Sentinel duties.

Colt is the lead guitarist for the Howlers, the house band at Sanctuary. He normally hides his Sentinel markings with his powers.

B
ORN: A.D.
1875

B
IRTHPLACE
: St. Louis, Missouri

H
AIR
/E
YES
: black

C
URRENT
L
OCATION
: New Orleans, Louisiana

Thirio
    The instinctual need inside Weres to bond and combine life forces during the consummation of a mating. During this basic, powerful animal thrall that overtakes a Were, the canine teeth grow to facilitate the bonding.

Tier
    One of the fiercest of the Tigarian Katagaria. A known killer, Tier was even driven out of his own patria. He is merciless on the hunt and will not stop until he achieves whatever it is he seeks.

Women have been said to faint as soon as he turns his animalistic charm upon them. He keeps mostly to himself and is very quiet. He can often be found on the beach or wreaking havoc with the local Santeria cults. Mischievous and wild, he loves to toy with his prey before he devours it.

B
ORN
: 565
B.C.

B
IRTHPLACE
: the Amazon Basin

H
EIGHT
: six foot four

C
URRENT
L
OCATION
: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Tigarian, Aristotle
    Wren Tigarian’s father, a white tiger Were-Hunter, who—despite popular opinion—did not actually murder Wren’s mother. When Aristotle’s own mother was dying of cancer, she gave her powers to him. Aristotle then later bestowed these powers upon Maggie Goudeau, when she and Wren visited him from the future. For many years he perpetuated the lie about his death and lived in secret under the name Josiah Crane, so as not to interrupt the natural time flow.

Tigarian, Grayson
    (deceased) An Arcadian Were-Hunter and Wren’s uncle, Grayson was Zack’s father. He was killed by his brother Aristotle.

Tigarian, Karina
    (deceased) Last of the Katagari snow leopards, and mother of Wren Tigarian. A passionate and irrational woman, Karina hated her son. She and her lover were both killed by Aristotle.

Tigarian, Maggie
    Born: Marguerite D’Aubert Goudeau. Nickname: Maggie. (
Hates
being called Margeaux.) Maggie was mated to Wren Tigarian as a gift from Nick Gautier through Savitar. She became a Were-tiger after Aristotle Tigarian bestowed upon her his mother’s powers.

Maggie is the socialite daughter of a prominent U.S. senator. Her mother was a Cajun beauty (a former Miss Louisiana) who worked as a docent at the Audubon Zoo before her marriage—she later overdosed on antidepressants when her husband refused to divorce her.

Maggie was also a friend and study partner of Nick Gautier. Julian Alexander was her undergraduate advisor.

B
ORN
: August 6, 1981

H
AIR
/E
YES
: chestnut/brown

W
ERE
-F
ORM
: tiger

C
URRENT
L
OCATION
: New Orleans, Louisiana

F
EATURED
N
OVEL
:
Unleash the Night

Tigarian, Wren
    A Katagari Were-Hunter born in the wilds of Asia, Wren Tigarian is a man of few words. He is a
tigard
—a rare white tiger (father)/snow leopard (mother) hybrid mix that neither clan will tolerate. As a result, he can take either form at will. After his parents allegedly went mad and killed each other, Savitar brought the cub’s half-dead carcass to Sanctuary to be protected … and to protect everyone else.

While he was at Sanctuary, Wren bussed tables and washed dishes, despite the fact that he was the heir to the Tigarian Technologies empire. As his mother was the last of the Katagaria snow leopards, Wren is Regis in the Omegrion for a Niphetos Pardalia patria of one. His father is the wealthy Aristotle Tigarian.

Wren has a tattoo on his left arm of a white tiger lurking in the tall grass. He weighs more than 800 pounds in animal form and, like many of his brethren, does not take Tylenol or eat chocolate. He is great friends with Marvin the Monkey, the mascot of Sanctuary.