Blue Bloods: Keys to the Repository Read online

  Cutting, Bryce: Good friend to Jack Force; member of the lacrosse team

  Forbes, Lucy: Head Girl. Senior (Repository Record #303 misidentified as a Red Blood, possibly due to Venator Force’s dislike of her). Reported that Mimi abused her human familiars by not waiting the mandatory forty-eight-hour rest period before feeding on them again.

  Frost, Willow: Brannon Frost’s daughter

  Harris, Lissy: A friend of Mimi’s and an attendant at her wedding in Newport during an earlier cycle

  Kemble, Susan (“Soos”)

  Kernochan, Francis (“Froggy”)

  Kip, James Andrew ( Jamie): Red Blood Allison Ellison’s boy friend; also dated Ava Breton, another Red Blood

  King, Rufus

  Langdon, Bozeman (“Booze”)

  McMillan, Blair: His father owns the largest record label in the world

  Robinson, Bennet: Mimi supposedly threw up on his terrace during a DisOrientation party her freshman year

  Sheridan, Katie: A friend of Mimi’s

  Tuckerman, Carter: Junior Committee secretary

  Van Rensslaer, Stella

  Red Blood Students

  While the students at Duchesne mostly come from old Blue Blood families, a number of Red Bloods have also been allowed to enroll. Most of the human families are either very wealthy or connected to the Blue Bloods in some way. There are also students who have been granted financial aid and scholarships, in order to make the school more “diverse.”

  Breton, Ava: A very popular Red Blood in Bliss’s class, whose friends are almost all Blue Bloods, though she doesn’t know it. She was Jamie Kip’s familiar and girlfriend before he ditched her for Allison Ellison.

  Ellison, Allison (Ally Elli): A Red Blood from Duchesne and Jamie Kip’s girlfriend and human familiar. A scholarship kid from Queens, she is nonetheless very popular for her outerborough “exoticism.” Ally told Bliss about Dylan’s memorial service and the drug overdose cover-up of his death.

  Mullins, Kitty: Jack’s human familiar; however, it appears he did not make use of the relationship very much, as Mimi describes him as always “tired and drained.”

  Walsh, Haley: A girl in Bliss’s Ancient Civilizations class who thinks “Senior year is going to rock!”

  Partial List of Duchesne Faculty

  and Administration

  Mr. Anthony: A boyish recent Yale grad and (overly) enthusiastic chemistry teacher. Dismissed from Duchesne for getting a student pregnant.

  Mr. Korgan: Mr. Anthony’s boring, old replacement

  Cecil Malloy: Dean of Students at Duchesne. Not an alum but “a very adequate facsimile.”

  Mr. Orion: A mustachioed, curly-haired Brown graduate with a penchant for oversized sweaters. He teaches Ethics and English.

  Madame Fraley: French teacher who looks like she’s been at the school since the 1880s (most likely a Blue Blood Enmortal)

  APPENDIX B:

  A Partial List of Canine Familiars

  Canine familiars are part of a vampire’s soul transferred into the physical world to protect young Blue Bloods until they come into complete control of their powers. Canine protectors routinely merge back into the Blue Blood upon completion of their mission. The current generation of Blue Bloods is the most talented yet, and because none of the canine familiars have made an appearance since the attack at the cathedral, we may conclude that perhaps the young Blue Bloods are in close to full possession of their abilities. In the past, traumatic events have shown to make a young vampire grow up more quickly than expected.

  BEAUTY

  Schuyler Van Alen

  Bloodhound (highest rank)

  According to Schuyler’s journal (left in the 101st Street mansion and discovered by the Repository upon her disappearance), Beauty followed her home one day.

  MISS ELLIE

  Bliss Llewellyn

  Chihuahua

  Bliss’s Chihuahua canine familiar, named after her favorite character on Dallas

  PATCH

  Jack Force

  Bloodhound (highest rank)

  Jack’s canine familiar, a bloodhound he found the same evening that Mimi found Pookie

  POOKIE

  Mimi Force

  Chow chow

  Mimi’s canine familiar, a chow she found on the beach at the Hamptons

  SNOW WHITE

  Aggie Carondolet

  Chihuahua

  Aggie Carondolet’s Chihuahua canine familiar, which she liked to dress in outfits that matched her own

  APPENDIX C:

  Dictionary of Terms

  Author’s Note: All words in italic are from the Sacred Language.

  Abomination: Silver Bloods are called Abominations because they are vampires who have sucked the blood of their own kind and consumed their spirit. They carry the tortured souls of their victims in one body.

  Absed Abysso: “Go back to Hell.” A command to a banish a Silver Blood back to its rightful home

  Adventurers Club: An elite Blue Blood organization founded in the early eighteenth century as a meeting place for like-minded globe-trotters eager to document and share their research and theories on natural and geographic phenomenon, located across from the Knickerbocker Club and Metropolitan Museum of Art on Fifth Avenue

  Advoco Adiuvo: An invocation that Schuyler uses, per Cordelia’s instructions, so Lawrence will recognize her in Venice

  Alienari: A common trick of the Silver Bloods, used to disguise themselves as someone else

  Altithronus: Audio recordings kept in the Repository of History

  Animadverto: The vampire ability of “intelligent sight,” or an immense and perfect photographic memory so powerful a vampire has the ability to read and remember entire libraries

  Aperio Oris: An incantation demanding that one reveal oneself

  Argento Croatus: Silver Blood

  Bal des Vampires: A party and congress held every other year by the European Coven. It was to be the party to end all parties at the Hôtel Lambert before it was given over to its new owners. The celebration was infiltrated by Silver Bloods hunting for Schuyler.

  Bivio: A crossroads; a primal source of strength and power

  Black Fire: The only thing that can destroy the sangre azul and kill an immortal vampire

  Black Spells: Spells pertaining to the Dark Matter

  Blade of Justice: Michael’s sword, one of only two archangels’ swords in the world, the other being Gabrielle’s. Only an archangel’s sword can kill another archangel.

  Blood Bond: The holy matrimony and immortal bond between two vampires whose souls were twinned in Heaven. Occasionally vampire twins are born as siblings in the human world. Bondmates are obligated to renew their vows in every cycle with a ceremony, usually in their twenty-first year, when they have come into their memories and powers and can recognize their spouse in his or her new physical shell. All it takes is for the couple to exchange the vow “I give myself to you” to become irrevocably one for that cycle. Only one couple in Blue Blood history has broken this bond—when Gabrielle forsook Michael for her human familiar.

  After the bond, the vampires are stronger, but if the bond is broken, the betrayed vampire may bring the other to a blood trial, to face a sentence of death.

  Blood-lock: The most powerful security system in the Blue Blood arsenal; it only opens for the blood of an angel

  Blood Manifest (Transformation): The process in which a vampire’s blue blood cells, their vampire DNA, starts to take over, typically around age fifteen. The fangs grow in, the body switches from needing nourishment from food to needing nourishment from human blood, memories of previous cycles start to come back, and specific powers begin to manifest. The process can make the young vampire weak, and may include memory shock, dizziness, and sickness.

  Blood Marks: The blue marks that appear on the arms of young vampires during their Transformation. They look like a sapphire light shining through the skin. The marks are a map of the vampire’s personal histories—the sangre
azul asserting itself.

  Blood Trial: The process in which the most serious offenses against the Code of the Vampires are resolved. It requires the blood and memories of the accused to be consumed in order to tell true memory from false. The trial can only be performed by Gabrielle, as one of the highest-ranking Venators. Schuyler inherited her mother’s gift. The Blood Trial involves a great risk of temptation for the one who performs it. If the accused is found guilty, the offender’s blood will be burned in complete destruction.

  Blue Bloods: Vampires: fallen angels doomed to live their eternal lives on Earth. They have superhuman speed, hyperintelligence, a photographic memory, and heightened senses. They live by the Code of the Vampires, which is a pledge to bring peace and beauty to the world. They do not abuse their human familiars or feed on their own kind.

  Book of Laws: The Blue Blood record of all investigations, judgments, and punishments

  Breath of God: The ability of any Blue Blood to bring light to the tunnels of Lutetia with a wave of the hand above a torch

  Burning: The burning the blood of a vampire, thus destroying the immortal blood and all its memories

  The Call: The hypnotizing seduction a vampire can use to call a human to him or her for the Caerimonia Osculor

  Caerimonia Osculor (the Sacred Kiss): The regulated ritual of feeding on a human familiar’s blood. There are stringent rules, as no human is ever to be abused or fully drained. The Code of the Vampires forbids performing the kiss on another vampire. The Sacred Kiss marks a human as the vampire’s own—they will always be bonded.

  Candidus Suffragium (the White Vote): A vote for the leadership of the Coven; it must be unanimous. The White Vote should only be called if a Conclave member feels that the Regis is not leading the Coven properly. It has been called in America only three times: in Plymouth, after Roanoke, when John Carver attempted to unseat Myles Standish; in New York, after the Silver Blood was called to the Repository, and Lawrence van Alen replaced Charles Force; and by Forsyth Llewellyn, after Paris, where Mimi Force prevented a unanimous vote.

  The Code of the Vampires (the Code, or the Blue Blood Code): A stringent rule of ethics, not unlike the Ten Commandments. The Blue Bloods hope the Code will help bring about their eventual return to Paradise. It states that humans are not to be dominated or toyed with, but to be respected, so that the Blue Bloods will bring light and harmony and peace to this world.

  Compulsion: A seed of an idea that can be placed by a vampire using the glom

  The Conclave of Elders (the Conclave): The Coven’s highest leadership. The Conclave makes decisions for the future of the race.

  Conduit: A Blue Blood’s human assistant and caretaker who helps him (or her) navigate the human world and keep the Blue Blood existence a secret. A position of exalted servitude, many Conduit families serve their Blue Blood families for hundreds of years as doctors, lawyers, accountants, financiers, and even best friends. Every member of a vampire family is assigned a Conduit at birth, but many have let go of their Conduits in recent years. If a vampire expires, a Conduit is given two choices: work in the Repository, or have his or her memory erased.

  The Conspiracy: A subset of the Committee, dedicated to keeping the existence of the Blue Bloods a secret from the Red Bloods by spreading false information and legends. Many of the myths are rooted in truth.

  Consummo Alienari: The little known fifth factor of the glom. It allows complete control over another’s mind, subsuming the other’s will. For Red Bloods it means instant death; for vampires irrevocable paralysis.

  Contineo: A spell that holds a ward in place

  Corruption: The process by which a Blue Blood becomes a Silver Blood. By marking a Blue Blood vampire with the Sacred Kiss, the Silver Blood poisons the sangre azul, turning the Blue Blood into a monster like itself. It is not an immediate transformation however, and the poisoning is dependent on the amount of blood drawn from the victim. The process can be reversed, or stopped with adequate intervention. The Corruption is complete once the infected Blue Blood takes a fellow Blue Blood vampire to Full Consumption, taking another immortal spirit into its own consciousness.

  Coven: A group of vampires living in an area and registered with the Blue Blood community (ex: the New York Coven, the European Coven)

  Croatan: An ancient name for the Silver Bloods, meaning “Abomination”

  Cycle of Expression: What vampires call the length of their lifetimes. After approximately one hundred years, the physical shell expires, leaving only a single drop of blue blood, which will be implanted in a vampire woman when it is time to call up the spirit for another cycle. Between cycles the vampire rests, evolving, until his or her next Expression. The closely monitored cycles are key to the Blue Bloods’ continued invisibility to the world.

  Dimidium Cognatus: A being who is half human, half vampire.

  Unlike the other Blue Bloods, this is a new spirit without a past. The only example in current history is Schuyler Van Alen.

  Dissipation: Another term for Full Consumption

  Dormi: A spell to put someone instantly to sleep

  Elder: The title of Elder is given to a Blue Blood who has served the Committee well for many cycles. This title is usually given upon the one hundredth Cycle of Expression.

  Emeritus Member: A Conclave member who has retired. Many were called back to duty after the Rio massacre.

  Enmortal: Vampires who choose not to rest and keep the same physical shell over many centuries. They are exempt from the reincarnation cycles; they also do not require the proximity of other vampires in order to live. Some Elders are Enmortals, but it requires a special dispensation from the Conclave.

  Eversor Lumen (Light-Destroyer): Azrael’s sword, which she receives at every bonding to Abbadon. To be used only in direst need, to be kept hidden from foes, and to strike to kill.

  Eversor Orbis (World-Breaker): Abbadon’s sword, received at every bonding to Azrael. To be used only in direst need, to be kept hidden from foes, and to strike to kill. Unlike the archangels’ swords, which are a bright white flame, this sword is dark gray and edged with silver, with terrifying black marks. It looks more like a primitive ax than a sword.

  Evolution: The passive resting stage of the vampire’s life, while the spirit awaits its next incarnation. The foremost mission of the vampire race is to evolve to a point where God can forgive them and welcome them back into Heaven.

  Expulsion: What the vampires call their experience of “death.” The expulsion of the spirit from the physical world.

  Facio Valiturus Fortis: A blessing meaning, “Be strong and brave”

  The Four Hundred: According to the Code of the Vampires, only four hundred vampires from each coven are allowed to express at one time. There was some confusion in Blue Bloods: Repository Records #101, which incorrectly stated that there are only Four Hundred vampires in the world. This is wrong and a clerical mistake on the part of overworked Repository scribes.

  Four Hundred Ball: Known as the Patrician Ball in the nineteenth century: the vampire-only, multimillion-dollar party of the year. A tradition that reaches back centuries, where new Committee members are presented to Blue Blood society. An event that celebrates status, beauty, power, money, and blood—Blue Blood.

  Frango: A counterspell that breaks a ward on a place

  Full Consumption: When a human or vampire is drained of all of his or her blood through the Sacred Kiss. To do this to a human is the biggest taboo of the Code of the Vampires; to do it to another vampire is Abomination.

  The Gates of Hell: The seven gates forged by the Blue Blood Order of the Seven to secure the Paths of the Dead. They are meant to keep Lucifer and the Silver Blood demons imprisoned in the underworld. Their physical manifestation in the glom appears to be twelve feet wide and forged into the crust of the earth, but the true barrier is the spirit and protection of Michael.

  The Glom: The vampires use the word “glom” to describe two things: a direct line of consciousness that can b
e used for vampires to commune with one another, or to control the minds of other humans or vampires. It also describes the twilight netherworld that vampires can access—an alternative plane in the universe.

  There are five factors to the glom: 1) Telepathy, the ability to read minds, 2) Suggestion, the ability to plant a seed of an idea in another mind (it must be done subtly, so the other believes it’s his or her own), 3) Compulsion, the ability to issue a direct order to another’s mind, 4) Suppression, the ability to overcome the will of another, and 5) Consummo Alienari, the little-known fifth factor, allows complete control over another’s mind, but is highly dangerous.

  Hibernation: A prolonged sleep that vampires enter at the end of a cycle, when they are weary of immortality

  Human Familiar: These are the “lovers, friends, and vessels” on whom vampires feed and rely. According to the Code of the Vampires, familiars are never to be abused, and under no circumstances fully drained; they are to be treated with affection and care for the service they provide, as once taken as a familiar, the human will always feel a special bond with the vampire.

  Illuminata: The vampire gift of glowing in the dark, which makes them recognizable to one another

  Incantation Demonata: The spell to call a Silver Blood Infractio: “A breaking.” Lawrence uses it to describe what he fears has happened in Corcovado.

  Inquisitor: The official prosecutor in a Committee investigation

  Intersection: A part of the glom where Silver Bloods can enter but never leave. A limbo between worlds, hidden in the tunnels of Lutetia.

  Lucifer’s Bane (a.k.a. the Rose of Lucifer): A giant emerald necklace that Forsyth Llewellyn gave to Bliss. It is supposedly made of a stone that fell from Lucifer’s crown when he fell from Heaven. Also known as the Holy Grail, Bliss wore it continually until the day of Mimi’s bonding ceremony to Jack, when she ripped it off, rejecting any more association with her father.

  Lutetia: The ancient Gallic city under what is present-day Paris, it was built by Blue Blood Romans as a massive underground network of tunnels. It is also the location of one of the seven Paths of the Dead and a Gate of Hell. The tunnels are like a maze, enchanted against the animadverto, where a vampire could be lost forever. The center is under the Eiffel Tower, where all tunnels eventually lead. There are seven corridors radiating from the center, representing the seven ruling houses of the Blue Bloods. When Gemellus moved the Gate of Time, he left an intersection there.