He stopped at the door, the muscles of his back tightening until they bulged against his red shirt. “If you dare tell anyone about this, your sisters will share Aric’s fate.”
As a testament to his power, Anara didn’t release me until about an hour after he left. I crashed to the floor coughing and shaking. The only thought racing through my head was the need to protect Aric, my sisters, and the baby growing inside of me.
READER’S GUIDE TO THE MAGICAL WORLD OF THE WEIRD GIRLS SERIES
acute bloodlust: Occurs when a vampire goes too long without consuming blood. Increases the vampire’s thirst to lethal levels. Remedied by feeding the vampire.
call: The ability of one supernatural creature to reach out to another, through either thoughts or sounds. A vampire can pass his or her call by transferring a bit of magic into the receiving being’s skin.
change: To transform from one being to another, typically from human to beast and back again.
chronic bloodlust: Results from a curse placed on a vampire. Makes the vampire’s thirst for blood insatiable and drives the vampire to insanity. The vampire grows in size from gluttony and assumes deformed features. There is no cure.
claim: The method by which a werebeast consummates the union between his or her mate.
clan: A group of werebeasts led by an Alpha. The types of clans differ depending on species. Werewolf clans are called “packs”; werelions belong to “prides.”
creatura:The offspring of a demon lord and a werebeast.
dantem animam:A soul giver. A rare being capable of returning a master vampire’s soul. A master with a soul is more powerful than any vampire in existence as he or she is balancing life and death at once.
dark ones: Any creature considered to be of pure evil, such as a shape-shifter or demon.
demons: Creatures residing in hell. Only the strongest may leave to stalk on earth, but their time is limited; the power of good compels them to return.
demon lords (demonkin): The offspring of a witch mother and a demon. Powerful, cunning, and deadly. Unlike demons, whose time on earth is limited, demon lords may remain on earth indefinitely.
demon children: The spawn of a demon lord and a mortal female. Demon children are of limited intelligence and rely predominantly on their predatory instincts.
Den: A school where young werebeasts train and learn to fight in order to help protect the earth from mystical evil.
Elder: Werebeast clans are governed by three Elders, consisting of an Alpha, a Beta, and an Omega. The Alpha is the supreme leader. The Beta is the second in command. The Omega settles disputes between them and has the ability to calm by releasing bits of his or her harmonized soul, or through a sense of humor muddled with magic.
exceptis: A male born every three centuries from the union of two witches. Possesses rare gifts. Often volatile, selfish, and of questionable loyalty.
force: Emme Wird’s ability to move objects with her mind.
gold: The element was cursed long ago and has damaging effects on werebeasts, vampires, and the dark ones. Supernatural creatures cannot hold gold without feeling the poisonous effects of the curse. A bullet dipped in gold will explode a supernatural creature’s heart like a bomb. Gold against open skin has a searing effect.
grandmaster: The master of a master vampire. Grandmasters are among the earth’s most powerful creatures. Grandmasters can recognize whether the human he or she turned is a master upon creation. Grandmasters usually kill any master vampires they create to consume their power. Some choose to let the masters live until they become a threat, or until they’ve gained greater strength to therefore take more power.
keep: Beings a master vampire controls, such as those he or she has turned vampire or acquired by destroying another master. They may also be humans the master regularly feeds from
Leader: A pureblood werebeast in charge of delegating and planning attacks against the evils that threaten the earth.
lone: A werebeast who doesn’t belong to a clan and therefore is not obligated to protect the earth from supernatural evil. Considered of lower class by those with clans.
master vampire: A vampire with the ability to turn a human vampire. Upon their creation, masters are usually killed by their grandmaster for power. Masters are immune to fire and sunlight born of magic, and they typically carry tremendous power. Only a master or another lethal preternatural can kill a master vampire. If one master kills another, the surviving vampire acquires his or her power, wealth, and keep.
mate: The being a werebeast will love and share a soul with for eternity.
misericordia: A plea of mercy in a duel.
moon sickness: The werebeast equivalent of bloodlust. Brought on by a curse from a powerful enchantress, and causes excruciating pain. Attacks a werebeast’s central nervous system, making the werebeast stronger and violent, and driving the werebeast to kill. No known cure exists.
mortem provocatio: A fight to the death.
North American Were Counciclass="underline" The governing body of weres in North America, led by a president and several council members.
potestatem bonum: “The power of good.” That which encloses the Earth and keeps demons from remaining among the living.
purebloods (aka pures): Werebeasts from generations of were-only family members. Considered royalty among werebeasts and carry the responsibilities of continuing their species. The union of two purebloods is the only way to guarantee the conception of a were child.
shape-shifter: Shape-shifters are born witches. They spend years seeking innocents to sacrifice to a dark deity. When the deity deems the offerings sufficient, the witch casts a baneful spell to surrender his or her magic and humanity in exchange for immortality and the power of hell at their fingertips. Shape-shifters can command any form and are the deadliest and strongest of all mystical creatures.
shift: Celia Wird’s ability to break down her body into minute particles. Her gift allows her to travel beneath and across soil, concrete, and rock. Celia can also shift a limited number of beings. Disadvantages include not being able to breathe or see until she surfaces.
solis natus magicae: The proper term for sunlight born of magic, created by a wielder of spells. Considered “pure” light. Capable of destroying nonmaster vampires and demons. In large quantities may also kill shape-shifters. Renders the wielder helpless once fired.
surface: Celia Wird’s ability to reemerge from a shift.
susceptor animae: A being capable of taking another’s soul, such as a vampire.
Trudhilde Radinka (aka Destiny): A female born once every century from the union of two witches. She possesses rare talents and the aptitude to predict the future. Considered among the elite of the mystical world.