Touch the Dark
Encyclopedia
Touch the Dark is the first book in The Cassandra Palmer series
, written by best-selling author Karen Chance
. The book introduces the series heroine, Cassandra "Cassie" Palmer, as well as several other series regulars.
However undead vampires are not so harmless. Ever since she was a child Cassie had been forced to work for Tony, a ruthless vampire Mafioso. She managed to escape from him three years ago but has been on the run ever since. When he finds her and sends his vampire thugs to kill her she is forced to turn to the Vampire senate for protection.
Raised by vampires from childhood she knows that vampires are not motivated to act out of kindness. They will definitely want something in return but what will it be and is it something that she is willing to give?
While she is meeting with the senate, a rogue vampire launches an assignation attempt on the senate's members and it becomes clear to Cassie that the vampires have problems of their own.
In fact the whole magical world is on the brink of war with itself due to the Pythia
(a powerful seer and the Guardian of Time) being on her deathbed and the official heir to her powers being mysteriously missing. Every faction of magical being, light or dark, appears to be jostling for position at this time of upheaval and every one wants control of the Pythia and her powers.
As Cassie starts to have powerful visions of the past, it becomes apparent that her powers are changing. As one of the heirs to the Pythia she seems to be acquiring her new skills as power leaches out of the old Pythia. Cassie has enough knowledge of vampire ways to know that if she was attractive to them as a clairvoyant, as a potential Pythia they will never let her go….
In Touch the Dark, Cassandra "Cassie" Palmer is introduced as a powerful clairvoyant who has been on the run for three years from Antonio "Tony," a criminal vampire
who raised her after her parents' death. It was Antonio's intention, as Cassie grew up, to use her increasing powers for his own purposes. As Antonio wished to keep the benefits of Cassie's powers to himself, he kept her isolated in his enclave. The only people Cassie got to see on a regular basis were her governess, Eugenie; Rafe, a servant vampire; and Mircea Basarab
, Tony's master vampire. As well as the gift of clairvoyance, she is also able to talk to, and see, ghosts, some of whom she has made friends. One ghost in particular, Billy Joe, is her best friend.
The story commences three years after her escape from Tony's clutches, after Cassie found out that he had her parents killed.
, the term for the supernatural community's chief seer, was dying and she tapped Cassie to replace her.
That stuck Cassie with a lot of power she doesn't know how to use and a metric ton of new enemies. To make matters worse, a war has broken out and everyone is choosing sides. Now Cassie is trying to stay alive long enough to figure out how to use the power of her office, and to determine what to do with it when she does.
at the age of 29. Cassie and Billy are good friends and Billy often works as a good spy because practically none of the supernatural community can see him. He helps Cassie escape from a few scrapes throughout the novels.
The senate is currently vying with the Circle for control of the new pythia—and of the power she commands. That puts Cassie in a bad position (as if she's ever in anything else). She's personally drawn to Mircea, but sometimes she suspects that his interest might have more to do with her power than with her person.
Other times, she's not sure she cares.
Mircea was a prince in Romania
before he was cursed to be a vampire around 500 years ago. He had two brothers, Radu
and Vlad
. Mircea and his father were killed by nobles from Wallachia
. His father was scalped
and Mircea was blinded by having his eyes branded
, and then he was buried alive. As he had recently been cursed with vampirism, he was able to climb out of the grave. While he was a new vampire, he fathered a dhampir
(half vampire, half human) child. He gave the mother money and left. He didn't know of his child Dorina's existence until after the mother died. He turned his brother Radu and his dying tutor
, Horatiu, into vampires. When he reached master level, he made a new family by turning humans. He is now the family patriarch
and has a very dysfunctional relationship with his dhampir daughter, Dorina.
Mircea met Cassie when he went to Tony's on a visit. He believed she might become the Pythia
one day, so when she ran away, he tried to protect her. He is a member of the vampire Senate and the chief negotiator in the North American Senate.
Well, that's not entirely true. She still has her magic—and while it's seriously outdated, at least the Inquisition isn't after her anymore. And she has a new boyfriend who would be perfect if he wasn't possessed by an ancient demon. But Francoise has learned the hard way—you have to take what you can get out of life. And she's busy taking everything she can.
The Cassandra Palmer series
The Cassandra Palmer series is a set of fantasy novels written by Karen Chance. The series tells the story of a young woman named Cassie Palmer, a powerful clairvoyant who has the ability to communicate with the spirit realm.-Novels:...
, written by best-selling author Karen Chance
Karen Chance
Karen Chance is an urban fantasy novelist. She grew up in Orlando, Florida. She has lived in France, Great Britain, Hong Kong and New Orleans, where she has taught history...
. The book introduces the series heroine, Cassandra "Cassie" Palmer, as well as several other series regulars.
Synopsis
Cassandra Palmer is a clairvoyant. She can see visions of the future as well as communicate with the spirits of the dead. These unusual gifts make her make her attractive to both the dead and the undead. Ghosts recognise that Cassandra is one of the rare people who can actually see them so they love to talk to her and all in all they are fairly harmless.However undead vampires are not so harmless. Ever since she was a child Cassie had been forced to work for Tony, a ruthless vampire Mafioso. She managed to escape from him three years ago but has been on the run ever since. When he finds her and sends his vampire thugs to kill her she is forced to turn to the Vampire senate for protection.
Raised by vampires from childhood she knows that vampires are not motivated to act out of kindness. They will definitely want something in return but what will it be and is it something that she is willing to give?
While she is meeting with the senate, a rogue vampire launches an assignation attempt on the senate's members and it becomes clear to Cassie that the vampires have problems of their own.
In fact the whole magical world is on the brink of war with itself due to the Pythia
Pythia
The Pythia , commonly known as the Oracle of Delphi, was the priestess at the Temple of Apollo at Delphi, located on the slopes of Mount Parnassus. The Pythia was widely credited for her prophecies inspired by Apollo. The Delphic oracle was established in the 8th century BC...
(a powerful seer and the Guardian of Time) being on her deathbed and the official heir to her powers being mysteriously missing. Every faction of magical being, light or dark, appears to be jostling for position at this time of upheaval and every one wants control of the Pythia and her powers.
As Cassie starts to have powerful visions of the past, it becomes apparent that her powers are changing. As one of the heirs to the Pythia she seems to be acquiring her new skills as power leaches out of the old Pythia. Cassie has enough knowledge of vampire ways to know that if she was attractive to them as a clairvoyant, as a potential Pythia they will never let her go….
In Touch the Dark, Cassandra "Cassie" Palmer is introduced as a powerful clairvoyant who has been on the run for three years from Antonio "Tony," a criminal vampire
Vampire
Vampires are mythological or folkloric beings who subsist by feeding on the life essence of living creatures, regardless of whether they are undead or a living person...
who raised her after her parents' death. It was Antonio's intention, as Cassie grew up, to use her increasing powers for his own purposes. As Antonio wished to keep the benefits of Cassie's powers to himself, he kept her isolated in his enclave. The only people Cassie got to see on a regular basis were her governess, Eugenie; Rafe, a servant vampire; and Mircea Basarab
Mircea Basarab
Mircea Basarab is a fictional character in The Cassandra Palmer series written by Karen Chance. He was a prince in Romania before he was cursed to be a vampire around 500 years ago. He had two brothers, Radu and Vlad. Mircea and his father were killed by nobles from Wallachia. His father was...
, Tony's master vampire. As well as the gift of clairvoyance, she is also able to talk to, and see, ghosts, some of whom she has made friends. One ghost in particular, Billy Joe, is her best friend.
The story commences three years after her escape from Tony's clutches, after Cassie found out that he had her parents killed.
Cassadra "Cassie" Palmer
Cassandra Palmer is the lead character in five novels: Touch the Dark, Claimed by Shadow, Embrace the Night, Curse the Dawn, and Hunt the moon. A powerful seer, she was brought up by a vampire who wanted to monopolize her gift. She escaped him, but soon her past caught up with her, although not in the way she'd feared. The PythiaPythia
The Pythia , commonly known as the Oracle of Delphi, was the priestess at the Temple of Apollo at Delphi, located on the slopes of Mount Parnassus. The Pythia was widely credited for her prophecies inspired by Apollo. The Delphic oracle was established in the 8th century BC...
, the term for the supernatural community's chief seer, was dying and she tapped Cassie to replace her.
That stuck Cassie with a lot of power she doesn't know how to use and a metric ton of new enemies. To make matters worse, a war has broken out and everyone is choosing sides. Now Cassie is trying to stay alive long enough to figure out how to use the power of her office, and to determine what to do with it when she does.
John Pritkin
Known in the novels as Pritkin, John Pritkin is from the Cassandra Palmer series. He was a war mage—a member of the supernatural community's police force—with a specialization in demon killing. But then his bosses sent him on a new mission—to kill the upstart pretender to the pythia's throne, one Cassie Palmer. They didn't want an unknown taking such a powerful position and possibly interfering in their affairs. And they didn't think a demon-hunting assassin would have a problem with a spot of political murder. They thought wrong.Billy Joe
When she was 17, Cassie bought an "ugly old necklace" from a pawn shop and discovered that it was haunted by a ghost named Billy Joe. Billy had cheated at a card game and was subsequently shoved into a sack and tossed into the Mississippi RiverMississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
at the age of 29. Cassie and Billy are good friends and Billy often works as a good spy because practically none of the supernatural community can see him. He helps Cassie escape from a few scrapes throughout the novels.
Tomas
He was born the bastard son of a Spanish conquistador who didn't stay around long enough to impart his surname—or much of anything else. Tomas could have taken on his master's name, once a life-challenged Spanish nobleman took a liking to him. But after being forcibly changed into a vampire and treated as a slave for four hundred years, he wasn't feeling too chummy. Now, all he wants is his hated master dead—permanently. He'll figure out the rest later. In Touch the Dark is slave to a mega master vamp and forcible sent to protect Cassie (not that he finds that such a hardship). He eventually turns against his master in a bid to save Cassie and free himself in order to get revenge on all those who have wronged him.Rafe
Raphael (The famous Renaissance artist) was made a vampire by Tony back in the Renaissance when he refused to paint for him, since then he has done all the painting for Tony that the master vamp could ever want. While Cassie was living at Tony's villa, Cassie made friends with the vampire painter when he was painting her ceiling with angels. Rafe has always been somewhat of a father figure to Cassie since Tony killed her own.Mircea Basarab
Mircea is a bridge character, playing an important role in both the Cassandra Palmer and Dorina Basarab series. He's a five hundred year old master vampire of the Basarab line, and a member of the powerful vampire senate. The senate, which controls the actions of North American vampires, competes with the chief magical organization, the Silver Circle, for leadership of the supernatural community.The senate is currently vying with the Circle for control of the new pythia—and of the power she commands. That puts Cassie in a bad position (as if she's ever in anything else). She's personally drawn to Mircea, but sometimes she suspects that his interest might have more to do with her power than with her person.
Other times, she's not sure she cares.
Mircea was a prince in Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
before he was cursed to be a vampire around 500 years ago. He had two brothers, Radu
Radu cel Frumos
Radu III the Fair, Radu III the Handsome or Radu III the Beautiful , also known by his Turkish name Radu Bey , was the younger brother of Vlad Ţepeş and voivode of the principality of Wallachia, of the four brothers he converted to Islam and entered Ottoman service...
and Vlad
Vlad III the Impaler
Vlad III, Prince of Wallachia , also known by his patronymic Dracula , and posthumously dubbed Vlad the Impaler , was a three-time Voivode of Wallachia, ruling mainly from 1456 to 1462, the period of the incipient Ottoman conquest of the Balkans...
. Mircea and his father were killed by nobles from Wallachia
Wallachia
Wallachia or Walachia is a historical and geographical region of Romania. It is situated north of the Danube and south of the Southern Carpathians...
. His father was scalped
Scalping
Scalping is the act of removing another person's scalp or a portion of their scalp, either from a dead body or from a living person. The initial purpose of scalping was to provide a trophy of battle or portable proof of a combatant's prowess in war...
and Mircea was blinded by having his eyes branded
Human branding
Human branding or stigmatizing is the process in which a mark, usually a symbol or ornamental pattern, is burned into the skin of a living person, with the intention that the resulting scar makes it permanent. This is performed using a hot or very cold branding iron...
, and then he was buried alive. As he had recently been cursed with vampirism, he was able to climb out of the grave. While he was a new vampire, he fathered a dhampir
Dhampir
A Dhampir in Balkan folklore is the child of a vampire father and a human mother. The term is sometimes spelled dhampyre, dhamphir, or dhampyr. Dhampir powers are similar to those of vampires, but without the usual weaknesses...
(half vampire, half human) child. He gave the mother money and left. He didn't know of his child Dorina's existence until after the mother died. He turned his brother Radu and his dying tutor
Tutor
A tutor is a person employed in the education of others, either individually or in groups. To tutor is to perform the functions of a tutor.-Teaching assistance:...
, Horatiu, into vampires. When he reached master level, he made a new family by turning humans. He is now the family patriarch
Patriarch
Originally a patriarch was a man who exercised autocratic authority as a pater familias over an extended family. The system of such rule of families by senior males is called patriarchy. This is a Greek word, a compound of πατριά , "lineage, descent", esp...
and has a very dysfunctional relationship with his dhampir daughter, Dorina.
Mircea met Cassie when he went to Tony's on a visit. He believed she might become the Pythia
Pythia
The Pythia , commonly known as the Oracle of Delphi, was the priestess at the Temple of Apollo at Delphi, located on the slopes of Mount Parnassus. The Pythia was widely credited for her prophecies inspired by Apollo. The Delphic oracle was established in the 8th century BC...
one day, so when she ran away, he tried to protect her. He is a member of the vampire Senate and the chief negotiator in the North American Senate.
Francoise
Francoise is a character from the Cassandra Palmer series of novels. She doesn't have a last name because she was born a poor village girl in seventeenth century France. She doesn't have much of anything else, either, after being transported to the 21st century through a series of alarming events. Hint it has largely to do with Cassie.Well, that's not entirely true. She still has her magic—and while it's seriously outdated, at least the Inquisition isn't after her anymore. And she has a new boyfriend who would be perfect if he wasn't possessed by an ancient demon. But Francoise has learned the hard way—you have to take what you can get out of life. And she's busy taking everything she can.