Stephen

## Overview

### Basic Information

* Main series - supporting\_character\_in: The Kurtherian Gambit, The Kurtherian Endgame
* Sub-series - primary protagonist: Trials and Tribulations
* Biolgical brother of Michael
* Vampiric son of Michael
* Vampiric father to Gabrielle
* Vampiric father to Petre.
* Married to Jennifer Ericson.

### History

Stephen is one of the sons of Michael. He lived in Romania for a long time and has at least two children which are Petre and Gabrielle. He was tired of living and wanted to sleep for one final time before Bethany Anne showed up and gave him a new purpose

Stephen was the brother of Michael and was turned by Michael making him one of Michaels "Sons". Stephen was Michael’s third child, responsible for the area in and around the Mediterranean. Stephen was 25 when he was turned. He was probably the second most powerful vampire in the world. Stephen was eighty percent as strong as Michael, but he was a little bit more easygoing.  He didn't recognize Michael as his brother after that and they just had the Patriarch-Child relationship Michael has with all his children. Stephen is the only one of Michael's children to also be a daywalker.

At an unknown time, he changed three humans making them his children. These three are William, Petre and Gabrielle. He, his children and siblings in Europe were supposed to keep the UnknownWolrd in Europe in check and report to Michael should the Forsaken or Wechselbalg get out of line. At some point William became more active directly with Michael in the US and was killed at the beginning of Death Becomes Her.

He was known for being a playboy and believed that he could not settle down with one woman.

## Activities

### The Kurtherian Gambit

#### Queen Bitch

Stephen slept for a long time resulting in Petre not obeying the strictures anymore. He was woken by Bethany Anne who showed up at his door after killing Petre and after she told him everything and made him an offer, he swore allegiance to her as his Queen. She gave him some of her blood to make him younger and then they went to a hospital he supported financial, where he drank more blood mixed with some of hers to restore him completely.

Soon after his restoration, Bethany Anne charged him with "cleaning-up" Europe and hired Ivan Romanov to bring Stephen update on technology.

#### Love Lost

Gabrielle is concerned Stephen may have been attacked after she finds Petre's home in shambles. She is surprised to find him youthful and energized to take up Bethany Anne's directive to clean up Europe. She is enlisted to become Stephen's spymaster and find out what has been happening in Europe. She also meets Ivan Romanov who is immediately attracted to her.

#### Bite This

There are references to the older vampires wisely having bolt holes they can retreat to when the situation requires it. Stephen reveals one to Ivan when they go to Frankfort and stay at the Steigenberger Frankfurter Hof, There is a special room under the hotel only for Stephen as the owner. His most recent visit was over 2 decades before but there was an incident 100 years ago known as the night of flames that still inspires fear in the staff and the local were pack.

In order to get it there is specific request and response set.

* Die fünf Worte möchte ich wissen? (The five words I need to know)
* Blut ist wertvoller als Gold. (Blood is more valuable than gold).

Steph and Ivan visit the Josef, the pack leader in Europe about the status of the Wechsalbag in Europe. While Josef has a core group with his pack there are splinter groups. Unlike in America, the splinter group in Europe was truly not part of the pack. They had their own underground organization, and most of them were dealing in illegal drugs, prostitution, and other crimes. They had worked with three—now two—vampires for the last thirty years. Petre had been one of those. Another was based there in Frankfurt, and the third lived in Paris.

Stephen meets with the Frankfurt vampire Mathis, who is a bully and has recruited some Weres to tag along and boost his ego. Mathis rejects Stephen's ultimatum and not only does Stephen put Mathis down, the Weres to take care of the body (cremated in the sun and buried) as a message to them to also shape up. Before Mathis dies he gives Stephen the name of the Vampire in Paris.

#### Never Forsaken

David was responsible for the death of his siblings Peter and Hugo and sent some of his progeny to kill Stephen. Terrance and Reginald attack Stephen in his home in Romania just after Claudia, Juan and Scott arrive. Scott is the first to die trying to warn those inside the house. Juan sacrifices himself to set off the bombs early, so they do not destroy the entire house with his sister, Claudia in it.

The attack severely injures Stephen. Bethany Anne feels this through her link to him and uses Ashur's ability to funnel Etheric energy to jump to Romania. When Bethany Anne arrives, Terrance is killed quickly but Reginald is made to suffer long enough for Bethany Anne to get the information she needs from his mind. Reginald admits to Stephen that he killed Hugo. It is never specified if Reginald and Terrance are David's sons or grandsons.

#### Under My Heel

Stephan had disowned Michel centuries ago after he had changed Stephen. Stephen didn’t want this life. He had been happy before and never treated him as anything more than the Patriarch since then until now. They reconciled and considered each other brothers again.

### Trials and Tribulations

#### Risk Be Damned

Stephen and Jennifer Ericson go to Europe to investigate Wechselbalg activities in Europe. Stephen is still ashamed over how Europe had fallen from the path Michael had set and wants to seek redemption working for Bethany Anne.

#### To Hell and Back

Emeric Carre is the son of alpha pack leader Jean-Marc Carre. Emeric has abducted and tortured with others Wechselbalg as part of Hugo Mascari's plan to create an army of obedient weres. Emeric is able to lead a revolt at the facility where all the humans are killed. Afterward Emeric wants not only to liberate all the other facilities in the same manner, but carry his hatred against all humans. Stephen is able to meet with Emeric and instead of killing Emeric outright, reasons with Emeric about what it means to be an alpha. That Emeric can become a great alpha, but he needs to learn from his father about the burden of being an alpha. Emeric does listen to Stephen and leaves to rejoin his pack.

### Etheric Adventures

#### Etheric Recruit

Tabitha takes Anne and Jinx to Peter Silvers in the Guardian training center. He has Jennifer change to wolf form to teach Jinx how best to fight as a canine. Peter has Joseph, an ex-drill sergeant, work with Anne. Anne refuses to go on the offensive so Peter comes back and taunts her about what could happen to Jinx if Anne fails to protect her. Anne goes into vampire mode and burns her handprint into Peter's chest with Etheric energy. **Stephen** uses his command voice to get control of both Peter and Anne and stop the fight before Peter is too injured.

### The School of Harder Knocks

#### She is the Principle

Stephen and Jennifer Ericson have moved to Devon/High Tortuga. Stephen pulls Jennifer into a plan to get Kirian Larsen to accept treatment for a genetic condition. His father was a Guardian Marine who died in combat and his mother moved to Devon to get away from the empire. Rather than fighting the issue of accepting help from BA, Stephen has Jennifer pose as Dr. Ericson at the clinic and provide Kirian with nanocyte enhanced blood under the guise of a newly found treatment.

## References

1. ↑ Anderle, Michael. Kurtherian Gambit Boxed Set One: Books 1-7, Death Becomes Her, Queen Bitch, Love Lost, Bite This, Never Forsaken, Under My Heel, Kneel or Die (Kurtherian Gambit Boxed Sets) (p. 377). LMBPN Publishing. Kindle Edition.
2. ↑ Anderle, Michael. Kurtherian Gambit Boxed Set One: Books 1-7, Death Becomes Her, Queen Bitch, Love Lost, Bite This, Never Forsaken, Under My Heel, Kneel or Die (Kurtherian Gambit Boxed Sets) (p. 109). LMBPN Publishing. Kindle Edition.
3. ↑ Anderle, Michael. Kurtherian Gambit Boxed Set One: Books 1-7, Death Becomes Her, Queen Bitch, Love Lost, Bite This, Never Forsaken, Under My Heel, Kneel or Die (Kurtherian Gambit Boxed Sets) (p. 593). LMBPN Publishing. Kindle Edition.
4. ↑ Anderle, Michael. Kurtherian Gambit Boxed Set One: Books 1-7, Death Becomes Her, Queen Bitch, Love Lost, Bite This, Never Forsaken, Under My Heel, Kneel or Die (Kurtherian Gambit Boxed Sets) (p. 848). LMBPN Publishing. Kindle Edition.
5. ↑ Anderle, Michael. Kurtherian Gambit Boxed Set One: Books 1-7, Death Becomes Her, Queen Bitch, Love Lost, Bite This, Never Forsaken, Under My Heel, Kneel or Die (Kurtherian Gambit Boxed Sets) (p. 806). LMBPN Publishing. Kindle Edition.
6. ↑ Anderle, Michael. Kurtherian Gambit Boxed Set One: Books 1-7, Death Becomes Her, Queen Bitch, Love Lost, Bite This, Never Forsaken, Under My Heel, Kneel or Die (Kurtherian Gambit Boxed Sets) (pp. 849-850). LMBPN Publishing. Kindle Edition.
7. ↑ Anderle, Michael. Kurtherian Gambit Boxed Set One: Books 1-7, Death Becomes Her, Queen Bitch, Love Lost, Bite This, Never Forsaken, Under My Heel, Kneel or Die (Kurtherian Gambit Boxed Sets) (p. 1440). LMBPN Publishing. Kindle Edition.