Raphael Santiago

**Raphael Santiago** is the head of the New York Vampire Clan.

## Biography

#### Early Life

As a boy, Raphael was raised a religious Catholic. He was particularly close to his youngest sister, Rosa. Eventually, he and his family migrated from Mexico City to the States.

When Raphael was first Turned into a vampire, he became addicted to feeding from mundanes. He then met the warlock Magnus Bane, who helped him regain his faith, in his religion and in himself. Magnus took him under his wing and came to see him as a son, committed to helping and protecting him when he would need it.

#### Rise to Power

Outside the Silent City, Raphael made noises to distract the Shadowhunter Isabelle Lightwood so his companion could grab the Shadowhunter's mundane friend Simon Lewis from his van. Upon the return of the group who were with Simon, Raphael revealed himself and told them that they would negotiate Simon's safe return in exchange for the Mortal Cup.

Raphael delivered Simon to Camille Belcourt as instructed. Before she arrived, a desperate Simon threw a blade at him that barely hurt him. He openly questioned her decision to break the Accords and potentially antagonize the Clave when Valentine Morgenstern posed a very real threat to them. Camille ignored his warnings, and Raphael left, annoyed of Simon's antics. Later, when the Shadowhunters arrived to rescue Simon, Raphael told Camille to escape and secretly helped Simon and the others get away, giving Jace Wayland an ominous warning about who his enemies were.

One evening, he saw Simon lurking around the Hotel Dumort and scared him off in an attempt to keep him off Camille's radar. Because Simon did not heed his warnings, Simon was eventually killed by Camille. Raphael took his body to his friends at the New York Institute and told them that they would either have to Turn Simon that night or stake him through the heart. After successfully appealing to his fellow vampires that Camille's constant breaking of the Accords will only cause them trouble, he was able to overthrow her and take over as the leader of the clan. He later helped Simon undergo his transformation, promising to Clary and Jace that he would look after the new vampire.

#### Alliance With the Werewolves

When Simon turned down Raphael's offer of help, he decided to let Simon come to him when he was ready. Later that night, Clary and Simon sought refuge at the hotel, agreeing to let them hide from the Clave in exchange for Simon's cooperation—something he wanted so he could present Simon as proof to the Nephilim that Camille had broken the Accords. He kept the pair behind bars and fed Simon blood so that he would not feed on Clary, though he teased him about considering Clary as his meal.

When Jace and Isabelle arrived for them, Clary convinced Raphael and the other vampires to join him and Luke's pack of werewolves in their rescue of the Seelie Meliorn. Though initially against it because of the hostility between their people, Raphael went along with it when Simon agreed to pledge loyalty to him, and thus join their clan and stay at the hotel. The rescue mission went smoothly and according to plan, and Raphael and the vampires returned to their base with Simon in tow.

When the Shadowhunters asked to see Camille, whom Raphael had thrown into a coffin in a heavily-guarded room in the hotel, he refused. Clary and Simon snuck in and released Camille themselves. When Isabelle failed to distract Raphael, the pair were caught making their escape with Camille. He told them that their alliance was over, and Simon was out of their clan.

#### Hunting for Camille

After Simon's interrogation by Aldertree, Raphael found himself accused of making the dens Camille had started. Raphael met Simon and demanded that he look for Camille—for being responsible for her escape, and because he can use his connection to her as his sire—and return her to him to make her answer for her crimes.

Raphael continued to pressure Simon, even threatening the life of his mother, to look for Camille.

Eventually, Aldertree "invited" Raphael to the Institute. Raphael was bound to a chair and tortured by Aldertree with a ray of concentrated UV rays for interrogation.

Though he was released, it was only when Raphael continued to say that he didn't know where Camille was; Raphael was greatly weakened and scarred, and he went straight to Magnus's for help. Magnus felt that, due to their connection, Raphael's torture was in part Magnus's punishment for helping the fugitive Jace.

Simon arrived while Raphael was being treated, and Magnus stopped the two from getting into a full-blown fight. When Simon took out the box he found at Camille's residence in India, Raphael revealed to them that it contained Camille's grave dirt—which could be used to summon her—and sliced open Simon's hand to use his blood—which also contained Camille's blood—to open the impenetrable box.

## Skills and Abilities

* **Encanto**: Raphael has the vampire ability to mesmerize or hypnotize mundanes.
* **Superhuman strength**: Raphael is considerably strong, able to level in combat even Shadowhunters.
* **Superhuman speed**: Raphael can run at speeds comparable to Shadowhunters. His reflexes are similarly heightened.
* **Immortality**: As a vampire, Raphael is immortal. However, this does not make him invincible; he is in fact prone to death by sunlight and fire, among others.
* **Bilingual**: Raphael fluently speaks English and is shown to also speak Spanish.