Stanton

Stanton is an L.A. Follower who becomes the Prince of the Night who stars in the book *The Sacrifice* .

### Relatives

Father, mother, older brother, grandmother

## Personality & Appearance

Stanton is described as being a very attractive guy that can pass as a teenage boy of seventeen. His eyes are "so blue they seem luminescent." He has shaggy blonde hair and often wears black attire. All five Daughters have described him as extremely handsome and/or sexy.

In the beginning, Stanton is depicted as a manipulative, clever-minded Follower, lying to Vanessa more than once to earn her trust and attempt to have her and Catty destroyed. He is flirtatious, having courted Morgan, and often flirts with Yvonne, a fellow Follower. However, his behavior cools when he begins dating and falling for Serena. He is also very tender, if not very protective over Serena (and, in a way, each of the Daughters).

## Character History

Stanton was born in the late thirteenth century, his father was a “great prince”. His memories are of a young boy (most probably himself) grieving his grandmother, and his mother departing and abandoning him in the care of another couple. He and his older brother and father resided in Western Europe, and his father eventually planned to go on a crusade against the Atrox, an ancient force of evil.

Stanton, as a child guarded by Lambert Malmaris, was eventually kidnapped by The Atrox in order to end his father’s crusade. Thus, Stanton soon becomes a Follower, the beginning of his existence as an invitus.

Centuries later, he is shown as a charming, flirtatious, and cunning Follower, having been granted immortality by the Atrox. He is assigned his own initiates; Cassandra, Tymmie, and Karyl. In *Goddess of the Night*, he pursues the Daughter of the Moon, Vanessa Cleveland, openly flirting with her in front of her date, Michael Saratoga.

He seduces Morgan Page, Vanessa’s superficial friend, in order to lure Vanessa to him after having kidnapped Vanessa's best friend and fellow Daughter of the Moon, Catty Turner. However, when he traps Vanessa in his memories, he reveals that he attempted to warn her. And in his memories the night he was kidnapped, Vanessa tried to save him. Because of this act of kindness, he can never harm her.

The trap to destroy Vanessa and Catty fails when the other two Daughters, Serena Killingsworth and Jimena Castillo, arrive and rescue them. Stanton did, however, offer to save Vanessa in exchange for her soul; instead of completely destroying her as planned. Vanessa receives a pillow with the word “Goddess” on it, showing that he holds some sort of compassion for her and will be a common visitor in her life.

Stanton and Serena become romantically involved in *Into the Cold Fire*, drawing criticism later on from her fellow Daughters of the Moon after she reveals the relationship to them. He rescues her on several occasions, particularly from Lambert and Zahi, a rival Follower. At one point, he says, “I more than like you,” implying that he loves her.

This is confirmed in *The Sacrifice*, when he almost says it to Serena, who, hearing his thoughts, affectionately accepts. In *The Sacrifice*, he becomes free as a Follower at last but chooses to go back to the Atrox in order to save Serena. In doing this, he is able to trap Lambert in his memory and is awarded the status of Prince of the Night. With that status, he can order the Regulators not to hurt Serena and occasionally, her friends.

Although she ends their relationship after he becomes Prince of the Night, he continues to observe her in her sleep, often speaking to her about their future together. When he once again saves her (this time from Aura, Lambert’s body-stealing lover), they’re reunited again and resume their relationship.

Stanton is extremely devoted to her, to the point where he willingly agrees to sacrifice himself to keep her alive as shown in *The Final Eclipse*. He says to Vanessa, “I love Serena. That’s why I’m taking this risk,” when he, Vanessa, and Catty take on the dangerous challenge of destroying the Atrox. Also, in the final book, he is devastated to the point of collapsing when Serena seemingly refuses to stay within Nefandus when the portal begins to close permanently. However, she returns to him in the end and they rule over Nefandus together.

## Powers

Stanton, as an Immortal, can read and manipulate minds, erase memories, and imprison people in his memories. He can also travel through shadow, as any Follower can. Due to his rank and experience, he is highly skilled and cunning.

As Prince of the Night, these powers are amplified and unmatched, and if his body was destroyed, his spirit would live on.

## Other Interests

Stanton holds some form of compassion for each of the Daughters. He cannot harm Vanessa due to her act of kindness and has attempted to protect her on several occasions. He also aids Tianna and Catty, supplying Tianna with the sword and warning Catty of the Secret Scroll's curse (which could prove deadly), and taking her back in time to meet her biological mother, Zoe Reese.

It's unclear as to whether or not Cassandra and Stanton had a relationship prior to book 2. She claims, in book 5, that he once loved her, a notion he denies. It's also explained that they once telepathically communicated often.

In book 3, Jimena says that Stanton "jilted" Cassandra to be with Serena, implying that Stanton and Cassandra were romantically connected. However, it's clear he doesn't desire her companionship, as he rejects her numerous time in book 5 when her obsession grows to dramatic heights.

He gave Tianna the sword to bind the Atrox to its shadow, helped in the disguise of a monk so that Kyle escapes, and visited Serena and Vanessa while they were held captive in Nefandus. Stanton helps Vanessa and Catty destroy the Atrox and save Serena.

After the Atrox is destroyed, he becomes the new leader in Nefandus with Serena by his side. He also helped Vanessa in the 7th book by warning her about Hector and sending her a protector/follower that looked like Michael.