Lenobia's Vow

Lenobia's Vow is the second novella in the House of Night Novellas spin-off series, which delve into the backgrounds of some of the Tulsa House of Night's most important - and mysterious - professors. This novella focuses on Professor Lenobia.

Plot
Évreux, France, 1788, Lenobia is the bastard daughter of a powerful baron. Following the death of his legitimate daughter, Cecile, she agrees to play her role and marry her intended in the Americas. Upon reaching the boat she learns to her dismay that the bishop of Évreux will come, too. She avoids him, pretending to be seasick and while searching the ship uncovers a pair of Percheron horses and comes to befriend their Creole caretaker, Martin. As the days pass they fall in love and upon landing he vows to follow her.

On the way the convoy meets a vampyre who Marks Lenobia. Angered, the bishop tries to kill her and uses his dark power over fire, but is ultimately killed by Martin, who dies too. Lenobia is traumatized, but quickly discovers an affinity for horses. She finds the strength to move on vowing to wait for Martin.

Inside jacket cover of American version :

"EVREUX, FRANCE, 1788 : Before she becomes Zoey's favorite professor and the House of Night's fearless horse mistress, Lenobia is just a normal sixteen-year-old girl -- with enough problems to last a lifetime. As the illegitimate daughter of a powerful baron, she has never quite belonged, and instead has to watch her spoiled half-sister, Cecile, get anything she wants. as if that's not enough, her remarkable beauty draws unwatned attention wherever she goes. For once, she would just like to fit in.

But when fate intervenes, Lenobia suddenly finds herself surrounded by other girls on a ship bound for New Orleans, where they will be married off to the cty's richest Frenchmen. And they're not alone. An evil bishop who is skilled in dark magic makes the same journey. His appetite for lovely young owmen makes him dangerous -- most of all to Lenobia, who caught his eye back in France. So she remains hidden, making secret visits to the ship's stables, where a handsome young man and his beautiful Percheron horses soon capture her attention.

Will they make it to land before the bishop discovers her true identity and a powerful evil breaks loose? And will Lenobia fllwer her heart, even if it puts lives at risk? Find out more about one of your favorite professor sin the next heart-thumping House of Night novella."

Main Characters

 * Lenobia Whitehall
 * Charles de Beaumont, Bishop of Évreux - Bishop who became infatuated with Lenobia, is accomplished in dark magic, and is sent to New Orleans. He kills Sister Marie and Martin with fire.
 * Sister Marie Madeleine Hachard - Sister who acted as a motherly figure to Lenobia and tried to protect her from the Bishop, only to meet her death when she became too involved.
 * Martin - human man whom Lenobia falls in love with and was set to become her human consort before his tragic death at the hands of Father Charles.

Minor Characters
Humans Vampyres Animals
 * Jeanne - scullery maid working for Baron of Bouillon
 * Cecile Marson de La Tour d'Auvergne - Lenobia's half-sister who dies the day before she is set to be shipped off to New Orleans
 * Elizabeth Whitehall - Lenobia's mother who sends her daughter to New Orleans
 * Baron of Bouillon - Lenobia's and Cecile's father and Elizabeth's ex-lover
 * Laetitia - woman Father Charles was fraternizing with before Father Antoine arrived
 * Father Antoine le Clerc de Juigne - gives Father Charles his sentence to New Orleans after it is revealed he is accomplished in dark magic
 * Commodore William Cornwallis - Commodore of the ship Minerva
 * Simonette LaVigne - girl who befriends Lenobia when she believes her to be Cecile and shows problems breaking those friendly ties afterwords
 * Vincent Rillieux - Martin's white father
 * Thinton de Silegne - man Cecile was set to marry in New Orleans
 * Aveline de Lafayette - girl who refuses to room with Lenobia at first when it is revealed that Lenobia is a bastard child
 * Medusa - tracker who Marks Lenobia and was going to bring Lenobia and Martin to the Savannah House of Night
 * Odysseus - animal that brings Martin to speak to Lenobia; he is noted as a mean cat who lures you in with its playfulness just to attack.
 * Two Percheron horses- Lenobia uses them as an excuse to keep seeing Martin for a time