Nathaniel is a 23-year old were leopard, approximately 5' 6" with long mahogany auburn hair, lilac eyes, "pretty" rather than handsome features, and a muscular swimmer's body. In his animal form, Nathaniel is a black were-leopard. A stripper at Guilty Pleasures, (stage name: "Brandon"), Nathaniel is one of Anita Blake's lovers and a member of her second triumvirate. For several novels, Nathaniel was Anita's pomme de sang. Descriptions of Nathaniel's eyes and vanilla scent fill each book, and it is common to see paragraphs devoted to the shade of his eyes.

Nathaniel has been reluctant to share details of his past. Anita has been able to learn that Nathaniel's parents died when he was young, and that Nathaniel and his older brother Nicky were in the custody of an abusive man. Nicky protected Nathaniel at first, but also died when Nathaniel was quite young, at which point Nathaniel ran away. At some point in his late teens, Nathaniel was found by Gabriel. By that point, Nathaniel was a drug addicted prostitute, and was so submissive and masochistic that he was literally incapable of saying no to any torture proposed to him. Gabriel helped Nathaniel stop taking drugs but was unable or unwilling to address Nathaniel's other problems and simply pimped Nathaniel, restraining customers from taking too much advantage of him. Nathaniel played a role in Raina Wallis's porn movies, raping and hurting the werewolves, while Gabriel was Nimir-Raj.

After Anita took control of the St. Louis pard, Nathaniel attached himself to Anita for protection. Nathaniel has been working to become more assertive and self-reliant, if only to please Anita. He is still highly submissive and is happy to take the "wife" position in Anita's increasingly large harem - cleaning, cooking, and generally providing emotional support. In Incubus Dreams, Anita inadvertently marked Nathaniel as her animal servant, forming a triumvirate between Anita, Nathaniel, and Damian.

In The Harlequin, Nathaniel finally shows some burgeoning self-assertion, insisting to Anita that if she does not address his masochistic sexual needs, he will go elsewhere for what he wants.

Contents 1 Character Occupation 2 Character Associations and Ties 3 Character Facts 4 Appearances 5 Comments

Character Occupation Edit

Stripper at Guilty Pleasures, Anita's first Pomme de Sang and later a member of her second triumvirate as her animal-to-call. He also starred in a number of pornographic films made by Raina.

Character Associations and Ties Edit

• Friends with Jason and Stephen.

• A very low-ranking, submissive leopard who was pimped out by Gabriel and later by Zane before Anita took control of the pard.

• A dancer at Guilty Pleasures.

Character Facts Edit

• Nathaniel is a true SMBD submissive and craves to be dominated. He also enjoys some pain. (BM, NiC, ID, DM)

• After Anita took over the pard in BO, Nathaniel couldn't understand why she wouldn't have sex with him. He couldn't understand someone giving him something without wanting something from him. (BM)

• He must be watched when out at clubs, as he doesn't truly know his limits and seems unable to use his safe word when being hurt. (NiC)

• At Anita's demand, he has become more self-sufficient.

• He has learned to drive in CS.

• Even though he lives with Anita and sleeps in her bed, and is her pomme de sang for the ardeur, he does not actually become Anita's lover until ID. This is because Anita feels like she is taking advantage of him.

• Anita finally admits to herself and to him that she loves him in ID.

• In ID, when he shifts, he has 'hands' for the first time in his half-form.

• He lives with Anita and has a knack for 'home-making' activities, functioning sort of like her 'wife'.

• Turned tricks on the streets before Gabriel found him, and was a drug addict. (BM) Has a record for solicitation as a minor (15), he was arrested twice. (ID)

• He was seventeen when he was turned. (?BM?)

• He gains some muscle and grows a little taller as the series goes on. (ID, DM. TH)

• His age is stated as 20 in TH, and we are told that his birthday is in the spring (March to June) and that he would be twenty-one.

• In TH, we learn that the vanilla scent that Anita associates with Nathaniel is partially the result of his bath products and cologne

• He is seven years younger than Anita. (TH)
• He sets Anita's cell phone ringtones (for excample 10cc-"I'm not in love" in ST)

Appearances Edit

Burnt Offerings (first appearance), Burnt Offerings, Blue Moon, Narcissus in Chains, Cerulean Sins, Incubus Dreams, Danse Macabre, The Harlequin, Blood Noir.