Kiss of Darkness is the 2nd novel in the Charmed series.
The novel starts on New Year's Eve and so takes place between Season 1 episode 9 "The Witch is Back" and 10 "Wicca Envy". Phoebe says (in episode 11) that she has not seen an old friend for the past five months (since she returned from New York).
Summary
- In the shadow of the tower,
- We lovers two entwine,
- Bringing heat to breath and life to power,
- And forging your soul to mine!
Something changed Prue Halliwell on New Year's Eve, when a stranger gave her the most passionate kiss of her life. Now Prue feels driven to kiss every man she meets.
At first, Piper and Phoebe think the new Prue is fun. But when Prue grows weaker with every kiss, the Charmed Ones know that evil is at work. Now Piper and Phoebe must save their sister, but can they do it with only the Power of Two?
Excerpt
"She left the room, again passing the glass case. Her head throbbing with pain. Then a bright light flashed into Phoebe's eyes. Electricity jolted her. I did it! she realized. It's a vision! Phoebe closed her eyes—and images began to appear in her mind:
Prue entwined in a passionate embrace with a cloaked man.
A cloak decorated with the symbols of the black tower card.
They kiss.
He drops her to the floor in a lifeless heap.
The tower card from Elena's deck slowly floating down.
Landing on Prue's lips.
A final kiss of death...'
Phoebe came out of her trance, shaken to the core.
The meaning of the vision wasn't completely clear. Only one thing was. I have to get back to the house, Phoebe realized. Prue doesn't have much time left!"
Characters
Major
- Prue Halliwell: The eldest sister with the power of Telekinesis.
- Piper Halliwell: The middle sister with the power of Molecular Immobilization.
- Phoebe Halliwell: The youngest sister with the power of Premonition.
Support
- Lascaris: A powerful warlock who possess Prue to make her kiss other men and transfer their life forces to him.
- Elena: A red-haired tarot reader who reads Prue's future. She assists Piper and Phoebe in defeating Lascaris and saving Prue.
- Jake Stone: Piper's romantic interest in this book. He nearly falls victim to Lascaris's spell, but his interest in Piper made him resist Prue's advances. Jake works as a set designer.
- Robert Galliard: Parisian antiques dealer who spends a couple of months in San Francisco every winter. He is quite smitten with Prue. Said to be tall, with gleaming dark hair and mesmerizing blue eyes, and speaks with a French accent. He nearly fell victim to Lascaris's magic.
- Claire Pryce: Owner of Buckland's and Prue's boss after Rex Buckland.
Minor
- Lloyd Claiborne: Buckland's wealthiest client, who throws a New Year's party at his mansion.
- Billy: Piper's assistant chef. He fell under Lascaris's spell and wound up in a hospital.
- Night Owls: A band that Piper booked for Quake. Phoebe commented on the drummer's good looks.
- Danny: Waiter at Quake.
- Jason Roman: Guest at Claiborne's New Year's party.
- Eugene: A muscular young man Prue invited to dinner for, only to be turned away at the door by Phoebe.
- Skateboarder: A youngster who got kissed by Prue at Golden Gate Park.
- Nerdy Delivery Guy: Delivered a package to Piper, and then got kissed by Prue.
- John: A waiter from Giovanni's, who worked as a caterer at the Claiborne party, and was the only man not to get kissed by Prue. He gave Piper much-needed clues when she visited the restaurant for answers.
Mentioned
- Jeremy Burns: A warlock, Piper's ex-boyfriend, and the first enemy the Charmed Ones fought.
- Matt: A regular customer of Quake's.
Magical Notes
Book of Shadows
Emerald Necklace
- The emerald necklace belonged to a witch who fought a very powerful warlock named Lascaris. The witch imprisoned Lascaris inside the emerald with a spell that gave the warlock only one chance to escape every century: at 12:01 A.M., New Year's Day.
Lascaris
- Lascaris was a powerful warlock who arrived in France in the late 1700s.
- He would charm young women and have them collect his life force by kissing men. He needed the strength of these men to keep him young and virile for centuries.
- He was obsessed with a particular deck of tarot cards and used them to predict his victims–the ones on whom his spells would be most effective.
- As Lascaris became more powerful, the women became weaker, and the men they kissed hovered near death. When the women were no longer strong enough to serve his needs, Lascaris would perform a ritual. When the ritual was complete, the men and women died.
Love Potion Spell
- For kisses sweet to turn to passion,
- You must be willing to take this action.
- With a potion sweeter than wine,
- Make the one you love become thine.
- But beware, for if you falter,
- You lose your chance,
- And this spell you can never alter.
To Counter a Love Spell
- Power of Three spell that requires a circle to be drawn on the floor. The spell needs to be recited thrice.
- The power of love comes from the heart
- The desire to kiss is but a start
- Remove the spell to separate the two
- Remove the spell placed on Prue.
To Banish Lascaris
- Power of Three spell. The spell requires ashes from a fire, spiderwebs, mistletoe, sage, and candles. Use the ashes to draw a large oval on the center, with candles around it, smudge it with sage for purity, break off mistletoe berries and place them around the outer edge of the oval, recite:
- Lovers meet and kiss under mistletoe. Now it will restore the power he stole through his kisses.
- Lay the spiderwebs in the center of the oval, then place the conduit (or the one holding the tower card) in the center. Recite an incantation while lighting the candles. Place the emerald necklace on the conduit's chest.
- I call on the Power of Three.
- Ashes to ashes, dust to dust,
- we imprison Lascaris because we must.
- To spare the innocent, to protect the meek,
- we reduce your evil power to very weak.
- Into the prison you must go, never again to be our foe.
Spells
Parchment Inscription
- The conduit must hold the black tower card.
- Evil you are, evil you shall remain, but no in this world where you inflict pain.
- The kiss you gave others took their life.
- The kiss I gave you sliced our bond like knife.
- My lips to yours is the stronger power,
- Within the emerald, live inside your blackened tower.
Powers
- Dream Leaping: Used by Lascaris to communicate with Prue.
- Life Draining: Used by Lascaris to drain Prue and the other men's life forces.
- Molecular Immobilization: Used by Piper.
- Possession: Used by Lascaris to possess Prue and make her kiss other men.
- Premonition: Used by Phoebe to see Prue's future.
- Telekinesis: Used by Prue.
Artifacts
- Book of Shadows: The Halliwell family's tome of spells and information.
- Emerald Necklace: The necklace that kept Lascaris trapped.
- Tarot Cards: Ancient tarot cards passed down by Elena's family.
Notes and Trivia
- This is the first novel to feature Prue as a main character.
- On the Russian front cover, it shows Piper, Paige, and Phoebe of the 5th season.
Differences from the Show
- No mention of Andy Trudeau.
- No mention of Piper pursuing a relationship with Leo Wyatt.
- Claire Pryce first becomes the new owner of Buckland Auction House after New Year, after the predecessors were vanquished. In this book, she has already taken over the auction house by New Year's Eve.
- While Piper's power could only freeze a limited area (specifically a room size), she was able to freeze an entire mansion for a limited period of time in the book.
International titles
- French: Le baiser des Ténèbres (The Kiss of Darkness)
- Russian: Pocjeluj t'my (Kiss of Darkness)
French cover of the book
Russian cover of the book