Nathaniel Graison

"Nathanial managed to be childlike, catlike and still be an adult."

- Anita Blake, Burnt Offerings

Nathaniel is probably the wereleopard that we hear the most about throughout the books, although some of the others do play a large part. 

Anita first hears about Nathaniel from Stephen when he is in hospital.  Nathaniel is a nineteen years old, fellow stripper at Guilty Pleasures and is one of Stephen's friends.  He also worked as a prostitute and prior to becoming one of the wereleopards had been a heroin addict. 

Nathaniel is best known for his striking appearance, long (as in waist and later knee length) mahogany hair and lilac or lavender eyes.  He also wears a lot of silver, like many of the other were-animals, even though it causes pain.  Anita describes him as pretty rather than handsome.

He is the weakest of the wereleopards.  He was once captured by Colin and returned to Anita dying and rotting.  Asher and Damian healed him by taking the corruption into themselves.

He was also in a number of Gabriel and Raina's "movies" and actually gave three of his to Anita as a gift.  She never watched them and after some time Nathaniel realises why.

Nathaniel is a submissive who can't say no and he is unable to function alone.  He is bad with finances and needs someone to organise him.  Anita pays for his apartment for him so that he does not have to turn tricks.

In Blue Moon Anita reveals that she does not see Nathaniel as a friend. However she also discovers that he is actually much smarter than she thought.  He is very perceptive about her feelings of resentment of Marianne.  Realises that he is smarter than she had given him credit for she takes the time to explain to him that it is not that she does not want him to talk to her, it is just that she does not like his choice of topics. 

Nathaniel practically lives at Anita's house at later stages in the series, particularly after he becomes her pomme de sang when she finds herself needing to feed the ardeur like Jean-Claude has to. 

Nathaniel is, at Anita's insistence, becoming more independent as she demands it of those under her protection.

As the series progresses it is Jason who insightfully points out to Anita how deeply she cares for Nathaniel, even to a certain extent loves him.  He is obviously in love with Anita.

Text in this colour denotes that it is a spoiler for Incubus Dreams

In Incubus Dreams Anita finally takes the last step with Nathaniel and he comes into his own.  No longer as weak and submissive as he once was, we actually see Nathaniel get upset and angry as he watches Anita treat him differently to everyone else. 

But at long last Nathaniel moves up from food for the ardeur and someone who she must take care of, to a boyfriend and a permanent part of her family.

It is clear that he has settled into Anita's house when it is revealed that he is the one who does all the cooking and purchases items for the house.  Rather sweetly though he is still insecure enough to have purchased mugs in Anita and Micah's favourite colours, but not his own. 

Nathaniel is also getting pushy enough to have persuaded Anita to dance with him at Larry and Tammy's wedding and gets her to come and see his show at Guilty Pleasures - even take part in it.

Another interesting development for Nathaniel in the latest instalment to the series is that he becomes part of a triumvirate together with Anita and Damian.  Something which takes things to a whole new level for all of them. 

Nathaniel also gets a new form of part leopard and part man as some of the other more powerful were-animals have. 

We also learn a little more about Nathaniel's past.  Though the marks Anita sees him witnessing a man (likely his father) abusing Nicholas (a possible brother) and Nicholas retaliating and Nathaniel running on Nicholas's command and ending up on the streets.  Anita finds out from Jessica Arnet that he had actually been picked up for prostitution twice before he was fifteen years old.

We also find out that Nathaniel was just seventeen years old when he was made a wereleopard by Gabriel.

Nathaniel's stage name at Guilty Pleasures is Brandon, he has his own fan following there and some people attend just to see him.

Anyone who doubted that Nathaniel was in love with Anita before will now be convinced that he is.  He is also quite happy to be one of her many men, although he does ask Jason that his first time with Anita (as her boyfriend) is just the two of them. 

In this latest book we learn more and more about Nathaniel and if he had not already been one of my favourite characters he would certainly be now.

"There was something in his eyes, something older than he was,

something that made me want to squirm and look away,

but I was already running away from Richard,

I couldn't run away from anything else."

- Anita Blake, Cerulean Sins