History Literature / BloodRites

* AuthorityEqualsAsskicking: Lord Raith is the King of The White Court vampires and is clearly the most powerful of them, physically and magically, [[spoiler: despite being weakened]].

''Blood Rites'' is book #6 in ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles''. Not to be confused with [[VideoNasties the gory exploitation flick]] of [[Film/BloodRites the same name]].

** Karrin finds out at ''her family reunion'' that her ex-husband is now engaged to her sister, something that obviously causes a lot of emotional distress. Her mother not only knew about it but chooses to use this public occasion to chastise her for not being a good enough wife for the man. This utter disregard for how Karrin would perceive this development, dismissal of her feelings, and criticism of Karrin's life choices all in the same moment would usually be considered emotional abuse.
** Lord Raith is a truly monstrous example, [[spoiler: feeding on his own daughters to break their will and killing off his sons to keep them from overthrowing him]].

** Lord Raith is a truly monstrous example, feeding on his own daughters to break their will and killing off his sons to keep them from overthrowing him.

** Karrin finds out at ''her family reunion'' that her ex-husband is now engaged to her sister, something that obviously causes a lot of emotional distress. Her mother not only knew this fact, but chooses to use this public occasion to chastise her for not being a good enough wife for the man. This utter disregard for how Karrin would perceive this development, dismissal of her feelings, and criticism of Karrin's life choices all in the same moment would usually be considered emotional abuse.
%%** Lord Raith is this. See BigScrewedUpFamily below.

** Bram Stoker's ''{{Literature/Dracula}}'' is also like this to the Black Court, considering it contains everything that someone needs to kill a Black Court vampire and is a major reason why they're the smallest of the three.

[[JustForFun/TheOneWith The one with]] [[{{Succubus}} sex monsters]]. And puppy Mouse.

* BilingualBonus: Inari (稲荷) is the Japanese fox god, and there are lots of stories about [[FantasticFoxes shapeshifting fox-women]] seducing young men and sucking out all their marrow. Also, her favorite food is fried tofu. What sort of pizza topping does [[MeaningfulName Inari]] offer Harry?

* SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome: [[invoked]] Remember that how [=McCoy=]'s ColonyDrop on Ortega's castle was presented as [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome cool]] and [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments hilarious]] at the end of ''Death Masks''? This book brings up the unfortunate reality that his move didn't just kill Ortega and his goons, but also very likely several human bystanders who were inside the castle serving as food and servants.

* SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome:
** [[invoked]] Remember that how [=McCoy=]'s ColonyDrop on Ortega's castle was presented as [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome cool]] and [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments hilarious]] at the end of ''Death Masks''? This book brings up the unfortunate reality that his move didn't just kill Ortega and his goons, but also very likely several human bystanders who were inside the castle serving as food and servants.
** Harry draws protective circles around his client's workplace. However, one of the villains behind cursing the client noticed it. As it was basic magic, the villain knew to just smudge the circles to ruin the protection.
** Inari Raith has never been in an actual fight. She is forced into two during the course of story, and both times she doesn't land one hit, needs rescuing and ends up in hospital both of the times.

** Lord Raith is this, UpToEleven. See BigScrewedUpFamily below.

* Foreshadowing:

* [[KnightTemplarBigBrother Knight Templar Big Sister:]] Played with in regards to Lara Raith. She's violently protective of her younger siblings... to the point where she's willing to kill Thomas to protect him from their father's wrath.]]

** Thomas puts his own life on the line to protect Inari. [[spoiler: Later admitted by Thomas as reason why he has been helping Harry over the past few years.]]
** [[spoiler:Lara honestly loves and cares about her younger siblings. At first, however, she refuses to help Thomas because she knows their father's full strength and is scared by it. So, when she fully understands just how weak and impotent the man has become, she moves to protect Thomas.]]

** Third [[spoiler:Lord Raith forbids his children on pain of death to tell the younger siblings that they are vampires. This is to help ensure the child becomes an incubus or succubus and not avoid it by finding a person who genuinely loves them and they feel it in return.]]

* RapeAndRevenge: Type I: [[spoiler:Lord Raith was known for "conditioning" his daughters into his [[BrokenBird loyal servants,]] who would do any task he set forth. When Lara learns her father can not longer feed and is severely weakened, she responds by first sending an intense level of lust and seduction at the old man. What happens later, well it isn't described. All the readers know is Lord Raith became the puppet with Lara pulling the strings.]]

* OldMaster: Ebenezer [=McCoy=], Harry's second mentor, easily over 200 years old, is a powerful combat mage when the need arises. [[spoiler:He is also the White Council's personal hitman with full discretion to break the laws and someone Kincaid actually fears. Had he known Dresden called the old man to the job, Kincaid would have not agreed to it]].

* MakeItLookLikeAnAccident: Because Harry is protected [[spoiler:by the laws of hospitality, Papa Raith cannot just snap his neck, so, he sends his young, maturing daughter to Harry in hopes her Hunger will awaken, causing her to drain Harry dead]] and the White Council will get a sad apology for this tragic accident.

* AncientConspiracy: [[spoiler:The White Court of vampires has owned the sex industry for centuries at a minimum. And Arturo is a threat to that with his new ideas.]]

** Lord Raith is this, UpToEleven.

** When Harry first meets [[spoiler:Madge, he doesn't consider the fact she is carrying lots of plates and cups, so she couldn't even shake hands, a big deal. At the end, he realizes she is a decently powerful practitioner. If they had touched hands, he would have known that about her.]]

* ParentalIncest: [[spoiler:Lord Raith not only sleeps with his daughters, he feeds on them, to break them even more]].

* VegetarianVampire: Inari is both a straight and literal example, as she hasn't yet fed on anyone ([[spoiler: thus not having turned from human to succubus]]) and eats no meat.