Black Cross

Black Cross is an organisation dedicated to hunting and killing vampires. They are greatly feared by all but a handful of vampires, due to Black Cross's ruthlessness and commitment to killing all vampires they come across. They also have some experience in hunting wraiths, but focus mostly on vampires. Black Cross features heavily in the Evernight series, with several major characters being members of the organisation.

Structure and Lifestyle
Black Cross is divided into 'cells', which are each stationed in a different city or state. They are charged with hunting vampires in their designated area; however, cells may team up should some crisis emerge (such as the attack on the cell's head-quarters in Hourglass, forcing the cell members to flee the area).

Each cell generally has one leader, who is typically the most skilled and experienced vampire hunter, and the one with the best leadership skills. Most cells disband after a few years, with its members being reassigned to other cells, for safety, with Kate Ross's cell being regarded as staying intact for an unusually long period.

Known cells include: Members of Black Cross typically lead harsh and dangerous lives. Cells are constantly on the move, only staying in a designated location for so long, so as to prevent vampires or human authorities discovering them. They often stay in large, abandoned buildings, such as warehouses, or occasionally abandoned churches, which is convenient for defense, as vampires experience extreme discomfort when entering consecrated ground.
 * Kate's cell, stationed in Massachusetts
 * Eliza's cell, stationed in New York City

They do have some money, but it is supposed to be used for obtaining supplies such as food, medicine or weapons, or for emergencies. There is little privacy in Black Cross; they often sleep on cots or mattresses in one big room, with only screens or sheets to divide the men's sleeping area from the women's. Bianca Olivier states in Hourglass that she is lucky "there was a door in front of the toilet."

When they aren't hunting vampires or moving to a new base. Black Cross hunters often spend their days training to keep their fitness and combat skills up, especially with new recruits.

History
It is unclear as to when exactly Black Cross was officially formed - Lucas Ross claims that Black Cross has "been around as long as vampires have". Black Cross was active in the Middle Ages, where they were a highly respected organisation, who were even called upon by monarchs to deal with supernatural threats. However, since the Renaissance, Black Cross's former prestige began to decline along with belief in the supernatural, and they were soon forced to function on a far more humble level, given that the nobility no longer provided them with funding.

18th Century
It is mentioned that the first Boston cell was established shortly after the American Revolution, presumably around 1783. During this time, Charlotte Bethany and her husband Christopher Bethany were members of Black Cross's Boston cell. Few women were members of Black Cross during this period, but Mrs Bethany became renowned as a particularly deadly and skilled hunter, infamous amongst vampires.

Unfortunately, Mrs Bethany turned on Black Cross, developing a deep hatred for them, after they refused to intervene when Christopher was murdered by two humans he had considered friends. Mrs Bethany left the organisation, becoming a vampire herself to enable her to take revenge on her husband's killers and went on to help found Evernight Academy, the famous vampire sanctuary. One member of Black Cross was later able to successfully infiltrate Evernight round about this time, narrowly escaping with his life and becoming the only known human to achieve such a feat, until his descendant, Lucas Ross, managed it again in 2008.

Infiltrating Evernight
Lucas successfully infiltrated Evernight Academy by posing as an ordinary human student, becoming the second Black Cross member ever to do so. Lucas attempted to learn why Mrs Bethany chose to allow human students into the school after all this time, but was unable to come up with anything conclusive. He was also distracted from the mission when he fell in love with a student named Bianca Olivier, whom he later learns is in fact a born vampire, thus causing him to question the beliefs instilled into him by Black Cross. Lucas is forced to kill a vampire student named Erich within Evernight after he threatens the life of a human student named Raquel Vargas.

Lucas's cover is accidentally blown by Bianca, when she mentions that his ancestor used to attend Evernight, but using his enhanced abilities (due to Bianca biting him) Lucas escapes and flees to Riverton, contacting his mother and cell leader, Kate Ross. Bianca accompanies him and they travel to the cell's current headquarters together, with the hunters being under the impression that Bianca is a human girl kidnapped by vampires at birth. The Evernight vampires track the cell down and set fire to their headquarters to try and retrieve Bianca, who goes with them willingly to allow the hunters to escape unharmed.

Hunting Charity and the Burning of Evernight
Some months later, Kate's cell returns to Massachusetts, hunting Charity More and her tribe in Amherst. Charity escapes, although Lucas secretly works with Balthazar More and Bianca to track her down, which ends badly due to Charity's hatred of her brother and aversion to returning to Evernight. Months later, Black Cross are given an anonymous tip-off that the vampires of Evernight are planning on massacring the human students and organize a raid on the school, setting it on fire and causing significant, though not permanent damage. There are few causalities on both sides, although they successfully 'rescue' two human students, Raquel and Bianca. The tip-off was actually a false rumour spread by Charity to get revenge on Mrs Bethany, though the cell is unconcerned by this, believing their actions were justified.

New York
Kate's cell is attacked by Evernight vampires, who seek vengeance for the burning of the Academy; they escape with no casualties and take up residence with another cell, run by Eliza, in New York City. The New York headquarters are attacked by Evernight after tracking an email Bianca sent to her parents; they suffer a few casualties, but take Balthazar as a prisoner, torturing him for information. Lucas and Bianca take Balthazar to kill and dispose of him, although in reality, they help him escape. After Raquel and fellow hunter Dana see Bianca drinking blood and discover she's a vampire, Raquel turns her in and Bianca and Lucas are interrogated. Black Cross discovers the existence of born vampires and intends to imprison and experiment on Lucas and Bianca; however, Dana helps them to escape.

Skirmish in Philadelphia
Black Cross is later called to Vic Woodson's house in Philadelphia by Lucas, where he seeks help for a dying Bianca. When Kate and her cell arrive, they discover Lucas has become a vampire following the events of ''Hourglass. ''Kate attempts to kill Lucas to "give him peace", but is defended by Balthazar and Ranulf White, with Bianca (now a wraith) intervening by taking temporary possession of Kate's body. Vic calls the police, prompting Black Cross to flee.

Fight in Riverton
Kate's cell later turns up in Riverton, seeking to kill Lucas again. However, Dana and Raquel turn on Black Cross and assist Lucas in escaping. The vampires and Bianca are able to hold Black Cross off until the police arrive, again causing them to leave.

Darby Glen
Although not physically appearing in Balthazar, Black Cross is mentioned as having been causing trouble for Lucas and Bianca, forcing them hide out in Maine. Lucas later contacts Black Cross and sends them to the small town of Darby Glen to try and deter any tribes from descending upon the town to join the malevolent vampire John Redgrave, although Redgrave is killed and Balthazar and Skye Tierney (who was Redgrave's target due her being a psychic) skip town before Black Cross arrives.

Known Members

 * Charlotte Bethany (formerly)
 * Christopher Bethany
 * Lucas Ross (formerly)
 * Dana (formerly)
 * Hideo Watanabe
 * Noriko Watanabe (possibly)
 * Kate
 * Eduardo
 * Mr Ross (presumably)
 * Raquel Vargas (formerly)
 * Bianca Olivier (temporarily)
 * Lucas's great-great grandfather
 * Eliza
 * Milos
 * Colleen
 * Elena
 * Renee
 * Zack
 * Hawkins
 * Anjuli
 * Nathan

Appearances

 * Evernight
 * Stargazer
 * Hourglass
 * Afterlife
 * Balthazar (mentioned only)