Shadows Beneath the Skin

Magdalena Fitzgerald, a witch haunted by nightmares and a sense of brokenness, questions whether the darkness inside her is a curse or a shield. She's tormented by dreams of a seductive monster who both loves and destroys her, and she fears that if she surrenders to him, she'll lose herself completely. Her memories are fragmented, her sense of self fragile, and she's caught between wanting to be saved and wanting to embrace the darkness. The story opens with her waking from another nightmare, the lines between dream and reality blurring, and the sense that her fate is inextricably tied to a dangerous man she cannot resist.

Homecoming and Old Wounds

After years away, Magdalena returns to Haven Crest for the Awakening, a ritual that will unlock her powers. The town is steeped in tradition, and her family is still reeling from loss: her brother Joshua died in Afghanistan, her father abandoned them, and her ex-fiancé Todd betrayed her. Magdalena's relationship with her twin, Kendra, is strained by secrets and the pain of separation. The coven's power is bound until the Awakening, and Magdalena's return is met with both relief and suspicion. She's forced to confront her past, her failures, and the ghosts that haunt her family, all while preparing for a ceremony that will determine her future.

The Awakening's Edge

The Awakening is both a coming-of-age and a test of worthiness. Magdalena is swept into preparations, facing the coven's scrutiny and the pressure to conform. The ceremony is not just about power—it's about bloodlines, fertility, and the continuation of the coven. Outsiders are present, including the enigmatic Lucian Blackstone, whose presence unsettles Magdalena. The rituals are laced with both hope and dread, and Magdalena feels the weight of expectation and the threat of being found wanting. The coven's politics and rivalries simmer beneath the surface, and the sense of impending danger grows.

The Monster in the Maze

During the Awakening festivities, Magdalena is drawn into a hedge maze, where she encounters Lucian. Their chemistry is electric, but his dominance and darkness both terrify and arouse her. He challenges her, exposes her vulnerabilities, and nearly seduces her in the shadows. Their encounter is raw, charged with power and the promise of pain and pleasure. Lucian is not what he seems—he's a monster in human form, ancient and ruthless, and he marks Magdalena as his. The maze becomes a metaphor for Magdalena's own journey: lost, hunted, and forced to confront the monster within and without.

Lucian's Obsession

Lucian, revealed as a being feared even by other monsters, becomes obsessed with Magdalena. He watches her, manipulates events, and marks her as his property. His internal monologue reveals a being who has lost touch with humanity, who kills without remorse, but who is inexplicably drawn to Magdalena's light and darkness. He is both her predator and her protector, and his desire for her is as much about power as it is about need. Lucian's men are tasked with watching Magdalena, and the game between them escalates, with Lucian determined to own her, body and soul.

Nightmares and Seduction

Magdalena's dreams become more vivid and prophetic, blending past lives, curses, and warnings. She is seduced by Lucian both in dreams and waking, their encounters growing more intense and dangerous. The boundaries between consent and compulsion blur as Lucian uses his powers to manipulate her memories and desires. Magdalena is both repulsed and fascinated by her own responses, and the darkness inside her grows. The seduction is not just sexual—it's a battle for control, identity, and survival, with Lucian pushing her to embrace the parts of herself she fears most.

Family Ties and Betrayals

Magdalena's return brings family secrets to light: her twin Kendra's relationship with Todd, her father's betrayal, and the coven's history of expelling those touched by darkness. The revelation that she had a twin brother, Benjamin, who was given away for being "born wrong," shakes her understanding of her family and herself. The coven's laws are harsh, and the fear of darkness leads to cruelty and abandonment. Magdalena is forced to confront the reality that love and loyalty are conditional, and that survival often means sacrifice and betrayal.

The Unmasking

At the Awakening's unmasking, Magdalena is thrust into the center of coven politics and rivalries. The ceremony is both a spectacle and a test, with postulants paraded and judged. Old wounds are reopened, and new alliances and enmities are forged. Lucian's presence is both a threat and a temptation, and Magdalena's connection to him deepens. The unmasking is not just literal—it's a stripping away of illusions, as Magdalena and those around her are forced to confront who they truly are and what they truly want.

Blood and Salt

A series of violent events—Magdalena witnessing Lucian burying a body, being attacked in the woods, and the coven's refusal to believe her—shatter her trust in those around her. Lucian's power is revealed to be far beyond that of any warlock, and his ability to manipulate memories and reality leaves Magdalena questioning her own sanity. The use of blood and salt as both protection and weapon underscores the story's themes of purity, corruption, and the thin line between safety and danger. Magdalena is increasingly isolated, her allies dwindling as the true nature of the threats facing the coven becomes clear.

The Club's Dark Mirror

Magdalena is forced to work at Lucian's club, a place of sexual excess and hidden dangers. The club's mirrored rooms become a stage for both her humiliation and her awakening, as she is watched, manipulated, and ultimately claimed by Lucian in front of an audience. The experience is both empowering and degrading, and it marks a turning point in her relationship with Lucian and her own sense of self. The club is a microcosm of the larger world: a place where power, desire, and violence are inextricably linked, and where nothing is truly private or safe.

The Harvest's Heat

The Harvest ceremony unleashes a wave of magic and sexual compulsion, driving Magdalena and Lucian into a frenzy of need. Their encounters become increasingly intense, blending pain and pleasure, dominance and submission. The spell's purpose—to ensure the continuation of the bloodline—collides with Magdalena's own desires and fears. The boundaries between love, lust, and violence blur, and the consequences of their union ripple through the coven. The Harvest is both a celebration and a curse, and its aftermath leaves Magdalena changed in ways she cannot yet understand.

Demons in the Woods

Magdalena is attacked and raped by Todd, who is revealed to be possessed by a demon. The assault is brutal, and Magdalena is forced to kill Todd to save herself. The experience is both shattering and transformative, and it exposes the coven's vulnerability to forces beyond their understanding. The aftermath is marked by shame, anger, and a refusal to be defined by victimhood. Magdalena's survival is both a victory and a burden, and it sets her on a path of isolation and self-reliance.

Rape, Ruin, and Survival

In the wake of the assault, Magdalena is shunned by the coven, who blame her for what happened. She is forced to confront her own pain and the limitations of her support system. Lucian becomes both her comfort and her tormentor, offering protection but also demanding submission. The themes of survival and resilience are foregrounded, as Magdalena refuses to be broken by what has happened to her. She is both hardened and hollowed out, and her journey becomes one of reclaiming agency and forging her own path.

The Witch's Curse

Magdalena's dreams and visions reveal the true nature of the curse that binds her and Lucian: a cycle of love, betrayal, and death that stretches back centuries. The seal, a sentient force of chaos, is attached to her soul, and Lucian's role as its guardian is both a duty and a torment. The coven's history is one of running from monsters, both literal and metaphorical, and the price of survival has been the loss of memory, identity, and connection. Magdalena is both the key to salvation and the instrument of destruction, and the weight of destiny presses down on her.

The Abbey Massacre

The abbey, once a sanctuary, becomes a slaughterhouse as Helen betrays the coven and lets demons in. Kendra and the other witches are massacred, and Magdalena is forced to witness the carnage through her psychic bond with her sister. The trauma is overwhelming, and the survivors are left reeling. Lucian and his allies attempt to contain the damage, but the cost is high. The massacre is both a literal and symbolic breaking of the old order, and it marks the end of innocence and the beginning of a new, darker era.

Memory and Mindwipe

To protect Magdalena and the survivors, Lucian and the Fae erase memories, rewrite history, and stage the abbey's destruction as an accident. Magdalena's memories of Lucian, her powers, and her sister are buried behind a wall of compulsion. She is remade as Kendra, with a new life and a new identity, while the true Lena is lost. The mindwipe is both an act of mercy and a violation, and it leaves Magdalena adrift, haunted by a sense of loss she cannot name. Lucian's own pain at letting her go is palpable, and the story's central tragedy is laid bare.

Alone Among Monsters

Magdalena, now Kendra, struggles with a sense of alienation and the nagging feeling that something is missing. She is surrounded by monsters—both literal and figurative—and must navigate a world that is both familiar and strange. The coven is fractured, the old protections are gone, and the threat of demons remains. Magdalena's journey becomes one of reclaiming her identity, her power, and her place in a world that has tried to erase her. The struggle is both internal and external, and the stakes are nothing less than her soul.

The Butterfly Returns

As the story closes, Magdalena—still living as Kendra—begins to sense the truth beneath the lies. The itch in her brain, the sense of being out of place, and the dreams that haunt her are all signs that her true self is fighting to return. The younger generation of witches, led by "Kendra," begin to train in secret, preparing to fight back against the monsters that have hunted them for centuries. The butterfly motif—symbolizing transformation, resilience, and the return of the repressed—signals that the cycle is not yet complete, and that the true battle is still to come.

Characters

Magdalena Fitzgerald

Magdalena is the heart of the story: a witch marked by trauma, loss, and a profound sense of otherness. Her relationships—with her twin Kendra, her family, and Lucian—are fraught with pain and longing. Psychologically, she is both fragile and fierce, struggling to reconcile her desire for love and belonging with the darkness that haunts her. Her development is a journey from victimhood to agency, from being defined by others to claiming her own power. The curse that binds her to Lucian is both a source of suffering and a key to her transformation, and her ultimate challenge is to break the cycle of violence and reclaim her true self.

Lucian Blackstone

Lucian is a monster in human form: ancient, powerful, and feared by all. His obsession with Magdalena is both a curse and a compulsion, rooted in centuries of betrayal and loss. He is both her tormentor and her savior, capable of great cruelty and unexpected tenderness. Psychologically, Lucian is a study in contradictions: he craves control but is undone by desire, he kills without remorse but is haunted by love. His development is marked by the struggle to reconcile his duty as the seal's guardian with his longing for connection, and his ultimate sacrifice is to let Magdalena go, even as it breaks him.

Kendra Fitzgerald

Kendra is Magdalena's mirror and foil: where Magdalena is haunted, Kendra is grounded; where Magdalena is secretive, Kendra is open. Their bond is both a source of strength and vulnerability, and Kendra's own journey is marked by the struggle to define herself outside of her sister's shadow. The mindwipe that transforms Magdalena into Kendra is both a tragedy and an opportunity, and Kendra's role as the "surviving" twin becomes a crucible for the return of Magdalena's true self. Psychologically, Kendra embodies the longing for wholeness and the pain of separation.

Todd Flanagan

Todd is Magdalena's ex-fiancé, whose betrayal sets much of the story in motion. His own arc is one of weakness and possession: he is both the agent of Magdalena's rape and a victim of demonic control. His death at Magdalena's hands is both a mercy and a tragedy, and his role in the story underscores the themes of agency, culpability, and the cost of survival. Psychologically, Todd is a study in the dangers of denial and the ease with which good intentions can be twisted into harm.

Helen

Helen is the coven's political schemer, driven by ambition and a willingness to sacrifice others for her own gain. Her betrayal—letting demons into the abbey—marks her as the story's human antagonist, and her actions have catastrophic consequences. Psychologically, Helen embodies the dangers of unchecked power and the ways in which fear of darkness can lead to greater evil. Her relationship to Cassidy and the rest of the coven is marked by manipulation, resentment, and a ruthless pragmatism.

Cassidy

Cassidy is Magdalena's rival, both in love and in the coven's hierarchy. Her jealousy and ambition mirror Helen's, and her relationship with Magdalena is marked by competition, betrayal, and a twisted form of kinship. The revelation that she is Magdalena's half-sister adds a layer of complexity to their dynamic, and her willingness to side with Helen and Lucifer underscores the story's themes of family, loyalty, and the corrosive effects of envy.

Benjamin

Benjamin is the twin brother given away for being "born wrong," a figure of both pity and fear. His return is marked by ambiguity: is he a threat, a victim, or a potential ally? Psychologically, Benjamin embodies the story's exploration of nature versus nurture, the consequences of abandonment, and the ways in which darkness can be both a curse and a source of power. His relationship with Magdalena is fraught with guilt, longing, and the possibility of redemption.

Spyder

Spyder is Lucian's right hand, a monster in his own right, but one who is loyal and pragmatic. He serves as both a sounding board and a check on Lucian's excesses, and his own arc is marked by the tension between duty and desire. Psychologically, Spyder represents the dangers of becoming what one fights, and his relationship with Lucian is both fraternal and adversarial.

Tabitha

Tabitha is the coven's spiritual leader, a figure of wisdom and restraint. Her role is to protect the coven from both external and internal threats, and her death marks the end of an era. Psychologically, Tabitha embodies the costs of leadership, the burden of secrets, and the difficulty of balancing tradition with change.

The Seal

The seal is not a character in the traditional sense, but its presence is felt throughout the story. It is both a source of power and a force of destruction, attached to Magdalena's soul and driving the cycle of love, betrayal, and death. Psychologically, the seal represents the inescapability of fate, the dangers of unchecked power, and the ways in which trauma can be both inherited and overcome.

Plot Devices

Reincarnation and Cursed Cycles

The narrative is structured around the idea of reincarnation and the curse that binds Magdalena and Lucian. Each lifetime, they are drawn together, only to be torn apart by betrayal, violence, and the machinations of the seal. This cyclical structure allows the story to explore themes of fate, agency, and the possibility of breaking free from destructive patterns. Foreshadowing is used extensively, with dreams, visions, and fragmented memories hinting at the true nature of the curse and the roles each character is destined to play.

Duality and Mirrors

The motif of twins—Magdalena and Kendra, light and darkness, victim and survivor—runs throughout the story. The use of mirrors, both literal (the club's voyeuristic rooms) and metaphorical (the doubling of characters and fates), underscores the story's exploration of identity, self-knowledge, and the ways in which we are both ourselves and our own worst enemies. The narrative structure often pairs scenes and characters, inviting the reader to consider the ways in which history repeats and the possibility of change.

Memory Manipulation and Mind Control

Lucian's ability to manipulate memories and reality is both a plot device and a thematic exploration of power and consent. The mindwipe that erases Magdalena's memories and transforms her into Kendra is both a mercy and a violation, raising questions about identity, agency, and the ethics of protection. The use of compulsion, both magical and psychological, is a recurring device, highlighting the ways in which trauma, love, and power can shape and reshape the self.

Ritual and Ceremony

The story is structured around a series of rituals—the Awakening, the Harvest, the mindwipe—that serve as both plot points and metaphors for transformation. These ceremonies are both sources of power and sites of danger, and they underscore the story's exploration of the costs and consequences of tradition. The use of ritual also allows for the integration of world-building, magic systems, and the interplay between individual desire and communal obligation.

Unreliable Narration and Fragmented Reality

The narrative frequently blurs the boundaries between dream and reality, past and present, self and other. Magdalena's fragmented memories, prophetic dreams, and the manipulation of reality by Lucian and others create a sense of instability and uncertainty. This device is used to keep the reader off-balance, to mirror Magdalena's own sense of dislocation, and to invite questions about what is real, what is remembered, and what is possible.

Analysis

Playing with Monsters is a dark, erotic, and psychologically complex exploration of trauma, power, and the search for selfhood in a world where magic and monstrosity are inextricably linked. At its core, the novel is about cycles—of love and betrayal, violence and survival, memory and erasure—and the possibility of breaking free from patterns that seem both inevitable and inescapable. The relationship between Magdalena and Lucian is both the engine of the plot and a metaphor for the struggle to reconcile light and darkness within oneself. The story's use of ritual, memory manipulation, and the motif of twins allows for a nuanced exploration of identity, agency, and the costs of survival. In a modern context, the novel can be read as a meditation on the ways in which trauma is both inherited and overcome, the dangers of unchecked power (both personal and institutional), and the necessity of forging one's own path in the face of tradition and expectation. The ultimate lesson is one of resilience: that even in the face of overwhelming darkness, the possibility of transformation, connection, and self-knowledge remains.

Last updated: September 21, 2025