Michael is a successful house restorer from New Orleans with a psychic ability to gain visions through touch. He becomes romantically involved with Rowan after she saves him from drowning, and shares a dream of restoring a historic family house.

A member of the Talamasca, Aaron is a scholar of the occult with mind-reading abilities who acts as a mentor and father figure to Rowan and Michael, providing them with insights into the Mayfair family and their history.

Lasher is a spirit first summoned by the Mayfair witches in the 1600s, who is deeply entwined with the Mayfair family and seeks to gain a physical form. He is often associated with elements of wind and air.

Carlotta is a powerful Mayfair witch who rejects Lasher and takes extreme measures to protect the family from his influence, including orchestrating several homicides within the family's history.

Deirdre is a Mayfair witch who struggles under the oppressive control of Carlotta and the influence of Lasher, introduced as a catatonic figure on the porch of the First Street house, which sets off events in the story.

An early member of the Talamasca, Petyr is associated with the origins of the Mayfair family, becoming intertwined with its history through his relationships with the witches Deborah and Charlotte.

Stella is a vivacious and rebellious Mayfair witch known for her extravagant parties and association with the spirit Lasher. Her life and death have significant implications for the Mayfair family legacy.

A Talamascan investigator, Arthur seeks to gather information about the Mayfair family's mysterious occurrences and witnesses violent events that shape the family's history.

Cortland is a male witch within the Mayfair family who engages in problematic and incestuous relationships with several generations of Mayfair witches, influencing the family's dynamics and legacy.