Another Branch of the Mayfair Witches
Merrick
(originally spelled 'Merrique') is the daughter of Cold Sandra, who
in turn is the
granddaughter of Great Nananne. Her older sister was Honey in the
Sunshine, who died along with
their mother in a
murder/drowning. Found with Cold Sandra and Honey in the Sunshine was a
watch given to Cold Sandra
from their Oncle Vervain,
who told Merrick that it did not tick for her; therefore, there was no
need for her to have it.
It is revealed later in the book that Oncle Vervain knew time would stop for Merrick because
she would become a vampire.
It is revealed later in the book that Oncle Vervain knew time would stop for Merrick because
she would become a vampire.
This
branch of the Mayfairs, descended from Julien (of course), are witches
who practice
Vodou alongside
Catholicism. They have little or nothing to do with the First Street
Mayfairs, and when Merrick took
a tour of the First Street
house, she did so discreetly, during a holiday tour. When Great Nananne
dies, Aaron Lightner has
to hide during the
funeral, explaining to David Talbot that his work on the Mayfair Witches
has made him known to
the two Mayfair attorneys
who arrive with the interests of the family at large in mind - Ryan and
Lauren Mayfair.
It is Lauren Mayfair whom
Rowan is with when she meets Merrick Mayfair, noting that Merrick does
not carry herself
with her hips as the center
of gravity like most women do.
Merrick is one of the three members of the Talamasca whom Sterling Oliver referred to in
BF who were lost to vampirism.
Many
of the Vodou Iwa that corresponded best with Catholic saints took on
aspects of those
saints as Catholicism was
enforced among the African slaves. Vodou basically went underground at
this time but was never
abandoned as the slaves who
had brought Vodou over to the U.S. and Haiti from Africa kept it
alive.
Here is what Wikipedia has to say on the subject of Vodou and Catholicism in Louisiana:
Here is a page on Wikipedia that gives an overview of the Olmec, whose jade
mask Merrick recovers from the cave in Central America:
Merrick is contacted by David Talbot in his vampiric form on behalf of
Louis, who wants to make contact with the child vampire, Claudia, who died in Interview With the Vampire.
Louis's guilt over Claudia
has not waned over time, and Merrick has recovered Claudia's diary found
by Jesse in the wall
of the New Orleans
townhouse. Upon reading it, she wants reassurance from Louis that
contacting Claudia is what he really
wants. He says he does.
David Talbot, the narrator of Merrick,
spends a great deal of time telling
of Merrick's early life;
specifically, his role in it. He recounts in particular a trip to
Central America, where Merrick
recovers an ancient mask
from the same cave where her stepfather, Matthew, contracted a fatal
illness. David, too, nearly
dies, but Merrick is
untouched. The mask makes spirits appear as living people. Merrick
wants to use this to contact
her dead sister, Honey in
the Sunshine. Merrick feels as guilty about her sister's death as Louis
feels about the loss
of Claudia.
Please see What Is a Witch? for more discussion on the religious and spiritual practices
of the Mayfair Witches.
