Dahlia is a fictional character from The Southern Vampire Mysteries/Sookie Stackhouse Series by author Charlaine Harris. However, she only appears briefly in the novels and the only time she appears on the same page as Sookie Stackhouse is in All Together Dead. Dahlia is the main character in a computer game and in a growing number of non-Sookie-related—though set in the same fictional universe—short stories. She is a vampire and lives in the city ofRhodes, Iowa. It is mentioned in Bacon that her original name was too difficult to spell and pronounce for people of the twentieth century so around 1925 she changed it to 'Dahlia' for her own convenience. In 1940, staying in London during the Blitz, Dahlia adopted a surname to get new papers. Since that time her full name has been Dahlia Lynley-Chivers. In Dahlia Underground she tells humans that she "perhaps" has been a vampire for 900 years, but it is repeatedly said that she is very old, even ancient. There are a few more hints about her actual age. For example, she considers her knowledge of some no-longer-spoken languages to be really advantageous. It is also said that her friend Thalia, who is also originally from Greece and even older than Dahlia, is so ancient that she came across Odysseus "a time or two".
Human life
Dahlia is Greek, and that is almost the only thing known about her origins. As a little girl she shared a tutor with her brother, but that stopped after it was decided that a girl didn't need any more education. She was brought over at the age of 18.
Physical description
Dahlia is petite and beautiful. Sookie thinks that the vampire has got "the straightest back and longest rippling black hair" she has ever seen. Dahlia has large green eyes' and her face is described either as round or as heart-shaped. Dahlia is quite small: 4 feet 9 inches tall '. She wears stilettos whenever possible and is very particular about her clothes. She possesses the rare ability to fly—an ability shared by her nestmate Glenda and Sookie's vampire husband Eric, Sheriff of Area Five in Louisiana.
Personality and traits
Sookie sees Dahlia as very "direct in her judgement". She also mentions that Dahlia behaves "regally" in the company of the Queen Sophie-Anne. Dahlia is supremely confident in her strength, wits and lethality. She is usually very composed and has a violent, vengeful nature. Dahlia is seen smiling only rarely, but she has got a dark sense of humor. Immediately after her husband's death she experiences difficulties with controlling her temper.
Relationships
In The Sookie Stackhouse Companion it is said that Dahlia "loves her men and her high-heels". Readers always witness Dahlia either involved in a romantic relationship or eager to get involved. In spite of her pronounced disgust with the non-vampiric, she is equally ready to notice strength, courage and physical beauty in all males: vamps, "breathers" and Weres. In Tacky, she meets her future husband, Todd, a werewolf, a second-in-command in the Swift-Foot pack. After about two years of happiness Todd is murdered and avenged by Dahlia. In A Very Vampire Christmas, a reader sees her dating Matsudo Katamori, a vampire. Dahlia has got a vampire best friend, Taffy, married to Don Swiftfoot, a werewolf packleader. It is said in Tacky that Taffy and Dahlia have been friends for about two centuries and share a lot of memories. Dahlia is the maid of honour at Taffy and Don's wedding and is responsible for security on the bride's side. After mutually saving each other's lives in Dahlia Underground Dahlia sort of befriends firefighters of Thirty-four Company.
Position within the vampire hierarchy
The nature of her occupation is not mentioned, but she tells her husband-to-be, Todd, that she does her nest leader's bidding and contributes to his wealth. The nest leader and vampire sheriff of Rhodes is Cedric Deeming. By the time readers first meet Dahlia in Tacky she has lived under his rule for about 20 years and plays the role of the nest reinforcer. Dahlia is respected enough among vampires to be on a judges' panel at the vampire summit in Rhodes in All Together Dead. After the explosions at the 'Pyramid of Gizeh' hotel, Dahlia and her friend Taffy are appointed by Cedric to conduct the investigation. In the Dying for Daylight game, Dahlia once again performs as an investigator. Later, in Death by Dahlia, she and former policeman Matsuda Katamori are chosen by Joaquin, the new sheriff, for yet another investigation.
Dahlia's timeline
Tacky
:Starts two weeks before Taffy's wedding, ends almost a year later with Dalia and Todd's wedding.
Bacon
:Takes place about a year after Tacky, starts ~ half a month after Todd's death.
All Together Dead, Chapter 16
:24 September 2005. Dahlia takes part at vampire trials as a judge.
: Introduces the new vampire sheriff of Rhodes and Dahlia's new lover. Takes place six years after the Great Revelation so it can be dated by summer 2008 '. This clashes severely with the date given for the seemingly next Christmas story.
