Nahuel

Nahuel (pronounced: Nah-well) is a human/vampire hybrid from Chile in South America, aboriginal name of the Mapuche Tribe. He is roughly 150 years old and lives with his biological aunt, Huilen. He is the only known male human/vampire hybrid in the novel.

Physical Appearance
Nahuel is described as an extremely handsome young Latin man with rich dark brown skin, eyes the color of warm teak, and extremely attractive features. He wears his black hair in a braid past his shoulders.

Before Birth
A century and half earlier, Huilen and her sister Pire lived with the Mapuche (a tribe that lives in the Argentina's Patagonia). Pire was a very beautiful woman and one day told her sister about an 'angel' that found her in the woods and used to visit her during the night. Huilen knew that this 'angel' was a Libishomen, or vampire, and warned her sister. But she did not listen and soon Pire discovered she was pregnant with a vampire child. Knowing that the Mapuche people would want to destroy the child, Pire and Huilen ran away to the deepest part of the forest. Pire tried to find the father of her unborn son, but he was nowhere to be found. Huilen cared for her sister during her rapidly progressing dangerous pregnancy, by hunting for her and trying to keep her alive through the hard time. Huilen wanted to kill the monster child, but Pire loved the vampire child growing in her womb, even when the child grew strong and broke her bones. She named him Nahuel, after the jungle cat. Huilen was unable to save her sister's life when Nahuel ripped his way free of his mother's womb, killing her quickly.

Life with Huilen
As she was dying, Pire begged her sister to care for her child, and Huilen agreed. When Huilen reached for Nahuel, he bit her and changed her into a vampire herself and was afraid of what was happening to her. Nahuel's father, a vampire named Joham, came looking for him a few years later wanting his son to join him. Joham believes he is creating a super-race with human/vampire hybrid children. Nahuel is Joham's only son. He has three other hybrid daughters, and raises them to think of humans as animals. Nahuel does not like his father and refused to join him, as he already has a family with Huilen.

Nahuel was sad about his family. He was happy to have Hulien, but thought his father should be a better person and that his mother deserved the life that Bella had. He also saw himself as an evil creation because his birth killed his mother although his sisters never thought about their mothers.

Breaking Dawn
Nahuel was recruited by Alice Cullen and Jasper Hale to testify for their family on occasion of the Volturi's interest in Renesmee.

He traveled to Forks, Washington with Alice and Jasper, arriving just in time to prevent a battle from being commenced. He informs the Volturi on his own nature and his father's plans, but that his sisters have not committed any crime. Nahuel's testimony is critical in convincing them that Renesmee is not a threat, and after the confrontation, Nahuel was one of the last to leave.

Nahuel's encounter with the Cullens changed him. He sees in Edward what his father should have been. He sees in Bella the life his mother should have had. He also realized, since Bella survived giving birth to a hybrid, that he isn't necessarily an evil creature, and is finally able to forgive himself for his mother's death.

Also, Nahuel seemed to have an interest in Renesmee, to Bella's disapproval. She had stated: "I don't care if she's the only half vampire/human he isn't related to." She believed his interest to be romantic. This is never clarified, but Edward did find Bella's reaction amusing. Edward also likes the fact that Jacob might have some competition in the future.

It actually is clarified that Nahuel was not staring at Renesmee but at Bella. "Oh, he wasn't staring at her -- he was staring at you. "Why would he do that?" "Because you're alive.""

- Edward and Bella's discussion on Nahuel

Powers
As a hybrid, he displays similar abilities that full vampires possess: heightened senses, enhanced strength and speed (although Bella has commented that he is not quite as fast or fluid as a full vampire). He is also venomous, and therefore able to turn a human into a vampire, as proven when he bit his aunt.

Appearances

 * Breaking Dawn
 * Breaking Dawn Part II