Mateo Alacran (Matt) was once a clone in the first book but now he is the new Lord of Opium after the death of El Patron."He hadn't told anyone about his new status, not even Celia, who loved him and din't care a bent centavo whether he was human or not."Celia is Matt's curandera,cook,and most importantly his mother.She has been there with him since he was born."He remembered,long ago, a note Tam Lin had written him about the hazards of this place: rattlesnakes heer. Saw bare under tree."Tam Lin was Matt's bodyguard but acted more like his dad rather than just his bodyguard.He was the only one other than Celia that looked at him like a human.