Sonya Tanner (née Karp) is a spirit-using Moroi who teaches at St. Vladimir's Academy. She saw Lissa heal the raven, and told her she must never heal again. Shortly before she was taken away, she told Rose that she was shadow-kissed and it was up to her to protect Lissa. She cannot cope with the side effects of her power and turns voluntarily into a Strigoi in order to lose her gift. Her lover Mikhail Tanner, a guardian, chases her in order to kill her.