The series takes place in a world similar to our own but one where vampires, witches, werewolves and shape-shifters live among humans without their knowledge. These supernatural races make up a secret society known as the Night World, which enforces two fundamental laws to prevent discovery: 1) Never allow humans to gain knowledge of the Night World's existence and, 2) Never fall in love with one of them.

Keller is a black panther. She will do whatever it takes to survive. Keller meets her match when she’s hired to protect Iliana Harman, a blond ditz whose only concerns are clothes, boys, and parties. Can Iliana be the legendary Witch Child, one who can fend off the end of the world? Galen, the gorgeous boy destined to be the Witch Child’s soulmate, and Keller are falling in love, but it’s a love that will destroy everything. Keller knows she has to give him up — but her heart won’t listen.

Meanwhile, the Night World is closing in, to kill all three of them. ( )

The ninth, and - to date - final installment of L.J. Smith's Night World series, in which a hidden society of vampires, witches and shape-shifters exists alongside the human one, Witchlight tells the story of Keller, a tough-as-nails black panther shape-shifter in the employ of Circle Daybreak. As she struggles to fulfill her mission to protect Iliana Harman, the legendary Witch Child, and the third of the four Wild Powers - beings whose extraordinary abilities will either bring about the end of the world or hold it off - Keller must also contend with her growing feelings for Galen Drache, a son of the First House of the shape-shifters. He may be her destined Soulmate, but Keller knows their love is hopeless, for Galen is promised to Iliana - an alliance between the witches and the shape-shifters that could turn the tide in the coming Night World war...

The third Night World title - after Huntress and Black Dawn - to focus on the Wild Powers, and the coming millennial apocalypse (this was published in 1998), Witchlight is also the first to really explore the shape-shifter aspect of Night World society. The history that Smith sets out was interesting, and I found myself wishing that she hadn't waited until so late in the series to include it.

As mentioned in some of my other reviews of the books in this series, Smith's Night World was my first exposure to vampire-fiction, and it remains something of a guilty pleasure. There is certainly quite a bit of "teen cheese" here, but there is also a collection of engaging stories, featuring strong female characters. Keller and Galen's star-crossed love story may be resolved too easily, but it's a lot of fun getting to the conclusion.

My only real complaint is that Strange Fate, the tenth and final installment of the series, which is described as "coming soon" at the back of Witchlight, never materialized. It's been more than ten years, the millennium has passed, and we still don't know how the story ends. For many years I was convinced that this was it, but I recently read that Smith has taken up writing again, after a long hiatus, and that the Night World story will soon be completed! Now that's a book I'm looking forward to reading... ( )