City of Gods and Monsters

Loren Calla is one of the protagonists of City of Gods and Monsters and the love interest of fellow protagonist Darien Cassel. Loren (who emphasizes that the stress is on the second syllable of her name and grows outraged when people call her “Lauren”) is a human living in the city of Angelthene, which is primarily inhabited by immortals of different species. Loren has spent her life being ridiculed for her short lifespan in comparison to immortals; she has spent much of her life feeling rejected by her adoptive parents, who are distant and show clear preference for their biological daughter, Dallas.

Loren struggles with feeling perpetually unsafe compared to the more dangerous supernatural citizens of Angelthene; when she and her friends are attacked on their way home from a night out, she is astonished to learn that Darkslayers are seeking to hurt her, rather than her immortal friends. Loren feels a strong sense of guilt that her friend Sabrine was kidnapped in her stead, and she frequently considers giving herself up to the kidnappers to secure her friend’s release. Loren is only convinced against this course of action when Darien points out that doing so would not actually encourage the kidnappers to release Sabrine.