Jacquelien Van Kessel is a blonde of Dutch extraction, although her family has lived in South Africa since colonial times.

Jacquelien's most distinctive feature is a red line tattooed from her widow's peak down her nose, past her mouth, and along her throat before disappearing into her shirt. Her lips are blue, either from makeup or a tattoo. 

Jacquelien's best quality is that she is open to anything. It's also her worst quality, because she is willing to try anything, even if it might be detrimental to her well-being. 

Growing up in South Africa, Jacquelien's childhood was haunted by the secret that her grandfather was a black tribal leader. Now, she revels in her black grandfather and seeks to find her identity in whatever she can learn about him. 

Jacquelien's teen angst over her identity still haunts her.

Jacquelien is one of two people modified with seahorse DNA in the hopes of resolving a reproduction issue. Not all women want to bear the young of their species, and that's where seahorses excel.

We first meet Jacquelien in Book 5 of The Human-Hybrid Project, The Glass Siege.