Awaken the Darkness Character Interview
Hello! Thanks so much for joining me. I’m very excited to be here, celebrating the release of AWAKEN THE DARKNESS, the eighth book in my Immortal Guardians series. If you love powerful immortal heroes who adore strong women, heroines who can kick-ass, and like a lot of action, passion and humor mixed into your romance, then I think you’ll enjoy this book. Don’t worry if you’re new to the series. Each Immortal Guardians book can be read as a stand-alone novel or novella. You’ll just be more familiar with the secondary characters if you read them in order.
Today I thought I would give you a glimpse of Stanislav and Susan—the hero and heroine of AWAKEN THE DARKNESS—through another character interview. Sheldon, one of the mortals in my series, is conducting the interviews and wasn’t happy with the way the last one went, so he’s going to give it another try.
Sheldon: Thanks for sitting down with me again, guys.
Susan: Of course.
Stanislav: Happy to do it.
Sheldon: *slides Susan a glance and sighs* She’s blushing again.
Stanislav: *grins* That’s why I’m happy to do it. I love it when she blushes.
Susan: Behave.
Stanislav: I AM behaving.
Susan: *smiles* No, you’re not. But it distracted me, so thank you.
Stanislav: *winks* Anytime.
Susan: *sends Sheldon a wry smile* You do realize that song is going to be stuck in my head for the rest of the day, right?
Sheldon: *laughs*
Stanislav: What song?
Susan: Alabama Song. The Doors. He’s singing it in his head so I won’t read anything in his mind that will make me blush again.
Sheldon: *grins* It’s a trick Tracy taught me. Whenever she doesn’t want Lisette to listen to her thoughts, she starts singing a song in her head. Except she usually sings one that she knows will annoy Lisette.
Stanislav: *laughs* Smart woman.
Sheldon: Okay. So, last time we learned a little bit about how Susan found you, Stanislav, and her reaction to your abilities. Susan, rumor has it you’re very good with a gun.
Susan: Yes, I am.
Sheldon: How did you acquire your skills?
Susan: My brother was in the military and used to take me to the firing range quite a bit.
Sheldon: I hear you also throw a mean right hook and uppercut.
Susan: *laughs* Apparently.
Sheldon: So you can kick ass.
Stanislav: *slides Susan an admiring glance* Hell yes she can.
Sheldon: Dude. Strong women are so hot.
Stanislav: Yes, they are. *frowns and narrows his eyes at Sheldon* Wait. Not to you she isn’t.
Sheldon: Nope. Not at all. Not to me.
Susan: *whispers* He’s thinking about Tracy.
Sheldon: Damn it. I forgot to keep singing.
Susan: Ah! Hurry up! Hurry up! Start singing again! *throws a hand up as if blocking Sheldon from view will also block his thoughts*
Stanislav: *laughs*
Susan: *sighs and lowers her hand* Seriously, why do I keep seeing YOUR naked ass in YOUR thoughts, Sheldon?
Stanislav: *laughs even harder*
Sheldon: *face reddens* Okay. There’s an explanation for that. Tracy—
Susan: Never mind. I don’t want to know.
Stanislav: *corrals his mirth and shakes his head* Why don’t we get back to the interview?
Sheldon: Sounds good. *pulls his cell phone out and consults it* Okay. I asked some of the Network employees to offer up some hot seat questions for the two of you.
Stanislav: What are hot seat questions?
Sheldon: Quick and easy questions that will give them a little insight into your personalities.
Stanislav: Okay. I’m game.
Sheldon: Great. Here we go. Cats or dogs?
Susan: Dogs.
Stanislav: Both.
Sheldon: How’s your dog getting along with the cats at David’s place, Susan?
Susan: Jax gets along fine with David’s cats. But Roland’s cat is…
Stanislav: *arches a brow* Crazy as a bedbug?
Susan: Yes.
Sheldon: *nods* Marcus’s cat is a total nutcase, too.
Susan: And they do NOT like having a dog around. But Stanislav’s ability to manipulate emotions is helping a little with that.
Sheldon: Dude, you can manipulate animals’ emotions, too?
Stanislav: Yes.
Sheldon: Cool. Next question. Summer or winter?
Susan: Summer
Stanislav: Here in North Carolina I prefer winter. I can’t withstand much exposure to sunlight, so I like the longer nights.
Susan: Oh. That’s right. I hadn’t thought of that. *looks at Sheldon* Winter.
Sheldon: Chocolate or vanilla?
Stanislav: Chocolate.
Susan: Rocky road.
Sheldon: *grins* Beach or woods?
Stanislav: Woods.
Susan: Me, too. I love all the trees around our place.
Stanislav: *drapes an arm around her shoulders* I love that you called it OUR place.
Sheldon: Don’t get sappy on me, guys. City or country living?
Susan: Country. I’m telepathic. So in the city, I’m constantly bombarded with other people’s thoughts. In the country, I can actually enjoy some peace and quiet.
Sheldon: What about you, Stanislav? With your heightened sense of hearing, I would think you’d prefer the country, too.
Stanislav: I do.
Sheldon: Susan, I’m guessing this one is for you. Beard or clean-shaven?
Susan: *cups Stanislav’s face in one hand and smoothes her thumb across the stubble* Five o’clock shadow.
Stanislav: *kisses her palm* Because you like the way it feels against your bare skin.
Susan: I really do.
Sheldon: *sighs* Now his eyes are glowing. Stanislav, beauty or brains?
Stanislav: Susan has both.
Susan: Awww. Thank you.
Sheldon: I see that didn’t help. How about… *consults his phone* Boxers or briefs?
Susan: Seriously? Network employees want to know what kind of underwear he prefers?
Sheldon: Yyyyeah. Apparently some of the women think he’s hot.
Susan: *winks at Stanislav* He IS hot.
Stanislav: *smiles* Boxers. I was born several centuries ago when undergarments fit loosely and prefer to keep it that way.
Sheldon: I hate tight underwear, too. That’s why I go commando.
Stanislav: I don’t know that that means.
Susan: It means he doesn’t wear anything under his pants.
Stanislav: That’s more than I cared to know about him.
Susan: *mutters* At least you didn’t have to SEE it.
Sheldon: I heard that. Next question. Lover or warrior?
Susan: He’s both.
Stanislav: So is she.
Sheldon: Great. Now his eyes are glowing again.
Stanislav: Because her strength turns me on.
Sheldon: And this is just going to make things worse. Shower or bath?
Stanislav: With Susan, I’m up for either.
Sheldon: Ba-dum-tish.
Susan: *laughs* Me, too.
Sheldon: *frowns at his phone* I really don’t want to ask one. Naughty or nice?
Stanislav: *eyes brighten further* Susan can be very naughty.
Susan: So can you. *meets his eyes, then sucks in a breath*
Sheldon: You’re reading his thoughts, aren’t you?
Susan: Yes.
Sheldon: He’s picturing you doing naughty things to him in the shower or a bath, isn’t he?
Susan: Yes.
Sheldon: *sighs* All right. I’m out. *stands* Thanks for the interview, guys. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.
Susan: *lips twitch* IS there anything you wouldn’t do?
Sheldon: *laughs and closes the door behind him*
Stanislav: *rises* Let’s go draw that bath.
Susan: Absolutely.
