ROLAND: [dips his head and gives her a quick kiss] Next question.
TODD: Let’s see… Oh. This is a good one. Sarah, if Roland were a fellow academic colleague of yours, what subject would he teach?
SARAH: Hmm. That’s a tough one. I suppose it would have to be world history since he’s seen so much of it. But I really don’t think he has the patience for teaching.
ROLAND: I don’t. Ask Marcus. He’s the first immortal I trained and mentored.
SARAH: He turned out okay.
ROLAND: Yeah, he’s okay now…
TODD: [laughs] Okay, while we’re on the subject of teaching… Sarah, has there been any situation in your new life in which your background as a music theory professor has come in handy?
SARAH: No. But I have had some fascinating conversations with Marcus, who is a fellow music lover. He actually met many of the composers I studied, so it’s fun to hear about them firsthand and get all the juicy gossip that didn’t make it into the music history books.
TODD: And speaking of Marcus, have you guys heard that Seth assigned him a new Second?
ROLAND: We have.
SARAH: We’ve already met her. Her name is Ami.
TODD: You have? What do you think is going to happen with that? A lot of network employees think Marcus is going to pull a…
ROLAND: Yes?
TODD: Well… pull a Roland, as they say, and try to scare her off.
SARAH AND ROLAND: [share a look, then laugh]
SARAH: I don’t think that’s going to happen.
ROLAND: Nor do I.
TODD: I suppose we’ll see. [glances at the window] The sun will set soon. I’d better get going. I don’t want to keep you from preparing for the night’s hunt.
SARAH: Thank you, Todd.
TODD: Thank you for the interview.
December 2011
Night Reigns Blog Tour
TODD: Nice to see you again. Chris wanted me to be sure to thank you for doing this.
AMI: Hi, Todd. We’re happy to do it.
MARCUS: What are we doing again? I mean, I know it’s an interview, but I can’t remember its purpose.
TODD: An overwhelming majority of the men and women who work for the network have never actually encountered an Immortal Guardian in person until recently. As you know, there’s been more immortal traffic than usual at network headquarters, and it’s making the employees nervous.
AMI: Why?
TODD: [shrugs] Men and women who have lived for hundreds—if not thousands—of years and can read minds or teleport or heal with their hands, among other things, can be a little… intimidating when they’re total strangers.
MARCUS: I see your point.
AMI: Me, too. So what can we do?
TODD: I’m just going to ask you a few questions that will allow them to get to know you a little better. Make you seem more human.
MARCUS: But I’m not human. I never have been.
AMI: Don’t be difficult.
MARCUS: [grins] I can’t help it. Roland makes it look so entertaining.
AMI: He’s certainly made it an art form.
MARCUS: Wait. Was Roland interviewed for this, too?
TODD: [winces] Yes.
MARCUS: [laughs]
AMI: [lips twitch] How did that go?
TODD: Not well. Sheldon ended up fleeing before the interview was over. And that was with Sarah there as a buffer.
AMI: [all levity leaves her expression] Sheldon interviewed him?
TODD: Yes. Sheldon was actually supposed to interview you guys, too, but…
MARCUS: He’s afraid of Ami?
TODD: Very much so. He seems to be under the impression that she’s gunning for him.
AMI: [frowns] I am gunning for him.
TODD: [leans forward] Really? Why? I haven’t heard.
AMI: [eyes narrow] He knows what he did.
MARCUS: [smiles as his eyes begin to glow a luminescent amber] I love it when you’re fierce.
AMI: [grins, losing all ferocity]
TODD: [sits back] Okay, back to the interview. Ami, rumor has it you didn’t know Seth was going to assign you to your current position. How do you like being Marcus’s Second?
AMI: I love it. Not the killing vampires part, but everything else.
MARCUS: She is very good at killing vampires though.
TODD: [smiles] So I’ve heard. And you didn’t meet Marcus until Seth assigned you to him?
AMI: [bites her lip and looks at Marcus] That’s correct.
MARCUS: [laughs] I also love that you can’t lie worth a damn.
AMI: Well, I don’t! It’s incredibly inconvenient.
TODD: So you two did meet before then?
MARCUS: Yes, but we’d rather keep that to ourselves.
TODD: No problem. Marcus, you haven’t had a Second for quite some time. Did you have any trouble adjusting to Ami’s sudden appearance in your life?
MARCUS: No.
AMI: [laughs] Now who’s lying?
MARCUS: [sheepish smile] Okay, I did. But I’m very happy with the way things have turned out.
TODD: What about you, Ami? Was it a difficult adjustment?
AMI: At first. [smiles] But I’m happy with the way things have turned out, too.
TODD: There’s another rumor going around about the first time you two fought vampires together as immortal and Second, but I’m inclined to believe it’s been exaggerated.
MARCUS: It hasn’t.
TODD: [stares] Seriously?
MARCUS: [nods]
TODD: [looks at Ami with amazement] Damn, Ami. You rock!
MARCUS: Yes, she does.
AMI: What about Marcus?
TODD: He’s just crazy.
MARCUS: Thank you.
TODD: Listen, what do you think about—[jumps as a buzzing sounds, then retrieves his cell phone and reads a text] Hmm. Something’s going down at network headquarters, so we’ll have to continue this later. Let me just ask you some quickie questions before I leave. Cats or Dogs?
MARCUS AND AMI: Cats.
TODD: Vanilla or chocolate?
MARCUS AND AMI: Chocolate.
TODD: Underwear or commando?
AMI: What’s commando?
MARCUS: No underwear.
AMI: Oh. [blushes] Underwear.
MARCUS: Me, too. Always nice to have an extra layer between vampires and your family jewels in a battle.
TODD: [laughs] Horror movies or chick flicks?
MARCUS AND AMI: Horror movies. [share a grin]
TODD: Zombie or vampire movies?
MARCUS: Zombie. After eight hundred years, I could use a break from vampires.
AMI: I haven’t been fighting vampires for very long, so I like both.
TODD: Rock or classical music?
MARCUS: I like it all.
AMI: Literally. You should see his music library. Many a music lover would drool in envy.
TODD: What about you, Ami? What kind of music do you prefer?
AMI: I like it all, too.
TODD: [cell phone buzzes again] Okay. That’s my cue. I have to go.
AMI: Let us know if you need any help.
TODD: I will. Thank you both for the interview.
MARCUS AND AMI: You’re welcome.
TODD: Maybe I could come back another time and ask you a few more questions?
MARCUS: Sure.
TODD: [waves as he leaves]
MARCUS: [eyes Ami speculatively] That didn’t take nearly as long as I thought it would.
AMI: Hmmm. Whatever shall we do with ourselves until it’s time to hunt?
MARCUS: [slow grin] I have an idea or two…
December 2011