SARAH: Anyway… while we were shopping—
TODD: Did he hold your purse for you?
ROLAND: [growls]
SARAH: Don’t poke the bear, Todd. While we were shopping, there was an… incident.
TODD: Ah, man. He didn’t kill anyone, did he?
ROLAND: You like to live dangerously, don’t you?
SARAH: You see, I know Darnell likes to play video games, and I wanted to get him some of the newest ones. There was quite a crush, what with Christmas right around the corner…
ROLAND: That little snot pushed you.
SARAH: Yes, he did. A boy pushed me.
ROLAND: He wasn’t a boy. He was twenty if he was a day.
SARAH: It doesn’t really matter. What does is that I would have handled it myself if you hadn’t decided to step in and protect me. You know I can take care of myself.
ROLAND: [smiles] She can. She kicks ass.
SARAH: Yes, I do.
ROLAND: I love that about you.
SARAH: I know. And I wish you would have remembered that when that moron shoved me.
ROLAND: [eyes flash bright amber] He put his hand on you. He’s lucky I let him keep it.
TODD: What exactly did you do?
SARAH: [jerks a thumb in her husband’s direction] That. You know immortals can’t keep their eyes from glowing when they’re in the grips of strong emotion. Well, Roland was furious.
TODD: Oh boy.
SARAH: And he flashed his fangs.
TODD: Ah, man.
SARAH: And tossed the guy across the store as if he were a tennis ball.
TODD: Way to keep a low profile there, chief.
SARAH: Utter chaos ensued, which led to more shoving and pushing.
TODD: [groans] Come on, man. There must have been children present!
ROLAND: The children thought it was cool. It was the parents who freaked out.
SARAH: I ended up having to call Richart and have him teleport us out of there. Chris had to send in a cleanup crew. Seth had to wipe a lot of memories. It was a mess.
TODD: [shakes his head at Roland] You just spread that… cheer wherever you go, don’t you?
SARAH: I thought it would be best if we lie low for a while and do pretty much anything we can to get back on Seth’s good side.
ROLAND: I don’t think I’ve ever been on Seth’s good side.
SARAH: Yes, but I have, sweetie.
TODD: Okay, well, let’s see if another interview will help. [jumps when Seth appears]
SETH: Really? You can’t even go Christmas shopping without scaring humans?
TODD: I’m out.
SARAH: What about the interview?
TODD: [on his way out the door] Call me tomorrow… if you can.
January 2012
Night Reigns Blog Tour
TODD: Thanks for granting me another interview, guys. Last time we had a problem at network headquarters that called me away.
AMI: What was it? I never heard.
TODD: One of the vampires living at the network had a psychotic break.
AMI: Oh no! I thought the madness hadn’t progressed that far in them.
TODD: It has in at least one of them.
MARCUS: What happened?
TODD: You know how it goes. He was fine one minute, then just… snapped. Some network employees were injured before the vamp was brought under control. Then Bastien showed up. It was a mess. Anyway, Marcus, one of the questions everyone wanted me to ask is… how have you managed to befriend Roland? He’s the most antisocial immortal on the planet.
MARCUS: Pure stubborn perseverance. Every time he tried to push me away, I refused to let him. After a while, he simply gave up trying and just sort of… tolerated me.
AMI: He more than tolerates you. I heard him tell Sarah he loves you like a brother.
MARCUS: [smiles] Really?
TODD: Don’t get mushy on me, man.
MARCUS: I wasn’t, wiseass. What’s your next question?
TODD: Rumor has it there was a bit of strife between you and Roland recently. Is that true?
MARCUS: Roland and I are good.
TODD: That didn’t really answer the question.
MARCUS: [smiles]
TODD: Right. So, Ami, how long did you train to become a Second?
AMI: I wasn’t actually trained for that position. Seth, David, and Darnell trained me to fight, but… I wasn’t given any specific instruction regarding the duties of a Second and had no idea Seth wanted me to become one.
TODD: Really? Then Marcus, how would you rate Ami’s performance as a Second on a scale of one to ten with ten being the highest-quality work?
MARCUS: [thoughtful] About 547.
TODD: Wow.
AMI: [grins] Thank you.
MARCUS: It’s well-deserved. I’ve already lost count of the times you’ve saved my ass.
AMI: [winks] It’s an ass worth saving.
TODD: Gag.
MARCUS AND AMI: [laugh]
TODD: Ami, is it true you’ve actually bested an immortal in sparring sessions?
AMI: Yes. One of the youngsters.
TODD: What’s a youngster?
AMI: To Seth and David, it’s any immortal who was turned in the past century and a half.
TODD: And you beat one?
AMI: Yes.
TODD: Really?
AMI: Yes.
TODD: How is that possible? You aren’t immortal.
AMI: [looks uneasy]
MARCUS: Trade secret. Next question.
TODD: But—
MARCUS: Next question.
TODD: [mutters something beneath his breath]
MARCUS: You know I can hear you, right?
TODD: [grins] Yes.
MARCUS: [shakes his head]
TODD: Ami, the ladies at the network wanted me to ask you what it’s like to be one of the few females swimming in the sea of super testosterone.
AMI: [considers it a moment] Well… you see a lot of nipples.
MARCUS: [sputters] What?
AMI: I’m at least a head shorter than you guys. If I don’t crane my neck to look up at you, all I see are nipples and armpits. Clothed of course. Usually.
TODD: [laughs] I don’t think that’s what the ladies meant, although some would probably like the nipples. The ladies all think immortal males are hot. Their word, not mine. They want to know what it’s like working with such [grimaces] tempting morsels. Again, their words, not mine.
MARCUS: Yeah. Sure.
AMI: [shrugs] They’re like family to me. The only immortal who ever tempted me is Marcus.
MARCUS: Excuse me for a moment, Todd. [dips his head and captures Ami’s lips in a scorching kiss that goes on… and on… and on]
TODD: Awkward.
AMI: [draws back and eyes Todd with flushed cheeks] Sorry.
MARCUS: [eyes glowing a vibrant amber] I’m not.
TODD: Right. Perhaps we should just wrap this up now. Ami, before I go, I just wanted to say welcome to the network family. We have only the highest respect for Seconds, and you seem to be the best of the lot. What you’ve accomplished thus far as Marcus’s Second has been nothing short of astonishing.
AMI: [smiles] Thank you.
MARCUS: [offers his hand] Thank you.
TODD: [shakes his hand] And I’m glad you found happiness again, Marcus. It’s been a long time coming.
MARCUS: Now who’s getting mushy?
TODD: [laughs] Momentary lapse. You guys have a good night.
October 2012
Phantom Shadows Blog Tour
SHELDON: Thanks for consenting to the interview, guys.