SETH: [cocks his head to one side] Which one?
SHELDON: There was more than one?
SETH: [nods] Alyssa of Westcott in the twelfth century and her granddaughter, who was named after her, in the thirteenth.
SHELDON: We were talking about the first one. The one who served as Lord Dillon’s wisewoman.
SETH: I suspected as much, considering Marcus’s history.
SHELDON: So you knew her?
SETH: Yes.
SHELDON: What did you think of her?
SETH: I admired her. It took a great deal of courage to use her gifts openly the way she did.
SHELDON: That’s what Marcus and Roland said.
SETH: Both her aunt and uncle were slain by those who feared their “sorcery” and blamed them for every unexpected hardship. Alyssa’s mother, too, was nearly slain.
SHELDON: I don’t think Marcus and Roland mentioned that.
SETH: They may not know.
SHELDON: I’m surprised Alyssa didn’t just… I don’t know… withdraw from society completely. Live in isolation for her own protection.
SETH: [shakes his head] Alyssa was determined to use her gifts to help others. And her ruse with the dark robes, coupled with Dillon’s fierce reputation, offered her protection and enabled her to do so with less risk. For the most part.
SHELDON: Did you know Lord Dillon?
SETH: Yes. He was an honorable man and utterly ferocious on the battlefield. I could name on one hand the number of warriors I’ve met who could match Dillon’s skills with a sword.
SHELDON: [eyebrows rising] Even immortals?
SETH: Even immortals. I would’ve loved to spar with him but never found the opportunity.
SHELDON: You sound like you admired him as much as you did Alyssa.
SETH: I did. He was ahead of his time, very forward thinking.
SHELDON: What do you mean?
SETH: He didn’t consider women subservient. He valued Alyssa’s intelligence and talent for strategy greatly and often consulted her before making important decisions. When others spurned her for her differences, he embraced them.
SHELDON: Are you sure he wasn’t a gifted one himself? You gifted ones and immortals all seem to really adore strong women. And Marcus said Alyssa was so strong she sometimes rode into battle at Dillon’s side.
SETH: [smiles] Dillon wasn’t a gifted one. But Alyssa was indeed strong. The two really were perfect for each other, both bearing reputations that bred fear and kept others at bay. Even with so much stacked against them getting together, not to mention an enemy bent on destroying them both, they—[breaks off and frowns when his cell phone starts playing “Monster.” Retrieves it from a back pocket] I have to take this.
SHELDON: No problem.
SETH: Yes? [listens, then addresses Sheldon] I’m needed in Portugal.
SHELDON: Okay. Thanks for the—
SETH: [vanishes]
SHELDON: Interview.
August 2015
Shadows Strike Blog Tour
SHELDON: Thanks for agreeing to an interview, guys.
LISETTE: Of course.
ZACH: Why are we doing another one of these? Did the last one not suffice?
SHELDON: It, uh… it… sufficed.
ZACH: [arches a brow]
SHELDON: Well, the whole purpose of these interviews is to make the humans down at the network feel more comfortable around you immortals, and you might have come across a little… scary in the last interview.
ZACH: To whom? To you?
SHELDON: Yes.
ZACH: You asked me if you could climb onto my back so I could fly you around like Superman.
LISETTE: [lips twitching] I forgot about that.
SHELDON: I asked you hypothetically how you would respond if someone were to ask you if he could do that.
ZACH: And I offered you an honest answer.
SHELDON: [mutters something under his breath]
ZACH: I heard that.
SHELDON: I know. [raises his brows] Any chance you’ll change your mind?
ZACH: [baleful stare]
SHELDON: [shoulders slump] Right. What about shape-shifting? Heather said you shifted into a huge lion in front of her.
ZACH: [exchanges an amused glance with Lisette] Yes, I did.
SHELDON: Will you do that for me?
ZACH: No.
SHELDON: Spoilsport.
ZACH: It’s not a parlor trick, Sheldon.
SHELDON: That’s what David keeps telling me. Come on. I’ll bet Lisette would read my mind if I asked her to.
LISETTE: No, I wouldn’t.
SHELDON: [surprised] You wouldn’t? Why not?
LISETTE: Because I’ve read your mind before, and there’s too much freaky stuff up there.
SHELDON: Freaky how?
ZACH: [looks askance at Lisette] Freaky sex stuff?
LISETTE: Yes. A lot of it.
SHELDON: [grins unrepentantly] That’s what Heather said. I don’t see what’s so freaky about it.
LISETTE: Well, I’m certainly not going to explain it to you. So shall we move on?
SHELDON: Fine. What do you think of Heather?
LISETTE: I like her.
ZACH: As do I. I think she has handled her introduction into the world of Immortal Guardians, gifted ones, and vampires admirably.
LISETTE: [grins] I think your shape-shifting might have thrown her a bit.
ZACH: [laughs] Just a bit. But she had already been through quite a lot by then. And I think her passing herself off as a FACS specialist and earning a living using her gift was exceptionally clever.
SHELDON: Okay, explain to me what exactly that means, because I don’t remember.
ZACH: She tells the military and law enforcement agencies who enlist her services that she is using the Facial Action Coding System to determine whether someone is telling the truth.
LISETTE: So they think she’s studying minute changes in facial expressions when she’s actually reading minds.
ZACH: As I said, very clever.
SHELDON: It is. Most gifted ones hide the special abilities they’re born with for their own safety. Yet she was able to find a way to make a career out of hers without falling under suspicion. What do you think about her and Ethan getting together?
LISETTE: I think they’re perfect for each other. She’s telepathic and—
ZACH: Ethan’s head is too hard to read.
SHELDON: Why is it so hard to read his mind? Even the elders can’t do it without causing him incredible pain.
ZACH: [shrugs] Just not much up there to read, I guess.
LISETTE: [laughs and punches him in the shoulder] Be nice. [to Sheldon] Ethan’s mind is just wired differently. It has something to do with the gift he was born with.
SHELDON: And what gift is that?
LISETTE: If you don’t know, you’ll have to ask Ethan.
SHELDON: Oh, come on. Why are you guys always so reluctant to tell me your gifts?
ZACH: Because you pester us for demonstrations when we do.
SHELDON: [sighs] You’re no fun.
LISETTE: [casts Zach a flirtatious glance] Actually, Zach can be quite fun on occasion.
SHELDON: Don’t flirt with him! His eyes will start to glow and… Ah, hell. His eyes are glowing.
ZACH: [stares at Lisette with eyes that now hold a golden glow] Sheldon…
SHELDON: You’re going to ask me to wrap up the interview early, aren’t you?
ZACH: Why don’t we wrap up this interview early?
SHELDON: I still have dozens of questions to ask you.
LISETTE: [strokes Zach’s face]