SHELDON: [nods] This is just a thing I do for network employees. Some of the humans who work for the Immortal Guardians never actually see them in person, so I like to do interviews like this to help them get to know the powerful men and women they help.
KAYLA: That’s really nice.
SHELDON: [preens a little] Thank you. So… Kayla. You’ve lived next door to this guy [jerks a thumb toward Nick] for six years, give or take. Didn’t you ever suspect he might be… different?
KAYLA: No. I just thought he was a friendly, funny, hot guy who worked security and frequented most of my illicit fantasies.
NICK: [eyes her speculatively] Most?
KAYLA: [grins] All. I didn’t want to give you a big head.
SHELDON: Too late.
NICK: [laughs and loops an arm around her shoulders] I had a heck of a time hiding what I am from her.
SHELDON: Because she turned you on and made your eyes glow?
NICK: Yes.
SHELDON: Kinda like they’re glowing right now?
NICK: [swears] Yes.
KAYLA: [laughs]
SHELDON: Wait. You aren’t telepathic, are you, Kayla? Because I’ve had to cut many an interview short because I couldn’t keep the couples from talking dirty to each other telepathically.
KAYLA: No. I’m not a telepath.
SHELDON: Good.
KAYLA: [sends Nick a heated look] But I do have empathic abilities and am picking up on some pretty interesting emotions from Nick here.
SHELDON: [scowls at Nick] Down, boy.
NICK: [laughs]
SHELDON: Nick, all Immortal Guardians were born gifted ones with advanced DNA that gave them special gifts even before they were infected with the vampiric virus.
NICK: Correct.
SHELDON: What gift were you born with?
NICK: No comment.
SHELDON: [blinks] What?
NICK: No comment.
SHELDON: Really?
KAYLA: [smiles] He’s a little… uneasy about revealing it to others.
NICK: And some of my fellow immortals warned me not to tell you.
SHELDON: [frowns] What? Why?
NICK: They said once you find out what an immortal can do, you always push for a demonstration.
SHELDON: No, I don’t.
NICK: [arches a brow] Did you or did you not ask Dana to try to see your future?
SHELDON: I did. But that doesn’t count because she didn’t see my future. She saw my past.
NICK: And now she can’t look you in the eye without blushing.
KAYLA: [laughs] Really? Why?
NICK: Apparently he’s into some very—
SHELDON: My sex stuff is not that weird! [flushes a deep red]
KAYLA: [eyes widen] What?
NICK: [laughs]
SHELDON: Nothing. That was just an… aberration.
NICK: The sex stuff Dana saw? I agree.
SHELDON: [frowns] Not the sex stuff. My asking Dana to employ her gift.
NICK: Didn’t you routinely ask Richart to teleport you all over the world until he refused to ever do it again after the incident in Italy?
SHELDON: You uh… you heard about that?
NICK: Everyone heard about that.
SHELDON: Okay, there’s an explanation for that.
NICK: And did you not ask Seth to shape-shift into a dragon so you could climb onto his back and ride him like a pony?
SHELDON: I did nnnnnn—
NICK: [narrows his eyes]
SHELDON:—nnnnot realize you heard about that, too. Okay. Next subject. Kayla, I hear you can kick ass.
KAYLA: [eyebrows fly up] Oh. I don’t know about that.
NICK: She does. She kicks ass. It’s a total turn-on.
SHELDON: Yes, it is.
NICK: [scowls] Not to you it isn’t.
SHELDON: Not to me it isn’t. Absolutely. I meant women in general kicking ass is a turn-on. I love strong women.
NICK: [smiles down at Kayla] I do, too.
KAYLA: [leans up to kiss him]
SHELDON: Nope. Nuh-uh. No mushy stuff until I ask my next question.
NICK AND KAYLA: Okay.
SHELDON: While we’re on the topic of strong women… Kayla, you thought you were older than Nick, right?
KAYLA: Right. [frowns] Wait. What does that have to do with strong women?
NICK: [whispers] I think he’s talking about Tracy.
KAYLA: Who’s Tracy?
NICK: Lisette’s Second.
KAYLA: Oh. Right. I met her. She’s nice.
NICK: She’s also Sheldon’s girlfriend.
SHELDON: [nods] She’s nine years older than me and kind of fixates on that. I was hoping to get some advice on how I might get her past that.
NICK: Are you sure she’s fixating on that and not the weird sex stuff?
SHELDON: Hey, Tracy is fine with the sex stuff. She just doesn’t like that she’s older than me.
TRACY: [calls from down the hallway] Dude! You told them I’m older than you?
SHELDON: [eyes widen] Oh crap. I, uh… [jumps up] I’m gonna have to go take care of that. [hurries down the hallway] See you later!
KAYLA: [smiles up at Nick] You think he’s going to employ some weird sex stuff to make it up to her?
NICK: [grins] I don’t know. But I wouldn’t mind employing some weird sex stuff myself right about now.
KAYLA: [laughs and gives him a kiss] Sounds good to me.
January 2021
The Segonian Blog Tour
Although The Segonian is part of the Aldebarian Alliance series, I opted to include the character interviews I wrote for the blog tour because the heroine is an Immortal Guardian.
SHELDON: Hi, Eliana. Thanks so much for doing this interview. Talk about long distance.
ELIANA: [laughs] Long distance is right.
SHELDON: The last I heard, you were currently located in a distant solar system. Is that right?
ELIANA: Actually, we’re between solar systems right now. But yeah, I’m a loooooong way from Earth.
SHELDON: This communication system the Lasarans supplied Seth with is so cool. There’s not even a delay.
ELIANA: I know. I love it, but have no idea how it works. I think the Sectas designed it. Their technology is amazing.
SHELDON: And they’re another alien race.
ELIANA: Yes.
SHELDON: Have you met any of them yet?
ELIANA: No. Not yet.
SHELDON: But you’ve met others?
ELIANA: Yes. I’ve met Lasarans, Yona, Segonians, and Purvelis.
SHELDON: I am so jealous.
ELIANA: [grins] This has been the most remarkable adventure of my life.
SHELDON: Remarkable but harrowing?
ELIANA: [grimaces] Very harrowing at times. But it’s been totally worth it.
SHELDON: I heard Seth say you’re on board a ship called the Ranasura.
ELIANA: Yes.
SHELDON: Is that like the alien equivalent of a cruise liner?
ELIANA: [laughs] Not even close. It’s a Segonian battleship or warship.
SHELDON: That is so cool.
ELIANA: [smiles] I say that at least once a day.
SHELDON: I’ll bet. So the Segonians are allies of the Lasarans?
ELIANA: Yes. Like the Lasarans, the Segonians are members of the Aldebarian Alliance.
SHELDON: What are they like?
ELIANA: The Segonians? [looks thoughtful] They remind me a lot of my fellow Immortal Guardians. They’re fierce warriors when it comes to battle, but the rest of the time they like to laugh and joke and tease. I love these guys. They’re a lot of fun.
SHELDON: What about the women?
ELIANA: I don’t know. I’ve never met one. The crew of the Ranasura is all male.