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Smiling to myself I get out of my car and stand looking up at the gothic mansion that is Blake and Siobhan’s home. The door opens and Robert greets me with a smile
“Welcome Ms Helen, I
believe Blake is ready for you in the office. You know the way?” He asks with a
raise of one eyebrow and I smile back at him and nod, his friendly eyes are
full with mischief.
“Yes I think I do.” He
bows and leaves me to walk through the mansion alone. I'm nervous. It’s not
every day you get your wish to meet an Elder vampire. He’s interviewing me
today, but I wish it was the other way around. I have so many questions for
him.
I knock tentatively on
the door and wait until I hear his deep voice granting me access. Taking a
steadying breath I walk in and shut the door gently behind me. Blake’s study is
large, as is everything around here. Very masculine with dark wooden flooring,
the walls are covered in bookcases overflowing with every type of book you can
imagine.
Once I've looked at my
surroundings I turn and face him. And there he is, wow, oh boy, he is, he’s
just... Words fail me. His incredible presence has me nearly swooning.
He gets up out of his
chair and stalks towards me I want to shuffle back but I stand still and look
up into his amazing green eyes, which are twinkling with amusement. Oh, oh,
what's he got planned?
Blake takes my hand
and brings it up to his soft lips and gently kisses my knuckles. Like a school
girl meeting her ideal I blush... He stands back up, takes my elbow, and leads
me gently to the chair that is placed in front of his huge dark wood desk. Once
I'm sat, in the very comfortable black leather chair, he walks and sits in his,
an identical one to mine. Only larger, much, much larger.
He and I look at each
other as if we are taking inventory. It’s our very first meeting.
“So Helen.” His eyes stare almost hypnotizingly
into mine and he has me entranced. “Let’s start.” He looks down at his writing
pad in front of him and then looks back up with a wicked smile on his face. I
gulp realizing I'm now the one in the spotlight...
“When you first
decided to write, why me and Siobhan and why this genre?” His voice is quiet,
but then Blake never really has to raise his voice to get the information he
desires.
I swallow then reply.
“When I started yours
and Siobhan’s story it was before I had read any other erotic vampire books. We
are talking over seven years ago. Naively I thought I was the only one who
would read and enjoy it. I was wrong. There are a great many authors out there
that I have since become huge fans of. I wrote it firstly for myself, a story
that I would enjoy reading, but you all grew and I ended up with three books.”
Sitting back in my chair I stop fiddling with my hands and rest them on the arm
rest of the chair.
Blake nods and looks
back down, just as the door is knocked and he tells whoever it is to enter.
Robert comes in bearing a tray of drinks and bowls of snacks.
“I thought Ms Helen
would enjoy this as you interrogate her.” He coughs trying to not to smile. “I
mean interview her, sir.” He bows at us both before walking back out. I look up
into Blake’s eyes to see him trying not to laugh. It relaxes me and I smile
back at him.
Taking the glass of
ice cold water I take a sip and lean back waiting on his next question.
“So how did the book
come to life? Where did you start and how did the characters get a life of
their own?” he places his large hands behind his head and leans back, the
picture of a relaxed man or vampire. His bespoke suit covering what I know to
be a body to die for, blushing I try hopelessly to reign in my wayward
thoughts.
“That's three
questions.” I state and he raises one eyebrow at me and stares as if to say,
and? Blushing I reply.
“My husband was
working nights and I was alone and fed up with the crap that was on the TV.
I've read and read, and wanted to see if I could write something that I would
find exciting. I actually started a few chapters in, where you and Siobhan meet
back up at Club 1. I wanted to know, what if you met back up with someone who
you loved desperately and for whatever reason you were separated. At the very
beginning it was only my thoughts and it was very rough. A few friends liked it
and told me to develop it, so I did. You all are very real to me, it was easy
to write your bio’s and bring you to life. You are all so distinctive with very
strong personalities and with stories of your own.” Taking another gulp of
water, this being interviewed is hard work. But he's smiling at me so it must
be going ok. For a moment I wonder what he would do to me if it wasn’t...
“You never finished
your education, do you think if you had gotten your qualifications and was more
educated it would make a difference?” He looks serious and he knows this is a
personal chip on my shoulder and he knows I find it difficult to talk about.
Damn him... I squirm under his unflinching gaze. I realise he's going to make
me answer whether I want to or not.
“I've had people
asking me outright how can I have the nerve to try and even contemplate what I
have done. It’s only made me try harder, I guess I feel inadequate and that I'm
guilty of taking things way to personally which I am trying to stop. There seem
far more people who are willing to put down your efforts than to help. But yes,
looking back I wish I had gained more than what I did from the educational part
of my life. I think I'm so stubborn I was determined to flip the non believers
in me off and smile and say look at me... I did it!” Looking at him I am lost
for breath, he’s so male, so big, and everything I had wanted in a male
heartthrob.
Smiling at me he nods
his head, and looks at his questions.
“How did the story
come about? There are many twists and turns. Some I have to tell you I'm not
happy about. Why did my Queen Si, have to be ripped from my arms as soon as I
had managed to secure her there?” He’s now glaring at me, and I can almost feel
the anger burning in him just under the surface. I gulp.
“I’d like to say it
was all thought out in advance, that the story was planned from A to Z, that I
researched it thoroughly from all angles. But really, once I had all of you in
my head I sat down and used my newly bought computer, which I might add I had
never used word before and wrote it. From the beginning to the end. I don’t
know if there is a right or wrong way to write a book? For me this works. Also
I'm not one of these people who read and reread what they write. I tend to
write it and move on. Only when I've finished a whole chapter do I go back and
reread and add anything or remove things from it.” I take a sip of the water,
thanking Robert silently for it.
“As to the part you’re
referring to, that was as much a surprise to me as it was to you. It wasn’t
planned, it was just the direction the story needed to go.” I tell him softly,
my eyes not quite reaching his, I had been dreading this question above all
others.
The door opens and in
walks Siobhan, all blond hair, beautiful, graceful and elegant. Smiling at me,
she runs her hand down my face, her way of saying hello and walks over to
Blake. He pulls her into his lap and kisses her until she is breathless. I feel
like I shouldn’t be there, watching. She breaks off the kiss and laughs and
faces me.
“See the monster you
have created?” She looks at him with the love I knew they had for one another,
clear for me to see. “I thought I would come and rescue you, I'm sure he has
interviewed you for long enough. At least you are still breathing, right?” She
stands up and so does Blake, I realize my time is over with him. I wistfully
think it would be nice to stay here and just observe how they all live.
He walks over to me
with his arm tightly around her shoulders and extends his hand to me.
“Thank you for
answering some of my questions. Perhaps next time we meet you can ask me?” He
winks at me as I shake it. They both walk to the door, I follow, thinking I
love this couple. They’ve been through so much and they are as strong as ever.
***
Helen's series can be found on Amazon. The first two have been released, with a third on the way!
