Osiyo~

When I finished reading Laura Kaye’s Forever Freed a while back I knew I had, HAD to meet Lucien Demarco. I asked Laura if she could talk him into visiting my little ranch here in the Pen. To my delight (and now yours!) he graciously said yes. Of course, those who know him know he can’t be anything other than gracious. I wondered about interviewing Lucien at first, I mean he is a vampire, and I’m not the one who gives his life meaning so I have a lot more to lose. But then I thought about how sweet he is. How concerned about life he is. And I knew I’d be safe to meet with him. (Plus a little special water boosts my confidence, but you’ll need to read his story to know what that means.)

I’d like to welcome Lucien to my home in the cyber world. Not quite as interesting as his paranormal world, but it’s mine. 🙂 I put some questions together. Let’s enjoy his answers. 

Thank you for agreeing to let me interview you Lucien. I’d like to begin with a question that nibbled…er, make that tickled… at me throughout the whole book. What is it like to be dead for all intents and purposes and live among the living? I mean how does that make you feel?

That’s a difficult question, Calisa. My author lady said you’d be easing me into this. Well, I’ve survived worse, I suppose, though I hope she told you I’m not always comfortable around people. How does it feel? I don’t feel dead, in the least. If death is defined as the absence of pain, I never died at all, because nearly unbearable pain has been my most constant companion for most of my existence. And, since I had the incredible fortune of winning the love of my girls, I have found the true wonder of life, which can never be experienced fully without love.

Sorry about the tough ones. Guess it’s too late to change it now, eh? I realize how protective you are, but has there ever been a time when those instincts seemed to fail you?

Since I can feel the innocence behind your question, I’m going to pretend it doesn’t make me a little crazy inside. I believe you know quite explicitly a time when my protectiveness did me little good, when I failed those I loved completely. In my darkest moments, the horror film of my first wife’s and child’s slaughters still plays in my mind. When I nearly lost Samantha and then Ollie, I relived those agonizing, powerless moments over and over. I will do anything it takes to protect them and ensure none of us ever experiences such loss again.

Forgive me if I say anything to offend you. Yikes! Touchy much? Is there anyone special in your life?

Thank you. Two special someones, actually.

Yet still gracious. Whew! Would you tell us a bit…uh, little about her?

About Samantha, you mean? Well, she is everything to me. Her love and acceptance helped me forgive myself and resurrected the man in me, kept me from giving over entirely to the darkness. I’d been so close. She is light and joy and love and pleasure and everything good in the world. So, uh, yeah. That’s about it.

They say behind every good looking man…er, behind every man there’s a good woman.

You lost a child. I’m so sorry for you. Do you wish you had more children? Can you?

I cannot have children. But Ollie more than fills the part of my heart that longed for a second chance at fatherhood. That child amazes me every day. And Isabetta would’ve loved her. In my mind’s eye, I can see them playing together.

Ok, I would love to know what kind of relationship you have with Laura Kaye? She’s ruthless it seems. Was there ever a time during your story that you were less than pleased with her?

*chuckles* I got along with my author lady just fine, as long as she was paying attention to me. Once I decided to tell my story, I was a bit, you might say, urgent in my need to have it recorded, shared. The eleven weeks she took to write the first draft, which came in at 145,000 words, seemed like, well, forever, to me.

I think Laura may just be one of my new fave authors. How is your relationship now that the book is finished?

We still talk all the time, actually. I’m rather fond of her. Though I have some questions about the things she’s planning for the sequel. I won’t say more, as I’m hoping to change her mind.

Do you think she’ll have another book coming out from your world?

Hmm, yes. Without question. There’s another one drafted. It’s dark and intense—my life before Samantha. And she’s outlining another one. Ollie’s story. That’s the one that’s giving me ulcers. Well, not really. You know what I mean. I rather think she ought to write Catherine’s story, too.

Lucien, I’m so thrilled your story has such a happy ending. But a look into the beginning will help a lot of readers understand you better. I think Laura has the right idea.

I’ve enjoyed spending time with you. Sam is a lucky woman. Is there anything you’d like to say before we say good-bye?

Thank you for speaking with me and sharing your enjoyment of my story. You might be interested to know it has received some recognition of late. FOREVER FREED dual finaled in the NJRW Golden Leaf Contest for Published Authors – best paranormal and best first book categories. Here at Orchard Hill, we’re all rather pleased about that.

Thank you for being my guest, Lucien. And thank you Laura Kaye, author of FOREVER FREED for helping me set up this interview! I’m sure there are many who would love to keep in touch to know when your next book (related to FF or not) will be out. Where can we find you Laura?

Buy Laura’s Books

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A multi-published author of paranormal, contemporary and erotic romance, Laura Kaye’s hot, heartfelt stories are all about the universal desire for a place to belong. Laura is the author of the bestselling contemporary romance Hearts in Darkness and the bestselling and award-nominated paranormal romance Forever Freed. Her contemporary erotic romance Just Gotta Say releases September 30 and her contemporary fantasy romance, North of Need, releases November 1. Laura lives inMaryland with her husband, two daughters, and cute-but-bad dog, and appreciates her view of theChesapeake Bay every day.

EXCERPT: Samantha asks Lucien some probing questions after learning he’s a vampire:

I smelled her adrenaline again. Her eyes focused somewhere below my own. “What are you looking at?”

“Your…um”—a blush heated her face—“mouth.”

“Ah.”

“So…how…”

“I just will it, and they change. Some situations cause it automatically.”

She licked her lips and her eyes flitted between my eyes and my mouth. “Show me,” she whispered.

“Sam—”

“Show me.”

“Why?”

“Because I want to know you.”

I glared at her and hated the idea she might define me by the vampiric nature I didn’t choose or want. Her heart rate spiked. I cursed myself. I leaned my head into the cradle of my hands and tugged at my hair.

She stroked the back of my head. “Lucien, I didn’t mean to—”

“I know what you meant—”

“No, obviously, you don’t.” Her tone surprised me. I dropped my hands and looked up. “I know…this isn’t all you are. But it’s part of you. I want to know it, too.”

Good, Lucien. Keep being an asshole, why don’t ya?

“Please show me,” she said softly as she fingered the side of my foot. Her small gesture of outreach melted my resolve.

Resigned, I glanced down into my lap. And punched out my fangs. I flinched when Samantha lifted my chin, but I didn’t resist. Instead, I closed my eyes, not wanting to also see the fear I was about to feel. As if on cue, she gasped. But the scent of her fear never came.

“Please look at me.” Her expression was filled with wonder and curiosity. “Eyes too?”

I frowned. “You didn’t close your eyes at all, did you?” She shook her head. I rolled my eyes, blinked them closed, and then trained my crimson orbs on Samantha. Her heart worked harder in her chest but still the fear didn’t come.

“Does it affect your eyesight?”

“Improves it,” I replied in a low voice.

Out of nowhere, she reached a hand forward. “Can I touch—”

I flinched away. “No!”

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” she cried.

“You can’t…I can’t…”

“Okay. Okay. It’s okay. That was stupid of me.”

“Sam—”

“What situations?” she deflected.

“What?” I panted.

“You said some situations make it happen?”

I groaned. “When I’m feeding, threatened, or, um”—I sighed—“aroused.”

She gaped and licked her lips again. Finally she inhaled to speak. I preempted her, not really wanting to hear her voice the question I just knew she’d ask. “Yes. And I hid it,” I said as I looked away, drained my eyes and retracted my fangs, and got off the bed to pace.

***

*From the author lady: Come on, admit it, you’d want to touch his…fangs, too…*

*fans self* Whew-y! Thank you Laura and Lucien. I think I’ll go find a cool pond on the back forty. While ya’ll leave a comment and let Lucien know what you think of him and his excerpt while I’m gone! He’s offering a SIGNED copy to one lucky commenter in honor of his 4 month anniversary!!

Dodadagohvi~

~I hope to see everyone Saturday the 24th, when I visit with Elizabeth Means about her new release~