While you're waiting for the release of Wild Fire (Guardian Witch #6), I hope you'll enjoy this interview with Ari (fire witch), Andreas (vampire prince) and Gabriel (Andreas's second in command).
Eddie West, crime reporter for Riverdale's Clarion newspaper, is writing an article on the O-Seven, the vampire elders, who keep dogging Ari and Andreas's steps. He's convinced Ari, Andreas and Gabriel to sit down and answer a few questions. They're gathered in Andreas's office at his supper club shortly after dark.
Eddie looks up from his notebook. "Thanks for doing this. I'll try not to keep you long. Let's start off with Andreas. Tell me who the O-Seven are."
Andreas (stretches out his long legs from his chair at the desk and gives Eddie a hooded look): "The first and oldest vampires. The original seven. Their background is mostly unknown, but they've been around and ruling the vampire world in Europe for thousands of years from a medieval castle in the black forest of Germany. Their whims are vampire law in that part of the world."
Eddie: "Can someone tell me their names?"
Gabriel (looks up from lounging on the leather couch): "Sure, I can do that, but don't ask me to spell them." He ticks them off on his fingers. "Bastian, Porbius, Lucris, Fiorosom, Anselm, Tannen, and the last one is Noapte."
Eddie: "They have a joint reputation for brutality. Ari, does that include every one of them?"
Ari (nods her head vigorously): "As far as I'm concerned, they're all vicious. They tried to kill Andreas, and I wouldn't be alive if we hadn't escaped from them and their hired killers on more than one occasion."
Gabriel (leans forward, earnest now): "But some are worse than others." He appealed to Andreas. "Wouldn't you agree?"
Andreas: "Two or three are more clever, more ambitious...and consequently more dangerous. None of them are to be taken lightly."
Eddie: "What supernatural things can that do that are beyond the abilities of other vampires?"
Andreas: "In most cases, it is a matter of degree. For instance, their mind control abilities are extremely enhanced, and Bastian is the master of them all in that area. They have other talents, but mostly those are kept hidden."
Gabriel: "When I lived at the elders' court, I heard rumors - teleportation, levitation, shapeshifting, calling various kinds of animals to do their bidding—but most of it was speculation. The elders guarded their secrets until they needed to use them…and their victims didn't survive to tell the rest of us. You have to understand, these guys aren't approachable. They're secretive, aloof. I doubt if even they know everything their fellow elders can do."
Eddie (looks at Ari): "So how do you fight them? It sounds impossible."
Ari: "So far we've managed to stay out of reach or used witchcraft or trickery. We've tried to be as secretive as they are. But I'm running out of ideas."
Eddie: "Why doesn't the German Magic Council or other law enforcement do something about them?"
Ari (gives a hands up shrug): "How? First of all, there is no German Magic Council, but the Witches's League over there has tried. The O-Seven is just too powerful. And human law enforcement wouldn't have a chance unless they sent in the military with bombs. Even then, they'd probably escape. Since the elders have mostly left humans alone, police have left the Otherworlders to fend for themselves. I can't really fault them."
Eddie (looks at all three of them): "How's this all end?"
Andreas lifts an eyebrow. Gabriel shakes his head.
Ari: "Good question. Hopefully we figure it out before the series is over."
Eddie looks up from his notebook. "Thanks for doing this. I'll try not to keep you long. Let's start off with Andreas. Tell me who the O-Seven are."
Andreas (stretches out his long legs from his chair at the desk and gives Eddie a hooded look): "The first and oldest vampires. The original seven. Their background is mostly unknown, but they've been around and ruling the vampire world in Europe for thousands of years from a medieval castle in the black forest of Germany. Their whims are vampire law in that part of the world."
Eddie: "Can someone tell me their names?"
Gabriel (looks up from lounging on the leather couch): "Sure, I can do that, but don't ask me to spell them." He ticks them off on his fingers. "Bastian, Porbius, Lucris, Fiorosom, Anselm, Tannen, and the last one is Noapte."
Eddie: "They have a joint reputation for brutality. Ari, does that include every one of them?"
Ari (nods her head vigorously): "As far as I'm concerned, they're all vicious. They tried to kill Andreas, and I wouldn't be alive if we hadn't escaped from them and their hired killers on more than one occasion."
Gabriel (leans forward, earnest now): "But some are worse than others." He appealed to Andreas. "Wouldn't you agree?"
Andreas: "Two or three are more clever, more ambitious...and consequently more dangerous. None of them are to be taken lightly."
Eddie: "What supernatural things can that do that are beyond the abilities of other vampires?"
Andreas: "In most cases, it is a matter of degree. For instance, their mind control abilities are extremely enhanced, and Bastian is the master of them all in that area. They have other talents, but mostly those are kept hidden."
Gabriel: "When I lived at the elders' court, I heard rumors - teleportation, levitation, shapeshifting, calling various kinds of animals to do their bidding—but most of it was speculation. The elders guarded their secrets until they needed to use them…and their victims didn't survive to tell the rest of us. You have to understand, these guys aren't approachable. They're secretive, aloof. I doubt if even they know everything their fellow elders can do."
Eddie (looks at Ari): "So how do you fight them? It sounds impossible."
Ari: "So far we've managed to stay out of reach or used witchcraft or trickery. We've tried to be as secretive as they are. But I'm running out of ideas."
Eddie: "Why doesn't the German Magic Council or other law enforcement do something about them?"
Ari (gives a hands up shrug): "How? First of all, there is no German Magic Council, but the Witches's League over there has tried. The O-Seven is just too powerful. And human law enforcement wouldn't have a chance unless they sent in the military with bombs. Even then, they'd probably escape. Since the elders have mostly left humans alone, police have left the Otherworlders to fend for themselves. I can't really fault them."
Eddie (looks at all three of them): "How's this all end?"
Andreas lifts an eyebrow. Gabriel shakes his head.
Ari: "Good question. Hopefully we figure it out before the series is over."
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