QUESTION 1: You’ve mentioned vampire telepathy in several of the books. Can you explain it a little more? Initially I thought it was a skill only the high level masters had, then I wondered if a master and his servant could do it regardless of their power level. Now I’m wondering if any old vampire can communicate telepathically? I guess if they can use their minds to bamboozle humans, they could also use their minds to talk to each other? Would appreciate any insights you can give.
All vampires can talk to their family members mentally (they’re on the same wavelength, so to speak, because of the blood bond). But only senior masters can mind-speak with those outside their family circle. And, of course, all Senate members are senior masters, which explains why Mircea was so irritated with the Consul in Curse the Dawn.
She was insisting that he come to a senate meeting in person when there was no earthly reason for him to have to do so. The senate can, and sometimes does, meet in person, but it can also have meetings mentally when its members are scattered or busy. Mircea felt that it was more important for him to spend time with Cassie—you know, the Pythia whose favor they needed so badly?—rather than physically showing up for a head count. But the Consul was starting to worry about his growing power, and decided to force the issue as a loyalty test. It was one he came close to failing because, every time he left Cassie in CTD, she almost died. So Mircea was resisting, until his own masters intervened and he went for the sake of keeping the peace. But he put Cassie to sleep before he left!
QUESTION 2: Can you give us a quick recap on the current members of the North American Senate? We know some have died, some are off healing and some we haven’t heard about since the early books. Obviously big changes are coming and we’d like to know the current situation before the next Dory book comes out.
The positions are as follows (each has a department under them which they control, except for the consul who controls everybody):
Positions filled:
Consul (leader/senior bad ass): a certain snake-loving ex-queen
Ambassador: Mircea
Spy: Marlowe
Enforcer: Mei Ling
Persuader: Jack
Internal Matters: Catherine (you know her as the Renaissance Lady)
Liaison to the Fey: Halcyone (you know her as the Southern Belle)
Positions Open:
Treasurer: Ismitta (currently on leave due to injury).
Weapons Keeper: Geminus, until his recent, unlamented demise.
Historian
Liaisons to the Circle, Weres and Demon Council
QUESTION 3: At the very end of the Fury’s Kiss teaser, Dory describes a voice with power enough to prevent her from rising up. It’s fairly obvious this is Mircea. In other books you’ve described revenants who fail to recognize their Master’s voice when they’re first turned and they have to be destroyed as they are a danger. Does this mean that Mircea is Dory’s ‘Master’ since he seems to be able to control her with his voice. And if so, will Dory never have autonomy? (I’m assuming most 500 year old vamps would have attained autonomy from their masters.) Is Dory different because she is dhampir? Or will a master always be able to use his Voice over a servant, no matter what level they’re at? And is he able to control her fits because he is her Master?
I can’t say much about Fury’s Kiss at this point, since the book hasn’t even come out yet! But I can say that Mircea’s ability to control Dory has nothing to do with him being her master—because he isn’t. That’s why dhampirs are usually put down by the vampire community on sight. Like the hated revenants, they have no master and therefore can’t be controlled in the usual way. Their power is therefore viewed as a threat instead of as a potential weapon.
QUESTION 4: What accent does Rosier speak with? At some point Cassie confused him with Pritkin, so I guess he pretends to be British? What is the language of hell (is it a human one or not)?
Rosier is a chameleon, as are all incubi: they become whatever you want, need, desire, or expect them to be. If you like a British accent, he has one. Prefer Australian? Got you covered. Always found an Irish brogue alluring? Not a problem. Etc. As for hell’s languages, it has thousands, as many and as varied as the regions themselves. Human languages are pretty simplistic for creatures who live thousands of years, but are occasionally heard in the Shadowland (for trade, etc.)
QUESTION 5: We understand you were considering an alternative ending to Embrace the Night involving two Mirceas, but your publisher vetoed it. Did this ending ever get written, and if so, is it ever likely to end up in the Deleted Scenes section of your web site? Enquiring minds want to know. (We may be willing to pay good money for this one!)
Lol! Yes and maybe. The scene involving the breaking of the geis was written that way originally, because let’s face it, it made more logical sense. When it was vetoed, I did the best spackle job I could, and I think the current ending works. But to me, it will always feel a little contrived. Whereas the other had been set up for two books and (I thought) flowed perfectly. But mine is not to question why…
Anyway, when I put the deleted scenes section up, that was one I specifically looked for but couldn’t find. I will have another go whenever I get a chance, but I think it may be lost forever at this point. I could rewrite it, of course, and may do so eventually—if I ever get caught up with everything else I need to write!