Hi, guys! I’m MADLY finishing edits against a hard deadline for book three of my Chronicles of Yavn series, Hunter by Night. So for today’s conversation I dragged (drug? Someone help me, I always get that word wrong) Lee along for the ride. Lee Goram is the vampire king’s Lieutenant commander in the Yavn series and his book, Hunter by Night, comes out in June. 

Today we’re talking (or trying to talk) about the difficulties inherent in human-vampire relationships.

Elisabeth: Lee, since it’s common in paranormal romance for love to blossom between members of opposing species.  It makes for great drama, but also for great passion. What do you think about that? Your love interest in Hunter by Night, Alexia, she’s human.

Lee: *growling* Uh-huh. Well you know how I love to set trends. Or maybe I just don’t give a #$*& about anybody else’s opinion.  You know, what everybody oughta do is stick to minding their own damn business, and then maybe nobody would get killed over stupid shit like love.

Elisabeth: So you’re saying love equals death?

Lee: Look around, sweetheart. I’m seven hundred years old, and that song is older than I am.

Elisabeth: So why is it you vampires don’t get along with humans?

Lee: Dunno, could be all the murder? Being treated like horror-freaks? Nah. Really, we get along fine. We stay the hell away when we can, and when we can’t we make sure not to smile. It’s peachy.

Elisabeth: No smiling. Is that so you won’t show your fangs or just because you’re kind of surly?

*Lee crosses his arms over his chest and glares*

Elisabeth: I’m just saying, you and Alexia may be on opposite sides of the gene pool but you also have been sort of pushing each other’s buttons for the duration of two books now. I can’t help but think all that tension is going to have to have to go somewhere before too long?

Lee: Oh, it’s going somewhere all right. It’s going to make my damned head explode.

Elisabeth: But with your kind fighting now over whether vampires should be allowed to interact with humans at all, wouldn’t it be an issue for your…relationship?

Lee: *deep breath* We coexist peacefully alongside humans so long as they don’t know who we are. Some of our elders are trying to argue for stiffer segregation but this isn’t realistic. Hell, it’ll do more harm than good.  What’ll we do, buy an island somewhere? Alexia is a rare exception, and she’s no threat. Besides, we’re not… You know, she’s just the queen’s best friend so that makes her important and… Anyway, hypothetically? No way in hell would the king let that kind of stringency fly. Not in general, especially not with Alexia involved.

Elisabeth: So let’s say you two hook up. How would that work? You’ve maintained all along that human blood isn’t strong enough to keep a vampire alive. And there’s her short life span. Would you drink from someone else? What about the actual–?

Lee: I don’t think that shit is any of your concern.

Elisabeth: It is my concern actually, I’m the one who has to write the book. Jeez, for a seven hundred year old vampire you’re kind of a prude. Oh my god, are you…blushing?

Lee: *he clears his throat and checks his watch, oddly flustered for such a large, in-command kind of vampire* We should really get back to work.

Elisabeth: Oh. Okay. I suppose you’re right, we should get this editing finished up.  Thanks so much for chatting today, Lee.

About Hunter by Night: (Add to your Goodreads TBR | Preorder at Amazon)

A supernatural war is about to ignite a scorching hot romance

Lee protects his vampire race, and hates humans as much as the enemies he kills. Just as he’s assessing new recruits to join the vampire king’s army, all hell breaks loose. The estate’s security system fails, evil is heading their way, and human-hating Lee is stuck protecting Alexia, the queen’s human best friend. But as dangerous obstacles force Alexia and Lee closer, an undeniable attraction is revealed, and the two must find a way to compromise.

Mini excerpt:

Lee’s nose picked up the electric tang of a storm brewing in the air. The static prickled his skin. Without hesitation he clasped Alexia’s shoulder and drew her against his side as they exited the mansion’s side door at the end of the east hall.

She scowled up at him with a mix of irritation and confusion. Far from the first time. They certainly had a way of tripping each other’s wires.

They could pretend otherwise all they wanted—Lee would fucking love to pretend—but from the moment Alexia had followed Isabel to the estate, she’d seemed hell-bent on raising his ire. Centuries of building a carefully-controlled façade and he couldn’t keep his grip around one tiny human.

He adjusted his hold. “I told you. The security system is down. I want you close.”

(Add Hunter by Night to your Goodreads TBR | Preorder at Amazon)