His vampire abilities were special. He belonged to an elite group. Moving home, they are set off course by a storm that lands Dhruv alone, hungry, and desperate in a strange town. That’s where he meets Daisy.
Hi Dhruv, thanks
for agreeing to talk to us today.
Hi,
thanks for inviting me to your blog. I’m not usually around in the day, even
though I can be. I prefer the night.
Tell us a little
bit about yourself
My name is Dhruv. I don’t use a last name anymore. I’m originally from Norway, but I haven’t lived there in many years. I found a group of beings like me a long time ago and joined their community. We call ourselves a clan, because we are all the same in one special respect. I can’t tell you that, or the author of the book would have a meltdown (smiles). It would be a spoiler.
I became the clan’s scribe. I love to write and I draw too. I was writing their chronicles, but something terrible happened and I’ve stopped for a while. That event brought me to the place I am at the beginning of the story, A Little Mysterious.
In my
long experience, fate always has a hand in what happens to us all, and happily,
for me in this instance, fate brought me where I needed to be.
Are you happy with
the way people perceive you?
As
a vampire, or when they don’t yet know that? Truth is, I don’t know how they
perceive me. (Smiles.) I know people used to say I was a little mysterious
before they discovered that I’m a vampire, hence the book title. I see fear in
some peoples’ eyes even before they know, so I must give off some fierce or
dangerous vibes without trying. Do you feel afraid right now in my company?
Well, not right
now. You seem friendly enough … safe enough…
Being a vampire is
expressing love difficult for you?
I
can express love. I didn’t think I’d ever find real love and I guess I
expressed some kind of love, maybe a fleeting affection, through sex for a
while there.
Sex
is important. I think if you love someone, the way I love Daisy, you’re going
to make love to them often, want them badly a lot of the time. (Grins)
Well
I do, but with Daisy in my life now, I express my love for her through care, caring
for her feelings, and needs, so, not just physical stuff but through understanding
her, being there for her. (Rubs his forehead.) I hope that’s what I do. (Smiles.)
If you were taken
out of the story, and placed into your author’s world, what would be the first
thing you’d do?
I’d
free my author from the tyranny of humanity. She’s a compassionate
person and I’d like to give her something for telling my story. (Frowns.)
Naturally, I’d check first to make sure she wanted to become a vampire.
Have you found many
people do want to be turned?
In
the hundreds of years I’ve been around, I’ve found a lot. You’d be surprised
how many, but here’s the thing … it’s not something to do lightly and I’ve only
done it twice.
If you could pull
your author into your world of vampires and other supernatural beings, what do
you think would happen to them?
I
think she’d cope well. Again, I’d have to give her a hand to fit in and I’d do
that because I like her. Other than the physical aspect of being in my world,
she’d be fine. She’s accepting and broadminded. Actually, I can think of a clan
member who might be very interested in meeting her. He still hasn’t found his
mate…mmm I’ll have to think about this.
What was the best
sexual experience you’ve had?
(Grins.)
I
wasn’t expecting a question like that. Okay, well, I don’t usually kiss and
tell, but because it’s you asking, I’ll tell you a little about one of the best
times.
I
was in a park having sex with this girl, lovely girl, very sexy and warm. The
night was dark, dreamy, and cool, when as I came into her, the most shattering
thing happened. I regained a memory I’d lost. The connection I felt with her
then was incredible. I already felt a lot for her and couldn’t get enough of
her so this was … epic.
Let’s talk about
another character in the book,
For instance, what’s
your take on Ivor?
Oh,
the café owner. He’s a funny guy. You know he gave me a coffee maker as a gift.
(Laughs.) He’s kind-hearted and he cares about his staff. I think he hoped
Daisy and I would get together before we did. He gave her time off to see me
once.
If you were to
spend a day with a reader, what would you two do together?
Whoa,
now that would be an experience. I’d have to be careful not to scare the living
daylights out of them. I’d show them around my place. I’d ask them what they
wanted to do. I’d introduce them to Daisy. You know low key things so they didn’t
spook and run.
Tell me something
about Daisy.
She's waiting downstairs, right now. Why don't we ask her up? (Takes his phone from his jacket pocket and calls Daisy. ) Hey, sweetheart, come and join in. Yes.
This is a surprise. Daisy is welcome, of course.
(She comes into the room, smiling, and sits on the couch next to Dhruv.)
Hi, Daisy, thanks for joining in. Tell us about yourself and the book you star in.
The book is a paranormal romance ... sizzling stuff in places. It's the story of how I meet Dhruv and how we fall in love. (Turns to Dhruv and smiles.)
I’m in my early twenties. I work in a café at the time readers meet me. I’m just an ordinary girl.
(Dhruv interjects here.)
What? You’re lovely, Daisy.
Don’t you think?
(Asks me this. I nod he’s looking dangerous, now. He continues after taking Daisy’s hand.)
Readers, she’s pretty, intelligent, creative, sexy.
(Daisy, leans over and kisses Dhruv.)
You love me so you’re
biased.
(Dhruv grabs a handful of her hair and kisses her hard
before replying, so I’m just waiting for them. Dhruv lets Daisy go.)
Damn right, I love
you.
(They grin at me so I'd better ask another question.)
If you had the chance to have the author change your names what
will they be?
(Dhruv widens his eyes.)
I wouldn’t like that. My name’s Dhruv. Why would the author change it? And Daisy is a lovely name.
(Now he pulls Daisy onto his lap. She cuddles against him.
This is worrying. If they start making out I’m leaving.)
(Daisy smiles as she looks at me.)
I actually like my name. It’s unusual. I don’t think many girls are called Daisy now.
Okay, Dhruv how about you give up three of your deepest, darkest secrets.
(He
stops tracing his fingers up and down daisy’s arm to answer.)
You’re kidding. Why would I do that? They’re secrets and anyway it could be dangerous to tell you much more than I have already about myself
(I nod. His ice-blue eyes are boring into me
now. Are his nails lengthening? Yikes, I’ll ask Daisy.)
Daisy, how about you? Any secrets you want to share?
Not likely.
Oh,
okay. I’ve recently found out how great skinny-dipping is. I still eat way too
much chocolate. I’m a coffee addict … I still drink it almost nonstop, but then
doesn’t everybody? Well, except my author, she
drinks tea, and Dhruv, he drinks…
(Dhruv puts his hand over her mouth, kisses her ear, and
whispers something to her. There you go, they do have secrets after all. On to
the next question.)
Daisy, what do you love best about yourself?
My hair if it’s a
physical thing, and if not, then my compassionate nature.
What do you like least?
I’d rather not say. (Glances at Dhruv who is busy staring at me, and quietly points at her butt.)
What about you, Dhruv?
I’m happy enough as I
am. I’ve had a long time to get used to it.
How do you feel about the book you’re in? (Daisy answers.)
I like it for the emotion in it There’s a twinge of sadness in there to begin with
when you hear Dhruv’s back story, but he doesn’t dwell on it.
(She kisses his cheek.)
Can you share one of your favorite parts of the book without
giving too much away and tell us why you chose it?
Okay, it has to
be a love scene for me. Maybe with a little hook for readers to know there's much more to our love story than the sizzling parts. What about you, Dhruv? (Daisy gazes lovingly at him.)
(Dhruv sighs)
Definitely.
Read their chosen excerpt:
They lay there in the damp grass with
the smell of wet vegetation and the occasional sound of a bird fidgeting in the
leaves of the trees.
“I think I could be falling in love with you.”
He felt her words spear his heart. She had said them softly between
kisses. He took his lips away from hers. The gentle way she held him made him
pulse with emotion close to the one he felt when he thought about his lost clan
members. He closed his eyes and rested his cheek against hers briefly.
“Don’t fall in love with me. I’m only
passing through.” His voice cracked with emotion as he knelt, sliding from her warmth, and stood to stare down at her.
He helped her up and found her
clothes. He watched as she hurriedly put them on. He dragged on his jeans, t-shirt, and jacket.
“I don’t want to hurt you, Daisy.
Don’t fall in love with me.” He knew he must have a mate somewhere else,
waiting for him to find her.
He took Daisy's hand and led her out of
the trees, over the bridge, and down the path.
“How do we get to your place from
here?” He put his arm around her shoulders.
“It’s down the high street as we
exit the park, second left, and then left again. I’m sorry, about the ‘falling
for you’ thing … I don’t mean to crowd you, or…”
He didn’t let her finish the apology
because her voice was full of sadness.
He leaned over and kissed her mouth
closed. He felt something deep for her, and hid from it. They walked to her
place. He held her hand.
At the stairs to her apartment, he
moved back a few steps.
“I’ll leave you here.” He wanted to
warn her about the love bite he'd given her, in case it scared her when she saw it. “I’m sorry. I
sucked a bit too hard on the … love bite. There’s a big mark.” He gestured
towards her neck.
She nodded. “It’ll be okay. Will you be at the
bar tomorrow?”
He heard hope in her tone, with a
trace of concern. His heart, long dead, felt even more like a stone than usual.
He knew she was worried that now they’d fucked she wouldn’t see him again. He
wanted to see her again so badly it made him shake.
“I’ll be there.” His voice was a
whisper and he turned. He walked quickly away. When he judged he was out of her
line of vision, he burst into speed, and fled back to the sanctuary of the
trees and the rustle of leaves in the dark.
Copyright Elodie Parkes, Evernight Publishing.
I smile as I thank them. Thanks for being here and answering my questions.
It's been good. Thank you.
(Dhruv nods his goodbye as he’s standing up. He takes Daisy's hand and off they go. Daisy turns and waves as they reach the door.)
If you'd like to buy the book it's available on Evernight Publishing.
https://www.evernightpublishing.com/a-little-mysterious-by-elodie-parkes/
Your Amazon http://mybook.to/alittlemysterious
Siren Bookstrand https://www.bookstrand.com/a-little-mysterious-mf
Nook https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-little-mysterious-elodie-parkes/1117564301
KOBO https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/a-little-mysterious
Reviews
5 stars on a Readers' favorite
" Elodie Parks beautifully crafts the dance between
them. Dhruv stares longingly at Daisy throughout her shifts, thinking of all
the things he wants to do to her body, and Daisy falls asleep each night
thinking of the pleasure to be had between them. A Little Mysterious is a
steamy love story guaranteed to burn up the sheets and the story of how Dhruv
came to find Daisy was fantastic. Although this is a short story, Parks packs
it with all the right details to make us not only care about the characters,
but about how their story turns out."
4 stars on Coffee Time Romance
