I'm always asked where my ideas come from, what I'm doing when I write, and do I have favorite books, or characters. In the twelve years since I was first published I've written every kind of character from human vampire, ghost, shapeshifter, killer and so on. To pick one character is near to impossible for me. I do have specific parts of my books that are dear to me, that I had so much fun writing I feel a sense of loss when its over. And then there are the parts that make me laugh. Below is what was going on inside my mind while writing the scene between Dante and Jonah in Penetrating the Darkness.
I tend to write about
some pretty dark stuff so I like to thread some comedy into the story to break
things up. I’m a sarcastic person and I like to use that in my stories. When I
wrote this scene, I decided that my characters, Jonah and Dante needed to have
a discussion about the future. With the Darkness engulfing the city, everyone
is starting to feel it. They miss the simple things in life like grass,
flowers, life. Dante and Jonah were human before the Darkness fell and the
vampires took over, so they’re still getting used to it. Jonah is a nerd, as
Dante likes to refer to him. He’s brilliant and has created some fierce and
helpful gadgets to help take out the vamps. In this scene, I showcase two of
them.
Jonah
and Dante couldn’t be more opposite. Dante is a Private Detective and used to
seeing and dealing with some pretty tough stuff. Jonah is used to being behind
a computer. I put these two together to learn from each other.
I
like to write with music going. Dance music is usually the play list I choose
because it pumps me up. I feel energized. I usually don’t plot out how my story will go.
I just let it flow. When I’m in the zone, I can write for hours. I remember
this scene taking over. I don’t remember what song was playing, what was going
on around me. I found myself in the dark, sitting on a car with two men who
like to jab at each other and have fun while they wait for the vampires to find
them. I was there, chuckling at their humor. It wasn’t just words I wrote, it
was life taking place in front of me.
I
hope when you read this you can picture yourself sitting on a car, in the
darkness, waiting for the vampires to come and get you.
On a side note: All of the darkness covers were designed by me.
Penetrating the Darkness: Bk 6 in the Darkness
series.
“What’s
the first thing you’re going to do when the sun comes back?” Dante asked as he picked
up a small rock and began tossing it in the air.
“Hide.”
“Seriously.”
“Seriously. I hear getting
scorched by the sun hurts like hell. I have no desire to have that happen any
time soon,” Jonah responded. He hadn’t been a vampire before the sun was
blocked out and truthfully, it kind of scared him to think of life with the sun
shining.
“Me either. Still…it would be
nice to see the sun shine again.”
“Yeah. Green grass—hell green
anything would be nice. All this brown is boring the hell out of me.” Jonah
realized that if any vamps came out of the warehouse, or Chaos, for that
matter, the two of them didn’t stand a chance.
“I would love to give Gyspy a
bouquet of flowers.”
Jonah pulled the net out of the
trunk. “Yeah, Raven would love that too.”
“If things go back to normal
after this is all over, what are you going to do? Still gonna work with
computers?”
“I’ve been considering contacting
the military about my inventions. I think I could be of use to them.”
“That would be perfect for you.
You’re really getting good at making devices to help us nab the bad guys.”
“It keeps me busy. What about
you? Are you going to go back to detective work?”
“I was thinking of going back to
being a cop. Pays better than my investigation agency. You think we’re ever
going to get Chaos?”
“I try to stay positive.”
Dante sat on the hood of the
car. “I do too. Still….”
“Yeah. Here.”
He handed Dante the electro net,
wrapped in a thin plastic and the trigger box.
“What is this for?”
“Protection. You up for taking on
a bunch of vamps? Just the two of us?”
“This thing better not zap me
again.”
“As long as you don’t switch the
trigger on before you release it, you’ll be fine.” Jonah pulled the Flash
device he’d made a few days ago, and slipped it into his pocket. It was the
size of a small flashlight, but it packed a hell of a punch. One flash of it
and it rendered the person blind for several moments. Just enough time to take
them out.
“You better pray to God that it
doesn’t. Can I still do that now that I’m a vamp? Pray to God?”
“Hell if I know.” He took a seat
beside Dante on the hood. “What do you think about Felicity being back, and
being a child instead of a baby?”
“It's weird. It was one thing to
know Trinity was preggers, but a kid is different than a baby. I didn’t know
vamps could have kids.”
“Basil said that only pure vamps
can do it. I wonder if the kid has powers like Basil and Trinity?”
“That kinda scares me. Basil and
Trinity are adults and can make the right judgement calls. A kid doesn’t always
know that. She could go off with her powers if she’s pissed or upset or
anything for that matter.”
“We have visitors.” Dante slid off the hood.
Jonah joined him and pulled out
his light.
“How come I have to take the
scary ass Electronet and you get a lame flashlight?”
“Just watch and learn young
grasshopper.”
“Careful, my hand might slip on
the trigger.” Dante aimed the Electronet
at Jonah.
“Don’t be a spoilsport.”
“I don’t know. It might feel
satisfying to zap you for a change.”
Using the back of his hand, Jonah
pushed the devise aside, aiming it forward. “You could, but, then you’d have no
Electronet , and I’d be incapable of helping when those three vamps come at us
ready for a fight.”
“Shit, you have a point.”
“That’s why I’m the smart one.
Here, put these on.” Jonah handed Dante a pair of dark glasses that sat on the
nose and covered the eyes.
“What the hell is this?”
“It's something to prevent you
from going blind when I use my flashlight,”
he added sarcastically.
“Don’t be a bitch.” With his
finger on the trigger, Dante readied himself for the fight. “There are four of
them. No way we can take all four. The net only holds two.”
“I said, watch and learn—”
“You say young grasshopper and I
will walk to the car and get the hell out of here, leaving you to fight them
off.”
“Pussy. Get the two on the right,
I’ll get the other two.”
“Pussy. Who is carrying a lame
flashlight.”
As the two marched toward Dante,
he pressed the trigger and the net shot out like a bullet, covering the two
vamps. They dropped to the ground, flopping about like fish out of water. Jonah
never tired of seeing that. He flicked the switch to give it a charge, then
pressed the button. Light shot out brighter than a flash of lightning, blinding
the two vamps. They stumbled back, then dropped to the ground, wailing like
babies that they were blind.
“Damn, dog. That is one kick ass
flashlight.” He took the glasses off and set them on the hood.
“Did you just call me dog.” Jonah set his beside Dante’s.
“Sorry. Saw it on TV. I guess it
stuck with me. I’ll deal with the whining babies.” Dante handed Jonah the
Electronet remote, then grabbed his
blade from the car and stabbed them both in the heart. “Want me to take care of
them too?”
“I’ve got it.” He took Dante’s
knife and killed one vamp. “This one we take back to Basil and he can torture
some answers out of him.”
“Good idea, dog.” Dante laughed
as he headed to the remaining vamp. “I couldn’t resist. Is this turned off?” He
pointed at the net.
“I don’t know. Why don’t you
touch it and find out?”
“You’d like that. It's all
yours.”
He so enjoyed his banter with
Dante. He pressed the button and the wire attached to the net sucked back into
the compartment, neatly bringing the net with it and sealing it in the remote.
It was a pretty damn good device if he may say so himself.
Dante lifted the vamp and slung
him over his shoulder. “Trunk.”
Jonah nodded. “Let’s hope the guy
talks.
Books available at Champagne
Publishing
Shiela’s website:
shielastewartsbooks.com
