Characterfest interview #18 with Theo and Tara Fox Hall

A huge THANK YOU to Bitten by Paranormal Romance for having me here today at Characterfest!

Here with us today to answer a few questions is Theo O’Connor of Tara Fox Hall’s Promise Me series.

THEO: Before we begin, I would appreciate you keeping the questions aimed toward me, not my employer, Danial Racklan.

Q: In your relationships with others, Theo, how are you different with family than you are with friends? Why?

THEO: I lost my family when I was attacked and turned into a werecougar in Adirondack State Park close to ten years ago. I don’t have any other family now, other than Danial, and some of his other bodyguards, who are my good friends.

THEO: I trust no one besides Danial, and the other guards he’s had for a few years. In my experience, you can’t trust someone you don’t know, and you can’t really know someone you just met. First impressions are useful, yes. I can always tell what new hires we have that are going to be long term, and which aren’t going to be able to take the constant violence that being a vampire’s guard entails. I’m not as disposed to trust as I used to be. Trust has to be earned.

Q:  How do you decide if you can trust someone? Experience with others? with this person? First impressions? Intuition? Do you test the person somehow? Or are you just generally disposed to trust or not to trust?

THEO: I trust no one besides Danial, and the other guards he’s had for a few years. In my experience, you can’t trust someone you don’t know, and you can’t really know someone you just met. First impressions are useful, yes. I can always tell what new hires we have that are going to be long term, and which aren’t going to be able to take the constant violence that being a vampire’s guard entails. I’m not as disposed to trust as I used to be. Trust has to be earned.

Q:

This is a romance site, Theo. Give me a little more to work with, okay?

THEO: Ask a question about sex, and I’ll give you an earful.

Q: :  When you walk into a room, what do you notice first? Second?

THEO: I check for the body language of the people in the room, their positions, and how they react to Danial as he enters the room. I have to be ready to defend him before he’s attacked, not after. Danial usually attracts attention, and those that don’t react to him usually are enemies waiting for a chance to strike. Secondly, I check for the nearest exit and the easiest path to it. Vampires can’t turn into bats or fog, and some of the new weapons, like explosive bullets, can be a problem. I need to be able to get us out of there in a hurry, in the event of an assassination attempt.

Q: Does that happen often?

THEO: Not often. I’m an excellent marksman.

 Q: So no one in the press has ever remarked on the body count you tend to leave behind you and Danial?

THEO: I only give 

warnings once. Another question like that, and this interview is over.

Q: Describe yourself to me.

THEO: I’m a blonde, blue-eyed, and fairly tall man in his mid-thirties. I’m pretty muscular, because I work out regularly with weights. I’m from Irish stock a few generations back, if you couldn’t tell from my name. I’ve been called handsome.

Q:  Which of your characteristics do you consider are your strengths? 

Do you share any of these traits with any of your good friends?

THEO: I’m very strong, because of being were, which is obviously something I have I common with the werefoxes that help me to guard Danial. I’m good with a gun, as I already said. I try never to lie, though often I have to, because we live in the real world. Everyone thinks a werecougar is cool, but no one wants one living next door to them. I have to hide what I am from everyone. That’s one thing Danial and I have in common. Deception is a tool most vampires use regularly. I mean, how can they not, having to hide what they are.  But I don’t like to play games and deceive people, especially not friends. I try to be very up front about my feelings, and where I stand on issues. I also try very hard to always do what’s right. I didn’t get a lot of justice in my life, either before or after turning werecougar. It’s important to me that I always try to do what’s right. That’s another value Danial and I have in common.

Q: You asked me not to inquire about Danial, but you’ve brought him up twice.

THEO: It’s hard not to, with how close we’ve been for the last ten years. He saved my life, when I thought it was pretty much over. I don’t forget something like that. And I value our friendship as one of the most important things in my life. (For the story of how Danial and Theo met, see “Partners,” a short story in the vampire-themed anthology Midnight Thirsts 2 – Ed.)

Q: What's is the most important thing in your life? What do you value most?

THEO: I’m in love with a woman. She’s the most important thing in my life. I planned never to tell her, because she belonged to someone else. All I could do was try my best to protect her, so she could be happy with the man she loved.

Q: You mean Sarelle, Danial’s Oathed One, correct?

THEO: So you read the latest installment of my life. Did you enjoy the lurid sex scene? Broken Promise

, opens it, and begins reading>

                That night I dreamed of Theo, of our scene at the door. Instead of keeping quiet, this time I spoke. “Theo,” I said softly. “Don’t go.”

He went still, the open door in his hand. He turned in a lunge and was holding me before I knew he’d moved, pushing me to the floor as we fumbled with our clothes. He kissed me roughly, as he threw off his jacket and tore off his shirt. His chest was covered in soft golden hair, and I ran my fingers through it, splaying them across his skin. He groaned at my touch, and shuddered. He rolled off me to take off his pants, and I shed mine too, pulling my tank top and sport bra over my head. He was on me again in a few seconds, kissing me, touching my breasts. He was hard all over, coiled muscle and warm skin. I felt the weight of him on me lessen as he pushed up from me, felt his fingers sliding into me, moving inside me. I thrust up, meeting his eyes. I’d never seen them so dark, like the sky at twilight. I put my arms around his neck, and pulled him down to kiss me deeply. I opened my mouth to him, licking him eagerly. He almost crushed me then, his arms on either side of me, his body fully atop mine.

            I felt him against my leg, nudging me, and I opened my legs so he could slide between them. He wasn’t gentle. He thrust himself into me hard, and I cried out. He found his rhythm quickly, hammering himself into me as his mouth devoured mine. In a few seconds, it was over as he roared out his pleasure, his straining body suddenly going limp on mine.

            I drew a shaky breath. Theo rolled over on his back, holding me tightly. His chest rose and fell beneath me. I felt his heartbeat again with my fingertips, strong and fast. Then the magnitude of what I’d done hit me, and I began to cry.

            “Sar, please don’t cry,” Theo said gently. 

            I cried harder.

            He picked me up, brought me into my bedroom, and laid me beneath the covers. He got in beside me and held me. I got myself under control in a few moments.

            “Sar, was I that bad?” Theo said, humor in his eyes.

            “Theo, how can you joke now of all times, after we just—” I started.

            Theo rolled me over, laying his form atop mine again. He stayed there, motionless, then moved his hips once, suggestively rubbing. He kissed me roughly, and I let myself melt against the heat of him, parting my thighs. He slid inside me at once, and I let out a whimper. He stopped abruptly, his eyes staring into mine.

            “Sar, do you know how long I’ve wanted to be with you like this, just like this? To feel you under me, surrounding me? I was able to deny it, knowing you didn’t love me, that you would never touch me in any way that might be other than friendly. That you would reject me, and be shocked if I told you how I felt. But when you kissed me, I couldn’t stand it any longer, to have you so close and not to touch you. It was so hard for me, seeing you every day, and knowing you were Danial’s. That there would never come a time when we would be like this.”

            “When you were bleeding, and you asked me to change you, to make you like I was…I was going to do it, Sar. If Dr. Camlyn hadn’t come in, I was going to do it, even though Danial would have been enraged. Because once it was done, it couldn’t be undone. Because if you were werecougar like me, then Danial would probably release you from your oath. He hates the taste of were blood. There are no other werecougars in the Northeast, Sar, none. Even if you felt nothing for me when you were human, once I’d changed you, your new nature would draw you to me, want me as male to your female. Then, even if you didn’t love me, I could be with you.” His eyes looked down into mine, and he said softly, “I’m in love with you, Sar.”

That should be something your readers will enjoy.

That should be something your readers will enjoy.

Q:   I did enjoy that scene, especially your love confession. So will others. We were all rooting for you, you know.

THEO: I don’t know what to say. I didn’t expect that. Don’t readers always want the vampire to be the love interest?

Q: Not always. Now, will you talk to readers about the events of epilogue, particularly the phone call regarding—?

THEO: NO. You’ve got one more question. Make it good.

Q: How do you feel about your life right now? What, if anything, would you like to change?

THEO: I wish that somehow I’d met Sarelle first, so we could have gotten to know each other without Danial in the picture. I wished I’d understood what that dream I had of her meant when I first had it, not months later. I wished I’d thought things through more, before confronting Danial. I wanted to protect Sarelle, and instead I let her get hurt. But I was man enough to tell her I loved her, and not just in dreams. I can’t change the past, or undo what I did. But with Sarelle at my side, I’m hopeful for the future. She’s said she loves me. Nothing else matters. And this interview is over.

Tara’s Links:

Website: www.tarafoxhall.com

Email: tarafoxhallATgmailDOTcom

Tara's Blog: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5286654.Tara_Fox_Hall/blog

Tara's Facebook Page:

 www.facebook.com/pages/Tara-Fox-Hall/151813374904903

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/TerrorFoxHall

For info on my recently published books Lash and Promise Me, click here: http://www.amazon.com/Lash-ebook/dp/B007UJ6KGC and here http://www.amazon.com/Promise-Me-ebook/dp/B0086G4GDC

Goodreads page:  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5286654.Tara_Fox_Hall

Melange Books page: www.melange-books.com/authors/tarafoxhall/tarafoxhall.html

Manic readers page: http://www.manicreaders.com/TaraFoxHall/

Bradley Publishing Page: http://www.bradleypublishings.com/Tara_Fox_Hall.php

Tara's giveaway is for two lucky winners one winner will receive a print copy of Promise Me plus a pen and several bookmarks 

 The other winner will receive Promise Me T-Shirt (large) plus a pen and several bookmarks.

USA entries only, please leave a comment or a question below to enter along with your email.