Buccaneer #blogfest: #Fade Character Interview (aka Torturing Dace)

Banner By Cody Underwood

Today, we're interviewing a character from our novel, and I turned to my favorite people for a little help with the questions before I duct-taped Dace to a chair and made him cooperate on pain of writing him into a love triangle. He growled at me, but once I asked R how he would feel about kissing Ari, Dace decided to cooperate.

Cruel, I know, but hey, you should try getting the boy to answer a question. As my bestie would say, he's bloody irritating! Just wait, you'll see.

Me: I have a few questions to ask you.

Dace: *looks at the duct-tape wrapped around his torso and then at me, an eyebrow arched* You know this won't hold me, right?

Me: Will too.

Dace: *snorts*

Me: I'll tell Ari you wouldn't cooperate.

Dace: *mumbles* You're worse than she is.

Me: *ignores the muttering* The first question is from Corbin in Arkansas. How old are you?

Dace: Shouldn't you be writing?

Me: Dace... don't make me hurt you. I will let him kiss her.

Dace: *growls* You wouldn't.

Me: *smirks, dangling my pen in front of his face* I would.

Dace: *grumbles, giving in* I'm twenty-one.

Me: Thank you.

Dace: *ignores me* Next question?

Me: Courtney in Arkansas wants to know what you fear the most.

Dace: *scowls* Being written into a love triangle.

Me: Be serious.

Dace: I am. *speaks softly, his scowl slipping* Losing Ari would kill me, you know this. She's everything.

Me: A-

Dace: Don't you dare say aww.

Me: *bites my tongue and nods* Lisa from Ohio asks what motivates you.

Dace: *sits quietly for a minute before shifting in his seat* Fear.

Me: Fear?

Dace: Yeah, fear.

Me: Explain, please.

Dace: *tilts his head, looking at me* Fear is a damn good motivator. *laughs a little* And we have plenty to fear, don't we?

Me: *twitches, feeling guilty* Erm...

Dace: *rolls his eyes* Next question.

Me: Marita in Oklahoma wants to know what single thing in your past you would change if you could.

Dace: *sits in silence for a long time before speaking* I'd never let my father know the truth about me.

Me: *frowns* Do you think it would make a difference?

Dace: Yeah, I do.

Me: *nods* Maybe you're right.

Dace: *shrugs a shoulder* Next?

Me: What's your favorite myth?

Dace: The story of Psyche and Eros.

Me: Seriously?

Dace: *laughs* Yeah. 

Me: *shakes my head* You're a romantic.

Dace: *looks at me, not speaking*

Me: Okay, next question.

Dace: *sighs* There are more?

Me: *rolls my eyes* Yes, there are more.

Dace: Fine. *mutters something under his breath*  

Me: *ignores him* Amy in Louisiana asks, "If there could be one certainty in your future, what would you want it to be?"

Dace: *stops muttering, answering without hesitation* I'd guarantee Arionna's safety. And don't say aww again either.

Me: *holds up my hands* I wasn't going to!

Dace: *snorts, arching a brow* Your thoughts are louder than Arionna's.

Me: Yeah, yeah. Renae in Massachusetts wants to know how you would react if you were told you were going to be a hero.

Dace: I don't know, I've never thought about it.

Me: Never? Not even when-?

Dace: *shakes his head* No, not even then.

Me: Okay then.

Dace: You do what you have to do. Doesn't leave much time to think about how things might turn out. *pauses* That's not true. I do think about how I hope things turn out, but not in that way. I don't want to be a hero. I want only to keep everyone safe.

Me: Everyone?

Dace: You know what I mean. Arionna, Chelle, the wolves... *quietly* They've all lost enough.

Me: *clears my throat, fidgeting* Yeah, they have.

Dace: *gives me a grim smile* Next question?

Me: Jen in the UK wants to know what you do in your free time.

Dace: I watch old movies, hike, or read. *eyes me sideways* Not that you give me much free time.

Me: *ignores him* Mel in Missouri has two questions for you. First up, does your name have any special significance?

Dace: *shrugs* Not really. My mom picked it.

Me: You were pretty insistent on keeping it...

Dace: It's the only thing I have from her.

Me: Oh.

Dace: *moves his gaze away* Next?     

Me: What went through your mind when you realized Ari could hear your thoughts and vice versa?

Dace: Honestly?

Me: *nods* Yes, please.

Dace: I didn't know what to think. She seemed so lost and broken, and the wolf was so out of control. I wanted to protect her and kiss her at the same time.

Me: What do you think now?

Dace: *shakes his head a little* I want to protect her and kiss her at the same time. And then I want to shake her. *looks at me* You better not tell her I said that.

Me: *smirks* You compared her to a terrier. I think she knows.

Dace: *cringes* That was bad, wasn't it?

Me: *laughs* Um, yeah. A terrier, Dace? *shakes my head, giggling* You're lucky she didn't stab you.

Dace: I was frustrated! She doesn't give up. Ever.

Me: That's not a bad thing.

Dace: *expression clouds, his smile slipping* Yeah, I know. *meets my gaze, drumming is fingers on the arm of the chair* Anything else?

Me: Nope. Thank you for cooperating.

Dace: *nods* You're welcome. If R kisses her, you know I'll kill him, right?

Me: Mm-hmm. *gathers up my stuff*

Dace: Are you going to untape me?

Me: *looks over at him and shakes my head* Nope.

Dace: *growls* Ayden! Dammit.

Me: Hey, you're the one who said the tape wouldn't hold you. And you threatened to kill R. Twice!

Dace: *mutters* Don't tempt me.

Me: Don't make me tell Ari.

Dace: *rolls his eyes* Sort your face out. I won't kill him unless he kisses her.

Me: *stops as his words register, suddenly nervous* You did not just say that.

Dace: *smirks at me* I know what Jen teaches you in your free time.

Me: Crap. *blushes, holding up the scissors* Truce?

Dace: Truce.

*wipes my brow* Phew! Be grateful he doesn't live in your head, loves. The boy is a menace. And he really does not fight fair. *grumbles*

Thanks to everyone who submitted questions for our irritating wayward T.A.! And my apologies to everyone in the blogfest for being so slow at responding to comments and getting over to your blog. I'm taking vacation next week, so the boss-lady and family have decided to keep me insanely busy until then. *flails*

xoxo,

A.K.M.