Roundtable Discussion:
(Reece, Damian, Wedge, and Hecate (from the Wolf’s Bane series) are questioned by Pete, a detective who works with them on odd cases):
Pete: I’m just curious. I work with you guys when things get to be too much for normal detectives, and I appreciate your help. But how old are you? How long have you done this?
Damian: I’m not sure when my artist carved me, but he went against tradition. Early gargoyles looked grotesque to frighten evil spirits away from their cathedrals. By the time my friends and I were carved, our artists used marble and alabaster, but they decided to make us less fearsome. I think we must have been carved before 1500, but it took another hundred years of the city breathing life into us before we became who we are. And the city loved us, so we born from beauty. Benito and I defended Rome for centuries against supernaturals who abused their power and gifts. Then we were sent to your New World in the 1800’s.
Pete: So you missed the Revolutionary War?
Damian: That would have held no interest to us. We don’t involve ourselves in mortal matters. We only defend mortals from supernaturals who’d harm them.
Pete looks at Wedge: And you?
Wedge: I was probably born about the same time that Damian moved here from Europe. My dad was an explorer. He made it to Oregon when he was attacked by a werewolf, and another werewolf drove the rogue away and saved him. The old Indian shapeshifter lived close to us. He helped my father with his transition and taught him how to control his inner wolf. When my mother got pregnant, the old Indian didn’t shift her until her ninth month, so that I’d be born a werewolf. I’ve always been able to shift with ease. My brothers and sisters didn’t get so lucky. Only four survived the change—one brother and three sisters. They stayed in Oregon and are part of my dad’s pack.
Pete frowns: You live as a regular mortal, trying not to call attention to yourself. That has to get tricky.
Wedge: I have to keep changing identity and shifting money and careers. For a while, I kept getting drafted and served in too many wars. I’m better at living with mortals now, at transitioning from one generation to the next.
Pete looks at Hecate: Do witches live that long?
Hecate: I’m older than Damian. I lived through the Dark Ages and was lucky to survive the witch hunts. Mortals showed their ugly sides then, and warlocks called on demons to walk the earth. It wasn’t the best part of history. Be glad you missed it.
Pete: When did you come to America?
Hecate, her voice grim: Just in time for the Salem witch trials. I haven’t had much luck with religions until I met Father Daniel. No white witch could ever be as evil as fervid believers. If any of those stupid people had captured a real witch, they wouldn’t have survived to hang or burn her.
Pete looks a little surprised, but doesn’t argue. He turns to Reece: You were just recently changed, right?
Reece nods: I didn’t know I was a witch until a werewolf pinned me to my SUV and the bloodred hexagram stained itself into my skin. Hecate had to teach me how to use my magic. And Damian helped train me…and kept me alive when the rogues attacked.
Pete turns serious: I’m curious. Why defend mortals? Why do you care?
Damian: We were carved to be guardians. That’s all we know.
Wedge: What’s the alternative? Mortals outnumber us. If rogues call too much attention to us, and people start to fear us, they’ll hunt us until we’re extinct. Hell, you do that to animals you LIKE. Humans aren’t all that thoughtful. You react or overlook or forget. You’re carelessly selfish, destroying habitats and then regretting it.
Pete grimaces: Hecate? You like mortals. Why?
She shrugs: I feel more mortal than witch. I have the same emotions, look the same, and hurt the same as humans. I don’t age, but I can die if someone harms me. Most mortals try to be good. I sympathize with them and admire their efforts to be strong when they feel weak, to be kind when they feel threatened, and to laugh when they’re miserable. Mortals face terrible odds and still try to shoulder on.
Pete: Okay, this sounds frivolous, but how do you guys stay faithful to one person century after century?
He looks at Reece. She raises her hands in defeat: I’m new at this, but I can’t imagine life without Damian. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of him.
Damian shrugs, too: I’ve never taken a mate until I met Reece, so I’m new at this, too.
Hecate laughs at them: I’ve never been faithful. I take partners when I desire them and move on when I’m bored, but that’s going to take a while with Andre. I’ve never met anyone like him.
Pete looks to Wedge: I think you’re the only one who’s been with the same partner one generation after another.
Wedge smiles: My mom and dad are still together. So is the old Indian and his wife. You’ve met Maggie. How could anyone walk away from her? We just keep getting better.
Pete glances at his watch and sighs: I’ve gotta go soon, but I have to ask. Do you ever get tired of it all? Do the years get to be too much?
Wedge laughs and looks at Damian: I haven’t had a chance to retire yet, have you? The challenges just keep coming. I’m waiting for the time to stretch on my front porch at night and howl at the moon.
Damian grins: Things haven’t slowed down yet. Mankind still needs us. If I ever get time off, it will take years before I get bored.
Hecate nods agreement: Mankind keeps evolving, and it hasn’t gotten old watching them yet.
Pete stands to leave: Take care, friends.
They watch him leave, then Wedge says: Their lives are so fleeting, but they know that. I wish him the best. He’s one of the good ones.
The rest of them nod, and they walk out together to go their separate ways. For now.
(Reece, Damian, Wedge, and Hecate (from the Wolf’s Bane series) are questioned by Pete, a detective who works with them on odd cases):
Pete: I’m just curious. I work with you guys when things get to be too much for normal detectives, and I appreciate your help. But how old are you? How long have you done this?
Damian: I’m not sure when my artist carved me, but he went against tradition. Early gargoyles looked grotesque to frighten evil spirits away from their cathedrals. By the time my friends and I were carved, our artists used marble and alabaster, but they decided to make us less fearsome. I think we must have been carved before 1500, but it took another hundred years of the city breathing life into us before we became who we are. And the city loved us, so we born from beauty. Benito and I defended Rome for centuries against supernaturals who abused their power and gifts. Then we were sent to your New World in the 1800’s.
Pete: So you missed the Revolutionary War?
Damian: That would have held no interest to us. We don’t involve ourselves in mortal matters. We only defend mortals from supernaturals who’d harm them.
Pete looks at Wedge: And you?
Wedge: I was probably born about the same time that Damian moved here from Europe. My dad was an explorer. He made it to Oregon when he was attacked by a werewolf, and another werewolf drove the rogue away and saved him. The old Indian shapeshifter lived close to us. He helped my father with his transition and taught him how to control his inner wolf. When my mother got pregnant, the old Indian didn’t shift her until her ninth month, so that I’d be born a werewolf. I’ve always been able to shift with ease. My brothers and sisters didn’t get so lucky. Only four survived the change—one brother and three sisters. They stayed in Oregon and are part of my dad’s pack.
Pete frowns: You live as a regular mortal, trying not to call attention to yourself. That has to get tricky.
Wedge: I have to keep changing identity and shifting money and careers. For a while, I kept getting drafted and served in too many wars. I’m better at living with mortals now, at transitioning from one generation to the next.
Pete looks at Hecate: Do witches live that long?
Hecate: I’m older than Damian. I lived through the Dark Ages and was lucky to survive the witch hunts. Mortals showed their ugly sides then, and warlocks called on demons to walk the earth. It wasn’t the best part of history. Be glad you missed it.
Pete: When did you come to America?
Hecate, her voice grim: Just in time for the Salem witch trials. I haven’t had much luck with religions until I met Father Daniel. No white witch could ever be as evil as fervid believers. If any of those stupid people had captured a real witch, they wouldn’t have survived to hang or burn her.
Pete looks a little surprised, but doesn’t argue. He turns to Reece: You were just recently changed, right?
Reece nods: I didn’t know I was a witch until a werewolf pinned me to my SUV and the bloodred hexagram stained itself into my skin. Hecate had to teach me how to use my magic. And Damian helped train me…and kept me alive when the rogues attacked.
Pete turns serious: I’m curious. Why defend mortals? Why do you care?
Damian: We were carved to be guardians. That’s all we know.
Wedge: What’s the alternative? Mortals outnumber us. If rogues call too much attention to us, and people start to fear us, they’ll hunt us until we’re extinct. Hell, you do that to animals you LIKE. Humans aren’t all that thoughtful. You react or overlook or forget. You’re carelessly selfish, destroying habitats and then regretting it.
Pete grimaces: Hecate? You like mortals. Why?
She shrugs: I feel more mortal than witch. I have the same emotions, look the same, and hurt the same as humans. I don’t age, but I can die if someone harms me. Most mortals try to be good. I sympathize with them and admire their efforts to be strong when they feel weak, to be kind when they feel threatened, and to laugh when they’re miserable. Mortals face terrible odds and still try to shoulder on.
Pete: Okay, this sounds frivolous, but how do you guys stay faithful to one person century after century?
He looks at Reece. She raises her hands in defeat: I’m new at this, but I can’t imagine life without Damian. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of him.
Damian shrugs, too: I’ve never taken a mate until I met Reece, so I’m new at this, too.
Hecate laughs at them: I’ve never been faithful. I take partners when I desire them and move on when I’m bored, but that’s going to take a while with Andre. I’ve never met anyone like him.
Pete looks to Wedge: I think you’re the only one who’s been with the same partner one generation after another.
Wedge smiles: My mom and dad are still together. So is the old Indian and his wife. You’ve met Maggie. How could anyone walk away from her? We just keep getting better.
Pete glances at his watch and sighs: I’ve gotta go soon, but I have to ask. Do you ever get tired of it all? Do the years get to be too much?
Wedge laughs and looks at Damian: I haven’t had a chance to retire yet, have you? The challenges just keep coming. I’m waiting for the time to stretch on my front porch at night and howl at the moon.
Damian grins: Things haven’t slowed down yet. Mankind still needs us. If I ever get time off, it will take years before I get bored.
Hecate nods agreement: Mankind keeps evolving, and it hasn’t gotten old watching them yet.
Pete stands to leave: Take care, friends.
They watch him leave, then Wedge says: Their lives are so fleeting, but they know that. I wish him the best. He’s one of the good ones.
The rest of them nod, and they walk out together to go their separate ways. For now.
