Interview with Jorick – Part 2

I had so many questions that I had to break Jorick’s interview up into two parts! You can read part one here. 

Hello! And welcome to the weekend Amaranthine interviews where YOU ask the questions!

Normally I conduct these interviews myself, but today I need a little help. There’s no way Jorick is going to answer these questions on his own, so I’ve asked Wolfe, the head of the Scharfrichter in Munich, to step in with one of the many secret “weapons” the Sodalitas has been cooking up in their dungeon laboratory – a truth serum. I’m going to distract Jorick while Wolfe administers – shhhh. Here he comes.

Jo: Hello Jorick! It’s nice to see you came.

J: Did I have a choice?

Jo: Of course you – Now! Now!

J: Huh?

Wolfe: *stab*inject*

J: *knocks Wolfe away* Stumbles* What in the hell?

W: This may make him unsteady. The serum has not been perfected yet.

J: Serum? What serum? What have you done?

Jo: Me? Nothing. I’m innocent in this. I think I’d better go find help. Oh woe, oh woe! *shoves list of questions at Wolfe* Why don’t you read him these while I look?
W: What?

Jo: *disappears with a cackle*

W: This is not what I agreed to.

J: *sways on feet* I swear I will kill-

W: Yes, yes. Sit down. *shoves Jorick in a chair*. Apparently our author has given this interview to me. How charming. I imagine she’ll return with “help” when I’ve asked the final question. The sooner we start, the sooner this can be finished. Still, this is an interesting trial. I’ll try a test question to see if the serum has taken effect yet. Ranena asks “boxers or briefs?”

J: Neither. *looks concerned, then relaxes* No matter. I think Katelina answered that question before.

W: Before? The readers ask questions like that routinely?

J: Just wait until your interview.

W: I don’t have one scheduled. Luckily no one voted for me. On to the next question. Alicia has asked, “Jorick what do you really have against Verchiel?”

J: I don’t mind answering that without a serum. He’s a sneaky, irritating, underhanded, toady. Everyone forgets that when we first met him he was on assignment hunting down Katelina and I. He called the human police and had me arrested. He then stuck me with The Guild’s official lawyer, which I had to pay for. Following that, he kidnapped Katelina and dragged her cross country to The Guild with every intention of handing her over to Malick! And that’s just the beginning. From there he attacked her, had what amounted to sex with her in the dungeon while Malick watched, then befriended her, again under orders, so that Malick would always have access to her, and could control me through her. Do I really need to go on?

W: That’s sufficient for me. Dawn has asked, “What do you think everyone’s favorite red head really wants with Katelina?”

 

Check out Jorick’s guest appearance in the FREE short story

J: I think he wants revenge. Kateesha created him then abandoned him to join myself and Malick. I may not have been able to read Kateesha’s mind, but I know about her obsession. No doubt he knew about it too. He was left alone to stew in it for over two hundred years before he finally swallowed his pride and followed her. He was either never reunited with her, or else he met her briefly and was dismissed. I don’t know which, but both scenarios are enough to add fuel to the fire. I believe he’s using Katelina’s naïve trust to get close enough to her that he can finally get the revenge he’s been longing for since Kateesha left him for me. I’m willing to appear civil to him because the obvious tension is causing trouble between Katelina and myself, but I will never relax.

 

W: Interesting. I hadn’t connected the histories. I suppose I could see such a thing. You believe his friendly, forgiving nature is a sham?

J: Of course. The cheerful exterior is hiding something dark. I only hope I can get Katelina away from him before the truth is revealed.

W: I understood that the real reason he was attached to your mate is that she drank from his maker’s heart, so they shared a blood bond.

J: That may complicate things, but so would the fact that Katelina is the one who *killed* his master.

W: An interesting point. It sets him up to be either a tragic hero or an undercover villain. Interesting. Laura has asked, “And why does Verchiel feeding from Katelina upset you the most?”

J: We’ll forgo the fact that he tackled her to the ground and ripped through her flesh to drink her blood, and go straight to the Euphoric part where-

W: *looks bored* Yes, you mentioned that already. I don’t enjoy arguing with your puritanical American senses, but such things are likely to happen with an unguarded human.

J: I did everything short of tie her to a chair to keep that from happening. As for puritanical-

W: Yes, yes. On a new topic, Laura asks, “Jorick, why do you treat Katelina like she’s such a baby?”

J: I find it amusing you choose to ask that question, Wolfe, after you as much as lecture me for not guarding her closely enough.

W: It’s not my question, I read them in the order our author listed them. Personally, I found it odd you chose not to turn her right away. You had revealed yourself, and the rest of vampiredom to her, so she either had to become a vampire or, if things did not work between you, be given to another master or destroyed.

J: And is it any better once they’re turned? If things don’t work out you’re chained to a fledgling – and in her case a fledgling who didn’t want to be a fledgling.

W: Hardly. Masters abandon fledglings all the time. My point is simply that, far from treating her like a baby, I believe you were lax. You should never have allowed her to visit the Stronghold, or taken her on assignments, or anything of that nature until you were sure.

J: I was sure. She was the one who wasn’t.

W: All right, until she was sure, then. Laura also asks, “Jorick are you ever going to ask Katelina to marry you? Are you really sure she is the one for you?”

J: Yes, I’m sure. As for marriage, I don’t think Katelina would be receptive to that.

 

Read about Jorick and Velnya’s wedding in a FREE short story on Wattpad!

W: I sympathize. Getting Sadihra to the altar was an experience in itself. Cora wants to know, “You keep many things from Katelina. Is it to protect her or you?”

 

J: Both of us. Is any relationship different? Do you tell Sadihra every thought that pops into your head? Everything you’ve ever done? Every conversation you’ve ever had?

W: Obviously not. Along the same lines, Amy asks, “Are you hiding anything else from her that you are afraid would damage your relationship or her trust in you, or that you aren’t telling her ‘for her own good?’”

J: I believe she knows everything important.

W: *frowns* Perhaps you need a booster of the serum. A test question, Laura has asked, “What worries you most about Katelina having Samuels blood?”

J: He’s older than me, and stronger than me, so his bond is likely to be stronger, too. If he calls her to join him will she be able to resist? I’ve tried time and again to explain to her the strength and importance of blood bonds and she doesn’t understand. If she did; if she would acknowledge it, then I wouldn’t worry, but by refusing to see it she opens herself up to being controlled by it.

W: Hmmmm. That wasn’t much of a test. Perhaps this. Dawn has asked, “Do you think Samael will try and take Katelina for himself?”

J: Not in a romantic sense, but he may use her for something else.

W: Laura has also asked, “Jorick why are you so afraid of Katelina being able to contact Samael?”

J: I worry about what passes during these conversations. When a human drinks from a vampire, or a vampire from a human, the vampire doesn’t get the emotional attachment that the human does. Katelina has a bond with him, but he has no attachment to her past what he claims is gratitude. He has no feelings for her, no involuntary bond. There is nothing to stop Samael from commanding her to step in front of him and take the brunt of Lilith’s attack, the way Malick used Traven. There’s nothing to stop him from putting her in danger, and because she refuses to acknowledge their bond, she’ll not only go, but die believing it was her choice.

W: It is an interesting situation. I can understand why the Sodalitas wanted to study it. Cora has asked, “Are you afraid of Samuel?”

J: I would be stupid not to be. *looks irritated*

 

W: An answer you did not wish to admit. I believe we can finally say the serum is working. Good. Kathy asks, “How do you feel about Micah being Katelina’s master?”

 

J: Not thrilled.

W: Kathy has also asked, “Are you mad at Micah?”

J: No. *looks really irritated* I mean not at the moment *looks furious* What have you done?

W: I told you, it’s a truth serum. Ranena has asked, “Are you secretly glad Katelina is now a vampire and was turned by Micah and not Verchiel, especially the way that it had to be done?”

J: Yes. I’m glad she’s immortal. I’d have rather she started that way, though I already told you why she didn’t. And, if it came to a choice between Micah and the idiot, then I’d rather it was Micah. I can kill him easily if he steps out of line as her master. And, though he is a moron, Micah is not one for subterfuge or clever revenge plans. He lacks class and subtlety, so his intentions are obvious. He turned Katelina because she was dying and he didn’t know what else to do. There was no thought beyond that knee jerk reaction. He’s using the blood debt to train her because he’s said for some time that she needed training. He also trained Loren, and I’m sure he’s teaching Katelina’s human a thing or two right now. He enjoys it.

W: Alicia has asked, “Jorick, what abilities do you wish for Katelina?”

J: If by abilities she means vampire abilities, then the ability to protect herself, which I believe she’s inherited already. I also wish she could understand the blood connection and see through Verchiel’s ploy.

W: Potential ploy.

J: Ploy.

 

“Boxers or briefs?” In the world of paper dolls he has boxers – and some cool clothes you can dress him up in.

W: If you insist. Only two questions left. Amy has asked, “Are there any other reasons besides the blood bonds that she shares with others that you are so insecure in your relationship with Katelina?”

 

J: It’s not the bonds themselves, though those are worrying, but her refusal to acknowledge and understand them. Her naivety is worrisome, not just when it comes to blood bonds, but in her determination to trust a friendly face. She’s immortal, not indestructible. I’m not insecure that she’ll be unfaithful or leave me for another man, but that she’ll end up dead; lured by a bond she doesn’t understand or suckered into a scenario by someone she thought was her friend.

W: Understandable. Luckily for me, Sadihra is suspicious by nature. The last question is from Christine. “Jorick I love that you are more openly affectionate in book 8 to Katelina, what caused the change?”

J: The burden of Malick is finally lifted. Since the moment I met her I’ve had to worry that Malick would find a way to interfere. I admit that at first I didn’t realize he was the one I was worried about; rather I worried that fate would take her away, but after Verchiel dragged her to The Guild I realized that it was never fate that destroyed everyone I cared for, but Malick, and that he was only biding his time to do it again. He killed her – or had her killed – and if Micah hadn’t been there she would be dead right now. Period. With Malick gone, I am free. As I said, I suspect Verchiel, I worry about Samael, but I KNEW that Malick would try to destroy her. Suspicion and worry weight a lot less on one’s shoulders than knowledge.

W: I’d say I pity the burden of your master, but we all suffered in one degree or another at our maker’s whims.

Jo: *reappears* Hello! I’ve got the serum’s antidote!

J: Isn’t that convenient.

Jo: I thought so. Thanks, Wolfe, for handling this interview, and I also want to thank everyone who submitted questions. Be sure to check out the post where you can leave a question for next week’s victim – erm, interviewee – Micah!

And thanks again for stopping by! Now, hold still Jorick…

Posted by Joleene Naylor on April 24, 2016

https://joleenenaylor.wordpress.com/2016/04/24/interview-with-jorick-part-2/