An Interview with Three Vampires: Laura Wright meets the Roman Brothers

Laura Wright and the three Roman Brothers from her Mark of the Vampire series talk blood, biting – and Bridget Jones . . .

When I told the boys that we were doing this interview for the ladies and gents in the UK, they were pretty insistent about actually conducting the interview in the UK. So, in true Roman brothers style, they pulled me into their arms and flashed me to London . . .

. . . Right now we seem to be in a pub, lots of brick, darkly lit, and, as I look around at the other patrons inhabiting the space, I’m starting to think I’m not with the only vampires in the room. And when the server places four glasses of blood at our table, I’m pretty sure of it.

At least I think it’s blood. Unless they serve V-8 here.

I lean down and give the contents of the cup a quick sniff.

Nope. Not V-8.I look up at the three of them, Alexander, Nicholas and Lucian sitting shoulder to shoulder in chairs across the table from me. They’re tall, broad shouldered, intimidatingly handsome, and right now they’re grinning like jackasses. Which usually means they’re going to put me through the ringer.

I think seriously of getting up and leaving. But where would I go? I’m not sure where I am, and unless I can borrow some cash and a passport from someone to buy a plane ticket home, I’m just going to have to go with the flow here.

Alexander nods at the glass sitting before me: Come on now. Drink Up, Writer Lady.

Nicholas: It’s about time you tried our brand of fire water.

Nicholas is grinning at me. I don’t grin back.

Laura: I’ll pass.

Nicholas: Suit yourself, but you’re missing out. This is an aged O Negative. Really rare. Can’t remember the last time we had—

Alexander jumps in: Ten years ago. This very pub.

Nicholas: Oh yeah! Christ. You remember that night, Alex?

Alexander snorts: Do I remember it? That was the night Lucian got us kicked out of a movie!

I sit forward in my seat. I’m interested now. Nothing better than a scandal, especially when it doesn’t involve me. Plus, the boys normally don’t go to the movie theatre. The talking and eating and breathing around them usually makes them want to drain someone of life. They do their movies at home in front of a flat screen instead.

I turn to look at Lucian, who looks bored.

Laura: Lucian, you got them kicked out of a movie?

He sneers at me. It’s a good look on him.

Lucian: Are you going to drink that?

He’s staring at my glass of O Negative. I shake my head, lips pressed under my teeth, then push it right into his waiting hand.

He fists the glass and drinks down the contents in one gulp.

Lucian: Smooth.

I have to close my eyes for a second to stop the gag reflex working in my throat.

Laura: So you guys were at the movies and then what happened?

Nicholas chuckles: Not just a movie. A fracking premiere!

Laura: No!

Alexander nods.

Laura: What movie was it?

Alexander shrugs: Some woman’s diary . . . I can’t remember. We barely got half way—

Laura: <screaming> BRIDGET JONES’S DIARY???

Lucian eyes me over his refilled glass: What’s wrong with you?

Nicholas: I think she has jet lag.

I open my mouth but nothing comes out. I’m about to faint. Seriously, if these guys went to the premiere of BJD and saw Colin Firth in the flesh and a): didn’t tell me about it until now; and b): didn’t tell me about it until now, I may truly faint. After I bite each and every one of them!

Nicholas: The movie was pretty lacking. No blades, no cuffs. I don’t remember much—

Bite, I think. BIG bite! Right in the leg.

Nicholas: But what I do remember is Luca here going to town on some female’s neck.

I whirl to face Lucian.

Laura: Is this true, Lucian?

Lucian shrugs: She bit me first.

Oh god.

Alexander: Problem wasn’t the biting. Problem was she had a date with her. And the guy didn’t appreciate Blondie here all up on his female.

Lucian snorts: She appreciated it.

Nicholas: She passed out in your lap.

Laura: So what happened? Why did you get kicked out?

Alexander: The boyfriend wanted to take Luca outside and teach him a lesson. Luca refused.

Lucian looks unabashed: I asked him to give me five minutes. We weren’t done, and it would’ve been impolite—

Okay. I’ve had enough. Every interview starts off with good intentions and ends up in the gutter.

Laura: Can we go home now? This is all getting a little too Sex and the City with fangs for me. We’ll finish up our interview tomorrow.

All three shook their heads at me.

Alexander: Not until you finish what’s in your glass there, Writer Lady.

I look down. Lucian had drunk my blood, but my glass has been refilled without me knowing and without my consent and is sitting right in front of me again. I shake my head.

Laura: Not going to happen.

Grinning, they get up from the table.

Laura: Not going to happen, you guys!

Nicholas: Just taste it. Didn’t your mother say it’s important to try everything.

Laura: No.

Lucian grins like a cat: You try it, and I might tell you all about the Firth chap.

I almost faint.

Lucian grins: He was sitting in front of me.

Laura: Shut up.

Laughing, they leave me, and head over to a pool table in the corner.

My heart in my throat, I glance down at my glass. Aged O Negative, eh?

Oh boy, this is going to be a long night.

Eternal Blood, a novella by Laura Wright, is available from Piatkus Entice now