The Midnight Breed Series Companion Part 26

Why are the warriors so disrespected? I don't understand why the protectors of the race, not to mention some of the oldest, are looked down upon by the Darkhavens. Thank you for your service from this human who appreciates when somebody is out there trying to save our lives.

-Liz F., Springfield, MO USA (Nods tightly, clearly uncomfortable with the praise or the grat.i.tude) Let them disrespect us. We get the job done, and we do it our way. I don't hear anyone complaining about us when the bullets and blood are flying. If anyone disrespects our methods, let them come out to the front lines and take the heat alongside us.

Exactly how do you decide who can be part of the Order? Why did you decide on Kade and Brock and not some Darkhaven youth? Are there tests that must be pa.s.sed to join the Order?

-Diane Y., Toms River, NJ USA Darkhaven youth as a warrior? (tries and fails to stifle a smirk) The Order's not an equal opportunity employer, and I make no apologies for that. Our new recruits come in through recommendation by one of the warriors, or they're hand-picked by yours truly. We put them through some paces, take them out on a patrol or two, see what they're made of. The ones who're still standing come daybreak make it to another round. Sooner or later, the wheat separates from the chaff. Then I decide who stays and who goes.

Can a vampire be changed back to a human?

-Tiffany M., Port Arthur, TX USA Can a cat be changed back into a frog? Different animal altogether. Same with Breed and humans. No changes, no returns.

Why does Lucan not utilize the Breedmates with active powers to help with the fight? I know they need to be protected but it seems that so many of them could be used to help their mates.

-Tiffany S., APO, AE USA I'm not gonna be the one to call Niko's mate to the front lines of combat, but if Renata-or any of the other women of the Order-want to contribute to our missions, they can and do. They've got a pretty decent track record so far too. If you need a refresher, check out Veil of Midnight, Ashes of Midnight, Taken by Midnight, and Darker After Midnight.

What has happened in your life or continues to happen, Lucan, to make you so angry all the time? Even with Gabrielle in the beginning, you seem angry! You act as if you need her so much, but even that makes you seem angry!

-Lynn K., Willards, MD USA (snarls) Why do you think I'm angry? Do I look angry to you? (brow furrows deeper, growl curls up from back of his throat) For f.u.c.k's sake, I am not angry all the time. (glowers as Gideon barely suppresses a chortle) What's the deal, asking about my feelings for Gabrielle, anyway? Do I need to come right out in front of everyone here and say I need her? h.e.l.l, yeah, I need her. I love her, d.a.m.n it! And why the h.e.l.l do I have so many questions when everyone else in this Q&A session only has one or two?

:::Lara hastily steps into the room now::: Oookay, thank you for partic.i.p.ating today, Lucan. Moving on! Who's up next?

MIRA.

Did you ever wish that looking in your eyes didn't tell the future?

-Christian W., Keansburg, NJ USA Yes. Almost every day I wished for that. But it's better now.

NATHAN.

Did you meet with any of your half-brothers, e.g. the ones that were rescued along with your mother (and their mothers) by the Order?

-Julia H., Duisburg, Germany No, I haven't met any of them. Pretty sure I've seen some of them around Boston and elsewhere, though.

How many people have you a.s.sa.s.sinated in your short life before your mother and Hunter found you?

-Shannon C., West Yarmouth, MA USA A lot. Taking the time or attention to count them wasn't part of my training.

NIKOLAI.

How did Niko get into designing cool weapons and ammo for the Order?

-Rachel S., Tampa, FL USA Why is Rachel S. from Tampa speaking to me in third person? (grins, showing his twin dimples) Remember, I was born and raised in Siberia during the height of the Cold War era. Weapons and ammo were my teething toys.

RENATA.

How does it feel to be the first female "warrior" member of the Order?

-Katy N., Alfortville, France Pretty f.u.c.king awesome. And by that I mean, it's an honor.

RIO.

Why could you only see your dead mate's ghost when Dylan was in danger?

-Lara B., Barrys Bay, ON Canada Why did she lead Dylan to me that day in the Czech mountains? Did she want to save my life, or did she want me to find my true mate in Dylan? You'd have to ask Eva these things.

When Eva appeared to me on that highway, I suppose after she'd died, she'd never tried so hard to reach out to me, the way she did when Dylan had been kidnapped by Dragos. Maybe my blood bond to Dylan helped bridge the gap between this plane and the next, and allowed Eva to appear to me.

Whatever the reason, I am grateful for what Eva did for me that day. For us, Dylan and me. I thought I would despise Eva for the rest of my life. I can summon no hate for her now.

SAVANNAH.

You have been mated to Gideon for a long time, what advice can you offer the younger Breed couples in keeping the love/romance everlasting?

-Madeline P., Escondido, CA USA Be honest with your mate, even if it scares you. Share everything you are, and trust the love you have together will see you through anything.

STERLING CHASE.

As a father of twins, what are your fondest memories of them as babies/toddlers? I bet you have plenty of adorable stories.

-Madeline P., Escondido, CA USA (chuckles) Memories of my children as toddlers usually involves Carys getting into some kind of trouble and Aric rushing in to get her out of it. Come to think of it, not much has changed now that they're grown.

TAVIA.

Being part Breed now, years later, can you still eat both blood and human food?

-Angela B., Hillsboro, OH USA Yes. I'm lucky, I have the best of both worlds. Savannah and Dylan's amazing cooking when I want it, and Chase's carotid for dessert.

TEGAN.

When you were in Elise's apartment after you found her hunting Minions, you cooked her breakfast. For someone that only drinks blood and is a Gen One more comfortable with a blade or gun in your hand than a spatula, where did you learn to cook?

-Sheri B., Tampa, FL USA The Food Network. Hang out here sometime with the Breedmates. I figure they must have stock in the network or something, because it's on just about 24/7.

Why did you stay with Lucan and the Order after Lucan killed your mate and locked you up to cure your Bloodl.u.s.t?"

-Victoria W., Northridge, CA USA Didn't stay long. I left for a while, spent some time in Germany and other places. Hooked back up with Lucan in Boston because being a warrior isn't something I chose; it chose me. *Sides, I couldn't say it then-not for a long time-but I know he did the right thing. For Sorcha and for me, Lucan did the right thing.

I know you don't go there now that you have Elise, but where was your dark place that you used to go when you wanted to get away from the Order?

-Lisa S., London, United Kingdom Savannah knows.

TESS.

I myself have been in the veterinarian field for 15 years and an animal lover so if you can pick 3 warriors and tell me if the warriors were dogs what kind of dog would they be and why?

-Vikki K., Palm City, FL USA First, congratulations and thank you for so many years spent devoted to caring for animals. It's not an easy job. There's a lot of cruelty and heartbreak that comes with it, sadly.

So, three dogs to represent three warriors...?

(Dante grunts) We all know Harvard's was chosen a long time ago. Ugly little runt, if I recall.

(Tess rolls her eyes at her mate) Okay, I have my three: For Lucan, a Pit Bull, because he's aggressive and fiercely protective, deadly so at times. But also because he's terribly misunderstood by those who don't really know him. For Hunter, a German Shepherd, because he's fearless and loyal, and he will stride calmly into any battle that's asked of him, and he never, ever cowers. And as for my Dante- (Chase interrupts, grinning) Chihuahua? Gotta be something barky, without the good sense to know when to shut up....

(Tess shakes her head at both of them.) For Dante, a Rottweiler. Because he's robust and intelligent, defensive of the people he cares about. But also because he can be a big clown when he's around people he loves.

(Dante quirks a dark brow) That doesn't include you, Harvard.

(Chase chuckles.) Great. I'll remind you of that next time you need me to haul your Chihuahua a.s.s out of trouble on patrol.

(Tess shrugs, laughing now) See what I mean? Love.

Midnight Breed Series Trivia I'm always amazed at the depth of series knowledge my readers possess. While I need a reference bible (or a book like this Companion) to keep all the details straight, dedicated fans of the Midnight Breed series can pull even the most obscure character name or book fact from their memory alone.

I witnessed this myself at LAMB-Con 2012, the first official mini-conference we hosted for Lara Adrian Midnight Breed fans. More than sixty readers gathered in Boston from all over the United States to hang out together with me for a weekend of fun and food, parties and informal chat sessions. As part of LAMB-Con, my staff and I collected hundreds of trivia questions and facts from the books to be used in the many contests and games we played that weekend. What follows is a sampling of those trivia quizzes, as well as a few extras we put together especially for this Companion.

Test your knowledge of the Midnight Breed, then add up your scores to find out if you are fit to join the Order, or if you would be put to shame by the greenest of Minions.

Good luck!

Who Am I?

1. People are always telling me how they love my gem green eyes 2. My brothers' names were inspired by rock legends, too 3. My best friend is Kade 4. I used to love having a beer at Pete's Tavern with my brother 5. I play the piano 6. I love being the G.o.dmother of Xander Raphael 7. I drugged someone with 1800 milligrams of animal tranquilizer 8. I love peanut b.u.t.ter and jelly sandwiches 9. I used to live on Willow Street in Boston 10. My whole life I thought I was very ill-because that's what I was told 11. I carry four special daggers 12. I'm a pilot 13. I'm a total gearhead 14. I always worried about the wildness in my twin brother 15. I was three months pregnant when I became a widow 16. My mother considered me a monster and gave me no formal name 17. I was born August 8, 1956 18. I was born December 20, more than 900 years ago 19. I had twin brothers who were killed by Rogues in London 20. I am still getting used to listening to my jazz on CDs instead of on records 21. I made a donation to my college alumni in the 1920s Answers 1. Tegan 2. Dylan 3. Brock 4. Jenna 5. Claire 6. Savannah 7. Tess 8. Mira 9. Gabrielle 10. Tavia 11. Renata 12. Alex 13. Nikolai 14. Kade 15. Danika 16. Rio 17. Hunter 18. Lucan 19. Gideon 20. Corinne 21. Chase Your Score: __________ Am I Dead or Alive?

(at the end of ten books and one novella) 1. Eva 2. Skeeter Arnold 3. Mathias Rowan 4. Sharon Alexander 5. Conlan MacConn 6. The Ancient 7. Jonas Redmond 8. Libby Darrow 9. Aunt Sarah 10. Jamie 11. Xander Raphael 12. Uncle Maksim 13. Kendra Delaney 14. Quentin Chase 15. Alexei Yakut 16. Malcolm MacBain 17. Marek 18. Amelie Dupree 19. Sorcha 20. Thane 21. Wilhelm Roth 22. Senator Bobby Clarence Answers: 1. Dead 2. Dead 3. Alive 4. Dead 5. Dead 6. Dead 7. Dead 8. Dead 9. Dead 10. Alive 11. Alive 12. Alive 13. Dead 14. Dead 15. Dead 16. Alive 17. Dead 18. Alive 19. Dead 20. Alive 21. Dead 22. Dead Your Score: __________ First Kisses 1. Our first kiss was in the Breedmates' mission command room, after he asked permission 2. Our first kiss was in the kitchen of her apartment on Willow Street 3. Our first kiss was in a jazz club in New Orleans 4. Our first kiss was near a lake outside Andreas Reichen's Berlin Darkhaven 5. Our first kiss was in his quarters in the Boston compound 6. Our first kiss was in his abandoned Darkhaven 7. Our first kiss was in a dog kennel 8. Our first kiss was at the Boston MFA in front of Sleeping Endymion 9. Our first kiss was in a parking lot outside Pete's Tavern Answers: 1. Brock and Jenna 2. Lucan and Gabrielle 3. Hunter and Corinne 4. Tegan and Elise 5. Rio and Dylan 6. Chase and Tavia 7. Nikolai and Renata 8. Dante and Tess 9. Kade and Alex Your Score: __________ Lost and Found 1. In what state does Corinne find her son?

2. Where does Andreas find Claire after losing her at the Boston airport?

3. Who does Rio have to fight in order to save Dylan after finding her on a bridge over a dam in New York?

4. Which Breedmate found a photo of her birth father bearing the inscription: Zael. Mykonos, 1975?

5. Who found Jenna after she was Tasered and put in a car by FBI Agents Cho and Green?

6. Who was found in a locked bedroom in Edgar Fabien's property in the woods north of Montreal?

7. Using their blood bond, who was able to find their mate being tortured in a house in Berlin?

8. Dante found Tess at a North End coffee shop on what day?

9. Where does Sterling Chase find Tavia when the police were hiding her?

10. Who found Elise hunting Minions on the streets of Boston?

11. Who finds Nikolai at a containment facility being held by Edgar Fabien?

12. Which couple lost 30 years together before being reunited?

Answers: 1. Georgia 2. At her grandmother's house in Newport, Rhode Island 3. Dragos 4. Dylan 5. Brock 6. Mira 7. Elise 8. Her birthday 9. In a hotel suite 10. Tegan 11. Renata 12. Andreas and Claire Your Score: __________ What Book Am I In?

1. Ben Sullivan 2. Irina Odolf 3. Enforcement Agent Freyne 4. Reiver 5. Sergei Yakut 6. Big Dave Grant 7. Edgar Fabien 8. Camden Chase 9. Seth 10. Henry Vachon 11. Buddy Vincent 12. Toni the dead Breedmate 13. Mason 14. Dr. Lewis 15. Jack 16. Victor Bishop 17. Zach Tucker 18. Christophe Archer Answers: 1. Kiss of Crimson 2. Midnight Awakening 3. Taken By Midnight 4. A Taste of Midnight 5. Veil of Midnight 6. Shades of Midnight 7. Veil of Midnight 8. Kiss of Crimson 9. Shades of Midnight 10. Deeper Than Midnight 11. Ashes of Midnight 12. Midnight Rising 13. Deeper Than Midnight 14. Darker After Midnight 15. Veil of Midnight 16. Deeper Than Midnight 17. Shades of Midnight 18. Taken By Midnight Your Score: __________ Whose Breedmate Mark is Located Here?

1. On the inside of her right thigh 2. On the back of her right hand 3. Behind her left ear 4. Between the thumb and forefinger of her right hand 5. Inside of her right wrist 6. On the nape of her neck 7. On her abdomen 8. On her left shoulder blade 9. On her lower back 10. On the front of her left hip Answers: 1. Elise 2. Corinne 3. Gabrielle 4. Tess 5. Renata 6. Dylan 7. Danika 8. Savannah 9. Tavia 10. Alex Your Score: __________ True or False?

1. Some of the immediate effects of Crimson to the Breed include extreme thirst, fever-like chills and a burst of enormous strength and endurance.

2. Rio's name means "he who is free and of the night everlasting."

3. The complete verse of the poem Tegan and Elise discovered (the one that Petrov Odolf repeats over and over) is: "Castle and croft shall come together under the crescent moon...to the borderlands east turn your eye...at the sword is the clue."

4. Dante's mother drowned in an ocean riptide after she swam out to save a child.

5. In Taken By Midnight, Jenna, Renata, Gabrielle and Dylan find the captive Breedmates.

6. Gabrielle is making meatloaf when Lucan first comes to her door.

7. Tegan and Dante established the Boston compound with Lucan.

8. It took Tavia six full months to recover from the dose of Crimson.

9. For the Christmas spent in Maine, Gabrielle gave Lucan the tapestry from the Boston compound.

10. Rogues identified Elise from the FedEx store's security camera.

11. Danika is living in Paris when Andreas and Claire stay with her.

12. Lucan tells Gabrielle that flowers are missing in all of her photographs.

13. Tess's full maiden name is Teresa Dawn Culver.