Draven Wick isn’t just some pretty boy actor. He started his career as a stunt man, but he also knows how to mix it up when he has to. When he goes to see Moose, the infamous head of a notorious biker gang, he’s prepared for trouble.

The heavy-set biker gang leader sat in his favorite easy chair, his glass in one hand, a Marlboro in the other. The door slammed shut behind him, and Draven knew he was in for it.

“Man disrespects me, I throw that man a beaten,” Moose said, nodding to whoever was behind Draven.

He sensed two men. Not letting either of them get a hand on him, Draven pulled a telescoping baton from his boot. With it in one fist, he slammed back as it expanded. His other fist connected with flabby gut and a handful of nuts. Both men grunted.

Jumping forward, Draven spun around, his back unavoidably to Moose. The fat leader sat still, enjoying the show. He’d been known to taze people, so Draven risked a glance at him before he faced off with the other two men. Both were big, with bulky muscles and a hefty layer of fat. Big might mean brutal, but it also meant slow. Draven was half their bulk and twice as fast.

The one to his right was Eisley, Moose’s second-in-command. Snarling, he flipped a knife open. The one on the left put on a pair of brass knuckles. Smiling wickedly, they lunged at Draven.

Hopping out of their reach, Draven swatted at them with his baton. They backed him up until his left heel hit the couch. Advancing, they both took a swing at him.

Jumping nearly a meter in the air, Draven did a back flip, landing on the couch. The baton popped forward, slamming the knife from Eisley’s hand before connecting with the knuckles of the other man. He followed up with hits to the balls.

Both were on the floor howling when he heard the chair leather creak. Moose made a grab at him, but Draven was too quick. He swung his baton, only to have Moose grab it from him. A sharp crack on his right arm and it went numb from elbow to fingers. Glad he was left-handed, Draven punched Moose in the jaw as the fat man raised his arm to strike again. Getting in under his guard, Draven landed a punch to the flabby gut.

With a whoosh of air, Moose dropped the baton. Draven grabbed for it, but missed as his right hand still refused to work properly. Instead, he put his foot on it so Moose couldn’t pick it up again. The two men on the floor wisely chose to remain there, not offering any aid to their boss. They might pay for it later, but they’d obviously decided that Draven wasn’t any fun to play with.

With a flick of his toes, Draven retrieved the baton, wielding it like a sword in front of Moose.

“You don’t own me,” he cautioned. “I did a favor, that’s the only reason I’m here. That favor is done, I’m gone. You come after me and mine, pieces of you will go missing. Are we clear?”

© 2015 Dellani Oakes

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What is your name?

Buddy, short for Bernard. Never liked that name.

What do you want most?

Strangely, I’m pretty happy with life right now. Well, not the dodging bullets so much, but Draven’s a good guy to work with.

Why is this so important to you?

Like I said, I’m pretty happy. It’s important to me to do what I love, and I love my job.

What makes you happy or sad?

Seeing Draven with Jamie makes me happy. Despite the shit that’s going on, they’re good together. I hope that means there’s someone out there for me.

How do you treat the people in your life?

To be honest, I’m probably kind of stand-offish. I’m horribly shy and don’t schmooze well. Draven makes it easy to hang out with, so that’s probably why we get along. I try to be a nice guy, but sometimes I have to be an asshole. Sorry, that’s my job.

Can people count on you?

Absolutely. I’m Draven’s go-to guy, but I will help anyone who needs a hand.

What makes you angry?

Don’t get me started—seriously. I’m a nice guy, and we tend to get shit on. Because of being Draven’s assistant, I’ve learned to push back. I’ve learned a lot from him, and I hope he’s learned a thing or two from me. We’re not just actor and assistant, we’re friends. I guess that’s more of a what makes you happy answer, huh?

Do you stand up for your beliefs?

You bet! I’m deeply spiritual. I had some personal tragedies a year or so ago, and immersed myself in my Jewish faith. I am trying to put those beliefs into action.

What excites you?

Waking up each day and going to work. I know it sounds lame, but this job saved me. I don’t know where I’d be or what I’d be doing if Draven hadn’t hired me.

What do you do for a living?

I’m the personal assistant for Draven Wick, actor. He hired me just before the show started filming. He’s a great guy and a friend, more than a boss. We get along really well.

What kind of books do you like?

I read a lot of biographies. I’m not much for fiction.

What kind of music do you enjoy?

I listen to whatever Draven’s listening to, when I’m around him. When I’m home, I tend to put on classical music. Big Mozart and Tchaikovsky fan.

What’s the one thing you’d most like to do before you die?

I want to find a woman who will love me as much as Jamie loves Draven. I’ve considered becoming a rabbi, but we’ll see where life takes me.

If you could, what’s one thing you’d change about yourself?

Honestly, I’m pretty happy with who I am. I’ve got a great job, a good friend and I believe in happy endings. I have faith we’ll get through this crap with the biker gang and put it behind us.

© 2015 Dellani Oakes

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Jamie doesn’t know many details, but she’s aware that Draven is involved in something that he can’t talk about. All that he’s said is he’s doing a favor for a friend and it means getting involved with a skeevy biker gang run by a man named Moose. Needing help, Draven goes to the one person he knows implicitly that he can trust, Agent Charlene Fitzgerald.

The constant rumble of motorcycles was muted here, but still present. It didn’t seem that any city in the proximity of Daytona escaped the noise of thousands of motors. The imposing shape of a dark-paned SUV sat on the side the road. Draven’s phone buzzed, flashing a text that came from a number he didn’t recognize. Since it was a coded message that only Charlene would send, he smiled.

Jamie glanced at it, puzzled. It was a strange image: CKN@@. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It’s Charlene. Our private code. It stands for Cock ‘n’ balls.”

“Do I want to know why?”

“It loses some of the humor if I explain. All of it, in fact.”

The lights on the SUV flashed once and it rolled over to them, headlights off. The back door opened, the dome light absent.

They had to take a chance that it was Charlene. They had no other choice.

Draven climbed in first, keeping Jamie back until he was sure. When he saw Charlene’s smiling face, and the back of her partner’s head, he held out his hand. Jamie jumped quickly in and shut the door. The SUV took off with silent power.

“I know you didn’t kill him,” Charlene said calmly, after introducing herself to Jamie. “So tell me what happened.”

Draven gave her a detailed report. The driver, a huge black man named Bramlett, nodded.

“Now Erickson wants my hide on his wall,” Draven said.

“Erickson’s an idiot of the first order,” Bramlett rumbled. “If we’d had our way, we’d have been handling this, but your friendship is well known.”

“We were able to intercept the report,” Charlene said. “It looks very bad, Draven.”

“I’m aware of that. I screwed up. I’m sorry.”

“You have nothing to be sorry for. Erickson failed to properly protect his asset. You could have been seriously hurt by Moose’s men. Did you give the panic phrase?”

“I don’t play nice with others,” Draven replied. “Yes. Twice.”

“Something isn’t right. He should have come in with a full team at that point.”

“If you ask my opinion,” Jamie said, “it sounds like Erickson’s an idiot, or seriously incompetent. I’m not ruling out the possibility that he’s up to his dick in dirt.”

© 2015 Dellani Oakes

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What is your name?

Jamie Humphrey, short for Jessamine, but I don’t tell anyone that. Shh….

What do you want most?

Sometimes life kicks a dream right out of you. That happened to me when my dad moved us right after prom. I was happy here with Draven…. But now, I’ve got him back and I’m not leaving anymore.

Why is this so important to you?

I’ve been in love with Draven since we were sixteen. When his show came out, I started his first fan club, Draven’s Ravens, and I have been telling him, in secret, how much I love him. Now, he knows it in person and we can build a life together.

What makes you happy or sad?

Having Draven jump into my life again makes me extremely happy. Knowing we could die any second, not so much.

How do you treat the people in your life?

I do my best to be a good person. I go out of my way to be polite. But if someone doesn’t return the favor and gets ugly, well, it’s on.

Can people count on you?

Yes, you bet! I’m always ready to lend a hand, help a friend, do a favor. I don’t expect anything but thanks in return.

What makes you angry?

Got an hour? This stinking biker gang, for one. I do mean that they stink. Don’t they know what showers are for? Gross! They smell like armpits, cigarette smoke and stale bear. Sheesh, bathe! And while you’re at it, stop chasing us, okay?

Do you stand up for your beliefs?

Yes. What good is having morals and standards if you don’t back them up? I try to pass that on to my students. I hope that presents a positive influence.

What excites you?

Draven Wick! He has since we were sixteen. Of course, then I couldn’t do a thing about it. Now, I can. Being an adult has its perks.

What do you do for a living?

I’m a gymnastics and dance instructor. I do side jobs as a model, especially during Bike Week or Biketoberfest. I also bar tend when I need extra cash.

What kind of books do you like?

I love books with a happy ending. I don’t like reading things that make me cry.

What kind of music do you enjoy?

I’m a rock baby. One thing my dad did was give me good taste in music. He had his Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Deep Purple, Hendrix…. I listen to all that. I found some other bands on my own, but I started with the kings of rock.

What’s the one thing you’d most like to do before you die?

I want to marry Draven and have his babies. I know that sounds all soppy and girlie, but I can’t imagine anything better than that.

If you could, what’s one thing you’d change about yourself?

I’m happy with who I am. Life is changing for the better. I’d love to get away from the stinky bikers, though. Seriously, dudes, take a bath!

© 2015 Dellani Oakes

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Finding themselves on the run, Jamie and Draven know they need to get new transportation. His motorcycle is known to the authorities and there are already news bulletins out with its description. Undaunted, Jamie has a suggestion.

“I have an idea,” Jamie said. “Give me the keys. I’m driving.”

“You know how to ride a motorcycle?”

“Is that so hard to believe? I’m no Hollywood stunt man, but I do okay. They’ll have an APB out on the bike by now. We need different wheels. Come on.”

Draven followed her like a bedazzled puppy. A light misting drizzle started again. Raising his face to the sky, Draven tried to gauge the fullness of the clouds.

Jamie tugged on his hand.

“Let’s go.” Taking back roads, she drove south to a secure storage locker in Port Orange, on Nova Road. Stopping by a large one near the back, she unlocked it, wheeling the bike in. There was very little there, except for a hulking form, covered by an elasticized car cover. Jamie pulled it off and Draven nearly collapsed with delight. A black beast of a car lurked under the dim light.

“Is that a 1977 Oldsmobile 442?”

“It is. Ned and I take it to classic car shows. Believe me, he’s put a lot of work into her. That baby can cook!”

Draven ran his hands over it lovingly. His eyes caught the light, glittering like twin chunks of topaz. “This is a seriously sexy car.”

“Thank you.”

“And a seriously sexy woman. God, I wish I wasn’t on the run.”

“Besides the obvious, why?”

“I really want to make love to you, Jamie.”

Jamie shrugged off her jacket, tossing it in the car. “All talk, Wick?”

Draven chuckled, slipping off his own jacket. “Not even, babe.”

“Prove it.” She pushed him onto the car’s hood. Taking his belt off, she then unzipped his pants.

Although he was turned on by the sexy car, Draven’s gaze drifted to the Harley. He lifted Jamie, carrying her to the bike. “Hell with the car, do me here.”

“Seriously?”

“Here. Now.”

Her blue eyes widened as she looked from the man to the bike and back. She kissed him. “Thank you can handle us both?”

“Oh, yeah!”

© 2015 Dellani Oakes

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What is your name?

My real name is Draven Andrew Wick, but I’m better known as the hybrid vampire, Raven Willoughby.

What do you want most?

Until today, I’d have said a secure job, a long neck and some blues playing. Now, I just want to live until tomorrow—preferably the day after, too.

Why is this so important to you?

It’s important because today, I reconnected with the love of my life. Cool thing, she still loves me, too.

What makes you happy or sad?

Finding Jamie again makes me happy. Realizing that I’ve dragged her into a mess and she could get hurt, makes me sad.

How do you treat the people in your life?

I try to treat people well. They say fame changes a man, I am trying to prove that it doesn’t.

Can people count on you?

Absolutely. I will drop everything to help a friend.

What makes you angry?

Moose and his damn biker gang. And, if I’m honest, freaking Erickson. Something doesn’t sit well with me. I’m doing him a damn favor and he treats me like crap.

Do you stand up for your beliefs?

Always. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be doing the job I’m doing. That I can’t tell you about.

What excites you?

Jamie Humphrey…. Damn, that girl grew up fine!

What do you do for a living?

I’m an actor who plays a hybrid vampire on a popular drama. It’s not Shakespeare, but it’s a steady pay check.

What kind of books do you like?

I don’t have a lot of time to read, but I like steamy romance novels. I know, call me crazy, but I like a happy ending. And the sex scenes give me some great ideas.

What kind of music do you enjoy?

Blues, classic rock, swamp rock—basically, anything good. Mostly like stuff from before I was born, but there are some really good modern bands around, just have to look for them.

What’s the one thing you’d most like to do before you die?

I’d most like to build a life with Jamie in it. I didn’t realize what all I’d lost until I found her again. She’s what’s been missing from my life all these years.

If you could, what’s one thing you’d change about yourself?

I’d gladly give up this side job I’m doing if it meant keeping Jamie safe. I’m stuck in it now. Got to play it through. It’s the only way to save us both.

© 2015 Dellani Oakes

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Like many other authors, I like to find an actor or actress who embodies the character I’m creating. This gives me not only a face, but a voice and a body as well. I can picture the person walking and talking, as well as facial expressions, as I write. I had the actress who plays Jamie Humphrey firmly in my mind when I started. I wanted someone tall, curvy and a redhead.

It wasn’t a hard leap to picture actress Deborah Ann Woll, from Daredevil and True Blood as the long and lovely Jamie. She was exactly what I wanted and she jumped off the page at me, daring me to change her. I didn’t.

Draven was a little more difficult, but I did some exploring on-line and decided that I couldn’t find anyone better than Tyler Hoechlin from Teen Wolf. I hadn’t intended to make Draven’s character, Raven, a hybrid vampire when I began writing, but that evolved as I wrote. It seemed to fit, since Tyler already plays a werewolf.

Buddy was also easy. I was watching reruns of The Crazy Ones on Netflix and I fell in love with Hamish Linklater. He fit the role of Buddy perfectly. I hadn’t expected Buddy to take as big a part as he does in the story. I anticipated that he wouldn’t be more than a voice on the phone, but he had other ideas. Of all the characters, I find him the most endearing.

I’ve been asked in the past if I do character sketches before I start writing. Other than sometimes having an actor in mind, I don’t. In fact, I plan very little of my stories. Instead, I jump in with an opening sentence, or a vague What If, and run with it. Not everyone is comfortable with that style of writing, but it works for me and I’m all for using what works.

© 2015 Dellani Oakes

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