Snow's Untangled Threads and Musings: Character Days: Sasha Kelly from The Incubus Saga

This week we have a character interview from a friend of mine and an introduction to her books...

Character Days: Sasha Kelly from The Incubus Saga

Tell me a little about yourself and the world you live in.

It's the same world you live in, I'm just more aware of the truth going on around us. I'm a transient, traveling the back roads of the Unites States, and occasionally finding myself in larger cities like Minneapolis and Pittsburgh, hunting down evil fae and monsters that usually remain under the radar. Normal people don't even know they exist, but if they pass through the Veil that separates our world from the Fae Realm with intent to do harm, I track them down and send them home, or kill them if necessary. Being fae myself, it's not always an easy job, but just like with humans, there are good and bad fae out there, and the bad ones are more dangerous that you'd ever want to know. Especially when they can look just like you until they act. You might even be part fae, and you'd never know it, unless of course your fae blood triggered and proved you were a Changeling. And if that happened...I might have to take care of you too.

Lets jump right in, what's your most closely guarded secret?

I'm more than just fae. I'm an incubus, a being born of light and dark fae combined. We're naturally outcasts from the other courts. But more so for me, my deepest secret, happened during the change, when I turned 16 and was old enough to need sex to survive. I ran away from home and killed the first person I fed from. I didn't mean to hurt her, but I couldn't control myself. I think about it often and strive to never be in that position again.

Tell us about your single most important memory. What was it and how does it affect you now?

The day I left home. The reason I ran wasn’t because of the change itself, but because I’d decided long ago that I wanted to be a sealgaire, a seal—a hunter. My father hunted evil fae, that’s how he met my mother. He had been human until her. He wasn’t a killer, he just tried to do right, to help people. It got him and my mother killed when another seal discovered my father had become an incubus to be with my mother, but that only made me want to be like them more, to take up where they had left off. When I admitted this to my friends, they looked at me like I was betraying them, like one day I’d hunt them, like I was the bad guy. They didn’t understand, so I ran.

What type of person are you? Are you a hero or do you shy away from conflict?

I wouldn’t call myself a hero, though that’s something I always strive to be. Helping people is what I do. I’m a fierce fighter. Being able to grow wings, fangs, and claws helps with that. Even when I feed, I seek out people who I can help. I know that probably sounds selfish since I’m talking about sex, but…sometimes people just need someone to be there for them. If I need to feed from sex, then I always want that exchange to be something beautiful for both of us. It’s what keeps me sane and alive; those who are with me deserve that much for what they give me in return.

Do you have any hobbies, any special talents?

Life on the road isn’t exactly fruitful for funds. I’m not above stealing what I need to survive, but I’d rather pay if I can, so I pick up extra cash by singing at the bars and clubs I pass by. I have a few acoustic guitars that were my dad’s. I play and sing when I can, and if I do say so myself, I’m quite the talented singer, though my playing could use some work. I’m also very strong and agile, being an incubus, which…comes in handy in many situations.

What sets you out from the crowd? Like your talents, would I be able to spot you if I passed you by?

I’m not very inconspicuous, which admittedly can be a hindrance as a seal. While I can look human, my incubus traits still show through to some extent, mostly in my red hair. And I don’t mean ginger—I mean Crayola, fire truck, Little Mermaid red. I’m a little in love with it and it does make me stand out. Since my eyes are a glamour—my real eyes are also red, and slit like a cat—their bright blue color can often seem to glow. I’m also quite pale, as my natural skin is white, and I stand at about 6’2”. I’m slim and handsome, and I toss a charming smile at anyone I pass, so you can bet I stand out in a crowd.

What's an ideal day for you?

Making a difference and saving someone—more so than defeating any fae—is always a good day. But what I really want is just someone special for me. My kind isn’t known for being monogamous, and most others like me live out immortal lives happy with that. But some find mates. Sometimes among our own kind, sometimes with humans we turn into our kind. Like my parents. That’s what I want, so the perfect day for me would be a lazy one, curled around my love, just spending time with them without any threats on the horizon.

Do you have any one close? Any friends or family of interest?

I hadn’t for a long time, after leaving home when my friends shunned me. My parents were killed when I was only 6 months old. My aunt raised me, and she has always been supportive no matter what I wanted to do. She’s always there when I need her. But we don’t always get to see each other, now that I’m grown. I have a few acquaintances but not many friends. I’m sure that’s surprising coming from a charming incubus who beds someone new every week, but it’s the truth. Which is why meeting Nathan and Jim Grier has meant so much to me. Jim, even as a Changeling, is the first real friend I’ve had in a long time, kind and patient, and devoted to his brother. And Nathan, a human, just…enchants me. We have a lot in common, and I love the way we banter. Now if I can just get him to stop blushing and turning away and trying to pretend that he isn’t attracted to me, and to just accept there might be something between us. It’s all I’d ever ask for.

What about your most prized possession?

My father’s guitars, my parents’ wedding rings, my leather jacket—though it keeps needing replacing lately. Otherwise, I tend to travel light.

Back to your story, what initially spurred your actions? Everything had to start somewhere, so where's your beginning?

Besides wanting to be a seal like my father and leaving home, what lead me to what’s happening now wasn’t actually anything I had control over. Nathan and Jim found me. A friend of theirs, a seer named Wade, sent them my way, saying I could help them get Nathan’s dark fae bounty removed, which is a tall order to ask. I know they’re good men, I liked them from the start, and was willing to help them from the moment they asked that of me, impossible as it might be. It’s what I do. But I’ll admit, I asked them to help me finish the case I was working on first.

Where do you think your future will lead?

I hope to saving Nathan from his bounty as I’ve promised. I hope more that the future holds love. Love with Nathan would be ideal, but I won’t push. I’ve pushed him already. He needs to accept what he wants. If he wants me, I’m here.

Where can we find more about you?

My story is told in The Incubus Saga. Nathan Grier is the main character, but the series is named for me. Book 1 is Incubus, Book 2 is Changeling, and Book 3, set to come out next year, will be called Sidhe. You can read about me at BigWorldNetwork.com, or listen to the audio version by the author. You can read the whole thing for free there, or purchase the polished final version in book, eBook, and audiobook form from the BWN Store, or from Amazon.