Interview with Dea

Interview with Dea DiMarco: TRANSCRIPT

We got the chance to meet Dea following the conclusion of the Blood Omen Saga. She didn't want her picture posted, but she did agree to a follow-up interview at a later date.

Hello, Dea. Can I call you Dea?

Yes, that’s fine.

Thanks for joining us today to talk about your experiences. I know this is a difficult topic.

It’s ok.

Great. Then let’s get stuck in. Tell us about your childhood.

My mum brought me up. I don’t remember my dad- he died when I was tiny. Mum was so much fun. She was like a modern-day gypsy and we were always moving around. You’d think that’d be a hard life- moving from job to job, life to life. But she always made it fun. I remember once or twice I went into her room and saw her crying. I thought it was about my dad. Now I think it was the pressure of keeping us hidden. Now I know the truth, I try to imagine her not meeting Nathan in that bar and learning what he was, not having me, not having Elias and David come to her and tell her the truth about me after dad died. I’m 99% sure that dream I had of Stuart attacking her was just a dream- that she really did just die of cancer- but then it’s never easy to tell with Stuart. Maybe he did kill her. Maybe they found us because of her treatment, and killed her to get to me.

Anyway- my childhood. I went to school, like a regular kid, but I always had a new name, new hair and a new school. The longest I stayed in one place was two years.

Wasn’t it hard to make friends that way?

Yeah. I mean, mum and I had friends, and we’d always send cards out at Christmas. And get some back too- we had one of those post office boxes. Maybe people thought we were undercover or in witness protection and didn’t mind that we didn’t have one address. I don’t know what mum told them. I had a few close friends growing up. But my best friend was the one I met at college.

Tell us about her.

She was called Ana. We met in Spanish class. She was sitting at the back when I came in- all dressed in black, kohl around her eyes, dark lipstick. Of course, I knew she wasn’t a vampire and at that time I was doing everything I could to avoid the lot of them, but still, something about her- fate, maybe [she laughs humorlessly] drew me to her and I sat next to her.

We got chatting. It was a week before I told her about the vampires. Then we were like glue. Do I think she used me? Then I’d have said we were using each other. Now, I know the truth. But reality was, when mum was ill and going through treatment, she was there for me- her whole family was [Dea gets tears in her eyes and takes a moment out of the interview to get a tissue].

Sorry. [sniffs]

That’s fine. Take a moment. [pause] Tell us about Santi.

[laughs] Santi, Santi… he’s perfect.

Perfect?

Hmm-mmm. I mean, we’ve had our ups and downs but he’s lived a lifetime more than me so I came into it kind of young and naive. But we found our balance.

What kind of issues did you have?

Well, for a start he’s some 120 years older than me- though we got over that pretty quickly. Er… he didn’t want to be in love with me at first because he used to be friends with my dad- he kinda blamed himself for Nathan’s death. It took a lot of persuading on my part that one wasn’t connected to the other- plus, I guess it was destiny for us to be together. You can’t fight your fate.

You believe that? That you can’t fight your fate?

Yes. Totally. Before, I didn’t. I was stubborn. But I believe there’s a plan for all of us.

What do you like most about Santi?

His looks- Spanish, chocolate brown eyes… he’s a joker, he’s strong. We love the same music and films. He’s romantic. He knows me- sometimes better than I know myself. We just…match each other.

What about Stuart?

You know about that?

Yeah.

[coughs, embarrassed]

Well, Stuart was another part of my fate that I couldn’t control.

Are you sure?

Sure about what?

That you couldn’t control it.

Definitely.

Did you love him?

[hesitates]. In a way, yes I do. Did. He was something dark, mysterious, untouchable.

Do you think he loved you?

Maybe. He was never easy to read. I know he cared about me. He saved me a lot!

If you could choose between Santi and Stuart?

[sounding annoyed] Stupid question. I’m not going to answer that.

Ok. Tell us about your first few months with the Coven. How was it?

Crazy, scary, exciting…wow. Yes. It was something totally new- totally different from anything you can ever experience.

You learned their language…

Sai- that means ‘yes’. And Takeshi taught me how to do martial arts. They taught me the history of vampirekind- I had no idea! Imagine living all the years humans existed, having your own culture, famous faces, traditions… but having to hide it all from the world!

How did watching them hunt humans make you feel?

Animals and humans. At first, of course, it made me feel sick. I mean, we humans are so used to being the dominant species, the thought of other people coming along, sucking off you like mosquitoes, then wiping your memory- it just goes against everything we are. Then I got used to it.

What about the people they killed in UV?

The child molesters, you mean?

Yes.

Well- I don’t exactly agree that killing is a good form of punishment… but the prisons are so overcrowded and these kinds of people can’t be changed no matter how much therapy they get, so…

Tell us about Elias and David.

Oh, they were amazing. So educated- so passionate about learning. And quiet and patient. I remember when Elias told Santi it was ok to be with me…and when he let me know he knew I understood Strix. Always so gentle. David, too. But they both had a super tough side- a darker side.

Was it a shock when you found out David was a Lucifen?

Yes, it was. Big time! But then he pretty much ripped his hand off to prove to me he was over them. Then what he did later…saving my life like that…

Charlotte? Mica? Lucas?

[laughs] Uncle Lucas.

Yes.

I love them all. I couldn’t live without them. They’re my family- always were, though I didn’t know it for a long time. It took a while to build up the love with Lucas.

And with Charlotte.

Yeah, but she was just following him. And… I guess me being human reminded her that she used to be, too, and it stirred up some difficult memories for her. Now we’re like sisters- she’s helped me through some seriously hard times.

And Mica is like the big sister-aunt-mum everyone wants to have. She knows all my secrets- and me hers. I don’t see her as often as I used to now she’s with the other Coven, but we try to meet up during the old holidays- Christmas, summer, you know?

What was the hardest and best thing about living with the vampires?

Hmm… the hardest thing, I guess, was seeing them killing people. Even when I knew they had to to survive. The Ko-eks do it gently. What the Apophi were doing was just sick.

But even the Ko-eks kill viciously.

Only when they have to. Even humans have an animal nature of a kind. It’s stronger in the vampires, I guess. I admire them that they can control it so well.

And the best thing about the vampires?

[laughs] Apart from Santi? Well, I guess the whole power of it. They’re so strong, so smart, so at one with nature. We’ve had some great parties, brilliant holidays- they really know how to live life, even when they’ve been doing it for a while. Perhaps because they’ve been doing it so long. They know how to look for the good and the fun in everything.

If you could go back in time and change one thing about your life, what would it be?

My mum dying. She’d have lived, seen me and Santi together and not been so angry at them all. We could have been a family…but that’s all fantasy. She’s gone. I’d stop others dying, too, if I could go back. But I guess everything happened the way it was supposed to.

Fate?

Yes. Fate.

I thought you’d say you’d change being captured by the Apophi- those weeks in the Temple…

Yeah. It would be nice to take that pain back. But I can live with it. After all that’s happened, all the people we’ve lost, all the death…but I think the Temple was a necessary evil. I was going to end up there no matter how hard the Coven tried to protect me.

Did you ever forgive Ana for what she did?

I tried. But she let me down once too often. I believe in forgiving. Look at me and Santi; me and Lucas. But Ana…she was my best friend and she betrayed it all for a fantasy.

What advice would you give people who are going through hard times in life?

It could always be worse- look at me! [she laughs]. But seriously- from my own experience, my own mistakes…I’d say listen to what older people advise you- most likely they know what they’re talking about! And don’t keep the darkness inside- it’ll eat you up. Always have one or more people you can talk to- people you can trust. And exercise. That martial arts training gave me a confidence I never had before. Make yourself as strong a person as possible- not just physically, but mentally. Then you’ll be ready to take on the world!

Thanks for taking the time to talk to us, Dea. Best of luck to you and your family.

Thanks. I have your number- I’ll text you when I’m ready to talk some more, ok?

Looking forward to it.

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