With the ending of any series I was really sad their teenaged adventure was over. I adore these characters even though working with hormonal teens can be a lot of work, even fictional ones. Opal is the main character in the final book, although, there are plenty of shenanigans from the other Slayers and their witch "friends".

Opal is really a pain. At times I wanted to slap sense into her but since she's fictional I couldn't. She's a bit spoiled and self-centered most of the time. so much for empathy. Opla wasn't what I expected when I started the series or the final book. But I had fun writing her too especially the banter between her and Davis. He's her younger brother whose still content playing with Lego's and toy cars but gets a good jab in on her from time to time.

Here's an excerpt between them:
Opal stuck a fresh strawberry in her mouth and smoothed jelly over her slice of rye toast. Her parents were all about eating healthy and if she wanted junk food she had to get it and eat it when she was at school, with her friends, or anywhere else than with her parents.
She swallowed the strawberry and grabbed her green tea to keep it from spilling over as her brother dropped his bowl of shredded wheat onto the table. He shoveled a huge bite into his mouth and milk dribbled down his chin.
“Gross!” she rolled her eyes.
“Wipe your face,” said their mother as she took a seat with a white grapefruit, placing it on the table.
“Mom. He’s disgusting.” Her mother’s passive aggressive attitude toward everything got on Opal’s nerves. The boy made a mess of everything. His room always looked like a train wreck. Her feet bore the scars from all the Legos and Hot Wheels she’d stepped on over the years.
“He’s your brother. He’s not disgusting,” her mom said in a firm voice that she saved for Opal.
“Whatever,” Opal mumbled. “I found this box with my stuff yesterday but I couldn’t find the key and I don’t think it’s mine.”
Her mom’s brows lowered and her eyes narrowed. “You tried to open something that’s not yours?”
Opal smiled. She’d gotten her attention. “Yeah.”
“From your brother I might expect that as he still does things without knowing any better, but you know better. I’m disappointed,” said her mom in her scolding tone.
“I’m right here!” said her brother, then slurped down the milk left in his bowl.
“Yup,” replied Opal, ignoring the disgustingness of her brother.
“Where is this box?” asked her mom.
The chair scraped against the floor as her brother scooted it back and stood, leaving his bowl on the table. Opal cringed, as she’d be scolded if she caused any marks on the newly finished wood floor.
“Davis! Put your bowl in the sink and don’t scoot the chairs against the floor like that,” Mom reprimanded.
Opal’s lips curled in a satisfied smile as her brother grabbed his bowl and dropped it in the sink with a ting.

Another:
“Have you seen my dangly earrings?” Opal asked her mother who was busy emptying the dishwasher.
“No, honey, I haven’t. They’re probably still packed. Did you check all your boxes?”
“Yeah and they were in my jewelry box when I put it up the other night.” Opal blew a large puff of air from her cheeks and trekked up the stairs and towards Davis’ room.
She pushed his door open. “Where are they, nerdface?”
He glanced up at her, two toy trucks in his hand as he was getting ready to roll them down the mega ramp he’d put together out of car tracks and boxes. “What?”
“You were in my room last night. Where are they?” She’d been nice to him last night because his sad puppy face reminded her of how cute he was when he was little. Now, he was back to uncute and aggravating.
“I didn’t take anything from your room!”
“You’re such a liar!” She slammed his door shut and stalked to her own room. She rummaged through everything again, not leaving a secret hiding spot or drawer unaccounted for.
 
A tender moment:
Another glowing teen the color of deep Topaz joined him. She was familiar too. It struck her she’d been with the glowstick teens, only she wasn’t glowing then. Davis walked towards them. No, Davis! No! she screamed inside her head. They weren’t taking her grotesque, annoying little brother. It all happened so fast. The glowing teen with the flopping hair spoke with her brother. What is he saying?
The glowing boy’s eye, the only one not covered by hair, stared at her, followed by the glowing girl and finally her brother turned around. She slammed on the brakes, halting beside her brother, and grabbed his hand.
“Is he yours?” asked the glowing boy.
Opal nodded. “My brother. Thanks for finding him. We need to get home.” She tugged her brother’s hand as she turned on her heel, pulling him along. In the boy’s presence she felt peace, comfort, and a feeling of knowing him, but her instinct and safety of her brother took control. By herself, she may have talked longer to him, but she couldn’t risk her annoying little bro being kidnapped or worse. People weren’t always what they seemed.
“Bye,” shouted Davis, practically running to keep step with Opal.
“What the heck, nerdface? What are you doing out here?” Opal reprimanded.
“You weren’t in your room or in the house,” he said in an innocent, scared voice.
“Sure I was. Lucky I found you. Don’t you listen to Mom and Dad? Never talk to strangers or go lurking around strangers in the middle of the night. Who knows what they would have done to you.” She actually felt fear for him. He was disgusting and would slurp his cereal in the morning, not put the toilet lid down after peeing, and leave Legos and cars around the house for her to step on, but he was an innocent kid and her brother.
“I’m sorry, Opal. I couldn’t find you and thought I saw you outside,” his little voice cracked and a tear dropped from his eye.
She stopped walking and wrapped her arms around him. The back door of their house only a couple feet away. “It’s OK, but don’t do it again, nerdface.” 


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Author Yvonne Mason with Off the Chain radio interviewed me yesterday live from 8-9. It's now archived and available to listen at Blog Talk Radio and other various places. Some are downloadable making it easy for you to listen to on the go or whenever is convenient to you. Click on the links.
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