Idea Page for Luc Saint-Cyr

"Saint-Cyr is a complete enigma. He's known on Kelthia as the Harbinger -- when and if anyone speaks about him. Few say the name above a whisper. The same few also call him the Man, and say it with such reverence that one can hear the capital letter.

He's not wanted for running an unlawful prostitution ring. He's outspoken against it in general, legal though it may be in the empire. That doesn't change the fact that he's suspected of every other crime on the books. As for murder -- let's just say it's up for discussion.

At this time, no evidence exists to prove he's guilty of any crime at all. That doesn't mean we're not looking."

Chief of Police
Miraj City, Kelthia

"Saint-Cyr was a brilliant thief. He could smile at you while he stole the last coin in your pocket, but it was such a damn charming smile you wouldn't mind if he took the pocket too. When he 'went straight' and left the guild, more than one thief breathed a sigh of relief that their biggest competition was out of the way at last. Of course, there are those in the business world who still think he's a thief, but that's another story."

Tonio deLaney
Grand Master, Thieves' Guild

"Saint-Cyr is a renown businessman, former Grand Master of the Kelthian Thieves' Guild, and owner of more businesses on more planets than any other person or entity in the Tarthian Empire. To avoid any possible conflict of interest between bank ownership and his new insurance company, he sold all his rights to the Bank of Tarth, including control of branches throughout the twenty-plus worlds of the empire.

What will he do with all that money? It might pay for a few of his less expensive suits."

Dei Koplow
President, Bank of Tarth

"My partner Trink and I both worked directly for Mr. Saint-Cyr for eighteen months, catering parties in his home. When we told him about our dream of starting our own place on Kelthia, he insisted the better location was Tarth City. Though we had saved for years, there was no way we could afford a down payment on anything on Tarth. To our surprise, he had investors find a good spot, and loaned us the money without interest. All he asked in return was for us to cater for all his businesses there at cost for two years. By the end of the third year, we had paid him in full out of profits. If anyone knows business, it's him."

Yvan Ellory and Trink Vandermeer
Founders, Batchelors Restaurants

"As a Kin male working in a barber shop, I had difficulty dealing with the usual scented and so-called 'unscented' shampoos and soaps that humans use, and the shop owner couldn't afford to import organic cleaners from Felidae. I mentioned that to Luc Saint-Cyr when he came in for a haircut, just talking casually while I gave him his usual trim. He asked a few questions, which I took for polite interest. Two weeks later he came back and told me an idea he'd had for a company geared toward Kin, featuring a line of organic and scent-free cosmetics. When I applauded the idea, he stunned me by asking if I'd like to run it. Within two years, with his help, KinSkin became one of the top grossing businesses on Tarth. Seems humans also appreciate quality products created from organics and made without artificial ingredients. When you talk about ideas with this man, he not only listens, he implements."

Jo
Owner, Jo's
Co-founder of KinSkin

I don't take my duties lightly, and I absolutely depend on the brilliance, courage, and inventiness of my entire staff. The key to success is finding those who share your dream, allowing them to fulfill it as if it's solely theirs, and ensuring they reap the benefits of the success. Employees and associates who take ownership of their work invest more than talent in a job. They invest their lives. I see it as my job to ensure they're well rewarded.

They know I'll listen to their ideas and help fulfill their dreams without hesitation, because their dreams are also mine."

Luc Saint-Cyr
President, CEO Lucsondis Enterprises
A multi-venture conglomerate

"The main task of a CEO is to make the hard decisions, learn to live with them, and try not to make the same mistake twice. It's a lonely journey. It can feel like walking into the dark, not knowing if you're entering a tunnel or the opening of a grave.

Luc Saint-Cyr
President, CEO For Women Only and More

"It's the job of the Chosen to protect all the immortals, whether we serve them personally or simply work in the background. They change the world we live in. I'm not so sure it's always in a good way."

Wulf Gabriel
Wulf, Tales of the Chosen

"Any time Luc Saint-Cyr speaks, the empress listens."

Alitus Vivaldi
Minister of Imperial Intelligence
Alitus, Tales of the Chosen

"The immortal I served had told me the legends, but nothing anyone could have said would have prepared me for actually meeting the man. When you're in Luc Saint-Cyr's presence, you can literally feel the power emanating from him. He smells damn good too."

Jawk Brighton
Jawk, Tales of the Chosen

I'm often asked if I had anyone in mind when I wrote Luc. I did not. I knew he was black-skinned, about 6'5" and had an extremely athletic build. He looked great in a suit, and had a presence about him that commanded both attention and respect. Luc also had eyes that were always covered by black contacts that hid even the whites. He had a rich voice that soothed. He was noble, and carried himself with distinction and a dominating presence.

In 2002, like millions of others in America, I sat down to watch the first episode of 24. I was blown away by the concept, the action, and the characters. Dennis Haysbert came on the screen as Senator David Palmer, the first black American (so the story went) to have a real shot at the presidency. The more I watched him the more I began to realize he would make a good Luc.

However, there is no one in the real world who would ever match Luc -- he's an ideal character despite his flaws. Perhaps one day an actor will come along who will fit the part physically, and even have the courage to play him if the story were made into a movie. I believe Luc's story is compelling and would make an excellent concept for a feature film. Luc is a Robin Hood of sorts, working to protect mankind from its worst enemy. That's a high calling for any man to answer.

I am twenty-three. He is thousands of years old.
I am amazed by the world. He has seen it all.
I'm a drummer in a band. He is the most powerful man in the empire.
I had never had sex. Experienced lovers flocked to him if he but crooked a finger.
I live in T-shirts and ratty jeans. He wears tuxedos and suits.
I work on the road and have no home. He owns mansions on every world in the empire.
I'm from Felidae, a backward world outside the Tarthian Empire. He is all but a prince or king on Tarth.
I'm five tradestandard feet eleven inches. He's six-five.
I am golden toned and a feline Kin. He is the color of rich dark chocolate, and looks human.

Yet despite our differences, when we kiss, we fit just right in each other's arms, and neither of us ever felt whole before we met the other.

It was a shock to find out I had been created. Designed and placed within a womb, and allowed to mature without ever knowing what I truly was -- a Changeling. An immortal myself.

What were the odds of us ever being lovers? We were worlds apart, and only an accident of fate brought us together.

The one man I waited all my life for is the only man who could ever be my true mate, and I am the only one who could ever be his.

My only disappointment is that I wasn't created earlier. Luc spent thousands of years with no one to love him the way he needed. Now, he is no longer alone. He tells me I am the shelter for his heart. I know he is the shelter for mine.

No one but a Kin could ever understand this man. We have kahlah, the ability to smell emotions. What he shows the world and what is in his heart do not match. It is not so much that he tries to deceive, although he does do that; it is more that he refuses to let his true self show to anyone. He cannot hide himself from me, and doesn't need to. My deepest desire is to be the one he turns to for comfort and strength.

Luc is my world. I have lost myself in him. In the losing, I found my true calling. I am his mate. The one who walks beside him in the dark and guards him when he sleeps. I am the one he trusts. I am the one who sees his inner surrender.

I accept him. I love him. I am wholly his.