Nicholas & Varina

Nicholas Tannek and Varina Tannek are two original characters created by Pat Dunn and Diana Smith.
Nicholas was a nobleman from 10th century Macedonia. He encountered Varina in the 14th century in Europe during one of the Black Death epidemics. They traveled extensively throughout their lifetimes. Nicholas was often a doctor, and at least once was an art collector and dealer. Varina frequently sang professionally on the stage, and was often a patroness of the arts. As vampires, they tried to be of the "good-guy" type.
The 'verse was complete as of August 2020. 
A fan in 1993 remarked that "she looks like Marina Sirtis of ST: TNG and he looks like Duncan Regehr of Zorro." from the editorial of Good Guys Wear Fangs #2 
Some fans were granted permission to use the characters in their own stories. 
From The Collected Nicholas and Varina: "The characters of Nicholas and Varina Tannek and Liam O'Connell are copyrighted 1995 by Diana L. Smith & Patricia C. Dunn, and all rights for the use of these characters are reserved to the authors."
Pcdfanwriter (Pat Dunn) remembers: "This was our first ever attempt to publish our own zine. It came out just before Bill Hupe transferred his business to Peg Kennedy. A good number of our first run (most, probably) had just been placed with him. They ended up in the storage locker and were, after some time, among the titles saved by the Zine Rescue Project. We were lucky, I guess."
The characters are vampires and appear in many fic crossovers.
From an introduction in Good Guys Wear Fangs #1: "They are an absolutely delightful vampire couple who go through time doing their best to be philanthropic, regardless of what fate has dealt them."
Similar fan creations are Vas & Dex, Tris/Alex. Clan Mitchell, Elyza Lex, and the spoof character Mary Sue Whipple.
==Some Fanart==
File:Differenctdreambeast1-8.jpg|Varina from A Different Dream #1 (1990), artist is likely Kay Simon
 Image:goodguys1art11.jpg|Good Guys Wear Fangs #1, artist is Cheryl Duval, Nicholas and Varina meet Columbo
 Image:goodguys1art12.jpg|"Good Guys Wear Fangs" #1, artist is Barb Johnson
 Image:goodguys1art2.jpg|"Good Guys Wear Fangs" #1, artist is Valerie Meachum
 Image:goodguys2back.jpg| "Good Guys Wear Fangs" #2, artist is by Barb Johnson 
File:Memoryflame2-14.jpg|from The Memory Flame #2, artist is Dragon (1990)
File:Memoryflame2-12.jpg|from The Memory Flame #2, artist is Dragon (1990)
File:Fadedroses3-13.jpg|from Faded Roses #3, "Queen of the Night," artist is Cheryl W. Duval (1991)
File:goodguys3-1.jpg|from "Good Guys Wear Fangs" #3, artist is Michael West (1996)
 
File:goodguys3-3.jpg|from "Good Guys Wear Fangs" #3, artist is Michael West (1996) 
File:goodguys3-4.jpg|from "Good Guys Wear Fangs" #3, artist is Michael West (1996)
 
==Zines==
* The Collected Nicholas and Varina:
** many reprints, see that zine
** two stories original to that zine: a story by Pat Dunn and Diana Smith that is original to this zine (possibly Jekyll & Hyde), and a story by Pat Dunn and Diana Smith that is original to this zine, includes "an excerpt from the in-progress novel 'Vampire Knight'.") (possibly Forever Knight)
* A Different Dream (1990):
** The Strangers (crossover with Beauty and the Beast) 
* Faded Roses #3 (1991):
** Queen of the Night by Pat Dunn and Diana Smith (crossover with Amadeus)
* Good Guys Wear Fangs #1:
** The Truth About Murdoc by Diana Smith and Pat Dunn (crossover with MacGyver): "MacGyver can't quite figure out what to do with the situation when Varina takes him in hand and insists that she is there to help save him from Murdoc's diabolical plan."
** Of Wooden Stakes and Silver Crosses by Diana Smith and Pat Dunn (crossover with. Columbo) "Columbo can't quite believe what his eyes are telling him as he investigates a gruesome murder committed by a self-styled "vampire-killer" who is stalking Nicholas."
** The Intrepid Vampire Killer by Diana Smith and Pat Dunn (Original Universe) "Set in ages past in which Nicholas and Varina find an interestingly non-violent means for dealing with a self-righteous "vampire-killer" of that age."
** Angel of Darkness, Angel of Light by Diana Smith, Pat Dunn, and Valerie Meachum (crossover with Dark Shadows) "Two vampires very unlike himself and one formerly-immortal witch join forces in an attempt to free Barnabas from his curse. Barnabas has a real reason to believe that there is hope when an ancient witch as powerful as Angelique takes her head to head. Guest starring Liara the Irish Witch, an original character created by Valerie Meachum."
* Good Guys Wear Fangs #2:
** Heart of a Knight (crossover with Forever Knight)
** Interlude: Part I and Part II by Pat Dunn and Diana Smith (crossover with Nick Knight and MacGyver) 
* Good Guys Wear Fangs #3
** Dilemma of Conscience by Diane Smith and Pat Dunn (crossover with Forever Knight)
* Heartsblood (1992):
** The Adventure of the Abducted Wife by Pat Dunn and Diana Smith (crossover with Sherlock Holmes, Granada TV version starring Jeremy Brett)
** Lucky Night by Pat Dunn and Diana Smith (Original Universe)
** The Secret by Pat Dunn and Diana Smith (crossover with Phantom of the Opera)
* Let's Ride #15:
** Blood Brothers by Pat Dunn and Diana Smith Magnificent Seven (The arrival of a new doctor in town brings some changes to the small community of Four Corners, and none of the Seven will be the same.) 
* The Memory Flame #2 (1990):
** The Fellowship by Pat Dunn and Diana Smith (crossover with Beauty and the Beast)
* Time Knight:
** The Price of Glory Pat Dunn and Diana Smith (crossover with Quantum Leap)
**To Kill a Vampire Pat Dunn and Diana Smith (crossover with Quantum Leap)
* The Turn of the Wheel:
** On the Cold Hill's Side by Rebecca Brothers, Pat Dunn, and Diana Smith (crossover with Robin of Sherwood) The blood-drinking fugnwr gwaed has attacked Lady Harton. All seems lost until a mysterious stranger and his Lady show up to help, and Robin of Loxley listens carefully to Herne about how to use the silver arrow. (includes many original characters, including some fan casted ones, reprinted in The Collected Nicholas and Varina)
* Blade of Justice (1992):
** The Singing Señorita by Pat Dunn and Diana Smith (crossover with Zorro)
==Fan Comments==
 
==References==