Romance and Dark Places
I find it fitting that I am able to do this post as a guest on Diana’s site, Romance that thrives in dark places. Especially given the nature of my latest book, Dark Immortal, and the fact that the heroine of this book is named “Diana”.
Now, while both of these things are purely coincidental, it got me to thinking about the dark hero. Why is it that we are drawn to them—to these tortured, brooding, angry men?
I think there is something seductive about a hero who has a sordid past, who struggles with a baser, darker part of himself. There’s a thrill that comes with being involved with someone who’s not necessarily...safe. At the same time, I think that it’s important for his motivations to be understandable. A bad boy who’s nasty and cruel just for the sake of it, isn’t going to get sympathy from anyone. But a man who’s angry and defensive for a reason, and who can find it in himself to work through that and still be an honourable and decent man—well that’s someone you want to hang onto.
In my book, Dark Immortal, Diana and Alric have been together ever since she rescued him from 100 years of isolation and imprisonment in a very dark place. But that experience changed him, and now Alric struggles every day to control the beast that was born in him as a result of that torture and pain—a struggle that becomes even more difficult when he almost loses Diana in an attack that takes her memory from her so that she doesn’t remember him, or the life they’ve built together.
Summary:
How do you know the woman of your dreams would still love you if all the circumstances which brought you together no longer existed? How do you know she would still want you if the memory of your love was wiped away and the only thing left was fear and pain? How could you ask her to stay if all she could see was the monster inside of you, the monster that gets harder and harder to contain?
After one hundred years of torture, trapped underground in darkness and isolation, Alric was visited by an angel. Diana. Beautiful. Strong. Brave. She released him from his prison and saved him from the insanity of his own mind, offering him the kind of love only a fool would ever deny.
But when a vampire’s attack leaves Diana broken and comatose, locked deep inside of herself where Alric can’t reach her, he blames himself for failing to protect her. He can only hope that giving her time to heal will eventually bring her back to him...but it seems that time is not on their side.
Excerpt © Dark Immortal, by J.K. Coi
Alric lifted a hand to her face, lightly trailing a curled finger down her cheek. Callused and rough, but warm on her skin.
She started, her gaze jerking back up to his. His hand was too large, like the rest of him. She knew very well there was little she could do if he decided to use that size and strength against her. And so did he.
It scared the crap out of her, but even so, she didn’t pull back from him.
He touched her with such gentle care, almost trepidation. As if he were more afraid of her, of what she might do, than she was of him. Curiosity rode her. If by some fantastical twist of fate this man was telling her the truth, then she would know from his kiss.
Won’t I?
More to the point, if he kissed her and she felt nothing, then they would both know it. She would be able to put aside the ridiculous uncertainty that continued to torment her once and for all, and maybe he would even let her go.
His gaze shifted to her mouth before he closed the distance. His lips were warm, firm...but light against hers. He was giving her all the time in the world to reject his touch and pull away. When she didn’t do so immediately, he groaned and leaned in closer. There was nothing demanding in his kiss, and yet she felt as if she were being marked, as if this one kiss could break down all of her walls and leave her shivering and vulnerable.
“Diana.” He murmured her name as if it were made to be uttered in his deep voice, his breath stealing between her slightly parted lips. He curved his hand around the back of her head, holding her to him with the gentlest of tethers and slid his tongue across her lips, changing the kiss from something soft and unthreatening, to one that hungered—and dared her to feed the hunger. Dared her to accept it. Crave it.
Oh, God.
I’d love to hear from you, and I want to say thank you to Diana Castilleja for letting me visit today.
Dark Immortal is available for download February 15, 2009:
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J.K. Coi
Immortals to Die For
www.jkcoi.com
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