He’s gorgeous, he’s suave, he’s snarky, he’s Italian, and oh, so sexy . . . and, he’s the villain! What’s an author to do when the bad guy is getting all the prime real estate scenes? It wasn’t planned that way but there it is. Every time he gets page time, no other character exists.
It all started in the first book of my Touched by Midnight vampire romance series. The hero was doing fine on his own until two old friends show up at his wedding, an icy, deadly blonde and . . . him. Gerardo Pascale. Dark, droll, and dangerous to this author’s pitter-pattering heart, the more I tried to vilify him, painting him as petulant, vengeful, and treacherous—a slave to the vicious vampire who made him, then turned him against his best friend, the more intrigued I became. Even after a final attempt at revenge against the friend he blames for his misery ends badly, Gerardo redeems himself on the last page, giving the reader, and me, hope that he become hero material.
Book 2, MIDNIGHT TEMPTATION. He’s baaaack! Sleek and sinister but with a heart unable to harden when it comes to the daughter of his friend and the woman he admires, Gerardo schools young Nicole on the ways of their kindin post-Revolution France, trying to seduce her away from her beloved with the mysteries he confides. And he steals the show. I don’t want to give toooo much away because MIDNIGHT TEMPTATION is on sale through the end of the month for only $.99! If you haven’t read the series, take chance and get to know this deadly charmer.
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Her compelled gaze settled far back into the shadows, upon the figure of a man in stark silhouette. He jerked as if with some shock of recognition, then took one gliding step forward to the edge of lamplight.
Reflection played an eerie game upon his face, highlighting skin so fair it seemed translucent and hollows so sharp and deep they were like caverns. A face so startling, so unnaturally beautiful she came close to stumbling in her study. Beneath an arch of black brows, eyes of an icy, luminous blue entranced her. Even as she jerked her head away, she caught the impression of his smile, serene and sinister all at once.
Nicole had never seen the Devil, but on this night, she was sure he walked abroad. She was just as certain that he followed, safely back amongst the shadows. She could feel him, an essence so powerful it frightened her. The moment she crossed the bridge, the sensations faded, and she knew he was gone. But the fear lingered, lending a quickness to her heartbeats and an anxious panic to her mind.
Reflection played an eerie game upon his face, highlighting skin so fair it seemed translucent and hollows so sharp and deep they were like caverns. A face so startling, so unnaturally beautiful she came close to stumbling in her study. Beneath an arch of black brows, eyes of an icy, luminous blue entranced her. Even as she jerked her head away, she caught the impression of his smile, serene and sinister all at once.
Nicole had never seen the Devil, but on this night, she was sure he walked abroad. She was just as certain that he followed, safely back amongst the shadows. She could feel him, an essence so powerful it frightened her. The moment she crossed the bridge, the sensations faded, and she knew he was gone. But the fear lingered, lending a quickness to her heartbeats and an anxious panic to her mind.
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Gerard appears again in Book 3,then finally in Book 4, MIDNIGHT ENCHANTMENT, he gets tragic hero standing. So, as I presumed all along, there was a good(ish) guy inside just waiting for the chance, if not to see the light of day, then at least find the love of the right woman.
What is it with villains? Does anyone else suffer this affliction? What makes them so . . . yummy? Their ultimate bad boy status? Their need for redemption? Their living on the edge devil-may-carelessness? Their unavailability? Or the wounds behind their darkness that we want to heal? Who are your favorite redemption-worthy villains?
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Nancy Gideon on the Web
2 comments:
I always enjoy reading about the genesis of a story. I read these stories when they first came out, and I'm so glad they're back. It's fun--and scary--when characters don't do what we want.
I love a good villain!
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