It’s no secret – I love the bad boys – the slick villains, the scheming second bananas, the rebellious troublemakers. I’ve long been of the opinion that a hero/heroine is only as strong as the adversary he or she goes up against. They push and trick and threaten and behave - well, badly. And I adore them! So much so that I’m devoting the last four weekends of 2023 to my Bad Boys!
And the first (and undeniably my favorite!) is Gerardo Pasquale who was introduced as a schemingly villainous vampire sidekick in MIDNIGHT KISS. He was so slick and oddly engaging that he stole the book out from under its main characters. Readers insisted he get a story of his own to explain what had turned him from the hero’s best friend to the charming side piece of my evil villainess. In MIDNIGHT ENCHANTMENT, book four of the “Midnight” series, his tragic tale comes to light (moonlight not daylight!) . . . and it’s a heartbreaker. Here’s a taste . . .
She’d stood at his open coffin staring down at him as he slept. He’d been maddeningly aware of her, of her scent, of her fear, of her hesitation. He’d felt her touch against his skin, hers so warm against his so cool. He could think of no position more vulnerable, other than perhaps having one’s head on a block with an executioner’s axe raised high. Nowhere to run, no way to resist whatever would follow, he was completely helpless, at the mercy of her intentions. Not knowing what they were was the most frightening of all.
Was he safe now that she knew where he spent his days? Even now as minutes ticked toward twilight with his secret exposed?
Would she touch him with such tenderness if she feared him, then close the lid if she meant him harm? Or was he being naively hopeful and she, just biding her time?
Such tormenting questions from one so momentarily vulnerable. But Gerard is hardly helpless . . . except when love come into the picture. His rise to hero status is one of my most satisfying success stories.
Now how am I going to top that?
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yes, it would be hard to top that moment! Well done.
ReplyDeleteKind of a lot at stake (snicker!) there!
DeleteGerard will always be one of my favorites!
ReplyDelete