Silk & Shadows

A sultry island breeze wafts in the window, billowing the curtain. The room is dark, except for the silver wash of moonlight that spills across the terracotta floor tiles. Under the swath of mosquito netting covering the double bed, Lachlan pulls Rachel a little tighter against his chest … and waits. After four hundred years of soul gathering, he’s developed an uncanny ability to sense impending messages from Death.

Sure enough, the Blackberry on the nightstand begins to vibrate.

He snatches it, doing his best not to disturb the woman whose long legs are entwined with his, whose soft breaths stir the hairs on his chest. They had a full day—walking along the beach, hunting for souvenirs in the village marketplace, windsurfing in the cove, and dining on fresh sea bass. Unlike him, Rachel is human. She needs her sleep.

A glance at the electronic screen confirms what he already knows: a Gatherer doesn’t get vacations. In an alley behind the local rum bar, a drunken tourist is about to be mugged. Judgment impaired by alcohol, the sunburned Canadian accountant will foolishly fight to keep his wallet and end up losing his life. Lachlan used to try to save such men, but Death is ruthless and persevering. When she marks a human, they die.

He kisses the top of Rachel’s head, then carefully untangles himself and rolls off the bed. He dresses quickly, donning black jeans and a black long-sleeved shirt. With an ease that speaks to his experience, he straps a leather baldric across his broad shoulders and slides his claidheamh mòr into the sheath. Warded by ancient Romany magic, the weapon immediately vanishes from sight. Ready, he crosses to the window, then pauses to look back at Rachel.

His job is not to save the tourist’s life, but to save his soul. For every soul destined for heaven, there’s a demon thief determined to waylay it into hell, and with every gather, there’s a chance the Gatherer won’t return.

A faint smile curves Lachlan’s lips.

He promised to take Rachel scuba-diving on the reef in the morning. Even if he’s ambushed tonight by a horde of vicious martial demons, there’s no way he’ll disappoint her.

He leaps out the window, drops soundlessly to the hotel lawn thirty feet below, and merges with the shadows.

This is a little scene I wrote to imagine my characters from Drawn into Darkness on ‘vacation’. It’s written in present tense, but don’t worry, the book is standard past tense. Enjoy!

Currently working on: Book 2
Mood: Contemplative

Mmmm. Dark heroes. I love ‘em.

Jessa’s description of them—compelling, aloof, dangerous, potent, enigmatic, guarded, fierce, deep, passionate—really resonated. Just reading those words make me shiver.

I confess, though, I don’t start off with a description in mind when I write a book and I don’t go looking for certain words in the blurbs on the back of the books I pick up at the store. But I do seek out dark heroes. All the time.

So, what am I looking for? How do my dark heroes evolve?

For me, there are three common elements: a troubled past that lingers in the back of his mind, an unshakable competency gained the hard way, and a willingness to do whatever must be done, even if it’s very unpleasant. These are not guys to whom life has been kind. They’ve seen hardship—plenty of it—and they’ve not only endured, they’ve thrived. You can see it in those compelling eyes, sense it behind that guarded expression, and witness it in their passionate defense of the people they care about.

For me a prime example of what makes a dark hero dark has recently played out in the character James Bond. Jessa had a great reference to him in her comments yesterday. I was never a fan of the old James Bond movies—yes, there were elements I liked—his savoir faire, his skills, and his darkly charming looks. But in my opinion the movies were very forgettable. That changed when I went to see Casino Royale. I LOVED the new Bond, even though I wasn’t excited about the blond hair. Why? Because up there on the screen was my beloved dark hero.

This Bond has secrets behind those baby blues. Those lines on his face were carved by bitter experience. He could have ended up on the wrong side of the law—indeed he dances along that line when circumstances demand it—but he stands for justice. With everything he’s got. He kicks ass, makes no apology for doing it, and sometimes things get messy and ugly. Yet, he has a soft spot for women. No, wait. I loved Jessa’s description of a quiet hole inside him that can only be filled by a woman. It’s perfect. You just have to look at him to know that hole is there, and you desperately want to be the woman who can fill it.

That scene when he gets in the shower fully clothed to hold the shaken and shivering heroine melts my heart every time.

Have you seen the movie? What do you think? Based on what attracts you to a dark hero, does Bond have the right stuff? If you haven’t seen the movie, how do you know a dark hero when you see one?