Birthday Bash Day 9 - Raine Delight

The Love of a Good Alpha Hero

 

I love strong alpha male heroes. There is something about them that makes my heart race and sigh with delight. What makes a really good alpha hero? One that in my opinion is also with flaws. You know the strong hero with a heart of gold he keeps hidden. I don’t mean one that is so vile and mean that you want to toss him out the window. I mean those heroes who come off strong, tough but with the right person, melt into a puddle of goo. Who doesn’t love an alpha male hero who is redeemed by the love of their soul mate?

In my book, Haunting Magic, I have a wolf shifter who has to find his mate before Halloween or risk being a lone wolf for the rest of his life. Rodrick Dracon was a fun character to write. He had a different woman (or women for that matter) every night with a charm that could have been slimy but came off as adorable….well except for Jax, his nemesis and the one woman his wolf wanted for a mate. I never imagined these two hooking up per say. The sparks flew whenever they were together but my muse was determined to show these two stubborn people they were perfect for each other. I let the muse flow and voila! Writing Rod as a strong alpha male had me swooning because he didn’t steamroll over Jax, she went toe to toe with him and in the process both found a love that was meant to be.

An alpha male character, in my honest opinion, is only as good as the mate he is destined for (be it female or male). They have to be just as strong and able to not let their soul mate(s) run right over t hem. For that I love strong main characters, ones that fairly simmer with life and practically step off the pages-into your room and heart. Right now in my current work in progress in the Devon Falls series, Grady O’Neil finds that love is quite different than lust and he needs to learn that falling in love is not a weakness but something much more, a power that can change his world…if he accepts it that is. Let’s just say that the path to true love for this anti-hero is one paved with lots of misunderstandings, a bear shifter who finds himself fighting not just his feelings but also for the heart of his mate and that meddlesome friends and family can make even the strongest person want to run screaming for the hills. I hope you enjoy Mistletoe Magic when it comes out, hopefully at the end of this year..

The latest alpha male hero that is capturing my heart is two sexy space pirates in my WIP called Space Pirates: Bounty. Take Capt. Jack from the Pirate of the Caribbean movies and add in a dash of Capt. Malcom “Tightpants” from Firefly (Nathan Fillain character) and stir. This is my version of a futuristic that has me swooning while I write it. I love bad boys with a heart of gold and a take charge kind of mentality. This is the basis for Captain Rafe Gregory and his first mate, Tyrese. Two of the hottest space pirates around and they find a human earth woman stowing away on their ship. With bounty hunters after them, Tyreese and Rafe find they need Kara Griffan as much as they need the money she would bring to the slavers. It’s a race against time as Kara, Rafe, Tyrese try to figure out how to lose the bounty hunters amid the stars. All three are perfect and as this is my first ménage, I am having a blast letting my imagination and love of Firefly, Battlestar Gallactica and Stargate take me places in my imagination.

I draw upon my favorite books that had some memorable characters as inspiration for my characters. You know those authors like Sherrilyn Kenyon, Keri Arthur, Lena Austin, Sierra Dafoe, Claire Thompson, Josh Lanyon and more who create many wonderful characters for readers to fall in love with. With each book I write, I try to draw on my inspiration and give the characters that spark that makes them lovable as well as believable. So tell me, what makes a good alpha male hero in your mind? Have any favorites that make you swoon?

Haunting Magic

Book 4 of Devon Falls series

A wolf shifter finds that falling in love is not the only problem he has. Can he convince Jaxon that his love is true?

For wolf shifter Rod Dracon finding his destined mate just got harder for the woman his wolf wanted was none other than Jaxon Sinclair. A woman who would sneer and quip about his life but he couldn’t deny that she called to him on a primal level. Now the question is can this wolf shifter claim his mate before she walks away….forever.

Excerpt:

He looked even better close up though she damn well wasn’t going to tell him that. He had a swelled head as it was, considering all the honeybees that swarmed all over him. She mentally gathered her defenses. If she didn’t know better, she would have thought she was in lust with Rodrick, impossible as seemed from the way they sniped at each other. Shaking her head slightly, she felt his gaze move to her and heard his startled breath as she walked up to the porch.

“Hey, Rod, slow night?” Jax asked. Her eyes drank in the way his muscles bunched under his t-shirt. She felt her stomach clench, though it could have been the anticipation of food that waited inside the dark mahogany doors. The way he was watching her had her nerves on edge. She didn’t know what the hell his problem was, but Jax was determined to get in and out with her order before Rod pushed her buttons. She just was not up to dealing with him tonight.

“Yeah, seems everyone is getting ready for the Halloween costume dance tomorrow. What are you up to tonight? Got a dinner date?” Rod growled at her, his eyes shining with a glow that almost made Jax take a step back before she caught herself. Shaking her head, she said, “What the hell is wrong with you tonight? I was going to have dinner with Grady, but he got short-staffed and had to cover tonight. I just wanted to see if I can grab a take out from your mom.” Jax marveled at how normal it was between them. Though she thought the hair on his arms bristled at the thought of her on a date, it probably was her imagination. Rod wasn’t interested in her, just the ones who wanted a good time and an easy lay.

“I am sure my mom would love to give you something since everyone knows you can burn water without even trying.” The smile that tugged at his lips had her eyes go wide then narrow in annoyance.

“What the hell would you know about cooking, you jackass? I bet you couldn’t make something if your life depended on it,” she sneered. Her hands closed into fists and she was tempted to smack him for being so damn annoying. If she didn’t know better, she would have thought there was a smile lingering on his smug face.

“Oh, are you challenging me, Jax? Can’t take the fact that I may actually know something you don’t? Want to take that to a test?” Rod leaned forward, stroked a finger down her nose, and said softly, “Afraid that maybe I can do something that will make you readjust your opinion of me?”

Jax was stunned by the clenching of her pussy as he traced his finger down her nose. If she didn’t know better, she could have sworn there was a flare of interest in his eyes; though it could have been that she was moon-mazed or something. Jax tried to still the weak-kneed response to him touching her as she tried to form an annoying response.

“You can boil water? Oh, my god!” Jax looked up at the darkening sky and then back at Rod. “Wow the sky hasn’t fallen yet. Did you pay off Heaven or something? Has Hell frozen over and no one told the Devil?”

The smile that played on her lips had him growling low in his throat. Jax didn’t know what to think when Rod yanked her to him and said, “You have a death wish don’t you Jax? You really don’t want me to show you that I can do that and so much more.” His voice was low and husky; Jax felt her bones turn to mush as he nipped her ear. He turned her on, no two ways about it and damn it, why him? He has to be the most annoying man on this planet yet he also was sexy as sin and damn it to hell and back, he made her want him with every inch of her being. Trying to shove away from him was like trying to hit a rock with an open palm. He was an immovable object and his eyes, she could have sworn, glowed faintly.

“Will you please let me go, you ass?” Jax tried to keep her voice strong and pissed off but dang it; he was making her stomach do flips every time he nipped her ear. “If you really want to prove to me you can cook, fine. I swear it is like your male ego got in a snit or something.” She huffed and blew her breath out when nothing else seemed to make him let go, though if she were honest with herself, she liked his hands on her body. Still, it wasn’t like she was going to tell this idiot that. No telling what else he would do with that information.

“Is it possible that I can go grab some food before I die of starvation? I swear if that was your goal tonight, Rod, you are not doing a very good job.” Jax said as she felt his hands glide down her arms then let go, the lack of his touch almost had her keening for more. This attraction she had for him was getting out of hand, especially since she and Rod rubbed against each other like oil and water.

Her treacherous body leaned into him before she caught herself and as she glared at him, she didn’t know what the hell was going on tonight but for some reason tonight he was determined to drive her insane.

“Go get your take out, Jax, but tomorrow, make no plans for the evening. I got something to prove and frankly, I am more than a pretty face, Jaxon. I think it’s time for you to see what else I can do besides be the resident “Lathario” as you so charmingly call me.”

“Fine,” She snapped at him, disgusted with her at the way her body aroused from the way his voice. “If it makes your fragile male ego happy to prove something, come on over and frankly it better be edible please. Nothing frou-frou or stuff that I cannot pronounce for god’s sake. I get home about six so come by after that.”

The next thing she knew, he leaned over, snatched her from her spot on the sidewalk and smiled as her eyes widened. “Jaxon, if I didn’t know better, I would say you are intrigued by me making dinner for you. If this keeps up, I think I am going to have to show you some of my other hidden talents.” Then before she could form a coherent thought and punch him, he leaned forward and laid his full wet lips on hers, teasing her with a light caress of his tongue and with light firm kisses until she was panting and flushed. Before she could form a sane thought or even think of pushing him away, she kissed him back, teasing him with hard kisses as her tongue dueled with his as her arms wrapped themselves around his waist. With one last reluctant kiss, he stepped back. His eyes glittered in the moonlight and Jax saw his arousal strain his jeans. “Now the deal is set, Sweets. I will be there around six-thirty so don’t be playing the ’I am late’ game, I will be waiting for you.” Then he sauntered away back into the Inn, leaving her body primed for something and ready to kill him.

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Secret Cravings Publishing

On Valentine’s Day

Moonlight Masquerade by Raine Delight - Mysterious roses keep popping up on Skylar Everclear's doorstep. No idea what is going, a little disturbed by this secret admirer, he tries to forget it all since he just got rid of the latest line of loser boyfriends and just wants to do his job at the local bakery. But when he meets his new neighbor, Marc Douglas, he finds himself drawn to the quiet young man even as he tries to not let his libido take over. But on Valentine's Day, a mysterious rose again pops up with a note to meet his admirer that night. Will Skylar take a chance that this time, love is right there waiting for him?

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Author Bio:

Raine Delight is a multi-published author who enjoys writing about alpha heroes who need the love of a good mate to settle their heart. You can find her on the web at her website, blog, Yahoo loop, or on Facebook. She is with Secret Cravings Publishing (Devon Falls Series) as well as self-published with the It’s Raining Men anthologies, Hot Summer Fun and On Valentine’s Day, both now available in e-book and print.

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