The Seductive Lure of Vampires

By Cara Bristol

I’d read Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Stephen King’s Salem’s Lot, but never gave much thought to vampires until Moonlight appeared on television.

Alex O’Loughlin played Mick St. John, a vampire who worked nights (for obvious reasons) as a private investigator. He’d made it his mission to protect Internet news reporter Beth Turner, played by Sophia Myles. They had chemistry up the yin yang.

S-E-X-Y.

Something about Mick’s power (super strength, exceptional speed, immortality) combined with his vulnerability (his angst at having been turned, his need to feed and his near-miss encounters with death) grabbed me by the throat and hooked me. I never missed an episode. It was a sad, sad day when CBS cancelled the show.

For me, a vampire hero embodies the same traits that make a contemporary or paranormal hero appealing: a strong alpha male who has a soft spot. The contrast of strength with weakness seduces me every time.

Once I got hooked on vampires, I started reading other paranormal books. I prefer paranormals in which the characters are more humanlike such as vampires or psychics to non-humans such as elves, fairies, extra-terrestrials or shape-shifters.

It was only matter of time before I was compelled to write my own vampire romance – A Scent of Longing, a 1Night Stand story released today. The heroine, Lily Dansen, longs for everything “normal” that she lost when she was betrayed and turned by a vampire lover. Luc Fortier yearns for the life mate he’ll never have because he’s a shunned vampire Half Breed. Neither one imagines that a 1Night Stand date could lead to anything more than a single night of passion.

Here’s the scene when Lily and Luc first meet:

 “Let me help you with that.” His voice reminded her of dark chocolate—rich and smooth, with an underlying bite.

She stared, mesmerized into immobility by his seductive tone and aquamarine eyes that matched her pendant. Short, thick hair, as stark as a moonless night, swept back from his forehead. He wasn’t a pretty man, or even a handsome one; life had hewn the angles of his face roughly, almost brutally, but he exuded an indefinable allure. Stubble fashionably darkened his square jaw, although she had a hunch he followed no fad—nor any man’s dictates.

Despite her high heels, his height forced her to tilt her head back to look at him, a circumstance that made her feel both overpowered and protected. Lily swallowed. “I’m sorry…for screaming.”

“No, it’s my fault. I startled you. I should have made my presence known the moment you walked in. I’m Luc, by the way.”

“Li-Cherie.”

“Chéri.” He pronounced her name with a French accent, although he sounded American. She rather liked how her fake name sounded on his lips, but wished she could hear him utter her real one.

 “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” His bittersweet voice stroked her like a rough caress.

“It’s nice to meet you, too.” Nice? Perhaps in a dizzying, room-spinning way.

He took her hand in his. Like velvet over steel, beneath the gentleness lay a bone-crushing strength. Luc did not seem feverishly hot the way other humans did to her now. She, however, did feel flushed—could vampires blush?

Her temperature spiked when he brushed his lips over her skin, and she could have sworn he’d licked her, though she immediately dashed the notion as silly. But, no man had ever kissed her hand, and her heart fluttered.

I’d like to know what you like about vampires. Tell me what you like to see in a vampire romance, I’ll pick my favorite comment and Decadent Publishing will award the winner a free ebook copy of A Scent of Longing. Be sure to leave your email address so you can be contacted!