Tortured Heroes & Steamy WIP

I've been working on a story that I had started a few months ago, but now I've decided to use it for a contest, which requires a HOT hero. Over the last year I think I've gotten pretty good at conveying sexual tension and romance in my writing. I can even make myself drool:) However, this will be the first steamy story I've worked on. Yes, folks I mean a story with sex in it. I know...it took a lot for me to even type the word just now. I know writers all have different ways to inspire themselves. I love reading for inspiration. I read all the time, before bed and in the morning especially. After deciding I was going to work on this story, I went on a Tortured Hero reading kick. The hero in my WIP is tortured, good looking, immortal and because of an event 150 years ago denies himself pleasure. He protects the weak, kills bad guys and maintains almost perfect hygiene. "What was that?" you ask? Yes, he has a phobia about not being clean. It happens. Whatever you do, don't laugh at him.

On to the Tortured Hero inspiration. First I started off with Kresley Cole's A Hunger Like No Other. This is Lachlain & Emmaline's story. Talk about tortured. Damn. Lachlain was imprisoned for over 100 years, burned, healed, then burned again over and over. He's a Scottish werewolf. "Nuff said.

Next we have Ecstasy Unveiled by Larissa Ione. This is Lore and Idessa's story, and they are both tortured souls. Lore has been and still is physically tortured by his master whenever he doesn't do his will. He's an assassin in servitude, and it sucks to say the least. Idessa isn't physically tortured, hers being more of an emotional turmoil. Wow, I loved this book. Emotionally gripping, action packed and steamy.

I had to read Gena Showalter's first Lords of the Underworld book again. These guys should be under tortured in the dictionary. Demons-- living INSIDE them. Yeah, that's rough. The Darkest Fire is the first book, and it's Maddox's story. I love Maddox with a passion. The man is so alpha male it should be tattooed on his chest. He's got it going on: protective, sexy, kick ass, and he's handy around the mansion.

During this reading marathon a copy of Carolyn Jewel's My Forbidden Desire arrived. I had forgotten that I won it on the Odd Shots blog. Wow, and what an addition to my tortured hero collection of books. Xia is tortured (of course), smart ass, kick ass and sexy. What a cool story, and great inspiration.

Does anyone else have a favorite tortured hero?

Brenda