Roxana - An Unexpected Hellhound

An Unexpected Hellhound, book 3 of the Unexpected Trilogy introduces a new character, Roxana. Roxana also is the star of An Unexpected Short story in the Dare To Shine Anthology in aid of the S.O.P.H.I.E Lancaster Foundation being released on May 22nd.

Now I love Roxana, she is a spunky, take no prisoners, confident woman. I wanted to make Roxana as interesting in appearance as she is in character. I wanted to give her an edgy punk feel, so I jumped on google and pulled up as many images as I could until I found what I was looking for.

I love the colours in the first image, but the length and style was all wrong for Roxana, but image two is a perfect style for her. So take the colours of image 1 and put it on the style of image 2.

Roxana is also tattooed. The idea of the tattoo's is that they trace across her ribs and thighs, replicating the tribal patterning on the coat of her inner hound.

The next three images show Roxana's 'baby' her Ducati 1098 S, and the leathers she would normally wear, and even the corset mentioned in book 3.

Now I've told you a bit about my new favourite girl, here's a sneak peak into her story.

I'd gotten wind of something big happening in Texas. Not only was there a gathering of Alphas, but there was also a gathering of major players in the Vampire Council.

My curiosity had been piqued.

I'd traded my signature leather pants and jacket for jeans and a denim jacket. The wide brimmed cowboy hat not only shaded my face from the intensity of the sun, but also disguised my red and purple hair, allowing me to blend in with the heavy crowd of the rodeo.

I spotted the Alphas in the stands on the east side of the rodeo crowds, they barely gave their attention to the bull ride that had the crowd roaring in appreciation. My ears hurt from their enthusiasm. Nothing much was likely to happen in such a public place. Deciding to save my ears I decided to leave the heavy crush of the crowds. Maybe I could find somewhere for a quiet drink.

The bar I found was more manic than the rodeo spectators. Fists were flying in every direction. I couldn't help the smile that graced my face at the prospect of a bit of free action. There was a sheriff department officer in the midst of the brawl, making arrests and trying to take control of the situation. I spotted another cowboy in a white shirt who also appeared to be making arrests. I shrugged, nothing wrong with giving them a hand. I have no problem with helping to tilt the scales for the side of justice.

I slipped into the bar, I had no restraints available to me to take control, so instead I made swift work of knocking out a few of the larger brawlers giving each other a hard time. I managed to help turn the tables on the brawlers, without being seen by the lawmen. As soon as I was happy they could manage, I slipped back out of the bar, straightening my jacket and re-sitting my hat.

The sun was beginning to make its descent in the sky, and the bite had left its rays. Sensing a wolf nearby, and heading in this direction I quickly darted away, slipping into the crowds that had started to leave the rodeo arena and were heading to a large tented area.

I felt my hound stir as I found the most intoxicating scent curling around my senses. Fear filled me as I recognised my reaction to that scent. Ignoring the outraged calls of the crowd as I dashed through them I headed away from the rodeo grounds and that scent.

Collapsing on the ground, my bike against my back I drew my knees up and rested my head in my arms. A tumult of emotions flooded through my body as my mind tumbled through the torrent of memories I had once thought long dead.

I remembered the first time that I had met Alexander in 332 BC. I had only been human then, and my senses were dull in comparison to what they are now. But I had still found myself captivated at the sight of the Macedonian king. The intensity of his stare as his eyes caught mine chilled me, yet excited me at the same time. Despite the huge number of people in the courtyard he stalked through them towards me. I found myself shivering as he gathered me into his arms, his touch sending shock waves of sensation through my body.

The outraged cries of my parents were drowned out by the blood rushing through my ears as his mouth claimed mine. His masculine scent was more intoxicating than the strongest wine. In that moment I knew that an eternity with this man would not be enough for me.

My heart was pounding so heavily that I thought it would hammer out of my chest, then his mouth left mine to fasten upon my neck. His fingers speared into my heavily coiled blond hair and tugged my head gently yet firmly aside as a sharp piercing pain penetrated my neck.

All awareness of where we were came back to me as I heard the raucous cheering of Alexander's men and the horrified screams of my mother. I barely let out a whimper as I suddenly blacked out, losing all consciousness as strong arms wrapped around my limp body.

A traitorous tear tracked down my cheek as I remembered with startling clarity the moment that Alexander had claimed me as his mate. The flood of emotions I felt as I remembered the perfectness of those following days as he explained to me just who and what he was, and the importance of our bond had been the most amazing and happiest days of my mortal life.

It had taken me many years of intense meditation with Xuan Wu to learn to control the torrent of emotions that had overwhelmed me during those first years. I had felt betrayed by Alexander, that he had abandoned me, left me for dead and forsaken the bond he had impressed upon me as being the most important thing in a wolf's life besides their pack.

I had not thought of Alexander in a very long time. Managing to keep his memory locked up tight within the deepest recesses of my mind. But now, with the strong and intoxicating scent of that male wolf, all those memories and feelings of betrayal returned to me.

How could the Fates do this to me? Give me a mate again? And not just any wolf, but an Alpha! I have no intention of ever being abandoned by a mate again. Hell, I have no intention of even having a mate again. The heart ache involved was just too much to deal with.

I stood up, brushing tears from my face as I threw a leg over the Ducati, settling into the comfortable familiarity of the powerful machine. My fingers hesitated at the ignition key as I spotted a group of vampires walking a couple of cars away. The flashback of the feast at the vampires compound in Gaza a week before my mortal death brought to me the name of Isis and Osiris. My curiosity was once more piqued. I straightened up on the bike, all thoughts of emotional cowardice forgotten. What was the vampire king and queen doing here?

Something big must definitely be going down for such important vampires to be gathering at the same time as the majority of the governing Alphas. I slipped off the super-bike 1098 S, following at a safe distance behind the vampires. The irony of my curiosity had me feeling more feline than hound, but I was what I was. The sight of a mated vampire and wolf confused the hell out of me. For as long as my immortal life vampires and wolves had been killing each other. Now they were mating?

I followed them to the bar I had been in earlier, hiding in the shadows and listening to everything that was being said. I had to hide behind a corner when I heard the door open. A young she-wolf and the plain clothed lawman from earlier exited, walking away towards the tent which seemed to be the centre of entertainment since the bullride had finished.

As soon as they were gone I centred my attention back on what was happening inside the bar. What I heard damn near floored me.