Let’s be real for a moment. We all love a good project, don’t we? That one beautiful, broken thing we can pour our energy into. And let’s be even more honest: sometimes, that project comes in the form of a tall, dark, and devastatingly dangerous man.

For me, the fantasy isn’t just about “fixing” him. It’s about the satisfaction of seeing a man who was once a boring husk turn into something completely different, something alive and dangerous and passionate, all because of you. When I was creating Azazel for The Silver Witch, I was completely hooked by the idea of crafting this ultimate morally grey hero that I—and by extension, you, the reader—could interact with. A demon whose story I could shape and whose fate was tied to our heroine.

But the appeal goes so much deeper than that, doesn’t it? These powerful, possessive, unapologetically dangerous characters give us a space to live out a fantasy we would never touch in real life. Why? Because for just a moment, as we turn the pages, we get to be the protagonist who needs saving. It’s a delicious escape, especially when most days in the real world, we’re the ones who have to be strong.

Think about it. A typical “good guy” hero, the shining knight, will always make the “right” choice. He’ll sacrifice you to save the world. But a bad guy? A morally grey hero? He will sacrifice the world to save you. At our core, maybe we’re all a little bit selfish. We crave that absolute devotion, the idea that someone would stop at nothing to protect us. Fiction gives us a safe haven where we can indulge in that fantasy without dealing with the real-life repercussions or toxicity that often comes with it. We can hide in the story, feel the thrill, and come back to the real world when we have to. It’s all about balance.

A Monster Unbalanced

So, how do you write a character like Azazel—a literal demon who has slaughtered entire covens—and still make readers fall for him?

Here’s my secret: I don’t try to balance his good and bad deeds.

There is no balance with a character like him. As a reader, you don’t have to forgive his monstrous past. In fact, I want you to struggle with it. I am asking you to accept what Azazel is and nothing more. He’s a demon who is slowly, painfully, growing a soul, and it’s all thanks to Selene. I want you to come to terms with his darkness and maybe even hate Selene a little bit for forgiving him when you know you probably wouldn’t. That tension, that internal conflict, is what makes their story so addictive.

This comes to a head in a few key moments in The Silver Witch. Of course, there’s the major scene where he believes he’s losing Selene to Enoch, and his true, monstrous power comes roaring to the surface—all for her protection. But there are smaller moments, too. Think about the scene where he first forces himself on her. It’s an act that rides the line of dubious consent, that feels like it could be a borderline assault. And yet, even in this dangerous, demonic act of possession, Azazel is moving carefully, taking care not to hurt Selene in any way she doesn’t secretly, deep down, enjoy. A “normal” hero would never do that, but Azazel’s twisted version of love means claiming her completely while ensuring her pleasure.

The “Corruption” Arc: A Dark Queen’s Rise

When a heroine falls for a villain, the story usually goes one of two ways. Does her love “fix” him? Or does she embrace his darkness and rise to become his equal?

For Selene and Azazel, well… their paths are intertwined for a long time to come, and you’ll have to see exactly how it plays out in the next books. But I’ll tell you this: I have always loved the idea of the heroine becoming a dark queen beside our morally grey hero. Over the course of the next two books, we will see Selene discover her true lineage and her real power, all with Azazel by her side. Together, it will seem like nothing can stop them.

There’s something so much more compelling about that. A “changed” hero might hesitate. A “good” man might choose the world over you. But a morally grey hero, a king of the shadows? He would burn it all down to protect his queen, and that is a love worth fighting for.

The Uncrossable Line: Protection vs. Control

So, what’s the definitive line? What separates a hero who is deliciously dark from a character who is just plain toxic?

For me, it’s this: the line is crossed the moment he stops wanting to protect you and starts wanting to control you. The entire foundation of a true morally grey hero, no matter how monstrous his deeds, must be love. It’s a fierce, possessive, all-consuming love that drives his every action. But the moment that love curdles into a need for pure control, he’s no longer a dark hero. He’s just a villain.

If Azazel were to ever cross that line—if he turned back to his old ways and decided to take Selene’s power from her rather than teaching her how to wield it for herself—that would be his true villain arc. That’s the red flag that would make even me turn against him.

The fantasy isn’t about being owned; it’s about being cherished so completely that a monster would learn to kneel for his queen.

With all my dark love, Corrupted Doe