Dead Ice: Nicky
Dead Ice: Nicky
We’re only two weeks away from Dead Ice’s publication. This blog will be the first one that doesn’t have a graphic novel image to go with it, because Nicky is one of several major characters that didn’t appear in the early books which were later turned into graphic novels. I’m trying to get images to go with Nicky and the rest, but for now his traditional lion form stands in for the other two forms.
Question: Did you know that Nicky was going to be a major character when you created him?
Answer: No.
Secrets to Share: I didn’t expect to ever see him again because I thought Anita was going to have to kill him. He was just another sociopathic bad guy when he walked on stage from my imagination. I had no idea we were keeping him around until the very last minute and even then I had no idea that he would be in almost every book from that point on. Even keeping him, I didn’t know Nicky would go from bit player to supporting character to main character.
Question: Why did you do the rough bondage scene with Nicky and Anita in Affliction?
Answer: Because they are lovers, and both of them enjoy rough sex and bondage with each other.
Secret to Share: Nicky was fast becoming a fan favorite until I wrote that particular scene in Affliction. After the scene, a lot of the women fans disliked or even seemed to hate him. I was totally surprised by the reaction. Anita and Nicky had had rough sex before on stage, but some fans thought this scene was too much. Why? We’d had Anita tied up during sex before, and I believe that Nathaniel was even part of that scene, too, just as he was with Anita and Nicky in Affliction. So why the negative reaction? And none of the fans are angry with Nathaniel, just with Nicky, again why? The only difference I can see is that it’s a more serious breath play scene, which Nicky enjoys giving, and it was his suggestion to add that to the scene. I was very careful and very clear to have Anita and Nicky discuss what she was comfortable with beforehand. Nathaniel was there as an extra safety monitor and not just as an extra lover. I talked about safety issues, because breath play of any kind is edge play, which means it can be more dangerous. I did my due diligence on paper and Nicky and Nathaniel both watched over Anita to make sure she was all right. I talked about it, rather than just glossing over the possible problems. All three of them care for each other, and they all enjoyed the scene and the sex, so why did some people freak about it and start hating on Nicky? I don’t know, I honestly don’t, but some people who were fans of his are now literally haters of his, so apparently the scene hit issues for people.
Question: When will see Nicky interact with more of the local werelions?
Answer: In Dead Ice.
Secrets to Share: My research into real lions helped me shape Nicky taking over the local pride and how he runs it in Dead Ice. Contrary to the old idea of male lions as the “King of the Beasts” presiding over their territory and their harem of lionesses all by themselves, it’s rarely just one king. One lone male lion would be hard put to defend against all commers, most prides are run by a coalition of male lions. More detailed DNA testing has disproved another well loved theory in that the coalitions were genetically related, brothers, or at least cousins, but DNA proved that some weren’t related at all. Male lions are kicked out of the home territories as they come into sexual maturity, so they won’t compete with their father, or mate with their mother, or siblings. Theories are that the young male lions kicked out of their home territory meet up in their wanderings and find that hunting in groups helps them stay fed. They also fight as a group and that is a big plus among lions. In fact, prevailing theory is that the reason lions are social and live in groups is primarily to protect themselves from other lions. Also, if your lionesses like the lions in charge they will join the fight against intruding males. There have even been cases of lionesses banding together and fighting off males, so that they are a power unto themselves. It’s not common because the males are bigger, heavier, and just have more muscle to throw around, but the lionesses do most of the hunting. Males only usually come into their own on hunts when really big game is the main food source for the pride, like water buffalo, giraffe, and even elephants, on occasion. Real animals, and real science, helped me understand that Nicky was the muscle, but as a sociopath he emotionally couldn’t run a pride, so another male lion that was physically less able, but very good socially, joined him as part of his leadership coalition. By end of book we’ll add another, so he’s Rex, but it’s a three-for-one, not related to each other, just like a lot of real lion coalitions.
Sneak Peek from Dead Ice:
Nicky asked, “Do you mean you have pictures in your head of what you want to do to us?”
”Yes.”
”Are they your thoughts, or is someone putting them in your head?”
”I do not know, but even speaking with you now, it’s as if my pork dinner were talking back. I’d think I was mad, but I still want to eat it.”
”Eat me, you mean?” Nicky said.
”Yes, very much.” The southern drawl was thicker with every word, as if by the time he rushed us, or we shot him, he’d sound like Scarlett O’Hara.
”Interesting, Nicky, but save it,” I said.
”There won’t be a later for asking him questions.”
He was right, of course, but only a sociopath could have stood there this close, watching the process, and asked the questions that might help us understand what was happening. It was good that we had Nicky with us, because I was so spooked my mouth was dry.
50 thoughts on “Dead Ice: Nicky”
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The breath play in that scene isn’t what bothered me. I mean, it’s not my thing and it was uncomfortable, but what makes me uncomfortable is no one else’s problem. What bothered me was that Anita was tied and gagged (thus unable to give a safe word) and Nicky and Nathaniel bit her too hard. It wasn’t an accident, either, they knew it was hurting her–and not in a good way–and kept going. If you’re going to try something you know will hurt the other person, it’s simply not fair to take away their chance to safe word.
As for why Nicky took the brunt of the hate and not Nathaniel, it’s been made clear in book after book that Nathaniel likes pain. A lot. Enough that if he were a human, it could be a risk to his life. Nathaniel is also a submissive, whereas Nicky is obviously a dominant. While Nathaniel was technically topping Anita, Nicky was clearly the one in charge of that scene. And Nicky was the one who chided Nathaniel for asking Anita if the bites had been too hard, because if they hadn’t asked, they wouldn’t know it was too hard and could have “gotten away with” doing it again. And that’s just not how good bondage and dominance works. You shouldn’t even be trying to “get away” with stuff, and if you are, the other person absolutely needs to be able to safe word out of it if you aren’t 100% sure they will enjoy–or are enjoying–what is happening. I couldn’t care less about the breath play, but the fact that Nicky took her options away and did something he knew she was not enjoying definitely did get my hackles up.
I remember reading that they have a hand sign as safety in a scene in another book where Anita is unable to speak, slapping the bed I think. I don’t remember the details with Nicky though so I don’t know if she is bound in a way that she wouldn’t be able to do that either. Otherwise she would most likely trust Nathaniel to stop Nicky when a bit too much became truly too much. But I agree that Nicky lost a lot of brownie points for trying to get away with it.
I agree. Nothing has changed my opinion of Nicky. It seems that Anita also wanted to see how far she could go.
You do have to consider that as Anita’s Bride, Nicky would automatically know if he went too far because he is not capable of doing anything that doesn’t make her happy.. I think he said that more or less in jest just because he WOULD have known if he went past the point where she was too uncomfortable and he would have HAD to stop..
I still love Nicky. I thought you did a good job of making sure that all involved were safe in that scene.
Personally, I have always liked Nicky. Even when he and Anita did things that made me cringe a little. It was all part of the story and the dynamics of them. But then, Anita has helped me to be more open minded and accepting of differences. As Anita grew, so did I. Can’t say that breath play would by my thing, but if Anita was okay with it, who am I to say different? Frankly, I think Nicky’s sociopath tendencies have been a benefit to Anita in many ways, so this relationship totally works for me. This peak into the dynamics of the lion pride is fascinating. I really look forward to reading Dead Ice even more. Thank you.
I still love Nicky. He’s broken, really broken in a way that Anita fears that she’s becoming but never will be. The breath play scene wasn’t my taste, but it read as true for Nick and I loved him naming Nat an honorary lion.
I didn’t have a problem with the breath play part of the scene. It’s not my thing and I would never do it, but what other people do in their bedrooms doesn’t concern me (and that’s doubly applicable to fictional characters!).
What did bother me was that Nicky tied her and gagged her (thus taking away her ability to safe word) and then bit her too hard. It wasn’t an accident, either, he could tell she was literally screaming in pain, and he didn’t care. He even chided Nathaniel when he asked Anita if it was too much, because then they wouldn’t be able to “get away with” doing it again. That’s not how good bondage and dominance works. If you aren’t 100% certain the person won’t enjoy what is happening (and it’s not meant to be a punishment) then you shouldn’t take away their right to safe word. That’s irresponsible and dangerous. Add to that the fact that we keep hearing how Nicky is a sociopath and yeah, we’re going to be concerned that Anita is giving so much power to him.
As for why Nicky took the brunt of the hate and not Nathaniel, we’ve been reading for like ten books now how Nathaniel likes pain, almost too much. If he were human, it would pose a risk to his life. While Nathaniel may have technically been topping Anita in that scene–she was tied and gagged and he wasn’t–he was not the dominant in charge; Nicky was. Nicky was in charge of that scene, not Nathaniel, so Nicky takes the blame. Nathaniel was the one who asked her if the pain was too much, where Nicky was just upset he ruined their fun by bothering to ask if someone he supposedly loves was in too much pain.
So, yeah. I totally get the hate for Nicky.
I kjnd of thought thatanitia could have TAPPED OUT but I’m almost sure every time she came closer se she came n didn’t have too. There is always a fine line between pleasure and pain… And love and hate… If they where all not so strong emotions they like me would be darker heaver bolder .. U pick the adverd.
Nicky has been one of my favourites from his introduction. So glad he’s a main character now 🙂
As sooo looking forward to gettinG my signed, personalized copy of DEAD ICE!! But after reading the following part of the above writings, i was confused as to who will be the Rex: Nicky, or the 2nd, or 3rd lion…? Sorry, but this is my LDs getting in the way of either the grammar of written word; or what is really annoying to me, my understanding of movement in written fight scenes… Thank you for clarifying.
“Real animals, and real science, helped me understand that Nicky was the muscle, but as a sociopath he emotionally couldn’t run a pride, so another male lion that was physically less able, but very good socially, joined him as part of his leadership coalition. By end of book we’ll add another, so he’s Rex, but it’s a three-for-one, not related to each other, just like a lot of real lion coalitions.”
Personally, i love nicky, even with all his sociapayhic tendencies. Sometimes i wish i was anita lol and when i read her books, i am her! Love it!
I love these insights! I also wanted to make you aware that I liked the fact that Nicky and Anita talked about the breath play before doing it. I really liked him better for that! I thought it was a great scene and played out well. So forget all the haters! I can’t wait to read Dead Ice! And I love all the research you do into both your characters and the places/situations they find themselves in. Thank you for all your hard work!
I am very surprised about the Nicky hate from readers. (When did that happen?) I didn’t like or trust him at first. Then seeing him develop and not change, but grow into a more complex person, I find that now I like him very much! I enjoyed the breath play scene because of how careful they all were with each other. There was communication, honesty, and respect. If people were that careful with each other’s hearts, love wouldn’t be so hard and painful at times.
Zombies why oh why
Love. My Nikki n never 1s doughted that he was gonna be around from the start what else would u do with a bride… But take care of them the best you can… As for the rough sex there has always been a thin line between pleasure n pain.. Can’t wait till the ninth.. Counting the days
You made an important comment calling the breath play “edge play.” That scene with Nicky did cross some internal boundary with me. Often your sex scenes leave me saying, ‘yeah, that might be fun in the right mood.’ But the breath play switched me to ‘shit, no! Not me.’ Edge play. I went over the edge and my reaction switched from attraction to rejection fairly strongly. I still like Nicky though.
Well I for one love Nicky. I love him for his psychotic self. His and Anita relationship is one of my favorites. That they are able to talk about what they like and dislike makes it stronger and sexier. I hope he stays around he has fast become my favorite with Nathaniel running right beside him. I just happen to like that lil bit of spooky.
I am not like most women out there and that scene made me like Nicky a bit more because he seems to be my type of sadistic sociopath. Even if he is built to kill and needs to be monitored with her he still cares . His newborn haters can eat dirt…Nicky still rocks in my book!
oh my!! i am so excited for this new book. i have been waiting patiently to see where all the directions are that everyone will go to. i love that nicky is a bad boy. that makes him so much more.. anita does like the bad boys…and darn sometimes i wish i was anita…lol..thanks so much ms hamilton for your stories. my son turned me on to your books back in 2010 and i have read them all ovre 40 times each to where i have replaced most of them at least once. tape only holds them together for so long…lol..keep them coming…i go through withdrawel about a week after reading each new one..wishing that you could write faster…but then i know that you need to have the thoughts and have them all come out in the best way possible..so i just tell my inner demon to calm down and wait…so i calm down and wait for the next one…and i will keep doing this till you quit writing..thanks so very much…
Thanks for all your hard work & for more Nicky. I think the reason some women reacted badly to the Nicky sex scene is that many of us have been strangled in real life & the memories are very unpleasant. Can’t wait for Dead Ice!
This was really fun.Thanks for sharing the insights and sneak peeks!
This post reminded me of how long it took me to like Micah. When he entered the story, his first sexual interaction with Anita was quite frankly, rapey. She clearly told him no over and over and wasn’t able to defend herself thanks to the ardeur being brand new. That hit a lot of buttons for me.
I read Affliction and have no issue with the breath play. The characters all adult and informed and discussed the limits, end of it.
I want to see more of Nicky’s history, what happened to him in his past.
I loved the scene in Affliction with Nicky, Anita and Dev in the shower, but the scene with Nicky, Anita and Nathaniel was great I loved that Nicky brought out a more dominant side of Nathaniel and want to see more of it!
I thought Nicky was fantastic. He may be a sociopath but he still understands the boundaries and made certain that Anita and Nathaniel were safe and consented. That takes courage and while his link with Anita makes it difficult to hurt her, he could easily have overwhelmed her and caused harm. He has become a more important part of Anita’s life and I enjoy him. He gives Anita an outlet to enjoy the rough and bondage sex she enjoys which is hugely important. He also helps Nathaniel to have that with Anita which means all their needs are being met.
I love the series and the men and women in it. They are incredibly complex and so real.
Makes me think Olaf is in town. Frankly, that scares the $hit out of me. He was scary before. Now he just makes me want to hide in the dark under the covers.
My thoughts, exactly. You never know what is going to happen when Olaf jumps onto the page, into the scene. All you know is that it is going to go pear-shaped rather quickly. You hold your breath and wait for it to unfold.
I’ve never been a fan of Olaf, but, I must admit having him make a re-appearance as a werelion puts a whole new spin on the fear factor. Eek. I shudder to think.
But, also, it begs the question, if Olaf were to make an appearance in this book, wouldn’t one expect Ed..Ted and Bernardo to ride in and help solve any “problems” that were to arise?
I can hardly wait to have this book in my hands. So many possibilities, so many questions yet to be answered!
I have loved Nicky from the beginning. At first you think he’s a true sociopath but as we learn more about him, it becomes clearer that he had developed into a sociopath out of necessity. I can’t wait to learn more about him.
As for the breath play scene… it hit my buttons in a good way. That one scene emphasized for me that it’s so important to have trust in a play partner. Did he push too far? Yes with the biting. However Anita still trusted him to continue. That’s the foundation of any good relationship.
Haters are going to hate. I think the reason people started hating him after that scene is because in that scene you realize that Nicky will never be rehabilitated into not being sociopathic. That’s who he is and no good woman can change that…not that ANita would even try to change who he is. That scene killed the fantasy of rehabbing the bad boy and some people don’t like it when they find out that the tooth fairy isn’t real.
I’m a big fan of Nicky. I feel like he’s exactly what Anita needs when she starts worrying she is becoming a sociopath. She has him as a basis of comparison and shows her what a true sociopath is like. Even Edward has grown “softer” (though he will never be soft.) And I feel he is further from being a sociopath than he used to be. I feel like Nicky is able to keep Anita’s head in the he when she would otherwise be too distracted.
I’m so eager to get hand on this book. I’m still bummed that I didn’t make in time to pre-order autographed one… My kid got sick that last day and by the time we got his fever down I called the bookstore and they said that this special pre-order ended at 4 pm…. I missed by almost 2 hours!.. I believe online it didn’t mention any specific time of day… Now I’ll just have to be like most of the mortal fans and get a regular copy..:(
Nicky is a rough kitty with sharp nails and teeth… He’s definitely not vanilla-type and should be intriguing in this made-for-him book.
Jesus, I didn’t think my anticipation could increase!
The haters need to remember that Nicky is her bride. He lives to please her, and by design can not do her harm. If she didn’t desire the edge play he would have known it and been compelled to stop. I happen to like breath play, and with the right person who you can trust it can be amazing. A lot of trust is needed. Her bride is trustworthy because he can be nothing other than what she desires him to be.
Thanks so much for all the insight. I find myself Googling the real animals your weres represent all the time. Its great seeing how much research goes into your books and character development.
Regarding readers hating Nicky because of the scene in Affliction, I don’t get it. Anita is a grown ass woman…she continuously walks a thin line in her relationships and love life. If a consenting adult gives up their control for a particular round of sex, knowing all the while anything might go wrong, well, all’s fair in love as they say. I didn’t feel frightened for her. Its not my thing, but clearly she enjoys it and keeps taking steps further in that regard. Not Nicky’s fault. If one just has to point a finger, it would be at Anita for putting herself in that spot.
Cant wait for June 9th. You’re awesome, Laurell!
Nicki has become my favorite… I have just finished reading your books from beginning to end for the 3rd time now lol waiting paitently for Dead Ice…Can’t wait to see what is in store.
Anita is always totally safe with Nicky, since he is essentially her “slave”. Which is made acceptable by the fact that he is an incurable sociopath and would be a danger to society if he had completely free will. He may be trying to “hack” the slave collar now and then but he cannot truly do something he knows or feels hurts Anita. This I think makes for an interesting dynamic in the scene :-).
One of the reasons I thoroughly enjoy your writing is the amount of research you put into your were-critters. It gives them such character depth. This also lends to the many layers of the story you have woven. For me your stories are not just suspense, or horror, or romance. They are also a social commentary akin to many of the problems of our era, except Anita has the integrity to be real with it and make choices that make her world a better place. Thanks for the character insights you’ve given us. They’ve been a treat.
I still love Nicky but I didn’t like the scene.I didn’t like the similar scenes in earlier novels either. I read bdsm or dark novels time to time -maybe more than that who counts- but for me anita series is not about sex scenes it is about love , power and how the characters choose to use it. I prefer dialogs to sex scenes. Everybody can write sex scenes,but only you can write Anita with all the crazy stories. If you feel to write a sex scene with bdsm , merry always goes for it anyway
I love Nicky as a character. Every time I read about sociopaths their either portrayed as psychotic or just creeps who like killing people. Its nice to finally see one with a little depth to them. We’re not all bad, I promise
Whenever Anita tries something a bit different in the bedroom there’s always that sense that this is going to be the time when they’re done and she says, “That was NOT cool!” I think that anyone who is in a submissive or less dominant position in bed always runs the risk of being unhappy at some point. I do not think anyone who’s ever had sex didn’t at some point think something didn’t work for them and wouldn’t try it again. At least not without more prep work.
Being Anita’s Bride didn’t change Nicky’s baser instincts. Anita’s willingness and Nathaniel’s cautions keep him from going further than is good for them all. He heard the stop from Anita and the warning from Nathaniel and paid attention to it. Envy’s description of Richard’s behavior in Jason is much worse. Is there an outcry over that? Or do have we emptied the emotional gas tank over Richard’s behaviors?
My misspent youth watching the National Geographic Chanel, Nature Chanel, and from way way back to Wild Kingdom actually did tell me how lion prides functioned.
In addition to the fantastical parts of the stories, there’s a lot of thought that goes into how to make human/animal hybrid societies run. Yeah, they’re animals, but they’re people too and we all know the people half can mess up any perfectly good animal.
The research and attention to as many details as can realistically work in fiction shows a true respect for the animals portrayed. The same research and attention to detail goes into the crimes and criminal behaviors and the mysteries we so enjoy.
These stories may be fiction and entertainment, but there’s truth, self-discovery, respect, nobility, faith, and so much more. It’s one of the reasons I enjoy series so much. I’m not limited to what I already know, where I’ve already been, or even what I’m already comfortable with. Anita’s world is unknown and sometimes scary uncomfortable but I keep coming back to it over and over again. I must like it a lot!
This book really needs to kill some characters off.There are just too many these days.And how about not forcing confrontations all the time over her lifestyle,it’s becoming so redundant.Nobody should even comment on it after all the time she’s been at it.Have the characters act like real people again and bring back the old fans :p.
I think what people also forget us that Nick is Anita’s bride/groom. He can feel her emotions. If things got too out if hand he would have to stop. She wouldn’t have to say or do anything.
Erotic Asphyxiation is a major problems with youths, LKH promoting it even in fiction is not acceptable. Many young adults die of this every year. Many health teachers and law enforcement try to educate people not to experiment with this form of mutual torture. That is what was unacceptable about the scene described.
I agree with the killing off characters, or sending them off to start new kisses and packs, too many characters at the loss of time with the ones we all loved from the beginning like Jean-Claude!
P. S. Why doesn’t Anita get an I U D or implanon, much more effective that the pill!
I have enjoyed the Anita series since the first book came out in paperwork years ago. I don’t have a problem with the ‘edgy’ content.
as her bride or groom, nicky is incapable of doing anything that would hurt or upset anita, so i took the inability to use a safe word as a gesture of the love and trust she has for him.
does the subject make me uncomfortable, sure, it isnt a trigger tripper for me, however i can admire lkh for the courage to present anita in a way that is true to anita… and if anita can set aside her need to be in control, i can set aside my own preferences to accompany her on her journey.
i would like to see maryanne make a reappearance, sometimes a girl needs another gal to talk to, even if said girl acts more like a guy, lol. a wise woman is an asset in any gals friendship circle.
I just have to say I love Nicky. I have never had a problem with him. I think your style of writing and your characters are absolutely amazing. I think your books are heading in a great direction. The books capture me and I’ve fallen in love with most of the characters for different reasons and their own personalities. I can’t wait to read more. To learn more from your characters. Keep writing, cause this fan will keep reading!
Just wanted to add that I love Nicky as well. As of right now he is my favorite male in the series…..
I love Nicky, he is my new fav. I thought the scene was good, I did cringe a little with the biting but it didn’t make me hate him. She wanted to do it so she did. That’s one thing I love about Anita now, she only does things sexually that she wants to do, and she accepts her self as she is. Affliction is one of my favorite Anita novels now, along with anything with Edward 🙂
First I can’t wait for ‘Dead Ice’ I am sooo looking forward to it…Now Nicky, yes he went down a notch in my book because he caused her pain and knew it. It bothered me because I am afraid he will really hurt her before any one can stop him. He will be sorry later but then it will be too late.. I am afraid Nathaniel might be too far into his own world. I really think Anita & National trust him too much. I don’t trust him anymore.