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Alpha Showdown 2016 Round 7: Barrons vs Slade

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VBC: Home of Alpha ShowdownThe Alpha Showdown is underway, and already proving to be a good one. There’s stiff competition this year, just look at the bracket!

The vampire Slade is going up against immortal/we don’t know/care what he is Barrons in Round 7 of the Alpha Showdown 2016. It’s destined to be a bloody match.

Who will advance in the Alpha Showdown, though?

We’ve lined up excellent bloggers to fill you in on why each alpha deserves to advance. Read the pitches, and then make the call.

JERICHO Z. BARRONS

You know him from: Fever series by Karen Marie Moning
First appeared in: Darkfever (VBC Review | Amazon)
Supernatural status: Immortal. Beyond that we don’t know and we don’t really care.

Championed by: Zee at The Saucy Wenches Book Club

Jericho Barrons. He’d laugh one of his very sexy laughs if he ever found out he was being pitted against these “alphas.” Sure, they’re great fighters, immortals who’ve been around for centuries, some longer, some not so long—vampires, werewolves, shifters, demons, charming talkers, talented lovers, and other fierce competitors I’m sure. But the plain, hard truth is, none of them are even in the same league as Barrons.

Darkfever by Karen Marie MoningThere’s absolutely nothing wrong with loving all of them, as long as you can admit one fact. Absolutely none of them will ever stand a chance against this vital, ferocious, compelling, virile, deadly, almost omniscient creature who you will never be able to fit neatly into a category. His sheer presence on page is enough to wipe every other so-called alpha from your mind.

The others might moonlight as gallant knights in shining arming, especially for the ladies, but Barrons will do no such thing. He will help the most distressed of damsels grow into their own heroes if they so choose. And that is the mark of a true alpha. He can kick ass with one hand tied behind his back, he can kill within seconds, it doesn’t matter how powerful his opponent is, and he can do all this without breaking a sweat. And when every soldier on the battlefield has fallen, Barrons will still be standing. I mean, even death cannot defeat him.

What you end up feeling for Barrons during the course of the series isn’t some light romantic feeling that randomly makes you swoon when he says something pretty. The fact is, he rarely says pretty things, actions speak so much louder than words, one of the most amazing lessons Barrons teaches us. And when he does speak, his words are chock full of meaning.

What you feel for him is a living, breathing, pulsating, writhing thing with a life of it’s own. Almost as real as the beast he turns into. You can tell me you didn’t fall in love with him at first sight, and sure, I’ll believe you, but I won’t believe that you didn’t feel that surge of electricity, that spike of adrenaline, every single time he was on page. And it’s a feeling that never went away, it only got stronger with each book. And that’s the point isn’t it? If you’re totally honest with yourself, you realize that this beautiful, intense, life changing force of nature makes you feel things on levels that you can’t even begin to understand. And the beauty of it is, it’s something you don’t need all the answers to. It’s liberating. It’s unique. Barrons just IS. And you will always hunger for more when it comes to him. There will never be enough.

If you want an alpha to challenge you, invigorate you, dare you, scandalize you, and make every cell in your body feel more alive than it’s ever been, Barrons is the one you’re looking for. If the thought of that scares you… it should. You’ll never be the same once you’ve bumped into Barrons in Dublin. But oh, you’ll be so much more alive.

“He’s disturbing. Carnal. Base. Forbidding. Big and powerful, radiating primal hunger. His eyes are blades, slicing into you: dark, ancient, glittering with predatory intensity. He moves like a beast even in his human skin. A woman takes one look at him, her stomach drops like a stone and she runs like hell.

Which direction she goes in is the defining point: she’ll run away—or toward him—depending on her ability to be honest with herself, her hunger for life and willingness to pay any price at all to feel so damned alive.”

I know which way I’m running. Hard. Without looking back. What about you?

SLADE

You Know him From: The Protectors series by Teresa Gabelman
First Appeared In: Duncan, but is the protagonist in Slade (VBC Review | Amazon)
Supernatural Status: Vampire

Championed by: Amy from VBC

One of the great things about VBC and the Alpha Showdown is being introduced to new hot alpha males. The guys of The Protectors series by Teresa Gabelman certainly fit that bill, but Dr. Slade Buchanan definitely stands out from the crowd.

Slade by Teresa Gabelman // VBC ReviewBeing a vampire and already having lived for hundreds of years, Slade is pretty much over having to “prove” himself. That doesn’t mean he won’t flex his powers to anyone who would threaten him or those closest to him.

When he’s first introduced in the series, he’s just this domineering presence right from the start. It’s a few pages before we even know his name he’s simply referred to as “the man,” but I was immediately drawn to this mysterious person and wanted to find out what his story is.

Jill tried to push herself up, but her body protested. Suddenly, Jeff was slammed next to her, his face smashed to the ground. He struggled against the large hand holding his face to the concrete…. He was large, larger than any of the other Warriors. ‘I’m going to let you up, badass, so I suggest you calm down.”

As soon as the man lifted his hand, Jeff jumped up to get in his face. ‘You son of a bitc-’ Jeff’s voice squeaked to a stop as soon as he realized he was yelling into the man’s chest. His head tilted up to look the man in the face, his throat working visibly hard to swallow.

Come on, tell me you aren’t intrigued by that little snippet of our first introduction to Slade?

Once we get to his featured book, we see a more intimate side of Slade while he’s in pursuit of Jill. It’s true that Slade will spout no false claims about his “dominance,” but a good alpha will always make sure he gives as good as he receives: “I am demanding, but my main purpose in the end is to make sure you have the pleasure you desire…you will always be taken care of in every way, in and out of that bed.”

Slade is the perfect top-of-the-line alpha because he completely understands the responsibility of life, whether the taking or preserving it. An alpha needs to make those decisions all the time whether they want to or not. Slade is in a position where his healing knowledge even brings other alphas / dominate-types to him for help with what they don’t understand. Oftentimes he balances precariously with the ethics of it all:

“Even though my priority is to save lives, there are some lives not worth saving.”

But typically this only occurs when those he cares about or those weaker than their attacker are threatened. Being relied upon to know the difference and having the power to make that decision, and knowing it’s right, is pretty damn sexy and completely worthy of the 2015 Alpha Showdown champion title.

 VOTE!

Who are you putting your money on: Barrons or Slade?

At the request of Alpha Showdown voters, we’re leveraging traditional polls for the voting, but also keeping reading for your chance to win awesome books. Your to-be-read pile could always use more. Trust us. Each poll will be open for 48 hours.

WIN!

Participating in the Alpha Showdown is all about fun, and free books equal fun, right? We hope you’ll find lots of great new reads during this year’s Alpha Showdown, and to help that along, we’re giving away some stellar reads.

For Round 7, we have a copy of Once Burned by Jeaniene Frost. Pretty much everyone on the VBC staff loves this series. You will, too.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

78 Responses to “Alpha Showdown 2016 Round 7: Barrons vs Slade”

  1. Leona says:

    Barons had my heart before I knew what an Alpha male was

  2. Maggie says:

    I absolutely love Jericho. Love the other series too! Also love Vlad so I’d love to win the book. Crossing my fingers.

  3. Tilly says:

    Love Barrons!

  4. Alison R says:

    Always Barrons – he’s the A to Z of Alphas

  5. Dawn Cavenee says:

    Barrons!

  6. Kelsey C. says:

    Barron and all of his WTF is he goodness.

  7. Dea says:

    Barrons, obviously, heh

  8. Sarah says:

    I’ve been waiting for this round for so long!!!! BARRONS BARRONS BARRONS GOOOOOO BARRONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  9. christine gervais says:

    baron all the way

  10. Nicole says:

    Hmm haven’t read Sade’s book. It’s now on my to be read list.

  11. Amber says:

    Such a hard decision….

  12. Britta says:

    SO glad that Barrons is still on the list! Going to have to read Slade’s novel.

  13. Yvonne A. says:

    Barrons

  14. Raquel says:

    No contest, Barrons all the way!!

  15. Kimberly Curington says:

    Barrons. He had me from the first moment I read about him…

  16. Slade there is no competition there!

  17. Donna Bossert says:

    SLADE ALL THE WAY!!! Hes what the term Alpha Means!!

  18. Kelley says:

    I vote for Slade

  19. Barrons has my heart!

  20. Barb Kiser says:

    Slade

  21. jackie woodland says:

    Have never read Karen’s books but love Teresa’s The Protectors

  22. Victoria Sloboda says:

    Slade today.

  23. Lora says:

    Slade, always Salde!

  24. KiBo says:

    BARRONS!!!!!!!!!

  25. Frances says:

    Barrons!

  26. Anjeanette says:

    Barrons is my all time Alpha of any series!!!

  27. Corina says:

    Barron’s is the most Alpha, Alpha! I don’t always like him, but he scorches the page he is on!

  28. Corrina says:

    I voted Slade. Don’t get me wrong, Barron’s awesome but Slade intrigues me.

  29. Tara says:

    Barons always wins

  30. Saray says:

    Barrons. Actions speak louder than words. He is the most captivating, addictive, OMG-can’t-get-him-out-of-head- alpha misterious man ever.

  31. Becky says:

    Barrons!

  32. Shelli says:

    I love Barrons! Absolutely had to vote for him, though to be fair I haven’t read Slade. But now I will.

  33. SHELLEY S says:

    BARONS AND THANKS FOR THE GIVEAWAY!

  34. Sue says:

    Barrons is definitely an Alpha male!No question!

  35. Liz S says:

    Jericho Barrons is the ultimate alpha. There is no one higher than him on the food chain!

  36. Tanya Guthrie says:

    Barrons hands down!!!!

  37. Stephanie says:

    Love me some Barrons!!!

  38. Katie says:

    Barrons all the way!!!! He will always be the ultimate alpha!!!

  39. Ann says:

    Barrons is my immortal Alpha. Once you’ve read Barrons, there can be no other!!

  40. Dana says:

    Barrons will forever be the Alpha!

  41. Angela Hendricks says:

    Barrons will totally dominate and decimate Slade.

  42. Mary Preston says:

    SLADE!!!

  43. Klass says:

    Not a hard decision at all, this round, if you vote for anyone other than Barrons, you’ve been reading really bad rip off Paranormal books.

  44. Rhonda says:

    Barrons is the ultimate alpha!

  45. Victoria says:

    I’m attuned to Mac, we’re both addicted to Barrons.

  46. Brad says:

    I went with Slade the one book of the series with Barrons I did not really enjoy Barrons.

  47. Lacey T says:

    Always Barrons!

  48. Crystal Cox says:

    Barrons all the way!

  49. Jennifer Barcellos says:

    I have 2 all time favorites when in comes to Alpha males. The first is Barrons (of course) and the the other is Dominic Draven (from the afterlife saga by Stephanie Hudson) I can not choose which I love more!

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