Surviving Demon Island Part 35

As she melted against him, she didn't even think what tomorrow would bring. In a short span of time her entire life had changed. Maybe this wasn't what she'd planned for her future, but fate had a way of showing one the light in odd ways.

She'd used action and adventure as an escape her entire life. Hidden under the persona of Gina Bliss, never letting anyone see who she really was.

Turned out part of her really was Gina Bliss. Maybe the scared little girl from all those years ago was finally gone. She'd definitely proved she could fight creatures from the depths of h.e.l.l and live through it, could face death and darkness and not cower or run in fear.

She'd even faced love, and the possibility of losing love, and come through it unscathed. She'd found someone to love her back despite all her faults.

If she could do that, she could do anything.

Bring on the demons.

About the Author.

J aci Burton is thrilled to be living her dream of writing romance, pa.s.sion, and adventure. She enjoys immersing herself in the mystical world of the paranormal and believes that love really is the greatest magic of all. Jaci has published over thirty books in multiple genres and is a aci Burton is thrilled to be living her dream of writing romance, pa.s.sion, and adventure. She enjoys immersing herself in the mystical world of the paranormal and believes that love really is the greatest magic of all. Jaci has published over thirty books in multiple genres and is a Romantic Times Romantic Times Reviewer's Choice Award winner. She lives in Oklahoma with her husband and five dogs. Reviewer's Choice Award winner. She lives in Oklahoma with her husband and five dogs.

Visit Jaci at www.jaciburton.com.

Read on for a sneak peek of of HUNTING THE DEMON.

by Jaci Burton .

Coming from Dell in fall 2007 Hunting the Demon On Sale fall 2007

Prologue.

N ic Diavolo stood in the dark place, hundreds of clawed hands reaching for him. They tore at his clothes, raking at his skin, the creatures' voices like a cacophony of humming bees. Now the buzzing grew louder, a chant of triumph as they surrounded him. ic Diavolo stood in the dark place, hundreds of clawed hands reaching for him. They tore at his clothes, raking at his skin, the creatures' voices like a cacophony of humming bees. Now the buzzing grew louder, a chant of triumph as they surrounded him.

They'd finally won. All these years the monsters had chased him, and he had always run. Run as hard as he could, always slipping and falling, but he'd always stayed ahead of them. Always escaped.

This time, he had slowed down. Stopped. Turned and let them catch up, watched as five turned to ten. Then twenty-five. Then a hundred or more of the creatures. Horrifying in appearance, with their red eyes and long fangs, their dirty, claw-like fingernails reaching out to him.

When they reached him, he expected to scream.

This was it. The moment he had spent a lifetime fearing.

They touched him, their nails raking over his naked skin. He shuddered at the first touch, revulsion and dread filling him.

But they didn't shred him to pieces, didn't sink their dripping talons into his flesh, didn't growl as if they wanted to tear him apart.

They stared at him in awe, touched him with reverence, bowed their heads.

He was their king.

At that moment, Nic realized something monumental.

He felt no fear.

And that was the most frightening thing of all.

Take your place.

He heard the voice, but didn't understand, couldn't see anyone around him.

You're home, son.

Recognition struck. It was his father. But Nic was confused, didn't understand the command.

These are your people, Dominic. You belong to them, and they to you.

Nic shook his head. Something wasn't right. He didn't belong here with these creatures.

'Dad?'

All he heard was soft laughter.

'Dad!'

The laughter faded, and he was once again alone with the beasts. They beseeched him wordlessly with their groping hands, their mumbled adoration. He began to suffocate as they closed in, unable to breathe as they pressed against him.

No! He didn't want this! He wanted answers, G.o.ddamit!

'Dad! Where are you?!'

The shrill alarm blasted Nic into an upright position. Covered with sweat, his heart hammering his ribs, he slammed his hands onto the mattress and blinked against the darkness, fighting for breath.

What. The. f.u.c.k. Disoriented and shaking, he struggled for time and place. Disoriented and shaking, he struggled for time and place.

His bedroom at the house in Sydney. No monsters. Not real.

Dreams.

Man, that was some weird s.h.i.+t.

Always the same. Okay, maybe this one wasn't exactly like the others. But still the same theme as the rest of them. Monsters and him and wandering around in the dark in search ofsomething. Seemed to be every night lately. Would they ever end?

He leaned over to the nightstand and punched a b.u.t.ton, watching the slow crawl of the drapes as they opened, revealing a semicircle of floor-to-ceiling windows connecting him with the outside world again. With reality. It was still dark outside, but at least he had the comfort of the lights from the harbor, boats in the water.

Sydney was alive and breathing, even at five in the morning. And that was good enough for now. Sunrise would come soon, banis.h.i.+ng away the last vestiges of the dream from the recesses of his mind.

He rubbed his temples, sucked in air, and shook it off. So he had dreams. So what? Too much partying is what he attributed it to. And not enough sleep. In every respect, Nic was normal. Healthy as can be for a thirty-three-year-old male.

Right.

'f.u.c.king freak of nature, is what you are,' he mumbled as he slid out of bed and grabbed his board shorts out of the suitcase he hadn't bothered to unpack yet..

The waves were supposed to be kicka.s.s right now. They were the only things that would have brought him home. Not that anyone was here anyway. His father wasn't, which was typical. And even if he had been here, he wouldn't have noticed Nic if he'd paraded naked into the kitchen with a girl under each arm.

He smirked at the shock value of that visual. He might have to try that sometime to see if it got a reaction from his dad or his uncle Bart.

Probably wouldn't.

With a loud yawn, he stretched, then slid into his shorts and s.h.i.+rt, went into the bathroom to brush his teeth, ran his fingers through his hair and splashed water on his face, hoping to shake off the nightmare.

One would think he'd downed enough booze on the plane from Singapore last night to sleep like he was in a coma. But oh, no. Sometimes he was lucky enough to remember the dreams.

Or cursed. He wished he couldn't recall them with such clarity.

The dreams terrified him. And he was too d.a.m.ned old to be scared of monsters in the dark.

As he came out of the bathroom the first line of dawn slipped above the horizon. He grinned, adrenaline pumping blood into his booze-soaked veins.

Time to catch a wave.

And forget about monsters.

Chapter One.

H e stepped out of the waves like the G.o.d Poseidon, at home in his element. Drenched, bronzed, his shorts riding low on his hips and showcasing lean six-pack abs, the sculpted body of a man who worked hard at his sport. There wasn't an ounce of fat on him. e stepped out of the waves like the G.o.d Poseidon, at home in his element. Drenched, bronzed, his shorts riding low on his hips and showcasing lean six-pack abs, the sculpted body of a man who worked hard at his sport. There wasn't an ounce of fat on him.

His sun-tipped brown hair was cut short and spiked up in all directions as he shook the salt spray from it with a wild twist of his head. Shay held her breath, wondering if the shorts balancing precariously on his slim hips would drop to his ankles.

No such luck. She exhaled, reminding herself why she was here.

She was bait. Hard to believe the water G.o.d making his way to the beach, surfboard in his hands, was her quarry.

Dayum. She licked her lips and tipped her sungla.s.ses down over the bridge of her nose, hoping her knees would stop knocking. She wasn't very good at this stealth thing. Her heart was pounding, her palms sweating, and she hoped to G.o.d she remembered how to flirt.

Derek had informed her their intelligence on Nic indicated he went for blondes. Since she was the only blonde hunter, that put her front and center in their game of bait and s.n.a.t.c.h.

They didn't even know how much demon blood Nic had inside him, what he was capable of, if anything. Only that they had to grab him and get him out of Sydney in a hurry so they could figure it out.

So here she stood, on a secluded beach in Sydney, Australia, just past dawn, while the most gorgeous man she'd ever laid eyes on walked his way out of the ocean toward her.

And nearby the hunters were in place, ready to make the grab. As soon as she got him out of eyesight of the rest of the people hanging around the sandy beach. Surprisingly, they weren't alone, even though it was so early in the morning.

Which meant they had to lure him away. They had a plan, had discussed it, practiced it, worked it all out, knowing Nic had shown up here every morning to surf. Ever since he'd returned to Australia, he'd come to this location. At least in this he was predictable.

Shay hoped the rest of their intelligence about him was right!like the fact he really did like blondes, that he was one h.e.l.l of a ladies' man, and that he was in the mood for a little action this early in the day.

When he cleared the waves he caught sight of her. She leaned against the shack where he'd stored his gear, struck the most seductively casual pose she could manage without looking obvious, and smiled as he approached.

'Mornin',' she said.

'G'day,' he shot back, tilting his head to the side to size her up.

She suddenly felt naked in her all-too-tiny bikini, wis.h.i.+ng she had a towel or a cover-up. But that would hide the lure, wouldn't it? Ugh. She much preferred killing demons to flirting with gorgeous men. Digging her toes into the sand, she said, 'You looked great out there.'

He grinned, showing off white, even teeth. 'You surf?'

'A little. Not as good as you.'

'You're not from around here.'

'My southern drawl gave me away, didn't it? Not quite Aussie.'

With a laugh, he said, 'No, not quite.' He laid his board against the shack and held out his hand. 'Nic Diavolo.'

'Shay Peterson.' She slipped her hand in his and tried not to shudder. G.o.d, she had such a weakness for good-looking men. And d.a.m.n, was Nic a prime example of perfection. Piercing blue eyes the same color as the ocean, a square jaw, straight nose, and a body she could spend days and nights exploring.

And he might just be a demon, Shay. Don't forget that.

Oh, yeah. She had forgotten. Just for a second she had simply enjoyed the company of a delectable hunk of beef-cake. When was the last time that had happened?

Too long. Back before demons and an utter change in her lifestyle.

Back to work.

'So what are you doing in Sydney, Shay Peterson?'

'Right now? Watching you surf.'

'On vacation?'

'Sort of. I'm definitely on vacation and enjoying this spectacular beach and ocean, but I'm also a freelance writer. So it's a working vacation. Hoping I can score a job while I'm here.'

He nodded. 'And why do I get the idea you being on this beach has something to do with your workand with me?'

At least he hadn't told her to take a hike. 'Because you're wickedly perceptive?'