Surviving Demon Island Part 36

'I'd be happy to talk surfing or anything else with you. And if you used your beautiful body as incentive, I'm not about to say no.'

It worked. She almost sighed in relief. 'I won't say no to an interview, either.'

He arched a brow. 'I like a woman who doesn't say no.'

Oh, he was smooth. Too smooth. 'I don't say yes to everything.'

'Then you haven't spent enough time with the right man.'

He was really really good at this. Her body warmed considerably and the sun hadn't risen high enough yet to attribute it to the summer heat. 'You think you're the right man?' good at this. Her body warmed considerably and the sun hadn't risen high enough yet to attribute it to the summer heat. 'You think you're the right man?'

'Spend some time with me and decide.'

This was working. She wasn't rusty at the flirting thing after all. Good to know. Now she had to finesse this just right and get him where she needed him. 'How about I buy you breakfast and we can talk? Orwhatever?'

He had a lopsided grin that curled her toes. She melted into the sand.

Must remember he's a demon, Shay. You don't like demons. Derek as a half demon was just fine. That didn't mean Nic was fine. He could be a bad guy. Derek as a half demon was just fine. That didn't mean Nic was fine. He could be a bad guy.

'Sounds good to me. Let me stow my board and we can grab a bite at the breakfast bar down the beach.'

'Uh, I was thinking of someplace a little moreprivate?' Her body tensed as she waited for his reaction. Please let this work. Please let this work.

When one brow went up and his gorgeous eyes sparkled, she knew she had him.

'Sure, babe. You want me to follow you?'

She almost squealed in delight, but forced herself to keep her reaction low key, seductive even. 'How about I drive? I know a great place, but it's off the beaten path a little.'

'You familiar with out-of-the-way spots already? Thought you weren't from around here.'

'I'm talking about the place I rented. It's secluded and I'd like to get you alone. For the interview, of course. I'll even cook. I make a killer omelet.'

His eyes lit up with a sensuous gleam she couldn't mistake for anything other than what it was!s.e.xual interest. Another time, another place, her pulse might be racing for another reason entirely. Right now she was just hoping against hope she could get him into position. Though her mind was conjuring up all kinds of positions she'd like to get Nic Diavolo in at the moment, and none of them had to do with what the hunters wanted him for.

'You've got a deal.'

Once he stowed his board in his SUV, he followed her to her vehicle, one she had a d.a.m.ned hard time maneuvering since the steering wheel was on the wrong side. Everything in Australia was on the wrong side, including the roads. Fortunately, where she had to take him wasn't far.

Now that she had him, she was nervous. The car was small and he was big. And close, the tiny seats all too near each other. And she was trying to concentrate on the road and making it back to the house and remembering what she was supposed to do and say to him. And he smelled like salty ocean and she kept glancing over at his muscled legs and his arms, the fine hairs there bleached by the sun.

Maybe she should just kill him now. That would solve a lot of her issues, like how she could possibly be so d.a.m.ned attracted to a man who was probably a human-killing demon and son of Ben, one of the lords of the Sons of Darkness.

Then again, Derek was Ben's son and he was just fine. Normal. Human-looking and not a vicious demon at all. Well, he had turned vicious demon when he'd fought Ben on the island, but he hadn't turned on the hunters. He'd just fought the Sons of Darkness. The bad guys. And he hated the demon side of himself. Maybe Nic would be the same way.

And maybe not.

s.h.i.+t. Sometimes she just thought too much.

'You doing okay over there?' he asked.

'Uh, yeah,' she replied, shooting him a glance and a half-a.s.sed smile. 'Trying to concentrate on your roads. They're on the wrong side.'

He grinned. 'I could have driven.'

She shrugged. 'I like a challenge.'

'I like a woman with guts.'

She turned into the long driveway leading up to the house on the cliff. Nice, private, still enshrouded in the morning fog that hadn't quite lifted this far out.

Oh, man. She could really like this guy. He was drop-dead gorgeous with a body to die for, charming and easy going.

And in about five minutes he was going to hate her for all eternity.

Nic studied the curvy blonde as she exited the car and offered up another glimpse of her well-toned thighs as her shorts rode up her legs.

d.a.m.n. He'd caught a stellar wave this morning, adrenaline was pumping through his veins, his head was clear, and he'd been, if he was guessing right, propositioned by one hot woman.

What better way to start the day? And here he'd sworn off the opposite s.e.x. So what was it about this one that made him jump back into the game again? He'd decided that women were after nothing but his money and he was tired of wasting his time. A year of solitude had done wonders. He hadn't missed them a bit. Until Miss Golden-Blonde-and-Gorgeous tossed him a little curve on the beach and he was drooling like he hadn't had any in a year.

Well, as a matter of fact, he hadn't hadn't had any in a year. Which probably explained his sudden interest. Though lots of women more beautiful than Shay Peterson had offered and he'd said no. Something about her hit him right away. Fresh faced and innocent, yet with a sensual allure his body refused to ignore. Whatever she was offering, he wanted it. had any in a year. Which probably explained his sudden interest. Though lots of women more beautiful than Shay Peterson had offered and he'd said no. Something about her hit him right away. Fresh faced and innocent, yet with a sensual allure his body refused to ignore. Whatever she was offering, he wanted it.

Why the h.e.l.l not? It wasn't like he had anything better to do today.

'Nice place you've got here,' he said, surveying the hill top retreat while she fumbled for the door key.

'Huh?' She looked over at him, frowned, then nodded. 'Oh. Yeah. Thanks.'

She seemed distracted and a little ditzy. Then again, he didn't really care if they had brains or not. At least not for what they were planning to do. She was gorgeous, with her honey blonde hair, deep blue eyes, and full lips, and she smelled like a rain forest. Her body was nonstop curves and she was in great shape.

Who cared if she had a working brain cell? It wasn't like he was interested in a lifelong commitment. Though she did say she was a freelance reporter. And that took some smarts. He wondered if that was just a line to get him in the sack. It wouldn't be the first time a woman had used subterfuge to get him alone. He was pretty d.a.m.n popular, mostly because he was rich and available. Women flocked to him thinking they might be the one to snag his heart and become Mrs. Diavolo.

Right. Like that was ever going to happen.

She was struggling with the lock. He slipped his hand in hers and took the key. 'Let me do that.'

She jerked her hand away as if he was on fire. Skittish much? d.a.m.n, she'd gotten nervous all of a sudden. He turned the key and unlocked the door, then pushed it open and let her go in first.

Besides, this way he could watch her a.s.s. And a mighty fine one at that. He grinned.

'I hope you like eggs,' she said as she led him down a long hallway. She seemed a lot more relaxed now.

'I love eggs.'

The house was dark. All the shutters were closed.

'Don't you want to turn on some lights in here?' he asked.

'No, I like the mood. Come on in here.'

She'd d.a.m.n near run down the hall. Maybe she was really hungry. Or maybe they weren't going to have break fast at all. She might be stripping and planning to offer her self up for breakfast. Who knew when it came to women? He never could figure out what they really wanted.

When he rounded the corner, his heart skipped a beat and he went cold.

There was Shay, chewing her bottom lip as she leaned against the kitchen counter.

But she wasn't naked and she d.a.m.n sure wasn't alone. There were a half dozen beefy-looking guys flanking her. And a couple of women, too.

'What the h.e.l.l's going on?' he asked.

'Welcome home, Nic.'

He started to turn at a deep voice behind him, but then the p.r.i.c.k of a needle sliding into his biceps made him jerk.

'Hey! What the'

He couldn't even get the words out as he began to crumple to the floor. Strong arms circled him before he crashed in a heap. Nausea rolled in his stomach as he fought whatever drug they'd injected him with.

He heard them talking, but it was fuzzy, like an echo chamber.

'Derek, is that going to hurt him?'

Shay's voice. The only one he recognized. Then the guy's voice he heard behind him responding with 'No. Just put him to sleep for a while so we can move him.'

s.h.i.+t, s.h.i.+t, s.h.i.+t. This wasn't good. Kidnappingor something worse? He was losing it, couldn't stay conscious.

He'd been ambushed.

Ah, h.e.l.l. He knew his d.i.c.k would get him in trouble one day.