The Demon's Touch

By Garnell Wallace

She was the last thing he needed, until she became the one thing he needed more than anything else in the world

Sadia Delany is a woman on the run from a murderous ex-boyfriend. Hiding in a new place every three months, she never gets attached to anything or anyone. Keeping it moving is the only way she knows how to stay alive.

Then she meets Jacob Greco who she feels safe with despite the darkness raging inside of him. Finally, she's met someone more dangerous than her ex, yet he treats her with more kindness and consideration than most people in her life. She believes Jacob is inherently good, but can she really trust her own judgment when it comes to men?


The last thing Jacob Greco needs is another person to hurt. A human turned demon, he has enough trouble trying to maintain his relationships with his family. He's nobody's hero, yet from the moment he learns about the burden of fear Sadia carries on her back, he feels the need to save her. But how can he, a hell-bound demon, save anyone? The boyfriend is determined to finish the job, and Jacob is equally determined that Sadia will have the life she deserves, even if it is without him.

This paranormal romance is set against the idyllic backdrop of the Caribbean, a region steeped in folklore and mythology. Combined with an incredible love story from two people with all the odds stacked against them and it's the perfect place to be touched by a demon.

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Garnell Wallace
• Release date: Jan 15, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393411529

Garnell Wallace

Growing up, I didn’t dream about being a writer, mainly because I didn’t know I could become one. I fell in love with books to the point where they became my friends, going everywhere with me like a trusted side-kick. So I still find it amazing that I can actually write books which hopefully will become treasured companions to other readers. I love writing sexy paranormal romances and I hope my stories will provide readers with a wonderful escape into a fascinating world with characters they will care about.

Book preview

Chapter One

Jacob Greco didn’t like being forced out of his home by demons, even if they were his own. He realized the demons lived in the deep dark corners of his soul and not the house, but outside the confines of his luxurious home, there were plenty of distractions. His first stop was a little bar located on the outskirts of the downtown area near Junkanoo Beach in the capital city of Nassau on the Bahamian island of New Providence. The Oasis wasn’t as popular as some of the other bars, and that was precisely why he liked it. He could easily read the energy of the small room, but there was something in the air tonight, but he couldn’t quite figure out what it was.

All he knew was that the strange energy came from the little mystery brunette in the far right corner. The bar area was dark like his soul, but a glimmer of illumination had reached out to him from her the second he’d walked in.

He didn’t know what he felt because the feeling was so new, so different. The object of his interest had long dark hair and a voice as soft as rain on a Sunday morning. The live jazz band, the hum of conversations, the clink of glasses, it all faded away under the sound of that voice, which was barely above a whisper, yet he heard it loud and clear. It raised the hairs on his neck and every other part of him.

The other female was striking with long blonde hair and perfect features, but it was still difficult for him to tear his eyes away from the brunette to scrutinize their male companion. His name was Willie and he was someone Jacob knew very well. Willie was trouble, even though their current conversation seemed entirely innocent with Willie telling them all about the dark history of the island.

So they were tourists or recent ex-pats, Jacob thought. Willie could be charming when he wanted to be and he would probably be in one or both of their pants before long if he weren’t already. Jealousy hit him square in the face and almost knocked him off his stool. How the hell could he be jealous of someone who wasn’t even his?

Jacob could see them clearly in the darkness, though a veil of dark hair hid the face of the femme fatale from him. He didn’t need sight when he felt her with every fiber of his being, and his hard muscles trembled with excitement. What he felt wasn’t entirely sexual yet this mysterious siren triggered something inherently primal in him, something he couldn’t control, and that didn’t sit well with him.

Her scent filled his senses. She’d used some fruity shampoo with coconut, and her body lotion was mainly cocoa butter. It was in his nature to take note of every single detail but he was thinking too much about cocoa butter and how alluring it was on her skin. Distractions, he knew, could be dangerous.

He should’ve stayed home; God knows he had enough liquor of his own to drown his pain. But sometimes his house with its plethora of spirits became one oppressive ball of energy, and he had to get out.

Going out at night only helped somewhat. He loved and loathed the night because although he felt more comfortable in the darkness, his body naturally wanted to sleep. And sleep usually meant a return to things he’d rather forget.

Focusing on business sometimes helped, and he was lucky to have companies all over the world in many time zones. He also didn’t require as much sleep as the average human, having once gone a full three weeks before tinges of madness had invaded the edges of his resolve and his only options were sleep or insanity.

Right now, he was closing in on a month without sleep and practically jumping out of his skin. Jacob liked to push his limits. He needed to be strong enough to repel his natural impulses and desires because then he might have a chance to resist becoming the monster he was fated to be. He could practice by defying the urgent need to have the stranger in the corner.

Jacob was good at deflecting his feelings. When work failed to placate him, he took to the streets. At least he could be of some use protecting the citizens and visitors of the little island paradise he now called home. It was too soon to say how long he’d stay in the Bahamas after his latest business venture was up and running smoothly, but for as long as he was there, he would offer his services to the local police force to help keep the island safe.

He hadn’t thought he would love the island, and the entire country, as much as he now did. Hell had spit him out here, but it wasn’t long before Jacob realized that it wasn’t just coincidence he and his brothers had ended up in Nassau. Their roots were on this island long before any of them ever stepped foot on it through a twisted family tree which had branched off into a curse that touched them all.

Their gory family history wasn’t such an anomaly on the island. With its many portals to other realms, the Bahamas was a magnet for supernatural creatures, some with criminal minds. He was part of that supernatural sub-species, although he hadn’t done any harm.  The threat was always there, however, lurking in the back of his mind. He’d convinced himself that the island needed him and he took that responsibility very seriously. He was now more invested in the island than he’d ever thought he would be.

He’d once thought the island was too small for him and had eventually left for the bright lights of New York. He’d moved around over the years as his business had expanded, but no place had ever felt like home until his return to the island.

Dressed in all black, jeans, T-shirt in summer, with the addition of a black jacket on the rare days the temperature dipped below seventy, he usually stayed in the shadows and watched. He carried two small guns, wedged in the back of his jeans, but he rarely had to use them. He had other, more effective ways of getting people to obey him. The tiny island was under siege from a threat unlike anything they’d faced before, and he was determined to help eradicate it.

The trio got up and left the bar, and Jacob followed suit. He slipped easily in and out of the weekend crowd. A few regulars greeted him warmly and he flashed a rare smile. Jacob didn’t have friends and wasn’t really close to anyone except his brothers and a very select group of people he worked with, but it was nice to see recognition and happiness in other people’s eyes when he walked by. He’d seen a change on the island since his arrival six months earlier - crime had dropped significantly thanks to him and his band of supernatural misfits - but there were always people who insisted on breaking the law.

At least this would give him something to do besides futilely attempting mind-numbing drunkenness. He followed the threesome out of the chic little bar frequented by locals and tourists, heading out of Junkanoo Beach and into the center of town.

He rounded the curve in front of the historic British Colonial Hotel, which first opened its doors in 1923. The Colonial-style luxury five-star hotel was built on the site of the first fort on the island, constructed in 1697, and finally demolished in 1897. Remnants of the old wall were still on the grounds.

The hotel had been sold to Chinese investors who were in the process of turning the venue into a mega ultra-modern hotel called The Pointe. The new building was sleek and glossy, and while as a businessman, Jacob could appreciate the need for progress, he believed you could also preserve the past.

He loved the old vibe of the downtown area. In 1666, long before the fort was built, the first settlement was established.  Back then, Nassau was known as Charles Town and had developed in a haphazard manner, its main street lined with brothels and taverns visited by pirates, cheats, and vagabonds. Those glory days still continued with the hordes of sun-baked tourists who spilled out of cramped cruise ships every day to get stupid drunk at places like Senor Frogs. The brothels were a little harder to find, but they were still there.

The trio passed the wharf, where three ships were docked for the night with lights ablaze to lead the soul-weary drunks back on board. He side-stepped such a group loudly singing off-tune sea shanties.

Their route took him past the Bacardi store with its distinctive red and black colors and bat logo. The legendary rum had had a distillery in Nassau for nearly half a century before closing its doors in 2009. There were two other major distilleries on an island that was only twenty-one by seven square miles, and it would soon have another one. His brand would be the best, of course.

He crossed the narrow street as the trio now headed for a quieter part of town with closed-up shops and plenty of hidden places for mischief. Tourists often thought they could get away with things because they were in the islands.

He knew things were often not what they seemed, and what looked like a petty crime, could quickly escalate into so much more. He heard the loud protest of an old gate as they entered an area they should not be in and headed down a dirty alleyway.  The femme fatale had a backside a man could hold on to, which swayed gently as she walked.

Keep your mind clear, Greco, he admonished himself.

The threesome stopped under a light about halfway down. In the dark, the siren had been potent, with the light she was lethal, and Jacob’s resolve to keep a clear head was instantly forgotten.

At first, her face remained hidden behind all those thick inky-black waves, which fell to the top of curvy hips encased in tight blue jeans. The tropical night breeze blew her hair back to reveal her face as she turned and glanced nervously the way they had come. She wore an ‘It’s Better In The Bahamas’ green T-shirt which stretched across her generous chest and red Converse sneakers.

She was the most beautiful woman Jacob had ever seen, and he’d seen a lot. It wasn’t that she had perfect features or that everyone would share his opinion. She had a vulnerability about her, a certain je ne sais quoi which Jacob found intriguing.

Under the harsh single bulb precariously attached over the back door of the elegant-from-the-front, seedy-from-the-back building, he could tell that her eyes were the perfect mix of green and gray every time they darted in his direction in fear, though they didn’t spot him at the entrance of the alleyway.

He was very good at becoming one with the darkness and could dematerialize to watch in spirit form.  It helped that this crew wasn’t very observant. Jacob noted the length of her fluttering lashes, the way she ran the pointed tip of her tongue over full, sensual red lips he just knew were natural. He felt a jolt each time she looked in his direction, but it would take more than that to get him to lose focus.

She looked like a fifties pin-up model, but it wasn’t just her curves that were dangerous. Her tall much-slimmer companion stayed a few feet behind them keeping an eye on the alley entrance while the dark beauty bought a gun from Willie Danger, a local petty criminal/salesman specializing in firearms, marijuana and supplying pretty, exotic girls to wealthy American and British businessmen working on the island.

All three things were illegal in the Bahamas, yet there was a plentiful supply of each on the streets. In a chain of islands surrounded by a vast ocean, it wasn’t hard to figure out how guns and drugs were getting in, particularly with it was people like Willie who were selling them for rich crime lords.

The threat from sex and drugs paled in comparison to the imminent threat of spiritual warfare. With the drop in crime thanks to a band of supernatural law enforcers like himself and numerous new investments - his included - the island had reclaimed its reputation as a player’s paradise. But it was a false sense of security, and most of the residents had no idea what was really going on. He did, and he should be spending his time tracking down the real threats and leave the local police to handle this one, but he was too intrigued to call it in.

Jacob turned his attention back to the dark vixen. Though her eyes darted about like this was her first foray into crime, she cocked the gun like she was very familiar with it after Willie placed it in her hands. For some reason, he found a woman who knew how to handle a gun very sexy.

Willie handed her a box of bullets. She inspected them, put the gun and bullets in her bag, and then pulled a wad of cash out of the pocket of her jeans. Willie made quite a nice living from his criminal activities, and he definitely knew people in high places because he never went to jail for long.

They shook hands. Nice doing business with you, Willie said.

The brunette walked - no, glided - over to her blonde friend, and together they walked to the entrance while Willie hung back. When they reached the end, Jacob re-materialized and stepped out of the shadows.

Later, he would replay the scene again in his mind, over and over again, until he was sure he hadn’t imagined the sound.

The blonde, in a short skirt and heels, screamed and grabbed her friend’s arm. Jacob barely registered her scream because the shriek which the dark beauty emitted was unlike anything he’d ever heard before, and he’d had endless hours in Hell, listening to the sounds of the suffering. It was so raw, so filled with shock and fear, it tore through his gut.

The blonde lost her balance and took them both down. With flailing arms, he watched as all that dark hair fell away from that stunning face. For a second, it framed her face like a dark halo and then settled behind her as they fell to the ground. Their bags slapped against the concrete, and the contents of each went flying. The gun skidded back to Willie, and the bullets spilled all over the small space.

Willie grabbed the gun and pointed it at Jacob, but then recognition dawned in his eyes, and he lowered it. Shit, I guess I just blew my last chance with you.  Right, Greco?

Jacob didn’t even answer him. He was fixated on the brunette, who was shaking so badly, he at first thought she was having a seizure. Her eyes were glassy with fear, and her lips quivered. Her fear seemed to go beyond being caught with a gun by someone she thought was a cop. She looked at him like he was the grim reaper and she was seconds from death. There was no way she could see what he really was, but what other explanation was there to explain her extreme reaction to him?

Can you let them go, Greco? They’re not trying to hurt nobody, Willie pleaded.

Jacob’s head whipped in his direction, and Willie shrank against the wall. It was completely ridiculous how relieved he was that Willie wasn’t engaged in any kind of activity with his dark beauty other than criminal. He could cheerfully kill the man.

Leave the gun and get the hell out of here before I haul your ass off to jail, Jacob growled.

Willie gingerly placed the gun on the ground and skittered around the women. Sorry, girls. He hugged the far wall until he reached the entrance and then disappeared into the night.

Jacob turned his attention back to the women. Now, where were we?

Chapter Two

SADIA DELANY HAD SEEN her life flashed before her eyes once before, and this second time was almost as harrowing as the first. When the figure had suddenly emerged out of the darkness, she was sure it was her ex-boyfriend Silas come to finish her off for good.

But as she stared up at the stranger, she realized Silas wasn’t that tall, or dark, or handsome for that matter. The man standing over her had to be about six-five, with broad shoulders and bulging biceps perfectly showcased by his T-shirt. She looked up long, strong legs, a flat stomach, and expansive chest to a face that would’ve been beautiful if he didn’t look so dangerous. She’d never seen eyes such a light gray- almost like diamonds sparkling in the dim light - and so penetrating that she couldn’t look into them for long. His wide, sensual mouth was set in a firm line, and his straight nostrils flared in anger.

She knew instinctively he was not a man to mess with, though he didn’t look like a Bahamian cop who was typically of African ancestry. But Willie had reacted as if he was in law enforcement, so they were probably going to jail and then would then be deported back to the States.

The man who Willie had called Greco held out his hand, and reluctantly Sadia took it. She panicked the second his big hand closed around hers. Why did she feel like she was being claimed? How could his touch feel so possessive? A shard of electricity jolted up her arm and spread throughout her body. He held onto her hand like he owned her, like he had the right to. As she rose to her feet, Sadia was tempted to cling to him because she wasn’t sure her legs would support her.

As if he was fully aware of that fact, the man placed her against the wall before offering his hand to her best friend, Anastasia. Sadia was heartbroken that she’d gotten the other woman in trouble. Ana had been nothing but kind to her. She’d made a life here and, in such a small place, would have a stain on her name because Sadia had convinced her that she needed to buy a gun for her protection.

The man walked over to the gun and picked it up in one elegant swoop.

I know you; you’re Jacob Greco, and you bought the old rum factory near Clifton Bay.

He fixed Ana with a hard stare. And you are?

I’m Ana Stewart, and this is my friend, Sadia Delany, but we all call her Dia. We live at Camille’s Place.

The artist colony owned by Camille Perkins?

Yes, we’re both just artists, Ana assured him.

Jacob arched one perfect brow. Just artists buying a gun from a known criminal.

Dia blushed. Please, this is not what it looks like. I know I’m breaking the law, but...I need that gun.

Why? he barked.

I had a licensed gun in California that I couldn’t bring through Customs. This is my only alternative. She lifted her chin with firm resolve.

Your only alternative, madam, is to abide by the laws of this country as long as you are in it, Jacob stated.

She doesn’t want to hurt anyone, Ana declared in defense of her friend. The gun is merely for protection against a crazy ex-boyfriend who has tried to kill her once before.

Jacob’s eyes zeroed in on Dia and narrowed. Are you on the run?

Dia lowered her eyes. His eyes were so piercing it felt as if he had reached into her soul and pried it open, allowing the dark contents to spill out into his hands. She didn’t want to tell him the sordid details of her life. She was a little confused as to who he was, but he definitely wasn’t a cop, unless he was a bad one; he’d allowed Willie to get away, what cop would do that? Ana had mentioned he owned a rum factory, and he hadn’t shown them a badge of any kind. Whoever he was, hopefully he would extend to her the same leniency he’d given to Willie.

I need that gun, she repeated.

Jacob glared at her. Why didn’t you run to a country where you could legally carry one?

Because I’m here, Ana answered. I was her only friend until she came here. The women at the art colony look out for each other. She will be safe there. The women there are all about living in peace.

Jacob grunted. There’s nothing peaceful about Camille. She threatened to shoot a kneecap the first time I showed up there unannounced.

Don’t you find it ridiculous that in this country she can own a shotgun because she has a store but not a handgun? Ana enquired breezily. I mean, you could be dead by the time you pull that thing out and crank it up.

It may be ridiculous, but it’s the law, Jacob sneered.

Then why did you allow Willie to leave when I am not his only customer? Dia glared at him. Who are you, and what authority do you have to arrest me? You haven’t shown me a badge or even identified yourself as an officer. For all we know, you’re even more of a criminal than we are.

Though he terrified her, Dia wasn’t giving up her gun without a fight, especially not to some rich playboy with a side hustle of illegal activities.

Jacob reached into his back pocket and pulled out a police badge. He placed it close to her face. If you want me to be a cop, I can be a cop and do what that entails. Or you can let me ask all the questions and maybe give yourself a chance of getting out of here with what you want. His voice was deadly quiet.

Dia stared at him. He had such a commanding presence: the wide stance and that penetrating gaze which seemed to see into her soul. Why did she need to speak when it seemed he could see everything? Yet he demanded answers.

Dia sagged against the wall. She felt so overwhelmed by the arduous task of just trying to keep herself safe. She’d tried so hard to make a good life for herself, but it seemed life would afford her little happiness. She knew she could be happy here, but that would not happen until after Silas was dead

Jacob was right. She shouldn’t be here, not with Ana and not with the other women at the colony. Some of them had escaped abusive husbands and boyfriends, drugs, homelessness, and the last thing they needed was for her to make them a target for a madman like Silas.

She was strong, but right then, she felt so weak that she started to cry.

Okay, I will tell you why I need this gun. When I was nineteen, my boyfriend Silas proposed, and I refused him because I felt I was too young and he was too controlling. He took out his anger towards me on other women. He killed thirteen of them before he was captured and sent to prison. He spent two years inside and then escaped and shot me. That was four years ago and I’ve been running ever since. Every year, no matter how much I run, I’ve found a note in my door letting me know he’s still watching.

Dia didn’t even have the strength to wipe the trails of tears from her face. She was barely aware of Ana dabbing at her cheeks with a napkin. She focused on Jacob, somehow drawing strength from his silent gaze.

Four years is a long time. If he really wanted to kill you, he would’ve done it by now. If you have been that good at hiding what makes you think he will find you here, especially since you will be gone in three months?

Dia stared at him. I don’t want to go. She’d been running for too long, playing this cat and mouse game with Silas. Maybe being out of the country would throw him off her scent, but she couldn’t be sure. She couldn’t put anyone at risk, so maybe it would be best for all concerned if she just left. But where would she go?

She swiped at tears and forced a laugh. Maybe I should just move to Timbuktu.

Jacob inspected the gun and then stared at her.  Even in the midst of her turmoil Dia was intensely attracted to him. The only man she’d ever known had been Silas, and she’d thought the sexual part of her had died even as her body had survived. But here was this stranger making her feel things she never had before, making her admit things she hadn’t told anyone but Ana.

Even in the soft light, Dia suddenly felt like she was on stage, confessing her sad life story to a room full of strangers with hard, unsympathetic faces.

When was the last time you heard from him? Jacob asked.

Two weeks ago, and I knew I had to get out of the country.

What did his note say that time? Jacob’s voice was devoid of emotion, but Dia felt his anger.

She swallowed and then caressed her neck. "He said I had two months to live. He plans