Review: Thrills & Chills With a Bit of Romance
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 07 31, 2013
Rebecca Royce has written a short story long on thrills and chills.  Demon Within grabs your attention from the start and keeps you on the edge of your seat until its heart-pounding ending.  Horror aspects are nicely balanced with steamy romantic interludes to keep you fully invested in these character's outcomes and has you rooting for them to defeat evil.Dakota's life has always revolved around defeating demons alongside her mother.  They often combined their powers to help those possessed until the day Dakota's moment of hesitation led to her mother's death.  She's been on the run ever since from her perceived failures until she's forced to revisit her past to save a young woman.  Dakota's a strong-willed woman who's let the past rule her entire future.  She was a child when her mother died and her hesitation was understandable given the shock and sorrow of the event.  I applaud her strength in now facing her personal demons as well as real ones.  She was given a divine gift and it's her duty to use it.  Using her powers is a way to honor her mother and helps her put her emotional loss further behind her.Brady too has carried guilt around since his childhood as he thinks he's responsible for his twin sister's demonic possession.  It's led him on a non-stop journey to finding someone to release her from her pain and unwittingly led him to a woman who's true purpose isn't clear.  From the moment he set eyes on Dakota he was drawn to her and though he'd do anything to save his sister, he'd also do anything to have Dakota.  He seemed callous at first as he would manipulate Dakota to gain her assistance, but it soon became clear that he does have a heart as his protective instincts kicked in to agonize over what he was asking her to do for his sister.  He became her protector and her ally and helped her regain her true powers through his unconditional belief in her.  They end up a very formidable match for the demons they plan to excise.The scenes dealing with the exorcism are very atmospheric with an unrelenting sense of doom.  We soon learn that the woman who led Brady to Dakota has a devious agenda of her own that is based on a previous meeting with Dakota and her mother.  Her plan isn't quite clear but it doesn't bode well for Dakota.  The build-up to this scene gave me chills but its conclusion was a bit of a letdown as the action crescendoed into complete quiet.  The romance hints at a mutual HEA but nothing is truly set in stone as their happiness feels more like a beginning than an end.  Those looking for a thrilling and steamy way to spend the afternoon will find this the perfect way to escape as Ms. Royce again doesn't disappoint.