"Oh, hey, let me give you a hand with that," Buffy offers.

A middle-aged man carrying way too many things gladly accepts her offer to take the cooler he had nearly dropped. "Thank you so much. Promised my wife I'd have everything packed so we can leave when she gets here."

Buffy chuckles. "And let me guess, you're running a bit behind?"

He grins. "Exactly. Our slip is just down this way."

"You must be heading out for more than the day," she says conversationally.

"Yep. Heading up to Louisiana to see her parents and do some fishing for the rest of the week."

"Cool! That sounds like fun." He steps onto his boat and sets his packages in the cabin. Buffy offers him the cooler she had carried. "Well, here you go. Have a great trip."

"Thanks. I really appreciate the assist."

"No problem. See you around."

Buffy heads off, noting the slip number of her new friend. She heads up to a vantage point where she can watch him unobserved. An hour later, she smiles as he and his wife motor out of the marina. She heads to the public slips and gets her boat, moving it to the permanent slip she knows will be available to her for the next week.

Once she is settled she gets her two surf boards out and starts to wax them. Tomorrow she would welcome the day by riding the storm surge. She sits back on her heels, fingering the shark tooth she keeps on a necklace. It had been embedded in the board she was on when she nearly became dinner for a lemon shark. A gift from the gods to their willing priestess. She stares out at the fading light but sees note the boats docked around her but an altar on the beach that exists only in her mind. Finally she stands.

"I understand. You need another sacrifice. I will find one for you tonight."

She puts her boards back in the cabin. She quickly changes from cut offs and a tee shirt to a miniskirt and crop top. She fluffs her hair and applies make up. She hates the frou-frou rituals of hunting but knows it is necessary to honor her protectors. She heads to the parking lot and steals a car, driving it down to the hub of nightclubs and restaurants. If all goes well, she'll leave with the sacrifice and won't need the stolen auto again.

Buffy eases into the first bar she comes to, scanning the crowd to find the right guy. He needed to be strong and good looking, a true catch. Sacrificing such a prize would make the gods very pleased. As if by divine intervention, the crowd parts and she sees her mark. At least 6' tall, shoulder length blonde hair, ice blue eyes, muscles to die for. Yes, it would be a shame to take him out of the dating pool which makes him a perfect sacrifice.

She makes her way over to him. "Buy me a drink?"

He stares at her. "And why would I do that?"

She gives him a killer smile. "I can be very…appreciative," she says with an inflection that leaves no doubt as to what she means.

He grins. Typical male, he is happy to be hit on by a pretty woman hinting at sex. "What's your pleasure?"

She licks her lip sensuously. "Sex on the Beach." She pauses for effect. "But my drink of choice is a rum and Coke."

He chuckles and runs a hand up her arm. "I think I can satisfy both of those needs."

Two hours later, he is quite drunk and very horny. She leads him back to her boat. "Did you bring protection?" she pants at him as they head into the cabin.

"I'm always prepared, baby."

She grins. "Good."

She turns and pushes him onto the bed. She straddles him, her hand snaking up into the small storage area behind his head. As she leans in to kiss him, her hands close around a syringe. As she sits up he stares at her, expecting her to strip off her shirt…not expecting to get stabbed in the neck with a syringe full of ketamine.

As the drug takes effect, she gets off him, staring at him, the fear in his eyes making her feel powerful. She runs a hand down his cheek.

"Don't be scared. The gods will welcome you with open arms. Your looks will please them greatly."

She unties the boat and heads out to sea. An hour later, she drags him out of the cabin. She sees the tears on his face and smiles.

"I promise you: there is nothing to fear. You should be honored that they led me to you. Your purpose on Earth was even greater than you could have imagined."

His eyes widen as she holds up the Dremel. He can't even scream as she starts to dismember him…alive.


Three hours later Buffy throws his skull into the ocean. She rubs her hand through the blood on the deck of her boat. She moves to the front and leans over the railing, smearing her hand across the front. Just like the ancient Vikings had believed, the blood of her sacrifice becomes a protective shield for her boat.

Had anyone taken a close look at the black hull, they might have seen the remnants of previous blood shields still there.

She heads back to the deck, grabbing a 5 gallon bucket as she does. Scooping bucketfuls of ocean water she cleans the blood from the deck. By the time he is done, the water is choppy as the first predators have started investigating the body parts floating on the current.

"Enjoy, my friends. See you in the storm surge tomorrow."

She makes her way back to shore, eager to get a good night's sleep so she will be ready for surfing at dawn.