Sacrifice Island by Kristin Dearborn

What I particularly loved about this short story was the setting in the Philippines. I could taste the salt sea air, I could see the confusion and the congestion and I could feel the atmosphere in the beach side bars overlooking the lapping waves and the golden sand. In this tropical setting dwells the Aswang a vampire type creature living on Sakripisiyuhin/Sacrifice Island needing to feed on "sacrifices" to survive, almost impossible to kill and then only if it's curse can be transferred to another. Alex and Jemma, paranormal researchers, travel to the Philippines to complete research on a book and what they encounter there will change their lives forever. This is a highly enjoyable story set around an ancient legend with a fantastic list of characters; Terry Brenton english ex pat whose wife Virginia has died...or has she? Mr Lucky having the wonderful first name of Alistair, the mysterious Karen what is her interest in Alex? Jemma is a somewhat complex character having endured many horrific years at the hands of an ex partner she purports to have paranormal vision and cannot bear to have any physical contact with any living being. The story expertly draws together elements of legend set against a tropical background and races towards a very satisfying but not totally unexpected conclusion.