You really know how to step in it,his wolf chuckled.How are you going to fix this one, genius? You’re already surrounded by Hell’s creatures.
Ethan cleared his throat and shook his head. “No. That’s not …” He heaved a heavy sigh. “I mean, I see it in you because I recognize it from myself. Does that make sense?”
She frowned. “I don’t know. Maybe. It’s kinda sweet in a really twisted way. You think that the fact you’ve disappointed your family makes it easy to spot in others.”
“Aren’t I right, though?”
Ruby slurped one empty drink, then the other. “Maybe. I will only tell you if you tell me what the deal is with the witch. Did she break your heart or something?” She clicked her tongue. “No, that’s too simple for a witch. She shriveled your dick. Stole your mojo. She took out your heart, cooked it, and fed it to you?”
“What the hell?” he gasped. “Witches can do that?”
Ruby burst into a fit of laughter, and though she was technically laughing at him, he couldn’t help himself. He joined in. He just had to. Her laugh was just too melodious and joyful to ignore.
“That was pretty silly of me, wasn’t it?”
“No, not silly exactly. It just shows that you’re a creature who has spent very little time with other creatures. Wolf shifter, right? You spend most of your time trying to fit in with the humans?”
He nodded. “Is that part of your succubus power? You can tell what kind of creature I am?”
“I can’t exactlytell, but I can guess. You’re not a demon. They have a whole other vibe, and warlocks do too. You’re definitely not a vampire. You haven’t once tried to touch me or look at my neck. Vamps are pervs.”
He threw his head back with a laugh, shocked by her words. “Vampires are perverts?” he repeated through more laughter.
“Don’t actually tell any of them I said that. They can get pretty vicious and defensive, but yeah. They’re a randy bunch.”
“This coming for a sex demon,” he chuckled.
“Exactly! So you see my point. Now, tell me why a wolf shifter wants to find a witch. You trying to be more powerful or something?”
He cleared his throat and decided to play for time. He waved forward one of the bartenders and ordered another round for them. His eyes cut to the hourglass, and there wasn’t very much sand left in it. Soon, the thirty minutes would be up, and Ethan very much doubted that he would ever meet a woman like Ruby again.
He didn’t want the hourglass to run out. Simple as that. He leaned over the table, catching her eyes. “If we stick together, your aunt will leave me alone?”
She nodded. “Yeah.”
“You know, when I made the reservations, all I asked was for a room. I didn’t ask for the single’s package or anything, but when I got here, your aunt and that panicked pixie at the front desk informed me that I had.”
“And let me guess. You can’t break the contract because you signed it in blood?”
“Fucking demons, am I right?” His throat went dry when he realized what he had just said, but much to his relief, Ruby laughed.
“Yup. You got that right. That’s how my aunt works, by the way. She thinks she’s this great matchmaker and that everyone is lonely. I bet you anything that she thinks her whole purpose in life, or at least, her purpose in running this resort, is to get people to screw.”
“Interesting take. It lines up. Succubus thing?”
“Something like that,” Ruby answered. “So you’re down to pretend we’re a thing? A little holiday fling? We can get out of here right now. Pretend we wanna go for a moonlit beach walk.”
“You’re on.”
Ruby reached out for him and squeezed his wrist. “Just don’t actually fall for me, Ethan. You know what I am, and you know I can’t turn it off. Don’t get the pretend confused with real life.”
“Promise,” he assured her.
How hard could it be tonotfall in love with the gorgeous succubus?
SIX
RUBY