Lou nodded. His goatee was positively twitching with mischief. Portia recognized the look immediately. “Oh, no, Lou. What are you planning?” Portia had her own plans, and she didn’t want anything interfering.
He shrugged, nudging his chin to the left. “A few hundred different things are playing through my mind, but that’s the latest.”
Portia turned to see one of the other bartenders bring a very elaborate drink to one of the lonely vampires at the end of the bar. The bottom of the cocktail was sparkling orange, the jeweled tone darkening to a bright red all the way to the very top of the drink, which was almost burgundy. There was a steady stream of vapor rolling off the drink. Not ominous, but not entirely cheerful either.
She recognized it immediately and giggled. “Still playing that old trick on people, I see.”
Lou joined in the giggling. Of course, it looked a little more devilish on him.
EverythingLou did was at least a little bit devilish.
“If you’ll excuse me, dear cousin, I’ve got to see a woman about her sex life.” She winked over her shoulder before making her way over to Ruby’s table.
“Let the games begin,” she heard Lou encourage from the bar.
TWO
RUBY
Hellscape Holiday Resort wasn’t exactly what Ruby expected. It was a tad classier and a bit more upscale than what she had imagined. Not that there was anything wrong with that.
Better for the place to be nice than a nightmare dump. This would do just fine. Besides, Ruby had some serious thinking and soul searching to do. At least she could do it on a magical beach where there was guaranteed sunshine and an endless stream of drinks that couldactuallymake her tipsy.
She needed this vacation. So much. Not just because it was her first in almost a hundred years. Nope. Ruby had some tough choices to make, and she needed to be away from her mother and sisters to think clearly.
A little time away was just what the doctor ordered if the doctor was a masochist demon with a penchant for torture and drama. She was going to be roasted by her family for this.
That’s probably why Ruby didn’t really know how to relax. Her weird knowledge hole was stressing her out. She wasn’t exactly built for relaxing, but she would have to figure it out. This resort was new, and if the brochure she got in the mail was right, there would be no humans here. Only supernatural creatures. In other words, she would have peace and quiet. Absolutely zero chance of her running into a possible mark.
“Hello, there, stranger,” a familiar and musical voice sang out, pulling Ruby out of her thoughts.
Ruby looked around the bar and immediately spotted the voice’s owner. She was hard to miss with the shock of red hair that her family was known for. “Aunt Portia,” Ruby’s aunt smiled warmly at her.
This is fine. This means nothing. She doesn’t know why I’m here.
There was no time to think about any of that. Ruby’s aunt gracefully pulled one of the chairs out from the table and sat in front of her. Aunt Portia clicked her fingers at one of the bartenders and, without having to speak a word, made two drinks appear in front of them.
The simple gesture was enough to make Ruby suspicious. How did Aunt Portia already have so much sway over the staff? Wasn’t this place new? Weren’t most supernaturals at least abitprotected from the succubus pull?
This is fine. I can always lock myself in my room. Who needs a beach to relax?
“Ruby, sweetie, it’s so nice to see you.” Aunt Portia pitched her voice low between the sips of her bright neon-green cocktail. “One little thing. Don’t call meauntaround here. It makes me sound so old, and you both know I’m not a day over …” She stopped short and waved her hand dismissively in the air. “Well, it doesn’t matter how old I am. Just don’t call meauntwhile you’re here. There are a few drink tickets in it for you.” She slid a full roll of Hellscape Holiday drink tickets to Ruby with a meaningful wink.
Any other person would have thought,That’s what I’m talking about! Free drinks!But Ruby was suspicious by nature.How did you get those drink tickets?Was more her speed. Swallowing her suspicions … because this was Aunt Portia and not Roja … Ruby said, “Fine, fine. I won’t call you aunt. We can pretend to be strangers too if you like.” She arched a brow at her aunt, hoping the older woman would understand her subtle request.
“Why would we dothat? We can be friendly while we’re here. We will always be family, my sweet. It might even work out to your benefit, but don’t tell anyone you’re my niece.”
“Is this one of yourage is just a number, and people don’t deserve to know just how much age I’ve accumulatedthings?”
Portia grinned. “Something like that, yes. What brings you here, anyway?” She took a slow drink from her cocktail, studying her niece carefully.
Portia was Ruby’s mother’s youngest sister, and that meant they had spent quite a lot of time together. Ruby knew her aunt, so she was positive the older succubus was hiding something.
Not that Ruby would be able to dig out the truth. Portia was more powerful and way more experienced in subterfuge, and she also had the benefit of knowing all of Ruby’s tells.
If Aunt Portia was up to something, Ruby would have to wait and see how her life turned upside down like the rest of the poor souls that came across the formidable Portia Flemming.
Portia took a deep swig from her drink, but her own was a big gulp that almost emptied the damn thing completely. There really was nothing as delicious as a magical cocktail.