Falling for the Shifter

9

ETHAN

Ethan was at Hellscape Holiday Resort for one reason and one reason alone. It had nothing to do with finding love or whatever other reason Portia had in mind. The resort manager was pushy, but it was nothing compared to how beautiful her niece was.

He should have clued it immediately that the two were related. They had similar features, but it was the hair that was the dead giveaway. Obviously, if a shade like that didn’t come from a bottle, it had to come from a family link … and a connection to Hell.

The young woman was stunning. Ruby. Even her name was wonderful. It matched her completely. Her long red hair fell in waves around her shoulders, reaching down to her perfectly curvy waist. Ethan had the sudden urge to run his fingers through the strands. It was so powerful that he actually had to stuff his hands in his pockets.

What the hell is wrong with me?

His wolf laughed. You’re in Hellscape Holiday Resort. What do you think is wrong with you?

Yeah, so there was a lot wrong with him at that particular moment. If his life had been going well and according to plan, he never would have set foot in his resort. Now he wasn’t just in the resort. He was participating in a singles’ event for f**k knows what reason. Oh, right. That reason was a succubus resort manager with powers of persuasion so sharp, he was sure she could convince a polar bear shifter to buy ice.

“You really think that we can fool your aunt into thinking we’re together?”

Ruby shook her head. “No, not together, but together ish.”

“Ish,” he slowly repeated. “And just what does that mean?”

“She needs to see us together often enough that her sick, twisted, s****l mind fills in the blank.”

I’d like to fill your blank. Ethan shook his head, not really understanding where that thought had come from. He was a red-blooded man, and he noticed how good-looking Ruby was, but that didn’t give his head permission to be all naughty about it.

“Can’t we just tell her that we are not interested in a relationship right now? Or not in the near future? We’re on holiday, and some of us have s**t to do.”

“Well, well, Did you just spill an interesting tidbit?” Ruby leaned her elbows on the table and met his eyes dead on. It was a little bit dizzying to have all of her attention like this. Her hazel eyes were liquid heat, moving with all kinds of temptations he didn’t want to acknowledge.

“A tidbit?” He shrugged. “I don’t know if I let it slip, but I’m not here to play the bachelor and wine and dine some woman who isn’t remotely interested in me. I’m here because I need to find a witch. Fast. I’m booked for a week here, but I’m hoping that I won’t be here that long. As I said, all I need to do is to find a witch. It should be simple enough given that we are at a supernatural resort’s grand opening.”

As he rambled on … which was definitely out of character for him … Ruby continued to listen intently. Ethan had never felt so important in his life, and as an alpha, that was saying something.

“A witch?” Ruby slowly repeated. At least she had latched on to the most important part of his whole verbal spew.

“Yup,” he answered. “I need to find a witch.”

“And you’re here because you thought it was the best way to run into a witch,” she repeated.

“Yup. Pretty genius, if I say so myself.”

She nearly snorted out her whole drink. “Really? Didn’t think to find a witch coven in an occult store? Maybe hang out in a park under a full moon?”

His face fell. “Yeah, didn’t know that was a thing.”

Ruby patted his arm. “You’re good, big guy. It’s an okay plan. You know, not dumb.” She winked, sly and coy.

His jaw dropped down to the table. The vixen! “You’re literally using my words against me.”

She arched her brow and nodded once. “Yup.”

He shrugged, suddenly desperate to destabilize her as much as she had destabilized him. “I kinda like that.”

“Oh, no, you don’t,” Ruby snapped. “Don’t get attached. Don’t confuse my succubus essence with attraction.”

His head hurt from the sudden change of pace and atmosphere around them. Where things had gotten a little flirty, they were now becoming cold and dangerous. “Huh? Your …”

Ruby nodded. “Succubus essence, yeah. That’s a thing you need to watch out for around here. Only one of them too.”

Stunned and confused, Ethan asked, “What the hell is a succubus essence?”

“It’s basically a low-grade magical power that’s always on. It’s impossible to turn it off because it’s just part of my soul. If I even have a soul. Anyway, one day, I will be a thousand years old, and I will still be irresistible to men. I’m a s*x demon. Guys get that s**t confused with the real deal all the time. Fun fact: love and s*x? Not the same thing. But you try telling the male population that I just exude s*x without actually needing or wanting to have it twenty-four seven.”

Ethan pulled a face, shuddering at the thought of not being able to turn off a part of himself he didn’t want others to see.

Love you too, his wolf snickered. Not that you could ever succeed if you did want me to shut up. Not how it works. We are one. Don’t you dare forget it.

Casting aside his strange thought, Ethan longed for something clever and comforting to say. “That doesn’t sound like a good gig” was all he could come up with.

“I never said it was a good gig, but I’m a succubus. It’s what I’m made for, apparently.”

“Doesn’t have to be that way,” he offered lamely.

“I clued into that, thanks. But it’s also not easy to walk away from. There are always consequences to this kind of stuff. Hell stuff.”