Page 11

The witch wanted me gone.

Under normal circumstances, if a woman told me she didn’t want me around, I would respect her wishes without hesitation.

However, this was far from normal circumstances.

And aside from the fact that I had literally nowhere else to go, I— well, technically Jasper’s packmate — had paid for this cabin.

A full two-week stay, fair and square. She was the one encroaching on my space.

Which meant she wasn’t exactly in a position to tell me to leave.

My mind whirred, scrambling for a compromise that would let both of us stay in the house.

She claimed to be a witch, though I still couldn’t sense a single trace of magic on her.

Maybe I could convince her that having another magical creature around would be useful?

Though, judging by the way she was glaring at me, I doubted the strong male protector angle would be one that she would appreciate.

I’d scented her desire earlier. A brief flicker of longing, hot and sharp, before she’d snuffed it out as quickly as it had appeared. She was attracted to me—or at least, whatever version of me my incubus magic created for her. Maybe I could use that to my advantage?

No, Devlin. You’re here to make a connection with someone, not to pimp yourself out for a roof over your head.

I dragged my gaze over her, taking her in.

She wore fluffy checkered pajama bottoms, an oversized Nirvana T-shirt, and a tattered black hoodie that looked like it had seen better days.

Arms crossed, full lips pressed tight, her entire posture screamed I’m waiting for you to leave, demon.

But her eyes? Housed beneath dark lashes, her hazel irises were soft and inviting, as if waiting for me to say just the right thing that would give her an excuse to let me stay.

And the right thing was usually the truth.

“Bit of a problem on that front,” I said, exhaling slowly. “I can’t seem to get back to the Shadow Realm.”

Her onyx eyebrow arched, skepticism written all over her face.

“There are only a limited number of reasons why an incubus wouldn’t be able to return to their realm,” she said, her tone careful.

I ran a hand through my hair, considering my words. “I think it has something to do with the magic in Headless Hollow. Whatever spell keeps the mortals out... I think it’s also preventing me from passing between realms.”

“The magic doesn’t keep mortals out,” she said.

The air shifted, thickening with the sudden, delicate scent of lilies and salt, coiling around her like an invisible shroud of grief.

It vanished just as quickly as it had come, but the weight of it lingered, stirring something uneasy in my chest. Had a mortal come here before? Harmed her?

The thought sent an unexpected surge of protectiveness through me. She was tiny, barely an inch or two over five feet. No magic. No defenses if you didn’t count the vase. Maybe I should offer to stay... to protect her...

“I mean,” she continued, oblivious to my spiraling thoughts, “it does... and it doesn’t.

Headless Hollow has a banishing spell on it.

Most mortals who reach the outskirts find themselves turned around, until they eventually give up and leave.

The only way a human can cross the threshold is if they’re invited in. ”

My brows furrowed. “Invited? I thought this was a monster-exclusive town.”

“Well, yeah,” she said, rolling a hand as if it were obvious.

“But what about supernaturals who find themselves mated to a mortal? It’s rare, sure, but it does happen.

An invitation from a supernatural voids the banishing spell, allowing a human to enter.

” She exhaled, her voice tinged with frustration.

“Anyway, the point is, you’re a supernatural. The spell wouldn’t affect you at all.”

My stomach dropped, the one theory I had of why I couldn’t return to my realm gone in a single snarky remark.

I sunk into the armchair, my mind frantically grasping for another explanation.

The witch studied me, her expression unreadable. “You haven’t, like... accidentally stumbled into your mate, have you?”

I let out a sharp laugh, shaking my head. “No. My current predicament has nothing to do with a mate.”

She lowered herself onto the couch, crossing her arms as she leaned back. “You really can’t return to the Shadow Realm?”

I shook my head. Silence stretched between us, the only sound in the room the soft crackling of the fire.

Finally, the witch broke the silence. “Why are you in Headless Hollow anyway?”

“It’s... complicated,” I said.

She tilted her head, her expression practically daring me to try her. And for some reason, I actually wanted to tell her.

“I’m on vacation,” I admitted.

Her nose wrinkled immediately. “Please don’t tell me you’ve been bringing a bunch of monsters back to my childhood home to... feed from .”

I huffed a quiet laugh. “Actually, I’m on vacation because I wanted a break from being an incubus demon.”

That seemed to catch her attention. Her posture shifted, and she turned to face me fully.

The movement made her baggy clothes settle just right, offering a fleeting glimpse of the soft curve of her waist. My throat dried instantly, and I gulped before I could stop myself.

Then, with absolutely no idea of the effect she was having on me, she casually propped her face against her hand, dark hair tumbling around her shoulders as she watched me intently.

I suddenly forgot how words worked.

“I, er...” I cleared my throat, forcing the syllables out. “I came here to... try out dating.”

“You came here to date ?” Her tone was a perfect mix of disbelief and amusement.

I ran a hand through my hair, tilting my head just enough to hide the inevitable flush creeping up my neck. “It’s stupid—”

“Actually, I think it’s quite sweet,” she interrupted. My gaze snapped to hers, expecting to catch a smirk, but all I found was genuine curiosity. “And how’s dating in Headless Hollow going?” she asked.

I’ll let you know when I actually get up the nerve to start...

“I don’t really feel comfortable discussing my dating life with a witch whose name I don’t even know,” I said, sidestepping the question.

She let out a short, amused snort that made my stomach flip. “My name is Jennifer. Jen for short.”

Something clicked in my head, like a puzzle piece falling perfectly into place. And just like that, I knew exactly how I was going to convince her to let me stay.

“Jennifer?” I repeated, my lips curling into a slow grin. “As in Jen Myers ?”

Her glare sharpened, her entire body going rigid as a blush crept up her throat. Right on cue, the notebook appeared between us on the coffee table. I moved to grab it, but Jen was faster, snatching it up and clutching it tightly to her chest.

“Yes,” she said flatly, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “I momentarily forgot about the blatant invasion of my privacy.”

I raised my hands in mock surrender. “The ghost left me the notebook as reading material for my bath.”

Jen’s glare snapped to BooDini, who wisely backed into the kitchen and out of sight. Her gaze returned to me, sharp and accusatory, the air between us suddenly thick with the scorched sugar scent of her embarrassment.

“I’m sorry,” I said, lowering my voice. “I thought it was just a manuscript a previous guest had left behind.”

She sat silent, lips pressed thin, her grip on the notebook tightening. Finally, she murmured, “I wrote it almost a decade ago, just before...” The air grew heavy, thick with the scent of lilies and salt as grief unfurled around her once more.

A slow, aching pressure crushed my chest, squeezing like a phantom hand clenching around my heart.

I felt as if I were intruding on her sorrow, an uninvited visitor looking in.

I dampened my senses, forcing myself to tune out the pulse of emotion radiating from her.

If Jen wanted to tell me what had happened, she would—when she was ready.

“... Anyway,” she continued, “I’ve been away for a long time, and I’d forgotten about it until today.

But it needs a lot of work, and I don’t know if I’m in the right place to.

..” She trailed off again, her hazel eyes flicking toward me, a sheen of vulnerability flashing in them that made me desperate to pull her onto my lap.

To run my hands down her back. To whisper against her skin that everything was going to be okay.

“I really enjoyed it,” I said, keeping my tone steady.

Her eyes widened, but her lips pressed into a thin line. “You don’t have to pretend to like it just to get in my good books.”

You literally caught me jerking off to it , I thought.

Well... technically, I’d been jerking off to my own revised version of the scene—not the one she’d written. But everything else? Perfect .

“I mean it,” I said, letting sincerity creep into my voice. “I literally fell a little bit in love with Mina.”

I hadn’t thought it was physically possible, but Jen’s face reddened even more. For a split second, I was tempted to undampen my senses, to feel whatever emotion was humming beneath her skin, just out of reach.

“Kieran was the perfect balance—gruff and guarded on the outside, but absolutely adorable underneath. The plot was exciting enough to hold its own, but not so convoluted that it overshadowed the romance.” I let out an unconscious sigh.

“And the romance... The way the sexual tension practically sizzled off the page? Perfection. ” I grinned, tipping my fingers to my lips in a chef’s kiss.

“The whole they’re mates, but they don’t know it yet ?

Torturous. I was torn between screaming at them to just get together already and devouring every second of their resistance, dying for the moment they finally gave in. ”

Time to plant the first seeds of the quid pro quo I was leading up to.

“It’s exactly the kind of connection I want to make with someone,” I said. “And Mina is exactly what I’m looking for in a potential date.”

Jen flushed, then let out a slow breath, though her tone still carried a layer of suspicion as she asked, “You’re not just trying to butter me up so I’ll let you stay in my house until you can get back to the Shadow Realm?”

“Technically,” I said, unable to contain myself, “the house is mine for the next two weeks.”

The scowl she shot me was downright lethal. She opened her mouth, but I cut in quickly.

“I was joking! Well... kind of joking.”

Her glare darkened.

I held up my hands. “Look, I think we could help each other out.”

“You don’t have anything I want, demon.”

Shit.

I might have already fucked this up. Why the hell hadn’t I just gone with a simple “ Please may I stay in your house?” and offered her the envelope of cash Jasper had given me?

I treaded carefully, keeping my voice light. “As much as I adored the characters, the plot, and especially the romance...” I paused, watching her reaction. “I do have... one tiny piece of constructive feedback.”

“Oh yeah?” Jen said, her tone wary.

“The intimate scenes—”

Before I could even finish, she let out a frustrated groan, throwing her arms over her head and burying her face in her sleeves. “I know the sex scenes are a hot pile of dog shit,” she said, her voice muffled against the fabric.

“Um... how about I help you rewrite them?” I offered.

Her arms parted just enough for her to cast me a withering glare.

“I mean,” I pressed on, “I am an incubus demon. Who better to give sex advice than an incubus?”

Literally anyone.

If it weren’t for the need to feed, I’d probably still be a virgin, waiting for my mate to summon me.

That wasn’t to say I wasn’t good at sex—I was an incubus, it’s what we were designed for.

I had a handful of go-to moves, efficient and practiced—whatever got my partner-for-the-night off the fastest, so I could be done with it and leave.

But Jen didn’t need to know that.

I watched as she bit her bottom lip, mulling over my offer, her expression unreadable. Finally, she exhaled, eyes narrowing slightly. “You’ll help me rewrite all my intimate scenes in exchange for me letting you stay here?”

I shook my head, a grin tugging on my lips. “I’ll help you perfect your intimate scenes in exchange for you letting me stay and for you helping me find a date.”