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SOMETIMES, Hadley wondered what Donovan would think of her life now: strung-up, hopelessly in love with a human. Donovan never had a problem with humans – he was actually quite tame around them – and he would never be ashamed of Hadley's choices. However, there was a part of her that feared his own acceptance. Not like she'd hear from him again, but she could still remember his voice in her mind.
Humans are good company to keep, especially when you're thirsty, he once told her, but relationships with them never work. I know you want to show your strength, but it isn't worth it. The Cortez doesn't need another surprise murder to cover up.
She supposed he was right, but that didn't mean she could stop loving Percy Isaacs anytime soon.
Hadley always knew that it would be difficult – you know, loving a mortal, but she truly didn't think it would be this hard. It wasn't that she was struggling with her own blood lust – although, her own thirst tended to betray her sometimes – no, it wasn't that at all. It was this damn hotel, threatening them every chance it got. She knew the hotel would never accept a long-term human occupant, but her recent fight with the Ten Commandments Killer made that statement even more real.
She would never forget the way John's knife was dangerously close to Percy's tongue. The blood slipping down her boyfriend's wrists. The wounds she had to bandaged from the cuffs. She could never forget the fear in Percy's eyes, but he would never admit that. He wanted her to always see him as brave, unafraid of the monsters within the Cortez. Hadley knew better. She saw his fear as clear as night.
There had to be some way to get Percy back in touch with his mortality. While coming home from a recent hunt with the Countess, Hadley found her solution. Nailed to an old telephone pole, just a couple blocks from the Cortez, was a flyer for the California State charity ball. There were in a college town, after all. Hadley ripped the flyer off the pole, grinning from ear to ear.
But when she had mentioned her idea to him, the last thing she expected to hear was her own words falling from his mouth.
"Absolutely not," he said with a shake of his head.
Hadley frowned, pouting out her bottom lip to entice him. It didn't do anything. "Why not? It'll help remind you of college life!"
"The last time we attended a college party, it ended badly. Granted, it was my idea – but that's not the point." He then pointed to his face. "Also, remember? I've been declared missing, and you just killed the lead detective on my case. Don't think it's too smart for me to be mingling with society."
She smirked, sliding the flyer closer to him as he crossed his legs on the mattress. "You're lucky that this is a masquerade then."
"A masquerade?" He raised a brow and picked up the crumpled flyer, smoothing out the edges. With a shake of his head, he sighed, "You're telling me that California State is hosting a masquerade charity ball?"
