CHAPTER 10
DEVIL'S NIGHT

IT was the first Halloween in a long time that an eclipse was going to form in the sky.

This grand illumination made Halloween all the more interesting, but was going to make for an even worse Devil's Night, and Hadley didn't want to stick around in the Cortez long enough to see what new faces were attending the soiree. Now that she and Percy were closer than they ever planned, Hadley was ten times more protective of his humanity. There was no way she could have him in the hotel tonight. Not with murderers running loose in the hallways. Looks like they just had to partake in the Halloween festivities, which she honestly didn't have a problem with.

"I'm going to make all your dreams come true tonight," she said while barging through the suite door.

Percy fumbled with the remote in his hands, tossing it back and forth until he finally hit the power button to turn off the TV. He tried his best to settle back into the cushions of her bed, which now smelled like him rather than her. She told him that it was probably safer for them both if she slept on the pull-out mattress. He wished that wasn't the truth. God, he thought to himself. How whipped had he become in only a few short months?

For a second, his heart lept in his throat. Her statement gave him goosebumps, though he knew her words meant anything but pressing her lips on his throat. "Um," he paused, "what did you have in mind?"

She waved her hands around, as if she had spirit fingers. "I'm taking you out for Halloween!"

Percy's expression fell.

"What?" She placed her hands on her hips, jutting one side out. "Oh, don't be so ungrateful. We're getting fresh air. We'll be around people and get candy."

"Aren't you a little old to be doing trick-or-treating?"

Hadley's mouth dropped.

"I'm kidding!" Percy chuckled, raising his hands in surrender. Hadley had knelt onto the bed and raised a pillow to his head, only to release it once he forfeited. "Besides, I don't really like Halloween. My parents used to make me go as a wizard every year when I was a kid because they didn't want to keep buying new costumes. I stopped trick-or-treating when I turned ten."

"Well, we're going." Her tone was demanding, and Percy sunk back into the pillows, feeling his stomach implode at her response. He was wearing a white t-shirt that clung to his torso in the best way, and Hadley wanted to do anything to stop herself from staring. She stood and turned on the bedside light, taking note of the time. Almost two PM. Ever since Percy arrived, she had adjusted her sleeping schedule to see him more. Boy, was she whipped too.

Percy arched a brow. "Do you like Halloween or something?"

"No, I ..." She shook her head before sitting back down on the edge of the bed. Percy crossed his legs, giving her more room. "It's better that we get out of the hotel. It's Devil's Night."

"Devil's Night?" He licked his lips, wondering if he should press on. It seemed that he was learning more and more every day. "The fuck is that?"

Hadley exhaled heavily. "It's usually the day before Halloween, but March decided to have his little Devil's Night celebration tonight because of the eclipse." She shrugged, as if it was a common holiday. "March invites over all these serial killers and they party together. Devil's Night is some kind of sacred tradition that everyone remembers and makes time for. This place will be crawling with murderers and I need you as far away as possible."

Percy frowned. "I think I'll be okay, Hadley –"

"Or," she raised her hands in surrender, mirroring his action just minutes ago, "you could pack your things and go back home. Just trying to remind you that normality still does exist, and it's probably better than this dump –"

"Are you asking me to leave?"

Hadley flashed a soft smile. "Never," she whispered, laying her hand on top of his for the shortest of seconds. He'd still remember the temperature of her skin for a lifetime. "I'm too selfish to say that out loud."

Percy lowered his head, trying to hide the grin lifting on his lips. He was blushing. He had to be. When he lifted his head, she was trying not to stare at his small muscles through the tight shirt. "So," he sighed, "if you're making us go out for Halloween, what are we going to do for costumes?"

Hadley blinked. "Shit, you're right." She stood in one quick motion, hardly giving him time to process her moving. He'd never get used to her uncontrollable pace. "Leave the costumes to me. I'll go out and get you something good."

Percy's mouth opened, daring to object, but she was already shuffling out the door. He jumped from the bed and walked to the corridor, lifting his hands. "Hadley, it's Halloween," he retorted as she reached for the doorknob. "You're not going to find anything –"

"Just trust me!" She grinned, before finally slamming the door in his face.

•••

Perhaps, Percy had been right about the limited selection of costumes on Halloween night. Hadley went to the first one she saw by the hotel and came to realize that they were almost cleaned out. The lazy teenager behind the counter tried to help her, as much as a lazy teenager would, but Hadley ended up doing the work herself. After digging through a pile of leftover and refunded costumes, she came up with the best she could offer. She hoped Percy wouldn't mind dressing as a Greek warrior.

Hadley slid a pair of sunglasses onto her eyes as she thanked the young girl at the register and headed out. Propping a baseball cap on her head, she wondered how much of a lunatic she looked like wearing a big sweatshirt and jeans in the middle of seventy-degree heat. It was October, but California didn't know anything about autumn weather most of the time. She had hoped the disguise would be enough to hide from the sun, but found a headache invading her temples the second she stepped outside again. At least, she didn't sparkle in the sunlight. Imagine trying to hide that in the middle of Los Angeles.

She swung her plastic bag of goodies while pushing open the entrance to the Cortez. Liz Taylor glanced up from over her glasses once Hadley arrived inside. The young vampire ripped off her own sunglasses and baseball cap, grinning to her friend as she approached the front desk. Liz had been sorting through inventory files, but set down the folder in her hands to say, "Isn't it a little hot out to be wearing that?"

Hadley chuckled. "Don't remind me," she replied. "Just being out there for a five-minute walk gave me a splitting headache."

"What you got in the bag?" Liz asked, peering over the desk to look inside. "Planning on luring in kids tonight with candy so you can have a Halloween meal? I would've thought that Mr. March had invited you and the Countess to Devil's Night."

Hadley frowned. "No and no," she huffed, remembering when James had cornered her in the kitchens last night, just as she was leaving to give Percy his dinner. He hadn't asked why Hadley was bringing two bowls of lukewarm pasta to her suite, but it was probably because he was too distracted with his subject at hand. He asked Elizabeth and her to attend Devil's Night every year. He wanted them to meet his "friends." Every year they both refused.

She plopped the large bag on top of the front desk. Liz raised a brow and looked inside, sifting through the cheap costumes. She raised her head with a delighted smirk. "Roleplaying with the human boy?" She laughed. "I thought you two were just friends."

Hadley scoffed, "It's for Halloween, Liz." She brought the bag back down and shrugged. "Besides, Percy and I are friends. I've never felt closer to someone."

Liz snorted. "I made your drinks at the bar that night, when you told him everything. Did you think I wouldn't notice that almost ki –"

"Alright, that's enough!"

The older woman released a short chuckle, lifting her chin into the air before resting her cat-like eyes back on Hadley. "Well, have fun trick-or-treating tonight. You'll both be the oldest people trying to steal candy."

"Thanks," Hadley replied with a roll of her eyes. "I'm just focused on us getting out of here as soon as possible. I don't want to have to deal with James or his buddies."

Liz raised her brow, allowing her forehead to crease. Hadley wanted to question her shocked expression, but before she could, Liz was whispering, "Then, you better get those costumes on and leave. Mr. March's guests have already started to show."

"What?!" Hadley's eyes went wider than ever, and she already found herself stepping backward. "Who's here now?"

"I just checked in Richard Ramirez ..." Liz looked down at the guest book, sliding her finger down the lines of names. Her face went sour, and she looked up at Hadley with a deepened frown. "... And Aileen Wuornos."

Hadley almost dropped dead right there. "Fuck," she muttered to herself, already sprinting off to the elevator. She didn't have time to say goodbye to Liz; not when Aileen was already here. Hadley was shaking her head, pressing the elevator button until it broke.

She wouldn't let Aileen within ten feet of Percy. Not tonight.

•••

Aileen Wuornos had always been fascinated by all things creepy and unusual, even after death. She loved seeing women in powerful positions, using their abnormal qualities to get what they wanted. It reminded her of how she used to live her own life. And because of this, she refused to leave Hadley Monroe alone whenever she visited the Cortez.

She was transfixed on the blood virus that infected Hadley and the Countess, wishing that she had been gifted with one as well when she was alive. Hadley, on the other hand, took pity on her, when that was the last thing Aileen Wuornos should be given. She was the only woman invited to Devil's Night, and she had never been cruel to Hadley – not that the little vampire would allow her to be either – so she played nice. But that didn't mean that Hadley was ignorant of Aileen's dangerous qualities, nor did she happen to like her personality. Aileen was weird and disgusting. She always had a rotten odor about her, which was to be expected from ghosts, but Aileen's scent reeked of sweaty pits and mud. Hadley kept these comments to herself, though, forever playing nice with one of the worst criminals to ever live.

However, if Aileen Wuornos was already in the building, that meant nothing good for Percy. Hadley had no doubt that Aileen was heading to Room 66 right now to wish her a happy late-Devil's Night. If Aileen came in contact with Percy ... Hadley knew what would happen.

In fact, that was exactly what happened. First came Aileen's knock on the door. Percy sprung off the bed, expecting to find Hadley on the other side. But another woman's voice began to speak, greeting Hadley in a thick, southern accent, and Percy could practically hear the spit coming from her mouth. He knew he shouldn't open the door, but curiosity always killed the cat, and he was turning the knob before he could stop himself. Percy stared at the disheveled woman standing in front him, with crazy auburn hair and a sickening smirk. She didn't have to say anything to him. He sensed enough danger to make his body freeze in place. Before he could slam the door in the woman's face, she was barging in, throwing him into a headlock.

Hadley sprinted down the sixth floor the second she got off the elevator. Even with her enhanced speed, she wasn't running fast enough. At least, not fast enough for her liking. Not fast enough to beat Aileen. Hadley heard shrieks coming up ahead. Her heart rate quickened. Her legs ached, begging to stop, but she couldn't. The screams became muffled, and as Hadley slid to a stop on her heels, she heard Aileen's cackle.

The door to her room was cracked open.

Hadley kicked the door, ripping off a few screws that collided to the floor. Percy's head whipped in her direction, and once Hadley caught sight of the scene before her, she began to sweat. The anger swelled in her head, making her face turn red.

Percy was bound to the desk chair, wrists pinned behind his back. Aileen was currently wrapping duct tape around his mouth as she straddled his lap, mouth lingering far too close to his for Hadley's liking. The costume bags fell to the floor. Aileen didn't have time to register her fake friend's presence before Hadley was shoving to the ground. Aileen's head struck the floor with a loud slam.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?!" Hadley screamed, charging towards Aileen with a fiery look in her eyes. "What are you doing in my room?! You're so fucking lucky that you're a ghost or I would've –"

"No, I'm so lucky to be dead or that fall would've hurt like shit," Aileen muttered, heaving soft whines from her grimy mouth. Death hadn't made her any prettier.

Aileen slowly brought herself up on her elbows, looking up at Hadley with a cocked eyebrow. Her lips pulled into a sneer. "Came up here to say a little happy Devil's Night to my friend, but it's looks like I'm not wanted." She sent Hadley a dramatic pout. "What's up with the human in here?"

"That's none of your business, Aileen."

Percy tried mumbling something over the tape.

"He's a cute little blondie. I'll give him that." Aileen licked her chapped lips. "What? Is he your human blood bag? You snack on him whenever you need a quick fix –"

"Shut up!" Hadley seethed, leaning in so close to Aileen's face that she could smell her rancid breath. She stuck her finger in the direction of the door. "Get out. Don't come back here, and don't tell anyone of this."

Aileen snorted and hopped to her feet. "And just why shouldn't I?"

"Because I know how much it means to you to be invited to Devil's Night," Hadley whispered, "and I can make James uninvite you like –" She snapped her fingers. "– That."

With a roll of her eyes, Aileen scoffed and exited the suite. As she crossed the threshold of Room 66, she tossed her tangled hair over her shoulder and threw Percy a wink. He shuddered, and all Aileen earned was a growl from Hadley before she finally scrambled off the sixth floor.

Hadley rubbed at her forehead, turning to Percy as his eyebrows shot up to his hairline. She sat on his leg, making quick work of untying the rope around his hands. Aileen sure knew how to tie knots. She tried to ignore the way Percy's large hand rested on her own thigh, holding her steady as the old rope fell to the carpet. Her eyes slid to his. Heat pooled into her lap, and she just couldn't ignore his hand there anymore.

"I'm sorry, Percy," she mumbled, trying to distract her own thoughts. Hadley grabbed the back of his head, pulling at the ends of the duct tape. "This is all my fault. I shouldn't have left you here alone."

Percy, again, tried replying against the duct tape, but the words were muffled. Taking in a heavy breath, Hadley ripped the tape off his mouth, and the room was filled with a loud yelp. Percy held his top lip, and when he looked at Hadley with wide eyes, she was so sure that he was ready to pack his bags and leave the Cortez for good. She didn't blame him.

But, of course, Percy Isaacs was full of surprises.

A grin tugged at the ends of his lips. "That was awesome!"