Page 250 of Trick or Stalk

People dance around us. Music fills the ballroom. Someone laughs nearby.

But all I see is him.

Smoky gray eyes. That sexy smirk.

The man who stayed when I asked him to.

The man who listened while I talked about Grandma.

The man who chased me through the woods because I asked him to.

The man I'm falling in love with.

Or maybe I already have.

Hades's thumb brushes my cheek. “You okay?”

I smile. “Yeah.”

For once, I really am.

Then I look over his shoulder, and everything inside me stops.

Across the room stands a tall man wearing the mask.

My fingers tighten around Hades's shoulder.

He feels it immediately. “What?”

I can't answer.

The bone-white mask with black eyes and that horrible, distorted mouth stares back at me through the crowd.

Hades follows my gaze.

His entire body goes rigid. “Motherfucker.”

“Hades.” The word barely leaves me.

Masked Man doesn't move.

Neither do I.

Three days ago, seeing him would have sent fear and something else racing through me. Something dark and embarrassing that I didn't want to examine too closely.

Tonight? I'm angry.

Actually, I'm fucking pissed.

Because he scared me. Watched me. Followed me. Chased me. Then disappeared.

Only to show up here on Halloween. Like this is some fucking game we're still playing.

Except I'm not playing anymore.

I don't need him. I have Hades.

Hades moves slightly in front of me. “Stay here.”