Page 251 of Trick or Stalk

My hand catches his arm. “No.”

His gaze snaps to mine.

“You chased him last time.”

“And lost him.”

“Exactly.”

His jaw tightens. “Presley⁠—”

“No. I'm not standing here while you chase some psycho into the dark again.”

Something flickers across his face, but it’s gone too quickly for me to understand.

I look back across the ballroom. Masked Man is moving away from us. He slips between two groups of people, then disappears through a doorway.

My heart pounds.

Hades doesn't move. He's watching the doorway, his body tense. Ready.

“Hades?”

His head turns to me.

Exhaling a deep breath, his hand slides around mine. “Do you want to leave?”

I think about it, then shake my head. “No.”

“You sure?”

“I'm not letting him ruin Halloween.”

A slow smile touches Hades's mouth. “That's my girl.”

My stomach flips.

And just like that, the Masked Man becomes background noise.

Or at least that's what I tell myself.

I don't see him again.

I've looked.

I hate admitting that, even to myself, but I have.

Not because I want him back. Because I want to know where he is.

There's a difference.

Hades stays close and we continue dancing.

Eventually, my shoulders relax.

Wilder appears again about twenty minutes later, carrying three drinks. His costume hasn't improved.

I look him up and down. “What exactly are you supposed to be?”