Page 15 of Hades

Sitting and watching people come and go, I can’t help my mind from wandering back to Alastor’s words.Give me a few days.

Is he right?

What if this unbearable curse is beginning to break? Would she suddenly get her memory back like he did? And what would that do to her? She’s lived thousands of lives. Would she remember all of them, or just us?

My heart rate races every time the lift doors glide open.

“This is ridiculous,” I mumble to myself. “Fuck,” I curse as I get up, the momentum of my action sending the chair a few feet back. A loud screech echoes through the marble lobby from the chair skidding across the floor. Several guests glance my way, and it takes every ounce of self-control for me not to flip them off. Not because I hate being looked at.Fuck, I practically thrive on the attention. But I’ve realized that Alastor is correct. I can give him a few days. It won’t be easy, but for her, I’ll endure.

“Fucking Alastor,” I growl through gritted teeth before turning and heading toward the door. I don’t dare look back, not even when I hear the ding of the elevator behind me and the unmistakable pull of Aradia as she walks into the vestibule.

“It’s better this way,” I whisper as I walk down the street, letting myself get swallowed by the crowd.

ARADIA

Standing in the full-lengthmirror, taking in my reflection, I’d have to say I’m happy with how I look. I didn’t bring much in my backpack, so I’m not looking my best. Jeans and a tank top aren’t my usual date style. Not that this is a date, I correct myself. It’s not anything. It’s dinner. People have dinner all the time. Doesn’t have to mean anything. He needed to eat, and I’m hungry. It’s just dinner,I reassure myself for the millionth time.

I glance at Hades’ reflection in the mirror. He’s made himself comfortable on the large couch and is chewing on his complementary squeak toy, a nice added touch from the hotel. “What do you think, buddy? Should I change or go like this?” I ask, not expecting to get an answer. Also, what would I change into? It’s not like I packed clothes for a night out on the town.

With a final check of the time, I figure it’s time to head to the lobby. The moment my room door clicks shut, the butterflies in my stomach begin to flutter. It’s been so long since I’ve had this feeling, this anticipation to see someone.

As I push the button and wait, I wonder if I’ve ever felt like this. Certainly not with Devon. Our relationship always seemed like more of a business transaction than a whirlwind romance.

Not that whatever this is will develop into anything. “Don’t be absurd, Aradia. Get a flipping grip on yourself. It’s just dinner,” I whisper to myself as if it’s my new mantra. “It’s just dinner,” I repeat.Dinner with a ridiculously handsome man that makes my palms sweat,I think as I rub my clammy hands on my jeans and wish I had packed at least a sundress.

As I ride the elevator to the lobby, my nerves are everywhere, and the nervous energy is making me jittery. I shake my head at the absurdity of it. I didn’t even give him a hint as to where I was staying, but he seemed adamant that he could easily find me, so let’s see how he does.

“Okay, Mr. Hades,”I whisper as I exit the elevator into the hotel’s grand lobby. My heart does a little pitter-patter for a moment as I see a gentleman exiting the hotel who looks like Hades. But when he continues his way onto the strip, I know it’s just wishful thinking.

“Damn it,” I huff as I sit adjacent to the door—a perfect view of the grand entrance so I can see when Hades enters. Something inside of me wonders if he was kidding. After all, a man like that doesn’t hit on women like me, at least not in my experience. I am not unattractive by any means. But if there were actual leagues, Hades would definitely be out of mine. Hell, I’m still playing stickball and he’s in the majors.

With every tall, dark-haired man who walks through the door that isn’t Hades, my hopefulness dies. I let out a long sigh and look around the enormous space.Maybe he was here, and I wasn’t, so he left.I want to smack myself for even attempting to make an excuse for him.

“What did you think, Aradia? You didn’t even give him your hotel name. He’s not going to waltz in and find you. He’s not magic.”

The guy sitting across from me gives me a quizzical look, most likely because I’m talking to myself in the middle of a hotel lobby. “Excuse me,” I ask. “Do you happen to have the time?”

He gives me a raised eyebrow before glancing down at his watch. “It’s six-fifteen,” he replies before getting up and moving to a different cluster of seats.

“Thank you!” I yell over my shoulder, but the guy is already gone, probably calling security about the crazy woman in the lobby talking to herself.

I’m momentarily distracted by a beautiful brunette with two pups following her through the lobby. But on second glance, they aren’t dogs at all, they look more like wolf pups. “Only in Vegas,” I chuckle before pulling my phone out of my bag and checking the time again. Maybe that guy’s watch was fast.

Nope. Six-twenty-five. I let out a long, frustrated sigh before deciding to give him five more minutes. After all, he is searching for me cold. I didn’t even give him a last name. I’d say a half hour grace period is perfectly acceptable.

Tapping my feet on the polished marble, I try calming my nerves and my growing disappointment. But neither seems to dissipate the longer I wait. Getting up, I head toward the reception desk.

“Excuse me,” I say to get the woman’s attention behind the desk. She looks up with an irritated look that quickly softens.

“Yes?”

“Could you tell me, are there any messages for AradiaLeland?”I feel silly even asking in the age of cell phones and instant messages. But Hades seemed to have an old-world quality to him. Perhaps one that would lend itself to sending a telegram or leaving a message at the desk or even a carrier pigeon would seem oddly appropriate for him. Something a bit more meaningful than a blow-off text. Not that he has my number. This time I do smack my forehead.

Was I so starry-eyed at this guy that I didn’t even say, “Hey, here’s my number. Why make this harder than it has to be?”

“No, I’m sorry, Ms. Leland, there are no messages.” She must see the wind deflate out of my sails. “But I just came in for the evening shift. If you give me a moment, I could—”

I hold up my hand. “No, that’s okay. Could you just point me in the direction of a decent restaurant?”

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