Chapter 4
There was no news from anyone in the next two days. Our people of course had attacked another group of Prodigium, I was not involved with this one but we got the news none the less. We also got the news that Mr. Atherton was throwing a grand birthday party for his daughter at Thorne Abbey. As I heard that I knew this was my chance to talk to Sophie again. It wasn't just that I wanted to see her and clear things up. I also needed her help.
Dressed as a waiter I was able to enter the party. It was a masquerade bash so I had a mask to hide my identity. I had found her three times but she never noticed me. I saw her with the two new demons and tried to go to her again but she pulled away. At last when she was alone again I went to her.
"Drink, miss?" I asked, holding out the tray.
"Look, dude," she said, stumbling a little as she stepped on one of her draping sleeves, "I don't know if you're trying to suck up or what, but—"
At that moment she glanced up into my masked face, and our eyes met.
"You have got to be kidding me."
I raised an eyebrow even though she couldn't see it but I somehow knew she thought I really was doing it. "Who are you supposed to be?" I asked in a low voice.
She drew in deep breathes, trying to calm herself I guessed. "Hecate," she said, plucking one of the glasses off my tray. "What are you doing here?"
I shrugged "Who doesn't love a party? Plus, I thought there might be a chance
you'd wear that blue dress again." I was flirting a little, it was easy to do that with her and forget about every thing else.
"You are a crazy person," she said, struggling to keep her voice calm. "Or an idiot. Or a crazy idiot person. Why aren't you at least glamoured or something?"
"No one here has ever seen me in person," I replied, making a show of rearranging the glasses on my tray, "so the mask is good enough. If I'd used glamour, I just would've drawn attention to myself. Of course, I wouldn't have had to go to all this trouble if you'd just met me three weeks ago."
Anger flashed in my eyes and I knew she saw it for she somewhat guiltily looked down.
"I couldn't," she said, looking up and smiling like I'd just said something funny. "You should leave. Now."
I was pissed now and couldn't hide it. "Do you have any idea what I risked to come here tonight?" I hissed. "Not only from your people, but mine?"
She glanced around, then gave me a significant look and walked towards the corner with a huge arrangement of potted plants.
I waited a few seconds and then followed, parted the palm frond and leaned against the glass wall, my arms folded over my chest. "Why didn't you meet me?" I asked without preamble.
"I don't know, maybe because you're a demon hunter and I'm a demon, so us hanging out seems like a bad idea?" I didn't reply and she sighed and said, "Look, basically, everyone in my life has told me to stay away from you. So that's what I'm doing."
I felt my heart ache a little but I had to keep up that I didn't feel anything. "Trust me," he said. "If there weren't something major going down right now, I'd never see you again. Happily."
"What do you mean, 'something major'?"
I shook my head. "I don't have time to get into it, but it's about your little demon buddies back there. Can you meet me tomorrow night at the mill?"
"I can't tomorrow. But my dad leaves for a business trip in nine days. It would be easier for me to get away then."
I nodded. "Good. Nine days, then. Three a.m."
"Fine. But if you pull a knife on me again—"
I laughed. "You keep bringing that up. First of all, I didn't pull the knife on you; I pulled it out so I could jimmy the lock on that window. Secondly, I was trapped in a cellar with a pissed-off demon. Of the two of us, who do you think was the most freaked out?" I moved past her quickly and disappeared into the crowd.
I decided to stay little longer at the party, just to see her a little longer even if I couldn't talk to her. Nine days is a long wait after all. I saw her with the Hex Hall grounds keeper, Cal, and seeing that made me somewhat jealous. I sighed and wished things were not so complicated between us and that's when disaster struck.
She had just opened one of her presents and disappeared behind a puff of smoke. It was demon glass which had pierced into her. I moved towards her, worried about what had happened to her but then I remembered who I am and that I should not be here and so although I was close to her I panicked and tried to head out and prayed with all my heart that she knew I wasn't responsible for it.
