CHAPTER 17
WEDDING BELLS
THE wedding had been nothing short of a bust.
Elizabeth and Will Drake were married three days later, in the middle of the lobby as the two grand staircases enveloped them. The Countess looked radiant: her light blonde hair was styled in an intricate bun with a silver crown placed on her head, and she wore a lace wedding gown fully designed by her new husband. The ceremony consisted of the bride and groom, a minister, Liz, and both Hadley and Percy.
Liz stood off to the side, rolling her eyes and holding Elizabeth's bouquet as the vows were exchanged. In front of the happy couple, two wooden stools were taken by Hadley and Percy, who wondered what they were truly doing there in the first place. Hadley eyed Will Drake with worry. He looked incredibly clean, and unlike Elizabeth's type, which only heightened Hadley's suspicions more as to why Elizabeth was marrying him. She knew why, though.
Hadley wasn't an idiot, and neither was Elizabeth.
Percy rested a hand on Hadley's thigh, and she sent him a warm smile before lacing their hands together. Liz stared at them longingly and finally reverted her attention back to the minister droning on in front of her. She was practically shaking with anger, narrowing her eyes at Elizabeth's back as the Countess took Will Drake's hands. Liz made herself all pretty for the ceremony, but now, all she wanted to do was wash it off and have a good cry.
"Anyone present know any reason why this man and this woman should not be joined in marriage?" The minister asked, quickly looking around to survey the small crowd. "Speak now, or forever hold your peace.
Liz's hand shot upwards. "Uh ... yeah," she answered, pink lips pulling into a grin. "Because ... she's a bitch with no conscious, no mercy, no soul."
Hadley's brow furrowed, and she shared an awkward glance with Percy. Elizabeth, however, didn't bat an eyelash. "Oh, Liz," she giggled, looking to the minister. "Ignore her. She drinks. But the law requires a witness."
"And I've witnessed plenty," Liz quipped.
Hadley was even more confused than before.
"Please, proceed," Elizabeth told the minister.
He looked down at the Bible in his hands, clearing his throat before saying, "I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."
Will smiled mischievously. Hadley thought he looked creepy, and she curled her lip in disgust. Elizabeth shared a short kiss with him, taking a moment to stare at him with fake adoration. "My man," she hummed. "My family."
Elizabeth slowly turned to eye Hadley from over her shoulder, and then reached out a hand towards her. Hadley didn't know what to do, until the Countess finally called her name, "Come meet Will."
Hadley chewed the inside of her cheek. She took Percy's hand in hers and stood up, sauntering over to them with her boyfriend behind her back. Hadley snuck a quick glance towards Liz, who was rolling her eyes and walking back to her normal position with Iris behind the front desk. "Hadley, meet Will," Elizabeth said, beckoning her creation even closer. Hadley took the spot beside the Countess, her hand never leaving Percy's. "Will, meet Hadley and her ..."
"Boyfriend," Percy choked out.
"Whatever you say," Elizabeth muttered, lips quirking up again once she looked to Will. "I'm so glad you could finally meet Hadley. She's very important to me."
Hadley's stare narrowed. Was she even going to mention that Hadley was considered as one of her children? Did Elizabeth ever tell Will about Hadley's siblings? She guessed not. Elizabeth's lies were turning into a spiderweb, and someday it was going to break. Hadley wondered how exhausting it must be to keep up with so many lies, but this was an answer she'd never get.
She shook Will's hand as he said, "Nice to meet you." Hadley didn't exactly feel the same, so she decided on not replying and walking away quietly. Will was left in a state of confusion, but he decided not to dwell on it when his new wife cupped his cheeks.
Hadley, on the other hand, had more important things to worry about. She dragged Percy over to the front desk, arching a brow towards Liz as she slapped her arm onto the table. She didn't even have to voice what she wanted to know, because Percy was wondering the same thing, and he waited eagerly for Liz's response.
"I'm just pissed," Liz murmured, trying to busy herself by looking through the dingy, hotel guest book.
"Obviously," Hadley quipped. "Why did you make a show out there with Elizabeth?"
Liz's eyes flickered to her own, and Hadley noticed that they were rimmed with a light red. "Because the Countess fucked with me," she seethed. "She ..."
Percy leaned forward. "She what?"
"She killed Tristan." Liz raised a hand to her mouth, trying to muffle a soft sob. She looked away and collected herself for a moment, giving Hadley the time to place her hand on top of the older woman's. Liz sent her a warm smile before continuing, "She slit his throat right in front of me. He loved me. He wanted to be with me over her, and she couldn't accept that."
Percy's stare shifted to Hadley. "Didn't your mom say that this Tristan 'had to die?'"
Hadley nodded, a frown appearing on her lips, and she turned back to Liz. She squeezed her hand tightly. "I'm so sorry, Liz," she whispered. "I understand why you acted that way during the wedding."
Liz sniffled, but eventually regained a calm composure. She wiped at the edges of her eyes and whispered, "The Countess doesn't deserve to be happy. Not after this."
"Trust me, she won't be happy in this marriage," Hadley replied, reverting her eyes to the grand staircase, where Will Drake was heading for the bar. Her stare narrowed. It didn't take an idiot to realize why this wedding had happened in the first place.
"And now," Liz sighed, "the Cortez is owned by a cocky asshole fashion designer, who's suddenly into women. If he's lucky, the Countess will kill him as soon as she gets bored with him. I wish there was some way we could just scare him away without having to play murder clean-up committee."
Hadley's eyes flickered back to Liz. "Looks like Will Drake needs a wakeup call about his new wife, or we're going to have to bury another body."
•••
Will Drake brushed his hand across the bar, eyes scanning the bottles upon bottles of alcohol that laid before him. Shelves were filled to the brink with anything he could ask for, yet he couldn't make up his mind. He tugged at his tight bowtie while trying to make a decision. Did he want whiskey? Maybe a shot of Crown? Tapping a finger on his chin, he was fully engrossed in the sight in front of him that he didn't hear the footsteps shuffling over his shoulder.
Hadley plopped herself on one of the bar stools, smacking her hand down on the table to get his attention. Will jumped slightly, and she threw him a devilish grin. Just minutes ago, she had forced Percy to wait for her in their room, reminding him that she had important business with Will Drake. Percy had wanted to touch her all night, especially when he saw her that little black dress, but he would wait until she was ready. He'd always wait.
"Hadley, right?" He asked before pointing to the stacks of alcohol behind him. "Can I get you something?"
"Thanks for remembering my name, after it was only said five minutes ago." Her grin didn't break, and Will could sense the sarcasm behind her words. "Jack Daniels, straight up."
Will gave her a curt nod, grabbing the half-full bottle of Jack Daniels on the shelf and pouring a hefty amount into a glass. Sliding it towards her, he ended up getting the same for himself, and he took a long sip along with her. Except, when he stopped, she kept drinking. Will watched Hadley down the entire glass in under ten seconds, and when she finished, she slapped it back down on the bar.
"I apologize for it taking so long for us to meet," he muttered, eyes crinkling at the sides. "The Countess spoke highly of you. I'm surprised I didn't know you until now."
Hadley flashed him a smile. "You wouldn't know."
Will's lips curled, but not for long. He couldn't keep up with a façade like the rest of the people in the Cortez.
"I ... forgot to say congratulations before," Hadley continued, playing with her empty glass. She still felt the Jack Daniels burning in her throat. "You seem very happy in this marriage, even though you both met just a short time ago.
He shrugged. "What can I say? I fall hard and fast." Will sighed dramatically, staring off into the distance. Hadley looked over her shoulder to see what he was looking at, but found nothing. "I never thought I was the marrying kind. And now, I get to call that woman my wife."
Hadley's lips pursed, but she didn't know how to reply. She decided to stay silent as she adjusted her posture in the stool.
Will finished the rest of his drink, pointing to Hadley's empty glass. "Another round?"
"Okay, Mr. Drake," Hadley exhaled, "let's stop beating around the bush, shall we?"
His brow creased.
"You need to get out of this hotel tonight."
Will frowned, and for a short second, his blue stare filled with worry. He then laughed it off and poured two more glasses for both of them. "Oh, yeah?" He chuckled. "And why's that?"
Hadley's jaw shifted, and she did her best to stifle the anger brewing inside her. "This isn't a laughing matter. You're in danger."
"Well, then I guess it's a good thing that the Countess and I are leaving for our honeymoon tonight."
"No, no! That's not what I mean." Hadley said, lifting her hands. "Elizabeth is the danger to you. She's toying with you."
Will narrowed his eyes and sipped at his glass. "You're insane."
"Am I?" She raised a brow. "You two met – what? A few months ago, if that? She proposed to you, right? Asked you to arrange a ceremony quickly?"
He nodded slowly.
"Did it ever – at least, once – occur to you that the second you two were married, she'd own half your fortune?"
Will blinked, setting his glass down as reality set in. His body began to shake, but Hadley knew that this was the rude awakening he needed. Humans could be so naïve sometimes. They always needed a monster to wake them up.
"You need to get out," Hadley whispered, leaning across the table, "or you're going to die, Mr. Drake."
He swallowed hard as Hadley slid off the barstool. She nudged her half-full glass of whiskey towards him, and he watched her with fear. Sending him a fake smile, she nodded her head and muttered, "Think about it, but make it quick."
Hadley turned on her heel and left him shaking in his form-fitting tux. As she sauntered downstairs to the elevator, she noticed James appear out of thin air, and he sent her a vile smirk when they brushed arms. Hadley looked over her shoulder and realized James was heading for Will at the bar.
He didn't have much time left. In fact, it was later that night that Will Drake died.
•••
Percy began to realize the night hours were the worst time for him. In the darkness of Room 66, where he would stay awake until the clock hit three AM, he stared at the ceiling with one arm behind his head. The other arm curled around Hadley's sleeping form, who laid by his side, as if they were stuck together with super glue. They slept skin-to-skin, sweat sticking to each other from hours prior.
Maybe what was keeping him up was his restless thoughts. He couldn't stop thinking of how her bare chest felt, pressed tightly against his, or how her walls clenched around him as they both climaxed into each other. Any thoughts like that would make a man go mad. But then, his mind would drift to scarier things, like his impending birthday.
Hadley's loud breathing drummed against his chest. Percy blinked, starting to imagine things beyond his own reality. What would it be like if Hadley really turned him? Would he be hungry for a significant amount of time after the transformation? Would he go on hunts with her? What would the sun feel like when it hit his skin? Would his first kill be terrifying?
These questions stayed with him when he finally fell asleep.
"How could you, man?"
The voices woke him up before he was ready. Percy was in his bed, alone, cuddled in nothing but the bed sheets. Hadley was nowhere to be seen, and the room was so cold – it was like an ice box. Percy tugged the sheets around his bare shoulders, turning his head in every direction. Where had the voices gone?
He wanted to call for Hadley, but he couldn't speak. That alone told him this was a dream.
He blinked, and suddenly, Christian and Bobby were in front of him, except ... they didn't look normal. No – they were bloody and bruised, deep slices formed in the middle of their necks. Blood seeped onto the ground and stained their clothes. Percy wanted to cry, but the sob was clogged in his throat. He lifted a hand to his mouth.
"How could you, man?" They repeated in unison, looking to each other for a moment, and then back to him.
"You let us die for a girl?" Bobby spat.
"You're giving up your whole fuckin' life for a girl?" Christian added.
Percy sat up, waving his hands in the air to stop them. He just needed them to understand, even though they may be half-right.
"You fucked up, Perce," Bobby continued. "You fucked up real bad."
Christian nodded, coming closer to the bed. Even in the darkness of the room, Percy could still see the blood running down Christian's neck. He could feel it trickle onto the bed sheets. "Now, we're dead –"
"And you've been declared a missing person," Bobby replied. "You've made a big mistake. You're going to have to live with this for the rest of your life."
"You got us killed," Christian snarled, leaning in close to Percy. The blonde's eyes were now filled with terror. "It's all your fault."
Tears began to prick at the corners of Percy's eyes. He didn't cry often. He wasn't a crier, but the tears wouldn't stop. Percy plugged his fingers into his ears, opening and closing his mouth. He wanted to scream – he needed to scream – but there was no way. His voice was completely gone.
Christian and Bobby kept talking. They spoke in unison; their voices becoming louder and louder as the minutes ticked on. Percy could hear them through his plugged ears. Scream, he told himself, scream. But it was useless. It was all useless.
Hadley. He needed Hadley.
•••
Percy had woken up screaming at the top of his lungs. Hadley held his face in her small hands, pressing soft kisses across his flushed face. A cold sweat had formed on his brow, and it took Percy several minutes to realize that he was in his room. Nothing had changed. The corpses of Christian and Bobby were nowhere to be seen. He released a loud breath of relief. It sounded like he was heaving.
"It's okay," Hadley cooed. "You're safe."
The redness on his cheeks went away. His heart rate calmed down. He no longer wanted to look over his shoulder to check if Christian and Bobby were lurking behind him. But that didn't mean he was safe.
And this was made clear when his face appeared on the front page of the Sunday paper, in the missing person's report, where he belonged.
•••
A/N: WHO IS READY FOR AHS 1984❗️❗️❗️ IF SARAH PAULSON OR CODY FERN AREN'T IN IT, WE RIOT