*CUPID'S MATCH BOOK 2* FIRST DRAFT
Lila receives an ominous Valentine's Day card.
Cupid & Cal are keeping a dark secret.
Fate is being interfered with.
And a sadistic, and extremely powerful banished cupid is intent on stealing Lila's heart. Literal...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Valentine will only speak to me.
My stomach clenches at the thought, but at the same time I'm not surprised.
We have a lot to discuss.
I feel Cupid and Cal's gazes burning into me as they stand in front of the sofa, but I turn straight to Crystal.
"OK," I say. "I'll do it."
Cupid's face darkens.
"No," he says. "She's not speaking to him. Especially not alone."
I snap my head toward him.
"That's not your choice to make."
Cupid shakes his head vehemently.
"It's not your choice to make. He's my brother. And I know him. He's up to something."
I get to my feet. Cal and Crystal take a step back, but Cupid doesn't. I feel his heat wash over me as our bodies are brought close together. His eyes burn into mine.
"Then let me find out what it is," I say.
"No," says Cal quietly. I look past Cupid. "I should get a say in this. It's my life thread he has. You're not doing it, Lila."
Crystal sighs irritably.
"Lila's right," she says. "It's not either of your choices to make. It's hers." She looks at me again. "You sure you're OK with this?"
I nod.
"OK. Let's get down to the dungeons. We need to get you set up in Valentine's Sim."
She spins around and starts to walk toward the door. I push between Cupid and Cal to follow her, despite their protests.
"Huh?" Charlie's half-asleep voice follows us into the open plan office before she scrambles to her feet and hurries out after us as well.
***
We head into the indoor courtyard, stopping at the still, mirror like pond in the center. The dungeons are below it. I shudder as I remember the last time we were down there – just before the trial led by Venus. Crystal and I had thought Cal had betrayed us. I don't think I could ever be led to think that now.
My heart clenches as I think about what Valentine said; that if he wasn't set free before Valentine's Day someone would cut Cal's life thread. I grit my teeth. I won't let that happen.
Crystal gets an id card out of the pocket of her white jacket and scans it against a black pad in the stone edge of the pool. There's a beeping sound and it slides to the side, exposing steps leading down into darkness. A musty scent washes over us.
"Woah, that brings back some bad memories," says Charlie, peering down.
I turn to her. She's still wearing her black evening dress from the dance, though it looks a little crumpled from both the fight and falling asleep in it. There's a dark look on her face.
