Bonds of Cupidity (Heart Hassle, #2)

by Raven Kennedy

“You can trust Duru, and you can trust me,” the princess assures me. “Duru is not from here. She was my nursemaid back on my home island. Her loyalty is with me, not the prince.” At the mention of the prince, Duru snorts. “I’d rather be loyal to a viper. Be less likely to get bit.” I like her.

“So, Emelle, when I think of something you can do for the rebellion, can I count on you?” “I mean, yeah, but what exactly is your goal here?” She looks me dead in the eye and says, “Overthrowing the king and prince, of course.” I blanch. “You can’t be serious.” “Indeed I am.” “But he’ll kill you.” Suddenly, the demure lady is gone and a fiery princess stands in her place. “Not if I kill him first.” I whistle under my breath. “Wow. You’re, like, super scary right now.”

Duru shoots me an exasperated look over her shoulder. “Stop playing around and come on!” “Duru, if this is playing to you, you really need to get out more,” I pant. Damn, for a short thing, she sure does move fast.

“You, the princess’s personal maid, want to come with me to deliver prisoner’s food?” “Yep.” Her expression turns suspicious, and the sunflowers on her head all shift to look at me accusingly. Whoa. Sunflower stare down. It’s scarier than it sounds.

I sneeze repeatedly before Mossie tells me to please stop, like I’m doing it just to annoy her. At least she’s polite about it.

Crap. This all sounds way above my pay grade. Wait, do rebels get paid? Something tells me no.

She comes forward and takes my hand. Thankfully, it’s the one that’s still there. That would have been awkward.

Without preamble, he brings his nose to the crook of my neck and sniffs me. Yeah. Sniffs. I freeze in place at the hot air of his breath that travels down my skin. “Umm, what’s happening right now?”

After another sniff from him, he pulls back with great reluctance, and I notice that the red circles around his irises are much larger, and they’re sort of…pulsing. “Your eyes are doing some weird shit. Are you, like, losing it? Are you gonna have a psychotic episode? Do I smell bad to you? Because seriously, I bathed. Stop making this weird.”

His nostrils flare and he closes his eyes as he breathes in again. When he opens them and looks at me, the red in his eyes seems to have calmed down. In a super low, gravelly voice, he says, “You do not smell bad. Your smell is…” He trails off, unable to find the right words. “You are my mate.”

“So…you’re not gonna hear me complaining about that kiss because we both know I enjoyed it, but umm, who are you?” He cringes. “I apologize if I scared you. I am not usually that way. I am an honorable fae, I swear it. The mate scent just took me by surprise,” he says earnestly. The way his eyes plead with me to forgive his presumptuous greeting makes me melt. “I am Okot, my beloved.”

“Your beloved?” He nods. “Yes. I am a lamassu. When we smell our mate, we know it immediately. Your smell. It is intoxicating. I want to kiss you again.” I grin. “It was that good, huh?” “Of course,” he says seriously.

He flicks his eyes just past my head. “Your wings are red.” I look over my shoulder. “Yep. Just like your hair. And your eyes. We mat...

“So, Okot. What does Princess Soora want us to do? As you can see, I’m getting worse,” I say, lifting my vanishing shoulder. “I will not let you disappear,” he declares earnestly. Aww. “That’s sweet, but I’m not sure this can be stopped.” “We will find a way.” Gods, we just met, and he’s already become my champion.

I knew it. I’m totally lovable. My first impression with the genfins was a one-off. Or a three-off, whatever. Point is, this dude is a fan of me, and I’m pretty psyched about it. Too bad the guys aren’t here to see this.

I guess I’ll just come clean. I don’t like beating around the bush. What did the bush ever do to be knocked around like that, anyway? Nothing, that’s what.

“Oh, don’t look like that. I’m sorry. I didn’t know about the mate smelly thing. Maybe it’s just a coincidence? Maybe you just think I’m your mate because cupids smell differently?” He shakes his head. “No.” He leans in and inhales me from the tip of my head to the edge of my shoulder. “No. This smell. It’s calling to me. You are my mate.”

I clear my throat because this sniffing thing is really getting to me. Like, in a good, sexy way. It doesn’t seem like sniffing would be intimate, but somehow, with him, it is. I want to lie down in a pile of pillows while he runs his stubbly jaw all over my skin and let his nose go to town.

The last thing I want to do is hurt him. Goddess knows how long I’ve waited for someone to declare his heart to me. But it wouldn’t be fair to him if I didn’t tell him the truth. He’s too endearing and completely unaffected, unlike any other fae in this whole damn palace. There are no pretenses with him, and I like that. He wears his heart on his sleeve and says what he means, just like me. And the fact that he looks at me like he wants to keep me forever makes me want to keep him, too. Questioning insta-love? Psh. I invented that shit.

My words cut off as Okot leans in so his face is in the crook of my neck, and he inhales deeply again. Big guy just can’t get enough. When he leans back to look at me, his voice is even raspier than before. “Now you.” My heart is going about a million beats a minute. “What?” When did my voice get so breathy? He cocks his head to the side and bares his neck to me. “Now you.” I suddenly feel shy, but the look on his heated face draws me in anyway, and before I know it, I’m inhaling his scent. And…holy mother of mate sniffs. Did I just moan?

“You smell…you smell…” I can’t even get the words out before I’m sniffing him again. “You smell warm. Like sunshine on trees. Or a fire in wintertime. Spicy. But like the sweetest spice ever. Ohmygods.”

“I thought about it,” he says, nuzzling his nose against my cheek. I can feel the cold metal of his piercing against my flushed skin. “Hmm?” My voice is husky and my nose is still buried in his neck like I’m a horny vampire. “Thought about what?” “About me leaving you to your genfins.” My eyes snap open, and I pull back. Disappointment floods me. Yeah, I just met him. So what? I want to keep him, dammit. “Oh.” “I thought about it, and I decided that it’s not going to happen.” Hope flares. “Which part?” “Me leaving. You’re my mate. I’m yours. If your heart has love for others, I will accept them,” he says all romantic-like. “Unless they hurt you. If they hurt you, I will end them.” He says this last part with such macho-intensity that I know it’s not just an idle threat.

I’m grinning again. I can’t help it. This burly, handsome teddy bear fae guy just declared me as his mate. He smells super yummy, and he played with my hair. Plus, he kisses like a god. Like I’m going to fight this? Puhlease.

“What I’m trying to say is that I’d love for us to get to know each other. I’m not rejecting the mate match. Not at all. Anyone who rejected you would be the biggest idiot in every realm that ever existed. And I’m not just saying that because you’re superhot, either. Although, if I’m honest, it’s a real plus. The mohawk and piercing is doing it for me.” He grins.

“And based on your kissing skills, I’m sure sex with you would be awesome. Believe me, I have spent decades wanting some awesome sex. But besides the fact that we just met fifteen minutes ago, I’m sort of going invisible right now, and my genfins are facing the culling, and I just—” He stops me with a hand around my neck. His thumb caresses my throat gently. The touch is possessive yet sweet, and I find my anxiety draining out of me. “You do not need to explain more. I have waited for you for a long time. I will cherish our time together. When you are ready, then we will confirm our mate match. There is no rush. As long as you are not rejecting me, I am happy. Okay?” I breathe out a sigh of relief. “Okay. Thanks for understanding.” “Can I kiss you again?” he asks. I thought he’d never ask.

“Just what do you think you’re doing?” “Sorry, Lady Duru, but Emelle Cupid is my mate.” He said cupid like it’s my last name, and he claimed me as his mate like it’s the end-all to any question she could possibly ask. I like his style.

Okot must see my panic, because he forces me to look at him with a hand on my cheek. “What’s wrong?” “I can’t be that far away from them. If I do, it’s bye-bye, Emelle. They can’t pass through the portal without me.” A line appears between his thick red brows as he frowns. “I will not allow you to disappear.”

“Alrighty, you two. Let’s just focus on the problem at hand.” I look down at my invisible limb. “Or the problem at arm.” No one laughs at my terrible joke. I shoot a look at Okot. Some mate he is. He tries to smile, but we both know it’s too late.

Duru and Okot both go quiet in thought. After a moment, Duru snaps her fingers and blurts, “Twiddlefairies.” “Bless you.” She shoots me a frown. “What?” “Nothing.”

“Okay, perfect. How can we get them?” She licks the corner of her apron and uses it to start polishing my doorknob. And I mean that literally. Not in a weird, sexual innuendo kind of way. “They like brussels sprouts,” she muses. Behind me, Okot scoffs, “Impossible. Nobody likes brussels sprouts.” Duru shrugs. “It’s what I’ve heard.”

“Emelle, get ready to leave. Wear something to hide your…disappearing predisposition.” That’s a fancy way of putting it. “And no trading tongues while I’m gone,” she says, pointing between Okot and me. “Yes, ma’am,” I tell her. She huffs and leaves. The second the door shuts after her, Okot grabs my face and starts kissing me again. I pull away and give him a pointed look. “If you’re my mate, you have to laugh at all my jokes,” I admonish. His face sobers, and he nods seriously. “Of course, my beloved. I won’t fail you again.” I smile. This mate stuff is fun.

“Oh, yeah. I’m just nervous, you know? It’s my first portal and all. I guess you could say you’ll be popping my portal cherry.” The guard starts to cough like his spit went down the wrong tube. His wide eyes look me up and down, and his green cheeks turn dark with a blush. Okot points at his face with a glare. “No.”

“Hey, what did you say you were, again?” “I am a lamassu.” “Oh…right. Lamassu. Duh. Of course.” He levels me with a look. “You have no idea what that is, do you?” “Not even an inkling.” He grins, showing his nice big teeth. “I’ll show you. Can you stand?” I nod, and he gently sets me down on my feet. There’s a slight twinge in my ankles, but nothing I can’t handle. I’m tough like that. Okot takes a few steps back and then hunches over. One blink, he’s standing in front of me, and the next, a gigantic winged bull is in his place. A. Giant. Flying. Bull. “Wow. Holy cow,” I exclaim. Then I snicker at my own unintentional joke, because I’m hilarious.

“Impressive. You’re the best looking flying bull I’ve ever seen.” He tilts his head to look at me. “It pleases me that you are satisfied with my lamassu form.” I look him up and down. That’s not the only form that pleases me. “Will you fly me one day?” He nods. “Of course, my beloved.” Beloved. Gah. Gets me every time. Finally, this cupid is getting some lovin’ of her own.

“Don’t cry,” Sylred says quietly. “Yeah, it fucking kills me when you cry,” Evert chimes in.

Ronak’s eyes zero in on my empty sleeve. “What happened?” His strong hands grip the bars until his knuckles turn white. Ronak’s intense gaze makes my heart stutter a little. She gets excited when he goes all alpha-mode.

“Are you okay?” Okot asks me, ignoring the others’ glares. “I’m fine.” Okot relaxes slightly and even releases his hold on my arm, but not before he leans down and inhales the scent of my hair. “What the fuck? Don’t smell her,” Evert snaps. “It’s okay. We sniff. It’s our thing,” I explain. The genfins just frown more.

“Right. Introductions. Okot, Evert is the one who says ‘fuck’ a lot. Sylred is the nice one. And that muscly one who always frowns is Ronak. Guys, this is Okot. I’m his mate,” I say, wagging my brows. All three genfins stare at me incredulously. Evert pinches the bridge of his nose and closes his eyes as if he just can’t deal with me. I’m pretty sure I can hear him counting under his breath.

He looks up at Sylred. “She’s been gone for a week. A. Fucking. Week. And she has a mate?” “I’m right here—you can talk to me.” He shakes his head, still looking at Sylred. “No, I can’t. Because if I look at you, then I’ll have to look at him, and if I look at him, then I’ll want to punch him in the fucking throat. And based on the fucking size of your so-called fucking mate, that probably wouldn’t end well for me.” I can’t he...

Sylred holds his hand out through the bars to shake Okot’s hand. “I’m Sylred. Nice to meet you...

Evert rounds on Ronak. “This is your fault.” Ronak frowns. “My fault? How is this my fault?” “You were a dick, and now she has a fucking mate!” Ronak clenches his jaw. “Fuck you.” “No, I wanted to fuck her, but you put some covey guilt bullshit on me so I couldn’t. I told you assholes this is what would happen. I told you she’d leave. And I told you, I’m fucking done with...

“What about you?” Evert snaps. “What about me?” “Scratch. You can’t have a mate,” he says through clenched teeth. “Uh, he’s right here, so obviously I can.” “I don’t give a flying fuck about him. I care about you. I’ve been going crazy in here worrying about you. You’re supposed to stick with us. You landed on our island, remember?” “How could I forget when Not-First shot me down with an arrow?” “Never gonna let that go,” Ronak mutters under his breath.

“So you’re really sticking with this mate shit?” Evert asks, glaring at Okot. “Yeah. He sniffs me and calls me his beloved,” I say. “It’s super nice.” “What the fuck about us?”

“Is that still what you want?” I ask quietly. “To find a genfin mate?” Please say no. Please say you want me instead. Ronak nods tersely. “Yes.” Evert shoots him a scathing look. “I said I’m done with that. Fuck the magic. We have enough.”

“Unfuckingbelievable,” Evert says, throwing his arms in the air. “Syl. Take over. I can’t talk to her when she does the thing where she disagrees with me.”

Okot cuts in before anything else can be said. “We don’t have much longer.” The thought of having to leave them again so soon kills me. Okot’s eyes soften at my pained expression. “I will try to get you back to see them again.” “You will?” I ask, crying again. Ugh. How do I cry so fast? I must have tears with super-speed. “Of course. These are the genfins that have my mate’s heart. I will do anything to make my mate happy.”

“You haven’t told them?” Okot asks with surprise. When the genfins start glaring at me again, I look over my shoulder and glare at Okot. Are we about to have our first couple fight? Wait. That actually sounds kind of fun. Domestic stuff excites me. After we fight, we could have hot angry sex. Or frenzied makeup sex. That sounds super fun. I’ll take one with a side of the other, please.

Under my glare, Okot’s expression falls. “What?” he asks, all innocent-like. I make a face at him for spilling my secrets. “Just…play it cool.” He frowns. “I don’t know what this playing cool means. It is nearly summer. It’s hot out.”

Evert claps his hands. “Hey! Break it up.” He points at me. “Scratch, tell us what the fuck is going on already, where the hell your arm is, and why you need us to touch you. And then get your ass over here and kiss me, because I fucking missed you.” He practically growls that last part, but it doesn’t matter because Ohmygodshewantstokissme.

“Be careful tomorrow. Don’t you dare get hurt or die. Understand?” Okot pulls me away, but I feel like I’m leaving three pieces of my heart behind. “You have to win, okay? Protect each other!” I say over my shoulder as Okot continues to lead me further away. “Don’t worry about us, Emelle,” Sylred calls back. “Just take care of yourself.” “And you’d better fucking take care of her, too, lamassu. Anything happens to her, and I’ll do more than just punch you in the throat,” Evert adds.