SWNOVELS Sheer Cupidity: Chapter 1
BELREN
I’m a master thief. Notorious for my ability to find anything anywhere.
I’m a collector of treasures and secrets, and in all the realm, fae know who the Horned Hook is, even if they’ve never seen my face without the horned mask.
So how the hell did I end up here, stuck in a cell during the middle of a fucking battle?
It’s not ideal.
Battles are not my specialty. I don’t go charging horns-first into violence. I’m much more of a stealthy, behind-the-curtains kind of male. I prefer stealing over stabbing.
“Hurry up,” the black-haired genfin, Evert, growls as I use my telekinetic powers to break the chains off him and the other one—Sylred.
I cock a brow as the last of the iron chains fall away from their arms and legs, clunking against the splintery wooden walls. “A simple thank you would suffice.”
“Thank you,” Sylred quickly says, but he’s the polite one, so it’s expected.
He and Evert get up from the filthy dirt floor and stalk toward the entrance of this shitty makeshift cell we’re in. Honestly, I’m insulted that the prince actually thought this partially underground hole could hold me. Although, it’s better when people underestimate me. It’s why I largely keep my telekinesis power under wraps. The pompous prince didn’t have a clue.
The twat.
As soon as I think of Prince Elphar, I see red. I’ve been searching all over the realm for my sister, and then there Benicia was, under his control, completely at his mercy.
My sister has worked her entire life for the rebellion. She’s wanted to make life better for the other fae since she could say the word injustice. But the prince found her and made her into a pawn. Somehow, he found out the connection between Benicia and his wife, Princess Soora.
Bile rises up my throat. Soora betrayed us. Betrayed me. She must’ve let something slip, and the prince used Benicia to blackmail Soora into her betrayal.
Rage simmers in my gut so hot that my skin feels as if it could blister.
I’m not sure who I hate more: the prince for what he’s done or the princess for lying to me about my sister.
I could have helped Soora, thought of a way to get Benicia out, and still supported the rebellion. If only she had told me what was going on. Instead, she chose to betray us all.
“Are you fucking pulling on your dick over there? Let’s go,” Evert hisses, making my attention flick to him. Sylred doesn’t chastise him. I know they’re a bit uptight about their cupid mate possibly being in danger, but I have half a mind to snap my fingers and put the chains back around him. At the very least, a gag would be nice.
“Fuck off.”
They both crouch against the wood-slatted wall, trying to peer through slivers of light at the boarded ceiling. They’re probably counting the number of guards that are outside. Amateurs.
With a roll of my eyes, I break the iron lock from the door and make it go careening out, using the force of it to smack into one of the guards. The other two are quickly overpowered by Sylred and Evert, knocked unconscious, and all three tossed into the room we just escaped from.
I slam the door shut with a twist of my wrist, and then the lock floats back up and clicks into place.
“There, was that quick enough for you?” I challenge before making the last of Evert’s broken chains still stuck around his ankles fall away.
Before he can answer, a cupid suddenly pops into existence in front of us mid-run, holding a bow and arrow.
Lex.
My eyes are immediately riveted to her as she hurries toward us. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you,” she says to the genfins.
Evert and Sylred startle at her appearance, but quickly tense up again when they realize it’s not their cupid. “Where’s Emelle?” Evert asks.
Lex points in the direction she came from. “She’s over there. She sent me to look for you, and—”
A huge boom sounds, making all of us drop to our haunches as the ground vibrates with the force.
“What the fuck was that?” Evert calls, looking around the island, though our view is blocked with another shoddy building just in front of us.
My ears are ringing, and magic practically spits in the air, making me grit my teeth. Whatever the fuck that was, it was strong.
“We have angels and demons fighting with us now,” Lex says, delicate hand clenching her bow, and the sight makes my heart race with nerves. If I’m not suited for battles, then she definitely isn’t. Especially with her ridiculous human clothes. I’m not even sure how she runs in that skirt or how the buttons on her blouse still look so shiny.
“You shouldn’t be here,” I growl as I get to my feet and grip her arm to help her stand back up.
“I had to find Madame Cupid’s mates,” she tells me, and I can’t help noticing how good she smells. Like sugar and…paper? Weird combination, but alright. “And I’m perfectly safe in the Veil.”
“Yes, but you’re not in the Veil right now,” I point out.
“Well, of course I’m not, or you wouldn’t be able to see me,” she snips back, sounding annoyed. For some reason, her tone makes my eyes latch onto her pretty pink lips, and I have the rushing urge to lean down and nibble them.
Well, I do enjoy beautiful, unique things, so it’s really no surprise that I seem to be infatuated with her. I knew I was intrigued by cupids when Emelle stumbled into my life, but the second I laid eyes on Lex, I was entranced.
She’s so deliciously proper. I want to peel back that high-necked blouse and see how improper I can make her.
“Cover my back,” Evert says to Sylred. “I’m going to check the building in front of us, and then we’re getting to our mate.”
Sylred nods, and we watch as Evert rushes to the slipshod building and skirts around the edge, disappearing from sight just as another loud noise blares out. I glance up to see a burst of flames shooting through the sky.
I quickly pull Lex against the side of the building where we have somewhat more cover. “Go back into the Veil where it’s safe. This is no place for a cupid.”
She shoves a stray piece of hair behind her ear. “I’ll have you know that I once made twelve Love Matches during a human war.”
My eyes widen. “Don’t you dare try to make Love Matches right now, Sixty-Nine.”
“My name is Lex,” she says primly, trying to cover up the Roman numeral cupid mark on the inside of her wrist. “And I will make a Match whenever the opportunity arises.”
A growl of frustration rumbles through my chest. “Pinky. Get out of here.”
Is she trying to get herself hurt? She’s got pink nails for gods’ sake. She shouldn’t be here, vulnerable like this. What was Emelle thinking?
I decide right then and there that Lex needs someone looking out for her, and when this is over, I’m going to woo the shit out of her to assure her that I’m that someone.
One of our first discussions needs to be about the importance of reading a room. Or in this case, a literal battlefield.
Just as she opens her mouth no doubt to argue about the importance of spreading love even during dangerous times or some shit, her cupid mark glows. She shoots me a look, and then disappears in a cloud of pink.
I finally let out the breath that was tightening my chest.
When the smoke clears, I see Sylred smirking. “I know that look.”
Yep. Should’ve gagged them. “Shut it.”
Just then, Evert rushes back over with a few more droplets of blood on him than he had before. I don’t think it’s his. “The building is clear. Let’s go.”
Together, the three of us sprint from our hidden spot between the buildings, and step out into absolute fucking mayhem.
High fae and genfins are fighting on the ground and in the sky, power being wielded just as much as swords. We dodge it as much as we can, because Evert and Sylred’s sole focus is getting back to their mate.
Mine is finding my sister.
The battle is a fucking mess.
Lex wasn’t kidding, either. There are some males and females battling for us that are definitely not fae. If the black- or white-feathered wings didn’t give them away, it’s the sheer power that they emanate. I guess the cupids have a lot of pull to get actual demons and angels to come here and help us win this fight. And considering the fire spurts and blasts of light, I’m very glad we have them on our side.
The further the three of us run into the fray, the more fighting we have to dodge or block. Evert and Sylred don’t have weapons, but I’m a weapon, which means the majority of it is up to me.
They should be very glad they have me on their side.
Left and right, above us and in front, I use my powers to knock fae out of the way and give us a clear path without myself or the genfins getting hurt. Emelle would probably shoot a Love Arrow through my balls if I let anything happen to them.
I do sort of owe her for saving my life.
Plus, I like her and her mates. Not that I would ever admit such a thing out loud.
But the battle, even if I’m just actively making it avoid us, is taking its toll on me. The more fae or weapons I have to send flying away, the weaker I become. Sweat is dripping down my back, it’s hard to take a full breath, and my vision is going a little tunnelled. It’s draining, having my senses on a swivel, trying to make sure no one sneaks up on us from any angle.
All the while, I’m searching for any glimpse of my sister or Soora, but they’re not here in the fray.
I need to find Benicia…
I feel myself growing weaker, but I can’t afford to hold back. I keep using my magic, not letting a single bastard catch us unawares. And plenty of the high fae come for us. With glazed, almost unseeing eyes, they try to hack at us with their swords anytime we come into their path. Knowing they’re in full mind-control mode, I try my best to send them careening away or to yank the weapons from their grips instead of wounding them fatally.
With this much fighting going on, running across the field takes so much longer than it should. I don’t catch every attack. Evert gets a fist of a high fae to the back of his head, and Sylred gets laid out by a wayward burst of ice power.
But I get us across the damn field, and that’s what matters. Unfortunately, I’m about ready to drop from exhaustion by the time we do, and still, no Benicia.
Where is she?
“It’s winding down!” Evert shouts, and just as he says it, I’m able to shake my head and really take in the entire scene around us, instead of just the possible nearby threats. I didn’t even notice that there aren’t as many swords clashing or screams sounding until just now. The battle is definitely slowing.
With the angels and demons giving us aid, the genfins have gained the upper hand. I watch as a huge group of high fae are knocked unconscious with bouts of bright power coming from the angels, and another group is rounded up in a giant ring of fire by the demons.
There are still far too many fae dead littering the ground, but at least some of the high fae can be spared. It’s not their fault we have a fucked-up monarchy.
“You okay?” Sylred asks me, hand on my shoulder.
I didn’t even realize I was swaying.
“Fine,” I say, shrugging him off.
He’s frowning at me, but then his eyes shift to somewhere behind me. “There she is!”
Evert and I both turn our gazes, latching onto Emelle’s pink hair.
“Fucking finally,” Evert grits out, and I hear the stark relief in his tone.
But me? I’m not relieved. Because there is a second pink-haired female standing right there with her. Lex is standing beside Emelle, clearly not in the Veil, looking out of place and deliciously rumpled.
This just solidifies my previous thought. She definitely needs my protection. Or maybe I should put her over my lap and punish her for putting herself in danger again after I explicitly told her to stay in the Veil.
Evert and Sylred hurry over to reunite with Emelle and their two other covey members, Ronak and Okot, who are already with her.
Gods, she has a lot of mates.
My eyes stay latched onto Lex as I stalk over. As if she can feel me looking, her head turns and she locks onto me. She doesn’t even have the forethought to pretend to look contrite.
Little minx.
She looks away, pretending to be aloof, but I smirk when I see the blush that stains her cheeks.
Oh, Pinky. Just you wait ’til I get you alone.
I’ll have her blushing from head to toe, and show her exactly why she shouldn’t put herself in danger. She might try to play this detached, innocent cupid, but I know better. There’s something under that exterior that calls to me.
When she steals another quick glance my way, my lips curve. With that one look, something inside me just solidified.
I’m going to make her mine.
I don’t know where the thought comes from, but as soon as it forms in my head, it’s done, decided. I will do this.
Not as a conquest, either. Sure, there will be a chase and a catch, but I’m going to keep her. Perhaps Emelle came into my life not only to save it, but to lead me to Lex. The fates like to play funny games like that.
This new vow rushes through my veins and holds steady in my chest, like it’s simply been waiting for me to acknowledge it. I can feel it with all-consuming determination as I watch the red-winged beauty who’s now wringing her hands in front of her. Does she know I’m about to go on the hunt? Can she feel it? I have more adrenaline and excitement pumping in me than I’ve had in a long time. It’s the old familiar rush that comes when I go for something truly momentous as a master thief.
I’ve stolen a lot of things in my life. Treasures. People. Secrets.
But now? I’m going for the most precious thing of all.
I’m going to steal this cupid’s heart.
The distraction of this groundbreaking revelation costs me a precious second as I rip my gaze away from her in order to see that several feet away, Prince Elphar himself is being restrained by a couple of massive angels.
The fucker.
My fists curl, and I consider walking over there to punch him in the face for what he did to Benicia. It would feel good to get out a bit of this aggression the old-fashioned way, especially since I don’t think I could do anything with my magic right now while I’m so depleted.
But I don’t get the chance at any kind of revenge.
In less time than it takes to blink, the prince shoves out a massive blast of power, knocking down everyone nearby with the wrath of his magic.
The breath gets sucked out of me as I land flat on my back, my skull rattled and my back barking with pain. For a moment, I can’t move, but then I finally manage to roll onto my stomach and push myself up. Before I can get to my feet though, I hear his bone-chilling shout that makes every hair on the back of my neck lift up.
“CUPID!”
He’s furious. Enraged. Emelle has not only cost him this battle, but the entire war against the monarchy. He can never come back from this, and he knows it. All of that is relayed in this single shout he roars. He wants to make her pay.
My neck snaps up, and I see that Emelle is still down from the blast of power, her body smashed against the dirt, but Lex is up and trying to help her up. Lex’s back is to the prince, pink hair loose and red wings on full display.
Horror washes over me when I realize that the prince’s attention has latched onto the wrong cupid.
Lex.
Terror bursts in my chest when I see wicked light gather in his palm, and then he throws it.
I don’t have time to think or breathe or blink. I don’t even have the time to try to scrape together the last of my own magic and shove him away, because he’s already released the power, and it’s not something physical that I can control. So I’m forced to watch in horrifying slow-motion as it hurtles straight at my cupid.
No.
My body is up and moving before I even feel the pump of my legs. I jump in front of her without hesitation.
I’m not sure what happens first—my feet landing on the ground or the power hitting me square in the chest. It’s hard to say, because all I feel in the next instant is blinding, insurmountable agony.
It hits me so quickly that I don’t have the luxury of seeing my life pass before my eyes. And what does a thief really have to be proud of anyway in his last moments?
But the prince’s magic crashes into me instead of Lex, and that’s what matters.
The last thing I see as I’m thrown down on my back, as the power shatters my bones and explodes my insides, is her blurry form.
Pink hair, red wings.
And all I can think is, I wish I’d had more time.
But I guess even a master thief can’t steal that.