Chapter 46

Background color
Font
Font size
Line height

We tell Crystal to follow us in the Bentley and take Cupid's car back to his house.

Around ten minutes later we arrive and pile into his kitchen. Selena and Crystal walk Charlie into the living room while Cal makes a round of coffees.

It's dark outside now, and Cupid cautiously looks out of the glass front of the house onto the grounds.

I perch on a stool at the breakfast bar, nervously clutching the mug Cal has just passed to me. It's not until I take a sip of the dark, caffeinated liquid that I realise how tired I am.

I haven't slept in over 24 hours!

I look over at Cal as he leans against the counter somewhat awkwardly.

"What's going to happen to Charlie?" I ask "They're not going to hurt her are they?"

I look over towards the doorway then back at the two brothers.

They exchange a glance.

"It won't come to that" says Cal stiffly, though his eyes don't look convinced.

Cupid comes to sit at the stool beside me.

"Of course it won't" he says "We just need to know what she knows, and make sure she doesn't cause any trouble for us. That's why we've brought Selena."

I look at him questioningly.

"She's very powerful Lila" he says "She can get the truth out of people quickly - and she might be able to stop your friend from feeling quite so...murderous about you."

He raises an eyebrow and I sigh.

"Can I see her?" I ask.

A flash of concern crosses Cal's face but Cupid nods.

"Go ahead" he says.

I put my coffee down and walk towards the living room.

The fire is blazing when I enter and Selena is standing over Charlie who seems to be asleep on the couch. Crystal perches on the edge of the armchair I spent the night in. They both turn to look at me as I walk through the door.

"What's going on?" I ask "Why is she asleep?"

Selena smiles kindly.

"Don't worry honey." She says "Your friend is going to be alright - I sent her to sleep as she was getting agitated. It's not safe for her to be awake around you at the moment."

I sigh heavily and throw myself onto the other couch. Crystal springs to her feet.

"I'm going to go freshen up" she says throwing me a wary look.

She bounces towards the door and I hear her footsteps clicking up the spiral staircase.

She seems to know her way around here I think to myself and I wonder if she, like Cal, has been here before.

"Why is it not safe for her to be around me?" I ask. "Is she always going to hate me now?"

I feel a wave of sadness inside. Charlie has been my best friend since I can remember.

Selena gives me a sympathetic look.

"Attempting to pierce you with a cupids arrow, believe it or not, was an act of mercy." she says "But failing that, I do believe she will try to kill you."


I shake my head.

"But why?" I ask.

Selena walks over to the armchair and sits down, leaning forwards towards me slightly.

"She's a new cupid" she says "She has been informed of the company policy. And she knows what will happen if you are matched with Cupid."

I frown.

"What will happen?" I ask.

Selena frowns slightly.

"They haven't told you?" she replies.

I shake my head and she sighs heavily.

"Do you know who the founder of the Cupids Matchmaking Service is?" she asks.

I shake my head.

"I never really thought about it." I say "I guess I thought it was Cupid."

She shakes her head slowly.

"No honey." she says "It's not Cupid."

I frown and raise an eyebrow.

"So it's not Cupid?" I say "Why does it matter who owns the company?"

Selena doesn't say anything for a moment. She looks as though she is trying to figure out how to explain something.

"In the company policy it is stated that no cupid can ever be matched" she says "It's part of the rules - part of the contract that each cupid is held to. The company founder left many years ago - but the terms of the policy state that if the rules are broken." she pauses "the founder will seize back control of the Matchmaking Service."

I raise an eyebrow incredulously.

"Well that doesn't sound too bad." I say.

Selena smiles faintly.

"You don't know the founder honey" she says.

I'm just about to ask her what she means when Cupid and Cal enter the living room. Cupid glances at Charlie on the couch, then at me and Selena.

"What did you find out?" he asks.

Selena shakes her head.

"She doesn't know much." she says "She thinks more of The Arrows are on their way to Forever Falls. They told her about the company policy - obviously -" she slides her gaze over to me "And she knows they are looking for the Finis. They think it's close-by."

Cupid nods.

"Pretty much what we already knew." he says "Is she going to be trouble for us?"

Selena shakes her head.

"Not for the short term" she says.

She looks back at me - her brown eyes sparkling in the light of the flames.

"I've put her under a kind of hypnosis" she says "When she wakes up she'll forget she's a cupid. It won't last forever, but you should have your friend back until we decide what to do."

I feel a wave of relief but Cal looks troubled

"I really don't think..." he begins sternly.

"Thank you Selena" I interject, ignoring him.

I'll be glad to have my friend back. Even if it's not forever.

"So..." she continues, a slightly stern note in her tone "...about this Matchmaking Service break in. I take it you didn't just bring me here for the new cupid girl?"

Cupid's face breaks out into a grin.

"You read my mind." he says "Any chance you could record us a little song?"

Selena rolls her eyes and stands up.

She extends her hand and Cupid throws his phone to her. She catches it effortlessly and exits the room.

"You owe me one Cups" she says as she walks down the hallway.

***

Around thirty minutes later Cal, Cupid and I are back in the car. Cal drives this time while Cupid fiddles about with his phone in the passenger seat. Before we left Selena headed off home - wherever that is - and left Crystal to watch over Charlie.

"So what's the plan again?" I ask from the backseat.

Cupid glances at me in the rear-view mirror.

"I have Selena's song recorded on my phone. Once we're closer I'm going to hack into the Cupid's Matchmaking Service system." he says "And upload her audio file onto it. Once it's playing we should be able to walk right in - and go check out the archives for any records on the Finis. No-one will recognise us."

"Her song can really do that?!" I ask.

Cupid nods, his ocean eyes gleaming in the light of the street lamps.

"Younger sirens can only use their powers on people that are nearby. They have to be there in person" he continues "but Selena has been around for a while. A recording of her voice can have almost the same effect as if she was there. When the cupids hear the recording - when they see us they'll just think we're all cupids from another branch"

I roll my eyes.

I can't quite believe all of this is happening.

I daydream out of the window for a while until soon we approach the streets of LA. Cal pulls in on the road where the Cupids Matchmaking Service is located.

"I don't have a good feeling about this." he says - staring stiffly ahead.

Cupid grins.

"Of course you don't" he says "You don't have a good feeling about anything brother."

He turns in his seat and raises his eyebrows at me.

"You ready?" he says - raising his phone in his hand.

I take a deep breath and nod.

Cupid pushes down on one of the keys.

"It's done." he says "Let's go."


You are reading the story above: TeenFic.Net