I stare blankly at Cal's phone. A sinking feeling fills the pit of my stomach. Then I glance at Cupid.

His head is still lolled back against the back of the seat. His eyes are now closed and his breathing is fast and shallow.

He is obviously in pain from the influx of Ardor arrows.

My eyes find Cal's in the rear view mirror.

"Their condition is Cupid" I say quietly as he drives onwards "The Matchmaking Service are letting us go back safely because Crystal told them they could have Cupid."

Charlie inhales sharply at the news but to my surprise Cal doesn't react - merely gives a non-committal shrug.

"I thought as much" he says as we reach a sign reading Forever Falls.

I glare at him.

"What? You mean you're OK with this?" I say.

His angular features harden.

"You don't understand anything do you?" he snaps "They were hardly going to let us off with no consequence. You know what happens now if Cupid is matched I presume? He's been on their Undesirable list for years. You should be thankful it's not you they're after."

I sit in stunned silence a moment before Charlie turns around and looks at me.

"Maybe he's right Lila" she says unsurely "I'm new to all this - but if those Arrow guys are after you and Cupid because they think you're going to get together...well if he's in custody with the Matchmaking Service then they'll have no reason to try and kill you."

I open my mouth to retort but beside me Cupid rolls his head towards me and looks at me with bleary eyes.

"S'OK Lila" he mumbles.

I look at him concerned.

"Cupid?" I say "Are you alright?"

"He'll be fine" snaps Cal "The Ardor just needs to work its way out of his system. Crystal recovered. He'll be fine."

I glare at Cal again.

"Are you seriously going to let them take him?" I ask "When he's like this? He can't defend himself. What will they do to him?"

Cal takes a turn and I realise we are approaching the hill by Cupid's house.

"They'll put him up for trial" he says "It's no less than he deserves."

Moments later Cupid's house looms up before us. Cal takes us down the driveway and parks the car outside the front door. The lights are on inside the house and spill out onto the driveway through the glass front.

"I can't believe you're even contemplating this" I say angrily "What's wrong with you? He's your brother! And" I add "He said he was leaving town after he got the Finis anyway."

Cal looks sharply over his shoulder - his eyebrows raised.

"He said that?" he asks - his face suddenly robbed of its harsh expression.

An uncertain vulnerability flickers across his silver eyes.

I nod.

"Yes" I say "He told me in the car - just before we got the Finis. He said he'd leave town so the Arrows would go after him instead of me."

Cal frowns - his expression conflicted. I can tell he hadn't expected this.

We stare at each other for a few tense moments.

"Does that change anything?" I ask.

Cal sighs and opens the car door.

"Maybe" he replies sullenly "Let's just get him inside - see what Crystal has to say."

Seconds later his head appears in the back window nearest Cupid. He opens the door and grabs his quiver which has the golden Finis bunched among the other arrows. Then he throws Cupid's arm over his shoulder, and hauls him out onto the driveway.

I notice again Cal's understated strength. Cupid is bigger than him yet Cal holds him upright with a casual ease.

Charlie and I both get out of the car and follow the brothers back into the house.

Crystal is sat at the breakfast bar when we enter, stirring a mug of coffee. Her skin looks unusually pale, and there are dark circles around her otherwise bright blue eyes. In front of her is a narrow, black case.

Her gaze slides across all of us, lingering on Cupid, then resting on the quiver slung over Cal's shoulder.

"You found it." she says - her voice a little weak.

Cal nods sternly - still supporting Cupid whose head has lolled onto his chest.

"What happened?" he asks her.

She sighs.

"I told the Matchmaking Service all about the Finis. And I told them that the Arrows wanted possession of it - that they tortured me to find out its whereabouts." she says "The Matchmaking Service agreed to pardon you for your involvement Cal, and they have issued an arrest warrant for the members of the Arrows involved with my kidnap." she shrugs "So they should be off your case for the time being at least."

"But they want Cupid?" I say quietly.

Crystal turns to look at me and nods.

"Yeah." she says "And they want the Finis."

Cal's features darken.

"They'll kill him" he says.

Crystal shrugs.

"Maybe" she says "Or maybe not. I don't think they want to. They'd fear a backlash if they were wrong. I think they'll do something worse."

"Put him in a Sim you mean?" Cal says quietly - the colour draining out of his face.

She nods and sighs. 

I look at Cal questioningly and he tries to look casual.

"They can sentence someone to time inside a Sim - trap them there. Stuck inside their own mind." he shrugs - but I can tell he doesn't approve of the punishment.

Nausea fills me.

I can't let that happen to Cupid.

"I've kept the Finis hidden for so long" Crystal adds  "I never wanted the cupids to get hold of it because I feared what they would do with it. It's our one fail safe way to destroy her if she comes back."

"Venus?" I say quietly. "You're worried the cupids might destroy the Finis so that Venus can't be killed."

She nods.

"A way to show their loyalty." she says "Which is why we can't give it to them." 

A half smile creeps onto her face.

She opens the case sat on the breakfast bar to expose an arrow that looks exactly like the Finis.

"We're going to give them a replica."

***

A few hours later I sit on the side of Cupid's four poster bed. The moon shines through the window and paints him with a ghostly light. He is fast asleep, and I find myself watching his chest move up and down peacefully under the silky sheets.

Not long ago Crystal headed over to the Matchmaking Service with the replica of the Finis. She told us she had had it made years ago just in case she ever had to switch the two. She had been less enthusiastic about letting Cupid go but, after some persuasion, she had agreed; as long as he left first thing in the morning she would tell the Matchmaking Service that he had escaped.

Her parting words were that the match must never be made.

I watch Cupid now - and gently lay my head on the pillow beside him. 

I'll go join Charlie soon in the spare room - but I want to say goodbye first.

I can't believe he has to leave.

He opens his eyes slowly then smiles.

"You shouldn't be here" he says "Not that I'm complaining."

"Are you feeling better now?" I ask softly.

"Mmhmm" he says sleepily. "Much better now"

I smile then raise myself into a sitting position. I start to walk towards the door.

"Lila" he says softly.

I look back.

"Stay with me."

My breath catches in my throat.

"Just for the night" he says "Just once."

I pause.

I know I shouldn't.

Yet I find myself drawn back towards him.

Tentatively I approach the bed and lie down beside him - tension filling me.

I can feel his warmth. Smell his scent.

Slowly, and unsurely, he reaches for my hand, enveloping it in his. My skin tingles where his touches mine.

Then he closes his eyes and soon after I hear his gentle snores fill the room.

***

When I wake up the room is still dark. I can hear the patter of rain against the window.

I turn to look beside me.

The sheets are crumpled and Cupid is no longer there. I frown and climb out of bed - padding bare foot out of the room.

A shadow flickers across the corridor coming from the terrace.

I creep to the glass door.

Cupid is pacing back and forth in the darkness. He's wearing a grey cotton T-Shirt, wet with the rain and clinging to his muscular frame.

He has his head in his hands - tugging at his ruffled hair.

I step out quietly onto the terrace – feeling the chill against my bare arms.

"Cupid?" I say softly.

I approach him and touch his shoulder.

He flinches and jumps backwards.

"Stay away from me!" he says.

A jolt of hurt rushes through me.

"Cupid? What's wrong?"

His eyes are watery. His face panicked and wet with the rain.

"I should never have come here" he mutters "Oh god...oh god...please...no..."

He puts his head back into his hands.

"Cupid?" I approach him again - pulling his arms back from his face to look at me.

Beneath my feet I feel the ground tremble slightly.

An earthquake?

"Cupid?" I repeat "What is it?"

"Stay away from me!" he shouts again.

The tremble in the earth increases and I stumble into him.

He looks at me.

"I thought I could stop myself" he says "I thought I could stop myself from falling for you."

The shaking increases and I hear the noise of clattering below as some garden furniture falls over beside the pool.

"It's too late" he mutters "It's too late."

"Cupid" I say "You're scaring me. What's going on?"

The floor beneath us shakes some more and a rumbling sound fills the air.

"I couldn't stop myself" he says "I couldn't stop the feelings."

Then he looks up at me. The panicked expression replaced by something else – a hunger. His eyes blaze into mine through the rain falling between us. The floor continues to tremble.

He shakes his head softly.

"It's too late" he whispers "The match is made."

Then suddenly he reaches for my arms and pulls me into him. He cups my face in his hand and leans forwards.

My heart pounds as I feel his breath on my face.

Then he brushes my lips with his – lightly at first, but then with growing ferocity.

I feel my body sink into his, feel his warmth and taste a mixture of him and the raindrops that pour down our faces. Around us the ground is still rumbling but I can't hear it over the pounding of my heart.

I know I shouldn't be kissing him – but I can't stop. I don't care. I don't care.

Vaguely I notice the earthquake stopping as he runs his fingers through my rain drenched hair.

I hear his breathing quicken, feel the tremble in his chest. My stomach is somersaulting.

Then the door to the terrace bursts open and we spring apart.

Cal is stood in the doorway, a look of fury on his face. In one hand he holds his cell phone.

"Crystal's just called from the Matchmaking Service. I hope you're pleased with yourselves."

He looks at me coldly then slides his gaze over to Cupid's. His voice is dripping with disdain.

"The match was made. Mom's home."

A U T H O R . N O T E

Dun dun duuuuuh!

This was one of my fave chapters to write (they kiss! Finally!)! And I'm so excited for you to read the published version because there's an extra scene in this chapter between Cupid and Lila - and it's one of my fave additions to the story. It's kinda lovely and sad, and it makes the kiss even better. :)

Hope you're enjoying the story!!

Love, Lauren

xxx

P.S. Click here to follow me on Wattpad! ---> LEPalphreyman