Cupid is now out of sight. I feel a clench in my stomach. I know that he can handle himself, but what if those cupids lead him to Valentine? I think back to what Cal said, about him being able to draw power from the approaching Valentine's Day.

Plus, there was something seriously off about the three that attacked us.

"I know what you're thinking," says Charlie, coming to stand beside me, "but no, there's no point in going after him. Come on, let's go find Cal."

I pause, peering into the darkness, then nod. I turn and follow her through the door into the bright reception area.

We're heading to the high stone desk when the transparent door beside it flies open. Cal strides in, past the startled guy sitting in Crystal's old place, looking flustered. He catches my eye and I see a mixture of relief and annoyance cross his face.

"Where have you been? I've been looking for you every..." He closes his mouth. His eyes flit over the shoulders of my black leather jacket, and Charlie's black top. They narrow, flashing silver. "Is that a disintegrated arrow on your clothing?!"

Charlie and I share a sideways look.

"Well... we were a little bit attacked..." I say. His eyes widen.

"What?! Explain!"

I raise my eyebrows. 

"Alright, Cal! Calm down!" 

"I am perfectly calm," he snaps. "Explain."

I nod.  Charlie and I tell him what just happened – the weird cupids across the road, how they shot at us, and then disappeared into the darkness. Cal's face darkens as we do. He's about to say something – probably scathing about how I should have stayed inside - when the door behind us swings open. I look over my shoulder to see Cupid, black arrow still in hand, stroll over the white tiled floor. I feel a wave of relief. "Oh, and Cupid's back," I add.

Cupid comes to stand in place beside me. I look at him in question and he shakes his head – his mouth in an uncharacteristically thin line.

"Whoever attacked you, they're long gone," he says his ocean eyes dark. "When I find them though..."

His jaw clenches. Cal looks between us, outrage clear on his face.

"It doesn't seem you looked very hard..."

"What was I supposed to do, brother?" Cupid snaps back. "At least I got here in time. Where the hell were you? You were supposed to be looking after her."

The air between them is heavy. I can feel the tension coming off Cupid's body, mixed with his body heat. It crackles around him. His eyes flash angrily as the two of them face each other off.

I don't think I've ever seen Cupid truly angry with Cal before. There was the time when they fought after Cal pretended he betrayed us back at Cupid's house - but that was all an act. This is real. It startles me a little. And though it probably shouldn't - it gives me a kind of warm glow.

He's angry that something could have happened to me.

He cares about me.

Then a sheepish look crosses Cal's face and he looks to the ground.

"I'm sorry," he mumbles. He shuffles rigidly, running a hand through his blonde hair, and looking awkward in the bright white reception room. When he looks up at my face, a flash of annoyance flickers across the angles in his face, "though it would be easier to protect Lila if she didn't keep wandering off..."

"I didn't wander off!" I begin to protest. "I was right outside..."

"Whatever," Cal snaps. He looks at Cupid. "Well?! What did you find? What happened? Where is Valen..." his other brother's name catches in his throat. He glances sideways at the guy on the reception desk who is watching the scene before him with unconcealed curiosity.

Cupid exhales and the tension dissipates from the air. He follows Cal's gaze then gestures with his head over to the collection of neon armchairs collected round the coffee table in the waiting area of reception. Together the four of us walk toward them.

Cupid falls into a pink one and I perch on its arm. I can feel his body heat from here - it engulfs me, threatens to pull me closer to him. My mind involuntarily flits back to the kiss before he left – his big arms around me, his mouth moving against mine. 

As Charlie sits in the chair beside and Cal stands rigidly by the coffee table, Cupid catches me looking at him. His face falls serious and his eyes burn. I feel my heart race.

"Well?!" snaps Cal – his eyes moving between us distastefully. "Are you going to tell us what happened? Where you've been?"

Cupid's lip tugs upward and he drags his gaze away from mine. 

"Nice to see you too, brother..." he says.

"We don't have time for this," says Cal.

Cupid rolls his eyes at me, making me smile. His face darkens though as he catches Cal's eye once more. He nods.

"Just under a Century ago I tracked Valentine down – found him in Ireland. I trapped him in the catacombs of an old church – put him in a Sim and left him there. He still had a few devout followers within the cupid community so I didn't tell anyone where I'd left him in case someone would come and help him out. I headed there yesterday to check he was still there."

"You've just been to Ireland?" I say.

He turns, looks up at me.

"Dublin, to be precise," he replies conversationally. "Beautiful place. I like the accent."

Cal clucks his tongue impatiently and Cupid pulls a face, turning back to his brother.

"Right...yeah...well when I got there the door to the vault had been blasted open. I asked around and it turned out the damage occurred months ago." He leans forward, resting his forearms on his knees. "As in...before summer. Valentine's been missing since before Lila and I were even matched."

He looks troubled a moment, and something flickers across Cal's face.

"Before...?" he seems to contemplate something. "Why is he doing this now? What is he up to?"

"I don't know for sure, but he left something inside the crypt – something right in the center of the stone slab I left him on. I'm sure he meant for me to find it."

He puts his hand into his pocket and pulls something out. He opens his fist to reveal a gold, battered looking coin. I look at it.

"That looks the same as the two coins that Mino found on the dead cupid," I say.

Cupid's eyebrows raise.

"Reallly? Weird. They're obals," he says. "A type of currency used years ago. I can't fathom why he would have them, or what he was trying to tell me by leaving this one in plain sight for me to find."

He flips it in his hand, then stuffs it back into his pocket – shifting in his armchair as he does, his arm brushing against mine. He looks up at Cal.

"Have you told Crystal yet about our dear brother's return?"

Cal gives a stiff shake of his head – reluctance clear in his eyes.

"No. I was about to but then I realized Lila had disappeared out of sight..." he takes a small step back, his accusatory gaze moving onto me. He sighs, "It must have been some of Valentine's followers that attacked you. I don't like this."

I think of the slow, jerky way they moved over the road. "I don't know if it was just me but..."

"...there was something a bit off about them," interjects Charlie, sat upright in her purple armchair.

"How so?" says Cal, his silver eyes suddenly alert. I feel Cupid sit straighter in his seat beside me, as if called to attention.

"The way they moved," I say softly, "a bit stiff, rigid..."

"Did you notice the smell, as well?" says Charlie.

I remember that sweet, decaying scent. It reminded me of one time when I was younger and a rat died in the walls of the house. My mom had sprayed loads of floral sprays around that room but it still smelt disgusting.

I nod.

Cal looks confused.

"Why would they smell bad? That makes no sense. Are you sure you're not just smelling..." he looks pointedly at the obviously un-showered Cupid.

I'm not sure whether or not Cal has told one of his rare jokes, or whether he actually means it - but it diffuses the tension in the room and I burst out laughing. Cal looks momentarily pleased with himself before becoming stony faced once more.

"I'll look into it," he says.

"On the plus side, if they're his followers - it probably means that not all of the cupids that have gone missing these past few months are dead..." says Cupid thoughtfully. "They're probably just joining forces with him."

Cal gives him a sharp look.

"Well on the minus – and somewhat more alarming side – those cupids are clearly out and about and trying to attack Lila."

"Ah yeah..." agrees Cupid, "I suppose there is that." He looks up at me. "Unlucky, lovebug," he says, a thick eyebrow raised.

I roll my eyes.

"Thanks for the sympathy..."

He grins, pushing himself to his feet and putting a protective arm around my shoulders. His expression suddenly darkens.

"Don't worry, I won't let anything bad happen to you."

He and Cal share a look. Then he catches my eye once more.

"Come on, let me drive you home," he glances over my shoulder. "I'm tired and there's not much more we can do here. Maybe you can sneak me in to your room. Just to keep you safe, of course."

He wiggles his eyebrows and I feel my pulse begin to accelerate. His eyes twinkle with unhidden amusement – it's like he knows the effect he has just had on me. Then he glances over my shoulder.

"Want a ride, Charlie?"

She shakes her head, "Nah, I'm good." She grins at me, giving me an unsubtle wink that makes me roll my eyes. "See you tomorrow, Lila."

I let Cupid lead me out of the reception of the Cupids Matchmaking Service and out onto the street outside – feeling Cal's gaze burning into my back as we leave. I glance over the road at the darkness where the three cupids attacked me earlier. Then my eyes flit back to Cupid as he opens the driver door to his Aston Martin.

My stomach momentarily clenches - a mixture of nerves and anticipation at the thought of Cupid inside my house, inside my room. He catches my eye and grins devilishly. 

"Come on, lovebug," he says. "Let's get you home."

I follow him to the car.