Chapter 48

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We walk into a flashing, pink, bubble of noise.

Fake arrows and banners reading Cupid Dance hang from the ceiling, and strobe lights blaze down on a thrashing crowd of students – many of them wearing wings and thrusting fake arrows into the air. There's a smoke machine billowing out sweet, cotton candy scented air by the raised DJ booth, and deep pink lights flash from corners of the gym. My black and pink balloons are scattered across the floor and tied around the climbing frame and basketball hoop, entwined among tissue paper heart bunting.

Cupid tenses as he looks around, a pained expression growing on his face. A group of guys from the football team pass by wearing nothing but white sheets turned into makeshift diapers, wings, and cupid bows.

"Why? Just why would we dress like that?!"

I pull him forward through the crowd as he mutters on about giant babies with wings.

"Completely impractical..."

I scan the dance floor – searching for Charlie, Cal, or worse, Valentine. Still Cupid chunters on.

"Now don't get me wrong, I would look totally hot regardless... but still..."

I can't make them out through the throng of students, wings, and bows. I pull Cupid, his hand still grasped around mine, toward the drinks table by the DJ booth. It's at the front of the gym so offers a good vantage point.

"I mean I'd definitely turn some heads if I dressed like that. In a good way, probably. Show off my abs..."

I halt as we reach the drinks – my eyes still searching the room

"But it's humiliating, you know?"

It's crowded here, people swarming for the bottles of coke laid out on the table. I notice a girl from the lacrosse team is passing around a hipflask to add to people's plastic cups of punch

"Giant babies..."

I turn to look up at Cupid and raise an eyebrow at him.

"Are you quite finished?" I say.

His eyes widen, the pink light from the strobe glinting in his irises.

"I'm just saying!" he says. He looks around. "God, it's really awful in here. Charlie organize all this?"

I nod.

"I like to think this is what the inside of Charlie's mind looks like at all times," I tell him – raising my voice over the loud dance music.

The corner of his lip tugs upward.

"Sounds about right. She's spent too much time with Klaus, that's the problem. Remind me to get someone at the Matchmaking Service to teach her about real cupids..."

Amusement glints in his eyes and I give him a playful punch.

"Is Cal here yet?" I say.

"Not sure. I think he was planning on helping Charlie set up the matches. You know...so I can get all super strong." His grin widens. He looks at the students swarming the drinks table. "Keep a look out, I'm going in! May as well enjoy ourselves until my pain in the ass brother gets here."

I look up at him.

"Which brother would that be?"

"The evil one..." he says casually, "although I'm guessing Cal will want to stop us from having any fun once he gets here too..."

He lets go of my hand and barges forward. I watch him for a moment then turn back to the dance floor.

I catch a flicker of pale hair by the edge.

Cal.

He looks pretty good; wearing an expensive dark grey suit with his bow and quiver slung proudly over his shoulder. Charlie is there too - stood beside him in her black dress and fake black wings. The two of them are chatting with a guy and a girl from the grade below.

To my surprise Cal is laughing casually – with none of his usual awkward persona, and chatting freely to Charlie and the others.

And, as I watch, Charlie rests her hand casually on his chest.

Is she flirting with him?

As though sensing my eyes on her, Charlie turns suddenly. Her expression brightens and she waves, then tugs Cal's arm and the two make their way over just as Cupid re-appears carrying two bottles of coke. He passes one over to me.

"You two look cozy..." I say to Charlie, looking between her and Cal as they come to stand in front of us.

"Yeah. He's my boyfriend!" she says – leaning forward slightly to be heard over the loud music.

I feel a surge of shock.

"What?!"

"Fake boyfriend..." Cal's body instantly stiffens– his face flushing slightly below the hot, pink lights.

"Huh?"

Charlie shakes her head – a grin on her face.

"We had to explain his presence here somehow, didn't we? He's not a student anymore." She folds her arms across her chest. "You didn't think for real, did you?! I'm with Klaus!" she shoots a sideways look at Cal, a smirk playing about her lips. "And you don't have to sound quite so appalled by the idea, mister!"

Cal shifts uncomfortably – briefly catching my eye then looking at the floor.

"Don't take it too personally," says Cupid with a grin. "My brother is appalled by most things."

Cal flashes him an icy glare while Charlie looks over her shoulder at the two people they were just talking to. They have started to dance.

"Looks like a match is on the way!" She says. She turns to me once more, her face more serious. "Have you heard anything from Valentine?"

I shake my head.

"If he comes when I asked him to – we have until midnight to prepare."

Charlie nods.

"Good. Three hours to make sure people match in Cupid's name. I've organized a kind of raffle thing where people put their names in a bowl and get paired up for dancing – which obviously I've completely rigged with potential matches. I've got the DJ playing through a cupid themed playlist so that cupid will constantly be in people's minds. And you all have Capax arrows on you, right? Don't be afraid to use them to speed things up a bit."

Her face brightens.

"You ready?"

We all give a strained nod – clearly not quite feeling Charlie's enthusiasm. She grins.

"Great! Now...let's get matchmaking!"

***

It's a quarter of an hour until midnight.

The music playlist has changed from the loud, blazing pop of earlier, to mellow love songs. Cupid, Cal, Charlie, and I stand on the edge of the dance floor – watching. The lights in the gym have faded to a deep fuchsia pink and they gently illuminate couples dancing in the center of the floor.

"It's almost time," says Cal.

His eyes are fixed straight ahead, sharp, alert. Worried. His slender fingers unconsciously touch his bow.

"Almost," says Cupid.

Charlie looks out at the couples we've managed to match up – the pink lights reflecting off her eyes.

"Do you feel stronger, Cupid?" she says.

"I don't know. I don't think I'll know until I face him."

We stand in silence for the next song – each of us in thought.

Is Cupid, with the help of the rest of us, going to have the strength to capture Valentine?

Am I going to have the strength to face him again?

His taunting voice, from our last encounter, still seems to echo in my mind.

I'll be seeing you, Lila.

My hands curl into fists at my sides.

We don't have a choice. He's trying to bring Venus back. He has Cal's life thread. He wants my heart.

Beside me Cupid's arm brushes against mine, sending a bristle of energy through my body. I breath in sharply, looking up at him at exactly the same time he looks at me. Our eyes meet, his darker than usual in the romantic lighting. Candy scented smoke from the machine wisps around us and gives him an almost ethereal look.

His expression is serious, intense.

"Dance with me," he says. "Before he gets here. Just once dance."

He holds out his hand. I slip mine into it, feeling the comforting warmth of his fingers. Beside him Charlie turns to look at Cal, her black hair swishing over her bare shoulders.

"Shall we dance, too?"

His eyes narrow slightly, and she folds her arms to her chest.

"Just as friends," she says.

"I hardly think now is the time..."

She rolls her eyes and grabs his arm, pulling him onto the dance floor with her as Cupid and I move among the dancing couples. Cal puts on a show of reluctance but lets himself be led along.

"This is all so tacky," I hear him mumble.

Cupid catches my eye, an amused twinkle behind his irises, as he stops in the center of the gym. He takes my arms and slips them around his neck.

"Do you realize this is our first dance?" he says as he pulls me close.

My heartbeat begins to quicken at the closeness of our bodies. I look up at him and nod – trying to push away the thought that comes unprovoked into my mind.

Valentine is coming.

Venus is coming.

I hope it's not our last dance.

But then he leans down so his face is close to my ear.

"Let's make it one to remember," he whispers, his hot breath tickling my cheek.

He pulls away slightly, and looks at me. Then he leans forward and lightly brushes his lips against mine. Instantly any negative thoughts melt away as my body melts into his. I push myself onto my tip-toes, my hands clasped around his neck, and I allow myself to sink into his kiss.

Heat spreads through my body as his mouth moves against mine.

It's slower than usual – more controlled.

And somehow more intense.

It feels like it means something. Like we're trying to tell each other what we mean to each other without saying the words.

I kiss him, and he pulls me even closer, his grip around me tight like he's afraid I will fall away.

Then slowly he pulls back, his head tilted down to look at me – his warm breaths on my face. And as he does, on some level, I'm aware of other people dancing; of Charlie and Cal swaying awkwardly in time to the music. But my senses are consumed by Cupid.

His scent floods my nostrils – a light cologne mixed with the warm scent that belongs only to him. His touch, where his hands fasten around my waist and pull me close, sets my skin on fire. And his eyes – filled with the wildness and longing blaze under the pink lights.

He reaches for my cheek, brushing my skin with his thumb.

"Lila..." his voice is intense, choked. My names sounds like it catches on his throat.

I can see longing in his expression, and I see his masked fear. Because he knows that if this plan doesn't work – we're in big trouble.

I'm in big trouble.

If this plan doesn't work – tonight I could die.

The gravity of it hits me hard and fast. My pulse races, and I dig my fingers into Cupid's arms – holding on to him and not wanting to let him go.

"Lila, are you OK?"

Before I can reply, before I can utter some kind of re-assurance that I don't really feel, my phone vibrates against my leg. My breath catches in my throat. I jerk my head toward the battered school clock hanging above the door of the gym.

Midnight.

Heart thumping against my ribcage I pull away from Cupid and take my cell out of my pocket. Cal and Charlie let go of each other and turn to face me solemnly. Cupid's eyes don't move from me as I read the message on the screen.

I'm here as promised. But where are you, Lila? Meet me in the cafeteria. Come alone.

Valentine.

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