Bonds of Cupidity (Heart Hassle Book 2)

When I look up, I see that Ronak has taken the rest of the soldiers out. Breathing hard, I take in his wounds and blood, watching the terrifying feral look on his face. But the reason that my whole body is shaking—that’s not because I’m scared of him. It’s because I’m scared of me.

I hear music before I register it. Turning toward the window, I realize Sylred is using his power to control the soldiers outside into submission. Evert comes charging through the door, sword raised.

When he takes in all the unmoving bodies and sees the two of us, he lowers his weapon. Looking to me, he says, “Okay, Scratch?”

I nod slowly.

Evert watches me warily before looking over at Ronak again. “Ronak, put your animal away and come out. We need help.”

It takes him several seconds, but Ronak finally shudders and the gold leaves his eyes. His muscles roll as he comes back in control of himself. When he focuses on Evert, he flexes his hands and rustles his wings. “How many?”

“Twenty. Took down five around the back. Sylred took out some, too, before we met up. Took him a while to get control, but he has the rest trapped in his sounds now. What do you want to do with them?”

Ronak starts walking, and Evert and I follow behind him. When we get outside, my steps falter. Bodies are strewn around, plants are smashed, grass is kicked up, and blood is smeared all over the place. Our peaceful, pretty garden is ruined.

Ronak immediately takes charge and instructs Sylred what to do. As for me, I’m in a daze as I walk around the trampled flowers. When I see a bed of tulips, I stop. They used to be white. Now they’re painted red with blood.

I stare at the bloody petals, unable to look away.

I killed two fae.

I shot one through the neck and made him bleed all over the floor. The sound that he made when he fell is playing in my head over and over again. Gurgling. Gasping. Choking to death on his own blood.

But what really freaks me out is what I did to the other fae. When I touched my burning hands against his head, I drained the life out of him. I…pulled his life force out of him like it was nothing.

I don’t know how long I stand there, but I feel a hand touch my shoulder. I startle and swing around, but when I see that it’s only Sylred, I stop.

“You can let go now,” he says gently.

I look down and notice I’m still holding a sword. I immediately drop it and let it clatter to the ground.

As soon as it’s out of my hand, Sylred pulls a key out and unlocks the iron shackles from my wrists and ankles. I hadn’t even realized they were still on me. When I start to turn my head so that I can look at the bloodied flowers again, he stops me with a palm to my cheek.

“Eyes on mine.”

I meet his brown eyes and words start spilling out of my mouth. “I killed two fae. I pulled one guy’s fog spirit out through his face. I stole his soul. I’m a soul thief. A spirit stealer. An essence robber. I—”

“You protected your covey,” Sylred says firmly, cutting me off.

“I’m a cupid. I’m supposed to use my arrows to bring love to the world, but instead, I shot one through a guy’s throat and killed him. My aim was perfect. Obviously. Cupid,” I say, gesturing to myself. I sigh. “There was a lot of blood,” I admit.

He just nods, letting me get out all the crazy.

“His blood was really red. Like, super red. I don’t think that’s normal. You should probably check that out,” I tell him, my eyes open really wide. I try to tone it down. I blink heavily instead.

“The other guy didn’t bleed, though. His spirit just went psshhhh,” I say, mimicking some weird noise through my teeth and motioning my hand up like it’s fluttering away. “I wonder where his fog-soul went? Do you think it floated to the ceiling? Or out the window?”

I gasp. “Or maybe it got trapped in the chimney? Oh, gods, I clogged our brand new love den chimney with fog soul! I’m a malfunctioning, leaking cupid with black feathers and weird eyes, and now I’m snatching life-forces out of people’s bodies!”

Sylred puts both hands on my cheeks and lowers himself so that we’re eye-to-eye. “Emelle, take a deep breath. You’re in shock. You just need to breathe. Listen to my voice. Breathe in and hold it.”

I fill my cheeks with air. “Good girl,” he goes on. “Breathe out slowly on my count. One, two, three, four…”

I slowly exhale. Some Lust leaks out. He doesn’t mention it. He’s a gentleman like that.

“Good girl,” he says again.

“Good girl,” I repeat numbly.

“Now repeat after me: I did what I had to do.”

“I did what I had to do.”

He nods. “You did good, Emelle. You protected our covey. You protected yourself. Those soldiers would have taken you. You did what was necessary to make sure that didn’t happen.”

“I don’t want to go inside the den,” I confess, my eyes blurring.

“You don’t have to.”

He straightens up, drops his hold from my head, and reaches for my hands, but I jerk away.

“Are you crazy?” I snap, hiding my hands behind my back. “I could suck your soul right out of you!”

Without breaking eye contact, he deliberately reaches behind my back and grabs both of my hands. Once his fingers are threaded through mine, he squeezes hard. “You’re not going to hurt me. Trust yourself. I do.”

Gods, this guy. I sigh in relief. “Thank you.”

“I’m going to carry you now, okay?”

“Where?”

“Away from here,” he says simply.

Swallowing hard, I lift my arms and nod. “Away from here sounds good.”