Crimes of Cupidity (Heart Hassle Book 3)

Evert leads us into one of the princess’s carriages, and we ride back to the rebel camp. I fill in the guys with everything that happened in the Veil and with Okot. When I tell Evert about how Okot had put his hands over my neck, he nearly breaks the carriage door when he slams his fist against it.

“I’ll kill that fucking lamassu,” he snarls.

My heart hurts to hear him say that, but it’s not like I can defend Okot. I have no doubt that he would’ve choked me to death if I hadn’t gotten away. But it still hurts. I still love him.

Sensing my distress, Sylred moved the conversation away, and talks more about my powers. “So we know the soul-sucking comes from the demon powers,” Sylred says.

“And I lit up that Arachno biotch,” I add smugly.

“And that was an angel power?”

I nod. “I’m pretty sure. And I took you guys out in like three seconds flat with my Sandlady powers.”

“So what else is there?” Sylred asks as he puts his hand on my thigh and draws slow circles over me. Even through the fabric of my dress, I can feel the warmth of him.

From his spot on the floor, Ronak reaches up and bats Sylred’s hand away with a warning growl. Sylred narrows his eye at him, but drops his hand back down in his own lap.

Ronak settles his head against my knees and purrs rather smugly.

“She’s our mate too, you fucker,” Evert says.

Before the two of them can get into a growl-off, I cut in. “To answer your question, Syl, there’s the three Veil Majors—angels, demons, and cupids. As far as the minors, I’m still learning, but I know for sure about the sandman, karma, lady luck, oh and ghosts. But ghosts don’t really have powers that I could get. I don’t think. They just mumble a lot of nonsense and get easily distracted.”

Sylred and Evert exchange an amused look over my head.

“…She doesn’t see it, does she?” Sylred asks.

Evert smirks. “Nope.”

“What?” I demand.

Evert leans over and kisses me on top of the head. “Nothing, Scratch. Stop itching your arm.”

I look down at my hand and quickly drop it. The movement makes my mark light up.

“And that indicates your cupid boss powers?” Sylred asks, nodding at the arrow and heart that now looks like a glow-in-the-dark tattoo.

I sigh and place them in my lap. “Yeah.”

“Lots of powers you’re juggling these days,” Evert says with a smirk.

“I have a very complicated life right now, Evert.”

He just smirks at me, showing off that devastating dimple of his, and my insides immediately get all hot and bothered. “Hey, can we have some carriage sex real quick?” I ask.

Sylred makes a coughing noise on my other side, but Evert just laughs. “We could,” he says with a nod, bringing his face up close to mine and throwing my hair over my shoulder. I feel his hot breath against my neck as he nips at the skin just below my ear.

“Carriage sex is gonna be a bit…cramped,” he tells me, except he says it in this super low and husky voice and makes it sound like something utterly erotic.

“That’s okay. I have a sex to-do list,” I say breathlessly, my head tipping to the side to give him better access. “A fuck-it list. Get it?”

They don’t laugh. I don’t think they get it.

“Everyone should have a sex list,” I say.

“Oh?” Evert asks curiously. I feel his lips grazing up my jaw. “And what’s on this to-do list?”

“Oh, you know. Carriage sex. Sex on a roof. We already did sex in the tub. Sex while I’m eating. I’m super excited about that one,” I tell him as he starts trailing a single finger down my chest until it hits the top of my bodice.

“Hmm. And what would we be feeding you that’s any better than our cocks?” he asks.

His fingers dip down to my cleavage and he continues to nibble his way up and down my neck, and gods it’s hard to concentrate. “Like…chocolate. And cookies. And something with syrup. Maybe even a nice fondue?”

I feel his chuckle against my chest, but I’m much too focused on the other hand of his that’s started to trail up my thigh. Just a bit closer and…

The carriage lurches to a stop.

My eyes pop open and I look over to a cocky as hell looking Evert who’s grinning over at me. “Guess the list is gonna have to wait. Unless you’re okay with doing it right now while the rebels can hear you?”

I smack his arm. “Don’t be such a tease.”

He shrugs and opens the carriage door. Ronak bounds out, landing on all fours, and Sylred and I follow behind.

The carriage pulls away, and the four of us are left in the middle of the rebel camp on the dirt road. One of the training yards is behind us, and as soon as people see us, it seems like the entire place pauses to look at us. Whispers erupt in the air, fae are pointing, some people look friendly while others look…not so much.

“It’s the cupid.”

“That’s the cupid and her mates.”

“I heard she caused all those genfin deaths.”

“You know the prince attacked them because of her.”

“I heard she’s the prince’s spy.”

“Nah, she’s on our side.”

“She’s hotter in person.”

“Ain’t she ‘spposed to have red wings? I bet it ain’t even her!”

Sylred and I just sort of awkwardly smile and wave at the gathering crowd. I’m wondering if I’m gonna have to start a really big rebel orgy right here in the dirt road before they start mauling me, but Evert takes the head-on approach.

“Listen, you fuckers. You got something to say about my mate, you come say it to my fucking face,” he says, his voice even but loud enough to carry.

Like he can understand what’s going on, my alpha draws himself up beside Evert and I, highlighting his size, and snarls at the crowd. I’m pretty sure he even flexes his muscles to really get his point across. The fae seem to suddenly remember that he has strength power, because everyone takes an unconscious step back.

Except one guy.

The genfin from earlier. It seems like his night’s sleep hasn’t softened him at all to me, because he looks just as pissed off as he was before.