For the Love of Cupidity: A Valentine’s Day Novella (Heart Hassle Book 4)

The three coveys that are being bonded tonight are from very prominent families of high social standing. Two of the coveys have five males, and the third covey has four. The only problem? I’m picking up barely any affection from any of them. We have our work cut out for us.

Everything in the pavilion is decorated lavishly. Fairy lights and lanterns are lighting everything up, and white flowers are on every surface. At the center, is a beautifully carved wooden archway set on a raised dais, with chairs for the audience circling around it.

It seems like the entire genfin population has shown up for these ceremonies. There have to be at least seven hundred people in attendance. I’m standing in the back with my cupid trainees and Sev, trying to give them some last-minute pep talks.

“As soon as I give you the signal, I’ll push you into the Veil, and you can get to work. Remember, Flirt Touches first. We wanna get them nice and saturated.”

Sev pulls a face as he puffs on a pipe with the motorcycle-club looking cupid. “Don’t say saturated, boss. It’s sounds fooking weird.”

“You sound weird,” I snap. Then I instantly feel bad. “Sorry, Sev. You don’t sound weird. Actually, I think your accent is hot.”

Sev practically throws the pipe at motorcycle cupid before sidling up beside me. Tossing an arm over my shoulders, he pulls me close. “You finally ready to bring me into the fold, then, boss? I’ll be a right fooking treat to ya.”

Of course, that’s when my mates come up. Ronak doesn’t say anything. He just calmly walks forward, takes hold of Sev’s arm that’s still draped around me, and lifts it up…while squeezing him so hard I can hear his bones groan in protest.

Sev flinches and yowls in pain. “Fooking bloody boaby! That hurts!”

Ronak releases him, and Sev steps back to a safe distance away from me. “Bloody fooking hell, boss. He’s a right scunner, ain’t he?” he asks, rubbing his injured arm.

“Don’t touch my mate,” Ronak says simply.

Sev smiles. “Aye, I see why you like these males, boss. Must make you right hot when they go all alpha on ya, am I right? I’d love to get in on the action,” he says, wagging his eyebrows.

“I’m gonna fucking maim you one of these days,” Evert tells him.

Sev’s grin widens. He turns to me and threads his fingers together beseechingly. “Oh, come on, boss. Lemme join your harem, aye? I’m gantin’ for it. This hate talk is the bloody best foreplay I’ve had in weeks. Your mates are practically beggin’ for some Sev.”

Okot frowns at him. Sylred shakes his head. Ronak and Evert look like they’re silently communicating with each other about who’s gonna murder him and how they can hide it from me. Sev is just too much of a shit-stirrer for his own good. He absolutely lives for irritating my mates. He must have some kind of death wish.

“Sev?” I say.

“Yeah, boss?”

“Shut up.”

“Right-o, boss.”

“Okay, listen up,” I tell the cupids, making them gather around. “It’s almost show time. You guys know what to do. We just have to jumpstart the genfins and make them go into heat; that way they can form a bond. And, if we shoot them up with some well-timed Love Arrows, we might even get them to like each other by the end of the night.”

A few of the cupids snicker.

“If you do this, then you’ll officially pass training, and you’ll be ready to start Love Matches for Valentine’s Day on earth. And if you don’t screw that up, I’ll reward you with an extra vacation day. Deal?”

“Can we have sex during vacation?”

“Have at it.”

The cupid trainees all nod approvingly. See? Even the flunkies can do well once they have the proper motivation. I guess the possibility of orgasms is the right incentive. I’ll have to add that to the new cupid trainee handbook.

Elder Mortel comes up, looking a bit frazzled. “Everyone is here,” he tells us, breaching the group. “Are your employees ready?”

“Yep,” I say confidently.

Elder Mortel looks away from me to size up my cupids…and immediately frowns. His eyes go over the goths, the nerdy guy who sounds like he needs an inhaler, the ballgown child fighting with the cellphone holder, and his eyes widen in horror when he takes in the troll.

“…These are your cupids?”

I nod and try to get his eyes back on me. He doesn’t look away until the troll starts picking his nose with a Love Arrow. I motion to Sev, and he immediately kicks the troll in the shin. “Fooking knock it off, get it?”

The troll puts his booger-laden arrow back in his quiver. I gag a little.

“Erm…right…” the elder looks more and more doubtful. “Maybe this isn’t a good idea…”

“No,” I rush to explain. “They can totally do this. I promise.” I think. Maybe.

He regards me dubiously. “If you’re sure…”

Nope. Not at all. “Yep. I’m positive,” I smile.

Elder Mortel sighs. “Alright. The ceremony is starting, so whenever you’re ready.”

I nod, and he walks away, leaving us alone again. I notice all the hundreds of genfins that have come to watch are now finding their seats, dusk is quickly turning to a beautiful starry night, and the coveys to be mated are taking their places on the dais.

“Alright. Show time,” I tell my cupids. “This is your only chance to impress me and pass training. Please don’t screw this up. You all know who your marks are, and you’ve already paired up. Work together. Remember, being a cupid takes finesse. You can’t just go slapping people with Flirt Touches and tossing out Love. Timing is everything. Let them warm up to each other first with plenty of desire, but don’t make it so they’re getting hardies on stage for all of their families to see. Hone in on your inner cupid. You got this.”

“In other words, don’t fook this up, ya miserable shites,” Sev puts in. He’s helpful like that.

I hear Elder Mortel begin speaking on the dais, announcing the covey names and declaring the mate matches.

“Sev? You’ll watch them in the Veil while they work?”

“Aye.”

“Alright then. Good luck.”

A huge, glowing rainbow appears above us, ending in a pot of gold at my feet.

You’d think I’d learn by now. Hell, heaven, luck—those words should be stricken from my vocabulary, but things just slip out.

My guys stare down at it, while all seven hundred genfins in attendance look over at me and the nighttime rainbow that should definitely not be here.

“It’s fine!” I call out. “Please continue!”

Elder Mortel pulls his eyes away from the scene and clears his throat distractedly. “Right. As I was saying…”

“Alright, go on.”

Using my cupid boss powers, I push the cupids into the Veil and hope for the best.

“What are the chances that they’re going to totally screw this up, and it’ll end in disaster?” I ask, watching the dais anxiously.

“I’d say a good fifty-fifty chance,” Evert drawls, while digging through the pot of gold. “Here,” he says, flipping me a golden coin. “For luck.”

I try to catch it, but the damn thing bounces off my boobs and then falls down the top of my dress. Evert smirks.

“Did you do that on purpose?” I ask, trying to dig a hand down my bodice so I can retrieve it.

“Does that sound like something I’d do?” he counters.

“Pretty much, yeah.”

He smirks. “Need help getting it out?” he asks with a cock of his brow.

I keep digging in there, but let’s face it, there’s a lot going on in the boobage department. Also, I’m pretty sure my nipples just started leaking milk. I sigh and give up. “I’ll find it later.”

It’s not the first time I’ve lost something in my cleavage, and it won’t be the last.