I know who she is immediately.
Her wild curly hair is loose, and hanging at her shoulders. Her wings are out proudly, unlike the other cupids, and I wonder why she doesn’t have them tucked away. Glitter sparkles against her deep set, pink skin, more of a magenta than bubble gumpink. Her dress has cute, pink bubble sleeves, and while the bodice is tight, the rest flares at her hips.
But nothing prepares me for her beautiful face. She looks around nervously, her bright round eyes looking uncomfortably around the space. Her tongue darts out and licks her full lips before Love steps in front of her, interrupting my view of the stunning cupid.
I have to remember that this isn’t her realm, that she’s going to be nervous. I can’t just go over there and tell her she’s beautiful or even start by asking her name. I need to be smart, and not over eager.
But fuck.
She smiles at Love, and I think some sort of wraith is floating around in my stomach causing nerves to ricochet through me. I want her to smile at me like that, and I don’t even know her name.
Oh, great. I’m so completely fucked and I haven’t even been formally introduced. Love is far better at her job than I realized.
There’s a mix of both cupids and reapers in the event space, a flurry of pink dashed with black cloaks and dark hair.
I think if we let Love run the human realm, she would quickly solve the world peace problem. Based on the fact that she’s uniting entities of the veil in Purgatory with little issue, I’d say she’d do just fine.
“Everyone help yourself, there are drinks and snacks. We’ll get started with the games in a moment,” Love cheers.
“Games?” I whisper-hiss to Gloom who is leaning against the wall next to me.
“If the prize isn’t that little pink piece over there, I don’t want it,” he says, pointing to the topless male cupid drinking a beer.
“I don’t know why she invited you,” I reply sharply.
“Because I’m ridiculously handsome. I’m also pretty sure she’s trying to set me up with one of these cupids.”
I whirl and look at him. “You too?”
“You think she’s going through all this trouble for one love match?” Gloom asks, and I arch an eyebrow at him. “No, you’re right. She totally would do all of this for just one match.”
“Don’t do anything to scare them off,” I scold him and he rolls his eyes.
“You’re the one standing there looking like you want to rip everyone’s fucking soul out, not me.”
“I do not.”
“Do too.”
“Do not. The only soul I want to rip out is yours, you annoying motherf?—”
A throat clears. “Mors, I want you to meet my friend.” Love drags the pretty cupid in front of me as I try to compose myself. Gloom is giving me a shit-eating grin, and I make some serious plans to make his life a living hell later. “This is Juliet,” Love says, her hand wrapped around the cupid’s wrist.
Juliet.
She’s even prettier now that I’m up close, and I can see the way her pink eyes sparkle and the dusting of glittered freckles along the bridge of her nose and cheeks. She gives me a polite smile and holds out her hand.
“I’m Mors.”
“Nice to meet you,” she says, and I shake her soft hand.
Her cheeks flush an even darker fuchsia, and it takes all my willpower to let her hand go.
“Right, Gloom. I need you to lift something heavy,” Love says.
“Have your boyfriend do it,” Gloom says, brushing her off.
“Gloom, get your ass over here now,” Love says between her teeth. The reaper sighs but pushes off the wall and follows the cupid to a different corner, where I’m sure she’s scolding him for being an idiot. Serves him right.
