Krampus holds it in his hand and glances back up at me. “So all of us have access to all three realms?”
“It seems only fair.”
Krampus grabs my chin, and I’m proud of myself for not immediately ripping my jaw away.
“I’ll see you later, boyfriend,” he says, placing another quick kiss against my lips.
I expect a quick portal, but instead all I hear is clapping and I lean to the left, looking past Krampus, to see Candy holding her hands against her heart and her eyes nearly filled with tears.
“Look what you’ve done,” I tell Krampus, who laughs.
“Sorry, Candy, darling, I have some reapers to punish,” he says, moving away from my desk to kiss the top of Candy’s head.
“Does this mean what I think it means?” Candy asks.
“It means we’re all going to the party together. It means we’re figuring this out as it goes,” I interject.
“It also means Mortem wants to fuck me,” Krampus says with a wink before popping away to do my bidding.
“I didn’t hear you come in,” I say, clearing my throat and adjusting my paperwork.
Candy rounds my desk and steps between my legs, forcing me to pay attention to her.
“This is what you want, right? Me, Krampus, the cottage, this party?” she questions.
I grab the back of her thighs, kneading her soft flesh.
“The party I could do without, but I think it’s the change Purgatory needs. As far as you and Krampus, I think you are both what I want and what I need.”
She wraps her arms around my neck and hugs me in a way no one else ever has. Being sexual with someone was always what I considered intimacy, but this is far different. It’s more than I could have imagined. Candy holds me tight, and I hold her back. No intention except for a physical, reassuring touch.
When she pulls away, she cups my face.
“I love you, Mortem.”
I blink at her, letting the words slither their way through my mind.
This sweet, precious cupid loves me, a wretched reaper trying to find his way.
“You don’t have to say it back right now. It’s not why I said it. I just wanted you to know that you’re loved and I see you growing, I see you trying and, despite what you may think, you’re actually quite easy to love. Now, Morticia and I already got the invites out, she is taking me shopping, and then we’re decorating near the river. I’ve already organized for the event tents to be put in place because Morticia said it rains a lot here. Is there anything you need before we go?”
I stare at her, dumbfounded that she just dropped those words and is now talking about planning an event. Like an idiot, I just shake my head. She smiles at me, pressing her palm to my cheek and kissing me before turning around and walking out the door to hang out with my assistant, who hates everyone.
There’s no way I deserve her, or Krampus, but I’m going to try like hell and be a man who does.
“Morticia, all these dresses are black.”
“Precisely. Why would anyone wear another color?” she says, glancing down at her black nails. “Plus, you’ll be the only cupid in black, more than likely. It will make a statement.”
The bell chimes as a tall reaper and a cupid I recognize walk in.
“Candy, what are you doing in Purgatory?” Juliet asks.
“Mors,” Morticia greets the female reaper with complete boredom.
Meanwhile, Mors must be connecting the dots. There’s no reason for Mortem’s personal assistant to be helping a cupid find a dress.
“Morticia,” Mors says coldly.
