Valentine (Cupid #2)

by Jade Eby

  No, Diana didn’t believe in God. But she prayed for redemption anyway.

  And then she closed her eyes and wished that when she opened them—everything would be over.

  But footsteps woke Diana up and nothing was over.

  The door opened. Light shined in the darkened space. Asher’s huge frame took up the whole door way.

  “Asher.”

  “Are you asleep?”

  “I can’t go to sleep.”

  “You should try.”

  “There’s too much on my mind.”

  He sat down on the couch beside her, his hands running through his blonde curls, his blood-stained eyes straining to look at her. “Did you mean what you said earlier today?”

  “What?”

  “You called me a monster.”

  Suddenly, that image plowed into her head—Asher hammering into Theresa’s dead body over and over. How could she not think he was a monster? Who did things like that? Even if he wanted justice, even if he hoped to save the world, a large part of him enjoyed killing people.

  That was something she could not swallow.

  That was what kept her up that night.

  Tears glazed over Diana’s eyes. She couldn’t lie to him. He’d know it, and that would just make it all worse. She couldn’t pretend. She could barely function after everything had occurred.

  She, in fact, was a bird in a cage, and she couldn’t figure out how to physically or even mentally escape.

  There was no more hope.

  “Yes,” she whispered to him. “I meant it. You’re a monster.”

  “How can you be so sure?”

  “I watched you beat that woman like she was nothing.”

  “She wasn’t nothing.”

  “She was a human being.”

  “She damaged lives.”

  “You killed an innocent man.” She jabbed at his chest. “You damaged lives.”

  “Are you sure of this?”

  “Yes.”

  “Sure enough like when you asked me to kill Maxwell?” he asked.

  Diana shook her head and clenched her fists together. He didn’t get to blame her completely. “Don’t do this to me. I thought he was guilty, Asher. So. Did. You.”

  “I would have given him more time. I would have found the truth.”

  She reached for his hand. “You wanted to kill him before we even made it to the party. You’re trying to pass the blame and I understand—”

  He pushed her hand away and screamed, “You understand nothing! You haven’t killed like I have! You haven’t experienced the rush of blood and muscles and bone intersecting beneath your hands before. You’ve never watched the life go out a person’s eyes, Diana. You. Know. Nothing.”

  She charged off the couch. “I know that you didn’t really intend to kill the wrong person. I know that your heart is in the right place and that you’re scared right now. I know you, Asher. The way I know myself. I won’t pretend that I’m not afraid of you or that yes, I do think that you’re a monster. You’re not normal. You need help. But I want to give it to you. I want to find a way for us…”

  He shook his head and turned away from her.

  “Do you hear me?” She went to him, turned him around, placed her hand within his, and grazed his cheek with her other one. “I love you, Asher. I don’t know if this could work, but... Jesus... what do you expect me to do? Run off with you and help you fight crime? I’m just a woman that’s seen too much blood and it’s all finally catching up to me.”

  He looked down at her. “We’ll have to go our separate ways.”

  She sighed. “Is it really going to be that easy?”

  Asher held her hands in his and closed his eyes. “No.”

  “Then tell me the truth,” she whispered and held him close to her.

  “One of us may not see tomorrow.”

  She shook against him. “Is that the only way?”

  “I don’t know.” He kept the tears back. “I’m just the monster.”

  “Then, maybe it will work.”

  “How?”

  “I don’t know. I’m just so scared. Can’t you stop? Can’t you just get help or... I don’t know, turn yourself in?”

  “No. It feels too good.”

  “Don’t say that.”

  “It does. I’m not just broken. I’m shattered, Diana.”

  “I’ll put you back together.”

  “It doesn’t work like that.”

  “Let me show you.” Tears streamed down her face. Diana offered Asher her hand and led him to his bedroom, where they’d made love for the first time.

  She prayed to a God she didn’t believe in, that she could bring Asher back to her. That he would fill her with whatever goodness was left in him—so that she would be forgiven.

  Twenty-One

  Asher

  Something had changed. Diana was no longer the medicine for his darkness. Instead, she’d caused the pain, and made the hunger for death even heavier to deal with.

  No matter how many times Asher tried to push the desire for blood away, he craved it. The scent lingered on his skin. Metallic, coppery lust filled his senses.

  As they made love, even Diana’s lush, velvet skin couldn’t distract him. He trembled with the need to kill again.

  And again.

  You’re a monster. You must die.

  “Asher?”

  Diana’s voice pulled him out of his thoughts.

  “What?” He blinked at her.

  “Stop thinking and make love to me. Your body is here, but your mind is somewhere else.” She turned his chin toward her. “Look at me. We’ll figure this out.”

  He shook his head. “Why aren’t you running away from me? I’m evil.”

  She cupped his face in her hands. “No, Asher. You made a mistake. We both did. We’ll get through this. Together.”

  He buried his head in her chest. She had so much faith in him and he didn’t deserve it. Even after all she knew of him, she still gave him all of herself. He’d never find that in a woman ever again.

  She pushed him down, kissing him on the lips. She held onto his hands and squeezed as her kisses intensified.

  Yet, every few seconds, between the moans and her screams of pleasure, fear twitched at the edge of her eyes. There was no denying it. She didn’t look like she wanted to fuck him. Diana was scared out of her mind and had shifted into survival mode.

  Or was it all just in his head?

  “Do you want this?” He sucked on her neck.

  “Yes, baby. I need this.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes.”

  “Okay.”

  Lust rushed through him. In seconds, the sensations of her body warmed around his, and all control left him. He was barely holding on and ready to explode.

  Instantly, Asher melted into Diana’s touch. He never wanted to let this go—this meeting of their two bodies. He wanted it to go on forever.

  Diana eased herself on his thickening cock, so slowly he groaned out.

  “Yes,” she whispered. “Take it out on me, Asher.”

  He shook his head. “No.”

  She bit his bottom lip. “You sacrificed for me. Now it’s my turn. Do it!”

  What? This wasn’t Diana.

  She was giving herself to him for the taking. “You can do whatever you like, okay. I-I’ll be your anchor. I’ll make it all better.”

  Doubt pinched at him.

  She wants to take away my pain? Absolve me of my guilt? Numb me? Fix me? She loves me? Or is she afraid of the monster?

  He eased Diana off of him and flipped her onto her stomach.

  Never will I fall in love again.

  He closed his eyes and guided himself into her.

  She was tight.

  So fucking pleasurable he almost came in seconds.

  Diana...

  And he kissed the length of her spine before thrusting into her hard.

  With every moan that escaped her lips, he let a tear
fall. His mother was right—things could never last between them. Not the way things were. He would ruin her and that was the last thing he wanted. He’d rather be dead than see Diana turn into someone she wasn’t.

  She should be preserved as the goddess she was—the woman who loved him despite his flaws. But it would never last. She’d learn to hate him. Resent him. Blame him for Neil’s death. Her fall from grace and mental stability. The blood would be too much. The fear would corrode all the things that he loved about her. She’d try to escape either by running away or drowning in alcohol and pills.

  And there was no alternative to letting her go. She’d tell one day. It would happen. Whether to the police or just a confession to a trusty friend. She’d have to tell because the guilt would hurt too much and destroy her life.

  Diana.

  Asher clung to her waist as he thrust his dick into her over and over again. He memorized the way her hair fell in ringlets onto her back. The way her breasts moved in harmony to his thrusts.

  He watched her hands grasp for the edge of the bed and let the shape of her fingers and wrist burn into his memory.

  He had to remember it all,

  the shape of her ass, ripe and formed just for him.

  The feel of her cunt as he moved in and out.

  “Oh! Asher, don’t stop.”

  “I love you, Diana.” When Asher was close to spilling his seed into her, he flipped her onto her back and entered her missionary so that he could kiss her lips one more time. “I’ll always love you.”

  He wanted every inch of Diana to be scorched in his brain.

  His memory.

  Just in case.

  “Oh, Fuck, Asher. I’m coming!” she screamed, her legs and arms trembling around him.

  “Yes, baby.” Asher plowed into her, his orgasm reaching him as Diana’s ended. When it was over, he collapsed beside her and kissed her lips. Her cheeks.

  There’s no other way…

  His mother’s words rang in his ears and let it replay over and over again until he knew it to be the truth. He knew what he needed to do to save them both.

  Asher sat up and Diana placed a hand on his chest. “Are you okay?”

  “No.” He kissed her on the forehead. “I love you, Diana. Don’t you ever forget.”

  She smiled. “I know you do. I love you, too.”

  “Then you’ll forgive me,” he mumbled under his breath and got up from the bed.

  “What did you say?” she asked.

  But there was really nothing else to say.

  He entered his closet, walked to the back, and grabbed his bow and arrows.

  How long had he used this bow to kill? Ten carved lines decorated the handle, but since he’d met Diana, he’d forgot to update them.

  In the darkness of his closet, all the way in the back, he turned around. Diana sat on the bed, unable to see him, just like the first time he’d met her, and sat in the shadows of the kitchen with her dead husband on the floor.

  The bow was carbon, barely three pounds, and with a leather grip. Blood always came, when Asher drew back his bow. The arrows were fast and easy to pull, and oh how he loved to make them fly.

  And tonight would be no different.

  “I’m not Cupid.” He positioned the bow and targeted Diana’s chest. “I’m a monster.”

  Twenty-Two

  Grace

  Grace’s boss, Asher Bishop looked dashing in his charcoal gray suit and his blonde curls slicked back. It had been weeks since he’d even been dressed and out of his bed before lunch.

  She didn’t know what happened. First, he’d been love struck and with that Mrs. Carson every second of the day—them making love so loud the whole staff could hear them down stairs.

  And then the poor girl never came around anymore. Mrs. Carson stopped visiting. The news reported her missing, and Mr. Bishop had gone into a zombie state, barely eating or sleeping, just drinking all night and arguing with his dead mother.

  But today, healing had shown. He’d gotten out of bed, put his clothes on, and come down stairs like the old Mr. Bishop used to do. Even, his blue eyes sparkled against the sunlight filtering into the dining room.

  A smile spread over Grace’s lips.

  I really hope they find that girl. She’s been missing for weeks.

  Humming that strange little lullaby that he always had on his tongue, he kept the Ovid Island Newspaper in one hand and his coffee in the other.

  “Good morning, Mr. Bishop.”

  “He looked up from his newspaper and winked. “Good morning, my lovely and amazing Grace.”

  “Wow. You’re in a great mood today.”

  “I had a delicious amount of loving this morning.” He chuckled to himself and then shook his head. “Okay, Diana. Okay. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to tell Grace about our hot love session this morning.”

  A laugh fled his lips.

  Grace edged away, and looked around the room, wondering if she’d finally gone crazy. After being in the Bishop house for so many years, maybe it was her turn to go insane. Lose her marbles. Lord knows there’s been more than enough crazy floating around the Bishop Mansion in the last decade for it to have rubbed off on Grace.

  Only Asher and she sat in the room. Every other seat at the table was empty.

  “Will you just accept my apology, Diana?” Asher blew a kiss to the empty chair on his right. “Yes, my love. Yes. I know.”

  Lord have mercy. Now he’s talking to Mrs. Carson. Let me get out of here before I have to start serving JFK and Marilyn Monroe. Who knows who else is sitting up in this room with this crazy man?

  “You look lovely today, Grace.” He smiled at her.

  “Thank you, sir.” She fell into her calming habit, and patted the pocketknife she had in her apron. There was a tube of mace tucked in her bra as well as a cross with Jesus’s image right in the center.

  Mr. Bishop never gave her a reason to think he would attack her, besides the fact that he was absolutely insane.

  “And the spread this morning is absolutely delightful.” He turned to his left. “What do you think, Mother?”

  Oh Jesus. His mother is here too? Well, how does she like Mrs. Carson? I bet she hates her. That woman is always rude and... What am I saying? She’s dead, and that poor girl... well she might be too.

  Grace stared at Asher for longer than she should have.

  Two women that this man loves are both ghosts in his dining room. That’s either really bad luck or... well... that’s some coincidence.

  “Okay, Mother. We’ve got it. You don’t like Grace, but have some respect for her.” He turned to Grace. “I for one, appreciate everything that you do for me. Please, keep it up.”

  “Thank you, sir. I will.” She refilled his coffee cup. “Is there anything else you need from me?”

  “No, but maybe Diana would want something.” Asher directed his attention to her empty seat. “Diana? Would you like another muffin?”

  He chuckled at something and turned to his left. “Mother, would you please calm yourself. Grace has always obliged you. I’m talking to Diana now.”

  I’m going to have to turn that resignation in tomorrow. One ghost was bad enough to serve, now I have two. I don’t get paid that much. And all that food that I waste every day. This is crazy.

  Asher looked at Grace with sorrowful eyes. “I’m sorry for my mother’s absurd reactions to things, Grace. You know how she is.”

  He tilted Grace’s way and whispered, “And frankly, now that Mother is meeting Diana, both women are vying for my attention.”

  Grace stared at both empty chairs and then back at him. “Mrs. Carson...”

  “Yes, Grace?” he asked.

  “Mrs. Carson would you like something?”

  Asher shook his head. “Diana, you have to speak louder.”

  A deranged laugh fled from his lips and made Grace jump.

  “Okay. Okay.” Asher shook his head. “You funny girl. I will leave you alone.”

&n
bsp; Asher turned back to Grace.

  “What did she say?” Grace asked as the coffeepot shook in her hands.

  Asher quirked his eyebrows at the woman as if she’d lost her mind. “Diana already told you what she wanted, but fine, I can say it again. Are all of you are going crazy this morning? Women!”

  He chuckled. “Diana would like another orange juice and perhaps one of your cranberry scones. She’s feeling feisty today.”

  “Y-Yes sir.” Grace bowed and left the room.

  When she entered the kitchen she nearly dropped the coffeepot to the floor. Caught it before it shattered and set it on the counter before grabbing the phone from the wall and dialing a number.

  “He’s talking to ghosts again,” Grace whispered into the phone. “I don’t know that I can do this. Mrs. Bishop was hard enough, Flame. But Mrs. Carson? She was real! Flesh and blood and bones and tears.”

  Flame shushed her. “We will do what we have to and help him get through this. He’s just dealing with Mrs. Carson’s disappearance terribly.”

  “You think? He’s talking to two empty chairs.”

  “Grace, relax.”

  “I don’t know if I can do this anymore. I’m thinking about turning in my resignation.”

  “Who else could help him with this?”

  “There are hundreds of chefs that are out of work and will get these huge paychecks to deal with this crazy man.”

  “But none are you, Grace. Do you need more money?”

  “I need him to get some help.”

  “He will, and what do you know, Mrs. Carson may be discovered, and all will be well.”

  “The police think that Cupid got her.”

  “Who knows what happened to her. All we can do is focus on the problem at hand. Who should we be considering?”

  “Mr. Bishop,” she mumbled.

  “Yes, we need to focus on Mr. Bishop.”

  She sighed. “You’re right. Thank you. You’ve always been my voice of reason in this nutty household.”

  “I try.” Flame lowered his voice a little. “But, Grace, if you find the rest of the staff having these same problems, let me know. We need to make sure that everyone on the estates are helping him out through this rough time.”