“Yeah, so?”
“You may know Faunus better as Pan,” she clarified.
“The demonic-looking goat-guy with the flute?”
Lula nodded. “He closely resembles a satyr. He and Cupid are good friends and chair the planning committee for the Feast of Lupercalia each year.”
“Oh,” Dake said quietly. He glanced back up at Cupid and shrugged. “Sorry, didn’t mean to insult your buddy. I’m sure he’s a fine-looking…uh…”
“God,” Cupid said with a smug air. “Is that the word you’re looking for, mortal?”
“Yeah…yeah, that was it,” Dake answered.
“You said it was an unfortunate mistake that Dakin and Lula are in love,” Zeb braved. “Tell me, is that how you felt when you and Psyche fell in love?” Cupid pinned Zeb with a furious glare as a chorus of hushed oooohs emanated from the classmates in the chariot. “Is that what you thought when you appealed to the Council of Deities, asking them to allow you and Psyche, a mortal woman, to marry?”
“Why you-you impudent son of a belching boar,” Cupid sputtered, getting right in Zeb’s face. “Do you realize that with a mere snap of my fingers I could have you—”
“Zeb’s my brother,” Dake cut in, wedging himself between them and standing in front of Zeb to shield him from Cupid’s hair-trigger wrath. “He’s only trying to help me, so please don’t zap him or anything, okay? I’m the one you want to deal with, not Zeb. I love Lula, Cupid. With everything I’ve got inside me, I love her. And she feels the same about me.”
He tugged Lula close to his side. “I heard the story about you and your wife and all the shit you two went through to be together, so I know somewhere deep inside you have to understand. You must still remember what it feels like to love someone so much it hurts. To care about a woman so deeply it’s like a part of your soul is missing when you’re not together. All I’m asking here is for a chance, that’s all. Just a chance to have our case heard before you go and freeze our brains.”
“Oh Dake,” Lula sighed, burying her head in the crook of his arm. “That was wonderful.”
“Granted, I’ll admit the mortal sounds sincere. And he made a few good points,” Cupid said grudgingly, but Lula noted that his expression had softened. “But that still doesn’t mean—”
“Cupid,” Cinnamus said gently, resting his hand on Cupid’s arm. “When’s the last time we had a request like this from a student?”
Cupid rubbed his jaw. “Not that long ago. About fifty years, I’d say.” He studied Cinnamus. “Oh brother,” he groaned. “How well I know that look. You’re going to ask me to take them, aren’t you? Dammit, Cinnamus.” Hands on hips, Cupid lowered his head, shaking it slowly from left to right. When he looked up again, he was grinning, much to Lula’s astonishment.
“You old dog,” he chuckled, giving Cinnamus a playful punch. “You’ve always been the levelheaded one. Besides, it looks like you may have your own reasons for my being soft on these mortals, hmm?”
“Indeed,” Cinnamus answered, clasping Zeb’s hand and gazing at him with a warm smile. “I’ve been waiting several centuries for an opportunity like this.” He waved a chastising finger at Cupid. “And you owe me, Cupid. Remember the time we—”
Cupid bellowed an exasperated groan. “Oh all right, all right. Don’t hound me to death just because I’ve lost a few bets with you.” He glanced at Lula, lifting his eyebrow and then gesturing toward her with his thumb. “The latest being your nymph’s reason for not making it to my class here on Earth.”
“Good. Fortunately, we have room for two more in the chariot,” Cinnamus announced.
“Two?” Cupid barked. And then his glower softened as he gazed at Cinnamus who looked fondly toward Zeb. Throwing his hands up in the air and letting his arms fall, slapping his sides, Cupid laughed. “Okay, you win. We’ll take them both.”
Zeb started at that. “Well, this is something I never expected.”
“That makes two of us,” Cinnamus said, patting his hand. “But now that I’ve found you, I’m not about to let you go before I’ve even had a chance to get to know you.”
Zeb sucked in a deep breath. “Look, as much as I long to come with you, Cinnamus—and God knows I do—I have responsibilities here. I own a flower shop and—”
“Really? I’m passionate about flowers. Just wait until you glimpse my vibrant, colorful gardens, Zebulon. True floral splendor at its best. And you needn’t worry. Even if we’re gone for days, we can arrange to return you here to Earth just a moment later than we left. It will be as if you’d never been gone.”
Zeb arched an eyebrow. “Time travel?”
Cinnamus shrugged. “Of course.”
Zeb and Dake exchanged glances, shrugged and chorused, “Of course.”
“You may as well come along for the journey,” Cupid said to Zeb with a yawn. “After all, you and Cinnamus are, as Lula suspected, a perfect love match. It’s all but glowing out of your pores.”
“Oh Cupid,” Lula gushed, taking his hand and kissing it several times. “You are every bit as wonderful and magnificent and superb and brilliant and wonderful as all the legends claim.”
“You said wonderful twice,” Cupid said. “Is she always such a suck-up?” he asked Cinnamus.
“Not usually. I think she’s just blinded by your glorious radiance, oh magnificent one,” Cinnamus teased.
Roaring out in laughter, Cupid led them all to the invisible chariot.
“You have all your school materials, don’t you, Lula?” Cinnamus asked as they neared the vehicle.
Her heart thumping madly, Lula swallowed hard. Flashing her most engaging grin, she patted her canvas tote. “Of course, Cinnamus,” she lied.
Chapter Fourteen
“What do you mean, Step on up?” Dake groused. “How can I step on something I can’t see?” The distinct sound of giggling distracted him. “They’re all watching me, aren’t they?” he whispered to Lula with a groan.
“Yes, Dake.” She patted his butt. “Now go ahead and show my classmates what a brave, wonderful mortal I’ve chosen by lifting your foot and finding the chariot’s platform. We need to hurry so no one in the park spots us. Do you want me to give you a push?” She pressed her hands against his ass.
“No! I can do it,” Dake said, noticing Lula couldn’t help chuckling. Oh yeah, easy for her, she was in her own element now. Trying hard not to make any more of an ass of himself than necessary, Dake sucked in a breath, grasped the invisible rail Lula guided him to and planted his foot on a solid surface, hiking himself up onto the floor of the chariot. The invisible chariot tethered to a team of invisible whinnying horses and loaded with a bunch of invisible nymphs and goat-men and God only knew what else.
“Damn,” he said, looking down at the ground a good twenty-some inches beneath his feet as Lula’s invisible classmates applauded. It was hard to look cool when your gut was doing a three-sixty inside.
He stuck out his hand for Zeb who, looking as eager and gleeful as a kid at a carnival, hopped onboard with little effort.
“This is marvelous, isn’t it, Dakin?” Zeb said. “Wondrous.”
“Yeah. Yippee.” Dake didn’t agree at all with his brother’s assessment. There’s nothing he hated more than not feeling in control of a situation. And this was definitely one of those times.
“Dakin and Zebulon,” Cinnamus said as he and Cupid boarded, “we’ll be lifting into the air in a moment so I’ll need both of you to sit on the floor toward the center of the chariot, clutching a leather loop for safety. Lula, why don’t you slip your invisibility garment on while I hide the brothers beneath the invisibility shield for take-off.”
“Oh…um, I think I’ll just huddle under the shield with Dake and Zebulon to keep them company and keep them calm until we get in the air,” Lula said, hunching down beside the brothers and flashing them a guilty smile.
Dake gave her a reassuring wink. He hoped her teacher didn’t find out about Lula’s missing class mater
ials until after they had a chance to plead their case to the Council.
“Do your best, mortals, not to shriek out like frightened, shivering puppies when we leave the terra firma,” Cupid said helpfully as he walked to what Dake supposed was the head of the chariot. The next instant he was invisible too, just like Cinnamus a moment later.
“Can you see me, Zeb?” Dake asked, noticing that under cover of the shield all he saw was the waterfront park and people milling around as usual. Jeez, he couldn’t even see his own feet or hands. It was like he was suddenly a ghost. It wasn’t a sensation he’d ever wanted to experience until he was…well…a ghost.
“No,” Zeb gushed. “Isn’t this thrilling?”
“I can barely contain my excitement,” Dake answered. And then he clamped down on the inside of his cheeks with his teeth to keep from shrieking out like a frightened, shivering puppy when the chariot soared into the air. He’d never been particularly afraid of heights but when he glanced down and saw miles of nothingness between him and the ground he squeezed his eyes shut.
The next time he took a peek, he was able to breathe in a sigh of relief when he saw the wooden floorboards of the chariot beneath him.
“We’re clear now,” Cinnamus said, lifting the invisibility shield from the brothers and Lula. “You won’t need this anymore until we return you to Earth.” He smoothed Zeb’s dark hair. “Doing all right?”
“Are you kidding?” Zeb answered. “This is better than…than…well, it’s simply the most fabulous experience I’ve ever had.” Zeb glanced around at the now visible means of transportation. “I had no idea chariots could be so immense.”
“Having just two wheels, personal vehicles are usually much smaller,” Cinnamus explained. “The more generous, four-wheel models like this one are utilized for transporting groups, such as students from the academy.”
“Fascinating,” Zeb said, clearly doing his best to take it all in.
“Would you like to come to the front with me and watch as I govern the horses and pilot the craft?”
Grinning up at Cinnamus, Zeb gave an affirmative nod. “Very much.”
“Here,” Cinnamus presented his bare forearm, hand fisted, “hold onto me for support.”
“’O Captain! My Captain’,” Zeb breathed, clasping Cinnamus’ arm and rising to his feet.
“Walt Whitman,” Cinnamus noted. “A favorite of mine. Arguably one of America’s most influential and innovative poets.”
“An admirer of Earth’s poets, hmm?” Zeb arched an eyebrow. “I’m surprised. And impressed,” he said, smoothing his fingers along Cinnamus’ muscled arm.
“I am well versed in Earth’s culture and literary heritage,” Cinnamus said. “A favorite passage from Shakespeare comes to mind at the moment. ‘Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day’?” he spoke softly as he leaned close to Zeb’s ear, covering his hand on his arm. “’Thou art more lovely and more temperate’.”
“A striking man who pilots a chariot and quotes Shakespeare too,” Zeb said on a sigh, looping his arm through Cinnamus’. “Be still my heart.”
“He’s got it bad,” Dake whispered, watching as his brother gazed adoringly at Lula’s teacher.
“Which one?” Lula asked.
Studying Zeb and Cinnamus as they headed, arm in arm, to the front of the chariot, Dake laughed. “Both of them, I guess.”
“Indeed.” Lula nodded. “They seem truly captivated with each other. It appears we are not the only ones to have found romance, Dake.” She snuggled up to him.
Dake’s eyes widened and he gulped air as the other occupants of the chariot became visible. As his gaze leapt from one creature to another, it was as if he were smack dab in the middle of some fantastical Tolkien tale. Or hallucinating after eating magic mushrooms or something.
“Who…I mean what are all those?” he whispered to Lula as he observed a quirky mix of beings with wings, scales, blue flesh, green flesh, horns and more than one head.
“Oh them?” Lula gave a nonchalant shrug. “They’re just my classmates. Let’s see…we have two nixies, one banshee—”
“As in screaming, wild?” Dake interrupted, taking in the thin, ashen female dressed in yards of drab gray veiling.
“Mmm-hmm. But Maureen is only a wailing harbinger of death when absolutely necessary,” Lula explained. “Otherwise, she’s really great fun to be with.” Smiling, Lula greeted the banshee with a finger wave, which the banshee returned.
“Yeah, I can just imagine,” Dake offered, not meaning a word of it.
She nodded toward the rest of the creatures and went on. “Liliphant is a sprite, sweet but terribly mischievous. And then—” Lula frowned. “Don’t even think about it, Seraletta,” she suddenly called out.
Dake followed Lula’s wagging finger to a sexy, pale blue woman with snow-white hair, startling sea-blue eyes and one generous breast bared. Well, at least she looked like a woman. Damn, she was hot. And whatever the creature was, she was giving Dake an unmistakable come-hither look.
“Oh but, Lula, he’s mouthwatering,” Seraletta protested, licking her full lips as she gazed at Dake. “He looks so meaty and delicious. Perhaps you’ll consider a trade of some sort.”
“Jesus, she wants to eat me?” Dake asked, incredulous.
“Don’t be silly,” Lula whispered to him before addressing the blue female again. “Sorry, Seraletta. This human is mine and I’m keeping him all to myself,” she warned, looping her arm through Dake’s in a plainly possessive gesture. Leaning close, she whispered in his ear, “Steer clear of her, Dake. Seraletta’s an undine, a type of water sprite. The only way undines can acquire a soul is by marrying a human being.”
“No shit,” Dake said, fascinated by the absurdity of it all.
“Going down the line from Seraletta,” Lula pointed out, “there’s a brownie, a fairy, a sylph and a dwarf. Oh…and that’s Vibius, the satyr who fervently desires to mate with me. Ugh.” She shuddered.
Dake gaze flew to the horned half man, half animal with the evil grin who was playing some weird tune on his flute. Well muscled, with his dark curly hair, bronzed skin and green eyes, he wasn’t really all that bad-looking. For a goat.
Vibius eyeballed Lula as if she was a juicy, rare steak he couldn’t wait to sink his teeth—and other parts—into. Narrowing his gaze at goat boy, Dake wrapped his arm around Lula, tugging her close. Goat boy sneered.
“Don’t bruise her, Neanderthal,” Vibius said. “Lula’s mine.”
A gasp of outrage flew out of Lula’s lips. “Hah! In your dreams, Vibius.”
“Indeed…you are always in my dreams, Lula.” Vibius grinned. “On your knees with your plump, ripe ass in the air, begging me to fuck you.”
“Hey, pal,” Dake warned, “watch your mouth. There are ladies present. Besides, Lula’s my woman, got it? That means hands off.”
A muffled din rolled through the chariot as all eyes were on Dake and Vibius.
“We’ll see about that.” Vibius narrowed his gaze. “You may have wormed your way into her heart, interloper, but the nymph is mine.”
“Look, goat boy—” Dake began.
“I most certainly am not!” Lula cut in, her cheeks pink with indignation. “The mortal and I are soul mates. I love him.” She clung to Dake and he could feel her trembling with fury. He held her closer, soothing her arm with his hand.
“Don’t be selfish, Lula,” Seraletta the undine said. “Why don’t you take Vibius and let me have the mortal man?” she offered helpfully, blowing a kiss to Dake.
Vibius rose from his seat, a fierce scowl across his face. He stood a good seven feet tall and looked ready to rumble. “What absurd folderol you speak, nymph. We are of the same kind, Lula. We are destined to mate. The gods will never agree to—”
“Enough, Vibius!” Cupid’s voice bellowed. He strode toward Vibius from the front of the chariot and stood before him, hands fisted on hips. “Since when do you dare presume to speak for the gods?”
Vibius straightened, chin elevated as he looked Cupid in the eye. “But, Cupid, I—”
“Would you truly chance quarrelling with me, satyr?” Cupid spat. “Knowing full well I could turn you into a horned toad with the snap of my fingers?” Cupid held up his hand, fingers poised to snap.
Eyes flashing with alarm, Vibius immediately took his seat. “My humble apologies, Cupid. I meant no disrespect.”
With a quick glance and wink toward Dake and Lula, Cupid returned to the front of the chariot where Cinnamus tended the reins.
Lula heaved a shuddering sigh. “Thank Jupiter for Cupid’s interference,” she said. “I don’t know what would have happened if he hadn’t stepped in to put Vibius in his place.”
“I would have punched his lights out if he laid a hand on you,” Dake assured her as he and Vibius exchanged sneering glances.
“I would fear for you greatly,” Lula said, snuggling close. “Satyrs are far stronger than mortal men.”
Dake studied goat boy, the horns, the hoofs, the powerful-looking goat flanks. “I could take him,” he lied with false bravado. “Why don’t you finish telling me about all the other people…uh, I mean creatures, here in the chariot.”
“Okay.” Lula nodded, taking a deep breath and expelling it. “There, on the other side of the chariot,” she said, “starting closest to us there are two elves, two nymphs, a gnome, a troll, two pixies, a goblin and a kobold.”
“What, no ogres or leprechauns?” Dake teased, thoroughly awestruck by the curious beings, most of whom were at least partially nude.
“The Cupid Academy teachers have had many headaches trying to tame and educate ogres over the centuries,” Lula answered in all seriousness. “Why, just last year during the Feast of Lupercalia, Bubbadoofik was expelled for conduct unbecoming a student.”
“Bubba who?”
“Bubbadoofik. The ogre.”
“Uh-huh.” Dake nodded, just as if this was a normal, everyday sort of conversation. “So what did old Bubba do, swipe a leg of lamb or something?” He chuckled as he formed a mental image.
Finding Cupid Page 19
