by AM Halford
This was it. This was the Cherry Matchmaking Agency.
Maybe, if he wasn’t too busy freaking out over this all being real, Roy would’ve stopped to take in the perfectness of occupations Cupid had gotten into. The god of love running a matchmaking agency? It was ludicrous, and yet fit.
“Well, standing here isn’t doing me any good,” Roy grumbled to himself. With a deep, centering breath, he stepped forward and the doors instantly opened for him. A man stood just beyond the doors, and he stopped Roy from proceeding forward.
“Name?”
“Rodrigo Veiga.”
The man nodded. “Elevator two, fifth floor.”
“Uh…thanks.” What else was he supposed to say? With an answering nod, Roy went straight up to the second elevator, pressed the call-up button, and waited no more than two seconds for a chime to ring out and the doors to open. The fifth-floor button was already lit up, so Roy just stood back a ways from the doors and shifted from foot to foot as the elevator ascended.
Another ping, and the wall behind him opened, making him jump. He hated that! Calming his now racing heart, Roy glanced around the surprisingly lavish waiting area. There was a drink and snack bar. Large, plush furniture that looked absolutely divine. The artwork on the walls all depicted Cupid in one way or another. Seemed the god had a bit of an ego. Then again, he was a god. Guess it made sense.
“Mr. Veiga.” A cheerful woman behind a large desk, which was also an aquarium, addressed him. He was the only one besides her present, so it wasn’t like he could be anyone else. “You’re a little early. If you’d like, you can help yourself to some refreshments, and take a seat. I’ll let Cupid know you’re here.”
So, the employees knew who they worked for? Maybe they weren’t human either?
With that thought, Roy made his way to the snack bar and picked out a banana nut muffin and a peach juice before taking a seat on one of the reclining chairs. Just as he’d thought, they were the definition of heavenly comfort.
As he was absorbed into the chair, he watched the woman behind the desk with a wary eye. Honestly, he was trying to figure out by watching her if she was human or not. Perhaps she was some kind of witch? Or maybe a vampire? No, it was daylight out. Unless that was a myth? Maybe a shifter, like the man he was supposed to be paired with eventually?
“I’m a cherub,” she suddenly said.
Roy nearly choked on the muffin he’d been eating. Washing it down quickly with some of the juice, he gave her a crooked smile. “Excuse me?”
“You’re trying to figure out what I am, correct?” She continued politely.
“Well, yeah.” No point in lying, he’d been caught red-handed.
“And I’m telling you, I’m a cherub.”
“Oh, of course.” How the fuck was he supposed to know that? Weren’t cherubim fat little baby like things with wings and bows? Then again, cherubim were often used in similar depictions of Cupid, so it kind of made sense. No, none of this fucking made sense!
“Damn it!”
Roy jumped in his seat as the wall was thrown open and a man came storming out. He growled and hissed his way to the door as Cupid chased after him.
“Nexus, all I’m asking is for one week,” the god was saying.
“I don’t have a week!” Nexus, the angry one, snarled. “My enemies are demanding I name a mate by Friday! If I don’t, I’ll be challenged for my territory.”
Cupid looked to be at his wit’s end as he tried to calm the aggravated man down.
“I came to you because I have nowhere else to turn! You either show me my mate, or I will be forced to kill one of my own uncles in a challenge.”
Man, the guy had it rough. From the sound of it, it was some kind of internal gang war type thing. Roy wondered what kind of supernatural thing this man was. He certainly was delicious-looking. Obviously of South American descent, probably from somewhere near or in Brazil. Not quite Central America though. His black hair had an almost blue sheen to it under the florescent lights. It was his eyes though, a golden brown that just shined with his anger, that really caught Roy’s attention.
Suddenly, in the midst of the argument, Cupid turned to Roy and his blue eyes lit up. In that moment Roy wanted to be anywhere but there.
“You’re in luck,” Cupid said. “The one I was hoping to pair you with is here right now.”
Nexus stopped mid-rant and turned to look at Roy. Oh man, the full force of that gaze made him want to hide under the chair he was presently sitting in. It didn’t matter how gorgeous the jaguar was, and he had no doubt he was a jaguar now, that look would terrify even the most hardened solider—which Roy definitely was not.
“Him?” Nexus asked in a dismissive tone.
Oh, hell no! Roy glared at the large man, stood up, and got toe to toe with him. “Fuck you, pussy cat!”
* * * *
Nexus had never been so insulted and amused at any point in his life. This tiny slip of a man was standing before him, fists balled, and glaring daggers up at him and calling him pussy cat. The human certainly had guts, for such a tiny fellow.
“Nexus, this is Roy Veiga. Roy, this is Nexus, your future husband.”
“We’ll be wed tomorrow,” Nexus said. No point in delaying the inevitable. If Cupid said this human was his, then he was.
“I repeat,” Roy snapped, “fuck you, pussy cat! Like hell I’m going to marry some pompous, egotistical feline that doesn’t even try to get to know someone before passing judgment!”
Judgment? When had he passed judgment on Roy? Nexus frowned as he thought back to a few moments ago. Nope, he hadn’t said anything even remotely like judgment. “I have done no such thing.”
“Him?” Roy’s tone was sarcastic and dripping with righteous disdain.
Realization dawned, and Nexus couldn’t keep himself from smirking. Seemed his destined was a prickly guy. He’d have to remember that.
“Okay, that’s enough,” Cupid interjected before Nexus could defend his actions. “Nexus, Roy hasn’t even been properly interviewed or informed of your situation. You can’t just drag him off to be married, completely blind of what he’s getting into.”
“Fine, then you have thirty-six hours,” Nexus said, running his hand through his hair. He needed to get it trimmed. “Bring him up to speed, and I’ll be back to collect him then.”
“You aren’t collecting anything,” Roy growled. “And I have a fucking name!”
“You’re a prickly one, aren’t you?” Nexus mused. “No matter.” Reaching out, he drew Roy to him and leaned down so he could take a deep breath of his mate’s scent. “Claiming you will be all the more fun this way.”
The tremble that passed up and down Roy’s body was the perfect answer to Nexus’s teasing. Yeah, this human was going to be delicious. No, Roy wasn’t just some human. He was Nexus’s human. His mate. Damn, the knowledge that he’d finally have someone to spend his long life with was making him a bit lightheaded.
“Hands off.” Cupid pushed him away. “There will be none of that until Roy has given his consent! I run a clean agency, not a sex shop.”
“Just get him ready,” Nexus demanded. With one final appraising look over Roy’s body, who just flipped him off in return, he left the office and headed down in the elevator. He still had much to do today, and now he needed to add finding an officiate to that list who could wed him and his mate tomorrow.
“Have a good day, Mr. Nahuel.” The doorman bowed as he stalked by him, barely even noticing the formality.
His car was already pulling up to the curb, the valet jumping out and holding the door for him. “See you soon, Mr. Nahuel.”
With a gruff nod, Nexus climbed into his car and sped away from the matchmaker. His first order of business was finding his sister, and making sure she wasn’t trying to pull off some ridiculous harebrained scheme to uproot his control amongst the clan.
Taking a left at the third traffic light, he got onto the freeway and headed south. Turning on his Bluet
ooth, he instructed his phone to call his lawyer.
“What can I do for you today, Regulus?” Tyrese sounded amused. Then again, the man always sounded amused. For all Nexus knew, the snake could’ve just learned he was sterile and destined to spend eternity alone, and he’d probably still have that same singsong hypnotic sound to his voice.
“Cupid has finally decided on a match for me.” Nexus got straight to the point of his call. “I need Roy Veiga added to all my accounts, my will, and any further important documents you can think of.”
“Of course. Anything else?” Tyrese’s tone shifted just a bit. Nothing too dramatic, but enough to show he was listening. Possibly even interested.
“Yeah, I need someone who can officiate a wedding, tomorrow.”
The humorless laugh that came over the line was not what Nexus had been hoping to hear.
“Did I say something funny?”
“You do like to joke.” Tyrese sighed. “How do you expect me to find someone versed in both human and supernatural marriage in such a short time?”
“I’m sure you can find someone,” Nexus growled.
“Look, we’ve been through this. Rushing isn’t going to do you or the clan any good.” Tyrese’s tone shifted to a more serious one, but Nexus only noticed because of his years of knowing the guy. “Why don’t you take the time to get to know this man Cupid has picked for you? I can stall your uncles and sister for at least another week.”
“And if they go through with their threats and issue a challenge Friday?” Nexus reminded him of the deadline hanging over his head like a guillotine.
Tyrese sounded almost mournful as he said, “Then I guess you’ll just have to rip one of their throats out.”
“Easy for a snake to say,” Nexus hissed. Images of the last person he had to kill for his title flashed in his mind. Taking a deep breath, he shook the haunting memories off.
“Why yes, it is easy to say,” Tyrese agreed. “But more than that, it’s what’s needs to be done. You’re the Regulus of our clan. That means you’re responsible for what happens to us. If you won’t step up and fight, then who is going to?”
Nexus’s stomach churned at the thought of having to spill the blood of his kin. Ever since the last Regulus died, and Nexus had to fight for the title, he’d avoided doing it again. He could still feel the coppery twang of his defeated opponents on his tongue after all these decades. More damning, he could see his friend, Lane, at his feet unmoving.
“Nexus.” Tyrese drew him from his memories, “I, more than anyone, understand your reluctance, but this isn’t something you can avoid. You can take the time to court your new mate though.”
“No.” Nexus stood fast to his determined plan. “I’ll court Roy later. I need to secure his place amongst the clan and at my side immediately. Cupid has until tomorrow to fill him in. You have until tomorrow morning to find me someone to preside over the wedding. See that it gets done!”
“As you wish, Regulus.”
Chapter Three
Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!
That’s who Cupid planned for Roy to spend the rest of his life with? That pompous, oversized, flesh-covered, sex god statue?
Roy frowned. He hadn’t meant to add the sex god part in his little internal rant about the jackass.
He sat in a high back chair in front of Cupid’s desk, squeezing a stress ball in one hand and flexing the other. His lips were drawn tight in irritation as he resisted the urge to grind his teeth. The nerve of that fucking cat! How dare he make such ridiculous fucking demands of him!
“I’m sorry you had to meet Nexus like that,” Cupid sighed, riffling through a filing cabinet to the left of Roy’s current location. “Normally he’s an agreeable guy, but the tensions within his clan have got him on edge lately.”
“That has nothing to do with me,” Roy huffed.
Cupid laughed, a sad bitter sound. “Unfortunately, it has quite a lot to do with you.” Finding the file he’d been looking for, Cupid claimed his seat and opened the file. “Nexus has been challenged for the title of Regulus of the western clan, unless he mates by Friday.”
“Regulus?” Roy squeezed the stress ball tighter, not entirely sure he was ready to find out what that word meant.
“Nexus is the high ruler of the entire western clan,” Cupid explained.
Oh, good god. Roy could feel his mind shutting down as the reality of what was closing in on him started becoming clear.
“The clan is usually broken up into smaller groups. Packs, prides, covens, nests, what you call them would depend primarily on the type of supernatural living within the group. Nexus has been the reigning Regulus over the western clan for over fifty years, and he’s done it all alone.”
“Why would a jaguar be in charge of everyone?” Okay, that was not the most immediate question circling Roy’s mind right now. The most forefront was, how the fuck could he get out of this situation? Maybe Cupid could pair him with someone else?
Sadness fell over Cupid’s eyes as he flipped a page in the file. “When one Regulus dies, or steps down, all the groups in the clan send a representative to participate in the Regulus Rites.”
“I don’t like the sound of that.” Roy swallowed around the lump slowly getting bigger and bigger in his throat.
“It’s a gladiator type death match pitting all the would-be candidates against each other. The final one left alive is the new Regulus.” Cupid spat the final part like he was clearing his mouth of a nasty unwanted taste. “The ordeal has haunted Nexus ever since, but luckily he’s gone unchallenged, as well.”
“Until now?” Maybe the guy wasn’t so bad? Roy couldn’t imagine what it must have been like, having to fight so many people just for some title.
“His uncles, with his sister Maria backing them, want to take control of the clan.” Cupid sighed, another page flipping over. “I have no clue why they would want to do such a thing, but Nexus is desperate to keep his family from throwing the clan into turmoil again. To maintain his control, and not have to kill a member of his own family, Nexus must have a mate by the end of the week.”
“And that’s me.” Roy sank into his seat, feeling a heavy stone weigh down on his stomach. So, his new life wasn’t going to exactly be all peaches and cream with his soul mate. Apparently, he was being used as a chess piece to stave off war. Oh, joy!
Cupid nodded. “Our usual process allows you two to go on multiple dates, getting to know each other before the mating ceremony. Unfortunately, I can’t see another way out of this situation, besides allowing you and Nexus to marry as soon as possible, and complete the mating, as well.”
“So, I’m supposed to marry and have sex with someone I literally just met?” Roy gaped.
Again, Cupid nodded. “This isn’t how I normally proceed with all of this. But, will you agree to the stipulations, now that you know what is going on?”
Roy rubbed his temples. He was starting to think dying would be easier than all of this. Maybe he could’ve been reincarnated as a dust mite or something? Then he could’ve spent his days happily floating through the air, not a care in the world until he landed on a surface and set up shop there. He’d only be disturbed when he was dusted off and sent on to his next destination. Yeah, that sounded like an awesome life.
“I would’ve liked at least one date,” Roy grumbled.
“Excuse me?” Cupid frowned at him.
Realizing he’d said that out loud, Roy straightened and said, “Would it be too much to ask that I get to have at least one date with Nexus before our lives are forever bound?”
Cupid’s face went neutral for a moment before he brightened. “Considering the demands he’s making of you, I don’t see why not. Yes, that is an entirely reasonable request. Just give me a moment, and I’ll have my secretary contact him.”
Roy didn’t say anything as Cupid got up and left the office. Going back to squeezing the stress ball, he considered what he’d just agreed to. If Nexus accepted the date, then tomorrow he was
going to be getting married to someone he honestly didn’t know. What was his mother going to say when he told her? Forget his mother, what were his grandparents going to think when he brought a man to Christmas dinner? He still hadn’t even told them he was gay! His mother knew, but not his ultra-traditional grandparents.
The god of love returned all too soon with an even bigger smile on his face. “Nexus has agreed to your request. He said he’ll pick you up at your apartment at six o’clock tonight.”
And the bottom had just dropped out from beneath Roy, leaving him in a tailspin as he nodded and stood from his own seat. Sure, it was his idea, but he’d been hoping Nexus wouldn’t agree to it. “Is there anything else you need from me?”
“Not today.” Cupid guided him to the door. “I’ll be at the wedding tomorrow, to walk you through it.”
“Yeah, okay.” Roy was numb as he stepped into the elevator and headed down to the lobby.
“Your car is waiting for you, Mr. Veiga,” the large man at the door said with a bow as he walked by.
“Car? I don’t have a car.” Roy frowned, stopping in front of him. Well, he didn’t have a car anymore. He was still waiting to hear back from the insurance about what was to be done with his now useless scrap of a vehicle.
“I believe Mr. Nexus Nahuel had it arranged,” he explained. “As a security measure.”
Right, his soon-to-be husband wasn’t exactly popular right now. The fact Roy was the key to that popularity didn’t make him feel any more at ease with the situation.
Without saying anything else, Roy stepped out of the building and into the awaiting black Benz town car. He didn’t even look at the driver as he recited his address and just leaned back into the buttery-smooth leather seats.
