Cupid's Daughter

by Libby Sparks

  "Those are Cherubs and we stopped using them a long time ago."

  "Why?"

  "Because some idiot gave a flying baby a weapon and told it to shoot people. Not exactly the most discreet way of operating business."

  Adam nodded. "Point taken."

  "What about you? What's your story?" I asked.

  Adam grinned. "I thought you had a big file on me?"

  "Oh, I don't bother to read those things. I find the name and address and get the job done. I don't like to get involved and I don't like to drag it out."

  "You are with me, though, getting involved."

  "You're special," I mocked. "You're an immortal; it takes a bit more...finesse."

  "I see."

  There was another long pause between us as we walked his massive beast of a dog through the trees. It was nice here, in the park, the air was clean and fresh and I had a sense of clarity as I walked.

  "So, are you going to tell me your story or not?"

  Adam stopped and sat on an old wooden bench. Bones came over and planted down right at his feet. I stood and stared as I waited for an answer but he just pat the seat next to him with a mocking grin. He was far too similar to me, it was annoying. I rolled my eyes and plopped down beside him.

  "I guess you will just have to do your job and read my file."

  "Are you kidding? I told you; I don't read the files."

  "Well, if you want to get this assignment done then I suggest you do your job." He loved this, I could tell from the grin he failed to hide.

  "Look, just read my file, it will help you do this. There is a reason why I haven't been matched to anyone."

  "Yeah, you're immortal, you have to be with another immortal," I said with annoyance. “Plus, you’re disgusting and annoying, and possibly a little deranged.”

  He just chuckled. "It's a little more complicated than that."

  "Will your file also tell me why you keep a gun in your apartment and explain your temper problem?"

  "Maybe, maybe not, depends on how you perceive the information."

  I crossed my arms over my chest and huffed in defeat.

  Adam pet Bone's head as he glanced up at the sky.

  "So, you're the daughter of Cupid," he spoke out loud, almost to himself. "So, in the 'Godly term', she would be-"

  "Amores," I finished for him, "the daughter of Venus."

  "Huh, I always thought Venus had a son."

  "That's what the myths say. I'm not even sure where the confusion came from. Just muddled information told by mortals over the years, I guess."

  "So, you know Aphrodite?"

  I nodded, beginning to get a little annoyed. Maybe this was the reason I never got too involved with my clients. I hated talking about my oh-so-special lineage.

  "And her son, Eros?"

  "Yeah, he's my moms close friend. I'll have to take you to meet them all sometime."

  "Me?" He seemed shocked. "Up to Olympus?"

  "Oh no," I corrected. "They don't live in Olympus. They live on Olympia Lane, in the house of love, which is more like a Greek mansion."

  "Why don't you live there?"

  "You're just full of questions," I mocked.

  Adam genuinely laughed and I smiled at the musical sound. "I'm curious."

  "It's like the suburb of Olympus," I continued coming up with no better explanation for it.

  Adam called Bones over to him. He was still lounging around near us. Then he attached Bones' leash to his collar and we began walking back to his apartment.

  "So what's the deal?" Adam questioned after a while of silence. "What are you going to do to help my love life?"

  I pondered a moment in thought. "Well, I'm going to have to hang around you for a while to get a feel on what you're like."

  "Why?" he asked and nudged me with his elbow. "Not that I'm complaining."

  I rolled my eyes. "When I match two people up, they normally have to be in the same area so I can feel their connection. But, with you it's different because you're immortal. Immortals have to be matched with other immortals and I can't sense your soul mate unless I'm with you. If I stick around you then I'll sense her, or him, I don't judge."

  "I want her," Adam assured quickly, his eyes flickering to mine.

  "Okay. I'm also going to need a whole profile on dislikes and likes in potential mates."

  "Um, alright," Adam mumbled unsure as we reached his apartment building. "Uh...do you want to come up?"

  I looked up the building and wrinkled my nose, recalling the awful smell from yesterday. "No thanks but I am gonna to have to, eventually. So I need you to do something."

  "Like what?"

  "I want you to clean your house for tomorrow."

  "Why? What's tomorrow?"

  "Nothing, I'm going to be over and I would very much like to not hurl," I explained.

  "Fine, but you better bring me breakfast if you're coming over early," he kidded.

  "Yeah, yeah," I replied. I stuck my hands in my jacket pocket and began walking back toward my apartment.

  "Oh, and Ari?" he called out to me. "Don't forget to read my file." His mouth curled up at the corners. What the heck was in that damn file?

  Chapter Six

  I arrived in front of Adam's door at seven a.m. in a horrible mood. Spencie decided to yap at every little noise she heard the night and I had gotten next to no sleep. The night consisted of me tossing and turning until the sun came up and I could head over to Adam's at a reasonable hour.

  I pounded on his door a few times and prayed that he actually followed my instructions and cleaned up. When no one answered I grew irritated, a mood that I was bound to stay in today. I really needed a smoke. I banged on the door again, louder, in attempt to get Adam’s attention.

  After a few minutes, I finally heard some scuffling from the other side. The door opened and Adam stood there with messy hair and sleepy eyes. Thank goodness he was too busy rubbing his eyes to notice me staring at his half naked body. It was like looking at a Greek statue. I quickly averted my gaze to Bones, the giant who appeared at our feet.

  “What time is it?” he mumbled. I smiled at how adorable he sounded.

  “Aw,” I teased patting his cheek as I walked past him into the apartment. I didn’t get far before I noticed that nothing had been touched since yesterday. “I’m glad you cleaned up for me,” I added sarcastically.

  Adam brushed my shoulder as he passed by and checked the clock on the oven. “Seven? You woke me up at seven on a Saturday?”

  I rolled my eyes. “What time do you normally wake up on weekends?”

  He moaned. “I dunno, I usually roll out of bed around lunchtime everyday,” he answered grumpily.

  "You don't work?"

  "Um, no." He looked away and ducked into the kitchen

  "What's your duty here on Earth, then?"

  He shrugged and I watched his flawless muscles flex. "Stay pretty?"

  I rolled my eyes and changed the subject. “Why didn’t you clean?”

  “Didn’t feel like it,” he replied with another shrug. This day is just not off to a good start.

  “Jesus,” I muttered surveying the mess. I spotted a package of cigarettes hidden under a pizza box on his coffee table. I licked my lips and, before I knew it, the pack was in my hands. I pulled a cigarette out and popped it into my mouth. Adam suddenly seemed wide awake.

  “You can’t smoke that in here,” he yelled.

  I cocked an eyebrow as if to say 'just try and stop me' and fished for my lighter. “Why not?”

  “It'll make the wallpaper yellow,” he said before ripping the cigarette from my mouth. I hadn’t had a cigarette in two days and my cravings were taking on a life of their own.

  “You’re house smells like barf and rotten food but you’re worried about yellowing wallpaper?” I was a little more than annoyed and the lingering taste of tobacco on my lips was driving me nuts.

  “Yes, but a mess can be cleaned. The wallpaper I’ll have to pay for,”
he explained. He grabbed the whole pack out of my hands and threw it in the trash. I could save those cigarettes later when he wasn’t looking.

  “Why do you even have them if you don’t smoke?”

  Adam yawned. “One of my friends must have left it here.”

  I sighed and looked around, trying to take my mind off the cigarettes. “If you don’t clean this place up then I’m going to have to do it myself.”

  Adam leaned against his counter, his abs flexing, my eyes staring. “Is that supposed to be a threat?”

  “This apartment is a threat," I mumbled and averted my eyes again.

  “Okay, do it. Rubber gloves are under the sink and there’s cleaning stuff under there too. Vacuum, broom, and mop are all in the hall closet. Have fun.”

  "Wait! I was kidding!" I yelled after him as he headed back to bed.

  Adam turned and looked at me. “Why is it such a big deal for me to have a clean place?”

  Shouldn’t the answer have been obvious? “No one lives like this and no girl is going to want to stay here with you if it constantly smells like death.”

  “Hmm,” Adam muttered to himself as if he had never considered that. “Well, have fun!”

  “Wait-” I stopped him from walking down the hallway. “Where are you going?”

  “Back to bed,” he replied. I followed him, having to step over piles of trash and dirty clothes to do so. When we reached his large bedroom, I noticed that it was cleaner than before. There were no dirty clothes covering the surfaces, no pizza sauce stains on the sheets, and it smelled like something-Febreeze? He must have tidied in there. He flopped down on his bed and I noted that Bones took up half of it.

  “Goodnight,” he mumbled snuggling into his blanket. I watched him curiously and leaned against his door frame and just stared. Adam’s back was up against Bones' and he seemed so comfortable. He opened his eyes and peered over at me, annoyed.

  “It’s hard to fall asleep with someone watching,” he pointed out.

  “If I’m cleaning, then I will just wake you up."

  “No,” Adam assured. “I’m a heavy sleeper. Unless you’d like to join me?” He opened the blanket, inviting m in with a coy smile.

  I rolled my eyes and walked back into the living room with a sigh. I pulled my hair back into a ponytail and found the rubber gloves. Within an hour, the floor became slightly visible. I had sorted every gross item of clothing into color piles. I was pretty sure he had more clothes than any girl I’ve ever known and I wondered what he did when he ran out…if he ever ran out. I threw the loose trash into bags. It easily filled up three hefty bags of items so disgusting and old that I barely recognized any of them.

  When I went to grab the garbage bag under the sink I found the pack of cigarettes. My mouth practically began to water. I snatched them up and slipped the pack into my pocket.

  During the next hour, I cleaned all of his dirty dishes which half ended up in the trash because the mouldy food just wouldn’t come off. As I was waiting for them to dry, I decided to straighten up the living room. Without the clothes and trash cluttering the floor, the place already looked ten times better.

  I was cleaning off his coffee table, which seemed to be used for junk collection, when I found an iPod. Curious, I picked it up and turned it on, happy to find that it had battery life. I smiled to myself and searched the place for the headphones.

  His library consisted of older songs but I didn’t complain, I kind of liked them. I checked in on the sleeping giant and his bear to make sure I wasn’t too loud.

  I found the vacuum and cleaned off his couch and loveseat as well as his carpet. I cleaned and scrubbed his bathroom which was the worst nightmare I had ever witnessed in my life. It looked and smelled like the bathroom of a dirty bar.

  The shuffle list skipped to a song by ABBA while I was sweeping the kitchen and I just couldn’t help myself. I had to break it down.

  “Young and sweet, only seventeen…” I sang as I switched the broom for the mop. I got the bucket of soapy water ready as I jammed out some more.

  “See that girl, watch that scene…” I began to scrub the floors. "Feel the beat from the tambourine,” I sang along awhile using the wooden end of the mop as my microphone. Then I noticed someone watching me and I dropped the mop like it was covered in the plague.

  “Um, good morning,” I greeted as casually as I could. Adam was on the other side of the hallway leaning against the wall but I could see a smirk on his face. He must have been watching for a while.

  “Why did you stop?”

  “I was just having fun. I didn’t really want an audience.”

  “The place looks good,” he commented. I wondered why he was still at the other end of the hall. He seemed to read my thoughts as he pointed down on the floor. “It’s wet.”

  I nodded and pointed at the mop. “I know. I made it that way. Afraid of a bit of water?”

  Adam laughed then strolled through the hallway and into the kitchen while Bones came out of the bedroom and hopped up on the couch. I wanted to protest since I had just gotten the hair off but I continued my mopping.

  Once I finished the hallway, I dumped the contents of the bucket into the bathtub and left the mop in there to dry. I walked out into the living room and took a seat at one of the barstools. Then I grabbed Adam’s iPod out of my pocket and set it on the counter while he gathered ingredients for making something on the stove.

  “Good music,” I complimented and shoved it toward him across the counter.

  Adam glanced over at me and smiled. “I’m one for the classics since it was more my time.”

  “More your time?” He talked as if he were ages older than me. “How old are you?”

  “I’m two hundred and ten years old.” He flipped over something in the frying pan. It looked like an omelette.

  “Wow, and you haven’t found a soul mate yet? Not even a girlfriend?”

  “Oh, I’ve had girlfriends.” His mouth curled up at the ends. “But no soul mate, and if you read my file then you would know why. So, I guess that means you didn’t do your homework last night.”

  I blushed. Damn it. “No, I was, um, busy.”

  “How old are you?” he asked while grabbing now clean plate from the cupboard.

  “Seventy five.”

  “Seriously?”

  I nodded as I watched him slip the omelette onto his plate. He took a few bites of his food then met my eyes.

  “You’re just a baby,” he teased and peered at me form the corner of his eye.

  “Oh, and you’re such a comedian.” I retorted back.

  “How old do you tell people you are?”

  Before I could speak, my stomach suddenly growled. Adam laughed after realizing what the sound was.

  “Here,” he said and pushed the plate toward me. My mouth started to water just looking at it. He handed me his fork and then went back to the fridge for more ingredients for another omelette.

  “You already took a few bites from this.”

  “Afraid of germs?” he teased. “You shouldn’t be after cleaning this place.”

  I rolled my eyes and shoved half the omelette in my mouth. It had cheese, ham, salt and pepper, and peppers. As soon as Adam turned around to face me, it was gone. I rubbed my stomach appreciatively and he looked at me wide eyed.

  “Hungry?”

  “That was so good, thanks.”

  Adam gave me a small smile. “It’s a gift I have. Do you want another one?”

  I shook my head. “No thanks and twenty five.”

  “What?” His brow creased in confusion as he took my plate to the sink.

  “You asked what age I tell people I am,” I explained. Adam nodded returning to his cooking. “What about you?”

  “Twenty seven,” he answered easily as he flipped the second omelette.

  There was a knock on the door and I looked over at Adam confused.

  “Are you expecting someone?”

  Adam just rolled his eye
s as if he knew the person on the other side and stomped over to the door. Another guy, about our age, barged in past him, excited about something.

  “Dude, you totally gotta come with me to this club tonight…oh I didn’t realize you had…company,” the guy said when he noticed me sitting there. He had an olive complexion, wore a grey fedora and was looking me up and down.

  “Hey Seth, nice to see you too,” Adam muttered under his breath as he closed the door.

  “She’s pretty,” Seth commented as he studied me. “Please, tell me that you are doing her.”

  My eyes widened at Adam as if to say 'this is the type of friends you keep?' He had returned to the frying pan and slid an omelette on a new plate. He didn’t seem affected by his friend's comment.

  “Nope,” he said coolly with his hands carelessly shoved in his pockets.

  “Whoa dude!” Seth suddenly noticed the work I had done. “What is that?”

  “The floor,” I responded. “Isn’t amazing?”

  “Who knew you had beige carpet?” Seth wondered out loud as he walked into the living room in awe. Adam rolled his eyes and just continued eating his eggs. “Who cleaned your place man?”

  I slowly raised my hand and Seth’s expression turned into a wide grin. “Dude, doing the maid, awesome!”

  Adam rinsed off his now empty plate then turned to his annoying friend.

  “Seth,” he began in a stern voice. “This is Ari. Ari, Seth. I believe I’ve mentioned him before.”

  I nodded recalling his name. No wonder Adam thought his friend had put me up to the whole soul mate thing. Seth rushed over to me. “Wow you’re, like, really hot! Too bad this screwball over here is doing you.”

  “I’m not,” Adam commented sharply, almost offended. “I only met her yesterday.”

  “I would say ditch this guy and get with a winner, like me, but I’m married. Sorry sweetie,” Seth declared, patting my knee comfortingly.

  “I’m sure you broke a lot of hearts.” I crooked my head and gave him a sarcastic smile.

  “Oh, a witty one,” he gave me a grin and I scowled at him. “I approve!” Seth turned to his friend who was now sitting on the couch.

  “Say whatever you want, man. I’m not dating her nor do I plan on it,” Adam made very clear. Seth and I exchanged glances. I just shrugged at him, trying not to seem offended. What, was I not good enough to date?