Valentine's Vendetta - Part 1

A Cupid's bullet is not meant for everyone

Photo by Damon Lam on Unsplash

Hello everyone! You were supposed to get a full flash fiction piece today. However sometimes the story needs more time, than I have to write it. But thanks to an awesome editorRomana P. I managed to put together part 1 of this weird and hopefully funny twist on Cupid.

Enjoy!

P.S If you miss Microdosing. I challange you to put together a 50-word story on the prompt: HEART

For the day of love in the middle of February, the whole world decides that today, Love is in the air. And as with any holiday–if the whole world decides on something, the magical entities are going to have a lot of work on their hands. And there is no one busier than Cupid on Saint Valentine's Day.

Cupid bathed in the darkness of his barely lit office. Leaning back in his chair with Stephen King's The Outsider laid over his face. The horrible day was coming soon, and he was still hungover from the pinkness of the last one.

His golden curls were moist, almost as if not tended for a while, and the rest of his look wasn't much better. His white tank top was stained with coffee and various Mexican foods, and his black cargo pants had a couple of spots on them, ready to tear at any moment.

The old pink telephone on his table tore the silence with an annoying ring ring ring. Cupid grunted and let the phone ring. When the nerve-racking sound didn't stop for a minute. He threw the book to the side and answered.

"Huh?"

"You have a visitor, boss."

Cupid rubbed his color-changing eyes and massaged his temples. 

"Boss?"

"It's happening again, isn't it?"

"Same time every year. It's our job."

Cupid sighed. "Send them in," he said after a couple more seconds.

"Will do," the call ended, and Cupid slammed the phone back.

"Fucking Valentine," he muttered to himself while going over to the hanger and throwing his leather jacket over himself, hiding at least some of the damage to his clothes.

The first visitor came asking for an impossible love solution to help her save her marriage. Begging for another chance at love.

Cupid looked her deep in the eyes, and he saw all of the possibilities; there was no more love in there. Not for the guy she desperately wanted. It broke Cupid’s heart, the same way it always did, but he had to tell her it was not the way it worked.

Being in love and building a relationship were two different things. If he made her fall in love again, it wouldn't fix a thing; it would just be a band-aid of sorts. There was nothing he could do.

She left with tears, and the cycle continued. More people came in, asking him for favors and another chance. They wanted him to make someone love them and spend time with them on the "day of love". He didn't budge and kept repeating the same words over and over, "I'm sorry, I don't do that kind of thing anymore. There is nothing I can do for you."

The stream of clients slowly died down, and he fell into his chair, exhausted. So many people wanted love for free these days. "Just shoot them, Cupid, please!" they would shout. "Make them fall in love with me!"

He picked up the phone, and the voice from before came on the first ring. "Yes, boss?"

"Is that all of them?"

"Yes. Did you grant anyone's wish?" the voice on the other side was that of bummed excitement. She knew the answer.

"No, and I'm not planning to do so."

The silence on the other side spoke for itself.

"You want to tell me something, Emily."

"I mean... It's been a long time. And I have these two cute friends; they are perfect for each other. They just need a little push!"

"Absolutely not. I told you I'm not going to meddle in human affairs again. Unless I get an official contract from Destiny, I'm not shooting anyone."

She was quiet again.

"Emily?" a hint of alarm crawled in Cupid's voice.

"YOU CAN'T JUST GO THERE!" yelled Emily from the hallway. Cupid pinned his color-changing eyes on the doors as they burst open. A guy in his forties walked in. The man in the front curiously strolled around the office, seemingly unaware of Cupid.

Breathless, Emily stopped at the door. Her chubby cheeks flushed. "Sorry, boss, they-" 

Cupid stopped her with a raised palm, never taking his eyes from the newcomer. "It's okay, Emily. You can go."

"But-"

"It's okay," the honey-like voice was gone, and it sounded more like a snarl. Emily turned to leave, but one of the gangsters stood in her way.

Cupid met the main mobster's eyes. "What can I do for you?" he asked. There was no politeness hidden in that question.

The mobster gazed at him. "So you are the mighty Cupid? Aren't you supposed to be a child?" he asked and turned to his bodyguards, who were laughing at his joke.

Cupid didn't. His eyes slowly changed color to dark purple. "Yes, that would be me. And you are?"

"My name is Francesco De La Cruza," said the man as if that meant something really important, but Cupid just shrugged, which immediately made Mr. Cruza angry. He slammed a photo on Cupid's table and tapped it with his finger. The heavy gold ring on it sent a glare into Cupid's face.

"This is Leonora Santiago. She is the daughter of one of the most influential people in the country, and I want her. You are going to shoot her for me and make sure she will fall in love with me. Head over heels. I want her to love me more than anything in the world."

Cupid looked at the woman in the picture. A blonde in no more than her early thirties. "Why would I do that?"

The mobster snapped his fingers. One of his bodyguards placed a suitcase on the table and opened it. A bunch of green bills spilled over Cupid's table.

"That is about ten mil," the mobster said, "I can give you another ten after the job is finished."

Cupid raised an eyebrow, his eyes changed to teal. "I don't need your money. Plus, I'm not for hire anymore," he closed the lid of the suitcase and pushed it back towards them.

The mobster shook his head and reached into his coat. Emily squeaked in the door as the light from the single lamp reflected off the gun's barrel pointed between Cupid's eyes.

"If you don't do it for money. Maybe this will motivate you enough."

Cupid smiled. "What are you planning to do with that?" he asked and spread his wings to their full span.

The mobster returned the smile and moved the gun towards Emily. "Maybe I can't shoot you, but I can certainly shoot her."

Cupid's eyes changed to crimson red. "Don't you dare."

"Or what? Will you make us fall in love with each other? Take the job, and we will leave like the civil people we are."

There was a moment of breathtaking silence. Cupid's eye colors were shifting faster than before. His gaze skipped between his faithful assistant, the gun pointed to her face, and the man holding it. There was way more that he could do to them besides making them lustfully crazy over one another. He squeezed his fist, and the air became heavy. Even the mobsters could feel it as they took a step back.

The tension in the room rose, but in the end, Cupid folded his wings and nodded. "Let her go, and I will do it," he said with a sigh.

"You will do it," said Francesco and gestured to the gorillas. "But she comes with us–as collateral."

Francecsco's bodyguard took Emily by the waist and dragged her out of the room. Cupid was beside the mobster in seconds, ready to rip the heart from his chest, but he stopped just inches away.

"You sure you want to do that?" Francesco laughed in his face. "You can't directly hurt me. Can you?"

Cupid's eyes looked more like two burning embers. He snarled and stepped back.  

"Good boy. Now go and get me my love," Francesco said and left the room.

---

Ep. 2 is out now!

Valentine's Vendetta | Part 2

Thank you for reading. I will share the other parts of this story when they are ready, so hopefully for the next thursday which is the day of romance here on substack. Right?Kathrine Elaine

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