“Really?” the nerdy guys asks, pushing his glasses up his nose.
“Really. I’m very proud of you all.”
I can tell they don’t want to like my praise, but a few smiles escape, anyway.
“You can have the rest of the night off here,” I say, and I get a collection of whoops and claps. “ I’ll send you back to earth tomorrow. Make it the best Valentine’s Day ever for those humans, alright?”
They all nod and break off, while Sev and I stay behind.
Sev bumps me playfully with his shoulder. “Good fooking job, you.”
“Thanks, Sev. I couldn’t have done it without you.”
“We’re alrigh’ at this love shite, after all, aye?”
I smile. “Aye.”
And yeah, we might have seven hundred genfins around with boners and wet undies, but it’s a small price to pay for three new, happy genfin matches.
Cupid boss win.
Chapter 18
My mates and I have been celebrating at the after-party for hours. The pavilion quickly changed from the formal, elegant mating ceremony to a lavish, slightly weird genfin revelry. There’s a lot of…rutting going on. It’s been confirmed that the new mated coveys successfully went into heat, so they’re all sequestered away in their homes, nesting and getting it on. As far as the rest of the partygoers? Well the troll cupid let out a lot of lust. The sexfest was pretty much inevitable.
“I’m officially on maternity leave,” I muse aloud.
The four of my guys are settled around me in a nice mate cocoon while we watch the entertainment and enjoy the food. There are genfins on the stage doing their ritual dances, while music plays in the background. More genfins come around with wooden platters, serving kabob-style food and fairy wine. It’s a beautiful night, even amidst all the animal grunting going on around us.
“Yes. You worked hard, and you trained them well,” Sylred tells me, kissing me on the top of the head. “I’m proud of you.”
“Thanks, Syl.”
I’m sandwiched between him and Evert, while I’m using Okot as a chair, and Ronak has my legs in his lap. Everyone is lounging on furs and pillows on the ground since genfins can’t handle tables and chairs in their animal forms.
My cupids are enjoying themselves with the rest of the night off, chatting up genfins and probably trying to get lucky. Sev disappeared hours ago with a male and female in tow, the horny bastard.
Just then, Ronak’s mother walks up with her mates. She looks down at us where we sit, but instead of seeming haughty like usual, she’s regarding me curiously. “Well. It seems you being a cupid was slightly helpful to genfins, after all. You didn’t completely embarrass yourself for once,” she says.
I beam. “That’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me!” I bet it was all the Lust she involuntarily inhaled. I’m pretty sure I saw her sneaking off with her mates earlier.
She sniffs. “Yes, well. About that thing that you mentioned earlier.”
I blink at her with confusion until I remember my offer to shoot her and her males up with some Love Arrows. “Oh! Yes,” I say eagerly. “What about it?”
“It would be quite alright if you tried it. Sometime. When I’m not much too busy for you.”
My grin widens. I feel like I just won
a medal. My cupids and I must have really impressed her tonight. “Just say the word, and I’ll be there.”
She sniffs again and then gives me a terse nod. “Well, then. I bid you all good night.” She looks to Ronak. “Don’t allow your covey to embarrass the Fircrown name tonight.”
Ronak opens his mouth to argue, but Evert’s chuckle cuts him off. “Don’t worry, Resha. We’ll wait until tomorrow to do that.”
She sniffs displeasingly and then walks off. Ronak’s fathers shake their heads, tell us goodnight, and follow behind her.
I turn to my mates in victory. “See!” I say excitedly. “She totally likes me now. I knew I could finally get her. By this time next year, we’ll totally be getting pedicures together and primping each other’s wings while we gossip. She’s gonna like me so much, she’ll probably even learn how to smile.”