Page 34 of Incurably Cupid

“He tried to set up a dating profile a few months back and had half the town convinced he was starting a cult,” Astrid, or who I assumed was Astrid, said.

I had to fight the urge to laugh.

Because this wasn’t funny. Not even a little. I was in so much pain I was considering crying, and I never cried. But I couldn’t cry. It would only make the pain worse. I still couldn’t see anything but blurs and shades of light, and the stupid doctor still hadn’t shown up!

“Look, I’d love to help you. I really would. But I can’t help anyone until I can see straight and my skull stops pounding like a mariachi band is playing inside it."

“Of course. We’ll just settle quietly while we wait for the healer,” Felix said.

I sighed and leaned back on the couch, closing my eyes. They hadn't intended to harm me, and other than tying me to a chair, they had been calm and rational. I didn’t feel threatened by any of them, and my cupid lie detector had only detected the truth when they explained why they needed my help.

Was I in pain and three seconds from losing the bread and fondue I’d had hours ago? Yes. But I wasn’t being threatened, I couldn’t see to leave, a doctor was on their way, and my head was splitting so much that I couldn’t seem to focus my magic enough to slip into the ether. To a human, this would be reason to run or pull a Jackie Chan on them, but to a paranormal? Eh. It was a typical Tuesday. Well, maybe not all that typical. But not all that unusual either.

Leo was not going to be happy with me.

For that matter, I didn’t think Mesmer would be pleased about this either.

I just hoped they both stayed home and didn’t mount a rescue, especially Mesmer. He was just barely starting to heal. I didn’t want to be the cause of his wounds reopening when they were just beginning to close.

After a few minutes, someone politely knocked, then let themselves in.

“Did someone call for a doctor?” The voice of the person was deep and gravelly. My head turned toward the sound. I could barely make out a large male standing there in haloed sunlight with what looked like a bag in his hand.

“Yes, me, please. I have a head injury.”

Everyone else in the room remained silent as the male knelt in front of me. I squinted, trying to see his features, but that only made my head pound so intensely that I nearly threw up. So, I gave up and let him tend to me. He asked me questions, examined my skull, took readings with various human andmagical instruments, then shined what felt like a blinding spotlight into my eyes that immediately broke my brain.

I don’t remember much after that because I threw up on him and then passed out.

Unfortunate. He had sounded attractive.

Chapter 12

Indie

“Love is merciful.”

Cupid Inc. New Recruit Training Manual

Iwoke up to the sound of my mum and dad arguing and thought I was hallucinating. My parents didn’t argue. I remembered when they’d sat me down in my early teens and explained, in great detail, that communication was the key to a healthy marriage and that shouting at your spouse was not healthy.

I learned this from their example first and later from instructors in both high school and college. Cupid U offered several communication classes, each tailored for different purposes. My personal favorite had been the one I took during my university years,Healing Your Marriage Through Healthy Communication.We studied couples’ case histories and were graded on how well we could hypothetically help them. Let’s just say that the first time I took that class, all of my couples’ relationships met an ignominious end due to my frustration atnot being able to help them how I wanted to. I had to repeat the class over the summer.

At the time, it was a hard lesson for me: in order to succeed in my courses, I had to appear to conform, to do things the way everyone else did. There had been the odd teacher who let me succeed in my own way, but for the most part, my instructors expected a single response, a single way of doing things. I tried not to impose that rigidity on my own students now. There were too many ways to learn something, too many ways to solve a problem, and I felt I would be failing them if I stifled their creativity.

The paranormal couples in that class did receive help from cupid therapists, so thankfully, they got the support they needed.

I finally opened my eyes and blinked at the crowded room. I was lying in a hospital bed—I’d seen the inside of a hospital too often over the last several weeks—and my parents, a vampire in the corner, a shifter sitting by my bed, and a handsome male in doctor's scrubs were all gathered around me.

“Are you guys having a party in my room?” I asked, my voice crackly from disuse and the feeling that I’d swallowed the Gobi Desert. My mum turned away from my dad, her eyes brightening when she saw that I was awake.

She smiled radiantly and reached for my hand. “I’m so happy to see you awake, love. You terrified your dad and me.”

My mum sparkled like Lyrica. Those in the room kept stealing glances at her, even my dad, and I wasusedto him stealing glances at my mum. I was actually used to seeing much more affection between them, sadly, but it made me happy for them. Their marriage was still amazing and strong, and they still adored each other just as much as they had when they first got married. Or so they told me. I wouldn’t know, as I had not been present for that.

I think my parents were the reason I stayed a cupid in the field. They gave me hope that it was possible for a relationship to last. Huh, I just realized that.

“Glad to be awake too, Mum. Why are you and Dad here?”

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