Page 75 of Cupid's Last Arrow

He towers over me, taller than Eros, perhaps six-six. His hands stay on my arms, keeping me upright as I crane my head back to look him in the eye.

“Why did you have me dragged down to Tartarus?” I ask, knowing he probably didn’t do it, but maybe he will spill the beans on who did.

“No, my brother did that,” he says, sadness coating his words.

“Your twin, Thanatos?” I ask.

“You really have been doing your homework.” He grins, releasing my arm before stroking the side of my face.

I wince even though the gesture is gentle. “You gods are really touchy-feely, huh?”

“Only with things that confound us.” His gaze wanders over my face as if he’s memorizing it.

“Thisthingconfounds you allthatmuch?” I huff. “Well, you are all confusing too.”

The magnitude of what’s happening hits me. I’m trapped in the underworld, and Hypnos has abducted my consciousness—again.

“So… am I dead?” I ask.

“Not yet, but if you stay in Tartarus very long, you will die,” Hypnos explains.

“Why does Thanatos want me to die?”

“You will have to ask him why he brought you there.” Hypnos’s eyes swirl, black on black, as if some emotion was winding him up. I sense he’s reading me. “Carl wasn’t everything you hoped he would be, was he?” the dream god pries.

I back away from Hypnos, and he lets me break free. “How do you know so much about me?” I demand.

“I am your dreams.” He steps closer, and I move back again, as if we’re doing some strange dance. “I own almost half of your existence. I’m in your hopes, your aspirations, your nightmares, and sometimes, even your daydreams.”

I move away again. “That makes you quietly more powerful than the other gods.”

Hypnos gives me a wry smile. “Shush now, don’t tell them. I have more power than most think I do, if they remember me at all.” He steps toward me slowly. “Butyouremember me, don’t you, sweet mortal?”

I take small steps backward to evade him. “Why have you brought me here?”

The backs of my legs bump the bed, and I barely stay upright as Hypnos presses closer, pinning me to the side of the mattress with his body. “You didn’t accept Eros, so I thought maybe you might want to consider me.”

“I was going to accept him,” I argue.

“Soheturned you away?” he asks mostly to himself.

“Look, uh, I should probably settle things with Eros before I make any commitments,” I reply, trying to reason my way out of whatever this is.

“Wouldn’t you want to help others dream up their goals, solve their problems, and play in a wonderland of imagination?”

“That sounds lovely… in theory, but like I said, I need to have some closure with Eros before I decide.” I grab his hands, which are about to wrap around my waist. “Don’t I have to deal with your brother too?”

“Not if you accept me. You won’t have to be burdened by Thanatos, Hermes, or even Eros.” He smiles, idly rubbing my ring finger where Eros’s ring remains. “I can keep them all away and protect you better than they can.”

Although Hypnos is handsome, his charms aren’t working on me. However, if Eros doesn’t want me, and Thanatos is a jerk, then I should at least know what his offer entails. He seems like he’s the least of the evils outside of Eros.

“So… what’s your pitch? What do you want from me?” I ask, my voice revealing a hint of irritation.

He looks up from my ruby ring and refocuses on my face. “Mypitchis that you would have billions of dreamers at your disposal. You can help me influence and inspire them.”

“What else do you want?” I ask, knowing there has to be more. “Why me?”

“Your pure heart, of course.” Hypnos crowds closer again.

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