Page 14 of Cupid’s Flight

“We barely know each other,” Leo admitted. One wonderful date and a lot of really good sex did not mean they would be perfect spouses. Leo had ended more than enough relationships with people who had trapped themselves in loveless marriages that way, and he wasn’t about to do something like that to Hei.

Hei hummed to himself and then nodded. “You make a good point. How about this? Tonight, I’ll let you fuck me through the mattress instead. Tomorrow, we can have a look at our human couple back on Earth to see if they’re thinking wedding bells too, and then you can take me out for a second date. We can build from there and go wherever life takes us.”

Leo liked the sound of that. “We’ll have to meet with the elders first and explain what just happened, but yeah. I’d like that a lot.”

“Good!” Hei giggled and tugged harder on Leo’s arm. “Hurry up, then. I can’t wait to be under you, wet and ready and begging. The faster we finish telling the elders what happened, the faster we can get back to being naked in your bedroom.”

Leo laughed and let Hei pull him into flying faster. Happiness and love—and filthy promises—were definitely a good way to start a relationship. Leo couldn’t wait to see what the future held for them both, together.

Epilogue

The feeling of nonexistence, of being nothing, formless, floating, waiting, was familiar in a way. Not that he remembered this sensation, not really. He simply felt as if someone’s arms were around whatever he was or wasn’t, holding him close in an embrace so full of love that he couldn’t doubt that this was where he belonged.

In the comfort of those arms, it would be so easy to drift away. He could remain like this forever, not thinking or feeling, just existing in the endless nothingness that was his sense of self. Yet, at the same time, a strange weight inside of him also kept him aware. Pointed and hard, it should have hurt, but the love he felt from the arms around him was only echoed with equal strength by the arrow in his heart. A reminder, he realized. And hope. That’s what the arrow stood for, and that’s why he curled himself around that weight, embracing it much as the arms of nothingness embraced him.

“My child, it is time.” The voice appeared in his head, although he couldn’t say for certain whether he actually heard words, or just a perception of intent.

Yes, he thought, placing one hand over his heart where the arrow would forever remain, reminding him of love. Even as those wonderful arms slid away, the arrow was his and went with him.

Copper light flashed across the sky as he opened his eyes. He stood in a familiar pavilion, an open-sided octagon with a high, delicately carved railing surrounded by a pond full of colorful koi and bright green lily pads with small, pink flowers blooming. He was in the chamber of rebirth, one of the most beautiful places in the celestial realm. He turned slowly to look at the entrance directly behind him and swallowed hard at what he saw. Buddhas and tennyo—tennin of all kinds—crowded in the space, all of them smiling in happy welcome.

He looked around at all the tennin hurrying over to the pavilion, hoping, and finally caught sight of a pair of silver wings. Hei’s smile was wide and welcoming, with absolutely no trace of anger or disappointment. His smile widened and he waved one hand when he realized he had been noticed. The cupid with the purple and black wings who had helped put the steel arrow full of love and hope in his heart stood next to Hei, holding Hei’s hand. The cupid also smiled in welcome.

He would have to learn the cupid’s name, so he could thank him properly. Perhaps they might join him for tea later.

Obaasan pushed through the growing crowd, still strong, although the last remnants of the green in her hair had faded to gray while he was gone. She would enter the cycle of rebirth soon, but he was glad he had been reborn before that happened so he could see her again.

“Tennyo Shen Shi, you have returned to us,” she called, opening her arms.

Shen Shi fell into her embrace, holding her close and breathing in her usual scent of incense and spring air, and she held him tightly in return.

“I’m home.”