by AM Halford
They took an elevator up to the mall’s main floor, and Roy instantly went to the directory map. “Okay, so how about we just window shop?” Roy suggested. “We can learn about each other by which stores we gravitate toward and what interests us.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Nexus agreed.
Hands linked, they headed off into the crowd with Danyal and his guys spreading out around them. They stuck out like sore thumbs in this group of people, but thankfully they kept enough of a distance that no one realized who they were with.
Roy went into a music store, a bookstore, and one novelty shop that sold cultural items from around the globe. Nexus chose two clothing stores and a computer store. He also liked the bookstore Roy had gone into.
By the time they reached the food court on the second floor, Roy offered to treat him to a drink, which Nexus grudgingly agreed to. They got smoothies from a place called the Fruit Shack. With their drinks in hand, they started in on the second floor of shops. Roy, as a joke, went into Hot Topic. Nexus stood beside him as he walked through the displays, looking entirely out of place. Roy ended up getting a Kiss T-shirt, which Nexus paid for.
The night ended with them in front of a baby store. Roy felt his pulse spike as he looked at the nursery set displayed in the window. “Should we go in?” he whispered.
“If you want.” Nexus wrapped his arm around Roy’s waist. “No reason to rush that part of our lives though.”
“Yeah.” Roy nodded, but he still stepped forward and entered the store. Nexus followed closely behind.
As they looked around, Roy let his mind wander to what it would be like to have a child, and be pregnant for that matter. Setting his hand on his stomach, he couldn’t imagine it being distended with a baby. He knew it would happen. Everything else was real, so why not that? No matter what though, he just couldn’t wrap his mind around it.
“Hey.” Nexus walked up behind him, his arms circling him and drawing him backward against his muscular chest. “It’ll be okay. I promise.”
Roy could only stand there looking at a rocking chair with a stuffed jaguar in it with a small teddy bear beside it. Cupid had a hundred percent success rate. That meant he had Nexus would be happy together. Would they make good parents? Could they even be good parents with people after Nexus?
“Come on.” Nexus took Roy’s hand and directed him out of the store. “I saw an art store across the way. Let’s go check it out.”
“Good idea.” Roy looked over his shoulder to the baby store one last time, his hand again coming up to linger on his stomach. His life was about to change. Actually, it already was changing. He needed to get on board with it all now. He had agreed to all of this. There was no turning back.
Chapter Five
Roy’s leg just wouldn’t stop jumping as he sat in a comfortable chair looking at three suits being shown to him. Last night’s date had ended wonderfully, with Nexus dropping Roy off at his apartment and taking him upstairs to his door where they shared the most sensual kiss he’d ever had! Just remembering it made Roy lightheaded. He’d damn near let Nexus into his apartment right then and there to continue. Some inner power had kept him from doing that, and he’d said good night to his soon-to-be husband.
Right about now his apartment was being packed up by a group of people he didn’t know, and he was sitting in a room in the Cherry Matchmaking Agency with a tailor trying to focus on picking out a suit.
Yeah, it wasn’t going well.
At all.
Firstly, Roy didn’t know the first damned thing about picking out a suit! Second, where the hell was Cupid? Didn’t he say he’d be here to help walk him through all of this? Or was he expecting Roy to just handle everything himself? Thirdly, what the hell did the tailor mean by he needed to decide on a color for a binding sash? What in the ever-flying-fuck was a binding sash?
The direction given was to pick a color that symbolized him or his family. His family didn’t have a color. If Roy was to think of a color that mirrored him right now, it would be a dull, confused, colorless shade of gray. Of course, none of the colors presented to him amongst the plethora of sashes were gray. There was every color from black to white and the full spectrum in between. Just not gray. Honestly, Roy didn’t know there could be so many different shades of blues! Just that box alone had to have at least twenty different sashes.
“Sorry I’m late!” Cupid announced, rushing into the room with his secretary right behind him.
“Thank fuck,” Roy mumbled under his breath.
“Lacey, give Michael Roy’s measurements, and pick a suit for him,” Cupid instructed. “I’ll help him with the binding sash.”
“Of course.” Lacey nodded and moved to get the suit figured out.
At the same time Cupid walked over to Roy and started staring at him. It wasn’t a normal stare either. It was the kind of stare you’d give something that you were desperately trying to decide about. Like, if you were going to purchase a specific luxury item. Or maybe that slice of chocolate cake displayed on the dessert menu that everyone knew they shouldn’t eat, but almost always ended up ordering because it just looked so damned good. Okay, maybe that last part was just Roy. Still, Cupid was looking at him with an uncomfortable level of concentration.
“I’ve got it!” Cupid snapped, startling Roy. He turned with a flourish and moved to the oranges. Roy frowned. He’d never seen himself as an orange kind of guy. Sure, he enjoyed pumpkin pie and a glass of orange juice every now and again, but as for the color? To wear? Yeah, he’d never really thought about it. “Here we go.” Cupid came back with a persimmon silk sash. “This is your color.”
“Seriously?” Roy looked at the richly colored fabric. “Okay. But, what is it, and why does it need to be my color?”
“The sash represents you and your soul. Nexus’s sash is cerulean, and it represents his soul. During the ceremony, your hands will be bound with these two sashes, forming a physical symbol of the bond you are creating today. These two colors will also be used to represent you as a couple. Right now, all of Nexus’s papers and code of arms are done with just his color, but after tonight they’ll be revamped to include yours, as well.”
Okay, so color was a serious thing. Roy filed that information away for later. “How do you decide on a color?”
“For you, I look into your soul and just see the color it radiates with.” Cupid shrugged.
Roy suddenly felt very violated with that creepy tidbit of knowledge. So, Cupid had been looking at his soul this whole time? Gross!
“And Nexus?” he asked, instead of dwelling on the creep factor.
Cupid folded the decided sash into a separate box, one marked with some ancient and intricate character. Roy had no clue what it meant. He wasn’t even sure what language it was. “He, and all the other supernaturals, have their soul color revealed at birth.”
“How so?” Roy frowned.
“A radiance surrounds a newborn supernatural.” Cupid explained, “An aura if you will. The color is recorded by the delivering doctor for future use.”
“Okay,” Roy drawled, his eyes still looking at the box. “What’s that?” He pointed to the golden character.
“Hmm?” Cupid followed his finger and smiled. “Oh, this.” He traced the symbol with his finger. “It means bride.”
Roy choked on his breath as he gaped at the god beaming at him. “Bride? Why does it say bride?”
Cupid’s answering laugh set Roy’s nerves even further on edge. “Because the part you play in the ceremony and in life is that of the bride, do you not?”
Indignation surged through Roy at the suggestion that he was anyone’s bride. He opened his mouth, ready to lay into the god, when he remembered what it was he was expected to do as Nexus’s mate. His hand came to his stomach, and he bit his bottom lip.
“I’m not a woman,” Roy whispered.
The soft sigh released by Cupid didn’t make him feel any better, but the gentle hand on his shoulder was comforting. “I kn
ow that, and so does Nexus. I also understand this is all a lot to take in so quickly. You should’ve had far more time to adjust to this new course your life has taken, especially the childbearing part of it. I’m sorry this is all moving so fast.”
“So am I,” Roy admitted.
“If anything, please take heart in knowing I am never wrong.” Cupid’s hand tightened on Roy’s shoulder. “I know you and Nexus will be happy together.”
“Happy doesn’t equal love,” Roy pointed out.
Cupid’s smile turned lecherous. “It does in my book.”
“Here we go.” Michael, the tailor, interrupted their conversation, walking over to them with a black three-piece suit in hand. “I’d personally prefer to do a tuxedo for weddings, but the Regulus insists on it being today. No time to measure and trim a tuxedo with such short notice. A suit will have to do.”
“It’ll be fine.” Cupid sighed, accepting the suit. “Now, we just need a persimmon square and tie.”
“Do they need to be persimmon?” Roy glanced around at the multitude of other options available.
“It’s tradition to wear your colors,” Cupid explained, selecting a tie and pocket square from the same box he’d chosen Roy’s sash from. “If you’re worried about clashing with Nexus’s colors, don’t worry. It won’t.”
Clashing colors was the least of Roy’s worries. “Whatever. Let’s just get this over with.”
Michael and Lacey paused, both of them glancing to Cupid. “Give us a moment,” Cupid instructed. The pair nodded, bowed, and left Roy alone with the god. Cupid grabbed a nearby chair and maneuvered it in front of Roy’s. “Okay, talk.”
Roy shrugged. “There’s nothing to talk about. This is my life now. I just need to accept it.”
“You don’t need to accept anything right now.” Cupid reached out and clasped Roy’s hands. “Especially something so completely alien to you. You can always call an end to this. No one is going to force you into anything, especially not with me standing at your side.”
Taking a deep breath, Roy tried to absorb Cupid’s words. It was nice knowing he had a god on his side. Too bad he had no idea what his side even was. “If I call this off, Nexus might have to kill someone he cares for, correct?”
Cupid nodded, his eyes falling to his lap.
“I might not know him that well, but I do realize he doesn’t want to do that.”
“I’m not asking what Nexus wants. I’m asking what you want,” Cupid emphasized.
* * * *
Nexus sighed as he slid his suit jacket into place. As he’d thought, Tyrese was the one to leave in charge of finding an officiate for this ceremony. Thanks to Cupid, as well, things were going smoothly. Danyal had his men positioned throughout the building, ensuring no one could get close to either him or Roy. If the day continued like this, then by tonight he’d be officially married and mated to his human.
Smoothing his hands down his sides, he smiled at his reflection. He had to give it to Cupid’s tailor. Michael sure knew his trade. For a rush order, it was a perfect fit.
“Just a few more hours,” Nexus whispered to the empty room.
Moving to the sofa, he sat down, his head falling to the back cushion. Closing his eyes, he allowed himself to take a deep breath. Maybe it was too soon to be relaxing, but he needed the moment to just let everything pass by him. A lot had happened in the last couple of days. Even more so, hopefully today’s events would put an end to the shadow looming over him.
“Regulus.” Danyal’s voice came over his small earpiece. “Your sister is here.”
And just like that his sense of calm was blown away by a tornado named Maria screaming into his world. “You can’t be serious,” he groaned.
“I’m looking right at her,” Danyal replied.
“Sarcasm, Danyal. I was being…oh never mind.” Nexus sighed. “Escort her to my room. Do not let her near Roy.”
“Understood.”
Standing, Nexus straightened his appearance. He refused to meet Maria sitting down. Nexus would do nothing to strengthen her obtuse reasoning behind her plans. A knock at the door followed by Danyal walking in was his last bit of reprieve before he heard the sound of her heels clicking on the hardwood floors.
“I do hope you haven’t pulled us away from our homes just to sit and watch you stand by an empty altar.” Maria grinned as she entered the room. Like always, she was dressed to the nines. Her black hair was pinned up in a serpentine bun, and her crimson dress fit her flawlessly with a single strap wrapping from her heart up over her right shoulder. Red lipstick and golden eyeshadow to match her ruby and gold jewelry pulled it all together. No matter what Nexus felt for his sister right now, he had to admit she was a beautiful woman. Insane, but beautiful.
“I don’t recall you being invited.” Nexus made sure to keep his tone and expression neutral. Any show of emotion could be seen as a weakness to her.
“Oh, don’t be ridiculous, brother.” Maria walked up to him, just out of arms’ reach. “You honestly didn’t expect me to miss your wedding? Perish the thought!”
“What do you want, Maria?”
“To meet my future sister-in-law. Or, is it brother-in-law?” She laughed. “No matter. Take me to him.”
“Absolutely not.” Nexus smiled calmly. “My fiancé is busy getting ready. Now, Danyal will show you out.”
“Oh, no reason to trouble him. I’m staying for the ceremony,” Maria announced. “I believe I already stated that. Now, why not show me to my seat.”
He’d rather show her to the inside of a cell, a hundred feet below ground with only one exit and a couple hundred armed guards. Preferably women haters so they wouldn’t fall for her charms. Too bad that was unrealistic, not to mention unethical and illegal.
The world couldn’t be fair all the time.
“Why should we let you stay?” Danyal growled, his lion close to the surface.
Maria hissed, baring her fangs to the large man. “Try and make me leave.”
“Enough,” Nexus shouted, his voice echoing with power, silencing both Danyal and Maria instantly. “I will not have this kind of behavior on my wedding day. Maria.” He met his sister’s condescending gaze. “If you wish to watch the ceremony, be my guest. Danyal, show her to a seat and make sure she stays comfortable.”
“Understood.” Danyal nodded and grabbed Maria’s upper arm, pulling her out of the room.
“I can walk on my own!” Maria snapped, yanking her arm from his grasp and stomping down the hall. As he heard the click-clacking of her heels getting farther and farther away, Nexus breathed a sigh of relief. Just a short visit and he was already exhausted. This was no state to show Roy.
Oh, gods, Roy! Nexus moved to the phone and dialed for Cupid. He needed the god to be aware of Maria’s presence.
Chapter Six
Music filled the hall. Crystal chandeliers sparkled above the small congregation as they sat, all eyes presently fixated on Nexus as he stood at the altar with an older man. He straightened his coat sleeves and watched his sister beneath his lashes. He’d managed to get a hold of Cupid and warn the god of his sister’s presence. Of course, the deity didn’t sound surprised to hear she’d shown up to witness the ceremony. As Nexus watched Maria, he wondered if maybe the god knew more than he was letting on.
The music swelled, drawing Nexus’s attention away from his biggest threat and to the double doors that, he hoped, would present to him his greatest happiness. He kept telling himself Cupid, the god of love, couldn’t be wrong. Roy was his future, and his chance at a family.
Whispers started to form as the doors remained closed. Roy should’ve come out of them already. Nexus glanced to his sister, sitting there looking rather smug.
When Cupid, not Roy, opened a single door, Nexus’s heart plummeted.
Maria laughed. “Seems this candidate isn’t too willing.”
“Be quiet,” Nexus ordered as the others started whispering quicker, and louder. Stepping down from the alta
r, Nexus walked calmly back down the aisle to Cupid. “What is going on?” he demanded after pushing the god back behind the large doors. “Where is Roy?”
“He’s trying to gather his nerves.” Cupid sighed. “He says he is going through with it, it’s just taking him a moment to, well, build up his courage.”
“Sounds like your chosen mate is having second thoughts.” Nexus spun around and glared at his sister. How she always managed to sneak up on him he’d never know. “Poor brother, and with so few days left before the challenge. Less than a week, if I recall correctly.”
“You should know, you started this,” Nexus snarled.
“True.” Maria shrugged and started walking around the small alcove. “But, I’m not the one with a no-show mate. Tell me, how does it feel to know that you aren’t wanted?”
Nexus had no idea what she was talking about, but he’d had just about enough of her insane ramblings. “You need to leave,” he warned her.
“Oh, I think not.” Maria sneered viciously. “You see, this is exactly what I wanted to see today. A no-show mate, and you crumbling in despair.”
“Who said anything about a no-show?”
All three of them whipped around to see Roy standing behind them, a firm set to his shoulders and a hard glare in his hazel eyes.
“Roy, you’re here.” Nexus beamed, relief flooding his system.
Roy walked right by them, completely ignoring his words, and stepped up to Maria. Nexus’s hands flexed with the desire to pull Roy away from the vile woman, but Cupid stayed his hand with a look.
“And who, might I ask, are you?” Maria asked smugly.
“The bride,” Roy answered confidently, his arms crossing over his chest. “Let me guess, you’re my evil snake of a sister-in-law? What? Already come to start the bullying?”
Maria snarled, and Nexus gaped at the human standing between them. What on earth was Roy thinking!
“I have nothing to gain from bullying someone who has second thoughts about their own wedding,” Maria snipped, desperately trying to reign in her anger.