Behind The Alpha Book 4 CASS
Chapter 8

(Chapter song ‘Bloody Valentine’ by Machine Gun Kelly)

EMBER

“I sense a lot of stress. Maybe this job…if this is a job…Maybe this is too stressful for you. What do you think of Aruba? We could go. I’d shower you with kisses and drinks in coconuts. I can massage.” He starts rubbing my shoulders and it feels good. I lower my head and have a hard pressed scowl on my face as he rubs. He leans to my ear. “I’m great at massages. Very talented with oil…”

“GET OFF ME!” I yell and shove off his hands. The entire floor goes quiet.

We walk through the halls of the Infatuation Department. Others stop and stare at the mortal who just graced our presence AND WON’T SHUT THE FUCK UP!!

He’s been talking my ear off the whole way and I’m about to snap his spine.

“I would really like to know your name. You know my name. I think it would put some pieces of the puzzle together. I like puzzles…” He jumps in front of me. “Do you like puzzles? We can do one together. A little music, some wine and a cute puzzle. What do say?” He grins, walking backwards with his hands in his jacket pockets.

“Don’t you ever stop talking?” I grit.

He thinks as he walks. “Nope. I have a gazillion questions. Anyway, I really love that you work here. What is this place? Where are we exactly? Are we still in Falcon Ridge? What do you do here?...”

“Kill me now…” I grind.

His eyes go wide. “What?! No. Why would I do that? I won’t kill you, are you kidding?”

I turn a corner to the back office and spin him around. “WALK!” I bark.

We get to Valentinos office and I rap on the door real quick.

“Enter.” He says from inside.

I open the door and walk in with Cass behind me. Valentino catches his eyes and his mouth drops.

“Ember? Why is there a mortal in my office?” Valentino asks.

“Ember?” He leans over my shoulder. “Ember? Is that your name?”

“Yes.” I scowl.

“Ember.” He says again. “Oh my god. It’s beautiful! It’s like fire and sunshine all rolled up in one giant ball of love.”

I turn to him and arch a brow.

He smiles. “It suits you.”

I narrow my eyes. “Sit!” I point to a chair.

“Ember, what’s going on?”

I watch Cass sit and lean his elbows on the arms of the chair with a big grin on his face.

I sigh and shake my head. “I’m not sure. I completed my kiss and the next thing I know, I can’t get rid of the love sick psycho.” I lean on his desk.

“Uh…I’m not a psycho…I’m actually a really nice guy…”

I turn to him. “How many times do I have to tell you to shut your mouth?!!”

“Ember!”

I turn back to Valentino. “He’s attracted to you?”

“Yes.” I answer.

“Very attracted.” I hear from behind me and my head falls. I close my eyes and dig my nails into the wood of Valentinos desk.

Valentino leans back in his chair and places a pen in his fingertips. “Ok. Explain.”

I nod and stand. “Ok. As you know, this idiot…”

“Lovable idiot.” Cass says.

“UUGGHH!” I whip around, throw a hand out and a roll of duct tape appears in it. I walk up to him with deaths daggers in my stare and rip a strip off.

He looks at me and the tape. “I’m not really into kink.”

“Neither am I.” I grit. I slam the tape across his lips and he immediately tries to pull it off.

I grab his shirt and throw a finger in his face. “Don’t…even think about it.” I stare into his soul.

“Ok.” He mumbles into the tape.

I throw him back into the chair and walk back to Valentino. He looks at Cass, who smiles behind the tape, mumbles, “Hi.” and waves. Valentino waves back and arches a brow at me.

“Don’t.” I warn.

“Ember.” He laces his fingers on his desk. “Did you…Shoot yourself in the proverbial foot?” He turns his head slightly and raises his brow.

“No…” I stand and my lips fall. “Not exactly.”

He leans forward. “Tell me.”

“I may have gotten a little…frustrated.” I wince as I say the words.

“You didn’t.” His jaw goes slack.

I lean on his desk. “Ok. Yes, I fucked up. At first I thought it was him, but clearly it’s not. Now I need you to wipe my kiss off him.. I’m out of arrows.”

“I can’t.” He tosses his hands out and sits back.

“What do you mean?” I clench.

“I mean…I can’t. Do you not remember your training?” He asks.

“I looked. There’s noting in here about this.”

“Did you check the first years training books?” He questions with a slight tilt of his head.

I eye him and pull out my phone. I bring up the training books for Gamma matching. Searching through and replace what he’s talking about.

I shake my head as I read. “If a Matcher kisses the target directly, the kiss will backfire and become problematic. The target will become increasingly obsessed if the kiss isn’t dealt with right away. To erase the kiss, nullifying arrows will not work. In order to correct the mistake, you need…” I read the words and my eyes close. My lips press together as I read and realize what I need. “No.”

“I’m sorry, Ember. The heart smasher is the only arrow that will break whatever is going on here.” Valentino motions between Cass and me.

“No! VAL. I won’t. There has to be some other way.” I throw my hand to him and beg. There is no way I’m talking to him.

“Ember. Just go and order your arrow. You don’t have to involve yourself.” He says.

“Can’t you do it?” I whine.

“Not my mess. You either clean it up or end up like the man upstairs.” He points up.

I look up at the ceiling thinking of Eros and his drunk ass who never fixed his problem. “Shit.”

I stand and rub my forehead. “Do you know where he is?”

“No. I send orders to his email and he flies them over. You’re his sister, you should know where he is.” He types on his computer.

I flop my arm to the side. “No. Since joining you guys, I’ve lost my power to track nymphs.”

“Find a way.” Valentino side eyes me.

Loud mumbling came from behind me. I’m trying to ignore it to think.

Valentino looks at Cass as he’s leaning forward and trying to talk.

I breathe deep and try not to lose my crap in front of my boss. I turn to Cass who’s wide eyed staring at me. He’s mumbling away. He sounds insistent.

“What?” I turn to him and put my arms out to my sides.

He mumbles more.

With a growl, I stomp toward him, rip the tape off and cross my arms. “What!” I snap.

He rubs his lips. “First…OW!” He scowls. “Second…I know a nymph tracker.”

“You do.”

“Yes. I just met him. Well, I kind of knew him for years, but I didn’t know him for years. I don’t know. It’s kind of complicated. I’m sure he’d help.” He smiles at me.

I look at Valentino. He shrugs. “It’s either that or spend eternity being chased by a madman.”

I turn back to Cass. “Fine!”

“Yes!” Cass bolts from his chair and rubs his hands together. “Give me a kiss.” He moves toward me.

“You want the tape again!” I growl loud.

“No.” He mutters.

“Then cool the damn lips!” I point at him.

“But…I can’t.” He says.

I look back at Val.

He smirks. “I suggest you hurry.” He winks.

“Let’s go.” I say with a sigh, grab his shirt collar and pull him to the door.

“This is going to be so fun!” He chuckles.

“Ok. I’m getting the heavy duty strength.” I grit.

“I’ll shut up.” He snips.

****

After leaving the cosmos, we walk back to his car so he can take me to this nymph tracker.

This nymph is the last person I ever wanted to see ever again. If this Cass situation didn’t make me mad enough…

Figures, I would have to involve him to solve this colossal fuck up.

My brother is rude, selfish, and doesn’t take one damn thing seriously…like at all. His favorite game is to toy with people emotions for his own amusement. So much so, that he creates giant, messy love triangles. His last one was a square of four people. Sure, the one guy asked him to get involved because he was in love with the other man’s wife, but it was my brother’s selfishness that took it too far. The poor people were crazed and he just sat on the sidelines, laughing like the imp he is.

When I confronted him about it, he just waved it off saying it was the “Summers Night Heat" Gag!! Then he bragged to anyone who would listen. That’s when I stopped talking to him. I think it became a production or something I don’t really care. We weren’t meant to mess with humans like that.

I was so pissed at my brother, that when Eros came to me, I had him recruit me instead of shoot me up with love juice.

“So…Can I ask what you do exactly?” Cass has been calmer since the visit to my office, I guess I can tell him.

“I replace lost hearts and match them.” I side eye him.

“I’m a lost heart?” He glances at me.

“Buddy, your heart’s more than lost. It’s messed up in there.” I thumb to his chest.

“Ok. So what? You’re going to fix it? Find me love?” He stops. His eyes go wide. “Are you…Cupid?”

I stop dead in my tracks. My mouth goes small, my fists clench and my brows furrow. I breath smoke out my nostrils as the anger from his insult fills me.

I spin around and glare at him. My jaw ticks. “Do I look…like a 40 year old drunk guy IN A DIAPER?!” I yell.

He pulls his head back. “No…I was just…”

I stride toward him and point in his face. “Don’t you EVER insult me like that again!”

He puts his hands up. “Ok! I’m sorry! I didn’t know!”

I heave my shoulders and stare into his eyes.

He turns his head slightly. “So…What are you?”

“I happen to be a Love Bug.” I flare my nostrils.

He tries not to, but a smile creeps across his face. “A…A Love bug?”

I tilt my head. “Yes. A love bug. You got a problem with that?”

“No…No…No problem…it’s just…” he’s trying not to giggle.

I narrow my eyes. “Just what?” I spit my words.

His face gets whiny. “That’s just so damn cute.”

“Uhhh!” I throw my hands up and spin around. I turn back to him and point. “I am not cute!”

He giggles a bit more. “Yes, you are, my little love bug.”

I jut my chin out. “Get…in…THE CAR!!”

He leans close to my face. “Cutest…love bug…ever.” He grins and walks away.

I’m steaming in the spot. “I’m killing him. When this is over…I’m killing him…that’s a promise.”

I turn and follow him to the car, get in and slam the door. “Drive!”

“Whatever you say, love bug.” He giggles again.

“GOD! SHUT UP!”