Free Finding Abigail by Carrie Ann Ryan Page A

hadn’t she known? 
    Wait, those arrows. Now it made sense. But, what did that have to do with her?
    “You see, I hate cupids. They’re fucking abominations. Because of them and the man who created them, I lost everything. Well, since I can’t have her, other cupids can’t have the ones they love.”
    He thought Tyler loved her? No, that couldn’t be further from the truth. The man didn’t even look at her. Well, other than earlier when he’d asked her out after cutting himself on the arrow…
    Oh, shit.
    Aeneas slowly dragged the tip of the blade along her collarbone. She shuddered but didn’t move. No, he would hurt her more if she did because of the edge being so close to her neck.
    Tears streamed down her face, even as she tried to be strong. He’d said he wouldn’t kill her, only wanted to show Tyler what it meant to change plans.
    But, what plans?
    She had to keep him talking.
    “What plans?” she whispered, her voice choked.
    “You see each cupid has a soul mate. It’s easy for me to find them since I’m an immortal, shunned by Cupid. The old bastard shouldn’t have done what he did.” Aeneas glared as if he’d thought of whatever Cupid had done, and the knife pressed harder into her skin.
    The pain flared as the blade cut through her skin, the warm droplets of her own blood forming their own tears down her chest.
    It hurts, oh, God, it hurts .
    “You know, blood is of the heart. A true Cupid in that respect. Not anything like the bastard and his progeny.”
    He cut again. And again. And again.
    Each time, the pain flared, and then she blocked it out. She had to. She’d live, he promised, but how?
    The blood seeped into the dress he’d put on her and pooled on the floor. Her body shook, but she hadn’t lost that much blood. Not yet.
    When he finished, he pulled back and wiped the blade clean on her dress. Fiery pain raged through her as the cuts pulled with each breath.
    “You need to see, Abigail. Your blood will show the cupids that they can’t win.”
    The man, or immortal, or whatever the hell he claimed to be, was crazy.
    He drew back and walked to the corner and pulled something out she hadn’t seen him place there before.
    An arrow.
    But, not like Tyler’s.
    No, these were black with crimson-red tips.
    “You’re a cupid?” she asked, her words slurred with pain.
    “No, never. Mine don’t show you your true love. No, they take away the one thing that makes you…you. With each cupid, I hit them when they least expect it, and I take away the ability for them to see their own true love. They go through life ignoring them until eventually they lose them altogether. It should have worked, but then you cut Tyler with his own arrow, negating my magic.”
    He traced a finger along the outside of one of her cuts, and she screamed out in pain.
    “You made me so angry, Abigail. Now I have to punish the both of you. When I hit you with this arrow, you won’t lose Tyler. No, that’s not the thing that makes you…you. I’ll take away your kindness…your sweetness. Tyler won’t want you when you’re a harpy.”
    “A…harpy?”
    “Yes, I can see the beauty in you, and I’ll take that and drain it from you. You’ll live as a harpy for the rest of your years, and Tyler will want nothing to do with you. You’ll both go through life alone and in pain. Something all cupids deserve.”
    She didn’t even know what a harpy was beyond what she’d read in some novels. He couldn’t really do it…could he?
    Aeneas walked back and pulled out his bow, put the arrow in its place, and shot.
    The arrow didn’t hurt…no, that wasn’t it.
    But as the magic spread through her, ripping away something she hadn’t known she cherished, she screamed.
    Agony, sweet, sweet agony seared her.
    And she was lost.

Chapter 7
    Something was ringing, but Tyler couldn’t shut it off. He blindly reached out to try to turn it off but came up with only air. Hell, he’d have to open his eyes se he could find