Stealing Cupid's Bow by Jewel Quinlan Page A

with equipment. There are dozens of them.”
    “Can you see each other when you are wearing and using them?” she asked.
    “Yes, the archers can. And I can see them but they can’t see me. I am shielded from being seen by everyone. I wasn’t able to replicate that in their bows. It’s specific to mine. Even other gods weren’t able to see me. But it comes in useful when I want to check on a trainee on assignment without them knowing.”
    “This is so crazy.” It felt good to talk about it, though. She shook her head to clear her thoughts. “I can’t believe we are sitting here having this conversation. But you tell a good story. What other proof do you have?” She was teetering on the border of disbelief and had an odd urge to laugh.
    “Ah, that’s right. I forgot that you think I’m not godlike,” he teased. “Hm.” He tapped his fingers on his leg as he thought. “So, let’s see…godlike. What could I do that would make you believe me?” Slouching lower on the couch, he stretched his legs out onto the coffee table, looking very much like he was enjoying himself.
    “I’m not sure,” she said, “What can gods do? I know! Maybe…can you turn my wine into water?” She lifted the glass in her hand.
    He groaned. “No, no. That is so cheesy. Besides, I’ve even seen Criss Angel do that trick, so I doubt that would be convincing.”
    “Well, does each god have their own gifts or are you all…you know, omnipotent?” She hoped she was using the right word.
    He cocked his head at her. “You weren’t joking; you do have a million questions.”
    Who wouldn’t?
    “Let’s see…we have a number of powers, enough that mortals would call us omnipotent, but we each have our own unique gifts as well.”
    “Like what? Can you read my mind?”
    He laughed. “No. But that would come in handy.”
    “Can you see through my clothes?”
    “What is this? Superman?”
    “Oh wait, I know!” She slapped her hand on her lap as she remembered. “Cupid has wings. Aren’t you supposed to have wings? Maybe you could just show them to me.” There was no way he could get out of this one.
    He snapped his fingers back at her in response. “Done.”
    “Really?” She lifted a skeptical brow. There were clearly no wings on his back right now. Even though he might be toying with her, she couldn’t help but acknowledge that she hadn’t felt this good in a long time. She was content just sitting next to him on the couch, even if the conversation was a little crazy. But if it was somehow true…were people allowed to make demands of gods? Was a mere mortal allowed to demand proof of godliness? Should she be allowing a god to rub her hands in the sinful way that he was doing? She decided she didn’t care.
    “Sure, I’ll show them to you. But let’s talk about your parents first. That’s what you needed help with wasn’t it?”
    “Yes it is. They’re planning to separate as I told you before.”
    “But they haven’t yet.”
    “No,” she said. Where was he going with this?
    “Married people fight all the time and say things they don’t mean. What makes you think they’re serious?”
    She thought for a minute. “Well, first of all, my mother told me that they were serious. And secondly I’ve never seen them this way before. In fact, they were yelling at each other when I left the house. I could tell it’s serious by what they were saying and how they were saying it.”
    “Maybe you should wait, and see what happens.”
    She shook her head. “No, absolutely not. Separation never leads to anything good.”
    “Did you ever consider that maybe separating would be the best thing for your parents?”
    She groaned inside. Not this conversation again. “No. I can’t let it happen. It was true love that brought them together. I know my parents; I grew up watching them. They would be miserable apart. Can’t you do something to help them?” She was still on the fence with regards to believing he was a god but