My Summer Girl

Chapter Five

Dulce

(she/they)

Baila Conmigo – Selena Gomez Rauw Alejandro

With each step towardthe pyre, my feet sink into the sand, trudging along. Although the flames are held within a barrel, they still sway and whip around as the wind playfully interacts with them.

It’s warm out—muggy, a summer vibe when it’s barely June. The climate in this particular area of Darchon is consistently hotter throughout the year.

Without the stars, the night feels never-ending, and it’s easy to lose your way. I’ve heard of the cosmos in other realms, where you can see entire galaxies, but until I witness them myself—or aliens for that matter—I won’t believe a word of it.

Fire plumes and little speckles of ash rise as the wet wood pops. There’s something so serene about the sound and scents of a campfire. It’s soothing and unique, even if the scent clinging to your clothes days later isn’t pleasant. In the moment, it’s perfect.

People sit in a circle on the sand, laughing, dancing, and some are even singing random tunes. As I approach, they don’t stop or stare, but one taps the ground next to them.

They’re short and adorable, their skin a soft yellow, almost like daffodils if the color was lightly drained from it somehow. Their eyebrows rise as they scan me, smiling when I chuck my heels and sit.

“Opie,” they offer, their hand reaching toward me. Weirdly enough, it’s as if their skin is glitter, glistening with the flickers of the flames.

“Dulce,” I reply softly in return, instantly feeling a connection to this stranger.

“What brings you here?” I search the shore of the beach, thinking of how I wandered over here so randomly. It isn’t like I sought this place out; my feet just headed in this direction. Almost like fate willed it.

“My brother just married the love of his life,” I answer, thinking of why I’m wearing this dress and heels on a beach. With a frown, I point my thumb from where they would be many paces back. I’m not sure how long I trekked before getting here, but I know it’s that way.

They nod as they adjust, stretching their legs out in front of them. The people around them chat openly but they pay them no mind.

“Was it nice?”

“Was what nice?”

They roll their eyes as if I’m not paying attention. “The wedding, dude. How was the wedding?”

“Beautiful, stunning, heartwarming...” I trail off, thinking of how Val and Pyro looked at the altar, sharing both Cupid and Draegyn rituals. I want that. Not a dragon per se, but the connection they share, and the one my sister Xó shares with her husband Arson.

Love.

They’re all happy, peaceful, making lives of their own, and choosing their paths.

I’ve only been given one duty: be a Cupid. While I excel at it—my only rivals being my own siblings when it comes to following through—it is tiring.

We are born Cupids, raised in an academy with other Cupids, and we learn to give others love through our magical touch.

It’s easy enough, but it can feel empty sometimes. Lonely, like there isn’t hope for anything other than work and making others happy.

Dionysus, my twin sister, thinks I’m a workaholic because I like to control outcomes, but it’s not true. I’m always working to compensate for the sadness that fills me. The fear of being alone creeps through my veins all the time.

I know as Cupids, we’ll eventually be forced into marriage, but that’s just as lonely. Just look at my parents.

“Dulce?” Opie taps my shoulder, trying to get my attention. “You zoned out there. You didn’t even finish your sentence.”

With a nod, I close my eyes briefly. “It was stunning, truly. I loved seeing them announce their love to the world. Even if it was just a formality. They eloped last year without telling anyone.”

Their eyes widen before they giggle, the carefree sound similar to my sister Xó’s. It’s the kind that expresses hope and happiness, something I’ve lacked for quite some time.

“Why do you seem so sad if it was amazing?”

I grip the top of my head, knowing better than to drag my hand through my curls, even if I want to. “I’m a Cupid,” I state evenly. My stomach churns with that word. It’s always been a prideful thing for me, it still kind of is, but there’s this resentment that’s been festering since Xó met Arson. An almost jealousy that I’ve never felt before.

Usually when I want something, I go for it. Love isn’t something you simply chase.

Waving their hand, they prod me to continue. “We are raised to be gifters of love, romance, happily ever afters, and that’s it. Nothing more, nothing less.”

“That’s archaic. What about love and family?”

“We’re assigned mates.”

“You can’t just—” They stop and shake their head vehemently. “Mates are fated. Anything less isn’t real.” They grab a stick and toss it, seeking rocks in the sand like they’re anxious with the information I’ve just given them.

“It’s for procreation purposes,” I agree. “They don’t care about connection or friendship. Most times the couples take on playmates of some sorts. Their agreements are to the breeding purposes and the lineage continuance of our families. Everything else can be on the table if both sides agree.”

“That’s wild,” Opie gasps, holding a hand to their chest. “I’ve heard of others who practice this, but I’ve never met anyone who was forced to.”

“I didn’t realize how lonely or sad I was until my siblings broke the rules.”

Opie’s eyebrows practically touch their hairline as they stare openly at me. “They found love?”

Sheepishly, I nod, thinking of Xó and Val. They both went about it in very different ways, but the outcome was great. They found their loves and created mate bonds with them. I wanted that.

“They’re both married. My kid sister has a baby and another on the way.”

Their hand splays against their heart as they stare at me with both sympathy and shock. “Can I hug you? Might be weird, but you look like you could use one.”

I nod, thinking of how my siblings aren’t touchy—well, everyone besides Xó. She’s always been different. The baby of the bunch who went against all she knew for Arson. Maybe instead of being the lead, I should follow hers.

Opie wraps their arms around me and hums, reminding me of those people who use sound to soothe, and tears escape my eyes. It shocks me how intimate this feels.

The people around us stop talking, pausing to peer at us. One monster, tall with long braided hair and Basilisk-like eyes, stands.

“No sadness, dear one!” His voice carries, an almost bellow like he’s hollering. “It’s nearly summer solstice.”

“What’s that?” I ask, wiping my stray tears. Opie pats me, her hands gentle and reassuring.

“Only the best time for new beginnings.”

“But I—”

“Nope,” he stops me with a zipper over his fanged mouth. “No ifs, ands, or buts. Summer solstice isn’t celebrated by all, but it can be. For every culture, it’s a bit different. For mine, we specifically celebrate rebirth. It’s a time for us to burn the bridges that don’t suit us and seek things that do.”

“For us,” another starts. They’re stunning, wings massive and glowing, as if they’re not even real, twitch as they twirl. “We tend to bring a lot of babies in. Fertility is our specialty and if you go to specific fields in my home realm, you can be with a child by nightfall.”

“Oh, wow,” I mutter, thinking of how different worlds work. “We don’t celebrate anything in my realm. Not holidays or anything. The most we do is traditional weddings and Valentine’s twenty-four seven.”

Opie scrunches her face. “No spring equinox?”

I shake my head, thinking of Halloween and how I’ve always wanted to join in on the festivities. “Not even that.”

She pouts, her lip protruding like I’ve said the most offensive thing. “That’s a shame. In my realm, it’s always springtime. We celebrate all year round, and while outsiders find it a boring place, I see it as the most peaceful.”

“To get back on track,” the man wistfully interrupts, “you should create a summer ‘fuck it’ list.”

My eyebrows lift of their own accord, confusion filling me with unease. “What is a ‘fuck it’ list?”

They all laugh, not at me, but with an almost awe quality. I’m sheltered, sure, but I’ve never heard of this term.

“It’s basically a list of things you want to do because the people around you and the world’s opinions don’t matter.”

Thoughts ruminate as I ponder the things I’d want to add to mine. Maybe this is exactly what I need. “How the Hades do I accomplish this?”

Opie grips my shoulders. “Tell the world to fuck off, and then do it. Why not start by living for yourself? Learn what you like and who you want to be, Dulce. No one deserves to be miserable forever.”

“I’ve never taken a day off work,” I admit on a whisper, not peering up to see their expressions. I’m sure they would be disappointed and unhappy, and I’m tired of seeing that look directed at me tonight.

A hand clamps onto my shoulder, rough and strong, but not aggressive. When our eyes meet, something akin to kindness resonates there.

“Time to quit your day job, dear one. Go be yourself.”

“Be slutty!” another person nearby yells. I laugh at that because that’s something my life lacks too. Sex. Vex and I might have an arrangement of a release type power exchange, but sex? No matter how much I imagine them naked and touching me. We’ve never crossed that line, and part of me hasn’t found a connection like ours worth pursuing in over a year.

Closing my eyes, I offer a sharp nod. “A ‘fuck it’ list, it is!”

Reaching into my pocket, I grab the phone I don’t love using and think of Vex. They are usually against technology, claiming it’s ruining the youths. They’re not wrong, but imagine if I wrote letters to every friend like they do. It’d get old quickly.

My fingers hover over the buttons, knowing exactly what I want to say but scared of the outcome. Will they tell me no? Will they remind me of our contract, that sex isn’t on the table, or that we’re only meant to give in to a release that isn’t carnal?

Choose me.

I need an escape, Vex.

I send the text before thinking better of it, knowing that a temporary release doesn’t make a happy Cupid.

They always respond to my texts. Even if they are cheeky or crass, they’ve never left me hanging.

Tsk, tsk, little dove. The going rates are rising.

My chest flames at their words. We have an agreement.

We are simple.

Give and take.

Power exchange and pleasure. Just not the pleasure people think.

Whatever the cost, I’ll pay it. Please, Vex.

Did I mention my person is the most notorious Saephyn in existence? Vex Asher. As in the owner of Vex. The sex club I introduced my brother to... yes. One and the same.