“SHOULDN’T WE HAVE TALKED about everything before we did that?” Psyche asked. She and Q were curled up like spoons, his hand resting protectively on her belly.

“Yes, I suppose we should. But you were so delectable—lying there naked. I couldn’t help myself. I had to devour you. I hope you can forgive me.”

She laughed. “In that crazy monster disguise of yours—you almost scared the life out of me.

He laughed. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that. But I couldn’t tell you while you were still in that awful place. I needed to wait until we were out of the underworld, when I could get you alone and away from it all. It was important to make sure you were safe, before I said anything. I didn’t want to take any chances of our cover getting blown.”

“Okay. I understand. How did you find me anyway?”

“One of the insiders at my mother’s palace is on my payroll.”

“Really? How did you swing that?”

“I got this girl to fall in love with him, so he owes me big time. He told me you went to see Venus and where she had sent you. I really can’t believe she would stoop so low as to sell my wife into sexual slavery. I can’t believe my own mother would do that.”

“Yes, it was awful. And to think that I could have been stuck there for the rest of my life!” Psyche moaned.

Cupid clenched his teeth. “I know. I have an idea how to deal with her, but we’ll talk more about that later. The important thing is that you’re safe, and we’re back together.”

“But wait. I thought you were mad at me. I didn’t think you were ever coming back. What made you decide to come find me?”

“After I heard what my mother had done to you, I realized how much I must mean to you for you to go searching down my mother, and you agreeing to do something for her like that. She’s quite a piece of work.”

“True. Even before I realized how dangerous she was, her beauty was intimidating. I hope you understand I was just curious. That’s why I had to look at you. I let my imagination run wild, and finally my curiosity got the better of me. It’s not that I don’t trust you. I love you, and I was just foolish. It was difficult for me to understand your rules didn’t have to make sense to me.”

“And I owe you an apology. I realized that for me to be respectful of you, I need to understand your curiosity, and I should have explained things to you. Like how we even came to be married. I feel a little guilty because there are a lot of things I haven’t told you about myself. And about our very own love story.”

Psyche propped herself up on her elbow to stare into the bright blue eyes of her beloved husband. This was only the second time she’d been allowed to gaze upon him, and she truly couldn’t get enough. “Tell me. Tell me what I don’t already know.”

“Well it all started with my mother”

“What? Your mother?”

“Yes. My mother is a very jealous goddess. Not only the most beautiful, but also the most envious of the goddesses. And when you came on the scene and everyone was talking about your beauty, how gorgeous you were, how amazing you were, my mother couldn’t stand it. So she came up with a plan to punish you for being so beautiful.”

Psyche gasped indignantly. “But I didn’t do anything . . .”

“I know. But she gave me the job of making you fall in love with a monster. Venus wanted you to marry a monster as punishment for having the audacity to be born too beautiful.” He made a face to show how ridiculous he thought this was. “I was supposed to prick you with my arrow to make you fall for the monster, but when I snuck into your bedroom to cast the spell, I tripped and I nicked my own ankle instead.”

“So wait, what happened?” she asked.

He gave her a lovesick grin. “I got myself with my own arrow, and I fell in love with you.”

“What?” Psyche frowned. “So, the only reason you are in love with me is because of your stupid arrow?”

He smiled. “Sure, that’s how it started, but I love you more every day. Everything you do, everything you say makes me fall more and more under your spell. You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met, both inside and out. Just ask my mother.”

Still skeptical, Psyche frowned.

He continued. “My darling Psyche, we are destined. Ours is the truest of loves. My mother has powers way greater than mine and even she could not make me lose you. But you can. If you don’t trust in our love, then what good is it?”

She took his hand and touched her lips to his palm. “I’m sorry. I do trust our love. Even when I was in the underworld, I knew somehow you would save me.”

“I will always save you, my love. I am utterly enchanted by you. And yes, I guess the magic started it off, but I can’t help it. That’s what happened, and now I’m coming clean and being honest with you about it.”

“So, is our marriage something that came from your mother’s plan?”

“Yes, it was arranged by my mother for your parents to receive compensation for marrying a monster. That part is all her, but once I fell in love with you, I couldn’t let that happen. I couldn’t let anyone else, human, monster, or god marry you. I had to be the one to make you my wife.”

“So that’s why all the secrets?”

“Exactly. I didn’t want my mother to find out I had gone behind her back and made you my bride. Having Venus for an enemy is going to be difficult. You’ve already seen that, and I’ve done my best to protect you from her, but I’m afraid we will need to do more.”

“Couldn’t I just get a bad haircut, stop wearing makeup, maybe get some ugly, baggy clothes—make myself less attractive?”

“I wish it were that simple. Your beauty is legendary and even if no one ever saw you again, they’d be talking about you. Probably even more than they do now.”

“Now do you understand why I felt the need to conceal myself from you? I felt like if you didn’t know who I was—Cupid, son of Venus—it would keep you safer. As long as no one knew it was me you were married to, my mother could believe that you had married the monster as she planned and you would be protected. And the fact that you could get to know me for me, and not my pedigree . . . well, I thought that would make our relationship stronger.”

Psyche reached up and caressed the face of her handsome husband. “Can we please put all that behind us now? Can I see you during the daytime from now on? Your mother might be beautiful, but she passed along some of those good looks to her son, and I’d like to be able to gaze upon your gorgeous face every day.”

He leaned over and kissed her. “You bet. But we’ve got to do one more thing to keep you safe from my mother.”

“Really? What are we going to do?”

“The only thing we can do. We’re going to ask for Jupiter’s help.”