Chapter 5

~Val's P.O.V~

"So what you're telling me is you and Eros are now, like, what? Destined to be together forever?" Phoenix questions. I had finally come home from my run in with Eros, and I hadn't realized Phoenix was locked in our closet. She had been so mad there was singe marks on the door, and she had nearly burnt through the door itself. All of Seraphina's coats and clothes were scorched. Phoenix's response was once she was out was 'Finally!!! I almost burnt your coat on accident!' Once I had let her out, we made Seraphina leave. She wasn't allowed back into this house until I found it in my heart to forgive her- or until Gaia made us let her in. I had just told Phoenix everything that happened between Eros and I.

"I guess that's what I'm saying," I murmur trying to prevent the smile that was creeping its way to my lips.

"You meet him once and 'BAM' his dad hits you both with his arrows? I wonder why.." Phoenix murmured scratching her head in thought.

"I know it's strange." Once I had responded there was a knock on our door. I exchange a confused look with Phoenix before getting up off our couch and walking to the door. I open it to find Benoni standing there.

"Woah. Hello Ben. Come on in!" I say cheerfully not completely cautious around him as before after learning he was gay.

"Hey," he muttered stepping into the house, and shaking his head, droplets of water landing on my arm. I casually wipe my arm acting as if he didn't get me wet on accident.

"What's going on? Aren't you suppose to come here in a month?" I ask sitting down on the arm of the couch looking at him curiously.

"I ran away from the underworld," he murmured avoiding our gazes. Phoenix and I exchange a look,

"What happened?" Phoenix asks concern shining in her icy blue eyes.

"I couldn't take my father or brother anymore. I tried to talk Hades into changing his mind and not forcing us to marry you two." He looked around as if just noticing it was just the three of us here. "Wait where's Seraphina?" he asks.

"She helped Garrett cheat on Val by... umm... having fun with him herself" Phoenix said, her eyes the usual angry shining amber gold. I bite my lip and look away from them both trying to hold back tears.

"I trusted him. We were friends since childhood, and he turns around and screws my sister!" I whimper getting up and storming upstairs to my room. I shut my door and lock it behind me. I flop on my bed and scream into my pillow as tears stream down my face, and sobs shake my body violently. I curled into a ball and sat there whimpering, only then realizing my bed had sunk under the weight of another body.

"What's wrong beautiful?" a velvety voice says behind me. I flick my violet eyes up my vision blurred from tears.

"Eros?" I ask, my voice thick with sadness. His lip twitches up before he responds.

"Yeah. I need a place to crash is it cool if I crash here?" he asks, his beautiful eyes pulling a puppy face. A smile crept to my lips easily, and I realized how fast I was falling for the God of Love- and we just met today!

"Of course!" I say some cheerfulness returning to my voice. Eros smiles, and it was the most beautiful smile I had ever seen. I sit up on my bed and pull my knees to my chest and admire Eros. He smiles sheepishly.

"What?" he asks, looking somewhat nervous causing me to giggle slightly.

"Nothing. Just admiring how perfect you are." I giggle, causing a slight blush to creep onto his face which caused me to smile even bigger. "Omg! I made the son of Cupid blush! Man I'm on a roll today!" I giggle causing his cheeks to go a deeper red. He turns his gaze away shyly.

"Shut up. I blame our new bond," he murmurs, his voice causing me to melt on the inside slightly. My smile falters slightly once he said that, making me realize I could never be with Eros whether we had a bond or not. Oulixes would make sure of that. I bite my lip and look at my feet.

"You okay beautiful?" Eros asks, looking at me once I don't respond, and a look of knowing comes to his face. "Oulixes," he said. "You're worried that now that we have a love bond, that Hades is going to find out and then ruin your life-" he was interrupted by a loud scream from downstairs. We exchange a look before I get up and sprint out of the room and down the stairs, leaving Eros to catch up.

"What in Zeus's wonderful kingdom is this!" Ben screams causing me to slide to a stop, and nearly topple over the couch onto Phoenix's lap, who was giving Ben a horrified look.

"They're Cheetos…." she said, a shocked expression on her face.

"You mean I just ran down those stairs and nearly died because he had Cheetos!!!" I holler, a teasing smile on my lips. "Seriously!?!" Eros comes down, looking slightly annoyed.

"Cheetos? Really?" Eros asks, causing Phoenix and Ben to snap their attention to him.

"Oh, hi! You must be Eros!" Phoenix said, all bubbles and smiles once more. "Val's been talking all about you. You two are soul bonded now, right?" Then, without waiting for an answer, she gestured to Ben who had quickly gotten bored and was stuffing his face with Cheetos. "This is Benoni, ex-son of Hades." This caught Ben's attention. "Ex-son? Sweet! No more moaning souls for dinner. Cheetos for the rest of my glorious days!!!" I face palm slightly.

"Ben, honey, you can't live on Cheetos." I say sweetly, stepping away from swinging range.

"Technically I can since I can't get fat, or sick, or die." He stuffed another Cheeto in his mouth enthusiastically. I roll my eyes.

"Alright smarty-panties," I say teasingly making Eros laugh behind me. That's when Ben finally looked up. His eyes widened slightly and he smiled.

"Well hello there."

I growl slightly protectively. "Ben this is Eros my, erm, soulmate." Ben instantly got bored again, and went back to eating the Cheetos.

"All the cute ones are taken," he muttered. "It's like they're in a relationship from the moment they're born." This caused me to burst out laughing hysterically. I grip the back of the couch to keep balance.