Welcome back to TSU After Dark. Michele and I have added a little 10k story to the
Valentine Between the Sheets Anthology.
Lupercalia dates back to the Roman times when women had their Valentine chosen for them. They weren't allowed to refuse and it was mostly done as a way of making men happy.
However, in our story, Venus Cortez holds the decision on who she'll choose in the palm of her hands. She can have all five people - demons really - or if she'll deny all of them.
Michele and I hope you enjoy her story.
Check out a sneak peek now:
A knock came at her door, drawing
her attention from the scene outside. “Coming. Did you forget your key again?” Venus
strode to the door. Her roommate was the forgetful type. Always leaving behind
her keys or a book, most recently, her computer. Venus liked her though. She
was sickeningly sweet and always had a bubbly personality. "I swear I'm
going to put it on a chain and make you wear—”
Instead of her friend standing in
the doorway, one of the Satyr resident advisors—Belen, she thought his name
was, greeted her with a small red box in his hands. “Greetings Venus.
Congratulations on being selected for the Lupercalia Festival.”
“Uh, what?”
Belen smiled. “A five-day
celebration of amour—love. It's a tradition for the upperclassman to randomly
select different freshmen the week leading up to Lupercalia. Then at the
bonfire, you get to pick which one—if you’re lucky enough to receive multiple
gifts—you’d like to go on a date with. You won’t ever be forced into a
situation you don’t want to be in.”
“Um...” She accepted the box from
him. “I don’t think I understand.” A niggle of warning and excitement crawled
through her veins.
Belen tapped his chin. “What is it
you lot call it? A secret admirer?”
“I know what Lupercalia is,” she
said. “I just don’t know if... well, I’m human.”
He laughed. “It’s for everyone. There
will be a celebration five days from the present. As you've been selected your
presence has been requested."
“W-what time?” She stared down at
the small box with red glittery paper and a golden bow.
“Ten pm.” Belen gave her a
reassuring smile. “This is the season for love and fertility. Grasp it with
both hands Miss and hold on tight.”
“O-kay, thanks.”
“You’re welcome. If you need
anything at all, I’m in room 310, just down the hall from you.”
“Thanks.” Venus closed the door as
he ambled back down the hall. “What a strange tradition.”
She’d read about it as a child. She
considered it more about a patriarchy wanting to have women in servitude to
men. In ancient Rome, the women never had a choice of whether or not they
wanted to participate. It never appealed to her. Come to think of it, neither
did Valentine’s Day. It was too commercialized.
