"WHAT ARE YOU DOING here?"

Megan sat up sharply. Night had fallen, and it took her a moment to remember where she was. Oh. Janey's. Perhaps the pint of lager she'd consumed whilst waiting wasn't the best idea. It had lulled her to sleep and filled her bladder.

"Well?" said Janey. "I didn't expect to see you again. Definitely not breaking into my shed!"

"Hi," said Megan quietly.

Janey's aggression prompted the return of the inferiority Megan had always felt when with her. She had to force herself not to bow her head and remember they were no longer friends. Megan was here for a reason. She stood.

"Janey."

"What sort of answer is that?"

Megan shrugged. She wasn't there to answer questions or strike up conversations. It was about time she stood up to people and she was perfectly placed, now, to do so.

"Don't shrug at me!" Janey shouted. "What are you doing here?"

Well, thought Megan. That proved there were no lasting scraps of our old friendship to hang on to, if I'd wanted to. Luckily, I don't.

"I came to see you."

"Why the hell would I want to see a loser like you? I got rid of you ages ago."

Time had mellowed her, then.

A man appeared behind Janey and put his arm around her. The boyfriend.

"What's going on? Who's this, babe?"

"Nobody. A thief."

"You want me to call the police?"

"I don't know. Do I need to call the police, Megan?"

"Not at all, Janey. I'm just here to pay you back."

"Pay me back? I wasn't aware you owed me anything."

"Good point," said Megan.

She raised her hands and her wings spread wide in anticipation. The bow was in her fist and the arrow rested against it. She pulled back and released. The arrow should have hit Janey square in the chest, particularly at such close range but, instead, it swerved and curved behind the couple. There was no shock or look of fright on her old friend's face as the arrow rammed through her boyfriend and then into her. They stared into space, no longer seeing Megan. No longer moving. No longer even breathing. Time seemed to have stopped for them as soon as the bow was lifted.

Megan's wings closed and time restarted. Janey turned and slapped the man.

"Do that again and I'll rip you a new pair!"

"What are you on about?"

"How dare you humiliate me in front of this loser! Get out!"

She pushed him and he stumbled. A dark look crossed his eyes as if he was contemplating striking back, then he thought better of it and stormed off, muttering to himself.

"You can get out, too."

"Don't worry, I'm going."

Megan walked past Janey. She waited until she was out of the summer house before smiling and until she was out of sight before taking flight. She was only a few seconds into the air when her stomach flipped and her body pulsed with something that felt like a jolt of electricity. Her wings collapsed and she went limp, falling. She hit the ground hard, but was unaware of the snap of her forearm and the blow to her head. The flash of energy sent waves through her body, and Megan felt as if she were being swept away by an ocean of sensation.

Struggling, overwhelmed, she managed to regain her feet. Her head throbbed and she touched her temple, seeing blood on her fingers. She held out her arm and gritted her teeth against the intensifying pain. Her forearm was bent slightly, and the sight made her vomit. Already shaky, she staggered as another wave of energy filled her. Suddenly it stopped, taking her breath with it. Her body stiffened, and she felt sick as the broken bones in her arm moved back into place. She heard the click as they locked.

The pain was gone.

She touched her forehead. The blood had dried. Her entire body tingled and felt reborn.

Megan's smile was broader this time. The beat of her wings surer. She had one thought.

Next.

Knowing where she wanted to go, she flew high and straight. In moments, she was there. She dropped quickly, her wings wide, holding her in place as she hovered outside the bedroom of her ex-boyfriend, Gabriel. He was laid in bed, asleep. He wasn't alone. Spooned together with him, as naked as he was, was Claudia.

No wonder she had been fine with Megan's request to stay at the cabin! Megan hadn't realised they'd even known each other that well. Furious, she drew her bow and shot the arrow. It spun around the room before entering Gabriel through his back and then Claudia's through hers. Gabriel stirred and looked at the back of his partner's head. His face registered surprise as if he didn't, for a moment, realise who the woman was.

He pushed her awake, and she turned to look at him. Similar shock filled her features. She scurried forwards, jumping out of bed and pulling the duvet with her to hide her nakedness but leaving Gabriel to cover his own.

Megan couldn't hear the heated exchange that ensued, but grinned anyway. She rose into the air, prepared for the Quickening to follow. The energy throbbed through her and she mentally sucked it into her heart. Though it may be wasted and blackened, she thought, the power released from turning love into hate would re-energise it—not to cleanse her, but to refresh. Enliven, not enlighten.

And on Megan flew. In turn, she visited each of her friends. Those who had remained by her side were as equally to blame as those who had abandoned her. They still knew love. They tasted its sweet flavour whilst she had been left with the bitter aftertaste.

Argument. Punch. Slap. Scream. Slammed door. After each loosed arrow and each wrecked relationship, the wave that washed through Megan became stronger. She felt as if she might burst with the heated strength of her power. It spurred her on, desperate to feel and to hurt evermore.

When her friends' lives had been torn apart, she briefly wondered where to go next, but her pause was quickly cut short by the realisation of who she was. The intention may well have been to turn her into Cupid and show her what love really meant by giving her the ability to create it, but she had taken the curse and transformed it into a gift.

She flew high above the town. Looking down, she could see faces familiar and unknown. They were oblivious to her presence. Oblivious to their impending fate. Megan raised her hand, pulling back on the string. Closing her eyes, she let loose arrow after arrow. Aiming was an unnecessary waste of effort. The arrows would find their homes. They would strike true.

The rising volume of voices raised in anger proved her guess. Opening her eyes again, she could see cars stopping with one or another of the occupants storming off. Children were crying, bewildered and afraid. More than one fight had started. Torn clothes were being thrown out of windows and mobile phones were being smashed underfoot.

And the Quickening hit her like a train travelling from every direction at once.

She screamed at theintensity and welcomed the way her body vibrated—so much she felt her jointswould surely shake apart.