Wicked Delights

Infernal Prison [05]

I lost time, consumed in the flames of Cian's kiss. I wasn't sure if I was in hell or heaven, trapped in a purgatory of my own making. When I came too I was laying on a bed in an unfamiliar room. I blinked slowly. The walls are a thousand shades of grey, there was nothing personalized in the space. I continued to scan the room, finally noticing a tired looking Cian next to the bed, holding my hand. I tried to ignore the way his palm burned my skin, painting me a thousand shades of red. I gently slide my hand from his, "Where am I?"

"My prison. Pretty isn't it?" He leaned forward, pressing his elbows into the mattress. I was acutely aware of his nearness in a way that I hadn't been before.

"So, I guess it worked? I'm still alive."

His lips turned up into a sad looking smile, "Yes. You survived my kiss. You are fully Fae now, and more beautiful than you were before." The last comment had my heart spiking. My skin felt tight and ironed out.

"How long have we been here?"

Cian tilted his head, eyes turning up toward the ceiling for a moment, "It's hard to say. Time passes differently in the otherworld. We've been here for an hour at most but in your human realm...I believe it's been about a day or so."

"A day?" I shot up in the bed, heart racing, "Oh my god, Seth. I have to save him." I swung my legs over the edge of the bed, letting out a small groan as my muscles protested the movement.

Cian's eyes widened as he watched me, rising up from his seat, "You shouldn't be able to move yet..." He seemed both shocked and curious as I rose up on shaky legs like a newborn. I took a small step and nearly collapsed, catching myself on the ornate looking bedside table. A strong arm encircled my waist, "You need to rest a little more. Your body has just undergone a huge change, it's not ready for you to be moving about like you are." He scooped me up off the ground, holding me close to his chest.

I frowned, tilting my head to meet his gaze, "You said yourself that the longer Seth is separated from his body the harder it will be to put him right again. We don't have time to waste. It's already been a day."

He stared down at me, "I promised to help you save your human, Jezebel. And we will, but you are no good to either of us as you are right now." Cian sat me down on the bed as if I were something delicate and precious. It made my stomach twist up into knots.

I watched as he turned and walked away, digging through some kind of satchel in the far corner of the room. He returned with what looked like a small roll of bread, tearing it in half and holding out some for me, "This should help to give you more energy."

I took it from him hesitantly, still feeling suspicious. Cian lifted his half and took a bite as if to reassure me, "You already trusted me with your life once before, Jezebel." He wasn't wrong. I had done that when I had accepted his kiss.

I lifted the roll and took a bite, my eyes fluttering closed momentarily as my taste buds were assaulted with flavors I had not been expecting. I also hadn't realized how hungry I had been until that moment. I opened my eyes, taking another bite. Cian watched with a satisfied look on his face, "You like it? It's called Marukai. It's made from plants found in my homeland."