He seems genuinely worried for my safety, so I give him reassurance. “I won’t move a step. Promise.”
He grunts his approval. “I won’t be long.”
He pops out of sight before I can reply.
13
The control room is silent for a long minute, save for the blaring warning siren. Thankfully someone shuts it off, but then the silence becomes awkward. All of the souls in the room are trying to do their jobs while also surreptitiously watching me. “I don’t bite,” I say, offering smiles to each of the men.
The lame joke eases some of the tension in the room, and the man sitting at the monitors says, “Would you like to see what’s going on, Lady Kinsey?”
Again, I’m startled by the title and the genuine deference the souls show me. It’s so strange. I push the awkwardness aside and smile at the man who addressed me. “Can I?”
“Sure.”
Another man slides a chair next to the guy working the monitors and gestures for me to sit. The man at the monitors starts pushing buttons and says, “There are cameras almost everywhere in Prison. We can access them all from this room. I’ve pulled up all the different feeds from the building where the alarm went off.” He points to one of the monitors. “This here is where the trouble is.”
I’m not surprised by what I see on the monitor—there’s complete chaos in what appears to be a cafeteria. This is a men’s facility, and judging from the violence these men are inflicting on each other, I’m guessing it’s one of the “maximum security” buildings.
“There’s Lord Cyrus.”
The man in the chair next to me points to Cyrus on the screen. He’s in the heart of the fight and surrounded by at least a dozen angry inmates. I watch as he subdues the men one at a time, clasping handcuffs on them that seem to make them freeze in place. He’s just cuffing another man when an entire group of inmates comes at him from behind. My heart skips a beat. “Why is he alone?” I can’t help the horror in my voice.
“He always insists on getting his men out of harm’s way and taking care of the worst fights himself.”
“But how?” I cry as I watch the gang of men descend on Cyrus. “Won’t they hurt him?”
To my surprise, the men in the room chuckle. “One or two may get a good hit in,” the guy who got me a chair says casually. He’s standing behind me, watching the fight over my shoulder. “But don’t worry, Lady Kinsey, he can take care of himself. He’s the Warden of Prison for a reason.”
“Just watch,” the man beside me adds.
I turn my eyes back to the screen, heart in my throat, and watch as Cyrus fights off a swarm of men. There are so many guys surrounding him that I can hardly see him. A man punches him hard enough in the temple that he stumbles back. The group takes advantage and knocks him to the ground. I cry out as they all converge on him.
A hand comes down softly on my shoulder. “It’s all right, Lady Kinsey,” the man behind me murmurs.
Suddenly, every man on the screen falls to the floor, convulsing. “What’s happening?”
“It’s one of Lord Cyrus’s gifts,” the man beside me explains.
“What is it?”
The man behind me speaks up. “I believe that for the men feeling it, it’s sort of like being tased. That’s another reason Lord Cyrus insists on taking care of the out-of-control fights himself. His power will affect everyone within the vicinity, and he doesn’t want to hurt his guards.”
My eyes are glued to the screen. The inmates are all still writhing on the floor like they’re having seizures. Cyrus is now moving around the room, cuffing each man. The electricity or whatever it is doesn’t seem to bother him when he touches them. His hair is mussed, and I think his lip is bleeding, but otherwise he looks fine. “Why didn’t he just use that power from the start?” I ask. “Why try to fight them off?”
The man beside me pulls his shoulders back and smiles at the screen with pride. “Lord Cyrus doesn’t like hurting the inmates, no matter how awful they are. He hates using his power, and only does it when he has no choice.”
My heart softens at the thought of Cyrus caring for his inmates, or at least, treating them with human decency. He’s such a kind man. And selfless, from the sounds of it. Who else would go into a prison riot alone to spare his men the possibility of getting hurt?
Once every inmate is cuffed, they all stop convulsing and lie frozen in place. Cyrus’s voice then comes over a speaker in the room. “Give the all-clear and unlock the doors.”
The man beside me flips a switch and leans toward a small intercom. “Yes, sir.”
A few pushes of buttons later, and the cafeteria is swarmed with prison guards. Cyrus directs them all as they carry off the men—back to their cells, I assume. Once the room is empty, a new group of people arrives and begins to clean up the mess in the cafeteria. The place is nearly destroyed. Cyrus speaks to someone who appears to be in charge, and then he blinks out of sight.
A throat clears behind me. “I’m sorry you had to see that.”
I whirl around, startled to hear Cyrus’s voice. I want to jump up from my chair and throw my arms around him, but I worry that he wouldn’t want me to in front of his men. I rise slowly and shake my head. “I’m glad I got to see it.” Cyrus cocks a brow, and I shake my head. “I’m not glad for what happened, and I didn’t like seeing you get hit, but I’m glad to understand what it’s like for you here. I feel like I learned a lot about you.”
Cyrus frowns but doesn’t say anything. He turns his attention to his men. “Lights out for twenty-four hours, and they’re to be confined to their cells for a week.”
“Yes, sir.”
He’s still frowning when he looks at me again. “Have you seen enough yet? I would really prefer to take you back now.”
I can tell he’s upset about something. I want to call him on it, but again, I don’t want to do that in front of his men, so I nod and hold out my hand. “We can go now. Thank you for bringing me.”
He gives me a curt nod and takes my hand. He doesn’t pull me close as we pop back to the mansion, and then he lets me go as if I’ve burned him. My heart hurts at the rejection. “Cyrus,” I whisper. “What is it? Did I do something wrong?”
He flinches, startled by my question, and his eyes flash to mine. “No.”
“Then what is it?”
He turns away from me, staring at the empty fireplace. “I didn’t want you to see that. That’s not who I am. I—I don’t like hurting people.”
It takes me a moment to realize that he’s ashamed of his behavior, or at least he’s afraid that I might be. I walk up behind him and place my hand on his shoulder. He stiffens at my touch. “Cyrus,” I whisper as I begin to rub small circles with my hand. “I know you didn’t like doing what you did. You only did what you had to do—what was absolutely necessary. You didn’t abuse the power you have, and you have that gift for a reason. You were doing your job. That’s all. It’s what you were designed for. Don’t be ashamed of that.”
Cyrus turns to face me. He can’t meet my eyes as he quietly asks, “Are you afraid of me now?”
My heart breaks. I swear it shatters. I never want him to think that ever again. I can’t stand it. I gently take his face in my hands and whisper his name. He slowly drags his eyes up to meet mine. “I could never be afraid of you,” I say. I brush my thumb over the small cut on his lip, wishing I could heal it. “You have the softest heart of anyone I’ve ever met. You’re caring and selfless and the perfect man to govern Prison, because you won’t ever abuse your power. You aren’t a tyrant. I’m glad I was there today, because I got to see what kind of man you are, and I like that man very much. I’m proud to know you.”
When he opens his mouth to speak, I cut off whatever he’s about to say with a kiss. I push up onto my tiptoes and press my mouth to his, throwing all the passion I have into it. He stiffens at first but slowly relaxes and eventually returns the kiss.
When we pull back, he stares at me with wonder. “I
was afraid you wouldn’t understand.”
“I do understand,” I promise. “I don’t envy you your job. I could never do it. But I admire you very much because you can.”
He swallows like he’s trying to push down a lump of emotion. He doesn’t speak, and I’m not sure he can, so I break up the moment. I take his hand and give it a gentle tug. “No more moping,” I tease. “You said you wanted to show me how you spend your time here. I would love to see what that is.”
He pulls himself together and nods once. His hand curls around mine, and he gives me a small smile. I grin back and kiss his cheek before motioning for him to lead the way.
He walks me through the mansion to a part of the house I haven’t been yet. I gasp when he leads me through a set of French doors into a large conservatory. The room is made of glass and filled with beautiful plants, vines, flowers, and trees. “It’s beautiful.”
“You like it?” Cyrus asks, hope filling his voice.
I blink at him. “I love it.”
My response pleases him. He shifts his hand and laces our fingers together before pulling me further into the room. As we walk through the wild garden, he tells me about all the different plants and how he cares for them. I’m shocked to learn he does it himself. “This isn’t done the same way the rest of the house is? Like it magically takes care of itself?”
Cyrus chuckles. “It would, if I wished it so, but I like doing it myself. It’s the vibrancy I like—all the colors.”
I give his hand a squeeze. “I imagine you do when you spend your days in Prison. I’ve never seen a more drab, depressing environment.”
Cyrus nods. “Yes, it’s designed that way on purpose—a sort of punishment for the souls who end up there, but it can be hard on those of us who work there as well. When I’m here, I like to spend my time enjoying the things I’m lucky enough to have.”
I like that he appreciates what he’s got. I’m not sure the other lords realize how good they have it. It’s nice that Cyrus doesn’t take it all for granted. An idea comes to mind that I simply must do. I want to give Cyrus a gift. Something that he’ll appreciate more than Pierce or Gabriel. Something that I don’t think he can do for himself.
“How do you do that popping thing?” I ask.
Cyrus frowns. “What popping thing?”
“You know…” I try to mask the excitement in my voice. I don’t want to give myself away. “That thing where we’re one place and then Pop! Suddenly we’re someplace else.”
Cyrus smirks once he understands my meaning. “It’s easy. You just think of where you want to go and then will yourself there.”
“Will myself?”
“It’s all in the intent. You just think about it and tell yourself to go there. Here, give it a try. Why don’t you try to take us to the parlor?”
Cyrus steps close to me and holds out his hand. I clasp it tightly but don’t try to move us yet. “Just think of the place and mentally say I want to go there?”
“That’s it. And tell yourself that you want to take me with you.”
It sounds too easy. “What happens if I don’t do it right? Do we get stuck in some in-between place, never to be seen or heard from again?”
Cyrus laughs again and shakes his head. “We just won’t go anywhere. We’ll stay right here.” He gives my hand a small shake. “Go ahead. Give it a try.”
Letting out a slow breath, I close my eyes and focus on the parlor—its fireplace and the couches. The big screen TV and the pool table… I want to take Cyrus to the parlor.
Just like that, the world around us shifts with a pop, and suddenly Cyrus and I are standing in the middle of the parlor. Excitement rushes through me. “I did it!”
I hate to admit it, but I squeal the tiniest bit as I throw myself at Cyrus. He laughs at me as he wraps his big, muscled arms around me. “Good job.”
I grin up at him, unable to control my excitement. This surprise might actually work. “Can I try it again? One more time?”
His smile turns crooked, amused. He offers me his hand and waits. I have to work to not bounce on my toes when I take his hand and think of my destination. For a split second I think it’s not going to work, but then the scenery changes and we’re no longer standing in the mansion.
Pride swells in me as I take in my surroundings. I did it! I brought Cyrus to Paradise!
A soft gasp pulls me from my celebrating. Cyrus is slowly turning in a circle, gaping at the world around us. The garden is unlike any I’ve ever seen—lush, well-manicured, and blooming with hundreds of flowers in all different shapes and colors. More than just the beauty of the place, Paradise is like the living world. There’s a slight breeze in the air. Above us is a perfectly bright blue sky with puffy white clouds, and the sweet-smelling fragrance of flowers permeates the air. This garden, in a word, is paradise.
I watch Cyrus take it all in. His expression goes from wonder to elation. He closes his eyes, turns his face to the sun, and takes a deep breath. When he opens his eyes again, he gazes at me with an emotion I can’t place. “Where are we?” he asks.
A smile spreads wide across my face. “We’re at the botanical gardens in Paradise.”
He gasps again. “Paradise!”
I shrug. “It seems to be my domain, right? I mean, I knew there were botanical gardens here even though I’ve never been here. I figured if you, Pierce, and Gabriel could all take me with you to your domains, then I should be able to bring you with me to mine.”
Cyrus blinks at me and then drinks in his surroundings again, as if he still can’t believe it. “You want to take a look around?” I ask. “There’s a hedge maze and world-class rose garden around here somewhere.”
Cyrus looks at me again and gulps. Without warning, he grabs me by the wrist and pulls me flush against his body. His mouth is on mine, locked in a passionate kiss before I can even catch my breath. I melt against him and slide my arms up over his wide shoulders, wrapping them around his neck. He grips my waist and then pulls back enough to look into my eyes. “Thank you,” he murmurs.
His gratitude is so sincere it makes me blush. I step away from him and shrug. “It’s no big deal.”
“It is,” he insists. “I have dreamed of Paradise for so long. For you to bring me here…” He shakes his head, unable to finish his sentence.
Before it can get awkward, I hold out my hand to him. “Come on, big guy, let’s go check out the gardens.”
We spend hours in the gardens, and the entire time Cyrus takes it all in like a kid at Disneyland for the first time. He tells me about all the different plants and flowers and how to take care of them. I have a hard time reconciling this softhearted man who loves nature so much with the Warden of Prison. I’m glad he is able to shut off that side of him once work is over.
“Can I take you somewhere else before we go back?” I ask. “There’s a place I’d like to check out, and I think you might like it, too.”
Cyrus pulls me close again and combs his fingers through my long ponytail. “You can take me anywhere,” he murmurs. “Wherever you want, whenever you want.”
A shiver races up my spine, and my body fills with heat. I know exactly where I want to take him. And how. With one last shiver, I slip my arms around his waist and grin wickedly at him as the world around us changes.
I’m as excited as Cyrus is to see the beautiful tropical lagoon around us. It’s simply breathtaking—the pristine white beach we’re standing on with the vibrant green jungle behind us, and the crystal blue ocean in front of us. It’s truly a tropical paradise, and the best part is, it’s a private beach. There’s not a soul for miles, and there won’t be as long as we want privacy. That’s one of the perks of Paradise.
I look down at my feet, and Cyrus does the same. I grin, seeing our toes, and wiggle mine in the sand. We’re both wearing swimsuits now, and I have a beautiful sarong wrapped around my waist.
Cyrus’s chest is gloriously bare, and when he takes in my bikini-clad body with so much appre
ciation that I blush, I figure it’s okay to slide my hands up his washboard abs and rest them on his bulging pecs. Heat fills his gaze at my touch, and his hands grip my hips. “I think there’s a picnic lunch waiting for us around here somewhere. What do you say we eat and then go for a swim?”
His hands slide up my sides over my ribs, then find their way to my back. He presses our bodies together and gives me a look that heats me from the inside out. “Food can wait. I need something else right now.”
Lunch is instantly forgotten. Cyrus meets me in the middle for another searing kiss. His hands slide down my back, and then he lifts me up until I wrap my legs around his waist. His muscles bulge with the movement, and I greedily explore every hard plane. “Make love to me, Cyrus,” I murmur between kisses.
Cyrus doesn’t need to be told twice. With a grunt of satisfaction, he gently lowers me to the sand and settles on top of me. With every touch and soft caress, he makes me smile. “What are you smiling at?” he asks.
My grin doubles. “I’m just amazed that the roughest Lord of the Netherworld is also the gentlest lover.”
His mouth lifts into a smirk. “I know how to please a woman.”
I’m not going to deny that. “Yes, you do.”
I bring his mouth back to mine and then make love to him on the beach for the rest of the day, stopping a few times to eat and enjoy a swim. I couldn’t ask for a better way to spend the day.
14
My perfect day with Cyrus comes to a screeching halt when evening rolls around and we head back to the mansion for dinner. The men are nice and attentive as usual, but they’re antsy. Cyrus tells them a little about our time in Paradise—to which both Pierce and Gabriel ask if I’ll take them sometime.
I say yes, of course, I’d love to have both of them with me in Paradise. There’s so much to do and see there, that I know I could give each of them perfect days as well, and I know their perfect days would be entirely different than the day I just had with Cyrus. I guess one of my “gifts” is knowing a person’s innermost desires so that I can show them how to best enjoy Paradise.
Realms and Rebels: A Paranormal and Fantasy Reverse Harem Collection Page 155