Heart of Darkness

Rayven became surprised. He knew it was one thing to not be scared of his fangs in the heat of the moment but he knew she was still uncomfortable with fangs which were understandable especially now after Constantine abducted her. 

"Well, you have to do something for them to appear." He smirked surprised that he could be playful after feeling dead the last five days. 

Angelica moved closer with a knowing smile. She loomed over him and brought her lips down on his. His dead body came alive, his silent heart began to beat in his chest. He had thought they would have more sweet times together when they came home before this tragedy happened but it wasn't too late now. 

As much as he wanted to undress her and soak in her warmth, he waited to see what else she would do. Angelica pulled away and looked at him with eyes wide. 

"What is wrong?" 

"I can taste you," she said. 

He chuckled. "Of course, you could." 

She shook her head. "No. Not like that. I can smell and taste you." 

"What do I taste like then?" He asked curiously. 

"Like…" She became thoughtful. "Like wine and wood."

Wine and wood? Not what he had imagined. 

She smiled. "I like it ." She said and then kissed him again. 

When she took charge of the kiss it was so different. He was more tormented, less patient. Her hands roamed down his body, grazing his skin gently as if she knew what it did to him. And then to his surprise, she straddled him without breaking the kiss. Rayven's hands slid under her nightgown and grasped her thighs as his body stirred and stiffened. 

Angelica placed her hands on his chest and pushed herself away. She was as breathless as he was. 

"Will they hear us?" She asked speaking of Acheron and Lazarus. 

"They will but they would know even if they didn't," he said. 

She shook her head, "then we should stop." 

She was about to get off when he pushed himself up and wrapped one arm around her to stop her. "Angelica," he shifted her slightly she would feel his body and how ready he was to have her. A small gasp left her lips. "Not finishing what you started is bad manners." 

"But…" 

He buried his face in her neck and kissed her and that was enough to make her give in. He knew she was more sensitive to everything now that they were mated, especially to his touch. 

His hands traveled up her thighs, hips, and then further up until he removed her nightgown leaving her bare, just like him. Rayven sucked in a deep breath. How could she grow more beautiful each day? Her skin had regained its healthy glow and even more. She had regained some weight as well, and he let his fingers brush the curve of her breasts and hips. Angelica shivered but he didn't stop. He kissed every curve and swell of her body until she writhed against him with urgency. And when she couldn't endure his teasing, she surprised him by pushing him back on the bed. 

As if surprised by herself she hesitated for a moment, not knowing what to do further. If he wasn't in such torment he would find it amusing but now he just needed her to release him from this pain. 

She shifted, adjusting him between her legs and then easing him into her. Rayven held back a groan. He was hanging on the last thread of control that would have been impossible if Angelica hadn't remained still for a moment. And then she moved her hips causing his mind to shut down and surrender to the pleasure she was giving him until his body gave in with a groan. 

Then he lay there, with Angelica in his arms while listening to their heartbeats and the crackling sound of burning wood. 

"Are you asleep?" He whispered when her breathing and heart calmed down. 

"No. This feels better than sleep." 

He smiled and stroked her back. 

"I thought I would need more blood for the mating to complete." She said. 

"It is different for everyone. It seems you only needed that much." He told her. "Why did you want to touch my fangs?"

She shrugged. "Maybe it will cause me to have more dreams. I am really confused right now. In my dream, I saw his eyes and his lips. They looked exactly the same. And he gave me the same feeling of danger and iciness. Could I have been mistaken? Was it really not Constantine who tortured Ramona?" 

"I don't know anymore. We will have to wait for Skender to wake up." 

"I am somehow relieved. I thought Ramona went with Constantine to hurt Skender but it was his father if he is telling the truth."

"Even if he is telling the truth, he is still dangerous. He is powerful and vengeful and he is fighting a powerful enemy. He will go to any length to defeat him without any regard to those working with him. He will sacrifice them if he has to.  We can never let him know about William. Too many people know now already." 

With everything that had been going on many secrets came to the open. Vitale was the first to know without anyone telling him. Rayven had thought that William had told him while staying with him but that hadn't been the case. The demon was very attentive.

"What feeling did you get from your dreams? Is there a possibility that Ramona loved Constantine?" Rayven wondered. 

"I saw him once smiling at her. It was a gentle smile." She said her voice sounding hesitant. "It gave me a strange feeling like I wasn't afraid anymore." 

Rayven sighed. "What about Skender? Did it feel like she loved him back?"

Angelica was quiet for a moment. "She loved him… but perhaps it wasn't romantic. I don't think they ever had such a relationship so she couldn't have betrayed him unless the enemy is him and not his father."

Rayven nodded. He wasn't sure of anything anymore, but Constantine feared his father. That he was sure of. They had something to use against him now. 

When the morning came, Several voices caught his attention as he was getting dressed. Amongst them, he heard Skender's voice. He turned to Angelica was putting her hair up in a bun. 

"Is something wrong?" She asked when she saw his wide eyes. 

"Skender is awake," he said. 

Both of them hurried to his room and found him surrounded by Acheron, Lazarus, and William. He sat on the bed, leaning back on the post with a tired look. His eyes were small, his skin still grey and lifeless and his lips dry. 

His gaze shifted and he took notice of them. "Rayven. Angelica." 

"Your Majesty," Angelica walked closer. "I am glad to see you awake. You made us all worried." 

He smiled but it didn't reach his eyes. "I am alright." He assured her and then his eyes turned to Rayven. 

Rayven felt the words get stuck in his throat. He didn't know what to say. "How are you feeling?" He asked. 

"Tired." 

"You must be hungry too. And thirsty." William said turning to Angelica. 

"Yes. We shall serve you breakfast." She hurried to add and then left. 

It became dead quiet and Lazarus tried to break the silence. "Well, you handsome self look awful." He told Skender. 

"And you look the same," Skender said as if disappointed. 

Lazarus chuckled. "It can't get better than this," he motioned toward himself. "I am not Rayven. Love has made him look better." 

They all turned to him and he felt uncomfortable. He turned away and looked at William who smiled at him. Why was he smiling? 

The rest of the day, Skender acted like his usual self and slowly Rayven began to relax. He bathed and dressed and then had breakfast with them. He was a little unsteady with his feet as he walked downstairs, he almost stumbled and fell before Rayven grabbed him. 

Skender looked at the hand holding his arm before he looked up at Rayven. He raised one eyebrow, "I am alright." He spoke and Rayven released him immediately. "Thank you for saving me," he smirked before walking away. 

Rayven got a strange feeling as he watched Skender's back. That smirk and those words…what did it mean? He got a strange feeling but then shook it off. He was probably thinking of it too much and expecting things. 

In the afternoon as they all sat in the garden Vitale and Blayze joined them. "They told me there was good news. I don't see how you still being alive is good news." Blayze sighed as he took a seat. 

Skender tilted his head to one side and watched him with a dark look. Blayze glared at him. "Do you have something to say?" 

"Nothing your small brain could comprehend," Skender replied. Usually, he ignored Blayze so they were surprised that he replied. 

Blayze smirked. "I see you are finally paying attention to me." 

"You have been crying for it for so long. I took pity on you." Skender faked a smile. 

Blayze's eyes burned with fury and Skender seemed amused by it. 

"Calm down," Vitale told Blayze. "A Lady and her brother live here as well." 

Blayze took a deep breath without tearing his gaze away from Skender. 

For the first time, they all dined at his home. Only Mazzonn was missing. "Has Mazzonn not returned yet?" 

"Tell him to come back!" Skender told Vitale. "He can't be gone longer than this." 

Vitale gave him a nod. 

"So what happens to Constantine now?" Blayze asked. 

They had all been avoiding the topic, to give Skender some time but Blayze didn't care of course. 

Skender paused and then slowly but away his cutlery before looking at Angelica and William. "You don't have to worry anymore. You can leave the castle and go anywhere you like. It is not you he wants anymore." 

"What does he want from you?" Acheron asked. 

"Help him defeat his father." 

"Will you do it?" 

Skender became quiet. His eyes became distant, "I don't know." 

"Don't get yourself involved with him or his father. You have a weapon against him now. You don't need to do anything else." Lazarus said. 

Skender remained quiet and returned to eat his food. 

After dinner, Skender suggested they had some wine which was strange coming from him. They sat near the fireplace in the hall, only the four of them. Vitale and Blayze left and Angelica and William went to bed. 

Skender sipped his wine, looking thoughtfully into the fire. "How did you find out about Constantine's secret?" Rayven asked him. 

Skender's lips curved into a half-sad half-amused smile. "The witch told me." 

"Aunt Marie? The one who gave me a shock?" Lazarus said. 

Acheron looked confused and Skender chuckled. "Yes." 

"Who is aunt Marie?" Acheron asked

"A cruel witch with crueler witchy nieces." 

"A witch helped you?" Acheron raised a brow. 

"Well, she has some affection for him," Lazarus replied. 

"Hmm… affection for a demon? And she helped you without asking for anything in return?" Acheron looked skeptical. 

"I offered myself." 

Rayven frowned, not liking what he was hearing. "What does that mean?" He asked. 

"What would it mean, Rayven?" Skender raised a brow. 

"Do you like her?" Acheron asked him. 

Lazarus chuckled. "She made him into a whore. If he likes that then…" he shrugged. "Oh, right.  Men can't be whores." He then corrected himself. 

Skender stared at his cup not surprised by Lazarus's statement at all. In the human world, men couldn't be whores, harassed, or raped. It was very different from the demon world where actions were not judged based on gender. 

Acheron sighed. "Well then, enjoy being a whore if you don't like her." 

"Don't say it like that," Rayven said. They were making things worse.

"It is what it is. If he had asked for her body in return, how would she react? She would have slapped him. That is only if he thought of asking such a thing." Lazarus told him. 

Acheron chuckled. "I don't think this one would have slapped him." 

"Of course not." 

Skender put his cup away, his eyes looking distant.. "Maybe being a whore will feel better."