Heart of Darkness

After having the most delicious lunch Angelica had ever had, Rayven showed her more of the demon world. Angelica learned a lot just by watching her surroundings but also by listening to Rayven. 

The demon world was fascinating and even more fascinating was the demons themselves. Their worlds were alike in many ways but their behaviors were vastly different in many areas. Women were more present and more active in their society. Wherever she went there would be equally as many women as men. The female demons, unlike the female humans, were involved in everything, from political activities to household decisions. Power in the demon world had nothing to do with gender but rather with bloodline and age and if a demon female was older and from a pure bloodline then she was more powerful. 

"What do you mean by pure bloodline?" she asked.

"It means that both parents are demons and they are closer to the original demons. The ones created. The closer you are to the original demons the more powerful you are," he explained. 

"How close are you to the originals?"

"Not so very close. My parents were the third generation. This means I am three steps down the hierarchy and even more because I am not old in demon age. This is probably why my father chose to live in the human world because he could be more powerful there." 

"You're not old?" her eyes widened. 

He chuckled. "In demon years I'm not old. The way we see age is different. A demon only starts developing his powers faster after a thousand years. Before that, the progress is slow, and therefore younger demons are less powerful unless they are closer to the originals." 

Angelica sighed. "How lucky. My father nagged me about being old and you are considered young." 

Rayven laughed.

Angelica somehow missed her father's nagging. Her mother's death must have done something to him and she wondered why she never sat down to have a real conversation with him. Ask him why he changed so much. Tell him that he wasn't like that before. Maybe if they had talked more and he let his emotions out he would have been able to heal and they would be in a better place. 

After all she had been through, she had changed as a person and she would have done things differently now, but it was too late. 

Raven stopped laughing and looked at her concerned.

"Was my father a bad person? "Angelica asked him.

Rayven watched her thoughtfully before replying, "I'm in no position to say that anyone is bad. I have so far not seen anyone worse than me. I don't know what your father did or how he was but he couldn't have been worse than me." His eyes became distant as he continued to think, "I think your father loved your mother dearly. Looking into his eyes he looked like a lonely, suffering man looking for an escape."

Angelica nodded feeling her heart clench. 

"I'm sorry," he said. 

She forced a smile on her face, "maybe he found his escape at last."

Rayven stroked her arms gently before grabbing her, "I wish I had tried to save him."

She wished she had tried the same. "We are both unlucky when it comes to parents, " she joked. 

"We are, "he agreed without humor. 

He took her hand and they continued to walk along the beach. There was something she liked so much about just walking together while holding hands. It was simple yet it felt special and intimate. It was relaxing to hear and watch the waves of the ocean and the stars shining against the dark canvas. Angelica wished to just continue walking until she was tired and then lay down on the beach and sleep.

Leaving the beach Rayven took her to his home in the demon world. Angelica was surprised to find that he didn't live in a cave and that his home looked nothing like the dark castle he used to live in. 

This place was light, bright, and very clean. The walls were a creamy white which was her favorite color. There were plants and flowers and beautiful paintings decorating the walls. The curtains were thin and didn't cover the large windows completely so she could see the night sky. The whole place was lit with what they called lamps and not a single hallway or room was dark. 

Taking her to a chamber dressed in all white, "this is my room." Rayven said. 

Angelica was surprised again. Even his room was white? Could it be because he didn't live here or because he hadn't been here since his punishment? It was the only explanation she could find but then how did the place remain as. 

"How often do you come here?" she wondered. 

"Not so often, " he said as he went to sit on the bed.

"Then who cleans this place?" 

He chuckled. "Lucretia takes care of our homes in the demon world and she likes to keep things clean so I guess that's why it looks like this despite my long absence. The woman has too much time on her hands." He shook his head.

Even though he said such things about her, Angelica heard no resentment in his voice.

"You don't hate her, "she pointed out.

Raven looked her way with a frown, "it's complicated." 

Complicated? What was he implying? Did he like her or not? She shook her head at her own silliness. Not hating didn't have to mean liking. 

"Have you decided if you want to go to Lucrezia's party?" Rayven asked.

Angelica usually hated going to parties and dinners and her father would force her but now she craved to go outside and meet people. She wanted to feel as though she existed in a world where there was life. 

"I would like that," she said. 

"Would you like to wear your new dress to the party? "Rayven asked her.

Angelica didn't know what would be appropriate to wear to the party but that dress definitely looked better than this red one she was wearing.

"What do you think I should do?" She looked at him for guidance.

Rayven leaned back on the bed holding himself up with an elbow as he narrowed his eyes. His gaze darkened as it followed along her body, scanning her from head to toe and then up again before meeting her gaze. The way he looked at her and made her hold her breath. 

"I like you very much in red, "he said his voice changing into something more seductive. "I'm sure you'll look as good in the other dress."

Angelica cleared her throat, "well I should wear the other dress then." 

She went to grab the bag that he had placed on a chair and then pulled out the dress that he bought for her. Now she had a better clue on how to wear it since she had seen it on the statue. She held it up to ask Rayven just in case she was still clueless but when she turned to the bed he was gone. 

Angelica understood that he left to give her some privacy while getting dressed. She smiled to herself. He was learning quickly. Taking off the red dress she slipped into her new gown. If it was only this easy and fast to wear human female dresses. This took her no time or effort and felt like air against her skin.

As she got dressed she realized she wouldn't have an excuse to teleport back home to get some new clothes, including clothes for her period but she remembered that he knew about it now. Still, she wasn't comfortable talking about it. She didn't know how to talk about it, what words to use. Knowing that she wouldn't be shamed for it didn't suddenly make her comfortable. 

She dismissed the thought knowing that when the time came and she had to talk she would find a way to express herself. At that moment another thought came to mind about how she was dismissing every concern so easily. As if nothing mattered or that her brain just didn't have the same capacity to think for a longer period anymore. This made her panic for a moment. She liked to think and know things but even now the panic disappeared quicker than it used to and she easily convinced herself to just enjoy herself. 

The dress was just like the previous dress, sleeveless and backless and with a slit at the bottom that revealed one of her legs. There were a few straps that had to be tied at the back and when she reached for them she felt a pair of cold hands taking the straps away from hers.

"Let me help you," Rayven spoke from behind her.

Angelica dropped her hands and let Rayven tie the straps at the back which caused the waist to narrow. His fingers would brush against her skin now and then but suddenly she felt his fingers dragging down her back, tracing her spine along the way. Not knowing what to do, she just stood still and tried to focus on breathing, but this man must want her to faint because next, she felt his lips on her back. A small gasp escaped her mouth and she almost stumbled forward before his arm came around her waist to hold her still. He trailed hot, wet kisses up her spine causing her to shudder in delight. He kissed between her shoulder blades and then the back of her neck. 

"You smell so good, Angel." He husked. "Let me look at you." 

He turned her around and then took a few steps back. Angelica's heart skipped several beats and heat rose to her face from the way he looked at her. 

"You look lovely," he said with a deeper voice. 

Angelica shuddered again and her heart went wild in her chest as he crossed the distance between them. He drew her into his arms and then gazed into her eyes. "More than marking you, what I want is to make love to you." He grabbed her chin and held her face up gently so she wouldn't avoid his gaze. Angelica's breath caught in her throat as his hands went to rest at the sides of her neck and brought his face closer. "I want to give you pleasure and take pleasure from you, Angelica." 

A shaky breath left her mouth before he caught her lips with his mouth. He sucked gently on her lower lip, just giving her a taste that made her delirious with want. "I know. Not now but I want you to anticipate that moment," he spoke next to her lips. 

Angelica grabbed onto his arms unable to handle the anticipation. She pulled him toward her and he only teased her more by tracing her lips with his tongue. "We have a party to attend," he reminded with a smirk. 

Well, he certainly had control in this area and she was the slave. A slave to this new maddening sensation. 

"Right," she breathed letting go of his arms. 

"Are you ready to leave?" He asked. 

She nodded. 

Lucrezia's party was held in a place that looked almost like a castle. Or it was a castle, just without the defense part and more decorative. The party started outside and there were many people sitting at different tables in the garden having drinks and food while chattering or dancing to the music that played in the background.

When they went inside, the party continued but not in a specific hall where all the guests came together. It was held in different rooms and halls where a group of guests gathered depending on what they wanted to do. One room was for dining, another one for drinking. In one hall the guests were entertained by dancers and in another hall, they danced with each other. Some rooms were quieter and others had music playing loudly in the background. 

Angelica was confused by all these parties taking place under the same roof and Rayven didn't seem less confused than her. He kept walking, probably not knowing where to take her and she remembered that he didn't like social settings. 

"Here you are. I'm glad you came." Lucrezia appeared out of nowhere. She wore a wine red dress and her lips were painted in the same color. Her high cheekbones also had a faint tint of red and her dark hair was put up in a messy bun that still looked elegant. A few locks fell at the edges of her perfectly sculpted face and Angelica was once again mesmerized by this woman's beauty."You look stunning in this, Angelica." She complimented. 

"Thank you. You look very elegant."

Lucrezia smiled. "I was thinking of introducing you to some of my human friends who are mated to demons." 

"I would like that," Angelica said.

"Good," her green gaze then turned to Rayven. "I am sure you can take care of yourself while I take your wife away. "

Angelica was surprised. She didn't expect to be separated from the Rayven but she understood the situation. She looked over at him and he smiled at her reassuringly. "You can go ahead," he told her. 

Would he be all right? He didn't seem too comfortable here. 

"Come, Angelica," Lucrezia came to her side and put her arm around her as a gesture without touching her to lead the way. Angelica looked one last time at Rayven before following her. "Don't worry about him. He also needs to make some friends and learn how to socialize." Lucrezia told her as they walked away.

Angelica agreed. She just hoped he would try because as stubborn as he was, he could just sit in a corner and wait until she came back. 

Lucrezia took her to a calmer and smaller room. There was no loud music or too many voices. Only a few ladies sitting here in there on large couches, sipping wine from a beautifully shaped glass. The room smelled like something feminine and alluring and was decorated in a way that made her feel like she was on a cloud. The white color of the interior, soft couches, and crystal decorations made the place look calm, empty, and clean.

Lucrezia took them to a certain corner with two large white sofas where three ladies sat. As they neared the ladies stopped talking and looked their way. 

"Good evening ladies. This is Angelica, "Lucrezia began to introduce her to the ladies. "Hopefully, she will be mated to a close friend of mine and is here on a short trip to see our world." 

"It's nice meeting you Angelica. I am pearl. " The lady with the golden hair introduced herself.

"Good evening. I am Cora."

"I'm Elise."

They all introduced themselves.

"It's nice meeting you all," Angelica said.

Lucrezia motioned for her to sit down and Angelica went to sit beside one of the ladies and opposite the other two. Lucrezia sat on a couch alone.

"All the three ladies here are humans," Lucrezia said and they nodded in agreement. 

Angelica only needed to meet them to know that they were not demons. They didn't have the same aura of compelling beauty or anything that gave her warning signals. Nevertheless, they were beautiful and elegant ladies. 

"How has your stay here been so far?" Pearl asked her. 

"It had been a new exciting experience," Angelica replied. 

"Have you decided when you're going to have your mating ceremony?" She wondered. 

"Angelica and her husband are still in the early stages of the process. They have almost only been married for two weeks. " Lucrezia responded in her place as if knowing it would make it easier for her. 

"Oh, I see. You're married? I also got married before mating. We were married five months before we mated. It does take a while to build a relationship that can be completed with mating however, you're not less bonded through marriage if you take the vows seriously." 

"A mistake that many make is coming here to mate only after knowing each other for a short period and despite knowing how mating works. They come here expecting a miracle and go home disappointed instead of with a beautiful memory," Lucrezia said. 

Cora nodded. "I agree. It's better to enjoy all the steps that lead to mating. There's something special in each step. I miss the days when I was courted by my mate. It was something new, unknown, and exciting. It was a journey of exploration where you learn new things about yourself and your mate. You discover new feelings and anticipate every moment. Are you perhaps in that step in your relationship?" 

Angelica thought for a moment. "Yes," she replied. 

"It must be so exciting," she smiled. 

"Are you saying the other steps are not as exciting? " Lucrezia asked.

Cora chuckled."They are a different kind of excitement. The excitement of the first time is unique."

Lucrezia nodded thoughtfully. "Well, I can't remember my first time. It was probably horrible so I don't mind."

All of them laughed, while Lucrezia smiled halfheartedly as if to conceal her disappointment. She did remember her first time. Maybe even clearly but she would rather forget it. 

The rest of the conversation was pleasant. Angelica felt like she was part of the group from the way they included her in the conversation, asking questions and explaining things. They even told stories about themselves where she got to know more about them. One of them lived in the demon world and the other two in the human world. Elise had a five-year-old son and Cora spoke of how she wanted children so badly. 

"Do you want children Angelica? " Cora asked.

Children? Angelica has not thought that far. Not even before her life changed completely. She knew that if she got married her husband would probably want children but she never thought about how she would feel about it or if she wanted it. 

"I haven't thought about it, "she answered honestly.

Elise waved her hand. "Don't worry about it. It's probably better to enjoy the first few years alone with your husband before a child starts running around. It's a lot of work. " 

Cora laughed, "you only have a son."

Elise shook her head. "Having a demon child is not easy. Just wait till you have one of your own." 

Angelica wondered what she meant by that? If she was human and her husband was a demon her child would certainly not be ordinary. 

As if reading her thoughts, she replied to her question. "To have a child with a demon makes your child different from other children in the world he lives in. That is a challenge itself, not to speak of all the demon qualities he might obtain from his father that I have to keep up with when I have none of these abilities myself." 

Angelica nodded. She could only imagine the difficulty. 

"Then are you not mean to tell me to go to the human world to find someone for myself? Do you wish my life to be complicated?" Lucrezia asked with humor. 

Elise chuckled while shaking her head. "Since you haven't found anyone yet and I want to see you happy with someone, I guessed that maybe the one is in the human world. Not necessarily a human but he could be."

"And if he's human then perhaps he's not even born yet, " Cora added teasingly.

Lucrezia shook her head."I don't think a human male can handle me. "

Pearl raised a brow. "Or maybe you can't handle a human male. "

Lucrezia smirked, "perhaps."

"Or perhaps he is not human or a demon," Cora tilted her head. 

"I'll never mate with a shade," Lucrezia said firmly. 

"Life is full of surprises," Elise shrugged. "I would have said the same about demons a few years ago." 

They continue chattering about all kinds of things while having wine. Angelica felt more and more relaxed the more she finished her glass. She had never finished a glass of wine before. 

After the long chat, it was time for the ladies to go home. Each one of them hugged her which was a surprise. "I hope to see you soon, again." They told her. 

Angelica hoped so too. She thanked him for the great time she had and then they left her alone with Lucrezia.

"Come, "Lucrezia told her once they were alone. 

Angelica followed her and Lucretia took her to a large balcony with an ocean view. She pulled the pins from her hair and let the dark strands fall over her shoulders. She sighed, "I hate having my hair tied. It gives me a headache."

Angelica only smiled as she went to stand beside her. She looked at the beautiful view ahead and then turned to her. "Thank you for being so welcoming and introducing me to your friends. "

Lacresha leaned against the rim of the balcony. "You're welcome. " 

"Why are you being so kind to me and helping me?" Angelica wondered. 

"Well, you could say that I'm getting something out of it. Most of the things that I do are strategic. " 

"What are you getting out of this?"

"That's a secret, " she smirked.

Angelica started for a long moment trying to figure out this woman's intentions but it was not easy to read her. Her gut feeling wasn't quite working on her as well as strongly as it was on other people. Who was this woman? 

"Whatever your intentions are I hope it does not include hurting Rayven. I know he did terrible things and it's probably worse than what I imagine because I haven't seen those things but he's changing now."

Lucrezia smiled. "You're right. You can only imagine the things he has done and it's probably not even close to the reality of his crimes. The kind of things that he did requires to be seen with your own eyes to understand the severity of his actions. And for me to say that something is severe after living for so long and seeing many horrible things I'll let you rethink just how bad he was. But he is indeed changing and I have told him many times and will tell you that I am not the enemy, but I'm not your friend either and can never be. "

Angelica nodded understanding the complexity of the situation. 

"I was thinking of inviting you to a mating ceremony. I know you're afraid of fangs but if you're still curious then you're welcome to attend. "

Did Rayven tell her?

"Don't worry. Rayven didn't tell me anything and he doesn't have to. I might not be able to read your mind but I can read his very well. "

Angelica remembered what Rayven had told her about Archdemons being able to read other demons' minds. 

"There is no rush. You can come only if you want to. You and Rayven still have a lot of things to figure out before mating anyway. You're getting to know him and he's getting to know himself, discovering his feelings and reflecting on his previous actions. It's all part of redemption and it's a crucial part. Before forgiveness comes repentance. He will suffer for a little more but don't worry, even that is part of the progress and little suffering doesn't kill demons. What do you say? Are you interested in seeing how two souls come together?"

"I would like to attend.. "Angelica said.