Heart of Darkness

Angelica sat in the library with a book in her hand but she didn’t read a word. She just stared ahead while thinking about Lord Rayven. What happened to him this morning? She wouldn’t be surprised by the way he acted if he hadn’t been all sweet and romantic these days. She was after all used to rude Rayven even though he wasn’t rude this morning.

When he had changed she had expected him to stop being rude and not to change into this sweet and overly romantic man. Angelica was still surprised sometimes when he spoke to her and told her all those sweet words. It was strange and if he hadn’t sounded so sincere, she would think he was being pretentious. But she could see it all in his eyes. In the way, he looked at her, making her heart beat fast and blush every time.

Was he perhaps like that when he was Demos? Did he have a woman back then? He said he only lived with his parents and sister. Maybe he left out to tell her about women since they were married. If he had one how was he toward her?

Angelica could tell he was good with words and expressing his deepest emotions while reading his poems. Maybe he just let that side of himself out.

She sighed. Either way, she hoped this change caused him less pain. She knew very well that when one got used to a certain feeling it was hard to let go, just like she couldn’t let go of her fear. Even now she worried if something might have happened to him.

Who would have ever thought she would worry about that big man who scared everyone away?

She smiled to herself. Clearly, he wasn’t the most dangerous out there. And here she was resting and feeling comfortable in a castle owned by a demon. No, wait! She was even married to him. Who would believe her?

Amused by her thoughts, she went to put the book back on the shelf then left the library to find Love.

Angelica realized that Lord Rayven must have noticed that she loved white. She really appreciated everything he did for her. Now she was curious to see what he would do about her demand of wanting privacy.

“How are you Love?” She said patting her. “Have you been alone all day?”

Angelica grabbed the brush and began to brush her hair. “I am here now. I’ll spend some time with you.”

Angelica brushed Love’s hair gently. “Don’t worry. Soon I will take you on a ride. We will ride against the wind and into the sunset. I look forward to it. Do you?”

Love made a sound.

“You do?” Angelica asked with a smile. “Oh, I can’t wait.”

Her thoughts drifted away and she imagined herself riding on Love beside Lord Rayven who rode on his black horse. It was a beautiful sunny day and they both looked happy. She was really going to disappoint herself if she kept imagining such things.

Angelica looked over at Lord Rayven’s horses. “Do you have names?” She asked them. Lord Rayven liked animals so he must have given them names but then again he was so clueless sometimes so maybe he didn’t.

Both of his horses kept their heads lowered and their ears hang to the sides. They looked sad. Angelica went to them and tried to pat the black one when it suddenly bolted, startling her. She stumbled backward and almost fell back but was caught by Lord Rayven.

He helped her up to stand steadily on her feet. The black horse snorted and waved with his tail.

“Are you alright?” Lord Rayven asked.

She nodded. “Yes.”

“You startled him. He was sleeping.”

“Oh, I didn’t know. His eyes were open,” she said.

Lord Rayven fought back a smile. “They can sleep with their eyes open.”

“Oh…” she said embarrassed. She didn’t know much about horses.

Lord Rayven went to calm down his horse.

“I didn’t mean to startle him,” Angelica said.

“It is alright,” he said stroking his horse gently and then holding its face. “I should have taught you how to read their body language so you could understand them. Look at his ears now.” He said and Angelica looked at the ears. “They are turned out to the sides. It means he is relaxed but could also mean he is sleeping.”

Angelica nodded.

“Try to call or make a sound before approaching a sleeping horse. When they turn their heads, you can go to them.” He told her.

She nodded again.

He left his horse and came to stand in front of her. “Did you eat dinner?”

“My Lord, please don’t tell me to eat. My stomach is unwell.” She said. She usually felt bloated when bleeding and didn’t feel like eating.

“Alright,” he agreed so easily that she was surprised. “Shall we go to bed then?”

Bed? Another night to get through it seemed. ρꪖꪕᦔꪖꪕꪫꪣꫀ​ꪶ​

“My Lord, you can… go ahead. I will be right after you.”

He nodded. “Alright.”

Angelica watched him walk away and when he was out of sight she took a deep breath. Why did she have to bleed now when they suddenly had to share a room?

She would have to come up with an explanation just in case. Would he take it the wrong way if she just told him she was unwell? He would worry then but that was the only reason she could deny him without hurting him, hopefully. After thinking some more and not being able to come up with something better, she decided to leave.

“Good night, Love.” She said patting her.

Angelica went to their room and opened the door feeling anxious. When she walked in her eyes widened.

Oh, Lord!

She swallowed.

Lord Rayven waited for her half-naked, or should she say almost naked. He only wore a black linen around his hips, as he sat comfortably in a chair with his arms resting on the armrest. One of his legs was exposed where the fabric parted and he didn’t care to cover it. His dark hair and pale skin glowed in the dim light and his eyes were curious as they met hers.

Angelica just stared back at him for a long moment before looking away and touching her hair nervously. She felt like she was in deep trouble. Trying to distract herself, she went to the dresser and grabbed a comb. She had already done her private things so she wouldn’t have to ask him to leave. She just needed to get out of this heavy dress.

Angelica decided to do that first and she didn’t even want to know if Lord Rayven was watching her. She took it off quickly, folded it and placed it on the chest. Then she went back to the dresser and sat down in front of the mirror to comb her hair.

When Lord Rayven remained quiet she had to look back to see if he was still there and he was. He kept watching her but this time his gaze was different. He looked curious as if wanting to ask many questions but didn’t know how to do it.

“Do you like the way I made the room?” She asked to start a conversation.

He looked around as if just noticing anything other than her for the first time. “It looks good,” he said.

“Is something bothering you, My Lord?”

He narrowed his eyes, “why are you not calling me by my name yet?”

“You never told me to,” she said feeling strange. He didn’t have to tell her but she thought maybe he wanted her to keep addressing him formally. It wasn’t unusual for Lords of high rank and royalty to be addressed formally even by family members.

“You can call me Rayven,” he said.

Rayven. It wasn’t his birth name.

“Why did you change your name?” She asked curiously.

“I didn’t. I was given this name.”

“By who?”

“Lucrezia.”

His punisher. Why would he keep a name given by her or was he forced to?

Angelica became curious about their relationship. That woman was stunning. How could any man look at her and not want her?

Angelica nodded and then they just looked at each other before she turned back to the mirror. She never cared about how she looked before but now she studied herself in the mirror.

Wait! What was wrong with her. Was she comparing herself to that woman? She shook her head and tied her hair up in a bun before standing up. When she turned around she found Lord Rayven stalking toward her.

Angelica stood still as if she was in some kind of danger and when he neared she fought hard to not step back but there was no way back. The dresser blocked her from behind.

Lord Rayven stopped in front of her, and for one long moment, everything stilled. Words, gazes, hearts, breaths held as the charged air surged between them and thickened with something unknown to her.

His hand slowly reached for her and Angelica wondered what he would do when he untied the bun on her head and let her hair fall. Angelica watched the change in his eyes as he regarded her while letting his fingers slide through her soft curls. His eyes darkened to a richer hue that took her breath away. Her heart picked up as something hot and risky flowed through her body.

If she felt this way just from him looking at her then she would have to speak before anything else happened. She opened her mouth but just then he grabbed her face causing her to halt.

“Tonight I might do a little more than kissing,” he said.

A little more? How little? Or how much?

Before she could say something his mouth moved closer, blocking everything out. Angelica could no longer think as he brought his mouth down on hers.. He caged her in with his arms as if preventing her from escaping and kissed her to surrender.