Heart of Darkness

Angelica tried not to look at his reflection in the mirror as he combed her hair. Instead, she tried to calm her by wildly beating her, but that only did the opposite effect of what she wanted.

"Do you feel better today?" he asked his voice as soft as the brush of his fingers on the nape of her neck. It made her skin tingle.

"Yes." She breathed.

"I want to make you feel even better," he said.

Something about when he spoke in a low and soft tone made his mesmerizing voice even more appealing.

Make her feel better? Why did her thoughts go the wrong way? Or right? She wasn't sure yet. But sucking her finger certainly made her feel better and even healed her.

"I… I am alright, My Lord."

Why was she stuttering? She bit her lip.

He just smiled and continued to comb her hair. "Your hair is like the sunset," he said observing it. Then he looked up and met her gaze. "And your eyes are impossible to forget."

Angelica didn't know what to say and looked down feeling shy.

"You caught my attention that day when you came to the King's ball, looking as beautiful as you did."

She was surprised to hear that. That was the first day she saw him and she never thought he had noticed her that far back.

"You were so brave and looked me in the eyes every time I met you. You even dared speak to me and call me rude and ill-mannered." He chuckled softly at the memory. "From then on, you kept wandering in my mind."

"That… that was before I came here." She said.

"I know. It sounds strange especially with the way I treated you after. It might sound even stranger if I say I was like that because I felt that way about you. I was annoyed that I kept thinking about you," he smiled a sad smile. "Now I must seem pitiful to you."

She gazed at him. "You are a strange man." She said.

He smiled. "I know, but you are no less strange. Why did you write me poems when I was rude to you?"

She chuckled. "The ones you thought were silly?"

He grimaced. "I said that. How rude."

She just laughed and he smiled while staring at her. "I don't think I have heard you laugh like this." He said with a hint of sadness in his eyes.

It had been a long time since she felt this relaxed and actually laughed sincerely.

"I like the sound of it." He said.

Angelica couldn't stop observing him. She was still trying to adjust to this new Rayven who said nice things to her.

Lord Rayven put the comb. "It is done." He said and then to her surprise he carried her up.

"My Lord… what are you..."

He placed her on the bed and her heart skipped a beat. What was he thinking?

"I still need to take care of you." He said.

Angelica sat up. How would he take care of her?

He went to stand at the end of the bed and grabbed her ankle. Then he crouched and adjusted her leg so he could see her feet.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Let me heal the scars on your feet." He said.

Heal? She remembered when he healed her finger and panicked.

"No." She said and tried to pull her leg away but he held it firmly.

"Why?"

"What do you mean why? I can't let you lick my feet."

He chuckled. "I wasn't thinking of doing that but I could do that as well."

"Then what?"

"My blood can heal."

Blood? How was that any better?

"Will you cut yourself?"

"A little."

"No, no. I am fine." She tried to pull her leg away again but to no avail.

"Angelica. I either cut myself or you will let me use my tongue."

She became speechless.

Suddenly she felt his wet thumb stroke her foot. "See, it wasn't that bad." He said showing her his already healed thumb. Angelica bent her leg and looked at her feet. No scars were visible. When did he even cut himself and with what?

He grabbed her other ankle and before she could protest he had already cut himself again and massaged her foot with his thumb. Only so little blood and it healed her. She was both fascinated and shocked.

"You didn't have to do that. They would heal on their own." She said feeling bad that he had to cut himself.

"I should have done this a long time ago," he said. "Now let me heal your legs."

Her eyes widened. Her legs?

"My Lord, it is really not needed." She protested but he was already lifting her dress up by moving his grip from her ankle and up her leg. The touch of his hand was hot and smooth against her skin.

He leaned in and before she could think of what he was going to do, she felt his lips against her skin. Her leg jerked out of sheer reflex but he was quick to grab her ankle with his other hand and hold her in place.

He placed soft kisses where she had her scars, teasing a gasp out of her lips.

"Ah… my Lord." She didn't know how to react or where to put her hands so she just grasped the sheets.

The muscles in her legs tensed when he stroked her with his tongue, sending shivers of heat up her leg. Angelica opened her mouth but only a sigh left her lips. He continued to stroke her with his tongue until she curled her toes and bit her lip.

Lord Rayven moved on to her other leg and Angelica couldn't even protest this time. She was breathless and flushing all shades of red. Her mind was a fog and when she felt the heat of his mouth again she was close to letting her head fall back or just letting herself fall back into bed completely. Surrender to this strange and maddening sensation that made her feverish again.

He stopped teasing her with his mouth and looked up at her. His gaze was dark and smoldering, causing her heart to skip several beats. Angelica averted her gaze unable to handle that burning stare.

"Is… is it done?" she stuttered.

"It depends. Do you have scars anywhere else?" He spoke his fingers slowly moving further up to her thigh.

Angelica's breathing hitched and for a brief moment, she wondered what his tongue and lips would feel like in other places of her body. She shook her head to dismiss those thoughts.

"Well then I guess it is done," he said covering her legs again. "Don't hurt yourself or this is what healing will look like."

He stood up and towered over her with his length. "I'll bring you breakfast."

She nodded, still speechless.

He turned around and left her alone. Angelica finally allowed herself to breathe. Even though her hair was wet and she had been freezing to death yesterday, she was extremely hot all of a sudden. Her legs felt like they had no bones in them and her heart kept dancing in her chest.

Angelica dragged herself with her boneless legs to the window. She opened it to let some air in and stood there letting the coldness calm her down.

"You shouldn't do that when you just bathed," his voice startled her.

She turned around and found him putting a tray with food on the bed stand. He sat down and patted on the bed beside him.

Her heart skipped.

"I am going to feed you not eat you," he smirked and she blushed embarrassed.

Shutting the window, she walked towards the bed. She sat down beside him. "You don't have to feed me. I can eat now."

"I know. Put your legs up." He ordered and she did as she was told.

He covered her with a blanket. Then he picked the bowl of porridge to feed her. Angelica guessed she couldn't win the game of stubbornness but since she was being fed she didn't complain.

The porridge tasted like nothing and even being fed this time didn't help. She had lost her sense of taste, even smell it seemed.

Angelica grimaced after a while, unable to endure the tastelessness. "I am full now."

He looked at the almost full bowl with a frown. "I don't think this little food should make you full."

Angelica tried to change the subject before he forced her to eat.

"My Lord, I think I should speak to his Majesty," Angelica said.

Lord Rayven clenched his jaw. "I have already spoken to him. He doesn't seem to know anything."

Angelica nodded. "I would still like to talk to him."

"Why?"

"I am the one with the dream, it only feels right to do so. I would know what to ask further depending on his answer."

Lord Rayven pressed his lips into a thin line. He was thoughtful for a moment but nodded at last.. "Alright," he said.