Heart of Darkness

Rayven could hear the loud beating of his heart, his uneven shaky breath mixed with Angelica's. The taste of her blood remained on his tongue, the heat of her body on his skin, and the sound of her moans still echoed in his mind. She had made him lose control completely and he had been scared to hurt her. After all, he had never had a woman in four hundred years and since the day she came to his castle, he had been hungering for her. He had thought that he would get some relief but now that he knew what it felt like to take pleasure from her, he was starving.

He had not meant to take pleasure from her this morning, knowing that she would feel a bit uncomfortable after last night but he couldn't stop himself after sensing her need while drinking her blood.

Leaning back he propped his head on an elbow beside her, then watched as she caught her breath. She was wet and flushed, a sight that made him all hot and bothered again.

Rayven let his fingers play across her collarbone. Angelica turned her head and looked up at him. "There won't be a mark now," she said making sure that she understood correctly.

"No. A bite alone leaves no mark. We haven't mated." he explained.

"I need to have your blood too?"

He nodded. "Yes. A good amount."

"And the ceremony?"

"Well, we could have one if you want to."

"What do you want?" she asked him.

A ceremony would have been nice if he liked social gatherings, but he didn't. He was also sure Angelica wouldn't enjoy being bitten and drinking blood in front of people she didn't know. Thinking of it, he would rather do the mating in private. Let it be something intimate, which it was.

"All I want is you."

She smiled and then shook her head for avoiding her question.

"Tell me," he began his fingers continuing down her shoulder and arm. "What made you overcome your fear of fangs?"

Rayven had expected it to take longer than this to get over her fear. He was very familiar with fear, having lived with it for so long. It felt so real and it was like a cage, trapping you and making it hard to escape. It made you feel powerless and hopeless. It made you anxious and tired that you couldn't even fight it. Of course, he knew Angelica was strong but he still expected it to take more time. It had only been around a week since she discovered those horrible memories.

Angelica looked up at the ceiling as she became thoughtful. She was quiet for a while before replying. "I'm not sure. I guess it was just an instinct at that moment."

Rayven was happy to hear that. He had noticed a change in her eyes, in the way she looked at him from the moment he asked about her opinion. He remembered the first day he met her, the time when she spoke to Skender about what kind of man she wished to marry. She didn't say that she wanted a man with good looks, power, wealth, or high status. She just wanted a man who treated her as an equal, something apparent in the demon world but not so much in the human world. On the other hand, a woman like her could have easily found a man with wealth and status. Even one with good looks, like Sir Shaw.

Rayven also remembered other things she said that day.

"Do you remember when you first met the king, you said you wanted to open a school for girls and teach them how to write and read?"

Angelica smiled, turning to look up at the ceiling with dreamy eyes. "Yes, I remember." She said her smile slowly fading away.

Raven frowned not liking to see her like that. "Would you still want that?"

"I don't know," she sighed.

"Why?" Rayven asked. He could tell that she would still like to teach the girls. Her face lit up when he first mentioned it.

"I don't want to put anyone in danger. Maybe one day when people around me are safe."

"It won't always be like this. We will all be safe and being a teacher would suit you."

They will be and you will be safe. Things won't always be like this and when they change for the better I think being a teacher would suit you."

Her eyes gleamed with small tears that she tried to fight back. "You think I'll be a good teacher?"

"I know you will be the best teacher. You have taught me a lot already. Without you, I would still be lost and stupid." He shrugged, "well I will always be a stupid demon." He added with some humor.

Angelica chuckled and the sound of her laughter made him feel all warm and fuzzy. He leaned down and kissed her on the cheek. "I will go make some breakfast," he said.

Angelica's eyes widened: "You will make breakfast?"

Rayven paused to think. "Yes, I will," he then said determinedly. It wouldn't be that hard if he just extracted information. He wanted to make her something with his own hands.

Getting up from the bed he went ahead to find a towel that he wrapped around his hips.

"I will be back soon." He said while Angelica set up to look at him with confusion. She was probably wondering if he was serious. He was.

Leaving her in her confusion, he went to find the kitchen. Truth was, he had never ever made food for himself or anyone, ever. All his life he had people serving him so he wanted to serve someone for the first time.

Thankfully, he was in the demon world where he could cook everything easily with electricity, and find food available and stored in the fridge. The only thing he needed was information on how to make the food.

Going to the fridge he grabbed some apples, pears, strawberries, and bananas. He cut the fruits into small pieces and mixed them. Then he went to find some eggs. The first one he grabbed he accidentally crushed in his hand. Oh, were they so fragile? He had expected them to be a little bit more solid. The next ones he grabbed he was careful with. There was no need to stain his hands with those strange jellylike yellow things. And they smelled horrible.

Looking at the eggs he now wondered how he would cook them or fry them. He had seen and eaten eggs in many forms so he wasn't sure which one was easiest and fastest to make.

With a sigh, he mind linked with Acheron whom he thought could help. Ash was quick to answer his link.

"Rayven!" He sounded surprised. "Are you having problems in the demon world as well?" He asked amused.

Rayven hated himself for doing this but he still continued. "How do you make eggs?"

There was silence on the other end for a while. "Is this a secret language for how to make children? Or are you talking about real chicken eggs, because you should know how to make children?" He mocked.

Rayven shook his head. "I'm talking about real chicken eggs."

"Oh, good." Rayven could hear the smile in his voice. "It depends. Do you want cooked eggs or fried ones?"

"Whatever is faster and easier."

"Well, frying them is faster." Ash began to give him instructions on how to fry an egg and Rayven followed his instructions.

Cracking an egg was more difficult than it seemed and he caused a mess the first and second time. The third time he cracked it correctly but then burned it and the fourth time he was lucky. It looked like the ones he ate. Ash was having fun on the other end and laughing at him every time he cursed for making a mistake.

"What are you doing?" He laughed.

"Frying eggs. What else?" Rayven said annoyed.

"Yes, but why?"

Rayven became quiet not wanting to explain himself. "I'm done now. "

"Well, you're welcome," Ash said and then cut off the link.

"Wait!" Rayven called but it was too late. How do you make tea he wanted to ask?

Frustrated he made a quick trip back to the castle and gathered some information from Sarah. Then he made her forget everything. Mostly because he was half-naked and she was stunned to see him like that.

Going back to the kitchen he went through some more struggle before he was finally done. He served the eggs with bread on a plate. On another plate he served cheese and then he put everything together on a tray before carrying it back to the room.

When he walked into the room he smelled the scent of sweet flowers. Angelica had dressed and wore a light blue satin gown that reached her knees and sat loosely around the curves of her body. Her hair was still wet but she had combed it nicely and now she put on perfume.

"This smells so good," she said turning to him while holding the perfume. Noticing the tray in his hand she put away the perfume and stood up from the dresser. "What did you bring?" She asked curiously.

"Come," he said and led her back to bed. He put the tray on the bed and then went to sit beside it before patting for her to come to sit down as well.

Angelica crawled up in bed and sat on the other side of the tray. She looked at the food excitedly. "Did you make this?" She asked.

"Yes," he nodded proudly.

"It looks delicious," she smiled.

Rayven could only hope it tasted that way too, otherwise, he would be disappointed in himself.

Angelica picked up the bread and looked at it strangely. She had never seen bread in that shape. "That is bread," he told her.

"Oh," she nodded.

"Let me help you," he said taking the bread from her. He placed the egg on top of the bread and then handed it to her.

Angelica took the food from him and without hesitation, she took a bite. At first, her expression remained normal but as she continued to chew her expression slowly changed. She grimaced slightly.

"How does it taste?" He asked dreading the answer.

"Mmm…it tastes good." She said.

She took another bite and again she grimaced slightly as she chewed. Rayven reached and took the bread from her hand. He took a bite himself. He wanted to know what made her grimace when he suddenly felt the sourness and bitterness of his food. He grimaced as well.

God! He put too much salt.

Forcing the food down his throat he put the rest away. "Don't eat this. It's horrible." He said.

Angelica smiled at him, "it's not horrible. Just a little bit too much salt. It's very well-made if it was your first time."

Raven knew she was only being kind to him. There was no way this thing was eatable. He couldn't even taste the egg, it was just salt. He took another slice of bread and put cheese on it. "Eat this instead." He told her.

"What is that?" she asked.

"It's called cheese. It's made of milk. Try it."

Angelica looked at it hesitantly but then lifted it to her mouth and took a bite. She chewed slowly as if afraid of the taste but then her eyes widened and she nodded in approval. "This tastes really good. You're good at making it."

Raven chuckled. "I did not make this."

"Who made it?" She asked.

Rayven wasn't sure how to explain it. "It's made by other people who specialize in making these kinds of foods."

Angelica nodded with a frown as she took another bite. He could tell she enjoyed the taste so while she ate he made her another one. Then he poured her some tea.

Angelic grabbed her cup and took a sip. Again she grimaced and then smiled at him.

"Is it horrible to?" He asked accepting that he wasn't good in the kitchen.

She shook her head, "no. Just sweeter than normal. I don't mind."

She took another sip and then ate the rest of her bread. Rayven handed her the second bread with cheese. "Will you not eat?" she asked him.

"I find more pleasure in watching you eat." He admitted.

She blushed, setting him on fire again. He was already torturing himself by watching her eat. He watched the way she chewed and lick the food from her lips. She had regained her appetite which he was happy about but after taking so much of her blood she needed to eat good food. He would have to arrange for someone to make them a very good lunch because he couldn't.

When she finished her bread she looked at the bowl of chopped fruits and then the small bowl of chocolate sauce. "What is this?" She asked pointing at chocolate.

"It's called chocolate. Women in our world like it a lot. You might like it too."

Curious, Angelica dipped her finger in the chocolate before bringing it to her mouth. She carefully licked it off her finger causing his body to stir. She became thoughtful while tasting it but as if she couldn't decide yet, she dipped her finger in the chocolate again and this time she sucked on it. God, did she even know what she was doing to him?

He had just found release and he was already restless again.

Angelica's eyes lit up and she made a sound of approval. A sigh of pleasure. "Oh, this tastes so good." She smiled. "How are you supposed to eat it?"

"With your finger." He said without thinking. He just wanted her to keep doing it.

"Then dip your finger." She told him.

Rayven already knew how it tasted but didn't want to ruin her excitement. He picked up the chocolate with his finger, watching it dip into the bowl but before he could taste it Angelica grabbed his hand. He looked up and into her eyes and she stared back at him with a playfulness in her gaze. Slowly, she lifted his hand and put his finger in her mouth.

Rayven stiffed and then stirred when she sucked on his finger. Just like he did when he teased her, she teased him and pulled it out slowly from her mouth. Then she smiled at him, shyly but knowingly.

Or did she know what she just did? Teasing a starving beast never ended well.