Heart of Darkness

Angelica lost herself in the heat of his wet lips. His mouth danced lazily over hers and she resisted the urge to grab him by the hair and kiss him deeper. That would lead him on which wasn't what she wanted.

Or what did she actually want? She certainly didn't want him to stop kissing her. If she was sure that he would only kiss her then she wouldn't worry.

Rayven pulled his lips away from hers and she almost groaned in frustration. He took a moment to study her face with that hot gaze that made her melt and blush before kissing her again. This time harder and hungrier than before. Angelica couldn't keep her hands to herself anymore. She had avoided touching his bare body but now her hands went to his shoulders.

Oh, God. She was playing with fire and should stop before it was too late. She pushed him away ever so gently just to let him know and he pulled his lips away from her immediately.

"My Lord, I mean...Rayven," she breathed. She could barely speak. "I… I need to tell you something…" she began.

He gave her a nod to go on.

"I...I…" she felt her face heat up for a different reason this time and she shut her eyes tightly. She just couldn't bring herself to say it.

Suddenly she felt his cold fingers on her cheek, cooling her down a bit.

"You can tell me anything," he said softly.

Angelica opened her eyes and looked up at him. He gazed at her with an endearing gentleness. But what did anything mean to him? The last thing she wanted was to be shamed. She had already dealt with that and hated it to her core. She was raised to strictly hide it and even used smelling herbs to hide the scent. It was not something to talk about. She never told anyone except for her handmaiden.

"It's alright," he said stroking her hair as if understanding her struggle. "I don't mean to consummate our marriage yet. I just want to make you feel good if you allow me."

Make her feel good? As if he wasn't already.

"How?" She breathed not realizing she was saying it out loud.

"I can show you," he said removing the hair from her neck. Leaning down he brushed his lips against the sensitive skin under her ear causing her to shiver. "Like this," he spoke huskily and then kissed her in the same spot.

Her hands that rested awkwardly on his shoulders went around his neck and he stepped forward trapping her between him and the dresser. His hold around her tightened pressing his hot and hard body against hers as he took her earlobe into his mouth and swirled his tongue over it. Angelica whimpered at the delicious sensation that went through her body.

"Tell me when you want me to stop," he whispered his lips moving across her throat to the other side of her neck.

Stopping wasn't in her mind right now. God, even her mind wasn't in her head. She had lost it somewhere between the kisses.

Rayven's hand traveled up her back before going into her hair. He pulled it gently, tilting her head back. Then he bathes her neck with his hot and wet mouth. Angelica drew in a deep staggered breath in response to the wave of heat that coursed through her.

Suddenly he grabbed her arm and twirled her around so she was facing the mirror. She stared at her reflection. Her cheeks and the skin on her neck were flushed. Her lips were parted, having to breathe in more than usual and her eyes were slightly hooded.

Rayven's hands slowly traveled up her arms and to her shoulders. He drew her back against his body before trailing his nose and lips along the side of her face and neck. His hot breath teased her through her hair and she became impatient. She wanted to feel him again and so she leaned head her back on his shoulder. As if complying with her request he bared her neck. His other hand came around her throat, tilting her head back further as he began to kiss the back of her neck.

Tremors of excitement pulsed along Angelica's nerves. His mouth sucking on her neck made her feel weak in the knees. Her body tingled then ached. Her breath hitched.

"You smell so sweet," he murmured against her ear.

If he kept speaking to her in that voice, her legs would give in and she would fall to her knees. Her heart skipped at the way he easily affected her and how she just gave in before she could even think.

He twirled her around again but this time she found herself lying in their bed. He crawled on top of her and then paused to study her face. Angelica's face burned and her heart thumped in her chest.

"Do you want me to stop now?" He asked.

Don't stop she wanted to beg as she met his hot probing gaze in the dim light. A smile curved his lips as if knowing her answer and he leaned down to kiss her again.

"Wait!" Angelica placed her hands on his chest and pushed him away gently. "You said you couldn't read my mind," she panicked.

He smiled amused. "I can't. But I can read your body," he said tracing her lips with a finger and then dragging it down her throat. Angelica held her breath as her heart drummed harder and faster at the way his gaze followed his finger, leaving trails of heat on her skin.

He leaned down and planted kisses along her collarbone. His fingers reached for her gown and removed it from one shoulder before his mouth moved to kiss her now bared skin. He pushed her legs aside with his before placing himself between them.

A moan caught in Angelica's throat when his body pressed intimately against hers. A small movement and the friction almost made her want to cry out.

Knowing the effect it had on her he moved his body against hers, igniting a fire in her that only burned hotter with every movement. Angelica's hands moved to his back, welcoming his body down on hers, urging him on to find relief from the tension increasing in her body and causing her muscles to tighten. His lips found hers again and kissed her with a mind-numbing hunger.

Her legs tightened around his hips as he continued to stroke her with his body, grinding his hips into hers. The tension became unbearable and Angelica writhed beneath him. He groaned against her lips, a primitive sound that vibrated in his chest.

He pulled his lips away from hers and stopped moving. "I should stop now," he said his voice thick with suppressed need.

Angelica felt like she was going to die if he stopped but she felt too numb to even beg.

Rayven kept his head lowered so she couldn't see his face, but she felt the way he tensed and then trembled. His breathing was harsh next to her shoulder.

"Don't misunderstand me," he began. "But I need to leave to not frighten you."

Leave?

"Why?" She asked, holding onto him.

"My… my fangs," he said and she stiffened.

Her hot blood quickly turned cold and he pulled back as if sensing her fear.

"Wait!" She said grabbing him before he could leave. She couldn't help the way her body responded and felt bad about it.

He looked at her confused, his lips pressed into a thin line to hide the fangs that filled his mouth.

She crawled away from beneath him without letting go of his arm and then sat up. Slowly she released his arm and gazed at him.

His jaw was tense and his dark eyes held a hint of fear. She looked at his mouth, her thoughts drifting to many different places that only increased her fear.

"I don't want to be scared," she told him.

"I know," he said. "You don't have to feel bad. I never told you what I was. You never agreed to marry a demon."

"Will this happen every time we… " her cheeks burned and she couldn't continue.

"Probably, but that doesn't mean that I will bite you. It is just my body's response to yours."

She felt hot again and she didn't understand why. Taking a deep breath she stared at his mouth again.

"Can… can I see them?" she asked hesitantly.

Did she really want to? Was she ready?

Rayven parted his lips slowly as if afraid to frighten her if he did it fast. White sharp tips slowly revealed themselves and Angelica squealed inside. A new horror appeared in front of her. Images of white fangs covered in blood flashed through her mind. Holes in a woman's body that were caused by fangs and then being drained of blood. Sharp claws cutting veins and ….

Angelica put her hands on her head wanting the images to stop.

"Angelica," Rayven sounded concerned and reached for her but stopped midway.

It was her blood. Constantine wanted her blood. She shivered as if her body had experienced those terrifying things.

"I can leave," Rayven said.

"Don't! Don't leave me."