Heart of Darkness

Angelica woke up to the beautiful sight of her husband's face looking at her. She was relieved to not have any nightmares this time even though she wanted to in the future since it helped her figure out who and what she truly was. But for now, she just wanted to rest and was happy she woke up refreshed.

"Good morning," Rayven greeted sitting beside where she lay.

"Good morning," she replied her voice still hoarse from sleep.

"You don't have to wake up yet if you don't want to," he told her.

"I slept well," Angelica assured him.

"I am glad. I brought some clothes for you to wear when we leave for the demon world. I'll leave you to get ready," he said and stood up.

Angelica lifted her head and noticed the red fabric on her bed. That couldn't be all she would wear she thought but said nothing before she could look at it closer.

Shortly after Rayven left the room, Sarah came to help her get prepared. Angelica bathed and meanwhile realized that she was bleeding much less, which meant her period was close to ending. Soon she wouldn't have to worry about stains and explaining herself but now she felt nervous for another reason. Angelica wished her mother was alive so she could ask her all these private questions and for advice. She hated not knowing but that was how it was supposed to be. Women were supposed to be inexperienced and even if they knew a lot they would have to pretend they didn't or they would be suspected of not being innocent. At least she didn't have to worry about that part. She didn't have to prove her innocence. She was what she was and Rayven was alright with that.

After bathing she picked up the dress that Rayven brought for her. Was this even a dress? It was so strange and she couldn't figure out how to wear it. It was missing pieces as if the tailors had not finished sewing it. Sitting on her bed, only wrapped in a towel, she didn't know what to do with it. She had an idea of how to wear it. It only seemed logical but she couldn't believe that women wore this.

"Rayven?" She whispered wondering if he would hear her. She had to ask about this. What was it?

Rayven surprised her by arriving wearing something strange himself. He wore what looked like a robe. A silken black robe that reached his ankles. It was open at the front and revealed his bare chest. His lower body was covered with the same black silken fabric wrapped around his waist held with a golden belt.

Was this perhaps what demons wore?

Rayven let his gaze follow along the length of her body. Angelica realized that she was still only wrapped in a towel with bare shoulders and legs but he had already seen that much and she could care less now. She looked dead anyway. Nothing enticing about her bony legs. Her skin didn't even have the same glow anymore and she was too tired to care about how horrible she looked.

Not that she could think much about her body now when he stood looking the way he did in front of her. He looked enticing in black and these strange clothes and his face…from where he stood, it looked almost completely healed. She could only see a few faint scares if she focused and looked closer. He was beautiful, but that she already knew.

"Do you need help with that?"

She nodded, "I don't know how I am supposed to wear it."

He approached her slowly but steadily and she stood up from her seat. He reached for the fabric in her hand and she gave it away. How would he help her? She had no idea.

She watched him twist and turn the fabric before he held it in a certain position.

He came to her. "I'm going to put this over your head" he warned her.

Angelica held onto her towel as he put the dress over her head and then guided her hands through the holes of the sleeves. Then he grabbed her shoulders and turned her around. Now that she had her dress on she let go of the towel and let it fall and he tied the dress at the back with the ribbon that went around her waist.

Even though she was wearing a dress now she still felt naked. The dress had no sleeves and her back was completely bare. When she looked down she noticed that the dress had a split that revealed her leg if she moved. She couldn't have her legs exposed. Did he perhaps bring her a dress that wasn't ready to be worn yet? Or was this how it was supposed to be? She didn't know what demons wore but she couldn't possibly go out looking like this.

"It is done," he said.

Done? So was she supposed to look like this?

"Should I wear something over this?" she asked him.

Raven smiled. "No this is how it should look. Does it make you uncomfortable?"

She couldn't deny that it did. Even prostitutes didn't wear this out. Did he mean that other people… demons would see her wearing this?

As if seeing the questions on her face he explained, "this is what demon females wear in the demon world. You won't be alone wearing it but you don't have to. You can wear one of your own dresses."

Angelica decided to think before deciding. She did feel uncomfortable in some way but in another way, she felt comfortable.

The dress was light with no heavy layers that weighed on her shoulders. There was no corset that crushed her ribs and made breathing difficult. She felt somehow free and light but maybe that would change once she found herself with other people. Now she was only with her husband so perhaps that's why she wasn't as uncomfortable as she should be.

Or maybe she would be more comfortable when she sees all the other women dressed like her. This would probably only happen once so she should try the experience of being in the demon world fully.

"I am alright wearing this," she finally said.

Rayven nodded. "Are you ready to leave?"

"Yes."

She felt her heart skip a beat as he took her hand. She was going to a new world. What would it look like? Who would she meet? How would she feel? She wasn't sure and that made her both nervous and curious.

Suddenly she felt a rush of air and found herself on a beach. She felt the soft sand beneath her shoes and smelled the unique scent of the ocean. But what surprised her the most was that the world was dark and the stars shone brightly against the black sky. It was night.

Angelica looked around and found a few couples on the beach. A couple walked along the beach holding each other and another couple sat on the sand while talking to each other. The men were dressed like Rayven and the women were dressed like her.

The couple sitting on the sand leaned into each other and kissed passionately for a while despite knowing that other people were also present. Angelica guessed that it was a normal thing in their world. In her world that kind of thing was condemned. It should be done in private. Averting her gaze quickly she turned to look at Rayven. He had a slight smile on his face while studying her reaction.

"You will learn that my world is very different from yours," he said. "If you're wondering, in our world it's mostly night. The sun is only visible for a few hours."

"Why is that?"Angelica asked.

"I guess because we are creatures of the night. We thrive in darkness."

Angelica was now understanding why he liked the darkness so much. It was more than just him torturing himself. It was part of him as a demon.

"Do you have people that you know here? "She asked.

He shook his head. "No. I've never really lived here. I was born in the human world where my father had decided to stay. We would sometimes come to the demon world but mostly I stayed in the human world."

Angelica saw the sad look in his eyes as he turned to the ocean and looked far ahead. He was thinking of something painful. "Perhaps if we had stayed in our world we wouldn't have caused so much suffering. Perhaps if we had stayed here my family would still be alive and I... I don't know," he took a deep breath.

Angelica heard the pain in his voice. He really wished that things had been different. He must have missed his family.

She reached for his hand seeking to ease his pain. "Perhaps pain was necessary. We can't learn without struggle and without pain. We cannot appreciate things if we have never lost anything. We cannot know happiness if we have never known sadness. We can't change what already passed but I'm here and you're here and through the moments of sadness we can find moments of happiness as well," she smiled at him.

Rayven gazed into her eyes for a long moment before cupping her cheek. His eyes gleamed with so many emotions and she didn't know how to interpret them. He looked both happy and sad.

"What is wrong?" she asked him worriedly.

He smiled, "nothing is wrong. You make everything feel right."

He took a step closer and Angelica knew he would kiss her. As he leaned down and she closed her eyes they got interrupted.

"Oh. Look who is here?"

Angelica opened her eyes recognizing this voice even though she had only heard it once before. Turning her head she found the stunning green-eyed lady standing a few feet away and looking like a goddess.. This strange lady who punished Rayven yet gave him his name. What did she want?