Heart of Darkness

Rayven didn't like what he was hearing. He knew Angelica couldn't be the same person that Skender called a friend. Rayven knew that friend was the woman he used to love, but there was still some kind of connection there.

Skender looked troubled as well as he sat quietly in a corner. From Angelica's dreams, it seemed like he was rejected by the prophetess. He offered her to be in their world which would require her to become his mate but she refused. And then Constantine found her. If he tortured her, then he must know more about prophets than they did.

"I think I should meet Constantine," Rayven said.

Skender looked at him with a frown. "And do what?"

"He came personally here and left without trying much. He told Angelica he was here to meet me and he even gave her his name. He must at least expect that I warned Angelica."

Skender nodded. "Maybe you should meet him then."

If he didn't have his heart wouldn't it be perfect to just go there? But he could die now and he couldn't deny that he was worried about it.

He looked at Angelica. "I must have been blind to not see all of this." This must be why his heart wasn't bleeding completely yet. He was still lacking.

"Oh no. You were not blind. Even a blind man can see." Skender said. "But she is not dead. You can still take care of her."

Rayven sighed. The only time he knew what time it was, was when he went to work. Otherwise, he never cared if it was day or night, summer or winter, rain or storm. Sometimes he didn't even know what year or month it was. If he had to know for some reason, he just picked it up from someone's mind. Food he only ate when he was served.

But now things would have to change. Now he would have to care about all those things and more. He would have to educate himself about human needs. It wouldn't be that difficult. He could pick up information easily from human minds.

*********

Angelica opened her eyes slowly feeling a slight pain in her head. She was lost for a moment, not remembering what happened but it all came back gradually.

William!

She rushed out of bed, but her head began to spin and she didn't know where the door was anymore. She panicked stumbling forward. God, she was going to faint again or fall and hit her head. To her relief she managed to find the door and rushed outside, stumbling her way through the halls.

"Angelica."

Lord Rayven was suddenly in front of her and grabbed her shoulders. She pushed him away and walked past him but he wrapped his arms around her from behind.

"Let me go!" She said.

"Where?"

"I need it to find William." She fought him but he carried her up with one arm and started to go back. "What are you doing?! Put me down now!" She yelled suddenly getting her strength back.

She hit his arms and kicked with her legs in the air.

"I am never going to forgive you." She yelled.

"You will thank me." He told her as he took her back to her room and closed the door before putting her down.

He stood at the door to block her way, but she just ran into him trying to push him away. Lord Rayven grabbed her arms to stop her.

"What will you do if you go to him?" He asked.

"I don't know. I don't care. I just want to see him."

"He is alright. We are keeping an eye on him. He is safe."

She stopped fighting him. "If anything happens to my brother…"

"I know." He cut her off. "You live for him. But going to him right now won't be safe. Constantine came here to frighten you and see what you will do next. If you go to your brother you will lead him there."

Constantine. That man made her blood run cold. She felt her fingers and toes get cold again. She didn't want that man anywhere near her brother.

"You have to pretend you didn't see him as a threat and don't know him at all." He told her. "Besides, you can't leave without getting dressed."

Angelica realized she was only wearing her undergarment.

"Come," He said and led her back to bed.

Angelica let him drag her. The sudden strength from earlier was gone and now she just felt weak. He sat her on the bed and told her to lay down. Then he covered her up. But she was still cold and shivered.

"What you need to do is eat and rest." He said. "I will bring you food."

Before she could protest he vanished right in front of her eyes. He was just here a moment ago. It was still unbelievable to her. Would she get used to this?

When he returned he walked through the door with a tray in his hand. The scent of food didn't entice her at all. She had no appetite. He put the tray on the bedstand before sitting beside her.

"I am not hungry." She said.

"Humans don't eat when they are hungry only." He told her as a matter of fact. Like something he had just learned and was sure about.

"Well then, I don't want to eat." She told him.

She didn't want to or have the energy to get out from under the blanket and sit up.

"Well, I want you to eat." He said firmly.

What was this feeling? She felt like a child being scolded, yet she liked it. She even wanted to continue to deny him.

Don't be childish, she told herself yet she sulked as she sat up. She froze instantly and pulled the blanket up to her shoulders to cover her arms.

Rayven picked the bowl of rice but she didn't want to bring her hands forward. She was freezing. He picked the spoon then some rise before holding it out for her to eat.

Angelica looked at him then at the spoon near her mouth before leaning forward and eating what was on the spoon.

"Ah..." It was hot and she began to pull air into her mouth.

Rayven looked surprised and panicked. Angelica began to blow her open mouth with her hand.

"It is hot." He said. "I am sorry."

She nodded slowly and held her hand up to assure him that she was fine. It was her fault for being so absent.

When she finally managed to eat it, he blew on the next one before feeding her. Angelica couldn't help the smile that she tried to force back. Would she have ever thought that the brooding Lord Rayven would feed her? She was eating just because of it.

"Does it taste good?" He asked.

She nodded. Being fed made it taste good.

He removed the bones from the chicken before feeding it to her as well.

She was enjoying herself too much that she didn't notice the way he looked at her mouth while she ate. Suddenly she stopped chewing and blushed. She forced everything down her throat without chewing it completely and began to cough.

Lord Rayven gave her the glass of juice and she gulped it down.

"Oh.." She let out a breath. She could finally breathe.

"Are you alright?" He asked concerned.

She nodded. "Yes. I am full now."

He looked at the food that was left. "You didn't finish."

She shook her head and held her stomach. "I can't." She told him.

He put the food away not looking satisfied. "Alright. Rest now." He told her getting up.

He grabbed her legs and pulled her down. Angelica gasped since he had taken her by surprise. "I can't sleep right now." She said. She had just woken up.

"Uh," he said as if realizing something. "You want me to read for you?"

That was not what she meant but why would she deny it? She nodded.

Again he disappeared and appeared back as if he never left. He paused where he stood. "Does this frighten you?" he asked.

"Just new to my eyes." She admitted.

He walked over slowly and got into bed. As he opened the book, "you will get used to it." He said.

"What else can you do?" she asked.

"I can read minds." He said.

"You can?" She was surprised. She would never have guessed that since he seemed so clueless about her feelings. "What am I thinking right now?"

He looked over at her. "I can't read yours." He said.

"You can read everyone's minds but not mine?"

"Yours and your brother's. I know why I can't read your brother's. He is a prophet but I don't know why I can't read yours. I guess you must be different like him."

Different?

Sensing danger was something she was good at. Did that make her different on the same level as her brother?

"When Constantine came here, I sensed him before I saw him. I also sensed that you and the others were different. It was almost a similar feeling, a feeling of danger," she explained.

He nodded thoughtfully. "Sensing shades and demons is something prophets are capable of. You have all the traits but no visions of the future."

"What does that mean then?" She asked.

"I am not sure." He continued to think for a while then shook his head as if dismissing his thoughts. "Let's not think about that now. We will figure it out together when you get better."

He opened the book and began to read for her in that mesmerizing voice. Angelica listened and listened and drifted away into a fantasy world. A world of beauty and peace. A world where her days were just like this.. She would probably tire after a while since she liked to be active and do something but for now, this was how she wanted it to be.