Heart Of Darkness

Chapter 21

Skender arrived on time and joined them in the backyard with Blayze, Mazzon and Vitale before the Arch came.

Rayven could feel the tension in the air when everyone gathered. No one was pleased that the Arch would come, and they wouldn't have visited if Skender had done his job. Blayze was already showing his bitterness toward Skender. Mazzon kept to himself, and Acheron and Lazarus stayed quiet. Vitale sat on the floor, looking exhausted. He didn't know if the thought of the Arch coming alone bore him or if there was something else.

"Well, well, you have already gathered, my Lords." Lucrezia appeared from thin air with her two wingmen on each side, startling a few of them. Her aura all the existing air whenever she arrived.

Today she wore a long-sleeved green dress that complimented her green eyes, and a crown of black thorns sat on top of her head. Her dark hair cascaded down to her waist in elegant waves, and her sun-kissed skin glowed in the evening light.

She was mesmerizing and cruel, and Rayven hated her with such passion. He had hoped never to see her face again, but here she was. Thank you, Skender, he thought.

"You don't seem pleased to see me, but I am not pleased to be here either." She began.

Even her voice annoyed him.

Skender stepped forward. "It is my fault. I take full responsibility." He hurried to say.

Lucrezia shook her head and clicked her tongue in disapproval. "I wouldn't be here if you had taken responsibility, Skender. We can't afford to have someone knowing of our identity roaming free. Why haven't you taken care of it?"

"Do I have to kill him?" Skender asked.

"Do you have any other solution?" she wondered.

"I'll find one, but I don't want to kill him."

"Even if I tell you to do it?" She asked.

"I'll take whatever punishment you give me." He told her.

He cared for the woman, or maybe he didn't know what getting punished by the Arch meant.

"Very well then. You shall receive your punishment." She said before turning to look at each one of them. Her eyes studied them as if looking for something, but her search stopped when her eyes locked with Rayven's.

A wicked smile curved her lips. "You will be the punishment." She said, pointing at him.

They all frowned, confused by what was happening, but Rayven knew precisely what she would do. She was going to punish him instead of Skender. No wonder. The woman hated him the most.

Her wingmen came and grabbed each of his arms to take him, but he pushed them away. "I don't need help to walk."

"What are you doing?" Skender asked her.

"I will punish Rayven instead of you. You must learn that your leader's decisions will affect others." She told him, giving him something to think about. Then with a snap of her fingers, she teleported Rayven away to where he would receive his punishment.

It was the same cave where she had taken a piece of him; until today, his was empty.

"Are you frightened, Rayven?" She asked, tilting her head to one side.

She already knew what he was thinking and feeling.

Walking up to him, she stood inches away from his face. Rayven gazed into her eyes, unafraid.

"Your eyes are so cold and dead. Is there any hope left for you?" She asked, running a finger along his scars. "You must have become used to the pain. I am going to make you feel a different kind of pain today."