Chapter 2

I woke up in a shock, cold sweat all down my body, tears stained my face, my breath was heavy just shy from hyperventilation.  It took me a few minutes to figure out where I was, then I was able to catch my breath.  I sat up but hissed in pain, my breath hitched as I felt a slight stinging pain on my back.  I quickly got up and ran to the bathroom taking my shirt off in the process, turning around and looking over my shoulder my eyes widened in fear and horror.   There lies a bright red mark on my back, like nails were dragged along my skin in different directions.  My mind went back to the pain in my dream I just had, and my whole body pales as the color drains like water in a sink.  I slowly pulled on my shirt and walked out of the bathroom feeling like a mindless zombie, or a marionette puppet getting pulled lazily across a stage.

I tried to distract myself from all the paranormal freaky shit and head to school early.  The one thought that ran through my head was 'why'.  Why me, why now, why all of a sudden?  What did I do to have all of the things that have been happening happen to me?  I shake my head still feeling pale and quickly walk to school wanting this day to be over but also praying for night to never come again, and to never see those entrancing eyes for the rest of my life. 

Keeping my head down I arrived at school, but it seemed different this time.  There seem to be more kids waiting outside in the courtyard.  As I walked closer to the doors of the school, I could feel the weight of the stares kids were giving me.  Even the teachers looked at me in a pitiful way, more than normal in my opinion.  Keeping my head down as I opened the door to the school.  I looked up and paled seeing photos of me changing but altered to make me look worse than normal.

The photos lined all the halls no matter where you turn or where you look.  I ran down the halls in a panic scared trying to rip down the pictures.  Multiple deep chuckles were heard from behind me.  If it was even possible I lost even more color than I had.  I started to shake as I slowly turned my head to look at them.  My eyes widen seeing more athletes bullies than normal.  The evil grins on their faces made my blood run cold.  No words were said as they advanced towards me.  Just in a blink of an eye a few blows were thrown at my body.  Some hitting my face, some my stomach, just all over.  Their force of punches sent me back into the lockers.  The master lock dug into my spine making me cry out as I still had the claw marks down my back.

Tears fell from my eyes, crying out with each punch that was thrown at me.  I had enough, I wanted to die, I wanted to leave.  The pain in my back was worse than the bullied.'s pain.  I continued to scream out begging them to stop like always.  But they didn't, the blows kept coming.  They didn't stop, until a hand grabbed my throat tightly having me pinned against the lockers, my feet not reaching the ground.  I gasped for breath as tears streamed down my face 

"please...stop…"  I begged, wheezing.  They didn't, the guys just grabbed at my body ripping my clothes and running their disgusting hands along my body.  It was sickening.  I hate it they grabbed at my thighs and breast.

I gasped, letting out a silent scream as I squirm in their hold.  I felt their lips against my body as they whispered and murmured asking me to be their sex toys.  I just shook my head not wanting this, 

"STOP!" I screamed out as a flash of light blinded everyone.  I fell to the ground, my head was spinning and my vision was fuzzy.  Once my vision came back I saw a glow coming from my back where the claw marks lie.  Confused, I looked around then freezing in my spot on the ground.  My bullies lay scattered along the ground and smashed against the wall covered in their own blood.

I wanted to puke at the sight before me, their blood was everywhere on the walls, dripping from the ceiling, staining my clothes, smeared on my hands, and pooling around my shaking body that sat there in fear of what just happened.  I heard footsteps running in my and the body's direction.  I would have ran but I couldn't.  I just sat there frozen and scared for my life.  Gasps were heard as students and teachers began to gather around me.  Cry's rang through the halls and the teacher was on the phone with the police.  I need to get out of here, I didn't do it, It wasn't me.

With that I got up and bolted out of the crowd, out of school, and out of the town.  I ran to the woods on the outskirts of the city where no one dared to enter.  I heard the sirens  of the cop cars behind me, I took my chance with the woods and entered.  It instantly got darker and darker the farther I went in, branches and thorny vines ripped at my already torn clothes and my bruised skin.  People were known for going missing in these woods,there was something evil in these woods, and I wished I went missing as well.  I was only in these woods for a few minutes when I came across a clearing, a meadow.

Even though I entered the wood early in the morning the moon was high above the meadow.  It was a big red beautiful moon, but it was eerie that it was out in the middle of the day.  I slowly walked to the middle of the meadow out of breath and weak.  I fall to my knees still in great pain and still shaken from the bloody scene in school.  

"Why me, why this, just why!?"  I questioned my voice getting louder like I was expecting someone to answer me back.  After sitting there wallowing in my own self pity and hate and rethinking my life choices I got up and continued to walk across the meadow, deeper into the woods.

The woods' creaked and churned like it was changing, like it wanted anyone who entered to get lost.  Forgetting that I was being chased by cops I admire the surroundings, until I hear a cry of fear, then gunshots.  I ducked my head thinking I was for me but it was in the distance.  A blood curling roar rang out, loud enough to shake the earth.  In another panic I began to run again, pushing bare branches out of my way.  The woods got thicker and harder to maneuver through, more thorny vines grabbed at my bare skin that was showing ripping more and deeper into my skin.  Stopping I felt a shooting pain rake down my back and spine, the same tracing as the claws in my dreams, and the same pain in the halls of the school.

I leaned against the nearest tree trying to catch my breath and trying to ignore the shooting pain in my back.  I felt heavy, weaker than I did when I entered the woods.  I knew this feeling, I felt it before, it was the same heavy feeling in my dream.  The same weight that held me down as the invisible claws ripped at my skin.  The heavy weight made me mad for some reason. I wanted it gone, I wanted to dominate it, I wanted to destroy it.  A grin formed on my face as I began to walk towards the heavy weighted feeling. Like playing the game of hot and cold. 

The closer I got the heavier the feeling, like a mindless rabid dog I went after my prey.  Then all of a sudden the weight was gone, I was there, I was at the thing that made me bare this heavy weight.  A darken light shone through the dead trees, that seemed like they were drained for life long before I was born.  This light drew me in, passing the last row of trees that blocked my vision.  I came upon the things that have been haunting me and my dreams for the past night and today.  The raven black wings.

They hung there in mid air untouched by a human or creature.  The reason for the woods madness, the reason for the missing, and the dead.   I got closer, they drew me in with the perfectly lined feathers that were smooth to the touch.  The woods once again creaked and churned, moving, shifting, and killing.  The closer I got to the wings the more I left reality and fell into a dark fantasy where only the mad and cruelest of people go.  A pretty nightmare.  Like the unseen pits of hell that are kept secret from the human world.  Little to my knowledge the woods around me and the wings began to close up, making a dome like barrier, to keep me and the hell that is about to be unleashed hidden and enclosed. 

My hand reached out to stoke the darker than midnight feathers on the wings, the same way I did in my dream.  I had no fear, I was numb, I was mindless.  I touched the wings, my heart pounded in my chest, my eyes dilated.  They were mine. 

My hand stoked down the sides and along the underside of them.  It was odd they twitched at my touch as if they had forgotten what a human hand felt like.  Like they have been alone and isolated for centuries, maybe even more.  I stood in front of them right as the pain in my back began to rise and bubble to the surface.  A whine of pain escaped my lips as I hunched over 'no not again, why now.' I thought.  There was the same flash of light that had happened in the school, but this shot me backwards hard against the wooden barrier.  My vision was fuzzy like a flash grenade went off in my face, it took me a few minutes for my vision to come back.

I looked up to where the wings used to hang, but they were gone, out of sight.  But there was an ominous black shadow that seemed to stare down at me, judging my movements.  I started back doing the same.  Then in a split second they appeared, the fiery, fierce eyes from the dreams I have been having.  Have I found the creature they belong to, have I unleashed the doom upon this world, or did they find me.

"We meet at last, my little raven," the shadow spoke heavily.  The raspy deep voice sent chills up my spine.  I did not reply, scared to say the wrong words as my blood ran cold.  The shadow just stood over me, having a feeling I should look up and cooperate with it so I wont get hurt.  Raising my head my eyes glanced along the tall black mass until I came upon its 'face' and saw them.

The eyes, the red eyes.  I just stared in amazement, my mouth hung open.  Then the shadow let out a deep chuckle.

"My dear little raven closes your mouth before you catch flies."  The shadow whispered in amusement coming closer to me, placing it's 'hand' gently along my jaw, closing it.  The shadow became less than a black mass and more of a tall, lean man.  I didn't expect him changing into a man.  The man wore a black suit and a black tie, he had a white button up shirt underneath.  The pocket hanky he had seemed to flicker like a candle's flame.  Looking at his face he had a sharp strong jaw line he wore a smirk on his face that showed his perfect white and semi sharp teeth.  This man seemed to step straight out of a model magazine.  He chuckled once again like he knew what I was thinking which made me blush and look away.

"I love the compliment but we have more important matters to attend to so come along my little raven."  He said as he turned and began to walk off.  I quickly stood up but stumbled backwards from a new weight that rested on my back.  Looking over there rest the raven wing, they are now mine, I was in control.  I took the time to stretch them out and move them around, I felt every movement they did, they are now part of me.

"Don't keep me waiting, my....."  The man looked back at me glaring but then his face softened as he saw me playing around with the wings as I would stretch them out then curl them back in.  A small smile crept onto his face as he looked upon the innocent scene and girl who was oblivious to the dangerous world. 

"My raven, I'm not a patient man!"  He raised his voice quickly getting on board of the scene quickly.  I jumped at the raise of his voice and instantly stopped what I was doing and shrunk down in fear.  Keeping my head down I shuffled to his side trying not to look him in the eye.  We continued to walk in silence until we neared a cliff side.  Standing at the edge, looking over seeing nothing but a low fog that covered what's ever is below. 

"Jump," he said out of the blue which made me look at him like he was crazy.  Which he was.

"Are you serious!?"  I turned to him and went over and placed my hands on my hips glaring.  I had a random burst of courage and shook my head no.

"I will not, you sir are out of your mind,"  I threw my hands up into the air and the wings flexed out imitating my frustration.  A groan of irritation escaped past his lips while he pinched the bridge of his nose.  I crossed my arms and had my back turned to him frowning, but gasped when I was picked up off the ground.

"You picked the hard way my raven."  The man states as he began to walk closer to the edge

"I'm not yours, and my name is not raven it's…  Hey wait what are you doing!?  Put me down! No, wait, stop!"  But it was too late and I was thrown from his arms.  In the few milliseconds I was falling I just stared at the man's face.  He had on a smirk then he jumped down along with me.  I screamed out and opened my wings trying to stop myself but it seemed like the ground got closer.  We entered the fog and I squeezed my eyes shut waiting for impact but it never came.

"Stand up my raven you're getting all dirty." the man once again spoke to me.  Opening my eyes I saw that I was laying on their clay colored dusty ground.  Uncovering my head I stood up and patted the torn clothes to semi clean.  Looking around the place seemed like a desert with stalagmites here and there.  I also felt warmer in this place.

"Where are we?"  I said not realising I said it out loud.

"Welcome to my kingdom," the man said to me while looking over his shoulder.

"What the hell?"  I muttered looking around still.

"Yes it's hell welcome now let's go," he sighed out and began to walk again.  I quickly caught up to him.  We walked in silence for a bit until I realised he never told me his name, so I turned to him and leaned forwards a bit to see his face.

"So person I don't know….  What's your name?"  I pestered now walking in front of him to see what he might do.

" I go by many names, my little raven, you may know some of them.  Mephistopheles, king of hell, lord of darkness, the fallen angel, the devil satan, Lucifer himself!"  His voice rose with each name he states sounding proud of himself.

"Yeah, yeah, I mean do you have a normal name or do you just have unnecessarily long titles for yourself."  I said plainly finding those names stupid and overrated.  He let out another sigh of irritation and grumbled to himself

"It's Matthew." 

"Oh my god that is such an adorable name, aaww it so suits you.  I thought it would be something cliche like something strong or sexy."  I say turning back around to walk forwards giggling to myself.  I can tell Matthew was rolling his eyes at me like he had before.  I stopped walking realizing what he said and instantly he ran into my back with a slight thud.

"Why did you..."  He was about to ask me a question, but I turned around and yelled

"Holy crap your satan!"  Staring at him in shock.

"I said that my raven was not listening to me."  Matthew said, leaning down to my eye level smirking.  A slight dusting of blush spread across my face and I quickly looked away trying to hide it.

"I-I was listening to you i-it just sank in now that you're the king in this kingdom."  I bit my lip embarrassed of what I just did.  He let out a deep chuckle and stood back up straight, and continued to walk again.  After that, I made sure I stayed behind him for the rest of the walk. About ten minutes went by and a castle like structure came into view.  I stared in amazement on how big it was and how tall it looked.

"Is this your house?"  I questioned not even taking my eyes off of the castle.

"Ours my little raven.  This is your home now."  Matthew said with a slight cool of his voice that can sooth anyone.  We headed into the town that was around the castle, I stayed close to Mathew as eyes of many different creatures landed on my body.  There were cat calls thrown my way.  I looked up at Matthew seeing irritation on his face, I was about to ask him if he was ok but one of the creatures grabbed my arm and pulled me close to his chest.

"Hey baby why don't you come home with me."  The creature hissed into my ear and licked at my neck trying to tempt me.  I was in a daze, everything happened so fast, but in a faster scene the creature was on the floor with a bloody face.  An arm wrapped around my waist, it was Matthew.

"Keep your slimy hands off my raven.  That goes for all of you!"  He yelled at the creature that seemed to stalk closer to me.  They all stopped and went back to what they were doing, a few of them grumbled to themselves muttering that they would be more fun to be with than Matthew.  I came back to my surroundings and started to cling to Matthew's suit not liking what just happened.

"I'm here my little raven.  Nothing will hurt you when you're in my arms."  Matthew cooed again into my ear.  We quickly went to the castle and settled inside.  I was rubbing my right wing looking around.

"Come my raven let me show you to your room."  Matthew started up the grand main staircase to the top floor.

"coming!"  I said excitedly.  So far beside the creature and getting thrown off a cliff this place is great compared to my other life back on the surface.  It's not what I thought hell would be, I thought I was going to see souls being tortured as we speak.  Speaking of which, where is the torturing and psychopathic nature of hell I've learned about.  Not paying attention to where I was going I ran into Matthew's back with a slight thud.  He turned around and smirked

"Am I that irresistible that you can't help but to be touching me."  He teased, I bushed and crossed my arms looking away mumbling to myself.  He smirked and opened the door to the bedroom and we walked in.  The room was huge with a master bathroom attached to it.  The bed in the room was a queen size bed with velvet sheets and blankets.  It was like a princess story.  The room was a dark maroon color with a bookshelf and a desk in the corner.  There were two bedside tables, one on either side of the bed with one lamp on each.  There were two walk in the closet next to the bathroom entrance. 

"This room is beautiful," I mumbled walking deeper into the room.  I sat down on the bed, it was really soft and comfy.

"I'm setting you up with a trainer so you can learn how to fight and fly tomorrow.  Then I will teach you our dialect and how to read the Demonitary.  Then in the next few weeks you will be given your first job, it will be a level A job so you should not have that much difficulty in completing it."  Matthew states looking at what seems to be a checklist. 

"So rest up and I will retrieve you in the morning," he said leaving the room closing the door behind him.  I laid down on the bed with my wings and arms spread out and sighed.  It had been a long day and I was exhausted.  I ended up falling asleep in the next five minutes.