The Dark Devotion

Darkest Devotion

The night was much too hot for the white cloak she wore, so she unlaced it. A cascade of silk fell at her bare feet. She kicked it aside and continued down the spiral staircase. With every step she took, the ground grew hotter. In the shadows, flames licked at the walls, lighting up the cryptic cavern.

She knew her way around the crepuscular passage. Although forbidden, she had been there many times before. She knew that with every visit, she risked her life. But she couldn’t escape him, she was a moth to his light.

A fierce growl shook the walls so violently that rocks rained down. “Raime!”

She jumped at the sound of his voice. “Dalkin,” she cried. Smoke hung like drapes, obscuring her vision. “Where are you?”

He parted the darkness. Towering above her, his body stiffened at the sight of her. “What do you want?” he growled.

“I wanted to see you,” she exhaled. How long had she been holding her breath?

In a flash, he closed the steps between them. He was so close now she could feel his hot breath on her skin. It was like standing too close to a fire. “Are you scared of me?”

She shook her head no but looked so unsure. “Should I be?”

“Yes, I need you to leave. Now!”

“But I want to stay here with you.”

Dalkin chuckled. “You would stay here in Purgatory with me? And do what?”

“Be with you.”

“It’s wrong, Raime.”

She raised her hand to touch his cheek, but quickly drew it back. “How many times are you going to throw me out before you realize that I love you.”

“You can’t love the devil, Raime.”

“But I do love you. I would give up everything for you.”

He turned his back to her. “You would give up your soul?”

She placed a hand on his shoulder. “For you . . . yes, I would.”

“Could you really?” Dalkin asked, turning. He studied her beautiful face, taking in her turned up little nose and piercing blue eyes. “You would give up your life for me? Everything?”

“Yes . . .no,” Raime sighed, “I don’t know. I just want to be with you.”

“Raime, we can never be together. Please, just go.”

“I won’t. I can’t.”

“Go,” Dalkin roared. “Go now, before I hurt you.”

He flinched as she touched his face. “You could never hurt me.”

“What are you saying? I took you from your home. I stole your innocence,” he growled in disgust. “Look at me, I’m a monster.”

“You’re not a monster. HE may have cast you here, but he doesn’t know you like I do. There is goodness in you. I feel it.”

Dalkin laughed. “You feel it because I was an angel once like Lucifer.”

“Yes, but Lucifer was bad.”

“I’ve done bad things, Raime. Horrible things.”

“But you’ve changed.”

“No one really changes, Raime. The darkness is still there.” He took in a deep breath. “Now go.”

“Please no,” she begged.

She pressed herself against him and cupped his face.

They stared into each other’s eyes.

Moths to a flame. Or sin to innocence.

They kissed. Madly, passionately. Fires erupted around them.

He pulled away, growling in her ear.

“You, want me,” she said.

“Yes, more than anything.”

“And you can have me,” she whispered, her voice cracking.

“No,” he said as he raised his hands and blew her back into the dark shaft .

She stepped forward, but he blew her back again.

Her eyes never left his. “Why?” she asked.

He blew her further out into the staircase. “I have my reasons.”

“You gave me love,” she shouted. “I never knew love before you.”

“It was a mistake.”

“I love you,” she cried.

“You’ll love again,” he said walking away.

“I’m going to find a way to be with you, Dalkin. Do you hear me? I belong with you.”

She was met with a fiery snort. Then darkness and smoke.

* * * * * * * *

The sun stripped the clouds nude as the sky grew brighter. Angels sang in the distance. Their voices a song in the wind as old as time. He stepped into the golden palace and smiled. He never felt so at peace. It was like coming home after a long journey.

He was weary. He was tired.

“Heaven,” he whispered looking around. She would be here somewhere among the angels. But where? “Raime,” he called.

He looked down at his blue suit and dusted off some imaginary lint. He was nervous about how much he had changed and wondered if she would still love him, now that he was no longer a beast.

He loved her and that was all that mattered.

“Raime!” he called louder this time. He grinned from ear to ear, excited to surprise her.

Meanwhile . . .

Raime descended those dark stairs again. This time she had given up her life for him. There was no turning back.

She caught her imagine in his mirror and gasped.

Gone were her long luscious locks. Now she wore her hair slicked off her face and a black veil over her taunt features. Even her gown was black as midnight.

“Dalkin,” she cried, sweeping through his chambers.

Silence followed.

“I’m home,” she cried again. “And I’m never leaving you.”

But she found his chambers empty and knew it was too late.

The Devil was gone.