The dream was destroyed by the sound of splintering wood. I opened my eyes and noticed fragments of door strewn across the floor.

“Do you see what you made me do?” Dante’s voice drifted across the room.

I blinked and turned my head to see the door hanging off its hinges and Dante’s black silhouette stood in the doorway. He must have been knocking on the door while I was sleeping then broken the door down when I had not replied. I couldn’t read his expression but Dante was giving off a bad aura. Bitterly I smiled to myself, well maybe when he finds out I want a divorce, he’ll be happy again. The thought chipped another crack into my disintegrating heart. Rolling over so that my back was against him I replied coldly,

“Leave me alone.”

There was a moment of silence then a shuffle. I turned my head and saw Dante kneeling next to me.

“Come on Ebony,” Dante said gliding his hand over my shoulder, “I know you are mad at.”

His voice was light and patient, no hint of degradation or sarcasm. Inside I could feel myself trembling at the kindness in his tone. Why wasn’t he being the asshole that I knew? Why was he being gentle and kind? I brushed his hands away and slid across the floor until I was out of his reach. Sitting up I hugged my knees into my chest and stared at the fire. Numbly I repeated the same dead one liner,

“Leave me alone.”

Dante didn’t move. He was crouched a few feet away watching me in bemusement. There was an awkard silence and Dante said gingerly,

“I’m sorry about yesterday. Please forgive me.”

My heart turned over and dug my fingernails into my palms. He was killing me.

Struggling to keep my voice level I replied hoarsely, “Go away Dante.”

“I’m not leaving until you forgive me,” Dante said crawling towards me, “In fact I’m not leaving until you forgiven me with a kiss.”

My breath caught in my throat and my inside twisted and knotted uncomfortably. Dante sat next to me, his arm brushing against my arm. I closed my eyes and remembered how safe I had once felt in those arms. I breathed in and dragged his scent into my lungs.

“Tell me how we fell in love.” Dante murmured softly. I felt his warm fingertips gently sweeping over my skin as he pushed the hair off my neck. My mind began to malfunction. Suddenly my thoughts no longer made sense and all I could comprehend was the agonizing tension that was growing between us. My body was literally aching for his caress, his embrace and his kiss. Breathlessly I tried to focus on the dancing flames but Dante was impossible to ignore. Tilting my head slightly I turned my head to steal a glance of those eyes. It was a fatal mistake. Dante smoulder green eyes were boring into me, and I couldn’t steal a glance. His eyes demanded my full attention and like moth hypnotised by a flame my head turned fully to face his. The corner of his mouth tugged upwards in triumphant, he knew he had got me with those eyes. Paralyzed I watched helplessly as Dante as leaned forward and dragged his lips across my neck. I inhaled sharply reaching up and tangling my hand in his hair. Ecstasy was burning in my stomach… but I couldn’t do this. Morgan would die if I didn’t stop this.

“Ebony,” Dante breathed against my neck, “I don’t remember all the little things I should do but this feels so familiar. The intimacy is so natural, I know you feel it too.”

Dante raised his head and framed my face with his hands. Tears began to burn in the back of my eyes- I could feel the old Dante, my Dante, coming through to me.

“I want to kiss you. I want to make love to you. You have no idea of the madness that is burning underneath my skin. It’s like every fibre of my being is screaming to be with you. You’re the only remedy that can relieve this madness.” Dante said.

I shook my head. This had to stop.

“No- Dante. Stop.” I turned my head away as Dante tried to kiss me.

“Ebony, what is it?” Dante asked,

“I’m sorry Dante. This isn’t working out.” I said pulling away from him.

“What are you talking about?”

“These feelings that you keep harping on about are kind of one sided.” I said.

Dante’s hands dropped away from my face like he had been stung. His eyes widened with hurt and confusion. I felt like I was holding his heart in the palm of my hand getting ready to crush it. Taking a deep breath in and calmly stated,

“I’ve always known this was a bad idea and I guess I’ve been waiting for the right time to tell you this.”

Dante’s face became an unreadable stone mask. I tried to shuffle back but his hands snatched out grabbing my shoulders.

“Don’t lie,” He said giving my shoulders a shake. “You could have signed those divorce papers yesterday but you didn’t. Yesterday you were willing to be branded to stay by my side so don’t you dare start feeding me that bullshit.”

I couldn’t argue with his logic, so in desperation I tried another plea.

“I’m not lying. Oh Dante, you know it would never work between us. I am raven and you are a vampire. Do you realise how ridicuolous this is to go one pretending.”

“No, this doesn’t make sense.”

“Come on Dante, even you said yesterday that I was some kind of freak. I don’t belong here. Give me the divorce and I’ll sign them.”

As I said the word divorce papers something inside Dante snapped. He got up, dragging me to my feet too. Holding onto my hand he lead me out of the bedroom. Struggling and protesting I twisted and turned until Dante got fed up with my escape attempts. He abruptly stopped and hauled me over his shoulder, then moved through the castle in a burst of vampire speed. I didn’t see anything but recognised the mist that suddenly surrounded us. Dante was taking us back into the mortal world.

“Dante what the hell are you doing!” I screamed.

We burst out into the moorland and Dante dropped me down on to the ground.

“There, are you happy? We are both mortal!” He snapped.

“Why the hell did you do that!?” I yelled.

“We can be together now, I’m not a vampire and you are not a raven.”

“Have you lost your mind?”

“Yeah and I can tell you exactly when I lost it! I lost my mind when you told me you wanted to leave.”

“Dante, you don’t even remember me! I don’t understand what the big deal is!”

“My mind doesn’t remember you but that doesn’t mean my heart has forgotten you.”

“Oh come on! Your heart didn’t recognise me yesterday when you sent me down to the dungeon to get a branding!”

“I was sick! I had no idea what I was doing!”

“Dante, look, I’m trying to be the realistic one here. There is no point pretending that there is anything between us.”

“There is something between us.”

“Like what?”

“Like this.” Dante grabbed a fistful of my hair and crushed his lips against mine. Heat exploded through me and found myself burying my hands into his hair. Roughly he kissed me lifting me up onto his hips. I wrapped my legs around his waist holding on tightly. I knew I shouldn’t. I knew I had to fight back. But this feeling was too strong. The dream I had earlier in my mind floated into my head. Maybe this is what old Ebony meant; maybe I could just give in and pretend for one night that everything was going to be okay in the morning.