I couldn't see anything except the silhouette of the creature, but I felt Father Andrew's hand tremble against my wrist. The creature started to move forward, I could feel the ground shake with its power.

"Release her!" The creature demanded again.

Father Andrew jumped back and scooted away terrified. All the sisters were huddled together whispering prayers. Slowly, the clouds drifted from the moon, light illuminated the creature. I gasped.

It was a giant raven, like the one from my dream. As it approached it towered above everyone. When it reached me it stopped. Father Andrew stared at it, eyes wide with fear. The creature spread its massive wings and from its beak came an unholy screech.

The sisters all screamed and began running, tripping over themselves as they fled. Only Father Andrew remained now. The raven drew up its leg. Long talons, sharp like daggers, gleamed in the light. The creature lunged out with its foot. Father Andrew screamed and threw his hands up to defend himself. The creature stopped just inches in front of him, burying its claws deep into the dirt. It ripped through the ground like paper, easily slicing through my ropes.

I didn't think about what was happening. I didn't have time. My hands freed I quickly untied the last knot from around my remaining ankle and scrambled to my feet. I looked at the raven. It stared at me silently, as if waiting for something. Father Andrew slowly looked out from his arms.

The creature quickly whipped its head around to look at him. He froze again. The raven walked toward him slowly, eyes gleaming. Like a worm, Father Andrew writhed desperately to get away from the bird. It brought down its great claw again, pinning him to the ground. Father Andrew began crying. I could hear him saying the Lord's prayer through his trembling voice. The creature spread its wings wide and opened its beak.

"Don't!" I cried desperately.

I hated what Father Andrew had done to me. I wanted him to suffer for his actions, but not like this. No one deserved to die like this.

The creature turned its head to me. I froze with fear. It stared at me a moment, finally it nodded once. It turned back to Father Andrew and leaned in close.

"She is kind to let you live, but your actions cannot go unpunished."

Suddenly, it slashed its beak across his face. A large gash appeared on his cheek and began to ooze blood. Father Andrew cried out in pain. The creature pressed its foot against him harder, until only a loud wheezing sound escaped.

"A mark of evil, as was given to Cain." The creature hissed menacingly. "Come near her again and I promise you will meet my Lord."

Father Andrew nodded desperately. The creature raised its foot and released him. He scrambled to his feet and ran, stumbling over his robes in desperation. As he disappeared out of sight the raven turned its focus back to me. I stood there, petrified.

"Get on my back, Venus."

Shock replaced fear. "H-how do you-"

"Get on my back." It said again.

This was crazy. There was no doubt this creature had just saved my life, but it was obvious this was no creature of God's. What was it? Where did it come from? Where was it going to take me?

The church bells pealed loudly. The realization struck me that there was no safe place for me anymore at Sacred Heart. Despite the creature's warning, I had no doubts Father Andrew would take action against what had happened here tonight. My options were limited, and somehow this bird was my best one.

As the bells died out I sighed and ran to the creature. I climbed on its back and wrapped my arms around its neck.

"Hang tight."

The raven spread its wings wide and began flapping them. The winds it created blew wildly in all directions rustling the leaves on the trees as we began to lift off the ground. I gasped and tightened my grip as we began to fly higher and higher. The creature turned and flew off toward the forest.

Wind whipped my hair around my face. I could see the bare braches of the trees bending against the powerful gust of the birds wings. I heard the whistling of the air as we flew faster and faster. I closed my eyes and buried my face in the creature's feathers. They were soft. It was comforting somehow.

I almost laughed at the thought. Comfort, from a creature like this? It was something risen from the depths of Hell if I'd ever seen it. My mind flashed back to the church. The locket, picture of the raven, the strange inscription. Was I the one who summoned this thing?

I felt sick at the thought. This creature did save me, but what would it cost me in return? My soul? Was my life really worth living if it meant an eternity of damnation after?

I tried to shake off these worries. I didn't intend to summon a creature from Hell. I didn't even know if that locket would work, let alone what would happen if it did. Surely, the Lord would understand my ignorance and desperation in that moment. Mal just told me the locket would help, not what it would do.

Mal suddenly came to mind. What was he doing with something like this? If he knew how it worked, then he must have known what would happen too. Why did he have it? How did he get it? Why would he give it to me of all people?

More than the speedy flight was making me nauseous now. Questions, questions. There were too many questions and no answers. I took some deep breaths to help settle my stomach.

If nothing else I knew two things for sure: this creature had just saved my life and Mal had kept his promise to me.

I felt the air slow down around me. I heard leaves rustle below me. We were landing. Unlike at the church, the raven landed gently this time. I heard the soft crunch of leaves. I felt the bird move its head. Something hard and smooth brushed against my cheek gently.

"We're here."

I squeezed my eyes tighter. Where was "here?" The forest? Its nest? Hell? I shivered a little at the last one. I felt the raven's beak nuzzle me again. I was terrified, but what choice did I have? Live on this birds back forever? I didn't think it would approve.

I let go and slid down its back. A cold breeze blew through the trees and made me shiver. Well, Hell probably wasn't this cold. Slowly, I opened my eyes.

It was Mal's house.

I stared in shock. Mal's house? What were we doing here? It's true I was planning to run to here anyway, but how did the bird know that? The locket, the raven. What did Mal have to do with all of it?

I turned to the raven. It was staring at me. I opened and closed my mouth several times, not really sure what to say.

"Why-why here?"

"It's safe here. Would you rather go somewhere else?"

This voice wasn't the same menacing voice I had heard at the church. This voice was gentle, caring. I shook my head. I wouldn't even know where else to go, and if I did leave I certainly didn't want to do it via giant bird.

I started to walk toward the house, but froze. Would Mal even want to see me? I hadn't been very nice to him the last time he came by. He understood why though, right? He refused to help me, I felt completely betrayed by him at that moment. The looming shadow of the raven filled me with guilt. He had helped me. He promised me the locket would help and it did. I bit my lip nervously.

"What's wrong?"

"I-I don't think he wants to see me right now." I said quietly.

"Why not?"

I shook my head and crossed my arms. "He helped me so much. Not just with you, but with surviving. He said he would get in trouble just by bringing me food. In trouble with who I'm still not sure, but he did it anyway. When I was at my very lowest point and ready to give up he was the one who put me in my place and helped me to realize I wasn't ready to quit yet.

He saved my life, and I was so upset with what he wasn't doing that I turned my back on him. I can never repay him for what he's done. How can I even begin to tell him how sorry I am? Would he even forgive me?"

"I wouldn't have come if I didn't, Angel."

I whipped around at the sound of that name.

"What did you just call me?"

The raven let out a squawking laugh. I stared at it in disbelief. What was going on? There was only one person in the world who called me "Angel."

"Why-what-" I tried to search for the words.

The raven took a step back from me and closed its eyes. It covered itself with its wings and sat on the ground.

The feathers began to fall from the bird, as they hit the ground they turned to dead leaves. The claws began to retract into the bird's feet, the legs grew pale. Between the growing gaps in the wings I saw the beak shrink and split apart, becoming a separate mouth and nose. The dark feathers of its head twisted and turned to soft hair.

Right in front of my eyes the creature changed from the shape of a bird to a man. It lowered its arms and a familiar pair of green eyes smiled up at me. Mal.

I stood there speechless. Was this a dream again? Part of me felt relieved at the thought. Maybe when I woke everything would be normal again and I could laugh with Father Andrew and the sisters about my strange dream.

Another cold gust blew through and I wrapped my arms around myself. The night was silent. No, this was no dream. So what was it then?

I looked at Mal pleadingly. "Tell me what's going on."

He cocked his head and smiled a little, moving his hands to his lap. "Uh, can I get some clothes first?"

The realization suddenly struck me that he was completely naked. I blushed deeply and covered my eyes, turning away. He laughed.

"There's my Angel."

I couldn't help but smile at the bit of normalcy in the middle of this crazy night.

"Wait here." He said.

I kept my eyes to the forest as he stood and walked away. After a while I felt a warm hand on my shoulder. I smiled when I saw him. His normal black and leather outfit brought me a strange sense of comfort.

"Miss me?" He asked.

I took a deep breath and dropped the smile. I looked at him seriously.

"Mal, what's going on?"

He sighed and ruffled his hair. "There's so much to tell you, Venus. I guess the best place to start is with who I really am. Think of it as the proper introduction we never really had. So let me reintroduce myself." He took a deep breath. "My name is Malphas, and I'm the head demon of Hell."