Devoured Destiny (Completed, but being rewritten and edited.)

Thought Twenty. - Inferno.

"Ariel! Ariel!" 

I bolt straight up, and jump out of bed, running towards Sibbul's screaming voice. Running with my speed, I come to a halt as Sibbul stops me and puts her hands to my shoulders. She is hovering above the ground, so that we are eye level. I take a few panting breaths, and look around. We are at the end of the cave hallway, right before the entrance of the family room. I can see little flickers of the fire, but that's all. 

"Sibbul, what's the matter? What's wrong?" I'm frantically moving my head, trying to see past Sibbul's head, but she keeps blocking my view intentionally. 

"It's Jones." 

"What do you mean?" 

"Well...he seems to be giving himself a punishment, of sorts."

"Punishment?" What is she talking about? Why would Jones give himself a punishment? 

"Yes, that's what it seems. Ariel, he won't listen to me, but I think that he may listen to you. He can't really permanently damage himself, but he is in pain."

"Sibbul, what is he doing?" I pause, and then add, "Never mind, take me to him." 

Sibbul nods and lets go of my shoulders, floating down to the ground, her back facing me as we walk. The flicker of orange and red flames are the only things lighting the area. As we get closer, I feel the heat already. 

That's when I see him. 

His body is laying on the ground, his arms at his sides, his fists clenched tightly. His neck is propped up on a log, and his head is a heap of flames.

His head is in the fire. 

I hear my piercing scream fill the cave, and bounce back at me as it echos. 

I run as fast as I can to his side and kneel down on the ground, grabbing his shoulders. I try to pull him out, but he's like a ton of bricks. Un-moveable. 

"Jones! Jones! Please.." I cry, tears stream freely. 

He can't hear me, or he choses not to hear me. 

Either way, his skin is melting from his face, and I need to get him out of there now.

I look at Sibbul for help. 

"You might have to think outside of the box for this one, think of why he is punishing himself...What would make him snap out of this?" 

"I-" He's punishing himself, because of the way he had hurt me, because of the pain he has caused me. He chooses to ignore my pleads, but can he bare to hear me in pain because of his selfishness again? "I know what I have to do." 

Before I can even think my plan out thoroughly, which I know I can't right now, I lunge my right hand and arm into the fire beside his head. 

Instantly I feel the immense heat, that overwhelms any other possible feeling, and consumes my mind. My mouth opens wide, and I scream in horrific pain and agony as the flames lick my flesh from my bones, like a lashing whip. I can even hear the bubbling of my skin, and smell the rotten stank. I continue to scream, until something grabs my arm, and flings me across the floor, where my head lands on one of the giant pillows. 

Not something.

Someone.

Jones is hovering above me. 

Or, whatever is left of Jones. 

His face bleeds, pieces of flesh hanging from his cheekbones, his features barely noticeable. He will heal though. He feels the pain, but he will heal. 

I, on the other hand... 

Well I'm not sure. 

I'm a different species of vampire, but I have to have some sort of healing ability...I hope. 

I am still in agonizing pain, but I am also full of relief for Jones sake. My plan had worked. 

"Jones?" He is still hovering above me, his blood dripping onto my right cheek. He just stares at me though, like a rabid animal. I look for Sibbul, but she has disappeared. When did she leave?

"Jones! Common, get off of me. You scared the shit out of me!" I look back at him, wide eyed. His face has started to heal. His beautiful complexion coming back, the new skin threading it's way onto his bone structure, his muscles defining. His midnight eyes shining, silver specks and all. 

"You..were..in..pain! Are you stupid?" His hair has now grown back, and he throws his hand through it, messing it up even more. 

My hand and arm burns, bringing new tears to my eyes. 

"I am in pain. And you are the stupid one! Don't you understand, you shithead! I only threw my arm into a fiery pit of hell so that you would hear my cries of pain, and snap out of whatever it is you were doing in there! Was that just like a sauna for you? Relaxing? Were you relaxed!?" 

"N-n-o. Of course not. It was the most excruciatingly painful thing that I have ever endured. I did it because I felt that I needed to punish myself for hurting you , gem. I screwed up, big time. So many times, with you. And you went through all that pain for me?"   He takes a place beside me, instead of over top of me, and takes my red, flesh eaten arm in his hands. 

"Yeah, I did. Don't ask me why, but I did. I can't have you dying on me, don't ask me why for that either, because I won't be able to tell you. But to be able to heal, I think that I am going to need to eat." Dammit, where was Neven and his viles when I needed him? 

"Okay, fair enough, I guess. But..thank you, Ariel. Now, let's go see what I can fix up for you to eat." He stands up and starts walking towards the kitchen.

"Uhh, Jones?"

"Yes, gem?"

"You're not going to find what I need, in your kitchen."

I look down shamefully at my once before, lilac coloured silk night gown, that is now drenched in crimson, red blood. 

I look back up to meet his eyes, as he walks towards me again. 

"Gem...what is it you need?" He looks at me, he's sincerely trying to help me.

"Or better yet, what are you?"