Mistress of Fire

Chapter 3- first kiss and first kill

"Hello little one." Ruby giggled softly as she scooped a tiny frog up in both her hands, her elf ears twitching. "Where are you going?" She asked the frog that hopped onto her leg.

"Interesting creatures aren't they?" Came a soft voice from behind her.

"W-who are you?" Ruby jumped straight up, landing on her feet as she fiddled with the bottom of her dress.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you." A little boy said, he was dressed in poor looking cloth and had shoulder length hair that was a mixture of brown and red. "It's just that.. I hoped we could talk today." He said, gripping his tiny bow tightly.

"T-t-t-talk?" Ruby squeaked, backing away a little. No one had ever wanted to talk to her let alone be near her.

"Yeah.. You see, I've.. Seen you around but always been to scared to say hi so.. Well hi." The boy mumbled, tan cheeks getting a soft blush tint to them.

"H-h-hi." Ruby squeaked again, looking at him with big red eyes.

"Hello." The boy chuckled a little, holding his hands behind his back as he swayed a little. "I.. I was wondering if you would like to go to the dance with me tonight?" He suddenly asked, taking a step forward which made ruby try to stumble back a little.

"W-why..?" She asked, why her? Why would anyone want a walking fire bomb?

"Because your very pretty, and.. Yeah." The boy rubbed his neck, but somehow he had made it only a few inches away from her with out her backing away.

Ruby nervously looked up at him, her pale cheeks flustering. She couldn't dance with him because the moment he would touch her he would catch fire. "I.. I can't.." She frowned, looking down as her eyes began to water.

"Sure you can, don't be scared, I don't bite." The boy pestered, tilting his head to look her in the watery eyes.

"I really can't.. I'll.. I'll hurt you." Ruby said, looking over at him as her lip trembled, she really wanted to say yes, it was the first time someone had been interested in the girl with the curse.

"You won't, I promise." He said. Was he new? Did he not know she was cursed?

"Don't worry, nothing you can do will hurt me." He smiled. Yes it would. He suddenly leaned down though, but before she had time to react his cracked lips were pressed to hers.

And before the kiss had gotten farther than touching lips flames started to crawl up her arms, a flash of pain running through the boys body as his skin caught fire and his flesh started being eaten right from the bone.

Ruby pulled away, eyes wide and tears running down her face faster than a water fall. She looked back into the pain eyes of the boy who was no longer recognize able, her body shook and everything around her seemed to just stop at that moment.

She'd had her first kiss, but also had just had her first kill, and it especially wouldn't be one she would forget anytime soon.

By the time she had came back to it was the time she heard the boys last cry for help before his burning body was motionless.

Staring at the burning figure ruby bursted out in sob, surely there was still time to save him right?

She screamed, and loud, screamed for help. "Help!" She shouted, choking on the tears streaming down her face as she fell to her knees by the burning body that was now nothing more than a skeleton.

"S-somebody please help me! Please!" She screamed until finally came running a younger looking woman, holding a baby in her arms.

The woman's eyes widened larger than saucers. "Where's my boy? Is he hurt, I heard him cry?" The woman asked, not even asking why ruby shouted for help before noticing the burning boy and it suddenly hit her, that was her boy. She didn't have to see it to believe it, she just knew it.

"I.. I didn't.. I didn't mean to." Ruby cried, looking up at the woman with blood shot teary eyes.

"My son! You've killed my son!" The woman shouted, pointing an accusing finger at ruby.

"Someone! She's killed my son! My son is dead!" The woman screamed. "She's a monster! Monster!"

Ruby shook her head, backing away, well stumbling backwards. "I-I didn't mean to.. Really." She sniffled, eyes widening when the woman lunged for her, with baby still in hand. "I'll kill you! Just like you did him!" Shouted the woman.

"No! Please don't touch me!" Ruby shouted at her, but by the time she had shouted the woman had ahold of her arm, and just like her son the woman had caught fire.

The fire licked up her body, causing terrible screams from her, and crys from the infant. Both mother and child fell to the forest floor in flame.

Ruby trembled, her eyes reflecting the flames as she watched.