The Malignant Flaming Crescent

44

AELIA POV

I watched her fingers slowly start to move and then I watched her take a deep breath. Her eyes slowly fluttered open but she was quick to cover them again, the light above us was bright.

"Destiny?" I whimpered, "Des, it'll be okay. It's gonna be okay." 

She looked up at me slowly, "wh-what's happening?" Her voice was scratchy, like her throat was dry. 

"Just relax," I nodded my head, "it'll be okay, just breathe." 

"Aelia my head," she winced as she pressed against her temples, "it hurts." I had this gut wrenching feeling, I just wanted to hold her. I want to be there for her, take care of her. 

"I know," I cried softly, "I know, go over there. Go in the corner where there isn't any light." She was sensitive, her senses were all heightened. I watched as she slowly picked herself up and crawled into the dark space. I watched her breathe out heavily as her body relaxed against the wall. 

"What's happening to me?" she asked, "what did he do? Why am I unchained?" 

How do I tell her? What do I tell her? 

"I know this is going to sound crazy okay?" I closed my eyes, "he turned you. What's the last thing you remember?" 

She sat quiet for a few seconds before she gasped, covering her mouth and then touching her neck, "he- he bit me." 

"He drank most of your blood," I sighed, "and then fed you his, then he killed you." 

"What?" she asked. Tears started to pour down her cheeks as she looked around, "what do you mean? I'm dead? How am I dead? How am I here? What-" 

"Destiny," I tried to calm her down, "Des listen to me, please listen to me. He turned you, you're in transformation and you have to feed within 24 hours." 

"Feed?" she asked, "eat you mean? I have to eat. Eat what?" 

"Blood," I looked at the ground, "you're in the early stages so you don't feel the craving quite yet but you will soon. It will come. He forced me to drink vervain, if you bite me it will kill you. You need fresh blood, from the vein of a human. You have to try and find a way out of here." 

"Blood?" she cried out, "human blood? What the fuck is happening! Let me out! Let me out of here!" 

"Destiny please," I tried to stay calm, "please be quiet. We don't want him down here right now, please. Here, try- try and get me down." 

"Wh-what about the vervain?" she asked. 

"It was only a couple bottles," I nodded, "I don't think it's enough to seep through my pores. If it does, it'll burn and you can pull away instantly." She stood up and walked over to me, slowly placing her hand on my shirt. Nothing happened. She quickly unchained my hands and I fell to the ground. 

"I'm sorry," she quickly knelt beside me, "I'm sorry. I-" 

"It's okay," I nodded, "it's alright. We gotta get out of here." I looked around and then back at her but noticed she was staring at my neck. "Des?" I asked as I slowly took a step back, "Destiny look at me." 

"I- I can hear it flowing through your veins," she stepped closer as her eyes became bloodshot, "I- can smell it. I- need it." 

"Destiny no!" I snapped, "no! Look at me! You will die! You will die if you bite me. Please don't. Please." Her eyes snapped to mine and she quickly pushed herself away from me and pulled her knees to her chest. 

"I'm so sorry," she started to shake, "I- I don't know what's happening to me. I-" 

"It's okay," I nodded slowly, "it isn't your fault. You're in transition, you can't help it. It's okay but please you have to fight it. I- I'm gonna get us out of here." I started to look around, grabbing random objects for any magic, but I came up with nothing, not even in the walls. We were trapped in here and there is no way out. I walked over to the door and tried to open but with it locked, it wasn't budging. I looked over at her, I wanted to do nothing but comfort her but the risk of her biting me right now, I can't let that happen, it will kill her. 

"Why is this happening to me?" she cried, "I-I'm so scared. I don't want to die Aelia, I don't want to die." 

"I know," I talked sadly, "I'm so sorry." This is all my fault. I should have left her alone, I should have blown her off. None of this would be happening right now if I just didn't allow myself to feel. "I'm so sorry I did this to you," I felt the tears start to fall down my cheeks, "I am so sorry Des. I didn't mean for this to happen, this wasn't supposed to happen." 

She looked up at me, her eyes red and puffy. I watched her focus move to my neck again, her eyes hyperfocused on my breathing. 

"Destiny," I backed up, "Des look at me." She stood up slowly and turned her head a bit, her eyes looked glazed over. "Destiny!" I yelled louder as my back hit the wall behind me. I had no where to go, I couldn't run, "Destiny stop! Look at me! Please!" She walked to me and pushed me into the wall, I turned my head away from her. "Destiny please," I begged, "please don't do this-" I gasped as I felt her teeth sink into my neck. "Des- n-no," I felt the tears fall down my face and she quickly pulled away. She started to scream, crying out in pain as she hit the ground. I did the same, I felt... weak. 

"Aelia," she coughed and gagged as she grabbed at her throat, "Ae-Aelia I- I can't breathe. I-" 

"It's okay," I bawled as I crawled over to her, "I'm so sorry Des. Try to relax." I pulled her head onto my lap and rocked back and forth. "Please don't leave me," I cried as I ran my fingers through her hair, "please don't go. Des, please! Destiny! Destiny wake up!" I started to shake her as I watched her take one last breath. 

"I-I love you," she let out as her eyes closed. 

"I love you!" I yelled as I held her close to me, "I love you so much Destiny, I'm so sorry." I pulled away and looked at her, "please, wake up. Please wake up. Destiny! Des!" I heard what sounded like metal clanking and realized the door was being unlocked. I pulled her closer to me as he walked in and turned to look at us. 

"Already?" he sighed, "I was hoping she'd last a bit longer. What happened? Couldn't control herself?" 

"Go to hell," I clenched my jaw, "get away from us."

"Okay," he nodded, "I will, but I'm taking her with me." My heart sank. All I have to do is touch him and I will be able to draw atleast some power, I might be able to get us out of here. I looked around for a few seconds. I saw a metal pipe and a bottle of vervain on the other side of the room.

"You're not gonna touch her!" I moved her off my lap and stood up, "we're getting out of here."

"Oh really?" he stepped towards me, "I don't think so."  

I looked behind him, staring at the door, "who the hell are you?" I watched him turn around and I was able to grab the pipe. I swung hard, hitting him in the face. When he stumbled, I ran to the other side of the room and proceeded to pour the vervain all over his body. I looked at his hand, taking the sun ring around his finger, I pulled my necklace from his neck and quickly grabbed Destiny. I ran from the room as fast as I could, running down the hall. I saw the door and when I ran outside and it was sunny, I was grateful. I took off into the woods, his ring on my finger. He can't come after me right now, he can't come after us.

I stopped for a few seconds once I couldn't see the house anymore and put my necklace on. I could feel the magic being pulled into my body. I leaned my head back and held out my hands. I called for a note and watched a piece of paper with a pen appear.   

I cried as I wrote it, "please help me. I don't know where I am. I don't know how to get back, Destiny is dead. Please find me." I sent it away and I grabbed her again, she layed lifelessly as I rocked her back and forth. "I'm so sorry Des," I held her, "I'm so sorry. This wasn't supposed to happen." I pulled her back from me, moving the hair from her face and kissing her forehead, "I'm so sorry. I am so sorry."