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

Thought Forty. - No such thing as simple.

Heat. 

Drenched in sweat. 

Cheeks burning. 

I open my eyes in a rush, and the first thing I see is the fire burning a few feet away from where I am lying. Flames lick the logs of wood, burning feverishly in front of me. I groan inwardly, and kick off the thin blanket that covers me. Sitting up, I wonder how I even got a blanket on me? 

That could only mean one thing. 

I whip my head around looking for the culprit, and see him sitting against the far wall, cross-legged. He is just staring at me, without making a sound. I pull my damp hair into a tight bun, tying it with the band that was around my wrist. I never break eye contact with him though. 

It's almost as if it is an un-spoken challenge. 

Or maybe he doesn't believe his eyes? 

I mean, I would have never imagined myself coming to his home, looking for him. We haven't seen each other in over a year, and this is somewhat nerve wracking. But this has to be done, because I am on a mission for my daughter's sake. Not mine, and surely not his. 

I walk over to where he is sitting, and take a seat sliding down the wall beside him. We sit there silently, staring at the fire that is now across the room from us. 

This is such an uncomfortable silence, and I can't seem to find my voice to break it. 

"Why?" As if reading my mind, he takes the dive into the deep end first. 

I look down at my fingers, nervously fidgeting. I can feel his eyes on me, beckoning me to meet his gaze. 

But I don't want to. 

Looking into those eyes makes me feel like I am in the night sky, wingless, yet flying through the air. Calmly floating around various twinkling stars, but am dangerously close to losing myself in the darkness of it all.

I don't want to feel that way towards him.

I don't want him to know that every time I look into his eyes, I second guess my firm relationship with Neven. Even if it is just momentarily, it's still not right. Surely it's not fair to Neven for me to share my feelings and desires with some other man. And I've been through this a million times with myself, I love Neven, and Jones is just someone that my destiny has been intertwined with. Someone that I am supposed to know, but not allowed to love.

Life is shit, sometimes.

"Ariel...why? " He repeats, his voice cracking a little. 

Ah, hell. 

I look up into those midnight eyes, and instantly melt. My breath hitches in my chest, and my cheeks flush. I bite on my bottom lip to keep it from trembling. 

"I'm sorry." Is all I say. Although, I'm not entirely sure what I am apologizing about. 

Maybe because I didn't choose him? 

Because I can't control my feelings for him, even though I reject him every time? 

Because I have come for help from him, even though he has no reason to truly help me? 

Why do I deserve his help? 

"Sorry? You have no reason to be sorry. But... Why are you here, gem?" 

I take a second to fully look at Jones. His hair has grown a bit, and it's messy and ruffled. He wears a tight black shirt, and navy blue jeans. No shoes. He has a little stubble growing on his chin, and I hadn't noticed the weariness in his eyes until now. He looks worn out.