It was so dark. The night was almost a physical force. But it always was too me.

I struggled with the leather straps, metal buckles, chaffing ropes, and horrendous smell of unwashed man. My eye's watered as I pushed my body, I was sure it would break, trying to free myself.

I will not die here, tied up like an animal, for some sick man's use. I almost chanted.

I would get out, I had to get out. The physical pain didn't matter anymore, I just needed to be free. I heard a slight rip, one of the ropes was fraying! I continued struggling, the fire in my wrists and ankles building. I heard the tell tale groan of the couch springs as the man in the next room woke. Shit, I thought. More ropes and leather were ripping and I was almost free. A little more time, please, I'm almost free I silently prayed. Only a little more time.

"Where er you, my little bitch?" asked a slurred voice from my left as the man stepped into the door frame.

The last leather strap snapped, leaving a nice little welt on my arm, but I didn't care at that moment.I was free and I would never be taken again, that was all that mattered to me.

In a flash I was up off the bed and staring right into the pale gold eyes of my capture.

"Right here." I whispered.

The man's grin slipped form his face as he made a lunge for me. "Sorry sweet heart, but your not getting away from me that easily."

I easily ducked under his muscular arms, turned, and kicked the back of his knee. As he was forced to his backside with a grunt, I was already turning and making a run for the door. All my hope was squished as a meaty hand clamped onto my ankle.

"Not so fast, you little fucker." the man snarled as he pulled me back and held me to his chest. "I spent a lot of time and money trying to track you down, and you won't be getting away till we've had a little, no, make that A LOT more fun together."

"You won't have been the first to say that." I grunted back before feeling my morphing abilities taking hold.

I felt my bones and muscles stretching and thinning, while my nails lengthened and sharpened, along with my teeth. My new form was one that I had taken on many times to get out of sticky situations.

I let out an ferocious feline growl and squirmed my arms till they were close to the oaf's arms. While he was whispering all the vile things that he would do to me and dragged me back to the half destroyed bed, I struggled to get some leverage on my rapist. Just as we neared the bed, the man relaxed his grip, only for a moment, and I had my chance. With a final twist and jerk, I shoved my new found claws into the man's arms and bit down on the hands that clutched my chest.

He let go with an outraged roar and flung me into the wall, closer to the window.

"Why you filthily little-"

In a flash I was at the window, perched precariously on the ledge, effectively reducing the man to a sputter, coaxing mess.

"Come, now, my little birdy, I wasn't gonna do anything bad to you, I was just joking, come down from there, you don't want to get hurt, do you?"

I could smell the fear on his alcohol infused breath, I was in complete control of the situation.

"Oh, I'm not the one who's gonna get hurt." I laughed hysterically, using the guise of escaped mental patient to offset him even more. "You are."

And then I jumped.

There is nothing quite like falling, the wind whistling through your ears, the adrenaline pumping through your veins, time slowing as you get as close to flying as a human ever could. It was exhilarating. It was made better by the familiar sheen of white that over took my vision as I neared the forest floor and freedom.