"You simpleminded, worthless bastard! Go to your room and stay there! Nobody wants to see your hideous face!"

Sienna Frost curled into the corner of the attic, her whole body hunched into a ball- shoulders rounded, hands digging into her shins, toes curling forward. Her ragged, messy blonde hair hovered past her shoulder, the split ends on the right side covered with a deep red liquid. Blood.

"Stupid girl! Can't you move? Can't you call upon the strength to walk away? What are you, a monkey? Oh, who cares- set the dogs on her!"

The house had always had a terrible, violet air, but that night the smell of beer, wine and whiskey had filled the house as well. Sienna's father had gotten a raise, and had promptly spent the extra money on drugs and alcohol. Her parents, dizzy and drunk, had been even harder on her than they usually were. Punching, slapping, terrible words- then they set Angel, the mutt they had raised to hunt for themselves, on her.

Angel was stupid. Stealthy, focused, and stupid. She was excellent at pinpointing prey and killing it. She was not excellent at telling what her prey was.

Angel had left shallow scratches on her arms. Deeper ones on her stomach.

She had blinded her right eye.

Sienna was alone in a cloud of gray smoke. This was the first thing she noticed when she opened her icy blue eyes. The second thing she noticed was that she appeared to be floating. She extended her arm in wonder, looking at her fingernails, chewed to bits. The third thing she noticed was the faint smell of something burning. Fire. A small smile raised to her lips. Fire was what warmed her on the coldest nights, the thing she could depend upon to light her way when it was dark.

That was it! Fire! Her family had a dead tree in her yard, and Sienna knew she had some matches in her room somewhere. She could set it on fire!

A eerily wild smile stretched across her face, and she struggled to sit up and escape from her dream. She could feel herself waking- there, there was a light! She could feel her feet lower to touch the ground, and-

"Oh no, little child, you're not going anywhere."

A scream ripped through her body and broke into the still air as unknown hands rested on her shoulder, and she found herself being pulled backwards, the mysterious person cradling Sienna to her chest. Her hand automatically flew backwards- and another hand greeted it.

"Young one, don't be afraid. I'm here to provide an escape like no other. I've seen your parents. I've watched you. I know who you are, Sienna Annabelle Frost," and here the unfamiliar figure chuckled, "and I'm no stalker. I'm merely a creature who was assigned to you." Sienna turned her head, and her eyes widened further- if that was possible- as she caught sight of the person who had disrupted her awakening.

The truth was, the person was lovely. Dark curls framed her face, and her lips were turned up in a beautiful smile. The strange thing was that her eyes glowed a twisting array of pink. Sienna twisted to free herself, and the person let go.

"Alright, I don't know why my dreams conjured up a random stalker who happens to look a bit pretty"-and here the person shook her head softly, looking amused-"but who are you? Why have you been watching me? I don't like it, not one little bit." Sienna stuck her bare feet down, and found firm footing, and when she looked down she realized she was standing on charcoal. She looked up again, and said in a demanding voice, "And answer me this- why are your eyes pink?"

The woman stepped forward and rested her hand on Sienna's shoulders, and her smile faded. "Are you sure you want to know? There's still time to change your mind." At the girls' determined nod, she continued. "I'm a demon, quite bluntly. I was called here to form a contract with you, to fulfill your deepest desire. Your word is my command, and I shall be able to eat your soul after you finish your goal, and you will subsequently die. You will be able to name me; my previous name was Mary Boyd."

Sienna's eyes took on a confused look, and she found herself looking at her feet. Thoughts whirled through her head and her eyes closed. After a few moments, her neck slowly raised, and her eyes opened. The demon stepped forward, her lips raised in an expectant smile.

"What did my parents do to me? To the gods, I didn't think that they would knock me around so much I would see a person who tells me utter nonsense to eat my soul!" Even as she spoke the words in her bitter tone of voice, she found herself growing hopeful. After all, what if the demon was right? What if I could have my darkest hope fulfilled... what if I could... I mean, just... Even her thoughts couldn't convey what she felt; it was something she had never felt before.

The woman stepped forward again, her eyes fading to a gray color- the same color as the lingering smoke that filled the empty air around them. "You know you believe me, you feel it in your heart." She spoke with complete certainty, and held out her hand. "Come with me, Sienna Annabelle Frost. Hold my hand, and I'll form a contract."

Sienna looked up, her cold blue eyes confused, still, but she slowly raised her hand. She let the tips of her fingers rest on the demons', and looked into her gray eyes. "Don't ever call me by that name again." She turned her head slightly, her face contorting into a grimace. "I don't want to have anything to do with my parents, not even such a simple concept as a name." The palm of her hand found the demons', and she clasped it firmly.

The demon lowered her head so that her soft, black curls tickled Sienna's blond hair. "First, name me. I do need a name, so I can follow your orders, do I not?" Her laughter-filled voice was overlain with a curiosity, for she wanted to see what the girl would name her.

Sienna raised her eyebrows, and thought. Memories rushed through her head. Sarah, the dog we had when I was young, before Mother and Father got rough. Queen, after my treasured doll when it all began... Maria, the first and last friend I ever had... Maria. As soon as she thought it, she knew it was the one. "Maria," she spoke with absolute certainty. "Maria Boyd." Here she hesitated, gathering her thoughts together as she thought about the other decision she had to make. "And my name will be..."

Her eyes glanced up into Maria's own, and they were full with cold determination. "Anna." she spoke with determination. "Anna," she repeated softly, attempting to get used to the somewhat unfamiliar name. "To keep a slight hold on my memories. I have to be strong enough for that- so I can keep my eye on the prize, as it is." A small smirk flitted across her freckled face, and she continued. "Anna Boyd. Anna for Annabelle, and Boyd... to remember the moment I met you."

Maria dipped her head with a knowing smile, and her eyes picked up on the unusual pink glow they'd had earlier, She extended her hand to Sienna- no, Anna, now- and touched her throat, and let the other rest on the bare surface at the back of her hand. "Vow that you will remember this contract in your awakening, and that you are certain with your decision," she murmured in Anna's ear.

Anna looked up, and grasped Maria's hands with her own. "I will uphold this contract!" she screamed into the smoky air, and then

there was

burning

Anna's eyes flew open.

She shot up from her position on the floor, and her hands flew to her throat, feeling desperately for a rough spot, a dent- something to signify the terrible burning she had felt in her sleep.

There was nothing.

Her mouth dropped open, and a slow tear slid down her cheek. She touched it, amazed at the unfamiliar, salty wetness- it was the first time she had cried in years. She looked up slowly, her eyes pooling-

and Maria was there.

Shock flooded through her body, and a laugh escaped her throat. She slowly, shakily got up, and touched her hand to Maria's shoulder. "You're real," she whispered in awe, and more of the laughs came. Terrible, hacking laughs so unlike her. She backed away, hitting the wall and laughing some more.

Even as she grabbed the matches, lit them all on fire, and threw them into her yard, she laughed.