Clarissa struggled to move. She felt the soft and fluffy material. Her eyes fought the command to open. When they finally did the dark room swayed back and forth. She closed her eyes again an rubbed her face.

"No no no no" She muttered.

"You didn't come back." Clarissa tilted her head to the sound of the voice. "I let let you go and you were suppose to come back to me." She sat up on her elbows and focused on Jim, who was standing next to the window peering out at the black night. "But you didn't come back."

Clarissa pulled the covers from her legs and sat on the edge of the bed slumped over. "What am I-"

"That was a wager, was it not?" Ha asked already knowing the answer. "One day off your contract. One day of freedom."

Clarissa recalled their little bet. She had meant to take a day off the end of her contract. Not some random day of his choosing.

"Why didn't you come back?" His voice was calm throughout the conversation.

She rested her face in her hands as her foggy mind tried to find the correct words.

"Not...not my home." She slurred.

"You think you pitiful apartment is home?" He hissed. "It's just a lie, a facade." Clarissa stood up trying to take a step but had to grab a hold of the nightstand to stay up. "Remember the drugs do take some time to wear off." Jim turned his attention to her. "Why do you fight so hard to keep the lie alive?"

Clarissa kept her gaze on the floor. "If I let it die the only thing left is me." She left the nightstand and took a shaky step towards Jim. "The monster I became when I was abandoned, I lock that thing away." Jim kept still as she walked up to him. "The anger, the hate, the fear, even the little bit of love I was once capable of was locked up a long time ago."

"I've seen your rage, your fear." Jim slithered his head as he spoke down to her.

Clarissa looked up at him. "You've seen a fraction, not even a molecule , of the full picture. You want to know me? I don't even know the real me anymore." Clarissa stood in front of him staring in his eyes unyielding.

"My brother was right about you." He chuckled. "But that's okay. We'll just have to break the door down."

"Impossible."

"Then I'll burn the room to the ground." Jim turned to look out the window. Clarissa followed his gaze and squinted.

Outside in the field of night, next to the old barn, Sebastian stood smoking a cigar. He took the cigar from his lips and flicked it into the barn. With in seconds smoke came barreling out and flames engulfed the building.

"Why- what do you think you are doing?" She turned to him trying to figure out the answer.

"Starting fresh. Once it's all gone we can rebuild from scratch."

A screeching neigh came from inside the barn. Clarissa jumped to the window throwing it open and leaned out to listen. Another fearful sound came from the barn.

"Oh my god. You didn't"

As she spoke a horse came running out of the burning building. It was Zero. He didn't seemed hurt as he circled around the barn a couple of times. Clarissa followed the stallions movements in confusion. Zero was pacing at the entrance trying to get back into the the fire hazard.

'Why didn't he run away? What was he trying to accomplish?'

Jim leaned out of the window beside Clarissa and watched the show.

"Amazing how fire exposes our priorities." He chuckled at the animal's pathetic attempts.

"Priorities? What priorities could he possibly-" Clarissa stopped mid sentence

as she made the connection. The only thing that could be in that barn. The only thing Zero cared about.

"Tyger Lily" Clarissa whispered to herself.

"Technically they were both suppose to die. But stupid animals can-"

Clarissa pushed Jim out of the way and tried to run out the room. Her body was still affected by the drugs and her run was more of a stagger. Unable to take full control of her movements, her shoulder slammed into the door frame as she exited. The force spun her around as she made her way to the stairs. Missing the first step, she toppled down the stairs landing on her back.

Jim strolled out of her room and made his way down the stairs smiling at her efforts.

Clarissa rolled over and clawed her way down the hall. She dug into the floor as she saw the back door leading outside. Jim came up from behind her yanking a cord from its socket. He wrapped it around her neck and pulled tight causing Clarissa to arch her back as she laid on the floor. She scratched at her neck trying to relieve the pressure. Jim sat on her bum and leaned into her ear.

"Come come. We both know this needs to happen. Just relax. When you wake up you'll be a whole new creature and we can work on it from the ground up."

Tears ran down Clarissa's face as she struggled against the darkness.

"No" She choked out.

"We'll do this together." He whispered.

"NOOO" Clarissa screamed.

She shot her arm out to the side and wrapped her hand around the excess cord on the floor. In one swift tug the lamp on the the table was pulled off and hit Jim on the side of the face. He rolled her cradling his head in his hands. Clarissa ripped the cord from around her neck and quickly stood. She ran down the hall, out the door, and into the night towards the flames in the distance.

When she reached it Zero was still jumping around the outside of the entrance. Clarissa sprinted pass him and leaped to make it over the flames. Out of nowhere Sebastian tackled her from the side. They rolled around the ground as he tactically maneuvered her away from her goal.

"Where you going girlie?" Sebastian picked Clarissa off the ground by the neck and flung her across the field.

Clarissa got to her feet and looked through Sebastian to her burning objective on the other side. There was no plan of action, no logical thought running through her as she raced full speed towards him. Sebastian swung his arm to close line the girl. She dodged his attack by sliding right by him on the ground. Sebastian was quick to recover as he turned around and grabbed a fist full of her hair while she had her back to him.

"Not gonna happen." He yelled as he threw her back to her original position.

Clarissa got up and glared at the man. The sounds of the panicking animal and crackling wood became mute as she focused on the man in front of her. The burning fire reflected in her eyes as she took a few steps to the side studying her prey.

In a flash, Clarissa sprinted towards him. Sebastian swung his arm again. But it only made contact with air as Clarissa ducked the attack right at his feet. She sprang up and upper cutted his chin forcing Sebastian to stumble backwards. In his daze state Clarissa took the opportunity to punch at his stomach, sides, and thighs. With a feral growl She tackled Sebastian by the waist bringing the both of them down. She dragged herself on top of him and mercilessly began punching his face.

Sebastian grabbed her wrist and wrenched it behind her back catching her in a bear hug. She felt her arms being dislocated from the elbow. Clarissa screamed out in pain and rage. She head butted him a couple of times trying to force him to release her. In a last effort she buried her head in his neck and sunk her teeth into his skin. Sebastian screamed as Clarissa tried to take a chunk right out of him. Blood pooled in her mouth. Releasing her jaws from his neck, Clarissa leaned back to face him. She spit the blood straight into his eyes.

With the shock of what happened and the lose of sight, Sebastian released his hold on her to wipe his face. Clarissa crawled away on her stomach. She used her elbows to dig into the ground as she inched away. A strong hand on her ankle pulled her back as Sebastian came up behind her. Clarissa flipped on her back and waited as he came closer. As he crawled up her body she used her free leg to kick him in the nose. She wrapped her legs around his neck and squeezed him tightly between her thighs.

The cut off of air supply put him into a frenzy as he clawed at her legs to open the vice grip. He tried to punch down at her body. Each blow was deflected with a slight roll as she dodged his attack. She refused to let go as Sebastian gasped for air. He sat up on his knees and pulled Clarissa off the ground slamming her back down a couple of times. With no air and the last of his energy spent Sebastian limp body fell to the side as Clarissa kept the pressure around his neck. She looked into his frantic eyes with no remorse. A sharp pain to the side of the head and Clarissa was out cold.

Jim stood towered above her unconscious form smirking down at her. He glanced at the twitching associate she had trapped between her legs. Jim dropped the stick and pried her legs, who still had a tight grip, open. Sebastian gasped, letting the air fill his lung greedily. He staggered to his feet and kicked at Clarissa's side. Jim shot him a look and Sebastian took a couple of steps back.

"What the fuck got into her boss?" Sebastian clung to his neck putting pressure on the bite wound.

"It's not what got in." Jim knelt by Clarissa brushing a few strands of hair out of her face. "It's what was released."

Both men turned to the pile of ash and embers of what use to be a barn. Zero, having no other option, turned towards the open field and galloped away.

"What should we do about the stray?" Sebastian asked awaiting his orders.

"Let it go. He'll die out there sooner or later."