It's been a week. I haven't left the house. I hate to admit it, but I was afraid. The adrenaline had kept me going though I skipped my meals ever since I left his house.

Here I was again, looking at my hands, again. The Rider was so impatient beneath my skin. She craved to be let out, a vicious dog pulling at its leash, a wild horse fighting its tether.

I moved to the door quicker than normal and tugged on my boots and jacket. I opened the door, didn't bother to lock it as I kept a quick pace to the barn.

Red waited patiently as I removed his rugs and replaced them with a saddle and bridle. I patted his neck and mounted, the feel of the reins in my hands made me smile with pride. The fire burned in my eyes as I watched the horizon swallow the sun whole. The darkness began to spread and so did the fire in my veins. The fire burned through flesh, and Red and I became the world's worst nightmare and its best savior. It's only saint.

I rode to the city at a canter. My first victims being some drug dealers.

As I walked through the streets, the only sound Red's hooves marking the concrete below, I watched movement in the darkness. Suddenly a gun went off, and Red rose to his hind legs. He whinnied with such power it vibrated my heart. He came down and sparks flew from his feet. I watched the chain whip out in front of us and wrap around something in the dark to my left. I readied my whip, the flames dancing along the leather. The chain retracted with a man in it's fiery grasp. Robbie.

I heard the Charger before it drove in front of us, with a demon in the driver's seat. He got out and dragged the man behind him. Slinging the chain in my direction, it let go of the man and had him in front of me, shaking before my horse's hooves. I dismounted, glanced in Robbie's direction and cocked my head.

You wanna test me do ya? Watch me play with fire.

I grabbed the man's neck. Hoisting him up, I looked into his eyes. His hand moved to the inside of his jacket. I watched it move every inch closer until he revealed a cross. The demon in me screamed as my horse reared in fear. He pressed it into my chest. It began to glow white as it burned and burned, enough to hurt but not kill, I hope. I screamed and dropped him.

I dropped to my knees.

"Stay away from me you demon! Go back to Hell!"

I raised my head and screamed to the skies, like anyone could help me up there. My skin began to grow back. My horse reared again and came down on the man's chest. The man screamed out as he burned to nothing starting from where Red's hooves touched his skin. He became ash, as I became human again. My vision began to fog up and I knew and heard nothing but the screams of my horse, the fire and that I had failed the test Robbie gave me.

I awoke in a bed. Its sheets were soft, cotton and were a cream color. I tried to sit up, but the pain in my chest held me down like a dead weight. Damnit.

I heard movement and tried to sit up again, only to get so far. I moved pillows behind me and leaned against them. I let out a sigh.

"You are one lucky woman to survive that, you know that?"

I looked to find Robbie at the foot of my bed watching my every move.

"Where am I."

"My bedroom."

"How long have I been out?"

"Two days."

"What? Where's Red?"

"He's in his stall."

I tried to sit up more, but my chest hurt. I looked down to find a 2nd degree burn in the shape of a cross on my chest, the bottom part of the cross ending halfway down my cleavage. I groaned and felt tears slip down my cheeks. Robbie came to my side and put a hand on my stomach.

"You need to lay down."

"I have to get to Red. Make sure he's not hurt."

"I can check on him if you want, just lay down."

His hand still lingered on my stomach, "I'm going to need to clean that again."

I nodded as I lay back down and he removed his hand. He walked into the bathroom next to the door. He pulled a clear bottle from the cabinet with clear liquid in it. Robbie grabbed some cotton balls and soaked a rag in cold water. He rung it, set the bottle and cotton balls on the nightstand, and put the rag to my forehead.

It was cold, but soothing. At the same time it sent a ping of pain through my head. I winced.

"Sorry. Your temp won't drop."

"It does that."

"Normally?"

"Just every time I turn."

He nods as he dabs the liquid on the cotton ball. Removing the rag from my forehead, he moved his hand to start cleaning my wound.

"What is that."

"Alcohol. This is going to hurt."

"Yeah no SHIT!" the pain made my last word come out to be a yell. It stung like hornet was constantly jabbing his stinger in and in and in….

I saw his hand resting next to me. I grabbed it, I needed something to grab. His eyes went wide for a moment as he lifted the ball from my wound and looked at our hands. He sighed shakely and continued. I squeezed his hand hard, I thought I was going to break it. He threw the cotton ball away, the red and brown standing out from the white.

He let go of my hand and dabbed another cotton ball. Before he started to reapply it, he grabbed my hand again.

"Ready?"

"Yes."

He started to dab it gently and I gritted my teeth. He stopped at my shirt's top.

"I'm going to uh-"

"It's fine."

He moved his hand down my shirt as he dabbed the rest.

I finally let the scream out that I've been keeping concealed. He finished and removed his hand.

As he walked in the bathroom. I growled as pain began to radiate from my wound. He looked over and dropped the bottle, causing it to shatter on the tile. He watched as the flesh healed and my chest looked good as new. I breathed heavily and laid my head back. I sat up and began to lift the covers, checked to make sure I was dressed, and then slid out of bed. I stumbled but caught myself, leaning my weight against the wall. My eyes were hot, my irises on fire.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm-fine."

He picked up the last few shards of glass and threw them away. Walking to me, he grabbed my arms gently. He wasn't wearing gloves. His skin was actually quite smooth. I looked up into his brown eyes, letting them capture my own. His lit up and we held our gaze for a good three seconds. Something sparked between us, it pulled me to him, but I fought it. I dropped my gaze and moved gently out of his grasp, placing my hand on his chest to push away. I grabbed my boots from the foot of the bed. I tugged them on.

"I'm willing to take you up on that offer."

He looked at me and blinked, "Great. We can start tomorrow. Meet me at Canelo's Auto and Body."

I nodded and strode towards the door. I walked to the front door, grasped the door knob and stopped. I let go and jogged back to him. I stood only a foot away from him. He towered over me, I took a minute to take in his full height.

"I wanted to thank you. For taking care of me, and offering to help."

"Sure-"

I kissed his cheek and ran out of the room before he could finish.

Walking to the barn, I felt the butterflies fly and flutter around my stomach with excitement. I'm going to harness it and kick the Devil's ass.

I made it to the barn minutes later, finding Red in his stall, safe and unharmed. I sighed and watched him tug some hay from his rack. I felt a tap on the shoulder.

"Hey Selene."

"Hey Kelsey."

"Red's doing great. He was brought in two days ago by a tall latino guy. Handsome too. A friends of yours?"

"Yeah."

"He also checked on him yesterday and asked about him. I told him he was good and healthy."

"That's good to know. Thanks."

"Sure."

She strode down the aisle and entered another horse's stall. I gave Red a pat on the neck and sighed. He actually cared. I smiled and started to walk home.

I had confidence. This could really work, it really could.