Author Note:
Personally. I think this chapter turned out great. Wrote a little more than I usually do. Hopefully, I added a little more detail than usual.
I really hope everyone enjoys it. I know I enjoyed writing it.
Just a tad bit curious, but do you guys like where this story's going?
Anything you'd like to see added or toned down a little?

The room gave off a lethargic feeling about it. Perhaps due to the fact it was kept unusually warm. She was just waking up, eyelids struggling slightly to flutter open. Her thoughts felt hazy. It was a discomforting sensation. She couldn't move, barely even squirm about. Her wrists felt sore where the thick rope cut off her circulation. Still, her body felt strangely heavy and she could only assume, through her clouded thoughts, that it was from whatever was in the injection she had been given.

The chair was steel, she could feel its cold touch against her exposed flesh. The icy feeling felt like it was pressing against her entire body. The confused girl struggled to assess where exactly she was. Her vision was blurring on her every few moments. Like flipping a light switch on and off in a rapid motion.

Her breathing hitched in her throat when her less than perfect vision locked onto a figure hovering near the closed door. For a moment she couldn't make out who it was, subconsciously preying it was Itachi. However her hopes where discarded when the person spoke, "I'm glad you're finally up."

A deep voice. It sent unwanted shivers down the restrained girl's spine. Like velvet sliding over exposed flesh, wrapping and winding around her. The voice held a bit of malicious to it, laced with an undertone of amusement. The person stepped away from the door, stalking closer to their prey. She already knew who it had to be. The last person she had seen before her world collapsed into darkness. A person with motives, and a dislike for Itachi, that she just couldn't wrap her head around. A person that put her on edge.

Asa.

"The ropes not too tight is it?" Was there a hint of pout on this person's lips? Or a playful suggestion hiding in their silky voice.

Asa bent down beside her, fingers extending to brush against the girl's cheek. A light touch. A delicate touch. It made her stomach turn. She made a weak attempt to yank her face away, but Asa's hand found her chin, holding her in place to stare deep into Hikari's eyes.

Those eyes were crimson, dancing with darkness. 'Contacts?' She thought in a haze of uncertainty. They were staring her down, probing her soul for something. Something Hikari didn't possess. A smirk slithered onto Asa's lips as she released the girl from her callous grasp.

However, she wasn't finished just yet. Like a panther, Asa circled her for a few moments, as if taking in every little thing and memorizing it for future reference. She tugged on the rope that bound Hikari's wrists behind the chair. A taunting move on her part. Asa hovered behind the girl, her fingers snaking to wrap around her delicate neck. No pressure. Her hands just settled there as a sigh passed through Asa's painted lips. Silence. All that Hikari could hear was the deafening pounding of her heartbeat. It rang with a haunting echo. A reminder that the Hell she was living was, in fact, real.

"You know, I don't know how he did it," Asa purred with devious intent latched onto every word, "How did he trap a girl like you, Hikari?" Her lips were right beside the girl's ear now, "Because of the money? Or is he just a really good fuck?"

She moved to bend down in front of Hikari now, "And when I say 'trap', I mean it literally." Her smirk deepened, "Itachi's like an anaconda. A beautiful creature, but turn your back for a minute and it wraps around you, smothering, suffocating the life out of you, until finally… You're dead." Her fingers found Hikari's chin again, lifting her head to lock eyes with the girl once more. "Such a pity too. You're a really cute girl."

"What happened with your brother?" The question stunned them both. Hikari barely recognized the raspy whisper of a voice as her own.

The back of Asa's hand connected hard with Hikari's cheek, producing a red mark where she had been struck. The blow almost knocked Hikari back into unconsciousness. She fought to stay afloat in the sea of inertia. The look of distaste on Asa's face made her feel like she might have accomplished something in this little tussle.

If she had learned one thing from the man she loved, it was how to get under a person's skin.

Asa's lips were moving, but Hikari didn't hear a word she spoke. It was as if she had subconsciously put the woman on mute. And just like that, Asa stormed out of the room.

Hikari was left to doze back into the void of sleep.

Hours had seemed to pass since Hikari's abduction. Sasuke had told his brother about the incident of Hikari storming off.

Itachi was enraged, but underneath it there lay an undertone of fear. Anxiety. He knew very well what Asa was capable of. The fact that none of Hikari's friends had heard from her only added fuel to the fire. It wasn't like her. If she got pissed over something. Hurt over something. She'd go to someone. Rentaro, Kazumi, anyone that she thought would listen.

But she didn't.

Itachi paced the living room, restless eyes locked on the carpeted floors. He had to think of something. But his mind was a clutter with unwanted thoughts. He had to remain calm. But his heart was beating at an erratic speed.

If Asa had taken her, where would she take her to? Would she harm her? Was she playing some childish game? No. This was serious to Asa. It was revenge. It was hate.

He took something away from her. Now, she was going to return the favor.

At the expense of Hikari's life.

She would die.

Tick tock. Tick tock. A clock mocked the silence of the dark room. Ridiculed every raspy breath she took. She had hoped it was all a really bad nightmare. That she'd wake up in the middle of the night, to Itachi staring down at her, telling her it was just a dream. Just a really bad dream.

But it wasn't. And she knew it.

As she opened her eyes once more, she tried to adjust them to the dark. To make out her surrounding better. The drug was wearing off, and her mind was becoming clear again. But along with the hazy effect disappearing, the numb feeling was also dissipating along with it. Fear, anxiety. It was creeping up on her. And fast. She couldn't shake the paranoia that was fluttering around in her stomach.

She squirmed against the ropes, but it was of no use. They were tied tight. She wondered if anyone knew she was missing. And she began to doubt that anyone had noticed. She cursed herself for ever leaving Itachi's side.

When the door swung open, the pitch black room was illuminated in light. It stung her eyes, forcing her to close them once more. Footsteps, rushed and frantic. Heavy breathing and the smell of sweat. Of panic. Hikari forced herself to look once more, eyes half opened. She could barely make out a figure hovering in front of her. The person seemed perplexed. She tried to understand why. Tried to speak, but her throat went dry. Cold fingers touched her cheeks. Hikari shuddered. It felt like electricity ran down her spine. It wasn't a touch she was used to. A feeling she was familiar with.

It made her feel uneasy.

Her vision began to adjust and she could make out the person as her captor, "Asa?"

But the person shook their head and spoke in a hushed voice, "Please. There's not much time." The person leaned close to her face as their fingers began to untie her restraints. An unfamiliar scent hit her nose, and she found herself disgusted with the fact she enjoyed it.

"If you follow me, you'll be---" Footsteps. Someone was running. Headed their way.

The person pulled away from Hikari, and in an instant, they too, fled the room. She was left to stare at the open door.

A few seconds later, Asa appeared in the door way. Her eyes glazed over with rage. She looked from Hikari to somewhere down the hall. "You little bitch," She hissed at no one in particular before slamming the door.

Once more, the room was engulfed in familiar darkness.

And Hikari was left to wait.