stuff us in boxes that's where you want us

cardboard is boring, we brought our matches - look how it burns

There was no way she was going to Syn tonight, not without a fight, that sensation rippling across her skin like it was a tangible creature. Fear mingling with something entirely foreign to her. She swore she could feel the brush of fur rubbing up against her.... Instead... it was inside of her. A creature that now buried itself inside of her, like a parasite fusing to her very being, her bones, her essence, her life. She was nothing more than a byproduct of the man before her, a man that only brought her pain, a man who served the kitten queen herself. Of course, she didn't trust him, especially when he just appeared within her home, unwelcome. Those vibrant violet eyes mirror that potent distrust, willing her hands and arms to remain steady as the gun aimed at him. How unphased he seemed, in fact, maybe even a little amused while that chuckle escapes the panther before her, a supposed king. That sound grated upon her wavering nerves, she was going to pull the damn trigger if only to wipe that smug face from him. Her hand trembling at the thought as her eyes narrowing in that intimidating hardened glare. It would appear he was the only one laughing in this ridiculous charade. That utterance that he had no intention to bring her to that place or her, hardly brought her a source of comfort.. at least much of one.. But it did.. a little and yet he was tied to the vampire who refused to let her out of her twisted little grasp, for some point that Harley could give a rat's ass about. Damnit all, how did she end up here? Trapped and so distinctly out of control it was nearly pointing a finger at her mocking.

Of course, he could have been lying to her, that trust within them nothing but fragmented glass. She drew in that breath, feeling that need to claim her space or simply run away. That idea of shoving him out of her apartment almost too appealing. This was her home, there was no way she was going to allow the likes of him take this too. But damn, that nagging feeling stemming from the pit of her belly. She felt that agitation just as she promised she did, her skin crawling, her body taking on a mind of its own. She could feel the slight twitching of her own muscles as though her body misfired beneath that duress it was currently under. The raven-haired woman dared never to let her gaze stray, even though that strange war within her body had seen to her stance slacken slightly. That gun felt like lead weight within her hands, no longer poised for his head but his torso, a much larger target which in turn made it harder to miss and yet it would hardly kill him.

The spitfire so fired, but not in the way of the powerful gun in her hand, no, she fired her mouth. Those verbal daggers set to rustle that composure. He was wasting his precious time here, she had no intention to budge and certainly no intention to trust him. Especially not to night with the memories of his bite and that... excessively large knife still fresh in her mind like the wounds that should have still littered her flesh now but healed away. That memory, despite its blurred-out edges was enough to send a shiver slicing down her spine. It bothered her, how easily calm and the lackadaisical fashion in which he stood within her room, staking his claim on her home. She was running out of options and that strain upon her body beginning to show. That animal inside taking its toll. Those changes to that were like a war within her system hardly helping, a sheen of sweat glimmering underneath the artificial light from the fixture above.

She had options, there were always options even if they seemed limited.. how she raked her clouded brain for a glimmer of something to cling to. He had offered her a choice and it felt more like he stripped it away from her. He was playing her, she could sense it and what choice did she had than to fight? That sigh escaped him, showing some hidden internal strife. Good.. feel it. That was when she saw her narrow window of opportunity like a glimmering beacon of hope. How she snatched it, seizing her moment, stepping off that bed to escort him out, that gun placed square between his chest with a steel-clad resolve. You had to give the girl credit for committing to that bold action, despite being on the losing side of this impending battle. That tension nothing short of palpable, and yet, he remained infuriatingly unflustered. Why couldn't he just go? Just leave her here? She was fully capable of handling this alone like she had everything else in her damn life. Why did he feel the need suddenly grow a backbone, he had done enough.

She hardly understood what people saw in him. He didn't care. He was an unfeeling monster. The same man in Risque's office, the same man who forcefully kidnapped her.. not once but twice. The same man who was the feline who sliced her mortal flesh to ribbon. Carving her up like some human jack-o-lantern. He spat those venomous words at her like they mattered, like it could hurt her. She didn't know him, but she knew enough. "Maybe I don't.. but I know enough from experience. So why are you here? Is it guilt? Do you suddenly feel bad? Well, I don't need or want your help.. Consider yourself guilt free, just go." I'm alone. Those words echoed within her reverberating through the very marrow of her bones. That pull of the soon rising moon seemed to create that hourglass within her, she only had so much time to get him out. If she couldn't kill him, surely she could shoot him? He hardly budged, not even an inch as though he were simply enjoying the show. Yet, he seemed to see right through her. He knew it.. he knew she couldn't kill him, even though she knew all the hell he had caused.

Her gaze met his own in that display of defiance, those eyes seeming to shift, her body struggling to fight the beast that lurked just beneath the surface. Were his eyes moving? That frown that marred her face softening as she studied those peculiar green eyes staring back at her. That hardly seemed normal, in fact it almost was disturbing if it wasn't so damn interesting. They were endless pools of dazzling green and they were swallowing her whole, her entire body seemed to relax, gently releasing the stress induced tension. They were so.... Pretty.. surely he didn't mind that she just gazed into them a little longer? That soft glow felt like an embrace she hardly fought. His voice coaxing and gentle scoops her up into a cocoon she hardly wanted to leave. Her voice felt almost disjointed from her reality as she responded to that demand. "Okay.. take it.. I wasn't going to shoot you anyways." Why the fuck did she tell him that? Yet it was like she was floating on a cloud under his sway. There was a small defiant spec of a Harley screaming deep inside of her.. demanding it be let out. She barely heard it or perhaps she simply cared little for it now.

Tetradore grasped that gun, only a moment later and Harley did little to stop it, in fact, her fingertips complacently released it willingly. Something about this felt wrong and yet she could hardly help herself, a mere puppet in her own skin. He did something to the gun, but she hardly saw what it was that he did as she was so transfixed within those emerald eyes. The raven-haired woman couldn't even pry away when she heard the sound of Ace yipping and yelping once more, trying to paw his way through the door that showed no signs of breaking. Instead, she merely stands there, entirely defenseless, as Tetradore easily grabbed her hand, careful not to break that gaze that so has her impossibly ensnared. Never did she question that that compulsion, well of course there was that annoying buzzing that was all but squashed for now. That command uttered once more and she found no other reason but to comply. "Alright.." She nodded serenely, a soft sigh escaping her. When did she ever feel so calm? She could hardly recall a time when her soul felt..... such peace. What a strange yet lovely sensation it was. How she didn't want it to ever leave. She smiled softly in spite of herself. "You are going to want to turn right, now.." She uttered those directions smoothly, informatively, passively. She saved him from hitting the island and a chair..... and Ace's massive plush doggie bed. She hadn't noticed that he placed the gun on the kitchen countertop as they left.

It was all just a cloudy haze from the moment they left the house. She partially remembered saying goodbye to Ace or the way that he secured her in that fancy car of his like a child about to go on some outing. Who the hell would ever want to buy a car so low to the ground was beyond her. "I feel even shorter.. how is this possible?" She muttered dopily but amused. Stay in the car... he commanded. Why would she want to leave she wondered? It was when that contact severed that she began to realize why.

"What happened to my choice?" She questioned, her voice low, her arms crossed as he entered the driver's seat, those serene feelings were nothing short of a lie. As all good things in the world often were. She tried to open that door, but there was no way it was opening from her from this side. Who the fuck has a child lock installed on a goddamn sportscar anyways?

"You are no different than her." She muttered coldly, refusing to look at Tetradore's face. Part of her wanted to scream, shout and kick like her... and the other part of her wanted to rationally think through this like a sane human.

"So what happens now big shot?" Sarcasm had yet to let her down and now was no different.

Harley Westward