When I finally stopped running, I was in the woods outside the city. I was wearing only a simple dress, plain black, and it blew up in the wind. Holding it down, I tried to catch my breath.

What's happening to me? I questioned myself. Why was I always thinking about those two people? I'd had Sebastian kill people for me before. What was happening?

I trudged on, hoping to get as far away as possible. I could hear Sarah calling my name in the distance. Why were they searching for me? Sebastian could find me in a heartbeat.

About an hour later, I found myself deep in the woods. Not exactly lost, because I knew this place like the back of my hand, but I did stray from the path. I wandered until I found a small tree stump and sat down, resting my tired legs and bare feet. More images ran through my head, this time of everyone back at home, searching frantically for me. I realized then what I was putting them through. I'd been kidnapped the day before, and now I was running away from them. They were probably worried sick.

I stood after a minute and searched for the path. I must've gone farther than I'd thought, because I wandered for a good ten minutes with no luck. I sighed, and sat down on the damp green grass.

I didn't want to call for Sebastian. I refused to look at him any more than I had to. Knowing him, he'd say something about how stupid I was acting, and how running away was childish. But refusing to call to him for help was also pretty childish. I couldn't find my way back alone.

I was about to call for him when I heard something crack. I stood quickly and looked around. I saw a rabbit scurry through the thick brush, and sighed in relief. I decided to run after the rabbit, and maybe it would find the trail.

I quickly followed the rabbit, ignoring pain shooting through my bare feet as I stepped on fallen branches and who knows what else. Eventually, the rabbit did lead me back to the path, and when I stopped following, it glanced back at me, then hopped off.

I turned to follow the path, but then I realized that I wasn't sure which way to go. I picked a random direction and started walking. Once I reached the end of the path, I realized I had made it to town, and not back home.

I made my way through the town, hoping to find a road that led home. I was about to walk into a store for a moment when I heard someone shout my name. Turning, I noticed it was Jasmine.

I waited as she ran up to me. "Thank heavens I found you!" She exclaimed. "How on Earth did you get all the way to town?"

"I ran through the woods, but I got off the path somehow, and when I got back on it, I didn't know which way to go to get home, and then I ended up here."

"Well," Jasmine said, "at least I found you. We'll get you home."

I was waiting for her to ask why I had run off, but she didn't. She remained silent as she went into the store and bought me a bottle of water, then led me back outside. We walked back down the road until we reached the black car that Jasmine had taken out here. We hopped in the back, then the driver, who I noticed was a relieved Thomas, drove back toward the house.

"I didn't want to ask, but I suppose I should," Jasmine sighed. "So why did you run away?"

Of course she had to ask. She knew perfectly well that when I returned I would go straight to my room or stay in the garden, and she would have to have an explanation for me, because everyone knew that I wouldn't talk to them if I didn't feel like it.

When I didn't respond, she sighed again. "Any reason?"

"I would tell you if I could, Jasmine," I reluctantly told her, "but I can't."

"Are you sure? I can keep a secret, you know."

"Thank you for your concern, Jasmine, but I really can't."

Jasmine frowned, but nodded her understanding.

Once we were back home, the car was swarmed by the remaining staff. Everyone was happy to see me okay, and I noticed everyone was there except for one tall butler.

I got out of the car and made my way inside. I was about to push open the door when it opened in front of me. Unphased, I walked inside to see Sebastian holding the door open.

"Welcome home, My Lady."

"Thanks," I muttered under my breath.

Sebastian closed the door once I was inside. "So did you decide to run off for any particular reason, or were you simply craving the sunlight?"

"I don't feel like talking about it, Sebastian. Why don't you go clean something?"

"My-"

"How many times do I have to tell you, Sebastian!? My name is Chrystal. This is the 21st century now! Not the 19th."

Sebastian sighed. "Chrystal."

Somewhat shocked that he actually said my name, I answered. "What?"

"Why did you run?"

I sighed, and suddenly couldn't hold it back anymore. "It's the contract, and the killing people, and I just can't do this anymore!" I screamed, suddenly not caring who heard me through the door. They must have been staying outside for a reason. Maybe Sebastian had asked to speak with me or something.

Sebastian's gaze softened, something that I had never seen him do unless he found a stray cat outside. "You knew what you were getting yourself into when you agreed, Chrystal."

"I know." I leaned against the wall, then slid to the floor. My dress was still wet from the grass in the woods, and I felt a chill go up my spine at the coolness of it. "I'm just scared. I have a year. What am I supposed to do when the time comes? Just accept it? I can't do that. I want to be an adult! I want to live and do things an adult would! I don't even get any kind of afterlife without a soul."

My eyes were watering, and I pulled my knees to my chest and hugged them tight, my head resting on them, my tears soaking my dress even more.

"Then there's the people we've killed. I can't get the images out of my head! They're dead because of me!"

"They were trying to kill you," Sebastian pointed out.

"But they hadn't! We could've done something else! We should've just handed them over to the police or something! Now we could go to jail for murder. Do you ever think of that?"

"But you ordered me to kill them."

"I said your name. Nothing about killing them. You just assumed that was what I meant. I can't do this anymore!"

I didn't notice until I finally glanced up that Sebastian was crouched beside me.

He looked like he was about to say something, but his gaze shifted toward the floor. "Your feet, Chrystal."

I moved my dress aside and examined my feet. They were dirty and smeared with blood from running barefoot in the woods. I hadn't felt any pain since stomping on the twigs as I'd ran, but suddenly they were stinging like crazy. The tears flowing from my eyes multiplied.

Sebastian sighed. "I'll get Sarah to take care of this," he said, then stood and went back to open the door so the others could come inside.

Once the door was open, everyone fell into the room. Never in my life had I ever been happier to have soundproof doors.

Everyone stood and laughed sheepishly, then Sebastian told Sarah to take care of me. He shooed everyone else away, then followed Sarah back over to me, who had ran over, worried.

"You need a clean change of clothes, too," she observed. If she had said anything before that, I hadn't heard it. My mind was full of thoughts of everything that was going on. I'd also expressed all of my fears to my demon butler. You weren't supposed to vent your fears to demons, were you? Demons were fear.

The next thing I knew, I was being lifted off the ground. I tried to protest, seeing as how it was Sebastian holding me, who happened to be the last person I wanted touching me at the moment, but nothing worked.

"I doubt you can walk at the moment, nor do you need to be tracking blood all the way upstairs for someone to clean up." Sebastian stated.

I crossed my arms and huffed, but reluctantly let Sebastian carry me to my room.

Fine. I didn't feel like walking anyway.