Ro looked at Laine in amazement. She had always assumed he wasn't human but to be confronted with the absolute truth of that fact nearly took her breath away. She stared at him seeing what he was for the first time.
Laine's hair had straightened and lengthened until it reached down past his waist. The brilliant red faded to white in an ombre as it went down his back. From the top of his head two white-tipped, tawny furry ears had appeared and wrapping around his back was a matching white-tipped tail. His face had gotten harder, more handsome, and more masculine. The green eyes which she so loved had shifted to a bright golden yellow.
Even his clothes had changed. He now wore a long, forest green sleeveless vest that was open in the middle revealing sculpted abs, toned arms, and a muscular chest. His pants were the color of dry leaves and were loose around the legs but gathered at the ankles. As he watched her with a dark, angry expression she felt tickle of fear at the back of her neck and a thrill of excitement that coursed through her whole body.
He took a step forward. She reacted instantly scooting back along the ground. Her body was tingling with what felt like anticipation.
"Remove it or I will do it for you." Her heartbeat quickened at the threat in his words.
"I need it." Ro stated defiantly. Laine's eyes narrowed.
Zephyr wondered what was so special about the necklace, that would make Laine say such things. He moved closer still. The girl went on.
"It's for protection. It doesn't mean anything else."
Laine advanced and Ro scurried back farther. She pulled one of her daggers from its thigh holster and raised in front of her chest. "Stay back. You're not yourself right now." A ghost of a smile appeared on Laine's face and instantly Ro knew she'd said the wrong thing.
Faster than she could react, he came at her. Grasping her hand with the dagger in his left hand, he forced it up over her head. With his other hand he pushed her shoulders down into the dirt. As he knelt over her like that, her heart began to hammer in her chest, and she felt her body warm at his proximity. Ro was so stunned she just lay there looking at him.
"This is the most myself I've ever been around you." He spoke in a rough, husky tone. "Last chance: take it off." Ro glared into his glowing, gold eyes, her shock melting into anger. His eyes widened as Laine realized she was refusing.
He couldn't stop the growl of anger that formed in his throat as the overwhelming wave of possessiveness crashed over him. He had been denying this feeling since the first time he had seen her, but it had been growing daily and seeing her wearing somebody else's gift was driving him mad with jealousy. Having her under him like this felt right and he would do what he must to keep her there.
At that moment Laine realized that it wouldn't have been enough even if she had taken off the necklace. He wanted to mark her in a way that no one else had. They were alone. No one was coming. He would do it now. Laine felt green fire pool on his fingertips as he looked at her. He pulled a root from the ground with his magic and sent it over the wrist he had been restraining, freeing his hand from that job.
"Laine! Let me up." Ro ordered seriously. She had begun to struggle.
With her free hand she tried to dislodge the root from her wrist. It made her chest bounce in a way that Laine found appealing. Her face flushed a pretty shade of pink when she saw where his eyes were looking. Laine placed his now free left hand on her chest to hold her still and smiled as he could feel her racing pulse through his palm. "Laine, I'm serious. I don't like to be touched." She said angrily as his touch sent shivers of warmth down her spine.
"Quiet." He ordered with a smile and her eyes widened in outrage even as she felt moisture begin to pool between her legs. Ro blushed as she realized he could probably smell her arousal. Laine sniffed the air and his smile deepened.
His anger had dropped to a low rumble in the back of his mind as soon as he had decided to mark her for his own. Now he mostly felt excited about the prospect of making her his. Laine looked at Ro's body and tried to determine the best place to put his mark. With his left hand he began to pull up her shirt.