Katie's Hellion

"Damn you, Rhyn!"

He flung her on the bed, and she launched up, meeting a wall of pure male. His solid, warm body atop hers immobilized her and he pinned her wrists to the bed, silver eyes blazing and elongated fangs resting on his full lower lip. She strained, unable to move but no longer caring if he did kill her.

"Fuck you, Rhyn," she said again, his silver eyes blurry through her tears. "I want my life back!"

"This. Is. Your. Life."

His words were controlled with effort, his body so tense, she thought he'd snap any second.

"You. Are. Mine."

"No!"

"You. Are. Mine."

She began to cry, no longer able to deny what she knew deep down: she'd never get her life back. Even without some sadistic creature's name around her neck, things would never be the same.

"There's nowhere you go where I cannot follow. Kris's pets can go anywhere but Hell. I can find you even there, and I will. I claimed you. You. Are. Mine. Forever."

She sobbed, her emotions from the week's events breaking free. He released her without another word, and she curled onto her side, weeping not only for the bizarre world she'd entered but from the realization she'd never, ever, ever return to hers.

Rhyn stormed out of the bed and breakfast. The streets of Dublin were too busy for him. He felt claustrophobic in the city, needed air and space. Without a thought as to who might be watching, he ducked into an alley and flung himself into the air. Pain blazed through him as he took the shape of the ancient creature. He beat the air mercilessly with his wings, rising high above the city and coasting on cold wind currents until he reached the ocean. He floated on the updraft of air off the water and then drifted to the beach below, changing into his human form as he landed with a gentle thud on rocky sand.

You. Are. Mine

He hadn't believed the words himself until he said them. He hadn't wanted them to be true. He wanted to fulfill his promise to Gabriel, piss off his brothers, and then walk away.

It wasn't quite as easy as he thought, especially since she was so helpless.

The doll with the large blue eyes crying on the bed bothered him on more levels than he wanted to admit. He'd meant to piss her off earlier, keep her from developing any sort of affection for someone who had no intention of keeping her.