Exton

Tori had felt the sun rising, the slow creeping lethargy that accompanies it had nothing to do with why she didn't want to get out of bed. But she knew she had one more thing to do before finding her perch.

Tannr woke as she slips from his arms and moves around the bedroom nude. Somewhere during the night, the dress had been draped over a chair to dry and the rest of the clothes were in a pile on the floor. She steps over a few scattered items, well aware of Tannr's intense gaze. Taking a small box from a dresser drawer, she came back and sits on the edge of bed. She lays the box in Tannr's hand, eyes a brilliant green in the dim light as she searches his.

Tannr looks at the box, raising his eyes back to hers. "What's this?"

"It's a key." His eyes widen a bit. "It doesn't have to mean anything... I am not always... pliable." She grins him a small grin. "Anyway... this way you can lock up on your way out, come in if I am not "up" yet..." She pauses a moment, looking away as if thinking. A small flash of flame flickers in her eyes and is gone when she looks back at him. "All I ask is that you respect my place, my nest if you will." She rises and pads to the bedroom door, "and don't bring another woman here for play."

She is across the living room and out the sliding doors before Tannr can even shift off the bed. Box still in his hand, he looks around the glass room. He finds her sitting on a marble pedestal.

"Tori..."

She holds up a hand. "I know you don't love me. I'm not very lovable. I am..."

"Dammit Tori, let me talk." She turns her head, feeling the heaviness in her movements. His face is taut, a muscle twitching in his cheek. "I wouldn't do that to you. And as for other women..."

It takes a moment to realize that her eyes are grey, as is her flesh, having slowly changed from his fiery, spiky haired, tough as nails lover to winged woman with a viper countenance and goat legs. He lays a hand on her stone form, feeling the warmth slowly receding deeper into the statue.

"As for other women, I've never met anyone like you. You are one of a kind. But I think we need to discuss this when you and I can actually talk about it."

Opening the box, he looks at the key and smiles. Tucking it in a pocket is stopped in midmotion when he realizes he is still naked. Moving to the glass wall, Tannr laughs when he sees what she has done. What once was large warehouse windows now are waist high stone walls and tall glass panes. Large plants give the room an outdoor feel. He wanders the room, finally dropping into a chair near her pedestal.

Stretching out, Tannr places the box in his lap and sighs as the warmth of the sun relaxes him slowly. Heavy lids drooping, he takes one last look at Tori's gargoyle form.

"Red... we have got to talk."

His eyes close and he drifts into sleep.