The Naga's Prey, page 1
Contents
The Naga's Prey
The Naga's Prey
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Share Your Thoughts
The Naga’s Prey © Diana Morland 2015.
Amazon Kindle Edition.
Edited by Elizabeth Peters.
Cover design by ResplendentMedia.com.
All rights reserved. No part of this story may be used, reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission of the copyright holder, except in the case of brief quotations embodied within critical reviews and articles.
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental.
The author has asserted his/her rights under the Copyright Designs and Patents Acts 1988 (as amended) to be identified as the author of this book.
First LoveLight Press electronic publication: November 2015.
http://lovelightpress.com
In a Witch’s Hands is set in Philadelphia, USA, and as such uses American English throughout.
The Naga’s Prey
Diana Morland
Chapter 1
Tania
Tania picked up some sounds from down the path. Two people were approaching. She smiled to herself—inwardly, because in this form, no smile would appear on her actual face.
She slithered up higher onto the rock, basking in the sun. Here, she would get even more warmth on her scales. And, more important, her beautiful, copper-colored head would catch the sunlight, and she would be admired for the gorgeous snake that she was. Nagas were meant to be worshiped; that was in all the stories her clan told. And she meant to get her due.
She should have been waiting for prey to come by, somewhere that she wouldn’t be seen. But what fun was that? She never got any feelings from the small animals—they didn’t have complex enough minds, and they hardly knew she was there. Besides, she never seemed to need to eat as much if she was being properly appreciated.
The people were coming closer. She could see them now, shadows in her vision, then coming into the light and showing up clearly. A man and a woman, young and attractive.
They were looking at each other, chatting, ignoring her for the moment. But they wouldn’t be able to ignore her for long. She knew she showed up too well on this rock.
And there it was. A strong feeling that, for a moment, she couldn’t identify.
Until the woman screamed, and Tania felt the fear wash over her, like a blast of hot air. Perturbed, she lifted herself up off the rock, thinking she might leave, but the woman just screamed some more.
“It’s okay,” the man was shouting. “I’ll get rid of it.”
“Ugh, it’s horrible!” the woman said. “I hate snakes! Why did you bring me out here?”
“I’ve never seen a snake out here before,” said the man. “Hey, get away!” He flapped his hand at Tania, which was almost insulting. Now that he was closer, she could tell that he was scared, too, even if he was trying not to show it.
She didn’t budge. Stupid people! How dare they refuse to worship her, to see how beautiful she was? She lay her head back down on the rock. Now she didn’t look threatening at all.
“It’s not leaving,” whimpered the woman.
“Stupid snake!” The man spat, the liquid splattering against the rock.
That was the last straw! Refusing to acknowledge her beauty and grace was bad enough—but how dare he insult her? Tania bared her fangs and, as his hand came close, struck.
And then she slithered away as fast as she could. She knew she hadn’t hurt him badly—not as badly as he’d hurt her pride—but both the humans were going to be very upset now, and if she stuck around, she would have to feel it. Better to get back to her clan.
Unfortunately, humans didn’t just forget about you after you’d bitten them. And it didn’t take long for the story to get back to her clan, not with their regular trips to human towns to earn a little money and buy a little food. Tania didn’t admit to anything, or express anything more than mild surprise at the story, but they figured it out anyway.
It was probably her parents. They knew her temper, and they knew she’d been out that day and had come back hungry. They’d lectured her a few times for not hunting enough for herself, now that she was an adult, but they still took care of her, and the clan provided enough food, so she hadn’t worried about it.
A few days after the incident, though, she returned from an actual hunting trip with her belly full to find the front room of her family’s house just as full.
She stopped right inside the doorway, surprised to see the number of people her parents were entertaining. Usually if they were spending time with friends, they did it in one of the clan’s common spaces. The surprise turned to dread as she recognized the people around her. Not only were her parents there, but also the two elders of the town, and three other adult nagas, the parents and grandparents of her friends.
People with authority, in short. People who could make decisions for the clan. And none of them looked happy. And all of them were facing her.
Tania took a deep breath, stepping into the house, and shut the door behind her. “I’ve had good hunting,” she greeted them all, looking around with polite nods to each person. Then she waited. She didn’t smile or try to pretend everything was normal, though she wanted to. It would just make her look suspicious.
She wondered what they were going to tell her now. She’d been scolded before—not just by her parents—for trying to draw attention to herself. Was she going to be forbidden from leaving the clan’s living area? Told not to change shape?
“Tania,” said her mother. “Sit down.” She guided her to a chair. Tania sat.
Melisandre, one of the town elders, was the next to speak. “We’ve received a grave report and traced it back to you, Tania,” she said. “Did you bite a young man along a path several days ago?”
Well, there wasn’t any point in lying. And maybe they’d see her side. “Yes, I did. He spat at me.”
“That’s no excuse!” cried one of the others.
Melisandre shook her head. “So you admit that you did not feel threatened.”
“He refused to see my beauty.” Tania folded her arms under her breasts, frowning. They didn’t seem to be listening to her at all. “You know humans are supposed to worship nagas. What he did was horribly offensive!”
“Yes, it was,” said Melisandre. “But that’s no reason to bite someone. It never has been. Tania, snakes in this area will bite if they feel threatened, but we are better than that. We have minds! We know that humans are just as important as we are, perhaps more so, and we should not hurt them unnecessarily.”
Tania sighed and shook her head, tossing her hair. “Humans are not as important as nagas. We all know that. Just because there are more of them, that doesn’t make them better.”
“They have more power in this world,” said her father. “We must always be careful of them.”
“And whether they have power or not, they are living beings with minds like ours, and we must treat them with respect.” Melisandre stood and took two steps toward Tania. “Tania, this has been a pattern of behavior with you, and we can’t have it. You must be careful of humans and you must respect them. If you can’t do that, there will be consequences.”
Tania wanted to promise that she would start treating humans with respect—or at least that she would try. But when she thought of the man spitting at her again, she shuddered and her throat dried up. There were plenty of humans who were worthy of respect or at least interest. But men like that? How could she make any promises?
“Tania,” said her mother, sounding frightened. “Please. You’re not going to like this.”
“I don’t like being treated like vermin by humans either,” Tania snapped, squeezing herself with her arms so she wouldn’t jump up and start shouting. The elders might already see her as a child, but if she did that, they would be right. “I won’t promise not to punish humans who refuse to treat me with respect.”
Melisandre sighed. “Then you leave us no choice.” She nodded to one of the other elders. He stood up and walked toward Tania, pulling something out of his clothing with his left hand and carrying a bag with his right. He held them out to her.
“The bag contains clothing, money, and other items that would be useful to you among humans,” he said. “The map shows you a place to live as a lone snake. Choose one.”
Tania’s mouth dropped open. “But—“
“If you won’t obey our laws, you cannot live among us,” said Melisandre. “You may live as a human or you may live as a snake, but not as a naga.”
Tania looked at her parents. They looked back at her, and her mother was crying, but they did not step forward to help her.
She turned back to the choices she was being given, the bag or the map, and her blood boiled. She stood up so quickly she knocked over the chair, and she snatched the bag out of the elder’s hand. At least if she lived among humans she would have a chance of traveling, of seeing more of the w
Melisandre was saying something else, but Tania ignored her. She turned with the bag and marched out of the house, slamming the door behind her.
If she was going to be exiled from her clan, she would start now, and she would make the most of it.
Mila
Mila was so glad she’d come to this conference. She had a whole sheaf of notes from a lecture on bearded dragons—she hadn’t seen a bearded dragon at work for a while, but in a city like this she might see one again any time, and now she would be better prepared to treat one that did come in. And now she was walking down an aisle full of nothing but snake breeders and salespeople, offering information, catalogs, and best of all, specimens.
She breathed in deep as she walked past the tables. Some people hated the way snakes smelled in their cages, but she’d always been fond of it. Actually, she loved everything about snakes. She stopped and grinned at a gorgeous specimen, a krait from India, in a large tank. That wasn’t a snake she would ever keep as a pet—not without a lot more experience—but it sure was beautiful to look at. The venomous types often were.
She declined the catalog the vendor was offering, since she had no intention of buying a venomous snake, and walked on. There was a woman at the next table demonstrating for a small group of children how gentle and fun ball pythons were. The snake she was holding tried to wriggle its way up her sleeve, making the children laugh.
Mila reached the end of the aisle and looked up to decide which way to go next—but her attention was arrested by a beautiful woman standing a few feet in front of her. The woman looked back and forth between the aisles of snakes, her eyebrows drawn tightly together so that her forehead scrunched up; she seemed baffled by her surroundings. But the way she was holding her hand out toward the snakes made Mila think that she was at the conference because she wanted something.
Mila stepped closer, wondering if she was only approaching this confused woman because she was so beautiful. She had long, dark hair, falling loose around her shoulders, and dark eyes in a sharp-boned, tanned face. Her clothes fit her body well, and it was a body worth looking at. Mila’s heart beat a little faster. Maybe she would have more than one reason to be happy she came to the conference—as though the snakes weren’t enough enticement.
The woman seemed to notice Mila, her gaze snapping toward her. Mila felt a flush rise on her cheeks at the intensity of that look. Luckily, her experience took over, and she stepped a little closer, until they were at a comfortable conversational distance. “Miss, are you all right? Do you need any help?”
The woman nodded slowly. “Yes… thank you. I’m not sure what all this is.”
She didn’t exactly have an accent, but there was an odd cadence to her speech. Mila wondered where she was from. She wondered if she would have a chance to ask.
She also wondered how the woman had gotten in here without knowing what it was, but that wasn’t important. “This is a conference on reptiles. We’re in the dealers’ room right now.” She gestured at the aisles of animals in cages and dealers hawking catalogs and live animals.
“They’re selling snakes?”
“Some of them.” Mila half-turned so she could see the snakes better but still keep the woman in view. She seemed to have relaxed a little, and she was even more stunning now. With her spine straight, she looked tall, even though Mila was close enough to see that the other woman was only a few inches taller than her own five foot four. It was her proportions: long legs and slender shoulders, not to mention all that hair, made her appear taller than she was.
“I think they’re all selling snakes for pets.” Mila gestured at the ball python and the krait, continuing her explanation. “The ones right here, anyway. I’ve been thinking about getting a pet snake myself.”
“You like snakes?” The woman smiled at Mila. She blinked very slowly.
Mila smiled back. “Yes, I really do.”
The woman’s smile widened. Her teeth looked sharp. “You do. That is wonderful.”
Mila held out her hand. “I’m Mila. I can keep showing you around if you want—I’ve been here a while.”
The woman shook Mila’s hand. “I am Tania. I think I would like for you to keep showing me around.” She looked Mila up and down. It was a subtle ogle, but not so subtle that Mila was unsure of what she’d seen.
She suppressed a pleasant shiver. This was almost too good to be true. A beautiful woman who loved snakes and was interested in her? But, she reminded herself, this woman might not love snakes as much as she thought. After all, she hadn’t known where she was.
Still, Mila wasn’t going to pass up this opportunity, even if it was only for an afternoon of flirting and fun. She touched Tania’s elbow gently with the tips of her fingers, ready to step back if Tania thought she was infringing on her personal space. She hoped Tania didn’t object. She liked touching her, possibly more than she’d ever liked touching anyone—certainly more than she’d ever liked touching anyone she’d just met.
“I thought I might go down this aisle next. Want to see what they have?”
“Yes,” said Tania, making no movement to get away from Mila’s guiding fingers. They walked to the end of the aisle and were both immediately captivated by a large black snake in a tank, curled up so many times that Mila wasn’t sure how long it was—just that it was very, very long.
“What kind of snake is this?” asked Tania, her voice half-hushed in reverence. And now Mila knew that this woman did love snakes at least as much as she did, and she promised herself she was not going to let go easily.
“She’s an eastern indigo,” said the man behind the table, speaking proudly through a thick, short beard. “And she’s not for sale.”
“She’s gorgeous,” said Mila, admiring the dark blue-black of the snake’s scales. “How long is she?”
“Just under seven foot. Not the longest eastern indigo, but not the shortest, either.” He chuckled.
“Is she your pet?” asked Tania.
“Yes, and fine pets they make, though I won’t bother her right now, as she’s sleeping.”
“Oh, of course not,” said Tania, lightly pressing the tips of her long, tapered fingers to the glass. “She must be happy to be your pet.”
“Eastern indigo,” said Mila. She’d read about those snakes somewhere. “Don’t they require a permit to own?”
“They sure do. You want to see my permit?”
Mila smiled and shook her head. The man hadn’t moved, so he had probably been teasing. “Just curious. You’re not selling her brood or anything, then?”
“No. I’d like to one day, but I don’t have a breeder for her. Just trying to raise awareness. They really do make fine pets, and it’s a shame that they’ve got to be protected. They ought to be bred more and people ought not to be afraid of them.”
“Oh, I don’t know about that.” Tania straightened up from her position staring at the snake. “I think humans ought to have a healthy fear of snakes.”
She smiled that sharp smile again. It made Mila shiver, but in a good way. She was already thinking of what this woman would be like in the bedroom, and if she was as sharp as her smile, then Mila was happy.
“Some snakes,” said the man, shoving his hands in his jean pockets and nodding. “But most of them I think respect is what we ought to go for. You know, copperheads are the most likely snake to bite a person in this part of the world.” Tania seemed to flinch. Mila was about to ask what was wrong, but the man was still talking. “But their venom isn’t deadly to a grown man or woman, and they only do it when they’re provoked. People ought to treat snakes right, and that way snakes’ll treat them right back.”
Tania was nodding, but her smile had faded. “Yes. You’re right.”
“Let’s look at some more snakes,” said Mila, guiding Tania with a hand on her elbow again. The next two tables were just full of paper—one a set of various catalogs, the next advertising a wildlife rehabilitation program—but Tania walked slowly.
“Are you all right?” Mila asked her quietly.
