Page 2 of Taken By the Naga King

He breathed in while also flicking out his tongue to taste the air. He listened intently, concentrating all of his senses. One sense in particular blared a repeating alarm in his brain.

A scent like no other hit him. It was strong, but there was more to it than simply strength. He closed his eyes and breathed more of it in, trying to place it from memory, but he couldn’t. It was intoxicating. Alluring.

Delicious.

Gravon’s eyes snapped open, and he looked around the space, a fierceness in his gaze that had not been there a moment ago. He knew whatever this was, it wasn’t coming from the cargo itself. At least, not from the things they had packed at his request.

He slithered forward, toward the end of the storage area. The scent grew stronger the further he moved until it was almost unbearable. Gravon stopped when he got to the end wall. He narrowed his eyes and stared straight forward.

Someone was in here with him—someone trying not to be found. That much he knew. He turned his head to the left and then to the right. No. Right was wrong.

Somebody was definitely present somewhere on his left side. He could feel them. Sense them. Practically taste them, and his fangs ached. He flicked out his tongue, following that sensual aroma and flavors.

Gravon wasted no time whipping around, searching everywhere until his eyes landed on a small framed being pressed up against the wall between two stacks of crates. He dashed forward and grabbed the creature, swiftly pulling it out from its hiding place.

A high-pitched shriek pierced the air, stunning his earholes for a moment, but the sound was gone almost before it started as the light brown eyes of the being stared at him. No, not simply a being, but a human. Her eyes were as wide as could be, and along with the potent, delicious scent he now knew was coming from her, he also smelled her fear. Great fear.

He wanted to be angry, to dispose of this creature for daring to enter his vessel without permission. But as he stared at her heartbreakingly beautiful face and dark skin framed with wild, curly dark brown hair, he couldn’t bring himself to move. Instead, he set her down, dropping his hands, but staying in place, unwilling to back away.

“Who are you?” Gravon demanded.

Her lips quivered, and he could hear her heart beating faster by the second. As they stared at each other, he found it hard to focus on the answers he needed from her with that sweet aroma wafting up from her and into his nose. He also needed to get control of his tongue, which writhed within his mouth, anxious for another sampling of her flavors.

“I… my name is Nimaria.”

Gravon scented the lie as soon as it left her lips. He narrowed his eyes at her and leaned in close—a mistake on his part. Her scent only got stronger, and he forced his head back before he forgot what he intended to say.

“You lie.” He hissed, errant tongue sneaking out to taste the air. “What is it really?”

Her mouth dropped open in shock. She sputtered before squeezing her eyes shut and then looking back up at him. “Azha. My name is Azha.”

Truth. That much he knew.

“Why did you lie to me?”

“Because I don’t want to go back to… them.”

This piqued his interest. He had to know more. “Who are you hiding from?”

For a moment, Azha looked as if she might not answer him. She clearly did not trust him, and why would she? Still, he waited for her to speak. Determined. Immovable.

“The Jorvlens.”

“And why would they want you?” Gravon narrowed his eyes.

“Because I am their slave. I belong to them.”

I belong to them.

The words echoed in Gravon’s earholes, and something about them didn’t sit right with him. His possessive nature took over, and he couldn’t stop himself. His tongue lashed out toward her, stopping just before it touched her face. It flicked in the air, not quite making contact but tasting her all the same.

Azha flinched, but she held still. The scent of fear was still there, unwilling to fade.

He retracted his tongue before opening his mouth to speak. “How long have they possessed you?”

“Since I was born.”

An eternity, then. “And you wish to escape them?”

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