Page 6 of Scales and Seduction

“Look at me, and only me, honey,” I say, maintaining my slow deliberate timbre so she isn’t startled further.

Her breathing is still fast, but there’s a flicker of recognition in her eyes as I inhale a slow, deep breath. Ruby’s eyes follow my chest as it rises and falls, though it isn’t enough to pull her fromher panic. I reach out, pausing just inches from her trembling hand—longing to touch her, to anchor her in place.

“May I?” I ask gently. Her world has already been shaken. The last thing I want is to overwhelm her.

She nods, and that’s enough.

I take hold of her small, dainty wrist to stroke soft circles along her skin. “Breathe with me.”

As my cool fingers brush her warm, trembling skin, I feel an immediate spark—a connection. Ruby whimpers at the sensation, but her grip tightens immediately, as if I am the only solid thing that may exist in this realm for her.

“That’s it, Ruby,” I whisper, continuing to rub tiny circles into her wrist to calm her. “You’re alright. You’re here with me.”

Her breathing slows just enough to stave off the worst of her panic, though her pupils are still blown wide and filled with confusion. “They’re real, aren’t they?”

I exhale a breath because I know the answer will not be easy for her to digest, but I can’t lie to her.

“Yes.” The word is heavy on my tongue. “They’re real. I am real.” The truth hangs heavily between us. I can see the weight of it pressing down on her and the fear bubbling in her eyes. “Now you need to come with me.”

My legs feel unsteady as I’m led through the park with Gideon’s hand in mine. It’s a park unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. In its center is a merry-go-round; there’s a pond and a wooden castle-themed slide with two swings. Off to the far end, trees cast a cozy shadow over picnic goers who watch the children and us with rapt attention.

I have no idea how I ended up in this park, or why the air feels lighter and the grass and sunlight somehow feel a bit too bright. Everything is bathed in a warm glow, even the breeze carries something sweet like honeysuckle.

Various monster children continue to play. There are so many, I don’t know what they all are. Several have wings, a few have scales, and then one looks like a small highland cow. Their laughter fills the air as if there’s not a care in the world, but my focus is on the warm hand gripping mine. There’s a calmness about this giant snake man that seeps into my body, easing the buzzing in my head. When I glance his way, my breathing catches as my eyes finally take in his appearance.

He is immensely tall, easily seven feet and all muscle. From the waist down, his serpentine body is covered in shimmering teal scales that look like polished gems. They shift blue andgreen with every movement he makes. Slowly, I move up to his face, surprised to see just how human it looks even though there’s nothing human about him. Gideon’s jaw is sharp, and his cheekbones are high, though what strikes me the most are his lips, full and inviting. They look warm and so achingly human despite everything else being sonot.

“You’re staring,” he says softly. His voice is rich and smooth, thick with an Irish brogue. God, he sounds like a character from a romance novel.

I blink as heat floods my cheeks, but I don’t miss the way his molten-gold eyes twinkle with amusement. The way he looks at me makes my skin prickle with an awareness of just how handsome he truly is. My mouth goes dry the moment his fangs peek out of his mouth when he grins. He’s terrifyingly sexy, and already I wonder what those lips feel like.

As we pass more children in the park, I notice they’re all monsters, just like he is. To my left, there’s a small boy with leathery wings. He shoots up into the air, giggling as he catches a rogue frisbee. There are children with scales like Gideon, who slither through the grass. What immediately catches my attention is how, one by one, they all pause to look at us.

I hug Noodles closer to my chest. He’s strangely been obedient this entire time. Usually by now, he would have scratched me and run for the hills. He hates being held like this. Maybe, like me, he’s terrified and just wants his mommy to hold him.

These kids are all so normal, even though they look strange. I notice a small girl folding her pointed ears as her expression shifts from playful to reverential. Slowly, the children all turn to us and, in unison, bow to him. It is a deeply respectful gesture that surprises me, but Gideon merely nods at them with a soft smile.

I turn to Gideon, hoping for an explanation but not sure how to ask for it. “They know who you are,” I whisper, trying my best not to stare.

Gideon’s soft gold eyes meet mine, his expression entirely unreadable. “They know what I represent.” I want to ask so much more, but Gideon’s hand finds my back, pushing me gently forward. “I will explain more once we’re away from prying eyes.”

His touch on my back is warm and grounding. It radiates through my body, and I shiver as the warmth spreads to my pussy in a strange throb of arousal.

Jesus Christ, it’s just his hand on my back. Why is my body reacting this way to just his touch?

“Why do we need to be away from everyone?” I ask as he continues to tug me forward.

Gideon smirks, leaning down toward me, the gust of his breath hot against my ears. “If we don’t get away from everyone, the town will have a full report on every move we make before we make it.”

I want to ask; I want to understand, but he guides me farther until the park gives way to a cobblestone street lined with quaint buildings that look like something out of a fairytale. I’m in awe of the traditional timber-framed houses intermixed with sleek modern buildings. It should feel jarring, but somehow it works.

The street is bustling, full of people, but one person catches my eye almost immediately. There’s a slender woman with green-scaled skin leaning against a tree near a restaurant called Bite and Delight. She’s dressed in all black with a server apron around her waist. Her lizard-like tongue darts out to lick her own eyeball before she locks eyes with me. I try not to look disgusted, but I can’t help it! She just licked her own eyeball. With an annoyed huff, she turns the other way.

“What is this place?” I whisper, my voice trembling.

Gideon glances at me, giving me a soft, reassuring smile. “This is the Vale.”

“Is that the town’s name?” My eyes take in each detail, completely in awe of the fantastic nature of it all. It’s as if this place is the perfect mixture of modern-day buildings that I’m used to and fairy-tale creatures. The sky is so blue that it feels like a painting, and the grass is perfectly manicured.

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