Obsidian Scales

Chapter 6

 Lily watched as Silas rolled around on the floor in front of the fireplace. It was night now, and after having a rather quiet dinner she had started a fire in the living room fireplace. It was a little chilly and she felt that called for a nice, cozy fire. Silas certainly was not complaining. There he was, sitting close to the fire, and turning his body in such a way as if to warm up everything, from his head to the tip of his tail. His scales shown in the light, and it was then she realized that his scales were not just solid black. In the light, she could see a faint iridescence of purples and greens, making a sort of rainbow on his scales.

He turned towards her, warming his backside now. He smirked at her. "I catch you admiring me more often now. Am I really so desirable to you? I wouldn't have guessed." He hissed softly, his forked tongue flicking out. She blushed and simply turned to wash the dishes. "I'm fascinated, that's all. I've never seen anyone plant themselves in front of a fire like a tree." She said, trying to stave off the heat rising to her face. She would not deny that he was a gorgeous man; she knew some women in the village, married and single, would crawl all over him if they had the chance.

He didn't seem to press on it more, and instead said "My body temperature is lower than yours." he explained. "So I thrive in heat or warm sources." Lily thought on his words. Like snakes and lizards she could imagine him sprawled out on a rock on a warm summers day, taking in the sunlight. "Does that mean you can't stand the cold?" she asked. She heard a shifting sound, as if he was adjusting himself again. "Yes, Naga hate the cold. We usually stay in our villages during winter seasons." he explained. "Think of it...like a hibernation."

Lily hummed her response, until she felt something curl around her waist. Silas had moved beside her and had wrapped his tail around her waist, though not too tight to where it was uncomfortable. "Winter is also considered our mating season." he grinned, and she blushed more. "Well that's certainly different..." she muttered. "And what do you do, lay eggs?"

Her response caught him off guard and he burst into laughter, letting her go. "Lay eggs? Look I understand we're part snake but no, we don't lay eggs." he laughed some more, putting a hand to his stomach. "Oh wait, let me guess, you have a kink with egg laying. That's it, isn't it?" Lily blushed again. "That is not it! I do not have a kink for that!" He erupted into laughter.

"Well, sorry for not knowing about Naga culture and fertility!"

She yelled, flustered, in response to his laughter. His laughter died down, and he watched her finish up cleaning. "You're adorable, my Lily." he seemed to purr, his tongue flicking out again. She smiled a little, finding his sweet side to be charming sometimes. "Do Naga's take humans as mates?"

"Hm, are you asking for yourself or for a friend?"

"Silas..."

As if the warning in her voice was enough, he spoke. "Yes, sometimes. Though it can be hard. Not every woman wants to be mated to a monster." He said, although spitefully. "I won't deny it, many Nagas steal women to have as mates. They can't help it."

Now that had her attention. "Why?" she asked, finishing the last of the dishes and drying her hands off with a towel. Silas shrugged. "We're not human, we have...stronger instincts." He explained. "These instincts are triggered through many things: hunting and fighting usually, but mating as well. When we find a mate, we'll do anything to protect them, even if it means stealing them away from their homes." he continued. "The elders of my village say it's an old instinct, as old as our creation even." Lily was fascinated, listening quietly to his explanation, and she urged him to go on with her hand. "But, some of us are able to handle it a lot better than others. Though it's a struggle." He finished. "But when we do find a mate for life, we'd do anything for them."