The Lamia's Lair (Patreon)

You find yourself alone, in a dungeon, after listening to a pretty girl at the bar talk about the treasure that was surely in here.

* * *

Your torch did little to overcome the cold that crept through the corridor. This old ruin was deserted. You shouldn’t have listened to the pretty girl in the tavern, but you had to prove yourself, had to find the treasure that was surely in here. And now you were cold, and lost.

All these thoughts were running through your head, until you felt your foot catch on something, and tripped. You landed on the cold stone floor, the wind knocked out of you, your torch flying from your hand, but luckily not going out. And then you heard it. A hiss, above you.

“Ssso, my sssweet daughter found sssomeone to sssend my way.” A voice said. Deep, alluring, but at the same time, threatening. You tried to turn, but your foot was caught on something. Or. No. By something. A rope had coiled around your ankle. And it was pulling.

You were hoisted, easily, into the air. You were able to see what had you, and you realised that it was no rope. Sleek scales of a snakes tail, impossibly long and thick, had you in their grasp. Firm, but not tight. And descending from the ceiling to meet you was… A person?

They wasn’t human. That much was proven by the way that their waist disappeared into the beginning of that serpentine tail. A Lamia. A dangerous creature of the old world. You squirmed, trying to free yourself, realising the danger that you were in.

“What’s wrong, human? Don’t ssstruggle. No. Let me just-” You felt their coils looping around you, even as you tried to escape, and before long, you were pinned. They lowered herself closer to you, examining your face. “Now, what will you be? Partner? Or Prey.”

“N-neither, please.” You said, trying to hide your fear.

They let out a throaty chuckle. “Oh, that’s not how this works, human. Don’t you know the old rules? Sssomeone entering my lair without invitation is either partner, or prey. Now, which would you like to be?”

As they spoke, frills unfolded on either side of their head, like the hood of a cobra. “I can help you make up your mind, if you’d like, human? I find that your minds are ssso very malleable when I just…” The frills filled with light, as they leant closer.

A soft scent hit your nostrils, and your eyes went unfocused for a moment as the lights danced in your peripheral vision. “That’s it. look into my eyes, human. Trust me. I’m not going to harm you, not unless you do anything to harm me. Ssso, which will it be, partner? Or Prey?”

Your thoughts had turned to mush so quickly. You felt so… Suggestible. You let out a giggle as the coils tightened for a moment. “Mmm, do you like that, human?” They said, releasing the pressure of their coils. You nodded, still looking into their eyes. Feeling so floaty.

“How about we talk, and then you can make your decision?” They asked, hoisting you higher into the ceiling, into the rafters. Where the only light was their frills, and, you realised, their eyes, glowing softly. “Or, we can talk, and you won’t have to make any decisions again.”