There wasn't a sound... Not a sound anywhere except the evening chirping of a frog... ...and breathing… heavy breathing… his own breathing…
Could this really be the right place!?…
Jeremy swallowed, mustering his courage as he stepped closer towards the gaping mouth of the Cave, shivering slightly…
The wind it was just the wind…
...
Deep in the recesses of the cave the serpent waited for him; smiling, watching as he stumbled, malice glittering through her green eyes as his silhouette cast dappled, mesmerizing patterns against the walls. She watched them in silent fascination, flicking out her long, slender tongue as she reached for his scent.
She was hungry... incessantly hungry...
The bats overhead began to stir as the heat of her breath reached them; with a wild fluttering, they dropped from the ceiling, the chaos growing to a din as they raced headlong through the dark to fly shrieking from the cave.
...
Jeremy ducked down with a startled cry, shielding his head from the evacuation. He could feel his heart leap in his chest, throbbing wildly as the nocturnal residents screeched over him, fluttering madly in a black mass til they'd emptied the Cave with their chaotic warning.
Jeremy lifted cautiously as their escape finally died down. He glanced into the darkness of the Cave, swallowing the lump in his throat, growing more and more agitated with every second that passed, every instinct repeatedly telling him to flee along with the bats.
He shuddered softly, rising slowly as he stepped forward once more, moving ahead to approach the darkness... Every fiber screamed out at him again to fly as he crossed the shadowed-threshold of the Cave's entrance, blinking uncertainly into the darkness…
"Hello?… Anyone there?" he called out hollowly. He could hear his voice echo back to him through the emptiness, reverberating down the caverns, getting lost in the blackness. "I… I need to talk to you..." he continued falteringly.
"I'm… sorry to intrude like this... I don't mean to… alarm you... or anything…" He shifted uneasily, hearing only the distant dripping of water… He shivered again as he was answered by silence. The bats wouldn't have fled for no reason... there must be something… something or some one… lurking… breathing… living undetected, somewhere in the dark… He made another step forward as his eyes adjusted, scanning warily through the cave's interior… scuffing over rocks as he accustomed his steps blindly.
Slowly, quietly, the serpent slid forward, turning up the wall to glide silently across the ceiling above her prey.
"…I'm here because I was sent by someone" he spoke into the blackness hesitatingly, "…someone that knows you… he said you'd know who he was…" Jeremy squinted, peering through the darkness as he cautiously stepped forward- "…He said…" he lifted his hand to the wall, letting it guide him, "that you have something, something that belongs to him…"
"Please… if you're in here - I need your help..." Jeremy glanced around the darkness, his voice sounding more and more hollow to him as he ventured deeper into uncertainty.
Sliding down the wall again, the snake circled behind him; curiosity widening her eyes as her tongue again flicked the air, tasting his scent - a boy, a human.
Jeremy's breath felt like a fog surrounding him, clouding his senses... He shivered, faltering with his next step- Where WAS she!? Maybe she wasn't even here… Maybe this was all just some sick game, he shouldn't have come-
Without warning, the serpent attacked; slamming into the boy's back, she bit down hard, anchoring her body as she coiled around him, pulling tight as she felt him tense, his muscles rippling beneath her.
Jeremy's heart leapt to his throat as a startled cry broke from his lips. A human smile flashed across the serpent's mouth as she let up, licking her lips, relishing the taste of blood.
Recovering slightly, Jeremy fought to break away from her- "Get OFF me," he yelled, tearing through the coils wrapped around his torso.
Pulling around him, she clamped his arms to his sides, tightening her grasp, forcing him off balance. Jeremy reeled; panic flooding into his mind as he fought to regain his footing. He jerked, writhing frantically to twist out of her hold.
Whipping her tail out, the serpent wrapped around his boots, jerking quickly. Jeremy buckled, letting out a sharp cry as he hit the stone floor hard; feeling her hold release slightly with the impact. She hissed as the rock cut into her body beneath his weight; the sudden shock of pain raced through her, triggering the change. Rolling away quickly, she re-grouped, heading in for a last attack before her human form could emerge.
Feeling her grip loosen, Jeremy scrambled recklessly through the dark til he crashed up against the wall. He gasped loudly, whirling his back into it as he reached frantically for his knife. He could taste blood dripping from his lip. He grabbed the blade, jerking it around in front of him, raising it defensively into the darkness.
Mouth open wide, the snake attacked again, sinking her fangs into his hand as she attempted to dislodge his weapon. She wrapped around him with her serpent-body, sending a right uppercut squarely into his jaw as her arms emerged.
Jeremy's face ripped upwards with a loud gasp; he floundered with the knife, dropping it with a loud clatter onto the floor. Jeremy lurched again as she doubled back with a hook, the incredible strength behind the blow sending white spots flashing before his eyes.
Knocking him to the ground with a final blow, the serpent crawled over him, her snakeskin falling away as her torso appeared, followed by her thighs... her legs... Quickly, she straddled him, pinning him to the floor beneath her, her fingers wrapping around his throat. "And who... might YOU be?" She asked after a moment, smiling sweetly, her voice a calm, breathy rasp above his chaotic panting.
Jeremy coughed loudly, struggling to regain his breath, "Let me go!" he gasped out, trying to unlock her hold. "Please," he coughed again, "I didn't mean to intrude, it's just-" he winced, "I... need your help."
"My help...? You sweet thing…" she purred, her green eyes gleaming in the dim light, "Seems you are in need of help… though I don't know you'll get it from me…" She cocked her head, looking down at him with a smile as her voice dropped to a sultry whisper, "You... are quite... delicious..."
"Please..." he gasped out, swerving his face away from her as she lowered closer.
Her long, forked tongue flicked suddenly from between her teeth, sliding lightly through the fresh blood on his cheek. "Now dear boy do tell – WHO in their right mind would send you in here? Alone!"
"...I can't..." he murmured, desperation filling him- "Please - I'll give you anything - I just need one thing... one thing, then I'll go and never come back, I swear."
Her lips curled at the taste of his blood; ignoring his words, she released her hold on his neck, sliding her hands over his chest and arms. Grasping his wrists, she jerked them up, pinning them above his head.
"Please-" he gasped sideways, straining against the deadlock hold.
She leaned forward again, her breath hot on his neck. He grimaced away from her, chest lifting higher as his breathing grew agitated. "'Please', 'please'" she purred, "So polite..."
"And what is it..." - she licked his neck - "that you want?"
Jeremy glanced into her bright green eyes as Diana flashed through his mind-
She was kneeling on the floor; hands bound behind her back, head bowed towards the cold, stone floor, dark hair spilling over her shoulders… He saw the still figure, back turned towards him, standing in the shadows… Heard his quiet demands…
"I just" he gasped out, trying to focus- "I was told you have something – an amulet – and to get from you. He didn't tell me anything, just to get it from you. Please – just give it to me – I need it" desperation began to soak into his words.
"Did he now…?"
"Please..." he swallowed, focusing into her eyes- "You'll be saving a girl's life - he'll kill her if I don't bring it to him."
"Well..." she said slowly, raising up again as her gaze wandered down his body, "I don't know anything about an amulet... I don't even know if the word "save" MEANS anything to me… but I DO know -" She leaned down quickly, gripping his shirt with her fangs.
With a low hiss, she pulled back, ripping it open. " - that YOU have made quite an error."
"No, stop - PLEASE!" Jeremy jerked against her hold, gasping his face away from her.
Tightening her grip on him, she leaned even closer, her tongue snaking over his bare chest. "Shhhhhhhhh," she smiled up at him.
He exhaled sharply, beseeching her with his eyes as he turned them back towards her. Taking the opportunity, her tongue raced up his neck, flowing into his open mouth, causing him to choke against her as her lips followed, closing over his.
He tasted good to her reptilian senses - she could smell the heavy iron permeating the blood in his mouth - he was quite the catch.
A slight moan escaped his lips as Jeremy's senses plunged into each other, spinning out of control as she overwhelmed him.
Suddenly, as quickly as it was inside him, her tongue pulled back, splattering blood across his face. She laughed, releasing his wrists as she jumped back, standing up quickly. Jeremy coughed, crawling away from her on the floor, wiping the blood from his eyes.
He licked the blood from his lip with a gag, vision swirling dizzily as he stumbled to his side, wincing slightly. She cocked her head again... watching him... her voice growing hard as she began to snarl- "Now... you… GET OUT!"
He grasped into the wall, climbing it with his hands as he pressed into it, lifting to his feet.
"Get out now - and unless you want me to taste the REST of you, you'd better hurry."
Jeremy glanced around for his knife; he had nothing - no means to protect himself, nothing to give that she couldn't just take… nothing to make her change her mind… He had to go back - to renegotiate. He'd offer himself, or come back – anything to save her…
Slowly he picked up his feet, they felt like led. He scrambled towards the dim outside light, combing the wall with his hands to steady himself. The time it took to near the entrance felt like an eternity, he reached it finally, stumbling out into the open air once more…
He glanced back behind him, back into the darkness… How could she be so cold, so uncaring? He couldn't go back without the amulet… But he had to - they had Diana, there was no other way…
She watched as his form silhouetted against the bright light, seeing him look back... those eyes... those innocent eyes... still wide.
Jeremy stood outside the entrance a moment. Hot liquid rose, burning into his vision as he realized his fate. It slipped out with a sob as he turned, stumbling away, vowing silently to himself that he'd find another way… he had to…
Anger began to rise as the woman saw his tears. She hissed loudly, menacingly, as she begins to fold in upon herself, dropping to the floor and retreating back into the darkness.
