The Girl and the Naga

Chapter 17

"Wake up, little pet," a voice whispered in my ear.

Fingers lightly ran across my neck, tickling my skin.

I opened my eyes, and found myself staring into the slitted green ones of Hunter. He smiled at me mischievously, exposing his long fangs.

I squeezed my eyes shut and tensed up.

"Get up," he ordered.

I slowly sat up, keeping my eyes closed. I don't know why I kept them closed, but I felt as if that could help make this situation disappear.

"Hold out your hands," he said.

I lifted my arms up from my side. He took them in one hand, then proceeded to wrap something around my wrists. I opened my eyes and saw him tying a rope around my wrists.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"It's time to go see my brother," he answered.

That really didn't answer my question, but I got the basic idea. He tied the rope in a knot, but left a length of the rope hanging, probably so he could hold onto me.

Then he came towards my face with a dirty cloth. I backed away from him, but he just blocked me with his tail. He tied the cloth around my mouth, preventing me from talking.

Then he put a sack over my head so I couldn't see anything.

I felt a pull on the rope and stumbled forward blindly. I felt the rock floor beneath my bare feet change to dirt, and then the grass of the jungle. I had no idea where we were, or where we were going, so I kept hitting my feet on rocks and branches.

I tripped over a root and fell to the ground.

"Jeez, what is the hold up?" Hunter said.

I mumbled through my cloth, but he couldn't understand what I was saying. He didn't need to though. I felt him pick me up and toss me over his shoulder. I protested, but he just chuckled and continued to carry me.

After a while, he set me down. I stood there awkwardly for a few minutes before I heard a rustling sound a few meters ahead of me.

"Hello, brother," Hunter said.

"Hunter," Alec replied, a little viciously.

"Have a good season?" Hunter asked.

"Skip the formalities. Let me see her," Alec said.

The sack was lifted off of my head. My eyes met with Alec's, which widened upon seeing me.

I wondered what about me shocked him so much. I looked down at myself.

My once yellow dress was now a dingy brown. My arms and legs were covered in dirt, and I imagined my face must have been as well. I didn't even want to think about what my hair looked like. I had been crying before, so my eyes were probably red and puffy.

I looked back into his eyes, which were now directed angrily towards Hunter.

"So, what will it be today, brother?" Hunter asked.

"A trade," Alec answered, lifting up a sack that he had been holding.

"Let's see it then," Hunter said.

Alec tossed him the bag. Hunter opened it and pulled out the contents.

He pulled out a handful of jewelry and some perfume bottles.

"What are these?" he asked.

"Gifts you can give to your...mates," Alec said.

"I don't think this is a fair trade," Hunter said.