chapter 7(b)

The Snake's Hypnosis: Selene's Possessive Love

The jungle pulsed with unseen life, vines dripping with condensation and shadows pooling like spilled ink. Chloe stumbled, her foot sinking into a burrow. A copperhead coiled around her calf, its scales glinting like poisoned emeralds. Caden lunged, his vampiric speed blurring the air, but Selene's tail lashed out, stopping him mid-stride. "Patience, bloodsucker," she purred, her eyes locking onto the snake's. The creature froze, hypnotized, slithering obediently into her palm.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Selene crooned, stroking the snake's head. "But beauty is fleeting." Her claw pierced its skull in one fluid motion. Blood dripped down her wrist as she licked it clean, her gaze never leaving Chloe's. "You don't need fangs to kill. Just... *eyes*." Caden quickly covered Chloe's eyes and when Selene turned to look at him he looked away too.

She then seized Angus's arm, yanking him against her. "*You*, my love, are far more exquisite." Her fingers traced his jaw, her voice softening-a rare, almost human tremor. "Never forget who *owns* you."

Chloe stumbled into Caden's arms, trembling "she has a fucking tail! !" She whispered but Selene heard it. *she didn't react*. Caden put his finger over her lips and she kept quiet.

Selene pulled Angus's by the hand, dragging him forward. "Come, darling. Let's not keep the island waiting."

Angus stiffened, torn between revulsion and twisted devotion.

The jungle tightened around them, thorns snagging at clothes and whispers rustling in the canopy. Chloe lagged, her breath ragged. "Can we... rest?"

Selene didn't turn. "Weakness bores me."

"I really need to rest," she insisted

Selene turned to look at her. "No one invited weaklings on this tour."

Caden stepped forward, his hand shielding Chloe's eyes. "Don't look into her eyes," he warned, his voice low.

Chloe's voice quivered. "I'm just tired-"

"I'll carry you." He lifted her effortlessly, her head nestled against his chest.

Selene scoffed, her tail flicking. "How *noble*."

As they trudged on, Caden's gaze strayed-against his will-to Selene's silhouette. Her hips swayed with predatory grace, her thighs moved rhythmically to his heart beat, her curves sharp even in the gloom. He forced his eyes away, but not before Selene caught him.

"See something you like, vampire?" she taunted.

Caden's jaw tightened. "Lead the way, demon."

The jungle parted, revealing a crescent of black sand, the ocean roaring like a caged beast. Chloe gasped, squirming free. "The beach! Let's swim!"

Selene's laugh was a blade. "You'll drown, little lamb."

"Please guys I haven't been to the beach in years ,"she insisted .

Caden shot her a glare. "We'll stay close to shore."

They stripped beneath the canopy. Selene's bikini clung to her like liquid shadow, her tail retracting with a soft *snick*. Caden stared for a split second ,Angus stared too, transfixed, until Caden's elbow jabbed his ribs.

Chloe's sundress pooled at her feet, revealing a teal swimsuit. She shook out her hair, sunlight catching the gold strands like a halo.

"Look!" she laughed, twirling. "The light makes it *glow*!"

Caden's breath hitched. Angus's gaze lingered a beat too long.

"Eyes up," Caden growled.

Selene noticed.

Her lips curled. "Enjoy the view, vampire?"

Caden ignored her, wading into the surf with Chloe.

Chloe splashed ahead, her laughter bright. "Race you to the rocks, Caden!"

Caden waded in, his eyes flicking to Selene-her lithe form cutting through the water like a blade. He tore his gaze away, focusing on Chloe.

But Selene's voice slithered into his ear: "She'll never survive this island. Not like *us*."

Chloe's hair fanned out in the surf, sunlight turning it to molten gold. Angus stared, mesmerized, until Caden snapped his fingers.

"Angus," Caden warned. Not out of jealousy but out of fear of what Selene may do if she notices Angus' attention being stolen by another woman.

Selene dove into the waves, her movements serpentine, effortless. She surfaced near Angus, her voice a siren's call. "Join me, darling. The water's... *inviting*."

Angus hesitated, but the pull was undeniable. He waded in, the waves lapping at his waist. Selene's fingers brushed his chest, her claws tracing his collarbone. "You're trembling. Cold... or *hungry*?"

Chloe splashed nearby, laughing as Caden lifted her onto his shoulders.

Selene's smile faded. Jealousy flickered in her eyes-black, bottomless. She dragged Angus deeper, her tail flicking beneath the surface. "Let's see how long your *hero* can keep her safe."

Chapter bonus

The water had chilled Chloe to the bone, forcing her to retreat to the shore, the cold sand offering a meager warmth under her feet. The breeze carried the scent of salt and seaweed, mixing with the faint perfume of her own skin as she exfoliated with sand, the grains rough yet refreshing against her skin. Angus and Caden's laughter was a distant echo, their voices mingling with the sound of the waves. Selene, sensing the pull of deeper waters, noticed Chloe alone, her body glistening with a mix of seawater and sand under the sun's gaze.

"Why is Chloe all alone?" Selene's voice was sharp, cutting through the ambient noise of the beach.

"She'll be alright; the island is uninhabited," Caden replied, his voice carrying a note of dismissal over the gentle lapping of the waves.

Selene's insistence was laced with an undertone of something darker. "I'll stay around in case of danger," she said, her words almost a whisper against the backdrop of the ocean's roar.

"Me alone with her? Again, no way," she retorted to Caden, her tone dripping with disdain, the salt in the air seeming to amplify every syllable.

"Relax, Chloe, all will be fine. I'll just show Angus a few things; I saw a couple of oysters and want to see if they have pearls. Selene won't be next to you; she'll just swim close by in case of any danger, right, Selene?" Caden's voice was firm, the crunch of the sand under his feet punctuating his words.

Selene, in response, raised her middle finger, the action stark against the light of the day. "I'm a babysitter now," she said, her sarcasm as biting as the cool wind.

"She has a tail; I don't trust her," Chloe whispered to Caden, her voice barely audible over the sound of the surf, the distrust clear in her gaze, the sand beneath them cool and slightly damp. But Caden, with a comforting touch that was warm against her chilled skin, reassured her before he and Angus ventured deeper into the water.

Selene, at first, kept her distance, the water's murmur the only sound between them as Chloe continued her ritual, the sand's grittiness a contrast to the smoothness of her skin after each rinse. The waves danced rhythmically, their touch on Chloe's legs alternating between cool and warm.

After some time, Selene emerged from the water, her form outlined by her tight bikini, the droplets on her skin catching the light like tiny mirrors. She sat next to Chloe, the sand shifting under her weight, causing Chloe to move slightly away, the tension thick and tangible like the humidity in the air.

"Don't worry about me," Selene's voice was silky, her breath smelling faintly of the ocean. "You should consider using the seaweed on the soles of your feet; the kelp will soften your soles and make them as smooth as a baby's." She showed her feet, the soles impossibly smooth, the scent of seaweed now stronger.

Chloe felt a surge of desire, her senses overwhelmed by the sight, the scent, the very idea of tasting that smoothness, but she held back, her eyes meeting Selene's, trapped by the intensity of her gaze, unlike the fleeting connection with Caden.

"You have beautiful eyes, do you know that? And those lips, I want to bite them playfully, kiss me beautiful," Chloe's voice was husky, not wholly her own, her hands reaching out, the sand clinging to her skin.

Before Selene could respond, Chloe had enveloped her in a kiss, the taste of salt on their lips, the warmth of their breath mingling. *It worked*, Selene thought, a smirk pulling at her lips as she led Chloe into the water, the sensation of the sand giving way to the cool embrace of the sea. Chloe followed, her movements fluid, her eyes unblinking, the water's touch like a second skin.

In the water, Selene's tail wrapped around Chloe, pulling her into another kiss, the waves crashing against them, the salt spray mingling with their breath. The tension was palpable, Chloe's smile one of bliss, the water cool against their heated skin.

"You have a beautiful smile," Selene whispered, her voice a caress against the sound of the sea.

"I want to taste those lips!" Chloe responded, pulling Selene into another kiss. As they kissed, Selene's hands explored Chloe's back, her touch deliberate, stirring more tension. She moved from Chloe's lips to her neck, then down to her cleavage and belly, but the water's depth limited her exploration. Her fingers, however, found their way beneath Chloe's teal swimsuit, caressing her curves as the tail shifted to wrap around Chloe's thigh, gently prying it open. Her touch was bold, sliding into Chloe, drawing a sharp gasp from her as Selene's fingers delved deeper.

Selene then guided Chloe further into the deep, careful not to attract attention from the boys. With a sudden move, she pushed Chloe under the water, but instead of struggling, Chloe remained still, kissing Selene's submerged body with a strange, underwater affection.

Changing her mind, Selene lifted Chloe out of the water, leading her back to the shore. There, in the privacy of the sand, they kissed with a passion that spoke of desire, stripping down to feel the warmth of each other's skin. Once dressed again, they lay on their backs, gazing at the sky, the sun warming their bodies.

Chloe's mind returned to her, and she looked into Selene's eyes once more. "I like the effect you have on me; it arouses me," she confessed, her voice low and intimate.

As they chatted, Angus and Caden returned, their hands full of pearls. Angus proudly displayed three shiny pearls, while Caden only had one.

"Down there is amazing," Angus boasted, handing his pearls to Selene, who glanced triumphantly at Caden.

Caden, however, ignored Selene's gaze, focusing on Chloe, embracing her and kissing her forehead. "Did she do anything to you?" he asked, his voice laced with concern.

"No, we just cleaned our feet and soles with seaweed and exfoliated our skins with sand," Chloe replied, her smile reassuring.

"Good, let's head back to the villa. It's almost midday, and I'm already hungry," Caden declared, his tone authoritative.

"We can walk along the beach since it's safer and faster," suggested Selene, her voice now practical.

Still in their swimsuits, they gathered their clothes and began their walk back, the sand warm under their feet, the ocean's rhythm a constant companion to their steps.