A Red Scaled Lamia

It was a slithering. The sound of huge, tough scales against stone. The sound of something moving slowly and deliberately. Sophie remained fast asleep, even as Dawn tried to rouse her.

"Sophie...!" Dawn whispered, "There is something in the cave!"

Sophie stirred but only slightly. Dawn gave up and focused her attention on the noises. It was moving slowly, but it sounded as though it was drawing closer. The darkness was nearly absolute, and Dawn realized that the fire gem had faded entirely.

She assumed it was some sort of giant snake and began readying a spell. A simple firebolt should scare off any wild animals, even if they were as big as this one sounded. She whispered an incantation and felt the mana pooling into her hands, and, not aiming at anything in particular, she sent the spell into the darkness with a flick of her wrist.

What the brief light revealed was beautiful and terrifying. She caught a glimpse of a large, serpentine body coiling in on itself, as she had expected. But there was a lithe human-like torso with two lean arms. Dawn saw one hand stretch forth, catch the firebolt, and extinguish it as if it were a candle. It was dark again.

Sophie stirred just in time to yelp as the scaled muscles of a tail coiled around both of them and lifted them into the air.

"A-a snake!" Sophie yelped in surprise as she reached for her sword. The former knight cried out as the muscular coil tightened, fully restraining her arms.

"NO! Not a snake, a lamia!" Dawn warned before Sophie tried to do something reckless, "Try- try to stay calm, love... I doubt that sword will be getting us out of this."

"You know of my kind," the creature said in a tone that was both curious and mocking. "Yet you still trespass."

Her voice was steel wire wrapped in silk, far from the long 'hisssssssses' Dawn had subconsciously expected.

"We didn't mean..." Dawn stammered as the lengthy tail began to constrict around her waist.

Suddenly, she had an idea. She tried a new approach channeling the skills she learned from the royal court in Helia, "I assure you we meant no harm… we simply wished to- to pay tribute."

The constriction stopped at this, and Sophie stopped squirming against her back, so she continued, "Our intentions weren't malicious... Your Highness..."

The lamia chuckled, "You attempt flattery...? Continue. I must say I am a fan of your words, little one."

There was a shifting sound again, and the lamia's hands came into view as they cast a globule of brilliant white light that hovered at the cave ceiling. It lit the walls and finally revealed the winding body wrapped around them.

The scales were blood red, and she followed the concealed muscle up to the creature's waist, where they began to fade into pink, almost human flesh. Moving her eyes up the body, she couldn't help but admire her ornate attire. At her hips, there was a translucent black fabric that barely hid what lay beneath. A separate sheen gown exclusively draped across her human torso, covering her chest. It was adorned with various coins and jewels while leaving her shoulders and stomach open to the air.

Braids of deep crimson hair gracefully framed proportions that rivaled Dawn's own, and every muscle beneath the smooth, pink skin was tense, still prepared for conflict. Her face was bare, and Dawn was finally able to meet the eyes of the magnificent lamia. They burned like red stars, with dangerous diamond slits down the middle.

Her tail, or... body, was as massive and powerful as Dawn had expected from the **** being exerted on her hips, but her 'human' part was surprisingly delicate looking compared to its bulk; feminine, mature, and beautiful.

"Well, what words are you going to try to sway me with now, little one?" asked the beast softly.

The last words from the lamia were teasing, but Dawn summoned her courage, "You- your radiant scales shi- shimmer like the evening stars, and your eyes hold the mysteries of an ancient realm. It is no wonder that... lesser beings would be enraptured by your presence. If only we knew a name, we could worship you..."

Laughter burst through the silence but rapidly turned into a sensuous whisper, "Oh, I like you! I am known as Vespera. I admit you know how to play the game, but... sweet talk isn't going to be enough to satisfy me."

Dawn felt goosebumps along her skin begin to rise as the lust in the lamia's voice dripped from her forked tongue. The lamia's next words came in a tone as warm as the blood in her veins, "Perhaps your flesh will... The only question is, who goes where?"