Rudra sat with his back to her, his body rigid and his mind spinning in ways he didn't expect. His thoughts were muddled, a mixture of rage, confusion, and something else that lurked just beneath the surface, something unfamiliar and unsettling. Mahnoor had always been unpredictable, but this... this was another level of insanity. Yet, as angry as he was, he couldn't deny the strange pull she had over him. Her audacity, her fire, her ability to surprise him—it was maddening and yet... intriguing.
Behind him, Mahnoor was fidgeting, her embarrassment still palpable in the air. After a long pause, she broke the silence, her voice uncertain but light-hearted. "God, this is embarrassing," she muttered, her fingers twisting in her lap as she tried to ease the tension between them. "I was really just looking for your neck... It's a sleep habit of mine, to kiss a guy's neck if he's sleeping beside me. I didn't know you'd randomly switch forms beneath me. God, did I really suck on your whole head?"
Despite her words, a small giggle escaped her lips. The absurdity of the situation was beginning to catch up with her, and she couldn't help but laugh, even if it felt wildly inappropriate. Rudra, on the other hand, remained stiff, his body tense as his anger simmered just beneath the surface. His shoulders were set, his jaw clenched tightly as he tried to ignore her laughter.
Mahnoor, emboldened by his silence, crept up behind him, her body moving slowly, cautiously at first. Then, as if on instinct, she leaned in closer, her breath warm against the back of his neck. Her lips brushed the skin there, just over his pulse point, and she gently sucked on the spot, mimicking the way she had nibbled at him earlier. His heart stuttered beneath her touch, thudding faster against his chest.
"Your heart's racing," she murmured against his skin, her voice soft, teasing. "You really do like me." She gave the faintest of smiles as her lips lingered on his neck, her words like a whispered confession. "I kinda like you too, Rud baby."
Rudra's breath hitched. Rud baby?
His fists clenched at his sides, but the sudden rush of warmth from her touch made it hard to maintain his anger. Her lips were soft, teasing at the edge of his control, and he could feel her smiling against his neck, her amusement only adding to the tension between them. He was used to controlling situations, to being the dominant force in every interaction. But with her... everything was unpredictable.
Mahnoor's arms wrapped around him, hugging him tightly from behind. The sensation of her body pressing into his, her warmth enveloping him, made his mind foggy. It was disarming. She wasn't afraid—at least, not in the way a human should be around him. Instead, she seemed... possessive.
"You randomly just call me 'Rud baby' now?" he asked, his voice low, tinged with frustration but unable to hide the confusion.
"Yes," she replied simply, without hesitation, as though it were the most natural thing in the world. Her hands, small and warm, roamed his chest as she snuggled against his back, tracing the defined muscles that lay beneath his skin. "You're mine toooo," she added, her voice playful, teasing, as though declaring ownership over him was a game.
Rudra's breath deepened, his heart pounding louder now. The sheer audacity of her claim both infuriated and intrigued him. He had been the one in control, the one dominating her, and yet here she was, clinging to him as if she were the one laying claim to him.
Her words echoed in his mind—You're mine toooo—and a primal part of him reacted. He could feel the possessiveness creeping into his own veins, his serpent blood surging with the instinct to claim and protect. But the rational part of him resisted. No human, no matter how bold, could truly own him. He was a prince of the serpent people, powerful beyond her comprehension. Yet... her touch, her words, the fire in her spirit—it all made him feel something more. Something dangerous.
"You're mine," he growled, his voice low and rough as he spoke the words before he could stop himself. "You don't get to own me, Mahnoor. It's the other way around."
But she only laughed softly against his neck, her lips brushing the skin again as if challenging him. "I think we both know it's not that simple, Rud baby," she whispered, her voice laced with a seductive playfulness. "You may be the serpent prince, but right now, I'm the one you're holding onto."
Her fingers trailed over his chest, down to his abdomen, and he felt a rush of heat flood through him at her touch. He clenched his jaw tighter, resisting the urge to respond the way his body wanted to. She was playing a dangerous game, one that could unravel both of them if they weren't careful.
But Mahnoor had always been bold, hadn't she? From the moment he laid eyes on her, watching her manipulate and twist the weak-willed man she had been negotiating with, he had known she was different. She had a fire inside her, one that matched his own in ways he hadn't expected. And now, as she toyed with him, her laughter soft and teasing against his skin, he realized just how much she fascinated him.
He reached up and grabbed her wrist, pulling her hand away from his chest. "You're playing with fire," he warned, his voice a low, dangerous growl. "I won't be toyed with."
She only smiled wider, pressing herself closer to him, her breath warm against his ear. "Maybe I like the heat," she whispered, her voice daring.
Rudra's grip on her wrist tightened for a moment, his eyes narrowing. His body was reacting to her in ways he couldn't fully control, and it frustrated him. But more than that, it intrigued him. She wasn't afraid. She wasn't submissive. She challenged him at every turn, even in moments where she should be trembling in fear.
A slow, dark smile spread across his lips as he pulled her forward, forcing her to face him fully. Her eyes met his, bright and defiant, and he felt that familiar surge of lust and power mix within him. His hand came up, gripping her chin as he tilted her face up toward his.
"You think you're clever," he murmured, his voice a dangerous purr. "But you forget who you're dealing with, Mahnoor."
Her eyes sparkled with amusement, her lips curving into a mischievous smile. "I know exactly who I'm dealing with, Rud baby. The question is... do you?"
The tension between them crackled like fire, the pull of their conflicting energies drawing them closer, even as they both resisted giving in fully. And for a brief, dangerous moment, Rudra wondered if maybe, just maybe, this human was more than he had bargained for.