As Rudra collapsed beside her, his body drenched in sweat and utterly spent, he managed a tired grin, still catching his breath. "I thought... it'd be... 15, maybe 16 rounds," he muttered, his voice hoarse and weak from the effort. "Didn't know you'd need... 19." He let out a low, exhausted chuckle, his head lolling back on the pillow.
Mahnoor lay beside him, equally breathless, her chest rising and falling as she attempted to steady herself. Her muscles twitched from the sheer intensity of their coupling, and her body felt like it had been pushed to the brink. "Nineteen," she echoed, her voice barely more than a whisper. She still couldn't believe they had gone through that many rounds, each one more intense than the last. Her body was spent, but there was a deep sense of satisfaction settling into her bones.
Rudra's hand found hers, weakly squeezing it, a soft laugh escaping his lips. "After 14... I swear I was done... I go limp after that... but God knows how I kept going till the 19th..." His voice trailed off, his eyes already fluttering shut.
Mahnoor shifted slightly, her own exhaustion pulling at her limbs. She turned her head toward him, blinking slowly as she tried to keep her mind from shutting down entirely. "You're not serious... are you?" she asked, her voice tinged with a hint of disbelief. "You can't just fall asleep on me... what am I supposed to do while you sleep for... how long again?"
Rudra was already halfway into a deep slumber, his body entirely unresponsive to her question. "Maybe... 3... 4 days...," he murmured in his sleep, his voice fading as he sank further into unconsciousness.
Mahnoor blinked in shock, propping herself up slightly on her elbow despite the ache in her muscles. "Three to four days?" she whispered incredulously, staring down at him. "What am I supposed to do for that long?"
But Rudra was already gone, his breathing deep and steady, completely oblivious to her protests. He looked peaceful, his face serene, as if the intense hours of mating had drained every last ounce of energy from his body. There was no waking him now.
Mahnoor sighed, collapsing back onto the bed, the reality of the situation sinking in. She was stuck here in their private chamber, with a sleeping shape-shifting serpent prince who wouldn't wake for days. She glanced over at Rudra, his chest rising and falling steadily, a faint snore escaping his lips.
Mahnoor lips curled into a sly smile. He was the prince, sure, but she... she was the Shesh Naagin. The primordial being whose bloodline held power far beyond any Naga prince. It was time for her to embrace that truth. To rise above him. She had felt it when the Shesh Naag flared behind her, felt the surge of ancient strength within her. She was more than just Rudra's mate, more than his bed companion or plaything.
As Mahnoor rose from the bed, the cool air sent a shiver across her bare skin, but her focus was unwavering. She walked across the room with purpose, her eyes searching for something specific—something that would seal her revenge, something that would put Rudra exactly where she wanted him.
A small, air-tight container sat on the far shelf, a relic of old magic that had once belonged to the Naag Rani. She remembered the Rani mentioning it briefly in passing: a powerful containment vessel meant to keep anything inside trapped in its most vulnerable state. No magic could break its hold once sealed.
Mahnoor's heart quickened as she reached for the container, her hands brushing against its cold, smooth surface. The moment her fingers curled around it, a wicked thrill surged through her. The container was no bigger than her palm, but it was perfect—perfect for what she had planned.
Turning back toward the bed, Mahnoor watched Rudra's sleeping form for a moment longer. His face, which often held an air of arrogance, was peaceful now. Too peaceful. She wanted him to know the kind of power she wielded, the kind of control she had over him. The thrill of knowing she would have him completely at her mercy sent a shiver of satisfaction down her spine.
With a determined step, she approached the bed. Slowly, she reached down, her fingers grazing Rudra's arm, but this time, there was no tenderness in her touch. This was something else—something colder, something deadlier. Her eyes glinted with a hunger for power as she focused her energy on him.
Rudra's body stirred for a brief moment, but he was still too deep in his restorative sleep to react. Mahnoor concentrated, her naagin blood burning through her veins as she summoned her power. The air around her crackled with ancient magic, and within seconds, Rudra's body began to transform. His limbs shrank, his form twisting and contorting, until there, on the silken bed, lay his vulnerable snake form—small, coiled, and utterly powerless.
Mahnoor's smile widened. She picked up his snake body gently, feeling him stir in confusion. His dark eyes flickered open, but before he could react, before he could even comprehend what was happening, she placed him inside the tiny air-tight container.
Immediately, she sealed the lid shut.
Rudra slithered frantically inside the glass, his small, serpent body writhing in panic. He tried to shift back into his human form, but he couldn't. The containment vessel was designed to suppress all his powers, leaving him trapped as nothing more than a helpless snake.
He hissed angrily, but his once mighty voice was reduced to pathetic sounds that barely echoed within the confines of the container. Mahnoor watched him struggle, a deep sense of satisfaction blooming in her chest.
She lifted the container to her eye level, watching as Rudra continued to thrash about uselessly. "I could keep you like this forever," she mused. "Helpless, vulnerable, at my mercy. The great Naag Raja's son, reduced to nothing more than a tiny, weak serpent."
For a brief moment, Mahnoor wondered if this was how the human women of old had felt—those who had been seduced by Nagas, only to be left broken and drained. She had heard the stories, but now, she understood their pain. And she, unlike those women, had the power to do something about it.
She placed the container on a table and stepped back, her gaze fierce and commanding. A feeling of power surged through her veins as she stood there, fully embracing her identity as the Shesh Naagin. The naagmani that had once belonged to Rudra now glowed faintly within her, filling her with a sense of invincibility.
I am the Shesh Naagin, she thought, her heart racing with the realization. The primordial queen. The one to whom even the Naag Raja and Naag Rani would bow. The one who could bring kingdoms to their knees with a single glance.
Rudra's hissing grew louder, his tiny body twisting in frustration. Mahnoor watched him for a moment longer, feeling the intoxicating thrill of revenge wash over her. She had him exactly where she wanted him—trapped, powerless, and utterly hers.
With one last smirk, Mahnoor turned away from the container and walked toward the grand mirror in the chamber. She stood tall, admiring her reflection. The once-human girl who had been manipulated and used was gone. In her place stood the Shesh Naagin, regal and untouchable.
The transformation was complete.
With a deep breath, she straightened her shoulders and whispered to herself, "Let the world worship me now!"