Page 26 of The Vampire’s Mercy (Blood Melody #1)

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

PARIS

Isat up, sliding back to press myself against the wall.

Damn. I’d fallen asleep and left myself vulnerable to this snake.

The crystal blade appeared in my hand in a puff of silver smoke.

“Get away from me!” I warned the serpent.

But the blade disappeared, the king’s dominance smacking it away.

Shit.

The snake’s forked tongue probed the air, her head resting on the edge of the mattress. The rest of her body spread out in a long line of muscle and emerald scales across the grassy carpet.

By Aidan, she was huge.

I lifted my hands in deference. “It’s Medusa, right?”

She hissed.

Was that a yes? “I’m Paris, a guest of the king. Well, not a guest. More like a thrall. A new thrall who’s going to be sharing this room with you.” I laughed nervously, wondering why I wasn’t throwing myself at the balcony doors instead of chatting to the python.

Man, those amber eyes were fierce, emanating pure predator energy. The snake knew she was queen of this bedroom, and I’d better not forget it.

She didn’t move, just stared at me, reminding me of the king. He loved to stare too.

“Well, it’s nice to meet you,” I said, tugging at my choker.

Nothing but flicks of her tongue.

“Please don’t eat me.”

She moved toward me then, slowly slithering closer, her tongue inches away, probing.

“Please!” I squeaked, calculating how far I’d get if I sprang off the bed and made a beeline for the balcony.

How high up were we? I hadn’t checked earlier. I faffed about with a book when I should’ve been scoping out everything in deeper detail. Thrall or not, a guy like me should always have a solid list of plans.

Damn. Damn. Damn.

Medusa dragged herself up onto the bed, resting her head on the pillow. She coiled the rest of herself up, getting cozy beside me.

“Huh?” I whispered.

She hissed, then went still.

“Are you sleeping?”

Her eyes stayed open on account of snakes not having eyelids. Those amber peepers became glassy, but still felt like they were watching me.

She took up most of the bed, keeping me in the corner. I didn’t move, too tense to do anything but stay still.

I couldn’t be trapped against the wall. But as I went to move, she lifted her head and hissed at me. Not aggressively, the sound gentler than that. Like she was telling me to rest up and not worry.

No. Why would she say that?

She made the same sound again, even gentler still.

Brain steeped in soupy confusion, I rubbed at the back of my neck. “Is this your bed?”

No hissy response.

I tried something else. “Is this my bed?”

She hissed.

Okay. That could possibly mean yes. “But you want me to let you have it?”

No answer.

“Do you want to nap together?”

Hiss.

Right. I’d been hoping for no answer.

I asked the question again, getting the same tone of hiss.

It had to be a yes.

Now for the big decision. Go with this, or get out of here? Did I really want to nap beside a python? Especially a python like this. And did I even need a nap right now?

Medusa lowered her head again.

My instincts weren’t telling me to run. In fact, they were calm, pretty relaxed, considering. Which could’ve been a thrall thing. Still, I found myself lying back down beside the snake, making sure I didn’t bump her. Yawning, the energy of the bedroom’s flora wrapping me in a merry blanket.

This is the most stupid thing you’ve ever done, a tiny voice scolded.

But I relaxed, rapidly chilling out, as if this made sense to be here in this moment. This snake wasn’t a threat to me, and she didn’t see me as one. Those hisses weren’t angry, but friendly.

Says the snake expert!

I yawned again, resting my cheek on folded hands. Drifting away, comfy, appreciating the opportunity to rest. This room might be a hub of flora bolstering me, but my bones and mind were still weary.

Precious one…

Within minutes, I fell asleep.