Chapter 69
“Andre, will you obey me or not?” her hair had become a long green adorned with golden head piece. Her long, forked tongue came out when she hissed.
Andre felt goosebumps.
“I… Let’s go somewhere secluded and release Annabelle first. Then I’ll be yours to enjoy.” he thought this was the only way for Annabelle to be free. He was the cause of this pain she’s eating and it’s enough. Let him take it from here.
“Why do you want me to release her?” Seline asked and hissed again.
“I.. Your matter is with me. She’s got nothing to do with it.”
“She stole you from me.”
“Aren’t I yours now, Seline? Please have mercy on her and let her go.” he pleaded.
“Alright.” she rose and glided towards Annabelle. She removed the neck shackle and untied her hands, which had several bruises.
Now that her hands were free, Annabelle quickly covered her exposed melons.
Seline forcefully removed the tape, causing her to yelp.
Andre gritted his teeth at her action, but when she looked at him, he smiled.
“Is this okay?” she asked.
Andre nodded.
Seline unfroze the seawater and used her tail to push Annabelle in.
“I’m letting you go,” she said as Annabelle surfaced.
She opened her mouth, but no words came out.
“Go Annabelle. Go quickly.” Andre said.
Annabelle took one last look at him before going back into the water and swimming away.
She couldn’t swim fast as her whole being hurt. Suddenly, she felt something wrap around her forcefully.
She gasped and took a look at the thing. She saw it was a green snake’s tail- Seline’s!
She became frantic and tried to swim forward, to no avail.
Why was this happening? Hadn’t she promised to let her go?
She surrendered and let the tail pull her back towards the rock. She soon surfaced beside a shocked Andre.
“What’s the meaning of this, Seline? Didn’t you agree to let her go?” he asked angrily.
“As expected. You still have her in your heart. You’re supposed to have only me, Andre. Only me!” Seline barked and her tail started squeezing an already weak Annabelle.
Andre climbed out of the water and stood on the rock.
He then raised his hands high above his head.
“My little brother is all yours,” he yelled. “Let her go!”
Seeing him in all his glory, her tail uncoiled and transformed into legs.
“You are even better than I imagined,” she exclaimed upon seeing his nudity. “You can get lost now!” she said to Annabelle, who turned to swim away.
She hadn’t gone far before Seline sent 3 ice spikes into Annabelle’s back. She cried out in agony before going down the water, having no energy to swim.
Blood could be seen at the spot where she once was.
Andre was shocked.
“Seline!” he cried out in ire and put down his hands.
“She needs to pay for stealing you from me. Come on, forget about her and let’s enjoy a moment of passionate lovemaking.” she laughed and inched closer to hug him, but he pushed her away.
“Seline, I don’t like what you did. You’re going back on your words,” he barked.
“Oh?” she raised an eyebrow and placed her right hand on her bosom, looking amused. “I did that? I recall our agreement to let her go. But…” she walked around him slowly.
” You never specified how far I should let her go. I’m not at fault.” she placed her hands on his shoulders.
“You’re shameless…” he spoke with gritted teeth.
“I know that. But you aren’t justified. Look at you, standing in front of a virgin like me, completely nude. Tell me, who’s the more shameless person here?”
Andre clenched his fists, but she eased them open.
“No need to be so tense. Annabelle is just a supporting character. No need to be so worked up about her demise, honey!” she blew air onto his neck.
He removed her hands and dived into the seawater.
He swam downwards after the shield appeared around his body.
Seline was pissed and she dived into the water too. Her feet changed to a green snake’s tail and she swam after Andre, eager to capture him back.
“Andre, get back here. You can’t escape!” she yelled, but Andre paid no heed.
He swam close to the spot where Annabelle lay unconscious and picked her up bridal style.
“Annie, I’m sorry…” he muttered and continued swimming fast. A long, spiky red draconic tail had come out just above his butt crack and the shield around him vanished. Red spikes grew out from his back in a vertical line. His feet became webbed and his ears became like an elf’s.
He gave a loud roar, starting Seline for a moment. Andre used this chance to swim further away from her.
With the addition of the spikes, webbed feet and tail, his swimming pace increased by triple fold.
Seline’s eyes widened and then she gritted her teeth with clenched hands.
“Andre-e-e!” she hollered and started chasing.
She would occasionally launch ice spikes at him but he dodged 99% of them causing her to groan in frustration.
“You can’t run. Get back here!” she shrieked, but Andre only increased his pace.
He had to get Annabelle to safety. Then he can face Seline head-on. Memories flashed through in his mind. He recalled that Seline was a coy girl in college. During that accidental encounter with her, he did not sense any magical aura around her. How then is she coming to him now as a snake woman? Has she always been one or maybe.. she was possessed? If the latter were true then that means there is a bigger villain out there who uses people as chess pieces.
He couldn’t even fight Seline; how would he fight with the stronger villain that is now in the shadows? There were a lot of answers he couldn’t get. If he made it through with Annabelle, he would go visit his old friend for help. Hopefully, that guy might still be alive when he arrives.
He had just managed to lose Seline. He quickly got out of the water with Annabelle in his arms. It wasn’t easy to not look below her face. How much he wished he had been stronger, so he’d cut Seline’s hair and make her bald!
He saw that a few houses were nearby and started running. There was no time to waste.
Finally getting into the backyard of one of the homes, he took a cloth from the line and wrapped Annabelle in it. Her tail was emitting smoke. She was about to change back.
He quickly sat on a small wooden stool and sat her on his laps.
She weakly opened her eyes and muttered: “Hurt… it hurts!”
“Ssh! It’s okay. I’m here. I won’t go anywhere.” He whispered.
“Andre…”
“I’m here, Annie.”
“Please, kiss me.”
“What?” he almost spoke out loud.
“Changing back’s gonna… hurt a lot.” She said with difficulty.
“I’m sorry for…”Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.
She shook her head.
“Lend me your arm, then.” she said with a sigh.
He put in right hand in front of her and she bit hard on it. He gritted his teeth and watched tears flow from her eyes as her tail split in two.
She was slowly changing back and the minutes spent on it felt like forever.
5 minutes later.
Annabelle fainted after changing back to human. Her face looked exhausted.
“Annabelle, I’m sorry.” He lowered his head and kissed her lips.
The bracelet on her left wrist glowed unbeknownst to him.
Meanwhile, Seline had come out of the water with her half-snake form. She looked really mad. Her hair started fluttering as wind blew.
“Andre, don’t you think you’re gonna escape. I’ll get you.” she thought with clenched hands.
She saw footprints made not too long ago and concluded they were Andre’s. She transformed back to human and started following the footprints. Soon she came tarred road and frowned. How would she find him?
A lady was passing by and she stopped her.
“Ma’am, did you see any man of around this height? He’s carrying a mermaid and he’s completely naked.” she described.
The older woman frowned at her description. She sized Seline up and down and wondered if she hit her head and lost her sense.
“I didn’t see such people. Sorry.” she shook her head and left.
Seline walked forward and asked a group of 3 girls in their late teens.
One of them held a basket and the other two held a rope and pail respectively. The one in the middle had freckles.
Seeing her all wet with her hair scattered, they stopped when she signalled them to.
“Hello, ma’am. What can we do for you?” the one holding a basket asked.
“Eh, did you see a man of about this height?”
“How does he look like?” the one holding a rope asked.
“He’s very handsome.” Seline said with sparkling eyes and the girls looked at her weirdly.
“He’s got fair, smooth skin.”
“How about you describe his outfit. Maybe we might have seen him.” the one holding a pail said.
“He’s naked and carrying a mermaid. But I bet the memaid should have changed to human now. Both of them aren’t clothed. Yeah!” Seline nodded her head in assurance while the girls felt she must have hit her head. What a pity for this pretty lady!
“We’ve not seen such people but if we do see them, we’ll tell them you’re looking for them.” the one holding a rope said and they proceeded on their way.
Seline looked tired.
“Where are those two hiding?” she thought.
She suddenly perceived a smell.
Her eyes widened.
“Yes. Why didn’t I think of it? Her blood has a special scent. I just need to follow it.
She became invogorated once more.
Andre had a cloth tied around his waist now. He was now in the home of a kind older woman who accepted them in and gave them clothes to wear.
She brought some soup for them after nursing Annabelle’s wounds.
“Thank you very much, ma’am,” Andre said with gratefulness.
“Oh, it’s nothing. I don’t have much space in my home. Can you make do with the living room for now?” the old lady asked after dropping some blankets on the table.
“That’s more than enough for us. We are grateful.” Andre quickly said.
“Thank you,” Annabelle muttered in a hoarse voice.
“Don’t speak. Relax.” the old lady patted Andre’s shoulder.
“Dear, do take care of her. She’s a treasure.”
“I know that. Thank you for the advice.”
The lady nodded and went back into her room.