Chapter 22: A Promised Date And Jealousy?
The pillow talk finally wound down.
The room had gone quiet, filled only with the soft rustle of furs and the occasional sleepy sigh from Ebonara, who was half-dozing against Hyun-woo's side like she owned every inch of him. But she really do own every inch of him.
Hyun-woo glanced at Stheno across the bed. Her golden snake-hair was calm for once, a few strands lazily curling around her shoulders as she watched him with those sharp red-gold eyes.
Should I ask her on that date now? Hyun-woo thought as he looked around. Well, it is nighttime, and I don’t know whether Eden's Vault's streets are even open at this hour. But I'll probably get bored just sitting here. Time to keep my promise.
He had told her he’d take her on a one-on-one date, just the two of them. No sisters watching, no Ebonara hovering, no group drama. This would also be a test for Ebo. Could she really hold back if he got close to someone else? Or would that old possessive hunger flare up and turn the night into a battlefield?
Hyun-woo sat up slowly, careful not to jostle Ebonara too much.
“Hey,” he said, keeping his voice light. “Stheno… you still up for that date?”
Her eyes lit up for half a second before she quickly masked it with her usual tough-guy smirk. “Right now?” She tapped her chin, pretending to think about it. “Okay, pretty boy. Yeah. Let’s go.”
Right at that moment Ebonara cracked two of her eight gem-eyes open. A faint pink heart flickered in one, then vanished. She didn’t say a word, but she gave his thigh a gentle squeeze with her tail, like she was reminding herself of her promise. I trust you, that touch seemed to say. It made his chest feel warm.
They said quick goodbyes to the others. Medusa gave him a small, almost shy nod. Euryale smiled softly and whispered, “Have fun.” Ebonara stayed curled on the bed, pretending to be half-asleep, but Hyun-woo caught her tail flicking restlessly behind her. She was trying. That meant everything.
Stheno and Hyun-woo stepped out of the treehouse into the cool night air of Eden’s Vault.
Stheno had told him that the city never really sleeps. Even at this hour, soft glowing lanterns floated between the pale stone towers and glass domes, and distant laughter mixed with the hum of night markets. According to her, the place stayed alive 24/7—no matter what chaos hit the outer deserts. It was one of the reasons the guardians loved it here.
“Teleporting’s too fast,” Stheno said, stretching her arms like she was shaking off the day. “I want to walk. Clear my head.” She glanced at him sideways, a little challenge in her eyes. “You good with that, slowpoke?”
Woman, what do you mean 'slowpoke'? Didn’t I save your ass from Poseidon? Hyun-woo thought, though he didn't say it out loud. He just shook his head with a wry smile. She really was a brat.
Also she didn’t stay in her full Gorgon form. With a shimmer of golden scales, her long serpent tail split and reshaped into two strong, human-looking legs. The scales didn’t fade to pale skin—they stayed a beautiful, iridescent brown that caught the lantern light like polished bronze. She looked powerful, graceful, and stunning.
Then, she changed into the dress.
It was a dark crimson slip that hugged her athletic build like it had been poured on. Thin black straps held it up over her shoulders, and the light fabric flowed down to her thighs before splitting high on one side, showing off the smooth shimmer of her scales with every step. It was bold, a little daring, and nothing like the casual tank tops and joggers he’d seen her in before.
He couldn’t help it. “You look beauti—”
“Don’t you dare finish that sentence,” Stheno cut him off, cheeks turning a deep pink that clashed adorably with her golden scales. She crossed her arms tightly under her chest, trying to look annoyed. “Or I’ll bite you. For real.”
Hyun-woo raised an eyebrow, fighting a smile. She was clearly not used to compliments. From what he knew of her past, men had never been kind to the Gorgons. This dress? She’d probably bought it on a whim once, never expecting to actually wear it. Tonight she had. Lucky him.
“Feeling shy, are we?” he teased, stepping a little closer as they walked down the quiet lantern-lit path.
“Like I ever,” she shot back, but her voice wobbled just a tiny bit.
He leaned in until their faces were inches apart, close enough to see the faint golden flecks in her eyes. “So you’re saying you don’t feel anything when you’re around me?”
“Hey, that’s not what I—” She stopped mid-sentence. His face was right there, smirking. Her breath hitched. “You little teaser.”
Before he could pull back, Stheno grabbed the back of his head with surprising speed. She yanked him closer until their lips were almost touching. Her eyes sparkled with mischief. “Taste your own medicine.”
Hyun-woo's cheeks heated up. She started to pull away, satisfied, but he wasn’t letting her off that easy. He slid his hand to the back of her neck, holding her gently in place.
“Did I go too far?” he asked softly.
“Nope,” she whispered, voice husky. “You’re just annoying.” Then, seeing him start to let go, she closed the last tiny gap herself. “Just kidding.”
Their lips met.
Hyun-woo was caught by surprise, but he didn’t back down. He leaned in and kissed her voraciously. No matter what anyone said about her—she was a great kisser.
Stheno’s breath hitched the instant their lips touched.
She had only meant to tease him. A quick, cocky press to wipe that smug smirk off his face and flip the script. But the moment her mouth touched his, her brain short-circuited.
This was her first kiss.
In thousands of years, no man had ever been allowed this close. She had turned heroes to stone for far less. And now here she was, pressing her lips to a human boy like a nervous girl on her very first date.
Hyun-woo’s hand slid to the back of her head, fingers threading gently but firmly into her wild golden hair. His other palm settled warm and steady at the small of her back, right where smooth skin met the cool shimmer of her scales. The contrast sent a visible shiver racing down her spine.
He didn’t rush. He kissed her slowly, deliberately, letting her feel the soft warmth of his lips, the faint sweet-tart taste of the nectar they’d shared earlier still lingering on his tongue. His mouth moved against hers with patient confidence, coaxing rather than demanding.
Stheno’s golden snakes froze for half a second… then exploded into frantic, excited hisses, coiling and uncoiling wildly around her shoulders. One particularly bold viper even brushed its cool scales affectionately against Hyun-woo’s cheek.
Her heart hammered so hard she was sure he could feel it. Heat flooded her face, her neck, the tips of her pointed ears. Her knees felt embarrassingly weak. She tried to pull back, just a fraction, but Hyun-woo’s fingers tightened gently in her hair, keeping her right there.
Then he tilted his head and deepened the kiss.
A low, hungry sound rumbled in his throat as his tongue traced the seam of her lips, asking permission. Stheno’s mind went completely blank. On pure instinct she parted her lips, and the moment their tongues met, a tiny, involuntary whimper slipped out of her.
Her tongue was nothing like a human’s.
It was long, slender, and forked at the tip—a perfect serpent’s tongue, thin and agile, capable of flicking with lightning precision. The moment it slid against his, the difference was impossible to ignore. The split ends moved independently, one curling teasingly around the side of his tongue while the other stroked along the top, tasting him with curious, almost hungry little flicks. It was smoother and cooler than a human tongue, yet incredibly sensitive; every tiny ridge and texture of his mouth sent sparks racing straight through her.
Hyun-woo groaned softly at the strange, intoxicating sensation. The forked tip danced and explored with surprising skill for someone who had never kissed before—wrapping, flicking, teasing—while the longer, thinner length of her tongue slid deeper, curling sinuously around his in a way that felt both playful and dangerously erotic.
Stheno’s hands flew up, fisting the front of his loose white shirt like she needed an anchor. Her sharp nails pricked lightly through the fabric, not tearing it, just holding on tight. She could feel the hard planes of his chest beneath her palms, the steady thump of his heart, the heat pouring off his skin.
She kissed him back. It was clumsy and eager at first, then grew bolder, matching his rhythm. Her long, forked tongue flicked and coiled around his with increasing confidence, the split tips stroking and tasting every inch they could reach. Each little flick drew another low groan from him, and the sound made her thighs press together under the thin crimson dress, heat pooling low in her belly.
When they finally broke apart, both of them were breathing hard, lips wet and swollen.
Stheno’s golden-red eyes were wide and slightly glassy, her cheeks flushed a deep, furious crimson that spread all the way down her neck and across the tops of her breasts.
Her forked tongue darted out instinctively to lick her own lips—a quick, snake-like flick—before she realized what she was doing and yanked it back in embarrassment.
Her snakes were still writhing in happy little spirals around her head, some of them nuzzling toward Hyun-woo as if they wanted more. She stared at him, chest heaving, the high slit of her dress flashing golden scales every time she shifted.
“…Fuck,” she whispered, voice hoarse and shaky. “That… that was my first kiss.”
The confession slipped out before she could stop it. Her eyes widened in horror the second the words left her mouth. She tried to cover it with her usual bravado, punching his shoulder lightly.
“Don’t you dare look so smug about it, you pretty bastard. I—I just… didn’t want to waste it on some worthless prick before.”
But her voice cracked, and the blush on her face burned even hotter.
Hyun-woo’s brown eyes softened, the teasing smirk melting into something warmer, fonder. He brushed a stray lock of golden-brown hair behind her ear, his thumb lingering gently on her flushed skin.
“I know,” he murmured, voice low and rough from the kiss. “And it was perfect.”
Stheno made a strangled, embarrassed sound and buried her burning face against his shoulder, muttering curses into his shirt while her long, forked tongue flicked nervously against her own lips again.
“Shut up… idiot…” she grumbled, but her arms had already slid around his waist, holding him close.
And for the first time in her long, violent life, Stheno didn’t pull away.
And the best part was that the date hadn’t even started yet.
“Shall we go? Our date still hasn’t started yet,” Hyun-woo said softly.
They didn’t know it, but Ebonara was watching all of this. She had transform into a tiny black scorpion, hiding perfectly in the shadows of the pathway. And she was trying very hard to hold herself back so she wouldn't tear Stheno's head off.
She was trying very hard.
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Chapter 32 is now available on Patreon.