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2025-02-22 14:00:26The dream came again—dark blue scales shimmering under the glow of a silver moon, a land both foreign and familiar. Ashwin stood at the edge of a dark lake, the water so still it mirrored the stars. Something massive lurked beneath the surface, the sound of slow, deliberate movement echoing in the distance. He felt it watching him, calling him, and yet—
Thud.A weight slammed into his chest.Ashwin jolted awake with a sharp inhale, eyes flying open to find two small figures bouncing on top of him.“Mommy, wake up!” Kai’s voice rang out, his tiny hands pressing insistently against Ashwin’s ribs.“You’s so slow, Mommy! You should wake up like Daddy!” Koa giggled, eyes bright with excitement.Ashwin groaned, still groggy. He rubbed at his eyes before freezing.A dark stain—red—smeared across the twins’ lips.His pulse spiked. His breath caught.lood.It was late—too late. The clock on the bedside
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Tangled In Scales 30
Ashwin sat on the couch, half-awake, half-asleep, and completely exhausted. His head rested against the soft cushions, and his limbs felt too heavy to move. The TV was on, playing some random cooking show at low volume, but he wasn’t paying attention. His eyelids drooped, his body aching from the feverish warmth of his monthly shedding. He barely had the energy to keep his eyes open, yet his mind wouldn’t stop wandering. The house was quiet. Too quiet. The twins were usually little hurricanes of energy, running around, laughing, and making a mess of the place. But over the past few days, their playfulness had dwindled. They moved slower, ate less, and spent most of their time curled up together on the couch or in bed. Ishaan had told him not to worry. "They’re brumating," he had explained, like it was the most natural thing in the world. Brumation.
Last Updated : 2025-02-22Tangled In Scales 31
The garage was alive with the steady symphony of labor-clanking wrenches, revving engines, and the low hum of conversation between mechanics. The scent of oil, metal, and warm asphalt filled the air, mixing with the occasional drift of cigarette smoke from Julio, who always sneaked one between jobs despite the "No Smoking" sign hanging crookedly above the tool wall.Ishaan was in his element.With his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, he worked beneath the hood of a '07 Mustang, fingers expertly maneuvering the rusted bolts of the radiator. A bead of sweat rolled down his temple, but he ignored it, too focused on the way the engine's inner workings responded to his touch. He liked this part-solving problems, fixing things with his hands. It was satisfying in a way few other things were.Well... aside from them.His family.The thought sent a ripple of warmth through him, a sharp contrast to the cool metal beneath his fingers. He tightened the last bolt and stepped back, wiping his han
Last Updated : 2025-02-24Tangled In Scales 32
The wrench in Ishaan's hand felt solid, the rough metal pressing into his calloused fingers as he tightened a stubborn bolt. The engine of the old truck he was working on let out a metallic groan before settling into place. The garage smelled of oil and hot metal, but even as he worked, his mind wasn't in Mount Haven.It was in Kal'Raksha.The heat of the jungle, thick and humid, clung to his skin like a second layer. The sound of water, the rhythmic drip of a waterfall against stone, echoed in his ears. Kal'Raksha wasn't just a place-it was a living, breathing world of its own. It had shaped him, nurtured him, and even now, miles away, it still called to him.He could see it as if he had never left. The sky above was vast, a deep violet at dusk, streaked with fiery oranges and fading golds. The jungle was alive, teeming with creatures both seen and unseen. Fireflies danced between thick trees, their trunks ancient, their roots sprawling across the damp earth like the veins of the la
Last Updated : 2025-03-01Tangled In Scales 33
Ishaan sat at the kitchen counter, lazily snacking on dried mango while keeping an eye on the chaos unfolding in the living room. The twins were at it again—darting around with wild giggles, their tiny feet thudding against the hardwood floors as they launched themselves onto the couch, only to fling off dramatically as if they had wings.The furniture rattled. A decorative pillow went soaring. A glass teetered dangerously close to the edge of the coffee table before settling again.Every time Ishaan thought they might settle down, one of them would do something even more reckless—climbing onto the armrest just to make a running leap, tackling the other mid-air, or collapsing into a fit of infectious laughter that made it impossible to scold them.Ishaan had long since given up trying to discipline them. Instead, he let his unimpressed stare do the work, eyes half-lidded as he chewed.Every few minutes, one of them would dart by his side
Last Updated : 2025-03-02Tangled In Scales 34
The cell was small, barely large enough for the cot bolted to the wall and the metal toilet in the corner. The air was stale, thick with the scent of disinfectant and something metallic—blood, perhaps, long scrubbed away but still lingering beneath the surface.Ishaan Arthava sat on the cot, back straight, hands resting on his knees. His wrists were sore from the cuffs they had slapped on him hours ago, but he didn’t complain.Complaining was weakness.The officers outside whispered among themselves, their voices muffled through the steel door. He knew their type—cops who thought they had him cornered, who thought a few hours in a holding cell would break him.They didn’t know him.They had no idea what kind of patience lived inside him, what kind of restraint he had mastered over the years.The door creaked open.A uniformed officer stepped inside, gesturing for him to stand. “Move.”Ishaan exhaled slowly throu
Last Updated : 2025-03-02Tangled In Scales 35
Ashwin stood by the car, arms crossed, his posture deceptively relaxed. The dim streetlights cast long shadows across his face, highlighting the dark circles under his eyes. He hadn’t slept. Not properly. Not while Ishaan was locked inside that police station, treated like a criminal.His fingers drummed restlessly against his bicep as he watched the doors, his pulse hammering harder with every second.Then, finally—The doors swung open.Ishaan stepped out, slow and unhurried, like he hadn’t just spent two days being interrogated. He was still wearing the same clothes he had been arrested in, the fabric wrinkled, the sleeves slightly damp from where he had rinsed his face in the station’s bathroom. His jaw was tight, but his gaze lifted the moment he spotted Ashwin.Relief flickered in those dark eyes.Ashwin barely had time to push himself off the car before Ishaan was closing the distance between them.No words. No he
Last Updated : 2025-03-03Tangled In Scales 36
The door clicked shut, and before Ashwin could even exhale, Ishaan was on him. His larger frame loomed over Ashwin’s smaller body, radiating heat and pent-up frustration. Rough hands cupped Ashwin’s jaw, tilting his face up just before Ishaan’s lips crashed down, swallowing him whole.The kiss was all-consuming—hungry, desperate, and demanding. Ishaan didn’t just kiss; he took. His lips were firm, his teeth grazing Ashwin’s bottom lip before sucking it into his mouth with a possessive pull. The force of it sent a jolt down Ashwin’s spine, making his knees weaken, but Ishaan’s grip on him was ironclad. There was nowhere to run, no room to breathe. Only Ishaan.Ashwin let out a muffled sound against his mouth, pushing lightly at Ishaan’s chest, but the man was relentless. His large hands slid from Ashwin’s jaw down to his waist, fingers pressing into the slight curve of his hips, gripping, grounding. It wasn’t just a touch—it was a claim. Ashwin’s breath hi
Last Updated : 2025-03-03Tangled In Scales 37
Ashwin shuddered. The contrast between them had always been stark—where Ashwin was lean, lithe, and finely built, Ishaan was broad, towering, and commanding in every movement. It wasn’t just size; it was the way Ishaan held himself, the way his presence filled every space like it was meant to belong to him."You're shaking," Ishaan noted, amused. One of his hands drifted lower, possessively mapping the dip of Ashwin’s waist before gripping his hip hard. "But you're not running. You never do, do you?"Ashwin bit his lip, refusing to give him the satisfaction of an immediate answer.Ishaan chuckled, low and knowing. "Because you like it when I take control," he continued, his voice smooth, almost hypnotic. "You like knowing you don’t have to think. You can just let me handle everything."Ashwin exhaled, his fingers flexing against the table as he let Ishaan’s words settle into him. He wouldn’t admit it out loud—not yet—but Ishaan was right
Last Updated : 2025-03-04
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Tangled In Scales Side Story (The Bikers III)
The clinic was silent, but the tension inside those dimly lit rooms was anything but.Ashwin barely had time to catch his breath before Ishaan’s hand tightened around his throat again, just enough to remind him—this wasn’t a game he was going to win. Ishaan’s grip was firm, possessive, his other arm still wrapped around Ashwin’s waist, keeping him exactly where he wanted.“You like that, little snake?” Ishaan rasped against the shell of his ear, his voice dripping with smug satisfaction.Ashwin trembled, his fingers curling around the cool sheets of the hospital bed, desperate for something to hold onto. His body was caught between the unrelenting heat of Ishaan behind him and the cold air brushing over his skin, an unbearable contrast that made him shudder.Ishaan’s hand drifted lower, skimming over Ashwin’s stomach before gripping his hip hard enough to leave fingerprints. “You’re shaking,” he murmured, amusement laced in his voice. “I haven’t even started yet.”Ashwin bit his lip,
Tangled In Scales Side Story (The Bikers II)
The clinic had long since settled into a comfortable hush. The fluorescent lights hummed faintly, casting sterile glows on linoleum floors. The rhythmic beeping of heart monitors, the occasional rustle of papers at the nurses’ station, and the distant murmur of a late-night television in the waiting room were the only reminders that life continued beyond these walls.But inside Room 17, the world had narrowed to the two of them.Hayden stood at the edge of the hospital bed, arms crossed over his chest, his white coat unbuttoned and slightly rumpled from the long shift. His dark eyes were sharp, calculating, yet threaded with something dangerously close to amusement.“You’re not dying,” he stated, voice flat.Ohas, lounging against the pillows, tousled curls framing his face in careless disarray, pouted like a petulant prince. His golden-honey eyes gleamed under the dim lighting, half-lidded in mock distress.“But I could be,” he countered, pressing a hand over his chest with theatric
Tangled In Scales Side Story (The Bikers I)
The clinic smelled like antiseptic, faint traces of lavender from the recently cleaned floors mixing with the sterile scent of medicine. It was a familiar scent, one Hayden barely noticed anymore.The night shift was slower than usual, leaving the halls eerily quiet, the fluorescent lights casting cold, clinical glows along the polished floors.Outside, the city hummed with life, but inside, time felt still, the silence broken only by the occasional beeping of a heart monitor or the hushed voices of nurses making their rounds.Hayden moved through the hallways at a steady, unhurried pace, clipboard in hand, while Ashwin trailed behind him, scribbling down notes with the practiced ease of someone used to his older brother’s rhythm.“You’re slowing me down,” Hayden teased, glancing over his shoulder.Ashwin shot him a flat look. “I’m writing everything down so you don’t forget.”Hayden smirked. “That’s what nurses are for, huh?”Ashwin rolled his eyes but didn’t argue. They both knew Ha
Tangled In Scales 122
Amira's entire body locked up. She could handle a scolding. She could handle Ishaan's wrath. But Dhruv? Her father would lock her up. Her heart pounded as Ishaan pressed further, his voice a dangerous hiss. "You know what he'll do, don’t you?" he hissed. "You won’t see the outside again without his permission. He’ll make sure you never slither a single inch past the borders unless he allows it." Amira's throat went dry. Ishaan wasn't bluffing. She knew her father’s overprotectiveness was nothing short of suffocating. If he found out she'd been sneaking around with Imara—if he even suspected she was involved in something reckless—he would lock her up. Panic surged through her. "Uncle, please," Amira whispered, gripping her arms. "I swear it wasn’t like that. I just... I was just making sure Imara was okay." Ishaan exhaled sharply through his nose, nostrils flaring. "You are just as reckless as she is," he snapped. "If you value your freedom, Amira, you will stay out
Tangled In Scales 121
Shadows stretched long and deep as he and his brothers, Rakesh and Arora, stepped past the towering stone archway marking their home.The courtyard was alive with movement—eight younger siblings darting around, their laughter bouncing off the walls like echoes of a time when the triplets had been just as carefree.The youngest two had somehow clambered onto their father’s thick, coiled tail, giggling as Ohas lazily let them swing back and forth. Their mother, Hayden, sat nearby, sharp eyes flickering over them, his gaze like a predator’s waiting for the right moment to strike.Irvin had barely taken three steps before Hayden’s head snapped toward him, his pupils narrowing.“Irvin.”That was it. Just his name. And yet, it sent an entire chill down his spine.Rakesh and Arora immediately took a single step back, clearly knowing what was coming. Hayden lifted a finger, curling it in a slow, beckoning motion. “Com
Tangled In Scales 120
The moons hung high in the sky, casting mixed hues over the dense jungle, the scent of damp earth and blooming nightflowers thick in the air. A soft breeze rustled the leaves as Imara slithered through the shadows, her long, pale hair shimmering like silk against the deep green of the foliage.She knew he was near before she even saw him.A strong arm shot out from the darkness, wrapping around her waist and pulling her against a warm, solid chest. Imara gasped, her hands instinctively pressing against the hard muscle beneath her palms.“You’re late,” Irvin murmured, his voice rich and low, vibrating through her.She huffed, tilting her head up to meet his gaze, the moonlight catching the sharp planes of his face, his dark eyes glinting with mischief. His hair, usually tied back, was loose in places, strands framing his angular jaw.“I had to be careful,” she whispered, though her pulse quickened from more than just the secrecy
Tangled In Scales 119
Five years later...The sun hung low over the courtyard, casting golden light over the lush garden. The once-pristine flower beds were now in ruins, trampled by three mischievous little troublemakers who slithered around, their dark, mamba-like tails blending into the foliage.Their giggles filled the air as they played, completely unbothered by the destruction they left in their wake—until a sharp voice rang out."Get out of my garden!"The triplets froze, exchanging wide-eyed glances.“Uh-oh. Papa is angry,” one of them whispered.Without hesitation, all three turned and bolted, their little tails dragging leaves and dirt behind them as they raced toward the house.A moment later, Hayden slithered out, his movements fluid and graceful despite his irritation. His hair was pulled into a loose man bun, but a few strands framed his sharp features, sticking slightly to his forehead from the heat of the e
Tangled In Scales 118
Ohas' golden-hazel eyes shone with an intensity that had never been there before. It was almost a year later and the sickness that had once drained him of his strength, his will, his very life, had vanished. His skin was warm again, no longer cold and brittle, no longer laced with the veins of the curse that had once gripped him. He was whole. He was alive.And right now, he was watching Hayden move above him, his gaze locked onto the way his mate's sweat-slicked body trembled with every bounce.The sight was mesmerizing—Hayden, flushed and radiant, his long hair clinging to his back and chest in damp waves, eyes hooded and lips parted as he panted. Every movement sent a rush of pleasure between them, a slow, teasing drag of heat that had Ohas gripping Hayden’s hips with reverence.He was healing well, but Hayden still insisted he drink the disgusting bitter concoctions he had prepared. Ohas had refused—until his cunning mate
Tangled In Scales 117
A deep, gasping breath tore through Ohas’ lungs as he jolted awake. His body trembled violently, his tail—once blackened and rotten with the curse—striking against the frozen ground. But something was wrong.The pain that had been his constant companion for years was… gone.His mind reeled, trying to grasp the agony that had shaped him, the sickness that had made his every moment unbearable. But there was nothing. No burning under his skin, no black veins creeping through his flesh, no suffocating weight pressing on his chest. Instead, there was only exhaustion, a hollowness that left him gasping for air.His vision swam as he tried to adjust to the blinding reflection of the glaciers. Ice walls towered around him, jagged and pristine, no longer a prison but a reminder of what had just happened. He blinked rapidly, his pulse hammering—Hayden.His body reacted before his mind could fully register the sight. H
