Late July, the summer between Amy's junior and senior year of college, she was finally getting to go on the cruise of her dreams. She had saved up for years for this trip and she was finally here. With her best friend Marie, this trip to the Caribbean couldn't have been more perfect.....At least, that was how it started.

Amy quickly found out that reconnecting with her high school best friend wasn't a good idea. The girl had taken a turn for the worst, obsessed with partying and jumping from one boy to the next. Marie viewed this two week trip as a way to find a dozen guys to have fun with while her boyfriend was stuck back at home. Drinking and going to the clubs on board every night, Marie was having a great time, Amy wasn't. Constantly being hit on by drunk guys, and hassled by a girl she used to consider her friend all added up to a not so very nice trip. They hadn't even reached the island, so she was trapped on this ship with all the jerks, she couldn't escape.

One particular guy refused to leave her alone. Tanned skin, spiked hair and a perfect body, Jake was a total tool. He was leaning on the railing, scratching his bare chest as he rambled on and on about himself.

Amy was standing beside him, staring out at the crystal blue waves. Her long pale hair was being blown about in the warm breeze, the ends tickling her face. Bright green eyes peered out over a freckled nose, doing everything but look at the young man next to her. Tugging down the hem of her jean skirt, she shifted her weight to her other foot, putting a little bit more distance between them.

"Come on Amy, I know you don't have a boyfriend." Jake grinned before he took another swig from the brown bottle in his hand. "Marie told me everything. You are an untouched little flower just begging to be broken in."

Fists shaking, her eyes snapped to him. "Don't you dare say anything about me and my choices! Just because I don't flaunt myself around to every man i see doesn't mean I'm begging for anything from the first interested guy." She huffed and turned, her back to him as she tried to walk away.

The man grabbed her by the arm, wrenching her around with a smirk on his face. "Ooo feisty, I like that." His breath reeked of beer as he drew his face closer.

Amy slapped him and tried to pull away from his strong grip. "Let go of me!" She shouted. "I wouldn't ever let you touch me! You don't deserve it!"

That comment snapped something in the drunk man's head. Eyes blazed as his grip on her upper arm got tighter. "Don't speak to me that way." Ignoring her cries of protest he pressed her up against the railing, forcing his mouth on hers. Amy screamed and shoved him away, trying to scoot out from under him and escape. When her hand connected with his face he growled and smacked her across the face with the beer bottle. When Amy went limp in his arms, blood oozing from the gash across her forehead, the drunkard panicked. Lifting the petite woman's form up he let her fall over the railing, splashing into the churning waves below.


Some time later, a soaked, bruised, and bleeding woman washed up onto a white sandy beach. Her tank top was torn and her shoes were gone by the time she washed up to safety. How she had managed to survive the fall, let alone the distance to the island was a total mystery. The pounding in her head let her shift in and out of consciousness, but she couldn't focus enough to move. Laying there in the cold water, she let the blackness consume her once more.

Ra'id of the Vasuka clan, the crown prince of the proud Naga clan, was bored. He was bored of the women, the men, his father, his mother, the island on which they all lived. He was being groomed to be King of all the island Nagas. He didn't much care for it. He also didn't care for the treatment of the humans they had on the island. There weren't many, most of the race being wiped out by the Naga who had a taste for human flesh. Ra'id could not partake in such a disgusting feast. Many of his clan mates found that to be a sign of weakness. Ra'id could not care less about them and their opinions.

Ra'id was talking one of his long strolls along the shoreline when something caught his eye. The golden Naga moved slowly towards the heap that was being lapped by cold sea water. He bent down, his long arms resting on the damp sand around them. He tilted his head, his white hair falling forward, his golden slit eyes peering down at the figure before him. It was a human, but she was oddly dressed. It was obvious to him that this female was not of the island. He picked the female up in his darkly tanned arms, his humanoid half was the color of coconut skin, a toasty brown, making his white hair stand out more. The rest of his body was that of a large anaconda snake, it's coloring gold with black bands all the way down to the tip of his tail. He was adorned with gold cuffs, chains and other jewelry. He had horns protruding from his skull, they were black and curved down long his face.

"Little one, you have come to the wrong place." He whispered to the odd human. She was a treasure, she was special, he knew it. He had to protect her from the others. They would surely want to dine on her flesh. He would have to make her his slave in order to keep her protected from his clan. He sighed, he really didn't want to have to do this. "What a hassle." He muttered, easily carrying the woman to his palace, where he could care for her in peace. He lived alone in a large stone temple, he told his parents that he needed a private place for him to escape from the stress, they allowed him that place.

The salty water stung the scraps on her body as she laid there in the surf. The sand shifted around her eyes fluttered open a bit. Strong arms circled her and lifted her from the sand and water despite the wince that parted her lips. Her head was screaming, the intense pain rippling through her skull made it hard to focus. Eyes flitted up to find this mans face, but the bright sun behind him made it nearly impossible to see his handsome features.

His words barely processed as he carried her. It took nearly ever ounce of strength she had to shift, pull her dangling arm up, her small hand landing on the muscle of his chest. "Thank you..." She managed to mumble before her bright eyes closed and her body went limp once more. Where was she? How had she ended up on this beach? Her brow creased as her body tried to fight off the pain.

Sometime later she awoke laying on a bed of soft blankets. Her head ached, but at least it wasn't the incompasitating throbbing of before. Slowly she drew her hand up to her face, rubbing at her sore eyes. Her fingers found a bandage wrapped around her head covering the gash on the side of her face. That would explain the headache. As carefully as she could, Amy sat up, the blankets falling away from her as she shifted. Seeing her torn tank top, her face reddened and she pulled it up a little more before she took the chance to glance around.

"H-hello?" She called out, her voice soft and a bit raspy from all the saltwater she had swallowed. Where was the man that had saved her?

Ra'id had been watching the human as she slept from the shadows. He had slipped away to gather some slave clothing for her, just so he could keep her safe from the others. He had come back as she woke, calling out to the shadows. She had not known the terrors that she had woken to. He sighed, knowing what may happen when she sees him for the first time. He moved out of the shadows, holding the skimpy clothing in his arms, the shadows hiding his golden scaled tail with it's detailed designs that set him apart from all other Nagas.

"Do not be afraid. I mean you no harm." Ra'id said as he looked upon the female. She was not like the humans he was used to. There was something exciting about her, something that made Ra'id feel different, some sort of spark. Ra'id was intrigued by this new feeling. He felt alive, like there was a future. He moved forward more, trying his best to keep his tail out of view.

"Who are you? Where do you come from?" He asked. He stopped moving, just stood there, watching her. His horns were visible, as is he rest of his odd features. He was worried that she'd go running from his private home and out into the wilds with the more feral Naga's who merely hunt for sport.

Her eyes got wide as the deep voice stole her attention. Turning she swallowed the lump in her throat as the man came out of the shadows. Her eyes instantly went to the sleek black horns that slid along his face. Were they normal? Her mind instantly asked as her hand went up to her head. No horns there. So he was something different. He was handsome, if also a bit odd, the white hair and horns and all. She shifted nervously on the bed trying to get her bearings but no matter what she tried to think of, her mind was blank. She couldn't remember a thing. Her heart started racing. Why couldn't she remember anything?

His words took her attention once more. He wasn't going to hurt her. He sounded sincerer. Could she trust him? Her eyes darted around the room, she didn't know, but she didn't really have any other options? He was staring quite intently at her. Was she in the wrong place? Had she done something wrong to end up here? How had she hurt her head? The man came closer and she gasped, eyes wide as she finally saw his lower half. Shimmering scales along a serpentine body. She was not expecting that.

She scooted back against he wall behind her a bit, heart pounding harder now. Where was she? Was this normal? Half snake people... Her head was pounding. she pressed her hand to her temple, wincing a bit as the panic started to set in. "I... I don't know." She finally managed to mumble, a tear leaking from the corner of her eye. "I can't remember anything." She pulled her knees up close to her chest, hands still holding her bandaged head. "There's nothing. It's all blank." Frantic eyes looked up at him, her initial curiosity about his odd features gone, now she was just terrified with how she couldn't remember a thing. "Do you know where I am? Who I am?" She asked, voice shaking as he looked around. None of this seemed familiar. It wasn't her home, was it?