Edwin crept through the darkened corridor, finding his way only by the dim reflection of his target's torch barely visible around the corner. As he silently approached, placing his back up against the wall, the murmurs of conversation became more audible.

He couldn't make out the exact words, but he picked out a few different voices down the hall. A gravelly male voice, likely belonging to the dwarf whose silhouette he'd seen while he stalked them through the old ruin. Another lighter voice, more cheerful, mentioning something about a crown - so they knew of the artefact he was here for. Dammit... he thought to himself, grimacing, though he didn't dare make a sound. That's... fine. I can still make this work. Hell, maybe I can let them do my dirty work for me and swipe it when they're done.

That wouldn't be so bad... all he'd have to do would be avoid their notice for a while. Maybe slip back outside, wait for them hidden by the entrance and tail them until an opportunity presented itself.

His train of thought was interrupted when he recognized one of the voices. He went pale, letting out a gasp before covering his mouth.

It was her. That silken voice was unmistakable. Even this far away, unable to make out her words, the sound of her voice pierced his mind... he couldn't help but think back to their last encounter. The soft purr of his enemy as she filled his vision with mesmerizing colors, soothing and pampering him into blissful submission, her cool, comfortable scales on his skin as her tail pried a stolen gem from his hands...

He shook off the flashback, gritting his teeth and trying to ignore the warmth in his cheeks, annoyed at himself for letting it get to him. Stupid lamia... of course she just had to be here. Two heists out of the last three, she had shown up to steal his prize right out from under his nose, and her playful teasing only served to rub salt in the wound.

...she... hadn't heard him, had she? Had any of them? The conversation had stopped.

He began silently tiptoeing back the way he came, eyes on the corner. Lightfooted and quiet enough his steps were drowned out by as little as the crackle of the flickering torchlight. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the dark as he felt his way across the stonework of the hallway's walls, further and further from the light. If they did notice him, they weren't following yet...

He thought he'd lost them when a familiar tail curled around his mouth like a gag. The moment her lovely voice graced his ears, a shiver went down his spine - just the stress, he told himself, but he knew it was something more, as much as he wanted to deny it.

"Be sssilent... we wouldn't want my friendss to hear you sscream, now would we?" she whispered in a low, sultry tone, a hint of glee in her voice. He could feel her breath on his neck as she whispered into his ear. He slowly nodded, breathing heavily as he felt her long, serpent-like tail coil around his waist and legs, restraining him. "Good~ I didn't expect to ssee you here, little thief... are you following me?"

She lowered her tail off of his mouth, allowing him to speak. He squirmed in her coils, but to no avail - she had him captive. "N-no! I... I thought you were following me..."

She giggled softly, pulling down his cloak's hood and letting his long blonde hair spill out. She ran her gentle fingers through it, making him blush as they brushed against his long elf ears. "Sso it'ss jussst fate that we keep meeting like thisss, mm?"

He tried making a "hmph" noise, but it came out more like a flustered little whimper. Her tail tightened around him further...

"Now, what'll I be ssstealing from you thiss time, dear?"

"I... h-heh... sorry, but I'm afraid I don't have anything for you to take this time. You found me early. I haven't stolen anything yet." He smirked, glad to know at least she'd be leaving empty-handed.

"But I musst take sssomething, dear..." She giggled deviously, scritching underneath his chin. He fidgeted nervously, knowing she was implying something sinister, but he wasn't sure what. "Perhapss... I'll sssteal you thisss time~ take home a pretty little plaything~"

"M-m-me? I- what's that supposed to mean??" He struggled uselessly, blushing brighter as she laughed.

"Sssilly little thing... mm, you are a ssskilled little thief, you know. Perhapsss you could even keep up with me," she said, caressing his cheek with the tip of her tail, "even well enough to be... mmm, how do I put thisss... a sssidekick?"

A... a sidekick?? His blood boiled as it flooded his cheeks. A sidekick! How couldn't he be insulted? Like he'd spend the rest of his career in the shadow of this lamia, the only thief he'd ever met better than him. Quicker, cleverer, always a step ahead... and he was supposed to be content being a loyal little lapdog for her?

"N-no! Never!" he growled, struggling pathetically. He had more words ready for her, a spiteful refusal of such a ridiculous proposal, but they caught in his throat when... when...

He'd never seen those entrancing eyes surrounded by complete darkness before. They were near irresistible every other time he'd seen them, but here, in the pitch-black of this dungeon... the vivid, sinister green glow of those eyes was the most beautiful light he'd ever seen. One would think such a bright light would make one flinch when adjusted to the darkness, but it felt almost the other way around, her hypnotic gaze so alluring that to look anywhere else would sting. He meekly stammered out what was supposed to be a protest, but he just couldn't manage to be even slightly upset. He siiiighed blissfully, his body slumping against hers...

The green slowly swirled into a bright, beautiful yellow, then into a mesmerizing teal, then back to that almost villainous green again... drool formed at the corner of a dumb-looking grin, letting the colors massage his mind into a submissive mush. It was only when he saw her smug, satisfied smirk, the colors finally illuminating her face enough for him to see, that he found a spark of resistance again, gritting his teeth. He chomped down on his tongue, the pain jolting him just enough out of his haze to finally break her gaze. His eyes shut tight, his breathing heavy, the colors still swimming about in his head.

"I-I... ghh..." he mumbled weakly, still reeling pleasurably from the spell she'd had him under. She giggled deviously, leaning close, so intimate with him as he felt her soft scales underneath his clothes. When... when had she done that? He'd been too out of it to notice her caressing his skin so softly. He realized he was blushing bright red, whimpering pathetically...

"Be careful there, little thief, dear... I almossst had you~" She was inches from his face, close enough to kiss. Even with his eyes closed, the mesmerizing glow of her eyes almost shone through his eyelids, her gaze gently tugging on his, trying to lure it back out... he tried to think of something, anything else, to distract himself, but all he could think of were their previous encounters.

The first time they'd met, he'd actually managed to avoid her gaze at first, only for it to reflect off the blade of the sword he was trying to steal, the blade polished to a mirror sheen... the second time, she'd gotten the drop on him, capturing his gaze with hers before he could react. Each encounter with her was more intimate, and with each one, he found it more difficult to resist her charms...

"Open those eyesss... I can sssense you getting weaker~ you know jussst how much you crave ssssubmission, little thief~"

He weakly shook his head, but it was only a matter of time. It was so... so tempting. He shouldn't, but his heart betrayed him, and he knew she was right. He wanted nothing more than to let the lights into his mind, to let her have his way with him, to be blissfully hers. Only his pride kept him even the tiniest bit lucid, and no matter how tightly he held onto it, he could feel himself... slippingg....

It was the kiss that finally sealed his fate, sending a shiver of pleasure through his body as his eyes fluttered, then locked onto hers. In an instant his mind's defenses crumbled, allowing a cascade of color to flood into his empty head and wash away all stress, every worry, every last thought. His body went limp and his head lulled slightly to the side. He was almost too hazy to kiss her back. What little consciousness he had left was used only to worship her, fawn over her, give her anything she desired of him. He was hers, completely and utterly. He felt so sensitive to her touch as that tail caressed him so fondly.

"Ssssooo much better like that, isn't that right~?" She admired her new worshiper playfully, watching him shudder blissfully as the tip of her tail brushed across his neck. He nodded hazily, mumbling an incoherent affirmation of his obedience. She cupped his cheeks, petting one with her thumb. In their previous meetings, she'd entranced him like this, but let him go afterwards with no lingering commands. This time, though...

This time his mind would stay hers.