#snake men

From its glowing jungles and sentient reefs rose the Naga—ancient, serpentine warriors with-scaled bodies and the instincts of apex predators. For every drone sent, for every soldier who vanished, it became clear: science and weapons were no match for myth.

Then the Naga made contact.

Azraq, a war chieftain wrapped in ocean-blue scales and bioluminescent markings, stepped forward with an ultimatum: Peace, in exchange for human women. All of the naga people are dying out as only males remain.

The Initiative, unwilling to risk more death, agreed.

There is no secrecy. No diplomacy.

Now, every few weeks, women are taken. Ripped from the ships at any hour of the day—screaming, begging, dragged down into the glowing wilds of Gaia by figures that vanish like ghosts into the trees. And while you feel pity… you don't have the luxury of fear or sympathy.

You only care about one thing.

Your two-year-old daughter, Lila.

You're not a soldier. Not a scientist. You're a fixer—someone who made the impossible happen for the right price. Smuggling. Forgery. Organ runs. You kept your head down, stayed off radars, all to keep your daughter fed, hidden, safe. And it worked. Until now.

Your name is pulled. They’re taking you.

They say you’ll be treated well. That the Naga only take what they need. That this is diplomacy.

But as they try to separate you from Lila, to tear your child from your arms, something inside you breaks.

You are not going quietly.

And Azraq, when he lays eyes on you for the first time, sees something unexpected—not a frightened offering, but a mother who bears her teeth. A woman who would raze a world to keep her child.

And maybe… that’s exactly the kind of fire the Naga need.

Love isn’t the goal. Survival isn’t certain. But Gaia holds more than monsters. And in the depths of its glowing oceans, haunted forests and cold deserts, you might just find something even more dangerous than war.

A reason to stay.

Key Terms & Lore Notes for the Fic

To help ground you in the world of Venom and Vow, here are important definitions and worldbuilding elements to note:

🪺 Nest The personal dwelling or living space of a Naga. Each Naga male claims a Nest, which reflects his status, history, and bloodline. These are often embedded deep in Gaia’s bioluminescent forests, reefs, or caverns—organic, living spaces grown over time.

👶 Crèche A nursery located within the Nest of each Naga, where young offspring are raised in protected environments. These sacred spaces of these Nagas have for many years been empty and without use until now.

🐍 Clans & Bloodlines Naga society is divided by clan, determined by their lineage and physiology. Each clan traces its heritage to a distinct serpentine archetype, dictating traits like venom type, scale color, hunting style, and territorial behaviors.

The four major clans in this story are inspired by:

White-Lipped Island Pit Viper

King Cobra 

Malayan Coral Snake

Sunbeam Snake

The Naga Clans of Gaia

On the bioluminescent world of XZ-91A—called Gaia by human settlers—the ancient serpent-like people known as the Naga have emerged to make a desperate proposition: human women, in exchange for peace… and power.

Below are the four dominant Naga bloodlines, their territories, what they offer in trade, and their defining characteristics:

The Pit Vipers

Coloration: Pale blue, with opalescent shimmer Habitat: Dense bioluminescent jungles and glowing forest canopies Offerings: Rare jungle medicines, venom-derived compounds, healing serums, cloaking spores, and biochemical weapon enhancers. Their territory also holds high-value medicinal flora and rare mineral deposits.

The Cobras

Coloration: Blackish-brown with golden bands; golden cobra hood Habitat: Arid deserts, craggy cliffs, and ancient, sun-blasted ruins Offerings: Fire glass, obsidian metals, scorched-earth fuels, and rare solar-charged power stones. Despite their distance from most Naga territories, they bring long-range trade goods, warfare relics, and scorched alloys ideal for weapons.

The Sunbeams

Coloration: Black scales that shimmer rainbow iridescence in light Habitat: Deep caves, crystal caverns, and underground bioluminescent grottos Offerings: Light-reactive alloys, thermal energy crystals, psionic amplifiers, and rare fungi used for biotech and sensory augmentation. They also control many subterranean routes and ancient, forgotten relics.

The Coral

Coloration: Various ranges of oceanic or dark blue with and a vivid orange-red tail tip and matching face and head. Habitat: Coastal tidepools, reef-bound islands, and submerged oceanic caves Offerings: Pearls, rare ocean metals, coral-based building materials, exotic marine fauna, venomous fish toxins, and deep-sea biotech. Their territories are chained island clusters accessible only by swimming—remote, but rich.

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17 (Sexual Content Present)

Chapter 18 (Sexual Content Present)

Chapter 19

Taglist

The air was burning in your lungs as you ran.  The bandits had attacked the carriage without mercy.  Even the horses were slaughtered, the ground stained red with their blood and two of your other passengers who had met their fates quickly.  You’d seen an opportunity while two of the murderers started arguing over who got the first crack at you.  You’d seen the writing on the wall immediately, either raped or murdered…or both.  You’d ran into the trees and didn’t look back. 

You could hear them stomping through the brush, boots not even trying to keep quiet as what sounded like three of them chased after you.  You clung to the bag strapped over your chest as limbs and branches slapped against your body, cutting your skin and grabbing your clothes. 

This was supposed to be the new start for you.  Going to a new town, a new land after the loss of your family.  You were the eldest daughter, never married, never courted really.  Now with 40 plus years of having been the one to take care of your parents when your sister died, you’d been given a choice.  Sell the little printing house your father had built and actually live your life or find yourself tied to his business partner in marriage. 

You weren’t the type to be chosen as a good wife.  You knew how to read for one as well as write.  You enjoyed it actually and enjoyed writing stories as much as reading them.  You’d gotten along with many of the historians and writers who came to the print shop.  It was a place you thrived.  Even though Horace, your fathers partner, wasn’t thrilled with how your father allowed you to learn so much.  That wasn’t the norm for women…he was willing to overlook these “faults.”  He felt duty bound to help you, hence his not so enthusiastic marriage proposal. 

Horace was nearly 75 years old.  Even though you were considered an old maid at this point…you couldn’t see yourself in any way shape or form marrying him.  So you’d made it simple.  You’d sold the business, the house, and took your money along with a few possessions and headed towards the rest of your life.  A life that had been sheltered except when it came to your imagination. 

And now, here you were.  Running for your life wasn’t on your wish list of things to experience but it would appear you had no choice in the matter.  One particularly thick branch slammed into your forehead, and you nearly blacked out.  You caught yourself on the forest floor, hand to your head.  It came away sticky with blood.  The sound of boots was coming closer.  You needed to find somewhere to hide. 

You weren’t familiar with where you were.  In fact you had no idea where in the journey you’d been ambushed.  All you knew was that you couldn’t stay where you were.  You stumbled to your feet; grateful you had gone with pants and not a dress or you’d be tripping over yourself no doubt.  You were dizzy but determined.  You started forward again. 

The trees started thinning out slightly and then as you looked up from the dirt and leafy forest floor you saw it.  It was a giant wall with a large black iron gate.  Beyond the wall you could see what looked like a castle but for some reason reminded you more of an enormous church sitting atop a hill.  Below it, where the gate would open up was a massive garden and orchard. 

You leaned heavily against a smaller tree as you stared into the darkness of the garden and foliage.  Maybe whoever lived inside would help you.  Maybe…or maybe you would be better off taking your chances with the forest.  Exhaustion clawed at you, your head throbbed, and the adrenaline rush of the chase was abating and letting you feel every ache that it had left you with.  The faces of the other passengers as they were shot in front of you were burned into your minds eye.  You may not know who was beyond the gate, but you knew what was after you.  “The gate…” you said to yourself and pushed away from the tree.

When you got to the black iron gate you saw the spikes sitting atop it, sharp and deadly.  No one would be climbing in that was for sure.  Squinting you read the letters that were set within the iron EDEN’S SHADOW.  There was no chain or lock on the gate but as you tried to push it open, it wouldn’t budge.  After two more attempts you looked closer…there was nothing physical causing it to lock.  But you noticed some glyphs engraved within the metal. 

Magic.  God damn it.  You weren’t as familiar with it as some were.  Mainly because your parents and the village weren’t fans at all.  “God is the only magic we need child.”  You sighed.  You’d read what books you could of course and in time you’d come to the conclusion that God and Magic were connected.  Or at least magic could get you closer to the god of your choice.  But sadly it was one subject you weren’t as well versed in and now…well that was coming back to bite you in the ass.

If this was a church though, beyond the garden and trees, maybe the gate would let you in if you asked for sanctuary.  Right now it was your only chance. 

“Please…” You said softly, desperately as you leaned close to where a lock would be.  “I need help.  I…I need to hide.  Please help me.”

A heartbeat passed and then another.  Suddenly a loud groan of unused screws moving hit your ears and you jerked back as the gate slowly swung open.  You glanced back into the forest worriedly, then ducked through the open gate.  It closed behind you faster than it opened with a nerve shattering clank of finality.  The shadows seemed darker now on this side of the wall, the air warmer and scented with flowers and fruit.  Apples you thought.

You quickly moved further into the grounds, not wanting to be visible if your pursuers happened to find you here.  The gate might open for them too, who knew.  And you didn’t want to be standing there in easy shot range of their weapons.  It wasn’t more than 30 seconds later that you heard the rustling of the branches and trees outside of the gate.  You quickly moved to hide behind a tree, ducking down and peering through some bushes at the entrance.

There stood two of the bandits, dirty clothes on their backs and weapons in hand.  The two had faces that looked haggard and lined, some teeth missing.  You’d known the road could be dangerous but never would have guessed you’d run into men like these. 

The one who was balding and had stringy, greasy hair that fell to his shoulders looked around.  “Fucking hell.”  He muttered as he saw the black iron gate.  “This is the cursed place.”

The other man, tall and thin and obviously younger turned to look at him with brown, nearly black eyes.  “What are you talking about?”

“Eden’s Shadow…you’ve never heard the fucking story?”  The older man turned, giving a wary glance at the land beyond the gate.

You grew concerned as you heard this.  Cursed?  You’d just blindly walked into a land that was cursed?  Great….this was getting better by the minute.

“What story?” the younger ruffian asked.

“The Church.  The brothers.  The Goddess.  It’s been around for…well…at least a century.”  The older bandit looked up towards the large building.  “The legends say Lilith wasn’t pleased by the family who lead the church and she cursed them.  Heathens the lot of them, dark magic and the like.  No one who goes in there comes out again.”

You swallowed down a knot of fear in your throat.  Had you just ensured your own destruction? 

The younger man glared into the dark.  “Horseshit.”  He said, his voice rough and angry.  “I bet she’s in there.  There’s nowhere else for her to go.”

“You willing to risk it being true for a bit of rough?”  The older man asked, raising a scarred brow.

“She’s pissed me off and made us run through this fucking forest for a mile.  She’s earned a good pounding.”  His companion replied. 

You couldn’t just sit there and wait for them.  You started backing up slowly, trying your best to be quiet.  You’d made it a couple yards before your foot found a stick, cracking it so loudly it could have been a muzzle blast.  They definitely heard it, and you caught a glimpse of them making for the gate. 

They started jangling the black iron, trying to get it open.  Maybe it would stay closed.  Oh god you hoped it did.  But you needed to move fast.  Before you could do so though something dark and nebulous came out of the shadows.  You didn’t even have a chance to scream before what seemed to be the shadows themselves wrapped around you and pulled you behind a large and fat blossomed rose bush.  The darkness held you by your arms, one strand wrapping around your mouth and the other around your legs so you couldn’t move if you wanted to.  You could only watch as to your horror the gate opened.

The men seemed as surprised as you were terrified.  They had their eyes wide and weapons in hand as they moved inside.  As you watched, it looked like the already deep shadows of the garden seemed to darken.  It was nearly nightfall, and the sky above was deepening to a rich purple.  Any other time it would have been beautiful to watch, but right then if the cloud of black wasn’t holding you upright you would have buckled in fear.  You hated feeling helpless, but right then there wasn’t much else you could do.  Whatever it was holding onto you wasn’t releasing you.

“I don’t like this.”  The older bandit said, his gaze flicking around the path they were walking. 

“You know she’s in here…I heard her.”  The younger one replied, viciousness in his expression.  “Come out woman…it’ll make it easier on you if you do.”  He said loudly.

From the darkness came a strange noise, almost a hiss, very nearly a growl.  It made the two bandits pause.  “What the fuck was that?”  The older one asked. 

The younger man’s bravado won out.  “Probably just an animal.  It doesn’t matter.  Let’s find the bitch.” 

At this, there was a rustle of leaves followed by a another strange hissing noise.  As you watched you saw a flicker of something between the branches.  It was white and caught the light of the moon that was just breaking through the clouds.  It glinted like a pearl for a moment and disappeared.  You pulled at the ephemeral bonds that held you and still couldn’t move. 

The two men were now getting closer to where you were.  You tried to scoot away but you were still held tight.  The young one glanced your way, and you know he saw you as a sick grin spread over his face.  “Well…lookit here…just waiting by the roses.”  He said, moving quickly in your direction. 

“What’s…what’s that on her?”  The other man asked, heavy brow furrowing. 

“I don’t care; I’ll be on her soon though.”  The tall one said, taking another step.  

And that’s when it happened.  As you watched it looked as though some black, thick vine came down from the tree he was near, wrapping around him quickly and tossing him aside into the trunk of another tree like he was weightless.

The older bandit let out a scream as he looked up into the leaves of the tree.  He fell backwards, scrambling across the leaf covered ground.  You couldn’t see what he was seeing, the shadows not letting you go still.  But his eyes were wide, filled with fear, and he was mumbling incoherently. 

In the next moment you watched as a shape fell gracefully from the branches.  When it stood up you saw the outline of a man, seemingly tall.  When the moonlight broke through another cloud your eyes widened as you took in the sight.  He was shirtless, that much you could see, his skin as white as alabaster.  

He glanced back at you for a brief moment, and you realized what you’d thought was a pearl was actually his left eye.  His right was darker and there wasn’t enough light for you to tell the color exactly.  His face appeared to be painted…black lips, black around his eyes and along his cheeks.  Your own eyes widened as you realized it was supposed to be a skull.  His hair seemed to be brown…but you couldn’t be sure.  His pale chest was covered in dark hair as well, but you couldn’t see beyond that. 

His eyes took in your position, narrowing at you for a moment before turning back to the bandits.  “You…tressspass…here?”  You heard him speak, the words carrying an accent you weren’t sure of and a strange sibilance to them.  You deduced the growl you’d heard was possibly of his making.

The older man seemed too scared to move now with the newcomer towering above him.  The younger man was now standing up, hand shaking where it held his gun.  “She came in here and she’s ours.  We’ll take her and be on our way.”  He managed to say without stuttering.

You heard a chuckle come from the pale man.  “She’sss yours?”  he asked, disbelief in every letter. 

“Fucking right she is.”  The bravado was coming fast now from the younger one.  The older bandit had tears in his eyes.

The painted face smiled, but it wasn’t in amusement.  There was something decidedly deadly about the way he was watching the two men.  “She doesn’t seem to be inclined to believe you ssstronzo.”  He said. 

“She doesn’t have a choice.  We’re taking her.”  The young man’s voice shook for only a moment. 

As you watched the pale man’s expression changed.  If he looked deadly before he was downright murderous now.  “You take away her choice?  You threaten her here?”  His voice was low, the r’s rippling with a menace within the words. 

The older man had managed to back away enough he was trying to stand, the younger was moving closer to a fate you doubted was going to be a happy one.  “I’ve had enough of this...we’re taking her now.”  The wide-eyed bandit fired his pistol. 

You let out a muffled shriek at this but as you watched the pale figure moved faster than you’d ever seen a person move.  He dodged the bullet which hit the trunk of a tree near you.  His eyes met yours again as he saw how close it came to you.  You would swear that the white eye glowed in that moment, the other burning with a green flame.  Then he turned back to the man who’d fired. 

The pale man growled and lunged at him.  The older man had finally found his footing and promptly fell again when the force of the pale man’s attack hit him as well.  He was so quick it was almost a blur and that’s when you finally saw him, as the moon in all it’s glory came out from beneath the clouds completely. 

He was holding the young bandit up off the ground, his hands grasping the filthy jacket.  His fingernails were black, nearly long enough to be claws.  He was muscled but not in the way so many of the villagers men wanted to be.  His waist narrowed down with just a bit of stomach which shared the same dark hair that covered and tapered down his chest.  But where his hips should become legs there were none. 

Instead, the man’s body turned into a long, serpent tail.  The scales of which glowed under the moonlight, a brilliant blue that seemed to almost glitter like a diamond would.  It was at least five feet long and combined with the rest of him he was nearly nine feet tall.  He held the bandit like he weighed nothing.   

“You dare attack someone who came to me for sssanctuary…”  The snake man rasped at the man who now appeared to finally realize just how fucked he truly was.  As you watched the pale face snarled, showing sharp and glinting fangs that were soon buried in the neck of the bandit. 

The man screamed and it was filled with agony.  Before your eyes his face blackened, the veins in his flesh appearing beneath his skin in dark lines as if filling with some sort of poison to the point of bursting.  In the back of your frightened mind you thought “It’s venom…”

The older bandit’s eyes were wide, and tears were flowing down his cheeks.  Not in sorrow at the loss of his partner, but in complete and mindless terror.  A wet patch grew in the front of his pants, and you knew he’d soiled himself.

The snake man pulled his fangs from his victims throat, the body limp and discolored in his grasp.  Some black fluid fell down his chin, still leaking from his fangs.  He turned to the older man and smiled.  “I believe thisss is yoursss.”  He said and then flung the body at him. 

The body landing next to him seemed to awaken him from a stupor and the older man let out a scream and then ran towards the entrance.  For one moment you thought that it would shut on him, locking him in with you and this creature you’d never even imagined could exist.  But no, he fled through the gate which then shut behind him, all while being watched by the pale figure that was wiping it’s mouth on the back of its hand. 

You were too afraid to even move now.  You had no idea what was happening, but you were fairly certain that even if the shadow bonds that held you were loosened you wouldn’t be able to open the gate.  Your head was throbbing, and your vision was starting to blur as everything that you’d witnessed, the chase, it was too much. 

The snake turned to you then, just as the shadows decided to let you go.   You caught yourself on the small trunk of a young apple tree, black spots swimming into view.  He blinked at you, his shining blue tail pushing him a little closer. 

It was as though he was hesitating, trying not to frighten you now.  Which, it was a little late for that.  You’d seen him just inject a man with toxin to the point his veins nearly ripped out of his skin.  But you’d heard him speak and the words weren’t threats to you but to the ones trying to hurt you.  You took a step backwards when he moved another bit closer, one hand trying to hold onto the tree the other pressed against your throbbing head. 

“Please…please…don’t…” You managed to say, feeling bile rise in your throat.  The world was spinning and the pain in your head was getting worse.

The creature ducked under a limb of a nearby tree, his eyes watching you warily.  “Bella, I will not hurt you…I ssswear.”  His voice was soft now and was that a stutter, just there.  Almost nervous.

You couldn’t believe him…right?  You needed to try and run…but to where?  The bandits were still out there, and you had no transportation.  You didn’t even know where you were.  No…you knew.  You were in Eden.  This was the garden of Eden.  No, the shadow of Eden.  Then that meant he was…

You couldn’t finish the thought.  Your legs buckled beneath you, and you prayed you weren’t going to throw up your meager lunch.  Before you hit the ground you heard a rushing sound, something moving quickly over the ground, through the leaves and twigs.  You felt arms grabbing you, wiry and strong, stopping you from falling to the earth.  “Ti ho bellissima…ho te.” 

You looked up to see his skull painted face looking down at you, your cheek resting against his white chest.  You tried to push away but another wave of pain and dizziness made you gasp.  “I need…to…go…” you tried to say, the words barely audible. 

“Sssei malato. Ci prenderemo cura di te.”  He spoke again, voice gentler as he slipped an arm under your legs and lifted you up like you were a feather.  You weren’t light by any stretch and how easily he did so made you tense up.  You had no idea what he was saying either…which was only adding to your fear. 

“Please…please let me go.”  You tried again, palms against his chest.  He was warm to the touch which surprised you. 

He shook his head no, locks of his brown hair falling over his forehead from where it had been swept away.  He was moving across the ground now, the large blue tail fast as he moved upwards towards the hillside.  His arms clutched you closer, tighter as he started up the steep slope.  When he spoke again, you understood him, but it seemed as though he wasn’t used to the language.  “I…I can’t let you go sorella.  I…I must tend to you, and you must rest.”  He glanced down at you, and he gave you a small smile, melancholy evident in his now softer eyes.  “You are sssafe with me.  I promise you.”

You didn’t have a choice here.  You were hurt and you were in no condition to try and run.  Out of the human males you’d encountered the very obviously not (at least completely) human one was the only one who hadn’t tried to kill you.  Your head fell back against his chest, and you noticed the scent of flowers and something sweet like honey seemed to come from his skin.  “What…who…are you…”  You managed to mumble out.  Your eyes were so heavy. 

He'd already made it up the hillside when you asked your question and now you heard the doors of the large building atop the hill opening.  “My name is Copia…” He replied.  You heard something rustling and with some effort opened your eyes to see figures emerging from the shadows.  They were all in black, with silver masks on their faces.  You could see eyes peering out from them, glancing at you then up at Copia.

He quickly said something in that other language you didn’t understand.  Was it…Italia?  Or something older?  You couldn’t tell but the new arrivals started moving right away, Copia following them, the sound of his scales swishing along the marble floor.  He glanced back down at you.  “What I am…that’s a long story bella.  Think of me as the guardian of the garden, the serpent protecting the trees.”  Another sad smile.  “Protecting Eve from those who would harm her.”

You find yourself in a room filled with glass cases and a couple of beds.  Was this a hospital?  The figures in black were moving around, three of them in the room with you.  Copia slipped in through the doorway with a grace that was well…inhuman.  With care he laid you down on one of the beds.  One of the silver masked attendants came over to you and carefully removed your bag from your shoulder and your jacket.  You tried to hold onto the bag; it was everything you had in the world now.  But you were weak, and it was pointless to try and fight. 

Copia slid up to the bed, his black tipped fingers taking hold of yours without much fuss.  “Sssshhh.  It’s alright.  It will be right over there.”  He gestured to a chair where the bag and your jacket were placed. 

You looked up at him with pain filled eyes.  The expression on his face was kind, so unlike what you’d seen before when he’d fought the bandit.  He brushed aside some hair from your forehead, brows narrowing at the wound there that was bleeding.  “You must rest bella.  Let us take care of you.  You are sssafe here.” 

“I’m…scared.”  You couldn’t stop the words from escaping your lips.  You shuddered as the shock truly took hold of you then. 

Copia used the tip of his tail to grasp a nearby blanket from a stack of them.  He placed it over you, tucking it in around you.  “I know cara…but you are sssafe now.”  He tilted his head slightly taking in your face, the color of your eyes.  He hadn’t seen a human woman in…a long time.  “What is your name bella?”  He asked at last. 

The warmth of the blanket helped.  You didn’t realize that one of the silver masked figures had a syringe until you felt the pinch of it in your arm.  More warmth then slipped into your veins.  It made the unease lessen and you just wanted to sleep then, more than anything.  “My name…”

“Si, cara…what’s your name?”  Copia took a warm washcloth and wiped away some of the grime from your cheek carefully. 

You gave it to him, barely conscious as the sedative did its work and the pleasant feeling of the cloth wiping away at the dirt soothed you. 

He repeated it, his accent and the sibilant way he spoke making it sound far more musical than you’d ever heard it.  “Un nome bello come te.”  

You had no idea what he was saying again, but it didn’t really matter.  You were sinking into the dark then, your eyes growing heavy as they looked into his mismatched gaze.  “Are you going to tempt me…” you asked without thinking before falling into oblivion.