The next morning found the two lover wrapped in each other's arms. Veer woke up first to see Bani was on top of him and had somehow entwined her entire body with his, making it impossible for him to even twitch without breaking her sleep. He tried to move but ended but waking her up.

B: Hmm?...Oh...morning gharwale..

She snuggled into his neck and gave him a kiss.

V: Kya baat hai! Good morning gharwali... Waise aaj naagin aise lipat kaise gayi mujhse?

B: (Blushes) Vo- vo mai...

V: Vo-vo kya kr rahi ho sweetheart? Sach bolo, dr gayi thi na ki kahin mujhe koi uda ke na le jaye..

B: (Angrily) Vo sab bakwas mt kro subah subah, utho aur fresh ho jao...nahi, pehle mai jaa rahi hoon..

Bani got up and went to the washroom. Veer looked at the door as she shut it and laughed slightly before getting up himself.

...................

Bani bought out the toast that was made for breakfast and sat next to Meera and smiled. Veer frowned as Bani was not sitting next to him.

D: Oooooh~ Ponky, Bhabhi aaj Veer bhai ke pass nahi baithi...

P: Haan....shyd kl ki baat se abhi bhi gussa hai...

They teased Veer.

V: Arey sweetheart...(Bani ignored) Sweetheart...suno na...

P: Royally ignored...

D: Hahaha

Other members also snickered.

V: Arey koi na, sweetheart gussa hai to mai wahan aa jata hoon...

He quickly rushed to sit next to her but Bani got up and left.

Daksh and Ponky howled and laughed. Veer pouted, feeling sad. He smacked his brothers on their head and rushed after Bani.

In kitchen,

V: Bani, Sweetheart, maan jao na...maine koi jaanmujh kr thodi na kuch bhi kiya tha...jo kiya us Chandini ne kiya na...mujhe kyu saza mil rahi hai..

Bani closed her eyes in anger and reopened them. She started to work, ignoring Veer.

V: Kl to normal thi tum, uss Chandini ko itna mara pr aaj mujhpr ye jwalamukhi kyu barsa rahi ho?

Bani looked away, she was trying to control her anger. She was actually preoccupied with saving Veer and the mani yesterday but now her anger and pain as a wife had resurfaced.

V: Gharwali, Chandini ne-

Bani hissed and grabbed Veer's neck. She dragged him to the wall.

B: NAAM MT LO US CHUDIAL KA!!!!

V: B-B-Bani?

B: Kya hai?

V: K-kuch nahi...ab to vo chand pr gayi na...chandin—

Bani grabbed his neck tighter. Her eyes became red and scales started to show.

B: Kaha na, naam mt lo...tum mere pati ho, mine...us chudial ne tumhe harm krne ki koshish ki thi...aur tumpr jadoo kiya..

V: Wahi na Sweetheart, isme meri kya galti..

B: Vo mujhe nahi pata..

V: Arey, explain toh kro..

B: Ab gusse ke beech me mai yeh explain karungi ki mai gussa kyu hoon toh mai gussa kb karungi???

V: (Shows her puppy face and pouts) Maaf kr do na sweetheart..

Veer was still against the wall and Bani's hands were around his neck. She loosened her hold and stepped away.

V: (Mutters softly) Bach gaye beta Veer, wrna aaj teri naagin tujhe teri life ki akhri kiss de deti, ek dum zehrili kiss...

B: Kuch kaha?

V: Nahi..vo Chan- mtlb chudial chudial!!!

Veer wipes sweat off his forehead and smiles nervously. Bani smiled at his cuteness.

B: Uski baat chodo ab..

V: (Mutters) Ab jo hukum apka...Kya kare ye gharwala apni gharwali se darta hai

B: Kya?

V: Kuch nahi, tum kya keh rahi thi..

B: Mai keh rahi thi ki mai aa-

Suddenly, a loud blast was heard from the hall. Veer and Bani frowned. They rushed out, feeling scared for their family.

.......................

A few minutes earlier,

Standing outside SM were Jai and Karishma. Shukla flew down towards them.

J: Kaam ho gaya...

S: Haan..

J: Good.

He looked back towards the army of Shatpati and smirked. He whispers his dark magical words. Him and Karishma had united their research and tricks to gain control over these creatures. They instructed them to attack and soon the SM was plagued with a lot of them.

Presently,
Vani rushed out to see their family was trapped. Large centipede-like creatures were crawling towards them.

B: Veer!!! Ye kya ho raha hai? Ye sb? Yahan???

V: Pata nahi Bani, tum peeche hato..

The men in the family turned into cheels and started to defend the family. Bani turned half naagin. She shielded Meera and Chandrakala, the humans of the family.

She moved her large naagin-tail and crushed a few of them but there were hundreds of these creatures, probably thousands. One of them bit Ponky and he fell down, turning human.

P: AAAH!! Bhai!! Ye to hazaron hai, abhi tk aa rahe hai..

The family fought them for a long while but the creatures were too many and they were cornered. Suddenly, a shatpati, which had crawled on the ceiling was going to fall on Bani when Veer noticed this.

He hooted loudly and caught the creature mid-air in his cheel claws and crushed it. He turned human and got in front of Bani. He kept a hand on her cheeks.

V: Tum thik ho na Bani..

B: H-haan... (She was slightly shocked)

Veer hugged her and looked around.

V: Vo dekho..

They found an open window from which the creature were not pouring in.

V: It is probably our only exit. Hume nahi pata ye kitne saare hai...let's leave while we still can.

Tapish turned half-cheel and lifted up Meera. Balwant did the same with Chadrakala. Veer lifted up Bani. The family started to fly out of the window. Bani noticed one creature was trying to attack and stop their exit. When it got too close to attack, she elongated her naagin tongue and bit it. The creature died instantly. The family flew out of the house safely.

.....................

They flew only a few feet away before all the cheels turned humans and fell on the ground.

B: Ouch!!!!

Meera: Aaah!!!!

Ch: Oof

P: Lgi to mujhe bhot zor ki hai, kya awaz nikalu..

He said rubbing his butt. Daksh smacked him for not being serious in a such a life threatening situaion.

Veer rushed to hold Bani.

V: Gharwali? Tum thik ho na, lagi to nahi na? Pata nahi mai kaise ek dum se-?

Ba: Haan Veer!! Tum sb thik toh ho na? Pata nahi hum achanak saare apne insaani roop me kaise aa gaye?

Jai: MAI BATATA HOON..

The family turned and was shocked to see Jai, Shukla and Karishma at a distance. On their faces, was a victorious smirk. Behind them and surrounding the Singhanias was an army of shatpatis. They were encircling them at a distance, like they were waiting  to attack.

B: HRIDAY!!!! Tu Kabhi baaz mt aana...beshrm!!! Kya kiya hai tune?

J: Adi Naagin...no babes..you are in no position to shout at me..look around and see your situation first...

They all looked around and saw they were fully surrounded.

D: Bhai! Bhabhi..hum hr taraf se ghir chuke hai..sirf asman hi ek bhagne ka rasta hai aur hum roop bhi nahi badal paa rahe..

Bani closed her eyes and even she failed to turn. Jai saw her trying and laughed like a maniac.

J: Useless hai vo Adi naagin. You think these shatpatis were our attack. No!!! They were only to lure you all out into this trap.

S: Hahaha...haan...Karishma aur Jai ne uss army ko bhej kr tum sb ko uss window se bhagne pr majboor kiya...usi raste me maine mayavi bhabhoot ka chidkaav kiya tha...iss circle ke andr tumme se koi bhi apna roop nahi badal payega...hahahha...

K: Aur tum jb sirf mamooli insaan hi ho, koi shaktiyan nahi hai ...toh iss poori army se ladoge kaise??...hahahha...

Vani looked at their families and then at each other. They knew they were truly trapped. They held each others' hands for comfort. Veer kissed her forehead slightly, focusing at the army.

T: We'll not go down without a fight!!

V: Damn right bhai!!!

Bani looked around at the huge army and three smirking faces staring at them. She turned and saw her family of nine- all human at the moment. They were no match. She closed her eyes and prayed to the gods above.

B: Mai mere parivaar ko kuch nahi hone dungi..

She promised herself and took a fighting stance. The engines of her brain, running at full speed. Veer took a step ahead of her and covered her body, shielding her.

V: (Whispers) I love you..

Bani mouthed the words back.

Jai: ATTACK!!!!!

................................

And that is a cliff-hanger my friends!

The next chapter will have the major fight. Probably the last or the second last chapter of this book. Depends.

See you soon.
xoxo