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[b][u][center]The Golden Coil Resort

Part 1

for Taiko

by Draconicon[/center][/u][/b]

"How much further to this hotel, Darren?" Lloyd asked.

"Let me check the GPS..."

"No hurry," Riche said, leaning back and sipping at a fluted glass that put all the glassware that they had back at the house to shame. "This is fancy..."

"Don't get too used to it, son. This is a one-time thing," Lloyd said.

Darren ignored his father and brother, leaning forward to pull the glass barrier between his family and the driver out of the way. He leaned through, looking at the rat that was still staring straight ahead without the slightest acknowledgement of him, then down at the car dash.

The GPS showed a countdown timer of six minutes, which felt about right. They had been in the limo for the last three hours on this road trip, an hour of which had been at a diner that Lloyd had seen fit to stop at and take Darren and his brother to lunch at. Never mind that the limo was filled to bursting with drinks and snacks for the trip, his father had insisted, and they had been dragged along.

Darren knew that it had been a push-back against the whole 'generosity' of his employer giving them this 'gift' of going to a resort off in the middle of nowhere, but it was still a little irritating. Being stuck on the road for hours was bad enough without having to stop and wait for barely-decent food before getting back on the road to their destination.

"Six minutes," he called back, then turned his head to the driver. "Right?"

"Right, sir," the rat muttered.

"And anything else?"

"Nothing further from Mr. Lee, sir."

"..."

"He said that he'll get in touch with you once you arrive."

"Yeah...I'm sure."

Darren hadn't heard much from his boss since touching down in Opal City, something about ensuring that this was a vacation and not tempting either of them to start volunteering for extra work during the week apart. Something about encouraging proper independence, too, though he had felt that was a bit of bullshit on the part of the snow leopard. So, when the phone call came in that morning, he'd hoped that there was something of substance for him to do, something that might need his attention back in Kusan City, or something that might need him to come back a bit early.

Instead, his 'vacation' had been extended. Darren shook his head as he sat down again, sitting between his father and his older brother. Riche tossed his head back, blonde hair falling over the back of his neck - was it slightly longer? It almost seemed braidable, at this point - and giggled as he looked down at his empty glass.

"Do you think there's more of that bottle in here?" Riche asked.

"Son...give me the glass."

Riche groaned, but obliged. Lloyd pulled one of the napkins that he'd taken from the diner from his pocket, wiped the glass down, and put it back in the storage rack under the seat. He gave a firm nod, saying without words that Riche was cut off for the duration of the trip.

Probably a good thing. Riche wasn't exactly a party guy - though he was more of one than Darren was - and he didn't have the head for too much booze, even though the stuff in the limo was low percentage.

With his family temporarily mollified, Darren turned to look out the windows. He was familiar with Opal City and Opal Lake, and fairly familiar with Novus Ager, but this was a new place, and he didn't know much about it. Some sort of new resort town that went by the name of 'Ciolu', or something similar to that. The name came from a very different language, and he didn't know just how it was supposed to be pronounced. It was fairly new, too, so he hadn't known what to expect, or what kind of structure that the place would have.

As he looked out the window, he had a view of the sea-shore side of town, one that bordered the coastline and allowed a sea breeze in through the open car window. It was a refreshing smell, something that reminded him of both his homes, and he sighed as he smiled.

The town itself, however, was very different. The roads were flat, and lacked the usual speed bumps that he was used to going over when they were in a more human town, or even in Novus Ager. There were no sidewalks, no raised edges on the streets, and the houses themselves...

Well, it had been rather weird to see that each house had a series of radiators along the outside to vent the heat coming from inside the house, as well as greenhouse second-floors, and that was just the start of the differences in town.

The car was taking them through the waterfront side of things, and he could just make out their destination in the distance. It was the tallest building in Ciolu, standing more than ten stories taller than the next tallest building, and it looked like something snagged from Las Vegas in terms of just how grandiose it was. It looked like an upside-down cone, with the narrow point at the bottom of the structure anchoring it to the earth, with the widest point towards the sky. Large 'branches' ran along the outside, making it look like a great tree wrapped around the glass core, and a massive serpent coiled up along the whole thing, running from the very bottom up to the top. The head of the serpent loomed over the roof, and its open mouth seemed to call out to the entire city, with the glimmering eyes on either side of it serving as windows to the penthouses.

One of those penthouses had been reserved for his family, he knew that much. His boss had spared no expense on that front.

[i]Kind of wish he had...[/i]

If he had, then Lloyd wouldn't be quite so pushy about 'family values' or making sure that they all still pulled their weight or showing that they didn't need quite all the amenities that they were being given. The diner had been part of it, but it had been a narrow thing to avoid Lloyd driving them all up in one of the smaller, tinier cars in the garage, just to make a point. Or taking the bus, even, to make a bigger point.

Thankfully, the limo had arrived before Lloyd could have them underway, and Riche had been so willing to go in something new and different that they were able to make the trip in comfort and style rather than in discomfort and frugalness.

"Darren?"

He turned to his dad. Lloyd looked more nervous than usual, which was to say that he looked nervous at all. The patriarch of the family looked out the car windows for a moment, then looked back at him.

"...Is this...normal?"

"What? Vacationing?"

"No, no. I get that. When you're in business, you do more of that. More money, more opportunities..."

He could see the way that his father choked down the part that would normally have come out next. Something about more indulgences, probably. There had been less of that, less of the 'blame' for taking more time off and not putting oneself to work of late, though it was still the sort of thing that was too obvious that his dad was holding back on that and just not saying it, even if he was thinking it. Still, that was definitely progress compared to what it had been.

Lloyd gestured out the window.

"I meant...well...this. These big things, these...extras."

"...They're part of being in business, dad," Darren said, smiling slightly. "When you work for someone like Mr. Lee, then you really have to make an impression when you go somewhere."

"...Why, though? Isn't this a bit much?"

"Well...if you were going to some construction site, would you go there without your tools?"

"Hell no. That's unprofessional, and lazy. Hell, they might not even have tools there for me. I'd sit around like some useless lump, and what would they think of me, coming unprepared?"

"That's why we have all the extras. It shows that he takes this seriously, and he wants them to take us seriously."

"...Well...I guess that makes sense..."

"And you said that you wanted to know that he was taking care of me, as an employee."

"Yeah..."

[i]But there's taking care of your employee and pampering your boy-toy,[/i] he could all but hear his father say. He shifted on his seat, looking away, but also slightly undoing the top button of his shirt. Just enough to let the footprint mark on his chest be seen.

It had been a point of shame until a couple of days ago, when some time out on the lake had exposed him, and they'd all had it out. It was a sort of fuzzy point for him, the memory of that fight rather obscured, but there was something that had gotten across the whole point of his new life to his father. Lloyd had gradually come around to the idea that, while Darren was sleeping with his boss from time to time, their work relationship was just that: work. He did what he could for the company, and the boss was appreciative of that rather than of the things that they did in the bedroom.

Though Darren hadn't exactly told his father about the late-night cam sessions that he had done at Mr. Lee's insistence. It wasn't [i]live,[/i] but it was recorded and sent off, with assurances that Mr. Lee was viewing them between work sessions. He hoped that they were the sort of things that the snow leopard wanted. It was always hard to tell what kind of things the boss actually wanted.

"We're pulling up to the parking lot now, Misters Huff," the driver said through the intercom. "I hope that you've had a pleasant drive."

"Mmmm, very good...very, very good," Riche said, followed by a - mostly - joking hiccup. "Ha. Oh, man. That stuff's better than beer."

"And three times as expensive, I would imagine," Lloyd muttered.

"Just...take the treats where you can, okay?" Darren said. "Don't overdo it, don't take it too far, and...let's just have fun, okay?"

Lloyd slowly smiled, and Riche nodded. Darren wasn't surprised. They'd both been dreading this day, when he was supposed to fly home, and now, they had a much longer vacation planned together. They were going to be away from Opal City for a bit, true, but they had three more weeks of him.

And he...had three more weeks of them. He had mixed feelings about that, particularly with the urge to get back to work, but Mr. Lee had promised that there was a reason for this beyond simply having a vacation. He trusted the snow leopard.

The limo came to a halt, and the driver got out of the front of the car. Lloyd reached for the door, but the rat was too fast, pulling it open for the older man. Lloyd hid his annoyance, though not particularly well, and stepped out of the back seat. Riche followed, and Darren did the same, the three humans looking up at the front door of the hotel.

It was...definitely themed, Darren had to admit. The doorway was formed as a snake laid sideways, the long metallic coils of the serpent forming a ringed tunnel that led to the front door, and the automatic scanner that would allow one in and out was shaped like a snake's head. On either side of the door were rather muscular arms, slowly reaching out to accept cards to be scanned, probably for when one came around at night. The entire thing glittered red and gold, a rich, opulent sort of portal into the resort.

"Here are your reservations, Mr. Huff," the rat said, pressing an envelope into Darren's hands. "I will return in one week to pick you up, provided Mr. Lee or yourself hasn't cut the visit short or extended it."

"What was that?" Lloyd asked, turning around. "Something about cutting it short?"

"Nothing that you need to worry about, dad. We'll be told long before it happens."

He hoped. There were times when his boss was a little more...abrupt than that, but the snow leopard did prefer to avoid surprises when he could. Which was part of what made this abrupt change in plans so strange. Darren shook his head, making his way to the trunk, only to find that the rat had out-efficient-ed him, having already unloaded their various suitcases and bits of luggage. He took them, momentarily out of his depth, before passing his father and his brother's stuff over.

"So, shall we get checked in?"

"Yeah, let's do that. I want to see this room," Riche said.

"And I'm sure that we'd like to make sure that it's set up the way we want...And see who gets what room."

"Yeah...let's find out what kind of budget room we're getting," Lloyd said.

[i]...You're going to be surprised.[/i]

They walked through the serpent tunnel, the door at the far end opening up and revealing a lobby with various serpent and naga statues spread through it. The naga statues all had their arms outstretched toward the lobby and its inhabitants, looking like they were making an invitation to step into the coils that supported them, and there was even space for someone to do just that. Hell, Darren was able to see some of the statues actually occupied by several guests of the hotel, mammal anthros and humans alike. He even spotted one person that seemed to be sleeping in one.

Aside from the statues, the lobby consisted of a row of four elevators at the far end and two ramps, rather than stairs, that led up and out from the lobby. For a moment, he was a little confused, having expected to see some hallway leading off to the ground floor rooms, only to remember the structure of the hotel.

[i]Right, there wouldn't be any room for rooms down on this floor...it's all going up...[/i]

"Excuse me, sirs."

The soft voice from the desk caught his attention, and he turned -

And blinked. It wasn't a naga, but rather a full serpent, one with a pair of half-moon spectacles over its snout and using its tail to tap-tap against its computer screen. The serpent smiled, tossing its head slightly to invite them over to the front desk, and Darren wordlessly followed. Riche 'oohed' at the sight, probably still a little buzzed, while Lloyd's eyes went wide.

No surprise, either. They were used to anthros, yes, and Darren more than the rest, but this snake was one step above a talking feral. He was trying to make sure that he was keeping to his own training as a professional in the hospitality industry, but he had a hard time not staring. He was pretty sure that he just about managed it, though.

He started to hand the envelope over, then realized the problem. Flicking it open, he pulled the papers out, unfolded them, and passed them across the desk.

"This should be everything. Name of Huff, sponsored by Lee?" Darren asked.

"Thank you," the snake said, nodding. As it looked at the screen, Darren's eyes dipped down. The serpent had a little bow-tie tied around its body, just under the head, and under that was a sticker. Not a name-plate that might have been pinned to a shirt, but a sticker...or at least, he assumed it was a sticker. The alternative, where the scale itself had been altered, seemed a bit too much to credit.

[i]Hissy.[/i]

He blinked. By the time that he'd looked back up, 'Hissy' was already using his tail to scan their room cards, passing them over one by one.

"Three cards for three guests," the snake said. "Anything else that I can offer you, dears?"

"Um...Just to ask. Is that your name?" Darren said.

"Oh, this?" The snake tapped the scale. "Oh, yes, I'm afraid so. All before the speech therapy. I was impossible to understand, once."

"But now..."

"Oh, now, I've worked hard to make sure that everyone gets it, but you know how it is. The past likes to cling."

"Yeah..."

"Anyway, dears, go ahead and take the elevator."

"We can take the ramp, I think," Lloyd said.

"Dears, it's all the way on the top floor. I mean, you are gorgeous, and I'm sure that you're as fit as can be, but do you really want to get all tired out before you can enjoy the facilities here at the Golden Coil?" Hissy asked.

"...Top...floor?" Lloyd asked.

"Indeed." Hissy smiled. "Your reservation has you in one of our penthouses, after all, and the elevator is the only way up without climbing for sooooo long."

"Hey, hey." Riche grinned. "I heard facilities. You got a gym?"

"Oh, indeed."

"Swimming pool?"

"Of course."

"Fencing hall?"

"Oh, dear, what resort wouldn't have something so dramatic?"

Darren could already see where this was going, and what Riche's focus was going to be. Shaking his head, he grabbed both members of his family and turned to the elevators. Tossing a 'thanks' over his shoulder for Hissy's help, he guided them into the metal cubicles. The doors shut, and the familiar tinkle of elevator music began. The elevator itself demanded the keycard be inserted, and as soon as Darren did, it pinged softly.

"[i]Penthouse Level.[/i]"

As the elevator rose, there was...something, he realized, in the background. Not a hum, but almost like a hiss, a soft, sibilant sound that felt like it was slithering in one ear, through his skull, and out the other. He stuck one finger down his ear, almost like he was trying to scrape it out, and his father and brother mirrored him. Lloyd shook his head, popping his mouth a few times as if he was trying to pop his ears, and Riche just chuckled.

"Heh, even the elevators are hissing at us."

The sound was a weird one, a little disturbing at first, but it faded into the background quickly enough. Combined with the shimmering walls inside, which glittered and reflected the light in a strange, wavy pattern that felt almost familiar, it was actually rather easy to forget about the hissing sound in short order. Almost...too easy.

[i]Kasey...is this what it feels like to be...aware of this?[/i]

Darren could feel something similar to the times that he had been around other odd people, when he had blank spaces in his memory. It kinda felt like this, something that pushed him down followed by something that made him forget about being pushed down. It was very like this...

And he wondered if Lloyd and Riche were getting some of that experience now, too, considering that if he focused on that hissing sound, he could feel it grinding against his thoughts a bit. Not pleasantly, but not unpleasantly, almost like it was trying to wrap around his mind and -

Ding.

The elevator came to a stop. Rather than opening, however, the elevator shifted [i]sideways.[/i] The Huff family stumbled, all of them grabbing for the nearest elevator wall as they were dragged off to one side. None of them fell over, thankfully, but they were all rather shocked at the movement.

"...That was new," Darren said.

"Sideways elevators. Isn't that what you call a travelator?" Riche asked.

"Those are in airports," Lloyd said. "Mmmph...We're not up [i]too[/i] high, are we, Darren?"

"...I don't know. I didn't get the statistics of the building," Darren said.

"..."

"Is that...bad?"

"No, no, of course not," Lloyd said, even as his face turned a most remarkable shade of green, considering that his skin was quite dark to begin with.

The elevator dinged again, and this time, the doors did open. Rather than opening into a hallway, though, they opened right into the penthouse that they'd been given, and what a penthouse it was.

The living room alone was lush, thick with potted plants, and [i]warm.[/i] Very warm, for that matter, warm enough to leave them all puffing a bit and starting to sweat through their shirts. Darren stepped inside, finding a binder pressed up against the wall that read 'Hotel Rules.' He picked it up, tucking it under his arm as he took in the rest of the living room.

Miniature trees formed pillars every few feet through the room, with frond-like branches that extended over the ceiling and encouraged the feeling of a jungle setting. A TV was built into the far wall, and there was a beautiful leather sofa to give a more modern feeling to the room, but the jungle setting just refused to entirely go away, considering that the desk and the other chairs seemed to have been modeled organically rather than set to a specific pattern. He felt like it would be like sitting on some tree root curled around his body...

[i]Or on some set of coils of a long-petrified snake...[/i]

Darren shook his head, stepping to the side as Riche pushed past him. Not roughly, just a bit clumsily, considering he was still not holding his alcohol too well. As his older brother walked through, shoving his head in each passing room, Darren looked over his shoulder. Lloyd was still hanging out by the elevator, staring straight ahead at the far side of the room. He hadn't even taken a full step inside yet, the elevator door dinging again and again in 'polite' request for the older man to leave it.

"Dad?"

"..."

"Dad? Are you okay?"

"Just...didn't expect it to be that high."

"...You have a problem with heights? I didn't -"

"I don't have a problem. I don't. Just..."

Just that there wasn't anywhere in Opal City that went over ten stories, if that, and this hotel was at least twice that. Lloyd worked fine on the rooftops and other places like that, but this was something completely different. Darren quick-walked across the room, found a curtain rod, and pulled it across the glass wall - not a window, but a glass [i]wall[/i] that formed the far side of the living room, but not before getting a view for himself.

[i]Whoa...[/i]

The view through the glass 'eye' of the snake head that they were staying in was amazing, allowing him to see the great, winding serpent road that led from one side of Ciolu to the other. The houses themselves followed that same winding pattern, and he could see that most of the buildings had more of a curve to them than had been immediately apparent on ground level. From above, all the various greenhouses on the second or higher floors were very visible, and so were the serpents and reptiles inside them.

And what they were doing, for that matter. He blushed, turning away from the shimmering world below and all that reflective glass, pulling the curtain the rest of the way shut.

Lloyd huffed in relief, though he quickly recovered, stepping into the room. He stopped at the door, undoing his shoelaces and taking them off, putting them by the door. After giving Darren a pointed look, Darren did the same, tucking his shoes and socks by the door and leaving himself barefoot.

One of the Huff rules. No tracking dirt in from outside, not in your own home, not in someone else's.

"Hey, guys, there's only one bedroom," Riche called out from further in the penthouse.

"What? You're kidding," Darren said.

"Nope. Just one. I guess they thought that this was a couple's retreat or something. Hey...they must be thinking dad's doing really well for himself, if he can get two boy toys like us," Riche joked.

"I'm sure that it's more about saving space than anything like that, Riche," Lloyd said, though not without fighting a smile and a blush at the same time.

Darren was pretty sure that it was something else entirely. The whole place felt like there was something off to it, some different standard that he wasn't quite getting yet. There would likely be some expectations in the rulebook laid out for later, but...

Well, this wasn't the first time that the family had needed to share close quarters, though it was the first time in a place as lushly laid out as this. He was already planning on taking one for the team and claiming the couch for the night when his cell phone started ringing.

The moment that it started letting out the soft tones that meant that it was his boss calling him, both Riche and Lloyd turned to face him. They were quite clear with their disappointment, considering that they'd both come to recognize the tones. It was the same ringtone that they both had for people that they worked for, as a matter of fact.

"Darren..." Lloyd sighed. "Make it quick, okay?"

"...Thanks for understanding, dad. Can I have the room for this?"

His father nodded, gesturing towards the bedroom. He ducked inside, shut the door, and managed to kick a pillow under the gap of the door before pulling his phone to his ear and answering it.

"Darren Huff speaking."

"[i]Confirmation code, please.[/i]"

"Huff-Assistant-0-0-1-F-P."

"[i]Thank you, Darren. It's good to hear from you again.[/i]"

It was less 'hearing from him' and more getting in touch, but he was used to the slightly formal approach that his boss often used when he wasn't pushed for time. He smiled as he sat down on the bed, feeling the mattress push back in some places and sink away in others. He could already tell that it would be almost like a bed monster, swallowing up his father and brother and not wanting to let them go in the morning. If they were facing each other when they went to sleep, he could imagine that they'd end up -

Probably not the best idea to think of that at the moment. That was awkward. Very awkward.

"What do you need, sir?" he asked.

"[i]I told you that I'd get in touch. I imagine that you're wondering what this place is.[/i]"

"And why I'm here, yes."

"[i]I have been keeping an eye on the Golden Coil for some time. They are, so far as most people are concerned, a philanthropic group of reptiles - mostly serpents - that have pooled their funds for the good of the world. They are putting up resorts like this one in various locations, though this is the flagship establishment and the one that is most advanced and put together. They claim that it is for the betterment of society through encouraged relaxation.[/i]"

"Do you think they're lying?"

"[i]No. I think that they genuinely believe that is what they're doing. However, their methods...may be slightly questionable. And bear study.[/i]"

"Hypnosis."

"[i]Correct. Tell me. How many methods have you counted so far?[/i]"

"I would say two - no, four," Darren corrected himself. "There's the elevator 'music,' and I'd say that anyone staying in the hotel, looking down at the glass buildings shimmering at them, would be getting something. Probably the scaly patterns on the tunnel walking in, too, and I think that the statues in the lobby are doing something, though I can't say how."

"[i]Very good, Darren. Thank you for confirming some of my own suspicions.[/i]"

"...I'm not here to take them down, am I? I'm not any kind of agent like that."

"[i]No. That is not the point of this vacation. It should be a genuine one, and I expect you and your family to have a good time while here. That part was not a lie.[/i]"

"But?"

"[i]There is no but. Merely an 'and.'[/i]"

"Alright. And?"

"[i]And I expect you to keep your eyes open and see if there is anything worth being concerned about. You will not be harmed at the Golden Coil, that much I can assure you. Any programming or hypnosis that you or your family might absorb will be removed when you leave. I have several teams standing by for this.[/i]"

Darren sighed, rubbing his forehead.

"That...doesn't feel like a vacation, sir."

"[i]I am not asking you to do anything while you are there, merely observe. Your memories and first-hand experience is all I require to know what they're up to.[/i]"

"I'm spying on them, then."

"[i]In a manner of speaking. They are generally harmless, but they are potentially a problem if they are going too far. There is a degree of mental manipulation that can be excused for the betterment of another person, and there is a point at which one crosses the line. I wish to see if they are...and if they are, how to correct it from my side of things.[/i]"

"And perhaps incorporate their methods?"

"[i]Perhaps. It will depend on the methods.[/i]"

"Sir...�

"[i]I promise. This is not an attempt to gain extra power. Of all people, Darren, you know I don't need or seek that.[/i]"

"...No, you don't, sir. I just..."

"[i]I know. You want to come back. And you will. Soon enough.[/i]"

"..." Darren sighed. "Fine. I'll keep my eyes open."

"[i]And relax.[/i]"

"I'll try."

"[i]You will do that, Darren. The rest of this is a bonus that is offered as an opportunity. The relaxation is key...and at least here, the Golden Coil will ensure that you WILL relax, at least for a time.[/i]"

"Heh, is this because I'm too stubborn to do it elsewhere?"

"[i]It is because I know you. And yes.[/i]"

"Thank you for the honesty, sir."

"[i]You're welcome. Enjoy your stay.[/i]"

Click. The line went dead, and he stared at his phone for a moment. If it wasn't for the fact that the number left behind was probably for a burner line rather than a standard one, he might have been tempted to send his boss a live photo as a tease right then and there...but the time wasn't right for that.

He opened the door, hearing his family talking again.

"Shut the curtain, Riche."

"But it's so preeeeetty out there."

"Riche, you're drunk. Here. Have some coffee. And shut the curtain!"

He wasn't surprised to find his brother starting to sway his ass a bit in those tight shorts - shorts that he had barely remembered Riche owning, let alone bringing - but he was surprised to find his father starting to pop a bit of an erection. He kept his head down, looking away.

"Shall we look through the hotel rules real quick?" he asked, holding up the binder as both an offer and a way to keep from looking at his twerking older brother.

"Yes!" Lloyd said, almost desperately.

"Man, rules? Really?" Riche groaned.

"That settles it. Couch, boys. Let's look over these rules."

[b][u][center]The End[/center][/u][/b]

Summary: Darren and the Huff family are sent to a reptilian - mostly naga - resort settlement further up the coast. Time to see what kind of shenanigans are happening here.

Tags: M/M, Human, Snake, Reptile, Rat, Series, Hypnosis, Buzzed, Hotel, Resort, Vacation, Implied Incest, Relationship, Trying, Erection, Off-Screen Naughtiness,