The Beauty's Hidden Beast

Curtis stood across from Nivi, the moonlight casting soft shadows between them. His usual confidence wavered, replaced by a quiet fragility that felt as rare as this moment.
"I haven't shed my skin yet," Curtis said, his voice steady but unsure. "When I do, I want you to have it ─ if that's okay." He paused, his eyes meeting hers. "You're the most beautiful female I've ever seen. You're gentle and kind. I liked you from the moment I saw you."
Meanwhile, a short distance away, I had made myself comfortable under a palm tree on a makeshift bed crafted from fur, and tried to block out the world for a brief respite. Nivi had accepted our situation faster than I could blink. She was adamant about taking in new males as fast as possible so she could protect us both from similar threats.
There was something about Nivi ─ her fearless warmth, the way she carried herself. She naturally drew people in, including Curtis. Compared to me, she was a delight to be around, someone you couldn't help but admire.
Part of me expected her to give in, to let Curtis's charm pull her into his arms and accept his offer. But deep down, I knew that wasn't going to happen ─ not tonight.
"I can't," Nivi whispered, her voice soft but firm. The calm of the night seemed to break with her words. "You've already bonded with Yaya. It wouldn't be right for me to take you as my own."
"We didn't bond," Curtis quickly said, "Why would I want such an ugly and violent female?"
Right, why would you want someone like that?
"Then explain why your tail is still wrapped around Yaya's leg?" Nivi asked, her sharp gaze cutting through the night as she stared at Curtis. "Your eyes see my beauty, but it's clear your heart seeks Yaya."
Her words hit like a crack in the silence, leaving Curtis stunned. Slowly, he unwrapped his tail from my leg. Without another glance, Nivi walked over and slipped under the fur beside me.
"Yaya," Nivi said, fixing me with a mock-serious glare, her voice a conspiratorial whisper as she dabbed away a bit of drool from the corner of her mouth, a lingering effect of the eye-feast she'd indulged in while admiring Curtis, "Since you've claimed Curtis as your own, I suppose I'll just have to console myself with Winston."
"Just claim everyone and give me a break," I said, my eyes felt like they had luggage of their own at this point. "I only left him breathing for you ─ so you could drool over your future 'husband' once you woke up."

The gun by my side, still dripping saltwater, wasn't even mine. I'd swiped it from that idiot in the van. Not that it mattered now ─ it was soaked, useless. His knife, though? That was another story. I'd thought about using it on Curtis more than once. A quick jab to take out those irritatingly pretty eyes of his. Or maybe a clean slice across his neck while he sat there, blindfolded and oblivious.
Not that I'd actually do it. Nivi wouldn't forgive me for ruining the face she clearly liked to sing about. So, maybe his tongue instead. No lasting scars, nothing too eye-catching ─ but it'd shut him up just fine.
This was Nivi's dream world, and I'd make it work ─ for her.
"Don't ever scare me like that again," Nivi said, her voice trembling as she suddenly pulled me into a tight hug. Her tears glinted in the low light, threatening to spill as her eyes ran over the bruises on my face. She leaned in, her whisper barely audible, "In the novel, Curtis forced himself on Bai QingQing when she rejected him. I thought... I thought you rejected him too, and I started expecting the worst." Her voice cracked, her grip tightening as if holding on would make the fear go away.
"None of this would've happened if you'd gotten up sooner," I joked, trying to keep things light. "I could've gotten some sleep while you two were busy turning me into an auntie to a bunch of snake eggs."
Nivi gave my arm a playful pinch. "It could've been worse." She looked up at Curtis, standing over us now. The redhead's presence seemed to swallow the air.
"Can you take us to a village with a healer?" Nivi asked, "I don't want Yaya to end up with permanent scars. She needs a doctor."
She knew this novel like the back of her hand and was already making plans on how to obtain all the capture targets.
· · ─────── · ⊱❈⊰· ─────── · ·
A few days later...
The scene shifted, and the mood lightened with Nivi's presence, "Yaya, this is so fun. Come on, you have to try it."
I looked up to see Nivi, all smiles, sitting high in Curtis's arms.
Curtis raised an eyebrow, like he was daring me to ask for the same treatment. His look was playful, almost taunting, as if challenging me to let go and join in the moment like Nivi.
I was curious whether winning this world's males' loyalty really was as easy as it seemed, but now wasn't the time to experiment.
"Achoo," I sneezed, quickly covering my nose with a napkin. "Maybe later. Don't want to give anyone my cold."
"Females are so weak," Curtis's mutter barely reached my ears as he commented, "You fall sick too easily."
Despite the sharpness in his voice, his actions didn't match. He reached over and, with surprising gentleness, lifted me by my backpack, setting me down on his tail like it was no big deal.
"Your skin's cold. It's only going to make my symptoms worse." I felt the cool, scaly texture beneath my hands and snapped back, "I thought you hated females who use you for their benefit. So why are you playing chariot for Nivi? Is it because she's beautiful and kind... unlike the rest of us?"
Curtis didn't flinch at my jab. "There's a difference between needing support and exploiting it," he shot back. "You seem to confuse the two. Nivi's beauty and kindness are undeniable, but it's her respect and gratitude that set her apart from the rest of you."
I winked at Nivi, as if to say, 'See? He's genuine about you.'
Nivi pinched the side of her temples, looking slightly exasperated. It seemed like she was a bit torn on accepting Curtis into her harem, especially since he'd called me ugly and violent. But in a way, it was probably a good sign. It proved that he only had eyes for her. 
Whatever it was about the snake tail wrapped around my leg, I mentioned the game of hide and seek Curtis really seemed to hate. What about the kiss? Well, it was me who kissed him first, so it didn't count.
So hurry up and mate with him, Nivi! Doesn't the spousal mark mean the male has to stick by his female until death?
Nivi reached out to grab Curtis's head, leaning in for a kiss, but he deftly dodged her.
In response, she tossed a note in my direction. It was like one of those notes we used to pass around in high school: 'Don't be like QingQing and pair up with Curtis. If I can't get Winston and Harwey, I'll make sure you end up as Curtis's next meal.'
Caught off guard by her implication, my mouth twitched involuntarily.
'Nivi, Curtis is definitely into you, but it looks like you've just unlocked some serious kissing trauma I've left on him.'
╔═══ Author's note ════╗
Yaya, you've got to step up your game, or Nivi's going to start believing you're a bigger disaster than QingQing. 😱
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