The next morning, the alien sun rose over Crimson Sneika Shore. It was also pink, and it was blushing at me. As if I didn’t already have enough weirdness to deal with.
Kurus cleared the beach. The bodies of the lizard beasts were gone, butchered and wrapped in waxy palm leaves. I couldn’t sleep, so I had watched him work through the night.
He kept shooting me glares that were pure venom. He probably didn’t know how to get rid of me and was frustrated by his lack of control over the situation. If I were him, I would have just killed me already, mate bond be damned.
’But I guess that’s why I’m me, and he’s not.’
Nivi emerged from the tent, rubbing her forest green eyes. Her gaze wandered across the beach in confusion.
"We’re on our way to the closest village. Kurus will take us there," I announced, turning a skewer of lizard meat over the fire.
She took the information with a sleepy nod. "I had the strangest dream. I think... I dreamed of transmigrating into a novel...and I saw Kurus...wait...Kurus?!"
Her eyes shot wide open, darting to the half-man, half-snake curled next to me.
She blinked several times, as if trying to will him back into the realm of fantasy. "I know you’re rich, Yaya... but hiring a cosplayer for my birthday? And turning your beautiful face into a bee-stung balloon to make me look prettier? It’s overkill."
Her words made Kurus look at her, his crimson eyes locking with her wide green ones. "A cosplayer? What is that?"
"And a great actor at that," Nivi continued in awe as she pushed herself to her feet. "You’re so good, I almost believed you were the real Kurus."
Kurus looked genuinely bewildered, his long tail twitching in the sand. "I am Kurus."
Nivi let out a bright laugh, convinced it was all part of a performance. "Sure you are. And I’m the queen of the mermaids."
"No wonder your beauty mesmerized me," Kurus replied, his tongue flicking out between his lips. "You were a sea queen all along."
"Ugh, he is so smooth," Nivi sighed, running her fingers through her fiery hair. "Is this a private beach? A new technology amusement park?"
I told her that it was indeed a private beach, the domain of the very beastman she was currently treating like a prop in her dream. But I decided to let her enjoy her delusion a little longer. The truth could wait until we were somewhere safer. Or maybe even longer, if I could help it.
My gaze drifted to Kurus, who was still staring at Nivi as if she were the most fascinating creature he’d ever encountered. I couldn’t blame him. Nivi had always had that effect on people, a charm that could make even a cold-blooded beast feel something akin to warmth. I just had to make sure he didn’t act on his more primal instincts.
I offered Nivi a skewer of meat. "Eat up, My Queen. We’re going on a road trip."
"This is the best birthday gift ever." She took the food, her gaze still fixed on Kurus. "Can we take him home with us?"
"Ask him yourself. He seems pretty fond of you," I said, gesturing to Kurus with my head.
Nivi turned to him with a cheesy smile. She was enjoying the roleplay, for I sure knew that there was no chance she’d act this bold around an actual man. "Would you like to come with me, Kurus? I’ll take good care of you."
Kurus’ eyes narrowed slightly, his forked tongue darting out again. "If you’ll let me mark you, I’ll stay by your side forever."
Nivi’s eyes widened at his bold declaration. She didn’t quite understand the full weight of his words, but she could sense the intensity behind them. "Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, shall we? We should know each other a little better first."
Kurus looked a bit disappointed, but he didn’t push the issue. "A healer. We need to find a healer to break the mate bond with her."
He pointed at me, his expression deadly serious. I could see the wheels turning in his head, trying to figure out how to get rid of me without dying in the process.
Nivi tilted her head, whispering to me, "What mate bond?"
Kurus pointed to his ear, where I had bitten off a piece of it, the mark still visible. "She marked me as hers. Now I can’t leave her side."
Nivi covered her mouth, whispering even lower, "Is this a non-canon thing from the novel? I thought only males could mark their females."
"How do I know if we are truly bonded?" I glanced over at Kurus, who was listening to our hushed conversation with growing impatience. He was like a child who wasn’t invited to the game.
"A mate mark should have appeared on his body," Nivi explained, "Like a tattoo, representing you."
"Do you have one?" I asked Kurus directly.
Instead of answering, he shifted his form into a human, his serpentine tail receding into two legs. And just like that, he was naked as the day he was born, his entire body on display.
Nivi’s hand flew to her mouth again, her eyes almost popping out of her skull. "Oh my God," she gasped.
I was less impressed, having grown up with muscular men most of my life. Yes, he had a good physique, lean muscle and smooth skin, but what truly caught my attention were the two organs between his legs. He had two thick penises.
"Turn around," I ordered before Nivi’s brain fried from the view.
Kurus did, showing his broad back, legs, and firm butt. This guy really, was either too innocent, or too dense to realize how provocative his actions were.
"Move your hair," I added, my gaze searching for any markings on his body.
His red locks were long, reaching his lower back. He swept them to the side, revealing the expanse of his shoulder and the spine that ran down his back.
"Should I make him spread his legs too?" I asked Nivi, waiting for her conclusion.
Nivi choked on her spit, her face turning as red as Kurus’ hair.