07 - Golden Leopard

╔═══ Author's note ════╗Does anyone wonder what is going through Curtis' head as he deals with Yaya? 👀Nivi knows about his toxic tendencies and about her friend's stance toward men (she knows that Yaya provoked Curtis with her behavior), so she cannot bring herself to judge any of them, lol. ╚═════════════════╝"Keep an eye out for any sign of Yaya waking up. If you spot anything, stop what you're doing and back off right away. Seriously, it's super important for your safety — I would never forgive myself if something bad happened to you."I stirred slightly, catching on Nivi's familiar voice. Death really must hate me, doesn't it?"Yaya has everything one could desire — looks, intelligence, grace, wealth. Yet, when it comes to attracting males, well.... Imagine her as a poisonous, no... a carnivorous plant! Yes, a carnivorous and poisonous plant that sees most males as nothing but flies. Yet, ironically, the flies continue to swarm towards her."I kept my eyes closed, finding comfort in Nivi's voice. There was nobody who knew me better than that girl.The person Nivi spoke with murmured a response, his soft voice a low hum of concern. "How could anyone inflict so much harm to a female? Those bite marks... they looked like a feral snake caused them." Quickly, I grasped the hand approaching my face, aware that the person had no intention to harm me. With Nivi's calming presence as a buffer, my response was alert yet devoid of aggression.I opened my eyes, enchanting them with the sight of a man whose beauty was almost ethereal. His blond hair, wavy and luminous, fell gracefully to his shoulders, softening his features with an angelic glow. Adding to his unique appearance, animal ears blended seamlessly with his hair. Beneath the golden locks, his blue eyes sparkled with vibrant intensity.An angel. I couldn't help but think."Yaya! Get your hands off Harvey," Nivi growled, her voice dripping with menace as she stared me down."I shall comply, My Queen," I chuckled, playfully baring my canine teeth at Harvey which caused him to jump slightly in fright before I released his wrist.Nivi immediately grabbed Harvey's hand, blowing at it softly as if it could take the non-existent pain I inflicted away. The leopard man blushed furiously, which prompted her to get on her tiptoes and kiss his cheek teasingly. My girl is open and possessive as always, eh? So this is the Harvey she always pitied because he didn't have a single stripe mark? I see. I see."He is my mate now," Nivi declared, gesturing towards the leopard mark located around her collarbone as she directed her new hubby out of the spacious room, "Please wait for me in the bedroom until I get back. I fear if you stay with me, those two might corrupt you.""Where are we?" I asked, shifting my attention toward the wary snake man in the corner and then back to Nivi, "And for how long was I out?""We are inside Harvey's house. Your lack of rest led you to sleep for a full two days," Nivi looked at me, barely holding back the urge to slap some sense into me as she unleashed her inner demon, "Do you have a death wish?! Why did you let Curtis hurt you so badly?! If his mere touch is leaving bruises on you, you need to speak up right away!" "And let him know how to hurt me better?" Looking down at my body, I noticed a subtle change — my clothes were different. Instead of pants, I was wearing a long tight skirt, "I might as well wrap up my weaknesses into a gift and hand it to him with a bouquet of flowers.""..." Nivi's frustration boiled over, "Curtis didn't have a clue about the force he was applying to you! He's never been that close to a woman before, or he would've known to be gentler!"Understanding dawned on me, and I nodded, "Oh, so that's why it always felt like he was trying to pick a fight with me," I remarked, giving Curtis a raised eyebrow, "If I asked you to be gentler next time, would you actually listen?"Curtis appeared as though he might fling me out of the room using his tail, which made me grin."I'm going to put a facial on you so stay put," Nivi shot me another fierce look as she grabbed the bowl next to the mattress, smearing a strange, thick mixture onto my face. "Yaya, if it weren't for Curtis giving you an emerald, you would have died. He really likes you but struggles with showing it, and he's been coming to me for advice. He saw how you wouldn't release me in the ocean no matter what currents came your way, choosing not to save yourself even though you had the chance. That's when he began to grow fond of you.""Fond of me? You should have seen him when you were unconscious," I began, inhaling the fragrance of the clear, cooling concoction that reminded me of aloe vera, "Hovering around you like a moth drawn to a flame.""He was curious about what you were so fiercely guarding. He recognized my beauty that could cause a fall of a city, and began to view me as his love rival.""Right, then he went and declared his love for you, again, then again, and again.""Yeah, he had to compensate me for all my flirting tips somehow. I mean, keeping on turning down a stud like that? Totally boosted my self-esteem.""He said I'm ugly.""Yaya, you bit off his tongue for god's sake!" Nivi exclaimed, making me wonder how she was still holding back from slapping me, "The words 'ugly' and 'arrogant' are basically the only curse words he knows!""He bit my lips...and drew out my blood," I tried to defend myself, gaining as much pity as I could, but Nivi's next words made me sound like a monster instead."It seemed to be the only way to get your attention," Nivi admitted with a sigh of resignation, "I'll never understand how you manage to do it — being rescued by a man whose neck you've literally sliced.""Did the emerald at least recover some of my beauty?" I asked.To see if it was worth gambling my life?I recalled Harvey's last words and didn't have high hopes, but at least I could use my body to its full potential again.Permanent scars, open wounds, broken ribs, infection, fever, sleep deprivation, — these were not companions I wished for in the heart of a jungle. I doubted Curtis would have presented me with an emerald unless I had been on my deathbed. My assumption was that Nivi would sacrifice herself to Curtis, possibly offering to become his mate, to convince him to help me.The idea of him volunteering his help freely occurred to me, but as I mentioned before: I'm not good with men. Curtis will only continue to suffer if he stays by my side (which I'm sure Nivi doesn't want to see).Nivi surveyed me with a critical eye, her gaze softening as I continued to ignore her attempts at matchmaking me with her book husband, "Yaya, the emerald worked its magic, yes, but your face still bears a few minor scratches and bruises. It isn't all bad though. Your bones are fully mended. There's no sign of poison in your bloodstream, no infection lurking, and the severe fever you had is now gone."She then handed me a mirror, her voice dropping to a whisper, "It's time to properly thank your savior." Gently, she tilted my chin to face the reflection, opening my mouth to reveal the snake tattoo that now spiraled around my tongue, "Or should I start calling him your male now?"The snake mark started with its tail at the tip, curling around my tongue in the direction of my throat. The scales were a vivid red, making the detailed design stand out even more.╔═══ Author's note ════╗Nivi is such a sweet little devil, isn't she? ❤️Poor Harvey had barely any screen time, and our savior was barely acknowledged. 💀╚═════════════════╝