8 Daydreaming

Chapter 8: Daydreaming

Beasts live by their instincts. They used their innate behavior to survive in the wilderness. If there's one thing about this that drives them into a craze, it's actually not their desire to dominate. 

It is the mating instinct that urges a beast to perform coitus with the opposite sex and reproduce. Like human greed, finding a partner for intimacy is part of a beast's inherent nature.

Nemus pressed on his wound to get a hold of his remaining sanity. After letting the female go, there's a part of him that wants to protest and regrets what he did.

The sweet scent of her pheromone that is slowly drifting away from him is making his blood boil and stirs something in his core wanting desperately to assert possession after recognizing a plausible partner to reproduce.

He shook his head to keep away the dirty ideas that were bugging him. His mind is becoming hazy from his mating instinct, but he wants to fight it!

Once he succumbs to his desire and decides to violate her, what will be the difference between him and a mindless animal? Forcing himself to the female will be akin to proving all her views on him are right. 

Lust can only exist in the heat of a moment. What Nemus wanted was to have someone who would accept him and stay with him be it in his highs or lows.

After managing to calm the raging flames inside him, Nemus notices the girl shivering in the corner most of his nest. He turned away wanting to avoid her before he could do something unimaginable to her.

Sitting in the dark corner, Atasha hugged herself and covered her bare skin with her arms and legs. Her eyes roamed the cave chamber, but she couldn't find the clothes she previously wore. 

'Perhaps, that beastman has something to do with it. Should I ask? It's so chilly in here!' she let out a soft 'brrr' while shivering.

Shaking her head, Atasha quickly dismissed the idea. She was only released by chance and she didn't want to feel threatened again with the fear of being crushed any moment in his hands.

Admittingly, Atasha thought that it was a shame that she could not feel the warm and cozy sensation of that man's body around her anymore. The girl's face heats up realizing how shameless her thoughts were, but it was true! It's like being wrapped by a soft, thick blanket in winter and the only problem is that she was not comfortable with him.

Now that she thinks about it, shouldn't snakes have low body temperatures during cold seasons and adapt to their environment? The girl pondered but then she shook her head. 

'Maybe they don't act like normal snakes. After all, they can even transform into a half-human.'

Atasha was quickly reminded of the man's bewitching face. He was indeed beautiful-actually, the most beautiful man she had ever seen in both worlds. 

Although apparently, he was the only human, technically a half-human, she had encountered. She had yet to see the faces of the other two.

As much as she was curious, Atasha didn't want to associate herself with the other two. Since they might not be as patient as the black snake. However, seeing how handsome the black serpent is, maybe the other two can hold a candle compared to him.

If only the black snake was born in her world, as a human, he would inevitably be scouted and become an idol! Atasha imagines him wearing a modern suit and couldn't help but admire his elegant visage.

With that kind of visuals, he will surely be a hit! Atasha squeals excitedly while fighting the chill.

She sighed, 'Then there's no way they would encounter each other like this had it been true.'

She feels a little guilty towards him, thinking how well he treated her. Yet, she treated him like a man-eating beast because of her fears. Maybe, it's because people fear what they don't understand. And Atasha could not make out any good reason why he treated her kindly instead of eating her like a beast would.

The night she was transported into this world she witnessed a monster while having its meal! She was then targeted by the same monster and a bunch of huge ass wolves.

So, how can she not get confused and grow suspicious of another beast that is trying to treat her opposite to what she had experienced? Her doubts were not unfounded.

She might have acted rudely despite him being cordial, but she's just being realistic. She doesn't want to get ahead of herself and get deluded with a main character syndrome. And think that she's some kind of damsel, although she's literally in distress right now with her situation, in some fictional novel with an otherworldly male lead who is willing to save her.

Thinking how she almost got eaten right off the bat, that idea is absurd!

Engrossed with her strange ideas, the girl didn't notice that the same person she was previously daydreaming about was already standing close to her.

Atasha lazily rested her chin on her knees and thought that she saw another apparition of her imagination. A man with a perfectly defined jaw and dangerously alluring eyes is now holding out a black mantle in his hand. She tilted her head and stared at him.

"Wow! How can you be so handsome without even trying?" she muttered in awe. Indeed, a beautiful person may end up with rags but will still pull his weight.

Now she understands when people say that a great calligrapher doesn't need to choose his pen. It doesn't matter what the material is, at the end of the day, it will just be a prop that will accentuate his gift.

***

Nemus tried not to care anymore but looking at how pitiful she was shuddering in the corner; he couldn't have the heart to leave her alone.

Carrying the skin that he recently shed, he slithered toward the girl who seemed to be daydreaming. He thought of how careless the female was which made him grow a little concerned.

'How could she not even notice his huge body drawing closer to her?'

Nemus didn't know how she was able to survive in the wilderness until now with that clumsy attitude of hers. He even began to question if all females are as foolish as her. 

Unimpressed by her lack of awareness, Nemus decided to just drape the skin on her to cover her body. He was extending his arms when the girl finally looked his way and stared at him intently.

"Wow! How can you be so handsome without even trying?" she casually remarks. 

Nemus' eyes stared wide open. He was rendered speechless not knowing how to react after hearing the female's words. He didn't expect her to view him that way! 

'Did she just call me handsome? So, she liked how I looked, she complimented it. Does that mean she likes me?'

His crimson eyes flickered, still not believing his ears.

'Wasn't she afraid of my appearance? She was crying in fear when I came close and touched her.'

Nemus was a little confused and hesitant, but he felt glad at the same time.

It was the first time someone complimented him, which made Nemus' heart flutter and shy a little. Unaware of how to react to her compliment, he looked to his side trying to hide away the smile plastered all over his face in embarrassment.

"Thank you, I guess."

He replied awkwardly while touching the side of his neck.

Meanwhile, after hearing the person whom she thought was just a product of her imagination, Atasha had to blink a couple of times and pinched her cheek to make sure that she was not hallucinating.

'It hurts.' Atasha thought weakly after pinching herself. 'He... he's really here.'

It turns out that he was really in front of her!

How can she fantasize about someone and make an audacious comment about his visage!? What if he thinks that she is flirting with him?

Atasha cursed in her head.

'What am I even saying? And what did he say?'

'Thank you, I guess?' Then should I give him a thumbs up and be done with it? Aah!' 

Atasha was screaming inside her head because of embarrassment, but she chose to smile awkwardly on the outside. 

Please open the ground and take her!

Different scenarios appeared in her head, but all of them shared one focal point. What will he think of her now that it's like she was ogling at a handsome half-human half-beast who can eat her anytime!?

She was in that kind of dilemma when a more embarrassing thing happened to her.

The sound of hungry bells started ringing and resonated at the four corners of the cave chamber.

*Grooowl!

Nemus and Atasha looked at each other, while the former was stunned, and the latter's face was so red wanting to vanish in an instant.