Beauty and the Beasts

The rain came pouring down through the night and didn’t stop even when morning came. Muddy water started to get into the cave, drenching the firewood ashes that were used for cooking the night before.

Bai Qingqing felt cold and curled up her body. She felt as if her entire body was being squeezed by someone cold, and she woke up uncomfortably.

The moment she opened her eyes, she saw a stretch of black and red. She lowered her head and saw that a long arm was wrapped around her waist, binding her to the cool chest behind her. She could feel his cold breathing behind her ears.

This was how she had woken up for the past few days. Bai Qingqing was soon getting used to it. She acted as if nothing happened, preparing to crawl out from Cortis’s embrace.

“Hiss hiss~” Cortis opened his eyes and quickly pulled back the female who was almost getting away from him, touching his snake tongue on her face.

It wasn’t good. Her temperature seemed a little low.

Bai Qingqing’s scalp turned numb when she heard the sound of the snake tongue. She shrank her neck back and avoided it.

“I’m not sleeping anymore. Let me get up.” Having just woken up, Bai Qingqing’s voice sounded hoarse. It seemed that she was going to catch a cold again.

Cortis didn’t let go of her and hugged her as he got up together.

The place they were sleeping at had turned into a small puddle of water. Bai Qingqing felt admiration for herself when she saw this. To be able to sleep even under such conditions, it seemed that she was soon going to become a savage.

Thankfully, the firewood and rice were in the deepest part of the cave, where the ground was taller. They hadn’t been soaked by the water yet.

A gust of morning breeze blew in from outside the cave. Bai Qingqing, whose body was wet, felt so cold that she broke out in goosebumps. She rubbed her shoulders while being embraced by Cortis, saying, “I’m so cold.”

“I’ll go and start up the fire.”

Cortis carried her, swam toward the deepest part of the cave, and started a fire for her. Feeling the warmth, Bai Qingqing felt so comfortable that she let out a sigh.

The deepest part of the cave was narrow. Cortis completely transformed into his human form, hugging Bai Qingqing from the back. “Xiao Bai.”

“En?” Bai Qingqing answered softly, adding a few pieces of semi-dried firewood to the fire.

Cortis’s lips gently touched Bai Qingqing’s ear as he said in his low voice, “This rain seems like it’ll continue for a while. Let’s take this opportunity to mate.”

“No!” Bai Qingqing immediately refused, maintaining a determined stance.

Cortis’s voice sounded a little cold. “This rain has washed away all the scent I’ve left behind on the way here. Those males won’t be able to find you. Don’t think of leaving me.”

Bai Qingqing had also thought about this, and it caused her heart to feel heavy.

However, her contact with Cortis during this period let her realize that even though Cortis was domineering, he was still quite considerate towards her. As long as her body wasn’t in good condition, he wouldn’t act carelessly.

Therefore, Bai Qingqing leaned softly against Cortis’s arms, saying weakly, “I don’t feel well.”

Cortis immediately felt anxious, turning Bai Qingqing to face him. After seeing her complexion, he said, “I know that you’re cold, that’s why I suggested to mate. It’ll feel warmer when we mate. Let’s start right away.”

This was what Cortis felt when he was in heat the previous time. It was the first time he had such an impulse, and he felt very hot. It should also be able to let the female feel hot.

Bai Qingqing was dumbstruck. She felt Cortis’s hand reaching under her skirt, and amidst the anxiety, a sudden thought flashed in her mind.

“What if it doesn’t work? What if I were to feel cold and tired after mating and end up dying?”

Cortis’s hands paused.

That’s right. After mating, the female would definitely feel very weak. If her illness were to aggravate, she might die.

Bai Qingqing heaved a slight sigh of relief, putting on an aggrieved expression. Then, she lowered her head and said, “I know that you just want me to lay eggs for you and won’t care whether I live or die. If you wish to do it, just go ahead…”

“That isn’t true.” Before Bai Qingqing finished her words, Cortis interrupted her, explaining anxiously, “I only want you to be well. I don’t care about children.”

Bai Qingqing was secretly surprised. Cortis didn’t care about kids? He was still saying yesterday that he wanted her to have a nest of eggs each year.