Page 10 of Pet: Genesis

The moment I open my eyes, he’s here.

My body is hauled up from the ground, and my back is pressed against the door that held the false promise of freedom. The Leviathan’s body is pressed against mine, and I shiver as a strange energy snakes its way over my body from where he touches me. He leans into me, close to my throat, his lips hovering over the sensitive flesh. A deep growl reverberates from his chest, vibrating over me. He draws his head back, watching me with an intense expression that adds to my fear.

“I can hear your heartbeat.” His hand snakes up, lightly wrapping around my throat. He doesn’t squeeze, but the warning is there. Loud and clear.

“It’s so fast. Are you afraid, Pet? Did you think you could escape?” He laughs at the silence that greets him. His thumb rubs lightly over my jaw, adding goosebumps to the top layer of my flesh.

“I guess I overestimated you. I didn’t think you were unintelligent. Naive, yes. But dull?” he laughs at the comparison.

“You knew there would be consequences, yet you tried anyway. And so violently against an innocent,” he says, referring to Ruth.

I squeeze my eyes shut, letting the tears fall and my fear break through.

“Please,” I whisper.

I don’t know what I’m begging for. I just know that I have to plead for something—anything but his wrath. He uses his thumb to wipe away the tears trailing down my face and I feel his hand under my chin, lifting my gaze to meet his. His bright purple gaze glares into my soul, revealing to me the horrors of the Leviathan. I can’t move. I’m completely entranced.

Even when I feel my skin beginning to prickle in pain, even when my bones begin to vibrate within my body, a pain-filled whimper leaves my lips, but it’s all I can do. There is no reprieve. As the pain grows, his eyes never leave mine. My whimpers morph into groans of pain and finally screams. My body writhes within his grasp as excruciating pain washes over me. It feels like a thousand needles are prickling at my flesh with heated tips, pulling my bones from within.

The Leviathan leans into me, his lips next to my ear as he speaks.

“Embrace this pain. It will be your closest comfort for the next hour.”

My soft whimpers have become a consistent sound over the past hour. It’s all I can focus on to help think of something other than the pain that’s been etched into my body. And yet, when I try and recall it, it’s as if my mind can’t grasp the exact feeling. I tense when I feel the Leviathan’s fingers underneath my hand, my eyes flying open to see him standing over me. He gently runs his fingers over my palm, taking in my physical state before speaking.

“You have filled out wonderfully,” he says. I gaze at him in shock. His hand continues to trace up my arm before coming to a rest on my cheek.

“Can’t even see the bone anymore,” he mumbles to himself. His eyes finally focus on me, and a sudden wave of nausea washes over me as I remember the pain that gaze caused me only an hour ago.

“I am curious what you hoped to accomplish by attempting to escape. You must be aware of the advancements I have installed here. None of which have been fitted to you,” he says. He watches me expectantly, and I realize he actually wants me to respond.

“I-you were gone,” I say. He raises a brow at my response.

“And you thought my absence would be the perfect opportunity for you to escape?” he asks. I slowly nod my head, unsure of how to answer. The way he speaks to me is as if he’s coaxing a child into realizing their mistake. It grates on my nerves.

“I’m glad you found the opportunity to attempt your escape. I hope that you will remember the consequences of your actions today.” He leans in closer to me, giving emphasis to his next sentence. “Do not make this attempt again unless you are prepared to lose the last bit of sanity that rattles around in that head of yours.”

I don’t respond. I can’t. I can barely breathe with his eyes watching me like this. His mere presence is enough to intimidate me into a state of pure fear. I notice his eyes are burning bright as he speaks, the blue traces within the purple burning much brighter the longer his gaze remains locked to mine. He finally smiles, satisfied with my reaction.

“I do not believe in death as a consequence. It would be too easy an option for you. Rather, I would love to see how much pain you can take before you lose your grip on the world around you. If this happens again, I promise you, we will see how long it takes for you to lose your mind.” He’s no longer smiling as he glares at me. His amusement is gone. He studies me longer than I like and finally leans back in his seat before standing.

“Come,” he says as he leaves the room. I immediately stand, putting on a light jog to keep up with him.

“Very clever of you to use my servant to aid in your escape,” he says with his back to me. As he speaks, I can’t help but take in his powerful build. He’s wearing light clothing that hugs his frame gently enough for me to see the muscles constricting in his back as he walks. My eyes fall to the long strands of white hair that cascade down his back. His hair is once again pulled into a low ponytail to hold it all in place. It’s such a strange color. I’ve never seen anything like it.

I’m curious if this is a Leviathan trait.

This being is beautiful in a way that I can barely even begin to comprehend. And suddenly, it dawns on me that I don’t know his name. He knows mine and speaks it easily without formality. Butwhat about his? Does his culture require a title? Do they even have names?

We finally reach our destination. It’s just a door. A beam of light appears in front of the door, and the Leviathan swipes his hand under it. The door slides open, and he motions for me to follow him into the mysterious room. I look around the room in confusion. I don’t recognize anything in here. It’s all foreign. The Leviathan steps around me, pulling out a chair.

“Sit.”

Whoever he is, he must be the one in charge. He’s very commanding. It’s like he’s never had to wait for someone to follow his orders, let alone question them. He doesn’t even look in my direction as he moves to one of the cabinets. He knows I’ll follow his command. And I do.

“It is time we acclimate you to your new environment.” He holds his hand out expectantly. I shift my gaze to meet his in confusion, and he only raises a brow at me in response. I lift my hand, placing it in his. I don’t miss the small smirk that appears on his lips. An electrical current pulses through my palm as he takes my hand in his. My skin comes alive just by his simple touch. He doesn’t speak as he gently swabs the crook of my elbow, then places a strange tool over the chilled area. I cry out in pain when a sharp prick enters my arm. I watch in complete shock, the blood from my arm being pulled into the transparent tool.

His eyes remained trained on the tool as he speaks his next sentence.

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