Page 104 of Pet: Genesis

“If they can’t decipher what exactly is in my blood, what makes you think they would have a weapon that powerful?” he asks, angling his head. “Come on, Iris. I know you are much more intelligent than that. Otherwise, my brother would have never wasted his time with you.” Ezra’s eyes twinkle in amusement. His body may be battered, but his mind is not. He almost looks as if he wants to be here.

He’s enjoying himself.

“My brother saw him disintegrate into nothing,” I say desperately. “He is dead!”

“Then why are you here? To prove to yourself that what they tell you is true? You and I both know that Iriel cannot be trusted. I’m sure he’s feigning his excitement about the news of Remus’s death, but we both know he is finding a way to make his escape before the consequences bite him in the ass. Just like he did whenRemus showed up in his village.”

Silence washes over us, and I come to the realization that I am just as terrified of Ezra as I am of Remus. I finally find my words, looking him in the eyes.

“Remus was looking for you. He was worried...why are you still here when you clearly don’t have to be?” I ask.

Ezra smiles once again, revealing dimples on his cheeks. His unnatural gaze drifts to the glass, lingering for a second before returning to me.

“I’ve grown fond of my time in captivity.” He accompanies his words with a laugh, forcing chills to break out over my skin. I slowly back away from him, no longer strong enough to stand in his presence, but he isn’t done taunting me.

“Be careful out there, Iris. Remus won’t like it if you return to him in lesser condition than when he found you,” he laughs.

Sky is silent as she walks me back through the mountain to where my brother stays. It’s nighttime, and only a few dim Leviathan-made lights light the path.

“How long have you had feelings for him?” I ask. Sky immediately looks up, her expression one of shock as she studies me.

“What?” she asks. I can see why Remus gets irritated repeating himself. It feels redundant when you already know the answer.

“You let me see him too easily. You didn’t seem shocked by our conversation...and I can see it in your face whenever you talk about him,” I say, looking down at the rocks along the path. Sky lets out a small breath.

“He asked me to see you before. I kept telling him no and that if you came to me, then I could. It wouldn’t look good if I sought you out,” she says. I let out a bitter chuckle.

“How much do you know?” I ask.

She shrugs. “I know enough about him and Iriel to know that what you say makes sense. I know that if I question the authorityof the Leviathan in charge, it could jeopardize my position. It’s dangerous here for a human. You should be careful, Iris. Iriel already doesn’t like that you’re here with no leverage on Remus any longer since his untimely demise. Don’t give him a reason to send you away,” she says, confirming my suspicions.

“Is Ezra truly a captive here?” I ask.

Sky nods her head.

“Of course. The tubes his arms are in have thousands of needles injecting liquid nitrogen into his bloodstream and muscle tissue. Even if I can’t quite decipher all of it, it keeps him pretty docile. We add mercury to his system beforehand to weaken him, and combining the two does the trick,” she says. “We do this every three hours.”

I let out a bitter chuckle.

“That sounds like torture,” I say softly.

“It is.”

“He isn’t human, you know. He doesn’t experience things the way we do. He’s evil. Just like Remus,” I say.

Sky doesn’t respond.

“What is your plan if Remus isn’t dead? What if Remus and Xion come here and tear this place apart?” I ask.

Sky laughs softly, looking up at the dark cave.

“I keep a capsule of cyanide on me. Don’t worry, if this place goes...I go with it. I would rather die than go through what you and Jude had to.” She looks at me with a sad expression.

“But that doesn’t mean I can’t unravel the mystery of an alien in the meantime,” she says. I let out a soft laugh. I understandher completely. If not for the horrors I witnessed, just learning firsthand about Remus and his people, along with his abilities, was an experience like no other.

We finally reach my brother’s house, and I silently make my way to the door, pausing before I walk inside.

“Be careful with him, Sky. Don’t get too attached.”

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