Page 17 of Pet: Genesis

We stare each other down, and I can feel my resolve breaking.Crumbling. I try to keep my brave façade, but the pure aura of intimidation he radiates breaks me down with barely a fight.

Would you stand tall in front of a firing squad? Would you stand your ground against a bear? A lion, perhaps? Remus is more dangerous than all of those combined. I know it, he knows it, and the instincts I was born with sure as hell know it.

Remus smirks as he moves the necklace closer to my throat, and I don’t protest. I stand, weak and frightened, as he places it around my throat. I tense as a small jolt of energy rushes through me before a heavy weight descends over me from my head to my toes. Oncethe feeling settles over me completely, a light blue stream of light radiates from the jewel in the necklace to Remus’s palm.

His eyes raise to meet mine.

“Youwillbe on your best behavior tonight, Iris.”

As he walks away, the weighted feeling drifts into my mind, compelling me to follow. I no longer have the willpower to refuse. Anger and resentment find their way into my heart as I follow Remus, and we make our way to our destination.

The resentment I felt only minutes before has morphed into sheer awe as I take in the city beneath us. Cars are a thing of the past for the Leviathan empire. They use bizarre machines that hover in the air to transport themselves to and from their destinations. It’s just another way of proving how behind humanity was when it came to advancements. My stomach dips as the ship begins its descent to our destination, and I take in the massive building we’ve begun approaching. From the outside, it looks intimidating. The walls are high and made of a beige material that takes on a more organic shape as opposed to the rectangular buildings I grew up surrounded by.

I note that our descent doesn’t lead us to a parking lot or the front of a building. We come toward one of the walls of the building that opens upon the ship’s approach. A soft gasp leaves my lips. The floor lights up with a beam of light blue, directing the ship toits own hangar within the building. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen.

I shift my gaze to Remus, and he is watching me with an amused expression.

“You are easily impressed,” he says, eyeing me.

“How can you not be impressed with all of this—”

My words catch in my throat when I turn to face Remus to find him studying me intensely. His intoxicating scent washes over me, stealing away all coherent thoughts I had. A small smile tickles the corner of his mouth.

“You haven’t the slightest clue what more there is in this existence to be impressed with.”

It’s hard keeping up with Remus. Especially when the surrounding scenery occupies my attention. I’ve only ever seen the outside of buildings that were in ruins, buildings that were created by humanity. And they still don’t compare to the elegant walls surrounding me. Humanity’s creations felt bold and suffocating, covering every piece of land they could and replacing grass with concrete. But these buildings look natural, almost as if they are a part of nature rather than mowing it down for their existence. The interior is elegant and natural as well, giving me an unwanted sense of comfort within these alien walls.

The sound of unfamiliar voices pulls me out of my gawking, and I look up to see that we’re approaching what I can only assume are Leviathan. I take them in silently behind Remus as they greet him, one in particular stepping forward to hold Remus’s attention. They’re speaking a foreign language, but I recognize the pattern as the same language Remus spoke when he first laid eyes on me in the blight.

The Leviathan individual speaking to Remus is also dressed in formal clothing. His outfit has sleeves and embroidered accents. His hair is cropped, and his eyes are dark, unlike Remus’s. I’ve only ever been around Remus, but I see no comparison in their race as I take in this Leviathan. The gaze of the Leviathan speaking to Remus travels toward me, and I immediately lower my eyes, remembering Remus’s very clear warning.

The “necklace” around my neck is a light reminder of the command he holds over me. The weight I felt when leaving Remus’s residence has all but disappeared, so I can only assume that Remus is relying on my obedience at this moment.

They speak a little longer, their tones suggesting it’s a pleasant conversation. The Leviathan speaking to Remus bows slightly before turning away from Remus, and I immediately lower my gaze once again. I keep my eyes down as I hear the sound of Remus approaching.

“Good girl,” Remus’s voice washes over me with a hint of mockery, causing my anger to flare. “We will be entering the banquet hall now. I expect nothing but good behavior from you, Iris.”

I hear the sound of horns blaring, followed by what I can only guess is an announcement in the Leviathan language before the large double doors before us open to reveal the magnificent hall. Applause washes over my ears before anything else. It’s deafening. The Leviathan people are actually excited about the arrival of Remus. It unveils his importance in adding more pieces to the puzzle. He isn’t a random citizen of the Leviathan society.

He’s someone important to elicit a response like this.

Remus steps into the room, and I follow, keeping my head down. While keeping my head down, I raise my eyes slightly to look around as we pass through. Everyone bows to Remus as he passes. Not only that, but Remus and I seem to be the only ones in white at this clearly formal affair. The applause doesn’t stop as Remus makes his way through the room. Even when we reach a floating beam that carries us up a flight of stairs. Once we reach the top, my eyes widen as realization dawns on me. It all makes sense now. The applause, the announcement, the bows, and especially the large throne that Remus is making his way to.

Remus turns to face the crowd, his eyes grazing over the room with authority and arrogance. His gaze passes briefly over me before he faces the crowd, holding his hands up to silence the applause. He opens his mouth, and a speech begins.

His voice is calm yet firm—gentle yet authoritative as he speaks to his people in his native tongue. He’s clearly in command. I look past him to all the Leviathan, watching their leader with smiles on their lips and looks of awe in their gazes. They’re taken by Remus’spresence. They adore him. They truly listen to what he’s saying to them, pleased with whatever it is that leaves his lips.

From this high up, I can keep my head bowed and my gaze steady as I look at the beings below. I was right. None of them are wearing white—only Remus and me. Remus is also the only one with white hair and, from what I’ve seen so far, purple eyes. The rest of the Leviathan, while unnaturally beautiful, do not share any features with Remus.

I look back to Remus, my confusion increasing.

Just what exactly is he?

Applause erupts, pulling me out of my thoughts just as Remus returns to the throne. He takes his seat, and the party resumes in full swing. Soft music plays as chatter erupts, and the crowd turns to one another, their attention leaving Remus.

“I can see the gears turning in your head, Iris. Speak your mind,” he says.

I shift my attention to Remus. He’s watching me with a strange expression, his hand propped under his chin as he takes me in. He reads me so easily, yet I have no idea what is happening in his mind.

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