Page 36 of Pet: Genesis

My heart flutters in my chest, and I make sure to keep my eyes down as I approach Remus. The Leviathan says something more, to which Remus nods and grabs ahold of my arm.

“This is Alistar. He is an important part of our military. He was present in the meeting this morning as well.” Remus absentmindedly plays with the bracelet latched to my wrist as if in warning as he speaks to me.

“He says you are very beautiful.” I shift my gaze to look at Remus in confusion, unsure if I’m supposed to respond to him or his friend. An amused grin plasters its way onto Remus’s lips as he nods his head in the Leviathan’s direction.

I slowly turn to the Leviathan, keeping my gaze down.

“Thank you.” My voice comes out shaky and nervous, which is exactly how I feel. Remus’s fingers begin tracing patterns along my palm, and I don’t know if he’s doing it to make me nervous or make me feel some form of comfort. The Leviathan speaks above me in Remus’s language, and I feel Remus’s grip tighten on my arm. I have to stop myself from flinching. Then Remus speaks back to him, and his tone is hard and cold. Whatever it is that Remus says is enough to make Alistar bow and all but disappear.

Remus maneuvers my body around until I am facing him, his eyes focusing on mine. He studies me for a few seconds, contemplating whether or not he wants to give in to the curiosity he sees plastered on my face.

“Tonight is a celebration. The inhabitants are welcoming me to the city and celebrating the future.” He slowly begins playing with the stitching of my dress.

“Everyone is fascinated with my new pet. You should see the looks you are attracting. Even Alistar wanted you to join in his entertainment, but that is strictly off-limits.”

“Entertainment?” I ask in confusion, and Remus’ gaze visibly darkens as he stares at me.

“My race isn’t ashamed of our sexuality. In fact, we explore it with fervor. So, as entertainment, when a Leviathan finds an attractive inhabitant of a planet, they are welcome to join in the fun and become part of the entertainment. Some pets are traded amongst the elite, pleasing their masters by pleasing one another.” His eyes meet mine, and a wicked grin finds its way onto his lips.

“Had you not made a scene, your friend would have joined that group,” he says.

I feel my flesh crawl at his revelation, and I open my mouth to snap at him.

“And the mighty leader of their race attends these... degrading shows?” I hiss. Instead of anger, I’m met with a smile.

“Yes,” he says simply. “But you never will.”

His eyes meet mine.

“I do wonder how long you can keep yourself this tame, Iris.” His smile widens, and I feel like he’s looking into my soul for something. “I can see the wild part of you clawing just below the surface.”

Before I can respond, the lights dim further, and a spotlight centers on a Leviathan in the center of the room. Applause erupts, and he smiles, waving and bowing. After the applause dies down, the Leviathan makes grand gestures with his hands and beginsspeaking. Once again, he speaks in their native language, and I grow irritated as I am unable to understand them.

“He’s the master of ceremonies for tonight,” Remus murmurs, seeming to sense my distress.

“He says it’s an honor to be chosen to present tonight,” he begins translating. “And in honor of my arrival, the inhabitants of Aeusenah have a gift for me: a pack of thieves discovered on the fringe of our city.”

Remus continues to translate for me, but I feel my stomach dip in discomfort, and my nerves fray as a group of humans are paraded into the ballroom. Their arms and legs are chained and linked to one another using the technology I saw in the facility Remus took me to. They are all gaunt, their bones poking through as they are forced in with hopeless expressions in their eyes. They are clearly from a blight like mine. Instead of being taken to a facility, they were brought as a gift to Remus.

I shift my attention to Remus in horror, but he’s watching the whole ordeal unfold with a grin. His excitement is almost tangible as I take in the blue smattering within his purple eyes, beginning to glow. I can only imagine what is about to happen for the sake of Remus’s entertainment to the people he has voiced his disdain for more than once.

I take a small step forward when Remus’s grip on my arm turns dangerous, squeezing me so tight that my legs buckle from the pain.

The master of ceremonies continues to speak, but Remus no longer translates for me. His attention is focused on the humanswho stand at his mercy. A man is dragged from the group, the woman behind him reaching for him and screaming in panic as he’s dragged to the center and thrown to his knees. The Leviathan technology allows for the floor to open up, leaving him on a perch that his chains are now attached to using that blue beam of light. My eyes widen as they do the same to the others. The lights around us dim, the spotlight focusing on the humans who dared commit a crime against the Leviathan empire.

The master of ceremonies looks up at Remus, his tone shifting as he speaks to him. Remus is silent for a moment, his smile widening as he gestures to the master of ceremonies, his response resulting in a chain of reactions. The crowd erupts in cheers as the humans are barred and locked in place on their platforms. More platforms lift from beneath the floor, revealing objects that are obviously from the Leviathan culture, as I don’t recognize any of them.

To my horror, Remus stands next to me, turning to give me one last look.

“Stay.” Although his eyes hold excitement, his expression instantly lets me know how he feels about the prospect of my rebellion at this moment. My breath is pulled from my lungs as I try and force myself to remain present, not wanting my fear to overtake me as it does instinctually. But Remus is an otherworldly creature who has given his command, and my body acknowledges it in terror.

I choke on my own breathing, lowering my eyes as he walks away, taking his time to approach the humans who beg for mercy. As I watch the contrast between humans and Leviathan, I feelthe sickening churning in my gut intensifying. Remus continues to converse with the surrounding crowd as he pulls weapon after weapon from its holding place, eyeing it with the certainty of devastation. I’ve had the luxury of not seeing this side of Remus. But as I watch him, a deep sense of shame creeps up my spine.

I’ve grown content to survive by his side, not thinking about what his words could mean outside of his home. He is ruthless, however, in his quest to take over our planet. He is a power that overtakes us easily and still feels the desire to beat us while we’re down. My fists clench against my thighs as Remus settles on a weapon of choice, his expression never faltering as he moves near one of the men.

The weapon looks like a rod, but as Remus approaches, a beam of light slowly forms from the tip. Remus’s smile widens as he draws the weapon back slightly and attacks. The man arches his back, a screech filling the chamber as the weapon licks his back. But it doesn’t stop there. Every nerve in his back suddenly illuminates beneath his skin until he is convulsing in pain. Remus hands the weapon off, making his way to the man. His hand drifts over the man’s back as he studies the reaction, shifting his attention to the Leviathan he gave the weapon to.

“Guayushen.”1 The Leviathan nods as Remus gives him a command, repeating the attack on the man just as Remus steps aside. The man’s cries are filled with agony as he writhes, unable to move. His veins illuminate even brighter, steam coming fromhis flesh. I shift my attention to the surrounding Leviathan, all of whom have expressions of awe as they watch the gruesome display.

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