Page 65 of Pet: Genesis

He drops me, kneeling so that he is at eye level with my trembling, naked form.

“You aremine. And I will beat that understanding into the very marrow of your bones if I have to.”

Chapter Twenty-Two

Iris

At this point in my long, drawn-out torture, I wish Remus had just beaten me. I tense as another needle enters my flesh, sending a fresh new wave of pain through my body. My arms and legs feel as though they’ve been broken, my lungs suffocating. Physically, I can see that nothing has been broken. My body remains unharmed, but the technology that Remus’s race has come up with allows thousands of microneedles to enter my skin, attaching themselves to my nerves to give me a fresh new kind of pain each time.

The door to the room opens, and in comes Remus himself. He seems to have composed himself since I saw him last. Another needle enters my flesh, causing white-hot pain to shoot through me. My groan fills the room, catching his attention, and his eyes meet mine. I see no emotion there. Remus is back to his original ways with me, the same way he was when we first met, and thatsends a fresh kind of fear through me. Over the months, I have grown used to Remus’s leniency. I forgot what it was like to be on his bad side... totrulyfear him.

He approaches the counter, silently examining the small glass screen embedded within it.

“Your vitals are normal. Looking at your brain signature, however... I’m surprised you’re still conscious,” he taunts.

Remus watches me for a moment trying to figure out what it is he wants to say, exactly.

“I don’t know why I bother torturing you. You’ll only disappoint me again. Just like you do every time.” Remus approaches the pad embedded in the wall, adjusting the settings. My eyes widen as higher pain tears through me. I arch my back, letting my cries fill the room, trying my best to move from atop the table, but I can’t.

Remus walks around the table, eyeing me closely before speaking.

“What drives you, Iris? How can you be so defiant when you know what will await you in the end? Do you want death? Is that it?” he asks.

“... Please... stop...,” I sob.

My skin feels on fire, and yet the pain never numbs. It perfectly settles atop my skin, constantly keeping me in the same state of discomfort. Remus laughs as he approaches me, placing his fingers atop my skin. Though the gesture should be soothing, it’s excruciating, pulling more screams from my throat.

“Why should I?” he asks, smiling at my expense. I can barely breathe from the pain as another needle pierces my flesh. My muscles begin to spasm as an uncontrollable vibration comes over me.

“Oh? Has my pet endured too much pain?” he says, watching me. I can’t breathe. I can’t speak. I can’t focus. All I can do is writhe as my body takes on a mind of its own, trying to combat the unnatural pain that I feel.

The cool floor is marvelous against my skin. I’m afraid to open my eyes. I’m afraid of what I might find if I do. But as my lack of consciousness slowly leaves me, the weight of my reality hits me hard. I slowly open my eyes, taking in the surrounding environment. I’m in Remus’s home in the city. Except it looks very different. It’s empty. Everything has been packed up.

I slowly sit up, my head throbbing in pain as I do. I flinch, rubbing my temple, hoping to staunch the pain, but it does little. Even my nerves haven’t forgotten the pain they’ve endured. I can barely move my body.

I hear footsteps and cries of pain just as Remus rounds the corner. My eyes widen, and horror crushes my soul as he rounds the corner with a bloodied and battered Jude. He looks horrible, barely like himself. His eye is swollen as well as his cheek, his lip is split, and he has a bloody gash in his head. His arms and legsalso sport bruises, and his once-pale hair is dark, coated in his own blood.

My eyes fall to Remus as he roughly shoves Jude to the ground in front of me. He doesn’t say a word, his eyes roaming over Jude in complete disgust. Tears brim my eyes as I take hold of the dire situation that we have been presented with. Jude’s breathing is ragged, and he’s barely conscious as he looks at the ground, his eyes dull. Suddenly, my body no longer responds to my commands as a weight washes over me. I try to move, but for some reason, I can’t. My body won’t. Jude’s eyes slowly travel up to meet mine, and as he takes me in, disbelief crosses his features. Tears appear in his eyes as well as he looks at me.

“I’m sorry,” he whispers. I want to respond. I want to tell him that I am sorry and that this is all my fault. I want to look into the warmth of his gaze and tell him that everything is all right, but I can’t.

Remus finally speaks, letting me know why.

“She can’t respond to you. She’s wearing an inhibitor. Don’t worry, she can see you and hear you, but she can’t do anything other than that,” he says walking around Jude. Jude’s eyes shift to Remus, and I see hatred mingled with fear there.

“You’re a monster,” he manages.

Remus doesn’t offer him a response. Instead, he silently moves closer to me, his back to Jude. I note that Jude has silenced as he watches Remus. Remus’s eyes focus on mine, and I don’t know if I should be relieved or terrified at the fact that his eyes are their usual hue.

“I’ve studied you for a long time now, Pet. I’ve come to realize that when it comes to your own life, you are careless. But when it comes to others...”

He doesn’t give me a chance to take in his words as he turns around, snatching Jude off the ground in an instant. His hand is closed around Jude’s throat, and helplessness washes over me as I watch his feet dangle, his hands clawing uselessly at Remus’s steely grip. My groan of pain fills the room as I fight against the inhibitor. My fingers twitch ever so slightly, but the feeling is excruciating. My brain feels like it’s going to explode. My body finally rejects my attempts at control as blood trickles from my nose from the strain. But Jude’s struggles are slowly dying down.

“Do you not think I know what has been happening under my own roof? How stupid can you be?” he growls.

Jude’s eyes meet mine, the whites of his eyes gradually turning red as Remus squeezes the life out of him. Remus doesn’t have to choke him. He could take his life with a simple touch. But where would be the fun in that? Where would be the torture?

Remus drops Jude, using his foot to shove him away from us, his eyes meeting mine. He grins as he takes in my pathetic state. Blood pours over my lips as I fight against the inhibitor, my mind tearing as it tries to delve into unconsciousness.

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