12. Chapter Twelve
Chapter Twelve
Iris
Remus’s eyes remain focused on mine, and I feel my anger flaring at the amusement I see there. He’s always amused. Always taunting me from behind the scenes, finding joy in my reactions. I pull my face from his grasp, glaring at the ground in disdain. I can’t bring myself to look into Remus’s eyes. Even being this close to him makes me more than uncomfortable. My eyes slowly shift to Margot, who stands silently, and Remus notices.
“Are you still this worked up over her presence?” he asks. Silence washes over us, but he knows the answer to what he is asking. He scoffs at me, turning away from me to make his way to Margot.
“Perhaps I should rid you of her then—”
“No!” I scream while simultaneously lunging for him, my hands grasping the material of his clothing and squeezing it tightly. He stops walking and slowly turns to look at me. His eyes are narrowed, slowly taking in the grip of my hands on the material of his clothing. My mind screams at me to let go, but I don’t. I hold fast, looking him directly in the eyes.
“Don’t hurt her,” I whisper. My voice is shaky as I stare death in the face, but he only watches me, his mind working at a pace I can’t comprehend. He finally faces me, standing at his intimidating height.
“Let go, Iris. Now.”
I step back, releasing the fabric. Silence overcomes the room, and I swear Remus is going to tear me a new one, but he doesn’t. I tense when I feel his fingers along my shoulders, lightly tracing my flesh. His fingertips trace from my shoulders to my hands, and he slowly pulls me along with him into the open area of the living room.
We stop walking when we reach the open area that Margot was leading me to in the first place, and Remus decides to turn on me. His grip tightens around my hand, and he pulls me flush against his chest, lifting me with ease until my feet rest atop his. He moves his feet under mine and slowly spins around the room with his hand pressing against the small of my back.
“Tonight, there is going to be an event.” I look up at him, but his gaze isn’t focused on me. His eyes look distant.
“There will be humans with inhibitors. And there will be humans with free will.” His grip on my hand tightens, and he pulls me even tighter against his chest. I flinch but keep my mouth shut as his mood suddenly shifts to one I am not used to.
“If you do anything to disobey me or put any form of slander across my title, I promise you, Iris...” his gaze finally travels down to mine, and I feel a shiver crawl its way up my spine from the cold gaze that meets mine, “I will make you regret it.”
His tone is one that I haven’t heard in a long time. Not since we first encountered each other. Up until now, Remus has been amused with my presence. But now, he’s warning me. He slowly lowers his head, and I feel the warmth of his breath tickling my throat, followed by his lips. He presses a soft kiss on my neck, followed by his tongue, which traces a straight line atop my flesh.
“I haven’t given you a glimpse of what I truly am...” A squeal escapes me when I feel a soft prick against my throat. Remus’s lips slowly close around the area, and I feel a slight tug before he licks the spot, his lips moving to my ear.
“Don’t make me kill you tonight.”
Remus wasn’t lying when he said this was an event. The venue alone is dazzling, to say the least. I look up as the Leviathan bow to Remus as usual upon his approach. There are also Leviathan standing outside, speaking to one another with smiles. They look breathtaking, but still, they are dull in comparison to their terrifying leader. My gaze shifts to Remus, who walks ahead of me. We are matching in color. He’s dressed in his signature white, his hair pulled back and held in place by a jeweled pin. The rest of the jewelry he wears also gives off a white hue .
We reach the entrance to the venue, and the doors are opened, revealing the halls of this spectacular event. My eyes widen as I take it in. I’ve never seen anything like it. Within the walls, crystals are embedded, giving off natural lighting that perfectly illuminates the large room that now hosts Leviathan. We reach the large double doors, and a Leviathan greets Remus, bowing with a smile. Remus watches him with a blank expression as he scurries away before turning to me. His eyes are so intense that I feel myself beginning to squirm under his gaze.
Unexpectedly, he pulls out a delicate jeweled bracelet. He doesn’t speak as he places it on my wrist. I focus my eyes on it, my heart sputtering to a standstill when I see the symbol engraved on Remus’s chest on the bracelet. I flinch when a sharp prick suddenly forms on my wrist. This isn’t a bracelet.
My eyes shift up to Remus, his gaze dark as he stares it down.
“This is something I have modified specifically for you, Iris. It’s your very own inhibitor. Much better than the necklace you hate to wear.” My eyes widen when I see the familiar blue light that illuminates from it to the palm of his hand. And as quick as it appears, it disappears.
“If you try and remove it like you so recklessly tried with your friend, it will cut into your flesh and slice through your muscles and bones before you can place your fingers around it. Already, it’s coding itself to your nervous system. So, if I wish for you to feel pain...”
Suddenly, pain flares through me. My skin is on fire, and every single cell in my body burns along with it. I open my mouth, wanting to scream, but nothing comes out. Remus angles his gaze in front of me, a small smile playing on his lips.
“Oh no, Iris. You can’t scream. I haven’t allowed it, have I?” he smiles wickedly at me. Tears burn in my eyes, and I feel myself growing weak as my brain fights against the mysterious intruder that commands it. Finally, it stops. The pain stops as if it were never there. As if it never existed. I release a heavy breath, looking at Remus in horror. He steps closer to me, placing his fingers under my chin and bringing my face to his, placing a light kiss on my lips.
“Behave, Iris,” he says right before the doors to the grand hall open, revealing hundreds of Levithan dressed like they are some form of nobility. Thunderous applause erupts from the crowd as they all stare at their ruler in excitement. The Levithan from earlier appears next to us, gesturing for me to go with him, and out of instinct, my eyes shift to Remus.
He smirks, pleased that his training is somewhat effective. “Go with him.”
The Leviathan are enamored with Remus. Luckily, I am standing near his seat at the head of the ballroom, so I can easily see the smiles and awe on the Leviathan faces as Remus gives his speech. I wonder what it is he’s saying to them. I watch him closely as he speaks. He’s very matter-of-fact. Strangely, he holds a charisma that I don’t fully comprehend. From what I’ve seen, he rarely socializes with them. When it comes to these events, he is usually above them, away from the crowd. They only ever listen and show their praise. I don’t think the Leviathan race is capable of a revolt against him.
Remus waves his hand slowly and says one last sentence in their language before stepping down from the balcony and through the throngs of Leviathan. All bow and show him recognition as he passes by. Are they aware of the sadist that their ruler is? Or do they choose to ignore it and praise him because of the power that comes with his title?
Once Remus is seated on the throne, the party slowly comes alive, light music playing and the lights slightly dimming. I watch in fascination as the Leviathan in attendance interact with each other. Their mingling is similar to humans. They speak to one another, smiling politely and laughing when necessary.
I’m pulled out of my thoughts when I hear Remus laugh. I quickly look to see him speaking to a Leviathan he doesn’t seem to be irritated by. This Leviathan looks nothing like Remus or his siblings, so I know this Leviathan isn’t related to Remus. He has dark hair and eyes like the rest of the Leviathan, and as if sensing my gaze, he looks in my direction.
I quickly look away, praying he won’t make a scene, having caught me staring. He says something more to Remus in their language before Remus calls to me in English.
“Come here, Iris. ”
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 begins speaking. 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 humans who 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 feel the 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 from his flesh. I shift my attention to the surrounding Leviathan, all of whom have expressions of awe as they watch the gruesome display.
The emotions I had stuffed down out of fear slowly become lost in the rage that barrels to the forefront as they move on to another human, grabbing a different weapon this time. My mind shifts to Margot’s expressionless face and lack of willpower just as another tortured soul’s cries echo over the room. It’s the woman this time. Her arm has been forced in front of her by her chains as the Leviathan places something under her skin. It once again illuminates her arm, seeming to cause her more pain. But Remus is irritated with the sound of her pain, gripping her face roughly in his grip to cut off the sound of her screams. His eyes narrow, and he steps back, releasing her.
Seconds after, however, her body plunges into the ground flat.
My anger slowly outweighs my fear as I find the will to move. I slowly rise from where I once knelt, my heart beating rapidly in my chest. I can’t sit here and cower out of fear. My eyes shift to the humans who have yet to receive torture. They pull uselessly at their bonds, panic on their expressions. And the humans in attendance, who are slaves to their Leviathan, stand with the same expression I had, unable to move due to their fear. But I can. And I can show them that the Leviathan can’t beat us without our permission. We can’t just roll over and take it out of fear. I can show them that there is still hope.
My gaze shifts to the guards who are watching the display, their attention drawn by the entertainment with their weapons sheathed. My face is wet with tears as my emotions wash over me. My people, my girls, everyone who is now at the mercy of this barbaric race thinks this is the end. I take one last look at Remus, who stands with a grin on his lips before hastily wiping my tears.
I take off through the crowd, no one suspecting my approach, as they are all enamored by what they’re watching. As I near the hostages, I reach for the nearest guard, using my momentum to throw myself on his back. I wrap my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist, forcing both of us to fall to the ground as I use my weight again to pull him down, simultaneously pulling the weapon strapped to his back from its harness.
The gun is foreign in my hands and doesn’t have a trigger like human weapons. I feel around as Leviathan guards approach me, screaming until my finger finally brushes over the side of the weapon. It makes a high-pitched ring as a beam of light rips from it, the force propelling me back. The Leviathan closest to me barely has time to move as it rips through his side, and he collapses in pain. I let my scream fill the room, my rage becoming audible as I continue to fire the weapon. I only get three shots out before it no longer works for me. I immediately toss it to the side, my eyes falling on the weapon that Remus was using earlier.
I throw the gun I was using with all my strength at the approaching guards, making my way to the weapon. It’s right between the humans and Remus. My adrenaline is pumping as I lunge for it, snatching it up from the ground. It’s sickeningly light in my hand, and I grip it tight, swinging as I saw Remus do. The beam of light erupts from it, but instead of colliding with a Leviathan, it wraps around Remus’s forearm as he stands a few feet directly before me .
His gaze narrows as irritation forms on his features, and suddenly, agonizing pain rips through me. I’m paralyzed. I open my mouth to release a scream, but I can’t. My eyes are wide as I look at the ceiling, praying for the pain to stop. The excitement has died down as silence fills the room. The only sound is the slow and deliberate approach of footsteps. The pain stops, but not before I am pulled up from the ground by my hair to meet a familiar set of purple eyes. The black of Remus’s pupil violently dilates, and for the first time in a long time, I see no amusement in his features.
Remus huffs in irritation, dropping me once again. But I can’t move, and I recognize it as the bracelet he put on me—my own special inhibitor. I want to fight or crawl away, but I can’t. I have no control over myself. The pressure that held me down disappears for a moment, and I can move again. My hands press into the floor as I try and lift myself when suddenly a loud snap fills the room, followed by shooting pain from my left leg. I cry out in agony, looking down to find my left leg bent at an unnatural angle.
Fingers are in my hair, dragging me in line with the humans who were originally bound. They watch me with terror as I’m dragged by each of them, pleading for the same mercy they did only minutes ago. Remus throws me forward, but instead of binding me using the cuffs the humans have, the floor’s makeup begins to change, the hard material of the marble shifting into a liquid that swallows my arms and legs. As soon as my limbs sink into the shifted material, it hardens, holding me captive. I gasp as my dress is ripped from my skin, exposing my back, the horror of what’s about to happen dawning on me .
I pull and struggle, but it’s as if the floor has molded itself around my limbs. I can’t move. At this point, I’m hyperventilating, trying to calm myself down, but I know it’s useless. The room is silent, and my screams eventually die down to whimpers at the approach of Remus’s footsteps. He stands in front of me, kneeling to be at eye level with me. He looks at his arm, and I follow the motion, my eyes widening. The sleeve of his shirt is tattered and hanging in threads, but his skin is unharmed. As if the weapon never touched his flesh.
I shift my attention to what he holds in his hands, blood draining from my face when I see the weapon. It looks innocent in his hand, like a rod with a mechanical interior. But I’ve seen what it does.
“I’m more than happy to test this on you as well, Pet. Maybe I was too soft in only giving you mental torture. Maybe this will instill obedience,” he says.
I slowly lift my head, looking Remus in the eyes. I know that I’m already in a deep enough hole as it is, but I open my mouth anyway, sobbing my hopeless belief.
“I... will never.... be obedient if it means.... watching... innocents suffer... at the hands of a monster...” Remus is silent, his eyes searching my face as he finally grasps his own internal control. He smiles, and it’s chilling on his face, revealing his sharp canines. I flinch away as he reaches for my cheek, but he grabs my face anyway, rubbing his thumb along my jaw.
“That was very profound. ”
His smile drops as he stands, moving away from me. My heart beats loudly in my ears as silence remains thick over the room. I can hear myself gasping for breath as I try and anticipate what is to come. But I don’t hear it. I suddenly feel a sharp pain digging into one area on my back. It suddenly expands as if fire is burning every vein and nerve I own. I can’t move as it wraps over my entire body, the pain so much that it blinds me, the room growing white.
“AAAAHHH!”
1. Translated: "Continue"