3. Chapter Three

Chapter Three

The sound of trickling water fills the air. It is the only sound being made as the being sits across from the tub while the servants clean the woman brought in from the ruins. He doesn't look up while they clean her. The process of making her presentable holds little interest for him. The state of his empire holds more importance. Eventually, he raises his purple gaze in curiosity. He stands, placing the screen down on the counter to better gaze upon the woman he discovered attacking his people.

"Fuck you."

The words cling to his memory like a bell setting off the beginning of this challenge. She's either very brave or very stupid. She tried to kill him with a primitive weapon created by humanity. She didn't seem to care about what would result in her life. He can't get the defiant gaze she held out of his mind.

The servants sense his approach and stop what they are doing. They each step away silently, their vacant expressions a reminder of the prison they now live in. He briefly glances at the inhibitors on their temples as he approaches the bath, standing over the woman's naked form. Her body is still submerged in the water up to her face, the technology from his world still working to remove impurities.

She was filthy when he discovered her. He wrinkles his nose in disgust as he recalls the pungent scent wafting off her from the years of dirt, grime, and blood. Her clothing was the same color as the ground beneath her feet. But what more could he expect from a human living on the outskirts of the Leviathan civilization, fighting to survive?

It's taken several wash cycles and excessive scrubbing, but her skin has finally begun to peek through the dirt, the awful odor that clung to her now all but gone. At this stage in the process, her hair has been trimmed down six inches due to the damage of the years. It was so matted from years of neglect it couldn't be salvaged. Now, it barely rests at her jawline. The water causes the dark tresses to wave slightly; it's curious.

A frown finds its way to his lips as he studies her, now standing over her naked form. She shouldn't be here. She isn't servant material. If anything, he should have placed an inhibitor on her, thus taking away her will to fight. She is strong. Mentally, she is a powerful adversary. And, if there's one thing he enjoys most in the world, it's breaking those who believe themselves to be strong. His gaze moves from her face, taking in the state of her body. Her bones are poking through her thin skin from lack of food. She is dangerously emaciated from starvation, making her features harsher than they should be. Calluses cover her hands from fighting to survive, something he saw for himself.

After a few weeks of regular feeding and treatment, he'll have her just how he likes his servants. Except she won't be a servant in his care. She won't even be a slave. She'll be more like something he keeps around for entertainment. Something he takes care of and expects to obey his every whim because she knows he owns her. He smiles to himself. Not a slave, but he knows the human term for it.

"Pet."

Iris

Something is tickling my nose. It's soft, almost like the wind. But it feels too cold to be the wind. I scrunch my face, swiping at the tip of my nose before rolling over into the soft material under me. The tickling shifts, dragging across my face to the rim of my ear where it stays. I frown in my sleep as I try and sink deeper into the warm—my eyes fly open, my brain finally registering the unfamiliar textures surrounding me. I swipe at the soft sheets, clasping the material. I'm in bed. A large bed that sits on a circular frame. The material of the bed is so soft my heart jumps each time I move out of fear of sinking into the floor.

I look around the room, but nothing seems familiar. The wall I'm facing is dark. And as I continue to look around, I realize all the walls are dark. All except the ceiling that has a starry night sky. I furrow my brow in confusion when I realize the tickling has reestablished itself on my nose. As it continues, my head finally understands what this is. It's cool air from an air conditioner.

Confusion surges through me as I try and wrack my brain for an explanation. These are luxuries that only existed in my childhood. My head is groggy, my memories muddled. The last thing I recall is walking back to the blight and finding it up in flames. Everything from there is just images. A boy, a bloody man, rubble, and fire...The images in my head begin to clear up with each passing second, and I feel a wave of panic come over me. Tears brim my eyes, spilling down my cheeks as my memories bombard me—the loss of life and the blight.

The alien...

"You're awake." I sit up quickly, my gaze whipping in the direction of the intruder's voice.

It's him .

The being that snatched me up like I was nothing stands in the room's doorway, his vivid eyes focused on me. I blink in complete confusion. How is he completely unscathed? How am I? I know I pulled the pin on that grenade. I saw his shocked expression as I did so. I vaguely note that there is a hallway behind him, but it's only for an instant. He steps into the room, and with his entrance, the wall appears as solid as it was moments before.

I blink in confusion. He didn't press a button or close it with his hands. The door just appeared.

He's wearing a dark shirt with sleeves that stop just shy of his forearms, revealing unscathed, smooth skin. The shirt hugs his frame perfectly, allowing me the perfect view of the lean muscle that lies beneath the foreign material. My eyes drift to his face. A face I have to convince myself exists. There isn't a flaw on his smooth skin. He's eerily perfect, right down to the unusual hue of his hair that falls down his back.

My instincts register that this predator is approaching me, causing fear to squeeze my throat. All the hatred I've garnered over the years flies out the window in the face of this being, replaced in an instant by fear.

"Stop!" I cry out. I don't know if I'm asking him to stop approaching me or if I just need it all to stop. The memories, the emotion, the fear. All of it. I open my eyes, not realizing I had closed them. To my shock, he's already here sitting inches away from me at the edge of the bed.

The way he looks at me is terrifying. There is no specific expression on his face. Only vague attention is directed toward me. I can tell there is so much on his mind that I couldn't possibly begin to understand. He angles his head slightly, taking in my features.

"What do I call you?" The sound of his voice is one that's hypnotizing. I fight myself from closing my eyes just to relish the sound.

I take a few deep breaths, steadying myself before answering.

"Where are my friends?" I ask. It shocks me how brave my voice sounds in the face of this terrifying predator. I want to ask him more than this, but all that matters now is their lives.His face changes for the first time since I've met this being. It's a small change, just a subtle lift of his brow and the slight upturn at the corner of his mouth.

"I don't like to repeat myself," he says. Even though his face gives off the misdirection of amusement, the tone in his voice makes me want to crawl under the covers and cower. Gone is that soothing charm. Now, nothing but a sinister gaze is waiting for me to challenge him. He's craving it.

"Iris," I whisper.

He scoffs at my response. "I see you possess some sense of intelligence." He stands from his position, making his way across the room to a bureau, and pulls it open. His soft chuckle echoes over the room. "Which can't be much, seeing as you tried to blow yourself up promptly after I caught you attacking someone you couldn't dream of defeating."

A wave of nausea washes over me as I recall the moment he barreled his way into my path. But his words catch my attention, and I immediately pat my body down, looking at him in confusion.

"How—"

"If your planet's most advanced weapons couldn't stop us, what makes you think a primitive weapon like that would?" he asks, avoiding a true answer. But I don't have time to dissect his answer further as concern for everyone else's well-being comes over me.

"Where are my friends?" I ask a little stronger this time.

The Leviathan moves with inhuman grace as he approaches me with fabric in his hands .

"Dead," he says as if it isn't the most earth-shattering news I've encountered. I fight through the tears, threatening to force their way up, gripping the sheets for support.

"H-how do you know they're my friends?" I ask.

He unfolds the fabric, placing it on the edge of the bed. It's a dress—a white dress with lace trims intricately placed.

"Anyone living in that wasteland that encountered us will be dead unless they were taken prisoner, which I don't consider a much better fate."

He rises, motioning to the dress.

"Put this on," he says. I slowly look down at my body, realizing I'm wearing a strange top that only covers my breasts and underwear. I reach for the dress to put it on, getting out of bed in the process. The Leviathan's gaze never wavers as he watches me with those strangely colored eyes. Even from this distance, I can see the blue flecks burning bright within them.

Once I have the dress on, he makes his way to a place in the wall. I watch in awe as the wall disappears again, revealing the hallway.

"Come."

I quickly follow behind him, lightly pulling at the strange material of the dress that tickles my skin. The hallway is concise and simple. It's made completely of glass, leading to one double door at the end. I note that the floor is dark marble, and outside the glass, I can see nothing but the clouds that blow gently against the obstruction. It's either extremely foggy, or we're very high up.

The Leviathan is still making his way to the doors at the end of the hall, so I quickly force myself into a jog to catch up.

"Why did you bring me here?" I ask.

He doesn't respond, nor does he look in my direction. His face holds no disclosure of his current emotional state. Once we reach the end of the hall, the door slides open, unlike the wall in the bedroom that reappears and disappears at will. I take in the strange-looking box on the other side of the door just as the Leviathan steps in. It takes a moment for my mind to remember something similar to this from my childhood. It's an elevator like the one that was in my father's office building.

The Leviathan pulls me out of my thoughts.

"You won't like it if I have to force you in here," he says, clearly unaware of what impact his kind has had on me. His tone forces me to quickly enter the room, standing uncomfortably close. The doors slide closed, and there's a sudden dip in my stomach.

We're moving down.

It's terrifying being this close to a Leviathan. I know nothing about him or his people. I don't know his name, what he is capable of, or even who he is in their society. Our world has gathered little to no information about the Leviathan; the best we knew was from people who barely escaped their attacks. I try my best to keep a brave face. I can tell by his interactions with me he likes fear. He wants me to show weakness.

I can't give him that satisfaction.

After a few seconds, the elevator stops its descent, opening to reveal an entirely new location. It looks like a dining room. The ceiling-to-floor windows are tall, letting in the light of the world around us. Greenery surrounds us like the forests in the geography books I used to look at with my older brother. The floor itself is a beautiful dark wood, and in the center of the room is a long dining table with chairs on either side. I eye the Leviathan curiously as he steps around one of the chairs, motioning for me to have a seat.

His gaze is still intensely focused on me, daring me to challenge his unspoken authority. So, I force my legs to move, and I take my seat at the table. Once I'm seated, he moves out of my line of vision, and I tense when suddenly a plate of food is set down on either side of me. I don't hide the shock as I take in the servants. They're human. I look around for the Leviathan, but he is nowhere to be seen. So, I take the opportunity to speak. I look at the woman nearest to me. She looks to be in her twenties. Her dark hair is pulled up into a bun to keep it out of her face.

"You have to help me—" I trail off as she completely ignores my presence. Her eyes are trained ahead, with a lack of interest in anything. As I focus closer, I note that her pupil is dilated heavily. The black is so expanded that the blue of her eyes is nothing more than a thin ring that sits on the outer edge.

I notice another woman walking toward me, this one with brown hair. I immediately reach for her.

"Please, listen to—"

"She can't hear you." I jump, releasing the woman. She doesn't falter as she walks away from me. My gaze shifts to the Leviathan. He has an amused grin on his lips as he studies me. I didn't even hear him enter the room. He holds his hand out to his left, watching as the servant comes willingly into his arms. He gently turns her so that the side of her head is visible.

"They all have inhibitors. They can only do as I say. What I command them to do," he says with a cruel smile. I take in the round silver point on her temple, the proof of her unwilling service. I shake my head in horror. She is a slave. All of them are. Their free will has been taken from them by the terrifying being that stands over me.

"Why am I here?" My shaky whisper fills the silence in the air. He releases the woman, and she walks away, a blank expression still plastered on her face. He watches her exit, his eyes holding no emotion. He finally turns to face me, making his way to where I am seated. His smile is painfully beautiful but utterly terrifying. It's inhuman.

The Leviathan stands directly over me, reaching his hand toward my face. I flinch, closing my eyes to wait for the pain. But I only feel the featherlight touch of his fingers against my temple. When I open my eyes, his smile is gone, his eyes focused on the stray curl he tucked behind my ear. I am trembling before him. He notices it, too, his eyes dipping to take in my state before meeting my gaze.

"Right now, to eat," he says.

My breathing hitches, and I blink, trying to figure out his motive. But he proves his words by reaching across me, pulling one of the plates in front of me. He's serious. He tilts his head as he studies me, his hand gently grabbing my chin to lift my face toward his.

"Do try your best to outsmart me. I haven't had a challenge in years. I look forward to the fight you will put forth, Iris..." At this proximity, I am in full panic. My natural-born survival instinct can easily determine that this being is the predator, and I'm his prey. Every nerve in my body can sense that. I don't know how long he searches my face, but he finally laughs softly before stepping away from me. He turns away, making his way to the solid wall.

"I expect you to have eaten something before I return," he calls over his shoulder. He finally reaches the wall, and just like it did in the room, the solid object disappears, only reappearing when he walks through it.

Silence overtakes the room, allowing me to look around. To my dismay, there are servants standing in the corners, but they aren't watching me. Their gazes are blank. Unfeeling and emotionless. I push the chair back so that I can better stand, walking to the wall he just disappeared behind. Could it be a visual trick or automatically open once something approaches? I keep walking toward the wall, and the closer I get, the deeper I feel my heart sink. It doesn't move. I press my hand lightly against the wall. It's solid.

How is that possible?

I continue my inspection of the room I'm in. The floor has a glossy texture covering the black hue. The walls are glass, letting natural light illuminate the room. The glass table that sits in the center has chairs surrounding it as if this room were made for dinner parties, not for someone like me.

What is this place?

Who is this being that has me here, and more importantly, why?

I trudge back to my seat as horrible thoughts overtake me. Humanity's fate within these Utopias has always remained a mystery. No one ever comes out once they're in. I don't have the slightest idea of what to expect with this Leviathan. As I take my seat, the food in front of me catches my attention. It smells amazing. It's warm and fresh. There are vegetables, meats, bread, and fruits.

I choke on a sob. All this food, yet we were hanging on by a sliver of a thread in the blight. All of us. Either dead or enslaved. Margot's gaunt face flashes in my mind. She's gone, never having experienced the feeling of a full belly and never having gone to sleep without fear in her mind. The rest of them as well. They were the only family I had left. This far in my life, I barely remember my own family. I reach up, involuntarily reaching for the necklace that holds the photo of my family. Terror grips me when I grasp nothing. It's gone.

My necklace is gone.

My nerves are frayed as I sit on the edge of the bed, waiting for the Leviathan's return. One of the servants under his control brought me back to the room, and since then, I have been waiting for his return to confront him. I will not let him intimidate me as he has been from the moment I awoke here. Right on cue, the wall disappears, allowing for his entrance. He's wearing different clothing. The attire is more regal. His gaze is focused, his face not amused as he enters.

I slowly stand from my spot on the bed, pulling my shoulders back. I lift my chin, trying my best to show that I am not scared. On the inside, however, I am terrified. His eyes find me immediately, and he takes in my stance; the only indication that he acknowledges my resolve is the small scoff that escapes his lips.

"Where is it?" I ask.

I'm greeted with silence.

"Where is my necklace?" I shout.

My voice comes out strong.

"It's not yours any longer," he says simply.

He doesn't bother to elaborate. He turns away from me, walking in the opposite direction of where I stand. My feet are moving before I can think of my actions' consequences. His hair is pulled into a low ponytail that falls down his back, pulling my attention. I reach out, my fingers inches from closing around the easy target.

In one moment, I reach for his hair, and in the next, I am locked against the wall, my arm clasped tightly in his grasp. The world around me shakes, and a wave of nausea washes over me from the speed of movement. My eyes close, and I force myself to calm my raging nerves. The skin he holds in his grasp is on fire from the contact of his hand, and when I open my eyes, he's gazing at me with excitement.

"Reckless," he says, searching my face.

My breathing comes out in shallow pants as panic consumes me. The Leviathan squeezes my wrist, causing me to flinch from the pain.

"Just like the rest of your race." He places his free hand over my chest, feeling the rapid beat of my heart.

He laughs .

"I know you fear me. I know your body senses the danger. It warns you not to act against me. Yet, you ignore your biological chemistry. With no weapon, skill, or even a simple plan to back you up."

To my brief happiness, he drops me, walking back to his original direction in the room. I cradle my wrist, a bruise already beginning to form from his tight grip. He takes a seat in one of the chairs, motioning for me to come to him, but I eye him hesitantly before making my way in his direction when I see his pupils dilate dangerously.

As I approach, he speaks.

"Today's purpose was to help us understand each other. I wanted to see how smart you would be when faced with these situations, as I'm sure you wanted to see what kind of situation you have found yourself in. And now that I have learned all that I need to, it is only fair that I give you a brief lesson."

Once I'm standing over him, he reaches for my hand, holding it tightly. His thumb lightly traces the veins running through it, causing chills to break out across my skin from the steady contact.

"As you are aware by now, I am Leviathan. I've come to this planet to add it to our empire," he trails off, chuckling softly before continuing. "Compared to others, you are a very primitive species." He lets go of my hand, his fingers tracing the hem of my dress.

"You are selfish. Instead of jointly fighting a common enemy, you closed off your borders, played the blame game on who caused what, and even shot missiles into neighboring lands. It's your planet's biggest weakness—the easiest to exploit."

"Even when your planet's first crew discovered ours, your superiors kept the information from all of you." He finally looks up, his abnormally colored eyes meeting mine. My breathing hitches from the intensity of his gaze. And as he slowly stands, I have to crane my neck to keep eye contact.

"You, my brave little pet, are here because you have shown me something I haven't seen since my arrival on this planet. You did the complete opposite of everyone in that wasteland. You attacked a being you knew you had no chance of defeating to save the life of another. A complete and total stranger. And even more impressive... you challenged me."

He laughs in disbelief as if remembering the moment.

"In your weakest state, you were willing to risk it all for someone. And that showed me how strong you are." He tilts his head, angling his gaze. The action makes me feel like he's studying my very soul.

"Even now, I can see that fire inside of you." My eyes widen, and fear coils deep within my belly as he speaks his next words.

"I can't wait to snuff it out. Until you are nothing but a hollow shell of your former self."

My mouth is suddenly dry, and I try my best to stay brave—to remain strong in the face of this challenge.

"Why not just put an inhibitor on me? Then you won't have to break me," I whisper, hoping he'll take the bait. I'd rather be placed under the spell of an inhibitor than go through whatever it is he's planning. He laughs. It's low and filled with amusement. His thumb trails over my cheekbone, draping the length of my jaw before settling on my chin, where he forces my gaze to hold to his.

"Where would be the fun in that?"