The Human Pet: A Sci-Fi Romance

Part 8

She trembles, but at least she's not making a racket. The ranger halts, conversing with another group of scourge pet owners.

Making the circles over the indentation in her throat helps me focus on her pounding heart, and the fact that she's safe and living.

Loviatar laughs. "My pet was doing all kinds of antics when I first got him. The one thing I got him for, nightly pleasures, the nasty thing would bite. That's what I was going to tell you. There is a simple procedure that can make your pet more compliant."

"Procedure?" I ask, still rubbing the soft spot on my little pet's neck.

Her trembling is worse, and she won't look at me now, staring intensely at the other pet. I follow her gaze. Loviatar is no longer restricting the other human's breathing, but there is something odd about the other human's behavior. What is wrong with Loviatar's pet? Why is his pet so listless after such a rough reprimand?

"Cuts," the other scourge says, placing one hand on his pet's forehead and flipping back his pet's hair.

His pet's head has healed-over gashes and stitches. There is no doubt in my mind that this procedure as Loviatar called it was deliberate, destroying a part of his pet's nervous system. Only now do I understand that Loviatar must have intentionally damaged his pet, and this is incomprehensible to me. Why hadn't he explored alternatives? I do not yet know much about caring for pets, but surely there are options like training, or using medications, the same way that scourges take pills to control their outbursts?

Guilt roils in my stomach now that I understand why my pet is so terrified. I drop my hand from around her neck. She collapses against me. It's like we are connected by this monster in front of us. I grip her tighter. I get it, pets misbehave. My beautiful pet has only been with me for part of a day, and I have already lost track of the number of times she refuses to listen. Her strong spirit is what makes her so alluring, so to witness another who has intentionally destroyed his pet's mind is incomprehensible.

My mouth is dry. "Hydra's veterinary unit does that?"

He leans closer to me. Although I want to beat him for what he has done to his pet, I can't. The park ranger is too close.

"Legally, it is not permitted, but if you know the right scourges to ask... I can refer you if you want," he whispers, reaching to stroke my pet's hair.

I yank my pet away, holding her tightly in my arms. Never! I would never let him put his hands on my pet.

"Loviatar," I growl, flashing my fangs at him.

She squirms, probably because she wants me to put her back down, but I will not. The risk is too high; if Loviatar lays a single finger on my pet...

I will kill him. "I need to take her to the vet," I say gruffly. "Plagues and diseases."

"Consider it," he says as if we are exchanging pet grooming tips. "Perhaps we should exchange contact information."

I want to get my pet far away from him. What makes him think I would even want to stay in touch with him?

"Why?"

"I've told others about the benefits of my human pet, like how he's an excellent bed warmer. These scourges now want a pet human of their own and have offered me a lot of money for him. Seeing as we both have attractive human pets, me with a male and you with a female..." He gazes at my pet in a way I don't like.

I tighten my grip on her. My fingers are already spread out along the back of her collar, and I press her head against my chest. I also spread my fingers further over the small of her back, but it does not feel like enough and I want to cover all of her, shielding her from his view.