The Human Pet: A Sci-Fi Romance

Part 24

It takes an hour or so and maybe she is an arm-length closer. Then after an even longer wait, she crawls inside our hideaway.

Truly meeting another human does something to me and several emotions flicker through me—sadness that Loviatar made her feel like this, happiness that yet another human is with us, and maybe hope? I also can't hold back. I open my arms. She leans toward me to accept the hug, but I can't help noticing her slight tremble. I am deliberate and careful, patting her on the back. Lugh holds out his hand, which she grips.

"What is your name?" I ask.

She glances through the metal grates in the direction of her owner.

"It's alright, we're safe under here. Plus, there are rules and regulations protecting pets."

Her eyes go wide. "Pets?"

She must have said Thoth to be taken as a pet, so she must have some concept of the word. Maybe she did not fully understand the word when she said it? Had I? She might be traumatized from what she underwent, so I tap my collar and softly repeat the word pet.

"That means scourges are not supposed to hurt us," I say. Something feels wrong to me about making these reassurances. Sure, I've read these rules, but it's obvious by her bruises that her scourge owner isn't following the rules.

"What's your name?" I ask and when she stays silent, I tap my chest. "I'm Kayla."

Lugh thumps his chest. "Lugh."

Her eyes flicker between the two of us and after what feels like minutes, she whispers, "Ava."

I smile at her. "Welcome aboard the Hydra, Av–"

Suddenly, Loviatar's large fingers poke between the grates. Ava shrieks and I hit Loviatar's fingers, as does Lugh. Loviatar roars, but he removes his hands.

I think we are free of Loviatar, except–

She gasps, gripping her collar.

Lugh holds onto her, trying to keep Ava with us. She doesn't move but her face becomes pink, and I knock Lugh's hands away.

"Let her go," I scream.

Loviatar stretches his arm into our hideaway spot and pulls Ava out.

"We need to help her, come on," says Lugh.

I follow. Ava is still gasping and Loviatar holds her chain tight.

Someone needs to help Ava. Andromeda is not on her bench. That leaves Tarak.

"Help her," I yell at Tarak, but he is not going to understand my words. I go to where my owner sits on the bench and push at him, pointing at Ava, hoping my intent is obvious. Get off the bench. Do something.

Tarak just clenches his fists.

Someone needs to do something. Andromeda is not around, and my owner won't help, which means... I gulp. The humans it is, then.

I will make that bully let go of Ava, so I crouch and run straight at the arm of that nasty scourge.

An arm catches me from around the waist, lifting me. It's my owner Tarak and he's yelling at me. I fight to get loose, but he presses my face to the floor. Tarak's knee is on my back, and I can't get up and he's putting that ball gag into my mouth, followed by my leash, and then he lifts me, holding me in his arms like a baby.

He strides away, but when we arrive at the gate, I grip Tarak's neck tightly. I need to know whether Ava is okay.

Tarak firmly grips me and holds me in his arms and turns.

I see Andromeda running toward Ava, accompanied by another scourge, although he is dressed in a way that makes me think of a boy scout or... Would they have rangers here? That scourge yells at Loviatar and other scourges surround him.

It takes a while for the crowd around Loviatar to disperse, but eventually, I nearly cry when I finally see Ava. She no longer looks restrained, and her feet are on the floor. Only then does Tarak turn and carry me out of the park, the gate shutting behind us.

When we get home, Tarak takes me straight into the warm welcoming water of the bath.

I had briefly lost hope in Tarak caring about humans today: why didn't he help when I pointed out Ava's condition? There is no doubt, though, that Tarak cares for me. He suds soap and applies it to my skin. rinses me off, and then... Tarak does it over again, his eyes skittering over every inch of my skin. Something inside me feels warm when I realize that Tarak is obsessed with my well-being. I let him do what he needs to and stay limp in his arms as he washes me yet again. I find myself thinking about how I am lucky that Tarak is my owner. After all, what if I had ended up as the pet of a scourge like Loviatar? I shudder, thinking about those pictures I've seen of Adam, and what might happen to Ava. I'm also reminded that I need to figure this out soon because who knows how long Ava has been with an unpredictable scourge owner.

Tarak takes me straight from the bath to the bed, and he pulls me into a tight embrace. I now recognize this behavior, too. Holding me is important to him.

Tonight, it's different, though, because I cling to him as much as he clings to me. I will never let him go.