Raising The SSS-Risk Beast That Only Pretends To Be Tame Chapter 03

Raising The SSS-Risk Beast That Only Pretends To Be Tame Chapter 03

I thought about it all night.

For my own safety, I decided to quit.

Dr. Cole agreed, but he said, “Ms. Hayes, Subject-17’s training can’t be interrupted. One more session, please. I’ll have your replacement by the end of the day. Thank you for your cooperation.”

I didn’t have a choice. Fine. One last time.

I hesitated. Then, for some reason I couldn’t explain, I grabbed a carton of strawberry milk from the fridge and slipped it into my bag.

I went into the containment unit five minutes early.

“Chloe!”

The moment Seventeen saw me, he launched himself at me like he’d been shot out of a cannon.

His restraints pulled taut, groaning like something exhausted, something about to break.

His arms locked around my waist, crushing me against him. He buried his face in the crook of my neck and inhaled, long and deep.

Then I felt it. Dampness.

Seeping out from between us, soaking through my shirt, trickling down against my skin.

I looked down. And shoved him off me.

Bright red.

His hands, my clothes—covered in red liquid.

“What is this?”

He looked down at his red-soaked hands, then up at me. Then he clapped. Like a child playing a game.

Once. Twice. Three times.

“Bright. Pretty.”

“Chloe pretty.”

He let out a melodic laugh.

[Yep. That’s the monster. He thinks it’s pretty when the girl bleeds.]

[You get it now?]

[Girl, you’re in danger.]

A chill ran through me. “Seventeen, you can’t do that.”

He tilted his head innocently. “Huh?”

I reached over and pressed the button on the wall.

A cleaning unit descended from the ceiling.

Once he was clean, I crouched down to his eye level.

“See? Clean and bright. That’s what looks good.”

Seventeen thought about it for a second. His lips pushed out in a small pout. A faint crease appeared between his brows.

Then he smiled. He raised one finger and tapped his own pale pink cheek.

“I look good.”

“Yes,” I said. “You look good.”

I meant it.

[Gotta admit—the monster is drop-dead gorgeous.]

[He’s going to get even better looking. Give him a little more time. Let those features sharpen, let that bone structure settle—his face is going to be a nuclear weapon.]

[And so will his kill count.]

[The prettier, the deadlier.]

He smiled at me, then reached out and tapped my cheek too. “Chloe looks good too.”

“Good job. You learned that well. Here.”

I pulled the strawberry milk out of my bag.

He took it from me with both hands, cradling it like a small bird.

“This… Chloe… reward?”

“A gift,” I said. “I thought you’d like it. So I brought it for you.”

“Gift.” He repeated the word slowly, rolling each syllable around on his tongue. “Gif—t.”

He was learning the word.

He was collecting it.

He made an “oh” sound and scraped at the pull tab with his fingernail a couple of times. When it didn’t open, he turned the carton over and studied the bottom for a long moment.

“Let me help.”

I popped it open and handed it back.

He took a few sips. The corners of his mouth curled up. “Sweet.”

Then his expression changed.

His brows pulled together. His mouth turned down.

He pressed a hand to the left side of his face and made a muffled sound.

“Tooth… huuurts.”

I blinked. “What’s wrong?”

He opened his mouth.

I leaned in to look.

Every single one of his teeth was razor-sharp. His canines were especially prominent—like little daggers, gleaming white.

On the bottom row, left side, one tooth was loose. A faint ring of red circled the gum line.

[He’s shedding.]

[It’s not just teeth. It’s his brain, too.]

[His old brain gets absorbed. New neurons grow in their place. During that process, he loses all his memories. Like a hard drive getting wiped.]

[Two months from now, he won’t remember her at all.]

[A blank slate.]

[A blank slate that’s stronger, more vicious, more lethal.]

The live chat was scrolling like crazy.

I lowered my eyes. “Seventeen, you have a bad tooth.”

“Huh?” Seventeen stared at me with wide, dazed eyes. “Pull it out. Chloe pull it.”

“I’ll try.”

I reached out. My fingertip touched the loose tooth. My nail caught its edge. I braced myself to pull—

And his mouth snapped shut.

His bone-white teeth sank into my finger.

Through the skin. Into the flesh. Down to the bone.

Pain.

Before I could even cry out, he let go.

He licked the blood off his lips and smiled. A hungry smile.

“Sorry,” he said. His voice was still dull, the same as always—but there was something else in it now. Something I’d never heard from him before. A blood-soaked edge. “I couldn’t help it.”

He looked down at my bleeding finger, then back up at my face.

“Bright and white,” he said. “Want to eat it.”

[Girl. You’re bright and white. And he wants to eat you.]

[Translation: Your flesh is white. Your blood is bright. Your bones shine. He wants all of it.]

[Girl, you’re so naive. Stop ignoring our warnings.]

[Run. You still have time. He hasn’t grown up yet. He hasn’t finished shedding his brain. Two months from now, when he wakes up with a new mind, he won’t remember you.]

[Run. As far as you can. Don’t let him leave any trace of you in that new brain of his.]

Yes. I had to run.

He’d already hurt me twice. I wasn’t waiting for a third time.

I scrambled back, putting as much distance between us as I could.

“Chloe?”

He took a confused step toward me. His restraints pulled tight.

He looked down at the cuffs around his ankles, then back up at me. His eyes were wet at the edges.

“Chloe?”

I couldn’t let him fool me.

“I’m sorry,” I said. “I can’t come back anymore.”

I walked out.

A mechanical beep sounded. The electric deterrent activating.

He didn’t cry out.

He didn’t call my name.

That was worse. I walked faster. Then faster. Almost running.

[Thank God. She’s safe now.]

[No. Not yet. Run farther.]

[Run. As far as you can.]

I decided to run.

My mom had called a couple of days ago. She missed me.

I bought a ticket on the interstate rail back to my hometown.