Comrade, oh my comrade

XXIX: 𝓝𝓸𝓿𝓲𝓪

I watched as he thrashed around in the bed. Sweat poured off his body. His brows furrowed and faint muffles left those beautiful lips. This look captivated me. Fear. I know thoughts of his family haunt him, but what was so scary in there?

I sat the cup of water by the bed and crouched down near his head. Taking him in. I ran my hand over his forehead, sweeping the hair from his face, causing him to move under me. Tilting my head with a grin.

I raised and tossed the two tapes at him. He shot up with a gasp. head whipping at me. I squinted at him with a smile. He took me in, the blood on my clothes giving him all he needed to know.

"You killed him," He said with a flat look. I nodded, keeping eye contact.

"I learned a lot. I'll tell you if you tell me what you were dreaming of," he huffed at it, shoving his hand through his hair. "But first listen to the tapes," I nodded to them, moving to sit by the window.

"What is it, a snuff film?" He glared. I smirked.

"No"

He looked down at it and then sighed, getting comfortable before hitting play on the audio recorder.

The scene played out again in my head. By this point, he was tied up in a chair and had already told me everything I needed.

"So what, you're going to kill me now" He spat. August looked up at me. I kept my neutral gaze on him. "That's for you to decide," I spoke back. "how would you prefer to go? I can make it quick and painless. Or I can leave you to your own devices and take your chance with West. Hoping you survive long enough till I kill him".

There was a pause. I remember the kid's contemplation on his face. "If my family-"

I told him in a detached voice that I would take care of West and his family would receive what they need. No warmth or comfort. "How am I supposed to believe that?" He gritted. "You have my word, but given the lack of everything, I have. You also have the word of a trustworthy man I know," I replied.

He looked up at me.

"I'll let you record something to leave behind to them," I added.

"Why? Why are you doing this?" His voice was filled with confusion.

I remember crouching down to the guy's face with a dead look in my eye.

"Because I'm not a monster." My audio voice chilled the room. August clenched his jaw with frowning brows. Not guilt, but something else.

"I would like to record something to leave behind to my family. Then make it quick. As baffling as you seem. There is no way you can kill West," the man's defeated voice followed behind. A huff left me.

The tape stopped.

"I don't want to hear what he said to his family. That's between them." Bane's voice was low.

"That's the second tape. Hit play again"

He gave it a glance and soon tossed it further from him like it was a bomb. Hesitant he pushed play again.

"Close your eyes," my voice filled the room again.

"Why? Can't look me in the eye as you do it?" Bitterness in the man's voice. A grin stretched against my lips.

"Is that what you wish of me? To look you in the eye in take your life?" Coldness in my voice.

The next sound that erupted through the tape was my blade slicing the quiet air with a blood-curdling cry that lasted less than a second. Bone and skin detaching, then the thump of his head hitting the ground.

The tape stopped.

Nothing consumed the room as he looked down at the tape with a stoned expression. His body tightened. I studied it. I studied the reaction with curiosity and lust.

"Tell me about the others," he spoke sternly but quietly.

"The other victims of me?" I asked, my lip lifting to a grin.

"Yes" he lifted his head and those pretty eyes met mine. "Were they all innocent? Were they all strangers?"

"Why does that matter?" I leaned in more. "Besides, I thought you read my file" My chin lifted mockingly, matching my expression.

"I didn't get past the family," he said through gritted teeth. "I didn't need to see anything else to know I hate you"

I let out a muffle of a chuckle.

"That family was the first. John Miller, Alex Miller. Lilly and Blake Miller. And I accidentally stepped on their pet rat Lulu, I think," I recalled flatly. He looked almost taken aback.

"You remembered your first massacred family's names," he shook his head. "Was it that fun?" His distaste shined through.

"Yes, but I remember the names of most of my victims. The ones I don't are like the men that tried to rape me," I answered honestly.

"Why did you kill them?"

"They were in the way of me getting to the people who killed my father"

"How?"

"Where is this curiosity coming from?"

"You said you'd answer anything I wanted to know honestly. Answer." He gritted. I grinned.

"I found where the group was and that family passed by the building at the same time. They saw me pull out my weapons and when I went to enter the place, they followed." I held my lust back as I spoke. "They shouted at me, also alerting the murders of my father I was there. And instead of me getting the chance to kill them all at that time. My focus had to be on not getting shot to death. I didn't get to kill any of them in that moment like I needed because of those people. Instead, I had to hunt each one of them down individually. I found the first person. Jason Thinner. I mutilated them. Dragged their organs across their home and pained the walls with every inch of their blood I could smear. I cut off every limb on their body after skinning them alive. And placed them on their couch matching the way my father laid dead on ours."

He looked disgusted. Like he wants to shoot me where I stood.