Chasing Catalina | Book One: Worshipping Ashes

2. | The Darkness

I can't stand the smell of blood. It just never really suited me.

The dense smell of death roams in the air and all I can think of is good. Robert Ezernack is the man who was tied up in the metal chair in this remote warehouse.

Let me give you a rundown as to why I have this asshole in my grips. Why is he slowly bleeding out while I ask the questions that he refuses to answer? He knows he is going to die, and I suppose that's why he remains quiet.

"Zander- dude. I swear. Just let me go-"

Aside from the blood boiling screaming the dude did. Oh sweet sounds of forgiveness. I shake my head back and forth as he cries out in the pain that he was experiencing. With a loud clashing of metal, the knife falls onto the small metal table that was just to the left of him and I walk over to the chair directly across from him. A grunt came from my throat as I sat down and stared at Robert.

"Tell me... who are you working for?" It's been the same three questions. Who do you work for, what do you know, and who else is working for this guy? Simple. To the point. A trail to follow for me to track down and kill every last one of them.

"I swear dude, I don't know shit! I don't even know who you are really!"

"Oh, Robert, God doesn't like a liar." I chuckle darkly as the rims of my irises brighten from the dark brown to the bright blood red. Intimidation was key, and sure I have been torturing the guy for five straight hours, asking, prodding, slicing away. This guy is useless.

"No no no! Please!" He begged as he leaned backwards as far as he could away from me with his eyes squeezing shut. His fists curled at the edges of the arms of the chair. The rope had long bitten into his wrists, blood seeping into the rope and turning them that red stained color. "Please! I'll tell you!" He finally says and my brows shot upwards.

Maybe the dude isn't so useless after all. I leaned forwards. My elbows propping against my knees as I stared at Robert with those same glowing red eyes. My jaw locked as I waited for his explanation.

"It's a tall dude, alright!?" He panted and shook his head. Opening his eyes a little bit to which, I assumed, to gauge my expression by the bits of information he gave. "Tall, tall dude. Green eyes." He sputtered words, but I needed a name. There were plenty of tall tall dudes on this side of the states.

I stood as he continued to hesitate the information and grabbed an already bloodied knife from the metal table again. Robert's eyes widening in fear and I relished in that feeling. His life is hanging in my clutches.

"Robert..." I said before taking the knife and pressing it against his chest. Slowly applying pressure before the tip of the knife tore past the bloody undershirt and now drawing more blood like a pecking bird. My voice was as calm and collected as possible, and admittedly, that's what scared poor Robert more, I believe. It was like I had done this before. "I need a name, buddy." I needed the name, any name to track down and do this again... until I could fucking breathe the fresh air again freely.

Robert on the other hand was gasping and begging under his panicked yells, but again that's not what I asked for. My eyes burn brighter as I sliced upwards with the knife. Slicing into the skin slowly and agonizingly.

"Barbatos!" He screamed out, "Bar-Barbatos!" Sweat beaded down his forehead, mixing with blood and tears as the man looked up with wild eyes. Oh... The hope of freedom filled his spirit, and that made me smile wide.

I was satisfied with this name... though it was still a stretch, I reached up and patted his cheek with my free hand before I leaned down to get eye level with him before speaking again.