Five

NICOLAI POV

The scream of the man on the torture table wasn't loud enough. He'd lost a lot of blood and his voice, and that was disappointing.

I pulled out my dagger from his thighs and he groaned, blood spilling from his lips as he coughed in pain.

At least his tortured face wasn't a disappointment. He looked like he was ready to give up, but I wasn't done.

The door opened, and my brother walked in, his eyes widened as he took in my handiwork. I loved the reaction because it meant I did a good job.

"That has got to hurt" Lucas grimaced and I smirked.

"I was trying to draw a dragon, but he ruined it by squirming around like a little bitch," I said pointing to the craving on his skin, blood sipping out of every cut and incision. "He wouldn't stay still, so now I have to start all over, on a neat canvas. His back is still untouched so that's next." I grinned, and the man's eyes widened as he imagined it, which was exactly what I wanted him to do. 

"As long as it puts you in a good mood," Lucas shrugged. He cleared his throat and I knew he'd done something wrong. My gaze pinned his and he fidgeted.

"I found the rest of his gang. Two of them are dead," he reported with a glint in his eyes that made me smile and grab a hold of his hair.

"You little psychopath. You bashed their head in, didn't you".

Lucas grinned. "They were both too cocky that I couldn't resist. Besides, we were going to kill them all anyway, and I have been feeling a bit bored lately".

I let go of him, stepped towards my instrument board, and picked up a scalpel. I admired the sharp edges as they reflected the red light that hung overhead.

The smell of blood in the room gave me such a rush, it felt almost orgasmic.

"The plan was to kill them in the woods, where it will be easy to dispose of them. We do not carry dead weights".

"I already had them incinerated, so you do not have to worry about that. Also, you and I know that whole easy disposing of excuse is bullshit. I do not know why you're so obsessed with getting rid of our enemies at that particular spot anyway. The place stinks, and it's not befitting... " Lucas choked to a stop as I hurled the scalpel in his direction. He dodged at the last minute but not fast enough to not get a little cut on his cheek.

He groaned, his hands reaching up to wipe at the blood that escaped the cut. "What the heck, Nicolai..."

"That stinky place was the final resting place of our poor mother, Lucas" I growled, my grin remaining in place even as my fingers twitched. "And the men who had a hand in her death, or anyone at all who dares to come after me and my brother will all be offered as tribute to her. They'll be offered alive, got it, so next time do as you're told little brother, or I won't miss when I aim for your throat".

Lucas had the grace to look sorry. He rubbed at his neck, his gaze darting to the man that was still making little pained whimpers as his beady eyes moved over me and my brother. "He's going to die if you continue cutting him up".

"I barely touched any of his veins," I got out as I stared at all the intricate cuts on his skin. "But you are right. I wouldn't want to offer a dead man to our dear mother as tribute now would I," I said, then sighed. "Take care of this. I'm craving something sweet," I told him and walked out of the room.

I heard Lucas's sharp exhale of relief. It carried through the hallway. He was so easily scared that I wanted to cut him up sometimes. 

The soldier acknowledged me as I passed by them. They do not look surprised to see me covered in blood since it was almost a daily affair.

After killing Father and taking over the organization, I'd managed to conquer more territories than he'd ever dreamed of conquering, and every man I captured went through the same torture process, even if it never felt enough.

Lucas wasn't there when Mom died, since she'd sent her favorite son somewhere far away where he could live a normal life.

Father had sold her off like some cheap slut to the enemies - all because of her alleged infidelity - and in doing that, he'd sealed his fate. 

He'd begged for his life... which was a pathetic thing to do now that I think of it.

He'd taught me to kill, he'd captured men and ordered me to butcher them up, which was a messy procedure - I'd always preferred drawing beautiful patterns on their skin, making cuts, and watching the blood that dripped down their veins make beautiful lines that crisscross each other - that was much more tasteful than cutting them up into little pieces with no finesse. 

All in all, I learned and was better at it than he could dream of being, so he should have known that there was no turning back after I pulled out my dagger. 

My name sent fear slithering the spine of anyone who heard them, especially after they saw me throw the head of their revered leader from the very top of the mansion he'd built. 

Father had been proud of the man I grew up to be and there was no question that I would be his successor once he was gone, not that anyone dared to challenge me after what I did. 

I adored my mother, but to her, I was the vilest person alive. She preferred Lucas because, in her eyes, he was the pure angel who wasn't tainted by Father's darkness. I was the devil who enjoyed taking the lives of other people just for pleasure, but I did what I had to do, so she could keep her delusions of keeping Lucas from Father's grip.

Lucas had turned out to be exactly like the old man even without passing through half of what I did.

But even though Mother hated me, she'd treated my injuries every time Father was in a bad mood, and he didn't find any other alternative. So for Father to sell her off like some cheap slut, someone who didn't matter, it made me see red. 

I'd defied him, and finding out the location where she was being kept, I'd tried to rescue her, but I didn't get there fast enough. She was already dead and burning when I got there. In my anger, I killed all the men in the vicinity, even though some of them were my father's business partners - it was a bloody massacre.

I smirked as I remembered the old man telling me he was going to cut me off and make Lucas the next in command. My dagger had slit his forehead open, and as blood gushed into his eyes, he'd tried to beg, but I'd slit his throat open before he even got a chance to finish his sentence.

I popped two sweets into my mouth and pushed the door to my room open.

It was all in dark foreboding colors.

I stepped into the room and dropped into my favorite chair - it used to be Father's. I pulled out a cigar, my gaze boring into it as I twisted it around.

"He hadn't even put up much of a fight. Such a weakling".

There was a problem though! The killing wasn't taking the edge off anymore. I craved something. I needed something more. I needed a fresh canvas. My fist clenched as a face flashed in my head.

"She'd look pretty under a knife" I mused to myself. Too bad I didn't know who she was or where she was from. I'd had a mind to look for her back then, but she was of no importance, except she was because, after all these years, she was still the first face I pictured.

If I had captured her back then, using her beautiful body as the canvas it was meant to be, carving the most intricate design into her skin, then she'd have already been forgotten. Dead and forgotten.

The human body was so frail and limited... I guess I'll never be truly satisfied.

Footsteps registered, and I sat straighter as Lucas came in. He shoved the blue-eyed girl that was behind him toward me, and she fell gracelessly to her knees.

"Everything is already prepared for the journey, but I know you're in a bad mood, so I brought you a pretty present. Just like you like them," he said with a grin, a bandage on the cut on his face.

I leaned forward, my eyes raking over the girl's frame.

"Look up" I ordered, and she complied immediately, her hands trembling on the floor, but her eyes were bold, and her lips were curved in a seductive smile.

"What would you like me to do sir," she asked, her voice soft and husky.

"I didn't permit you to speak" I stated and her assured look slowly got wiped off. I watched as the fear crept into her eyes. That was better. She looked prettier when she wasn't trying to be a slut. 

Lucas watched her, his hands on his crotch. The horny psychotic bastard. Mother chooses to love the wrong son. I could have been perfect. I could have made her proud. 

"I am not in the mood," I said instead, and the girl stared at me as if I'd punched her.

"What! But she's the type of girl you like, and she's totally down for whatever it is you want to do. Tell him, Bella," he urged, shoving her a little.

"I'll let you cut me up, Master. I'll do anything you ask of me… please, just let me please you"

The display was pathetic. I stood up, towering over her and Lucas. "I will not repeat myself. I am not in the mood" I said and Lucas made to protest before he gave up.

"We'll be ready to move in an hour. Please be in a good mood when you come down," he pleaded, pulled the girl to her feet, and stomped out of the room like a little child. 

I needed a thrill and if killing those freaking betrayers didn't take the edge off then there were going to be problems.