14. X

Chapter fourteen

X

SITTING ON THE PARK BENCH, I glanced at the stopwatch clutched tightly in my hand. Only two minutes remained, and as I listened intently, I could hear hurried footsteps growing closer.

Raising my head, a smirk appeared on my lips as I caught sight of her flushed face racing towards me.

I rose from the bench and stopped the stopwatch. "59 seconds to spare," I bellowed.

Lyric couldn't hide her displeasure as she exclaimed, "Where is my friend?" She huffed, trying to catch her breath.

"Patience, amor."

A sudden transformation overtook her as she straightened up from her slouched position. An air of determination replaced her previously lackadaisical posture as her eyes narrowed and fixed on me. The piercing intensity of her icy glare sent a shiver down my spine, yet strangely enough, it was a sight that I secretly reveled in. There was something undeniably captivating about her fiery disposition that had initially drawn me to her in the first place. Whether it was how she fearlessly spoke her mind or the passionate energy radiating from her every move, she exuded a captivating magnetism that was hard to ignore.

"Patience?" She sneered, baring her teeth. "Your threats of punishment are well worth my friend's life, so no, I won't have patience this time," she said. "Now I'll repeat myself. Where. The fuck. Is. My. Friend?"

She knew the consequences before her words escaped her filthy mouth. In an instant, I grabbed her by the throat with the force of a lightning bolt and pushed her against a tree. "I don't simply issue threats, Reina. I carry them out. And not all forms of punishment will be as pleasurable as the last two," I sneered.

Her face had turned almost blue as she was deprived of air. I could see genuine terror in her eyes, a sight I had never witnessed before except in that video. Though I took pleasure in pleasing her, I couldn't deny the twisted satisfaction I derived from seeing her pain as well. It was a perverse desire that only I could fulfill.

"Nap time," I divulged. Applying a light but steady pressure with my fingertips to a nerve cluster in her neck, her eyelids began to flicker and eventually closed as her body relaxed. I gently caught her as she fell towards me, cradled her in my arms, and quickly took her to my car.

After I took Lyric to the warehouse, I returned to the university, where James would be getting out of practice.

I planned to hide in the back seat of his car and let him get out of the parking lot before confronting him.

I lounged in the backseat of his car, my gaze fixed on the clouds that stretched across the sky, partially hiding the moon. With a moment to spare before James appeared, memories of my childhood flooded my mind. I always had the compulsion to protect. It could be something I inherited or part of my genetic makeup.

That's why Lyric and I were so perfect for each other. We were both as broken as one another. We had both experienced abandonment and watched those closest to us fade away. When someone dies, their name is forgotten like the wind, but I wanted to ensure that my name would last for generations when I was gone. I needed someone with the same mentality as me—a duo like Bonnie and Clyde who, even though their actions were wrong, still managed to bring out the best in each other. Their love was one of a kind.

The loud honking of the car horn and the locks popping up interrupted my reflections.

Still laughing from what he said to his friends, James clambered in and shut the door behind him. His engine roared to life, and he pulled out of the parking lot.

I grabbed my gun, which I rarely used, and attached the silencer before sitting up. I placed the barrel of the weapon at James' temple, and as his eyes met mine in the rearview, they grew wide in the dimly lit car. My mask's LED light came to life as I tilted my head.

"Give me your phone," I demanded, and he obliged. "Lower the window." Once he did, I threw his device outside the car.

James steered the car down the dirt path towards the warehouse. After we drove ten more miles, the rusty old building gradually revealed itself. I gestured to park the car at the back of the structure.

The vehicle came to a halt, and he turned off the motor, and then I used the butt of my gun to knock him unconscious. His body slumped against the car door, and I stepped out of the car and opened the driver-side door. James fell out with a loud thud, leaving me amused. I scooped him up effortlessly and put him over my shoulder, closing the car door with my foot, and started walking towards the warehouse where mi Reina and her friend were tied up.

The metal door creaked at my entrance, revealing Lyric and Carmen, both wide awake. I nodded in their direction before placing James on the frigid examination table. "Hello, ladies," I greeted them as I strapped him in.

Lyric observed me as I shuffled around the shadowy chamber, collecting tools and laying them on a steel plate.

"What makes you think he's connected to my assault?" She probed.

I whirled to face her incredulously. "Are you trying to say I'm an idiot?"

James groggily awoke at the sound of my voice, and I walked over to the examination table. "Glad you're awake, James," I said, pushing the steel table with my tools closer to him. "You're on my list next just because I fucking hate your stupid name. It's always been cringeworthy for me. Who even calls their kid James anymore? Get with the times." I returned to a cabinet in the corner of the room, pulled out a small blender, and placed it on the tray beside me.

James nervously glanced from me to the blender. "What's that for?" he asked, his voice quivering.

"I thought you would enjoy a smoothie before we embark on our fun adventure."

"Fun?" James whined.

"Well, fun for me, not you," I taunted.

I reached into my pocket, extracted my phone, and placed it on the stand. I glanced over to Lyric, who appeared doubtful. "What?" I said, cocking my head.

"Why are you even doing all this?" she asked.

"I told you."

She wrinkled her nose in disdain and turned her head away from me. "You're seriously disturbed," she spat.

She was trying to provoke me, and it was working.

I walked across the room and grabbed her face, making sure she was looking at me. "That's not what you said when I was making you cum," I threw back and squeezed her chin between my fingers tighter. "Never turn away from me, Reina," I commanded. Glancing over at Carmen, who was bound up nearby. "Her life and everyone else in this town's lives are in my hands."

Her gaze of molten gold burned into me. "So, you think threatening me with killing people is supposed to make me love you?"

"Sweet Melody, you don't need to love me in return, but you are mine. It's best to understand that now instead of resisting it." I let her chin go and stepped toward the camera, but she again forestalled my approach with her words.

"That's impossible," she said, her expression filled with skepticism. "We've only just met."

I approached the camera and said, "Perhaps from your perspective."

"What does that even mean?" She asked.

"Exactly the way it sounds."

Just as I was about to go live, she uttered those words, instantly fueling my anger.

"You're completely insane!" She seethed.

As I spun around and rushed toward her, the force almost sent the tripod tumbling to the floor. I grabbed my butterfly knife midway toward her and deftly twirled it in my hand while she squirmed against the ropes that bound her to the chair. A smirk played on my lips, although she couldn't see it. However, I'm sure she noticed the devilish grin in my eyes as I approached swiftly, slicing in her direction.

Closing her eyes tightly, Lyric braced herself for the inevitable pain, only to find that it never came. I watched her swallow before opening one eye, and her other eye flew open once she realized I had only cut her ropes off.

Bending down, I placed my hands on the arms of the chair, effectively trapping her between me and it. "I'll let it slide this time, amor, but calling me crazy won't be tolerated a third time. Being crazy is the definition of being unable to recognize right from wrong. And my dear Reina, rest assured, I am fully aware of what I'm doing." I stepped back and gestured for her to join me at the metal table.

James, visibly frightened, shifted his gaze anxiously between the three of us. He most likely watched all the previous videos, which gave him an idea of what would unfold tonight. He should have known that it was over for him when he saw me in his rearview.

Lyric walked toward James, glancing back at Carmen, silently urging me to leave her alone. And indeed, for the time being, I would comply, only bending down beside her to retrieve a mask, black hoodie, pair of black gloves, and a voiceover machine from the duffle bag beside her.

I got a mask for her that matched mine, except the LED on hers was pink. After lighting it up, I approached her and instructed, "Put these on." Then, I returned to my iPhone.

As I turned around, Lyric's gaze locked on me. After a moment of hesitation, she complied with the instructions.

"There," she affirmed, pulling the black hoodie over her head before smoothly sliding on the mask.

"Good girl," I praised.

Her honey eyes seethed at me from behind the bright pink mask. "I'm not a dog," she said firmly.

I approached her after activating the live button, slipping behind her, and pressing my chest firmly against her back. "You are what I say you are," I said. "Now, bark," I demanded.

"What?"

"Bark!" I snarled, causing her to jump at the sound of my voice.

"Ruff, ruff," she blurted out.

Satisfied, I laughed, distanced myself from her, and circled the table with our eyes locked before turning towards the camera. "Greetings, fans. It's been a while since my last livestream, but we have some exciting things planned for tonight." Stepping aside, I allowed the viewers to catch a glimpse of Lyric. "I'm thrilled to introduce you to our special guest who will assist me this evening," I announced.

"Why are you helping him?" James looked up at Lyric, probably hoping she was still the broken girl she once was and would tell me to let him go as if she were pure at heart. Her heart was far from pure; it was black as coal now.

I turned to see her casting a glance in his direction. "Fuck off!" she snapped in a harsh whisper, raising her head and ignoring his presence.

James cast a glance in Carmen's direction. "Why is she here?"

I took a step forward and leaned down toward James. "She is my means of control, keeping certain individuals in check," I explained, glancing up at Lyric, who was looking at me across the table. "Not everyone takes orders willingly." Before straightening myself up, my eyes locked on hers, and then I darted back to the phone.

Curious, I decided to investigate the comments. "Jessie2012, it would be best to refrain from insulting my apprentice. Identifying you through your IP address would be a piece of cake. Besides, you're not my type, sweetheart," I remarked, shaking my head as I strolled away, eager to begin the torment. "Girls are really into men that are masked and kill people nowadays?" I shrugged and continued.

I pulled the steel stool over to James and sat down while glancing down at him through my mask. "Will you cooperate, or do you plan to let me and my apprentice enjoy ourselves?"

"You're a sick fuck!" He spat.

I chuckled and asked, "And what does that make you?"

"I never touched her," he lied.

"Don't insult my intelligence, Jamie boy," I snarled, gripping his almost bleach-blonde hair in my gloved hand. "It's foolish on your part."

The lights above made his blue-green eyes bloodshot while tears mixed with snot streamed down the sides of his face.

Lyric fixed her eyes on me while I plugged in the blender and placed it back onto the tray.

The way she looked at me, I was sure she regarded me as a monster, but I knew she would eventually perceive me differently. It was evident that she enjoyed the way I made her feel. Her pussy let that be known.

My thoughts were interrupted when I caught Lyric watching Carmen instead of paying attention to me. It aggravated me. I brought her here intending to rekindle that feeling she had when she killed Trey—that fire in her eyes and the bloodlust she desired.

"Really?" I expressed my annoyance.

She quickly turned her eyes back to me. "Sorry."

"Please pay attention, as this lesson on torture will be important for you later," I said.

"Now, pull down his pants," I ordered.

She briefly looked down at his crotch before returning her gaze to mine. I motioned with my hand, indicating that she should go ahead.

Tentatively, she stepped forward and proceeded to slide his pants off. She averted her gaze as the material of the trousers slid over his skin until they pooled around his feet.

"Boxers too," I said.

My Reina's eyes widened in shock. "X," she grumbled, fuming at the thought of making her comply. But what she didn't understand was that by making him feel powerless and exposed, she was regaining power over her own body.

The initial I carved into her delicate flesh last night and the way it sounded coming from her perfect mouth had me wanting to fuck her face right now. The thought of hearing her gag as my cock slid down her throat had my dick pulsating against my black jeans.

But she still needed to prepare to tackle that. She needed some time to recover from those jerks before anything else, so for the time being, I'd be content with pleasing her.

I tilted my head and smiled beneath my mask, inquiring, "X?"

She spun to face me. "I'm assuming." She gave no further detail.

"A nickname," I said, gesturing for her to continue.

Sighing in annoyance, she yanked off his boxers with one swift motion. His teeny weenie flopped against him, and I saw Lyric recoil in disgust.

She would never feel that way when she looked at my cock.

I headed to where the blender was resting. "Time to swallow your mistakes," I said maliciously, removing the lid, hitting the switch to test it, and then turning it back off.

"Please, man," James begged. "Don't kill me."

I peered down at him. "I'm not going to kill you," I said, looking up at Lyric as James watched. "She is."

Her amber eyes shot toward me. "What?"

"When they are dead, you will feel your freedom, Reina," I whispered so only she could hear.

"How does this do anything to help me?" She replied.

"Because you are now the tormentor, not the tormented," I informed her, and I shifted my eyes away to grasp the scissors and put them close to his dick.

"P-Please don't do this," he cried.

And snip, his little bitty, tweezer-sized dick fell into the blender, and I secured the lid back on.

The pain was so intense that James screamed and bucked his body against the restraints. I'm sure it had to hurt to be castrated.

Blood poured from his severed boyhood. I hit the switch on the blender and watched pieces of flesh fly about. A look of utter horror spread across James' face as he watched his toddler weenie blend into a mangled mess.

Once the mixture was complete, I served it to him like a healthy morning smoothie. He shuddered with agony as he slowly consumed what remained of his genitalia, gurgling, gagging, and choking on it with tears rolling down his face.

Lyric gagged a bit but held her ground as she watched him slurp down every bit of his sin. He had no choice; my grip on his jaw was like iron, forcing his mouth open. If he didn't swallow, he would choke to death. I guess his choice to eat his cock was better than death.

I leaned down to eye level with James. "What other appendages must you lose before you admit you touched what's mine?"

James was losing a lot of blood and turning pale.

I made my way to the big wood stove they used in the thirties to heat steel so it could be malleable. I picked up a metal rod and placed it inside the furnace until its glow resembled a lit cigarette. After that, I extracted it and went back over to James.

"We can't have you dying before your confession, now can we?" I declared, pressing the hot end onto his severed boyhood. He awoke with a piercing cry, and his limbs were thrown about as I did my best to staunch the flow of blood. The hot metal seared into his skin as he fought against me. The smell of burning flesh engulfed the large building.

I glanced at Carmen, who was becoming more hysterical, before turning to Lyric. Even though she was affected by what was happening, she remained composed as the smoke from the hot metal branded James's skin.

"Hey?" I called for her attention, and she looked up. I nodded my head toward her friend. "Tell her to be quiet, or I'll make her."

Lyric rushed to Carmen's side, softly murmuring something comforting into her ear while reassuringly stroking her hair, as a mother would when their child felt unwell or terrified.

God, she would make a good mother.

Her image before me made my loins stir, and I wished to fill her with my progeny. But I had a task before me, and I must focus on getting Jamie Boy here to confess.

"Now, where were we?" I said, pulling the hot iron away and tossing it on the cement floor.

Lyric heard the clang as the metal object fell to the ground, and she glanced up. She briefly stroked Carmen's hair again.

After a few minutes, Carmen had finally settled down, and Lyric straightened up and headed back over to James and me. Her eyes were fixated on me; they glowed with an icy anger that spoke volumes. Although I could not make out her expression, she was clearly angry with me.

I redirected my gaze to James on the table. "So, what will it be, Jamie boy?"

James's mouth quivered as anguish contorted his features. His words were uttered in a barely audible whisper. "I ain't saying shit. You can fuck off."

"Tsk, tsk, Jamie bo-" Lyric quickly grabbed the shears from the nearby table, thrust them into James's head, and glared at me.

"All you do is waste time trying to get stupid confessions out of these assholes when you already know what they have done. Who cares if they admit it? You don't give a rat ass about what they did, remember? So why fucking torture it out of them?" She pulled the shears from his unmoving form and tossed them onto the steel surface beside him. "I'm done playing your fucking game, X." And she walked off.