Chapter 2
CHAPTER TWO
Julian
The vibrant fear that shone so brightly in his eyes moments before had begun to dim.
My face, inches from his, sucked in his final breaths through shaking lips.
I tightened the rope slightly, and he released a gurgle that was music to my ears.
The whites of his eyes started to flood with red, and I was mesmerized by the art of it all.
Even the stench of his defecation couldn’t ruin this for me.
His rigid body sagged, eyes unseeing, all breath gone. I kept the rope tightly wrapped around his neck, making sure every speck of life was drained from him.
Many years ago, on my first kill, I hadn’t kept the rope on long enough and a minute after I’d thought they were gone, there’d been a gasp. Now, I’d perfected my technique. I lay atop the naked corpse, rope taut, and waited. At the four-minute mark, I relaxed my gloved hands and stood.
I hovered over him and removed my coveralls that were littered with his DNA, blood, and urine.
I dropped it onto his carcass and wrapped him in the tarp he was lying on.
Lifting him was the hardest part, but it was why I worked out as much as I did.
The crematorium owned by the royal family was only ten feet from me, so I tossed him in and fired it up.
My skin was covered in sweat, my blood was pumping, and a small spark of joy ignited inside me just from watching this man’s corpse perish in the flames. It was the only time I truly felt anything, when I’d taken a person’s breath from them.
I knew someone would come and deal with the ashes, so I grabbed the robe that had been left on the hook for me and headed up to my room to shower.
My tour of the islands began tomorrow, so I had the evening to relax. Well, if you called having dinner with my entire family relaxing.
I didn’t have to dress formally, but a certain dress code was required.
I slipped on a fitted gray button-down shirt with black slacks.
My jacket matched the pants, and I finished the ensemble with a pair of loafers.
Everything was high quality and well fitted.
It was how Mother always wanted us to look for family dinners, and so I complied.
My watch indicated that I had five minutes to make it to the dining hall, and I’d make it in three. I took the stairs instead of the elevator—I was young, I had time, and I despised feeling confined.
Staff were all around, some skittering off quickly once they saw me and others bowing, many not making eye contact.
They feared me, most not understanding why—just a feeling, I supposed.
Only my family, the butler, and my private head of security knew of my special proclivities.
If any staff or anyone outside of my family were to uncover the truth, well, they’d simply become my next breath.
The double doors were opened for me upon approach, and I stepped into the hall. Everyone but my sister was there already.
Father and Mother were at each end of the table. August sat closer to my father while Felipe was near my mother. I’d sit beside my father as well, and as soon as Grace arrived she’d be near Mother. It didn’t make a gap because the table was adjusted when we didn’t have company.
“Good evening,” I said as I pulled out my chair and sat and at that moment, Grace rushed into the room.
“Sorry I’m late, lessons took longer than usual. I told Mr. Combly, but he was very adamant I complete the set.” She sighed and slumped into her seat.
“Do sit up, Grace,” Mother scolded.
“Sorry, sorry.” She straightened her posture as she shot me a sideways glance.
Of all my siblings, Grace was the one I liked the most. She was the opposite of me in every way but she was unapologetically herself, which was admirable. She was the youngest, and perhaps being the oldest was why I was more protective of her than my brothers.
Dinner was served, and we dug in. Father was telling us about the day and the week ahead. While I was touring, August would deal with my normal duties. I listened, absorbing every word—not that I cared about the issues, only that it was proper to want to care.
“Are you all ready for your tour?” Mother regarded me carefully. That was the best word to describe her expression. I’d never hurt my family, I’d never felt the urge to do so, and I wondered often why they seemed nervous.
“I am.”
“Wonderful.” Her smile was polite and she quickly turned her attention to Felipe, who was attending a gala in a couple of days.
After dinner, I excused myself and retired to my bedroom. The itinerary for the first day was waiting for me on my desk. I grabbed the file and brought it with me to my cloud lounge chair by the window. It was the most comfortable thing in the world; I’d even fallen asleep in it a few times.
I opened the file and began reading. The Lamdera Islands consisted of four islands, Lamdera being the largest and the main one. Crellesia, Thrindell, and Korvanna were the smaller islands. My tour would begin in Lamdera and end there as well. It would span the course of a month.
With my father getting older, I would be stepping into the role of king within the next few years. I had to do one of these tours every year so the people could get to see me, know me…and like me, I guessed? I didn’t know or care; I did what was expected of me.
I memorized the plan for the next day and got ready for bed.
I’d done this tour for the first time last year, and it had been mundane.
I didn’t expect this one to be any different.
People liked to see me for some reason. Someone had told me once it filled them with hope and love.
I’d wanted to snort in their face. Me filling anyone with hope and love was hilarious.
Under the covers, I stared at the ceiling. My mind slipped to the activities of the day. I’d found the man in the alleyway of a bar. He’d just pickpocketed a young girl; she’d had no idea.
He was counting his bounty as I sidled up behind him dressed in street clothes, a fake beard, and a ball cap.
I asked if he’d be interested in making more than what he’d taken and like most people, greed overtook him, and he followed me.
The crematorium was underground, only a chimney popping out.
The entrance was miles from where the castle was, and the convenience of it all could only be appreciated because of my great-grandfather.
He was like me, had the same urges, and so he’d had the place built and now it was mine.
The man had no idea; he was excited and drilled me with a million questions.
I wanted to strangle him while we drove, but I had to wait.
I told him to remove his clothes, and he didn’t even fight me.
Judging by his rigid cock, he was eager.
He didn’t wonder why I was putting on coveralls or that we were in a basement.
When I took out the rope, he winked, whispered the word “kinky,” and that was the final word he spoke. I overpowered him. It was simple because I worked out, practiced, and had been doing this for years.
I sighed into the dark room, recounting his gurgles, gasps, and effort to stay alive. It calmed me like a lullaby and soon enough, I was fast asleep.