Seth by Nero Seal

 

Dedication

My shameless beta-readers and the editor thought it would be funny to highjack the dedication section and write their own dedications. Well, the joke is on you. I’m publishing this all. XD

To Emma, cruel remover of word porn and nagger of procrastinating Seals.

To Azur, whose dark personality even intimidate Iblis. The master of articles and stained hotel curtains.

To Janet, the most important person in the world who hates Mio.;)

To Susan, the women insane enough to hold Slater captive in her secret dungeon-no ransom offer will be accepted

To Debbie, the world's finest assassin... of grammatical errors and typos.

To Ash, who finds a redeeming quality in every character and hopes for an HEA, even though she rarely gets one.

To Lindsay my favorite beta reader. Gustavo and Slater are yours.

To Millie who advocates for all the poor characters that Nero enjoys torturing. Even though he doesn’t listen to me, I will never stop fighting him.

To Karen, who believes that book villains deserve love too!

To Stina, my badass bodyguard. Fiercely protective of Yugo and Kuon. Be warned Mio!

To Mary Ann, who adores my monstrous characters. (But isn't sure about Mio yet.)

Seth sat on topof Justin’s thighs; his knees hit the smooth white sand. The utter tenderness he felt toward the younger man brought a smile to his lips as he looked into the hazel eyes. Lying on his back, choking with blood Justin was so beautiful, so perfect. He didn’t talk anymore, just groaned the same way he used to groan in bed, seconds from orgasm. Horror splashed in the depth of his pupils as if Justin hadn’t realized yet that there was no hope. He kept looking up in disbelief, blinking as if expecting to wake up from this nightmare any moment.

So naïve, so young, so beautiful; he would be perfect, if not for the noise. Seth cringed. Wheezes of air slipped through the cut were accompanied by the blood bubbling in the windpipe.

Still, so splendid… A wave of affection urged Seth closer as he pressed Justin’s hand to the wound, helping him stop the bleeding. The swishing sound of the slit trachea died, and Justin swallowed, gasping for air.

Good boy,Seth thought and licked the tears off Justin’s cheeks, then planted a gentle kiss over his wide-open mouth, stealing one of his last breaths. Too bad you weren’t the one…

Justin was his favorite yet; that was why this time disappointment hit harder than usual. He’d hoped that Justin had been made for him, that he’d understood him.

Justin never had.

It’s okay now,he thought, looking into the wide, glistening eyes. I’m not mad.

He caressed Justin’s cheek, brushed his soft, caramel hair off his sweaty forehead. Wiping off his tears, he tried to reassure the younger man that there was no need for fear. He wouldn’t make him suffer. He wouldn’t hurt him. Not for long anyway. The times of fight and passion were over. The great peace and calmness were coming.

Shaking, bleeding, Justin finally looked him in the eye after two months of avoiding his gaze. Seth froze, mesmerized. Behind the dilated pupils, Justin’s soul lay naked, ready for his touch. This was the most intimate moment they had ever shared. A pang of sadness jolted through his heart.

Too bad Justin isn’t the one.

A thin layer of perspiration coated Justin’s pale, shimmering skin. The bloody scarf of silence, Seth had gifted him with his blade, emphasized his soft eyes and delicate features.

So perfect.

Staring into the sparkling depth of his eyes, Seth finally felt the connection between them. A deep sense of kinship filled his chest, tugging at his soul, as he watched the life fading in this young, beautiful body. For a second, Seth wondered if he’d made a mistake, if Justin was the one after all. What if he hadn’t tried hard enough? What if he hadn’t given it enough time?

Justin’s lips parted, his brows drew together, and tears rolled down his pallid cheeks. He closed his eyes and opened them again, spilling more drops as his mouth refused to work. He tried again and again until a single word bubbled out, breaking the perfect silence. “Why?”

Seth tsked.

No… This can’t be him. Relief washed over as his smile grew stronger. Still, I loved him…

Justin’s bluish lips distorted with effort. Seth shook his head. Releasing the bleeding throat, he pressed his finger to Justin’s mouth, silencing him; his other hand stroked the side of the alabaster face. There was no need for words anymore. Words would only ruin the moment.

Justin blinked; his gaze darted all over the cloudy, gray sky. His slender arms slapped Seth’s chest as if he searched for something. Under Seth’s weight, his hips jerked in an attempt to throw his murderer off, and blind panic took control over his body, thrashing his limbs.

Seth sighed. Despite the amount of spilled blood, Justin’s wound wasn’t lethal yet. Yes, he’d slashed his trachea and jugular vein so the lack of air, blood loss, and horror would prevent Justin from fighting, but if the stupid boy wouldn’t behave and listen to him, the moment would be ruined. Without pressure applied to Justin’s throat, the air might get sucked into the vein and right into his heart, which would cause an air tamponade and gas embolism. If that happened, his body would die sooner than planned.

Such a waste of energy…In dissatisfaction, Seth caught Justin’s hand and forced it back to his throat to close the wound. Why had Justin never understood him? Why was he wasting the minutes they had left when they could share this beautiful moment? There was no hope, so why fight it when he could accept it, enjoy it? And there he was, making everything perfect for this spoiled brat. No, Justin certainly wasn’t the one. He had never appreciated Seth’s efforts.

Seth brought his face closer to Justin’s, his expression stern as he mouthed, “If you release your throat, you will bleed out and suffocate.”

Stilling his breath, Seth watched the revelation swirling in Justin’s eyes as the younger man finally realized—this was the end. The horror, mixing with confusion and panic, trembled behind his eyes as he grabbed his murderer’s shoulder, releasing his own throat again. The current of blood broke out from the glistening wound, and Seth sucked in a deep breath of disappointment.

The stupid boy was ruining everything again… It was time to finish.

Slapping the weakening hand away, he put pressure on the wound as his other hand went behind his back and fished out a knife. The sharp, rounded blade with a gut hook on the blunt side lay perfectly in his hand. Yet he wavered.

Was the skinner knife good enough to cut through the costal cartilages? Had he sharpened it enough? Would it leave lots of fractures? He would hate it. The thought of causing Justin unnecessary pain eroded his soul. He should have bought a proper autopsy dissecting knife or scissors. Justin deserved it, didn’t he? Yet, somehow, he knew it should be this knife.

Despite Justin’s deception, Seth still wanted him, loved him.

“Soon, it won’t hurt anymore, I promise,” he said silently as the edge of the knife nicked the skin below the notch of Justin’s throat.

“No-no-no-no–” Bloody saliva bubbled at the corners of Justin’s mouth. He shook his head and grabbed Seth’s hand, trying to stop the blade. Such weak, jerky, uncoordinated movements wouldn’t prevent Seth from finishing his business, but they might unnecessarily complicate the process.

“Easy now,” Seth mouthed every word, letting Justin read his lips. He had never done anything like this before and was a little stressed that he might accidentally stab Justin’s heart. That would be unfortunate.

Seth increased the pressure, and the knife inched deeper. Crimson blood beaded at either side of the blade. Struggling to control Justin’s jerking hips and knees, he forced the blade down, feeling it scratch the ribs but not cut through them, then guided the knife toward the belly. Despite having to fight Justin’s hands, the slice looked smooth, perfect.

The pale stomach washed in blood as Seth shook Justin’s hand off and pulled the knife out.

Too much blood, Seth thought in dissatisfaction, not seeing anything behind the leaking wound. Somewhere beneath all this blood and the muscle layer, there should be a cage of costal cartilages. A part of him that lacked patience wanted to skin the ribs so he could see the process better, but Justin hissed, pulling him out of his thoughts.

He glanced up.

Dread twisted the soft features, turning Justin’s mouth into a gaping hole. The boy lifted his palms to his face, watching the blood drip from his fingers. His mouth flapped as he gaped at the scarlet line on his chest. He blinked, then again and again as his hands fell upon the wound, trying to close the cut.

Realizing the futility of his ministrations, Justin frantically scooped the lost blood and poured it back into the wound. But the blood only slipped through his fingers.

Seth smiled. Silly boy, you have always been naïve, but that’s why I loved you. Too bad you betrayed me.

He wanted to kiss Justin’s lips and comfort him, but time was running out with every drop of blood. Soon, Justin would lose consciousness, and he wanted him awake; he wanted them both to remember this moment.

He glanced down, concentrating. Placing the edge of the knife to the point where he thought Justin’s sternoclavicular joint was located, he pressed. The bone resisted; the blade refused to move. He wanted to use his other hand to apply more pressure, but that would leave Justin’s throat open.

“Tsk…” It would be so much easier if Justin willingly helped him and held his own throat.

Maybe it was a bad idea to slice it in the first place,but Seth wasn’t sure how else he could make Justin stay put without tying or drugging him.

No, drugs would only ruin the moment.Muddy, lifeless, opaque, drugged eyes displayed no soul, no life, no honesty. Seth didn’t like restraints either. They didn’t feel quite right. Rough and brutal, they were suitable for carnal pleasures, not a delicate moment like this.

Only the blade could still people and leave their souls intact. Too bad this method had side effects.

Justin jerked and the blade inched lower.

Here it is. Seth’s heart fluttered as the knife cracked through the first joint. He smiled, licked his lips, and repositioned the edge of the blade, holding the length parallel to the ribs. The fear of wounding Justin’s heart cut his breath.

Justin wheezed beneath him. His body convulsed, bloody saliva foamed and dribbled out of his mouth. Pain clouded his gaze, and Seth’s heart shrank with empathy. He hated hurting Justin; he was his favorite after all. Yet, he didn’t stop, needing to hurry up and finish before the shock took its toll and Justin lost consciousness. Seth held his breath as he sliced down through the cartilages attaching the ribs to the sternum. The black wound parted.

Third… fourth… Just a little more. It will be over soon, I promise.He tugged the skin aside with his fingers to enlarge the gap and clear the view. The wound pooled with blood way too quickly. He could barely tell muscles from bones.

Justin’s hands didn’t try to stop him anymore. The boy lay perfectly still; just his throat bubbled under his palm in barely audible whimpers, betraying the life that still trembled in his chest.

Seth swallowed as the fifth rib parted from the breastbone. Excitement spread through his blood intensifying the tremor in his fingertips. When the last rib cracked off under the blade, Seth exhaled. His lungs tightened from holding his breath for too long, but his heart was light.

Here it is… He’d been waiting for this moment so long that his head swam with the endorphin rush. His vision sharpened as he inhaled the night freshness mixed with a salty, metallic smell. The scent of life and death.

He smiled, then frowned.

So much blood. Is it supposed to be like this? A thought sobered him. What if the blade caught the heart?

He put his knife in his mouth to hold it with his teeth as his fingers slipped into the wound. After finding the rough edges of the ribs, he squeezed through, secured his grip, and applied all the force he could muster in a vigorous tug.

A loud crack sounded as something broke in Justin's body. Seth didn’t care anymore. A powerful wave of euphoria spread through his chest. Time slowed, but his pulse sped up matching the fast beating of Justin’s heart that bathed in blood in the gaping chest. Electricity filled the air.

So fast…Unable to resist, Seth reached out and dipped his hand in the crimson liquid. His fingers wrapped around the sleek, beating organ, gently squeezed it.

The night lost a few shades to darkness as he held the most valuable treasure in his hand. His trophy. He had the right to take Justin’s heart the same way the boy had taken his, but unlike Justin, he would cherish it.

Reluctantly, he tore his focus away from Justin’s chest and glanced up at the bluish face of his lover. The hazel eyes rolled up, leaving only white crescents visible. Long lashes trembled as the bloody mouth hung open.

Shock… Fear shivered up his spine. No… Too soon. You can’t die now.

The adrenaline syringe burned through his pocket. For a second, he considered using it, but Justin blinked, then again and again, until his gaze focused on the sky above. The bloody lips parted, more tears skidded down his cheeks, and he mouthed, “I’m sorry…”

Seth smirked, leaned forward, and planted a tender kiss over the bloody mouth. I forgive you. After all, love is always all-forgiving, absolute, isn’t it? Still, you never should have betrayed me.

Seth’s cheek twitched; he gulped the bitterness down.

“It’s okay. I’m not mad,” he mouthed in reply, and hope lit Justin’s eyes. “I’ve always loved you. You know that, right? You won’t suffer anymore. No one will ever hurt you, I promise.”

He thrust his hand deeper into the gaping chest and squeezed Justin’s heart. So soft, so gentle, he almost moaned as it resisted his touch with the most wonderful push. His soul cleared from the darkness as he pressed his lips to Justin’s bleeding mouth again. He never looked away from the blown pupils, vague with fear.

Yes, he truly loved this boy. Too bad he wasn’t the one.