Chapter 287 - Their Hell (2/2)

”I was... every chance I got.” Her lips turned upwards at the corners pride, obvious in her words.

Themis nodded. ”And can you describe some of the things you were fighting against?”

The girl's eyes narrowed, becoming distant and glassy. ”They would starve us and deprive us of even the most basic necessities to survive. They would harvest our blood and even organs sometimes. The stronger girls were able to shift and repair the damages, but the weaker ones or those who were chained in irons couldn't... We were often drugged and brought into the rooms of visitors of the palace, forced to endure whatever depravities the sick bastards could dėsɨrė.”

”Very good, dear, and can you describe some of those acts?” Themis urged in a soothing voice.

Jaden's eyes burned into the two women sitting across from her. ”Very well, if you think you can stomach it...”

”Please continue, dear.” Themis replied.

”It was more often than not the men would request several girls to be brought to one room where they would relish in torturing the weak drugged girls. They would force some to watch as they beat, rȧpėd, and fed from them... taunting the ones forced to watch that they would be next. Once a girl was unable to wake from unconsciousness they would toss her to the side... some would still victimize the unconsous girls' bodies while others moved on to more lively captures... Those capable of shifting were often forced to shift just so the damages could be repaired and reapplied over and over again. For the ones who couldn't... or were too weak from previous shifts... they were left to die in the cellars as a reminder... a silent threat 'that could be you next'... For those of us of prestigious birth and breeding, King Fernando would save us for his own amusements frequently...”

”Though at this point I dread to ask, but what amusements, dear?” Themis asked.

Jade eyes met hers, holding a burning heat. ”Breeding... The sick prick thought there was a chance he could produce his own alpha child.”

Themis and Lamia both exchanged shocked glances. Lamia hesitated as she asked... ”We found no evidence of infants or pregnant girls though...”

Jaden nodded coldly. ”It was a project he'd been working on for several years before I came... it ended some months ago... along with most of the other... activities...”

Lamia nodded as she put the pieces together. ”So that's why you have all been so unkempt and malnourished... to be fed and bathed you had to entertain guests and when the visits ended...” Her eyes moved to Themis.

Jaden nodded. ”Yes, we were left down there in the pitch dark with no food, water... or hope... When the two vampires were thrown into the pit with us, it was obvious to most of us we would never see the light of day again...”

Themis frowned. ”Last question, then you may return to your sister. What happened to the babies fathered by Fernando?”

Jaden shrugged. ”I'm not sure, I was only unlucky enough to be ɨmprėġnȧtėd by him twice, and I found ways of aborting them both before they could be brought to term and of use to that bastard.”

Themis frowned as she flipped through the papers in the folder. ”Because you are of a strong bloodline...” Themis's eyes moved to the girl. ”Are you an alpha?”

Jaden didn't answer as she crossed her arms over her ċhėst. ”Is that all the questions? I'd like to return to my sister now.”

A heavy frown settled over Themis's expression. ”Yes... You may go now, dear...”

Russ struggled to swallow past the lump in his throat. ”We have to help these girls... as much as possible...” He murmured to no one in particular as he watched the girl leave the room. It was obvious she'd been through so much more than she was saying, but she still carried herself as a strong confident woman. He couldn't help but admire her strength, even if it was a facade.

Poseidon clamped a hand over his shoulder. ”We'll do what we can with those who can be helped...”

Drake caught Poseidon's hand and held it in his. ”Dude, I swear to you, I didn't know about all this... about the extreme of this shit...”

Poseidon arched a brow. ”Alright... um... You gonna hold my hand all night?”

Drake frowned. ”You can tell if someone is lying if you're touching them, right?”

He chuckled as he tugged his hand away from the vampire. ”Something like that...” Turning his attention back to Russ, he asked. ”Are you wanting to watch more interviews?”

Russ nodded. ”I'd like to hear them all out... then drop in on Shelly before doing some rounds... see how they are all doing...”

Poseidon nodded in understanding. ”Alright... I'll stay with you then.” His gaze moved to the other two men. ”What about you two?”

Drake stepped forward placing his hand on Russ's shoulder. ”I'm staying, I feel personally responsible for my peoples' involvement in all this.”

Giorgos nodded stepping over and placing a hand on Russ's other shoulder. ”As painful as it is to hear, like I said, I grew up with some of these girls... I knew some of the ones still missing... or rather unidentified... I'm staying. We got your back man.”

”Thanks guys...” Russ patted both men's hands before turning his focus back to the monitor and the new, much weaker girl now entering the room.