Chapter 6

The Inhumanity of it All

There was no way to explain the type of cruelty they saw. They never had a way to explain it when it was also directed at them. Those who did this did not consider themselves cruel or sadistic. It was amazing, but they didn't. Pedro's guys took the employees for ransom and a ton of furniture and other items that were there. Lu managed to get some information and took a few laptop computers that he hoped had even more information.

They would hear from Pedro later about how much had been made and the split. Abe was sure it couldn't be much. The main thing he was concerned about was the victims they had pulled out of the facility. Lu had considered pulling out of the next concert, but they would lose a lot of money and possibly lose some of their fans. Risa said that she could give them adequate care, and they would even improve slightly before they left, which might not be bad since they had a long flight. That decided everything, and they would do their concert and then leave afterward.

Those that were the worst would only be able to have broth or juice, and even that was not guaranteed. She had them on IVs. Hopefully, that would help. It was worse, the victim in the worst condition was a human female. He had not realized that and still found it hard to believe. She looked so horrible that she barely passed for human. Maybe the time they'd had to recover had softened the memories of what they and other demons had gone through. Many had not survived, and they'd been starved, beaten, and experimented on. It looked like she had gone through all of that and maybe more.

Thankfully, the victims from the facility were in the care of people who knew how to help them. It would have been nicer for them to have hospital beds, but at least these beds were comfortable, which would have eased the pain that the beds they'd been in with the thin mattresses and rough blankets had not. He would assist Lu in going through the information that had come from the facility. That was something he was much better suited to.

"Find anything yet?" Lu asked.

"Nothing since you asked ten minutes ago."

"Why does it feel worse that they had a female that they abused?"

"Probably because she refused to die, and they just kept abusing her. I hope everyone involved in that dies a horrible death," Abe admitted.

"I don't know if we got any of them. Several employees and the manager were not there because it was the weekend. I'm sure they'll figure out what happened and won't return. If Origin gets upset, they may take them all out."

Abe thought about that, and he knew it was true. That company was not a kind one, and someone usually paid. Since the only ones from that site who were left were the ones who ran it and a handful of employees, they might be the ones who paid. That wouldn't bother Abe one bit.

"I found something. There was a doctor and a new hire. She refused to experiment on people who clearly had not given their consent. Her name is Charlene. I suspect that is our victim."

"We could use another doctor. I wonder what she would think about that. Origin has a lot of bad points, but they always choose the best doctors possible. Even to the point of forcing them to work for them," Lu observed.

"Aren't you jumping the gun a little bit? That lady is in terrible shape. There's no way to be sure that she will make it."

"Risa said she's stable right now and that she's gonna save her no matter what she has to do. I have a lot of faith in our doctor. She's pulled off some miracles."

Abe sighed heavily. "I can't argue with you there. But I went to see her before I came here, and she still looks rough. I can't believe anyone could survive that."

"I'm not arguing that she hasn't been through hell. All I'm saying is that she's got a will to live like nothing I've ever seen except in demons. I think she's going to make it. So, I'm going to make plans for what to offer her. She needs something to hold on to and a job offer, and her new future should do it."

"You're right. Maybe that will give the poor woman a purpose to help her heal. I just can't believe what they did to her. I'm unsure I want to know everything they did to her."

Abe returned to work on the computer, trying to find everything he could that might help them locate any more demons, gods, or even humans imprisoned. It also wouldn't hurt if he could find anything medical that might help some of the demons that were still having issues. It was true that Risa had helped many of them, but some still had difficult problems.

He checked the time because he was planning on having lunch with Gloria. She had taken a real interest in the prisoners who had been freed. She sat with the doctor often and talked to her. It had only been a week, and the doctor slipped into a coma and then would come out of it. Abuse as heavy as what she had gone through would be hard to recover from. Risa had asked if anyone who had some time and was willing would sit with her or the others and talk to them a little bit. Kiki was also taking some time almost every day to sit with her and talk to her.

There were several others–the more, the merrier. It was clear that someone sitting with the woman helped because her vitals would stabilize whenever someone was there. He'd never seen anyone who wanted to live more, and he hoped that she would and that she would recover from most of what had been done to her. To recover from all of it was too much to expect. It was almost lunchtime, so he shut the computer down and headed to the cafeteria. The restaurant would open before the hotel did to give those working there a chance to learn their new jobs and to get opinions from the demons to help in areas where they might not be doing as well as others.

Abe was excited about it and thought it would be more like a date than meeting at the cafeteria and sharing lunch. Gloria's outlook seemed to be changing a bit at a time, and he hoped it would change more. Maybe they could develop a relationship that would lead to mating. That's what he wanted more than anything. Once in the cafeteria, he got two plates and waited at the table. As he looked out of the window, he could see the reflection of his sweetheart heading toward him, and he turned to look at her.

She smiled at him, and he felt so much love in his heart. If only he could convince her that he wanted her–especially that he didn't mind that she came with her sister. Abe couldn't believe that anyone would mind taking on such a sweet young girl such as Kiki. He also found it hard to believe that their parents would do a dump and run and barely call to see how they were doing. Demons always dreamed of having a family, having love, and a life like the one they now have. When you never had something, and you could only dream about it, to get it was an amazing thing.

It made you wonder about people who didn't appreciate the gifts that life had given them. Abe didn't understand it and didn't think he ever would. All he wanted right now was for Gloria and her sister to be his family. If others were added later, that would be just fine, too. He would be pleased either if they had children or adopted them. Why couldn't she see that? Was it because of the way that her parents were? He was working to change her mind, and he could see that it was beginning to change.

"Thank you for getting a plate for me. You always remember all my favorite things." Gloria observed.

"It was my pleasure. I love sharing meals with you. Were you just with the patient?"

"I was. I can't believe anyone would do that to someone. Is that the kind of abuse that the demons went through?"

"Yes, and many died. To be honest, I don't know how she survived. I believe her name is Charlene, and she is a doctor. She refused to do the things they asked of her, so they tortured her instead," Abe explained. "Do you think she's doing any better?"

"I do. When I first got there, she was trying to talk. Risa said her throat was sore, and that's why she was unable to speak clearly. She gave her something to help with the pain that a sore throat would cause, and I gave her some warm fluids that Risa got for her. She was still awake when I left. It was a long stretch for her to be awake. I'm not sure if that was good. When she's sleeping, she's not in such unbelievable pain."

"I'm sure you are right, but for some people, they have a drive to know what's going on, and they simply will not lay down and die. She's a fighter," Abe explained.

"I never looked at it that way. It has to be scary to wake up in that condition and not know where you're at or how you got there. I explained to her that she was no longer with Origin and that she had been rescued. All I can hope for is that she understands, which puts her at ease."

"Think she can feel that she is somewhere better because she has food, care, and a much better bed. What she had there was pathetic. I'm sure the others are all doing much better because none of them were as bad as she was."

"I'm very proud of Kiki and the work she is doing. It is a sign that she is maturing and ready to become responsible. She's found her niche. I think that will make all the difference in the world," Gloria observed.

It was clear to him that she was very happy that Kiki was doing so much better. It had taken some time, but the improvement had started immediately. At first, Kiki had tried to take advantage of the guys, but she realized quickly that they cared about her, and they weren't going to do anything bad or let her do anything bad. She'd been absorbing all the attention that she hadn't gotten before. It seemed that a little care and attention had been all she needed.

He and Gloria sat and ate their meals, and this talk was more casual than it had been before. He didn't want to discuss serious things all the time. They spoke a little about the costumes and makeup she had used at the last two concerts. She was always happy to discuss that because it was her passion. The fact that he was one of the singers she worked on helped him understand exactly what she was doing. It also gave her insight into their job as a band. He knew a couple didn't have to have everything in common, but it was good to have something in common that they both understood.

They finished their lunch, but neither were in a hurry to leave. It was a nice time for them to talk and spend time together. Abe felt like they were moving to the next level. Hopefully, it wouldn't be long before they moved beyond that. He wasn't sure how long they would have stayed there talking because Kiki rushed in crying.

"They're losing her. They need blood. Risa is testing for compatible blood. I tried, but she said it looked like she needed demon blood. I'm not sure what that means. Do you guys have a different blood type?" Kiki asked.

"I'm not sure. Gloria and I will go and get tested to see if either of us can help," Abe offered.

They cleaned up their area quickly and hurried down to the medical area. "Can you two go to the lab and get tested?" Risa asked. "They did something to her blood that changed it. Nothing I have tried worked."

Gloria hurried in front of him, and he followed. Three lab techs were working, testing blood samples to find something compatible. Abe couldn't imagine what they had possibly done, but if he could help, he certainly would. It was unlikely that a human sample would make any difference, but while they were testing, they took blood from people who weren't compatible to store in case something else happened. It surprised him that they didn't have more blood stored for an emergency like this one.

Abe knew they would have information on the blood of every demon, so he wasn't sure why they weren't running that to see if any matched. He could see a line forming behind them because everyone had heard about what the woman had been through, and they wanted to help to ensure that she survived.

"You're a match," the tech told him. Although he generally knew most techs, this one was human and new.

They continued to take more of his blood, and afterward, they told him to go to the cafeteria, eat a meal, and drink lots of juice. It was nothing new because he had had a lot of blood taken when he had been kept by Origin. When they were feeling generous, they would serve a meal with juice. Gloria had given blood, too. So, she went with him to the cafeteria but wasn't hungry and only wanted some juice to help refresh her.

"I have to get back to work. Amazingly, Lu isn't looking for me." Abe commented. "Why don't you meet me for supper, and we can walk on the beach in the moonlight?"

"I'd like that."

Abe hurried back to work, where Lu was messing with some paperwork. "Did you miss me?"

"I just got back myself. Stef had a meal fixed for us. Anything exciting happen while you were gone?" Lu asked.

"Our patient had a serious issue. They were calling for blood, and apparently, mine was a match. The lab guy said they must have done something to change her blood type."

"They probably injected some demon DNA. That will affect her, and we won't know how until she recovers."

That would be just one more thing the poor woman would have to deal with. Right now, there wasn't anything he could do to help her. But looking through these records on this computer might help someone. He'd already found all the records relating to her and was sure he wouldn't find any more. Now, he looked through records that could give him information on other prisoners.

"I found something," Lu observed.

"What is it?"

"It's an explanation about some medical mumbo jumbo that they did to some of our demons. I'm not sure exactly what it means, but Risa will know. It might help her get to the root of the problem some of the other demons are having."

That was the best possible result they could get out of some of this information. They had hoped they might find something useful, which sounded like they had. Much of the information dealt with things that didn't matter to them or to prisoners no longer alive. Lu and he kept working for several more hours until it was time for him to meet Gloria.

"It's late enough that we should knock off. Gloria and I are going to eat supper in the cafeteria," Abe informed.

"You don't have to tell me twice. Stef will be waiting for me with our baby, and I can't spend enough time with them."

Lu headed toward his apartment, and Abe headed toward the cafeteria. He was there first again, loaded up two plates, got drinks, and sat at their usual table waiting for her. Sometimes, she was a little late, but she always made it, which was the case this time.

"I'm sorry I'm late. Kiki and I were trying to work out a plan for her school. She's got to finish high school before she can go full time to nursing school. Risa said it wasn't a big deal. She could do high school and go to nursing school part time. That makes it hard for her to decide what she wants," Gloria explained. "Thank you for getting my food for me."

He was always happy to be able to help her, and this would get them to their walk while it was still early in the evening. Abe hoped to pick up some of those wonderful shells he was trying to gather for the fish tank in the entryway of the new restaurant. He didn't have much time left and wanted to ensure an excellent selection, especially since some very rare shells often got pushed up on the shore here.

"I'm going to be gone for a week. I took a job at a low budget Halloween movie. They're going to tell me what they're looking for, and then they're going to let me have one hundred percent control of creativity. I know they probably won't really do that, but it will be better than it usually is. Most of the stars in this will be new, and they won't want to rock the boat. I'll get to do anything I want to."

"That sounds exciting. What exactly are you going to do?" Abe asked.

"Halloween is such a cool holiday. I'm sure we'll be doing something here for Halloween. Maybe we can show the movie because it should be out by then?"

"If we're not at a concert, we would."

Gloria pushed her plate away, having eaten most of her food. She grabbed the dessert plate and picked at it. It was red velvet cake, which most of the demons liked, and he had thought Gloria did as well. Something seemed to be on her mind, which had taken some of her appetite away.

"What's wrong?" Abe asked.

"You're the best friend a girl could have. I don't have a lot of close friends. Most of them are here right now. I've thought about what you said about wanting a deeper relationship. You're so good with Kiki, and I'm beginning to believe they're taking her on wouldn't bother you. Now, the next thing that worries me is, what if it doesn't work out? Can we ever go back to being friends?"

Finally, she was beginning to see what they could do together. The problem now was that she had doubts that it would last. Abe had no doubts and didn't know how to deal with hers.

"What if you never try? Won't you always wonder what we could have done together? Is that something you really want to live with?"

"I guess I don't trust myself. I've never had a long-term relationship. The short-term ones were nothing to brag about. My doubts aren't about you; they were all about me," Gloria explained.

He could tell her he'd never had any doubts about either. Abe could explain how much he wanted her and how much he cared. The problem was that he couldn't tell her what to do or how to feel.

"You don't have to make up your mind tonight. Why don't we just enjoy living in the moment? From the moment I saw you, I thought we would always be together. You don't have to make that decision right now. We just finished a lovely meal in the best possible company." He chuckled, and so did she. "Let's finish it with a beautiful moonlit walk and see if we can find some exotic shells. You have to give more thought to this thing between us before you decide."

They cleaned up the mess at their table and headed outside. They stepped on the patio briefly to look at the surrounding area, which was washed in moonlight. There were some flowers nearby that perfumed the air, and the scent was amazing. Abe took her hand, pulling her along as he headed towards the beach. Abe had never seen a more beautiful place or had been in the company of a more beautiful woman. Pulling her toward him, he put his arms around her and dropped his mouth to her lips. It wasn't the kiss of a friend, neither was it the passionate, life-altering kiss he wanted to give her.

They began to walk along the beach. Gloria could see little except perhaps an item that reflected the moonlight. His vision at night was much better, and he could pick up a few shells they would look at later. She still seemed distracted, and he hoped she was still thinking about that kiss and how much more it could be between them, especially since he was still thinking about it.

They picked up several shells of various sizes and carried some as they headed back inside. Abe led the way to his office and turned on the lights as they entered. Abe knew they'd hit solid gold on some of these shells, but he would have to act surprised because no one knew how good the senses of a god or a demon were. It just seemed smart not to let them know.

"What is this one?" Gloria asked.

"It's a good one. It is called the Glory of the Sea cone. It is a Conus gloriamaris, and they were once thought to be much rarer than they are now. The value depends on the individual shell, but many can be bought for under a hundred bucks."

"And this one?" She held up a small shell.

"I don't know what that one is, but I think it is probably common because I have seen many of them on the beach. We'll have to look it up tomorrow along with these others. For tonight, I think we've done what we can, and at least a few of these are interesting enough to go in the entryway. Why don't we put these on the table, and I will walk you to your room?" Abe suggested.

Gloria agreed. So, he walked her to her room in the same hallway as his. Funny how that happened. When they arrived, she asked him in for a drink. It was obvious that Kiki was already home. The young girl was already in her room, and he could hear the music she was playing and see that the light was still on. It was okay because he didn't think they would do anything she couldn't walk in on.

Abe didn't know what the drink would be, but it turned out to be a hearty, spicy, sweet tea. It was very good, and he thought it might help him sleep.

"Do you drink this every night?"

"Unless I get in a hurry, I do. They say it helps you sleep when you get into routines."

"You have trouble sleeping?" Abe asked.

"It's one of the side effects of stress. Sometimes, figuring out where your life is going and what you want from it is hard. And that can be made harder by the people around you or the people in your life. I shouldn't be complaining because I know you guys had things hard most of your lives. Mines the cakewalk compared to that."

He couldn't argue because she was right. Most people, if they took the time to think about it, would know that there were people whose lives were truly horrible. People who didn't have enough food to eat or possibly even a bed to sleep in. The situation with the gods and the demons had been particularly odd since they had been basically bred to be slaves. Torture, experimentation, starvation, and more had been an everyday occurrence to them.

Their lives now were a dream compared to what they had been, but they still wanted more. Abe intended to have more and wanted his brothers to have that, too. Even more than that, he believed they could have it. They did not need to do with less than everything they wanted. Once their little island was turned into the tourist attraction of all time, they would all have the opportunity to meet people so they would have friends and relationships that might develop into a marriage with possible children. He knew that was what most of them wanted, but some of them were afraid to dream, afraid to hope for something they didn't think they would ever get.

Every band member hoped to bring about the changes required to help every demon live a good life on their own terms. That was what they were singing for, hoping for, and dreaming about—not just for them but for all demons and gods. They've been through hell and come out on the other end, and now they deserve to have the life of their dreams.

They talked for a little while, mostly about hopes and dreams. Gloria seemed to have her dream in hand, except for the part where she had a husband and family. Everything else seemed to be how she wanted it because she had her dream job.

"I better go and let you get some sleep."

Abe stood up, and when she came near to go to the door, he pulled her into his arms and gave her a more passionate kiss. It was the kind of kiss he thought about giving her every night. The problem was that he knew she was the one who would decide their relationship. If he pushed too hard, she would be gone. She opened the door, and he left, going to his room just a little down the hall. When he entered the room, he knew he needed to shower. There were two choices: he could take a cold shower or shower and give himself a little help to relax.

No one was in his life or bed when he'd met Gloria. Abe knew she was special to him, and until he gave up the hope of bringing her into his life, no one else would be. Right now, what he was doing was waiting for the woman of his dreams to finally say yes, I am ready. He decided on a hot shower and would use his hand to relieve himself. This was not something he did often, and he wished he didn't have to do it now, but the tension had built, and it needed to be relieved. He stripped, and once he was naked, he set his shower and got in.

His mind would be on Gloria like it always was, but it would only be a little more personal this time. It wasn't hard to imagine her in his mind and to make sure that she was naked. The hot water hit him, and it felt really good, so he got some of his body wash and put it in his hand, and now it was time to stroke off. Abe's cock was long and thick, but it was also hard as a rock. A little drop of precum dripped off the end before he began to stroke. His hands were big, so there was no problem wrapping around his cock. He immediately started moving from root to tip.

He knew there was no way that this was anywhere near as good as it would be if she was doing it. That didn't matter because he needed this, and she wasn't ready to move to a sexual relationship. All he could do was hope that, in time, they would get there. One hand went to his balls and cupped them lightly while the other hand began moving faster and faster so he could get to his goal. When it hit, it would be hard and splatter all over the side of the shower. He moved his other hand to the shower wall to steady himself, moving hard and fast. A tingle on his back grew stronger as he thought about his woman and what it would be like if they were together.

No surprise, it hit suddenly, and it was fast, and there was so much because it had been so long since he'd done this. He'd kept hoping Gloria would change her mind and give in, but at least now he saw signs that she might soon. His orgasm went on and on, then finally stopped. It had taken a lot out of him, and he waited a moment and ensured he washed everything off before he finished his shower and prepared for bed. No point in putting anything on because it was just him in the apartment. It was time to sleep, and he would surely have sweet dreams.