Blood Rebel [COMPLETED]

Chapter Twenty Five - Epershand Revealed

Harland's tone was hesitant, as though he didn't really want to tell her whatever it was that she should know.

"Go on," she urged, watching as he scuffed the dirty floor with his heel.

"He's not what you think," interrupted Jackie, one hand on her hip, the other rubbing at her chin. Selene scowled at her.

"What do I think?" She snapped, glaring at Jackie as she asked the question, and some of the men raised their eyebrows and exchanged glances at her defensiveness.

"You think he's a good man trapped in a Vampire's body. You think he cares for you."

He does care for me, but I'll be damned if I'll ever tell you why he does.

Selene kept quiet, and flattened her dress against her thighs with her hands, feeling the embroidery scratch her skin.

"He's cruel. He's one of the cruellest there has ever been. He invented the Bleedings. He made human deaths a form of entertainment." Jackie threw her hands in the air as she spoke, and Selene wondered if she were going to hit her.

"I know."

"That's not all," said Harland, puffing out his chest.

Selene nodded, encouraging him to continue. He gritted his teeth and looked away from her, staring at a spot on the wall instead.

"Have you heard of Epershand?" He asked.

Selene's eyes widened and she saw some of the men acknowledge her surprise. They moved closer, packing around her.

"I have."

"Do you know what it is?"

"No."

"It's the most wicked of his inventions," exclaimed Jackie, jumping on the spot. Richard Mason reached out a hand and held her still, allowing Harland to continue.

"He doesn't just own theatres, Selene. He also owns a place called Epershand. It's a secure compound where Vampires can go for sex; sex with humans. It's essentially a high class brothel, but the people in there are held against their will. There's no way out; they live there until they die, or are killed, which they often are. They're prisoners, and they don't get paid, other than in board and food. They're undesirables, which is ironic..."

"What are you saying, exactly?"

"I'm saying that Hector exploits humans."

"All Vampires do that."

"Not like this. He pays the institutions for children when they are young, sometimes before they are even born. He hand picks them before any of the other Vampires get to choose their quarry. These children have no owners, the way you have Hector, and Jackie has Diana-"

"Blood, I'd kill that bitch," murmured Jackie. Harland raised an eyebrow and continued:

"- and all the other dancers have their owners too. But these people, these Undesirables; they're unbranded. Actually, what I mean to say is that they're not branded on their feet."

Selene's thoughts spun, like a spider weaving a web, ideas hanging precariously like water droplets on the silken threads.

"Hector charges rich Vampires a small fortune to enter, and then more on top of that, depending on who they want and how they want them, and how many of them they want at any one time. There are extra charges for every little thing. Biting or drawing blood, or inflicting pain of any sort, comes at a premium, and actually killing costs a small fortune; but everything can be paid for. A Vampire's every filthy desire can be sated within the walls of the compound."