Page 21 of Fennick’s Fortune (Sentinels of Apollo #2)

As she told her horror story, I saw and felt the struggle within her, but she relayed it in a calm voice as if it had happened to someone else. She’d learned to disassociate herself.

“Our days were the same—theirs filled with work and rapes. Mine filled with work, angry words, and sometimes beatings. It was like it was on a repeating loop. I was the only child, so I was lonely and had to find ways to entertain myself. I was made over by most of the women in those first five years, and my momma was my best friend.”

When she paused this time, I had to ask.

“What did they do with the babies, if you were the only one? And why were you the only child?”

Her eyes met mine. The sorrow, rage, and guilt in them were crushing. I didn’t know how she could bear it.

“When they were born, the babies were sold to people who wanted a baby. I had to assume many were people who couldn’t have a child themselves, and regular adoption channels weren’t an option for whatever reason.

Or they wanted them for more nefarious reasons.

I still pray that it never happened, but I wouldn’t doubt that it did.

I know that the clients paid handsomely because my father and the other two men, who were the main guys in the business, always appeared happy and celebrated whenever they sold one.

You asked why I was the only one there. I discovered why at five years old, and it was by accident and because I messed up. ”

“What do you mean you messed up?” Banner asked.

“I slipped and let my father see me touching one of the women’s stomachs.

I told her she was having a girl, and when it was close, I’d let her know when the baby was coming.

We were in the main house, and he was nowhere around, or so I thought.

When he overheard me, he demanded to know what I meant.

I refused to tell him. Even at that age, I knew it would be bad for him to understand what I could do.

I’d discovered it by accident when touching one of their bellies.

“He beat me, then deprived me of food and water for several days. Even as weak as I got, I didn’t break.

It infuriated my father, so he found leverage to make me tell.

He went after my momma and beat her almost to death in front of me.

It was a good thing she wasn’t pregnant at that time, or she would’ve lost the baby for sure.

I couldn’t stand it, so I told him. I admitted that I could communicate with the babies like I can with your twins, Cerys.

And I knew their sex, when they were preparing to be born, and other things.

After I told my father what I could do, he told me why I was there.

“He announced it like I should be grateful that I told him the truth because it changed his intentions for me, and I would be more valuable and remain with him forever. He initially kept me as a future breeder for one of the other two men, or they had the contacts to sell me to someone else to become their broodmare. They were waiting for my first period, then they’d decide.

“However, by revealing my talent, I would be kept, and they didn’t seem to want to do anything to mess up my ability, so it would mean I would likely avoid being raped in the future.

I was taken from the building where they housed us and put in a separate one.

I was still imprisoned, but it was a private one.

They then made me check on the babies once a woman became pregnant.

I would do at least monthly checks. When it was close to their due date, I was commanded to speak to the babies every few days.

If it were close to the date they’d set their deal to be complete with a buyer based on the doctor’s due date calculation, I was instructed to push the babies to be born.

If they weren’t, the doctor would perform a C-section.

Nothing was to interfere with delivering as promised to the buyers. ”

She stopped at this point because we had lost control and were swearing and vowing to kill. Cerys and Twyla were crying. Akiva was still not crying.

“That’s enough. No more. She’s had enough,” I snapped.

I didn’t ask her permission. I stood long enough to reach over and pick her up and bring her over to sit on my lap.

She felt cold to the touch, which never happened with shifters.

Her coloring was as white as the moon. She gave a weak wiggle but didn’t fight to get loose or ask me to release her. I hugged her closer.

“No, Fennick, I need to finish this. If I don’t, I may be unable to do it later,” she whispered.

We could still hear what she said despite her whisper, and then Akiva took a deep, shuddering breath and returned to her horrific tale.

“I won’t tell you the details of what those next nine years were like.

The women who fussed over me became frightened of me.

Some experienced C-sections while others didn’t.

Sometimes, the mothers didn’t survive the procedure.

The women who cared for me suddenly saw me as the devil, probably more so than my father and the other men.

Even my momma wasn’t as loving or as close to me.

“When I was taken to see the women, I begged and cried, pleading for him not to force me to do it. He never listened, and if I refused to tell what I discovered, the punishments were terrible and not always suffered by me. I saw my first gang rape at ten years old. It wasn’t the first time they did something like that, but it was the first in front of me.

“I contemplated suicide. However, I always thought what would happen to the women if I weren’t there to at least help persuade the babies.

The women were like mares. Once they had a baby, the moms were given the minimum recommended number of weeks to recover, and then they were bred again.

I use that term because it was the term they used.

They saw the women as mere breeding stock.

Babies were always taken away as soon as they were born.

Their mothers never got to see or hold them. ”

Cerys, through her sobs, asked, “What happened to the women when they could no longer have more babies? Or did they not keep them that long? What if someone couldn’t conceive?”

Akiva shook her head and looked down at our joined hands.

“They were used until they stopped getting pregnant or until it was confirmed that they couldn’t conceive.

When that happened, depending on their condition and age, they were either sold to people to be part of their stables of whores or they might be sold to a person as their private sex slave. ”

Cerys and Twyla cried harder. I began to worry about the toll this could have on Cerys and the babies.

“Brax, I think the ladies need to rest. They’ve heard enough.”

“No! You will do no such thing. Yes, I’m upset, and my heart bleeds for those women, babies, and Akiva. I need to hear the rest. I’m fine,” Cerys said.

“I’m staying here unless you forcibly remove me,” Twyla said, crossing her arms and glaring at me.

“God, I hate this. Okay, just a little more, Akiva, and then we’ll be done. You said it lasted nine years. That would make you fourteen. What happened at fourteen?” Nico asked.

“The clients didn’t come to the compound or whatever you’d call where we lived.

It was fenced in, and my father and the other two men were paranoid about allowing anyone within the gate.

The buyers picked up the babies at different off-site locations, which I understood from overheard conversations.

Anyway, there was a man who was paying a considerable sum for twins.

The mother was nearing her due date. The man insisted he be there for the delivery.

My father argued it was impossible, so the client said he’d take his money elsewhere.

He’d been given the mom’s photo and regular updates.

He said he wanted to ensure it was her babies he would receive and be there to begin bonding with them immediately.

In the end, my father gave in. The money was too much to pass up.

“The day of the birth came, and the buyer arrived. There was no woman with him, but he did bring his driver. He reeked of money and power, so having a driver wasn’t surprising.

I could hear the woman screaming in pain from my prison.

They didn’t want to give them anything for their pain.

I was in my small hut, and the other women were in their building.

Before things started, the client wanted to see the operation, so he was given a tour.

When he saw me, he asked who I was. The answer given was that I was their miracle worker.

I wanted to beg the man to free us, but I knew it was useless, so I remained quiet.

“The hours crept by until finally the babies were born. I heard them cry. They were rapidly given to the man, who put them in his car. I was watching out of a small opening in one of the windows. The rest were boarded up. After the babies were in the vehicle, the buyer and his driver turned on my father and the other guys. They weren’t alone.

More men stormed the place. It was a raid of some kind.

I thought they were competitors coming to take over the business. I was terrified and tried to hide.

“In the confusion, somehow, my father slipped out of their hands. He came and found me and tried to force me to run with him. He told me we’d start over elsewhere.

I fought and screamed. At that point, I didn’t care what anyone wanted me for.

I knew I wouldn’t go with him. Maybe these new men would sell or kill me.

Finally, he swore at me and said he’d find me again even if it took the rest of his life, and then he ran.