The Gentle Maiden and Five Lustful Brothers-Chapter 71: this will be the grand event.

"Be a doll, Vlad, and drab him for me and bring him to the banquet hall" Lilith had a sinister smile creep up her face.

"Be sure to round up every night citizen here and bring them." Lilith paused looking around her. "Humans please enjoy your time outside, the main house will be closed off temporarily."

The way she spoke so casually to humans as if they naturally saw the queen of demons regularly. Many were still reeling in the fact they were at a party were supernatural beings roamed freely around them. The idea was haunting to some, while others were excited and fascinated.

"Come Violet." Ash said tugging on Violet’s arm some, insisting she rise from her seat.

"Are you sure?" Violet asked sheepishly.

"What are you afraid?" Ash asked raising an eyebrow at her.

"Yes." Violet answered bluntly, which Ash wasn’t prepared for. His shock showed in his face.

"I look like her. Why do I look like her?" Violet was so confused.

"I don’t know, but I plan to find out." Ash answered.

"I’ll be back Amanda, please wait with me and enjoy the music and food. I want to see some sweat on your face from dancing when I return." Violet joked before standing and following Ash and the other Night citizens into the house.

Standing near the back, at first, Violet felt better, she didn’t know what was going to happen.

"My dear daughter come forward." Lilith said standing in front of the stairs.

"Daughter? Why does she keep calling me that? My mother is dead and had yellow hair like Jeremy." Violet couldn’t understand the connection.

"Come up darling." Lilith asked kindly, but this time there was a tone hinting that her patience was wearing thin.

Violet, not wanting to push a dragon past its patience level, slowly waded her way through the crowd with Ash by her side. Reaching the stairs she finds the 3 brothers, Vlad, Uncle Hyde, Viktor and Viktoria standing behind Lilith. Riley at her feet.

"This beast here defiled you, correct?" Lilith said her voice as sharp as her words, ready to slice through anything.

Violet nodded uncomfortably. She never let herself think about the horrors Riley inflicted on her over these last few months. She didn’t want the wounds in her soul to open and fester. So, she just pretended like it didn’t happen. She tried staying clear of him, most of the time the other brothers stopped him, but not always.

Painful memories surfaced as she stands face to face with Riley. With the man that haunts her steps.

"This man drugged you, correct?" her question was more rhetorical as if she already had thew answer.

Violet’s face flushed and she squinted her eyes shut hard and nodded once more.

And with that Lilith started her punishment.

"You Riley Drakarys are a stain on this family, a blemish on my lineage. You are so worthless you aren’t fit to serve even humans. You are beneath the family dog. You Riley Drakarys will be tortured in hell before being released and then you will be banished to wonder until you die. Never settling down. Never having a moments peace. I will insure every night citizen knows you are disowned and dishonored." Her words were a knife to Riley’s guts. He has never been worthless; he’s never been so humiliated the rage in him boiling. He tried to maintain his composure but with each word she said he was closer to boiling over. After she finished speaking, she spit on him. And that was the last straw. In a rage Riley lunged for Violet. Baring his long fangs and hissing he was inches from her when he was violently grabbed by the back of his head by Lilith. Her mouth now wide showing sharpened dragons teeth bit into his neck the heat from her dragon fire seared his flesh, sizzling as she bit into his shoulder. He screams in agony as she pulls a chunk off him leaving the white of shoulder bones exposed. His body recoiled and the smell of burnt flesh filled the room. Riley howled in pain. Begging. "No more please."

Violet felt everything Riley was feeling. She felt agony, but not as her own pain, no she carried the weight of it though.

The bite of a dragon was painful, not just because of the sharp teeth or pressure of the bite but because the mouth of a dragon was always as hot as the sun. Being bitten by a dragon burned a scare into your flesh. And it would never stop burning. Riley’s flesh will burn everyday for the rest of his life.

Spitting his flesh on the ground her eyes glowed magenta.

"Oh, my darling grandson, we have only just begun." Lilith’s words were chilling. A coldness in the room settled in despite the fiery hot dragon seething in anger in the center of the house.

Violet’s eyes widened. What more could a grandmother do to her own grandson than such a cursed bite?

"How many times did he touch you, Violet?" Her questions made Violet’s stomach turn upside down. Did Lilith want her to give an exact number? Did she want me to answer in front of all these people? Vomit flooded the back of her throat. Digging it up and counting it seemed useless why did it matter? Violet felt it hard to answer or even look Lilith in the eyes. She just shrugged her shoulders some folding into Ash’s body attempting to hide from the humiliation she was experiencing. Having everyone know how weak she is.

"I will break a bone in his body, starting with his hands, for every time he’s touched you" Lilith’s smile hit an all-time scary as she snapped his index finger breaking his knuckles. Riley screamed relentlessly, pleading with her to stop. "Grandmother please." Riley pleaded.

"Grandmother? Did you think of how it would make your grandmother feel knowing her grandson is a pervert rapist?" She shouted loud for the whole room to hear. "You, with a face like that felt the need to rape someone? Someone you are supposed to cherish?"

Riley began sobbing as he pleaded. "You’re right, you’re right, spare me please." Riley’s eyes wet with tears. Tears of shame and embarrassment. Tears of pain his skin felt scorched and hadn’t stopped burning since she bit him.

Violet stood mortified. She was speechless watching as Lilith punished him. Watching Lilith break each finger on her grandson’s hand. She flinched with each scream. Everyone more pitiful than the last. Riley whimpered like a sad puppy; fingers bent in crooked ways. When Violet got a clear view of Riley’s crumpled fingers, she lost her composure and puked. All the vomit she’d been holding back since the start of this came pouring out. She’d never seen anyone so contorted. Violet knew she could end this all right now, by saying that was all of the times. But she couldn’t bring herself to lie, especially over this, especially for him.

Despite his desperate cries for mercy and endless apologies, the cracking and snapping of bones continue as she moves from his arms to his ribs. The glee expressed in Lilith’s eyes as she snapped her own grandson’s bones was demonic. She was truly the Queen of the Damned. Only monster would take joy in such torture.

Violet was pale from throwing up and she’d lost count of the sound of breaking, she finally caved when Riley projected his feels of malice outward. His pain was unbearable for her. The hatred and disgust in his thoughts. It was nauseating.

"Enough, please. I don’t know how many bones you broke, but it must be equal by now." Violet begged wanting her own relief from the sickness she felt looking at Riley. Not just in general but in this specific state. It didn’t please Violet to see Riley so battered and broken. It made her pity him, and that hurt her more. She couldn’t feeling it, feeling his thoughts anymore.

"Did he stop when you begged? Why should I stop when he begs? Men like him deserve worse than this. Do you not think so?" Lilith questioned her.

"I don’t care that he’s begging, but I am begging. Watching him like this? It doesn’t bring me joy, it brings me sympathy, and I don’t want him to have anything of mine. Not my pain, not my tears, and certainly not my sympathy." Violet screamed dropping to her knees. Covering her face with her hands to hide her tears.

Lilith stood over Riley still holding his arm in the air while her foot is pressed to his chest holding him firm against the hard tile flooring. Lilith was struggling to understand why anyone would feel sympathy for a scum bag like him.

"Why, does he have your tears? I do not understand? Do you not want him punished?" Lilith asked.

"No, it’s not that, I do. But knowing pain myself and watching anyone endure it hurts me. It hurts my heart. I’m not like you all, I may have blood as pure as the princes, but I’m still human, which means my humanity is intact. Stuff like this is why you are seen as monsters. Because this" Violet gestures toward Riley bloody, broken, and wet from sweat and tears, "This is monstrous." Violet now excessively weeping.

"You are not the monsters you pretend to be. And I know it." Violet said wiping her tears, she turns and runs.

Faster than she’s ever ran before. She ran right out the front door not looking back. She needed air. She needed space. She hated Riley, she even wanted him dead. But she didn’t want to watch him, or anyone suffer like that, she’s never seen someone be tortured.

After she got about a quarter mile from the house she stopped and sat by a try curled her knees to her chest and she wept. Wept tears for the innocence she lost, for the pain she’s endured, and for the heartache she’s felt. It was like a dam broke and every bit of pain came gushing out.

"You shouldn’t be out on the road this late at night you know? You should be home with your family and friends." A familiar rough voice said in a friendly tone.

"I don’t want to go home." Violet said quietly.

"What was that? You were so quiet I couldn’t hear you." He teased.

"I... I... I don’t" Violet started loudly "want to" She stuttered more "to go, to go home" Violet’s sobs seemed unending.

"Well, let’s go to a café and get some coffee? We can ditch the party and stay in a hotel tonight. How about that?" He asked her.

"Ash... thank you." Violet said reaching her hand upward, Ash grabbed it and pulled her to her feet and then pulled her close.

"You could hear his thoughts couldn’t you."