The Life of Anna, Part 4: Ensnared (31 page)

Smack! Smack!
The blows continued
until she reached fifteen. By that time, she was crying, knowing
she’d made Wilhelm hit her. When he promised he would never do it.
But he had to, or else Devin would have punished her. She had
failed him. Not to mention her bottom was on fire.

When she had announced the last count, he
turned her over and held her close. He was trembling.

“I’m sorry, Master,” she whispered, truly
ashamed and sad.

He kissed her head and held her tightly. “I
am sorry too, Anna.”

They were quiet and Anna’s tears slowly
dried.

“You wounded Kurt by leaving with Peter.”

Anna’s head snapped up. “I...I never wanted
to hurt Kurt,” she whispered, wide-eyed. “I...I’m sorry, Master,”
she said softly. “I truly failed you.” She felt horrible. Much
worse than angering Devin.

“Anna, I failed you as well. I should have
made sure you knew what would happen. I assumed....” He sighed. “I
assumed Devin had talked to you about it.”

She shook her head. “The
Elder-Mistresses...I’m not like them. I don’t think they like
me.”

“They do not understand you. There is a
difference. But that was still no reason to leave. You neglected to
do your duties.” He sighed. “But you understand that now and we
will speak of it no more. You have had your discipline and the
matter is closed.”

“Yes, Master,” she said quietly.

“No more ‘Master,’
Liebling
. We are
not at the
Schloss
.” He tipped her head up and gazed into
her eyes. “I like the sound of my name on your lips,” he said, his
voice husky.

He brushed his lips against hers and she
sighed. “Wilhelm,” she whispered. His lips pressed harder and she
was made breathless by the passion in his kiss.

“I wanted you last night too,
Liebling
,” he said breathlessly against her lips. She
could feel his cock hardening against her hip and moved against
him, making him gasp and then moan.

She worked at the buttons on his shirt and
pushed it off his shoulders and onto the floor. When she reached
for his pants he groaned and murmured in German.

Quickly, they removed each other’s clothing
and fell back onto the bed. He sucked on her neck and nibbled his
way down to her breasts, taking a nipple in his mouth and sucking
on it as she moaned loudly. The passion in his touch and his eyes
lit her on fire and made her desire him more than anything in a
very long time.

“Wilhelm!” she cried as he kissed his way
down to her pussy and sucked her into his mouth. She moaned loudly
and buried her hands in his thick hair as he licked and sucked her
intimate place. “Oh! Oh!” she cried and then screamed out his name
as he brought her to her release. She held his head against her
tightly and flexed her hips against him.

When the waves of pleasure subsided he slid
up her body and thrust into her with one smooth movement. They both
sighed at the sensation of being joined together.

“
Mein
Anna,” he murmured. He lifted
his face and gazed deeply into her eyes. They were full of such
passion it overwhelmed her. “Open yourself to me,
mein
Liebling
,” he whispered, almost hypnotically.

He kissed her and began moving. His movements
were long and languid and she did what he asked. She felt herself
opening up to his body, allowing him in deeper than any other man,
except Alex. Immediately, she felt light headed and felt as if he
were melting into her body and she into his. She was no longer
accepting him into her body; there was only one body. One body and
one mind.

A rush of sensation that she hadn’t
experienced in a very long time tingled in her body and slowly
built as Wilhelm’s movements quickened. She heard him groan and
thrust very hard and she screamed out his name again and floated in
mid-air as he emptied himself into her.

“Yes!” she cried out, though she didn’t know
why. She wanted him, all of him, inside her. She wanted him to own
her, to take possession of her body like Alex had long ago.

They floated together as he throbbed inside
her and she accepted him deep inside. When he had emptied himself
he shuddered slightly and then rolled to his side, pulling her with
him.

She snuggled close to him and fell into a
deep, peaceful sleep.

Kurt barely spoke to Anna during the rest of
their time in St. Petersburg, and she didn’t blame him one bit.
She’d resigned herself to his coldness as the limo approached the
driveway to the
Gutshaus
.
But when the home that
Alex had grown up in came into view, tears started running down her
cheeks and she couldn’t stop the sobs from wracking her entire
body. Kurt practically leapt across the distance he’d put between
himself and Anna in the vehicle and wrapped his long arms around
her. She sobbed into his chest while he held her tightly, kissing
her head and apologizing for being so cold to her.

He rarely left her side after that and doted
on her as much as any woman could hope for.

They walked around the gardens most
afternoons, talking and just being together. Derek and Sofie walked
with them most of the time. Anna couldn’t believe how much the
children had grown. Derek was now eight and Sofie, who had been a
toddler when she’d first met her, was now five. Derek spoke fluent
English and he loved showing it off in front of his father and
Anna. Although Sofie was still learning the second language, she
eagerly showed Anna all the pretty flowers that were still
blooming.

Three weeks into her stay, Anna was relieved
to find she could walk the halls of the
Gutshaus
without
bursting into tears with every turn of the corner. Yes, she missed
Alex terribly, but she finally felt at peace with his death.
Perhaps it was because of Kurt’s loving presence. She stayed with
Kurt in Alex’s old room, which he had moved into shortly after Alex
had died.

One particularly fine day, Kurt and Anna sat
on a bench in one of the gardens while Derek chased Sofie around,
both giggling and shouting.

Kurt held her close. “I still love you,
Anna,” he said softly. He turned to her. “Do you know that?”

Anna nodded. “I do.” She smiled tenderly at
him.

“You are so different than the girl I met at
Devin’s place all those years ago. You have turned into a beautiful
woman.”

She smiled at the memory of their first
meeting. She would have never in a million years imagined she would
end up here. She looked up into his eyes, bright blue and kind. He
was a very different man now, too.

“Anna, I...my feelings...from when I visited
you in California...they are the same. Or perhaps stronger.”

Anna nodded. She could see that. She still
adored him as well.

He took a deep breath and took her hand.
“Anna, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

Anna inhaled sharply and stared at him. She
opened her mouth but nothing came out. Oh, how she wanted to say
yes! To stay here forever in the peace that surrounded them. But
Devin had forbidden it and she couldn’t disobey.

“Kurt...,” she said, tears coming to her
eyes. “There is nothing in the world I would like more than to be
your wife.” His eyes lit up and he smiled broadly. “But I can’t.”
His face fell, breaking Anna’s heart.

“I see,” he said softly. He swallowed and
stared out at the trees across the path.

“No, Kurt, you don't understand.” She cupped
his cheek and turned his face back to hers. “Devin forbade me.
Before he let me go to you that night at Vitaly’s funeral.” Anna’s
heart ached for the sadness in his face. “He forbade me from
marrying you. That is the only reason I can’t accept. I
promise.”

Kurt looked at her doubtfully and then sighed
sadly. “I know you would not lie about something like that.”

Anna shook her head. “There’s nothing else I
could imagine wanting more,” she said softly. “But I can’t do what
is forbidden.” She didn’t want to find out what would happen if she
even attempted to do so.

He took her hand and entwined his fingers
with hers. “He cannot stop me from loving you, though.”

“No, he can’t,” she said with a soft smile.
“Nor me from loving you.”

They were silent for a few minutes. “Maybe he
will change his mind.” But they both knew that would never
happen.

A few days later, Wilhelm took Anna to the
Schloss
.

Anna heard Kurt and Wilhelm arguing in
Wilhelm’s office before they left. She didn’t know what was said
because they were speaking German, but she could tell by their
tones that Kurt was very angry.

Anna was waiting in the sitting room near the
office and looked up when the door opened. Kurt’s face was red and
he glared at his father.

He stopped short when he saw Anna and his
eyes softened. “I am sorry you had to hear that,
Engel
,”
he said stooping and kissing her on the temple. “I will see you
tonight.” He turned and frowned at Wilhelm and then quickly made
his way up the circular staircase to the third floor.

Wilhelm watched Kurt with a sad expression.
She stood and walked to him. “Is everything okay?”

Wilhelm absently stroked her hair. “
Ja,
Liebling
. I told him he could not come and he became angry. He
accused me of not trusting him and thinking less of him than I
thought of Alex.” Wilhelm looked at her. “It is not true, Anna. I
think him very capable. He has worked so hard these last few years.
I am so proud of him.” His face flinched and Anna guessed that he
was thinking about Alex.

She wrapped her arms around his waist and he
hugged her. “I know you are, Wilhelm. I can see it. He knows too.”
She leaned her head against his chest. “Why can’t he come
along?”

“Because it is a matter for Elders. If Alex
were here...well, he would not be there either.” Wilhelm sighed. He
stared into nothing for a few moments and then shook his head. “We
must go. They will be waiting.”

Anna was taken to a room to prepare when she
arrived. Her hair was brushed and she was given a simple white silk
gown to wear. She looked down and noticed her breasts looked
fuller, or was it just her imagination? It was almost as if...but,
no. She hadn’t been with Kaveh and she’d been apart from Devin for
almost a month. She rubbed her face, worried. What was going on?
She couldn’t be pregnant. Who would have...?

Her mind drifted back to the last time she’d
been with Wilhelm. After he had disciplined her and they’d had a
very, very passionate lovemaking session. He had said years ago
that a pregnancy could happen if she was particularly emotionally
attached. She had felt Wilhelm and herself floating together;
becoming one body. Had she inadvertently opened herself up to get
pregnant? Oh! What would Wilhelm say? What would Ilsa say? What
would Kurt say? Oh, God! Devin would be furious!

But she hadn’t meant to do anything like
that. It had just happened. She—

“Mistress?”

Anna jumped at the male voice that
interrupted her disturbing thoughts. She looked up and saw an
Immortal standing in the doorway. She couldn’t remember his name,
but he had been here the night of her wedding to Alex.

“I am Gavin,” the Immortal said with a gentle
smile and a deep, resonating voice. He had no accent, which
surprised Anna. “I will take you to the Elders.”

Anna stood nervously and smoothed her dress,
conscious of how her breasts strained against the fabric. Gavin’s
eyes flickered down her body briefly and he smiled when he looked
back at her face.

“You are with child?”

“H-how did you know?” she asked softly,
crossing her arms across her stomach, which was still as flat as it
normally was.

Gavin smiled. “You look as you did when you
married Alex, though you are not as far along. A few weeks
maybe.”

“I didn’t know. I didn’t mean to!” She
blinked back tears of fright.

“Mistress, no one would be upset here. They
are not your other Master.”

Gavin motioned to the hallway and Anna walked
with him down the dim hall.

Anna stared at the ground as they walked. An
Immortal wouldn’t gain anything by lying to her, but she still
didn’t think anyone would be happy with it.

Gavin led her into the same chamber where her
marriage to Alex had been confirmed and consummated. She glanced
over at the fireplace where she and Alex had become one person. It
was cold and dark.

She bit her lip and blinked away the tears as
she tore her eyes away and looked at the ground. When Gavin
stopped, she looked up to see all seven of the German Elders in
front of her. What had she done to bring them all together?

She knelt quickly and lowered herself into a
bow.

“You may sit up, Anna,” Wilhelm said softly
after just a few seconds.

Anna sat up and stared at the ground with her
hands resting lightly on her thighs. She was ashamed to look at
Wilhelm.

“Anna, we gathered today to speak to you
about your dreams.”

Anna looked up in shock. “My dreams?” she
asked without thinking and then clapped her hand over her mouth.
She had spoken without being given permission. Frightened tears
welled up in her eyes as she stared, terrified, at Wilhelm.

Wilhelm smiled tenderly at her. “You may
speak freely here, Anna,” he said gently, glancing around at the
other Elders. They all looked at her kindly and nodded. “And be at
ease. We just ask that you be respectful.”

“Yes,
mein Herr
,” she said softly,
looking back at the ground.

Wilhelm introduced the other Elders to her:
Edwin, Gerhard, Justin, Juergen, Hansjoerg, and Oswin.

“How long have you been having dreams about
Alex?” Wilhelm asked.

“Since I was twelve,” she answered to the
ground.