The Life of Anna, Part 4: Ensnared (6 page)

“Wilhelm?” she asked with a shaky voice.

Wilhelm took a deep breath and set his jaw.
“The jet is ready to go. We will board and fly away, just as we
planned.”

The driver opened their door and Wilhelm got
out first, followed by Kurt and Anna. Kurt held Anna’s hand tightly
and kept her a good distance from Devin.

The tarmac was wet from the rain earlier in
the evening. The orange overhead lights reflected on the dark, wet
ground, giving the area a spooky look. Devin’s face was lit, though
his beard cut strange lines across his face.

“What are you doing, Wilhelm?” Devin asked
lightly. He hadn’t moved, though his dark eyes were very alert. He
was dressed in black from head to toe, which made him look more
sinister than usual.

“Going home. I believe I have a right to do
that without asking your permission.” Wilhelm stood a few feet away
from him, standing tall and confident. He exuded the power and
authority of an Elder. He was a much larger man than Devin. Taller
by several inches and broader by the same. The two of them facing
off made her think of two opposing ancient gods.

“Of course. You are always welcome to leave
my country. However, I do take issue with you taking my slave.”

“I have a right for her to visit me. She is
as much mine as she is yours.”

“Ah, but you’re taking her without asking me.
Or even checking out of your hotel. It makes me wonder what you are
trying to do.” Devin turned and looked at Kurt and Anna. He arched
his brow at their intertwined fingers. “Perhaps you have plans for
her and your son?”

Wilhelm didn’t answer.

“I’m surprised you didn’t get her a big fancy
ring like your brother did, Kurt. Don’t you have access to the same
bank accounts?”

Kurt growled and stepped forward, but Wilhelm
held up his hand. “They are in love, Devin. I see no problem in
their dating.”

“Dating? Or engagement? You think to marry
her off to your other son so he can protect her from me?” Devin
smirked. “It won't work. Kurt isn’t her soulmate. He can’t protect
her like Alex could.”

“Then why do you care if they marry?”

Devin’s jaw clenched. “Because you’re taking
my property,” he said after a pause.

“She is not property, Devin. She is a
woman.”

“She’s a slave. My slave. I have a very
particular purpose for her and I won’t let you take her from
me.”

“Your purpose for her is barbaric and
forbidden.”

“For you, maybe. I was made Chairman by the
Elders of my country and the Immortals. I didn’t stage a coup.”

“Not blatantly.”

Devin laughed. “It’s not my fault that the
Elders of this country are weak and willing to follow rather than
lead. I just took advantage of the situation.”

“A situation of your own making.”

Devin shrugged. “Advantages must be seized or
lost. I always choose to seize them.”

“Yes, we are quite aware of your propensity
to seize opportunities.”

Devin sighed, as though weary of the
conversation. “I won’t allow you to take Anna. It’s as simple as
that.”

Wilhelm raised his eyebrows. “Well then,
consider this. I
am
taking Anna. She is mine as well. You
bribed her into leaving my home two years ago and kept her
incoherent during that entire time. I am entitled to some time with
her without you watching everything we do.”

Devin chuckled. “It
is
interesting
watching you when you come out to visit. I particularly enjoyed
watching your little threesome yesterday. Anna does seem to like
her big cocks.”

Wilhelm frowned at Devin. “You stretch your
hand beyond where it should be, Devin. What I do in the privacy of
my hotel room is not for your entertainment.”

“Oh, but where Anna is concerned, everything
is within my reach.”

Wilhelm turned and looked at Kurt. “Get Anna
on the plane,” he said in a quiet voice. “We are leaving.”

Kurt nodded and led Anna towards the plane,
with Wilhelm following behind. Anna watched Devin nervously, but
was eager to escape and held Kurt’s hand tightly.

“Stop!” Devin commanded in a loud tone. The
three of them froze mid-step. Something in his tone was positively
terrifying and made Anna want to fall to her knees in fear.

Like something out of a nightmare, the night
seemed to grow darker. The orange lights dimmed and everything
faded except Devin, who seemed to grow larger. His eyes flashed
with angry fire.

“You will not take Anna from me,” he said in
a deep, commanding tone.

Wilhelm turned back to him and started to say
something, but in a flash Devin was in front of him with his hand
around his neck. Anna rubbed her eyes because Devin seemed...bigger
than Wilhelm, even though she knew that wasn’t possible.

Anna saw Devin’s fingers squeezing into
Wilhelm’s neck. “No! Devin, no!” she screamed and ran up to him to
pull at his arm.

Devin pushed her away and she fell to the
ground. Devin’s evil eyes bored into Wilhelm’s. “You will not take
Anna from me,” he said in a raspy, evil-tinged voice. “You will get
on your plane, both you and your son, and you will leave this
country. I forbid you and any member of your family to have any
sort of contact with her. I forbid you from ever stepping foot in
this country again. You and every member of your family. No one is
welcome here. Leave and never come back.”

Devin released Wilhelm’s neck and, to Anna’s
horror, Wilhelm and Kurt both turned and walked to the jet without
saying another word. They climbed the steps and disappeared without
a single glance back. Devin waved his hand and the door to the jet
closed and the engines started.

“No!” she screamed as the jet taxied
away.

She ran after it, but it picked up speed and
disappeared into the night. She fell to the ground, scraping her
knees and burying her face in her hands.

“No,” she sobbed. They were gone. They’d left
without her. Her beloved Kurt and Wilhelm.

She heard footsteps behind her and looked
back to see Ian walking towards her. She stood to run, but he was
too fast. He picked her up unceremoniously and carried her back to
Devin.

“I hate you!” she screamed and pounded on
Devin’s chest.

He calmly grabbed her wrists and twisted her
arms until she fell to her knees and cried out in pain.

“There. That’s how you belong. On your knees
in front of me.” He looked at Ian. “Put her in the car.”

Ian picked her up and put her in the back
seat. Devin got in next to her. “I believe you need another
attitude adjustment.” Ian got in the driver’s seat. “The Manor
please, Ian.”

Anna lay on her bed in the Manor in agony.
Everything hurt. Even her toes hurt. Devin had done everything
possible to hurt her, including using the “nerve juice” as he
called it. When the first dose had worn off, he’d given her a
second one.

The sad thing was she’d slept and was feeling
better than she had been before she went to sleep. The idea of
suicide flitted around her mind again, but the likelihood of it
working was slim.

She was condemned to life. Would she ever
die? She was only half-Immortal. What did that mean? How long would
she live this hell?

The door opened and Devin walked in. He stood
above her for a moment, looking down on her with his hands on his
hips, then went to sit down in the chair by the window. Anna didn’t
move. Her hatred of him rose inside her chest with a vengeance. But
then faded just as quickly. He had a new way to hurt her and she
was terrified of feeling that pain again.

Devin cleared his throat and Anna slowly sat
up and looked at him.

“Yes, Master?” she asked in a hoarse voice.
She’d lost her voice from screaming in the dungeon and it hadn’t
returned yet.

He pointed to the floor in front of him. She
crawled out of bed and stumbled across the floor to collapse on her
heels in front of him.

“This is no longer a safe place, Anna. This
is merely your room. You will call me Master at all times when you
are in the Manor. When I enter the room, you will get on your knees
like all the other girls. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Master,” she rasped.

“If I have to discipline you again, there
will be three doses of the nerve juice.”

“Yes, Master.” She shuddered at the
thought.

“We will try your ‘new life’ again. You will
begin dancing again as soon as you are able. You will eat properly.
You will dance well. You will take care of yourself. If you don’t,
I will discipline you.”

“Why do you want me to dance?” she
whined.

“Because if you don’t, you’re useless.”

Anna winced at his words. He was so harsh. He
wasn’t even trying to be nice anymore. She supposed without the
threat of Wilhelm, there was no need to be nice anymore.

He leaned forward and removed her necklace.
He’d given her a new one when she moved out of the Manor. One
without black diamonds. “I have half a mind to give you a ruby to
wear. Act up again and I will.”

“Yes, Master.”

He produced a solid gold bracelet and put it
on her wrist. “This is locked. You may not remove it.” It was thick
and heavy and fitted to her wrist.

“Yes, Master.”

“And, finally, Ian will take you to your new
apartment when you’re ready to leave. I don't want to pay the
ridiculous rent I was paying in that other place. This one is much
cheaper and closer to the studio, so I can get rid of your car as
well. I will pay your rent. You have money in your bank account
that you can use to pay for everything else. I removed your credit
cards from your wallet. You only need money for food and dance
clothes. If I decide I want to take you anywhere I will have Ian
take you shopping.”

“Yes, Master.”

“Ian will pick you up on Fridays to bring you
here.” Devin grinned. “Zach told me he saw you on Friday. He’s
looking forward to spending time with you again.”

Anna’s heart dropped into her stomach. How
could she have imagined a life that didn’t begin and end with pain
and heartache? “Yes, Master.”

He stood. “I believe that is all. Let Ian
know when you’re ready to leave. Maggie will bring some clothes in
for you to wear home.” He stepped around Anna and walked out the
door.

Anna slumped forward and buried her face in
her hands.

Thursday evening, Anna walked to ballet class
from her new apartment. It was a tiny studio, but it really was all
she needed. It had a kitchen, a bathroom and a closet. She had her
TV to keep her dreams away, her mattress to sleep on, her coffee
table and couch. If Wilhelm thought her previous place was hideous,
she would hate to think what he thought of this place.

But she would never see him again. Devin made
sure of that. Ian told her that they would never dare come back as
long as Devin’s permission had been revoked. Devin could destroy
them with a word.

“How did he get so powerful?” she had asked
Ian as they drove to her new apartment.

Ian looked at her sadly. “The spring rituals,
Anna. He uses you and takes your power for his own.”

That depressed Anna. She’d caused her own
demise. If only she’d fought him harder...well, thinking about that
right now wouldn’t do any good. Right now she just needed to
concentrate on making him happy. To keep from being “disciplined”
again.

It was a fifteen minute walk from her
apartment to the studio. Not bad on a nice night. She was thankful
tonight was a nice night.

As she came around the corner, she saw
someone standing near the studio door.

“Aaron?” she exclaimed as she got closer and
his face became clear in the dim light.

“Anna! I’ve been worried about you!” he
exclaimed, grabbing her and embracing her hard. “I’ve been calling
you and waiting out here for you every night this week.”

“I must have forgotten to turn my phone back
on.” She’d turned it off after they’d left the restaurant and
hadn’t thought about it since.

“I even went by your apartment today, but no
one answered.”

“How do you know where my apartment is?”
She’d just moved in yesterday. “I didn’t hear anyone knock and I
was there all day.”

“I...someone told me,” Aaron answered
vaguely.

“Someone?”

Aaron gave her a strange look. “Yes.
Someone.”

Anna was confused. Who would have told him
where she lived? “I didn’t hear you knock.”

“You’re in apartment 760, right? In
SoMo?”

Anna shook her head. “I was, but I don’t live
in that place anymore. Devin moved me...closer to here.”

“You only lived there a few weeks.”

“He didn’t want to keep paying that amount of
rent.” She shrugged. “I have a little studio on O’Farrell. It’s
fine.”

“Fine?” Aaron looked outraged. “Anna, you’re
a frickin’ duchess. You shouldn’t be living in a tiny studio
apartment. You should at least be in a decent apartment. I can
help—”

“I’m fine, Aaron,” Anna snapped. “And I’m not
a duchess. Not anymore. Alex is dead, Wilhelm and his family are
forbidden to come here. I am alone. The only thing I need to do is
keep Devin happy. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to get to
class.” She pushed him aside and went inside the building.

“You’re not alone, Anna,” Aaron called after
her as she walked away, but he didn’t follow her.

Yeah, right
.

She huffed as she went into the studio and
sat down on the floor to change shoes. It was better if she just
kept to herself. Her only purpose in life was to keep Devin happy.
Anything else would just get in the way and cause her more
pain.

Within a few more weeks, Anna had proven
herself strong enough to start back on
pointe
. She worked
with the summer students for a few weeks and then was put in the
Company Corps. She knew many of the girls and a few of the guys,
but she kept to herself. Jenna had recently been promoted to
Soloist, so she wasn’t in classes with her.