The Life of Anna, Part 2: Entwined (56 page)

“Schatzi
...,” he said with a tender smile on his face. He looked down at the book and pushed it away from himself, further from Anna. “I miss you.”

Anna shook her head. She didn’t want to be captivated by him.

He chuckled. “It’s good to see you,
mein Liebe
. Are you okay?”

Anna bit her lip. Should she tell him about the missing rings? Would he be angry?

“Anna?”

She looked at him, wide-eyed and took a step back. Devin would be angry if something had happened to his rings. She shook her head, felt something hard behind her give way and then she awoke.

*****

When Anna opened her eyes again, she was lying in bed in the dark, staring up at the ceiling. Devin snored softly next to her. She didn’t like the ache in her heart. She felt lonely.

Anna moved closer to Devin and snuggled close to him. He awoke and pulled her close. But it wasn’t the same. As much as she wanted to deny it, she missed Alex. She closed her eyes and tried to think of anything but him.

The next thing Anna knew, the sun was peeking past the curtains of the hotel bedroom. She saw the light behind her eyelids. Her head and left hand were resting on Devin’s chest. His breathing told her that he was still asleep, and she slid her hand down his chest and belly to his semi-hard cock.

She stroked him up and down slowly but firmly; the way he liked it. He moaned and flexed his hips against her hand.

“Baby...,” he mumbled, and rolled over to lie on top of Anna, spreading her legs apart and pushing his cock into her body.

She gasped in pleasure as he moved inside her, thrusting in and out sensually. He kissed her neck and groaned as his movements quickened.

“Oh, Baby. You feel so good,” he murmured against her neck. She wrapped her legs around his hips and matched his thrusts until they both came.

“Good morning,” Devin said gently, propping himself up on his elbows above her.

Anna smiled. “Good morning, Devin,” she said softly.

He nuzzled her cheek, then ear. “I could get used to waking with you in the mornings. I’m glad we have these days together.”

“Me too,” she said with a smile.

She liked it when Devin was happy. She wanted to make him happy. He loved her when she made him happy.

Devin rolled off her. “Why don’t you get ready while I order breakfast?” He looked up at the clock. “We’re supposed to meet Tom and his family in about an hour to go sightseeing together.”

An hour and a half later, the large group was downtown wandering around the National Mall. They were on the way to lunch when Anna’s phone rang. She looked nervously at Devin, who was holding her hand.

“Who is it?” he asked.

Anna pulled it out of her purse and looked at the screen. “It’s Kurt,” she said, surprised. She glanced up at Devin, who nodded.

“Go ahead and answer.” He let go of her hand and motioned that she could walk away from the group. Denise and Kelsey looked at her curiously.

Anna strayed behind the rest as they walked towards the place they were going to have lunch. “Hello?”

“Anna,
Engel
, how are you doing?”

“Hello, Kurt,” Anna smiled at the sound of his voice. “I’m good. I’m in Washington DC right now.”

“Are you really? Only eight hours away from me right now. Tempting to come see you.”

Anna giggled. “I don’t know how Devin would feel about that.”

“Hmm,” Kurt said. “You’re there with him?”

“Yes.”

“Are you with him now?”

Anna looked up. The others were walking into the Italian restaurant. Devin looked back at her and smiled, indicating with his hand that Anna should stay outside. “He’s just gone into the restaurant.”

“
Gut
. Alex wants to talk to you.”

“Alex?” Anna’s dream rushed back to her and she nervously awaited Alex’s voice. She didn’t have to wait but a few seconds.

“Anna, are you all right?” Alex asked, sounding anxious.

“Y-yes Alex. I’m fine. Are you?”

“
Ja, Schatzi
.”

There was a pause and Anna winced at his use of the pet name. Why did he call her that? He hated her.

“I saw you. Last night. You came to me.”

“I did?”

“
Ja, Schatzi.
I always see you.”

“You do?” Anna stared at the ground. Her dreams were...real? “Did you...see me that night...when I was sixteen?”

“
Ja
, Anna. And other times as well.”

Anna’s head whirred. All those times she’d seen him, he’d seen her too? Why hadn’t he told her? “Oh.”

“What’s wrong?”

“N-nothing. Is there something I can do for you, Alex?”

“Anna, I know you. I know your voice and your facial expressions. Something’s wrong. What happened?”

Anna fidgeted for a moment, but she knew she had to tell him. “My rings,” she said softly. “They’re...gone.”

Alex exclaimed loudly in German and Anna pulled the phone away from her ear slightly. “Did that bastard take them out?”

“Not on purpose...,” she said in a shaky voice.

Alex was quiet for a moment. She heard a low voice in the background. Wilhelm?

Alex sighed. “I’m sorry I shouted, Anna,” he said in a softer voice. “Please tell me what happened,” he urged gently.

It wasn’t a command. She began telling him about the punishment that Devin had dealt out on Sunday night.

*****

Alex listened in horror to Anna’s sweet voice explaining what had happened on Sunday evening. His stomach churned. Picturing poor sweet Anna being beaten so hard brought tears to his eyes. He looked up at his father with horror in his eyes. Vati’s eyes grew concerned as Alex’s facial expressions changed.

When Anna finished speaking, Alex was silent. Devin’s cruelty never ceased to amaze him. It was so far outside of anything Alex could even imagine. Beating such a sweet girl so badly for her behavior on Friday...he shuddered. He had been there. He had seen her. She was excited and then heartbroken and had acted accordingly. It wasn’t intentional disobedience. She was just a normal girl. But that’s not what Devin wanted from her.

He was now more determined than ever to find a way to defeat him. He felt he was making good progress, but not quickly enough for Anna’s sake.

“Anna, are you okay?” he asked, fearing Devin had permanently hurt her.

“I’m fine. Devin said something about Immortals healing me. I passed out.”

“The Immortals healed you?” Alex asked, surprised. He glanced at his father who frowned. It wasn’t unheard of for Immortals to heal. Sebastian had healed Anna when Alex had...he didn’t want to think about that night.

“Is that a bad thing?” Anna asked softly.

“No, Schatzi. I’m glad you’re okay.”

“I don’t think I would have been able to travel if they hadn’t.”

“Did you see them?”

“Who?”

“The Immortals.”

“No. I didn’t wake up until Monday morning. I don’t know when Devin...finished with me. There aren’t windows in the dungeon.”

Alex sighed. “I’m so sorry he did that to you, Anna. I...I wish I could have stopped him.”

Anna was quiet for a minute.

“Anna, are you still there?”

“Yes.” She paused. “Are you angry with me?”

“Why would I be angry with you?”

“Because of the...rings. Because they’re gone.”

“No, Anna, It’s not your fault.” He spoke in the gentlest voice he could. “There’s nothing to be angry about.”
At least not at you
.

He heard Anna say something away from the phone. “I...I have to go. Devin is calling me.”

“Anna, I’m going to give you a command to protect you, all right? I don’t want you to get in trouble for talking to me.”

“Why would I—”

“Anna, you are not to tell Devin about your dream last night or speaking with me today,” he commanded. “You are to tell him that you had a pleasant conversation with Kurt and he told you that he would be out to see you opening night of the Nutcracker.” He paused. “Do you understand?”

“Yes, Alex.”

He couldn’t read her tone, but hoped she wasn’t hurt.

“Are you coming to Nutcracker?”

“I don’t know yet,” he answered truthfully. Being near her and not being able to be with her was torture. Not to mention seeing her with his brother. He didn’t know if he could do it.

“Okay,” she said without emotion. “I must go to Devin.”

“All right, Schatzi,” he said in a pained voice. “Call me if you need anything.”

“Yes, Alex.”

“
I’ll talk to you later, Schatzi
.”

“Good bye.” She ended the call.

Alex handed the phone back to his brother and collapsed in the easy chair nearby.

“Is she all right?” Kurt asked in German. “Did that bastard hurt her?”

“Yes. She was
disobedient
.” Alex snarled the last word. “So he punished her. Brutally. So badly she passed out. Twice.” He told Kurt and his father what Devin had done. “Can’t you do something, Vati?”

Wilhelm shook his head sadly. “No, Alex. I have no authority to do anything. She’s his slave.”

“She’s mine too!” Alex exclaimed, running his hands through his hair. He stared out the window of his father’s study. “I can’t stand the thought of her being with him, Vati. It drives me crazy.”

“I know, Alex. And that’s why you’re here. To learn what you can do.”

Alex stood suddenly and walked towards the door.

“Where are you going?” Kurt asked.

“To study.” Alex stalked out of the room and towards the library. He was determined to find out what he needed to find out as quickly as possible.

*****

Anna put the phone back into her purse and walked to the restaurant door where Devin waited. She was thankful for Alex’s command. She didn’t want to tell Devin that Kurt had only called so Alex could check on her.

“Everything all right?” Devin asked, moving aside so that she could enter.

Anna smiled. “Kurt is going to come to opening night of Nutcracker.”

Devin smiled “Good. I know he enjoyed seeing you last week.”

Anna nodded. “I enjoyed seeing him too.”

Devin put his hand on her back and led her to a large table at the side of the room where they were sitting. She sat next to Devin and Tyler.

“Everything all right, dear?” Kelsey asked, smiling at Anna warmly.

Anna nodded. “Just a...friend calling to say hi.”

After lunch, Devin and Anna went to the Capitol; they had passes to sit in on a Senate session. They sat in the front row of a balcony on the side of the room and when they entered, more than a few Senators looked up at them. Some looked startled. Others looked pleased. Several made eye contact with Anna and smiled.

“Devin...?” Anna said, looking around, a bit frightened.

“They know us, Baby,” Devin whispered in her ear. “We’re the ones who put them here.”

“Oh,” she said, biting her lip.

A balding, gray-haired man with glasses sitting behind a big desk at the front of the room looked up at them and politely nodded. He made eye contact with Anna and smiled, then turned his attention back to the proceedings of the Senate.

“Do you know who that is, Anna?” Devin asked quietly.

Anna shook her head.

“That’s the Vice President of the United States.”

They stayed in the room for about a half hour, then left and went to the House of Representatives. This room was much larger with many more people down below. Again they were noticed when they sat down with much the same reaction, though the woman sitting behind the big desk at the front of the room looked startled when she saw Devin.

After another half hour, they left the chambers and headed to another building down the street a bit. The hallways were crowded and loud. Anna clung to Devin’s hand as they went to the third floor and Devin opened the door.

A young man sat behind a large wooden desk looked up with a haughty expression. “Can I help you?”

“We’re here to see the Senator,” Devin said in a cold tone.

“Do you have an appointment?” the young man asked in the same manner, bordering on rudeness.

Devin frowned and looked down at him with narrowed eyes. “I am Devin Andersen. I don’t need an appointment.”

The young man’s eyes widened. “I...I apologize, sir,” he stammered. “The Senator is not back yet.”

Devin growled. “Then call him and let him know I’m here.” He turned on his heel and went to sit down in a leather chair against the wall. Devin looked at Anna and spoke softly. “Go find the bathroom and take your panties off.”