The Life of Anna, Part 4: Ensnared (48 page)

A memory flashed into her mind of the lobby
after opening night. One of the rare moments of clarity. “Does he
know what you guys have been doing?”

“A little. We told him that there were people
helping you but didn’t want to tell him that much because Devin
keeps pretty close tabs on him. He’ll be in New York when you get
there.”

Anna’s heart leapt. The idea of being near
Wilhelm filled her with joy. “Wilhelm....” she whispered.

“He said that Devin had turned you into his
puppet.”

“Puppet?” She had heard that term before.
Tears filled her eyes as she remembered the talk with Alex the
night after the bonding ceremony.

“The ritual from last night, it was a
bonding ceremony. A uniting of a master and a slave. If I hadn’t
interfered...Anna, your mind would have been completely his. You
would have lost...you.” Alex grimaced. “You would have become his
puppet.”

“‘...your mind would have been completely
his,’” she whispered. “But...why am I not...I mean, I don’t
remember a lot since before Nutcracker, but I know what’s going on
now.”

“Wilhelm wasn’t sure either. He said
something about a final ceremony and it might not fully take hold
until then. Tommy said because of what happened tonight, you would
be more yourself now than any other time recently.” He glanced at
her again. “Seems right. I haven’t heard you speak this much
since...well, since you went to DC.”

“Devin and Kaveh....” Anna said. “They did
something on the plane. Devin consumed me....” She shook her head.
“I don’t know. But, yes. Those are the last clear memories I have,
too. Everything else seems like a dream.”

She used to wish Alex hadn’t interfered, but
did she really want to live her life like she had been these last
months? It was March. She’d gone to DC in October. She’d lost five
months of her life. Like when she’d been on drugs for two years.
Did she want to just exist for Devin and nothing else? Yes, there
had been a tremendous amount of pain, but good things, too. Friends
like Jenna and Aaron and Travis. Ben. The glorious precious months
being Alex’s wife.

Anna burst into tears. For the first time,
she felt thankful for what Alex had done that night; for saving
her. But she would never be able to thank him. Did she dream of him
still?

Justin put his hand on her leg for comfort
while she cried. He turned onto a highway and quickly accelerated
to eighty miles an hour. When they drove through a town he had to
slow down, but as soon as they were out he sped up again.

“The train leaves at a quarter to eleven.
We’re gonna cut it close, but we’ll make it.”

“You’re gonna leave your car at a train
station?”

“It’s a rental. Travis will pick it up.”

“Oh.” She leaned her head back and looked out
the window. “Devin will kill Tom,” she said softly.

“Maybe. Tom’s been keeping up appearances for
several years, though. He has help from several other Elders,
though. Including Peter’s uncle.”

“Vlad?”

Justin nodded. “When Peter came into the
picture and realized that Devin had fed him a bunch of lies about
you, he started working with Aaron and the others,” Justin
continued. “His uncle was concerned about a bunch of stuff, too,
and was helping. Peter’s grandfather died and the plan to get you
out got scrapped, but Peter said it was the best thing that could
happen. His uncle could help Tom protect you. We just had to figure
out how to get you out. You living at Devin’s made things hard, so
Tom suggested this weekend. Devin and everyone else are very
distracted and you’re yourself.” He shrugged. “So, we catch a train
to Portland and head out to New York. We’ll be there Tuesday
evening.”

“What about...What ballet were we
practicing?”

“Rite of Spring.”

“You’re going to miss a bunch of
rehearsals.”

“I’m not going back. You and I are the newest
members of the New York City Ballet Company.”

Anna stared. “How did that happen?”

“I forgot to mention, Isaak’s been involved
too. He talked with Vincent and he’s very excited to have you
coming out. Me...well, hopefully he’s forgiven me for being young
and stupid.”

“What did you do?”

Justin shook his head. “I don’t want to talk
about it. But, I guess bringing you out has redeemed me a bit.”

“You danced in New York?”

“I went to the School of American Ballet and
was in the Corps for a couple years before...well, before I came
out to San Francisco.”

“Do you know Nate?”

“Nate Devereaux? Yeah, great dancer.
Why?”

“He was my partner during the summer
intensives.” Oh, sweet Nate.

“He left you to go to New York?”

“I told him to. Devin would have...it was
safer if he left. Devin threatened him.”

“Ah.”

“The Ballet Master wanted both of us, but
Devin wouldn’t let me go. Devin probably would have killed Nate if
he had stayed.” Like he had killed Ben.

They were quiet for a while. Anna stared out
at the sky.
Freedom
. Away from Devin. Was it really
possible? Could she really be her own person like Alex always
wanted her to be? It seemed too good to be real.

After a while, Justin turned onto a larger
highway and picked up even more speed.

“I went to your house and packed up some of
your clothes. I also packed up your...what did Wilhelm call it?
Your memories box?”

Anna gasped in joy. “Oh, Justin! You’re
wonderful!”

He smiled sheepishly. “Wasn’t my idea, but
I’m glad you’re happy. I put everything in a backpack so it’d be
easier to take.” He glanced at her.

She leaned her head back and looked out the
window again, still holding Justin’s hand. Though he hardly knew
her, he was still willing to do all this for her. They’d danced
together for months, but...she didn’t even know his last name.

“Thank you, Justin,” she said sincerely.

He glanced at her and then looked back at the
road. “You’re welcome, Anna. I’m glad I could help.”

They arrived in Martinez about fifteen
minutes before the train was due to leave. Justin pulled two
suitcases and two backpacks out of the trunk. He handed one of the
backpacks to Anna. “You have a new ID. I couldn’t get to your
current stuff because it was in Devin’s house, so I bought you a
new wallet. It has a New York driver’s license and new Kunze family
credit cards, though with your new name on them.”

“I thought Devin couldn’t find me.”

“He can still track your name and figure out
where you are. Devin’s abilities are far more pronounced than Tom’s
and he might be able to break the protections Tom’s put in place.
But first he has to find you.” Justin closed the trunk and locked
the keys in the car. “Hence, the new name.”

“What is it?”

“Katrina Engel. Wilhelm picked it out.”

Anna smiled. Kurt must have had something to
do with it as well. “I like it.”

“C’mon. The train’ll be here soon and we need
to check in.”

Anna nervously followed Justin into the
building, thankful to be indoors, away from where she could almost
feel Devin’s eyes.

Justin walked up to a kiosk and swiped a
credit card and pushed some buttons on the screen. A few moments
later several tickets printed out and Justin handed them to
Anna.

Anna and Justin sat down on a hard wooden
bench. She tried to grasp all the changes that were about to take
place. Her mind was whirring a million miles an hour and she wasn’t
even sure what questions to ask.

A few minutes later, a loud horn blew and
then there was a very loud rumbling sound.

“Train,” Justin said standing. “Stay
close.”

They headed for the front of the train as it
drew up alongside the platform. Anna looked from one end to the
other. The silver sides gleamed in the orange light of the station.
A few people got off, but there were more lining up to get on.

A man in a uniform walked up to them.
“Tickets?”

Anna handed them the stack. He looked at her
curiously, flipped through them and took out the ones he needed
before handing them back to her. She stared at him, afraid he would
somehow know she was running away, and felt herself influencing him
without meaning to.

He stared at her for a moment before
swallowing. “Uh, s-second car all the way to the f-front,” he
stuttered.

She gave him a bright smile and he
practically melted in front of her. He handed her tickets back to
her and they walked down the platform.

“Holy fuck, An-Katrina,” Justin mumbled under
his breath. “Is that what you do? Make men melt?”

Anna’s head cleared and she glanced at him.
“Sometimes.” She stared at the ground as they walked.

“Remind me never to try and make you do
something you don’t want to do.” He grinned. “Or maybe I
should
try.”

Anna smiled and then giggled at the face he
made at her.

Devin woke mid-morning in his pavilion with a
cool morning breeze on his face and smiled. Last night had gone
exceedingly well. Fucking the president’s face in front of everyone
made it very clear who was in charge now. At last he was where he
wanted to be. For now. ‘Ruling’ the country would work for now.
When he had sufficient power, he would expand.

Anna’s ‘gift’ to him had been extremely
gratifying. It was much more powerful than simply taking it. He
could feel the Immortal powers from it coursing through his blood.
He needed to make sure Anna was back under his control before they
left tomorrow, but it could wait. She had been very useful to him
these last months and he hadn’t had to deal with the shit that he’d
had to deal with for years with her. The emotions, the crying, the
need for love. No, she was content to do whatever he told her to
do, be it seducing the Mayor or bending over so he could fist her
ass and make her scream in pain. He loved hearing her scream.

His cock stirred at the thought of it. Maybe
he should go find her. But no, he needed her in shape to be
fuckable and suck cock today. He could make men do what he wanted
them to do, but Anna’s influence helped ease them into it and the
memories lasted longer. Who could forget the feel of her lips
around his cock?

Devin opened his eyes and saw one of his
girls asleep next to him. A brunette named Cecilia. She was barely
eighteen and extremely talented. He pulled down the blanket to look
at her full breasts, and she stirred and opened her brown eyes.

“Good morning, Master,” she said with a
seductive smile. “How may I please you?”

Devin grinned. Anna didn’t wake up asking
that, but she didn’t need to. She knew what he wanted.

“Turn over,” he said, and she immediately
obeyed.

He nudged her legs apart and spread open her
ass cheeks, exposing her tight hole. It would stretch open easily
for him but remain snug. Going in dry would make it hurt. Did he
feel benevolent? No, not really. He leaned forward and pressed his
throbbing cock against her hole and she whimpered.

“I want to hear how much it hurts,” he said
in a raspy voice as he pressed forward.

She whimpered again and then screeched as he
thrust forward, ripping her open with a single movement. He leaned
back, his cock slipping out so he could look at the damage. Yes,
this would do nicely. He thrust back in, making the girl scream
again.

Devin cleaned up and then went to have lunch.
He joined Tom and their sons at a table under a tree.

Tom grinned at him. “I have heard good
comments about last night. They’re all very impressed with what you
did with the Prez.”

Devin grinned. “Good.” He inhaled deeply.
“Things are very good. All my planning has paid off.”

After lunch, he wandered around talking to
people, making sure they understood what he expected from them.
Mid-afternoon he was to meet with the Elders and so made his way
back to his Pavilion.

“Ian,” he said sitting down on the couch. “Is
Anna up?”

“I don’t know, sir, I haven’t seen her yet.”
Ian looked up from his tablet. “Do you want me to go find her?”

“Yes, please. The Elders will be here soon
and I want her here.”

“Yes, sir.”

Devin sat back and people-watched as Ian
wandered off in search of Anna. It wasn’t unusual to see a girl
walking across the grass and a man grab her and fuck her on the
grass right there. He loved how...uncouth the men were
becoming.

Half an hour later, the Elders had gathered,
but Anna wasn’t there. Devin was getting irritated. She should know
better than to keep him waiting, no matter how well she did last
night. He looked around and caught Ian’s eye as the big man strode
back to the Pavilion.

“Where is she?” he growled.

“I don’t know, sir. I’ve been looking.
Perhaps the president took her?”

Devin shrugged. It was possible. Jerry was
still a bit too arrogant. He would have to continue to work on
that. “Go find him and bring her here. You might warn her I am not
happy.”

“Yes, sir.”

Forty-five minutes later, Ian returned, but
no Anna.

“Where the fuck is she?” he yelled.

Ian looked at him evenly and remained silent.
Devin stopped short of yelling again and stared at his lifelong
friend. He narrowed his eyes. Ian had never looked at him
so...defiantly. His hazel eyes were firm and cold. Ian looked at
other people like that, not him.

“What’s going on, Ian?” he asked in a low
voice, rising to his feet to face Ian. His anger was simmering just
below the surface. Ian knew something.

“She’s not here,” he answered simply.

“What do you mean she’s not here?”

“Just what I said. She’s. Not. Here.”

Rage lit in his body, but he kept it
contained so he could find out precisely what was going on. “Where
is she?”