Alex looked at his hand. Sure enough, there was dried blood. His heart pounded and he pushed Seth aside and ran to Anna’s room. He thought she had been asleep. Was she?
He knelt by where Anna was curled up and felt her neck. “She’s alive,” he said, sighing in relief. But she was pale. And he could see bruises on her cheeks.
He fell back on his heels, stomach churning. What had he done? Why was he here?
He looked up at his friends in desperation. “I don’t know what happened. The last thing I remember is going into the Red Room.”
Seth gently pushed Anna onto her back. She didn’t wake. He brushed her hair back away from her face. She was so pale.
Alex’s heart pounded. What was going on? “Call Sebastian.”
“He went back to Frankfurt,” Greg said.
“Then he can come back,” Alex barked, more out of desperation than anger. He was afraid he’d hurt Anna and Sebastian would be able to figure out what happened faster than anyone.
Greg left the room to make the call. Alex moved towards Anna and Seth gave him a warning look to back off. He leaned against the wall for support and watched helplessly as Tony and Seth attended to Anna. Greg returned a few minutes later accompanied by Sebastian.
Sebastian looked at Anna with a sober expression on his face. “So this is her?”
Alex nodded, hopelessness filling him. “I don't know what I did,” he whispered.
Sebastian turned his intense blue gaze on Alex, who cringed under his scrutiny. Sebastian nodded a moment later and then turned his gaze back to Anna.
Seth and Tony moved aside as Sebastian sat next to her and put his hand to her forehead. Alex watched as Sebastian closed his eyes and was very still for several agonizing minutes.
“I need a wet washcloth and some towels,” Sebastian said.
Seth nodded and went into the bathroom.
Sebastian turned to Greg. “If Alex wants your connection to him to remain hidden from her, you need to leave. She will wake soon.”
Greg glanced at Alex, who nodded, and he left. Tony went with him.
“Alex, go wash up.”
Alex went into the hall bathroom and washed his hands. He felt so defeated. He had hurt Anna in some horrible way and didn’t even remember doing it. He looked at himself in the mirror and noticed dried blood on his stomach, and unfastened his jeans. He cursed in German when he saw the blood on his cock. A wave of nausea swept through his body.
His knees gave out and he leaned against the wall and slid to the ground. He buried his face in his hands and wept. The woman he loved. He had to have hurt her in some horrible way to have blood all over his body.
She would never trust him again. He dreaded the look in her eyes when she looked at him again. If she would look at him again.
He didn’t know how long he sat there before Sebastian came in. His mouth went dry as Sebastian stared at him with that frightening intensity he got when he was reading somebody.
“Alex,” Sebastian said after a long moment. “It’s not your fault. You were drugged.”
A glimmer of hope kindled in his heart and he took a deep breath. He had been afraid that some deep dark hatred had emerged out of his rage.
“Drugs?” A flash of understanding hit him. “Devin!” Devin must have drugged him again. This time he made him hurt Anna. A new rage erupted in his body. More than ever he wanted to destroy that evil man.
“Alex, you need to calm down. You cannot go out there in a rage or you will terrorize Anna again.”
“Does she know? Did you tell her?”
Sebastian nodded. “She believes me partially. She said you didn’t look like you when she first saw you. You looked...inhuman.”
Alex looked up at his friend with tear-filled eyes. “What did I do?” Sebastian looked hesitant. “Please. I must know, Sebastian.”
Sebastian sighed and told him what Anna had told him. By the time he finished speaking, Alex’s face was green and he rushed to the toilet to vomit. Sebastian handed him a towel when he finished.
“Is she all right?” he asked.
“I healed her body and cleaned her up. Physically, she’s fine. Emotionally...I don’t know. I think it is going to take time.” Sebastian leaned against the vanity. “I think you need to return to Frankfurt as originally planned.”
Alex shook his head with a heavy heart. “No, I need to stay and make things right with Anna. I can’t leave her like this.”
“Alex. If you stay you will continue to be vulnerable to Devin. The only way you will be able to help her is if you go home and learn what you need to learn. And figure out a way to resist the effects of Scopolamine.” He smiled to lighten the mood. “That seems to be a favorite of Devin’s.”
Alex sighed and closed his eyes. “Am I fighting a battle that is already lost? Answer me truthfully, Sebastian.”
The Immortal looked down at him kindly. “The only way it is already lost is if you give up before it has truly begun.”
*****
“Daddy?” Anna’s bleary eyes opened to see a man that looked very much like her father sitting next to her. The room was dimly lit and the sky outside her window was dark. Night had fallen.
“No, Anna, I am not your father,” the man answered gently. He had a nice smile.
Anna blinked again. No, it wasn’t Daddy. But he definitely had a resemblance. “Are you an Immortal?” she whispered.
The man smiled, but didn’t answer her. He wiped her forehead with a cool cloth. “How are you feeling?”
She thought about it. It seemed like she should be hurting, but she wasn’t. But she felt empty. “I don’t know,” she answered honestly.
“Do you remember what happened?” he asked.
Anna searched her memory and tears filled her eyes when Alex’s face came to her mind. “Alex hates me,” she whispered.
“Why do you say that?”
Anna told him what Alex had done and said. The man listened patiently and quietly. “I’m just his slave,” she said without emotion at the end of her story.
“I don't think that’s true, Anna. He cares for you very much.” The man told her that he believed that Alex had been drugged and didn’t know what he was doing. “Do you believe me?”
She studied his face then tried to read him, but she couldn’t. She frowned and tried again, but for some reason was unable to do so. “Why should I believe you?” she asked accusingly.
“My name is Sebastian. I am not your father, but I am his brother.”
Anna’s eyes widened. “You are an Immortal?”
Sebastian nodded. “I am. I have known Alex for over eight years and can testify that he never would have attacked you without an outside influence. Have you heard of his rages?”
Anna shook her head.
“Alex has quite the temper and, in certain situations, can lose control. But he knows himself well enough to not put himself in situations where he would hurt people he cares about. Alex was in a situation like that today and he put himself in a place where he could...relieve himself safely. But someone took advantage of his weakness and drugged him to make him take it out on you.”
“Who?” Who would want to do that to her? Or Alex?
“I’m not at liberty to say, Anna. But please believe me when I say Alex would never intentionally hurt you.”
Anna looked at him doubtfully. She wanted to believe him, but she was scared. Alex had terrified her this evening.
“Anna, you can believe him.” Anna turned to see Seth leaning against her dresser. She hadn’t realized there was someone else in the room. “Sebastian wouldn’t say that if it wasn’t true.”
Anna was suddenly very tired. “Where is Alex?”
“In the hall bathroom.” Sebastian frowned suddenly. “I should go check on him.” He stood and left the room.
Seth came and sat next to Anna on the bed. “Can I get you anything?” he asked, petting her hair.
Anna shook her head and turned onto her side, star
ing at the closet door across the room. She didn’t hurt physically, but her heart ached. She couldn’t get the picture of Alex’s angry face out of her mind. Even though Sebastian said Alex didn’t mean to do it, it was still his enraged face she saw.
Seth sat next to her and held her hand. She liked Seth. He was nice. He didn’t hurt her. As scary as Alex was, before tonight she could say that he had never hurt her. Now she couldn’t. And she hated that she couldn’t.
A while later a very pale Alex walked into the room with Sebastian. Anna sat up. He looked like he had been sick.
“Alex, are you okay?” she asked, concerned.
Alex shook his head and slumped against the wall. “Anna,” he said in a dull, raspy voice. “I can’t even begin to apologize for...for what I did to you. Saying I’m sorry sounds so trite.” He took a step forward and hesitated, searching her eyes for permission to come closer.
Anna’s heart went out to him. He looked wretched. His shoulders slumped and he stared at the floor as he spoke. When he finally did look up, she saw that his normally bright blue eyes were dull and red, as if he’d been crying. She could hardly imagine the great Alex Kunze crying over something he did unless he was truly remorseful. She’d never seen such a sight. It was painful to read him and she stopped as soon as she started. The anguish in his heart overwhelmed her.
“Alex,” she whispered, holding out her hand to him.
He rushed to her side and pulled her into his arms. She could hear his heart pounding in his chest as he held her tightly against his chest. She could hardly breathe, but she didn’t care.
*****
“I am so sorry, Anna,” Alex whispered against Anna’s hair, kissing her head and holding her tightly. He stroked her hair and felt his eyes tear up with regret. He whispered words of endearment in German because he couldn’t get them out in English. He had a feeling she sensed what they meant.
He felt so unworthy of her. He was so unworthy of her. Sebastian was right. He had to go home and become the man she needed him to be. He dreaded telling her.
“Alex, what’s wrong?” she asked in a muffled voice. She pulled away from him and searched his eyes. She cupped his cheek. “Tell me,” she whispered.
Alex’s shoulders slumped. He didn’t want to tell her now. He glanced up at Sebastian, who gave him a look which he took to mean “Tell her.”
Alex sighed and brushed her hair back from her face. Her sweet, sweet face that he would miss terribly. Her eyes were full of hope and affection. But worry too. She knew something was wrong. Would she forgive him for leaving her?
“Anna...,” he began reluctantly. “I have to leave. I have to return to Frankfurt.”
Her expression became guarded. “When?” she asked quietly.
“Within the week.”
Her lower lip quivered. “For how long?”
He shook his head. “I don’t know. A few months maybe.”
“A few...months?” she repeated. She didn’t ask why. Her eyes hardened and she pulled away. “Yes, Alex.” She looked down at her hands.
“I will come visit, Anna. I want to see you dance next month,” he said, desperately trying to keep her from retreating.
“Whatever would please you, Alex,” she said quietly and without emotion.
Her posture became submissive. He looked desperately at Sebastian.
I can’t do this to her, he yelled silently at him.
Sebastian gave him a sympathetic look. You don’t have a choice, Alex. Staying will hurt her more.
Alex closed his eyes in defeat. Sebastian was right. But how could Alex make her understand?
“Anna,” he said, cupping her chin and bringing her face up to look into her eyes. She looked at him with calm, expectant eyes. The eyes of a slave. “Anna, I’m going to call Devin and tell him you won’t be available this weekend, including the Gathering tomorrow night,” Alex said. “I want you to stay home and rest. Or you could come over to my house.”
“Whatever would please you, Alex,” she mumbled.
She looked exhausted. He needed to let her sleep. “Anna, lie down and go to sleep. I’ll stay with you tonight.”
“Yes, Alex,” she mumbled and lay down. She fell asleep instantly.
CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR
The moment Anna woke, memories flooded back into her mind of how Alex had been the previous night. She couldn’t think of a reason why an Immortal would lie to her about Alex’s temper. Besides, the pain she’d felt in his heart when he’d come into the room had been so overwhelming, she could hardly stand it.
But if he was so sorry, why was he leaving? Why was he abandoning her, too? She was supposed to belong to his family, but no one ever stayed with her. How could a slave not be with her owner?
“Anna?” Alex whispered from behind her. His arms wrapped around her waist and she pressed back against him.
“Yes, Alex?” Her body stiffened.
He was quiet for a moment. She didn’t want to turn and look at him. She loved him and he was leaving her. At least Devin was here. Yes, he hurt her sometimes, but he was here.
“How are you feeling?” he asked in a soft voice.
“Fine.”
He released her. “Anna, please look at me.”
She turned over and looked at his t-shirt-covered chest.
He let out a shaky breath. “Anna, please believe me, leaving you is the last thing on earth that I want to do.”
Then why are you doing it? “You must do what you need to do, Alex,” she said softly.
“If there were any other way, Anna, I promise you I would do it.”
“Alex, you don’t need to justify yourself. I’m just a slave.”
She saw his jaw clench. “You’re not....” He swallowed. “I don’t think of you that way. I was so excited to get home to see you, to pick up where we left off. I was going to push off the move for a month....” He sighed. “But I can’t.”
Anna didn’t say anything. What could she say?
“Do you want to stay the weekend with me? At my house?”
“If you want me to.”
He lifted her chin with his finger. “Tell me honestly.”
She searched his eyes. “No,” she whispered, and almost changed her mind when she saw the intense pain in his eyes.
But no, he was leaving. She needed to get over him as quickly as possible so she could be attentive to what Devin wanted from her. Staying the weekend with him would only prolong the hurt.
His jaw clenched as he lay silently next to her.
“I will come if you want me to, Alex.”
He shook his head. “Nein, Anna. I only want you there if you want to be there. I will not force you to do things you don’t want to do.”
How could he do this to her? How could he abandon her? After the night they’d shared? She knew that night had been more than just sex. They had connected. She had felt it. She felt more connected to him than she did to Devin.
Maybe she’d been wrong. Maybe the connection was only on her side. It would make sense. Slaves are dependent on their Masters, not the other way around.
He sat up and swung his feet over the side of the bed, turning away from her. “I will call Devin this morning and tell him you are unable to attend tonight’s Gathering,” Alex said softly. He bent down for his shoes and began putting them on. “Maybe you could go out with Jenna or something.”
Anna shook her head. “Jenna’s still not talking to me.” She didn’t know what she wanted to do. She just wanted to stop hurting. “I’m fine, Alex. You don’t need to call Devin.” At least there would be sex there to distract her.
*****
Anna’s head hung low as she walked into the studio an hour later.
It had been awkward saying goodbye to Alex. She hated and loved him at the same time. She wanted to beg him not to leave her and she wanted to yell and scream at him to leave and never come back. In the end, she remained quiet, as a good slave would, accepted his kiss on the cheek and closed th
e door quietly after he left.
Nate arrived after class had begun, earning a disapproving look from Delia.
Dancing helped lift her mood a bit and by lunchtime, she felt better. She was quiet as she ate with the other dancers in her class, including Nate.
As she finished her salad, her phone rang. It was Alex.
“Hello, Alex,” she said quietly. The deli was busy and there wasn’t really anywhere to go for privacy.
“Hello, Schatzi. How are classes going?”
Anna flinched at his use of the nickname. “Fine. How is your day going?” She glanced up to see Nate watching her, but he looked away when he saw her look at him.
“Busy.”
She could imagine packing up his large house could be a bit time consuming.
“Anna, I spoke with Devin and he agreed to give you the weekend off.”
“You didn’t have to do that, Alex. I’m fine.”
“Nein. No, you’re not. Stay home and rest. Devin promised not to bother you over the weekend so you could rest.”
She wanted to be bothered. She wanted to be distracted. But Alex had made the decision. “Thank you.”
“I know you’re at lunch, so I’ll let you go. I just wanted to let you know about tonight.”
*****
On the way back to the studio, Nate walked next to her. “Are you doing anything tonight?”
Anna glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. “No.”
He cleared his throat. “Do you want to...um...go see a movie or something?”
Anna looked back down at the ground. She knew Nate liked her, but she really wasn’t in the mood to go out. Too bad she wasn’t old enough to buy alcohol. But could she say no?
“I don’t think I would be very good company, Nate. I’m not feeling very well.”
She could see the disappointment in his eyes.
“Oh. Okay.”
Anna swallowed, feeling horrible. Is this what it felt like? To be free? Feeling guilty because of saying no? Oh, this freedom thing sucked.
*****
She drove home, wishing she could erase the uncomfortable feeling inside from saying no to Nate. As she waited for the elevator in the parking garage of her apartment complex, two guys in their mid-twenties walked up and stood behind her. Anna barely kept herself from shaking as she stared at them in the reflection of the elevator doors.
The Life of Anna, Part 2: Entwined Page 35