The Life of Anna, Part 5: Emerged (62 page)

“I don’t see why not. She should see what
happens. I will release her memories.” Wilhelm put his hand on her
head and closed his eyes.

Anna’s eyes slowly opened and she looked
around at the three German faces around her. She blinked, trying to
orient herself, and studied each anxious face. Her eyes focused on
Alex and she smiled. “Alex....”

His grin made her heart skip a beat and he
pulled her into his arms and kissed her soundly. “
Oh, mein
Schatzi
...,” he murmured against her lips. “Oh, these last few
weeks have been pure torture without you.”

Her mind was slowly sorting out the events of
the last weeks. “I was....” She sat up and looked around. Devin was
sitting on the floor with Sebastian standing over him, looking
defeated. “He...he found me.... I....” She looked up at Alex. “Why
didn’t I remember you while I was here?”

“Vati blocked your memories so that you
wouldn’t tell Devin about me.”

“Forgive me,
Liebling
, but I had no
other choice,” Wilhelm said, taking her hand.

Anna nodded and rested her head on Alex’s
chest and closed her eyes.
Safe.

When she opened her eyes, Kurt was watching
her with sad eyes, and she sat up and reached for him. He looked at
Alex in surprise and Alex loosened his arms around her. She moved
to her knees and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I will always
love you, Kurt,” she whispered, hugging him tight. Kurt squeezed
her hard. “I owe you my life,” she said softly, remembering the
night they’d met in this very room. Everything changed that
night.

He held her for a few minutes and then
released her, gently pushing her back into Alex’s arms. “That is
where you belong, though you will always hold a piece of my heart.”
He kissed her head and then stood and walked over to where Peter
and Tommy were standing.

Anna snuggled into Alex’s chest, burying her
face in his soft white robe. He wrapped the blanket around her and
held her tightly, rocking her slightly. Wilhelm kissed her head and
patted Alex on the shoulder, and then went to stand with Vlad. Tom
was with the American Elders, still deep in discussion.

“How are you feeling,
Schatzi
?” Alex
asked softly.

“Wonderful...,” she murmured. It was
heavenly, being in Alex’s arms again.

He chuckled. “I meant your injuries.”

“Oh.” She giggled softly and he squeezed her.
“I feel okay. Tired.”

“Are you hurting?”

“Mmm. A little. Not bad though.”

“When we are done, would you like to spend a
few days here before we go back to New York? We can see our old
house.”

Anna smiled. “Yes, I’d like that.”

Twenty minutes later, Anna was nearly asleep
again, but sat up straight when the American Elders appeared to
have finished discussing the “Devin Problem.” Tom went to the
middle of the platform and held his hands up, but before he could
speak, there was a flash of light and several Immortals appeared,
including Kaveh and Val.

Anna let out a whimper and Alex hugged her to
his chest. “They won’t hurt you, Anna,” he murmured against her
hair. “But look.”

Anna frowned at Alex, but looked where he was
looking, at the group of Immortals. She gasped. “Daddy?” She
scrambled out of Alex’s arms and ran to her father’s arms.

Trevor held her close. “Oh, Anna. My
Anna.”

Tears streamed down her face. “You’re here?
Can you stay?”

“I’m sorry, sweetheart. I can only stay as
long as the others are here.”

She looked up into his crystal-blue eyes and
gave him a smile.

He tucked some hair behind her ear. “You look
so much like your mother,” he whispered.

“So I’ve been told,” Anna said with a
grin.

He grinned and then looked up as Alex
approached. They shook hands in greeting.

“I’m sorry I failed you and Anna...that
night, Trevor.” He gave Anna a mournful look. “I won’t fail her
again.”

Trevor smiled. “Just love her. That’s all I
can ask.”

“I do. So much.” Alex squeezed her hand.

The biggest Immortal that Anna had ever seen
stepped to the center of the platform. He was taller and broader
than Kaveh and Alex both, with black hair and crystal blue eyes. He
wore a white tunic edged in gold and diamonds and looked old and
young at the same time. Two Immortals, slightly smaller, though
still giant, stood on either side, dressed similarly, though in
black.

“I am Kronos, father of the Immortals,” the
big one said, in a powerful voice that reverberated in Anna’s
chest. “We have heard of the deeds of our fellow Immortals. We do
not judge the deeds of humans, unless it interferes in our affairs.
But we do judge our fellow Immortals, and have pronounced judgment
on Kaveh, Val, Chiron and Skaron. Both for the abuse of our
daughter, and for enabling a human to perform forbidden rituals and
act against the sacred agreement between humans and Immortals.”

He looked around the room, seeming to gaze at
every man in the room at once. “We are displeased with how you
humans allowed this to happen. Our daughters are gifts to you, to
aid you in your endeavors, and you stood by and allowed this
human,” he pointed to Devin, “To abuse her in the worst form.” His
eyes glowed with anger. “Nothing like this has been seen in
centuries, and it is despicable. Those who have the forbidden books
are warned at this time to destroy them, or we will remove our
daughters from your world and leave you to your own self
destruction.” Kronos looked at Anna. “Come, Daughter.”

Anna walked to the huge Immortal on trembling
legs and fell to her knees at his feet.

Alex watched as Anna knelt at the feet of
Kronos. What would he do to her? Would he take her away from him?
Because he failed to protect her?
Oh, please don’t take my love
from me
.

Kronos’ blue eyes met Alex’s and Alex barely
kept himself from looking away. The gaze was so intense it made him
step back. He sighed in relief when the Immortal’s gaze turned to
Devin. Devin trembled as Kronos stared at him.

Kronos turned back to Alex. “You would free
our Daughter if you had the opportunity?”

“Y-yes. I would.”

“Even if it meant she might leave you? I can
undo the marriage bond as well.”

Alex swallowed over a lump that had formed in
his throat. His eyes burned with tears and it felt like a dull
knife had been stabbed into his chest. The thought of losing Anna
again was too much to bear. He looked at Anna, who watched him with
her big green eyes.

What if she chose Kurt? Or Hugo? If she were
free, she might decide that she didn’t belong at his side anymore.
It was tempting, oh so tempting to say no. To keep her where she
was: with him. But did he want to force her to be with him if she
wanted to be with someone else?

No. He wanted her to choose him, not force
her. He loved her too much to force her to stay with him.
If
you love something, let it go....
Only this time she would
really be free. There was no safety net, knowing she’d ultimately
choose him. He could lose her forever.

Alex took a deep breath and set his jaw to
look at Kronos, even as tears filled his eyes and his heart ached.
“Yes. I would choose for her to be free, even if it meant I would
lose her.”

Kronos nodded, his face inscrutable, and went
to stand in front of Anna. He knelt down and spoke softly to her.
Alex couldn’t hear what he said, and it took every ounce of
willpower to stay where he was.

Devin was having a hard time concentrating on
anything for long. Horrifying images kept coming to mind and he
shuddered at each. Anna had torn open his mind and shown him
everything he had done to her from her perspective. If Alex hadn’t
stopped her, Devin would surely be dead. He felt every lash he ever
dealt, every emotional scar, every heartbreak. His human brain
could barely comprehend it all.

It had taken everything he had left to come
to his own defense before the world Elders, and he had very little
energy to try to rally one more time.

Now, he watched as the Immortal Father spoke
to Anna. Alex had told him he wanted her free. Didn’t Devin get to
answer the question?

“No, Devin. You do not.” Sebastian stood over
him as a stern guard. “You do not deserve to have her. You have
proven yourself...unworthy.”

Devin narrowed his eyes, but then sighed.
Anger would get him nowhere. He suddenly felt very tired. He put
his head in his hands and waited.

Wilhelm saw the grief in Alex’s eyes as he
watched Kronos speak to Anna. Alex loved her so much, but Wilhelm
was proud that Alex was willing to let her go. It spoke loudly of
the man he had become and he was so proud, even as he grieved the
loss of Anna himself. She would no longer belong to Wilhelm,
either, once the bonds were broken. But if it meant her being free
of Devin, then it was worth it. Even with the pain in his own
heart.

Kronos stood and helped Anna to her feet, and
then nodded to Tom. Kronos led Anna to the side of the stage and
looked expectantly at Tom.

Tom gave the Immortal a nervous look, and
then glanced sorrowfully at Devin. “Devin, you are one of my oldest
friends, but we cannot let you continue down this path. Your
selfishness has wreaked havoc on our country and has spilled over
to affect the entire world. We, the American Elders, do deem you
unworthy of the position of Elder. Come and kneel as we strip you
of the symbols of your position.”

There were numerous murmurs as Sebastian
helped Devin to his feet. Devin jerked as though trying to flee,
but Sebastian's hands on his shoulders prevented it. He shook so
badly he could hardly walk to the center of the platform. “Don’t do
this, Tom. Please. I’ve learned my lesson. I won’t—”

“No, Devin. It’s too late.”

The American Elders surrounded him as Tom
removed his robe, leaving him naked in front of the entire room.
Javier removed Devin’s Elder ring from his finger, and Brandon
produced a tool that looked like wire clippers, but thicker, and
handed it to Tom.

Wilhelm winced as he realized what was going
to happen. Devin’s cock piercings would be removed. Knowing how
well-seated his own were, he couldn’t imagine it would be painless.
Tom turned to Alex and held out the tool. “Would you like to do the
honors?”

Alex raised a brow and looked at Wilhelm. It
would be a true insult to allow a foreigner to remove his
piercings, and even more so, a foreign Elder-Son. It couldn’t get
much lower than this for Devin.

Wilhelm nodded and Alex accepted the tool
from Tom.

Alex was surprised when Tom turned to him,
but gladly accepted the task. Watching Devin up close as he was
de-pierced would be a very pleasant assignment.

He took the tool from Tom’s hand and went to
crouch in front of Devin. Devin’s eyes grew wide as the Elders
grabbed his arms and head to hold him still while Alex worked.

“I should just cut it off,” Alex growled
softly as he grabbed the soon-to-be-former Elder’s cock. “But that
would be too easy a punishment. You should endure some semblance of
the pain you put my wife through.”

He actually heard Devin whimper as Alex put
the tool to the first piercing at the top of his cock. Amusement
lit his eyes. “Shall I show you mercy?” He squeezed and heard the
snap as the metal broke and he pulled the piercing out and dropped
it on the floor. He didn’t cut him. He had no intention of doing
so, but didn’t want Devin to know that.

Devin was shaking. “P-p-please,” he begged in
a hoarse voice. “Don’t hurt me.”

Alex grinned wickedly as he placed the tool
at the next piercing. “How many times did my Anna say that to you?”
Snap
. Devin jumped at the sound.
Snap. Snap
. One
by one, the piercings were pulled and dropped to the ground.

When the normal piercings were all gone, Alex
studied the spikes. “How do we get this one out?”

Devin’s face turned gray again and the only
reason he remained upright was because of the grip the other men
had on him. Alex had a feeling there was no way to remove this one
without pain. He glanced at Tom for direction.

“They all need to be removed,” Tom said
softly with a nod.

“Oh, God!” Devin whimpered. “Please...just
cut the spikes off. Don’t pull it. Please.”

Alex hesitated, not because of Devin’s
begging, but because he wondered if an honorable man would do such
a thing. He would essentially be ripping Devin’s cock apart. There
was a definite appeal to the thought, but he had made it through
the ordeal without lowering himself to Devin’s level. Would this do
what he’d been trying to avoid?

He looked at his father, who was watching
carefully, and he nodded. Alex looked at Kronos who also nodded.
Lastly, he looked at Anna.

Anna stared, frozen, as she watched Alex
carefully remove Devin’s piercings while Devin begged and
whimpered. Alex could have just ripped them out, but he was showing
Devin mercy, something Devin didn’t understand. She didn’t know how
she felt about Devin avoiding pain.

As awful as Devin had been to her, she still
felt sad as he was humiliated in front of the room. He had been so
proud, so confident, and he was reduced to a whimpering mess. But
he had done the same to Alex.

The memories of Alex’s jealousy and
insecurity returned. Her heart ached for Alex. She loved him, so
much. Kronos had offered to free her of not only her slavery and
her obligations of being an Elder-Mistress, but also of her
marriage. She and Alex had married so he could protect her from
Devin. When that was no longer needed, would Alex still want her as
his wife? Would he still love her?

Alex mumbled something about Devin’s last
piercing, the spikes that had caused her so much pain. She saw him
hesitate and look at Wilhelm and Kronos for guidance. Alex was a
good man. A very good man, who wasn’t driven by revenge, even
though he had every right to tear Devin apart.