The Life of Anna, Part 2: Entwined (22 page)

Aaron shook his head again. However she got it, it didn't change who she was. And that's what mattered.

His phone rang as they pulled onto the freeway. Aaron hit the speaker button. “Hey, Alex.”

“Hello, Aaron. How are things going?”

Aaron grinned. “Great.” Was he calling to check up on him and Anna?

“Aaron, listen, I’m on my jet heading home. I need you to keep an eye on Anna for me.”

“Home? Are you going on one of those mystery trips?”

Alex laughed bitterly. “I wish.” There was a pause.

“Alex?”

“I got into some trouble and have to go see my father. I’m hoping I’ll be back in a few days, but...I don’t know for sure.”

Aaron blinked. Trouble? What on earth could Alex have done to make him sound so depressed? “Are you okay?”

“I don’t know.” The crack in his voice concerned Aaron.

“What did you do?”

“I can’t say, Aaron. Just, please, take care of Anna while I’m gone. If something happens, call Seth. I won't have access to my phone.”

“I will, Alex.”

“Thanks. Don’t tell Anna anything about the call. If she asks, just say I had to go out of town unexpectedly.”

“That’s all you told me.”

“Don’t tell her I’m in trouble. Please, Aaron.”

“I...okay.” What a strange request.

*****

Alex sighed and dropped his phone on the seat next to him.

“She’ll be okay, Alex,” Seth said, giving him a sympathetic look. “Why’d you tell Aaron not to tell her you got in trouble?”

“If she knew I was in trouble, then Devin might find out from her and come to a logical conclusion. I can’t let my father get into trouble because of what I’ve done.”

*****

Anna took her customary place in the corner of the ballet studio to warm up on Monday evening. She smiled, remembering the previous day with Aaron. It had been the best day she could remember in a long time. They went to lunch and talked about all sorts of things. Aaron told her about dancing professionally and what he'd been doing since he’d graduated high school. Anna didn't have much to say about what she'd been doing and mostly listened to Aaron. He asked her questions, but the answers were rather sad and she kept them as short as possible. Besides, she'd been taught to let the man speak most of the time.

They’d gone to the movies that afternoon and Anna had a wonderful time. He’d kept his arm around her the whole time and she savored his embrace. After the movie, they’d walked around Fisherman's Wharf and had dinner at a nice seafood restaurant. They’d gone back to her apartment after dinner, curled up on the couch, watched TV and talked.

She found herself energized for class tonight; more than she had in a very long time. For the first time in years, Anna was here with hope for a future in dancing. Aaron had been so encouraging to her, and Alex had convinced Devin to let her dance more. Most of the time Anna had just gone through the motions. Jack wanted her to exercise and dancing kept her grounded in reality during the worst sessions with him. But her heart hadn’t been in it.

Tonight her heart was in it. Anna smiled to herself as she stretched and moved to get ready for class. Maybe if she worked hard enough, Isaak would let her dance with the school in the fall. It would give her a few months to get her strength back.

Tatiana, the instructor, walked in a few minutes later. Class began and, for the first time in years, Anna lost herself in dancing. She closed her eyes, and the music and her body moved as one. She was the music. She was the dance.

They moved from the
barre
to the center of the room. This had been her favorite part of class as a child. This was where she danced. Anna watched the demonstration, then closed her eyes and became the dance and the music again.

Faintly, Anna heard the music stop. She opened her eyes and blinked. Tatiana and the other dancers were staring at her. Her eyes widened and she started to panic.
What did I do?
She twisted her fingers together and looked nervously at Tatiana.

Tatiana beamed at Anna. “Isaak always said you had it in you. I never believed him until today.”

Anna frowned, confused. “Did I do something wrong?” she asked, embarrassed.

Tatiana shook her head. “Anna, what you just did...that was so beautiful. I’ve never seen anyone dance like that before.”

The other dancers nodded. Anna’s cheeks burned and she stared at the ground.

“See me after class,” Tatiana said.

Anna nodded, still staring at the ground.

The class continued. Anna tried to just concentrate on doing the steps and not draw attention to herself, but inevitably, she’d find herself closing her eyes and losing herself again. Tatiana just beamed at her. She even got a couple of gasps during a
grande jeté
, the cross-floor jumps
.

After class, Anna waited for the other dancers to leave and walked up to Tatiana. “You wanted to see me?”

Tatiana smiled at her. “Anna, you have completely changed since last week. I’ve been your instructor for three years now, and I’ve never seen you dance like you did tonight. Whatever changed, keep it up.”

Anna didn’t know what to say, but she felt a glow building in her heart.

“I’m also going to speak to Isaak about you taking the summer intensives.”

Anna’s heart soared at her words. The summer intensives were for the best students of the school, by invitation only. They consisted of two month-long, incredibly focused and demanding sessions. She’d participated in them when she was younger, before Jack pulled her from the school.

“I.... Thank you, Tatiana. I would love to participate.” She couldn’t wait to tell Aaron.

“Good. I’ll speak with Isaak tomorrow.”

Anna nodded and gave her a grateful smile. “Thank you.”

“Have a good evening, Anna.”

Anna smiled and skipped out of the room.

Alex rubbed his face as he sat in his bedroom at his father’s Schloss, waiting to be called into the Elder’s Chamber. All the German Elders had come together for the trial. He was thankful that they were keeping it to themselves. Vati didn’t think they would turn him over to Devin.

Alex had always performed his duties to the Brotherhood to the best of his ability. Yes, he was an Elder-Son, but he was also a Brotherhood Assassin. He was proud of both titles, especially since there had not been an Elder-Son who was also an Assassin before. Vati had bargained with the other Elders to allow him to become an Assassin after he proved his abilities, shortly after graduating from secondary school.

He had been tested thoroughly and Alex had been given permission to train with the American military and form his own team. That was where he met Seth and Tony and the other members of his well-respected team.

But with the additional title came additional responsibilities and rules. And one of the rules was that you didn’t take any action against a member of the Brotherhood without permission. There were no rogue Assassins. If an Assassin killed an Elder or Brother on their own volition, they were executed. There was no appeal process.

But what happened if an Assassin stole a slave from an Elder? Alex hadn’t thought of it as stealing; he thought of it as rescuing.

Well, he would find out soon.

A few minutes later, a knock sounded at his door and Sebastian walked in. Alex stood and looked nervously at the Immortal. He was almost as tall as Alex, though thinner with white-blond hair and wise, crystal-blue eyes.

“Are they terribly angry?” Alex asked softly.

Sebastian frowned. “You shouldn’t have done it, Alex.”

Alex’s shoulders slumped. “I couldn’t leave them there, Sebastian. I had the power to rescue two girls from Jack’s hands. They would have been raised like Anna had been raised.” He gave a despairing look to his friend. “I couldn’t, Sebastian.”

Sebastian’s expression was inscrutable, but his eyes were intense as he read Alex. After a few minutes, he nodded. “It’s time to go.”

They arrived in the chamber a few minutes later. The seven German Elders were seated in a semi-circle, wearing their white robes. Brenton and Gavin, the other Immortals that watched over Germany, were there also.

Alex moved to the center of the circle and swallowed nervously as he looked at the Elders.

“Where are your men?” Gerhard Staudegger, Elder of Saxony, asked.

“The fault lies with myself and only myself. They acted only upon my orders.”

Gerhard nodded.

Edwin Reisig, Elder of Bavaria, was seated in the middle. It humbled Alex that his father, who normally took the position of leadership, had been pushed aside. Alex respected all the Elders, and each were honorable men, but he’d always been proud that they deferred to Vati’s judgment.

“You are charged with taking action against an Elder without orders from another Elder.”

Alex nodded. “Yes, my lord.”

“Tell us what happened.”

Alex told them about visiting Jack’s house, and how he had found the girls. He told them why he had acted. “I know now that I shouldn’t have acted as I did, but if I hadn’t....” He shook his head. “I couldn’t have lived with myself.”

A pregnant silence filled Alex with dread. Would they call for his execution? Would the girls be sent back to America? “Please, my lords....” The Elders looked at him. “Whatever your judgment upon me, please don’t send those girls back to Devin.”

“Thank you, Alex. You may go. We will summon you when we have made our decision.”

“Thank you, my lords.” He turned and walked out of the room.

Although it was a little less than an hour until he was summoned back to the chambers, it felt like days had passed. He debated with himself the entire waiting period. Should he have not done it? Should he have left the girls to their fate? But he always came back to the same conclusion: he couldn’t have done differently and lived with himself.

He walked back into the chambers humbly, but confident in his decision and ready to accept his punishment.

The Elders regarded him impassively as he walked to stand in front of them. Even Vati.

“Alexander Johannes Kunze Herzog von Hesse, you have been found guilty of the charges brought against you,” Edwin announced.

Alex swallowed. “Yes, my lords.” What was his punishment?

“You are sentenced to twenty lashes with a cat-o-nine-tales, to be carried out immediately following these proceedings.”

Alex let out a shaky breath. He wasn’t going to die, but he wasn’t looking forward to being whipped. “Thank you, my lords.” He paused. “What about the girls?”

Edwin’s face softened for the first time. “Alex, we admire what you did. You went with your conscience and were willing to face the consequences.” He glanced at Vati. “Your father raised an estimable son. They will be coming to live in my Schloss. They are less likely to be discovered there. News of what you did will not go beyond these walls.” His eyes hardened again. “But be warned, Alex. Do not do it again.”

“Yes, my lord.” The praise relieved some of his apprehension. Some.

Vati stood. “Come, Alex. Let’s go get it over with.”

The first few days of the week were heaven for Anna. She and Aaron hung out and went to movies, made love and all sorts of other mundane things new couples do. It was all new to Anna and all wonderful. But Wednesday evening came too soon and Aaron had to leave so that Anna could get ready for the banquet.

“Call me when you get home and I'll come over...if you want me to.” Aaron said as he was getting ready to leave. “If you get home at three in the morning, call me if you need me. Or want me.”

Anna chewed on her lip. “I don’t think I'll be home until tomorrow sometime. Devin told me what he had planned.”

“Do I want to know?” Aaron asked, wincing.

She looked at him apologetically. “How much of my other life do you want to know?”

He stroked her cheek. “I don't ever want you to be ashamed, Anna.”

Anna's eyes filled with tears. “I don’t deserve someone like you.” She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him.

Anna walked him to the door and they had a long goodbye kiss, then Aaron reluctantly left.

Anna had been looking forward to the night with Devin, until Alex told her the truth about herself. Now, she was afraid and didn’t want to see Devin. If she was braver, she might have been angry at him for not telling her the truth about who she was. But she wasn't brave.

*****

As soon as Devin walked into Anna’s apartment and saw her, he knew something was wrong. She barely looked him in the eye and didn't come to him as enthusiastically as she should have.

He’d been very busy this week and hadn’t taken advantage of Anna’s new location. His cock was hard and throbbing and he had intended to fuck her as soon as he got there. Just a quickie before they went to the party. He reigned in his irritation; she was a delicate creature and needed to be treated accordingly.