The Life of Anna, Part 3: Embraced (39 page)

Anna sighed in relief. She was safe...for
now. She leaned forward and rested her head in her hands. She hurt,
inside and out. Her feet were bruised and cut, and the scrapes from
the thorns started to sting. She shivered with cold and fear; she
was still wet from falling into the creek.

How long would she have to wait? She realized
she hadn’t planned this well. Or at all. She just ran. She should
have looked around for her shoes at least. Then she wouldn’t be at
such a disadvantage.

Anna didn’t hear anything for a long while
and decided to try to make it further away from the Gathering. She
had to get away.

As she crept out of her hiding spot, she
heard men shouting. She gasped and flung herself back into her cave
just as the men came into view. Devin stopped at the top of the
hill. She could see the fury in his face, even from this distance.
He looked around for a few minutes, and his eyes locked on her
hiding spot. She could feel him looking at her through the cover of
the bushes.

“Anna, it was very foolish of you to run
away,” he said in a calm voice, making his way down the embankment.
“I will always find you. I am still bonded to you. I can feel
you.”

She clasped her hand over her mouth to keep
from whimpering. Her eyes widened as he walked right to her hiding
spot. She scooted back as far as she could, but it wasn’t far
enough.

“Get rid of these bushes,” he said, turning
back to the men.

Several men came forward and pulled at the
vines. They cursed as the thorns bit into their hands, but picked
up branches to pull the vines aside.

Anna huddled in the darkness as her
protection slowly disappeared. When the vines were gone, and she
could be seen, Devin stood at the opening of the cave, frowning
down at her.

“Very foolish, Anna.”

He grabbed her arm and hauled her to her
feet. She cried out in pain as he pulled her out of the cave and
made her stand in the ankle deep freezing water.

“You look like shit. Clean yourself up.”

Anna shivered and looked at him. “Here?”

“Yes.” His eyes narrowed and blackened.

She bent down with trembling legs and
splashed the icy water on her arms and legs.

“Faster,” Devin growled, then pushed her
forward so that she fell onto her hands and knees in the water.

She shrieked and stood quickly, trying to
escape the cold of the water, but Devin grabbed her hair and pulled
her back. He pulled her forward several feet to where the water was
deeper and dunked her under the water. She squealed and gasped as
the cold enveloped her body. He pulled her out for a moment before
wrapping her hair even tighter around his fist. Once more, he
forced her down, pushing her face under water. She gasped for air
as he yanked her up.

“Devin, pl—” she gasped and Devin pushed her
back under again. He held her under and she fought him. He pulled
her out of the water just as she felt the blackness overtake
her.

He dragged her to the bank and shoved her
down onto the rocks and mud. Her hands sank into the mud as she
coughed up water. Her wet hair was plastered against her face and
body. She trembled from cold and terror.

“Get up,” he snarled, pulling her up by her
hair.

Her legs shook so badly, she fell back down.
Devin pulled her up again with a growl and pulled her forward by
her hair. She struggled to her feet and then he dragged her back up
the embankment.

“Walk.”

She wrapped her arms around her shaking body
and limped slowly through the trees back to the field. He pushed
her when she didn’t go as fast as he liked.

Anna was still soaking when they arrived back
at the pavilion. Devin took her into the bedroom and pulled out a
pair of leather cuffs.

“Since I can’t trust you to stay where you
need to be....” He put the cuffs on her wrists and attached them to
one of the support poles. “I will make sure you stay in place.”
When he was satisfied that she was secure, he instructed Ian to
keep watch. “Don’t give her anything. No blanket or food.”

Anna leaned her head against the pole and
tears rolled down her cheeks. She was back where she began, but now
was cold, wet and bruised. She curled up in a ball around the pole
as best she could and closed her eyes. She told herself she’d been
in worse situations, but those had merely been worse physically.
The pain in her heart was what she couldn’t bear. She dug her nails
into the palms of her hands.

Alex!
she cried out in her heart.
Alex please! I need you.

The thought of him warmed her heart and she
clung desperately to the knowledge that she would see him in a few
days. A few days and all would be right with the world. She could
survive a few more days. Then Alex would make Devin pay for what
he’d done. There was no doubt of that.

She focused her thoughts on Alex’s return as
she fell into exhausted sleep.

Anna felt her cuffs loosen and she was picked
up and put on the bed. Had Devin’s anger subsided? She opened her
eyes and found her looking into the golden eyes of Kaveh.

“I heard you tried to run away, Daughter.
That was not a good idea.”

Anna grimaced as he stretched out her cold,
stiff legs. He pulled her dress off and put the blanket on her.

“I’ll be back in a little bit when you’re
warm. Your cold body isn’t something I want to fuck. I prefer warm
flesh.”

She watched him walk away and then lay down
and stared out at the evening sky.
Just a few more
days.

When he returned a while later, the sun had
set and men had begun gathering in front of the Eagle. She saw many
of the politicians she’d seen at the last Gathering.

Braziers were set up in various places
throughout the field. For warmth, Anna guessed. The evening was
rather cool.

Kaveh closed the side of the pavilion and
pulled her blanket off. He sat next to her and stroked her hip.
“Much better.” He looked at her sternly. “Don't scream or I will
hit you.”

Anna’s eyes widened and she nodded as he
turned her over and brought her hips up. “I like fucking from
behind. I can get so much deeper.”

Anna shivered as she felt him invading her
body. Oh, God, he was right. She groaned and buried her face in the
pillow to muffle her cries.

This couldn’t be good for the baby, she
thought. Her stomach cramped as Kaveh’s cock penetrated deep into
her body.

He let out a low groan as she tightened
around him. Tears flowed down her cheeks from the pain. He thrust
hard and she bit the pillow to keep from screaming. It felt like he
would never finish, but she felt him throb inside her and moan, and
then pulled out of her. She held the pillow to her chest and rolled
to her side in a ball. Her stomach still cramped.

He reached around her and put his hand on her
belly and looked satisfied. “Ian will bring you up when it’s time,”
he said, standing and dressing in a white silk tunic and pants.

Anna winced in pain as she looked up at
him.

“Don’t worry. It won’t hurt for very much
longer.” He gave her a stern look. “Don’t run away. I will find you
if you do. And it won't be pretty if you make me go chasing after
you.”

Anna nodded and he strode away.

Maggie came into the pavilion a while later
and helped her clean up. She brushed her hair and washed her face.
She cleaned up Anna’s cuts and then dressed her in another white
dress, similar to the one she wore earlier, but there was a slit up
the side on this one.

When Maggie said that Anna was presentable,
Anna went to the other part of the pavilion to watch what was going
on.

*****

She could hear Devin speaking, but from where
she was sitting the words sounded garbled. A smoky haze hung over
the gathering and the men sat on the grass with their attention
locked on Devin. They smiled and nodded when he paused and a few
times they applauded. The Elders, wearing their white robes, sat
behind Devin on their thrones.

Anna could see the dark-skinned senator that
had hurt her in Washington DC. He was sitting front and center in
the crowd with an older, white-haired man next to him. Anna
remembered something about an election. Was he president now?

Anna could see Jamie sitting to the side of
the platform with her normal pleasant, vacant look. The girls from
the Manors were naked and sitting along the edge of the men.
Everyone seemed to have a slightly glazed look in their eyes.

“What’s with the smoke?” she whispered to
Maggie.

“Some sort of airborne drug. It relaxes the
men and helps them have a good time. It also helps them with their
sex drive.”

“Oh.”

Anna could make out words now and then.
Economics. Depression. Socialism. At the end of his speech, the men
cheered and applauded loudly.

Kaveh went up on stage and talked about how
much the country would achieve with Devin leading the way. “Of
course, with any great work like this, there always must be a
sacrifice.”

Ian appeared next to Anna and motioned for
her to get up. He walked her to the side of the platform where
Devin was waiting. She saw Jamie on the platform, standing quietly
near a table.

Ian took her arm and guided her onto the
platform. Devin saw her standing nearby and gave her a wicked
smile.

“Ian....” Anna began.

“Quiet,” he hissed.

Anna bit her lip.

Devin went over to Jamie. “Jamie, my love,”
he cradled her cheek and she gazed up at him with adoring eyes.
“You are willing to do anything for me, aren’t you?”

“Yes, Master,” she replied.

Devin smiled. “Then free yourself from the
bonds of slavery.” He motioned to a pole on the side of the
platform and then walked her over. He had her stand next to the
pole and then attached chains to her nipple rings, belly ring and
pussy ring. “Tear the rings from your body.”

Anna’s mouth opened in shock and she gasped
as Jamie began backing away from the pole, her rings pulling away
from her body. The chains were short enough that she could push
herself away with the pole, which she did once the chains were
taut.

Anna could hear her moaning, almost in
pleasure. The men below watched with hungry eyes. Jamie stepped
back and her pussy lip stretched and then the ring was ripped from
her body. She cried out in ecstasy and the men cheered. Next came
her belly ring and the men cheered again. Blood ran down her leg
and belly as she stepped further back. Her breasts extended
straight out and, with a final scream, her nipple rings came loose.
The men shouted in approval. Anna could see some of them stroking
themselves and it made her feel sick.

Jamie stood panting and Devin went to her and
kissed her forehead. He raised his hand and the men quieted.

“I am no longer your Master, darling. Will
you still do anything for me?”

“Yes. I will.”

“What will you do for me?”

“Whatever you want me to do.” She looked up
at him with adoring eyes. Blood dripped from her breasts now as
well.

Devin motioned to a table at the back of the
stage. Several knives and other sharp objects lay on it. “Hurt
yourself,” Devin said in a low voice.

Jamie walked to the table and looked at it.
She selected one of the knives and turned back to Devin and looked
at him.

Devin smiled. “Will you cut off your nipples
for me?”

Jamie beamed at him and looked down at her
breasts. She pulled at one bloody nipple and swiped the knife under
it. Her breast fell back into place and her nipple stayed. The men
cheered. Devin motioned for her to throw it in a stone brazier in
front of him. She did the same with the other nipple and tossed it
into the fire.

Anna looked at the ground, trying not to
throw up. Maybe it was good that Devin hadn’t fed her all day,
although she was beginning to get dizzy from not eating.

Devin looked out at the men. “What else shall
she do for me?” he asked with a grin.

Shouts came from the crowd and Devin laughed.
He sat Jamie on the table with her feet next to her thighs,
exposing her pussy to the men. “Won’t you carve off your pussy for
me? But leave the clit.”

Jamie beamed again and Anna was thankful that
she couldn’t see exactly what the girl was doing. But the men could
and cheered and shouted encouragement. Anna saw her hand Devin
pieces of skin, which he threw into the fire.

Bile rose in Anna’s throat and she slipped to
her knees. Her legs wouldn’t support her anymore and she stared at
the ground. She and Devin had spent time with this girl. Why was he
making her do these terrible things?

A few minutes later, she heard Jamie moaning
and looked up to see Devin behind her with his hands between her
legs. Jamie was leaning against him and moving in such a way that
he had to be rubbing her clit to make her come. Jamie screamed a
minute later. One of her massive orgasm screams. Anna knew them
well. It happened when pain and pleasure mixed.

Anna saw a knife flash in the light. Devin
moved the knife upwards and Jamie grunted.

“Thank you for your clit, darling.” Devin
threw something into the fire. He looked at the men. “Shall she do
more?”

The men cheered again. Why were they so
bloodthirsty?

Devin handed Jamie the knife again and she
proceeded to slice off one breast and then the other. Devin put
them both in the fire as well.

He helped Jamie lie down on the table with
her legs spread. Anna caught a glimpse of a bloodied hole between
her legs before she looked away again.

“Shall I fuck you darling?”

“Please,” Jamie moaned.

“What shall I fuck you with?”

She didn’t answer and Anna looked up. Jamie
was pointing to something on the table.

“This?” Devin picked up a long piece of
metal. It had four sides and a sharp point. It began about two
inches around and at the other end was about six inches around
before tapering down into a handle. It was about three feet
long.