The Life of Anna, Part 4: Ensnared (17 page)

“What a pretty ring. May I?” Nina reached for
her hand.

Anna nodded timidly and held her hand out for
Nina to see.

“Is that a...oh, what is it called in
English...poesy ring, I think it is called?”

Anna nodded again.

Nina looked at her thoughtfully. “Are you
married, Anna?”

Jackie and Natalya both stopped and looked at
her.

“I was,” Anna said, pulling her hand away.
“He died.”

“When?” Nina asked softly.

“Two and a half years ago. We were together
for less than three months when...it happened.” She looked away to
hide her tears.

“What was his name?”

“Alex.”

“Was he German?”

Anna looked at Nina, surprised at her
question. “Yes.”

Nina frowned. “Excuse me a moment, will you?”
She walked quickly out of the room and Anna looked at Jackie.

“Did I do something?”

Jackie shook her head. “No. I don’t...I don’t
know what’s wrong.” She smiled. “Those apples are perfectly cut. Do
you cook a lot?”

Anna smiled, thankful for the change of
subject. “No. Peter and I eat take out or microwave meals. Though
he cooks occasionally.”

“You live together?” Natalya asked with wide
eyes. “But I thought—”

“Nati, why don’t you ask Papa to pick out the
wine for tonight?”

“But Mama—”

Jackie looked sternly at her daughter and
Natalya dutifully turned away and went in search of her father.

“I’m sorry if I said something I shouldn’t
have,” Anna said quickly. “I...I’ve been told I’m socially
awkward.”

Jackie smiled at her. “Don’t worry about it,
Anna. You’re doing fine. I’m sorry if we ask you uncomfortable
questions. We just didn’t know you and Peter were so serious.
He...just told us you met when he came back here.”

Anna sighed. “Yeah. It’s...complicated.”

Jackie changed the subject and after Natalya
returned a few minutes later, the mood in the kitchen lightened
quickly.

Vlad strode silently into the kitchen about a
half hour later. “Nina apologizes, but she isn’t feeling well and
decided to take a nap. She’s hoping to make it for dinner, but
we’ll have to see.”

Jackie frowned at Vlad. “She was fine
earlier.”

“A sudden headache,” he explained. He glanced
at Anna and then left the room as silently as he had entered
it.

Jackie stared at the entryway where Vlad had
just exited with a puzzled look on her face and then sighed. “Well,
Anna. Would you like to learn how to make pie?”

The rest of the afternoon went quickly.
Jackie showed Anna how to roll pie dough and prepare it for
filling. Anna was amazed at how complicated it was, but enjoyed it
all the same. Her apple pie wasn’t as beautiful as Jackie’s other
pies, but it smelled good and Anna felt very proud of herself.

When the turkey came out of the oven
mid-afternoon, Anna helped set the table and set out the many
dishes of food. She grinned, proud of all she had done to help, and
felt better than she had in a long time. The men came in a few
minutes later, along with a pale Nina, and they all sat down to
dinner. Peter was not as boisterous as he had been earlier, but he
was affectionate towards Anna.

Dinner was delicious. Peter teased Anna
quietly that he would have her start cooking back home.

“Are you feeling better, Nina?” Anna asked as
they cleared the dinner plates. Nina looked at her with sad eyes
and nodded.

Vlad spoke sharply in Russian and Nina
hurried away from her. The rest of the evening, Nina kept quiet and
avoided any contact with Anna. Anna wondered what she had done to
upset Nina. Or Vlad, as the case might have been. She knew Vlad
didn’t like her; maybe he didn’t want Nina liking her either. Or
maybe he was concerned that Anna would tell Nina about what
happened the night before?

When it was time for dessert, Anna beamed
when her apple disappeared before any of the other pies. Jackie
praised her and Anna blushed and hid behind Peter.

“You made this?” Vlad asked her with narrowed
eyes.

“Yes,” Anna said softly. “With Jackie’s help.
I...couldn't have done it without her help.”

Vlad stared at her for a moment and then
stalked away without saying another word.

Peter snuck Anna upstairs to his room later
while the rest of the family was occupied with evening
activities.

“I hate sleeping alone,” Peter remarked,
locking the door behind him. He walked quickly across the room to
Anna and kissed her soundly. “We have to be quick, but when we get
home, I’ll make it up to you.”

They returned downstairs about a half hour
later and watched a movie with his family. She sat with Peter on
the couch and he held her close. Anna was drifting off to sleep
when Peter’s phone rang.

She looked at the clock on the wall. It was
almost midnight. “Who is it?” she asked.

Peter looked troubled when he saw the name on
the phone. “I have to take this. I’ll be back.” He stood quickly
and answered the phone in Russian.

Only Vlad and Mikhail remained in the room,
the rest of the family having gone to bed earlier. Anna glanced
awkwardly at them and then stared hard at the TV.

“Dariya,” Vlad commented a moment later. He
looked at Anna. “You know he has a girlfriend, right? A proper
girlfriend?”

Anna flushed and looked at her hands. “Yes,”
she answered softly. She hated the reminder and hated the ache in
her heart knowing that eventually Peter would return to St.
Petersburg and marry Dariya. Why couldn’t she stay aloof from men
and not get attached?

“That bothers you?” Vlad asked, sounding
surprised.

Anna looked at him with sad eyes. “It
shouldn’t, but yes, it does.” She hugged her knees into her chest
and rested her chin on top.

“Did it upset you, what I did yesterday?”
Vlad asked abruptly.

Anna bit her lip. “In the garden?”

Vlad nodded.

Anna didn’t know how to answer that without
offending him. “I didn’t like it,” she admitted in a voice barely
above a whisper, and then winced, waiting for his answer.

Vlad leaned back in his chair and studied
her. “How does Devin treat you?”

Anna’s eyes widened. “Is that a trick
question?” she asked without thinking.

“No.”

She didn’t know how Devin would want her to
respond. Would he be upset if she told Vlad about his abuse?
Sometimes Devin freely told people how he kept her in line. Other
times he made sure he treated her nicely around certain people. “He
is my Master. He can treat me as he wants to treat me,” she
answered finally. It wasn’t an answer, but she didn’t know what
else to say.

Vlad frowned at her. “Does he treat you well?
Is he affectionate?”

Anna hugged her knees even tighter.
“Sometimes.”

“Does he hurt you?”

“Sometimes.”

Vlad sighed and frowned. “Do you ever give
straight answers?”

Anna swallowed. “I try. I don’t know how he
would want me to answer you.”

Vlad narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. “Can't
you answer as you want to?”

“I don’t want to get punished.”

Vlad and Mikhail glanced at each other. “He
punishes you?”

Anna nodded. “When I misbehave.”

“Do you misbehave often?”

“I try not to. I try to be good, but....”
Anna sighed. “I seem to always manage to anger him.”

“You enjoy angering him?”

Anna shook her head emphatically. “No, not at
all. I try to be good.”

“What was Alex like?”

Anna’s chest tightened. “Why do you ask me
that?”

Vlad shrugged his shoulders. “Curiosity, I
suppose. Why would an Elder-Mistress choose to marry? It would
seem...counterproductive to your...natural desires.”

“Natural desires?”

“To be with men. Why tie yourself down with
marriage?”

“Tie down?” Anna blinked. “Alex...freed me.
He kept Devin from hurting me. Or at least he did until he died.”
She took a breath, willing the tears away. “They were the happiest
days of my entire life.”

“You seemed rather upset when he died.”

She stared at Vlad. Upset was a complete
understatement. “My whole world came crashing down around me the
day I found out he was gone. Alex...loved me, unlike anyone had
ever loved me before. He protected me. I thought he was
invincible.” Tears welled up in her eyes. “I thought he couldn’t
die.” Her voice cracked.

“Everyone dies, Anna.”

“But with the bonding and everything, I
thought....” She sniffed. “I guess I was wrong.” She wanted to run
up to the bedroom and go to sleep. These questions made old wounds
feel new and raw again.

“That was almost three years ago. You’re
still upset about it? You were only married three months.”

Anna shrugged. Was she overdramatic about it?
Should she move on from him? But there was nothing to move on to.
“Alex was my only hope. He was the only one that Devin couldn’t
hurt. And now...there’s nothing left, except Devin. A hell-filled
life with him.” She closed her eyes and shook her head.
“Nothing.”

Vlad didn’t respond and Peter returned a few
minutes later. He looked like the phone call had not gone well.

Anna stood and looked at him. “If it’s all
right with you, I think I’ll go to bed,” she said softly.

Peter nodded. “I’ll walk you up.”

“No, that’s okay,” Anna said quickly.
“I...I’m okay.” She turned quickly and fled up the stairs and to
the bedroom that she shared with Natalya, who was fast asleep. Anna
buried her face in her pillow and cried herself to sleep.

He was looking out the window again, his
hair glinting in the sunlight. The window was closed and he had his
arms crossed as if he were cold. A fire blazed in the
fireplace.

She wondered what he looked at. Why was
he always there? Was there anything beyond this room?

“Alex?” she said softly.

He turned and smiled at her.
“Schatzi
. Oh, my
Schatzi
.” He walked towards her and
stopped a few feet from her and sighed. “I want so badly to hold
you,” he said with such longing in his voice she felt a lump
forming in her throat.

“Me too,” she admitted softly. “I went to
the house and piled your clothes in the middle of the closet and
fell asleep.” She smiled. “It smelled like you.”

“Are you living there again?”

She shook her head. “I don’t want to live
there without you,” she whispered. “I miss you so much.
I...Devin...got me pregnant again. I wish you were here,” she
added, her entire body burning with grief.

He frowned and clenched his jaw.
“Again?”

“He does it every year.”

He ran his hands through his hair.
“Anna...I will rescue you. I will get out of here somehow and I
will find you.” His face was fierce with determination.

Anna swallowed. “I wish that were true,”
she said sadly. “But I’m not afraid to dream about you anymore. At
least Devin can’t control my dreams.”

Several emotions flitted over his face
and then he smiled gently. “Dream of me. Yes, I like it when you
dream of me.”

Anna smiled.

“Have you seen my father
recently?”

She shook her head. “Devin told him he
couldn’t come back after he tried to take me to Germany. He
got...scary and forbade your entire family from even contacting
me.”

“Scary? What do you mean?”

“He got...big...tall...and he could make
your father do anything he wanted him to do.”

Alex looked thoughtful. “How is that
possible?” he asked softly.

“Ian said it was because he took my power
for himself.” She stumbled as the room spun around her.

“Anna? Anna, are you all right?”

She held her head and winced. “I don’t
feel good.”

“
Schatzi
, I think you need to
wake up. You’ve been here too long.”

Anna looked up and shook her head. “I
don’t want to leave.” But the room was starting to fade.

“Dream of me again, Schatzi. I love you.
So much.”

“I love you, too,” she whispered and
closed her eyes.

Anna opened her eyes to see Peter and Vlad
standing over her, watching her with concerned expressions. It was
still night, but a dim light next to her bed lit their faces.

“What were you dreaming of?” Vlad
demanded.

Anna couldn’t speak and just stared at
him.

“What were you—” Vlad repeated in a harsh
voice, but Peter stopped him.

“Please don't scare her. It won’t do any
good.” Peter sat next to her. “Gentle touch is more effective.” He
brushed her hair back from her face and smiled gently. “Were you
dreaming of Alex?”

Anna nodded.

“Have you dreamed of him before?”

“Lots of times. But before I met him, they
were real. Now they’re just dreams.”

Peter frowned in confusion and seemed to
repeat in his head what she said.

“You dreamed of him before you met him?” Vlad
asked in a gentler voice.

Anna nodded.

“Why do you say they were real?”

“Because Alex told me he saw me. That I was
really there.” She sighed. “But now they’re not real,” she added
softly.

“Tell me what you saw,” Vlad said.

Anna told him about the room that Alex was in
and how he looked different than he had when he was alive.

She looked up at Vlad and gasped. “I dreamed
of you!” she stared at him, terrified. “No! It couldn’t be...No,
why would I...?” She rubbed her eyes and shook her head. “I don’t
understand.” She felt panicky and looked wildly around the room.
Why did she dream of Vlad?

Vlad mumbled something in Russian, then
pulled out his phone and spoke in Russian to someone. Maybe it was
just the language, but he sounded irritated. He put the phone down
a minute later.