The Life of Anna, Part 4: Ensnared (47 page)

She squeezed her eyes shut as her lower belly
cramped. Devin knelt down between her legs and pushed her feet back
to her thighs, her dress falling aside and exposing her naked pussy
to him.

“Anna, it’s time to give me your gift.” He
looked at her intently and she nodded and tried to give him a brave
smile.

Kaveh held her knees near her shoulders as
another pain erupted in her belly and she groaned. Devin thumbed
open her pussy and leaned forward to lick her. The pain of the
cramps mixed with the pleasure of his mouth and she could hardly
tell up from down.

“Close your eyes, Daughter,” Kaveh said.
“Close your eyes and give it to him. Give him your daughter.”

Oh, the pain was excruciating. Only the feel
of Devin’s mouth on her kept her from screaming. But this was for
him. He needed her baby and she wanted to give it to him.

The pain grew along with the pleasure. She
opened her eyes and they met Devin’s. He nodded his head at her and
she closed her eyes and released everything to him. Her orgasm. Her
pain. Her child.

“Yes, Anna,” Devin said in a low, excited
voice.

A few moments later, the pain subsided and
Anna opened her eyes to see him stand with a bloody mass in his
hands. He dropped it into the bowl on the brazier as he did each
year. She could hardly keep her eyes open as she felt her life, her
essence, diminished significantly. Everything she had, she’d given
to the child that Devin had taken from her.

Anna’s eyes fluttered closed and the world
spun around her. She felt mouths on her pussy again, licking and
sucking on her until she writhed in pain. There was no pleasure in
this touch. She tried to open her eyes, but they felt glued shut.
She had no idea what was going on. The little essence that was left
in her body was taken and she lay limply in Kaveh’s arms, hoping he
wouldn’t let go.

She felt herself lifted and carried for a few
moments before she was in a large lap and something was forced
between her lips. Kaveh. She knew his taste. She eagerly sucked at
him as he rubbed the back of her head.

“Devin wants you healed, but you don’t have
to participate in the orgy tonight,” Kaveh said after she had
finished. He didn’t come, but she felt revived as she looked up at
him.

Anna was about to speak when she heard a
blood curdling scream from the platform. She looked up to see a
teenage girl tied between two pillars, naked. Devin was in front of
her with a long knife with a jeweled handle. There was a bloody
streak across her belly and the girl struggled to escape from her
bonds.

Anna watched in horrified fascination as
Devin drew the knife across her body in strange patterns. It must
have been a very sharp knife because he wasn’t pressing very hard
and blood came quickly after his movements. The girl continued
screaming, but it was being drowned out by the men’s shouts and
cheers.

Anna looked down at the ground, nauseous. She
kept herself calm because she knew Devin would be disappointed in
her if she made any sort of movement that would be seen as
disapproval.

The girl’s screams continued, some higher and
louder than others. Finally, a last scream was cut short by a
gurgling sound and Anna looked up. The girl’s head hung backwards,
blood streaming from a gash across her neck. Blood flowed freely
from her nipples, below her breasts and down her inner thighs.
Devin bent to suck on a bloody nipple and then invited several of
the men to come up and “partake of the sacrifice,” including the
president.

Anna swallowed hard to keep from throwing up.
The look in Devin’s eyes was powerful and frightening. He looked at
her with fierce eyes; the warmth that had been there earlier was
gone. Anna dropped her gaze and blinked back tears.

When the other men returned to their places,
the president didn’t. Instead, he knelt before Devin and took
Devin’s cock into his mouth. Devin put his hands on the dark man’s
head and leaned his head back in ecstasy. Anna could see Devin’s
cock in the man’s throat. After a time, Devin leaned his head back
and gave a primal scream as he held the man’s lips against his hips
and pumped hard into his mouth.

The orgasm seemed to last forever and the man
looked up at Devin with dazed adoration.

Devin made some sort of declaration and all
the men bowed to him as he held his hands up in the air and smiled
in triumph.

“Now go and celebrate,” he said. The women
made their way into the crowd and the orgy began.

Ian came to her. “Anna, come. I will take you
where you can sleep peacefully tonight.”

Anna looked up at Kaveh who smiled and
nodded. “Sleep. Rest, Daughter. You did well.”

Anna walked on shaky legs as Ian led her
along the outskirts of the crowd to the opposite side of the field
from hers and Devin’s pavilion. It was much quieter over here.

He opened the curtain of a small pavilion in
the far corner and let her pass through first. The curtain dropped
back into place and Anna jumped as two men walked out of the dark
corner.

Travis and Tommy.

“What are you doing here?” she asked
nervously. They had always been her friends. Were they after her
now?

“Anna, there’s not much time,” Tommy said,
stepping to her and holding out a bundle of clothes. “Put these
on.”

Anna took it. “Why?”

He gave her a tender smile. “Please, Anna. It
will be explained later. Do you trust me?”

“Of course.”

Anna pulled off her gown and dressed in the
jeans and black long sleeved t-shirt. Travis handed her a pair of
socks and black boots.

“I don’t understand,” she said.

“You’re leaving,” Ian said from behind
her.

“Here, get her jewelry off,” Travis said.
“I’ll do her boots.” Travis knelt down and tied her boots as Ian
stepped closer.

“What do you mean, leaving?” Anna said
looking up into Ian’s hazel eyes. “I can’t leave...I don’t want to
leave,” she added, though not very convincingly.

Ian looked at her intently. “He’s not going
to stop hurting you, Anna, or controlling you. Do you even remember
the last few months?”

Anna looked away. Hazy memories from the last
few months flitted through her mind. “He told me he loved me.”

“And he tortured you for the fun of it.”

Anna winced. “Not at the end.”

“Because he needed you to voluntarily give
him....” Ian trailed off. “Do you want to live like that? Do you
want to keep being beaten and raped at his whims? Do you want him
to take your powers so he can control you and everyone around
you?”

Anna shook her head slowly as he produced a
key and unlocked her bracelet. He quickly pulled it off her wrist
and re-locked it.

Ian looked at her with pained eyes and then
reached out to stroke her cheek. “You deserve a better life, Anna.
And Devin...needs to be stopped. We can’t stop him if you are with
him.”

“We?”

“Don’t ask too many questions right now,
Anna,” Tommy said, handing her a ponytail holder. “Ian’s been
helping us. He’ll make sure Devin doesn’t realize you’re gone until
at least tomorrow afternoon, and by then you’ll be out of the
state. Hopefully he’ll be able to buy you more time, but that’s
what we’re working on.”

Anna looked back at Ian. “He’ll kill you if
he finds out.” She looked around. “All of you.”

“He won’t know any of them were involved
Anna. Only me.” He held up the key to her bracelet. “I’m the only
one with a key besides him.”

“He’ll kill you,” she whispered again, tears
in her eyes.

“Probably.” He stepped forward and cradled
her cheek, brushing away a tear with his thumb. “Anna, I have done
horrible, terrible things to you. If you getting free means I have
to die, then so be it.” His warm hazel eyes glistened with
moisture. “I hope you can forgive me,” he said in a broken voice.
“Knowing that will allow me to die in peace.”

“Oh, Ian!” Anna threw her arms around his
neck and hugged him tightly. “Of course I forgive you. I don't hold
anything against you. I know you wouldn’t have done it on your
own.”

He hugged her back for a moment and then
released her. He removed her necklace. “You are empty of him right
now. He won’t be able to trace you,”

Travis and Tommy both hugged her.

“Go, Anna. I’ll see you in a few days,” Tommy
said, pushing her towards Ian. “You need to get moving.”

Few days?

“Ian’s gonna take you to the road where
Justin is waiting for you. He’s gonna take you to your
destination.” Travis grinned. “I’ll come visit you.”

Her two friends disappeared through a back
panel and Ian took her hand. “We have to hurry.”

Ian led her slowly and quietly through the
dark woods. The sounds of the Gathering quickly faded as they
climbed down a hill and up another one. When they were far enough
away, he pulled out a flashlight and they were able to move easier.
After about twenty minutes, they came to the end of the woods and
Anna saw a black sedan parked a few feet away. The door opened and
Justin stepped out.

“Any problems?” Justin asked

“Nope, it all went as planned,” Ian
answered.

Justin extended his hand. “Thank you, Ian.
For everything.”

The two men shook hands and then Ian turned
to Anna, whose eyes filled with tears. “Anna, it’s all right. It
will be okay. I’m ready to be free of him.”

Anna swallowed and nodded. She reached up
onto her toes and kissed him. “You’re a good friend, Ian.”

Ian stepped back and nodded. “Be free, Anna.”
He gave her a last smile and then disappeared back into the dark
woods.

Justin opened the passenger side door. “Get
in, Anna. We have a long drive and not much time.”

She stared into the shadows for a moment
more, heart full of thankfulness for Ian, and then turned and got
into the car. Justin pulled onto the road and accelerated
quickly.

Anna stared out the window as the trees sped
by. “Where are we going?”

“Martinez, California, to catch a train.” He
reached over and took her hand. “It’s okay, Anna. Everything has
been taken care of. We’re catching a train tonight to Portland and
Devin will have no idea where you went.”

“We’re going to Portland?”

“Only to catch another train to Chicago and
then New York.”

Anna’s heart pounded. “We’re going to New
York? You’re taking me?”

Justin nodded. “Tommy’s dad can protect you
there. And yes, I’m taking you. We wouldn’t let you travel
alone.”

Anna looked out at the stars. “I still don’t
understand what’s going on. Devin will find me. He always knows
where I am.”

“Not now. Your bracelet and necklace had a
GPS tracker in it, and they’re back at the field making it look
like you’re sleeping. Devin would never imagine that you’d take a
train. No one takes trains anymore and the security on them is
minimal at best. Especially out here.”

Anna doubted he wouldn’t be able to know
where she was and she felt queasy with nerves. “Why are you doing
this, Justin? You’re not a Brother, are you?”

He shook his head. “I’ve learned a lot about
it though. My dad’s a Deacon under Tom. By not being part of it,
Devin doesn’t pay any attention to me. At least, as long as I’m not
trying to flirt with you.”

“Flirt? Why would you flirt with me? You’re
gay.”

Justin laughed. “Because of Travis?”

“Yeah.”

“No, Anna. I’m not gay. Bi-curious maybe, but
I like women.”

Anna stared at him. “But you and Travis are
dating.”

He shook his head. “We made it look that way
so we could plan without making Devin suspicious.”

“I’ve seen you kiss him.”

“A few times. But really, Anna. He’s a very
good friend. We got really close, but it was all for appearances.”
He gave her a sideways glance. “You know how that goes.”

Anna sighed, her head swimming. “You did all
that for me?”

“Hon, that day you walked in with the bruises
on your wrists just set me off. Travis took me aside a few days
later and told me about the Brotherhood and Devin, and how he used
you to control people. I didn’t totally understand it, but I did
understand the abuse he’s put you through for years. I guess the
powers that be decided Devin was finally getting out of control
sufficiently enough to get involved with your abuse. But Anna....”
He glanced at her. “Tommy and his dad and Travis’ dad...they’ve all
been concerned about you for years. They care a lot about you. They
just...couldn’t do anything about it. They didn’t have the right
to, as much as it disgusted them.”

“Tom? But he’s Devin’s best friend.”

Justin shrugged. “As far as I know, Tom
hasn’t been comfortable with what Devin’s been doing for a while,
but was afraid to do anything about it. When Tommy met Peter, the
two of them, and Aaron, started—”

“Aaron? He’s involved?”

“He was the first one. He found in Tommy a
kindred spirit in their disgust with how Devin treated you. Then
Tommy started talking with his dad and it went from there.”

“But Aaron left.”

“Only so that he could be in New York when
you got there. Peter was going to take you in September, but then
his grandfather died and the plans fell apart. Travis tried to take
you in December, but you flipped out on him.”

“I did?” She didn’t remember that.

Justin chuckled. “We had a feeling you didn’t
know what was going on. Yeah, you almost made him crash his
car.”

“Oh, no!”

“Yeah...do you even remember Nutcracker? Or
any of the February programs?”

Anna shook her head and looked out the
window. “I have vague memories of dancing, but nothing else.” What
had happened to her? She remembered only bits of dancing and
pain.

“Wilhelm said your eyes looked vacant when he
saw you at Nutcracker, but the real you asked for help.”