Chapter 177

Wilhelm and Kurt arrived at the cathedral on Sunday morning and searched surreptitiously for Devin, and more importantly, for Anna. What Wilhelm had learned from Brandon had relieved some of his fears. At least temporarily. But he would feel better when he actually saw her. He made brief eye contact with Vlad and gave a subtle nod of greeting, wishing he could speak to him openly and discuss the necessary adjustment to their plans.

The Elder-Mistresses, cool and aloof, talked and smiled with each other and the surrounding men. But then, as one, they all turned toward the street. A limo stopped, the back door opened, and Devin stepped out, arrogance radiating off him in waves. Anna stepped out a moment later, dressed in a simple black skirt suit that emphasized the lack of color in her face. A faint bruise on her cheek marked her beautiful face, but otherwise she looked unharmed.

The other Elder-Mistresses watched as Anna followed behind Devin, head down, hands clasped in front of her. Most looked at her with impassive expressions. A few had subtle, though genuine, smiles on their faces, almost as if they admired her. Irina looked at her curiously.

Devin met Wilhelm’s eyes and Wilhelm could barely contain himself as the other man smirked. He put his arm around Anna’s shoulders and guided her toward the entrance of the cathedral.

“A word, Devin?” Wilhelm said in a calm voice as Devin walked by.

“You won’t be getting Anna anytime soon, Wilhelm, so don’t even ask.”

Anna stared at the ground. He winced at the bruise on her cheek. It was worse up close. “You can’t treat her like that, Devin.”

“Why not? She’s a runaway slave. She’s lucky she can walk.”

“She is an Elder-Mistress,” Wilhelm growled.

“Who ran away from her Master.” Devin smiled. “You have no right to contest her punishment and you know it.”

Kurt, standing beside him, growled. Wilhelm put his hand on his arm to warn him not to do anything rash.

Anna shuddered, which broke Wilhelm’s heart. “Perhaps not, but I can contest how you treated one of my own.”

Devin raised his brow. “Oh?”

“You attacked Aaron and nearly killed him.”

Devin frowned. “He’s supposed to be dead.”

“You came very close.”

“Well, then, he should consider himself lucky to be alive,” Devin snapped.

“It is not your right to attack my Brother. He belongs to me. My country.”

Edwin appeared at Wilhelm’s side, as well as Oswin and Jürgen, two of the other German Elders.

Devin’s eyes widened. “Alright. Alright. I apologize. But he was harboring my slave.”

“As I understand it, she was in her own home when you found her. How could he be harboring her in her own home?”

“Fine. What do you want?”

“Stay away from him and make sure his medical bills are paid.” Wilhelm smiled as Devin sighed, but nodded. “And I would like a few minutes alone with Anna.” He had figured out a way to give Anna an element of protection. It wouldn’t keep her from getting hurt, but it would keep Devin from torturing any information out of her. At least to an extent.

“Absolutely not,” Devin snapped. “I will not allow you to take her out of my sight. For all I know, you helped her run away.”

He forced a lightness into his tone he was far from feeling. “How could I do that from Germany, Devin? Really!”

Other Elders had joined the small group and they all chuckled. Devin frowned. “Fine. As long as she stays where I can see her.”

“Alright.” He extended his hand. “ Liebling ?”

Anna looked up, hope in her eyes, and he gave her a kind smile. She glanced at Devin, who nodded grudgingly, and walked away with him. Wilhelm hugged her to him and she sobbed into his chest. Wilhelm’s heart squeezed in his chest.

“I am so sorry this has happened, Liebling ,” he said in a soft voice. “I will speak to the others as soon as possible, and we will get you away from him as soon as we can.”

She looked up at him with mournful eyes. “Will it have to wait until next month?”

Wilhelm shook his head. “I do not think so, but I cannot make that decision on my own. Do not give up hope. He will come for you.” Wilhelm leaned down and kissed her head. “Anna, for your protection, I am going to bury many of your memories since you escaped, especially of Alex. Devin cannot know he is in the country.” He cupped her chin and made her look up. “Do you trust me, Liebling ?”

“Of course, Wilhelm,” she said softly. “Will they—my memories—return?”

“Yes, Anna. I will release them once it is safe. I will also hide the memories of your escape so you cannot tell him who helped you.”

Anna nodded and gave him a brave smile. “Peter told me that everything would be alright last night.”

“Thank you,” he whispered. Another memory to block. He leaned down, as if to kiss her head again, and murmured the ancient words that would protect her mind from Devin’s probing. He gave her new, temporary memories that would conceal the truth of what happened in New York with his son and her escape. They only had to last a week or so.

He hoped.

Anna felt as if she were trying to hold on to smoke. Her mind desperately clung to something that was rapidly disappearing. A faint memory of... something. Something good, she thought. But it was gone now. She sighed, feeling that she’d lost something precious, though she had no idea what it was.

She looked around. She was in the courtyard of a cathedral. Elders surrounding her... a funeral. Oscar and Rylan’s funeral. But why was she here?

She looked up at the person who was holding her. “Wilhelm? Why am I—?” As she continued to look around her, she spotted Devin. Devin . He had found her. In New York. Oh, God, he found her!

Everything that had happened the last few days flooded into her mind and her knees buckled. Wilhelm held her close. “It will be alright, Liebling,” he whispered.

She shook her head. “He found me. He’s going to punish me.” Terror filled her heart. There was no hope. No hope of escape. Devin had found her in New York and he would take her back to San Francisco. He would never let her out of his sight again.

Devin glared at her from across the courtyard. “He’s so angry...” She looked up at Wilhelm.

“Anna, it will be alright.” Wilhelm cupped her cheek. “I promise.”

She whimpered as Devin walked toward them. “Can’t you keep him from taking me?”

“Anna, you ran away from him. There is little I can do.”

Anna stepped away, her heart twisting in her chest at his betrayal. “I thought you cared about me, Wilhelm.” Why would he do nothing to help her? She couldn’t even remember the last time she’d seen him. Why were her memories so fuzzy?

“I do, Liebling . So much. Please trust me. Everything will be alright.”

Tears filled her eyes as Devin stepped closer, and dread filled her heart. “Please Wilhelm... Please don’t let him take me.”

Wilhelm reached out to her and she lunged into his arms.

Devin held out his hand. “Come, Anna.”

Anna shook as she clung to Wilhelm, desperate to stay with him. Why wouldn’t he do anything? Had Devin done something to him again to keep him from helping her?

Devin grabbed her elbow and Wilhelm grabbed his wrist.

“Devin, please...” Wilhelm said softly. “Please, let me spend some time with her. I haven’t seen her in?—?”

Devin laughed and yanked his arm away from him. He pulled Anna away, but Wilhelm held onto her hand. “What, days? Surely you helped her run away from me. She couldn’t have done it on her own.”

Anna was being pulled between the two men, and the people around them were noticing.

“She belongs to me just as much as you,” Wilhelm snapped.

“I’m not saying I won’t share her, but she must be punished for what she did,” Devin snapped back.

“Gentlemen!” Neither man released Anna as the respected British Elder, Shaw Wilson, walked into the circle. “Why are two grown men fighting over a woman?”

“She ran away from me. I have a right to punish her,” Devin snarled.

“She knows she did wrong, let her be,” Wilhelm countered.

“Release her, both of you,” Shaw commanded.

“You have no jurisdiction here, Wilson.” Devin released Anna’s elbow and Wilhelm let her go as well.

Anna dropped her gaze to the cobbled ground as she stood between the man that loved and cared for her, and the man who wanted to use and abuse her.

“You are attracting the attention of outsiders, and even you should know how dangerous that is, Devin.”

Devin lifted his chin. “He’s trying to take my slave away from me.”

“He’s going to torture her,” Wilhelm said, his voice soft but intense.

Creda, the British Mistress, stood next to Shaw, studying her. Anna gave her a pleading look. She knew Creda didn’t like her but was so desperate, she didn’t care.

Shaw shook his head. “It’s disrespectful to call her a slave, Devin.”

“Whether you like it or not, it’s the truth and you know it.”

Shaw turned his gaze on Anna. “Who brought you here today, Anna?”

“D-Devin. Devin brought me.”

Shaw studied her for a long moment. “You ran away from your Master?”

Anna’s eyes widened in fear. She had run away. She knew she had, but the memories were so fuzzy, she really only remembered arriving in New York. Finally, she nodded timidly.

“What is it that you want?” Shaw asked, looking back at Devin and Wilhelm.

“I want my sl—I want Anna back,” Devin snapped. “She ran away in March and I just found her a few days ago.”

“I would like time with Anna as well,” Wilhelm said. “And I would like assurance that Anna will not be tortured within an inch of her life.”

Shaw looked around and sighed. “This needs to be discussed somewhere more private. Anna, stay with Devin since he brought you. Those of us with Mistresses will discuss the situation after the funeral and make a decision.” He gave Devin a firm look. “Do not begin your discipline until after the decision is made.”

Devin clenched his jaw, glaring at the British son-of-a-bitch interfering in his business. How dare he tell Devin what to do! And in his own country, no less. But Devin knew he didn’t yet have the power to do anything different. Yet. Damn Anna for running away!

“I won’t take the pleasure of... disciplining her until I return home.” He pulled Anna away from Wilhelm, satisfied by the old man’s look of despair.

“You’ve embarrassed me, bitch,” Devin whispered as he pulled Anna through the crowd toward the cathedral. “You will pay for that.” He grinned as she shuddered next to him. He had discovered some interesting new uses of the pain juice while she’d been gone and was looking forward to trying them on her.

For now, he just needed to get her home without any fuss. He had to behave himself. He sucked a deep breath. He could stay in control for a few more hours. As soon as the Funeral Gathering was over, though, he would be in his jet and heading back to San Francisco. Once he got Anna back to the Manor, he could lose control to his heart’s delight.