Chapter 4

Anna sat up straight in bed. Her room was dark and her body ached.

No! She didn’t want to dream about Alex. Damn Devin for taking her drugs away and making her dream of Alex. When Devin wouldn’t let her take her pills at the Spring Gathering, she dreamed of him. He didn’t see her, but she watched him sit in a chair and look out the tall window.

No. It was just a dream. Alex was dead. She shook her head to clear it and reached for the remote to turn on the TV. If she didn’t sleep too soundly, she wouldn’t dream. She didn’t want to remember him. She wanted to forget. The video Devin had shown her must have put him back in the forefront of her memory.

Besides, he wasn’t the man she thought he’d been. He was a monster that had tricked everyone into thinking he was a good man. But he was just as bad as Jack and Devin and the other men who liked to hurt girls.

She turned onto her side and watched a mindless sitcom until she fell asleep again.

Devin arrived with Maggie when she brought breakfast the next morning. “Are you ready to cooperate, Anna?”

Anna hesitated, wanting to rebel, but thought better of it. She never wanted to experience pain as excruciating as what he inflicted on her in the dungeon ever again. She stood on shaky legs, her hands clasped in front of her hips, gaze fixed on the floor. “Yes, Master.”

“Good. Beginning today, Ian will take you for walks around the property. You need to build up your strength so you can function. You will eat what is set before you. You will no longer be allowed any sort of mind-altering substance.”

“Yes, Master.”

“When you can walk a sufficient distance, you will begin taking the adult classes like you used to take. I’ve spoken to Isaak and it has all been arranged.”

“Yes, Master.”

“When you are ready, Isaak will bring you back up to the company. In the corps until you prove yourself ready for more. You will take care of yourself and make yourself a presentable member of society again. I don’t care if you’re a bitch to your friends, but if you ever act disrespectfully to me again...” He paused and Anna looked up to see his eyes were dark with fury. “Yesterday will look like a walk in the park. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Master.”

“When you’re ready to dance, Ian will take you to an apartment in the city. Presumably, you’ll be worth fucking again and I don’t want to drive all the way out here every time I want you.”

Anna looked up at him. “You want me to have my own place?”

“I know you’ll behave yourself.” There was warning in his voice.

“Yes, Master.”

On a Sunday, four weeks later, Anna stood in the doorway of a simple one-bedroom apartment near her old one at the Sapphire. This building was just across some invisible line, from a rich neighborhood to a neighborhood that was just... nice. The apartment may not have been luxurious, but its close proximity to the ballet studio and Devin’s work made it a practical choice.

It had only taken a few weeks from Devin’s proclamation before Anna was strong enough to take long walks with Ian. Aside from the occasional shakes, she’d suffered very little withdrawal symptoms. Ian suspected it was because of the Immortal part of her. She’d gained enough weight to not look sickly and the dark circles under her eyes had disappeared.

Devin had deemed her ready to dance again by the end of the fourth week. Ian had brought her to the apartment. He stood just behind her as she paused on the threshold of the sparsely decorated space.

“I can take you to get your things from the house,” he offered.

Her things. From the house she’d shared with Alex. From another life. Wilhelm had held on to all of it for when she was ready to return. But she would never be ready to return—she would never be a wife again.

Anna finally shook her head. Alex had been her only hope, and he was dead. Now there was only Devin. She didn’t want to remember the good times. It made the bad times so much worse. To remember how Alex had protected her... loved her... cherished her...

She shook her head again, shoving the warm feelings aside. “I don’t want it. Any of it.”

“What about transportation? You need a car.”

She thought about the sporty little Mercedes Alex had bought her, and how it had been a symbol of freedom she no longer had. “Can you sell it and get a different one?”

“Sure. What do you want?”

Anna shrugged. “I don’t know anything about cars.”

“I’ll take it a few places and see what I can get you.”

Monday evening, Anna paused just outside the ballet studio. Her feet refused to move forward and the pain in her heart froze her ability to suck breath into her lungs. She’d spent so many happy hours in this building before Alex had died.

It had been two years since she’d last danced. Why Devin imagined she’d be able to dance again with the company, she didn’t understand. She was almost twenty-three. A little old to start over.

But she would obey her Master and go to class. She didn’t want to anger Devin and had been working very hard to keep that from happening.

She forced herself to walk inside and hesitated several feet from the room where the adult classes took place.

“Anna.”

She looked around for the source of the familiar voice and found Isaak standing by the stairs with a sad smile on his face. He’d aged since Alex’s funeral, but his blue eyes were still bright and youthful.

She gave a stiff nod. “Hello, Isaak.”

He walked to her and hugged her tightly. “We didn’t know what to think when you disappeared after the service. I kept hoping you’d come back.”

“I’m only here because Devin wants me dancing again.” She lifted her chin in defiance of the emotions threatening to erupt inside her.

Isaak kissed her cheek. “I’ll take you any way I can get you. Come. Let me introduce you to Ashley.”

“Ashley?”

“The new adult class instructor.”

Anna followed Isaak through the doorway and adrenaline rushed through her body as she remembered the thrill of being invited to the summer intensives. That had been a lifetime ago.

Isaak guided Anna into the room and smiled at a young woman with red hair and brown eyes. “Ashley, this is Anna. Anna, this is Ashley.”

“Hello, Anna. It’s great to meet you. I’ve heard so much about you.” Ashley gave her a warm smile, but Anna clenched her jaw and gave a sharp nod. She wasn’t here to make friends. She was here to obey her Master. “You can stand wherever you’d be most comfortable.”

Anna walked stiffly to the corner, dropped her bag, and pulled on her ballet slippers. She recognized many of the dancers from when she’d taken these classes before. A few of them tried to engage her in conversation but Anna ignored them, turning to the barre and concentrating on warming up so she didn’t have to speak to anyone. She’d learned her lesson. Devin wanted her undivided attention and loyalty, and that’s what she intended to give him.

Only Alex could have changed that, and he was gone.

The next afternoon, Ian knocked on her apartment door and handed her a black plastic square with buttons on it. “For your new car.”

Curious, Anna followed him out to the parking garage, and he pointed out a small blue car with a big windshield. She squinted at the back. “A... pry-us?”

“Prius.” Ian nodded. “It’s a really popular car right now. Brand new. I put the leftover money into your account.”

Anna allowed a small smile. It was kind of cute. “Thanks.” She glanced at him. “Do you need a ride back to the Manor?”

“Nah. I had this delivered here. My car’s outside.”

“Oh. Okay.”

He hugged her. “I need to get back. The Manor’s a lot lonelier without you there.”

“You can come visit anytime.” She still needed sex, after all.

“I might do that. Oh, Devin said you need to get a cell phone.” He handed her a piece of paper. “Our phone numbers to put into your new phone. Call him when you get it.”

Anna nodded, wondering where to find a store to buy a cell phone.

After Ian left, Anna went back to her apartment to look for her purse. She found it in a box in the back of the closet and sat down to open her wallet. Her credit cards were still valid, but they belonged to Alex and his family, and she didn’t want to be a burden to them. She had some money in her old account now. It would be enough to live on.

She pulled out her driver’s license, her heart aching. As terrible quality the picture was, she could still see the happiness in her face.

She and Alex hadn’t even been married three months before he died. Wilhelm had come to the studio with the life-changing news on their three-month anniversary. Her name on the license was Anna Lee Kunzberg Herzogin von Hessen. Should she change her name back to Perkins since he was dead? Was that even possible?

Anna sighed and put her cards away. She didn’t want to think about it right now.