Chapter 56

Wilhelm stood in the hallway outside a bedroom on the lower floor of Vlad’s townhouse. He heard Anna cry out in pain and shook the doorknob, rattling the entire heavy wooden door. “Devin, let me in!” he shouted.

Devin had locked himself in the bedroom with her, insisting that he needed to be alone with her. He and Kurt had reluctantly gone out into the hallway to let him do whatever it was he thought he needed to do. They paced the marble checkerboard floor for a half an hour, never going more than a few feet from the room. Wilhelm could hear Devin speaking softly to her, though he couldn’t understand what he was saying.

Wilhelm banged on the door. “Devin, open the door!”

He continued banging on the door until it opened and Wilhelm instinctively froze, though he regretted not hitting Devin in the face as the man opened the door.

“You needn’t be so obnoxious,” Devin said coolly.

“Maybe if we could trust you,” Kurt muttered.

Wilhelm looked past Devin into the room. “She looks worse.” He shoved Devin out of the way and hurried across the room to sit next to her on the bed. Her face was so pale. “What did you do?” he demanded, turning back to Devin.

Kurt also pushed past the Elder and kneeled by the bed, stroking her damp hair back from her face.

“She can be healed now,” Devin said without emotion. “Do you know the Immortals here?”

Wilhelm glared at Devin. “You are killing her. She should not even be able to get sick.”

Devin’s face remained impassive. “Sacrifices are necessary sometimes.”

Before he realized what he was doing, Wilhelm stormed across the room, swung back, and smashed his fist into Devin’s nose.

Devin spun sideways and fell to his knees, grabbing his face. “Ow, you fucker!”

“Vati!” Kurt exclaimed.

Blood trickled down Devin’s face. Wilhelm’s chest heaved as he towered over Devin, glaring down at him.

Ian appeared in the doorway seconds later and looked around in shock. He saw Devin kneeling on the floor and looked at Wilhelm, confused.

“He might need a doctor,” Wilhelm said calmly, though feeling oddly triumphant.

Devin looked up at Ian. “Get Vlad. Tell him we need one of his Immortals.” Devin pushed himself to his feet and stumbled out of the room.

Wilhelm returned to Anna’s bedside, standing behind a kneeling Kurt. He stared down at Anna’s pale face.

“I can’t believe you hit him, Vati,” Kurt said in German. “That’s something Alex would have done.”

“Except if Alex had done it, Anna would have suffered. I am thankful I don’t have that restriction.” Wilhelm chuckled softly. “Where do you think Alex got his temper?”

The men were quiet for a few minutes, staring at Anna and remembering Alex. Kurt continued to stroke Anna’s forehead. “Will she be okay? She’s so pale.”

“I hope so. The Immortals will heal her... I hope.” Wilhelm gritted his teeth as a great shudder shook Anna’s frail body.

“Alex,” she muttered. “. . . better . . .”

Kurt looked up at his father. “Why does she still dream of him?”

Wilhelm saw the hurt in his son’s eyes. In Kurt’s head, he understood the connection between Anna and Alex, but it still hurt his heart. His son longed for that same connection between himself and Anna. He was so in love with her.

Wilhelm put his hand on Kurt’s shoulder. “I don’t know.” He had asked the same question hundreds of times since he’d found out.

Kurt leaned forward and kissed Anna’s pale cheek. “She’s so hot.”

Ian returned a few minutes later. “Vlad will be here in a few minutes.” He walked over and looked down at Anna. He glanced behind him and then looked at Wilhelm. “She will be alright, won’t she?” he asked in a hushed voice.

“I hope so.” Wilhelm hated feeling so helpless.

Vlad arrived about twenty minutes later with an Immortal by his side. “I am Patya,” said the man with golden hair and sapphire eyes.

Elders rarely had contact with the Immortals of other countries. Every country had them, but they did not venture outside the national boundaries unless there was a dire need.

Wilhelm bowed his head respectfully and spoke in Russian. “I am Wilhelm of Hessen. This is my son, Kurt.”

Patya turned to look at Kurt. “A younger son?”

“My eldest son was killed three-and-a-half years ago.” Wilhelm’s heart twinged. He hated saying the words aloud.

Patya studied Wilhelm for a long time. Finally, he nodded. “I see.”

Devin walked in a moment later, and Wilhelm stared in shock. The only hint that he had been hit was the speck of blood on his collar. There was no bruise, no disfigurement.

Wilhelm was certain he’d broken the man’s nose. He’d felt the bones give way as his fist made contact with his face. Wilhelm’s blood boiled at the realization that Anna suffered because of Devin . Devin was the reason she couldn’t heal herself. Wilhelm clenched his fist and his jaw, every instinct within him shouting at him to hit Devin again.

Patya turned his gaze on Devin. The Immortal’s eyes narrowed and he lifted his chin, a hint of disapproval on his face. “Where is the girl?” he asked in English.

Wilhelm motioned to the bed. Patya strode across the room and looked down at Anna. “Who is her Master?”

Both Wilhelm and Devin answered at the same time. “I am.”

The Immortal turned and raised his eyebrows. “She has two Masters?”

Both men answered in a growl. “Yes.”

Patya studied both men and frowned. He pointed at Devin. “You stay. Everyone else leave.”

Wilhelm started to protest, but the Immortal raised his brows again. Everyone but Devin filed out of the room and the door was closed.

Vlad shifted on his feet as they stood silently in the hallway. “Would you... like something to drink?” he asked in German.

Wilhelm sighed. “Thank you, Vlad. But I don’t want to go far from Anna.”

“I understand.” Vlad ran his hand through his thick black hair. “I’m sorry, Wilhelm.”

Wilhelm furrowed his brows. “Why are you apologizing? You didn’t cause Anna’s sickness.”

Vlad smiled weakly and shrugged his shoulders. “If you’ll excuse me for a moment.”

Wilhelm thoughtfully watched Vlad walk away. What made the Russian feel the need to apologize for something he had no involvement in?

Kurt paced back and forth across the wide hallway. Wilhelm sat in a gilt-edged chair and tried to make sense of everything that had happened today.

When the door opened, a half hour later, Wilhelm jumped to his feet and Kurt froze mid-step. Devin stood in the doorway. “She’s fine. Sleeping.”

Wilhelm pushed past him and sighed in relief when he saw the color had returned to Anna’s face. Kurt went to sit on the bed and held her hand.

Wilhelm turned and stood tall, glaring at Devin. “You may leave. You do not need to be here anymore.”

Devin smirked. “Even Patya recognized my claim to her was more legitimate than yours.”

“You relented when the other Elders pressured you. My claim is as legitimate as yours.”

“For now.” Devin glanced at Anna. “I’ll leave. But you better bring her back to me.”

“I already said I would, as much as it disgusts me to do so.”

Devin shrugged. “That’s the problem with being honorable. Doing things you don’t want to do.” He laughed and strode from the room.

“I hate that man,” Kurt grumbled in German.

“You aren’t the only one, son.”

Anna moaned and slowly opened her eyes. She was in Kurt’s hotel room.

“Anna . . .”

She rolled onto her back and saw Kurt sitting next to her on the bed. She smiled. “Hi,” she said softly.

“How are you feeling?”

Anna thought for a moment. “Good.” The last thing she remembered was freezing in the cathedral. “What happened?”

“You got very sick. You were healed by an Immortal.”

“Oh.” She didn’t remember anything about being sick, though his words triggered a memory of a cold, dark room. She strained to retrieve the memory, but all she could grasp was a fading sensation of cold darkness, obscuring any further details. “How long have I been asleep?”

“All afternoon. It is past dinner time. Are you hungry?”

She nodded and he stood.

“I will call for some room service.” He left and returned a few minutes later, sitting on the bed again. “I was so worried about you,” he said tenderly, stroking her hair back from her face.

She looked up into his eyes, hating that she’d caused him pain. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.

He gave a little half-smile. “Do not do it again,” he teased.

Anna giggled softly.

“Vati got so angry at Devin, he punched him in the face.” Kurt pressed his lips together, but his eyes were full of amusement.

Anna gasped and clasped her hand over her mouth. “Are you serious?”

He nodded, and then his face fell. “But the weird thing was that he left the room and returned a little while later with his nose completely healed. I saw it before he left. It was definitely broken.”

Anna nodded and sat up. “He’s got that from me.”

“How, Anna? How is he taking your power?”

She opened her mouth to speak, but the words would not come out. She tried several times and finally gave up, understanding the sensation of wanting to do something her Master had forbidden. “I can’t tell you. He forbade me.”

Kurt frowned. “It is not right. You are far too precious to steal life from.”

Anna took his hand and kissed his palm, then looked up at him. Emotion swelled through her heart. He still loved her. She could see it in his eyes. She wanted to love him. Wanted to be with him. Time hadn’t changed that. She wished... “Have you... met anyone?”

“I have met lots of people, Anna.” He chuckled. “It is part of being a Sohn .”

Anna blushed. “I mean... women? A woman. That you like?”

“You are asking if I have fallen in love with another woman?”

She nodded.

“ Nein , Anna. I kept hoping that I would see you again. Yes, I have met lots of women, but none have interested me.” He sighed. “I still love you. I believe I always will.”

Anna smiled, her heart warming. “I’m glad I get to spend time with you again.”

“Me, too.” He leaned down to kiss her and a knock sounded at the door. “Dinner.” He straightened and went to answer the door.

Anna looked down to see she was wearing a big blue t-shirt. It must have been Kurt’s. She wiggled out of bed and wandered into the living room.

Kurt paused, holding a large tray in his hand. “I was going to bring it in there.”

Anna shrugged. “It’s easier to eat at a table.”