Chapter 88

Anna stared out the window as the trees sped by, trying to process everything that had happened in the last hour. She’d been so certain nothing would ever change again—not with Devin so powerful—and now she was speeding down a highway with her dance partner on the way to?—

“Where are we going?”

“Martinez, California, to catch a train.” Justin took her hand. “It’s okay, Anna. Everything’s been taken care of. Devin’ll have no idea where you went. We’re catching a train tonight to Portland, and then on to Chicago and New York.”

Anna stared at Justin’s profile in the glow of the dashboard lights. “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. Tom was going to protect her? He was Devin’s best friend. How was that possible? If Tommy hadn’t been in the pavilion with Travis and Ian, she’d be concerned that she was walking into a trap, but Tommy wouldn’t send her to his dad unless he knew his dad would protect her. But why? What had happened to turn Tom away from Devin? And how could he keep a much-more-powerful-Devin from finding her? “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. Plus, Devin would never guess you’d take a train. No one takes trains anymore and the security on them is minimal at best. Especially out here.”

Anna frowned, not understanding how he could be so confident. Devin had always found her before. Her stomach twisted and she swallowed. What would happen to Justin when Devin found out he’d helped her? “Why are you doing this? 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 date you.”

“Date me? Why would you date me? You’re gay.”

Justin laughed. “Because of Travis?”

“Yeah.”

“No. 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 your escape without making Devin suspicious.”

“I’ve seen you kiss him.”

“Yeah. But really, Anna, I promise. 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’s head swam at his words. “You did all this for me?”

“Hon, that day you walked into the studio 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. I guess the ‘powers-that-be’ finally decided Devin had gone too far and got involved. 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 is Devin’s best friend.”

Justin shrugged. “As far as I know, Tom hasn’t been comfortable with what Devin’s been doing for a long time, but didn’t think anyone else was. When Tommy met Peter, the two of them, and Aaron, started?—?”

“Aaron? He’s involved?”

“He was the first. Then he and Tommy started talking and realized they felt the same way... about you... about Devin and how he treated you. Tommy, Aaron, and Peter all decided something needed to change. Tommy talked to his dad and Peter talked to his uncle.” He shrugged. “It grew 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?”

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 again. “I have vague memories of dancing, but nothing else.” What had happened to her? She only remembered bits of dancing and pain.

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

A memory flashed into her mind of being in the lobby with Wilhelm after opening night. And then spending the night with him a few days later. She sighed. Wilhelm and Kurt. How could she have forgotten about them? “Does he know what you guys have been doing?”

“A little. We told him that there were people helping you, but didn’t want to tell him too much because Devin keeps a pretty close eye on him. He’ll be in New York when you get there.”

Anna’s heart leaped and she smiled.

“He said that Devin had turned you into his puppet.”

She had heard that term before. Tears filled her eyes as she remembered talking with Alex the morning after the bonding ceremony...

“Last night’s ritual... It was a bonding ceremony. A uniting of a Master and a slave. If I hadn’t interfered... Anna, your mind would have been completely gone. Completely his.” He grimaced. “You would have become Devin’s mindless puppet.”

“‘... your mind would have been completely his,’” she whispered. She drew her brows together. “But... why am I not—I mean, I don’t remember a lot before Nutcracker , but I know what’s going on now.”

“Wilhelm wasn’t sure either. He said something about a final ceremony and it not taking full effect until then. That’s beyond my limited knowledge. But Tommy said, because of what happened tonight, you’d be more yourself after.” He glanced at her again. “Seems right. I haven’t heard you talk this much since—Well, since you went to D.C.”

“Devin and Kaveh...” Anna squinted, trying to remember what had happened on that flight. “They did something on the plane. Devin consumed me...” She shook her head. “I don’t know. But, yes. Those are the last clear memories I have, too. Everything else feels like a dream.”

She used to wish Alex hadn’t interfered with Devin’s bonding ceremony, but did she really want to live like she’d been living these last months? It was March. She’d gone to D.C. in October. She’d lost five months of her life. It was like the two years she’d spent on drugs after Alex’s death. Did she want to only exist for Devin’s plans and pleasures and nothing else? Yes, there had been a tremendous amount of pain, but good things had happened in her life, too. Friends like Jenna and Aaron and Travis. Ben. The precious few glorious months of being Alex’s wife.

Anna burst into tears. For the first time since that horrible ritual of becoming Devin and Alex’s slave, an overwhelming sense of gratitude washed over her when she thought about Alex’s intervention. For saving her.

But a bitter truth lingered. She’d never be able to thank him. Did she still dream of him?

Justin gently rubbed her leg while she cried. He turned onto a freeway and picked up speed. “The train leaves at a quarter to eleven. We’re gonna cut it close, but we’ll make it.”

“You’re going to leave your car at a train station?”

“It’s a rental. Travis’ll pick it up.”

“Oh.” She leaned her head back and looked out the window. “Devin will kill Tom,” she said softly.

“Maybe. Tom’s been pretending for a long time, though. And he has help from several other Elders, too. Including Peter’s uncle.”

“Vlad?”

Justin nodded. “When Peter came into the picture and realized that Devin had fed him a bunch of lies about you, he started working with Aaron and the others. His uncle was concerned about a bunch of stuff, too, and helped as well. Peter’s grandfather died and the plan to get you out got scrapped, but Peter said it was good and would make things easier. As Elder, Vlad could help Tom protect you. We just had to figure out how to get you away from Devin. You living with him made things hard, so Tom suggested doing it this weekend. Devin and everyone else would be distracted, and you’d be yourself.” He shrugged. “So, we catch a train to Portland and head out to New York. We’ll be there Tuesday evening.”

“What about—what ballet were we practicing?”

“ Rite of Spring .”

“You’re going to miss a bunch of rehearsals.”

“I’m not going back. You and I are the newest members of the New York City Ballet Company.”

Anna stared. “How did that happen?”

“I forgot to mention that Isaak’s been involved, too. He talked with Vincent, and he’s very excited to have you coming out. Me... well, hopefully, he’s forgiven me for being young and stupid.”

“What did you do?”

Justin shook his head. “I don’t want to talk about it. But I guess bringing you out has redeemed me a bit.”

“You danced in New York?”

“I went to the School of American Ballet and was in the company corps for a couple of years before... Well, before I came out to San Francisco.”

“Do you know Nate Devereaux?”

“Nate? Yeah, great dancer. Why?”

“He was my partner during the summer intensives when I first started dancing again.” Oh, sweet Nate.

“He left you to go to New York?”

“I told him to. Devin would have—it was safer if he left. Devin threatened him.”

“Ah.”

“Vincent wanted both of us, but Devin wouldn’t let me leave. Devin probably would have killed Nate if he had stayed.” Like he killed Ben.

They were quiet for a while and Anna stared out at the starry sky. Freedom. Away from Devin. Was it really possible? Could she really be her own person, like Alex always wanted her to be? It seemed too good to be true.

After a while, Justin turned onto a larger highway and picked up even more speed.

“I went to your old house and packed up some of your clothes. I also packed up your... what did Wilhelm call it? Your memories box?”

Anna gasped. “Oh, Justin! You’re wonderful!”

He smiled sheepishly. “Wasn’t my idea, but I’m glad you’re happy. I put everything in a backpack so it’d be easier to take.”

She leaned her head back and looked out the window again. Though he hardly knew her, Justin was still willing to do all this for her. They’d danced together for months and she didn’t even know his last name. “Thank you.”

He glanced at her and then looked back at the road. “You’re welcome. I’m glad I could help.”

They arrived in Martinez about forty-give minutes before the train was due to leave. Justin pulled two suitcases and two backpacks from the trunk. He handed Anna a light blue backpack. “You have a new ID. I couldn’t get to your current stuff because it was at Devin’s house, so I bought you a new wallet. This one has a New York driver’s license and new Kunzberg family credit cards, though with your new name on them.”

“I thought Devin couldn’t find me.”

“He can still track your name to figure out where you are. Devin’s a lot more powerful than Tom, and eventually he might be able to break the protections Tom has put in place. But first he has to find you.” Justin closed the trunk and locked the keys in the car. “Hence, the new name.”

“What is it?”

“Katrina Engel. Wilhelm and Kurt picked it out.”

Anna smiled. “I like it.”

“C’mon. The train’ll be here soon and we need to check in.”

Anna followed Justin into the building and waited near the benches while he walked up to a kiosk. He swiped a credit card and pushed some buttons on the screen. A few moments later, several tickets popped out and Justin handed them to Anna.

They sat down on a hard wooden bench to wait for the train’s arrival. She stared at the wall across from her, still trying to grasp everything that had happened. It had been less than two hours since she’d left the Gathering, but it felt like a lifetime ago.

A while later, a loud horn blew, followed by a very loud rumbling.

“Train.” Justin stood. “Stay close.”

They walked outside and headed to the front of the powerful beast that clattered alongside the platform and slowly came to a stop. Anna stared in awe at the long cars that would whisk her and Justin away to safety. The silver sides gleamed in the orange light of the station. A few people got off, but more lined up to get on.

A man in a uniform walked up to them. “Tickets?”

Anna handed them the stack. He looked at her curiously, flipped through them, and took out the ones he needed and studied them. She stared at him, afraid he would somehow know she was running away, and then realized she was influencing him without meaning to, and bit her lip.

He stared at her for a moment before swallowing. “Uh, s-second car a-all the way to the f-front.”

She gave him a bright smile and he tilted his head, gazing lovingly at her. He handed the tickets back to her and Justin grabbed her elbow.

He pulled her down the platform. “Holy fuck, An—Katrina,” he mumbled under his breath. “Is that what you do? Make men melt?”

Anna blinked and shook her head, trying to clear her mind. “Sometimes.”

“Remind me never to try and make you do something you don’t want to do.” He grinned. “Or maybe I should try.”

Anna smiled and then giggled at the face he made at her.