Page 19 of The Life of Anna-Tenth Anniversary Edition: Act 1

Anna drew her brows together. Why was he being kind? “Thank you, my lord.” She did as he’d told her, but couldn’t see more than the bottom of Ian’s legs in front of her.

Silently, she followed him out into the empty hallway and began the long journey to the Hall. When they arrived at the many staircases, he took her elbow and skillfully guided her down the stairs, catching her when she predictably caught her feet in the thick fabric. Never before had she felt so clumsy. She thanked him each time, fearing that not doing so would unleash his anger, and he would throw her down the stairs. When they finally arrived at the entrance to the Great Hall, Ian instructed her to wait for him to return, and slipped into the Hall. A brief roar of men’s voices escaped from the room as he opened and shut the doors.

Anna shifted from foot to foot as the silence grew heavy around her. Her own breath was deafening. What awaited her beyond those doors? Who were the men Devin said she would seduce? Would this be better or worse than at Master Jack’s house? Her mind raced and her heart pounded as the seconds ticked by.

She jerked her head up as the doors opened. The sound of hundreds of men talking made her blood run cold. How many of these men would she be required to service? Master Jack only had a few at his house at a time, though there had been a few times he’d taken her to an empty building and allowed anyone to do anything to her. Hours and hours and hours of being used. She’d barely been able to walk to Master Jack’s car the next morning. It had taken her two days to heal.

Would the Gathering be the same way?

But Devin had said no one would hurt her...

Ian stepped in front of her. “He’s ready for you. When we go in, walk directly across the room and stop at the edge of the platform. Devin will tell you when he’s ready, and I will remove your cloak. Then step up onto the platform, place yourself a few feet in front of him, and bow as he taught you. He’ll let you know what to do next.”

“Yes, my lord,” she whispered. Her jaw trembled, and she clasped her hands together in front of her hips beneath the cloak. My purpose in life is to provide sexual pleasure to men.

Suddenly, both doors swung open. Anna lifted her head as much as she could to see inside. Her hood had slipped back enough during her walk through the Manor to let her see most of the room, though the Eagle was outside the radius of the shifted fabric.

Anna sucked in a deep breath and swallowed hard. My purpose in life...

About a hundred men were in attendance. Girls kneeled around the edges of the room. A few wore short red dresses. Most, however—if dressed—wore a short blue dress. The men wore tunics and pants, like Ian, but in varying dark colors. Many girls kneeled in front of seated men, heads bobbing up and down as they sucked on the men’s cocks. A few moved up and down as they straddled the men’s laps.

A woman’s cry pierced through the rumble of male voices, but Anna wasn’t certain it was a happy cry. She bit her lip.

Ian took her elbow and guided her forward. After a moment, the raised dais appeared in her scope of vision. Devin sat easily on the black throne she’d seen the other day. He wore a white tunic and pants, the color a sharp contrast to his tanned skin and dark hair. His meticulously trimmed beard and mustache made a sharp outline around his jaw and mouth where white teeth showed when he smiled. Or grimaced.

As Anna stopped in front of the dais, the room grew silent. Her heart pounded hard in her chest and she stared at Devin’s feet. After a long moment, Ian moved behind her and pulled back her hood. He unclasped her cloak and let it fall from her shoulders, catching the heavy fabric before it fell to the floor.

Anna sucked in a deep breath and stepped onto the low platform, as Ian had instructed. Her right knee slipped through the slit in the dress to expose her entire leg. Appreciative murmurs reached her ears as she approached Devin’s throne. After another deep breath, she dropped to her knees and bowed low, pressing her forehead to the floor and stretching out her arms in front of her.

After a moment, Devin spoke softly. “You may sit up, Mistress.”

Anna obeyed and put her hands on her thighs, keeping her head bowed.

Devin stood and reached out his hand. He pulled her to her feet and cupped her chin, raising her face to his. Her heart raced as she looked into his eyes but seeing the pleasure in them, relaxed and gave him a tiny smile.

“You look beautiful,” he murmured. He nodded. “Keep your head up and focus your eyes on the back of the room.” He turned her toward the assembled men, keeping his hands on her upper arms. Anna did as he’d instructed and he spoke loudly to the men below him. “I’d like to introduce you to my newest and most precious girl, Anna.”

Low murmurs filled the room. Hundreds of hungry eyes fixed on her, their desire palpable.

“Good girl,” he whispered. “Feel their desire for you, my love? That is what you deserve. That is what you were made for.” He kissed the side of her neck and she inhaled deeply, closing her eyes and tilting her head as his tongue trailed up to her earlobe, which he nipped. Her nipples hardened in response. He wrapped his arm around her, just below her breasts. “She’s not available for general use, but I won’t be selfish with her.”

The men chuckled, and Anna sighed internally. She wouldn’t be used like the other girls.

Devin brushed her nipple with his thumb and a jolt of electricity shot down her body to her clit, making her inhale sharply. His hard cock pressed against the small of her back. “That is all. Continue as you were.”

He sat down in his chair and pulled Anna onto his lap, kissing her hard. His tongue forcefully entered her mouth, swirling and dancing around hers. “I’ve missed you these last couple of days.”

Anna smiled, her heart leaping. “You just saw me on Wednesday.”

He gave a small shrug. “Felt longer.” He pulled down the top of her dress, exposing her breasts, and pinched her nipples between his knuckles.

She gasped at the twisted pleasure running through her body.

“You like that?”

Her mind whirled at the sensation and couldn’t get any words out.

He pinched her nipples harder, and she whimpered. “Answer me.”

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