Page 66 of The Life of Anna-Tenth Anniversary Edition: Act 1

Devin continued speaking at the front of the platform. A strange noise caught her attention behind her, but she couldn’t move enough to see what it was. It sounded like a... goat? She shook her head. Why would there be a goat in the Great Hall?

Turning back to her, Devin ran his hand over her cheek. “I love you, Baby.” He trailed his finger down in between her breasts, leaning in to take her unpierced nipple into his mouth.

Anna gasped with pleasure and thrust her chest up, wanting more. He obliged and brought his hand around to caress her tender right breast. Heat flooded her body as he bit her nipple hard, but she wanted more of his touch. He squeezed the freshly pierced nipple in between his hard knuckles and she gasped in pain. Give him my pain...

Devin nuzzled her neck. “Are you ready to become completely mine, Baby?”

Anna nodded without thinking. Her thoughts were blurred and disconnected. He trailed his fingers down her ribs and stomach to her swollen pussy. She squirmed as he caressed the outer lips and then gasped as he brushed her clit. He moved his finger down and pressed forward. A sharp pain exploded in her body and she inhaled sharply.

He nodded. “Remember, I love you, no matter what you feel.” He waited for her to nod and then walked away.

The pain had cleared her mind for a moment, and she remembered why the stinging felt familiar. He’d used it when he punished her for her suicide attempt. Oh, God, no! Please not that!

He had used a cream to tighten her vaginal muscles, to where even inserting a small finger was like shoving a rough baseball bat inside her. More painful than when he’d taken her virginity. The cream kept her muscles artificially tight, not relaxing until it wore off hours later.

He loves me . . . He loves me . . . Devin loves me . . .

She bit her lip and stared up at the ceiling. Pain was part of the ceremony. She had been trained to endure lots of pain.

Her brain went fuzzy again and she closed her eyes and trembled, but she couldn’t remember what she was afraid of.

Suddenly, the overhead lights went out. Only the fire at the back of the platform gave light to the room. A strange sound reached Anna’s ears. Almost singing, but not quite. Her mind began to clear. Devin was chanting in that unknown language.

The goat bleated and abruptly stopped, and a dull thud echoed, followed by silence. Devin, Master Jack wearing a blue robe, Alex, and an unknown man in a green robe approached and surrounded the table. Devin stood at her feet. Master Jack was to her right, Alex to her left, and the unknown man at her head. Ian stood a few feet behind Devin. She jerked her gaze from man to man. What was going on? Why did Master Jack look so pleased? Why did Alex look so concerned?

Anna took a deep breath, trying to stop shaking as Ian held out a black stone bowl to Devin. She watched as he accepted the bowl and looked at the contents for a moment before lifting his gaze to Anna. His dark eyes flickered gold in the firelight. Unable to tear eyes away, Anna stared back. She squinted, trying to concentrate enough to read him, but anytime she got close to being able to do so, something flicked at her mind and her thoughts ran away.

He lifted the bowl above his head, murmured something, and then lowered it and tipped it back to drink. When he finished, he passed it to Master Jack, who smirked at her before drinking. He grimaced and passed it to the unknown man. The unknown man drank and then passed the bowl to Alex. Alex tensed as he took the bowl and looked between Anna and the bowl, his eyes wide. He hesitated, then closed his eyes and drank.

Determination filling his face, Alex lowered the bowl toward Anna. The unknown man lifted her head off the table and Alex put the bowl to her lips. A thick, dark liquid sloshed to the edges.

“Drink,” Alex said in a gentle voice.

Anna gave a tiny shake of her head and Alex nodded, his eyes full of sadness and sympathy. “Open,” he said in a low but gentle voice.

Anna opened her mouth and Alex poured a thick, warm, metallic-tasting liquid into her mouth. She tried to swallow and gagged. What was that? Red drops splattered on her breasts and she shuddered at what she thought she’d just done. A gentle hand brushed her left temple.

Just a little while longer and I’ll be completely Devin’s. I won’t have to worry about anything...

Devin smiled at her, and she sighed. “Are you ready, my love?”

She melted at his loving gaze and nodded.

He nodded and chanted again. He held the bowl above his head and then lowered it to take another drink. Anna tensed, terrified she’d have to drink again, but he handed the bowl to Ian, who set it on a table behind him.

As he chanted, Devin stroked her legs. Warmth spread at his touch and Anna felt as if she were floating again. She wanted to close her eyes, but couldn’t. The other men stepped back and Devin made his way around the table, chanting and skimming his hands all over her body. He returned to her head and gently placed his fingers on either temple, still chanting.

Anna smiled and looked up at Devin, and all the warmth left her body. She gasped as she stared into his cold black eyes full of animalistic hunger. Desire radiated from him, but it was not the gentle desire she’d felt from him the last few weeks. This was raw and angry and terrible. He wanted to consume her, to take her and leave nothing left but the empty shell of her body. He would fill her with himself and consume the world.

She shook her head and struggled against the chains that bound her to the stone table. No! No, I don’t want this. I want to be free!

She tried to tear her eyes away, but he held her head fast. His gaze locked on hers wouldn’t let her close her eyes. Struggling against the restraints, she could feel his tight hold on her mind growing stronger. She screamed a horrible scream... inside her own head. No sound would come out of her mouth. Devin smirked, as if he could hear her internal panic.

She pulled with all her might against the unyielding restraints, but the cold unyielding metal only bit into her wrists and ankles. He flashed a wicked smile and lifted her head from the stone table. A sharp pain filled her head and her mind drifted out of her body. He grabbed hold of it, wrenching it from her will. She stiffened and let out a loud breath. Her body convulsed uncontrollably as Devin made his way back to the foot of the table, his fingers delicately tracing down her body, down to her legs.

Her heart pounded so fast and so hard, she was certain it would explode. Devin stood at the end of the table and nodded to Ian, who loosened the chains at her wrists. Devin pulled her down so her hips were at the edge of the table.

No! Devin’s not safe! Devin will hurt me! I don’t want this! She shook her head, yanking against the restraints once more, willing her voice to work so she could scream.

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