Page 365 of The Life of Anna-Tenth Anniversary Edition: Act 2

A chill ran down Alex’s spine as Anna’s scream turned into a shriek of rage. She fell to her knees, leaned back, and screamed again. Her entire body shook. The entire assembly turned to look at her.

Slowly, she stood, her emerald gaze fixed firmly on Devin. Her hair hung loose around her pale face. Her pupils were disappearing and her eyes began to glow.

Devin turned to look at her and his eyes widened in terror. “Oh, shit,” he whispered and backed away from her. She tilted her head and stepped forward with slow, silent steps. He whimpered and backed away even more, but his feet caught in his robes and he fell on his ass at Alex’s feet.

Alex bit back a smile at Devin’s girlish scream. He knew he couldn’t let Anna kill him, but he was truly enjoying Devin’s terror.

Devin looked up at Alex. “Help me. Please... She’ll kill me.”

“I will show you as much mercy as you’ve shown her.”

Alex actually saw tears in Devin’s eyes as Anna stopped in front of him and looked down, her expression a mix of curiosity and ice-cold rage.

Devin shook his head and pointed a finger at her. “Anna, stop!”

A wicked smile spread across her face. She slowly lowered herself to her knees and reached out, as if to gently smooth his hair away from his face. She placed a pale hand on his sweaty forehead and closed her eyes.

Devin gasped. His arms and legs shook like gelatin. Then he began to scream. He arched his back as if in terrible pain. Anna removed her hand and watched him, unblinking, as he convulsed and screamed, a faint smile on her face.

“You must stop her, Alex.”

Alex turned around to see Sebastian standing behind him. “She will kill him and you can’t allow that to happen. Killing him will break her.”

Alex frowned, but he knew Sebastian was right.

After Devin let out a particularly blood-curdling scream, Alex stepped around Devin and stood over Anna.

“Anna,” he said in a firm tone.

She ignored him.

“Anna, release him.”

She smiled as Devin screamed again.

He sucked in a deep breath. “An-na!” His voice echoed off the walls and ceiling of the room.

Anna closed her eyes for a moment, but when they opened, she was looking up at him, though her eyes were the same cold emerald.

“Release him.”

She glared at him.

“Now!”

She growled, but Devin stopped thrashing about and was still except for his heaving chest.

“Thank you,” he said softly, with a smile.

He stepped closer and she narrowed her eyes at him and tensed, as if to lunge at him.

He stared intently into her eyes. “Back away from Devin.”

She shook her head, trying to break eye contact, but couldn’t. “Back away from Devin,” he commanded again, intensifying his stare.

She didn’t move.

He continued staring at her, but neither backed down nor blinked. Suddenly, she lunged at him and he caught her wrists, holding them firmly. Damn, she was strong. His arm muscles strained to keep her hands and fingernails at a distance. She bared her teeth at him and growled.

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