Page 59 of The Life of Anna-Tenth Anniversary Edition: Act 2

“What were you dreaming of?” Vlad demanded.

Anna couldn’t move. She just stared up at him.

“What were you?—‍”

Peter put his hand on his uncle’s arm. “Don’t scare her. It won’t do any good.” Peter sat next to her. “Gentle touch is more effective.” He brushed her hair back from her face. “Were you dreaming of Alex?”

Anna nodded.

“Have you dreamed of him before?”

“Lots of times. But before I met him, they were real. Now they’re just dreams.”

Peter frowned and mouthed her words silently to himself.

Vlad tilted his head. “You... dreamed of him before you met him?”

Anna nodded.

“Why do you say they were real?”

“Because Alex told me he saw me. That I was really there.” She sighed. “But now they’re not real.”

“Tell me what you saw.”

Anna told him about the room that Alex was always in and how he looked different from when he’d been was alive.

She looked up at Vlad and gasped. “I dreamed of you!” She stared at him, her whole body shaking. “No! It couldn’t be... No, why would I...” She rubbed her eyes and shook her head. “I don’t understand.” Her heart raced, and she looked wildly around the room, trying to understand what was going on. Why had she dreamed of Vlad?

Vlad mumbled something in Russian, then pulled out his phone and spoke in Russian to someone. Maybe it was just the language, but he sounded irritated. He put the phone down a minute later.

“Anna. Anna, shh.” Vlad put his hand on her forehead and spoke calm, soothing words she didn’t understand, but did indeed calm her. “Shh. Go back to sleep.”

Anna tried to protest, but her eyes grew heavy and she drifted off again.

The rest of the weekend was uneventful and enjoyable. Vlad left Anna alone, though she felt him watching her a lot. Peter took her to a boutique in downtown Laguna Beach where she bought a few things to let Wilhelm know where she was. She remembered her dream about Alex, but didn’t remember waking to find Peter and Vlad looking at her.

Chapter 32

Russian winters were dark, icy, and boring, especially when imprisonment limited activities to what Alex could create in his mind. But Anna’s last visit had energized him for days. Her presence had been so tangible, her emotions palpable. He’d chosen to wait before he unpacked her unsettling revelations about Devin. Such depressing news would keep until after the thrill of her words wore off—she loved him and missed him!

He was still basking in the memories when Vlad invited him to his office after dinner a few days later.

“Tell me about Anna,” Vlad said in Russian

“Anna? Why?” He studied Vlad’s face, wondering what was going on. He’d never asked him anything before. He was always more content to tell him things to upset him.

“Because I’m curious.”

Alex chewed his lip. “What do you want to know?”

Vlad leaned back in his chair. “You’ve met the other Elder-Mistresses, yes?”

Alex nodded.

“Is she like them?”

Alex chuckled. “No. Not at all.”

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