Page 157 of The Life of Anna-Tenth Anniversary Edition: Act 2

Oh, the pain was excruciating! Only the feel of Devin’s mouth on her kept her from screaming. This was for him. He needed her baby and she wanted to give it to him.

The pain grew along with the pleasure. She opened her eyes and met Devin’s. He nodded his head at her and she closed her eyes and released everything to him. Her orgasm. Her pain. Her child.

“Yes, Anna . . .”

A few moments later, the pain dissipated and Anna opened her eyes to see Devin holding a bloody mass in his hands. He dropped it into the bowl on the brazier, as he did each year. She could hardly keep her eyes open and felt herself fading away. Everything she had, she’d given to the child that Devin had taken from her.

Anna’s eyes fluttered closed and the world spun again. She felt mouths on her pussy again, licking and sucking on her until she writhed in pain. There was no pleasure in this touch. She tried to open her eyes, but they seemed glued shut. She had no idea what was going on. The little essence that was left was taken, and she lay limp in Kaveh’s arms, hoping he wouldn’t let go.

Someone picked her up and carried her for a moment before placing her on another hard surface. They forcefully pried open her jaw and inserted something hard between her lips. Kaveh. She knew his taste. She eagerly sucked at him as he rubbed the back of her head.

“Devin wants you healed, but you do not have to participate in the orgy tonight,” Kaveh said after she felt herself again.

Anna opened her mouth to ask a question when a blood-curdling scream from the platform made her freeze. She turned and saw a teenage girl tied between two pillars, naked. Devin was in front of her, holding a dagger with a long, thin blade and jeweled handle. The girl struggled against her bonds as Devin dragged the blade against her belly, leaving a red streak behind.

Anna watched in horrified fascination as Devin drew the dagger across her body in strange patterns. It must have been very sharp because he wasn’t pressing very hard and blood came quickly after his movements. The girl kept screaming, but she could hardly hear it over the men’s shouts and cheers.

Anna looked away and stared at the grass beneath her knees, nauseous. She swallowed hard, determined to keep her stomach contents in place. Devin would be upset if she distracted the men from his ritual.

The girl’s screams continued, some higher and louder than others. Finally, a last scream was cut short by a gurgling sound and Anna looked up without thinking. The girl’s head hung backward, blood streaming from a gash across her neck. Blood flowed freely from her nipples, below her breasts, and down her inner thighs. Devin bent to suck on a bloody nipple and then invited several of the men to come up and “partake of the sacrifice,” including the president.

Anna tore her gaze away, swallowing hard to keep from throwing up. Devin’s eyes were wild as he watched the men approach the platform. Then his gaze turned to Anna and they turned fierce. His eyes were more gold than black now and the warmth that had been there earlier was completely gone. Anna looked away and blinked back tears. Foolish girl!

When the other men returned to their places, the president remained on the platform. He kneeled before Devin and took Devin’s cock into his mouth. Devin put his hands on the man’s head and leaned his head back in ecstasy. The man’s neck bulged as Devin shoved his cock all the way down his throat. After several more thrusts, Devin leaned his head back and let out a primal scream. He held the man’s lips against his hips and pumped hard into his mouth. The orgasm seemed to last forever, and the man looked up at Devin with dazed adoration.

Devin made some sort of declaration and all the men bowed to him as he held his hands up in the air and smiled in triumph. “Now go and celebrate,” he announced. The women made their way into the crowd and the orgy began.

Anna stared at the ground, completely aware of how Devin had used her to gain his power. He’d lied to her, manipulated her, all so she would willingly give him what he wanted. Her stomach twisted once more, but not from anything that was happening in the grassy field. No, she’d been used—she’d allowed herself to be used—by Devin. Again. Nothing he’d said to her was true. She was his tool to be used and disposed of as he willed.

So it had been for years and so it would continue. Nothing would ever change. Alex was gone and there was no one to fight for her. No one could. Devin was too powerful. All because of her.

Ian appeared at her side. “Anna, come. I will take you where you can sleep peacefully tonight.”

Anna looked up at Kaveh, who smiled and nodded. “Rest, Daughter. You did well.”

Anna’s legs shook as she followed Ian along the outskirts of the crowd to the opposite side of the field from hers and Devin’s pavilion. The shouts as cries from the orgy faded the further they walked until the sound was just a dull buzz.

He pulled open the front curtain of a small pavilion at the furthest corner of the Gathering site and let her pass through first. The curtain dropped back into place and Anna jumped as two men stepped out of the dark corner.

Travis and Tommy.

“Wh-what are you doing here?” She backed away until she ran into Ian.

Tommy held out a bundle of dark cloth. “There’s not much time. Put these on.”

Anna frowned and took the bundle. “What are you talking about?”

He gave her a tender smile. “Please, Anna. It’ll be explained later. Do you trust me?”

“Of course.” She had a feeling that before the night’s ritual, her answer to that question would have been very different. But now...

Anna pulled off her gown and dressed in the dark blue jeans and a black long-sleeved t-shirt. Travis handed her a pair of socks and black boots. She sat to pull on the socks. “I still don’t understand what’s going on.”

“You’re leaving,” Ian said from behind her.

“Here, get her jewelry off,” Travis said. “I’ll do her boots.” Travis kneeled and tied her boots as Ian stepped closer.

“What do you mean, leaving?” Anna looked up into Ian’s hazel eyes. “I can’t leave . . . I don’t . . . want to . . . leave . . .” She frowned. Did she really mean that?

---