Page 353 of The Life of Anna-Tenth Anniversary Edition: Act 2

“What would do this?” Seth crouched down, looking closely at the damaged wall of his room. “It’s not an explosion.”

Alex looked around. Seth was right. There were no signs of fire or anything that would normally accompany a scene like this.

Alex’s breath left his lungs when he saw dance bags in the far corner. He stared as he walked over and kneeled, running his hands over the rough canvas, one pink, the other red. Aaron and Anna’s bags. Why had they come into this room? Anna’s phone showed his missed calls, as did Aaron’s. He searched through their call histories and saw an unknown number had called Aaron repeatedly Thursday afternoon. He tossed it to Greg. “See if you can find out who called Aaron.”

Greg nodded and walked away. Alex looked around and saw a slash in the wall and on the bed. “Fire?”

If Anna had been here, and Sebastian had disappeared, the logical conclusion was that Sebastian had come here to protect her. But why would Sebastian have left and allowed her to be captured? He wouldn’t have left Anna unprotected unless there had been another threat beside Devin. Who could that have been?

He would have to wait until Aaron woke up.

Anna lay in Devin’s Boston hotel suite bed Friday afternoon, listening to him and Tom talk softly in the other room. Rylan’s funeral had taken place late morning, and Oscar had been killed as the funeral attendees dispersed from the graveyard. At least, that’s what she assumed from overhearing Devin and Tom’s conversation. She hadn’t attended the funeral, unable to move enough to leave the hotel room. She was thankful Devin was more interested in taking her essence than punishing her. If Devin had brought his syringe, he certainly would have used it on her.

The Brotherhood Funeral Gathering had been moved to Sunday after Oscar’s “unexpected” funeral in the morning, since everyone was already in town.

Devin had been nervous all afternoon, pacing in the sitting room, but he’d left her alone. She was beginning to regain feeling in her body and turned onto her side and closed her eyes, wishing with everything she was that Alex would come through the door and rescue her. Oscar was dead now. Surely he could come and get her without Devin finding out... right?

Just a few more days. Alex will come soon.

Friday night after dinner, Cameron finally called Alex to let him know Aaron was awake. Alex, Tony, Seth, and Greg immediately headed over to the hospital.

Aaron gave him a weak smile as Alex walked in, and Alex’s heart squeezed to see the pain in his friend’s eyes. He was relieved that the breathing tube had been removed from his mouth, though. “Aaron...” Cameron moved so Alex could sit down. “How are you feeling?”

“Oh, been better,” came Aaron’s raspy voice. “You?”

Alex pressed his lips together, unsure he’d be able to speak over the lump in his throat. “Who—‍” He cleared his throat. “Who did this?”

“Devin. Had no idea that guy was so strong.”

Alex’s jaw clenched and he heard the guys behind him muttering. “Why?”

“He thinks I had something to do with Anna’s disappearance.” He coughed and Cameron hurried to his side to give him a drink of water through a straw. Aaron smiled at his boyfriend and then looked back at Alex. “Wasn’t wrong. Tom saved my life, but Devin got away with Anna. There wasn’t anything else we could do.”

“Had you seen Sebastian?”

Aaron nodded. “Kelsey called and told me to take Anna to the condo. Sebastian showed up a few minutes later. Then some big guy appeared—looked like another Immortal. Anna seemed to know who he was. She screamed when he showed up. He and Sebastian started fighting with these fire sword things that just... appeared in their hands.” He glanced behind Alex. “They blasted out your wall, Seth.”

The destruction made more sense now. But who was the other Immortal? If Anna knew him... Kaveh, maybe?

“There was a bunch of crashing and stuff in the hallway, and then nothing. They’d disappeared.”

So why hadn’t Sebastian returned? He really could use the Immortal’s help right now. Alex sucked in a deep breath and slowly blew it out. What a mess. He couldn’t have not gone to Boston though. He had to complete the job and get rid of Oscar.

He ran his hands through his hair and chewed his lip. Was there something he could have done to prevent all this? Oh, his poor Anna. He wished he could call Vati and make sure she was alright. Did he even know what was going on? Had he seen her?

With several coughing fits and sips of water, Aaron told him about Anna feeling Devin at the theater and going back to the condo. About Devin’s appearance and how Devin hit and kicked him until Tom had managed to stop him. “She told me to tell you she loved you before he came.”

Alex nodded and blinked back burning tears. There was nothing he could do at that moment, and he felt incredibly helpless. He couldn’t help Aaron, he couldn’t go get Anna. He needed to talk to his father to find out what was going on. Or Tom, or Vlad. Someone! Why hadn’t anyone called him?

Alex squeezed Aaron’s hand gently. “Thank you for doing what you could.”

“I hardly did anything. Oh, her wedding rings are under the couch in the living room. I thought if Devin saw them, he might get suspicious.”

“Good thinking.” Grief filled him as he looked into his best friend’s bruised face. “I will make him pay for this, Aaron. I promise.”

Aaron’s eyes drooped, and he gave a lopsided smile. “I know. Hope I get to watch.”

“If it is humanly possible, I will make sure you’re there.”

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