The Life of Anna, Part 3: Embraced by Marissa Honeycutt Page A

“I’d
like that.”
    “Good.” Katherine’s voice cracked. “Now, you
should probably go rest for your performance tonight.”
    Anna looked at her with the question in her
eyes. “Is it wrong for me to dance?”
    Katherine smiled sadly and shook her head.
“We all mourn in different ways. Matt said you were a very talented
dancer and that Ben was enthralled with you.”
    “It helps the pain go away,” Anna whispered.
“If only for a few minutes.”
    “Then you should dance,” she said gently. “I
don’t think badly of you for doing so.”
    Anna nodded. “Did you…I mean, would you like
to come while you’re in town? I’m sure I could ask Isaak to see if
there’s some tickets available.”
    Katherine smiled. “That would be nice. To see
what Ben saw on his last night.”
    “I’ll speak with Isaak tonight.”
    “Don’t feel bad if you can’t. But I would
like to see it. Perhaps a few minutes of pain relief for the rest
of us?”
    Anna smiled sadly and turned and walked
away.
    When she got back to her bedroom, she closed
the door and looked at the ring sitting in its gray velvet. She
took it out and put it on her left finger. It fit perfectly. It was
so much simpler than the ring Devin had given her. Anna loved it,
because it was from Ben. She would wear it. In honor of Ben. And
perhaps to spite Devin. Right now she didn’t care what Devin
thought and ignored the warning bells that went off in her head at
that dangerous frame of mind.

Chapter Fifteen
    Anna and Jenna went back to the theater early
that afternoon to get ready. Anna sat on the floor of her dressing
room and worked her pointe shoes until they were soft enough to
dance in. She sewed the ribbons on and put them on to test them.
When she was done, she tossed them aside and lay down on the floor
with her feet on the couch, staring at the ceiling and playing with
her engagement ring.
    A knock made her jump.
    “Anna?” It was Travis.
    “Come in,” she said without emotion.
    Travis entered and closed the door behind
him. “Hey, how ya doing?” he asked in a gentle voice.
    Anna glanced at him. “I’ve had better
days.”
    “I can imagine.”
    Anna laughed bitterly. “I can actually say
that now…I’ve had better days.” She sighed. “I think it was easier
when I wasn’t able to say that.”
    “It’ll will get better again, Anna.” Travis
sat on the couch and rubbed her legs. “It seems like it will never
be good again, but life will get better again.”
    Anna snorted. “Right. You don’t have to deal
with Devin.”
    “That’s true…but there will be other guys to
fall in love with.”
    Anna shook her head. “No. There can’t be.
Devin would just kill them too.”
    “Why do you say that?”
    Anna looked down at her feet. “Devin killed
Ben because he was a distraction. Because I admitted that I’d
rather be with him than Devin. Devin won’t allow distractions.” She
sighed. “The whole point of falling in love is because you want to
be with them. I can’t do that again.”
    “I’m sorry, Anna. I really am. What Devin
did…it’s unforgivable.”
    They were quiet for a few minutes. Anna was
lost in her thoughts of Ben. The pain was unbearable and she wanted
to carve her heart out with a knife. Tears began to roll down her
cheeks and Travis sat down next to her and hugged her to his chest.
The stream of tears became a torrent and Travis rocked her and
kissed her head.
    “Can half-Immortals die?” she asked in a
cracked voice. Maybe death would take away the ache in her
heart.
    Travis was quiet for a moment. “I don’t
know,” he said finally. “I know Immortals can’t. I don’t know about
you.” He pulled away and cupped her chin. “I would be very sad if
you died, Anna. And so would a lot of other people.”
    She frowned and then leaned her head back on
his chest. “After Ben was…gone, Devin had me taken up to his room
and he had sex with me. He made me feel when I didn’t want to feel.
And then he