Anastasia Romanov

by Svetlana Ivanova

  Anastasia's striking feature was pale and devoid of emotions. Her crimson lips looked parched and drier than ever. Gradually, she began to move, which caused the hunters to stir again. There was this slight feverish look in her eyes that I knew all too well what it was—the predatory hunger, something I should direct all my hatred towards. The young princess stepped out of the sledge ever so slowly—her movement was like a lioness, though wounded and starved.

  Then the same slender girl came running towards her before we could do anything. Malena signaled to the hunters to stand back. Everyone held their breath, witnessing the interaction between the two. I bet all of us expected the poor human girl to be bitten by the bloodthirsty beauty, but nothing happened.

  I remembered the girl's name was Lyra. She must be Anastasia's lover or human mistress. Lyra looked overly concerned as she wrapped her arms around Anastasia's hunching torso and propped her up gently. Anastasia let out a dry cough and winced a little.

  "Are you alright?" Lyra whispered softly and earned a slight nod from the princess. And just like that, a tiny hint of jealousy seemed to manifest itself right inside my chest.

  I frowned at this unexpected reaction.

  "Everyone move!" one of the hunters shouted and the rest parted and backed away.

  Arkady came forward and stopped a few steps away from the blonde princess.

  "We trust you not to abuse your freedom here or you will be granted no more," he said solemnly. "The general wishes to speak to you. Now, follow me."

  Anastasia didn't say anything. Ark stepped aside and opened his arm for her to step forward. After a minute passed, she began to walk again.

  As she went past us, my eyes traced over that perfectly sculpted face, noticing her beautiful and arched eyebrows knitted as she took in the surrounding. Her full plump lips pressed together as if in pain. The taste of our heated kiss was still fresh in my mind. Without meaning to, I felt the urge to unwind that grim look and ease that anxious face with my touch. But I knew if I dared to go near her, she would probably rip me apart for what I had done to her. I must not be attached to this fierce and dangerous monster, no matter how much she had once made my heart skip and flutter out of control.

  So wrapped up in my thoughts that I didn't notice my sister was approaching me and gripping my elbow to get my attention. She didn't look at me as we started to walk.

  "What is it between you and her?" she asked quietly.

  "What do you mean?" I said.

  "You know in what esteem they all hold you," she said. "We would not get this far without years of devotion to the Brother and Sisterhoods. I won't let you ruin it because of that royal fling of yours."

  I brushed her hand off roughly and turned my face away from her accusing glare. I tried to ignore her accusation, which came at such an unreasonable time.

  Silence pervaded us once again as we walked behind the others. The grand oak doors of the citadel loomed over at the other end. The shadow of the evening was already gathering and some of the women were beginning to light torches and candles to dispel the gloom.

  The doors groaned open, revealing a large hall. A figure of a man standing by the fireplace. He was dwarfed by the giant caryatid of a female goddess that flanked the chimney.

  The hall was too familiar to me. There hung a large red flag with a symbol of a black phoenix on the wall. The long massive table with high straight-backed chairs made of polished wood set in the center of the enormous room.

  Arkady waved the hunters away and turned to Anastasia.

  "Your human companion can stay outside," he said. "We will take care of her."

  "No," she said in a voice still clear and powerful. "She's with me."

  Her glowing golden eyes stared until Ark let out a low sigh and waved his guards away. Then he nodded for the princess to enter.

  We followed behind and came to stand around the table, not knowing what this mysterious meeting was about.

  "Take a seat," the General spoke with his back still turned towards us. "I have been waiting for you."

  Two hunters pulled a chair over and placed it for Anastasia. Lyra inched her gently towards it, and the princess finally occupied the seat offered to her. Her glowing golden eyes never stopped staring at the man curiously.

  "Why?" Anastasia asked—a one-word question that cut to the chase. The dark-suited man chuckled to himself, stirring the wine glass in his hand.

  "Anastasia, Anastasia," he mused. "Do you know what your name means?"

  She furrowed her elegantly arched eyebrows as the man before her went on, "That name of yours, my dear, is of Greek origin, it means ‘the breaker of chains'. In honor of your birth, your father had pardoned and reinstated people who were imprisoned for rebellions. Such a sweet memory I recalled."

  "Who are you?" the princess asked.

  Then the man finally turned around. His deep lines of thought etched onto his forehead. He looked directly at the Grand Duchess at last, and Anastasia's golden eyes widened. I could see the clench of her jaw as confusion marred her face.

  "Leon Trotsky?" she spoke in surprise.

  "Indeed, I am," he said. "The first general of the Red Army and leader of the Bolsheviks back in the day."

  "How...how are you still alive?"

  "Same way you are alive, I guess?" He laughed. But Anastasia did not.

  "Why didn't you let them kill me already?" she said.

  "Because we both have something in common," he said and walked towards the table to sit down and face her. "For years, my idea has never changed. Ideas, that entered the mind under the heat of desire, remain there securely and forever. Even though I used to be a Soviet politician, we both want the same thing—to free Russia."

  "From what?"

  "Your oppression," he said.

  Golden eyes flashed in rage, but the statement Trotsky had made was irrefutable.

  "Don't you think it's an absurd idea?"

  "I know you might not understand it now, but soon you will," the General leaned back into his chair and continued in a low voice. "Deep down, you care about the humans."

  He pointed to Lyra as an example.

  "No, I don't," Anastasia muttered.

  "You can't lie to yourself, my dear." Trotsky smiled knowingly. "Our spy had reported about you shutting down the Russian Sleep experiment without a second thought. I just knew then that you could be our future hope."

  "You want me to join your movement?” Anastasia said with a scoff.

  "You might not be interested in the strategy, but the strategy is interested in you," Trotsky said with a wink. "Come to think of it, Anastasia, this world doesn't belong to you or me anymore, and you know it. Why don't you help us restore what has been lost?"

  "General." Malena stepped forward. "How could we trust this monster? She's a vampire and a royal. We should kill her before they come looking for her."

  Anastasia turned to her with a leer.

  "For hating vampires, you sure have selective hatred. Don't you see your leader is a blood-sucker himself?"

  Malena stomped forward and drew her blade, but Trotsky raised his hand to stop her.

  "You're right about me," he said. "I died from Stalin's assassination, but my soul refused to let go of the quest I hadn't finished. I wanted nothing but the best for Russia and our people. And I believe, you can help us save the world from this never-ending darkness."

  "Why me?"

  "Because you are Anastasia Romanov, the breaker of chains."

  Chapter 15

  Alexandra

  I WAS BLINDFOLDED AND being led by Avery's gentle hand into the dining room.

  "No peeking," she warned, sounding excited for some reason. I smiled blindly as I followed her.

  "What are you hiding?" I asked, laughing at the amusing behavior of my lover. Then the delicious smell invaded my nose. Avery lowered me into a chair and started to remove my blindfold.

  "Can I open my eyes now?" I said after she moved away.

  "Yes, you
may open your eyes now," Avery said with a giggle and I did.

  I realized then that setting before me was an elegant banquet. Pink candles were lit in the silver candleholders in the middle of a long table. A basket of warm whole wheat bread and cinnamon buns were set besides a bottle of red wine. A white cream cake, cheese in slices, roast lamb and a pigeon pie along with assorted fruit were set beautifully on the silk-covered table.

  Then my gaze focused on a giant roasted bird in front of me.

  "You made Thanksgiving dinner?" I raised an eyebrow at Avery, who sat beside me to the right.

  "I traded three rabbits for this turkey yesterday," she said with a proud smile. "I just realized our neighbor raises turkeys, too."

  Avery had befriended an elderly couple, who lived on the other side of the island. They were self-sufficient humans who escaped the war and had been living here ever since. The couple seemed to be fond of her. She had this irresistible charm that made it hard for them not to let her in. And knowing how much she wanted to keep in touch with her humanity, she often visited them. Soon, they became our neighbors.

  "Why would you go through all the troubles with this Thanksgiving? We're not in America."

  Her face fell, and I mentally smacked myself for saying that.

  "It's not just a typical dinner, Alex," she said with a scolding look. "We celebrate it with family and friends. Besides, I wanted to try out my family recipe. I don't want to forget what the old world used to be like."

  I reached out and took her hand in mine then brought it to my lips.

  "I'm sorry, sweetheart," I said, planting kisses on the back of her hand apologetically. "It's just that where I came from, we had no Indians to thank, and I didn't pay any mind to this sort of things."

  Avery's beautiful smile returned slowly as I knew she could never stay mad at me.

  "Well then, you can be my Indian," she said and reached over to pinch my nose before getting up to grab the wine bottle.

  I watched her pour the drink into two glasses. Then she brought out a familiar metal pitcher. Her nose wrinkled as she poured a considerable amount of crimson liquid into both wine glasses.

  "Rabbit or squirrel?" I asked.

  "Rabbit," she said. I let out a sigh of relief. Avery just giggled at my reaction.

  "Don't be a spoiled baby," she said and handed me my glass before leaning in for a peck on my lips.

  "How could I not be? We can have all types of blood delivered to our doorstep anytime, yet last time you made me drink from a possum."

  Avery dagger stared at me, which made me sort of duck my head in retreat.

  "Are you going to complain or eat?"

  I quickly picked up my silverwares, and Avery fought to keep herself from smiling.

  She began to slice pieces of juicy turkey meat and put them on my plate. I gave her a grateful smile. The stuffing was well seasoned and juicy. We continued our dinner with contented smiles. Avery was a great cook — that was for sure.

  "I should take up cooking lessons from you," I said after taking a swig of my wine.

  "You? Cook?” Avery looked up from her plate at me.

  “Yes, why the surprised face?” I said.

  “But why all of a sudden? Am I not good enough for you?"

  "Oh come on, you're perfect." I reached out to pinch her cheek. "I just envy people with practical skills. My mother always made sure we learned something useful. I never picked up any. All of my sisters did, even Anastasia."

  At the mention of her name, Avery lowered her gaze from me.

  "You do have practical skills," she reminded me.

  "Like what?"

  She paused to think about it.

  "You can play piano," she said. I laughed.

  “That’s not practical skill, you know that!”

  "Well, and skills in a certain department, too," Avery added. Then a red blush colored her face. It brought a silly grin to my lips. I understood perfectly what she meant.

  The flickering candlelight brightened her glowing features even more. All those years, I was still impressed that she was always able to captivate me so effortlessly.

  Biting my bottom lip, I stared at her reddened face.

  “By the way, your turkey tastes like sex in my mouth," I said.

  "Eww..." Avery made a face.

  "What?"

  "Can't you find a better compliment?"

  "Well, actually I can..." I said, "but you have to come closer."

  Then I took her hand and coaxed her towards me. She got up from her chair to stand by my side. I wrapped my arms around her delicate waist and rested my head on her chest. I could hear her breathing.

  "Thank you for coming so unexpectedly into my life,” I said. “I should be the one to make this celebration happen for you—to thank you for sharing a place in your heart with me. Forever."

  Avery tipped my chin up to make me look at her. Her beautiful violet eyes shone with equal gratitude. She bent over and merged my lips with hers. My hand pulled her leg over my lap and made her straddle me on the chair. Avery wore only a comforting white blouse that hung loosely over her small elegant frame. Beneath it was a thin cotton panties, which she sometimes slept in, but which usually ended up on the floor the next morning.

  Our kiss deepened and became more frantic. Avery pressed her tummy against mine to get as close to me as possible. I held her hour-glass waist and roamed my hands all over her back.

  "Will you accept my thanks this way, too, baby?" I whispered, stroking her sides and went up slowly to feel her lovely breasts. Avery whimpered at my wandering hands.

  I unbuttoned her blouse and found that she was braless for the taking. Her body flushed with burning needs when I shredded her panties and tossed it away onto the floor.

  "Oh Alex...that’s my sixteenth pair of underwear this month!" she tried to protest.

  “So? Who say you need them anyway?” I grinned back, she gave me a look, but she was also panting and unable to say anything else. We both knew as well that I always got my ways with her. Avery bit her lips as my hand went in between her open thighs. She arched her body instinctively once I made contact with her lovely girl flesh.

  "Oh Alex..."

  "Hmm?" I said, still didn't take my eyes off her blushing little pink flower as my hand felt its way around it. She was already heated in readiness for me, and that made me smile in approval.

  "Be gentle with me, will you?" Avery purred pleadingly again.

  "I am," I whispered back and came up to lock lips with her. It wasn't because she was worried I would be too rough, but because I could be just plain mean during the foreplay, and sometimes I enjoyed making her beg.

  My hand kept molding and squeezing over her sweet paradise, causing Avery's face and body to grow hotter. I savored the excited wetness between her spread legs. Her hips slightly rolled against me.

  "How’s that, baby?" I cooed at her between kisses. Avery answered in gasps and soft whimpers. Then my head moved down to her arching breasts and gave attention to those lovely mounds and erect nipples.

  Avery sighed in contentment as I buried my face into her soft skin. She leaned herself into me for more of that care.

  Without breaking my lips from her hardened rosy buds, I shifted her weight gently and turned Avery a little sideways over my lap. She was still in a straddling position but with her side pressed into me. She draped her arm over my shoulders. The space between her legs allowed my hand to move with more liberty. Both of us looked down at her cold slickness coated my glistened fingers, which were running back and forth lazily over her swelling blossom. Avery made whimpering sounds. Her other hand was placed shakily on my pounding chest.

  She watched me enjoying her sex with heat rising in her eyes. Her sweet scented juice dripped onto my lap and the chair's surface beneath us.

  Avery's small frame began trembling in my arms. Her moans echoed louder from her throat. She bit her bottom lip and sighed. Her darken violet eyes stared in fascination at the sensu
al motion that took place within her hot soaked core.

  "Kiss me," I whispered into her ear, drawing her attention back to me, which she obediently did as she was told. With a look of pleasure, her lips found my mouth, asking me and begging me wordlessly to take her.

  "You want it now?" I coaxed softly in her gasping mouth. She quickly broke our kiss and nodded eagerly, looking at me with a desperate frown knitted over her forehead. Her lips flushed red from our kisses while the ones below swelled open with needs.

  I smiled.

  "If you want me, don't stop kissing me."

  Avery lunged herself back into me again. I chuckled into our locked lips. She encompassed her hands around my shoulders and neck, running her fingers through my long dark hair. I sucked on her dancing tongue and delicious mouth hungrily and greedily.

  "Alex, please...now, please!"

  Those words always melt away my resolves. It was a bounding spell that could make me do whatever she asked of me. And in that moment, I knew exactly what she wanted.

  "Alright," I told her softly.

  We locked eyes with one another as my long fingers lingered around her heated pearl for a few more seconds before I slid them easily through her smooth slippery folds.

  Avery let out a long sigh and closed her eyes, devouring the blissful sensation.

  It was the best feeling. The moment I entered her.

  Avery's hands gripped onto my shirt tightly as I continued slithering my way deeper into her warm silken depth. Once I went as far as I could, her walls rippled against my juice-drenched fingers alarmingly.

  "Oh my goodness...Alex...I’m..." she moaned.

  "You’re coming already?" I asked. Avery leaned in to press her face into my shoulder. Her breathing quickened. Her heart pounded loudly and rapidly. Then she convulsed. I rubbed her back with my free hand to soothe the intensity and felt her heavily dripping cave relaxed again.

  "Oh Alex, you made me come just by going in..." she panted against my shoulder.

  "Oops, sorry, sweetheart," I giggled which caused her to giggle too, but then she seethed through her teeth as her hips shivered from another wave of pleasure.