Adonis drove up to the green house. There was no one on guard and the house was empty. Suddenly, it was night.
Anna entered the house and hugged herself. It was cold inside.
She turned to Adonis, who was staring at her with a dark look on his face.
"Do whatever you have to do, Adonis. I can't wait to see Jenna free."
In a second he was standing in front of her and running his fingers slowly down her arms.
"I've dreamed of this day, Anna."
"Please, Adonis. I don't want to talk to you!" She said impatiently. What did he want? A romance?
He grabbed her by the buttocks and made her lie on the table, lifted up her dress and then ripped off her panties.
Anna closed her eyes, but soon felt his hand squeezing her chin and opened her eyes again.
"I want you to look at what's going to come inside you, Anna. Alfa and his husband don't have half the power that I have and I want you to know what it's like to have a real, vigorous man. I'm going to stick my penis in you until daybreak!"
Anna looked at the monstrous size of his penis and knew it wasn't normal. She tried to get away, but he held her tight. Anna screamed, but then remembered that she was in the green house and that no one would ever hear her screams there. She struggled with him until she heard a voice known for its coldness.
"I don't think she wants to."
"Boss?" Adonis' surprised voice and the removal of his hands from her body made Anna turn to Adam.
He had his hands in his pockets, looking at her sharply.
"Boss... That bitch wanted to see my penis. She talked to my girlfriend, and Emanuelle told her about how I was in bed and..."
A gunshot sounded and Anna looked to Adam's side. Maxwell! He was holding the gun and pointing it at her.
Anna cried out.
"Max... I can explain..." She said, getting up and looking at Adonis' limp body, without feeling a thing, and then turning to her brothers. Max stared at her in the same way as Adam. With icy eyes.
"So, explain, Anna. We're anxious to know what you intended." Anna looked back. Ryan was there too, and his clothes were all dirty with blood.
Anna turned to the brothers. They were identical. Adam, Maxwell and Ryan, with small discrepancies in appearance, imperceptible if they weren't together. Why had she never noticed this before? She closed her eyes, understanding what was happening, but not knowing what she was learning.
"I did, Max." She asked resignedly.
"She figured it out, Adam."
Ryan's voice echoed, but he didn't open his mouth.
"Then I'm done with it once and for all." Adam said and she heard his footsteps moving away, before hearing the gunshot.
She felt cozy. She saw a woman with flowing silver hair and eyes with flashes of purple that blinked endlessly, alternating between purple and white. She was floating in the mist, a meter above the ground.
Anna frowned.
"What... Who are you? Why do I feel protected by your presence?"
"I'm the first Bruma. I always appear to my descendants. We are the same person. I live in you, through magic."
"What was all that about? What was the meaning of that nightmare?"
"It was a warning to you to change your ways, Anna. What will happen to you, if you continue to make bad choices, is something that has never happened to the Brumas before, and... It could change a tradition from when we came into existence."
"What are you talking about?"
"You'll put your daughter at risk if you don't change your mind, Anna. Sometimes evil masquerades as good. Love your real husband. Make the right choice."
Anna looked at her.
"Who is my real husband?" She didn't really know.
Bruma just pointed a finger at her own heart, and then disappeared.
Anna opened her eyes. She was dreaming. No. She was having a nightmare. And she was relieved to wake up. Her worry about Jenna was feeding the darkness inside her. But Anna didn't realize it.
...
Anna was sitting in an armchair in her room when Ian came storming into her room and ran to hug her, saying he missed her.
Adam appeared next and leaned against the doorframe, his hands in his trouser pockets, watching them in silence.
"I missed you too, my son... Where did you go?"
"I told Uncle Adam about the sandal that blinks, and we went to buy it..." He said cheerfully, but when he saw the remnant of hurt in his mother's eyes, he amended it with shame. "He said that you might arrive very tired, and so as not to give you any more work, I agreed... Don't be sad, Mom."
"I'm not sad... I'm just a bit tired, but even so, I would have found the energy to go with you..." She said, and glared at Adam, before turning back to Ian. "But we can go and deliver it to Lory together."
"Oh, Mom! We've already been to their house and delivered it. Uncle Adam bought a pink baby car for the sister of the boy who died. They were very happy with the presents. The girl's mother even cried... She asked for you."
Anna couldn't help but notice Adam's ploy to keep her cooped up at home. But she wouldn't let him get to her, and consequently use Ian to vent his frustrations.
"Another time we'll go together to visit them. Right now, the mourning is too fresh for us to disturb them all the time with unexpected visits."
"That's fine..." Ian said and walked away. "Mycon's in the pool. He's asked me to play ball with him while we swim... Can I, Mom? I really want to. I've never done that before in my life."
"Don't be a blackmailer Ian! You're only four!" Anna wanted to sound authoritative, but ended up smiling when she saw Ian's annoyed expression. "That's fine. Yes, you can, my son."
Ian didn't wait for another word and ran off. Anna imagined that he must have been afraid that she would change her mind, or that he was just anxious to burn off some energy. There in the mansion, without his brothers, he was leading a very idle life. Anna then stared at Adam, who was still at the door, watching her, ready to wage war.