They settled into the ‘bedroom’ a few minutes later. The bunks were already made and ready for sleeping. There was an additional chair in the small room, a bathroom with a tiny shower, a closet and a fold down table. There was also a large picture window that Anna couldn’t wait to look out in the morning.

She was both excited and scared to death. Devin wouldn’t know she was gone yet, they said. Not until tomorrow.

She looked at the beds. “I’ll take the top if you want.”

Justin grinned. “I’m keeping my mouth shut on that one.”

Anna frowned in confusion.

“Woman on top?” He smiled. “Do you know how long it’s been since I’ve been with a woman? Travis’ ass is too damn hard.”

Anna couldn’t help but giggle. “I always liked his ass.”

Justin grunted. “Fucking a man is totally different than fucking a woman. Women are soft.”

“Do you want to have sex?”

Justin’s mouth dropped open and he stared at her wide-eyed.

Anna blushed. “Oh, God. Justin. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have…”

“It’s ok. I…believe me, I’ve thought about it.” He rolled his eyes and smiled. “But, no…I mean, yes I want to, but no, I’m not going to. You don’t need that right now.”

Anna gazed into his grey eyes. “How do you know?” She stepped forward onto her toes and kissed him. He stiffened as her lips pressed to hers but groaned softly when she nipped at his lower lip.

“Anna,” he said softly. “Anna, I don’t…I mean, God I do, but…no.” He pushed her backwards and sat her in the chair. He sat on the lower bunk and looked at her.

Anna blinked back tears. “I’m sorry.”

He sighed. “Anna, I think you are one of the prettiest girls I’ve ever seen. You’re vulnerable right now, not to mention what your body apparently went through tonight.”

The train started moving and Anna grasped the chair. When she didn’t feel the pull of gravity anymore, she looked at him. “I’m fine. Kaveh always heals me after so I can participate in the orgy. But I didn’t have to for some reason tonight.”

“Orgy?”

Anna shrugged. “There’s a lot of sex that goes on.”

Justin took a couple of deep breaths. “Ok, well, you’re still vulnerable. I don’t want to take advantage of you.”

“Unless you push me down and rape me, that’s unlikely to happen.”

“I would never do that,” he said firmly.

She looked at him and smiled. “I know.”

They looked at each other.

“Justin, if you want to have sex, just tell me. It’s not a big deal and I’m pretty darn good at it.”

He pressed his lips together. “It may not be a big deal to you, Anna. But it is to me. Sex is supposed to be a big deal.”

Anna was surprised at his tone. She blinked and looked away. “I’m sorry.”

“Katrina.”

“What?”

“I need to get used to calling you Katrina, not Anna.”

“Oh.”

There was an awkward silence between them.

“We should probably go to bed. I’m sure you’ve had a busy day.”

Anna shrugged. “I don’t remember most of it.”

Justin stood and pulled the suitcases out of the closet. “This one’s yours,” he said, pointing to a navy blue good-sized suitcase. “I just grabbed a bunch of stuff out of your closet and dresser. I hope you don’t mind.” He cleared his throat. “I had a hard time finding pajamas for you, so I just brought some sweat pants and t-shirts.”

Anna flushed. She hadn’t had any need for pajamas when she was with Alex. Except some sexy nighties, but Anna was glad he hadn’t brought those. “Thanks,” she said softly. She found what he was talking about and started undressing.

“Anna!” Justin reached around her and pulled the curtains closed and then turned her towards them. “Seeing your naked body won’t help.”

“You’ve danced with me a gazillion times wearing skin tight clothing.”

“Skin tight is different than skin.”

She could feel his heated gaze on at her bare back. “Travis and Tommy didn’t give me underwear to put on.”

Justin groaned. “I’m gonna take a shower.” She heard a door open and close and turned around.

She quickly put on the sweats and shirt and zipped her suitcase back up and put it back in the closet. There was a ladder that led to the top bunk and she climbed it and got under the covers. Surprisingly the movement of the train was very soothing and she was asleep before Justin came out.

***

Justin woke to the gentle swaying of the train. He groaned and fisted his cock a few times. It was throbbing. He thought a cold shower would help last night but the sight of Anna’s breasts just wouldn’t leave his head.

He wasn’t one for meaningless sex…most of the time. He much preferred making love to a girl than just fucking her against the wall and saying goodbye. Hell, he’d even developed some sort of feelings for Travis after spending so much time with him, but they both agreed that it wasn’t what either of them wanted. It did make the ‘relationship’ easier though. He was gonna miss Travis.

They had talked about Travis coming out with them but his dad wouldn’t allow it. Being the bastard son of an Elder had its downfalls. As Justin understood it, most weren’t even allowed outside of the Manors. Travis was lucky to have a dad like that.

Justin respected his own dad, but he wasn’t easy to get along with. He didn’t understand why his son would want to spend his time ‘prancing around the stage like a fag,” so when he was suspended from the NYCBC, he eagerly took the audition in San Francisco. Maybe when he saw Anna he’d understand why it wasn’t just prancing around. What other profession let a guy have his hands all over a woman all day?

“I can help you with that,” a soft, feminine voice said nearby.

He opened his eyes to see Anna sitting in the chair with her knees tucked into her chest and her chin resting on top. God, she was beautiful.

Her thick, sable-brown hair glinted with red highlights in the morning sunlight that streamed through the large window. She looked at him with big expressive moss-green eyes from under long black lashes. Her skin had a golden glow to it that looked like she spent time outdoors but probably had more to do with her being only half human. He wanted to take her full pink lower lip in between his lips and nip it and make her sigh.

Oh, that thought did not help his blood cool down.

She smiled as if she knew what he was thinking and glanced down at the bulge that clearly showed under the thin blankets.

She was only twenty-four, but her eyes showed her as much older. She had seen things no sweet innocent girl should see. But she wasn’t sweet and innocent. Looking at her, no one would have no idea of the trauma that she had gone through all those years. No, she was sweet. Very sweet and…naïve maybe. There was an aura of innocence about her which made it hard to believe that she was the sex kitten in bed that Travis had told him about.

God, that thought did not help either.

He tented his knees and gave her a playful frown. What would it be like to have those lips wrapped around his cock? All he had to do was ask. But he didn’t want her thinking he was using her. She’d been used enough. He wanted to treat her like the sweet woman she was, not as a convenient sex toy.

She stood, her nipples pushing at her thin pink t-shirt. “I don’t think you’d treat me as a sex toy, Justin,” she said, sitting next to him.

“How did you…?”

She tilted her head and smiled. “I can read men. I know what they want before they ask.” She trailed her hand down from his knee to his throbbing cock. “Release is the least I can do for you after all you’ve done for me.”

It was impossible to think with her thumb running up and down the side of his cock as she rested her hand on him.

“You could call it a perk for delivering me to New York. Besides, I get really restless if I don’t have sex for a few days.”

“Don’t tell me that, Anna,” he groaned.

Her hand ran up his stomach and onto his bare chest. A finger circled his nipple and it puckered, sending flames of desire scorching through his veins that he’d been trying to ignore for months.

When Isaak had told him he wanted him as Anna’s new partner he leapt at the opportunity. Not only was she a fantastic dancer, but with Peter out of the way…well, maybe he’d get a chance to ask her out. The talk was that you had to act fast when she was single because she didn’t stay that way for long.

He had planned on keeping things strictly professional for a few days and then easing into the flirting. With Peter having just left, he didn’t want to appear like a leech. But then he learned about her ‘lover’ and then found out that the lover was none other than Devin Andersen, the most powerful man in the city. Anna just didn’t seem like the type to have a sugar daddy, but women had surprised him in the past.

Then there was the whole issue of bruises and the seemingly lack of caring on anyone’s part. Justin had stood by and lost his best friend to an abusive father. He wasn’t about to see the same thing happen to anyone else. Travis telling him to butt-out had really pissed him off but the conversation he’d had with Travis and Isaak helped clear things up a little. He didn’t understand everything until a few days later when Travis asked him if he wanted to help save Anna. He jumped at the chance at being able to save someone when he had failed before. He just hadn’t realized how complicated it would be.

But, at last, they were on the train to safety. And Anna was licking his nipple in their bedroom on the train. He fisted her hair and brought her face to his. He’d sworn he wouldn’t take advantage of the situation he was in. And everyone laughed and told him he wouldn’t be able to resist.

Yeah, they were right.

He brought Anna’s lips to his own and kissed her with all the hunger and desire that had been building up for months.

***

Anna was shocked at Justin’s changed demeanor. She hoped she hadn’t influenced him without knowing it. She didn’t want him to feel guilty, but she wanted him inside of her. He kissed her with a fervor she hadn’t expected. She knew he wanted her but hadn’t expected this much passion behind his kiss.

He pulled her onto the bed with his hands in her hair, his mouth crushed to her. She parted her lips slightly and he nipped her lower lip. She moaned softly and stretched out on top of his long body. She pressed her hips against his cock and he groaned making her giggle against his mouth.

“You’re laughing at me?” he asked with smiling eyes.

“You could have saved yourself a night of unease had you taken me up on my offer last night.”

“I was trying to be a gentleman.”

“Mmm,” she said, pressing her lips to him again. “I prefer sex.”

He chuckled and rolled over to pin her under him. “What can I say to that?” He kissed her neck and brought a hand up her ribs under her shirt and to her breast.

She arched her back and moaned as he massaged it gently. She gasped when his thumb brushed across her nipple.

“You have rings,” he murmured against her neck.

“You didn’t know?”

“I…well, I tried not to stare at your breasts.” He sat up and pushed her shirt up and over her head, letting it drop onto the floor. “But now I will happily do so.”

She giggled as she watched him smile at her breasts. “Do you approve?”

He grinned and nodded. “Yes.” He leaned down and took a nipple into his mouth and she moaned. “Very much so.” He took a ring between his teeth and tugged gently. “I got kinda fond of Travis’ ring.”

Shivers rant through Anna’s body as he licked and sucked at one breast and then the other. “Justin…” she sighed.

“Mmm, nothing like women’s breasts,” he murmured as he kneaded them with a firm hand. “Your skin is so soft.” His tongue trailed down to her belly and nuzzled it with his nose. His fingers slipped under the waistband of her pants. “God, how many times I imagined doing this to you.” He looked up at her with a sheepish grin. “And then I kicked my own ass for thinking about you that way.”

Anna couldn’t say it was surprising to her, but she felt bad that he felt bad. “Well, you don’t have to imagine anymore.”

He stopped for a moment, his eyes growing serious. “If Devin finds us before we get to New York, he’ll kill me, won’t he?”

“Probably. He killed a boyfriend because he was taking my affections away from him.” She gave him a sad look. “That was the engagement ring in my box.”

He kissed the skin above her hip and then slid up to lay next to her. “I didn’t mean to kill the mood.”

There was a knock on the door. Justin stood and handed her shirt to her. He made sure she was dressed before opening the door.

A guy about Anna’s age was standing there in a white shirt and vest. “Hello, my name is Ken. I’ll be taking care of you today.” He glanced at Anna and his cheeks reddened a bit. “I wanted to know what time you would like to go to breakfast. Or you can have breakfast in here.”

“Yes, in here is preferred,” Justin said quickly.

Ken nodded. “I’ll get you menus. Would you like your room changed into daytime mode?”

Justin looked back at Anna and grinned. “Yes, thank you.”

Ken went to get menus and Anna and Justin looked them over while Ken removed the bedding and folded up the seats. He pulled out the folding table and then took their orders. When he had gone Anna sat on the couch and Justin sat next to her.

“No more bed?” she asked.

Justin shrugged. “There’s still the couch.” He kissed her slowly, letting his hands trail down her neck. “Besides, I have four whole days with you all to myself. I’m not in a hurry.”

She sighed and looked into his eyes. “I wish I hadn’t been…dreaming the last few months. I would know you better.”

“We have time to get to know each other. I’m not going anywhere.” He grinned.

They arrived in Portland mid-afternoon with an hour before their next train left.

“Devin should know by now,” she said softly as they sat down in the waiting area of the station.

Justin squeezed her hand. “It will be ok. He wouldn’t think about you going to Portland.”

Anna fidgeted for a few minutes. “Can you call and ask Travis?”

He shook his head. “I left my phone in San Francisco. We’ll get new phones once we get to New York, but no communication until we get there. It’s too dangerous.”

Anna stared at the ground. “He’ll kill Ian,” she whispered. “He’ll die because of me.”

Justin put his arm around her shoulders. “Anna, he believed this was more important than him keeping his life. You need to be free.” He kissed her temple. “For so many reasons.”

Traveling

Justin and Anna boarded the train to Chicago that afternoon with no problems. They had a private room again and kept to themselves. Justin said it was better if they were not seen by people who might be able to identify them later, so they took all their meals privately. With the toilet and a shower, there was no need to go out of the room. Justin had brought some books along, but no electronic devices. They had bought some puzzle books and playing cards in Portland and kept themselves occupied. Anna was content most of the time to look out the window until the sun went down. She’d never seen such sights.

When they went to bed that night, Justin made love to Anna and she fell asleep peacefully in his arms.

The trip to Chicago was uneventful, to the relief of both Anna and Justin. Anna loved staring out the window and watching the scenery, whether flat grasslands or mountains and pine trees. They talked a lot. Anna slowly told Justin her story. Or at least the parts he didn’t know. Travis had told him quite a bit, but being cooped up for two days together gave plenty of opportunity to tell her whole story. He watched her, amazed. He let her cry on his shoulder and smiled when she told her happy parts.

“I think the only people who know as much as you are Wilhelm and Kurt. Alex knew everything up until he died.” She fiddled with her ring and stared out the window.

“Why do you still wear your ring?” Justin asked.

Anna looked down at it and shrugged. “I didn’t take it off when I was doped up and…” She shook her head. “It’s all I have left of Alex. Especially now.” She didn’t even have his picture anymore.

They arrived at Chicago Union station mid-Monday afternoon and once again had to wait for their next train, this time for about four hours.

Justin held Anna’s hand as they walked into the main waiting area. “I’d love to take you out to dinner, but I don’t think it’s safe to go out on the streets.” He sighed. “In fact, I think it’s best we find a little corner to sit in and stay there. They have security cameras that might pick up your features. Keep your head down. Devin is most certainly aware you’re gone now and will definitely be trying to find you.” He kissed her cheek and led her to a hard wooden bench along the side of the wall. “This is why we took the train. It’s the last place he would think to look.”

Anna nodded and looked down at the ground. “I’m afraid.”

Justin put his arm around her. “It’ll be ok, A—Katrina.”

They sat together on the bench, Anna leaning her head against his chest.

“Are you hungry?” he asked a while later.

“A little.”

He stood. “You stay here. I’ll get us something to eat. Keep your head down.”

He walked away, flashing her a last smile over his shoulder.

She lay down on the bench with her head on the backpacks. There was a TV screen nearby with the national news. She stared at it, not really looking at it, until her name caught her attention. She looked up, and saw her own picture on the screen with “Missing Ballerina” below.

“Oh, God!” she exclaimed softly, shaking. She turned over so it looked like she was sleeping and trembled.

Justin returned a few minutes later. “Here,” he said dropping something on her head.

She reached for it. “A hat?”

He shrugged. “It might help.”

“Did you see the news?”

“No.”

“I’m missing. My picture was up on the screen.” She looked at him with frightened eyes. “He’s going to find me.”

Justin’s eyes grew wide. “Fuck.” He leaned over and rubbed his face. “Once we’re on the train, we’ll be ok,” he said calmly. “We just have to make it ‘til then.”

It was a very long wait. Anna lay with her head on Justin’s lap, hat pulled low over her face. She could feel his tension as he rubbed her shoulder and back. “It will be ok, Katrina. It will be ok.”

No one bothered them and at last it was time to board the train. Anna kept her head down as they walked through the crowd. When they were finally in their room, they both collapsed on the couch and sighed in relief.

“Once we’re in New York, we’ll be fine. I promise.”

***

Anna had a nightmare that night and woke up sweaty and trembling. Justin held her tight against his warm body and whispered soothingly until she fell back to sleep.

She huddled next to him all the next day, which Justin didn’t mind, except that she was frightened. He didn’t like her frightened and wished he could take it away.

Anna fell asleep with her head on his lap mid-afternoon and Justin let her sleep until they crossed the bridge into Manhattan. The train was about two hours late and every stop had made his stomach churn with nerves. But they had been left alone except for meals.

Justin hadn’t been back in New York since he moved to San Francisco. He had grown up in Brooklyn with his parents, two older brothers and a younger sister. His oldest brother, Charlie, was much like his dad. Steve, next in line, and Justin were only a year apart and had always been best friends. Gracie, his sister was sweet, but spoiled as only the youngest girl in a family with boys can be. He had spoken to his dad more the last few months than he had since he’d moved out of the house when he was eighteen. It was strange, but his dad seemed to be more respectful of him since all this began. Maybe he finally realized that Justin wasn’t a sissy just because he was a dancer.

“Anna,” he said softly, petting her hair gently. “Time to get up, we’re here.”

Anna sat up quickly and looked around. “We made it?” she asked with wide eyes locking onto his.

Justin nodded. “We made it.”

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. “What do we do now?”

“Someone will meet us at the station and then we’ll go from there.”

“Who?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know.” A lot of things had been kept on a need to know basis. Ian wasn’t even told where they were going, but he was a smart guy and Justin was pretty sure he figured it out. All Travis told him was that someone would pick them up at the station. Someone that they knew.

When the train finally pulled into the station, Justin’s stomach was in knots. He kept telling himself that everything would be fine. That the people he was working with knew what they were doing. But he honestly didn’t understand how Anna would be safer here. Not with national news showing her picture everywhere. But he wouldn’t let Anna know he was concerned. She needed him to be strong for her and he would be.

They had grown close over the last few days and Justin really liked sleeping with her every night. As much as he would like it, he had a feeling it wouldn’t last long once they were here. Especially with Aaron here. But until she indicated otherwise, he would gladly stay by her side.

For now, though, they just needed to get off this fucking train. He was really looking forward to sleeping in a real bed tonight, even if it meant sleeping without Anna.