Haven's Choice

by Tarah Knight

  “Well if I was in her shoes I think I would have gone far away from where I lived. I wouldn’t want to risk my children seeing me. But on the other hand wanting to stay close to be able to watch over you would be a strong desire too. You knew your mother which do you think she would have chosen?” Haven knew immediately which option her mother would have picked. “She stayed, at least until we were grown. I would bet money on it.” Haven looked in the review mirror then groaned. “Crap! I guess Barron came looking for me. I really didn’t want to have to deal with him right now.” Brooklyn turned and glanced behind her then grinned. “Um yeah, look closer, that wouldn’t be Barron, my sweet. That’s Deacon.”

  ~ Chapter Eleven ~

  Haven spun around in the seat just as Deacon made his way up to Brooklyn’s window. He waited to speak until she rolled her window down. “Hey Deacon, when did you get back?” She asked. He answered Brooklyn’s question but his eyes were eating up Haven’s face like a starving man would eye a thick juicy porterhouse steak. “I just returned. Haven, how are you?” He asked her softly. Haven wanted to jump out and slap the holy crap out of him for leaving and she wanted to hug his neck for the very same reason. “I’ve been better actually. Thanks for asking.” Brooklyn smiled. “Haven has had a rough night Deacon. She found out some pretty earth shattering news. She still hasn’t quite recovered.” His serious face grew even more so when he looked at her again. “Nothing bad I hope?” Haven shook her head. “Not exactly bad I don’t guess, unless finding out you do indeed have a twin sister and that your mother didn’t die of cancer, but was actually turned into a vampire, bad news.” That had his eyebrow arching in surprise. “Your mother was turned? Haven, that is good news.” She noticed he didn’t mention the twin sister part, but he did look at Brooklyn when she mentioned it. He knew something. “Deacon, tell me how was your little mission? Did find anything important?” He looked her dead in the eye and without flinching told her that he had found her sister.

  “Haven? Wake up Haven… come on now.” Haven could hear Brooklyn’s voice coaxing her back to the land of the living, but she didn’t want to return. Too much was changing too fast for her to process, she needed some down time! But Brooklyn wasn’t allowing that. Opening her eyes she saw three sets of eyes peering down at her, Brooklyn’s beautiful crystal blue eyes, Verlons deep chocolate eyes, and Deacons hazel eyes. Staring up at Deacon she wondering how she ever thought that he and Barron looked alike? The differences in their souls showed on their faces if you knew what to look for. Deacon reached out his hand to help her up, but Verlon stepped in lifting her to her feet holding her shoulders until she was steady. They walked into the house and all gathered around the table where Verlon served some red wine laced with blood. “I’m sorry Haven, but I don’t have anything that you can keep down.” He apologized. “I do.” Deacon said. He sliced his wrist open with a sharp thumbnail and dripped several thick drops into a cup. “You better hope Barron doesn’t find out about that Deacon.” Brooklyn warned. He closed the gash with a quick swipe of his tongue and turned hard eyes to his friend. “Soon it won’t matter what Barron knows or doesn’t know. I have found his true Serah, and nothing and no one will stop me from claiming mine.” He said this while watching Haven raise the cup to her lips. Holding his stare she drank what he had given her saying with her eyes and with her actions what her lips could not yet say. That she knew he was her Serah, and she fully accepted him. Giving his head a barley noticeable nod, she knew he heard her loud and clear. “So where did you find her sister?” Brooklyn asked, breaking the sudden tension in the room. “Hannah, her name is Hannah.” Haven supplied. Deacon sat down across from Haven keeping enough distance between them so not to cause a fight should Barron show up. He shook his head. “Hannah may have been her birth name, but she doesn’t go by that now. She told me her name was Myra and I’m sad to say she hasn’t lived a very good life. From what I found out from tracing her records she was passed from one family to another. Her original adoptive parents actually put her back into the system not six months after they took her. From there she was housed in no less than twenty three foster homes until she ran at the age of fifteen and they lost track of her.” Haven gasped putting her hand over her mouth. She had lived a fairytale compared to her poor sister! Deacon’s eyes told her the worst was yet to come. “I found her by accident one night as I was looking for my dinner. I heard a woman cry out, so I tracked it down and found her being attacked by a man that had… um… paid for her services. When I had taken care of the man I looked down and God as my witness I thought I was looking at you Haven. A scared and harder you, but it was your face that was staring back at me.” Haven reached out to touch his hand, but Verlon stopped her. He didn’t say anything he just shook his head gently at her. Haven scowled at him. “Was she badly hurt? Tell me you ripped his throat out!” She asked in a low voice. Deacon shook his head. “Haven, I figured the last thing she needed to see was me sinking my fangs into her attacker, she was traumatized enough.” He paused there for a moment then continued. “I took her back to my motel room where I cleaned her up. It wasn’t too bad mostly a busted up mouth. But I kept staring at her and that was making her nervous. I finally told her that she looked exactly like someone I knew, and I asked if she had a twin.” Haven held her breath waiting to hear what he would say. “Well? Did she know about me?” She asked with ill concealed impatience. “No, she knew she was given up for adoption, but she didn’t know she was a twin. Haven there is something else she doesn’t know. She doesn’t know what you, what we are. She is still human.”

  There was silence around the table. “When can I meet her? We can’t just spring this on her, we must move slowly and carefully with her and for Gods sake keep her away from Barron!” Brooklyn nodded. “I agree why doesn’t she stay here? We can offer her protection and I can help her come to terms with what we are. Haven can see her whenever she comes to visit. Barron rarely comes with her anymore.” That had Deacon looking at her sharply. “He allows you out unprotected?” Haven raised her chin a notch. “Barron doesn’t allow me anything, Mr. Northcross. I come and go as I see fit. That was one battle we had very early on in our relationship, I suggest you get used to the idea as well.” Deacon made no reply but his eyes told her this wasn’t over.

  That night after she got home Haven ran a hot bubble bath then clipping her hair to the top of her head she sank down into the frothy bubbles with a deep sigh. She was surprised that Barron still hadn’t made an appearance. She no more formed that thought in her mind when she heard his heavy footsteps on the stairs. Within seconds the doorknob was turning, and he walked in. He walked over and pulled her face to his for a deep kiss. Haven waited for the fire to start in her stomach at his touch, but nothing happened. He pulled back looking at her strangely, then he reached and pulled her from the tub unmindful of the water and bubbles that were sliding down her body and pooling onto the tiled floor. He pressed her firmly against him kissing her even more deeply wrapping his tongue around hers but Haven felt cold. No all-consuming racing through her veins at his touch, no deep ache in the lowest part of her tummy, she felt… nothing! His fingers tighten painfully on her arms “What the hell have you done?” he whispered softly. Haven shook her head. “Nothing! I haven’t done anything I swear!” She couldn’t tell him about Hannah, not yet. She needed time to be prepared she would not allow the same rude introduction to this world that was given to her to be passed on to her sister. She had been through enough. “You lie! You have done something, for I feel nothing when I touch you, when I kiss you. So I will ask nicely one more time. What have you done?” Haven lifted her chin staring him in the eye boldly. “I said I have not done anything Barron, and that is the truth, whether you accept it or not is up to you. I am as surprised by this as you are.” He roughly shoved her away from him. Haven stumbled barely keeping herself from falling. She grabbed a nearby towel and wrapped it around her wet body. Barron was silent watching her with cold calculating eyes that were
just a little frightening. She went into the bedroom to get dressed and he followed her not saying a word but watching every move she made. After ten minutes Haven couldn’t take it!

  She whirled around with her hands on her hips and fire blazing in her eyes. If he wanted a fight he could damn well have one! “What? What do you want me to say Barron? You can stare at me with your cold evil eyes until the cows come home, but I still won’t have an answer for you! I don’t know what’s going on anymore than you do. Now either you talk to me or leave this room, but I won’t allow you stand there looking at me like the devil himself!” Barron slowly approached her moving like the predator that he was and struck without warning. Grabbing her by her hair he jerked her head back and sank his fangs savagely into her throat. He didn’t even try to lessen the pain for her. Haven screamed and fought clawing at his shoulders and chest with her now sharp fingernails but he paid her no heed. Finally he lifted his head letting her see the blood dripping from his mouth. He once again crushed her lips beneath his not caring that his now needle sharp fangs were tearing into the soft skin of her lips. This wasn’t a kiss it was an assault a punishment for what he perceived was her betrayal. He threw her onto the bed face down pinning her under his massive body he tore her clothes from her then bit her repeatedly on her shoulders, on her back and the backs of her thighs, ignoring her screams of pain and terror.

  Finally he flipped her over to face him pulling her bruised and ravaged face within an inch of his own snarling like a wild animal. “Do you think that I don’t know he is back? Do you think that I don’t know that this very evening you were with him? I gave you a chance to be truthful with me, but lies were all that spewed from your deceitful lips! I would have given you anything! I would have given you the world had you asked me for it! But I was never good enough for you it was always him always Deacon!”

  “Yes!” Haven choked out. “It was always and will always be Deacon! But you knew that! Yet you forced yourself on me. You manipulated everything to suite you own selfish purpose and desires.” She laughed bitterly coughing up the blood that was trickling down her throat from the deep puncture wounds he had inflicted. He continued to stare at her with eyes that were hard and cold, eyes no longer human, more like a crazed beast. He yanked her head back once more and Haven knew this was it he would finish her with this bite. Suddenly the bedroom door was kicked in so hard it splintered and landed on the floor in pieces. Deacon flew across the room and snatched Barron up like a rag doll slinging him across the room into the wall. Plaster flew everywhere filling the room with white powder and smoke. Barron surged to his feet snarling like a wild animal but Deacon gave him no chance to retaliate he struck with blow after vicious blow tearing into his brother with fang and claw roaring so loudly that Haven covered her ears. The room shook under the impact of their massive bodies heaving and straining as the battle continued. Haven was screaming for them to stop for someone to stop them, when Verlon appeared like an avenging angel. He waded in and with a few well-placed blows had Barron out cold on the floor. Deacon rushed to Haven just in time to see her eyes roll back and her body go limp.

  The next thing Haven was aware of was warmth, which was a good thing because she felt so cold! She had never been so cold in all her life! Her body was racked with chills that shook her so hard her teeth rattled, and God Almighty she hurt! Why did she hurt so badly? She heard voices coming from nearby and she recognized the gentle cadence of Brooklyn’s soft voice then the deep rumble of Verlons. So she knew she was in good hands, she just wished she knew what happened! Finally her eyelids cracked opened enough to see that she was the room she had stayed in while she was living with Brooklyn and Verlon. Her head rolled slightly to the left and she saw them standing by the door speaking softly to one another. The worry and concern clearly marked on their faces. Haven coughed to get their attention. They hurried over to her bed. Brooklyn reached out and swept her hair from her forehead. “Hey, sweetling, your awake. How do you feel?” Haven thought about that question then answered truthfully. “Like a pit bulls chew toy?” Verlon nodded gravely next to Brooklyn. “That would be a pretty close assessment of what happened. Do you remember anything?” Haven closed her eyes trying to remember, but she drew a blank. “Can you give me a starting point?”

  “You left our house after finding out that Deacon had found your twin?” Brooklyn prompted. Haven thought back rewinding the night’s events in her mind. She remembered going home getting into the tub, she remembered Barron showing up and kissing her. Then everything came back in a rush, the kiss the lack of response then Barron’s out of control rage, and the brutal attack. Haven gasped as the memories washed over her of his assault. Then she remembered Deacon showing up and pulling him off of her. “Where’s Deacon?” She asked. “Please I… I… need him.” She stammered. Brooklyn smiled. “Honey look to your right.” She rolled her head painfully to the right, feeling the pull of the wound on that side of her neck. Deacon was sound asleep beside her. His arm was laid across her body under the blanket. Even in his sleep he was scowling. She reached out to rub the creases between his eyes, but then pulled back and looked at Verlon. He smiled and nodded his head. “Its ok, its abundantly clear that you are his Serah. Touch him all you want. Well, on second thought keep the touching just to his face please. I would hate to have to pour bleach in my eyes if I ever saw more of him than nature intended.” Haven tried to smile at his joke, but her ripped up lips kept her from doing it. She turned back to Deacon. She marveled that she could now touch him without rebuke. Her eyes roved over his face drinking in every detail, the soft sable brown hair that fell boyishly over his eyes. She brushed it back gently running her fingertip over the smooth brows that were as usual drawn together in a serious expression. She grazed his full bottom lip and smiled as much as she could when he twitched in his sleep, finally she cupped his strong jaw. “He has been asleep for maybe a couple of hours. You have been unconscious for three days. He hasn’t left your side, not even to feed. Verlon had to feed him.” Haven frowned as she looked at the various bandages that covered her arms. “Why am I not healing?” As a vampire her wounds always healed quickly. “Barron, clearly must have lost his mind during his attack. He gave you what is known as a dry bite, no healing enzymes were in his saliva. When a bite like that is inflicted it actually prevents the wound from healing even for a vampire. It sets up a serious infection in the bite. Barron bit you over sixteen times. Haven whether Barron was in his right mind or not, and I choose to believe that he wasn’t, he tried to kill you. Had Deacon not felt your distress and came to you when he had Barron would have succeeded.”

  Haven was silent for a moment as she tried to absorb that piece of information. She knew that Barron was angry with her, really angry, but she never would have thought he would ever try to kill her! She thought he was proving a point with his numerous bites. She even understood just a little why he was so angry and hurt. “Where is he at now?” Brooklyn looked at Verlon and he shook his head, but she kept looking at him until he sighed. “Very well, I personally think you don’t need this right now, but I’ll obey the wishes of my Serah.” Brooklyn smiled at him. “Haven, attacking another vampires Serah is a very serious crime. To intend death in the attack is a crime punishable by execution. Barron is being held until you were well enough to attend his execution.” Haven felt her heart drop! “No! I won’t press charges! They can’t just kill him! There were extenuating circumstances! He is a jerk and bully but he doesn’t deserve to die!” She argued as loudly as she could through her torn up lips.

  “If they don’t kill him, then I will.” Deacon’s voice came out grumbly and rough, like he had swallowed sandpaper. Haven turned to him his eyes were still half closed but she could see the glitter of his rage. “Darling, he is your twin your other half. You can’t mean that.” Deacon pushed his large body into a sitting position pulling Haven into the cavity under his arm. “You are now my other half, my reason for being. He tried to take that from me, not once but
twice. I could have forgiven the first time. But when he attacked you the way he did… no, I have no forgiveness.” Then he looked at her frowning once more. As he gently traced her swollen mouth. “I’m surprised that you want him to live, if not for what he did to you than for what he may do to your sister.”

  Hannah! Haven had forgotten all about her! “Where is she? Is she here?” Brooklyn nodded. “Yes, Deacon brought her to us the night that you were attacked. It is truly remarkable the likeness between you two.” Haven wondered how it would feel to look at her face on another’s body? She wanted to find out! “Can I see her? Please? What does she know about me, about us?”

  “I don’t see any reason why not, Deacon what do you think?” Brooklyn asked. He looked down at Haven who begged him with her beautiful eyes and smiled. “If I know my Serah at all she will make us all crazy until she gets her way. What will you tell her about your condition?” Haven grinned. “I’ll tell her I was in an accident or something! Brooklyn please help me cover up what we can to make me look a little less scary!” Deacon took her hand raising it to his lips for a soft kiss. “She looks nearly as bad as you do right now Haven, are you sure you feel up to seeing her right now? You are still very weak.” Haven scooted herself up in bed looking at him like he was crazy. “I’m positive!”

  Myra stood in in front of the bathroom mirror dabbing some ointment on her still bruised and tender mouth. The last customer she had picked up was a real winner. He liked to make you bleed before he could get down to what he paid for. It wasn’t something she hadn’t dealt with before. Being on the streets since she was fifteen, she had taken her share of slaps and punches. The really sad part was the majority of those slap’s and punches had come from the very hands that had sworn to protect her before she ran away. She had been abused in every way imaginable and some that wasn’t. The last home was the worst; the grandfather in the house was a sick and twisted man. He would corner her every chance he got sticking his knarly old hands up her shirt or down her pants. The night that he had actually attempted to rape her was the last night she spent under that roof, or any roof for that matter. She decided she would take her chances on the streets. She tried to find a job at first to go legit and everything, but no one would hire a scruffy looking teen with no ID or address. So she used what she had, her looks and sex appeal. Her life wasn’t what she envisioned it to be as a child. She learned quickly that not all little girls were treated like princesses and there was no prince charming to come riding up on a white horse to rescue her. So she learned to rescue herself.