Haven's Choice

by Tarah Knight

  “Myra? What are you doing down here?” Well, that cleared that up. The one walking and talking had to be the real Deacon. “I was umm… well, that is to say… I was…” She stammered to a halt when she realized she didn’t really have an answer he would like. So she did her best deflection maneuver. She pointed to who really had to be Barron, on the floor. “I think the better question would be why is he chained to the floor like an animal? Clearly this is your twin!” Deacon shook his head as he came closer. “He is dangerous Myra, step away from him. Let me chain him back up.” Deacon reached down and picked up the shackle for Barron’s right wrist. But before he could snap it back into place Myra jerked it from his hand. “No! I don’t know what he did. But you cannot put those back on him! They are killing him.” For whatever reason Myra felt this surge of protectiveness’ come over her. She stepped once more between Deacon and Barron. “If he has to be locked up then find a more humane way of doing it. This is torture!” Deacon stood quickly and looked at Myra, rage making his eyes glow that eerie green once more. “Torture? You think this is torture? Go ask your sister what torture is? Go ask her if Barron had any mercy or compassion for her while he ripped into her like a rabid dog! You think of me as a monster? If it were up to me I would have already removed his head from his shoulders. But I’m allowing justice to take its course.” She opened her mouth to argue, but she felt a warm hand wrap around her ankle and she looked down. Barron was looking up at her. “It’s alright, I deserve to be here.” His voice sounded stronger since she removed the shackles. He looked at Deacon. “Brother, I will not fight to be free. I only have one request. Allow me the opportunity to speak with my Serah?” Deacon hesitated then he walked back to the door. “I will give you twenty minutes to say what you need to say then they go back on. And Barron? If you try to escape I will remove your head from your body.” Then he walked out.

  “Can I get you anything to make you more comfortable?” Myra knelt down next to Barron wishing she could do something he looked so miserable! She wanted to ask him just what he had done to Haven, but she was scared he would tell her. Turned out she didn’t have to ask. “I should have known that Haven had a twin. It was really the only thing that made any sense.” He slowly pulled himself into a sitting position leaning back against the cold stone wall. Myra sat down cross-legged close enough to hear him but out of arms reach. He noticed but didn’t remark on it. He just looked at her like he was memorizing her features. The intense scrutiny was making her uncomfortable. He smiled weakly. “Forgive me, Myra is it?” She nodded and he continued. “I don’t mean to stare, but the likeness between you and Haven is truly remarkable. I suppose this is how people feel when they see Deacon and myself.” He paused and seemed to be debating on just what to tell her. “Hey, you don’t have to tell me anything if you don’t want to.” She offered. He shook his head. “No you deserve to hear the truth and to hear it from me. I knew that Haven wasn’t my true Serah. I didn’t realize it at first, but after a few days I did. The plan was for Haven to spend time with both of us so she could decide which one her heart wanted or needed or whatever it is you females think. I knew she would choose Deacon, because he truly was her Serah.” He stopped again and scrubbed his face roughly, wincing when he pulled open some sores that were still healing. “So I called in the Legend high counsel. I knew that they would award Haven to me since I was the oldest. That was exactly what happened. I forced myself on her in every way possible.” Myra raised her hand to stop him. “Barron. I need to know exactly what you mean by that last statement.” He looked her in the eyes. “Exactly what I said. I forced her to have to live with me, to have to feed from me and to have sex with me.” Myra felt her blood freeze up. He did not just admit to raping her sister! She felt her expression harden. “Tell me Myra what do you know about our kind? What do you know about the bonding between Serah’s?” Her frown deepened. “Enough that I don’t want any part of it. I know that they believe that you and I are soul mates or whatever. That’s why Deacon found me, so he could be with Haven and you could have me.” She leaned closer and lowered her voice to just above a whisper. “But you need to hear me on this and hear me well, if you try any of that crap with me, I will stake you. I’m not my sister. I will not be forced into anything.” Barron cocked his head and a small smile curved his lips. “For someone who claims to not be anything like her sister, you sounded just like her.” He drew in a deep breath. “Listen, when I say I forced Haven to have sex with me its more… complicated than that.” Myra threw her hands in the air. “Forced is forced Barron! There isn’t anything complicated about it! If Haven did not want to have sex with you, and if you made her that’s rape. And in my opinion you deserve whatever punishment they dish out to you.” He lowered his head then he nodded. “I’m not saying that I don’t. I was a class A bastard, and I deserve to die. When they come for me I won’t resist. If they gave me the option I would take myself out. The point I was trying to make is I loved your sister in my own warped way. I really would have done anything to make her happy, but she wouldn’t let me.” He raised his hand when Myra opened her mouth. “I know she loved Deacon. When I found out that Deacon was back, and that she had seen him I lost it. I honestly don’t even remember attacking her. The last thing I remember was kissing her and feeling nothing. Then the next thing I knew I woke up chained up down here. Verlon told me what had happened. At that point they didn’t even know if Haven would survive.” He leaned his head back and stared at the ceiling. “I guess there must be a God up there somewhere because I have prayed and begged that he would allow her to live and to take me instead.” He looked back at her. “You will be fine. You are still human and we haven’t bonded in any way, so my death won’t affect your life at all. For that I’m grateful. I have messed up Havens life enough as it is, at least I haven’t messed up yours.” They both turned their heads when they heard the door open. Deacon walked in followed by Verlon. Barron looked from one man to the other. “Reinforcements were not necessary brother, I told you I would not try to escape.” Verlon walked over and lifted Myra up. “I didn’t come to help with you Barron, I came to help with Myra.” He walked her over to the other side of the room and with a few quick moves he cuffed her to the wall as well!

  ~Chapter Fourteen~

  “Hey! What the hell is this? What are you doing?” Myra tugged at the chains that held her wrists. Vernon shook his head. “I’m sorry little one, but you were trying to escape and we can’t risk that right now. It will only be for tonight, tomorrow we can move you somewhere more comfortable.” They finished putting the shackles back on Barron and they left the room. Myra started screaming her head off until Barron couldn’t take it anymore! “Myra! Myra! No one can hear you but me and I can’t help you. I’m sorry.” So she went from screaming to yanking and pulling on the chains until she exhausted herself and hung limp panting from her exertions. “Yeah, I could have told you that wasn’t going to work either.” She flipped him the bird. “Shut up. It’s your fault I’m here anyway! I should have listened to my first instinct and ran like hell.” She watched as he closed his eyes tightly, clearly in pain once more. As uncomfortable as her chains were at least they weren’t blistering her skin. “Always listen to your first instinct, Myra.” His voice was laced in pain and once more she started to feel sorry for him. What was wrong with her? He freely admitted he mistreated her sister, badly, and she was feeling sorry for him? But he also admitted to being really sorry, he looks really sorry. “Barron? Are you truly sorry for hurting my sister?” He frowned at her question. “Yes.” She twisted her wrists in the cuffs carefully. “And if you were given the opportunity to live and to go free, would you vow to whatever deity you deem sacred that you would never ever hurt her again, or any other woman?”

  He rolled his head over to look at her. “What are you getting at?” She answered his question with another question. “And are you one hundred percent sure these walls are soundproof? No matter how loud I scream no one can hear me?”
Completely thrown by her crazy series of questions he just nodded. “Ok, here is the deal then. I can get loose from these cuffs. I may have to break a bone or two in my hands but I can do it. After that I will get you loose. Now there are a couple of stipulations that we need to agree on. Rule number one! You will not bite me… like ever! I’m not your walking snack pack, are we clear?” He nodded listening carefully. “Rule number two! You will help me escape and then we will go our separate ways. I refuse to be mated. Are we clear on rule number two?” Again he nodded in agreement. “Rule number three! You promise to never return here and bother Haven or Deacon. Do you agree to rule number three?”

  “Myra, they won’t keep you here for very long. Why are you willing to put yourself through this? I’ve accepted my fate if that is what is bothering you.” He watched while Myra leaned forward as far as the chains would allow then she stepped up on the wall behind her so she was literally standing on the wall pulling against the chains with her whole body. “Look, I just need you to get me out of here. I’m not staying in chains not even for one night.” She gritted her teeth as she started to pull harder against the cuffs. She could feel the bite of the metal as it cut into her skin. She felt her bones being pressed harder and harder. She squeezed her eyes shut as the pain increased. “Myra stop! This is insane! They will release you tomorrow!” She ignored him and just kept pulling she could feel her hand starting to slip… just a little more… SNAP!” Myra screamed as the small bones in her thumb snapped under the pressure but her hand slipped free! She leaned against the wall weakly as her stomach tried to heave out her last meal. She took deep long breaths in through her nose and slowly released it out through her mouth. After a couple of minutes the queasiness subsided a little. Her right hand was throbbing in pain but it was free from the cuff the thumb quickly swelling and turning a deep shade of purple.

  “How exactly do you plan to take care of yourself with two broken hands? Have you even thought about that?” Not bothering to reply she geared up for round two as she studied the wall to decide how to get the best leverage on her left hand. She finally just placed her foot against it and had started to pull when Barron yelled at her again. “Ok! Stop it! Damn woman, you don’t have to break your other hand. I can get us out.” Myra let her foot slide off the wall as she slowly turned and pinned Barron with a death glare. “I’m sorry. What did you just say?”

  “I can get free. I just didn’t really think you would be so hell bent on tearing yourself apart or I would have told you before. You’re crazier than I am.” He closed his eyes taking a slow deep breath. “Just give me a minute.”

  “Oh, sure take your time. I’ll just hang out over here with my throbbing hand that I broke for no reason.” She muttered. She watched as he took several more deep breaths almost seeming to meditate as he swirled his fingers against the stone floor where the chains were embedded. He started to chant something in a language that Myra didn’t recognize. After a few long seconds she saw the stone around each of the anchors start to crack as he continued chanting and swirling his fingers the cracking became louder. He began to strain against his bonds his muscles bunching with effort veins popping out against his skin. Then with a loud crack like a rifle shot the anchors pulled free from the stone floor. He continued to lie there for a few more minutes before he slowly got to his feet. The act of freeing himself while he was in such a weakened condition had taken its toll on him. Myra stood there with her mouth hanging open in astonishment! He walked over to her and with one hard jerk he pulled her chain free then taking her left hand he broke the cuff away from her wrist. Barron was way more intimidating towering over her than he was chained to the floor. She swallowed nervously as he stared down at her his face completely unreadable she remembered exactly what he was and what he was capable of doing to her if he so desired. There wouldn’t be a thing in this world she could do if he decided to drain her dry right here and now. The power that he had just wielded so effortlessly brought home to her that she wasn’t dealing with a punk off the street or a customer that liked it rough. She was standing before a man of Legend, a vampire of old that had been held in chains by his own choice. She had put herself into some pretty stupid and reckless positions before, but this had to take the prize. Then another thought entered her mind as she saw his eyes start to glow while she stared up at him helplessly… exactly when was the last time he had fed? She felt the blood drip from her wrist and she saw his nostrils flare as he caught the scent. “Hey now… remember rule number one? No biting!” He smiled a sinfully seductive smile that had her tummy doing somersaults as he crowded closer to her. “I promised I wouldn’t bite, I never said I wouldn’t lick.” He lifted her right arm and softly he lapped at the blood that was oozing from deep scratches and abrasions from the cuff. His warm tongue cleaned her wrist completely healing her wounds as his eyes held hers captive. Myra stood in shock at the sensations that flooded her body at his touch. As her heart pounded hard in her chest her breathing grew even more ragged she saw his gaze drop to the pulse that was beating frantically at the base of her throat. He brought her injured thumb up to his mouth and swept long licks across the swollen and torn flesh then inserting the wounded digit into his warm mouth he sucked gently on it. She immediately felt a tingling in her hand and in her neither region as she watched the separated flesh draw closer together with every pass of his tongue until it had mended back completely. He let go of her hand and stepped back from her. “Does that feel better?” She nodded her head dumbly still too surprised to speak. He walked back to the other side of the room. “I am already under a death sentence. You are not. I would advise that you remain here until morning. Verlon will come for you and put you somewhere nicer. You really haven’t broken any laws.”

  “Then why was I chained up to start with? I clearly did something wrong.” He started gathering up the chains placing them neatly in the corner where he was chained down. “We still have people that hunt us Myra. We must be very careful who we expose ourselves to. Brooklyn and Verlon allowed you here because they assumed you would become one of us. Since things have changed you have become somewhat of a risk.” She stared at him in disbelief. “Do they think I would expose my twin? I just found her I wouldn’t do anything to hurt her.” He nodded. “I believe they would have come to that decision as well, however they needed to minimize the risk for tonight. You were trying to run.” She walked over to the door. “ I can’t risk my life on what they may or may not decide Barron. My plans haven’t changed. I’m still leaving.” She looked back at him. “Are you coming with me or not? If you’re still in the mood to off yourself you can do it after we get away from here.” He came up to her searching her face. “They will hunt us Myra, you because you know too much me because of my crime. Do you really want to live the rest of your life on the run?” She shrugged. “Hell, I’ve been running my whole life already Barron. This isn’t anything new.” Something in her voice must have convinced him because he nodded. “Very well then, but don’t ever say I didn’t warn you. I would ask that you would allow me to relocate you to a different country. Again I feel responsible for your being brought here in the first place.” When she opened her mouth he placed his finger over it causing them to burn. “I may have phrased that as a question, but it really wasn’t. I will take you somewhere safe before we part ways. That is my stipulation for allowing you to leave here. Do you agree?” Deciding that she probably didn’t have much of a choice she agreed then reached for the door. “Myra why don’t we travel my way?” Before she could ask what he was talking about he had pulled her against his chest and the world dissolved away…

  ~Chapter Fifteen~

  “What do you mean they are gone?” Haven looked at Deacon like she couldn’t understand the words he was saying. “I said they are gone. They escaped sometime last night.” Deacon paced the length of the room as Haven tried to make some kind of sense out of what he was telling her. “Ok, tell me again why you had my sister chained up in the same room as your br
other? Wasn’t the plan to keep her away from him? When did that plan change Deacon?” He stopped pacing and faced her. “Myra was leaving. She was too great a risk to be allowed to just leave. Now I wasn’t going to leave her there for very long, one night at the most until we decided what needed to be done. We didn’t have anywhere else that was secure enough to hold her.” Haven flung her arms up “So lets just chain her to a wall right next to her soul mate who, by the way nearly killed me while he was having a temper fit because you know… I wasn’t his soul mate! That makes perfect sense!” She started to say something else, but she heard Brooklyn’s voice in the hallway. She didn’t sound any happier than Haven right now. Giving Deacon her best this- isn’t -over -look she went to the door and opened it. “Oh! Sweetling! You must be frantic! Don’t you worry dear we will find them and bring them back! I cannot believe that my very own mate would make such a poor decision. Believe me, I had no knowledge of this!” Brooklyn wrapped her up in a fierce hug. Haven hugged her back then she looked to Verlon who was actually looking as shamed faced as Deacon was at the moment. “Well it was clear that Barron was just waiting for the right opportunity to escape. I’m afraid we may have given him the perfect reason when we placed Myra in the room with him. I really thought he was too out of it to even realize who or what she was. Now I fear she may be in grave danger. The counsel will send out a search party immediately. Don’t worry Haven we will get your sister back.” Haven walked over to Deacon and he pulled her into his arms kissing the top of her head. “I know you will Verlon. But will it be too late?”

  An hour or two later Haven laid nestled in Deacons arms back in their cave. Her body was feeling stronger by the minute after a couple of feedings. Now she felt the pressing need of another insatiable hunger well up in her as she nuzzled her mate’s throat. She placed gentle kisses and warm licks against the strong column of his neck, smiling as he growled his approval. She still had not had her way with him as he deemed her too weak. But now… now she would not be denied! She reached up and rubbed her finger against the deep furrows that were between his eyes. “My Serah frowns too much… whatever shall I do to remedy that?” She started by kissing the spot between his eyes then she kissed the outside corner of each of his eyes making her way down to where his sinful mouth awaited her. Deacon captured her lips when she got near enough holding them captive as he drew them in. He teased them with quick barely there sweeps of his tongue drawing hers out to play with his. He was being tender and gentle, but Haven was in no mood for gentle and tender, she needed her mate to take her and make her his! Scouring from her body and soul every trace of his brother. Haven straddled his lap then sitting up she removed her shirt quickly followed by her bra. Cupping her breasts together she teased the male under her, when he reached for them she leaned back denying him his treasures. “Haven.” he warned. Using a carefully planned seduction she raised her arms over her head lifting her hair while she arched her back. Then she began to roll her hips starting a slow grind against him. He groaned as he watched the show she was putting on for him placing his hands on her hips to hold her down harder against him. He thrust up against her suddenly causing Haven to gasp as the tables were turned against her. “Do that again!” she whispered. Shaking his head she heard the sound of fabric tearing under his claws. “These are my favorite jeans!” He didn’t look the least bit sorry as he pulled the shredded denim from her body. Haven narrowed her eyes at him. “Oh, you will pay for that!” He didn’t even pause as he sat up going up to his knees bringing Haven along with him like she weighed nothing. In a quick twist he had her face down on the mattress pinning her beneath his heavy body. For a brief moment Haven flashed back to the night that Barron had her in this same position, attacking her with fangs and claws. She stiffened as fear permeated her lust filled mind. Deacon sensed the change in her he eased his hold on her, but he didn’t turn her loose. “No. I will not allow him to intrude. You know it is me, you know you are safe.” He tightened his grip on her until she relaxed down into the mattress once more.