Haven's Choice (11 page)

~ Chapter Ten
~

It had now been close to a year since the counsel had decreed that she would be Barron’s Serah. No one had seen or heard from Deacon in all that time and Haven had finally stopped thinking or wondering about him. She decided he was a coward unworthy of her time or her heart! She had laid aside her foolish plan to run with Deacon if he ever showed back up. She knew now that would only get them both killed. Her life with Barron was happy… enough. He treated her decently and with respect. That was a lot more than a lot women got from their males both human and vamp. Of course the sex was off the charts, but that had to do with the stupid bonds. Haven had long since stopped fighting them. The only time she and Barron had any connection was in the bedroom, so he tried to keep her there.

But she knew
, and she was sure that he even knew, that their bond was not that of Serah’s. It wasn’t like Brooklyn’s and Verlon’s. Their eyes followed each other as if they were tied. When they stood near each other Verlon’s body was always slightly in front of Brooklyn’s offering her his protection. Verlon’s eyes always sought out Brooklyn in a roomful of guests and friends. He was always guarding her even from a distance. Brooklyn in turn submitted herself to his protection and his authority. That was one area that Haven still had not mastered. She hated being told what to do, even if it was for her own good. She bristled every time Barron tried to get her to do something his way. He grew frustrated with her lack of submissiveness. But she did warn him on that first day that she was stubborn and she reminded him of that today when they argued over some trivial matter that Haven wouldn’t agree to. “By God I bloody know that you did Haven! You have yet to cease reminding me of it. But just once I wish you would just do as I ask without fighting me on every turn.”

She just shrugged. “Sorry Charlie, but this is what you asked for so this is what you got.”
He strode over and jerked her to her feet roughly. “No. This is not what I asked for and you know it. I asked for a chance to make you happy, I asked for you to meet me halfway, but you won’t. Any little concession I have gotten from you I have paid for a thousand times over. Do you think that I don’t know?” She glared up at him. “Don’t know what Barron? Say it!” His furious eyes met hers. “I know that you are not my Serah! I know that you belong to my brother. Is that what you wanted to hear?” She nodded her head slowly. “It’s the truth at least. Now I ask you why? You have probably known from the very beginning, so why?” He let her go and walked away to stare out over the bright lights of the city below them. Their positions reminded Haven of her first night here except it was her that stared wistfully out into the night. “Why Barron?” she asked again. His eyes met hers in the reflection. “Because once I met you I could not imagine anyone else in your place. I know I was a selfish bastard, and I caused both you and my brother untold pain. But I truly did think I could make you happy, that I could make you love me.” She held his stare without mercy. “And now?” He turned to face her before he spoke his voice cold. “Now, I am less able to let you go than I was before Haven, even knowing that you will never love me. I will love you enough for the both of us.” Haven shook head as she walked to him placing her hand over his heart. “Barron, that’s not love. That’s ownership. True love wants the other to be happy even if they are not. True love will walk away from the very thing that makes their hearts sing if it will mean the other will be able to find happiness.” Suddenly she stopped and stared at him. “My God all this time I’ve hated him, and that’s exactly what he did. He walked away so I could find happiness with you!” Tears poured from her eyes when she finally recognized Deacons sacrifice. Barron frowned furiously at her. “So that makes him a hero now? That he wouldn’t stay and fight for you?” She looked at him with a small smile on her face. “No, Barron, that doesn’t make him a hero. It makes him my Serah.” Then she turned and walked from the room.

The next day she told Brooklyn of her revelation. “So now what?” Her friend asked. Haven shrugged. “I don’t know. Barron said he wouldn’t let me go and with Deacon gone I guess things will go on as they have been. Once more I have no choice.” Brooklyn got to her feet walking the lush garden that Haven had created in Barron’s backyard. She suddenly stopped and gave her head a sharp nod. “Actually, that’s not exactly true Haven.” Haven looked at her in confusion. “What isn’t exactly true?” Brooklyn walk
ed back over and sat down next to her taking her hand. “I was sworn to secrecy, so please forgive me, but I know where Deacon is.” Haven stared at her for a long moment not sure that she heard her correctly. “What? What did you say Brooklyn?” Her friend actually looked ashamed. “I know where Deacon is, well sort of.” Haven grasped her hand tightly. “Brooklyn, I really need you to start making sense ok?” Brooklyn nodded. “Let me start at the night of the counsel meeting. Deacon had come to me and told me that he knew the counsel would grant Serahship of you to Barron, because he was the firstborn. He knew he couldn’t fight that. He also knew that the only thing that made any sense in this situation was that you must have been born a twin and just didn’t know about it.” Haven shook her head hard! “I’m not a twin! I’ve told him that more than once! Why does he keep hanging on to that idea like a dog with a bone?” Brooklyn shook her head. “That’s where he has been all this time, searching for your twin. He knew the only way you could be together as his rightful Serah was to find Barron’s rightful Serah. It’s the only thing that makes sense Haven! Why else would you respond to both men and both men respond to you? Twins share everything right down to their DNA. When I checked on the other twins that have been born into Legend or turned they were always paired with other twins or at least siblings. Darling, you have a twin somewhere. Now, I don’t know why you were never told about her, but believe me its true.” Brooklyn left a few minutes later leaving a very confused Haven alone in the garden,

“Haven! Where are you?” She heard Barron calling for her
later that evening but she remained silent. Finally he found her in the garden with a tear soaked face. “Haven, what’s wrong? Why are you so upset?” He pulled out a handkerchief and handed it to her. She took it wiping her eyes and nose before she answered him. “Brooklyn was here. She said she knows where Deacon is.” Barron’s face grew hard at the mention of his brother’s name. “I have told you that I’m not letting you go Haven, so it really doesn’t matter where he is now does it?” She looked up at him. “Actually it kind of does Barron. He is looking for my twin.” Barron sat down next to her. “Do you have a twin? I thought you said that you didn’t. Did you lie?” He watched her face very closely looking for any untruth in her eyes. “I didn’t lie to you Barron. If I have a twin and according to Brooklyn, and Deacon I must. I have no knowledge of her. Barron this is good news for you as well, don’t you see that? My twin would be your true Serah!” He stood to his feet staring down at her coldly. “No, it would be good news for Deacon. My decision remains the same. I won’t let you go.” Haven got to her feet as well anger pouring off of her in waves. “What is wrong with you? Were you dropped on your head as a baby? She can give you everything I can’t! She would treat you the way you need to be treated Barron why can’t you see that? She could make you happy!” He turned back to stare down at her his face suddenly made of stone. “All I have to do to be happy is touch you, all I have to do is feel your body come apart under mine and I’m in heaven. To hear you cry out my name as you explode around me is all the happiness I will ever need.” He reached out and tore her thin shirt open as easily as if it was made of paper, then grasping the front of her bra he jerked her to him. “Barron, don’t!” She warned. He smiled bitterly down at her. “Barron, yes, is what you will be saying in just a few moments, my love!” Crushing her lips beneath his he dropped to his knees dragging Haven down with him to the thick grass. She struggled desperately slapping at his head and shoulders, but it was no use soon she felt the fire racing up from her lower stomach and she knew he would win in this. Once he had her to the point of desperation he rung from her swollen lips what he vowed he would hear. Her cries of “Barron! Yes!” rang through the night air…

The following evening Haven made a decision. No longer would she allow Deacon to search for her twin alone. She couldn’t take much more of Barron’s ruthless attempts to force her heart into submission. If his tru
e Serah was out there, if such a person existed she knew who she could ask to find out for sure. A couple of hours later just after sunset a very nervous Haven and an equally nervous Brooklyn sat in Brooklyn’s Jeep Cherokee looking at Havens grandmothers house. “Are you absolutely sure you want to do this? I know that Deacon will find your twin if she really does exist.” Haven nodded as she chewed her bottom lip anxiously. “Yes, this is the quickest way to at least know for sure that we are not looking for someone that doesn’t exist, and maybe, just maybe my granny knows where to find her.” Brooklyn nodded then pointed to the house. “Ok, I agree that you’re probably right on that point, but why do I have to come with you?” Haven looked at her with eyes wide with trepidation. “To keep my granny from loading my butt with buckshot when she finds out what I am.”

A few minutes they were standing at the door and Haven knocked gently. She turned to Brooklyn her panic clearly evident on her pretty face. “I should have called her first! Prepared her! God what was I thinking?” Brooklyn squeezed her hand in sympathy, but didn’t have time for anything else for they heard slow footsteps walking to the front door. Then the door creaked open and a wrinkled little face
surrounded by soft white curls peered out of the doorway. “Yes? Can I help you?” Haven was dismayed to see that during the year and a half she had been gone her grandmother had gone totally blind. She looked at Brooklyn who just smiled reassuringly and nodded her head. “Granny? It’s me, Haven.” Her grandmother gasped then clutched at her heart. “Haven? My Haven? Is it really you?” She reached out her hand searching for her granddaughter that had been gone for so long. The one she had given up for dead. Haven opened the screen door and took her hand it was so thin and frail. “Yes, granny! It’s really me! I’m so sorry I was gone for so long. I have missed you so much!” Haven put her grandmothers hand on her face as her tears rolled down her cheeks. She patted her face feeling of her hair and then finally she pulled her into her arms weeping deep sobs. “Child, oh my sweet child! I have prayed and prayed that God would return you to me, or at least let me know what happened to you!” Brooklyn cleared her throat and looked meaningfully at the passers by on the street that were openly watching what was happening. “Granny, can we go inside and talk? I have a dear friend with me today. Her name is Brooklyn I know you will come to love her as much as I do.” Her grandmother pulled free of Havens arms and opened the door wide. “Oh of course! Welcome Brooklyn, please forgive an old woman of her poor manners, I didn’t realize someone was with Haven.” Brooklyn took her hand gently. “Nonsense, there is nothing to forgive. I’m so happy to meet the lady that Haven speaks so fondly of.”

The women all walked into the house and Haven breathed in deep the scent of home for the first time in ages. It smelled like vanilla cookies and lemon furniture polish with a hint of Ben Gay ointment. It looked exactly the same. The same faded couch that was covered with a maroon and gray afghan that her g
ranny had knitted years ago. A small nineteen-inch television set sat in the corner on a table a lace doily covering the top. A picture of Jesus praying in the garden was front and center on the wall behind granny’s recliner. Haven could hardly look at the picture. She felt so sinful and dirty, but Brooklyn actually bowed her head toward the picture and made the sign of the cross. She looked perfectly at ease. She would have to remember to ask her about that later, but right now she just wanted to spend time with her granny and find out about her twin.

“Granny, I have something that I need to tell you. It may come as a bit of a shock.” Her grandmother settled herself into her recliner. “Is what you’re
going to tell me the reason you haven’t been home in so long? Why you couldn’t call or anything?” Haven nodded then remembered that she couldn’t see her. “Yes, ma’am it is.” Her granny nodded then reached out to find then pat Haven gently on the knee. “It’s alright hon, granny already knows.” Haven glanced at Brooklyn with a slightly confused expression. “You do?” She asked. Her granny nodded then smiled. “You’re a lesbian aren’t you? Your friend here is your lover, and you were too embarrassed to tell us weren’t you? Its ok Haven, Jesus still loves you and so do I.” Brooklyn snorted in laughter and tried to cover it with a cough. Haven was still trying to process that her granny had just said lesbian and lover in the same sentence! She shot Brooklyn a stern look to pull herself together. Her ‘lover’ was still laughing silently fanning her face and wiping her eyes, trying to get control of herself. “Uh, no… no… that’s not what I was going to tell you.” Haven finally stammered out. “Then lands sake child, what is it? After you disappeared and the police couldn’t find so much as a hair of you I decided that you had run away, and the only reason I could think of was that you had turned lesbian. I mean after your boyfriend in high school dumped you, you never mentioned another boy. So I just naturally assumed…” Haven grabbed her grandmother’s hand to stop her from saying anymore; Brooklyn had heard enough as it was! “Granny, I swear to you that I am not now nor have I ever been a lesbian. I like men I promise!” She watched as her grandmother’s brow wrinkled up even more in confusion. “Then why Haven? Why did you leave? Did someone make you leave? Were you forced?” She knelt down in front of her grandmother’s recliner wrapping her arms around her waist and resting her head in her lap, like she did when she was young. “Yes, granny. Something happened to me that made me need to stay away from you for a while. But I’m better now. I… I… have to tell you something that will be hard for you to believe ok? It might even frighten you, but I beg you please don’t be afraid of me, know that I would never hurt you.” Her grandmother smiled as she stroked her head, running her fingers softly through her hair. “I would never fear my own granddaughter Haven, now tell me what has you so troubled.” Haven took a deep breath then said it all in one long rush. “Granny I’m a vampire. They really do exist. Someone who I thought loved me turned me. But now I’m with a male vampire who claims to be my soul mate, but he really isn’t you see. I’m in love with his twin brother so we have to find Barron’s real Serah and the only possible explanation is that I have a twin.” Brooklyn’s eyes were huge in surprise at the way Haven had just thrown all of that at her grandmother. But she couldn’t help it. She was losing her nerve fast, so she blurted it all out before she chickened out completely.