Haven's Choice (3 page)

Deacon walked slowly over to her and lifting his hand he
brushed the back of his fingers softly over her cheek. She ignored the electric tingle that scattered across her cheek at the brief contact. “For me there can be no one else Haven. I wish joy and happiness in your life. Please know that you can call to me should you ever have need of anything.” He smiled sadly, breaking her heart, then he walked away disappearing into the tree line…

A month later
Haven gagged as she threw up her fifty-third dinner in a row. What was wrong with her? She hadn’t been able hold down more than a mouthful at a time ever since Deacon left. She had tried everything changing from human to vamp from male to female. She even tried animal blood, but nothing would stay down. She was starving to death. Every day she grew weaker her already thin body was starting to look downright skeletal. She would be the envy of the catwalk if she were a model. Her last dinner was a homeless man that had passed out on the sidewalk. Haven was so thankful to find him she didn’t even mind the rank odor coming from his unwashed body. At least she wouldn’t spend precious energy subduing and entrancing him.  But it didn’t matter, because after a few deep swallows her body rejected it and she was back to square one. As she lay on the deserted street she stared up at the stars that were barely visible past the tall buildings.

She had wa
nted to do things with her life go places meet people, make a difference in the world. Now she wouldn’t be able to do any of those things! She was going to die alone in the street and no one would even care. Turning her head she looked at the homeless man still passed out a few feet away from her. Ok, so she wouldn’t exactly die alone, but close enough. Too weak to even crawl off the street she just laid there, tears of regret and remorse sliding down her pale cheeks. She could feel the last ember of life start to leave her body and with her final breath she spoke one word… “Deacon.”

~Chapter Three
~

Haven stretched as she woke up. The smooth feel of silk sheets surrounded her body and felt blissfully cool against her skin. She didn’t want to open her eyes and have this wonderful dream end. Her body felt strong again, no ravaging hunger pains that had her tummy twisted up for weeks, no all consuming need to sink her fangs into anything and everything. She felt at peace. Then she wondered why she felt at peace? Suddenly she remembered feeding on the homeless man and not being able to keep his blood down, she remembered dying on the street next to him! She was dead! Oh crap-crap-crap! That’s why she felt so good. Now she kept her eyes closed for a different reason, she was scared of what she would see when she opened them. She tried listening to her surroundings, but all she could hear was someone breathing close to her. Peeking her right eye open the tiniest crack she looked to see who was there with her.

It was Deacon. He was asleep in a chair next to her and he loo
ked liked death warmed over. Pale and gaunt he was riddled with bite marks and scratches all over his neck, chest and arms. He looked like he had gotten into a fight with large alley cat and had lost… badly. What was he doing here? Where was here anyway? She looked around the room and was surprised to see it was actually a large cave with stalactites and everything. The stalactites that hung from the ceiling were covered in tiny crystals that shimmered and sparkled from the dim lights that were on the bedside table.  The cave had been renovated and made into a lavish bedroom with a large four-poster bed and dressers along with a flat screen TV and a mini fridge. She wondered just where those things were plugged in? She could hear the sound of water falling in the distance so she raised up to see where it was coming from. When she sat up the sheet pooled around her waist and she could see she was wearing a dark blue silk nightgown and she had clearly been bathed. If Deacon had changed her clothes and seen her naked he was going to look way worse than he did right now! She slid out of bed and walked over to the chair. “Deacon?” She whispered.

Instantly his eyes flew open
, and he looked at her. “Haven? Are you all right? Are you hungry again?” He lifted his right wrist and started to slash it open with his fang when Haven stopped him. “What are you doing? I’m fine! Why would you do that?”

He stood up unsteadily and Haven was alarmed at how weak he was. “Deacon when was the last time you fed? Why do you look so bad? What happened?” She walked him over to the side of the bed and he sat down.

“You truly don’t remember do you?” He asked softly.  She shook her head. “No, what happened?”

“
I found you near death on a street corner almost three weeks ago. I have been feeding you and nursing you back to health. I nearly lost you a few times.” His face actually got paler at the thought of losing her, as if it pained him. Haven stepped back from him and looked him over once again. The bite marks the deep scratches. “Did I… do that to you?” She whispered in horror. He got up and placed his hands on her shoulders, his right hand sliding up to cup the back of her neck under her heavy fall of hair.

“
It doesn’t matter, all that matters is that you are better. I will heal. They are just a few scratches.” Tears of shame fell down her face, as she looked at all the damage. “Deacon…I’m so sorry. I don’t know why I would have done this to you or why I don’t remember doing it!” She stammered out her apology.

“Shh…
Serah, you were starving. I knew you would be exactly like this when I brought you here. You couldn’t help it. Now we won’t speak of it again agreed?” Unable to meet his eyes she nodded her head. She walked around the cave her feet sinking deep into plush rugs that had been thrown everywhere. The cold stone floor was completely covered. She made the circle around the large room then she was standing back in front of him.

“
Why couldn’t I feed Deacon?” She questioned. This time it was Deacon who couldn’t meet her eyes. “You know why don’t you? What did you do to me?”

He looked at her with a
n angry spark in his eyes. “I didn’t do anything. It was when you fed from me. I tried to stop you, I told you to stop remember?”

Haven actually did vaguely remember that. “Ok, so what did that do to me?” Deacon got up and walked over to the mini fridge opening it he took out a bag of blood and ripped the corner with his fang. Only after he downed its contents did he answer.
Haven felt like smacking herself in the head! Why didn’t she think of bagged blood?

“
Remember when I told you that once a couple had bonded the female could only fed from her male? I believe this is what has happened. I truly did not think that you had taken enough to form the bond, but it appears I was mistaken.”

Haven sank down on the side of the bed, her suddenly weak legs unable to support her. “It appears you were mistak
en? It appears you were mistaken? So what now Deacon? I strongly suggest that you tell me anything other than I will have to feed from you for the rest of my life!” Deacon didn’t respond he didn’t have to. She could see the answer in his eyes.  Rage came over her so fast that it took her breath away. A blinding uncontrollable rage unlike anything she had ever known tore though her body and the only outlet stood in front of her.

Deacon watched as the realization that she would be dependent upon him
forever dawned on her. When he had faintly heard her whisper his name he had felt joy fill his soul until he found her. Then his joy was replaced by a cold terror that he had never known before. He gathered up her near lifeless body and streaked through the skies faster than he had thought possible. Upon reaching his home he had taken her into the thermal pools that was inside the cavern to warm her up. After her body temperature had increased a few degrees he bit into his wrist and held it over her lips until she started to drink on her own. It was after that things got a little rough. She was so hungry that she couldn’t be reasoned with, all she could see or hear or smell was the blood that was rushing in vast amounts through his veins. She attacked like a wild animal ripping and scratching sinking her fangs into whatever area of his body she could reach. He had tried to be gentle with her, to not harm her while keeping her from draining him dry. He finally had to resort to shackles. It was only in the last few days that she had calmed down enough that he removed them. It was then that he was finally able to bathe her properly in the heated pools washing the dirt and vomit from her long hair. He hated that he had caused this to happen to her. He didn’t handle their meeting right at all. He should have taken things slower been more understanding of her concerns. Now once more she was looking at him like he was the devil himself.

Haven tried to breath deeply to control her anger. She wanted to rip into Deacon so badly. To beat it out of him that he was lying
, and she wasn’t chained to him forever. But somewhere in the back of her mind, in that place where reason and thought still took place, a tiny seed had taken root that he was telling the truth and that she had done this to herself. He stood there watching her wearily, like he wouldn’t be able to stand for much longer. Suddenly the biggest part of her anger drained away. They could fight about this some other day. She needed to return the favor and take care of him. Walking over to him she bit deeply into her own wrist cringing at the sharp pain offering it to him. “The damage is done now Mr. Northcross, let me return the favor… feed.” Deacon watched as the blood welled up from the cuts on her wrist. He could smell its rich copper scent, but more than that he could smell the scent of Haven that called to him like a siren’s song. He did not have the strength or the will power in him to resist its call. As gently as he could and with much reverence he took what was offered to him.

Haven was not prepared for the
reaction her body would have to Deacons fangs sliding into her skin. His lips were warm and soft as they closed over her wrist. She could feel the suction along with the gentle sweep of his tongue as he fed. Lighting streaked up her arm shooting through her body every nerve she had was set on fire by the simple act. She knew he wasn’t doing anything to make her react this way. He was simply feeding this was from the “bonding” as he called it. Deacon raised his eyes to her, his gaze hot. She struggled to keep her composure and control her breathing along with her racing hormones. But with every passing second her body was winding tighter and tighter until she cried out under the explosion of sensation. Her knees gave way and she would have fallen if Deacon had not caught her up to him holding her tightly against his body as he licked her wrist to close the wounds. Haven was mortified! She would never be able to face him again! She couldn’t believe that she had done that while he fed from her. He placed her on the bed and she immediately rolled away from him hiding her hot face in the cool silk pillows.

“
Just let me die please.” She mumbled.

“
Haven, its nothing to be ashamed of.” Deacon tried to eliminate her embarrassment.

“
Ummm yeah… it is.” She mumbled again. He rolled her over to face him but she brought the pillow with her hiding under it. He chuckled. “Stop laughing. This is going to be real awkward if I do this every time we feed from each other.” She suddenly went still then tossed the pillow off and sat up looking at him accusingly. “I bet I did didn’t I? I bet this isn’t first time you have seen me… you know.” He averted his eyes and got up off the bed. “It’s not is it? How many times Deacon? How many times have I totally made a fool of myself in your arms?”

He spun around pointing his finger at her. “You did not make a fool of yourself Haven! Every time that I held
you as you came apart was like a precious gift for me. It was sacred and holy. I will not allow you to demean it do you understand me? My only prayer is that one-day you will willingly, knowingly fly apart as I hold you. I will not deny that I am happy to have at least experienced it for I had long given up that I ever would.”

He walked to the
other side of the cave. “I need to leave you for a few hours. I have things that I must attend to, however I will be back before dawn.” Then he left a very confused Haven alone.

Haven explored her surroundings while she thought about what Deacon had said. He had said what happened between them was sacred and holy. Those were some pretty deep words. She knew he wasn’t just tossing them at her to come off all romantic, and to try to make her swoon at his pretty phrases. He really felt that way. She saw it in his eyes. It was still a pretty heavy statement and she wasn’t sure what to make of it, or him either if she was honest. She followed the sound of falling water down a short passage way and gasped when she saw the most beautiful sight! It was an indoor waterfall that fell from at least twenty feet up cascading into a small deep pool. The same sparkling crystals that covered the ceiling in the bedchamber covered the sides of the pool and the ceiling above it reflecting down into the water making it sparkle like a pool filled with diamonds. It was simply breathtaking! But what was casting the light to make the crystals sparkle? She didn’t see any sunlight coming from above and it was too far from the bedchamber to be coming from the bedside lamps. She stepped closer to the side of the pool and saw that what she thought was crystals reflecting light was actually millions of tiny glow worms that had formed a pod of some sort and had attached to the walls and ceiling. Whatever the little guys were doing caused their little pods to glow in an array of different colors, from pink to blue to neon green. “Oh this is way cooler than crystals!” She whispered. “Little glow worms how cute!” Of course that did beg the question of what cute little glowworms might morph into later, but she wasn’t thinking about that now. She would ask Deacon when he returned.

That thought brought her right back to her main problem…
Deacon Reinhold Northcross. Sighing deeply she dipped her toes into the water delighted to feel that it was hot! It was a thermal spring! Not wasting another second she quickly swept the silk nightgown off over her head and shimmied out of the matching silk panties. Holding the panties in her hand she tried desperately to remember putting them on along with the nightgown, but she drew a blank. “Well, I don’t remember clawing and biting him either so maybe I really did put them on myself. I had better have put them on myself!” She muttered as she tiptoed carefully into the pool. The bottom was covered in sand or at least it felt like sand to her toes. After she had walked around carefully for a couple of minutes she dove in. She had always loved the water, a natural born swimmer her momma used to say, part guppy according to her granny. If there were a puddle of water more than ankle deep she would find it. Haven swam and played in the pool as long as she dared. She discovered that it was sand on the bottom. Black sand that shifted and flowed from her hands as she studied it. Bringing her hair around she squeezed it out as she walked out of the pool she reached for the nightgown then froze when she felt eyes on her. She strained her ears trying to hear anything past the sound of the waterfall quickly pulling on the nightgown the silk material clinging to her still wet body, she wadded the undies up in her hand then turned around. Deacon was propped up against the cave wall feet crossed at the ankles clearly enjoying the show.

Haven felt the heat spread across her face and chest but she refused to let him see that he had embarrassed her. Keeping her head held up she walked over to where he stood his eyes roaming her body that was clearly outlined in the wet silk. “Well, you look remarkably better than when you left here.” She commented.