Haven's Choice (5 page)

“
What kind of foolishness is this? Frankly, I expect such childish behavior from you, Barron. You have always been a temperamental fool, but Deacon? You truly shock me. Explain yourselves now.” Neither brother said a word they just stared at each other. The woman shook her head tsking to herself then she walked over to where Haven was hiding behind the bed. “Come child, perhaps you can be the voice of reason here. Can you please explain what has these two… boys fighting like common barroom brawlers?”

Haven took t
he hand that was offered surprised at the strength in it. “It’s me. They are fighting over me.” She answered quietly. “I see.” The woman said. “Why would they do that?” She asked. “Because they both believe that I am their mate. They both have the bonding signs.”

The woman’s brows rose
high at that statement. “Truly?” Turning with a surprised look to Deacon she asked. “Deacon is this true?” Deacon simply nodded. “How odd.” she murmured. The woman went to each brother placing her palm on their chest to feel the beating hearts. “How remarkable! Twins bonded with the same female!”

“No, she is mine. I bonded with her first.” Deacon finally focused on the woman before him.

“But I bonded with her best.” Barron returned.

“Q
uiet!” The woman ordered. Turning to the towering male that stood behind Deacon.  “Verlon, my love, have you ever heard of such a thing happening? We have had sets of twins born into the legend, both males and females, but to my knowledge this has never happened.”

He
slowly shook his head clearly surprised at Havens announcement as the woman. “Nay, never in all my years. This is the first.”

The woman turned
to Haven once more. “I’m sorry child forgive my lack of manners. I am Brooklyn and this is my mate Verlon. What is your name sweetling?”

Eyeing the raven-
haired beauty that had to be six foot three, if she were an inch Haven introduced herself. “I am Haven, I was turned less than five months ago so forgive me for not recognizing your names. Are you someone important?”

That had the woman coveri
ng her mouth to hide her smile. She looked at her mate with twinkling eyes. “That would probably depend upon who you asked my dear. We are the governors in this region.” The man approached Haven holding out his hand. He was massive and by the time he stood in front of her she had to crane her neck looking straight up to meet his deep brown eyes. He took her hand and bought it to his lips to kiss it softly. “Welcome to the family little sister.”

Haven wasn’t sure which brother was growling at the man’s touch until Brooklyn smacked Deacon in the chest. “Oh hush! You know he see
s no other female but me. Don’t be more of an idiot than you can help, Northcross.”

Haven fought to hide her grin
. She thought she might actually like this Brooklyn. She certainly didn’t take any crap from the brothers, and they showed her total respect. Of course with a mate the size of Verlon they would be really foolish not to.

Brooklyn paced the floor tapping her long fingernail against her
right fang. “So both of you clearly have the bonding signs, have either of you fed her?” They both looked at each other then nodded. “Really? She was able to feed from both of you and kept it down?” Brooklyn looked to Haven who nodded slowly then sighed.

“
Look, I didn’t know that Deacon was a twin. When Barron showed up I thought it was Deacon so I gave him a kiss as a reward for nursing me back to health. I want to set the record straight that I didn’t hop from one brother to the other knowingly. I really thought I was with Deacon.”

Brooklyn walked over and patted her shoulder. “Of course child, no one here thinks badly of you at all. You were not given all the facts. Although in Deacon
’s defense I’m sure he felt he had no need to tell you right away about Barron. You really should not have the felt the bond with him at all. I’m assuming you did feel …the bond?” At Brooklyn’s raised eyebrow Haven knew what bond she referring to. She felt the heat rise to her cheeks as she nodded looking anywhere, but where the brothers stood.

“Did it perhaps feel stronger with one brother than the other?” Haven wished the floor would open up and swallow her. Did Brooklyn really just ask her if one brother did it for her more than the other? Ok, granted she asked it in a very discreet way, but still. “Umm not really. Not that I noticed I don’t think. They were both…
umm… well… I met Deacon first so maybe he was. But Barron really had me amped up too. Crap! I don’t know! I really just don’t know.”

Verlon
stepped forward. “I think it may be best if Haven stayed with us until this is settled.” Deacon’s head lifted slowly at that statement his eyes glowing faintly. “You are not taking her from me, Verlon. This is the only warning you will receive.” Haven thought with Deacon being the first to protest maybe that proved something, but when she looked at Verlon she saw that Barron had him backed against the wall by a dagger held to his throat so she knew both brothers had reacted, just in a different manner. Brooklyn’s voice took on a very different pitch when she warned Barron about harming her mate.

“Barron if you so much as leave a cre
ase in his skin I will be feeding your liver to Fifi, and you know how he loves liver.” Barron slowly backed away, but he kept the dagger firmly in his hand.

“I know you both are claiming her, but you also know that’s not possible. I don’t know what is happening here it is quite unprecedented, however we must be reasonable and rational creatures. She is not a bone to be fought over. Her well being and life happiness is at stake here as well and if you are both claiming to call her
Serah, then you should want that above all else. Yes?” Deacon looked at Haven and she felt that look all the way to her soul. “I would give my life for my Serah if that is what she requires to be happy.” Barron suddenly flipped the dagger into the air then threw it with blinding speed at his brother’s chest impaling him just above the heart. Haven screamed as Deacon staggered against the wall grasping the hilt of the dagger as he slid to the floor. She ran over to Deacon throwing Barron a look like he was the devil incarnate.

“Deacon? Oh
, God Deacon are you ok?” He grimaced as he pulled the dagger out with a quick jerk. “I’m fine, he knows this won’t kill me. He was just showing off.”

Haven jumped to her feet then marched over to where Barron stood smirking. The crack of her palm hitting his cheek echoed across the cavern. “That was the sorriest thing I have ever seen Barron
Northcross! That man is your brother you shared a womb with him! How dare you toy with his life like that!”

He
slowly lifted his hand rubbing his cheek as his eyes smoldered to a pale yellow. “I have shared nearly everything in my life with my brother Serah, but I will not share you. If he was willing to die to ensure your happiness how could I not offer my assistance? I know where this is going. They will say that you have a choice. Perhaps you do, but I would advise that you choose wisely do not think that I will bow out gracefully if you choose Deacon. You are my Serah, my very reason for existing. I will not ever willingly give you up.” With that announcement he inclined his head to Brooklyn then vanished.

“Oh bother, I was afraid of that. Barron never was a very good team player.” Brooklyn walked over offering her wrist to Deacon. He waited for
Verlon’s permission before he took what was offered taking only what he needed to heal. Within minutes his wound was closed from the powerful blood of the eldest.

“So what now?” Haven asked. She certainly didn’t feel safe staying here. It was too easy for Barron to just show up. But then ag
ain was anywhere safe?

“I think
Verlon was right. You need to come stay with us, and Deacon, wipe that scowl off your face. This is only until it can be sorted out. You may still come visit and feed Haven, but I think until we have a definite answer to whom she belongs we need to keep the contact to a minimum.”

Haven thought she already knew
who she would choose if she was given a choice. Barron was too violent, too demanding. Deacon was at least more of a gentleman. Both were ready to fight to keep her but Deacon gave a warning whereas Barron just went into kill mode. Although she guessed that to be fair if Barron had truly wanted to kill Deacon he would have done so. The dagger to the chest was his warning. This was really getting to be way too much! “Byron, I’ll will have your head for this.” she vowed. When the other three looked at her in confusion she just waved them off. “Long story.” And she left it at that.

~Chapter Five~

Haven stared up at the ceiling of the very nice room she was given. Someone had gone to a lot of trouble to paint a sunny sky with white fluffy clouds and birds with beautiful colored feathers in flight. It looked as though someone missed the sun. Haven could relate to that. She was a bona-fide sun worshiper before she was turned. It would figure, she didn’t fear getting skin cancer any more, but if she stepped one toe into the palest beam of sunlight she went up in smoke. That part of the vampire myths was very true, sort of. She had to actually be in direct sunlight to be scorched. She could go outside in the early morning hours or late in the evenings. Cloudy or rainy days were no problem either.

She bunched the pillow up under her head as she tried to get comfortable. It wasn’t the bed that was the problem, or even staying with Brooklyn and
Verlon. They both made her feel very welcomed and at home. Her discomfort came from the inside. She was restless and edgy…needy. She tried closing her eyes and letting her memories take her home back when she was just a child.

She i
magined she was lying in her bed in her old bedroom with her cocker spaniel Rascal lying at her feet. She imagined her mother was down stairs cleaning up after supper humming an old hymn as she washed up supper dishes. She could almost smell the scent of Downy fabric softener in her purple leopard print comforter, could almost hear the gentle rumbling snore of Rascal as he snoozed. The car crashing sounds of her little brother Kaden, playing in his room. If she could only concentrate just a little bit harder she could be back there once more. Usually this sent her right off to a deep peaceful sleep, but this time her mind wouldn’t stay focused. Two faces kept intruding two equally handsome faces one with a perpetual smirk and the other with a perpetual frown. She wished that the myth that vampires instantly slumbered once the sun rose was correct. But, unfortunately it wasn’t, and it looked like she would be facing a long night with no sleep.

“Good evening Haven, did you rest well my dear?” Brooklyn looked as ravishing as ever with her black as midnight hair and crystal blue eyes she was truly stunning.
Haven felt like yesterdays crumpled newspaper compared to her.

“Yes, thank you I did.” She lied.

Brooklyn arched an eyebrow at her. “Has no one told you that you are a terrible liar? Now, why couldn’t you sleep? New surroundings? New bed?” Haven sat down at the table with a small smile.  “The bed was fine and both you and Verlon have made me feel very welcome here. It was something more of a personal nature that kept me awake all day I’m afraid.” Brooklyn took a sip of red wine laced with blood. “Yes, I can certainly understand that. I would imagine being in your unique position would make your mind spin. Do you mind if I ask you a question?” Haven smiled. “Sure my life is an open book. Ask away.”

“Well I admit to being curious about your turning. Who turned you my dear? Do you know?” Haven felt her face grow hard at Brooklyn
’s question. “Hell, yes I know. His name was Byron De ‘Court, and he was my boyfriend, well he had actually asked me to marry him the night he changed me. I didn’t even know that your… that our… kind existed until he sank his fangs into my neck that night then left me to die.” The bitterness was clearly evident in her voice.

Brooklyn looked puzzled as she frowned. “When you say he was your boyfriend, what does that imply exactly? Where you intimate with him? Pardon my invasion into your privacy I promise I have a very valid reason for asking.”

Haven shrugged. “Byron was very old fashioned. He didn’t have actual sex until after marriage. We did engage in heavy petting once. Why do you ask?”

Brooklyn leaned forward “How much about the bonding have you been told?” Haven told her what she knew. “So I just have to wonder what one of our kind
was doing courting a human? He didn’t leave you to die my dear, he knew you would turn, but what was his purpose behind it?” 

Haven thought abo
ut it. “Maybe he thought I could be his? His Serah?” She jumped when Brooklyn slapped the table.

“That’s it! It has to be! He found you attractive and wanted to see if you could be his
Serah so he turned you. When he felt nothing at your first breath he probably went on to another female. I would be willing to bet that you were not the first nor will you be the last. But he has to be stopped. This seriously goes against the Raya treaty! I must tell Verlon at once.”  Brooklyn rose to leave but stopped when Haven placed her hand on her arm.

“Do you really think that I belong to both Deacon and Barron? Is it truly possible?”

“Haven, when I said you were in a unique position I meant exactly that. This has never happened before, not with other sets of twins or single birthed males. I would guess that there must be something very special about you my dear. But try not to let it worry you too much. We will solve this mystery, I assure you. Now please make yourself at home. Feel free to explore the house, however I would advise against leaving it. I don’t feel that Deacon will pose much of a problem, but his twin? I put nothing past him including taking you by force. So for your safety please remain within the walls of our estate.” After getting her promise that she wouldn’t venture outside the estate walls Brooklyn hurried off to speak with her mate.

Haven spent the next se
veral hours exploring the property. Brooklyn and Verlon had a lovely home with an outdoor garden that was green and lush despite the lack of rain and the unbearable heat of a Texas summer. She walked the paths that wound through the thick foliage stopping here and there to sniff the blooms that dangled from the vines. She couldn’t identify most of the plants that grew in such a thick canopy overhead that it shaded the majority of the large yard. Large tropical looking flowers in brilliant colors grew in abundance and hung heavy from the vines that were supported by tall cane poles. Even the grass was thick and green and looked so inviting she slipped off her shoes sighing as she sank her feet into the cool green carpet.

The entire yard was surrounded by a very tall privacy fence that served a dual purpose of insuring their privacy
, and helped to support more flowering vines. In the center of the yard she discovered a deep pool that was set against a man made waterfall of stacked boulders. The water splashed down the boulders and into the deep pool making ripples that lapped against the sides. Lily pads with white flowers grew on one end of the pool but the rest was clear of any vegetation. Unable to resist and praying there wasn’t any creepy crawlies hidden in the dark water, Haven sat on the edge and slipped her feet in up to mid-calf. Sighing blissfully she leaned back in the grass and stared up at the evening sky that was starting to grow dim. This had become her favorite time of night. Right before the night claimed the day, twilight was what her granny called it. It seemed almost magical the feeling in the air, as the sky started to darken. Then she saw the stars appear one by one. She could have gotten lost out here and forgotten where she was or why she was even here except her tummy chose that moment to growl loudly in a very un-lady like manner. She sat up placing her hand on her rumbling stomach.

She didn’t think anything worse could ever happen to her after she was turned. Being forced to prey on her fellow humans was revolting to her, but she dealt with it.  She was careful not to take too much
, and she always left them with a pleasant memory. She refused to dine on the weak or on children. She would starve first. The only exception she made was snacking on the passed out homeless man, but he didn’t even know she was there and she wasn’t able to take enough to hurt him, so she figured that didn’t count.

But
something worse did happen. Now she couldn’t even feed herself! She was totally dependent on someone else and that made her stomach burn more than the hunger pains! She wondered who would show up first tonight. She really hoped it was Deacon, because his twin worked her last nerve, and she still might smack him again for stabbing his brother! Getting to her feet she didn’t bother putting her shoes back on, instead she slipped her fingers through the straps of her sandals and let them dangle as she made her way slowly to the back door. She was nearly to the door when Deacon stepped out of the shadows.

“Good evening my
Serah, did you rest well?” He bowed slightly at the waist really telling off on his age by the old world move.

Haven smiled. “Well, I would say yes, but Brooklyn informed me that I was a terrible liar.” She turned and gestur
ed to the yard. “I can’t get over how beautiful it is out here. They must pay their gardener a fortune!” Deacon grinned. “No gardener is needed. The plants obey our orders. We tell them to grow beautiful and lush and they do so.” Arching her brow at that incredible statement Haven turned back to face him. “Come again?”

Deacon cocked
his head. “You really have no idea how powerful you are do you?” He bent down and scooped up some soil in to the palm of his hand then he plucked a cherry from a nearby tree. He pulled the pit from the center of the cherry and planted it in the soil that he held in his hand. Then he leaned down and whispered something to it. He looked up at Haven with a smile. “Watch!”

Haven
leaned closer and saw dirt in his palm started to stir, she gasped as a tiny green shoot emerged and starting to grow rapidly. Deacon dropped to his knees and planted the tiny shoot into the ground by the pool. It continued to grow until it reached full size in less than ten minutes. She stared in amazement as grew, bloomed, and bore fruit in under twenty minutes.

Deacon smiled
as her face lit up in wonder at the most simple of Legend abilities. When she turned the full force of her smile on him he felt the impact more so than Barron’s dagger. She had to be his he knew it with every fiber of his being! He would be glad when Barron finally realized this and moved on to find his own true Serah.

“That’s the most remarkable thing I have ever seen! Can I do this too?”
He nodded. “Yes, pick out what you would like to grow. I’ll show you.” Haven wondered around the garden until she spotted a purple and cream colored, orchid that was simply exquisite. She pointed then watched as he gathered up a handful of soil and placed it in her palm. Then he dusted some of the fragile pollen from one flower then another sprinkling it in the dirt that she held. He reached carefully inside the flower and brought out a tiny black seed not much bigger than a grain of sand and planted in the center of the dirt. “Now whisper to it.” He instructed.

Haven looked at him completely lost. “Whisper what exactly?” She laughed nervously as she looked at the pile of
dirt in her hand. “Tell it what you want it to do. That you want it grow strong and healthy and produce a beautiful flower.”

“That’s it? I don’
t need to say abracadabra over it or anything?” He chuckled and shook his head no. “Well, darn I had hoped this would be the perfect time to say it. I’ve always wanted to.”

“You can say whatever you like after you
give the seed its directions.” Deacon commented. Haven smiled then brought her hand close to her face and whispered her instructions to her little dirt pile. Then she straightened back up and waved her hand over it smiling as she said “Abracadabra and bibbity bobbity boo too!” She felt the magic in her palm almost instantly! The tingles and the vibrations as the seed exploded with life! Within moments a green shoot shot up through the dirt and starting reaching for the sky.

“Plant it here quickly or it will grow through your hand!” Deacon had dug out a small hole for the plant and Haven quickly planted the shoot then stepped back in pure joy as the green shoot grew taller unfurling its new leaves. The bud appeared next deepening in color growing until it sprang out the most perfect orchid she had ever seen! Haven
laughed in delight!

“I want to grow something else!” She ran around the garden choosing this flower and that flower. This fruit tree and that fruit tree whispering and growing them until the garden was fairly bursting with new life!
She then stood back and stared at all of her creations in awe! “This is so cool!” She exclaimed. But then she sobered, looking down at her hand flexing her fingers.

“How can this be Deacon? How can we create life? Only God can do that.” Deacon closed his hand over her fingers. “Humans have been creating life for thousands of years Haven. What is having children? Isn’t that creating life? God has given the human body the remarkable ability to create life and give birth to another of its kind. Th
e entire universe is made by that same standard each kind reproducing it’s own. Every living thing has been given that spark of life from our Creator. We just have the ability to hurry the process along is all.”

Feeling a little better
after Deacon had explained it Haven asked him another question. “So you believe in God?”

Again he nodded as he took a seat
next to her on the back step. “I do. I believe we all came from someone much greater than us. It doesn’t make sense to me for their not to be a divine being. I have seen much of this world in my long life and the longer I live the more certain I become that He does exist.”

Haven sat down next to him and voiced a fear she had ever since being turned. “So where does our kin
d fit in? I was raised that vampires, if they existed, were children of the dark born of Satan and all of that. Is that true?” Deacon chuckled softly. “I don’t feel evil. I don’t go around doing evil things. I have made mistakes, but I have learned from them. I try to help when and where I can. I didn’t have choice about what I was born to be. I didn’t have a choice about how I survive, by drinking blood. This is what I am. I have a hard time accepting that God would send someone to hell or deny entrance into heaven, for something they had no choice in. Is that what you’re worried about?”