Enraptured:The Sacrifice Trilogy [Book 2]

20. Leave Me Breathless

Savannah

"We have to stop meeting like this," a voice joked, chuckling.  I jolted up too quickly, hitting my head on something...wait, is that the ceiling?  What in the holy crap-balls?  I sighed, exasperated.  "Not funny, Hayde."

My twin sister narrowed her eyes at me, accomplishing this half squint, half eye roll thing I'll never understand.  "Oh, come on, you have to admit it's just the tiniest bit funny," she smiled joyfully to herself; then caught wind of my serious expression.  "I'm sorry, Sav.  Maybe that was a little too much," Hayden apologized, her gaze downcast. Great. Now I feel like a dumb-ass.

I put my left hand on my forehead as if I had a pounding headache, but I don't.  "No.  I'm the one who should be sorry, Hayde.  It's all just too much, you know?" I quaried, wondering exactly how and when I'd become this shell of the girl I used to be.  I was never like this when I was alive; actually, I seemed more happy than I ever am here.

However, it begs the question: was I really?  Hayden pulled my hair back when clearly I became absent inside these none too happy thoughts.  "You're dead.  Does it suck?  Hell yes; the least you can do, though, is try to find good spots in the grey.  There's always good spots, Savannah Grace.  Remember that."

Peering into my own identical eyes, I envied Hayden her glimmering hope.  As she shrugged, Hayden's golden dress ruffled.  "That's just life, sister.  We need hope because without it, what would we be?  We'd be clinging to something darker than ourselves: hate.  Hate is powerful enough to consume you from the inside out if you allow it, so don't let it.  Be stronger.  It's the only way you'll be victorious." She states with such confidence.

When she finished her speech, a thought occurred to me that hadn't before.  "Hayden, where are we exactly?" I asked, looking up in order to see if anything recognizable jumped out at me.  Nope.  Nothing, save for pitch-blackness.  "We're inside your head, crazy.  "Now that I think about it, unfortunately it's time for you to go," she says rather somberly.

Sighing, I hugged my sister for dear life.  "I love you, Hayde.  Will I ever see you again?" I inquired, suddenly fearing the prospect of literally never seeing her again.  She's worm beneath the touch, but she pulls back a second later, looks me straight in the eye and says: "I'll always love you, Sav.  You better bet your skinny ass you'll see me again," she laughed-sobbed.  "Close your eyes," Hayden whispered.

With one last good glance at my twin sister, I did what she asked.

* * *

Gasping like I'd just taken my first breath of life, I realize pretty quickly someone's holding each hand of mine.  The sight before me is not one I expected: my mother and father standing side by side-holding hands, no less-with the two halves of my heart at my bedside, alongside Ryder. Okay, so obviously I missed a lot while I was out. "Hi," I whispered to no one in particular, and even my own voice sounds weak to me.  I wince as a result, then I round on Jakob-who apparently had changed his outfit from the blue T-shirt I met him in to simple black slacks and a matching shirt. "I need to talk to you," I said in a hushed tone, turning my eyes towards Lucien as well.  "Both of you."

"First thing's first," mom interjected, taking my hand in hers, "explain in full detail why you charged in there like that!  Were you trying to get killed?  What were you thinking?" She sounded pissed, though I could hear gratitude beneath her chastising words.  "I was thinking there was absolutely no way I was leaving you with that psychopath!  You're my mom!  Of course I swooped in to save you.  Can I at leave get a thank you?" I asked, staring her down.

She did the next best thing: she hugged me.  "Oh, you foolish girl," mom said, laughing despite herself.  "I love you."

Through her strong embrace, I caught a glimpse of Alexander standing close, yet far.  He mouthed two words: "Thank you." I nodded once.  "I love you too, mom."

Disentangling myself from her hug, I finally found time to look at what's surrounding me.  Twin crystal chandeliers hang on the ceiling, while a piano surprising sits perched atop a golden chair, unused in the corner.  Power zips inside me like a hurricane suddenly, as if it just realized I was awake.  Attempting at disrupting that strange surge within my body, I ventured off the couch.  I stood on wobbly legs and nearly fell three times before finally finding my footing.

"Woah, woah, slow down there, love.  Do you need help?" He asked, already guiding me away from the silver couch without permission.  "Well, now that you're here, you might want to run away with me," I suggested.  Jakob inclined his head, obviously misreading my meaning.  "I just want to talk about some things, Jakob."

He frowned, eventually nodding the tiniest bit.  Trailing behind me like this could very well be the most regretful decision he's ever made, we climb up the brick stairs and find a room, making sure that door's sealed tight.  Cinnamon scented candles are the only light source evident inside this small room, but it probably doesn't help that they shine too brightly, either.  "Why didn't you tell me about your sister, Jakob?  I could've helped you cope with her death!"

His hand went over his forehead; he appealed absolutely miserable.  "How, Sav?  I freaking killed her!  Do your understand?  I killed my own sister," Jakob's tone's laced with agony, as if he were being strangled.  Needless to say, I'm stunned beyond belief.  "You can't honestly think that, can you?  Jakob, I forced you two out that cabin!  It's as much my fault as it is yours!" I yelled, causing him to flinch.  Jakob's head shook in protest, tears streaming down.  "You weren't there after everything happened.  She died of starvation, Savannah.  She died because I couldn't find the resources in order to feed her.  What kind of brother does that make me?" He asked, breathless from sobs.

I began to move closer, but Jakob held up a hand.  "Wait, don't miss the worst part.  When Angela, my sister, died, that's the exact moment I met Alexander.  He offered me a choice: save Angela or save you.  What I didn't know at the time-you have to be born with a certain type of blood.  Angela wasn't born having Soul blood.  I was in a blind rage-" he stopped, inhaling a ragged breath-"I wasn't aware you had a twin sister.  I- I found her inside the cabin later on, and I was so pissed off at you for some reason.  Thinking Hayden was you, that night I dragged her into the woods, and killed her."

I backed up, my world shattering.  "Jakob, why couldn't I remember Hayden was my twin? When I awoke as a Soul, why did I forget her?" I whispered, staring at this impostor of the man I knew.  Jakob sighed heavily, like there were weights inside his chest.  "You and Hayden both died that day, Savannah.  Alexander knew that if you were in fact dead, your Soul powers would activate immediately and bring you back to life.  There was one problem: Hayden.  As long as your heart stayed connected to Hayden's, you wouldn't be able to move on," he explained in the most hoarse voice I've ever heard.  "While I took care of Hayden, Alexander took care of you."

"Oh, my God!  Oh, my God," I repeated over and over again.  "I can't breathe.  I can't breathe.  I can't breathe!" Running out of the room, I slammed the door.