Scared

Chapter Twelve

“Jacob.” Pearl said simply and I knew she’d seen me stumbling down the steps or just had a vision of me walking in with the blood running down my chest.

“Ana.” Jacob whispered seeing me but then he smelled the blood. “Elliot?” Jacob managed keeping a careful control on his anger knowing that I freaked out when he got mad. “Please get the first aid kit.” He said even softer seeing the terror in my eyes already. “Now you come here.” He sighed picking me up but feeling his tense body only made my fear worse and he quickly put me down obviously trying to think of some way to get me into the living room and laying down without making my breathing go any faster than it’d already gotten in my fear. “Elliot.” He sighed as his brother walked over to us. “Take Ana into the living room.” I saw the confusion on Elliot’s face but he didn’t say anything as he picked me up and carried me in the room.

“Why are you so scared?” Lexi asked as she watched the three of us but Pearl moved over to me after seeing Jacob.

“He’s not Andrew.” Pearl whispered in my ear and then she just started talking over her guy problems, “Tyler asked me out.” She whispered in my ear.

“He didn’t!” I was automatically distracted.

“Yes.” She smiled but I could tell from her eyes that she was considering it.

“What about Lisa?” I asked and she frowned.

“I’d ask her before I said yes.” She promised and I nodded reaching reflexively for Jacob when she walked away.

“Thank you Pearl.” He promised his anger was completely under control again though so I just turned into his chest. “Will you try to sleep?” he whispered and I nodded just staying right where I was and hiding my tears. “What’s wrong?” he asked worriedly and I realized that my tears had made it through his shirt. I just shook my head though too ashamed to let him know what had just happened.

“She’s mine now.” Benjamin’s happy voice came through my head but I watched everybody’s eyes and knew that he’d spoken through me this time.

“No…” I forced out.

“You touched me.” He laughed as I continued to fight for my body back.

“I’m sorry Jake!” I forced myself through before just giving up. It wasn’t worth the fight. Jacob was never going to forgive me… he was already as far away as he could be… I’d just go try to find a way to be happy like Shia had.

“No!!!” Shia’s scream came when she saw me walk through the door. My mind was my own again but I knew I didn’t really have a choice.

“You said that it’s good…” I begged her to reassure me that I could still be happy even though in my pain I’d let Benjamin have me.

“I never…” She trailed off looking right at Benjamin, “You told me that if I took your hand you’d leave my baby alone!!!” She screamed at him and I stepped back realizing that I’d been horrible to her for no reason, she’d been trying to save me this entire time.

“Well I am Benjamin… son of Satin… I lie.” Benjamin laughed, “And now I have a full set again.”

“Shia?” I whispered that night Benjamin had healed my chest as soon as he’d taken over but I needed answers.

“No, Anabelle.” Shia whispered, “There’s no way to stop him now.”

“What do you mean stop him?”

“With a trio of doppelgangers… he is the strongest force of evil out there.”

“What if we fight?” I begged her thinking of Jacob and Pearl and everybody I loved. I’d been looking at my cell phone for a call from Jake and looking at all the texts I’d sent me or somebody else had sent with the date and time of each time he’d told me he loved me.

“No.” Benjamin shook his head, “I’ll let Ilia take over one of you… Actually I want Ana… So Ilia…”

“You can’t call me Ana!!!!!!” I screamed feeling tears start to fall again.

“Shia, do you remember when you cried this much? I believe it was little Anabelle’s Granny Lee that caused you to be so upset though.”

“She warned me that you’d lie.” Shia whispered, “She warned me when she forced me to leave that you’d go after Anabelle.” She moved to hold me protectively behind her back.

“I know how to get inside minds. It’s my specialty.” He shrugged still just as happy as he had began. He ran downstairs then. “She chose me.” I heard him snap and knew that Pearl had come to save me.

“I’ll give you me if you set her free.” Pearl’s voice floated up.

“No Pearl!!” I yelled running downstairs. “Please he’ll just keep coming after me and he’ll find another weak moment and then he’ll have both of us. Please you have to stay good. You have to protect Jake for me.” I begged her feeling the tears come faster.

“Hush Bell.” She warned and I saw plans in her eyes. “Now Benjamin let’s take this conversation outside.”

“Come on Anabelle. You can’t do anything now. She’s close to giving in and I know from experience that if you interrupt him for a loved one he’ll just possess you again.” She pulled me upstairs and held me close refusing to let me go save Pearl.

“Come on Ana.” Jacob whispered holding his hand out for me to take.

“You just… you just left me.” I whispered and I saw him flinch.

“Benjamin would have realized who I was.” Jacob whispered, “I’ve had to hide my true destiny from everybody for so long. I wasn’t sure if I was ready…”

“You have to leave. Benjamin will be back soon.” Shia told him.

“He’s dead.” Jacob whispered looking away from me. I walked out of the room but when I moved I flinched. “When I killed him everything he’d done reversed.” I understood then why he’d waited so long he wanted me to be out of pain for just a little while. I held my hand out for him to take so that he could help me out of the house but just as he was picking me up Ilia came in.

“She’s mine. Everything that was Benjamin’s is mine now.” Ilia told Jacob.

“She’s coming with me unless you want to end up like Benjamin.”

“I’ll stay Ilia.” Shia whispered, “It’s the least I can do. Maybe it will make up for missing all of your life?” We all knew what Ilia had planned for her and I felt tears fall as I pulled away from Jacob and hugged my mom.

“At least go see Daddy once more. Explain to him why you had to choose Benjamin. Explain to him why you are choosing this now.” I begged her and she turned to Ilia.

“No deal.” Ilia smiled nastily and so I snapped a picture of Shia with my phone and she quickly wrote a note.

“I’ll make sure Daddy gets it.” I whispered but silently I begged her not to do this.

“I have to.” Shia whispered and turned to Jacob. “Take care of Anabelle.” She ordered Jacob.

“I will…” he promised her and Shia smiled a little as Jacob carried me out to the car.

“Save her.” I ordered. “If you don’t save her I will never forgive you.”

“I’m sorry, Ana. I have to choose one of you and…” I just turned away from him and let my tears fall. “We’re home.” He whispered, “Do you want me to find…?” I snapped towards him and felt a ripping.