Haven (20 page)

"WHAT EXACTLY IS OUR purpose for visiting this shaman, if
you don’t mind me asking?" Roy broke the silence minutes later.

"I want to see if he can undo a spell." She didn’t
know how much she was allowed to tell them.

“The one blocking the Oras?”

Roy’s question released her from her debate, and she nodded in
answer.

“And what is your plan?" Though Paul’s voice was curious,
his face showed his skepticism of the meeting.

"We go in, you guys look intimidating, he fixes the Oras,
and
'Roberto es tu tio'.
" She shrugged.

"What does that mean?" Paul frowned, his dark eyebrows
lowering over pale eyes.

"Bob's your uncle." Liliana rolled her eyes.

"No, Roberto is your uncle." His literal translation
made her laugh.

"Yes, you know, Roberto is Robert in Spanish.
Robert…bob…get it." She shook her head as he continued to stare.

"It's a human expression Paul, you've never heard it?"

"I don't deal with humans." His lip curled in disgust.

"How dreadfully snobby, we came from humans you know."
She’d only found out recently herself, but he didn’t need to know that. She had
to grudgingly give Mistress Yoru a little bit of credit. She’d only been mate
to Leo for mere days and already she was using the lessons the stern lady had
taught.

"We are of the gods, humans are simply walking, talking
balls of clay." He crossed his arms over his chest.

"Wow, tell us how you really feel, Paul." Roy’s dry
tone surprised a laugh out of her.

Paul shrugged. "I don't have any interactions with humans,
Lady Teagan."

"Call me Liliana, and you need to get out more. You’re not
on Mulu. Unlike the other Benu, you’re going to have to learn to get along with
others." Liliana turned back to the window and watched Atlanta pass by as
they headed to Sergio's home in the outskirts of the city.

Soon enough they were pulling into the quiet neighborhood the
shaman had chosen as his hiding spot. It wasn’t a bad choice. The houses were
far enough apart that the neighbors wouldn’t bother him, but they were close
enough to deter unhappy ‘clients’ from displaying their powers. They parked on
the street, walking up the cobble driveway to the large brick house. Paul and
Roy sandwiched her in between them on their walk.

Roy held his hand up for her to halt as he first ascended the
stairs. He stopped a hairs breath away from the top step, one foot raised and
paused midair. He lowered his foot back on the second step and pulled a
circular device from his back pocket. Setting it on the step next to him, his
hands moved in circular motions until a fine blue light encapsulated his hands.
He took two fingers and stabbed it into the air in front of him. A small ping
sounded and he lowered his hands. Picking up the device, he motioned for the
two of them to join him.

“What was that?” She moved around him to the front door.

“A trap.” Roy pocketed the device he’d used.

She frowned. “What kind of trap? I’ve been here before, and
didn’t encounter a trap.”

“You were invited, no?” Roy raised an eyebrow.

Yes, she had been. She swallowed hard. She’d originally planned
to come see Sergio alone. She shuddered to think what might have happened. She
touched her stomach lightly. She had to remember her decisions no longer solely
affected her. She had another soul to think about.

“Can we get on with this, please?” Paul’s impatience spurred her
from her thoughts.

Lily knocked on the door and waited.

And waited some more.

She knocked again, this time in irritation. She knew he was
inside, the shaman’s energy practically radiated from the door.

Liliana banged on the door, looking around. “Open the door
Sergio, I’m not leaving.”

The curtain in a window to their right fluttered. She rolled her
eyes. Moments later the door opened a crack.

“Why would you bring the Amanda to my door? I knew I shouldn’t
have helped you get into Haven.”

“I need to see you.”

Still, he blocked the door, his head nodding towards the guards.
“They have to stay outside.”

Paul snorted. “Not hardly.”

“They’re my guards, they go where I go.” She pushed on the
wooden door, forcing him to take a small step in retreat.

“You didn’t have guards last time.” He pointed out.

“Yeah, well...” She held up her arm, showing him the mating
marks on her wrist. She left out who she was mated to, knowing that would spook
him.

Sergio stared at her for a moment before sighing and backing up
to allow them entrance. Liliana paused in the doorway and waited until she
received a nod from her guards. Roy inclined his head and she followed the two
into Sergio’s living room. She sat on a plush sofa looking out into his
backyard. Roy and Paul stood behind her, each facing a different directions.

“What do you want?” Sergio stood at the granite island that
separated his kitchen from the small sitting room.

“Have you ever heard of the Oras?” Not wanting to waste time
dancing around the subject she got right to it.

His eyes narrowed into slits, his gaze darting between her and
her guards. “What of them?”

She pulled out the square device Fallon had given her and sat it
on the coffee table. “You’re the most powerful shaman I’ve come across on this
side of the portal.”

She pressed the button on top and watched him as the Ora of her
sister played out. Once it reached the end and the footage stuttered, his eyes
met hers, his mouth pinched.

“You need to leave.” He crossed his arms over his chest.

The knowledge of what happened to the Oras was on his face. She
moved up to the edge of the sofa.

“Someone is corrupting Oras and I think you know who it is.” She
clenched her hands together. “I need your help.”

“That’s your problem, not mine. I can’t help you.” His gaze once
again darted to her guards, fear in his eyes. .

She growled, searching for words to use to convince him. Looking
around, she noticed for the first time since she’d walked in, how empty his
house was. Last time she was here, which was mere weeks ago, the house had been
cluttered with trinkets and his experiments. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion.

“Where’s all your stuff?”

Paul and Ross stiffened, their posture straightening at the tone
of her voice.

“If you must know, I’m moving.”

“To where?” Paul asked sharply.

Sergio fidgeted with the buttons at the throat of his shirt.
“I’ve been invited to visit Legba.”

"You've been exiled, you won't be allowed into the portal
room." Paul’s finger flexed at his sides.

"There are other ways."

Roy growled, and turned around, abandoning his gaze on the
backyard.  Paul changed into his form. The wings expanded and his sharp claws
made a ringing sound as he pulled a sword. Where he hid a weapon that massive,
she didn’t know, but her heart’s rhythm kicked into full drive.

Roy changed into his form, the dark marbled skin of the six foot
seven Cagyn glowing in anticipation. "You wouldn't think of breaking our
laws would you? You understand as Amanda, we can't let that happen."

Crap, it was getting serious now. "Wait." She stood
hastily.

Sergio’s form flickered, but steadied on his human skin. “You
brought them into my house, I ought to curse you.” He hissed.

“I will cut the first finger off I see move.” Paul pointed his
sword towards the shaman.

Liliana sucked in a nervous breath. Dear gods, now she saw why
Leo chose the two. Their faces were set in granite, their expressions
ferocious. Sergio couldn’t possibly miss the deadly intent.

“Hands up, fingers apart.” Paul ordered. “Even the smallest
movement will get you beat down.”

“It was simply a figure of speech, I would…I would never curse
her.” Sergio stammered out, his hands shaking as he raised them.

“What do you know about the corrupted Oras?” She’d better hurry
and get what information she could from him before Paul and Roy made good on
their threats.

Sergio shook his head. “The Amanda will only torture me, those
responsible will kill me outright. You need to leave.”

“We aren’t leaving until we can get someone here to strip your
powers.” Roy threatened.

"You can't do that, I've done nothing wrong."

"You just admitted that you were going to Legba. You've
been exiled shaman. Sentenced to spend the rest of your existence here on Adro,
in this human skin. The fact that you are obviously plotting and using your
magic is grounds for its removal." Roy pulled out a cell phone. 

"Wait." The shaman pushed his hands higher. "I
can tell you what I know. Just please, don't take my magic."

Roy closed the phone. "Talk."

"Someone came to me years ago. When I was first exiled and
asked me distort the Oras." The shaman spoke quickly.

"Who gave you access?"

"I don’t have access. I just provide the spell. The person
paying has to find a way to get into Haven and disrupt them.” He eyed the
computer Liliana had with a hungry look. “You can’t do anything with the Oras
outside of Haven."

Liliana closed the Ora and snatched up the box from the table.

“Who comes to you for this service?” Paul asked.

“I don’t ask for names.” Sergio insisted.

"Not good enough, make the call Roy." Paul crossed his
arms over his chest.

"Wait, ask her, I never ask for the names of my customers.”

Liliana sighed, but nodded. It’s true, he hadn’t asked her
identity when she’d come to him for her fake papers, nor the pass to get into
Haven. He just made sure she’d had payment.

“I don’t know anything else." Sergio pleaded.

Liliana narrowed her eyes. "You're lying."

"I swear." His left eye twitched.

"Call, Roy." Liliana gathered the box and shoved it
back into her bag. The visit was wasted. Clearly Sergio wouldn’t give them
anything.

"Wait, wait, please. I kept a copy of it."

Everyone froze. The sound of Paul’s wings snapping back into
place broke the silence.

"Where?" Liliana's heart thumped. She put a hand to
her chest to calm its rhythm.

"It's in the cabinet behind me." The shaman's body
shook.

"Do not move." Paul ordered as he stomped to the
cabinet.

The room was quiet as he searched the drawers. He opened the
last drawer and found a wooden chest.

“They are in that chest.” Sergio pointed.

Paul opened the chest, it was full of crystal stones. Liliana
swallowed past the lump of fear. She would have answers.

Roy frowned. "How long have you been distorting the Oras?
There are nearly one hundred stones in there."

Sergio lifted his chin. “I was banished to Adro. I have to make
a living. It’s not right for the Amanda to interfere with that.”

Paul put the box on the table. "Find the one she
wants."

The shaman's hands shook as he searched through the crystals. He
pulled one out and handed it to Liliana. It had a date etched on it, three days
after the day her sister had left Legba.

The blood rushed from her face. She was the closest she’d been
in the prior years to finding her sister. Kedric assumed she was dead. Thinking
back on the footage they saw yesterday and the fact that she was unable to find
her sister on anywhere else on the Oras, she was starting to give his thoughts
merit. She didn’t want to believe it but the evidence was looking grim. She
nodded, and with numb fingers, went through the spells Fallon had taught her.
The Ora shimmered to life. Kita smiled, and led her vampire down the stairs.
They laughed and Kita backed him into the wall and kissed him. The Ajo pulled
her hair back and bit Kita. She smiled and the Ajo closed the wound, his face
full of anticipation. Liliana could see the look in his eyes. Kita led him down
the stairs into a small room. The Ora shimmered and went out.

Liliana looked at him. "That's it. That's what you were
hiding?"

“I’m not hiding anything specific. I’ve kept these only as
insurance. I don’t look through all of them.”

She felt let down. But, more than likely Sergio was lying. She’d
comb through every last one of these crystals until she found out what happened
to her sister. She grabbed the second box and shook the stones out into her
bag.

“Let’s go guys.” She wanted to be safe at Haven before she
looked through them. They changed back into their human skin.

Paul grabbed the shaman. “You’re coming with us to Haven where
your powers will be removed.”

Sergio hissed in anger. “You lied to me.” He snatched his arm
from Paul and started to shed his human skin. His form flickered, and his body
expanded, growing taller and thicker until the seven foot plus Gu filled the
space of the living room, his head skimming the high ceilings. Both Paul and
Roy’s change to their Demi form was seamless, the warriors pulling their
weapons before charging at the giant. Sergio fought them in earnest, slinging
magic throughout the enclosed space. Liliana barely moved before one of his
spells obliterated the couch she’d been sitting on moments ago. She scrambled
out of the way as Roy released his sword and blocked a spell aimed for him.
Paul in his Benu form was magnificent. The colorful wings were spread wide, the
red feathers dipped in black on the ends. He kept his eyes on the Gu expertly
dodging his escape attempts. Sergio made the mistake of making eye contact with
Paul. It took a millisecond for the Benu power to enthrall the giant in its
gaze. Sergio froze, stunned. Roy pulled out a set of heavy lead lined gloves
and had them on the shaman’s hands before he could shake off Paul’s magic. The
gloves would keep Sergio from being able to use his power. Roy handcuffed his
arms behind him for extra measure and she watched, heart in her throat as the
Sergio’s body shrank back down to size, his human skin once again covering his
body.