“Thanks. You’re not so bad at kissing yourself.” He tried to crook the corners of his mouth. That was such an understatement. And as he gazed like a pauper at the richness of Ana’s parted lips, he groaned internally. Mace had been considered the epitome of a Warrior for the Light. A guardian dedicated to protecting people against the coming darkness. And here, tonight, just now, he’d found he had feet of clay. Ana could be a spider just waiting for the right time to entrap him. She could know everything about him. As much as he wanted to surrender to this new connection, he couldn’t.
Lifting her hand, Ana whispered, “Thanks for everything Mace. Can we have dinner tomorrow night? Maybe I’ll have found out something more by then.” If she was still alive… Ana felt torn as she stood there, wanting so badly to tell Mace about the threat Victor presented. Yet she couldn’t see him believing such a story, no matter how open-minded he seemed.
“I’ll be here, Ana. Dinner sounds good. Same time and place?”
He watched as she pushed her dark hair across her shoulder. Just that one graceful movement made his body feel desperately raw and needy. What would it be like to have her hand gliding over his flesh like that? Before he got himself into trouble, Mace took a step back, lifted his hand and told Ana good-night.
“Yes, good night, Mace.” She gave him a brief smile and hurried into the hotel.
Turning on his heel, scowling, Mace thrust his hands into the pockets of his jeans. Dammit! He knew the legendary warning: if a person of the Light and a person of the Dark met in oneness, the outcome for dominance was never assured. And if the Dark won, the spirit of the warrior would be forever entrapped. In Mace’s mind, it was not a risk worth taking. He felt very unsure about how things were turning out. Ana had shape-shifted into a jaguar four times. How was that possible? Shuffling down the quiet, darkened street, he glumly headed back to his own hotel.
Ana must be leading him into her lair. She, too, would know the house rules when it came to war between the Dark and the Light. She would know that to bed him, to get him inside her, she’d be escalating a personal battle for complete domination. If she won, it would forever neutralize him, ruin his chance of overcoming her and her father. And if that happened, the Warriors for the Light would have lost. And what a terrible loss it would be….
He cursed himself. Like a lamb to the slaughter, he was being drawn to her. Mace found himself incapable of keeping his hands off Ana. Or his mouth, in this case. Even now, his fingers itched to move up her arms, thread through her thick, luxurious black hair, caressed her face and body…. Were her dreams going to be as hot and fevered tonight as his? Or was she lying awake, smiling, because she had nearly destroyed his defenses?
Chapter 8
Ana moaned as she worked to understand the images before her. Her dreams were more vivid than usual tonight. So much had happened in one day. And she had even more to fear.
The cotton covers were light, but she tossed them aside to expose her bare legs. She always slept naked. The fan slowly turning overhead kept her cool in the high jungle humidity.
In her mind’s eye, a face kept appearing in front of her. A woman’s old and weathered face coming out of the darkness. She wore a purple scarf in her hair, white wisps escaping. When she smiled, Ana could see that many of her teeth had gold fillings.
“Come to me, Ana Rafael. I have something for you. You are being hunted and you will be killed. You must come to me very, very soon.” The woman gestured toward her with a thin, bony hand.
Ana struggled to see where the woman was standing. As the scene came into sharper focus, she recognized Aguas Calientes. There was a building painted light blue. A sign overhead read Parrot’s Haven.
The woman cackled. “Come at ten tomorrow morning. Meet me here. I have information for you that could save your life. You are being hunted. You will be killed if you do not come.”
And then a dark shadow erased the woman’s face and Ana felt her heart cringe in abject terror. It was him! It was Victor, the sorcerer who had tried to kill her as a young child in Juan Sanchez’s field. Her father was hooded and moving toward her, the edges of his cape flying as if he were a dark owl skimming the night sky in utter silence. Closer and closer he came. Ana wanted to scream, but she could not. She wanted to run, but was anchored in place, as if she had concrete weights on each foot. Hearing his laughter sent a chilling wave up her spine. Every hair on her body stood up in terror.
And then he swooped down upon her. The black hood over his head vanished. She was looking into flat black eyes that had no depth, no light in them. And he was smiling, but the frightening grin didn’t reach those empty, dark eyes. She could smell him and it made her feel sick. Gagging, Ana tried to back away, but she was paralyzed.
“Daughter, do not run from me,” he murmured in a sweet, cajoling tone. “I have much to teach you. And you do want to be taught, don’t you?”
Gulping, Ana held up her hands to protect herself from his nearness. He seemed to realize he was too close, and floated back a few feet. “Go away!” she told him, her voice trembling.
His expression grew sad. “Ah, Daughter, you and I are much alike, but you do not know it yet. I can give you all the answers you are seeking. Isn’t that what you want? Don’t you want to know who you really are? You are my blood. We are alike.”
Ana saw his eyes widen and she soon was enveloped in warmth. It surprised her. Sparkling pink energy came toward her and something deep inside her wanted to slap it away.
She couldn’t. His black, penetrating eyes robbed her of control over her actions.
“I—yes, I want answers. But not from you. Get out of here!”
The dark figure seemed hurt by her sharp rebuff, and his eyes filled with mist. For a moment, Ana felt terrible that she’d said that. Yet her gut told her not to trust this man of darkness. “I mean, you scare me. You startled me.”
“Ah, I see. Well, then, I am sorry, Daughter. I did not mean to frighten you. I am a man of magic, as you can see.” He lifted his black cape, which hung to his knees. “I become a bat to fly at night. A raven during the day. That is what frightened you. I won’t do that again. May I visit you in person tomorrow? I promise I won’t come like a thunderstorm. I do want to teach you, and you have much to learn. Wouldn’t you like that?”
Ana nodded and gulped, her heart racing. She felt danger, and yet, also a desire to know more about this dark man. “What is your full name? Where do you live?”
“My students call me maestro. You may call me Father, because you are my long-lost daughter, dearest Ana. I am so happy you have come home. Home to me.”
Her world tilted. Ana stared at him. His face, once so tense and controlling, seemed very gentle and open right now. He stood like an ordinary man in front of her, dressed in black from head to foot, the cape swirling about his narrow form.
“You are the one who tried to kill me in the field, aren’t you?” she demanded. Ana saw his eyes narrow with sudden rage.
“You have me confused with someone else, Daughter. I would never hurt anyone or anything.” He lifted his hand. “Do not go to this woman you saw earlier in your dream state. Only I can give you the answers you seek. You must give me permission to visit your dreams.”
Ana was torn. “I—I don’t know. I need time to think about this.”
“I am your father, Victor Carancho Guerra. You will do as I tell you! I am the greatest master sorcerer in this world and any other. I can give you power, Ana. Real power. You can rule at my side, as the legend foretells.”
Shock bolted through Ana. “You tried to murder me in Juan Sanchez’s field when I was very young! Don’t deny it!”
For a long time, Victor studied her. Finally, he rasped, “Yes, I did try to take your life.”
“But why?” she cried. She didn’t want this man to be her father. Every cell in her body screamed against it. And then Ana remembered the symbol of the Tupay: the sun. And the evil that went with it. She carried that very symbol on t
he back of her neck.
As if reading her frantic thoughts, he gave a mirthless laugh and turned to lift his hair. She could see the Tupay birthmark on the back of his own neck.
“See this, Daughter? Ah, yes, I can tell you do recognize our symbol, after all. You have one, too.” He allowed his hair to fall back around his shoulders. As he loomed closer, his voice echoed like thunder around Ana. “You’re my seed. You carry my symbol. You are just like me.”
Ana breathed raggedly. “I’ll never be like you! I’m not evil! I may carry that birthmark, but that doesn’t mean I have to be like you!” She Ana tasted death in her mouth. She had a connection with her father whether she wanted it or not. She felt him preparing to kill her, and knew there was no escape. They were alone, and she was going to die. Suddenly, she wanted to live as never before.
“Give me your answer, Ana. Do you want to become my daughter once more? To work with me? I will give you power, riches and fame beyond your wildest dreams. I will teach you the paranormal arts and you will have world dominion at my side. Think of it!”
“No!” she shrieked. And as she did, she saw Victor’s eyes narrow with a deadly hatred. She felt it ooze over her like a suffocating slime. “I’ll never be your daughter. I’ll never work with you. We’re enemies. Don’t ever come to meet me, and stay the hell out of my dreams!” This last she screamed at the top of her lungs, hunching over and raising her fists to defend herself.
Ana heard the snarling of a jaguar. Blinking, she looked around, and saw a huge gold-and-black-spotted female jaguar just above where she stood.
“What is that?” Victor roared, pointing angrily at the spirit jaguar. “What is she doing here?”
Ana heard the incredulity in her father’s dark, deep voice. His eyes were wide with shock as he stared at the cat hovering just above her. “This is impossible. You can’t have a jaguar as a spirit guide!” Victor yelled. He backed off as the cat floated down to Ana’s side, mouth open and snarling a warning at the sorcerer.
Glancing at the jaguar, Ana remembered Mace’s words. At last she understood that somehow this spirit cat was hers, and she was here to defend her. In the next moment, the jaguar sprang toward the sorcerer. She saw Victor leap back, give a yelp of real terror then fade away. The sleek animal landed on the spot where the sorcerer had stood seconds before.
Gone. Victor was gone. The jaguar panted heavily, ears twitching. She turned and looked toward Ana.
You are safe for now, mistress. I will always be here to try and protect you, but he is the most powerful sorcerer in your world. I will always be with you, and if I need to, I shall give my life for you. Fear not. He is gone and you are safe….
Ana gasped. She jerked into a sitting position, her heart thrashing in her chest. As she pressed her hand against her breast, she stared warily around the room.
All was quiet. The curtains were drawn. A little light from the streetlamps leaked in around the edges. The fan moved the sluggish, humid air above her, silently doing its job.
Gulping, Ana felt the alarm rooted deep within her. Now she was sure Victor was her father.
She reached for the notepad and pen that she always kept nearby. Her dreams were many and colorful, from the earliest she could remember, Ana had written them down. They provided a doorway to information, even if she couldn’t put the puzzle pieces together right away.
After scribbling out her latest dream, Ana poured herself a glass of water, drank it and lay back again. Her heart was finally settling down.
She felt a soft, heavy weight nearby on the bed. Looking to her left, she couldn’t see anything, and yet she felt warm fur. Instinctively, Ana realized it was her guardian jaguar, the one who had chased off her estranged father.
“I don’t know what’s going on,” she whispered raggedly, “but thank you for being here. I was so scared. I still am. I’m glad you’re with me….”
Ana supposed she should feel foolish, talking into the darkness, but she didn’t. Whatever had happened in her dream was real. And she could feel her guardian lying on the bed next to her, alertly watching out for her continued safety.
Mace had said South America was a place of magic. Well, now she was fully immersed in it.
Within minutes, she had spiraled into a deep, healing sleep.
* * *
At 10:00 a.m., with the sun struggling to burn its way through the foglike clouds over Aguas Calientes, Ana stood in front of a two-story, blue stucco building. The sign said Parrot’s Haven, just as in her dream. Ana could feel her invisible jaguar guardian at her side, her strong, warm body occasionally brushing against her left thigh. She was with her. And that was comforting as nothing else could be right now.
Ana waited for some kind of sign. The cobalt-colored door was rectangular. A chain with a padlock was wrapped around the massive brass handle. About her, the town was gearing up to welcome the next trainload of tourists arriving from Cuzco. Vendors opened buildings, put colorful wares out in hopes of a sale. The air was filled with scents of breakfast: frying eggs, bacon, refried beans and tortillas. Ana started to become impatient.
And then she heard sounds. Movement. The door creaked opened. The same woman she’d seen in her dream peeked out from behind it. She gave Ana a wide grin as she fiddled with the padlock. With painful slowness, she pulled the chain off the door handle.
“Come in,” she invited in a croaking, aged voice.
Ana hesitated, remaining on guard. Victor’s warning screamed in her mind. The woman pushed the door wide and put an Open sign outside. She was dressed in a dark blue cotton blouse, a multicolored skirt that hung to her thin ankles. She wore no shoes and her feet looked hard and callused. Her white, stringy hair was gathered up and tied with a purple scarf.
“Coming?” the woman called cheerily, slowly turning to look back at Ana.
Abruptly, Ana stepped inside. The windows were small and in need of a good washing. The place was airless and filled to overflowing with antiques of all kinds. Blue and yellow macaw feathers hung like a shield from the high ceiling. The old woman hobbled along, leaning on a curved cane. With a trembling hand, she flipped a series of switches. Naked lightbulbs flashed on to reveal what could only be described as an attic full of old, dusty things one might find in an abandoned house.
The old woman cackled. “I can give you a duster if you want. You can clean everything for me.”
Startled, Ana realized she had read her mind. “Uh, no, thanks.”
Gesturing, the woman said, “My name is Vidonia. And you are Ana Rafael, yes?”
“Yes, but how do you know my name?”
Pushing aside a faded, lavender print curtain, Vidonia chuckled. “Come have morning coffee with me, and I will tell you what you want to know.”
Again, as Ana made her way carefully through the crowded antiques, terror nearly overwhelmed her. She reminded herself that she had to find out who she was. No matter where the journey took her, she had to go.
“Sit, sit,” Vidonia invited, smiling. A percolator was bubbling away on a gas stove. The fragrance of coffee filled the air.
Ana sat at the small, round mahogany table with a beautifully crocheted lace cloth on top. Two chairs had been placed strategically across from one another. The cream and sugar and spoons were already on the table. Vidonia had obviously expected her to show up. Ana watched as the old woman poured coffee into two large pottery mugs that had Incan designs of the sun painted on them.
“Best coffee in the world,” Vidonia told her, handing her a mug.
“Thank you,” Ana said as her hostess slowly sat down. Her face was square and deeply wrinkled from age. She looked as if she’d descended from the Incas, with her tobacco-brown skin, her lively, dark umber eyes, her full mouth encircled with vertical lines of advanced age. Ana wondered how old she was.
“I don’t know,” Vidonia said with a chuckle. “I was born when the Queen’s Moon briefly put out the light of the Inca’s Sun. I heard later that it was called an eclip
se. I was born during an eclipse.” She took her spoon and with great effort, sprinkled a bit of the sugar into the mug of steaming coffee. “But never mind me.” Her eyes shifted and narrowed. “I felt you coming. They said you would one day. And they were right.”
Sipping her coffee, but not tasting it, Ana whispered, “Who are ‘they’?”
“Don’t matter, my dear.” Sipping her own coffee with great relish, Vidonia said, “Isn’t having a cup of coffee with a good friend just the best? What else is there in life but this moment, eh?”
Struggling to stop the torrent of questions begging to be asked, Ana sat quietly. Inwardly, she squirmed. “You’re right, of course.”
“A long time ago, my mother, who was a fourth-level Incan priestess in the service to the Inca and his queen, told me that one day I would meet a woman who could change our world.”
Ana’s stomach knotted. She tried to steel herself for the inevitable: to hear that she was Tupay and therefore evil personified. “I know the story,” she told Vidonia in a husky voice, her brow furrowed.
Cackling with delight, Vidonia smacked her lips and took a another drink of her coffee, her arthritic hands wrapped around the mug. “There are many stories around, my dear. You have been told only one of them. My mother was a great and famous jaguar priestess. A kind, good woman in service to others her whole life. A healer of great repute. People came from far and near for her help. She never turned anyone away. She served her community from her first breath to her last.”
Vidonia waved a skeletal finger at Ana. “When I was in training with her as a child, she told me that one day a woman would come to our town, and that I was to give her a message from the Inca’s queen herself.”
Frowning, Ana said, “And I’m that woman?”
“Of course you are! Are you so asleep you do not know your own power? Who you are? Tsk-tsk…” Vidonia gestured toward the side of Ana’s chair. “I am a jaguar priestess. I have sight in my third eye, here in the middle of my brow. I can see into unseen realms. You sit with a mighty jaguar guardian next to you. She is there for your protection, your education and support. Surely that tells you who you are?”
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