Haven

by Dria Andersen

  They reached the end of the underground catacombs and the very minute they hit the ground floor of Haven, power swelled. His beast immediately put up a fight, bashing against his mental shields. Leo swayed with the effort to stay in his human skin. Commotion from the club floor was filling the space of the hallway and Liliana’s eyes widened. Her fear trickled down their connection, stroking the beast more. He rushed her towards Xavier office. His brother’s office was shielded against the energy from the club nights. X said it was the only way he’d get any work done.

  They were blocked from entering by a huge fight in front of the door. The two males are going at each other and Xavier and Fallon were working to break them up. Leo growled when one of the Ajos landed a punch, not on his opponent but onto the side of Fallon’s head.

  “Shit.” He pushed Liliana through the gathering crowd into a side door. “Stay put.”

  She nodded and he closed the door in her face. Turning, he wasted no time wading into trouble. He released his beast and helped Fallon pull the two creatures apart. The Ajo Fallon was holding bit into his arm. Cursing, Fallon’s beast emerged and with his massive arm he slammed the guy into the wall.

  Blood already covered the floor, and now the wall was splattered as Fallon slammed him again. His claws settled around the Ajo's throat, the black tips poised to sink into its neck. Everything in the hall came to a stop. Leo pushed the one he held aside and reached for his brother's arm.

  “Let him live, Fallon.” They couldn’t kill him, it was one of the rules of Haven. Rules even the Amanda were bound by, including high ranking officers such as themselves.

  Fallon shook his head, and threw the Ajo to the waiting soldiers. “Make sure he’s banned.”

  “Both of them!” Xavier shouted. “And find out who the fuck spiked the power and make sure you bring them directly to me.”

  Leo pulled himself back together and followed his brothers into Xavier’s office. Liliana stood as they entered, her eyes roving his body to make sure he was ok. He pulled her into his side and kissed her. She spotted the blood on Fallon's arm and went to him.

  She swept them all with a chastising look. “I need something to clean this up.”

  Leo smiled at her tone and walked into the ensuite bathroom to get a towel and antiseptic. She cleaned off the blood and tended to Fallon’s wound.

  “You don’t have to do all that, Trouble. It will heal soon enough.”

  She still put on a bandage. “What happened?”

  Xavier dropped his body into his chair behind his desk and shook his head. He ignored her question. “Now. Leo said your trip to the shaman was successful?”

  Chapter 23

  LEO GRABBED LILIANA’S ARM, pulling her into his lap. He rubbed her back as she repeated to his brothers what she’d told him. Xavier frowned and reached his hand out for her bag. Fallon passed it over raising an eyebrow at its weight. He pulled the chest from her bag and frowned as he opened it. She leaned over his desk and pulled off a crystal from the top of the pile.

  “What are they?” Xavier shuffled the crystals around.

  “Copies of the Oras.”

  “How is that possible?” Fallon asked Xavier.

  “More important, how if he viewing these outside of Haven?” Xavier asked grimly.

  “He’s not. I think they were more so for insurance. This is the first one he showed me. The one with Kita on it.” She passed it over.

  Leo kept a close eye on her. At the first sign of stress, he was hauling her to bed, kicking and screaming if need be. Xavier dumped the crystal into his reader and fired up the Ora. They were all quiet as he flipped through the images. He frowned when it stopped.

  “This is nothing,”

  Lialiana sighed. “I know. But there are tons of crystals. There has to be something there.”

  Xavier grunted in answer and pulled out another stone. The quiet was interspersed with laden curses as he went through the crystals one at a time. There were various crimes committed, and subsequently hidden by the erasing of the Oras they were viewing. Several, punishable by death. Leo shook his head.

  “We’ll have to go through all of these with a fine tooth comb.” Fallon murmured.

  Xavier slowed down the playback as Kita’s image filled the screen. She was in one of the viewing rooms with an Ajo. The door opened and Prince Kedric walked in, joining the two as they made out on the sofa. Liliana’s breath caught, a small gasp escaping her. Kedric smiled at Kita, running his hand through her hair a second before he open hand slapped her across the face.

  “Dear God.” Liliana whispered.

  Leo rubbed her back in a soothing motion, his eyes not straying from the footage. He didn’t know how much Liliana knew about her sister, but from the tense set of her shoulders, she was in for a rude awakening.

  ***

  Rolling his shoulders, Rugaba suppressed his sigh of aggravation. It was rare for the Eminzu to call to him. Even rarer to request his presence. He sat back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. According to the Elder at the other end of the long oak table at which he sat, they had an issue regarding Ofeere. He eyed the other ancestors, their jerky movements broadcasting both their nervousness and worry.

  “Let me make sure I understand. There is a noble demanding an audience with this council regarding Ofeere?” Rue speared the elder with an impatient look.

  “She also claims there is danger to her youngest daughter regarding this.”

  Ru frowned. A noble family mixed in with Ofeere? He was curious. He waved a hand for the elder to proceed.

  The elder inclined his head to the soldier guarding the door to their council room. The soldier turned and opened the heavy gold doors. A woman stomped in, her hair in a single braid trailing her back. She wore a simple black shift dress giving the appearance of a working class member. The sheen of her hair and the obvious expensive jewelry around her neck and ears said differently.

  She opened her mouth to speak, but he held his hand up and silenced her. He tilted his head as Leonalph’s mate’s distress flowed through his body. What was her name again?

  Liliana.

  Right. He pulled out a communicator he used to talk with the head of the Amanda. It would be his second call to him in the span of a few hours. What was that female getting into?

  Xavier answered on the first ring. “We’re taking care of it.”

  Rugaba grunted and ended the call. He trusted Xavier implicitly. He shoved Liliana from his mind and turned his attention back to the noblewoman standing in the middle of the council room. He nodded to start the proceedings.

  “I want out of my mating and punishment. And I want that maid dead for what she did to my daughter.”

  He turned to the elder and raised an eyebrow.

  “A little back story, my lord.” The Elder cleared his throat. “Lady Marcolev came to us some centuries ago because her husband and their maid were having an affair. The youngest daughter is the result of said affair.”

  “And the punishment of which she speaks?”

  She lowered her head in what Rugaba realized was false shame.

  “She ordered the maid, a Cagyn to take on her form and spend time with the mate in question. As punishment for her part in the affair, she was ordered to remain in her mating.”

  “And I was forced to raise their child.” The woman inputted.

  “Tread lightly in your words, Lady Marcolev. Don’t think we aren’t aware of the way you handled your ‘punishment.” The Elder snapped.

  “You claim the child is in danger, explain.” He didn’t want to hear anything about a centuries old affair.

  “I overheard the maid talking to someone at our back door. She mentioned taking Liliana and forcing information from her.” She fidgeted with her dress in nervousness. “I heard reference to a hiding spot, and freeing ‘him’.”

  “With whom was she speaking?” Rugaba sat forward in his chair. If they were talking about the same Liliana, then he was definitely i
nterested.

  “I didn’t see, but I knew the council would want to know right away.”

  He narrowed his eyes at her blatant lie. “I’m sure using the information as leverage to end your punishment had no bearing on your decision.”

  Cheeks mottled, she lowered her head again. “More than anything, my lord, I want justice for my other daughter. During their argument they talked about how my daughter was killed and they helped get rid of the body.”

  “You are certain, this is what you heard?” The Elder’s sharp tone caused the woman to flinch.

  “I wouldn’t have come before the Eminzu otherwise. I have proof.”

  Shock reverberated through the room. Rugaba had to admit to surprise himself. She pulled out a comms pad, and turned it over to the guard, who in turn passed it to the elder. With a few swipes video was displayed against the far wall of the chamber. It was surveillance video, from a kitchen. It showed the maid at the door, but not the person on the other side. The conversation was easily discerned, and the more he watched, the angrier he got. That something like this had been going on under his nose infuriated him. He knew the voids covering the Earth were multiplying. He just hadn’t realized how much he was missing.

  Talk of a council to free the most evil being to ever exist was bandied about as though the consequences of their actions wouldn’t end the world. The ease at which they spoke about such matters was unconscionable. He’d hunt every member of their council down and he would end them. Starting with the one on video.

  “Summon the maid.”

  ***

  Her fingertips tingled as numbness traveled through Liliana’s body. She alternated between hot and cold as shock doused her system. She watched, bile rising to her throat as Kedric gripped his sister around the throat with a glove riddled with spikes. Blood beaded on Kita’s neck, trailing her skin. Her sister smiled through it, licking Kedric’s lips as he leaned in to kiss her. She turned her head into Leo’s chest, breathing in his scent to calm herself.

  She’d never really known Kita, but never would she have imagined her sister was into something that dark. She chanced a peek, relieved to find Xavier fast forwarding past the sex. He slowed the video when the smile left Kita’s face. Panic widened her sister’s eyes. Leo’s grip on her arm tightened as they watched Kita gagging, scratching at her own throat. The Ajo leaned over Kita, licking at her wounds in an attempt to close them. He backed up hastily when it didn’t work. Kedric lay her sister down on the floor, his mouth moving in a jumble of what she imagined were panicked instructions to the Ajo. The two males argued, her sister flailing between them. Tears crested Liliana’s eyes as she watched what she knew were her sister’s last minutes. She now knew why the prince had been so sure her sister was dead. Kita’s magic wavered, her form changing between her base Eshu form and her human skin. The Ajo held his hands up and backed out of the room, leaving Kedric and Kita alone. Kedric moved towards the door. Kita reached out her hand weakly, her lips moving in a plea Liliana was glad she wasn’t able to hear. Kedric shook his head and grabbed the door knob.

  The image went black.

  Liliana rushed to the bathroom and barely made it to the toilet before she threw up. Her stomach heaved, tears and saliva mixing as everything she’d eaten that morning dispelled from her body. She heard Xavier cursing in the other room, the low murmur of Fallon and Leo talking. The images of her sister’s death played through her head again and she gagged, clutching the edge of the toilet. She held up her hand as Leo crowded the bathroom door. She shook her head at him, her body bowing as she threw up again. She flushed the toilet from the floor, waiting on the nausea to leave.

  It took only mere seconds after it passed for fury to overtake her body. Magic lit her skin, warmth flooding her. She stood shakily, walking to the sink. She washed out her mouth, running cold water over her face. The tears didn’t stop. Only sheer stubbornness trapped the sobs tightening her chest. She dried her trembling hands and re-entered Xavier’s office.

  “I want Kedric punished. No. I want him dead.”

  Fallon sighed, Leo’s mouth tightened and he looked away.

  “There is protocol-”

  “Screw protocol!” She cut Xavier off. “He killed my sister!”

  “Leaving her to die is not the same as killing her, Liliana. I’m sorry.”

  She could hardly breathe through her pain. Only the matching fury in Xavier’s eyes kept her from trashing his office. “You aren’t going to do anything about it?”

  “He didn’t say that, Ina. We just have to go about it differently.” Leo stood and gathered her in his arms.

  “You can kill him now, Leo. I won’t stop you.” She whispered, clutching her mate tight.

  “We have to go to the Eminzu, Lily.” Fallon looked to Xavier for confirmation. His brother nodded.

  She pushed Leo away. “They didn’t help me before.”

  “Calm down, we’ll figure it out.” Leo reached for her again.

  She slapped his hands away. If they wouldn’t help, she’d take care of it herself. She turned and walked out of the office. The spiked energy hit her at the door, doubling her fury. Her form changed, her Eshu hair flowing behind her, alit with her magic. She opened her shields, feeding on the aggressive magic. She swayed as it saturated her. It strengthened her body, goosebumps covering her skin as power flowed through her.

  She would kill Kedric herself when she found him. She headed for the portal room, growling at anyone who crossed her path. She dared someone to attempt to stop her. She was headed to Legba and the prince would pay for what he did to her sister. She would make sure of it.

  Chapter 24

  PACING HIS BROTHER’S OFFICE WASN’T WORKING. Leo took another lap anyway. He wanted to run after his mate, but Fallon had physically barred him from leaving. He rubbed his shoulder, still feeling his brother’s grip.

  “We have someone trailing her, Leo. She’ll be fine.” Xavier sighed. “We have to clear this up.”

  “I called ahead to the portal station in Legba. She won’t get far. She can’t go to the royal house. The queen will kill her before she admits her son did anything wrong.” Fallon pointed out.

  Xavier nodded. “We need to contact the Eminzu first. Nothing like this has ever happened before and I want to cover our asses.”

  Leo tuned his brother out as he pulled out his communicator and tried to contact Liliana again. He kept going back to the video, the images playing through his mind. How could Kita have bled to death? It was hard to kill a Demi. Only the darkest magic had the ability to do so. It was why his job was so effective. No one wanted to die, the Demi especially.

  “Something is missing, Fallon.”

  His brother nodded. “No way had she died from the games they were playing.”

  Leo winced. What Kedric and Kita were doing could hardly be called games. Fallon’s phone rang on his hip. He spoke quietly into it and hung up.

  “Lily just came through the portal. She’s safe.”

  He breathed a sigh of relief. Xavier waved his hand to get his attention. He scribbled some notes and ended his call with the Eminzu.

  “Leo, I need you to request a formal meeting with the royal family. If it comes from me they’ll get cagey and try to stall.” Xavier stood from his chair. “Fallon go with him. I’ll meet you both there. Rugaba has asked me to meet him in the council room.”

  He didn’t need prodding. Worry for Liliana had him halfway out the door before his brother finished giving instructions. He pulled out his communicator and worked on getting a meeting set up as Xavier requested.

  ***

  Rugaba’s fingers drummed on the table in impatience. The two females bickered, their shrill voices riding his last nerves. He held his hands up, finally tired of it. The women went silent, not entirely of their own accord. They both clutched their throats, their mouths opening and closing in panic.

  “Now that I have your attention.” He intoned dryly. He released them from his spell, watc
hing with disinterest as they took heaving breaths.

  “I want to know about the danger surrounding your daughter.” Rue addressed the mother, he didn’t bother trying to remember her name.

  She threw her hands up in frustration. “I want justice for my daughter. The Eminzu had us cover up her death for years citing bullshit about the bigger picture. Liliana is not my daughter, she was my burden.”

  The maid screeched and reached for the woman, going for her throat. Rue lifted the maid with his power, pinning her to a wall.

  “There will be no violence here.”

  “She never deserved, Lily. She treated my daughter like shit!” The woman screamed. “I don’t understand why she was made to suffer for our sins.”

  Rugaba sighed in relief as Xavier popped into the room, grateful for the interruption. The emotions in the room were heightened and made him uncomfortable. He let the maid down from the wall, slowly floating her to the floor.

  “You’ve been accused of conspiring to kill one, Kita Iliana Marcolev, for that alone you are sentenced to death. I want details of your part in her daughter’s death, and I want to know the circumstances of the danger surrounding the second daughter.”

  “I’m dead if I talk about that.” The maid raised her chin in defiance.

  Rugaba scoffed. “Just moments ago you were so aggrieved for that same daughter, but when given a choice between her life and yours, you of course choose yourself.”

  The maid looked torn. Worry and remorse shrouded her face. “They will kill me.”

  “You will die before the night draws to a close, so your worry is misplaced. Of course, death does not mean an end to your suffering. My brother is very creative about getting information, I’m told.”

  She spit in the mother’s direction. “I will say nothing of Ofeere or anything to do with that, but I won’t go down alone for getting rid of that whore Arian sainted as her daughter.”