Morgan's Mercenaries: Heart of Stone (29 page)

“T
ake my hand,” Maya urged Dane, excitement in her voice. They stood together in the cloud-shrouded Temple of Balance on top of Machu Picchu, the ruins of one of the most famous architectural wonders ever built by the Incas. Even though the entire complex atop this ten-thousand-foot, jungle-shrouded mountain had been abandoned in the 1500s, those who knew better still used the ley lines—complex flow lines of invisible energy that had been purposely directed through the temples—to this day.

As they stood on the grassy expanse of what had been an old courtyard in the temple, Maya drew in a deep breath, happiness threading through her. Machu Picchu appeared as an ancient temple site to the thousands of tourists who came here, but there was much more to it than met the eye. She had been trained to know where the ley lines of energy intersected one another. Where they crossed, a doorway into another
dimension existed. It could be accessed by someone who knew how to do it, opened for transport purposes.

Dane stepped toward Maya. He slid his hand into hers. They were dressed in civilian attire because of the nature of their visit to Agua Caliente. Inca was giving birth to her twins at the Village of the Clouds. Dane had been with Maya, in their bed at their small house on the mining side of the mountain, near the base, when she’d suddenly sat up out of a dead sleep. He’d awakened instantly, and what he saw stunned him. At the foot of their bed stood a woman who looked like a holographic image. When Dane heard her speak, cold chills had worked up his spine. Maya knew her, however. She was Grandmother Alaria, the head elder from the Village of the Clouds. And she had come to tell Maya that her sister was in labor, and to come as soon as she—and Dane—could.

Dane had sat there staring, his mouth open. Oh, he’d heard from Maya of visitations like this, but he’d never experienced one before. They’d hurriedly gotten out of bed and dressed. Maya had transferred base operations to her executive officer, and they’d taken the civilian helicopter to Agua Caliente, at the base of Machu Picchu.

Dane wondered how they were going to reach the village of the Clouds, the mysterious headquarters of the Jaguar Clan. They had taken a bus up from the small Peruvian town to the temple structure atop the green-clothed mountain. This was not his first time up to the ruins. Once before, Maya had taken him up here and given him a full day’s tour of the magnificent remains. She had told him then that there was another way to access the Village of the Clouds, but that it was known only to Jaguar Clan members. She’d patiently
explained about ley lines, and how the Incas had knowingly gathered, directed and brought them together atop this complex. As much as Dane wanted to grasp her knowledge of metaphysics and the mountain, it was still just a head trip for him—until this morning.

Now, as he looked around the green, grassy area, the Temple of Balance behind them, he saw before them a huge hole—an old underground entrance. Archeologists at the turn of the twentieth century had discovered that a tunnel system had been dug around the entire complex. They hadn’t known what it was for. But Maya did. The entrance had been blocked by a huge boulder to discourage the many tourists from even thinking about trying to go down into the tunnel to explore it out of curiosity.

Dane smiled at Maya. Her hair was mussed by the inconstant wind that moved up the steep slope of the mountain and then blew across the ruins on top. It was 0800, and few tourists were up and about at this time of morning.

“See that tunnel?” she asked him in a low tone as she pointed at it.

“Yeah. It’s blocked. Is that where we’re going?” He still had it in his mind that somehow the tunnel would take them to this mysterious village where Maya had trained.

“Yes. It doesn’t matter if it’s blocked or not, Dane. The energy door is still present even if you can’t see it or feel it.”

He raised his brows. “I feel something…like a pull or tug toward the tunnel?”

She smiled a little. “Bingo.” She hitched her thumb across her shoulder. “The Temple of Balance is the
opening for us to teleport to the village. You see that beautiful
apu
—mountain—in the distance behind us?”

He half turned. There was a tall, snow-covered mountain at least thirty miles away from them. “Yes.”

“That’s Apu Mandor. You see that huge black stone slab on the western perimeter of the temple? It’s called the Pachamama stone, and the Incas carved out the top of it to conform exactly with Apu Mandor’s major features.”

There was a huge slab of black granite that was about the length of a car and roughly ten feet high. The stone had been hewn to resemble Mandor’s mountainous outline almost exactly, Dane realized upon closer inspection. Then it had been raised and set upright. In front of the stone was a square courtyard of dry, packed earth. On either side were stone structures with thatched roofs, standing two terraces below. Maya had told him that she would sometimes come to this temple to receive a healing, and that the energy was four-directional. Beyond the tunnel entrance, she’d explained, far out across the Valley, was Apu San Juan, another huge snow-covered summit somewhere beyond their view. Between the two massive
apus
and the Pachamama stone was a powerful, transformative energy link. The two small temples in the courtyard represented right and left, or female and male, energy. The Pachamama stone was the neutral source that brought the right and left together and made it into one androgynous flow of energy. It was then linked to the two mighty mountain spirits. Combined, it created an energy door for teleportation purposes. Only Jaguar Clan members, and the Q’uero people who were trained from birth in the old Incan religion, knew about and used it.

Dane didn’t pretend to understand the energy dynamics as Maya had painstakingly explained them to him. But even he could feel the pull of energy upon his body. It wasn’t his imagination. He was always trying to figure out Maya’s magical world, which defied his third-dimensional, reality-based logic, but he hadn’t succeeded yet. Over time, he came to simply accept that he didn’t know a whole lot about the unseen world that she was so comfortable living in. That never stopped him from loving her. It simply added a unique and fascinating element. Dane was never bored with Maya around.

“You ready?” she asked as she turned and fully faced the tunnel opening.

“Yeah. You sure this is gonna work? I don’t understand how we can physically move from this place to somewhere else. What’s at work here? Quantum physics?”

He saw Maya roll her eyes in exasperation at him. They’d had many spirited discussions about teleportation.

“I don’t know
how
it works, Dane. I only know that it
does.
I accept it on blind-faith knowing and trust.”

His mouth hitching upward in a teasing grin, he said, “I don’t have to believe it will work in order for it to work?”

Chuckling, Maya shook her head. “No, because your disbelief and questioning is offset by my belief and intent.” Her eyes sparkled wickedly. “And what I
know
will more than make up for your questioning. My intent is like a laser compared to the mild skepticism you have about this little trip. Intent, strong intent, will get the job done. So just sit back, relax and enjoy the ride.”

Smiling, he said, “What do I do?” Dane saw the excitement in Maya’s features and knew it had to do with the birthing of her sister’s babies. She could hardly wait to see Inca and the new infants. Neither Maya nor Dane was sure that they’d arrive in time for the births, but they were going to try.

“Bend your knees slightly. Then close your eyes and take a couple of good, deep breaths into your lungs. I’ll do the rest.”

Dane trusted Maya with his life. In the seven months since he’d returned to the base, their love had done nothing but grow, transform and become more beautiful. As he closed his eyes and took in the deep breaths of air, he felt a warm, shivering sensation enter his booted feet. The warmth moved quickly up through him. Suddenly he heard a pop and felt an undeniable sense of movement, but it was barely discernible.

“Open your eyes,” Maya said.

When Dane opened his eyes, he was standing in the middle of the hard-packed dirt plaza of a village. It looked like any other Q’uero village he’d seen before, except for one thing. Looking around, Dane saw people of all colors, of all races and nationalities. Many were dressed in clothes befitting their culture. Blinking, he gave Maya a puzzled look.

“Is this it? The Village of the Clouds?”

She grinned. It had been an easy teleportation and it left her energized, as it should, in the wake of the event. “Yes, this is the Village of the Clouds. Welcome to my other home. It’s yours now, too. Come on, follow me.” Her voice rose in excitement. “Inca and Roan will be at the birthing hut.”

Dane kept ahold of her hand. He felt mildly dizzy, but the sensation quickly evaporated as he walked.
“How did you get us here? What, exactly, did you do?”

She chuckled, her stride long as she passed several huts. “I spent over a decade learning how to do this, Dane. I just hooked us up with the energy that’s there on Machu Picchu, at that portal we stood in front of. Once I engaged it, we were allowed entrance, and here we are.”

Dogs and children were playing here and there. A number of people were gathered around one of the cooking pots in the center of the village. The plaza was square in design, and around the circle were many different-sized huts.

Mystified, Dane eyed the mighty Andes, their snow-covered peaks blue in color, rising off to one side of the busy, productive village. A roll of huge white clouds seemed to revolve slowly, all along the boundary where the plowed fields of the village met the steep slopes of the mountains.

Turning his attention back to Maya, who was almost running now, he quickened his own stride. It had been more than seven months since Maya had seen Inca, and he knew she was anxious to be with her sister again, especially on such a wonderful occasion.

As they came to a long, rectangular thatched hut, Maya slowed. An old woman, very tall and proud, wearing a long, pink, flowing robe, her silver hair caught up on top of her head with white-and-purple orchids tucked in the strands, walked out to meet them. Maya released Dane’s hand and threw her arms around the woman. Dane stood back and nodded deferentially. It was the same woman he’d seen yesterday night at the foot of their bed.

“Grandmother Alaria!” Maya whispered as she hugged her gently. “It’s so good to see you again.”

Alaria laughed softly and kissed Maya on her flushed cheeks. “Welcome, my child.” She turned her attention to Dane, who stood there uncertain. “And you are the man who holds Maya’s heart.” She extended her long, frail-looking hand to him. “Welcome, Dane York. We’re glad to have you among us.”

Dane slid his hand into Alaria’s. He was surprised at the strength of her returning grip, for she seemed almost ethereal, not quite of this world. He could perceive a distinct glow around her, which he’d also seen last night. There was laughter and warmth in her eyes as she met and held his gaze.

“It’s good to see you again, my son. Welcome to our humble village.”

“Thank you, Grandmother.”

Her eyes danced with amusement. “You have many questions,” she said.

Dane nodded. He looked over at Maya and grinned sickly. “Yes, ma’am, I guess I do.”

“Perhaps, later, I may answer some of them for you?”

“I’d like that. Yes.” As he said the words, he felt a shocking jolt come down through his head and pass through him. Shaken, he felt momentarily dizzy from the experience. Blinking, he saw Alaria smile knowingly up at him. What had happened? Dane wasn’t sure. Was it Grandmother Alaria? The kindness in her eyes made him realize that whatever had happened was not harmful to him.

“You are a good man, Dane. One of honor.” She released his hand and returned her attention to Maya, who was shedding her backpack and placing it against
the outer wall of the hut. “Come, both of you. Inca has just birthed and welcomed the twins into the world. Roan is with her and all went well.”

“Thank Goddess,” Maya whispered fervently as she followed Alaria into the light, airy hut. “I was so worried….” Reaching out, Maya grabbed Dane’s hand and gave him a triumphant grin. “Come on!”

He caught her infectious enthusiasm and followed her into the hut. There were windows everywhere. The day was warm, around seventy-five degrees, he would guess, and the sun was shining through the tropical canopy that surrounded the village on three sides. The scent of orchids was wonderful as he followed them down a hall to a room on the left. Entering it, Dane saw Inca with a baby in each of her arms, her face glowing with joy. The man who sat with her, Roan Storm Walker, looked more relieved at the moment than anything else. He was touching his daughter’s small, perfectly formed hand with obvious awe. The infants were swaddled in pale pink blankets woven of soft alpaca wool.

“Ohh,” Maya whispered softly as she knelt near Inca’s pallet. “How beautiful they are, Inca!” Maya placed one hand on her sister’s shoulder in welcome and gave her a gentle hug. Then she reached out and delicately touched each baby’s dark hair.

Alaria smiled and stood off to one side. “Roan, I’d like you to meet Dane York. Dane, this is Roan. Inca’s husband.”

Roan eased to his feet and came around the end of the pallet. Gripping Dane’s hand, he said, “I’m glad you and Maya could make it. Take a seat. You’ll have to wait your turn to hold little Kayla Alaria and Michael Adair Storm Walker.”

Grinning, Dane took a seat on one of the three-legged stools in the room and fondly watched as Maya knelt at Inca’s side and cooed lovingly over the first infant. Kayla had thick black hair, like her parents, Dane observed. She was golden-skinned like Inca, and looked like she might have green eyes like her, too. Roan knelt at his wife’s side, his arm around her shoulder, a look of pride and love burning in his eyes. He was staring down at the little babies as if they were a miracle. Well, weren’t they? Dane watched as Maya’s facade as a squadron commander melted away. Right now, she was a woman who loved babies. The aunt to the new children brought into the world with obvious love from those who now surrounded her.