Believe me now!

Chapter 25 Sera meets Dorinda

Seraphina was sure she was being kidnapped again, by those same two men. She thought about an escape. She knew that she needed to fulfill her dream. She would allow them to take her deep into the jungle. She trusted spirit would keep her safe.

She sat up with the sheet over her head. The fig necklace glowed under the sheet, producing a bright white light. One of the men in the front seat saw her now. He motioned to the driver, yelling loudly that the witch was up. The driver pulled the jeep over recklessly and both men quickly fled. Sera was alone.

It was dark and the thick vegetation lay ahead of her. She got out and looked for the two men. "Hey, come back. I don't know where to go!" She heard them running off, screaming into the forest.

Sera got into the driver's seat and followed the road. She wanted to turn back but was totally confused which way to go as the road winded along. She drove to a gate with a flood light above it. The light activated as she proceeded. She got out to open the gate.

A young dark haired woman came running out. She tried to shoo Sera away. She told her to " Go, go!" Sera shrugged, she didn't know where to go. The woman was trying to shut the gate and pushed Sera out. A black long eared goat jumped up and onto the jeep. Sera, who had been standing near the jeep door, fell back. The woman yelled at the goat. Another one came and jumped onto the jeep and flew over it getting out of the gate. The woman chased after it leaving Sera behind.

Sera stood up and got into the jeep and drove through. She went slow, winding down a long path to a house. It was a metal topped shed really. She stopped and got out. It was dark now. Sera went inside and saw a huge pot boiling on the stove, It smelled delightful. She dipped a wooden ladel into the pot and stirred. She felt a little weight on the ladel and pulled it up. An entire goat head with boiled eyeball looked at her. The teeth were glaring as it's flesh had been boiled off. She put the ladel down and shook her head. Maybe later.

Sera drank some water and saw a chair near a fireplace she took a seat and drifted off to sleep. The goat woman finally returned home. She saw the jeep and Sera sitting inside her small home. The woman was angry she shook Sera and yelled at her. She spoke broken English.

"You must leave, go now!" Sera's eyes opened when the goat woman touched her. She smiled and said, "Matilda is waiting for her dinner." The woman took a step back. She turned her head to the side.

"You knew Matilda?"

Sera shrugged."Well kind of. She said she was waiting for her dinner when she died."

The woman nodded."That is true, she died in this chair you are in."

"She was old. She just keeled over," said Sera.

The woman wondered about Sera now. "My name is Dorinda Maria Diego." Sera smiled and yawned. "Oh, excuse me. I'm Seraphina Haven. Pleased to meet you. Matilda was your mama?"

The woman shook her head."No my aunt." Sera paused. "No she wasn't your aunt, she was your mama. You tell people she was your aunt because she wanted to protect you from your uncle. He wasn't your father. Hmm. He was really mean." Dorinda sat down, tears in her eyes. "How did you know this?"

"Your mama told me. She said do not be afraid any more. He can't hurt you, Sera is here." Sera said matter of factly.

Dorinda said, "I never knew who my real father was. My uncle couldn't have children."

Sera frowned, she rubbed her temples. " Your uncle, what is his name?"

Dorinda pursed her lips together. "Manuelo Diego."

Sera took a deep breath.

The woman, who looked to be in her mid 20's stood up and went into the kitchen. She took a photo off of the refrigerator. Matilda and Manuel Diego were in the photo. Sera touched it and immediately felt burned. This was the man that was after her powers. Sera asked Dorinda to take her to him. Dorinda refused. "He will, and his men will rape you and then kill you."

Sera knew her fate. She knew she had to do this. Blaze would need her there. She had to find him, save him. She felt it was dangerous for him to be there alone. She needed to go there. She also knew that he was close by.

Dorinda went to place the picture back and returned with some goat head stew. Sera politely took it. She saw Dorinda eating earnestly.

She dipped her spoon in and said, "Salute Matilda!"

Dorinda corrected her,"saúde!"

Sera nodded and sipped her food. It was delicious.

Dorinda gave Sera her bed and she slept on the floor.

In the morning the goats were nudging Sera awake. She felt a nibble on her hair. Dorinda laughed. " Shoo!" She showed them outside. Sera blinked and stretched. She saw the beautiful morning sun peek in the window. She drank the thick coffee that Dorinda had given her. Dorinda still refused to take her to her uncle. Sera was determined to go. She asked her new friend to draw her a map. She offered her the gasoline can from the jeep as p*****t. She hugged her goodbye and drove away.

" Be safe," said Dorinda.

She regretted that later when she ran out of gas in the rain forest. Sera had to walk now. She only had a pair of leather sandals that Dorinda had provided her. She hoped it was close now. Her feet hurt.

Sera heard the sound of a motorcycle approaching. A man. She hid in the trees. He stopped and seeing the jeep yelled for her. "Sera! Sera!"

It was Carlos Leo Neuvo.

Seraphina jumped out from behind the tree and scared him to death. He didn't expect that....Well he had run into Dorinda, who tried to shoot him. It took a moment for him to convince her that he was Sera's guardian, put in charge to keep her safe.

Dorinda had found that hilarious since Sera was a witch, so she said. She showed him where to find her.

Leo approached Sera and pulled his little witch close, he apologized for running away. He knew without a doubt that she was purely good, maybe a even good witch. He told her to get on the motorcycle, he was taking her back. She fought him. "No, I need to get to Manuelo Diego."

Leo shook his head. "That is the exact opposite of where we are going love."He said. Sera held her necklace now. He sneered. She knew he was scared of that thing.

He reached out and pulled her in front of him onto the bike and drove off. She frowned. She held onto his arm, feeling a scar there. She could see it looked like a bite mark. She rubbed his arm protectively. He felt her hand on him and grew aroused by her soft touch.

He yelled at her."Stop that now!" She thought she was hurting him, so she yelled "Sorry, how did you get that bite?" He shook his head.

" Mitzy the mangler got me when I was on a case in Lake Tahoe."

Sera frowned. "Did you kill her?" He shook his black head -no.

"A very powerful woman that I thought I could love did that." She asked him about the woman. "She didn't love you back?" He grinned.

" Hanna was her name, she could have loved me but her husband Adam advised against it. He was kind of angry."