The Heart’s Lost Souls: Part One: The Binding Read online

  Shannon snorted. “You could say that again.”

  “Are you ready?” Bull asked as Mako left her side and joined them in the back of the room, in front of the monitor that would turn on as she moved her way towards them.

  She glanced over at them and smiled. “Have to say they do look kind of hot in their natural form. Can’t wait to see Belen and Mako in theirs later, but damn you’re big Kebar.”

  Bull held out his hand and laughed. “Their kind are called giants for a reason.”

  “I do believe we are rubbing off on you, old man. Take me to my men,” Shannon said, placing her arm into Bull’s. She leaned over and whispered, but each of her men could hear her.

  “Thank god I don’t have to do the sex thing in front of everyone or they’d be out of luck.”

  “Ewww, I sure wouldn’t be standing here watching that. I love you girl, but nope.” Tabatha said and Wol-item covered her mouth with his hand, turning her head to see that the monitor was on.

  “Well crap,” Shannon muttered, almost tripping over her feet, but Bull held onto her as they stepped forward.

  Apollyon, bowed and knelt before Shannon, taking her hand into his. “My Queen. In a matter of days, you have become my heart, which had been black from years without true love. You are the light of this old man’s heart.” He smiled and winked at her. “But with this old heart I pledge to you, here and now in front of everyone, that I give you my fidelity, guidance, protection, and my soul to keep safe.” Apollyon held out the small box to her.

  Inside the box, literally held the heart of his soul in the pendent he was giving her. Once she touched it, it would be absorbed into her body, holding him to her for eternity.

  She reached out taking the box, but before opening the box, Shannon ran her finger down his red cheek. When he looked up, Shannon had shifted to her demon form, and his cock hardened to the point of almost pain, seeing his woman standing there, honoring him.

  “We haven’t known each other long, but our connection is strong.” She glanced down at box, at the same time opening it. “I gladly accept your gift and will… ” Her voice stopped and she sucked in her breath as Shannon picked up the heart container holding his soul.

  He watched the heart slowly sank into her skin of her hand and once a sense of peace, warmth and love settled over him. Apollyon stood and pulled her into his arms, covering her mouth with his. “My little demon,” he whispered into her head, pouring his love into their kiss.

  Shannon broke the kiss, stepping back. “Wow,” she said. “Thank you.”

  “Always,” he whispered, stepping back and allowing, Therbelenth to step forward, taking Shannon’s hands into his.

  * * *

  If the so-called TV-monitor thing wasn’t on her right now and her friends weren’t watching, Shannon would have thrown herself at her demon man. His gift was more than he knew and she would treasure it and keep it safe inside her. So many emotions, loneliness inside him, but Shannon and their children would change that, had started to change that.

  She looked up as Belen and smiled, but Shannon wasn’t expecting a visual trip in his arms. Not only was he in his true form, Shannon had a feeling they were visiting his home. What she could see the world above was nothing but rock, but when Belen dipped down, entering a cave the world around her changed.

  Crystals or whatever they were, purple, blue, pink, orange, red colors filled the walls as he went deeper into the cavern. “I am showing you our home, away from everything. No one knows of this place. I’ve been slowly building our place away from everyone. Only the old ones and Those That Are can find us here. No, not even she was here. You are the first person I’m showing my world to.”

  They broke through one cavern to enter another, when Belen stopped, lowering her feet to the ground. The cave, home was amazing and large. What appeared to be a kitchen of some kind in the back, while the massive bed took up the main area. If that was the only way into the cavern they would be moving that bed.

  “There are eight separate bedrooms here, but this is the main area.” He said, smiling knowing what she had been thinking as he turned her around, facing him and once more they were in the room with everyone. She was almost sad to come back, there had been such peace in that space.

  Therbelenth got down on his knee, still holding onto her hands. “My Little Queen, I promise you that never again will I ignore the feelings inside me.” He lowered his head and squeezed her hands. “That I will never physically or mentally hurt you in any form.” Belen glanced up with tears in his eyes and her heart broke.

  Shannon knelt down in front of him, and she could see the shock in his face. “Never put that in your head. It happened, it’s over. You have a big place in my heart already Therbelenth, killer of gods.” She reached up and cupped his cheek. “I love you.”

  She smiled seeing the shock in his eyes as he released his right hand and opened it. “On our world our woman wears this. It becomes part of you, never comes off.” He smiled. “Call it old fashion. On our world it lets everyone know who your man is and what he will do to the person if he should disrespect, harm or put you in danger.”

  “Do I want to know what you will do to said person?” Shannon asked, and the smile he gave her sent a shiver up her spine.

  “No,” he said.

  “Well then, how do I attach this. I accept your gift.” Shannon said.

  Belen reached over taking the strange purple, blue metal colored object. “Please stand it will go around your ankle like one of your ankle bracelets.”

  Bull held out his hand and Shannon placed her hand into his, as he helped her stand, watching as Belen leaned down and placed a kiss on her ankle. “I do believe I could become an ankle man.” He cocked his head to the side, looking up at her and winking at her as he attached the beautiful thing around her.

  The metal was cool to the touch, nothing hurt of course, but she watched as it slowly sank a little into her skin, displaying the colors. “You know your daughter will be able to read this,” she said, smiling as he stood.

  “And she will read, ‘This beautiful woman is the mate of Therbelenth and nothing more. The only ones who could see the promise are those that would think of harming you.” He pulled her into his arms. “Give me a kiss, My Little Queen,” he snarled, covering her mouth in a hard, quick kiss. “And I love you Shannon with everything I have.”

  He broke the kiss, placing another one on the top of her head, before stepping back, allowing Kebar to reach over and pull her to him, moving to her side and staring up at the monitor. “Not many have seen us. Right here and now be warned my people are watching. Hurt our mate or children and suffer the old ways like none other,” Kebar said, before returning to his spot in front of him and kneeling before her.

  “You are our queen, heartbeat of our family, the keeper of our souls.” Kebar smiled, leaning down and kissing each of her hands before placing his onto of hers. Heat, like what one would get from a massage tingled her fingers and hand. “I give to you the vow of our people that no matter what they will be there for you always and my personal vow to love, protect and give you a piece of myself.”

  Bull growled, wrapping his arm around her, holding her and Shannon was grateful when a gust of heated wind covered her body, while her hands burned. But quickly, Shannon saw what Kebar had done, taking a small piece of his heart joining it with hers.

  “Umm, amazing,” she glanced down to her hands when Kebar lifted his away. Her pinky fingers, both of them, had some kind of tribal design on them.

  “As you carry the mark of Therbelenth, you now carry the queen’s personal marking, which is the same as mine,” he held up his hand to show her the matching marks.

  She reached up and traced his finger. “I love my mark and please inform your… Are they watching?”

  Kebar smiled and nodded. “Of course, it’s not everyday that their king pledges himself to his woman.”

  “So, all of your peoples are watching?” Shannon asked and
each of them nodded.

  “This is being seen everywhere, in the minds of others and so on. Even Those That Are, see everything,” Bull informed her.

  Shannon smiled and glanced at Tabby who laughed, as did Melody. Both women stepped up on each side of her as Frigga and Queen Carmen, which surprised her, knowing what she was about to do.

  “We are part of you now, of course we would do this, but that does not mean I won’t have a little fun if it calls for it,” the spider queen said, making her shiver.

  “I’m so not going to think of that,” she smiled and Queen Carmen laughed.

  Shannon grabbed onto Kebar’s hand and once more went down to her knees as did her friends. “I pledged to all of you, including The Great Shield, that I will do my best to make sure everything is fair, that all avenues are taken before anything or anyone is harmed. I have seen enough violence in my lifetime and wish no more. But this does not mean I will not fight right beside my partners, husbands of the heart, because you hurt an innocent, you’ll see the warrior come out in all of us.” She tilted her head to the side. “I have thought of a name. Would you like to hear it?” she asked Those That Are. “Masked Angels, because to me you are angels, giving a new life, showing me that there is hope, but in the same token I know there is more that I can’t comprehend and have no desire to. I say this to you before, if you don’t like it, I’ll think of another if you’d like.”

  “You honor us as we do you. Your new name has been voted and we accept, thank you Queen Shannon. Masked Angels we will be called from now on.” The voices of Those That Are filled the room and she knew everyone else heard also. “Gentlemen, you are very lucky, guard and love her well.” And just like that they were gone.

  Kebar lifted her up off of her feet, covering her mouth with his in a kiss that touched her soul. Their tongues dancing to music that only they could hear. All too soon, Kebar broke the kiss, lowering her down.

  Suzerain, her Star leaned over and gently pulled her to him. “My Burning Star, always so forgiving, so loving. The first time we were allowed to connect to you I was lost. There was so much suffering, pain, but never had I seen such determination and love for your friends and family to wade through all of it. You are our little miracle.” He sat down on the ground with her in his lap. “I choose not to show you my natural form today. This should be private between you and me, the first time this happens, but I do have something for you. It was my grandmother’s. It has been handed down from queen to queen.”

  A white silk package appeared in her lap. She reached out and slowly opened it up. In the middle of the fabric were two tiny golden rings. Shannon frowned. “I don’t think they will fit on my fingers.”

  Star smiled. “Sweetheart, they are not for your fingers or your toes,” he said, his gaze dropping down to her breasts.

  “Well damn,” Shannon said and Tabatha laughed, along with Melody.

  “Um, I hate to say this, but so not going to bare my boobs right now for everyone to see, not ready for that.” Shannon hated it, she knew her cheeks were now pink.

  Star leaned down and nipped her ear. “I wouldn’t want you to either. Would you accept my gift? Be my queen, my heart and my Burning Star?”

  Shannon glanced up at him and smiled. “Always,” she whispered into his mouth as he lowered his head. His kiss was gentle, but it also covered the gasp she let out when a gentle touch could be felt on her nipples.

  He broke the kiss and glanced down, and sure enough you could see the rings now on her nipples through the dress. “Stunning. Thank you for honoring my family and me.”

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Zeus was hard as a rock watching his companions each claim Shannon, but when Star had placed those nipple rings on her, he thought for sure he was going to have an explosion in his pants for the first time in his life. No one had ever affected him as Shannon did and right now it was his turn.

  He reached down, lifting Shannon up into his arms, inhaling her scent, hugging her, needing to just hold her for a second before he could get his own body and voice under control.

  “Are you okay?” she asked, placing a kiss on his chest.

  Zeus looked down at the little one in his arms. “You are always so worried about us, the children. I don’t know how each of us got so lucky. It’s been hard. I will admit from the start I’ve been difficult and I’m sorry.” He glanced around them. “I’m not a very social person, but I promise to be try. I only have one thing to offer you.” He lowered her feet to the ground and stepped back, his shirt now gone Zeus show her the marking on his arm-chest.”

  Behind Shannon, Bull stepped forward, but he shook his head, needing to do this. “On my world when someone carries this mark you see on me it means I have connected my life to yours. Where you go I shall go my lady. There will never be death between us. We will go to our next journey together. You will never be alone again, or unprotected.” He held out his hand, smiling. “I also got you this. I know it’s customary on Earth to wear a ring, would you wear mine?” he asked, showing her his favorite stone from his world, he’d placed in a ring he’d designed himself.

  Shannon stepped forward reaching up looking at the ring. “Stunning, what kind of stone is this? I’ve never seen it before and the design is amazing.” She looked up at him. “Did you do this, make this?”

  “Yes, and the stone is called Ropilxoo and it’s one of my favorites from my world. Do you accept it?” he asked and she smiled.

  “Oh, yeah and you just might have to make me a necklace to match it, maybe a choker,” Shannon said holding out her small hand.

  He placed the ring on the hand humans did when they were married. “I’d be happy to make one for you.” Zeus once more pulled her into his arms, needing, always needing to touch and hold her to know she was real and safe. “I believe it’s going to take me a while getting used to having you here with us. So, expect lots of hugs, kisses and such, my fair lady.” he whispered, nipping her lip before kissing her sealing his promise-vow to her.

  With regret, Zeus lifted his head, staring down into her brown eyes, that of their daughters. “You are beautiful inside as much you are out my lady.”

  “And you can be the gentlemen when you want to, dear sir,” she said, teasing him.

  “My queen strike those words from your vocabulary,” he grumbled and she laughed.

  “I do believe you protest too much,” she giggled and stepped away from him, into Fallon’s arms.

  * * *

  Fallon was stunning in a black jacket and pants. His eye’s a black-blue color, so unusual and Shannon always felt as if there was some magical pull in them. Like the old vampire movies she had watched as a kid growing up.

  Fallon smiled. “We will have to watch these movies I see in your head. Will you do me the honors and bond with me the way our people do?” Fallon asked.

  With a thought Shannon’s body shifted, she now had fangs and the hunger, well she wasn’t sure about this, but would try for him. “Afraid you might have to help me here a little, sorry.”

  He cupped her cheeks. “Do not apologize, you are not from our world and I didn’t expect you to take to this right away.” He placed a kiss on her neck, scrapping his fangs against it before sinking his fangs into her, drinking.

  After the short pinch when his fangs sank into her, Shannon swore her legs would have given out if he hadn’t been holding onto her. The sexual rush that raced through her body had Shannon clinging onto him. “You better be feeding from males,” she grumbled, hearing the laughter in her head.

  “Would you prefer I drank from other males?” Shannon countering his laughter, but what she wasn’t expecting was growls from each of her men, not just Fallon.

  “You have seven men by your side, those are the only ones you will be drinking from,” Fallon said, lifting his head, the holes sealing themselves.

  “And Fallon will feed from one of us. We are a family and will provide for each other,” Belen said.

  “I thank you
all,” Fallon said, hugging her tight to him. “It is your turn.” Inside her head, Fallon whispered words she vaguely recognized since Fallon was speaking in his language. But as soon as he finished speaking, Shannon realized she had already drunk from her man.

  “With this gift you have given me, I to will be following you to the next world, walking beside you and Zeus. You will go nowhere without us, even if we must travel to another time or place.” He kissed her cheek. “My gift for you.” He stepped aside, behind him a tiny little boy stood there staring up at her.

  “It would seem my second in command had his hand in the torment you went through. I would like to introduce you to Gannon, our son. I do believe he is twin to our Rudy.” As soon as Fallon said this, Rudy came running over.

  Shannon could feel the bond instantly form between the boys as Rudy smiled up at her. “It’s so weird. Can we go play. I have to show him everything?” Rudy asked.

  She knelt down next to the boys. “What does he know? Did he have a mother?” She looked up at Fallon, who knelt down next to her.

  “Gannon, this is your mother. The lady I told you about,” Fallon said. “He had no parents, the man used him as a errand boy, from what I was told.”

  Tears came to her eyes as she smiled and held out her hand. “You are home now. You have other brothers and sisters that will guide you. Please do not hesitate to come to me for anything. Can I give you a hug?”

  “Mom, maybe he doesn’t want… ” Rudy begun to say, but Gannon stepped into her arms, wrapping his little arms around her holding her tight.

  “You’re safe my little one, safe,” she whispered, placing a kiss on the top of his head.

  “Where will I live?” he asked.

  “Where ever we are. We are your home.” She explained as he eased back, moving next to Rudy.

  “Rudy go introduce your sisters and brothers to him. We’ll have a family dinner tomorrow.” She said, watching Rudy drag Gannon towards her parents and his other siblings. “Will we ever have all of them home?” she looked up at Fallon.