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

  “Honey, you haven’t seen half of what is out there,” Shannon said. “There are so many different species, and they travel all around, going to other worlds for shopping, or vacations. I swear it’s so weird.” Shannon smiled. “They have sex wherever they want to. In one of my dreams, there’s this sex club for men, it has rooms with women from all over the universe. Hell, I swear I saw one woman with three boobs, and a guy that had two cocks.”

  “Well, damn, why can’t I have dreams like that? If you find out this place is for real, we so need to crash it and raise some hell. Remember that club, what was it called?” Tabatha frowned.

  “The Suds. You were so fucking drunk. I swear I didn’t think we would get out of there alive. It’s the same night Shannon met the asshole who later married her. I swear he clung to you like glue.” Melody titled her head to the side. “Come to think of it, he was strange. Didn’t he come in with two people that night?”

  “You know something, I totally forgot about that,” Shannon said. “He was, and he never introduced us to them. Do you two remember what they looked like? My mind is a little foggy when it comes to that night.”

  “Well, there’s no sense in asking Miss Lush over there,” Melody snorted and kicked Tabatha. “But I remember the one lady.” She whistled. “Boy, was she a strange one. I swear one minute she had the brightest pink eyes with hair that seemed to move on its own. But when I went to point it out to Tabby here, she was gone.”

  Shannon jumped up from the bed. “She’s one of the ones who knew about what was happening. I bet the bitch is even watching me now.”

  Tabatha shook her head. “Nope, that’s one of the things the Lower Entities or whatever they call themselves made certain. From what I’ve been told, we’re going to have a few guests from other worlds, since my dragon man is some kind of god.”

  “Someone called?” her mate, Wol-item, asked, appearing behind Tabatha. “Shouldn’t you ladies be sleeping?”

  “If we can picture a person, can you see that person in our head?” Shannon asked as Melody and Tabatha smiled, sitting up and nodding.

  “Can you?” Tabatha asked him. “This is kind of important. We think this one person Melody saw is connected to all that Shannon thinks happened to her. God, that is a mouthful.”

  “You haven’t even heard a fourth of it. I have over six notebooks filled with crap, but some I’d like to burn.” She frowned and sighed. “If we had time, I show you them.” She glanced out the window at the night sky. “But as it is….”

  “Show me this person, Shannon. Let’s see if I can help figure this out,” Tabatha’s mate said.

  Shannon glanced back at him. “When I first met my husband—”

  Wol-item growled. “He was no husband, but go on,” he encouraged, sitting next to Tabatha on the bed.

  “Well, he was with two other people. They didn’t stay and we weren’t ever introduced to them. But I can’t remember much about them other than that. Melody remembers one because of the way she looked, though.”

  Wol-item turned his attention on her, smiling. “Show me.” Melody nodded, glancing at Shannon, then at him. “She was really freaky. Her hair moved, I swear.”

  Wol-item hissed as he rose off the bed, cracking his neck.

  “Pysay! Trace!” Wol-item yelled as his eyes flashed a deep red for a second.

  “You bellowed?” Trace said, appearing behind him. He leaned down and kissed Tabatha’s cheek.

  “Melody, show him what you remember. Wol-item, look into her mind and see who Shannon’s so-called husband was with when Shannon met him.”

  Trace frowned and glanced at Melody.

  Words Shannon had no idea what they meant came out of his mouth. “I need to find my nephew. “Want to explain what is going on?” Shannon asked. “I take it this lady is from somewhere else?”

  “She is guardian of the West, and Therbelenth’s newest bed partner. They have two sons,” Wol-item said, but Shannon’s ears were ringing and she would have hit the floor if he hadn’t caught her. He placed her between Melody and Tabatha on the bed.

  “What’s wrong?” Tabatha asked her, steam coming out of her mouth.

  “Therbelenth’s sons,” Shannon whispered, tears rolling down her cheeks. “They’re mine, Tabatha, mine.”

  Chapter Four

  They hadn’t found Therbelenth, and Shannon knew he was one of her true mates. And if her gut was telling her anything, she knew that if they didn’t find him first, he would kill her. She didn’t know when, but she knew it would happen. That’s when she realized that the tension of the last few days was gone. The knots in her stomach just weren’t there anymore. What was going to happen, was going to happen, and there was nothing she could do but accept it.

  She smiled down at her son as he played the game Tabatha had gotten him. “I need you and your sister to be very brave for the next few days. Things are changing: you will get some new talents, but it’s nothing to be afraid of. I think you are already different, aren’t you, Cheyenne?” Shannon turned her attention to her daughter, who ducked her head, but smiled.

  “I can understand Spanish, Russian and Chinese, Mom. I was watching some videos online, and one was from China that I clicked on, and I knew every word. It’s scary, but fun.”

  Shannon squeezed her daughter’s arm. “What about you, Rudy?”

  Her son shrugged as he played the game. “Um, I kind of bent the towel rack. I went to grab it when I slipped, and, well, it felt like paper it was so easy to bend.”

  “Listen, you two, I need you guys to tell no one what is going on right now, except for Tabatha and Melody. You can trust them, but no one else. If they say jump, you jump. I’m going to be—”

  Rudy stopped playing and turned to her. “You’re going to die today, aren’t you?” Tears filled his eyes, and Cheyenne scooted closer to Shannon, tears rolling down her little cheeks.

  “It’s that mean man, isn’t it?” Cheyenne asked.

  “I don’t know how to tell you this, but you must listen to me and don’t judge him. This man, Therbelenth—or you can just call him Belen—does not know what is going on. From what I can figure out, I was not meant to be born here on this planet. Hell, even in this time period. We are not human. I don’t know what we are, but I do know Belen.” She wrapped her arms around her children and took a deep breath, trying to dislodge the lump in her throat, knowing it was time for her to go.

  “He’s one of your real fathers. You have a few, I’m afraid, and more brothers and sisters. I don’t know where they are, but we’ll find them and bring them home soon. But you two are to stay here with Tabatha and her mates. No one can hurt you here. If you need anything, ask Melody. She’s one of Tabatha’s friends.” Shannon leaned down and kissed the top of their heads.

  “I love you both. The next time you see me, I’ll be able to explain a lot more, I promise. But remember you do nothing, but wait for me.”

  Cheyenne held on to her tight. “Please don’t go,” she cried.

  “I promise, Chey-Chey, I’ll be back. You two have to be strong,” Shannon said, getting up and going to the door. “I love you two with all my heart.”

  Shannon smiled and met Tabatha and Melody outside the door with Nancy and Mac, who Tabatha had identified as two of the pack members. A lot of Hoyt’s pack had already moved onto a planet called Cuuter.

  “Nancy, Mac, this is my best friend, Shannon. There’s going to be trouble and your job is to keep those two little ones safe. Furfur is going to stay here and help. So, if you see any trouble, yell for him, and if he tells you to do something, do it,” Tabatha said as Wol-item came up behind her.

  “It’s time. Hoyt and Shane are waiting for you two. Shannon, I know I’ve said this a million times, but please do not worry, Trace is there watching. He will not let anything happen to you” he said, but she shook her head and patted his arm.

  “It will happen. It’s already set; I can feel it. But I’m going to need you to promise me something, Wol
-item. I need you to keep Therbelenth alive after he kills me.” Shannon glanced to the door where her children were. “I really believe he’s one of my mates, even though he won’t believe me or anyone else who tells him that, at least for a while.”

  Wol-item sucked in his breath. “But his mate isn’t supposed to be…. This is bad, really bad. No wonder everything around her has shifted.” He turned and glanced down the hall to where Trace was standing.

  “And here I thought it couldn’t get any worse when you guys woke up.” Trace turned to her. “I promise I will not harm my nephew, but I will contain him, and your instructions to my daughter will be followed out.”

  Trace looked at Tabatha. “Are you ready?” he asked.

  “I think we should call all of this off. What if my brother is here too?” Tabatha glanced at Shannon, who she shook her head.

  “No. You two will have your wedding and it will be beautiful, that I promise. When all this is done, though, I will make it up to you both,” Shannon said, placing her hand on Wol-item’s arm as Melody did. Trace was taking Tabatha back to Earth.

  Shannon swore the ground shook when Melody and Shannon arrived. Even Wol-item and Melody glanced down, then looked at her.

  “Sorry,” she said, noticing how much her gifts had increased in strength

  “It could be anything, especially with all the dignitaries here from all over the place. Are you two ready?” he asked.

  “Let’s go, Melody. We have to get on our dresses, and I tell you right now thank you, thank you, thank you, for not making the dress that I am wearing hideous,” Shannon teased.

  Shannon wrapped her arm around Melody, and they walked down the hall to where Tabatha was waiting for them.

  “Aren’t you scared half out of your mind?” Melody asked, hugging her tight.

  Shannon looked at her. “Yes, because I know that when I’m brought back, the pain from dying is going to be nothing compared to what I will have to go through. Every rape and beating, and having my children ripped from me and taken…. In so many ways, I envy you and Tabatha.” Shannon pushed a lock of Melody’s hair back in place.

  “I know one thing. When all this dying is done, I’m going to take Cheyenne and Rudy to Ireland. We can stay in one of those castles for a few nights,” Shannon said.

  “Then we’ll go with you,” Melody said “I told Shane I didn’t know where I wanted to go for the honeymoon, but now I do,” Melody said, lifting her head up.

  “Count us in too. I’ve never been to Ireland and would love to stay in a castle,” Tabatha said as Hoyt’s mother and grandmother rushed over to them.

  “Let’s go, ladies. We’re going to be late!” Hoyt’s grandmother, Helen, said.

  Shannon watched as the ladies fussed over Tabatha and Melody, helping them with their dresses and such. She had to laugh at the thought of the dance Melody and Tabatha were going to do for their mates when the ceremony was done. One day she would dance for her men, she hoped.

  * * *

  Apollyon moved through the guests, watching. His mate was here, which meant things were about to get ugly fast. Already the Anasazi had been wakened early, but was it really for Wol-item’s mate? Now he didn’t think so. It was for his.

  He had already contacted Fallon, making sure no one knew what was going on. They didn’t need others coming after their mate when it was obvious that she had been hurt before. When Shannon’s mother and fathers found out that their fertilized egg had been taken…. Planets would shake, people would hold their breath. No, not even his friend, Wol-item, knew the extent of what was going on now, 600 years ahead of time.

  He glanced up to see Fallon moving around the other side. Trace paced, scanning around the area where the woman would get married. Their other partner, Therbelenth, was gone, and it did not look good. Therbelenth had paid a visit to their sons, and there was no doubt the two boys were all of theirs. The fact that Pysay had disappeared also was not lost on him or Wol-item.

  The overstuffed dragon Wol-item was ready to explode, which was another reason to be worried, because when the Guardians rose, they sure wouldn’t put up with anyone’s attitude after what had happened.

  When he had seen Shannon’s face yesterday and what that pathetic man had done to her, nothing could have held him back. Her so-called husband would suffer much before the queen was finished with him.

  The music started to play, and he snapped his head up, looking toward where the ladies would enter. With him and his mates watching out for Shannon, she had to be safe.

  The wedding was over now. Apollyon moved in closer to Shannon, who laughed at something a human witch said to her. She watched as Melody and Tabby moved into the center ring, drawing their mates to them as the music played.

  Earlier, Wol-item had found him before the ceremony.

  “She is your mate?” Wol-item had asked, appearing next to him. “You are part of the seven. It’s seven, isn’t it?”

  Apollyon had explained that he and his mates didn’t know for sure. All he knew was that when they had been born, they’d been marked to be mated to the daughter of Jonia. He’d told Wol-item that, showing him the mark of the Sun Goddess.

  * * *

  Therbelenth floated around the gathering above everyone. So far not even his uncle had caught his scent or his movements. His visit with his sons had cleared his head, and with Araqiel’s and Kruc’s words in his head, he stalked the woman called Shannon.

  Since the last time he had seen her, this human woman or whatever she was had grown in power. She couldn’t live, the planets would be off and wars would start. It was his job to put an end to this, no matter what his family said.

  He resented that just being around her made his cock harden. Her scent was a distraction he didn’t need. He snarled right before launching himself at her. He dug his fangs in her throat, ripping it apart in one move. One taste of her blood and he knew she was his mate who was supposed to be born 600 years from now.

  “What have I done?” he whispered as her blood covered him. He watched his life, his mate, fall to ground. But before she fell, her gaze met his, and her fingers touched his cheek with some kind of understanding before her heart stopped and she dropped. He had just killed his woman.

  Someone put their hands on his shoulders, and Therbelenth glanced up to see his uncle staring down at him.

  “Come, you need to be somewhere safe. Wol-item has moved your woman inside the hotel. I do believe her friends and other mates can help her now.” Trace looked away from him “She knew this would happen and made me promise to keep you safe.”

  He could not believe that his mate had been worried about him even knowing what he would do to her.

  A few minutes later, Therbelenth made sure to keep from being seen, but he had to watch from afar as her friends and the witches gathered around her body in the massive conference room they had taken over. Trace’s words still echoed in his mind as he stayed close to his woman.

  He held his breath, watching and listening. He knew that her soul wouldn’t move from her human body hearing the chant they were saying.

  Ancient ones from all around, hear my plea for help. Lend me your powers tonight so we can show the ones from other worlds that we are strong, not weak; that we are fearless, not scared; and that we will be heard. We will not bow down to the pain anymore. Help our Princess Shannon find her way toward us again. Allow her family to hear the cries of her past life, of the 43 years of pain she has carried inside her.

  The ground shook all around them. Shannon’s hair, laced with her blood, flew around her still body as Therbelenth swore and someone powerful entered the large room, but he could see no one.

  “Let the blood of your granddaughter reach you, great one. We call to you. We need your help. She needs your help. Feel her past and present pain, smell her-your blood burning. Taste what is true and see along with everyone that this is you in your granddaughter. Come to us; we have no time to spare. Her soul can’t hold on much longer. We need
you and your mates here, Queen Bracen. Hear our cries. Already the cast of your granddaughter’s death is in the stars. Will you let her life die as if it meant nothing? That these enemies of your family would win.”

  As hundreds of witches and warlocks prayed, magic flew all around Shannon’s body.

  Therbelenth knew the human wizards’ words were true, and if it took a lifetime, he would make sure that everyone who had hurt her would die.

  “Earth, fire, water and wind, hear our cries for justice. Push this message through, lend me your power for the night. Ancient ones, send this message with those powers now and save this planet and our families,” Randy cried, staring down at Shannon’s lifeless body.

  Chairs turned over, and a strong wind rushed through the room. The power following up through the universe and to places Shannon new not but were there.

  “You know what this is going to do?” He looked up at his uncle, who nodded.

  “We can do nothing but wait. You do know that Pysay and others are behind this, right? That your sons are Shannon’s, and they were ripped from her body.” Trace snarled and squeezed Therbelenth’s shoulder hard. “We will find this bitch, and she and the others she works with will pay. So, do not make the mistake to protect that thing, because you could lose your life as well. For some reason she, your true mate, wants you to live.”

  Chapter Five

  On the small vacation planet, Pudrore, Queen Graystone Bracen sat at her table with her mates next to her. They had been trying to figure out where they would go next for their vacation away from the high court and the ancient ones when Bracen felt the first wave of pain and grabbed her stomach. She choked back a groan and looked up at her mates. The stunned expressions on their faces told her they had also felt something.

  Then then they heard it.