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

  Apollyon walked to her side and wrapped his arm around her, reading it as she did.

  Little Sister,

  Randy and I have decided wherever you go, we will go. We want to be closer to you, to help you deal with all that is new. I have taken Randy back to my cabin for a few days for the claiming. However, if you need us, just call. You know how. You will do fine, just give it a chance. Enjoy your castle. Just so you know, we see another of your mates joining you soon.

  Love,

  Drake and Randy

  Shannon leaned against Apollyon and sighed. “They really did help when I needed it the most. If possible, I would like them to live close by wherever we do decide to settle.” She glanced up at Apollyon and he couldn’t help but lower his head and cover her mouth with his.

  His woman was so sweet that he felt as if his tongue had hit sugar. But all too soon, she pulled back from him, smiling. “I’m still mad at you,” she said, lifting his right hand. She kissed the bruises on it from where he had hit Therbelenth, healing it with a touch. “We have to be together if we’re going to find our children.”

  He cupped her cheek. “We will. How many were taken, Shannon? How many of our children are out there?”

  Tears filled her eyes, and she looked over at their four children talking with her mother and grandmother. “I’m not sure. At least 20 are missing, from the ones I remember. Each time they hurt me, I knew it wasn’t just the hurting, they had taken our children. Araqiel and Kruc were the close to the first ones to be born. But I believe there is another set of twins who are older than they are.” She shook her head and looked up at him. “Who knows how many of our children they took from us. I didn’t have single births—except for Cheyenne and Rudy, I think—and I still don’t know why they allowed me to keep either of them. The only thing I can think of is that they took what they needed from them too when they were hurt, their gifts-power whatever they wanted.”

  Apollyon looked over at their children. “Every single one who was involved in hurting them will pay. Go, your friends are waiting for you,” he said, stepping back and watching as their children ran to her. But Cheyenne and Rudy stopped in their tracks at seeing Tac on her shoulder.

  “Should we really trust this Queen and that thing sitting on our woman’s shoulder?” Zeus asked.

  “In this, yes. When she gives her word, Queen Carmen always sticks by it,” Bull, the ancient, said as he appeared in the room. “She now considers Shannon one of the very few she would protect, and that say a lot. Even my fellow clan members are impressed. The supreme ones chose well when he picked you and your family.” He bowed to Shannon, saying something before holding out his arm for her.

  Shannon looked over her shoulder at Apollyon “Our fifth will her soon. Be nice, all of you,” Shannon said and took Bull’s arm and walked out of the room.

  “Those pants she wears, I’d like to burn them,” Fallon snarled.

  His two older sons looked up and laughed.

  “As my little sister and brother have told me, their mom looks hot,” Araqiel said, and Cheyenne giggled before she tilted her head to the side.

  “Father, Suzerain is here,” Cheyenne smiled and looked at Rudy. “We can call him Father Star,” she added as an albino man appeared in the room.

  “Did you know they were still alive, Therbelenth?” Zeus asked, speaking to Therbelenth with no hostility for the first time since meeting him.

  “No one knew,” Therbelenth said.

  The albino glided over the floor towards them and bowed his head.

  “Gentlemen, it is an honor to meet you,” he said, and Apollyon knew he was staring at the king of his people.

  Chapter Ten

  “You wanted to speak to me about something?” Shannon asked as she and Bull stepped out into the hall and walked toward Tabatha and Melody, who waited for her at the spa.

  “You are smart and very talented, my dear. But you must also be very careful. Others will be watching and testing you after they learn that you have been born. You and your mates have a long time before you have to worry about taking over. I suggest each of you figure out where you will make your home base. But, Shannon, you know each of your mates will also have duties to their own people. Therbelenth alone makes people nervous enough; he will also be carrying on the duties that are set to him. Are you going to okay living with the destroyer of gods?”

  Shannon stopped walking and turned to the ancient one. “No, but I’m okay living with the man. If anything, there is something right now that is pulling me to him. May I be frank?” Shannon turned from him and started to walk.

  “Please, I’m here to help you,” Bull said.

  Shannon nodded. “I have a connection to each of my mates I’ve met so far. I feel it in my head and heart, but with both Therbelenth and Apollyon there is something more.” She looked up at him. “I felt each punch they gave him.”

  Bull stopped walking and stared at her. “Can you feel the same thing with Apollyon?” he asked, but she shook her head.

  “With Apollyon it’s more that I know what is working inside here.” Shannon touched her head. “But I have a feeling that as we spend more time with each other, there will be more bonds.”

  “This is not good. Do you think part of the whatever they have done to you still exists?” he asked, concern in his gaze.

  She squeezed his arm. “I will be all right. I have lived with pain all my life.” She frowned. “Bull, you were hurt.”

  “Don’t,” Bull said and stepped back. “No one has been able to heal the sting of the Fizzer, and I won’t have—” He stared at her. “You did it.”

  She smiled and turned away from him. “It’s not like I have a choice. One touch and I see what is wrong with someone. It’s automatic.”

  “Your men will have to watch you very carefully if word gets out about this. I believe Therbelenth and Apollyon are your Swoquix. Do you know what this is?” he asked.

  She peeked over her shoulder, and sure enough, Therbelenth was walking toward them. “Does it mean that one of them will be with me always, close? You might as well come up here, Belen.”

  Her man stepped in front of her and cupped her cheek.

  “What did you call me?” he asked.

  She smiled and rubbed her cheek against his hand. “Belen. It’s easier for the children, and I like it. Did our fifth show up?”

  “Yes, he’s from Llurn 7YZ, and he is called Suzerain.” Belen pulled her to his side as they continued down the hall.

  “He’s pure albino,” Shannon said and shook her head. “He shouldn’t be with me. Hell, all of you shouldn’t be, but him more so.”

  “If you say what I think you’re going to say, I’m going to bite you, and what is that thing on you?” Tabatha pointed to Tac.

  “Leave Tac alone, Tabatha. He will be with me always. His mother, the Spider Queen, gave him to me. He’s protecting me and helping find the asshole Harold,” Shannon explained.

  “Fine, as long as—” Tabatha’s eyes got big as Tac jumped from Shannon’s shoulder to hers.

  Shannon couldn’t help but laugh, as did Melody. Just like he’d done for Shannon, Tac sank a fang into Tabatha. “Well, it would seem you are privileged now too,” Shannon said as Tabatha glared at her. Meanwhile, Tac moved to Melody and bit her too.

  Bull frowned. “Strange that the little guy has chosen to protect your friends as well.”

  “Not really. Tabatha and Melody are sisters of my heart. I believe Tac could tell how important they are to me. So, are we ready for feet and hands?”

  “Feet and hands?” Belen asked.

  “Pedicure and manicure. Heaven…,” Tabatha said.

  “I thought I sent you to heaven,” Wol-item said, staring at Tac as he crawled up onto Shannon’s shoulder. “I don’t know if I like the fact I wasn’t informed about him attaching himself to my mate.” A little bit of smoke came out of Wol-item’s nose as he wrapped an arm around Tabatha.

  “I’m sorry Wol-item.
Tac must have picked up how important Tabby and Melody are to me. I do believe he sees more than I thought he would,” Shannon said.

  “There is no need to apologize, and quit making my sister nervous,” Tabatha told her mate. “Now get while we finish our pampering, but you better tell Hoyt I want the real message since you guys nixed our plans for the professionals.” Tabatha glared at Wol-item, who snorted.

  “No man touches what is ours. Go, finish your pampering. I take it you’ll stay with Shannon?” Wol-item asked, and her Therbelenth nodded as he continued holding her, then he stiffened.

  Shannon glanced up at him, then at Bull and Wol-item. All three men were somewhere else and she had a very, very bad feeling it wasn’t going to be good. “Tac, go to my children and protect them now,” Shannon said, lowering him to the floor.

  “What’s going on?” Tabby asked, putting herself in a black leather outfit just like the one Shannon now wore.

  Shannon had seen this in one of her dreams and the outcome would not be pretty.

  “I have a feeling I’m going to be called in front of the Guardians and it’s not going to be a nice meeting. The Kings and Queens will be there to. Promise whatever happens—”

  Tabby and Melody latched on to her, pushing Belen out of the way.

  “I’ll be damned if you go in front of anyone without us backing you up, sister,” Tabby growled as the three of them were pulled to some faraway place. The three men who had been standing next to them were left frozen in place.

  * * *

  Shannon stood in the middle of an arena, while Tabby and Melody stood off to the side of her, frozen like the men had been. She turned in a complete circle, looking around. Hundreds of Kings and Queens sat closest to the arena floor in what looked like bleachers while Uppers were above them. But one group was missing: her mother and fathers.

  Even a few of the Anasazi were there, way in the back, but not Wol-item. But she did see Trace, Tabatha’s father. The fact no one had forbidden him to be here eased a little of the worry, but not much.

  “So, who bellowed, and why call all these people here for little old me?” she said, knowing it wasn’t too smart to piss people off, but right now Shannon was tired and pissed off too.

  That was when she saw the twin brothers.

  “Oh yeah, this is going to be good,” Shannon whispered, staring back and forth at Stelodem and Stamaestus. They were nasty things. She remembered from her dreams that they loved to dish out pain.

  They smiled, and she knew they were speaking to each other in their language, but Shannon understood it.

  “For someone so tiny, you would think she would watch her mouth, but this should be interesting,” Stelodem said, stepping toward her.

  “Yes, very interesting,” Shannon replied in their tongue, surprising them. “You’re not dealing with just a little human, Stamaestus,” she said, waving her hand, releasing her friends. “You really shouldn’t have pissed off Wol-item’s mate and or mine,” she continued as Tabatha and Melody moved to her side.

  “These are the two fools that interrupted our girl time?” Tabatha growled.

  “Tabatha, don’t,” Wol-item said, appearing next to her just as Shannon’s mates showed up. Shannon’s parents were now sitting in the bleachers.

  But it was Belen who Shannon watched as he shifted into to a form she hadn’t seen before. Even the two brothers stepped back, watching him closely.

  “As I said, you really shouldn’t have brought us here, especially without our men.” Shannon frowned and stepped around Apollyon who had hold of her. Zeus and Fallon stood behind her, as Shannon’s newest mate, Star she’d call him, stood at her other side. But right now, something was wrong. A part of her, a child.

  “Tabatha,” she whispered, and all eyes turned to Shannon as she attempted to leave the arena, but failed. “Apollyon. are you keeping me in here? Please release me, I need to—No,” Shannon snarled, waving her hand.

  A King and a Queen flew into the air, and Shannon sent them flying into the ceiling, where she held them there with her powers.

  “You have two seconds to tell me where my child was sent, or I’ll start ripping you apart,” she snarled.

  The room erupted in shouting, but Shannon didn’t care. Her total focus was now on the two who had a part of her hidden somewhere.

  “Little Queen, please release the King and Queen of Iter,” Belen said, walking up next to her.

  “I will not. They have my child and when they sensed I had found out, they sent our child away. I want my baby,” Shannon snapped, once more slamming the couple against the ceiling. They cried out in pain.

  But what Shannon wasn’t counting on was the strength of the twin brothers. They grabbed her and strung her up on a cross-shaped structure. They ripped off her shirt, and the crack of a whip filled the air before she felt the pain on her back.

  The room grew quiet. Shannon didn’t cry out as a single tear rolled down her check. Below her, Tabatha roared, and Shannon knew her friend had released the dragon inside her.

  Screams came from the audience as Belen floated behind her. He wrapped his arm around her waist.

  “I’ve got you, my Little Queen. No one will hurt you anymore,” he said as he swung her up in his arms as soon as she was released, careful of the wound on her back.

  “They will. So many people don’t want us to be together,” she sighed. “I want my baby, Belen.” She looked at the couple who were still pinned to the ceiling. They were powerful, but she knew they couldn’t free the King and Queen.

  “You have to release them, Shannon,” Apollyon said, walking toward Shannon and Belen as Belen lowered her feet to the ground. “Turn around so I can heal your back.”

  “You won’t be able to. The mark will be there for life it has to heal on its own. It’s one thing the twins I believe are known for if I remember from my dream.” Shannon glanced at Tabatha, whose very pissed-off dragon Wol-item was trying to calm. Tabby shot another breath of fire at the brothers, who were dancing around trying to dodge it.

  “Get her under control, or I’ll string her up,” Stamaestus growled, and dodged out of the way just in time as another blast of fire came at him, but this time it came from Wol-item.

  Ice-cold air filled the room.

  “Tabatha stop,” Shannon yelled, knowing a very powerful being had just entered the room, and she sure didn’t need her friend to get in trouble protecting her.

  * * *

  Zeus and Fallon glanced at Therbelenth.

  “You woke them up?” they asked Belen in an accusing tone.

  “Watch it,” Shannon growled and glared at Zeus and Fallon. “We have enough trouble here, and it’s not because of Belen.”

  “Easy, Little Queen, they are right. I did wake them, but I had no choice. It was either that or the brothers would die, and that would be far worse,” Belen explained. He kissed the side of her neck before turning and bowing to the beings who had just appeared. “Supreme Ones, I’m sorry to wake you.” he said.

  The audience gasped, and everyone fell to the floor bowing.

  Belen looked over at Tabatha, Melody and Shannon, who were frowning.

  “Do we need to bow too?” Melody asked, earning a growl from one of the brothers.

  “Watch it, asshole,” Tabatha growled, and another shot of fire came out of her mouth, but it didn’t reach its target.

  Wol-item groaned. “I am sorry, Supreme Ones. They are new to our world and are still learning.”

  “Don’t you apologize for me,” Tabatha growled. “They hurt one of my friends and growled at my other one. You’re lucky I haven’t fried the assholes.” Tabatha kicked Wol-item in the leg, knocking him onto his ass… Everyone was surprised when three of the Supreme Ones laughed, showing themselves.

  “You are indeed a lucky man, Wol-item. Please rise. Therbelenth, you and your mates rise too and explain this,” one of them said. No one could tell who had spoken, because none of the Supreme Ones opened their mouth. They
didn’t need to.

  The power coming from the three of them alone would have everyone in the arena energized for the next year, not needing to rest.

  Belen slowly rose, pulling Shannon into his arms as Apollyon moved to her other side, where he replaced the shirt that had been ripped from her body. Zeus, Fallon and Suzerain stood behind them as Wol-item and his mates, Chax and Hoyt, surrounded Tabatha, with Shane and Melody next to them.

  The three Supreme Ones glanced up at the couple on the ceiling. Slowly, they were brought down, and they hovered close to the three Supreme Ones as a small little girl appeared in front of them.

  Shannon tried to walk toward her, but Belen and Apollyon held her back.

  “This child is not yours. You used her as a slave,” Shannon told the couple.

  The ground shook and the man glanced at his woman. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she looked up at him. Shannon opened her mind and shared with her mates what their daughter had had to endure during her young life.

  Belen’s anger was so fierce that he released his other form and was charging towards his enemy, but in seconds peace enveloped him. He once more stood next to Shannon her arms wrapped around him.

  “I am sorry, Therbelenth. This should not have happened, and I’m afraid this little child will not be the only one hurt.” One of the three knelt in front of the child and cupped her cheek.

  The scars on her face vanished as the being touched the girl’s head. She glanced at the two other Supreme ones, then at the one in front of her.

  “Go to your momma, Grel. Let her heal your soul as no other can.”

  Shannon knelt and opened her arms. Grel rose took two steps toward her, then looked back at the one who had cupped her cheek. He nodded in encouragement.

  Grel took a few more steps before she lunged for Shannon. She hugged her mother tight, burying her face into the crook of her neck.

  “I’ve got you, Grel.” Shannon rose holding onto her. “I was thinking, would you mind using the name I have for you? I really think you are too pretty for a Grel, and you look more like a Bethany,” she said, rubbing the child’s back.