“I know you would like to know who those people were, but I really don’t know all of them.” She took a bite of the potatoes and moaned in pleasure. “You really should get a plate; this food is good,” she said to Bull, who smiled and shook his head.
“There were some who would not go along with what they were doing, I know. The Mother of All Witches wouldn’t go along with them; same with the King of Warlocks,” Shannon said. “They sent Drake and Randy to me. It might seem like a small gesture, but they also sent me this blanket that had some protective spells on it, which helped with healing and such. I just learned about that today. I know they wanted to help, but they couldn’t use their powers to help me. There are others who wanted to help but they were also not allowed to. This is why I believe it would be best to deal with them personally, so they won’t get hurt.” Shannon sat back, taking a drink of her beer. “God, that sounds so stupid. Kings and Queens, gods. I’m as far from a queen as anyone could be.” She shook her head, and Tabatha laughed and Melody smiled.
“Anyway, I’m sure my mates would agree with me that it would be better not to start a new rule with that kind of destruction.” Shannon turned to see Zeus and the rest of her mates listening to her. Apollyon looked like he was ready to start a war. “Don’t even think it, demon man. You have enough problems finding out who’s after my best friends.” She glanced over at Therbelenth as he leaned against the wall, separate from everyone, which she didn’t like at all. “Excuse me for a minute, would you.” She got up and walked over to him.
He moved away from the wall as she neared to him, and his gaze never left hers.
“I meant what I said. I forgive you for what you did,” Shannon said. “I knew it was coming, and believe me, I know what it is to be manipulated.” She touched his cheek. “Please stop. If you want, direct your anger at those who took our children. Help us find them.” She lowered her hand and shook her head. “So many of them are out there.”
He reached cupped her cheek. “You’re such a brave one, but I will always feel guilty, and I promise each day that I will show you how much you mean to me. Our sons will meet you and their brother and sister soon.” He placed a kiss on her neck. “I’m sorry, my little brave one.”
“Not brave, just trying to survive. Come meet your children.” She took his hand and pulled him over to where Cheyenne and Rudy were.
Her father’s stood, staring at them. “Don’t, please?” she asked and watched as each stepped forward, offering their hand to Therbelenth. Her father, Mortin glanced at her then to him. “She’s right. We should channel our anger toward those who have harmed our family. You have a big advantage and can help us find these men: use it.”
Therbelenth nodded and looked down at Cheyenne as she came over to them. She looked at her mother, then at Therbelenth. Cheyenne said something in a language Shannon couldn’t understand, and then Therbelenth knelt down next to her.
“How?” he asked and looked back up at Shannon.
“What? I have no idea what she said. Our daughter is slowly picking up all the languages around us. Is she speaking yours?” Shannon asked.
“It’s our ancient language; only a few know it.” Trace appeared behind them, and Therbelenth looked over at him.
“You have a very special daughter there. Protect her well, nephew. She’ll be a prize for some man,” Trace said.
“Ha, they’ll have to go through me first,” Shannon said. “Our daughter is too innocent, not any man will have her hand,” she said.
“Mom….” Cheyenne rolled her eyes as Rudy came over and pushed her out of the way.
“I’m Rudy,” he said, holding out his hand to his father.
She was about to call her son on pushing Cheyenne when Therbelenth did.
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Rudy, but I believe you owe your sister an apology, don’t you?” he said.
“Why?” Rudy frowned. “I didn’t hit her.”
Shannon frowned too and knelt so they were at eye level.
“You ever hit your sister?” Therbelenth put his hand on her leg.
Rudy frowned. “It’s okay. You hurt Mommy and she forgave you. Daddy hit Mommy and she forgave him, right?” he asked.
The room went quiet as Shannon fell back on her ass in shock.
“Rudy,” she whispered.
Therbelenth sat next to her on the floor and pulled Rudy into his lap. “No man should ever touch a woman in anger, little warrior. To do so is shameful and shows the man isn’t a man, but a pest. What I did to your mother will sit in my soul for the rest of my life. There is no excuse for what I did. Even though I had orders to do it, I should have listened to my gut.”
Therbelenth’s glanced over at Apollyon as the other man moved up behind him and nodded. “Little man, there is much you must learn and we will all be here to teach you. The first lesson is to always recognize your mistakes and own up to them. Second, never hit a woman in anger for any reason.”
A single tear slid down Rudy’s cheek and he got up. He walked over to Cheyenne and hugged her tight. “I’m sorry Chey-Chey,” he said.
Cheyenne patted his back. “I’m okay.”
Rudy released Cheyenne, then walked over to Shannon and crawled into her lap, just like he had done as a toddler. “Sorry, Momma,” he said, hugging her just as tight.
“It would seem we all have much to learn and it will take time, but we will do this together. Now, the both of you go finish eating,” she said, helping Rudy get up and pushing him towards the tables. Therbelenth’s helped her stand.
“Are you going to tell us?” he asked, and she shook her head.
“Not now. I really think we need to take care of this together. I don’t want innocents hurt.”
Apollyon looked at her as he said to everyone, “My hellion of a mate is right and wrong. I see the need to be careful who we would destroy, and I mean we, because no one hurts what is mine. But I don’t think we should wait. As for those who are after Wol-item and your friend, we’ll find them, make no mistake.”
Zeus moved toward them. “I agree with Apollyon.” When he got to her, he picked her up and carried her back to the table, where he sat in her seat. Shannon felt so small sitting on his lap. She could smell his scent—it was of the wind and nature. Something big was also poking her, and she meant elephant-man big.
Shannon glanced over at Melody and all three of them busted out laughing. “Elephant?” she snorted.
Shannon peeked over her shoulder at Zeus, and he was smiling. Shannon tried to scoot her legs in front of them, but he held her in place.
“I don’t want to risk losing my family here, Zeus. Can’t we just concentrate on finding Zorke and the other two? Those three are what scares me most. I can’t be hurt like that again. I don’t think I can handle it.” Shannon gritted her teeth and refused to give in to the tears, but of course one slipped out. He rubbed her back, but he was stiff, which reminded her that she really had no connection there except with her friends and her children.
“Why would Zorke scare you? What are you not telling us, little one?” It was a command but a quiet one, not a threatening one.
“Maybe I can help. When we first got here Shannon asked me if you and your son were all right. She also asked if Zorke’s daughter and he were dead. Wait before you say anything. See what she has seen in her vision, Zeus, before you judge,” her grandmother explained.
Zeus looked down at Shannon, frowning, but he stayed quiet, waiting for her explanation, just like everyone else.
Shannon sighed and leaned back against his chest, then closed her eyes. She sent Zeus a vision about how Zorke had abused and raped her as he told her that no one could find her. When she was done, Shannon jumped off Zeus’s lap, taking her beer with her, and made her way to the door, where she looked out at the strange planet that Wol-item’s home was on.
She took a long guzzle of her beer, feeling the anger and tension in the room. She slowly turned around, and sure enough her father, grandf
athers, and Bull’s faces all carried the same expression.
But she hadn’t been expecting to see Zorke standing in the middle of the room. Shannon shrieked and zapped herself and the kids into her car just like she had wished she could have done a number of times after getting beaten, she ran. Just like she’d done before, she started the car and took off.
She drove away from the big hotel on the hill toward the next city, needing to get away from everyone. Shannon glanced in the rearview mirror, making sure her children where there.
She laughed, seeing that Rudy still had a hold of a chicken leg, and Cheyenne was eating an ear of corn on the cob. They looked up at her and smiled.
“Are we going for a ride again?” she asked and Shannon nodded.
“How would you guys like to see Ireland? Stay in a castle?” she asked, stopping her car at the side of the road, knowing she wasn’t going to take the car. Shannon smiled all of a sudden liking that she could do certain new things.
Thinking of their suitcases and such, Shannon knew just the place she wanted to stay: Dromoland Castle, the one she had been checking out on the internet a few months ago.
In seconds, she and her children were in a limousine. Rudy and Cheyenne looked around and giggled, checking out the back of the car as they finished their food while they drove toward the castle. Yes, this magic thing would come in handy that is for sure.
“Sorry, Tabby and Melody. I had to leave to do that Ireland thing. Too much has happened today,” she sent to her friends.
She knew she was being silly, but she felt better away from them all. She put a spell on the car to keep anyone from contacting her.
Chapter Eight
The ride through the countryside with her children had been so much fun. They’d stopped and walked around in some of the small cities, and she made sure the kids had a ball, but she was tired now, so she’d ordered the limo to drive to the castle where she and her kids would stay.
Cheyenne and Rudy were sleeping soundly in the backseat when she felt the others and could smell them.
“I know you are here, Mother and Grandmother.” She smiled and looked over at the seat across from them.
The women smiled at the sleeping children. “We’re sorry. We just had to make sure you were okay,” Jonia her mother said, reaching over and squeezing Shannon’s arm.
“Actually, the kids and I have had a good evening seeing some of the sites here. I’ve always dreamed of coming here. I don’t know why, but I need to be here. Tomorrow I want to visit a few places: Drombeg Stone Circle, the Cliffs of Moher. I guess I want to fulfil at least one thing on my bucket list before I’m whisked away by everything.”
“Believe me, dear, I so understand. I love your fathers, but I was not ready to be mated. I made each of them promise that we would do something different every few Earth months,” her mother said, and her grandmother nodded.
“When we heard your friends calling to us earlier, your grandfathers and I were planning our next little getaway. The high court and everything around it can be so demanding and boring sometimes.”
Shannon nodded, glancing out the window as they pulled into the long drive to the castle. “I really do love old castles. Both Cheyenne and Rudy have been waiting for this,” she said her children started to wake and looked out the window.
The limo pulled up to the front of the castle, and a man exited the front door to open their door. As Shannon moved to get out of the car, Jonia shook her head. “Wait. Before you go anywhere, you must make sure you’re safe.” She nodded toward the windshield, and Shannon looked up to see Therbelenth bending down and peering into the limo.
“Are you ready?” he asked her children, and both nodded before climbing out.
“Let me guess, they were at each stop we made too?” Shannon asked.
Her mom and grandmother nodded.
“Of course. We just found you, and after the trauma you have experienced, I’m afraid that bubble wrap you have in your head, well think of it tripled for a while,” Therbelenth informed her.
“And here I thought I was all alone,” Shannon mumbled as she opened the door and placed her hand into Therbelenth’s as he held it out for her.
“Never alone again, my little queen,” Therbelenth said, wrapping his arm around her waist and placing a kiss on her cheek as he helped her out of the limo.
That’s when she noticed Zeus, Apollyon and Fallon waiting for them, along with her fathers and grandfathers. Shannon couldn’t help but laugh. “Well, this will be our first family vacation,” she said. “But we need Tabatha and Melody here too.”
Jonia climbed out of the car and she laughed. “They’re inside getting all the rooms. Wol-item and Bull are making sure every person here is safe. It looks like this ancient one isn’t going to leave anytime soon. He seems to have taken a liking to you.”
Shannon frowned. “Why? Did I do something wrong?”
“Not at all. It would seem even the ancient ones are going to make sure you are safe for a while,” Queen Bracen informed her, scanning around the entrance of the castle. “I do have to say this is impressive. I hate to admit it, but I’ve never been to Earth.”
“I’m afraid you will have to show us what not to do to embarrasses ourselves,” her mother said, and Shannon laughed.
“Believe me, I’m still embarrassing the children sometimes. Usually, weird is in the norm lately from what I have seen,” Shannon said as Tabatha stepped outside.
“You’re not kidding. Yesterday, I swear I saw this guy with bright pink-and-green hair wearing a dress, but he had three women around him, hanging on every word he said. It was weird,” Tabatha said. “The rooms are ready, and I’ve talked my mates into letting us get the works at the spa too tonight!” she added, smiling.
Shannon’s face heated as she wondered if Tabatha’s mates understood what the full treatment usually meant. As she and Tabatha walked into the castle, Shannon leaned over and whispered, “Do they know what the full works entails?”
Tabatha sighed. “Yes, and they’ve only agreed to let us get a massage if they can be the ones to give it to us. So, we’ll see how good they are, because from what I heard, John sounds like he was the best. You remember the last time we got the full treatment?”
“Yeah, because you didn’t tell me everything it included, and it hurt like hell.” Shannon stopped walking. “We are not going to get that again, are we?” she squeaked and Melody laughed.
“Nope, once more our men will be taking care of that, but let’s hope it’s less painful. I swear Tabatha just enjoys too much pain.” Melody glared at Tabatha, who stuck her tongue out at her.
“Relax, girls. Hair removal is simple and pain-free. Remember, you can do it yourself if you just think it’s gone,” her mother said.
Melody shook her head. “Maybe for those two, but I’m just a lowly shifter.”
Her mother laughed and shook her head. “Afraid not, my dear. You are in presence of gods. You’re best friends and family to all of us.”
Shannon glanced at her mother. “What does that mean?”
“It means Melody and her mate can do most of what we can—well aside from destroying planets and such,” her mother informed them.
“What?” Melody squeaked as she looked at Shannon, then Tabatha and shook her head. “I just get used to shifting, and now this?”
Shannon laughed.
“Welcome to our world,” Tabatha said.
Melody smacked Tabatha. “That isn’t funny,” she grumbled, but she was smiling. “But I do believe I might have some fun. So, tell us what you bought at the markets—because we all know you and flea markets,” Melody asked as they started down a winding hall. The children walked in front of them, talking to Therbelenth and Apollyon, while Shannon’s other two mates walked behind them.
* * *
Therbelenth was hard as a damn rock again. He glanced behind them at Shannon’s other two mates. Apparently, he wasn’t the only one. Apollyon kept glancing back
too.
“Do we know who the other three men are?” Therbelenth asked, trying to ignore the ache.
Apollyon glanced at him and shook his head. “I’ve been trying to figure that out, but I have a feeling our woman somehow must call the rest to her. Maybe having us here with her will signal the others. Other than that, we’re going to have to wait just like she is.” He stopped walking.
Therbelenth glanced in front of them and smiled, proud that their sons had come, even knowing what Pysay had done to them all. “My little queen, come here, please. I’d like you to meet two of your children.”
Therbelenth looked behind him and saw the fear in her eyes. “Little queen, there is nothing to be afraid of,” he said, moving to her and pulling her into a hug. “Our sons know the truth and they have come to meet their mother and siblings.” He placed a kiss on the top of her head, then looked up to see Zeus and Fallon studying the boys. “I guess I should introduce them to all of you.” He laughed and pulled her forward.
“Araqiel, Kruc, this is your true mother Shannon; your little brother Rudy, and sister Cheyenne. Your fathers Fallon, Zeus and Apollyon. We haven’t found the other three yet.” Therbelenth said.
“Then it’s true? You are part of the Sacred Seven?” Kruc asked, never taking his eyes off Shannon as she walked to their sons.
“Yes, we are. How old are you?” she asked, reaching up to touch his face, but pulling her hand down at the last moment.
Araqiel took her hand and brought it up to his cheek. “We’re what Earth people would say is 27 years old.”
Shannon stumbled and almost fell backward. “You are the second set off twins I had,” she whispered, tears rolling down her cheeks. “I wanted you two so bad, but….” She shook her head and looked up at him. “I’m grateful our sons had you with them.” She looked down to see Cheyenne standing in front of Araqiel and Kruc.
“So, they are our brothers?” she asked, looking up at Therbelenth, then at Shannon.
The Heart’s Lost Souls: Part One: The Binding Page 6