Laying Claim to the Soul (21 page)

Tabby was stunned, “Are you a witch? Do you know where you come from?” Melody finally managed to ask Shannon.

“I thought I was. I even tried to contact the great mother asking for her help. She was shocked to see me and told me to leave her presence. That is when I noticed some kind of spell that surrounds me.” Shannon stood and started to pace. “Here it’s gone, and power is flowing in to, but I know as soon as I leave this place, the spell or whatever is surrounding me, will appear again draining what I have. I’ve been trying to break the damn thing, reading everything I can on witchcraft, but nothing on this planet at least has any effect on the words.” She moved to the window tears rolled down her cheeks.

“What my soon to-be-dead husband did to me was nothing to what my dreams are telling me you guys will do to him. Every time I’m hurt these things that put this curse or spell on me gets a rush of power.” Shannon rubbed her arms. “I don’t know why, but I feel like I have other children out there Tabby. That they are calling me. I don’t know how many times, but I know I’ve been raped, beaten and scared. I don’t think this is even my original form.” She snorted. “I must sound like a real nut case?” Her friend turned to her. “I feel like I’m losing my mind. I can’t go to my mom or my sister. You’re the only ones who I knew I could trust.”

Not waiting, both Melody and Tabatha got up and moved to Shannon, hugging her tight. “No one will touch you here. I’ll even ask my new father to watch out for you,” As soon as Tabby said the words Trace appeared in the room.

“What’s wrong?” he asked as Wol-itelm appeared next.

“Tabby?” he looked at her, opened his arms and she pulled Shannon with her into his arms. “Keep her safe, Wol-itelm. She believes someone is going to kill her while she’s here.” Tabby kept Shannon next to her, Melody behind her blocking any escape.

“Can you tell anything about her? She’s having bad nightmares about being hurt. She even believes she has children out there that have been taken away from her.” Melody said, squeezing Shannon.

“I should be able to see you and I can’t,” her father said, circling them as Wol-itelm held all three of them in his arms. The door to the room opened and Chax, Hoyt, and Apollyon came in with Chax’s father.

“What do you mean, you can’t see her and what’s wrong with you Apollyon?” Tabby moved in front of Shannon pushing back against Wol-itelm’s chest as the man or beast also circled them.

“Momma?” Cheyenne and Rudy came out of their room and stopped once they could see Shannon.

“For Pete sake’s, will you two behave? I’m fine,” Shannon pushed past her and went to her kids. “What’s up, baby girl?” she asked, kneeling in front of her kids who didn’t take their eyes off of Apollyon.

“Are you okay?” Cheyenne asked wrapping her arms around Shannon’s neck. “And your arm is healed like you said?”

“I told you it wouldn’t take me long and I’m fine. It’s just rough seeing your aunts since I haven’t seen them in so long. We have a lot to catch up on.” Shannon said as Rudy leaned over and whispered.

“Why is that man sniffing around us?” Rudy reached up to point at Apollyon who had gotten real close to them, but Shannon grabbed his arm and pulled it down before he could point.

“I don’t know, maybe I stink. You know Mommy hasn’t taken a shower in a couple of days, you’d smell all nasty too. Maybe I should rub my stink on both of you?” she teased them, which had them screaming and running from the room, laughing.

Shannon jumped up and twirled around, glaring at Apollyon. “Do not do that again with my children around. It’s rude and I won’t have anyone scaring them. I don’t’ give a shit who you are.” She growled and actually flung Apollyon across the room with her hand.

No one said a word, as Shannon frowned looking at her hand. “Well now that has never happened before, wait it happened coming up the drive when,” Shannon touched her now bruised cheek.

*****

“Damn, he must have hit you good. I didn’t even see it until you are standing in the light. You must heal fast if the bruise came on that quick,” Melody said and went to go to Shannon, but Wol-itelm held her back.

“Trace, are you picking up anything?” Wol-itelm asked and her father shook his head.

“The only thing I can think is she’s going to be related or is related to me. This only happens with family.” Trace said totally puzzled but not alarmed.

However, on the other side of the room, Apollyon was slow to get up and his gaze never left Shannon. He guided Tabatha and Melody toward her father, Trace sensing the danger grabbed onto them and shoved them behind him as Chax and Hoyt moved to stand in front of Shannon.

“Apollyon what is wrong?” Wol-itelm asked giving the powerful demon his due, but he would not allow him to hurt his mate’s friend especially if he believed something was happening.

The man hissed, changing into the beast form Wol-itelm had seen many times before. He stood over eight foot tall, his eyes a red color and his fangs were impressive. His gaze jumped to Wol-itelm when he blocked Apollyon’s view of Shannon. “You will speak to me now!” Wol-itelm ordered.

“MINE!” he hissed. “She belongs to me,” Apollyon said, shaking his head, while beside him Tabby gasped, along with Shannon. “Where is the one that hit her?”

Knowing Wol-itelm had to get him out of this room for now, Wol-itelm didn’t hesitate showing Apollyon where he had taken the piece of shit. Sure enough Apollyon disappeared from the room, but not before he raced forward and gently put his hand on her cheek, healing Shannon.

“Now I need a drink, a very strong one,” Shannon said as Chax helped her to the couch where Tabby and Melody rushed to her side.

“We have a bigger problem here,” Wol-itelm said and glanced at Trace who nodded. “She shouldn’t even be here. The consequences of whoever took the upper’s egg is beyond my scope. The last time an upper was preyed upon, worlds were destroyed and millions where killed.” Trace hissed the same thoughts he was having. “Which one from our family is her mate is another problem we have. We can’t keep her locked up.”

“I know this is much, but I ask you to watch her. If anything happened to her it would destroy Tabatha and she has lost so much already.” Wol-itelm asked and at once Trace nodded.

“Nothing, not even my family will get near her unless I trust them. I’m thinking a private dinner might be better for us in the room next door. Just close family.” Trace said and disappeared, to set up all they would need for the dinner.

The rehearsal tomorrow was going to be rough. Not only would he have to worry about who was trying to kill her, but now this. Wol-itelm stepped up to Hoyt’s side along with Chax.

“Why do I get the feeling this all ties together, the three of them,” Hoyt asked stunning him for a minute. He had not even considered that it could be the three of them together.

The more he thought about it, it didn’t make sense. 
“No, these three are just friends, but I believe Shannon’s problems have influenced Tabby’s somehow, or it would seem certain people don’t want the upper and lower individuals to have families. If that is the case, there is going to be blood everywhere including here on Earth.”
Wol-itelm sent to his mates staring at the woman as they talked.

“You know Apollyon will be back? He’s not going to allow her to get away,” Chax stated as Shannon glanced over her shoulder hearing him.

“He’ll have no choice, the dreams are coming true,” Shannon said with tears in her eyes she turned back to Tabby.

Tabby stood and came over standing in front of her. “Do you know the great Mother, the one witches talk to or pray to?” she asked out of the blue.

“I know of her, but she is in a different universe, why?” he asked.

“Shannon said she talked to her and asked for her help, but she refused,” Tabby looked over her shoulder at Shannon. “She believes some kind of spell surrounds her, that it can’t penetrate the seal you put on this place so her powers are returning to her, but she’s afraid once she leaves here she’ll be vulnerable again.”

“Tabby, you need to calm down. First, we are not going to allow anything to happen to your friend. Do you really believe Apollyon would allow anything to happen to her? Now, I have it on good authority ladies that my mother needs help with these bubble things so I’m sending her in here with Helen and Grace. There will be no more crying and worrying about anything else, understood! This is a celebration.” He yanked Tabby against him. “I’ll see what I can do, but you don’t leave this room. We’re setting up the dinner next door. I don’t want Shannon outside in case something happens.” He tilted her head back and nipped at her lips. “I mean it Tabby. You three better start having fun or I’ll have Nicor come in here to play a game with you three.”

The table next to him flipped over and Wol-itelm laughed hearing Nicor’s laugh. “I do believe that man needs to lighten up don’t you Chax?” Wol-itelm teased sending Tabby back to the woman as his mother, Grace and Helen came in followed by Chax who carried boxes of stuff for the wedding.

“I really wish you would stop teasing the poor man, he has helped me greatly and I don’t need him to disappear on me unless you are willing to do this tedious job?” his mother asked giving her a look like he was a child.

“Mom,” he moaned.

“Then behave and go help the men set up the tables next door.” She shooed him off. “We will be fine here.”

He glanced over at the women as Nicor placed the boxes down and glared at him. “I’ll stay and make sure nothing happens.” Nicor glanced at Tabby. “I was wrong.”

That was all he wanted to hear, before Wol-itelm spun and left the room. People from all over the universe were starting to come and it was making him very nervous. Rounding the corner Trace was talking with his brother while they set up tables. “Do you two know if Frigga is coming here this weekend? Or if she is already here?”

“You don’t know her?” Tabatha’s father asked.

“Just because I’ve been given the responsibility of looking after others, I have not met everyone and you know this,” Wol-itelm said watching the little weasel of a resort manager that had greeted them that day they came here. Even though he had helped Tabatha with much he still didn’t appreciate the man hanging on every word she said.

As if sensing he was being stared at, the man in question looked up and Wol-itelm swore he had a smirk on his face. He stepped forward, but Hoyt latched onto his arm and shook his head.

“Not worth it, plus you know Tabby would be pissed and we’re trying to keep her calm, remember? I swear this pregnancy is strange even for us. I’ve never seen a female so vicious like this even our doctor is puzzled.” Hoyt stated obviously worried.

“I can help you with that,” Trace said coming over to them. “Some or our females get like this when carrying our children. Brother, what is it they take to help adjust their bodies?” he asked looking behind him.

“I don’t know remember. I’ll have my mate bring whatever it is tonight. I knew she had to eat it at least twice during her pregnancy with Therbelenth. Now my other woman, nothing helped her. A couple of times we had to lock her into her rooms.” Lucas said.

“You don’t just have one woman?” Hoyt asked earning a laugh.

“If we are lucky if we find out one, but many of us do not. To have our children we must seek others to have them with. My brother and I both haven’t found that one yet, it is rare for us to find her. The last time one of us did she was a child from one of the Uppers. You see this woman would have to be very powerful in herself to be mated to one of us. Our sexual drive is ten times worse than your kind and we are a very aggressive while mating.”

“Really?” Interesting. We’ll have to remember that for the future. Is it the same for the females?” Wol-itelm asked.

“There is a reason my daughter has the three of you, so yes she needs you all and do not be afraid to offer too much strength. The creature inside the women needs to be challenged or she will look for someone who can control her. It is nothing against you three, Tabatha would never knowingly stray, but when she is in full heat .keep her locked down and don’t let her go till her cycle has passed.”

The mere thought of her moving to someone else had him fuming. Wol-itelm didn’t even realize Tabby had come running out of her room until she wrapped her arms around him, holding him tight. “What is it, my gecko? What has you so mad you are about to change right here?” she asked calming the raging beast a little.

“You ever look at another male, I’ll tan your hide and kill them,” he growled, lifting her and pushing her up against the wall covering her mouth with his. “
MINE
.”

She relaxed under his body, giving herself to him, the last thing to help him reign in the animal inside. He broke the kiss and placed his forehead against hers. “I’m sorry, Little Pet, to break you away from your friends.”

“What happened?” she asked cupping his cheeks. “I’m not leaving you Wol-itelm. You three are mine for eternity and then some.” She turned her head and frowned. “Okay which one of you said something,” Tabby growled looking at the group of men.

“I’m afraid it was me,” her father said. “I informed him about the females on our world, but Wol-itelm didn’t allow me to finish. I was going to say it’s obvious she is your true one and in this case she will not leave you, plus there is the fact her mother is wolf.”

Chapter Twenty-Four

Her wedding was in tomorrow. Tabby’s friend and sister, Shannon, was asleep in the room next to hers. Her friend Melody was in the room across the hall. She looked at the bed where Chax lay sleeping.

It had taken her over two hours to calm her mate gecko down. Having him follow her everywhere really put a damper on her time with Shannon, but finally he had left and allowed her and Melody the time they needed.

Tabby was still furious, Apollyon hadn’t shown up after claiming he was her mate, but Shannon laughed and squeezed her hand. “Not to worry I’m a surprise to everyone. If I’m not mistaken, he most likely has someone living with him, as it seems to be with most of the men that are supposed to be mine.” Shannon used her fingers to indicate the supposed to be mine. Even so, Apollyon had a lot of explaining to do in her book.