Laying Claim to the Soul (24 page)

“We are ready,” Tabby said carefully tucking Chax back into the hot pants he was wearing.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Wol-itelm stood tall in front of the Uppers. Hilario had arranged to do their 
Amnut,
the testing of the mates, in human words. He just hoped his little woman was up to the challenge without getting herself killed.

Even Hoyt had him nervous the way he stood off to the side. Wol-itelm reached over and squeezed his shoulder, connecting with him. “
You okay?”
he asked and Hoyt nodded not even bothering to glance his way.

“Tabatha, thank you for coming and meeting with us,” Hilario said coming up to them and taking her hand, kissing it. “Please follow me,” Hilario pulled her forward, but she clung to Wol-itelm.

Her big hazel eyes looked up at him and he nodded. “You must do this, pet, and I can’t help, none of us can,” Wol-itelm said and looked over at Hoyt who was now glaring daggers at him. Yes, his wolf was going to tear into him later, and from the heated glare, so was his demon mate.

“Your mate had no choice in this,” Hilario said taking Tabatha into the large auditorium, placing her on the center stage. His mates couldn’t hear a word as the Uppers, grilled Tabatha and scanned her thoughts.

After what seemed like hours, Hilario helped a trembling Tabatha out of the meeting room and into Wol-itelm’s arms. “I’m impressed, she had done well and guards you even though she’s furious with you right now. You have done well Wol-itelm. Come Hoyt, you will be next.” Hilario said.

But before he joined Hilario, he leaned over and kissed Tabatha softly. “Love you, little wolf,” he snarled and glared up at Wol-itelm.

“It has to be done, but calm Hoyt. I need you in one piece for our wedding and our special night,” Tabatha whispered, stroking his cheek. “We can get even with Wol-itelm later.”

He flinched, rubbing his hands up and down her arms. “There will be no getting even later. I had no choice and if I told you three it would have made it ten times worse,” he tried to explain, but they ignored him.

By the time Chax was finished Wol-itelm himself was ready to rip some heads off. He hated seeing his family upset. Moving Tabatha into Hoyt’s arms, he moved to the auditorium ready to give each of those assholes a piece of his mind, when a small hand grabbed onto his arm stopping him.

“We might be angry with you, but we sure don’t want you dead. Do not do something stupid Wol-itelm. If my wedding plans are ruined by you burning a few whatever you call them, you are going to see a very highly pissed off person and the couch will be the only thing you will be touching for a very long time.” She moved in front of him and placed both of her hands on his cheeks. “I mean it, my dragon. I love you, but don’t do anything stupid. Now, give me a kiss and get this done. Remember, we have to move my party to our new house and you earned the physical labor big guy.”

Behind them both Chax and Hoyt snorted and he smiled. “I think you could calm an angry 
Samera.
I explain later,” he whispered kissing her lips. “Love you, Little Pet.”

She stepped aside and he followed Hilario into the room. He knew half of the people there by name, but some were new to him. Moving to the center of the room, Hilario stood next to him as his friend’s brother, Arcane.

He nodded to him. “It seems your mates were well chosen for you even though they are high strung and furious at being here, they will protect you and the others. Your woman…” he paused making Wol-itelm ready to jump the man.

As if sensing his violent reaction, Arcane actually cracked a grin. “As I was about to say. Your woman has many that would like to see her dead, including her own brother which I believe is what has started all this mess, with Erole pushing him on. For that I am sorry, we are all sorry and have taken steps to eradicate this problem. Therbelenth has been given the green light, Erole is now a hunted man. But we still have the problem of this friend of your mates, Shannon. She blocks herself from you and others. This is not good. We give you a week in human time to find out who she is and what is going on. If we don’t find a quick answer, I’m afraid, Therbelenth will end her life and those of her children.”

Wol-itelm stepped forward, earning gasps from the members here. “Know this Arcane. Just because we know nothing about this woman, it isn’t her fault she has no knowledge of who she is. I have promised to protect her and I will. She is family to me now and so are her children.” With that Wol-itelm left, not caring what their response to his statement was.

“Wol-itelm, you risk being rejected from the Lowers?” Arcane said before he opened the door.

“I believe that is a matter for someone else, not you, but when it comes to that I will deal with it. We were taught to protect those that are innocent in the heart,” Wol-itelm stated. “Have you forgotten that much being up here alone for so long that you would condemn innocent children and women to death? No, I will keep my promises.” His gaze swung to the one whom he thought was a friend. “Be warned Therbelenth, even your uncle protects her, don’t put yourself in the middle of this.”

He flung the door open and Tabatha ran to him. “What have you done?” she said, scared, her body shaking as Tabby wrapped herself around him.

“Do not worry, we’ll be fine,” Wol-itelm said and moved them back to their house, Hilario following.

“Go change Tabby, into something you want while I speak with Hilario. Chax, inform your brothers and Trace that we’ll be moving Shannon here and I want round the clock protection for her.” He glanced at Tabby. “I need to speak with your father if you could ask him to join us please.”

Tabby nodded, but looked over at Hilario. “Please don’t hurt my friend, she has been through enough. She really does not know what is going on. You could ask her yourself since she’ll be here soon,” Tabby pleaded and Wol-itelm hated to see her worried.

He leaned down and kissed the top of her head. “Go on. This is a happy day for you. I promised to protect her and I never break my promise Tabatha.” He pushed her towards Hoyt who nodded and took their woman into the bedroom as Trace came moving into the great hall.

Trace nodded to Hilario. “What’s happened? I can feel my daughter’s distress.”

Wol-itelm stepped back. “I will allow Hilario to explain what has happened.”

The Upper glared at Wol-itelm and turned to Trace. Even an Upper knew better than to make any male from the Celestial Sands pissed off and with his father-in-law, the true albino, this would be good.

“My brother has issued a declaration in regards to your daughter’s friend, Shannon. If there is no news about who or what she is, then your nephew has been given the order in a week’s time to destroy her and the children.”

“No,” was all he said and turned to glance at Wol-itelm. “I understand the party has moved here and that you want to move Shannon and her children here?” Trace asked and he nodded, keeping the smile off his face as Hilario stared at Trace.

“What do you mean, ‘No,’” Hilario asked, frowning.

“I mean no, it won’t happen. And inform your brother that if he ever puts my family against each other, he’ll deal with me personally. As it is, I will deal with my nephew when the time is right since it seems he can’t open his mouth and say no.” Trace snapped and for the first time Wol-itelm and Hilario felt a small amount of the power he had been holding back as they were both thrown back against the wall.

“Sorry, it sometimes gets away from me,” Trace said and turned to him. “Do you have a room that you would prefer she and the children stayed in?”

Wol-itelm stood brushing himself off, visualizing the west wing in his mind. “We’ll use the room across the way as the party room. That way Shannon will be close to her children. My mother, Helen, and Grace have all volunteered to take turns watching the children while Shannon is with Tabby and Melody at the party. I also believe we should use the room next to Shannon’s to allow Tabby and Melody to get ready for the wedding.”

Hilario stood cleaning himself off. “Trace…” he said, but stopped when Traced glanced over his shoulder at him.

“Don’t push me, Hilario. You are a good friend and have always been, but my daughter and her friends have been through enough and I will protect them all, as will my family. Do you and your 
Upper’s
really want to test our abilities?”

The man flinched and held up his hands. “I do not want to start anything, but you have to be reasonable. No one knows anything about her.”

“If something happens I promise to take care of the problem, but until then, you will leave the woman alone,” Trace said and disappeared from the room just as Tabby came in with Shannon, and Melody, carrying her belongings with the children tagging along.

“I’m sorry, I thought you were finished,” Tabby stepped in front of Shannon.

“We are, now. Wasn’t I supposed to be carrying some bags here?” Wol-itelm asked, taking the suitcase from Tabby’s arms. “You are not to carry anything too heavy, little pet,” he nipped her nose, earning a giggle from the little girl behind Shannon.

“Tabby, didn’t I promise these two little ones hiding behind their mother a real dragon?” he asked. At once the boy stepped up holding his sisters hand.

“We weren’t hiding, but mom always puts us behind her when she doesn’t know what is going to happen. She is always worrying about us. Are you really going to show us a dragon?” he asked.

Wol-itelm knelt in front of the boy. “Yes, but this must be our secret. You see others might want to find the dragon and kill him, so we don’t talk about him to strangers. Do you promise?” Wol-itelm asked and at once Cheyenne pushed past her brother and climbed onto his lap, wrapping her little arms around his neck.

“I won’t tell anyone. I can keep good secrets, ask mommy. I didn’t tell the school how many times daddy hit my mommy just like daddy asked me to.”

Shannon’s little cry had his heart breaking. He glanced over his shoulder to see that it too had affected Hilario.

“I’ll see what I can do,” he bowed to Shannon and left the room.

With that the tension in the room seemed to evaporate. He stood and moved to the middle of the room calling on the dragon. For the next hour, Shannon’s little kids got to touch, ride and hug the dragon.

Shannon had touched him once with tears in her eyes, whispering. “Thank you.” Trace was right, she would be protected at all costs.

*****

Tabatha laughed so hard she couldn’t help the tears that came next. In the middle of the room, Ivyflame had talked Nicor into showing everyone how to do a certain dance. By the time he left, his face had been splattered with kisses and even though he grumbled, the man winked at her.

She turned her head and tried to hear what was going on in the room down the hall. Tabatha knew the men were having their party only doors from them, making sure that they were safe. Tabby had wanted to stay mad at the big lizard, but after defending her friend and allowing Shannon’s children to climb all over him for an hour, he had totally made up for not sharing what the Uppers would do to them. She shook and rubbed her arms.

“Are you cold,” Melody asked, and Tabby shook her head.

“Na, just remembering earlier. That is one bunch of people I do not want to face again. So are we ready for tomorrow? Do you think it’s time to show Shannon her dress?” she winked at Melody, knowing their friend had heard them.

“I have my dress,” Shannon said coming over to them with her hands on her hips. “Okay, you two. What have you done?” she asked and they both burst out laughing because she knew them so well.

“Well we changed a few things in the service, Hoyt and Shane should be getting their new instructions here anytime. You’ll…” Tabby stopped midsentence hearing the growls then the howls.

“Yep, Grace just gave them the news and what’s so funny is Hoyt can’t do a damn thing to his mom and Shane isn’t about to either. Come on, I’ll show you the new dress and don’t even think about backing down.” Tabby and Melody pulled Shannon through the doors and into the room where they would be staying the night.

“The first part of the ceremony will be like that of a human marriage. Trace will walk the both of us down the aisle since Melody’s father isn’t around. We’ll say the vows and exchange rings, but once that is over, the dance of lovers starts and hence the dresses. Both Hoyt and Shane will still be wearing the tuxes since they are so handsome and Melody and I both have our formal dresses, but after the last word, the dresses disappear and we will be wearing something totally well….” Tabby glanced over as Ivyflame came in and she nodded, dressing both Melody and Tabby in the barely-there dresses for tomorrow.

“Hot damn, those are awesome and I get to wear mine early,” Shannon asked circling them.

Melody laughed. “Yep, you sure do. No one knows what we are doing, just what we require after the ceremony. Now Shannon, as soon as the words are spoken Helen is going to whisk the kids back here. That way you won’t have to worry about them, is that okay?”

“That will be fine. I believe Rudy and Cheyenne both love being around her. Cheyenne said she is a hoot.” Shannon smiled, but Tabby could still see the shadows in her eyes.

“
It will take time for her to heal inside,”
Wol-itelm sent to her, hugging her from a far.

“
I know but I want to see the old Shannon, the one we went to school with, but I’m afraid most of her is gone. Maybe I guess a little like us all,”
Tabby walked over to the closet and pulled out Shannon’s dress. “So what do you think?” she asked as Wol-itelm growled.

“
What is going on
?” he asked and she cut him off.

“I think you might need to have a chat with your son before he comes in here and ruins everything?” she asked her mother-in-law.

“He’s giving you a hard time, isn’t he?” Ivyflame disappeared and a few minutes later everyone heard Wol-itelm’s snarl. “Little Pet, ouch! Stop it!”

Tabby glanced at Melody, then at Shannon and they burst out laughing. “Girl, you are in so much trouble when he gets a hold of you tonight. He is the one staying with you, isn’t he?” Shannon asked.