Prologue: The Given Soul

(DO NOT READ THIS IF YOU HAVE NOT READ BOOKS ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE, SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT, NINE & TEN)

-Her Shifter Bodyguard / Shifter On Ice / The Shifter Bar / Bearing the Shifter / Dreaming of the Shifter / Shifting the Shifter / Pucking the Shifter / Running from the Shifter / Made for the Alpha Shifter / Tate’s Foxy Shifter-

~*~

-Over Two Thousand Years Ago-

“I have to save him!”

Senshire spun around to look at her sister. “Who?”

Biason was crying too hard to answer, so Senshire tapped the pool of water in the birdbath, in the garden.

“Damnit.” Senshire growled, then slapped the water. With a grunt, she moved the vision so she could see everything that was going on. “Fucking Vampires.” She said with fire in her eyes.

“What can I do?” Biason asked.

Senshire turned to her sister. “I knew we shouldn’t have sent him down, this early!”

“But Sen, you know how sad his parents were. They were the last of their kind, and she could not have any children. What was I to do?”

Senshire snorted. “How about, not sending down one of the Fated Mates?”

Biason sniffled. “But you said we needed a Dragon in the coming wars.”

Senshire sighed. Yes, she had said that. And the only way to guarantee that; was to send the last two Dragons, their beloved Fated Mate.

“He’s the first to be sent down to Earth. The guardian hasn’t even been sent yet.” Senshire said as she moved her hand over the water.

Her sister’s tears were breaking her heart. She knows that the boy is her favorite soul. His mate is her other favorite. And now the two will be apart for more than two thousand years.

“They’re going to kill his father!” Biason squealed.

Senshire sighed. “He is not our concern. Though I adore the Shifter, there is nothing we can do…”

“But the boy!” Biason cried out.

Senshire nodded. “Go, sister, save your soul.”

Biason nodded vigorously, then disappeared.

Zephyrus Poxx laughed as he and his father played his favorite game, in the large cave they have lived in for as long as Zephyrus could remember.

A noise outside, had his father looking behind him, at the entrance to the cave.

“What is it, Papa?” Zephyrus asked as he watched his father.

“Vampires.” His father said with a hitch in his voice. “How did they find us?”

Zephyrus whimpered. “Papa?”

His father turned to him. “Hide, boy. I will see what they want. Maybe they’re just passing through.”

Zephyrus nodded, then stood and headed for the small crack in the cave, his father had told him to use as a hiding place if danger ever found them. He squeezed into the crack and watched through the small opening as his father left the cave.

He could hear arguing and hollering, then his father shifted, and he could hear his Dragon.

“Get ’em, Papa.” He whispered.

He heard his father’s Dragon cry out and felt tears stream down his cheeks. He pulled himself out of the crack and moved slowly to the entrance.

“Where’s your son?” One of the Vampires asked as he watched the other Vampires pull on the rope, they had managed to get around the large green Dragon.

The Dragon roared and blew flames at the Vampires. The screams of the burning Vampires made Zephyrus whimper.

“Take him down!” One of the Vampire’s hollered.

Dozens of Vampires came out of nowhere and jumped from the overhanging cliffs and on top of the Dragon. The Dragon roared as he turned and blew flames at them. Between the ropes and the Vampires sinking their teeth into the Dragon, it fell to the ground with a roar of pain.

Zephyrus screamed as he started to run out to stop the Vampires. But a bright light appeared before him, and a beautiful woman fell to her knees and pulled him into her arms.

“You are safe now, my pet.” She whispered as she held him.

“Papa!” He cried out.

She began rocking him, the soft light surrounding them. “I’ve got you.”

“Papa.” He cried again as he buried his face in her shoulder.

He didn’t know who she was, but she smelled like clouds, and he knew he could trust her.

“Find the boy!” A Vampire hollered, and Vampires swarmed into the cave.

Zephyrus whimpered as he turned his head and watched the Vampires search the cave. He blinked when they passed right by him and didn’t see him.

He sniffled as he turned in the woman’s arms and watched the Vampire’s ransack the cave. They even found his hiding spot and broke down the wall. He blinked, then turned to the woman who still held him.

“Who are you?” He asked with a sniffle.

She smiled as she wiped the tears from his face. “I am Biason, Goddess of Souls.”

He blinked at her. He’s never met a Goddess before. His Mama had told him a lot about them. He pouted as he crossed his arms over his chest.

“Why didn’t you save my Papa?”

She sighed heavily. “Because I got down here too late. If I could turn back time, I would.”

A tear slid down his cheek and he sniffled as she wiped the tear away with the pad of her thumb.

“Are you going to kill the Vampires?” He asked as he watched her.

She smiled. “They will get what is coming.” She said with a nod.

He nodded, then turned to watch the Vampires leave his home. She stood and took his hand, then led him outside the cave. They watched as the Vampires celebrated through the night. Every time a Vampire sunk their teeth into his father, he hid his face in the Goddess’s dress. When morning came, they watched as the former Vampires stretched and looked up into the sun.

“We are cured!” One of the former Vampires hollered.

“Blessed be the Goddesses!” Another former Vampire hollered, and Biason hissed at the man’s words.

“Biason?” Zephyrus whispered.

She didn’t look down at him as she watched the former Vampires. “The deceit runs deep, and you will never see another sunrise.” The Goddess said with a growl, then smirked when the Vampires fell over screaming, as some held their stomachs, and some held their throats. “And it shall be.” The Goddess said, then snapped her fingers, and every one of the former Vampires; sucked in their last breath. “Sunlight will no longer afflict a Vampire, and one drop of Dragon’s blood; will be the death of you.” Biason hissed.

Zephyrus whimpered, and the Goddess smiled down at him.

“What do you say we find a new home?”

The boy blinked up at her. “Home?” He asked.

She nodded, then snapped her fingers.

Zephyrus watched as his father’s large body lift into the air, then burst into a million butterflies. He giggled as he watched them fly away.

-Ten Years Later-

Nineteen-year-old Zephyrus huffed as he bent over, his hands on his knees.

Biason grinned. “You are a true warrior.”

Zephyrus snorted. “After ten years of grueling training from a Goddess, I should be.”

She chuckled. “You are ready.” She said with a nod.

He looked up at her. “Aunt Biason?”

She sighed. “I told you that I could not stay forever. It has already been ten years. My sister will come for me if I stay longer.”

“But it’s only like, a day in your time.” Zephyrus said with a scowl. “Why can’t she let us be?”

She moved over to him and gently cupped his cheek. “My sister has let me be here for long enough. If I stay too long, I will have to sleep for a hundred years. And I don’t want to miss that much of your life.” She said with a smile.

He returned the smile. “You are the best guardian.”

She chuckled. “Tell my sister that, she will be so jealous.”

He chuckled. She leaned forward and kissed his forehead. He closed his eyes with a heavy sigh.

“I love you.” She whispered.

“I love you too.” He said as he opened his eyes and stood up straight. “I don’t think I’m ready.”

She laughed. “You have everything you need. I brought your father’s treasure, and you know how to hunt and stay hidden. You have had hard training, and you know your Dragon better than any Shifter has ever known their animal.”

He chuckled. His Dragon had a mind of his own and liked to prove to his human, how powerful he truly is.

“I will visit you often.” She said as she slid her fingers through his dark hair.

He nodded. “When will my mate come to me?”

She grinned. “It will be a couple thousand years yet. But time will go fast, I promise. Just keep doing what I have trained you to do and keep yourself safe.”

He nodded. “How will I know it’s her?”

“You will know.” She said, then winked and disappeared.

He growled with agitation, then moved over to his practice dummy and punched the straw out of it.

Senshire chuckled as she watched the Dragon destroy the straw-stuffed dummy after her sister left him.

“Sister.” Biason said as she appeared before her sister.

Senshire looked up at her little sister and smiled. “You did a good job raising him. But wouldn’t it have been easier to leave him with a village?”

Biason snorted. “No. And you know it! I couldn’t hide him, he couldn’t forget who and what he is, and he needs to know what is to come!”

Senshire sighed. “I think you told him too much.”

Biason shook her head. “He knows just enough.”

Senshire snorted. “Maybe I should…”

“Don’t you dare!” Biason said with an agitated growl.

Senshire smiled. “Okay, little sister. You can keep your pet.”

Biason snarled as she turned away from her sister. Senshire’s laughter followed her through the gardens. Biason stopped at her other favorite soul’s favorite spot in the garden. The soul turned to her.

“He is safe. He will be waiting for you.” Biason said with a loving smile.

The soul nodded as she smiled her happiness.