Page 24 of Claim My Soul

Alexia cocked her head, staring at him.“Tell me, how did you coerce the shifters to fight—to the death, no less—in order for you to take their souls?If you’re so powerful, why not simply, take their souls?”She tapped her finger against her chin in a mocking manner, delighting in Fenrir’s confusion at the sudden change in tactics.Snapping her fingers, Alexia smirked.“Oh, that’s right.Because you don’thavethat kind of power.”She dropped her hands but prepared to call her own power, knowing she was inciting the beast.

Fenrir reared back, puffing his chest like a proud peacock as he snorted and sneered.“They are Lycan!It is their duty to sacrifice to me!”

“Huh.And did you falsely promise them glory in the afterlife, all the while gloating, knowing you’d take their souls and discard them like empty husks?”

Fenrir roared, once again shaking the walls, causing debris to tumble to the floor.The torches brightened and the spirits wailed.Alexia glanced beyond the beast to see Herleif stand, remaining within her shield.

“What are you doing, woman?”

“Trust me.”

“Alexia...”

Before more could be said, the monstrous wolf pinned her with a steely gaze as he thrust magic in her direction.Alexia teleported across the cavern to stand just beyond the gathering of spirits.Nonia stood at her side as the other wolf-dogs formed a semicircle around her.Fenrir spun, bellowing his anger.

“You think to evade me but you’re no match for my power!”He sucked up soul after soul, their murky essence flowing into him.His eyes glowed like red-hot lava as his mangy fur grew longer, thicker like dead tangled weeds.Claws extended from his paws, and he threw his arms up as if in victory.Pinning Alexia with a demented stare, he snarled.“You will be mine!”

Reacting a millisecond too late, Alexia was forcibly drawn to the beast, caught in his putrid embrace.“Yes,” he purred while licking her cheek, and it took all her control not to puke.

“Get your fucking paws off her!”Herleif shouted as he raced toward them, only to be tossed back once again by Fenrir’s magic.Alexia managed to contain her cry of concern, not wanting the beast to inflict any more damage to her troll.

“That’s better.”Fenrir pierced her with his inky gaze.“When I syphon your power, I will rule.And I will keep you at my side, fucking you, watching your body swell with my seed.”He trailed a paw down her body and across her belly before cupping her sex.“You will build my brood.”

“I would rather die a million deaths,” she gritted out.

Alexia then called upon her magic to dislodge herself, only to get knocked back from the combined force of her and Fenrir’s power as he countered her attempt.The wolf-dogs howled as half disappeared.Dazed but not defeated, she stood just as Herleif and Nonia made it to her side.

“Shield yourself!”he shouted as her wolf-dog whined.

She knocked away another wave of power and listened as the souls began to moan.“I have a plan!”

Herleif managed to dodge a blast but wasn’t so lucky with another as he was launched against the wall at their backs.“Then execute it!I won’t lose you!”

“Nor I, you!”

Alexia screamed like a banshee as she sent a blast toward Fenrir, sending him tumbling like a ragdoll across the rocky ground.He regained his feet and smiled.“Impressive.But it still won’t be enough to save you.”

Just as he prepared for another attack, Alexia raised her hands and surrounded herself with white light.“Ela so menna!Xefygete apo to kako!T eleutheroso tis psyches sas!”

She called upon everything within her, everything from her Greek ancestors, beseeching the souls to come to her and escape the evil.Promising to free their souls.

The spirits’ tone clearly changed to one less mournful as they transformed to a brighter essence, rushing toward her with urgency.She braced for the impact of power she knew she’d absorb while guiding them to their destined place in the afterlife.

Alexia barely registered the fury of Fenrir or the alarmed shout from Herleif.She held the power around her as her heart threatened to explode while every cell in her body became electrified.But she held true to her promise, completing what she’d always been tasked to do.

Alexia freed every soul from Fenrir’s hold.

She then collapsed as her world went black.

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