The Soul Eaters (The Thin Hex Line Book 1) by Gwyndolyn Russell (e reader txt) 📕

“Perfect! That’s enough! Now pinch the valve-like so.” She showed it how. A quick pinch in the middle stopped the flow and disconnected the valves.

"Where were you born?" She asked.

"Avant-Garde." Its voice started like a pleasant song that quickly faded into a guttural growl.

Reynolds wondered how it could sound like that. Every sentence it spoke shifted through the spectrum drastically. At times one word would be easy to hear and understand, almost alluring. The next would sound like a demon.

She hung onto that name. Every other name he said was Norse related, yet this one was Latin.

“Done?”

Before she could answer, the door slid open.

“Fen? You here?” Jackal called.

The creature looked down at Reynolds curiously. She gave a nod to it. Scooping up the cup of coffee, which looked far too small in its claws, the valkyrie kicked itself from the kitchen to meet Jackal in the living room.

“There you are... What’s that smell?” He had been in the middle of slipping a backpack off his shoulders. It was oddly square. Shaped like a tall box. Red and gray cut into one another like triangles. He held it down at his side, searching for something else to grip and steady himself in the room.

Fenris was too busy sniffing the air to answer him.

Reynolds cleared her throat. “He made you something.”

“What?”

“Go on!” She waved it on.

Perking up, Fenris held the cup out to Jackal, gently touching it to his hand. Jackal took it.

“A drink? You made a drink?” He brought it up to his face.

Fenris nodded.

“Try it!”

He put it to his lips, flipped the switch to open it, and took a sip. Closed. Cup lowered. His lips twisted up.

“Wow…” He smiled. “It’s a little too sweet, but it’s good.”

“Yeah... There was a bit of an accident.” Reynolds chuckled. “I think his claws are sharper than Mjolnir’s.”

Jackal laughed. “Did you learn how to make coffee for me?”

It nodded.

“I may come by tonight. A lot to study!” Reynolds gave a smile and headed out.

Jackal sipped on the coffee, then quietly asked. “Is she gone?”

“Yes.”

“Great! Here, I got you something, too.”

Fenris tilted its head.

Letting go of the cup, Jackal pulled up the backpack. The top unzipped. Lid pulled back. Fenris peeked inside. The pack was filled to the brim with crimson chunks, barely marbled white. That was what it smelled earlier. Meat. Poorly butchered.

“Our synthesizer is still down. So, I got you something to eat.”

“This is…”

“It should be a secret though, all right? You don’t wanna know how I got this.”

“Fenris know…” It stated.

Jackal’s lips pursed. He sensed the creature’s unease.

“Think of it as a thank you for helping me all this time.” He looked away from the creature. “You ain’t got a reason to do what you have. I haven’t done shit for you.” He cleared his throat. “Just take it. Eat it.” He let the pack go.

Fenris grabbed it and pushed the lid shut to keep all the meat inside. It could not take its eyes off him. Completely shocked by the gesture, it was stuck in place.

Jackal reached around to get a hold of the cup. He ended up inverted near the ceiling. Even though the drink was not entirely to his taste, it would not go to waste. It was a kindness he rarely saw from anyone beyond Reaper. The way Fenris reacted to his own gesture made him think about the valkyrie’s past. Still, he knew very little, but he could not forget about those chains. How they grew into its body. How long would it take for that to happen? It must have been bound in those chains since it was a child.

TWENTY-TWO

The day finally came that I could get these damned bandages off permanently! The doctor still had no clue if my eyes had recovered enough to grant me vision again, but that did not matter as much as it used to. At least I told myself that. I sat down on the end of the gurney, a strap over my lap to hold me in place. Reynolds had been just across the room, doing something. She was talking to herself all the while. Fenris was here, too, I figured. He hardly left my side. He was quiet. Could barely sense him there.

“All right! Hold still!” She touched my shoulder, then the bandages. I could feel them loosening as she pulled. One loop... Two loops….

My fingers dug into my knees.

My heart pounded.

Soon, all the tension left my head. The cold air on the exposed skin gave me goosebumps all over.

Darkness.

I squeezed my knees.

"Open your eyes." She instructed softly.

Please see. Please see. I took slow, deep breaths.

My eyes opened. White washed over me, making me close them again.

I reached up to rub an eye as if it would ease the burn.

I tried again. The white light again was too prominent to see anything. I fought through that sting. Blinked multiple times. Colors faded in as large blurs. Focus came.

Through all the white poked something black. A scarlet glow. A gust of cold air flowed across my face.

As the black blob came into shape, I made out a wet, twitching nose. Black fur broken up with a pattern of scars.

She was breathtaking. Hair as black as the emptiness of space. Big ears twisted this way and that, listening to her surroundings before focusing on the noise I must have been making. Her eyes were like fire, swirling in crystal orbs locked on my very being.

Breath stuck in my throat, I couldn't think. Only stare.

She was a stranger, yet I knew everything about her; strengths, and weaknesses. Each little imperfection of her body and soul were perfect in my eyes.

I could have stared forever.

"Liam?" Came a soft voice.

I thought it was the wolf.

"Liam, are you okay?"

The wolf sniffed at my face.

"Y-yeah…" I breathed out. I put my hand atop the creature’s head, petting it.

“Okay, well, look over here for a second. Fenris can’t examine you.”

I blinked. Looked over to the sound of the voice. Then