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

was a commotion at the door. Mjolnir was outside, leaning against the ship next to the open door. Two other guards were with him. Fenris a couple meters ahead. Someone was yelling at the valkyrie, trying to get around it. Fenris was the immovable object, not even saying a word to her.

Jackal cursed under his breath. “It’s her.”

“Why?” Reaper jogged to catch up to her.

Reaper grabbed her shoulder to pull her from the wolf.

“All be damned, what sort of thing is this? That stupid dog won’t let me through!”

Fenris growled, its lower jaw quivering.

Jackal shoved her back. Pulled the pistol from his pants. Pressed the end of its barrel into her chest.

“Back the fuck up!” He shouted.

Spectre put her hands up to shoulder height. “Oh, no! It’s the po-po!” Her tone dropped. “Drop it.”

“Don’t make me do it, Spec.” Jackal shook his head.

“There’s no need for any of this.” Reaper stood next to both of them.

“Bullshit there’s no need!” Jackal snapped. “She can’t be trusted anymore.”

Spectre caught sight of Ianisse carried on the stretcher.

“Oh, look!” She slipped around Jackal without a care and approached the medics. She stopped them briefly to give a once over the fleebeeron.

“Wow, he’s still alive.” She spun around, a hand on her hip. “I thought you killed him.”

Phantom gave a shrug. Spun a curved blade around a finger.

Jackal winced at the sight of that smirk. It reminded him of that time Phantom broke his nose.

Reaper grabbed Spectre’s elbow. “You’ve done enough, Spec. Why are you here?”

“Simple!” She smiled. “Why the fuck did you try to spy on me?” She looked sweet as honey, her tone pure venom.

“Because you’re being stupid.” Reaper stated. “You’re gonna get yourself killed!”

“Good!” She said, “That would be a sign that God actually exists.” She pointed at Jackal. “You gonna use that thing, or you gonna put it back in your pants?”

“I have every right to shoot you down right now.” Jackal glared.

Fenris snapped its jaws, the clack of metal resonating through their bones.

Spectre winced. She looked to the valkyrie, a finger on her chin. “So, that’s a full grown one…. Tell me, puppy,” She faced Fenris. “How did you make your armor look like that?”

Fenris answered with a growl.

She placed her hand on the end of its snout.

"It's all right." Her voice was soft.

Its jaw trembled, cracking with sharp motions side to side.

Jackal pushed her hand away and put himself between them.

"That's enough."

"Why are you interested in his armor?" Reaper questioned.

"No reason!" She shrugged. "We need to talk."

"Tell him the fucking truth, Spec." Jackal pointed at her.

"The hell were you thinking?!" She snapped at Reaper. "Are you fucking stupid?! I could have destroyed your whole ship! No, shut up. Don’t fuckin’ say a goddamned word, you fuckin’ idiot. We’re done! This isn’t your fuckin’ fight. Stick with what you know best. Stop tryin’ t’play soldier and hero.” She looked to Jackal on that word.

She turned to walk towards Phantom. “If you pull a stunt like that again….” She looked back to them. “I will have to kill you all.”

Reaper wasn’t sure what to say. He bit his lower lip, hands clenched into fists at his sides.

“You don’t have the heart to hurt your friends.” Jackal stepped in. “We’ve been seeing you on the broadcasts and we know they’re coming for you. Art just wants to make sure you’re okay.”

She looked shocked. A hand to her chest. In the blink of an eye, she pointed to Mako with two fingers. A loud bang rang out. The side of the robotic dog burst open in stray bits and sparks. It collapsed to the ground.

“That’s my fuckin’ dog!” She pointed. “The fuck you think I’ll do to you?”

“That’s enough.” Phantom spoke up.

She dropped her hand.

Jackal and Reaper stepped back.

She motioned to Mako’s body. Phantom scooped it up, slinging it over his shoulder. Without much more of a word, the two of them left. Spectre gave a two fingered salute without looking back.

“That’s not the same girl.” Jackal said.

“Sick.” Fenris stated.

“Huh?”

“Spectre is sick.”

“Sick in the head is right.” Jackal nodded.

“No.”

Jackal squeezed Reaper’s shoulder. “Sorry it went down like that, man. I’ll check on Ianisse.”

He stepped into the ship with Fenris right behind him.

“How did you know not to let her in?” Jackal asked.

“You were angry.” It said. “Not want her in.”

“But how did you know?”

It shrugged. “I heard you.”

Jackal almost chuckled. “You make no fuckin’ sense.”

“Ianisse,” Its voice hung unto the ‘s.’ “Dying.”

“No. He’ll be fine. We have the best doctor in the galaxy.” He hit the button to open the door.

Inside several doctors, nurses, and the two medics from earlier were running amok. It looked positively chaotic with everyone running around, yelling for this and for that, grabbing things, throwing things. A machine was beeping, its monitor hidden in the crowd. Several I.V.s were hung up. White blood dripped to the floor. A nurse was rushing around with a bowl of water and towels cleaning up the mess as it happened.

“Liam Marshall!” Screamed someone.

Jackal cringed.

“Liam Marshall!” Reynolds ran up to him. Before she said anything else, she smacked him across the face. A red hand print throbbed on his skin.

Jackal held his face, hissing.

“How fucking dare you?! How fucking dare you?!” She repeated herself, trying to come up with more words to scream at him. “What the fucking hell were you fucking thinking sending him out there?! Alpha Hunters?! Alphas?! Are you insane, or stupid?! At this rate I’m thinking both, because that was absolutely the worst idea of the last five hundred years! The worst!”

She smacked his arm.

“I’m sorry!” Jackal said, rubbing his arm. “It was a mistake. It was bad. I know that. It’s just he was the better qua--”

“Fuck your qualifications! It’s really nice to let him play toy soldier all day, but to actually let him think he can go out there like that? To send him out there?!” She smacked his arm again.

“Christ. Are all the women here fuckin’ abusive psychos?!” Jackal snapped.

“Only when you men are being