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

the universe as we were meant to. We will be one with God."

"It sounds more like a cult…" Ruby grumbled.

"All right, buddy, hold still." Five revved up the saw. A titanium, serrated blade whirred around. A small device designed to cut through panels and pipes. Surely it would cut right through the chains.

Goggles on, Eight held one part of the chains around Fenris' arm. The blade spun against the silk like surface. As the sparks flew from the blade, Eight lifted his head up a bit higher to keep the blazing embers from hitting his face. Fenris, sat there upon the floor, held its arm steady and watched without a care about the embers bouncing off its metallic chest.

The saw whined. Crackled. The blade snapped in half, the larger of the pieces stabbing right into Eight’s arm.

The Alpha fell to his rear and grabbed his arm. He gasped, biting down onto his lip. “Fuck! Fuck!”

"Shit! What the fuck? That's a brand new blade!" Five checked the saw and scratched his head.

Jackal and Mjolnir stared wide-eyed. They had hoped that would have done the trick. Instead the chains were left unscathed and the blade was broken. Eight sat there, gripping the blade stuck in the bend of his arm. He hissed sharply. He attempted to pull the blade, but blood spewed a few feet out.

“Shit. Where’s your IFAK?” Five looked around the room.

Jackal snatched his own from his waistband. He knelt down next to Eight. He and Five both dug into the kit with Jackal getting the tourniquet and Five taking the quick clot syrette.

Tourniquet tightened above the injury, Five pulled on Eight’s wrist to keep his arm steady. Jackal held his shoulder and the blade. They looked to one another, silently counting down. One good yank and the blade ripped from the Alpha’s arm. He started to scream from the searing pain. Five shoved the syrette into the open wound and shoved the plunger down. The microsponges filled the opening and expanded, soaking up the blood and clotting the veins to cease the bleeding. Jackal proceeded to wrap his arm in a roll of gauze.

"What's that made of?" Five sat back on the floor.

"It's a new type of alloy." Jackal answered. "Doc said iron, silk, some other properties. She couldn't cut through it either."

"That's interesting." Mjolnir scratched his beard. "I've never heard of such a thing."

"Surtr." Fenris said.

"In English?" Jackal raised a brow.

"Surtr did this to you?" Eight touched its arm.

"That's sickening." Five spat. "Think Zayla can figure it out?"

"No." Fenris stood up. "It will be fine."

"No it’s not! How can you fight like that?"

It shrugged. Then it looked away. A door was cracked, the light off. Two sets of yellow eyes gazed out from the darkness.

"Hey there," Jackal waved. "It’s safe to come out."

"Don't bother. They won't come." Five said.

"Why not?" Mjolnir asked.

"Strangers. Some stupid rule they can't be seen without armor."

"Not to mention, the great Eater of Worlds is here." Eight grinned at the valkyrie.

"How did that come about anyway? He's never explained really."

"She -- it, sorry, -- ate most of its siblings growing up."

"What?"

"The others bullied Fen cause it was the runt of the litter. Didn't think it’d live very long. It turned on them one night. Really showed it would survive no matter the cost."

"I still remember it." Five chimed in. "Alarms woke us in the middle of the night. By time we got there, it already had five of its siblings dead and gutted."

Eight scratched the top of the valkyries head with a soft smile.

"This one’s a warrior. Best there ever was."

"You don't seem...to be afraid of him?" Jackal asked. "Do you see that weird...form shifting thing too?"

"Why would we be? We've been friends since it was a pup."

"Not to mention, who wouldn't want to be friends with a fierce wolf?" Five laughed.

Jackal and Mjolnir looked at one another.

"I'm gonna grab the diamond blade. I'll be right back." Five stepped away.

Jackal walked over to one of the glass rooms. Whoever was staying there ran off in a hurry. The room was a wreck.

Fenris joined him, looking through the window.

"My room." It tapped on the glass.

"You stayed here? That must've sucked… being watched from every angle and no place to hide."

It shrugged. "Never bothered." It tapped the glass again to point at the farthest corner of the room where a plastic desk was. "Slept there."

"On the floor? Why not one of the beds?"

"Surtr kept setting the bed on fire." Eight joined them. "Poor guy couldn't have anything."

Fenris snorted, shaking its head.

"We don't have to talk about it if you don't want to." Jackal said.

"Whoa." Eight stared at Jackal. "You can hear her real voice?"

"What are you talking about?"

“I didn’t hear anything either.” Mjolnir added.

"Her real voice. Schreider said valkyries have two voices, but she was the only one who could hear the other. She said it was their real voice. She's imprinted on you!"

"Wait. Why do you keep calling him a her?"

"Whoops." He rubbed the back of his head. "Technically, they aren't either. They just look like one. Wait, you mean you can't tell? Look at it! Thin waist. Wide hips. Real slender."

Jackal looked the valkyrie over. Those features seemed more prominent now that they were pointed out. Even Mjolnir was checking the valkyrie out. He nodded in agreement.

Jackal cleared his throat and crossed his arms over his chest. "Doesn't matter anyway."

Eight's lips twisted up into a big, shit-eating grin. "It's good to see Fenris has a friend. What did you say your name was again?"

"You can call me Jackal."

"Oh, Reaper's side kick! You two were in the First Contact War, huh? Damn, it was before my time. Good job out there. Not bad for a civvy."

Jackal raised a brow. This man was clearly older than him, how could the war be before his time?

"Hey, Jack!" Reaper called.

"Cap, what's up?"

"Have you seen the doctor?"

"No. I haven't."

"You mean that pretty lady of yours? I saw her head down hall H there." Eight piped up.

"Why would she