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L ike hell , Alexia thought but surely wasn’t going to voice that. The beast would never let her live that little pun down.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Herleif said.

“She is not, my handsome troll,” Fenrir said.

Herleif practically growled. “I am not your anything .”

This only seemed to delight the wolf as he threw his head back and laughed. “Oh, but you are going to be a fun addition to my realm.”

Herleif started forward, fists bunched, until Alexia placed her hand on his arm, stepping closer to his side. When Fenrir began approaching with confidence, making his way directly to her, Herleif put himself in between her and the beast.

“Ah, is someone being territorial?” His tongue whipped out to lick his snout while he rubbed his paws together as if they were hands.

“Touch her and die.” Those gruff words from her lover sent more than warmth through her entire being, confirming the bond forming between them. It was fortification.

Fenrir began to circle them as Alexia and Herleif countered, never letting him out of their site.

He kept his distance. For now. But Alexia wouldn’t be fooled by his calm demeanor, knowing this beast was a trickster of the highest order.

His father was Loki, after all, the most famous Jotnar in their history.

“What are you up to, Fenrir?” Alexia asked.

“Isn’t it obvious, my beauty?” Herleif growled once again but Fenrir wasn’t fazed in the least. He twisted his body, indicating toward the apparitions behind him. “I’m building my army.”

“You’re the soul collector,” she stated. Then asked, “Army? For what purpose?”

The beast tsked and shook his head as if disappointed. “Don’t be obtuse, my dear. The only purpose for an army is battle and a war is coming. Sooner than you might think.”

“Whose war? Yours?” Herleif scoffed. “And spirits are your soldiers? Good luck with that.”

“Oh, I won’t need luck. I have all I will need right here.”

His gaze never strayed from Alexia, and she shivered at the dark feeling that overcame her.

Nonia pushed against her leg while rumbling a warning as Herleif stepped as close as he could, brushing his body to hers.

Alexia brought up a hand, calling upon her magic and producing a blue light darker than any she’d ever conjured.

Fenrir seemed to shiver. “Mmm, how I love your show of strength. Sadly, it does you no good.” He drolled as if bored.

“This is my realm, and my magic, my strength is the only one that will prevail. And with it, I will finally have my revenge and return the world to the old order. When wildness reigned and chaos ruled!” He raised his hands, and the souls drew closer to him, chanting his name.

“Ragnarok wasn’t enough for you?” Alexia asked. “You were killed once, and you’ll be defeated again. This time, for good.”

The beast laughed. “Oh, such sweet innocence. That purity of power will certainly be of use. To me.”

Alexia knew to react, pushing out her power to erect a protective shield around herself, Herleif, and Nonia. The force of Fenrir’s magic thrown at them shook the cavern, but her shield held.

“By the gods,” Herleif mumbled. “Can you hold him off?”

“I will do my best, but I do not know his strength. He’s been feeding off the souls, collecting their essence. And for how long? Your guess is as good as mine.”

“Can I move in and out of your shield?”

Alexia startled and snapped her gaze to Herleif. “Do not try, Herleif. His power is considerable, that I can feel. Even your speed and strength may be no match for him.”

“I must try something.”

Just as he spoke, the air around them sizzled and quaked as Fenrir roared, increasing his efforts and causing her shield to ripple. The souls condensed behind him, screeching. Nonia howled then broke through the barrier, charging.

“No!” Alexia yelled, ready to follow.

“Hold!” Herleif yelled as he threw up his arm to block her. “Look!”

A dozen more wolf-dogs materialized, followed by a dozen more, their manes aflame as they too charged the souls.

They swiped, lashed out, and jumped through the spirits, causing them to dissipate.

This only enraged Fenrir and he turned his attention to the animals.

Propelling spheres of power at them, the dogs were knocked back, whining or disappearing altogether, only to have others take their place.

Alexia watched as Nonia circled, preparing to attack.

She couldn’t stand by and do nothing, putting the burden on the wolf-dogs.

Before Herleif could stop her, she dropped the shield and threw all her power into Fenrir, taking advantage of his back to them.

He stumbled just as Nonia pounced, but the attack only seemed to annoy Fenrir as he batted the wolf-dog away, sending her crashing against the rock wall.

“Nonia!”

Herleif shouted for her, but Alexia moved to her companion’s side, sending a wave of healing magic across her.

She watched as Herleif sped toward Fenrir, pummeling him with all his might.

The giant wolf was stunned but quickly recovered, battling Herleif with both power and punches.

Round and round they went, exchanging blows until Fenrir began to gain the upper hand.

With another blast of his magic, he sent Herleif flying right into the center of the souls.

They scattered but their focus remained on her troll.

She had no idea what they could do to him, given Fenrir’s influence over them, but she took no chances.

Alexia threw up a protective shield around him, giving him time to recover, knowing he’d charge out again when ready. She watched as the wolf-dogs continued to attack, dispatching the spirits, then turned to face her foe.

“You only delay the inevitable,” Fenrir said, his paws flexing as his mouth dripped with even more disgusting spittle. “Cease your fruitless efforts or prepare to witness the agony I can inflict.”

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’t have that 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.