Three cloaked men stood by our cell. One more would join them, catching my eye. The new male wore a smirk on his lips. He appeared confident to accomplish what he came to do.

“Aw, did I hear complaining? Don’t be so desperate to leave. We haven’t even started yet.” The man mocked Thea, grabbing onto the bars of the cell.

The count of our foes was up to four. A soft growl came from the wolf as Gerta stood up to face him. She would try to keep him off us. A futile attempt. She was only an extra in this.

“Are you the mad man who kidnapped us?” the old woman questioned, trying to keep his eyes off us.

He ignored her, setting his eyes on me. Those grey orbs of his sent shivers down my spine. They matched his black hair and pale skin. He seemed to be a handsome man, but his mind was another matter.

He wore a robe, close to what priests used for their lectures. Though it had blue, black, and white for its colors. His pants were black, and the shirt under the robe was white.

“You, girl, undress.” He announced, smirking.

Behind him, one of his companions held a white cloth. If it was clothes or something else, I didn’t know. But one thing I did was that witchcraft users loved white for sacrificial rituals. Was that what was about to happen?

Pathetic.

“What?” I mumbled, pretending I didn’t understand him.

All I needed was a mistake.

Will he like the damsel in distress or the feisty girl?

I had to figure out what made him tick. In the hope, that he would take me alone. The man licked his lips, chuckling.

“Oh sweety, you aren’t innocent. I know you heard me. Come here and undress.” He clarified, tilting his head to the side.

His voice was so soft that I couldn't believe it was coming from someone so hostile. So, he knew I was pretending.

Figures you won’t fall for easy tricks. After all, you’re from the same coven.

I clicked my tongue, a bit annoyed. Though, Thea quickly outshined me.

“You fucking creep.” She snapped at the man, feeling disgusted by what he was asking.

His eyes traveled to her as she scowled at him. The young Lycan was a minor, too. I couldn’t allow him to predate on her. Even though I didn’t want to go anywhere near him. I repositioned myself to stand up.

It seemed I was getting weaker, after all. I didn’t have it in me to permit Loki’s sister to be victimized in front of me. Noticing my movements, Gerta turned to me.

“Vivian, don’t.” She worried.

But there was no stopping this. Better me than the two younger ones in this cell.

“It’s fine, Gerta.” I simpered.

My expression caused her eyes to narrow down. She also knew it would be futile to fight. We were outnumbered, and I was limited. If only I could use my powers freely. But I couldn’t. Thea hearing me wasn’t the only issue.

No, the rift was.

“Luna, go with your sister,” I added, standing up.

This warlock or human, I didn’t know if he was Jin or not, didn’t scare me. Though that didn’t stop, the little one held onto me tighter. I didn’t know why she was being like this, but it wouldn’t fly now.

The little luma needed to go to her sister.

“No!” she squeaked, not wanting me to go anywhere near that man.

I didn’t want to go anywhere near him, either. Sadly, if I didn’t comply, then he would surely take it out on one of them. He was that type of man, I could tell. We were both from the same tree, after all.

A predator knew another. Though if he could see through me was yet to be seen. Unlike him, Lilith taught me how to act weak.

Vivian… never let the men know how strong you are. That way, when he least expects it, you strike! Lilith’s words echoed within me.

That had happened during an outing with her. I was only fifteen when two men tried to come to pick us up. Lilith used it as a learning moment for me. Though, of course, she went out of her way to make it into a blood fest.

In her defense, those men were pushy as fuck. Even chased us into an alley. It ended with their organs decorating the wall, though. They didn’t know what happened until they were dead.

Much like her, most of us in the coven would do anything to accomplish our goals. And if this man was the same. I couldn’t allow any more pain to come to the family of the man I loved.

“I’m not a patient man.” The man cautioned, tapping his grimoire.

It was on a belt holder.

So, you are a warlock…

Luckily, Thea knew better than her little sister.

“Luna! Come!” the elder sister ordered.

There was no time to play. The sharpness of her tone caused the little one to run over to her. Tears were present on the child’s purple orbs, though.

“You can’t let them take her!” Luna cried at Thea, who hugged her.

The little luma’s words surprised me. I didn’t know why she cared, but something in her wanted to protect me. Luckily, the older sister tried to hush her, allowing me to turn to the man.

I hesitated before walking toward him. Gerta stood near me when I stopped a few centimeters from the bars he held. I had to face him head-on. After all, I knew nothing he did to me would be permanent.

Yet I dreaded the moment he touched me. The only ones allowed were Loki and Eli. Though I didn’t have time to worry about that. I had to push down that fear. A question popped into my head.

Is this the warlock my father warned me about, Jin? Or…

I couldn’t ask him straight up, though. No, I had to be clever. Dad said he wouldn’t be an issue to me. Though, I didn’t think he thought I would be in this situation.

Kidnapped and limited.

If I had known about the rift, I wouldn’t have allowed myself to be a target.

A slip… Sorry, Daddy. I got myself into some trouble. But don’t worry. Your little girl will get out just fine. I hope everything is still good on your end though.

The rift was a bigger threat than this man could ever be. And that brought me comfort. After all, this was a mortal issue. And this man was very much not an immortal or a god.

“So, you want to see me bare? I don’t think it will appeal to you.” I smirked, grabbing hold of the bars in front of me.

Entice him…

If only I were alone with him. If I managed that somehow. Then I could try to kill him with weak spells. After all, Thea wouldn’t be around to hear a thing. Though that by itself was dangerous. With the rift, was hard to tell what would be too much.

I needed a plan C for this horrible attempt to eliminate this threat.

Think, Vivian… You need to buy time for them to find us. But how?

In response, he smirked back, grabbing the bars above my hands. My mind was in full problem-solving mode while the warlock inspected me. And he had found me interesting.

Good… Bite my bait and leave the rest be.

If he placed his attention on me, then it meant Thea, Gerta, and Luna would be fine. Though, of course, it wouldn’t end pretty for me. But with the limited information I had. It was the first thing I could think of doing.

If this failed, then at least I could get useful info.

“Oh, why’s that?” he got closer to the cage.

So close, yet so very far from my reach. Not while Thea was around. She would see right through anything I did. Though that might’ve also been keeping this realm safe. I had to figure out something soon.

If not, I would be a martyr. Rem and her family needed to hurry and find us. It had already been two hours. Though these dungeons were mazes. They could get lost in them for weeks. An unfortunate fact Oswald had pointed out to me.

It was the only reason we didn’t go searching for them.

“Well, the prince is a bit possessive of me,” I informed, trying to provoke him.

I wanted to know if he had been the one watching through the window the shadow portal created. If it was then I was gazing at Jin. The first thing to win a battle was to identify your foe. A lesson Lilith taught me, too.

Along with how to seduce a man, though, with my looks, it was hardly necessary. This warlock was already lusting for me. The look in his eyes was one that I only welcomed from Loki. But in this case, I had to accept it from him.

A smirk rose on his lips, too. One full of malice, though.

“Oh, sweetie, then the more appealing it’ll be for me.” He bit into his lip in anticipation.

I didn’t know what was going through his mind, but it was probably repulsive. An emotion I would have to hide. But for how long, I didn’t know.

“Is that because you saw me with him?” I asked, hoping he would slip.

However, he drew away from the bars, pointing down. He would give nothing to me for free.

“Strip.” He commanded, sending shivers down my spine.

How it sucked to have all the power in the world be a weight and nothing more. Something unusable if I wanted to stay with Loki. And if I desired to be a mortal. I couldn’t ruin this world for us.

If the living gods ever found me. It would be a nightmare. One that would rip me away from my vampire. And one that would end in his death, too.

“Is this for a ritual of some sort?” I continued to query, hoping he would give me something.

But he wouldn’t entertain me. No, nothing came for free when we dealt with our coven.

“Perhaps. Now strip.” He ordered, bluntly.

I knew he wouldn’t budge. So, even though I didn’t want to, I did as he asked.

Endure… And buy time, Vivian.

First, I took my brooch off, making sure it would stay in my hand. Then I undid the back of the dress. I felt goosebumps rise on my skin.

“Vivian…” Gerta mumbled my name, grabbing onto my arm.

I had to be stronger than him. Taking a deep breath, I tugged away from her. This was nothing. He wouldn’t crush me.

“Don’t look, baby.” Thea cooed Luna, making sure the little one was snuggled in her chest.

It was a shame they dragged a child into this.

Pathetic and unforgivable.

This man wasn’t strong. No, he was the weakest one I had ever faced.

A pig in human skin.

It wasn’t long before the dress was on the floor. The air was relatively cold, making me shiver. No, it wasn’t the breeze. It was his eyes. They were dead. I tried to show no emotions, but deep down, I was terrified of the moment he touched me.

Loki’s touch was all I ever knew. It was all I wanted to know. At least there were bars between us. And that brought me some solace. The warlock tapped his grimoire, smirking again.

“The undies too, sweetheart.” He declared, enjoying the view in front of him.

I almost chuckled, unable to believe what I had to endure. It was all to be by Loki’s side for as long as I could. If I focused on that, then I could control it. To allow my emotions to rule my mind would’ve been the greatest mistake I ever did.

Especially with the rift. So, for their world, I would tolerate anything. After all, it was the only one we had. Even if it was bitter and cold. Slowly, I took off my undergarments. The warlock continued to study me.

Though his smirk was even more profound. I wanted to rip it off his face. Though I was comforted by all the little marks Loki had left on my skin.

“Wow, that prince really is possessive. I’ll enjoy making a thrall out of you.” He snickered, noting all the love bites on my body.

All the ones the warlock would have to renew. My prince had marked his territory, though. Especially in between my legs. It was embarrassing. Though, comforting. But I couldn’t help but be flustered by the fact it was on display.

His possessiveness would be the end of my sanity, even when he wasn’t around. There wasn’t a centimeter in my body where he hadn’t been. And that also brought me solace. Nothing this warlock ever did to me would replace Loki.

“Why do this?” I tried to keep myself in check.

One of the warlock’s companions suddenly reached for me, yanking me against the bars. A yelp left my lips, startling Luna, who wept. It almost felt like he was about to rip my arm out of its socket.

The blinding speed alerted me that our enemies weren’t all humans. A cloak covered the man who grabbed me had retreated. Much to my surprise, a vampire held my limb in his hand. His eyes glowed a weird green as saliva dripped down his lips.

It was utterly repulsive. Though, it also posed a bigger problem for me.

Why is a vampire here?!

If this warlock took me out of here. I would be feasted on by his minions. And that would surely place me over the edge. I didn’t know if I could endure being drained. No, couldn’t allow that. I would die, and I didn’t want to.

“Jin, can I?!?” the vampire begged the warlock.

I was indeed facing the warlock my father had warned me of.

“Patient beast, you can drain her after the prince’s heartbreaks. And more importantly, once that bitches heart is beyond repair.” He sighed, grabbing onto my arm too.

Disgusting.

The vampire clicked his tongue, retreating his hand away from me. Though Jin held me there. It was a thing to note though. The way the vampire listened to the warlock’s orders with the weird glow, too.

His eyes were brown. There was no reason for them to give off a green hue.

“To answer your question, Vivian. What would be a better way to destroy Rem?” the warlock answered my question with one of his.

I remained quiet while he came closer to me. His grip was firm, yet I didn’t pull away. No, that would set him off even more. With his free hand, he cupped one of my breasts. It took everything in me to not snap.

Endure… Or it’ll rip away Loki and Eli from me. For them… and our world… Contain your rage!

His hands were colder than ice. It felt like a corpse was touching me. Nothing like Loki, who was warmer than the sun itself. How I wished the warmth he left on my skin radiated from mine.

“That, my dear, was a question that often plagued me. You know she is powerful. But then again, her children are still learning. So, I thought the best way was to eliminate her kids' happiness. I already took one tonight.” Jin smirked.

What?!

The man wouldn’t let me think though.

“And I will take three more by the time daylight comes.” He continued, leaning onto the breast he was holding.

At that moment, I tried to yank myself away, but his grip on my arm was too strong. Before I knew it, his tongue touched my nipple. I felt the hair on my back stand up straight, trying to internalize everything.

The brooch in my hand dug into my skin from how hard I was holding it. It wasn’t something I had planned, but the moment that fresh blood hit the air. The vampire went for me. Luckily, Jin let me go in time for me to tumble back into the cell.

Gerta ran to me, trying to use the dress to cover me.

“Brute… I told you, patience.” The warlock sighed.

The vampire ignored Jin, trying to reach me from where he was. It was the first time I was glad to see the bars that caged me. I had to get a grip; he wouldn’t snuffle my will. No, I was stronger. After all, I was a goddess! And this was nothing.

Instead of shivering where I sat, I glared at the warlock. He was fortunate we weren’t alone. No, I was the lucky one. Being near the others was the one thing keeping me from destroying this entire city in a fit of rage.

“So, the attack on the market in Night city was you?!” I tried to subdue my anger by focusing on getting information, but it was showing.

The moment Jin saw my expression, it excited him more. He wanted to ruin me, even if I wasn’t Loki’s lover. Gerta appeared surprised by my demeanor. There was no fear in my eyes, and it intrigued her.

“Oh, my… How I love your expression. Show me more, Vivian.” He smirked, licking his lips.

From the way he looked at me, I knew he had been the one behind everything. How I wished I could have ripped it off his face. Though the rabid vampire seemed to get into Jin’s nerves as he shifted his eyes to him.

Clicking his tongue, he gazed towards where they had come.

“Oliver, take this beast out,” Jin ordered one of his men that were outside.

I thought I only had vampires and crazy witchcraft users to worry about. But I was left in shock the moment I saw a Lycan walk into the room. He had brown hair and deep blue eyes. It alerted me he wasn’t a normal wolf.

After all, normal ones had amber eyes while the blood moon Lycans had red. The one named Oliver yawned before tilting his head. He had some dark markings on his eyes, too. And they weren’t from lack of sleep.

They reminded me of Alijah’s. Rem’s husband had black markings placed on him by the goddess known as Midnight. My mind blocked itself for a moment, as I couldn’t figure this out.

Why does an unknown Lycan have the markings of a god on him?

“Shit! I was having a nice nap, you know.” The wolf huffed, stretching a bit.

“Well, I wouldn’t call you if I didn’t need you, brother.” Jin sighed, turning to the lazy mutt.

That was when he noticed the vampire trying to reach into the cage.

Brothers?!

The Lycan and the warlock were brothers. This wasn’t an ideal scenario. We had vampires and wolves down here along with the witchcraft users. But more worrisome was if the soul cairn had something to do with this. Or worst yet, a living god.

Father had said none had come through, though. This was impossible. Unless we were dealing with one of the gods who were dead set on fucking with Fenrir, Rem’s old name.

“Hm… Did your thrall lose it again?” Oliver asked, walking over to the out-of-control vampire.

“The beast has no self-control. Take him away. I would do it, but I don’t want to waste energy before the time comes.” Jin waved his hand dismissively.

“Okay, little brother,” The Lycan huffed, grabbing onto the vampire.

For a moment, the Lycan gazed inside the cell, smirking.

“Wow, you have a pretty little thing in there.” He complimented me.

His eyes were the same as any other man. Even though their color made me feel odd. They were not natural. It solidified the thought in me that something had been done to this wolf. I met his gaze with a scowl.

This was no time to break.

“She’s mine, Oli. But you can have the wolf if you want.” Jin rolled his eyes.

Thea didn’t like the fact he was offering her up like that.

“You fucking psychopaths!” she snapped, holding Luna closer to her.

Oliver sighed, shaking his head.

“Eh, I think I’ll pass. I don’t like damaged goods.” He shrugged, grabbing onto the vampire.

He referred to Thea’s eye injury as damaged goods. His words annoyed me beyond belief. A second later, the vampire was knocked out cold.

“Fuck you!” Thea growled, angered too.

These men were superficial and revolting.

“Is the spike ready for our feisty wolf?” Jin asked Oliver as he walked away.

“Yes, it is.” The Lycan replied, leaving.

The way they mentioned the piece of wood left a nasty feeling within me.

“What?” Thea mumbled, unaware why they would need a spike for her.

A wicked smile came upon Jin’s face when he heard her confusion.

“I’m going to display your body on a spike. Well, it’ll go through you. Don’t worry though. I’ll make sure it is painful. And I really hope you’re a virgin, too. We’ll have so much fun!” the warlock gushed, happily filling the girl in on her fate.

In an instant, I flared up. Pushing Gerta aside, I clasped my hands around the bars, staring at Jin straight on. This man was trash. I didn’t like who he was into hurting those younger than he was. Especially those who couldn’t fight back.

The man appeared to be in his high twenties or early thirties. Luna and Thea were defenseless as they were. I couldn’t let them suffer. Not like I let Elias and Zephyrus. Even though vampires scared me.

If he took me by myself, then. Perhaps I could figure out a way to deal with him. And that wolf…

“Just take me. Leave them out of it.” I offered myself in the hopes he would take the bait.

He grabbed onto my chin, hovering over my lips. If he kissed me, I could have tried to bite his tongue off. But with his remaining companions still around. It would’ve turned into a mess. Especially if the wolf came back.

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“Oh, sweetie. Don’t play the hero. You and I are going to do a live vid. One to show how much you desire me instead of the vampire. I’ll make you a thrall. One that desires only me.” Jin smirked, licking his bottom lip.

Dad informed me of the second nature of his power. The ability to taint people’s will to do their bidding. Shadow magic had different branches, and it appeared Jin had gone down the most forbidden one, soul manipulation.

It differed from Rem’s and the witch Lilith’s magic. The hybrid’s power had to do with rebirthing the souls of the lost. She also had the ability temporarily to make hostiles' souls halt. While Lilith, Rem’s mother, and other witchcraft users could control the souls of the dead.

But the type of magic Jin delved into. It was one that Dad never dared to use. It wasn’t because of temptation. No, the ability to control and bend people to a whim was very intriguing for my father.

But mother told him that type of magic came at a cost. And the price was one’s soul and sanity. It would explain why Jin was so focused on Rem. Perhaps there wasn’t a god involved in this. I could only hope it was Jin’s magic warped his being to the point of no return.

Though the way he planned was detailed enough to consider any outside influence. For a madman, he was smart.

“Doubt anything you’ll do, will make me feel good or desire you!” I smirked, remembering how I felt when his tongue was on me.

It was nothing like Loki left me feeling.

Ah… When he asked me to kiss him before the ball, I should’ve done it then and there. I should have rejoiced in his touch for longer.

Before I knew it, he grabbed the back of my head. A second later, I felt his lips on mine. Clenching my teeth together, I wouldn’t allow this man to go in as I did with my beloved vampire.

“Let her go!” Gerta tried to step in between us.

I stopped her by grabbing onto her blouse. If she became his target, she surely wouldn’t survive. She was an extra who was unneeded. She had to survive so she could tell her grandsons how much she loved them.

Using every ounce of my strength, I pushed her to the side. No one else from this family would die. Not while I was around. Jin drew away from me as I scowled.

“So docile… I thought you would’ve bitten my tongue.” The warlock smirked.

He didn’t know; how lucky he was. Blissfully unaware of how close death was.

“If I do anything, you might take it out on the ladies next to me. I can’t allow that.” I huffed, trying to shake the revolting feeling his lips had left on me.

It was harder than I thought though. I needed to kill him so much that I yearned for it. He would not break me, though. My will was stronger than he could ever expect. And that would bring his downfall.

“Oh, a hostage with a brain… How lovely.” Jin chuckled, grabbing onto the cloth the other man held in his arms.

Throwing it at me, I noticed there were three. And one was for a little girl.

“When she’s finished changing, take her and the luma to the fun room.” Jin declared.

In an instant, my hopes to end this quietly washed away. He would take Rem’s baby girl with me.

“Wait, what do you want with the child!?” I asked.

In my voice, there was desperation I didn’t quite comprehend. I didn’t want Luna to be near me when I became a martyr. It would mean she would become one with me. It appeared I couldn’t wait for rescue.

After all, after Jin was done with me. He would kill Thea and Luna. And with them around, I couldn’t even use my limited magic. Our saviors wouldn’t make it here in time to save all of us. No, I couldn’t buy time with my body.

“There is no fucking way you’re taking her.” Thea snarled at Jin.

The warlock grinned, kneeling close to where she was. Her threats tickled him.

“Mutt, it isn’t like you can do anything about it. Unless you want to fall unconscious again. And I doubt you want that. After all, I think you’ll want to know when the spike impales you.” He snickered, turning to me.

He was a disgusting piece of man.

“To answer your question, little love. I’m sacrificing her during the vid, just for the hell of it. After that, I’ll take the firstborn and spike her too. Hopefully, she’ll be awake for everyone to hear the screams, though.” The confidence in his voice was excruciating.

I wanted to drown it. The pain radiating from my hand was keeping me in check, though. I needed to find out more. It would be the only way to get out of here. And in his information, he had slipped.

“Won’t they track your vids?” I asked, knowing full well that any broadcasting device used elven magic.

Sun elf magic, to be precise. And that was trackable by any magic-user.

“Na, I laced every corner of this place with an anti-magic crystal,” Jin announced, tapping his hand on the wall.

“Everything we do here is untraceable. Well, from the outside.” He added, turning towards the door.

It wasn’t enough. I had to give to receive.

“Wait! Does that mean you got yourself some phoenix crystals? Doesn’t Cerberus have all the small samples found to date?” I allowed personal information to flow.

One only known by my father’s spies. He turned to me, humming.

“Hm, you really are smart! I think I’ll enjoy having you as a thrall. Perhaps I won’t send you back to your prince after all.” He smirked.

So, he has no intention of killing me.

His eyes were so dead. I didn’t pretend to comprehend what his life was like. But surely it wasn’t one of happiness. After all, bliss didn’t lead to an end like this.

“There isn’t a vault in the world a warlock like me can’t break. Though, that was a tough job to accomplish.” He shrugged, walking away.

The door closed behind him. There were two men left with us. One held a tranquilizing gun aimed at Thea, who had little choice but to remove her clothes, too. Before she did, though, she asked Gerta to take Luna away from her.

The old woman shielded Luna while we dressed in the white rags they brought. It was barely covering anything, though. At least, the little luma’s dress was better than ours. Once we were dressed, one of our foes cast a burning spell, triggering the clothes on the floor to combust.

It was a shame to see that beautiful dress turn into ashes. Seeming as everything else failed, there was only one way out now. One I hoped it wouldn’t come to, as it would rely on desperation. I placed my brooch on the rag I wore, taking off the hairpin my father had given me.

My hair fell past my shoulders as I gazed at Thea, who responded by narrowing her eyes. Softly she nodded her head, as I turned my sight onto the wall in front of me. I had no choice but to be a monster.

The moment the two men came into the cell, I straighten myself up. One pointed the weapon at Thea, leading her to a corner. Gerta held Luna behind her, whispering to keep her head down.

Sorry… Rem… I’ll steal your daughters' innocence.

One guard headed for me.

“Hey, it’s time to go.” He declared, reaching for my shoulder.

Not one more man will touch me today…

He grabbed onto me.

Without paying the cost!

In a snap, I spun around to face him, jabbing my hairpin into his throat. Blood gushed into my hand as I retreated it away. The man gargled on his blood, falling onto the ground. The suddenness of it all caused the other one to turn to me.

In that instance, Thea launched at him. A single punch from her knocked him out cold, tumbling onto the ground. It wasn’t enough, though. She was soft, like Loki, when he went to save everyone from the demons.

But I wasn’t. I knew if he regained consciousness, he would be another foe we had to take down. Without hesitation, I slammed my foot on the man’s throat before using my weight to crush it. I wouldn’t be a victim of them any longer.

“Vivian!” Thea gasped.

Gerta picked up Luna from the floor, pushing her little head against her shoulder. She was hoping the little luma wouldn’t gaze up to see what was happening.

“Foolish girl don’t hesitate to kill someone who will kill you without a second thought! It’s your life or theirs!” I declared, glaring at her incompetence.

Even though she was still a minor, she was only nine months younger. I wouldn’t go easy on her. Or on any of them. If we were to survive and get out without the plane of the celestial knowing of my existence.

This was the only way. Though it was futile. It would require luck that we seemed to be short on.

“I…” she stumbled.

“Oh… Don’t look at me like that. Lycans kill for lesser reasons. Now, if you want to survive, I suggest you don’t hold back. Because they won’t. And rescue isn’t coming for us unless we do something.” I informed, grabbing the stone from the ashes where my dress used to be.

It would’ve been a mistake to leave it here. Thea appeared shaken by what I said, but she knew I spoke the truth. Next to us, a man was bleeding out, gargling. I had jabbed my pin into his vocal cords. He squirmed, holding his neck.

Another who needed to be finished. Slowly, I walked over to him to grab the knife from his body. I would’ve enjoyed relishing in his pain, but there was no time for this. When we didn’t show up, either the wolf or warlock would come to find us.

And they had vampire thralls at their disposal.

“Well, if you’re so shaken about taking a life. I’ll finish them if it makes you feel better.” I sighed, slicing his neck.

Blood splattered over the wall and part of me. I never cared for the color white. After all, red always suited me best. Purity was a waste in this world.

“Vivian…” Gerta called out to me, worried.

I turned to her. There was no ounce of fear in my heart anymore. Death was something I was used to. If anything, these foolish mortals were about to see how fierce I could be. Even without my power.

A pin and a knife were all I needed to be deadly thanks to a certain elf.

“Gerta… I’ll show you how scary a mere human can be,” I smirked, not trying to hide who I was anymore.

Her eyes narrowed with a slight shake of her head. She was powerless to help at her age. Yet I would show her she wasn’t. After all, she was crucial to the plan I had.

“So, what’s your plan? We can’t just murder everyone we see.” Thea argued, not liking this at all.

A sigh left my lips. This girl was trapped in a bubble. Rem had done a good job at raising her kids to be good. Even though her husband was a war criminal in another era.

“No, just those who get in our way.” I frowned, shaking my head.

Thea needed to get on board, or else our chances would diminish. And if I had to use my magic for a Lycan, then the world wouldn’t survive. Weak spells didn’t work on their race.

“What?” Thea mumbled, not liking this plan.

But it was the only one that would keep our world as it was. I guess it was a good thing the warlock didn’t take me.

“Well, Thea, we need to get out of this anti-magic dome that warlock set up. If you have any better ideas, I’m up for it.” I huffed, searching for keys.

Luckily, one had them. I also looted the tranquilizer gun from them. Sadly, they only had three shots. Though, they would be useful against the Lycan. Or so I hoped they would be.

“I…” she mumbled.

Standing up, I walked towards the open cell gate, gazing towards the door out of here. Though what lay behind it was unknown to me. And it was exciting.

“If one of us makes it out, then Lilith or Oswald will find us. And that’s all it’ll take.” I smirked, clinging to the knife in my hands.

“How do you know of grandma?” Thea asked, joining me outside of the cell.

Gerta and Luna followed her. The little luma hadn’t opened her eyes since Gerta told her to close them.

“Oh please, who doesn’t know who your grandmother is.” I chuckled.

Lilith was the witch who used to be the vessel for the soul cairn. Well, before mother ripped it out of her and killed Stella. Though that never canceled out her connection to the realm of the dead gods.

No, it just freed her from the apocalyptic event that would’ve occurred if she died. But her story was better spoken through her than me.

“Does Loki know about this you?” the black wolf asked, worried about who his brother was sleeping with.

Her question triggered me to gaze at her.

This girl…

“He knows, what I’m capable of. Thea, your brother isn’t a fool. Although, at times I feel like he makes one out of me.” I smiled, wishing he was here with me.

The thought of my prince accepting this me was something that comforted me. He knew I had killed before. And he knew I was the dreaded god that destroyed his family. It made me wonder what the poor vampire was doing.

Hey, are you worried about me? Doubtful…

He knew that I was competent. Yet for his family, I was sure he was terrified for them. Especially being trapped with me here. If he only knew, I stabbed Tania and left her there. That led to another series of questions.

Have they found her? And does she remember me?

I would know the answer to those the next time I was in the castle.

“I don’t know if I can do this.” Thea confided, grabbing onto her chest.

I couldn’t help but scowl at her before shaking my head. It was foolish of me to think one could flip the switch easily. After all, this was a normal reaction. Not everyone wanted to be a killer. Not everyone had to be.

I never desired to be one in the first place. But I had to be to live.

“Look, this girl is about to make sure you and your sister survive. I don’t care if I have to kill insignificant beings like them to get to that goal.” I huffed, stepping forward towards the door.

If the wolf was there. It would be over before it started. Luck had to be with one of us, at least. After all, it was against me this entire time.

“All that matters is that we survive! That we live at the end of the day! And for that, I’ll crawl to that victory if I have to!” I declared, grabbing onto the door.

Before I could open it. Gerta spoke up.

“Vivian’s right. We had to do everything to survive.” She announced.

Her words caused me to gaze at her as she smiled at me. This old woman had the fire, after all.

“That’s good to know. Since I need you to keep Luna and run if we get caught. That’s the likely scenario.” I informed, turning towards the door.

Luckily, there were only four keys in this holder. And none of them seemed small enough to fit Thea’s collar. That meant the warlock probably had it. A complication that couldn’t be helped.

“Shouldn’t Thea do the running?” Gerta questioned, willing to sacrifice herself for us.

A stupid gesture.

“No, I need her strength, even though it’s limited. We need to keep that wolf away from you two. Or the vampire thralls if we run into them.” I informed, placing in different keys until I got the right one.

It was a lie. I never intended for any of them to get caught.

Just one. Me.

But if Gerta knew, she wouldn’t…

“Alright.” The old woman sighed, holding Luna.

The little one seemed startled. She was only five. And to witness this violence… Surely, it would traumatize her. But that was a better outcome than being dead.

“Luna, keep your head down and don’t look at anything.” She cooed at the little luma, who shivered.

Seeing her sister like that, made a switch flip in Thea.

“Fuck this! Fine, I’ll try!” The Lycan slapped her cheeks, shaking off her hesitation.

She had finally realized I was right. I chuckled, shaking my head. They were fools. But ones I would protect.

“Good, I hope the eye patch doesn’t fuck up your sight,” I smirked.

She scowled at me, puffing herself up a bit.

“I’ll be fine.” She pouted, not happy with my assessment.

I couldn’t help but chuckle at her response. All of his family was one of a kind. I handed the gun to Thea in the hopes she knew how to use it better than I. Slowly, I unlocked the door.

“The warlock is full of himself, so he won’t expect this. After all, what can a disabled Lycan, two humans, and a baby luma do.” I declared, opening the door.

Luckily, outside, there was no one. This plan came with a handful of problems. For one, we didn’t know if we would head directly to the warlock. Even though it was a gamble. It was one we had to take.

Without hesitation, we ran down one hall of the many in this labyrinth. It wasn’t long until we ran into a thrall, though. Luckily, he was surprised when Thea jumped him, slamming him to the floor.

Another fortunate thing was how the thralls didn’t seem to be of royal descent. They were probably poor citizens caught up in this warlock’s plan. The vampire was out cold before he knew what hit him.

Though, Thea again failed to kill. Something I could quickly remedy. But before I could finish him, voices erupted from down one hall. It soon startled us as we recognize them.

“Why the fuck are they taking so long?!” the warlock from earlier yelled.

Without a second thought, we dragged the unconscious vampire into the hall next to where we were.

“I don’t know, Jin. Do you want me to look?” the wolf asked, bringing a plethora of problems.

We needed to get out of here, quickly. His voice caused my heart to drop as I noticed a room near us. It was the one the thrall was guarding. Instinctively, I reached for it, opening it before we ran in.

Thea dragged the thrall in with us, closing the door behind, careful to not make much of a sound. We found ourselves in a storage of some kind. Though what was more worrisome was the fact we were not alone.

Inside was a human who seemed shocked to see us.

“What the hell are you doing here?!” the man questioned, seeing us bloody.

He didn’t know who we were. Though it was obvious. He was part of the mess here. I couldn’t care less if he was a victim or a collaborator, though. Sadly, I didn’t have the time to think about it thoroughly.

And that meant the man needed to be eliminated. If he screamed, well, the wolf would get to us. Instinctively, I grabbed a nearby cloth before slamming myself into him. Jabbing the cloth in his mouth, with no hesitation, I stabbed the knife into his chest. It muffled his screams as his eyes slowly lost the light.

They also released a green shimmer.

Another thrall…

The lifeless body slumped over to the side as I noticed Thea shocked by the door. It appeared no matter how many I killed; it shook her. That was a normal reaction. After all, I was the only abnormal one here.

Though, slowly, a resolve was forming in her. I peered around the room to realize we were in chemical storage. There were vials filled with different liquids everywhere. Different herbs were on every corner of this room, too.

It made me wonder how long this rogue faction called this home. Though what worried me more was the fact, that they had an alchemist in their mist. Alchemy was an art humans possessed and practiced.

They were the ones responsible for inventing the drug to down Lycans. As well as many other useful tools for every race. Although, I knew little about that branch. Though, I knew the chemicals used usually were extremely flammable.

An idea popped into my head as I searched for a lighter. We barely had any time to waste. Luckily, it wasn’t long before I found one. The girls watched me as I flipped the switch and set the herbs around on fire.

“Vivian, what are you doing?” Gerta asked, worried I might have lost my mind.

After all, we were in a dungeon with little space to escape the smoke of the fire. Though that wouldn’t be the first thing to reach us. No, the wolf would. I turned to her, smiling.

“Giving our rescuers a clue of where we are. Well, hopefully, if not a distraction for our getaway. Either way, we need to mess with the Lycan’s sense of smell. Sorry, Thea.” I informed, grabbing a few vials in my hands.

This wouldn’t be pleasant for her either. Smoke was one of the most irritating things to breathe, and with their sensitive sense of smell. Well, she was about to have a harder time at this.

“Of course… I’m only buying us seconds at most. Maybe a minute. Surely, Oliver is coming for us already.” I added, gazing at them.

The smoke would be our only hope.

“Fuck it. Do it.” Thea assured me, wanting to live too.

By now, the warlock and wolf had to be by the cells. It was the perfect chance. Opening the door, we ran outside. I gave Gerta a few seconds for her to get a bit farther from us, before throwing the vials into the fire behind us.

A chain reaction soon happened while Thea and I ran for our lives. I knew it was a long shot for any outside influence to notice. After all, we were really deep down, but it was better than the Lycan tracking all of us by scent.

A second after we bolted, an explosion came. It caused us to tumble onto the ground. A ringing sensation was left in our ears as we refused to stay down for long. We knew we had to keep moving at all costs.

Gerta and Luna were barely visible anymore as Thea helped me up. Much like I had asked her, the old woman ran with the little luma no matter what. After helping me up, the black wolf ran for it, too.

I followed her for only a couple of seconds before stopping. There was no way Thea would know if I cast a spell or if it was the warlock. Though, I knew for sure that…

Is this fine? Will they make it? Of course, they will. They’re all strong enough to survive this.

Cutting my hand with the knife, I gazed up towards the ceiling. This was the only way. I had to buy them time, even if it meant…

No one will question if it collapses, right? After all, there was an explosion. And the entire structure is unstable.

“Cadere!” I muttered, trying to use my witchcraft magic.

Even though I didn’t need to cast spells, it was one way to concentrate on what I wanted to happen. I had to keep myself from tapping into my divine powers. Luckily, it was a breeze. A dim light shined before it came down.

Though, as the ceiling gave in, I could swear I saw Thea running back toward me. Not caring if she saw me, or if I had imagined it, I turned away from her as the ceiling collapsed in front of us. Without stopping, I smeared my blood on the wall before bolting toward the opposite hall.

The last thing I could do for them. It was to be a martyr until they found help. That was if they wanted to send any after me.

Loki… won’t leave me here, will he? No, he’ll come.

I only ran for a minute or two before stopping. The hair from the back of my neck straightened up. I wasn’t alone. A chuckle came from behind me as I hesitantly turned to face the big bad wolf.

His deep blue eyes were glowing in the darkness before he showed himself.

“Aw… why didn’t you keep running? I love the chase.” Oliver snickered, having enjoyed our run.

Though annoyance was present in his eyes. He didn’t appreciate the smoke I had set loose.

“Oh, I’m so sorry to disappoint you, mutt.” I mocked, hesitant to remove my eyes away from him.

But I knew if he was there, the warlock wasn’t far behind. I had to stay focused.

“Where are the others?” he asked, noticing I was alone.

A stupid question I would never answer.

“Like I know, probably ahead of me,” I smirked, pleased they didn’t know I had collapsed the ceiling.

Thankfully, the structure was unstable enough for it to be believable.

Buy seconds, minutes… they all count.

I gazed down at the bracelet my father gave me for emergencies. I could use it if I knew the warlock was there. Though the moment the wolf took a step towards me, he winced, reaching for his neck.

From there, he pulled a dart. Someone had shot from behind him. In his frenzy to get to me, he had ignored his pursuer. He fell to his knees. From behind him, Thea rushed out of the darkness and grabbed onto my hand.

Shock filled me as we bolted out of there. I didn’t know why she was there. Or how she even got there. Then again, Thea was a Lycan. She could’ve run past the cave-in or dug her way through it.

It seemed her collar was slightly damaged, too.

Could it have been from the explosion?

It didn’t matter, though.

“What are you doing?!” I questioned her intentions.

Though I had no choice but to follow her. Her grip on me was stronger than I could pull away from.

“Saving you! I, no, we didn’t ask you to sacrifice yourself for us!” Thea scolded, not stopping for a second.

What a stupid girl!

This family was one of a kind. Even though she saw me kill, she still thought I was worth saving. Though, perhaps her judgment was muddled in fear. I wanted to feel relief, but I knew we were nowhere near done.

We didn’t know if Gerta had escaped or was captured. Nor did we know if they were still alive. Though we couldn’t even think when a thrall came from one hall. Thea picked me up in her arms before kicking the vampire into the wall.

This time, she didn’t hold back as our assailant splattered into the wall. Her eyes glowed red as I held onto her. Though we were fucked. From in front of us, a blue shine came before something hit Thea.

It was all too fast for my mortal eyes to capture. I flung onto the floor as Thea rolled on it too, hitting the wall beside us. Luckily, she seemed conscious, yet out of breath.

“Sweeties, you’ll pay for that unpleasant feeling you gave me.” Oliver stood in front of Thea.

She seemed to cough for air as familiar darkness radiated from the brown wolf. His eyes glow bright blue, leaving me unknowing how to deal with what faced us. Somehow, this wolf had the means of a shadow demon.

There was more to these two than I wanted to admit. Though something I couldn’t deny was the fact, that the soul cairn was connected to these men. My mother had been the one to do something like that before. Then it hit me.

Oh, fuck! No… we’re dealing with a homunculus?! How the fuck did Jin manage that?! And with a Lycan out of all things!

Though with that revelation. A way to stop them became possible. Homunculus were immortal beings. Well, as long as they had their core attached. Though one question remained. Mother had made Dad and Lilith using my magic.

So… How was Oliver made?!

There was no time to think. Thea was about to be swallowed up by that wolf, and I couldn’t allow that to happen. There was no time to figure out where his core was. Though it was surely near his chest.

Grabbing onto the knife, I pushed myself off the floor and rushed toward him. Before I knew it, I found myself in his grip. His hand was tightly coiled against my neck. I never had a chance against a Lycan.

It was something I already knew before I launched at him. But I couldn’t have allowed him to hurt Thea. I grabbed onto his arm to ease the tension from my skin, but it was no use. Luckily, he wouldn’t squeeze the life out of me.

“Oh, love, you’re a feisty fighter. Well, for a human.” Oliver smirked, leaving the girl at peace.

Though her breathing was erratic. Probably had a couple of broken ribs. It brought me comfort to know the collar couldn’t inhibit her healing. Though bones always took the longest to recover.

“What the fuck are you?” I struggled to word.

He was holding me in such a way that my lungs struggled to find air.

“Oh, you don’t need to know, little spark. Though, I’ll enjoy it when Jin takes you for himself. Maybe he’ll share you with me.” Oliver snickered, taking the knife away before letting me go.

Freed from his grip left me coughing for air, too. He turned on an earpiece.

“Jin, I got two of them. And one of them is the jewel you want. The other two are probably running around the maze.” The wolf informed whoever was on the other side.

After a few nods of the head, he spoke again.

“Uh, okay. I’ll bring them. You have my location, right?” he asked as a portal opened up behind him.

Grabbing onto Thea, he threw her into the darkness. Cleaning his hands, he turned to me. My breathing became unsteady as he grabbed me by my hair and dragged me in. The black only lasted for a second as I found myself in a well-lit room.

One that had a ritualistic stone in the middle. This warlock had the intention of making our sacrifices. I knew the white was for something.

“Tsk, tsk. Aren’t you a handful, Vivian? I can tell why Loki loves you.” Jin snickered, walking over to me.

I scowled at him. Though next to us Oliver kicked Thea before sitting on her back. He was pinning her down to make sure she wouldn’t move. Though that didn’t help her bones heal. The poor wolf was struggling, and it made me want to murder everyone in here.

“Are you sure I shouldn’t go after the other two?” the wolf asked, gazing up at his brother.

Jin smirked, chuckling, enjoying the color red on me. Though the scratches and cuts on me stung. And the pressure the wolf had exerted on my neck had caused bruising, for sure.

“Eh, she won’t make it past the vampire thralls lurking in these halls. And for good measure, I’ll send a shadow demon after them, too. If it comes after us, you’ll just have to take care of it.” The warlock shrugged, grabbing me by my hair.

With it, he dragged me up before letting it go. He clasped my hips with one of his hands. From there, he played with three blue orbs with his free one. It reminded me of the ones my father had. So that was what they were using to open the gates.

Disgusting.

His touch was unwelcomed. How I wished I could bring this whole place down. Though my survival instinct was stronger. My will wouldn’t be bent by them. Thea struggled in the Lycan’s grip.

“No! Don’t hurt them!” she begged them.

Little did she know that enticed the men more. Jin threw a few orbs into a portal before closing it. All they did was laugh at her, though. And it pissed me off.

“Eh, they’re dead already. And so will you soon enough.” Jin snickered, losing his grip on me a bit.

A mistake. I slammed my head on the warlock's face. The blow caused him fully to release his grip on me, allowing me to take a few steps away from him. But that was futile. That was when I noticed how many human and witchcraft users were near us.

All of them had green tints in their eyes. It appeared unreal. This warlock had these many thralls yet could still think clearly. Something wasn’t right.

“Mother fucking bitch. She fucking broke my nose.” Jin snarled from behind me.

There were no moves available to me anymore. The spikes they were going to use on Thea were on the side, too. It made me want to burn it to the ground, yet I could do nothing about it. My mind was overwhelmed.

There was no way I could cast an incantation correctly in the state I was in. The only way out of this was to expose me, and to do that would destroy this realm. I couldn’t allow that. It would mean slavery for me and doom for everyone else.

I wasn’t selfish enough to make that call.

Sorry, daddy. Even if I’m damaged, I’ll still be myself, right?

A foolish thought. Nothing they ever did to me would break me. I was a goddess, and this was nothing. It had to be.

“Enough, let’s finish this brother.” Oliver sighed.

Jin snapped his nose back into place before grabbing me by my hair again.

“Yes, let’s.” He snarled, annoyed by what I had done.

Though I didn’t care. All I could do was hope Gerta got out of the range before death met her. That old woman was resourceful, though. I had faith that something like this wouldn’t end her. He dragged me to the altar in the middle of the room, throwing me against it.

“Vivian!” Thea screamed.

Her voice sounded so desperate, but she should’ve been thankful. For every moment they spent with me, she was safe. Though it wasn’t something she desired. Fear wouldn’t rule me.

“I’ll snuff out that spark out of you now.” The warlock smirked, placing his lips near my ear.

I wouldn’t stay silent. No, I would make it as unpleasant as I did for anyone who ever tried to hold me. Yet for Loki, it always was a turn-on. Or so he said. A soft smile formed on my lips as I yearned for him.

“Oh, that won’t be fun for you. I’m as dry as a mother fucking desert!” I huffed, not enjoying his touch.

Though what I said was a bluff. Even if I didn’t want it. My body would respond to the warlock after being stimulated. After all, it was a biological response. Even if I didn’t want it, upon penetration, I would lubricate.

It was something that I couldn’t control. Though with Loki… Whenever we were going to fuck, in anticipation, my underwear would be a mess. In response, Jin shoved me against the stone.

“Oh, I highly doubt that. Vincula et ligabunt.” He chanted a spell.

In an instant, chains erupted from the floor, binding my arms to the side. My breathing was becoming erratic.

Chains bind you.

Anger swelled within me. I was about to…

No… Endure!

But it would only be so much until I snapped.

“I swear. I’ll fucking kill you!” I snarled, not wanting him to touch me.

The only people I wanted ever to leave their mark on me were Eli and Loki. The moment his hand touched my bum, I felt a flare of emotions come to me. I was close to snapping. If this continued our world…

His world would… Instinctively, I bit down on my lip. I couldn’t allow it to happen. There was no way I could be the reason his world ended again.

Elias… I… will tolerate everything to keep you alive in this life. Anything!

“Are you going to send the signal?” Oliver asked, gazing at Thea.

The young Lycan growled at the warlock who held me captive.

“Leave her alone!” she howled, not wanting to witness what was happening.

Sadly, she was helpless to stop anything. Even with her damaged collar, she couldn’t outpower the Lycan on her. Jin signaled for one of the human thralls that surrounded us to bring a green knife.

They retreated soon after. Though what caught my attention was that it had the same glow as their eyes.

Oh, fuck… A cursed item?

It hadn’t crossed my mind that he would have one of those. But it explained how he had many thralls. If that item called him its master, then… If he sliced me with that, then I…

“Na, fuck that. I think I’ll fuck her just because I want to teach this bitch a lesson.” Jin answered, undoing his belt.

The noise it made was one I felt repulsed by. If… There were too many fucking ifs binding me. I was powerless.

Endure…

Tears swelled in my eyes as frustration flourished.

Will you want me after this? Or… will I be dirty for someone as pure as you? I mean, I already am corrupt. But… I don’t think I can handle your rejection!

My chest felt heavier than ever before. Even if Loki and Eli wouldn’t want me after this. I…

“No matter, what you do to me. Nothing will ever sway my heart. I won’t become your thrall even if you use that knife on me! And nothing will stop me from loving the prince you hate so much!” I screamed as Jin sliced into my arm.

In an instant, I felt a throb go through me. This wouldn’t be something I would allow, though. Every ounce of will I had would be put into a fight.

This can’t control me.

“Vivian!” Thea called out to me, seeing my body glow green.

“And now you’re mine,” Jin smirked, pulling my face up to his.

I felt like I was seeing double. It hurt. The more I fought his control, the more agony it released into me.

“Open your mouth for me, sweets,” Jin commanded.

My body struggled to do so as I slowly opened it for him. However, before he kissed me, an explosion sounded in the distance. It triggered Oliver to gaze towards the doorway. All the thralls stood there waiting for commands.

“What the fuck was that? The Shadow beast?” the male wolf questioned.

Jin turned away from me, leaving the knife on the stone next to me when another explosion came. A blue hue shone from the end of the hall as a giant black cat poked its head at the entrance.

Its eyes were blue, just like…

“How dare you take my nieces?” a silver wolf with bright red radiant eyes was next to the cat.

“Uncle Aiden!” Thea called out.

Oliver moved away from Thea as our ceiling gave way. Ungodly amounts of red aura shined on top of us. The warlock had undone the binding spell the moment we had been interrupted.

A mistake.

On my will alone, I grabbed onto the cursed knife. Even though every fiber of my being was waiting for a command, I wouldn’t allow myself to be saved. Not if it meant this man remained alive.

Noticing my sluggish movements, Jin turned toward me. In that instance, the knife went into his hand as he caught my blow. A portal opened behind him as Thea threw herself at us, too. She wouldn’t let me be.

I didn’t know how this would end, but it appeared my gamble worked somewhat. Well, all until the point, we fell into the darkness he opened.