have forced his hand.
And like Kara had said, once she was immortal again, the pain she was feeling now would fade. It never would have for him, but he hoped it would for her.
He regretted only having to inflict this final injury on her.
He was taking her to his battle. She had to be nearby when he died so that she could harvest his soul.
He brought the car to a stop.
In the warehouse in front of them, there was a sort of a low-life summit between Odin and Thor worshippers. All Endowed. And all hated Lokians with a rabid passion.
Crashing their meeting was a sure way to go.
He turned to Kara. She remained staring ahead.
He should just go. He couldn’t. Just one last kiss.
He dragged her to him, took her stiff lips in a kiss where he poured all his love. She didn’t reciprocate. She wouldn’t say goodbye, letting him know what he was doing was one-sided. She hated him right now for depriving her of himself. He hoped this anger would help her until she could start healing and forgetting.
He left the car, didn’t look back.
He entered the warehouse, and after the initial stupefaction, it was very much a déjà vu of that first night he’d seen her.
He was soon accumulating too many injuries, feeling his life force deserting him. He knew this time Loki would let him go.
He was willing his soul to leave his body and go to her, when suddenly among the haze of agony he felt a disturbance spreading like wildfire, through his abusers, through his abused body.
He raised his head. And she was there. Kara.
He watched in horror as the déjà vu congealed. Some of his attackers charged her. This time she stood there, made no attempt to protect herself. The first one who reached her ran her through.
He heard her cry, watched her fall to her knees, and knew.
She would die. Right here. Before his eyes. They had killed her.
And he went berserk.
He felt nothing more until he was panting over the hacked bodies of his enemies. Kara’s killers.
Then he was crashing to his knees by her side, shuddering apart with heaves of desperation. He gathered her in shaking arms, madness and grief pouring from his eyes, spilling all over her.
Her lashes fluttered. His heart ruptured. She was still alive. But not for long. He felt her essence ebbing, only moments’ worth left to power her last breaths.
Her eyes opened and impaled him with a look of serenity.
Then she smiled. Smiled . “You didn’t think…I’d let you carry out this harebrained idea…did you?”
He wanted to shake her, strangle her for doing this to him, to herself. He could only choke, “You’re insane, insane….”
“Not really. This will work…you’ll see. I’ve been doing research…and this is one way out my aunts and Freyja conveniently forgot to mention…and you didn’t think of. As a willing sacrifice…I’ve cornered both gods. They won’t be able to force me into anything. Odin can’t claim me…and Freyja has to accept me in Fólkvangr without your soul as a ticket in.”
“Why wouldn’t she restore your immortality?”
“That was only…on offer…in return for your soul. I only want eternity if you’re with me…and we can’t be alive together…. It’s a catch-22. So this is…the best solution.”
“There’s another solution. Take me with you.”
“I can’t. But I’ll be fine in Fólkvangr. I’ve existed way too long, too, and even if I don’t remember it…I feel the weight of time in my bones. It will do me good to get off this merry-go-round. Also my job as tour guide…to the fallen is nowhere…as noble as yours…as guide…to the outcasts. I’ll end my existence with reversing my role…saving a mighty warrior instead of selling him on Valhalla and…trapping him into helping…that Odin oaf.”
And he roared, “I’m not leaving you to those psychopaths. They’ll find a way to punish you for thwarting them. So if you can’t take me with you, if I can’t be with you, I want anyone who covets my soul and
And like Kara had said, once she was immortal again, the pain she was feeling now would fade. It never would have for him, but he hoped it would for her.
He regretted only having to inflict this final injury on her.
He was taking her to his battle. She had to be nearby when he died so that she could harvest his soul.
He brought the car to a stop.
In the warehouse in front of them, there was a sort of a low-life summit between Odin and Thor worshippers. All Endowed. And all hated Lokians with a rabid passion.
Crashing their meeting was a sure way to go.
He turned to Kara. She remained staring ahead.
He should just go. He couldn’t. Just one last kiss.
He dragged her to him, took her stiff lips in a kiss where he poured all his love. She didn’t reciprocate. She wouldn’t say goodbye, letting him know what he was doing was one-sided. She hated him right now for depriving her of himself. He hoped this anger would help her until she could start healing and forgetting.
He left the car, didn’t look back.
He entered the warehouse, and after the initial stupefaction, it was very much a déjà vu of that first night he’d seen her.
He was soon accumulating too many injuries, feeling his life force deserting him. He knew this time Loki would let him go.
He was willing his soul to leave his body and go to her, when suddenly among the haze of agony he felt a disturbance spreading like wildfire, through his abusers, through his abused body.
He raised his head. And she was there. Kara.
He watched in horror as the déjà vu congealed. Some of his attackers charged her. This time she stood there, made no attempt to protect herself. The first one who reached her ran her through.
He heard her cry, watched her fall to her knees, and knew.
She would die. Right here. Before his eyes. They had killed her.
And he went berserk.
He felt nothing more until he was panting over the hacked bodies of his enemies. Kara’s killers.
Then he was crashing to his knees by her side, shuddering apart with heaves of desperation. He gathered her in shaking arms, madness and grief pouring from his eyes, spilling all over her.
Her lashes fluttered. His heart ruptured. She was still alive. But not for long. He felt her essence ebbing, only moments’ worth left to power her last breaths.
Her eyes opened and impaled him with a look of serenity.
Then she smiled. Smiled . “You didn’t think…I’d let you carry out this harebrained idea…did you?”
He wanted to shake her, strangle her for doing this to him, to herself. He could only choke, “You’re insane, insane….”
“Not really. This will work…you’ll see. I’ve been doing research…and this is one way out my aunts and Freyja conveniently forgot to mention…and you didn’t think of. As a willing sacrifice…I’ve cornered both gods. They won’t be able to force me into anything. Odin can’t claim me…and Freyja has to accept me in Fólkvangr without your soul as a ticket in.”
“Why wouldn’t she restore your immortality?”
“That was only…on offer…in return for your soul. I only want eternity if you’re with me…and we can’t be alive together…. It’s a catch-22. So this is…the best solution.”
“There’s another solution. Take me with you.”
“I can’t. But I’ll be fine in Fólkvangr. I’ve existed way too long, too, and even if I don’t remember it…I feel the weight of time in my bones. It will do me good to get off this merry-go-round. Also my job as tour guide…to the fallen is nowhere…as noble as yours…as guide…to the outcasts. I’ll end my existence with reversing my role…saving a mighty warrior instead of selling him on Valhalla and…trapping him into helping…that Odin oaf.”
And he roared, “I’m not leaving you to those psychopaths. They’ll find a way to punish you for thwarting them. So if you can’t take me with you, if I can’t be with you, I want anyone who covets my soul and
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