Read Online Frenzied by Claire Chilton - Free Book Online Page A

into fists.
    “No! He had a creature on a table and ate its heart out of its chest while it was still alive.” She shot the woman an annoyed glance. “That was a good enough reason to kill him. And I’d do it again.”
    “So would I.” Ben straightened his shoulders, and his muscles bulged in his arms as he tensed.
    “I see.” The woman frowned at them. The wolf-like creature behind the woman transformed into a man in his forties. He leaned over and whispered into her ear. She nodded, her eyes not leaving Lucy and Ben for a second.
    Lucy jumped as the two bear-like creatures bounded up the stairs behind her. They brushed past her and Ben, heading for the old woman. One reported to her in a low voice before bowing. Then he stood by her side.
    “It seems you are telling the truth,” the woman said.
    “Would you mind telling us what this is all about?” Lucy asked. She was getting annoyed with the vague answers. Odin’s warriors or not, she wanted to know what the hell was going on.
    The woman sized them both up in silence.
    Ben stepped forward. “Tell us what you want. It’s been a long fucking day!”
    The woman walked towards them, sniffing the air around them when she reached them. “You are blessed by Odin.”
    “Blessed?” Lucy grimaced. “This is no blessing.”
    “I didn’t say you would like it.” The woman said. “It’s rare that humans can take our form. Most simply become mindless animals—abominations. They lose their souls, and act only on bloodlust. However, some can retain their human soul. I believe that is what has happened to you.”
    “Why did it happen at all? Who was Ketis?” Ben asked.
    “Ketis was druid, much as I am. We were not sure until now what had happened, but now it becomes clear. His pack died, and he went missing. We tracked him here, but the infestation had begun. We had to block the exits to ensure it did not infest the Earth.”
    “So, are you different from us?” Lucy asked.
    “We are born into our packs. Odin’s gift should not be given by anyone but him.”
    Lucy frowned. “So we’re abominations too?”
    Ben scowled at the word.
    “It seems not. Odin has bestowed your souls upon you. You are part of our pack now.”
    “What if we don’t want to be part of your pack?” Ben folded his arms and narrowed his eyes at the woman.
    “Then you die.”
    Lucy shot him a warning glance. Right now, they didn’t have a choice. There was no way they could take on a whole pack of these things.
    “Um, what does being in a pack mean, exactly?”
    “You live to serve Odin.”
    “Well, that’s nice and vague. Serve him how?” Lucy narrowed her eyes at the woman.
    “You are Odin’s warriors! You fight for his causes.”
    “Which are …?”
    The woman narrowed her eyes. “We fight in the great battles for this planet, we protect life on the planet, and we serve Odin.”
    “Okay.” Lucy sighed. The woman wasn’t going to give her anything else that was helpful by the sound of it.
    Great battles? Was there such a thing?
    “So um, why did Ketis create abominations?”
    The woman stared through her for a moment. “Ketis always wanted to be human, but he could not keep his form for very long. It seems that he used the dark forces to try to become one of them.”
    “So, eating hearts makes you human again?” Lucy wrinkled her nose.
    “There are dark arts that can give you the power to change your shape, but nothing can restore humanity into a creature that does not have it.”
    “Are you saying that we have no humanity anymore?” Ben widened his eyes.
    “No. I’m saying that we don’t.” The woman gestured to the group behind her. “Only humans have humanity.” She waved an arm at Lucy and Ben. “I don’t know if you retain your humanity. You are only known by legend to us.”
    Lucy caught Ben’s eye. His jaw muscles tensed as he offered her a subtle shake of his head. Even these creatures didn’t know what she and Ben were.
    “Er, what happens