Page 2 of Claimed By Her Monsters

“ATHENA!” The scream came from Natalia, as if she were suddenly here and witnessing the chaos that was unfolding—that I was experiencing firsthand—and I realized the other goddesses were surrounding us, watching in utter horror as it became crystal clear what had just occurred.

Laughter began to escape me, the sound nothing like my own as the smile that graced my lips only made the scornful woman before us further rage even in our obvious defeat.

“Did you think… I didn’t have a disciple, Danica?” I purred in utter glee before I laughed even harder. “You’re such… a fool. So… desperate for power… when you just gave it to the one who was destined to replace you.”

“W-What?” Danica questioned and tried to hide the fear and desperation in her eyes. “Your lies have no end, do they, Athena? No one is replacing me.”

“Ah,” I replied and giggled. “You say that, and yet the fear in your eyes is as beautiful as the dark sky above us. Let me ask you… with the goddesses all here to witness my death, did you really… really… think there wasn’t a Goddess of Nightmares?”

“You created it so that lost orphan would have a place in our ranks. Out of fucking pity!”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk,” I replied and giggled some more, even as I acknowledged the metallic taste of blood pooling out of me. “That’s so far from the truth that it’s laughable.”

“Admit that you’ve been working with the humans and I’ll heal you,” Danica offered in return, knowing time was precious, but I laughed and shook my head.

“My death is just the catalyst for your demise, Goddess of Light,” I declared, mocking her title and laughing maniacally. “You’ve done it, my dear. You not only fucked yourself over, but now you’ve given my disciple both roles! You truly are a fool! A brilliant fool!”

“W-What is she saying?” Natalia demanded. “What does this have to do with Nerissa?!”

“Nerissa has nothing to do with this!” Danica snapped and pointed to us. “She’s working for the humans and has been planning to sell Nerissa to Lucifer!”

“If only that were true,” I weakly responded. “It would have made dying feel more grand, but knowing what I know now, everything is in place!”

My laughter was hurting my very lungs, and black spots were beginning to form in my line of vision.

“Athena! Dammit, Danica! Stop this foolishness and heal her!” I could see the actual fear in that woman’s eyes of blue, but I knew she wouldn’t do it. Not because she didn’t want to, but for a reason far better than that.

“She can’t do it,” I whispered the truth and showed my red teeth before spitting out the pool of blood. “The Goddess of Light has been chosen. Just like… the heir of the darkness… who will take over my place.”

“That’s… that’s not possible…” Natalia whispered. “Who’s the heir of the dark throne if Athena dies?”

“Nerissa,” another spoke hastily.

“Then who’s taking Danica’s place if she can’t fucking heal?”

No one could answer and it only frustrated Natalia, who glared at Danica. “Stop being a fucking bitch and heal her!”

“I CAN’T!” Danica offered and showed her hands and arms, the last bits of white markings leaving her flesh, just like the rest of her light magic, which escaped her aura and danced in the air around us.

We all watched as the light swiftly rushed forward until it wrapped around where I knelt and began to seep into my magic incantations with haste.

“W-W-What?” Natalia was speechless. However, it felt like I was suddenly myself but still in this desolate environment.

I watched as the last specks of light magic took over my trembling frame and had no choice but to look up to see that Athena now stood in front of me—almost protectively—and laughed wildly like she’d truly won in the end of all of this mayhem.

“I present to you, the Goddess of Light,” she hummed and took a step to her left and then three wobbly steps back to show the other goddesses my knelt position.

“Nerissa?” Natalia’s voice trembled. “You’re here?”

“I… was here when she struck her,” I whispered. “What… What’s happening? I can’t… This can’t be happening.”

“But it is, my dear Nerissa,” Athena hummed, and I felt her hands on my shoulders. I looked up and saw her smiling expression as her dark eyes twinkled with pride, but then I gasped with the other goddesses as I realized she was beginning to fade, her body turning into dark particles that were fading away.

“My time is up,” she revealed like it was such an honor to finally perish. “You’ll return to your body in a matter of moments and well, all hell will break loose.”

“A-Athena, wait. You can’t die. Let… let me heal you!” I pleaded, but I knew I wouldn’t make it in time.

“What’s lost must always be found,” she urged. Her eyes never left mine, even as tears sprouted in their dark hollows. “It’s time for you to understand that you’re worth fighting for. Even if it means the world has to suffer and watch in the process.”

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