Hero's Curse (34 page)

“What are we going to do once the four weeks are over?”

“I’ve hired mercenaries.”

He sounded shocked. “Victor, human mercenaries will have no chance against the Jotunn!”

“Aidan, correct me if I’m wrong, but Bill Samson was a superior paladin.”

“That he was.” I could tell Aidan had no idea where I was going with this.

“If I’d had a normal, non-magical shotgun, I would have killed him just as easily as I did with Sanguinis. A sniper with no magical talent can hit a Jotunn-sized target a half mile away. In the old days when the only weapons humans had were swords and spears, magical weapons made a huge difference. Nowadays with automatic weapons, rocket propelled grenades, and other such hardware, an ordinary human shouldn’t have any problems taking out a Jotunn.

“Aidan, I’m not worried about how well the mercenaries will do; I’m worried about the item Signe stole. You have any ideas about what it could be?”

“She could have stolen some of Idunn’s apples.”

Idunn’s apples sounded vaguely familiar. “What are those?”

“They’re the source of the Norse gods’ immortality. Each apple is the distilled essence of tens of thousands of souls. If a human took just one bite, he’d regain his lost youth and become a demigod for a number of months. Were he to eat a whole apple he’d gain the powers of a Norse god for the same time period. Odin probably eats one of them a week. If he didn’t, he would begin to age, and grow progressively weaker.”

“You don’t think she stole a weapon?”

“The Norse love weapons. Warlike as they are, even when they’re not fighting they’re constantly cleaning, sharpening, and practicing with their gear. I cannot imagine ten years passing without them noticing the loss of a major weapon. I can see a decade passing before they’d notice the loss of several of Idunn’s apples.”

“So you’re telling me I might have to fight a Jotunn with the powers of a Norse god? What kind of powers does a Norse god have?”

“Sure, and they’re hard to damage. You couldn’t kill one with Obex or Sanguinis. A low yield nuclear weapon, say five kilotons, would probably suffice to kill one.”

Fuck! “B! B, I need to talk to you.” Nothing happened.

“B!”

“Dude!” I heard B in seat behind me. “Has anyone ever told you that you do an amazing imitation of Andi Swenson? Who’d a thunk you could be so true to the essence of a sixteen year old girl? Can you now say, ‘I need you’ with tears in your eyes? That’d be totally awesome.”

I fought off the urge to call Sanguinis so I could shoot him in the head. “What are the chances of Signe having one or more of Idunn’s apples?”

“The bottom line is we don’t know what she’s got, but Idunn’s apples fits with what little we do know.”

“What’s the best way to kill a god?”

“Call up an army of angels.”

“So if she eats one of those apples, I can call for help?”

“Not exactly. If she kills you because she has godly powers, I can call up an army and avenge you. But until then—until there’s proof she’s a god—we have to treat her like any other minion. She’s been here for years and we’ve never seen her use god-like powers. It’s your job, or if you’re really, really lucky—some other paladin’s job to take care of her.”

I wanted to scream. It had been a complete fuck of a day. The last thing I needed was to be told I didn’t have a chance—that all my efforts were useless. I wondered how hard it would be to obtain a nuclear weapon; maybe Drew could get me one. Even if I could get one, how the hell was I going to survive setting one off?”

“Vic.” B almost sounded sympathetic.

“Yeah. What?”

“Idunn’s apples are just a possibility. Try not to stress about shit you can’t do anything about.” I sensed him leave the van.

For the rest of the trip there was complete silence. We pulled in the Swenson’s driveway a little after 4 AM. Mina, Ben, Andi, and Tim looked beat but happy. As they unloaded the van, Andi was giggling and talking to Mina about how cool it was to have her own bike.

Aidan, Tim, Ben and I carried the Jotunn down into the basement. We cocooned him in duct tape and all of Aidan’s platinum wire so that if he tried to struggle or escape, he’d slice himself to pieces.

Once I was alone in my apartment, it was sheer luxury to finally take a shower. Mina promised me before we left for Salt Lake City that we’d talk. I hoped her definition of talking was the same as mine. I toweled myself off, got on my bed. I turned on my laptop and updated my journal. I passed out as soon as I finished.

I woke, alert but disoriented, to the sound of the door to my room opening. I was naked on top of my bedcovers. “Azam-shay.”

“Vic?” It was Mina. “Are you awake?”

Relaxing, I sat up against the headboard while reaching over to turn on the reading light by my bed. My true love appeared out of the shadows wearing a short silk robe, loosely tied at her waist. As she came closer into the light, the deep open V of her robe outlined the curves of her breasts. I saw a hint of her panties at the apex of her slender, tanned legs as she walked toward me.

“What are you doing in your motorcycle gear?” She asked, smiling. “Is it like sleeping in your Superman pajamas?” She sat next to me on the side of the bed then tapped my helmet. “Can you take this off so I can see you?” I sent it back to storage. I put my hands on her waist and loosened the knot of her belt. I felt her shiver at my touch. I didn’t look down as I untied her belt.

Mina’s breath quickened, “I promised we’d talk.”

I ran my hands lightly through her hair on either side of her face, smoothing her hair back over her shoulders. My hands slipped under the robe at her neck, and with my fingers, I pushed it off her shoulders and down her arms. She was wearing matching opalescent camisole and panties that shimmered in the direct light and became sheer in the shadows. Her veiled breasts were works of art. “I remember.”

Mina’s voice was a whisper, “Are you tired?” She smiled seductively. “Am I distracting you?” She leaned forward and touched my leather jacket with a question in her eyes. I sent my Jacket away.

“No. Yes.” It was her turn to look at me. I let my hands move up and down her sides then circled her breasts, lightly fondling and squeezing. I watched her pupils dilate as she licked her lips and visibly swallowed, leaning into my hands with a murmur of approval—wanting more. Her eyes were heavy lidded as she watched the path her hands were taking, touching my arms and shoulders, rubbing my biceps and lightly massaging across my chest. She used her nails, pressing hard, scraping down my stomach muscles to the zipper of my leather pants, then up again over my chest and nipples.

Winding her arms around my neck while rubbing herself sinuously against me, she gently kissed my cheeks, my face. I wrapped her tightly in my arms. Our lips met softly until I licked her lips, opening her mouth with my tongue. Our kisses went hard, explosive. For an instant our souls touched. I knew she wanted me as much as I did her.

I gripped her wrists and rolled her on the bed until I lay on top, her legs parting to cradle me. I kissed and licked her neck, blowing soft air across the moistness. Mina groaned, arching her back to rub her breasts and nipples against my chest, saying almost inaudibly, “Oh my God, keep doing that!” I slowly moved up, kissing her neck until I reached her earlobe and started sucking rhythmically. Holding me close, she shivered and moved against me, sighing my name in my ear on long groan.

She ran her hands down my back stroking and massaging. She tugged at my leather pants. “Vic!”

“Azam-shay.”

She gripped me and pulled my naked body tighter against her, rubbing her heels up and down the backs of my legs. I brushed her nipple; she trembled and moaned. When I squeezed her nipple and bit down on her earlobe, she started moving her head from side to side, moaning louder and telling me I was driving her crazy.

I felt Mina’s nails on my back as she bit my lower lip, then kissed me deeply, sucking on my tongue. When she spread her legs wider, I ignored her invitation and squeezed harder on her nipple and then tugged gently, then squeezing harder again while she moaned against my mouth. She broke our kiss and was thrashing against the covers, repeatedly saying my name, when I gently moved her hands aside and pulled her camisole off—throwing it across the room.

I grabbed her wrists and pulled them over her head. I held her wrists immobile with one hand while biting and sucking on her nipples. She groaned her pleasure as she wrapped her legs around my waist, moving her hips up and down. With my free hand on her leg, I lightly ran my fingers up her inner thigh until I reached the edge of her panty. I allowed one finger, then another, to barely ease underneath. She moved against my fingers as I stroked her lightly without letting my fingers penetrate, my mouth still licking and kissing her breasts. Moaning loudly, straining to release her hands from my grip, she lifted her hips and begged for me to touch her deeper, to let her touch me. As I slowly pulled my fingers away, she twisted her body to try to follow them exclaiming fiercely, “Oh, you teasing bastard.” I released her wrists, sat back, and pulled her panties off in one motion.

I abruptly got on my knees and put my hands under her ass and lifted her to my mouth. I devoured her until she came. She was still coming, screaming my name, when I lowered her to the bed and prepared to bury myself in her. As soon as the tip of my dick touched her, I became completely limp.

GOD DAMMIT! I could not FUCKING believe I had completely forgotten about my sexual limitations. My groin was now completely numb.

“Vic, what’s wrong?” Mina sat up on her elbows, eyes still glazed and unfocused, as she stared at me in surprise.

Oh shit. I barely made it to the toilet in time. I was still on my knees, dry heaving, when she followed me into the bathroom. “Oh my God, you’re sick!” She handed me the towel off the bar. “Can I get you anything?

“I’m not sick. I’m still new to the paladin thing. I forgot that I can’t have sex outside of marriage.” I wiped my face with the towel.

Mina shook her head in astounded disbelief. “Seriously? You FORGOT this? You have got to be kidding me!”

“I wish I was.” It wasn’t just my broken dick. The thought of some God damned heavenly bureaucrat watching me and Mina made me want to kill. The certainty that somewhere, B was laughing his ass off made me wish I HAD called Sanguinis, shoved the muzzle in his mouth, and taken the top of his head off

I got up and went to the sink and washed my face. I rinsed my mouth out with mouthwash and spit it out. I was almost getting used to puking.

“I don’t understand! Vic, are you sure you’re okay? I felt your penis…just collapse. Was it painful?”

I couldn’t feel anything. It was not a happy situation. “It’s okay. I’m completely numb.”

Mina hugged me from behind. Her warmth felt good. She snickered against my back, “I do believe, ‘It’s okay. I’m completely numb’ has got to be the worst line anyone has ever said after interrupted sex.” She snuggled against me, wriggling her naked body to fit tighter against me and giggled, “I just feel bad; you didn’t get a chance to have as much fun as me. You’re not going to be numb forever, right?”

I turned to face her. When she saw my face, her smile became a look of concern.

My true love was smart enough to realize I didn’t find my limp dick funny, but she was right, ‘I’m completely numb’ was an awful line. Fortunately, I felt pins and needles in my groin. It was a miserable sensation but it told me I wouldn’t be numb forever. It was amazing how scary it had been to lose the feeling in my dangly bits.

Every ounce of exhaustion I had forgotten when Mina walked into my room dropped on me like a ton of bricks. “It’s going to be okay. Let’s go to sleep.” My true love also understood I wasn’t in the mood for laughs and tickles. She quietly followed me to my bed. I pulled back the disheveled bedcovers and turned off the light. I lay down on my back, holding out my arm.

Mina slid in next to me, laying on her side, and rested her head on my chest with her hand splayed on my stomach. I encircled her with my arms. “Is your feeling back?”

“Yes.”

“I love you, Victor Paladin.”

Despite my exhaustion, frustration, and anger, my reply was easy, “I love you, Mina Swenson.”

Chapter 26: The Proposal

When I woke, the sun was high. Mina wasn’t snoring. She had a slight hint of a smile on her face. I had to figure out a way to get some privacy from the heavenly host. Just thinking about someone else watching us last night made my temperature rise.

I listened to the household. Aidan and Tim were up, Ben and Andi weren’t.

I grabbed some clothes, and as quietly as possible got ready in the bathroom. I knew I should wait for her to wake up. Mina and I had so much to talk about. I had so much to explain.

In the last four days, I’d spent more time interacting with others than I had in the entire previous year. I not only enjoyed being alone, I needed solitude. There was no doubt I loved Mina but I also had to get my head straight before talking seriously with her, and to do that I needed some alone time. 

I got out of the house without anyone noticing. Tim and Aidan were busy downstairs. I could hear them working on the Jotunn’s restraints. I walked a couple blocks away from the house and sent a text message to Drew to meet me at the Sugar House Barnes and Noble.