Hero's Curse

by Jack J. Lee

  Mina reached up and caressed my face, “Soulmates? I guess that explains why I’m still attracted to you, even with the way you’ve been acting. How do we do this?”

  “I have to warn you, our souls are going to touch and meld. This is serious.”

  Mina’s mischievous look returned, “Okay Casanova, how many women have your shared souls with?”

  “You’d be the first.”

  “And you’ve slept with how many?” When I just grinned in response, she good-naturedly shrugged, “Figures, you’re not the kind to kiss and tell on the first date. I’m guessing you’re not a virgin. But as far as you’re concerned, sharing souls is more intimate than sex?”

  “Yes.” For once, I was glad Mina could sense my emotions. I’d never been in love before. For years, sex had just been a way of satisfying a physical need. Because of the way that many women reacted to sex—believing it meant we had an emotional connection— reading a good book or watching a great movie had often been the better option. I was certain that sharing souls with Mina would be more intimate than sex.

  “How do we do it?”

  “You will it to happen and then touch; it’s tradition to ki…” Mina’s lips touched mine before I could finish. Every time I’d kissed Mina before, I’d been able to lose myself for a few split seconds and think of nothing except her. With this kiss, time slowed to an eternity and it was incredible. I saw colors and images from her life, could smell the perfume that was her essence, and feel her soft lips against mine. I’d always thought strength came from hardships—that you couldn’t be strong without being tested. I was wrong. I might have needed hardship to strengthen me; Mina hadn’t.

  Mina had an ideal childhood. She had been raised in a wealthy household full of love. It wasn’t until she was a young adult that she lost her parents. I’d worried she wasn’t mature enough for me because I hadn’t known her. She was a slow, calm, harmless appearing river that could wear down mountains or in a flash surge destroy a city.

  I felt and saw flickers of images from her past—all the experiences that made her who she was; the first time she looked in a mirror and realized she was pretty, the feel of her father throwing her in the air as she laughed, and how it felt to be comforted in her mother’s arms after she broke up with her first boyfriend. I watched and felt her grow into the woman I held in my arms and then it was over; our kiss ended.

  I felt rested and replenished like I had woken from the best night of sleep in my life. Mina had a huge smile on her face and looked like she was about to fall asleep.

  “Victor.”

  “Yes?”

  “You touch souls with anyone else and you’ll wish you were dead. You know you’re mine now, and I’m not the kind that shares, right?”

  “Yeah, I know who you are.”

  “Good.” She gave a large yawn, stretched herself along the pew, and fell asleep with the huge smile still on her face.

  Chapter 21: Calm before the Storm

  “Excuse me.” I turned around. Tim stood next to my pew, with an apologetic expression on his face. “Mr. Paladin, I need to get by you to put an IV into Mina.”

  “Why would she need an IV?”

  “She’s performed powerful magic. She’s severely hypoglycemic. If I don’t put her on a glucose drip, she won’t wake up until the morning and she’ll probably have the biggest headache of her life. With the IV, she’ll wake up in a couple hours and she won’t have a headache.”

  The first time I’d put protection spells on myself, I’d passed out. When I woke, I felt like I’d been on a multiday bender. My headache had been excruciating. “So why didn’t you put an IV into me after I cast my first spells?”

  Tim hesitated exactly like he had when he explained how I’d wasted a massive amount of soul energy earlier today. Damn it! I was tired of making beginner mistakes. I waited for Tim to tell me what I’d done wrong this time.

  “You have an active auto-defense spell. It wasn’t worth the risk to try to put a needle into you while you were unconscious.”

  “What?”

  “I was wondering if you knew you had that spell.” He paused to study my expression. “No, you didn’t. Mr. Paladin—by the way, you don’t mind me calling you Mr. Paladin, do you? Paladin Paladin sounds strange.”

  I sighed. “Tim, ‘Mr. Paladin’ sounds like a guy who wears a suit. Why not just call me Vic or Victor like everybody else does?”

  His face brightened. “Really? Thank you! Well, um, Vic, you must have cast this spell years ago. It’s one of the most useful spells around for warriors because it causes your subconscious to be constantly alert for threats. It’s not uncommon for men who survive being in high risk professions for years—soldiers, police officers, or covert operatives—who have the right genetics to unknowingly place this spell upon themselves. The subconscious mind will react almost instantaneously while the conscious mind, by definition, requires thought before action. In a crisis, a few split-seconds of delay caused by the need to think and make a decision can be deadly.

  “Because of this spell, I decided against trying to put an IV into you. If I had tried, you probably would have attacked before you were fully awake. I decided allowing you to have a headache was a better idea than doing something that your subconscious might have perceived as a threat. As it was, even after your fight with the Redcaps we had to take precautions to protect ourselves when we put an IV into you.”

  “So, what other spells do I have on me I don’t know about?’

  ”The major ones that I can detect unaided are the anti-aging spell, the spell to speed healing and prevent infections, and the spell that makes it more difficult for people to recognize you. The chances are good you have other spells, but I’d have to perform special tests to determine what those are.”

  “How do I deactivate my auto-defense spell?”

  Tim went back to looking apologetic. “That’s tricky; spells placed unconsciously without words—pure, instinctive expressions of the will to live—are much more powerful than those that use words. It’s possible to deactivate these spells but it’s difficult and requires a lot of expertise. If your subconscious truly trusts someone, that person won’t trigger the spell. Otherwise, it’s dangerous to touch you without warning. You may not have noticed but whenever I touched you, I made sure not to surprise you. There are disadvantages to the auto-defense spell, but the survival advantages are so great that I don’t think there is a paladin without one.”

  I was coming to realize that Tim had skills. While talking to me, he expertly started an IV in Mina’s left arm and attached an IV bag to the back of the pew.

  He pointed to the bag. “The bag will empty in a little over two hours. Mina should wake up by then. In the meantime, you should eat.” He pointed to Andi and Ben who had approached us while we were talking. Aidan was still busy working on my gear.

  Andi had a sheepish expression on her face and handed me a paper plate stacked with pizza slices. “While you and Sis were trying to break the Guinness Book of World Record’s time for the longest kiss, we ordered some pizza. These are the slices we saved for you.”

  I started on the pizza. Tim went back to assist Aidan. Ben and Andi didn’t have anything better to do except watch me eat.

  In between bites I asked, “How long were Mina and I kissing?”

  Ben blurted, “Dude, I wished I’d timed it but it was a really long time. Long enough for us to order pizza, have it delivered, and spend at least a half-hour eating. Andi and I wanted to try to get you guys out of your trance but Tim stopped us. He said it would be dangerous.” He grinned. “I used my cell phone to take some video of you and Mina kissing. I can send it to you if you want. Anyway, what were you guys doing?”

  “Did you post the video on the internet yet?”

  He shook his head.

  “Can I see it?”

  Ben pulled up the video on his phone and handed it to me. I started to crush the damn thing in my hand…No—he didn’t deserve that.
There wasn’t any reason for him to believe I’d mind being videoed. I ignored Ben’s surprised, “Hey!” and I fast forwarded through the video. There wasn’t much to see, just me and Mina kissing. We didn’t move much, so the video looked like a still picture. I deleted the file.

  When Ben said his second “Hey”, I met his eyes to let him see how NOT happy I was.

  “I’ve got people looking for me. Post my picture on your Facebook page and sooner rather than later, there will be men you don’t want to meet kicking down your door. We have enough problems with the Jotunn. We don’t need more. You understand?”

  “Oh, okay.”

  I threw the phone back to him and I willed Ben and Andi to go away. My spell bar came and showed me how much energy it would take to chase them away without having to talk to them; it was too much energy. Life had been simpler when I used magic without knowing what I was doing. I checked my phone for the time. It was 7:32 PM. Sundown was less than two hours away. “Guys, it’s been a long day and it’s going to hit the fan when it gets dark. I could really use some time alone to collect my thoughts.”

  The Swenson kids responded like kicked puppies. Andi especially looked like she was about to whimper, but they walked away without arguing. I needed some air. I went out to the vestibule, dumped my paper plate in the trash can there, and continued outside. It was the perfect time to be outdoors. The outside temperature was no longer burning hot. Samson and his boys must have cast some sort of spell or used some other technique to get rid of all the local noncombatants. There was no sign of life—no cars, pedestrians, or evidence of people moving in the buildings and houses within eyesight.

  I didn’t waste time thinking about the Jotunn. I’d already committed to challenging them to fight me one-on-one. It was too late to change my mind. I didn’t know enough about the Jotunn to make detailed plans. I let my mind drift over the events that had happened over the last couple of days and then to my life for the last couple years. I don’t know how long it took but I eventually started thinking about my childhood.

  Every orphan wants to be adopted. I learned at a very young age I wasn’t cuddly. Parents looking for kids to adopt never spent much time with me. Before I had taken in Mina’s soul, I would have sworn that not being loved as a kid hadn’t really bothered me. As an adult, I’ve had women who were attracted to me, some who even told me they loved me. But those women hadn’t even known my real name. You can’t love someone you don’t know.

  While I was experiencing Mina’s life, I’d felt what it was like to have loving parents. While I was touching Mina’s soul, she had been touching mine. She knew who I was and still claimed me as hers. She knew every flaw I had, and despite them all, she loved me. I found this hard to believe.

  “Victor,” I heard Aidan’s voice behind me. I made sure to wipe my eyes before I turned, “your weapons are ready.”

  I followed Aidan back into the church and he showed me how to wear and use the weapons he’d made for me. He was truly an artist. Everything fit perfectly. All the controls were intuitive. It didn’t take long to set the trigger words. I stuffed a bunch of energy gel packs into my pants pockets and grabbed a long sleeved shirt to hide my new weapons. As I put on my shirt, I saw a small aluminum tube. What the hell—I put it in my front shirt pocket.

  Tim asked, “What kind of ammo do you want loaded in Sanguinis?”

  “Buckshot in a thirty-two round drum.”

  I checked the time. It was 9:02. Sixteen minutes to sundown. I excused myself and walked over to Mina. She was sleeping. I could feel her happiness. I was glad she was still asleep. I turned to Ben and Andi. “If I had to do it all over again, I would have brought weapons for all of you guys. But I didn’t, so that means all of you have to sit tight and keep out of the way until it’s all clear. You absolutely need to stay in the church until the Jotunn are all gone. Is that clear?”

  I waited until Ben and Andi both said, “Yes.”

  I caught Tim and Aidan’s eyes. “I don’t know enough about your weapons or fighting styles to give any orders or advice. I’m going to trust you two to protect the Swensons.”

  I walked back outside. The darkening sky surrounding the setting sun was beautiful.

  “Victor?”

  “Tim?”

  “I know you want me to protect the Swensons but I’ve got to tell you, I think I’ll be more help to you outside. Let me take on the Jotunn first. I’m expendable; you’re not, and I have skills.” He closed his eyes and furrowed his brow in concentration. Within a few seconds, I heard the buzzing of a fly. He opened his eyes and his hand flickered almost too fast to be seen. When he was done, he held a titanium katana in a two handed grip. The tip of the blade was pointed down, a few inches off the ground.

  “Can you see it?” Tim Hardy was different. He wasn’t hesitant, apologetic, or goofy. He looked confident and pleased with himself. I realized then he was pointing at something on the ground. It was a fly. It had been cut in half.

  I grinned. “What would happen if I asked you to do that three times in a row?”

  Tim grinned back. “I was hoping you wouldn’t ask. When it comes splitting flies, I bat around .300.” He flicked his hands again and his sword disappeared. “I was trying to get a bee; flies are more difficult.”

  I groaned. “You were trying for half-a-bee?”

  His grin got bigger.

  “What would you have done if you’d missed?”

  “I would have claimed that because of me, that the fly could never make love again”

  Even though I half-expected the punch line, I had to laugh. Tim joined me.

  “I thought we couldn’t tell lies?”

  “Believe or not, God has a sense of humor. If it is an obvious fiction and there’s no chance of anyone believing you’re speaking the truth, you can tell a joke.”

  “Tim…” I had trouble figuring out how to ask my question.

  “Yes, I know I’m acting out of character. I don’t know why but I tend to panic when I still have hope.” Tim gave a fatalistic shrug, “When I don’t have any, I settle down.”

  “Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

  “Victor, if you had even a year to train and prepare, we’d have a chance. Samson wants you dead now. He’s not going to ride to the rescue until after you’re mortally wounded. I’m pretty sure Master Aidan, the Swensons, and I will survive the night but then our Oaths will make us go back to Salt Lake City. Without a paladin or other Oath Brothers to help us, we’ll last at most a few weeks. I don’t have much to lose by volunteering to fight the Jotunn ahead of you. Victor, I’m not a natural hero. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t have to be, but if I’m going to die, I want it to mean something.”

  “Like I said before, I’m not planning on dying today. Get inside; that’s an order.”

  Tim hesitated. For a second it looked like he was going to argue, maybe even walk over to me. In the end, he just nodded his head and went back inside.

  I quickly scanned my own body and took multiple healing templates of each limb and vital organ. I paid the most attention to my hands, neck, and the parts of my lower body that wouldn’t be covered by my invulnerable motorcycle jacket and boots.

  I sat on the steps in front of Our Lady of Good Counsel in my civilian clothing—my new bang sticks, stun guns, and garotte strapped on my forearms underneath my long sleeved shirt and enjoyed the sunset.

  Chapter 22: The Deal

  I could hear the Jotunn before I could see them. The rumble of their motorcycles as they came toward the Church was impossible to miss. I was still getting used to my super hearing; I couldn’t tell how far away they were. I guessed they were at least a few minutes away. I now knew one more thing about the Jotunn. The only advantage motorcycles had over a bus, or a couple large vans, was how cool they looked. I’ve never dealt with barbarians before but I had experience with outlaw biker gangs. If barbarians were anything like outlaws, the odds of my plan working had just gone up a notch.

&
nbsp; There’s a difference between a professional killer and an outlaw. A professional killer just wants to get the job done quickly and cleanly. He likes being anonymous. The job is more important than his vanity. An outlaw needs to be admired. If he does something bad, he wants everyone to admire his badness. His entire life revolves around his reputation.

  An outlaw motorcycle gang is made up of guys who want to be legends. This makes them predictable. They usually take the path that makes them look like badasses. Winning isn’t enough; they want to be feared and respected. Become an honored enemy, someone who they can brag about killing and they’ll go out of their way to gain your respect—treat you like family until they try to kill you.

  Outlaws appreciate an enemy with panache. I reached into my front shirt pocket for the aluminum tube I had put away earlier. It held a single Romeo Y Julietta, a seven-inch, fifty-ring gauge cigar. Unless you know what you’re doing, biting the end of a cigar will tear the wrapper and ruin the cigar. I bit off the end and lit it up.

  The warband arrived in a swarm on custom made choppers. They pulled their bikes in a half circle on the street in front of Our Lady of Good Counsel. They were in their human shapes and wore the leathers expected of an outlaw biker gang.

  I saw nineteen problems that needed fixing. They saw a slender guy, inches shorter than their smallest, in jeans and a dark, long-sleeve, button-down shirt, sitting on the front steps of the church enjoying a good smoke.

  Their leader in the center spoke, “Paladin, I thought you would be larger.” I realized then she was female, the only one of the bunch. She was actually attractive in a gargantuan sort of way. When she got off her bike and kicked it, the rest followed.

  I remained sitting. “I’ve been waiting for you.”

  “Blód ok daudi![10]” One of the Jotunn screamed and ran toward me while he shapeshifted. Within a few steps, he morphed from a reasonably large red headed guy in leathers to a seven foot behemoth bearing a two-handed war hammer.