She wiped a tear from her cheek. Ya better be right ‘bout that chunk o’ gold keepin’ Thor safe, old man! I’m so scared, Vali. If anyting happens to our grandson, I’ll die a broken, old woman!
Chapter 16
Waning Moon
Wearing the amulet had strange side-effects; Thor was evolving into something more than he thought possible. All of his senses were heightened; colors were more vibrant, whispers not meant for his ears could be shouts if he concentrated – he tried not to do that, there were things in this world he did not need to know. Taste, smell and touch were heightened as well, along with something…new.
For the past few nights, he could feel the pull of the moon; he could not explain the sensation, only that it was there, and important.
The moon would enter its fourth quarter in eleven hours, sixteen minutes and eight seconds; it was maddening if he thought about it; not thinking about it only made thing worse. He wondered if Ivar or his son, Jorick had the same sensations, or if this was something uniquely his; if they did, it was possible Jorick was completely mad by the time he recorded his story. If that was the case, Thor was totally screwed; he felt half-mad, already.
He considered the words spoken by the old woman to Jorick, and was no closer to figuring out that riddle than before. The hours spent pouring over his grandfather’s research, and everything else he could find, were useless. There were dozens of creatures that were supposed to swallow the moon throughout history; fish, birds, and wolves – mainly Hati Hróðvitnisson: Fenrir’s offspring, during Ragnarok – dragons were popular, but never a mention of a dragon tamer.
Else landed the helicopter and cut the engines; the turbines winding down and rotors slowing, more than welcome sound and sight. Thor was grateful to be on the ground. The combination of Else’s idea of a safe distance from the treetops, and the shifting mountain air currents tossing the Blackhawk like a kite made him wonder if he would see tomorrow.
This was only the first wave of the invasion, however, Else would return to the ship for more men and supplies, but for the moment, she needed to rest. It was bad enough she was risking her life to bring them here, she did not need the added pressure of exhaustion; even the best pilots made fatal errors when fatigue hit hard. Thor would never forgive himself if that happened; too many of his loved-ones have died already, without adding to that list.
Nwabudike and five other men filed out of the Blackhawk, unloading the equipment without a word. Thor learned there were far more weapons onboard his ship than he thought; enough to supply a small army… and then some. If he did not know better, he would swear Julia was smuggling guns under his nose. Thor chuckled at that thought; Julia could be many things, but never a criminal.
Bryndis and Mikki exited, slinging packs over their shoulders as they glanced around nervously. They both appeared to be as grateful to be on solid ground as he; no matter how many times Mikki kept telling everyone how fun the flight was, and begged Else to get closer to the ridges.
Mio jumped from the doorway, yawned and stretched. The lazy creature actually slept most of the way. The dog shook his massive head, sending drool flying. He sniffed the air, then gave a low, guttural growl. Something he did not like caught his attention. That could be just about anything, lately; Mio had been acting strange since they made port in Constanța yesterday afternoon, keeping close to Thor and holding his ears back when he sniffed the air.
Thor closed his eyes. There was something in the air: the scent of fear, sorrow, and death… mainly death, hanging in the air like a fog clinging to everything, and everyone. No wonder the dog was on edge; if Thor could smell it, the scent must be overpowering to Mio. Thor whistled and Mio sat, though his eyes kept searching for the origin of that scent. Last night had been bad enough, with Mio practically covering him like a blanket, and growling at every little noise. Thor did not need to spend the rest of the day tripping over the moose because Mio refuse to be more than five feet from him.
A group of weary-eyed men with rifles came forward to meet them. They did not seem much of a force, more like farmers with guns; frightened ones at that. Thor imagined it was not every day a helicopter filled with armed soldiers descended upon them. Given the history of this country, Thor would most likely be pissing on himself if he were any of them.
The game had not even started, and the threat of bloodshed was knocking on the door.
Thor lit a cigar, then opened the door. “Lower your weapons before someone gets hurt,” he said, stretching stiff muscles. Mainly you fools, he added mentally. Nwabudike and the others may seem preoccupied with the unloading, but Thor knew better. Each one of them had their assigned target before the landing gear hit the ground, and would strike with deadly consequence at the sound of a gun being cocked.
As much as any of them hated to admit it, they had come to the middle of nowhere, with no idea what was waiting for them. It was not as if you could pull up blueprints of a medieval castle – especially one so few people seemed to know about – on line. Not to mention, the satellite photos they were able to get were so blurry you could barely tell there were mountains. Apparently, the N.S.A. deemed this place inconsequential, or they’d been so clear, you’d be able to count the feathers on the chickens.
From what Nwabudike and Else pointed out during the fly-over inspection, the defenses in place were pretty tight, already; they were just going to get a makeover to bring them into the twenty-first century.
Else slid out, bending over to touch her toes. “What’s for lunch?” she asked with a smile as she straightened.
“That depends,” a black-haired woman said, walking toward them. “What did you bring?”
The cigar nearly fell from Thor’s open mouth as he stared at the woman; he had the distinct feeling they had met before, but he could not put his finger on where. If they had crossed paths before, Thor was utterly ashamed he let this gorgeous creature slip through his fingers. Hel, it could be nothing more than a memory of a vivid dream; he had had a thousand of them since putting on the goddamned amulet.
Dark-brown eyes beneath arched eyebrows took in Thor and the others with the intensity of a hawk. High cheekbones and prominent chin accentuated her very beautiful face, and if the soft, red lips curled into a smile, Thor’s heart would skip a beat. She was as tall as Bryndis, and shapely, from what Thor could tell; it was difficult to judge with the loose-fitting, dark-brown wool skirt, white linen blouse and a green shawl over her shoulders. The grip of an antique Luger peeked from behind a wide, black leather belt, and black boots from under her skirt.
Thor wondered how high up her long legs those boots went. But then, I’ve always been a sucker for a pretty woman in boots! He could feel Bryndis’ eyes boring a hole in the back of his head, like she knew what he was thinking. No, that was not an effect caused by the amulet; Bryndis is as predictable as a Swiss watch.
“Forgive my granddaughter, mister Odinsson,” a frail-looking, gray- haired woman said. “We rarely receive guests these days, and she has forgotten her manners.” She smiled, but it never touched her gray eyes as she scanned each member of Thor’s party. “Nicolae said you surround yourself with beautiful women,” she said, eyeing Bryndis, Else and Mikki up and down with the discerning eye a butcher had for a side of beef.
Something the old woman said struck a nerve with Else. The blonde pilot recovered quickly, then gave the old woman a curt bow of her head.
Thor blew a puff of smoke into the air. “A man does what he can.” The men gathered ‘round chuckled. Bryndis glared at him. What, Bryn, you suddenly lost your sense of humor?
“A pity the beautiful ones were too busy to come,” the black-haired woman said with a sneer.
“Sorina!” the old woman growled.
Sorina, pretty name. Looks and a wit, I’m starting to like her.
“I do better than the pig farmers you’re used to getting, Sugah!” Mikki snapped. Bryndis and Else did little to hide their amusement. Oh, but what I said wasn’t funny! The
n again, Bryndis had been acting strange, lately; all of them have, ever since Lindsay’s sudden “disappearance”.
It took a tenth of a second to figure out they killed her. Hel, they probably recruited the crew to help them pull it off.
Thor sighed. Letting the girls come along –Like I could actually stop that freight-train – was a mistake. He shot Mikki a stare, and the three of them settled down. Sorina looked ready to reach for the Luger at her waist. He hoped not, she had a one in a thousand shot of getting a hand on it before Else put a bullet in her; and it would be a shame to wear out your welcome before getting to know the host better!
“Are you ladies done scratching at the ground and pissing on the bushes?” Thor asked, looking Bryndis in the eye. “If not, we can set up a mud-pit, while you slip into some bikinis.” The women gave him abashed looks, Sorina even gasped aloud.
Mikki smiled. “Don’t need a mud-pit, Sugah. Besides, it’s too damned cold for bikinis!” Thor glowered at her until the smile faded from her face. Keeping a tight leash on her was going to be difficult; once she had a dislike of someone, it usually set like cement.
There was no one to blame for their actions but himself; he wasted every opportunity to rein them in in the past. Now that they knew Sorina had caught his eye, they would pick her apart like a pack of hyenas on a zebra carcass, and point out every flaw the woman has while doing it.
“Selucca Lazarovici, I am Thor Odinsson.” He shook the old woman’s hand.
“It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Thor Odinsson,” the old woman said. “I knew your grandfather quite well.”
Sorina’s eyes nearly popped from her head, but she was not alone; Bryndis, Mikki, and Else would catch flies if they did not close their mouths soon.
“How did you come to know my grandfather?” Thor asked, studying every crease on the old woman’s face.
“The first time I saw Vali Odinsson was November of 1948. It was a cool summer evening, even for Moscow. He was trying to gain permission to excavate ancient Viking sites, not that it did any good; corrupt Soviet officials took millions of dollars from your grandfather, and still denied him.” The old woman smiled. “I fell in love with him immediately; that’s what sixteen-year-old girls do.”
“I have never met such an audacious man before or since.” The old woman gazed at Thor with a glint of amusement in her eyes. “Until this very moment, from what I understand.”
“Your grandfather received information that eventually led him to Boian Lazarovici, Stefan’s father. It didn’t take long for Vali and Stefan to become thick as thieves. For a time, your grandfather was able to conduct his research under the protection of the Lazarovicis, but it became increasingly difficult under Soviet control.”
“That’s the other thing I can’t figure out,” Thor said with a raised eyebrow. “How does the daughter of Anatoly Konstantinov, go from dancing at the Bolshoi, to living in the middle of nowhere Romania?” More mouths flew open. If it were not for the whole family curse, vengeance of the Gods, creature slaughtering people like sheep thing, he could make this a very interesting visit.
The question struck a nerve; Selucca’s gray eyes studied Thor. “I wasn’t a very good dancer. My father’s name carried a lot of weight, but not enough to make me a prima ballerina. I fell in love with Stefan Lazarovici, and made the choice to leave everything else behind… My only regret: my father died before walking me down the aisle.”
“How did my grandfather fit into this love story of yours?”
Selucca’s gray eyes twinkled as she gave a sly smile. “If you have discovered my family secret, then I believe you already know the answer to that.”
The sad truth was, he had no idea how the Lazarovicis and his grandfather were tied together. He found a few more notes written by Selucca in his grandfather’s study, but nothing of importance, only that she had gotten clearance for him to conduct archeological digs in the Ukraine or someplace else. Julia knew nothing at all of the Lazarovici family beyond Selucca trying to get him to help her, and was furious when she read the letters the old man had hidden away.
At least, Thor now understood where his innate ability to keep a secret came from.
Selucca sighed. “It seems my manners are no better than my granddaughter’s. I will have rooms readied, and a proper meal prepared.” She snapped her fingers, and men came forward to help with the cases.
“My men and I will need to set up fortifications before nightfall,” Thor said, scanning the curtain wall for prime locations. The good news: It was a high wall with enough room behind the parapet to drive an SUV, and had a view for miles in every direction. During the middle ages, this place would have been as safe as Fort Knox with a few hundred archers manning it. The bad news: There was, at least, a mile of it encircling the perimeter. He and the twelve men he agreed to bring – the rest would stay with Julia and the ship – had their work cut out for them.
“There’s plenty of time for that, son,” a wiry man in the crowd said. He was not like the other men. He may be dress like a farmhand, but the way he held himself – and that shotgun – said he was once a soldier; and a well experienced one at that. “The beast never attacks from the start of the forth- quarter moon to the end of the first.”
“What?!” Bryndis said, incredulous. “You expect us to believe this thing is some sort of werewolf?”
“You can call the cursed thing whatever you like,” the man replied. “But that doesn’t change its hunting habits.”
“Shit, Sugah!” Mikki said laughing, “What’s next, Dracula swooping down from the sky to suck our blood?”
“Mikki!” Thor snapped. “Something is out there. Something killed Clayton and the others.” Thor consciously felt the weight of the amulet around his neck. He did not know about the werewolf part, but the sensation of the moon phases he could feel suddenly made sense. He wondered what else he was going to be able to sense before this was over.
“How do we know these hillbillies didn’t kill them?” Mikki asked angrily.
“How do we know you don’t plan to kill us in our sleep, and loot our home?” Sorina asked just as angrily. “We thought you would be coming alone, not bringing an army with you.”
“Because he is a man of honor,” Selucca said evenly. “Thor Odinsson, if you wish to bring a thousand men here, I will call Nicolae to make arrangements for their passage. Anything you need to end this, is yours.”
That explains the easy access to airspace. Damn, I thought it was my pretty smile! I only wish I had as much confidence in me as this old woman claims to have; it would make things a lot easier.
“What about the other three moon phases?” Thor asked. “When is this thing most likely to attack?”
“At night,” the man answered. “But, other than that, you could toss a coin as to when; second-quarter, full moon, third-quarter, it doesn’t matter. Some months, the thing doesn’t attack at all. The longest stretch I can remember is four months without a killing. That was back in ‘97.”
“This is true,” Selucca added. “The creature’s pattern has not changed since 1942.”
“42?!” Mikki snorted. “Smile and wave slowly, Sugah, but get back in the chopper. These people are crazy.”
“What about before ‘42?” Thor asked, ignoring Mikki’s statement.
Selucca shrugged. “Some say it roamed throughout Europe for centuries. Others say the Nazis created it. If they did, they regretted it. Between December of ‘41 to February of ‘42, something killed two-thousand Nazi soldiers.” She spat on the ground. She stared off in the distance with hate-filled eyes. “They took their losses out on innocent villagers. Two weeks later, three- thousand Nazi and Romanian soldiers were killed in a single night, all of them butchered like cattle.”
Three thousand soldiers in one night! If this creature is one of the Fenrir from Jorick’s book, the Nazis did not create it, but it sure sounds like they pissed it off.
This was one of those times Thor wished he paid bette
r attention to his grandfather’s lectures. The lines between reality and mythology were becoming very blurred, and it was giving him a headache. Norse mythology tells of a single creature named Fenrir, not hundreds as Jorick’s book attests. It was supposedly the child of Loki and the giantess, Angrboða, and would bring the end of the world. At least gramps was just as baffled by that discrepancy as I am!
If there were more, is it possible one was missed all those years ago? If so, where in Hel has it been hiding for a millennium? Not to mention, what made the Gods-damned thing come back?
He remembered the story of the night his grandfather fled Iceland in the middle of the night. The old man said the Nazis were searching for Jorick’s book, which meant someone, somewhere down the line, did a lot of talking to all the wrong people. The real question was who: one of his ancestors, one of the other ten to survive? Did the old crown really know the truth?
Pieces of the puzzle were falling into place, but not enough. Too bad there was not a picture on the box to judge his progress. With every answer he got, two more questions arose; leaving him with the feeling there were a lot of missing pieces yet to discover.
He could hear Chelsea’s words echoing in his mind: Trust your instincts, and don’t second-guess yourself. That was going to be a difficult thing to do. His entire adult life has been second-guessing everything he has ever done.
“Selucca Lazarovici, we have a lot to discuss after lunch,” Thor said. He turned to Nwabudike. “Nobody goes anywhere alone or unarmed, and we double-up in the rooms.” The Nigerian – learning that was unintentional; controlling the amulet was very difficult. – nodded. Thor glanced at Sorina. He would not mind doubling-up with her, not at all. “Else, after lunch, head back to the ship until morning. Get some rest. I get the feeling you’re going to be working harder than the rest of us.”
The rooms were grand a century ago, and cold, but they met their needs. Christelle would have called the lamb stew they had for lunch peasant-food, but if was filling and quite tasty. So far, everyone seemed friendly toward the newcomers, if wary. That is, if friendly means not coming right out and asking if they could have your clothes after the thing kills you… then, yes, they are very friendly.
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