“Do you want your soul back or not?” She had her finger in my face again.
I pulled her aside and lowered my voice. “You saw what they did to me the last time I was here, didn’t you?”
“That was part of the ritual you big baby.”
“Maybe.” I shot them a suspicious look then turned back to Laura. “But that time, I had my clothes on and they…” I stiffened and squared my shoulders. “I am not laying on that rock naked.”
“You will and you are.” She pushed me toward the living room and I tried to spin on her. It didn’t work.
“Look, I really don’t need my soul back. I’ve gotten this far without it. I’m sure it’s forgotten all about me by now.” She pushed and I lost ground. “Besides, I wouldn’t know what to do with one if I had it back.”
She gave me a hard push and I landed on my butt in the floor. I looked around and the witches weren’t amused. They wore their red silk robes again and I felt like a child.
I mean, let’s be serious for a moment. Yes, I am a Viking and yes, I am a vampire. And yes, I have the powers of a god. But these women basically molested me in front of the woman I loved. And she let them!
At a different time in my life I would have gladly allowed them to do far worse. But things have changed. Hell, I’ve changed! And even if Laura weren’t watching, I don’t think I’d be too comfortable undressing in front of these women. They kept ogling me with their eyes.
Laura fell on top of me in the floor and straddled me. She reached down and began unbuttoning my shirt. “You’re going to do this and you’re going to be a grown up about it or so help me, I’ll bend you over my knee and spank you.” She lowered her face to mine and I could tell by the set of her jaw, she wasn’t joking. “And it won’t be the kind of spanking you enjoy, either!”
I collapsed in the floor and allowed her to undress me, but I did not help. When we got to the under garments I held her hands back. “This is enough.”
She crawled off of me and planted her hands on her hips. “You heard Helen. Just like when you were born.”
For the slightest moment I imagined transforming myself into a crying newborn, perhaps as a joke. I was really glad I had altered the settings on that control panel. Otherwise, I might have been stuck as a newborn, unable to return to my current state.
I came to my feet and turned to face the witches who now seemed more put out than entertained. I walked to the altar and started to climb onto it. Helen stepped beside me and shook her head, her blonde hair slipping out from under the hood. “Sorry. Completely nude.”
I groaned at the words but my hands were already tugging down the boxer briefs that Laura had gotten me. I used my hands to try to cover my embarrassment but it made it very awkward climbing up on the slab.
I got stretched out, my hands still covering my privates when the witches surrounded me. One pulled out a leather strap and began strapping my ankle down. Another was working on my other ankle. I glanced up and found one on either side of me, leather in hand, reaching for my arms.
“Now hold on just a god damned minute.” I tried to sit up but the women used that opportunity to slip my hands into the leather and cinch it down.
“This may get…uncomfortable,” Helen admitted. “It’s similar to being born again.” Her hand appeared by my mouth and she pulled the stopper from a small vial. “You’ll need to drink this first.”
I stared at her wide eyed. “What is it?”
“Just a little something that will dampen your abilities. We wouldn’t want you to lash out and do to us what you did to the squirrel, now would we?”
I glared at Laura. “You told them about the squirrel?”
She shrugged innocently. “I might have mentioned it in passing.”
I groaned then opened my mouth. Helen dumped in this blue liquid that tasted a lot like boiled assholes mixed with turnips. At least, that’s what I imagined boiled assholes and turnips might taste like. Against my better judgement, I swallowed it and instantly regretted that reflex.
Helen stepped back and gave me a satisfied smile. “There. We’ll give that a moment to take effect while we prepare the rest of the ceremony.”
They sprinkled me with something cold and wet. They fluffed powders over my skin and some of them waved different things over my prone body while chanting. I tried to see if any of them were going to touch me inappropriately but I have to give them credit. They seemed to be acting somewhat professionally.
After they went through their motions, one of them lit a red candle and the others followed suit. Then the robes came off.
I squeezed my eyes shut. I knew from the last time that some of them were…well, I’ll just say that they weren’t unattractive. And with my powers subdued, I didn’t want to risk any kind of reactionary activity that would be difficult to explain to Laura later.
I felt hands rubbing my legs. More hands rubbed my arms. I felt hands massaging my chest. I held my breath, waiting for the violation that I was sure to come.
It didn’t.
Thankfully.
Still, I was a bit uncomfortable and was afraid to relax or let my guard down.
Laura’s voice whispered in my ear, “Don’t worry. I’m here.”
I nodded slightly and gave her a slight smile, still keeping my eyes closed. “My rock.” She patted my shoulder and I tried not to think of the two dozen naked women rubbing my skin.
The chanting went on for what seemed a very long time. Their grip on my arms and legs lessened over time. I had no idea how long I had been strapped to the rock but it seemed far longer than I expected it would be.
Eventually the chanting came to an end and Helen sounded exhausted. “You can open your eyes now.”
I cracked one eye open and looked around. The witches all had looks of confusion and concern on their faces. They still hadn’t dressed, but a few were off to the sides talking in hushed whispers.
Helen leaned across my face and I felt her breast brush my chest. “I’m sorry, Sven. We can’t even locate your soul much less call it back to you.”
Her face was painted with concern and that worry was contagious. “What are you saying?”
She shook her head. “The spell isn’t working.” She leaned up and stared down at me still strapped to the rock in her living room. “It should have. I recognize bits and pieces of it from other spells, but…” She shrugged.
“So what does that mean?” I tried to sit up but couldn’t.
“I’m not sure, really. It’s like it’s just not out there.” She turned back to me suddenly. “Is it possible that your soul wasn’t cast out of Heaven?”
“Valhalla.” I corrected. “And, I…” My voice trailed off. I suppose it was possible that Loki lied. It wouldn’t be the first time he had done that. Still, it just felt like he was being truthful at the time.
“What?” She leaned close again and I felt her breast squish against my skin.
I nodded nervously. “I suppose it’s possible.” I glanced downward. “Could you maybe…um, untie me now?”
“Oh! Sure. Sorry.” She made sure that she took her time as she did it. It was as if she were caressing me with her eyes as she unstrapped me.
I hopped off the table and picked up a robe from the floor. I wiped as much of the crud off of me as I could then tugged my clothes back on.
“I’m really sorry we couldn’t help.” Helen watched me as I dressed and turning my back to her only seemed to bring her more pleasure.
“Is there anything else you might can do?” Laura asked.
“Sweetie, you know we work blood and sex magic. Trust me when I tell you that we worked ourselves into a pretty good frenzy over your man there. With the kind of sexual tension we have built up, we could probably revive the dead.” She shook her head. “I’m telling you, his soul isn’t ‘out there’ waiting to be found.”
I finished buttoning my shirt then asked her, “So, my soul is either still in Valhalla, or…what?”
She lowered her eyes a bit. “Destroyed.”
I felt my stomach flip inside me.
She approached me, her hands held up to stop me. “But destroying a soul is no easy task. That’s like…destroying a nuclear weapon. There would still be signs, err, fallout, if that were the case.”
That calmed me a little.
“Okay. So we have to assume that my soul still resides in Valhalla with my ancestors.”
A dark skin woman whose name I can’t remember interjected. “There is one other possibility.”
Something told me that I wouldn’t like her answer.
“What’s that?”
She glanced to Helen who gave an almost imperceptible nod. She turned back to me and tried to explain. “It is possible, however, highly unlikely, that your soul has found another vessel.”
“Vessel?” Laura and I both asked at the same time.
She nodded. “Either a body that had no soul, or perhaps even a child in the womb.”
I groaned and felt ill. “So it’s either jumped into a…what? A vampire? A zombie? Or I’m about to be born again and have to go through life without my real body.”
She shrugged. “I doubt it could have been a zombie. They’re rare and don’t usually last long; souls tend to avoid them.” She turned to Laura, trying to explain. “Zombies rot away too quickly. And I can’t see any self respecting soul trying to hide in one of them.”
Who was to say my soul had any self respect? “What about another vampire?”
She shook her head. “That’s dead flesh as well; I just don’t see it happening.”
I glanced to Helen. “What does that leave?”
She chewed at her lower lip and I really wished that she and ‘her girls’ would put some clothes on. “I suppose if somebody were astral projecting…a soul might see the silver threat that binds them to their body and follow it.”
“Maybe he cut the thread?” I asked, hopefully.
She shook her head, almost laughing. “There’s no force in the known universe that can cleave that thread. No. If it inhabited the body before the other returned, then I suppose they could both be inhabiting the body.”
“Great. My soul is squatting.” I growled. I knew what a pain in the ass being possessed was first hand.
Helen shook her head. “Sort of, but not really. It’s more like a parasite. Feeding off of the energy of the person, but unable to take control.” She shrugged. “I suppose some of your prior traits could possibly manifest, but…for the most part, the person would have no idea that your soul was even in there.”
Laura stepped between us. “Is there any way to find out if that’s the case and maybe get his soul back?”
Helen shook her head. “I’m telling you, this spell should have shaken it awake and pulled it to us.”
“So, it was a possibility, but unlikely, since nothing happened.” I probably sounded more upset than I really was. All of this only points to my soul being fat, dumb and happy in Valhalla, which is where I’d rather it be.
Helen shrugged. “We can try again later after the girls have a chance to recharge. Maybe burn off some of this sexual energy.” Her eyes widened and she turned to Laura. “Maybe if we actually coupled with him and–”
“No!” we both replied, cutting her off.
I stammered and didn’t mean to. “If… you think that it’s a bigger possibility that my soul never left Valhalla, then so be it. We can leave it at that.”
Helen nodded slowly, regret painted across her features. “It’s most likely.” She eyed me up and down again. “But I sure wouldn’t mind trying again.”
“We’ll take it under consideration.” Laura politely replied. She pulled me aside. “Sven, I don’t think it’s worth it.”
I shook my head. “I definitely don’t either. Not if they think that ‘coupling’ is the only way to…no. Not interested.”
It was Laura’s turn to have a little fun at my expense. “Some Viking I found. Unwilling to have an orgy with two dozen willing and very striking women.”
I raised a brow at her. “You’re treading on dangerous ground here…”
She gave me her best impish smile. “Maybe I’d like to watch.”
Time to turn the tables on her. I scratched my chin and pretended to be in deep thought. “Well, if you really think it will help and if you really want to watch, I’m sure I could ‘rise’ to the occasion.”
Have I mentioned how hard a Were can hit?
Chapter 10
Something didn’t sit right with me. I knew that Loki was a liar. That was what he was best known for. And yes, he is a god. So I’m sure he could be quite creative in his lying. But why would he think I would even care if my soul had been tossed out of Valhalla? Did the angels that he hired to mess with me tell him what my original deal was with Grigori?
The entire drive home had my mind running in circles. I couldn’t quite accept the answer that my soul still rested in Valhalla and was partying every day with my ancestors and with the gods. Something about that just didn’t feel “real” to me.
I wish I could say that I knew how to use my new abilities. If I really did, maybe I could just look into a crystal ball or into the depths of space and time and see where my soul was. At least then I could relax knowing or…oh no.
A terrible thought crept into my head and was taking root. I really, really didn’t want this particular thought in there because I know me. I’d find a way to follow through and most likely get myself or somebody else killed.
The witches tell me I’m a god. Laura says that I’m a god. Even the master didn’t really deny it. So…if I’m a god, why can’t I take myself to where the gods are? Why shouldn’t I tread where the gods tread? My feet should travel the nine worlds, meet the gods. Ask them about my soul.
Oh, this is a bad idea.
Did I say bad? I meant terrible.
Dammit.
* * *
“You want to go where?” I thought her eyes would bulge from their sockets.
I paced slowly in the office, my mind still reeling from the thought that I would even suggest such a stupid idea.
“I don’t see why I couldn’t.” I rubbed at my chin as I paced. “If I’m truly a god now, I should be able to travel to their worlds. I should be able to look into Valhalla and see if my soul still resides there.”
She was shaking her head. “You truly are insane.”
I nodded. “I would have to agree with you there.” I turned and gave her an honest stare. “Tell me I’m wrong though.”
She opened her mouth then hesitated. I waited.
“I can’t.” Her voice was barely a whisper. “But Sven, it’s dangerous. It’s beyond dangerous. It’s…”
“Suicide?”
“Yes!” She gripped my shirt and pulled me close. “Please tell me you aren’t seriously considering this.”
I couldn’t lie to her. As much as I wanted to, I just couldn’t.
“I don’t know yet.” She let go of my shirt and I could read it on her face. She knew that the idea was more than I could resist.
Who wouldn’t want to walk the streets of their Heaven? Who wouldn’t want to see the nine worlds of the gods? Who wouldn’t want to rub elbows with all of the lesser gods that inhabit those worlds? What if I could see old friends? It’s not like I’d have a neon sign over my head that proclaimed me an interloper.
Would I?
I pulled her to me and kissed her forehead. “I need to speak to the master. He’s always had sage advice. Even if he doesn’t surrender it quickly.”
She exhaled hard and pressed her face to my midsection. I loved how tiny she was compared to me. I wrapped my arms around her and gave her a soft squeeze. “I’ll be back before you know it.”
“You had better.” She pulled me down to her face and kissed me, the kind of kiss that makes a man want to return from battle and create children.
I love those kisses.
* * *
“It’s a terrible
idea.”
I hadn’t even told him why I was there. How could he…because he’s the master, that’s how.
“But I need to know what has happened to my soul. This could tell me.”
He set down the hand spade he held and leveled his gaze at me. I hated that look. It made me feel itchy inside, like he could see my innards.
“But we both know you. You wouldn’t be satisfied simply peering into the afterlife and finding your soul. You’d want to explore all of it.” His face scrunched up disapprovingly. “It’s in your blood, after all.”
Huh. Hard to disagree. It is in my blood. As much as I’d like to become a homebody, I have the urge to explore it all. To see it, taste it, feel it, live it!
“So you’re saying I shouldn’t go.”
“I’m saying that if you do, you’ll regret it.” He picked up his spade and began digging again.
“Aha! I’ll live to regret it. So you see me surviving this.”
He shook his head. “I didn’t say that. You said that. I simply said that you would regret it.” He didn’t look up and I knew that he was right. There was no guarantee that I’d survive.
I sat down hard on the edge of his planting bed and kicked a stone with my boot. Another thought came to me and I turned to him again. “What can you see? Can you tell me what not to do so that I could survive the trip?”
He sighed heavily and shoved the spade deep into the ground. He turned and hitched his robes up, sitting beside me on the wooden wall of the planter.
“You know that I don’t ‘see’ like that. It’s more like a feeling.” He turned to me and there was pain in his eyes. “Trust me, my son…don’t do this. No matter how tempting it may be.”
I lowered my head and exhaled hard. I wanted to tell him that I wouldn’t. But, like Laura, I didn’t want to lie to him. Besides, he’d know.
“I don’t think I can stop myself.”
I felt his hand pat my shoulder and there was sadness in his voice. “I know.”
We sat for a very long time. I can’t tell you what he was thinking, but I was thinking that this might well be the last time I ever saw him. Or anybody for that matter.
Hunter 3 : Lost Souls Page 9