Son of Thunder (Heavenly War Series)

by S. C. Mitchell

  Jord nodded, took a deep breath, started to speak, stopped, then started in again.

  “The things you’ve seen . . . the things you are about to see . . . will seem fantastic, unbelievable. I would have preferred to try to protect you from them, but it appears Megingjörð has other plans.”

  “Who or what is this Meg—Meging . . . whatever.” She just couldn’t get her tongue around the proper pronunciation.

  “Megingjörð is an old Nordic word. Translated loosely it means ‘power belt’. You’re wearing Megingjörð.”

  Meghan’s hand glided instantly to the old belt around her waist. She could almost feel it pulsing with some sort of energy.

  “This thing? You said it had special properties.”

  Jord nodded, his eyes drawing her in.

  “And you asked if I meant it was magical.”

  Meghan gazed deeply into Jord’s eyes, searching for any hint of dishonesty or lunacy. She saw none.

  “It is magical. As I said earlier, it has been in my family for many years. My father would never voluntarily let it out of his sight. The belt belongs to him.”

  He stopped pacing and confronted her. “Try to take it off.”

  Meghan stood and tried once again to find a way to remove the belt. She could see no catch, no buckling mechanism. It was as if the belt were fused around her. She pulled on the metal, tugged on the leather, but it would not come apart. She tried to wiggle out of it, pushing it down, and though the belt fit comfortably, it gave her no slack and would not go over her hips.

  You can stop any time. I’m not coming off, and he’s enjoying your wiggling far too much.

  The voice spoke in her head. It was clear, distinct, and impossible to ignore. As if the voice filled the room. Jord had a strange smile on his face. She could tell he hadn’t heard the voice. She stopped her struggling and crossed her arms, glaring at him.

  “It’s as I thought,” Jord said, ignoring her look. “The belt has chosen you. But why?”

  We need you.

  “I think the belt is talking to me.”

  “Gee, it never spoke to me.” Sarcasm dripped from his words. He almost sounded hurt.

  He’s not as pretty as you.

  Meghan almost giggled.

  We need to go see his mother.

  It was the pinnacle of a most amazing night—a talking belt. Now Meghan was sure she was dreaming. She decided to just go with it and see where the dream led her.

  “It says we need to see your mother.” As she considered Jord Thorson she wondered what his parents would look like. He was so gorgeous. She was really going to miss this sexy guy when she woke up.

  He nodded. “We’ll go in the morning, after the storm lets up. Mom will put old Megingjörð in his place.”

  I hardly think so. She likes me.

  Jord went to a closet and pulled out a pillow and blanket, handing them to her. "Get some rest. You look about done in and I have a feeling we have a big day ahead of us tomorrow. Take the couch in here. I’ll take the one in the outer office. Goodnight.” Jord turned and strode from the room.

  Meghan was completely exhausted. She lay down on the couch, wondering if she’d be able to sleep with so many questions still floating through her head. Her mind took a detour as drowsiness seeped in, centering on the sexy professor in the next room. She concluded the next time she dreamed up a guy that good looking . . . he’d be staying with her when she went to bed.

  The haze of awakening lay heavy on Meghan as she snuggled into the warmth of the blanket. What a strange dream. The man with the long reddish-blond hair. The magic belt. Giants with big axes. Okay, no more ice cream before bed. But the man had been gorgeous. Yeah, she could dream about him again. That would be okay.

  Then he was there, gently shaking her. “It’s almost light. We have to get going.”

  Meghan opened her eyes and stared into the intense, gray eyes of Jord Thorson as the previous day rushed in on her.

  It hadn’t been a dream.

  He rose from where he’d been kneeling beside the couch. “I’ll give you some time to wake up. I’ve got a pot of coffee brewing in the other room and some breakfast on the way. There’s an extra toothbrush and some other toiletries in the bathroom. Help yourself to anything you need.”

  He left her, closing the door to the outer office to give her some privacy. Meghan lay there for just a few moments to collect her thoughts . . . and what a strange collection of thoughts they were.

  At last she rose. Whatever was going on, she might as well face it.

  A new toothbrush, still wrapped in plastic, was laid out for her on the small sink in the bathroom. Rummaging around, she found toothpaste and antiperspirant. She wondered if Jord entertained people overnight in his office often. Well, his personal life was really none of her concern. She hurriedly pushed her hair into place and finished up. The smell of fresh coffee coming from the other room was tantalizing.

  She entered the outer office just as Jord was pouring a cup of coffee. His back was to her, and Meghan couldn’t help but admire his broad shoulders and trim waist line. She couldn’t remember the last time she'd been alone in a room with a man that looked this good. Oh wait, never.

  “How do you take your coffee?” His voice was deep, almost hypnotic.

  “Just black is fine.”

  He turned and offered her the steaming cup. Meghan was drawn into those intense, gray eyes again, wanting to melt into them. What was wrong with her? She hardly knew this man.

  A knock came from the outer door.

  “Ah, breakfast is here,” Jord said, opening the door.

  A woman stood there holding a red and white bag with golden arches prominently displayed. The woman was tall, very blond, and extremely beautiful.

  “More trouble, handsome?” she asked in a rich, full voice as she handed the bag to Jord.

  “Come on in, Val.” Jord ushered the woman inside. “I want you to meet Doctor Meghan Larson.”

  The tall woman looked Meghan up and down, sizing her up. It was clear Val didn’t like what she saw.

  “Meghan,” Jord continued, “this is my friend Valerie Halla.”

  The ice in Valerie’s gaze could freeze Hawaii.

  “Hi,” Meghan said. The woman continued to glare at her without saying a word.

  Jord was unwrapping and laying out a selection of fast-food breakfast sandwiches, while Valerie took up a position behind him. She was almost like a guard, on watch duty.

  Then her eyes widened. “She’s wearing your father’s belt.”

  “I know.” Jord took a bite from his chosen sandwich. “It’s okay. You can stand down.”

  She never moved. Jord smiled and gave Meghan a sly wink as he polished off his first sandwich.

  “We’ve got a lot of food here, Val. You want to join us?”

  Val jerked, her frown intensifying. “You know I don’t eat that stuff. It was a trial just buying it for you.”

  Valerie Halla appeared to be in top physical shape. Probably on some strict diet and exercise regime. She looked tough.

  We could take her.

  Meghan had almost forgotten about the belt. Somehow, in the morning light, the voice felt comforting.

  Jord had his back to Val, but he made a waving motion with his left hand as he picked up a second sandwich with his right.

  “If you’re going to be a stick-in-the-mud, you can leave. Meghan, eat up, we have a big day.”

  Meghan’s stomach rumbled as she reached for one of the sandwiches.

  “Bigger than you know,” Val shot back as she headed for the door. “Your grandfather wants to see you.”

  Jord hastily swallowed the bite he’d been chewing.

  “Well, we have to see mom first. Gramps will
just have to wait.”

  Val waved her hand dismissively as she left them. “Brash child.” She slammed the door.

  “Don’t let Val’s manner put you off,” Jord said, after the door closed. “She’s great, but she tends to take my protection very seriously.”

  Meghan raised an eyebrow and tilted her head. “Is she your bodyguard?”

  Jord chuckled. “Yes and no. It depends on who you ask.”

  He continued to be evasive as they ate breakfast and in the end Meghan still had more questions than she had answers. A sword-wielding college professor with an Amazon bodyguard? Who was this man?

  The rain had turned to snow overnight before it let up completely. Meghan and Jord sloshed through thick slush as they exited Pillsbury Hall. There was still a chill in the air, but Meghan could see the sun just starting to push out from among the clouds. She found the cold, fresh air invigorating. Jord had procured a fleece lined coat, hat and gloves for her from somewhere. He again wore his leather duster.

  Jord’s Harley stood where they’d left it the night before. Even though a light mist still hung in the air, the bike’s seat was completely dry.

  “Where are we headed?” Meghan asked as he again jammed the helmet on her head.

  “Home,” was all he said.

  Meghan wondered why she was letting herself be led around by this man. She had things she needed to do.

  “I have to go to work today, and I really need to check on the damage at the museum.”

  A part of her still couldn’t believe it was all real. If her museum was as damaged as she imagined, she’d have to get there and get there fast. She wondered if she could even get the place open today.

  “The clean-up is already underway and you are on leave.” Jord smiled at her. “A family matter came up. You were not sure when you would be back to work. The museum board will be approving your leave of absence this morning.”

  Before she could ask him more, he kicked the big Harley to life and the noise of the engine drowned out anything she tried to say.

  Meghan felt completely out of control. How could this man, whom she’d only met last night, have so completely thrown her otherwise ordered life into such chaos? And how was it she just kept accepting every crazy thing he said to her?

  Deep down she had to admit, she still thought this whole thing a dream . . . a hallucination. There was just too much to take in. Maybe she was just plain crazy. In any case, Jord Thorson was the key, and sticking with him seemed the only way to get the answers she needed.

  They headed north, taking highway 35W toward New Brighton. The sun continued to peek out from behind the clouds now and then. Ahead of her, Meghan saw a rainbow begin to form. It was beautiful and the colors seemed more vibrant than any rainbow she’d ever seen before. It became even more beautiful and intense as the rainbow got closer.

  “Wait a minute,” Meghan said to herself. “Rainbows don’t get closer.”

  This one does.

  Meghan stopped even trying to pronounce Megingjörð, even in her mind. Unable to talk to Jord over the roar of the cycle engine she started to talk to the belt.

  “So, belt, do you know where we’re going?”

  Home.

  “You’re as bad as he is.”

  Any description I could give would not be adequate. Trust me. You’ll love it.

  “Can’t you tell me anything? I mean, why me?”

  It was no accident I was compelled to send myself to you. You are important to us.

  The rainbow was right in front of her. It was surreal and brightly vibrant. As she got closer to it she noted the individual bands of color. Translucent, ethereal, she could see the landscape behind it, richly tinted by the bright colors. The rainbow stretched across the road ahead of them. She could actually see the end point.

  “So where is the pot of gold?”

  Oh please, that’s just a silly old myth.

  There was a hint of humor in the belt’s voice.

  The motorcycle was barreling right towards the point where the rainbow met the road and Meghan saw the end curl and stretch out, becoming a ramp. The cycle roared right up onto it.

  Suddenly the world was at her back as they climbed up the rainbow steadily—straight up and away toward the clouds. Meghan felt sick, expecting at any time to plummet back toward the ground, but the cycle held true and continued to climb. Gravity seemed to pull down toward the rainbow, and not back toward the earth. The impossibility of what they were doing held her somewhere between fascinated and terrified.

  Meghan tightened her grip around Jord’s waist. She wanted to scream. How was any of this possible? Suddenly they were lost in the clouds. The Harley roared along as the mist swirled around them. Then sunlight appeared—the sky overhead was bright and blue. They were up above the clouds.

  They reached the top of the rainbow’s arc, but instead of dropping off, it leveled out. Ahead she saw a vast city resting on the clouds. There were tall buildings, shining golden in the sun. Most of them were massive.

  The rainbow ended on a street that appeared to be paved with silver stones. Jord pulled up to the first building, a tall tower of a structure. As he turned off the cycle Meghan jumped from the seat and swatted his shoulder.

  “You might have warned me a bit, about what to expect.” Her heart was still racing, but now that her feet appeared to be on solid ground again she felt herself calming down.

  “Be honest.” He smiled at her. “Would you have believed me if I’d told you?”

  Had anything that had happened to her lately been believable?

  “No,” she admitted.

  “Jord!” A husky voice called from the doorway of the building. “Welcome home.”

  A large man in blue jeans and a black T-shirt with an ornate sword belt strapped around his waist leaned on the doorpost of the tower entrance. He had short blond hair and a very full beard. The sword at his side had to be almost four feet long. He was smiling and waving.

  “Heimie.” Jord went to take his outstretched hand. “Any news of my father?”

  “None that I’ve heard,” Heimie replied. “Your grandfather has been looking for you though. Maybe he has some news I haven’t heard.”

  “There isn’t anything you haven’t heard, Heimie.” He patted the man on the shoulder.

  The man then looked a Meghan, raising one of his eyebrows. “And what do we have here?”

  Jord turned to her. “Heimie, meet Meghan Larson. Meghan this is Heimdall, guardian of Bifrost, the Rainbow Bridge. He’s kind of like the TSA at airports.”

  “Welcome, Meghan Larson,” Heimdall said. “Welcome to Asgaard.”

  Chapter 3

  Jord was impressed at how Meghan was taking everything in stride. Most mortals would have freaked out by now. There was something about her, something Jord just couldn’t put his finger on, but found incredibly attractive.

  Sure, she was beautiful, but living in Asgaard, Jord had grown up surrounded by beauty. No it was something more than her expressive brown eyes, luscious brunette curls, or that cute button nose. More than the curves he was aching to caress, or the lips he found himself tempted to kiss.

  Maybe it was her strong inner spirit. That was something Jord saw right away when he’d met her. It shone like a bright light around her. Or could it possibly be how calm and collected she’d remained under such extreme circumstances? Whatever it was, Jord knew nothing could ever be between them, so he left it alone. When mortals and gods mixed, the result was usually not pleasant.

  Jord tore his eyes from Meghan and addressed Heimdall. “Have they discovered the identity of the traitor yet?”

  That one of the gods could be a traitor to Asgaard was almost unthinkable, yet there could be no other conclusion. The betrayal of Asgaard had come from within
.

  Heimdall scratched his beard. “No, Jord. It is unsettling, to be sure. I can’t imagine what would induce any Asgaardian to betray us. Not since the time of Loki has there been this much distrust in Asgaard.”

  He invited them in for coffee and talk, which Jord thought an excellent idea before he spoke with his mother, or his grandfather. Heimdall had always been one of his best friends. How many times over the years had Jord found himself here, at Heimie’s table, talking with him? Yet the bridge guardian never tired of answering Jord’s questions.

  And Heimdall was in a position to know lots of things, though lately he’d counted on Jord to help him put the pieces together. Heimdall’s eyesight and hearing were the best in the nine worlds, plus he didn’t need to sleep, so he was constantly on watch. His mind, ever vigilant, was taking in everything going on around him, here and throughout the nine worlds. From major events like a flood in Australia or the birth of a new prince in Alfheim, to the small details, like a butterfly hatching or where that missing sock from your last laundry load had dropped. Heimdall had it all in his head somewhere. Getting information out of his head, was another story altogether.

  Like a vast overstuffed library of information, without a card catalog or filing system, Heimdall’s mind had become clogged over the millennium. Centuries ago, when there were fewer people around and fewer events to remember, he’d been able to find the sight or sound he was searching for fairly easily. Lately, however, with so much more to process, Heimdall had gone into a bit of information overload. Jord made it a priority to stop by from time to time and help him sort things through. As incredible as it all seemed, with just a little help, Heimdall could dig up an important sight or sound, and describe it in intricate detail.

  Still, dark deeds and evil intent could sometimes be hidden from him. Norn magic could cast shadows so deep even Heimdall’s incredible senses could not penetrate them. Who the traitor was that loosed the great wolf, and where Jord’s father was, were just two examples of this.