Page 12 of Truly, Madly Viking

"Now I know that I have arrived in the strangest land of all. Since when has nudity become a crime?"

"A weapon...the maniac is carrying a weapon. Duck, everyone, duck!"

"Duck? What duck?" The man twisted his neck this way and that. Then he shrugged as if to indicate there was not a duck in sight.

Maggie was becoming as confused as this man appeared to be.

There was chaos all around them. Police and security guards were attempting to run forward, guns raised, but their progress was impeded by the capacity crowd, which was standing, inadvertently forming a barricade, some cheering, some screaming with fright, still others calling out their opinions. Even mildmannered Harry, who claimed a longtime interest in orcas, was yelling with outrage at the interloper, whom he perceived as a threat to Gonzo, Mork, and Mindy.

But Maggie and her two daughters sat stone still, mesmerized by the spectacle unfolding before them.

"And you wanted to go roller coasting," Beth told her sister.

"This is better than Jerry Springer," Suzy offered with awe.

But Maggie had more important things on her mind as she continued to gape at what had to be the most gorgeous man she'd ever seen—one of God's perfect creations, superbly formed and wonderfully wild, just like the orcas.

More than that, Maggie sensed an eerie connection between them... a connection that was getting stronger the closer he came.

"Cool!" Beth exclaimed.

"Ditto," Suzy added. Then: "So that's what a too-too looks like."

"Eeew. It looks like a fat worm."

"I didn't know men had hair there."

It was then that Maggie registered the fact that her daughters, too, had been staring at the nude man, openmouthed, like every other female in the park. Even though his privates had been visible for only a few seconds, Maggie's maternal instincts kicked in. "Cover your eyes," she ordered.

Suzy looked at Beth. Beth looked at Suzy. They both looked at their mother—and laughed. "Yeah, right," they said simultaneously, and did just the opposite.

Their eyes were glued to the man emerging slowly from the water, his step confident.

When he reached the bulkheads, he raised himself on braced arms, causing veins to stand out on the ropy muscles outlined under skin deeply tanned by the sun.

As he panted to regain his breath, water drops glistened on silky chest hairs.

Lordy, Lordy! She noticed the intricately etched arm rings that encircled his upper arms. Were they a new male fashion accessory... gold arm bracelets more suited to ancient warriors than modern man?

If not, they should be.

Thank goodness, his more intimate body parts were now hidden by the bulkhead as he surveyed the

crowd before him, as if searching for someone in particular.

Maggie saw confusion in his eyes, which opened wider and wider as they moved along the rows of people gawking at him like a freak at a sideshow. He was either a really good actor, or he was a man who'd fallen into a situation he did not understand.

Either way, this was a day Maggie would not soon forget.

Jorund was totally confused.

Well, he supposed that was understandable. Entering Asgard, land of the gods, would muddle even the most clearheaded warrior.

Still, it passed all bounds, this sight that he beheld. If this was the otherworld, then the land of the gods was mightily overvalued. Where were the walls made of golden spears and the roof of gold shields?

Supposedly, Valhalla, hall of the gods, had 540 doors, each big enough to allow eight hundred armed men through side by side. Furthermore, he saw no gilded longships, nor groaning boards overlader with plentiful foods and tuns of ale. Jorund blinked with bafflement.

Not a god was there in sight not Odin, nor Thor, nor any of the lesser deities, not even the mischievous Loki... and for a certainty, missing were the beautiful Valkyries that were supposed to escort brave warriors into Valhalla.