When thrust back into his physical body in the same mortally injured state it was when he left it, Sveyn Hansen is in more pain than he could imagine was survivable. And when paramedics transport him to the hospital he has no ID, no birth certificate, no vaccinations, and no explanation of where he came from. Hollis McKenna leaves her own hospital bed to rescue him, claiming the confused and confusing man was raised as a Gypsy - the only explanation that was possible. Now, Hollis must find a way for this 11th Century Viking to become a legal and functional resident of the 21st Century. Added to their situation is Sveyn's confession to Hollis that he only manifested to direct descendents of his father. Though she thinks he is mistaken, a visit to her parents reveals the long-held secret that Hollis was adopted. While she deals with that blow, and begins to research her own history, Sveyn proves surprisingly capable of dealing with the present time. A conflict between two families claiming ownership of a 1938 original painting by a Jewish art restorer from Berlin, Germany gives Hollis more information than she expected, before another threat to her life prompts Sveyn to take Hollis to Las Vegas and seal their relationship for good.