Waiting for Magic

by Susan Squires

  The physical effort made Devin’s head a little clearer. The drug was wearing off. He tried to focus on water, shut out both the fear of the strengthening bond with Kee and the sickening influence of the Talisman. If he listened, he could hear water in the pipes of the house. He closed his eyes tight and tried to call to it.

  Nothing.

  So he wasn’t getting out of here before Kee could show up. In his current state, even if he could call the water, he wasn’t sure he could control it enough to protect Kee when she arrived, or himself. He didn’t know what to do. Maybe Pendragon would spend himself on Devin and not have energy enough to attack Kee. What else could he hope? “Get on with it,” he growled.

  “First the questions, remember?”

  Devin clenched his jaw.

  Pendragon seemed not to notice. “I saw how you got your siblings out of the river,” he said. His hand slid along the inside of Devin’s thigh. “Is it genetic, like Morgan and company, or do you study the old texts?”

  “How did you see?”

  Pendragon clucked his tongue. “I’m the one asking the questions. However, as a gesture of good faith, I’ll tell you. Through my studies I have learned to disassociate my spirit from my body. I use astral projection to see the present in another location, thus seeing you save your brother and sister. And here’s another little tidbit. My scrying globes allow me to see the future. Really quite useful. I saw you and your lovely sister coming here tonight, though evidently she will arrive later. Now you. Is your power nature or nurture?”

  Devin gritted his teeth and kept silent.

  “Does your whole family have power?” Pendragon leaned in, breath hot against Devin’s neck. “You can tell Uncle Pendragon.”

  Devin wasn’t betraying his family to this guy.

  Pendragon sat up, pouting. “You’re just making it worse for her.”

  Devin swallowed. If answers earned him time to recover his senses he didn’t have to buy with rape, he ought to take it. The family wasn’t in any immediate danger. Kee might be. “No dark arts. We have a gene. Handed down from Merlin.” Pendragon would think he was crazy.

  But he didn’t. He nodded. “Just like Morgan.” His voice sounded lustful. “Though I suspect hers is from her namesake, Morgan Le Fay. Thus the interest you all exhibit in the Tarot Talismans, also created by Merlin. You want their ability to prolong life.”

  Devin blinked, confused. “Do they do that?”

  “Oh, yes.” Pendragon’s satisfaction was evident. “They do indeed. But if you don’t know that, you want them for another reason. What else can they do?”

  “They … increase the power of the magic.” According to Brian.

  Pendragon raised his brows. “Ahhh. Morgan wants my Talisman for both reasons, then. How very useful to know. Now I wonder why she hates your family so. Not on her side of the fence, of course. But is she afraid of you?” he mused. “Does you whole family have powers?”

  Devin shook his head. “You only get one when you love someone else with the gene.”

  “So, you’re a boy in love. How touching. I wonder who has raised your manly sentiments? It has to be someone with the gene.” Was his expression of surprise feigned? “But of course, the so-treasured sister. You’re in love with your sister.”

  Devin wished he wasn’t flushing. “None of your damned business.”

  “But this will make a delightful reunion tonight,” Pendragon said. “I wonder just what you would do to spare that creamy flesh the kiss of some of our little implements.” His hands were moving again. Devin flinched as Pendragon finally caressed his penis, cupped his balls. “I’ll wager you’d sacrifice your own flesh, wouldn’t you?”

  Damn right he would. But he wouldn’t give Pendragon the satisfaction of knowing that. He squirmed as Pendragon continued his ministrations. To Devin’s horror, he felt himself getting hard. His brain had gotten clearer. Pity.

  “That’s my boy,” Pendragon whispered. “You’ll enjoy this, really you will, at least for a while. And I think I’m overdressed, don’t you?” He got to his knees on the bed, unzipped his slacks and pushed them down, revealing a very erect cock. Devin felt sick. But it got worse.

  Pendragon lay beside him, nuzzling his biceps, his nipples. He took Devin’s erection in hand and began to squeeze as he moved up and back.

  “It’s okay to come,” the bastard whispered. “Orgasms are a gift to the gods.” Devin tried thinking about prime numbers, his dead parents, anything that might keep his stupid cock from spilling all over his belly. He tried twisting away from Pendragon, but it was no use, chained as he was. Pendragon just chuckled and continued rubbing him. Finally, Pendragon sat up so he could really work him. Devin knew he was lost. With a cry, he spurted. Pendragon kept rubbing him until it was painful. The asshole was unrelenting. Devin writhed in agony, grunting with effort as he tried to escape, until finally Pendragon slapped his cock, hard, and laughed.

  “See, I told you you’d have fun.”

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Kee was glad Maggie was driving. As they’d gotten closer, she’d been able to feel Devin’s anguish. Somebody or something was hurting him, really bad. If Kee were driving she’d have put them into oncoming traffic or hydroplaned off the road trying to go faster. Not that Maggie’s knuckles weren’t white. Maybe she could feel Devin too. She had a power after all.

  “How is he now?” Maggie asked.

  Nope. Maggie couldn’t feel Devin. And the fact that she asked Kee meant she realized that Kee could. “If I can feel him, he’s alive,” Kee said through gritted teeth. It no longer mattered whether Maggie knew she’d fallen in love with her brother, or whether she despised Kee for it. What mattered was getting Devin to safety. “Turn right at the next light.”

  The SUV took the corner at just-barely-handling-it speed, tires skidding a little in the flooded intersection. They headed up into the hills. Not long now, Dev. She felt him yell and tightened her hands on the armrest.

  “What now?” Maggie shouted. A stop sign loomed into view in the light of a streetlamp.

  “That diagonal,” Kee gasped, pointing. “Oh, Maggie. Somebody’s hurting him.”

  “Bastards,” Maggie muttered. “You just hang in there, girl. Keep calling out directions. We’ll get him out of there.”

  Either that, or we’ll get a piece of whatever that beast is doing to him, Kee thought. Didn’t matter. They were doing what they could. Maggie better be up to this. Not fair to put this burden on her. Kee, in the deepest part of her heart, had thought her fears for Devin were just neurotic what-ifs. But what she was feeling now confirmed her worst nightmare.

  “Don’t think,” Maggie hissed. “Just keep giving directions.”

  “That turn there,” Kee said. “It’s not far now. It’s not far now. It’s not far now.” She forced herself to stop saying that. “Up that winding one. Now just keep going until you hit the elevator tower.”

  “I hope you don’t mean that literally.” But Maggie was driving like she thought Kee did mean it. That was okay with Kee. Devin’s anguish beat at her until she couldn’t think.

  *****

  Flames leaped into the sky above a round turret. The same house. Always the same huge house. A gurgling, grinding sound in the dark was advancing, advancing. A shriek echoed through the crackle of flames, joined by countless others like a wolf pack celebrating a kill. Only this wasn’t a celebration. Fear permeated the sound, bigger, more elemental than any human fear. Fear seeped in through the cracks in the firmament, dripping like water through everything. Drew found herself looking in through the windows of the house, between the tongues of flame. Inside, all was confused, slashing black and red. Figures appeared, then winked out: Rhiannon, looking just as she had in Chicago during that fire, a man with pale blond hair, an old woman with yellow eyes. Devin, naked under a flapping robe, wild-eyed. Kee screaming. Then they were all on a wide lawn. Danger everywhere. She couldn’t see. Vague shapes lunged out from the shadows. Edwards was the
re too. And then a light seared her eyes….

  “Drew! Drew, honey.” Someone was shaking her.

  The vision faltered and there was Michael, her dear Michael. He took her into his strong arms. She laid her head against his bare chest, listening to the thump of his heart, wetting his chest with her tears.

  “Shhh.” He smoothed her hair back from her face. “Same one?”

  She nodded, her throat closed around sobs that wanted out. She had to get hold of herself. She swallowed. “Devin and Kee were there this time. They’re in trouble. It felt … more urgent, like it might be occurring now, or soon anyway.” She looked up into his face in the darkness of their familiar bedroom. “Find them, Michael. I need to know where they are.”

  “Sure, baby.” Michael closed his eyes. Drew watched his brows draw together. He’d be seeing the one he was looking for first inside a three dimensional grid in his head. “Kee’s maybe … somewhere just northwest of downtown? She’s moving fast.”

  Drew gasped. “Not at the Breakers?”

  Michael shook his head, frowning. “Devin’s not with her.” Drew could see his eyes moving underneath his eyelids. “Hollywood. In the hills.”

  “He’s at that house they went to before.” Drew gasped. “It must be the one I keep seeing destroyed.” She moaned. “Why didn’t I find a picture of it? Or ask them more about what it looked like? I never put it together until I saw them there in the vision tonight.”

  Michael had already leaned over for his cell phone on the nightstand. He flipped on the light and made a single punch with his forefinger then held it to his ear. “Brian,” he growled. “Michael. Yeah, I know it’s late. We’ve got a problem. Devin and Kee are out. I think he’s at that Pendragon guy’s house. Kee’s gone after him.”

  He held the phone away from his ear, and made a painful face at Drew. Even she could hear her father’s profanity. That was really unlike him. Michael held the phone gingerly back to his ear. “I know. Maybe he thinks the guy had a Talisman after all. Drew had a vision. Don’t think it was pretty.” He paused, listening. “Yeah. You mobilize Edwards. I’ll call Tris.”

  Drew got up and ran for her closet, her thoughts scattered. Jeans, boots, a shirt. And a jacket, that’s what she needed. As she pulled out hangers she heard Michael say, “Tris. Yeah. Wake up, man. No, really, wake up. All hands on deck.” A pause. “What do you mean, where’s Maggie? Oh, shit. Not Maggie too. Do you feel her?” Another pause. Then he sighed. “Thirty miles north puts her up in Hollywood with Kee. They’re going after Devin, up at Pendragon’s house.” He listened. “Yeah. A vision.” Drew could imagine the sick and desperate tone of Tris’s voice. “We’ll get them. Just be quick.”

  Drew froze in the doorway of her closet, her arms full of clothes and boots. Michael stood. He was wearing snug Black Watch plaid boxers. His smooth olive skin over all those muscles glowed in the little light from the nightstand. His black hair was tousled with sleep, his brown eyes looked black in this light. Rain shushed against the windows. She had a dreadful feeling that she would remember this moment for the rest of her life as the infinitesimal pause before disaster reigned.

  “You stay here,” Michael said softly. “We got this covered.”

  “No you don’t. I’m coming. I’ll be able to tell you things about the situation you may not be able to see for yourselves.”

  “Then tell me.”

  “It doesn’t work like that,” Drew said, running distracted hands through her tangled hair. “I’ll only know what the vision means when I see events unfold.”

  Michael cast his eyes up, pain and frustration chasing each other across his features.

  “You know I’m right.”

  He stilled and closed his eyes. “You’re right.” He strode across the room and took her shoulders. “But if you get hurt I’ll never forgive you.”

  She smiled up at him. “Fair enough.”

  Michael hugged her to his chest. “Or myself.” He put her aside. “Get going. I promised Tris I’d Find Maggie, just to make sure she’s with them.”

  *****

  Devin gasped with the pain, senses reeling. His back and butt and his thighs all burned like fire. He’d arched and struggled at first, but he was beyond that now. His vision seemed to pulse with the beat of his heart, making everything waver. The lash had stopped striking him, but that didn’t stop the pain. He could hear Pendragon’s harsh breathing as well as his own. Pendragon stood at his head where Devin could see him. His chest was heaving too. It gleamed with sweat. Flecks of blood spattered his upper body. Devin’s blood. Pendragon’s eyes still glowed with unholy enjoyment.

  “It’s been a while,” Pendragon wheezed, tossing the whip aside. “I do enjoy a good whipping before we really get started.”

  Devin tried to concentrate on Kee and push the pain into the background. He could feel her, close now. At the elevator in the tower? If their bond was like sharing thoughts he could scream at her not to come up here. But it wasn’t. What the hell could he do to protect Kee when he was naked and chained up? He wasn’t even sure he could stand right now, let alone have the strength to focus and call the water, then direct it to keep Kee safe. Please let her go away, he prayed. He realized with shame that part of his anguish was that he didn’t want Kee seeing what Pendragon was going to do next.

  The bastard grabbed a couple of pillows and climbed onto the bed. He had a really big erection. Devin felt sick to his stomach. He could smell Pendragon’s sweat along with the blood as he knelt between Devin’s thighs. “I shouldn’t have taken the time, I suppose. We’re entertaining Morgan in a couple of hours, you and I. But there’s still time for a little romp. And perhaps Green too.” He hefted Devin’s hips with one arm and shoved the pillows under him.

  Shit. This is going to be bad.

  Pendragon leaned over and got another small bottle from the nightstand. Devin flinched the wizard pulled one lacerated buttock aside. He felt a viscous liquid seep down his crack. Pendragon rubbed it in, circling his anus. Devin held himself still. He wasn’t going to give Pendragon the satisfaction of seeing him buck and jerk against the chains in fear of what was about to happen. He kept his promise to himself even when Pendragon slipped two fingers up inside him. But he couldn’t help a grunt of surprise and pain.

  “So virginal. So tight,” Pendragon whispered, moving his fingers in and out to get the lube up Devin’s ass. “This will be a pleasure, at least for me. But you had your pleasure earlier, now didn’t you? My turn.”

  Devin closed his eyes, shame overwhelming him. Pendragon had jerked him off. He hadn’t been strong enough to resist. Humiliating. Which was just what the bastard wanted. Well, he wouldn’t writhe or beg. He wouldn’t give Pendragon the satisfaction. He felt Kee coming nearer as Pendragon inserted a third finger. Devin clenched his teeth against the pain.

  “Relax,” Pendragon breathed. “Just push out a little. It will go easier on you. I don’t care one way or the other, of course. I’ll fuck you anyway. It’s all a matter of how much blood.”

  Devin didn’t dare relax though. He couldn’t give in now just because he had let Pendragon drive him to orgasm earlier. He wanted blood, evidence that he hadn’t been a willing participant, that he hadn’t enjoyed this in some secret, twisted way.

  The fingers moving inside him were withdrawn after a while. “Your choice. Showtime,” Pendragon whispered.

  *****

  Kemble caught the Sig Sauer 9mm his father tossed him and shoved it in his shoulder holster, watching Tristram pace. The stubble Tristram always seemed to have and his leather biker jacket made him look like an errant member of Hell’s Angels.

  Michael was hugging Drew to his side. Her face was white. Was she having a vision again? The one she’d had earlier might have been strong enough to dislodge her control. They might be taking a basket case into danger, which meant Michael would also be useless as he tried to protect Drew. Their mother stood in the doorway, worry creasing her brow. She wouldn’t try to stop t
hem though. Family had to protect family, even if it put them in danger.

  “Edwards is bringing up the SUVs,” his father said to the group in general, putting down the house phone.

  Tris stopped dead in his tracks. “I gotta go,” he muttered. “Meet you there.”

  “We shouldn’t split up,” his father said in that voice of command.

  “Bike goes faster and it goes now.” Tristram was wild to protect Maggie.

  “You don’t know where they are,” Kemble said. “I do.”

  “I’ll feel her.” Tris opened the side door of the offices that faced the garages.

  “You’ll wander around in that maze of roads and lose time,” his father barked. His tone changed. “We need you, son. And Maggie needs us. All of us.”

  Outside the door, two SUVs splashed into the carriageway. That was probably the only event that could change Tristram’s mind.

  “Okay. I still take the Ducati. And you better drive fast.”

  “Drove for Team McClaren once,” his father murmured. “Let’s go protect our own.”

  *****

  Kee ran across the lawn, Maggie right behind her. She was so focused on Devin’s pain and suffering she almost missed the press of evil around them as they approached the house.

  “Whoa, girl,” Maggie shouted from behind her. “Wait up.”

  Kee turned, teeth bared, ready to shout at her.

  Maggie held up a hand. Kee found herself able to breathe again. “We gotta have our wits about us here. Can’t just go blasting in. Remember? Quick and quiet.”

  Kee nodded. “I know. I know. Someone’s really hurting him. It makes it hard to think.”

  Maggie put a hand on Kee’s arm. “Tris said he went crazy when that Firestarter was hurting me at my pa’s shack. So I know. But try to focus on what’s around the house.”

  Kee’s gaze darted this way and that. The house still looked like a giant, squatting beast, its windows like glowing eyes. The junipers with their pointy, twisted branches were angry hair. But, though the house emanated evil, it wasn’t the worst. Kee felt now what Maggie was talking about. Something was out there in the shadows of the garden, in the gnarled trees at the back. It wasn’t a good something. She caught movement, but every time she looked for its source, she saw only the rain and the wind. Wet snuffling sounds became clear even over the spatter of the rain. Kee shivered. “What’s that?”