Waiting for Magic (12 page)

Devin stared at the glow of his waterproof watch that had too many dials and functions. She sensed a tension in him. Was he afraid she wouldn’t be able to pull this off with Pendragon? Well, join the club. She’d never done anything like this in her life. The Parents would be scandalize
d. Not as scandalized as if they knew about the other thing, but still. The second hand hit twelve and the watch hands clicked forward to seven thirty.

“Kemble better be right about this.” Devin walked to the window and pulled it up. No alarm sounded. “Okay. I’ll go down first with the pack. Can you get out into the tree?”

“I’ve been getting down that tree for fourteen years.”

“Yeah, but it’s been a while.”

“You want me to go first?” she asked.

“Then who’d catch you if you screw up?” His expression was invisible in the darkness. Once she’d have known he was smiling that mischievous grin of his. But now she wasn’t sure.

He swung out into the tree, the pack with her dinner clothes and his, her heels, and her tiny evening purse slung over his shoulder. “Be sure you pull the window closed tight after you or it will set off the alarm when the security system goes back on.”

“I know that.” A little irritable, but the last two days had taken a toll on her.

He was barefoot and slithered down the wet, gnarled branches of the huge old coral tree. He plopped to the muddy ground around the roots that snaked out into the grass and squinted up at her through the rain.

She swallowed as he motioned her out. She was not going to let her brothers down. She pulled the hood of her jacket up around the twisted knot of her hair and grabbed for a branch. The bark was slick with rain. She boosted herself up on the sill and was grateful for the new tread on her tennies. Was she heavier than she’d been the last time she
’d used this escape route?

She heaved herself over into the crotch between two major branches and carefully turned round. Damn. She’d have to use both hands to pull the window down. She leaned in to the window, bracing her knee against one branch, and slammed it shut. Her foot slipped. She heard the window click even as she fell forward. She grabbed a thinner branch and broke her momentum. The branch cracked.
Oh, shit. Oh, shit. Oh, shit.
She flailed at another branch as the one that held most of her weight gave way.

“Kee,” Devin hissed below her. “You okay?”

She shoved herself back, her foot finding new purchase. That had been close. “Yes,” she hissed at Devin and made her way slowly down to the main crotch of the trunk. It was still about ten feet to the ground. The tree had grown.

She must have looked dubious. “Sit down and then you can jump. I’ll catch you,” Devin said in a hoarse whisper barely audible over the rain and the wind.

She crouched and got her feet out in front of her.

“Now,” he commanded.

She pushed out of the tree and landed in his arms.

The shock that went through her was instantaneous. She gave a yip. Had he grunted? “I … I’m too heavy,” she stuttered as she got her feet under her.

They both stepped quickly away. But the damage was done. Kee felt a little stunned. The tingle in her loins was almost an ache. The feel of his hard chest under his wet t-shirt, his muscled arms holding her as she slid down his body, were seared on her memory like a brand. He stood in the rain, blinking at her, panting. His sweatpants clung to his body. She’d seen his thighs a thousand times, so, though she couldn’t see them now, she could imagine them, thick with the muscle he needed for surfing, tanned in the summer with light blond hair gleaming in the sunlight. She remembered every detail of him—she’d painted him often enough, and yet now she saw each image in a new and unwelcome light.

He shook his head as though to clear it. “Come on,” he whispered. “We only have twenty minutes.” He heaved the pack over his back and reached out a hand.

How many times had he done that? How many times had they run, hand in hand, laughing with excitement as they escaped to some adventure, usually down on the beach?

But she couldn’t take his hand now. Everything had changed.

He seemed to think better of his gesture himself. He just turned and started around the corner of the house to the front at a lope. Kee scrambled after him.

They heard the expected alarm go off, on schedule, from around the southwest corner of the house. The security guards would be taking off at a run from wherever they were to check that out. Devin grabbed Kee and pulled her in under the eaves on the north side of the front portico as a trio of them pounded by. She recognized Edwards, the head of security. The shock of Devin’s hand on her upper arm wasn’t unexpected this time but it was no less intense. He broke contact immediately, but she was still way too close to him. She forced herself to be still until the men had gone inside.

Kee and Devin made their way to the side door of the garage and slipped inside.

“Get in and get down,” Kemble barked,
sotto voce
, as he slid into the front seat of their mother’s hybrid SUV. Devin and Kee scrambled into the passengers’ side as Kemble turned the key and the engine clicked over. The only sound was a low hum as garage door lifted and the SUV pulled out into the drive on battery power alone. Kee crouched on the floorboards in the front seat and Devin did the same behind her. It was actually kind of exciting to be disobeying her parents in such a big way, as well as frightening.

A popping sound came from outside the car somewhere and light glared and faded as the SUV made its way onto the winding drive. Walls of oleander rose around them, the leaves glistening black-green in the rain.

“Okay, we’re out,” Kemble said in a normal voice as they pulled through the wrought-iron gates at the top of the drive.

“Some security system you have if people can just sneak out,” Devin muttered, climbing up into the seat proper. “Why can’t people just sneak in?”

“For your information, smart ass, I arranged a distraction.”

“That popping?” Kee asked, pushing her hood back onto her neck. “Was that an explosion?”

“Just a short circuit in the master board. By the time everyone gets there, it will have righted itself. They’ll think that’s the explanation for the alarm that drew them to the back.”

“But surely they’ll look to see that we’re all okay.”

Kemble gave her a dour glare. “Yes. And we’ll all register as being in our rooms. You’re asleep. Devin is reading one of his sea tomes. And I’m at the computer. As a matter of fact, I sent them an automated message a minute ago saying all was well.”

“Looped tapes?” Devin snorted. “Think they’ll fall for that?”

“Yes.” Kemble looked put out that they would even question his plan.

“They won’t see the car going through the gates?” Kee asked in a small voice.

“No.”

“Another loop,” Devin muttered.

“Yes.” Kemble’s eyes darted from the rearview mirror to his side mirror and back to the road in a cycle of watchfulness. “Any other questions?”

“Where can I change out of these wet clothes?” Kee pulled her hood back.

Of course, Kemble had that figured out too. They changed into dinner clothes at the Palos Verdes Racquet Club where the family still maintained a membership as a show of support for the community, though they didn’t actually go there anymore. Kee realized it was where Devin had taught her to swim. She hadn’t thought of those first days together in a long time. Now it was hard to see them as anything but a painful precursor to her current suffering.

So, as they made their way through the downpour up the 110 Freeway to the 101, they talked strategy and practiced their roles. Devin and Kemble were looking dapper in suits and ties. Devin’s
gold tie was much narrower then Kemble’s of course, more stylish because it went with his hair. Kemble had to fend for himself, while Kee bought all Devin’s dress-up clothes, what there were of them. She did better for Dev than she did for herself, sometimes. Devin had a tiny camera in his watch Kemble had rigged up. Kee had borrowed a dress from Drew’s closet. Sleek and clinging embroidered silk in a burgundy color. She’d never miss it. It was sexier and more sophisticated than Kee’s usual brightly colored, fashion-forward fare. She didn’t like to think about why she’d picked it. It was all very well to use the Tremaine good looks (she couldn’t really claim credit for herself) to get Magnus Pendragon to see them. But it was another thing entirely to contemplate an evening with an old man who might possibly want something more than scintillating conversation. Lord knew she couldn’t even produce that. Look what happened when Christian came over to dinner. She was really thankful for Kemble and Devin.

Kee found her heartbeat a little fluttery as they exited the 101 and turned up into the Hollywood Hills. It was really pouring up here. The clouds hit the Santa Monica Mountains and lightened their load to rise over them. The streets looked more like streams as the water poured downhill. They wended their way up through the tightly curved lanes until they came to a dead end. As far as Kee could see through the sheets of rain on the fog-rimmed windows, there were no houses here. Little garages set into the hill lined the street.

“Okay, this is it,” Kemble said.

“You’re kidding.” Devin craned around in the back street. “He can’t live here.”

“He doesn’t,” Kemble said, frowning as he peered up through the windshield. “He lives up there. There’s an entrance to an old elevator tower here somewhere. Ah. There.” He pointed ahead. Kee could dimly see a wrought-iron gate underneath mounds of dripping bougainvillea.

“I’ll scout it,” Devin said, climbing out into the rain. He was the only one of them not wearing a raincoat. He never seemed to care about getting wet. He dashed for the small roof overhanging the gate. Kemble got out right behind him and walked over to the gate in a much more dignified manner. That was Kemble, all right. Even a downpour couldn’t break his control. Why didn’t men ever use umbrellas?

Kemble apparently found an access speaker. Kee could barely hear him shout their names over the thunder of the rain pounding the asphalt of the road. It was coming down so hard there was a backsplash that left a haze of water a foot off the ground. She was going to get Drew’s lovely Manolos very, very wet, and she might just break an ankle.

Devin finally motioned to her as Kemble pulled the gate open. She grabbed her umbrella. Unfortunately it was covered with impressionist flowers in lovely shades of indigo
and purple. She should have brought Drew’s black one instead. She opened the car door and managed to get the umbrella open before she could be instantly soaked, but putting her sandaled feet down was like walking in six inches of water.

“Sorry, Drew,” she muttered.

The water was racing downhill so fast it was hard to keep her balance in heels. Devin saw her predicament and came dashing back to take her arm.

Even through layers of raincoat and dress she felt the shock. It was as if someone had connected her to a car battery. She gave a little shriek and jumped. As she stared up at De
v, his eyes were as round as hers must be. He swallowed before he tightened his grip and said, “Come on. Walk carefully.”

He finally slipped his arm around her waist and half carried her to the elevator. Good thing, because Kee was having trouble focusing on anything but the feel of Devin’s arm, the nearness of his chest, the smell of him, even through the rain. She would know his scent anywhere, but how could she be conscious of it in the midst of a storm? This was such a disaster. She was losing her battle with sanity.

A roll of thunder crashed overhead. Electricity. That’s what had been between them: static electricity in the air from the thunderstorm. She sighed in relief.

They made it through the elevator gate and into a dimly lighted tunnel. The rumble of the rain pummeling the asphalt was immediately more remote. Kee closed her umbrella and shook it, spraying them all with droplets.

“Sorry.”

They all peered down the long corridor. A light must be out, because she couldn’t quite see where it ended, or if there was a door.

Devin and Kee both jumped as the gate clanged shut behind them. Only Kemble was unruffled. “Not ghosts, children. He controls it from the house.”

“Yeah,” Devin said. “Of course.” But he looked shaken. Kee was shaken for a couple of reasons, some of which she would not want to share with her companions. A closing gate seemed the least of her problems right now.

“Shall we?” Kemble asked, gesturing them forward.

“Why not?” Devin asked grimly. He took point. Thankfully, he didn’t touch Kee on his way by. Kee followed and Kemble brought up the rear.

As they neared the dark section, Kee saw that there was indeed a light out. No big deal. Elevator doors were just visible by the gleam of their brass in the darkness. They had figures in relief etched into them, in roiling masses. Kemble pushed a button. The doors opened just as Kee began to pick out figures. The etchings were a vision of hell worthy of Hieronymus Bosch. Tortured, naked figures writhed among demons with grotesque features wielding whips.

“Lovely sentiment,” Devin growled. He strode into the elevator, which was
dimly lighted. Kee and Kemble followed. It was lined with burl-wood paneling, and the floor was deep green marble. At least there were no graphic visions of hell inside. As they turned, Kee realized there was only one button, and none of the familiar emergency warnings, speakers, or other modern safety devices in the elevator. Devin pushed the button and the elevator began to slowly rise. They were three or four stories above the road where their car was parked when the elevator stopped with a thunk. The doors opened on a wide flagstone terrace. The three Tremaines huddled under the eaves over the elevator doors to assess their situation. Peering up, Kee saw two stories of the tower still above her silhouetted against the sky by a bolt of lightning. It looked like something from one of the Italian hill towns, with a tiled roof and dark arches that might have held a bell. Beyond the terrace a bridge was nearly engulfed by the foliage of adjacent trees. Their roots must be three stories down the slope. Thunder rumbled through her chest as rain poured down. Not very inviting.

“What if the storm puts the elevator out of service?” Kee yelled over the splatter of rain when the thunder had subsided. “We’ll be stuck here.”

“There must be a stairway around somewhere,” Devin shouted in his usual practical way. “The fire marshal would insist. What now, fearless leader?”

“Well, I guess we run for it,” Kemble said, so low they could hardly hear him.

“Run where?” Devin yelled.

Kemble pointed. Another crash of lightning revealed a huge rambling house that looked more like a castle than anything, sitting on a hill across some wide lawns. It had a huge round tower with one of those conical roofs people called witch’s caps. Several wings faded into the arms of huge juniper trees that all pointed their branches, like fingers or spiky hair, in one direction. They made the house look either surprised or evil
. Kee voted for evil. The many gables and the ornate ironwork that spiked along the roof ridgeline proclaimed the house’s Victorian heritage. Lights shone from two large windows in the lower story. But that only served to make it look like a colossal animal with glowing eyes that crouched on the swell of the lawns. Behind the house more dark hills loomed in the rain.

Kee looked over at Devin, who raised his brows in silent commentary. “Charming place,” she agreed. “I guess every neighborhood needs a scary house.”

“That’s one hell of a scary house,” Devin muttered.

“Anybody who’d take the name Magnus Pendragon would
want a house like this,” Kemble said. “Overly dramatic, that’s all.” He put up the collar of his raincoat. “Let’s go.”

Kee unfurled her umbrella and made her way carefully toward the bridge through the trees. She was concentrating so much on minding her step that the figure suddenly appearing above her made her squeak in surprise. She looked up to see a pale, elongated face with bulging, light blue eyes against a black shroud. She stumbled backward, her hand to her throat, into Devin’s arms.

“Excuse me,” the man said in a voice so deep and rumbling you could almost mistake it for thunder. “I did not mean to surprise you.”

“Surprise? You scared the living daylights out of her,” Devin shouted, hauling Kee up to her feet. Kee could feel from Devin’s heartbeat that he’d been “surprised” too.

“My apologies, miss.” The apparition nodded slowly in apology. “I was not quick enough to give you a proper welcome.”

“No problem,” Kemble said, motioning Devin to silence.

“Once across the bridge, there is a covered walkway just to the right.” He held out one arm like the Ghost of Christmas Future. Kee half expected his pointing hand to be nothing but bones, but it was only spectrally thin. And now that she was looking more closely, he wore a black raincoat and not the black grave clothes of her first impression. And he held a huge black umbrella. Okay, not really spectral.

Kemble motioned Devin and Kee ahead and they made their way across the bridge, Kee trying vainly to protect both of them with her umbrella. One might almost have expected a swaying rope bridge, but it was solid, either concrete or stone. Only the tree branches whipped in the wind, the leaves clattering with raindrops.

Once out of the tree crowns, the canopied walkway was clearly visible. The striped awning was almost jaunty. Certainly not frightening at any rate. Devin and Kee ducked under it. The awning flapped with the wind. Kee started to breathe again. But then she felt something wrong. She looked around. Devin was glaring into the darkness. She couldn’t see anything. But something was out there, she was sure. Devin glanced over to her. Could he feel it too? The spell was broken as Kemble dashed in behind them, followed by their strange greeter.

“If you’ll follow me, we’ll soon have you dry and comfortable,” the specter in a raincoat said, shaking out his umbrella. Kee folded hers. Water sluiced off it in waves. Drew’s sandals were toast. She glanced out across the grass again. Was there something just at the edge of her vision? But when she craned to see, there was only the wind and the
gushing curtains of rain.

The great entry doors at the end of the covered walkway didn’t even creak ominously as their guide opened them. Warm light spilled over the wide stone steps. The Tremaines found themselves in a two-story foyer.