Serena's Magic (22 page)

The room was quiet. He couldn’t go flying into her room when she was sleeping with her fiancé. If he had imagined the scream, they would both think him insane.

And if he weren’t careful, O’Neill would start thinking the whole family was bats.

But what if O’Neill wasn’t entirely what he seemed. What if Serena had screamed. What if the muscle-bound Ph.D. was a little off the wall himself, threatening Serena to silence while he performed sick deeds.

Hell, Tom Hawk, he told himself beneath his breath as a smile at his own absurdity curled his lips, you are half-bats.

He glanced at the door again. Not a sound was coming from it. But he had been worried about his sister, and when he worried, he was usually right to do so.

With his face twisted in a mask of uncertainty, he leaned his ear against the door and began to hear murmuring.

And then his sister’s voice. Soft … almost a purr.

“Oh … Justin …”

Tom drew his ear from the door as his face turned pink. Sheepishly he made his way back to his own room.

In the morning the Golden Hawk itself seemed to sleep late. No one appeared for breakfast at eight, which was fine because Martha was still sleeping herself. Mildred Donnesy was the first to awaken, and then she woke up her poor husband with a swat, reminding him that they were among the employed and that the museum had to open. They and the Bakers departed quietly.

Serena awoke at eleven to see Justin zip up a pair of beige trousers and pull a navy knit shirt over his head. His hair was wet, and she realized a bit resentfully that he had already jogged and showered and was on his way out.

His eyes fell upon her as he clipped on his watch and collected his keys. He arched a brow. “Good morning.”

“Good morning,” she mumbled in return, curling her arms around her pillow.

“You okay?”

Serena nodded slowly. He had managed to make her forget the dream. And now, in daylight, it did seem a little foolish.

He walked over to the bed and smiled as he leaned down to kiss her. She was always a vision to him. Her chestnut hair was billowed in wild disarray about her, her violet eyes appeared sweetly sensuous in their drowsy state.

He touched her lips swiftly, then backed away. “I’m getting out of here quickly,” he laughed, knowing she was still a little too out-of-it to understand why. “I have to pick up my suit, and I want to stop by AAA to pick up a few maps. And Martha asked me to stop by the florist and make sure they have the delivery set for early in the morning.” He waited a minute, wondering if she would protest.

She didn’t. She smiled vaguely and closed her eyes again.

“Don’t forget, we have to pick up Jenny at five.”

“I won’t forget,” Serena mumbled.

The click of the door when he left snapped Serena out of her drowsiness. She stretched for a minute, glanced at the clock on the nightstand, and groaned. Damn, it was late.

She bathed quickly and decided to wear a skirt and a tailored blouse with an edge of ruffling down the front. The outfit, in shades of summer mauve, was neither too businesslike nor fussy. Perfect for meeting Justin’s daughter, and since they would have to leave for Logan Airport with a good hour to spare on a Friday night, she didn’t think she’d have a chance to change again.

She was surprised to find her brother in the kitchen popping bread into the toaster, his usually bright expression definitely dour. She raised a brow at him as she checked the coffeepot.

“Rotten night,” he murmured.

“Must be an epidemic,” Serena replied lightly, grateful to see that there was coffee in the pot. “Where’s Martha?”

“She went into town to collect a few supplies for tomorrow. Most of the food is going to be delivered, and the florists are supposed to do the arrangements in the house, but you know Martha. She wants everything perfect.”

Serena smiled. “My wedding,” she said, laughing, “and I’ve barely done a thing.”

“That’s allowed,” Tom said, grinning, “since it’s almost a shotgun affair. Want some toast?”

“Thanks.”

“Good. I’ll make your toast if you’ll pour my coffee.”

“I didn’t get the bad end of the stick in that deal,” Serena agreed.

A few minutes later they sat across from each other at the table. Tom looked at his sister quizzically, and she half smiled and half frowned as she caught his stare. “What?” she asked.

“How come you had a bad night?” he said.

“Oh … a dream.”

Tom swallowed a bite of toast and rinsed it down with a sip of coffee. “I thought I heard you scream,” he said. He started to blush. “In fact, I came racing out of my room to your door … but … well, you weren’t screaming anymore. And I … well, I knew you were all right. I mean, not in any pain.”

Serena started flushing too, and then both brother and sister broke into laughter, still flushing. “I’m sorry I woke you,” Serena murmured, trying to change the subject.

“Oh, I was glad you woke me. I was having a horrendous dream myself.”

“You were?” Serena felt her body tense in some type of strange anticipation. “About what?”

Tom shrugged and smiled gently in reply to the anxiety in his sister’s eyes. “Not about you, or Justin, or anything relevant. Just strange. And … painful.”

“Tell me about it,” Serena demanded.

“I’d rather not. It would just bring up a lot of long-ago pain for you to dwell on too.”

“I don’t understand.”

“I was dreaming about Mom.”

“Mom,” Serena repeated, bewildered. Then she said softly, “Tom, you should tell me about the dream. Justin made me tell him about mine, and it made me feel better. And, Tom, it’s always going to hurt us both a little about our parents, but they’ve been gone ten years. We can both talk about it now.”

Tom shrugged again, then grimaced. “It was really kind of crazy. I felt like I knew Mom was in the house, and I could hear the plane. But I couldn’t get to her. All I could do was hear the plane. That funny soaring noise. And then there was an explosion, and flames leaping high and—hey, Serena, what’s the matter?”

She had jumped to her feet and gone as white as chalk. “Serena, it was all long ago. Damn, I knew I shouldn’t have said anything—”

“That’s it!” Serena shrieked, “A fire—a plane! Oh, Jesus, Tom, that’s it. Justin was right; he’s strong, so little can hurt him, he’s like the Rock of Gibraltar, but one thing could kill him, and that’s his daughter, he loves her so much—”

“Serena.” Tom jumped beside her in alarm. “What are you talking about? Calm down—”

“I can’t. I have to find Justin. I have to make him get Jenny off that plane—”

Shaking off her brother’s touch, she was outside and into her car before he could stop her. He was just in time to be covered by the dust as the wheels sent it flying.

Justin had already left the cleaners. She didn’t catch up with him until he was leaving the AAA office, and then she was so incoherent it was minutes before he could understand a thing she was saying.

He was patient at first when he tried to calm her, but his patience fled fast to become irritation. He sternly forced her to quiet down and speak slowly, then ducked her inside to the far corner of a dimly lit lounge, ordering them both stiff drinks.

He wouldn’t let her speak again until she had taken several sips.

Then she tried to get ahold of herself and plead as rationally as she could.

“Justin, please, we’re wasting time. You have to stop Jenny from getting on that plane. Don’t you see, it’s your turn—”

“Serena! I’ve gone about as far with all this as I can go. It is not my turn for anything! And I’m not going to have my daughter miss the wedding because you have nightmares.”

Serena knew the set to his face, the iron lock to his strong jaw. She stared at him helplessly, then fell silent and quietly finished her drink, feeling the heat and intensity of his eyes all the while.

She stood up and gazed down at him, defeated. “There won’t be a wedding tomorrow, Justin. I can’t marry you.”

He caught her wrist. “You are going to marry me tomorrow.”

He didn’t like her reply. She didn’t try to fight him. She merely lifted her eyes sadly to his. “I doubt if you’ll want to marry me anymore tomorrow,” she said quietly.

And with a dignified little hike to her shoulders, she left him.

He stared after her for a long while.

Serena didn’t go into the house when she drove home; she left her car and started walking blindly, and her walk brought her to the pond. She sat down upon the damp earth, not caring that dirt and soft, sandy mud covered her skirt and stockings.

It was strange, but at the pond she didn’t feel anything. The terrible feeling of something terrible about to happen left her. It was almost as if a veil of tranquility had fallen over her.

She didn’t know how long she sat. But sometimes she would glance up at the sun and see that it was moving across the sky. Twilight was coming.

And twilight made tears slip silently down her cheeks even as a smile of memory tugged at her lips.

She could remember that first time so clearly.

He had risen from the water, and as soon as she had quit choking, she had looked at him and known that no matter what the consequences, she wanted him, desperately, more than she had ever wanted anything in her life.

And that very first time, as total strangers, their lovemaking had been beautiful. He had known just where and when to touch her; she had known his incredible physique in return.

And despite all the lies she had told herself, she must have known even then she loved him, because once he had touched, she had known that she had always craved his touch.

“Oh, Justin,” she whispered fervently aloud, “I love you so much. I would fight anything to be with you, but I love you too much to take a chance on hurting you.”

The trees whispered in a soft breeze, and the water of the pond rippled, brushed to little peaks of shimmering sparkles as it caught and reflected the last sun of the day.

She didn’t feel him behind her. She had no awareness at all until he spoke, and then her back seemed to stiffen and freeze.

“There was a problem with Flight 307 from Cincinnati,” he said, and she was stunned to realize that his voice was merely calm and authoritative, nothing more. “A small fire broke out in flight, but the plane landed safely. Several passengers were hospitalized, but all are reported in stable condition.”

Serena kept staring at the pond. She wanted to talk, but she couldn’t. She wanted to scream at him, to beg that he go away, to tell him that he tortured both of them.

He sat down beside her and drew her chin around gently with his thumb and forefinger.

“Serena—Jenny wasn’t on the flight.”

Her eyes widened as she stared at him, and she started to tremble uncontrollably. He slipped an arm around her and brought her head to rest against his shoulder.

“I called her, sweetheart, just as you asked. Everything is all right.”

Serena started to cry again, she couldn’t help herself. Silent tears raced down her cheeks. “But, Justin, it isn’t! Don’t you see—”

“I only see that I love you,” he interrupted, “and that you love me. And that I want you to be my wife.”

“Justin, I can’t …” The words came out in anguish. She was staring at his hand, at the long fingers, at the broad back, and she was thinking that she loved everything about him, from the way his fingers dangled to the way his eyes darkened in passion and even in anger.

“Just suppose,” he interrupted her again, “that any of this made sense. Say—hypothetically—that Eleanora and Miles have in some way come back. And now think, Serena, pay close attention to what I’m saying. Eleanora died in that staircase—Miles was able to do nothing. But, Serena, I was able to bring you out. And then we’ll take poor Miles. Bereft of the woman he loved, he sickened and died. Say that I was threatened by something happening to someone I loved dearly, my own blood. Jennifer. Nothing happened to her, Serena, because of you. Now suppose, just suppose, hypothetically, that we are talking about shades of the past. Eleanora and Miles loved each other. Their most fervent wishes were to be together. If they have come back, Serena, don’t you think they want us to be together, more than anything in the world? That very special love, that recognition of the perfect mate for life? Those were what we all shared, Serena. If anything has come from the past, Serena, it is a cleansing. We can have each other, we can have the beauty and the love they were denied.”

Serena listened to Justin, her whole body tense with longing. God, how she wanted to believe him.

She lifted her head from his shoulder and stared at him, her violet gaze demanding all. “You don’t believe a word of that, do you, Justin?”

He smiled at her softly. “No. I do not believe in reincarnation, ghosts, spooks, haunts, or spirits.”

“But, Justin, I did know about the plane. And Tom and I have often known when one or the other of us was in trouble.”

He continued smiling at her, slipping his fingers through her hair and drawing her face close to his. “I don’t deny that, Serena. There are many mind bonds that we know little about yet.”

Serena didn’t know what it was, Justin’s supreme confidence and unfaltering love, or the idea that perhaps his story held a note of truth—that maybe they were being saved by the remnants of the past rather than threatened, but suddenly she began to feel a tiny ripple of hope filtering through her body.

“Justin,” she murmured, feeling she was drowning a little in the depths of his eyes. “Aren’t you worried a little? Just a little? You never know when I’m going to pop up with something like this morning. An insight. Won’t you feel a bit like you’re married to a freak?”

“I always did think I was getting a bit of a
witch
,” he replied, and his comment was both dry and affectionate. “No, Serena, you don’t scare me. What you and Tom have is wonderful. And as long as you don’t start reading palms, I’ll keep you nice and sane by always following any really strong hunch you have. Except that I don’t think it will be that often. I do strongly believe in the power of suggestion—as you know—and a lot has been happening around here lately.” He drew her even closer, and he kissed her, his love, his need, and his passion clearly portrayed in a possession both fierce and tender. Thought slipped away as he held her, his tongue claiming hers, his lips and teeth bruising in their ardency. He held her head with one hand and crushed her torso against his with the other. He robbed her of strength, and then it seemed that he returned it tenfold.