Waiting for Magic

Waiting for Magic

Susan Squires

Version 1.0 – October 2013

Copyright 2013 by Susan Squires

Discover other titles by Susan Squires at
http://www.susansquires.com

This book is a work of fiction.  Names, characters, places and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.

Other Books by Susan Squires

Danegeld

Sacrament

Body Electric

Danelaw

No More Lies

Sacrilege (novella in The Only One)

The Companion (Companion Vampire Series #1)

The Hunger  (Companion #2)

The Burning (Companion #3)

One With the Night (Companion #4)

One With the Shadows (Companion #5)

One With the Darkness (Companion #6)

Time for Eternity (Da Vinci Time Travel Series #1)

Twist In Time (
Da Vinci #2)

Mists of Time (
Da Vinci #3)

Do You Believe In Magic? (Children of Merlin Series #1)

He’s A Magic Man (Children of Merlin #2)

Your Magic Touch (Children of Merlin Novella)

Critical Acclaim For
New York Times
Bestselling Author Susan Squires

“Superb writing, vivid narrative combined with complex plotting, and intricate characterization make each novel by Ms. Squires an absolute winner.”
Romantic Times BOOKreviews

“Susan Squires has a fascinating, unique voice:[she] is a rare talent.”
New York Times
bestselling author Christine Feehan

“Few writers combine a sensual romance within a supernatural thriller as well as Susan Squires consistently does.”
Midwest Book Review

“Full of colorful characters, romantic locales and vivid details of 1820’s life [
One With The Shadows
] has a delicious pace and plenty of thrills...”
Publisher’s Weekly
(A Best Book of the Year)

“
Do You Believe In Magic?
is an entertaining and exciting paranormal romance that will leave fans desperate for more. This novel features a great couple introduces a charismatic family and sets up what should be a very fascinating series.” (Four Stars)
The Romance Review

“...action, adventure, magic fighting, loving and more. Since it is the first of a series, there are enough threads left dangling that you know it’s going to continue yet the story gives a satisfying ending. Recommended for anyone who likes paranormal romance...” (Four Stars)
Nightowlreviews
on
Do You Believe In Magic?

“Squires’ deft plotting and full-bodied characters make this whirlwind adventure worthwhile.”
Publishers’ Weekly
on
Body Electric

“A darkly compelling vampire romance...the plot keeps the reader turning pages long into the night.”
Affaire de Coeur
on
The Companion

CHAPTER ONE

“
What?
” Kemble Tremaine never used that tone of voice with his father. His only excuse was that he was shocked.

Miles Vanderlaan, their new corporate lawyer, snapped his gaze up from the contracts he was reading in surprise. The
three of them were in the office wing of the Breakers, cleaning up details of the latest acquisition.

“I said I’d like you to focus on acquiring some objects for the museum. Miles can help you with the contracts.” Senior’s tone was mild, just as though he hadn’t practically slapped Kemble. When his father was stretched thin managing Tremaine Enterprises and the family was in constant danger of attack, to relegate Kemble to buying antiques.…

“They have an acquisitions department,” he said, jaw clenching. “You give them the money, they buy the stuff.” This was a make-work job. A flush rose from his neck into his face.

“Is that really necessary?” Miles asked. “Kemble should be focused on absorbing the
new acquisition.”

Senior got that “Captain of Industry” look about his mouth. “Cameron Phelps is a good man. He’s brought
Petra this far and he’s eager for it to be a part of our family of companies. He and Johnson can handle the integration.”

Miles shut down.
One didn’t argue with that tone. He began packing up his contracts.

But Kemble couldn’t let it go
. “How am I ever going to take over for you if you never let me do the important things?”

“Are you planning a coup?” His father had picked up the quarterly reports on the wind farms and was leafing through them.

“Of course not,” Kemble snapped. He was only too aware that he’d never be able to match a father who could do anything after simply being told about it or reading a book. That included anything his sons were interested in doing; surfing, music, engineering, sailing, racecar driving. Didn’t matter. He sighed. “But you have to retire sometime.”

Kemble couldn’t believe he’d said that. His father looked up, his sharp blue eyes fixed on his son. There wouldn’t be anything he didn’t see, once he focused. He just didn’t often focus on Kemble. His oldest son was just part of the
Tremaine Enterprise infrastructure.

“I’ll have these ready tomorrow,” Miles said, as he closed his briefcase. His expression was impassive. There was no way he’d get between Brian Tremaine and his son. “I’ll let you know if the final proposals on the wind farm come in.” He gave a nod and vacated, while Kemble stood there, stiff with rage.

“Is this because I don’t have magic?” Maybe he could blurt it out because he’d begun to accept that fact, depressing as it was. “And not likely to get any at thirty-six. Maybe you could bring Tristram into the business, or Drew.” They’d each found a soul mate who also had the magic gene. They’d gotten a power.

His father blinked at him. “You’re kidding, of course. They have no interest in the
company. You’re it. Even Tristram calls you ‘the Prince of Wales.’ ”

“What difference does that make?” All the frustration of the last years welled up into Kemble’s throat. “I’ll never be an Adapter. I’ll never be able to run the business or lead the family like you do. But that doesn’t matter, because you’ll never retire. So that leaves me where? Acquiring artifacts for the museum.”

“What’s wrong with you?” his father asked, anger rising. “I ask you to take on an important task and you throw a fit like a five-year-old.”

“Important,” Kemble snorted. “Acquiring
artifacts
?”

Senior was about to retort, but caught himself. A look of surprise crossed his face before his expression turned wry. “I couldn’t call them Tarot Talismans in front of Miles, now could I?”

Kemble felt his anger drain away, probably along with the rest of the blood in his face. His father was asking him to take responsibility for acquiring Talismans?

Senior tossed the reports onto the conference table. Behind him, French doors looked out across the terrace and lawns, past the pergola covered in bougainvillea to the iron gray of the Pacific and Catalina Island. The sky was fractious with storm clouds. It was supposed to rain like sixty later. “I’ve been wrong, Kemble,” his father said, leveling his gaze at his son.

Kemble raised his brows, stunned into silence.

“I know. I know. I don’t admit that often enough.” His father rubbed the bridge of his nose. Kemble had never really noticed the gray infiltrating his father’s
black hair, or the lines deepening around his eyes and the corners of his mouth. His father looked at that moment as though he had turned the corner out of middle age. What was he, fifty-nine? Kemble had always thought Senior was invincible, but his father was tired. Kemble felt the supports knocked out from under his world.

Senior looked up. “I’ve been fighting a defensive battle. I’ve tried everything I know to keep you all safe from the old woman and the Clan.”

“And you’re doing a great job. The Secret Service could learn some tricks from you.”

His father stared up at the painting that looked vaguely like a
Rothko on the conference room wall. His sister Keelan’s work, of course. “I’ve thought about selling the company so we could keep a lower profile. Move the family somewhere harder to find.”

Kemble was really shocked now. “Tremaine
Enterprises is force for good in the world. That counts for something. Besides….”

“I know. Your mother wouldn’t let me.”

Exactly what Kemble had been thinking.

Senior sighed. “But my family is paying the price for this feud.”

“Tamsen was homeschooled. Big deal.”

“We
’re under siege, Kemble. Keelan can’t study in Paris. Lanyon had to turn down Julliard. Children grown and married are still living on the estate. We’re a compound.”

“It’s how things are. You didn’t start this thing. The old woman found you.”

Senior leaned over the table on braced arms and hung his head. Then he pounded the table so the pile of reports jumped. Kemble jumped too. “That’s the problem. We’re playing defense when we should be playing offense.” For the first time, Kemble saw fear in his father’s eyes. “We’ll make a mistake … or one of the children will run off in frustration like Drew and make themselves vulnerable. That was almost a disaster. And she wins.”

Kemble was shaken.

“And I might not catch her next plot. There have been six or seven since she brought down Lehman Brothers.”

“That was the Clan?” The ensuing recession had caused misery for untold millions.

“She tanked the economy and then bought up banking shares, knowing the government would have to bail them out. These weather-related disasters? The old woman’s weather witch. Tornados, storm surges. How do I stop those?”