Night of the Magician Read Online Free PDF Page A

warmly decorated living room to answer it. It was a charming room. There was no doubt about Philomena Warfield’s being an extremely talented woman. When it came to mixing colors and textures, few could match her. The papaya-shaded carpet made a dramatic backdrop for the vanilla-colored furniture. Each item in the room had been selected for both comfort and style, and there was an overall sophistication about the blend of Queen Anne and French designs. The resulting atmosphere perfectly suited Ariana’s lifestyle just as the sleek, ultramodern look of Drake’s apartment suited his rather unusual way of living.
    “Good evening, Lucian,“ Ariana began with cool formality as she opened the door. “You’re very prompt.“
    “I generally am for a home-cooked meal,“ he said as he stepped inside. Dressed in dark slacks and a deep green pullover sweater, Lucian looked casual and at ease. He slipped off the metal-clasped jacket, the same one he had worn the night before, and handed it to her to hang in the hall closet.
    Ariana took advantage of the small distraction to adjust to his dark presence in her warm pastel living room. The fog had left a trace of dampness on his black hair, and he seemed as large and faintly intimidating as he had seemed the night before in the cab. It wasn’t that he was an unusually big man, but there was definitely something about him that made her uneasily aware of his presence. By the time she had completed the job of hanging up his heavy coat, however, Ariana had herself firmly under control.
    “Thank you for coming, Lucian. Please have a seat. What would you like a drink?“
    Instead of obeying her casual wave toward the Queen Anne sofa, Lucian fell into step behind her as Ariana walked into the open kitchen. He slid onto a stool on the opposite side of the breakfast counter as she opened a cupboard full of glasses.
    “Whatever you’re having will be fine.“
    “A glass of Johannesburg Riesling?“ she inquired, opening the refrigerator to remove the Napa Valley white wine she had been chilling.
    “Fine.“ He watched her.
    “I don’t suppose you’d like to help me economize by doing some nifty trick like turning my tap water into good Riesling instead of making me use up this expensive stuff?“ Ariana asked pleasantly as she set the bottle on the counter and searched for a corkscrew.
    “You don’t look as if you have to worry about economizing to that extent,“ Lucian remarked with a significant glance at the expensively furnished apartment “But I will offer to get that cork out of the bottle for you.“
    She handed him the wine bottle. “With magic, or do you need the corkscrew?“ she inquired interestedly.
    “I thought I’d just use my teeth,“ he growled. Then he held out his hand demandingly. “Of course I need a corkscrew. What is this? A test?“
    Ariana smiled very brilliantly, handing him the implement. “It’s just that I haven’t met many magicians and I wasn’t sure what to expect.“
    “We’re even then. I’m not quite sure what to expect from you, either.“ Expertly he began uncorking the bottle. “So suppose we start satisfying each other’s curiosity. Why will I be posing as your lover?“
    Ariana winced at the blunt question. “Not my lover, Lucian,“ she qualified. “Just a man I’m currently dating.
    Someone with whom I have a relationship. Enough of a relationship that my aunt will accept you without suspicion when I ask to bring you along to the seance or whatever her psychic calls his little get-togethers.“
    Lucian made a noncommittal sound as he removed the cork from the bottle.
    “I can’t very well tell her who you really are or expect her to welcome you with open arms, now can I?“ Ariana went on determinedly. “Furthermore, that damn psychic will undoubtedly forbid you to attend the session if he knows who or what you are. He’s not likely to want another conjuror watching him at work, is he?“
    Lucian poured the wine, a