The Magician's Blood: A Paranormal Romance The Great Dagmaru Book 2

By Linda G. Hill

Embrace a realm of family secrets ...

Herman Anderson, assistant to The Great Dagmaru, returns to her hometown—the first stop on their magic tour. Her family has moved without a trace.

Stephen Dagmar, a powerful stage magician, sets out to live his dream ... until Herman’s father makes a prediction and resolves to come between them.

Darkness descends when the reality of the Dagmar’s incubus bloodline surfaces for the first time in over a generation.

And the consequences may be deadly.

A Gothic tale of beauty and intrigue, this sequel to the award-winning novel The Magician's Curse will chill you and leave you breathless for more.

Escape into the twists and turns of an extraordinary romance.

*18+ Contains explicit scenes.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Linda G. Hill
• Release date: Mar 30, 2020
• ISBN: 9780994891235

Linda G. Hill

Linda G. Hill was born and raised an only child in Southern Ontario, Canada. She credits the time she spent alone when she was growing up, reading books and building worlds and characters of her own to keep her company, as the reason she became a writer.A stay-at-home mom of three beautiful boys, Linda is a graduate of the Writing Program at St. Lawrence College in Brockville, Ontario. Aside from caring for her family, she enjoys traveling the world, eating trout cooked on the barbecue, and, of course, reading.

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Book 2

Linda G. Hill

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

THE MAGICIAN’S BLOOD – THE GREAT DAGMARU, BOOK 2

Copyright © 2018 Linda G. Hill

Cover: Moonblood by Belinda Borradaile

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher, except as permitted by Canadian copyright law.

For information, visit https://lindaghill.com

ISBN: (e-book) 978-0-9948912-3-5

ISBN: (print) 978-0-9948912-4-2

For my best friend, John, and my son, Fred, without whose help this book might never have seen the light of day

PROLOGUE

Nina Curry sat on her bed, staring at the posters lining the walls of her room. They depicted The Great Dagmaru—the magician, the father of her unborn child. Her Master, Stephen Dagmar.

How had things gone so wrong? The walk back home from the station, which was an actual displaced train station on the back of Master’s property where he rehearsed his stage shows, had been a hand-wringing experience. She’d gone there hoping to find him, but instead she had found Miss Anderson. Herman. The bitch with a man’s name who had taken her Master from her. Nina had just been about to go in and confront the woman when she heard hoofbeats. Her Master on his black horse, galloping out to the station.

She’d watched, undetected, from the corner of the building as Master had vaulted off the horse and run inside. He’d spoken briefly to Miss Anderson and then he had laid her down on the bench in the waiting room and their clothes had disappeared, just like that. Nina had turned away as they began to make love, fuming that it wasn’t her and dreaming that it was at the same time.

But it was the last straw.

Master and the bitch, his stage assistant, were scheduled to leave for the start of their tour tomorrow. But they would return. And when they did, Nina was determined she’d get rid of the bitch once and for all.

Then her Master—Stephen Dagmar, The Great Dagmaru—would be hers and hers alone.

CHAPTER 1

Herman Anderson got out of her seat before the train came to a stop. Tapping her foot and tightly clutching the shoulder strap of her backpack, she felt a hand gently enclose hers and she relaxed a fraction. She looked down into the eyes of her boyfriend, Stephen Dagmar, and her muscles gave in a bit more to the comfort she found in his touch.

I know what you’re going to say, she said with a sigh.

He raised one perfect black eyebrow. That no matter what you find when you get home, we’ll deal with it?

And …

You’re not going to get off this train before they open the doors?

And …

That I love you? He smiled then, and her nerves ceased their vibration.

I love you too.

She squeezed his hand to steady herself as the train finally came to a grinding halt at the Ottawa Via Rail station.

Standing on the platform, she watched the tall, handsome magician, dressed in the finest black clothes money could buy, retrieve their luggage. She breathed in the muggy late-spring air and purposefully ignored the half-dozen women who stared at him with their mouths agape. Because she could do that now. Stephen had eyes only for her. He turned to find her in the dispersing crowd and smiled affectionately at her.

They walked together hand in hand through the station to the other side where, amidst the odor of diesel, they found a black limo waiting for them.

The driver came around and said, Good afternoon, Mr. Dagmar, but Herman barely heard Stephen’s response. She got into the car and slid halfway across the back seat. Stephen settled himself beside her and grasped her hand, lifting it to his lips to kiss it.

Have you decided whether you want to go to the hotel first? Or would you rather go straight home and see your mom?

The question pained her as thoughts of her mother had since they’d left the Dagmar mansion in Kingston, Ontario that morning. It was as hard to go home as it had been to leave, and that was a decision she’d struggled with until suddenly the perfect opportunity had arisen: a live-in job, a chance for a better life for her, and eventually her brother, Chad. Her goal had been to force their father to step up and come home to look after Chad and their disabled mother. It all made sense to her at the time, but in the end, it had done no good: her dad hadn’t come home to stay. And since she’d been unable to get ahold of her little brother in weeks, she’d been doubting the wisdom of leaving home. Even though doing so had led her to Stephen.

Herman? Stephen’s voice pulled her out of her thoughts.

Am I a coward if I say I’d rather go to the hotel and call my mom before coming face to face with her?

Stephen shook his head.

Let’s do that, then. It’s probably for the best anyway. If my mother sees you for the first time all in black, nail polish and all— She lifted his hand to the level of her face. You might give her a heart attack.

He gave her the lopsided smile she’d grown to love. I’ll buy some blue jeans just for the occasion. Stephen reached for the phone to speak to the driver, but Herman stopped him with a hand on his arm.

Can we just drive by the house, though? And Chad’s friend’s place too. Maybe I’ll get a clue as to why they’re not answering the phone.

Sure, Stephen said. He glanced at his watch. We still have four hours before we have to be at the venue for rehearsal. He gave the driver the address, and the car began to move.

Sitting back, he put his arm around her shoulders: it didn’t help the nerves that once again thrummed in her system. She watched out the window as the limo turned east onto the highway, toward her old neighborhood.

You did the right thing, you know.

It’s like you read my mind sometimes, Herman said, shifting her gaze to the interior of the car. She looked into his eyes, at his mahogany irises glowing in the dimness of the car, and her nerves melted under his gaze once again.

How do you do that?

Read your mind? he asked.

No. Take away all my qualms like that.

It’s magic, my love. The magic of us.

She leaned back into his embrace, to enjoy the closeness of his body, the movement of his breathing.

When they merged off the Queensway and onto Montreal Road, she sat up again. People walking along the sidewalk turned to stare at the limo, straining their eyes to see who was inside. The car turned onto her street, and she caught sight of the house she’d grown up in. She gasped.

What is it? Stephen asked, following her gaze.

The house is up for sale. Stop the car.

She got out and stood, frozen, beside the limo. The house was vacant. Even the curtains were gone. When she circled the For Sale sign on the lawn, she saw a Sold sticker on the opposite side.

Stephen followed her around the corner in the direction of Chad’s friend’s house. She knocked on the door and waited, but nobody came.

Herman turned to face Stephen, with her heart in her throat. Where can they be? She blinked back tears as he reached out to hold her.

Do you want to call your dad?

I guess I have no choice. But what if he tells me I have to go to wherever he’s moved them, and look after them again? What if I have to quit being your assistant and move out? What if …

It’s okay, my love, he said, interrupting her. We’ll figure out the best course of action when we know what’s going on. The alternative is to see if we can get the information by other means. Your dad doesn’t have to know where you are yet.

She looked up at him. How would you do that?

Margaret is friends with, Jack, your dad’s agent. Maybe Jack knows what’s going on. Or maybe he can weasel the truth out of your dad.

Stephen’s best friend and agent, Margaret, had become a good friend and confidant to Herman in the months since they’d met. Herman had no doubt Margaret could find out where her family had gone. But that solution felt wrong somehow.

No, she said. I have to face up to someone. It may as well be my dad.

Stephen rubbed her arms and she pulled her cell phone out of her pocket. She dialed her father’s number and waited. A voice came on to say the line was no longer in service.

She pocketed her phone, frustrated.

I’ll call Margaret, Stephen said, knowing by the look on her face what had happened.

Oh, Stephen. The tears were threatening to return. This is all my fault. If I hadn’t left …

He looked her in the eye, his expression both stern and loving. This is not your fault. You did the best you could. Your mother and Chad were your dad’s responsibility, not yours. If he’d been honest with you about what he does for a living, maybe you’d have decided differently, but he wasn’t. If anyone is at fault, it’s him. You have to believe that.

Herman nodded, and Stephen took her hand.

Let’s go back to the car. We’ll get to the bottom of this and find out where your family is.

* * *

Stephen nodded at the limo driver and climbed into the car behind Herman, his phone already in his hand. He hit speed dial to call Margaret. She was already in town to oversee the arrival of the props and the stage crew.

What’s up? she answered after the second ring.

He gazed into Herman’s worried eyes as he spoke. I need to get ahold of George Anderson. Can you get his number from Paul and George’s agent?

The magician Paul Whitmore was a showman of little talent. The real magic came from his crossdressing assistant, George, Herman’s father. Also known as Mona Lisa onstage.

Without asking why, Margaret said she would get right on it and they hung up.

Stephen took Herman’s hand, dreading the discussion he was about to suggest.

We need to talk about your dad.

Herman frowned. What about him?

He doesn’t like me. It started when he showed up at my performance at a private party in Japan. I wasn’t expecting anyone who knew magic to be there, so I took some liberties. I used real magic.

That was a bit risky, don’t you think? Considering you don’t want anyone to know you have real magical powers.

Stephen’s hand went up to his mouth involuntarily, and he found a nail to chew on. "More risqué than risky."

Herman’s shoulders dropped, and she breathed out heavily through her nose. Okay, what else are you not telling me?

What do you mean? He did his best to look innocent, to delay the inevitable tale, but it would be better coming from him than her father.

I know you, Stephen Dagmar. You’re biting your nails.

He looked out the window at the traffic they were stuck in. There were no answers out there. Okay, fine. I levitated my assistant.

"How did you expect anyone not to notice you were levitating at a party? For God’s sake stop biting your nails and tell me what you don’t want to tell me," Herman said, crossing her arms and shifting away from him so she could see him better.

Stephen smiled nervously. No one ever really questioned the levitation because it wasn’t what they were concentrating on, in particular, he said. Yuka was a contortionist among other things.

Herman raised her eyebrows, waiting.

She was also an exhibitionist. The show was done, for the most part, in the nude. Once she was naked, I levitated her over the guests, he cleared his throat, and then down onto myself.

You were naked too?

Er, yeah.

You had sex onstage?

It was very artfully done, he said. It was more about the dance and the movement than the sex, and there was still a lot left to the imagination.

Herman looked at him, doubtfully.

Stephen crossed his arms to force himself to stop chewing. Anyway, your dad has an idea that I might have actually hypnotized everyone in the room to believe that they were seeing something they weren’t.

Huh. That still doesn’t explain why my dad doesn’t like you.

"It doesn’t for me either. We were working on a circuit at the time, often at the same venues on different nights, but we bumped into each other often. We hung out for a few weeks before the party—your dad and Paul and a few other magicians—but after the night of the party, whenever we got together, George started trying to get my assistant alone. She said he wasn’t coming on to her or anything like that, but he was glued to her.

Then the tour finished in Japan, but apart from running into him a few times in the States last year, I didn’t see him again until I ran into him shortly after I met you.

Huh.

There’s more … Stephen took her hand in his and rubbed her knuckles with his thumb. She didn’t need more worry, but more than that, she didn’t need any further surprises. I may have been a little bit responsible for antagonizing him when I saw him a couple of months ago, after you disappeared from home.

Herman looked resigned. What did you do? she asked with a sigh.

It’s not as much what I did. In my own defense, you didn’t want him to know where you were.

Yeah, okay, I’ll give you that. Keep going.

He told me, in so many words, to go find myself another assistant to have sex with.

And what did you say to that?

I kind of laughed and walked away.

Oh for fuck sakes, Stephen. So what you’re telling me now is not only did he hate you before, he’s going to—

Stephen’s phone rang. That’ll be Margaret. He answered the call.

George wanted to know why you needed his number, Margaret said.

You didn’t …

No. His agent didn’t even talk to him. I still don’t know how he knew, and Jack’s as mystified as I am. Anyway, I’ve got the number.

Text it to me? I don’t have anything to write on.

Will do. Is everything okay? You sound upset.

I’ll explain later.

Stephen hung up. He shifted closer to Herman and looked out the window in the direction she was gazing. They were sitting in traffic downtown, close to the war memorial at the top of Elgin Street.

Do you think we’ll meet my dad at the magician’s conference next year?

Probably.

I’ve only been inside the National Arts Centre once. To watch a kids’ show of some kind. I remember being in awe of the place.

It will be even more awesome with you on the stage.

She turned and kissed him gently on the lips.

What was that for? he asked.

For supporting me. This isn’t going to be an easy conversation, is it?

No. But we’ll deal.

Together.

Always together.

CHAPTER 2

Stephen’s phone rang the moment they got into their hotel room. He looked at the caller ID—it was unknown.

Do you think it’s him? Herman asked, knitting her brows.

Only one way to find out. He hit the answer button and put the phone to his ear.

Hello?

What the fuck do you want, Dagmar?

George! Stephen said. Just the person I wanted to talk to.

Get on with it then. I’ve got a show to do.

Herman wants to know where her mother and Chad are.

Stephen heard shuffling at the other end of the phone, as though George was changing ears to make sure he heard right.

Herman? How do you know my daughter?

Didn’t you hear? Stephen asked. She’s my assistant.

He held the phone at arm’s length, knowing he was about to get an earful. He wasn’t disappointed.

Herman rolled her eyes at Stephen. She took the phone and called to her father without putting it too close to her face.

When George finally heard Herman’s voice, he went quiet; she switched the phone to speaker and put it on the bed. Dad?

Herman? Are you okay?

Yes, I’m fine.

That slimy little prick hasn’t hurt you, has he?

No! Of course not. He’s taking care of me.

I’m sure he is, George said. I’ll wring his fucking neck.

Now, George, come on, Stephen said. That’s no way to talk to your daughter’s boyfriend.

Herman stared at him with her lips drawn into a fine line of frustration.

What? Stephen shrugged wordlessly.

Where are you? George asked, after a pause. I’ll come and get you.

"Dad, you’re not coming to get me. I’m fine. And I’m happy. You have nothing to worry about."

Do you know what kinds of shows he does?

Yes, Dad.

And has he tried to take you out of the country yet?

Herman looked at Stephen. What does that have to do with anything? They had talked about visiting Stephen’s parents and his sister in Antigua, but they hadn’t made any plans.

George, my intentions toward Herman are completely honorable. I’m not going to ask her to do anything she’s not comfortable with.

He’s a hypnotist, did you know that? George asked.

So? Herman said.

So he can talk you into doing things you wouldn’t normally do. Don’t trust him.

What exactly is it you have against me, George? What have I ever done to you? Stephen asked sincerely.

George was quiet for so long that Herman asked if he was still there.

He’s hiding something, Herman. There’s more to him than meets the eye.

Herman looked at Stephen with her eyebrows raised. He shook his head and put his finger to his lips, asking her not to speak about what she knew to be true of his powers.

I’ve been with Stephen long enough to know that I can trust him, okay?

And how long is that?

When Herman didn’t answer, George said. You knew where she was when I saw you at the airport, Dagmar?

You didn’t want to know, if you recall, Stephen said.

I remember exactly what we talked about, you sleazy asshole, George said through clenched teeth.

Anyway! Herman said, cutting off whatever was coming next. As I said, Stephen’s been great the whole time we’ve been together. And you’re one to talk. I didn’t even know what you do for a living until I met Stephen.

I was going to tell you when you were old enough to understand, George said.

I’m eighteen.

And now you know.

You should be happy Herman has joined the family business, Stephen said. He was convinced there was much more to it than just the fact that both father and daughter assisted magicians—he felt quite sure that George had innate magic of his own that he had likely passed down to Herman—but the likelihood that George would admit it was equal to the possibility that Stephen would confide in the man: nil.

I’m still going to wring your neck the next time I see you, Dagmar.

You’re going to have to get through me first, Herman said. Is there any point asking you how I can find Mom and Chad?

George sighed. Your mother is in a home. I’m sorry. Her forgetfulness when it came to her medications was getting dangerous.

And I guess you couldn’t look after her.

Not without quitting my job, no.

Stephen watched Herman run her hand through her hair—a habit she’d picked up from him in the ten weeks they’d been together. Is Chad okay? she asked.

Yeah, he’s gone to live with your mother’s sister. Since Beryl’s been widowed she’s lonely, so she was happy to take him.

Wait. Isn’t she all the way in Edmonton?

I know it’s a long way away, but for the amount of traveling I do, I can visit him there just as easily as Ottawa.

We’ll be going out there in a couple of months, Stephen said to Herman. We can visit him then.

Stay away from my son, Dagmar.

"I want to see him," Herman said to the phone.

You can go and see him alone then.

How am I going to do that? I’m with Stephen all the time. And anyway, I wanted to take Chad with us for a while …

"That turd is not getting anywhere near Chad," George said.

Ughh!! Stephen is fine! He’s not what you think he is. He’s good, and kind … he’s a wonderful man!

"He’s a bad influence if nothing else. There’s nothing you can say to convince me that that boy you’re with is trustworthy."

Stop baiting your own daughter for answers, George, Stephen said.

Herman looked at him sharply; Stephen lifted a finger, indicating that he’d explain later.

Fine, George said at length. I’ll give you your Aunt Beryl’s number in Edmonton.

Herman wrote it down on the hotel’s letterhead along with the number where she could reach her mother who, thankfully, was still in Ottawa.

I’m glad you’re okay, Herman, her dad said. But I still wish you’d get as far away from Stephen Dagmar as possible.

I love him, Dad. I’m not going anywhere.

There was a pause.

At least promise me you’ll be careful then.

I will.

I’ll have my agent call yours, Dagmar. I’ll be in Edmonton when you are.

I look forward to seeing you again, as always, George, Stephen said, smiling.

Yeah, sounds like fun, Herman said sarcastically. I love you, Dad.

Love you too, honey, he said.

Herman turned to Stephen after she hung up. About the hypnotism thing … Why didn’t you tell me you were a trained hypnotist?

Never came up? He shrugged.

Herman snorted and turned to face the window, showing him her slender back, covered by her long brown hair. What did you mean when you told my dad to ‘stop baiting’ me?

He put his hands on her shoulders and ran them down her arms to her elbows, then kissed the top of her head.

It seems your dad hasn’t given up trying to discover whatever he was attempting to get out of my Japanese assistant. There were so many things the devious, horrible man could discover about him; levitation was just the beginning. He could discover Stephen’s ability to transport himself and other people and objects, or to start a fire with a thought; he could even find out the reason behind Nina’s pregnancy—it was all too personal.

So, you think he’ll try to get it out of me? Herman asked his faint reflection in the window.

I think so. Especially now there’s more than the magician’s code of ethics at stake. Now I have his daughter.

How important is it that you keep your powers a secret? I mean, assuming I don’t have any of the real magical powers you suspect he might have handed down to me.

It’s still very important. Even if you do have powers of your own.

Why?

Why do you think, Herman? Aside from turning my entire career upside down if he tells people I’m not just performing stage magic, what do you think it’s going to do to me personally? To my family?

Okay, so what if it didn’t go public? What if only my dad knew?

Stephen sighed. I’d rather he kept on thinking I’m just a hypnotist.

But if I’m going to stay with you, isn’t he bound to figure it out?

"What do you mean if you stay with me?" Stephen asked, gently turning her around to face him.

Don’t change the subject. She raised her eyes to frown at him.

You’re starting to know me too well, he said with a smile.

And you’re still doing it. she said, clearly trying to suppress a smile of her own.

He rolled his eyes. All right, all right. Yes, your dad is bound to learn sooner or later that I have real powers. But I hope to have warmed him up to the idea of me as his son-in-law by then.

I don’t know if that’s possible.

What, me being his son-in-law?

No, she said, slapping his chest lightly. Warming him up.

Maybe I’ll hypnotize him and convince him I’m the best thing since sliced bread.

Have you ever hypnotized me?

Look into my eyes, he said.

She did.

What do you think?

I don’t know what to think anymore, she said half-heartedly.

Come on, Herman, he said, standing back. He took her hands and held her arms out with his. It’s me. Just me.

You keep saying that to me, or some version of it, but when am I going to stop discovering that everyone else knows more about ‘just you’ than I do? she asked, exasperated. He knew that besides her father, she was referring to Margaret.

Where would the mystery be if you knew everything? he asked, raising one eyebrow.

Stop joking around. You know what I mean.

Okay, I’m sorry, he said, sincerely. But think of this—how overwhelmed would you have been if you’d found out everything there is to know about me in, say, the first week of meeting me?

I’d have run for the hills. Especially if you’d told me that once I showed up you were bound by a curse that would end up with your servant pregnant. She huffed a breath out through her nose. So what you’re saying is, you’re doing this on purpose—still giving me a little bit at a time so you don’t overwhelm me?

Stephen smiled at her but said nothing.

How much more is there?

He looked up at the ceiling, thinking.

"That you need to know? He gazed into her blue eyes and held her arms out again. Nothing. Everything you see here, this man who loves you more than life itself, this man whose thoughts and emotions you know inside and out; this is all you need to know. That you’ll probably find out? He dropped his arms and hers with them. I lived a pretty colorful life before you came along. I hope you’ll eventually get to the point where nothing will surprise you."

Well, as colorful as your life has been is about as sheltered as mine was. It’s going to take a while before I’m not shocked. I mean, seriously? How much worse can it get than you having sex on stage with a bunch of people watching?

He did his best not to smile. Getting back to the question of whether or not I’ve hypnotized you, the answer is I’ve never even tried. What reason could I possibly have?

To make me love you and get revenge on your arch-nemesis, my father?

Stephen laughed. Yes, that’s it. You have me all figured out. You’re free to go.

She crossed her arms and stared at him.

Herman, I fell in love with you without knowing who you were, remember? The second I laid eyes on you I knew I was going to spend the rest of my life with you. Don’t you think, if anything, that has made me a little vulnerable in regard to my arch-nemesis?

Herman scrutinized him for a full minute.

I love you, Herman Anderson. And I can’t live without you. That’s all that matters to me.

I think there must be a fine line between charm and hypnotism, she said, looking into his eyes as though in a trance. If he had hypnotized her, it wasn’t intentional. Then she narrowed her eyes.

I don’t think I care one way or the other, she said. What difference does it make?

None, I guess. Neither are particularly honest. But I’m not trying to charm you nor hypnotize you. I’m only telling you how I feel.

I love you too, Stephen Dagmar, she said, looking him directly in the eye.

He kissed her lips and then let his kisses travel down her jaw to her neck. Before he could get carried away, he pulled back.

Are you okay with everything you found out today? We can go and visit your mother the day after tomorrow.

You don’t mind extending our stay in Ottawa?

Of course not. We can stay a week if you want to.

Herman shook her head and drew herself up to kiss him again. I don’t want to change our plans too much. I’ve been looking forward to our little vacation.

So have I.

He dragged her backward with him to the bed, where they stayed until it was time to