A Witches Heart by Lisa Marie McDonagh (best short novels of all time .txt) 📕

/> My shaking stopped and I made my decision. I would be strong; I wouldn't let her scare me anymore. I planned to fight back for all I was worth. If someone had to die, it was going to be her. 
I refused to live in fear anymore. I would do it for my aunt, Sabrina, and Daren. I would also do it for my parents; I knew they would want me to try my hardest to give it my all. And that's exactly what I planned on doing.
 
 
Chapter 22 
Katheren: 
"Let's go out for lunch," Sabrina said as she met Daren and me in the cafeteria that same day. 
"Sure, where do you do want to go?" I was all for this plan, I almost started to jump up and down while pumping my fist in the air. 
We ended up going to some fast-food place that after we left I forgot the name of it. I spent the while time laughing, telling jokes, and just talking about everything. If this was the last memory that Sabrina was going to have of me, I at least wanted it to be a good, happy one. 
I spent the short car ride back to school contemplating what the last thing I would do for Daren if I would die in a week, which, admittedly, could very well happen. There was one thing that I could give him... but I wanted to wait to do that after I was married. Which might not happen... I blanched at the thought and almost thought that is what I would do, but then I remembered a promise a made to my parents when I was younger, I told them I would wait, and I didn't plan to break that promise now, if I was on a death list or not. 
Without thinking of anything else that I could possibly do for him, I just decided that I would spend every moment possible with him.  
When we parked at school, I dashed around that car and into Daren's arms. "Well hello to you too," he laughed, I just clutched myself closer to him. 
He walked Sabrina and me to our Social Studies class, but when he turned to leave, I gave him the fastest, most passionate kiss that I was capable of and he walked off to his class a little bemused.  
When I walked into the classroom door, my heart rate picked up, Sara was in this class too? How many damn classes did I have with her? 
"Why hello Katheren." She said my name as if it was the worst curse she could think of. I was pretty sure that it wasn't, not even close. 
"Hello Sara," I said, faking brightness. "I was wondering if we could meet up Wednesday...." To end this once and for all, I finished in my head.  
She smirked and I had to fight to keep from showing the shivers that ran down my spine. "Sure," her voice was high, excited. "One o'clock in the morning, Highland Park, you now, in the woods behind your house, does that sound good for you?" Her vice was way too quiet for anyone but my to catch the specific words that she said, but the tone almost made it sound like it was totally harmless. 
She knew where I lived?! "Okay." 
"Great, see you there. Don't be late, or I will have to come and find you and if some people just happen to be in between you and I, well let's just say that I won't take responsibility to what happens to them." 
Shit! I took a deep breath and then said, "I'll be there." 
"What was that all about?' Sabrina asked when I took my seat beside her on the opposite side of the room. 
What do I tell her? "Nothing Bri, just a truce." 
"Really?" she asked in disbelief.  
No! "Yeah." 
She shook her head, about to say something, but then the bell rang and class started. 
 
"You've been quiet," Daren commented when our final hour ended. 
"I have just been thinking." Or trying not to. 
He stroked my cheek with his hand. "About what?" he asked gently. 
It was times like this that lying was almost impossible. "Things. Oh, by the way, I love you," I said changing the subject. 
His eyes brightened and softened at the came time. "I will always love you Kates." 
 
Later that evening, after we had finished our homework and Daren was getting ready to go, I said, "Please don't go." 
He must have heard the heartbreak in my voice and looked down at my, surprised to see the tears welling in my eyes. "Your aunt..." 
"Won't know, she has to leave at six tomorrow." 
He looked at me, not breathing for a moment, and then exhaled heavily. "Okay. But I won't have clothes for tomorrow." 
"If you just sleep in your boxers, I can get most of your clothes washed tonight. Please, I am scared that I am going to be attacked by that warlock again." And I am, just not today or tomorrow. "Please." 
Daren's eyes narrowed. "I will never let anyone to harm you. But if it makes you happy, I will stay. But one condition, I need to go home quick and get a change of clothes." 
I nodded, even though I was agonized at the thought of him not being able to see him, to touch him, even for a few minutes. He came back about ten minutes later with a small bag of clothes and his car parked down the street so Lyn wouldn't see it. 
I went outside to get the mail- weird that this didn't strike my aunt as abnormal seeing it was nine at night- and let him in as I reentered the house. 
I entered the living room and hugged my aunt. "I love you so much Aunt Lyn, I'll never be able to repay you for all that you have done for me." Especially since I probably won't live long enough to try. 
"You are very welcome hon, I love you too, now you should go to bed, you look dead on your feet." 
I said a quick goodnight then ran up the stairs and into my room. I quickly shut the door and locked it behind me. "You are acting a little strange," Daren noted from my bed, "are you sure nothing's up?" 
"I am always a little strange; I mean we are witches, aren't we?" I was glad at how well I avoided his question. 
He laughed. "You are strange, even for a witch." 
I scowled playfully at him and headed into my closet to change into pajamas. I came out a few seconds later, turned out the light and curled up next to Daren on my queen-sized bed. 
"I love you so much, never forget that," I mumbled sleepily. 
"So do I," he yawned wrapping his arms around me before falling asleep. 
 
Tuesday, I couldn't pay attention in any of my classes and Daren slept over at my house after grabbing new clothes again for the next day. 
"Do you want me to stay over tonight too?" Daren asked Wednesday night, "You really do seem freaked out tonight."  
I was and also was semi-grateful that I didn't need to make up an excuse for him the stay tonight. "Yes, thank you so much." 
"Anything for you, just as long as I get to keep you forever." 
I didn't answer this, I wasn't completely sure that I could lie without my answer coming out broken or I would start crying, so I just kissed him. 
Instead of falling asleep, I listened to the sound of Daren's breathing slowly and when I was sure that he was asleep, I shifted myself into an upright position. I had tears in my eyes as I wrote what might be my last letter and set it on the pillow case where my head had been. 
I kissed his forehead lightly. "I love you, if it weren't for how much I love you, I would never even fathom doing this," I said then slipped out the door to meet with the person who wanted me dead almost more than anything else.

Chapter 23 
Katheren: 
It was easy to slip out of the house and into the woods. "Lumière," I whispered. Light. A soft orb of blue light appeared in my open palm. My hand was shaking so much that the light wasn't even that much help. I wasn't exactly sure where I was going, so I followed my gut and went the very way that every fiber of my being was telling me to get the hell way from. 
I heard laughter and my heart stopped and then adrenaline started to rush though my system. I looked above me to see Sara dressed in all back sitting almost catlike on a branch in the tall oak next to me. "Hello Whitney," she growled, using my last name instead of my first. "It's nice to see you actually showed up; too bad you won't be leaving." 
"Let's get this straight, bitch." I was surprised at how even and contemptuous my voice sounded despite the face that I felt like I was going to be sick from how terrified I was. "You are going to leave my friends alone, this is just between us." 
"Oh sure," she laughed, "I only want Daren, I never cared about the rest of them, you were worrying over nothing. I almost had him too. I was slowly weaving a binding spell on your little boyfriend. But then you showed up and ruined all of the progress that I had made, oh and don't worry, after you are out of the picture, making Daren mine will be so easy." 
"Who said I was going to die?" My voice sounded sure that I wasn't, I wish that I could ensure that I wouldn't. 
She laughed a laugh that no sane person could ever manage. "You'll find out," she hissed then yelled something that I think was in Latin and the ground began to shake. 
Roots sprouted from the ground and started to wrap themselves around my lags. I screamed and tried to run, but they were much faster, there was nowhere to go. In a matter of seconds, every part of my body was encased in tree roots except for my head. 
"Still think that you aren't going to die?" She walked over to where I was trapped and ran her fingers along the gnarled bark. "This is quite comical, don't you think? They were looking for you, the other warlock's and I just happen to stumble into to you by accident then you come willingly to your death. 
"By the end of this week, all of the moonlight coven's heirs will all be dead." She laughed again when she saw that my struggling had temporarily stopped. "You honestly didn't know? Oh, your grandparents, you see, are the coven masters of the moonlight coven of witches. And with your mother dead and you soon to follow in her footsteps, when we kill those old hags too, the witches will have no one to turn to and it will be so easy to take them all out. Just think about it, you'll be the cause of death for hundreds of people." 
"They will find a new leader before you get to them." 
"Oh, no, that's where you'd be surprised, witches are very picky when choosing their leaders, and they don't let just anyone be coven master even temporarily. It will be so much fun to kill them, so easy, like a game." 
"Asshole," I muttered and my bindings tightened. 
Sara sighed suddenly. "I was hoping that you would put up more of a fight, than your mother did, she surrendered as soon as we said that if she fought we would kill you.