Page 103 of Heart of a Witch
He didn’t turn around. He leaned over his desk, his voice gruff when he spoke. “As I have you. I’ve been waiting for my chance to kill you, to get you away from my son.”
“You think you can overpower me?” I laughed, feeling raw magic seep through every ounce of my being.
Elijah stepped in front of me with his fists clenched, his stance poised to fight. “Victoria?” he asked. “Why are you here?”
“You followed me.”
“I saw you leave,” he stated. “How did you knock out my security?”
I swallowed thickly. “You need to leave.”
“No, let him stay,” Damian said, wiping his forehead as he stood. “You came to kill me. Let him see.”
“Love?”
“He’s right,” I admitted. “I wanted to keep you out of this.” Regret pulsed into my mind. Feeling power thrum through me, I curled my fingers. I’d come this far, and I couldn’t give up now, not when the opportunity was so perfect. It didn’t matter anyway. I’d be gone soon.
Damian’s eyes widened when I looked at him, his pupils thinning under the yellow light. His blood began to boil but stopped after a few seconds. Beads of sweat had formed over his brows and on his neck.
“What are you doing?” Elijah pulled me back, close to him.
“Don’t,” I warned and pressed my hand against his chest. I couldn’t do this without putting him in danger. “Try not to move.” I let my magic seep into my fingertips, then leave my body, twisting and shaping around Elijah’s heart, weakening him until he dropped to his knees. The color drained from his face. It was a simple yet effective incapacitation spell.
He’d hate me for it, but I couldn’t have him get in the way of my revenge finale. He slumped against the back wall, helpless only to watch.
Damian closed his eyes, praying under his breath.
I stepped forward. “Your god won’t save you now.”
His eyelids flicked open, his cheeks whitening. “What did you do to my son?”
“Saved him from himself.” I didn’t look back. “This is between me and you.”
“What now?” he spat. “Do you think you’ve won? You will never beat me.” He tugged at his collar.
“I’ve already ruined you.” I took another step forward, relishing in the flinch I caught in his right hand. “You keep preaching how we witches are demonic. I made sure not to disappoint. I became evil, for you. Because you were wrong about us, about my Ember. See, my sister was light, with a good heart and a human soul. Ironically, if she were here, she would be the one who’d show you mercy. Looks like you killed the wrong one.” I paused. “When you took her heart, you killed an innocent person and gods know how many more. You thought you were doing good when really, you were committing murder.”
He scoffed a laugh. “You believe you can trick me into believing you’re good? That you’re not darkness?”
The corners of my lips lifted into a sadistic smile, baring my teeth. “Oh, no. There are good and bad witches, just like there are good and bad humans. I’m not good. I’m not my sister, and thank the gods for it.” I closed the distance between us, placed my hand on his chest before he could fight me off, and sent a shockwave through his body, forcing him to his knees. “If I were, I wouldn’t do this.” I placed my fingers against his temples, feeling his blood pump under my fingertips. Closing my eyes, it bent to the magic in my veins. The demons around me charged the energy, so every spell was as easy as taking my next breath.
His blue eyes rolled back, his lips curling as a scream erupted from his mouth. He crouched forward, gripping his nails into the floorboards, blood seeping from his fingers. “This is merely a taste of what I have in store for you.” I released my spell with force, stepping back and kicking him back with the heel of my boot. “Get up, you fucking coward. I want you aware enough for what’s coming next.”
On shaking arms, he pulled himself up slowly. My patience was wearing thin. I grabbed a handful of his blond hair and pulled him up. He stumbled backward but steadied himself against a turned-over chair.
“Evil,” he managed to spit out.
“Darkness recognizes darkness.” I glanced over my shoulder at Elijah. He was struggling to open his mouth, still trying to fight against my spell. He didn’t need words to show his disappointment in me. It was written all over his face. I looked back at Damian. “You will never become high priest. Everyone thinks you’re mad.”
He wiped the blood from his mouth, remnants of my spell on his brain. “They’ll see through you soon enough,” he replied. “My son has finally seen you for the evil creature you are.”
My stomach knotted. Elijah was never supposed to be here, not for this part, but it mattered not. I clenched my fist, strengthening my resolve. “I won’t let anything get in the way of your demise, not even Elijah.”
He peered around me. “See, I told you. She never cared about you. They don’t have hearts. They don’t know love.”
I reached for his throat, my magic weakening his resolve to fight back. Digging my nails into his windpipe was far too satisfying. If I didn’t want his suffering to be prolonged, I’d have happily kept squeezing. “You know nothing about me.”
He grappled at my fingers on his throat, and it was only when I saw the first vessels burst in the whites of his eyes did I release my grip.
