A Witches Heart by Lisa Marie McDonagh (the best novels to read TXT) 📖

a soft humming. "You look so beautiful." 
"Do I?" I asked with my eyes still closed.  
"Oh, you're awake?" Daren asked sheepishly.  
"Mhm, and thank you, that's very sweet." I opened my eyes then. I was facing him and his face was just inches from mine. How did I end up on his bed? The last night came rushing back to me; neither of us could sleep... "So how was your night?" 
"Wonderful, I haven't slept so well in... well I actually can't remember to be truthful." 
I smiled then kissed him on the lips, he kissed me back passionately. "I'll be right back," I told him, wriggling out of his arms. 
He frowned. "Where are you going?"  
"To get clothes, I always keep some in my backpack since I feel in a puddle in fourth grade and was full of mud for the whole day. It was very embarrassing." He nodded and I went out to his car to grab my backpack. I pulled put my extra pair of jeans and my jade shirt and replaced them with my clothes from yesterday. Then I realized I was only wearing undergarments and Daren's shirt. I blushed and sprinted back inside.  
I headed upstairs and when I heard Daren's shower on, I went into the spear bathroom and took a shower myself. The warm water felt so good on my sore shoulders. I got out, dried my hair with a shower and made my way back to Daren's room. He was sitting on his bed. "Hmm, I like that color on you, it's the same mesmerizing color as your eyes." 
I blushed, "Um, thanks. We should probably get to school; we are going to be late." 
"We aren't actually. I call the school to tell them that you were still sick and gave it to me," he smirked. 
"Don't parents need to call in?" 
"Yeah, unless you are a witch and can change your voice to sound like your parents'." 
I laughed. "Cheater." 
"Well, I wanted to make sure that you are completely recovered from your warlock attack and it's not entirely safe to go back until we have a way to keep you safe." 
"That's the only reason?" 
He smiled mischievously. "I also want to spent time with you without anyone interrupting me." 
"Well since we are skipping school, can we go to a park; I want to take a walk in the woods." 
"Okay." 
"It ain't magic, no it's automatic. You walk in a room, girl I gotta have it, Cupid didn't even have to let an arrow go. There was no love potion, no walking on the ocean, no miracle had to break through. If you wonder why I love you like I do, baby I was born to love, give, share everything that I'm feeling only with you..." 
"What song was that?" Daren asked in the car when I was done singing. 
"'I was born to' by Rascal Flatts, they are my favorite band of all time. They are so good," I gushed.  
"Hmmm, I know how they feel, that very much describes the way I feel about you." 
I blushed again. I wasn't sure what park we ended up in, but I saw the woods and gasped. "It's so beautiful, so peaceful."  
We passed the playground with kids playing with their families and their joyous laughter and entered the woods. 
We picked one of the dirt paths coming off of the park and headed into the wooded maze. I loved being lost in the trees almost as much as I enjoyed the relaxing ocean. Everywhere you looked, there were trees and dirt, most people would think that was boring, but that was because they didn't see the real magic there. 
I laughed when I saw two squirrels chase each other through the trees. We climbed the path until we were at the top of a tall hill where you could see just about the whole park. Daren came up behind me and put his arms around me and rested his chin on my shoulder. "Look," he said pointing, "Do you see that creek down there?" 
I looked to where he indicated. There was a creek about five feet across. The sun was glinting off of it just the right way to make it look like diamonds were embedded within its muddy depths. "I love you," I reminded him. "Thank you for taking me here, it's so beautiful." 
He kissed my neck. "I love you too and it was your idea." 
"Still, you picked the perfect park." 
"Why thank you malady," he said with mock formality. I leaned up against him. In his arms I felt safe, loved, and like I belonged there. 
I was so happy that I decided to sing, I know it was weird, but I loved to sing, so I picked one of my favorite Rascal Flatts song and just sang. "Before we met I was free, I never had to worry about anyone but me. Now that boy is gone and in his place is a man who needs to hold you night and day. So if I stumble, if I fall, forgive me, I'm just learning as I go along. 
"See me through, see me through, this aching heart has come so far to be with you, see me through. With angel eyes, just look inside at all this love I never want to lose. See me through, oh yeah." I forgot the words, so I hummed the next verse and sang the chorus loudly to cover it up. 
"See me through, see me through, this aching heart has come so far to be with you, see me through. With angel eyes, just look inside at all this love I never want to lose. See me through. 
"See me through this mask I wear. Well, I'm almost there, you know I care. I am the man you always thought you knew, see me through, see me through. This aching heart has come so far to be with you, see me through. With angel eyes, just look inside at all this love I never want to lose. See me through, see me through, yeah see me through. Oh, see me through, yeah, yeah, see me through." There was more to the song, but that was all I could recall. 
"You have an astonishing voice, you should sing more often. What song was that?" Daren asked me quietly. 
"'See me through'. I just love that song."  
I wasn't sure how much longer we sat there like that, but eventually Daren said, "Lets go get something to eat," and we made our way out of the quiet trees and back into the busy city of Seattle. 
"I have something to tell you," I whispered in the car. 
"What do you have to say?" 
I was going to tell him about the phone call, but at the last moment, I chickened out. "That I am grateful for all the things that you have done for me." This was the truth, but not what I needed to say. You'll stay away from Daren if you know what's good for you. Would those words ever cease to hunt me? 
"You know that you don't have to thank me, giving me your love is all I will ever need." 
I smiled, "That is something that you will always have." 
"And something that I will have to work for to keep." 
When he said that, I made a decision. I had to learn to be a witch and fight for my right to be with Daren. I had to get rid of that warlock to keep him safe and nothing was going to stop me from doing that.

Chapter 19 
Katheren: 
"Ugh, I hate this!" Daren whined. 
"Why? I am the one doing all of the work," I told him. 
He scowled at me. "Because I have to watch you, you are tired, relax, and take a break, please." 
I can't. "I am just fine. Another one please." 
He sighed heavily and his face abruptly folded into sadness... and desperation. "Please?" He begged again.  
I looked away from his heartbreaking expression so I wouldn't break and succumbed to his plead. "Why?" 
"I know what it feels like to lose you, to think that you are dead. If you do too many spells at too quick of a succession when you aren't at that level yet, I could lose you again. I refuse to take that chance." He sat down onto his living room couch with a thump. "It's only Wednesday, you had about ten hours to learn spells ever and you already know eight spells, that's a lot. I know some witches who don't even know that many." 
"But they are all defensive; I don't know any offensive spells." 
"Why would we want to know that? Are you preparing for a fight?" he teased half-heartedly. 
Yes. "If someone attacks me, I might not be strong enough to defend them. So if I fight back, it might buy me some time to get away, to get to safety." 
"One offensive spell, then we are done for today." 
"Two-" I started but he interrupted me. 
"No, one, that or I don't teach you anything more today at all." 
Dammit. "Okay," I grumbled. "What does this one do?" 
"Starts fires," he smiled, seeming to drop his bad mood. "It's quite interesting actually."
"Thanks," I said and kissed him on the cheek when we had finished the lesson. 
"I would say, 'my pleasure', but that would be a massive lie. So I am going to say, 'I only did it for you'." 
I wrapped my arms around his neck. "Such a gentleman," I murmured as his arms snaked around my waist. 
"Always," he said then kissed me.
Daren: 
She was hiding something from me.  
I could tell from her hesitations, her carefully worded answers, and her expressions. I had the strangest sense of impeding doom, a horrid twisting in my gut when she lied to me. I didn't like it.
Katheren: 
Thursday consisted of school, homework, then going over form Daren's of witch training.  
His parents came back from their trip on Friday night and spent the night out with their son.  
"That's good for tonight," Daren said just before the front door opened.  
"Daren? We're home," I heard a female voice drift in from the hall. "Are you home?" 
I looked at Daren confused. He gave me a sympathetic smile, then looked over his shoulder to call, "Yeah, in here ma."  
Oh, it was his parents, I realized, but the fact didn't calm me. A taller women with the same blonde hair and blue eyes as Daren came into the room. She dropped her bags onto the floor and ran over to crush her son in her arms. When she broke away, she finally saw me. "Well, hello, you must be Katheren, Lyn's niece, I have heard a lot about you, from both your aunt and Daren. They didn't give you justice though, they said you were pretty, you are more like breath taking." She walked over to give me a hug also.  
I was surprised. Daren talked about me? We weren't even going out when they left... My cheeks burned at the thought that he liked me when we had just met. That wasn't the only reason I was surprised, the two people that had hugged me since my parent's had died were my aunt and Daren. I hadn't felt so welcome in a long time.  
"Thanks," I murmured at her compliment when she let me breathe.  
She laughed. "I am only stating the facts dear. Do you think that we could steal Daren from you from the rest of the night?" 
Daren gave me a pleading look that said, 'please say no, I beg you', but I gave him the same sympathetic smile