Free A Witch Like No Other by Makala Thomas Page B

infuriate
him- but suddenly he grabbed the knife and went for my
baby.”
    “ Pandora,”
whispered Ted, Dreamer’ s face
still stone cold.
    “ He was mad
enough to slice and stab her, Ted. That angry.”
    “ Pandora
was…”
    “ On the verge
of death,” Dreamer said bitterly. “He had his chance to kill me
right then.”
    “ What
happened?”
    “ She was on the
floor,” Dreamer said coldly, then she stopped as she sensed her
children just outside the living room door. Pandora and Marlon had
been listening since their father said Miriam’ s name.
    Pandora was weeping silently, in her
brother ’ s arms. Hearing her mother ’ s voice again brought
the tears on, but having to relive the horror of Westport made
everything worse. Marlon hugged her fiercely, desperate for her to
stop trembling, but her body wouldn ’ t oblige.
    “ Go on
Dreamer,” urged Ted. “She was on the floor. Then what?”
    “ I turned my
back on him- I had to. She would have died before my eyes if I
didn’ t heal her- and then
Damon stabbed me in the side.”
Ted winced, as did Marlon and Pandora.
“Then?”
    “ Magic left my
body for a split second,” said Dreamer sadly. “I lit up, Pandora
screamed because she knew what just happened, and Damon realised if
he kept stabbing me I’ d be
mortal for longer and longer-”
    “ I told him to
stop,” sobbed Pandora, not caring if they heard. “I told him,
Marlon- I swear I told him not to hurt her- he
wouldn’ t listen-”
    “ He
wouldn’ t listen,” Dreamer
repeated smoothly, holding up a hand to stop Ted from rushing to
their child. “He knew exactly what to do. He was so angry and hurt
for what I did and said, and I was livid about what he was doing to
Pandora, right under my nose. But I couldn ’ t defend myself anymore.
My… my last thought was to help my little girl.”
    Pandora broke down, sobbing. Dreamer continued to talk as
if she couldn ’ t hear her child, and Ted had no choice but to
listen.
    “ So I healed
her with the last ounce of magic I had left: I knew that was it. I
looked at my body, and I couldn’ t do a thing. I was mortal.”
    “ And Damon?”
said Ted disgustedly. “What did he do?”
    “ He stared at
me, then he screamed like a girl.” Dreamer laughed derisively. “He
realised what he just did, and he called an ambulance straight away
for me and Pandora.”
    “ What happened
to Pandora?”
    “ She passed
out,” Dreamer answered, Ted saying “And Damon…?”
    “ Kept telling
me he loved me and he was sorry.” Dreamer laughed again. “He was
saying he loved me, he’ d make
it all better and he was sorry for what he did to Pandora. He kept
telling me to forgive him for everything…”

 
* * *
     
Far across the country, Damon Stile lay in
his cell, staring up at the ceiling. Thinking about the love of his
life and what he did to her.
    “ Dreamer,
I’ m sorry!” cried Damon,
grabbing her hand. “I ’ m sorry!”
    She didn ’ t respond, though she was still conscious. Damon
squeezed her hand, saying “I love you so much, Dreamer! I love
you!”
    “ P-Pandora-”
    “ Her as well, I
shouldn’ t have done
it-”
    “ H-how could
you, Damon?”
    “ I’ ll make everything
better, I promise,” he wept. “I ’ m sorry,
Dreamer!”
    “ S-sorry wont
exactly h-heal me now, w-will it?”
    “ I know, but…
doesn’ t it make the situation
a little lighter?”
If Dreamer had the energy she would have
slapped him senseless. Instead, she glared at him as she said “You,
Damon… are sick.”
Damon flinched. “Dreamer-”
She winced, but otherwise ignored him.
“D-deluded tosspot-”
    “ Don’ t,
Dreamer!”
    “ Blasted evil
s-son of a-”
    “ Stop it!” he
said, shaking her, making her cry out in pain.
“Dreamer?”
Dreamer turned her head to look at her
child, who lay motionless on the floor. Her fingers twitched: she
was coming round.
    “ I thought you
loved me,” wept Damon, and Dreamer looked at him.
    “ This is
i-ironic.