Recover: Book 2 of the Magic Mutations Series | ✓

12: Terrors of the Night

I had to strain my ears to hear her from the living room. She took hours to fall asleep, but once her breaths became slower and her heartbeat fell to a resting rhythm, I finally climbed off my spot on the couch, slipped on my shoes and jacket, and left the apartment.

A quick run later, I was standing in the same Highgate alleyway we had left before, nostrils flaring as I inhaled the scents. 

Olivia's fear still permeated the scene, but his odour pierced my nose with such ferocity that the rage immediately burned in my eyes as I followed his trail back onto the street.

I wound myself down one road then the next. 

Past a few more drunken idiots stumbling out of a pub, followed by a few more in the nearby club. 

Then finally, his smell seemed to stop and turn into a building. 

Looking up at the rickety block of flats, I continued to follow the trail until I reached his door.

Hand grabbing the knob, I laced my magic through the metal, turning the lock from within. Then I extended the magic further up, unlatching the safety chain before opening the door.

With quiet footsteps, I crept down the hallway, all the while following where his smell lingered. But as I neared what seemed to be his bedroom—his snores creeping underneath the door, his adult heart slowly thudding on the other side—an opened door down the end with a lighter breath and heartbeat caught my attention. 

Softly padding away from the sleeping man, I glanced in to see who else was here. 

Curled up under her Frozen bedsheets, the girl with thick brown locks slept peacefully, oblivious to the monster roaming her home tonight.

Poor kid stuck with a degenerate of a father like this... I thought.

Slowly gacking out of her room, leaving the girl to her slumber, I then walked back down the hallway, searching for more signs of life. 

Adorning an entry table in the living room was a picture of his wife with his kid. Endless cards with condolences for his loss were placed around it. 

Picking one up, I heaved a sigh. Cancer had taken his wife a few months ago.

I glanced back down the hallway towards the sleeping humans' rooms.

I can't kill him... I decided then. As terrible of a person he is, I can't make the child grow up without both parents.

So I quietly walked back down the hallway, gently opened his door, and sat down on his bed. Then I shook him until he woke up.

Alarmed, he jolted up, eyes wide as he blinked through the sleep and state of delirium he was in.

"Who—" he started as his gaze met my face, but I cut him off.

Pulling the magic from deep within me, I brought it up to my eyes and swirled my irises, compelling his gaze to mine. I hadn't done this before; I had only seen my mother do it. Nonetheless, from watching her and reading some of the mind magic books available in the school library, I had a basic enough understanding to complete what I had sought out to do.

"You will forget I was here," I started, and he nodded. "You will forget that we had this conversation." He nodded again. "But you need to change your habits. What you did tonight was vile. You're lucky I'm nothing like my father or uncle, which is why I am sparing you tonight. But your daughter needs a better father."

At that comment, his eyes began to well with tears. He knew this.

"You shouldn't be creating a world for her that she will fear. This should go without saying, but you should not be raping women. From hereon, you will devote your life to campaigning for the cause to make these streets safer. Do whatever it takes. Be better. Do you understand?"