2

Black Magic Woman

Alec stared at Magnus for a moment. How could anyone hurt him like that? How could someone do those terrible things to him? To a child?

Magnus glanced up at him through his dark lashes, giving a half smile. "I suppose that explains my issues, doesn't it?" He said quietly. Alec covered the distance between them quickly. He hugged Magnus tight.

"What issues?" He whispered, kissing his cheek. "You're perfect."

"No," Magnus chuckled ruefully. "I'm not perfect. I'm needy, I push the people I care about away, I'm arrogant, snobbish, but underneath it all I'm just pathetic and disgusting."

"Hey!" Alec snapped, looking at him. "Don't you ever, ever say that about my boyfriend again or I'll have to hurt you, understand?" Magnus chuckled as his own words were thrown back at him. "You're not disgusting, you're beautiful. You're everything I ever wanted. And I love you, issues and all." He kissed him softly. Magnus smiled, cheek to cheek with Alec.

"If you insist then," he breathed.

"So, Adriana came..?"

Yes, Alec, Adriana came. And when she did I was an absolute mess.

I was shivering in the dark corner, my fingers blackened from the attack on the village. The burns on my legs were awful and they stung horribly. I couldn't remember the last time I had eaten. My throat was so dry it felt as if I were swallowing glass. I begged for death to come, for God to have mercy and kill me. I had no right to live. Father wasn't a liar, so when he told me that it must've been true.

I heard someone coming. I panicked, unable to stand and run. I buried my face in my hands. If they saw me they would kill me. They would hurt me, just as all the others had. No, no I didn't want to be tortured again. I didn't want them to hurt me.

The person knelt down in front of me and I tried harder to get away, trying to meld through the wall behind me. I felt my fingers start to prickle.

Oh, God, not again!

"Shh…calm yourself, child. It's alright." A woman's voice. Hands tried to push mine from my face. No, no they would see me. They would see my eyes and hurt me!

"No!" I croaked, turning my face into the shadows so she couldn't see. "Leave this place! I am a demon! A monster! I am cursed, please, leave me! I beg of you, leave!" Why wouldn't she leave. If she didn't leave soon my hands would start to glow and then…and then…

It was that thought that made me weep.

"If you are a monster," her touch on my cheek was so gentle I had to look at her. No one had touched me like that before. Without malice, without roughness, without hatred. No. This touch was with tenderness, kindness, sympathy. I looked in her eyes. Her bright, fluorescent purple eyes, and gasped. "Then so am I."

I couldn't believe it. I stared at her, wide-eyed. She was like me! I wasn't alone anymore.

"Who are you?" I asked shakily, throat burning. "Wh-what am I?"

"I am Adriana. And you and I are warlocks."

My worst fears were realized then. I may not be alone, but I was still damned. I was still going to Hell. I was still a spawn of something awful. Tears welled in my eyes once more and my lips trembled at the horrible news.

"No…no, oh, dear God, I am damned! I deserve to die! Father was right, Father was right!" I cried into my legs, ashamed and filled to the brim with self loathing.

"Shh…easy, child. Calm thyself. You do not deserve to die, nor do you deserve damnation. You are not a monster. You have a gift." Some gift. "And there are others out there like you, like us. They are not heathens, or blasphemers or defiant of God. They are just as they are. They are warlocks."

I continued to cry, unable to control myself in my weakened state.

"I-I killed them," I sobbed, confessing my guilt, "so m-many people. I did not mean…I killed Mother. I killed F-Father. I did not mean for-"

"Hush child, shh… Were they trying to harm you?" I nodded. "Were you frightened?" I nodded again. She smiled at me, another gesture that had never been directed at me. "It's not your fault that happened. That was something you could not control. I can teach you how to control it. I can teach you how to harness your power so you do not hurt anyone unless you will it to be so. I can help you."

Hope swelled within me for the first time in my short life.

"What is your name, child?" She asked. Child, hmph. She wasn't that much older than me. I could tell by looking at her she wasn't. She smiled at me again.

"M-Magnus." Curiosity got the better of me. "How old are you?"

"I am seven hundred years old." I admit, that number took me completely by surprise. My eyes were record size as I stared at this strange woman. "I know, I don't look it, do I?" I shook my head, hardly acknowledging the act. "This is part of the gift. I'm not sure if it's immortality, but I have no perished yet, have I?" Another head shake. Then she asked the question I had been longing to hear but hadn't understood it. "Would you like to leave this place?" I nodded. I wanted to get out of here more than anything in the world.

She stood, holding out her hand for me to take. "I will not harm you, Magnus. I swear on all that I hold sacred." I trusted her. She hadn't hurt me so far, why would she start now. I hesitated, but I took her hand all the same, wondering if I was truly out of the water.

We started walking when-

"Magnus, you're always horrible at this part."

The two lovers looked toward the doorway.

"Adriana!"