Torment (Craving 2)

In the ‘memory video’, my grandmother was smiling and oh, she was so beautiful. He was there with her, putting her fingers to his lips, and on his face was the look of love. Beyland then offered her his arm, and she took it. He said something to her and she laughed. I saw genuine affection on her face. She liked him—no, it was more than that. My grandmother…I think, loved this Dark Warlock. How could that be?

It dawned on me then, watching her in that 3-d movie, they loved each other, dearly. I saw it. How could she have fallen in love with a Dark Warlock?

The light vanished, as did the vivid scene before me and I cried out involuntarily, “No…more, please…show me more.”

“Another time perhaps. Such memories are difficult, as they intensify my loss,” he said softly, and looked away. “This has been painful for me.”

I realized then, he was speaking the truth. It wore on him to see her so vividly. He had cared. It was not a lie. He didn’t just have a passing love for her…it had been real and profound for them both. How could he have allowed Allora to take her to MacLeod!

“You did love her,” I said.

“Yes, I loved her, more than a Dark Warlock should love anyone. Time and Dark Magic had warped who I was, but not how I felt about her. What you don’t know was she and I came from the same realm, nearly at the same time. Your grandfather was my closest friend, but he was killed just before we escaped the destruction of our world. I was a Warlock of the Light during those wars, and I witnessed countless friends and family destroyed by Dark Magic. I realized then that Dark Magic is stronger than Light Magic because it is ruthless. I was bitter at the loss of my loved ones. My parents torn into shreds by the ravages of the war…because in the end, they and the others could not defeat the Dark. Our realm divided could not survive.”

“But…you are a Dark Warlock?” I was confused.

“The power of the Dark began to intrigue me. I needed it to acclimate to this new world. We needed money, position. I looked out for your grandmother and she didn’t realize I was using Dark Magic, which allowed me so much more leeway. Your grandmother’s grief stalled her ability to provide for herself with magic, you see. It was up to me to look out for my friend’s wife and child, your mother.” He sighed before continuing, “During the ensuing years, I more than dabbled in the Dark Arts while I waited for Lisa’s grieving for her husband, my friend, to subside. Caring for your mother helped her a great deal. Your mother reached her majority at the end of that century, and then I waited almost another fifty years before I began my courtship of Lisa. Your mother saw what I was and did not approve, but she once said to me that she thought I was good for her mother and would not interfere in our relationship.” He stopped and looked away from me. “I probably should have started my courtship of Lisa sooner, but, as I said, her slain husband had been my dearest friend. Besides that, I did not wish to be a rebound. I wanted her to want me freely. I wanted the past to remain where it was—in the past. Those hundred years, holding back…were full of temptations. At its end, I found myself immersed in the Dark Arts. At first, I dabbled in Black Sorcery to keep myself in check…to keep myself away from her while she grieved, you see. After a time, however, I began to enjoy the Dark Arts.”

He stopped talking and I urged him to continue. “Go on…please.”

“In the end, Dark Magic seduced me entirely. I found I enjoyed the powers and pleasures it afforded me. When I finally went to Lisa, she would have none of me unless I let go of the Dark and returned to Light Magic. Your mother, however, encouraged her to accept me for who I was and allow time to help her cleanse me of the Dark.”

“Because you had sold yourself to the Demon King of the Dark Arts, you no longer were your own to escape,” I said, remembering a story Aunt Elle had told me.

“Indeed, yo

u have it precisely. One makes trades for power. However, for a time, I tried to give it up. I actually tried to break free, but that demon always came for me. Lisa and I became so very close…so happy together.”

“What happened?”

“I couldn’t relinquish the powers Dark Magic allowed me to have. The demon threw obstacles in my path…to make me turn to Dark Magic. For example, one of the ways to kill an immortal witch is fire. Your grandmother and I were walking in London and a store burst into flames. A children’s store, you see, with mothers and children trapped inside. She rushed in. I followed and I used Dark Magic to protect us from the flames.” He stopped. “So, yes, even after we were together, I continued in the path of the Dark Arts, and one day she discovered the truth and ran from me.”

“But if you use Dark Magic for good…doesn’t it balance it out? You ran in and saved those children…doesn’t that…”

“Ah, would I have done so if not to protect your grandmother? My motive was selfish, so no, Bobbie Skye…it did not balance it out.”

I just stared at him and he said, “You still don’t see, do you?”

“See? What exactly do you want me to see? I am trying to put all of this together.” I frowned at him.

“Lisa was mine…she was my bride. We lived together for almost one hundred years…”

I didn’t see that coming! “How could you have hid it from her all that time?”

“I am very good at what I choose to do,” he answered with one arched brow. “It was Ramon that told her my secret. He wanted us apart so I would be more readily available to him. It was then that I silently vowed to repay Ramon one day for his betrayal.”

“When—when did all of that happen?”

“Twenty-four years ago. She left me, I pursued her, begged her to come back, but she would not. She gave me the ultimatum to either give up the Dark Arts or lose her forever. I wasn’t ready to give up who I had become. I enjoyed my status as a Dark Warlock, you see.”

“Still, how did you…?”

“Hand her over to Allora?” he cut me off.

“Yes, how could you?”

“Lisa had rejected me for two years, she wouldn’t allow me near her…without her near, always laughing, curbing my worst side, I gave in to my wicked thoughts. I wanted to hurt her. I knew if Lisa had to hurt another, it would hurt her. I never thought past that. Yes, I told Allora that Lisa was an immortal witch with the power to help her get revenge against MacLeod. Yes, I did that, but I also told Allora that Lisa was mine! Allora knew that Lisa was under my protection. It never occurred to me that Allora would dare hurt Lisa. I never saw it coming. Why would I? Allora hurt what was mine?” He had become enraged and his eyes had gone from black as coal to red balls of fire.

I moved away.