Logan's POV:
I had to hide a snort of annoyance. Why should it be taking so long to choose a movie to watch? Kendall and Carlos were voting for action or a thriller, and Camille and Jo were banking on a romantic comedy or just a romance. "Come on, guys!" Carlos complained. "The Avengers has been out for two weeks! One more and it'll get pushed out of the theater for something else!" Kendall nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, but Titanic is playing at the revival house downtown and it's a classic!" Camille argued, and Jo pointed at her in confirmation.
"You own the movie Titanic!" Kendall cried incredulously. "You can watch it whenever you want!"
"Titanic!"
"Avengers!"
"Logan, back us up!" My eyes snapped up from my lap to the pleading eyes of my brothers and the raised eyebrows of my sister-in-law and girlfriend.
I could very well get slapped for this, but… "Avengers." I decided.
End Logan's POV:
"Ha!" Carlos cheered. "Three against two! Boys rule!"
"Logan!" Camille whined, shooting her boyfriend a glare.
Logan prepared himself for the slap that he knew was coming. They were becoming more frequent nowadays for some reason… "Sorry, babe, but we just watched Titanic the other day, and the Avengers did sound like the better choice because none of us have watched it yet." He explained.
The smart witch was saved from a useless argument that probably would have ended with a break-up by his younger brother walking up to the table of the restaurant they were currently occupying. "Hey, James! We're heading out to watch the Avengers!" Carlos informed his older brother with an excited smile. "Care to join us?"
"So, no Titanic at the revival house?" James asked the girls, who shook their heads.
"We were outvoted." Camille grumbled, shooting Logan another look. Logan sighed and idly swirled his sweet tea with his spoon. So, he hadn't avoided that argument after all. Great. "Unless you want to tie the vote."
"Whoa, whoa, wait a second!" Carlos protested.
"So now we have a Power of Six, great." Kendall groaned. James looked thoughtful, and Jo's brown eyes landed on something behind them.
"Something tells me that James won't make a decision." Jo announced with a small smile. Kendall, James, Logan, Carlos, and Camille frowned at the whitelighter in confusion, and the blonde maiden pointed. Kendall, Camille, and James just turned around while Carlos, Logan, and Jo peered around them. James beamed.
Walking in the door of the restaurant was a familiar young woman, with long dark hair falling over her shoulder and caramel skin, dressed in a tight black dress with a small v neck collar. James hurried over to her and immediately pulled her into his arms. Logan wrinkled his nose but said nothing. "Muffy." James breathed in relief.
Well, 'woman' was probably not the most accurate description. Muffy smiled. "Hi Sweets." She whispered to him.
"I was so worried." James informed her quietly.
"I'm sorry, but I couldn't come back until I was sure it was safe." Muffy apologized.
James furrowed his brow. "Is it safe now?"
Muffy smiled at him. "For the moment." James grinned and led her over to the table, Carlos pulling up a chair for her to sit.
"Hey. Welcome back." Kendall greeted.
Muffy grinned at him. "Nice to be back."
"Listen, I know you just got here, but we're kinda late for a movie." Logan informed his brother's demonic girlfriend.
"Care to join us? We'll need a recount now." Camille invited her.
"Actually, I was kinda hoping James and I could do some catching up on our own." Muffy admitted.
James brightened instantly. "Have fun guys!" He called, Muffy laughing quietly as she was gently towed out of the restaurant.
"I still don't like her." Logan muttered.
"Which means..." Carlos sang.
Camille groaned. "Avengers. Fabulous."
BTC
"I wasn't sure if you would make it in time for my graduation." James confessed as he and Muffy walked down the street, arm in arm.
Muffy smiled up at him. "I wouldn't miss it for the world, Sweets." She sighed. "But I'm not sure how long I can keep this up."
"What?" James demanded.
"This. Hopping from one dimension to the next, avoiding bounty hunters." Muffy shrugged helplessly. "But even if I could stop, where am I supposed to go? I don't really belong anywhere. I'm not human enough to stay here with you. But I can't go back to the Underworld either."
James stopped walking and looked down at her. "What are you saying?" He demanded worriedly. Muffy wasn't giving him the 'talk' was she?
"That it's complicated. But I've been thinking, what if it doesn't have to be?" Muffy bit her lip. "You're a Charmed One. You have great magic, could there be a way for you and your brothers to strip me of my powers, so that I would be fully human?"
All the air left James' lungs as he stared down at his girlfriend in total shock. "You would give up your powers?"
"I can't be tempted to use what's not there." Muffy shrugged. "And, it would mean that I could stop running, and we could really be together…" She was cut off by James capturing her lips with his in a deep kiss.
"Beware the Brotherhood!" The couple separated in surprise at the screaming homeless man that was just a few feet away. Muffy stared at him with a quizzical look on her face. "Prepare for the Brotherhood!"
"Muffy, what is it?" James demanded.
"The Thorn is coming! The Brotherhood is coming!" The homeless man shrieked. Muffy continued to stare at him with a furrowed brow.
"Do you know him?" James demanded.
"No, but that doesn't mean what he's saying will-," Muffy shook her head, but wasn't able to finish her sentence.
A woman with dark chocolate skin and short black hair in a business suit shimmered behind the homeless man and yanked him by his neck into the alley. "Hey!" James shouted, tearing after them.
"James, don't-," Muffy tried, but her boyfriend was already entering the alley.
"No!" James yelled as the homeless man fell to the alley floor, the demon's athame red to the hilt. The demon glared at him and formed an energy ball, throwing it at the witch. James squeaked and jumped, accidentally triggering his Levitation and hovering three feet in the air. Using his power to his advantage, he swung around, kicking the demon in the head and knocking her to the alley floor, causing her to drop the athame. James dropped to his feet and swiped the athame, stabbing the demon as she rushed him. The demon screamed and her body lit into flames before she smoldered to ash, just as Muffy entered the alley. James whirled on her. "Where the hell were you?" He panted angrily.
Muffy sighed. "You just vanquished my sister." She admitted.
BTC
"You know, I find it funny how you know everything about me," James fumed, storming into the manor's sun room with Muffy on his heels. "But you fail to mention that, oh yeah, you have a sister?!"
"It's not that kind of sister, Sweets." Muffy informed him.
"How many other kinds of sister are there?" James snapped back just as Logan, Kendall, Carlos, and Jo raced into the conservatory.
"I think it's needless to say that a demon's timing sucks." Carlos complained. "We were just about to see Captain America beat Iron Man's ass."
"Yeah, well, I just kicked Muffy's sister's ass, so I think I win." James retorted. His brothers' and sister-in-law's eyes widened significantly.
"Oh, this is better than the movie." Logan mumbled to himself.
"Yeah, she killed this poor street prophet, I guess." James furrowed his brow. "Who was screaming something about a Brotherhood?"
Jo gasped loudly and stared at Muffy incredulously. "Of the Thorn?" Muffy hummed and nodded in agreement.
"Okay, do you want to share with the class?" Kendall demanded, gesturing around the room. "What are you talking about?"
Jo glared at Muffy. "You should have told us."
Muffy shrugged. "Done a lot, make take a few years to tell it all."
"What Brotherhood?" Kendall pressed.
"The Brotherhood of the Thorn is an elite group of demons." Jo explained. "They are hand-picked by the Source and answer directly to the Source."
"Of which, I was once a member." Muffy shrugged. "Am a member, it's complicated."
"Once picked, they take a blood oath of absolute loyalty." Jo finished.
James' hazel eyes widened. "Oh, that kind of sister."
"What matters know is they're surfacing. They must be planning something big." Muffy mused thoughtfully.
"So, why kill a crazy street preacher?" Carlos demanded.
"Because not all of them are crazy." Muffy answered calmly. "Some actually have magic. Can predict the future, sense the past. But their outer filth and loudness keep them from being looked at too closely. No one ever listens to them."
"Until now." Logan muttered.
Muffy nodded. "I'm betting that if you were to call Inspector Morris, he would tell you that other street preachers have been killed, too."
"Just for going on about a demon gang?" Carlos demanded.
Muffy shrugged. "The Brotherhood can't risk anyone finding out what they're up to."
"So, what are they up to?" Kendall demanded.
"How should I know?" Muffy retorted. "I'm not exactly a member of good standing anymore."
"The Prophet, I've seen him before." James furrowed his brow, trying to remember. "He was talking about PhotonVPS on my way to the restaurant."
"The internet provider?" Carlos demanded, frowning. "What, do demons need a website now?"
"No, there's gotta be more to it than that." Logan shook his head.
"Right, so, James, Logan, go check the Book, see what you can find on the Brotherhood, and I'll see what I can find on PhotonVPS." Kendall commanded.
"Save it." Muffy called before the brothers could go into action. "You won't be able to stop the Brotherhood with your research and wing it strategy. No offense."
Logan glared at her. "Offense taken."
"Logan." James sighed.
"No, Muffy's right. This isn't like anything you've seen before. Other than his personal assassin, the Brotherhood are the Source's most elite warriors." Jo agreed. "You go in this like you always do there's a high possibility you'll get yourselves killed."
"Okay, but we can't just let them go. How are we supposed to find out what they're up to?" Kendall demanded.
Muffy bit her lip. "I could go back." She suggested.
"Muffy." James protested.
"If we want to find out what they're up to then this is the only way." Muffy pointed out.
"They'll expose you to the Source. You'll get killed." James objected. "We'll figure something else out."
"Possibly not. They've already set up camp up here." Muffy replied. "I won't have to go under completely."
"It is a good idea." Logan offered.
"Yeah, to you, Logan." James snapped. "You're always looking to get rid of Muffy." Logan rolled his eyes.
"James." Kendall sighed.
"No. I'm not going to let you send yourself to your own execution." James shook his head and stormed out of the room.
"That went well." Carlos muttered as Muffy chased after him. "I kind of agree with James. Sending Muffy back there is like sending a recovering addict back to the drug house, isn't it?"
"Is there any other choice? How else are we supposed to learn more about this Brotherhood?" Logan replied. "Look, I know that you guys know that I think our lives would be so much better if Muffy just dropped off the face of the Earth, and most likely they would, but I know that you guys know that I care about James too. As much as I hate his taste in girlfriends, she is his girlfriend, and now making him happy so I haven't been saying anything."
"Much of anything." Kendall coughed into his hand. "We'll just leave that part of the plan up to them. Right now, let's just do what we do best."
"I'll orb up and ask the Elders about the Brotherhood, maybe they've been able to catch something." Jo offered.
Kendall nodded. "Good idea, Carlos, you can check the internet for this PhotonVPS, and Logan, you call Darryl, see what he knows, and I can check the Book." Jo quickly pecked his lips and disappeared in a flurry of blue and white bubbles.
BTC
"Sweets." Muffy sighed, finding James in the kitchen, mortar and pestle in hand. James ignored her. "You know I have to go."
"No, you don't." James disagreed.
"Do you want to know what the Brotherhood are up to or not?" Muffy demanded.
"Not at your expense." James disagreed.
"You can't answer like that, James." Muffy reminded him. "Greater good and all?"
James looked her dead in the eye, and she spotted the desperate stubbornness there instantly. "Remember when you asked me for that power-stripping potion, like an hour ago? Well, I have an idea, I just need time."
"James, I have to go." Muffy repeated. "And I'll need my powers while I'm gone."
"Why? What are you going to do?" James demanded.
"Just blend in. Fly on the wall." Muffy shrugged. "Nothing evil, I promise."
"Yeah, well, let me make sure you can't." James retorted.
"James." Muffy takes the mortar and pestle from him. "I'll be careful. I'll be smart. And I'll check in with you every two hours."
"How?" James demanded. "They'll track your shimmer."
"The mausoleum." Muffy replied calmly, then smiled. "It's the second safest place I know."
James frowned. "What's the safest?"
Muffy walked over and kissed him deeply. "With you." She breathed against his lips. "And I thought you would be proud of me."
"For going on a suicide mission?" James demanded incredulously.
"For fighting the good fight." Muffy corrected him. "Whatever the Brotherhood is up to, we can't just stand by and let it happen. You taught me that." She smiled and kissed him again. "Two hours." She reminded him softly, and shimmered away.
"Please be careful." James whispered to empty air.
BTC
In a classy building inside the commercial district of Los Angeles, Muffy's heels clicking against the granite floor alerted the others of her arrival to the office. The female demon, dressed in a black pantsuit and choppy red hair, curled her lips back in a snarl at the sight of the demoness. "Vornac." She hissed as Muffy stopped just inside the doorway. The one called Vornac turned around, his eyebrows raising.
"Well, Beatrix. What a surprise." Vornac purred.
"Kill her?" The one sitting at the desk demanded, standing up.
"Not just yet, Tarrin." Vornac disagreed, holding up his hand. "Beatrix, nice of you to join us for your death."
"I came to help." Muffy retorted matter-of-factly. "Overheard the Prophets talking. They'll spoil your plan."
The female snarled. "What makes you think we have a plan?"
"Klea, you always have a plan." Muffy deadpanned.
"And you think you can just pick up right where you left off?" Klea demanded.
"I came to do what's right." Muffy stated. "For the Brotherhood."
"Really?" Tarrin asked, almost in interest. Or amusement. "And what do you possibly have to offer us that will save your traitorous ass?"
Muffy didn't answer, and tossed something out onto the floor with a dead expression. Klea scowled at the disemboweled head lying on the tile of the office. "The Prophets." Muffy answered calmly.
Vornac pursed his lips and nodded, and Muffy didn't make a sound as she was yanked and bent over the desk, her arms behind her back and her head pressed to the glass surface. "You really expect me to believe you killed a Prophet?" Vornac hissed in her ear.
"He was a threat to you." Muffy stated, her voice slightly muffled thanks to the position she was being held in. She could easily escape, but then the plan would be foiled.
"Aww," Tarrin mockingly purred. "A bounty on your head and yet you still think of us."
"The Brotherhood comes first." Muffy replied matter-of-factly.
"Words to live or die by." Klea growled.
"Vya was assigned to kill that Prophet." Vornac informed Muffy. "Did you see him?"
"No." Muffy answered. "How is my old friend?"
"Your old friend is missing." Vornac replied. "Quite suspiciously." Vornac's hands disappeared from her wrists and the back of her neck, and Muffy pushed herself to a proper standing position.
"Sister missing, Prophets talking, if I didn't know better I'd say you were getting carless." Muffy hummed conversationally. "What does Raynor think of this?"
"Raynor thinks you're a disgrace." Tarrin informed her.
"Why?" Muffy asked. "Because I killed the Triad?"
"Should there be another reason?" Klea demanded spitefully.
"The Triad was planning to overthrow the Source. I had no choice. For the Brotherhood, for the Source." Muffy repeated.
"We never did trust the Triad anyway." Tarrin shrugged.
"Why not come back and explain yourself then?" Vornac demanded. "Why run?"
"Because I had no proof." Muffy answered. "I knew no one would believe me."
"A sister for nearly a hundred years and you disappeared without a word, left us to rumors, accusations. Check her story." Vornac commanded, and with a final snarl at Muffy, Klea shimmered away.
"Back to work, then." Tarrin sighed. "Who are we after?"
"Not your concern." Vornac snapped. "Until Klea returns she goes nowhere." Vornac shimmered out.
"Always was a tight-ass, wasn't he?" Muffy snorted.
Tarrin shrugged. "Can you blame him?"
Muffy found herself shaking her head. "No, no I can't."
BTC
Kendall couldn't stop pacing. "Kendall, would you stop that?" Logan demanded from his place in the armchair, his laptop firmly in his lap. "James will be fine."
"It's been over three hours. Muffy said she would check in after two." Kendall retorted, and continued his pacing. "Jo, maybe you should orb to the mausoleum, see if he's heard anything from her." The blonde suggested.
"James said he would call if he did." Carlos reminded them. "He's James. He'll be fine."
"PhotonVPS was the Prophet's words, right?" Logan asked, his brow furrowed as he stared at his laptop screen. "'Merger between PhotonVPS and meta-satellite faltered over the weekend.'"
"So, what? Muffy's risking her life over a stock portfolio?" Carlos demanded in confusion.
Logan shook his head. "No, it's more than that. According to this, if the merger were to happen, all of the world's affirmation flow will wind up in the hands of one company."
"Well, that's just evil in and of itself." Kendall muttered.
"Except," Logan held up one finger like he always did when stating fact. "One of the CEO's, a Frank Pirrelli, is getting cold feet about it."
"How much do you wanna bet the Brotherhood wants the merger to happen?" Carlos asked slowly.
"Yeah, but we need Muffy to confirm." Kendall replied, Logan snorting. "Which could be possible if someone were to orb to the mausoleum." Jo made a face at her husband but orbed away.
BTC
James jumped a foot in the air when Jo suddenly appeared behind him. "God, Jo! Don't do that!" The pretty witch scolded her.
"Sorry." His whitelighter apologized. "Heard anything yet?"
"It's probably a lot harder to break away then she originally thought." James answered confidentially, barely hiding the fear in his voice. "She'll show."
Not two minutes later, Muffy shimmered into the mausoleum. "Hey." She greeted breathlessly.
"Oh, thank god." James breathed, hugging her tightly.
"Nice to see you too, Sweets, but I don't have a lot of time." Muffy replied, pulling away from her boyfriend. "They're still very suspicious of me, but I did manage to find out a target. Someone at 31st and Boulevard at eight in the morning. But I have no idea who."
"That's okay, because I think we do." Jo replied. "Frank Pirrelli. A CEO of PhotonVPS that doesn't want a merger to happen."
"Makes sense." Muffy nodded. "Explains why they're so interested."
"How?" James was lost.
"Best way to set foot in the mortal world is through their businesses." Muffy explained. "So they can take control from the inside out."
"Just learn that?" James demanded with a raised eyebrow.
Muffy smirked at him. "Nope." She popped the p.
"So, all that we have to do is protect Pirelli until 11 for the merger and the Brotherhood loses." Jo stated.
"But if you intervene, the Brotherhood could think I had something to do with it." Muffy pointed out. "You could blow my cover."
"We can't let them kill Pirelli." Jo shot back.
"But will you risk killing me?" Muffy retorted.
"No, Muffy, we'll think of something." James disagreed. "You better get back."
Muffy kissed his cheek. "I can't wait to see how hot you are in a cap and gown." She breathed, then took the bottle of Coke James had been holding. "Can I borrow this?" She asked, shimmering out of the mausoleum.
BTC
"Where were you?" Vornac demanded snappishly as Muffy strolled back into the office. The demoness held up the Coke.
"Got thirsty. Want a urine sample?" She sniped back, taking a drag from the bottle.
"Your snippy attitude nearly got you killed once. Remember that." Vornac warned her.
"Yeah, I remember." Muffy retorted. "You saved me."
"Let's review, shall we?" Klea suggested, and a 3D image of 31st and Boulevard appeared. "We patrol the perimeter, reflect traffic, I'll monitor security. Once the limo's been cut off, Tarrin can throw the ball. At that…"
"No, wait." Vornac interrupted with a thoughtful expression. "Let Beatrix have the honor. After all, what better way to prove that she's still with us then to have her kill?"
"Fine." Muffy shrugged. "What's the target?"
Vornac glanced at her with a sadistic smile. "Why? Does it matter?" He asked her, and she stared back at him unflinchingly. "It's time."
BTC
Muffy straightened the collar of her jacket as Tarrin walked up to her. "Nervous?" He asked her.
"Should I be?" Muffy retorted.
"Just stick to the plan, Beatrix." Tarrin commanded. "That's all that matters. No complications."
"Agreed." Muffy nodded.
BTC
"Would it kill demons to have a better sense of timing?" Carlos grumbled, irritated at the early hour. Logan snorted at his little brother.
"Focus, guys." James commanded. "Muffy's life is on the line if we don't get this just right."
"So long as we wait till the very last second, Muffy will be fine." Kendall assured his brother.
"Let's just hope that Pirelli is all they want." Jo interjected.
"If he wasn't, wouldn't Muffy had said something?" Carlos asked with a raised eyebrow. "I mean, unless, you think she could be hiding something?"
"This is fabulous." James snapped. "First Logan can't wait to sacrifice Muffy, and now you're saying that she's a possible traitor?"
"It was just a question, asshole." Carlos bit back, glaring at his older brother.
"That you should know the answer to." James retorted. "Muffy's sacrificed a lot for us. The least we can do is trust her."
BTC
Vornac checked his watch and nodded. "Go." He commanded, climbing into his car just as Klea shimmered into the passenger seat. "Well?" He demanded.
"I can't prove or disprove Beatrix's story." Klea answered.
"That's alright. We're about to see where her loyalties lie." Vornac nodded, and slammed his foot on the gas, swerving out into traffic. Right in front of a jet-black limousine. Just as expected, the driver got out of the car and walked over to Vornac's car, yelling and cussing.
"What are you waiting for?" Tarrin muttered to Muffy. "Go!" Muffy nodded, her face cold and blank as she moved out onto the road in front of the limo. Vornac and Klea scramble out of the car and out of the way as a fireball formed in Muffy's hand, and she prepared to throw.
"Statues!" Kendall roared, waving his hands at the scene and transforming everyone within street into stone statues. Including Muffy and her near-extended arm, and the fireball she had nearly thrown. "Jo, go, go!" The blonde witch yelled, his wife disappearing in a flurry of blue and white bubbles into the limo, the orbs exiting the limo within the next second.
"Maybe we should take Muffy with us?" James suggested, looking worried at the Muffy-statue.
"No, she has to maintain her cover." Logan shook his head. "She'll have to figure her own way out. Come on, we need to go." James slid a slip of paper into Muffy's jacket and ran from the scene after his brothers, a split second before everything transformed back.
Muffy's fireball slammed into the hood of the limo, exploding it to bits. Vornac smirked. "Go, get the body." He ordered Klea.
Muffy frowned at him. "What do you want the body for?" She demanded. "It's burnt to a crisp."
"Even the slightest trace can alert the humans of the switch." Vornac replied.
Muffy's brow furrowed. "What switch?" She demanded. Vornac smirked, and his form shimmered, and suddenly Muffy was staring into the face of Frank Pirelli. Vornac shimmered away and reappeared down the street, where he was pulled into a car and driven off.
"Welcome back, sister." Tarrin smirked. "Feels good, doesn't it?" Klea shimmered in beside Tarrin and he frowned at her. "Where's the body?"
"It wasn't there." Klea informed him darkly.
Tarrin's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean it wasn't there?"
BTC
Jo walked into the living room from the kitchen just as Kendall shut the door behind his brothers. "Pirelli's in the basement. Carlos's sleeping potion worked."
"Carlos's Wiccan Pharmaceuticals at your service." The youngest muttered.
"How did it go?" Jo asked as Kendall flicked on the TV.
"James wanted a souvenir, but otherwise fine." Logan replied, ducking from the head slap his younger brother sent his way.
"Wonder if the kidnapping made the morning news?" Kendall hummed thoughtfully.
"What do we do now?" James demanded.
Logan shrugged. "That depends on your girlfriend. It's kinda up to her to let us know what the demons' next move-,"
"Uh, guys?" Kendall interrupted, his emerald eyes wide as he turned up the volume to the TV. On the screen was the face of the man snoozing in their basement.
"It's no coincidence that last night I changed my mind about the vote and this morning my murder was attempted." Pirelli informed the news reporter, which was happening live. "This proves I'm making the right choice. The merger will happen. Thank you."
"What was that about Muffy telling us everything?" Logan muttered sourly.
"If Muffy knew she would have told us!" James argued defensively.
"Are you so certain?" Kendall asked quietly. "She's back with her brothers and sisters, how are you sure that she didn't switch too?"
"Oh, now you're so keen to jump off the bandwagon?" James cried incredulously. "What changed?"
"Oh, I don't know, James, maybe our plan blowing up in our faces?" Kendall shot back.
"And that's all Muffy's fault, right?" James demanded hotly.
"Come on, James, even you have to admit that the switch was a pretty large detail that she missed." Kendall pointed out, trying to get his brother to see even a little sense.
"Okay, but Muffy's also done a lot of good, too." Carlos pointed out. "If she hadn't warned us, the real Pirelli would be dead, and not under the influence in our basement."
"You're my favorite as of right now!" James declared, pointing at Carlos, who grinned. "And instead of pointing fingers, why don't we try to come up with a plan?"
"Well, we only have a couple hours until the merger." Logan pointed out. "Which only gives us two hours to get the imposter out."
"Anything we could do could point Muffy out as the leak. We've gotta warn her first." James reminded.
"Do we?" Logan muttered.
"She deserves to know what we're up to." James glared at his older brother. He knew that Logan didn't like Muffy, it was a known fact in the manor, but Logan was being a total asshole for some ungodly reason, and it was pissing James off. "Give me a chance to tell her to get out of there."
"How are you gonna get her to meet you?" Jo demanded with a raised eyebrow.
"I slipped a note in her jacket on the street," James confessed. "Telling her to meet me at the mausoleum."
"Fine, but be careful." Kendall commanded. "If for whatever reason Muffy doesn't meet you, get straight back here so we can work on Plan B." James nodded and swiped the keys to the BTR-Mobile, briskly walking out of the manor.
"Do we have a Plan B?" Carlos asked.
"I think I might." Logan agreed, walking into the kitchen with his brothers and sister-in-law in tow. He reached up into the cabinet and searched around, before pulling out a vial full of dark violet liquid.
"The Beatrix vanquishing potion?" Carlos demanded. "You know James would flip out if he knows you still have a vial." He informed his older brother.
"Good thing he doesn't know that I have more than one." Logan retorted. "Saved a vial of it when we made the first batch, then made some extras, for emergencies."
"How many extras?" Kendall asked suspiciously.
"Beside the point." Logan replied evasively. "The point is, if the Brotherhood takes a blood oath of loyalty upon entry, then we should be able to use the Beatrix potion on the other members. At least, theoretically."
BTC
Muffy barely had time to stuff James' note back in her jacket pocket before Tarrin and Klea shimmered back into the office, along with Vornac. "That's impossible." Vornac growled angrily.
"Not if it was done magically?" Klea suggested.
"What do you think Beatrix?" Tarrin demanded.
"I think that Klea is right." Muffy declared. "Someone intervened, stopped our plan before we realized what was happening."
"Like who?" Vornac demanded.
"Honestly?" Muffy replied. "I think it could be witches."
"Witches?" Vornac repeated. "How?"
"How should I know?" Muffy retorted.
"Take a wild guess." Vornac challenged.
"Come on, Vornac." Tarrin appeased. "You can't honestly think that…"
"Don't tell me what to think!" Vornac snapped.
"Give me a break." Muffy snorted. "I'm not stupid enough to come back and betray you all in the same day."
"That's not stupid, that's smart." Klea retorted.
"You know what the worst thing is, Beatrix?" Vornac growled, stepping into Muffy's personal space. "The worst are the rumors that you left us with. The ones that say while you were a fugitive, you fell in love with a witch. And now, here we are, our operation blown apart by witches. Quite the coincidence, don't you think?"
Muffy looked him dead in the eye. "The rumors are true."
"I knew it!" Klea hissed.
"I did fall in love with a witch. My human half still loves the witch. But I realized my mistake, and I believe I can atone for it." Muffy informed them.
"How?" Tarrin demanded.
"The witch I fell in love with." Muffy replied. "His brother has to the power to transfigure. I believe that's how they got the better of us all."
"How convenient." Klea hissed. "The witch you took to bed is onto us."
"Let me prove my loyalties." Muffy demanded, staring Vornac straight in the eyes. "Let me go to the witches and bring Pirelli back. Then you can pass your judgement."
"Are you saving us, sister?" Vornac shot back. "Or leading us into a trap? Go." Muffy nodded and shimmered out of the office. "If she's telling the truth, help her. If she's lying, kill her."
BTC
"Oh, god, Muffy." James gasped, whirling around after Muffy appeared in the mausoleum, and moved to embrace her.
"Don't." Muffy commanded bitterly, stepping back and raising her hand in warning. James froze, his eyebrows raised in surprise.
"O-Okay." James nodded and dropped his arms.
"Where's Pirelli?" Muffy demanded.
"Safe, with us at the manor." James replied.
"Where?" Muffy pressed. Niether of them noticed the pair of eyes hiding in the shadows, watching.
"The basement." James answered in confusion.
"What's your plan?" Muffy demanded.
"Vanquish the demon that switched places with him." James frowned deeply.
"No." Muffy shook her head rapidly. "No, you can't. Too dangerous."
"Muffy, what's going on?" James demanded. Muffy didn't answer. "Muffy, dammit, you're scaring me!"
"You should be." Muffy retorted harshly. "Go back to the manor, wait for my word. Don't go after the demon."
"Muffy!" James cried, but it was too late. Muffy was gone.
BTC
"Hey, how'd it go?" Carlos asked as James walked into the living room, turning in his spot on the sofa to look at his older brother.
"I," James shook his head, as if stunned. "I'm not sure, exactly." He confessed, flopping down into an armchair. "She was, strange. Really strange, pretty much mean, almost."
"Did she say anything on the Brotherhood's plans?" Logan demanded, walking into the living room from the kitchen with Kendall on his heels.
"No, not really." James shook his head again. "Just told us not to go after the demon, just to wait here."
"What?" Kendall exclaimed. "Why?" James shrugged helplessly.
"She didn't say, just said it was 'too dangerous'." James replied. "It doesn't make sense, none of be this makes sense!" The pretty witch groaned and shoved a pillow over his face.
"Maybe she's losing her cover." Carlos suggested.
"Or she's turned." Logan muttered.
"Not listening to you!" James called out, his voice muffled.
"Come on, Loges, you have to admit that Muffy's earned the benefit of the doubt here." Kendall reasoned with his younger brother.
Logan opened his mouth to argue, but his face paled and he tackled Kendall to the ground as a crackling energy ball whizzed over their heads and crashed into the wall. Two more demons shimmered into the foyer next to the first, and Carlos leapt to his feet, forging a fireball in his hand and throwing it at the first demon. The demon roared in pain and outrage before exploding into dust. "Kendall! Potion!" Logan shrieked, and James' eyes widened as the vials of violet liquid soared through the air and shattered against the chests of the remaining demons, who followed the example of their partner.
"How did they know where we live?" Carlos yelled, pointing to the three piles of smoldering ash.
"How do you think?!" Logan seethed back, and the glass door to the grandfather clock shattered. "Dammit! I just paid the repairman for that thing!" Logan snapped, kicking the leg of the sofa.
"Logan! Calm down before you pull the frameworks out of the walls!" Kendall commanded. Logan growled under his breath and stormed out of the living room, muttering something about the broomstick.
"Excuse me!" James cried, waving his arms around with wide eyes. "What the hell was the potion?!"
"Demon Repellent 2.0." Carlos huffed.
"What the hell are you doing?!" The three brothers heard their fourth sibling screech from the kitchen, followed by a loud crash.
"Logan!" Carlos yelled, the three of them bolting into the kitchen and finding their brother in a collapsed heap in the floor, his shirt smoldering and surrounded by shards of glass from the china cabinet, his face turning ashen white. James shot to the basement door as Kendall hollered for Jo, and his hazel eyes went wide.
Muffy stared back at him for a split second before vanishing, along with their innocent and another female demon. James spun around as Logan let out a groan and sat up, rubbing his chest where the fireball had apparently hit, and stared at his little brother coldly. "What do you think about your girlfriend now, James?" He demanded angrily. Kendall, Jo, and Carlos all shared a nervous look.
BTC
"James, I don't care what you think right now!" Logan snapped. James crossed his arms and glared back at his older brother coldly. "The merger is in three minutes, we have to go!"
"Oh, so you're going to avoid the fact that you kept around a bottle of Beatrix vanquishing potion?!" James shot back furiously.
"Look, James, like it or not, it's a good thing he did, otherwise we all would be dead!" Kendall reminded him harshly.
"And when we're you planning on telling me?" James demanded.
"I wasn't going to, because I knew how you were going to react, so I thought I'd save myself an argument!" Logan cried.
"Obviously that backfired!"
"Yeah, just like your taste in girlfriends!"
"It was an accident!"
"She threw the fireball right at me, James! Your demonic girlfriend nearly killed your brother and you're going to still defend her?!"" Logan pinched the bridge of his nose. Unbelievable. Logan groaned. His brother was acting like a brat when they had a demonic merger to stop. "Whatever, let's just go. You can bitch at me all you want to when this is over." Logan grumbled.
"It's a date." James spat back. There had to be more to what happened. James thought desperately. Logan had to be wrong. He had to be.
BTC
Muffy grunted as she was slammed against the wall, held there by the hand at her throat. "What happened?!" Vornac hissed. "You cost me three of my best demons!"
"The witches were more prepared than we thought they would be." Klea informed him.
"I didn't tip them off!" Muffy spat.
"Did she?" Vornac demanded, glancing at Klea.
"She told the witch to go home. It could have been code." Klea replied.
"It wasn't. The plan was to get Pirelli." Muffy reminded them. "I did that."
"Then where is he?" Tarrin demanded.
"Someplace safe until I can guarantee you won't kill me." Muffy retorted.
"And how am I supposed to be certain that you do have him?" Vornac demanded.
"I was there. She has him." Klea reluctantly confirmed.
"It's time, I have to get back." Vornac announced, stepping back from Muffy, but not without a final squeeze to her neck. "If you don't deliver Pirelli after the vote, I will kill you."
"No, wait." Muffy reached out and grabbed him, successfully stopping him from shimmering out of the office.
"What?" Vornac snapped.
"I know these witches. They know that you're an imposter. Now that I've kidnapped Pirelli, they'll do all that they can to stop us. They'll vanquish you, Vornac." Muffy explained, her eyes and voice dripping with deathly seriousness.
Vornac smirked. "But will they vanquish you?"
BTC
The resulting thunder crack from the door colliding with the wall would have been deafening, if the Charmed Ones hadn't been expecting it. "Vote's in, demon guy!" Carlos declared loudly. "You lose!"
The office chair spun around, and James grabbed Carlos's arm. "No, Carlos, wait!"
Muffy smirked at them from the chair and spread her arms with a raised eyebrow. "Surprised?"
"What are you doing here?" Kendall demanded. "Where's the demon?"
"He sent me instead." Muffy answered, folding her hands in her lap. "I think he might be onto us."
"Us?" Logan snorted. "You make it sound like we're working together."
Muffy cocked an eyebrow at him. "Aren't we?"
"Who are you kidding?" Carlos snapped. "We should vanquish you on the spot." No one attempts to kill my brother on a double-cross and gets away with it. Carlos added silently, angrily.
"Where's Pirelli?" Kendall demanded.
"He's safe." Muffy answered calmly, standing up from the chair and walking around the desk before sitting back on it.
James eyed her. "Where is he, Muffy?"
"Where else, Sugar?" Muffy retorted. James' eyes darkened and he lobbed the potion at Muffy.
"James!" Kendall cried, surprised. His surprised turned to stunned realization as the screaming Muffy turned into a roaring male demon before evaporating into ash. Wide eyes turned to James. "How did you know?"
"He called me Sugar." James answered simply.
"Okay, so?" Logan gestured wildly to the scorch marks.
"So," James grinned, forgetting that he was in a conflict with his telekinetic brother. "Muffy has always called me Sweets, not Sugar."
"Original nickname, isn't it?" A female voice teased behind the witches. "Hey, hey! Easy!" Muffy shrieked, throwing her arms up over her face as Kendall, Logan, and Carlos each prepared to throw their potions. "Allow a condemned woman a last word or two, okay? I had no choice to play it this way. The Brotherhood were too suspicious of me. I had to make everyone think I was evil."
"And that included throwing a fireball at me?!" Logan cried.
"I was in the middle of a kidnap. Klea was right next to me. I couldn't do anything else." Muffy retorted. "I could have aimed lower." She screeched as Logan's bottle of potion shattered a mere centimeter from her toe. "Hey!"
"I could have aimed higher." Logan sneered back, his brown eyes glimmering with hatred with the demoness as he shoved past her.
Muffy sighed. "Forgive me?" She pleaded softly at James.
James smiled. "I never doubted you. Though, if you want to get on Logan's good side, stop throwing fireballs at him."
Muffy nodded. "Noted. I better go."
"Go?" James parroted incredulously. "You can't go back!"
"Just covering my tracks, Sweets." Muffy coaxed him. "Tell Jo to go to the mausoleum. You want the real Pirelli there at the merger." She informed Kendall, who nodded stiffly. "Don't worry." She lightly kissed James on the lips. "I'll be back in plenty of time for your graduation party." With that, she shimmered away.
James beamed at Kendall and Carlos. "Told you so." He gloated.
"She nearly killed Logan just to maintain her cover, James." Kendall reminded him bleakly. James' face fell. "I'm not sorry to say that your little girlfriend is going to have to re-earn my trust." Carlos nodded in agreement, and James face-palmed, but followed his brothers out of the office.
BTC
"You saw the witches kill Vornac?" Tarrin demanded. Muffy shrugged.
"I saw what was left of him after they left." Muffy corrected. "I went back to kill Pirelli, but they managed to sneak him away as well."
"This is a disaster!" Tarrin groaned loudly. "Raynor would not be pleased about this. He wants a full accounting, you know."
"Tell him that I warned Vornac but he chose not to listen. Vornac's own ignorance was the downfall today, nothing to do with me." Muffy replied coldly, and turned to leave.
"Where do you think you're going?" Tarrin demanded.
"I need proof if I'm going to clear my name to the Source." Muffy replied nonchalantly. "I can't find any sitting around here."
Just as she turned away, Klea and another male demon, this one with deep chocolate skin and a bald head appeared just behind her, and the chocolate skinned demon's energy ball collided with Muffy's back, knocking her unconscious to the floor. Tarrin sighed. "You were right, Raynor." He addressed the chocolate-skinned demon.
"Beatrix has much to tell us." Raynor rumbled in a deep voice.
BTC
The manor was packed with people, and James accepted a congradulatory hug from one of his classmates, but there was worry in his hazel orbs. "Hey." Logan approached his brother, a bottle of Coke in his hands.
"She's not here, why isn't she here?!" James hissed worriedly to him, and Logan's face fell.
"You heard Muffy." Logan replied soothingly. "She has some loose ends to tie up. Maybe that's just taking a little longer than she thought it would. As much as I hate to admit it, she did good today, James."
"I accept the apology." James responded. Logan fondly rolled his eyes. "And yeah, she helped us a lot, but at what cost?"
"Come on, Jay. You can't think of it like that." Logan encouraged.
"Why not? Evil always manages to screw every part of our lives over, why wouldn't it screw this over too?" James demanded. "All I know is, yesterday everything was amazing, and now it's all gone to hell. Where is she? What happened to her?"
Guys, I am so so so so so sosorry that this is so late. My schedule has been jam packed and all this other stuff has been happening and ahh! I won't let myself be this late again, and if I am you have my permission to vanquish me.
So sorry!