Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, and I don't own Charmed (some of the themes from Charmed will be seen in this chapter, and future chapters)
Chapter Five: Explosive Attacks
When Callie had rolled out of bed that morning, she wouldn't have imagined her day turning out the way it was. She was expecting to pick Brooklyn up from Aunt Gina's friends, take her home and reflect on what her life had become.
She had not expected to meet a very attractive man, and definitely had not expected to feel the way that she did about him. Although, she couldn't seem to put into words what exactly she was feeling anyway. All she knew was that she felt as if she had a connection to him, that she was supposed to know him. She couldn't lie to herself and say that she wasn't sexually attracted to him either, because that would be a bold faced lie. He was hands down, the most attractive man that she had ever seen.
But these feelings, they were new to her. She had never felt this attracted to a man, especially one that she had just met. When she was in high school she had dated here and there, but it had never gotten past a second date. It wasn't because she didn't like the guys or that they didn't like her, it was the fact that she didn't feel that she could be herself.
She couldn't be herself with them because she couldn't tell them that she was a witch who had magical powers. And if she couldn't share that part of herself with them, then she wasn't able to truly be herself, which is what she really wanted in a relationship. After her parents had died, her dating life had ground to a halt. She couldn't open herself up to new feelings of attachment, mainly because she feared that like her parents, anyone else that she let in would end up leaving her as well.
This is why Callie drove away from Emily's house, and Embry, with a feeling of confusion. She couldn't figure out why it had been so easy to not only talk to Embry, even though they only really exchanged pleasantries, when she had trouble talking to new people all the time. It was so out of character for her to make plans with someone who was not in her family, or a close family friend, and yet, she had almost eagerly made plans with Embry.
Callie was drawn away from her thoughts by a happy giggle. She glanced up to her rearview mirror and watched Brook giggle happily as they drove by a few deer grazing in a field by the road. Logically she knew that one of the main reasons that she had agreed so eagerly to hang out with Embry tomorrow was because of Brook. She hadn't seen Brook so happy in weeks, and with Embry, Brook couldn't keep the smile off of her face. Callie knew that at a time like this, Brook needed to be happy and have her mind kept busy so that she didn't think about the fact that her mother wasn't there. It was because of this particular development Callie reasoned, that she had agreed to spend time with a complete stranger, she was doing it for Brook.
What she wasn't able to figure out were her sudden feelings for the man. Sighing loudly, she cleared her thoughts of him, wanting instead, to think of something else.
As she was turning a corner, the flash or red on her wrist caught her eye. She glanced at the red pentagram for a moment before turning her attention back to the road, but her thoughts continued to wander.
Ever since her parents had died, Callie had felt resentful of her powers, and resentful of the pentagram on her wrist, mainly for what it represented. She felt like her powers had betrayed her; they had saved her life, while simultaneously allowing her parents to meet their untimely end. Although she still felt bitter about not being able to save her parents, a new feeling began to stir inside of her.
Determination.
She needed to learn how to control her powers, if not for her own sake, than for the life of her niece. She knew that she needed to learn to control her powers for when demons attacked, which she knew they would, it was only a matter of time, she needed to be able to control them in case Brooklyn's father made another appearance, which Callie had the sneaking suspicion that it was only a matter of time before he did.
Logically, she knew that Brook was in danger, and at her young age, she had no way of protecting herself, she was completely reliant on her eighteen-year-old aunt. The fact that Brook was an Elemental witch like herself meant that she would be in greater danger than if she were simply a practicing witch, but the fact that Brook held two Elements inside of her small body put her into a realm of danger that Callie couldn't even comprehend.
Callie had to protect Brook, even if it meant giving her life to do so. She would keep her promise to Kendra, she would keep Brook safe, even if it were the last thing that she ever did.
Callie was pulled from her thoughts as she pulled into the driveway of her aunt's Manor. She parked her car and took notice of Demi's lime green mustang in the driveway, meaning that Aria and Gina were also home. She got Brook out of her car seat and proceeded to walk towards the front door where she let herself in.
Once the door had shut behind her Callie carefully set Brook on the ground and she happily trotted towards the living room where her pile of toys inevitably sat. Callie watched her closely as she followed a few feet behind her, watching her walk with a small smile.
Callie's head jerked up as she heard an explosion coming from the kitchen. She quickly scooped Brooklyn off of her feet and ran towards the noise.
"What happened?" she called loudly as she got closer to the kitchen. She walked through the doorway cautiously and looked around. She didn't see anyone in the kitchen, all she saw was a smoking pot on the stove.
"I think I did it wrong," Demi's voice called from behind the island counter. Callie watched as a hand appeared on the counter, then Demi's head as she pulled herself off of the ground.
"What exactly did you do wrong?" Callie questioned as she once again set Brook on the ground, handing her a few spatulas to keep her entertained for a few minutes.
"The vanquishing potion," Demi said with a casual shrug of her shoulders.
"What is going on in here?" Gina's voice called from behind Callie.
"It seems that Demi didn't do the vanquishing potion correctly," Callie said as she watched her aunt, followed by her other cousin walk into the kitchen.
Demi shrugged her shoulders while giving her mom a sheepish smile, "Sorry."
Gina let out a sigh and rubbed her forehead for a second before answering, "What exactly went wrong?"
"I don't know! I just put in the ingredients and it went 'BOOM!' right in my face!" Demi exclaimed.
"Did you add the pigs foot before it exploded?" Callie asked curiously.
"Yeah," Demi answered, confused by the question.
"There's your problem, you have to add the pigs foot last, my guess is you didn't put the Juniper Berries in before it, which would have caused the potion to ignite. But since you put the foot in first, it exploded in your face," Callie explained.
It was silent for a few seconds as Gina, Aria and Demi all stared at Callie in wonder.
"How did you know that?" Aunt Gina asked, breaking the silence.
"Just because I refused to use my active Elemental powers after my parents were killed doesn't mean that I didn't still study up on my non-active powers," Callie explained calmly.
"But why do you know the potion be heart?" Aria questioned.
Callie shrugged her shoulders, "Kendra and I were frequently attacked by lower level warlocks, and since I didn't use my offensive powers and Kendra still didn't have complete control over hers, I stored up on a bunch of potions that we might need to protect ourselves."
"But how did you even know how to make them? The only place where those potion instructions are located is in the Book of Shadows, and the Book never leaves this house," Aunt Gina asked, curiosity evident in her voice.
"Mom made Kendra and I our own Book with basic information so that we could protect ourselves."
Aunt Gina looked pleasantly surprised as she stared at Callie for a moment longer.
"Does this mean that I don't have to make the vanquishing potion this time?" Demi asked hopefully.
"I guess not, we need it soon and I have a feeling it might take you too long to make it, we are in a time crunch," Aunt Gina commented. Demi looked offended for a second but the look quickly fell away.
"I'm happy to make the potion, but you're going to have to tell me why I'm making it," Callie requested.
"Aria was attacked as she walked to her car after her class today," Gina explained.
"I was able to kick him, which I think surprised him because he teleported away before I could do anything else," Aria added.
"What did he want?" Callie asked.
"I'm guessing he wanted her powers, which means that since he now knows she is trained in some hand to hand combat, he'll take that into account when he attacks again," Gina explained as she walked over to the stove and picked up the botched potion so she could pour its contents down the drain.
"Okay, I'll have the potion ready for you in about twenty minutes then," Callie told them as she walked over to the stove where Gina had placed a new pot for her, "someone will have to watch Brook while I do this."
"I will," Demi volunteered as she walked over to the small child playing on the floor.
"How was your day?" Aria asked as she watched Callie throw ingredients into the pot without even looking at the directions.
"It was really good. When I picked Brook up from Emily's house, a man was there, his name was Embry."
"Embry Call?" Demi questioned, her attention leaving the child that she was sitting next to on the floor and shifting to the red head.
Callie shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know. But he got Brook to laugh, and she hasn't laughed like that since the event happened," Callie explained as she tried to fight the smile spreading across her face.
"You like him," Aria pointed out, seeing the smile on Callie's face.
"I do not! I don't even know him!"
"Then why are you smiling?" Demi asked.
"Because I'm happy that he got Brook to laugh and that he offered to show Brook and I the beach tomorrow," Callie said offhandedly, not paying attention to what she was saying, instead, focusing on the potion that she was making.
"He's taking you to the beach tomorrow? Is that the best idea? I mean you did just meet him," Aria asked, hesitation in her voice.
"I honestly don't know, but there is just something about him that draws me in," Callie tried to explain.
"I think it's great that you're making a new friend Callie, Embry is a nice boy," Gina commented from the sink as she washed the pot that Demi had been using when the potion exploded.
"You really think so?" Callie asked hopefully as she turned to face Gina for a second.
"I really do. I've met him a few times, mostly when he comes into the hospital because one of his friends broke a bone or something. He's very polite and I get a good vibe off of him."
Callie felt her smile widen as she went back to making her potion. After a few more minutes of stirring Callie grabbed the pigs foot and threw it into the bubbling pot. She stirred it a few times before she turned off the heat on the stove and moved the pot off of the burner. She grabbed the four vials that Aria had placed next to her and preceded to pour the potion into each of them.
"All done."
"Are we going to wait for him to attack us or what?" Demi questioned.
"We'll track him down once we've all sat down and had a little talk," Gina replied. Motioning for all the girls to leave the kitchen and enter the living room. She grabbed the four vials of the potion and followed the girls out of the kitchen and into the living room. Demi set Brook on the ground and let her play, she then joined her other two cousins on the couch, waiting for her mother to begin.
Before Gina sat down she handed each girl a vial of the potion, keeping one for herself.
"What do we need to talk about?" Callie asked.
"Training."
All three girls groaned simultaneously.
Gina rolled her eyes at how dramatic they were being, "We can't keep relying on potions when we are attacked, and you three need to be able to use your Elements to protect you."
"So what kind of training are you thinking?" Aria questioned.
"Mostly summoning of your powers, then we'll practice using them offensively."
"Why do we need to train?" Demi whined.
"Because with all of the power residing in this house right now, we're a bigger target then we were before."
"I guess that makes sense," Demi mumbled.
"Not to mention the fact that the forces of Evil have been waiting for the Circle just as long as the forces of Good have. You guys have power stronger than anything any magical being has ever seen, and Evil wants it."
"She's right," Callie whispered, gaining slight glares from her two cousins.
"What?" they said simultaneously.
Callie let out a breath of air before continuing, "I promised Kendra that I would protect Brook, and right now I'm not in the best position to do so. I need to make sure my powers are as strong as possible, especially with Brook's dad after us."
"Speaking of Brook's father, what exactly do you know about him?" Gina asked.
"Not much," Callie answered honestly with a frustrated sigh.
"Didn't Kendra tell you anything about him?" Aria probed.
"Not really, I know that she called him 'Damien', and that when he attacked he made me feel as if I was paralyzed in fear. It was like he was able to suck out my ability to use my telekinesis. I know he's magical, but I've never encountered something like him before. I don't have any idea what he is."
"That doesn't seem like a normal power, but I'll research it farther to see if I can get any leads," Aria suggested. The other three nodded their heads in agreement.
Suddenly there was noise that was only heard when a warlock was teleporting in. The noise was loud, almost like a harsh note played on the piano. They all looked up to see a man dressed in all black, a cynical smile on his face.
They all acted quickly, Callie reached for Brook and pulled her into her arms, holding her close to her body. Gina acted first, throwing her potion vial at him, which he was able to dodge relatively easily. He summoned an athame to his hand and was about to throw it at Gina when he was distracted for a split second.
"NO!" Callie yelled, throwing out her hand, and using her telekinetic ability she sent the athame flying out of his hand.
He was distracted long enough for both Demi and Aria to throw their vials at him, and hit him, causing him to explode into a pile of dust. The only noise for a few seconds was Brook's quiet whimpers and Callie's voice, attempting to soothe the frightened child. Brook's whimpers slowed and eventually stopped.
"Now do you see why you need to be trained?" Gina asked them seriously. The three girls nodded their heads in agreement.
"When do we start?" Aria asked.
"I was going to have you start tomorrow," Gina began but after seeing the sad look on Callie's face she continued, "but since Callie promised her new friend that she would meet him tomorrow, we'll start on Sunday."
"Thanks Aunt Gina," Callie gushed happily.
"No problem dear, just make sure you have fun on your lunch date tomorrow," Gina teased.
"It's not a date," Callie denied, but after seeing the looks of disbelief on her families faces she continued, "It's not! Brook is going to be there!"
"Whatever you say," Gina continued, a smug smirk on her face.
"You all suck!" Callie whined, causing the other three to break into a fit of laughter.
Please review and let me know what you think, I'd really like to know what you guys like or don't like. I'm also open for suggestions for future chapters!