Karran walked over to Peter and formed another energy ball. He stood over the still groggy young man gloating. He was no longer in his human form. Instead he revealed himself for the demon he was. He stood about six feet in height and his skin was a light green. His ears were highly pointed and extended up the sides of his head much farther most creatures. Three brilliantly red stripes ran down his back and his hair was a golden color.
"You think any legitimate demon would have anything to do with you?" Karran asked. "You're only good for one thing, human. To keep our kind out of the human court system. From what I hear you were very good at it. Too bad your current clients will have to find other representation. I'm afraid court is adjourned, counselor. Permanently."
Karran raised the energy ball. Peter was still having trouble focusing. The first energy ball had hurt him but he would recover. Part of the benefits of having at least a partially demonic constitution. But he also knew he wouldn't survive another attack. Especially at such close range. Part of the pitfalls of having a partially human constitution.
Suddenly Karran stiffened as a sharpened piece of wood erupted from his chest. The energy ball he had formed instantly evaporated as he fell to the ground, screaming in agony. Suddenly his body erupted in flames and the demon was instantly vanquished. Cole rushed to Peter to make sure his son was okay.
"You haven't changed," sneered Peter. "I should have expected you'd vanquish any demon that got in your way, even one that was like a brother to you."
"What are you talking about?" Cole asked.
"The Brotherhood of the Thorn," said Peter. "You didn't hesitate to vanquish one of them. I suppose you expect me to believe you did it out of concern for my life."
"Karran?" Cole questioned. "He was hardly Brotherhood material. For one thing he wasn't powerful enough. He was only a midlevel demon. The Brotherhood only recruits top level demons. Besides, Karran was nothing but a bully. The Brotherhood has more honor than that."
"But Avina said the Brotherhood wanted you dead," said Peter. "Because you betrayed the Source and vanquished the Triad. She said they wanted you punished for what you did to their name."
"Avina?" Cole questioned. "You mean Kempo's consort? She has nothing to do with the Brotherhood. Kempo is head of an order called the Hellborn Alliance. They're midlevel demons that are pretty much nothing more than errand boys. None of them would be able to gain admittance to the Brotherhood.
"And if you think the Brotherhood would seek revenge for what I did, you really don't know them too well. They may not be happy with what I did but they would never seek vengeance for it. The Brotherhood is a very close order. It would take a great deal more than what I did for them to come seeking vengeance on me."
"I don't understand," said Peter, now almost fully recovered from Karran's attack. "Avina hired me to defend Kempo when he got caught trying to kill a witch. When she saw one of your athames I had she recognized it. We made an arrangement. I get Kempo out of his predicament and they help me get to you."
"Kill a witch?" questioned Cole. "Kempo would never be sent to kill a witch. No upper level demon would trust him enough to do that. If he went after a witch it would be his own doing. But I don't know why he would do that. Killing one witch wouldn't prove anything. Kempo is always trying to rise higher in the hierarchy than his power level allows."
"That explains why the police caught him," said Peter. "The witch was probably able to hold him off long enough for them to get there and arrest him. With so many humans around he couldn't risk using his magic without exposing his demonic nature."
"That wouldn't have happened either," said Cole. "The Alliance does have one notable point of significance. Not even most demons know how to vanquish them. They've been very secretive about that. Spells and potions don't work on them. Oh, they will hurt them but they won't vanquish them. I only know how to vanquish them because many years ago I was hired to vanquish one and the demon that hired me needed to tell me so I could accomplish the assignment."
"I don't understand," said Peter. "If it would be that easy for him to kill a witch and she wouldn't be able to vanquish him, then how come he was captured by the police?"
"That's a good question," said Cole. "Unless the police were in the same building when Kempo attacked."
"Well they were," said Peter. "But according to the police report it was a full five minutes between the 911 call and when the police arrived at the woman's apartment."
"That would have been plenty of time," said Cole. "That doesn't make any sense. Kempo would have shimmered in and killed the witch as quickly as possible. It doesn't make any sense that he would wait around until..."
Cole's voice suddenly trailed of. Peter looked at Cole seeing a look of realization on his face.
"What?" Peter asked. "What is it?"
"He wouldn't have waited around unless he wanted to get caught," said Cole.
"Wanted to get caught?" Peter asked. "Why would he want that?"
"So Avina could hire you to defend him," said Cole. "Peter, you've been set up. They arranged all this so you would come after me. To lure me here so you could kill me."
"So what does this Kempo have against you?" Peter asked. "Why not just come after you himself?"
"He wasn't powerful enough," said Cole. "As for what he had against me it was probably just another of his ploys to gain a higher position in the underworld."
"But you're powerless now," said Peter. "Why hire me to come after you? Why didn't he just lure you out here and kill you himself? It should have been easy for him to kill you without your powers. And why send an underling like that Karran to finish the job?"
"I wish I knew," said Cole. "The only thing I can think of is because he had plans somewhere else and couldn't come... Oh my God."
"What?" Peter asked. "What is it?"
"Remember I said that killing one witch wouldn't give him the status he craves?" Cole asked.
"Yes," said Peter. "That actually makes sense."
"Killing one witch wouldn't give him that," said Cole. "But killing three witches would. Especially if those witches were the Charmed Ones. Any demon that can accomplish that will prove they are more powerful than even other demons believe them to be."
"But if they're only midlevel demons," Peter asked, "wouldn't the girls be able to handle them? They've fought some of the most powerful demons in the underworld."
"But they don't know how to vanquish the Alliance," said Cole. "They only have one weakness and as I said even most demons don't know it. Peter, this has been a trap from the beginning. To get me out of the manor so I couldn't tell the girls how to vanquish the Hellborn Alliance. We have to get back there right now. It may all ready be too late."
"This is a trick," said Peter. "A trick to get back to the manor because you know I won't risk hurting one of the sisters by attacking you there."
"What if you're wrong?" Cole pleaded with Peter. "What if Kempo and the others are there right now? Look, if I'm wrong you will always have time to kill me later. But if I'm right, and you don't get us to the manor right now, the girls could die. And you will be the one responsible for their deaths."
Peter looked at Cole. If Cole were right - if the girls were hurt or killed - it would be his fault. He allowed the Alliance to draw him away from the girls so they would have the opportunity to kill them.
"Let's go," said Peter. "I can shimmer us to the manor faster than you can drive. If the sisters are in danger we need to get there as quickly as possible."
"We need to make one quick stop first," said Cole. "Trust me, it may be necessary. Kempo isn't going to attack unless the odds are heavily in his favor. We need to make sure we even the odds a bit."
Peter took Cole's arm and shimmered them both out of the building as fast as he could.
