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Disclaimer, etc. in part one
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Authors notes: I don't own The Matrix or any of it's characters.
Book One - Revelations (9/?)
by: Brandy Leigh
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The three girls trained down in the basement for two hours, taking their powers to a level they had never done before. Piper and Paige were surprised with what they were able to accomplish, and shocked at the power which Brandy possessed. Even though her powers were still not at full strength, her abilities were down right amazing.
"All right Neo," Paige said, referring to Brandy as if she were the character from the Matrix, "try this on for size!"
"Or should I say... Mister Anderson," Piper said in a deep voice, turning it into a joke.
Brandy sighed and shook her head lightly, trying not to smile. She was in her training zone, and her concentration was vital. However, their comments weren't too far off. Her abilities did somewhat mimic those from the movie they were referring to, yet they were not identical. She could not move as fast as Neo, but her ability to sense the moves her opponents were about to make made it seem as if she did.
"All right guys," Brandy said, taking a deep breath to center herself, "let's focus. One last drill, then we're finished for the day."
Piper and Paige glanced at each other and nodded, then looked back over at Brandy, who was blindfolded. They made their way behind her, watching for any sign that she knew what they were doing, then launched an attack at her. She blocked every move they made, deflected every power sent at her, and fought back. The girls did their best to defend themselves, but they finally called the password that would call off the spar.
"TACOS!" the two girls yelled at the same time, backing up.
Brandy smiled to herself as she reached up to remove the cloth that shielded her eyes. She used it to wipe the sweat from her forehead, then tucked it into her pocket. She walked over to the two girls who had plopped themselves down on the floor, sitting down next to them.
Patting Piper's knee affectionately she said, "You almost got me on that last one. I thought I was a goner."
"Bullshit," Piper murmured, breathing heavily. "You could have taken me out without even thinking twice. This is ridiculous."
"No it's not," Brandy replied. "I don't expect either of you to have the same powers I do, or to be on the same level. All that matters is that your powers are at their fullest, so we can all be prepared for the things about to happen."
"Yeah, well if my powers get any more full I think I'm going to explode," Paige muttered, laying down onto her back.
Brandy smiled again as she leaned down and kissed Piper softly. As soon as their lips connected, Piper could feel Brandy jerk. Her whole body went stiff, her eyes squeezing shut as she let out a gasp. Paige sat up, watching along with Piper as Brandy had her first premonition.
"What did you see?" Piper asked, taking her hand. She knew it had to be a shock to get a vision so suddenly.
"Another demon," Brandy replied, taking deep and even breaths. When she looked up, she was crying. "He killed you. I couldn't stop him."
Piper sighed and bit her lip, feeling Brandy tighten her grip on her hand. Apparently the protection spell sent to them by grams and their mom wasn't strong enough. They had to do something to change the events in the vision, and find another way to protect themselves. Every demon in the underworld was after them, and one little protection spell obviously wasn't going to do shit.
"What about the protection spell?" Paige voiced.
"It wasn't enough," Brandy said, wiping her eyes. "There was so many demons, too many of them. They broke through our defenses, and attacked us from all sides. Even with this virus inside me, it wasn't enough to stop them all."
"How the hell are we going to stop an attack like that?" Paige asked, her eyes wide.
"We have to talk to Cole, get him to call off this attack," Brandy replied, standing. "It's the only way to prevent the vision from happening. I'll be damned if I'm going to let it happen."
"You can't be serious," Piper said, standing as well. "You can't actually believe he'll even listen to you long enough to hear you out, let alone consider it. Cole is a power hungry maniac, trying to kill us all. There's no way he'll call off an attack that will get rid of one of us."
"Watch me," Brandy said, transing from the room before Piper could voice her objection.
"Damnit," Piper growled, kicking a box near her. "She's going to get herself killed!"
Brandy appeared in the underworld seconds later, not exactly happy to be back. The last time she was there she nearly lost her life, trying to save Paige. Now that every demon was out to kill her, it was going to be damn near suicidal. She kept moving never the less, making her way through the catacombs. Out of the corner of her eye saw movement, and she made her way in that direction.
The room which stood before her was empty, aside from one lone figure sitting on a giant throne made of stone. Fire licked the walls, almost looking as if everything was aflame. Heat radiated like a burning inferno gone mad, making it difficult to breath. She took a deep breath to steady herself as she walked in, never taking her eyes off the man on the throne.
"You sure have some nerve," Cole said calmly as she entered. He stayed seated on his throne, hands folded in his lap. "Or maybe you're just incredibly stupid."
"Probably a little bit of both," Brandy replied, stepping closer to him. "Either way, I'm here for a reason."
Cole narrowed his eyes, looking her over. He was unsure of her motive, but knew she had something up her sleeve. She had always been the type to go straight to the source, no pun intended, and she always took care of business. If she had risked it all to be in the underworld at a time like this, she wasn't playing around.
"I want you to call off this man hunt."
"Why should I do that?" Cole asked, almost laughing. "I have you right where I want you, so why would I call it off? Apparently my plan is working, or you wouldn't be so determined for me to stop. Whatever could have happened to make you this livid?"
"It's not of your damn business, Cole Turner. All you need to know is someone I care for is going to get hurt, and I'll be damned if I'm going to just sit by and watch it happen. I don't care how powerful you are, but I will personally vanquish your sorry ass if you don't call this thing off!"
"Feisty, aren't we? I think someone has gotten just a bit too confident. Look at all the times the Charmed One's have gotten hurt since you've been around. You're not worthy to be their Protector, Brandy. You're a sorry excuse for a Protector, and you're going to get yourself killed, along with them. Admit it, they would have been better off if you'd never come into their lives."
"Shut up," Brandy muttered, clenching her fists.
"Hit a nerve did I?" Cole asked, raising an eyebrow. "Poor Piper gave up the perfect man just to be with you. Now you're running around in the underworld, leaving her sitting home alone, worried to death. For all she knows, you could be dead. Hell, you even tried to kill her once! You pretend to love her, when you really couldn't care less."
"Fuck you!" Brandy yelled, the demonic spell inside her beginning to rise to the surface. "You know nothing, Cole! You don't know a damn thing about me or how I feel!"
"Oh but I do," Cole said, standing and walking towards her. When he spoke again, his face was inches from hers. "I know the hatred you feel towards me, the resentment. I also know the evil that's boiling inside of you, and how you're beginning to loose control. Give into it, Brandy. You know you're so much more powerful when you use the power I've given you."
Brandy swallowed a lump in her throat, her eyes beginning to cloud over. She knew she couldn't give in, because if she did she'd be lost forever. With Cole here to sway her, she wouldn't be able to fight it away. Even with Piper's help back home, she would lose all control.
Cole suddenly grabbed Brandy by the throat and slammed her back into a column that stood in the middle of the room. He brought his face so close to hers she could feel his breath on her skin, and the heat of his body radiating off him. He brought his other hand up to grab hold of her shirt, pulling her even closer. His lips were so close to hers, they were almost brushing.
"What the hell are you doing?" Brandy managed to breath out.
"Reminding you of the old days," Cole said, licking his lips softly, catching a taste of hers. "Getting you to trust me."
"I'll never trust you again. Get off of me."
"No," Cole replied, crushing his lips against hers forcefully. Brandy tried to push him away, getting angrier by the second. Cole's goal was being achieved, the demonic energy inside her being forced upwards. She hated him more than she hated anyone else, but the energy was triggered by memories of Cole.
Memories of the times they had spent together flashed through her mind, the good and the bad. She saw the many times they had made love, the child they had together. The moment when she was forced to give her baby up, to make Cole happy. How he threw away every last thing they had meant to each other when he left her, and how she nearly tried to kill herself after his loss.
The anger and the sorrow grew as she remembered his comforting words when she confided in him about her father. She remembered how he walked out without every looking back. The hateful words he aimed towards her when she asked him what she had done wrong. Having him come back into her life, to find out he had left her for Phoebe. Everything.
"GET OFF!" Brandy screamed as she shoved Cole away from her as hard as she could. Her eyes were completely clouded with black, but she still held the smallest bit of control. Cole's plan had backfired, giving her something to concentrate on: her hatred for him.
Cole growled as he slammed into his throne, the force he hit with enough to shatter the stone chair, leaving it in ruins. He pulled himself up and held onto himself in pain, looking up at the woman who had caused him to feel it. Pain was not something he enjoyed, just to think of it enraged him.
"Call off the attacks or I will kill you," Brandy said, her voice cracked with strain, "I have the power, and you know it. You gave me this power, and it will be your undoing."
"I'll call off the attacks, but this is not over. This will never be over, not until one of us is dead," he replied, his eyes cold.
"So be it," Brandy said, darkness engulfing her entire body. The blackened clouds spread throughout the room, swirled around Cole, then disappeared.
"Bitch," Cole muttered, limping from the room.
"Where is she?" Piper asked for the hundredth time, pacing around the living room of the manor. "He could be killing her, and we're just sitting here doing nothing. I can't feel her when she's down there, I don't know what she's feeling. How can we be sure she's not hurt or under his control or--"
"Or what?" Brandy's voice interrupted, echoing through the room as she appeared in a cloud of darkness. As soon as she appeared, the darkness spread over to Piper and enveloped her. Before she could voice her objection, or do anything to stop it, she was taken along with Brandy as she disappeared from the room in the same manner she had arrived.
"Well damnit!" Paige screamed, stamping her foot. "Now I'm the only one left! I wish someone would just hurry up and get this over with, because I am going to go insane here all by myself! See? I'm already talking to myself! LEO!"
Leo entered with his usual blue orbs, a lopsided smile on his face. He tried to stop seeing as something was obviously wrong, but it was impossible. At Paige's raised eyebrow he said, "Just uh, catching up with Phoebe."
Paige shook her head as if she were trying to wake from a dream, pushing the thought from her head. The whole world had already been turned upside down, what was one more thing? She would deal with Leo and Phoebe once she figured out what was going on with Brandy and Piper. Of course she knew what was wrong with Brandy, but where had she taken Piper, and was Piper alive?
"Brandy's possessed again," Paige told Leo, pacing around the room. "She had a premonition of a demon killing Piper, and went to the underworld to try and get Cole to call off the attacks. She came back to the manor and took Piper, and now I don't know what to do."
"Took Piper? Where?" Leo asked, snapping into whitelighter mode.
"How the hell am I supposed to know?!" Paige exclaimed, beginning to pace as Piper had been doing earlier. "This is all getting way out of hand. We have to do something, and we have to do it now!"
"First thing we need to do is calm down. Let me try to find them, and if that doesn't work, I'll consult the Elders."
"Well don't just stand there, search!"
Leo sighed and closed his eyes, expanding his awareness to feel for Piper and Brandy. To his surprise he connected with them as soon as he started, pinpointing their location. He shook his head slightly as he felt further to try and assess the situation, but was snapped out of it when Paige smacked him in the back of his head.
"Earth to Leo! What is going on up there in that head of yours? Stop spacing out and tell me where they are," Paige said with a scowl. She was growing more impatient by the second.
"At Brandy's old apartment," Leo said as he opened his eyes. He looked confused as he continued. "She isn't even trying to mask her location, or block us from going there. It's like she doesn't care if we find her."
"Of course she doesn't care, she could kill us all without even trying," Paige replied with a huff. "So what do we do now?"
"Well, we can't just charge in there. My advice would be to wait it out, let them handle this. Piper obviously has things under control, because she hasn't called out for me. I think she wants to try and help Brandy on her own again, and I'm almost positive that was Brandy's plan when she took her. She knew she wouldn't be able to hurt her, which made it the best option. It also lets us know she still has some control over herself, or she wouldn't have even thought of it."
"Right," Paige muttered, flopping down on the couch. "We wait."
Across town, at Brandy's old apartment, Piper sat in a chair in the middle of the living room, ropes tying her to it. She looked up at Brandy, trying to keep herself from crying out to her. She could tell she was hurting, just by the way she was pacing back and forth through the room. Every few seconds she would stop and glance over at Piper, a thoughtful look crossing her face.
Biting her lip, Piper looked down at the floor, knowing it was best not to talk right now. Everytime she tried to get to Brandy through their connection she would push her away, and deny her access. Something else was her main focus this time, not Piper. Whatever she was focusing on was pushing her closer to the edge, and making her very angry.
When Brandy stopped to take a glance at Piper, like she had been doing once every minute since they had been there, she clenched her fists in anger. How dare she cast her eyes down! How dare she look away! The little wench sure had some nerve, turning her eyes from the most powerful demon alive. Not only was she the almighty Protector, but she controlled powers even the Source feared. This bitch should fear her just as much!
"Look at me!" Brandy screamed, grabbing the ropes and lifting the chair until her face was inches from Piper's. "I am the almighty, the one feared by all. I have inflicted pain upon the Source, and made him limp away from me with eyes of rage. Yet you look away, and think I should pity you?"
"This isn't you," Piper managed to say, one lone tear rolling down her cheek. Another followed as she said, "This isn't the Brandy I fell in love with."
"Silence!" Brandy shouted as she threw the chair against the wall, an evil grin upon her face as the chair shattered into splinters, piercing the skin of the unworthy one before her.
Piper whimpered when the splinters entered her skin, and she cast her eyes up to look at Brandy. She was afraid not for her life, but afraid she wouldn't be able to get her back this time. Was it time to call Leo and Paige to save her? Was it time to give up on Brandy and fight against her? If it was, would she be able to go through with it? Could she really try to kill the person she felt she was destined to be with?
"You hurt me," Piper said softly, tears flowing freely now. "You said you could never hurt me, and now you have." She looked down at the splotches of blood where the wood had cut her. "Look, look where I'm hurt. See the blood? You did it, but you said you never would."
Brandy stared at the blood dripping from various wounds on Piper's face and hands, the way it began to stain the white shirt she was wearing. She walked closer and leaned down, reaching out to touch the blood. She brought her hand up to her face to get a closer look at it, then looked back at Piper. She suddenly looked as if she was straining, fighting, as a cloudy black tear escaped her eye and trailed down her face.
She stood again, backing up a few paces. She waved her arm, and the ropes around Piper disappeared, setting her free. She stood and started to walk towards Brandy, but she shook her head. She touched her face and looked at the black liquid in confusion as she murmured, "Go."
"I'm not leaving without you," Piper said, holding her hand out. "Don't give up, we can help you."
"I hurt you," Brandy said, black eyes now staring into Piper's. "I did something I swore I'd never do. I've lost control, and I don't think I'll ever get it back. As much as I hate to say it, Cole was right. I failed. I'm not worthy to be your Protector."
"Cole is not right," Piper said, angry he had affected her this much. "You've done so much good since you came into our lives, and given us all something to hope for. You've made me so happy, more than I've been in a long time. I can't imagine life without you, even though we've only been together for such a short time. Every day you watch over us, and you've saved us more than once. Brandy, you are more than worthy to be our Protector. I couldn't think of anyone I'd rather have watch over me and be with me."
Brandy looked away, black trails of tears streaming down her face. It was strange to see her fight for control over her own body, to watch as demonic thoughts pulsed through her mind. She backed up until her back touched the wall, then slid down until she was sitting on the floor. She buried her face in her hands, silent sobs wracking her body. She barely noticed as Piper made her way over and sat down, wrapping her arms around her body."
Piper spoke soft words into her shoulder as she held her close, emitting as much love as she could through her embrace. She was unsure if it was doing any good, but held on none the less. She could feel the conflicting emotions inside of Brandy, wondering if there was anything else she could to do help her win her own mind back. It seemed hopeless, like she had lost her, until she felt Brandy returning the embrace.
"Brandy?" Piper whispered, hopeful.
"I'm here," Brandy replied, holding on to her as if her life depended on it. "I'm here."
Piper let out a sigh of relief, her face buried in Brandy's neck. She had been so scared, so sure this was the last time she'd ever hold her again. Now here she was, with control over her body, with hopefully some sanity left. They'd regained the link they shared, and Piper could feel the grief, sadness, and self berating. She had never felt such pain and suffering.
Brandy stared at the blood on Piper's shirt, eyes brimming with tears that refused to fall. The pain within her was so great, she couldn't bring words to it. She had fallen so deeply and madly in love with Piper that it had taken a hold of her soul. Knowing she had harmed her, caused her to bleed, inflicted pain upon her, she was scarred internally. Her heart bared the mark of one who would never fully heal. She had injured to her soulmate, and it was too much for her to handle.
"It wasn't your fault," Piper whispered, knowing it wasn't enough to help; no words were.
"How many more times are you going to have to make that excuse for me?" Brandy asked, flinching at the pain in her own voice. "How much longer before the damage I do can't be reversed? I couldn't handle it if I killed you Piper, and I came too damn close to doing that tonight."
"But you didn't, Brandy! That's all that matters... that's all I need to know."
Brandy pulled herself away from Piper, the anguish coursing through her body enough to make both of them flinch. She was slowly becoming unraveled, each moment passing by causing her hold on sanity to fray. It was all she could do to not loose control then and there, to break down to such an extreme that nothing made sense anymore. Yet technically, nothing did.
"I can't believe you're taking this so calmly, like you don't give a damn about what I did! I threatened you, and slammed you against a wall, and made you bleed, and tried to fucking kill you! What the hell do I have to do to make you realize that I'm not safe to be around? Don't you get it? Don't you understand?" Brandy exclaimed, her fists clenched. Her whole body shook with fear and anger as she spoke.
"I understand that you're talking like you're giving up, and it's scaring me!" Piper yelled back. "I finally get you to tell me you love me, to give us a chance, and you throw it away like it means nothing to you? Well fuck you!"
"Fuck me? Fuck you, Piper! You're always trying to save me, when you can't even save yourself. Be smart for once, when someone is threatening you, it's always better to leave. Trust me, Piper."
"You're making a mistake, Brandy. Don't do this, we can help you get through this."
"Mistake?" Brandy questioned, scoffing. "The biggest mistake I ever made was allowing you to get me in bed! Damnit Piper, you hadn't been away from Leo for a week, and you were already trying to seduce someone else? There's a slut if I ever did see one!"
Brandy held her breath, expecting to feel the exploding pain of Piper's power, a slap on the face, anything. She had said some very harsh words, words she had never wanted to say, but it was best for everyone. It was best if she was away from the others, unable to harm them. It was no longer an option to stay and try to protect them, when she was the very thing they needed to be protected from.
Piper didn't move to strike her, blow her up, or open her mouth to send back a retort. She merely stood there, tears spilling from her eyes. The pain in her eyes and her heart was killing Brandy with each second that passed. Damn the bond they shared, damn it all to hell. As hard as Piper tried she couldn't use it to see if Brandy was sincere, because she was blocking her out. She had nothing but those raw words and the cold look to go on.
For a moment she didn't move, the shock too much. When she did, she turned away from Brandy and slung the door open. She stormed out into the hallway, slamming the door behind her. The slam was enough to jolt Brandy back to reality, and she realized what had just happened. She threw it all away.
As Piper scrambled down the steps, she tripped and slammed into the wall, succumbing to the numbing pain as she crumpled into a ball on the middle of a step. She was not alone in her pain, for back at the apartment Brandy had crumpled to the floor as well. The two huddled in pain as fresh tears flowed, knowing this was not some damned nightmare. The harsh words had been spoken, the relationship broken. It was all too unreal.
"It's not fair," Brandy murmured through her tears, laying on the floor. "I don't want to fight against them, I can't. But, I need guidance, and there's only one person who can explain this demon inside of me. As much as I hate to admit it, I need Cole's help."
With that, she transed down into the underworld, the anger and pain radiating off her enough to make every demon in her path take a step or two back. She didn't look at a single one of them, she merely kept walking towards Cole's chambers with a determined look on her face. The large stone doors that lead to his chambers were closed, but with the wave of her arm they slammed open. She walked forward and stopped a few feet before Cole, hated blazing in her eyes.
"What do you want?" Cole asked, fighting not to take a step back as the other demons were. He remembered how she had actually hurt him earlier, and could tell she was ten times more angry now than she was then.
"I just threw away everything to save them, because I didn't want to be the one to hurt them. Since you're the one who did this to me, you're going to help me control it. And I tell you now Cole, if you try anything funny, anything at all, I WILL kill you. You know I can, and that I won't hesitate to do it. Don't even think you can trick me or double cross me, because right now, you don't want to piss me off."
"What exactly do you want me to do?" Cole asked cautiously.
"Find a way for me to control this damn thing inside me. I know I can never get rid of it, and because of that I can never be with Piper, but at least I can watch over her. To do that I need to be able to be in control of my actions, and you're the only one who can help me figure out how to do that," Brandy told him.
Cole licked his lips and swallowed a small lump inside his throat. Damn this woman for having such a control over him. He should have know it would come to this, she had always had the worst temper. If he had thought over the plan a bit more, maybe he wouldn't be in this situation. As it stood, he had no choice but to help her... or trick her into thinking he was. He had to hide his smile as he answered her.
"Fine Brandy, I'll help you. Anything to get you off of my back. I have more important things to worry about than your lost love, but if helping you will shut you up, then I'll do it. This demon will always be with you, but there is a ceremony I can perform that will make it so it will only surface when you wish it to. Maybe if you'd come to me before you threw away what you had with Piper... but then again, I probably wouldn't have helped you."
"So why help me now?" Brandy asked, crossing her arms over her chest. She was very suspicious, seeing as this was going too well.
Cole shrugged and said, "Like I said, anything to get you off my back. I'm a busy man, and I don't have time to deal with someone constantly bugging the crap out of me. Of course, if I do this for you, we're through. Understand? I don't both you, you don't bother me."
"I thought that was the deal a long time ago, Cole. You left me years ago, I never asked you to come back into my life and fuck things up. We wouldn't be in this situation if you had stuck with your run away nature. But no, you had to meddle, put your nose in where it didn't belong. Then again, that's how you've always been isn't it, Cole? Run away from a problem, then come back and fuck around with it after it's all said and done."
"Look, I said I'd help you, why won't you just leave it at that?"
"Why? I'll tell you why, Cole Turner. Everyday I think about how you fucked up my life, made me give up my child just because you couldn't handle it, or rather you couldn't be bothered to have a child tie you down. Do you ever stop and wonder what Kayleigh is doing now, or where she is? She was just an innocent little baby, and you ruined her life by forcing her away. But you couldn't let it go at that, could you? You have to turn around and leave me, making sure I had nothing left. You took away my baby, my fiancé, my life, and you have to even ASK why I can't 'leave it'?!"
Cole shook his head and waved his arm, signaling his guards to come into the room. As he sat down on his newly restore throne he said, "Take her to the ceremony room, and set up for the spell. I'll be there when I'm good and ready."
The guards complied, taking hold of Brandy and walking her in the direction of the ceremony room. As much as Brandy wanted to sling them across the room for touching her, she didn't. She knew if she did Cole wouldn't help her, and she'd be even farther up shit creek without so much as a boat. She let them guide her into the room, looking around once they had entered. She expected them to watch over her, but not to continue to hold onto her. At her look of frustration, one of them began to explain.
"Even though I know you could kill me in a second, this is the arrangement my liege desires. If you have a problem with it, take it up with him," he told her.
"No problem," Brandy muttered, holding in her anger as best she could as she waited for Cole to make his appearance.
Ten minutes later, Cole came strolling into the room. Brandy noticed the smug look on his face, and her eyebrow raised in question. How big of a risk was she taking to trust him? How could she possibly know if he was really going to help her, or make things worse? She should have planned for this, had some sort of back up plan. Of course, last minute ideas never come equipped with back up plans.
With a wave of his arm, Cole signaled the guards to let Brandy go. He then motioned for her to step forward, which she did very cautiously. He noticed her hesitance and smirked, pulling out a book which was inside a crack in the wall. He laid it down on a pedestal which stood before him, opening it to a page about half way through. Dust floated about as he turned the pages, showing how old this book really was. Once he was at the desired page he glanced up at Brandy, clasping his hands together.
"Are you ready for me to perform the ceremony?" he asked her, his eyes gleaming in the dim light of the room.
"I'm having trouble trusting your motives," Brandy replied, glancing around the room. She noticed more guards entering, and realized just how bad of an idea this was. "What exactly do you have planned here, Cole?"
"You'll see," Cole said, raising his arms slowly. As he did, he began to recite from the book:
"Aza mesuma, deka lebazu.
Azetemala, atunase malabe.
Oh mentano, labeta baleto.
Ney, darkness. Ney, light."
As he finished the words, a dark mist began to swirl around Brandy. Her body felt as if it were on fire, the demon inside of her being pulled forth. She dropped to her knees as it leaked out of every pore, screaming in anguish. Blood seeped through her clothes, soaking every inch of the fabric. The blood was flowing freely, following the demonic blackness as it left her body. Yet, the pain did not end once the blackness was completely gone.
The pool of blood below Brandy soaked into the stone below, a dark light rising around her. The demonic energy that had just left her body melted down to mix with the new light, brightening until it was a surprisingly blinding blend. The strength of the demon was now beyond any reason, but it haulted in it's reentry. It hovered as if waiting for a command, it's unseen eyes staring straight at Cole.
"Yes, go back into her body. Fill her with her evil, and let no strand of goodness remain. Take over every ounce of free will she has, for you now have the power to do so. You now have more power than she ever did, you can control her. Make it so she obeys my every command, and that no one can ever separate her mind from my power. She is mine, as she always will be. MAKE IT SO!"
The darkness seemingly bowed at Cole's command, turning back to face Brandy. Slowly it tore into her flesh, binding itself to her very soul. The blood spilt from her body did not return, but was replaced by demon blood. She now WAS the demon, not just a carrier for it. Her own powers melded with those of the darkness, making her more powerful than she ever was. Yet limitations were within her, for she would tire quickly. The merging of existence was a harsh one, and her being was strained from the double possession.
"Stand," Cole commanded, crossing his arms across his chest.
Brandy complied, standing up to face her master. Her eyes no longer were the strong blue they once were, nor were they the black masses they were when the demon took over. They were now grey, a blend of the two, showing she was now a combination of her former self and the demon. Half Protector, half demon, the strongest entity in the universe now stood before the Source, pledging her allegiance to him.
"I, Brandy Leigh, strongest of all, pledge my loyalty to you. Let me fight along beside you, obliterating all that is good. With my help, you could be the sole ruler of the universe, commanding all magic, be it good or evil. My liege, let me be your right arm, my services available to you, unlimited."
Cole nodded, taking a step closer to her. He slung his arm around her waist and jerked her close to him, his face inches from hers. His eyes were bright with mania, his body titillated with the idea that he now had the winning edge. He had the most powerful tool at his disposal, and the ability to get rid of the Charmed Ones once and for all. With a small sinister laugh, Cole leaned in and kissed Brandy with more passion than he thought possible.
Brandy kissed him back, a charge of evil energy flowing through both of them. The kiss lasted for what seemed like hours, until Cole finally broke it off. He kept his body pressed against hers as he said, "If I can't have Phoebe, I will have the next best thing. To see the look on Piper's face when she realizes what I have done to you, what you now are, will be worth everything."
Brandy smiled the same sinister smile that was plastered across Cole's face, and the two tumbled into a back room. The demons who stood in the ceremonial room cast glances at each other, knowing things were about to get much more intense. With Cole and Brandy coupling, it would seal the ceremony that was just performed. She now belonged to Cole, and nothing was going to being her back. It was now clear who had the advantage, and it was not the Charmed Ones. Yes, it was about to get so much more intense.
~*~
End part nine
~*~
Authors notes: For all of you who are worried about the Phoebe and Leo situation, or the Brandy and Piper situation, don't be afraid! I have their best interest in mind, and will fix things before the end of this story. If any of you are so worried that you need a spoiler, e-mail me at brandyb@exis.net and I'll fill you in. Otherwise, you'll just have to wait and find out in the story!
P.s. The spell Cole recited was random B.S. written by yours truly.
Disclaimer, etc. in part one
~*~
Authors notes: I don't own The Matrix or any of it's characters.
Book One - Revelations (9/?)
by: Brandy Leigh
~*~
The three girls trained down in the basement for two hours, taking their powers to a level they had never done before. Piper and Paige were surprised with what they were able to accomplish, and shocked at the power which Brandy possessed. Even though her powers were still not at full strength, her abilities were down right amazing.
"All right Neo," Paige said, referring to Brandy as if she were the character from the Matrix, "try this on for size!"
"Or should I say... Mister Anderson," Piper said in a deep voice, turning it into a joke.
Brandy sighed and shook her head lightly, trying not to smile. She was in her training zone, and her concentration was vital. However, their comments weren't too far off. Her abilities did somewhat mimic those from the movie they were referring to, yet they were not identical. She could not move as fast as Neo, but her ability to sense the moves her opponents were about to make made it seem as if she did.
"All right guys," Brandy said, taking a deep breath to center herself, "let's focus. One last drill, then we're finished for the day."
Piper and Paige glanced at each other and nodded, then looked back over at Brandy, who was blindfolded. They made their way behind her, watching for any sign that she knew what they were doing, then launched an attack at her. She blocked every move they made, deflected every power sent at her, and fought back. The girls did their best to defend themselves, but they finally called the password that would call off the spar.
"TACOS!" the two girls yelled at the same time, backing up.
Brandy smiled to herself as she reached up to remove the cloth that shielded her eyes. She used it to wipe the sweat from her forehead, then tucked it into her pocket. She walked over to the two girls who had plopped themselves down on the floor, sitting down next to them.
Patting Piper's knee affectionately she said, "You almost got me on that last one. I thought I was a goner."
"Bullshit," Piper murmured, breathing heavily. "You could have taken me out without even thinking twice. This is ridiculous."
"No it's not," Brandy replied. "I don't expect either of you to have the same powers I do, or to be on the same level. All that matters is that your powers are at their fullest, so we can all be prepared for the things about to happen."
"Yeah, well if my powers get any more full I think I'm going to explode," Paige muttered, laying down onto her back.
Brandy smiled again as she leaned down and kissed Piper softly. As soon as their lips connected, Piper could feel Brandy jerk. Her whole body went stiff, her eyes squeezing shut as she let out a gasp. Paige sat up, watching along with Piper as Brandy had her first premonition.
"What did you see?" Piper asked, taking her hand. She knew it had to be a shock to get a vision so suddenly.
"Another demon," Brandy replied, taking deep and even breaths. When she looked up, she was crying. "He killed you. I couldn't stop him."
Piper sighed and bit her lip, feeling Brandy tighten her grip on her hand. Apparently the protection spell sent to them by grams and their mom wasn't strong enough. They had to do something to change the events in the vision, and find another way to protect themselves. Every demon in the underworld was after them, and one little protection spell obviously wasn't going to do shit.
"What about the protection spell?" Paige voiced.
"It wasn't enough," Brandy said, wiping her eyes. "There was so many demons, too many of them. They broke through our defenses, and attacked us from all sides. Even with this virus inside me, it wasn't enough to stop them all."
"How the hell are we going to stop an attack like that?" Paige asked, her eyes wide.
"We have to talk to Cole, get him to call off this attack," Brandy replied, standing. "It's the only way to prevent the vision from happening. I'll be damned if I'm going to let it happen."
"You can't be serious," Piper said, standing as well. "You can't actually believe he'll even listen to you long enough to hear you out, let alone consider it. Cole is a power hungry maniac, trying to kill us all. There's no way he'll call off an attack that will get rid of one of us."
"Watch me," Brandy said, transing from the room before Piper could voice her objection.
"Damnit," Piper growled, kicking a box near her. "She's going to get herself killed!"
Brandy appeared in the underworld seconds later, not exactly happy to be back. The last time she was there she nearly lost her life, trying to save Paige. Now that every demon was out to kill her, it was going to be damn near suicidal. She kept moving never the less, making her way through the catacombs. Out of the corner of her eye saw movement, and she made her way in that direction.
The room which stood before her was empty, aside from one lone figure sitting on a giant throne made of stone. Fire licked the walls, almost looking as if everything was aflame. Heat radiated like a burning inferno gone mad, making it difficult to breath. She took a deep breath to steady herself as she walked in, never taking her eyes off the man on the throne.
"You sure have some nerve," Cole said calmly as she entered. He stayed seated on his throne, hands folded in his lap. "Or maybe you're just incredibly stupid."
"Probably a little bit of both," Brandy replied, stepping closer to him. "Either way, I'm here for a reason."
Cole narrowed his eyes, looking her over. He was unsure of her motive, but knew she had something up her sleeve. She had always been the type to go straight to the source, no pun intended, and she always took care of business. If she had risked it all to be in the underworld at a time like this, she wasn't playing around.
"I want you to call off this man hunt."
"Why should I do that?" Cole asked, almost laughing. "I have you right where I want you, so why would I call it off? Apparently my plan is working, or you wouldn't be so determined for me to stop. Whatever could have happened to make you this livid?"
"It's not of your damn business, Cole Turner. All you need to know is someone I care for is going to get hurt, and I'll be damned if I'm going to just sit by and watch it happen. I don't care how powerful you are, but I will personally vanquish your sorry ass if you don't call this thing off!"
"Feisty, aren't we? I think someone has gotten just a bit too confident. Look at all the times the Charmed One's have gotten hurt since you've been around. You're not worthy to be their Protector, Brandy. You're a sorry excuse for a Protector, and you're going to get yourself killed, along with them. Admit it, they would have been better off if you'd never come into their lives."
"Shut up," Brandy muttered, clenching her fists.
"Hit a nerve did I?" Cole asked, raising an eyebrow. "Poor Piper gave up the perfect man just to be with you. Now you're running around in the underworld, leaving her sitting home alone, worried to death. For all she knows, you could be dead. Hell, you even tried to kill her once! You pretend to love her, when you really couldn't care less."
"Fuck you!" Brandy yelled, the demonic spell inside her beginning to rise to the surface. "You know nothing, Cole! You don't know a damn thing about me or how I feel!"
"Oh but I do," Cole said, standing and walking towards her. When he spoke again, his face was inches from hers. "I know the hatred you feel towards me, the resentment. I also know the evil that's boiling inside of you, and how you're beginning to loose control. Give into it, Brandy. You know you're so much more powerful when you use the power I've given you."
Brandy swallowed a lump in her throat, her eyes beginning to cloud over. She knew she couldn't give in, because if she did she'd be lost forever. With Cole here to sway her, she wouldn't be able to fight it away. Even with Piper's help back home, she would lose all control.
Cole suddenly grabbed Brandy by the throat and slammed her back into a column that stood in the middle of the room. He brought his face so close to hers she could feel his breath on her skin, and the heat of his body radiating off him. He brought his other hand up to grab hold of her shirt, pulling her even closer. His lips were so close to hers, they were almost brushing.
"What the hell are you doing?" Brandy managed to breath out.
"Reminding you of the old days," Cole said, licking his lips softly, catching a taste of hers. "Getting you to trust me."
"I'll never trust you again. Get off of me."
"No," Cole replied, crushing his lips against hers forcefully. Brandy tried to push him away, getting angrier by the second. Cole's goal was being achieved, the demonic energy inside her being forced upwards. She hated him more than she hated anyone else, but the energy was triggered by memories of Cole.
Memories of the times they had spent together flashed through her mind, the good and the bad. She saw the many times they had made love, the child they had together. The moment when she was forced to give her baby up, to make Cole happy. How he threw away every last thing they had meant to each other when he left her, and how she nearly tried to kill herself after his loss.
The anger and the sorrow grew as she remembered his comforting words when she confided in him about her father. She remembered how he walked out without every looking back. The hateful words he aimed towards her when she asked him what she had done wrong. Having him come back into her life, to find out he had left her for Phoebe. Everything.
"GET OFF!" Brandy screamed as she shoved Cole away from her as hard as she could. Her eyes were completely clouded with black, but she still held the smallest bit of control. Cole's plan had backfired, giving her something to concentrate on: her hatred for him.
Cole growled as he slammed into his throne, the force he hit with enough to shatter the stone chair, leaving it in ruins. He pulled himself up and held onto himself in pain, looking up at the woman who had caused him to feel it. Pain was not something he enjoyed, just to think of it enraged him.
"Call off the attacks or I will kill you," Brandy said, her voice cracked with strain, "I have the power, and you know it. You gave me this power, and it will be your undoing."
"I'll call off the attacks, but this is not over. This will never be over, not until one of us is dead," he replied, his eyes cold.
"So be it," Brandy said, darkness engulfing her entire body. The blackened clouds spread throughout the room, swirled around Cole, then disappeared.
"Bitch," Cole muttered, limping from the room.
"Where is she?" Piper asked for the hundredth time, pacing around the living room of the manor. "He could be killing her, and we're just sitting here doing nothing. I can't feel her when she's down there, I don't know what she's feeling. How can we be sure she's not hurt or under his control or--"
"Or what?" Brandy's voice interrupted, echoing through the room as she appeared in a cloud of darkness. As soon as she appeared, the darkness spread over to Piper and enveloped her. Before she could voice her objection, or do anything to stop it, she was taken along with Brandy as she disappeared from the room in the same manner she had arrived.
"Well damnit!" Paige screamed, stamping her foot. "Now I'm the only one left! I wish someone would just hurry up and get this over with, because I am going to go insane here all by myself! See? I'm already talking to myself! LEO!"
Leo entered with his usual blue orbs, a lopsided smile on his face. He tried to stop seeing as something was obviously wrong, but it was impossible. At Paige's raised eyebrow he said, "Just uh, catching up with Phoebe."
Paige shook her head as if she were trying to wake from a dream, pushing the thought from her head. The whole world had already been turned upside down, what was one more thing? She would deal with Leo and Phoebe once she figured out what was going on with Brandy and Piper. Of course she knew what was wrong with Brandy, but where had she taken Piper, and was Piper alive?
"Brandy's possessed again," Paige told Leo, pacing around the room. "She had a premonition of a demon killing Piper, and went to the underworld to try and get Cole to call off the attacks. She came back to the manor and took Piper, and now I don't know what to do."
"Took Piper? Where?" Leo asked, snapping into whitelighter mode.
"How the hell am I supposed to know?!" Paige exclaimed, beginning to pace as Piper had been doing earlier. "This is all getting way out of hand. We have to do something, and we have to do it now!"
"First thing we need to do is calm down. Let me try to find them, and if that doesn't work, I'll consult the Elders."
"Well don't just stand there, search!"
Leo sighed and closed his eyes, expanding his awareness to feel for Piper and Brandy. To his surprise he connected with them as soon as he started, pinpointing their location. He shook his head slightly as he felt further to try and assess the situation, but was snapped out of it when Paige smacked him in the back of his head.
"Earth to Leo! What is going on up there in that head of yours? Stop spacing out and tell me where they are," Paige said with a scowl. She was growing more impatient by the second.
"At Brandy's old apartment," Leo said as he opened his eyes. He looked confused as he continued. "She isn't even trying to mask her location, or block us from going there. It's like she doesn't care if we find her."
"Of course she doesn't care, she could kill us all without even trying," Paige replied with a huff. "So what do we do now?"
"Well, we can't just charge in there. My advice would be to wait it out, let them handle this. Piper obviously has things under control, because she hasn't called out for me. I think she wants to try and help Brandy on her own again, and I'm almost positive that was Brandy's plan when she took her. She knew she wouldn't be able to hurt her, which made it the best option. It also lets us know she still has some control over herself, or she wouldn't have even thought of it."
"Right," Paige muttered, flopping down on the couch. "We wait."
Across town, at Brandy's old apartment, Piper sat in a chair in the middle of the living room, ropes tying her to it. She looked up at Brandy, trying to keep herself from crying out to her. She could tell she was hurting, just by the way she was pacing back and forth through the room. Every few seconds she would stop and glance over at Piper, a thoughtful look crossing her face.
Biting her lip, Piper looked down at the floor, knowing it was best not to talk right now. Everytime she tried to get to Brandy through their connection she would push her away, and deny her access. Something else was her main focus this time, not Piper. Whatever she was focusing on was pushing her closer to the edge, and making her very angry.
When Brandy stopped to take a glance at Piper, like she had been doing once every minute since they had been there, she clenched her fists in anger. How dare she cast her eyes down! How dare she look away! The little wench sure had some nerve, turning her eyes from the most powerful demon alive. Not only was she the almighty Protector, but she controlled powers even the Source feared. This bitch should fear her just as much!
"Look at me!" Brandy screamed, grabbing the ropes and lifting the chair until her face was inches from Piper's. "I am the almighty, the one feared by all. I have inflicted pain upon the Source, and made him limp away from me with eyes of rage. Yet you look away, and think I should pity you?"
"This isn't you," Piper managed to say, one lone tear rolling down her cheek. Another followed as she said, "This isn't the Brandy I fell in love with."
"Silence!" Brandy shouted as she threw the chair against the wall, an evil grin upon her face as the chair shattered into splinters, piercing the skin of the unworthy one before her.
Piper whimpered when the splinters entered her skin, and she cast her eyes up to look at Brandy. She was afraid not for her life, but afraid she wouldn't be able to get her back this time. Was it time to call Leo and Paige to save her? Was it time to give up on Brandy and fight against her? If it was, would she be able to go through with it? Could she really try to kill the person she felt she was destined to be with?
"You hurt me," Piper said softly, tears flowing freely now. "You said you could never hurt me, and now you have." She looked down at the splotches of blood where the wood had cut her. "Look, look where I'm hurt. See the blood? You did it, but you said you never would."
Brandy stared at the blood dripping from various wounds on Piper's face and hands, the way it began to stain the white shirt she was wearing. She walked closer and leaned down, reaching out to touch the blood. She brought her hand up to her face to get a closer look at it, then looked back at Piper. She suddenly looked as if she was straining, fighting, as a cloudy black tear escaped her eye and trailed down her face.
She stood again, backing up a few paces. She waved her arm, and the ropes around Piper disappeared, setting her free. She stood and started to walk towards Brandy, but she shook her head. She touched her face and looked at the black liquid in confusion as she murmured, "Go."
"I'm not leaving without you," Piper said, holding her hand out. "Don't give up, we can help you."
"I hurt you," Brandy said, black eyes now staring into Piper's. "I did something I swore I'd never do. I've lost control, and I don't think I'll ever get it back. As much as I hate to say it, Cole was right. I failed. I'm not worthy to be your Protector."
"Cole is not right," Piper said, angry he had affected her this much. "You've done so much good since you came into our lives, and given us all something to hope for. You've made me so happy, more than I've been in a long time. I can't imagine life without you, even though we've only been together for such a short time. Every day you watch over us, and you've saved us more than once. Brandy, you are more than worthy to be our Protector. I couldn't think of anyone I'd rather have watch over me and be with me."
Brandy looked away, black trails of tears streaming down her face. It was strange to see her fight for control over her own body, to watch as demonic thoughts pulsed through her mind. She backed up until her back touched the wall, then slid down until she was sitting on the floor. She buried her face in her hands, silent sobs wracking her body. She barely noticed as Piper made her way over and sat down, wrapping her arms around her body."
Piper spoke soft words into her shoulder as she held her close, emitting as much love as she could through her embrace. She was unsure if it was doing any good, but held on none the less. She could feel the conflicting emotions inside of Brandy, wondering if there was anything else she could to do help her win her own mind back. It seemed hopeless, like she had lost her, until she felt Brandy returning the embrace.
"Brandy?" Piper whispered, hopeful.
"I'm here," Brandy replied, holding on to her as if her life depended on it. "I'm here."
Piper let out a sigh of relief, her face buried in Brandy's neck. She had been so scared, so sure this was the last time she'd ever hold her again. Now here she was, with control over her body, with hopefully some sanity left. They'd regained the link they shared, and Piper could feel the grief, sadness, and self berating. She had never felt such pain and suffering.
Brandy stared at the blood on Piper's shirt, eyes brimming with tears that refused to fall. The pain within her was so great, she couldn't bring words to it. She had fallen so deeply and madly in love with Piper that it had taken a hold of her soul. Knowing she had harmed her, caused her to bleed, inflicted pain upon her, she was scarred internally. Her heart bared the mark of one who would never fully heal. She had injured to her soulmate, and it was too much for her to handle.
"It wasn't your fault," Piper whispered, knowing it wasn't enough to help; no words were.
"How many more times are you going to have to make that excuse for me?" Brandy asked, flinching at the pain in her own voice. "How much longer before the damage I do can't be reversed? I couldn't handle it if I killed you Piper, and I came too damn close to doing that tonight."
"But you didn't, Brandy! That's all that matters... that's all I need to know."
Brandy pulled herself away from Piper, the anguish coursing through her body enough to make both of them flinch. She was slowly becoming unraveled, each moment passing by causing her hold on sanity to fray. It was all she could do to not loose control then and there, to break down to such an extreme that nothing made sense anymore. Yet technically, nothing did.
"I can't believe you're taking this so calmly, like you don't give a damn about what I did! I threatened you, and slammed you against a wall, and made you bleed, and tried to fucking kill you! What the hell do I have to do to make you realize that I'm not safe to be around? Don't you get it? Don't you understand?" Brandy exclaimed, her fists clenched. Her whole body shook with fear and anger as she spoke.
"I understand that you're talking like you're giving up, and it's scaring me!" Piper yelled back. "I finally get you to tell me you love me, to give us a chance, and you throw it away like it means nothing to you? Well fuck you!"
"Fuck me? Fuck you, Piper! You're always trying to save me, when you can't even save yourself. Be smart for once, when someone is threatening you, it's always better to leave. Trust me, Piper."
"You're making a mistake, Brandy. Don't do this, we can help you get through this."
"Mistake?" Brandy questioned, scoffing. "The biggest mistake I ever made was allowing you to get me in bed! Damnit Piper, you hadn't been away from Leo for a week, and you were already trying to seduce someone else? There's a slut if I ever did see one!"
Brandy held her breath, expecting to feel the exploding pain of Piper's power, a slap on the face, anything. She had said some very harsh words, words she had never wanted to say, but it was best for everyone. It was best if she was away from the others, unable to harm them. It was no longer an option to stay and try to protect them, when she was the very thing they needed to be protected from.
Piper didn't move to strike her, blow her up, or open her mouth to send back a retort. She merely stood there, tears spilling from her eyes. The pain in her eyes and her heart was killing Brandy with each second that passed. Damn the bond they shared, damn it all to hell. As hard as Piper tried she couldn't use it to see if Brandy was sincere, because she was blocking her out. She had nothing but those raw words and the cold look to go on.
For a moment she didn't move, the shock too much. When she did, she turned away from Brandy and slung the door open. She stormed out into the hallway, slamming the door behind her. The slam was enough to jolt Brandy back to reality, and she realized what had just happened. She threw it all away.
As Piper scrambled down the steps, she tripped and slammed into the wall, succumbing to the numbing pain as she crumpled into a ball on the middle of a step. She was not alone in her pain, for back at the apartment Brandy had crumpled to the floor as well. The two huddled in pain as fresh tears flowed, knowing this was not some damned nightmare. The harsh words had been spoken, the relationship broken. It was all too unreal.
"It's not fair," Brandy murmured through her tears, laying on the floor. "I don't want to fight against them, I can't. But, I need guidance, and there's only one person who can explain this demon inside of me. As much as I hate to admit it, I need Cole's help."
With that, she transed down into the underworld, the anger and pain radiating off her enough to make every demon in her path take a step or two back. She didn't look at a single one of them, she merely kept walking towards Cole's chambers with a determined look on her face. The large stone doors that lead to his chambers were closed, but with the wave of her arm they slammed open. She walked forward and stopped a few feet before Cole, hated blazing in her eyes.
"What do you want?" Cole asked, fighting not to take a step back as the other demons were. He remembered how she had actually hurt him earlier, and could tell she was ten times more angry now than she was then.
"I just threw away everything to save them, because I didn't want to be the one to hurt them. Since you're the one who did this to me, you're going to help me control it. And I tell you now Cole, if you try anything funny, anything at all, I WILL kill you. You know I can, and that I won't hesitate to do it. Don't even think you can trick me or double cross me, because right now, you don't want to piss me off."
"What exactly do you want me to do?" Cole asked cautiously.
"Find a way for me to control this damn thing inside me. I know I can never get rid of it, and because of that I can never be with Piper, but at least I can watch over her. To do that I need to be able to be in control of my actions, and you're the only one who can help me figure out how to do that," Brandy told him.
Cole licked his lips and swallowed a small lump inside his throat. Damn this woman for having such a control over him. He should have know it would come to this, she had always had the worst temper. If he had thought over the plan a bit more, maybe he wouldn't be in this situation. As it stood, he had no choice but to help her... or trick her into thinking he was. He had to hide his smile as he answered her.
"Fine Brandy, I'll help you. Anything to get you off of my back. I have more important things to worry about than your lost love, but if helping you will shut you up, then I'll do it. This demon will always be with you, but there is a ceremony I can perform that will make it so it will only surface when you wish it to. Maybe if you'd come to me before you threw away what you had with Piper... but then again, I probably wouldn't have helped you."
"So why help me now?" Brandy asked, crossing her arms over her chest. She was very suspicious, seeing as this was going too well.
Cole shrugged and said, "Like I said, anything to get you off my back. I'm a busy man, and I don't have time to deal with someone constantly bugging the crap out of me. Of course, if I do this for you, we're through. Understand? I don't both you, you don't bother me."
"I thought that was the deal a long time ago, Cole. You left me years ago, I never asked you to come back into my life and fuck things up. We wouldn't be in this situation if you had stuck with your run away nature. But no, you had to meddle, put your nose in where it didn't belong. Then again, that's how you've always been isn't it, Cole? Run away from a problem, then come back and fuck around with it after it's all said and done."
"Look, I said I'd help you, why won't you just leave it at that?"
"Why? I'll tell you why, Cole Turner. Everyday I think about how you fucked up my life, made me give up my child just because you couldn't handle it, or rather you couldn't be bothered to have a child tie you down. Do you ever stop and wonder what Kayleigh is doing now, or where she is? She was just an innocent little baby, and you ruined her life by forcing her away. But you couldn't let it go at that, could you? You have to turn around and leave me, making sure I had nothing left. You took away my baby, my fiancé, my life, and you have to even ASK why I can't 'leave it'?!"
Cole shook his head and waved his arm, signaling his guards to come into the room. As he sat down on his newly restore throne he said, "Take her to the ceremony room, and set up for the spell. I'll be there when I'm good and ready."
The guards complied, taking hold of Brandy and walking her in the direction of the ceremony room. As much as Brandy wanted to sling them across the room for touching her, she didn't. She knew if she did Cole wouldn't help her, and she'd be even farther up shit creek without so much as a boat. She let them guide her into the room, looking around once they had entered. She expected them to watch over her, but not to continue to hold onto her. At her look of frustration, one of them began to explain.
"Even though I know you could kill me in a second, this is the arrangement my liege desires. If you have a problem with it, take it up with him," he told her.
"No problem," Brandy muttered, holding in her anger as best she could as she waited for Cole to make his appearance.
Ten minutes later, Cole came strolling into the room. Brandy noticed the smug look on his face, and her eyebrow raised in question. How big of a risk was she taking to trust him? How could she possibly know if he was really going to help her, or make things worse? She should have planned for this, had some sort of back up plan. Of course, last minute ideas never come equipped with back up plans.
With a wave of his arm, Cole signaled the guards to let Brandy go. He then motioned for her to step forward, which she did very cautiously. He noticed her hesitance and smirked, pulling out a book which was inside a crack in the wall. He laid it down on a pedestal which stood before him, opening it to a page about half way through. Dust floated about as he turned the pages, showing how old this book really was. Once he was at the desired page he glanced up at Brandy, clasping his hands together.
"Are you ready for me to perform the ceremony?" he asked her, his eyes gleaming in the dim light of the room.
"I'm having trouble trusting your motives," Brandy replied, glancing around the room. She noticed more guards entering, and realized just how bad of an idea this was. "What exactly do you have planned here, Cole?"
"You'll see," Cole said, raising his arms slowly. As he did, he began to recite from the book:
"Aza mesuma, deka lebazu.
Azetemala, atunase malabe.
Oh mentano, labeta baleto.
Ney, darkness. Ney, light."
As he finished the words, a dark mist began to swirl around Brandy. Her body felt as if it were on fire, the demon inside of her being pulled forth. She dropped to her knees as it leaked out of every pore, screaming in anguish. Blood seeped through her clothes, soaking every inch of the fabric. The blood was flowing freely, following the demonic blackness as it left her body. Yet, the pain did not end once the blackness was completely gone.
The pool of blood below Brandy soaked into the stone below, a dark light rising around her. The demonic energy that had just left her body melted down to mix with the new light, brightening until it was a surprisingly blinding blend. The strength of the demon was now beyond any reason, but it haulted in it's reentry. It hovered as if waiting for a command, it's unseen eyes staring straight at Cole.
"Yes, go back into her body. Fill her with her evil, and let no strand of goodness remain. Take over every ounce of free will she has, for you now have the power to do so. You now have more power than she ever did, you can control her. Make it so she obeys my every command, and that no one can ever separate her mind from my power. She is mine, as she always will be. MAKE IT SO!"
The darkness seemingly bowed at Cole's command, turning back to face Brandy. Slowly it tore into her flesh, binding itself to her very soul. The blood spilt from her body did not return, but was replaced by demon blood. She now WAS the demon, not just a carrier for it. Her own powers melded with those of the darkness, making her more powerful than she ever was. Yet limitations were within her, for she would tire quickly. The merging of existence was a harsh one, and her being was strained from the double possession.
"Stand," Cole commanded, crossing his arms across his chest.
Brandy complied, standing up to face her master. Her eyes no longer were the strong blue they once were, nor were they the black masses they were when the demon took over. They were now grey, a blend of the two, showing she was now a combination of her former self and the demon. Half Protector, half demon, the strongest entity in the universe now stood before the Source, pledging her allegiance to him.
"I, Brandy Leigh, strongest of all, pledge my loyalty to you. Let me fight along beside you, obliterating all that is good. With my help, you could be the sole ruler of the universe, commanding all magic, be it good or evil. My liege, let me be your right arm, my services available to you, unlimited."
Cole nodded, taking a step closer to her. He slung his arm around her waist and jerked her close to him, his face inches from hers. His eyes were bright with mania, his body titillated with the idea that he now had the winning edge. He had the most powerful tool at his disposal, and the ability to get rid of the Charmed Ones once and for all. With a small sinister laugh, Cole leaned in and kissed Brandy with more passion than he thought possible.
Brandy kissed him back, a charge of evil energy flowing through both of them. The kiss lasted for what seemed like hours, until Cole finally broke it off. He kept his body pressed against hers as he said, "If I can't have Phoebe, I will have the next best thing. To see the look on Piper's face when she realizes what I have done to you, what you now are, will be worth everything."
Brandy smiled the same sinister smile that was plastered across Cole's face, and the two tumbled into a back room. The demons who stood in the ceremonial room cast glances at each other, knowing things were about to get much more intense. With Cole and Brandy coupling, it would seal the ceremony that was just performed. She now belonged to Cole, and nothing was going to being her back. It was now clear who had the advantage, and it was not the Charmed Ones. Yes, it was about to get so much more intense.
~*~
End part nine
~*~
Authors notes: For all of you who are worried about the Phoebe and Leo situation, or the Brandy and Piper situation, don't be afraid! I have their best interest in mind, and will fix things before the end of this story. If any of you are so worried that you need a spoiler, e-mail me at brandyb@exis.net and I'll fill you in. Otherwise, you'll just have to wait and find out in the story!
P.s. The spell Cole recited was random B.S. written by yours truly.