FUTURE PERFECT
CHAPTER 1
Paige stuck her fingers in the jar and gathered some of the dry, crumbly leaves between her thumb and forefinger. "I am telling you, Piper, something is wrong. Very wrong."
She dropped the herb into the bubbling cauldron. The potion burped and let out a thick, yellow cloud. "Ha!" Paige nodded in satisfaction. "A pinch of broomrape, that's the missing ingredient." She leaned sideways to grab a pencil and scribbled something onto a sheet of paper.
"And what would be wrong, Paige?" Piper sat on a kitchen chair, watching her sister invent new concoctions on the fly. "Your potion-making skills are improving every week. Phoebe is happily dating Kenneth, the very non-magical accountant. Not a single demon has attacked us for a while. The only one that might be upset is the clockmaker. It's been ages since we needed clock repairs." Piper's brow bunched as she gazed down at her stomach. "The only thing wrong is this lazy baby that refuses to come out!" Her voice raised on the last word.
Paige lifted her eyes from the notepad. She chuckled. "Oh, honey." She rounded the cooking island and rested a hand on Piper's belly. "Don't mind your Mommy, Melinda. She's just impatient."
"Damn right I'm impatient," Piper snapped. "Nine months is plenty long enough for a baby to grow. And I'm sick and tired of looking like--like a teakettle with legs!"
Paige giggled. "Do you whistle?"
Piper growled and Paige backed away.
"Okay, okay. Don't get all heated up." Paige giggled again before her expression turned grave. "I'm serious, Piper. Don't you think it strange that for years demons have attacked you --us-- at least once a week, and suddenly nothing's happened for months? How long has it been? The last attack doesn't even really count. That was Cole trying to get us to kill him. And that was nearly six months ago!"
"I'll admit it is strange. But I won't look a gift horse in the mouth. I'm glad things have quieted down somewhat. Perhaps we scared the life out of the underworld. We did vanquish their boss, after all. Twice, I might add. Or maybe the demons are busy elsewhere. Whatever the reason, I'm grateful for the peace and quiet. At least it's given me the chance to pretend I'm having a normal pregnancy."
Paige tested the cauldron's content to see if it had cooled enough so she could pour it into the tiny glass vials that were standing in a row at the edge of the island. "I'm not saying it isn't nice. I just hope it's not the calm before the storm."
The doorbell rang, the sound shrill in the quiet manor. Paige and Piper exchanged a glance.
"Uh oh," Piper muttered. "I hope you didn't jinx it."
Paige started for the door when Piper waved her away. "I can still answer the door, you know," she said. "You clean away this mess, I'll go see who it is."
She waddled from the kitchen across the hallway to the front door. "Darryl?"
"Piper. I'm afraid I have some bad news. There's been an accident."
* * *
Cole pivoted on his heels so abruptly that the edge of his long black mantle hit his shins when the cloth settled back around his frame. Torches on the walls flickered with the sudden gust of air. His blue eyes flashed angrily as they came to rest on the bulky frame of the demon in his chamber.
"No."
"I'm just saying, Sir, that with the Charmed Ones dead--"
"What part of 'no' did you not understand?!" Cole bellowed. A blue sphere of liquid fire appeared in his hand and hovered an inch above his palm. "If all you have to offer is more rigamarole about going after the Charmed Ones, Refan, maybe it's time I find myself another clerk."
Tiny beads of moisture broke out on Refan's shiny, bald pate and he took another step back. "Mr. Turner, Sir--"
"The Charmed Ones are off limits, you hear? I will not have them mentioned again! We leave them be, and they will leave us be. Anyone that so much as pulls a hair from their heads will answer to me. And I will show no mercy, am I clear?"
"Yes, of course, Mr. Turner, I understand. Your wish is our command." Refan bowed his head.
Cole took a deep breath to calm himself. Damned demons. All they could think about was killing the Charmed Ones. Didn't they understand that the three witches were far too smart and strong for their sorry powers to take on? And why go up against such a force when there was a world of possibilities waiting out there? A world of wicked opportunities for those daring enough to grab them? A world of accidents looking for a place to happen? All they needed to do was be in the right place at the right time. That's what he kept telling his minions. That this tactic also kept Phoebe safe from harm and heartache was an added bonus, which Cole secretly cherished but never mentioned.
He gestured for Refan to continue. "Good. Now that that's settled, tell me what our position is regarding the GenEx Corporation. Did Rork succeed with the investment banker in Hong Kong, whatsisname?"
Refan swallowed. "Mr. Lu. And yes, Rork persuaded him to side with us."
The demon consultant droned on about the latest dispatches coming in from all corners of the globe. Since Cole took over, the underworld had been consolidating its power in the world of man, using the proven Brotherhood tactic of taking over important businesses and multinational corporations. Cole's days were filled with board meetings and decisions and status reports. It wasn't much different from his days as a lawyer. Except nowadays he was in charge of the underworld, which made him the most powerful being on earth.
Voices outside the chamber's entrance drew his attention and he tuned out Refan's litany to concentrate on the muted conversation. He recognized the voices as those of the guards that were stationed at the entrance to his chambers. The guards weren't there for his protection --he was too powerful for anyone to be much of a threat to his dominion-- but to keep the rabble of demons away that would otherwise occupy his time with their petty squabbles.
"Have you heard?" said the first guard.
"Yeah. Pretty funny, isn't it?" The second guard chortled. "For all her power to see the future, she never saw it coming. Has anyone told Mr. Turner yet?"
Cole's brow furrowed. He motioned for Refan to hold his tongue and strode in three quick steps to the entrance.
"Who should tell me what?" he demanded. "And why hasn't anybody done so yet?"
The guards jumped and exchanged a startled look.
"Well, see, Sir, it's like this," stammered the first one.
"We've only just heard ourselves," added the other.
"It's a major blow for the other side," continued the first guard, a little bolder.
"A fortunate accident and a glorious day for us," added the second.
Cole's head swiveled from one guard to the other and back as if he were watching a tennis match. "Get out with it," he growled. "You're making me dizzy."
"Sorry, Mr. Turner," mumbled the first. "It's the Power of Three. It's been broken. The middle witch is dead."
TBC
CHAPTER 1
Paige stuck her fingers in the jar and gathered some of the dry, crumbly leaves between her thumb and forefinger. "I am telling you, Piper, something is wrong. Very wrong."
She dropped the herb into the bubbling cauldron. The potion burped and let out a thick, yellow cloud. "Ha!" Paige nodded in satisfaction. "A pinch of broomrape, that's the missing ingredient." She leaned sideways to grab a pencil and scribbled something onto a sheet of paper.
"And what would be wrong, Paige?" Piper sat on a kitchen chair, watching her sister invent new concoctions on the fly. "Your potion-making skills are improving every week. Phoebe is happily dating Kenneth, the very non-magical accountant. Not a single demon has attacked us for a while. The only one that might be upset is the clockmaker. It's been ages since we needed clock repairs." Piper's brow bunched as she gazed down at her stomach. "The only thing wrong is this lazy baby that refuses to come out!" Her voice raised on the last word.
Paige lifted her eyes from the notepad. She chuckled. "Oh, honey." She rounded the cooking island and rested a hand on Piper's belly. "Don't mind your Mommy, Melinda. She's just impatient."
"Damn right I'm impatient," Piper snapped. "Nine months is plenty long enough for a baby to grow. And I'm sick and tired of looking like--like a teakettle with legs!"
Paige giggled. "Do you whistle?"
Piper growled and Paige backed away.
"Okay, okay. Don't get all heated up." Paige giggled again before her expression turned grave. "I'm serious, Piper. Don't you think it strange that for years demons have attacked you --us-- at least once a week, and suddenly nothing's happened for months? How long has it been? The last attack doesn't even really count. That was Cole trying to get us to kill him. And that was nearly six months ago!"
"I'll admit it is strange. But I won't look a gift horse in the mouth. I'm glad things have quieted down somewhat. Perhaps we scared the life out of the underworld. We did vanquish their boss, after all. Twice, I might add. Or maybe the demons are busy elsewhere. Whatever the reason, I'm grateful for the peace and quiet. At least it's given me the chance to pretend I'm having a normal pregnancy."
Paige tested the cauldron's content to see if it had cooled enough so she could pour it into the tiny glass vials that were standing in a row at the edge of the island. "I'm not saying it isn't nice. I just hope it's not the calm before the storm."
The doorbell rang, the sound shrill in the quiet manor. Paige and Piper exchanged a glance.
"Uh oh," Piper muttered. "I hope you didn't jinx it."
Paige started for the door when Piper waved her away. "I can still answer the door, you know," she said. "You clean away this mess, I'll go see who it is."
She waddled from the kitchen across the hallway to the front door. "Darryl?"
"Piper. I'm afraid I have some bad news. There's been an accident."
* * *
Cole pivoted on his heels so abruptly that the edge of his long black mantle hit his shins when the cloth settled back around his frame. Torches on the walls flickered with the sudden gust of air. His blue eyes flashed angrily as they came to rest on the bulky frame of the demon in his chamber.
"No."
"I'm just saying, Sir, that with the Charmed Ones dead--"
"What part of 'no' did you not understand?!" Cole bellowed. A blue sphere of liquid fire appeared in his hand and hovered an inch above his palm. "If all you have to offer is more rigamarole about going after the Charmed Ones, Refan, maybe it's time I find myself another clerk."
Tiny beads of moisture broke out on Refan's shiny, bald pate and he took another step back. "Mr. Turner, Sir--"
"The Charmed Ones are off limits, you hear? I will not have them mentioned again! We leave them be, and they will leave us be. Anyone that so much as pulls a hair from their heads will answer to me. And I will show no mercy, am I clear?"
"Yes, of course, Mr. Turner, I understand. Your wish is our command." Refan bowed his head.
Cole took a deep breath to calm himself. Damned demons. All they could think about was killing the Charmed Ones. Didn't they understand that the three witches were far too smart and strong for their sorry powers to take on? And why go up against such a force when there was a world of possibilities waiting out there? A world of wicked opportunities for those daring enough to grab them? A world of accidents looking for a place to happen? All they needed to do was be in the right place at the right time. That's what he kept telling his minions. That this tactic also kept Phoebe safe from harm and heartache was an added bonus, which Cole secretly cherished but never mentioned.
He gestured for Refan to continue. "Good. Now that that's settled, tell me what our position is regarding the GenEx Corporation. Did Rork succeed with the investment banker in Hong Kong, whatsisname?"
Refan swallowed. "Mr. Lu. And yes, Rork persuaded him to side with us."
The demon consultant droned on about the latest dispatches coming in from all corners of the globe. Since Cole took over, the underworld had been consolidating its power in the world of man, using the proven Brotherhood tactic of taking over important businesses and multinational corporations. Cole's days were filled with board meetings and decisions and status reports. It wasn't much different from his days as a lawyer. Except nowadays he was in charge of the underworld, which made him the most powerful being on earth.
Voices outside the chamber's entrance drew his attention and he tuned out Refan's litany to concentrate on the muted conversation. He recognized the voices as those of the guards that were stationed at the entrance to his chambers. The guards weren't there for his protection --he was too powerful for anyone to be much of a threat to his dominion-- but to keep the rabble of demons away that would otherwise occupy his time with their petty squabbles.
"Have you heard?" said the first guard.
"Yeah. Pretty funny, isn't it?" The second guard chortled. "For all her power to see the future, she never saw it coming. Has anyone told Mr. Turner yet?"
Cole's brow furrowed. He motioned for Refan to hold his tongue and strode in three quick steps to the entrance.
"Who should tell me what?" he demanded. "And why hasn't anybody done so yet?"
The guards jumped and exchanged a startled look.
"Well, see, Sir, it's like this," stammered the first one.
"We've only just heard ourselves," added the other.
"It's a major blow for the other side," continued the first guard, a little bolder.
"A fortunate accident and a glorious day for us," added the second.
Cole's head swiveled from one guard to the other and back as if he were watching a tennis match. "Get out with it," he growled. "You're making me dizzy."
"Sorry, Mr. Turner," mumbled the first. "It's the Power of Three. It's been broken. The middle witch is dead."
TBC