Thanks to: Mickis, Dana & Barb6 for staying tuned and Barb6 I do promise
you a memorable ending.
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"A Visit from a Demon"
What Phoebe saw that afternoon in Cole's office was no hallucination on her part. Cole was talking to the demon they'd been after, only all was not as it seemed.
Cole had been re-reading the chapter again on the demon that steals innocence and scrutinized his mother's vanquishing recipe searching for the mistake they'd made, but there was none. He'd whipped up the potion just as prescribed using all the exact ingredients and therefore nothing should have gone wrong, only it did and the demon which now threatened Phoebe was still alive. But why had he targeted her instead of Mark. It was true that Phoebe was certainly no virgin Cole mused recalling in vivid detail the steamy picnic they'd shared in Paris after Phoebe and Paige had switched back in their rightful bodies. And just as he began to grow uncomfortable with the level of his rising testosterone, Cole switched off the memory as easily as he now turned off his computer and decided to walk off his unwelcome reaction with a walk in the park.
But, that plan became moot as an unexpected visitor entered. Cole couldn't believe his eyes. It was the demon they were after. Though Cole could smell the evil radiating off him, Cole knew the Demon wasn't there to kill him. After all Cole hadn't been spotted at all in Mark's house and if he were bent on destruction, Cole's office would have already been decimated with a wave of the demon's long-fingered hand. Cole decided to play it smart and hear what the demon had to say.
Reluctantly, he shook hands with the Demon as he introduced himself as Vector and said he'd come in answer to Cole's ad and wanted to hire him to solve his troubles with his demonic father.
"You have a demonic father?" Cole asked.
"Don't we all?" Vector answered with a sense of humor not unlike his own.
"Of course, it's just that I've done my research on you and I'd read that the demon who steals innocence was born of a mortal father," Cole explained.
"That is true, Mr. Turner. But you see, I'm not the demon who steals innocence. I am the demon of emotional conflict and I can assure you my father is anything but mortal. In fact, his power is so great he feels a certain disappointment in the son who has yet to give him anything to prove he is worthy to inherit his kingdom."
"Your father has a kingdom?"
"No, but he shall when I deliver to him a certain witch, I've got my eye on. When I deliver her to my father, her essence will make him so powerful that all in the Underworld will follow him as their next leader."
"So it's your plan to make your father the next Source."
"It's either that, or he will destroy my unworthy carcass. And that's where you come in, Mr. Turner. If you help me deliver this witch, my father will give you a powerful position in the new order."
"Tempting, Vector, Cole lied. But first I must know why this witch is such a prime candidate."
"As a witch, Phoebe Halliwell is of course powerful but she is also very conflicted and that makes her an invaluable source of nutrition for my father. When he swallows her essence, he will become indestructible."
"What exactly is this Phoebe Halliwell conflicted about, Vector?"
"I can't give you details. My powers are empathic and I can only sense her feelings. There is a man she craves beyond all others, but she continues to resist her desire for him and the battle within her rages to epic proportions."
"I know this witch you speak of," Cole confessed trying to cover his surprise at what the demon just informed him.
"You do?" the demon asked with surprise.
"Didn't you sense this?" Cole asked, testing him.
"No, I can't read demons, they deflect my power. Though I do feel some sort of excitement within you, though it must be someone else in this office I'm picking up on."
"Must be," Cole agreed, using every effort he had to submerge his humanity so that only the demon in him would show. Cole's supreme effort to subdue his soul brought on his transformation into Belthazor.
"Ah, your true self I see, though not nearly as attractive as the human you project. So, tell me, this Phoebe Halliwell, is she a friend of yours?"
"No, Belthazor answered, I have no friends, but I do have a certain amount of influence over her and can gain her complete trust and bring her to your father as your prize if you wish."
"Can you, Belthazor? That's precisely why I've come. Her powers are too strong for me to conquer her alone."
"Belthazor can't bring her in, but Cole Turner can, Cole said returning to his human form but retaining his demonic control. In fact it will be fun using her and a sweet piece of revenge for me as well. I have a score or two to settle with her."
"Excellent, so we have a bargain then? You bring me Phoebe Halliwell and I will bring you all the power you can handle."
"Yes, it's a deal under one condition. I must bring her to your father myself."
"You don't trust me do you, Mr. Turner. That's good. I like that. Very well, you shall meet my father, but, if you take credit for the witch, I shall have my henchmen destroy you on the spot. Are we clear on that?"
"Yes, Vector. Very clear."
That night when Cole went home, he realized that in order to pull off his plan he'd have to do two things: One would be to keep his demonic self strong enough so as not to raise Vector's suspicions and the other would be to gain Phoebe's complete trust and the only way he'd be able to do that would be by making her fall in love with him again. As long as he kept his emotions out of it, it shouldn't be a problem.
Cole had to admit he was shaken by the knowledge that Phoebe still cared for him beneath the surface but he would not allow himself to be tempted by her charms while he was pursuing her. This was a job and no more and the ultimate test of his new resolve to be over his ex-wife.
Lying to Phoebe would not be easy as her powers might pick up on the deception but if he told her the truth, Vector would sense it from her and then Cole would have no way of destroying the power behind the throne, Vector's father. If he successfully completed his mission, Cole would be well on his way toward changing his life and leaving a mark his own father would be proud of.
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"A Visit from a Demon"
What Phoebe saw that afternoon in Cole's office was no hallucination on her part. Cole was talking to the demon they'd been after, only all was not as it seemed.
Cole had been re-reading the chapter again on the demon that steals innocence and scrutinized his mother's vanquishing recipe searching for the mistake they'd made, but there was none. He'd whipped up the potion just as prescribed using all the exact ingredients and therefore nothing should have gone wrong, only it did and the demon which now threatened Phoebe was still alive. But why had he targeted her instead of Mark. It was true that Phoebe was certainly no virgin Cole mused recalling in vivid detail the steamy picnic they'd shared in Paris after Phoebe and Paige had switched back in their rightful bodies. And just as he began to grow uncomfortable with the level of his rising testosterone, Cole switched off the memory as easily as he now turned off his computer and decided to walk off his unwelcome reaction with a walk in the park.
But, that plan became moot as an unexpected visitor entered. Cole couldn't believe his eyes. It was the demon they were after. Though Cole could smell the evil radiating off him, Cole knew the Demon wasn't there to kill him. After all Cole hadn't been spotted at all in Mark's house and if he were bent on destruction, Cole's office would have already been decimated with a wave of the demon's long-fingered hand. Cole decided to play it smart and hear what the demon had to say.
Reluctantly, he shook hands with the Demon as he introduced himself as Vector and said he'd come in answer to Cole's ad and wanted to hire him to solve his troubles with his demonic father.
"You have a demonic father?" Cole asked.
"Don't we all?" Vector answered with a sense of humor not unlike his own.
"Of course, it's just that I've done my research on you and I'd read that the demon who steals innocence was born of a mortal father," Cole explained.
"That is true, Mr. Turner. But you see, I'm not the demon who steals innocence. I am the demon of emotional conflict and I can assure you my father is anything but mortal. In fact, his power is so great he feels a certain disappointment in the son who has yet to give him anything to prove he is worthy to inherit his kingdom."
"Your father has a kingdom?"
"No, but he shall when I deliver to him a certain witch, I've got my eye on. When I deliver her to my father, her essence will make him so powerful that all in the Underworld will follow him as their next leader."
"So it's your plan to make your father the next Source."
"It's either that, or he will destroy my unworthy carcass. And that's where you come in, Mr. Turner. If you help me deliver this witch, my father will give you a powerful position in the new order."
"Tempting, Vector, Cole lied. But first I must know why this witch is such a prime candidate."
"As a witch, Phoebe Halliwell is of course powerful but she is also very conflicted and that makes her an invaluable source of nutrition for my father. When he swallows her essence, he will become indestructible."
"What exactly is this Phoebe Halliwell conflicted about, Vector?"
"I can't give you details. My powers are empathic and I can only sense her feelings. There is a man she craves beyond all others, but she continues to resist her desire for him and the battle within her rages to epic proportions."
"I know this witch you speak of," Cole confessed trying to cover his surprise at what the demon just informed him.
"You do?" the demon asked with surprise.
"Didn't you sense this?" Cole asked, testing him.
"No, I can't read demons, they deflect my power. Though I do feel some sort of excitement within you, though it must be someone else in this office I'm picking up on."
"Must be," Cole agreed, using every effort he had to submerge his humanity so that only the demon in him would show. Cole's supreme effort to subdue his soul brought on his transformation into Belthazor.
"Ah, your true self I see, though not nearly as attractive as the human you project. So, tell me, this Phoebe Halliwell, is she a friend of yours?"
"No, Belthazor answered, I have no friends, but I do have a certain amount of influence over her and can gain her complete trust and bring her to your father as your prize if you wish."
"Can you, Belthazor? That's precisely why I've come. Her powers are too strong for me to conquer her alone."
"Belthazor can't bring her in, but Cole Turner can, Cole said returning to his human form but retaining his demonic control. In fact it will be fun using her and a sweet piece of revenge for me as well. I have a score or two to settle with her."
"Excellent, so we have a bargain then? You bring me Phoebe Halliwell and I will bring you all the power you can handle."
"Yes, it's a deal under one condition. I must bring her to your father myself."
"You don't trust me do you, Mr. Turner. That's good. I like that. Very well, you shall meet my father, but, if you take credit for the witch, I shall have my henchmen destroy you on the spot. Are we clear on that?"
"Yes, Vector. Very clear."
That night when Cole went home, he realized that in order to pull off his plan he'd have to do two things: One would be to keep his demonic self strong enough so as not to raise Vector's suspicions and the other would be to gain Phoebe's complete trust and the only way he'd be able to do that would be by making her fall in love with him again. As long as he kept his emotions out of it, it shouldn't be a problem.
Cole had to admit he was shaken by the knowledge that Phoebe still cared for him beneath the surface but he would not allow himself to be tempted by her charms while he was pursuing her. This was a job and no more and the ultimate test of his new resolve to be over his ex-wife.
Lying to Phoebe would not be easy as her powers might pick up on the deception but if he told her the truth, Vector would sense it from her and then Cole would have no way of destroying the power behind the throne, Vector's father. If he successfully completed his mission, Cole would be well on his way toward changing his life and leaving a mark his own father would be proud of.