Thanks so much for your congratulations about my novel. I'm really excited
about the responses I've been getting so far. Incidentally, I've had a
couple people ask me if they could send me a check for an autographed copy
instead of ordering it at my publisher's website. For anyone who does wish
an autographed copy, you can contact me on my website at www.tpacelli.com
and I'll work out a deal with you where I can save you a couple of dollars
and I'll mail out the book myself so you'll have it within 3 days.
Thank you Pippergurl, Tessalynne, Flower3, Mickis. Maricole - A find Cole's mother fascinating as well and I picture Joan Collins in the role. Barb6 - Cole will work more with Piper and Paige. He has a lot tio atone for.
And now on with the next chapter.
"A Plan"
"Finding Cole's mother? I thought you said she was dead," Paige said.
"That's what he told me," Phoebe agreed.
"Well, there's dead, and then there's really dead," Leo said.
"And just what is that supposed to mean, Leo? I recognize that look in your eye, and you're up to something," Piper said with a slight smile. She liked it when Leo broke the rules every once in a while. And though they were no longer together, she felt a mischievous bond with him at the moment that she was enjoying.
Leo smiled back at his estranged wife. "You girls need to go upstairs and get into your best gothic attire. You're taking a trip to Hades."
"Hades as in land of the dead?" Paige gulped. "Leo, I'm too young to die."
"Don't you think you could've included your sisters in that remark as well, Paige?" Phoebe admonished. "Piper and I are young too!"
"Come on, you two are over 30. That's practically ancient. You're both a lot closer to death than I am," Paige shot back.
"You know, I didn't feel very old, until just now," Piper said rubbing her sore back. "Thanks a lot sis."
"Look, you're not going there to die--at least I hope you're not. You're just visiting.
"Like in Monopoly when you land on jail, but you're not really in it," Paige quipped.
"Exactly," Leo replied. "You'll just be a guest, and doing a little kidnapping as well."
"We're kidnapping Cole's mother?" Phoebe asked, astonished. "How can you kidnap someone who's dead?"
"She isn't dead, well not technically anyway. Didn't Cole ever tell you the story of what happened to her?" Leo asked.
"He never liked talking about his mother. It was always a sore subject with him," Phoebe admitted.
"I can see why it would be. Having a demon for a mother is never easy, especially one whose beauty and cunning are legendary. At one time, Cole's mother, Phaedra, was the most powerful demon in all the underworld. The only thing stopping her from becoming the Source was the fact that she was a woman."
"Sheesh, they're just as misguided down there as they are up here," Paige remarked.
"And it's a good thing they are too, Paige, because if Phaedra ever did become the Source, there'd be no stopping her. No one down there had the intelligence to outmaneuver her, except for one. He was her achilles heel, her undoing," Leo explained.
"Cole, you're talking about Cole aren't you?" Phoebe guessed.
"Yes, Phoebe, I am," Leo answered.
"Wait a minute. Cole killed his own mother?" Paige asked. "Boy, that family could be on Jerry Springer."
"He didn't kill her, well not exactly anyway," Leo corrected.
"Okay here we go again, Leo," Piper said pretending to be annoyed, though actually she was enjoying the old dynamic between her and Leo. "Would you mind spilling all the details at once, and screw the dramatic effect?"
"Cole sent Phaedra to Hades using a powerful, secret spell, but he didn't kill her. She's merely captive there, and unable to use her powers to escape.
"How did he manage that?" Phoebe asked, not able to help the tingle of pride she was feeling for her ex-husband's incredible feat.
"You'll have to ask him that, Phoebe, when we rescue him. Right now we've got enough on our plate to deal with. You've got to find a spell in the Book of Shadows that will take you to Hades and..." Leo was now looking very uncomfortable with what he was about to say next.
"And what?" Piper yelled.
"And you girls are going to have to write your own powerful spell that will set Phaedra free," Leo finished.
"What? Tell me you did not just suggest we set loose who you just said was the most powerful and cunning demon of them all. It was hard enough having to battle against her half demon son from Hell...sorry Phoebe," Piper said. "It's okay," Phoebe said.
"But this lady will be twice as formidable. We won't have the advantage of her being in love with Phoebe. So, just how are we going to stop her from destroying us, once we've let the evil Genie out of the bottle, so to speak?"
"Piper, that's a very good question, but I suggest we let Cole deal with her once we rescue him. He managed to contain her once before, and I'm sure he'll do whatever it takes to keep her in line again."
"Leo, I don't know. This doesn't make sense to me," Phoebe argued. "If Cole was the one to banish her in the first place, why would she want to help rescue him?" Phoebe asked.
"Because, as I said before, Phoebe, Cole is Phaedra's achilles heel. Since Cole was born, she raised him to become the next Source and planned to be the power behind his throne. Only Cole didn't see things quite her way. He's got a mind and a will of his own, as you all know, and for whatever reason, he thwarted his mother's attempt to empower him as the Source and then banished her to Hades. Though I'm sure she's not very happy in her new home, Phaedra has always taken a great deal of pride in her son, and I don't think she'd want to see him destroyed by Vector's father. At least that's what I'm willing to gamble."
"If all that's true, Leo," Paige asked. "Why do we have to free her? Couldn't we just go down there and ask her to help save her son's life?"
"Remember, she's a clever demon, Paige. She's gonna want to bargain to work with us, and the only thing we'll have that she will want, is the key to her freedom."
"I don't know Leo...This all sounds incredibly dangerous. Don't you have to ask the other elders' permission for something as dangerous as this?" Piper asked.
"Not if I didn't know anything about it, I wouldn't Piper, which is why I can't go with you to Hades."
"Oh great. This just keeps getting better," Paige muttered under her breath.
"All this to save Cole, a demon we ourselves banished twice?" Piper asked.
"Look, I don't completely trust Cole either," Leo said. "But, he doesn't seem crazy anymore, now that he's free of those added powers, and really the issue is Vector and his father, not Cole. If we let the father absorb Cole, he'll become so powerful there will be enormous casualties before we could ever come up with a plan for stopping them. I think this is our only way. Of course, the final decision is yours. I'd better go before you decide," Leo said as he orbed out.
"Damn, I just hate when he makes sense!" Piper said.
"Yeah, me too! I just don't like the idea that there will be two of them now. Cole was bad enough...and I'm not sorry I said that, Phoebe. Cole's got a lot to make up for with me."
"Maybe this will be his chance to finally redeem himself, Paige. I really feel that's what he wants." "Well it's gonna be his final chance," Piper said. "Let's get to work. We've got a not quite dead evil demoness to go rescue."
"Demoness, is that a word?" Phoebe asked.
"Don't give me a hard time, Pheebs, not when I've agreed to save your ex- husband's sorry ass," Piper replied.
"Speaking of Cole's sorry ass, It's about to be fried. There isn't much time," Phoebe said, feeling Cole's distress.
"He's got to find a way to stall them a little longer. Is there any way you can send that feeling to him, Phoebe? Let him know the cavalry's coming soon."
"I've never sent feelings before, but I'll give it a try." Phoebe shut her eyes, and concentrated all her energy on sending her telepathic message through her feelings.
******************************************* In the pit of the volcano, Cole was held captive in the air by the force of Vector's father's vacuum. He could feel his life force slowly oozing out of him as though there were a leak in his soul, and he was thinking that it was finally his time to go. At least he'd saved Phoebe, he thought, and perhaps the sacrifice would be enough to earn him the redemption he craved, though he doubted it. The scales were still tipped heavily the other way after all the years of destruction he'd caused as a demon. Cole closed his eyes, readying himself to face an oblivion he was sure he'd never come back from this time, when suddenly a force of emotion hit him, penetrating his every fiber. It felt familiar, intimate even, and he was sure it was Phoebe sending him a message to hang on. After all the hurt, anger and long separation they'd been through, Cole marveled at the connection that was still present between them. Was there really such a thing as soul mates, and if so, was it their unavoidable destiny to forever be joined together, despite the resolve that had finally allowed him to let go?
"Father, I don't mean to interrupt, by why are you taking so long with him?" Vector asked. He was anxious to take his place by his father's side as next Source, and was growing impatient by the delay.
"I'm savoring my prey, Vector. I've never sampled such a powerful source of raw conflict before. It's delicious beyond words. But, you're right, I've tantalized my taste buds enough, it's now time to finish this half demon off.
"No wait!" Cole yelled. "I know of a way to increase your power even more!"
"Father, he's tricking you," Vector warned.
"Perhaps, but I don't feel that he is. I already have enough power to become the next Source. Why delay the inevitable, Mr. Turner.. It will only mean more torture for you."
"You may have enough power to become the next Source, but if I increase my conflict, no one will ever be able to challenge you."
"I'm listening. How is it you can increase your conflict?"
"There is a lunar eclipse tonight. If you wait two more hours to kill me, the power of that eclipse will double the amplification of my power." Cole wasn't making this up. He knew there was to be an eclipse, but he saw no need in stalling his death, or making Vector's father even more powerful, until now, when Phoebe sent him the feeling that there was a rescue in the works.
"He is right, father. I'd forgotten about the eclipse."
"As did I. Very well, Mr. Turner. You have just bought yourself another two hours of life." Vector's father closed up the hole in his forehead, releasing Cole from the pull of his vacuum.
Cole hit the floor hard, and lost consciousness.
"Shouldn't we tie him up, father?"
"That won't be necessary. I've drained enough of his life force to keep him from escaping. He'll remain just a hair's breath away from death until I devour him fully in two hours.
Thank you Pippergurl, Tessalynne, Flower3, Mickis. Maricole - A find Cole's mother fascinating as well and I picture Joan Collins in the role. Barb6 - Cole will work more with Piper and Paige. He has a lot tio atone for.
And now on with the next chapter.
"A Plan"
"Finding Cole's mother? I thought you said she was dead," Paige said.
"That's what he told me," Phoebe agreed.
"Well, there's dead, and then there's really dead," Leo said.
"And just what is that supposed to mean, Leo? I recognize that look in your eye, and you're up to something," Piper said with a slight smile. She liked it when Leo broke the rules every once in a while. And though they were no longer together, she felt a mischievous bond with him at the moment that she was enjoying.
Leo smiled back at his estranged wife. "You girls need to go upstairs and get into your best gothic attire. You're taking a trip to Hades."
"Hades as in land of the dead?" Paige gulped. "Leo, I'm too young to die."
"Don't you think you could've included your sisters in that remark as well, Paige?" Phoebe admonished. "Piper and I are young too!"
"Come on, you two are over 30. That's practically ancient. You're both a lot closer to death than I am," Paige shot back.
"You know, I didn't feel very old, until just now," Piper said rubbing her sore back. "Thanks a lot sis."
"Look, you're not going there to die--at least I hope you're not. You're just visiting.
"Like in Monopoly when you land on jail, but you're not really in it," Paige quipped.
"Exactly," Leo replied. "You'll just be a guest, and doing a little kidnapping as well."
"We're kidnapping Cole's mother?" Phoebe asked, astonished. "How can you kidnap someone who's dead?"
"She isn't dead, well not technically anyway. Didn't Cole ever tell you the story of what happened to her?" Leo asked.
"He never liked talking about his mother. It was always a sore subject with him," Phoebe admitted.
"I can see why it would be. Having a demon for a mother is never easy, especially one whose beauty and cunning are legendary. At one time, Cole's mother, Phaedra, was the most powerful demon in all the underworld. The only thing stopping her from becoming the Source was the fact that she was a woman."
"Sheesh, they're just as misguided down there as they are up here," Paige remarked.
"And it's a good thing they are too, Paige, because if Phaedra ever did become the Source, there'd be no stopping her. No one down there had the intelligence to outmaneuver her, except for one. He was her achilles heel, her undoing," Leo explained.
"Cole, you're talking about Cole aren't you?" Phoebe guessed.
"Yes, Phoebe, I am," Leo answered.
"Wait a minute. Cole killed his own mother?" Paige asked. "Boy, that family could be on Jerry Springer."
"He didn't kill her, well not exactly anyway," Leo corrected.
"Okay here we go again, Leo," Piper said pretending to be annoyed, though actually she was enjoying the old dynamic between her and Leo. "Would you mind spilling all the details at once, and screw the dramatic effect?"
"Cole sent Phaedra to Hades using a powerful, secret spell, but he didn't kill her. She's merely captive there, and unable to use her powers to escape.
"How did he manage that?" Phoebe asked, not able to help the tingle of pride she was feeling for her ex-husband's incredible feat.
"You'll have to ask him that, Phoebe, when we rescue him. Right now we've got enough on our plate to deal with. You've got to find a spell in the Book of Shadows that will take you to Hades and..." Leo was now looking very uncomfortable with what he was about to say next.
"And what?" Piper yelled.
"And you girls are going to have to write your own powerful spell that will set Phaedra free," Leo finished.
"What? Tell me you did not just suggest we set loose who you just said was the most powerful and cunning demon of them all. It was hard enough having to battle against her half demon son from Hell...sorry Phoebe," Piper said. "It's okay," Phoebe said.
"But this lady will be twice as formidable. We won't have the advantage of her being in love with Phoebe. So, just how are we going to stop her from destroying us, once we've let the evil Genie out of the bottle, so to speak?"
"Piper, that's a very good question, but I suggest we let Cole deal with her once we rescue him. He managed to contain her once before, and I'm sure he'll do whatever it takes to keep her in line again."
"Leo, I don't know. This doesn't make sense to me," Phoebe argued. "If Cole was the one to banish her in the first place, why would she want to help rescue him?" Phoebe asked.
"Because, as I said before, Phoebe, Cole is Phaedra's achilles heel. Since Cole was born, she raised him to become the next Source and planned to be the power behind his throne. Only Cole didn't see things quite her way. He's got a mind and a will of his own, as you all know, and for whatever reason, he thwarted his mother's attempt to empower him as the Source and then banished her to Hades. Though I'm sure she's not very happy in her new home, Phaedra has always taken a great deal of pride in her son, and I don't think she'd want to see him destroyed by Vector's father. At least that's what I'm willing to gamble."
"If all that's true, Leo," Paige asked. "Why do we have to free her? Couldn't we just go down there and ask her to help save her son's life?"
"Remember, she's a clever demon, Paige. She's gonna want to bargain to work with us, and the only thing we'll have that she will want, is the key to her freedom."
"I don't know Leo...This all sounds incredibly dangerous. Don't you have to ask the other elders' permission for something as dangerous as this?" Piper asked.
"Not if I didn't know anything about it, I wouldn't Piper, which is why I can't go with you to Hades."
"Oh great. This just keeps getting better," Paige muttered under her breath.
"All this to save Cole, a demon we ourselves banished twice?" Piper asked.
"Look, I don't completely trust Cole either," Leo said. "But, he doesn't seem crazy anymore, now that he's free of those added powers, and really the issue is Vector and his father, not Cole. If we let the father absorb Cole, he'll become so powerful there will be enormous casualties before we could ever come up with a plan for stopping them. I think this is our only way. Of course, the final decision is yours. I'd better go before you decide," Leo said as he orbed out.
"Damn, I just hate when he makes sense!" Piper said.
"Yeah, me too! I just don't like the idea that there will be two of them now. Cole was bad enough...and I'm not sorry I said that, Phoebe. Cole's got a lot to make up for with me."
"Maybe this will be his chance to finally redeem himself, Paige. I really feel that's what he wants." "Well it's gonna be his final chance," Piper said. "Let's get to work. We've got a not quite dead evil demoness to go rescue."
"Demoness, is that a word?" Phoebe asked.
"Don't give me a hard time, Pheebs, not when I've agreed to save your ex- husband's sorry ass," Piper replied.
"Speaking of Cole's sorry ass, It's about to be fried. There isn't much time," Phoebe said, feeling Cole's distress.
"He's got to find a way to stall them a little longer. Is there any way you can send that feeling to him, Phoebe? Let him know the cavalry's coming soon."
"I've never sent feelings before, but I'll give it a try." Phoebe shut her eyes, and concentrated all her energy on sending her telepathic message through her feelings.
******************************************* In the pit of the volcano, Cole was held captive in the air by the force of Vector's father's vacuum. He could feel his life force slowly oozing out of him as though there were a leak in his soul, and he was thinking that it was finally his time to go. At least he'd saved Phoebe, he thought, and perhaps the sacrifice would be enough to earn him the redemption he craved, though he doubted it. The scales were still tipped heavily the other way after all the years of destruction he'd caused as a demon. Cole closed his eyes, readying himself to face an oblivion he was sure he'd never come back from this time, when suddenly a force of emotion hit him, penetrating his every fiber. It felt familiar, intimate even, and he was sure it was Phoebe sending him a message to hang on. After all the hurt, anger and long separation they'd been through, Cole marveled at the connection that was still present between them. Was there really such a thing as soul mates, and if so, was it their unavoidable destiny to forever be joined together, despite the resolve that had finally allowed him to let go?
"Father, I don't mean to interrupt, by why are you taking so long with him?" Vector asked. He was anxious to take his place by his father's side as next Source, and was growing impatient by the delay.
"I'm savoring my prey, Vector. I've never sampled such a powerful source of raw conflict before. It's delicious beyond words. But, you're right, I've tantalized my taste buds enough, it's now time to finish this half demon off.
"No wait!" Cole yelled. "I know of a way to increase your power even more!"
"Father, he's tricking you," Vector warned.
"Perhaps, but I don't feel that he is. I already have enough power to become the next Source. Why delay the inevitable, Mr. Turner.. It will only mean more torture for you."
"You may have enough power to become the next Source, but if I increase my conflict, no one will ever be able to challenge you."
"I'm listening. How is it you can increase your conflict?"
"There is a lunar eclipse tonight. If you wait two more hours to kill me, the power of that eclipse will double the amplification of my power." Cole wasn't making this up. He knew there was to be an eclipse, but he saw no need in stalling his death, or making Vector's father even more powerful, until now, when Phoebe sent him the feeling that there was a rescue in the works.
"He is right, father. I'd forgotten about the eclipse."
"As did I. Very well, Mr. Turner. You have just bought yourself another two hours of life." Vector's father closed up the hole in his forehead, releasing Cole from the pull of his vacuum.
Cole hit the floor hard, and lost consciousness.
"Shouldn't we tie him up, father?"
"That won't be necessary. I've drained enough of his life force to keep him from escaping. He'll remain just a hair's breath away from death until I devour him fully in two hours.