Hello everyone! It's been entirely too long since I had an author's note.
Ernie: Too. Long.
Hmm. Yes. Anyway. . . I thought I could answer a couple of questions some of you posed.
Someone wrote and asked why I was taking so "bloody long to come to the point". They thought I was avoiding the main plot and couldn't wait to get to the action. I sympathise, I really do, but there's a valid reason for that.
Unlike most stories on ff.net, most of my main characters are OCs (Original Characters). Talia, Valdis, Josh, Xander, Perdicus, Deimos, Nemos even Jimmy the barman are all original characters. And Wyatt, though he may not quite be my creation, his character the way I've imagined it to be, certainly is.
All these characters have a history of their own; their own strengths and weaknesses. What may look like an irrelevant scene with little contribution to the main story line, is often there so that the reader can find out a bit more about a certain character; so that they can understand them and their choices a little better.
Don't worry though. More action is in the horizon and swiftly approaching. If however you think that I should change the category of this story please let me know.
I hope that helps everyone! Enjoy the story!
.
.
.
And don't forget to review! .
.
.
Chapter 31 Drawn conclusions
Talia nervously paced her room.
She hadn't meant to overhear Xander's and Valdis' conversation. What the barman had told her was more than enough food for thought. But when she had seen Xander enter the bar, she couldn't help from being curious as to what he was doing there.
Xander had been a loyal friend to both her and her father. The rest of the Underworld feared him almost as much as they feared the Source, but to Talia, he was simply Uncle Xander. He would tell her stories, and often help Cole with her training. The three of them had made up Talia's little family before she had betrayed the Underworld and joined the Charmed Ones.
Xander was reclusive. Which was why Talia's curiosity was piqued at the sight of him in the empty bar. And that's when she had seen Valdis.
Valdis was a demon!
There had never been any doubt that there was something dangerous, dark and intrinsically bad about him, but Talia had never doubted that he was mortal!
Like any demon, she could sense magic, but her own magic was so strong, that it tended to encompass everything around her. It made it hard to trace any other sort of magic nearby. And when she felt any powerful emotion - as was always the case when she had been around him, she confessed to herself - her power seemed to increase tenfold, and her fiery aura enveloped her completely.
Both her father and Xander had attempted to teach her how to contain her magic to allow her to feel for other sources of magic around her. It was a lesson that she had never paid much attention to. How she wished she had, now. . .
Valdis was a demon, and to top it all off he had apparently been sent to spy on her. Watch her, Xander had said. No wonder she kept running into him!
Talia stopped her pacing and slapped her forehead at her own stupidity. She should have known!
But that was hardly the end of her surprises.
Xander had claimed that Valdis was in love with her and Valdis himself had eventually confirmed that statement.
Talia felt numb with shock. What was she supposed to think at hearing something like that?!
It took Talia the rest of the day, the better part of the night and miles of pacing around her room, to finally sort out her feelings. The Haliwells had all scurried away after they realised that she was too absorbed in her own thoughts to pay any attention to what they were saying. Even Wyatt thought it best to leave her to her own devices.
There was definitely something there, she surmised. It was there in the flush that coloured her cheeks every time she saw him; in the way she became slightly breathless when he was near; in the shivers that shook her limbs at his mere touch. There was no denying the passion that coursed through her veins when they had danced together or the feeling of absolute rightness she felt in his arms as he trailed fire hot kisses on her burning skin that very first night.
"Crap!" she finally exclaimed, stopping her incessant pacing and collapsing comically on her bed.
She was falling in love with a demon! And one her father had sent to spy on her at that!
****************************
In the middle of the night, when silence reigned over the Haliwell Manor, a dark figure stole upstairs, heading determinately towards the attic. A pale hand illuminated by the moonlight, pushed open the attic door and the intruder snuck inside. The figure made its way, slowly yet surely, in the dark towards the famous Haliwell Book of Shadows. A quick incantation over the old oil lamp that stood next to the book brought it to life with a cheerful flame. The lamp flooded the room with warm light.
The young girl pushed her long, dark hair away from her face with an impatient gesture. She bit her lips nervously and reached for the book.
The cover of the old, leather-bound tome flung open of its own accord. The girl pulled her hand away sharply, momentarily startled by the sudden movement. She watched apprehensively as the pages rustled and flipped over driven by an invisible force.
The book fell open to a page with the drawing of a dashingly handsome young man.
She neared the book and stared at the portrait. She traced the lines of the drawing with her eyes. It really was a very good likeness of him, she decided.
~ Valdis~ she read silently.
~ A very powerful demon of Illusion. Particularly capable in deception and espionage, this demon is famed for his intelligence and slyness.
A soldier of fortune, Valdis usually lends his services to the highest bidder. He has no loyalties and although he is an upper level demon has kept a particularly low profile in the constant political schemes that plague the Underworld. Little else is known about this demon.
No known method of vanquish. ~
Talia looked at the name of the Haliwell witch that made the entry at the bottom of the page.
~Patti Haliwell~
She whispered the name out loud, and as she did so, something appeared out of thin air and floated gently onto the surface of the open book. Talia's eyes widened at seeing what appeared to be an envelope glide gracefully onto the ancient pages. Her eyes recognised her name written on the front of the envelope in an elegant scrawl.
With trepidation she reached for the envelope and opened it to reveal a single sheaf of paper with a few lines scribbled on it in the same writing.
~My dear child~ she read.
~ I am Patti Haliwell, your grandmother, and if you are reading this then I am no longer with you. Across the veils of worlds and time, I have written my warning to you long before you were even born.
When I was pregnant with your mother I was prone to premonitions, indicating that that, will probably be Phoebe's primary power when she grows up. And in one of those premonitions is where I saw you.
I see you now, as I am writing this letter to you; a girl with long, straight, dark hair, huge expressive eyes and a will of steel. You will be tried in life, as all women of the Haliwell line are, but know, that I have complete faith in you my darling.
In my premonition, I saw you with the demon in the picture. I had the feeling that this young man would be important and so, I've asked witches far and wide for information on him. I'm sorry to say that what they've come up with leaves something to be desired. I asked one of them to draw his portrait however, and she assured me that it was a very close likeness of him.
Beware of this man my child. You are strong, I can feel that about you, but this demon is powerful too, and where others will have failed, he may succeed.
I am with you always. ~
The young girl drew in a sharp breath at what she had just read, and then let it out slowly. She blew out the oil lamp, and, in the dark, made her way back downstairs.
****************************
Talia walked out of the school building relieved that yet another school day had finished. She hadn't been paying much attention in her lessons lately, having obviously more important things to worry about. A couple of teachers caught her at it to her chagrin.
As always, Talia and Josh were surrounded by a large group of people. Mostly football players and cheerleaders, she added to herself, laughing at her own expense.
Her wry amusement was cut short however. There, across the street, opposite the entrance of the school, Talia saw the same dark figure that had caught her attention a few days ago. She felt the, familiar by now, tingling sensation at his proximity, wash over her. She let her "friends'" conversation fade into background noise as their eyes locked once more across the distance and behind his dark glasses.
Tonelessly she let the books she had been carrying drop from her suddenly unnerved arms to the floor.
"Talia?" she heard Josh' confused voice call after her.
As she made her way across the street under the entire group's puzzled looks, Josh's voice seemed oddly detached from her world; distant.
The man in the leather jacket with the large motorbike saw her making her way towards him. He froze.
All too soon she stood before him, and without the slightest hesitation she placed herself behind him on the motorbike seat. She lowered her own sunglasses, which had previously been perched precariously on top of her head. As she wound her arms around his waist he could smell the leather of her jacket, and the sweet smell of vanilla that seemed to be a permanent part of her. He inhaled deeply. Was he dreaming?
"Drive," whispered her soft voice seductively in his ear.
He obliged.
**********************
A/N: The first time I uploaded this I'd confused Patti Haliwell, the Charmed One's mother, with Penny Haliwell, their grandmother. My mistake was immediately picked up by the ever watchful, Mickis, and for that, I thank her. That mistake is now corrected. If any of you find any other mistakes, either in spelling or in the story, please let me know. I am currently without a beta and it's pretty hard going. Anyone interested for the job? Let me know.
Ernie: Too. Long.
Hmm. Yes. Anyway. . . I thought I could answer a couple of questions some of you posed.
Someone wrote and asked why I was taking so "bloody long to come to the point". They thought I was avoiding the main plot and couldn't wait to get to the action. I sympathise, I really do, but there's a valid reason for that.
Unlike most stories on ff.net, most of my main characters are OCs (Original Characters). Talia, Valdis, Josh, Xander, Perdicus, Deimos, Nemos even Jimmy the barman are all original characters. And Wyatt, though he may not quite be my creation, his character the way I've imagined it to be, certainly is.
All these characters have a history of their own; their own strengths and weaknesses. What may look like an irrelevant scene with little contribution to the main story line, is often there so that the reader can find out a bit more about a certain character; so that they can understand them and their choices a little better.
Don't worry though. More action is in the horizon and swiftly approaching. If however you think that I should change the category of this story please let me know.
I hope that helps everyone! Enjoy the story!
.
.
.
And don't forget to review! .
.
.
Chapter 31 Drawn conclusions
Talia nervously paced her room.
She hadn't meant to overhear Xander's and Valdis' conversation. What the barman had told her was more than enough food for thought. But when she had seen Xander enter the bar, she couldn't help from being curious as to what he was doing there.
Xander had been a loyal friend to both her and her father. The rest of the Underworld feared him almost as much as they feared the Source, but to Talia, he was simply Uncle Xander. He would tell her stories, and often help Cole with her training. The three of them had made up Talia's little family before she had betrayed the Underworld and joined the Charmed Ones.
Xander was reclusive. Which was why Talia's curiosity was piqued at the sight of him in the empty bar. And that's when she had seen Valdis.
Valdis was a demon!
There had never been any doubt that there was something dangerous, dark and intrinsically bad about him, but Talia had never doubted that he was mortal!
Like any demon, she could sense magic, but her own magic was so strong, that it tended to encompass everything around her. It made it hard to trace any other sort of magic nearby. And when she felt any powerful emotion - as was always the case when she had been around him, she confessed to herself - her power seemed to increase tenfold, and her fiery aura enveloped her completely.
Both her father and Xander had attempted to teach her how to contain her magic to allow her to feel for other sources of magic around her. It was a lesson that she had never paid much attention to. How she wished she had, now. . .
Valdis was a demon, and to top it all off he had apparently been sent to spy on her. Watch her, Xander had said. No wonder she kept running into him!
Talia stopped her pacing and slapped her forehead at her own stupidity. She should have known!
But that was hardly the end of her surprises.
Xander had claimed that Valdis was in love with her and Valdis himself had eventually confirmed that statement.
Talia felt numb with shock. What was she supposed to think at hearing something like that?!
It took Talia the rest of the day, the better part of the night and miles of pacing around her room, to finally sort out her feelings. The Haliwells had all scurried away after they realised that she was too absorbed in her own thoughts to pay any attention to what they were saying. Even Wyatt thought it best to leave her to her own devices.
There was definitely something there, she surmised. It was there in the flush that coloured her cheeks every time she saw him; in the way she became slightly breathless when he was near; in the shivers that shook her limbs at his mere touch. There was no denying the passion that coursed through her veins when they had danced together or the feeling of absolute rightness she felt in his arms as he trailed fire hot kisses on her burning skin that very first night.
"Crap!" she finally exclaimed, stopping her incessant pacing and collapsing comically on her bed.
She was falling in love with a demon! And one her father had sent to spy on her at that!
****************************
In the middle of the night, when silence reigned over the Haliwell Manor, a dark figure stole upstairs, heading determinately towards the attic. A pale hand illuminated by the moonlight, pushed open the attic door and the intruder snuck inside. The figure made its way, slowly yet surely, in the dark towards the famous Haliwell Book of Shadows. A quick incantation over the old oil lamp that stood next to the book brought it to life with a cheerful flame. The lamp flooded the room with warm light.
The young girl pushed her long, dark hair away from her face with an impatient gesture. She bit her lips nervously and reached for the book.
The cover of the old, leather-bound tome flung open of its own accord. The girl pulled her hand away sharply, momentarily startled by the sudden movement. She watched apprehensively as the pages rustled and flipped over driven by an invisible force.
The book fell open to a page with the drawing of a dashingly handsome young man.
She neared the book and stared at the portrait. She traced the lines of the drawing with her eyes. It really was a very good likeness of him, she decided.
~ Valdis~ she read silently.
~ A very powerful demon of Illusion. Particularly capable in deception and espionage, this demon is famed for his intelligence and slyness.
A soldier of fortune, Valdis usually lends his services to the highest bidder. He has no loyalties and although he is an upper level demon has kept a particularly low profile in the constant political schemes that plague the Underworld. Little else is known about this demon.
No known method of vanquish. ~
Talia looked at the name of the Haliwell witch that made the entry at the bottom of the page.
~Patti Haliwell~
She whispered the name out loud, and as she did so, something appeared out of thin air and floated gently onto the surface of the open book. Talia's eyes widened at seeing what appeared to be an envelope glide gracefully onto the ancient pages. Her eyes recognised her name written on the front of the envelope in an elegant scrawl.
With trepidation she reached for the envelope and opened it to reveal a single sheaf of paper with a few lines scribbled on it in the same writing.
~My dear child~ she read.
~ I am Patti Haliwell, your grandmother, and if you are reading this then I am no longer with you. Across the veils of worlds and time, I have written my warning to you long before you were even born.
When I was pregnant with your mother I was prone to premonitions, indicating that that, will probably be Phoebe's primary power when she grows up. And in one of those premonitions is where I saw you.
I see you now, as I am writing this letter to you; a girl with long, straight, dark hair, huge expressive eyes and a will of steel. You will be tried in life, as all women of the Haliwell line are, but know, that I have complete faith in you my darling.
In my premonition, I saw you with the demon in the picture. I had the feeling that this young man would be important and so, I've asked witches far and wide for information on him. I'm sorry to say that what they've come up with leaves something to be desired. I asked one of them to draw his portrait however, and she assured me that it was a very close likeness of him.
Beware of this man my child. You are strong, I can feel that about you, but this demon is powerful too, and where others will have failed, he may succeed.
I am with you always. ~
The young girl drew in a sharp breath at what she had just read, and then let it out slowly. She blew out the oil lamp, and, in the dark, made her way back downstairs.
****************************
Talia walked out of the school building relieved that yet another school day had finished. She hadn't been paying much attention in her lessons lately, having obviously more important things to worry about. A couple of teachers caught her at it to her chagrin.
As always, Talia and Josh were surrounded by a large group of people. Mostly football players and cheerleaders, she added to herself, laughing at her own expense.
Her wry amusement was cut short however. There, across the street, opposite the entrance of the school, Talia saw the same dark figure that had caught her attention a few days ago. She felt the, familiar by now, tingling sensation at his proximity, wash over her. She let her "friends'" conversation fade into background noise as their eyes locked once more across the distance and behind his dark glasses.
Tonelessly she let the books she had been carrying drop from her suddenly unnerved arms to the floor.
"Talia?" she heard Josh' confused voice call after her.
As she made her way across the street under the entire group's puzzled looks, Josh's voice seemed oddly detached from her world; distant.
The man in the leather jacket with the large motorbike saw her making her way towards him. He froze.
All too soon she stood before him, and without the slightest hesitation she placed herself behind him on the motorbike seat. She lowered her own sunglasses, which had previously been perched precariously on top of her head. As she wound her arms around his waist he could smell the leather of her jacket, and the sweet smell of vanilla that seemed to be a permanent part of her. He inhaled deeply. Was he dreaming?
"Drive," whispered her soft voice seductively in his ear.
He obliged.
**********************
A/N: The first time I uploaded this I'd confused Patti Haliwell, the Charmed One's mother, with Penny Haliwell, their grandmother. My mistake was immediately picked up by the ever watchful, Mickis, and for that, I thank her. That mistake is now corrected. If any of you find any other mistakes, either in spelling or in the story, please let me know. I am currently without a beta and it's pretty hard going. Anyone interested for the job? Let me know.