THREE
"Well, that was cheaper than I expected it would be," Prue was saying to Piper as they came in the front door later that afternoon. "I figured they'd look at you and decide that since you were a woman you wouldn't...."
She stopped in mid-sentence when she saw Phoebe and David sitting in the living room. She looked at Piper who had the same look on her face as Prue had. A look that asked who this stranger was in their living room.
"Good, you're home," Phoebe said, getting up from the sofa. "This is David Markham. And he needs our help."
"Our help?" questioned Piper.
"Yes," Phoebe said. "Demons are after him. You see what they've already done to him. He says if they catch him, they'll kill him."
"Phoebe, can I see you in the kitchen for a minute," Prue said, looked at David.
"We'll be right back," Phoebe said.
"Are you out of your mind?" Prue asked Phoebe when the sisters were in the kitchen. "You brought someone into the house and told him about us?"
"No, it's not like that," Phoebe said. "He already knew about us. He came here looking for us. Like I said, there are demons chasing him. He came here for protection."
"How do we know that?" Prue asked. "How do we know he isn't some kind of demon himself or maybe a warlock?"
"Look at him," Phoebe said. "Someone worked him over real good. He's lucky to still be alive. And he hasn't tried anything all day. He showed up looking for grams and he knew she was a witch. And he knew about the three of us, too. If he was a demon or a warlock, I doubt he'd stick around for the two of you to show up."
"She has a point," Piper said. "Still, Phoebe, it wasn't smart letting a stranger into the house when you're here alone. That can be dangerous."
"I know, I know," Phoebe said. "But he's an innocent. He needs our protection. We can't just turn him away. Especially if there's a demon after him."
"She's right," Piper said to Prue. "Protecting the innocent. That's what we do. If this guy is an innocent with a demon after him, we have to do what we can to protect him."
"Okay," Prue said. "But keep your eye on him. This could be some kind of trap. For now, we'll at least hear what he has to say."
"Thanks," Phoebe said. "I knew I could count on you guys."
"We'll help if we can," Piper said. "But Prue has a point. This could be a trick. If he really is an innocent in danger, I'm all for helping him. But let's take this one step at a time. Just to make sure we aren't getting in over our heads."
"I understand," Phoebe said. "But I'm telling you it's not a trap. This guy...."
Suddenly an explosion rocked the house. They heard David scream. Quickly, the three rushed from the kitchen to the living room. As they entered the entryway to the house, they saw a demon standing near the fireplace. It stood about six feet and was a strange blackish-orange color. It had no nose only two slits where the nostrils should have been. Its ears were pointed and sharp, jagged teeth filled its mouth. Standing next to it was another demon identical to it. David was cowering behind the sofa.
"Demons," cried Phoebe as the one nearest the fireplace cast an energy ball at the sofa.
Prue reached out with her telekinetic ability and redirected the fireball back at the demon. It struck its mark and the demon vanished in a conflagration. The other demon turned toward the girls.
"Witches," it gasped.
Before anyone could move, the demon shimmered and was gone.
"See," said David, "I told you they were after me. This time there were two of them. Next time there's no telling how many there will be."
"Phoebe," Prue said, "check the book. See if you can find out what kind of demon that was. Mr. Markham can fill us in on just what the hell is going on here."
Phoebe turned and headed for the attic while Prue and Piper went into the living room to talk with David.
"Well, that was cheaper than I expected it would be," Prue was saying to Piper as they came in the front door later that afternoon. "I figured they'd look at you and decide that since you were a woman you wouldn't...."
She stopped in mid-sentence when she saw Phoebe and David sitting in the living room. She looked at Piper who had the same look on her face as Prue had. A look that asked who this stranger was in their living room.
"Good, you're home," Phoebe said, getting up from the sofa. "This is David Markham. And he needs our help."
"Our help?" questioned Piper.
"Yes," Phoebe said. "Demons are after him. You see what they've already done to him. He says if they catch him, they'll kill him."
"Phoebe, can I see you in the kitchen for a minute," Prue said, looked at David.
"We'll be right back," Phoebe said.
"Are you out of your mind?" Prue asked Phoebe when the sisters were in the kitchen. "You brought someone into the house and told him about us?"
"No, it's not like that," Phoebe said. "He already knew about us. He came here looking for us. Like I said, there are demons chasing him. He came here for protection."
"How do we know that?" Prue asked. "How do we know he isn't some kind of demon himself or maybe a warlock?"
"Look at him," Phoebe said. "Someone worked him over real good. He's lucky to still be alive. And he hasn't tried anything all day. He showed up looking for grams and he knew she was a witch. And he knew about the three of us, too. If he was a demon or a warlock, I doubt he'd stick around for the two of you to show up."
"She has a point," Piper said. "Still, Phoebe, it wasn't smart letting a stranger into the house when you're here alone. That can be dangerous."
"I know, I know," Phoebe said. "But he's an innocent. He needs our protection. We can't just turn him away. Especially if there's a demon after him."
"She's right," Piper said to Prue. "Protecting the innocent. That's what we do. If this guy is an innocent with a demon after him, we have to do what we can to protect him."
"Okay," Prue said. "But keep your eye on him. This could be some kind of trap. For now, we'll at least hear what he has to say."
"Thanks," Phoebe said. "I knew I could count on you guys."
"We'll help if we can," Piper said. "But Prue has a point. This could be a trick. If he really is an innocent in danger, I'm all for helping him. But let's take this one step at a time. Just to make sure we aren't getting in over our heads."
"I understand," Phoebe said. "But I'm telling you it's not a trap. This guy...."
Suddenly an explosion rocked the house. They heard David scream. Quickly, the three rushed from the kitchen to the living room. As they entered the entryway to the house, they saw a demon standing near the fireplace. It stood about six feet and was a strange blackish-orange color. It had no nose only two slits where the nostrils should have been. Its ears were pointed and sharp, jagged teeth filled its mouth. Standing next to it was another demon identical to it. David was cowering behind the sofa.
"Demons," cried Phoebe as the one nearest the fireplace cast an energy ball at the sofa.
Prue reached out with her telekinetic ability and redirected the fireball back at the demon. It struck its mark and the demon vanished in a conflagration. The other demon turned toward the girls.
"Witches," it gasped.
Before anyone could move, the demon shimmered and was gone.
"See," said David, "I told you they were after me. This time there were two of them. Next time there's no telling how many there will be."
"Phoebe," Prue said, "check the book. See if you can find out what kind of demon that was. Mr. Markham can fill us in on just what the hell is going on here."
Phoebe turned and headed for the attic while Prue and Piper went into the living room to talk with David.