EIGHT
"You're clear on the assignment," Malevant said to the demon. "We only want the human. Do no attempt to fight the witches. You would stand little chance against their combined powers."
"I understand," said the demon. "But there is something I do not understand. Why would the Charmed Ones stand by and let me take the human? Aren't they supposed to protect humans?"
"Yes," Malevant said, "but I am confident that once they learn the truth, they will no longer afford him their protection. I am convinced he has not told them the entire truth. Otherwise they would not be protecting him from Malator."
"I hope you're right," said the demon. "It is risky going to their manor. They may not wait to listen to me. They may simply vanquish me as soon as I shimmer in."
"It is a risk that must be taken," Malevant said.
"And why do you not go yourself?" the demon asked. "Surely you could persuade them. And your power would allow you to resist their vanquishing."
"Perhaps," Malevant said. "But it is important that they not know of me yet. I serve the Source best as his advisor. I do not have to worry about the witches because they do not even know that I exist. It would not do to give them too much knowledge of the underworld."
"I see," said the demon. "And what of my payment?"
"The Source has authorized me to triple your usual fee," Malevant said. "You will be facing three witches. Bring the human here and you will be handsomely rewarded."
"Agreed," the demon said. "And if one of the Charmed Ones should 'accidentally' be killed...."
"No," Malevant said. "Even if you should be successful, you would be endangering the success of the assignment. Right now, the human is your only objective. As I said, you would stand little chance against the Charmed Ones' combined powers. And we might loose our only chance to get the human. Simply bring the human to me."
"As you wish," the demon said. "I shall return when I have him."
The demon shimmered out and Malevant looked around his domain. The ever-swirling mists were unsettling to most demons. Even the Source preferred the caverns and rock passages of the underworld. As he had often commented to his contemporaries, they were too similar to the references common to humans. He much preferred to keep his surroundings less conventional.
* * *
"Well," Phoebe said, coming into the living room, "if they send another Searcher demon after us, I'm ready. One Searcher demon vanquishing spell all ready to go."
"I wish Piper was having as much luck," Prue said. "She's started on her ninth potion. And she's still no closer to coming up with something than she was three hours ago."
"If anyone can do it, she can," Phoebe said. "I mean, her natural ability as a chef has got to be useful there, don't you think?"
"I guess so," Prue said just as the doorbell rang.
"I'll get it," Phoebe said, turning for the door.
"Settle down," Prue said, seeing that David had jumped to his feet when the bell rang. "Demons don't usually ring the doorbell. They just shimmer in and start attacking."
"I guess this whole thing has me a bit jumpy," David said.
"Little wonder," Prue said. "Demons can be very unsettling, even for us. I can imagine how you must be feeling."
"Darryl," Prue heard Phoebe say from the front door, "what brings you around this time of night?"
"I was on my way home and thought I'd stop by and see how you guys are doing," Phoebe heard Darryl say. "Especially Prue. She seemed to take Andy's death hard. Even after all this time, I imagine it's still difficult for her. Just wanted to let her know I'm here to support her if she needs it."
"Come in and see for yourself," Phoebe said, leading Darryl into the living room. "We have a guest right now, but as you can see, Prue's fine."
"Hi Darryl," Prue said as he and Phoebe entered the entryway.
"Hi, Prue," Darryl said, glancing at David.
Then Darryl looked at David again. A long hard look as if he was trying to remember someone from the past. Suddenly a look of recognition crossed Darryls' face.
"What the," he stammered, drawing his service revolver. He pointed it directly at David. "Wait a minute. This isn't possible. You're dead. I was at the execution. You can't be here."
"Morris," David said under his breath, contempt evident in his voice.
"Hold on a second," Prue said. "What do you mean he's dead?"
"Prue, step away from him," Darryl said, still brandishing his weapon at David. "You have no idea how dangerous this guy is. He's a serial killer. Or he was. Damn, this isn't possible. I was at his execution. How could he be here?"
"Serial killer?" questioned Prue, turning to look at David. "So that's what you've been hiding. I knew there was something not right about you."
"That's right," David said, pulling a knife out of his back pocket. He grabbed Prue and held her in front of him like a human shield, putting the knife to her throat. "Witch or not, you won't be fast enough with that power of yours to stop me from cutting your throat. Now, Morris, unless you want her to be my next victim, I suggest you drop the gun and kick it over to me. Nice and easy."
Darryl and Phoebe watched as David began to apply pressure to the knife against Prue's neck.
"You're clear on the assignment," Malevant said to the demon. "We only want the human. Do no attempt to fight the witches. You would stand little chance against their combined powers."
"I understand," said the demon. "But there is something I do not understand. Why would the Charmed Ones stand by and let me take the human? Aren't they supposed to protect humans?"
"Yes," Malevant said, "but I am confident that once they learn the truth, they will no longer afford him their protection. I am convinced he has not told them the entire truth. Otherwise they would not be protecting him from Malator."
"I hope you're right," said the demon. "It is risky going to their manor. They may not wait to listen to me. They may simply vanquish me as soon as I shimmer in."
"It is a risk that must be taken," Malevant said.
"And why do you not go yourself?" the demon asked. "Surely you could persuade them. And your power would allow you to resist their vanquishing."
"Perhaps," Malevant said. "But it is important that they not know of me yet. I serve the Source best as his advisor. I do not have to worry about the witches because they do not even know that I exist. It would not do to give them too much knowledge of the underworld."
"I see," said the demon. "And what of my payment?"
"The Source has authorized me to triple your usual fee," Malevant said. "You will be facing three witches. Bring the human here and you will be handsomely rewarded."
"Agreed," the demon said. "And if one of the Charmed Ones should 'accidentally' be killed...."
"No," Malevant said. "Even if you should be successful, you would be endangering the success of the assignment. Right now, the human is your only objective. As I said, you would stand little chance against the Charmed Ones' combined powers. And we might loose our only chance to get the human. Simply bring the human to me."
"As you wish," the demon said. "I shall return when I have him."
The demon shimmered out and Malevant looked around his domain. The ever-swirling mists were unsettling to most demons. Even the Source preferred the caverns and rock passages of the underworld. As he had often commented to his contemporaries, they were too similar to the references common to humans. He much preferred to keep his surroundings less conventional.
* * *
"Well," Phoebe said, coming into the living room, "if they send another Searcher demon after us, I'm ready. One Searcher demon vanquishing spell all ready to go."
"I wish Piper was having as much luck," Prue said. "She's started on her ninth potion. And she's still no closer to coming up with something than she was three hours ago."
"If anyone can do it, she can," Phoebe said. "I mean, her natural ability as a chef has got to be useful there, don't you think?"
"I guess so," Prue said just as the doorbell rang.
"I'll get it," Phoebe said, turning for the door.
"Settle down," Prue said, seeing that David had jumped to his feet when the bell rang. "Demons don't usually ring the doorbell. They just shimmer in and start attacking."
"I guess this whole thing has me a bit jumpy," David said.
"Little wonder," Prue said. "Demons can be very unsettling, even for us. I can imagine how you must be feeling."
"Darryl," Prue heard Phoebe say from the front door, "what brings you around this time of night?"
"I was on my way home and thought I'd stop by and see how you guys are doing," Phoebe heard Darryl say. "Especially Prue. She seemed to take Andy's death hard. Even after all this time, I imagine it's still difficult for her. Just wanted to let her know I'm here to support her if she needs it."
"Come in and see for yourself," Phoebe said, leading Darryl into the living room. "We have a guest right now, but as you can see, Prue's fine."
"Hi Darryl," Prue said as he and Phoebe entered the entryway.
"Hi, Prue," Darryl said, glancing at David.
Then Darryl looked at David again. A long hard look as if he was trying to remember someone from the past. Suddenly a look of recognition crossed Darryls' face.
"What the," he stammered, drawing his service revolver. He pointed it directly at David. "Wait a minute. This isn't possible. You're dead. I was at the execution. You can't be here."
"Morris," David said under his breath, contempt evident in his voice.
"Hold on a second," Prue said. "What do you mean he's dead?"
"Prue, step away from him," Darryl said, still brandishing his weapon at David. "You have no idea how dangerous this guy is. He's a serial killer. Or he was. Damn, this isn't possible. I was at his execution. How could he be here?"
"Serial killer?" questioned Prue, turning to look at David. "So that's what you've been hiding. I knew there was something not right about you."
"That's right," David said, pulling a knife out of his back pocket. He grabbed Prue and held her in front of him like a human shield, putting the knife to her throat. "Witch or not, you won't be fast enough with that power of yours to stop me from cutting your throat. Now, Morris, unless you want her to be my next victim, I suggest you drop the gun and kick it over to me. Nice and easy."
Darryl and Phoebe watched as David began to apply pressure to the knife against Prue's neck.