Chapter three

As Piper and Phoebe had been talking, a hideous green demon with oozing skin had shimmered into the room, and knocked Piper to the ground. She had dropped the receiver which was now hanging by its cord over the small antique table on which the phone was placed.

Piper rolled onto her back and thrust her arms out in the demon's direction in an attempt to blow him to smithereens with her power...but to her horror, it had almost no effect.

The scaly creature was knocked of its slimy webbed feet with an angry howl of rage and lay sprawled on the ground. 'He didn't blow up! Why did he not blow up?!' Piper's mind whirled.

"Piper!" Paige came sprinting into the hallway, but instantly had to duck out again as the demon sent an energy ball sailing through the air in her direction. It connected sharply with the door frame.

Piper took advantage of the moment that the creature was pre-occupied and managed to scramble to her feet, and she dived into the living room after Paige, another energy ball missing her by inches. "Paige! Orb our butts outta here!" But before Paige had a chance to react a third energy ball made a direct hit. The force of the energy ball launched Piper through the air, straight into the next room. She landed with a sickening thud on the dining table, which collapsed with a crash on impact. Her vision went cloudy and a sharp pain whammed into her head. Then, everything went black and she slumped onto the wrecked table unconscious. "Piper!" Paige yelped again.

Then, with Piper taken care of, the monster advanced on Paige slashing at her with its dangerously sharp talons. "Sorry I can't stick around." Paige told him dryly. She felt the warm tingly sensation in the pit of her stomach that she always felt when she orbed, and her body instantly dissolved into blue and white swirling lights. Then, the lights appeared in the hallway, and she became solid again. "Leo!" she screamed. The familiar swirl of lights appeared beside her and then took the solid form of the sister's whitelighter (a guardian angel for witches.) and Piper's husband, Leo.

"Paige, what's happened, are...aaaggh!" The demon had just noticed him and lunged toward him. Leo yelped and dove to the floor out of the way.

Paige sprang forwards and launched herself onto the snarling, smelly creatures back, grimacing as its scaly, moist, oozing skin drenched her nightclothes. "Leo! Orb to the dining room!" she shouted over the howls of protest from the demon. "But..."

"Just do it!" With one last worried look at the battle being fought in the hallway, he orbed out. Almost at exactly the same moment, the gnarly beast succeeded in swinging Paige off of his back and she tumbled to the floor.

The front door swung open and Phoebe bounded into the usually welcoming hallway. The scene that met her eyes now though, wasn't in the least bit welcoming. Paige was edging backwards across the floor and the most hideous monster she had ever seen was advancing on her, talons raised. Paige clearly hadn't noticed Phoebe and orbed away from the scene.

The demon turned, and Phoebe saw its face for the first time. Terror gripped her heart as it lunged toward her. Phoebe launched herself into the air using her power of levitation and threw a powerful kick at the demon's jaw. Its head snapped back. Phoebe dropped to the ground expertly and used her leg to sweep his out from under him. He crashed to the floor. Phoebe dove to the floor too, expecting to land on top of the creature, but instead, she hit solid ground. The demon had shimmered out. "Damn" Phoebe thought aloud.

She pulled herself to her feet and hurried into the living room. "Paige, Piper!" She turned and noticed the trashed dining room table, and her stomach churned. 'Please let them be okay.' She pleaded silently. She ran into the dining room and found Leo and Paige helping Piper to her feet.

"Piper!" Phoebe cried ecstatically. "You're Okay!" Phoebe bounced over to her sister and threw her arms around her.

"I'm okay too." Paige piped up, hurt. Phoebe giggled and took Paige in her arms too.

"I'm sorry sweetie." Phoebe apologised. "But I had a vision at work of Piper being killed by a demon, so I'm just relieved." Paige pulled out of Phoebe's embrace with a start.

"What?" Paige asked, shocked.

"Yeah." Piper confirmed. "But I'm safe now." She looked at Phoebe. "Right?" She pressed, seeing her Sister's worried look.

"Well, actually," Phoebe didn't know how to break the news. "that demon isn't dead, it just shimmered out, and also..." She paused. "Also..." Piper desperately tried to get her sister to finish her sentence. "Actually, that wasn't the demon I saw kill you in my vision. Which means more are on the way."