Charmed: Tangled Webs
Chapter 8:
Disclaimer: I don't own Charmed or any of the characters from the show. I do own the Original Characters…and I like them an awful lot.
Author's Note: Woo-Hoo! I'm back!
Daemon's Point of ViewThree weeks after the incident at the bowling alley I found the patient in a dojo that was below the house that she shared with the other members of the her put-together family.
"Should you be out of bed?" I asked Ava.
"I head quickly from things like that." Ava was wearing a pale blue Chinese linen shirt and drawstring linen pants. She was going through the motions of a martial arts form with a boken.
"What form is that?" I asked her.
"It doesn't have a name." Ava answered. "I'm just going through the motions that feel right."
"Why?"
"It helps me to focus." She answered. "To find my inner calm."
"Your true inner calm?" I asked her. "Or what I think has been passing as your inner calm?"
"What are you talking about?"
"I don't think that your attach would have been as bad as it was if you had truly found your inner calm." I answered, taking another boken off of the wall rack to join her. "At the very least you should have been able to focus your will through it. So that you wouldn't have to worry about attacking your friends.
"Why do you suppose that those Shadow Demons knew to attack me first?" Ava asked after being silent for a few moments. "Usually they go straight for Lottie or the other bodyguards."
"Instead, theses demons practically ignored the guards and my sister." I agreed.
"Which can be deadly." Ava said.
We started sparing at about a quarter speed.
"The way I see it there are two options." I said.
"Shoot." Ava looked at me.
"Option one." Our swords hit. "The entire entourage was being watched. They decided that you were the biggest threat to any attempt to get near Charlotte."
"Like you did?"
"What?" That had surprised me.
"Oh come on." Ava rolled her eyes. "I'm not stupid Daemon. You knew too much about us not to have been watching us."
"I guess I did slip up." I grudgingly admitted. "Does Charlotte know?"
"I haven't told her, but I'd be surprised if she hasn't figured it out." Ava was being remarkably stoic, considering what she was saying.
Our swords met several more times.
"Do you think that I sent the Shadow Demons?"
"I don't know." Well at least Ava was being honest. "You could have. You are the Source of All Evil after all-or at least the Son of the Source of All Evil."
"I saved your life." I reminded her.
"I know that you did."
"But you still think that I could have been the one to put it in danger."
"I'm not ruling it out."
"Well you are an assassin's daughter."
"What's your point?"
"That you're naturally suspicious."
"Oh I'll give you that." Ava nodded. "Unfortunately O.S.A doesn't exist."
"O.S.A?" I asked her.
"Overly Suspicious Anonymous." Ave smiled slightly. "There isn't a group where you can stand up and say 'Hi. My name is Ava and I'm a suspicious bitch.'"
"You're not a bitch." I replied.
"You don't know me that well."
"Shall I tell you the second possible reason for the attack?" I couldn't help smiling back.
"Knock yourself out."
"You were the target of the attack." I said. "That's why Charlotte and the other guards were ignored."
"Playing Devil's Advocate." Ava replied. "Why would I be a target?"
"Two reasons." I said. "Would you like to go to half speed?"
"Sure." Ava agreed. "The reasons?"
We sped up.
"Reason one." I said. "Again-anyone who sees you with Charlotte would see that you are a large part of her protection. Get you out of the way and the path to Charlotte is much easier."
"So me with one attack and her with another?"
"Exactly."
"You know, just once I'd like it if the people trying to kill me would (you know) try to kill me. Not just as a means of getting to someone else." Ava looked exasperated.
"Trust me." I said, sobering. "It's not all that it's cracked up to be."
"I'm sorry." All of the fun left her face. "I wasn't thinking."
"It's okay." I said. "But…when the people trying to kill you are trying to kill you—they tend to try a lot harder."
"I'm sorry."
I lowered my boken. "You should rest."
Ava looked at me.
I took her boken and put both of them on the sword-rack.
"What's the second reason?" Ava asked. "That I shot my mouth off without thinking and someone got mad?"
"Close." I said. "The second possibility is that you or your father have an enemy that you don't know about."
"Or one that we know about, but underestimate." She mused.
"You mean me."
"Among others."
I couldn't help smiling.
"What is it?" she asked.
"Just you." I said. "I don't know why, but I feel comfortable around you. Which is odd, considering that you don't trust me."
"I'm flattered." Ava seemed surprised by what I said.
"Will you tell Charlotte that I stopped by?"
"Count on it."
"I shall see you later then."
Ava nodded.
I flamed out
"Sir?" Kraven spoke respectfully once I flamed into the room.
"Yes." I said. "What is it?"
"Was it wise to go and visit Miss Jessup?"
"I believe it was." I replied. "She's starting to lower her shields. I get close to her-and I'll be able to get close to Charlotte.
"Or closer I should say."
"Of course Sir." Kraven bowed. "Your 'guest' is prepared."
"Excellent." I said, walking towards the doorway to my parlor. "Who do we have?"
"Devon Hern." Kraven said, reading off a pad. "Uncaught serial killer. He has tortured and murdered 300 men, women and children."
"Sounds like a delightful person." I said, opening the door. "This shouldn't take long."
"Yes Sir." Kraven bowed as he left me.
Devon Hern was 38 years old, a well developed. Who, even though he was chained with his hands above his head, still managed to give me a look that promised to do painful things to me is he ever got loose.
"Evil." I smiled. "You'll do nicely Devon."
Laying my hands on either side of his head. I began to feed.
He screamed.
"How fitting." I said once I had finished. "Kraven."
"Yes my lord?" Kraven shimmered in.
"Say hello to Troxa." I smiled.
"Well done Sir." Kraven said.
"Send for Tao and have him patched up."
"Yes sir."