Maude decided to take a short-cut home that evening after work, months after the fortune-telling; she would walk through the dark alley, unafraid of being attacked because she could defend herself with her magic powers.
"I smell witch," said a man whom Maude couldn't see clearly in the dark. "You must come with me - I need a witch for my plan."
"Come another step closer and I'll blow you up," threatened Maude fiercely.
"A feisty witch at that; you'll be perfect."
Before Maude could do anything, the man grabbed her and they disappeared from the alley.
Shortly after, they arrived in the bedroom of an apartment, much to Maude's amazement; she'd been expecting a cave as that was where she thought a demon would take her. "Why are we here?" she demanded to know; she wasn't going to be polite to any demons or warlocks.
"It is all part of my plan, my dear," answered the demon mysteriously. "Your power won't work here, so don't try to blow me up. Just make yourself at home."
"I will not; I demand you take me back immediately."
"I can't do that. Listen to what I have to tell you and maybe you'll change your mind about me." The demon in his human form sat on the bed; he had a handsome face and short dark-brown hair.
Maude looked toward the room's door, planning to escape that way.
"There's an invisible barrier on this side of that door - you can't escape."
"I don't want to listen to you; let me go," shouted Maude angrily, walking toward the door, but stopped when the demon spoke again.
"My name is Devlin and I know your name is Maude Standish," began Devlin. "I have heard much talk of your family's past deeds against the Underworld. I chose you to help me because I saw a picture of you and couldn't help being attracted to the pretty young woman with blonde hair - the only daughter of the last remaining Standish family."
"How could you see a picture of me?" asked Maude, mystified as to where Devlin would get a picture of her.
"A friend retrieved it for me. Maude, I am not as evil as you may think; I was turned good by a witch's spell and have been living here since. I have longed to meet a good witch who I could start a family with. Think of what a child of a witch and a demon could do for the side of good - I believe that he would be good as we both are and would have an advantage over other witches fighting evil because of his demonic powers."
"My parents told me never to trust demons or warlocks or other evil beings. How can I trust you?"
"I give you my word that I would never harm you. Just give me a chance and help me to make the world a better place. Help me begin a race of good half-demons."
"I'm very touched by your speech, Mr. Devlin," said Maude, as she clapped mockingly, "but I will not be part of your twisted scheme. You'll just have to find another witch who is foolish enough to believe your nonsense." Maude walked toward the door, but when she reached to open it she was thrown backward, landing hard on the bed.
"I will not do anything to you against your will, Maude. But I won't allow you to leave without giving me a chance." Devlin closed his eyes and began chanting words which Maude couldn't understand.
Maude suddenly felt calmer and more relaxed, perhaps even less suspicious of Devlin. "There's something in what you have told me, which makes me think maybe you aren't as bad as I first thought," said the blonde woman, as she sat down on the bed a short distance from the demon.
CH7 - CH7 - CH7 - CH7 - CH7 - CH7 - CH7
Two years later, Maude and her young baby boy, Ezra, waited at the bus stop in Denver; they had been staying there for a while as Maude had found a rich husband there to support them both. Now they were going to get the bus out of town with the money Maude had received in the divorce settlement.
Maude, being a witch, should have had her own Whitelighter, but the Elders hadn't assigned her one because of the life-style she led. Conning people out of their money was something of which the Elders strongly disapproved.
Maude kept looking at her expensive gold wrist-watch; the bus was already ten minutes late and she wanted to get away before the demon bounty-hunters found them. The Source wanted Maude and Ezra Standish dead, because bearing and raising a half-demon/half-witch was against the rules of the Underworld, and he wouldn't allow the child to grow up and cause the ruin of his domain. Devlin had been captured when Ezra was only a few months old and Maude hadn't seen him since.
When the little blond boy touched Ezra's stroller that day, Maude thought nothing of it, as young children were very clumsy she thought; but when the boy touched the baby not long after, she became wary. It was the last straw when he announced the contents of his premonition; that he saw Maude and the child when he was older, surrounded by demons.
Maude had to get herself and Ezra to safety - they didn't want more witches finding out that she'd mothered a witch-demon. It had all been a terrible mistake, but Devlin had used a mind-control power on her, making her agree to a relationship with him. His power had even made her think she loved him and she'd been happy to share a house with him and their baby son. When Devlin had gone, the mind-control had stopped working and Maude had finally realized that she didn't love the demon - she wasn't even sure she loved her half-demon son, whom she wouldn't have even had if Devlin hadn't magically forced her. She felt she had to keep Ezra safe, whether she wanted him or not, as she didn't want to be imprisoned for the abandonment of a minor. If she ever got the chance to leave the boy and escape being jailed, then she would.
After being told of the blond boy's premonition, Maude had hurried with Ezra back to the hotel they were staying in. Then she started packing; they were going to stay with her parents in Atlanta, as her parents were very fond of Ezra and would be happy for him and his mother to stay with them. They could baby-sit Ezra while Maude found some people to con out of their money - that was the only job she liked doing. Both of her parents were witches and would protect Ezra well so that no demon ever harmed him.
CH7 - CH7 - CH7 - CH7 - CH7 - CH7 - CH7
Living in the southern state of Georgia affected young Ezra as he learned to talk, and he grew up with a gorgeous southern accent. It easily distracted females of all ages and wherever he went with his mother, the women and children would gather around to hear him talk. It annoyed Maude who constantly had to shoo them away - she didn't want the attention drawn to her son, in case it alerted demons to their presence.
Maude had to keep traveling to where she could 'work' to earn money, so she had to leave the boy with relatives and friends who taught him various skills. He was very intelligent and learnt things that other young children wouldn't be capable of achieving at such an early age.
At six, Ezra and his mother met a man who said he knew where Devlin, Ezra's father was; so Maude and Ezra arranged to meet with the man who said he would take them to their missing family-member. Maude wanted to kill the demon who had ruined her life by giving her a half-demon for a son.
When they arrived to meet the man, they were surrounded by demons - it appeared that they had been lured into a trap - there were too many demons for Maude to fight.
Maude wondered if the man who'd led them there really did know Devlin's location. She evaded the demons, and went after the man when he suddenly appeared.
In her hurry she forgot about her young son whom she didn't pay much attention to anymore. Ezra and Maude still loved each other like mothers and sons did deep down, even though they didn't often show it. Even so, she still disliked having a half-demon for a son and all the troubles that came with him.
Ezra noticed when Maude left in pursuit of the man, leaving Ezra outnumbered. He didn't resent her for leaving though and thought she would return to him one day.
CH7 - CH7 - CH7 - CH7 - CH7 - CH7 - CH7
"Are you sure this is the place you saw in your premonition, Chris?" asked Josiah, who stood beside his adopted brother. They had just driven in Josiah's car to a warehouse downtown to rescue a boy from a group of demons. Chris had a premonition showing the boy being killed in the warehouse and Josiah had said they needed to rescue the boy. Anyone who was shown being hurt or attacked in Chris's premonitions was someone they needed to rescue, an innocent. Their innocents - people with or without any magical powers - weren't strong enough to defend themselves.
"This is exactly the place - we'd better hurry before it's too late," said eleven-year-old Chris.
Josiah raised an arm at the door and his telekinesis opened it. He led Chris inside.
Inside the warehouse they saw a gang of men (they were really demons who were magically disguised as men) advancing toward a young brown-haired boy, sitting huddled on the floor. Josiah moved his arms up and one of the men went flying away from the group as if thrown. The men looked toward Josiah and Chris, then started walking toward them, intent on revenge on the boy and young man who had sent their leader flying.
More of the men were thrown away from the group by magic, while the young boy with medium-brown hair watched. Then the younger blond boy walked toward him.
After several demons had been thrown away by Josiah's telekinesis power, the remaining few disappeared into thin air in fear. Josiah walked over to Chris and the younger boy.
"What's your name?" asked Chris softly, like his father had taught him to with innocent children.
"Stay away from me," said the boy, as a fireball appeared in his hand.
"Whoa!" exclaimed Chris as he stepped back. He hadn't been ready for that surprise. He'd just looked like a normal boy in Chris's premonition. Chris walked closer to Josiah and whispered into his ear; "He's a demon – we don't rescue demons!" said Chris – he would never forget that demons had been responsible for his family's deaths at the Larabee Ranch when Chris was only two.
Josiah turned to Chris and gave him a stern look, and then spoke to him in a low voice. "Demon or not, you've had too many premonitions where HE was in danger – he's clearly the child we're meant to save."
Then Josiah looked at Ezra. "It's okay; we're not here to hurt you. We came to save you from those demons," said Josiah in a soothing voice, looking the boy in the eyes as he spoke.
"You did?" asked the boy. "Take me away from here then." The fireball in his hand disappeared, then Josiah stepped closer and held his hand out to the boy. Ezra decided he could at least get taken away from danger by these two strange boys; when he was able, he'd leave them and go to find his mother.
Chris remained quiet – he didn't trust the little boy who had just threatened them with a fireball, but he wouldn't argue with his older brother, who was usually a pretty good judge of character. Also, Chris didn't want to be on the receiving end of one of Josiah's telekinetic pushes like those demons had been – he'd rather remain friends with him.
Ezra accepted Josiah's hand and the group walked back to the car to leave.
CH7 - CH7 - CH7 - CH7 - CH7 - CH7 - CH7
Shortly after Ezra was rescued, deep in the Underworld, several demons and a woman with long, straight black hair were gathered around a large crystal ball (about the size of a football), watching the images it displayed.
"I see a boy with blond hair and a man also blond, but barely a man. They have arrived at a large, old house with the child," told the woman as she looked into the crystal ball. She had the power to see present events happening elsewhere and make those images appear in her crystal ball.
To be continued...