"Wait a second," Piper said. "You're telling us that you're the monster from the Frankenstein book?"
"I'm no monster," Victor nearly shouted, rising to his full height.
His reaction was so unexpected and so aggressive that it startled them all. For a moment it seemed that Victor would become violent. Suddenly Victor calmed himself and sat back down.
"Forgive me," he apologized. "As you can see that is something of a sore spot with me."
"So we noticed," Phoebe said.
"He's right, thought," Paige said. "Frankenstein was required reading in my English Lit class in college. The creature was no monster. He was more of a tormented soul that had no control over what he did. The things he did were done out of ignorance, not malice."
"Quite right," said Victor. "I was barely a few days old when I was left me on my own. I knew nothing of the outside world. My 'father' neglected to teach me any of the basic controls you take for granted. I had no idea who or what I was. I didn't know what I was supposed to do. I couldn't even speak and understood very little that was said to me. I was, in actuality, an infant."
"So you're this creature that we see in the movies?" Piper asked.
"To a degree," Victor said. "Oh, my mother's book changed many of the facts. Creative license, I believe they call it. And, of course, most films rarely follow the books they are based on. So more is changed in those. But the basic facts are the same. My father was obsessed with finding the secret to life. That one instant when simple inanimate material suddenly becomes a living, breathing creature. And I am the result of that obsession."
"Victor Frankenstein actually created a living creature," Leo said. "I would never have thought it possible without magic."
"He did more than that," Victor said. "His obsession was with finding the secret to life. But when he created me he went far beyond even that goal. He discovered the secret of conquering death. A secret that, except for me, he took to his grave. It's why magic doesn't affect me. I shouldn't even exist. But since I do, magic has no hold over me. And no matter what, I can't die."
"So this Diablo Warlock uses your blood to give himself that same invulnerability?" Paige asked.
"Yes," Victor said. "The serum he uses with my blood transfers my resistance to magic and my immortality to him temporarily. Until the serum wears off nothing can harm him. That's why he wants me back. Without me he'll eventually run out of serum. He needs me to create more."
"But why take the little girl?" Phoebe asked.
"You've read the book?" Victor asked Paige.
"Yes," said Paige. "I've also seen several movies based on it. I think I understand."
"Understand what?" Chris asked.
"Most of the movies vary greatly from the book and each other," Paige said. "But most have some of the same elements in them. One is that the creature inadvertently kills a young girl while trying to save her."
"I didn't know my own strength," Victor said, closing his eyes as if remembering. "I couldn't even speak. But I knew she was in trouble. I didn't know about drowning I only knew that she was in some kind of danger. But I had no idea just how strong I truly was."
"So, that actually happened?" Paige asked.
"It was an accident," Victor said. "I wanted only to save her. Instead I crushed her to death with my bare hands. At the time I didn't understand what I had done. Since then I've vowed I will never again put another human at risk. That's why I took the girl. As long as she was with me he couldn't get to her. I could protect her and he couldn't use her to make me return to him. Now, because of your interference, I have no choice. I have to trade myself for her."
"Not so fast, big fella," Piper said. "We don't give up that easily. There has to be a way to save the girl and not give you to that warlock. We just have to find it, that's all."
"How?" Victor questioned. "We have less than twenty-four hours to make the trade. And you can be sure he's used what serum he has left to protect himself. He's very intelligent. He knows you'll try to stop him. As long as he's affected by the serum your magic will be useless against him."
"One thing at a time," Piper said. "First, let's get back to the manor. No offense but this place is kind of depressing."
"It's the way I have to live," Victor said. "Too many curiosity seekers would be coming around if I lived a normal life."
"Well, you don't have to worry about that at the manor," Phoebe said.
"Now, once we get back to the manor, you can tell us everything you know about this Diablo Warlock and this serum he uses," Piper said. "Leo, I want you to check with the Elders. See if there's anything they can tell you about him."
"What do you want me to do?" Chris asked.
"You seem to have some unsavory contacts," Piper said. "Maybe they know something that the Elders don't. Anything, no matter how trivial, could be useful. Phoebe will check the Book of Shadows and see what it has to say. Paige can keep our guest company until you guys get back."
"What are you going to be doing?" Leo asked.
"I have a potion to make," Piper said. "I think we're going to be needing it."
"I told you," Victor said, "it won't affect him. My resistance will protect him no matter what kind of potion you use."
"Let me worry about that," Piper said. "Right now we need to get back to the manor. We have a little girl to save and not a lot of time to do it in."
Paige, Leo, and Chris orbed them all out of the house and back to the manor. There was a lot of work to do before they confronted the Diablo Warlock. And they all wanted to be ready when they did.