Attic. Night.
The attic was dark when Cole woke up startled. He was still confined to the bed. Piper was gone and someone had apparently thrown some blanket over his naked body. He hadn't noticed Piper leave, since he had passed out almost immediately after she was done with him. He still felt depleted. The sleep hadn't helped at all.
Someone was at his side. First he feared it was one of the girls with just another ungodly potion, but relaxed when he discovered it was Leo.
"Leo," Cole whispered relieved, "good you're here". He tried to sit up, but lacked strength for it. Leo put a comforting hand on his shoulder and pressed him down gently.
Cole obeyed but went on, "The girls are under some spell. You have to break it before it gets worse. Good thing as far as I know they didn't kill anybody yet."
He wanted to give Leo all information he had, so Leo was able to do something. He really didn't want Piper to come on to him again.
Leo had been sitting next to Cole for some time now. He hadn't shown himself to Piper when he had caught them in the act. He had watched Piper get her clothes together and leave the attic without so much as a second glance at Cole. She had left him behind like an old used toy that didn't interest her anymore. Leo shuddered to think of it. He had got a blanket and had tucked Cole in. Cole hadn't looked good.
"Cole, calm down", Leo said appeasing.
He felt hot jealousy burn inside him because Cole had slept with his Piper. But at the same time, he wasn't sure if Cole had done it willingly, being tied to the couch and treated so badly by Piper. He had to summon all his white lighter goodness to not go down and give Piper a piece of his mind or smash Cole's face. He had to talk to Cole first and find out what had happened.
"Why did you …," Leo started unsure how to talk about the matter.
They stared at each for some seconds.
"What do you mean?" Cole asked cautiously.
He hadn't planned on telling Leo what Piper had done to him. He wasn't sure the white lighter could handle it.
"I saw you. You and Piper." Leo said angrily. Cole could see a dangerous flicker in Leo's eyes.
"And we did what?" Cole wasn't falling for these kinds of traps. Letting the other jump to conclusions of what you knew and thereby revealing things that should better be left unspoken.
"You screwed her!" Leo yelled at Cole, clenching his fists.
"I ..", Cole started slowly and looked at the fury in Leo's eyes and his clenched fists. He prepared himself for the blow. In his opinion it had been the other way round. Piper had screwed him. Cole had to avoid Leo getting a fit and trashing down on him. He had to bring Leo around to help him and not blame him for the incident. It was probably the best thing to tell Leo straightforward. He obviously knew anyway.
"I didn't want to have sex with your wife Leo, you have to believe that," he justified himself, "but she had me drink some potion. It made me aboulic and horny. I couldn't control myself. I'm really sorry it happened."
Leo nodded gravely. Cole's explanation fitted what he had seen. But this still didn't explain why Piper had wanted to sleep with Cole. She would have to do some heavy explaining when this was over.
"I don't ….hold you responsible for it," Leo assured Cole with a heavy sigh and very much self-restrain. Cole seemed to relax as he heard these words.
"Thanks Leo, I appreciate it", Cole said faintly and hurried to change the topic, "Can you try to get off these handcuffs?" He moved his hands to emphasize his plea.
"Sorry, I already tried it, can't touch them, the magic pushes me away."
"You know, they bind my powers. I'm just an ordinary human as long as I wear them. That's why I couldn't free myself." Cole explained.
"How did you get into them anyway", Leo asked. Every bit of information was vital.
"Phoebe tricked me into it," Cole disclosed, "I should have been suspicious when she came to me pretending to have forgiven me."
He couldn't hide the pain in his voice as he told Leo of Phoebe's betrayal. Leo stretched his hands over Cole's chest and a bright golden glow emitted from them. Cole felt energy flooding back into his body. His split lip and sore wrists healed immediately.
"Thanks Leo that was really needed," Cole said gratefully, sitting up. He felt up to make some plans with Leo now.
"Your welcome. Looks like you are the innocent, as weird as this sounds", Leo said more to himself than to Cole.
"You have to be cautious Leo," Cole advised, "They must not get you too. You are our only chance to break the spell. Besides would you mind to hand me my clothes – at least what's left of them?"
Leo looked around and saw Cole's torn T-shirt. Unimaginable that Piper had done that.
„I don't think that's a good idea Cole, Piper will get suspicious if you miraculously get your clothes back."
Cole sighed but conceded this point to Leo. He wrapped the blanket tight around his waist. Leo stood up and walked over to the Book of Shadows. Maybe it could help him. But as soon as he reached for the Book it flew away from him. Leo was stunned.
"Damn", Cole cursed, "I should have known. It's always the same with demons." He chastised himself for his slow thinking.
"Someone wants the Book. And he needs it to be evil to get it", Leo concluded Cole's thoughts.
"I check with the elders if they know anything. I have to inform them what's going on here." Leo said.
"Leo, we have to find out why the girls are doing this to me," Cole instructed, "we have to know the reason for their behavior to find a counteragent for it. Think hard, why would Piper want to sleep with me? You know her. Can't you think of anything, as weird or evil as it might be?"
Leo looked doubtful and hurt at Cole, but Cole continued, "Why would Phoebe want to sleep with me? She doesn't love me anymore". He looked down to the floor. He had just reminded himself.
"What about Paige?" Leo asked not wanting to see Cole's pain, he had enough to deal with his own hurt feelings, "Does she also have this peculiar desire towards you?"
"No, thank god, not", Cole said really glad, "but she likes to brew nasty potions and tries them out on me. Like the one she gave Piper. And the other one she cursed the handcuffs with. And she uses innocent blood in them."
Leo's head darted around. "Innocent blood? But you said they didn't kill?"
"That's what Paige told me when I asked her, and I hope she was serious," Cole answered.
"I have to tell the Elders immediately. Hang in there Cole. Try to sleep, I'm afraid you will need your strength till we sort this out. I'll be right back." Leo instructed orbing out and leaving Cole in the dark attic.
tbc