EIGHT
"Mr. Van White, these are my sisters Piper and Phoebe," Prue introduced the next day. "And this is Piper's fiancé, Leo."
"A pleasure to meet you all," said Van White. "And, please, call me Steffan."
"Prue said there was a demon after you," said Piper.
"Yes," said Van White. "I'm sure she's filled you in on everything by now. This demon is after me to learn the secret to my immortality. And while he can't hurt me it is possible that others might be hurt by him trying to get to me. I wouldn't like to have that on my conscience"
"I see you got your personal affects back," said Phoebe, noticing the rings and watch on Van White's hands.
"Yes, I did," said Van White. "It was a simple matter, really. They are my property, after all."
"Those are interest rings," said Leo. "Family heirlooms?"
"After a fashion," said Van White. "I've had them since I was young. I hope to one day pass them onto my children."
"You have children?" questioned Phoebe.
"Not yet but there is always that possibility," Van White said with a smile. "After all, being immortal means I have time."
"Prue said you gained your immortality after suffering from a fever," said Leo. "I'd be interested in learning more about this fever. I've never heard of anything affecting someone that way."
"I'm afraid I can't tell you much," said Van White. "It was striking everywhere. The doctors never did figure out what caused it. It stopped as suddenly as it started. And as far as I know very little was discovered about it. Are you a physician?"
"Not exactly," said Leo nervously. "I do have some medical training. We just need to know as much as possible if we are to help you."
"Speaking of which," said Prue, "what more can you tell us about this demon that's after you? We haven't been able to learn very much about him aside from what you've all ready told us. We need to know everything you know about him."
"Well, I'm afraid there isn't much. I first encountered him a couple of years ago. I don't know how he knew but he knew about my immortality. I've been very careful to safeguard that secret for reasons I'm sure you can understand. Anyway, he said he wanted to learn the secret to my immortality. I was able to escape him but he's been hounding me ever since."
"And you say you've never seen him in his demonic form?" Piper asked.
"No, I haven't. I assume he appears only in his human form to keep from being suspected of what he truly is. He's about thirty-five with blonde, shoulder-length hair. He does appear to be more attractive than your average man. And his strength is incredible."
"What about this stone you mentioned?" Prue asked. "You said it glows. What can you tell us about that?"
"Again, I'm afraid not very much. I've only seen it a few times. As I told you yesterday, it has a bluish glow to it. It appears to be how he is able to track me. How or why it works I cannot say. Other than that it doesn't appear to have any other properties."
"It might be a tracking stone," said Leo. "They were created by alchemists centuries ago and are used to track certain creatures. It's possible this demon has one of these stones, although what type it is isn't clear."
"What do you mean what type?" Phoebe asked.
"Originally they were created to track only a specific creature," said Leo. "As the alchemists became more adept at creating them their powers were expanded. Allowing the tracker to track more than one type of creature. There are a few rare ones that allow the tracker to track any creature they want."
"So that's how demons can track other creatures?" Prue asked.
"Oh, not just demons," interjected Van White. "I've heard of these tracking stones. While they are used a great deal by demons they are also used by other creatures. On occasion even humans have been known to use them."
"You seem to know a great many things," said Piper.
"As I told Prue, I come from an age when belief in magic and demons was prevalent," said Van White. "The advance of mans' science does not necessarily negate that belief. Oh, it may change the nature of our understanding of such things but magic and science are not mutually exclusive. And in my long life I have learned many things."
"If the demon does have a tracking stone," said Leo, "he can track Van White wherever he goes. From my understanding it can track someone even across other dimensions."
"Which means he'll come here eventually," said Prue. "And it probably won't take very long, either. Piper you need to get that potion finished. Phoebe, what about a spell? Something we can use against the demon?"
"I'll see what I can come up with," said Phoebe.
"I'm not sure about a potion," said Piper. "Like I said, it's hard to come up with a potion when I don't know what we're up against."
"Just do your best," said Prue.
"I think I'll go back upstairs," said Leo. "With this new information I might be able to find out something we didn't know before."
"Okay," said Prue. "In the mean time we'll wait for this demon to attack. If he's as set on getting Steffan as it appears he probably won't wait long to come get him. Just everyone be ready when he gets here."
Leo went upstairs and Piper went into the kitchen. Phoebe got a pad and pen and began to work on a spell they could use against the demon. Prue sat talking with Van White to see if there was any more information – no matter how small – he might remember about the demon.
Standing across the street from the manor was a man with blonde hair. He looked at a stone that was glowing a purplish color. He looked up from the stone at the front door to the manor.
Witches, the man thought to himself. So his opponent had enlisted the aid of witches to protect him.
He had no fear of witches. Any more than he had any fear of the demons that had attempted to assault him in the alley earlier. But they could distract him from his prey. A direct assault was not an option. This called for a more subtle approach. He needed a tactical advantage. Silently he turned and walked up the street away from manor.
Piper had barely entered the kitchen when Leo suddenly orbed in.
"I thought you were going to see the Elders?"
"I am. But I needed to warn you first."
"Warn me? About what?"
Van White isn't telling us everything. You saw those rings he was wearing. They aren't ordinary rings. The designs on them are very reminiscent of magical incantations that were used centuries ago. They look familiar but I don't think I've seen those exact glyphs before. But whatever they are they're more than just decorative like most rings. My guess is they're some kind of magic that he controls."
"You think that's how he's able to be immortal?"
"I doubt it. He wasn't wearing the rings when he was in the hospital. Without them he wouldn't have access to whatever magic they possess. I'll see what I can find out about them from the Elders but you three need to be very careful. There's more going on here than just a demon trying to learn the secret to Van White's immortality."
"Okay," said Piper. "I'll let Prue and Phoebe know. You just get back here as quickly as you can. We may need you."
"I will," said Leo, kissing her lightly. Without another word he orbed out of the kitchen.