CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
"Chris, I am so sorry," I started to tell him, but he spoke over me.
"Phoebe, before we go back in there, I want to make something clear. You have . . . no idea what it means for you to think of me like that, but I really should tell you I'm not interested. Not even remotely."
I think I should have felt insulted by that last bit. I'm a sexy lady now. Just imagine me back then. But instead, I was panicking. "I'm not either!" I defended myself. "I swear, Chris, it's not me. It's the wine or something . . . A spell!" I hit on something, anything, else to blame. "She could have me under a spell."
"I really don't think--"
But I was already moving past him with the potion-laced water and a clear mission. "OOOO! If this proves she's a demon, I'm gonna nail her to the wall for making me do that!"
I was sure I could do better now that I knew something was up. But just as I went to fill Rori's glass, Chris followed me from the kitchen and walked around the table to his seat, and I just had to watch him move. Oh, did he look good from the back view! Only when Paige yelled out my name did I realize I was pouring water on the table instead of in Rori's glass. Paige glared at me as she grabbed the pitcher and did the job right as I slunk back to my chair and glared at Rori. I was just raring for her to be a demon. Of all the people to make me feel horny for, why'd it have to be Chris??!!
"Sorry about that," Paige apologized for me. "Halliwells tend to be a little clumsy."
"No problem. I spill stuff all the time," Rori laughed. "Except for potions. Nearly blew myself up once when I spilled some, so I'm extra careful now." She lifted her glass and saluted us with it. "So I guess it'is good for everybody that this is not a potion."
I perked up at that--did she know what we were doing, and was she mocking us about it? But before I could get good and excited, Rori took a long drink from her water. Nothing happened for a few seconds, and I reached for the vanquishing potion in my pocket. Then she began coughing and choking, and Chris and Piper rushed to help her.
Paige looked surprised and relieved, but I admit that I wasn't exactly thrilled. I mean it was good that she was human and telling the truth, but it also meant that she hadn't put a spell on me. I don't care how deep down I looked, I couldn't really think of Chris Perry in that way, not since I gave up my powers as the goddess of love. He was simply much too young for me, period. I've always preferred men who were older than I was, men like Cole or Jason or Jonathan, and Chris Perry was at least ten years younger than me. So there's no way I could be attracted sexually to him, no matter how adorably cute he was.
It had to be the wine. I pushed it away, swearing off all alcohol for a while, and took a big drink of Paige's ginger ale instead. She started to protest, but before the words were even out of her mouth, the disaster that had been dinner was topped off with a demon attack.
We all leaped to our feet when he appeared, and for a second, he seemed surprised to see so many people. The he regained his focus and looked toward Rori. He was going to have to fight his way through us to get to her, especially now that we knew she was an innocent.
"Piper, blow him up!" I yelled as I moved to place myself between him and Rori. It was the least I could do after wishing I could vanquish her.
Piper tried her power, but it did nothing more than make the demon mad. He sent an energy ball in our midst, causing us all to scatter to the floor. I pushed Rori back down when she tried to stand, hoping to keep her covered. In the process, I was hit with a premonition so brief and jumbled, I didn't have a chance to straighten it all out before my thoughts were back on the present, where Paige tried throwing the vanquishing potion that had originally been meant for Rori. That didn't work either. Rori finally squirmed away from me and sat upright and began to chant:
"Demon born of night
Filled with all his might
Cannot stand to fight.
Take him from my sight."
The demon flinched, but instead of being vanquished, sent another energy ball right at Rori. She ducked just in time and rolled under the table for cover. "Dammit!" she swore. "I can't do this alone! I need Mom!"