Chapter Six: Fruition

Dark light was pulsing from a gristly pair of hands… dirty, worn from age and damage. The wound on the women's thigh sealed and cleaned itself of the blood that was pouring from it.

"You were reckless, who knows what would've happened if they were female witches."

The demon fixed her gaze upon the man, "I don't understand, I've been tempting men for centuries. Why didn't it work against that brat?"

"I have a theory," his features were chiseled yet emanating with something terrible.

The demon raised her head, letting her twisted locks fall down her face, "And what would that be?"

"I'm surprised, Lorelai," he said, "Why, other than a protection spell, would a man be able to resist you?"

"Are you suggesting," Lorelai inquired, "that little witch doesn't like women?"

"It wouldn't be the first time a man has resisted your charms"

"Yes," she continued, "but it's never been a witch before. This could ruin everything."

The man stood up and walked around, "Maybe not. The witch you made a deal with has obviously betrayed us."

"She'll be mine in no time," she said, "and so will her little friend."

"Think bigger, Lorelai, we both know what that boy did."

"What do you have in mind, Merick?"

"They're new to the craft, otherwise you would've been vanquished."

"I know that, what are you getting at?"

Merick healed the last part of her wound, "The magic window, we can turn them"

"Of course," she said, as if struck by lightning, "They haven't chosen a side."

The man walked from her over to a table littered with blades and vials, he picked up one of the blades and twisted it delicately in his hands, "The boy, the one that resisted you, if you use your powers in other ways, maybe we can turn all of them."

"And if I have all their powers…"

"You… and me, will be the new force in the underworld."

* * *

It was audibly silent in the room. Tears were streaming down Elizabeth's face and everyone's look was fixated on her.

"Bryce," she struggled, each word that escaped her lips riddled with regret, "I'm sorry."

Prue held up her hand, "O-okay, we can worry about feelings later. Right now we have a demon after the boys."

"Right," Taylor said, "Prue is right, she's powerful. We have to find a way to vanquish her."

"What did you promise her?" Prue asked, with her fist in the palm of her other hand.

"Well," Elizabeth said, between heavy breaths, "I knew Bryce was magical, though I didn't know what kind… At the time, Lorelai was after my boyfriend."

"Boyfriend?" Bryce asked, as he narrowed his eyes.

"Go on," Prue interrupted, stopping the argument that was about to take place.

Elizabeth looked at Bryce with eyes that only poured sadness, "I had ran into Bryce just earlier that day and though I sensed he was magical, I didn't think anything of it when…"

"Is that why you called me back so quickly?"

"…Yes," she hesitated, "Look, Bryce,"

"Save it," he said, holding up his hand, "So, then what?"

"Lorelai decided she'd hold my boyfriend until I delivered you in exchange."

"So, why did you let it go so long?" Taylor asked, "if you were just going to steal his powers?"

"Because, I couldn't." she said, "Every time I started making the power stripping potion…"

"Power stripping?" Brett asked, barely keeping up with the conversation. When he looked at Blake, it seemed he was just as lost.

"It would," Elizabeth said, looking from Bryce for the first time, to Brett, "Essentially take away his powers. The way I made it, I could bottle it in a vial and exchange it for my boyfriend."

Prue narrowed her eyes, "Ok, so, why didn't you vanquish her?"

"You don't think if I could, I would've?" Elizabeth countered angrily, "She's too powerful for me."

"So," Blake interrupted, looking at Prue, "Where do we come in? Or you for that matter?"

"Heh," Prue chuckled without any sincerity, "Well, I can't tell you much, but I can tell you the elders sent me here to be your whitelighter."

"Wait," Taylor said, looking at Prue, "I'm Bryce's whitelighter."

"Well, you've been re-assigned."

"To whom?" Taylor asked, noticeably upset.

Prue pointed to the beautiful girl in the corner, Elizabeth spoke, "Me? I have a whitelighter."

Taylor spoke up, "No, you don't. The Elders think that Lorelai chose now to cash in on her bargain with you."

"Because your whitelighter was killed a few days ago, by a darklighter." said Prue, unforgiving, with no emotion.

Taylor sighed, "The same darklighter, they think, that is watching over Lorelai"

"Wait," Brett interjected, "The bad guys have guardian angels too?"

Prue smiled, "Yes, they do, except unlike us, they can harm anyone with whitelighter blood."

"I know there's a lot we don't know," Blake said, "But what I do know, is that demon is still after us."

"Right" Prue animatedly pointed, "Which is why we need to find your guys' Book of Shadows. And you… take Elizabeth and orb with her around the state. Lorelai shouldn't be able to find her that way."

"No," Elizabeth shook her head, "I can help with what needs to be done."

"I think you've done enough." Bryce uttered beneath his breath. Elizabeth reacted as if she had been shot. The pain that pulsed through her blood was agonizing.

Taylor looked at Bryce first and then over at Elizabeth, "We should go. C'mon."

Elizabeth didn't say anything as she stood and took her place next to her whitelighter. A sense of dread filled Brett's heart from across the room. What he felt for Taylor was coming to an end right before his eyes. As Taylor took Elizabeth's hand, Brett knew he'd never see him again.

"I don't know why," Elizabeth said, fighting through her tears, "But Brett's immune to her power. Use that to your advantage."

"Are you ready?" Taylor asked

"Bryce," she said, letting go of Taylor's hand, "I know you won't believe me, but I eventually did fall in love with you."

Elizabeth walked over to where Bryce was sitting, "I broke up with you, so I didn't rob you of your power."

Elizabeth leaned over; Bryce was looking up at her. As she came close to his face, he turned his head. The dejection washed through her blood once more and she turned on her heel towards Taylor again.

Elizabeth took Taylor's hand and as the blue light colored the room a few last words escaped her lips, "I love you."

The room seemed vastly larger without Elizabeth and Taylor. Blake and Brett were looking over at Bryce. The solemn look across his face was indicative of the pain he was feeling in his gut.

"I wish there was more time," Prue said with a commanding tone, "but that demon is still out there and she's going to try and kill you."

"I'm sorry that I got you guys involved in this," Bryce said at last.

"Hey," Brett countered, "We got ourselves involved in this. We're not going to let you handle this on your own."

"But how do we defeat this demon?" Blake said, looking at Prue.

"There's a book of shadows in every magical family," she repeated, "but as it sounds, it doesn't look like you know where yours is."

"My father didn't have one," Bryce said, "I handled all his personal stuff and didn't see anything remotely magical."

"So," Prue said, "That must mean it's here."

"I've never seen anything like that here." Brett answered

Prue made animated hand gestures as she responded, "Well, no, you wouldn't. Your mother obviously kept this a secret from you so she probably hid the book."

"Let's split up and look then," Blake said, flatly. As if the answer had been staring them all in the face.

"I'll look upstairs. Check Mom's room and bathroom" Brett said, getting to his feet.

"Then I'll check the bookshelves in the study, you guys check down here." Blake dictated.

Without another word, the group split up into the different areas of the house. Bryce walked along to the kitchen, where there were a few bookshelves. From what he could tell they were all cookbooks and looking in the cupboards made him feel foolish. As he continued to look around the pangs of Elizabeth still burned in his heart. It was true that he loved her and there was some level of his being believed her. This day… no this month had not turned out as he had planned.

Bryce had opened all the cabinets with no sign of magical tomes. God, what was he thinking? Magic. It really existed. He was actually magical with actual powers. The thoughts resonated through him like it was advanced physics. It sounded so foreign and complex but the evidence of the day had only translated it in his mind. Bryce rounded the corner and went into the bathroom.

Bryce shut the door and turned on the faucet. As the water warmed, he bent over and splashed some on his face. As he stood back up he patted himself with a hand towel, when he opened his eyes Lorelai was standing behind him. Bryce quickly snapped his body around and waved his hand. A veil of water came between them and the force was blocked from sending her into a wall. Immediately, a melody was coming from all corners of the room and Bryce found himself paralyzed.

"What are you doing to me?"

Lorelai smiled, "Nothing yet, I just need to use you right now."

Worry crossed Bryce's face as she continued, "See, your powers are all connected. If I cast a spell using your abilities, I can make that doll faced boy susceptible to my powers. And then, I'll have you all under my own power."

"I will never help you."

"Silly boy," she said, between song, "You don't have a choice."

As she walked up to him, she grabbed his hand. Lorelai lightly traced her fingers across Bryce's gentle face. He could not scream, he could not move. As she leaned in and kissed him, the only thought that filled him was wishing the brothers would come to his aid.

Brett's mind flashed to the scene. It was playing so vividly that when his mind flashed open the image was still burning in his head, "BLAKE, PRUE! GET BRYCE!"

Brett was running down the stairs with Blake following on his heel, "What? What happened?"

"The demon is in the bathroom with him"

They both rounded the corner, Prue ran in from another room. All of them were pounding on the door shouting Bryce's name.

Lorelai continued humming through the screaming, stopping to stare directly in Bryce's eyes, "This won't hurt, at least for now."

"We have to get in there!" Prue shouted

"Prue, stand back, Brett on three."

Still holding his hand, Lorelai spoke,

A vision now that I would seek

To turn a man so mild and meek

These three shall now heed my call

To be susceptible so they may fall.

Blake and Brett lunged at the door, but Brett fell in mid stride. The force of Blake's kick knocked the door open just in time to see Bryce and Lorelai disintegrate into a viel of water and disappear.