Hey Guys and welcome to another magically inspired week.
LeoM – Yes I think Selena is a little frustrated with everything, she does seem a little erratic doesn't she?
Kelraze – Let's hope they don't get turned. You never know in the world of magic. Anything can happen.
MariaT – That's a good guess Maria, it could very well be because Philippe has had bad relationships in the past. Time will definitely tell.
AntonY- Needing their blood for rituals I like the idea Anton, let's see if that's the case.
Thanks for all of your comments and reviews guys I really appreciate it. So let's see what happened during the aftermath of Karlia, Selena and the wolf.
The Power of Three – A Lover's Day/Night.
CHAPTER FOUR – Power of Three must come first.
Selena and Karlia both felt someone grab them and then the next thing they knew warmth had enveloped them.
"Are we-" Selena started. "Are we dead?"
"Yes Selena. Welcome to Summerland," came a tone dripping with sarcasm that could only be Philippe.
Selena and Karlia both opened their eyes. Karlia upon noticing Philippe and Leo freaked out.
"Oh my god!" she cried out. "You guys are dead too?!"
Selena tapped Karlia on the shoulder.
"Look around K," she advised. "We're not dead. We're back home."
"But…how…?" Karlia started.
"Leo orbed us," Philippe replied beaming with pride.
"Ok, well, thank you Leo," Selena replied. "Ok, bedtime for me."
And with that she walked towards the door of the attic.
"You're kidding right?" Philippe voiced out loud.
"Why?" Selena asked. "Why would I kid? I'm exhausted. Night night."
Philippe rushed over to her.
"Um, I think not missy!" he said boldly. "We are nowhere near done for the night."
"Leo?" Selena asked, now rather pissed-off.
"He's right," Leo replied. "You two need to look up werewolves so we can be prepared when we go back."
"G-go b-back?" Karlia stammered.
"Um, correct me if I'm wrong Leo," Selena snorted. "But isn't tonight the last full-moon of the month."
"No you are right Selena," Leo replied. "Which is why we need to get back there soon."
"Fine," Selena groaned as she made her way over to Karlia who had already started flipping the book.
Leo and Philippe meanwhile made their way towards the exit of the attic.
"Oh I know you two are staying to help!" Selena yelled out.
"We can't Selena," Leo replied. "We have to work out how to face our own supernatural beings."
Philippe was grateful to Leo for standing up to Selena. He understood that she was exhausted and therefore would want to complain no matter what stopped her from getting to bed, but they really needed to work on how to get rid of the supernatural roadblocks that Katya had built around herself.
Once in the kitchen, Philippe turned on the kettle to make them both some coffee.
"Ah Philippe, we don't really have time for a break right now," Leo reminded.
"Oh I know," Philippe replied "I'm just making coffee for while we talk. So Vampires, shoot."
Leo took a seat at the kitchen table and once again admired Philippe's dedication to the task at hand.
"Well Philippe what exactly do you know about vampires?"
Philippe just glared at Leo as if to say are-you-kidding-me?
"Well… go on then," Leo instructed. "Dazzle me."
"Urgh," Philippe sighed.
Pouring the hot liquid into two mugs Philippe proceeded to explain all that he knew.
"Been around since the dawn of time they're immortal beings with a thirst for blood. Day light is meant to be their worst enemy. Though some can walk in it owing to special protection; others cannot step into it without dying. They turn humans by biting them and then killing them and then to complete the process when the human awakes, now as a vampire, they feed them their own blood thus completing the process. Sugar, Milk?"
Leo struggled to respond again blown away.
"Um…yes…white with 2 please," he said at last.
Philippe added the ingredients while continuing in the bored tone he had used earlier.
"This creates a special bond between the two as the vampire has now sired a new vampire. In some folklore there is an unyielding sense of needing to please the one that sired you whilst in others it doesn't really matter. Vampires can also compel humans to do things in most folklore also."
He placed Leo's mug in front of him and then sat down opposite placing his mug down also.
"The only ways to kill a vampire inc-"
"Ok, Ok!" Leo stopped him. "You are very well versed in vampirism! I give, I give!"
Smiling contentedly Philippe took a sip from his own mug.
"*"
Back upstairs Selena and Karlia had devised a plan to divide and conquer. Praising the tests that Philippe had set her when it came to potions Karlia had set about making some standard ones that she now knew off by heart. Selena meanwhile had been on book-duty looking up werewolves.
"Nothing…nothing… she muttered flicking by. "Nothing…Windigo, ok not exactly a werewolf…nothing…nothing…"
She looked upwards.
"You know a little help would be very much appreciated!" she yelled out.
"Oh, sorry Selena," Karlia replied not seeing her look upwards. "I thought you wanted me t-"
She stopped as she noticed the pages of the book begin to move very quickly on their own.
"Whoa!"
"Yeah," Selena replied. "Didn't mean you K, back to potions. Go-go!"
As Karlia went back to what she was doing Selena waited for the book to stop turning its pages. It had been going for a while now and still nothing.
Suddenly with a loud snap the book closed itself.
"What the hell?" Selena asked.
"What?" Karlia asked, though this time she didn't even look up from what she was doing.
"Well, the book sort of shut itself which isn't normal!" she whined. "Normally it stops at the page we need! LEO!"
At once Leo orbed in.
"What Selena?" he asked panicked.
"The book did its page flipping thing," she started. "But then it just closed shut! What's with that?"
Leo moved over to the book and put his hands above it. It glowed and began to flick again though this time much more quickly. One again it snapped shut.
"What does it hate us now?" Selena asked offended.
"Have we used it too much?" Karlia asked. "It could be low on battery."
"No guys," Leo frowned. "As unprecedented as this is, the book shut because werewolves…are not in the book."
"What?!" Selena screamed. "How is that even possible?"
"The girls never faced werewolves in their time," came the voice of Philippe who had raced up to the attic after Leo orbed out. "I mean Piper was a Windigo but that's not exactly what we're after."
"Ok you," Selena said glaring at Philippe. "Zip it."
She then turned to Leo.
"You, what the hell do we do now?"
"Well there's the internet, there's these books here," Leo replied looking at the shelves filled with books. "Or there's the walking witchepidia over there who seems to know all the answers."
As much as Selena hated how much Philippe knew, Leo was actually smiling as he said it showing he meant it as a compliment.
"Internet – too much time. Books –urgh!" Selena replied. "Ok Philippe, you're up."
Philippe gave Leo another one of the looks he had earlier, but if anything Leo's smile just increased.
"Werewolves," Philippe began through gritted teeth. "Or Lycanthropes as they are alternatively known…"
Selena rolled her eyes, while Karlia bit back a laughing attack.
Leo meanwhile continued to gaze at Philippe transfixed on the knowledge this young man had. Indeed it was as though he, himself, had jumped out of the biggest book of shadows that had ever existed.
"Are so to say humans, with the ability to transform into wolves. Often times it is because they are placed under a curse and therefore they are forced to transform under the light of the full-moon. Where as in rare occasions some werewolves can transform at will. Like with vampires…" he looked at Leo smiling before continuing.
"Werewolves also have a lust for blood. Though it is not as much as a vampire has, it does exist. The Alpha, otherwise known as the head of the pack, turns them and they are indebted to him or her no matter what, unlike vampires where the lore varies. Werewolves generally run in packs which are exclusive to other members turned by the same alpha. There are a few ways to be turned but the three most common are cursed, scratched and bitten by another. The most r-"
"Stop IT!" Selena cried out. "For one thing you are going way too fast and for another, good got it you can be on wolf patrol."
"I'm more interested to know," Karlia chimed in standing very quickly. "Why Philippe kept linking wolves to vampires!"
"Really?" Selena asked spinning around quickly to face Karlia. "That's what you want to know?"
"Well it is valid," Leo started.
"How?" Selena asked biting back.
"Because Selena," Philippe replied through gritted teeth. "Leo and I saw Katya and-"
"You saw her?!" Karlia asked wondering how they had not said anything until now.
"Yes Karlia," Philippe replied again through gritted teeth. "And she was working with vampires."
"Ok so Werewolves and Vampires?" Selena asked. "Damn this woman needs a hobby!"
"What she needs we can't give her," Karlia replied walking over to Selena and nudging her. "Am I right?"
Philippe rolled his eyes. Sure humor was a good thing, a great thing in fact. But now when they needed to get back to Katya and stop her from grabbing the emerald jewel it was so not needed.
"Ok so are we ready?" Leo asked. "There's less than 4 hours left till daylight guys!"
"Well we didn't find the werewolf in the book so no potion, what do you think?" Selena snapped.
"Karlia what potions are those?" Leo enquired, now gazing upon the ones she had finished making and corked into vials.
"Freeze, reveal, scolder and truth," Karlia replied.
Philippe couldn't help but think back to the test he had given Karlia days after she had become a member of the power of three. As Selena hated making potions and Philippe preferred research, Karlia was more than happy to make them herself but Philippe needed assurity that she could actually make them. Especially considering that one wrong ingredient or one gram over the specified amount, could easily spell disaster.
"Did you remember the sunflower seeds?" Philippe replied smiling.
When he had taken Karlia through her potions tests she had mastered freeze, reveal and scolder. But when Karlia had thrown a truth potion at him and asked what man she had met the night before, meaning Alec, Philippe had replied it was a beautiful woman with red hair and smashing stilettos. Therefore Karlia had passed the test for the others but the lack of sunflower seeds had led to failing the truth potion.
"Yes Philippe," she smiled. "A pinch of sunflower seeds."
Philippe smiled satisfied turning back to Leo who continued.
"Ok combine freeze, reveal, scold and truth into 4 different vials and use that."
Karlia went straight to work.
"Selena as you suggested and you're right, Philippe will go on wolf patrol with you. Look around for one, use the potion and interrogate."
"Done and done," Selena agreed, picking up 2 of the newly created potions and tossing one to Philippe.
"Karlia and I will go back inside the mansion where we'll re-locate Katya and her…friends," he finished in disdain. "Hopefully we'll stop her from getting the jewel."
Karlia smiled at this. She had never worked alone with Leo before and was interested to see what he was like one on one. As someone who loved playing cupid she figured she may even be able to push Leo towards Philippe, or at the very least find out if they would make a good fit for each other.
"Ok then-" Leo started waving his hands to beckon them.
As with earlier, Philippe bounded towards Leo as though the first to get there would win his heart for good and wrapped his arms around Leo's middle.
Shocked as Leo was, he couldn't help but smile at this.
"Ok, I see Philippe's ready," he chuckled. "Ladies?"
As Karlia placed her hand over her mouth to muffle the laughter she once again try to hide, the girls grabbed a hold of Leo's arms and he orbed them all out of the attic.
"*"
The moment Leo orbed them back to the mansion Selena and Philippe headed back off to the woods while Leo re-orbed with Karlia back into the mansion.
"Urgh, you know I'm kind of getting sick of this whole magic thing," Selena mentioned as they walked.
"What three weeks enough for you?" Philippe laughed.
"More then," Selena replied. "I mean when are we going to have time for our normal lives?"
"We do," Philippe answered. "What your lunch date with Matt not ringing any bells? Ouch!"
As with Selena earlier, Philippe was finding out just how difficult it was to get to the wooded section of the mansion.
"Oh yeah, careful branches," Selena warned, not being able to help a little smile that appeared on her face.
"But what about everything else. We've already had to drop out of school and Karlia can't be the only one getting an income. She had to skip work tonight as it is."
Philippe reminisced about their time at school. The pair of them had signed up for a psychology course and had completed just over a year of the 3 years needed to get their degrees. However once assigned power of three status they agreed that it was no longer feasible to keep going. Neither of them worked as she'd said and Philippe had already secretly been worrying about this.
"No, she had her date with Alec tonight anyway," Philippe reminded her. "So she had already taken the night off."
"Ok, but that still leaves us," Selena reminded. "And what about love? Karlia and I seem to be finding it what about you?"
Instantly an image of the perfect life with Leo including; a white-picket fence, a huge flat-screen TV and a couch by the fire with Philippe's head in Leo's lap appeared in his mind.
He shooed it away. After all, now was not the time to be thinking about himself. And besides with personal gain being a huge worry for Philippe, what would be more personal then falling for and dating your very own white-lighter? Sure Piper did it and Philippe couldn't have been anymore happy for them then he had been, but for one thing that was the past and for another, as much as he hated to think about it, Piper, was a woman. Who knew how the elders would look down on a gay-relationship between witches and white lighters?
They might be all benevolent, but then again he couldn't help but fear them going all catholic on his ass and either taking Leo away, or worse vanquishing him for sinning.
No, Philippe thought to himself for what felt like the millionth time.
The Power of Three must come first.
"Don't worry about little old me," Philippe he eventually replied. "I'll be fine Selena."
"Psh-yeah," Selena mocked. "Tell that to Leo."
Philippe stopped walking, placed his hands on his hips and to ensure the elders could hear him yelled back at his friend.
"For your information there is no Leo," he confirmed. "We're not together in any sense other than white lighter and charge."
"Really?" Selena replied. "I thought you liked him."
As much as it killed Philippe to not acknowledge Selena's truthful accusation, Philippe spat out the one thing that despite breaking his heart even more, he knew he had to say.
"No Selena, he's ah…not my type."
Selena frowned in confusion as the pair continued to walk. It didn't take much longer for them to get to the wooded area and now face to face with an opportunity to not discuss Leo, Philippe imagined freezing his heart before turning to Selena.
"Is this where she spotted the werewolf?" Philippe asked.
"No," Selena snarled, realizing Philippe was done talking about Leo. "It's a little further."
As Selena moved the next branch away from herself the feeling of anger switched off and the woods around her became darker than before.
She'd only had a few, but she knew now that she was having a premonition.
In the premonition Selena saw Karlia and Alec standing in the power-port living room while Philippe and Leo were seated on the couch and Matt was seated next to her in a chair. As Karlia kissed Alec to cheers from everyone else Selena couldn't help but smile. It was a happy premonition which was odd, but she wasn't complaining. Then once they were done kissing, Karlia announced that it was Leo and Philippe's turn and without hesitation the pair kissed to 'oooh's' 'ahhh's' and romantic whistling.
As soon as the premonition was over, Selena came back to and Philippe looked down at her nervously as she realized she was now on the ground.
"Ah, premonition?" Philippe asked skeptically.
"Yeah," Selena replied wondering how in the world she was going to spin this so as not to advise Philippe.
"*"
Back inside the mansion Karlia and Leo were walking as quickly as they could towards the room where Leo had spotted Katya earlier. This proved to be very difficult as they had to be extra quiet considering that there were now beings with superior hearing working with her.
"Ok here's the stairs," Leo whispered remembering the black rail and the golden finish. "So when we last saw her she was just down there."
The pair slowly made their way down the stairs, but unlike last time there came no noise at all from the room on the right.
"I don't think anyone's in there," Karlia said.
Leo rubbed his chin clearly in thought.
"Well that's where she was," he replied.
"Can't you like sense her or something?" Karlia asked recalling how he had been able to sense things in his past.
"Not with demons I can't," Leo replied. "Only with witches or innocents."
"Innocents…" Karlia mused. "Wow, been a while since I heard that word."
"Don't say that too loudly," Leo replied. "They'll be back in need very soon."
Karlia rolled her eyes, turned on her heel and marched off towards the left. Leo followed her. It wasn't so much that she didn't want to help the innocent but more that it would disrupt the life she now had. Now that she was looking towards settling down with Alec life was looking good. When she added in the fact that she was looking at a promotion at work to become manager, even better. But when they took so much of her life away that she hadn't even had a chance to inform Philippe and Selena of this she knew it was going to become the norm to put her life on pause for potentially the rest of her life.
On and on the mansion went. They passed by a beautiful living area with mahogany floors and old fashion styled couches all of which were not to Karlia's taste at all.
"Bit old fashioned isn't it?" she asked, turning her nose up. "Glad I don't live here."
"Philippe loved it!" Leo replied. "Said it was like being invited to see the Queen!"
"Yeah well I'm no royalist," Karlia replied. "Besides I thought Philippe would prefer something a little darker than this. All it is, is Pink, Pink, Pink! Urgh, get with the times people!"
But she couldn't help but smile at Leo mentioning her friends name.
They passed into the next room which turned out to be a bedroom. In Karlia's opinion this was much nicer. The floors were still the same mahogany shade as before, however a gorgeous four poster bed lay against the middle of the wall on one side, facing a 120 inch flat screen TV. The bed lay on a raised platform compared to the rest of the room while a raised white ceiling and arched windows with heavy red drapes completed the look.
"And this…" Karlia announced, not being able to help herself as she flopped onto the bed. "Is where you guys would find me once you were done with her royal highness. I just need the remote."
She looked around but couldn't find it anywhere. Looking up she noticed Leo frowning at her.
"Ok come on buzz-kill," she spat, quickly jumping off the bed and flattening the now creased sheets. "Just because you didn't find this place with Philippe!"
"Philippe?!" Leo questioned. "What's he got to do with this room?"
"You know," Karlia rolled her eyes. "Boudoir…you and Philippe…"
But Leo didn't respond or even have any reaction other than a confused look on his face. Karlia's eyes widened when she realized he had no idea what she was on about.
As though to keep up their pace, Leo hastened towards the exit.
"So…there is no you and Philippe?" she asked as she quickly walked to catch up with him.
"Honestly," Leo replied. "Don't tell anyone, I was kind of hoping there would be but…"
"But what?" Karlia asked frustrated.
From what little she had observed the pair would make a perfect match. Leo was generous, attractive, kind and well a literal angel. Philippe being informative, cunning and furiously lovable, made the pair in Karlia's mind.
"Well, I don't think he likes me," Leo smiled. "Guess I'm just not his type."
Leo smiled quickly and the pair pushed open the door to the next room which was a study decked out in nothing but matching mahogany.
"Not his type?" Karlia pressed. "Then pray tell why he dreamed about you? And not white lighter you, but boyfriend you."
Karlia recalled waking up early that morning to Philippe mumbling something and so had peeked into his room. She could easily make our the lovey-dovery coo of Philippe mumbling 'Leo…leo…'.
Leo, who was looking at an old file on the study's mahogany desk, whirled around.
"What?" he asked curiously. "He dreamed about me?"
Karlia noticed the small spots of red colour in his cheeks and so she continued.
"Oh yeah," she replied casually. "One of the perks of sleeping next door to a man that talks in his sleep."
Leo beamed. Maybe there was a chance, even a remote one in making something happen between them after all. He had been so sure that Philippe wasn't interested. After all there were just so many signs. But if he was dreaming about him, maybe Freud's suggestion that dreams are the unconscious desires, held some faith for the white lighter.
"So, what you got there?" Karlia asked, noticing the file Leo was looking at moments ago.
"Oh," Leo replied shaking his head quickly and looking back at the file. "It's a file on Bloodworth, I was hoping it may lead us t-"
"YOU SAID IT WOULD BE HERE!" came a loud scream from somewhere very nearby. "IF WE DON'T FIND IT BY TONIGHT IT WILL BE GONE, DO YOU GET THAT?!"
"O…K…," Karlia replied to no one in particular. "Guess we found Katya."
"*"
Back at the woods Selena and Philippe heard a noise coming from somewhere off in the darkened trees.
"Ah, Selena…" Philippe started warily. "What was that?"
"Sounded the same as before," Selena said. "Werewolf?"
"I don't know," Philippe replied. "I wasn't here with you!"
Selena was startled by his response, but decided to shelve her reaction for a later time.
"Ok so how to lure it out?" Selena wondered. "Any ideas?"
Philippe smiled. He had a few.
"Here wolfie, wolfie, wolfie," he cooed.
"You have got to be kidding me," Selena replied. "You're basically saying 'come bite us cute puppy', I don't know about you but I don't exactly want to be bitten!"
"Ok well I have another idea," Philippe confessed even more warily then before. "But you're not going to like it."
He knew Selena would hate what he was about to do. Freak out at worst, but at most probably hit him and call for Leo, which was all he needed right now.
"Just do it and do it fast," Selena replied. "The sooner we deal with it the sooner we can leave. Besides, the sun will be up soon."
Philippe didn't need telling twice, especially since she had now granted him permission. So without a moment's hesitation he took an atheme out of his pocket.
"What in the world?" Selena asked. "How'd y-"
But before she could go any further Philippe quickly sliced a shallow cut along his arm. It wasn't too deep but from the cut blood poured out instantly.
"What the hell?!" Selena demanded. "Philippe, what are you doing?"
"It's called bait Selena," Philippe replied walking slowly towards the wolf with his arm down allowing the blood to drip.
"Yeah but-" Selena started. "AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Instantly smelling the blood, the werewolf came charging at them. Fortunately Philippe was ready for this and quickly extended his fingers, freezing the animal.
"ARE YOU CRAZY!" Selena scolded.
"You said to do whatever I needed to do," Philippe replied taking out the vials from earlier. "Are you going to throw or am I?" he asked.
"This thing is HUGE," Selena replied still in shock over Philippe's barbaric act. "Let's both throw one each."
"On three," Philippe instructed having no idea when his freeze would wear off.
"One…two…three!"
Selena and Philippe threw a vial each at the werewolf who instantly unfroze and then owing to the potion started changing back into a human. The wolf started roaring out so loud, Philippe feared it would alert Katya. But almost too soon it turned back into an all naked man who screamed out at the top of his lungs.
"Oh yeah," Philippe recalled back to his readings. "I forgot they're naked when then transform back."
Selena meanwhile said nothing.
Philippe looked at her and assuming she was in shock turned back to the wolf.
"Ok, we're not going to hurt you," he said trying to sound authoritative although failing miserably as he shook with every step he took. "Here's a jacket, put it on."
And removing his own jacket, Philippe flung it at the human.
Once he'd put it on, the human turned around to face them and Philippe froze him instantly. He was just about to instruct Selena on what to do next, when he noticed she still hadn't moved.
"Ok Selena… hello!" He called out racing back over to her. "Look I know this is all weird and everything, but we need to keep going. Come on!"
He yanked at her arm to pull her closer to the wolf-now-human. But Selena stood her ground, she wasn't going anywhere.
"Selena, the sun is coming up soon like you said come-" Philippe started.
"Philippe," Selena interrupted him trembling. "Th-th-that's Matt!"
"*"
Bet you didn't expect that huh?
So now Selena has to not only deal with Matt by finding out what he's up to, but she also has to deal with the fact that he's a wolf and in league with Katya.
So what did you think of the chapter? How do you think Matt being a wolf will affect Selena? Do you think Philippe can sort out his issues with loving Leo? Do you think Selena's premonition will come true? And what will happen now that Karlia and Leo have found Katya?
Please leave a review and let me know.
Next time on the Power of Three: While Selena is forced to come face-to-face with Matt being a werewolf…
(Selena): "Difficult?!, No difficult is knowing you've lost a grand and a half on tuition because you're a power of three member!"
(Philippe, whining): "Leo…help."
(Leo): "Selena-"
(Selena): "He's my date Leo!"
Karlia gets her first face-to-face with the demon Katya.
(Katya, menacingly): "So which witch are you?"
(Karlia): "Think you're ready to take on the Power of Three?"
(Katya, impressed): "Maybe if we knew each other during that 24 hour window…"
(Karlia): "Yeah I don't think so…you're nothing but a crappy d-"
And Philippe comes face-to-face with Matt…and Leo.
(Matt, nicely): "Witch?"
(Philippe, smiling): "Yeah and trust me, a neutral one when it comes to wolves."
(Leo): "Let's get him back to the Power Port-"
(Philippe, snapping): "He's a wolf Leo! He's not going to die from ultra-rays!"
But it's what Karlia's about to go through that will take the story to another level yet again.
(Katya, to someone): "Oh Constant! Constant!"
(Karlia): "You have got to be kidding me! What the hell are you doing?!"
BEAT-BEAT-BEAT-BEAT…..WHAT-DID-KARLIA-SEE?
All new Power of Three next week.