Phoebe quietly unlatched the kitchen door. The sun was shining, and she was in no mood to be lectured for staying out all night. But Grams was already at the kitchen table when Phoebe entered, drinking coffee with Prue.
Phoebe put on her best expression of fake cheer. "Wow, you guys are up early. I was just taking a morning stroll…" she said. "Oh my God! Prue! Did Roger pop the q–"
"No, he didn't," she said tightly. "But that's not important right now."
"When I came home last night, Piper wasn't here," said Grams.
Phoebe put her hand to her heart. "Oh my God. She's missing?"
"No, she was abducted by aliens," said Prue, shaking her head. "Jesus, Phoebe, are you still drunk?"
"No, but please feel free to attack me, Prue." Phoebe put her hands on her hips, rolling her eyes. "I know how that always makes you feel better."
"Girls, don't fight," Penny said, the words coming out as easily as they had for the last twenty years. She'd preferred the scenarios she'd dealt with back then, when Patty's girls were barely taller than her waist, and much easier to control.
Penny hadn't told Prue that she had come home to find the front door open, and blood on the parlor floor. Penny came to the most logical conclusion: vampire.
But what could she tell the girls? If Penny were to tell them about their family history, their magical lineage over anxious cups of coffee at six in the morning… this wasn't the time. There would be a better time, when all three girls were ready to hear about their Charmed destiny.
"Come on, girls, this is Piper we're talking about," said Penny. "I'm sure she's fine. Maybe she went out and ended up having too much fun? You aren't the only one who can stay out all night, Phoebe." Penny thought she might get a laugh out of her, but Phoebe looked guiltily at her shoes. "Let's give her a few more hours. If we don't hear from her, then we'll call the police."
She sipped her coffee, ignoring the looks of confusion and disbelief Prue and Phoebe exchanged. "For now, let's just try to get through the day."
Prue went to work; Phoebe took a shower and went to bed. Penny headed up to the attic, where she drew a circle in chalk, and placed five white candles at equidistant points. She went to the Book of Shadows and recited a familiar spell:
"Hear these words, hear my cry,
Spirit from the other side.
Come to me, I summon thee,
Cross now the great divide."
Inside the circle appeared Patty, as young and beautiful as the day she died. "Piper," she said, her eyes glistening with tears. "Oh, Mother, I saw everything."
"Was she killed? Or–"
Patty shook her head. "No. Leo sired her as one of his own."
Penny cursed under her breath. The vampires in San Francisco tended to stay away from the witches, as both sides preferred it. Even so, many witches were familiar with Leo, one of the Queen's emissaries who'd been serving as her public face for decades. "What did he want with Piper?"
"I don't know! He tricked her into letting him inside, and then…" Patty couldn't speak, dissolving into sobs for a moment.
Penny put her face in her hands, unable to watch her daughter so upset. "What will I tell the girls?"
"There's still time," Patty said. "Piper hasn't fed from a human. The transformation isn't complete. Mother, please; don't let her live a half life as a killer."
"But you're perfectly fine letting me live the rest of my life as one? Living with the knowledge that I had to put a stake through my granddaughter's heart?" Penny broke off, turning away from Patty. She clutched her chest, and pressed her other hand on the Book for support.
"Are you alright? Your heart–"
Penny turned back around, clenching her teeth in pain. "I'm fine, I'm fine. But I just had a thought: maybe I could write a spell… to cure her. Restore her before she takes a life." Patty and Penny's eyes met with fervid hope. "Hopefully there's still time. If I'm right about this… Blessed be, daughter." She knelt down and blew out one of the pentagram's candles. Patty disappeared, and Penny hurried over to the Book of Shadows.
-transition-
Piper slowly opened her eyes. Where was she, and how had she come to be here? And as Piper became used to her surroundings, a new question: why was she upside down? Somehow, she was clinging to the ceiling but not falling…
Footsteps approached. "You're awake." A shadowy figure entered her line of sight from below. He snapped his fingers, and dim candlelight illuminated the craggy walls.
New instincts kicked in: Piper released her hold on the ceiling and flew down to the floor, landing on her feet. "Whoa," she said, stumbling slightly.
Leo took her hands, steadying her. "Look at you, a natural." He settled her down onto his bed. "Don't exert yourself too much, you're weak… I nearly drank you dry."
"Leo?" Piper was more confused than ever. What happened between the time he kissed me and now? "Where am I?"
"San Francisco," he said. "Just below it, actually." He patted her cheek. "Let me explain. This–" He stood and gestured to their surroundings. "–is Čachtice, home of the vampires. I am a vampire. And so are you– or at least, you will be, once you feed."
Piper laughed faintly. "Vampires aren't real." But even as she spoke, she remembered Leo's teeth in her throat. She reached to touch her neck, but there was no bite mark.
"Your body's healing itself," he explained. "Preparing for the transition. Don't worry, you'll understand soon. Everything you are, everything you've become." He sat down on the bed beside her. "You're hungry, aren't you?"
He knew. Piper nodded. "But… not hungry for food," she said. "I want blood…don't I?"
"Yes." Leo's smile grew. "And when you finally get a sip, all of your questions will be answered."
"When?"
"After sundown. There's still some time to go. Remember, you're a nocturnal animal now."
"But who will I feed on?"
Leo grinned. "Oh, that's the best part: I was thinking about the remaining residents of 1329 Prescott Street."
It took Piper a moment to comprehend what Leo was saying. "My sisters?"
"Yes. You remember them, don't you? The girls who left you alone to get drunk and have sex with their boyfriends?" Piper looked away from him, her eyes suddenly stinging with tears. "I could tell from the moment I laid my eyes on you, that you're the sister who cleans up after everyone. The caretaker. The one whom everyone steps on, over and over again, until you don't know how to stand up for yourself anymore."
"They never appreciated me," Piper whispered.
"No," Leo agreed, "but if only they could see you now… Strong. Powerful. Immortal." He ran his hand up her arm, her shoulder, cradling her cheek. "Beautiful."
"You mean that?"
"Every word."
Piper grinned at Leo; a sexy, seductive smile she'd never had the nerve to wear when she was alive. "How do you feel?" he said.
"Good," she said. "But…" Could she say it? Yes, thought Piper, as she felt what remained of her human naiveté fade away. "There's one thing that could make me feel even better." Piper curled her index finger towards her.
Leo's gaze was thick with a raw desire that mirrored Piper's. He grabbed her and drew her close, kissing her hungrily. Piper let out a sigh as Leo's kisses dipped down her neck: it had been a long time since she'd made love, and her body was starving to be touched.
Until the sun went down, Piper was happy to let Leo attempt to satisfy her appetite in this way…
-transition-
"–brown hair, brown eyes…oh, I'm not sure how tall she is."
It was early evening. Phoebe was on the phone when Grams entered the kitchen. Prue, still in her office clothes, sat at the kitchen table watching her baby sister like a hawk. "I think five-two? Prue, do you know?"
"Who is she talking to?" Grams asked Prue, who was drumming her hands on the table nervously.
"The police," said Prue.
Grams rushed over to Phoebe and hung up the phone, her heart pounding in her chest.
"Grams!" said Prue, rising to her feet. "What are you doing?"
"It's been hours since we've heard from her! The cops might be able to do something," said Phoebe.
"The police don't need to be involved! I know how to find Piper. You girls just need to trust me." Grams dashed over to the spice cabinet, grabbed a few ingredients, and hurried out.
"What was that?" said Phoebe, stunned.
Prue crossed her arms, frowning. "I have no idea."
-transition-
"What time is it?" asked Piper as she pulled her sweater back on.
Across from her in his armchair, clad only in his jeans, Leo glanced down at his watch. He grinned. "Just about sundown."
She nervously smoothed her hair with her fingertips. "I can't wait."
"Just relax," Leo said. He pulled on his shirt. "You're only innocent once."
"But I'm starving. I feel like I've been waiting for this moment my whole life." Piper caught a smirk crossing Leo's lips. "What are you smiling at?"
"I was just thinking of my first time."
Leo beckoned her closer, and she slid onto his lap. "Tell me about it."
The vampire's gaze went hazy as he stared off into the distance. "It was better than you can possibly imagine. Danger, excitement, the warm glow you feel afterwards. There's nothing like it." He blinked, meeting Piper's gaze again and returning to the present. He stroked her cheek, outlining her lips with the tip of his finger. "This is the first night of eternity. But before we can start a life together, we have to kill your old one. Are you ready?"
"Yes," said Piper. But not without a moment of hesitation first.
Leo caught it, and shook his head. He kissed her softly, pulling away enough so their lips just lingered against one another's. "Don't worry. You will be."
-transition-
Penny tossed a fistful of herbs into the cauldron. There was a pop of smoke as she began to recite the new incantation:
"With these words, I remove Death's sting.
With this spell, life I bring.
Take this creature of the night,
and bring her back into the light."
Penny placed a poppet doll with a P written across its chest into the potion, just as two bats landed on the Halliwells' doorstep and shape shifted.
Piper moved to knock on the door, but stopped, pressing her hand to her chest. "What is it?" said Leo.
"I don't feel so good," she said.
Leo looked up towards the attic window; potion steam streamed out in white puffs. He scowled. "Go inside, say hi to your sisters. I'll meet you downstairs." He transformed, and flew upstairs.
Phoebe and Prue sat on the couch, watching the TV screen without really seeing it, when the doorbell rang. "I'll get it," said Phoebe.
When she opened the door, she let out a sigh of relief. "Piper!" Phoebe threw her arms around her. "Oh my God! Where have you been?"
-tr-
Grams tossed a handful of amaranth powder into the cauldron with a sizzle, not noticing the bat on the windowsill. She gasped and clutched her chest when he took human form. "Aren't we busy making… something," said Leo. "What's the soup of the day?"
Penny waved her hand; Leo nearly flew out the window, but he grabbed the ledge and pulled himself back inside, catapulting himself squarely into the attic.
"Your parlor tricks don't impress me, witch, and neither does your spell." He batted the cauldron with the back of his hand, knocking it over and spilling its contents on the floor. "Oops."
In a flash of speed Leo was behind Penny, hands on her neck. Her heart was pounding unnaturally fast. "Scared, huh? Let me make it quick for you." He twisted Penny's neck, killing her instantly. With a satisfied snarl, Leo sunk his teeth into her.
-tr-
Downstairs, Phoebe couldn't stop smiling. She continued to hold Piper close. "I was so worried!"
Prue walked into the entryway, fixing her laser-sharp death glare on Piper. "Where were you? Do you have any idea how worried we've been?"
"Prue, come on, be nice," said Phoebe.
Normally that tone would've made Piper cringe; today, her older sister's words meant nothing. She could crush Prue like a bug if she wanted to, and the thought made Piper smile on the inside. "I'm sorry," she said, doing her best impression of her human self: overwhelmed and eager to please. "My friend Leo invited me out. One thing led to another– oh gosh, I didn't mean to worry you."
A clatter came from above. "Grams? Everything okay?" Prue called. When she got no answer, she headed upstairs. "I'll be right back. Grams?"
Phoebe watched Prue go, then turned back to Piper. "So who's this Leo?" said Phoebe, her relief morphing into girlish excitement. "I've never heard you talk about him before."
"Oh, he's a new friend," said Piper, twirling a finger through her hair, "but I think it's going to be pretty serious."
"Wow, really? I am so happy for you!" Phoebe's voice dropped, low and flirty. "What's he look like?"
Piper laughed quietly. "Don't worry, you'll get to meet him soon. He's upstairs murdering Grams."
Confusion, and revulsion, crossed Phoebe's features. "What? Piper—"
With one hand Piper gripped Phoebe by the neck and hoisted her into the air.
"Piper, what are you doing?" Her sister smiled, revealing her fangs. Phoebe shrieked.
-tr-
Prue burst into the attic and cried out something unholy when she saw a man tearing into Penny's neck. He looked up, revealing a mouth covered in blood and two puncture marks in Grams' throat. "Oh, good," he said, dropping Penny. "Another sister."
Prue dashed away from him, her heart slamming against her rib cage. She ran downstairs to the second floor, into her bedroom and shut the door. Prue turned– and found the man waiting there. He grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her close as if they were going to embrace. Pushing him away was like pushing a brick wall; he was impossibly strong. "My first Halliwell tasted so good, so don't mind me if I take my time bleeding you dry." He chomped into her neck; Prue screamed.
-tr-
Piper dropped Phoebe. Her sister hit the floor and scurried backwards on her hands until she hit a wall. "Oh my God! There's something seriously wrong with you. Your teeth–"
"Really?" Piper raised an eyebrow, walking towards her sister. "I've never felt better."
Phoebe's eyes darted every which way, looking for an escape but coming up empty. "Please, Piper, don't hurt me."
"Why not?" Piper said mockingly. "All my life you've been the wild one, the spontaneous one. I always wanted to be a little more like you… What does it taste like to be you, Phoebe?" Piper leapt onto Phoebe and sank her teeth into her forearm, spilling more Halliwell blood on the manor floor.
-tr-
When Leo pulled away from Prue's throat, she gasped for air. Her lungs burned. "Want to see something fun?" he whispered. "Of course you do." Leo hoisted Prue in his arms and brought her to the staircase. Prue whimpered, unable to form words.
Leo smiled as he grabbed the back of Prue's head and directed her line of sight towards the scene taking place downstairs: Piper on the floor, bent over Phoebe's neck.
Piper pulled her teeth out of Phoebe's arm with a gasp. Her lips were stained with blood, and she couldn't stop giggling. "Oh, Leo," she said. "Oh my God, you're right. She tastes so good." She licked her lips and almost hummed, her eyes rolling back with pleasure.
"Look at this," said Leo. "Look how much fun your sister and I are having already. And it'll be the last thing you ever see."
Leo dropped Prue, hard. She cried out as something in her chest cracked and broke. Everything felt too soft and bright and not quite real. Oh, God, thought Prue as her vision faded into black. I'm going to die.
Piper glanced at Leo as he descended down the staircase. Phoebe was sobbing quietly, trying to apply pressure to her open wound while crawling away. "Do you want a taste?" said Piper.
Leo rubbed a finger across his lips, diligently swiping up every stray blood drop before licking it clean. "I do, but… what I really want is to watch you enjoy her."
Grinning, Piper clamped her hands around Phoebe's ankles and dragged her back towards her. "As you wish," said Piper.
Phoebe tried to fight her off, kicking and screaming but Piper wrestled her onto her back before ripping into Phoebe's neck. Piper pressed her hand tightly against Phoebe's mouth, finally shutting up her baby sister once and for all.
Piper drank from Phoebe until she stopped yelling, until her heart stopped beating, until there wasn't a single drop of blood left. She removed her teeth from Phoebe's neck and stood, leaving the body on the ground. Piper gasped and keeled over as she felt the final transformation consume her: her heart stopped.
It hurt like hell, but as soon as it was over, Piper felt more alive than ever. Leo's hands came to rest around her shoulders. "Are you all right?"
She nodded and rose to her feet. Piper caught herself in the mirror: a glimpse of her fangs, her face covered in blood. A monster. She grinned.
She whirled around and pulled Leo into a long kiss. When Piper pulled him close, she bit his lip and dug her nails into his flesh; even though Phoebe had satisfied her craving, Piper was still hungry for Leo. Undead kissing didn't require breathing, either. I could handle a few centuries of this, she thought.
When he pulled away, his mouth was covered with Phoebe's blood. Leo licked it off slowly, grinning. "Look at you. Natural born killer," he said. "Where's the little girl from last night?"
"You killed her," she said. "Good thing you did: she needed to die. Come on, Leo. The night is young." On their way out, Piper swatted the photo of her and her sisters off the wall. The glass shattered into a million pieces as the vampires left the manor.
