With the front door locked, and the OPEN sign switched off, Cassie dropped her store key in her breast pocket and returned to the counter to finish the day's paperwork. It was one of the more enjoyable days she'd had in a long time. With Charlie's help, they'd set up a few displays and rearranged some other inventory, and whenever the opportunity presented itself, she'd let Charlie practice her powers to see what new tricks she could discover.

When Charlie conjured up two bottles of water for them during a break, Cassie thanked her as she unscrewed the cap, and asked, "How does your conjuring power work, anyway? Can you make anything appear?"

"Hmm," Charlie bit her lip, thinking, "No. I have to know where it is and what it is. Like these bottles? I could envision them in your fridge, and I wanted them, so… here they are. Same with Angel's equipment. I know it's in the van, and can call it up as we need." She took a sip from her bottle and continued, "But, let's say you wanted an apple from the corner market? While I know they have them, I have to be able to imagine a specific one, from what I'd seen…and if it was sold? Well, it wouldn't be in that spot in my mind's eye."

"Plus, that's stealing." Cassie teased.

"That, too." Charlie smiled, "So basically, if I know where it is, and I need it, I can call it to me."

"That is so cool." Cassie took another sip.

They continued to try things as they could during the day, and soon they realized that not only could Charlie conjure items she needed out of thin air, but she could also manipulate the Earth's atmospheric electrical currents, causing the lights in the store to flicker on and off. Cassie mused how similar this was to many horror stories where the monster's presence affected objects and lights.

As it neared closing time, Cassie received Angel's call and his request for Charlie to get ready for their date. Cassie asked for dinner and then ushered an excited Charlie upstairs to go get cleaned up. Now, all Cassie needed to do was paperwork, the most unexciting part of her day.

Picking up her pen, Cassie began to write in totals from the day's sales when her cell phone rang. Checking the caller I.D. she saw Angel was calling again. Smirking, she scooped up the phone and answered in a teasing tone, "Did you forget what I ordered, already?"

"Cass…", Angel's raspy voice sounded gargled and distant.

"Kevin?" She gripped the phone tightly, "What's wrong?"

Silence.

"Kevin!?" Cassie's voice stammered.

"Park. Demon. Charlie. Dying."

Only the most important words came through and Cassie swallowed hard. She knew exactly what had happened, "Fuck! Hold on, brother, please! I'll get Charlie! Stay where you are, she'll find you!" Keeping Angel on the phone, Cassie knew all she had to do to get Charlie's attention was scream, "CHARLIE! HELP!" Cassie ran for the side door, thanking the Goddesses, she heard fast footfalls bounding down the hallway's stairs. Cassie pulled the door handle at the same time Charlie, in her black T-shirt and red silk panties—as she was in the middle of getting ready to shower—pushed from the other side.

Charlie caught herself before bowling Cassie over. "Cassie! Are you okay!?"

"It's Kevin! He's hurt! BAD!"

"Where!?" Cassie was glad Charlie didn't mince words.

"In the city park, four miles north of here. He's been attacked by a demon, and he's in bad shape! You have got to get him back here! Anyway you can!"

Without a word, Charlie spun on her heels and ran for the front door. Cassie ran out just in time to see her disappear from view, and the door opened by itself. Lifting the phone to her ear, Cassie assured her brother, "She's on her way." Silence answered her. "Angel? ANGEL!?" Cassie held back her tears, praying that Charlie would make it, and ran up the stairs to the apartment to prepare for their return.

Charlie tore out the door and jumped into the air, and pulled forth her demon form as she cleared the city street of cars and landed on the sidewalk on the other side, her cloven hooves loud against the cobblestone sidewalk. Frustrated by the number of tourists still out and about, Charlie had to weasel her way through the various groups, occasionally bumping into someone or knocking over a trash can, but she didn't care about the reactions she heard from people surprised by the mysterious events and clopping sounds of her feet that followed her. With her senses fully opened, Charlie picked up speed as she headed for the park. Though she had never been there before, she trusted Cassie's directions and sniffled the air as she moved, searching for Angel's unique and familiar scent.

The distance shortened quickly once Charlie got clear of the French Quarter and into the quieter neighborhoods between the shop and the park, and thankfully it didn't take long to get a bead on Angel's location. Her heart beating almost as fast as she ran, Charlie blinked away the tears that had gathered at the sides of her eyes, focusing instead on finding and saving the man she loved.

Entering the south entrance of the park, Charlie skidded to a stop. She took a deep breath, analyzing the endless scents that poured into her nostrils. Her eyes snapped open as she collected his scent, nearby. Breaking into a sprint, she raced in his direction and within moments came upon Cassie's car. The front of it was wedged against one of the bridge's support pillars, the radiator hissing as fluid spilled onto the ground. Darkness now prevailed, but it mattered little to Charlie's incredible eyesight. Easily, she spied blood on the pavement and followed it up the slight incline to a tangle of bushes and undergrowth. Frightened, Charlie ran up the slight incline, "Angel!?

A shuffle of movement answered her, and she ripped the brush away and gasped sharply at the sight of Angel's mangled body, "No! No-no-no-no-no!"

Charlie dropped to her knees next to him as pure terror gripped her soul, "Angel, baby!? Talk to me, please!"

Only moans of deep pain answered her, and she cried, frantically pulling him into her arms, "Angel! Please! Stay with me! Fuck! Your back!"

Blood seeped onto her hands as she carefully cradled Angel's body, which felt cooler than it should. Shaking and panicking, Charlie shook her head hard, "Tell me what to do! I can't think! Angel, please help me. What am I going to do? I can't carry you. Your body is too damaged!

"Stop…" Angel managed to get out, "bleed…ing. Apply…pressure to…wound."

Carefully setting Angel down and rolling him to his stomach, Charlie pulled her black T-shirt quickly over her head, feeling the amulet clip her chin, and exposing her breasts since she'd gone without a bra for the day. Carefully, she pressed the black T-shirt against his back, as per Angel's instructions, which caused Angel to hiss in agonizing pain and shiver. Charlie cringed as he then threw up, a mix of vomit and blood pooling in the dark grass below him.

Charlie screamed, "HELP! PLEASE HELP ME! I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO!" Charlie couldn't see anymore, eyes flooded by tears, and she held Angel tightly to her body, cradling him. "FUCK! Cassie, I need you!" She thought in desperation, "I want us back home, Angel. I want us in the apartment, safe, NOW!" Charlie screamed as her mind went blank, and she felt power swell inside her, a power she didn't recognize, and a vision of Cassie's living room flooded through her thoughts. She could see the room, the couch, the kitchen, and the soft beige walls, almost as if she were standing in Cassie's apartment right then.

"Cassie!" She begged for her friend to be there with her and felt shocked when she heard Cassie's voice, also coated in surprise, answer her.

"Charlie!? Angel!?" Cassie's voice came from behind Charlie, and she opened her eyes to find her and Angel on the floor in Cassie's living room.

Cassie froze for a split second in shocked surprise. The moment didn't last long, though, as Cassie grabbed the box that had been on the table and dropped down next to Charlie, gently but firmly pulling Angel out of her arms so that she could rest him on his stomach on the carpet.

"How?" Charlie croaked, her voice broken from her screams.

"You teleported." Was the only answer she got as Cassie Pulled bandage rolls from the box and thrust them into Charlie's hands, "Rip them into three foot long strands. Now!"

Without checking to see if Charlie was obeying, Cassie fished out a large vial, pulled open the stopper, and poured a green powder over Angel's back while whispering some sort of spell. Steam began to rise from the bloody wound, and Angel gasped and moaned, vomiting again. Cassie turned his head so he wouldn't drown in the spilling liquid. Reaching behind her, Cassie motioned for the strands, and Charlie silently handed them to her one by one. Cassie began draping them over the wounds, and Charlie watched as they began to adhere to his ragged skin in a strange way, cauterizing on contact.

"What is it doing?" Charlie's voice was panicked by Angel's pained response to the strands taking hold.

"The powder seeps into the wound and stops the blood from bleeding out, and the bandages are going to become like a new skin for a short time until I can diagnose how badly the wound is. Then I'm calling an ambulance."

"No." Angel's weak voice came from bloodied and puke-covered lips, "No hospital."

"Kevin," Cassie argued, "You are in very bad shape. My magic's slowing the hemorrhaging, but if we don't get you to a hospital, you're going to die."

"No hospital," Angel ordered and passed out.

Charlie choked in fear and moved in next to Cassie, reaching out to Angel. Cassie glared at her, "You're distracting me. I need you to leave!"

"What!?" Charlie's eyes bled red in defiance.

"I'm going to use more magics, Charlie, and some of them could affect you in ways I can't imagine, and you're in the way!"

Cassie crossed her arms and grabbed the hem of her green blouse, pulling it over her head and shoving it into Charlie's chest, "Cover up and get out. Now!" Cassie controlled her own fear and added with as much love as she could, "Please, darling, so we don't lose him!"

Charlie pushed herself away and slid back against the couch. Her demon eyes bore deep into Cassie's soul before she twisted to her feet and ran out of the apartment, crying, and ran for the roof. Cassie sighed softly, regretting having to send Charlie away, knowing how much she feared for Angel. But since he wouldn't let her call an ambulance, she would have to use stronger magic, and she wasn't lying. She really had no idea how Charlie would react to her if she got too close. Pushing her worries aside, Cassie went to work on saving her brother's life, her confidence shaken to the core.