A/N: PLEASE...Read and Review! I would like your feedback and to know that people are actually reading this.
Blond hair swung from side to side as the petite, young witch ran down the alley full force.
This was the closest she had come to catching up with the older woman in months. The killings still occurred, but had slowly begun to decrease and the public was slowly learning not to live in fear but cautiously watch their surroundings. Officials were still clueless and the press kept releasing tidbits on what had been discovered.
So far, it looked as if the killings were related to black market antiquity dealings. The police and FBI were working hand in hand –as much as they cared to, anyway—to track down the serial killer. Several antique shops had been investigated but as of yet nothing had been discovered in connection with the killings.
The sisters continued to research and track the murders for Billy, leaving the legwork to the younger woman since Paige was almost eight months along and Piper was about six and a half months pregnant.
Turning a corner, Billy ran straight into a wall and fell to her feet. She had done tones of legwork in this area and knew for a fact there should not be a wall there. So when said wall suddenly grabbed her, shaking her out of her self-involved thoughts, Billy was surprised to see a stunningly gorgeous—and tall—man holding her up.
"Sisters!" Billy barged into the Manor, ignoring the men she left trailing behind her.
The Halliwell Manor was a work of art to them as they looked at all of the antiques left behind from earlier generations. Photos from the early 1900s adorned the walls as they made their way up the stairs to the attic.
Piper and Paige were taking turns yelling and slapping Phoebe, who made the mistake of suggesting that they schedule joint c-sections. Because of the problems with Piper's last delivery and Paige's twin girls being big as well as multiples, their doctors had told them that c-sections were the safest option for delivering safe babies.
"What's going on in here," Billy demanded and broke the sisters' concentration; also completely forgetting the two strangers standing behind her.
"Uh, who are your friends Miss Billy," Piper asked and rubbed her belly.
"Oh, I finally caught a lead on our mystery woman," Billy said perking up. "I ran into them when I was following her but she got away. Piper, Paige, Phoebe, meet Duncan MacLeod and Richie," Billy said smacking the young man in his chest.
"And you brought them here because…" Paige waited for her charge to complete the missing information.
"Oh, uh well Duncan and Richie own antiques shops here in California and over in Europe and have connections with some very prestigious ones in New York and all around the country."
"So you brought antique dealers to the Manor?" Piper stared at Billy, as if trying to project her meaning telepathically as it seemed Billy was missing the meaning.
"We're more than just antique dealers," Duncan said, and the three Halliwell sisters were lured in by his brogue.
Phoebe, ever intrigued and always curious was the first to ask, "Then what are you?"
"We're Immortals," Richie answered and glanced sideways at the cute blond who had run straight into Mac's arms. That seemed to be the other man's shtick, and not for the first time –but definitely the most prominent—he found himself jealous.
"Hold up," Paige said. "Immortals," she drawled.
"Witches," Duncan rebutted.
"And this is related to our mystery woman how," Phoebe asked. "She's a witch, right?"
"Everything we've investigated indicates that the woman you are looking for is an immortal," Duncan said.
Stepping up from her perch on the table, Billy stepped in and explained. "Immortals share some kind of common genetic mutation. If it's not triggered, the person will live a normal human life."
"And how would one's immortality be triggered," Piper asked.
"A violent, tragic death," Duncan responded. "All immortals started this stage of our lives by ending their mortal ones."
"Just out of curiosity, how old are you?" Paige stood from her chair and walked around to face the two men.
"Well, I'm only in my thirties," Richie said. "I was only a baby, really, when I died. I've spent the last ten years building a life for myself here."
"And Mac is over four hundred years old," Billy added, unaware of Richie's face dropping.
"Four hundred?" Piper was flabbergasted.
"That's not the crazy part that makes these murders make sense," Billy said in her normal round about style. "Immortals believe that they exist to live in competition; they play the game."
"The game is basically a chase. Most of us believe the motto that there can be only one," Duncan said, looking around the attic at the family mementos he would love to put in his collection. Turning, he stared at the three sisters.
"Immortals can only be killed if their head is taken, resulting in the Quickening. When you kill another Immortal, it results in a transfer of power. It is intense, and it increases your strength exponentially. Whoever is the last one standing wins the prize, ultimate knowledge; power."
"So this woman; this immortal," Piper drew out, "is going after other immortals to win this game? And what, you want to get to her before she gets to you?"
"Some of us stay out of the game," Richie explained. "We just want to keep the peace and live our lives. What we think, is that other immortals are going after this woman because she must be very powerful. Those of us who have come near her and have avoided confrontation haven't had any kind of negative experience with her."
"The only thing we don't know is why this woman is garnering so much attention by our kind," Duncan said. "She seems to have come out of nowhere, so she must be a fairly new one."
"And how did you two find your way to Billy," Phoebe butted in.
"Well, we're in antiquities," Richie reiterated. "But we're always looking for things to put in our galleries. Investment pieces for the future," he told them. "I bought this piece from a new artist who is completely guarded and unknown. No one knows who she is."
"They were tracking her down through a courier," Billy interrupted. "They managed to find her at the same time as I did and we got in each other's way and she disappeared. We think this artist is their immortal."
"Okay," Paige said, "but how was she able to push you back through your projection?"
"Do immortals typically have supernatural powers," Phoebe asked.
"Some of us were men of faith in our mortal lives," Mac said. "Monks, Sorcerers, etc. It is possible to wield that kind of religious or spiritual power on in the next life but I've never heard of anyone being able to project another person through time and space."
"Hold on a minute," Paige said holding her belly. "Sorcerers…other human beings with magical abilities, can also be born with the gene to become an immortal," the youngest sister said mostly to herself. "So it is possible that a witch could die and become an immortal?"
"That would mean that we were still right about our mystery woman," Piper said following her sister's train of thought, "which means we have a place to start looking. We need to look for witches who have died recently."
"Are we really sure it's a witch," Phoebe asked. "Could a good witch really kill these people like this? I mean, they're not demons. They're people. Even if they are attempting to murder her, isn't there another way for her to avoid being killed without killing them?"
"Get real, Phoebs. A supernatural being comes at you with a sword and you what? Transport out, that way they can stalk you all over again," Paige said sarcastically.
"One of her portraits is entitled 'Muirn Beatha Dan'. It means a witches soul mate," Duncan explained.
"So what are we thinking," Billy asked. "She's a good witch who violently aborted me because she was trying to protect me or she's a wicked bitch who we need to take care of?"
"We don't want any harm to come to her unless it's necessary. We like to add to our group of friends," Richie told the sisters. "Allies we depend on when we encounter other immortals still playing the game, and it increases our ranks. We want to live peacefully as a community."
"Okay," Piper said. "We're looking for a witch who died a violent death –not like most of us don't or anything," the eldest muttered. "We have a slight physical description of a petite woman with black hair and she must be one powerful witch. Paige, can you go to the elders and ask them about recent deaths. If she's as powerful as we think then she didn't go down quietly. It must have been a very powerful demon she went up against."
"Demons," Richie questioned.
"Uh, like supernatural monsters from hell," Billy rambled. "Here, why don't you look through the Book of Shadows. Not exactly light reading but it will give you an idea of what we usually go up against."
"Plus, it might be awhile before I find anything out," Paige said. "It'll help keep you occupied," and before anyone explained to Duncan or Richie, Paige's body evaporated in luminescent points of swirling light, suspended in air as the hybrid made her way to the heavens.
"Do you guys eat? I'll make us lunch," Piper said, waddling as she exited the attic.
"Just when I thought our lives were becoming normal," Phoebe said and stood next to Duncan. "Anything you want to know in particular?"
The man was staring at family antiques; first edition novels, family journals and lore as well as jewelry. Reaching for a camera, Duncan turned to Phoebe. "I would love to have pieces like this for my shop. You're very lucky to have held onto these items. Most people don't know what they have before they throw it away."
"Well, family history is very important to us. Our Grams kept everything."
"You are the Charmed ones, aren't you?"
"So you've heard of us? Funny, there are no entries on immortals in our Book of Shadows."
"We don't usually make ourselves known to anyone else. It's how we've managed to survive, especially with the game. There are some, though, that we trust; lovers, who would keep our secret."
"How do you know about us?"
"I'm from Scotland. Magic was both condemned and praised there. Many came to the Americas to avoid religious persecution, and those who survived the witch trials here still communicated with our homeland. I never knew if the legends were true. I must admit, it's intriguing to meet your family."
"Well, something interesting is always going on in Halliwell Manor. If you want to go ahead and read through some of these, go ahead. It would be nice to know if there's anything in particular that should be safe guarded for future generations."
"Thank you."
"It's nothing," Phoebe smiled. "Billy, I'm gonna help Piper bring up that food. Keep our guests company, okay?"
The blond nodded and the older woman left to go find her sister.
Billy walked up to Richie. "What you looking at?"
Richie glanced at the young girl, peering over his shoulder. Inhaling, he noticed that she smelled of vanilla and sugar. "An entry on soul mates. I guess I never really thought that this stuff could be real."
"Yeah, but then again what would be the point in all this," Billy said philosophically, "if not to share this with someone else?"
Richie looked in her eyes. "I guess I just figured that once I became immortal that the possibility of spending forever with someone was gone. Always waiting for danger to come, it doesn't seem fair to put someone else at risk."
"Even if they can handle it," Billy expanded on his answer. "I know what you mean," she said and glanced down. "Then again, why would we be motivated to hold on to our lives if we have no one to share them with? I'm starting to believe that there is no escaping the bad, so why make it unbearable by denying yourself someone to love?"
"Yeah." Richie stared in her eyes, and suddenly he remembered something. "Is there a way to find out who our soul mates are?"
"There are probably spells," Billy answered. "Or we could make one. Why?"
"Duncan said the title of my painting meant a witch's soul mate. He's convinced that he knows her somehow. What if they're soul mates? Couldn't we use a spell to figure out who she is?"
Billy lit up with excitement and hugged Richie, who took what he could get and held her in his arm as she rocked them back and forth. "That is brilliant! I can't wait to tell the sisters," she said.
"Tell us what," Piper asked as she and Phoebe put trays down on the table.
"I think I know how to Id our mystery woman," she answered. "As long as Duncan doesn't mind, that is."
Mac looked back as he heard his name. Putting down the old fashioned camera he had felt drawn to, he made his way to the ladies. "If you know how to find her then I'm in. What do I have to do?"