CHAPTER 11
Phoebe turned slowly, examining the large apartment. It wasn’t as big as the penthouse she’d shared with Cole, but it was palatial by any standard. Faith wasn’t in view, so the witch wandered over to the expanse of windows and leaned against the glass, peering sightlessly over the Bay.
“You don’t seem to take no for an answer,” the Slayer remarked, and Phoebe jerked erect. “How’d you get in? I told the guy downstairs I wasn’t seein’ anybody.”
The shorter brunette didn’t turn around. She was afraid of what she’d see in those intense brown eyes. “Leo dropped me off. I needed to talk to you.”
Soft footsteps made their way through the deep carpet. “Look, Phoebe, I understand. We don’t need to keep going over this. Despite the magical talent show, I get that you still don’t trust me. Hell, I wouldn’t trust me, either. I’ve pretty much fucked up my entire life.”
“Oh, for Goddess sake, Faith, just shut up for a minute!” Phoebe spun around, tired of the “poor, pitiful me” crap. The Slayer stood several feet away, sitting on the arm of a loveseat. The middle Halliwell glared at the taller girl, fighting to get the sudden anger back under control. “Please, just sit down and let me explain a few things,” she managed in a quieter voice.
“Sure, Moonbeam.” Faith dropped onto the furniture, legs resting on the glass coffee table in front of her. “Take all the time you need.” It was clear from her closed off expression that she was merely humoring the other girl.
“Thanks,” Phoebe remarked dryly. She started pacing in front of the window. “First, I do trust you.” A small hand shot up, halting the sure-to-be sarcastic comment from the Slayer. “If you’ll remember, I told Grams I didn’t have any concerns about you being on the right side.”
Faith simply nodded.
The witch ground her teeth at the response. “Damn it. I trust you! Forget the damned bar for a minute. Goddess, get over yourself, OK? You went all Evil Girl and I panicked. It’s over. You didn’t lose control, and I’m sorry for acting like a diva. If you hadn’t cut me off in the attic, I was about to say I was confused about something you said during the spell.”
“What was that, Moonbeam?” The Slayer’s voice was a little warmer, and Phoebe smiled slightly.
“You told Grams the Slayer wanted to mark its mate.”
Brown eyes widened. “Mate?”
“You don’t remember?” Phoebe watched the other girl closely.
“Not really. I mean, I understood the questions and I heard myself answer. It’s just kinda fuzzy now. I actually said the Slayer needed to mark her mate?” The husky voice seemed stressed.
Walking across the room, the witch sat on the table next to Faith’s feet. “Yeah. Any idea what that was about?”
“Nothing I’m gonna discuss right now.”
“Faith!” Phoebe smacked the crossed legs next to her, knocking them to the ground. “We have to talk about it. What did you mean?”
The Slayer shook her head. “Not talking about it right now.”
Exploding from her perch, Phoebe loomed over the other brunette. “Yes, you are. I want to know what you meant. How can you talk about the Slayer like it was some separate person? And, mate? Did I blink and miss the wedding?”
She finally got a reaction from Faith. “You really want to
know, Moonbeam? Fine.” The Slayer stood, too. They were toe to toe now. “I am
the Slayer. But she was created a long time ago by some crazy dudes in
Faith paused, possibly thinking she’d said enough. When Phoebe just looked back at her, she grimaced and went on. “I’m sure Giles or Wes could tell you more, but B and me found a book back when we were still friends. It talked a lot about how Slayers needed a mate, someone to help balance all the superpowers running through the Line.”
Phoebe backed off and sat down again. “So, you think the Slayer sees me as her mate.”
“Yeah.”
Almost afraid to ask, the witch asked in a very quiet voice, “What about you, Faith? How do you feel about us?”
A frustrated shrug answered her question. A minute later, Faith mumbled, “Hell, Moonbeam, I don’t know. A day ago, I was just popping into town for a meeting and some meaningless sex. Things didn’t follow the plan, ya know? And, I ain’t real good at the emotional stuff. Rather just go out and kill something and avoid all the heart to hearts.”
“Fair enough.” Phoebe watched the obviously ill at ease Slayer for a while. “I wasn’t looking for the long term, either. I’ve had really bad luck with relationships in the past.” She frowned, memories threatening to overwhelm her. “But as cheesy as it sounds, some times things happen for a reason. Maybe the Elders, or the PTB, or whoever, put us in P3 because we were supposed to meet.”
“Phoebe, you can’t believe that mystical bullshit!”
“Why not? I see the future, Faith. I’m part of that mystical bullshit. So are you.” She stood up and walked back to the bank of windows. “Don’t get me wrong. I’m not proposing we head to City Hall and register as domestic partners. Not yet. I just don’t think we can afford to ignore the possibilities.”
“Get it out of your head, Moonbeam,” the younger girl snapped. “Even if you’re right and we didn’t meet by accident, I ain’t the kinda girl you take home to the family. How would you introduce me at parties and stuff? ‘Oh, hey, guys, this is Faith, my ex-con girlfriend.”
Phoebe stared out of the sparkling glass and contemplated flinging the Slayer through the flawless panes. “Do you always do this? Don’t you ever get tired of playing the poor, put upon little criminal?” She was too tired for more anger. The words came out flat. “You aren’t the only one to make bad decisions. I haven’t done the deed and taken a life, but I’ve stood on the sidelines and done nothing to help. And my choices in partners? It doesn’t get any worse.”
“It gets worse than a convicted murderer?” Sarcasm dripped from the words.
“My ex-husband is the Source.”
Faith stared at Phoebe’s back, confused. “Come again?”
The witch turned slowly, staring at the Slayer with pain-filled eyes. “I was married to the Source of All Evil. For almost a year, I was the Queen of the Underworld.” Lips twitched in a mockery of a smile. “So, do you still think you’re unworthy of me?”
No answer seemed appropriate. Faith climbed to her feet and joined Phoebe by the windows. “This convo’s over, Moonbeam. We’re done hurting ourselves with the past.” A callused hand caressed the witch’s pale cheek before cupping the back of the shorter girl’s neck and pulling her into strong arms. “I’m sorry, Phoebe.”
Basking in the Slayer’s comforting embrace, Phoebe slowly let go of the painful memories of Cole. “Can we move forward, Faith? Or do you want to pretend this isn’t happening? I feel so much for you I can’t explain or ignore.”
“I-“ The witch felt the tension still controlling the body holding her. “This job’s got me all turned upside down, but if you aren’t afraid of what’s happening between us, I ain’t gonna say no to seeing where it leads.”
Suddenly happier than she’d ever been, Phoebe raised her head and nibbled on the Slayer’s throat. “Normally, this arrangement would lead to Snuggle Time and a big getting to know you talk.” Faith stiffened further. “Hey! Stop trying to back away. I said normally. We’ve skipped a few steps and done that part.” She licked the spot she’d worked on.
“So, if we ain’t gonna do a lot of talking, what did you have in mind?” Desire and laughter mixed in the warm, rough voice.
“Well, in my experience, after the talking comes the loving.”
“Moonbeam, are you sure we ain’t just avoiding the bigger picture? I don’t want to cheat you out of the relationship thing.”
Phoebe felt tears sting her eyes. The Slayer was trying so hard to do the right thing, even if her definition of right meant pulling away. “I’m sure, Faith. We haven’t avoided anything. Postponed some things, sure.” She stepped back, taking the other girl’s hand and pulling her away from the window. “There are some ways of learning about each other than don’t involve talking.”
Dimples peeked out. “Got something you wanna explore?” Faith led them down a short hallway to the apartment’s master suite. A massive bed covered a large portion of the room.
“I do,” the witch stated firmly. She stripped quickly, watching with desire-darkened eyes as the Slayer followed her example. “Last night, we didn’t really explore. We just scratched the itch, so to speak. This time, I want to make some mental notes of what turns you on and listen to you call my name when you cum.”
Faith’s heartbeat went into overdrive at the witch’s words. “Do your worst, Moonbeam.”
“Oh, no, sweetie. Only the best this time. Climb up on the bed and get comfy. I might be at this for a while.”
The Slayer opened her mouth to reply, but then snapped it shut. What could she say to that? She turned and did as requested, leaning against the large pillows, waiting to see what Phoebe had in mind.
She didn’t have to wait long. The brunette witch moved to the bed slowly, kneeling at Faith’s side. “Can you keep your hands to yourself?” she asked abruptly.
“Yeah, but why would I want to?” the Slayer replied.
“Because I want you to simply feel right now.” The witch’s voice was low, hypnotic.
Feeling her body respond to the tone, Faith agreed. “I’ll try, Moonbeam. Best I can do.”
“Good enough, sweetie.” Leaning down, Phoebe brushed her lips tenderly over the younger girl’s. “This won’t be like last night. I promise. No rush to the end; no competition,” she breathed. Another, longer kissed followed, and the witch tangled her tongue with the Slayer’s, stroking the muscle firmly before pulling away. Watching the other girl’s face for reactions, Phoebe started moving her hands up and down the smooth, warm skin. She touched every part of Faith’s front, making mental notes of the hot spots, before lying down against the Slayer’s left side. Faith’s breathing rasped from her throat, but she didn’t say anything and her hands remained out of the way, gripping the sheets. Rolling until she partially straddled the taller girl, Phoebe took a hard nipple between her teeth, pulling it gently away from the Slayer’s body. She added another mental checkmark when Faith groaned and arched into her.
“Moonbeam, don’t…don’t tease anymore.”
“Sweetie, I’m just getting started. Patience is the key to lovemaking.” Phoebe ignored the growl emanating from the body underneath her and went back to tormenting the Slayer’s nipples.
“Patience, hell,” Faith snapped. Throwing restraint out the window, she grabbed the smaller brunette and pulled her all the way on top of her body. Rough hands tangled in brunette hair, forcing the witch’s head down for a searing kiss. “Much better,” she purred.
“You promised to keep your hands to yourself,” Phoebe panted.
“I said I’d try, witch.” The Slayer smirked, feeling the witch’s wetness on her stomach where Phoebe half-sat. “Admit it, this is better than that slow and easy crap.”
Not wanting to give in, Phoebe tried moving away. Faith’s hands gripped her hips, holding her in place. The witch stopped struggling, but not before taking control of the game back. Leaning forward and placing most of her weight on her hands at either side of Faith’s head, she ground her mound into the Slayer’s middle in a hard, circular motion. Her breasts brushed at the other girl’s. “OK, sweetie. We’ll do it your way. But,” she said sharply in response to the triumphant smile, “you still keep your hands out of the way.” Laughter threatened at the cute pout below her. “None of that, Slayer. We compromise or I go take care of myself and you get nothing.”
“Damn, witch. You playin’ hardball?”
“No balls involved, in case you haven’t noticed,” Phoebe couldn’t resist. She stayed still until both of Faith’s hands slid under the pillows at her head. “Good girl.” Although she still had visions of slowly tormenting the girl beneath her, she gave in to the wild desire coursing through her. Driving three fingers into the Slayer, she grabbed the pouting lips in a rough kiss, plunging her tongue into Faith’s mouth in time to her thrusting fingers. The kiss got out of control as her lover writhed underneath her and she tasted a hint of blood where she’d accidentally nipped too hard. Fingers still moving in and out of Faith’s body, she locked eyes with the moaning Slayer. Just as Faith stiffened with the force of her climax, the witch noticed the brown eyes glow orange.
CHAPTER 12
Faith dropped back to the bed, panting. “Fuck, Moonbeam, how do you do that to me?” She grinned at the witch above her. “Now, can I move my hands or do I gotta take care of you without them?”
A strange expression flitted across Phoebe’s face. “Well, you can use your hands, but can you maybe tell me why your eyes were just orange?”
“Orange? You sure?”
Phoebe nodded. “That’s not bad or anything, right? ‘Cause I don’t want to wake up married to another demon. One in a lifetime is enough.”
Realizing the witch wasn’t joking, Faith leaned up and kissed her gently. “No worries, Moonbeam. That’s just the Slayer coming out to play.” She grinned. “Guess she didn’t like the slow and gentle part. She’s more the ‘want, take, have’ type.”
Relaxing now that she knew what was happening, Phoebe gave in to the desire still pulsing through her body. “So…why don’t you let her do some taking, then, Faith? I think I can handle anything she’s got planned.”
“You sure, Phoebe?” Desire leaked into the warm brown eyes, but the witch saw her reign it in.
“Very sure, Faith.” She leaned down, running her tongue from Faith’s chin to the top of her right breast. “Don’t lock her up, sweetie. We should be all about the sharing.”
The Slayer’s body tensed for just a minute before she rolled them over, pinning the smaller girl to the bed. “Don’t have to ask me twice,” she growled. The tanned face reflected desire, and Phoebe noticed the orange hue replacing the normal warm brown.
***
An irritating buzz woke Phoebe. Blinking and trying to pinpoint the low sound, the witch realized it was a cell phone. Digging around in the clothing, she located the small unit. Not hers, but Faith’s. “Hey, Faith…” The other brunette didn’t stir. Tossing an amused look at the sleeping Slayer, Phoebe flipped open the phone, offering a husky, “Hello?”
“You Faith?” a voice inquired rudely.
“No.” Phoebe didn’t elaborate, but waited to see if the caller would say more. In the meantime, she shook Faith, trying to get her awake enough to take the call, if necessary.
“Friend of mine said she’s looking for some work. Put her on.”
Frowning, Phoebe decided she needed to get tougher – on all counts. “She’s busy right now,” she told the impatient voice. “You wanna leave a number so she can call you back?” Holding the phone between ear and shoulder, the witch smacked Faith’s ass.
The Slayer moved so fast, Phoebe’s eyes widened. Faith was on the floor, knife magically in hand before her brown eyes opened. “What the fuck, Phoebe!” she snapped, seeing the smaller girl perched on the end of the bed.
Holding a finger over her lips, the witch mouthed the words “demon bar.” Faith relaxed slightly, tossing her weapon onto the nightstand, but she remained standing. “Well?” Phoebe demanded of the unknown caller. “Leave a message or get off the phone.”
There was no immediate response, then a curt, “Tell her to be at the bar tonight. Nine o’clock. I’ll contact her there.” The call disconnected.
“Guess we need to get going, then,” Faith commented.
“Huh?”
The Slayer was already dressing when she answered, “Need a few more things and a plan if I have to be at the bar tonight.”
Phoebe was confused. “How did you know that?”
“Heard the conversation, Moonbeam. Super hearing’s part of the package.” Faith was all business. “I need to talk with Leo before tonight. You think he’d pick us up? I don’t want to risk anybody seeing us together.”
Everything was moving too fast. “Sure. I can give him a call.” The Slayer headed toward the door. “Where are you going?”
“Gonna grab some weapons. W&H got this place stocked up.” Faith disappeared, leaving a confused witch behind.
Despite wanting to know more details, Phoebe dragged on her own clothes, too, wishing her lover had snuck in time for a shower before heading for home. Once she was mostly put to rights, she called out, “Leo?”
Seconds later, the angel orbed in. “Is everything OK?” He looked worried.
“Doing good, L,” Faith answered, striding rapidly into the room with a duffel bag thrown over her shoulder. “Me and Moonbeam need a ride to the house, is all. The meet’s all set for tonight, and I want to see if Red and her crew got any information.”
When the Whitelighter looked at Phoebe, she merely shrugged. “Don’t look at me. She’s been like this since the call came in.”
Dimples flashed. “Don’t get all uptight, Phoebe. I may look like I don’t know what to do, but I’ve been a Slayer for a long time now. I don’t have time to play anymore. Let’s get back to your house, and we can talk plans and stuff.” Faith held out a hand to Phoebe. “You ready?”
“I’ll get there,” the witch mumbled, grabbing the proffered hand tightly.
***
They reappeared in the living room at the Manor. Piper put down her dust rag, and smiled at Faith. The Slayer looked pale and sank onto the couch. “That’s creepy, L. Remind me to stick to the bus next time.”
The blond man smiled. “You get used to it.”
“Yeah?” An eyebrow rose over brown eyes. “How long’d it take you?”
“I think it was during the McCarthy trials.” Faith looked confused. “The 1950’s.”
“You were around back then?” The brunette snorted in disbelief. “Pull the other one why don’t you?”
Piper sat down next to Faith and tilted her head at her husband. “He’s actually very well preserved for a man his age. He died during World War II.”
Faith wanted to ask more questions, but there wasn’t enough time. “You gotta explain that to me when this is all over.” She glanced at Phoebe, who was leaning against the windows overlooking the back yard. “Phoebe, can you get the computer set up? See if maybe Red’s sent us some info?”
Phoebe nodded. “It’s in the kitchen. Give me minute.” She hurried from the room.
The Slayer waited until she was gone before turning to Leo. “I’m not letting her go with me this time.” Her new Watcher started to comment, but Faith cut him off. “She told me all about working for the other side. It’s more than just me freaking about maybe losing control this time. What if there are some of her former subjects in the bar or doing some contract work for the Evil Dudes? How do we explain that?”
“Alright.” Leo took a seat in a wicker chair. “Is there anyone we can send with you? I can do a glamour, or do you have someone from Angel’s office?”
“Wish I did, L.” Faith frowned. “But I got a reputation for being a bad ass, and I almost always work alone. This is tricky enough without maybe tipping our hands before we’ve got the other sister back. What we really need is information. All our plans may mean nothing once I get passed the recruiter.”
Piper held up a hand. “Maybe I’m out of line, but you’re assuming you’ll get hired.”
“Yeah. Ain’t no way your guy can turn me down.” Faith smirked.
“Why’s that?” The older witch was amused by the Slayer’s cocky attitude.
Faith stood up and stretched before responding. “One, I’m a Slayer. You have to look pretty hard, even in the demon community, to get a fighter with my skills. Two, I’m an old Slayer. I ain’t no B, for sure. But most of our kind don’t last more than a couple of years. It means I’m good at what I do. Third,” she ran a hand through her tousled curls, “I didn’t play for the Good Guys the whole time. With Fang and his law firm backing my story, I’m a hell of a secret weapon if you want to end the world.”
Phoebe reentered the room and began setting up her computer. “Are we really sure that’s the plan?”
“It’s the best the Elders had,” Leo stated.
Faith nodded. “Only been a couple of times the Big Bad wanted something else. One crazy Hell God looking for a way home and a Frankenstein’s monster who wanted to discover himself. All the others…world destruction and/or wholesale slaughter of humans.”
“Great,” the witch muttered, typing on her keyboard. “There’s a message from your friend.”
Faith moved behind Phoebe and read over her shoulder. “Fuck. She wants a conference call. That can’t be good news.” She scanned the long email. “We need to jump on this, L. I got to be on my way in a couple of hours.”
***
In the end,
“
“Hey, Red. Got your message. What’s the deal?” Faith wasted no time on pleasantries.
Even over the phone, the sisters heard the smile. “Faith! Great.
The research team is standing by to give you the report. Let me get them on the
line.” A series of clicks sounded in the quiet living room before
“Hello?” a nasal, English voice asked.
Rolling her eyes, Faith said, “We’re here. Can we get started? I’m on a deadline.”
“Oh, um, of course. We looked at the image you sent. Although there were no exact matches, there was a reference to a cult of demon warriors with a similar marking. It should be up on your screen now.”
Everyone gathered around Phoebe, peering at the grainy image. “It’s hard to see,” Piper complained.
“Indeed. The sketch is quite old and the text not in the best condition,” the voice sounded aggrieved.
Experience with Faith had
“Got any good news, Red?” Faith asked sarcastically.
“Not really, Faith. I’m sorry. We’re still looking for the
demon in charge of the army, but all our contacts are too scared to talk.” The
image on Phoebe’s laptop changed, and
Faith nodded. “Good enough, Red. I know you’re the best at this stuff. I’ve got a meeting with the recruiter tonight. Can you let the girls or L know if anything hits your radar?”
A quirky grin flashed from the distant hacker. “I’ll do more than keep in touch. Dawnie and I found a great translocation spell. If we dig anything up, we’ll pop in to hand deliver it.”
“I’m gonna hold you to that,
“Yeah. The sisters are too well known, and Leo radiates way too much goodness and crap to risk taking.”
The news didn’t sit well with the redhead on the computer
screen. “Hold on a second, Faith.”
“Um, Red, I don’t have time to come to
“Got it covered,”
Faith laughed. A solid black stone carved into the shape of a two-inch dagger lay in Phoebe’s lap.
CHAPTER 13
“OK, then. I’ll take your toy and see what’s the what with
the Evil Army.” Faith met the green eyes on the computer. “Nice to have you at
my back, Will. No wonder B lasted this long.”
Nodding,
Phoebe reached for the amulet resting on her legs. “You wear this all the time until this is over,” she said firmly. She dragged the leather thong over Faith’s head, moving the hair out of the way so it rested against the Slayer’s neck. “What else do we need to do for tonight?”
“I want to check with the Elders.” Leo ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t want to think they’re not telling me everything, but we have even less information than normal on this. Don’t leave until I get back,” he directed at Faith.
Faith nodded; although, she didn’t look happy. “I can be late, L, it’d fit with the image. But if it gets too much past the meeting time, I’m going. You’ll have to catch me along the way. While you visit with your bosses, Pheebes and me need a shower and a change of clothes. I kinda hustled her out of the apartment, and I don’t think she likes being less than perfect.”
Piper laughed at her sister’s huffy protest as Leo orbed out. “On the money, Faith. Our Phoebe never goes out without a lot of prep time. While you’re getting ready, can I fix you some dinner?”
“Damn, that’d be great.” Faith smiled at the older Halliwell. “Thanks, Piper. You still got that hot leather outfit you showed me? I left it behind this morning.”
“It’s on Phoebe’s bed.” Piper smiled gently. “Food’ll be on the table when you’re ready, girls.”
The Slayer winked at the brunette as she left before turning back to Phoebe. The witch sat disconsolately on the couch, staring at the hardwood floor. “Hey, Moonbeam. Why the long face? We’re getting ready for some action. That’s good.”
“Is it?” Phoebe glanced up. “You’re going off to meet with a demon who may or may not try to make you a vampire. You aren’t taking backup. We have a homing thing which may or may not work. Good?” her voice rose slightly. “I don’t agree.”
Regarding the other woman quietly, Faith murmured, “Phoebe, it’s what I do. This time, yeah, we got a few more problems than I’m used to. But, I’m a Slayer. It’s all about action, and danger, and not knowing if you’re still gonna be there in the morning.” Running a warm hand along Phoebe’s neck below her ear, Faith asked, “You still think a relationship is something you want to explore?” Her voice was huskier than normal.
The witch surged to her feet. Standing right against Faith, she pressed her lips to the Slayer’s pulse point. “Yes. I want to be with you, Faith. Just don’t expect me to be happy you’re doing this alone.” She pulled away and smiled up and her companion. “My thought: go in with your own army, and take no prisoners.”
Chuckling, Faith began dragging her to the stairs. “Well, Red and her crew almost make an army, but they’re all a bit green, if you know what I mean. I’d need trained soldiers, not little girls at my back.” Flinging an arm around Phoebe’s shoulders, Faith started up the stairs. “Now, I ain’t got time for any shower games, but you think you could help me into those leathers? I’m thinking another pair a hands might help me get them on.”
“Mmmm. You know. I always thought Prue looked hot in that outfit, but, baby, you’re going to look dangerous in those. I’m not sure I can let you out of the house like that.” Phoebe moved away from Faith before smacking her ass and running up the stairs.
“Gonna pay for that, Moonbeam!” Knowing the witch couldn’t get far, Faith hung back for a minute before giving chase. She caught a laughing Phoebe just inside her bedroom and picked her up. Marching them both to the bed, she dangled the smaller girl over the mattress. “Think you’re going to be my domme, Moonbeam? Huh?”
“Now that you mention it,” Phoebe got out between giggles.
Screaming in mock horror, Faith tossed the witch into the middle of the bed and jumped on top of her. “Now, just how do you think you’ll manage that?”
Phoebe wiggled under the Slayer, trying to get free. “Hey, no fair!” she protested. “You weigh a ton.”
“Not nice! Now you can pay for that insult, too.” Dimples evident, Faith laughed. “Damn, too fricken bad I gotta get ready for this meeting. You and me need to do a little reconnecting. Seems you’ve forgotten who wears the pants in our little family.”
“I didn’t forget, but I think it’s time someone knocked you off your pedestal.” Phoebe concentrated and levitated them off the bed.
Eyes wide in shock, the Slayer jerked, losing her hold on the witch and falling the short distance back down. “How the hell did you do that?”
Floating effortlessly above the Slayer, Phoebe smirked. “I’m a witch, remember? I have two powers. I see the future, and I can levitate.” She floated back down, snuggling up to the Slayer. “It comes in handy when fighting off demons. I got tossed out a window once, and then I flew after a demon like Superman. I thought Piper was going to kill me. It was broad daylight.”
“Yeah, Supergirl would certainly cause questions.” Faith sighed. “I need to get ready, Phoebe. Can you get the outfit ready? It won’t take me long to shower.”
The mood in the room shifted. “Yeah. Go ahead. I’ll shower after you leave.” Phoebe dropped her eyes, tracing the design on the comforter with a single finger.
Faith didn’t know what to say. Never having been in a relationship while Slaying, she had no idea how to handle the witch’s fears. “I’m sorry, Moonbeam. I wish it was different.”
“No!” Raising shocked eyes, Phoebe tried to explain. “I’m scared, yeah. But I want to be with you. I’m mad at me, Faith, not you. If I hadn’t been so stupid and married Cole, I could be with you for the meeting.”
Blinking back tears at the response, Faith rolled over until she could grip the witch’s face. “Moonbeam, I wouldn’t take you even if you weren’t Royalty. Having you there…fuck! I’d be so busy worrying about you, I couldn’t do my job. And, if anyone even tried to touch you, I’d kill them.”
“You wouldn’t,” Phoebe disagreed. “You’d do your job, Faith. It’s who and what you are. I expect you to worry about me, but we’d get the job done and then come home and enjoy being together.” She turned her head, kissing the weapons-roughened palm. “Go, before I can’t let you go.”
Swallowing hard, Faith nodded jerkily and climbed out of the bed. Without looking back, she strode out of the bedroom and down the hall. Her hands shook as she turned on the taps in the shower stall. Stripping hurriedly, she stepped under the pounding water, flinching only slightly at the freezing temperature. She stood there, leaning against the molded plastic, until her teeth were chattering. Scrubbing herself roughly, she cleaned up and tried to get her emotions under control. She had to be on her game tonight. No mistakes. No being distracted. Finally, she couldn’t take the cold anymore. Fumbling with the towel, Faith got rid of most of the water on her body and in her hair and walked down the hall to Phoebe’s room.
“You didn’t come down the hall naked, did you?” Phoebe asked with a grin.
“Yeah. What? L’s never seen a naked woman before?”
“Well, I assume he’s seen Piper, but, Faith, he was raised in the 1930s. He blushes at the word sex.” The two shared a laugh. “I got your clothes ready, and I picked up the weapons duffel, too.”
Feeling some of her earlier depression returning, Faith fought to keep her expression neutral. “Thanks, Moonbeam.” She grabbed the leather pants and started to struggle into them. “Fuck, these are tight. I may need to oil myself up.”
“Oh, no. No way. If you do that, you are not getting out of here tonight…maybe not even tomorrow,” Phoebe said huskily. She stared at the partially dress Slayer, feeling her heart rate increase. “Let me help get those on.” Trying not to touch the tanned skin more than absolutely necessary, the witch yanked and tugged on the supple leather until it rose over the Slayer’s slim hips. “See that wasn’t so hard.” She was breathing heavily and covered in sweat. “Now, put on the vest and choose your weapons.”
Faith grabbed the vest and put it on. It fit tightly, snugging up to her breasts. “Wow. Good thing I was planning on wearing the hardware on the outside. No way is anything getting between me and this leather.” She stepped into her black boots, completing the outfit.
Phoebe let her eyes slide down the Slayer’s muscled frame. “Yeah. No way.” She licked dry lips. “You certainly fill those out better than Prue. And you look a lot more natural in them.” She bent and picked up the weapons bag. “What do want out of here?”
“All of it,” Faith answered. “I picked stuff that I can group together. See?” She pulled two daggers in thigh sheaths out of the bag and put them on. A second foray into the bag added a pair of stiletto blades that slid into places inside the Slayer’s boot. “One more left.” She took a thin silver chain out and fastened it around her midriff.
“You brought jewelry?” Phoebe said sarcastically.
Giving her a mocking look, Faith took it off again. “Not exactly.” She swung the narrow chain at one of the pillows. When the metal connected with the fabric, the witch heard a tearing sound and stuffing flew through the air. “It’s made outta some weird material that acts like a blade.”
“Neat,” Phoebe said faintly. “Very James Bondish.”
Donning the jewelry again, Faith made sure all her weapons were seated correctly and then turned to face the witch. “It’s time, Moonbeam. Let’s go see if your brother-in-law is back.” She held out a hand, smiling slightly when Phoebe took it. They walked downstairs together.
***
Piper looked up from the cutting board when they entered the kitchen. “Whoa! Faith that’s…whoa!” she exclaimed.
“I’m thinking of making her wear a floor-length cloak over it,” Phoebe griped. If her sister reacted that way, what the hell were the demons going to do. She frowned, not happy with that thought.
“Before you guys get all overboard with the redressing, I’m supposed to look like this. The Dark Slayer was all about sex and danger. If I go in looking like a B clone, in summer dresses and sandals, I’m dead.”
“You think the demons would kill you for your fashion sense?” Piper asked with a laugh.
Faith shrugged, grabbing several sandwiches from the tray on the island and plopping them on the table. Sitting in a chair, she devoured the food in seconds. “Damn, Piper, this is good. I think I’m gonna steal you from L and chain you up in my kitchen.”
Raising an eyebrow, Piper dried her hands on a towel. “Hmmm, I don’t think that would work, sweetie.”
“No? Think your husband can take me?” Faith grinned cockily around a bite of food.
That got a laugh from both sisters. “No, Faith. I can take you.” Not waiting for a response, the oldest Halliwell flicked her hands at the Slayer, and the flower pot on the table exploded.
Glancing between the pottery shards and the smirking witch, Faith swallowed the food in her mouth and grumbled, “Fuck. Why the hell am I even here? Just turn you lose on the bad guys. Might be a little messy, but who cares? They’re just demons.” She went back to shoveling in sandwiches. “Leo back yet?”
“Not yet. Do you need to leave?” Piper asked.
Faith nodded. “Soon.”
“Leo?” The older witch called out. “Hey! I know the Elders have trouble telling time, but you need to come back now. Faith’s going to be late for the meeting.” No shimmering blue light appeared, and she put her hands on her hips, glaring at the ceiling. “I mean it, Leo. You need to come back now!”
CHAPTER 14
All three of the women stared expectantly at the ceiling, but Leo didn’t orb in. “I’d say that means the PTB got something to hide,” Faith said grimly. “When L gets back, tell him no hard feelings. I know he would have been here if he could.” She stood up, kissing Phoebe quickly. “Be safe, Moonbeam. I’ll contact you when and if I can.”
“Wait! What do you mean?” Phoebe asked. “I thought you’d go back to the apartment after the meeting.”
“So did I, but you heard Red. These guys Turn their recruits.” She held up a hand to stop Phoebe’s protest. “I ain’t letting them do that, but I don’t think I’ll be leaving after the drinks are over.” Catching Piper’s eyes, she tilted her head toward the door before leaning down and kissing Phoebe gently. “I’ll call or whatever as soon as I can. You guys keep working on the research and stuff here.”
Faith stepped back and turned blindly for the door. For the first time, leaving, walking away was hard. She could hear the intense voices behind her as she strode from the room. Once free of Phoebe’s worried eyes, she leaned against the wall, head bowed, pushing the emotions deep down inside. No matter how much she tried, though, Faith couldn’t get them all locked down. Fuck, this is gonna be way harder than working for the Mayor. At least with him, I had some real Scooby-hate to build on. Latching on to that thought, Faith concentrated on the long-ago bitterness and rage. It worked.
The Slayer could still access her longing for Phoebe, but it was a stretch. Swallowing her regret at that, Faith stood up straight, mumbling the cloaking spell to hide her weapons and fussing with the knives at her thighs until Piper came out of the kitchen. “You aren’t doing yourself any favors, you know,” she announced.
“She upset?” Faith inquired.
Piper rolled her eyes. “What do you think? You drop the whole ‘I won’t be back tonight, honey’ thing on her and then you walk out before she has a chance to say goodbye. I wouldn’t want to be you when this is all over.”
Voice cool, Faith commented, “There might not be a me when this is over. Phoebe’s vision has me down for the count, remember?” Then, before Piper could answer, she forged ahead. “Look, I ain’t got a lot of time for the Prophesies are Beatable workshop. There’s some shit you need to know before I do the meeting, and Moonbeam ain’t in any condition to hear them.”
The change in Faith was noticeable. This was the Slayer, and Piper nodded reluctantly. “OK. What do I need to know?”
“This charm Red sent is untested. I don’t know how it works, but if you need to reach me or I don’t check in every couple of days, give Red a call. Once I’m inside, I may only be able to get information out in pieces, and there’s no guarantee I’m gonna be ranked high enough to know the big plan. If things get ugly up top, call Red or Angel. They’ve got a lot of resources.” Faith shrugged. “Hell, it might not be a bad thing to call ‘em tonight and get a plan in place. Otherwise, it might take too long to get them here.”
“You don’t think this plan is going to work, do you?”
Faith hesitated a long minute. “It’s risky. We don’t know enough to send me in, but it’s the best we got. I don’t like Phoebe’s vision. I ain’t looking forward to sleeping the Big Sleep, and she couldn’t tell us if we win or not. The odds are bad, Piper. There are four of us against an army.” She cocked her head, listening intently. “I gotta split. Phoebe’s moving around in there.”
The oldest Halliwell watched the leather-clad Faith walk out the door, whispering softly, “Be careful, sweetie.”
***
Faith stalked down the sidewalk, muttering. On a scale of one to ten, she’d score a thirty for stupidity. Without Leo, she had no mode of transportation to the meeting. Deciding to try calling for her new Watcher, she glanced around to make sure no one could see her. “Hey, L?” No funny blue lights or angels appeared. “This is fucking stupid,” she complained. “Look, um, Elders, PTB guys, whoever. I’m really trying to follow the rules and all, but I got a problem. No car. Now, it might not be a big deal for you, seeing that you can just pop in and outta places. But it’s a freaking long walk to the bar, and I can’t afford to be late.”
No one showed up. Growling under her breath, Faith started jogging down the street. She should have let Phoebe dress her in that cloak. Skimpy leather outfits and weapons weren’t really ideal for a run. Faith risked a little Slayer speed, and began to travel more quickly. She moved through the neighborhoods effortlessly.
“Faith.”
She stopped abruptly. “Leo?” Faith looked around. She was alone.
“I’m sending someone with the car. Just stay there,” Leo said.
“What the fuck? Where are you, and how can I hear you?”
Sounding frustrated, Leo commented, “I don’t have time to explain. The Elders heard your request and they are permitting me to help you get to the meeting. I can’t do any more than that right now. This is the first part of your testing, Faith. You have to pass the recruiter on your own.”
Faith nodded. “Great. Just so you know, L, your bosses suck. They’re sending me in with too little information. If they want me dead, why not just get it over with? Why not just end it right here?” Clenching her fist around the hilt of the knife near her right hip, she snarled, “I fucking hate games.”
No words answered her questions, but she felt a hand touch her shoulder briefly. Seconds later, Phoebe’s Volkswagen pulled up to the curb, and a man got out. “We apologize for the inconvenience, Slayer,” he said. “Please be safe in your endeavors.” He nodded quietly and disappeared.
“Freaky,” Faith muttered at the empty space before scrambling into the car. The dashboard clock said she was already late for her meeting. She stepped on the gas and zipped down the road. Twenty minutes later, she nosed the car up to the curb. It was time. She undid the cloaking spell. Letting the anger gain a little more control, she slid out of the car and strolled inside.
It was far busier than it had been the day before. Smoke blanketed the room, stinging her eyes. Making sure her face betrayed nothing, Faith paced to the bar. “So, where’s this contact of yours?”
“You’re late,” the bartender commented.
“What? You some kind of alarm clock? Is he here or not? I got some other offers on the table, and no time for games.” Faith’s senses screamed from the sheer number of demons and vampires in the room, and she gritted her teeth.
The dark-skinned demon regarded her coldly for a minute, then nodded. “Back corner. He’s alone.”
“Fine.” Not sparing a glance for the bartender, she made her way through the close-set tables. At the back, hidden in the shadows, Faith made out a small table, with a cloaked figure. Ignoring the fear twisting her stomach and the scream of her Slayer senses, she stopped in front of the large vampire. “I’m Faith. I hear you’re hiring.”
“Sit down, Slayer.” The vampire leaned over the table, and Faith saw his features for the first time. Close cropped blond hair topped a rugged, scarred face. Cold grey eyes scanned the room restlessly.
Obligingly, Faith grabbed a chair, spun it around, and sat down, arms folded along the back.
“My name is Pausanias.”
Faith waited, but
the cloaked vampire didn’t continue. “That’s it? You brought me down here to
tell me your name?” She smirked. “You need a different pick up line, pal.”
The grey eyes
yellowed as the Recruiter vamped out.
Damn, this was
getting old. “Look, am I supposed to be impressed? I thought you were here to
recruit me for something big, but if this is all you can do, I’ll go back to LA
and see if W&H got anything going.” She started to stand.
A powerful hand
shot out, impeding her departure. “Enough games. You are just as my sources
said.” Pausanias returned to human visage.
Faith felt her
tension rise. This was it, the big test. “Hope you asked the right people.
“Worried,
Slayer?” Amusement flickered
“Nah, but I’m
gonna be awfully pissed if you don’t hire me. I did some checking of my own,”
Faith bluffed, sweat slicking her skin. “You’ve got the demon world so worked
up, even my old boss couldn’t get more than a sentence or two.”
Pausanias
chuckled at that. “So, we each have done our reconnaissance. Impressive. I was
lead to believe you were too impulsive for that. This may work even better than
planned.”
Faith relaxed just
a little. It seemed she was almost in the door. “Don’t count your Evil Slayers
yet, Big Guy. You ain’t told me what I’m interviewing for.”
“For that
information, I brought along an associate.” Amusement twisted the thin lips,
and Pausanias gestured to someone behind Faith. Despite the unease that goose
pimpled her body, she calmly met the Recruiter’s eyes and didn’t turn.
***
Phoebe stared
blindly at the tabletop after Faith left. The Slayer’ words haunted her. What
did she mean…if she came back? Of course she’s coming back. Hard on the
heels of her thoughts, though, was the image of Faith with a knife in her
chest. Blinking back tears, Phoebe stood and starting cleaning up the remains
of dinner. Her mind ran in circles, trying to find a way to halt the action in
her premonition. Finally, in frustration, she threw the glass she was washing
across the room, where it shattered against the wall.
“Phoebe?” Piper
called, rushing into the room. She took in the glass shards and her sister
slumped over the sink and slowly made her way across the room. “Hey, she’ll be
OK,” she whispered, pulling Phoebe into her arms.
“I’m so scared,
Piper,” Phoebe answered back. She leaned into the sisterly embrace, fighting
back tears. “She’s all alone, and we can’t help her.”
As much as she
agreed with her sister, Piper knew she had to refocus the conversation. They
had to find out about the demon army so they could pull Faith out. “She’s not
alone, Pheebes; get that out of your head. She’s got
us, and that woman in Cleveland, and her boss. We’re all trying to help out.”
She dropped her arms and stepped back. “Now, I’m going to clean up the mess you
left in my kitchen. You go check the Book. We have a little more information
than we did earlier.”
“OK, Piper. I’ll
try,” Phoebe offered. She turned, trudging out of the kitchen and up the
stairs. The attic was quiet as the witch opened the book. The yellowed
parchment pages rustled gently. “Medusa…Banshee…Balthasar.”
Glaring at the page, Phoebe barely resisted the urge to rip it from the book.
“Damn you, Cole. Damn you,” she snarled
Shaking with pent
up rage, Phoebe examined every page, every word of script, but found nothing.
Nothing on the tattoo or the Turned Spartan soldiers. Picking up the large
tome, she carried it across to the couch, dropping onto it and opening the Book
one more time. As she leafed dispiritedly through the information again, the
windows blew open and wind whipped through the room. Blinking against the
leaves and debris whirling around her, Phoebe stood up and staggered across the
room, forcing the large window closed. She looked out the window. Clouds rolled
in from the Bay. Sighing, Phoebe went back to the Book – and stopped. A shaft
of sunlight poured through the window, highlighting one of the pages on demons.
Curiously, Phoebe traced the drawing of the demon Balthasar.
“What do you have to do with all of this?”
CHAPTER 15
Phoebe was still standing there, staring at the page on Balthasar, when Piper entered the attic. “Did you find something?”
“I don’t know,” Phoebe replied slowly. “Look.” She held out the book.
“You were looking at Cole?” Piper frowned. “Why would that help us? We vanquished him, remember?” She waved a hand around. “You know, potions, big explosion, glass flying everywhere?”
The scene in the penthouse would probably never go away. “Yeah. But, how many times did we vanquish him before? What if he’s still around?”
Piper sobered. “You think he’s still the Source? And he hired this group of vampire soldiers to take us out? Damn. That’s not good. Leo! God damn it, Leo, enough is enough.”
There was no answer.
“Does that mean we’re right?” Phoebe stood up, and started to pace. “What do we do, Piper? If the Elders won’t let Leo come back, and Faith is out of reach, how do we get to Paige?” And, how do we get Faith out of there?
Fighting her own worry, Piper said quietly, “First, we stop panicking and we start thinking. Did you see something when you touched that page? How did you know Cole was involved?”
“I didn’t see anything.” Phoebe dropped onto the couch. “I was looking at the Book and the wind blew the window open. And when I got back from closing them, it was opened to this page and the light was shining on it.”
Piper stared hard at her younger sister. “You think Grams…?”
“It wouldn’t be the first time.”
“OK,” Piper joined Phoebe on the couch. “How do we find out if Cole is still around?”
“Well, scrying is out unless there’s more frozen Cole flesh in the fridge?” Phoebe half heartedly inquired.
She received a head shake in response. “Paige went a little crazy with the potion-making that day. Used the whole batch.”
“Info gathering trip to the Underworld?”
“Not without Leo or Paige to orb us there,” Piper answered. Then she reconsidered. “Unless we can write a spell to get us there.”
Phoebe sat forward. “Not us, Piper. Them!”
“Them, who?”
“Faith’s friends from Cleveland. Remember?
Piper hesitated. Maybe what they really needed was to get
Turning away and walking over to stare out the window, Phoebe asked, “She didn’t trust me?”
“No, sweetie. She was worried about you. I don’t think
Faith’s very used to dealing with other people’s emotions.” Piper got up, too.
“You want to get ahold of
“Yeah, I can do that.” Phoebe pushed away from the window. “What are you going to be doing?”
“Getting the house ready to bed down an army.”
***
Faith stared at her Recruiter with a bored expression. Then her body erupted in cold chills at the high-pitched, lilting voice that drifted over her shoulder. “Oh, dear, Miss Edith. Look…One of those nasty killers. Always ruining my parties.”
If Faith hadn’t been watching Pausanias, she would have missed the look of near fear in his eyes as his companion joined them. A thin brunette in a black dress slithered up on Faith’s right, not quite touching her side. The stunned Slayer watched long red nails stab the air in front of the porcelain doll clutched tightly to her chest. “Miss Edith will have to be punished for inviting it.”
“Lady Dru, this is Faith.”
The fingers poking at the doll stilled. Dru looked at Faith, long, pale fingers sliding up and down her own legs as she undulated, eyes peering at something only she could see. “Faith? Is that its name?” Laughter tinkled from her lips. “Trust this?” Blood red nails waggled in Faith’s face just before the vampire moved in close, sniffing deeply. “Oh, oh, I smell blood. So much blood. Makes my tummy all hungry.”
Shuddering, Faith tried to think of something, anything to say. Finally, she forced herself back into character and smirked at the female vamp. “Hey, Dru. You here to tell me about the job?” She made the mistake of looking directly into Dru’s eyes. They sucked her in, and a quiet voice began calling out to her.
Faith struggled against Dru’s pull. Sweat poured off of her as she fought the darkness in the vampire that spoke to her, taunted her. She slid a hand up her thigh, tugging one of the knives slightly out of the sheath. A single finger ran along the razor-sharp blade, and the pain snapped her out of her trance.
“Hey, you think you could give me a little space here? You try to bite me, and I’m gonna stake your freaky ass,” Faith said, completely repulsed by Dru’s closeness. “Fuck, what’s with all the sniffing and blood stuff. Pretty sure I showered this morning” She leaned forward, away from the vampire, and put her hands on the table. “Let’s end the floor show with the doll lady here. Just tell me what job you have in mind.”
Irritation flickered in Pausanias’ eyes. “Direct your questions to the Lady Dru,” he snapped coldly. “And watch your manners, Slayer. Or I may ask her permission to teach you how to treat your superiors.”
Dru ignored the exchange. Swaying to some inner tune, she hovered close to Faith. As she danced, she crooned. “Such pretty pictures. Daddy and his dark mistress, bloody slayers watching on. Miss Edith says she’s jealous, but the stars tell me she has a witch of her own.”
Taking a deep, slow breath, Faith fought to stay seated. “OK. I’m trying to work with you here. Really. But, I have no idea what she just said. I’m all for a job, but I don’t work blind. Lay it all on the table, and then I can give you my answer.”
“The Lady’s visions are never crystal clear, Slayer.” Pausanias frowned, but nodded. “However, your caution does you credit. I cannot fault that.” He looked to Dru, fussing with Miss Edith’s dress and humming tunelessly. “My Lady? Can you explain what your vision means? I cannot ask a soldier in my command to go into battle with so little information.”
Dru didn’t look at the grizzled warrior. Still gazing raptly at Miss Edith, she whispered, “Daddy will be so pleased his Pet ignored the Angel Beast’s warnings. Give her the middle of the chosen three as a gift.”
Faith swallowed hard. Voice tight with tension, she asked, “Chosen Three?” Her hand shot out, signaling the bartender. “She mean the Charmed Ones?”
She scored a hit. Pausanias couldn’t hide his surprise. “What do you know about the witches?”
Fuck. Definitely Phoebe and crew. Does thin and freaky know more than she’s letting on? Stalling for time, Faith ignored the question and placed her drink order with the demon who appeared at her shoulder. “Make a deal with you, Big Guy. You spill the whole thing about this job, and I’ll tell you about the Charmed Ones. Until then, I’m just gonna sit here and enjoy my drink.”
She leaned back in her chair, pretending to study the ceiling while Pausanias gnashed his pointy teeth.
Faith’s Slayer senses sang a new tune, and she restrained the urge to draw her daggers. This felt far different than the rest of the baddies littering the bar. Immense power and unimaginable evil. If she ever made it out of this alive, Faith knew she owed Phoebe and her sisters a new outfit. No one was going to be able to wear this one again. It clung to her sweat soaked body.
“Faith.” A new voice addressed her and Faith casually brought her attention back to the table.
Dru had stopped singing to Miss Edith and swayed sinuously behind a handsome man. Faith was about to applaud her choice in men when the man’s aura nearly knocked her over. He was the source of the evil.
“Yeah. Who’re you?” She had to be careful. This –man? demon? – was a far cry from a simple vampire soldier.
A charming smile warmed the black eyes across from her. “Cole. Cole Turner.”
Her skin crawled. Clamping down of the urge to run, Faith smiled and let her eyes caress Cole. “You here with Lady Dru, or you looking for something with a pulse?”
“Actually, Dru is here at my request. A favor, if you will.” A well-manicured hand waved at both vampires. “Forgive me. I knew this job was out of the ordinary. I shouldn’t have sent my old friends to handle it. If you’ll bear with me for just a little longer, I promise to answer all of your questions.”
Faith shrugged, appearing to consider the request. “Hell, CT, I dunno. This is getting too complicated. Miss E and her girl toy babbling about daddies and witches. I’m more of a stab and go type.”
“I understand, Faith. However, I think you’ll find this job is perfectly suited to your skills.”
“Whatever.”
Cole rose and gestured with his hand. The wall behind him wavered and whirled. When the motion ceased, Faith stared in shock at shiny metal elevator doors. “Man, what is it with the elevators to Hell?”
“You visited the Underworld before?” Cole looked almost surprised.
“Faith the Dark Slayer, remember? I’m on the fast track and all.” Faith avoided a direct answer.
Still smiling, Cole put his hand on a plate beside the doors and they slid open soundlessly. “Faith?” He cocked an eyebrow and waited.
Faith heaved a theatrical sigh, and forced shaking legs to work. Stepping into the car, she spun slowly to face the doors while her three companions joined her. At some unseen signal, the doors closed and they began to descend.