Summary: Phoebe picks up a sexy stranger in P3. How will that change the sisters’ lives?
Disclaimer: Only the original characters belong to me. The rest of these sexy characters belong to Joss and Co and the WB. I’m just having a bit of fun with them.
Spoilers: for BtVS/Angel, just
general stuff. Set post-“
A/N: I owe it all to Zigpal and Lilly..
Feedback: I live for it…
Archiving: Just ask first.
CHAPTER 1
Phoebe stifled a bored sigh and swiveled around on the bar stool. P3 was packed, as usual. Surely, there’s someone interesting in this mass, she thought. Scanning the crowd of casually dressed people, the witch took mental notes on possible prospects.
“What’s the matter, Phoebs? Can’t find anyone you want to take home?” Piper asked. The older woman moved in next to the brunette-at-the-moment younger Halliwell.
“Not funny, Piper,” she whined.
Laughing, Piper replied, “Yes, it is. For a minute, you looked like you were gonna turn into a succubus and find a mate to eat.”
“Oooh, that was so uncalled for, Big Sister,” Phoebe pouted. “Still, the mating – not the eating – sounds divine.” She poked the other woman in the arm. “I can’t let you be the only Halliwell to experience angelic bliss.” The brunette yelped. “Ow! What’s with the smacking?”
“You deserved it. Making comments about Leo’s ‘talents’ isn’t nice.” Piper looked ready to say more when something caught her attention. “Hey, Phoebe, back corner. The moody brunette alone at the table.”
Scanning the area with more purpose than before, Phoebe asked, “Demon? Dark Lighter?” Then, spotting the person in question, “Whoa! Major hottie. Can I at least go say hi before we have to vanquish her?”
“Goof! I pointed her out because she’s right up your alley.” Piper paused for effect. “Of course, she probably is a demon in that case.”
Phoebe didn’t join in the laughter. Even after all this time, memories of Cole still hurt. Jumping off the stool, she tossed over her shoulder, “I’m going to see if she needs another drink.” She ignored the laughter that followed her across the club. Although the brunette appeared to be absorbed in looking at her drink, the middle Halliwell was sure the woman saw her coming.
“That drink bothering you? ‘Cause I could maybe get you one you didn’t have to stare down,” she said. Standing with her hips pressed lightly against the table’s edge, the witch waited for a response.
Warm brown eyes slowly lifted, making brief contact before sliding away. A disinterested shrug followed. “Nah. I’m good.”
Phoebe waited, but the attractive woman just sat there, avoiding her eyes. “You mind if I join you?” she finally asked. The witch was confused. Normally, she didn’t have to work this hard to garner an invitation.
Shrugging, her companion waved a hand at the room. “Ain’t gonna stop you.”
Swiping a chair from another table, Phoebe sat down. “I’m Phoebe,” she said, trying to get the conversational ball rolling. No response. Mentally grinding her teeth, she tried again. “My sister owns this place. What do you think?”
Brown eyes left off their examination of the room. “Not really my style.”
Again, the response was limited to a few words. Impatiently, the witch leaned forward and placed her elbows on the small table. “Do you always talk so much?”
“Usually.”
Was there the slightest hint of a smile? Sensing a break in the
strong, silent routine, Phoebe pressed on. “Well, hey, welcome to
“You’re not gonna go away until I talk to you, right?”
The witch smiled brightly. “Nope. I’ll just sit here and talk to you all night until you say something to get me to shut up.”
“Figures. I come all the way up here to get away from Queen C and the endless chatter, and I run in to her long lost sister,” the brunette lamented.
Tilting her head, Phoebe questioned, “Queen C?”
Shrugging, the other women explained, “A co-worker. She was some kinda prom queen back in the day. It’s what the gang used to call her. Irritates the hell out of her now.” She took a sip of her drink.
“So, what do you do with your coworker, the prom queen?” Phoebe pressed on. She let her voice drop to a purr and lazily reached to stroke the hand holding the glass.
The brunette smirked. “Not what you’re thinking, that’s for sure.” With a quick move, she eluded the witch’s stroking fingers, pinning the slim hand to the table. “Now, I’m curious. You wanna waste more time with small talk, or should we take this somewhere else?”
Although the invitation was abrupt, Phoebe smiled slowly. “I don’t live far from here.” She hesitated, “Unless, of course, you’d prefer somewhere else.”
Keeping a firm hold on the other woman’s hand, the brunette stood. “Haven’t gotten around to finding a place for the night. Lead the way, Moonbeam.”
“Moonbeam? Where’d that come from?”
Tugging on Phoebe’s hand to keep her moving, the mysterious brunette blushed, losing a little more of the intimidating aloofness. “Ah, you said your name was Phoebe. She was a Greek goddess of the moon.”
“Hmmm. I like that.” Phoebe used their linked hands to pull the other woman closer. Looking up into the warm brown eyes, she murmured, “No one’s ever called me a goddess before”
“Hope it don’t give you performance anxiety or anything. Kinda hard to live up to, if you know what I mean.”
Phoebe laughed out loud, garnering looks from nearby patrons. “C’mon. Let’s go see just how anxious I am.” She led the brunette up the stairs and out into the parking lot. It was a short walk to Phoebe’s Volkswagen. She released the brunette’s hand and fumbled for the keys in her purse. Her companion “helped” by pressing close and running her tongue along the neckline of the witch’s vest. Warm breath teased her right ear, and Phoebe closed her eyes and shuddered. “Hmmm, unless you want to finish this here, it’s time to stop. I need to be able to drive.”
“Nah, I’m past my backseat groping days,” the whisky rough voice replied. The brunette glided around to the passenger side. “C’mon, then, Moonbeam. Get in the car. I got plans for this evening.”
Shaking herself out of her desired-induced daze, Phoebe finally pulled the keys from the bottom of her bag and pressed the button to unlock the doors. Fifteen minutes, and a lot groping later, she parked the car at the curb in front of the Manor. The trip to the front door took a while; both women more interested in getting more familiar with the other than with traveling up the walk. At the top of the stairs, the brunette pressed Phoebe against the door, lips and teeth marking a path down the offered throat.
The witch moaned and arched as hands wandered down her sides, brushing against the skin exposed by her top. Reaching the edge of the vest, the brunette’s hands slipped under the material, strong fingers caressing the bare stomach and continuing upward. “Oh, yes, that feels good. Let’s take this inside, before someone calls the police.”
The other woman reluctantly moved away. “Yeah, no police sounds good.”
Phoebe flung open the door, dragging her companion inside the manor. “My bedroom’s upstairs.”
Pausing briefly to check out the visible rooms of the large house, her companion said, “Nice place.”
“I’ll give you a tour – later,” the witch promised. “Come on.”
“Impatient, aren’t you?” the other woman asked. “How about I help this along?” She scooped up a surprised Phoebe, who shrieked at being unexpectedly hoisted off the ground. Her transport trotted up the stairs, seemingly unaware of the weight in her arms.
During the short trip upward, Phoebe put her time to good use. Pressed against the warm body, the witch teased the brunette’s nipples through her T-shirt. Laving the cotton with her tongue, Phoebe watched the buds harden, tenting out the tight material. By the time they reached the top, the brunette’s breathing was ragged. “OK, Moonbeam, which way?”
“First door on the left,” the witch answered, still tugging and twisting on her new toys. A few steps later, Phoebe stood next to her own bed, having been gently deposited on her feet. “You’ve got too many clothes on,” she remarked. “We need to take care of that. Take off your boots,” she ordered. Once the brunette had done that, the witch reached to pull the other woman’s shirt off. Despite the desire running through her, Phoebe took her time now. The shirt came off inch by inch, and the witch made sure to touch as much skin as possible while sliding the material up and off. Naked from the waist up, the brunette was stunning. Cleary defined muscles rippled in the woman’s shoulders and arms. Brushing her fingers over the warm skin of the brunette’s abdomen goose-pimpled the skin and caused the woman to suck in deep breath.
“C’mon, baby. Let’s take a look at the rest of the package,” Phoebe cooed. Sliding her hands into the impossibly tight pants with difficulty, she undid the button. Now that her hand had more room to move, the witch realized nothing blocked access to the woman’s sex. “Hmmm. Nice,” she murmured. Turning the hand inside the tight leather so that the palm cupped and protected the wiry hair, Phoebe slid the zipper down with her other hand. Releasing the zipper, she slid that hand inside the leather as well, resting both palms against the bare hips. Smirking at the heavy breathing feathering her hair, she began to slide her hands down, taking the leather along.
When the pants fell below the brunette’s hips, Phoebe dropped to her knees. She needed more leverage to finish the removal, and she wanted a closer view of her prize. Nuzzling into juncture of thigh and torso, licking the slightly salty skin, Phoebe quickly finished removing the leather pants. The brunette obligingly stepped out of the garment. With no barriers, Phoebe began to worship the body before her. Running her hands lazily from ankle to thigh, tickling the sensitive skin behind the woman’s knee along the way, the witch smiled at the drawn out moan from above.
Bringing her wandering hands to the woman’s sex, Phoebe gently opened the damp folds, teasing the exposed clit with her tongue. Pulling back for a moment, she looked into passion dark eyes. “I make it a practice to at least know first names before I get intimate,” she commented huskily.
For a moment, she thought she’d lost the deal. The brunette stiffened in her embrace. Finally, though, the woman smiled, dimples peeking out, and replied, “Faith. Good enough to get you back where you left off?”
“Oh, I think I can work with that,” Phoebe purred, returning to her teasing caresses. Running the flat of her tongue from Faith’s opening to her clit, the witch hummed slightly, creating a vibration that had the brunette grabbing her hair and pulling her in even closer. Taking the pressure against her head as a big hint, Phoebe continued the oral caresses while sliding two fingers deep. She could feel Faith getting closer to orgasm. Quickening her thrusts and alternating licks with tiny nips at the engorged clit, Phoebe drove the woman mercilessly over the edge.
“Fuck, Moonbeam. Let’s move this to the bed. Don’t know if I can stay upright much longer,” Faith groaned, still panting.
“I think that can be arranged.” Phoebe stood, keeping as much contact between their bodies as possible. Once upright, she quickly shed the vest and the tight jeans she’d worn to the club. Crawling on to the bed, she lay on her back and held out a beckoning hand. Faith slowly moved forward, ignoring the hand. Gracefully, the brunette extended her body over Phoebe’s, her nipples rubbing against the witch’s.
“Get ready for a long ride, Moonbeam. I need to see if you’ve got enough stamina for a Goddess.”
CHAPTER 2
Faith woke suddenly. Eyes darting around the unfamiliar room, she tried to remember where she was. Slow deep breathing sounded behind her, and the Slayer carefully turned over. Short brunette hair and a nicely toned body rewarded the action. Phoebe, Faith’s mind supplied. It was too bad Angel had stressed the importance of her meeting today. The taller brunette would have been happy to wake the sleeping beauty sharing her bed.
Stealthily, the Slayer crept from the bed and donned the previous day’s clothing. Boots in hand, she quietly exited the room. It didn’t take long to return to the home’s first floor. Resisting the urge to take a self-directed tour, Faith entered a large open room off the foyer and sat down to put on her footwear. She knew she needed to move quickly; sounds of movement came from another part of the house. Someone was awake.
Finishing up the laces, Faith stood. Before she could move a step, though, blue shimmering sparkles lit the air a few feet away. Blinking in confusion, the Slayer watched the light turn into a man. He had his back to the brunette, so she stood quietly, hoping he would go away.
“Piper?” he called.
A voice answered, getting closer with each word, “I’m making breakfast. Do you want some…” A slim brunette walked into the room. “Hello, who are you?” she asked, looking at the Slayer standing motionless behind her husband.
“Come on, I wasn’t gone that long,” the man replied, sounding frustrated.
“Not you, Leo.” Piper grabbed him by the arm and turned him around.
“Her,” the woman pointed at Faith.
Feeling a bit nervous under the dual stare, the brunette tried to explain. “Hi, I’m-“
Rapid footfalls garnered everyone’s attention. “Hey, guys,” Phoebe called from the stairs. “Have you seen – Faith!” She smiled at the sight of the woman she’d missed when she’d woken up.
“Faith?” Leo looked closely at the young girl behind him. “You’re Faith?”
Frowning and controlling a strong urge to flee, the Slayer nodded. “Yeah. We met before or something?”
“No,” the man replied. “I’m Leo. Your friend Angel said you’d meet me later this morning.” He turned to Piper and Phoebe. “Faith is an, ah, expert in demons. The Elders asked her to help us out for a while.”
“Hey, a demon expert. Cool,” Phoebe enthused. The witch noticed, though, that Leo’s statement hadn’t made the brunette happy. In fact, judging by the scowl twisting her features, she was very not happy.
Faith shoved both hands into the pockets of her leather pants. “Elders?” she questioned.
“My bosses,” Leo provided.
The brunette raised an eyebrow. “Thanks. That was so not helpful.”
Piper smiled at the moody girl in the sitting room. “Leo works for the guys up there.” She gestured with one hand at the ceiling. “And, no, I don’t mean in the attic,” she added, seeing the brunette open her mouth. “Leo’s an angel.”
Dimples flashing, Faith started to laugh. “Looking good for a dead man, there, Big L. So where are your wings?”
Leo flushed at the teasing. “Faith,” he said, “maybe we should go up to the attic and talk about what’s going on here.”
“Don’t take a rocket scientist to figure it out, L. You got a demon problem. I stop by, get rid of them, and I head back home.” Faith shrugged. “No big, really.”
“There’s a little more to it than that.” Leo looked at his wife. “Hon, I’m going to take Faith upstairs. We’ll be down in a few.” He smiled charmingly. “Could you save me some of the raspberry scones?”
The oldest Halliwell smirked. “Sure, Leo. Just make sure you aren’t gone too long. I’d hate for your breakfast to disappear.” She looked at the newest addition to their group. “Faith, is there anything in particular I can fix you?”
The young woman looked surprised. “Um, no. Thanks.” She smiled fully. “I pretty much eat anything.”
Piper smiled in return. “Well, when my husband gets done filling you in on the demon problems, there’ll be plenty of food in the kitchen.”
“Let’s go, Faith,” Leo said. He reached for Faith’s arm, but dropped his hand when she visibly stiffened. The angel started up the stairs, with the brunette not far behind.
As she walked passed Phoebe, the witch touched her shoulder. “Hey, is everything OK?” She went up on tip toes to kiss Faith’s cheek. “There were some interesting undercurrents with my brother-in-law.”
For a minute, the taller girl resisted the soft kiss and question. Then, sighing, she leaned into Phoebe. “Just a few things to work out. My boss isn’t big on handing out details. I think Fang forgot a few important items when he sent me up here.”
“If you’re sure.” The middle Halliwell didn’t entirely believe the explanation.
“Very sure,” Faith said. She leaned down and caught the witch’s lips in a fierce kiss. Sliding her tongue along Phoebe’s lips, she demanded entrance to her mouth.
The situation might have gotten out of hand if an impatient voice hadn’t called out, “Faith? Are you coming?”
Panting, the couple broke apart. This time, Phoebe did the smirking. “Damn. Maybe you should tell Leo the coming would have happened if he’d left us alone for a few more minutes.” She nibbled on Faith’s neck. “You should go, before he decides to see what’s keeping you.”
“Yeah,” the taller girl agreed. Reluctantly, she stepped away and took the stairs three at a time.
“Damn. How does she do that?” Phoebe asked aloud.
***
Faith hesitantly opened the door at the very top of the stairs. Leo stood behind a lectern that supported a large book. “Hey, L. What did you need to tell me?”
The angel looked up. Closing the book, he walked over to sit on the arm of an old sofa. “Faith, did Angel tell you anything about what’s going on here?”
“Not really.” Faith sat down on the opposite end of the
couch, facing Leo. “I mean, he ain’t really good with details. He just called
me up and told me I had to go to
Leo looked frustrated. “Faith, the Elders called you here for a reason.”
“OK, more about that in a minute,” the Slayer interrupted. “Who or what are the freakin’ elders?”
“They are the Senior Angels, I guess you could say. They watch over humans and assign Whitelighters, guardian angels, to witches.”
Faith nodded in understanding. “You mean the Elders are the PTB.” When the angel looked confused, she explained, “The Powers That Be. Good, now that I kinda know who’s calling the shots, tell me what you need me to do.”
Leo looked at his hands. “Faith, this isn’t a short-term assignment.” He looked up, meeting intense brown eyes. “The Elders want you stationed here to help the Charmed Ones fight off the Source of All Evil and his demon army.”
“Alright.” The brunette sensed there was something else. “Why the big private conversation? Is this something the two downstairs can’t know?”
“No,” the Whitelighter responded. “All three sisters will know you’re here to help. But, I’m supposed to watch how you handle the situation and report back to my bosses. They want to make sure you’ve really repented. If things work out, you’ll be free to go. If not…” Leo paused, looking for the right words. “Consider yourself on probation, Faith.”
***
Phoebe waited until Faith was out of sight before going into the kitchen. She smiled at Piper who was busy pulling muffin trays from the oven and watching over pots and pans on the stove. “Smells good,” she said. The witch snatched a strawberry from a bowl on the island and sat down at the kitchen table to enjoy the fruit.
Dumping the warm muffins into a wicker basket, the older Halliwell turned to face Phoebe. “So, it seems the sexy stranger won’t be a stranger for long.” She gave the innocent-faced Phoebe a long look. “But I’m betting you got to know Faith pretty well last night.”
“Piper!” the younger sister exclaimed. “That’s just wrong.”
“Hmmm, avoiding the question. She’s either very good or very bad.” Piper cocked her head. “And, you don’t look like you’ve just experienced ‘very bad.’”
Phoebe was just about to answer that outrageous statement when both witches heard something break in another room. They sprinted into the entry hall. A tall, blue-skinned demon tossed a lightening bolt their way. Phoebe dropped to the ground while Piper waved her hands at the deadly energy. In stunned horror, the younger Halliwell saw the lightening bolt continue its journey, striking her sister in the shoulder. Screaming, Piper fell against the wall and then slid down to the floor, unconscious.
“Leo!” Phoebe yelled. “Leo!”
The Whitelighter materialized next to her. “Phoebe, what…” He broke off when he saw his wife crumpled to the floor.
The demon decided to finish the Charmed Ones off. Grinning, he paced towards them, energy swirling around his body. Raising his hands, he let the power gather there. Leo rushed the demon but was flung aside. Knowing she had to do something. Phoebe left Piper’s side and took a defensive stance.
“Hey, no fair starting without me,” a rough voice called from the foot of the stairs. Witch and demon stared at Faith. The young woman stood casually, a piece of wood in one hand. “Man, look at the big Smurf. Did they feed you too many vitamins as a kid or what?” She moved in front of Phoebe.
The demon snarled and raised his hands again. “See, I think your boss forgot to warn you the sisters got a new bodyguard. The name’s Faith. I’m the Slayer.” The brunette hurled the wood at the demon, sinking it deep into its heart. Seconds later, the body erupted into flames and disappeared. “That’s new. Nice, though. No body to hide or nothing.”
CHAPTER 3
Faith turned back to Leo and the sisters. The Whitelighter held his hands over Piper’s charred shoulder. White light surrounded his fingers and lit the witch’s injury. As the Slayer watched in amazement, the wound closed and the skin healed without even a scratch. “Wicked cool, L.”
The angel ignored her praise. He was far more concerned about his wife to respond.
“Sorry, Faith.” Phoebe said for her clueless brother-in-law. “He gets tunnel vision when Piper gets hurt.”
“That happen often?” the taller girl asked.
Phoebe nodded. “Yeah, you could say that. The Source is always sending demons to kill us. You know, one of us gets hurt or the grandfather clock explodes at least once a week.”
Smirking, Faith replied, “Hope you got good benefits and all. Back in SunnyD, B and me got squat from the Council for keeping the world safe.”
Piper was awake now, and she focused on the conversation. “No benefits. Well, Leo provides a few.” She laughed when the angel blushed. “I meant the healing…still, the rest isn’t bad either.” The older Halliwell climbed to her feet, holding the pieces of her burned shirt together. “I hadn’t really planned on demon fighting before breakfast, but everything is pretty much ready to go. I’ll just change into something less damaged. Go help yourselves to the food.”
“Wicked cool. Thanks, Piper,” the Slayer said. Her stomach rumbled at the thought of food.
Phoebe laughed and poked at the growling beast. “Did you forget to eat or something? Kinda sounds angry in there.”
“Nah, Moonbeam. Slayers are chow hounds. I can probably eat a room-full of truckers under the table.” She grabbed the offending hand, threading their fingers. “So, how about showing me to the kitchen, huh?”
“Sure, sure. One meal for a hungry warrior coming up.” The witch turned to her family. “You going to join us, Leo?”
The angel shook his head. “I’ll go with Piper and be down in a few.”
“OK. I’ll try to keep Faith away from your scones.” Phoebe smiled evilly. “But if you take too long up there, no telling what’ll be left.”
“Yeah, L. If you gotta take care of things upstairs, there may not be much left by the time you get back.” The Slayer couldn’t help teasing the man. He blushed so easily. True to form, he turned bright red. “So, guess I should ask before you help your wife with her shirt,” she continued, “our new arrangement make you my new Watcher?”
Looking surprised by the question, Leo replied, “I don’t really know, Faith. I’ll have to ask the Elders. For now, I can certainly try, if that’s what you’d like.”
Faith thought for a moment. “Yeah, that’d be OK. Always did need someone to take care of the research end of the deal. Me and books? Not such good friends.” Her stomach growled again. “Sorry, guys. I think that’s my cue to find breakfast.” She let Phoebe lead her through a swinging door into the large kitchen.
“So what was all that about a Watcher?” the middle Halliwell inquired.
Focused on piling a plate high with food, Faith did respond immediately. However, once she was satisfied she had enough – for the first trip, anyway – she said, “Slayers have Watchers. Usually, they don’t look like Leo. Most of ‘em are English and have a thing for tweed.”
“What does a badly dressed Brit have to do with your job?”
Sitting down at the kitchen table, the Slayer answered, “They do the research and stuff, mostly. Though, B’s Watcher was pretty good helping her train. Watchers are supposed to do just that, watch. Normally, they file reports with the Watcher’s Council, but there ain’t much left of the old one. Giles and Red are trying to get a new one started, though.”
Phoebe was confused. “OK. You keep losing me. You’ve explained what a Watcher is, but B? Giles? Red? And what’s a vampire slayer?”
Smirking, Faith thought about possible answers to the witch’s questions. Swallowing a mouthful of food, she replied. “Kinda a long story, but I’ll make it as quick as I can.’
“Why not tell me all of it?”
“Because we’d all be old and grey by the time I finished,” Faith shot back. “Besides, I don’t come out real good in a lot of it. Thought maybe we could go over those parts another time.”
Sensing she’d touched on a sore spot, Phoebe backed off. Leaning across the table and lightly brushing her fingers over Faith’s hand, she said, “Tell me whatever you’re comfortable with.”
The Slayer ate in silence for a moment. “Might be best if I do this in order.” She shrugged. “Giles is a Watcher. Actually, he’s B’s Watcher.”
“So B is another Slayer?”
“Yeah. See, there’s really only supposed to be one Slayer at
a time. The tweeds decided they needed a little more than a normal human to
fight the bad guys. They got a witch to do some mojo and
the created the First Slayer. Slayers are girls with a few extra features.” She
grinned at the fascinated witch. “Just think of the Three Million Dollar
Absently eating from her own plate, Phoebe thought about Faith’s story so far. “So, if there’s only supposed to be one…?”
Faith worked her way through more of her massive pile of food before answering. “’Bout eight or nine years ago, B went up against a Master Vampire. He drowned her in pool or something. Lucky for B, Xander showed up and used CPR to reviver her. Only downside was she was dead long enough to Call another Slayer.”
“Wow. So you got called up?”
“No. Some chick named Kendra. She got killed about a year later. That’s when I got the Call,” Faith remembered the rush of power when her powers had awakened. “Now, Red is B’s best friend. She’s really smart and a very powerful witch.”
“What’s with the weird names? You guys in some biker gang or something?” Phoebe joked.
Chuckling, Faith finished her breakfast and sat back in the chair. “Damn, your sister can cook.”
“She used to be a chef at a restaurant in town before she opened the club”
“If I stayed here, I’d be as big as a house,” the Slayer commented. “Now, I’ve filled you in on the Slayer gig. What’s up with you and this Source dude?”
“It’s a little like your story, only without the being created thing.” Phoebe got up from the table. “You want anything else before I finish the Charmed Ones story?” She refilled her coffee mug.
“I’d probably better leave something for Piper and Leo,” Faith said. “Maybe just a refill for me, too?” The brunette held out her mug.
“More coffee coming right up. And, you know, there’s plenty of stuff left to eat if you’re hungry.”
The Slayer nodded. “I’ll wait and see if there are any leftovers. Unless you plan ahead, it’s hard to keep up with a Slayer’s appetite.”
“OK.” Phoebe returned to the table. “Well, my sisters and I
are hereditary witches. The Halliwell line started practicing witchcraft back
in
“Isn’t there always?” Faith asked sourly.
“Well, this one didn’t mention death or the end of the world, just the birth of three sisters. We were supposed to be this great force for fighting evil. A lot of stuff happened and our grandmother bound our powers and made us forget the magic.” Phoebe frowned at the memory. “Anyway, the spell was broken and each one of us found out we had a talent. Piper can freeze time; I have visions, and Paige can move things.”
“Cool, I guess.” Faith smiled. “I’m more action girl, myself. Speaking of action, Leo never really gave me any details about what I’m doing here. Just some vague crap about the Elders wanting me to help out.”
She cocked her head, listening. “Think they’re done upstairs. Maybe he’ll be ready to hand out more details now,” she smirked.
Phoebe laughed. “Don’t bet on it. The Elders aren’t big on providing a lot of information.”
A few minutes later, the missing couple entered the kitchen. “Hey, ladies,” Piper said. She surveyed the food situation. “See, Leo, I told you there’d be scones left. I don’t think they even touched them.”
“Ya know, L, before the day gets too much older, you wanna tell me what the plan is?” Faith was getting edgy. Too much sharing going on.
The angel started to answer, but then stiffened.
“Leo?” Piper grabbed his arm.
Holding up a hand for quiet, Leo stared intently at nothing. “It’s Paige,” he finally said. “She called out, but I can’t feel her anymore.”
“Damn.” Phoebe jumped from the chair. “I’ll start scrying. Piper, can you check the book?”
The older Halliwell nodded. “On my way.” She dashed out of the kitchen, and Faith heard her climb the stairs.
The Slayer stared after the witches. “Anything I can do to help, L?”
The angel shook his head. “Go up to the attic and see if Piper or Phoebe has anything. I’m going to talk to the Elders.” He stood up and disappeared in a flicker of blue light.
“Freaky,” the brunette mumbled after the angel. She trotted up the stairs to the attic. Opening the door, Faith noted Piper flipping through the large book Leo had been looking at earlier. Phoebe hunched over a small table covered with a map. The witch waved a crystal on a chain over the represented area.
Not wanting to interrupt either woman, the Slayer quietly sat on the couch. “Damn!” Phoebe exclaimed. “I’m not finding anything.”
“Neither am I,” Piper said. “Did you get even a little twinge from the scrying?” Her younger sister shook her head. “If we get Paige’s hairbrush or something, do you think you might get a premonition?”
The idea caught Phoebe’s attention. “You know, that might work.”
“Stay put, then. Which room is Paige’s?” Faith needed to do something.
“The one right across from mine.” Phoebe added, “Bring her hairbrush and anything else personal you can find.”
Springing from the couch, the Slayer ran from the attic and clattered down the stairs. Inside the missing Halliwell’s room, she quickly located the brush and spent a moment gazing around the space for something else to take upstairs. Finally, Faith chose a pendant with an intricate Celtic knot pattern. Prizes in hand, she sprinted back up the stairs.
“Hope these’ll do.” She handed Phoebe the items and returned to her seat.
The witch didn’t reply, but ran the two items through her fingers expectantly. Nothing happened, and the Slayer shifted impatiently. Suddenly, Phoebe stiffened and moaned. Eyes closed, her hands gripped the pendant until her knuckles turned white.
“Phoebe?” Faith stood and moved toward the other woman.
“No, leave her alone.” Piper moved from behind the book. Seeing the worry on the brunette’s face, she gently explained, “She sometimes gets visions of the future. It may look awful, but she’ll be fine.”
Faith merely grunted, and watched Phoebe intently. After a few minutes, the witch slumped over the table, breathing hard. “Leo!” she shouted. The angel didn’t immediately appear, and Phoebe cursed under her breath. “Damn it, Leo, get your ass down here!”
CHAPTER 4
“Phoebe, what’s wrong?” Piper looked stunned at the younger girl’s actions.
The middle Halliwell ignored the question. Pacing furiously and glaring at the ceiling, she appeared to come to a decision. Dropping her gaze, she announced, “I saw Faith get stabbed.”
Phoebe was obviously upset by the news – tears stood in her eyes. The Slayer, though, simply slouched deeper into the cushions. “Hey, Moonbeam, don’t go all Movie of the Week on me. Been stabbed before.” She grinned cockily. “Slayers are hard to kill as a rule. Just ask B. She’s died twice.”
“That’s not the point, damn it!” Phoebe stared in shock at the dimpled brunette. Spinning away, she called out, “Leo, I’m still waiting! You’ve got a lot of questions to answer, Buster!”
The air next to Faith brightened. Blue light danced in the air and then coalesced into the summoned Whitelighter. “What’s going on, Phoebe? I was in a meeting with the Elders.” He frowned in disapproval. “They were really unhappy with your choice in words.”
“Like I care!” the witch snapped.
“Whoa! Time out, guys.” Piper stepped between her husband and her sister. “Let’s try to discuss this without the attitudes, OK?” Hands on hips, she stared at the two until they gave reluctant nods of approval.
Seeing the maneuver, Faith laughed. “Cool. Piper’s got Resolve Face, too.” Three heads turned in her direction. “Never mind,” she mumbled, now on the receiving end of said Face.
“What exactly did you see, Phoebe?” Piper asked.
The younger sister took a seat next the Faith. “It wasn’t like most of my premonitions. Usually, it’s just a quick glimpse – a minute at most. This was like watching a movie.” She absently grabbed the Slayer’s hand. “There were about twenty guys with funky foreheads. It looked like they were doing a ritual, but I couldn’t see a lot of details.”
“Huh.” Faith grunted. “Vamps.”
“Vamps?” Piper inquired.
“Vampires…the guys with the funky foreheads are vampires. They can look human, but in their demon form, they have ridges on their forehead.” Faith glanced at the girl next to her. “So, besides the ritual, what else did you see?”
Phoebe closed her eyes, trying to recall the details. “Paige was hanging in the center of the room. We came charging in and a fight broke out.” She bit her lip. “Things got really confused after that. One of the vampires charged Leo, and Faith jumped in front of him.”
Interrupting before the witch could get upset again, the Slayer asked, “Was there anything in the room to tell us where they have your sister?”
For a second, Phoebe looked like she wouldn’t answer. “No. It was just a big, empty room.”
“Empty like a house, empty? Or more like a warehouse?” Faith wanted to know.
“Um, I don’t know.” Phoebe was confused by the change in the Slayer. This was not the teasing, sexy siren, but a focused fighter. Pulling the image into her mind and consciously examining every detail, she said, “There aren’t any colors in my visions, but I think the walls were white or grey. There was a design on the floor, and I think one of the vampires had a tattoo on his face.”
Faith nodded. “Do you think you could sketch the design and the tattoo?”
“Maybe.” Phoebe sounded unsure.
“What are you thinking, Faith?” Leo joined the conversation.
Looking at the Whitelighter, the Slayer decided to be honest. “Vampires, symbols, and sacrifices usually mean the world is about to end. Before the big bang, though, you usually have a big scary evil come to town.”
“We can check the Book to see if there’s anything that would help.” Piper moved to the lectern and started leafing though the large book.
Faith pulled her hand from the witch’s and stood. “You guys don’t seem to have much experience with vampires. I’m thinking your Book isn’t going to be useful.” She looked at Leo. “You know of any demon hangouts, L?”
The young man nodded slowly. “The Elders keep tabs on a couple of places. Why?”
“I’m thinking me and Moonbeam need to do a little information gathering.” Stuffing her hands in her pockets, she continued. “Maybe you two could try checking the bigger crypts and mausoleums in the area.”
The older witch leaned against her husband. “I can understand getting information, but what does that have to do with crypts?”
Busy making a mental list of things to do, the Slayer answered absently. “Vamps usually hang out in there. If there are enough of them, they might find an abandoned warehouse, too.” She turned to Phoebe. “You keep any weapons here?”
“We’ve got a few athames and I think there are still a couple of swords in the basement.”
“Grab ‘em and meet me downstairs.” Faith turned to Leo. “Let’s you and me find a bit of privacy.”
The Whitelighter nodded. “OK. Piper, can you give us a minute?”
“Leo –“
“Later, Piper.” He looked seriously at the older witch. “I can’t explain. The Elders want this between me and Faith for the moment.”
The brunette looked between the young girl and her husband. “I won’t take no for an answer for long, Leo. The Elders be damned.”
“I know.” The angel ran a hand through his hair. “I’ll tell you what I can later. Let me talk to Faith for a few minutes.”
Throwing one last look at the Slayer, Piper followed Phoebe out of the attic. “”About this vision, L.”
“Faith, I don’t know anything more. The Elders gifted Phoebe with the visions to help the sisters fight demons. They don’t pass the information along to me.”
Pacing the long room, the brunette girl growled, “Fuck that. I ain’t interested in the visions. At least, not in the how and why. You said earlier that I’m on probation, and your Elders are calling the shots.”
Leo nodded, but didn’t say anything.
“Phoebe saw me getting stabbed in her vision.” Faith swallowed. She didn’t know how to ask the next question. “If your bosses decide I’m not on the right side of the fight, they won’t send me back to prison, will they?”
“No,” the angel’s voice was quiet.
The Slayer sucked in a shuddering breath. “OK. That’s all I needed to know.” She started for the stairs.
“Faith,” the angel said, and she paused. “They aren’t waiting for you to fail. They don’t work that way.”
“Gotcha, L.” Faith kept her back to the Whitelighter. “Anything else?”
Watching the younger girl, Leo wanted to help. But he was afraid to push too quickly. “No, nothing else.”
The Slayer trotted down the stairs without another word. Phoebe stood in the sunroom, staring out the window. “You ready, Moonbeam?”
Turning, Phoebe smiled. “Ready when you are.” She winked. “I
was curious, though. How do you plan to carry swords in downtown
Grabbing the weapons in question, Faith concentrated and murmured a few words in Sumerian. The air shimmered around the blades before the swords disappeared.
“What the…”
Dimples flashing, the Slayer smiled at the astonished witch.
“Before Red left for
Raising an eyebrow, Phoebe reached out and felt for the swords. “Useful, I guess. We don’t go much for knives.”
Wrapping the invisible steel in her leather coat, the Slayer
started for the door. “How do you kill all those demons, then?”
“Potions, mostly.” The middle Halliwell trailed behind, “Sometimes, Piper blows them up or we use a spell.”
The bright morning sunlight stabbed at Faith when she exited the house. She squinted. “Hell, I ain’t used to working these hours. Shoulda brought some sunglasses.” The brunette tossed the wrapped weapons into the backseat of Phoebe’s car and dropped into the passenger seat. “You ready, Moonbeam?”
Starting the engine and backing out of the drive, the witch shrugged. “You bet. I hope you’re going to fill me in on the plan when we get there.”
“It’s simple enough. I do the talking; you just look sexy and stay quiet,” Faith replied.
“Hey, I can help, you know,” Phoebe protested.
Staring at the almost-pouting woman, the Slayer asserted her authority. “This is my game, Moonbeam. You play by my rules, or you get off the field.”
Glaring back, the witch started to complain, but Faith interrupted. “Look, Phoebe, I’ve been doing this a long time. What we’re getting ready to do is dangerous.” The Slayer broke off. This was why she preferred to work alone; she didn’t have to do all this sharing of ideas. The rest of the drive passed in uncomfortable silence. Finally, they pulled up outside a nondescript building. A small shingle-sign bearing the name “Erebus” hung above a narrow door. Faith reached into the back seat and pulled out her jacket and both swords. “You in or out, Moonbeam?” she asked huskily.
“In, of course,” the witch replied. “For now, I’ll let you get away with the cloak and dagger. But, you’re explaining it all sometime very soon.”
Ignoring everything but the agreement to join the fight, the Slayer reached for the door handle. “OK, then, here’s the plan.”
CHAPTER 5
Phoebe followed Faith into the dark interior of the building. The Slayer moved with confidence, striding into the nearly-empty barroom like she owned it. Once inside, the taller girl headed straight for the gleaming bar and the grizzled demon behind it.
“Give me a Jack and coke,” Faith ordered. She sat on a stool and roughly pulled Phoebe onto her lap. “What gives? This place is like a graveyard.” Barely giving the cocky brunette a glance, the bartender slid the liquor to Faith. “Hey, no call to be unfriendly. I just got into town and I’m looking for some work. Friend of mine said I might find something here.”
While Faith played her scene, Phoebe examined the bar and its occupants. It was quiet. Only a dozen drinkers, all of them scattered at individual tables.
“Oh?” The red-skinned demon tending the bar sounded bored.
Faith flashed her dimples at the lukewarm response. “Yeah. Used to do some work for a lawfirm in LA. Maybe you’ve heard of them.” She paused, running a hand across Phoebe’s stomach under her shirt, and she shivered. “Wolfram and Hart.”
The low hum of conversation in the room stopped. The demon, however, laughed. “What could a little bit like you do?”
Faith didn’t answer. Instead, she tossed back her drink and nibbled on Phoebe’s ear. Even though she’d been warned to expect this, Phoebe stiffened. This was far too public. Gasping, she slipped, forgetting the role Faith wanted her to play. “What…” she tried to ask. Responding instantly, Faith pinched a nipple brutally.
“Don’t ever question me, pet.” The rough voice oozed with barely contained violence. “Remember your place.” Phoebe caught the warning in the brown eyes starting down at her.
Sucking in a deep breath at the pain, Phoebe nodded her head rapidly. Damn. That hurt. Not as much as she pretended, but she’d have bruises. “Sorry,” she gasped out. She relaxed a little when the strong fingers returned to stroking her midriff. If Faith stuck with the caressing, everything was good.
Leaning on the bar and leering at the witch, the demon prompted, “You never answered the question. What did you do for the Wolf, Ram, and Hart?”
“A little of this and that.” Faith avoided a direct answer at first. She held out her empty glass before responding fully. “I used to provide special services, so to speak. They paid me to make sure their clients did well in court.”
Nerves still twitching from the roughing up, Phoebe listened to the conversation. Special services? What did Faith mean?
The demon stopped pouring and stared at Faith in disbelief. “You’re a lawyer?”
“Are you fucking stupid? Do I look like a lawyer?” Dumping Phoebe on her feet, Faith stood. “This is a waste of time. We need to find another bar, precious.” The Slayer moved the surprised witch toward the door using a handful of hair. Phoebe hurried alongside Faith, praying she didn’t have a bald spot when this was all over.
“Wait!” the demon protested. “Man, you’re a touchy one.” He raised a hand and flagged down a demon in the back of the bar. “I might be able to get you some work.”
Faith considered the offer while Phoebe tried not to move. Faith still had a tight grip on her hair, the fingers pressed tight against her scalp. As she mimicked an underdressed statue, Phoebe ran over the information she’d pried out of Faith. When the Slayer had first explained the plan, it had sounded simple. Act submissive and let Faith make some contacts.
Phoebe hadn’t expected the barely restrained anger in Faith and though she’d agreed intellectually with the setup, the reality was far harder to handle. The burning humiliation and uncertainty from the public fondling and domination caused her to forget the role she played.
“No way. Let’s get out of here.” She knew immediately the comment was a mistake. Faith’s eyes turned cold and deadly. Phoebe shivered, shrinking as far away as she could with Faith’s fist in her hair.
“You just don’t learn, do you, pet?” Faith twisted the hand still holding Phoebe’s hair, pulling her head back. She stepped in close and put her mouth against the witch’s ear. “It’s going to get rough, Moonbeam. Play along.”
Phoebe wanted to protest. Wasn’t it already rough?
Stepping back, Faith mocked, “I guess you need a lesson in obedience.” Meeting the demon’s eyes, the Slayer turned Phoebe around and then lifted the smaller girl until her front lay on the bar, legs dangling.
Heart racing, Phoebe looked over her shoulder – and gasped.
Reaching under her jacket, Faith yanked out a knife.
Not daring to breathe or move, Phoebe lay on the bar while Faith used the weapon to cut along the seams of her pants. Not bothering to slice the waistband, the Slayer merely lifted the top layer onto Phoebe’s back, baring her from the waist down. “At least you can follow some directions,” she husked.
Phoebe buried her face in the wood of the gleaming bar. She hadn’t been planning on any kind of outing when she’d left off her underwear that morning.
“You, bitch. Put me the fuck down.” Phoebe fought to stay in character. Faith had warned her before going into the bar they might have to take the action to extremes. She started to panic a little, though, when she heard Faith’s buckle clink open, and the leather hiss through belt loops.
The action had drawn a crowd even in the quiet bar. All of the patrons inched closer to the pair. “Damn. I can’t believe I’m doing this,” the bartender muttered. “You need to cool it, both of you.”
***
Slowly moving back from Phoebe, Faith threaded her belt back through the loops on her leather pants. “Stand up, pet,” she ordered. “It looks like you’ve got a short reprieve.”
She watched as Phoebe stood up, holding the halves of her pants together. Forcing herself to stay in character, the Slayer pinned the bartender with a deadly glare. “You want to explain why I can’t discipline my property in your bar?”
Flinching away from the piercing brown eyes, the demon nodded toward the back of the bar. Buried in the shadows, a large shaped loomed. “House rules. No violence of any kind.”
“What the fuck kind of demon bar is this?” Faith frowned. She had to be careful. The Slayer knew she had to fit in without going too far. “Never mind. The girl can wait. I’m here on business.” She tossed a glance at the witch. Phoebe looked bad. The scene had been too much for her. “You got a contact for me?”
Eyeing the mercurial brunette, the bartender nodded. “Yeah. Got a new bunch of demons in town. They’re always looking for some extra muscle.”
Trying to look interested in the job, Faith smirked. “I can do muscle, but I only work with trusted sources. You gotta name or something? I want to check with my old boss, make sure I ain’t signing on with a bunch of wanna-be’s.”
A slight smile crossed the demon’s face. “No names, girlie. But this one’s big. Rumor says this is a hired gun for the Source himself.”
“I don’t trust rumors much. Every demon thinks he’s the Source’s right hand.” The Slayer let her eyes roam the room. The earlier crowd had melted away when the floor show stopped. “Still,” she commented, as if thinking things over, “I do need something to keep me occupied while I’m in town. You’re on. If you can get my name to your contact, I’m jonesing for some action.”
Faith met the bartender’s eyes. “Want me to check back here or can I just give you a number?”
“No numbers. You come here and the contact can decide if you’re worth his time.” He waited for an answer.
“Yeah, OK. I’ll be back tomorrow. That give you enough time?” Faith was itching to run, and she could feel the tension Phoebe.
The bartender nodded.
“Good.” Faith shoved Phoebe toward the door. “I’ll be back.” She watched the witch hurry out of the building. “I think I’ve got some things to take care of in the meantime.” The demon’s laughter followed her from the bar.
Outside, Phoebe was already halfway down the block. Faith closed her eyes at the stiff back and rapid stride of the shorter girl. Tension thrummed through her own body after the charade. Jogging quickly after her companion, Faith waited until they had reached the car. “You OK, Moonbeam?” It was a stupid question. Phoebe spun around and Faith pulled up short at the tears running down her face.
“No. I’m not OK,” Phoebe snapped. “What the hell went on in there?”
“Exactly what I told you earlier. I made a contact with the new Evil in town.” The Slayer jammed both hands in her pockets and held the pain-filled gaze. “I warned you what might happen.”
Eyes narrowing in anger, Phoebe snapped, “You said I needed to act submissive. You didn’t say anything about cutting my clothes off and whipping me!”
“Look, Moonbeam –“ Faith tried to say.
“Don’t call me that.” Phoebe was nearly hysterical and Faith took a step back. This had been a bad idea. She’d known going in that the scene could get rough. Obviously, Phoebe hadn’t believed the warnings.
“I…” the Slayer bowed her head. Somehow, she always managed to fuck up a good thing. “Just get in the car.” Still fuming, Phoebe climbed into the small vehicle and slammed the door. Faith stayed on the sidewalk. “Leo.” It wasn’t a loud summons, but stress made the whisky-rough voice tight.
Seconds later, the Whitelighter and his wife appeared next to the brunette. “Faith? What’s wrong?” Leo could feel the emotions battering at his newest charge.
“Nothing’s wrong.” Faith remained stoic on the surface. “Phoebe needs someone to take her home. She ain’t up to driving.” Faith turned away and started wandering down the street.
“Where are you going?” Piper’s voice rang out.
Not slowing her pace, Faith tossed over her shoulder, “Need to do a little thinking. L can find me once you get her home safe.” By the time she finished answering, the Slayer had reached the end of the block. She paused for a second before taking a right and heading into the seedy neighborhood she glimpsed in that direction.
***
Piper watched the newest member of their team walk off. Despite the girl’s assurance, she knew there was a problem. “Leo, keep an eye on her.” She waved at the Slayer’s rapidly disappearing form. Her husband nodded. Light shimmered around him. When it died down, the Whitelighter was a few inches taller and very heavily muscled. Dirty blonde hair hung in ratty strands down his back. He followed Faith’s path.
Opening the passenger door and crawling in, Piper considered her sister, huddled behind the wheel. “Wanna tell me about it?” she gently inquired.
.