The Demon of Desire

Written by Sammi: [email protected]

Prue walked downstairs and into the kitchen to find Phoebe pouring herself some granola.

“Morning Pheebs,” she said.

“Hey Prue.”  Phoebe replied.

“Where’s Piper?”

“She went to breakfast with Leo.”

“He didn’t get called?”

“Nope, and hopefully he won’t get called until breakfast is over at least.  Piper’s spent hardly any time with him for ages.”

“I  know.”  Prue nodded.

“Poor Piper.”

“She chose to live this life.  She knows that he has other charges, and she won’t let him clip his wings so…”

“I know Prue, it’s just…I think that the elders should let Leo have some time with his wife.  They let Piper & Leo get married, but now they’re not letting them have a normal life.”

“Our lives are hardly normal.  In between work and evil beings, neither Piper nor I have time for a social life.  I don’t know how you do it Pheebs.”

“I don’t have a social life.  I hardly have time for studying anymore, what with my classes and all the evil coming after us.  I dunno how I’m gonna graduate.”

“You’ll graduate Pheebs, I’m sure of it, you’re smart.  If you like, I can help you study.”

“Really?”  Phoebe’s face lit up.

“Sure.  But not right now.”

“How ‘bout tonight?”
“OK, after dinner I’ll help you study.”

Prue had made herself some toast and coffee while they were talking, and now she stood up, gulping down the last of her coffee.  After taking her plate and mug to the sink, she turned to her sister.

“I’ve gotta go to work.  Love you.”  She kissed Phoebe’s head as she went out the door.

“Ditto.  Bye.”

Phoebe finished her granola and packed the dirty dishes in the dishwasher.  She had a class to get to.

 

That night, after dinner, Prue and Phoebe sat together in Phoebe’s room.

“OK, so where do we start?”  Prue asked.

“Well, I’ve kinda been having trouble with my Psychology.  Can you help?”

“Sure, show me what you’ve been doing.”

As Prue helped her sister study, neither noticed a woman appear behind them.  She sprinkled something glittery on them, then disappeared again.

“Did you hear something Pheebs?”  Prue asked suddenly.

“No, did you?”

“I think so…” Prue got off the bed to investigate.

“Prue.  You have glittery stuff all over you.”  Phoebe said when Prue turned around.

“Really?”  Prue spun around again as Phoebe turned to get a mirror from her bedside table.  “Wow, so do you Pheebs.”

“Huh, that’s weird.  Ah well, I reckon we’ve had weirder.”  Phoebe shrugged, and the two began studying again.

 

Later that night, the same woman appeared in Piper and Leo’s room.  She took a look at the pair, sleeping in each other’s arms, and wrinkled her nose.  Then she sprinkled glittery stuff on Piper a disappeared just as soon as she’d come.

 

The next morning Phoebe was washing her hair in the shower when she heard Prue banging on the bathroom door.

“Phoebe!  Hurry up!”

Phoebe quickly rinsed her hair and turned off the water.  Prue banged again.  Phoebe shook her head, put her bathrobe on and wrapped a towel around her hair, then opened the door.

Prue was just lifting her hand to bang on the door a third time when Phoebe opened it.

“It’s about time!”  She said as she disappeared inside.  Before Phoebe could open her mouth, the door was closed.

“Geez!”  Phoebe said to the closed door, before going into her room to change.  She met Leo in the hall and warned him about Prue’s obvious temper.

“What’d you do this time Pheebs?” he asked.

“Me?  I didn’t do anything!  We had a great time last night, she was helping me study, and then all of a sudden this morning she’s like…whoa!”

“Must be PMS,” added Piper, who had come up behind them.  “Just leave her alone for few days.  She’ll get over it.”

 

“Soon I will have the powers of the Charmed Ones, and there’s nothing they can do about it.  Then I can kill them and break the Power of Three forever!”  The woman who had sprinkled the power on them stroked her dog and laughed.

 

Piper was overseeing the stock being delivered at P3 when one of her workmen dropped a case of bourbon.  She froze him, and moved towards him to steady the box.  But she had hardly moved when he unfroze and the bourbon crashed to the floor.  Piper looked stunned.

“Sorry Ms Halliwell, so sorry.”  The workman apologised profusely, but Piper waved him off and went into her office.

“What’s wrong with me?  My freezes have always lasted longer than that.  And I didn’t unfreeze him.  What happened?”  Piper was very confused, but decided to leave it until the end of the day to check in the Book of Shadows.

 

Prue was also having a confusing day, for she found that she couldn’t control her powers either.  She couldn’t stop moving things, and found that she accidentally astral projected herself into the bathroom.  She too decided to check in the Book of Shadows at the end of the day.

 

Phoebe wasn’t having as much trouble, as her powers were passive, but she did find herself levitating in the library.  Unlike her sisters, Phoebe rushed home as soon as her classes were over to check in the Book of Shadows.

She found nothing.  There was nothing in the book about their powers going haywire, except for the fact that when pregnant, they might channel the baby’s powers, but Phoebe was very sure that she was not pregnant.

“So what’s wrong?”  Phoebe lay back on the couch in the living room, and soon fell asleep.

Prue woke up Phoebe when she entered the manor, and slammed the door behind her.  She had just joined Phoebe in the living room when the front door opened again, and then slammed, signalling Piper’s arrival home.

“Rough day?”  Phoebe asked tentatively, as she could see that both of her sisters were in bad moods.

“You could say that.”  Prue said, taking off her shoes and collapsing on the couch next to Phoebe.

Piper slumped in an armchair, looking exhausted.  “My power’s gone haywire.  I can’t hold my freezes.”

“And I can’t control my telekinesis,”

“Yes, guys our powers have gone out of control.”  Phoebe added.

“Anything in the Book of Shadows?”  Piper asked, knowing that Phoebe would have already looked through it.

“Nope.  Not unless one of you is pregnant and somehow all of our powers have gone haywire.”

“I’m not pregnant.”  Prue said quickly.

“Me neither,”  Piper put in.

“Then maybe this is a demon or something.  Maybe it wants our powers.”

Prue was sceptical.  “Phoebe, how would a demon get our powers by making us lose control of them?”

“Maybe it wants us to get frustrated of not being able to control them, and then it wants us to give our powers to it.”  Prue threw an annoyed look at Phoebe, and opened her mouth to say something, but Piper cut in.

“Unless the demon cast a spell on us to take our powers, and they’re just leaving us slowly?”

Leo orbed in at that moment.  He kissed Piper, and then sat in the armchair with her on his lap.  “You guys, this is serious.  The elders don’t know what’s happened to your powers.”

Phoebe jumped up.  “What do you mean They don’t know?  They know everything about all the demons we’ve been up against, maybe They’re just not telling us anything.”

Piper agreed, “It wouldn’t be the first time They’ve held something from us.”

“Maybe, but I really don’t think They know, They didn’t really look like they were keeping anything…” Leo trailed off.

“Well, we can’t do anything about it now, why don’t we just leave it and see what happens tomorrow.”  Prue stepped in.

“They’re calling me.  I’d better go.  I’ll see if anyone’s had this happen to a charge before while I’m up there.”  Leo said, orbing out.

Piper sighed, and Phoebe could see she was annoyed.

“Pipe, why don’t we go into the kitchen and prepare a fabulous dinner.  I’ll help.”  She said, taking her sister’s arm and leading her towards the kitchen.

Prue threw both of them a withering look, “Phoebe’s wearing my sweater again,” she said quietly to herself, before going upstairs.

 

Later that night, Piper was taking a shower when she heard Leo orb in.  She finished her shower as quickly as she could, then walked into their bedroom in a robe, a towel wrapped around her wet hair.

Leo gave her a giant grin when she came in.

“Hey sweetie,” Piper said, giving him a kiss.

“Piper guess what!”  Leo exclaimed.

“What?”

“My other charges have been reassigned.  You three are my only charges now!”  Leo said very quickly.

“Huh?”  Piper didn’t get it.

“I have no other charges, only you three.  I can stay with you always!”

“Oh Leo, that’s great!”  Piper cried, hugging him.

“What’s great?”  Phoebe stuck her head in the door.

“My other charges have been reassigned.  The Charmed Ones are my only charges now.”  Leo said, beaming at his sister-in-law.

“Oh wow!  That’s so cool!”  Phoebe bounded into the room and hugged them both.

“Should I go and tell Prue?”  Piper asked Leo.

“Sure…”

“Ah guys, I wouldn’t.”  Phoebe hastily cut in.

“Why not?”  Piper looked questioningly at her little sister.

“Coz for some reason she’s mad at the whole world.  She yelled at me for borrowing her sweater.  I even asked this time”  Piper and Leo looked unconvinced.

“Oh sure Pheebs,”  Piper grinned, and Phoebe looked guilty.  “Well Pheebs, Leo and I have some ‘celebrating’ to do so could you please skedaddle?”

Phoebe rolled her eyes.  “Fine.”

“Love ya Pheebs!”  Piper yelled as Phoebe closed the door.  Then she turned to Leo who smiled and kissed her passionately.

 

The strange woman patted her dog.  “One down, two to go.”  She cackled.

 

Phoebe was getting ready for bed when she heard something behind her.  Turning around, she was stunned to see her mother standing at the foot of her bed.

“Mom,”  she said, and rushed to hug her.

They pulled away, and sat side by side on the bed.

“Why are you here Mom?”  Phoebe asked.

“I honestly don’t know Phoebe.” Patty replied, stroking Phoebe’s hair.  “But for now, I’m just glad that I have some time with you.”

Phoebe smiled, and hugged her mother again, pleased to finally be able to spend time alone with her mother.  “Me too Mom, me too.”

 

“Two down, now for the eldest.”  The woman said.  “Soon the Charmed Ones will be no more!”

 

Phoebe’s eyes jolted open.  She saw her mother standing in the middle of her room.

“Mom?”

“Phoebe, this is the work of a demon.  She gave you your deepest desire in return for your powers.  You must find the spell to vanquish her.  I don’t know her name, maybe you should ask Leo.”  With that, Patty disappeared, leaving Phoebe confused and half asleep.

As she processed the information her mother had just given her, Phoebe changed her clothes, then joined Leo and Piper in the kitchen.

“Hey guys, what’s…”  trailing off, Phoebe realised she was talking to herself, as Piper and Leo were too busy making out to notice anyone else in the room.  “Hello!  Guys!”

At Phoebe’s yell, they broke apart, Piper throwing the bowl she had in her hands.  As if in slow motion, it flipped slowly until it came to land on the table in front of Phoebe.

“Thanks Piper, but I prefer my pancakes cooked.”  Phoebe joked.

Leo grinned, but Piper looked bewildered.  “How come my powers aren’t working?”  she said, sounding scared.

“What do you mean honey?”  Leo asked.

“I tried to freeze the room, but nothing happened!”

Something clicked in Phoebe’s mind.

“Piper, what is your deepest desire?” she asked.

Piper looked suspiciously at Phoebe.  “Why do you want to know?”

“Let me guess, it’s that we are Leo’s only charge, right?”

“How did you know?”

“Oh great, you too, so I guess that means that Prue…”  Phoebe was cut off by Prue running down the stairs shrieking.

“Why is there never any hot water left?”  She screamed.

Leo, Piper and Phoebe shared a smile.  Prue then tried to steal Phoebe’s coffee using her power, but found that they weren’t working.

“Why are my powers not working, Phoebe have you been casting spells again?”

“No, but I do know why none of our powers are working.  Prue, did you deepest desire come true last night?”  Phoebe questioned knowingly.

Prue looked at her sister strangely.  “Yeah, why?”

“There’s a demon behind this.  She gave us our deepest desires in return for our powers.”

“Wait, wait, Phoebe how do you know all this?”  Piper interrupted.

 “Mom told me.”  Prue and Piper looked at Phoebe incredulously, “my deepest desire was to have more time with Mom, so when the demon gave me my desire, Mom came and spent the night with me.  Then she told me about this, this morning, when I woke up.  She doesn’t know what the name of the demon is, so I was hoping you could find that out for us Leo?”  Phoebe looked hopefully at her brother-in-law.

“I’ll try, no promises though.  You know how stubborn They can be.”

“We’ll look in the Book of Shadows.”  Piper kissed her husband, and her orbed out in the middle of the kiss.  “I hate when he does that!”

“C’mon, let’s go.”  Phoebe led them up to the attic.

 

Fifteen minutes later, they found it.

“Here!”  Phoebe yelled, and here sisters gathered around her.

“Desiré (pronounced de-ser-ree), the Demon of Desire.  She uses a glittering powder to find her victim’s deepest desire.” Prue read, “so that’s what that glittery stuff was.”

“Once the victim has experience their deepest desire, the demon will temporarily gain their powers.  If the demon is not vanquished within 48 hours of the desire beginning, then she will keep the powers.”  Piper continued.

“Once Desiré is vanquished, the desires will come undone.”  Phoebe read on silently, and stopped when she reached the spell.  “We need the Power of 4.  Who’s the 4^th One?” she asked.

Leo orbed in at that moment, to find Prue with her hands covering her mouth, Piper with her mouth hanging open, and Phoebe looking confused.

“What’s going on?”  he asked.

“That’s what I’d like to know.” Phoebe answered, glaring at her sisters.

 

TO BE CONTINUED….

 

The prologue takes place after this, but it needed to be the prologue because…well just because OK?