“I don’t know what we’re going to do without him,” Elijah said finally, so quietly that Paige wasn’t certain she’d heard him right.
“You miss him, huh?” she asked, shifting in her seat. Her vinyl pants made a loud squeaking sound against the hard seat, and she blushed. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay,” Elijah said. “Happens all the time.” He actually shot her a tight smile, and Paige felt her shoulder muscles uncurl. “Yes, I miss Samson. He’s like a brother to me. But it’s not just that,” Elijah said.
He paused, and Paige sensed he was going to need a little push to keep going. “What is it?” she asked gently. “Was he your high priest?”
She felt a little surge of pride at simply knowing this terminology. At least her hour of surfing the Wicca Web sites had proved useful in some capacity.
“He was,” Elijah answered, leaning his weight into his left arm. “Or is,” he corrected himself, clearing his throat. Clearly he was not ready to think of Samson in the past tense. “He inspires everyone. He has this power….” He glanced up at Paige as if to see how she would react to the word power, but Paige simply gazed back at him, her brown eyes steady. “He’s able to see auras quite clearly, and he was honing the ability to cleanse. He did a cleansing on me after my mother passed away, and it was incredibly helpful. It helped me to put the past behind me and move ahead….”
Elijah trailed off and clenched his jaw, obviously uncomfortable with the personal turn he’d allowed himself to take in the conversation. He let out a sigh—a short burst of frustrated breath—and looked at Paige once more.
“Does anyone else in your coven have this power?” Paige asked gently.
“No,” Elijah said. “We have power together, of course, but Samson is the gifted one in our circle. He’s helped a lot of people.”
“He sounds like a good guy,” Paige said, realizing her words probably sounded trite to Elijah, but feeling the need to say something.
“Please find him,” Elijah said firmly. “I honestly don’t know what we’ll do here without him.”
Paige swallowed hard and pushed her chair back from the table, sensing she’d just been given the cue to go. “We’ll try,” she said with a small smile. “Thank you for your time.”
“I’ll walk you to the door,” Elijah said, starting to rise.
“No, please,” Paige said, holding out her hand. “I’m fine.”
She turned and walked out to the front living room, then checked over her shoulder. She’d lent Phoebe her car, and Piper had the SUV, so she’d orbed herself onto Elijah’s street and she was going to have to orb herself back to the manor. At that moment she was glad to have the lightning-speed mode of transport. Seeing Elijah so broken up about Samson had left her with a sickening urge to see her sisters. She couldn’t imagine what she would do if her own “coven” suffered a loss like Elijah’s. Paige closed her eyes and orbed herself back to her home.
“All right, let me get this straight,” Phoebe said, standing in the middle of the living room at Halliwell Manor, one shaky hand to her forehead. Piper was leaning against the mantel to her right, and Daryl and Paige were seated on the couch, looking up at her expectantly. “Both Samson and Clarissa were the most powerful Wiccans in their covens? They both had actual powers?”
“Looks that way,” Paige said, folding her hands over one knee and leaning back into the couch.
“Well, that’s disturbing,” Phoebe said, rubbing her forehead for good measure before dropping her hand again. “Keisha was the high priestess of her coven, too. Apparently she had the power to see through solid objects.”
“A Superwoman Wiccan?” Piper asked without a trace of irony.
“Something like that,” Phoebe answered. She walked behind her favorite chair and leaned against the back. Her heart was in her throat and pounding hard. The pieces of the puzzle were starting to fit together, and she didn’t like the picture that was forming before her.
“Someone’s trying to silence a lot of power,” Piper said, pushing her hand into her hair and resting her elbow on the mantel. She held her hair back from her face and stared at the picture frames in front of her.
“Or trying to gather a lot of power,” Phoebe said.
Piper’s head popped up and Paige sat forward. Phoebe could tell from their expressions that this was something neither of them had considered, but it was perfectly clear to her. If the other Wiccans that had been kidnapped were each as gifted as the three they’d learned about today, then someone was compiling an arsenal of mystical power. Who knew what the kidnapper wanted to use these Wiccans for.
“Wait a minute,” Daryl said, sliding forward on the couch. “Are you saying that someone could be trying to put together an army?”
“Something like that,” Phoebe said. “But it could be worse. These Wiccans all seem like good people, so it wouldn’t be easy to turn them evil, but if we’re dealing with a warlock…”
Phoebe paused and looked at Piper, holding her breath.
“Warlocks…right. Remind me,” Daryl demanded, looking from Phoebe to Piper and back again. “What’s the deal with warlocks?”
“When a warlock kills a real witch, he absorbs his or her power and is able to use it,” Phoebe explained, standing up straight and pushing her hands into the back pockets of her slacks. “If we’re dealing with a warlock or some other power-sucking demon—”
“Then one guy could have all of these powers by now,” Paige said, her voice filled with fear.
“And my guess is he’s not planning on using them to do good,” Piper put in as she stepped away from the wall.
“Okay, I really don’t like this,” Daryl said, pushing his hands into his thighs and standing up. “I think you guys need to get out of here…now.”
“Daryl, what are you talking about?” Paige asked, scrunching up her face.
“I’m talking about getting you to a safe house or something,” Daryl replied earnestly. “If these people are rounding up powerful witches, it’s only a matter of time before they show up at your door.”
“They’re taking only the most powerful of each coven,” Paige pointed out. “I wonder who they’d take from the three of us,” she said, glancing at Phoebe, her eyebrows raised.
“I’d have to go with Piper,” Phoebe said with a thoughtful frown.
“Please!” Piper replied, shaking her head. “Phoebe’s the number one badass around here. You can freakin’ fly!”
“But don’t discount Paige,” Phoebe put in, lifting her index finger. “She’s pretty wily with all that disappearing stuff.”
“Thank you!” Paige said, throwing up her hands. “I was starting to feel like chopped liver over here.”
“Ladies!” Daryl exclaimed, frustrated.
Phoebe and her sisters laughed, but when Daryl shot her his best I mean business cop stare, Phoebe covered her mouth and made herself get serious. “Sorry,” she said. “Just a little comic relief.”
“Well, I’m not in the mood,” Daryl said. “I’m surprised these people, or things, or warlocks, or whatever, haven’t already come after you three.”
“Well, we’re not gonna run. We never have before, and we’re not going to start now,” Piper said, walking around the couch and sitting down next to Paige. She slipped her arm over Paige’s shoulders and looked up at Daryl. “We know how to take care of ourselves. We’re just going to have to keep our eyes peeled.”
“Exactly,” Phoebe said, feeling wary and determined at the same time. “The question is…for what?”
Chapter
3
Paige pulled her favorite baggy sweatshirt out of her dresser and slipped it on over her head, sighing contentedly as the fuzzy material settled in around her skin. After a day like this all she could think about was changing into her comfy clothes. If some wacko was going to come grab her out of her own house, she may as well be comfortable for the occasion. Besides, it would be best to have the benefit of unhindered movement, just in cas
e she needed to kick a little butt.
Downstairs Daryl, Piper, and Phoebe were still talking, and the sound of their muffled voices coming up through the floorboards was comforting to Paige as well. Having her family near her filled her with a sensation of warmth and serenity. Like there was nothing she couldn’t handle. She and her sisters had been through a lot together and had always come out okay. As long as they were here for her, she knew nothing bad could happen.
Well, maybe something bad could happen, but it wouldn’t be the end of the world. Most likely.
Paige turned and was about to head back downstairs when something caught her attention out of the corner of her eye—a tightly crumpled ball of paper lying in the bottom of her trash can. Suddenly Paige’s face lit up. An idea was rapidly forming in her head. No, not just an idea, but a plan! She grabbed the ball of paper and flew out of her room, nearly trembling with excitement.
Here I come to save the day! Paige thought as she skipped down the stairs and into the kitchen, where the others had moved their conversation.
“You guys, you guys, you guys! I figured it out!” Paige said, sliding across the room in her socked feet. Piper, Phoebe, and Daryl were sitting around the kitchen table, and Daryl moved his chair aside when it became clear that Paige was going to barrel right into his back if he didn’t.
“Figured what out?” Piper asked, her forehead crinkling as Paige uncrumpled the paper.
“How to find out who’s doing the kidnappings,” Paige said, flushed with triumph. “Or what, that is.”
“Okay, I don’t understand why you’re showing this to me again,” Phoebe said, looking at the computer printout.
“We have to go to the Gathering!” Paige exclaimed, tossing the paper onto the table in front of them.
“Not this again,” Piper said, slumping back in her chair.
“What’s a Gathering?” Daryl asked. He glanced warily at the paper, clearly taking his cue from Piper’s and Phoebe’s less than enthused expressions.
“It’s a Gathering of the Covens!” Paige exclaimed, undeterred. This time she knew she was right, and there was no way they could say no to her plan. “Wiccans from across the country are going to be getting together in Las Vegas next week!”
“And?” Daryl prompted.
Phoebe sat up straight, realization dawning on her face. “And if this kidnapper wants more Wiccans…”
“And if he has any brains…,” Piper put in slowly.
“Then he’s definitely going to be there!” Paige said triumphantly, crossing her arms over her chest. She watched Phoebe and Piper exchange a glance, and she knew she had them. Ha! For once the little sister had come up with the master plan! “Why bother traveling all over the place looking for Wiccans when you can go to Vegas and have a Wiccan buffet?!”
Phoebe tilted her head to one side and pressed her lips together, impressed. “The girl is good.”
“We’ve taught her well,” Piper deadpanned.
“What am I missing here?” Daryl asked. “You’re not telling me you want to go to this thing.”
“Using the term ‘want’ very loosely,” Piper said through her teeth, flinging her long hair over her shoulder and drawing the wrinkled paper toward her.
“Wait a minute, wait a minute,” Daryl said. He thrust his arms out over the table. “This is where I draw the line. I agree with you. I think the kidnapper would be an idiot not to look for his next victim at this Gathering thing. But that’s exactly why you should stay as far away from there as possible.”
Paige scoffed and pulled her hands up into the sleeves of her sweatshirt. “Daryl, come on,” she said, leaning back against the center island.
“I’m serious, Paige,” he said, turning around fully in his seat so he could see her. “Why set yourselves up to be kidnapped?”
“What else are we going to do?” Phoebe asked. “Sit around here and wait for this guy to come get us? That’s not my idea of a plan.”
Paige grinned at her sister. My thoughts exactly. The Charmed Ones were not in the habit of being sitting ducks. There was something seriously evil out there, and they had the perfect opportunity to find it before it did any more harm. They couldn’t just ignore that. They had to be on the offensive, not the defensive.
“Paige and Phoebe are right,” Piper said, folding the piece of paper with the Gathering info as neatly as possible, considering how destroyed it was. She stood up and leaned over the table to hand it back to Paige. “I say we lure this thing out and deal with it. Get this over and done with. Paige, you make the reservations. I have to make some calls and see who can cover for me at P3.”
Phoebe slapped her palms on the table and pushed herself up. “And I’m going to have to have a nice long argument with my boss,” she said.
Daryl let out a deep sigh and tucked his chin toward his chest, but said nothing more. The poor guy knew when he was outnumbered and outpowered. The moment Paige realized he was resigned to the inevitable, she raised her fists in the air in triumph. Gathering of the Covens, here we come!
“We’re going to Vegas, baby!”
• • •
Piper stood in front of her closet and gazed at the racks of clothing, paralyzed. There was an open suitcase on the bed behind her that was completely empty except for a few pairs of underwear. Aside from the problem of packing for a trip that she didn’t exactly want to go on was the problem of packing for Las Vegas in the middle of June.
“I don’t own enough tank tops,” Piper said to herself.
She walked into the closet gamely and turned on the light, then yanked a few tops down from their hangers arbitrarily. It wasn’t like she was going to be trying to impress anybody on this trip. Who cared what she wore? When she walked out again, Leo was standing right in the middle of their room. Piper dropped her shirts, and her hands flew up reflexively at the sight of a surprise visitor, but she stopped herself from using her power just in time. Meanwhile, Leo hit the floor.
“Don’t do that,” Piper said, her whole body tense. “I almost blew you into tiny little Leo pieces.”
“Sorry,” Leo said, pushing himself up and dusting off the front of his blue plaid shirt. “I’ll try to orb more loudly next time.”
“Thank you,” she said. She bent to pick up her shirts, which had scattered on the floor, and tossed them into her suitcase. She couldn’t remember the last time she was so unpsyched to pack for a trip. Just the sight of the suitcase depressed her.
“I can’t help but notice you’re packing,” Leo said, eyeing the tangled mess of clothes on their bed.
“Yeah, we’re going to Las Vegas,” Piper said, not even trying to hide her disdain as she pulled open her sock drawer. “What do you think it is there this time of year, like eight billion degrees?”
“That’s a bit of an exaggeration,” Leo said. “It’s probably more like seven billion.”
Piper snorted a laugh, gathered up a slew of socks in her arms, and stalked over to the bed, where she dumped them into the suitcase. As she was heading back for the closet Leo caught her up in his arms and held her from behind.
“Okay, stop moving. You’re making me tense,” he said, resting his chin on her shoulder. “Why don’t you tell me what’s going on?”
Just the feel of his arms around her made Piper calm down the slightest bit. She pulled away from his grasp and turned so she could face him, resting her palms on his chest.
“Paige found out about this Coven Gathering in Las Vegas for the summer solstice, and we figure if this kidnapper wants some more Wiccans, he’s going to be there,” she explained, picking a piece of lint off his shirt.
“So you’re gonna go find him and save the day,” Leo said with a thoughtful frown. “Good plan. I don’t like that it puts you directly in the line of fire, but it’s a good plan.”
“I know,” Piper said, moving away from him and sitting down on the edge of their mattress. “I just really didn’t want to go to this thing.” She lifted her shoulders in a
What can I do? gesture and glanced up at him. “What did the Elders have to say?”
“Not much, unfortunately,” Leo replied, sitting down next to her. He laced his fingers through hers and pulled her hand toward him. “They’re concerned, obviously, but as far as they can tell, no dangerously powerful demons have escaped the underworld recently, so—”
“But it has to be a demon,” Piper said. “Or if not, a warlock. We figured out that the Wiccans being kidnapped are majorly powerful. Phoebe thinks someone’s trying to put together some big mystical wattage.”
“So a warlock makes sense,” Leo said, narrowing his eyes. “When I go back up, I’ll have to suggest that to them.”
“But not yet, right?” Piper said, squeezing his hand. “You’re not going back up yet.”
Leo smiled and slipped his strong arms around her, holding her tightly. “Nah. I think I’ll hang here with you for a while,” Leo responded, leaning over to plant a kiss on her forehead. “You know, help you pack for a trip you don’t want to go on.”
“Thanks,” Piper said with a sigh and a smile. She got up and headed into her closet again. She paused near the shelves in the back, looking wistfully at her bathing suits and wishing for a split second that she was, in fact, packing for a trip to the islands with Leo instead of for this crazy mission. But her Charmed destiny came first. She shook her head to clear the daydream and grabbed an armful of chinos and jeans. This time when she emerged from the closet, Cole and Phoebe were standing in the middle of the room.
“All right, that’s it. I’m putting bells on you people,” Piper said sarcastically, dropping her clothes onto the bed.
“Sorry,” Phoebe said with an apologetic smile. “We were just thinking we should probably bring some protection crystals or something, just in case.”
“I don’t like the idea of you three going in there with nothing at your back,” Cole added firmly.
Piper glanced at her future brother-in-law, thinking not for the first time that there was a reason he was such a good lawyer. When a guy that big, that broad, that brooding, dark, and serious, said something, you pretty much believed it. He was wearing a pair of gray suit pants and a dark blue shirt with the sleeves rolled up. His near-black hair was still gelled back after a day of interviews, and it was clear from his disturbed expression that Phoebe had just filled him in on the events of the day.
Something Wiccan This Way Comes Page 3
