Index: <<Back · Arcane's Story Page · Back to Main Page · Next>>
The sun rose over San Francisco, the perfect weather enough to make even the dreariest of soul look out and admire it, certain that there would be no clouds on the horizon today.
It was the kind of weather that made the soul want to get up, even when the body knew it needed more rest. However, with the sunlight streaming directly through her window and into her face, Piper Halliwell didn't have a choice in the matter. She tried to shield her eyes once but then realized it wasn't worth it and got up anyway. She'd been working late at the club last night and several nights before that, and she was looking forward to a long sleep in this morning. Nature seemed to have other plans for her. Still in the process of waking up she descended the stairs in her pajamas and entered the kitchen.
"Morning." Phoebe chirped as she chomped on a bowl of cereal.
"I noticed. It was hard to miss."
"Oh come on Piper. It's a lovely day out there."
"Which would be great if I'd been able to get a wonderful sleep last night."
"The night shift huh?"
"We should consider getting more hired help."
"The key obstacle in that sentence being 'hired'."
"I know, I know," Piper popped two slices of bread in the toaster and sat down, "we're stretched as it is."
"I can clock in a few more hours if you need it."
"Thanks Phoebe's. I'm guessing I probably will."
"Hey Piper. Phoebe's. Have you seen my keys?"
Phoebe turned to see her eldest sister enter the kitchen, ready for work and already seeming flustered. "On the coffee table Prue. Big day at work?"
"When is it not a big day at work? See you guys later. Call me if anything.. well you know.."
"Yeah." Piper nodded. "We know."
Prue bustled out of the room leaving the two younger Halliwell sisters to their breakfast.
"You have to hope that fine weather will keep the demons away don't you." Phoebe mused, looking out the window.
"You'd hope so." Piper yawned. "But somehow I doubt it."
Behind her, the toast popped up.
*****
They watched her leave. Walk from the door, down to the car, start it and drive. Confidence. Her every step was a confidence in herself. A confidence that hid insecurity. Insecurity was an opening.
And an opening was all they needed.
*****
When Piper had dressed and returned to the ground floor she found Phoebe in the lounge, soaking up the sunlight from the open windows and flipping the pages of a book. "Nice to see someone appreciating the sun."
"Give it a chance Piper. You might like it."
"Maybe when I get time. I still have to go through the account from last night." She flipped through a large red book in her hands.
"The great thing about sunshine," Phoebe stood and pressed Piper down into a chair, "is that you can do other things while you appreciate it."
The door bell rang.
"I'll get it." Phoebe stopped Piper from rising. "You stay there."
She walked to the door and opened it.
"Please.. you have to help me!"
Phoebe heard the words before she had time to fully draw in the appearance of the girl on their door step. She was a freckled blonde wearing a white tee-shirt and jeans and looking anything from 16 to young twenties.
"Okay." Phoebe nodded. "Just calm down. You're okay. What's your name?"
"My name is Joan.. My mother and I were taking a walk.. near Derby Park and this.. thing.. I don't know what it was.. it grabbed her and started pulling her into the ground... and she yelled for me to come here and get Prue. Prue could help her."
"Prue? Prue is my sister." Phoebe tried to placate the panicked youth.
"What's up?" Piper asked as she approached the door.
"Sound's like evils afoot." Phoebe sighed. "This is Joan. She says something nasty grabbed her mother and she called for Prue."
"Prue? Specifically? Is that all your mother said?"
"Uh huh. Then it took her down into the ground."
"Joan, you're going to be safe here." Piper put her hand on the girls shoulder and brought her inside. "Phoebe, give Prue a call, see what she's up to."
"I'm on it."
"All right Joan. I need you to tell me everything you can about what happened."
*****
"Prue Halliwell." the eldest sister answered her office phone.
"Prue. It's Phoebe."
"Oh no, that's a 'we have demon trouble' voice."
"Kind of. Are you busy?"
"Yes. But since when has that ever stopped me. What's up?"
"There's a scared teenager here who says her mother got swallowed by something in Derby Park. Apparently she called for you by name."
"Me. Why?"
"She doesn't know."
"Look.. I've got a break in ten minutes. That park is only a block from here. I can check it out."
"You want back up."
"No. You stay there and find what you can in the Book of Shadows. This thing might be in there."
"I'll give it a shot."
*****
"What's going on? It was like some sort of monster."
"Everything will be fine." Piper said.
"Prue said she was going to check out the park." Phoebe commented. "I'm going to check up.. the book." Piper nodded as Phoebe headed up to the attic.
"Has your mother ever mentioned us before?" Piper questioned the girl who was still shaken.
"No. How can you help her?"
"It's what we do. Me and my sister help people who need it."
"Oh. And what can you do to help my mother?"
"We'll do whatever we can."
*****
Phoebe flipped through the pages rapidly but had yet to find anything matching what Joan had described. The Book of Shadows always seemed huge but the sisters somehow always found what they were looking for. This time there wasn't anything of help. There was information on Yarthkins, earth creatures that stole children, but they didn't sound like whatever it was that took Joan's mother. Of course the youth couldn't provide them with any more details than she already had: simply that something had dragged her mother into the earth. Phoebe felt an unsettling feeling that had nothing to do with her power.
*****
Even as Prue walked trough the park she could feel the warm sun on her back, trying hard to take away all her cares. It made her question the fact that she spent her daylight hours in an office which, no matter how well lit and ventilated, was still stuffy compared to the wonderful freedom of the field.
While there was plenty of open space, there was little sign as to what might have drawn anyone into the earth. Prue stayed on the path nonetheless, searching for any signs of disturbed ground and wondering who would have called for her directly.
She could only assume that it was someone with a knowledge of her powers, which meant that they expected her telekinetic abilities to come in handy. She had no idea how that would work but, as she so often did, she hoped she could figure that out when the time came. After several minutes searching with no luck Prue lifted her phone and dialed.
"Piper? Yeah, it's me. Listen, I can't see anything here. But that doesn’t mean there isn't anything. Maybe Phoebe could pick something up if she got down here."
"Sure. Be careful Prue."
"Sure. You know me." She hung up and was about to slip her phone away when a young woman ran up to her, breathless.
"Please.. you have to help me.. I just saw some one.. dragged into the ground.. it was like something took her... We have to call for help."
Prue looked at the frightened girl for a second. "I am help. Show me where this happened."
The girl started to run, still puffing and obviously terrified.
"It was this way. Near those bushes. It was like.. I don't know.. it was horrible... I was just walking by and..."
"It's okay. Whatever's going on I'm going to find out."
They reached the secluded grove.
"Here?" Prue asked, looking among the trees.
"It was right down there." the girl pointed nervously.
Prue knelt down, running her fingers over the earth which seemed unbroken. "Are you sure?" she looked closely at the ground.
"Of course. I saw it. Someone was the victim of some sort of attack."
"Well there's no victim here." Prue brushed the grass aside. "Ow!" she winced as she felt a sting on her neck. She tried to stand but the earth seemed to tilt beneath her. The ground rippled and swirled and she tumbled into darkness.
"Oh but there is a victim, Prue." the girl smiled, slipping her needle back into her pocket.
*****
"There's nothing in the Book of Shadows." Phoebe whispered to her sister.
"Well Prue couldn't find anything. She asked if you could go down there. You might get a vision."
"And we all know how much I love those."
"Well give it a shot."
"Is there somewhere I can lie down?"
The sisters turned to the door of the kitchen to see Joan, arms wrapped around her.
"Sure." Phoebe smiled. "Put her in my room. I'll call you when I get there."
*****
Blackness.
Total blackness was what greeted Prue when she awoke. What ever had hit her had been fast and hadn't left any traces.
That meant it was the work of someone who knew what they were doing. And that meant that she and her sisters could be in big trouble.
"Sorry about the blindfold." a voice came from the darkness. "But I know what you can do with those eyes."
Prue recognized it as the girl from the park.
"If you can't see then you can't make any trouble for me."
"And who are you?"
"Well Prue, you can call me Katie. I think we can stick to a first name basis."
"And what do you want?"
"Oh, I'm just looking for a bit of extra witch power and I thought I might bring you on board."
"And what makes you think I'm interested."
"Oh Prue." the voice laughed then moved close to her ear. "It wasn't a request."
She tried to move but realized she was tightly tied to something. She could feel that she was on her knees with her hands locked behind what seemed like a pillar.
"Oh if you're wondering, we're in a maintenance room under the park. Nice and convenient but wonderfully silent. Go ahead, try screaming for help."
Prue bit her lip and resisted the temptation.
"Nice so see that spirit. I'm sure this will be interesting work. Oh and in case you want to astral project..."
Prue felt a puff of dust blow into her face and, unprepared as she was, she coughed and spluttered. Her mind began to spin again but this time, darkness didn't save it.
*****
"Piper? It's Phoebe. I'm at Derby Park and I can't see Prue anywhere."
"You've looked everywhere?"
"I think so. Look this is getting worrying. What if the same thing happened to Prue?"
"Phoebes, Prue's a big girl she can look after herself. Just wait a bit, maybe she went back to the office for a while.
*****
Prue moaned as she felt hands running over her shoulders, massaging her gently. Her mind was reeling, unable to fix on a single thought.
"It's alright Prue, just relax. I won't hurt you. I won't hurt you."
Katie ran her fingers over Prue’s bare shoulders, caressing the skin in a way she knew would confuse her captive. The drugs that the witch was laboring under were simple hallucinogenic ones, designed to disorientate her while Katie forced her own will into her mind. She couldn't ignite a specific desire in her mind, but instead skimmed the surface, arousing Prue’s sensuous side so that the touch would relax her more. The more relaxed she became the open she would be to suggestion.
"Just relax. There. That feels good doesn't it Prue?"
"ysss." Prue slurred a response weakly. She couldn't focus on any thought. She knew that she was being held prisoner but she had no idea why. And every time she tried to think of a way out her mind drifted again.
"Now I know this feels good. You like this Prue. And if you like it then you should help me."
"nnoo." Prue shook her head. She didn't know why exactly but there was something in her that made her deny that soft voice.
Katie continued to run her fingers over Prue’s skin as she mused.
"Well Prue. I think you might take a little more convincing." She tenderly removed Prue’s shoulder straps.
*****
Piper talked into the phone with increasing concern. "Phoebe. Prue isn't in the office and she isn't answering her phone. I think you should start looking for clues."
"Like what?"
"Anything. Any sign of where she might have gone."
"I will. I'll call."
"Be careful Phoebes."
"You don't have to warn me about that one."
Piper sighed and sat down as she hung up the phone. She desperately wanted to be beside her sisters and she also knew that her power would come in handy if they were dealing with an earth monster. There was a knocking at the door. Piper rose and walked to the entrance. The closer she got the more it sounded like a scratching. She opened the front door.
There was no one there.
She looked down to see a black cat at her feet.
"Hello there." Piper sighed. "Have you got a problem too? "
"Lady," said the cat ", you have no idea."
*****
Prue shivered as fingers ran over her bare chest, stroking her erect nipples gently, bringing goose bumps up on the surrounding flesh. The touch was so expertly skilled and every second she felt a desire building within her more and more. It was impossible to think of anything, not with the swirling mind and the swirling fingers working in unison. And all the time Katie’s soft voice spoke to her.
"Yes. That feels good Prue. Very good. You like what I'm doing don't you? You do Prue. I know, I can feel it. I can sense your desire Prue, raw passion inside you. Don't you feel locked in by your job, always working every day. Don’t you want to break away so much. So much. You want to give in to these feelings. You like it, you want it. Give in Prue. Help me. Help me free my master. You want to feel like this don't you?"
"yss." Prue admitted, unable to deny the urges of her own body.
"Then give yourself to me."
"I.. won't.."
Katie clenched her jaw to stop her voice from wavering. "All right Prue." she smiled. "We have plenty more we can do."
She slid her hands lower.
*****
"Did.. you just talk?" Piper stared at the cat.
"Yes. I'm a talking cat. And I really hope your a witch."
"I.. yeah.. I'm a witch."
"Great. A cat nose is good for something after all. I need your help."
"Someone turned you into a cat?"
"Yes. But that's not why I need your help. A friend.. my.. owner.. has been kidnapped. She's a witch and she's and her kidnapper came through some sort of portal to San Francisco. I knew I'd need witch help."
"Okay.." Piper found herself getting used to the idea of a talking cat remarkably fast. "Who is she?"
"Her name is Sabrina. About 5 foot 6. Blonde hair, blue eyes."
"That sounds.. oh no."
Piper bolted and hurried back into the house and upstairs. Salem, for want of anything better to do, scurried after her.
She flung the door of her sisters room open. Empty.
"Where would she be?" Salem looked into the abandoned room.
"I don't know. This house is huge. She may not even be here."
"Well... where do you keep your spells?"
"The Book of Shadows!" Piper exclaimed and was immediately on the run again, this time up to the attic.
With feline agility Salem had no trouble negotiating the steps and soon found himself in an old attic. Piper hurried over to the pedestal with the Book of Shadows. Her fist reaction was a sigh of relief. The book was still there. However, on closer inspection things were less rosy. The book was wide open and a page had been ripped from it. While the book itself could not be forcibly removed from the house, a page might be able to.
"There she is!" Salem yelled as he peered out the window.
Piper rushed over to look outside. Joan, or Sabrina as she was really called, was rushing across the street. Piper raised her hands and tried to freeze the girl. She continued to run and then she was gone.
"I don't get it. I should have been able to freeze her."
"Really? Why didn't you?"
"I.. my power can't work on good witches."
"Sabrina isn't exactly acting good right now."
"Which means she'd being controlled." Piper realized. "And everything she said was a set up! Oh my God Prue."
She rushed down the stairs and Salem shook his head before following. Even Sabrina wasn't this active and she was a teenager.
*****
Prue felt fingers probing her, teasing her with each soft flick of the fingers. Her mind almost felt as if it were clearing now but her desire was running rampant. She could feel her chest rising and falling as she gasped for breath, her skin flushing with excitement. The fingers kept stroking, coaxing her softly as they delved into her sex.
"That must feel so good Prue. So good. You can feel it inside you Prue, building. Building stronger and stronger. You want this Prue. I know you do. You want to be free. You want to give yourself to my master."
"No." Prue protested still able to keep her thoughts clear. Katie rubbed faster.
*****
"Piper. I can't find her. What's going on?"
Piper looked at her concerned sister. Even in the sunny park it seemed as if dark clouds were blotting the sky.
"It was a trap. Prue was tricked into coming here. And Joan... Sabrina.. she stole a spell from the Book of Shadows."
"What spell?"
"I don't know."
"What's with the cat?" Phoebe looked down at the black animal.
"This is Salem. He knows Sabrina, that's Joan’s real name. He came here to save her but it seems that she's being controlled."
"How do you know all this."
"How do you think? Telepathy?" Salem cut in.
Phoebe stared for a second at the cat then nodded. Later she would worry about it, right now they had a bigger problem.
"So how do we find Prue."
"I don't know." Piper admitted.
"If she's a witch then I can sniff her out." Salem raised his nose into the air. "This way."
*****
Prue’s mind had all but returned to normal but she didn't want Katie to know that. Even though her mind was back, her body was still being assailed. Raw passion flooded her veins and there was nothing she could do to escape the attentions of her captor. She was still blind and helpless. Though the drugs had worn off she could still feel a presence, pressing into her mind, whispering into her soul and trying to break her. She resisted as best she could but it was getting harder and harder.
"You can't fight me Prue. You know that. You will join me."
"I. will. not."
"You will. You're enjoying this so much. You can't help yourself. You can't help that desire."
"I can."
Katie pressed her fingers deeper.
"Can you really? You feel that lust Prue, that desire. You know you want it. You want to join me."
"I won't." Prue gritted her teeth.
"If you don't.." Katie leant in close to Prue. "I'll kill your sisters."
"No!" Prue yelled and tugged sharply at her bonds.
"I can do it Prue. And I will."
"Please.. please don't hurt them."
"I don't want to hurt them Prue. I know you want to help them. It feels good to help them doesn't it?"
"Yes."
"Good. You want to help your sisters. You want to feel good. I want you to feel good too. Does that feel good?"
"Yes." Prue confessed as the fingers rubbed against her.
"So to protect your sisters you have to help me."
"I.." Prue tried to think of the train of logic but the desire inside her was ready to burst.
"And you want to protect your sisters. Which means you want to help me."
"I.. I.." Prue gasped for air, feeling a final surge of delight.
"You want to help me don't you Prue."
"YES!" Prue screamed as surge of passion and delight overwhelmed her and her mind was overcome.
*****
"Did you hear that?" Piper turned to her sister who nodded.
"This way." Salem scratched at a manhole. "It looks like there's some tunnel."
The sisters pulled the cover away and looked down into the darkness. "After you." they said in unison to the cat.
Salem sighed and cautiously shimmied down a ladder obviously not made for cats. "It looks safe." he called up and the two descended.
"Which way?"
"This way." Salem began to scurry through the darkness.
"Can you see where you're going?" Piper asked as she walked cautiously, her eyes unable to see anything.
"I'm a cat. I can see just fine. There's a door here."
Piper felt ahead with her hand and gripped the handle. She pulled and the room was revealed.
Empty.
The light was on but no one was home.
"There's no one here." Phoebe stated the obvious.
"They were here. Trust me. This room smells of witch.. among other things.."
"Then where did they go?" Phoebe asked. "This is the only door."
"Probably through some magical portal. And we've missed it." Salem sighed.
"Phoebe." Piper lifted up a bag. "Prue's handbag."
"Which means they got her."
"Whoever they are."
"Sabrina must be with them... That girl.. Katie.. she's kidnapping witches."
"Why would she do that? And why not take us?" Phoebe took her sisters bag cautiously.
"I don't know." Salem admitted. "And we have no idea where they've gone."
Phoebe winced. ((A Sign. A Road Sign. Welcome To..))
"Sunnydale." Phoebe said aloud. "Sunnydale California."
THE END??
Index: <<Back · Arcane's Story Page · Back to Main Page · Next>>