DISCLAIMER: Based on the Spelling Productions television show, Charmed, created by Constance M. Burge. All Charmed characters are the property of Spelling Productions, with the exception of the Vampire, which I created. This story contains some adult themes. You may not want the little ones to read it. Copyright 2000 Andrew Nevill.
The Year 2010
He hooked up with her at a nightclub and they'd ended up back at her place. He didn't usually move this fast, but something seemed to have got into him tonight, and before he knew it they were in bed together. They made love frenetically. She kept kissing his neck and then started to give him a love bite. Only she didn't stop. Suddenly the erotic sensation became all out pain, he felt weak, drained, and then the world went black forever.
She got out of bed, with barely a second glance at her victim. She'd enjoyed that. He'd been reluctant at first, but a few suggestions planted in his mind had the desired effect. As she dressed she smiled. This was the way to exist, if not quite live, she thought. Have your cake and bite it. People were so wrong when they said you couldn't mix business with pleasure.
Talking of business she had things to do, but she'd wanted a drink, one for the road, as it were. First, though, she had to get rid of the body. She recited some words in Latin aloud. As she completed the invocation, there was a flash and the body of her victim disappeared. It would materialize somewhere in town, far enough away for her to be in the clear. She didn't know where it would reappear. She didn't care.
She went upstairs to the attic. Already arranged in the centre of the floor were six black candles set in a circle. She lit them and standing in the middle of the circle invoked the spell.
"Powers of Dark. Powers of Night.
Hear me.
Let what is now begin again
Turn time back
So that my Destiny
May come to pass"A blast of wind extinguished the candles, leaving only wisps of smoke rising from their wicks. The smoke increased, thickening until it became a black cloud filling the circle. There was another gust of wind, the smoke dispersed and all that remained in the attic were six unlit candles.
The Year 1999
She walked out of the deserted alleyway onto the street. On a shop front, a Millennium countdown clock displayed the time and date, April 17, 1999. 10.30pm. Perfect. The vampire stood there making her plans. A hotel room for the night, where she could hole up through the next day. A look through the classifieds for a furnished apartment. And she'd be set.
The thing about time travel was it gave you such enormous jet lag. A meal would relieve her tiredness. She'd go to a club, as soon as she'd got a room. Smiling to herself she walked to a hotel. As she walked, she passed shop windows. Her reflection did not appear in them, but if it had the windows would have reflected back the face of Phoebe Halliwell.
* * * Next morning, Prue was drinking her usual cup of coffee before going to work, Piper was still in the shower and Phoebe was beating ten kinds of hell out of Slam Man, as she engaged in her usual morning kickboxing workout. Prue smiled to herself as she heard Phoebe psyching herself up, pretending that Slam Man was an unfortunate warlock, "Die gnarly evildoer, Hiyahh!"
"Pheebs, I think he gives up," called Prue.
Finishing off with a roundhouse, Phoebe poked her sweat-banded head around the door, "They always do, Prue."
"Going at it a bit hard aren't you?" questioned Piper, as she came down the stairs.
Phoebe smiled wryly, "I'm trying to work off a hangover," confessed the youngest Halliwell, "I was out late last night."
Her two sisters just smiled tolerantly. Prue grabbed her purse and car keys. Opening the door to leave, she found Andy standing there, about to ring the bell, "Andy."
"The magical Prue Halliwell." Andy smiled, "Literally, as well figuratively. I'm here on business Prue. I need to speak with Phoebe. In fact you might want to listen in. It's something weird. Your sort of weird."
"What's up Andy?" asked Phoebe.
Andy's smile faded fast, "We found a body, male, mid twenties. He was last seen leaving Inferno with a woman answering your description. I need to know where you were last night."
"I was at Club Venus all night. Larry, Barry, Harry, and Garry can all confirm it," said Phoebe referring to some of her bouncer friends who worked at the club.
"You know I'll have to check?"
Phoebe nodded.
"So what was weird?" asked Prue.
"The pathologist said he died from loss of blood. Method was a single puncture wound to the neck."
"A vampire!" exclaimed Piper in disbelief.
"It could equally be a knife to a throat. But the wound doesn't look like a knife." His gazed raked the Halliwells, "If there's witches, why not vampires? I'd appreciate it if you could take a look in that book of yours."
The sisters just nodded, "Damn, I'm going to be late. Claire will kill me!" said Prue, looking at her watch.
"Want a police escort?" asked Andy
"Isn't that an abuse of power?"
"Keep my secret," smiled the Inspector, "And I'll keep yours." Giving Prue a peck on the cheek, he took her hand. Together, hand in hand the witch and the detective walked out the door.
* * * The deaths continued over the next week. There were three in all. Every time the same M.O. Complete loss of blood through a single puncture wound to the neck, and each victim had been engaged in sexual intercourse as they died. The media jumped on it dubbing the killer, the Black Widow Vampire. Nor was it only men, one of the victims was a woman who'd been seen leaving one of San Francisco's lesbian bars with her killer. Always the description was a dead ringer for Phoebe.
It was driving her paranoid. On each of the nights she had a cast iron alibi. At least two people could confirm where she was. On the night the woman died, Andy didn't even need to ask where she'd been. He knew. She'd out on a triple date with Brent, (See the episode Blind Sided) Prue and Andy, and Piper and Leo.
What was going on? She knew she wasn't the vampire, or least she thought she did but the description was so like her. Did she have an evil twin? She even considered the possibility that the vampire was an astral projection, thus explaining why she could be somewhere else yet still manage to kill someone.
"Andy," said Prue, as they sat in the bar at Quake, during their lunch break, "I'm really worried about Phoebe. She's starting to think that maybe it is her. She's going crazy with worry. What's really tearing at her is that a killer is running about with her face and she can't do anything about it."
"And I've got no leads," said Andy grimly, "The bodies turn up all over the city. We only know they're the same killer because the M.O is identical and they've all been seen leaving a club with…" He paused, "Phoebe's twin sister" Andy's mobile rang. "Trudeau" He listened briefly then said, "I'll be right there." He hung up and turned to Prue, his face like stone.
"Another one?"
Andy nodded, "Puncture wound to the neck, but this is different. The victim's body was discovered in his apartment." Andy paused, "You better come along, Prue. It's Brent, and Phoebe found him!"
* * * They got to Brent's apartment to find Phoebe and Morris waiting for them. Morris had already got Phoebe's story of how she'd found the body. She and Brent had arranged to spend the afternoon together and she'd gone to meet him at 12 noon. The door to the apartment had been open. She'd gone in and found his body lying on the bed. Then she called 911.
Andy questioned the apartment block security guard. "Did the victim receive any visitors last night?"
"Yeah," answered the guard. He pointed at Phoebe, "Her! At around 10.30 and she left about 11.30."
"It couldn't be," said Prue, answering for her shocked sister. "Pheebs was home all night. We watched videos until gone midnight."
Andy needed to ask Phoebe some questions, but he couldn't ask them in public. In any case, Phoebe was in complete shock. At the moment she wasn't capable of answering questions. "I'll drive Prue and Phoebe home, if we don't need them here."
Morris nodded his agreement. The trio started towards Andy's car but Phoebe interrupted. "I'm fine. Prue, go to work. I know Claire's on your back because of all the 'family emergencies' we've had lately."
"No way," said Prue, going into full protective mode.
"I'm OK," said Phoebe forcefully, "I've seen warlocks disintegrate for god's sake. A cup of coffee and I'll be right as rain. Go!"
Andy dropped Prue at Buckland's and drove Phoebe home. He made her a coffee and started the questioning. "I couldn't ask this until now. Phoebe, this is looking more and more like it's connected to you or at least you three. I know it's not you. But is there anyone or anything that could be doing this to get you."
"Vampires were in the book," answered Phoebe. "We've not had dealings with any yet. Anything we've gone up against we destroyed or sent to hell. They could have friends looking for evens, I guess."
Sensing Phoebe was holding something back; Andy probed further, "I'm sure this is something 'witchy'. What I can't figure is why whatever it is, is doing it as you. Any ideas?"
"No," said Phoebe, not meeting Andy's eyes..
"Sure?"
"Yes"
Knowing that he'd get nothing else, a worried Andy Trudeau bid Phoebe goodbye and left the house.
When he'd gone, Phoebe pulled an envelope out her coat's inside pocket. She'd found it lying beside the body. The envelope had a single word written on it, "Phoebe." It was written in her handwriting. Opening the envelope she found a note, again in her hand. It was just an address. Apartment 36B Kennedy Penthouses, 66th Avenue.
Dropping the note on the front room coffee table, Phoebe went into the kitchen, grabbed Prue's car keys (she'd gone to work in Andy's car, as they were having dinner that evening so Andy could bring her back) and headed for Kennedy Penthouses. She was burning up with anger. Since the incident with the Grimlocks, when she'd first met Brent, who'd been blind then, the two had spent much time together. Phoebe could talk to Brent in a way that she'd not even been able to talk her sisters. He knew the family secret. The way his sight had returned following the Grimlocks' defeat had made him certain she was special, so telling him the rest hadn't been hard, and he'd told her it made her even more special in his mind. If they hadn't yet been a couple, it had been heading that way and now he was dead. A victim of whoever or whatever it was had stolen her identity, and was using it to kill. Now it seemed, it was after her. Well if it was her they wanted, Phoebe promised herself, it was her they'd get, along with an eternity of pain.
* * * Outside Apartment 36B, Phoebe tried the door. It was locked. Phoebe didn't bother picking the lock, even though she could. Instead she launched a powerful kick, which burst open the door. The room was dark, all the curtains drawn, and it appeared empty. She didn't hesitate but just went in.
The door closed. The room's light was turned on but only a touch; sufficient to navigate the room and Phoebe heard her own voice behind her, "Welcome. I wondered when you'd get here."
Phoebe turned and came to face with herself. "Who and what the hell are you?" she demanded.
"As to the what, I'm a vampire," smiled the vampire, revealing her fangs. "And the who, I'm Phoebe Halliwell."
"No."
"Yes," nodded the vampire in answer, "I came here from 2010 to make you into me, just as it happened 11 years ago, only then I was you." She laughed mirthlessly. "Time is so confusing."
"You expect me to believe this Terminator crap. You're lying. For one thing you're no older than I am."
"Vampires are immortal, we don't age. You will become one. You will become me. And in 11 years you will come back and do exactly what I'm doing now. It's your fate. It has happened countless times before and will keep happening for eternity. It cannot be changed or altered, because it has already happened. Time is a railway and the train has to follow the track already laid."
"No, things can be changed, I've seen people die in my premonitions and I've saved them. Time isn't fixed. It's not a single track. You can put in points, and divert the train on to another line, even lay new track in front of it," said Phoebe. Ignoring the vampire's contemptuous laugh she asked, "Why kill all those people? Why kill Brent?"
"You expect me to starve? Anyway, it was necessary to get you angry enough so you'd come alone. Our sisters are trouble I can do without. Brent was just the push you needed to tip you over the edge." The Vampire smiled. "Had you done it with him yet? He was very good. He thought it was you, right up until the end. Well, almost the end."
"You bitch!" Phoebe, angry beyond sense, rushed at the vampire, who moved with a speed and strength that could only be described as supernatural. Phoebe found herself with the vampire behind her, twisting her arm up her back in a half nelson, teeth at her throat. Phoebe closed her eyes, waiting for the end. It didn't come.
The vampire kissed Phoebe softly on the neck, and then whispered in her ear, "You will do whatever I say. You have no will except to do what I command." She released her hold and Phoebe stood there, entranced. Walking around to face Phoebe, her future self looked her up and down, "I forgot how drop dead gorgeous I am. That's my only regret. I can't use a mirror."
The vampire smiled, this would be delightful. "Kiss me," she commanded. Phoebe kissed her future self on the lips, who kissed back. Still locked in the kiss the vampire's hand went round Phoebe's back and started to unzip her dress. It was cut low at the front. Phoebe after all had dressed for a day out, with a guy she really liked. The vampire ran her finger down Phoebe's neck, heading down to her breasts. As the vampire caressed her, Phoebe was hit by a premonition:
In bed with her alter ego
Making love
The vampire's mouth on her neck
A sudden sharp pain.Seeing herself being seduced by that creature, being turned into it, sent a shock wave of revulsion and loathing through Phoebe Halliwell. She broke out of the premonition, and out of the trance to find her future self's lips on hers. Phoebe let fly a snap kick to the vampire's shin. The kick sent the vampire collapsing to the floor. Phoebe backed away, rezipping her dress. She reached the door and stopped, making no attempt to leave.
Getting up, Phoebe's alter ego growled, "You should have gone while you had the chance."
"And have you come after me, kill more people? No. This ends here and it ends now," said Phoebe quietly, taking up a fighting stance.
Suddenly the vampire rushed Phoebe, attempting to pin her against the door. Phoebe waited then jumped into the air, bringing her foot up. She caught the vampire in the head sending her backwards. Phoebe advanced away from the door. She didn't want to get caught in a corner. This time her future self approached more cautiously, too cautiously, giving Phoebe enough time to bring off a murderous roundhouse kick, that knocked her alter ego halfway across the room.
Getting up, the vampire winced as she touched her jaw, where the roundhouse had made contact. "Of course, our kickboxing lessons. Nice moves, but can you do this?" She launched herself in a drop kick, her feet lashing at Phoebe's chest. The kick was spectacularly powerful, too powerful for Phoebe to make a counter. Phoebe was knocked to the floor. Luckily, the first thing she'd learned was how to hit the deck. Twisting her body as she fell, Phoebe took the fall on her shoulder, rolled and sprang back to her feet.
The vampire was ready and caught Phoebe with jabs to the face and body that sent her retreating across the room. Phoebe countered and blocked furiously, but her adversary's vampiric strength and speed made it almost impossible. Phoebe saw her opponent move her leg back ready for a kick. Her leg came up. Phoebe dropped her hands, crossing her arms just above the wrists, allowing the foot to pass into the lower section of the X formed by her arms, blocking the kick. Then grasping her adversary's heel in one hand and her toes in the other, Phoebe gave a surging, twisting heave. The vampire screamed in pain and surprise as her other foot left the floor. She somersaulted over and landed with a thud that would knock any normal mortal out for hours.
Unfortunately, the vampire wasn't a normal mortal. Phoebe was making her way to the curtains, to open them, when she was tackled from behind. As she went down, Phoebe's elbow shot backwards, making a lucky contact, with her attacker's eye. They both hit the floor, Phoebe winded by the tackle, and the vampire disorientated by the Phoebe Elbow. The vampire made it to her feet first, but didn't stay on them for long. As she closed with Phoebe, who was still trying to get up, the youngest Halliwell let loose with a foot sweep that took her opponent's legs from under her, dumping her unceremoniously on the floor.
Phoebe made it to her feet, and the vampire using her uncanny speed, got up at the same time. She threw a left cross, which Phoebe blocked and the fight continued.
* * * Prue was worried about Phoebe. She couldn't concentrate on her work. So much so that Claire asked her what was wrong. When she heard that her top employee's sister's boyfriend was the latest murder victim, Claire was characteristically short, but not in the way Prue expected, "Then what the hell are you doing here? I don't care what your sister said. Call your other sister and both of you go home. Now!" To Prue's surprise, Claire stood over her while she called Piper; and then all but threw her out of the auction house when Piper pulled up in her Jeep.
They pulled up at the Manor. Prue instantly knew something was wrong, "Where's my car?" In the house they called Phoebe's name with no answer. Prue checked the kitchen and was not surprised to find her car keys gone.
Suddenly Piper called, "Prue, get in here!" Prue rushed into the front room. Piper was holding the note Phoebe had found in Brent's apartment. She handed it to Prue.
"What the hell? This is Phoebe's writing."
"I don't know," said Piper, worry evident in her voice, "But I think we should get over there. Fast!"
The two sisters headed back out the door to Piper's Jeep.
* * * The battle had raged for twenty minutes, all over the apartment, that just like Phoebe's dress, which had never been designed to fight in, was now a shambles. It was almost even. Phoebe was in great physical condition, and knew all the kickboxing moves her opponent did, plus a few more that over time she'd obviously forgotten. Phoebe also had a creative mind and was able to improvise a few tricks of her own. Against that the vampire possessed a supernatural strength, speed and resilience no human could match. Time and again, Phoebe would deliver a blow that in any other circumstances would be a match winner, only for her future self to shrug it off as little more than an inconvenience. Also, vampires didn't get tired, but humans did and Phoebe knew she couldn't keep this up much longer.
Phoebe was stood with her back to the curtains drawn across the window, breathing hard. The vampire smiled. She knew it was now only a matter of time. She closed in for the kill. Phoebe seeing her approach grabbed a table lamp and threw it. The vampire saw the throw, and using all the unnatural power she possessed, leaped to avoid the missile, turning the jump into a flying kick designed to take Phoebe's head off.
Seeing the vampire leap towards her Phoebe pulled a full side splits, dropping to the ground. The vampire missed Phoebe, flying over her head, and through the window, accompanied by a cacophony of breaking glass, into the daylight where the spring sun shone brightly. The vampire screamed as she plummeted to the ground. As she fell her was scream was cut off abruptly as she burst into flame, turning into an incandescent ball of fire. A shower of ashes fell gently onto the street below.
Suddenly, her two sisters burst through the door; "Phoebe?" asked Prue, surveying the damage and the broken window, "What happened?"
Phoebe brought her legs back together and stood up, "I split - so did she."
* * * Phoebe told them the full story on the way home. Prue naturally took her to task over fighting a vampire on her own, but couldn't hide her admiration for Phoebe's skill.
Back home, they phoned Andy to tell him the case was solved. Strangely, he knew nothing about any murders. The puzzled sisters were about to try and work it out when there was a knock at the door. Phoebe answered it.
"I thought we were going out this afternoon," said Brent, standing in the doorway holding a bunch of red roses.
"Brent?" It was too much for Phoebe. She fainted.
The sisters got her on to the couch and helped her recover, then using the excuse that they needed to give Phoebe something out of the medical cabinet in the bathroom; the Charmed Ones left a concerned Brent in the front room, while they held a hasty conference in the attic.
"How can it be? I saw his body."
"He's not a ghost either," said Piper, "He's solid."
Prue was deep in thought, thinking her way through the puzzle. She smiled, "None of this ever happened," she said. Seeing her sisters' blank looks she explained. "Look, the victims, including Brent were killed by a vampire from the future. That vampire was Phoebe. But Phoebe didn't become a vampire today, so she never came back in time and she never killed anyone. That's why Andy didn't know what we were talking about, and why Brent's alive."
"But we remember," observed Piper.
"And these bruises are real," pointed out Phoebe.
Prue laughed, "We're the Charmed Ones, ladies. Remember the truth spell?" Becoming slightly more serious she added, "We get the consequences, and memories of any magic we're involved in."
Phoebe got up and started to leave the attic. "Where are you going?" asked Piper.
"To get changed," answered her youngest sister, indicating the ruined dress she still had on. As she went through the door her elder sisters heard her ask, "Now what would Buffy wear on a hot date?"
