CHAPTER THREE

"What?" Piper exclaimed, opening her bedroom door and stepping outside. "Who the hell stole the Book? Who went into the attic?"

"I did," Phoebe replied. "But the Book was there, I think."

"Go upstairs! Go! See if you can get anything from the podium!" Piper exclaimed. All the sisters ran up the stairs together, but even the podium was gone.

"Who would do this?" Piper exclaimed.

"How much research could demons do on the Book of Shadows?" Paige asked. "I had never heard of it, but what about Darklighters or Demons?"

"We don't know," Phoebe whispered. "No demon has ever seen inside, but they could still do a record of every spell we used against the demons we vanquished, and we can only speak for us. The women before us could have slipped up and let some pages go."

"That would never happen," Piper said sternly. "What are we going to do?"

"Should we call Leo and get him to talk to the Elders?" Paige asked.

"No, but…could they have a record of the book?" Piper asked.

"I don't know. I've never thought of them doing something of that nature," Phoebe replied. "Piper, what do you think?"

"I think this is crazy!" she exclaimed, sitting on a chair nearby. "Who would send out a challenge to kill us?"

"I would," a demonic voice called. "Do not attack, Piper. I have to tell you about the challenge since you know."

"Your in my house, buddy!" Piper called, looking around the room to find the demon.

"May I explain it to you?" the demon asked. Piper sighed.

"You threaten us in any way and you go ka-boom," Piper whispered. The demon then made himself appear.

"I issued the challenge about a week ago. The rules were strict in that no one could inform you, but your powers helped you. We had no idea until today. Now, the challenge is still out there, but I am willing to bargain with you. I have your precious book, and I plan on keeping it until this field is down. The bargain is that you use your abilities to fight them rather than the book, and you will win your part of the challenge. Your challenge is to kill as many demons as possible until Piper's wedding day. I myself will keep demons away on that day since the Elders are not protecting you. A week after your wedding, the challenge will end. Are you okay with this?"

"Not really," Piper smirked sarcastically. "You're playing with our lives here. If any of us die, but not the others, you are entitled to compensation with your life," Piper countered.

"I can agree to that, but if they kill one they will finish you all off," the demon smiled. Piper scoffed and looked to her watch.

"I'm still planning my wedding. This house is the only battle ground, got it? I am not losing my powers to you jackasses," Piper said sternly.

"Fine. As soon as you leave that door, you are immune. Any more rules?" the demon asked.

"We will call for you whenever we feel the sides are uneven. What should we call you?" Phoebe asked.

"Jackass who needs to get a life instead of running mine?" Piper offered.

"Ha, Piper, but no. You may call me Cole," he smiled.

"You are not our Cole, right?" Phoebe asked.

"Oh, no, but I am his brother. Revenge for his death through this challenge is what I am aiming for. Now, start planning sisters. The more demons you kill now, the less you have to deal with later," he smiled.

"How do we know you'll be completely fair? You're a demon and you're offering us many advantages," Paige smirked.

"Well, you could easily kill me right now and end the challenge, but I wouldn't. They would think it was a hoax and would revolt, and demon revolts are never pretty," he smiled.

"Actually they are, mostly because I could plan my wedding in peace," Piper smiled.

"Well, you can't kill me," the demon whispered. "The consequence is not very pretty."

"And what is that?" Paige asked. "We'll have to clean up the house from goo or something? The family room is pretty much destroyed and your little minions are going to help us destroy the rest of the house. I think this consequence won't have much of a worse effect."

"But it will," Leo called. "He is working on both sides of a murder trial that the Elders are working with. Killing him is obstructing evidence, which could mean you lose your powers."

"Even if we're provoked!" Piper exclaimed. She looked up towards the ceiling. "It's your fault then for not holding him in custody!"

"Oh, they did, but he escaped somehow. He bargained with them to stay out of jail, so now they call him to duty when he's needed," Leo replied.

"He is good at that," Paige whispered.

"With good reasons, my dear," the demon smiled. "Without my bargaining skills, I would not be here today. Cole and I both had these skills."

"No, Cole was just good at being a douche bag," Phoebe said sternly. "What does this have to do with anything? Nothing! You use your skills for evil, and that's that. You've used your skills to help ruin our lives. Why do we even have to participate in your little challenge? I'm about like Piper right now in that you're pissing me off!"

"Phoebe, you're going to participate in the challenge," the demon said sternly. "Or I myself will move your crystals, making it where you will not have any time to prepare and you will not get back your precious book. That will be the cost of not participating: you will be killed."

"It's your fault that happened!" Phoebe yelled. "Who the hell do you think you are challenging demons you don't even know to take us down, but oh, we have to fight back? What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Phoebe, calm down," Leo whispered. "Listen, Cole, could you call off the challenge for now? If I tell the Elders about you doing this, they might put you in jail. It's illegal, from what I understand, and you wouldn't want to go to their prison would you?"

"No, but…alright, I'll call it off, but I'll be back," the demon said sternly, disappearing from the room.

"I'll tell the Elders," Leo whispered. He orbed away, leaving the sisters to think about what had just happened.