𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐔𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 || 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬 𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥

Chapter 14 - It's My Party (and I'll Scry if I Want To)

I landed on my back with a resounding thud which consequently knocked all the air from my lungs. For the first few seconds, in fact, I just sat there gasping until I could suck in as much oxygen as possible. Meanwhile, Chris didn't seem to be affected - why was this always the case? - and instead chose to glower over my currently useless body until I had regained the ability to speak again.

"What are you doing here?!" he erupted as I began to get up, brushing myself off as I did, "I thought I told you to sit this one out. This is a solo mission,"

"Was a solo mission, you mean! Did you really believe I was just going to sit home and bake cookies while you saved the day?" I asked, hands on my hips as I glared up at him, "Newsflash, Chris, this is the 21st Century, not 1952 - a woman's place is in the revolution. Or in this case, in a dark, damp cave with her arch nemesis - either way,"

"Arch nemesis, really?" he asked dubiously.

My eyes narrowed at that, "I hate you, you know."

He made a face, "Noted. Now keep quiet. If you're staying, I don't want you messing this up."

I was about to protest that when he shot me a look and with a roll of my eyes, I fell silent. Trudging along behind him, our feet making only soft squelching sounds in the damp moss underfoot, we made our way deeper into the cave.

It was darker in here than I liked, I admit. I had never been a fan of the dark. Seemed a little ironic, I know. Especially considering I grew up a witch with a demon father. Making our way farther in, the cave finally opened up into what looked like - well, for lack of a better term - a lair. A man - wait, no, a demon - stood in front of a cauldron, scrying. I frowned up at Chris but he waved a hand lightly, my signal to stay back and stay quiet.

"I don't understand..." the demon was muttering to himself as Chris moved forward, choosing to orb in at that very moment, leaving me in the shadows.

"Something wrong?" he asked him.

The demon, Gith, glanced up, "The boyfriend took the bullet. It was meant for the witch,"

My heart caught in my throat.

"You tried to kill one of them already?" Chris asked, his voice hard.

"I create worlds, I don't control them. They work in their own way, in their own time," Gith explained, irritated, "This is the first time a victim's ever escaped a direct attempt on her life,"

"Yeah, well, pretty good, aren't they?"

I frowned, still not understanding just how Chris seemed to know this demon so well. It made no sense.

"It's okay. Their desires will kill them eventually. After all, that is what you desire, isn't it?" Gith asked him, as if he knew the answer already.

"Actually..." Chris trailed off, turning his body away from the demon for a fraction of a second to retrieve the vanquishing potion we had concocted from his pocket.

I didn't see it coming. And I knew I should have.

Before either of us had the chance to move or shout even, Gith pulled the trigger on the dark mahogany crossbow in hand. The arrow shot out, embedding itself perfectly in its target. A gasp ripped free from my throat as Chris collapsed and I ran, unthinking, towards him. Gith looked up, shock registering on his face for a split second before relaxing. It was obvious he didn't view me as a threat- after all, I was no Whitelighter and certainly no Charmed One.

"Chris..." I whispered breathlessly as I knelt down beside him, my heart tightening in my chest as my hands ran over his wound.

It was bad, the gash where the arrow went in was deep and his shirt was quickly staining crimson in a large circle surrounding it. I felt lightheaded from the blood, unsure of myself in that very moment what I should do. What could I do? This was always the girls specialty - fixing people up, healing them.

"I could sense your desire from the beginning. You never wanted to kill your charges, just teach them a lesson. That's right - Darklighter arrow," Gith sneered down at Chris before grinding the vial of vanquishing potion beneath his feet, the bottle shattering across the cave floor, "Poison shouldn't take long but with luck, you may just live long enough to watch the Charmed Ones learn their lesson after all."

With that, Gith went back to his scrying pool and my eyes drifted back down to Chris' face, once again contorted in pain. My chest tightened at the sight.

"Just hold on, I'm gonna get you out of this." I told him softly, brushing strands of chocolate-brown hair away from his face, "I'll think of something..."

But thinking of something with nothing to use against this demon was easier said than done. I'd been in my fair share of tight spots and even been a hostage more than once in my lifetime. But this was different. I had no Charmed Ones to fall back on, to rely on when things went south. I was on my own.

I wracked my brain, trying endlessly to think of a plan while Chris used what little strength he had to try and save the girls, using his Whitelighter powers to do so. Every time he did though, Gith would growl in aggravation, turning those dark demonic eyes upon us. Chris waved his hand then, lifting it up weakly as he did.

With that one little motion, Phoebe's world connected into Paige's. I smiled, watching the scyring pool as they began to realize it, too. That, however, only irritated the demon further and he walked closer to us before viciously kicking Chris.

A growl erupted from my throat as Chris cried out in pain, turning my dark brown eyes to the demon towering above me. How dare he! Slowly, I began to stand, feeling a darkness wash over me. I couldn't tell where it was coming from or even why I suddenly felt more powerful. But I could feel it all the way down to my fingertips, this endless amount of raw power.

"Don't you dare touch him!" I snarled, my voice loud and menacing as it echoed off the cave walls.

There was a fierce warmth in my right palm then, the feeling burning up through my veins. Gith's eyes widened then, shock registering on his face and he stumbled a few steps back. Barely even realizing what I was doing, not even glancing down at my hand, I raised it before heaving the now burning fireball in my hand at the demon.

He jumped away at the very last moment and it scorched the wall behind him. A gasp ripped free from my throat and with wide, disbelieving eyes I finally looked down at my hand. No, no, it couldn't be possible! I'd never developed any kind of demonic powers - just my witchy magic from my mom. No, no, no!!! This wasn't happening!

All of a sudden, Chris groaned in agony, and as quickly as it had left, my attention was back on the injured Whitelighter on the ground. All thoughts left me as I knelt down next to him, brushing back strands of dark brown hair with my fingers. His skin was hot, feverish against my own.

A frown formed on my face then, worry and anxiety twisting up inside of me as the full realization of what was happening hit me. I was losing him. He could die from this. Only another Whitelighter could heal a wound like this. And I was no Whitelighter. The demon juju spilling out of me was more than proof of that.

My eyes squeezed shut, heart hammering in my chest as I prayed for the girls to get back soon.

I couldn't lose him.

I couldn't because...

....because I think I may be in love with him.

Note: Okay, so to recap here - Mattie has demon powers and has finally realized she's in love with Chris. Thoughts? This was such a drama-filled chapter, I know haha :P I hope y'all liked it! ^_^