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Excerpts

Chapter One

Piper Halliwell tossed an old leather suitcase to Leo and swatted at a thick mat of cobwebs. The cardboard box was right where she and Grams had stashed it twenty years ago. Red crayon writing, scrawled in Piper's nine-year-old hand, was faded but still legible: Halliwell Halloween Dec. She had run out of room to finish the word "decorations."

"Bingo!" Piper pulled the carton away from the attic wall. Dust billowed off the box when she ripped off the sealing tape and folded back the flaps.

As his wife carefully unpacked, Leo fanned the cloud away from his face to peer inside. "It looks like every Halloween project you and your sisters ever made is in here."

"Every single project we made is in there," Piper said. "Grams unpacked this box every October when we were kids, and every year we added new things when she repacked it. This year, we'll start saving things Wyatt and Chris make."

Piper glanced at their two children. Toddler Chris sat in his playpen, happily punching buttons on a pop-up toy. Wyatt was on his stomach, coloring in a new Halloween coloring book.

Leo held up a jack-o'-lantern made of stapled orange construction paper stuffed with cotton. The green paper stem and black facial features were still glued in place.

"Phoebe made that in first grade," Piper explained.

Wyatt jumped up and ran over. "Can I show Chris?" He held up his hand. A few months shy of four, he took being a big brother seriously.

"Okay, but don't let him hold it." Piper smiled at the mischievous toddler in the playpen whose inquisitive nature tended to result in his taking things apart. "Aunt Phoebe would be very sad if he ripped it."

"I'll be careful." Wyatt took the paper pumpkin from his father.

Leo reached back into the box and pulled out a twelve-inch wooden skeleton. The dangling bones were connected with brown twine. Wyatt dashed back to take the skeleton, too.

Piper picked up a porcelain doll named Hannah. The doll had a pretty face and ringlets of dark, shiny hair, but it was obvious that she wasn't dressed in her original clothes. Hannah wore a witch's costume, complete with a white lace pinafore, a broomstick, and a conical hat. Grams had made the doll clothes, insisting that witches were not old and ugly with warts and green skin. At the time, Piper had thought her grandmother was being silly. Now, as one of the three most powerful witches in the world, she, too, bristled at the commercial stereotype.

Almost everything in the Manor reminded Piper of Grams. She had not yet turned five when her mother died, and Grams had raised her and her sisters. A strong-willed woman with a warm, generous heart, Grams had preserved the family when the girls were children. Her death had brought them back together as young adults. The loving blood-bond of sisters reinforced the magical heritage of the Warren witch line that bound them as the Charmed Ones.

"How long has it been since you used this stuff?" Leo asked.

"Since we were teenagers," Piper reminisced. "Grams stopped decorating when we stopped trick-or-treating to go to parties."

Leo smiled. "Well, this year you'll have trick-or-treating and a party."

"Yea!" Wyatt cheered, then returned to his game of peek-a-boo with his brother and Phoebe's stuffed pumpkin. "Boo!"

Chris shook the wooden skeleton and laughed.

"I am so glad we found this box." Piper rubbed a smudge off the doll's face.

"Remembering where you put it helped," Leo said. "Everything your family ever owned is in this house...somewhere."

Piper stole a glance at the piles of treasures and junk in the cluttered attic. The open space in the center had grown smaller as the family had grown larger, and more boxes and keepsakes were added.

"Not everything," Piper objected. "Just things that are magical or have sentimental value. And stuff we thought we might need again."

"Like I said, everything." Leo ducked when Piper playfully lobbed a crocheted pumpkin at him.

"The Halliwells have exquisite taste," Piper said, grinning. "We collected a lot of good stuff over the years."

"Over a hundred years," Leo said.

Piper nodded. The Victorian Manor had been rebuilt after the San Francisco earthquake damaged the original house in April 1906. The Spiritual Nexus was located at 1329 Prescott Street, and the family had to stay on the site.

The concentration of power in the Nexus had

the capacity to be good or evil, depending on the nature of the magic in proximity. The Halliwell home had kept it grounded in good until the Charmed Ones destroyed it, an extreme but necessary measure to prevent the evil Zankou from taking control.

A whole century of Halliwell history, Piper thought. Most twenty-first-century American families had become modern nomads, moving as often as whim and employment opportunities dictated. She and Leo would never abandon the Manor. A brief sojourn into their distant future proved that for a fact.

"What's in here?" Leo tried the suitcase clasps, but they were locked. He shoved the case into the space vacated by the decorations box. "No key. Never mind."

"You're a wise man, Leo Wyatt," Piper said. The attic contained hazards as well as treasures. Some of the magical booby traps were too easy to set off by accident. Three years ago, a "Return to Owner" spell on a pair of Grams' red go-go boots had sent Paige back to 1967. After being married with the same ring six times, Grams had cursed it to remind her not to marry again. Piper gave the ring to Cole to give to Phoebe as an engagement ring, and it turned her sister into a compulsive homemaker.

"That's for sure," Leo agreed. "With a house full of people tomorrow night, we don't need any witchy weirdness running amuck."

"Don't even think it," Piper said.

Opening the Manor to entertain friends and neighbors was something Piper had always wanted to do. And now, for the first time in eight years, since her powers had been restored after Grams' death, her life was settled and safe enough to throw a Halloween holiday bash.

Piper shuddered. "I'd rather not have to explain green goblin rashes or an epidemic of fairy fungus fever."

"Or something worse," Leo said.

"The Woogy Man has left the premises." Piper meant to calm Leo's anxiety. Instead, the reference to the Shadow Demon -- vanquished when they destroyed the Nexus and blew up the basement -- heightened his concern.

"Yes, but the Manor will never be a danger-free zone," Leo said.

Piper followed Leo's gaze to the scorched wall near the door. The wood was blackened where the wall had taken a fireball hit meant for her and her sisters. Christy Jenkins, Billie's long-lost older sister, had been raised by the Triad to kill the Charmed Ones. She had hurled the flaming orb a split second before Paige orbed them out. Leo kept procrastinating about fixing the damage. Piper suspected he wanted to keep the burn to remind her she wasn't invincible.

"It's been five months since we defeated the Ultimate Power and vanquished the Triad," Piper said.

Christy was dead, and Billie was now their ally. An above-average white witch, she was still their promising protégé and a good friend. The three regenerating demons had been the last evil force with the power to imperil the sisters' Charmed existence. The Triad wouldn't be coming back, and it would be years before the next generation of demons was strong enough to challenge them.

"Demons aren't the only enemy." Leo's gaze darted to the attic door, then to the window. "There are other forces."

"Nothing we can't handle," Piper countered. "The Power of Three may lead ordinary lives now, but we didn't retire. Besides, all the big bad guys are history."

Piper wished Leo would lighten up. Things had changed dramatically now that all the major demonic powers were gone. Every now and then, the Charmed Ones still had to fight something evil to save an Innocent, but Piper no longer lived in constant dread of being attacked or losing Leo. She wanted to savor every minute of the practically normal life she had finally achieved. Leo, however, seemed stuck in a perpetual state of wariness and fear.

"Lesser demons also caused a lot of trouble in the past," Leo said. "A scratch turned you into a Wendigo."

"That was years ago!" Piper protested.

Leo pressed. "Phoebe's broken heart made her susceptible to the banshee, and Paige was bitten by a vampire. All of you almost ended up as six-inch ceramic figurines."

"And your point?" Piper asked, annoyed.

"Other evil entities can be just as deadly as demons," Leo said. "And there are still plenty of them out there. Even if you and your sisters aren't the primary targets, the Powers-That-Be will keep connecting you to Innocents that need supernatural help."

"Of course, but I'm not going to look for trouble, Leo. I like being happy and relaxed."

"And Iike happy Piper," Leo said. "But the bad guys will have an advantage if you let down your guard. So don't get too relaxed, okay?"

"I won't," Piper said with a sincere nod. "Promise."

Piper had anguished about Leo so much over the past few years that she couldn't be mad at him for worrying about her. Even if it isn't necessary. Her Charmed instincts and abilities were too ingrained to forsake her when she needed them.

"This punkin' wants to be real," Wyatt said. "Like the wood boy in the book."

"Boo-kah!" Chris squealed and rattled the skeleton.

"No magic, Wyatt," Piper reminded her powerful and precocious son.

"Good call," Leo whispered. "A Pinocchio pumpkin would be harder to explain than gooey green skin lesions."

"What time do we have to be at the Manor tomorrow?" Coop walked up behind Phoebe, slipped his arms around her waist, and nuzzled her neck.

Phoebe turned off the kitchen faucet and faked an irritated scowl. "I can't wash apples and make out at the same time."

"Is choosing a problem?" Coop frowned, pretending to be puzzled.

"Only under dire circumstances," Phoebe replied, struggling to look serious. She was too happy to be convincing.

She had the perfect job, writing "Ask Phoebe," an advice column at the Bay Mirror. Her boss, Elise Rothman, also gave her as much latitude and time off as she needed whenever she needed -- with no questions asked -- for Charmed business. And now, after one failed marriage, to Cole -- who had led a triple life as himself, the demon Belthazor, and the Source -- and countless other relationships that had ended badly for more typical reasons, she had finally found true love with a Cupid.

"That's odd." Coop squinted furtively around the apartment. "I don't detect anything on my demon, danger, and dire circumstance meter."

"Then it obviously isn't calibrated for Piper on the warpath," Phoebe joked. "I promised I'd have my to-do list finished on time. Would you want to be responsible for wrecking the fabulous neighborhood open house she's been planning her whole life?"

"Absolutely not." Coop nibbled Phoebe's ear.

Phoebe sighed, enjoying his tender touch for a moment. It was not, however, a stolen or fleeting moment of bliss. Thanks to grown-up Wyatt and Chris, she knew they would be together

"as one" for the rest of their lives. She would

have millions of passionate, loving moments to cherish.

"Do you really think a few dirty apples could ruin everything?" Coop asked.

"Dirty apples would be a disaster." Phoebe gently pushed him away. "Everything has to be perfect.

"Nothing is perfect," Coop said, "except you and me."

"I know." Phoebe smiled, but she resisted

the temptation to melt into his embrace. "And

Piper knows she can't throw a party without something going wrong. But I don't want that something to be my fault."

"Touché!" Coop released her with a disappointed sigh.

"Here." Phoebe whipped the dish towel off her shoulder and pointed to the apples in the sink. "Make yourself useful, and dry."

"They're just going to get wet again," Coop said with endearing male logic.

"These aren't the bobbing apples," Phoebe explained. "They're going in the fruit basket on the buffet table."

"Oh." Coop took the dish towel.

"Put them in this for now." Phoebe reached for a metal colander on the counter. When she touched it, the familiar effects of a premonition jolted her.

...Coop stormed around the Manor dining room in a violent rage. He was seething with anger, screaming vile threats, throwing things...at someone beyond her perception...someone unseen and unknown....

Me? Phoebe wondered as she snapped back to the present.

Coop's attention was on the apples in the sink. He didn't know she had slipped into a trance, and that was a relief. Phoebe hadn't had many premonitions since the Charmed Ones had dealt with the Triad, and of them, none had packed such a significant emotional punch. This premonition left her more shaken than she wanted Coop to know.

But not because Phoebe suddenly suspected that her kind and gentle soul mate was hiding a Jekyll-and-Hyde personality.

The disturbing premonition had the opposite effect. She and Coop were so perfectly matched, she couldn't help but feel a little unnerved now and then. It was like waiting for your new car to get a scratch. But rather than support her nervousness, the premonition made it clear that Phoebe's trust in Coop was sound and unshakable.

Coop couldn't be responsible for the vicious attack. An unknown evil had to be involved.

"How's that?" Coop held up a newly cleaned apple, grabbing Phoebe's attention.

"Perfect," Phoebe said, holding out the colander. "One down and twenty-three to go."

While she emptied the dishwasher, Phoebe considered the fragment of the future she had glimpsed. The details were fuzzy, but she had seen a jack-o'-lantern in the dining room.

As a Charmed One, Phoebe's thoughts quickly turned to protection. The events she foresaw could be averted if proper steps were taken. However, avoiding the Manor on Halloween wasn't an option. Piper was counting on her and Coop to keep Wyatt and Chris occupied during the day and to help out with the party.

"What time do we have to be at the Manor in the morning?" Coop asked again.

"Around nine," Phoebe said as she picked up a towel to help Coop with the drying. "I thought it would be fun to take Wyatt and Chris to the Halloween Carnival."

"What's Leo doing?" Coop asked.

"Stringing lights on the Manor with Henry," Phoebe explained. "And we have to pick up our costumes by four."

"It's not too late to change our minds,"

Coop said. "We could still go as Antony and Cleopatra."

"No way." Phoebe playfully snapped him with her towel. "Cleopatra lost her love and died!"

"Good point." Grabbing the end of Phoebe's towel, Coop pulled her toward him and kissed her.

Despite the potential threat, Phoebe decided not to tell Coop or anyone else about the vision until she had more information. She didn't want to spoil the family's Halloween if it wasn't necessary.

And it might not be necessary.

Wyatt loved carved pumpkins so much, Piper usually kept the jack-o'-lanterns until they started to rot. Coop's rampage might not take place until days after the party was over.

Paige sat on a bench outside the mall entrance and dialed the Parole office.

"Mitchell." Henry's tone was clipped and all business.

"Mitchell's wife," Paige replied, matching her husband's no-nonsense demeanor. "What are you doing for lunch, mister?"

"That depends on where we're having lunch," Henry said.

Paige smiled at his softening manner. She hated to miss a romantic afternoon tryst with her wonderful husband, but Piper's party had priority. "I'm at the mall."

Henry sighed. "Well, the daily special at Luigi's isn't exactly what I had in mind, but I'll suffer through it."

"You love Luigi's lasagna!" Paige exclaimed.

"Not as much as I love you." He paused, then asked, "What are you doing at the mall?"

"Halloween shopping," Paige said.

Long before Paige knew she was a witch, she had loved Halloween. As kids, her Halliwell half-sisters hadn't known they were witches either. After they were grown and had emerged as the Power of Three, they tried to keep their observance as low-key as possible -- for good reason. Once they had dressed up for a costume party at P3 and were whisked through a time portal back to 1670. They saved Melinda, the founding matriarch of the Warren witch line, from being raised by an evil witch. However, as a result of the adventure, the Halliwell sisters had curtailed their Halloween enthusiasm until Wyatt was born.

"I bought lights and talking tombstones and creepy plastic ghouls at the discount store," Paige explained. "But I'd like to find something special for Piper's party."

"A World's Best Witch trophy?" Henry suggested.

"I was going for gift-shop-cute-and-spooky, but I'll keep that in mind," Paige said. "I'll know what I want when I see it."

"I have an appointment in ten minutes," Henry said. "I'll meet you at Luigi's in an hour."

"See you there." Paige folded her phone with a wry smile. She had finally adjusted to Henry's rigid work schedule, but it hadn't been easy.

The duties and demands of being a Charmed One had taken over her life. She had given up her career as a social worker to study witchcraft, and then she had worked temp jobs to have flexibility. More often than not, the jobs brought her into contact with Innocents that needed her magical expertise.

On the plus side, Paige's life had settled into a relatively uneventful routine since the Charmed Ones had vanquished the Triad. After five years of relentless doom and destruction, she was content with her new, less hectic and less intense existence as the three basic Ws: wife, witch, and Whitelighter. Her current charge's powers hadn't manifested yet, and she could watch over the girl from afar. Refining her cooking skills, taking care of her home and husband, and helping Leo prepare Magic School for its reopening kept Paige as busy as she wanted to be.

There was only one glitch in her wonderful life: a lingering guilt about O'Brien and his leprechaun friends. After they had agreed to help the Charmed Ones defeat the Ultimate Power, she had betrayed them.

Paige slipped her cell phone into her bag and entered the mall. She hoped her quest for the perfect present would help her repress the painful memory again.

Christy Jenkins and her evil mentor, Dumain, were pawns in the Triad's plot to kill the Charmed Ones. To turn the Charmed Ones' allies against them, Christy and Dumain had unleashed a horde of assassin demons on the kingdom of mythical creatures. Paige had been under Christy's hex spell when O'Brien begged for help. It wasn't her fault that she ignored the desperate leprechaun, but that didn't alleviate her sense of responsibility.

The blood of every magical being slaughtered in that assassin demon attack was on her hands.