Zankou took a seat on the couch in the main family room. He sat there for a while, working on his next step in taking back what was his. He was so in gross with his thoughts, he didn't realizing the moment he laid back and closed his eyes. In less than five seconds flat he was deep asleep. Since his freedom, he has yet to get some rest.
Next Morning:
Piper grumbled as she walked down the stairs. It was 8am and thank God the kids were still asleep. It gave her enough time to get breakfast ready, before the circles woke up. She got little to no sleep last night. She had been having the same nightmare since Leo passed, and as hard as she tried, she didn't understand what it meant.
As she walked through the living room, and into the kitchen, she paused. Leaning backwards Piper popped her head back into the living room. There on her couch -favorite couch- slept Zankou. Piper watched him from afar, not sure it was wise to get near a sleeping demon. Had one of her sisters seen her, she'd look like a damn creeper. But, he looked so damn normal. He was stretched out, his right foot under the knee of his left leg. His right arm draped over his eyes. It was so not demon like. He looked tired, even in his sleep. His breathing was hard and she could swear she heard his heart beating up. It sounded like someone was beating drums inside his chest. Walking over to him, Piper hesitantly places her hand on his cheek. He was burning up. Grabbing his on the shoulder, she shook his gently at first. When she received no answer, she shook his harder calling his name. Before she knew what had happened, Piper was suddenly pulled down onto his chest.
Zankou had believed it was all a nightmare, until he felt someone grab his shoulder. Reaching forward, he froze at the small yelp. Opening his eyes he came face to face with Piper. She was splayed over his chest and her face inches from his. Her breath ghosted over his face, causing his own to get stuck in his throat. He held her there for a moment, studying her. But the one thing that caught his attention were her eyes. Big wide doe eyes. Zankou was quick to remember who he was holding. Clearing his throat, he let go of her arm gently.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. You seemed to have been dreaming." Piper placed her hands on his chest, having herself off him completely. When she received no response to her statement, she quickly changed the subject. "Umm, I was going to make coffee, you-uh-you want some?"
Zankou was about to deny the offer, but stopped himself. He could use something to wake himself up. "Yes."
Piper nodded, all but running towards the kitchen. "Okay, I'll get that started."
Sitting up Zankou groaned and cracked his neck. Ironically regardless of the strain on his back and dream, this was the best sleep he has had in years. With a deep moan he stood up and stretched. Listening to his surroundings, he knew everyone else was asleep and his men were yet to arrive.
Walking into the kitchen, he leaned against the doorway and watched the witch. He allowed himself to really look at her. She was attractive he would never deny that, but that was it. That was all he saw in her. I mean cut him some slack, he has been locked up for decades without the comfort of a woman. It was normal for him to look. But he was still confused as to why just her. There were two other woman in the manor. Yet his eyes always seem to find her. No matter who else was near or what they were doing, his eyes always locked onto her.
Piper turned with the mug in her hand, letting it slip from her hands at seeing Zankou standing at the doorway. Glancing down at the mug, she frowned at seeing it floating in the air. Looking back at the demon, he gave a wave of his hand. The mug landed itself on the counter. "Thank you."
Zankou gave her a stiff nod. "I didn't mean to frighten you, thought you heard me come in."
Piper waved his apology off. "When I am in the kitchen I get zoned out, completely blocking everything on the outside." Making her way around the counter, she held out the coffee mug to him. "Not sure how you like it, so I left it black."
Zankou took the cup and leaned back against the door frame. "It doesn't matter." His eyes dropped her her legs. It still bothered him. "Forgive me for the injury I inflicted on you yesterday."
Piper smiled softly, taking a sip of her own coffee. "It's nothing really, I mean you didn't do it on purpose." She tossed him a look. "Right?"
Zankou chuckled. "No I did not."
"Good." Piper busied herself by pulling items out for breakfast. Opening the spice cupboard, she groaned. "You're probably going to kill me for this, but could you please reach the salt for me?" She gestured to the salt on the top shelf. "I keep telling Phoebe not to place it so I high."
Zankou raised his hand, but stopped. With a small smirk, he placed the mug on the counter, and made his way towards her. Standing just behind her, he glanced up at the salt. "The white container?"
Piper jumped at the proximity of his voice. Turning around, she leaned backwards enough to to see his face. 'Holy crap!' The man stood inches from her. "Yeah." Inhaling deeply, she nearly chocked on his smell. She expected him to smell bad, repulsive even, but not like this. He smelled amazingly. Like firewood burning.
Zankou took a step closer to her, raising his arm over her, he grabbed the container. He made sure not to touch her, at least not yet. Stepping back, he held the container in front of her. "Here."
"Th-Thank you." She quickly turned her back towards him, occupying herself with finishing breakfast, trying not to focus on the man behind her. "What are you doing today?" she mumbled.
Zankou shrugged, leaning against the counter, arms crossed. "I can't get my plans going until, my brother shows up." Tilting his head to the side, he watched her hips move from side to side.
Piper frowned, placing the lip on the pot she turned her attention back to him. "Any chance you tell me who this brother of yours is?"
The demon shook his head. "Where's the fun in that." Zankou frowned as a cold chill ran through his body. Pushing himself off the counter, he closed his eyes. Tuning in on his brother, he growled. "I must go, do not leave the house under any circumstances." And with that he flamed out.
Piper stood there dumbstruck. 'What the hell was that?' Shrugging it off she continued working on breakfast. Still here mind kept going back to that moment. 'Why didn't he just levitate down? Why do it physically and pressed against her? What did that mean?' Piper was so engrossed in her thoughts, that breakfast was no longer on her mind.
"Piper!" Phoebe squealed as she ran in, grabbed the burning pan and threw it into the sink. "Piper?" She turned the water on successfully putting out the fire. "What happened?"
Piper gaped from the sink to her sister. "I got lost in my train of thoughts. Didn't even realize." With a groan she leaned her elbows on the counter and held her head. "I am just not me at the moment." 'Damn demon!'
"You sick?" Phoebe placed a hand on her forehead, looking for any signs of a fever. "You're not hot, so no fever."
"No, not sick. Just need to clear my min." With a weak smile, she tossed the pan into the trash. "How about we get take out?"
Phoebe cocked a brow. "At 8am?"
"Yeah! Why not?" She grabbed the phone and quickly called their favorite pancake house. Once she ordered breakfast, Piper made her way up to her room, calling out to Phoebe. "Money in my wallet! Phoebe please pay when the food arrives!"
Phoebe stared at the stairs her sister had ran up. What the hell got into her? Piper wasn't a fan of buying food, she saw it as an insult to her cooking. But from previous experience she decided on letting Piper work it out.
After breakfast, the sisters began their day. Phoebe went to work. Paige and the boys went off to magic school. That left Piper alone at home. She busy herself with cleaning, organizing and deciding what to make for dinner. Still she couldn't stop thinking about Zankou, he has yet to show up. His minions have been patrolling the house throughout the day, but he was a no show.
Deciding to shrug off Zankou from her mind, she focused on getting things back to track at P3. After Leo's death, Piper shut it down for a while. It's time to get things running once more, get her life back on tracks. By the time her sisters got back home, she was set to re-open in a weeks time. And yet Zankou was no where in sight. Though she didn't fuzz to much over it, since not had they been attacked. Of course, the day just couldn't end on a good note.
Piper and Phoebe were currently in the kitchen, finishing the touches of dinner, when they heard a man yelling.
"Piper! Phoebe!"
"What the hell?" Phoebe dropped the cups in her hand, following Piper out into the living room.
"Paige the boys!" Piper ordered as she stepped into the living room.
Paige has been in the attic, having heard Piper, she took each boy and shimmered them to magic school.
As the sisters entered the room, they froze at the scene in front of them.
Zankou laid on the couch, completely covered in blood. His eyes were shut and his face was pure pain. His hand gripped onto the metal rebar sticking from out his side. Blood dripped from the end onto the carpet, showing no signs of stopping. Prying her eyes off Zankou, they landed on the man standing next to him. A very lost and worry Cole. The sound of Zankou's moan of pain, snapped the oldest sister out of her daze. "What happened?!" She moved to Zankou's side, getting a good look at him. He was a mess.
"The idiot fell for Malik's trap." Cole growled, holding onto Zankou's hand. "He was ambushed."