No Fate But My Own
Chapter 21
Lauren shifted uncomfortably in her seat as the silence and tension in The Ashes office made Lauren wish there was a window. The room was quite large by regular office standards but right now it felt small, enclosed. The doctor closed her eyes and took a deep calming breath trying desperately for the claustrophobic feeling to subside. She reopened her eyes after several more breaths and noted that The Ash was watching her. His eyes held a kind of sadness and she realised that the agitation that she had sensed when first arriving hadn't been directed at her.
"Lauren? Are you feeling unwell?" The Ash started to rise from his chair as if to come around the desk and check on her.
The doctor raised her hand. "I'm fine Sir. Please, don't get up."
Samuel bowed his head and returned to his chair. "I guess you are wondering why I have called you here."
"Well I thought it was about my work until Trick told me he was here to see you as well." Lauren looked from The Ash to a silent Trick beside her. She turns her gaze back to her boss. "Can we just cut through the pleasantries and get down to why I'm here. I could cut the tension in this room with a scalpel it's so thick. I want to know why Trick is apologising to me and why you keep looking at me like you are my father and you don't know how to tell me that my dog died!"
Lauren caught The Ash frown before he schooled his face to his usual blank expression. The only thing that betrayed him were his eyes. They still held some of the emotion that his face no longer showed. "Very well Dr Lewis...Lauren. A few days ago Trick came into this office and revealed to me his true identity. That he is indeed The Blood King, long thought dead and not just the friendly way-keeper of the Dal." It was Lauren's turn to keep her surprise from showing on her face as Samuel continued to speak. " After proving his identity and asking for his ancestral crown to be returned to him we conversed on several important issues that the Light is facing right now. Since the attack on the compound we have been weakened politically by the loss of several high ranking members of the council. The fae in this county had already been getting restless and outspoken since Bo's trials and her refusal to choose a side."
Lauren opened her mouth automatically to defend Bo. "She wasn't raised in this world. She knew nothing of the fae and their laws. You can't keep blaming..." Lauren stopped when she felt Tricks hand on her arm.
She looked at him and he gave her a gentle smile. "Lauren. Samuel isn't attacking Bo and her choice. He is just talking about the unforeseen repercussions that her actions had on the fae populous. It was short-sighted to put Bo through the trials without the proper training and knowledge.." Trick gives Samuel a pointed look. "But what' s done is done and now we just need to focus on bringing stability to the fae as a whole."
Lauren looked between the both of them. "I still don't understand what this has to do with me. I try to stay out of the politics. I just want to do my job and go home to the woman I love at the end of the day."
"You will know soon enough why this involves you Dr. Lewis. I asked Trick to take his place on the council and to support me in the law reforms, in exchange for the crown."
Lauren let out a small scoff before she could stop it. The Ash raised an inquisitive eyebrow at her and Lauren found herself explaining her outburst. "Uh...Sorry. It's just always a negotiation with the fae isn't it! I mean the crown is his and yet you request that Trick expose his identity to all the fae which will put him in danger from several factions of the community."
"And that is why he asked for something else in return for him joining the council. Isn't that right Blood King? Would you like to take it from here?"
" Yes." Trick turned to meet Lauren's questioning eyes.
"Trick what did you do? Is this why you are apologising to me. Did you request my removal?"
Trick flinched with shock. "What? No! Why would you even think such a thing. Lauren, we have been friends for years but now you are family. I am happy for you and Bo. Truly. I need you to believe this."
"I know you would have preferred Bo to be with Dyson, Trick!"
Trick got up and stood in front Lauren. "There was a time when I thought that Dyson and Bo would be a good fit. Their love for each other was as strong as yours and Bo's." Lauren looked stricken. Trick grabbed her hand and squeezed it hard. "I'm not finished. You are and always will be a better fit for Bo."
"You're just saying that because we are bonded..."
"No, Lauren! I am saying this because it is true. Do I need to give you a list?" Lauren just looked at Trick, disbelief in her eyes. "Fine. You looked at your humanity as a weakness but it was...is..what keeps Bo balanced. Bo's humanity is what makes her who she is and as her power grows so will her need to have you and Kenzi beside her to keep her grounded. You understood that Bo being a succubus meant that she would have to feed off of other sources. Dyson would have wanted Bo to be monogamous. Not even a 1000 year old shifter would be strong enough to sustain Bo's needs and his ego and pride would have caused serious problems because Bo would have weakened herself to keep him happy. You risked your life for hers time and time again. There was a prophecy written about the two of you and my families ancestral crown acknowledged.. YOU! If you and Bo weren't meant to be together when Bo breathed you back to life with her chi the bonding process would not have occurred. It is rare for a Succubus to find their soul mate and it is even rarer to have them bound because it takes an ultimate sacrifice for it to occur. You saved her Lauren and I am eternally in your debt for that."
"Trick, I..." Lauren's eyes glistened with unshed tears.
Tricks shakes his head. "No. Don't say anything yet Lauren. Wait till you hear everything else."
"Okay, Trick. What did you ask for in return for you taking the council seat?" Trick patted Lauren's hand and then returned to his seat. "I asked for Aoife to be pardoned and granted immunity for her crimes against the fae. I want my family back. I want Bo to get to know her mother and I want the chance to repair my relationship with my daughter. Do you know anything about pardons relating to treason against the fae?"
"No, not really. I tend to concentrate on the medical research and species lore texts," Lauren replies.
"Well because Aoife's original crime was against the dark fae it requires The Morrigan to sign off on the pardon as well. Which of course meant that it would cost The Ash to get her signature. And... well lets just say that after I stormed in on the meeting and accused her of being threatened by Bo well..."
"She IS threatened by Bo! Why else would she go out of her way to make Bo's life as difficult as possible. The Morrigan usually gets bored and moves on but this thing with Bo is different." Lauren says, her fists clenching on her lap. Scattered items around the office began to shake as the blondes anger rose to the surface. Lauren noticed and closed her eyes and focused on channelling her calming power. She felt the anger slide away as the zen like calm replaced it. She reopens her eyes and smiles sheepishly at Trick , "Sorry.. uh... continue."
Trick looked over at Samuel who bowed his head for him to continue. "Lauren the first thing she asked for was you."
Lauren tilted her head to the side and blinked a few times in quick succession letting Tricks words sink in. "Me?"
"She has always been annoyed that you chose the light over her and the dark," Samuel adds watching Lauren closely.
Lauren leaned back in her chair and all she could get to come out of her mouth was, "huh... But you don't own me any more."
"I never thought of you like that Lauren," Samuel says, a little hurt by her words.
"No but almost everyone else that I had contact with in the first few years at least, treated me like a pet! You can't trade me like a baseball card to The Morrigan just so she will sign a peice of paper. I am an employee, not property. Isn't there something else she wants?"
Samuel was surprised by the brutal honesty coming out of the usually meek doctor. He was glad that Lauren was finally standing up for herself but this was not the time that he wanted her to start. "You are one of the lights most valuable commodities, Lauren. Your work and innovation has saved many fae and Evony has not hidden her desire to acquire your expertise. You are a deal breaker, Lauren."
Lauren gaped at the Ash. "So what are you trying to say?"
"I'm saying, Lauren. That if you don't agree to be the doctor for the dark, the Morrigan will not sign the pardon and Aoife will be on the run for the rest of her life and Bo will never get to have a relationship with her mother," the Ash says matter of factly.
Lauren stood up fast tipping her chair over in the process. Her hands were clenched at her sides as anger swept through her. Lauren was livid at the man sitting behind his huge desk. "You couldn't give a damn about Bo! The only thing you care about is getting Trick onto the council so you can use his sway and influence to create your new fae utopia and to hell with anyone else!" The room started to shake as she glared at Samuel. She was so sick of being the fae's pawn. She was tired of fighting and never getting anywhere.
"Lauren." It was Trick who she heard through the pounding of her heart. She also felt Bo's panic as her fury reached out to her through the bond. "Lauren, please. Calm down." Lauren watched Trick whirl around to scorn Samuel. "What are you playing at? Just tell Lauren that she would be under the same contract as she is with you. That she would treat both the light and the dark under the same roof in a new state of the art facility!"
"What are you, Lauren?" Samuel says getting up and approaching the angry blonde slowly.
Trick couldn't believe what was happening. "You baited her! You are testing her to see just what kind of changes have taken place since her resurrection?"
Samuel didn't respond he just continued to approach Lauren. His face was suddenly full of curiosity as the furniture in his office continued to shake. "Trick, she saved my life by throwing me out of a window with her mind. She escaped the blast with minor scrapes and bruises and healed them very quickly. I would like to know what else our doctor is capable of. Are you a threat Lauren? Do you want to hurt me?"
"I...why didn't you just ask." As quickly as the anger had risen it began to slide away. Her inner calm rising to douse her fury which she didn't think was entirely hers. It had felt like Bo's. Lauren shook her head dismissing the thoughts before they took hold. She didn't have the energy to tackle the possibility that she could take Bo's power. She shivered with cold dread. She had tasted Bo's new power in the club and earlier this morning and it frightened her. She feared for Bo and everyone who would be on the receiving end of this all consuming rage. She had wanted to hurt Samuel; she had wanted to rip his head off. But the Ash hadn't even done anything to incur the reaction she had just experienced. What the hell was happening with her. Her emotions were all over the place. A wave of dizziness rushed over her. Lauren wobbled on her feet and both men reached out to steady her.
"Trick? Can you pick up the chair?" Trick released Lauren's arm and lifted the chair of the floor and watched as Samuel lowered the doctor into it's stable comfort. The Ash crouched down and looked at Lauren's pale face and dull eyes. "I'm sorry Lauren. That was terribly stupid of me. It's just that several days ago one of the lab techs brought me the results of your tests and..well..lets just say that my mind has been running away with all sorts of ideas of what's happening to you...what you may be becoming."
Lauren shook her head. "One thing at a time please. I'm tired. It's been a rough couple of days and I just can't deal with anything else right now." She looked up into the dark concerned eyes of Samuel. " Is what Trick said true? That I would be working for both the light and the dark in a new facility."
"Yes."
"Same contract? I would get protection from both you and the Morrigan?" Lauren asks her thoughts finally coming together.
"Yes." The Ash stood and returned to his seat. "A brand new facility in neutral territory with separate wings and separate staff. You would spend your time between both. I am also setting up a private research lab that only you will have access too. The only thing the Morrigan will be adding to the facility will be her staff. Evony held me over the coals last night so to speak and squeezed every last drop out of both myself and Trick to get her to sign the pardon for Aoife."
"But I'm the deal breaker?" Lauren asks, a lump forming in her throat.
"Yes. The Morrigan is bitter about me ransoming the fae flu vaccine to her and this is her way to guarantee that it never happens again." Lauren gives him a look as if to say serves you right. "Yes, I know you wanted me to allow you to give the vaccine freely and I'm sorry that my greed has put you in a very difficult position."
Lauren raised her eyebrows at Samuel. "Difficult position? Are you suggesting that I have a choice on this?"
"Well..."
She cuts him off. "There is no choice. I couldn't do that to Bo. Bo needs her mom. She craves a real relationship with Aoife and could learn so much from her as far as her succubus abilities go. Trick deserves the chance to start reconciling with his daughter. It would be selfish if I didn't do what I can to reunite his family." Lauren looks at Trick and smiles. "It's okay, Trick. There are some positives for me as well you know."
"Like?" Trick asks curiously and amazed at how quickly this woman's mind weighed the pro and cons of this dilemma.
"Well the most important being that I will have the protection of both the light and the dark. It may come in very handy in the future if things don't go well with the Ash's plan for a more united fae. No offence," she says looking at the Ash and giving him a small smile. "It's not that I don't believe you can accomplish your dream of a united fae but we both know that it's going to one hell of a ride to get there."
He nods in compliance and returns Lauren's smile. "True enough. Anything else?"
"Yes. I've read countless texts that there are certain species of fae that are promised to the dark from ancient family pacts. To be able to study these fae in the flesh would be...amazing," Lauren gushes her eyes lighting up at the prospect of studying these creatures. She frowns when she thinks about Bo. "Because the lab will be in neutral territory does that mean I can treat Bo as well?"
"Yes. Though that never stopped you from treating Bo here at the compound, Lauren," The Ash says with a smirk. "So you are willing to do this?"
Lauren turns to Trick and takes his hand and with a warm smile she says, "Yes. Make your deal and start building my new lab."...
Chapter 22
Kenzi watches Bo bounce from side to side with nervous, tense energy. Her wrapped and taped hands hang at her sides as Bo watches the tall, reptile looking under-fae step over the top rope and into the ring across from her. Kenzi couldn't believe that this was happening so fast. She had expected Bo to have a little time to maybe train and learn how to actually fight. Kenzi had thought about encouraging her friend to hold off on getting into the ring today but she had seen the flash of determination to prove herself and to take back control...
Earlier that day...
After leaving the crack shack and finding the car missing. Bo had walked slowly over the now empty space were she had parked her car the day before disbelief evident on her face. Kenzi had dialled Dyson hoping to give Bo some hope that her beloved yellow death-trap of a car would be returned to her in one piece. She watched as the disbelief turned into a quiet simmering anger. Dyson told her that it was Lauren's doing and that it would be back in time for Bo's birthday next week. She nodded and played along with ruse but was silently now pissed off that she hadn't been included. She hung up her phone and approached Bo cautiously. Bo looked up at Kenzi, "I just don't get it, Kenz! The car has no value except for sentimental value. Why on earth would anyone steal it."
"It was probably just some kids wanting a joy ride, Bo Bo," Kenzi responded throwing a comforting arm around the succubus' shoulders. "Dyson says he will issue an APB and that he's sure it will show up eventually." Kenzi called for a cab before ushering Bo over to the stairs to sit and wait. "They probably just drove it till they ran out of gas and it's sitting on a side street somewhere just waiting to be found." Bo doesn't respond as Kenzi checks the time. "Shit! We are so going to be late for this meeting."
"Whatever. Who cares," Bo responded looking sad and dejected. Kenzi had a feeling that it wasn't just the car that had Bo down. The cab arrived just as she was about to ask what Bo was thinking about. The Succubus got up and headed for the waiting cab. "Come on then lets get this thing over with." Bo was silent and moody on the drive over to the glass factory. Kenzi had opened her mouth to talk to Bo, but she just turned away and looked out the window completely lost in her own thoughts and fears.
Upon arriving at the glass factory, Kenzi pulled out the map that Lauren had given her. "Thank God we don't have to go in the back sewer door today," she said hoping to get a smile from Bo.
Bo shrugged and said, "Yeah. I guess. So which way?"
Kenzi realising that any attempt to cheer Bo up right now was a waste of her energy just looked down at the map with a sigh and pointed towards the main door. "The other entrance is inside the factory."
They made their way inside and found the narrow staircase hidden away in a storeroom behind a tower of crates. Bo seeing that it was almost pitch black except for a tiny little light at the bottom stepped in front of Kenzi. The young goth smiled at her friends protective gesture. No matter what was happening inside Bo's head, she would always be a protector. She would always put Kenzi's safety and well being above her own. Bo opened a large steel door at the bottom of the stairs, entering a dimly lit service tunnel. "Definitely better than the sewers," Bo says, finally giving Kenzi a smile. "Where to now?"
"Follow this and take the second left. Then take the third right."
"Jesus, Kenz. I hope we don't get lost down here. I mean okay, it's free of slime and doesn't smell... but it's still creepy."
Kenzi patted Bo on the back as they made their way down the poorly lit tunnel, "Don't worry, Bo Bo, Lauren drew this map. Dr Anal Retentive wouldn't steer us wrong," Kenzi joked, good naturedly. Sure enough twenty minutes later they had found their way to the x on the map and another large heavy door.
"Should we knock? Or just walk in?" Bo asked uncertainly. They both jumped as a scraping of metal indicated that the door is being opened from the other side. Bo took a step back, taking Kenzi by the arm and shielding her with her body. The door squeaked open to reveal a creature no taller than trick. He looked more boar than man, with his snout and small tusks protruding from his mouth. He moveed aside and gestured that they enter the room. The small eight by ten room was well lit and held a couple of chairs and two doors side by side, both were closed. The pig man snorted for them to take a seat and that someone will be with them shortly. He opened one of the doors and both of them heard the faint echo of shouting and cheering before he exited, closing the door behind him. "We must be where the underground fighting ring is held," Bo murmured to Kenzi as they silently sat watching the two doors wondering which one would open next and when.
Ten minutes later the other door opened revealing a small office and a big burly man with snake-like eyes and a huge grin. Other than the eyes he could pass for human, Bo thought to herself. He moves towards Bo with an outstretched hand, "You must be Bo. Bantos is already inside." A forked tongue slips out from between his lips marking another feature that was definitely not human. Bo gives him a hesitant smile in return and takes his offered hand and gives it a firm shake before releasing it. "Shall we?" He heads back into his office.
"I'll um wait here," Kenzi says, unsure on whether she was invited. The unnamed man hadn't even acknowledged that she was there.
"No. Kenz, I'm not leaving you out here. Where I go, you go."
"Yes. Yes. By all means bring your companion with you." The man said apologetically. "I have heard that you are very friendly with the humans above. I apologise for my rudeness."
Kenzi follows Bo into the office and snorts, "I'm used to being ignored. It's better than being eaten, I guess."
The man held his belly and laughed loudly. "You are a little too scrawny for me," He responded with a wink. Bantos nodded at Bo and Kenzi in greeting. "So lets get down to business shall we," he said taking his seat behind the desk and putting a huge boot up onto the dingy wooden surface.
Bo lifted a curious eyebrow at the jolly giant of a man. Suppressing the urge to grin at him as he leaned back in his chair casually as if he didn't have a care in the world. "Do you have a name? Or should I just make something up?"
The man laughed again and leaned further back, the chair creaking under his bulk in protest. Bo cringed as his forked tongue flicked out several times before his laughter subsided and he returned his attention back to her. "Sorry. I'm Brutus and I am in charge of this establishment," he said eyes sparkling with amusement.
"By establishment, you mean the underground fighting club through that other door?"
Brutus waved his hand in the air in front of him. "Yes. Yes...Now tell me if I have all the information correct. Bantos here tells me that you would like to become one of my fighters. That you are more than capable of taking care of yourself against any little beastie that I can throw at you?"
Bo looked at Bantos and he just gave a small shrug in response. "Well...I would like to try. I wont know if I can handle it until you throw one of your ….. little beasties at me," Bo responds with as much bravado as she can muster.
Brutus sighed, removing his foot from the table and leaned forward. "The only reason I haven't patted you on the head and sent you on back to the surface where you belong is because your reputation precedes you.." Bo kept herself in check as her anger started to bubble and heat up inside her at his condescension. She hated when people underestimated her. "I lost one of my best fighters when you killed him at your trials. Titan earned me a lot of money over the years and then the high and mighty Ash and Morrigan take him for their own needs and YOU killed him. They didn't want you to survive, you know. They had there pick of anyone but noooo they had to take my champion fighter!"
"He was slow as shit. If he was the best you got bring em' on," Bo said with an arrogant smile. She saw Kenzi shake her head in disbelief and a roll of her eyes indicating that she probably should have just kept her mouth shut.
Brutus narrows his eyes and spoke with a low rumble. "We'll see. I'm going to send you up as the final fight today. They are no weapons allowed in today's fight. All you have is what nature has given you." He laughed. "So in your case you will have to kiss him to death, it you can stomach kissing who I have planned for you that is." His laughter at her expense was pissing Bo off. Brutus ignored Bo's dirty look and continued. "If nothing else I'll make some money off you before you die a horrible death and if you manage to somehow survive...well you will have proven you have what it takes."
"Bring it on." Her power was swirling inside her and it was clouding her judgement. Making her rash and eager for blood. She felt Lauren through the bond and opened up the link between them. It was a mistake. Bo had just wanted to feel her lovers cool calming presence but that wasn't what hit her. Lauren was angry and her power rose to greet it. Bo let out a surprised gasp as Lauren took some of her power fuelling her anger.
Kenzi was beside her in an instant. "Bo?"
"Lauren," was Bo's choked response as Lauren continued to draw her energy from her.
"Your eyes Bo! They are black as night! Shut the connection. Do it now!" Bo closed her eyes and nodded. She took several calming breaths as Kenzi held Bo's hands grounding her. With great effort she pushed the anger down. It sat inside just below the surface and Bo knew that she had no choice she would have to fight so that she wouldn't be devoured by her own power.
Present...
Kenzi held her breath as the ring master came in to introduce Bo and her reptilian opponent. "Ladies and Gentleman. We have a special bonus fight on the cards tonight. So prepare to place your bets. In the red corner, from the surface and fighting for the very first time we have Bo The Unaligned... and in the blue corner fighting with a 6-0 record we have The Eviserator. Fighters prepare to battle for submission, knock-out or DEATH. Place you bets." Bo looked over her shoulder to Kenzi, fear evident in her eyes.
"You can do this, Bo," Kenzi screamed with encouragement over the roaring of the crowd. "Don't be afraid of your power. Use it, Bo." Bo nodded and returned her attention back to her opponent.
The bell rang and the reptile man approached Bo swiftly a fist flying at her head. Bo dropped into a crouch and swung her leg out and took his feet out from under him. Her opponent grunted as he hit the floor hard, his breath rushing out. Bo stood up quickly and kicked the wheezing, surprised fae in the head. Blue coloured blood sprayed out of his mouth adding to the stains already marring the concrete. Bo smiled thinking that maybe it wouldn't be as hard as she thought to beat the creature at her feet. She cried out in surprise when a large scaly fist smashed into her solar-plexus driving her to her knees. She looked up at the now standing fae as he grinned down at her blood dripping off his chin. Bo managed to bring her hands up to protect her face just before his knee found it's mark, knocking her down to the hard ground.
"Bo! Move!" Kenzi yelled, as she paced along the ropes of the makeshift ring feeling completely useless. Kenzi sighed in relief as Bo rolled to her left narrowly avoiding the incoming clawed foot about to stomp on her friends head. "He's coming, Bo. You have to get up!" The Eviserator turned in Kenzi's direction and hissed at her in agitation. He took several menacing steps towards her his sharp teeth bared. Bo took the fae's distraction and got painfully back to her feet. "He's too fast. I have to slow him down," Bo thinks as she clutches her abdomen. "And I need to call this fucking power to me! How am I supposed to do that?" Bo was angry at herself for not having any control over her new ability. Deciding to concentrate on slowing her adversary down first Bo rushes forward behind the still distracted fae and kicks him hard in the side of the knee. She grins when she hears the satisfying pop of his knee dislocating. The reptilian fae lets out an agonised high pitched screech and falls to his knees once more.
Bo moves around quickly to stand in front of the downed fae. She is surprised when he looks up at her with a smile on his face. "You haven't won yet, girly," he hisses. Bo punches him several times in the face making him bleed once more. There is a fluttering of power as her fist comes away covered in the fae's thick blue blood. "Blood! That's it! God, how stupid am I," she muses before lifting her clenched fist to her mouth and licks some of the viscous liquid from her knuckles. She sighs and closes her eyes as the power starts to rise and course through her. Bo felt invincible and looks down with midnight orbs at the creature kneeling before her. He feels her power prickle over his scaly flesh and a hush goes through the noisy crowd as they notice that Bo isn't the underdog inside the ring now. Bo saw and felt the uncertainty and fear that seemed to fill the room in an instant and she throws her head back and laughs at how truly weak everyone else is. Bo felt like she could slaughter every single soul in this place and the power rippling through her still wouldn't be sated.
"Bo watch out!" While Bo was lost in the sensations of her encompassing power she didn't notice the two sharp sword-like bones that slid out of her opponents lower forearms. Bo glanced down just in time to see and then feel one of them puncture her in the gut, exiting out the other side. "BO!" Kenzi screamed as she went to duck under the rope and into the ring. The rest happened very fast. Kenzi watches as The Eviserator (now she knew why he had gotten the name.) tries to stab Bo with his other protruding weapon. Bo catches the pointed bone halting it just before it could penetrate her body. Ignoring the fact that she had already been skewered with one, Bo thrusts her knee up and snaps the bone she is holding in half. Kenzi watches with a mixture of disbelief and horror as Bo clutches the bone sword with both hands and plunges it down into the fae's scaly head, piercing his brain and killing him instantly. She then casually pushes the lizard man's forehead away from her and he falls backwards onto the bloody concrete floor with the embedded bone sword sliding free from Bo as he did.
Bo looks down at the carcass at her feet and at the blood and grey matter that is now leaking out of the top of his skull. Kenzi shivers at the look of her friends cold expressionless face. Bo looks up, first at her then at the silent audience around her as she slowly raises her hand into the air in victory. The crowd erupts in a cacophony of boos, cheers and applause. Bo blinks as if coming out of a trance and falls to one knee. Kenzi is there in a flash to help support her. "I got you Bo Bo. I got you."
Chapter 23
Bo and Kenzi...
Bo fell onto all fours as she tried to breathe. With the blood lust retreating she was left feeling empty and in excruciating pain. The injured succubus saw the blood pooling onto the concrete as it dripped from the wound on her abdomen. Bo knew that the bone sword had done some serious internal damage. She suspected a punctured lung was the reason she was unable to take a proper breath. Bo blinked as black spots coloured her vision from the lack of oxygen. Where was Kenzi? She needed her friend. Bo pushed herself up to sit on her knees. She fought off the threatening loss of consciousness and tried calling out to her friend. "Ken..." Her body convulsed as she started to cough. Pain blazed through her as blood rose up into her throat effectively choking her. She was dying. Bo's eyes searched frantically for Kenzi through her blurry vision. Her mind flashed to pictures of Lauren. Her soul mate. Her goddess. Her rock. Her everything. Bo was unable to hold herself upright and fell to the floor ending up on her back. She coughed again, turning her head to the side as the blood continued to cut off her airway. A tear slipped down her cheek as thoughts of Lauren and her always loyal companion Kenzi played like a slide show through her mind. There were flashes of others, her parents, Dyson & Hale, Aoife and Trick, with his kind gentle eyes. But Lauren and Kenzi were the stars of this show. Bo made out some shadows coming towards her. "No bright lights and angels for me then," she thought, thinking that these where demons coming to take her soul into hell. "It's where monsters like me belong." Bo closed her eyes focusing on her thoughts of her loved ones.
"Bo!"
Bo forced her eyes to open to see a blurred image of Kenzi in front of her. There were several shadowy figures looming behind her friend. Bo wanted to warn Kenzi to get out of the way. That the fallen angels of death had arrived for her, that her friend was free to have a normal life away from the fae.
"It's time for a snack, Bo Bo. I know it hurts but you have to. Lauren will kill me if you die and don't make your date tomorrow!" Kenzi reached up and yanked at one of the shadows that were standing behind her. A young, wide eyed Asian man came into focus. "Feed Bo, I found a couple of volunteers." She heard Kenzi say. "Kiss her you IDIOT!" She felt the man take hold of the back of her head and then his mouth closing around hers in a kiss. Bo felt her succubus power flutter and rise towards the life that was being offered. It tugged at the chi inside the fae that was kissing her. She pulled the life force from him forcefully almost painfully. Bo raised her hand and cupped his face pulsing his cheek taking away the fearful look in his eyes. Bo drank greedily from him. He moaned into the kiss relaxing then he elicited a yelp of surprise as he was yanked away. Kenzi had broken the connection. Bo took in a much needed breath of oxygen as her lungs reformed allowing her to breathe.
"Now you." She heard Kenzi say before pulling down the other volunteer. The petite Asian woman looked down at the smiling face of her boyfriend as he rested on the floor beside the champions human companion. Seeing that he seemed fine and very much alive she allowed herself to be pushed forward in front of the blue eyed brunette in front of her. She was greeted with a smile and a reassuring, "It wont hurt I promise." She allowed the succubus to kiss her and fell into the abyss of pleasure that accompanied the joining of their mouths.
Ten minutes later Bo was gathering her stuff from the changing room. "Are you sure you don't need another snack, Bo?"
Bo smiles at her friend. "I'm fine, really." Bo crosses the small room and wraps her arms around Kenzi. "It was close though. Thank you for saving my ass, Kenz," she said before releasing her.
"No problemo, Bo Bo. They were lining up to help. You just won a whole bunch of new fans I think. Brutus was very pleased. He made a killing because everyone was betting against you. He gave us an envelope full of cash as incentive to be in the next line up. I wanted to call Lauren but we don't seem to have reception down here. You managed to control the power, Bo. I'm so proud of you. You are totally bad ass!" Kenzi was beaming proudly at her best friend.
"I don't know if it was me or the fact that I was bleeding to death,Kenz. Lets get out of here. I really want to go see Lauren."...
Lauren...
Lauren headed to the lab trying to ignore the fact that Trick seemed to following her. Lauren felt like running to her sanctuary as her mind tried to make sense of everything that had just happened inside the Ash's office. Was she angry? Yes. Who was she angry at? Everyone! "Fucking fae and their bullshit!" she thought to herself. An overhead light shattered and came raining down on the corridor floor as she strode purposely towards her lab.
"Lauren? You need to try to keep your emotions in check," Trick says, as another light bursts into hundreds of tiny little pieces behind them.
"Fuck off, Trick," Lauren responds, surprised at her own words. She rarely used profanity and she knew that Trick was right. She had to reel in her emotions but she was just so god damn sick and tired of being a pawn in the fae political arena. Lauren summoned her calming power letting it flow though her like water. Trick had stopped at Lauren's outburst but she heard him start moving again staying a few paces behind her. He was almost having to run to keep up with her as her long legs moved her swiftly through the compound. Lauren sighed her anger subsiding and she slowed her pace so that Trick could catch up to her and walk at a slower pace. She clutched to the folder containing the results to her blood work and other tests. She was curious, yet afraid, as to what in those results had caused the Ash to bait her into using her powers on him. But what scared her more is what happened when she had seemed to channel Bo's power through the bond. That small taste had been frightening beyond belief! She was thankful that Bo had been strong enough to shut down the connection because when she was touched by the rage she had wanted to rip the Ash's head clean off with her bare hands.
Lauren feared for Bo. She had only consumed a tiny taste of Bo's new power. It was seductive, encompassing. She could see how Bo could get lost in it. It was time for Lauren to step up and accept her new roll as Bo's mate. She understood why Bo wanted to keep her and Kenzi out of danger but now she was certain that they couldn't allow Bo to push them away. She would do whatever it takes to ensure that Bo makes it through this newest challenge and Lauren knew that the only way to do that is to first learn everything she can about their bond and the changes going on inside them both. It was time for her to use the one constant thing in her life. Science.
Lauren stepped through the door at the end of the corridor and into her lab. She took a deep cleansing, calming breath. This was where she felt most at home. Lauren looked down at Trick who was standing silently beside her. "My office," she says leading the way, knowing that he would follow. Lauren sat behind her desk and opened the folder with her results. Trick sat opposite the doctor and waited silently while she read the contents. After about ten minutes she closed the folder and held it out for Trick to take. "I gather you haven't read it already?" Lauren says, watching as surprise crosses his face.
Trick gathers the folder and takes a look. After several minutes he sighs and closes the folder placing it on the desk in front of him. "You give me too much credit, Lauren. I'm not a doctor nor am I familiar in medical research and such. Most of it is just gobbledygook. I'm sure one of your assistants would have helped Samuel to understand whatever is in that file. Ask me about lore and history of the fae and I'm your man but this..."
Lauren closes her eyes and massages her temples. She was getting a headache. The problem was whether it was from stress or from an over abundance of chi. "It seems that I am no longer human in the traditional sense of the word according to my DNA and blood chemistry."
"Explain."
Lauren opens her eyes and looks at Trick. "Can you really not hazard a guess?"
Trick shifts uncomfortably in his chair under Lauren's penetrating gaze. He could feel the change in her and the hairs on his arms seemed to stand up sensing the power emanating from her. He clears his throat and keeps steady eye contact with the doctor. Lauren had had enough deception for a life time and he wanted to ease the strain that had come between them. "The bond with Bo is transforming you to be strong enough to carry and protect her unborn children. I have never read an account of a succubus bonding with a human female. There have been a few cases where a succubus has bonded with a human male and conceived children with them. In the few instances where a succubus has impregnated a human female without a bond, neither the mother or the child survived. It was considered a crime for a succubus to impregnate humans because of the inability for the mother to carry the baby to term. Do you want children Lauren?"
A blush coloured Lauren's cheeks. She knew that she shouldn't be embarrassed by the question but Trick was still Bo's grandfather. She recovered quickly because the situation was too serious for that. "Yes at some point I would like to have children."
"You are taking birth control pills. Since meeting and falling in love with Bo I would hazard a guess that you were well aware of the fact that you could fall pregnant if you two became intimate, especially with Bo being untrained and not completely in control of her abilities. Am I right?"
It was Lauren's turned to be uncomfortable under Trick's intense stare. "Yes. I was taking birth control pills."
"Was?" Trick says, getting to his feet. "When did you stop?"
"A couple of days ago."
"Why did you stop? Because of the prophecy? Destiny?"
Lauren laughed at the last. "Destiny? I don't believe in destiny or the pre-ordained. Trick, I'm a scientist."
"So you don't believe in the prophecy? That you and Bo were destined to be together way before you were even born?" Trick asks as he continued to walk around the small office.
Lauren opened her mouth to respond but no sound came out. She had been in the fae world long enough to know that sometimes science couldn't explain everything. The prophecy had been spot on most of the time but was that because of the people that had read it or because of certain people taking actions to force it to come true...Or were the events detailed in the prophecy going to come true regardless of what anyone did or didn't do. "I don't know, Trick."
The old man stops his pacing and looks at the tired, frustrated doctor. "The reason you stopped taking the pill, Lauren?
"Because...because I saw Bo struggling with this new power and the prophecy...Uh...As I have watched Bo being eaten away little by little with each occurrence of her being overwhelmed by the blood lust..." Lauren's head was starting to really pound. "It's trying to combine with her succubus abilities, Trick! Did you know that?" Trick shook his head. No, he hadn't known that. It was another reason why fae usually only had one gift. It was always the dominant gene that won. "There is so much power inside her, Trick. I fear that it could literally tear her apart. As I watch her suffer the prophecy just go's over and over in my mind. The last four lines of the prophecy..." Lauren recites them to Trick. She knows the prophecy backwards and forwards it was rarely away from her thoughts.
"Dark and Light; Life and Loss
The two joined as one, will bear this cross.
To find the balance, two must become more,
A redistribution of power to ensure balance evermore."
Trick moved beside Lauren and took her hand. Lauren smiled at the tenderness in Trick's face. "Bo is full of light and dark power. Bo and I are joined as one. My body is changing to be the vessel to pass the excess power into our child or children. Whether I am ready to be a mother or not, I love Bo with all that I am. I stopped taking the birth control pills because it is the only way I can think of to help Bo. I would have liked to take things slow to enjoy just being with her for a while but time as always never seems to be on my side." Lauren smiles. "Trick?"
"Yes. What is it?"
"Do you know why I agreed so quickly to work for both the light and the dark?"
"I..."
Lauren cut him off. "You think I did it for Bo, right? Because I would do anything to secure her happiness and well being?" Trick nods in agreement. "You would be half right. Bo needs her mother. I sensed her sadness when she had to leave and it broke my heart. That was only the little picture of why I agreed so quickly...You see, I'm untouchable now."
Tricks eyes open wide, "Untouchable? How?"
"I have the protection of both the Ash and the Morrigan, Trick. I will never be used against Bo for leverage and when I become pregnant... our baby will be safe too. Untouchable and taking in a considerable pay check to boot. So you see, it wasn't entirely selfless, Trick. It was self preservation and the huge opportunity to expand my knowledge of the fae species. I am not the weak, subservient human doctor that I once was Trick. I have a whole new bag of tricks up my sleeve. No one will be pushing me around any more," Lauren says resolutely.
Trick patted Lauren's hand before stepping back from her. "Of that I have no doubt, Lauren. Be careful though. This union between you and Bo and then her connection to me when I am exposed is going to cause a major disruption in the fae community. I suggest that you be extra vigilant over the coming days and weeks. Things are going to start getting unsteady and chaotic. Well more than usual." He says with a wry smile. "Not everyone will be happy that the Blood King isn't dead and it wont be just the dark. I was a bit of a tyrant during the last few years of the great fae war. I pissed off a lot of people."
"Then I suggest you take your own advice, Trick. Be careful."
Trick smiled and headed for the door. Before exiting he says, "Come by the Dal if you want to read the information I have gathered on succubus bonds and the dangers you may face during your pregnancy. It won't be long before the new lab will be done. A couple of weeks at the most. I know that the site has already been selected and the large complex just needs to be retrofitted and filled with equipment. Samuel will have the fae working day and night in order to get the new lab up and running as soon as possible. The Ash is impatient and feels he has waited long enough to start building his vision of what the fae should be. Time is of the essence Lauren. Take care and send my love to Bo. I'll see you soon." Trick exits Lauren's office leaving her to her work.
Work was not coming easily to Lauren, her headache was gradually getting worse. Lauren tried calling both Bo and Kenzi, with no luck. So Lauren called the first number on her list of substitute succubi.
A half hour later a knock at Lauren's door woke her up. She had turned out all the lights and had been laying on the small love seat in the corner of her office with her eyes closed. Lauren mutters a low "come in" to whoever was on the other side.
"Dr. Lewis. I'm Savana. I got here as soon as I could. May I come in?"
Lauren winced at the pain inside her head when she sat up and opened her eyes. "Please come in and close the door. The bright fluorescents hurt my eyes."
Savana enters the darkened office and closes the door quietly behind her. "I was told there would be an interview. May I sit down."
Lauren moved over a little giving the succubus enough room to sit beside her on the small couch. "I was planning on scheduling the interviews today. The splitting migraine however was unscheduled and I just called the first number on the list...You."
"Very well. I will look at this as an audition then shall I? How would you like to do this? Do I need to drain you to unconsciousness?"
Lauren smiled in the darkness. She couldn't see much of the fae sitting beside her. She appeared about Lauren's height and she had a sweet soothing voice. The doctor cried out as another sharp pain streaked through her brain like a lightning bolt. "Just do it, please. I'll tap you on the shoulder when to stop if I can, otherwise unconsciousness will be fine. Just take the pain away."
Lauren flinched at the sudden blue glowing eyes that illuminated the darkness. "Very well Dr. Lewis. Here I come, ready or not." The succubus leans in taking Lauren's lips with her own and begins to feed. Lauren lets out an involuntary moan as Savana places a hand around her long neck and pulses her with her power. Savana's mouth moves away and Lauren watches as the chi leaves her mouth and disappears into the succubus. Lauren feels nothing but relief as the pain starts to dissipate and her eyes grow heavy. She gives Savana a little shove and shuts her mouth stopping the flow of chi.
"Mmm thank you. I think I'll just sleep now," Lauren says, her eyes already closing. Savana with her arms still around the doctors neck lowers her down gently, placing a throw pillow under her head.
Savana hears the door open behind her. The overhead light snaps on filling the dark room with light. Standing in the doorway a woman who at first looks confused suddenly turns angry as she takes in the mystery woman leaning over her girlfriend. "What the...Lauren? Who the fuck are you? Get the hell away from her!"...
Chapter 24
Bo took several steps farther into the room. She felt her eyes glow blue as she took in the sleeping form of her girlfriend. Bo was surprised that her other power wasn't present because of the anger she was feeling. Bo took a moment to concentrate on herself and sensed her blood lust inside her. It was sated for the moment after the bloodshed and consequent death of her opponent in the ring earlier. It slumbered like a hibernating bear in winter. Her succubus power, however, was always awake and ready to go in the vicinity of her lover and soul mate. Bo wondered if the succubus that had just stood up and was approaching her with a confident air would be as confident if her blood lust had been present and mingling with her succubus abilities.
Bo looked the rival succubus over as she came to a stop a couple of paces away from her. Her anger decreased a little as the unknown intruder moved away from Lauren. Bo felt a prickle of jealousy at the stunning beauty standing before her. The succubus inside her felt threatened and territorial. Bo's unwelcome guest stood there and allowed the young succubus to take a good look and she did the same. The fae in front of her had long black hair that fell across her lithe frame like silk. It was so glossy that Bo thought that if she was close enough she may have even seen her refection. She had lovely almond shaped eyes and the most defined cheekbones she had ever seen. Her lips were plump, kissable, just a touch away from bee stung. The only imperfection Bo could find and imperfection was quite a stretch, was that the fae had a slightly unturned nose. Other than that she was flawless and Bo felt downright plain compared to her.
Bo took a surprised step backward when the woman in front of her spoke and reached out her hand. "Hello. I'm Savannah. You must be Bo."
Bo eyed the offered hand suspiciously and her power went up another notch. It emanated from her skin like a warm breeze. Savannah dropped her hand but continued to smile non-threateningly at the wary, territorial succubus. Savannah had heard about Bo. Hell, everyone had. The fae rumour mill had been rife with stories and assumptions about her. Savannah felt Bo's projected power as it moved over her filling the room. She could also see it shimmering around her like and aura. Savannah's power rose to meet it her eyes flashing cobalt, mirroring Bo's. She saw Bo tense as Savannah moved closer. "What are you doing?" Bo asked uncertainly as she stepped closer her hand hovering over Bo's body.
Savannah circled Bo slowly her hands running over Bo's aura of power testing it. Sensing Bo getting more and more tense she stopped her appraisal and gave her a reassuring smile. "I'm touching your succubus, your power."
Bo frowned, "What do you mean? You aren't touching me at all."
"Would you like me to touch you?" Savannah couldn't help flirting. It was in their nature and Bo had her intrigued.
Bo swallowed the lump in her throat. Bo didn't know how to respond to this woman. She was used to being the seducer not the seduced. She squashed the sexual thoughts that started to flash through her mind at the thought of this woman touching her. Anger replaced the thoughts when her eyes rested on Lauren sleeping on the love seat behind her. How could she be thinking about this woman when Lauren is right over there?
Savannah took a step back from the young succubus and watched her aura. She noticed the arousal at her suggestion but it was doused quickly when Bo looked over her shoulder at her lover. "You have wonderful control for one so young," Savannah says. "I'm sorry. This isn't the right time or place for me to seduce you. I am only here because your...uh...Dr. Lewis called me. I was expecting an interview not a dressed rehearsal."
Bo gritted her teeth. Thinking about Savannah touching Lauren made her skin crawl. "You fed on her?" Savannah noticed Bo's hands clenching into fists at her sides.
"Yes. She seemed to be in incredible pain and I was told that this was why we were needed. I was just the first name on the list. I was just doing my service. As a light fae, I should serve the Ash and his people when they require it."
"Lauren isn't his; she is MINE!" Bo hissed at her angrily. "I don't understand why she had to call you." Bo turned to Kenzi who had been quietly leaning up against the door just watching the show. "Kenzi?"
"Yeah." Kenzi approached Bo.
"Would you check on Lauren?"
"Ah okay. She looks fine though Bo. I'm pretty sure she's just sleeping it off." Kenzi walked over to the doctor and gave her a once over. "Lauren's just in sleepy land. She's fine."
"Wake her up!"
"Bo?" Kenzi noted the renewed anger in Bo. "Why?"
"Because I've been feeding off Lauren regularly Kenzi. I've been drinking her chi like it's coffee. I want to know why she needed a substitute! That's why!"
"Look, maybe I should just go. I don't want to be in the middle of this," Savannah says, taking a step towards the door.
"No! You are already in the middle of this, bitch and you aren't going anywhere until I get some answers." Bo steps in front of the exit making sure that the only way the other succubus could leave the room was to go through her. Kenzi sensing that things were going to escalate very fast started to shake Lauren to wake her up.
For the first time anger flared in Savannah. Bo's breath caught in her throat as the emotion made her appear wild, untamed and delectable. " I told you she was in pain and needed help!"
"And I know that Lauren was getting all the attention she needed from me. So you must be lying," Bo responds resolutely.
Savannah scoffs at the arrogant, young succubus. "What are you suggesting? That I forced myself on her? I give you that she has a bright and shiny aura that just screams "feed on me," and she tasted delicious,by the way." Savannah couldn't help but get in a couple of cheap shots because Bo was really beginning to piss her off. "She is the tastiest human I have ever fed from, you are very lucky to have found her. But give me some credit. I am hundreds of years old and have full control over my desires and abilities."
"I'm suggesting that you came in for an interview and decided that you wanted a taste. So you used your power on her and took it!"
Lauren froze on the spot when she focused on the person shaking her awake. Seeing Kenzi she knew that Bo was also here. Lauren lets out a silent curse when she sees Bo blocking the door and refusing Savannah's attempts to leave. Lauren was momentarily dazed when she saw Savannah and her beauty for the first time now that the lights were on. Why can't there be just average looking succubi! Lauren knew that the way Savannah looked and the fact that she had fed on Lauren would be causing Bo quite some distress. If Bo hadn't been raised human and had lived among others of her kind, Lauren knew that Bo would not have been affected by the substitute succubus' beauty. However Lauren knew that Bo didn't see herself the way others did. She had insecurities and they would make this encounter...tricky.
"Bo. Please allow Savannah to leave. If you are going to be angry about this, be angry at me. I called her here. I couldn't get hold of you and I was in a horrible amount of pain. She did as I asked nothing more nothing less." Lauren accompanied her request with a look that warned Bo to deny her. Thankfully Savannah was still looking at Bo and couldn't see the look. Bo was fae after all and Lauren was human, well mostly and humans did what the fae wanted not the other way around.
Savannah helped by adding, "There was no funny business. I swear. I was just doing my duty."
Bo glowered at the succubus for a couple more moments before sighing and moving away from the door. Her eyes blended back to their chocolate brown and Savannah's, Bo noticed, reverted to a lovely sea blue-green.
Savannah left silently resisting the urge to look back.
Bo watched the succubus leave out the double doors of the lab before shutting the door to Lauren's office giving the three of them privacy.
Lauren flinched when Bo locked her attention on the doctor from across the room. Bo eyes were suspicious with a small touch of anger and distrust. She hated seeing that look again in her girlfriends face.
"I don't understand, Lauren. I feed from you all the time. More than I need to actually. Why did you get sick? Sick enough that you couldn't wait for me to help you." Bo stayed on the other side of the office, leaning against the door. She didn't want to be close to Lauren. She feared Lauren's ability to calm her down and Bo felt that her hurt and sense of betrayal was warranted. So she kept her distance. Kenzi sat on the floor beside the love seat and tried to look busy playing with a loose thread on her top. Bo would have asked Kenzi to give them some privacy but didn't trust herself to be alone with Lauren, not yet.
"I don't know why Bo. I should have been fine. As you said, you've fed off me a lot." Lauren implored Bo to not be angry at her. It wasn't like she had wanted to call in a substitute. The only person she ever craved was Bo. There would never be anyone else.
Both woman looked surprised when Kenzi cleared her throat and looked at Lauren and then Bo. She kept her gaze on Bo and had a wary look on her face. "Uh..What if you have been taking too much from Hot Pants, Bo Bo."
"What do you mean?" Bo asks, trying not to sound defensive.
"Well...," Kenzi takes a breath before continuing. Bo wasn't going to like this theory of hers. She heard Lauren's intake of breath and knew that the doctor was already catching onto her thoughts. "Lauren is producing enough chi to sustain you, right?"
"Uh..Yes. That's what you said isn't it, baby," Bo asks Lauren for clarification. Bo looks at the ground embarrassed that the term of endearment slipped out. She was supposed to be angry and betrayed but those emotions were already gone. She just wanted to hold the doctor in her arms and love her. It made Bo feel weak. Bo didn't look up as Kenzi continued her theory as to why Lauren had gotten sick so soon.
"You yourself said that you have been taking more than you need. What if the reason for Lauren getting sick is because her body is compensating and producing more and more to keep up with..." Kenzi trails off when Bo looks up and hits her with a penetrating stare.
"To keep up with a succubus that doesn't have the desire or control to stop herself from continuously almost sucking her lover dry every time she feeds! That's just fucking brilliant, that is. So as always this is my fault," Bo yells in the small office her eyes flashing with hurt and anger. Bo wasn't angry at Kenzi, she was angry at herself and when she looked into Lauren's face she saw that Kenzi's theory had made sense to the doctor. That it was her fault. Lauren not being able to get hold of her because she was underground feeding her other need. Lauren having to call a complete stranger to ease the pain inside her brain because her body was producing far too much chi. It was all because of her and her shortcomings. Her inability to keep herself in check would eventually kill Lauren, she knew it! "I need to go. I have to get out of here." Bo ignored the calls of protest as she opened the door and ran. She ran as far as her legs would carry her. She ran away from her family, from the only two people that had ever made her feel truly wanted and loved because it was the only way she could think of to save them...from herself.
Chapter 25
In the end Bo's legs took her to the Dal. Bo had wearily taken the stairs down to her grandfather's study after Trick had told her that he would join her shortly. She helped herself to his good scotch and wandered around the room sipping it slowly.
Bo knew she owed both Lauren and Kenzi an apology for how she had acted in the lab. Running always came easy for Bo because she had done it for so long by necessity. Bo knew she needed to get over her feelings of failure and inadequacy. She was stronger now and had people who loved her for who and what she was. There was no place she would rather spend the rest of her days and she hoped that Lauren would be there with her. An open book caught Bo's eye as she made her way around the room. Actually it was the almost pornographic illustration of two woman in the throws of passion that caught her attention. As she got closer she realised that one of the women depicted was a succubus and she was feeding from the other woman. The picture was very detailed and lifelike. She read the writing underneath and sucked in a breath. "Succubus partaking in the dance of conception," Bo snorted at the sex act being described as a dance but her eyes started reading the opposite page where it described in graphic detail about how a succubus could accidentally or intentionally impregnate another female through her touch and succubus kiss. "Holy Shit!" Bo exclaims. She was lucky that Lauren had taken precautions otherwise she may have accidentally knocked Lauren up.
"Bo?"
"Huh. What...uh..nothing." Bo closed the book and drank the last of the scotch in her glass before turning to face her grandfather. She poured another glass and hoped that Trick would credit the heated blush colouring her cheeks would be attributed to the scotch and not by the book she had been reading.
"Are you alright? You look a bit out of sorts when you came into the bar," Trick queries, eyeing Bo closely.
"I was an idiot Trick, as usual. I don't know why Lauren puts up with me..well both of them actually," Bo exclaims emphatically, falling into the small couch and drinking some more of her drink.
Trick sighs and shakes his head a small smile on his face. "They both love you unconditionally Bo. It's you that needs to realise that you are worthy of their love." Trick takes a seat in his chair opposite his granddaughter and gives her his full attention. "Tell me what happened."
After hearing Bo's relay of her bursting in on Lauren with a substitute succubus and her reaction to the possibility that Lauren was producing chi faster because of his granddaughter overfeeding, he found himself wondering if that was the only reason for Lauren's ailment. "Had you been taking more than you needed Bo?"
Bo looks at Trick with a grimace, "Maybe a little. In my defence..." Bo pauses. She was going to blame her lack of control on the new power but to be honest Bo had been drinking more than she needed for far longer than that. "I can't seem to get enough of her, Trick. I feel kind of shitty about it really," Bo says, slumping back into the couch and taking a drink.
"Why do you feel...bad about it. About wanting what Lauren has to offer you?"
"Well...before we were bonded. When Lauren was just Lauren and not my mate...well...I never fed from her up until she saved me from the darkness. Lauren was never food! But now..I don't think I could stop even if I tried."
Trick looked at Bo thoughtfully. "Bo, if you stopped feeding from Lauren someone else would have to do it. How did you feel about the other succubus feeding on Lauren?"
"How do you think I felt! I hated it and I hated that I wasn't there for her when she needed me. But I also don't understand just how sudden this change in Lauren has been. I mean I've been feeding excessively off her for a while now. Why the sudden change and spike in chi production surely it would have happened over time."
"Maybe..." Bo notices Tricks gaze fall to the book Bo had been reading before looking at her again. "Maybe your excessive feeding isn't the only factor. Maybe something else is contributing to the increase." Tricks gets up and stands in front of his granddaughter. "Did Lauren get a chance to talk to you before you ran off?"
Bo looks away in shame. "No. I...God I'm such an idiot. Did something happen that I don't know about?"
"Bo. Look at me and listen very carefully. What I'm about to say may seem a little harsh but remember that I love you and am just looking out for you."
Bo looks up from her lap to see Trick gazing at her with his no nonsense face. "Okay. I'm listening."
"You need to go to Lauren and apologise for your behaviour today. Lauren and I had a meeting with the Ash this morning and Lauren has done a huge thing for not just you but for me as well. There are changes coming, Bo and Lauren is doing everything she can to protect our family. It's time to grow up. It's time to be the strong, supportive and understanding woman that I know you are. It's time for you to be responsible and start looking at the type of future that you want. I know that this power inside you is hard to control but you don't need to do it on your own. Lauren is the key to controlling your abilities, Bo. She is your soul mate...your destiny. Her abilities counter yours. In time you should be able to feed from afar. There are places in the fae world that very few people see there are prisons and torture chambers. There are clubs that cater to fae with similar needs to yours. The need to feed off of pain and suffering, blood and violence. Everything is catered for if you know where to look. For the time being though I think it will be better if you stick close to Lauren and use her calming ability and allow her to run some tests to see if she can tinker with your serum to see if she can help to suppress the blood lust as well. Go to Lauren and be what she needs. Take the book with you. It has the most information about succubus' and their abilities... amongst other things that may be important. I love you, Bo."
Bo gives Trick a kiss on the forehead. "I love you too, Trick. I know I've been overwhelmed and feeling sorry for myself lately and I know that I have been taking my inadequacies out on everyone around me." Bo grabs the book from the table and drains her glass before putting it beside the scotch. "I'll try my best to be the woman you see, Trick. I just wish that things would slow down for a minute. It's been crisis after crisis for months now. I just want a happy ending every now and again."
Trick gives Bo a smile as he guides his granddaughter towards the stairs. "Everyone wants a happy ending, love. Sometimes we just have to make our own. Off you go now. Lauren's waiting."
An hour later Bo was standing outside Lauren's apartment. She had called Kenzi in the cab and apologised to her for being running off. Kenzi as always was supportive and easy to forgive her for her childish outburst. Kenzi had told Bo that Lauren had gone home for some rest after Kenzi had sat with her for a while. She then told Bo to get her Succubutt over to Lauren's and apologise because the doc had news and that it was time for Bo to put on her big girl pants.
So here she was standing outside Lauren's door. Bo took a deep breath and then knocked hesitantly and waited. Bo thought for a moment that Lauren wasn't going to answer. She was just about to knock again when she heard the lock click on the other side of the door. The door opened and Lauren stood looking at Bo with a careful neutral expression that gave away nothing about how she was feeling towards the succubus standing there. "So you didn't run far then?" The blonde says in a flat neutral voice.
Bo looked at the floor for a moment before meeting Lauren's eyes. "No. Uh.. I got as far as the Dal. May I come in ?" Lauren was shielding her emotions from Bo and her face gave her nothing as she moved aside and allowed Bo entry to her home without a word. Bo stands uncertainly and watches as Lauren closes and relocks the door. Lauren was in her pyjamas. Bo eyes drift from her bare feet to the lightweight cotton pants and a loose fitting spaghetti strapped top that came to an end just above her bellybutton.
Lauren raises an eyebrow when she turnes around to find Bo ogling her body. Lauren crosses her arms across her stomach and moves past Bo towards the couch. Her arm brushes Bo on the way past and both women shiver at the barest of touches. "Come sit down, Bo," Lauren says softly as she takes her place on the couch.
Bo moves into the room and takes a seat beside Lauren being careful not to sit too close. Bo wasn't sure just how much trouble she was in from her outburst earlier that day. The air felt thick with tension as both women sat in silence.
Lauren was the first to break, "Bo, about today. I tried to call you several times before I made a call from the list. I was in a lot of pain and I'm ….."
Bo places a hands on Lauren's thigh making her look up in her face. Bo couldn't allow Lauren to apologise for this. "I'm Sorry, Lauren. I know I overreacted today and I had no right to run away from you and Kenzi. I know you did what you had to do and I hate that this change in you hurts you so much. You have nothing to be sorry for. This is all on me and it's time I started taking responsibility for my shortcomings."
Lauren while happy that Bo seemed to be calm and non-judgemental was not ready to allow her to shoulder all of the responsibility for the plight Lauren was now in with the excessive production of chi. "I didn't exactly stop you from feeding on me, Bo. It's quite pleasurable you know."
"Lauren you're not supposed to resist and stop me from feeding. That's the whole point of what I am. I'm a predator, baby. When I'm feeding from you, you are my prey. When I'm riding on that wave of power it is very hard not to take you and consume you. It's why I resisted tasting you for so long...Why I wouldn't allow you to be my guinea pig when we were working together to help with my control and not killing every human I fed from. You were way to important to me and I never wanted to put you in the position where I could hurt you. When I was consumed by the darkness, when you offered yourself to me willingly. I was screaming from within trying to break free to stop myself from taking you."
The pain in Bo's eyes when she remembered being trapped by the darkness broke Lauren's heart. "Bo, I..."
"No. Please let me finish. Sometimes it's like my succubus is a separate entity and that she has a personality all on her own and that it is only my humanity and morals that keeps her in check. When I was consumed by the darkness it was her, my succubus, without all my values that was walking around and hurting the people I loved. I was a passenger through it all. Watching, unable to stop her. Oh, honey, she was delighted when you offered yourself to her. You were forbidden fruit, always denied by me because of my love for you. She took almost as much pleasure in taking you from me as she did getting her first taste of your essence. She laughed at my screaming as she emptied you. That is until she started screaming as the darkness that held me prisoner released me. I am thankful everyday that I was able to bring you back and I don't regret this bond that came with it and joined us together. It was my love for you as much as the chi I breathed back in to you that brought you back."
"Bo..." Lauren had never heard Bo be so certain and forthcoming about her feelings before the bond. Before she had died saving Bo from the darkness.
"I need to get this out, baby. All of it. I don't want you to ever think that I regret what has happened between us. I know that I had shut you out after our first time together. That I punished you because I thought that you had only been in my bed because the Ash ordered you too." Lauren looks down at her hands as the memories of that painful night pummel her. Bo reaches out to cup Lauren's cheek the book Trick had given her falling to the floor. "Please, Lauren. Look at me. I knew that you wanted me, your aura always gave away your attraction towards me. I made love to you that night. My succubus wasn't even there with me. I punished you because I knew that if he hadn't asked you to distract me you would have continued to just admire me from afar. I wanted to believe that you had made love to me too and that I wasn't a fool for completely letting my guard down and letting you see me at my most vulnerable...At my most human. I am impetuous and severely insecure without my succubus. I would be shy and awkward without the confidence that my succubus side gives to me. She thought me weak because of my humanity but I now know that it is my humanity that gives me strength and it is you that inspires me to be a better human and a better fae and I need your help to keep that balance because lately my humanity has been slipping and it scares me that I may fall into the sea of my power and drown in it."
Lauren smiles at Bo a single tears falling down her cheek. "While I appreciate your confession, Bo, I don't understand what this has to do with you running away today."
Bo smiles back at her girlfriend and brushes the tear from her cheek. The brunette gives a nervous chuckle realising that she had gotten completely of track as she started to release everything that she had been bottling up for a very long time. "Uh.. yeah..there's a point coming, I promise. Since you started to produce enough chi to sustain me, I have allowed my succubus side to rule my human side when it comes to feeding from you. Your essence is addictive and powerful beyond anyone I have ever tasted. I need to reel the bitch back into her box so to speak because I have allowed her to take advantage of you and the gifts that you bestow. It is a battle to control my nature everyday but I know now that I don't have to fight this battle alone. Trick says that it is through you that I will be able to control these abilities. I have to stop seeing you as someone to protect. I need to allow myself to accept the help of those that love me, to stop taking everything onto my shoulders. I need to allow myself be vulnerable with you again."
Lauren needs to look away from the raw intensity in her lovers face as her own emotions crack through her shields and push their way through the bond into Bo. She hears the succubus gasp at the overflowing love and trust that she felt for Bo. Lauren picks up the book by her feet. "What's this?" she asks curiously. The doctor starts browsing the book that is now sitting on her lap. She is very careful as she turns the old brittle paper. "I've never seen this volume before."
Bo moves a little closer to Lauren feeling better after unburdening herself about a lot of her bottled up fears and regrets. "Uh Trick gave it to me after giving me a healthy dose of grandfatherly advice. Oh he also said that there was something you needed to tell me about your meeting with the Ash today. That you have done something huge for me and my family. Actually before you tell me can we open the book to, ahh..." Bo reached over and opened the book towards the centre, she flipped a couple more pages finding the place that it had been open at Tricks.
She let out a small chuckle when Lauren whispers, "careful," as she turned the pages eagerly, certain that it was significant for some reason. Lauren let out and, "Oh..uh..wow," when she sees the illustration that had caught Bo's eye earlier.
"Yeah, It caught my attention as I was pacing Trick's study," Bo says, taking Lauren's hand with her own. Something is bothering me about my conversation with Trick."
Lauren looks up from the book. "Tell me."
"Well when I was telling him about me being the reason that you were increasing your output of yummy chi...he..well..he looked over towards the book and said that maybe it wasn't just me that there may be another factor to.. uh... consider."
Lauren had gone back to reading as Bo fumbled through her explanation. She thinks I may be pregnant, Lauren thinks to herself. No, I can't be...can I? I only stopped taking the birth control pills a few days ago and we haven't done what the book was suggesting since I stopped. Lauren frowned as her doctor side started lecturing her internally. But we know that birth control isn't foolproof, especially when it come to a succubus' abilities let alone one as powerful as Bo. There have been a few times that the circumstances discussed in this text happened. And what about that unexpected sharing of Bo's rage through the bond and the excessive chi. It was quite sudden... If you are pregnant and the embryo is also needing the chi to grow it could be plausible... Lauren slammed the book shut and closed her eyes. She was having trouble breathing.
Bo watches in silence as Lauren seems to unravel in front of her. "Lauren?" Bo was concerned she didn't seem to hear her.
Oh my God. Am I ready for this? Is Bo ready for this? She has said she is but is she really? Lauren stands up suddenly the book falling to the floor. She was hot and she couldn't breath. Bo misses Lauren's arm as she moves away from the couch and heads towards the back sliding door. "I..um..It's a little hot in here..I..uh need some air."...