Aftermath

by An0nymouse

Set shortly after Aoife's bombing, Bo meets a new old relative, Lauren explains a few things and Bo has a brush with the Morrigan

Lost Girl: Aftermath

This one's set a day or three after S1 ep13. Bo meets a new (old) relative, Lauren explains a few things and Bo has a brush with the Morrigan - this fic sort of sets things up for Up, Up And A-Fae!

He raced through the darkness, glorying in the feel of the wind in his fur, the grass and soil beneath his paws.

While he was Wolf, the world was simpler, more a matter of scent and instinct than sight and reason. It had become much too complex in the last century or so, the humans learning more and more and yet understanding less and less.

Much like the Fae, if truth be known.

A scent caught his attention, and he stopped dead. A human. Two of them. Male, female, in sexual heat. He caught the scent of blood, too, sharp, delicious. The human part of him knew what that meant; it was her time of the month.

He wondered idly if the boy knew it. Probably not.

His instincts kicked in.

Avoid. Hide.

He passed within ten feet of a beautiful blonde college co-ed making out with her best friend's older brother, and neither ever knew how close to death they might have come. Dyson passed them by without a sound, one with the shadows. Even had they looked in his direction, they would have seen nothing. Not a single leaf moved with his passage through the bush.

For a moment, the human part of him - if that was the correct word, given he was Fae - watched the two innocents intent on their love play, remembered the last time he had been so engaged, and was touched with regret and longing for what he'd lost. For what he'd sacrificed.

Yet he knew he would do the same again without hesitation.

Bo was worth it. His love for her was worth it…even if he could no longer feel it.

X

"Where the hell is he, Hale?"

Hale shrugged helplessly. "Hey, you know what he's like - lone wolf an' all that, an' we all know," he added wryly, "I ain't speakin' metaphorically here." He shook his head. "He does this sometimes, goes off for a run when he needs to clear his head. He -"

"Why should he need to clear his head?" Bo demanded sharply, her grip on her legendary temper slipping. Kenzi recognised the danger signs and started to rise from the couch, ready to placate if needed. "We talked. I told him I was working on forgiving him for lying to me. He was all ready to commit to me - finally," she added in exasperation, "we were working it out!"

Hale looked sheepish. Then Bo caught a flash of - something - in his eyes, and her instincts were roused. Hale had time for a brief 'uh-oh' moment, and drew breath in order to use his Siren voice and so deter her, but it was too late. Bo closed the distance between them before he could retreat and grabbed his arm, and in a moment her powers went to work. Hale was unable to resist; he sagged, with an idiot grin.

"Whoa, whoa, cheating, bad succubus!" Kenzi scolded, concerned but unwilling to show it. She'd noticed the attention he'd been paying her of late, all the little glances in her direction when he thought she wasn't looking. She was still trying to work out what was up with that.

Bo ignored her; she purred, with a blend of silk and steel in her eyes and voice: "Hale…what aren't you telling me?"

"Uh…" he gasped.

She turned it up another notch, using the control Lauren - and, ironically, Aoife - had taught her. More and he would be debilitated, but she had to know. "C'mon, Hale…just tell me…"

"He…he went to the Norn," Hale managed.

"The who?" Bo and Kenzi asked simultaneously.

"I'll try an' explain if you could just, uh…" he gestured feebly.

She released him. He collapsed on the couch, Kenzi aiding and clucking over him like a mother hen. He didn't mind.

"Start talking," Bo commanded.

He did. He had little choice.

X

Bo shook her head, stunned. "Are you telling me he might not be Wolf anymore?"

"Eep!" Kenzi squicked. "Bad karma, real bad! You gotta be kidding!"

"No," Hale told them sadly, "that's the price she asked last time he went to her. He wasn't willing to pay it back then, but he hadn't met you then, Bo. Not that I'm sayin' it's your fault, I mean, hey, I've seen you fight, I wouldn't dare," he quipped, then sobered. "He's got it bad for you, but I guess you know that." She nodded impatiently. "What she'd demand this time…I dunno."

"Is…is that what happened, when I was fighting with my mother? I felt him, Hale - I felt his strength, and for a moment, for just long enough, it was mine." She shook her head, remembering the sheer wonder of it. "I haven't had a rush like that since the first time he and I - well, met." Kenzi grinned saucily; Bo scowled at her. "Was that the price he paid?" Her voice dropped. "For…for me?"

"I don't know," Hale admitted. "I really don't. I haven't seen him in a coupla days now."

Bo glanced at Kenzi, looked back at Hale and reached a decision. "Where would he go?"

Hale shrugged. "If he were still Wolf, he'd head up into the hills, but believe me, Bo, if he don't wanna be found, we ain't findin' him. Wolves are always good at hidin', but add human smarts as well…" He shrugged again. "We could be lookin' for weeks an' not find a trace."

"If he's there," Bo ground out determinedly, "I will find him."

Hale and Kenzi exchanged a long-suffering look. That was Bo to a T.

"Wait, wait, wait - what if he isn't Wolf, God or whoever forbid?" Kenzi wondered. "Where would he go? Who would he trust after that kinda rough night? Who might be able to help him out?"

The answer occurred to all three simultaneously:

"Trick!"

X

When they arrived at the Dal Riata, they ran into Lauren, coming out of Trick's living chamber; the bar was otherwise empty. Oddly, she backed away hurriedly and the first thing she said was: "For God's sake, don't any of you touch me!"

"Whoa, yeah, we're happy to see you, too," Kenzi frowned. But it was Bo who first saw the bloodstains on Lauren's lab coat. Her heart lurched. She was still trying to figure out what the hell she felt for Lauren, but -

Please, don't let her be hurt…

"No, I'm okay. It's not mine," Lauren reassured her, noticing the direction of her gaze. "It's Trick's."

"WHAT?"

X

He looked very small (for all that he was) slumped in the chair, a pool of blood under it. First aid had been applied, the bandage neat and white, as white as his face.

"Dear God," Bo choked, "what happened?"

"Can't you guess?" Lauren asked her sadly. "He was trying to help you. He wrote in the Book."

"In his own blood, oh, that's so freaky," Kenzi breathed.

"Is he gonna be okay?"

Lauren nodded. "I've applied one or two Fae treatments I really wish the Ash would let me use on human patients. They're amazing, working on similar principles to stem cell technology, and I'm sorry," she added, bringing herself back to here and now with an effort, "I'm geeking out on you again, I know. It's just…" she shook her head ruefully. "With what I've learned from the Fae, I could change the world…" She squared her shoulders. "He'll need rest, but he'll be fine."

"And what's with the whole don't-touch-me thing?" Kenzi wondered. "Not as if we haven't seen blood before, and a lot of it at that," she added, looking pointedly at Bo, who took it in the intended spirit and tousled Kenzi's hair.

"As you probably know, he's a Blood Sage. I shudder to think what the Light Elders are going to say about that when they find out, not that they don't have enough to worry about right now."

"Yeah, how is the Ash?" Bo inquired, not without a little acid. Lauren winced, and Bo instantly regretted her tone. "Sorry, I didn't mean it to sound like that," she apologised sincerely. Lauren gave her a little smile, mollified.

"He's holding for the moment, as are the others who were injured."

"Where are they?"

Lauren gave her an old-fashioned look. "Bo, you know better than that."

"As long as they're safe…and as long as my mother doesn't know where they are."

"Mmm," Lauren agreed feelingly. "Anyway: Trick's blood can be used for other purposes, few of them benign. We're going to have to treat this entire room as a Level III Haz-Mat area, and this lab coat, which I've had for some years and was in fact very fond of," she plucked sorrowfully at the blood-stained sleeve, "will have to be burned. All the blood - all of it - must be rendered useless. Not a single drop must leave this room. If any of it were to fall into the hands of the Dark Fae, the consequences don't bear thinking about. In that event, I could only hope the Elders would do nothing more…drastic…than just killing me."

"What's worse than death? - ooh, on second thoughts, do not answer that!" Kenzi hurriedly changed her mind mid-sentence. After all they'd seen of late, it wasn't as difficult to imagine as it should have been.

"They'd have to go through me first," Bo told her softly, fondly. Lauren smiled hesitantly, then more broadly as their eyes met and she saw Bo's sincerity. "I still owe you that talk, as soon as we're done here. Speaking of which - can you wake him? Dyson's missing, and we think Trick may know where he is."

"I'm sorry, Bo, I can't," Lauren denied, shaking her head firmly. Bo, undeterred, moved towards her as she had with Hale earlier. Lauren was quicker on the uptake; she realised Bo's intent and backed away, raising her hands in a futile defensive gesture. "No - I told you -"

"Oh, screw the damned Elders, Lauren! I need to ask Trick -"

"No," Lauren insisted. She quailed slightly at Bo's glare of naked fury, but stood her ground. "Whatever else you may think of me, I am, first and foremost, a doctor. Does 'First, do no harm' ring a bell? He needs this sleep, Bo. That's the only reason he's still here, because I'd much rather move him to the infirmary. I can't wake him. I won't." Her look of determination melted into pleading. "Please don't make me."

For a moment it looked as if Bo would persist, but then she sighed and acquiesced. "Okay, okay. It can wait a while. I guess Dyson'll show up when he's damn good and ready." Lauren exhaled in relief. "Damn, I could use a drink. Is the bar open at least?"

X

"Jeez, I had him wrong," Kenzi sighed an hour later, sipping from a deadly-looking concoction. By now, the bar was full as per usual; people were carefully avoiding the corner they were occupying. Bo was doing her best not to wonder why. "Trick, I mean. Well, I had Dyson wrong too, I guess. Bullshit meter's been actin' up lately. Needs fixin'."

"What do you mean, you had him wrong?" Bo asked, nursing her own cocktail. She was drinking carefully; she wanted to be relaxed for her talk with Lauren without succumbing to drunkenness, because God only knew where that might lead.

"I sorta called him a coward a bit," Kenzi told her regretfully, "'cause he wouldn't help you."

"Because he wouldn't do what he, in fact, did?" Bo remarked reprovingly.

Kenzi sighed again, the barb striking home. "Yep. Oops," she finished, sheepish.

"Well, I can't blame him. It can't be easy for him." She too sighed. "He's had to make a lot of hard choices over the years, I guess. Decades. Centuries. Whatever."

"That's the mark of a great leader," Lauren remarked, "accepting responsibility. The accounts of the wars make for harrowing reading, Bo."

"And no-one even noticed? Humans, I mean?" Bo wondered.

"None so blind as those who will not see, huh?" Lauren agreed ironically. "Well, we were fighting our own wars at the time, to be fair."

"Nothin' unusual 'bout that," Kenzi observed sourly. "Damn, we're all gloomy tonight! We need a pick-me-up! Hey," she called to Trick's deputy, "another round, an' this time put more jolt juice in it!" The deputy waved cheerily and set to work, knowing as he did the terms of the deal Kenzi had struck with Trick.

"I'm almost afraid to ask," Lauren ventured, "but what's jolt juice?"

"I was wondering that myself, Kenzi. Well?"

"Trust me," Kenzi told them wryly, "you don't wanna know. Somethin' Trick introduced me to a little while back, 'bout the time I saved his bar for him."

Lauren and Bo exchanged glances, but decided to let that pass.

As the deputy brought their round, Bo glanced at Lauren when the latter wasn't looking, reading her body language (and trying not to think what a beautiful body it was, how soft her skin felt under her questing fingers, the scent of her hair, her skin, her…oh, stop it, you horny bitch) expertly.

She's afraid.

Hell, so am I. What I'm feeling, the intensity of it…it's scary. Great, but scary…

She hadn't realised, but Lauren was doing the exact same thing whenever she, Bo, looked away. Lauren was both anticipating and dreading The Talk, but it had to be done.

Bo deserves the truth.

And so much more.

God, she's so beautiful.

She briefly lost herself in the memories of that night - not their lovemaking (dear God, don't think about that, she'll know what you're thinking!), but the tense discussion she'd had with the Ash when Bo's intentions towards Vex became clear:

X

"Do what must be done," he commanded her, when she went to him a final time to ask for an intervention. "Bo must not challenge Vex. The situation between Light and Dark Fae is too unstable at present to predict the outcome."

"You're surely not worried about her?" Lauren ventured archly and a little daringly. The Ash noted this, but dismissed it.

"That is the wrong word. 'Concerned' might be more accurate."

"Bo is not your enemy. She has done nothing but help the Light Fae."

"Perhaps," the Ash conceded. "But neither is she a friend. Or a true ally. For so long as she is with us, but not of us, she will remain an unknown, Lauren. She must be dissuaded from this foolish course. You have the…skills…necessary. Use them."

At first Lauren still didn't comprehend his meaning. Then she did. There was, in fact, only one thing he could possibly have meant. She paled. "No. I can't. I…she deserves better." She dared a little anger. "With all due respect…I deserve better! How many Fae lives have I saved since I came here?"

"You accrued benefit from this also, Lauren," he pointed out bluntly, referring to the masses of research she'd conducted during her years of service to the Ash. Much of it, in fact, was potential Nobel Prize material…if she ever dared submit it for publication. "Surely you have learned more from us in the last year alone than you could in ten from your own kind."

"I don't deny that. But…you're asking me to…to…" She couldn't say it. The idea was abhorrent, demeaning.

For a long moment the Ash did not speak. She tried to read his expression, but he was revealing nothing. He was good at that, damn him. Finally, he answered: "What I am telling you to do is to prevent Bo from throwing her life away."

"So, you do care about -" she attempted. But she was clinging to a false hope, as he pronounced cynically:

"She may still be useful to us, if she ever learns to put aside her pride and do what is right. Obviously she must be alive to do so. That, Lauren, is up to you. Do what you must."

And she realised, her insides twisting as if someone had inserted a ten-blade scalpel, he was right. She was the only person who could do it, as Bo was in no mood to listen to reason from either Dyson or Kenzi…and neither could stop her in any case.

She had to save Bo.

Whatever the cost -

X

"Hey, doc!"

She was shaken out of her daydream by Kenzi's voice. "W - What -?"

"Hey, major wool-gatherin' there, doc," Kenzi piped up, clicking her fingers near Lauren's face.

"Sorry, miles away," she said sheepishly. "Whose round is it?"

"Mine," Bo told her, "after I deal with a slightly pressing matter." She smiled and rose to cross the floor to the ladies' room.

"Hey," Kenzi addressed Lauren, her voice low, "if you two lovebirds, or whatever, are gonna thrash this out, I'm guessin' you kinda won't want li'l ol' me around?"

"I - well, that's up to Bo, I guess. I wouldn't want you to feel -"

"No biggie, I get it," Kenzi interrupted. "Not the kinda thing you wanna share with an audience, yeah? De nada. Me an' Bo, we ain't joined at the hip, there's places I can be. Seriously: it's okay. Go for it."

"Kenzi…" Lauren began hesitantly. "What…what do you think about my, um, friendship with Bo? You're her best friend, after all. And you're the only person she really trusts." She looked down. "Not that I can blame her, of course, after what I did. You're the only person who hasn't lied to her, kept secrets, manipulated her…"

Kenzi looked sympathetic at that. "Hey, she was goin' off half-cocked against a majorly dangerous demented dude with no real plan, no backup - and no chance, if we're honest! I mean: that Vex guy? Makin' people kill themselves? Ouch, that is cold." She shivered. "Okay, not thrilled about how you went about it, but it worked. Least she's still alive to argue 'bout it."

"That's what I meant," Lauren murmured. "What I did…I hurt her. I betrayed her…"

She was surprised to feel Kenzi's hand under her chin, tipping her face up. Kenzi stared hard at her and demanded: "Okay, let's get this straight: you knew how she'd feel about it when she found out, right?"

"Yes."

"You knew it'd cost you, 'cause she ain't much for forgivin', so whatever fun you might've had it'd definitely be a one-off?"

Lauren nodded, her eyes glistening with tears.

"But, you were lookin' out for her, you care enough about her that it was worth losin' her, an' you'd do it again in a flash, right?"

She nodded again.

"You don't think she understands that?" Kenzi shook her head. "C'mon, she gets it. We all gotta do what we have to, to get by. Hell, there's things in my murky past I ain't proud of, but…" she shrugged. "Give her a chance; she'll get over her mad."

"Does this mean you've forgiven me?"

Kenzi shrugged casually. "Mostly, yeah; I guess you were pretty much between the rock an' the old hard place."

Lauren smiled her thanks, feeling better, and made as if to give Kenzi a friendly pat on her knee, but she shied away. "Hey, still not into girls, whoa!"

"Sorry," Lauren apologised…then saw the twinkle in Kenzi's eye and realised she was teasing. "You are bad, Kenzi, you know that?"

"Sure," she piped merrily. "'s why you all love me."

X

"This may sound like a cliché, but…your place or mine?" Bo quipped, a couple of hours later. She'd slipped up, as she wasn't as sober as she'd intended. She didn't quite giggle.

"Um…yours," Lauren suggested, then added, tactfully, "Home field advantage?"

"This isn't a contest, Lauren. And I've seen The Sex Monster, too. Good film," she added, smiling slightly. Lauren returned it, diffidently.

"Besides, Dyson might show up. You did want to find him?"

"Mmm, good point. I just hope he has a decent sense of timing," she mused.

"You're worried he might want a threesome?" Lauren suggested, deadpan.

"He wishes!" Bo couldn't help but laugh. "No, he's too territorial for that; if he arrived while we were, um, busy, I'm not sure how he'd react."

"So…there is a chance we might be…busy…at some time in the future?" Lauren tried not to sound too hopeful, but Bo was so shrewd she probably heard it anyway.

"Well, that mostly depends on you, doesn't it?" Bo noted neutrally. "Let's go find out. Kenzi, are you coming?"

"As if!" Kenzi replied merrily. "No, no, you kids go on - I'm meetin' Hale for a little clubbin', an' maybe we'll spot Dyson on the prowl." She chuckled. "There's no-one better at goin' on the prowl than a wolf, right? Go, go, get the whole relationship-affair-whatever thingy sorted!"

Bo grinned; she and Lauren stood. Before they left, she turned back briefly to Kenzi, to see her mouth 'good luck', grin merrily and give her a thumbs-up. Bo smiled fondly in return.

"Kids," Kenzi chuckled as they went out.

X

"So," Bo began matter-of-factly, sitting on the couch and indicating for Lauren to join her, "who's gonna start?"

Lauren sat, a careful distance away from Bo. She knew Bo didn't like to be crowded. "I guess I should, as I'm the one at fault." She sighed. "There are a number of reasons why I did what I did. Would you please hear me out?"

"I already said I would, Lauren. I'm not totally unreasonable."

"Just 90%, huh?" she ventured. She was relieved when Bo chuckled at that.

"Sounds about right," she conceded.

"Okay. Mainly, it's about what you might call the big picture. I have a responsibility that goes beyond my…service to the Ash." She looked sombrely at Bo, fighting the urge to reach out to her. "In my time with the Light Fae, I've accumulated a huge mass of knowledge, mainly biological, learning from the differences between Fae and human, as well as the similarities. Imagine…" she hesitated, "…imagine what the Dark Fae could do with that knowledge."

"Like what?"

"The creation of bioweapons, perhaps - weapons lethal to humans but harmless to Fae."

Bo stared at her. "You could do that?"

"I could, yes; I have the requisite knowledge to do it. Or even weapons that can't hurt the Dark Fae but are lethal to everyone else. There are genetic markers that could be used for such purposes. I never would do it," she added hurriedly, "but if I were taken by the Dark Fae…they have means of persuasion you can't imagine and I don't want to think about." She shuddered. "Bo, you've met the Morrigan. Do you think she'd hesitate for a moment if she had that capability?"

"No," Bo shook her head grimly, "not for a moment."

"And she would do it, if she had me. She has a vicious imagination, Bo; probably she'd keep me alive for a while, to make me watch the results of what I'd created for her…and she wouldn't let me die until humanity had been wiped out or subjugated. Even then, she might keep me alive instead - for centuries - to make me suffer with the knowledge of what I'd done."

"You're not Fae," Bo pointed out. "You can't live for -"

"They have ways of prolonging life, though it's never a life worth living, not for humans. Believe me when I say she'd use them on me for such a reason. So I have to accept the Ash's protection, for all our sakes. I have to obey him, as far as I can."

"So if you could do it, why don't they -"

"They don't have anyone with my expertise, fortunately," Lauren told her, anticipating the obvious question. "Oh, they've tried, of course, but so far their attempts have been forestalled by the Light Fae."

"Wait a minute…surely the Light Fae could use you the same way?"

"They wouldn't…unless they had no other choice. At least, I don't think they would. I hope they wouldn't."

"Me, too. Some of my best friends are human," Bo quipped mildly.

Lauren caught the hint in Bo's eyes, and decided to risk it. "Does…does that include me, Bo?" she dared.

Bo didn't reply at first. Lauren struggled with a desire to move closer, but she didn't dare, knowing Bo's volatility. She didn't realise it, but Bo was well aware of her thoughts and wasn't offended. If anything, she was a little amused.

And as reluctant as she'd been earlier to admit it, she'd missed Lauren as much as Lauren had missed her. That heartfelt declaration had nearly moved her to tears. There was a real chemistry there she hadn't felt in too long. It didn't matter a damn that they were both women; Bo had never felt any need to limit her affections to men (and she had never tried; she'd always been bisexual, almost aggressively so) and the whole succubus thing worked equally well with women. Maybe 30 years ago it might have been a problem for people, but these days, 'anything goes' seemed to be the rule.

Oh, the hell with it! If I don't forgive her, if I carry on keeping her at arm's length, I'm hurting myself as well. That's just stupid. She was just trying to help me.

I do miss her - a lot.

It doesn't hurt that she's the hottest hottie I've fucked in a long time, either…

Enough. I want her back. I want to know where this thing, whatever it is we have, is going - I've enjoyed it so far. I like it. I want more. I want her.

Upon arriving at that realisation, she finally decided to let Lauren off the hook. "Well…I figure life's too short to hold grudges, even for Fae. You did what you did, for the same reasons Dyson did: looking out for me. It's not that I don't appreciate that, it's just…" she shook her head in exasperation, "where the hell did you guys get the idea that I'm so damn vulnerable? As long as you don't do it again, I guess I can forgive you."

"Thank you, Bo," Lauren murmured. "Never again, I promise. In fact…" she took something out of her pocket. "I, um, fibbed earlier. One drop of Trick's blood did leave the room…I asked for it. The Elders allowed it, to repay me for my service in helping them after the bombing."

She held up a small glass vial and what looked like a very small fingerbowl, ornately decorated with what even Bo, generally ignorant of Fae lore as she was, could recognise as runic symbols. The single drop of dark blood within the vial looked somehow alive. Bo stared, oddly fascinated.

"What do you need that for?"

"I'm going to use it to swear a blood oath, a binding one. I…I need you to know you can trust me." She produced a scalpel blade; Bo's eyes narrowed. "One drop of your blood, taken by me; one of mine, taken by you; both in here," she indicated the bowl, carefully adding Trick's blood to it.

"Then what?"

"Each of us touches the mixture to the other's lips. Trick's blood seals the oath when I speak it. I'm going to swear never to do that or anything like it to you ever again."

"I know I'm gonna regret asking, but…what would happen if you broke your oath?" Bo asked, somehow knowing the answer.

"I'd die," Lauren said simply.

"No," Bo decided instantly.

"Please."

"I don't need that kind of reassurance! Dammit, Lauren! You can just give me your damn word, it's enough! Do you hear me? It's enough! What the hell is it with you all," she snarled, "thinking I need to be protected from myself? I managed just fine for twenty-eight years, the last ten of them totally alone,before I found out about the Goddamned Fae! I don't need -"

She broke off, fighting for control, seeing Lauren's distress. She took a deep breath, then another. She waited until she was sure she could speak without biting Lauren's head off again. Her temper was, she knew all too well, her greatest weakness.

Then again, that was hardly a surprise; succubi were always creatures of passion. How could they be anything else, given their nature?

"I'm sorry," she said finally, much more softly. "Look, Lauren, you don't need to go that far. I appreciate you guys caring about me, I get that that's why you do this stuff…I just wish you wouldn't. I wish you'd all trust me to know my own mind."

"You were going to fight Vex," Lauren pointed out quietly, "but you can't, not with what he can do. Only the High Elders could resist that kind of attack, Bo, and I'm not too sure about some of them. The only way you could fight him is if you got close enough to lay a hand on him…maybe. I doubt he'd be that careless." She affected a look of pleading. "You would have died."

Bo considered it. She couldn't help remembering the fear. More than anything, what terrified her most was the knowledge that she couldn't control what she was doing. She'd realised since that that was exactly Vex's intent, that he enjoyed his victims' fear.

What might he have made her do? Force her to kill herself?

Or Lauren?

Or Kenzi?

Her stomach dropped at the very thought.

"You might be right," Bo admitted, "it was…horrible - having him inside my head, taking control…brrr." She sighed. "Okay, I guess you have a point. I'll try to be a little calmer from now on." She indicated the fingerbowl. "Better get rid of that. Kenzi might try to sell it."

Lauren managed a chuckle. "If you sold it to the right people, it'd pay your food bill for the next three years or so, you know."

"Hmm…" Bo mused, pretending to think it over.

"No, no, you're right." Lauren took a small dropper out of her pocket, filled with a clear liquid, and squeezed the liquid into the bowl. The contents instantly started to fume as the acid consumed the blood. In seconds, it was gone.

Bo sighed in satisfaction. "Well, now we've settled that….c'mere." She beckoned in a friendly manner; Lauren suppressed a sob of relief and did what Bo had suggested, snuggling into the crook of her arm.

Their eyes met, Lauren's filled with love and tears.

"I'm sorry, Bo. I didn't want to hurt you. But I had to do it - and not for the Ash, or the Fae. I did it for you. I let him think I was doing it for his purposes - in fact, I've been lying to him about that for some time now. He found out about my helping you with control, though I don't know how -"

"I sure as hell didn't tell him."

"- but he decided to allow it, instead of punishing me for defying him. I was all ready to argue it was in the Fae's best interests, but it wasn't necessary. It seems he thought the same way. I was glad to help you."

"Why?" Bo wondered, knowing the answer.

"It was the right thing to do; you needed that help. I'll always help you, Bo." She smiled softly. "You know that. Whenever you need me…"

Bo gave some careful thought to Lauren's words for a while, then said, "To borrow from the Matrix films, the real test of a decision is having to make the same decision again, knowing full well what it'll cost you. So…" she gazed at Lauren, "would you do it again?"

Lauren didn't hesitate. "Yes," she whispered.

"Even knowing you'd totally piss me off? And maybe I'd hate you for it?"

"Even then," Lauren affirmed tenderly. "I had to stop you somehow, save you from yourself." She met Bo's eyes. "I love you."

It wasn't entirely unexpected, but Bo did feel the foundations of her world shaking a little on hearing that. But she meant it; Bo knew that as surely as she knew her own name. She could see the truth of it in Lauren's eyes, her voice, and her expression.

She'd never experienced that before - to have someone make that declaration to her sincerely; she'd only ever heard it from naïve young men - boys, really - who had no real idea of what they were saying. It was a little scary…but more than a little wonderful.

And, she thought, an opportunity to have a little teasing fun…

Bo stroked Lauren's cheek, and applied her powers, her eyes briefly glowing electric blue. Lauren, knowing what she was about, didn't even try to stop her. "Tell me that again," Bo invited her, very softly, knowing Lauren couldn't lie now even if she wanted to.

Which she didn't. "I love you…"

"Again," Bo teased, her hand sliding down onto Lauren's slender neck, trailing her fingers down the column of her throat, feeling the pulse of life within her. Feeling it accelerate excited and aroused her.

"I love you."

"Again." Now she was touching a breast, feeling the nipple stiffen in excitement; her breath quickened. Her senses always became more acute during arousal; she could smell Lauren's own, and delighted in the heady, musky scent.

God, I love the way she responds to me. Would I even need to be a succubus, or would she respond like this even if I weren't?

Oh, she smells so good. Can't wait to taste that again…

"Bo, please…" Lauren pleaded feebly, lost in the delicious sensations Bo was causing to ripple through her helpless body. Bo knew full well the effect she was creating, and was revelling in it. Lauren knew that, but was powerless to do anything about it…nor would she have, anyway. Let Bo have her fun.

It wasn't as if she wasn't enjoying it, too. Far from it!

Oh, God…that feels soooooooo good…!

"Again."

"I love you…"

"I'm convinced," Bo breathed, took Lauren in a deep, deep kiss, and that was the last word either spoke for some time.

Little was said that night, but plenty was done…

X

She woke the next morning, cradled in Bo's arms, as the morning sunlight touched her face. As a doctor, she was used to early mornings.

Bo was still asleep, her warmth reassuring. Lauren shivered with sensual delight as she remembered the night, how Bo had carefully, so carefully, taken just a little of her chi - just enough to bring her to a peak of ecstasy. She'd never had such glorious, fulfilling sex in her life.

Even with -

Stop it. Don't go there. Think of Bo instead…

X

"This time," Bo told her firmly, "I'm goin' on top."

"Yes, mistress," Lauren teased, stealing a kiss. Bo laughed and bit her shoulder gently, then her neck, nuzzling close. "How much pleasure can you take, Lauren?"

"I haven't the faintest idea," Lauren managed. "But I'd like to find out."

She did. After an hour of the hottest love play she'd ever had, Lauren actually had to plead with Bo to stop, and allow her to return the favour. "I…I don't think I can do the same for you, Bo…I'm," she smiled wryly, "only human."

"You're here, and you're gorgeous, and that's enough for me," Bo assured her softly, now nuzzling against Lauren's left breast, feeling her rapid - and accelerating - heartbeat against her cheek. Her lips, then her teeth, closed very gently on Lauren's nipple and sucked on it delicately; she almost came then and there. "Go for it."

Lauren was pleased beyond measure at Bo's happy cries as she did so. Each knew the best part of making love was to know you were bringing pleasure to your partner.

X

And after the pleasure…she mused. She sighed inwardly; Bo would be annoyed, but…

She woke, smiled at Lauren. Both savoured the soft kiss.

"Hey, sleepyhead," Bo greeted her.

"Me? I was awake first."

"Yeah, yeah, quibbling over details - typical scientist."

"You'll pay for that!" Lauren announced, pretending to be miffed, but she'd seen the playful twinkle in Bo's eye. "I'm going to embark upon an experiment…on you," she added dramatically.

"Ooh, should I be scared?"

"That's one of the things I intend to find out. The experiment is to determine your physical response to certain external stimuli."

"Like what?"

Lauren reached carefully down Bo's sides - and began tickling her. The response was unexpected, if gratifying: Bo actually squealed.

"Gotcha!" Lauren crowed.

"No, no, stop it!" Bo gasped, torn between outrage and a giggling fit.

"This is payback," Lauren told her gleefully, "for when I was begging you to stop! What goes around -"

Bo struggled, but nowhere near as hard as Lauren knew she could….not that she didn't receive a few nips and even a bite or two for her trouble. Finally, Bo surrendered, laughing, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Okay, okay, I quit!"

Lauren claimed a victory kiss; Bo returned it enthusiastically.

"That means I get to decide one thing today. If you win the next time, you decide. Deal?"

"You are not doing that to me again," Bo growled mock-threateningly.

"We'll see," Lauren promised saucily, then decided she'd put it off long enough. Get it over with, you coward. "Um, Bo…"

Immediately, Bo went on the defensive. "I don't like the sound of that."

"I was contacted by the Light Elders. They want you to meet with them."

"Oh, they do, do they? When?" she demanded, meaning 'when do they want me to meet them?'

Unfortunately, Lauren misunderstood. "I was told last night -"

"You knew last night? Why didn't you say anything?"

"I wanted us to have a little fun first, Bo. Please don't be mad. The meeting's tonight, it's not as if you're rushed."

"Why do they want to see me? As if I couldn't guess," she added scornfully. "They want to talk about dear ol' Mom, right?"

"I'm afraid so," Lauren sighed. "I'm sorry, Bo. But it is important."

"What if I refuse?" she snapped. "What if I don't play their game? Tell 'em where to go and what to do when they get there?"

"Most likely they'll send for you. When I say 'send for', I mean 'kidnap'. It's better if you just go to them."

"Dammit, Lauren, they want to kill her!" Bo cried.

"Bo, I, uh, thought she was dead?" Lauren asked, trying to be tactful.

"Well, she should be, even a Fae couldn't have survived that fall. But her body was gone when we got to the foot of the stairs, so…I don't know." Her jaw set. "But just for a moment she showed me the real Aoife, Lauren - my real mother. I will not give up on her. I can't."

"Nor should you," Lauren replied gently, sympathetically. "Bo, believe me, I sympathise - even after all she's done and may yet do. I'm not sure exactly what they want from you."

"I wouldn't tell them where she was even if I knew," Bo snarled, but she got a grip on her temper. "Okay. I can think of a few things I want to tell them, actually. First things first, though…" she ducked her head, sniffed her armpit. "Mmm, yeah, I guess I need a shower."

Lauren gave her a look which could only be described as a dirty leer. "You smell good to me, Bo."

Bo grinned at that, her good humour restored by Lauren's ribald comment. "Hey, seeing as you're a guest here -"

"No, you first," Lauren deferred politely.

Now Bo returned the leer. "Who said anything about taking turns?"

Lauren's eyes lit up. "You're on!"

X

The study was once again as it had always been…almost. A few trivial details were different.

And the wards and security measures had been multiplied many times in strength. It would take an army to break in here now.

They hoped. An army should have been required the last time the defences were breached…

"Did the human doctor inform her of our desire?" one man wondered.

"She did," a woman replied. "The neutral is reported to be on her way."

"Good. Though how she can claim to be neutral after what Aoife did -"

"What Aoife did," the woman pointed out. "Not Bo. She knew nothing of her mother…because we decided she need not know. See what our own arrogance has brought us! Half the Elders dead! Others on the brink, including the Ash! This is what comes of keeping secrets from our own kind!"

Not that I am not equally guilty of that…well, at least until tonight.

A quiet knock drew their attention to the doors, which opened; a servant bowed and said, "My lords and ladies, the neutral has arrived."

"Show her in," he was commanded. He bowed again and withdrew.

X

"Am I allowed to lose my temper?" Bo asked, only half-kidding.

"Please don't," Lauren entreated her. "It's a bad idea, honestly."

They came to a pair of doors with ornate carvings. "Is this it?" Lauren nodded. Bo shrugged. "Well…here goes. C'mon."

"I can't. I haven't been invited."

"Oh, the hell with that, c'mon," Bo urged her.

"No, I really can't. Since I haven't been invited, I literally cannot enter."

"Spells, huh?" Bo shook her head wryly.

"Something of that sort, yes. I'll wait here." She kissed Bo. "Remember: stay calm. Please."

"I'm always calm," Bo protested jokingly. "You want to bet on how long I can stay calm?"

"Knowing you as I do, I'd say about ten seconds, maybe less," Lauren pronounced worriedly.

Bo looked hurt.

X

She entered, cautiously.

The room looked rather like a library, or a study, but there was an odd, faint smell of smoke, and a sharp, chemical scent -

C4, she realised.

This was the room the Elders were in when they were ambushed, restored somehow, leaving only trace evidence of what had occurred. Some showed signs of their recent ordeal; to her mild surprise, there was a range of ages. Then again, the Fae did live for centuries without showing much signs of aging.

She still couldn't quite believe Dyson's claim to be centuries old himself.

Nor had she even begun to deal with the revelation that she would likely live as long, yet stay as young and beautiful as she was now…not that she was going to complain about that. Hell, what woman would?

Where are you, Dyson? Dammit, I need you!

The sexes were equally represented, she was pleased to see, and there was a range of racial types. They've learned that much, at least.

"Greetings, succubus," a heavy-set man, his arm bandaged heavily, addressed her.

A stately-looking, very dignified woman with long, black hair and deep, dark eyes shot him a sharp glare in rebuke, but it was too late. Bo was off and running, settling into a defensive crouch.

Five seconds. You win, Lauren.

"Hey, newsflash: I have a name. 'Bo'. Easy enough even for you pricks to remember, I'd have thought!"

"I must apologise for our colleague, Bo," the woman spoke, in a conciliatory tone. "He was born in a time and a place when women had no rights and less respect." She glared at him again. "I often wonder where he has been these last few centuries."

"Any more crap like that, I might just give him one or two pointers," Bo snapped. "Let's get down to it. You want to know if my mother's alive, where she is and what she's up to. First off: I have no idea; second: I wouldn't tell you if I did know; third: why am I being seen as the enemy here?" Her voice rose. "I wasn't the one who handed her over to the Dark Fae to be executed! Only they didn't, did they? They tortured her, for centuries! So forgive me for wanting to cut her a little slack here!"

"How dare you speak to us like that -!"

"Go to hell!" Bo spat savagely. "In fact, I'll pay your ticket!" She whipped out the machete she'd fought Aoife with; no-one doubted for a second that she was skilled in its use, still less that she certainly would use it. The man stood, clearly intent on preparing a defence, but then:

"ENOUGH!" the woman roared, her face as dark as her hair and eyes. "THERE WILL BE NO COMMON BRAWLING HERE!"

Bo recoiled slightly, a little stunned by the woman's impressive delivery. Was she a Fury, perhaps?

Why the hell did she look so familiar?

"You, sir, are out of order. Be silent until I grant you leave," she continued in a more normal voice. The man made as if to object, but she threw him a fiery glare and he subsided. "Bo, stand down. You are, indeed, not our enemy. It is not our intention - that is, of the Elders as a whole - to treat you so. Kindly disarm yourself."

Bo did not move. "Very well," the Elder conceded, with a sigh. "You may retain the weapon, but put it away." Bo remained motionless; the Elder sighed again. "Please."

Slowly, Bo did as she was asked. "See where a little politeness gets you?"

"The point is well taken," she allowed. "Perhaps it would be as well for us to recall you are every bit as stubborn as your mother."

"The fruit don't fall far from the tree, right?" Bo mocked, but the Elder took no offence at her tone.

"Indeed. Please, be seated." She indicated a chair which Bo was sure hadn't been there a moment ago, and Bo sat, warily.

"So what do you want?"

"Our purpose is to determine what should be done about Aoife, if she lives. It occurred to us that more information concerning her would assist us in making that decision; to begin with, therefore, we wish to know everything that has transpired between you and Aoife since you met her," the woman requested. "Everything," she added sternly. "Omit no detail."

Bo shrugged. "If you've got all night…"

"We do. Begin," she didn't miss the pointed look Bo shot her, "if you please."

Bo didn't quite snicker. She'd made her point.

X

It was a long night:

"You found Aoife? With Dyson?"

"Hey, it's not as if he were willing, you know? She was raping him, more or less! She left him barely alive!"

"And then?"

"I…I helped him. I managed to channel some of my chi to Dyson, to replace what she took. Stole."

The woman leaned forward interestedly. "You gave him some of your chi?"

"Yeah," Bo confirmed.

"You learned to do this without training? Fascinating," she marvelled. "I have never heard of any succubus acquiring that talent so rapidly."

"Well, I didn't learn, really - I just saw my mother do it once, like I told you." She stopped, remembering the gut-wrenching fear she'd felt as she saw what her mother had done to Dyson, her terror that he might be dying. She'd been stunned at how much that fear had hurt. "I was desperate. I just…I don't know. I figured it out somehow."

"Remarkable," she heard from more than one person. She felt oddly pleased.

X

"She said she - well, we - were going to 'bring the Fae down,' to end the divide between Light and Dark."

"'We?'" a man pounced on the word. Bo merely scowled.

"She had this idea I'd go along with her plan. I mean, she has a point - this whole Light and Dark thing is stupid - but I'd never do it the way she wants to. Not that I have the vaguest clue how I would do it, mind you."

X

"You surely don't want me to tell you what happened with Dyson?"

"I did say 'omit no detail', did I not? We are all adults here, and we are well aware of the…nature…of your relationship with Dyson."

"Well, I needed to heal, and I figured I needed as much of a boost as I could get to take her on, so…" she broke off angrily. "Wait, are you people getting some kind of kick out of this? Dammit, personal matters should stay personal! He gave me what I needed, that should be enough for you!"

But they did not relent; her temper boiled over...to no-one's particular surprise. "Okay, you pervs! We got down to it and had hot, wild, frantic monkey sex, and I healed in about three seconds flat! Not that I stopped there," she added with false brightness, "because why would I? Hey, I'm a succubus, a fuckin' slut, right?" she spat fiercely and not a little bitterly. But to her surprise, the woman looked admonishingly at her and shook her head.

"Bo, no-one of the Fae thinks of succubi in such terms…or if they do, they should not. You are what you are; there is no cause to be ashamed of that, and it was not our intention to make you feel so." Her tone turned surprisingly gentle. "You are not a 'fuckin' slut', far from it. You should not disparage yourself so, however angry you are with us." She paused. "Please continue."

"Oh, I'll continue, all right! He totally got me off, big time, he's good at that," her eyes flashed defiance at them, "and I felt the way I always do with him, whether I draw on his chi or not, because, believe me," she added with a false laugh, "he is that good a lover - namely as if someone stuck firecrackers up my ass and in my head and set 'em off! I came like a bitch, the way I always do even if I'm fucking someone who's crap at it, which Dyson most certainly is not! Is that enough detail for you?"

"It is, Bo," the woman told her, very quietly. "Please calm yourself. We would rather not delve into such personal matters, but in this case, we must. For reasons of tradition I cannot explain why, but suffice to say this is necessary. We must know everything. It is vital, if we are to do what is right."

For no reason she could explain or understand, Bo accepted this; she could feel the woman's sincerity, though.

She took a deep breath and fought for calm; she succeeded.

"Okay. What's next?"

"Presumably you challenged Aoife, and tried to reason with her?"

"Yeah…"

X

"And she fell?"

"Yes," Bo murmured.

"Could she have survived?"

"I don't see how, it had to be at least a thirty-foot drop. But…" she shook her head in bafflement, "this is the part I don't understand: when Kenzi and I reached the bottom of the staircase, her body was gone. There was a pool of blood, but no trail we could see. Anyway, she couldn't have just got up and run out, not with broken legs. Besides, we'd have heard her, and it was just a few seconds..."

"So what happened?"

"Dammit, I don't know!"

"Calmly, Bo," the woman who seemed to be in charge entreated. "A necessary question, surely?"

"Well, yeah, alright," Bo conceded. "But I don't know."

"And you would not tell us if you did," she reminded Bo of her own words, pointedly.

"No. But…that's not just because she's my mother." She gazed at each stranger's face, pleading for understanding. "I…I saw something in her. Just for a moment, as I was trying to pull her up, I saw the real Aoife, the one who's buried under centuries of pain, and fear, and anger - my real mother. I saw her. I tried to save her." Her voice broke. "But she made me let go…" Tears sparkled in her eyes; even the Elders were not unmoved by her heartfelt tone. "She sacrificed herself…for me."

"As a mother and a daughter myself, I understand what you are saying, Bo," the woman told her gently. "But surely she is beyond redemption."

"I don't believe that - not after what I saw. I will not give up on her," Bo declared determinedly. "If she's alive, I will find her, and I will turn this around. I have to." Her voice broke again. "She's my mom. I've been looking for her for ten years, without even knowing if she was alive at all. How can I give up on her now?"

"How indeed?" the woman mused sadly. "Bo, she is, by her own testimony, our mortal enemy. I do not deny she has cause," she admitted, "but…there will be war if she is not stopped, a war which will involve everyone. Even humans will become embroiled in it - the world now is such that a Fae war will be impossible to conceal. They will know we exist. They will surely take sides, if indeed they don't simply try to destroy us all out of fear and superstition."

"Business as usual, yeah," Bo agreed sourly. "So what do you want from me?"

"Always straight to the point," the woman observed wryly. Bo couldn't help smiling tightly. "Very well, Bo. If you are so convinced she might be redeemed - however foolish and misguided that belief - so be it. If she lives, and if you find her first, by all means attempt to make her see reason. If you cannot do so, bring her to us, alive. Failing all else, inform us as to her whereabouts."

"So you can kill her?" Bo returned, her temper flaring again. "I don't think so!"

"So we can control her, Bo. She need not die," the woman told her earnestly, "so long as she is unable to make good on her threats of vengeance. At all costs, we must keep the peace. There is too much at stake, for everyone in this world."

"And by 'control' I take it you mean 'imprison'? No! Weren't you listening to me?" Bo snarled furiously. "She was imprisoned, for centuries! No! Never!" she yelled.

The Elders exchanged glances. This was proving more difficult than they'd imagined…no mean feat, considering the majority of them were sure it was impossible. Bo easily picked up on their next thought and forestalled them: "And don't even think about using Lauren to talk me into it! She's been used enough!" She stood. "Dammit, this kind of crap is exactly why I refused to join you weirdoes or the Dark Fae in the first place! All this emphasis on control, on conformity, on obedience! Screw that!" She paused, a little out of breath.

"Bo," the woman began, trying to be reasonable, "surely the most important thing is to prevent a war -?"

"The most important thing," Bo broke in furiously, "is that you show a little respect for her suffering, which, incidentally, one of you caused! At least try to pretend you give a fuck!"

Finally, the woman could take no more. She rose abruptly to her feet, an expression of pure fury on her harshly-carved features. "Bo, you are not the only one feeling pain in this matter, far from it! I would have preferred not to reveal this, but it is time you all knew it - Aoife is my DAUGHTER!"

The room was struck silent, the other Elders staring incredulously at her. Not even Bo had an answer to that declaration. She slowly sank back into her chair.

"Your daughter?" a young-looking woman (who, Bo later learned, pre-dated Henry II) gaped, after the shock had passed. "Why have you not declared this before now?"

"Why should I have? As far as we knew, she was no longer a concern, so it mattered little, at least until she reappeared. This seemed an appropriate time to inform you all…and you, Bo."

The assemblage went silent, clearly struggling to take this latest piece of news in. No-one seemed to want to break the stunned silence; it was left to Bo to do that.

"So…so you're my grandmother?" she finally managed, feebly.

The woman smiled, with sadness and amusement vying for control of her face. "Yes, Bo. It is a pleasure to acknowledge you at last. I am Aoibheann. It means 'beautiful sheen', as Aoife's name means 'beautiful' or 'radiant'. She was beautiful as a babe, and still is." The sadness won. "Would that her nature reflected her name, but it was not to be. She was always wilful, ambitious. There was nothing wrong with that in itself, but the heights to which she tried to take it…" She sighed. "Perhaps we can speak later. For now…we must decide what is to be done, assuming Aoife lives. You have made your opinion clear, but what do you suggest instead?"

"You could try treating her like your daughter," Bo suggested, very quietly. "You've tried everything else. Don't just give up on her, not again. Please."

Aoibheann had no reply for that. Another Elder, a woman, stood. "We are accomplishing nothing going over the same ground repeatedly. I suggest a recess. One hour. Agreed?"

The others nodded assent; Bo shrugged. "Sure. No other plans tonight."

X

She went for a walk with Aoibheann in the garden. The moon was full, and very bright. She wondered yet again where the hell Dyson was, and what he was doing.

And why he hadn't called, damn him.

"You are missing your shifter friend," Aoibheann noted shrewdly. At Bo's look of surprise, she shrugged. "You gazed at the moon. He is Wolf. It is an obvious, if mythical, connection, yes?"

"Yeah," she conceded. "Does the whole full moon thing really work with them?" she added curiously.

"No. The true werewolves as depicted in myth and media do not exist, so far as we are aware; shifters such as Dyson are the origin of that particular myth, of course. For reasons neither we nor Lauren understand, the wolf is the commonest - or should I, more respectfully, say 'the most usual' - alternate form. But shifters can in fact transform whenever they wish. The moon has nothing to do with it."

Bo nodded. "I'd wondered. Dyson doesn't talk much about the whole Wolf thing." A wry chuckle escaped her. "Come to think of it, he doesn't talk much, period."

"Indeed. It is a curious fact that shifters are naturally reticent, Dyson more than most."

"Yeah, you got that right," Bo told her feelingly. "Hey, listen," Bo added as a new thought occurred to her, "what should I call you? I don't think 'Granny' really does it, y'know?"

Aoibheann chuckled. "Not really, no. No-one but a Fae would ever believe you. I would be pleased if you were simply to use my name." She chuckled louder. "I don't think I can cope with being addressed as 'Granny' anyway."

"Thanks. I mean, you do look older than her, yeah," Bo observed, and then added tactfully, "but not much. Hell, no-one would ever believe she's my mother - if you just went off her looks," Bo laughed wryly, "most people would think she'd had to have been - what, nine or ten at most, when she had me!"

Aoibheann joined in her merriment, both enjoying the shared family moment…and both wishing fervently that Aoife could be there to share it, too.

"And speaking of you being my grandmother: did they know - the other Elders, I mean? Or did that come as much of a bombshell to them as it did to me?"

"No, it was a surprise to them, also," she told the younger woman ruefully. "But I had to declare my interest; it would have come to light sooner or later." She shrugged. "Even for Fae, the keeping of secrets is not easy."

"Listen, there's something I have to know," Bo declared hesitantly. "I know she's your daughter, but given how you people are about the good of the many, and all that - do you…" She couldn't finish. She looked away.

Clearly Aoibheann understood what she was trying to ask. She smiled gently, sadly, reaching out to Bo and turning her face to her own. She gazed deeply into Bo's dark eyes, so similar to her own, to Aoife's.

"Simply ask the question, Bo. I will not be offended."

"Do you…want her dead?" Bo forced it out, fearing the answer.

"No," Aoibheann averred softly, "no." Bo sighed in heartfelt relief. They resumed their slow steady walk. "Whatever she has done, whatever she has become, she is still my daughter, Bo. I pray she can find herself again. I fear, however, that she cannot. Or will not. I find it difficult to say whether I had rather the Dark Fae had executed her as Trick expected, since if they had, obviously you would not be here."

She stopped walking; they'd reached a spot illuminated by the moon. "Stay a moment, daughter of my daughter, and let me look upon you…" Aoibheann requested gently.

She again reached out as Bo likewise stopped walking, and stroked her cheek. On seeing the genuine love in the older woman's eyes, Bo couldn't help but respond, stroking her grandmother's fingers as they caressed her cheek. They were warm, firm, long and strong like her own, like Aoife's.

"You are so very much like her, Bo; tall, strong, proud, confident…and so beautiful," Aoibheann told her wistfully. "You are everything a mother might wish for a daughter to be…as Aoife was before you." She shook herself. "Perhaps you can lead her back to the light. With all my heart, I pray it might be so, that you can find a way to help her."

"So do I," Bo whispered.

X

They walked a while longer, talking of family, most of whom were long gone - a few through natural causes, to which even Fae were subject, most in the interminable series of wars that befell them before Trick intervened.

"So we were from Ireland originally, huh?" Bo inquired. "I know her name's Irish."

"As is mine, of course," Aoibheann nodded. "Yes, we were Irish Celts originally; we came to America with other Irish settlers. None of them knew our true nature, of course. Concealment was so much simpler then." She looked wry. "Indeed, most things were; the modern world is much too complicated, needlessly so."

"If we were Irish, what happened to the red hair?" Bo quipped.

Aoibheann laughed. "We never had it, more's the pity. No, we were of the other Irish strain, with black hair. Crossing with other Fae has since introduced brunettes, such as yourself, and a few blondes. Redheads were always rare in our family, actually." She shot a rueful glance at Bo. "Given the fiery temper so unfortunately typical of us, perhaps it was as well, after all."

"No need to make it worse," Bo understood, equally rueful, knowing too well how often her own temper got her into trouble. "Gotcha. Pity; I think I'd look good as a redhead."

"What would your lover think?" Aoibheann teased.

"Which one?" Bo pointed out wryly.

"Spoken like a true succubus," Aoibheann laughed. "That's my girl." She then turned serious. "Speaking of which…there is one further matter we need to discuss, Bo. It concerns Lauren."

Crap, Bo thought worriedly. They know about the amulet.

"What about her?" she tried, innocently. But the attempt at nonchalance fell flat.

"So disingenuous, Bo," Aoibheann told her sternly. "It will avail you naught. The facts, simply, are these:

"There is only one way in which you could have resisted Aoife's attempt to enthral you, given her centuries of expertise and her considerable power. There is only one place you could have obtained the necessary artifact. There is only one person who might have informed you as to its existence and location, only one person who could have given you access to the trophy room. Denial is pointless, as you must surely realise; I know.

"But as I have no wish to make an enemy of you, I will offer you a trade: Simply tell me the truth, and I will give you my word that Lauren will be neither harmed nor punished." She stared hard at Bo. "Speak."

Bo sighed. "Busted, I guess. Look, she only did it to try to help, don't hold that against her. Besides, the whole heist, if you want to call it that, was my idea."

"That amulet is the property of the Ash, a trophy of a long-ago battle, and I assure you, he earned it. Is it safe? Do you have it still?" Bo nodded and slowly revealed it to Aoibheann, who also nodded. "He is not a forgiving man, Bo, and nor are the other Elders. It must be returned at some point, whether he lives or not."

"I never intended to keep the damn thing," Bo protested, "but I needed it. There wasn't time to ask for it, and you were all too busy! If I hadn't had it, I'd be a damn Thrall now, and I'd probably be wreaking havoc among your precious Elders!"

"You would find that more difficult than you suppose, girl!" Aoibheann snapped, her pride stung somewhat. But Bo wasn't impressed.

"Really? In that case, how did one of her Thralls get in?" Bo countered. "So much for spells and stuff, huh?" she challenged.

Aoibheann looked away, and then nodded, reluctantly conceding Bo's victory there. "We are still determining how she accomplished it. It should have been impossible, and so your point is taken. Perhaps it was because she chose to employ modern accoutrements, namely explosives -"

"C4, by the smell of it," Bo opined.

"So I am given to understand," Aoibheann concurred. "It admittedly took us completely by surprise."

"Maybe she's learned from the past," Bo suggested archly. "You'd have expected a magical attack, obviously, so she used modern tech instead. Smart. Actually," she added wryly, "it's exactly what I would've done if I wanted to attack you guys."

"Perhaps so," Aoibheann allowed. "Her intelligence is undeniable. To return to your transgression, however: I doubt you went in alone, though Lauren, of course, was detained attending to the wounded. Who else entered the trophy room?"

"Just Kenzi," Bo confessed. "I know what you're thinking. And yeah, she is a little kleptomaniac…"

"Did she take anything else?" Bo shook her head. "Are you certain?" Aoibheann persisted.

"Yeah, I'm sure. Look, she's not stupid. She's seen as much of the Fae as I have, she knows the score. So she knows what kinda trouble she'd be in, stealing from you." Bo shook her head again. "No. We took - borrowed - the amulet and nothing else, I swear." Her voice dropped. "One thing I do know for sure: she'd never steal from her friends, and she wouldn't lie to me about it. Never," she insisted.

"True," Aoibheann acknowledged. "I have checked, of course. Nothing else is missing."

Bo stared at her. "Then why'd you bother asking?"

"I placed a condition upon their continued well-being, did I not, for you to tell the truth?" Bo granted her that. "Very well; since you did as I asked, and as she has done us no harm, Kenzi, too, will not be touched..." She glared at Bo, and finished harshly, "this time. I will concede the circumstances in this case were exceptional, but the next time, you must ask. Not all the Elders are as forgiving as I; contrariwise, we might not be as hostile to the idea of assisting you as you seem to believe.

"But should there be a recurrence of such, should anything further go missing from that room without our permission - which must be sought beforehand - then Lauren will suffer for it...and you must bear witness to her suffering. Do you understand?"

"Yeah," Bo said quietly, dangerously, "but you'd have to go through me first. And you might not find that as easy as you think."

"In truth, I for one would be most reluctant to do her harm unless it was absolutely necessary," Aoibheann confessed. "Lauren is a special case, for reasons I cannot divulge without the permission of the Ash, may he recover soon. But she was truly a godsend; her knowledge, skill and dedication have saved many Fae lives, especially those of our newborns." She smiled fondly. "She has a way with children."

"She does?" Bo wondered, a little surprised at that, and admitted, "Can't stand 'em myself."

Aoibheann's smile slowly faded. "Do not condemn Lauren for her actions in manipulating you, Bo. She truly had no choice. Vex's death - even if you could have accomplished it - would certainly have resulted in an open declaration of war. Perhaps Lauren debased herself somewhat, but considering the alternative…it was the lesser of two evils. She is a good person, Bo, by human standards or our own; I hope you can find it in yourself to forgive her."

"You're a bit late," Bo grinned, "I already have done."

Aoibheann frowned ferociously. "You are, indeed, very like your mother, Bo."

Bo couldn't help but laugh at that.

X

Lauren was still standing outside the doors when Bo finally emerged; she started, as it had been so long - quite a bit longer than she'd expected - that she'd nearly fallen asleep. "Oh - are you okay?"

"Sure, why shouldn't I be?" Bo returned nonchalantly. She glanced back into the study briefly, and then closed the doors firmly.

"Well, knowing you and that temper…" Lauren began reprovingly.

"Meh," Bo dismissed it, "they've changed their minds, sort of. They're not gonna post a shoot-on-sight order, or whatever Fae do; they're letting me play it my way, at least for now."

"That's good."

"By the way," she added ruefully, "you won the bet. I lasted five seconds before one of 'em pissed me off. Just don't say 'I told you so'. And have I got news for you, too -"

"Tell me later," Lauren interrupted. "Let's just leave, huh? I'm always nervous here." She shivered. "I can feel him…"

"'Him'?" Bo queried curiously.

"The Ash," Lauren elaborated. "Please, Bo, let's just go…"

Bo shrugged, and they did.

X

"Your grandmother?"

"Yep. You should've seen their faces when she came out with that one. Hell, you should've seen mine," she added ruefully.

"Ooh, majorly good news in the world of you, Bo!" Kenzi enthused, focusing on the positive as always. "More family! That rocks!"

"Thanks, Kenzi." They clinked their bottles together.

"And a bonus: being an Elder, she's influential family, huh? Friends in high places, hey, that's always a plus!"

"Well, 'friends' I don't know about, Kenzi. But at least Aoibheann's not an enemy; I'll take what I can get," she shrugged, taking a swig from her beer bottle. It felt good going down. She set the bottle on the table and indulged herself in a relaxing sinuous stretch, well aware of Lauren's admiring glance as she did so; mischievously, she exaggerated the motion, overdoing the stretch, and added a satisfied 'mmm' sound. Lauren accepted the good-natured teasing and chuckled.

"Plus, you got 'em off your mom's back for a while, major achievement there," Kenzi continued, clearly wired and pleased for her; Bo couldn't resist a fond smile. "Things are lookin' up!"

"Speaking of looking," Bo said as she saw Hale entering, "let's see about Dyson. Hale! Over here!" He waved and made his way over to them.

"Hey, Bo, Kenz, Lauren," he greeted the three diverse women cheerily, "You good for drinks?"

"Do you mean 'do you have drinks', or 'are you gonna buy me one'?" Kenzi quipped mischievously.

Hale chuckled. "Ain't gettin' anythin' past this girl, huh?"

"Oh, you know it, buddy," Kenzi bubbled, grinning. She and Bo high-fived, and Lauren smiled.

X

"Have you seen him?"

"Seen, no. Heard from, no. Heard about, yeah. I had to head off the local Animal Services 'cause someone saw what they thought was a wild dog, up in the hills. So I guess we know where to start lookin'. All we need now is infra-red tracking gear, a pack of bloodhounds an' about a hundred volunteers, and we might, we just might have a chance of findin' him."

"If he's still there," Bo pointed out worriedly. "Dammit, why hasn't he called me?" She caught herself, chuckled. "And why am I sounding like a lovesick teen? I'm not falling apart just because my boyfriend/lover/chi source/whatever isn't getting in touch."

"The hell you're not," Kenzi demurred, "we gotta find him, Bo. This jittery you've got goin' on is unnerving me, and I have nerves of pure steel, so that is sayin' somethin'."

Bo and Hale exchanged wry glances, but decided to let that one pass.

"Actually, we can cheat a little," Lauren ventured.

They all stared at her curiously. "How?" Bo asked, intrigued.

"The appliance of science," she quipped. "To be more precise," she continued more seriously, "a combination of science and Fae lore." She went on to describe a procedure by which they could track Dyson's unique scent, using a Fae potion in conjunction with a tracking sensor of Lauren's own invention. "The Ash had me develop it, for tracking down shifter Fae. He didn't tell me why he might need it, but it should work." She hesitated. "We'll…need something that bears his scent, Bo."

"Oh. And you think I might have something?" she suggested archly. "Like maybe, oh, I dunno, one of his shirts, so I can be utterly sad and sniff it when he's not around, when I'm missing him," she moaned melodramatically, "to remind me of -"

"Shut up, girlfriend, you're strayin' into major teen angst territory here, and I may just throw up," Kenzi interrupted mock-disgustedly, while trying not to laugh. "Besides," she added, mischievous as ever, "you do have one, don'tcha? That light blue number?"

Bo glared at her. "Traitor!" she groused, not meaning it.

Hale burst out laughing.

"That's not sad, it's sweet," Lauren told her sincerely, kindly, though holding back her own laughter rather better than Kenzi or Hale had. "It's what boyfriends and girlfriends do, Bo; it's nothing to be embarrassed about or ashamed of. I wouldn't be surprised if he has something of yours - a blouse, maybe."

"Or panties," Kenzi chipped in impishly. "There is one pair she hasn't been wearin' recently…"

("Do I want to know how you know that?" Hale inquired quietly.)

"It's a cliché," Bo protested weakly.

("Dude, you're a guy. Of course you wanna know, duh! But I ain't tellin'." She giggled mentally as she imagined what he imagined the explanation was, and as she thought about how disappointed he'd be if he knew how mundane the truth was, i.e. that Kenzi and Bo simply shared laundry duties and so either would know such a thing about the other. It was better to preserve the mystery rather than shatter his male illusions or preconceptions.

I'm such a thoughtful girl, she mused to herself, resisting the urge to burst out laughing.)

"Clichés only become clichés because they're true," Lauren pointed out.

Bo huffed, unconvinced.

X

Back at the clubhouse, that didn't stop her saying quietly to Lauren, "I want that back."

Lauren only smiled gently in understanding. "I only need a small sample, Bo; I can gather it here." She did so. "That should be enough."

She laid the shirt carefully on the bed and made as if to head out; Bo stopped her. "Lauren, I guess I should tell you…they know about the amulet." Lauren paled. "No, no, it's okay; they let us off the hook."

"'Us?'" Lauren gasped, clearly terrified. "They know I helped you? Dear God, Bo -!"

"I didn't tell them," Bo retorted angrily, "Aoibheann already knew! It's not as if it wasn't obvious, you're the only one who could have helped! But it's okay. It's okay," she insisted, cupping Lauren's frightened face in both her hands. "It's okay. They let us off because of the circumstances. They're not gonna hurt you, Lauren, I swear." She smiled grimly. "Besides, d'you think for a minute that I'd just let them hurt you? Not on my watch. No-one hurts my friends and gets away with it."

"Are…are you sure?" Lauren quavered.

Bo kissed her. "I'm sure. Aoibheann does want to talk to you about it, but that's all. I guess she'll just tell you what she told me: don't do it again, or else." She shrugged. "Which is fair enough, yeah?"

Lauren managed a nod. "I…I guess so. God, Bo, don't scare me like that."

Bo gave her an impish sideways look. "Actually…I kinda like seeing you scared." The look transformed into a slow, dirty grin. "It turns me on."

Lauren chuckled, still nervous but recovering her poise. "Is there anything that doesn't? Um, not that I mean that disparagingly," she hastened to add, "I just -"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm a horny bitch," Bo acknowledged offhandedly. "This is not exactly news. Hey, I'm a succubus, goes with the territory. C'mere, sexy…"

Lauren squealed delightedly as Bo grabbed her about the waist and bore her down to the bed, protesting futilely. "Bo - no, I have things to do -"

"What, at this time of night?" Bo replied dismissively. "They can wait. I can't."

"Bo, there's -" Bo kissed her, tongue questing urgently, "- such a thing -" another deep kiss, "- as -" another, "- priorities -"

"Yep. You're mine."

In the end, Lauren surrendered. It wasn't as if she wanted to fight, anyway.

As per usual, she thought resignedly. She always catches me when my resistance is at its lowest…which, if I'm honest with myself, is pretty much all the time! Then again, who'd want to resist Bo? Who could?

She's right; work can wait for once. Hell with it.

God, I love you, Bo.

Then she quit thinking coherently, and gladly surrendered to the ecstasy.

X

Unfortunately, their peace and happiness didn't last long.

A little more than an hour later, as they dozed contentedly - with Bo sleeping off Lauren's chi and Lauren recovering from the sexual onslaught to which Bo had enthusiastically subjected her - there came an abrupt crash from the front door.

Bo was instantly roused, and practically flew across the room to grab her machete without taking even a moment to look for clothes, uncaring that she was entirely naked. As Lauren had said, one had to have priorities.

"Oh, put that damn toothpick away," an imperious voice rang out, annoyed and amused at the same time. "Ooh, isn't this cosy."

On recognising the speaker, Bo's first and only thought was: oh, crap.

Ebony Florette Marquis was the very last person Bo wanted to see.

"I compliment you on your taste, if not your good sense," the Morrigan remarked idly, her eyes flicking to the bed where Lauren still slept, her face peaceful, satiated, and her hair tousled. "You do realise that pretty one's the Ash's little pet?"

"She's no-one's pet," Bo snarled, affronted on Lauren's behalf. She levelled the machete. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"I thought you'd be useful," was the careless reply, "seeing as you're a neutral - you are still neutral, I take it? Or," she chuckled, "should that be 'neutered'?"

That was all Bo would take. She launched herself at the Morrigan, bent on utter mayhem and damn the consequences. But the Morrigan merely raised a hand carelessly and a huge man interposed himself suddenly between them. Bo simply bounced off, bruised; the machete went flying and embedded itself in a wall. She shook her head, dazed, then looked him over and reconsidered the notion of tackling him; he was taller than Dyson and had to weigh half as much again - he was solidly muscled. There was a fine line between courage and damn foolishness, and Bo was well aware of where it lay.

Besides, there was another, equally huge, bruiser behind him. Bo didn't like those odds.

She conceded reluctantly she was outmatched and subsided, but not without giving them a proud, defiant look which told them clearly she wasn't afraid of them in the least despite being unarmed, and entirely naked at that. Doubtless they were used to such bravado, but they did look a little unnerved.

So you should, boys.

"Please," Ebony snorted contemptuously. "I'm all for a dramatic gesture, but at least make sure first you can actually pull it off. Plus," she smirked, "you should try to be a little less predictable now and again. Anyway, I'm not here to harm you - or your…lover, either. Sit down, shut up and listen for once."

Bo shrugged; then she was surprised to see the Morrigan looking her over from head to toe, almost as if she were -

What the hell -? I think she is!

"Are you - checking me out?" Bo demanded, a little indignantly.

Ebony smiled. "Yes, I am indeed. I must admit I quite enjoy seeing naked women in general and succubi in particular - especially," she couldn't resist adding admiringly, "when they're so downright gorgeous. Oh, I'm not a lesbian or bi as such, just," her smile turned lascivious, "appreciative of feminine beauty; but I am here on urgent business, and it is a little distracting. At least put some panties on, or a wrap or something."

Bo, returning the smile pleasantly, did nothing of the sort, standing naked, utterly unashamed, totally at ease and proud. The Morrigan sighed in exasperation. "Stubborn bitch," she carped.

"Guilty as charged," Bo mocked. She wasn't vain, but she did know how good she looked, and liked it that way…especially when it could be useful.

"Don't you ever do as you're told?"

"Depends on who's doing the telling," Bo replied offhandedly, "but generally, no."

"Fine," the Morrigan shrugged, her gaze lingering briefly on the smooth curves of Bo's lush, trim figure (Bo briefly debated tossing her hair back and posing a little, to further irritate the arrogant bitch, but decided against it). "Just listen, then:

"Two days ago, someone walked into a meeting of our Elders and blew them to hell - apparently with human-made explosives. Naturally, we - those of us who survived, that is, and," she cursed, fury in her eyes, "there weren't all that many - assumed the Light Fae were responsible. I was about to call for war - until I learned from one of our spies that the Light Elders were similarly attacked at about the same time. I couldn't decide whether to be amused or intrigued.

"That brings me neatly to why I'm here, and why I'm talking to you: you're a neutral, so they've no reason to think you're acting for me or under duress. I want to meet with the Ash and the others, to discuss -"

"You can't," Bo interrupted, "he was injured. I don't know if he's still alive."

"He was," a faint voice came from the bed, "as of eight hours ago, Bo. Oh, we have gu…oh," Lauren, newly wakened, paled on seeing who the 'guest' was. She drew the bedclothes to herself in fright; though she was mildly amused by this, the Morrigan didn't bother to smirk or snicker. Lauren, being only human, didn't matter to her.

But Bo definitely did.

"- to discuss our apparent mutual enemy," she continued easily. "I'll meet them on neutral territory. Well?"

"Actually, I can tell you about your enemy," Bo informed her. She had the satisfaction of seeing the Morrigan's face jump in surprise. "And what's more, it's your own fault. The Dark Fae, I mean. Your people made her the way she is, and what goes around…"

She derived further satisfaction when the Morrigan actually went pale. "No…" she breathed, knowing in a flash of horrified intuition exactly who Bo was referring to.

"Oh, yeah," Bo informed her with malicious glee, "Aoife. She's ba-ack…and she's my mother, too."

For a long moment, the Morrigan simply held Bo's gaze, visibly fighting for composure. Finally, she murmured, "Well…that changes everything." She shook herself and ordered bluntly, "Inform them immediately. I need to meet with them now."

"I'm not your damn messenger girl, or anyone else's," Bo objected, her dark eyes flashing in anger. "Haven't you idiots learned yet that I don't take orders from anyone?"

"Oh, you'd rather I declared open war?" the Morrigan retorted. "I can do that just as easily. So it seems it's down to you. Decide! Now!" she snapped.

Even Bo, stubborn as she was, knew when to give in gracefully. A phone call was all it took. The respondent - Aiobheann, as it turned out - was not pleased, but entirely unsurprised.

"We will meet with her, Bo; at the glass factory, where you underwent your Test," Aoibheann decided tersely. "Agree to nothing else. And, Bo -"

"Yes?"

"Be careful of her."

That, thought Bo, was very sound advice.

X

The first thing the Morrigan demanded to know was: "When? When did she return? More to the point, why were we not informed?"

"Recently," Aoibheann replied, "and you were not told because we did not know. Only Bo knew of her, but without knowing, then, who she truly was. For reasons of her own, Aoife chose not to reveal her relationship to Bo."

"I see," the Morrigan mused. "All right, I'll accept that. But what was she doing, attacking both sides?"

Aoibheann sighed. "Perhaps you should ask that of the Dark King…and of Trick. Both bear a measure of responsibility for her."

"And her, ah, daughter?" the Morrigan inquired pointedly.

Bo snorted. "Please. All that crap happened centuries before I was even born! I'm only 28!"

"Nonetheless, you are a player in this," Ebony noted. "I might owe you a little apology for underestimating you."

"Ooh, thanks," was Bo's snippy rejoinder. "As to what she wants: she wants to end the divide, that's all - and to watch the world burn."

The Morrigan paled again. "She's insane…"

"Hi, kettle, I'm pot, and you're black," Bo retorted. "She was tortured and abused for centuries! She's hurt, she's damaged, dammit, and she's hitting back the only way she can! What the hell do you expect, huh?"

"You cannot hold me responsible for all of that! I was only a child then - no part of her treatment is my fault," Ebony countered angrily. "Oh, I'll grant you that it's all true - the Dark King of the time always liked to make the most of succubi, especially skilled ones like Aoife, and admittedly he was a filthy perverted degenerate even by our standards! But that was centuries ago, and he's long dead, so it's irrelevant in any case! The question is: what the hell do we do now?"

"I wish I knew," Bo murmured, staring disconsolately at her boots.

"Well, first things first: we want her," the Morrigan stated curtly. "She has a great deal to answer for."

Bo's head jerked up. She growled furiously: "Not on my watch!"

"How dare you!" the Morrigan shouted, outraged at Bo's defiance. "You seriously think that one uppity and," she added contemptuously, "nonaligned succubus can dictate to the Dark Elders?"

"I'll give it a shot!" was Bo's spirited rejoinder. "Whenever you're ready, bitch!"

Aoibheann intervened. "ENOUGH!"

Bo's ears were left ringing; the Morrigan wasn't much better, wincing in pain. Both her bodyguards were on their knees, clutching their heads in agony.

"Damn, Granny," Bo muttered, shaking her head, "I wish you wouldn't do that."

"Ebony, handing Aoife over to you - even assuming we knew where she was or even if she still lives, which we do not - is not an option. The old scores and feuds are long settled -"

"Not as far as we're concerned!"

"- And may I suggest," she continued, with not a little pride, "that you do not underestimate my granddaughter as an opponent. As we have already seen, those who commit such an error generally pay in full…usually in blood."

"Your - ? Bo?" she gaped, indicating Bo incredulously.

Bo nodded, with sarcastic cheer.

"Well, I'll be damned. I thought there was a resemblance."

Bo decided to reserve judgement on the issue of the Morrigan's afterlife status. "You're having her over my dead body. Hasn't she suffered enough?"

"Not," the Morrigan repeated, with quiet, deadly earnest, "as far as we're concerned. You have no idea what you're talking about, child," she informed Bo dismissively, "none whatsoever. The Dark Fae paid dearly for the peace forced upon us - oh, yes, we know about that," Ebony addressed Aoibheann darkly, "and the Blood King will answer for it in due course, I promise you." She turned back to Bo. "The leader Aoife murdered was a progressive man, a forward-looking thinker who had planned to lead us into a new age of enlightenment. Your mother set us back two centuries or more," she accused. "In fact, much of the current instability can be laid at her door."

Bo's gaze whipped to Aoibheann at that, expecting a denial, but to her shock, her grandmother did not dispute it. "I am sorry, Bo, but the Morrigan is, I fear, correct on that point. Your mother's actions had many, most regrettable consequences."

Bo's pride was stung; she reacted as she always did. "All I know is: she's my mother, and she's as much a victim as at fault. If she's alive, I'm gonna find her, and when I do, I'll deal with her. ME! Not the fucking Fae, not either side! Is that clear?"

"I honestly have to wonder," the Morrigan complained, increasingly incensed, "exactly who the hell you think you are!"

"I'm me," Bo retorted. "I generally find that that's enough."

"Well said, Bo," Aoibheann applauded.

"Fine," the Morrigan acceded cynically, "find her if you can. We can always kill her then. And don't think we won't be looking for her ourselves." She gave Bo an evil smile. "So you'd better find dear old Mommy as soon as you can," she taunted Bo, knowing how she would react, "because I will kill her if we find her first."

Bo's entire body stiffened in rage.

"Predictable"? I'll show you "predictable", you arrogant whore! I'll rip your fucking tits off and stuff 'em down your throat!

She strode towards the Morrigan, her intent - mayhem, again - so clearly written on her face a blind man could have read it; a bodyguard made as if to intervene, but this time she was prepared, and dropped low to spin on one foot and scythe his legs out from under him. He fell heavily; before the other could close in, Bo had reached the Morrigan and, to the latter's utter unbelief, seized her one-handed about her throat. She squeezed, hard, the threat in her steel grip explicit. The Morrigan clawed at Bo's fingers, but to no avail.

"Release me!" the Morrigan choked in agony, struggling uselessly. "Don't you dare try to use your powers on ME -!"

Now the second bodyguard moved in rapidly, but received a blow from Bo's heavy yet elegant knee-length boot to his knee as she kicked out savagely without looking, holding her gaze on the Morrigan. The patella snapped with a report like a pistol shot as the boot's steel toecap, propelled with all the considerable force Bo could muster, impacted with it; he howled and went down.

Expensive boots, Bo thought in satisfaction, but they're well worth the money.

"If you do," Bo intoned flatly but with menace, squeezing harder, "I swear to whatever gods you fuckers believe in that I will hunt you down and kill you with my bare hands. There'll be nowhere you can hide, no way that you can stop me." Her voice and eyes turned fiery cold, Dante-esque. "Believe it, bitch."

And the Morrigan did believe it. Somehow, she knew with incredulous dread, Bo would make good on her threat. It was as if she were simply stating what would be.

Staring into the fathomless depths of her dark eyes, brimming over with fury, the Morrigan saw Death looking back at her.

She heard Bo's words…and believed them utterly. For the first time in her life, she was truly afraid.

Then the moment was lost, as the recovering bodyguards heaved Bo away from their mistress and half shoved, half threw her in the direction of the Light Elders. It escaped the attention of no-one present that it required both of them to do so, and not without some effort, at that.

"We are agreed, then?" Aoibheann finally addressed the Dark Elders, to break the uneasy silence. "Neither side is responsible for the assault on the other. Thus we remain at peace…for now."

The Dark Elders nodded. They looked to the Morrigan, who coughed and massaged her throat, bruised where Bo had gripped her. "For now," she managed, with difficulty. "But we'll be watching. Especially you," she snarled furiously at Bo, who glared back, not intimidated in the least. "How dare you manhandle a Morrigan, laying hands on me? No-one has done that without my permission in over four centuries! You'll pay dearly for that!"

"Bring it," Bo snarled in return, making a come-on gesture as she'd seen Morpheus do in The Matrix, and for a moment, it seemed as if the Morrigan was about to do as Bo was suggesting.

"Enough," Aoibheann declared icily, but with a promise of fire. "We are well met. We depart as we came: in peace." She stared at Bo, who was still glaring at the Morrigan as if she expected her to burst into flame and would enjoy the spectacle if she did. "Bo. Come," she insisted, as the Light Elders began filing out and the Dark Elders started to follow suit, exiting on opposite sides of the building. Finally, Bo complied, but she was glaring back all the way.

She was, Aoibheann noted apprehensively, positively daring the Dark Fae to try something…and looking forward to it if they did.

She is so much like Aoife it's frightening, Aoibheann thought, worried. She will bear watching. Oh, Bo…

X

"I fear you have made a powerful enemy there, Bo," Aoibheann lamented, back at the Dal Riata. She sipped gracefully from what looked like a Bailey's Irish Cream, but which Bo was prepared to bet was anything but. Trick still wasn't there, presumably confined to bed as per Lauren's orders.

And there was still no sign of Dyson. She was missing him more than ever.

"Meh," Bo shrugged, "I've never liked her anyway. I still owe her for torturing Dyson," she added darkly, brooding over that brutal night.

"She is not a woman who can be dealt with casually or carelessly, Bo. Nor does she forgive slights," Aoibheann pointed out. "Granted you are formidable yourself, but the Morrigan has great powers of her own at her command - including all the might of the Dark Fae. I must advise you in all solemnity to walk carefully." She stared at Bo. "And remember you have a responsibility to others, to your friends - Kenzi, for example…and Lauren."

Bo reacted to that exactly as Aoibheann expected. "The same applies to them. Anyone who hurts either of them, anyone, will answer to me, and I don't care who they are!"

"That will avail them nothing if they are hurt…or dead," Aoibheann observed softly, and Bo was forced to agree.

At that point, though, Kenzi, Lauren and Hale entered; she shot Aoibheann a 'later for this' look, a little relieved by the distraction.

"Hey, Bo, 'sup?" Kenzi inquired cheerily. Bo and Aoibheann exchanged a look.

"Children of today," Aoibheann sighed, a slight indulgent smile playing on her lips. "This, I misdoubt, is Kenzi."

Bo nodded, smiling. "Kenzi, this is -"

"Oh my God," Kenzi gaped, anticipating. "This has to be your new relative! Well, old new. Old. Whatever." She then surprised everyone by facing Aoibheann and formally bowing slightly. "Well met by moonlight, Aoibheann."

"Well met, Kenzi," Aoibheann replied, pleased, saluting her with her glass. "I take it you have been studying Fae traditions."

"Yes, ma'am," Kenzi affirmed, ignoring Bo's incredulous 'Studying? You?' look with considerable, if un-Kenzi-like, dignity. "'Course, usually we're bonin' up on Fae to figure out how to fight and/or kill 'em," she added wryly, "but we're all friends here, right? Hey, Hale! Where're your manners, huh? Get the lady a drink!"

Hale, too, adopted an air of formality. "Milady's pleasure?" he asked, bowing slightly, respectfully.

Aoibheann chuckled. "Such formality from friends?" she wondered to Bo, with a gentle air of amusement.

"I'm wondering more about the politeness," Bo jibed. "Who are you guys, and what have you done with my friends?"

But she couldn't keep up the straight face, and dissolved into laughter as the recent tension released itself…much to Aoibheann's unspoken relief.

X

When things had settled down a little, Lauren was the first to speak. "Milady…I'm sorry about the amulet, and for -"

Aoibheann waved it aside. "You are forgiven, Lauren, given the circumstances and the urgent need of one of our own. I trust, however," she continued, with an edge in her voice, "that Bo has made clear to you the consequences of any repetition?"

Lauren nodded, a little fearfully. "Very clear, milady," she confirmed.

"Then no more need be said on the matter," Aoibheann announced firmly, and much to Lauren's relief, that was that. "Now, Bo: what news of Dyson?"

"Well, we're gonna go look for him tomorrow morning. Lauren's got a fancy scanner or whatever, tuned to his scent. We'll just have to hope for the best. No-one's seen him since that night."

"Yeah, our boss at the station is startin' to wonder," Hale chipped in. "Can't keep coverin' for him much longer, so we need to find him."

"Well, hey, Bo can handle her, right? Just give the gal a little of the ol' succubus magic, Bo, an' she'll be putty in your hands!"

"Kenzi," Bo sighed, exasperated, "you know damn well I try not to use it like that, not any more. It's…I dunno, cheating or something."

"Hey, needs must, girlfriend," Kenzi shrugged. "What, you want Dyson to lose his job or somethin'? No? Well, there ya go. Hey, it's not as if the lady won't enjoy it, yeah?"

"Bo, there is something I should tell you," Aoibheann announced sombrely, finishing her drink.

"Uh-oh," Bo uttered, concerned. She didn't like the sound of that one bit.

"I gather Dyson petitioned the Norn for her aid?" Hale nodded. "In that event, he will have paid dearly for aiding you, Bo. The Norn's favours are not begged; they are bought…always at a very high price, often higher than the supplicant can bear. She is most fond of granting that which the supplicant most desires…in exchange for that which he treasures the most. It was ever her way," she noted sourly. "But then, she is one of the Ancients."

Bo looked nonplussed at that; to everyone's surprise, it was Kenzi who chipped in: "Yeah, they're the ones with the really, really old, wild magic, out of the earth and growin' things an' all that. She is way older and way more powerful than your run-of-the-mill Fae - I mean we're talkin' Gandalf or Merlin sorta level of magic, y'know? - an' she is totally not to be messed with." She looked across at Aoibheann like a favourite pupil seeking a teacher's praise. "Right?"

"Indeed," Aoibheann answered with amusement and approval.

She could hardly miss the stunned looks Lauren, Bo and Hale threw her way. "What? I spent some time with Trick a little while back, swappin' cocktail recipes an' readin' some of his books. He's got a library you wouldn't believe."

Bo still was unable to shake off her stunned look.

"What?"

X

"I will never get over that," Bo marvelled, shaking her head as they entered the clubhouse at some indeterminate time in the morning; Kenzi and Hale were making a last sweep of the city for Dyson…in between clubbing for all they were worth. "Kenzi. Studying. What is up with that?"

"She's a girl of many talents, Bo…including the talent of surprising her friends," Lauren observed merrily. "She has said more than once that life with a Fae is never boring." She smiled, fondly. "Since meeting you, I entirely agree with her."

Bo chuckled. "Softie," she chided, kidding. She slid both arms around Lauren's neck and pressed her body close to Lauren's, feeling her warmth. Bo gave her a soft, warm kiss, running one hand through Lauren's luxurious blonde hair and stroking the back of her neck with the other. "But I love ya anyway."

"I love you, too, Bo." They kissed again, deeper and longer this time, as Lauren's hands stole about Bo's waist, one moving sensuously down to her firm, trim butt, the other rising to cup an equally firm breast. Bo's breath caught in her throat as they broke the kiss.

"Let's go to bed."

"Let's do that."

They did.

X

The next morning, Bo awoke first. Her first thought was to glance quickly around in case there were any more uninvited and unwelcome guests, but she and Lauren were alone. Even Kenzi wasn't back yet. She wasn't sure how she knew that, but she did.

Lauren…

As always, she dreaded looking.

She'd slept with a human again, and every terrible memory of the last ten years rose up as they always did. She had made a point of remembering each and every person who'd died to feed the hunger and lust she could assuage in no other way, try though she might to resist the compulsion; she felt she owed it to them somehow.

Kyle, her first and still most beloved, the one who'd made her a woman and paid for it with his life; Steven, with that delicious tan and sculpted ass; Chloe, with her soft, so very soft, bright blonde hair (all the way down, to Bo's delight - she'd always liked genuine blondes); Ranjit, a Pakistani student who'd offered to teach her stuff from the Kama Sutra; Sarah and Michael, the softly-spoken Southern couple she'd found herself utterly unable to resist when they'd offered her a night of fun, because they'd both smelled utterly delicious and Sarah had had that luxurious honey-blonde mane going on; Eloise, the athlete, so tall and graceful, such power and energy, who'd so enjoyed rough sex and given Bo a run for her money in terms of stamina - others, too many others...

All dead…I killed them…I didn't mean to, didn't want to, but…

Please…please, not this one…

As always, the fear spiked into her brain, but it was again groundless; she could clearly see the slow, gentle rise and fall of a shapely breast beneath the bedclothes, and the body next to hers was, she belatedly realised, wonderfully warm.

Thank God. I couldn't live with it if I…stop it, Bo, she's alive. She's okay. Trust yourself. Trust what Lauren taught you.

And what Mom taught you…

A deliciously wicked idea stole into her mind at that point.

Unfortunately, Lauren proved not to be ticklish, and Bo's planned revenge was turned back on her.

"That's two-nil!" Lauren cried gleefully. "It serves you right for waking me early! And, while we're at it, for holding up my work last night!"

"I didn't hear you complaining," Bo pointed out tartly, once Lauren had relented.

"Now who's quibbling over details, hmm?"

"I'm just glad you're not dead," Bo told her soberly.

That pulled Lauren up short. She stared at Bo in heartfelt concern, realising the fear she must've been keeping bottled up. "Oh, Bo…I didn't know you were still worried about that…oh, you should have talked to me…" she murmured sympathetically.

Lauren cupped Bo's face in both her hands and gazed at her earnestly. "Bo, listen to me, please. You won't hurt me. I know you won't. I know you'd never want to, and I trust you. You have it under control now; it won't ever happen again, you won't let it happen - not now you know what you are, and what you can do, and why it happened before."

"Yeah, but -"

"Bo. I'm still here, aren't I, and alive and well? I feel good. Better than good - I feel loved. You wouldn't hurt someone you love, never. I know it."

She kissed Bo and, on seeing Bo's still uncertain expression, put every iota of fervent sincerity she could into her voice: "I trust you, because I know I can."

Her love and trust shone from her eyes; Bo was humbled, almost awed by its intensity.

"You've a lot of faith in me," Bo whispered, touched beyond measure.

"Of course," Lauren said simply.

"But - what if - what if I slip, or forget, or -"

"You won't," Lauren insisted. "Bo, anyone can have faith in someone - but it's when there's any reason to doubt that faith proves its value. This is the fifth time we've made love, and I'm still alive. I have no doubts. I never did, even the first time. I trusted you then, and I trust you now."

"But what if you're wrong?" Bo demanded, near tears.

"Then I'm wrong," Lauren answered matter-of-factly, "and I wouldn't want you to blame yourself if it did happen. It's my life, Bo. It's my risk. I choose it. I accept it. Nothing worth having comes without risk; you of all people should know that." Her earnest look melted into one of love. "You are worth it. I love you."

That was more than Bo could stand. "I love you, too," she murmured, and kissed Lauren in turn. "Hey, let's go for number six. And don't even think about mentioning work!"

"I wouldn't dream of it," Lauren laughed, gasping in pleasure as Bo gently tweaked her left nipple.

"You're such a liar," Bo teased.

X

This time, they didn't sleep. Lauren wanted to at first, but she caught a look of worry Bo was trying to conceal and resolved to stay awake. She brushed a stray lock of hair away from Bo's face. "Talk to me, Bo," she invited. "What's wrong? Are you still unsure?"

"Y - Yeah," Bo replied, her voice full of uncertainty, "I'm trying to believe it, but -"

"Would it help if you talked about them?"

"'Them' who?"

"The other people who slept with you…and died," Lauren answered, very softly. "I understand if you'd rather not, but it might help you. Have you ever talked about it, to anyone?"

"No…no, how could I?"

"Well, now you can, Bo. I'm here. I'm listening." She took Bo's hands and squeezed gently, reassuringly. "Please tell me. It might help."

"Don't you have work to be getting back to?" Bo attempted to joke.

"You're more important," Lauren stated assertively. "Please, Bo, talk to me."

Uncertain, but willing to trust Lauren, she did. She was surprised that it gradually got easier to tell the tale, but then Lauren was a great listener and honestly wanted to help her, she knew.

When she came to the end of her account, both were near tears. Lauren stroked Bo's cheek compassionately. "Bo…none of it was your fault. You have to believe that."

"But I slept with them, knowing what would happen -!"

"But not why. You didn't know it was you, not for certain, did you?"

"Well, no, I guess not," Bo reflected.

"You couldn't help it, Bo. As a succubus, you need that energy the way we all need to breathe. You can't live without it - if you tried, you'd starve to death. You, uh, have tried, haven't you?"

"More than once," Bo told her hollowly. "But it just builds up, it hurts more and more. If anything, abstaining makes it worse when I do give in."

"Exactly," Lauren nodded. "I know all those deaths are tragic, but honestly, Bo, you shouldn't feel guilty about them. You didn't know. How could you? To be blunt, if it's anyone's fault, it's your parents', for not raising you as a Fae, or at the very least for not placing you with a Fae rather than a human family. They could and should have trained you in the proper use of your powers. At the very, very least, you should have been told the truth. I remember you mentioning that your parents discouraged you from having sex - but did they ever really tell you why?"

"No. Again, though, how could they? It's not the kinda thing you can really tell a kid, is it?"

"Not unless everyone concerned is Fae, no, not really," Lauren agreed.

"So - if…if I'd been raised among the Fae - I wouldn't have killed anyone?" Bo ventured.

"Well, not necessarily," Lauren admitted, "like any skill it requires practice. But certainly there would have been a lot fewer deaths. The usual method Light Fae families apply is to allow succubi to practice on incubi, and vice versa. Since each party can absorb chi from the other, neither can be drained. No harm done."

"What do Dark Fae families do? Let 'em practice on humans, and who cares if they die, because, hey, they're only human?" Bo asked, half-jokingly. She should have known better, though; Lauren's only reply to that was a sober nod.

"Oh. Damn." She changed the subject slightly, not liking the turn the conversation had taken. "You know, I can't get over the idea of going to bed with someone for practice," Bo managed a small chuckle.

"Why shouldn't you?" Lauren inquired. "Bo, lovemaking is a skill, too. The only part of it which comes naturally is the desire to do it in the first place - everything else is learned. I happen to believe that lovemaking should be included in the high school or college curriculum; that way, people would have a good grounding in the basics by the time they go out into what we laughingly call the real world. Think about it," she insisted mildly, as Bo still looked doubtful, "we teach other life skills in high school - driving, handling money, cooking and the like - why shouldn't we teach the love arts, too? Maybe there'd be fewer divorces. Most marital problems are related to sex."

"Yeah, I have to admit that makes sense," Bo conceded. "Hell, I'd teach that class." Her expression turned lascivious. "Some of those corn-fed co-eds I've seen…mmm. It'd be fun," she mused dreamily. "Of course, being a teacher I'd have to keep it professional."

"Oh, of course," Lauren agreed, deadpan.

"Imagine the study materials."

"Or the homework," Lauren suggested.

"We'd have to have theory and practical lessons."

"That seems fairly obvious."

"There might be oral exams."

"I should say so."

"What about research, and field trips?"

"Well, they'd have to - there are, shall we say, specialised areas of interest, aren't there?"

"Would there be group study?"

"Oh, I imagine so. Teamwork's important."

"You are so making fun of me, aren't you?"

"A little," Lauren admitted. She could no longer hold in the giggles. They collapsed onto each other, howling with laughter.

When they subsided, still chuckling, Bo felt an enormous rush of affection for this wonderful, warm woman who'd trusted her with her life and given her love. She hugged her tightly as if she never wanted to let go. Lauren managed to hold in a wince; Bo didn't know her own strength sometimes, but she was not going to spoil the moment for her by protesting. It hurt, but it felt good, too. She returned the hug as hard as she could, loving the feeling of Bo's superbly toned, powerful body in her arms. Her solidity, her strength, was so reassuring, yet so feminine at the same time. No-one would ever doubt Bo was a woman, the very epitome of girl power without all the nonsense.

"Hey, girls, am I interrupting?" a merry voice sang out.

They broke the hug, to see Kenzi beaming at them.

"Yes," Bo said, a little sourly, "but you don't really care anyway."

"Hey, I care," Kenzi pouted, hurt. Bo didn't believe it for a moment, though. "So, are we goin' wolf-huntin', or what?"

X

But the day came and went with no results.

Several times Lauren detected trace readings, trails and scent marks, but nothing more recent than twelve hours old. They tried sneaking through the forest, then advertising their presence, but neither tactic drew Dyson out.

"Even assumin' he's still here," Kenzi groused.

"Dyson!" Bo called yet again, frustrated. "Dammit, Dyson, get your furry ass out here so I can kick it!"

Hale called from further down the path: "Nothin' down here. Oh, he's been here, yeah, but I dunno where the hell he's at now."

"What's he playing at?" Bo demanded of no-one in particular. "What's going on with him? What the hell did this Norn, or whoever, do to him?"

"Well, apparently she didn't take his Wolf, Bo, we know that much," Lauren noted, spotting a tiny tuft of fur caught on a branch, which she carefully plucked and examined. She scanned it and nodded. "Definitely vulpine - wolf," she elaborated with a slight smile, seeing Bo's frown, "and, from the scent, definitely Dyson."

"So if she didn't take his Wolf," Bo mused, "what the hell did she take?" She stopped still, thinking. Then she had an idea. It was a long shot, but it was all they had left…

She drew a deep breath - and howled.

"Bo, what the hell?" Kenzi protested, clapping her hands to her ears. It was Lauren who realised Bo's intent: she was howling like a wolf.

Clever, she thought admiringly. Realistic, too - that's amazing…

X

More so than she thought; Dyson was in fact much closer than any of them imagined. He heard the call very clearly, knew instantly it was his former mate…and exerted every scrap of discipline he possessed to refrain from obeying the deep-set instinct of his kind. He dared not answer, though the need ached in him.

They would surely find him if he did, and he wasn't ready for that.

His mate howled again, the sound mournful and full of longing. He was briefly lost in admiration for Bo's skill in producing it; had he been human, or even a non-shifter Fae, he would have been certain it was a wolf calling. Had any real wolves been present, they would have been compelled to answer in kind, especially on hearing a she-wolf calling.

But he could not, however much a part of him wanted to.

He would, he knew, have to return to the world eventually. He had responsibilities to it, and in it. He would, too, have to face her. He owed her that much, painful as it would be for them both.

But he could not - not just yet…

X

"Bo, that was amazing," Lauren told her, gazing at Bo in open admiration. "I didn't know you could do that."

Bo shrugged. "Oh, I went to one of the reserves once - you know the ones that are open to tourists? They show you how to do it for a small fee, which goes towards preservation. It's way fun, even if you don't get a response. You never actually see the wolves, but…"

"…it's enough to know they're there," Lauren finished fondly. "I understand. I'd like to try that myself."

"An' if he ain't respondin' to that," Kenzi added, impressed by Bo's vocal abilities, "either he ain't here to hear it…"

"…or he doesn't want to come out. Why, though?"

Kenzi and Lauren glanced at each other. Bo was on the verge of giving up, which was unlike her…but then night was falling, after all. Finding a wolf in the daylight was hard enough; at night, it would be impossible.

They lost the last of the light as the sun set, and with it went Bo's resolve. She sagged in despair, knowing the task was hopeless. They'd never find him now, and it was dangerous to try.

There were more things than a wolf shifter in this forest.

But she couldn't leave, not yet. She had a feeling…

He's close. He's somewhere close. I can feel him.

"Bo," Lauren touched her arm gently, "we have to go. There's nothing more we can do tonight."

"He's here," Bo insisted tiredly, "I know he's here. Don't ask me to explain how I know, I just do…he is here." She whirled suddenly and screamed, "DYSON!"

But the forest remained silent, except for the myriad sounds of the woodland creatures emerging from daytime shelter to forage, mate and hunt. Bo finally conceded it was time to leave them to it, sighed and nodded. "Okay…let's go home."

X

He watched them leaving from the shelter of a thick bush, and was relieved.

They'd come so close -

Suddenly Bo stopped, turned and stared back the way she'd come. Though she didn't register it, her eyes met his. He froze, not daring even to breathe, lest she detect the tiny movement.

She stared, certain she'd seen - something.

He stared back, willing her to give up, to turn away. Not yet, Bo - soon, but not yet.

They held themselves so for an endless time…and then Bo turned back. He heard her distantly saying, "Sorry, I thought I saw something…"

X

"Ice cream is called for here," Kenzi declared, putting a comforting arm around her friend's dispirited shoulders. "We'll hit the Pinot, too, huh?"

"Okay," Bo sighed. "It can't be good for you, though - ice cream and wine?"

"Bo - do you really care right now?" Kenzi asked soberly.

"No, you're right," Bo admitted, hugging her friend. "Let's do it."

X

Two weeks later, Bo and Kenzi received a call from Hale. "Got us a job, ladies. You up for huntin' down a few little Under-Fae?"

They took the job; the rest is history…

The End

Bo will return

In

Up, Up And A-Fae!

Watch this space!