Lauren fully expected to see Hale on the other side of the door. All she saw was the same man she struggled to see in Crystal's rear view mirror. She was lead away to another room. Make your cure for our Elder here doctor. Remember if you fail Crystal will still die.
She was given more blood and several microscopes to work from. She spent the next hours going over more blood work and possible solutions.
Seeing that she had stopped working, her captors yelled for her to focus. She wanted to see the patient but was told she would only be allowed to provide the cure, once the patient was given the cure and showed improvement then the Dr and Crystal, if she lived long enough depending on how quickly Lauren and the treatment worked, would live.
"Treating an idiot that didn't know well enough not to feed off of his own family, probably going mad Fae too", Lauren shook her head in disbelief. But the doctor in her had to do her best to try and save them whomever they were. After several hours passed, she was able to create several serums and was instructed to place the vials in the wall panels.
"Sit tight Dr", we'll get back to you.
Unbeknownst to Lauren her patient was someone related to Bo.
It was Aife.
Trick had stabbed her deeply during their struggle that she fed off of him in desperation and anger. He had Aife watched for days and she became ill.
He knew Lauren was a brilliant doctor and had Dyson tell him where she was. He didn't tell Dyson why he wanted to know. He just made it seem like he was interested for her protection.
Lauren was returned to the same room as Crystal and they waited all night before they heard anything.
"We're going to be fine Crystal, I gave them a lot of vials. It will work".
Crystal just shook her head and faced the wall again.
Two days later, Trick was seen talking to someone in a limousine.
"She is doing better, thank you for your help. Bo can never know about this, neither can Lauren. Now let the Dr. go".
"Yes Fitzpatrick, I have helped you and will stick to the terms of our agreement. Don't forget, I can always tell the succubus times two". said the Morrigan.
When Trick was out of ear shot, a smiling Morrigan said "Now I have my biggest weapon to use against the succubus. Dr. Lewis will come in handy".
Crystal was still struggling with her handcuffs. Lauren checked her wrist and noticed she had indeed developed a nickel allergy. Lauren was furious. She had thought helping the elder would make them lenient enough to remove Crystal's cuffs after she had been dragged away to find a cure.
She yelled for help but didn't get a response. An hour passed and she yelled again.
"You idiots Crystal has developed a nickel allergy. I demand you help her right now".
"Dr. Dr. Dr".
"We will get her all the help she needs, but you must come with us".
Lauren heard the voice and was shocked to hear the Morrigan's voice. "That can't be the Morrigan", she mumbled.
The door opened again and she knew it was true.
She stood up "You. What do you want?
"I just want you to come with me".
"What about Crystal?
"I will help the human, now come with me".
"I don't want to leave Crystal".
"If you don't come with me I will leave her here for days, to die".
Lauren finally went along. She was sickened to her stomach. Just another kick in the gut from the Fae. To make matters worse this time it was the Dark Fae. Crystal cried as Lauren was led out, she took one look back at Crystal before she stepped outside of the door.
The Morrigan led her away and into her limo. She went over the conditions on which she would help Crystal:
Lauren was never to try and contact the Light Fae or Bo. If so, Crystal would instantly die.
Evony would provide her with a room, food, clothes and access to the Dark Fae labs.
She wouldn't be allowed to go anywhere alone. Someone could spot her and report back to Bo.
Lauren would also need to treat the Dark Fae if any were injured.
"Basically you will be my girl toy until I am finally able to get the succubus to turn Dark or kill her".
Lauren was devastated. After all she had gone through. She was somewhat free from the Light Fae only to be captured by the Dark. She knew none of them would come looking for her. Bo was still unaligned to her knowledge and would be in serious danger if she even attempted to rescue her. All that was missing was a dog collar.
She missed Bo more than anything. But she would never risk putting Bo in danger. For now the Morrigan had all the power. A new slave, at least in Lauren's mind.
Lauren knew she was brilliant, she just had to come up with a way to get Crystal set free or get them both released.
Weeks later the Morrigan mocked her telling her about the Una Mens looking for her. Lauren knew how powerful they were and this was a bigger threat to her and those she loved more than the Morrigan was.
Lauren had no way to confirm that threat.
"Why would they suddenly be after me? she asked.
"Vex honey, he gave you up to save his ass".
Lauren knew Vex was dark and had no reason or morality to not turn on her. Lauren wanted to scream but she wouldn't give the Morrigan the satisfaction of seeing her squirm.
"I will protect you Dr., as long as you hold true to the conditions of our agreement. You set one foot anywhere out of my compound and you are as good as dead and so is your precious Bo".
Lauren was dragged around and forced to participate in the Morrigan's exploits daily. Her nights were spent worrying about Bo. She thought back to when Hale told her if the Dark got their hands on her, they'd kill her.
This was much worse. Forced to work for a woman that only wanted her to use against Bo. Lauren had thought Taft would be the beginning towards her freedom. She simply walked from one prison into another. The ever present curious doctor still wondered who the patient was and what was being done with her serum. The Morrigan wouldn't ever tell her. Was she the mastermind behind her kidnapping?
She couldn't ask Crystal, she had no idea where she was being held now. She thought about Crystal's confession about their one night stand. Had she listened maybe she would have a lot more answers than she had now, which was all but nothing. Could she write a note to Crystal? No. They would likely tear it up or read it. The doctor had nothing. Nothing but her four walls and a tired mind racing for answers.
Lauren had to find a way to get out from under the Morrigan's thumb or at least find a way to manipulate the situations to her advantage. She still held Crystal's safety as a priority. The Fae always held a woman over her head. First Nadia. now Crystal. She loved Nadia but cared for Crystal as someone that got caught up with the wrong people like Lauren did in the Congo.
"Damn it, not again", she mumbled bowing her head.
A month later Lauren was told that she would be allowed to see Crystal for a few minutes. Lauren knew she had to talk quick because a few minutes to the Fae wasn't much at all. Crystal was dragged in. Still wearing the same clothes as the last time Lauren saw her. She wanted to run to Lauren but couldn't because she was handcuffed and shackled.
Lauren was relieved to see she was still alive but had lost significant weight. Lauren wanted answers and Crystal was willing to provide them. When Crystal started to talk she was almost beaming when she talked about her singing career. Then as she started to get to part that led them to this, the Morrigan appeared 'That is long enough". Lauren watched Crystal being led out to a waiting limo. Once the driver and Crystal were inside, the limo exploded. Lauren screamed in horror. Let me go please but her pleas fell on deaf ears.
"She was about to give away everything, what's another loss of human life to me?
"Not much at all Dr., so you best remember that".
When the Morrigan left, Lauren just collapsed. She was done. There was nothing she could do. Maybe had she not fled the Light Fae, Crystal wouldn't have been blackmailed and subsequently killed in front of her. The Morrigan had nothing else to hold over her head but the Una Mens threats and her whereabouts. She knew she needed Bo. She wanted Bo. Bo was her single light in the darkened Fae world. Lauren wasn't one to cry but it's all she could do at the moment.
What was a brilliant doctor to do? There had to be a way to get some breathing room and or better sleeping quarters. Her room was very cheap and bland. Could she surface as Karen Beattie and take her chances with the authorities? That would be one way to call the Morrigan's bluff. But deep down Lauren knew the Morrigan didn't bluff.
Months has passed and Lauren noticed that the Morrigan would often take overnight trips but only on the weekends. She wondered why. She waited until the next weekend had come and told one of the guards that the Morrigan had some life or death lab results of Lauren's in her office. She convinced one of them to let her in. When he turned his back and opened the door, Lauren injected him with knockout gas. She managed to drag him in and locked the door behind them. If anyone came by they would assume the door was clocked because the Morrigan was out of town. She hacked into her computer and what she found rocked her world.
The first Ash was still alive but he was in a coma at another Dark Fae facility. From the doctor's notes listed in the file there was a way to wake him up. But they had not found the solution yet. From what Lachlan had told Lauren about Nadia, she didn't care if the bastard ever woke up but this did give her ammunition against the Morrigan. She printed out copies of what she saw and stuffed it in her lab coat. She woke up the guard with another injection and told him she found what she was looking for and was ready to go back to her room.
She spent the rest of the night trying to decide how she would proceed with this bombshell. The Light Fae would be furious that the Dark was holding one of their own, especially the Ash. All Lauren could think was "You bastard, who's life is in who's hands now? She managed a small smile and went to bed.
TBC