Bo, Lauren and Dyson entered the club. It was still early in the night, so the place was far from packed. The building hadn't have change at all, the rooms were as always dark and the music far from what they all liked. Also, the lights played effects in their eyes that confused the wolf and gave a headache to the females.
Walking with a purpose the little party of three went directly to where the bar area was. Behind the counter there was a very good looking girl, if Bo wasn't so concerned with Kenzi, and already in a relationship, she would have jumped her bones. But there was no time for it, there were there for a reason after all.
"Hi!" the girl's voice was sweet and happy, contrasting heavily with the dark gloom of the place. "What may I serve you?" She ended her sentence with a cute little smile.
"We are looking for your boss." Dyson came forward and said without preamble, swiftly invading the girl's space. He smelt the Fae in the girl and let loose a little of his inner animal, showing his canine and growling a bit.
"Ah…" the girl step back, putting a safe distance between herself and the wolf the other side of the counter. "Master Vex is not in town." She forced the smile this time. Those three made her feel uncomfortable.
Bo flanked Dyson, and leaned over the counter to face the girl directly. "Really? I know he did something to a friend of mine and I know he has to be around for that!" Bo's eyes flashed bright blue, silently daring the girl to say otherwise.
The bartender blinked at the display. She shifted her gaze from Dyson's yellow eyes to the succubus' blue ones for a couple of times. Then, she looked past those two to the blonde and smiled. "You are BoBolicious, the D-man and Dr. Hotpants!" She exclaimed almost excited. "I've been dying to meet you, guys!"
Dyson and Bo's eyes turned their natural color as they looked at the girl like the lost soul they thought she was. Lauren, instead, sat at a barstool and regarded the girl with pensive eyes. "What are you talking about?"
The girl the smiled the biggest smile all of them had ever seen. Lauren almost wondered if it was possible for someone to smile that wide. "Meow Meow told me everything about you three! You are her family!"
Dyson tilted his head and asked what Lauren was thinking. "Meow Meow?"
Bo, on the other hand sat next to Lauren and frowned at the chipper girl. "Do you know Kenzi?"
"If Kenzi is Meow Meow, then, hell yeah!" The girl reached down the counter and grabbed three cold beers and passed them along. "She said this brand is you favorite."
And she was right. The beer was the one Bo liked best. She stared at the girl while Dyson finally sat on the other side of her. "How do you know her?"
"Master Vex brought her here some weeks ago." She smiled at the memory. "He said the girl could drink anything she wanted and not to bother her with money. He also said every Fae in here was responsible of her and if anything bad happened, it was our neck on the line." The smile died a little, but the fondness was still there. "Everybody knew not to bother her, but she and I hit off right away. She never did tell us her name, thought, something about keeping her profile low, she also didn't tell us your names, but now I can see why."
Dyson took a sip of beer. It was good, really good. "What do you mean?"
The girl smiled. "She told me she didn't want to attract attention to you three. This is mostly dark Fae territory, if some of the people around here had known Meow Meow was friend with the unaligned succubus, the light Fae detective, and the Ash's doctor, problems would have started. Most dark Fae resent the Light was more eager to face the Garuda than them. Most could probably follow Meow Meow just to try and kill one of you, in a very bad attempt to restore some of their pride."
Lauren nodded. It somehow made sense. "Did you say Kenzi is protected by Vex?" She asked after a second.
The girl nodded. "Yeah."
"I don't understand. Vex and she had a fight not too long ago, he was pissed at her, he even tried to kill her!" Bo gulped down half her beer, she really needed the alcohol.
"They didn't fight." The girl told them with her head tilted. "She did something stupid and Master Vex laughed it off."
The succubus frowned. "But… I was there when he was trying to bend her into a ball!"
"Ah, yeah, about that…" A deep accented voice said from behind. The trio turned to see Vex entering the club in his usual flamboyant fashion. "I did was angry at her for a while. Let's just say she is too cute to stay mad at."
"Master Vex!" the girl exclaimed. "We weren't expecting you until next week!"
"London was too boring; I needed the excitement only this city can give me." Vex dismissed the girl with a hand. "Now go and serve some clients."
"Yes Master." And with that the girl left, leaving the three friends with a happy Vex in front.
"What have you done to Kenzi?" Bo accused. She didn't believe for a minute that Vex didn't have hard feeling towards her little sister. She had been there after all.
The Mesmer blinked. He'd thought his Kitten had already told Bo he had been off to fix several problems his clubs over the pond had been having. "I went to London to work on some of my clubs."
"Liar. Tell us what you did to us!" Bo got up and nearly snarled at the owner of the club. "You did something and it hurt Kenzi."
Vex frowned. After the incident with the Morrigan he had talked to the little human and they had parted on good terms. He had to leave for a while after that, but he hadn't been mean to the girl, nor did he wish to be the reason his little human was hurt. "What are you talking about? I haven't seen Kenzi in several weeks."
Dyson also got up. "Tell us the truth, what have you done?"
"I've told you. I haven't seen Kenzi in a while, and I didn't harm her in any way." He looked at the succubus hard. "On the other hand, what have you done?" Bo instantly grew silent and averted his gaze. The Mesmer's eyes widened. "What did you do?" He was truly amazed the woman could in any way or form harm what was considered to be her little sister. Nobody messed with Kenzi if Bo had anything to say, he knew his power was huge, but it was nothing compared to the angry succubus that surfaced every time the human was in danger.
"A mistake." It was Lauren who answered him. "She ran away and we believe Bo's actions are Fae related. Up until now the only Fae that Kenzi had have a problem with was you." She put her arms around the sadden brunette. "Maybe you could help us." Lauren had seen what kind of relationship the Mesmer and Kenzi had. It wasn't romantic, or brotherly, but it certainly was deep. Something made those two connected in a different level, a level Bo could never achieve because it was so different to what the two sisters had. She firmly believed the club owner could not have hurt Kenzi, but maybe he did have some information they didn't.
Vex looked at the trio and could feel the desperation they were living. "She was mostly fine when I left."
"What do you mean mostly?" Dyson also thought it was hard for the Mesmer to do something against the human; he had also seen the bond they shared, after all.
Vex's eyes were firmly set on Bo's face. The brunette wouldn't look at him, but she certainly could feel his stare. "She was sad and tired. She felt like something was pulling her away from you. She was also scared that somehow her days living with you would end soon. She had nightmares." At this, Bo lifted her face and looked at him in surprise. He opened his arms wide, motioning the room they were in. "I brought her here, trying to make her forget about any monster that clouded her sleep, but she wouldn't drink, she wouldn't dance, and when questioned, she would simply shut off and leave." His eyes were sad, and it scared the trio. "After a while we stopped asking, so she'd spent the evenings and nights here, talking to Georgia or simply staring at the dance floor."
"Why didn't you say anything?" Lauren asked softly.
Vex shrugged, but it was also sad. "She is very private and I know she won't revive her nightmares awake. She was troubled, but she was making an effort to be happy for us. For you." This last part was specially delivered to the succubus. "Her arm bothered her some, and she hadn't been eating much, but physically speaking she was sound."
The four of them then expended the next seconds trying to come with something that could lift the tension talking about Kenzi's problem caused. Bo was mortified Kenzi was suffering alone, without her by her side, but she was conscious enough to know that if Kenzi had gone to her to talk she would have probably brush her off. Dyson was trying really hard to not believe the Mesmer, but there was nothing that made his statement untrue. And Vex's mind was set on not lashing out on those stupid three that had made it possible to the little human to be hurt, he also couldn't believe the girl left the only home she had have for years.
"Wait." Lauren spoke up. "Did you say Kenzi's arm was hurting?"
"Yeah." Vex said, perplexed the little human hadn't told them. "She hurt herself sometime before the Garuda."
Bo looked at Lauren, then at Dyson. "Why didn't she tell us?"
The doctor didn't reply; she knew Kenzi wouldn't tell even if she was dying. The younger human was deeply afraid of doctors and she was also sure Bo would force her to see one, going so far as to carry a kicking Kenzi over her shoulder into the compound's lab. She'd done it before, when Kenzi had been injured while carelessly throwing knives at their practice target.
On the other hand, Dyson grow pale after a second and had to sit down. The shifter also started trembling and the other three looked at him scared. "She didn't tell us-" his mouth grew dry and had to lick his lips to continue. "She didn't tell us because it was the Norn." He looked directly onto Bo's eyes. "She attacked the Norn and she, in return, attacked her."
"What do you mean attacked the Norn?" A perplexed Mesmer asked. They knew Kenzi got back the wolf's love, but none of the, really knew how she did it.
"She came to my house carrying a chainsaw and this little purple bottle. She told me she had just visited the Norn."
Lauren nodded slowly, understanding almost instantly the problem they were in. "There is no way the Norn should have let one of her payments back once it was traded for something else…"
"… only cutting down her tree would made her panic enough to give Dyson's love back." Vex finished her thought.
Bo closed her eyes, a pained expression on her face. "Oh, Kenzi, what have you done?"
XxXxX
The warm rays of the sun shone on her face, slightly warming her frozen cheeks and nose. The hard feel of wood pressed on her cheek and the slight breeze made her shiver.
Kenzi opened her eyes to a bright room, long forgotten room. She blinked slowly and looked around. She was in a bright pink room, filled with plush toys and dolls, the closet's doors were open, just like she liked them, and they revealed rows and rows of princess dresses and low heeled shoes.
She recognized the room immediately. She rose with a start and really looked around herself. Her worst fear was confirmed. She was dressed in a fluffy pink camisole and the pale pink sheets pooled around her waist. The Disney's Princess comforter was on the ground, just like so many nights it had been. Next to her was her lovely Octi, a little hatted purple octopus that had been with her since birth; it was the last gift her father had given her.
Everything was smaller than she remembered; the desk in the corner wouldn't have fit her at all. So, when she pulled the cover from over her and got out of the bed, she was not surprised to see that her feet reached the ground easily. The last time she had been in that room she had needed to use a little step to climb out or in the bed.
Standing up she looked at the around again. It was strange to feel the deep carpet caressing her toes again; it was strange yet so familiar how the bright light played funny shadows of her toys. It was also kind of comforting, everything in that room had been long lost or outgrow.
She started walking to the closet, trying to remember every dress she ever had, but a too familiar noise stopped her. There were steps, heavy steps, coming faintly from the door. The steps got louder as the seconds passed, making it sure whoever was walking down the long corridor was to be soon at her door.
She faced to the door almost as the doorknob started to turn, and as the door opened she couldn't but scream in pure fear.
XxXxX
Kenzi's eyes snapped open with a gasp. The pink walls were gone and it their place the bright sun greeted her. Instead of the confortable bed she had been resting on the hardness of the grave yard's bench made itself known. She had her borrowed jacket thrown over herself, but even so she was shivering.
Once again she was soaked to the bone in her own sweat, the remains of her nightmare. Her legs ached and her arm was burning hotter than never. She could feel once again the warmness between her legs, but the pain from before was now a dull ache, giving her little comfort.
'What a big girl are you.' This time the person talking to her was a relatively young man, yet older than her, his head was shaved in a blond Mohawk, his black leather jacket shone in the midmorning light. His voice was soft, warm, and although the comment was meant like a jab, some worry leaked through his words. 'Wetting yourself and smelling like those drunken homeless you were so disgusted about. Wonder what Bo would tell if she saw you like this.'
"She'd probably been too disgusted to even come close." She whispered to herself as she sat on the bench, just before scrunching her nose.
She knew she was a mess, a smelly mess. She had no doubt any person would be more than disgusted, but in a way she didn't care. She was uncomfortable, true, but she was also too tired to really do anything about it. She wasn't going to steal anything anytime soon; she couldn't do it without being caught. Besides, really going too far was just something she just couldn't even put her mind into.
Maybe the Bo she loved would just tell her she stunk and maybe force her to take a shower. But that was before this whole mess began, before, when Bo still loved her and cared for her. When she was sure she could do almost anything and the succubus would laugh it off.
'Are you sure she's even accepted you? If she knew the truth, would she have taken care of you?' The man sat with her, his translucent body floating easily in the wood. His voice was filled with remorse and a touch of empathy, almost pained. 'You do have some things lying around here, just in case.' He said as if trying to apologize for even saying those things about Bo.
"It's the most helpful thing you'd ever say." She commented to him. She wouldn't dwell on her companion's first comment, but she, indeed, had some things lying around. Running away from home since she was little showed her that some things were necessary to have if you frequented a place enough, such as this particular grave yard.
After escaping for good she hadn't spent so much time in this city, but she always came back to visit her deceased ones, and whenever she was in town this was the place she'd spent her nights in and where she'd always leave a change of clothes and some fake ID's, just in case.
'You sure you are ready to move?' He asked as he stood up, facing her. If she wanted her things she needed to go to the Crypt, just up to the very far end of the grave yard.
Testing she started to get up; she made it all the way to her feet only to start swaying. The man quickly tried to catch her, but her lithe body went through his fingers. Losing her balance she landed solidly on her ass, making the ache between her legs intensify.
"Maybe I'll give it some more minutes." She answered promptly.
XxXxX
The front door was kicked open. After the human's visit it had been replaced and reinforced with several bolt locks, but it didn't put on a resistance to the combined force of an angry shifter and a pissed succubus. The old woman within got up from her confortable couch in front the television, an shocked expression on her face that soon turned to disgust at seeing the three figure on the door.
"Well, well, the wolf came back. And you are followed with your succubus and her whore." The old hag's voice was filled with disdain. "What favor are you seeking now?"
"We came for no favor." Said Bo, her eyes were bright blue at the Norn's obvious insult for Lauren. "We want to know what you did to Kenzi."
"Kenzi?" The old woman feigned memory lost. "I know no Fae with that name."
Dyson growled, his canines and yellow eyes easily showing for the older witch. "You know her well enough. A little human so powerful you had to give her what she wanted." He scoffed a laugh. "Not even the powerful Norn could say no to her. A mere human."
"There is no power in attacking and old woman in her house and threating her life and power with a saw!"
The trio didn't react at that. They were hoping Vex was wrong and the saw was just for show. Apparently Kenzi needed to be told what kind of behavior was acceptable of a crazy human and what behavior was simply suicidal. Bo was certain when all was said and done that she and Kenzi would sit and have a long, nice chat about self-preserving and carefulness.
"But even so, she was able to make you do as she wished, did she not?" Lauren said form her position behind the succubus. It was made clear to her earlier that while they were at that old woman's house she was to be behind Bo or Dyson, and she was to remain as unseen and quiet as possible. It did not matter to her; she wanted answers, just like her two companions did.
The Norn snarled. Being told off by one human was enough for a life time. Being told of by two in less than a couple of moths was just too much. "What do you want?" The faster they leave, the faster she can pretend they didn't exist.
"What did you do to Kenzi?" Bo repeated. Her tone was sharp and angry, ready to kill the old hag if she kept playing around.
"I gave her the wolf's love back." She smiled sickly.
"That's not true." Dyson say. "You did something to her, and now she is gone."
The sick smile grew. "I merely gave her a well-earned gift."
It was hard to really know what happened next if someone asked Lauren. The sudden rush of air and the blur of black was the only thing her human mind registered before watching the Norn fly towards the wall. Bo was next to her as soon as she hit the ground and was ready to strike again if Dyson hadn't reacted first and in a spilt of second had hold the angered succubus back, trying to avoid more damage to the old Fae.
"Bo," he said. "Calm down!"
"Not until she tell us what she gave to Kenzi!"
"Calm down before you make things worst!"
"Hear the wolf," the Norn said from her place on the floor. "I could easily make your life miserable."
The succubus snarled. "You already have!" Bo's eyes started shining an electric blue. "My little sister is gone and it's all your fault!"
The old Fae's eyes widened. "You consider that scum to be your kin?"
"She is my family, and I want answers!" Bo was sure the surprise behind the Norn's eyes shouldn't have bothered her, but it really had. Why is that no Fae, save for sometimes Dyson and Hale, really understood her relationship with the raven haired girl.
The Norn looked at her, her smile appeared again, just like the crazy bitch everyone thought she was. "Phobos' Dream." It was all she said before crackling with laugher.
"What?" Lauren and Bo asked at the same time.
"The stupid human," the Norn said in a high pitched voice. "Broke a bottle of Phobos' Dream and got splashed with it!"
"What the hell is Phobos' Dream?" Bo demanded of the crazy hag that only started laughing harder. She looked at her companions, silently asking if any of them knew what the Norn had been talking about.
Lauren shook her head, even after reading and studying Fae history and biology for more than five years she was still too green to know what the oldest Fae was talking about. "I don't know."
Dyson, instead of talking simply grabbed the useless Norn from the floor by the front of her tunic. "Tell us what that means." The oldest Fae just continued laughing, so the wolf shook her rather hard. "Tell us."
"Fears! Lots and lots of fears!" The old woman crackled, the force of her laughter literally making it impossible for Dyson to hold her, his grip losing by the second. "Lots and lots of them!" With an almost soundless thud the old woman hit the ground to only keep laughing like a mad woman.
Bo and Dyson shared a look. There was something strange about that laugh; it was almost as if the old woman had finally lost her last marble. Bo was afraid that was the only clue they needed to really know exactly what kind of mess her little human was in.
Lauren subtly made her way to where the other two stood watching the Norn, placing a gentle hand on her lover's arm. "Maybe we should ask questions in another place." Her deep eyes connected with Bo brown's own.
She didn't need to tell it, it was implicit in her tone, in her eyes. Bo understood quickly and had to close her eyes. "Trick."
XxXxX
Who will be there for you,
Comfort and care for you,
Learn to be lonely,
Learn to be your one companion.
Never dreamed out in the world,
There are arms to hold you,
You've always known your heart was on its own.
Learn to be lonely,
Life can be lived, life can be loved alone.
Learn to be Lonely (The Phantom of the Opera, 2004)
