I suppose it seems quite strange describing my life as normal, but that's what it had become. Normal. Birthday's seemed to fly around quicker than I could keep track of, and whilst I tried to piece together the unfortunate reality of what my life had become, sometimes it felt easier just to bask in the shades of inbetween and enjoy watching Kenzi grow up.
Her fourth birthday, Anthony and I decided to go to Disney World - much to her begging and pleading after falling in love with Snow White, Cinderella and every other Disney Princess film. Somewhere deep down I hoped that if we were away on vacation she wouldn't be able to find us - I don't know where I founded that logic but I was truly hopeful, I suppose I just wanted one birthday to myself without her there.
"Lisa I've tried to get out of it but I have got to fly out to Washington for business tomorrow, Mark say's it's non-negotiable. Will you be okay going alone?" Anthony tip-toed around me as I rushed to get ready, "Well I guess I'll have to be." I huffed unapologetically, although part of me looked forward to the prospect of having Kenzi to myself for her birthday.
Anthony put the bags in the car, ready to take us to the airport as I snuck into Kenzi's bedroom, ready to wake her up and surprise her. "Kenzi…" I whispered as I crept around the door, my excitement immediately halted at who was waiting for me on the other side.
"Hello again Lisa, how are you?" she smiled, reclining in the rocking chair that faced Kenzi who slept blissfully unaware.
"How did you get in here?" I asked, perplexed. "What the hell are you doing Bo?"
It had been three years to the day since I saw the woman, after she disappeared that evening I never heard from her again, the hospital said they didn't even have a record of a Dr Dennis on staff. I'd buried it away, labelling it yet another unsolved mystery.
"I've been watching from afar, I didn't want to intrude or take away the time you have left with Kenzi like some other people, but she's in grave danger Lisa." Bo explained, stepping forwards towards me as I closed the door. "What do you mean she's in danger? Who are you Bo?" I asked through gritted teeth. "Why are you and Tamsin so obsessed with my daughter?"
"Tamsin wants to claim her Lisa, when she turns eighteen - Tamsin will force Kenzi into marriage under the pretext of a stupid legend older than Earth. She might seem nice and generous now, sweetening her with presents and feeding her stories about our kind… but she is in grave danger." Bo explained "We're Fae, Lisa. We're the monsters the preacher warned you about in Sunday service. Tamsin is death and destruction. She will turn Kenzi into someone you won't even recognise in the name of Ragnarök, but I can help, I promise you Lisa that's all I want to do - help." she spoke slowly, softly annunciating her words as if she was speaking a foreign language and worried about offending the locals, her hands reached out to grab mine and that familiar feeling of warmth and security caressed my skin and blanketed my mind. "What are you?" I murmured. "Do you see Kenzi without my knowledge?" I asked.
"Bo, the unaligned succubus. It's kind of my thing." she smiled, letting go of my hands as I came back around. "I see Kenzi whenever she wants to see me. She's an amazing little girl." she grinned again.
"No, no you can't be Fae. Anthony can see you, he's spoken with you. No one can see Tamsin." I deduced, confused as I've ever been.
"Tamsin isn't just Fae, Lisa. She's older than time itself, she is the oldest and most powerful of the Valkyrja. She is their Queen. Human's aren't meant to see her, well, not until it's too late to save them." she mused. "What do you and Tamsin want with her then?" I asked, completely perplexed. "Kenzi is a special baby, legends say that one day she will bring peace to every corner of the universe. Legend says the light and dark will unify over the binding of the Wolf and the Doe and I think Tamsin thinks that means they're soulmates." Bo explained.
"There were once legends about me, that I was the chosen one, the one who would cheat death itself, the light brainwashed me... I lead an army in the battle of the Light and Dark, wiping out entire battlefields by sucking their chi and resurrecting Light soldiers from death. We were unstoppable, but I grew darker and more powerful, vowing to spill every drop of Dark blood, man, woman and child. Until the dog betrayed us and switched allegiance, attacked us in the night like a rabid animal. Tamsin refused to grant me passage to Valhalla - Warrior's Paradise, for my crimes against the Dark. Instead I'm cursed to walk the earth until peace is brokered between the sides. I swore to never fight again, for neither Light or Dark. But I will fight to protect Kenzi, I will fight before I see made up stories destroy another innocent." she almost wept.
"What does all of this mean? Why Kenzi? She's just a baby?" I asked, albeit slightly relieved that I was finally getting answers. "I hate to break up this lovely little get together but I do recall telling you to stay away from Kenzi, succubus." I heard the familiar sharp voice cut through the air, before a vision of white hair stepped besides me towards the brunette.
"You think you can just play with people's lives, claim an innocent child's soul in the hopes she's the key to Ragnarok? What if you're wrong Tamsin?" Bo spat, her eyes burning bright blue. "I have no interest in using her as a pawn for Ragnarok, not that it's any of your business Bo. She is more than that, more than you could possibly fathom - the pair of you." she uttered at us both. "You're a monster Tamsin." Bo remarked with disgust.
Tamsin's eyes sunk into that familiar dark and terrifying gaze as she crept her way into Bo's mind, manipulating her conscience. "Do you remember the faces of the people you killed? Do you remember their names?" Tamsin asked, casting perdition. "Please! Don't do this! Please stop!" Bo screamed, gripping the side of her head as I begun to panic.
"Tam-tam stop it! You're hurting her!" I heard a little voice whimper before a flash of dark brown hair shot past me and in between the two women. "Stop it!" she cried loudly, sobbing as she pushed Tamsin's leg as the blonde stood speechless. "Bo is my best friend too! You have to play nicely, remember?" Kenzi prompted her between hiccuped sobs, turning to give the brunette a hug as Bo leaned down to catch her breath. "Are you okay Bo-Bo?" Kenzi cried.
"Hey, hey it's okay Kenz. Me and Tam-Tam were just play fighting, weren't we?" Bo prompted her, I'm certain she mouthed the words 'fuck you' as my daughter pressed her face against the older brunette's shoulder but I was already too paralyzed from shock to admonish her for cussing around the child. "Hey come here Kenz." the blonde gently prodded as she sat down on the bed, causing Kenzi to turn round and face her. "I'm sorry I scared you, me and Bo were just playing, okay?" she smiled, holding out her arms as Kenzi ran and jumped for a hug.
"Oh god." Tamsin whispered, a look of concern crossing her face before she moved her gaze towards me. "Guess what Kenzi wants for her birthday more than anything this year." she uttered with the utmost distress laced in her voice, before flashing a look that could kill back to Bo. "Momma, Bo and Tam-Tam can stay for my birthday right?" she grinned excitedly whilst bouncing around. Maybe it was irresponsible or crazy of me, but seeing as Tamsin gave Kenzi everything she wanted on her birthday I felt like it was almost my opportunity to get back at her slightly, seeing the grimace across her face made it so worth it. "Yes, of course they can Kenzi." I beamed, shooting a look at Tamsin that screamed 'fuck you'.
"You have no idea Lisa, that isn't what she wants more than anything." Tamsin tried to mumble discretely as Kenzi bounced over to Bo to show her the new teddy bear she'd won at the fair with Anthony. "What is it then?" I asked, perplexed "I have blonde hair, Bo has dark hair, she wants us to dress up as Cinderella and Snow White with her." Tamsin grimaced, like she'd just bitten a sour lime.
"Even better." I said through my sweetest smile.
After telling Kenzi we were on our way to Disney World in an hour she screamed with excitement, jumping up and down. I thought she'd nearly cry with joy when she saw her Disney Princess outfit we bought her for her big trip. "I'm going to be a princess just like Tam-Tam and Bo!" she beamed as I took her to the bathroom to get changed.
"What was that?" Bo asked as Kenzi put her hand in mine, "You heard the lady." I told her, pointing down to the tiny four year old. "Woah-woah-woah, I don't do dress up." she said, placing her hands up defensively. "Yeah? Tell that to Tamsin." I gave her my best shit eating grin as I lead Kenzi out of the room.
"Tamsin I don't care what you say, I'm not wearing a Snow White dress!" Bo grimaced as Tamsin fixed her hair into a Cinderella updo. "Do you think I fuckin' want to parade around looking like this? I'm the Angel of Death for christ sake' - this wasn't on my todo list for today!" she fired back, fighting with the pins in the back of her hair. "You can't make me do it." Bo replied, crossing her arms as she leant back into the chair and smirked.
"Oh really? Do you want to wager that?" Tamsin smirked back, turning around, she touched Bo's jacket sleeve, causing the outfit to morph and change into the familiar yellow and blue Disney Princess dress. "I told you to stay away from Kenzi, you want to ignore me? Fine. Just don't whine when you have to pay the consequences." she scowled, waving her hands across her body and causing a long light blue Cinderella frock to replace her leather jacket and jeans. "You look like an asshole." Bo commented.
"You are an asshole." Tamsin fired back, flipping her the middle finger underneath her mid-arm length Cinderella gloves. "As soon as we get back to Dark ground, I'm going to fucking beat you to death with this slipper" she said, pointing to the matching shoes she placed on her feet. "but until then, fix your hair will you? You look like Snow White the Succuslut, all you need is seven dwarves in bondage." she huffed, turning around to put the finishing touches on her make-up.
"Nobody can see you! Humans can see me! You expect me to walk around like this?" Bo asked incredulously, "I can hide you under the Valkyrja shield until we get to Disney World. I'm not doing it for your benefit, I just don't want Kenzi to see Snow White get tasered in an airport and put on a 'No Fly' list on her birthday."
Tamsin finished explaining as the door opened and Kenzi ran in to show off her lemon coloured dress, her hair scraped into a bun as she danced around. "You two look so pretty." she grinned as Bo and Tamsin stood awkwardly in flowing Disney Princess outfits. "You're the prettiest princess though Kenz." Bo smiled, high-fiving the small child. "Although, there's something missing, all princesses need a tiara, don't you think Bo?" Tamsin asked with faux enthusiasm, her arms crossed as her face remained stoic behind the fancy dress costume, before handing Kenzi a box with a beautiful crafted tiara inside. "Momma look, I'm a real life Queen just like Tamsin!" Kenzi grinned as she haphazardly placed the tiara on her head. "You thought it more sensible to tell a four year old about all yourself than you did me?" I asked Tamsin quietly as she fixed the blue band on top of her hair and threw me yet another disinterested look. "You never asked if I was a princess, Kenzi did." she answered like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
Whilst I didn't get to go to Disney World alone with Kenzi that year, I suppose it was the first year I truly realised that Kenzi had adults in her life other than myself and Anthony who cared about her wellbeing more than anything else in the world. Although as far as Kenzi were concerned they were just her best friends.
The following years all seemed to blur into one, with nothing of particular interest in comparison to the birthdays that had came before. Her fifth birthday she got a bicycle, her sixth birthday a skateboard with her name across the bottom which she adored, her seventh she got a trip to the zoo which she adamantly persisted that Tamsin would accompany with us because 'she loves animals too.' the eighth year I was surprised to find a black belt Judo instructor at my door, insistent that he'd been paid to give Kenzi private tuition after she confided in her 'friend' that she was being bullied at school. It was her ninth birthday that shocked me the most I think, her ninth birthday was a real doozy.
