Chapter Four

Bo put her head down on the bar and closed her eyes. It had been a long two weeks in trying to get the Elders to see things her way and not try to go back to the old ways. Not only that but she also was trying to find a good job and it hadn't been easy. She was seriously considering simply continuing semi-legal PI work.

Instead, she had been talking with Elders and had quickly realized that the older most Fae became, the more self-entitled they were. Every time she talked with one of them they talked down to her, something she found strange since they who she was the daughter of Hades and the granddaughter of the Blood King. After a couple encounters, she figured out they simply didn't care.

It made her want to show a little strength but she had promised Lauren she would use her words. They wanted the Elders to work with them and punching them senseless wouldn't help their cause.

"Not having a good day?"

Bo lifted her head from the bar to see Dyson smirking at her. He had reopened the Dal a week ago and she thought that he was getting into the role of bartender a little too well. "Unless you have a strong drink for me you can shove off."

Dyson put a beer in front of her. "No one was every cooperative, were they?"

"That would be a big no," Bo said before taking a sip. "You know, a few shots wouldn't hurt either."

"Don't you have to go over to the clinic later?"

That was something he could have only known if he had talked to Lauren earlier in the day, making Bo raise an eyebrow at the comment. "You were talking with Lauren today?"

"I was thinking about how the Elders would be more willing to see our side if we had something to offer, like if Lauren had perfected her serum or had had any time to research the legend they're all afraid of." Dyson looked at her seriously. "It's a subject she is an expert on."

"So you want to hold the serum over their heads?" Bo asked as she glared at him. "That would put Lauren in more danger and you know it."

"Lauren is in as much danger as any of us and she's been able to handle herself," Dyson reasoned. "She knows how to defend herself and there's security at the clinic."

"I don't want to risk her life like that." Bo shook her head at the situation, knowing that Lauren probably would agree to what Dyson was suggesting. "I know she can handle herself in a situation because I've seen it firsthand. That doesn't mean I want her to do it. She's human, Dyson. She doesn't heal like we do."

Dyson let a small smile show at her comments. "You know that's why she experimented to begin with, right? So we wouldn't have to say that?"

Bo observed Dyson for a few seconds and silently wondered how he and Lauren had bonded when she wasn't with either of them. She knew that they had a working relationship that morphed into a friendship but wasn't there when they really hashed it out. "I know and we've talked about that. I never doubt that Lauren will be able to protect herself but that doesn't stop me from wanting to protect her."

"That sounds vaguely familiar."

The comment made Bo smile, a first for the day. "I wish we could just have a few days without having to deal with Elders or Fae politics or even having to find a job."

"You could always work here," Dyson offered.

"No offense, Dyson, but I don't think I want to bartend again. Lauren thinks I should take my time, that there's no rush, but I don't know what to think about being a kept woman. I want to do something."

Dyson laughed. "I think trying to deal with the Elders is a fulltime job. I already heard that one of the Dark Elders is trying to mobilize, maybe even become the new Morrigan."

Bo considered what he said for a moment, taking another long drink in the process. Her priorities needed to be on making sure the Fae made the right choices this time around and didn't fall back into old habits because they were convenient and easy. That and making sure her relationship with Lauren didn't suffer should be what she focused on.

"So . . . when did you and Lauren become the best of friends?"

"We oddly enough bonded over our . . . common situation," Dyson said, a hint of a smile appearing on his face. "You are what brought us together, in your own way."

"So many comments I could make to that," Bo said as she let out a quiet chuckle. "But I should probably go to the clinic and check in. Lauren might have some information for us."

"I was thinking about that after I spoke with her," Dyson said as Bo stood. "If you don't want to use the serum there could be another way. Lauren knows the secrets of most of the Elders. She was their doctor for years."

"She takes all that doctor stuff seriously though, Dyson. I don't think she'll be okay with using anything she's learned that way."

"Desperate times."

Bo nodded. "I'll see what she says."

Dyson only offered a crisp nod as a response and Bo walked toward the front door, intent on seeing her fiancé.

The clinic was quiet when Bo arrived and the silence made her instantly aware of her surroundings. She knew it was late and the staff would be winding down for the night but there was normally a little more activity.

There was no one behind the front desk so Bo quickly bypassed it and walked back to Lauren's lab and office. It was there that she saw her beautiful fiancé looking into a microscope, looking incredible in her lab coat. Bo smiled as she remembered when Lauren wore only the lab coat for her after they reconnected in the best way possible.

She took a minute to simply look at her. Lauren was completely in her nerdy doctor-mode, muttering to herself as she observed whatever she was looking at. Every once and a while she moved a stray strand of hair away from her face, making Bo want to completely remove it away from her neck in order to press her lips against her.

Bo could have sworn her eyes flashed blue at the thought and realized that she wanted nothing more than a repeat of the night they had sex in the lab during the storm. She wanted to take Lauren in her arms and pay utterly close attention to her for the rest of the night. The only problem was that Lauren was in serious work-mode and that meant it would take more than an attractive Succubus in order pull her away.

"You know, I can feel you watching me," Lauren said as she continued to look into the microscope.

"I'm just admiring an amazing doctor at work," Bo commented as she leaned against the door, smiling as she knew she had made Lauren smile.

Lauren turned around and the smile Bo loved so much was prominently on her face. "It's not that exciting."

"It's exciting to you and that makes it important to me," Bo said as she walked toward her. "What are you working on?"

"Testing some of my latest samples of Evony's blood," she answered as she looked down on her work. "I think I might be able to make her Fae again but she wants to be exactly as she was before and that makes the process difficult."

"That's always something I wanted to ask about that," Bo started out as she leaned against the table, careful not to disturb any of the work Lauren had done. "Why didn't you create an antidote to what you had planned with Evony? You always plan for everything."

Lauren let out a sigh. "That was the plan but I sped up the process once I heard that she wanted to kill you in order to get you out of the way. I couldn't take the chance that she'd actually do it and I already had completed the one serum. Honestly, I wasn't sure that she'd even survive the transformation."

"So you turned her into a Human in order to protect me from her?"

"Maybe a little." Lauren moved a little closer, her work ignored for the moment. "I figured that even though Evony would still be evil as a Human she would be more concerned with her own problems to go after you."

Bo reached out and took hold of Lauren's arm, pulling her to her until she was able to wrap her arms around her and gave her a sweet, soft kiss. When she pulled away, she looked into her eyes and smiled. "Hey."

Lauren chuckled quietly. "Hey, yourself." She moved out of Bo's arms, much to her dislike, and looked back at her samples. "Anything eventful happen today?"

"Just your average, stubborn Fae," Bo answered. "None of them like change. I think it's going to have to be forced on them in some way." She sighed. "No one wants to listen to me and I would have at least figured that they would be a little afraid of me. I mean, I sucked the chi out of the entire city not too long ago."

"Maybe you shouldn't lead with that."

"Well, I have to try something. I don't want Fae to have to continue to choose sides even if they don't want to. I can still see Dyson struggling with the fact that Mark won't choose. I think if it becomes more common then it will be easier for him to accept."

"Dyson has been Light for so long he doesn't know how to see anything else," Lauren said. "It will take some time."

Bo paused, thinking about how everyone had tried to convince her to choose a side, before thinking of something else. "So, you and Dyson talked today? Does this happen often?"

Lauren quirked an eyebrow as a smirk formed on her face. "Why do you ask? Jealous?"

"Of course not," Bo said immediately, her own smile forming at Lauren's comment. "What I mean is that I didn't know you were friendly enough to talk as much as I think you do."

"We found common ground and we worked together over the last couple years. He's become family. And to answer your question, we were talking about how we can get the Elders to not do something stupid." She smiled. "Both of us can see it's frustrating you."

"That's an understatement," Bo said. "Did he mention anything to you about using the knowledge you already have to help us?"

Lauren only looked at her for a moment before realizing what she was saying. "You know I can't do that, Bo. At least, not in the sense that you're thinking. I'm not going to broadcast any ailments the Elders have, embarrassing or otherwise. I don't want anyone to be afraid of coming here for treatment. No one should be concerned I won't keep their health confidential." Bo opened her mouth to say something but Lauren held up her hand. "And I won't deny treatment to anyone either."

"I wasn't going to suggest you let anyone die." Bo shook her head. "I was only thinking that we would know their weaknesses because you might have some intimate knowledge of them."

Lauren thought about it for a minute before looking at Bo with a little concern. "I'm not sure how I feel about that."

"Well, the other option Dyson had was for you to perfect the serum to turn Fae into Humans and use it as a weapon against them," Bo said quietly. "I said that would put you in too much danger and that's the last thing I want."

"Hmm . . . I'm almost more okay with that option. I don't want to compromise my position here. I want to help people, Bo. That's why I agreed to this clinic and to working under Evony's thumb, you know that."

"I know," Bo said as she let out a sigh. "We're just trying to figure something out."

Neither of them said anything for a minute and Bo thought about the danger Lauren would be in if it got out she was experimenting with her Fae serum. As dangerous as it was, part of her was excited at the prospect of Lauren figuring out how to extend her lifespan. She wanted forever with Lauren and she knew Lauren wanted to be able to satisfy all her needs.

"What are you thinking about?"

Bo turned her head to Lauren and smiled as she looked into the eyes she loved so much. "Just that I want to keep you safe. I don't want to put you in unnecessary danger."

"Bo, I . . ."

"I know you know how to protect yourself," Bo said, interrupting her. "Trust me, Dyson is in your corner when it comes to that. That doesn't change the fact that there are Fae out there who will go after you if they think you have some powerful serum in your lab."

"I know it's dangerous but I have no doubt that you will do everything you can to keep me safe," Lauren commented. She leaned in and gave Bo a quick peck on the lips. "I am continuing to experiment with both curing Evony and in finding a way to extend my own life. Just trust me that I won't do anything hasty."

"Of course, I trust you." Bo pulled Lauren close and rested her forehead against hers. "We're a team and we're going to figure this out together."

They kissed again before Lauren pulled away and began to label all her samples and put them away. Bo silently watched her work, memorized by the fact that she was going to marry the kind-hearted, sexy doctor who had begun to mutter as she wrote notes again. Lauren moved around the lab effortlessly, refrigerating her samples and taking down a few extra notes. After that was complete, she packed a laptop and a couple notebooks she'd been writing in into a bag and zipped it up. She took her lab coat off next and was about to hang it over her chair before Bo spoke up.

"Uh, maybe you should bring the coat back to the apartment," Bo suggested. "You know, for later."

Lauren grinned as she draped the coat over her arm instead. "I think that sounds like an excellent idea."

Lauren was walking around the apartment in nothing but her lab coat and Bo was absolutely mesmerized. Staring at her long legs then letting her eyes drift up her body, paying close attention to the area of her body that was exposed as the coat drifted open every few seconds. The look left her drooling and if it wasn't for the fact they'd just made love for a couple hours she would attack her once again.

"You look amazing," she said as she watched Lauren walk back toward her as she sat on the couch, partially wrapped in a blanket.

"Since your eyes flash blue every once and a while I can safely say I've noticed your interest," Lauren commented as she handed Bo a bottle of beer. "The pizza is on its way."

"Are you going to answer the door like that?" Bo asked. "Because if you do then we better be getting the pizza for free . . . and I might need to blind him as soon as he hands over the food."

"Not into sharing, huh?"

Bo shook her head vehemently. "Never, especially when you look like that."

Lauren only grinned as she joined Bo on the couch, Bo moving the blanket aside enough for her to slide in next to her. As they cuddled with Lauren resting her face in the crook of her neck, Bo thought about her last comment. She never wanted to share her gorgeous fiancé with anyone and it crushed her that Lauren had to constantly deal with the fact that she needed to feed.

Taking a long drink from her bottle before setting it down, Bo thought about how they'd changed in the last few years. When she first met Lauren the goal was to get her hunger under control and the doctor had been a huge help with creating something that would ease the need to feed. When she was getting ready for her dawning the shots she took didn't have the same effect and it was never addressed after. She wondered if it was something they could look into again. Of course, Lauren was already doing so much.

"You look like you're having way too many serious thoughts."

Bo smiled as Lauren followed up the comment with a soft kiss on her neck. "I was just thinking about something you used to do but you are doing so much right that I don't want to add anything else. I don't want you to ware yourself too thin."

"Let me be the judge of that. I'm an excellent multitasker."

The comment made Bo laugh quietly and when she turned her head to look at her she saw the twinkle in her eye, one of the reasons it was so enjoyable to be around Lauren Lewis. "I was just thinking about when we met . . . about the serum you used to curb my hunger."

Lauren moved enough away from Bo in order to look at her better and she instantly missed the contact. "You want to start taking shots again? Bo, those stopped working when you started to mature and when you were preparing for your dawning. I don't think they'll have much effect on you now."

"But you were always adjusting the formula while I was taking it and then after the dawning we never addressed it again. There was so much going on and then it all went to hell."

"I know," Lauren said as Bo leaned into her. "Does that mean you want me to start adjusting the formula again? You want to take shots?"

"I don't want to but I . . ." Bo paused and thought about the right way to say what she wanted. "I would do it for you if you think you could adjust the formula."

The comment made Lauren shift away from Bo and that alone made her regret bringing up the topic at all. Now she had opened up a topic that they had talked around and about every time they were together. Bo shifted her body so that she was facing Lauren more as her fiancé did the same. She noticed that Lauren had even covered herself more, much to her disappointment. That alone showed her the conversation had turned more serious than cute pillow talk.

"How has your hunger been after you passed the dawning?"

Bo thought for a few seconds before answering. "I have more control than I did before. It's not as erratic. I still have to feed but it's not like it's to the point where I have to find someone immediately and I don't have to drain anyone. There's more pop in a non-sexual feed, too."

There was a pause and Bo watched as Lauren thought over her response before speaking. "Bo, if this is because you think that I have a problem with your feeding . . ."

"Please don't say you don't have a problem with it," Bo cut in, not wanting to hear Lauren tell her it was okay for her to have sex with other people. "I'm looking at you right now and I'm jealous of anyone who's been lucky enough to see you like this. I don't want to share you with anyone else so I don't see how you can feel the same."

"Because I love you for who you are, Bo." Lauren let out a sigh. "And while I would be lying to say that one of the reasons I wanted to change who I am and became a conduit was so that I could better meet your needs as a Succubus, I don't want to change you. I know where I stand with you."

The words out of Lauren's mouth hurt even though they weren't meant to. She looked down at the ring on Lauren's finger and wanted her to feel more than knowing where she stood with Bo. She wanted her to know that Bo only wanted her and if there was any way that they could make it so that her Succubus only needed her than she wanted to do it.

Bo leaned in and took hold of Lauren's hand, running a finger over her ring. "I want to do everything in my power so that it's only you, Lauren. I love you and I know that you're going to look into ways to extend your life for us to be together longer but right now, if there's anything I can do I want to do it. If that means getting a shot, I'd get one every single day."

Lauren's eyes began to tear up and Bo hoped that she hadn't said anything that would ruin the night. She was about to apologize and say something else when she felt Lauren's lips against her own. It only lasted a couple seconds but it was enough to stop her train of thought. "I love you so much."

"I love you, too."

"I stopped making the serum when it stopped working and then after we broke up and I left the Light Fae I'm sure anything that was left over was destroyed."

"But you keep notes on everything, right?" Bo asked.

Lauren nodded. "All my notes on you I took with me and they've stayed with me every step of the way. I had to destroy some when I went on the run but I kept most safe and once I had my own lab I recreated them."

"You saved all your notes on me?" Bo asked as she fought a grin that was threatening to form on her face.

"Succubi are fascinating," Lauren said, her eyes moving from Bo's eyes to her lips and back again, "and you are by far my favorite subject."

"You can study me all you want," Bo said before kissing Lauren softly.

As they kissed Bo pulled Lauren closer once again as the fire, attraction and need she had for the other woman began to rise once again. She maneuvered them so that Lauren was partially resting on her as she moved her hands inside her lab coat. She was so experienced with Lauren's body but it never ceased to amaze her how soft and smooth her skin was.

When they broke apart, Bo kept her arms wrapped around her in order to keep her resting against her. Lauren rested her head on Bo's chest before speaking up. "I'll look into creating something for your hunger but I don't want you to change what you're doing."

"I won't, babe," Bo said quietly. "And I don't want you to work yourself to death. If looking into helping me is too much then it can stay to the side until we start solving problems."

Lauren laughed. "Whenever we solve something two new problems arise. I don't think there's ever going to be a time where I'm going to have free time." She pressed her hand against Bo's cheek, causing her to close her eyes. "This won't take nearly as long as any of the other things we have on our plate."

Bo opened her eyes as Lauren pressed her lips against her own and she realized once again just how much she loved the woman in her arms. Even with the fact that Lauren wasn't Fae or didn't have the strength others did, she always protected Bo, many times better than any Fae ever could. That only made Bo want to return the favor whenever possible.

"I love you," she whispered against Lauren's lips.

"I love you, too."

A couple hours after they fell asleep in each other's arms, Bo woke up and couldn't get settled again. Even with the feel of Lauren's skin pressed against her own she couldn't make herself fall asleep. She was relaxed but her mind was focused on so many things that she couldn't turn it off. She figured Lauren probably had the same trouble at times since she rarely rested when she was trying to solve a problem.

Bo slipped out of bed as carefully as she could without waking Lauren and quickly dressed in one of Lauren's t-shirts and a pair of shorts. She looked back at the bed once she had to make sure her fiancé was still sleeping comfortably before walking out of the bedroom and out to the living room. Turning on a lamp by the couch, she looked at Trick's books that she'd stacked on one of the bookshelves. It was times like this where she wished she could go to the Dal and talk to her grandfather.

She grabbed one of the books and walked to the couch, curling up in the corner so the light of the lamp was directly above her. Bo let out a breath and opened the book, looking over its contents in order to find a clue to any succubus legend or anything else that could possibly help them now. Lauren might not have time to read them during the day and Bo didn't want to completely rest the burden of research at her feet. She needed to contribute to the cause in more ways than just trying to make the Elders see that change was needed.

It was her job to help the woman she loved in any way possible and if that meant she would lose a little sleep in order to read some very old books, she would do it without a second thought. Lauren deserved as much.

A/N: I'm trying to write faster, I swear! I wanted to dive more into their relationship before I had them dealing with everything else so more to come. Please let me know your thoughts on here or on twitter: hayley128. :)