A/N: I know you guys are probably looking forward to the introduction of Bo. I am anxious to get there myself, but I am going with the flow. This story is going to be more of a marathon than a sprint. I'm sorry, but to make it up to you, I made this chapter a little longer.
Oh, and with regard to who is on life support, it may be Nadia or it may be someone completely different. As far as whether Lauren will struggle with the idea of feeding off of humans, I'll just say that there are certain plot devices in the show that are no longer applicable because of the changes made to the characters. For instance, Lauren has known how to control her powers for longer than "Show Bo" (when she isn't exhausted, of course) and has spent more time studying her succubus nature. I won't go any further because I don't want to spoil the surprise. Needless to say, that part is a little different.
CHAPTER 4
Whether it be human or fae, Lauren has always been fascinated by the brain. Despite all of the advances in science and technology, the brain is still such a wonderful, albeit frustrating mystery. This thought struck Lauren on her way to work as she realized that her subconscious mind was trying to tell her something that her conscious mind did not know or did not want to know. Fifteen years ago, to the day, was the anniversary of Chris's death, the first crush that became her first kill. It also marked the beginning of a whole new chapter in her life as she was soon introduced into the world of the Fae.
After she screamed for help, the rest of that day and a few that followed are largely a blur for Lauren. She remembers Chris's father desperately attempting CPR while she called for help and begged for Chris to come back. She can recall seeing her girlfriend's mother collapse on the hospital floor in tears upon hearing the news of her daughters death. She distinctly remembers the puzzled look on the doctor's face when he said he could not provide them with any theories as to why a perfectly healthy teenager was suddenly dead.
A couple of days after Chris's death, Lauren went out for a walk hoping the fresh air could help her make some sense of it all. She found herself in a haze, making it impossible to sort out all of her emotions and focus on any of the thoughts that were bouncing around in her head. Looking back on it, Lauren knows that she was in shock, but back then, she just remembered feeling lost, confused, guilty and in tremendous pain.
If not for this fog, maybe, she would have noticed the men who were following her or the van that was parked nearby with its tinted windows and open door. Perhaps, they would not have caught her by surprise when they grabbed her arms and threw her inside the van. It's possible that if she had been a little sharper, Lauren could have reacted fast enough to stop someone from handcuffing her wrists behind her back, duct taping her mouth shut and forcing a black bag over her head. If she had not been in emotional distress, then maybe, just maybe, things would have turned out differently. Of course, different could mean a hard life on the run, leaving bodies in her wake and never getting a chance to become a doctor.
Growing up, Lauren lived in the suburbs of a major metropolitan city, not in some rural small town in the middle of nowhere. That's why Chris caught the immediate attention of the Light Fae who had resources in the hospital where she was pronounced dead. A couple of light fae detectives were sent to investigate the "incident" and apprehend the guilty party. It didn't take them long to trace the death back to Lauren, the last person to see her alive.
Once they apprehended the young female, they drove about an hour into town and took her straight to the Light Fae compound so she could be introduced to the Ash.
Evony Fleurette Marquise was part Mesmer, part Empath and to some, all bitch. She was born into one of the fae royal families and she was trained from the time she could walk to, one day, compete for the title of Ash. There was never any doubt that Evony was going to be a member of the Light Fae. To be any different would have gone against centuries of family tradition. She didn't think it really fit her well. It was kind of like wearing a dress that wasn't quite your style, but if that dress was the only option, then she was going to tear off the arms, rip the slit to her hip and make it her own. That is what she has done as the Ash. She has set her own course and fuck any pissants who think she is wrong.
When the officers arrived with their catch, they sat her down in the middle of a large room, pulled off the bag and callously tore the duct tape from her mouth. Evony looked shocked when Lauren was revealed to her. She motioned for one of the men to join her side. "You. Here. Now."
Once he reached her side, Evony whispered, "She looks like a child. How old is she?"
The man looked at Lauren and then back at Evony before responding. "We think she is 18."
"What type of Fae are her parents?"
"They are human."
"Are you sure about that?"
"We had the wolf sniff them out and he is positive."
"Hmmm." Evony starts to talk to herself as if her lackey was not standing a couple of feet away from her. She turns to face Lauren and stares intently at the young girl, trying to weed through her emotions. "Interesting. She is mourning over that human. It must have been an accident."
Without turning back to the man, Evony tells him "When we are done with her, I want you to look into the identity of her real parents."
"Yes, Ash. Right away."
"Fetch me a chair."
"Yes, ma'am." The lackey turns and jogs over to the nearest chair and moves it a couple of feet away from Lauren so the Ash could look at her straight in the face.
Evony saunters over to the chair and sits down like she was Queen of the world. Before speaking, she slowly crosses her legs in front of Lauren and lays her arms on the rests. "Tell me the name of your clan."
A puzzled expression appears on Lauren's face for a second, but it is quickly replaced with one of steely determination. "Take me home."
"Perhaps you couldn't tell by the handcuffs and the big, burly men surrounding you, but you, my dear, are really in no position to demand anything. Now, be a good girl and tell me the name of your clan."
"Perhaps," Lauren spat out distastefully. "I would be more inclined toward acting like a good girl if I had not been kidnapped, handcuffed and driven to a strange place that looks like it is home to some religious cult or was designed by some crazy sci-fi nut." On a roll and ignoring the little voice in the back of her head telling her not to push her luck, Lauren continued. "Perhaps," Lauren said again. "you might get my cooperation if you stopped asking stupid questions in a condescending tone, demonstrated a modicum of empathy for my situation and told me what the hell is going on."
Evony smiles at her speech. "You have spunk. I like that." Her smile disappears as quickly as it was formed. "Except when that spunk is directed at me, then it kind of pisses me off."
Deciding that she was probably going to die anyway and had nothing to lose, Lauren does not let Evony go unchallenged. "Getting kidnapped kind of pisses me off so I guess we are even." Lauren pauses to take a deep, steadying breath. "So, why don't you tell me why am I here?"
For a brief second, Evony thought about making the annoying teenager punch herself in her own face, but then she reconsidered. She needed information and violence should probably come as her last resort until she has a clearer picture of the situation. "I am the Ash in this territory and you have been brought to the Light Fae compound because we believe you are responsible for the death of a human by the name of..." Evony snaps her fingers a couple of times and one of her foot soldiers says "Christine Jacobson."
Lauren involuntarily flinches at the sound of Chris's name before regaining her composure.
Tapping into her empath abilities, Evony can sense Lauren's confusion mixed in with her grief. "You have no idea what I mean when I talk about the Light Fae or the Dark Fae, do you?"
Lauren shakes her head no as she continues to provide the beautiful woman in front of her with her best "drop dead" look.
A loud noise interrupts the silence of the grand room. It was the sound of double doors slamming against the wall as they were flung open by a man dressed entirely in black.
"Hello, Lovelies. The party can officially get started because The Morrigan has finally arrived." The dapper man exclaimed in a thick British accent.
"Fuck. Can my day get any worse?" Evony muttered with a huff. The Ash stood up upon the new guest's arrival, put on a fake smile and shot daggers at another gentleman who chased after him.
"I'm sorry Ash. He insisted on seeing the prisoner."
"I will deal with you later." Evony said with a saccharine sweet voice and a look that should have made the second new arrival drop dead on the spot.
In reaction to the loud intrusion on what should have been a private affair, the eyes of one of the guards standing across from Lauren changed to a shade of yellow and some of his teeth morphed into fangs. Lauren shook her head and closed her eyes as if she was trying to shake a hallucination from her head. That's when the growl erupted from deep within his body.
Evony turned to face the guard. "Down, boy." She then quickly shifts her attention back to the man who had interrupted her interrogation. "No need to get territorial. We are all friends here, right Vex?"
"I thought we were, your Ashness, but then I heard through the grapevine that the Light have themselves an undocumented Fae who killed a human in Dark Fae territory and I began to question the quality of our friendship."
"The human was brought to a Light Fae hospital, making it my business."
"I think you bloody well know that the dark should have been notified about the kill and the arrest. Vex makes his way to the Ash and wraps his arms around her shoulders, which makes her tense up instantly.
"But, I will forgive you this time, my Love. After all, that is what besties do for each other. They accept each other's flaws and forget each other's mistakes."
"What have you done, Vex?"
"What makes you think I have done anything wrong? I am appalled that you think so little of me." He lets her go so he can rest his hand over his heart.
"Save the theatrics, Vex and spill it."
"There is nothing to spill. Besides, we have more important matters to discuss like what to do with nasty Faes who hand over what's left of their meals to humans."
He walks closer to Lauren. "Is this the buggar causing all of our problems?" His eyes wander over her body, causing Lauren's anger to spike.
Vex steps back and says, in a low tone "She's a looker. I wouldn't mind teaching her a lesson or two."
"You are revolting and I am not easily revolted." Evony turns her gaze from Lauren to the Morrigan.
"I'm hurt." Vex pretends to wipe a tear from his eye and flashes a frown.
"No, you're not."
"You're right. I am not. I love being me." He smiles broadly.
"And I would LOVE to prolong our playful banter, really, I would but I am quite busy so if we could get back to the girl."
"Ah, yes...the naughty, naughty girl. What is she, Light or Dark?"
"It looks like she might be neither. She hasn't gone through The Gathering and the people who claim to be her parents are human."
"Well, isn't that intriguing."
"Very." Evony waves to someone who has been lurking in a dark corner of the room.
A small grandmotherly type figure emerges from the shadows and walks towards the two leaders of the Fae, flashing Lauren a friendly smile along the way.
When the lab coat clad woman reaches the Ash, Evony gestures in her direction. "Dr. Everett here will take the girl for an exam and we will know more when she is done."
Dr. Everett nods her head yes, moves over to Lauren and leans down so she can almost look eye-to-eye with the young girl. "Hello, sweetie, please come with me." She grabs her arm as she whispers in her ear "Don't worry. It will be okay."
Lauren and Dr. Everett meander through a maze of hallways until they reach a room with an exam table. The doctor walks over to a cabinet and pulls out a gown, handing it to Lauren. She turns her back to the girl to to grab a clipboard as she says. "Please take off your shirt and put this on with the opening in the back."
"No." Lauren responds defiantly.
Dr. Everett turns around and looks at Lauren who continues talking "You are not my physician. I won't get undressed for some perfect stranger just because she asks nicely."
"I know that all of this must be very confusing for you, but I can help. I can give you answers. If you let me conduct an exam, I should be able to tell you what happened to your friend."
Lauren contemplates what Dr. Everett says for a minute before she begins unbuttoning her shirt.
Dr. Everett turns around to give the young girl some privacy. "So, dear, do you have any questions that you would like to ask me?"
"I have a million questions."
"Well, we better get started then." Dr. Everett chuckles, breaking the tension to some degree. "Let's start with question one."
"What are the Fae?"
For the next half hour, while Dr. Everett conducts her testing, she talks about the Fae, the difference between Light and Dark as well as the Great War. When she finishes, she tells Lauren that she can get dressed again. Dr. Everett walks over to a computer and starts typing on the keyboard.
"What kind of fae are you?" Lauren asks as she buttons up her shirt.
The fae doctor smiles. "Just so you know, the Fae do not consider it to be polite to ask about someone's species type."
"Why? If it is such a great thing to be Fae, why wouldn't they want others to know?"
Dr. Everett looks at the ceiling, contemplating her answer. "I'm not sure when the practice started. I assume it could have been as a form of self-preservation. If you tell the wrong Fae about what you are, then they can use their knowledge of your species to attack your weaknesses."
"Either that or they are secretly ashamed of how they leech off of humans." Lauren bites on her bottom lip as she contemplates the issue further.
Dr. Everett turns around quickly with an angry expression on her face. "Most Light Fae do NOT leech on humans." The emphatic nature of Dr. Everett's response startles Lauren as she jerks to attention. "I'm sorry to scare you, my dear." Her face softens before she continues. "It's just one of my hot button issues, that's all."
Dr. Everett gives Lauren a genuine smile to reassure the teenager that she is not really angry at her. "Many Light Fae have a symbiotic relationship with humans. I like to think that they provide us with the sustenance we need and we take care of them, providing them with protection or other services that they need."
"What about the Dark?"
"The Dark..." Dr. Everett breathes deeply. "The Dark see humans as food and forms of entertainment.
"Mmmm." Lauren looks at her feet and shakes her head slightly from side-to-side.
"Back to your original question, though, I am a type of fae that can read people's minds."
Lauren's eyes go wide in panic as she lifts her head. "I don't want you to read my thoughts."
"Okay, dear. From here on out, I will only read your mind if you grant me permission."
Lauren pressed her lips together and gave a small groan. She knew what that meant. Dr. Everett had already read her mind. "Great," she thinks. "You should always wait for permission." Lauren says to Dr. Everett.
"Sometimes, hun, it is a necessity to help people. Plus, that's how I stay alive."
"I guess telepathy could be very handy." Lauren reluctantly admits. "Wouldn't it be maddening to know what everyone is thinking all the time?"
Dr. Everett laughs a little. "Not any more. I have learned to control my powers. I only hear people's thoughts when I want to.
"That's what will happen when you pick a side. You will be trained on how to control your feeding and manage your hunger. A whole new world of possibilities will be opened up to you."
"What do you think they would do if I refused to pick a side?" Lauren pouts a little, reminding Dr. Everett that this smart, mature girl is still just a teenager. "I just want to go home and live a normal life."
"I know, sweetie." The doctor pauses to choose her words carefully. "The primary concern of the Ash and the Morrigan is keeping knowledge of the Fae hidden from humans. They cannot allow someone loose who cannot control her powers. Without learning control, you will kill again and it could end up being someone you love."
"Too late" Lauren whispers plaintively. "Could you help me learn how to gain control? No one would have to know."
"Violating the wishes of the Ash could result in my death. I'm embarrassed to admit that I am not courageous enough to put myself in such peril. I'm sorry, my dear. I want to help you. I do. I just can't." Dr. Everett is now the one who looks at her shoes as her shame shows. "Besides, even if I were to agree to help you, they will find other means to compel you to pick a side."
"My parents and my little sister?"
"That is a distinct possibility. They know where you live and how you feel about them, I'm afraid."
"I can't believe this is happening." Lauren's eyes start to fill with tears that she tries desperately to contain.
I know sweetie. I'm sorry."
Lauren and the doctor eventually return back to the first meeting room where the Ash and the Morrigan waited anxiously. She has Lauren sit in a chair before she approaches the two leaders.
"Dr. Everett, what did you find?" Evony asks first.
Without looking once at Vex, Dr. Everett says "She is a succubus with no markings to indicate membership in any clan. I searched through her thoughts and can assure you that she had no knowledge of the Fae before being brought here today."
"We should put her through the test." Vex blurts out.
Knowing that Evony does not care if anyone insults the Morrigan, let alone contradict him in public, Dr. Everett responds. "Ash, the girl has no combat training. She is just an innocent babe with absolutely no knowledge of our ways."
"Don't you have a prostate to finger or something? Why don't you let the people who matter talk?" Vex stares at the doctor with a look of total hatred.
"This girl would be a TREMENDOUS asset to either the Light Fae or the Dark. She is a genius. It would be a shame to lose such a brilliant mind because her parents abandoned her to be raised by a couple of humans." Dr. Everett returns Vex's angry stare.
Evony keeps moving her eyes from one person to the other, watching them argue with a hint of amusement in her eyes.
"I think we should kill her now to send a message to all the Fae that if you let your spawns run amuck and expose everyone to risk, they will be put down like rabid dogs."
"It's a shame the previous Morrigan didn't have that philosophy when you were a child."
"You do realize that I can turn you into a pile of goo. With very little effort on my part, the cleaning crew would have to mop you off the floor."
Dr. Everett turns her attention back to Evony. "What if her parents hid her from the Fae? If you kill her, you may never know the reason why."
"Dr. Everett is right. I, for one, would like to know more. Wouldn't you?" she says to Vex.
"Bloody hell."
The three Fae stand in silence for a minute. Vex is eventually the one who breaks the stalemate. "We each get 10 minutes alone with her to pitch our side. I want to go second."
"Agreed." Evony says. "Why don't you wait in the adjoining room and I will have someone come get you when it is your turn."
"There better be cable."
"But of course."
"Lovely. And to think that some fae call you an inbred, piranha with a permanent stick up your ass."
Vex leans in closer to Evony and says softly. "They obviously don't know you like I do." He then makes his way over to the other room before Evony can fire back.
"You may have the last word but I will have the last laugh. Game on, shit for brains." Evony says to herself.
"You are going down, bitch." Vex whispers before he shuts the door.