Author's note - thanks for the reviews! I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who can't get Valkubus out of my head...
Tamsin and Acacia were perched on the rear fender of the detective's truck, sipping cheap beer in the hot sun. They'd been reminiscing about battles and exceptional human warriors, but the elder Valkyrie eventually steered the conversation back to the reason for her visit. "You've never choked before and now is not the time to start," Acacia cautioned her protégé.
"I'm not choking. I'll find someone else he wants more," the younger Valkyrie replied.
"Who does he want more than this girl? You know exactly why he wants her, Tams. You were warned this would happen. It's time to wrap this up."
"I can't do it. I just can't do that to her."
"Yes you can. Take the rune jar, follow the druid's instructions, and deliver the succubus."
"That's easy for you to say; you've never loved a mark," Tamsin countered sadly.
"Yeah, that's because I've been smart, Tams; I thought I taught you to be smart too."
The elder Valkyrie's words stung her. "Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you."
"Listen: you can't change your feelings, but you can finish the job. It's your duty, have you forgotten who you are?"
"You don't understand. It will KILL me," the detective pleaded.
"No, my dear, it will kill ME," Acacia answered. "I am paying the price of your cowardice." She lifted her arm to reveal her hand had been severed.
"No! Acacia!" Tamsin cried.
Her head resting comfortably on Tamsin's chest, Bo woke to the sound of her bedmate murmuring fearfully in her sleep as she began to toss and turn. The succubus couldn't figure out what the Valkyrie was saying, but she had never heard her sound so scared.
"Wake up, babe, you're having a bad dream," Bo whispered, gently nudging her. Tamsin's eyes shot open as she jolted away, her face as white as a ghost. She could still hear Acacia's voice echoing. I am paying the price for your cowardice.
"It's okay, you're with me," the succubus reassured her, "it was just a dream, it's not real."
Still shaking, Tamsin breathed deeply as she took in her surroundings. It was a dream but it was all too real.
Bo slowly approached the Valkyrie and placed her hand on her back. Tense at first, Tamsin gradually relaxed, welcoming the brunette's touch.
"That must have been one hell of a dream," the succubus observed.
"Yeah, sorry for the freak out… I… what did you hear?" the detective asked self-consciously.
"I couldn't really make out what you were saying but… this is going to sound weird but it sounded like you were talking about… Kesha."
It was hard not to be amused at Bo's mistake. "Well, I'm not a fan but she doesn't exactly haunt me in my sleep," Tamsin smirked. "I was dreaming about someone named Acacia," she explained more seriously.
"Who's Acacia?" Bo asked.
"She's…" the Valkyrie started, staring off into the distance. "It's complicated."
"Try me."
"I… I can't talk about her with anyone Bo, not even you," Tamsin replied, fighting to hold back tears as she avoided the succubus's gaze. She felt too ashamed and horrified at the prospect of sharing the tale of her mentor's demise.
"Would this help?" Bo asked, taking the detective's hand in hers and giving her a light pulse of charm to ease her anxiety.
Tears began sliding down the Valkyrie's face as her guard fell. "That's cheating," she protested.
"You don't leave me much choice," Bo told her as she brushed away the blonde's tears, "You can't keep these secrets forever and you know you can trust me."
Tamsin nodded, knowing Bo was right. "Acacia was one of my closest mentors," she began, "She trained me in combat in Valhalla, and here on earth we met in battle on many occasions over the centuries. I hadn't seen her since the War of 1812; then she showed up here last month. She'd been deployed to ensure I wouldn't fail to deliver you. I told her you were too strong after the Dawning, so she gave me a rune jar from the druid."
"At first I listened to her, the way you'd listen to Trick, so I took the rune jar. When you and Dyson were off chasing the tikbalang, I went to his apartment to gather hair from someone you trust. Only, when I got there, I went looking for his comb in a drawer and I found… a picture of you. When I saw your face I couldn't bear to do it so I threw the rune jar in the trash."
"Then what happened?" Bo asked, warmed by Tamsin's moment of loyalty.
"Acacia found me and warned me to finish the job, or else. But I couldn't. And I didn't know…"
"Didn't know what?"
"I didn't know that when I refused, he would…" the Valkyrie's voicd began to crack, "Odin killed her and sent me a package in the mail with her… her hand in it, along with another rune jar, the one I had yesterday."
Stunned by her revelation, Bo held Tamsin as she broke into sobs. "I'm so sorry," she whispered, kissing the top of the blonde's head.
"I got her killed," the Valkyrie sobbed.
"It's not your fault, you didn't know what he would do. You would have protected her if you could have," the succubus argued.
"None of this would have happened if it wasn't for my weakness. You wouldn't be marked and Acacia would still be alive."
"You didn't invent that barbaric curse, Tamsin," Bo assured her. "Love isn't a weakness. It's quite the opposite, and I think some part of you knows that." The detective had no counter-argument.
They sat together in silence for a few minutes as the Valkyrie calmed down; then she pulled back and looked the succubus in the eye. "I betrayed Odin, Bo. Whatever he does to me, it will be even worse than what he did to Acacia. That's why I told you yesterday that killing me would be a mercy."
"No way, I can't kill you," the succubus asserted firmly, shaking her head as she moved to retrieve her clothes. "There has to be another way. Trick will be up by now; let's go see if he and Stella have dug anything up."
After getting dressed Tamsin trudged into the barroom to find Trick had served up two plates of pancakes. "Good morning," he called as he emerged from the kitchen with a pitcher of orange juice.
"Screwdrivers?" she asked, mildly hopeful.
"Sorry detective, I understand that you want to take the edge off but we need you sober right now."
"I know," the blonde grumbled.
"Pancakes!" Bo chirped as she plunked down in a seat next to the Valkyrie and reached for Trick to pass her a can of maple syrup. "Did you find anything in your books, Trick?" she inquired.
"Not yet, but Stella left this morning to personally appeal to Freyja in Valhalla."
Tamsin nearly choked on her orange juice. "What?!"
"Don't look so surprised. Stella has been helping Valkyries train for the Dawning for a few hundred years now so she knows Freyja fairly well. She may be able to negotiate some kind of solution."
"That's got to be good, right?" Bo beamed at the blonde. Tamsin melted at her optimism: it was one of the things she loved most about the succubus.
"Well, it's a reprieve: they'll hold off on their plans as long as Stella's in Valhalla," she said, digging into her pancakes. "That was an incredibly generous gesture on her part," she added gratefully.
Dyson strolled in not long after breakfast with a laptop and a box full of case files. "We still haven't finished filing reports on all of Taft's victims and I thought you could lend some help, seeing that you're all cooped up here with nothing to do," he proposed.
"Fae paperwork, my favorite," Tamsin groaned sarcastically, punching his arm playfully. "Thanks partner," she said as she pulled him in for a hug.
"Well, I wasn't going to let you miss out on the fun," he chuckled.
"How long will Stella be in Valhalla?" Bo asked her grandfather as she helped him clear the dishes.
"Maybe a couple of hours, why?"
"I was thinking that if no one's coming to get us while she's there, I might as well take the opportunity to run home and grab a few things. I'd ask Kenzi but she's probably still …occupied."
Trick paused to think it over. "I want you back here within an hour," he instructed her.
"I'll give you a ride, Bo," Dyson offered, grabbing his keys.
The Valkyrie listened warily to their exchange and followed them to the door.
"Don't worry Tamsin, we'll be back before you know it," the succubus assured her, reading the blonde's nervous expression.
"I know; I'm not going to tell you not to go. I just…" she mumbled, "I know it's silly but I'd like you to take this," she cut off a small lock of her hair, "for protection."
God, she's adorable, Bo thought as she palmed the gift and carefully inserted it into the breast pocket of her jacket. She kissed Tamsin on the cheek and pulled her into an embrace. The Valkyrie felt butterflies zooming around in her stomach as she inhaled Bo's scent.
"I'll see you soon," the brunette promised as she stepped back. Tamsin smiled and nodded. I get such a rush just from hugging her, the succubus thought as she headed into the parking lot.
"Are you blushing?" Dyson teased as she got into his car.
"Shut up."