Chapter Nine : Consider It Considered

As the glass slipped from her hand Hale had jumped over the side of the couch while Bo was slightly more delayed not coming into action until the sound of the glass shattering across the floor which seemed to kick her into action. Both Fae went toward him but quickly found themselves at a halt as Eric raised his left hand up palm toward the three and within a millisecond there was a fiery barrier separating them from himself and Lauren who stood there frozen her eyes locked with his.

"Lauren!" they small group yell in union in a helpless plea but even though she had heard the words, she didn't.

Instead of running. Instead of fighting. Instead of any of the options that would be the normal reaction in this situation she stood still. Feet glued to the floor and her eyes never leaving his as he took three steps toward her and extended his right hand toward her.

"Don't be afraid," his voice was soft and inviting as he took another step toward her but this time she took one back. "Lauren, it's me," he continued the feeling of anguish now evident not only in his voice or face but also in his actions as his fire barrier burned brighter, the heat radiating from it becoming almost unbearable making the group have to step back even further.

He held his hand out for another second waiting for the woman to take his gentle offer but by the way she was starting to squirm under his stare he realized he would need a different approach. She took another breath as she tore her eyes from his to her friends or what little she could see of them through the blaze before searching the room quickly. True she had been in the apartment so many times before it had even become a home to her but at this second her mind had seemed to have turn it into completely new terrain as she could not remember any windows, or exits. As her eyes focused on the door behind him her mind starting to converse with itself the usually highly aware and observant woman didn't see the attack coming until she felt brute force of his body hitting against hers. One hand going to the back of her head, the other dropping to her lower back holding her to him as they went crashing out of the window that was directly behind her. Just as his hand fell so did the fiery barrier, the three ran in union jumping over the last five inches that had not yet evaporated but they were too late. Just as they reached the destroyed window the three struggling to all fit their heads out at once, found nothing more than an empty street.

The Dal

"Who's Eric?" Bo demanded to know as she stormed into the empty bar to find her Grandfather wiping down tables.

"I'm sorry?"

"Eric? Human, well Fae torch. Seems to know Lauren?" He turned around his brow tensing.

"Bo I don't-"

"Let me guess, you don't know who he is? Don't know who I am talking about? Can't help me? I know the lines, so instead of going ten rounds of going back and forth why don't you just tell me and safe us the aggravation."

"Something's are better left alone, this is one of them."

"Trick."

"I have to weigh the balance of one life to the lives of many..."

"I'm really hoping you're not implying what I think you are cause if you are it's going to be a serious problem in our already troubled relationship."

"Lauren is not abiding by Fae nor human laws any more. Protecting her is a line that needs serious consideration to cross."

"Considered it considered," she barked out both Hale and Kenzi looking away as the eldest in the room turned to them for help.

Unknown

"You're dead," Lauren stated as looked around the dismayed apartment that had the look of Bo's places before they had started fixing it up.

All the windows were boarded up, that went in suit with the walls that had chunks missing every so often. The floor dusty and dirty, a large hole big enough to fit a car a good thirty feet to her left and another one slightly smaller behind herself. The only furniture was a metal folding chair that she stood behind and twenty feet in front of her was a decent sized metal dining table with one chair that was pushed out slightly so that the young man who was sitting on the table could comfortably rest his feet on.

"Am I?" he asked his voice and face showing concern as he lean forward folding his hands while his eyes stayed locked on her. "That would explain so much." His concern quickly vanished replaced with a smile. "Ha! Come on Lauren it's me your baby brother. Your boo-boo bear, although now as a grown man I'd really appreciate if we didn't tell people about the last part. Got street cred to uphold."

"W-we had a funeral for you."

"They did," he said his smile fading for a moment as his voice filled with hate at the mention of their parents. "By the way thanks a bunch for not attending, if I was actually dead that would have hurt my tiny, manly feelings." His smile like his playful tone began to return. "But considering you were stuck in some dirt hole in the middle of nowhere being life jacked by Thelma and Louis."

"Eric?" she let out in disbelief as she took small steps from behind her safety net of the chair, her eyes studying him from the movement he made to his mannerisms to his voice. "I-Is that really you?"

"The one and only, big sis." he chuckled out while flashing a grin that was strangely somewhere between flirty and cocky. "Oh and I really do apologize for our exit but not necessarily sure which Fae are trust worthy not to mention I don't think your Rihanna wanna be girlfriend would have let you leave without a fight."

"Sh-shes protective."

"Possessive more like it. Don't get me wrong it's good knowing my sisters being taken care of but there is a point where it's like back off a bit."

You've been watching me?" she asked hesitantly her body tensing once again at the realization the only way he'd have known that about Bo would have been from watching her.

"No, well yeah, but not all peeping Tom like or Sasha, just asked around a bit. Wanted to see how you were plus make sure it was safe to pop up. After all you are a ward of the Ash who is a Light Fae." He paused a puzzled looking coming over him as his sentence came to an end. "Ha to that statement. But none the less I am a Dark Fae tip toeing on Light Fae territory with Sasha's prized possession. Not the safest thing to try unprepared or at all."

"How do you know about Fae? Wait, you're Fae?" she asked unnecessarily already knowing the answer considering everything that had just happened to get them to where they were. "A Dark Fae?"

"Oh, don't look all disapprovingly at me like that," he replied shaking his head, for the first time his gaze falling from her to his feet. "I was young, alone, angry." He looked back up forcing a smile out at his sister who had an unreadable look over her face. "Plus I had that hot jock rebel phase going on. Not to mention the Dark Fae have some HOT females which is something I heard you would appreciate." He flashed another grin and gave her a wink as he let his feet fall from the chair so they were now dangling. "When did that happen by the way?"

"You are a Dark Fae who trespassed on to Light territory. Kidnapped a ward of The Ash who is by all accounts mentally unstable and one of the only living children left of the Ancients and you're worried about when I started liking girls?" she asked eyebrow raised her tone both confused and amused.

"Of course! I deal with Fae crap 24/7, I haven't see you in years. Last I knew you were little Miss. Perfect doing anything and everything to please mom and trying to save the world at every turn and now, well let's just say you took a very interesting turn down a very different rabbit hole." He paused, now raising his own eye brow at his sister's confusion to his statement. "The Matrix? Come on tell me you've seen it. You weren't even involved in Fae business at the time."

"You." she couldn't help but smile at the young man who to her was still a kid, memories of him rushing back to her. "You really haven't changed."

"Oh, on the contrary." He extended his hands palms facing up for a second there was nothing and then suddenly two fire balls the size of baseballs where in each. Turning to her he wiggled his eyebrows as he started to juggle them and somewhere in between the third and fourth time around a third had been introduced. "I've changed quite a bit."

"What happened?" He looked back up to her, the words soft and sad her smile and amusement with him now gone. "Why did you fake your death?"

"Fake my death?" his tone now cool as he closed his hands together until the three fiery balls were nothing. "Haha, good one. I faked nothing, Mrs. Mother-Knows-Best on the other hand went all shinning on me. I mean man did we think she got pissed when I took the Benz for a joy ride this was some Hulking out type shit. I was just waiting for her to turn green but she stayed at a solid red, actually think she popped a blood vessel or something."

"Mom-"

"Mom knows? Oh yeah! Turns out Ma knew for quite a while but it's what she did after me that turned her into the woman she is today." He hopped of the table dusting himself off waiting for her to say something but to his surprise all he got was another look he had never seen before. "Oh come on, you're telling me after everything you never found out who she is? Syra never told you?" He stopped himself seeing the hurt coming over her, even though it had been years since they had seen each other, years since they spoke. Even though she was over ten years older he still couldn't stand to see his sister hurt. Taking a step forward to her cautiously seeing if she was okay with it before taking another. "I'm sorry. I really thought you knew."

"Mother is...?"

"Mommy dearest is the leader of the A.A.L.D.F.. You had to have heard of them being as interrogated into the Fae world as you are, especially now being." He stopped himself realizing how far he went but it was too late she once hanging head shot up, eyebrow raised as she scowled at him.

"Being what?"

"Being a doctor for The Ash and-"

"It may have been almost ten years Eric but I still know when you're lying."

He swallowed the lump in his throat as his eyes went to her feet.

The Dal

"Trick just give me the address," Bo ordered as she brought her hands down on the bar top, hitting it harder then she intended her hands stinging from the hit but she refused to think about it. To think about anything other than finding her girlfriend.

"Bo just let this one go."

"Either you tell me or-"

"Or what Bo?" she turned her attention to Dyson who was standing behind her slightly to the side.

"I'll go to Sasha."

"You wouldn't," he bit back as though it were a fact.

"When it comes to her safety I'll fight alongside who I have to." She turned to face him. "Go up against who I have to."

"Is that a threat?"

"Dys, chill man," Hale said taking a step in front of Kenzi who was not far from her best friend's side.

"You have no idea what she is now. What she's involved in. How deep she goes with Sasha."

"And you do?" the small group turned to the voice, Lauren glaring at him as she walked up the succubus not wasting any time as she went to her girlfriend giving her a quick over. First her hands on her checks before they dropped to her forearms until reaching her hands and embrace the woman of discussion welcomed. "Because if you do I think there would be quite a few people including myself who would like to know the answer to that. The Ash would too."

"Ha. You can't threaten me with her," a low growl escaped from his chest causing the succubus to turn around standing in between him and her girlfriend.

"I think I just did."

"Enough. From both of you. Until further notice," Trick trialed off taking a deep breath looking between the two. "Neither of you are welcomed here."

"Fine with me," Lauren was the first to break the silence that fell over them as she turned and headed for the door a more then displeased Bo on her heals.

"You too," he kept his face and tone flat as he looked to a betrayed looking wolf.

"Trickster this is a little over kill. It's Dys and Lauren, they fight. They growl and snare at each other, occasionally get physical nothing major."

"It's for their safety."

Hilton Hotel

"Are you sure this is the best idea?" Bo asked as she struggled to keep up with her girlfriend as she bolted from the elevator and was now storming down the vacant hall.

"I need answers," she barked out as her speed increased. "You didn't have to come, Bo."

"Just how loaded are your parents?" she let out as her eyes danced over the overly expensive decor deciding to ignore the brush off.

"Quite," Lauren answered as she came to a complete stop without warning, the succubus almost running into her, it was at moments like this she was happy for her heightened reflexes. "Mom?" she called out as she pushed the door open and walked into the main room with her girlfriend on her heels. "Mom?" she called out again this time with more force as her eyes surveyed the room.

"Maybe they're out," Bo chirped out as she looked around herself ignoring the off feeling that was growing in the pit of her stomach.

"Mom?" she called out again walking forward and then taking a left turn down a tiny hall that lead to the bedroom. The double sided doors wide open, her mother in view. The woman's back to them as she sat on the bed her head hanging down toward her husband only his feet visible at the moment. "Mother." She took a step into the room and then to the side so Bo could enter. "Answer me," she demanded as she scowled at her mother's back until Mrs. Lewis turned her head to the side so she could see her daughter, the woman's eyes swollen and red, her cheeks a matching color and tear stained. "Mom?" she let out in a whisper almost with the innocence of a child as she felt the succubus' hand grab her wrist lightly. Normally she would have looked to her girlfriend, looked to the touch but this time her eyes were glued to her mother who was now standing up and stepping away from the bed exposing the gruesome sight in front of them, Bo's grip tightening as her eyes fell to the ground. "Dad," the blonde let out in a broken whimper that almost broke her girlfriend's heart. There laid out on the bed in front of them was Mr. Lewis limp and lifeless. His head tilted back being held up by the wall his eyes wide and glossed over. His white undershirt no longer white with the exception of a few traces on his side's the rest a dark red, blood stained and soaked much like the surrounding sheet. A large cut from ear to ear at least three inches wide and four inches deep maybe even deeper considering it looked as though given a hard enough push his head would have come clean off. "Daddy..."