Chapter Ten
Lauren finally relented as the noon hour rolled around and she was still working on the autopsy to call Bo. The autopsy alone would take the majority of the day, the paperwork after that would consume most of her evening. Bo had been surprisingly understanding about the whole thing. Though Bo did make Lauren promise to call when she was done.
Hearing the door to the back autopsy room open Lauren looked up. Dyson stood just inside the doorway, his arms crossed in the way that usually meant he was going to say something superior and insulting.
" I'm busy Dyson. Whatever it is will have to wait." Lauren said returning her attention to the corpse. The way that the heart had been removed was amazing, had it not been for the jagged edges of flesh Lauren would have guessed that they were made by scalpels.
" The Congo, five years ago." Dyson said.
" Excuse me?" Lauren asked straightening up, hiding her concern that Dyson was talking about something that he shouldn't know.
" The Ash asked us to look into the case. It turns out that five years ago there was a mass murder matching this killers MO." Dyson explained.
" I don't need to tell you that there are multiple members of the same clan Dyson." Lauren said.
" not this kind of Fae. They were nearly made extinct hundreds of years ago. There are only about half a dozen now." He was fishing for information, expecting, possibly even hoping Lauren would fold under his perfected interrogation techniques.
" What are you suggesting Dyson?"
" I have a list of all the murder victims. Do you know your name is on that list?" Dyson finally said. walking towards Lauren as if he was expecting her to transform into some dangerous Fae.
" You don't know what you're talking about." Lauren said.
" Break it down for me."
" I don't owe you an explanation."
" I knew you couldn't be trusted. Haven't you hurt Bo enough." Dyson demanded.
" What bo and I have is none of your concern. You made that clear to her, remember."
" She is still under my protection."
" She doesn't need protection from me Dyson. Despite whatever story you have concocted in your mind. I'm not the villain you want me to be."
" Then explain to me why you are supposed to be dead."
" No."
Lauren didn't even see Dyson move before she felt the force of being thrown against the far wall. The sting of the impact overshadowed by the tight grip Dyson had on her throat. The pressure he was exerting on her throat wasn't enough to crush her wind pipe but definitely enough to bruise it. if he didn't kill her she wouldn't be able to breathe without pain for some days. Dyson stared at her, but it seemed more like he was staring through her. There was an empty rage that frightened Lauren.
" Dyson…stop." Lauren gasped. Each small breath of air something that she had to devote her entire body to obtaining. Grabbing his arms to help steady herself Lauren knew she wouldn't be able to hold herself up much longer.
" You're hiding something!" He growled. Closing her eyes Lauren expected that her time was running out. Dyson's strength could break every bone in her body without him even breaking a sweat. Putting her hand on Dyson's face, feeling the short stubble of his beard prick at her palm Lauren wasn't sure what possessed her to do it, or even what she was doing. But when she opened her eyes Dyson saw that it wasn't Lauren's chocolate brown eyes, her eyes shown a bright gold.
Dyson could never begin to explain the wave of calm that spread through him. The serenity that was better than any drug and twice as potent. He dropped her, stepping away as she slid down the wall.
" What did you just do to me?" Dyson demanded shaking the cloud from his head.
" I…" Lauren began before beginning to cough.
" What did you do?"
Both Dyson and Lauren jumped when the door opened and Amara appeared. Looking between the two Amara walked towards Dyson and her hand crossed his face with painful contact sending Dyson stumbling backward.
" You are in my house! And you dare attack one of my own! You must have a death wish dog." Amara's words were spoken through clenched teeth, but she didn't shout. The level tone she maintained was far more frightening than any yelling.
" What did she do to me?" Dyson demanded.
" Get out." Amara ordered. Dyson looked between them once more his gaze lingering on Lauren. She remained on the ground grasping her throat, already dark purple and blue bruises were beginning to form in the shape of his hand. He couldn't explain it. the anger that filled him, it didn't feel like his own. He was angry that she wouldn't tell him what he wanted to know, but not angry enough to attack Lauren.
" I'm sorry Lauren." Dyson said before leaving. Amara turned to Lauren and knelt in front of her, reaching out to gently probe Lauren's injuries and found that Lauren jerked away from her.
" He's a prat. One that will soon be taught manners I can promise you that." Amara said, her tone softer than Lauren had ever heard it.
" It's okay, really."
" No it's not. I'll get you some ice." Amara offered. Lauren couldn't help but watch in awe at the Ash's retreating form. Unsure if she should tell Amara what had happened. While she had a moment to herself Lauren stood slowly, testing her strength.
" Thanks." Lauren said accepting the bag of ice.
" Something happened didn't it?" Amara asked seeing the way Lauren averted her gaze whenever Amara looked at her.
" Aside from Dyson trying to kill me?"
" Lauren, tell me."
" I did something to him. I don't know what. Or how to explain it really. But I touched him and something happened. It is when he woke up from his rage." Lauren said. Amara nodded as if what Lauren had said made perfect sense.
" I was afraid of this." Amara commented.
" Meaning?"
" You were always more Fae than you ever knew. There is a reason you chose to become a doctor. The innate want to help people. The selflessness. All of these are Aos Si traits. But you know that. You've been studying them I'm sure. But Reinald always had the ability to calm those around him. It was one of his many gifts. I'm not sad that you've acquired that gift from him." Amara explained.
" Calm people?"
" You must have wondered why people always open up to you. Tell you their secrets without you asking, they feel comfortable around you. It is that trait magnified."
" Great." Lauren murmured.
" You'll learn to control it. you reacted out of the desire to live." Amara tried to comfort.
" I've got paperwork to do."
" Lauren, you need to tell them. With what is coming, you will need your allies to be with you completely. Now is not the time for secrets."
*~*~*~* The Dal
Dyson knocked back his third drink and motioned for Trick to pour him another. The bar keep poured the drink with a frown, he knew something was bothering his friend. There were few reasons that would drive Dyson to drink in the middle of the day. Dyson still tried to make sense of what had happened that afternoon. He'd always kept such tight control over his more animal side, it was something that he took great pride in. To lose that, and not know why it was enough to drive him mad with questions.
" Looks like you've got quite a shiner there." Trick said finally broaching what might have happened.
" It was not a good day." Dyson answered his eyes looking down at the old wood of the bar.
" Whoa D-man did you walk into a door or something?" Kenzie asked throwing her arm around Dyson from behind. Sitting down next to Dyson, Bo inspected the bruise. Having suffered her fair share of blows over the years she knew that whoever had hit Dyson had a lot of power behind it.
" Courtesy of the Ash." Dyson said with a sad smile. He knew that he had to tell Bo what he'd done before Lauren got the chance. There was nothing redeemable about what he had done, but he hoped if he was noble enough to tell her what had happened then maybe Bo would be slightly more forgiving.
" The Ash did that to you? What'd you do to piss her off?" Bo asked intrigued. Amara seemed so mild mannered, not the physically violent type.
" I went to talk to Lauren about the case that the Ash asked us to investigate. I had some questions and before I knew it I was so angry…so angry like nothing I had ever felt before and I…" Dyson stopped looking at Bo, his eyes begging for forgiveness.
" You what?" Bo asked.
" I attacked her."
" You did what?" Trick demanded before Bo could.
" I don't know what happened." Dyson tried to explain. Watching as Bo pulled her phone out of her pocket and dialed Lauren's number Dyson looked up at Trick. Another case of uncharacteristic anger that Trick had been tracking since he began getting reports.
" So the Ash clocked you for hurting the doc?" Kenzie asked gearing up to keep Bo from killing Dyson, even if she had to admit she was surprised that Dyson would attack Lauren. Dyson always commented on how frail humans were, how breakable they were and how much restraint it took being around them.
" I deserve worse." Dyson confessed. " Bo I swear to you, I didn't mean to. It just happened."
" It just happened? What the Hell kind of reasoning is that? You attack my girlfriend and the only thing you say to me is it happened?"
" Bo, you should calm down. This isn't the place to have a fight like this." Kenzie offered putting her arm around Bo to keep the brunette from lunging at Dyson.
" Is she alright?"
" She's okay. The Ash was looking after her when I left." Dyson said.
" You better pray to God she is." Bo didn't even try and mask her threat. She wanted Dyson to be afraid. If Lauren was any less than okay she would hunt Dyson down and make him pay for what he'd done, their past together be damned.
" When you see her, will you tell her I'm sorry?"
" I know you didn't mean it Dyson." Lauren said from the doorway, after Amara's parting words of wisdom Lauren had decided there was no time like the present to tell them what was going on. She'd called the station house and asked Hale where Dyson was, and had only assumed that Kenzie and Bo would be there. Bo saw Lauren and her eyes immediately zeroed in on the bruises on her neck.
" Are you okay?" Bo asked coming to stand in front of Lauren, reaching out and gingerly touching the bruise Bo dropped her hand instantly the moment she saw Lauren wince.
" I'm fine. Just a few bruises, I've had worse." Lauren offered trying to appease the succubus and seeing that she'd only made it worse. Glancing at their group of friends who had become captivated by the sight Lauren took Bo's hand and pulled her into a secluded corner away from prying eyes. Wordlessly pulling Bo to her Lauren kissed Bo deeply drawing a surprised moan from Bo. " I'm okay." Lauren whispered when they parted.
" I can't…stand the thought of something happening to you." Bo said in a low voice, keeping her eyes downcast she was afraid to look at Lauren with how pathetic she thought she sounded.
" Dyson didn't mean it. And he was just trying to protect you." Lauren offered running her fingers through Bo's hair trying to calm her but still feeling how tense Bo was. The way that Bo's fingers gripped at the material of her shirt, so tightly that it seemed Bo was afraid to let go.
" Protect me? From what?"
" From me. He discovered some things about the Congo. It's time to tell them Bo." Lauren had initially told Bo that she didn't want anyone else knowing, not even Kenzie whom Bo usually told everything to. Up until then Bo had kept that promise and not spoken a word of it.
" Are you sure? I thought you said the more people that know the more dangerous it could be for you."
" Amara said with what we think is coming, they're going to find out. It's better that it comes from me."
" Okay. If you're sure."
When the two emerged from their corner the conversation that had been going on between Kenzie, Dyson, and Trick quickly came to a halt. Lauren was pleased to find that Hale had joined them since they had been separate from the group. Looking down when she felt Bo interlock their fingers Lauren couldn't help the faint blush that colored her cheeks. She'd need the support if she was going to get through this conversation.
Thank you guys for your feedback on if Lauren should have any sort of Fae abilities. I hope you like what I've done with it. This was only a small part of it, it will get explained better as the chapters progress.