Chapter 14

Revelations

Bo sat down on the red velvet-covered chair in a niche in the bar, swirling her mostly-full beverage glass. For once, she wasn't interested in the alcohol. Sighing and setting the glass on the nearest end table, she asked, "Do you think Hale will be able to find her, Trick? Right now, I'm not sure how much I trust him with anything, let alone…this."

Trick, already seated opposite, hesitated before he said, "Listen, Bo, I know what happened has truly broken your trust in him, and I don't blame you in the least for it. But please, just remember he was being affected by something way beyond his control that night. It wasn't Hale's fault that he attacked Kenzi."

The Succubus scowled. "Attacked? He didn't just attack her, Trick, he raped her! Dyson was drugged too, and he didn't attack her, didn't try and rape her. If Hale truly loved her at all, he would've fought, would've managed to not do that to her."

"Hale is in love with her, true. But with that comes feelings of lust, as well." Trick pointed out. "Dyson sees her as a pack member he must protect, and as a friend. That's all." Noticing her granddaughter's face go from a scowl to a small smile, he asked, "What is it?"

"I'm not so sure about that."

"About what?"

"That that is the only way Dyson views our Kenzi."

OoOoO

Deciding it was high time to go check on Kenzi after giving her the good part of a day to rest and sleep Bo left Trick to ponder her words and the explanation behind them. She knew Dyson still had feelings for her. She knew he'd sleep with just about any Faechick who caught his eye. But she also had seen and felt how his chi reacted when Kenzi was near. Before she had vanished, it had been happy, content even. Now… rage, love, protectiveness… their human had been broken, shattered beyond their power to save. But here she was, slowly coming to herself, slowly remembering. And Dyson had been the trigger. She could only hope that the feelings went both ways, someday.

Kenzi's eyes fluttered open when Bo brushed a strand of hair out of her friend's face. "Hey there, sleepyhead. How're you feeling?"

Kenzi stared at her for a long moment, her forehead wrinkled in confusion before easing up. "Bo? Is that you?" she looked around, pushing herself up onto her elbows under the heavy, soft blanket Trick had pulled from somewhere. "Why are we in Trick's lair?"

Bo hesitated, wondering how much to tell Kenzi without upsetting her, or worse. "What do you remember from yesterday?" she asked instead, helping her raven-haired friend sit up.

"Not a whole lot, actually," she murmured, rubbing her cheek. Her hand froze. "What happened? Why can't I remember, Bo? Why can't I remember?!"

Bo grabbed her friend's flailing arms, holding her still. "Kenzi, relax! It's ok! Breathe, Kenz, just breathe!"

Breathing wasn't something on the top of Kenzi's to do list, her throat closing off in panic, her body seizing. Not knowing what else to do, Bo wrapped her arms around the shaking human, her glowing hand stroking the messy hair of her friend. Softly she whispered soothing words into Kenzi's ear until, slowly, her breathing evened out and her body stopped shaking.

"Bo?" she asked hesitantly. "May I… can I get cleaned up? I haven't showered in a couple days, not since Hale…" she trailed off, wrapping her arms around her stomach. "I need to feel clean," she whispered. "please."

Bo guessed Dyson would have had her get cleaned up at his place, but understood the reasoning behind Kenzi's request. So she smiled and agreed. "C'mon, Kenzi. Let's just hope Trick's shower isn't as short as he is."

"I heard that!" an amused shout echoed down the stairs.

Kenzi chuckled wetly. "We still love you, Trick!" she called back, eyes lighting up slightly in amusement.

Easing off of the lounge chair and attempting to stand up turned out to be more than Kenzi's non-thralled self was ready for. Bo caught her when her legs gave out, ignoring the flinch the smaller woman gave when Bo touched her sides and chest in her haste to keep the human from falling to the floor. Choosing to ignore it, the Succubus wrapped one are around her friend's waist, looping her closer arm around her neck and leading her to the bathroom.

In the end, Bo shed everything but her tank top and her boy short underwear and climbed into the –surprisingly – normal-sized shower with more than enough room for the two of them; there was even feminine shampoo and body wash, and Bo had to wonder if it was from a 'friend' of Tricks, or if he had known this was going to happen and had appropriated what he thought Kenzi would like; it was coconut after all.

Kenzi didn't even blink at completely stripping in front of her former roommate, eyes fixed on the floor. The human was able to do most of the work, only wobbling a few times where the taller Fae had to assist her in keeping her balance. Bo's jaw ached, her teeth clenched together as she took in the scars which covered so much of her sister's pale flesh, at how thin she was. She knew her eyes were flashing blue in her rage, and she fought for control, desperate to not become yet another Fae in Kenzi's life to scare her.

Blinking away the rage and tears, Bo noticed Kenzi was just standing under the hot stream of water, eyes shut, arms wrapped around herself. "Kenzi?" she whispered, carefully placing an arm on the human's shoulder.

Surprisingly, Kenzi leaned into the touch until she was completely against Bo's chest, the Succubus's arms wrapped again around her friend. "Bo… I don't know if I can do this anymore…"

Dread chewed at Bo's stomach. "Do what, Kenz?" she wrapped her arms tighter around Kenzi when the latter's knees gave out. Rather than force her to stand again, Bo slid down to sit on the stone tiled floor, her friend clutching her shirt, her body shaking minutely, eyes screwed shut. "Kenzi, what do you mean? Do what?"

"Live."

OoOoO

Hale sped down the road, his mind going in a thousand different directions. Where were Kenzi and Bo? The accusations against Dyson. The Empress' death. Tasmin seemingly changing sides, helping them. Not just Light Fae, but a human… and several hundred more directions.

He had managed at least to get Dyson out of prison and into Lauren's capable hands. The compound was locked down so neither of them would be able to leave. But at least the human doctor would be able to patch up Dyson's probable wounds, and in turn the shifter would keep the human safe. He wouldn't put it past either of them alone or together to attempt to leave the compound, or at least contact Bo or Trick. He hoped not, but, after all, it WAS those two.

Right now there was nothing else he could do at the compound. He had put a couple of his people to the task of finding out which animal shifters had fur that color, the means to access the Empress's inner chambers, and would have a reason – and the ability – to kill her, all the while under her Gag. Lauren was running more tests on the fur found in the Empress' solar to see if she could get a DNA match from her database. But all that took time, so instead he set off on the mission Kenzi had set him on. He knew there was no way this would redeem him in her eyes, but he hoped it would at least be a start. Even if it wasn't, he felt he owed it to the Dark Fae to try and help her after what she had done for Kenzi and his friends.

Rounding a curve in the road, he spotted a car half hidden in the trees, hood crumpled into the frame, tired and back window shot out. He pulled up behind it, shutting off his car as he peered out at the surrounding forest. Didn't seem like there was anyone with any power out there, though there was one flickering flame of power he hoped was Tasmin. But just in case, he checked his gun tucked in the waistband of his pants, though his Siren song would do more damage, he knew better than to go into a potentially hostile if not deadly situation with just a single weapon.

Blood coated the steering wheel of the car, and the driver's door was ripped completely off its hinges, tossed aside a couple yards away. A few long blonde hairs rested on the blood-splattered seat. A bloody handprint on a tree a few feet past the car led him away from the car, eyes searching the undergrowth.

"Tasmin?" the Siren called out hesitantly. "Are you ok?" he kept walking.

The flame of power he sensed flared once, leading him off the small animal trail before fading almost out of his range of senses. "Tasmin!"

"What.. the hells… are you doing here, Siren?" the voice was weak and raspy but still with the sharpness he always associated with the blonde. "How did you… find me?"

Rounding a small rocky outcropping covered with moss, past another bloody handprint, the blood covered body of the dying Valkyrie frowned up at him, her eyes flashing in rage despite the light fading from them. Cautiously the Siren crouched next to her. "Kenzi sent me," he informed her. "She wanted me to find you. And I found you by tracking your cell phone to the last location on the GPS."

"Is she safe?"

The question threw him. "As far as I know, yes. Her and Bo are hidden away somewhere, and both worried about you. Kenzi all but begged me to find you."

A short laugh turned into a body-wracking cough which left blood leaking out of Tasmin's mouth. "Surprised… that Succubus let you… anywhere near… her human after what you did. And save the… platitudes. I know you were… drugged." She coughed again.

Before he realized what he was doing Hale placed a warm hand on the blonde's shoulder. "Hey, hey, take it easy. We need to get you help."

Said blonde laughed humorlessly. "No one… will do that. Besides I'm… too far gone." She frowned up at him again, and this time Hale felt like she was peering far more into him than anyone else ever had. He could almost feel her poking, searching around in his head for something. After several moments, she nodded.

"Not that I have… much choice here, you know… but you're all I've got. When I…" she coughed more blood up, breathing becoming labored. "When I die and… come back. Take me to Trick. No one… no one else!" she glared at him. "Promise me!"

"I promise."

OoOoO

"They'll kill her." A voice behind both of them finished.

Dyson and Lauren spun around, though Dyson's nose had already told him who it was. Grabbing Lauren's wrist he yanked her backwards, he shoved her behind him, towards where he knew there was a bolt hole.

"You!" he snarled at the same time as Lauren's "Oh my God…".

The woman cocked an eyebrow at him. "Is that anyway to speak to me? I came here to help you two, you know."

"Like hell you did," Dyson spat. "How the hell are you here?"

Shrug. "I don't know what you mean, Dyson Thornwood."

"Don't play games, I'm sick of your games!"

Another shrug. "Nothing wrong with a few games, wolf. But this isn't one of them." She cocked her head. "Or do you want your precious human pet to die at the hands of Fae for her part? Many will enjoy it. And I'm sure you can imagine just how much fun they'll have doing so."

Dyson felt is teeth and nails sharpening, eyes shifting to amber as he glared furiously at the Fae before him. "You stay away from her," he hissed.

"Or what," the Empress chided, smirking. "You going to kill me?"

A/N: sorry for the short update, but I wanted to post SOMETHING.

Thoughts? Ideas? Guesses? Let me here 'em! :D