So next chapter, finally, yes I know (again). I like how this chapter turned out, we're slowly getting to the point where the story picks up a lot more pace so enjoy! Oh and happy holidays if I'm not able to update something again before it actually hits! :)
Chapter 21: Part-time lovers
Still confused but adamant not to let it show Lauren walked through the double doors of the Ash's office while the two guards and the one guiding her here bowed and remained on the other side of the colored glass. Familiar grey stone walls and black steps leading up to an empty stone throne in front of high windows greeted her, void of any decoration. There also were no guards positioned inside the throne room, telling Lauren that whatever the leader of the Light Fae wanted to speak to her about, it was something very important. There was a warning feeling tingling in the pit of her stomach but before the blonde could think any more about it a side door opened and the Ash stepped into the room clad in a deep violet dress shirt along with white pants and waistcoat, light brown suede shoes completing his ensemble. He had his hands folded behind his back, making him stand very straight on the dark marble floor that didn't reflect any light. Lauren bowed her head instantly, hair falling into her face and obscuring her view of the leader as he stepped closer. "Ash." She greeted, holding her respectful position until he spoke, his voice so deep it sounded like someone was expertly playing a large drum, steady and soothing yet vibrating through every part of her. It carried through the room in much the same way. "Dr. Leavold. I am sorry for disturbing you at work."
Quickly but surely Lauren shook her head. "I was just finished with the weekly reports anyway." The hint of a smile played around the Ash's handsome dark features as he answered "Very good." He paused, offering her a seat in a by now familiar white armchair with a simple but elegant gesture. "Would you care for something to drink, Doctor? I fear the matter I have to discuss with you could be a rather heavy one." Lauren fought hard to keep her facial expression neutral, somehow managing to do just that but only barely. She waited until they were both seated opposite each other, legs crossed in a similar elegant fashion before she answered. "Of course." The Ash himself poured her a glass of water from a simple glass pitcher, the evening light from the high windows behind the throne making it shimmer in an abundance of orange and gold. Lauren knew that the leader of the Light was a master at controlling his body language but still, she couldn't feel any hostility coming from him. She figured that if she had been called here to be confronted about the nature of her relationship with Bo she would have been greeted with an abundance of guards and possibly the complete High Elder council but she couldn't be sure. There was a minute of silence in which the Ash nipped at his own water, all the while Lauren's watchful eyes never left his features.
"Dr. Leavold, I'm sure you remember the year 1847?" He finally asked and it caught the blonde off guard, her mind reeling back to those faithful weeks and months back when the Leavolds had still resided in France, ruling as one of the High Elder families of that region. 1847, she remembered very clearly, was one of the darker chapters in her own history and probably the pinnacle of that specific one. It had been shortly after Nadia died and she had, for the lack of a better expression, fallen from grace. The fact that she had, as far as the Fae were concerned, a very open relationship with a human had been the first nail in her coffin but it hadn't been the last by far. At first, thanks to her last name and grandmother's reach, she got to keep all titles, including her position as captain of the Ash's personal guard but when Nadia's death had her slowly slipping into a very dark place before spiraling out of control ending with her standing blood-soaked over a dead guard member she was taken to court to answer for everything she had done. Her charges had been murder of course but, while mostly in the background, the real one had been her 'impure' relationship with a human. Some elders had called for her execution but again, her rank and family helped her dodge that faith. Finally, Lauren had been stripped of her position as captain of the guard, closely watched for the next fifty years, looking for the smallest misstep, the littlest mistake to sentence her to death like many had wanted to from the beginning. The Phoenix remembered it all like it was yesterday, which was somehow confusing because she also remembered spending that time in a pained and dazed state, never realizing just how much she was trampling all over her human lover's last wish, for her to go on and find happiness again. It was that memory that brought her back to the present, to a wide dimpled smile and deep chocolate eyes belonging to a young Dark Fae Succubus, grinning without a care in this world. It crossed her mind that the fulfillment of Nadia's last wish could very well be her own death sentence. The irony almost made her laugh through the pain momentarily clenching at her heart.
The Ash regarded her silently, clearly seeing the torment rolling through his chief of medical department reflected on her usually so stoic face. "I do." She finally acknowledged, her voice sounding strangely hollow. He nodded. "Then you surely also remember that, even after all this time, some of the elders are still not pleased that you got to walk away from what happened basically unharmed." Ever so briefly, anger flashed through Lauren and it showed in her eyes, if only for a mere second before she reeled it back in behind her usually so impenetrable mask. How could he assume that she walked away from everything unharmed? Sure, she hadn't been executed or otherwise physically harmed but he didn't know that at one point she would have accepted every faith, everything to ease the gaping hole Nadia had left. It had only been a short moment but it had been there and the memory had always reminded Lauren to never let herself get that invested into someone ever again. That was, until a luscious brunette with a partiality for leather waltzed into her life. Again, the thought of Bo brought her back to reality and she managed to nod while desperately hanging onto her cold mask, waiting for the blow that took the Succubus from her before she even had the chance to fully have her.
"There is human science conference in Paris next week but I'm sure you know that." He paused, the hint of a smile ghosting over his features. "Dr. Lewis has been invited to receive yet another award." The Ash pulled a neatly folded piece of paper from the pocket of his waistcoat, sliding it across the low glass table between them for the Phoenix to read. Confused, Lauren took it somewhat reluctantly, unfolding and skimming it quickly. Indeed, in her hands there was a congratulatory letter addressed to Dr. Lauren Lewis, informing her that she had been selected to receive an award for her extraordinary work regarding the subject of free radicals. It was also an invite to the award ceremony held in Paris late next week. What stumped Lauren, though was the fact that it was dated three weeks ago. There was no way the human mail system, slow as it sometimes was, could have taken that long to deliver a mere letter.
"I see that you have noticed the date." The Ash smiled at her and Lauren nodded once more, still somewhat baffled at the sudden change of events she didn't quite follow yet. "As you know, Doctor," the Ash set to explain, "all human work related mail is filtered by orders of the Elder council to make sure the Fae remain hidden from the human world, that our advancements only help the humans, not lead them directly to us." Lauren looked at him with raised eyebrows, making him continue a bit faster. "That in itself wouldn't have been a problem here, this is a mere award you will receive for a paper reviewed, cleared and published over a year ago but since it's you some elders feel like you shouldn't be attending a human event, the reason being your past."
As the meaning of the Ash's words sunk in the Phoenix couldn't help but scoff. "They are seriously still trying to punish me for something that happened almost two-hundred years ago?" The leader of the Light Fae smiled tightly. "Not so much that as trying to prevent you from going back to Paris and possibly connecting with said past. I know you have been going there every other year around the time your human lover died, the Elders don't. At least they refuse to acknowledge it. They think that if you were openly allowed to go it would risk a.. relapse."
"So what were they going to do about it?" Lauren asked, her brow furrowing. It was true, she tried to visit Nadia's grave as often as she could, usually connecting it with a business trip. It didn't surprise her that the Ash knew their true intent, she had expected as much. Those visits had once been what kept her together, still were to some degree, but by now they were more of a ritual to her.
"They wanted to keep the letter from you altogether, send an answer regretfully declining in your name. Your award would have been delivered here and besides a surprise and maybe a furrowed brow you would have been none the wiser." Something about how the Ash could just talk about completely blindsiding her aggravated Lauren but she didn't show it, wanting to hear the rest. She had been alive long enough to know that things like this were not at all uncommon, in the Fae world just as much as in the human one. "So why are you telling me then?" She asked calmly, a definite coolness to her voice. Again, the Ash smiled, fingering the rim of his own water glass, his eyes following his fingers. "Because I want you to go. I know about your almost yearly trips to France and I don't see you relapsing anytime soon, plus I think it would be a nice break from all the ceremonies and political meetings of the past weeks."
Lauren regarded him with slightly narrowed eyes but a small smile was already forming on her face. The Ash chuckled, knowing what she meant. "Call it a thank-you. For your expertise and continued hard work for the good of the Light Fae and the Fae in general."
"So you are going behind the High Elder council's back just to do me a favor? Pardon my directness, Ash but something tells me there is more to this."
He merely hummed. "And you would be right, Lauren." The way he used her fist name wasn't lost on the blonde, quite the opposite actually as he seldom if ever called her that. "But what I just told you is a big part of it." He stood, straightening his waistcoat and Lauren knew she wouldn't be getting any more information from him right now. Standing as well, she regarded the leader of the Light Fae closely, trying to read his expression but it was futile. He smiled when he saw her concentrated expression. "Everything in due time, Dr. Leavold. Your travel information will be mailed to you in the next days." One last time he straightened his waistcoat before turning and walking away from her through the same side-door he had come from in the beginning. His departure left Lauren alone in the throne room, the high stone walls silent as a grave. Even the sun outside was slowly setting now, an eerie half-light falling through the high windows and casting a long shadow from where the throne stood silently. As if to center herself, Lauren let a single small flame appear in her hand, juggling it expertly from finger to finger. Yes, she though as she slowly turned to walk towards the colored glass doors, an extra-long Tai-Chi session would be needed this evening to try and sort through all of this.
-x-
Once again morning broke, this time to what promised to be a sunny day once the sun made it through the still lingering fog. Bo was wide awake and sitting on soft pillows, a whetstone in one hand, a dagger in the other, her back leaning against the headboard of her bed. She was languidly pulling the stone along the blade, creating a sound that would send a shiver right through the spine of a lot of people. A lot of people, but not her. It would have been easy to say it comforted her. It didn't, though. In fact she didn't care; she didn't even really hear it. Bo's mind was elsewhere entirely, caught somewhere in suspense since she had told Kenzi about her plan to take Lauren out yesterday. The Djinn had said that she would go through some of her contacts and see if she could come up with a Fae-free place her best friend could take her lover. Ever since this conversation had taken place it had been almost silent in the clubhouse. Kenzi had retreated and Bo was sure that at some point she heard the characteristic soft 'pop' of the Djinn disappearing into thin air. It had been in the middle of the night when the resurfacing 'pop' finally occurred. The Succubus had noticed because she had still been awake, still in her normal leather attire, still staring at the canopy of her bed and never caring that it was too dark now for her to clearly make it out. The last time she had cared, she could see it just fine and that was enough for her. The conversations with Kenzi and Lauren had thrown her, to say the least and so she was caught in this thinking but not-really thinking place, pulling the whetstone along her already perfectly sharp dagger again and again just to have something in her hands.
Bo had never been good at processing and understanding her own feelings and before it had never bothered her. The pulling deep in her stomach, the deep nagging longing that followed her every waking moment? Yes, that she could place. It was her hunger. Omnipresent, even when well fed it was there. Like it was whispering in her ear 'I'm full now but just you wait a day or two'. She could handle it because she knew it was who she was. Even now, a day after her great night with Lauren she could slowly feel it coming back, already reminding her that she had needs. Then there was a whirlwind of other emotions also storming through her brain and Bo was helpless to stop it. Those feelings weren't familiar, they felt like too much to handle. Among them was a different type of longing. The longing to be held and caressed and kissed by Lauren, the burning need to be near her, talk to her, make her laugh. In her what Bo considered to be a long life already, nothing had ever come as close to true happiness as seeing Lauren's content smile and knowing that she herself was the cause of it. She cared for Lauren Leavold. Deeply. That much was obvious even to Bo and it was the reason she needed to ask herself one big question: was deeply caring for a woman with all her heart enough to risk her life for? She knew the answer, even before her mind could fully formulate the question. She knew she would be selfish here. Nobody could know of her and Lauren sleeping with each other, fine, so be it. It didn't matter because Bo knew that no matter what she had told herself when all of this began, she couldn't and wouldn't stop wanting Lauren, in every way. And if the brunette Succubus was anything, it was stubbornly proud, and maybe just naive enough to believe that they could maintain this kind of relationship over a long period of time without anyone finding out. Or without ever clearly stating what it was they had for that matter.
Slowly, Bo placed her whetstone onto the soft satin sheets, taking a good look at the dagger with its grayish-white bone handle. It fit her hand perfectly and as she turned it to examine it from every angle the blade shimmered slivery-blue in the pale morning light flooding into her room. Quickly this time, she threw the small weapon into the air, catching it expertly with her right hand. A swift flick of her wrist and a stinging pain in the palm of her left hand later she saw dark red blood slowly starting to seep out of the wound she had dealt herself. It didn't last long, though. Maybe a minute after she had cut herself the wound had already closed again, the last visible remnants being a slight scar-like bruise on the palm of her hand and the blood already beginning to dry around it. Bo sighed. Lauren's chi was powerful like little else she had ever consumed. The Succubus was sure she could probably stab herself in the chest only to be left with a thin scar some twenty minutes later. She wasn't masochistic enough to try that, though. Looking at her hand again, now without scar or any evidence of an injury she rubbed the dried blood off and took the dagger again, this time along with a small polishing towel. As if nothing had happened, Bo started to polish the shimmering metal with the same meditative pace as before, sinking into thoughts once more.
Whenever she and Lauren were alone, they were perfect together. Like the word 'complete' got a whole new meaning when the beautiful blonde Phoenix opened her sleepy eyes in the morning while she pressed closer to Bo. Talking to her was as easy as breathing and came just as natural. Lauren was genuinely interested in what the Succubus had to say and soaked all of it up into that beautiful mind of hers, slowly gaining an understanding of the brunette Bo was sure not even she herself had. They had never specifically talked about their exact age but Bo was certain Lauren had to be way older than herself, probably way over a millennium and for some reason it made her marvel at what the Phoenix could tell her. Bo's own youth had been characterized by a tense air all over the Fae world as they tried to juggle a newly formed and therefore fragile peace with the Light. All the while the human world they lived and hid in, way more involved and secretive than now had been shaken up as well. Bo had been born in 1767 and some of her first memories were the tense and hostile atmosphere of the time. Her mother's first lesson to her young daughter had been that humans seemed to find joy and purpose in killing each other and Bo had received a scolding from her first history teacher when she asked if Light and Dark Fae weren't doing exactly the same. She had been ten. Bo wanted to know how Lauren had lived through that time and all the centuries before that the Succubus only knew about from her many history lessons. She wanted the blonde to tell her while they lay in bed together, bodies pressing close, basking in each other's warmth. Bo would rest her head on her hands folded across Lauren's chest again, feeling slender fingers threading through her hair as the Phoenix would tell her about her past. The image of that scene in her head was so vivid it made Bo smile just as much as it made her sad. Sad because whenever the 'real' world imposed on them it spoiled their connection. The scenarios Bo made up in her mind could only take place when they were completely alone with nobody to remind them who they were. Yesterday, Kenzi had been enough to lock their connection up in the small box it was pressed into at almost all times. Lauren had shut down on Bo immediately and the Succubus had been helpless to stop it. She found herself wishing for a world where someone saying 'Light and Dark' wouldn't be enough to send one or both of them running but before she could even come to wonder about the random thought shooting through her crowded head, her phone rang, pulling her out of her thoughts and startling her so much she almost dropped the dagger.
Finally realizing what had disturbed her solitude, Bo scrambled for the bedside table where her phone was, exchanging the blade in her hand for the small blinking device. For some reason the Succubus had expected to read 'Lauren' on the screen but when she looked down it said 'Dad'. It left her a bit disappointed and even more startled because her father rarely ever called her. He stated often that while he enjoyed technological advances he preferred to talk to people face to face. Bo just stared at the blinking phone in her hand for a second before springing into action and swiping the screen, bringing it to her ear. "Yes?"
"Ysabeau." Her father's deep and pleasant voice greeted her, even over the phone full of his compelling charm. The sound was laced with respect and the usual hinting undertone that was always woven into his words. He didn't let Bo offer a greeting of her own as he continued immediately. "I hope I'm not disturbing you. It's quite early."
"Oh." Was all the Succubus could come up with for a moment, quickly glancing at the clock on her bedside table. 7:35am it read. He was right, it was way before her usual waking time. "No, not at all. I was just.. polishing my daggers that's all." To her surprise, her father chuckled at the other end of the line. "What battle are you preparing for, my love?" Bo smiled at the term of endearment. Her father called her many things when they were talking alone to let her know he loved her very much and the brunette reveled in the light his words cast around her, even if the man himself was cryptic and cruel sometimes. "No battle." She assured him with a small laugh. "I was just told a long time ago to always keep my weapons clean and sharp."
"A good piece of advice, no doubt." Thane answered quietly. "And for now I will believe that it is the reason." There was a pause and Bo knew that he suspected something to be up with her. Thane McCorrigan was the master of reading hidden signs in the behavior of people and his own daughter was certainly no exception. "Bo." He started again and the brunette knew they were talking about a different topic now. "I'm leaving on a business trip this afternoon and I wanted to ask you if you maybe wanted to join me for an early lunch before I need to leave for the airport."
"Just you and me?" Bo asked immediately, a smile spreading across her face while at the same time her father's words made her sad. She hated it when he went on business trips because he would be gone for months on end and he was the only shield she had against her mother. It would be open fire again as soon as he left.
"Yes." He answered, a smile in his voice. "And no, your mother does not know about this. We already had our very thorough goodbye last night." Involuntarily the Succubus' mind drifted back to her morning with Lauren and how the beautiful blonde had chuckled at the relationship Bo had with her father. It made the Succubus' smile grow inevitably. "I would love to." She told her father. "Where should I be and when?"
"Oh there is a little Italian place downtown I found a few days ago that I rather enjoyed. I'll pick you up. Let's say around 11:30? By then I should be finished at the office." There was a rustling of paper in the background and Bo knew her father was already at said office, always the well-prepared businessman he was to the human world that didn't know how he turned into a bright blue-eyed killer whenever his hunger spiked.
"Of course." Bo answered before thinking for a second and smiling "Should I wear anything particular?"
"I'm sure you will look absolutely enrapturing in whatever you choose to wear. You always do." Thane said, the smile obvious in voice. Bo knew he was dead serious. Some things even her father never toyed with and one of them was his only daughter's beauty. For many her obvious gifts were dismissed as natural the second they found out she was a Succubus but not for Thane McCorrigan. He always made perfectly sure that Bo knew he thought that she was perfect in every way. It may have been a reason for her sometimes ridiculous cockiness but that thought never occurred to either one of them.
"Thank you." The brunette told him, the smile on her face so wide it showed white glinting teeth. Her mood had skyrocketed in the last few minutes. "I will be ready."
Thane hummed and, not wasting any time, said "I will see you then, my love." hanging up immediately after. It was another feature of Bo's father. He was very eloquent and charming but also very to the point if he wanted something to be done. And so, with a new smile now plastered onto her face the Succubus went over to her closet to find something to wear for lunch.
True to his word, at 11:30 sharp Bo heard the characteristic roar of her father's car in her driveway, stopping abruptly as he cut the engine and followed by the characteristic thump of a closing car door. The Succubus got up from where she had been waiting on the couch with Kenzi nowhere in sight. Bo suspected her best friend was still sleeping, the Djinn was known to stay in bed well into the afternoon sometimes and she would not disturb her so she left a note. After searching for just the right thing to wear for nearly an hour Bo had finally settled on tight and worn dark grey jeans tucked into high sliver-studded boots and a side-zip deep jade-green leather jacket over a simple black top. She hadn't zipped the jacket all the way up of course, it would have meant hiding her cleavage and that was something Bo was seldom, if ever, okay with. Her hair was falling over her shoulders in loose curls that looked effortless but had taken the Succubus about half an hour in front of her bathroom mirror. It had all paid off, though. She found she looked positively stunning by the time she had applied her usual dark and smoky make-up, waiting for her father to arrive. Just as she grabbed her phone and tucked it safely into her cleavage there was a curt knock on the front door so she didn't waste any time and walked to open it for her father.
The sight greeting Bo as she pulled open the wooden door didn't leave any doubt whose daughter she was. The man in her doorway looked like he ate those humans modeling for the many fashion magazines for breakfast, which, as the Succubus thought about it, wasn't even all that unlikely. Thane McCorrigan stood over six feet tall, every single one of them more glorious than the next in his 'casual wear'. By his standards that meant neatly fitted white pants with a brown belt ending just above light brown suede dress shoes, his broad chest highlighted by a fitted grey tweed waistcoat he wore over a light blue dress shirt and a thin black tie. His shimmering black hair was unruly, shorter at the sides while the longer locks at the top stood off at odd yet perfect angles, not slicked back like they always were at formal events but still looking every bit as magnificent as they did then. Well-trimmed dark stubble framed his strong angular features, his haunting amber eyes drinking Bo in from behind long and full lashes some women would sell their firstborn for. In short, he was everything an over nine-hundred year old Incubus should be, irresistible in a way that seemed so absolutely real but unattainable all at the same time.
"My Bo." He said softy in greeting, his full baritone voice vibrating through the cool air. He stepped closer to his daughter, grasping her chin between slender yet strong fingers and angling it upwards, delicately as if she would break when touched carelessly. Almost reverently he placed his thin lips onto her forehead for a moment before pulling away "So beautiful." He murmured against her skin, his warm breath tickling as he took a step back but not letting his hand fall from her face. The brunette had placed her hands on his chest the moment he had stepped close and now she slowly let them slip from him until they were at her side again. They stood like that for a second before Thane let his hand glide from her face, reaching for her hand instead and, bowing to her in a gentlemanly gesture, placed a kiss on its back.
"Dad." Bo finally found her voice when their eyes met again. Her father always had a way of making her feel like she was the only and most beautiful creature on earth, especially when her mother wasn't anywhere near them. The Incubus smiled a smile that only made the corner of his mouth twitch upward but lit up his face nonetheless, amber eyes shining in the sun and making them glow like a fine whiskey. "Shall we?" He asked, offering her his arm which she took with a small smile. Thane opted to open the door of his shimmering black Jaguar f type for her, delicately holding her hand until she was seated and closing the door softly behind her again before walking around and getting in on the driver's side himself. He flashed her a half smile as the car roared to life, its power evening out to a steady purr seconds later. Thane expertly maneuvered the expensive car through the rather light traffic around Bo's home and onto the busier streets leading them downtown. Perfectly comfortable in each other's presence they didn't feel the need to talk, there would be enough time for that over lunch and so the only sounds filling the inside of the car were the muffled sounds of the city around them, the steady purr of the powerful engine and above all, Frank Sinatra's voice filtering from the high-end surround sound system of the Jaguar. Bo found it fitting that her father enjoyed this type of music as much as he did, its flair somehow fit his character very well.
When they arrived Thane parked the car on the curb almost right in front of the restaurant, not sloppily but in a way that was somehow just appropriately careless. Bo knew that he wouldn't get a ticket even if the sign on the edge of the sidewalk said so. It was the same with her, she could park her yellow Camaro wherever she wanted and the Fae working with the human police departments would always recognize the license plate. Another perk of her royal blood, she knew and one she enjoyed immensely. Her father held the door for her as she got out, offering her his arm once more, this time for the short walk to the restaurant's front door. It was the first time the brunette actually took a moment to look around, finding herself surrounded by high buildings and busy people mostly dressed like they had money and liked to show it. Even in this crowd the Succubus felt eyes on her and her father as they walked silently next to each other. It shouldn't surprise her, it was in their very nature to be the most attractive creatures ever to wander the earth's face but still she had always been fascinated by the pull she had on other people, no matter if Fae or human. Lifting her gaze from the drooling face of a cocky young man Bo recognized them to be in the part of the business district that was still in dark territory, the very same one where Evony's 'tower of power', as Kenzi liked to call it, stood, masked perfectly as one of the most high-end talent agencies in the city. The Succubus figured that they had to be about five or six blocks away from it but she couldn't be sure as her time outside was just now limited by a slight tug on her arm, her father leading her through polished glass double-doors held open by a waiter in pressed black slacks and a pearly-white button down under a black satin waistcoat. A human, Bo figured by his slightly dull aura. He couldn't have been older than twenty-five with the face of a boy rather than a man, round and with slightly chubby cheeks.
"Mr. McCorrigan, it's a pleasure to see you again so soon." Bo turned her head to the perky female voice, finding an equally perky but very professionally dressed redhead with dark-rimmed glasses to be the source of it. It was obvious by the way she smiled that she hadn't been able to forget Thane, her aura glowing like a Christmas tree as he acknowledged her with a small nod. "The pleasure is all mine." His smile turned mischievous and the hostess practically swooned as much as allowed herself to while trying to stay in her professional demeanor. That changed quickly, though as her eyes finally drifted past Bo's father only to land on the Succubus herself and the way their arms were liked. Bo watched the human's aura dim noticeably, then flicker and turn brighter again as the redhead's eyes got caught on the Succubus' features. She held eye contact with the woman who she thought would be very appealing if she let her long hair out of the tight bun it was currently in but since she was human Bo brushed off the thought quickly as her father reacted to another flicker of the redhead's aura. He gently extracted his arm from his daughter's hold, instead placing it around her hip in a way that could have been interpreted as slightly possessive. The gesture didn't go unnoticed, breaking the hostess' fixation on Bo, her bright smile returning without a hitch to address both of them. "For two, then?" She asked politely and Thane nodded. "A bit secluded, if it's no trouble?" His smile was bittersweet, so much so that Bo almost pitied the poor redhead receiving the full blunt of it. "Of course. If you would follow me." She smiled and turned, indeed leading them to a part of the beautifully decorated restaurant that seemed more quiet than the busy rest, their small wooden table standing against a cream-colored wall right next to a marble female bust. "Your waiter will be right with you." The hostess informed them and Thane flashed her another heartbreaking smile that made her aura flash. "Thank you."
As soon as the redhead had walked off, to Bo's surprise without another look at them, her father finally let go of her hip, pulling out the chair for her to sit which she did with a smiled thank-you. Thane took his place across from her, eyes flickering briefly to the side, no doubt checking for people within earshot and coming up empty. "She was interesting, don't you think?" He asked his daughter and Bo raised a perfectly manicured eyebrow. "She was."
"Maybe we can have dessert later." One corner of the Incubus' mouth curled upward in suggestion, his lidded eyes watching his daughter, a soft blue hue unmistakable in them but the brunette had expected the offer. Making sure there was no one to hear them once more she fixed her father with a hard stare. "You know my rules."
"I know." Thane answered, his voice hinting at a pout that didn't show on his features. "A pity." He looked like he wanted to say something more but refrained from doing so as the waiter appeared to welcome them and hand out the menu along with rattling off the specials like a well-trained parrot. Thane thanked the slightly older man with salt and pepper hair as well as two deep dimples, ordering a bottle of their best red wine in the same sentence. As the waiter walked off Bo gave an amused chuckle. "What are we celebrating?"
"Hmm.." Her father pretended to ponder before a full smile took over his handsome features, white teeth glinting in the light. "Your eyes, your smile, you, my love." Bo laughed, her emotions somewhere in between flattered and thoroughly amused at the Incubus' antics. "Always the charmer." She smiled fondly. It was hard to overlook him being so callous with the lives of countless humans and sometimes even Fae but if she allowed herself to do so for just a moment, he right now was everything she wished her father to be every day of every year. It triggered the reminder that he would be leaving for months again, leaving her alone once more. Bo couldn't stop the small frown from flickering over her features, a mere fragment of a moment but enough for her father's watchful eyes to catch it. "You're changing." It was not a question, nor was it spoken loudly. It was quiet but it held so much weight as Bo's eyes met Thane's over the casually opened menu, chocolate on whiskey. The silence that followed was complete, seemingly drowning out the bustle of the busier parts of the restaurant until there were only the two Fae sitting perfectly still as they regarded each other, Bo trying to figure out what her father meant exactly while at the same time trying not to give him anything to go on; she knew he was waiting for a reaction, the twitch of a lip, the blink of an eye, anything. Unbeknownst to them their silence was so complete that the waiter coming back with the requested bottle of wine shrunk away again before he even reached the table, the heavy note in the air letting him know that this was not a good time at all.
"What do you mean?" Bo finally asked and Thane smiled, his amber eyes rolling upwards for only a second before falling back onto his picture-perfect daughter. "What I said, Ysabeau. I can see changes in you. You have always reminded me of your mother, now you remind me more of your grandmother." Again, the Succubus didn't know what to make of his words but they still struck a chord deep inside her. She had thought nobody knew of her true bloodlines besides Isabeau, Icarus, Trick and herself but then again her father had always had a unique way of simply knowing things. So could he know about the short but heated affair her mother was a product of? Was he comparing Bo to her grandmother because of that? Because of Lauren? The thought of the Phoenix brought warmth as well as dread into the pit of her stomach. She felt her jaw tighten; she didn't want it to but couldn't stop herself. Her father's head cocked to the side ever so slightly in response.
"How so?" Bo got out and her father smiled soothingly and somehow the tension between them seemed to diminish at once. He leaned back to allow the waiter who had once again appeared to open the expensive bottle of wine, offering it to the Incubus first who tasted it and nodded. The waiter bowed ever so slightly, pouring them each a glass before taking their order and disappearing as quickly as he had appeared. He had been a welcome distraction, though because as their glasses touched in a silent toast they were back to just a relaxed lunch. It was always like this between them, from incredibly intense to casual and back again in a matter of minutes and mere words. They seemed to understand each other like that. "I meant that you grow compassionate and fierce like her, not angry and raging like your mother anymore." Thane said softly after a more comfortable silence, his fingers gently playing with the palm of his daughter's hand across the table.
On the inside, Bo was somewhat relieved but then again, she didn't know what her father knew. She decided she would just take what he gave her for now, there was really no other option. She half-smiled. "That's your wife you're talking about."
Thane laughed, a beautiful sound, deep and rich like a note coaxed from the strings of a cello. "It is. What makes you think angry and raging aren't qualities I find attractive?" Bo just shook her head as they shared a chuckle and light banter until their lunch arrived. It was indeed very good and the fact that they steered clear of heavier subjects for the rest of their meal made it even better. After lunch they stayed for a short while longer, talking about this and that, drinking the rest of their wine before Thane paid for their meal along with a more than generous tip.
Bo's brow was furrowed as she sat in the Jaguar waiting for her father who, as he had put it, needed to get the alcohol from his system before he drove. She knew he wouldn't kill, not now, not here amidst all these humans but somehow it still unsettled her although she had done the very same thing countless times before. They drove in silence once more after Thane arrived again, not a hair out of place but a definite and telltale glow to his appearance. He silently dropped her off, opening the door for her and walking her to the clubhouse's door like the gentleman he was.
"I will see you when I come back, my love." He told her, pressing a kiss to her forehead while Bo's hands gripped his waistcoat tightly, a sign of how much, despite everything, she wanted him to stay. He cupped her cheek softly."Ysabeau." Responding to the touch she opened her eyes, looking back at him. "Remember that you can and will have everything your heart desires. Never doubt that." He looked at his daughter for a second longer, his eyes holding a strange glint that Bo couldn't place, especially because it was only a mere moment before thin lips were pressed to her forehead once more, the one arm still around her waist tightening its hold before letting go. Thane McCorrigan didn't wait for an answer, he just smiled at her one last time before turning on his heels and walking back to his black Jaguar. Moments later the engine's roar jolted Bo from her trance to witness her father peeling out of her makeshift driveway, gravel and dirt flying onto the almost deserted street of the industrial district she lived in.
-x-
It was late Friday evening and Lauren had just come home from an exhausting yet fulfilling day at the lab. She had finally solved a case for the police department that had been giving her headaches for the last two weeks and in the end it turned out to be quite simple, too. That along with a mountain of paperwork and a sick Light Elder brought to her first thing in the morning had succeeded to completely tire her out. She had stayed longer than any of her assistants once again, even after the night shift took over but at around 9pm she was finally done for the day, thinking about nothing more than a hot bath, Thai takeout and a nice glass of red wine, in that order. Her exhausting day had also succeeded in not letting her think about her upcoming trip to Paris and the reasons behind it; for that Lauren was more than thankful.
She had just put up her hair and wanted to get into her luxury-sized bathtub filled with scorching hot water, just the way she liked it, when her phone rang. Lauren cringed. Always when she wanted to relax. Bending down, she fumbled to find the right pocket of the jeans she had just taken off, pulling out the small device seconds later and ending its annoying chirping without so much as a glance to see who was calling her. She decided she would put the phone on the small wooden side table next to the tub, though, just in case it was important and whoever had called her did so again. As soon as that was done Lauren stretched her limbs with a satisfied sigh, slowly stepping into the hot water and relishing in its scorching heat as she sat down before settling completely into the hot heaven it provided. Immediately, the Phoenix' body started to soak up the extra heat that would have been way too much for a creature not connected to fire like she was. Whenever she wanted to fully submerge herself in a bath she would turn the hot water all the way up, and only the hot water. She loved it that way, the tingle the heat left on her skin as it began to glow softly, just enough so that it was noticeable, the lazy curls of steam rising and floating around her until they dissipated into thin air. The Phoenix rested her head comfortably on the tub's edge, taking deep breaths as she finally allowed all of her tight muscles to loosen, stress pouring out of her and leaving her thoroughly relaxed.
Her phone rang again. Lauren's face contorted in frustration but still she dutifully lifted the hand closest to the small side table out of the water's comforting heat, shaking it to get rid of most of the moisture before she reached for the offending object invading her blissful solitude. Surely there was a good reason for this call, something coming up at the lab, results to some test she started received by the night shift. Silently, Lauren prayed that it wasn't anything that would require her immediate presence. She loved her work, she truly did, but there were limits to that love and one of them was definitely reached right about now.
"Dr. Leavold." She sighed into the phone as she brought it to her ear, eyes still closed. In a normal situation she would have tried to use her most professional voice but right now she didn't have any capacity for that, she just wanted to enjoy the rest of her evening.
"Well, hello Doctor." The sultry voice filtering through the line was enough for Lauren's eyes to shoot open, the phone almost falling out of her hand. Bo. Suddenly, she found, she didn't want to relax in her bath anymore. "Have I rendered you speechless already?" Came a soft chuckle and only then did the blonde realize that she hadn't answered. "No, I mean I.. I'm just surprised." She managed to get out but it didn't even sound convincing in her own ears. Bo chuckled again. "That may have been part of my plan." The Succubus' good mood was practically palpable and it infected Lauren as well, painting a brilliant smile on her features as she settled back into her previous position, eyes closing again only to find a mental image of Bo smiling cheekily at her. "Maybe?" She found herself asking playfully and this time she was rewarded with a full-blown laugh. "Yes, maybe. I was aiming for the welcome kind of surprise, though. In case that wasn't clear." Lauren just hummed contently in response, letting Bo know that it was a very welcome one, more than that actually.
"What are you up to?" The Succubus asked after a pause and Lauren found it amusing how her lover could let that sentence alone sound like she should have been asking 'what are you wearing' instead. "Well I was trying to take a nice hot bath and relax after a long day." The Phoenix sighed into the phone, but not unhappily so. Sometimes this unspoken connection they had even when not in close proximity was something Lauren found unreal, like their bodies were somehow in tune with each other and communicated on a level of their own. It was happening again right now as she could practically feel Bo perk up on the other end of the line. "Are you taking a bath right now?" The Succubus asked and Lauren heard the flirtatious undertone in her voice, her mind providing her with an according picture once again. She decided to play along in this game; she had no chance of stopping it anyway. "Why?"
"I'm trying to create a mental image, babe." Her voice dipped dangerously at the end and now the Bo in Lauren's head had bright blue eyes instead of deep brown ones. It made goose bumps race down her body, even through the all-consuming heat of the water. "Oh, in that case, yes I am." The blonde surprised herself with how steady and seductive her voice came out. Well, she thought, her lover was a Succubus so she might as well start matching her pace. In response, Bo hummed, a deep sound from the very back of her throat. "God you're making me so.. hungry." She husked barely controlled and now Lauren didn't need her head providing her with an image, she knew Bo's eyes were their brightest blue. Her body felt like it was on fire from the inside, her heart racing in her chest. In that moment where she seemed to lack any coherent thought she managed to form three words, one request: "Come over. Now.", speaking solely out of a need deeper than she could and cared to understand.
-x-
Lauren's voice was driving Bo crazy. She was standing against the far wall of her bedroom, forehead pressed to the wall almost as hard as she was pressing the phone to her ear. Her eyes were squeezed shut but she could feel them burning bright blue behind their lids and how could they not? Every word, every sound that her lover on the other end of the line made was another pang of need, of gnawing hunger digging into her stomach. She hadn't fed since Lauren left two days ago and she was paying for it now. Her self-control around the blonde was shaky at best anyway and after adding her hunger and the images Lauren was creating in her head right now it was becoming unbearable. She was one huskily pleading word of her lover away from racing to her Camaro and breaking every speed limit of this city to get to Lauren as quickly as she could, jump into that bath with her and have her way with the beautiful blonde all night long. But she couldn't. First of all, she was in the middle of a bestie-night she had promised Kenzi and she couldn't just bail on her to go be with the Phoenix. Second of all, this was Lauren. Yes, the blonde had just requested her to come over in the most sexy of tones and Bo wanted to comply so badly in was physically hurting her to say no but she wouldn't make the blonde into just another feed to satisfy the hunger currently raging in the pit of her stomach. She could find someone else for that, to at least take the edge off before she encountered her lover again. Lauren meant too much to her to just go there now and let herself revert into the most primal part of her nature even though she knew the blonde wouldn't mind one bit.
Bo took a deep breath, the hand not holding her phone coming to rest on the wall before her, grounding her like she needed it to. "I can't." She finally got out and there was a seldom awkward pause between them. She heard Lauren exhale on the other end. "Okay." she said. Bo knew it was meant to sound casual but she could hear the disappointment clearly; she knew her lover's tells by now, even when it was just her voice.
"Don't get me wrong, I'd love nothing more. I just promised Kenz that I would spend the evening with her." Bo explained a little rushed, trying to further suppress the gnawing feeling of her hunger. "It's why I'm calling actually."
To the Succubus' surprise Lauren chuckled, though it still sounded a bit strained. "Because of your best-friend night with Kenzi?" At the words Bo had to smile herself. She really had a knack for not expressing herself clearly. "No. Remember the date I wanted to take you on?" Lauren hummed a yes, a slightly amused tone mixing into it. "Well, Kenz dug through her contacts and guess what? She found a nice club on the outskirts of town that hasn't seen a Fae in a long, long time."
The Phoenix laughed melodiously and it made Bo smile along with her, her hunger not as bad now anymore. "And you're planning on taking me there?"
"Yes. What about tomorrow evening? If you're free?"
"Why wouldn't I be free, Bo?"
"I don't know, maybe you're out with another woman." Bo mused, internally smiling at how easy it was for them to just hold a conversation and fun around. "Oh right, maybe I am." The Succubus knew Lauren was joking but she couldn't help the low jealous growl that escaped her mouth. "Mighty possessive, are we, miss McCorrigan?" The blonde taunted playfully and Bo growled louder, this time of her own volition, making Lauren laugh again. There was another small silence, comfortable and warm like those usually following fits of breathless laughter. "Pick me up at eight?" Lauren asked softly, their mood having shifted from flirty to funny and now to loving in a matter of minutes. It never creased to amaze Bo how easy it was for them to simply talk. "I'll be there." She assured her lover who hummed again, this time contently and the brunette's mind filled with the image of Lauren languidly stretching like a cat would.
"I'll let you get back to Kenzi then." The Phoenix finally said and it was Bo's turn to hum her approval. She really didn't want to hang up but then again she had left her best friend downstairs the second the Djinn had told her about this club she found that suited their needs. "I'll see you tomorrow, babe." Bo smiled and Lauren immediately answered "I'm looking forward to it. Goodnight, baby." The line went dead seconds later, leaving the Succubus to absolute silence except for the supposedly scary menu music of the horror movie she and Kenzi would watch wafting up the stairs. She turned around to lean her back against the wall, taking a deep breath. That had not gone as expected but with the desired outcome nonetheless. By now she should really know the effect Lauren had on her, she scolded herself. She knew she would need to feed at least a bit to take the edge off before she went to pick her lover up tomorrow evening, otherwise she would probably end up jumping the blonde's bones the second she saw her.
Slowly, Bo wandered down the stairs to find Kenzi occupying most of the couch, a huge bowl of popcorn propped up against the backrest while it sat on her stomach, a bottle of liquor on the small table in front of her. The Djinn looked up and raised an eyebrow at her best friend's goofy grin. "It went well, then?" She asked and Bo nodded. "Yes. I'm picking her up tomorrow evening at eight. Thanks Kenz." The small brunette didn't answer immediately, sitting up instead and placing the popcorn bowl on the floor in front of her before she looked back up at the Succubus who she thought of as a sister she never had rather than 'just' her best friend. "Don't thank me. I know I messed things up when she was here, I didn't mean to. I'm just concerned, is all."
Bo sighed and smiled at Kenzi, walking over to hug her over the back of the couch, placing a soft kiss on top of her head. "I know that. We talked about it a couple of hours ago, remember? I know that whatever she and I have is complicated, even more so because of who we are. It's kind of a stupid idea altogether but at the same time it feels like the best one I've ever had. You're just looking out for me, I know that. Just no more overstating the case, right?"
"Right." Kenzi agreed, clearing her throat immediately after. "Now let's watch some horror flick and get wasted!" She exclaimed and Bo laughed, jumping over the backrest to come and sit next to her best friend. Yes, she thought, as Kenzi started the movie and immediately pointed out how ridiculously bad it was going to be, she would have whatever her heart desired, just like her father told her to. She had shed her fear of her and Lauren's connection while she reflected on what her father had told her in parting. She would have what her heart desired, she would have the eldest Leavold sister in a way she hadn't wanted anyone ever before.
-x-
"Parallel Vertex?" Lauren laughed as she and Bo approached the old industrial building with a bright neon sign telling them they had reached their destination, the Succubus' hand holding hers tightly like it had been from the second she had picked her up at her apartment at ten past eight. "Yes." The brunette clad in mostly leather once more smiled over her shoulder, directing the full effect of her dimple at Lauren."It's supposed to be really good, great music, great booze and most importantly lots of very human people."
"I bet. It looks kinda packed, though." The Phoenix pointed out and indeed, in front of the entrance that would lead them down into the depths of one of the largest nightclubs not owned or frequented by the Fae stood an impressive line of more or less grumpy party-goers, waiting for one of the four massive bouncers to let them into the full club. The fact that they had four of them spoke for itself in the blonde's mind. "Don't worry about that, babe, I have my ways." Bo grinned and Lauren just chuckled. She should have thought of her lover's talents before indirectly questioning if they were even going to get in before the night was over. They were still walking closer and by now the Phoenix could feel the beat, although she couldn't really hear it yet. It vibrated through the walls of the old building, shaking the ground along with it and Lauren momentarily asked herself how loud the music must be for it to have that kind of effect.
Bo pulled her from her musings as she stopped a few yards short of the doors, the humans waiting to get in regarding them with interest while the bouncers paid them no more attention than they did anyone else. "Just stay here and watch." Bo grinned, leaning in to place a soft kiss on Lauren's cheek that made the blonde blush, thankful for the darkness around them to mask it. The Succubus stepped back and threw her raven hair back over her shoulder in an enticingly fluid movement, a devilish smirk on her face and a blue glimmer in her eyes as she fully turned towards the bouncers, stalking towards them like a lioness on the hunt. The sight made Lauren shiver and her stomach clench, Bo in her usual tight black leather pants and knee high boots, along with the olive green vest she wore made her a sight to behold. Lauren suspected that it was her demeanor, though that made her especially attractive this evening. From the moment the brunette had shown up at her door, leaning in its frame with yet another rose in her hand and that terrible grin on her face Lauren had known that something was different tonight.
The blonde stayed back like her lover had told her to but she could still hear the Succubus talking to herself like there was no by now audible beat or chattering of the waiting line. Bo discreetly but confidently pointed her finger at the first bouncer, way to the left. "Eeny.." Her voice was so husky that even while it wasn't directed at the Phoenix, she still felt it with every ounce of her body. Next came the second one, this time the one to the far right. "Meeny.." The Succubus walked closer to the bouncers who were now taking direct notice of her. The next one was the one to the right middle whose brow was furrowed as Bo grinned and winked at him. "Miny.." She directly walked up to the last bouncer, a blond one who was looking at the Succubus with definite interest. He was trying hard to hide it but Lauren could see the effect her lover was having on the poor man and she hadn't even touched him yet. "Bo." The Succubus practically purred at him before trailing the fingers of her hand slowly up his arm, giving his chin a small teasing flick. Lauren saw the faint orange hue but she doubted anyone else had as Bo turned to look back at her with a fire glimmering in her eyes, the fire of a Succubus enjoying her game. She made a 'come hither' motion with her head and Lauren followed her immediately to the door of the club and in, past the bouncer who was adamantly telling his colleagues that they were on the guest list for the evening.
"Bo.." Lauren trailed off as the brunette pulled her in close and kissed her right at the top of a large metal staircase, pulling the wind right out of her lungs. There were a few catcalls echoing towards them through the opprobrious loud music but Lauren didn't care. It was like her lover had flicked a switch inside of her and the Phoenix let herself be consumed by a fire she hadn't felt in a long time, that of total freedom. Much to Bo's delighted surprise she leaned right back in and connected their lips once more, grinning at the brunette when they parted, breathing heavily.
"You're playing with fire, doctor." Bo growled into her ear but Lauren just grinned. "Fire is kinda my thing, you know?" Her lover pulled back just a bit and the Phoenix could see the bewitching blue threatening to take over her eyes but the brunette controlled it well. "Let's go have ourselves some fun then." She turned, taking Lauren by the hand to lead her down the metal staircase and into another world. There were people everywhere on a massive dancefloor that took up the whole lower floor, grinding and dancing to the pounding beat. The upper level seemed to hold the bar and tables, all set up along the walls and on the same metal industrial-like scaffolding that made up the whole upper level so everyone upstairs could look down at what they were missing on the dancefloor, seeing most of it but not the edges. Lauren's awed investigation of her surroundings ended abruptly when Bo pulled her tightly against her body. The blonde hadn't realized they had already reached the lower floor but she forgot that thought as quickly as it came when her lover's arms wrapped enticingly around her neck, a sly grin on her face as she pulled Lauren further into the heaving crowd and into her body. The blonde felt a powerful flutter in her stomach when their lips met for the first time on the dancefloor while their hips moved to the beat as one, like they had never known anything else. She huffed out a breathy moan lost in the music when she felt Bo nibble teasingly down her jaw. She kissed her right under her ear and Lauren felt the vocal cords in her throat vibrate against her when the brunette simply declared "Mine." She would be dealing with the Succubus-side of her lover tonight, that much was clear. Heat thundered through Lauren's body at the feeling of Bo this close to her, body moving under her hands, of the brunette's unforgiving grin against the side of her neck as she softly nipped at the skin there. This was different somehow, equal parts easy and electrifying, like the Bo she had met weeks ago for the first time yet different altogether. It was like it had only ever belonged this way, flashing lights, loud music, Bo's body.. and freedom. Most of all that. Lauren was helpless to stop herself from giving in with every ounce of her being. God, did she love this woman.
-x-
Dyson, Hale and Tamsin slowly got out of the Valkyrie's beat up old truck maybe a block away from where they needed to go. "So what's this place called again?" She asked, visibly bored as she fumbled with the zipper of her trademark turquoise leather jacket.
"Parallel Vertex." With a sigh Hale repeated the name for what felt like the hundredth time that evening. "He said we could sink into the crowd there and that it would be the perfect place for our 'transaction' because Fae usually never come to this place."
"I feel like a criminal." Dyson growled unhappily while they made their way towards the human night club. "If it helps us find the guy who murdered all these people.." Hale started but the wolf waved him off. "Yes I know.." He sniffed. They were close enough to feel the beat now. That smell, or rather that mixture, that was.. no. It couldn't be. It just couldn't.
Soo.. as always, reviews definitely welcome. For this one I feel like I spent waaay too much time on fashion websites to find something for all of these people to wear^^ Anyway, still on twitter (ladywhorocks) feel free to follow me and talk to me (just don't expect good advice or serious answers, I'm historically bad at both). See you next time! :)