No Fate But My Own
Chapter 21
Lauren shifted uncomfortably in her seat as the silence and tension in The Ashes office made Lauren wish there was a window. The room was quite large by regular office standards but right now it felt small, enclosed. The doctor closed her eyes and took a deep calming breath trying desperately for the claustrophobic feeling to subside. She reopened her eyes after several more breaths and noted that The Ash was watching her. His eyes held a kind of sadness and she realised that the agitation that she had sensed when first arriving hadn't been directed at her.
"Lauren? Are you feeling unwell?" The Ash started to rise from his chair as if to come around the desk and check on her.
The doctor raised her hand. "I'm fine Sir. Please, don't get up."
Samuel bowed his head and returned to his chair. "I guess you are wondering why I have called you here."
"Well I thought it was about my work until Trick told me he was here to see you as well." Lauren looked from The Ash to a silent Trick beside her. She turns her gaze back to her boss. "Can we just cut through the pleasantries and get down to why I'm here. I could cut the tension in this room with a scalpel it's so thick. I want to know why Trick is apologising to me and why you keep looking at me like you are my father and you don't know how to tell me that my dog died!"
Lauren caught The Ash frown before he schooled his face to his usual blank expression. The only thing that betrayed him were his eyes. They still held some of the emotion that his face no longer showed. "Very well Dr Lewis...Lauren. A few days ago Trick came into this office and revealed to me his true identity. That he is indeed The Blood King, long thought dead and not just the friendly way-keeper of the Dal." It was Lauren's turn to keep her surprise from showing on her face as Samuel continued to speak. " After proving his identity and asking for his ancestral crown to be returned to him we conversed on several important issues that the Light is facing right now. Since the attack on the compound we have been weakened politically by the loss of several high ranking members of the council. The fae in this county had already been getting restless and outspoken since Bo's trials and her refusal to choose a side."
Lauren opened her mouth automatically to defend Bo. "She wasn't raised in this world. She knew nothing of the fae and their laws. You can't keep blaming..." Lauren stopped when she felt Tricks hand on her arm.
She looked at him and he gave her a gentle smile. "Lauren. Samuel isn't attacking Bo and her choice. He is just talking about the unforeseen repercussions that her actions had on the fae populous. It was short-sighted to put Bo through the trials without the proper training and knowledge.." Trick gives Samuel a pointed look. "But what' s done is done and now we just need to focus on bringing stability to the fae as a whole."
Lauren looked between the both of them. "I still don't understand what this has to do with me. I try to stay out of the politics. I just want to do my job and go home to the woman I love at the end of the day."
"You will know soon enough why this involves you Dr. Lewis. I asked Trick to take his place on the council and to support me in the law reforms, in exchange for the crown."
Lauren let out a small scoff before she could stop it. The Ash raised an inquisitive eyebrow at her and Lauren found herself explaining her outburst. "Uh...Sorry. It's just always a negotiation with the fae isn't it! I mean the crown is his and yet you request that Trick expose his identity to all the fae which will put him in danger from several factions of the community."
"And that is why he asked for something else in return for him joining the council. Isn't that right Blood King? Would you like to take it from here?"
" Yes." Trick turned to meet Lauren's questioning eyes.
"Trick what did you do? Is this why you are apologising to me. Did you request my removal?"
Trick flinched with shock. "What? No! Why would you even think such a thing. Lauren, we have been friends for years but now you are family. I am happy for you and Bo. Truly. I need you to believe this."
"I know you would have preferred Bo to be with Dyson, Trick!"
Trick got up and stood in front Lauren. "There was a time when I thought that Dyson and Bo would be a good fit. Their love for each other was as strong as yours and Bo's." Lauren looked stricken. Trick grabbed her hand and squeezed it hard. "I'm not finished. You are and always will be a better fit for Bo."
"You're just saying that because we are bonded..."
"No, Lauren! I am saying this because it is true. Do I need to give you a list?" Lauren just looked at Trick, disbelief in her eyes. "Fine. You looked at your humanity as a weakness but it was...is..what keeps Bo balanced. Bo's humanity is what makes her who she is and as her power grows so will her need to have you and Kenzi beside her to keep her grounded. You understood that Bo being a succubus meant that she would have to feed off of other sources. Dyson would have wanted Bo to be monogamous. Not even a 1000 year old shifter would be strong enough to sustain Bo's needs and his ego and pride would have caused serious problems because Bo would have weakened herself to keep him happy. You risked your life for hers time and time again. There was a prophecy written about the two of you and my families ancestral crown acknowledged.. YOU! If you and Bo weren't meant to be together when Bo breathed you back to life with her chi the bonding process would not have occurred. It is rare for a Succubus to find their soul mate and it is even rarer to have them bound because it takes an ultimate sacrifice for it to occur. You saved her Lauren and I am eternally in your debt for that."
"Trick, I..." Lauren's eyes glistened with unshed tears.
Tricks shakes his head. "No. Don't say anything yet Lauren. Wait till you hear everything else."
"Okay, Trick. What did you ask for in return for you taking the council seat?" Trick patted Lauren's hand and then returned to his seat. "I asked for Aoife to be pardoned and granted immunity for her crimes against the fae. I want my family back. I want Bo to get to know her mother and I want the chance to repair my relationship with my daughter. Do you know anything about pardons relating to treason against the fae?"
"No, not really. I tend to concentrate on the medical research and species lore texts," Lauren replies.
"Well because Aoife's original crime was against the dark fae it requires The Morrigan to sign off on the pardon as well. Which of course meant that it would cost The Ash to get her signature. And... well lets just say that after I stormed in on the meeting and accused her of being threatened by Bo well..."
"She IS threatened by Bo! Why else would she go out of her way to make Bo's life as difficult as possible. The Morrigan usually gets bored and moves on but this thing with Bo is different." Lauren says, her fists clenching on her lap. Scattered items around the office began to shake as the blondes anger rose to the surface. Lauren noticed and closed her eyes and focused on channelling her calming power. She felt the anger slide away as the zen like calm replaced it. She reopens her eyes and smiles sheepishly at Trick , "Sorry.. uh... continue."
Trick looked over at Samuel who bowed his head for him to continue. "Lauren the first thing she asked for was you."
Lauren tilted her head to the side and blinked a few times in quick succession letting Tricks words sink in. "Me?"
"She has always been annoyed that you chose the light over her and the dark," Samuel adds watching Lauren closely.
Lauren leaned back in her chair and all she could get to come out of her mouth was, "huh... But you don't own me any more."
"I never thought of you like that Lauren," Samuel says, a little hurt by her words.
"No but almost everyone else that I had contact with in the first few years at least, treated me like a pet! You can't trade me like a baseball card to The Morrigan just so she will sign a peice of paper. I am an employee, not property. Isn't there something else she wants?"
Samuel was surprised by the brutal honesty coming out of the usually meek doctor. He was glad that Lauren was finally standing up for herself but this was not the time that he wanted her to start. "You are one of the lights most valuable commodities, Lauren. Your work and innovation has saved many fae and Evony has not hidden her desire to acquire your expertise. You are a deal breaker, Lauren."
Lauren gaped at the Ash. "So what are you trying to say?"
"I'm saying, Lauren. That if you don't agree to be the doctor for the dark, the Morrigan will not sign the pardon and Aoife will be on the run for the rest of her life and Bo will never get to have a relationship with her mother," the Ash says matter of factly.
Lauren stood up fast tipping her chair over in the process. Her hands were clenched at her sides as anger swept through her. Lauren was livid at the man sitting behind his huge desk. "You couldn't give a damn about Bo! The only thing you care about is getting Trick onto the council so you can use his sway and influence to create your new fae utopia and to hell with anyone else!" The room started to shake as she glared at Samuel. She was so sick of being the fae's pawn. She was tired of fighting and never getting anywhere.
"Lauren." It was Trick who she heard through the pounding of her heart. She also felt Bo's panic as her fury reached out to her through the bond. "Lauren, please. Calm down." Lauren watched Trick whirl around to scorn Samuel. "What are you playing at? Just tell Lauren that she would be under the same contract as she is with you. That she would treat both the light and the dark under the same roof in a new state of the art facility!"
"What are you, Lauren?" Samuel says getting up and approaching the angry blonde slowly.
Trick couldn't believe what was happening. "You baited her! You are testing her to see just what kind of changes have taken place since her resurrection?"
Samuel didn't respond he just continued to approach Lauren. His face was suddenly full of curiosity as the furniture in his office continued to shake. "Trick, she saved my life by throwing me out of a window with her mind. She escaped the blast with minor scrapes and bruises and healed them very quickly. I would like to know what else our doctor is capable of. Are you a threat Lauren? Do you want to hurt me?"
"I...why didn't you just ask." As quickly as the anger had risen it began to slide away. Her inner calm rising to douse her fury which she didn't think was entirely hers. It had felt like Bo's. Lauren shook her head dismissing the thoughts before they took hold. She didn't have the energy to tackle the possibility that she could take Bo's power. She shivered with cold dread. She had tasted Bo's new power in the club and earlier this morning and it frightened her. She feared for Bo and everyone who would be on the receiving end of this all consuming rage. She had wanted to hurt Samuel; she had wanted to rip his head off. But the Ash hadn't even done anything to incur the reaction she had just experienced. What the hell was happening with her. Her emotions were all over the place. A wave of dizziness rushed over her. Lauren wobbled on her feet and both men reached out to steady her.
"Trick? Can you pick up the chair?" Trick released Lauren's arm and lifted the chair of the floor and watched as Samuel lowered the doctor into it's stable comfort. The Ash crouched down and looked at Lauren's pale face and dull eyes. "I'm sorry Lauren. That was terribly stupid of me. It's just that several days ago one of the lab techs brought me the results of your tests and..well..lets just say that my mind has been running away with all sorts of ideas of what's happening to you...what you may be becoming."
Lauren shook her head. "One thing at a time please. I'm tired. It's been a rough couple of days and I just can't deal with anything else right now." She looked up into the dark concerned eyes of Samuel. " Is what Trick said true? That I would be working for both the light and the dark in a new facility."
"Yes."
"Same contract? I would get protection from both you and the Morrigan?" Lauren asks her thoughts finally coming together.
"Yes." The Ash stood and returned to his seat. "A brand new facility in neutral territory with separate wings and separate staff. You would spend your time between both. I am also setting up a private research lab that only you will have access too. The only thing the Morrigan will be adding to the facility will be her staff. Evony held me over the coals last night so to speak and squeezed every last drop out of both myself and Trick to get her to sign the pardon for Aoife."
"But I'm the deal breaker?" Lauren asks, a lump forming in her throat.
"Yes. The Morrigan is bitter about me ransoming the fae flu vaccine to her and this is her way to guarantee that it never happens again." Lauren gives him a look as if to say serves you right. "Yes, I know you wanted me to allow you to give the vaccine freely and I'm sorry that my greed has put you in a very difficult position."
Lauren raised her eyebrows at Samuel. "Difficult position? Are you suggesting that I have a choice on this?"
"Well..."
She cuts him off. "There is no choice. I couldn't do that to Bo. Bo needs her mom. She craves a real relationship with Aoife and could learn so much from her as far as her succubus abilities go. Trick deserves the chance to start reconciling with his daughter. It would be selfish if I didn't do what I can to reunite his family." Lauren looks at Trick and smiles. "It's okay, Trick. There are some positives for me as well you know."
"Like?" Trick asks curiously and amazed at how quickly this woman's mind weighed the pro and cons of this dilemma.
"Well the most important being that I will have the protection of both the light and the dark. It may come in very handy in the future if things don't go well with the Ash's plan for a more united fae. No offence," she says looking at the Ash and giving him a small smile. "It's not that I don't believe you can accomplish your dream of a united fae but we both know that it's going to one hell of a ride to get there."
He nods in compliance and returns Lauren's smile. "True enough. Anything else?"
"Yes. I've read countless texts that there are certain species of fae that are promised to the dark from ancient family pacts. To be able to study these fae in the flesh would be...amazing," Lauren gushes her eyes lighting up at the prospect of studying these creatures. She frowns when she thinks about Bo. "Because the lab will be in neutral territory does that mean I can treat Bo as well?"
"Yes. Though that never stopped you from treating Bo here at the compound, Lauren," The Ash says with a smirk. "So you are willing to do this?"
Lauren turns to Trick and takes his hand and with a warm smile she says, "Yes. Make your deal and start building my new lab."...