A/N: This chapter is shorter than most, it's more of a build up the big mission to rescue Melody. Read, review and enjoy!
Chapter Twenty Six
Tamsin jumped out of the truck outside her building, leaving the door open as she ran inside. Closing the doors, Bo followed her. They found Lauren sitting on the floor, leaning up against the island in the kitchen, obviously having put up a fight. Her face was a bloody mess; she was cradling her left arm, looking extremely sorry for herself.
"How many of them?" Tamsin asked when she ran in.
"Seven, I think…"Lauren replied.
"You think?" Tamsin asked, "I need to know numbers Lauren, I need to know what I'm up against."
"What we're up against." Bo said.
"You're not coming with me Bo," Tamsin said, "it's too dangerous."
"I'd like to see you try and stop me," Bo said, "we're in this together Tamsin, whatever this is… Mia said that Melody needs us both, and I need you. I can't lose either of you, so there is no way I'm sitting around here wondering whether one or both of you is coming back."
"I'm coming to." Kenzi said, walking into the loft with Hale.
"We…" Hale said.
"Someone call Dyson." Bo replied.
"He's already on his way Bo." Kenzi said.
"This isn't some fucking group outing," Tamsin said, "this is where shit really starts to get real."
"We know that Tamsin," Kenzi said, "but in case you haven't noticed, we do things together around here, that's what family do, whether you like it or not we're coming."
x-x
Tamsin was standing in the doorway of Melody's bedroom. The lamp that she and Bo had bought earlier that day lay smashed on the floor, the duvet was thrown from the bed, it hurt Tamsin to think of Melody being dragged from the bed. Bo walked up next to her and put her arms around the Valkyrie's waist; Tamsin put her arms around Bo and held her close.
"I told her this room would be somewhere she would always be safe…" Tamsin said, "I told her that, and I wasn't even here to protect her…"
"We weren't to know something was going to happen Tams…" Bo said, holding the Valkyrie closer.
"Cassie knew…" Tamsin said, "The bitch could have at least given us a heads up."
"The way she saw it, it wasn't going to happen for weeks," Bo replied, "something obviously happened, something obviously changed for it to happen now. Plus from what she said at the Dal Evony told her to keep it to herself for a while longer. You know what the Dark are like…"
"We're both Dark, Bo…" Tamsin said.
"You know what I mean," Bo said, "We'll get her back baby, I promise."
"Don't make promises you can't keep Succubus." Tamsin said, walking away from Bo and back into the kitchen where Crystal was now tending to Lauren.
Tamsin looked at Kenzi, obviously wanting to know when Crystal got there.
"I called her," Kenzi said, "I figured as we're all heading to find Melody someone should be here for the Doc."
"Her arm is broken," Tamsin said, "you might want to take her to the hospital…"
"Any specific hospital?" Crystal asked.
"The human kind." Tamsin replied.
"I should probably go to the Dark Fae facility," Lauren said, "as they are my employers now…"
"You're human Lauren," Tamsin said, "tonight proved that."
"That's a little harsh don't you think." Kenzi said.
"If I'd have been here like I should have been Melody would be okay," Tamsin said, "she'd still be sleeping in her bed where she should be."
"That's not Lauren's fault is it." Crystal said, standing up.
The stance that Crystal took was a protective one; she was putting herself between Tamsin and Lauren, thinking that the Valkyrie was going to do something.
Tamsin laughed a little.
"Didn't anyone explain to the waitress that she shouldn't front out a Valkyrie?" Tamsin asked.
"You taking out your failings on Lauren is not Lauren's issue," Crystal said, "It's yours. You're the one who left her here, you're the one who went to the bar…"
"You're the one who is really starting to test my patience." Tamsin said interrupting her.
"Crys…" Lauren said, "Leave it."
"No," Crystal said, "she's being a complete and utter bitch. You took the beating of a lifetime to protect the kid; she should be at least thanking you for that."
"It wasn't the beating of a lifetime," Tamsin said, "she's still breathing."
"Lauren told me what it means when a Fae claims a human," Crystal said, "just because she's under your protection does not mean that she's a verbal punch bag for you to use when something goes wrong."
Tamsin's features started to darken.
"Bo…" Lauren said, knowing what was coming next.
Bo stood in front of Tamsin, getting the Valkyrie to focus on her.
"Calm down baby," Bo said, her hand on Tamsin's cheek, "you don't want to do something that you'll regret…"
"You have no idea what I want to do." Tamsin said.
"Standing around here isn't going to get Melody back," Bo said, "We need weapons, we need a location, and we need it now."
Tamsin looked down at her and took a deep breath.
"Sorry…" she said.
"What for?" Bo asked.
"I should have been here…" Tamsin replied.
Bo could see the tears forming in Tamsin's eyes.
"Let's go and pick out some weapons…" Bo said softly, knowing the Valkyrie hated showing any kind of emotion when other people were there.
x-x
Bo, Tamsin and Kenzi walked into the Morrigan's office, without knocking. Something told Tamsin that Evony would be expecting them, her still being in the office so late proved that.
"Well you three took your sweet time." Evony said.
"Where did they take her?" Tamsin asked.
"This is something bigger than just the Una Mens." Evony replied, looking between Bo and Tamsin, "this is both your pasts coming back to bite you in your fine asses… You've pissed a lot of people off over the years Tamsin, you know that. And you Bo, you just can't help pissing off the wrong people, you should put that on your résumé."
"Who took her?" Tamsin asked.
"The very people who tried so hard to keep you two apart." Evony said.
"Shit…" Tamsin said.
"Tamsin?" Bo asked.
"Your father and Freya…" Tamsin replied, "They both tried to keep us apart."
"The Wanderer has returned." Evony said, "And this whole city is going to hell in a hand basket unless you and your band of merry warriors get that child back."
"Is she still in this city?" Tamsin asked.
"As far as I know, yes," Evony said, "there was whisperings from both sides about them not being able to decide where to take her. I'm sure you understand what that means."
"They couldn't decide between Valhalla and Asgard," Tamsin replied, "because I can travel to both, as can Bo…"
"There is one person who can tell you where they are." Evony said.
"Cassie…" Tamsin said, "She'll know."
"But how are you going to get her to talk," Evony said, "an Oracles time is expensive."
"Her uncle owes me a favour." Tamsin said, "it's time call it in."
x-x
"Bo what a lovely surprise." Mayer said as he saw Bo walking up the stairs, noticing Tamsin his face dropped slightly, "Tamsin."
"Mayer." Tamsin replied.
"What can I do for you lovely ladies tonight?" he asked.
"I'm calling in that favour." Tamsin said.
"Favour?" he asked.
"Don't play dumb with me Mayer; I'm really not in the mood for your shit tonight." Tamsin said.
"What do you need?" He asked.
"To ask Cassie one question." Tamsin replied.
"This is about the kid?" Mayer asked.
Tamsin nodded in reply.
"Then you don't need to call in the favour," he said, "it's in all of our interests that you find her safe."
He sent one of his goons through to the back to fetch Cassie, when she walked out and saw Tamsin and Bo she tried to turn back.
"Just one question," Tamsin said to her, "no reading needed, I promise."
Cassie just looked at her and nodded a little.
"Where did they take her?" Tamsin asked.
"The Light Fae facility," Cassie said, "you know, the one they abandoned."
"Why there…?" Bo asked, more to herself than anyone else.
"Because we're both Dark Fae and that land is still technically the territory of the Light…" Tamsin replied.
"And what happens to us if we go on that land?" Bo asked.
"We'd need the permission of the new acting Ash…" Tamsin replied.
"Trick?" Bo asked.
"Trick." Tamsin replied.