Chapter 26:
Kenzi sat among her comrades filled with concerned and frantic eyes flicking her gaze from a chattering Tamsin to a dictative Trick. Bo stayed quiet beside her as did her wolf lover whom kept protective arms around his beloved human girlfriend. The goth sighed grabbing the long necked green wine bottle slamming it down hard in the middle of the table silencing the bickering as all eyes focussed on her.
"Now you know...the rest of the story peeps...but we gotta bigger dealio." Kenzi set the bracelet down. Dyson was first to react snatching it frantically clenching fingers around it.
"This is..."
"A bigger...dealio." The human stated spinning her shot glass in her hand.
"...Lauren's." Dyson finished. Tamsin moved closer to the table dropping both palms flat on the surface pressing them roughly against the wood. The wolf looked over at his partner seeing the rage emulating in her eyes. The valkyrie was beyond pissed off. "Tamsin..."
"Where is...our lady medic at this moment?" Tamsin seethed through every word.
"If I had to guess, where ever Cerra is. Which, we should be grateful if she's far away from here. Lets not jump to conclusions..."
"Trick...she HELPED that monster attack Kenzi. She took off after we got back Bo and Tamsin. I'm not saying she might not be in danger, or that this...woman doesnt have her...but if it looks like a betrayal, smells like a betrayal..." Dyson had a point and it burned Bo to no end to think that way. But, how could she not. "Because of the doc, Kenzi lost something that protected her and worse..." The wolf felt Kenzi shivering in his arms burying her face in his chest." The gang jumped as Bo's phone went off as the succubus pulled it out of her back pocket turning it over seeing Lauren's pic on the screen. "Bo?"
"Its Lauren isnt it?" Trick asked. The brunette nodded holding her breath letting it out ragged. She slid her finger over putting the phone to her ear. "Bo?"
"Hey Lauren...you okay? You kinda took off on me..." The doctor was quick to respond.
"Yea, I'm sorry about that Bo. But if its not too much to ask, I'd like to talk to you...privately..." Lauren spoke calmly laying under crimson sheets on her stomach as her hair was parted softly.
"I'm not sure I can do that doc...everyone is trying to stick together here...you should head back here Lauren...you shouldnt be by yourself." Bo exclaimed attempting to get the doc back to the Dal. Silence on the line wasnt a good sign. "Lauren?"
"Bo...remember...the first time we met?" The succubus swallowed down the guilt along with the unforgettable memory.
"Yes." Tamsin watched her lover's expression shift to one of a great sadness.
"Remember how I seemed?" As Lauren continued talking Bo found her voice lost. "I have to remain guarded Bo. You saw how everyone treated me...even you...treated me...so I'm asking you..." The succubus listened with a heavy heart nodding.
"I'll come. I owe you that Lauren. Is there anything you want from your place? From mine?" The valkyrie tightened her jaw walking closer but the brunette put her hand up. The conversation concluded and pained brown eyes slid into Tamsin's concerned ones.
"Tell me...you arent meeting that double cross..." Bo put a finger over the valkyrie's lips quieting her.
"Public place. Coffee. She needs closure Tamsin. Shes leaving."
"Bo..." Dyson spoke up. "The bracelet...you could be walking into a trap."
"Bo Bo, D man has the ultimate caution right there. She could be setting you up to be served on a incubus silver platter. I dont agree with you going."
"Ditto." Tamsin proclaimed. Bo sighed looking down.
"I am taking my father's dagger with me. I am...also taking this." Bo pulled a closed syringe out of her pocket showing it to the group. "If she attempts any...attack I'll inject...her with my blood." Tamsin felt her eyes burn with understanding feeling the weighted pain Bo had coursing within her placing her hand on her lover's. The succubus would never enslave anyone let alone a human and for that matter her ex girlfriend. But Bo knew that if her trusted doctor was about to send her to the worst evil imaginable she might have to use her own evil to stop Lauren. "I know none of you want me to go and I dont blame you. But if I can set Lauren free of her pain by giving her the option to leave this chaos before it becomes any worse I am going to do it." Bo raised her gaze back to her beautiful valkyrie's. "I love you Tamsin, and I know you dont trust her...but trust me, to do this. I need to." Tamsin swallowed hard moving closer placing the softest most vulnerable of kisses on her succubus' lips as Bo returned that adoring loving kiss. Their eyes remained locked, a mutual understanding a promise for Bo to return to whom she'd chosen. Trick lowered his head shutting his eyes. He knew in that moment that they were meant to be by each others side in heaven...or hell. Tamsin would never betray his granddaughter. Which meant if Bo did fall to the blackness, the valkyrie would follow and it wouldnt be just Bo's life he may have to sacrifice.
"Bo..." The two lover's broke their intimate kiss as she turned to Dyson and Kenzi. "Call us..minute you're done okay?" The brunette nodded hugging her best friend as Dyson embraced them both.
"I will. Maybe I'll even bring you guys coffee." She smiled as Kenzi laughed softly.
"Trip the caff k?"
"Deal." Bo winked breaking the hug kissing Tamsin once more nuzzling her cheek. "Call Acacia...have her on watch...I am sure that might ease you...lover..." She whispered as Tamsin gripped her arm and their eyes met once more. "I love you...my valkyrie."
"Love you too succubabe." Tamsin let her go as the gang watched Bo walk out of the Dal.
Bo glanced in her rear view mirror fixing her hair leaving her favorite jacket on the passenger side letting out a long nervous breath holding on to a small blue box of the doc's things climbing out of her car shutting door walking around the building into the quiet corner street cafe. As she entered she glanced around, eyeing the couples, families and occasional on lunch businessman. Flicking her brown eyes to the side corner booth she saw a familiar blonde gazing out lost in her thoughts as Bo walked over.
Lauren's attention switched smiling to the succubus softly but keeping the smile minimum. Immediately Bo felt the guilt punching her for ever hurting her ex like this.
"Hi." She replied giving a faint smile, attempting to break the ice.
"I hadnt ordered yet. I figured, you would want to." Lauren stated, keeping herself calm not giving Bo any reason to run for the door.
"Well, I did always like to order for us. Here." Bo handed Lauren the box smiling again a little softer. "Your usual I take it?"
"A larger one. That way we can enjoy our time longer." Bo felt herself warm inside nodding going to counter ordering them both the biggest coffee available. Lauren lifted the lid off the small blue box noticing everything she had asked Bo to bring taken aback at her bracelet among her things wondering when she had forgotten it. As the doctor pondered this sense of concern Bo slid into the booth leaning back.
"Something wrong?" Lauren pulled out the bracelet showing it to the succubus and immediately Bo noticed the blonde's confused expression. 'She had no clue she had lost it.'
"I only take this off when I shower or at night time...how could I have misplaced this...where did you find..."
"The Dal." Bo lied. It did no good to tell her where she had actually found it. Bo had her answer, Cerra had enthralled Lauren. Both women looked up as one of the cuter waitresses set their drinks down.
"Fixings on the left toward the counter sugar." Bo smiled finding the southern accent adorable.
"Thank you Marie." Lauren said smiling to her. As the bubbly girl headed to another table the doctor turned to Bo. "New hire. Sallie is going off to college. They lost their delivery guy too."
"I wondered on that. But this place keeps busy." Bo had no need to add to her coffee as Lauren popped the lid off tearing three packets of sugar adding creamer stirring with one of the stick from the jar closing the lid. "I am sorry for how things happened Lauren. I trully am. It wasnt my intention to hurt you...or even accuse you." Bo explained taking a sip of her coffee. She made a slight face laughing popping lid off her drink grabbing her own stir stick. "Guess blended wasnt added to the order."
"Dont feel bad mine half the time isnt stirred and they get the order wrong but still good coffee." Lauren happened to glance over seeing a familiar red jacket outside. 'She brought back up.' The doctor noticed as Acacia had her drink brought to her smiling as Bo yanked another couple of sugar packets from the other table settling back down. "I understand Bo. I had no idea the serum was tainted..."
"I know." Bo interrupted. "I also know if the apocalypse is gonna hit, I'd rather you get the hell out of here." The brunette drank down a quarter of her cup sighing. "You deserve to have a life, away from all this..."
"Chaos?" Bo nodded at Lauren's response. "And what about you?" Bo took another sip glancing over gazing out the window noticing her vision blur for a moment then return. "You shouldnt be fighting everything Bo..." Lauren watched as the succubus' hand slid down her cup dropping on the table as her shoulders lowered and her body sagged back against the seat. "You shouldnt have to take on everything...Bo? Bo, are you okay?"
"Lauren..." Bo could barely find her voice her whole body seemed to be unbalancing, shifting. Her arms felt numb her head swimming and Lauren's words were echoing. She went to lift her hand but she couldnt. Eyes of brown attempted to widen but even that took effort. Bo lifted her disoriented gaze up to a smiling doctor feeling her heart break. Lauren tapped a small vile bottle on the table knowing damn well Bo couldnt read the contents if she tried. 'She drugged...me...sh...it...' But when she gazed up into the doc's eyes she noticed the haze in them. "Ce...rr...a...'s...contr...olling...you..."
"Oh Bo...so kind hearted...arent you? Drink...the rest of your coffee Isabeau." The succubus gasped as her hand lifted clasping the cup bringing it to her lips. 'No! I cant drink this! I cant...my body...I ca...I...' Bo felt her mind losing focus her thoughts ceasing. Her control diminished. Lauren grabbed the box sliding out of the booth slipping her bracelet back on walking out as Cerra glided passed her heading over softly grabbing the succubus' hand pulling her from the booth as Bo let go of the empty coffee cup.
"Its time to go my little queen..." Cerra purred whispering as the brunette nodded walking out with the dark vixen whom laughed dropping the dagger Bo had stashed into Acacia's drugged hands hearing the hunter cursing attempting to stand slumped over in her chair. "Its going to be a while before you can move...far too long for you to have a chance to rescue her. But you can relay a message...your dear sweet doctor says hello." Cerra smirked as Bo's body stumbled and the dark haired temptress clasped an arm around her leading her to her black mustang opening the door dropping the succubus in the seat leaning down. "Dont you worry my sexy little succubus...you're going to feel much...better...soon..." Green eyes lit up in a rich emerald flame grinning as Cerra shut the door watching the doctor speed away...