As different as Light and Dark

by Ladyrocks

AU. There are a lot of stories where everybody is human, so in this story, everybody is Fae! Bo and Lauren are as different as can be, and yet, or maybe because of that, they fall deeply in love with each other. Despite everything going against them, can they find the will and a way to be happy together and not have to hide it?

26. Chapters 1-25

Hey guys, I know it's been forever. First of all I'd like to thank you all for sticking with this story for such a long time and also during my long absence. As some of you already know from Twitter I finally finished writing this story. I'm currently editing the last chapter and it will be up sometime next weekend. As an apology for making you all wait this endlessly long time I went through the whole story again and edited it. No major changes happened but I just thought I'd polish everything before I give you the big final. So have a lot of fun re-reading the story this coming week because I know I had to in order to remember everything I wrote :) Until next weekend. Enjoy.

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As different as Light and Dark

Chapter 1: Different as can be

Bo was lying on her huge plush bed, stirring slightly before finally waking up. She opened her eyes to the sun shining through her bedroom window. They had been boarded up when Kenzi and she first moved into the old building on the outskirts of town but soon they had the place renovated so that it actually had walls and real glass windows. It was nothing special but then again, that was what they had both wanted. Bo had been desperate to get away from her uptight family and moving from one stick-up-your-ass-fancy place to another had not been an option. She was a Succubus, she wanted to enjoy her life, the pleasures it had to offer, party and enjoy all the advantages that came with being absolutely irresistible.

Kenzi on the other hand wanted a place to finally call home. She was a free spirit, drifting from one place on earth to the next, looking for fun. About ten years ago they stumbled across each other on a party and quickly became best friends. They fit perfectly. While Bo, as a Succubus, had a way with people, Kenzi had her way with things. She was a Djinn, capable of expertly 'moving' things from people's pockets and sometimes houses to where she wanted them. She was the reason they had everything they wanted at the clubhouse, from a huge flat screen TV to Bo's luxurious king size canopy bed. The Succubus herself had the items placed, walls built and floor redone perfectly by a couple of human workers, of course without paying anything. One could think Bo and Kenzi were only best friends because they benefited so much from each other but they had a real connection. The snarky Djinn was so different from Bo's snobby relatives, she was the perfect roommate for the pleasure-hungry Succubus. On the other side Bo offered Kenzi something she never had, a real family. She even was her so-called 'lamp-holder'. Of course, it wasn't really a lamp. That was something for human fairytales. Instead it was a simple golden necklace with an Egyptian hieroglyph as a pendant that Bo never took off. The small item didn't look like anything special but it held the power to bind Kenzi and make her a slave, forced to fulfill her master's every wish until she was granted freedom. The Djinn had given Bo the pendant a few years back, stating she was the only one she could trust and the Succubus honored her promise to never let Kenzi be enslaved by anyone ever again.

Rolling over on her back and sighing deeply she looked to her left and, to her relief, saw nothing but ruffled sheets. Her feed from last night was already gone. Kenzi had probably told the small redhead, whose name the Succubus didn't care to remember, how much Bo disliked waking up to anybody. Sex was just sex after all, it was a passing pleasure whomever it was with and Bo rarely ever had two helpings of the same dish. Stretching out a hand to feel the sheets next to her a satisfied smile spread across her face. The fabric was cold, meaning the woman had left some time ago. Pleased with herself Bo got out of bed, quickly hopping into the shower and then slipping into her black kimono, hair still damp as she padded down to the living room with its built-in kitchen.

"Bodacious! I was starting to wonder if Liz had sucked you dry rather than you her." Kenzi was in her usual spot, sprawled across the couch, a huge bowl of cereal in hand. She grinned up at her best friend who gave her an eye roll. Helping herself to some coffee, Bo walked over to lean on the back of the couch. "Morning, Kenz. As you can see I'm still alive and kicking. And how come you know her name? I can't ever remember it." Bo finished with a short laugh. Kenzi snorted. "How would I know her name? She just looked like a 'Liz' so that's my name for her. On another note, the noise pollution has gotten better since we got actual walls but I could still tell that she definitely remembers your name." Kenzi made a point to look positively disgusted, making Bo and herself laugh in the process. When they finally stopped, Bo shrugged. "I can't help it, I'm really that good." She winked at Kenzi who was right back to her act, this time with mock barfing. Finally finishing their breakfast they decided to head to the Dal and see if there was anything fun going on there at this time of the day.

Surprisingly, there was. Trick was in his usual place behind the bar and as Bo and Kenzi walked in, he greeted them with a smile. The Succubus immediately realized they weren't the only guests as a few cops, probably here for lunch, were playing pool. Two men were lightly bantering as they skillfully handled the cues while a woman was leaning on a table nearby, a beer in hand. The tall blonde was the only one Bo instantly recognized. It was Tamsin, a Valkyrie she had met a couple of times on various parties. She was closed off and cold, like Bo only caring for a passing pleasure. They had gotten drunk together a few times and the brunette fondly remembered the tall blonde as someone whom you could have a load of fun with, if you knew how.

The two men Bo didn't recognize, but she could see their badges. They were both tall and good looking. One wore a hat and was dressed in a leather jacket and jeans while the other one was the taller of the two, with curly hair and a beard. He was currently smirking at the other guy victoriously.

Kenzi told Bo she was going to get them drinks and the Succubus simply nodded, walking over to the three cops. "Hey Tammy." She greeted the Valkyrie with a smirk, knowing how much the blonde hated the nickname.

"Oh look, it's the Succubitch herself." was the snarky reply. "Out for new prey so soon? I saw you leave with the hot redhead last night. I'm sorry, I'll pass this time but maybe the guys would be up for it?" She smirked at the two men who now had abandoned their game to join the conversation. The way they were smiling at her was way too polite for Bo's taste but she could feel that curly-hair liked what he saw.

"I'm Detective Dyson Thornwood." He had a deep voice. "Hale Santiago." The other one chimed in, giving a small wave. The Succubus looked at both of them appreciatively before she answered "I'm Bo."

"Just Bo?" Dyson asked, his brow furrowing in confusion.

The brunette sighed inwardly while she heard the Valkyrie snort next to her. The behavior of the two men gave them away as Light Fae, always so polite, giving their full name and being confused when they were offered something else in return. "Yeah, just Bo." In that moment Kenzi came back from the bar, two beers in hand. She, too, looked at the Valkyrie and stated "Hey, Tammy." The blonde didn't look amused at all which made the scene all the more amusing to Bo and Kenzi who laughed, confusing Hale and Dyson even more.

"Who's the man-candy?" The small Djinn asked when they finally turned their attention back to the actual conversation. Before the two men could introduce themselves again and bore the hell out of Bo she answered. "Dyson and Hale."

"How come I've never seen them around?"

This time, Dyson spoke before Bo could answer. "We're Light. I don't think we would run into each other all that often." And he was right, Bo thought. She and her best friend usually stayed on the 'dark side' of town because, one, they were not welcome in the other part and two, it would probably bore them to death. Not that Bo didn't snack on Light Fae now and then but the dark side just had so much more to offer.

Kenzi made an understanding noise and then looked at Tamsin. "How come you're hanging out with them?" The Valkyrie shrugged. "We're part of some lame-ass peace project between Light and Dark. We work on the same case."

"Ugh. That's shitty." The Djinn responded to which Tamsin toasted and chugged down the rest of her beer. "My words. But how come you haven't heard of it? At least Bo should have, there is this huge peace treaty ceremony thing going down this weekend. I bet mommy dearest really wants you there."

Bo sighed heavily. "And to think this day started off so well. Now I'll just wait for my mother to call and reel me in for another ceremony." As if on cue, her cell phone went off, showing her mom's name.

-x-

Lauren had just put on the sixth dress for the peace treaty ceremony this weekend. Picking out what to wear was always exhausting but it was for a good cause after all. The dress she was currently wearing was a long emerald green one. While she liked the color, she didn't like how it looked on her. She felt way too old in it. Waving for one of her human servants she asked of brunette woman "How do I look? I want an honest response." The young human nodded quickly and walked around Lauren, looking her up and down. "You look stunning as always but I think the purple one suits you the most. It really brings out the wings." Lauren smiled and nodded. "Thank you, Eva. I completely agree with you. The purple one is what I will be wearing, I think." The human nodded "Thank you, Miss Lewis. I will take care of the rest." she said, walking off to put the other dresses back into the closet.

The blonde Fae chuckled. "How many times Eva? How many times do I have to tell you to call me Lauren?" Almost out of the room, the human turned to look back at the blonde. "At least once more than your mother telling me not to call you that. Calling you by your human last name is already pushing it." The woman smiled sadly, clearly torn between two orders. Lauren just smiled reassuringly. She understood. Her mother was really harsh sometimes on their employees. The blonde refused calling them slaves in her head. She didn't agree with most Fae. Humans were not slaves. They were people with a right to be free but she had given up arguing with her mother, it was useless.

Walking back behind the curtain to change into her usual attire she closed her eyes, picturing herself in the beautiful dress she had picked out. It was marvelous, falling over her chest in ripples. It was short, ending just above the knee. Lauren loved that it showed off her legs and arms, but what she loved the most was the fact that it was backless which meant her wings would be clearly visible. Lauren chuckled. She didn't really have wings, but she had tattoos that covered her back almost completely, showing beautiful golden and red wings. It was part of her heritage, she was born with them and incredibly proud of it.

Softly smiling to herself she pulled her black jeans and red button down back on. Maybe she would finally meet someone she could love as much as they loved her. To be admired and lusted after for her beauty was something she had to live with daily and her many attempts at relationships over the years had mainly failed because whoever she was dating was usually more interested in showing her off and admiring her beauty than really getting to know her. Her mother Elizabeth had once told her that to be what they were usually meant a lonely life, unless she found someone who was like her but that was very unlikely as they were so rare.

Laurens mind drifted back to the human woman so many centuries ago. She truly loved her, at least that's what she thought. It had felt real with her. Nadia had not only wanted her for her beauty but for everything else. But, like all humans eventually did, she died way too soon and with her Lauren's dream of happiness. From that moment on, the blonde had become emotionless to the world, completely buried in her work as a doctor, trying to help as many people as possible, hoping to somehow heal herself by healing others. It even worked to a certain degree. Work consumed her and she found her great passion for science, making her forget what she was craving so deeply at least briefly.

She walked down the stairs of the old manor-house, heading for the library when her phone rang, blinking a familiar name at her. "Yes, Dyson?" She was confused that he would call her at this time. He knew she was not at work this time of the day. Of course, they were sort of friends because he used to date Ciara, Lauren's best friend before she died but he never called her just because he wanted to talk to her anymore. They had been incredibly close once, like brother and sister but that had been a while ago. "Lauren, you are going to the peace treaty ceremony, aren't you?"

"Yes, but you know that. All the Elder and High Elder families are." Her tone was confused and slightly irritated.

"I need you to find out something for me. You know I can't go there, it's only for the elder families. I met a woman today."

"Really, Dyson? I'm supposed to go snooping after some hottie for you? Why don't you send Hale? He will be there." Now the irritation was taking over.

"I know he will but she met us both, so she knows him. Came into the Dal today while we were there for lunch break. Could you maybe check if she's available?" He was sounding way to eager for Lauren's taste.

The blonde sighed. "If you shut up about it I will, you have a name or do I have to find that out as well?"

"Her name is Bo. I don't know what family she's a part of but I know she's Dark."

Lauren almost choked when she heard him say that. "Dark Fae? Dyson have you lost your mind? You can't go after someone who's dark, much less date her! You of all people should know."

"I know, Laur." The nickname caught the blonde off guard. He hadn't called her that since they mourned for Ciara together. "But I'm serious with this one. I felt something."

"Ok, wolf-boy. Tell me how she looks, oh and do you know what she is? That would help." Lauren finally gave in. When Dyson answered again, he sounded even more eager.

"She's a brunette, chocolate-brown eyes, curves in all the right places. I'm guessing she will be really hard to miss even in a room full of people. I asked Tamsin about her, she said Bo's a Succubus."

Lauren literally face-palmed. "You fell for a Succubus? A Dark Fae Succubus? And you expect her to give in to you, much less date you? You haven't met enough Succubae to know how they work?"

"I know Laur, I know. But I'm sure I felt something for her, something deep inside. And come on, I've known you for more than your current life-cycle." He appeared really desperate by now.

"Fine Dyson, but I won't promise you anything. Now, if you'll excuse me I have work to get to."

"Ok and really, thank you so much, Laur." Dyson said excitedly and finally hung up.

There was something entirely strange about the wolf-man acting like this. Since his mate Ciara, he was more the hit and run kind of guy but he really seemed sure about this one. What didn't make sense was the fact that this Bo was a Succubus. How could Dyson expect anything more than a one-night stand from a creature that lived for her own pleasure exclusively? The blonde shrugged. It wasn't her problem. If Dyson wanted to ahead and get his heart broken by a sex-demon she wouldn't stop him.

Changing her train of thought Lauren focused on her work as she walked into the library. She had a lot of work to do before she could let herself relax and think more of the ceremony this weekend.

-x-

A slightly pissed Bo walked up to the huge mansion her family lived in. Her mother had indeed ordered her to come over immediately and to please leave 'her poor excuse for a friend' at home. The Succubus had been tempted to bring Kenzi along anyway but decided that it would only make a bad situation worse. She got into her yellow Camaro and drove straight over. When they were as close to their house as they would get on the drive, Kenzi wished Bo much luck and with a flick of her wrist simply vanished into thin air. Sometimes when she did that, the Succubus wished she was a Djinn, too but then she remembered the stories Kenzi had told her about her life. Touching the pendant around her neck she once again promised not to let Kenzi become anyone's servant anymore.

"Ysabeau, finally. I was starting to think you wouldn't show up." Aoife stood at the door, waiting for her rebellious daughter.

"I would never not show up to one of these wonderful family gatherings." Bo's voice was dripping with sarcasm. Aoife sighed. It was always the same. Of course she understood her daughter, after all, she had been young once, too but she had never been as rebellious as Bo. The older Succubus had had her fun, fucked everything that walked and took everything that promised to take her to new heights just for the whim of it for about fifty years. Bo was almost 250 by now and she had been at it for quite a while now. Her daughter always seemed to find things to keep her interested and to block out her 'snob-family' as she like to call them.

"Don't be like that. You know you have tasks to fulfill as a part of this family. You're not just anyone." Aoife looked at her daughter with concern. Aoife would have never gone that far and abandoned her whole family to live with some homeless and stealing Djinn.

"I know. It's why I'm here. So just tell me when I have to be at the party and I'll be there, all dolled-up." Bo's tone was exasperated, not wanting to deal with her family longer than she absolutely had to.

"If it must be that way. It's Saturday at eight. At the Light compound."

"The Light compound?" Bo's voice was shocked.

"Don't think that I like it much but this is a peace thing, so just be there. Oh, and don't bring the Djinn or any other of your playmates. Especially not that one Valkyrie, she's so ill-mannered. This is an Elder-families-only gathering."

Bo nodded once and made her way back out the door. Things were looking like it was going to be an evening that would make her top-ten-most-boring list.

Chapter 2: The (only) one that got away

Lauren was impressed. The Ash and the High Elders had really gone to a lot more trouble for the ceremony than anyone had expected. It was being held in the compound's ballroom which had been decorated nicely. There were tables with white tablecloths on the left side of the room and their counterparts with black ones on the right. The two parties were separated by a large dance floor. Golden chandeliers were hanging from the ceiling and on the walls to the left and right hung banners with the family crests of the high elder families. On the far end of the room there was a stage for the Ash and the Morrigan but neither had shown up yet. The one thing Lauren found odd was that the Light and Dark families were still separated, even if this ceremony should be the first step to a long-lasting peace. She guessed it was to avoid trouble and given the history of the two groups it was probably a good idea.

Lauren spotted her family quickly as they were seated directly beneath the crest of the Leavold's, a golden sun with sparks bursting from it held by two golden birds on a red background. Leavold was Lauren's actual surname but she had unofficially tied changing it to Lewis as to not always be associated with her family. She had earned everything she had achieved and didn't want people to think that it came from her heritage only. Her attempts had been mostly futile in the Fae world, though as her family was well known among the Light Fae community.

The blonde made her way over to the table, where her mother, father and younger sister Charlotte were already sitting. They were joined by Lauren's grandmother, better known as High Elder Leavold and she was adamant that everybody but her own daughter called her that. She was as old as time itself but still, she looked young as ever, like a maybe forty-year old human woman.

Lauren sat down quietly, quickly greeting her parents and grandmother before she got caught up in a conversation with her little sister. "Laur, I met this guy about two weeks ago, he is so fun and cute! He treats me like a princess!" The other blonde sighed. Her younger sister was just that, very young and it showed in situations like these. Charlotte was barely hundred years old. Lauren sometimes envied her for her enthusiasm but unfortunately sooner rather than later she, too, would find out that it was mostly her heritage that attracted people to her. Her whole family, with exception of her father Evan, had the same golden-blonde hair. That, and their natural elegance made them stand out in almost every crowd. It wasn't so much that Lauren didn't like who she was, in fact she loved it. She was stunningly beautiful, even by Fae-standards. She had a job that she never got tired of because there was always something left to know, some new disease to cure. The one thing she craved was love. Lauren chuckled to herself. It was somehow ironic. She was seemingly too perfect to be truly loved and that was the only thing she could hate about being herself.

"Laur, are you even listening?" Pulled from her musings, Lauren looked at the exasperated face of her little sister. Flashing her an apologetic smile, she answered "I'm Sorry Charlie, you know I tend to get lost in my head." Charlotte smiled understandingly. She had clearly visible dimples on her round cheeks, a baby face if you will. The complete opposite of Lauren's stoic face with its strong jaw. Their mother sometimes joked that while Charlotte looked like she could be made of marshmallows, her older sister looked like she was carved out of marble. They were equally beautiful but in completely different ways.

"Yes, I know that. It must be really interesting in there." Charlie winked and Lauren smiled warmly. "Actually, it's not but it's like a maze, once I go in I don't get back out on my own. But what were you saying about this guy?"

An excited grin crossed Charlotte's face as Lauren mentioned her new boyfriend. "I was telling you about how charming he is. I think I might sing to him."

Lauren had just attempted to take a sip of the champagne that had been placed in front of her upon her arrival at the table but almost spit it back out and turned to her little sister, her face stern. "You will not. That is something you have to treat with great caution. I think you should talk to mother about it."

"About what? And Lauren, honey, are you not capable of drinking anymore?" Elizabeth Leavold looked skeptically at her oldest daughter.

"I'm sorry mother, but Charlotte here decided to dump some wonderful news on me right when I wanted to drink something." Lauren's tone was sarcastic, causing her mother's eyebrows to rise as she shifted her gaze to the younger one of her daughters.

"I think I'm going to sing to Alex." Elizabeth showed much the same reaction as Lauren, except she had the advantage of not having to keep something in her mouth. "You most certainly will not, young lady, am I understood? I don't care how much he seems to like you, you don't even know him a month and you know better than that!" She held up a hand to stop her daughter's protests before they even began. "We will talk about this once we get home. Until then, I don't want to hear a word about it."

"Thanks a lot, Laur." Charlotte grumbled but was met by an understanding smile. "You will thank me for this, believe me." When her sister didn't answer any more Lauren drifted back into herself, bringing back memories of the last and only time she had sung. It had been for Nadia on their wedding day. She remembered it like it was yesterday although it happened centuries ago. They had been together for almost ten years before Nadia had finally questioned her about why she didn't seem to age, why she stayed the same while the brunette herself got older and older by the second. It was the day Lauren told her love what she really was, a Phoenix, an immortal fire spirit that burned to ashes every five-hundred years, only to rise again from those same ashes. It was the reason for the tattoos on her back. They were the symbol of what she was, of her power to control fire, heal even the ones who were helplessly ill with a single tear but at the same time they spoke of her curse. Every five-hundred years she turned into the large fire-bird, to fly to the place of her first birth and burn under excruciating pain. It was the price for everything, her beauty and her power.

Nadia didn't want to believe her at first but Lauren proved it by making a small dancing flame appear in the palm of her hand. The human woman had been quiet for a long time. Only when Lauren was about to give up and leave she asked her if she wanted to spend eternity with her, however long that may be for a human. Lauren had nodded and between the two of them they decided that this was their wedding day, the day they vowed to be together forever and in that moment a song had burst from the Phoenix, more beautiful than anything the human had ever heard. The song of a Phoenix was something that bound her to the one receiving it, therefore it was nothing that could be taken lightly. A sad smile spread across the blonde's face. Eternity had proven to be way too short. The one thing her tears had failed to cure had been Nadia's mortality.

Lauren was once again pulled from her thoughts by everybody around her standing up and applauding as the Ash and the Morrigan finally appeared on stage. The blonde hurried to get up, clapping along with the others as the Ash in his usual white suit smiled at the Elder families and the Morrigan looked positively bored.

-x-

The only one Bo found really entertaining was the Morrigan. She displayed that same epitome of boredom the young Succubus was experiencing but couldn't express due to her mother sitting right next to her and keeping a sharp eye on her. In Bo's opinion the only one in the room who was truly Dark was their leader herself. Everybody else was schmoozing with the other Elder families, trying to look the most beautiful or the most daring, pick either one or both. Bo knew there were eyes on her, there always were. Usually she liked the attention but that was when she was at a party looking for her next victim. Right now she knew she was being checked out by dusty old Elders and their families, even if they didn't look very old, they were. If there was one thing Bo hated it were the eyes of old geezers on her assets. She was trying hard to keep her face neutral to not make her mother give her another lecture once they were back home, adding to the three she gave her beforehand, but she was having a hard time.

Sighing she returned her attention to the Ash who was currently speaking about the importance of peace between the two sides. Bo groaned inwardly, it was going to be a long evening. When she couldn't stand the peace-talk anymore, mainly because her former hero of the evening, the Morrigan, had now taken over speaking and lost a fan in the young Succubus, Bo started people-watching. She started with the Dark Fae high elders but they were all smiling politely in their dresses and tailored suits. She recognized most of them from former meetings and balls she had been dragged to, and remembered bedding a few of the younger members of each family even if she, once again, couldn't come up with their names.

Deciding there was not much to look at on the Dark side her eyes drifted across the dance floor to where the Light Elders were sitting with their families. She didn't really recognize anybody there but the High Elders themselves, until she spotted one of the guys Tamsin had been hanging out with at the Dal a couple days ago. Once again, the name didn't come to her mind but she was impressed with herself that she had even noticed him. He looked very different without his hat and in an expensive suit. She looked around the room, wanting to know if curly-hair was here, too but didn't find him. Bo didn't really care anyway, she was just keeping herself busy to live through the evening. She had an almost irresistible urge to rub the pendant around her neck, say the magic word and make some fun appear in form of Kenzi the Djinn but she didn't want the disaster that it was sure to become so she behaved herself. The Succubus may have promised to never use Kenzi but sometimes she couldn't help herself. She never did anything but summon the snarky Djinn when she really wanted her there and Kenzi usually thanked her for it as she was only called as party-backup.

Smiling at her Kenzi-memories Bo continued to look around the room when her eyes caught a golden-blonde woman, in fact four of them. They were sitting under a red family crest with a sun held by golden birds on it. As the Succubus herself was sitting beneath her own, the McCorrigan family crest, a single silver sword entwined with a blood-red rose on a black background, she figured that the red crest had to belong to the family below it. Bo knew she had it seen it before but she couldn't place it.

There were the four blonde women at the table and a dark-haired man. One of the women had a natural authority and she looked the oldest so Bo identified her as the Elder, a name once again evading her. Her mother would have not been impressed with her lack of knowledge, she thought. Over at the table the man had his hand on the knee of the woman next to him, probably his wife. That left the other two blondes. They managed to look somehow similar but completely different as well. One had round cheeks and dimples, her golden hair hanging down in loose curls. She was quite cute, Bo found but she was nothing compared to the woman next to her who looked like a queen in the purple dress she was wearing. It seemed to be backless but Bo couldn't be sure as the woman was sitting. It was quite short, too, showing toned legs that seemed to go on forever. The blonde's hair was draped to one side, falling over her shoulder in curls like liquid gold. The succubus could only see her profile because she was looking at the stage but the beautiful stranger had a strong jaw and long neck that Bo found she really wanted to kiss. The brunette smiled a predatory smile. She had found her plaything for the night. Imagining herself ravaging the beautiful blonde she swore her eyes flashed cerulean blue for a second but it was beyond her control.

Bo heard applause and started clapping, too. It was a no-brainer to avoid trouble from her mother. The blonde woman raised her hands above the table to applaud as well and the succubus once again found herself lost in her own imagination. Oh, what those long, slender fingers could and would do to her. She looked back up only to find that she had been caught staring. It didn't embarrass Bo in any way; she mostly thought it was better like that. She loved it when her victim knew she was coming for them, it made her hunt that much more pleasurable and exciting. Locking eyes with the blonde she let her hers flash blue once more, this time on purpose. The other woman raised one of her eyebrows, a slight blush visible on her perfectly sculptured face as she finally turned her head to fully face Bo.

-x-

Lauren had felt eyes on her when the Ash and the Morrigan had given their speeches. She had been pleasantly surprised by the effort even the elected leader of the Dark Fae had put into their cause. Reacting to the feeling of being watched she turned her head and found a beautiful brunette woman staring at... her hands? Lauren couldn't be sure as mere seconds later the woman lifted her gaze to meet her own but instead of the embarrassed look the Phoenix had excepted she received a lustful glare that made her shiver, especially when the deep brown eyes of the other woman flashed blue for a moment.

Lauren literally felt the adrenalin pumping through her system, even after the woman had looked away again when a lot of people stood to dance. The Phoenix let out a shaky breath and took a large sip of champagne. She wasn't used to feelings like this, so intense. Starting to analyze, she figured the brunette woman had to be a Succubus, hence the blue eyes. That's when it hit Lauren. She had probably attracted Bo without even knowing it and the Succubus was definitely interested from what Lauren had seen.

She didn't get any further with her thoughts as she was interrupted by a sultry voice. "May I have this dance, my beautiful?" Looking up a bit startled Lauren's eyes locked with deep chocolate brown ones again. Immediately the rush was back, making the blonde's body tingle in anticipation. The brunette Succubus was wearing stilettos and a tight black dress that barely covered enough thigh to be decent. It was strapless, putting her ample cleavage on full display. All Lauren could do was nod dumbly as she took the brunette's offered hand and let herself be pulled onto the dancefloor. The last thing she saw of her table before she was engulfed by dancing people were the wide eyes of Charlotte as her little sister tried to comprehend what had just happened.

They danced slowly to the music for a while. The brunette was leading, pulling Lauren with her with great skill and elegance. All the while their eyes were locked onto each other and the blonde noted that she could easily get lost in the deep endless brown she saw. When a slower song started, Lauren found herself pulled into the brunette's body, her arms around her neck like they had a life of their own. The Succubus leaned in after a couple of soft sways from left to right, whispering into her ear. "I would love calling you all kinds of things tonight but maybe you can still tell me what your name is." She ended with a light chuckle, Lauren audibly gasping at the words.

-x-

The Succubus inside of Bo was practically blinded by the blonde's aura. She had never seen colors so bright, so desperate for her. The moment Bo leaned in to ask the beautiful woman's name she felt a new wave of arousal sweep through the blonde and she gasped, not loud enough to draw attention but definitely loud enough for the Succubus to hear.

"Lauren..." Was the hushed reply. It was the first word the brunette had heard the woman speak and Bo couldn't remember a time when a single uttered word had such an effect on her. Lauren's voice sounded like she was singing when she was not even really talking. It was a beautiful sound and there was more to come as the blonde herself asked just a few moments later "And you are?"

Bo smiled, pulling back her head to look directly into Lauren's eyes. "I'm Bo." Just as she said that, the slow song ended and the Succubus released her hold on Lauren but still held her hands. "I'll go get us something to drink and then, maybe we could sneak off if you have nothing else planned?" The blonde smiled back at her and gave her hands a light squeeze. Bo took that as a yes and with one last look at the beauty went to search for one of the servants to get drinks.

-x-

Slowly walking back to her table, Lauren didn't feel like herself. She never just accepted dances like that, especially not from an obviously hungry Succubus. Her sister stared at her in disbelief and the Phoenix could identify with that look. She couldn't believe it herself. When she finally reached the table it was like she snapped out of a trance. Her brain that had been in stasis for the last minutes started racing, screaming all kinds of facts at her. She couldn't go home with a Succubus. It wasn't her. A Succubus was a sex-demon, they only wanted the pleasure another being could give them, never the being itself. She wouldn't and couldn't give Lauren what she wanted and needed even if it had felt so perfect in her warm embrace and under the stare of those deep pools of chocolate brown.

Quickly, Lauren came to a decision. She gathered her purse, and rushed off, telling her sister to tell her parents and grandmother when they came back from dancing that she had to go to the lab urgently as something had come up. Not waiting for Charlotte to reply she tore through the crowd and out of the compound.

Outside the cold night air hit her like a fist, making her fully wake from her dazed state. She had to get away. She couldn't have a Succubus coming after because she was afraid of what she would do if Bo came close to her again and so she rushed to her car, a silver Audi R8, and sped off into the night.

-x-

Inside, Bo was listening to what seemed to be Lauren's sister explaining why she hadn't found the beautiful blonde when she came back with two champagne flutes. Something urgent at work had come up. The Succubus didn't buy a second of it but then again, while it was irritating it didn't really matter. She thanked the baby-faced blonde as politely as she could and then sauntered back off into the crowd in search of another victim. There were always a lot of Fae practically throwing themselves at Bo so it wouldn't be that hard. While she was slow dancing with a tall dark-haired guy, her thoughts drifted back to Lauren from time to time. Interesting, that she could remember her name. Bo sighed inwardly. Lauren, the one that got away. The only one.

Chapter 3: Remember my name

Lauren was sitting at her desk in her office, completely engrossed in the research file in front of her. It was about a rare species of Fae even she had never heard anything about until one of her assistants had brought her the file this very morning, telling her they were supposed to find out more about the species by the Ash's personal request. He was going on a business trip soon and needed the information, so Lauren had dug up everything she could find in the Ash's library and was, as always, completely fascinated. She would never ever tire of learning everything there was to learn about the Fae even if she knew it was a hopeless thing to try. The blonde had been sitting at her desk for hours on end looking though everything, gaining a basic knowledge before she dove in deeper.

Lauren had just finished reading a particularly detailed and interesting article when her phone rang. Digging through the pockets of the lab coat she never took off while she was at work, she finally found the small device and raised it to her ear without even looking at the screen first. "Dr. Leavold."

"Lauren." Dyson's familiar gruffy voice answered and the doctor remembered that she was supposed to be calling him about last night. "Hello Dyson. I'm sorry I haven't called you, I was busy all day with a research project for the Ash."

The wolf shifter laughed at the other end. "It's ok Lauren, I know how you get when you're at work. I get to experience it a lot, remember?" There was a pause as if Dyson was hesitating and not sure how to continue but then he still asked eagerly "So, did you see Bo last night?" The blonde inwardly sighed. Even if she didn't want to admit it to herself, she had dreaded this question, as if something inside her wasn't ok with Dyson being after the Succubus. It was completely irrational and it didn't even help when she told herself that he wouldn't stand a chance against Bo's natural instincts to just treat him as a toy, then discard him anyway.

"I did." She was surprised at how even her voice sounded. "And as I told you before, she is a Succubus, she's always up for fun but there is no way she will date you. It's unheard of, against her natural behavior and from what I gathered last night completely not her plan."

Dyson laughed again. "It's going to different for me. Since Ciara I've never felt like this. It felt like she's the one for me and I know she felt it, too. She just has to accept it." Lauren gritted her teeth at the shifter's words. Was Dyson really that delusional? If she hadn't chosen to disappear like a coward last night, the blonde thought, she would have ended up in bed with Bo, just another one of her countless conquests, so how could Dyson think he would do any better or that the Succubus was somehow meant for him? Sure, Lauren knew all about bonding and the possibility of Dyson as a wolf becoming mated with a special soul but she highly doubted it would be with the most promiscuous Succubus in the area. Especially since she had thought he had been mated to Ciara.

"Well, If you say so." Lauren figured it really wasn't her problem after all. "But don't come moping to me about being rejected." Dyson sighed on the other end and grumbled aggravated "OK, whatever. Still, Lauren, thank you for your help."

The blonde heard a click and took a deep breath. Even if she didn't want to admit it, she still felt a bit sorry for Dyson. He apparently was very sure about these feelings he was having but Lauren was almost sure Bo would shoot him down. Why? Well, she was a Succubus. It's what they did. The other, very small, part of her brain that kept telling her another reason which had a lot to do with the events of last night. She simply ignored it. Going back to work, she shut it out until it stopped whispering in her ear.

-x-

Bo walked down the stairs of the clubhouse in her Kimono, stretching. Once again, she had found herself deliciously alone in bed after another night of luscious feeding. Kenzi was already up and watching TV, probably Jungle Jeeves again. Who knew why the Djinn found that stupid show as hilarious as she did. "Morning, Kenz." Bo yawned as she went to complete her morning routine by getting herself a coffee and shuffling over to her best friend.

"Still yawning?" Kenzi snorted, flinging her arms in the air in what was probably supposed to be a graceful movement. "Rise and shine, SuccuBo!"

The brunettes eyebrows furrowed as she stopped dead in her tracks on her way to the couch. "Who are you and what have you done to my best friend?" she grumbled.

"Aww come on." The Djinn put the blaring TV on mute and then seemed to jump up into the air from where she was sprawled on the couch, just that she never came back down. Kenzi was lying in mid-air, floating on a small cloud of smoke that the lower part of her body seemed to have become. She slowly drifted over to Bo, arms behind her head in a relaxed position, until she stopped right in front of her best friend, sweetly looking up at her from where she was hovering. "Nothing happened, I just wanna know all the juicy details from the stick-up-your-ass-party I didn't get to go to." The Djinn winked at her best friend and Bo smiled. "Of course you do but I can assure you there was nothing you missed. It was as boring as these things usually are." The Succubus decided to keep the blonde she met her little secret for now, she didn't want to have to deal with the teasing that would surely follow once Kenzi found out Bo didn't have her perfect utterly-irresistible record anymore. The small Djinn hovered even closer, her eyes narrowing. "What aren't you telling me?" Bo should have known. There was no way she could keep a secret from Kenzi, the girl just knew her way too long and well.

"Nothing." Bo shrugged as if it was no big deal, which it wasn't, she told herself over and over again. "Met a hot blonde, danced with her for a bit, then moved on to the next party." The Succubus walked around her friend still hovering in mid-air and took a seat on the couch, sighing at the familiar comfort of sinking into the soft material. Kenzi was quick to follow, floating around Bo while she mused "Bo-Bo, do tell me if I have a problem with my eyes but I totally saw two pieces of hot, hot, man-candy leave the house this morning. Care to explain why they were here when there was this hot blonde?"

Bo sighed again, coming to the conclusion that hiding things was not an option when Kenzi was involved. "Well, she kind of disappeared on me. I went to get us some drinks and when I came back she was gone, all I found was her little sister or something telling me she had an emergency at work. So I went to Carpe Noctem and picked up the two guys instead."

At first, Kenzi was quiet, listening and looking blankly at Bo. Then, she suddenly started laughing, hard. The small Djinn almost fell out of the air, desperately gasping for breath as tears were streaming down her face. Bo sighed. And so it starts, she thought. When Kenzi finally managed to calm down a bit she choked out "You got succubusted! And you look totes pissed about it!" With that she rolled over in mid-air, again roaring with laughter. Bo just grumbled and turned her attention to her coffee mug, slowly sipping the dark liquid as she waited for the Djinn to calm down.

After quite a while Kenzi finally started breathing normally again, softly descending to sit next to her best friend on the couch. "Are you done now?" Bo mumbled, not amused by the complete breakdown the Djinn just had at her expense. As soon as Kenzi heard the tone in which the words came out she leaned against the Succubus, cuddling up to her side and wrapping both her arms around Bo's left arm. "Come on, you know I don't mean it, Bo-Bo. You know you're completely irresistible. Who cares if Blondie didn't think so. Her loss. She was probably home last night taking a cold shower to get you off her mind."

Bo smiled softly at the words. Her best friend was really an amazing creature. She managed to make her feel better in an instant even when she herself had been the one to make her feel bad just seconds prior. "Thanks Kenz. But try to tell my ego that." the Succubus gave Kenzi a half-hearted grin. The Djinn sighed, shaking her head. "You know, I bet she still thinks about you. She regrets walking away from you, turning down the best night of her life. I mean how could she not?" Kenzi rolled her eyes. "Hell, even I wouldn't say no to you and I usually don't go for the ladies." Bo shot her best friend a strange look. "Way to much information Kenz."

"What, it's true." She held up her hand. "Pinky swear!"

Bo smiled, amused by her friend's antics. "Well, thank you then, I guess."

The Djinn winked before her face got serious again. "Ok so now that we got that sorted out, I feel the need to fix your broken reputation." she stated in a business-like voice that made Bo smile even more.

"What do you have in mind?" The Succubus asked because she knew her best friend wanted her to.

"First, we collect the info you have on her. We find out who she is, bump into her 'accidently' and you turn your charm on. Simple as that." Kenzi sounded very proud of the plan she had come up with. The Djinn quickly twirled hers finger once and a small notepad and a pencil appeared out of thin air. By now Bo was used to it but there was a time when it completely creeped her out that Kenzi could make things appear and disappear almost at will, and given the object she wanted was close by. "Where did you get that from?" Bo grinned as Kenzi shrugged. "You know how those businessmen that always drive past out house have way too many of these things for it to be healthy." Bo just shot her a bemused look before Kenzi continued on while scribbling something on the notepad. "So, Bo-Bo, what do we have? I already put down 'smoking hot blonde'."

The Succubus laughed at the statement. When Kenzi was bored she would often play her version of a private detective and right now it seemed that the small Djinn had made it her business to seek for Bo's failed conquest from last night. "Well, she was Light." Kenzi raised her eyebrows, acting shocked as she put down the information. "What else can you tell me?" She questioned, making the Succubus' mind revert back to the night before. She remembered seeing the blonde during the Morrigan's speech. Remembering something she had thought about she looked back at Kenzi. "I don't really know if it's right but I think all families were seated under their coat of arms. Well, at least the Dark were so I assume it was the same with the Light. She was sitting under a red banner with a golden sun on it. There were birds on it, too. Also golden. I know it from somewhere but I can't place it." Kenzi just kept scribbling, when Bo mentioned the crest she nodded approvingly. "That should do it. We'll know who she is quicker than you can say 'Chi-sucker'. My contacts will know who that pretty picture belongs to. I'll go make some calls." And with that she enthusiastically danced from the room, leaving Bo alone to think.

The Succubus leaned her head back on the couch, her empty coffee mug in her lap. Bo closed her eyes. She could see the blonde woman standing in front of her again, eyes glinting with something Bo had never seen, her aura so bright it almost blinded the Succubus. She had truly looked like a goddess in that dress she was wearing. Bo had had her share of lovers over time but the blonde seemed to be totally different, more intriguing than anyone had ever been. Of course, that was because she got away, Bo told herself. She wasn't used to anyone being off-limits to her, she was a Succubus. She always got whatever, whoever she wanted. And this time it would be no different. The memory of the woman seemed to be smiling softly at her, like she knew something Bo didn't. The Succubus opened her eyes again when she heard Kenzi approaching. It was then that she remembered something that made her world stop. The woman was special indeed. Kenzi shouldn't have gone to all that trouble. Bo knew who she was looking for. She was looking for Lauren.

Breaking Bo her out of her haze the Djinn that walked into the room stated. "They're on it. Said they should have it by tomorrow. Which leaves us with a night to spare." Kenzi grinned mischievously. "What should we do? Care for the Dal tonight? From what I saw you had your fill of Carpe Noctem last night." Bo nodded and smirked devilishly. She would get the woman off her mind. Lauren. She would take care of that soon enough. "Count me in, Kenz. Let's run this town tonight."

-x-

Lauren was breathing in deeply through her mouth as she slowly moved from form to form. She had come home early from work, something she rarely ever did but she just didn't have the concentration today. There was no way of forgetting Dyson and his words about the Succubus and also the mind-shattering matter of explaining to herself why her brain couldn't focus on anything else.

Lauren had started practicing Tai-Chi a long time ago. Her moves were perfect, all her muscles moved in absolute sync, emptying her mind completely. There was just movement and the heat that came with it. The blonde had originally wanted to just have a thing to go to when she needed some peace, a hobby if you will, so she started practicing Tai-Chi in garden behind her wing of the Leavold mansion but she soon realized that she could enhance the 'human' form she had perfected very quickly. Her version was more challenging and for most creatures on earth, completely impossible. To Lauren it came natural. Every single one of her movements was accompanied by a sphere of fire that she molded to her will from a ball to a long stream and back again. All the while her eyes were open, bright golden-red with power, but not seeing a thing, empty as her mind. Her white silk robe with the black belt she wore was shimmering in the light of the flames dancing all around but was never harmed.

Lauren basked in the feeling of complete emptiness, in the raw power running through her veins as during a faster move a heat-wave burst from her body. Secretly, there was nothing that could beat this. Not even science, if she really admitted it. It wasn't Lauren herself deciding this, it was her nature. The fire spirit she was longed for absolute freedom, for power and a chance to express it. For pure passion that Lauren never let herself have save for these moments on her own lawn, surrounded by nothing but living things.

But this time she was disturbed. Her senses were on high alert as she whirled to face her mother who was standing about forty feet away, patiently waiting for her oldest daughter to notice her. Lauren straightened her back from the relaxed position she had been in, her eyes turning back to their usual light brown, her cool façade replacing the relaxed and happy mood of a free fire spirit. Elizabeth Leavold saw the change in her daughter so she came closer, smiling softly.

"Lauren, you look absolutely breathtaking like this. I don't know how many times I can tell you how proud that makes me."

The younger Phoenix nodded. "Thank you, mother, as always but I don't think your usual compliments on my Tai-Chi are so important that you would interrupt me, right?"

Elizabeth smiled warmly. Her daughter always saw right through her, a trait she, like so many other things, had inherited from her father. "Yes, my dear. I wanted to speak to you about last night." Lauren just raised her eyebrows in question.

"I saw your dance." Elizabeth stated. "Ysabeau McCorrigan, Lauren, really?"

Not quite sure how to respond as the memory of last night came crushing back even more violent than before, Lauren decided to tread carefully. She didn't know where her mother was going with this after all. "I danced with her, yes."

"You were suddenly gone and so was she. I do hope you weren't together last night?" Elizabeth's tone was still neutral but Lauren saw her accusing intent.

"Just as a matter of fact, we weren't but I can't see why it would concern you." The younger blonde fought hard to keep her tone as even as her mother's but she couldn't help it sounding a little defensive. Her mother sighed. "Not only it she Dark Fae and a Succubus, she is a McCorrigan. They can't be trusted. You turned heads last night while you were dancing, and not in a good way. Our families have had several bloody fights in the past. You two dancing is not something anyone who believes in the old system, which is nearly everybody, likes to see."

Lauren's brow furrowed. "It was a peace meeting. And it was just a dance, mother." Before she could continue her mother cut her off with a quick hand motion. "No Lauren. This peace is a façade, everybody knows it. The Ash may believe in it but that just makes him lonely. The McCorrigan family is dangerous. We have been at war with them over and over again! It is a clan of Succubae and Incubi for Helios' sake! And this Ysabeau has been running wild for decades. I won't have my reputation and the one of my eldest daughter ruined by something like this." Elizabeth finished passionately. Laurens head was spinning, screaming at her to tell her mother off, to let free the rage that boiled in her at the mentioning of the 'fake' peace. Although the feeling of her fire-spirit nature had seldom been this strong, Lauren suppressed it and instead smiled at her mother. "Like I said, It was just a dance. It won't happen again, mother." This time Elizabeth smiled and nodded, seemingly pleased with her daughter's reaction. "I will let you get back to your training, then." The older woman smiled one last time as her daughter nodded and resumed the fluid movements where she left off before. Little did she know that all that was on Lauren's mind before it was emptied by the feeling of freedom again was a certain Succubus and that she had to find out more about her.

-x-

At the Dal Bo and Kenzi were having a blast. Just as Bo seduced one of Trick's bartenders to give the full house a free round which she announced to great cheers from everywhere, Dyson and Hale walked up. They had heard that the Succubus was out partying again and the moment the wolf-shifter had heard he was like on a hunt. Hale engaged Kenzi in a conversation and while the small Djinn knew exactly what was happening, she let it be. Bo in her slightly buzzed mind seemed to enjoy the extra attention she got from Dyson and Kenzi sure as hell wasn't complaining about Hale. The man with the hat even opted to give her a ride once Bo and a what seemed to be glued-to-her Dyson announced that they would be leaving now. Kenzi smirked and winked at Bo. There was no way she was losing her touch, the police dog was practically all over her. She could probably tell him to jump from a skyscraper and he would do so with a smile on his face. Kenzi shrugged to herself and turned to Hale, catching him staring at her. She smiled slyly. This was going to be a great night.

Chapter 4: Distractions and Distracted Ones

It was after midnight. The Leavold mansion was dark, the only sound that could be heard the distinct rustling of the wind in the large trees in the garden behind the house. That, and sometimes the cry of an animal somewhere in the darkness of the moonless night. The mansion was asleep, awaiting the next morning to shine brightly as its owners in the light of the morning sun.

Lauren hadn't been able to sleep for hours. She had twisted and turned in her large bed but there seemed to be no way sleep would find her. Since she finished her Tai-Chi session her mind had been in overdrive. She had gone to the library, desperate to find out what caused the family feud that she had never really heard much about before. It was what almost struck her the most. The fact that she had been a part of the Leavold family for more than a millennium but hadn't been told something this important. This time though, the library didn't offer her much help. There were old journals from the time of the Great Fae Wars with descriptions of crimes both families had committed in their raging hate for each other, so terrible that Lauren had to force herself to continue reading but other than that, there was no explanation as to where the hate had come from.

After finally giving up she decided to go to sleep early and continue her search tomorrow, maybe even ask her mother but the sleep she craved never came. The feelings swirling inside her like a tornado kept her wide awake. The disgust at what her family had done, the hurt of being deprived of a part of her family's history and most of all, the never leaving thoughts of Bo. It had only been one dance but the brunette seductress occupied the Phoenix' mind almost constantly since. Lauren didn't know why. Her hypothesis were the things the Succubus had offered her with just a smile. That smile that was barely there, just an up-turned corner of her mouth but one that promised pleasure like no other, pleasure the blonde had denied herself for far too long. While trying to sleep Lauren had often thought about what could have been if she had let Bo fulfill that promise. It sent thrills down her spine and she almost regretted disappearing but always remembered that what the Succubus had offered was only pleasure, nothing less, but also nothing more and as much as the brunette appealed to Lauren, she didn't want something meaningless.

The Phoenix chuckled humorlessly to herself. It was absolutely ridiculous. A Succubus was stealing her sleep while said creature had probably already forgotten her amidst all the potential lovers throwing themselves at her. What had Lauren thought about Dyson? If he wanted to get his heart broken by a sex-demon, it wasn't her problem? It was so ironic it wasn't even funny anymore. Seemingly without knowing it, the wolf-shifter had made this totally her problem.

Sighing heavily, Lauren got out of bed and slowly padded down the long corridor that led to her room, heading down a large flight of stairs and into the kitchen. There was still some pasta left from the small meal she had made herself this evening. While the rest of her family preferred to let the humans they owned cook for them, Lauren did everything herself. It was only so much that she actually enjoyed cooking. It was much more that the thought of human 'servants' disgusted her more than anything.

As she closed the microwave and watched the plate slowly turn in the small illuminated cabin, her thoughts drifted off again. There had been a time where she wouldn't have said no to Bo. In fact she wouldn't have even thought about it. It was the time shortly after Nadia had died. They had had beautiful forty years together and it had to come to an end eventually; Lauren had known that all along but it still hit her like the earth came crashing down on her. The human woman's dying wish had been that Lauren kept going on and that she would find happiness again someday. After that Lauren had given into the fire-spirit nature inside her. She searched for pleasure to fill the void Nadia had left in her heart and soul but nothing seemed to be enough. It didn't take long for her to realize that nothing could ever replace the curly brunette so she completely shut down, detaching herself from everything and becoming the distant workaholic she was now. She often asked herself if Nadia would still love this version of her. The answer would probably be no. The human had loved the Phoenix' passion and pride, the intensity of her love but Lauren didn't think there was anything left of the person she once was anymore.

The blonde was pulled from the depths of her mind by a rustling sound behind her. She turned her head, confused that anyone else would be up at this time of night. "Miss Lewis, I'm sorry. I thought everyone was asleep. I'll come back later." It was Eva. She was holding a bucket of water and a mop. Lauren realized she had never asked herself how the huge mansion was kept as impeccable as it was but now it made sense. The humans cleaned at night. The thought made her sick once again.

"No, Eva, stay. I just couldn't sleep so I came down here to eat something." The blonde smiled at her, adding in a softer tone. "It's the middle of the night and my mother is fast asleep. Will you finally accept my offer to call me Lauren, even if it's only for tonight?"

The young human smiled back. Of all the Fae that lived in this house, the eldest daughter of Madam Leavold was the only one who treated all humans with respect. Eva was extremely grateful that, during the day she was personally assigned to Lauren. It meant she didn't have to endure what many of the other servants of the Leavolds went through every day.

"Of course, Lauren. Please know that I only call you Miss Lewis because of your mother. And even that is pushing it."

The blonde Phoenix sighed sadly. "I know." The microwave pinged, announcing that Lauren's food was ready. She opened it without thinking and took out the scorching hot plate, absorbing its heat. Doing so, her hand glowed slightly golden, making Eva's eyes widen in surprise. Lauren quickly realized her mistake. "I'm sorry." She put the plate down on the bar, slipping onto one of the stools in front of it and pulling the one next to her out. "Sit with me?" She asked Eva who snapped out of her shock and hurried to do Lauren's bidding.

They sat in silence while Lauren ate but the blonde felt eyes on her all the time. "What is it, Eva? Just ask." Her voice was friendly, she didn't want the human to hold back.

"I.." The young brunette stuttered "I always wanted to ask you a few questions... how do you do that?" She pointed at Lauren's hands, making the Phoenix chuckle. "You feel every part of your body, don't you?" She received a shy nod. "Imagine you can feel the energy around you, like it's a part of your body. I can move this energy like you move your arms, make it concentrate in one area to ignite a flame." Lauren opened her palm, making a small flame appear in it. Her eyes glinted with a hint of gold but it was barely recognizable.

Eva was awestruck. She had seen Lauren practicing Tai-Chi sometimes and found it purely amazing. The way her eyes turned their reddish gold was scary but in some way it made the blonde even more beautiful.

"What are the other questions?" Lauren smiled, the small flame giving her face a golden hue in the otherwise dark kitchen. "If you can cool the plate with your powers, why..." She trailed off and looked away, clearly embarrassed but Lauren knew what the question was and smiled. "Why I even used the microwave?" She shrugged. "I don't know. I just felt like it. Why do you have on a pair of jeans and not a skirt?" Eva looked back up surprised, then she laughed and answered "I don't know. I just felt like it."

Lauren winked. "See?" She could see Eva by far hadn't run out of questions. "Anything else?"

After a few minutes of questions and answers later, Eva finally didn't feel embarrassed anymore and they talked for almost an hour. When they finally parted, the human to finish her cleaning much to Lauren's dismay, and the Phoenix herself to finally get some sleep, Lauren was a lot more calm. Lying in her bed she was surprised at how relaxed she felt. Thoughts of her family's history and Bo drifted through her mind but they didn't affect her state of calm. She smiled. Having somebody to talk to, even if it was just about mundane things was something she hadn't had in a long time. She would have to thank Eva when she next saw her. That was her last thought before she fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

-x-

Bo stirred in her large bed. She felt the sheets wrapped around her naked body and sighed. It had been a successful night. The wolf-shifter had been good, not great, she had had better, but it was satiating nonetheless. The Succubus kept her eyes closed for a little while longer, enjoying the one moment of the day where she felt completely satisfied. She lived for pleasure, for the energy rush it gave her and by now she needed her almost daily fix. Her day was a search for her next victim and as much as she enjoyed the hunt she found it tiring at times to constantly feed her nature. Sighing, she reached to her side, finding cold sheets. A brilliant smile graced her beautiful features as she finally opened her eyes. She was alone yet again. Bo congratulated herself on finally getting a hang of picking the right feeds. Those who weren't clingy, who didn't insist she was the only one they would ever love once she was done with them. She sat up, stretching her muscles. She wasn't sore at all, another perk of being able to heal through sex. Just as she wanted to get up and shower before treating herself to a well deserved coffee, Bo heard a clatter from downstairs and then there was Kenzi arguing. The Succubus couldn't make out the words but she sounded positively furious. The Djinn must have a problem with the TV again, it was one of the rare occasions where she really lost it. Bo chuckled at her best friends antics but soon realized steps coming up the stairway but she didn't have much time to wonder what that was about. Before she could even reach for the knife on her nightstand the door opened, revealing Dyson with a tray of food on it, closely followed by a furious Kenzi. "Hey police dog I told you there will be no waking sleeping beauty here!" When she saw Bo was up her face fell. "I'm sorry Bo-Bo, but this one is a particularly stubborn one." She pointed her thumb at Dyson who pretended to not have heard a thing. He moved forward, placing the tray of food in front of Bo on the bed. "I made you breakfast." he said in a sugar-coated voice that made the Succubus sick to her stomach although the food did smell quite good. She sighed. The moment she congratulated herself it of course had to backfire as badly as it could.

"Dyson, I thought you knew the rules?" Her tone was even but Kenzi recognized the calm before the storm and slowly slipped from the room. Dyson just kept looking at her with awe in his gaze and Bo mentally slapped herself for not recognizing the puppy-dog-look when she saw it last night. "You need to leave." Now her voice held a certain edge, although it wasn't as prominent as it would soon become if the wolf didn't leave but he was oblivious to the warning. "Don't you want to try it, Bo, honey?" He pointed to the breakfast again. The term of endearment did it for the Succubus. She got out of bed, not caring that she was still stark naked. "Listen, dog, what we had was a one night deal. I don't expect to see you again and I don't particularly want to. I wanted some fun last night and you provided that. You were a feed, nothing more. Now leave my house before I throw you." By now her voice was pure anger, eyes bright blue, she hated dealing with the clingy portion of her feeds.

"You're so unbelievably beautiful, Bo." Dyson whispered, looking her up and down. The Succubus growled with rage. "You have got to be kidding me! That's it, leave!" She grabbed his wrist, giving him a strong pulse that made him weak at the knees, giving Bo the chance to push him out of her room, down the stairs and out of her house where she released him, storming back in through the door. "Don't you dare come back!" She yelled over her shoulder. "But Bo I love..." He didn't get any further as the door crashed shut because Kenzi snapped her fingers from the other side of the living room, the locks snapping closed.

"Thanks, Kenz." Bo sighed. "Why do I always get the crazy ones?"

"Well.." Now that the difficult situation was over and Bo had blown off her steam Kenzi smirked. "It would maybe help to put on some clothes." The Succubus looked down at herself, grumbling profanities under her breath as she made her way up the stairs again to get showered and dressed.

The moment she stepped out of the spray of hot water of what had been a relaxing shower she heard her cell phone ring. Wrapping a towel around herself she padded across the plush red carpet of her bedroom and picked up the small device. She sighed when she looked at the display. "I don't get a break, do I?" She muttered before she swiped the green button on her display and lifted the phone to her ear. "Yes, Mother?"

"Ysabeau, I was hoping I would catch you." Aoife's voice was dripping with fake friendliness and Bo cringed. "I wanted to speak to you about the ball for the peace treaty signing in a week."

"What?" Bo didn't know what her mother was talking about, as usual.

"Ysabeau, darling, you should pay more attention to the politics. You know, you will be one of the high elders one day when I decide to call it a career. Anyway, I expect to see you there next week. The high elders of both sides have come to a compromise and we will put our signatures under the final document at the ball. Oh, and one more thing darling, I know you obviously can't contain yourself but could you please be decent enough to keep off the Leavold family? You know about them. It's not good for our reputation if you're seen with one of them. Anyway, I will see you there." With that the one-sided conversation ended and Bo groaned. She really didn't get a break. Her thoughts drifted off as she stood there wrapped in her towel. The Leavold family? Bo knew about the family feud going on but it had been quiet for a long time, or at least quieter. She couldn't remember speaking to one of them or doing anything to upset her mother but then again, she didn't care one bit. What she did care about was that she would get another chance at seducing the beautiful blonde, thus repairing her broken record. Yes, Lauren was something she could look forward to.

-x-

Lauren sat at the breakfast table with the rest of her family. She had made muffins for herself while the others ate the foods one of their servants, Sophie, had made for them. Elizabeth was in a particularly good mood and she immediately told everyone why. There would be another ball next week where the high elders would sign the peace treaty they had agreed on. Lauren's grandmother, the High Elder Leavold, wasn't so happy. She stated that this treaty in its current form would not change a thing. A discussion ensued but Lauren didn't listen anymore. She was caught in her head again, the thoughts of the upcoming event quickly reverting to a sole purpose: She would see Bo again, be in the same room as her. Lauren shivered. She would have to prepare for the ball, otherwise she would probably burst.

The only one at the table that noticed the change in Lauren was her father Evan. As he wasn't a Leavold by birth he didn't care to engage in the discussion about the peace; he didn't have a say anyway. He watched the older one of his daughters closely. She was lost in her head again, that alone was nothing new. It was the way her eyes glazed over, a golden twinkle in the usually light brown orbs. Evan wondered what it meant. The last time he had seen this look was while she was with that human woman centuries ago, although it was slightly different. It wasn't the look that told everyone who looked closely enough she was happily in love, it was just a look of passion. That indeed was something new. Lauren had abandoned the passion she was born with after the human she loved died. Evan decided to keep a closer eye on his daughter in the near future. He was happy to see the long-lost passion resurfacing but wasn't sure yet if it was really a good thing.

-x-

Kenzi put her cell phone down, jumping across the room towards Bo excitedly. "I know who Hotpants is!" she exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear.

"What?" Bo looked at her best friend, utterly confused.

"Bo-Bo, don't be so dense! The blonde hottie? My contact just got back to me. Her name's Lauren Leavold. Or Lewis. Whatever you prefer. She seems to be skipping back and forth between them. Oh, and here's the bomb: she's a doctor. In fact, the best doc the Light have, chief of medical department. So beauty and brains. You say there's another lame-ass party in a week? You'll see her again there, and I bet you'll get her to play doctor with you!" The Djinn wickedly winked at her best friend. "Am I great or am I awesome?"

"Awesome, Kenz. Totally." Bo smiled but her mind drifted off again. Lauren Leavold? She should have known. Now that she knew it, everything fit. The sigil, the feeling of knowing the family sitting across the room. The most beautiful woman in that room was of course the one that was totally off limits but Bo was a Succubus. There was nobody who could resist her and if the victim was somebody she shouldn't have, all the better. Let the hunt begin, she thought, her eyes flashing cerulean blue without her noticing. Kenzi however, did and smirked even wider. Bo was totally in her seductress-mode.

Chapter 5: Fae who live in glass houses

A week later...

Lauren once again found herself in front of a large full-length mirror in her wing of the mansion, examining her own figure closely. She was in her dressing room. Dozens of dresses were kept here just for her, as beautiful as they were expensive. It was a perk of being part of a high elder family. They were all old money, really old in her case. The dress she was currently wearing was light blue, a color that she found not really suited her. She had a couple of dress shirts in similar colors and with them it was fine because she could pair it with something else. She didn't have this option here as the dress would obviously be the main part of her outfit. She looked back at a second mirror that was placed strategically behind her so she could see her back as well. Lauren sighed. The way the dress fell was not to her satisfaction either. Another one that would be sent back into the depths of this room's closets.

"Would you like me to get you another different dress, Miss Lewis?" Eva, who had stood in a corner of the room giving Lauren space, came a few steps towards the blonde woman. She wondered what was bothering Lauren today. She seemed to have a particularly hard time picking anything out. It usually didn't take very long for the Fae to find a nice dress she liked but the one she had on right now was already the fifteenth of the day.

Lauren turned to face the brunette woman and nodded. "Yes Eva, please. I don't know what it is today. I'm sorry I am causing you such a fuss over a dress."

The human smiled warmly. It was very much like Lauren to apologize for something like that. "Don't be sorry, Miss Lewis, you need to find the dress that suits you best. Any preferences as to what should be next?"

The Phoenix returned her smile while thinking about what she really wanted of the dress she was going to wear. It had a sole purpose that was prominent in Lauren's mind but she avoided it, her thoughts dancing around it but never actually touching the subject. "Maybe something black, I haven't tried that in a long time." She finally answered and Eva nodded, stating that she would be back shortly.

While the human woman was going through all the black dresses kept in the adjoining rooms she wondered what had Lauren so flustered. Usually, there was just one solution to this kind of behavior: date jitters. But that could hardly be the case. The Phoenix was an inhumanly beautiful woman, always surrounded by an aura of authority and power. Her mere presence commanded attention, even if she herself never sought it out on purpose. No, Lauren was a kind person but Eva got the feeling she was also terribly sad. The brunette had heard about the human lover she once had from the other servants and found the story incredibly touching, even if she didn't know which part of it was really true and which was merely servant gossip. In any case, Lauren wasn't a woman to be flustered easily so this had to be something big. Eva finally found a few nice black dresses that she thought would suit Lauren's taste and so she made her way back to the main room.

"I brought two black dresses with me, Miss Lewis. I will put them here by the chair." The human stated as she noticed Lauren was already behind the curtain again, changing out of the blue dress.

"Thank you Eva, but would you mind bringing me one of them?" The blonde's voice rang like wind chimes from behind the red satin curtain. "Of course." Eva picked up one of the dresses and carried it across the room, handing it over to the hand with its long, slender fingers waiting for the fabric to be placed in it. While Lauren changed Eva thought about the dress she picked out. It was a bit more daring than the rest. It was short, fitting tight around the hips and thighs but falling loosely over the chest in layers and of course, as Lauren always preferred, it was backless. After about five minutes the blonde woman pushed the curtain aside and stepped out. It almost caused Eva's jaw to drop to the floor but she quickly got her facial expression in check. The dress was perfect. It fit Lauren like a glove where it should while leaving just the right amount to the imagination with its plunging neckline. The human didn't understand why the Phoenix almost never wore black. It was as if the darkness of the fabric made her shine even brighter; her toned arms and legs, her long neck and strong facial features. If she were to use her powers now, Eva thought, the reddish gold of her eyes would take an immediate hold of everyone who gazed into them, making them never forget the sight of this extraordinary woman. Or maybe, the thought crossed the brunette's mind briefly, it was because she herself was human. The Fae were supernatural creatures and to be among them often stretched a mortal's mind to lengths they weren't used to. Maybe this kind of beauty was somewhat normal.

"Eva?" The brunette snapped from her daydream, shaking her head briefly to get rid of the mist. "I am sorry, Miss Lewis. I don't know where my mind went." she mumbled, clearly embarrassed. Lauren just smiled. If Eva's reaction was any kind of indication this was the dress she would be wearing this evening. It wasn't just the human's stare, though. The blonde was very pleased with the dress herself. It was more daring than what she would usually wear to this kind of occasion but she had no intention of playing nice. She didn't know how she would get through this night without weapons of her own.

"I love the dress, Eva. Had I known there was something like this waiting for me in those closets, it would have saved us a few hours." She smiled warmly. Eva chuckled. "Definitely. I will put the others away then and have this one ready for you by four in the afternoon, if that's ok?"

"Yes, thank you." The human started gathering the other dresses to put them away again when Lauren remembered something. "Oh, and Eva?" The brunette looked up again. "I wanted to thank you for our talk last night. I really enjoyed it, It.. helped me sleep, to be honest. I would like to do it again sometime, if you want to?" Eva's smile was brilliant. This morning, when she had woken up from a few short hours of sleep, she had questioned herself if the hour she spent talking to Lauren in the kitchen had even been real but to hear that the Phoenix had enjoyed it was enough to make her day. She nodded. "Of course, I'd love to." She picked up the stack of dresses in her arms and made her way to the door where she turned again. "I wish you a successful night, Miss Lewis.. Lauren." With that she disappeared. Lauren was left flustered in her beautiful black dress. Am I really that obvious? The thought ran through her mind repeatedly.

-x-

Bo was looking at herself in the huge mirror in her bedroom, wearing her dress of choice. Admiring herself was probably the more accurate phrase. The Succubus was smirking at her reflection, her deep-brown hair looking even darker against the fabric of her red leather dress hugging her in all the right places. She was built to seduce. She could have probably worn a shopping bag and would have still looked stunning but this was a special occasion. Bo had made a point of looking twice as irresistible as usual and she had succeeded in every aspect. She turned to look at herself from every angle. The black heels made her legs look great, the dress didn't cover much of anything but enough to catch longing glares from everywhere. Bo chuckled. She was elated at what the night promised her. There was no chance in hell that Lauren would be able to resist her, especially because the brunette was done playing nice. Her looks weren't the only thing she had to seduce someone after all. The beautiful blonde wouldn't know what hit her.

Just as Bo was finishing her makeup the door opened, reveling Kenzi who's jaw hit the floor the second she saw her best friend. "Damn, girl! You have got to be shitting me! Bo-Bo, you sure it's legal to go out like this? You might cause some poor old elders to ruin their panties. Or have a mass orgy or something. Seriously, babe you look the best I've ever seen you and that" She made a pause for effect while waving her index finger at Bo "is definitely saying something!" Bo grinned a brilliant smile at her best friend. "Thanks, Kenz. I won't let anything not go my way tonight." She grabbed her purse and made her way over to Kenzi and giving her a fleeting kiss on the cheek, saying goodbye as she walked past.

"Go get 'em Tiger!" Kenzi yelled after her. When she heard the door close she leaned back against the door frame of Bo's bedroom, taking a deep breath. This Lauren was going down, that much was clear to Kenzi. Nobody could resist Bo on a normal day and tonight she was dressed to kill. There was no way the Light's top doc would get out of this. Kenzi smiled to herself at the thought, pushing off the door frame and walking down the stairs for a well-deserved evening of robot-hookers and booze.

-x-

Lauren was fascinated by the different decor of the large room she found herself in. The last ball had been at the Light compound so it seemed only fair that this one would be held in Dark territory. It was in fact at the Morrigan's 'tower of power' as not only Lauren's mother often referred to the huge skyscraper in the heart of the city. The blonde had never been here for obvious reasons but its interior was modern with a lot of glass and ambient lighting in every color of the rainbow. The family crests were once again on the walls and they were each highlighted by small spotlights above them as the room itself was more or less dark. Lauren felt like she was in a high-society club more than at a high elder ball.

Upon arrival everyone was presented with a fancy-looking glass of a deep red liquid that looked suspiciously like blood but as Lauren smelled and tasted she found it to be very fruity and quite delicious. All around her servants were presenting guests with little snacks and the blonde soon realized that they were all human. They all had dark rings under their eyes and seemed somewhat worn out if you looked past the tidied-up façade. A haunted look lingered in their eyes and they were fast to bow and disappear once they had done their job.

"Disgusting." Lauren muttered under her breath as she watched a small human girl, she couldn't have been older than sixteen, practically shrink under the cold stare of a Dark Fae high elder with wild white hair and eyes the color of blood.

"Yes, dear, I agree. The décor is terrible. Whoever is responsible for this should be fired immediately." Without the blonde noticing her mother had slipped into the space to her right, answering her in a hushed tone. Lauren turned her head to give her mother a disgusted stare as well. "No, mother. I meant the humans. Treated this way." Her voice was like ice. Her mother sighed. "Not again, Lauren. It is an honor to serve the most powerful Fae in existence. These humans should be grateful but instead they look like they are about to drop their trays any moment." Lauren was furious but didn't let it show in her expression as she eyed her mother. "Well," She practically hissed "I would want to see you be all chipper and happy to serve some old elitists while always having to worry that if you do just the slightest thing wrong you will get your head chopped off." Lauren took the last sip of her drink and immediately the young girl she had seen earlier appeared, her voice barely above a whisper as she asked "Miss, would you like me to take that out of your way? Or would a refill suit you better?" Lauren sighed. The girl looked so frail, as if one push would break her in half. The blonde smiled at her while handing her the glass. "No, thank you, I'm fine." She made sure to touch the girls skin with her hand and let her warmth spread through the small body. While Lauren's tears could heal every illness her touch wasn't as powerful by far but she had the power to soothe pain through touch. The girls face lit up and she nodded. "Thank you." She mumbled to the beautiful blonde in front of her before she disappeared again.

"Was that necessary? Lauren, you can't save them and I don't understand why you would even want to." Her mother's tone was bored. They had had this argument more often than either of them could count. "Yes." Lauren's voice was decided, strong and before her mother could answer yet again she turned and walked away.

Wandering through the many rooms the ball was being held in today Lauren suddenly felt a surge of electricity shoot through her. Startled, she turned around, looking for the source even as her brain was already screaming the answer. Back at the entrance the heads suddenly turned. At first, Lauren saw a tall brunette woman on the arm of a dark haired man, both stunningly beautiful and smiling condescendingly. But they were not the center of attention. As the crowd shifted the blonde could see the real reason. Like her mind had foretold, there was Bo in all her glory, looking more breathtaking in her revealing red leather dress than Lauren had ever seen anyone look. The Succubus must have felt the intense stare as she found the Phoenix' eyes, giving her a smoldering look. It didn't leave anything unsaid. She was here to come and get Lauren, no questions, no doubt. It made the blonde shiver, her heart racing in her chest. Bo smirked knowingly. This was not going to end well, Lauren thought to herself as all her well thought through plans flew out the window with just one smile.

-x-

Bo was more than pleased with her entrance. She had studied the energy in the room while she walked through the gaping crowd, finding Lauren's white-hot flame instantly. The blonde's instant arousal had hit her like lightning, much like it had the last time. It made Bo's blood run hotter and faster, determined to have the hot doctor this time. Someone finally stepped into her line of sight and broke the intense connection. The roaring hunger inside the brunette lessened now that the object of her desire was no longer in sight but she still felt a tingle all over her body. It must be the energy in the air. Bo directed her attention to not being as obvious around her mother and father. Part of the hunt was being discreet and the blue hue she knew her eyes right now held was not part of that.

Of course, Aoife wasn't stupid. Being a Succubus herself, she knew when her daughter was hungry and now she was practically starving. It couldn't be because she hadn't fed recently. That, Aoife was sure, she did more than enough. Still, the older Succubus felt waves of intense desire coming off her daughter. She must have spotted an energy source that drew her in, there was no other explanation.

-x-

Lauren sat through the ceremony in silence. Her brain was spinning out of control. The sheer uncontrollable desire she had experienced when she saw Bo, her feelings of disgust towards the general Fae community for treating humans the way they did, everything whirled together and made for a hurricane of thoughts and emotions with Lauren in the middle. She couldn't get out. True to the metaphor she used to describe it her thoughts pulled her away with them once she left the very center of the storm and so she stayed, not realizing the signing ceremony or anything going on around her. The one thing that got through to her was the feeling of being watched from time to time. It just added to the swirl of emotions as Lauren knew it was Bo shooting her smoldering stares.

Her family sat around her, mirroring her silence. Her mother had chosen to ignore her once again rather than argue with her. Evan watched the situation closely, not daring to make a move while Lauren's little sister Charlotte was so intimidated by the cold atmosphere surrounding her older sister and mother that she pretended to be terribly interested in the ceremony.

It was at the very end of the official part of the evening that Lauren finally snapped out of her haze. The last high elder had just placed his signature to great applause and handed the quill back to a human servant. It happened to be the little girl Lauren had encountered earlier. She looked positively frightened, shaking badly as she reached for the quill held out to her. Her shaky fingers missed the object and it landed on the floor with a click. Her face turned every color possible as she quickly bent down with wide blue eyes to pick it up but before she could correct her mistake a tall man appeared out of the still applauding crowd. He was dressed in a tailored suit and had long, black hair that was tied back in a pony tail. He grabbed the small girl by her neck, pulling her towards a back door with him. She whimpered in pain and Lauren's applauding hands froze. The air around her started getting noticeably warmer. The Phoenix fought for control. She could not afford to lose it now. These weren't her humans, she had no influence and as much as she wanted to let out the fire spirit inside her to help the small girl, it would be her end. Oh, she would take some of them with her but there was no way she would stand a chance in a trial for defending a human.

Evan sensed the change in temperature and noticed the red-golden hue in his older daughter's eyes. Placing a calming hand on her shoulder her whispered a sharp "Lauren!" into her ear. It seemed to work. She turned her head away sharply from where the Fae had disappeared with the girl. "I need some space." She nearly growled and, shaking off his hand, she made her way to one of the exits of the main room, her exit thankfully masked by the many guests who had stood to dance and mingle.

On her way through a long hallway she came across another servant, who was obviously there to show the guests all the pleasantries the party had to offer. He obediently bowed as she passed. Lauren turned to him. "You!" The young man looked up at her with fear at the tone of her voice. "A place where I can be alone, a nice one?" Lauren demanded of him.

"Right up the stairs to your right, Ma'am, there are small glass balconies overlooking the city." He stuttered, shaking badly. "Thank you." Lauren replied much more friendly and made her way up the stairs. She found the balconies the man had been talking about. They were indeed quite nice, almost at the top of the building, like little platforms that stuck out from the structure and completely closed-in with glass walls and an all-glass floor. Lauren sighed as she looked at the busy city beneath her. The sight calmed her nerves and her fire. It was a quiet, a peaceful picture.

-x-

After the incident with the human Bo searched the crowd for her blonde victim, finding nothing. The dance had been declared open and it was hard for the Succubus to get through all the people who wanted her to dance with them. When she was finally convinced that Lauren had left the room she searched for her in all the other rooms on the main level but the blonde was nowhere to be found. She found herself getting angry. No, Lauren was not getting away. The Succubus wouldn't let that happen. With new vigor she took a turn onto a long corridor where she saw a figure standing, seemingly waiting. She approached him and realized he was human. "Human!" His face had a look that screamed 'not again' and Bo smirked. Jackpot. "Yes, Ma'am?" He stuttered, his eyes getting stuck on her cleavage. "A blonde woman, beautiful, short black dress, ring any bells?" Bo spat at him and he hurried to nod, pointing up the stairs to Bo's right. The Succubus knew then that victory was hers. Without another look at the human she sauntered up the flight of stairs, now with all the time in the world again. Finding herself in yet another corridor she saw light streaming into it from large glass balconies positioned ever so often along its length. She didn't have to go very far to find Lauren. She was in the third, her back to Bo with one hand on the glass, looking down at the magnificent city that was busy even at this time of night.

The Succubus positioned herself at the entrance to the small space, leaning against the wall and letting her eyes rake up and down the figure she planned to devour over and over tonight. She took her time feasting with her eyes. Her hunger spiked and she shivered as she saw the change in the blonde's aura. The glass worked a little bit like a mirror against the dark night and Bo used it to her full advantage. Lidded bright blue eyes stared into the reflection of honey-brown ones. Lauren's heartbeat increased tenfold. "Bo.." She whispered and the Succubus felt as if all the wanton desire she harbored for this woman was emptied into her bloodstream at once, making her own pulse quicken and the by now well-known tingle spread through her. "Hmm..?" She hummed.

Lauren placed a second hand on the glass in front of her as if to steady herself. "Why?" The question was weak, her voice already raspy with desire. It was so palpable that it seemed to embarrass her. Bo saw all the emotions in Lauren's reflection as the blonde herself refused to turn and face the Succubus, afraid of what was happening to her.

The brunette took a few steps towards Lauren so she was standing right behind her, close enough to feel the warmth of her skin. They were about the same height, Bo a little taller but only because her heels were higher. She placed her hands on the blonde's waist, the skin contact making them both almost hiss at the electricity shooting through them. Now Lauren's aura was blinding Bo again, making her want the doctor even more as she admired the beautiful wing tattoos on her back. They gave Lauren an even more mysterious aura. The Succubus leaned in, drawn to the woman in front of her like a moth to a flame. Breathing in the blonde's intoxicating scent she whispered "Why what?" before she let her nose travel up Lauren's neck, making her shudder and gasp, the hands on the glass in front of her pressing harder against the cold surface.

"Why.." Lauren fought to breathe. Her heart was racing but she couldn't fill her lungs with air. It was so ironic and under normal circumstances entirely impossible but then again, this wasn't normal in any way, was it? "Why... me?" She choked out as Bo began nipping at her neck, those haunting blue eyes still locked onto hers through the reflection on the glass in front of them.

The Succubus chuckled, her teeth grazing Lauren's marble skin. "At first.." she began, her hands moving up the blonde's sides, slowly stroking along the fabric and skin there and finally slipping under it, making a small moan ring from Lauren's mouth. "..you were just like all the others." Bo pressed into the woman before her and together they fell against the glass, Lauren finally turning her head as far as she could in her position. She found the searing blue eyes of the Succubus mere inches away, watching her with such lust in them that Lauren almost broke down right there. "But then, you turned me down, doctor." Bo's eyes shone brightly, her voice like velvet as she used the hands on Lauren's hips to whirl her around, pressing her up against the glass once more. A surprised moan escaped the doctor, her hands seemingly developing a life of their own, pulling the brunette seductress even closer to her body and causing her to bite a ruby red lip. "I was mad, Lauren. Nobody ever turned me down before." Bo whispered against Lauren's lips that were slightly open and panting right before her. She gave her a strong pulse from where her hands now rested on her lower back to emphasize her statement. The blonde moaned loudly, slipping one of her legs up and around Bo in a move that was more than uncharacteristic for her.

Lauren felt the heat in herself rising, the Phoenix wanting to be free so desperately. Bo saw the honey-brown eyes in front of her slowly changing color and becoming a blazing golden-red. "You came to get me because I got away?" The rising fire made Lauren bolder. Bo slipped one of her hands down her leg to hold it up and nodded. "You're the one that got away. But you can't resist me... nobody can." Bo pulsed Lauren again, eliciting yet another moan but Lauren's mind suddenly came out of its lust-filled haze. The last part of Bo's sentence resonated inside her head and she realized that giving in now would be her kiss of death. Bo would lose interest and disappear. There was no way Lauren could let that happen, she was already in too deep, even if it meant turning down the promises Bo was making once again. Her movement was sudden, surprising Bo who suddenly found herself up against the glass wall. "Nobody?" She challenged the Succubus, leaning in as close as she could without their lips touching.

"Absolutely nobody." Bo whispered back, her hot breath tickling Lauren. Fire red eyes met cerulean blue once more before Lauren closed the small distance, pulling the Succubus in for a searing kiss that completely crashed both their worlds to the ground. It was a slow kiss, but it burned deep inside both women. Bo was completely overwhelmed with Lauren's taste. She smelled perfect but she tasted even better so the brunette gave herself completely to the kiss, forgetting that she should be leading, seducing, having the woman before her.

Somewhere in the scrambled mess that was Lauren's brain right now she found her real intent again. She pulled away, panting heavily. She used the moment where Bo recovered from the earth-shattering kiss and slipped out of her arms. "Try again, my little Succubus." She smiled at Bo whose eyes widened in surprise. With a wink of now again honey brown eyes Lauren was gone, leaving the Succubus alone, panting and still leaning against the glass wall behind her.

What happened took a few moments to register with Bo. When it finally did, rage took over. Rage at the fact Lauren had disappeared yet again, at the fact that she was again left unsatisfied and most of all at the power that the beautiful blonde seemed to already hold over her. She let out a frustrated scream, slamming her fist back against the glass and causing it to crack.

Halfway down the stairs Lauren heard the furious scream coming from above her. This had not been their last meeting, that was for sure.

Chapter 6: What have you done to me?

Kenzi woke with a start from where she had been sleeping on the couch. The small Djinn had stopped playing video games a little after midnight, satisfied that she had saved the world from robot hookers once again in a kick-ass fashion. She had fallen asleep to some show she was not really watching anyway a short while later, sprawled across the couch on her back, one leg on the floor next to a half-empty liquor bottle and the remote still in her lap. At first she thought it had been a noise from the TV that had startled her awake but heard another crash coming from behind her. Kenzi groggily looked at the TV, squinting her eyes to get through her alcohol and sleep induced haze. Recognizing the show she figured it had to be about three in the morning. It was a late time for Bo to come back. Although the Succubus definitely partied hard she usually came home early to thoroughly enjoy her conquest of the night.

Kenzi heard a strangled moan from behind her, the entrance of the clubhouse blocked from her sight by the back of the couch. Groaning, she got up, still not fully awake but what she saw once she had sat up far enough was sufficient to startle the remaining sleep and booze right out of her system. Bo hadn't made it far into the house with her feed. A petite blonde woman was pressed up against the wall opposite from the door, her head thrown back in ecstasy while the Succubus had a hand on her throat. Bo was feeding deeply, drinking down the light blue stream of energy flowing from the other woman's mouth like she had been starved for months. The blonde was moaning and whimpering under the unforgiving power of the Succubus, her eyes wide open as she stared at her lover's blue orbs in adoration.

Kenzi had, unfortunately for her, witnessed Bo in her Succubus-mode a few times too often for her to just forget it. The brunette always fed deeply from her lovers but what worried the Djinn was that she had never seen it look like this. Bo always took her feeds to bed, had them all night long while she fed off them little by little, satisfying her hunger as well as her need for sex, for the passion that came with it. Right now it didn't look pleasurable and passionate at all. It was all about the feeding itself and Bo drank greedily from the blonde whose whimpers became weaker and weaker until she shuddered once more and Bo let go of her, the woman sliding down the wall with a ghastly grin on her face, her head lolling to the side. The Succubus looked down at her, pity and anger swirling in her still cerulean blue eyes before she realized that she was being watched. Kenzi was staring from her best friend to the blonde woman with wide blue eyes, her mouth open in shock but not a sound coming out. Before the Djinn even had a chance to find her words again Bo walked past her and up the stairs into her room where she stripped out of her dress and dropped onto the bed stark naked, falling into a deep sleep instantly.

Kenzi on the other hand was wide awake, kneeling in front of the blonde woman in the hallway, pressing two fingers to her pulse point and listening for a heartbeat. After a minute she had to turn her head away, her eyes closing as if to shut out her realization but the terrible grin on the woman's face was nothing easily forgotten. Kenzi slowly got out her cell phone and dialed a long number. When a male voice answered she said she had something for them to pick up. The man didn't ask any questions, it was his job after all. He said someone would be over to pick the body up in a few minutes. The call ended and the Djinn slowly lowered the phone from her ear. She willed herself to look at the woman once more. Of course, the grin was still there and Kenzi shuddered.

The Djinn didn't know how long she sat there but when somebody knocked at the door she slowly got up and opened it. A blonde man with cold dark eyes and lots of scars all over his face and hands walked in and knelt down in front of the body. "Succubus kill, hm?" He asked of her and Kenzi nodded when he looked back at her for an answer. "Well, I like that woman's taste, what a beauty, human of course and now the grin, but still.." He trailed off when he didn't get any verbal response from the Djinn. Shrugging to himself he lifted the dead body onto his shoulder. "This is the first this year so no charge." He scribbled something on a piece of paper he produced from his pocket with a pen and handed it to Kenzi. "I'll put this on Miss McCorrigan's record. See you again soon, hopefully." He stated and walked out the door, leaving the Djinn staring at the spot where the dead woman had been moments ago.

This was crazy. Bo was no killer. She was a young Succubus with a sheer unquenchable appetite but she never killed. She never took humans home anyway. Kenzi knew that she had killed a few a long time ago but since the Djinn had known her Bo had stuck to Fae exclusively and there had never been any trouble. So what had triggered the reaction she had witnessed firsthand? The Succubus had been at the high elder ball, she couldn't have come across the human woman there. Suddenly, realization hit Kenzi like a ton of bricks. Bo had been after Lauren. The woman must have, for no obvious reason at all, turned her down once again, hence triggering the violent reaction. Rejected Succubus was a side of Bo Kenzi didn't know how to deal with yet but she would get to the bottom of this, that the Djinn promised herself and her best friend at the same time.

-x-

Lauren was taking deep breaths, inhaling and exhaling at a deliberately slow pace while she gracefully let her whole body move from one shape to the next. The mansion behind and the garden around her were still quiet, the grass under her bare feet damp from the night. Low mist covered the Leavold garden, somewhat ghostly in the semi-darkness of the approaching day. Now and then there would be a flicker of light reflecting off the droplets of water everywhere as a flame made of Lauren's need to clear her mind passed by. The Phoenix had been at this for hours as she was in no condition to sleep. It was as if her mind was refusing to shut down and allow relaxation to settle in. Unfortunately her usually mind-emptying exercise failed to work its magic today. No matter how often she focused solely on the movement of her muscles, memories of last night came rushing back as soon as she thought she had succeeded. Lauren had felt the Succubus the second the brunette laid her eyes on her in the glass balcony. The reflection of Bo's haunting blue stare in the glass was all it took for Lauren to throw every sense of caution into the wind, her knees almost giving out under her when the Succubus had pressed into her from behind. The blonde couldn't describe how Bo smelled, deliciously dangerous was the term in her mind but she always laughed it off, nobody could smell dangerous, yet the brunette seductress somehow did. Her closeness had made Lauren's blood boil, made her lose control over her powers which was something that hadn't happened before, at least not in a very long time. She hadn't meant to kiss Bo. The rational part of her brain, or what was left of it, told her she had to do it in order to distract the Succubus enough to escape. The truth was, Lauren hadn't been able to help herself. Bo so close to her, biting her inviting ruby red lips, had been too much for the Phoenix to handle. The kiss had burnt her and made something inside her very clear: If this game of cat and mouse continued Lauren would give in eventually. There was no way around it and the worst part was that the blonde knew this was more than just the thrall of a sex-demon. A thrall would break as soon as she was out of its reach but her feelings stayed.

The small flames Lauren was guiding erupted into an inferno for a mere second as she willed herself to focus on her movements again. She knew it was no good. In a few moments it would all start over again. Sighing, she closed her bright golden-red eyes and slowly stood from her final form, the flames around her dancing for a moment before the vanished. Opening her now honey-brown eyes she looked at the sun that was rising in just this moment. Lauren let the warm rays caress her face and relax her to a certain extent. As a fire spirit the sight and warmth of the sun always calmed her. Her thoughts drifted back to last night again and she cringed. She needed to deal with this, sooner rather than later.

-x-

Kenzi was still sleeping when Bo came down the stairs the next morning. It was still early but the Succubus was buzzing with energy. She had called Tamsin to take her up on a year-old offer to go to the gym with her sometime. Bo had chosen the blonde Valkyrie as she didn't want to deal with her confused emotions right now and her and Tamsin's relationship wasn't known for heart-to-hearts. The Succubus was gulping down her usual cup of coffee when she saw a small piece of paper on the kitchen counter. She picked it up and read what was written on it in a small and narrow scrawl.

Human, female, death through energy drain, put on the record of Ysabeau McCorrigan, genus Succubae, of high elder clan McCorrigan.

Under the short information was a signature next to today's date. Bo stared at the piece of paper as she remembered last night from when she left the high elder ball. She had gotten ragingly drunk, or as drunk as Fae could get themselves. Sometimes their superior healing powers got in the way of drowning sorrows. On her way home she had hailed a cab, only to let the cabbie be her first victim of the night. Fortunately for him his chi had been bland, and so Bo left him barely alive a few blocks away from the clubhouse and got out of the car. The feeding had banned the alcohol from her system, making her senses clear and free for rage to take over again. How could Lauren dare to turn her down? She was a Succubus, shouldn't she be completely irresistible?

When she was only one block away from home she spotted a young human couple making out at the door of one of the run-down apartment complexes that were the most prominent buildings in this part of town. A wicked grin played across Bo's lips as she sauntered over to them. He noticed the Succubus first, staring openly at the by far most beautiful woman he had ever seen. His sudden lack of response to her kisses made his girlfriend look up as well. Her stare caught Bo's and where at first had been irritation there was now pure adoration. The Succubus grinned, humans were just too easy sometimes. She closed the small distance between them and saw both of their auras flare even more as she held both of them around the waist. "One of you I'll take home with me. Let's see who tastes better, shall we?" She announced to them and pulled the guy to her lips first, making him moan as her eyes turned blue and she took a deep gulp of his chi. It tasted better than that of the cab driver but still... Bo turned to his girlfriend and kissed her, too. Nipping at her life force the Succubus knew she had found a winner. She pulled the woman into her body while looking at the guy. "Sweetie, why don't you give us some space?" She asked of him and he nodded like a puppy and disappeared into the building.

Bo looked back at her chosen feed. She was a pretty thing, long blonde hair and strong facial features. She looked a little like Lauren. She couldn't reach her divine beauty, though. It made Bo's eyes shine even brighter. "Let's go." She husked in the woman's ear and pulled her off towards her house.

Back home she had relentlessly drained the woman in one go, leaving her own body humming with all the energy she had consumed. She had fallen asleep instantly and when she woke up she didn't even know if it had been reality or just a dream. The note made it clear that this was very real. Kenzi had obviously called the Morrigan's clean-up crew, Fae who picked up Dark Fae kills and distributed them to the families who needed them for their nourishment. They also made sure that the deaths were explained to human society, protecting the Fae from discovery. Bo shrugged to herself. While she hadn't killed for a while it didn't particularly bother her. Humans were just humans after all.

Drinking the last bit of her coffee and shouldering the sports bag next to her she made her way to the door. Looking back at Kenzi once more she sighed. She would explain later. Kenzi cared about humans as much as Bo did but the shocked look she had worn last night when she saw Bo spoke differently. The door clicked closed and Bo, getting in her yellow Camaro, drove off to the gym where she would meet with Tamsin.

-x-

On her way back from work Lauren always listened to a local radio station. Like most Fae, she shared the enthusiasm of the human population for music. It had a relaxing effect, just what she needed after a long and exhausting day at work and thoughts of Bo swirling through her mind. She let herself be carried by the music until she pulled up the long driveway and into the small red brick building that was the Leavold garage. Locking her beautiful silver car she walked the short distance across a perfectly manicured lawn on a small pathway that led to the front door.

When she came to a halt in front of its wings they opened and as she stepped inside, Derrick, the aged door man bowing and greeting her with a "Good evening, Miss Lewis. I hope your day was enjoyable." Lauren smiled at the man. He was the mansion's head of staff, having served the Leavold family more than fifty years. He was losing his by now white hair but still had the same friendly smile on his face he had when Lauren had first met him. Derrick was one of the few humans that really enjoyed what he was doing. Lauren had once spoken to him about it and he had said that for him, being with the Fae and getting a chance to experience their presence and power was enough to make him happy. The blonde had been impressed by the gratitude the man felt towards the Leavold family for introducing him to this world.

"Good evening to you, too. I think your day was better than mine." Lauren answered honestly, earning an understanding nod from Derrick as he closed the door again. She started to make her way up the long stairway to put her bag in her office when she was called back. "Miss Lewis, your lady mother told me to tell you as soon as you came home that they will start dinner at seven." He looked at the pocket watch he pulled from the pocket of his vest and continued. "That was twenty minutes ago. She said in that case that you should join them immediately." "Thank you, Derrick. I will be down shortly." Lauren said and turned to get ready.

-x-

Bo was sweating, punching the pads Tamsin held up in the combinations the Valkyrie announced. They had been at this for quite some time and the brunette found, much to her dismay, that it didn't erase Lauren from her mind. The woman seemed to have taken up permanent residence in her head, memories of last night burnt into her with every detail. Bo growled and hit harder, causing Tamsin to smirk. The Succubus was definitely working something off. It was a state she had never seen Bo in and it made her curious. She hadn't heard about anything going wrong last night at the high elder ball, just that some human had lost her head because she fucked up but that couldn't be the reason for Bo's obvious rage towards herself. It was not that the Valkyrie actually cared, she just liked to know what happened around her. Information was power and she made it her job to know more than most.

"So.." She began when they were taking a short break and stretching. "What's making the mighty Succubus all bitchy?" Bo shot her a displeased look. "And I thought I was at a gym with a Valkyrie, not an Empath." Her voice was dripping with sarcasm.

Tamsin laughed. "You think I actually care? I just want something to get to you." She grinned back at the sour looking Succubus. "And why exactly should I tell you? I came here to not talk about it."

"Oh, so you fled from Kenzi the kenziest in order not to talk about your problems? How very best-friendy of you. I bet she won't be pissed at all." Tamsin picked up her gloves and held them up in front of her, signaling that she was ready for a real round. As they got back into the ring, the punches that followed were even harder than those before. Silently, the Valkyrie was impressed. She knew Bo was pretty badass and could handle her shit but she never knew she could pack a punch this hard.

"Leave Kenz out of this. I'll deal." Bo got out in between puffs of breath she let out whenever she hit Tamsin's cover.

"Must be really shitty then, huh? What did you do, piss off mommy dearest royally? She's giving you loads of shit I bet." Tamsin laughed as she dodged a quick combo. "Or is it the wolf-boy? He's moping around the precinct all day like a puppy who lost his favorite toy." Her sharp left hook was dodged by the Succubus. "It's not my problem if he can't understand the rules." Bo stated grumpily. Her rules, Lauren had ignored them completely. And yet the brunette wanted to see her again, to play the game they seemed to fall into whenever they ran into each other. It had only happened twice but Bo knew it would be like this every other time in the future if she didn't do something.

A punch hit Bo full in the jaw, making her stumble backwards and effectively knocking her back to reality. Tamsin was smirking. Bo spacing out like that was an obvious tell. "But there is someone, right? Someone the little Succubus wants to have but can't."

The words echoed in Bo's mind, finding an answer in a memory from last night. "Try again, my little Succubus." Lauren's voice, thick with unfulfilled promise, taunted her. Tamsin didn't know what happened, just that she suddenly felt a painful blow to her jaw and then the cords on the side of the ring as she stumbled backwards and into them. She lifted her gloved hand to her mouth, opening the glove with her teeth before slipping out of it and holding her throbbing jaw. "Fuck! I said we could fight not that you could kill me!" She spat angrily at Bo whose eyes were blazing blue. Despite her pain the Valkyrie mentally patted herself on the back. She had obviously struck a nerve.

Bo threw off her gloves and they hit the floor with a thump as she ducked out of the ring and walked off, shouting over her shoulder "We're done here!" She stormed into the locker room, not caring to shower she just threw on her leather jacket and made her way out of the gym.

-x-

"Lauren, honey, you are late." Her mother Elizabeth stated without looking up from her food. Lauren's whole family was seated around the long, beautifully set table. Her grandmother of course sat at the head with her mother and father next to her. Then came her sister next to her mother and Lauren's still empty seat was next to Evan. The large room was illuminated by two golden chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. Along with the paintings of family members adorning the walls they gave it its aura of wealth and power. Lauren's own picture hung across from her place at the table so she had a perfect view of her six hundred year old self. The Lauren in the painting had her hair up in an ornate hairdo. She was holding her chin high, like every other family member not smiling for the painting. The blonde remembered the day she had posed for the painting. The painter, a Fae who had been hired exclusively by her family, had told her over and over how incredibly beautiful she was. By the time he was finished she was glad to be rid of him. It had been one of those moments where she realized that to most she was just her beauty.

"I know, I had a lot of work to do. I'm sorry." She made her way to her chair and sat down, one of the humans immediately coming up to her and placing a full plate in front of her. Before she could protest, her mother said "Lauren, just today, for the sake of a family dinner, could you not run off to make something for yourself?" Her daughter nodded after she contemplated it for a moment, wondering why her mother thought it important that they have dinner together all of a sudden.

For a few minutes they all ate in silence before Lauren's grandmother finally spoke. "I missed you yesterday at the ball. You were suddenly gone after the ceremony." She looked directly at her granddaughter. A lot of people told Lauren that she had inherited High Elder Leavold's aura of control and power and it were those auras that clashed the moment she spoke. "You know how much I despise the way humans are treated by our society, especially by the Dark." She kept her voice neutral.

"Yes, I do but that is no reason for you to just disappear. Other things have happened in the past and you sat through it. You can't just vanish, you have a reputation to uphold." This time Elizabeth spoke.

"I see why we are having dinner together, so you can interrogate me." Lauren put down her fork and looked directly at her mother and then her grandmother.

"Laur, we are just concerned. If something is happening that we should know about, please tell us." Evan tried in a soothing voice.

"Then just accept my answer. I'm not sitting amidst a group of heartless people who watch a human being dragged off to be killed without even so much as batting an eye." By now Lauren was getting aggravated and it showed in her voice as well as in her hands clenching the side of the table.

"It's that McCorrigan girl, isn't it? She was gone shortly after you were, too." Her mother's voice was full of venom.

Lauren stood from her place, her eyes shooting daggers at Elizabeth. "And what if it is?" she spat, not even pausing to think of how this must look to her family.

"Laur, sit back down, please, you'll only make it worse." Charlotte's small voice drifted through the quiet room.

"I don't want to see you with that woman. We talked about this."

"I don't know why you're making this about her. I stated my reason for leaving. I won't listen to this anymore." With that, Lauren turned and went to leave for the main hall. It was her mother who called after her. "Lauren, we will talk about this again. This was not the last time."

Lauren just kept walking. She went to her office, gathered her bags and made her way back downstairs to leave for her condo in the city. She would not, she could not stay in this house for the night. Not because her parents had seen right through her. Not because they disagreed on the human issue but because the blonde just needed time for herself. Derrick wished her a good night as she left and breathed in the night air. It calmed her as she let the wind whip around her hair while she drove back into the city.

-x-

Kenzi was waiting for Bo when she finally came home. The brunette was sweaty and looked positively pissed but the Djinn would have none of it. "Hey Bo, care to explain why you A: left a dead human for me to take care of in our hall last night and B: why you just ran off this morning without even telling me where you were going?"

The Succubus looked at her angry best friend and sighed. "Look, Kenz, I'm sorry but can we not talk about it, please?" She moved to walk up the stairs but almost ran into the Djinn who suddenly appeared right in front of her with a soft pop.

"Not talk about it? About what? About you being so self-righteous that you can just dismiss your best friend or that you can't handle rejection?" Once again it was visible that she had struck a nerve. Bo's eyes held a blue hue as she growled "This has nothing to do with Lauren."

"The fuck it doesn't! Bo, what the hell? Who is this woman anyway that she can just make you her bitch this easy?" Kenzi practically yelled at Bo from mere inches away. She wouldn't let her best friend go down this road.

"Just forget about it." Bo pushed past Kenzi, not wanting to deal with what she was feeling just now and the Djinn let her. She knew it would be no good to try if Bo didn't want to talk. Once the Succubus had disappeared she got on the phone. There was no way she would let her best friend be like this.

"Yeah, I need your help. Lauren Leavold, I need you to find out where she lives."

Chapter 7: Try as you might

Kenzi put the phone down. Finally, after five days her contacts had managed to get her Lauren Leavold's address. It was a large condo in the heart of the city, high above its ever busy streets in a very modern building. The fact that the Djinn's contacts had to search days to find Lauren told Kenzi something about her. The Leavold mansion was something easily found but it seemed that the Light's best doctor often sought solitude somewhere else and made sure she was not found. Kenzi smiled. Nobody could hide from her. And now that she finally knew where Lauren lived, she would carefully plan her visit there. Getting in and out was no problem as every door opened for the Djinn with a snap of her fingers. The tricky part would be talking to the woman. As Kenzi knew, most people didn't take too kindly to random strangers suddenly appearing in their home and asking them questions, especially not the ever polite Light Fae community.

She was pulled from her thoughts by Bo who came down the stairs. To most the woman would have looked as always, stunningly gorgeous in her tight black leather pants, black tank top and knee-high boots, her hair pulled back into a loose ponytail but Kenzi was not fooled. Something in the Succubus' eyes looked off, like she was not really herself. Over the last few days there had been enough proof to definitely affirm that theory. To Kenzi's relief, the incident with the human woman that first night had remained a onetime thing. Bo even seemed to regret what happened after she got off the energy high she had been on from draining someone completely. She had been up earlier and earlier every day, coming home from the gym sometime in the afternoon or early evening, her hands looking terrible. They had cuts and bruises on them and Bo didn't heal as she stopped feeding to punish herself in some way. Kenzi thought part of it was for the killing but there was something else that kept eating away at her best friend and she was determined to find out what that was.

"Morning, Kenz." Bo's voice sounded hollow as she walked to the coffee machine, silently wincing as her wounded hands curved around the hot mug. Kenzi had been careful around the Succubus the last few days, avoiding topics she knew Bo wouldn't want to talk about even if she knew they needed to talk sometime soon. "Hey, Bo-Bo. How you feeling today?" She switched off the TV and turned to give her best friend her full attention. Bo smiled weakly but Kenzi got the silent 'thank you' her best friend sent her for just being there. "I'm ok. My whole body feels like I've been run over by a bus followed by a dump truck but I've had worse."

Kenzi nodded. "You've certainly had. You know, this might be news to you but you could succuheal and all the pain would be water under the bridge." Her voice was playful; over the past few days the Djinn had changed her tactic from confronting her friend about her flaws to trying to help her get back on track.

Bo's face fell at the words and she looked at the mug in her hands. "I will." she said, her voice barely more than a whisper. She took a large gulp of her coffee before she just placed her mug back on the kitchen counter. "You know, I think I'll go to the gym." She always had her bag packed and ready in the hallway so when she grabbed it and headed out the door Kenzi didn't even have time to answer. The Djinn looked at the spot where Bo had just disappeared and sighed. It was nothing new. Over the last few days their conversations had all been brief at best. All the more reason for her to pay a visit to this Lauren Leavold. It was like she had destroyed the Bo Kenzi knew and that made it the Djinn's business.

-x-

Lauren was concerned as she went over the test results again. It didn't look good for the human that had been wheeled into the compound about a week ago. Normally, Lauren thought with bitterness, the Fae would have just left him in the street to live or die as he may but as he was obviously an unfinished kill his condition would have raised attention in the human community. He was a middle-aged man with short brown hair who had been found on the dark side of town. The new peace treaty gave the Light the right to intervene before he had been killed and placed in a scene that screamed 'terrible accident'. The Ash himself had wanted to question the man if he woke up to identify the Fae responsible for this. He wanted to make sure that incidents like this didn't happen again to ensure the Fae stayed hidden from human eyes.

The man had been put under Lauren's personal care. She was the best he had, the Ash had told her but the rumors of course were going strong that she was the only one in the compound who wasn't biased on the topic. The talk itself didn't bother Lauren as much as the fact that all the gossip kept the rest of the staff from doing their job. She would have to do something about it soon. It was one of her priorities as head of the medical department that everyone was doing their best to fulfill their job, to save lives. The Phoenix sighed. Her job would be easier if everybody else were as focused as her. To her, it was completely irrelevant if the patient was human or Fae. It was what made her stand out from all the other doctors in the compound. Lauren was even recognized in the human world as a brilliant scientist and had won a few awards for her work. Not that they mattered to her. She just wanted to help people so while she was Dr. Lauren Leavold, head of the medical department and the Light Fae's best physician in the Fae world she was recognized in the human world as Dr. Lauren Lewis, one of the most brilliant minds of the century.

Shaking off the thoughts clouding her mind and concentrating on the task at hand she looked at the man in the hospital bed in front of her. He was pale as a ghost, eyes closed but a toothy smile tugging at the corner of his lips. Lauren knew he had been drained of energy, that much was obvious. She was going with a Succubus or Incubus feed that was cruelly left with barely enough energy to live. Her first thought when she had come to this conclusion had been "Bo" but she quickly discarded the possibility. The man had been found in his cab deep in dark territory on the outskirts of town. It was an area that was dominated by old industrial buildings and large run-down apartment complexes, not an area for the daughter of a powerful Dark Fae high elder. Just to be sure she had checked Bo's killing record the day after the man was brought in and found that she hadn't killed a human in over a hundred years. It was a fact that not only made Lauren sigh in relief but also made her wonder about the reasoning behind it. From what the blonde knew about Fae that fed on sexual energy like Succubae and Incubi did, humans were not able to resist their powers in any way and, unless fully drained and therefore killed, could barely quench their appetite. Bo probably stuck to Fae because she could feed more deeply from them and not have to worry about a dead body afterwards. It's what most Fae Lauren knew did if their feeding had the potential to kill. Lauren sighed. She was grateful that she wasn't a 'feeder'. Most Fae somehow fed off the human population but Lauren was a Phoenix, a fire spirit and therefore only connected to her element. Her energy came from the sun like a water spirit was dependant on the moon and the tide it brought.

Lauren shook her head, looking at the man before her. He was in a coma and only Helios himself knew if he would ever wake again. She carefully placed the chart with results she had been holding back next to his bed as there was nothing she could do for him. His condition wasn't changing and only the constant beeping of the machines around him gave any indication that he was still alive. Lauren knew that life or death would be decided by the ability of his body to restore the energy that had been ripped from him. Taking one last look she turned and made her way to her office. It was already getting late and she wanted to gather a few things from the mansion before she went back to her condo in the city.

-x-

Bo was panting heavily through her open mouth, sweat running down her face and neck. The punching bag she had spent the last few hours trying to destroy was swinging lightly back and forth, taunting her. The worn light brown leather was stained with dark spots where her bloody hands hit the most. Being the only one in the gym at the moment was a good thing. Nobody asking stupid questions, nobody trying to make her feel better. She didn't need that, didn't want that. Bo just wanted to be alone and punch the living daylights out of something to forget the taunting voice in her head. "Try again, my little Succubus."

"You bet I will." she growled and gave the bag another heavy blow that left more stains on the leather and made her right hand scream in protest. She raised her bloodied fists to look at them more closely. She had cuts and bruises all over the back of her hands but across her knuckles the skin had been torn off almost completely, blood and fluids seeping out of the many wounds. Somehow the pain was relieving as much as it was excruciating. It made her feel something else than rage and the other feeling inside her that hid just beyond the surface of her consciousness, coming closer and closer whenever she thought of Lauren but never surfacing. Bo gritted her teeth. No creature, no woman, no matter how beautiful was supposed to have that effect on her yet she couldn't help but still be drawn to the gorgeous blonde that was Lauren Leavold. She felt rage boiling inside her at the thought of the rejection she received but also a strange tingling in her stomach. The Succubus closed her eyes and shook her head, opening her hand and wincing at the relieving pain the movement brought with it. Her hand shook slightly from the intensity of the pain. It was like it was on fire, slowly crumbling away under an unforgiving flame but it also erased the thoughts she wanted it to. Closing her fist again she started punching the bag once more, grunting in pain as every hit made a white-hot flash shoot up her arms.

When Bo was done she almost collapsed from the exertion and pain. Her whole body shook, her hands burning and as she looked at them she thought she saw a flash of white amidst the blood and flesh that had been her right hand, indicating she had made it to the bone but she couldn't be sure as the wound didn't stop bleeding. The Succubus was still sweating and now that she stopped moving it made for a beautiful contrast. The coolness on her face compared to the excruciating burn of her hands. Maybe she should cool them off as well. Bo grinned. She knew what would happen but still put the back of her hand to her forehead to wipe away the sweat. The pain of the salty liquid in her wounds made her yelp, her arm almost going numb from the intensity.

Maybe she would feed just a little to heal her hands just enough for it to be manageable? The petite clerk at the entrance had looked quite delicious and she had burned brightly since the first time she saw the Succubus. No, Bo thought as she slowly made her way back to the locker room. The woman was human. No more deaths. She wasn't like her parents who used humans for their mere pleasure and only as long as they lasted. Killing the other woman had been a weak moment, she regretted it the moment the consumed energy had started to fade. It was not that she particularly cared about humans, she just never wanted to be like her parents in any way.

She looked at her reflection in the full length mirror on the wall of the locker room. Her flushed face glistered with sweat, her tight workout clothes clinging to her even more than usual. Bo thought she looked exhausted, but normal. Except for her hands of course, hanging cut and still bleeding at her sides. She didn't feel the pain anymore.

It was that little realization that made the Succubus wake up from what seemed to be a day-long nightmare. She suddenly saw herself more clearly in the mirror. The tired eyes with dark rings under them, her stance that was nowhere near as proud as it used to be. She was nowhere near the woman she used to be. Bo knew the reason. Lauren. The brunette didn't know how or why the Light Fae doctor affected her this much but there was no point in denying it anymore. Try again, my little Succubus. The memory of the heavy, velvety voice didn't taunt her anymore, it just made her even more determined to get to the bottom of this attraction, these feelings she had for Lauren. Suddenly Bo was again very aware of the almost blinding pain in her hands, this time not a welcome distraction, just another proof of her unstable behavior. Bo looked for something to stop the bleeding and decided she would wash her hands and then wrap them up the best she could here.

The cold water from the sink only made the burn worse but Bo kept her hands under the stream. When she was done her hands were gladly a bit numb from the coldness of the water. She wrapped them in toilet paper, it was the best she could do right now. The bleeding had almost stopped but the fluids were still seeping through the thin material, making Bo wrap even more layers around it. When she was as happy with the result as she would get she quickly gathered her stuff, not bothering to change but just throwing on her leather jacket she made her way out of the gym and back to her yellow Camaro.

-x-

Kenzi was slowly creeping up the last flight of stairs. She had taken the elevator to the very top of the huge building and she still had to take a last flight of stairs to get to Lauren's apartment. It was the only one on the whole floor and that meant it had to be positively huge. All the other floors had a corridor with at least four doors leading to different apartments, all large and terribly expensive by themselves. When Kenzi reached the top of the stairs she was greeted by a very small room, lit by a few bright lights that shone from behind glass in the ceiling. A heavy wooden door with a key card slot was the only thing that gave the room a purpose. Kenzi walked closer to the door and examined it. It was an expensive piece of work and without the key card there was absolutely no human way of getting in. The Djinn grinned. It was a good thing then, that she wasn't human.

With a snap of her fingers the door made a rattling sound, then a click and a bleep that came from the electronic lock. Seconds later the heavy door opened a crack to invite Kenzi in. Mentally patting herself on the back for her awesomeness she carefully and as quietly as she could pushed the door open and crept inside, closing it behind her again. What she saw left her completely dumbfounded for a moment. She stood in a huge room, walls white and decorated with expensive looking pieces of art. There were large paintings on canvas hanging from the wall far to her left. The Djinn had always had a passion for art so she knew exactly what she was looking at. The colored squares and black lines on them screamed Mondrian, and Kenzi was sure they were originals as she slowly inched closer, for a moment forgetting all caution.

When she was finally able to tear her eyes away from the priceless artwork she took in the rest of the large room. It was very modernly furnished, with a black couch and chairs arranged neatly to look at a huge flatscreen on the wall she was standing in front of, between the two large paintings she had just admired. The room was dimly lit by the last light of the day and the lights of the city below it shining through large windows across from the entrance. They almost took up the whole wall that Kenzi only now realized was huge. Looking up at the high ceiling she found another level overlooking the one she was standing on. A wooden banister in the same deep and rich color as the floor she stood on prevented Kenzi from seeing what was on that level.

Kenzi couldn't stop admiring everything she saw as it screamed wealth and power. She stared openmouthed until a crackling sound startled her from her trance. The Djinn turned to where the sound had come from, her heart beating rapidly. She realized she had not even seen everything as she saw a flicker of reddish-golden light come from around a corner to the right of the entrance. Kenzi inched forward, suddenly very aware again why she was here in the first place. Looking around the corner she at first saw dancing shadows. A spiral staircase, wooden like almost everything in the apartment wound its way up to the second level but the flickering light came from downstairs. It seemed like there was another room like the one Kenzi stood in so she made her way along the wall to get to it. She still saw the shadows, it looked like a dancing woman but she couldn't be sure as they changed too quickly. She looked around the next corner and her heart started racing even more.

A stunningly beautiful blonde woman was moving in what seemed to be one fluid motion, clad only in wide white pants with a black silk belt tied neatly in front and a white sports bra, sweat glistering on her exposed skin. She currently had her back towards Kenzi and the Djinn saw that most of it was covered with a tattoo of red and golden wings. They seemed to move but Kenzi shook her head slightly, it was only the muscles beneath them. The woman had to be Lauren, that was clear and right now she had her hands in front of herself so the Djinn couldn't see them but she appeared to be holding a candle of some kind as it was obviously the source of the reddish light.

Kenzi was about to say something to gather her attention when Lauren turned in one elegant motion, setting one bare foot in the Djinn's direction and bending forward, her hands outstretched. There was no candle in them. Instead a flame followed their motions like a snake followed the tone of a flute. Only now did Kenzi realize her mistake. She knew where the woman lived, her name, her occupation, her allegiance but the one thing she didn't know was what type of Fae Lauren was. It had to be some kind of elemental fire spirit. No shit, captain obvious, her brain scolded her, she was right in front of her forming shapes out of a hovering flame like it was play-doh.

Kenzi didn't realize that, as she was holding her inner monologue, Lauren's golden-red eyes found her at the corner and immediately they were honey-brown again. The flame vanished into thin air, leaving behind only cold darkness. The sudden absence of light made Kenzi snap from her trance and realize she had been caught. In the last light of the day the Djinn saw cold eyes staring at and what felt like right through her, making her shiver.

"Umm.. hi?" She said lamely, raising one hand for a small wave. Lauren slowly took a step in her direction, still staring her down. "And that's all you have to say?" Kenzi thought the blonde's voice sounded almost like she was singing, but it still made the blood freeze in her veins. She shook her head as Lauren continued to walk towards her. She smiled, completely without emotion. "Good." Her voice still had a beautiful tone but was cold as ice. It was a stark contrast to the heat Kenzi felt radiating off the blonde as she stepped closer. "Then you better tell me who you are and what you are doing in my home."

Kenzi tried to gather herself. The sudden turn of events had washed her well-laid plans out of her mind but now, as Lauren's eyes flickered a threatening golden red she remembered. With a flick of the Djinn's wrist the blonde was suddenly staring at thin air, a voice now coming from behind her. "My duties as a best friend."

Lauren whirled around, her eyes narrowing as she stood ramrod straight. She didn't answer Kenzi, waiting for the small Fae to explain herself further. The Djinn was not as intimidated by the blonde as she was before but still, she sure was a sight. Even with bare feet and in wide pants and a sports bra she looked like a queen, the long blonde locks falling over her shoulders, in the fading light shining like a crown. Kenzi knew her best friend better than anyone else and seeing the woman in front of her, she knew what had intrigued Bo. Sure, the blonde was more beautiful than any living creature should be but that was what had intrigued the Succubus. Bo had been drawn to the aura surrounding Lauren. Not just the sexual one but the power, the grace that the blonde wore like an armor.

Kenzi snapped her fingers and the lights in the room went on. The Djinn had chosen a comfortable low setting, bathing the room in a warm golden light. "I came here to talk to you. I can see why Bo can't forget you." Her voice was neutral, not giving anything away. Lauren's eyes narrowed ever so slightly and the corner of her mouth twitched at the mentioning of the Succubus' name. She started walking towards and then past Kenzi to a small sitting area in a corner of the room where she turned to look at the small Fae. "Then come, sit and talk, Djinn."

Kenzi was baffled for a second. How did the blonde know what she was? Sure, she had just used her powers but most Fae couldn't combine what they saw with what they knew. Lauren must have caught onto her thoughts somehow as she said "It's my job to know things but you surely know what my job is if you know where I live." She made a gesture for Kenzi to sit down across from her which the Djinn carefully did. "I know that you are the Light's best doc but let's cut the crap. What the hell did you do to my Bo-Bo?"

Lauren raised her eyebrows at the sudden change of pace, then chuckled. "I did nothing." Kenzi just continued to glare at Lauren. "You did something to her. She hasn't been herself since she met you at that damn ball!"

"I already told you, I didn't do anything. We met, we danced but she came on to me so don't try and blame her actions on me." Lauren's voice was calm and deadly so, Kenzi found. She also found that she didn't like the woman in front of her, not one bit. "She was killing then stopped feeding; she is hurting herself on purpose. She is not the Bo I know and that is all because of you although she won't admit it!" Kenzi stood abruptly, trying to tower over the blonde sitting in front of her but Lauren did not waver. "I don't know what false sense of friendship you have, but should you really be here, blaming me for what sounds like the reaction of a petulant child who can't handle rejection?"

"She never did this before, not over anyone and then you swoop in, you don't even let her take you home and this happens? It can't be that simple and I bet you are getting your cruel little kick out of it." Kenzi spat. That seemed to get to the blonde as she stood, now towering over Kenzi herself. "I assure you, I took more from meeting your friend than you know and it was not some 'cruel kick', as you call it." She didn't leave the Djinn time to say anything in return before her voice whispered, still cold as ice "Now get out."

Kenzi knew when it was time to retreat, and this time was now. She nodded once. "I know the way." Not giving Lauren so much as another glance she turned and walked away. She didn't like Lauren, Kenzi thought as she closed the wooden door behind her, refusing to acknowledge that some of the things she had said had been true to a certain point. She concentrated on the fact that Lauren had been the trigger for Bo's behavior. She was the source of this, no matter what she told Kenzi. If she had been this cold to Bo the Djinn knew what got to her best friend. There had been so many things she had wanted to say to the blonde but in the end her temper got the better of her. Damn that woman with her quiet, yet forceful voice. That cold attitude was what got to the Djinn. Lauren Leavold may be a fire spirit, but she was cold as ice, Kenzi thought on her way home.

-x-

After the Djinn had left, Lauren continued to stand where she was, staring blankly at the wall. She had known Bo felt something as well, and now she had proof. She should have gotten more information out of her visitor, but her cold exterior took over without her realizing it. It was her armor, protecting her from getting hurt, from crumbling in the tornado of feelings raging inside of her. She would see Bo again, that was certain and she couldn't hide. If what the Djinn had told her was true, didn't that make Bo different? A Succubus with feelings other than her own pleasure, did that make her better? The Djinn said she had killed, who did she kill and why? Was it just blind rage, normal? No, if it had been normal, Lauren wouldn't have had a visitor this evening.

The light above her flickered and went out, indicating the Djinn had left the area. Lauren sighed, resuming a relaxed position and lighting up the darkness of her apartment with a flame as she moved. She couldn't help but feel as if the life she built and knew so well was about to change due to a certain Succubus; it didn't matter if she wanted it to or not.

Chapter 8: Right (wrong) place, right (wrong) time

Lauren sighed and stretched. She got up from the expensive leather chair in her office, turning her neck from side to side, making it crack. It sounded obscenely loud in the utter silence of her office. The Ash had made sure that she had everything she could possibly need, including a sound-proof office that allowed her to work in absolute concentration amidst the ever-noisy compound. Checking the digital clock on the wall, her forehead wrinkled in confusion. It was only a little after 3pm. Usually when she snapped out of her work haze, it was already well past six but apparently, not today. Lauren yawned, she was still tired from last night. The Djinn suddenly showing up in her living room was something that kept her up almost all night. Well, not so much the Djinn herself but what she had to say. It had to be serious for her to seek out the blonde and paying her a visit, right?

Lauren didn't get any further with her thoughts as there was a knock on the door. Looking up from where she hadn't realized she's been pacing, the Phoenix walked over to the wooden door with its beautiful carvings on the inside showing the symbol of the Light Fae that the owned humans wore around their neck as a pendant. She was surprised to see Dyson and Tamsin standing there when she opened. The Wolf smiled at her while the blonde Valkyrie looked bored out of her mind.

"Dyson, Tamsin, did I miss an appointment with you?" Lauren searched her mind for something she may have forgotten but only came to the conclusion that the two detectives weren't due for a meeting until tomorrow afternoon. Dyson's smile widened. "No. Relax, Doc. I just know that you always have everything ready way ahead of time and we have someone in custody but can't hold him without evidence much longer. We almost sure he did it and we gave you his samples a few days ago, so I'm hoping you've got something that would seal the deal for us."

Lauren nodded. Turning around and waving for the detectives to follow her, she walked to one of the large drawers that stood against the far wall of her office. "What case was that again? I have a lot of dead bodies coming in these days." She threw an apologetic half-smile over her shoulder, waiting for an answer. It was Tamsin who gave the required information. "You remember the guy who jumped off that building in the city center? We brought you what was left of him." Lauren could practically hear the smirk in her voice. How someone like Tamsin got to be a detective was beyond her but the Phoenix still remembered. A Fae had flung himself off the highest building he could find, nothing terribly unusual and the human media had put it under 'tragic suicide' but Lauren knew better. She ran a few test on the body the detectives had brought her, Tamsin telling her that was all that was left of 'street pizza'. Her brows had furrowed in disgust.

"Yes, I finished that almost right after you gave it to me." Lauren started searching through the drawers and finally pulled out a thick file. She walked back to her desk where the detectives were waiting and watching her. The Phoenix placed the file on the wooden surface and opened it. "I went through the usual procedure and I found that he died a happy man. Highly unusual for a normal suicide as they are usually filled with despair that has been building for quite some time and forcing them to those extreme measures. Still, his body shows signs of enormous stress that he must have experienced during his last weeks. My guess, suicide was not far down the line for our victim but somebody gave him the final push. The Fae you have in custody, is he the one you gave me the samples of?"

Both, Dyson and Tamsin nodded, making Lauren smile a victorious smirk. "Then he is the one you are looking for. His feeding signature left a mark in the victim's system, I compared them and the test came back positive. He's your killer. A suicide Fae, right?"

Dyson broke out into a grin himself. "Yes. Do you have all the results here so that we can put him away for good?" Lauren nodded, pulling a few sheets of paper out of the file and handing them over to the detectives. "You never disappoint, Dr. Leavold." Dyson stated as he looked over the test results. "I aim to please, Detectives." Lauren answered with a satisfied smile, burying her hands in the pockets of her fitted jeans.

"Yeah we know, the Doc is great, could we get on now, we only have half an hour left before our time is up and the suicide maniac get's released." Tamsin cut in, now looking bored again as she crossed her arms.

"Tam, why don't you go ahead and take care of this? I have something to speak to the Doc about." Dyson handed the Valkyrie the files which she grumpily accepted. "All right wolf-boy, but if you call me that again I'll make you doubt your own flee-filled fur." She turned and walked out of the office, yelling a good-bye to Lauren over her shoulder as she closed the door with a loud click.

The Phoenix had a feeling about what Dyson wanted to talk to her about so she sat down in her leather chair and motioned for him to take a seat in front of her desk. "I assume you don't want to consult me about a flee-problem, do you Dyson?" He laughed, a deep, rumbling sound. "No. Lauren I wanted to talk to you about something more personal." He seemed uncomfortable for a moment, fidgeting in his chair before he continued. "The Succubus I told you about, Bo? I'm kind of at a dead end, I think."

Lauren's brow furrowed, she had been right about the topic. "Define dead end?"

The Wolf sighed. "I met her at a party about two weeks back. She took me home and then kicked me out on my ass the next morning. I don't know what happened or why she reacted like that. I even made her breakfast." For a moment he looked so much like a sad puppy that Lauren considered handing him a squeaky toy but she caught herself in time. "God, Laur, that was the best night of my life. Everything just felt so right." The Phoenix stomach convulsed at the thought. She quickly forgot the squeaky toy and replaced it with a newspaper across the snout. The image of Dyson with Bo was something that for some reason made her terribly angry but didn't let anything of that show. "Dyson I told you, she is a Succubus. What did you expect, that she falls irrevocably in love with you?" Lauren didn't think the Wolf to be that delusional but then again, she somehow felt a bit sorry for him. After all, the certain Succubus he was hunting down seemed to have taken an interest in Lauren.

"I thought that she would feel the same that I felt. I know she is the one. I've never felt like this before, not since Ciara. Lauren, you have known me almost all my life, you know I don't just do something like this." He sounded almost desperate but he was right. Normally he wouldn't just jump headlong into something like his. He was somebody who measured his steps carefully, something Lauren had always appreciated about him. It felt cruel to shoot him down but there was no other way, the Phoenix told herself.

"I know Dyson, but still, you have to be realistic. Bo is a Succubus. Even if she wanted to, she couldn't be monogamous with you."

"What? But I'm Fae, a Wolf, not some weak human!" Lauren flinched at the words but answered him in an even and controlled voice "Yes, Dyson. But you are a shifter. There is a reason why Succubae and Incubi usually end up with each other. It's unusual, but even these creatures can love and sometimes want to be committed to the one they love. There are only certain types of Fae that can sustain a Succubus or Incubus by themselves without taking permanent damage, one being their own kind and the others are Fae who can heal as they possess more chi and regenerate it faster than most other species. Look at the McCorrigan clan. They are almost all Succubae and Incubi and while they do feed off others they could sustain each other. That's the only logic behind it." While speaking of it, Lauren noted that she herself would probably be able to sustain a Fae that fed on energy by herself but before her mind ventured off into territory she didn't want it to, Lauren pushed the thought away. She looked at Dyson with an apologetic glance as he briefly closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "But how can that be? I mean why does my wolf tell me that we are meant to be together?"

"That I can't answer Dyson but maybe meditation would help you? I does for me." Well, until lately it did but he didn't have to know that. It made the Wolf shifter laugh. "No Laur, meditation is something that only works if you believe in it." He grinned, suddenly back to his normal behavior. Lauren rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "That is partly true with everything. But I find it very relaxing and also strengthening. It sharpens your reflexes."

There was a sharp clapping sound as Dyson's fist connected with the palm of Lauren's hand, right in front of her face. Both Fae's arms shook from exertion before Lauren finally managed to push Dyson's hand away slowly. "See?" She told him when he finally gave up. He grinned at the blonde in an almost brotherly way, like he used to do so many years ago. "You're just older, Laur. That makes you stronger."

The Phoenix smiled a sly half-smile. "No, this body isn't actually." She gestured to herself making the wolf roll his eyes. "You're still older, Laur, no matter how often you are reborn." He said, getting up. "Why don't you come with Tamsin and me tonight? We'll be at the Dal, celebrating our latest solved case. One we solved because of you." Lauren contemplated the offer for a moment, deciding that going out wouldn't hurt and that it was definitely better than sitting around at home, left to her thoughts of Bo and her Djinn friend. She nodded. "I'll meet you there after work."

"Great. See you then, Doc." Dyson saluted her loosely before walking out the door and closing it much softer that Tamsin had done before.

-x-

"Bo-Bo, get out of the damn bathroom, others want to admire their reflection in a mirror as well!" Kenzi yelled from behind the closed door that separated her from her best friend. Bo had been in the bathroom for almost two hours and she had stopped responding after a few attempts from the Djinn to break down the door. "All right, Bo. That's it. I'm coming in, no matter what you're doing. Cover your naked bits!" With that Kenzi snapped her fingers and reappeared on the other side of the door with a soft 'plop'.

Bo was standing in front of the shower, thankfully clothed but only in her kimono, slowly wrapping toilet paper around her hands. "What are you doing, Bo?" Kenzi walked up to her best friend and stood next to her, pulling the roll of paper from the Succubus' loose grip and continuing to wrap layer after layer around the bleeding flesh for her. After a few minutes, Bo finally said something. "I don't know, Kenz." She smiled weakly at her best friend.

"Why don't you heal?" Kenzi asked, her voice almost a whisper.

"I didn't feed. Didn't feel like it. But I will tonight." The Djinn nodded, tugging a loose end under the already wrapped layers so the makeshift bandage would stay on. "I think you need something to at least make it a little better before you go out tonight."

Bo smiled at her best friend. "It's ok, really. See?" She flexed the fingers of her right hand, the hand Kenzi was still holding and flinched from the pain shooting up her arm. The wound that had almost stopped bleeding started right up again, visible through the large blotches of dark red appearing on the makeshift bandage. Kenzi sighed, starting to unwrap the hand again so the blood would not make it toilet paper stick to the wound. "I see that it's not ok." She looked at the angry red gashes. They were deep and would take a lot of time to heal unless Bo fed. "You can't go out on the hunt like this. I won't allow it." She winked, adding "No bleeding on the feeds." That at least made Bo chuckle.

"Should I order a pizza, or Chinese? You could snack on the delivery boy and it would give me something to eat as well." Kenzi suggested, still holding Bo's bleeding hand. By now the blood was running down the side, trickling onto the Djinn's fingers as well. The Succubus shook her head. "No humans." She told her best friend and Kenzi understood. She didn't want a repetition of that night as well. They were silent for a few minutes, Kenzi starting to wipe the blood off Bo's and her own hands with what was left of the bandage she had taken off before.

"What's it about Doc Hotpants anyway that has you so smitten?" The small Fae asked quietly after a while, expecting to be shot down again like every other time she asked something similar. To her surprise, Bo chuckled and shrugged. "I'm not smitten. Well, not exactly. I don't know what it is about her."

"She seems stand-offish to me. Beautiful, yeah of course but like a marble statue, cold." Kenzi stated, thinking back to her encounter with the blonde last night.

"She may seem like that, Kenz but trust me, she is as passionate as any of us, maybe even more so." There was a certain amount of wonder in her voice as she said it, like she didn't really understand it herself. Suddenly she turned to look at her best friend, her eyes fixing the small Djinn next to her. "How would you know that anyway?"

Kenzi, realizing her own error, quickly said "Oh you know, people talk." It wasn't good enough, she saw it in Bo's eyes as the Succubus kept looking at her expectantly. "Oh fine, just don't be upset. I went to pay the Doc a visit last night, feel her out you know, see what she did to you." She trailed off at the end as she saw Bo's eyes widening in shock. "You did what? No Kenz, please tell me that isn't true."

The Djinn didn't answer, giving her only an apologetic smile in return. "You have got to be kidding me!" Bo was suddenly as close to her normal self as she hadn't been in a week, maybe with the exception of today. "Where did you get her address anyway?" She held up a hand, making it bleed once again. "No, don't answer that, I know your contacts. Just tell me you didn't do anything stupid. Tell me everything."

When Kenzi finished her story Bo was baffled. "I can imagine why she was so cold to you. If some stranger walked into my home, telling me I was at fault for the actions of someone I barely know I'd be like that, too." Her voice wasn't scolding or angry, it sounded more defeated than anything.

"I'm sorry." Kenzi said sincerely, she didn't know what else she could do right now. Bo smiled. "It's ok. My behavior is my own fault, sorry I took it out on you." She crossed the small distance between them and gave the Djinn a tight hug from which Kenzi freed herself after a few moments. "You're bleeding on my awesomeness, not cool!" The Succubus grinned. That was Kenzi, from serious to snarky in less than the blink of an eye. "Any ideas about that?" she asked her best friend.

The Djinn blushed a little. "Well, I don't know but if you don't mind.. I'm Fae." And right back to serious again, Bo thought. "I don't exactly make out with me best friend." She told the Djinn with a laugh.

"And I don't either. We don't make out. This is an emergency. You know, like the one other time?" Bo nodded slowly as she remembered what Kenzi was referring to. She had been on a job for the Morrigan and a horde of Redcaps had attacked her out of nowhere. They left her after they were done with her, sure she was dead, which was almost true. With her last energy she had rubbed the pendant around her neck, summoning Kenzi, before she passed out from the pain and blood loss. When she had woken up she was still in the same dark alley she had been attacked in but she felt better. Kenzi was sitting next to her, her back against the wall of an old brick building, panting heavily. Bo's head was in her lap, the Succubus realized and tried to sit up, groaning from the pain and failing miserably. That alerted the small Djinn to her being awake and Bo saw a genuine smile of relief flood over her face. "That was some mouth to mouth resuscitation." She had quipped, making Bo smile.

"Yeah, Kenz. But you didn't have much of a choice there." The Succubus gently reminded her best friend. "A few cuts on my hands don't compare."

"Bo, why don't you just let me help you? You can't go out on the hunt like this; you can barely move your hands without releasing a flood of blood." Kenzi argued and Bo sighed, realizing that she wouldn't be let off the hook.

"Fine." She grumbled and motioned for Kenzi to come closer which the Djinn did immediately. "Make it quick." Kenzi grinned, before their lips touched briefly, helping Bo to initiate the flow of chi. The Succubus pulled away a few inches and Kenzi felt her life force leaving her through her still open mouth in a light blue stream. It was a pleasant feeling, warmth spreading through every vein in her body. Bo was feeding deeply, her hands healing in fast motion until, when she broke off the connection, all that was left of the deep gashes were the red marks of freshly healed skin.

"Ah.." Bo hummed, flexing her hands. "Better."

Kenzi laughed. "Glad you're sufficiently juiced. Now, get your ass moving we are going out tonight, I'm planning to make good use of my life-long free tab from your grandpa dearest!"

-x-

When Lauren entered the Dal that evening she was impressed at how packed the place was tonight. She hadn't been here for quite some time and it had always been on slower nights were she could quietly sip a glass of Trick's best wine in a corner and relax. There would be no such thing tonight, she figured. Fae, Light and Dark, were laughing, drinking, dancing and simply having fun. The divide didn't seem to matter in places like these. Slowly she navigated through the masses, seeing a few familiar faces but most of the Fae in the bar she had never seen before. After searching for a few minutes and starting to worry if they were even there yet, Lauren spotted Dyson and Tamsin by one of the pool tables. They were still in their detective outfits, Dyson in dark jeans and a light shirt with a black vest over it, Tamsin with tight-fitting light jeans and a white blouse, her trademark blue leather jacket dumped unceremoniously over a chair next to the pool table. The two detectives were obviously bickering about something and as the Phoenix came closer she heard Dyson laugh and say "You're a cheater!" Tamsin grinned an evil grin, leaning back against the pool table and asking "What, just because I'm dark I automatically cheat?" The Wolf shook his head. "No, you cheat because you're Tamsin." That made the Valkyrie laugh out loud and she grabbed her beer. "I'll drink to that!" she exclaimed. Dyson joined in and when he lowered his empty glass again he noticed Lauren watching them with a sly smile on her face.

"Hey, Laur! Glad you could make it!" He greeted her making Tamsin turn around to look at her as well. "Hey Doc." She toasted in her direction before drowning the rest of her beer. "I'll get us a new round, you too Doc?" Lauren nodded and the obviously a little tipsy Valkyrie made her way to the bar to try and get the attention of one of Trick's many bartenders on shift tonight.

"I see you guys are getting along better than anyone who knew you would have thought." Lauren smiled at Dyson as he nodded. "Well, at work Tamsin's usually a royal pain in the ass but believe it or not, she is a good detective and she sure knows how to party."

"I can see that. Kicking your ass at pool, was she?" Lauren's sly grin got even wider as she saw Dyson's bruised ego flare. He passed her the cue the Valkyrie left behind and started to set up the table for a new game.

"Let's see how you hold up, Doc Smartpants." he quipped, making Lauren laugh. Yes, it was definitely good to get out once in a while, especially with where her thoughts always drifted when she was alone.

-x-

When Bo walked into the Dal closely followed by Kenzi, the Djinn was yet again asking herself how Bo could have ever doubted her abilities. The moment she walked through the door she owned the place, heads turning in her direction, longing stares directed at every part of her. On a slower night the whole Dal would have been ogling her best friend but tonight the Dal was packed to the hilt, not a single free table or booth was to be seen and Fae were dancing to the unusually loud music.

"You picked the best spot, Kenz. The sexual energy in this place... I can feel my mouth watering." Bo grinned at her and indeed, all the energy around them almost made the Succubus even more appealing. She was already feeding off the vibes of the crowd and it was clearly visible that she loved it. Kenzi smiled, it seemed like she had her Bo back.

The Djinn shrugged at her best friend like it was no big deal and began making her way to the bar. Bo followed her and as soon as they were close they saw that there was a huge number of Fae around the bar waiting to be served. "The usual?" The brunette asked her best friend who smirked and nodded, standing back as the Succubus worked her magic. With a little touch here and there she moved through the crowd that parted willingly for her and after only two minutes instead of a half hour she came back with a tray of shot glasses. Kenzi immediately helped herself to her first one. "Thank god for your mojo, Bobalicious." The brunette laughed with her as they found a small table by the back that had just been abandoned. Sitting down they clinked two more shot glasses together, enjoying the burn that came with the strong liquid.

"Hey, it's the Succubitch! Done moping?" Tamsin appeared out of the crowd smiling broadly and carrying three pints of beer. "Tammy, it's called anger management. I was never moping." Bo informed her, kicking back another shot.

Tamsin rolled her eyes. "Yeah whatever. Really, glad to see you back out here. Sad and sour doesn't suit you." She winked and turned to walk away when Kenzi called after her. "You don't plan to drink all of that alone do you? Because then, my dear Valkyrie, I would say you're the one moping and drowning sorrows."

Tamsin turned back halfway, looking at the pair over her shoulder. "Nah, not my thing. It's for the guys from work. Solved a shitty case, now were celebrating." Hearing that, Kenzi perked up. "Any chance that it's Dyson and the sexy, sexy Siren?"

"You're right about Wolf-boy but Hale wasn't on the case with us. Dyson invited our Doc to come with, she got us the evidence to put the dude away for a long while just in time. Doubt you'd find her as interesting." Tamsin told her, in her tipsy state finding Kenzi's interest in Hale amusing. She didn't notice Bo almost choking on her fourth shot when she mentioned the doctor. Instead the Valkyrie nodded once more in their direction and marched off through the crowd.

"Um...Bo?" The brunette was pulled from her near-stasis by Kenzi's voice. "Was Tammy talking about the Doc I think she was?" Her best friend sounded weary, like she didn't really know what to say. "Probably, yeah." Bo was still looking at the shot glass in her hand, still half full because of Tamsin's interruption of her kicking it back. "I don't get a break, do I?" She whispered, the sound almost lost in the loud atmosphere of the Dal.

Kenzi looked at the Succubus with concern. "What do you mean?"

Finally, Bo moved her gaze back up to the Djinn's face, a small smile on her face. "The moment I decide to go back to my old self, there she is again. And she is friends with Dyson? That's just perfect. He can drool all over me while she just smiles that smile of hers and wins again."

Kenzi saw something in Bo's eyes she had not seen before and it made her ask "Are you sure it's just about winning or losing anymore?" Bo just shrugged and the Djinn sighed. "Why don't you just go over there, if she's really there you put on your best gentle-sex-demon behavior and ask her out. Hm?"

A genuine smile spread across Bo's face. "What about you?"

"I'll entertain myself, don't worry your pretty ass about that. Come on, Bo." Kenzi told her, nodding in the direction where Tamsin had disappeared. The Djinn saw the look in her best friend's eyes. It definitely wasn't about winning anymore. She mentally kicked herself for her own blindness the last few days.

"Thanks Kenz. I owe you huge." Bo drowned the rest of her shot and stood, determination all over her features. "Just make sure that counts for something!" Kenzi called after her as Bo disappeared into the crowd like Tamsin had before.

-x-

When Tamsin came back to the pool table she saw that Lauren was practically destroying Dyson with a satisfied smile on her face. As she lined up a near impossible shot into the side pocket she mumbled something, looking from the white ball to the one she was aiming at in a way that was almost measuring. She adjusted her position by a few millimeters, checked again and, obviously satisfied, let the cue shoot forward in a strong and precise motion. The white ball flew across the table, hitting its target perfectly and the other ball rolled into the side pocket with a clunk. Lauren stood, smiling victoriously while Dyson was watching the whole situation with a facial expression that could only be described as utter disbelief.

Tamsin laughed and placed the three pints on the edge of the pool table, drawing the attention of the other two Fae. Despite being beating in pool Dyson looked happy as they all toasted to their good work and as devious as the Valkyrie sometimes was, she didn't want to tell him about seeing Bo. It would only result in a destroyed evening for everyone involved and that was something Tamsin just couldn't agree to. "Is Lauren cheating as well?" she asked him instead with a grin. He answered by grumbling good-naturedly. "No." Lauren smiled. "Pool is just plain math and physics, that's all."

"I think you guys should play against each other. That would maybe even be a match." Dyson suggested, making Lauren look at the Valkyrie expectantly. Tamsin grinned and nodded. "You're going down."

Ten minutes later Lauren finally missed her first shot of the evening, giving Tamsin the chance to catch up. While she watched the Phoenix leaned against a wooden pillar that was close to the table. Dyson had spotted another colleague and went to say a quick hello. He was gone barely a minute when Lauren felt something strange in her gut. It was unexpected but not unpleasant, a small tugging, like her body was trying to tell her something. Tamsin bent to make another shot as Lauren felt a warm hand on her arm.

"I think I still owe you a drink from that first time, don't I?" A delicious voice said from behind her. Surprised, Lauren turned her head and suddenly found herself staring into the deepest, richest, darkest, most beautiful brown eyes she had ever seen.

There was a sharp clack, Tamsin's shot.

"Bo.." Lauren said, still unable to break eye contact with the Succubus. Those eyes were smiling at her and she involuntarily smiled with them.

"So what do you say?" Bo asked, her hand still on Lauren's dress shirt sleeve clad arm.

"Aw, shit! Doc, you're up!" Tamsin looked up as the ball missed its target. What she saw almost made her eyes widen. There was the Doc, practically having eye sex with Bo. "You have got to be fucking shitting me..." She whispered.

Chapter 9: What truly matters

Bo couldn't help herself. She was openly staring at Lauren as she waited for the blonde to answer her question. There was no doubt about it, nobody Bo had ever met pulled off casual sexy the way the woman in front of her did. As a matter of fact, nobody pulled off any way of sexy like that but that was beside the point. First off, Lauren had her hair down, flowing over her shoulders in waves of golden curls. She wore a black dress shirt that had little silver stars sewn onto it around the buttons and at the end of the sleeves. It looked expensive, felt expensive under Bo's fingers that were still on the blonde's arm. Bo figured the shirt had to be tailored as it fit every curve and edge of Lauren's long torso perfectly. Her dark grey jeans were the same way, incredibly tight-fitting and hugging her legs in all the right places. The Succubus smiled when she noticed the comfortable grey sneakers with white tips the blonde was wearing. Casual sexy, definitely.

Lifting her gaze back to Lauren's face, Bo noticed the change in the blonde's eyes. She was no longer just looking back at the Succubus in a confused way, there was a barely noticeable smile tugging at the corner of her mouth that echoed in her eyes and Bo knew she had once again been caught staring. The Succubus flashed a grin that told Lauren she wasn't sorry one bit and it made the blonde chuckle.

"Why do you owe me a drink again?" Lauren's voice was lower than she intended it to be, like she was asking something way more personal than she actually did.

"The first time you disappeared on me I offered you a drink, remember?" Bo told her with a smile, the back of her fingers slowly travelling up the blonde's arm as she spoke. Lauren could barely keep from shivering as she felt the warmth of the Succubus' fingers through the thin fabric of her dress shirt. Could Bo influence her without direct skin contact? Not likely, she had never heard or read of a Succubus doing that. It had to be herself reacting to Bo's presence. The last thought did cause her to shiver before she could reel herself in once more and the face of the brunette in front of her lit up again in a mischievous smile. "Well, then I guess I won't get out of it again this time, will I?" Lauren smiled and Bo shook her head.

They were interrupted by Tamsin who cleared her throat loudly and forced them to shift their attention to the confused Valkyrie. With crossed arms she looked at the two other women who had, as they talked shifted closer and closer together without noticing. "You know, I don't even want to know what is going on here but before you start sucking each other's face you should get a room or something because I think I see wolf-boy coming back our way. I don't know about you but I don't need a moping flee-ball on my hands because his chosen one finds one of his best friends more interesting." Tamsin looked over her shoulder only to see that Dyson was getting dangerously close and Bo and Lauren were still standing way too close to each other. The Valkyrie sighed. The things she did to have her peace. "Two options. The Succubitch leaves and you continue this some other time or you both leave and I'll cover it up for you. Decide quickly."

Lauren finally seemed to snap from her Bo-induced haze, mumbling "Dyson. shit." Tamsin, taking another look over her shoulder shot the pair a glance that screamed Decide now! Bo didn't really understand what was going on but reacted quickly. She grabbed Lauren's hand, pulling her away from the pool table to the bar. Pushing through the patrons waiting to be served she talked to Trick for a second, coming back to the blonde with a large old silver key in her hand. "Come." She told Lauren, taking her hand again and leading her to a small wooden door near the back which she unlocked using the key. She held the door open for the blonde, motioning for her to get in. Before she closed the door behind herself she saw Kenzi's face grinning at her from not far away, giving her a thumbs up. Bo smiled back at her best friend and closed the heavy door with a click.

-x-

Back at the pool table Tamsin took a deep breath before Dyson suddenly stood next to her again. He scanned his the surroundings, looking for Lauren. When he came up with only her empty beer glass he looked questioningly at the Valkyrie. "Where's Lauren?"

Tamsin shrugged like it was no big deal. "She went to say hi to someone from work, said she may be going home soon, too. She told me if she didn't see you again to tell you good night." Dyson looked a bit confused but nodded. "She had a long day." He said, as if to explain the situation to himself.

"I'd say she just isn't a party person." Tamsin grinned, it was the best if she just acted like one of Dyson's oldest friends hadn't just run off with the woman of his wolfish dreams. The shifter laughed. "You're right. I was surprised she even came in the first place." He nodded towards the pool table. "Another game?"

Tamsin winked at him. "You couldn't even win if you had a million tries." As she set up the table for a new round she thought back to the two women who had disappeared just in time for Dyson to miss them. Yes, she had helped them but it had been for purely selfish reasons. There were many things the Valkyrie couldn't stand, one of them was self-pity. And right after the Wolf had had his one night with Bo he was completely unbearable, not to mention useless as a detective. Tamsin intended to tell as many lies as she had to if that meant she didn't have to deal with that again.

-x-

The room at the end of the descending hallway was quiet and dark. The faint beat from the bar above could be heard vibrating through the walls but other than that, there were just Bo's footsteps as she moved to ignite the candles in a few lamps on the wall. When she was finished the room was bathed in an orange glow, allowing Lauren to take in her surroundings. They were in what looked to be some sort of cave, only there were bookshelves placed along the raw stone walls, a desk overflowing with ancient texts and books standing in the middle. There was a small ladder attached to the bookshelves although Lauren could have easily reached the top shelf without it as the room had a low ceiling. Dyson would probably brush the raw stone with his hair if he stood up straight, the Phoenix guessed. Some of the books in the shelves looked as old as time, older than even the ones in the huge library of the Leavold Mansion and it intrigued Lauren.

"Where are we?" The blonde asked, her voice sounding unnaturally loud in the quiet room. Bo came back over and stood next to her. "This is my grandfather Trick's study. He owns the Dal."

Lauren's head shot around, looking at the Succubus with utter confusion. She didn't know Trick even had family, but then again, she didn't know him as well as Dyson or Hale. "But Trick is Light Fae." The blonde asked more than she stated it. Bo nodded, taking a deep breath. "He is not my official grandfather. That's Icarus McCorrigan. He married my grandmother Isabeau when she was already pregnant with my mother to cover up the fact that the prestigious daughter of a high elder family was having an affair with a Light Fae, much less having his baby. My mother doesn't know. It was my grandmother who one day let it slip in front of me. I sought Trick out and he told me the truth." Bo shrugged like it was no big deal but Lauren could see written all over her face that it was.

"So you have some Light blood in you." Lauren smiled a half-smile, trying to loosen the mood. She didn't know if they should be having a heavy conversation with Bo when for the first time they were actually talking.

Bo answered with a wide grin and a glint in her eyes. She, too, was glad to go to a lighter subject. "I do, but I am very, very Dark, don't be fooled." The Phoenix saw the return of the Succubus as she heard the flirty undertone in her voice. Their eyes locked and the blonde felt heat running down her spine only to pool in her gut.

"Now, what about that drink you offered?" Lauren asked after a brief silence and Bo nodded as if she had forgotten about it, which she probably had. She turned and walked to a small cabinet at the back of the room, crouching down in front of it and pulling out two old and precious looking glasses and a dusty bottle of scotch. "This is all Trick keeps down here, that ok with you?" Bo asked, placing the bottle on the table for Lauren to look at.

"That stuff is two hundred years old. It's one of oldest one's I've ever seen. Are you sure it's ok, Bo?" They both paused for a moment as the name rolled off Lauren's lips, the blonde enjoying how it felt, Bo marveling at how Lauren made her name sound so sexy without even trying. Finally, Bo nodded. "Yeah, don't worry about it. He won't even notice it." she said quickly and started pouring two generous glasses. Awkward silence filled the room until the brunette took one of the glasses and handed it to Lauren, their hands touching. It almost made both of them jump from the electricity and for the first time in a long time in her life Bo felt unsure of herself. This was not a situation she could solve by shoving Lauren up against a wall and taking her right then and there, a thought that hadn't been very far from her mind since they got down here. She had been there, tried that, knew it wouldn't work and that put her out of her element like a fish out of water.

Lauren wasn't faring much better. The way Bo looked at her like she wanted to devour every inch of her made her wonder why she wasn't a puddle on the floor right now. This tension wasn't normal, she told herself and she could see that the Succubus was as affected as she was. Fingering her glass she took a small sip and was immediately overwhelmed with the rich and strong taste. She savored it, closing her eyes in the process. Immediately she felt Bo's scorching gaze on her from where the Succubus stood only a few feet away. When she reopened her eyes her gaze locked with Bo's for what seemed to be the millionth time this evening but this time felt different, more intense, if that was even possible.

After what felt like an eternity Bo carefully placed her untouched glass of scotch on the table in front of her, her eyes never leaving Lauren's. Slowly the Succubus dressed exclusively in leather moved towards to the blonde who unconsciously followed Bo's lead, placing her glass on the table. Lauren turned to fully face the approaching brunette, leaning against Trick's desk, waiting. Two hands were placed on the wooden surface, one to her right and one to her left, giving her no room to escape as Bo came to a halt mere inches away from touching her.

The Phoenix took a deep breath to steady herself but instead inhaled Bo's intoxicating scent. Her desire flared and Bo noticed the change in Lauren's aura to an even brighter color than before. Her eyes were flickering blue as she stared at the blonde, trying to reel her nature back in before she would be pushed away again. It didn't help that at the sight of the Succubus' blue eyes Lauren shuddered. As if on their own accord, her arms snaked around Bo's neck and pulled her in. Their bodies crashed together, eliciting a moan from both women. The Succubus' hands wrapped around Lauren's back as they stared into each other's eyes from inches away, their noses touching. "Lauren.." Bo's voice was raspy. "Why are you always in the right place at the right time?" The blonde gave a short, airy laugh, staring into pools of blue. Bo chuckled with her as she continued to whisper against Lauren's lips "And why are you so absolutely irresistible?" The words alone caused their lips to brush against each other, making it a small step for Lauren to finally close the remaining gap and kiss Bo with tender passion. Every memory the brunette had of Lauren's taste was shattered by the reality that came crashing down on her. The taste was so pure and yet full of a slow burning fire that made Bo's knees buck. The lingering Scotch taste made it even more exquisite as Lauren's tongue slid into the Succubus' mouth, exploring her and making Bo groan as she barely held on to her Succubus side wanting to break free and possess.

The air around the pair grew warmer without them noticing while their kiss started getting more intense by the second. Lauren's hands tangled in dark brown locks, making it impossible for Bo to get away even if she had wanted to. They were nipping and biting at each other's lips, the tenderness from before all but forgotten. It wasn't until air became a necessity that they broke apart, panting as if they had just run a marathon. Bo looked at Lauren with blazing blue eyes, from those beautiful pools of honey-brown to her kiss-swollen lips. She was still fighting her nature to just take the woman and drink from her until she was satisfied.

"Why do you always feel so inevitable?" Lauren asked barely audible, more to herself than the Succubus. Resting her forehead against Bo's she continued. "I don't know how long I can keep doing this."

Bo's eyes finally flickered back to their usual brown, the beast inside her not satisfied but retreating for the moment as she pushed it back. Her gaze met Lauren's once again. "What?"

"I don't know long I can keep denying you to myself." The blonde whispered.

"Why do you even want to?" Bo asked, pulling Lauren closer, forcing her to look at her when the blonde tired to look away.

"You're a Succubus. You're Dark Fae. Our families were at war. My best friend thinks he mated with you. Do you need more?" Lauren suddenly pushed her away a little but kept her arms around Bo's neck. "Everything about this is wrong, a bad idea."

Bo had never before seen this side of Lauren, the one that was admitting to fighting against what she felt was right because she thought it was wrong. It spurred her on even more. "But that's what intrigues you, isn't it? That this is wrong in every way but the one that matters." The Succubus challenged, the inviting undertone back in her voice. "It is what intrigues me. You do. You intrigue me more than anything or anyone I've ever known."

"Bo.." Lauren brought one hand back from around the brunette's neck to cup her cheek, determination suddenly in her eyes. "Come to my place this weekend." She smiled a humorless smile. "I believe your Djinn friend can tell you the address."

"I'm sorry about Kenzi. She.." Bo's apology was silenced by a soft kiss on her lips. She looked at the blonde, confusion all over her face. "I thought this was a bad idea?"

"It is a terrible idea." Lauren agreed, leaning in close to the Succubus and taking in her addicting scent one more time. "I'll be waiting for you." She whispered into her ear and placed a gentle kiss behind it, making Bo suck in a sharp breath. Like the last time, Lauren used the moment the brunette wasn't in full control to slip out of her embrace, taking her scotch glass with her. She drowned the rest of the drink in one go and placed the now empty glass on the desk. "Thank you for the drink. I will see you soon, my dark, dark Succubus."

Bo gave her a toothy grin at the reference to before. When Lauren was almost back in the small corridor where she would be hidden from Bo's view the Succubus called after her. "Does that mean you like bad girls, Doctor?"

The blonde turned, a lopsided smile firmly in place. She shrugged and told Bo "No." With that she disappeared into the corridor, leaving the brunette behind in her grandfather's study, still slightly confused, with one empty and one full Scotch glass.

-x-

Lauren was hit by the loud and happy atmosphere of the Dal as she got back to the main room. It was once again a stark contrast to where she had been before. Thankfully, the Dal was still packed and the party in full swing so nobody had noticed the blonde Phoenix coming back in through the small door by the back. She blended back into the crowd perfectly like she had never left it, making her way back towards the front. Lauren contemplated joining Dyson and Tamsin again as she saw them playing pool like nothing had happened but quickly decided against it. First off, she had no clue what the Valkyrie had told Dyson as to why she had disappeared so quickly, making it hard to come up with an explanation that fit. The second reason though was the most important. Dyson was a Wolf. If she went back over and he got close enough to take in her scent, he would no doubt notice Bo all over her. She didn't want to have to explain that to him, because there was no way of doing so other than the truth and right now, even Lauren wasn't sure what the truth was in that matter. Bo was terribly intriguing, the way she carried herself sometimes was beyond cocky but somehow the Phoenix found it incredibly sexy. Had Bo been right in the end, did she like bad girls? No, the blonde quickly figured. Nadia had been anything but a bad girl and other than that her relationships had been brief at best. As she moved towards the exit Lauren came to the conclusion that Bo was not her usual type, not at all, but still she was so fascinating on a deep, not only sexual level. She didn't know how else to put it, Bo was bad and Lauren loved it. It wasn't that she liked bad girls, she liked only one of them.

When she got to the door she took one last look around. The crowd had shifted and she could see that Dyson was up, lining up another shot while Tamsin watched with a bored look on her face. As if she had felt Lauren's glance, she looked up, her piercing green eyes meeting the Phoenix's. The Valkyrie cocked her head to the side, not enough for anyone but Lauren who was watching intently to notice. Lauren raised her eyebrows, asking a silent question that Tamsin seemed to understand as she nodded slowly while reaching for her pint and taking a sip to mask the motion. Lauren nodded back, a silent thank you and walked out the door. She didn't know why but Tamsin had covered up for her. Whatever reasoning the Valkyrie had, Lauren was thankful for it. The last thought as she got into her car was about Dyson. She didn't know what would or wouldn't happen with Bo at this point, but she was sure that at some point, maybe even right now, he deserved to know. Yet, she couldn't really bring herself to do anything about it.

-x-

Bo was leaning against her old Camaro in a side alley by the Dal. It was usually where the employees parked as there were only a few spots but being the granddaughter of the owner, even the unofficial one, certainly had its perks. It was dark and Bo didn't care to turn on the small light over the back entrance. She liked it this way. Dark and cold. She watched as her breath left her mouth in a cloud, grey in the little bit of light coming from the main street. The night air cleared her mind. The alcohol she had consumed before going into Trick's study with Lauren was already out of her system. She hadn't directly fed during their small encounter but she didn't even have to. Her body had naturally responded to the sexual tension in the room and she had unconsciously fed off of it, leaving her completely sober by the time Lauren had walked back up to the main room of the Dal. Bo hadn't touched her scotch glass, leaving it on Trick's desk for when he came down later.

She watched another cloud of breath leave her mouth as her thoughts drifted to Lauren herself. Bo could still taste her on her lips, another reason she didn't drink the scotch. She wanted to savor the taste as long as she possibly could. For a moment she contemplated not going to the blonde's apartment that weekend, to leave their next meeting up to chance like it had been up until now but she quickly decided that she didn't want to. As a matter of fact, she couldn't. The Light's best doctor had taken a hold on her, a magnetic pull that couldn't be denied. The way she had whispered in her ear still made Bo's insides clench with longing. There was something about Lauren that made every hair on the Succubus' body stand straight up. At first, Bo had thought it was the raw power she felt rippling off the blonde. Now she was certain it was so much more. The way Lauren looked at her with barely contained desire but at the same time took control in a way that seemed too easy, like she was born to rule. Bo had a feeling it was more than her Succubus nature that attracted the blonde. Maybe the Succubus side was not even in the top five. Lost in thought, Bo watched as breath after breath left her body into the cold night air, curling and twisting until it was lost in the darkness.

"Yo, Bo-Bo! I was about to get a ride when I saw Doc Hotpants shuffle through the Dal. Why is she not at the shack in bed with you?" Kenzi's voice tore through the silence of the dark alley. The Djinn was already fairly close. Bo hadn't noticed the clacking of heels on pavement announcing her best friend's arrival. The Succubus turned her head to look at the approaching Fae. "Because I'm going to visit her this weekend." she told Kenzi in a calm voice, making the small Djinn stop dead in her tracks a few feet away from her best friend.

"Bo you know I love you but if you're going to do the same thing I did, I need to warn you, that woman can be a real harpy if you show up unannounced."

The Succubus smiled. "No, noob. She invited me and I will show up on her doorstep Saturday evening, dressed in my Sunday best because who knows if I will get out of there before it actually is Sunday." Kenzi made a face as Bo winked and laughed.

They got into the car and as Bo started the Camaro Kenzi looked over at her. "You know" She began in a serious voice "If she were to make you really happy, I'd love that."

Bo smiled softly at the Djinn while they were waiting at a red light. "I don't know that yet but I know she is special."

"I can see that. You look at her like she is the sunrise or something." Kenzi's voice had a slight mocking tone to it but Bo could tell that she was still mostly serious. "You'll need a bouquet for Saturday."

The Succubus laughed out loud but stopped when she realized the Djinn next to her was only smiling a little wickedly. "No Kenz, really?"

The small figure shrugged. "Showing up with a bouquet of flowers. It's how the prince always gets the girl. Or in this case, how the Succubus gets the Doc."

This time they both laughed at the image Kenzi had created. Later, when Bo was lying in bed alone for yet another night, she thought of how ridiculous it would be to show up at Lauren's doorstep with flowers but at the same time the thought made her smile.

Chapter 10: Tangled Feelings

Bo was in pacing in her bedroom, the black kimono tied loosely around her waist. It was Saturday and she had been restless since she had woken up, even more so than the rest of the week although she wouldn't openly admit it was because she was going to see Lauren that evening. All that could be heard in the Succubus' room was the padding of her naked feet on the floor, tapping rhythmically only to stop for a few short seconds when she stopped to turn before marching back to the other side of the room. Kenzi was watching her best friend over the top of a small book in her hands. The Djinn was sitting on Bo's bed, legs tucked underneath herself as she switched between reading and observing the Succubus. Right now, she was getting annoyed with her restlessness; the constant tapping of Bo's feet on the floor was keeping her from getting anywhere with the book. After reading the same sentence for the fourth time without knowing what it said afterwards she finally lowered the small object in her hands and glared at Bo. "Keep doing that and you will dig through and fall into the living room sometime soon. I'm trying to help you here but I can't if I can't even get to reading this book." For good measure she waved it at her best friend, making Bo sigh and stop pacing. The Succubus turned and, crossing her arms, shot Kenzi a questioning look. "You really think that this" She pointed to the book in Kenzi's hands "is going to help me at all?"

Kenzi rolled her eyes dramatically. "Bo-Bo, if anyone had told me before that a Succubus such as yourself knows nothing whatsoever about wooing a woman there would be more than this book. It's all I could come up with in this short time!" She pointed at the small and worn-out looking book in her hand again. In curvy black letters on the red cover one could read 'How to treat a Lady'

Bo huffed, clearly annoyed. "I don't need a damn book to rock this date or whatever you want to call it."

"Oh yeah? Then what kind of flowers would you bring her? Let's not forget that without my advice you wouldn't even bring those." Kenzi asked and watched as Bo pondered the question for a few seconds before answering "A bouquet of roses." It came out more like a question than a statement, making the Djinn sigh. "Bo, do you want to propose? Besides, roses are so uninspired. Like you didn't really give it any thought. If you were to give her a single rose I'd say ok but a whole bouquet?"

The Succubus grumbled, starting to pace again before she was stopped by a pointed look from Kenzi. "Fine. What do you recommend, oh wise one?"

The Djinn shot her best friend a soothing smile as she saw that Bo was, as always whenever she wasn't in control, starting to get really annoyed with the situation. "I would say you just go with what you feel is right. The book says ask her about herself and let her decide what is ok with her. Oh and listen to what she says. That's the most important part." Kenzi recommended with a soft voice to not set the Succubus off even more. It seemed to work as Bo sighed heavily and slumped onto the bed next to the Djinn before falling over backwards so she was lying down and looking at the canopy, her chocolate-brown curls framing her head like a crown. "Of course I'll try to listen, to get her to tell me something about her. Believe me, I want to know and I also know what to do basically." She gave Kenzi a small smile. "We watched enough old movies together for me to get the gist. The problem is whenever I'm in the same room with her everything I carefully planned flies out of the window. I just want to get her naked."

The Djinn looked back at Bo, wondering if the Succubus herself thought she had said too much. She certainly looked a bit like she did. Thinking that it was probably safe again to make a joke to loosen the tension she grinned and said "If I didn't know better I'd say you have a little crush on the Doc going on." As response she was smacked in the arm by her best friend. When Bo glanced back at her and asked "Help me get dressed?" the Djinn knew it was the only response she was going to get to her previous statement and it made her suspicious but of course it was way too early to say anything for sure, even Kenzi realized that. She nodded and got up with the Succubus to rummage through her closet.

-x-

Lauren was typing quickly on her computer, lost in thought. She had the weekend off but was still keeping tabs on everything at work and had given order to call her immediately should anything big come up. Of course, a little after noon she heard her phone ring and when she picked up it was one of her assistants informing her that the human who had been in a coma had finally woken up. She was about to throw on her jacket when she was told that he was stable and being well taken care of by the Phoenix' personal staff. The human was in no condition to talk about anything yet, even if he remembered what happened to him and so, after a couple of useless protests she had to settle for seeing to him Monday.

She had hung up the phone and was somehow frustrated that she wasn't there to help but told herself that her personal staff was hand-picked and that they knew what they were doing. It helped her calm down more or less and so she settled for going over his file again, trying to find something she had missed. When she read it she still found the same things, probable Succubus/Incubus kill but for some reason left alive with just enough energy to live. Sighing, she went back to the research she had been doing before which was what she was staring at right now. It was a new antidote to a virus she had treated successfully before but she hoped that with the new treatment the healing process would be accelerated.

A knock on her door startled Lauren from her thoughts but before she could even do so much as get up to answer it there was a soft click and the heavy wooden door opened. The Phoenix had given only one other person a key to her apartment so she knew who it was even before her little sister walked in. Lauren stood quickly to greet Charlotte with a warm smile that was returned tenfold. As the door fell closed with another click the younger Phoenix wrapped her sister in a tight hug that left Lauren slightly startled but she returned the embrace after a short pause.

Stepping away, Charlotte looked at her older sister, grinning when she saw that Lauren was again wearing one of the lab coats she had paid a lot of money to get tailored so they fit her perfectly. Lauren was by no means a person who flaunted what she had but then again there were things that were close to her sister's heart, Charlotte thought, and one of them was definitely science. A tailored lab coat was only the beginning of a large amount of expensive equipment she had bought and set up in her home. Right now Lauren had her hands buried in the pockets of the impeccable white coat, another gesture that was so her.

"Hey Laur." Charlotte smiled, finally saying something. "Hey yourself." Lauren answered, now mirroring her sister's bright smile. They hadn't seen each other since Lauren had walked out of the Leavold mansion the night after the peace treaty signing and the Phoenix had missed her little sister. "What brings you here?" Charlotte laughed, a noise that sounded a lot like wind chimes. "Do I need a reason to see my big sister? I missed you." Lauren smiled at the childlike innocence that came with her sister's age. With her 110 years she was already older than most humans would ever be but she was technically still a child in the Fae society. Charlotte played her role well this time but Lauren saw right through her partial act. "I missed you, too but Charlie, you know you can't lie to me. So what's up?" She pointed to the couch with her hand signaling for Charlotte to sit down. Shrugging, her little sister took off her purple jacket and sat down, placing the garment over the back of the couch. Lauren took a seat next to her, looking at her little sister. "It wasn't a lie, I really missed you." the baby-faced blonde smiled but received only an amused half-smile in return. Lauren knew that Charlotte hadn't lied, she just hadn't told the whole truth. Now she was stalling and her older sister knew that as well.

"Oh fine, mom is right you really are like marble." Charlotte laughed and Lauren smiled with her, answering her after a while "She is right about a lot of things and also wrong about others." The younger Phoenix nodded. "That she is."

"It's the reason your here, isn't it?" Lauren questioned, her voice gentle. Charlotte nodded slowly. "She is getting more and more furious every second you don't come home for good. She really wants to talk to you."

Lauren sighed, leaning back into the softness of the couch. "I don't like to be interrogated for the choices I make. If she is not able to accept my opinion on humans that is entirely her problem. And I do come home once in a while."

"Yes you come home to collect things for work or clothes or something else. Mom wants you to stay again and I don't think it's the 'human' thing she wants to talk to you about. We had that argument too often to count. She keeps going on about this Dark Fae Succubus. Ysabeau, that's her name, right?"

Lauren groaned inwardly. She had known this was coming but had stuck to the problem that was not so complicated. How was she supposed to explain the situation with Bo when she didn't even understand it herself one bit. Let alone explain it to her mother, that was a whole new level all together. Lauren knew that Bo was the real reason she had been avoiding her family since the ball but she couldn't just spill everything to Charlotte. She trusted her little sister like no other person but it still wasn't enough.

Said little sister was noticing Lauren's lack of response and the conflicted look in her eyes. "Laur, I know it's none of my business but is there something going on between the two of you?"

Her sister's voice snapped Lauren out of her thoughts and she quickly shot Charlotte a quizzical look. "No. She's a Succubus." And that part was no lie. There was nothing going on, at least nothing Lauren could define in any way.

Charlotte's eyes narrowed ever so slightly as she smiled. "You know I won't tell mom. Your secret is safe with me." She patted herself over the heart, making Lauren roll her eyes good-naturedly. "There is nothing going on Charlie. That first night when we danced? She had her eye on me but I turned her down. I only saw her a couple of times afterwards, at the signing and at the Dal when I was out with Dyson and Tamsin." Lauren mentally patted herself on the back. She, too, could tell somebody the truth but withhold the crucial parts.

"If you say so, Laur." Charlotte shrugged. "All I wonder is, why did you turn her down?" The question caught Lauren off-guard. At first she thought about telling her little sister about Dyson but thought better of it. The Wolf surely wouldn't want her to. "She's a Dark Fae Succubus." She finally answered, a little unsure but hoping Charlotte wouldn't notice. "Yeah, so? You can have a little fun with her. After all, Succubae are said to be really, really good in bed and I know you are exclusive to the ladies." The younger Phoenix wiggled her eyebrows suggestively, making Lauren laugh. "Are you serious? You know I don't go for one-night stands. Plus, I wasn't really all that interested." As soon as she said it Lauren knew she had made a mistake. Charlotte looked at her in amused disbelief before saying "That's a straight out lie and you know it. Everybody in that room could see the sparks flying between the two of you." She pondered for a moment, the amused expression fading. "I think it's the real reason mom is so upset. I don't think she would make such a fuss about some random dance even if it was with a McCorrigan."

Realizing she couldn't deny it without really putting her sister onto something Lauren shrugged, ignoring the last part. "Ok, yes, there was an attraction but I just don't go for those kind of things." She tried to make it sound casual and was relieved when Charlotte nodded. They didn't get any further because the younger Phoenix' cell phone went off just then, startling them both. Charlotte dug the device out of her bag and looking at it said "Quiet, It's mom." Lauren nodded in understanding before her sister hit the accept button.

"Hey mom."

"No, I'll be home for dinner. I just got caught up talking to some friends."

"I'll get going right now. Yes, see you soon."

She hung up, sighing. "I guess I better get going. Mom will probably get suspicious anyway but I don't want to give her any more to go on." She stood, grabbing her jacket. Lauren followed her to the door, somewhat relieved that their conversation had been cut short.

"I'll come visit you again sometime soon." Charlotte promised as she opened the door. "I'd love that." Lauren smiled back, giving her sister a hug. "Bye, Laur."

"Bye, Charlie. Drive carefully."

Charlotte was already heading down the stairs and the last thing Lauren saw of her was her little sister rolling her eyes and smiling.

-x-

Bo was nervous. She and Kenzi were sitting in the Succubus' old Camaro, waiting for the stop light to finally turn green. The Djinn was holding the single red rose they had picked out at the florist on the way and Bo was glad she didn't agree on a specific time with Lauren. They had stood in the shop for a solid half hour, listening to the lady working there go on and on about the perfect flowers for the first date. Bo could tell she had been disappointed when they only bought a single rose but it was the most beautiful one they could find in the stack.

They had walked out of the shop only to find a police officer standing next to Bo's 'baby', writing a parking ticket. Sighing, the Succubus had gone to work, making the officer understand that they would not get the ticket and that he would leave them alone and just continue on his round. He had nodded like a puppy and walked off while Bo and Kenzi jumped into the car before the effects of the Succubus' enthrallment started to fade.

"Always make eye-contact. That's really important." Kenzi was still holding the small red book in her hands, giving Bo all sorts of last minute advice that didn't help the brunette calm her nerves one bit. She didn't understand at all why she was so nervous. Maybe it was just the thought of being in the same place as the beautiful blonde doctor again and being in her home for the first time.

"Kenz, you can stop I think you are going through this book for the third time already." The Succubus informed her friend who grinned in response. "Fine, Bo-Bo but don't tell me you didn't know what to do afterwards. By the way have I mentioned how good you look?"

"You have and you also pointed out multiple times that you helped me pick it out." Bo said in an amused tone. Her best friend was not ever going to tire of people telling her how awesome she was. Kenzi only laughed but it was true. They had searched long and hard to make Bo look her best which was a challenge because she always looked like she had walked right off the front page of a fashion magazine. The Succubus immediately went for the 'dress' section of her closet but was soon pulled back by Kenzi telling her this was a casual date, not an elder ball where she could show up wearing the world's shortest dress with the most daring neckline. Reluctantly Bo had agreed to casual sexy and so they came up with a combo of tight black leather pants, knee-high boots and a blood-red vest. Kenzi had wanted to put Bo in her usual attire with a top and her trademark black leather jacket saying she was always sexy but the brunette had refused strongly. After all, this was something she had never really done before and therefore was special to her. She and the Djinn had bickered back and forth before they settled for a compromise of Bo keeping the vest but at least wearing something underneath, like a bra. Kenzi made it clear that she didn't have anything against Bo's desire to show off what she had but, with the small red book in hand, reminded her that less was sometimes more.

"Here, this is it." Kenzi gestured out the windshield towards a skyscraper that looked like only the wealthiest of people could afford to live there, let alone in the penthouse. Bo couldn't help but feel a little intimidated as they pulled up but quickly brushed the feeling away. She was a McCorrigan herself, even if she sometimes wasn't proud of it. If she wanted to live like that as well there was nothing that would stop her. The thing was, she didn't want to. What she found odd, though was that Lauren didn't strike her as a typical high society snob kind of woman. There had to be another reason for her to want live here.

Bo was startled from her thoughts by a tap on the window. She opened it and found herself face to face with a tall, handsome man in a black uniform. He was bent down so he could take a better look at her and even if he was trying very hard not to he couldn't help himself and stared right down her cleavage as he had the perfect angle. Bo smirked devilishly. "Excuse me, Ma'am but this is a private garage exclusively for the people living here and their guests. Are you expected by anyone?"

"Um.. yes." Bo answered, suddenly not sure what exactly she should be telling him but covering it up with a sexy smirk. After all, it was what she did best: seduce.

He lifted his gaze to her face for a moment to look at her expectantly, then he was right back to drooling over her chest and the Succubus took full advantage. She grabbed the man by his neck, pulsing him strongly. "Honey, my face is up here."

"God, you're so beautiful." He whispered, falling completely under her spell, staring at Bo's now bright-blue eyes. The Succubus smiled sweetly, stroking the man up and down his neck in a languid motion. "Why, thank you. Maybe you could be so kind and let us in. You don't need to know why we're here, right?" Bo asked him seductively, giving him another strong pulse for good measure. The guard shuddered from the sensation running through his body before he mumbled "Right." and slowly made his way to the gate to let them pass. As they slowly drove further into the garage Bo blew the man a kiss and he smiled like an idiot until they turned a corner and were out of sight.

"You better not tell your lady love that you already had your hands on two other men today." Kenzi laughed as they parked near the back in a free spot next to a beautiful silver Audi but Bo didn't answer her. They got out and the Djinn couldn't help but give the car an appreciative once-over, sighing as they passed it to get to the elevator that would get them up to the penthouse.

On their way up Kenzi straightened her clothes and cracked her knuckles once before giving Bo, who was again getting nervous an enthusiastic smile. She handed her the single rose and said "Bo-Bo you're gonna rock this. Just be yourself but remember everything this little fellow" she pointed to the book clenched in her arms "in form of moi taught you." Looking at the rapidly changing lights of the elevator she nodded to herself. "We're almost there. You just take the last few stairs and you're there. Can't miss it there is only one door. I'll be back down in the garage. I think I saw a video camera when you were seducing Mr. Eyes-glued-to-your-boobs. I'll take care of that for you. See ya tomorrow." Kenzi winked and before Bo could offer so much as a thank you or goodbye herself the Djinn flicked her wrist and was gone, leaving Bo alone just as the elevator doors opened, revealing a small white hallway leading to a single flight of stairs.

Reluctantly, Bo made her way up until a wooden door with a state of the art electronic lock greeted her. She looked at herself once more, trying to straighten everything out and, taking a deep breath, knocked three times.

-x-

Lauren smiled as she closed the oven again. She loved cooking and today she was treating herself to a home-made pizza. Stretching, she took off the lab coat she hadn't realized she was still wearing and hung it over the back of her couch. After Charlotte had left she didn't see a point in continuing to view files and had gone straight to cooking, forgetting she still had on the immaculate white lab coat. She smirked at her own antics, like forgetting everything around herself when she wanted to get something done. She was startled by a knock on the door that left her confused. Surely it wasn't Charlotte again, there was no way she could sneak away from their mother twice in one day. Dyson would have called and so would have the Ash or one of his men. With a furrowing brow she made her way to the wooden door, hesitating briefly before she opened it.

What she saw almost knocked the wind right out of her. There, outside her door stood Bo in all her glory, wearing the world's tightest leather pants and a dark-red vest that fit her as if it had been painted on. Her soft chocolate-brown locks framed her beautiful face, hanging down loosely, not pulled back in a complicated hairdo like Lauren had seen before. The Phoenix found that she liked this look even better than the other one. Everything about Bo practically screamed sex appeal but still held a beauty that Lauren found unreal. He breath hitched once again when she saw the single red rose in Bo's hands and the gentle look she was giving her.

"Bo.." she murmured and was immediately amused how this kind of greeting was becoming a standard for their meetings. She now remembered that she had invited the Succubus to her place but for some reason she hadn't thought she would actually come. But here was Bo, proving her wrong and standing there looking better than Lauren had ever dared to imagine in the dreams she only admitted to herself she was having about the woman.

"Hey Lauren." Bo's voice was as soft as her gaze. "I hope it's a good time. You didn't say anything.. so I just thought I'd show up." The thought that this beautiful creature was as nervous as she obviously was made Lauren smile a bright smile. "It's completely fine. I was just making dinner. I'm sure there will be enough for two." The Phoenix stepped aside and opened the door wider, inviting Bo in.

Smiling, the Succubus nodded and stepped into the apartment, looking around at the expensive interior in awe. "Your place.. it's.. wow." Bo couldn't find any other word that fit the beautifully decorated space. Standing next to her Lauren smiled and said "Thanks." She looked curiously at the rose Bo was still holding until the brunette caught on and nearly stumbled over her own words. "Oh.. yeah I got this for you. I hope you like roses." She held the flower out for Lauren to take and the Phoenix accepted the gift, bringing it to her nose. She sighed at the wonderful smell just as Bo sighed inwardly at the sight of Lauren with closed eyes, holding her rose in those strong and sure hands. "Thank you." The Phoenix opened her eyes again and her gaze locked with Bo's like it did so often before. An electric current ran down Lauren's spine when she saw the intensity in the Succubus' eyes.

Bo finally broke the connection after what seemed like eternity and cleared her throat, trying to regain her composure. "So, what's for dinner? It sure smells wonderful."

Lauren smiled at her guest while she went to look for a small vase for the rose. "I decided to make pizza today." Bo's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "You make your own pizza? Kenz and I always order them." She shrugged and chuckled to herself. "But then again we basically live on takeout." The Phoenix placed a tall and slim vase with the rose on the small table that stood by the very modern kitchen. "Then it's time that somebody shows you what a good home-cooked meal is." Lauren smirked at the Succubus over her shoulder and saw her eyes turn slightly darker. "I'd love you to show me." Bo came closer, standing behind the blonde. It wasn't that she had forgotten everything about Kenzi telling her to 'take it slow', she just couldn't help herself. She wanted the woman in front of her. Badly. And that made the her Succubus side kick in.

When Lauren turned she was surprised to find herself almost toe to toe with the brunette. She had felt her come closer but not this close. Bo was staring at her with dark brown eyes and the Phoenix knew that all it would take right now was a touch from her and those eyes would turn bright blue. She felt desire pooling in her core at the thought of just giving in so she leaned back against the table to put a bit more distance between her and the Succubus. It didn't do her much good, though. She felt the heat radiating off Bo's body, practically felt wave after wave of energy she was giving off.

Neither of them knew how long they stood there, simply staring at each other but their trance was effectively broken by the oven starting to beep loudly, signaling that dinner was ready. Lauren quickly turned and walked over, turning off the oven and opening it, releasing a wave of heat and delicious smell. Bo watched, shell-shocked as the blonde simply pulled the hot sheet out, lifting it onto the counter with her bare hands. As if nothing had happened, she picked up a pizza cutter and started slicing the pizza into even pieces.

"Lauren your hands.." Bo finally stated but didn't finish her sentence when Lauren came back to the her with two plates full of delicious-looking pizza. The blonde placed them on the table and waved the Succubus off. "Nothing happened, Bo. I'm a Phoenix. Fire, or any kind of heat doesn't harm me. I absorb it."

Bo could have kicked herself for not realizing it further. The way Lauren's eyes had turned bright golden-red at the Dark Fae compound, the wing-tattoos on her back, it all made sense now. Still, she wondered why Lauren had just told her so casually, like it was no big deal. Most Fae didn't like talking about their abilities; they saw it as giving away their weaknesses. Lauren seemed to sense her thoughts, smiling at her. "It seems only fair that you know that about me, too. I know what you are, although it wouldn't be hard to guess anyway." She winked and Bo nodded, smiling at the indirect compliment.

"Let's eat? What would you like to drink? I have red wine."

"Red wine is fine. Thank you." The Succubus was silently impressed at how Lauren could just like that make their conversation casual again.

-x-

"That was amazing. I had no idea you could cook this well. How will I ever go back to takeout?" Bo smiled across the table at Lauren who blushed ever so slightly. Their conversation over dinner had been casual, the Phoenix telling Bo a little about her daily work routine, surprised that the Succubus seemed to find it really interesting. In turn, Lauren learned more about Bo and Kenzi's friendship and figured that the Djinn was the only person the brunette really cared about genuinely.

"Well there are many things nobody knows." Lauren smiled mischievously. Their interaction had become increasingly easier over dinner. She couldn't believe that the woman sitting across from her was the same one who practically hunted her down days ago, claiming to be irresistible in such an arrogant yet exciting way. The Bo the Phoenix was experiencing now was way more in control but still, she was a Succubus and it showed in the scorching glances directed at her. In everything they did there was this underlining desire that wouldn't leave, becoming more and more urgent with every look and smile.

Bo grinned her answer, showing a cute dimple that wouldn't fit the image of the sexy seductress at all. "Don't think you're the only one with secrets."

Lauren just shrugged, picking up both of their plates and bringing them to the sink. "Why don't you go sit down on the couch, I'll be right over with more wine." Bo nodded, standing up as well but she didn't move to the couch, instead following the blonde with fire in her eyes. She waited until Lauren had placed the plates down by the sink, then stepped into her personal space for the second time that day, this time placing her hands on Lauren's hips from behind. The blonde shuddered, letting out a small gasp before whispering "I was wondering when you would cave." Bo just chuckled, pulling the doctor into her body. The whole situation reminded her of the second time Lauren turned her down but this time she was in heels while Lauren was wearing comfortable flats, giving her a greater height advantage then last time which she intended to use. Wrapping one arm around the blonde she marveled at how Lauren's waist was so slim that one of her arms could completely press her against Bo. Her other hand slid up and cupped the doctor's chin, turning it ever so slightly in her direction. "I just can't seem to help myself, Doctor." She husked against Lauren's skin. Shuddering once again, the blonde leaned back fully into the embrace, bringing one hand up over her shoulder to pull Bo into a fiery kiss. They both moaned simultaneously at the sensation, deepening the kiss, tongues dueling for dominance. Eventually Lauren turned in Bo's embrace without disconnecting their lips, her arms snaking around the Succubus' neck. The brunette's hands moved of their own accord, reaching down to cup Lauren's ass and lift her first up onto Bo's hips and then onto the kitchen counter. Standing between the Phoenix' legs she moaned when she felt one hand tangle in her hair while the other one slid down her neckline. They had to break apart when air became necessary, cerulean blue eyes staring deeply into golden-red ones. The Succubus thought that she had never seen anything so beautiful.

Lauren's finger traced patterns on the exposed skin of Bo's chest until she felt something under her fingers she hadn't noticed before. Curious, she averted her gaze to look at the small hieroglyph-shaped pendant that hung from a thin golden chain around the Succubus' neck and Lauren immediately knew what she was looking at. "You're her lamp-holder." It wasn't a question, but Lauren's voice was still thick from what had just happened and was technically still happening between her and the brunette.

Bo took a few deep breaths to push the raging hunger inside herself down. Let her decide what is ok. With all her willpower the Succubus tried to follow that rule. "I am. She gave that to me a few years back." she panted, knowing her eyes were still as blue as Lauren's were still red.

"That's really unusual. Normally, nothing is more sacred to a Djinn then their lamp." The Phoenix marveled as she traced the outline of the small pendant with her fingers, making Bo hiss because she also touched her in the process. The Succubus hold on Lauren tightened, making the blonde press against her more and look back up into mesmerizing blue eyes.

"You sure are impatient." Golden red eyes twinkled dangerously. Bo chuckled but it came out strangled and sounded more like a small moan. "And you are a tease."

At the words Lauren's eyes softened immediately and she moved her hand from Bo's chest to cup her cheek. "No." She confessed with a small voice "I'm afraid."

Suddenly all the pent-up desire raging inside Bo vanished, replaced with something she couldn't define. The feeling amplified when Lauren leaned forward and placed her head on the brunette's shoulder. As if they had a will of their own Bo's hands released their grip of passion on Lauren and instead she found herself hugging the Phoenix tightly to herself. Nothing had to be said. Bo knew what Lauren was afraid of, she had felt it before, too. The feeling of losing herself to a passion for a woman she didn't even really know and not being able to do anything about it.

Neither knew how long they just held each other but after what seemed like eternity and way too short at the same time Lauren pulled back and cradled Bo's face in her sure hands. She placed the softest of kisses on the Succubus' lips, eyes now back to their usual honey brown. They looked at each other for a while longer until Bo gave Lauren a soft kiss of her own. "Goodnight, my beautiful" She whispered against her lips and untangled herself from the blonde. "Come back next week?" Lauren asked, her voice barely audible and Bo nodded. In an instant she was out the door and gone, leaving the Phoenix to stare at the spot where she had last stood. The Succubus was going to be the death of her.

Chapter 11: Black and White makes Gray

Bo was feeling content on her way home, more so than she had in quite some time. She felt that her date with Lauren went well. The blonde was intriguing Bo more and more and the Succubus found herself wanting to know more, to know everything there was to know about Lauren Leavold. She was more than just a beautiful, mysterious woman. Bo chuckled. She was insanely beautiful but that wasn't what she had meant. Over dinner Lauren had told her about her desire to help people, to make life better for everyone with what she did. Bo wanted to know why she was so passionate about it, what triggered the immense love for her work she saw in the blonde's eyes.

Bo had been surprised by herself when she was able to push down what her Succubus side demanded of her and left. It had been the first time she left of her own volition before she got what she desired. But hadn't she somehow still gotten what she wanted, Bo mused. She had gone with the intent of getting to know the blonde Phoenix better. Of course she wouldn't have minded if things had turned out differently, she was a Succubus after all. Still, she wouldn't feel so content had she expected something different, she realized. The Succubus sighed as she pulled into the driveway of the clubhouse. She couldn't wait to see Lauren again next week.

Getting out of her old Camaro, Bo breathed in the cold night air as she made her way to the door. She heard noise coming through the walls of the clubhouse and figured Kenzi must be home. She thought the Djinn would be out partying but apparently she was enjoying an evening at home. Whatever the Succubus had thought she would see when she opened the door, nothing could have prepared her for the scene that unfolded once she stepped in. There, in the middle of her room was her best friend, hovering a few inches above the ground while singing into an empty vodka bottle with abandon. Just as Bo stopped dead in her tracks the song blaring from the stereo hit its last chorus and Kenzi with it.

"If you wanna be with me, baby there's a price to pay, I'm a Genie in a bottle, You gotta rub me the right way! If you wanna be with me, I can make your wish come true, you gotta make a big impression, gotta like what you do!"

Singing at the top of her lungs Kenzi moon-walked a small circle, the fact that she was hovering making it way easier. Her eyes closed, the Djinn opened her arms wide, the vodka bottle still hovering in front of her like a microphone.

"If you wanna be with me, I can make your wish come true, just come and set me free baby and I'll be with youuu!"

Kenzi finished with a series of short dance moves that ended in a dramatic final pose just as the song ended. Bo was still standing just inside the door, completely dumbstruck. When the last sound had died from the stereo system she snapped and started laughing like a maniac. Kenzi's eyes shot open and saw her best friend practically hunched over and trying to keep from crying she was laughing so hard. After landing on the floor again with a small thud the Djinn immediately paused the stereo, the next song already starting up. "Bo-Bo what are you doing here? I thought you'd be playing doctor with your lady all night."

Bo was gasping for breath but hadn't stopped laughing yet so it was a while before she could actually answer. Wiping away the stray tears she did let escape she finally managed to look at Kenzi without starting to laugh all over again. Her voice was raspy and the words came out in huffs when she finally said "And because I'm not home you decide to get your Xtina on?" The Succubus giggled once more but managed to keep it together.

Kenzi smirked at her best friend. As much as she hated being caught off guard it felt good to see Bo like this, free and laughing until she could no more. "Well, everybody's got their hobbies." The small Djinn replied, shrugging. "You want some pizza? I think there is still some left." She started walking towards the kitchen but was stopped by Bo who came up behind her and turned the Djinn to face her. "Oh no. You will not change the subject that easily. Just for the record I ate with Lauren but let's get back to your little show." She smirked mischievously, causing Kenzi to roll her eyes good-naturedly.

"Like I said, everybody's got their hobbies. Not like I've never heard you sing Bon Jovi in the shower before." The small Djinn winked and turned to get herself another slice of pepperoni and extra cheese pizza, leaving behind a now positively mortified Bo. With the pizza in hand Kenzi started singing "Shot through the heart" She pointed at the Succubus. "And you're to blame! Tell me, Bo-Bo were you singing about your hot, hot doctor?"

"Kenz, I think we should agree to never talk about this evening or my shower moments ever again." Bo's voice was serious but her wide grin gave her away. "No." Kenzi chuckled. The Succubus shrieked when a piece of pepperoni hit her straight in the face and moments later the two best friends were chasing each other though the living room like five year olds. Not so childlike were the colorful words the Djinn found for the brunette in between fits of laughter when she was tackled onto the couch and tickled mercilessly until she could finally manage to concentrate enough to dematerialize. Bo found herself falling face first into the plush cushions of the couch when suddenly Kenzi was sitting on her back.

Laying panting next to each other, Kenzi on the couch, Bo half on the floor, they shared a giggle when they saw a piece of cheese sticking to the ceiling above them. They both felt like they needed to have this best friend moment in order to reconnect and tick the box behind what had happened in the last few days and weeks. Bo was the first to break the comfortable silence. "Kenz, don't ever change."

"Bo-Bo, I couldn't if I tried." The Djinn smirked at her. "Now, tell me about your evening with Doc Hotpants." She added with a wink and Bo smiled before starting to tell Kenzi what happened.

-x-

Lauren was walking to her lab, her fitted lab coat open and trailing a little behind her like a cape because she was walking so fast. She had overslept which was something that hadn't happened for centuries. Blaming it on the wine was no real option because she didn't really drink that much last night. The real reason was the way Bo had looked at her when she had whispered her goodnight and not only that. The whole evening had left Lauren's brain going a mile a minute. She had been honest with the Succubus, told her that she was afraid of them, whatever 'them' was. To her surprise the brunette beauty understood or at least accepted it and had retreated. It warmed Lauren's heart to match the rest of her body after their short but heated encounter. She knew that what she had said that night at the Dal was true, she wouldn't be able to deny their connection much longer, especially now that Bo had dropped her predator-like approach and started being as much a gentleman as she could. Lauren had noticed the Succubus behavior and was not only flattered but amused that a Fae that usually thrived only on passing pleasure could have such a gentle side next to the open desire that had been evident in Bo's eyes. Other than that, the brunette was deliciously dark and it had left the Phoenix tossing and turning in bed, not able to forget the fiery kiss they shared.

When Lauren arrived at the Lab, she was at first surprised that she wasn't even really late. It was just that normally she was always early so being punctual seemed like being late to her. As soon as she placed her bag next to her desk she was approached by one of her assistants. "Dr. Leavold, the Ash called about ten minutes ago. He told me he wanted to see you as soon as you were in." The voice snapped the blonde out of her daydream but her doctor mask prevented her assistant from even seeing the slightest change in her demeanor.

"Thank you. I'll be on my way then. Handle everything while I'm gone." The young Fae nodded obediently and Lauren made her way back through the double doors she had just walked through but took a turn in the other direction that led to the throne room, wondering what the Ash could want. All her work had been handed in and she wasn't due for a general meeting for about two months.

Fortunately, the way to the throne room was short so it left her little time to further over think things. The two tall Fae guards next to the large double doors immediately recognized her and lowered their heads respectfully as they opened the door for her. There, on his stone throne at the far side of the room sat the Ash, currently frowning at something on the desk in front of him, his hand placed under his strong chin. When Lauren entered, he looked up and instantly a soft smile appeared on his face. The best doctor the Light Fae ever had was somebody he valued more than most of his people. Lauren was a genius, her mind worked rationally on almost every base and he had never seen her biased on anything. It made the Ash value her opinion very much.

"Dr. Leavold. I'm glad you could come on such short notice. I know you have a lot to do." He said in his deep bass voice as he rose from his seat to walk down the stone stairs.

"Of course, Ash. Was there something I missed in my reports?" Lauren answered, her voice respectful as she bowed her head to her leader but he waved her off. "No, your work is impeccable as always, I couldn't find a flaw in it if I wanted to. I wanted to talk to you about something else. Why don't we sit?" One arm behind his back, he motioned towards a small glass table with two grey suede chairs with his other hand. Two glasses of water were already waiting as Lauren took the offered seat, crossing her legs graciously as she looked expectantly at the Ash. The leader of the Light Fae also sat down, straightening his white suit. He then snapped his fingers and the guards inside the throne room bowed respectfully and left, closing the heavy wooden side door behind them and leaving Lauren completely alone with the Ash.

"I'm sure you are informed that your special patient has woken from his coma." He began, looking directly at Lauren for confirmation who nodded. "Yes. I was called this weekend. My staff has been treating him and I myself will take a look today as well."

The Ash leaned back in his seat, fixing the doctor with his intense stare. "Very good. I was informed just a few hours ago that he is deemed ready for questioning. I would like you to do it and I would like you to do it as soon as possible so we can find out who did this to him. We can't just risk exposure like this."

"Of course. I already narrowed down the list of possible attackers but the chances of finding the one who did this increase immensely if he remembers anything." Lauren was going into doctor mode, her mind thinking in clinical terms only.

"I hope he does. Maybe he would recognize his attacker if you showed him pictures. I took a look at your notes. I have contacted the Morrigan and she granted me access to the medical files of all Succubae and Incubi under her rule. They should be delivered to you shortly."

Lauren's eyes widened slightly. "That is a great help, thank you. If I may ask, how did you convince the Morrigan to give you the files? She never did so before." The Phoenix stated, thinking back to all the cases that would have been a lot easier to solve if she only had the medical files of the affected Dark Fae. To her surprise, the Ash smiled. "That, Dr. Leavold, is an accomplishment of our new peace. We agreed on helping each other in ways we never did before in order to form a partnership between the two sides. The Morrigan, and especially the high elders were very concerned about it at first but as you can see, reason won in the end." He smiled proudly, almost like a father would and it made Lauren smile with him.

"That is indeed a great accomplishment. I'm sure it will help me a great deal, especially the pictures like you said."

Taking a sip of his water the Ash stood, again straightening his suit. Lauren smiled as she stood as well, she had long ago realized that while other tended to twirl a lock of their hair around their fingers, her leader always straightened his suit in order to remain calm and collected. "Well, Dr. Leavold, that is all for now. I will speak to you when you have results. I trust you with this. There is nobody better than you and I hope you will have answers fast." Finally, the Ash nodded, signaling it was time for Lauren to go.

"I will do my very best, as always, Ash." She bowed her head one more time in respect before turning and walking towards the door. The leader of the Light Fae smiled for as long as she was in the room and a little after. He was absolutely positive that the best doctor the Fae world, or the world in general, had ever seen would produce results very quickly, she always did and she never disappointed.

-x-

Bo closed the front door, taking a deep breath. Four boxes of takeout piled in her hands she leaned back against the door in order to calm herself down and turn her eyes back to their normal color. She succeeded in getting rid of the light blue hue in her vision but fortunately it did nothing to curb her hunger. Looking at the delicious smelling boxes of Chinese takeout the Succubus wished that the food could make it go away but she knew it wouldn't. The delivery boy, on the other hand, he could have satisfied the hungry beast rearing its head inside her. At the memory of his aura when she had opened the door in just her trademark black kimono her hunger flared even more and Bo squeezed her eyes shut in order to reel herself back in.

"Yo, Bo-Bo! Are you still there or did you jump the boy's bones?" Kenzi's playful voice rang through the living room from the kitchen. When she didn't get an answer immediately she walked over to see her best friend leaning against the door, her head resting back against the wood. "You ok, Bo-bear?" She asked in a slightly concerned voice and finally, Bo lifted her head back up and gave a weak smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just hungry." she told the Djinn while padding across the wooden floor towards the kitchen.

"Well then, let's eat." Kenzi smiled and greedily accepted one of the food containers once she was positioned across from Bo at the kitchen counter. The Succubus looked up at her while she started eating, her eyes shimmering with the slightest hint of blue. That's when it hit Kenzi. "Oh. Not that kind of hungry."

The Succubus nodded her head affirmative as she continued to eat slowly. Kenzi on the other hand was in thought, her craved food long forgotten at least for the moment. Counting in her head she finally came to a conclusion. "You haven't really fed for weeks, have you? I mean apart from the human thing" Her eyebrows furrowed at the memory "and me, but that was just to heal your hands."

The Succubus contemplated the statement, finally nodding with a frown. "I guess I was so caught up in other things that I just forgot. First I drained that woman and didn't want that to happen again in my rage so I stopped. When we went out I didn't bring anybody home because we ran into Lauren and after that I was preparing for my date with her. This is the first really stress-free time I've had in a bit, I guess my body's just voicing its needs." Bo couldn't believe she had forgotten to feed as it normally was the number one priority on her list. She used to take home at least one Fae every second night. The brunette was no expert on her own physiology but she guessed that her body had become accustomed to having chi in overdoses on a regular basis and was now protesting against the withdrawal. Against her will a small smile came to her lips when she thought of how Lauren would probably be able to tell her exactly what was happening to her.

Bo was pulled from her musings by Kenzi who simply said "If it's just that, let's go out tonight. You can pick up a goodie or two so your hungry Succubum-stomach can stop grumbling. And just to make sure, let's make it Carpe Noctem tonight so we don't run into a certain Light Fae doctor again." The Djinn grinned, already imagining what their evening would be like. Bo contemplated the idea for a few moments. She really needed to feed, it was what she was after all. Her mind lingered on Lauren briefly, wondering what the beautiful blonde would have to say about her plans. Bo shrugged. She wasn't committed in any way to the Phoenix and she did have a biological imperative after all. "Yeah, sounds like a great idea. By the way, I heard Vex is really upping it these days. Seems like you need an invite to even get in." At the end the Succubus' voice became playful, knowing she was on every list she desired to be and Kenzi right with her. Her best friend's face lit up. "Always knew I liked that Mesmer. His makeup is even more perfect then mine and that, my dear, is saying something." She placed her hand over her heart for dramatic effect before winking and telling Bo "Let's tear up the town tonight, Succubo." and the brunette beauty only nodded with an evil grin.

-x-

"Stanley McKinley, right?" Lauren asked the man lying in bed before her. He was dressed in a simple hospital robe that was covered by a blanket up to his waist. Propped up slightly so he could have a better view of the Phoenix who was giving him a gentle look, he nodded once, his hazel eyes unsure. Before she had come here, Lauren had advised her staff to move Stanley to this room as it was bigger, decorated with a few plants here and there, making it way friendlier than his previous one but the primary reason was that they could talk here without ever being interrupted. It was almost at the top of the building, the sun flowing brightly through the large windows. It was that sun that caught on Lauren's perfectly sculptured profile, making her look so beautiful that human almost thought she couldn't be real. From the moment the doctor had walked into the room and introduced herself he had been mesmerized by her and the Phoenix definitely noticed.

"Do you mind if I ask you some questions? I'm trying to figure out what happened to you and I'd like to hear your version." Lauren's voice was professional but it also held a noticeable warmth.

Stanley nodded before he spoke with a raspy tone "I don't think I will be much of a help to you. I barely remember anything about that night."

It was what the Phoenix had been dreading but she didn't let it show. "Everything helps, just tell me whatever you remember. Even if it's just a color or a sound, it could still be essential."

Stanly nodded once again before his brow furrowed and he mentally tried to go back to that night. "I was on a night shift and I remember picking up someone to take them.. I don't know where anymore but I'm pretty sure it was a woman. Then..." His brow furrowed even more and he shook his head like he was trying to shake a bad dream. "I just remember feeling good, like really good which is weird because normally on a night shift I'm just tired." He looked directly at Lauren, unsure if he was helping at all. The doctor just smiled at him and nodded for him to continue. "I don't think it actually happened, just my imagination, you know? But before everything went back I saw a flash of blue, I don't know. But not like from a flashlight, more like a sapphire in the sun." He finished and looked at the blonde almost like a lost puppy.

Lauren nodded, very happy with the last part of his answer. "Thank you, Stanley. I hope this will help me. Before I go, I still have one last question. I brought a few pictures with me of people that were at the scene that night when you were found. Maybe you recognize some of them. It would tell me that the maybe were there to see everything." The Phoenix pulled seven pictures out of her bag, five of them were of Dark Fae Succubae as Stanley had mentioned that he remembered a woman. The other two were Incubi that she added only to make it look convincing. Only women at that hour would have been suspicious.

Laying the Pictures on the small table next to the human's bed Lauren watched as he looked intently at every single one, visibly searching his brain for a flicker of recognition. "I think I remember her. The face seems familiar. She's really beautiful. I wouldn't forget her." He smiled almost shyly as Lauren leaned over to take a look at the picture he was pointing to. It was all the Phoenix could do to not let out a sharp hiss when she saw a picture of Bo in all her glory, staring into the camera with her intense gaze. Her chocolate hair was curly, shimmering in perfect lighting. The blue makeup under her eyes gave her an even more mysterious aura, making her deep brown eyes shine even brighter.

Lauren pulled back quickly, gathering the pictures and trying to shake the sick feeling that was starting to creep up inside her. The fear the Bo had been the one to attack the human, cruelly leaving him just barely alive in his cab, had been lurking deep down inside her but now that more than one lead was pointing to the brunette Succubus it gave this fear a whole new reality. She mechanically thanked Stanley for his cooperation and wished him a fast recovery, promising to tell him once she found out something new but she didn't even really hear it herself. Out the door and half the way to her lab her brain was still boiling. Bo had most likely done this. Lauren found it odd. The Dark Fae kill record had told the blonde that Bo hadn't killed in decades. Maybe, a small voice in her head whispered, she just always plays with her victims like that and this was just a slip up. Maybe she enjoys seeing the life leave their eyes. Lauren was thankful that she could be alone when she finally reached her office. Shaking, she leaned against the carvings in the wooden door. Moments she had with the Succubus flashed before her eyes.

May I have this dance, my beautiful? Spoken with absolute confidence, a promising glint in deep brown eyes that unabashedly raked over Lauren's body.

Bo pressing herself against the Phoenix' back, her hands slowly sliding under the material of her dress. You turned me down, doctor. Their first kiss that the blonde hadn't wanted but still somehow succumbed to her body's needs.

Her mischievous smile in Trick's study I'm very, very dark, don't be fooled. The searing kiss they shared, the scent of the old scotch mingling with Bo's undeniably perfect flavor on Lauren's tongue. This is wrong in every way but the one that matters.

Bo's gentle hold as she pressed Lauren to her body, not in a sexual way but in a comforting one. A thousand emotions washing through the blonde. Goodnight, my beautiful. This time the term held more than desire, more than lust. The bad, bad Succubus not so bad anymore but understanding and gentle.

Lauren's eyes shot open. She could have sworn she saw a change in Bo's behavior. No, there had been one, it was blatantly obvious but all of that didn't matter. She was Dark Fae. No matter how much she tried to get Lauren to give in to her with all her sweet words. The Phoenix couldn't, she wouldn't be with somebody who killed and tortured for fun.

She looked up, suddenly determined. Getting on her computer she looked up the Fae kill file again, a cold hand clutching her heart when she saw a new addition for Bo's the night of the peace signing. She couldn't have her so she killed a human?

Lauren realized she had fooled herself. She had made the Succubus into a fairytale of forbidden attraction, maybe even a secret love. Now it came crushing down to reality. "The McCorrigan clan is dangerous. We have been at war with them over and over again. Hearing her mother's voice in her head a single tear began to fall.

-x-

Bo was having a blast. Her info had been right, Vex had really upped his game making his club the best on the dark side of town. The bouncer recognized the dressed-to-kill Succubus and her Djinn sidekick and immediately waved them through. Inside the party was going strong and both women had quickly found something to occupy them to their satisfaction. Kenzi was slamming back shot after shot of expensive liquor at the bar in the VIP area, talking excitedly to Vex about makeup. The Mesmer was a very good friend of hers and they always had a lot of new techniques to share whenever they met.

Bo on the other hand was on the dancefloor beneath, her arms around a petite brunette while what appeared to be her best friend had her hands on the Succubus' hips from behind. She was on top of her game again, having already devoured a tall Merman in one of the back rooms. He was probably still there catching his breath, she mused and pulled the brunette in front of her in for a deep kiss. She tasted a bit bland, the Succubus thought. Lauren was so much better, everything amplified by the electricity between them. The thought was pushed aside by the other woman behind her starting to nip at her neck. She would have to get them home soon or her hunger would push her to take them right here on the dancefloor. Taking both of their hands and pulsing them strongly she nodded towards the door. Both of the women grinned goofily and followed the Succubus out the door and to her yellow Camaro parked in a side alley. They never made it to the clubhouse.

Chapter 12: The heart wants what the heart hates

"Are you sure?" The Ash's voice was laced with concern, now even more so than before Lauren had presented her results.

"As sure as I can be at this stage." The Phoenix heard herself say without any detectable emotion. "The body was found here." Lauren pointed to a highlighted area on the digital map on the wall. "The Dark Fae files were a great help. Miss McCorrigan's file gives the McCorrigan mansion as residence but there was also another address added a few years back." She pushed a button on the small device she held in her hand, making another area on the map light up in a different color. It was dangerously close to the other one and the Ash's eyes narrowed as he noticed the obvious.

"The night in question was the night of the peace treaty signing." Lauren continued "I looked at the guest list. Miss McCorrigan was definitely there. My guess is that she fed on the cabbie who was supposed to take her home. She left him barely alive for whatever reason and walked the rest of the distance. It fits perfectly." She turned to the map again and the Dark Fae compound lit up along with a line connecting it to Bo's house. The spot where the body had been found was smack dab in the middle between the two. "I also found an addition to her kill record, dated the same night. I would guess that what for some reason she didn't finish with the cabbie, she did with the woman she picked up on the way home."

Lauren ended and took a steadying breath but kept her calm exterior. She had been awake almost all night, tossing and turning in bed until she finally decided that attempting to sleep was futile. Instead she had gone over what Stanley had told her and the other leads she had gathered. They all lead to the same conclusion: Bo had done this. Lauren tried to come to terms with it, that it was no surprise really, that Bo was a Dark Fae Succubus. Why should Lauren assume that she cared about humans? The kill record, a small voice in her head had told her. When she first looked at it a few weeks back she saw that Bo hadn't killed in a long time. For whatever reason her mind had transformed that fact into the Succubus caring about humans, not wanting to hurt them. What she knew now told another story. Had Bo really been angry enough that she couldn't have the Phoenix that night to torture one and kill another human at random? A sudden guilt overcame her but Lauren pushed it aside quickly. Even if that was the reason, this wasn't her fault. Still, a part of the Phoenix suddenly wished she had given into Bo that night, gone home with her and let the Succubus take her. A shiver ran down her spine and she felt a strange tingle all over her body at the thought. The kiss they had shared could have been only the beginning and it alone had made Lauren weaker in the knees than she had ever been from just a kiss. The blonde had snapped out of her dream suddenly, realizing that she was fantasizing about a woman who had killed one, almost two humans out of anger over a rejection. Despite the disgust she felt towards the action, Lauren couldn't deny that her body had already made a choice of its own. It surprised and repulsed the Phoenix at the same time that she could still lose herself in thoughts of Bo after what the Succubus had done.

The Ash made Lauren come back to the present as he stood up and walked over to where she was standing, his concerned eyes on the map. He stood there for a while, seemingly contemplating various options as he leaned his head slightly this way and that from time to time. When he finally turned to the Phoenix he straightened his suit and Lauren knew he had made a choice. "There is little to no doubt that Miss McCorrigan is responsible for this, if I understand you correctly?" Lauren nodded her head affirmative and the Ash continued. "Very well. I will contact the Morrigan. Even though Evony, as the leader of the Dark, has the last word in this I will talk to her about Ysabeau's punishment." His features softened. "Thank you, Lauren. I appreciate your quick and exact work more than I could ever tell you." He paused and when he looked up at Lauren again his face had its usual seriousness back. "Even with all the evidence we have there is still a good chance the Morrigan will not share our opinion about what happened. That chance is in fact very likely since Ysabeau is the heiress to the McCorrigan seat on the dark high council. It's why I will take you with me to tell her what you just told me. Not even Evony can deny your reputation."

Lauren nodded once, acknowledging her fate without so much as a twitch of her expression. On the inside she felt like she needed to run up the stairs of the Ash's throne room and chop his massive stone throne into little pieces before she could be calm again. She was keeping it inside for now but in one room with the leader of the Dark Fae and, most of all, probably Bo herself she wasn't sure if she could keep the mask that was void of any personal emotion, the mask that gave her flawless medical reputation a sharp edge.

It wasn't so much that the Phoenix wanted Bo to be punished for what she did. She wanted that, too of course but above all she was frustrated with the whirlwind of emotions the Succubus had created inside her. Lauren was angry at her for what she did and she didn't really want to ever forgive her for treating humans like that but at the same time she wanted the brunette to show up on her doorstep next weekend, another rose in her hands and looking breathtakingly beautiful, just for her. She had the desire to punch Bo because she had obviously fooled her with her sweet smile but at the same time Lauren knew she would smile back even brighter if it was to be directed at her again.

"I will call you when I hear from the Morrigan." The Ash smiled once more and Lauren knew she was dismissed. Bowing her head in respect she turned to walk back to her lab, shoulders steeled, her emotionless façade still firmly in place. But for how long, the Phoenix asked herself as she reached the lab and resumed her usual work.

-x-

Bo was lounging on her bed, still deliciously full from the evening before. Arms crossed behind her head she let the energy ripple though herself, feeling very content. She had fed thoroughly from three different Fae last night and their chi had become hers, efficiently fueling her up to her most powerful and satisfied self. Bo thought that these moments were the best for a Succubus, besides bedding a great feed obviously. The feeling of absolute satisfaction that still swam in the chi she had taken from her lovers. It was a high the brunette never had to get down from if she so wished but today was not like all the other times before. Today, something was missing. The chi she had consumed the night before had been well-chosen: potent, full, delicious, but still it hadn't been quite enough. Not in quantity, no, the beast with its almost unquenchable hunger for the lust-filled life force of her lovers was purring contentedly in the back of her mind. Bo just had the feeling that the chi she had taken last night hadn't been good enough for her. Like she had eaten Sushi but instead of real crab meat she had been given the often-used imitation. It had filled her but left her longing for something better. And Bo knew what that something was. Since the moment she first laid eyes on Lauren Leavold she had the almost overpowering desire to feed from her, to taste the energy that swirled through the Phoenix fascinating aura. The Succubus knew it would be better than anything she had ever tasted and that fact made her long for it all the more.

Still, Bo had come to realize that it was far more than her nature that drew her to the blonde like a moth to a flame. It was everything about her. The way her hands moved when she talked. The shy smile that she sometimes directed at Bo which just didn't fit the confident aristocratic woman Lauren usually was. The intense passion in her eyes, shimmering hidden in pools of honey-brown or glowing boldly in golden-red orbs. The Succubus knew it was more than simple attraction by now and surprisingly it didn't bother her one bit to admit that to herself. For the first time in her life she wanted something that lasted longer than one night, that was more than pure carnal need. The thought brought a smile to her lips.

Just then her cell phone made itself known, the shrill ringing sound immediately causing Bo to sit straight up in bed. Sighing, she picked the small device up from her bedside table, looking at the screen, her brow furrowing as she didn't recognize the number.

"Yes?" She said, bringing the phone to her ear.

"Good afternoon Miss McCorrigan. I do hope I'm not bothering you at a bad time. My name is Tristan." a pleasant voice answered. Still, Bo didn't think she had heard the name before and the voice didn't ring any bells either but he sounded so formal that the Succubus was almost sure it was something related to her family so she put a smile into her voice as she asked "And what could you possibly want?"

"I was ordered to inform you that you have been summoned by the Morrigan." Bo's brows shot up. She hadn't expected this. "She would like you to show up as soon as it's possible. It's urgent."

The brunette raked her brain, trying to find a reason why her leader wanted to see her but came up empty. As much Bo liked to get on her parents nerves from time to time she knew that Evony was different. Even if the leader of the Dark was way more tame with members of the Dark High Elders she wouldn't want to keep her waiting so she answered pleasantly. "Of course. Please tell her I'm on my way and that I will arrive shortly."

"Very well, Miss McCorrigan. It was a pleasure talking to you." Before Bo could say anything more the line went dead and it left her in dead silence to wonder what this was about. After a few minutes of useless pondering she gave up, deciding that she would find out once she was there.

"Yo, Bo-Bo, where ya going?" Kenzi asked from her place on the couch as the Succubus came down the stairs, pulling on her leather jacket. Bo sighed, grabbing her keys. "Well, it seems that good old Evony wants to see me so I'm heading to the compound."

The Djinns eyes went wide. "What?! Why the hell would that bitch on wheels want to see you?"

"If I knew that, I'd be a lot smarter than I am now. Guess I'll have to wait and see." Bo moved towards the door when Kenzi asked "Want me to come as backup? I can make her way too fabulous heels disappear if push comes to shove." It made the brunette grin at her best friend. "No, Kenz. I'll be ok." She touched the necklace on its golden chain. "I always have you with me if I need you, remember?" Kenzi didn't seem convinced but nodded. "Well then, have fun Bo-Bo, but remember, no banging the Boss." They shared a laugh before Bo said her goodbye and was out the door.

-x-

Lauren stood next to the Ash after she had recounted what she had found, slightly behind him on his right side to show his position as her leader. He was now talking to the Morrigan who was standing in front of her modern desk, leaning back against the expensive material. The Phoenix had never been to the Morrigan's office in her life, that it happened now was another accomplishment of the peace treaty. It had allowed them to get here, this deep in dark territory, unharmed. She had to admit it was just as intimidating as the Ash's throne room but completely different at the same time. Whereas the throne room had windows made of colored glass, spreading a cathedral-like glow across the tiled floor and stone walls the Morrigan's office had large windows overlooking the city. Two walls were completely made of glass while the others were white and decorated skillfully with priceless modern artwork. She had a normal desk with a large leather chair behind it where the Ash had a massive desk in front of his stone throne. Now that Lauren thought about it, the Light Fae compound as a whole seemed way more 'dark' than this modern sky-scraper. It amused her and eased her nerves a bit.

"I understand what you are trying to tell me but I still don't see why it would be considered a crime." The Morrigan said in her usual arrogant voice. "Fae feed off humans. That's the way it always has been."

Lauren was disgusted by her words and the way she downplayed what happened but in that moment there was a knock on the door and shortly after it opened. "Miss McCorrigan is on her way." The brunette woman standing there said and Evony nodded, clearly pleased by the news. "Thank you Bianca. Send her in as soon as she arrives." The woman nodded once more and disappeared again, closing the door behind her.

It was the Ash who broke the silence. "I'm not questioning our view of humans. Miss McCorrigan is more than welcome to feed all she wants, just as long as she doesn't risk outing the Fae by carelessly leaving half-drained bodies behind." His tone was calm but commanding.

"Oh come on. You seriously think one more human in a coma will alert the humans to our existence?" The Morrigan laughed. "If I may remind you, we were at war with each other multiple times and they didn't even notice that although every Mole-Underfae could realize it. Humans are blind to things they don't want to see."

As much as Lauren despised the way they talked about humans she knew the Morrigan had a point. The human population would have paid little attention to what Stanley had to say, even if he had remembered anything. For them, strange things happened often and one more was not going to make them question everything they believed in. Still, Lauren had put her all into finding out who did this to him because she wanted to know as well. She wanted the Fae as a whole to stop using humans like chattel. She knew they were needed as feeds but almost every Fae species was capable of feeding without killing. It was something she desperately wanted to change in her society.

"I know very well that this incident was nothing to worry much about but what if things like this keep happening? At some point the humans wouldn't be able to ignore it any longer." the Ash reasoned but again, it fell on deaf ears. Evony just smirked. "Things like this have been happening for decades. Do you see any humans questioning what they believe is reality? If you think this new peace entitles you to meddle in Dark Fae affairs you are severely mistaken. What the Dark High Elders and myself decide to allow our people is none of your business but still, you show up here with the human-loving doctor you're so proud of and the puppy that is supposed to be your bodyguard."

Lauren's expression remained calm. She was used to the bickering between the leaders of Dark and Light. Dyson on the Ash's other side was a whole other story. He growled under his breath, causing the Ash to shoot him a warning glance that made Evony smirk even more. Lauren hadn't understood why the wolf had been ordered to come with them anyway. For protection, yes. But why did it have to be Dyson out of all the other Fae the Ash could have chosen. The moment he heard that they would probably be seeing Bo he perked up ever so slightly but Lauren still noticed. Without knowing it the Ash and the Morrigan had pieced together a triangle-meeting from hell. Dyson wanted Bo but the Succubus obviously wanted Lauren. The blonde herself was not so sure. Yes, she wanted Bo and the thought of being in the same room with her under any circumstances made her emotions start to swirl but she still didn't know how to not hate her for what she did to Stanley and the poor nameless woman she had killed.

Lauren was pulled from her thoughts by the door opening. The Morrigan's still smirking face shot around to see who was interrupting to see Bo walking into the office like she owned the place, a way too innocent smile on her lips. She hadn't even bothered knocking. Of course not. The Succubus looked breathtaking as always, dark hair flowing over her leather-clad shoulders. In fact, she was covered in leather from top to bottom. The tightest of red leather pants clung to her legs that ended in high black leather boots. Lauren could see the hum of energy around her, indicating that she had fed recently and thoroughly. A small pang of jealousy hit Lauren off guard and a small frown creased her brow before she forced her expression back to neutral.

Dyson had no such control however. His breath hitched audibly and the Phoenix didn't have to be able to read auras like Bo to know that he was glowing brightly. If Evony noticed, she didn't show it but she seemed pretty preoccupied with her newest guest anyway. "Ysabeau, how nice of you to join us. I hope you weren't busy. I told my staff that they were not to bother you if you were." Her voice dripped with sweetness, the sweetness she reserved for only the members of the most powerful Dark high elder families.

-x-

Bo could barely concentrate on Evony. She hadn't expected to walk into a meeting between the leaders of Light and Dark but what caught her completely off guard was Lauren standing next to the Ash. Her pulse quickened immediately but she knew something was off. The Phoenix' brow furrowed ever so slightly at the sight of Bo and her aura was way more dull than it usually was around the Succubus. Make no mistake, it was still pretty high on her scale but not off the charts as usual. Another strongly pulsing aura caught her attention and she turned her head slightly only to be disappointed by seeing the wolf-shifter she had bedded a few weeks back. Dylan, no Dyson was his name. He was practically drooling on the carpeted floor but Bo didn't find it as amusing as she would have in any other situation.

Not turning towards the Morrigan she answered her with a sweet smile. "It's fine. I didn't have anything to do anyway." Bo's gaze wandered back to Lauren before she finally looked at the leader of the Dark almost over her shoulder. "Still I would like to know why I'm here."

"That is in fact a very good question." The Morrigan stated, her voice back to her usual sneer. "The Light seem to think that the way you feed threatens outing the Fae."

"It does." The Ash's deep voice came from the other side of the room. Bo turned her head back to him, a questioning eyebrow arched, the innocent smile replaced by a displeased frown tugging at her features.

The Ash continued, not happy with the way this was going. "You are lucky the human you disposed in his cab for the world to see doesn't remember anything unusual happening to him. Do you usually..."

"I don't usually feed off humans." Bo cut in with a sharp tone in her voice.

Dyson growled. "The Ash will not be interrupted while speaking."

Bo shot him a flirty grin. "You seem to make a good pet Dyson. I had a feeling you were submissive." The Succubus turned her attention back to the Ash while Dyson blushed furiously and despite everything it was all Lauren could do to keep a straight face.

"I fed off exactly two humans in the past few years so I remember the feed in question. That night I was.. let's say a little off my game." Bo's tone wavered a bit at the end, betraying a hint of insecurity but it was so slight that it could be easily missed.

"Would you mind explaining that?" The Ash was growing impatient but so was the Morrigan. "It think Ysabeau already explained to you more than you deserve to know about this nonsense. This is Dark business and while I thank you for pointing this case out to us I think you stuck your nose where it doesn't belong. I will handle this from here." Her tone made it clear that the conversation was over. The Ash was boiling on the inside but accepted the fact that nothing he could say now would change things. He nodded stiffly and walked out of the office, Dyson hurrying to follow. Lauren just stood there for a few seconds longer, looking at Bo before she, too, turned and left.

-x-

"Maybe it would be good to be a little bit more careful about where you drop your feeds." The Morrigan suggested. "If this was only about me you could do whatever you wanted but I think we can agree that we both don't want the Light to come running here about every little thing they might find to bother us." Her voice was unusually careful as she spoke to the daughter of one of the most influential Dark High Elders.

Bo nodded. "Like I said, I don't usually feed off humans." The Succubus' voice was distant, she was still thinking about Lauren. She had not said a word while they were in the same room and Bo didn't know what to make of it. Her aura had been so dull, did she hate her now that she knew what she had done? If the Phoenix had pieced together what happened that night she would most likely also know the reason. Bo didn't want to seem out of control to the blonde but then again, it was what she had been that night and the days after, right?

The Morrigan interpreted her absent voice differently. "I know how the after parties can get, especially if Vex is there with a flask of his... special mixture." She winked. "We all just want to have fun and I won't let the Light play the party poopers." Bo chuckled with Evony to be polite. She was still the leader of the Dark, even if she was insanely tame around Bo.

"Well, I guess I'll get going if there's nothing else." Bo said, the innocent smile she wore so well back in place. Evony nodded. "Of course, dear. Again, I am sorry that you had to put up with this in the first place." She came over to Bo and kissed her on both cheeks like they were best friends, a fake smile plastered perfectly in place. The Succubus just nodded her goodbye and walked out of the office.

-x-

Bo sat in her Camaro, pulling out of the garage under the Dark compound. She searched for what looked like it could be the car the Ash as well as Lauren and Dyson arrived in but came up empty. She drove down the street, the thick traffic not allowing her to go very fast and so her thoughts drifted back to the meeting until she noticed a familiar blonde walking on the sidewalk. At fist Bo thought she was seeing things but then she realized it was really Lauren. She immediately pulled over as fast as she could, getting out of her car so the blonde would definitely see her. It took a few seconds but the Phoenix noticed the beautiful brunette looking at her intently and mixed emotions flooded through her but still, she walked over.

"You need a ride?" Bo asked, her voice full of her usual confidence. A confidence she herself had none of at the moment. Lauren contemplated for a moment, different expressions flooding her face all at once but she kept her cool and in the end accepted the almost inevitable.

"Yes, why not?" It sounded nonchalant but it was everything else.

The Succubus grinned and opened the passenger door for the blonde. "Hop in, Milady." There it was, that sweet smile again and like she had predicted, Lauren's face lit up to answer as Bo shut the door behind her. Briefly the blonde wondered what she had gotten herself into and why she would even want to after what Bo had done but as soon as the Succubus sat down next to her every thought that didn't revolve around their close proximity vanished like a cloud of smoke in the wind.

Chapter 13: All's fair in love and war

They had been driving in silence for about twenty minutes although they hadn't gotten very far. The traffic was terrible and so for Lauren the only real benefit that came with accepting Bo's offer was that inside the yellow muscle car it was warm while the cold wind made being outside an unpleasant affair. That, and the dark-haired Succubus driving said car, Lauren corrected herself in her head but then immediately scolded herself for it. She was still angry but somehow couldn't find it in her to not be affected by their close proximity and that made her even angrier.

At the beginning of their ride Bo had asked where she should drop the Phoenix off and Lauren had told her that her apartment in the city would be fine. The perk was that Bo knew the way so it made any other communication unnecessary. She wasn't going back to work anyway which was the main reason she had been walking in the first place while the Ash and Dyson had gotten into the car that would take them back to the compound. The Succubus had nodded her head, smiling a somewhat shy smile that wouldn't fit her confident grin from earlier and hadn't said a word since which, although she wouldn't admit it, had been a part of Lauren's plan. The silence wasn't uncomfortable but it was laden with a lot of things that stood between them, their obvious attraction being the most prominent. Then came the layers of doubt and things they hadn't yet talked about. Those things, all their contrasting feelings pulled and pushed against each other and made the silence almost deafening but still not uncomfortable. It almost was as if there could be no such thing when they were in each other's presence.

Bo on the other side of the car was gripping the steering wheel way harder than she usually would. She had been contemplating saying something the whole time but never found the right words or the courage to do so. She wanted to ask 'how are you?' but didn't. It would have been all sorts of awkward considering the situation they had been in just before. They had stood next to their respective leaders who despised each other, stood on different sides with too different points of view to just ask a simple 'how are you?'. Al least that's how Bo felt. For the first time she felt like the blonde was far away from her, too far for the feelings she was beginning to have.

"We're here." Were the words that finally pierced the silence. At first Bo thought she had dreamed them, they sounded so far away but then she realized that they were already almost in front of the building where Lauren lived. The car came to a sudden and screeching halt halfway on the sidewalk when Bo finally reacted, earning her a few angry honks from the cars behind her as they drove past. Her blonde passenger was a bit startled but quickly recovered and then looked at her with something in her eyes Bo couldn't read. "Thank you for the ride, Bo." Lauren's voice was friendly, a soft smile on her lips. The Succubus just nodded. "No problem." Even now she wasn't able to form more words than that. The blonde smiled one last time then got out of the car. Bo wanted to say something, anything but as much as she scolded herself she couldn't open her mouth. Where was her confident self when she needed it? The car door slammed shut and with it Bo's last chance. The Succubus sighed. So many things she had wanted to say and now she was sitting here and she hadn't even managed to say a proper goodbye, hadn't asked if it was even remotely ok for her to come by this weekend like she had promised. Resigned she reached to put the car in gear for her drive back home.

-x-

Dyson was already back at the Light Fae compound, having arrived there with the Ash a few minutes ago. The still slightly angry leader of the Light thanked him for his assistance, giving him tomorrow off as he had Lauren and walked off to his office. The wolf now had a bit of free time on his hands and he used it to wander around the tastefully decorated halls of the compound, thinking. He still wasn't quite sure of what he had seen back on the Dark side of town. The traffic had been moving slowly, sickeningly so but in the one moment where he could have used a delay the car had pulled forward a bit, hiding the scene he wanted to see from his eyes. He had been watching Lauren while she walked along the sidewalk. The blonde was easy to distinguish because in her light brown coat and with golden blonde hair she didn't only look way better than the humans around her but she was also surrounded by a certain aura. Dyson didn't know if it was her upbringing, her personality or a mixture of both but she gave off a vibe that commanded respect from everyone she encountered and even from this far away it was still evident. Humans moved quickly to get out of her way but Lauren didn't even seem to notice. Dyson watched his long-time friend until he saw another familiar figure get out of a yellow Camaro screaming for attention with its bold black racing stripes. It was Bo, there was absolutely no doubt. The way her chocolate locks fell over her perfect form would have helped Dyson distinguish her in a crowd of thousands. He smiled. The car currently parked haphazardly half on and half off the sidewalk fit the unforgiving Succubus perfectly. To his utter surprise Lauren walked over to the brunette beauty and they spoke a few words. Their exchange ended with Bo opening the passenger side door with a wide smile on her face that was answered by an even brighter one on Lauren's. Unfortunately Dyson saw nothing more because his car started moving again and he couldn't turn his head far enough to catch another glimpse at the two women without it being too obvious.

Lost in his thoughts he slowly walked down a particularly long hallway with a glass wall illuminated by the last light of the setting sun. It reflected off the tile floor, tinting everything in a warm orange. Dyson turned to the wall of glass and let the light shine on his face. What had Bo wanted from Lauren? Was their meeting something that had been planned or had they just met by accident? Why had the blonde smiled so brightly, were she and Bo friends? She never mentioned her. She, of course, wasn't obligated to but Dyson liked to think they could talk to each other about anything and everything. The Phoenix had become almost like a sister to him over the many centuries he had known her. He didn't know if he should ask her about it, after all he shouldn't have seen them there in the first place but something didn't feel right to him. He couldn't pinpoint it. It was just a feeling in his gut that told him that this was not something to be treated lightly. That smile. He had never seen Lauren smile like that, or at least not in a very long time.

Dyson decided that he would not push for now. Maybe Lauren would tell him about this meeting soon. If she didn't, he could still ask her. The shifter nodded to himself but something was still nagging at him, preventing him for putting his thoughts to a rest.

-x-

Bo was about to release the clutch when there was a knock on her window. She turned and found Lauren behind the window, smiling at her almost apologetically. Slightly confused, Bo shut off the engine and reached over to lower the window.

"Yes?" She asked, her confusion making her previous nerves disappear.

"Would you like to come up? As a thank you for driving me I could make you an actual dinner." Lauren's voice was soft, it was obvious that she wasn't quite sure about what she was saying, still she made the playful dig at Bo's eating habits.

"You don't have to." Bo defended immediately. She didn't want the blonde to feel obligated.

Lauren chuckled and rolled her eyes. Just like that the tension vanished. "I want to."

"Then I would love to." Bo smiled brightly and moved to remove her keys from the ignition but Lauren stopped her, again chuckling lightly. "Bo you can't just leave your car here. Why don't you park in the garage? Just tell the guard that I am expecting you."

The Succubus nodded, a little embarrassed that she would have just left her care here, parked crookedly half-way on the sidewalk just because she wanted to run after Lauren so badly.

"I'll be waiting for you upstairs." Lauren told her and left her once again only this time Bo had a smile on her face.

-x-

On the way up Lauren was having a conversation in her head. It seemed like two sides of herself were fighting over why this had either been a bad or a good idea. She absent-mindedly looked at herself in the mirror that made up one wall of the elevator, picturing herself with two smaller versions of herself on her shoulders, one glowing bright red with flaming wings, the other shimmering blue, hands buried deep in the pockets of her lab coat. The blonde thought the picture to be amusing but still, it fit.

'Red' Lauren was her passionate side, the one that the fire spirit of her Phoenix ruled. She was burning with rage over what Bo had done to the two humans, especially Stanley but at the same time she felt the intense, almost all-consuming passion she harbored for the Dark Succubus. The contrasting emotions made her fire shine brightly, eyes glinting deep golden-red. She was torn between wanting to rip Bo to pieces in blind rage and wanting to rip Bo's clothes to shreds, finally taking what she so desired.

'Blue' Lauren on the other hand was the complete opposite. She was her calm doctor persona, the one that reminded her of the fact that while what Bo did was disgusting to her it was no crime in the Fae world. The brunette probably hadn't been raised any different than that and after all, she had a biological imperative. Even the Ash hadn't cared much about the fact that Stanley almost died, just the fact that the Fae could have been discovered. The other woman who died didn't affect him in any way, she just served him as further evidence that Bo had been 'out of control' that night. 'Blue' Lauren had come to terms with the fact that next to nobody shared her beliefs about humans long ago, so why should Bo be any different.

The Elevator pinged, indicating that Lauren had reached her destination and effectively pulling the blonde from her daydream. She smiled again at the lively image she had created in her head but it fit the contrasting positions fighting inside her almost perfectly. She threw one last look over her shoulder and imagined the two smaller versions of herself vanish into thin air. They were not here to help her with this situation, Lauren thought at she opened the door to her apartment and stepped in, leaving the door unlocked for her soon-to-be guest. Sighing, she pulled off her shoes and coat, placing them perfectly on the modern wooden wardrobe and the floor beneath it. First she moved to sit on the couch to wait for Bo since it couldn't take the Succubus that long to park her car but then decided that she would start dinner. She needed to do something or she would burst from the tension inside her before Bo was even here. Putting on soft music to calm her nerves and completely missing the double meaning that could be interpreted into it she slipped on her white apron and started rummaging through her fridge for ingredients.

What seemed to be only a few seconds to Lauren but was actually a couple of minutes later, Bo knocked on the door and then let herself in, the look in her eyes almost unsure if she should really be here. Lauren turned and greeted her with a smile which the brunette gladly returned before slipping off her boots and leather jacket and placing them next to and on the back of the couch, like everybody but the blonde starting to make a habit of that. She then slowly walked over to the kitchen area where Lauren was expertly chopping up some greens.

"What are you making?" Bo's voice was soft and it was underlined by the quiet tune of the classical music floating through the apartment.

"Nothing special, just some pasta with tomato sauce." Lauren answered casually, throwing another smile over her shoulder. All the while the sharp knife in her hands never lost its blinding speed. Bo surprised her by coming even closer and making sure to look deep in her eyes as she said "Well, that's still pretty special to me. I don't eat something homemade that often, remember?" The knife in the blonde's hands stilled but she was almost done anyway. It was so easy to lose herself in those soulful pools of chocolate-brown. They made her forget everything else, every bit of rage she had harbored and combined with that beautiful dimpled smile it made her want to see this expression over and over again, wanting desperately to be the cause of it.

"If you say so." Lauren heard herself softly say before Bo looked away and broke the spell. The Succubus noticed the large pot standing on the stove and asked "Can I help?" Smiling, the Phoenix noticed that she sounded a lot like an excited kid as she said that and so she nodded. "Stir the noodles if you want to, but not too much." Bo's smile could have lit up the entire city as she immediately made her way over to the pot. Lauren found it hard to believe that this unbelievably cute creature could harm anything or anyone and just like that, the memory of why she and Bo had met today in the first place was back and with it the sickening feeling in her stomach.

The brunette noticed the change in demeanor, even if Lauren tried to hide it well. She was just a little too distant as they made the sauce together, as they put the wonderful smelling dish on the table and sat down opposite of each other with a glass of delicious red wine. They stole glances at each other while they ate and Bo probably overdid it with the compliments on dinner but all the while Lauren's aura wasn't quite as bright as it had been before. It was when she stood without a word to clean up that Bo finally decided to ask.

"Lauren, if you didn't want me here why did you ask me to come up?" Her voice was tentative; the Succubus was sure she should tread carefully.

"To make you dinner, since I know about your eating habits." The answer was nonchalant and Bo didn't believe her one bit. The way Lauren simply dismissed the question angered her, too.

"I can see your aura you know? Normally you glow like a Christmas tree around me but today you don't." Bo pointed out the obvious. "I know the Morrigan is a bit much but at least she's my boss not yours." She offered a half-smile but was thrown off guard when she heard the clatter of plates falling into the sink. Lauren turned, a dangerous glint in her eyes. As if on cue the softer piece of music they had been listening to ended and was replaced by Tchaikovsky's 'Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy'. Bo felt like she was about to enter a very dangerous dance herself as Lauren moved closer and came to a halt just far enough away that if Bo reached out with her arm she would just miss her with her finger tips. The blonde was smiling now but there was no warmth in it. It was like the smile of a porcelain doll.

"I have dealt with the Morrigan often enough to know how to handle her." There was an edge in the Phoenix' voice that made Bo wonder what was to come now.

"What is it then?" The Succubus asked when Lauren didn't continue but she just received a humorless chuckle. "Really, Bo? You can't think of anything else?"

Desperately searching her brain for anything that would help Bo offered what little she could find. "The night of the peace signing, I'm sorry Lauren. I shouldn't have..." But she didn't get any further because the blonde interrupted her. She didn't scream. Lauren Leavold never screamed when she was angry. Her life had been long enough to tell her that it got her nowhere. Instead, her voice was cold as ice, cutting as deep as a dagger would have. "Shouldn't have what? Shouldn't have killed a human while torturing another to near-death just because you didn't get your way?"

Bo was shocked silent. She wanted to say something and opened her mouth but shut it again without making a sound. I must have looked like a fish gasping for water but Lauren was still looking at her with cold eyes. Had she harbored this hatred the whole time?

In Lauren's eyes the Succubus' silence was her confession. "Do you always do that? Torture one, two, maybe three humans if you don't get what you want? You must have been really angry that night, to let one of your playthings slip like that."

"No!" Bo's voice was furious, roaring like a threatened lioness. She didn't have all those years the blonde doctor had, she wasn't going to stay calm. "I don't torture or kill humans for fun! I didn't kill a human for years until I met.."

"Don't you dare say it!" Lauren interrupted her again, voice still even but getting colder still if that was even possible. By now her eyes were bright golden-red. "Humans feel. They love and hate like we do, they're like us in almost every way. We don't have the right to treat them like chattel just because we may think we're superior."

"I.." Bo sighed. She didn't have an answer but Lauren was sill shooting daggers with her eyes. Taking a few steps back she just went with her gut. "I just know that I never wanted to be like my parents. They keep humans as slaves but not like every other family. They feed off of them, not for pleasure but for sheer fun in killing them. I soon realized that I didn't want that, especially after my dawning when things got a lot clearer. I knew I loved pleasure I mean how could I not, I'm a Succubus." She chuckled humorlessly. "I wanted pleasure, endless amounts of it if I could have that, but not.. not ever like that. What my parents did and still do is sheer massacre. It has nothing to do with pleasure." She ended, looking at Lauren who was still standing rooted to the spot, nostrils flared like she was about to spit fire. The music changed back to a softer tune, but fast. "So?" The doctor demanded.

"So that night, when you turned me down I snapped. I don't even remember everything but I know I hailed a cab and had my way with the cabbie. I didn't even know he was still alive when I left him and I didn't care. A few blocks away from home I saw this couple making out. I took the woman home with me and drained her in one go, no pleasure, no nothing. I wasn't myself for a week after. Kenzi finally had to get me back to myself again." It was the first time Bo admitted these things out loud and it made her avert her gaze in shame.

Lauren on the other hand was still too deep in her anger to see reason. In the blink of an eye she was mere centimeters away from Bo who stepped back again but the blonde followed her, forcing the Succubus to look into her swirling, rage-filled eyes. "Do you have any idea how all of this makes me feel?"

The brunette didn't understand and it showed in her eyes. Lauren reached up and, in stark contrast, softly cupped her cheek. "Bo.." An open-mouthed kiss was placed on her jaw, immediately making every hair on her body stand at attention. "You couldn't have me, so you nearly killed two humans. If I had given into you.." Another kiss that ended with teeth grazing soft flesh made a shiver run down Bo's spine. She was getting unbelievably turned on but Lauren effectively made it feel so wrong, which it essentially was.

"Don't go there. I'm so sorry Lauren." The Succubus managed to get out in a hushed voice. "None of this is your fault. I was being immature and two humans paid for it." Bo meant it but when Lauren's hand slid down her neck she couldn't help herself. Her hands landed on the blonde's hips, pulling her tightly against her. The Phoenix' eyes met hers and suddenly Bo noticed that they had moved through the apartment during their argument, bringing them to a part of it she hadn't seen before.

"I know but that doesn't change the way I feel." Lauren dipped her head and started to slowly kiss down the Succubus' neck, making her take in a sharp breath. So many times she had pictured the blonde doing this but none of her fantasies were anything like reality. She didn't know what to say. Bo knew this was meant to feel wrong and it did so in a futile attempt to try and contain her nature she looked at her surroundings. They were in a second room that mirrored the layout of the other. A small sitting area filled up one of the corners next to a wall of bookshelves. They took up the whole side of the room but otherwise it was sparsely decorated. There was expensive artwork on the wall like in the other room but here the colors of the paintings were softer. Not like the full colors of the geometric shapes the others had, these were older paintings. Large pictures of beautiful landscape colored in the golden-orange and red of the setting sun.

Lauren bit down on her neck and while Bo couldn't fight the gasp that escaped her lips she still worked hard to concentrate on the room they were in, on anything else than the Phoenix sucking on her neck, sure to leave a mark.

Something caught the brunette's attention. On the wall nearest to her she saw two weapons, shaped almost the same. Bo had always been fascinated by weapons, especially daggers and swords and the two Rapiers on the wall looked more than exquisite. They both were still in their heavily decorated sheaths, red and golden with a bird-held sun at the base. Each handle was held in gold, carved to give the impression of a bird with its spread wings forming the crossbar, the guard blooming from its body in silver. Bo was mesmerized by the beauty of the weapons as they left absolutely no doubt whom they belonged to.

Lauren noticed Bo's sudden lack of response and lifted her head to follow the brunette's gaze, finding it glued to her Rapiers. Suddenly, she had an idea. Breaking from the Succubus' now loose embrace she stepped over to the weapons and took them off their holding on the wall. Bo's eyebrows shot up but she still reacted quickly enough to catch the sword tossed at her. She looked at Lauren confused but the blonde just smirked a humorless smile, eyes still red as, with a swishing sound, she drew the shimmering blade in one fluid motion, the sheath falling to the floor. "I hope you know how to use a weapon or this could be over quickly." She told Bo with a humorless chuckle as she pointed the Rapier at her. Only then did the brunette realize what Lauren wanted of her. She silently thanked her parents for the fencing lessons they put her through when she was younger and drew her weapon as well.

"Lauren I.." she began but the blonde shook her head, bending her knees ever so slightly. Lauren knew she was being unfair, forcing Bo to fight her without explaining anything, but she let her anger and passion dictate her and her Phoenix wanted Bo to fight for herself, to not only apologize. The truth was she didn't know which version of the Succubus was the real one. The one that obviously regretted what she did, who tried to explain why it felt wrong to her as well or the one that smiled so uncaringly when the Ash had explained why she had been called to the Morrigan, who didn't seem to be affected by what she had done at all. Lauren was trying to figure out which one was the mask and which one the real Bo. A long time ago she had come to believe that a man, or a woman for that matter, only showed his true face at war and she intended to test that hypothesis again today.

She was pleasantly surprised when Bo parried her sudden strike not half as clumsily as she would have expected from a Fae that hadn't been alive at the time where these types of weapons were essential. Still, Lauren had no doubt she could easily beat the brunette. These were her weapons, designed to fit her hand perfectly and she had the experience of having lived through numerous battles with them.

Bo jumped back to avoid a hit to her abdomen and parried another swipe with the crossbar of her weapon. The force of the strike shook her arm but she held on, taking another step back and then initiating an attack of her own. Her thrust was easily deflected by a fast flick of Lauren's wrist that made their blades clink against each other briefly, causing Bo to miss her target by at least a foot. The blonde's parry hadn't taken any of the force out of the attack however and so the Succubus struggled for a moment to keep her balance, barely blocking another one of Lauren's strikes, this time to her flank after she had sidestepped the brunette. Her arm throbbed as the doctor stepped back to plan her next attack and Bo realized that, even if she still didn't know what this was all about, she wouldn't stand a chance if she didn't find something to make the odds stand in her favor quickly. She looked around as subtle as she could and smiled as she found what she was looking for.

Stepping closer to Lauren she sidestepped her and, just as she had thought, the blonde mirrored her movements. They continued to circle each other until Bo was in the position she wanted. She stepped back suddenly and with two long backward strides she was on the wooden stairway to the upper level, now with a clear height advantage over the blonde who just smirked, her golden-red eyes twinkling as she followed her. Lauren knew it was time to stop holding back and so, before Bo even knew what was happening to her she was being chased backwards up the stairs by a series of unbelievably elegant and accurate attacks. She didn't have anything to defend herself against Lauren's century-old skill with the blade so out of pure instinct she let her primal side take over, her eyes turning cerulean blue. Bo's slight advantage ended abruptly when they reached the upper level and from that point on she just backed away from attacks she had no chance of parrying. It helped her until she felt a wooden banister against her back. A thrust to her chest Bo managed to block, the next one to her side she barely caught with the knuckle guard and that was her forced mistake. With a winning smile and a powerful flick of Lauren's wrist Bo's weapon flew out of her hand, clattering onto the wooden floor next to the blonde. Victory shone in Lauren's eyes as she raised her blade to place it against Bo's neck. "You're dead."

The Succubus was panting heavily as she strained not to move her neck too much and cause Lauren's blade to cut into her flesh. The blonde slowly came closer and leaned in, their faces inches apart but the deadly weapon still between them.

"You wouldn't hurt me." Bo said with more conviction than she actually had. "Like I would never purposely hurt you."

"Are you sure?" Lauren asked but her beautiful smile already betrayed her. She already had her answer. The Morrigan and Ash had seen a mere mask, only Lauren herself got to see the real Bo.

The Succubus returned her smile tenfold. "I am. You're burning brighter than you ever have."

The second weapon fell to the floor with a loud clattering sound but neither woman cared as their hungry mouths were devouring each other with reckless abandon. Lauren kicked the handle of the sword to get it out between their legs and it slid to the very edge of the upper level, getting caught in the banister when it was almost ready to fall over the edge. Meanwhile the blonde had turned the Succubus around, pushing her backwards until she tripped over and fell backwards onto a low bed that was only maybe a foot above the floor. Blue eyes looked up at Lauren's red ones practically devouring her. When the blonde finally came down to join the Succubus on the bed she straddled the brunette, pulling her up to clash their mouths back together. Bo's senses were on overload. She could see Lauren's aura burning through closed eyelids and, along with the doctor's hands roughly exploring her body, it made her moan deeply into her mouth. One hand went into golden locks to pull her head back and expose a long neck to Bo's hungry mouth while the other started to deftly flick open the buttons of Lauren's shirt. The blonde gave a needy moan and pulled the Succubus even closer to her, grinding her hips on her lap.

Lauren was feeling like she was melting inside. Bo's every touch sent sparks flying through her and not only from the reddish glow the Succubus' hands were giving off. Every nip of her lips, every scratch of her fingernails on her skin as the brunette disposed first of her shirt and then her tank top shot directly between her legs where she felt the wetness pool like never before. Another flick of Bo's expert fingers and her bra came flying off as it was carelessly tossed aside. Only then did the Succubus briefly stop to admire the flesh she had exposed but it didn't last long. Her scorching blue gaze locked on Lauren's still red eyes as Bo latched onto her breasts, biting and sucking until the blonde thought she would come from that alone and moaned deeply, a sound that was the perfect symphony to Bo's ears. Fire ran through Lauren's veins as she was flipped around so she was lying under the Succubus staring at her hungrily but also with something else, something soft in her gaze. The blonde's hands moved on their own accord and soon Bo was just as topless as her. The Succubus was absolutely divine. Lauren knew that it was in her DNA to be one of the most perfect and appealing creatures walking the face of the earth but she had encountered Succubae before, never with this kind of effect. When the blonde cupped two perfect breasts she heard Bo hiss in pleasure and knew the reason it was so different with her. It wasn't just her DNA that made Bo so overwhelming but her whole demeanor. When Bo leaned down to kiss and nip at her collarbone while at the same time opening the fly of Lauren's tight jeans these thoughts were burned from the blonde's mind by the pleasure shooting through her. Bo slowly moved lower, pulling Lauren's pants and panties with her as she dipped lower and lower, lingering on her hip bones leaving marks until the Phoenix whimpered in desperation. Grinning, Bo finally gave in to her own desire and dove in, Lauren moaning and screaming in approval. Every swipe of the Succubus' tongue made the blonde's legs clench tighter around her head, desperate to keep her where she was but Bo was having none of it. Lauren cried out in frustration when the brunette freed her head and started pulling off her own remaining clothing.

Now as naked as the blonde Bo pressed her body down on Lauren's, inserting a thigh between Lauren's legs. She pulled the blonde in for a deep kiss and let her taste herself as they began to move against each other at a frantic pace, a statement of how long they had both been waiting for this. The Phoenix was close, Bo could feel it with every cell in her body, the quickly pulsing aura around the blonde unmistakable and more arousing than anything Bo had ever seen. With one final push Lauren practically screamed Bo's name into her lover's mouth and the Succubus pulled back a few inches, a thick stream of the most potent chi she had ever tasted flowing to her from the blonde's open mouth. The sensation it caused in Lauren took her to even greater heights that showed in her chi, sending Bo over the edge with her, moaning loudly.

When Bo finally cut off the blue stream she collapsed on top of her blonde lover, panting heavily, high on Lauren's crackling energy. "God, your amazing." She only just managed to get out before she was flipped onto her back, deep golden-red eyes staring down at her. "Don't you dare think I'm done with you."

Chapter 14: Pictures from the past, Glimpses at the future

It was the sun on her face that finally woke Bo. She hadn't really been asleep for a while but for some reason her body had refused to fully wake up until now. Opening her still sleep-filled eyes she blinked a few times against the warm rays of the sun, getting used to their brightness. She slowly came back from the dreamlands and realized that the sun was coming from the wrong side. Usually when she woke up in her bed the sun shone into her room from the left, dimmed by the expensive red satin curtains of her canopy bed. Right now the light came from the right and it reached her with full strength. Not that she was complaining, it was a welcome warmth on the bare skin of her chest, caressing her like the soft hands of a lover. The thought triggered a memory and suddenly Bo was wide awake in Lauren's bed. Alone.

The Succubus rolled onto her side away from the large windows before pushing herself up on one arm and examining the room since she didn't really get a chance to do that the evening before. It wasn't so much a room, she found. Like the rest of Lauren's huge apartment, it was open, only a half-wall made out of the same wood as the floor separated the sleeping area from the rest of the upper level. Bo had noticed before that the blonde's bed was extremely low above the ground but now she saw the light wooden framing holding a thin, but unbelievably comfortable mattress. The Succubus smiled. She had seen one of these beds while she was looking for furniture with Kenzi, it was a Japanese Tatami bed. Even back then Bo had found it extremely comfortable but had decided against it as it wouldn't have fit the flair of what Kenzi liked to call the 'Crack Shack'. She had been right but here, in this open and modern apartment there was nothing Bo could picture that would have suited Lauren better.

Finally turning further and sitting up Bo stretched, the thin black sheet barely covering her sliding even further down in the process but the brunette could care less. After all, she was a Succubus and as such she was never shy about her body. There was not a dip or curve of it Lauren hadn't explored last night anyway. They had worn each other out over several hours of what had been frantic need at first but turned to slow, burning passion after the most primal parts of them had been satisfied. Bo still felt the hot swirling of Lauren's chi in the pit of her stomach, the most potent and fulfilling energy she had ever consumed. As the Phoenix had taken her to greater and greater heights the Succubus had marveled at the fact that Lauren's chi flowed down her throat like the perfect whiskey, burning her insides with liquid fire. She had once slept with a Leviathan, one of the many different water spirits there were, and his chi had been cold like the sea but at that moment she hadn't thought anything more of it. Now it seemed that the chi of Elementals resembled their nature but Bo still thought that nothing could ever compare to Lauren, even if she were to feed off another fire spirit. Not only because the Leviathan's chi had lost its coldness the moment it melded with her own but the blonde's still warmed her like she had ignited a crackling flame inside her. It was also the way Lauren had touched her, how her eyes shone brighter and brighter, how she screamed her name at first and later whispered it into her ear along with hoarse whimpers that made the Succubus' heart swell with pride knowing she was the cause of them.

A movement in the corner of her eye caught Bo's attention, pulling her from her memories. What she saw when she turned her head made her breath hitch, wondering how she had missed this vision for so long. There, in front of the full glass wall opening to a spectacular view of the waking city stood Lauren, her eyes glued onto the horizon. The sun was already up higher than Bo had thought and it highlighted every single one of the strong lines and soft dips of the blonde's body in a marvelous way. Her hair was mussed the brunette noticed with a grin, not like after a good night's sleep but like after a night full of passion. It turned into a frown briefly when she saw that Lauren had put on some clothes but she soon realized that it was the black silk blouse she had chosen the moment she had been called to the Morrigan. The garment hung off Lauren's strong shoulders perfectly, a little ruffled from being taken off so hurriedly last night but she still looked divine. Well, it also helped that she was wearing nothing else, Bo thought with a grin. Still, the sight of Lauren in her clothes, the thought that she had put them on deliberately, made the possessive beast the Succubus never knew she had inside her purr with satisfaction.

Slowly she got out of bed as quietly as she could. She didn't want to disturb the perfect picture of Lauren in the morning sun wearing her blouse. Not bothering with putting on clothes of her own she walked over to her and gently wrapped her arms around the blonde's midsection, noticing that Lauren had opted to leave the blouse unbuttoned. This time it was her Succubus side that purred in delight. At first the Phoenix' body tensed ever so slightly but when Bo placed a gentle open-mouthed kiss on the base of her neck she relaxed into the embrace. "Good morning my beautiful."

Lauren's soft melodious chuckle vibrated through Bo's body before the blonde answered "Good morning to you."

Another kiss was placed onto Lauren's neck, this time teeth grazed her skin. She could feel the Succubus smile into her neck. "Why aren't you in bed with me?" Bo's voice was low, seductive, almost possessive and the words were underlined by Lauren being pulled further into the Succubus' naked body, her nose travelling up the blonde's neck.

"I admit, it was hard leaving you but I'm a morning person. I had to take care of some work but after that I came right back up with my tea." She pointed to a still steaming black mug standing on the banister, the smile in her voice evident.

Bo's hands were slowly travelling upwards on Lauren's torso until they grazed the underside of a breast, making the blonde lean back into her embrace just a bit more. "Work this early in the morning? Oh come on, all work and no play makes Dr. Leavold a dull Phoenix." By now Bo had reached Lauren's ear, husking into it. The Succubus shifted, the hand that wasn't currently teasing the blonde's left breast coming up to cup her chin and turn Lauren to face her. The Phoenix chuckled again, although this time it sounded richer. "Why? Did you consider last night dull, Miss McCorrigan?" She stared deeply into Bo's eyes, bringing her face closer still.

"Anything but, that's my point." The Succubus answered, closing the remaining distance for a surprisingly gentle kiss that seemed to last forever, leaving both women breathless. When it finally did end Lauren grinned broadly. "So, back to bed then?" She couldn't believe how playful Bo was being. She had been prepared for a satisfied Succubus darting for the door as soon as she woke up, for Bo's normal behavior around her, even for her self-entitled brat side but this was a more than pleasant surprise.

"No.." Bo was trying to look like she was contemplating before she continued, even lower than before. "I don't have a problem taking you right here in front of this window, for the world and heavens to see." Her eyes flickered blue at the thought.

"Well, then." Lauren leaned in once more to bite Bo's lower lip, grinding her barely covered ass into the Succubus' core to which she growled in response, ridding the blonde of her blouse with one forceful downward tug. The Phoenix finally turned to face her lover fully and in an instant was smashed up against the glass behind her, Bo's mouth finding hers in a demanding kiss that made her tingle all over. She wrapped one leg up and around the Succubus' waist, granting her better access to where she wanted her the most and Bo understood immediately. A hand slid between them, quickly dipping lower. Lauren moaned into Bo's mouth when two fingers effortlessly slipped inside her, orange pulses making the blonde tremble with pleasure and need, her eyes turning golden-red. The Succubus set a slow pace, thrusting deep into her lover and almost lifting Lauren off the floor each time.

To Bo it was clear now. Nobody had made her stay longer than one night, held her interest for longer than a few hours but Lauren was special and Bo doubted that she would ever tire of the beautiful blonde. Especially right now, their bodies heaving in a passionate embrace, the Phoenix' moans becoming more and more hoarse as she was pushed closer and closer to the edge. Ignoring the soreness of her muscles from last night Lauren rolled her hips to meet her lover thrust for thrust. Her walls were clenching deliciously around Bo's fingers, eyes fixed on the brunette's. With a last forceful jerk and a "Gods, Bo!" she surged forward, crashing their lips together again and even though the Succubus had probably fed more last night than ever before in one night, she couldn't resist and so she started pulling the Phoenix' burning life force out of her again. Like the Whiskey she had compared it to before, the chi made Bo's head swim deliciously as Lauren trembled and shook against her. Finally, they both slid down the glass wall to rest on the wooden floor, limbs tangled deliciously.

"Bo?" Lauren whispered.

"Yeah, babe?" The Succubus asked, her head resting on the blonde's shoulder.

"The windows are made of one-way-glass. Nobody could have seen what we were doing." A grin started to grace her features and it showed in her voice. Bo's head shot up to look into mischievously glinting eyes. "You're so going to pay for this." Was all the Succubus said before Lauren found herself back in bed at last with Bo pinning her down on the thin mattress.

They were too caught up in each other to hear Lauren's cell phone on the nightstand vibrate and bleep once, indicating a text message.

-x-

Charlotte smiled as she slowly walked to the library of the Leavold mansion, passing heavily decorated hallways and rooms. She had just come back from the Light Fae compound, half an hour early for her private lessons in the library. That was something new as Charlotte Leavold was usually constantly late for everything. It was the reason her mother always hovered near her whenever there was official business to attend. Elizabeth never grew tired of complaining about her youngest daughter but Charlie's father laughed it off every time. "If that's the only thing she complains about." He often said, placing his large hand on his daughter's shoulder. "Don't let her tell you that Lauren was any different. I wish you could have seen her when she was young, she was such a free spirit." It was moments like that when Charlie wondered what made her sister the person she was now.

Arriving at the library, she sat down in one of the plush chairs, crossing her legs and leaning her head back against the headrest. Soon, she was sinking back into her thoughts. It wasn't that Lauren was closed off, at least not with her. It was obvious that she loved her baby sister very much and they shared a special bond, but there were things that the oldest Leavold daughter told nobody, not even Charlie. Sometimes she hated that she was so much younger than her sister. Most of her friends had siblings as well, but they were one or two hundred years apart at the most. Lauren and Charlotte were separated by more than a millennium and that was more than Charlie could even wrap her head around. She couldn't imagine a life that long, filled with so many memories. When her parents told her that she couldn't keep seeing the human friends she had made in school because they would eventually notice that she wasn't aging like them she had been inconsolable for years. Eventually they had all died, Charlie watching only from afar, still looking like she was barely twenty. Lauren was the one to make her feel better back then, telling her in a quiet voice that she had once loved somebody dearly who also died way too soon. They had cried together that day and it had been the only time she had ever seen her older sister cry. At the time Charlie had thought they were feeling the same pain, but a while later when she asked her father about it he only shook his head, saying that it wasn't his story to tell but the look in his eyes spoke volumes. Whatever happened, it had broken Lauren and made her the person she was today. Still, Charlotte was closer to her than anyone else and sometimes when she laughed about something her little sister had done the young Phoenix thought that maybe that was a glimpse at the younger Lauren.

She had wanted to pay her sister a surprise visit at work today when she came from her weekly class that all the Elder children under 130 years attended. To her disappointment she had only met Lauren's assistant who was just talking to Dyson. The wolf shifter had greeted her friendly, informing her that her sister had the day off but since she practically never took days off she wasn't able to dodge the order like him. The two of them had a small laugh about the older Phoenix' workaholic side before Charlie said her goodbyes. On her way home she sent a text to Lauren, she didn't bother calling. If her sister was off work today she was probably sitting next to her phone anyway, staring at it and waiting for the Faepocalypse to happen on exactly that day when she wasn't on duty.

"Hey Laur, tried catching you at work but since you've obviously been grounded I'll come by later ;) Love, Char"

Charlotte was pulled from her daydreams by her private teacher entering the library and clearing his throat. She looked up at his slightly amused face but she could also see his surprise that she was already there. After years of teaching her he knew her habit of running into the library at least ten minutes late panting apologies.

"Well, Miss Leavold, since you are on time for the first time in ages why don't we start right now and maybe the extra time that you'll have at the end will help you show up on time for your next appointment." He didn't really smirk but his tone told Charlotte all she needed to know. Her teacher, a short and slender Ifrit, rarely showed a lot of emotion but it was his voice that usually gave him away and right now the young Phoenix could hear his smugness very clearly. Charlotte rolled her eyes good-naturedly, something both Leavold sisters had in common, but she still got out her book and notes on the old Fae language.

-x-

"I think I could get used to this" Bo murmured into Lauren's hair, nuzzling the blonde tresses lovingly and inhaling their addicting scent. They were lying in Lauren's bed, the sun now shining from a way higher angle but it still hit them directly, lighting up the bed like a stage and warming the two lovers. The blonde's body was curled into Bo's, her face pressed into the crook of her neck and one arm draped across the Succubus' stomach, fingers drawing mindless patterns. At Bo's words they stopped and Lauren lifted her head from its resting place to look into the brunette's eyes. "To what?"

"To you and me." Bo smiled, the arm she had wrapped around Lauren pulling the Phoenix a little closer to her, emphasizing her point further. "Like this." She placed a soft kiss on the blonde's lips, both of them smiling into it.

Lauren was more than aware that they were in a hormone-induced bubble right now. She wouldn't dare calling it a love bubble even if it sure felt like one. She knew that people tended to say things during and after great sex that they didn't mean, the hormones swimming in their system making them feel things they usually wouldn't. If the same could be said for Bo, the blonde wasn't sure. The brunette was a Succubus and it was usually their nature to hit and run so maybe the fact that she was still here made this special to her as well.

Lauren didn't notice that she got caught up in her head again until Bo nudged her softly. "Hey, did I say something wrong?" She questioned, her eyes the gentlest the blonde had ever seen them. Lauren shook her head. "No. I just tend to get lost in my head. I'm sorry."

Bo's smile was brilliant and infectious. "Don't be." A hand came up to caress the Phoenix' cheek. "Want to tell me what's going on in there?"

Lauren's features hardened a bit, her eyes wandering around the bed before they landed back on chocolate brown. "Bo... It's just that I'm still not sure about any of this. Not sure about you."

The brunette's face fell and Lauren hated being the cause of it even though she knew they still needed to talk. "If this is about that night, I meant what I said yesterday. I regret what happened that night more than you know."

"And I want to believe you but what tells me that it won't happen again? That the first time you come here and for whatever reason we don't end up in bed together another human won't die?" Lauren's voice was still soft, she wasn't trying to start a fight but they needed to talk about this. Her long lost passion had gotten the better of her last night, preventing her from saying all that she had wanted to.

The brunette grinned in her careless nature. "You're saying that we will end up in bed together again?"

"Bo." Lauren scolded softly and the Succubus sighed. She smiled sadly and shrugged as much as she could in her position. "There is nothing I can say that would change this, right? So the one thing I can ask is that you trust me on this. Let me prove to you that it won't happen."

Their lips met in another soft kiss before Lauren pulled back. "Bo this is nothing you can treat lightly. This isn't some childish bet. If you can't keep your promise it's not me who will get hurt and I never want to play with the lives of humans, the lives of anyone like that. I couldn't live with myself if I did." She explained, sitting up and looking back down at the still naked Succubus. The sight already stirred a barely quenched longing in her again but now was not the time. Bo sat up as well and leaned back against the headboard, opening her arms ever so slightly. Lauren smiled a small smile before she leaned back into the Succubus' warm embrace. It seemed she couldn't deny the beautiful brunette to herself.

They stayed like that for a while before the silence was broken. "I don't mean this in a degrading way but they are very important to you, aren't they? Humans I mean?" Bo's chin rested on her shoulder, warm eyes looking up into Lauren's. "Yes, of course they are. Because they are like us, creatures with wishes and dreams. We don't have the right to treat them the way we do." Her voice was full of passion and it surprised the Succubus in its intensity. She pulled the blonde tightly against herself, wrapping the black bed sheet around them both. One of her hands found Lauren's as if it had a will of its own, their fingers lacing together naturally.

"Tell me why you think that way." Bo said but it was more of a careful question that made Lauren chuckle. "There has to be a reason?"

"No." Bo hummed, placing a kiss on the blonde's shoulder. "But I get the feeling there is. Also, you are a member of one of the most powerful Light High Elder families. I wouldn't think that they second your opinion."

"And you would be right." Lauren sighed. "And until a few hundred years ago I wasn't much different."

"What happened?" Bo asked, genuinely interested. It surprised her that she had this beautiful naked woman in her arms yet all she could think about right now was learning more about her. It had never happened to her before but then again, she never lingered after she had gotten her fix but it wasn't about that anymore.

Lauren contemplated for a moment. She had never told anybody about this although many had asked, just like Bo did. But they hadn't asked like the Succubus, had they? They hadn't been in bed with her, hadn't looked at her with honest brown eyes that spoke not only of curiosity but of genuine interest. If she wanted Bo to understand why this was as important to her as it was, didn't she have a right to know? The brunette had been honest with her, at least that's what Lauren thought, so she should be honest in return. She took a deep breath to steady herself and began to talk.

"You know, fate sometimes has its way of forcing you to see things differently. I never was one of those Fae who killed for fun, plus I am an Elemental. I don't feed off humans, my energy source is the sun, any kind of fire or heat for that matter so I just never bothered with humans. Their lives were so short I didn't think that getting to know them better would do me much good. I lived in France at that time, serving in the Ash's personal guard, in fact I was their leader. Of course I also had a human occupation as a soldier in the royal army. It was quite the uproar to have a woman in their ranks." Lauren chuckled. "The fact that I could beat each and every one of them ten times over made it easier and harder at the same time. Looking back it probably also fueled my belief that Fae were better than humans, after all I only had a five hundred year practice advantage on them."

The irony in her voice was evident as she turned her head to look at Bo with a rueful smile before she continued. "It was required that every soldier, at least those of higher rank, had a painting done of them. So the day I was promoted I was sent to this little shop in the middle of an overflowing Paris. It was supposed to be an artist's studio but it was little better than the rest of the reeking city, small and crammed with color and paintings in every free space. Yet, it somehow exuded its very own charm. I waited there for a while until a door I hadn't even noticed was there opened, knocking over one of the half-finished paintings in the process. I had expected to see a skinny worn-out man but instead there stood this beautiful young woman with dark brown curls and almond-shaped eyes. She curtsied the best she could, I knew she was frightened and why wouldn't she be? We were so different. She was wearing old clothes that had probably been white at some point long ago while I stood there in my new uniform and one of the weapons you fought me with yesterday on my belt. The sword alone was probably worth more than the whole studio."

Bo smiled at that, finally knowing why Lauren was as good with the blade as she was. "I went to take her hand and kiss it, taking off my hat as I did so. I guess my long blonde hair made her notice that I was no ordinary soldier and she told me that she was only the daughter of the painter who usually did the portraits for the army but that he was sick. She offered to do it instead if I was okay with it and since I didn't care about the painting that much anyway I agreed.

Fate had it that our paths continued to cross and I soon found that I was falling in love with the young woman whose name was Nadia. At first I fought it, telling myself that I was being stupid but when I was promoted again and had to get another painting done I gave in to her. We were together for nearly forty years before she died." At the end Bo thought that Lauren looked like she would cry but she didn't.

"I'm sorry Lauren." Was all Bo could think of to say but she still felt stupid for doing so. What did you say in situations like that? Was there even a right thing to say? It made Lauren smile, though.

"Thank you but don't be. I knew what I was getting myself into and it was a long time ago." The blonde soothed her and Bo nodded, though not really convinced. "She must have been really good then? A good painter I mean?"

Lauren laughed, it was a sad sound but it still made her look even more beautiful with the sunlight reflecting off her face. "She was." At first Bo didn't know why the blonde lifted her gaze to the wall above her but when she followed suit she knew. She hadn't even noticed that above Lauren's bed hung one the most detailed paintings she had ever seen. It showed a soldier standing next to a black horse with a red and golden saddle. The soldier wore a deep blue coat with white lapels that ended just above the knee. Shimmering golden buttons in two broad rows had golden ornament cords attached to them, long legs clad in tight show-white pants ended in high black boots. A gun belt crossed the white vest, holding a heavily ornamented sheath with the familiar winged crossbar looking out of it and a heavy-looking pistol on the other side. The soldier Bo identified as Lauren stood straight, looking out from the painting, her face turned halfway to her horse, one hand on its neck while the other held a bearskin to her side. Her gaze was victorious, the corner of her mouth turned up just enough for it to look condescending. There was no doubt about it, this Nadia had been a brilliant painter. She hadn't only perfectly captured Lauren's features but also the aura of power that surrounded the blonde wherever she was.

"You look pretty arrogant in that picture but it could be the uniform." Bo grinned, turning her head back to Lauren who was still looking at her younger self.

"I was arrogant at that time. I thought I was invincible, that my life full of glory would never end and once I had Nadia I was convinced nothing could even harm me anymore." She looked back at Bo with a sad smile. "But like I said, that was a long time ago." She said it with such finality that the Succubus knew this was all she would be hearing for now. Still, Bo felt grateful that Lauren was willing to share these memories with her. "Thanks for telling me about Nadia. I think I understand you better now, although I've never lost someone I held dear."

Lauren relaxed visibly, snuggling back into the brunette before she said as if she was deep in thought "You should consider yourself lucky then."

Bo hummed in response but she wasn't sure if she really was. In the two and a half centuries she had been alive the only one remotely close who had died had been her uncle, her mother's brother. Well, half-brother but nobody knew that save for her grandparents, Trick and herself. Bo never really knew him since he was always on some mission for the Morrigan. One of those missions finally got him killed and a 67 year-old Bo had attended the funeral, watched as her mother and grandparents spilled obligatory tears while her father had stood next to her, a hand on her arm. They both didn't spill a tear for the man they barely knew. Later, back home, her father had come to her to tell her that he was proud of her in his usual dark and cryptic way. He had said that emotions were something that made you weak, that having unnecessary ties to people only served your enemies because they could easily be used to hurt you.

Bo had asked a childish question that evening, asking what her father would do if somebody tried to hurt her or her mother. He had smiled, his pearly white teeth showing and glinting in the fading light. "If somebody were to hurt you I would make sure that his unworthy presence is eradicated from the face of this earth." He had said it with a smile in his voice but Bo had no doubt that he would do so in the blink of an eye. From that day on the young Succubus had wondered what it was like to love somebody so much that you would kill for them. She never knew and that's why she didn't consider herself lucky now. There was no one she held dear enough, maybe Kenzi, but that was another kind of love.

Lauren startled her from her memories by saying "I think I'm going to make us a late breakfast. I'm starving."

"Great idea." Bo answered and gave Lauren one last kiss before the blonde untangled herself and stood from the bed. While, to Bo's disappointment, she put on some clothes she told the Succubus "If you want to shower before we eat I always have another towel in the bathroom."

Bo chuckled. "Sounds like you often have somebody over."

Lauren rolled her eyes at the brunette but chuckled with her. Without giving a real answer she walked over to the window front where Bo's blouse lay, picked up the wrinkled black material and put it back on. With one last smile she padded over to the stairs where she finally disappeared from Bo's view.

Sighing, the Succubus also stood from the bed and gathered her remaining clothes that lay scattered around the bed. She smiled as she looked at the ruffled sheets; one of the pillows was even on the floor next to the bed. Picking up the last of the missing items Bo made her way to the upstairs bathroom for a much needed shower.

-x-

Charlotte was sitting through dinner with her parents, the seat where Lauren usually sat was void like it had been for weeks. Her mother had insisted, like every evening since her oldest daughter left, that the table would be set for five and like every evening, the fifth spot remained empty. The Leavolds ate in silence, Charlotte had been careful but Elizabeth knew that her younger daughter would go see Lauren as soon as they were finished and it bothered her. It was not so much that Charlotte went to see her, it was more hat she herself couldn't go. Not like she hadn't contemplated it many times but the last time she had a major confrontation with Lauren it drove them apart for almost half a century. Elizabeth didn't want it to happen again.

When they were done eating Charlotte stood up quickly and walked down the hall to gather her things. She was surprised to find her mother standing right in front of her when she turned back around. "Charlotte, please tell Lauren that I still want her to come home and talk." She took a deep breath. "Also I'd like her to know that I miss her, your father as well." Charlie didn't think she heard right at first. Her mother seldom showed any sort of feelings if ever.

"Mom I.."

"I'm not stupid. I know where you're going so just pass it on to her." Elizabeth's voice sounded a bit defeated and so Charlotte just nodded before she walked past her and towards Derrick who, as always, opened the door for her with a genuine smile and a "Have a nice evening, young Miss Leavold."

-x-

"That was Kenzi." Bo informed Lauren when she joined her on the ground floor again, her phone still in hand. "She wants me to come home." The Succubus chuckled but her face betrayed a hint of sadness. Lauren smiled. "That almost sounds like she's your mother." The comment made Bo laugh as she pulled the Phoenix into a loose embrace. "She always says she is. I have no clue where she got that idea from."

"Well" Lauren's voice was playful. "Then you shouldn't keep mom waiting, should you?" Immediately, Bo picked up the mood and responded "I'm sure she won't mind if I stay a few hours more." She leant in close and placed a small kiss on the blonde's jaw, finding warm honey brown eyes directed at her again. Lauren raised a hand to cup her cheek before she softly said "Bo, if you stay a few hours you'll stay a few more, you'll stay the night and I need to go to work tomorrow." The obvious sadness in the Succubus' eyes almost made Lauren reconsider but she reminded herself of how much out of character she was already acting. Bo seemed to sense that the Phoenix' decision was final and nodded once, untangling herself but found herself stopped by a hand holding hers. "Don't be like that. We're still on for the weekend you know? Saturday evening? It's not off the table just because you came here yesterday." Bo's smile was brighter than the sun when she looked back. "Of course." She said, her voice now full of joy again. Squeezing Lauren's hand she went to collect her leather jacket and boots while the Phoenix thought about how easy it was to make this beautiful woman happy. As they spent the day together she learned even more that Bo was a person led almost exclusively by her emotions. It put a lot into perspective but it didn't forgive anything of course. She found herself wondering if these emotions were a good or bad thing, deciding that for now they were neither and both at the same time. Right now she was happy to just stare at Bo and smile as she fiddled with the zipper of her jacket, giving up eventually with a frustrated groan.

Over at the door they looked at each other for a few moments before they moved to connect their lips in a loving and passionate but slow kiss. Reluctantly they broke apart and it was Bo who broke the silence saying "I guess I'll see you Saturday, then." Lauren nodded and, opening the door, she leaned into the Succubus for one last kiss. Bo's grin was wide, her dimple in full effect as she gave a small wave and made her way down the small flight of stairs that would lead her to the elevator.

Lauren closed the door, leaning back against the cool wooden surface. There were so many things to think about, most of all why on earth it had felt so right to fall into a happy couple routine today with Bo. She was still Dark Fae, still a McCorrigan, still a Succubus, had still killed and attacked two humans in a childish fit, oh let's not forget Dyson still thinks he mated with her. This is wrong in every way but the one that matters. The memory of Bo's voice was in her head almost instantly and the problem was, the Succubus was right. Lauren groaned, letting her head fall back and closing her eyes. She needed to think.

-x-

The elevator doors had just slid closed behind Charlotte on the top floor, the elevator rattling off to another floor when she heard the sound of a door opening. At first she was confused but then she heard the sound of heals clicking before they stopped. Then there was a small pause and a sound as if from a kiss. If the situation didn't have Charlotte's undivided attention until then it certainly had now. She knew she had to get away from where she was or she would walk straight into whomever had been visiting her sister. In her panic the glass door with the stairway down came to her aid. Nobody ever used it, it was just there because of emergency reasons and so she opened and closed the door as quietly as she could and leaned against the wall out of sight. Not a second too early, she realized as she heard heels clicking once again, this time coming down the small flight of stairs leading to Lauren's apartment. Charlotte saw a shadow pass by the glass door next to her and only when it stopped a few feet away probably waiting for the elevator doors to open did the young Phoenix dare to look around the corner for the shortest of moments. She pressed back into her hiding spot immediately. She had only caught a glimpse but it had been enough. Lauren had lied to their mother, lied to Charlotte herself and it stung her but there was one thing that made her at least understand it somewhat. If this was something more than a fling, something worth hiding for Lauren, it was serious. Charlotte Leavold was young but she knew the rules. Relationships between the sides were forbidden, especially between the Elder families and with very few exceptions everybody abided by those rules. After all, if proven guilty, it was punishable by death.

Chapter 15: Very real very fast

Bo shut off the engine of her Camaro, the smile that had been on her lips from the moment she left Lauren's apartment still firmly in place. It had never wavered the whole time she was on her way home, not when nearly every green light there was on the way decided it would jump back to red just as Bo was approaching, not when she was so lost in memories of Lauren that she missed it when one of them turned green again and the people behind her honked angrily. The Succubus had just smiled on as she was now, opening the door and inhaling the cold night's air. Bo locked the car but instead of going in immediately she leaned back against its side, tilting her head back so that she was looking up at the sky. There were no clouds to be seen and so, apart from the flickering street light some thirty feet away, only the stars and the half moon illuminated the Shack's driveway. Those far away lights were the only things that watched as Bo breathed deeply and reverted back into her memories, releasing small white clouds of breath from time to time. Her time with Lauren had been perfect, they had eaten breakfast together and Bo once again realized what a great cook the Phoenix was. Their conversation flowed easily, never venturing back to the heavier topics from before. Bo had helped cleaning up afterwards but what started as innocent banter between the two of them soon evolved into Lauren giving in to the Succubus' advances with an eye-roll and a wicked smile, leaving the dishes to be finished later. Starting on the kitchen counter they moved through the wide open space of the apartment, finally ending up on the couch in a tangled mess. After, when they were cuddling Bo had actually purred into Lauren's neck contentedly, effectively making the Phoenix laugh and tease her about it. Bo had just taken it with a playful but forceful bite to the blonde's collarbone but it was essentially true. She still felt it. Lauren's chi still hadn't lost its incredible power, vibrating through every cell of the Succubus' body and making her feel like she could lift a mountain. It seemed to shield her against the cold as well. Her bare hands on the side of her car were still warm, she didn't even really feel the coldness of the metal beneath them. A black cat suddenly running past her and disappearing through a crack in the wall of the next building ripped Bo from her musings. She pushed off the car and with one last glance at the night sky made her way to the front door.

Kenzi was lounging on the couch, her feet dangling over the edge wearing not one of her many expensive pairs of boots but rather a pair of comfortable plushy socks with skulls on them. She had stopped playing video games after Bo had finally answered her phone and told her that she was alright. Kenzi had texted her a few times, asking where she was since the Succubus usually let her know when she went out, not only because they almost always went to parties together but because they were like sisters. So when Bo hadn't called or texted last night the small Djinn got worried, especially since the last time she saw her best friend had been when Bo told her she was going to see the Morrigan. The Succubus had finally picked up her phone this afternoon, making Kenzi sigh a breath of relief. Still, she hadn't told her where she was, stating she would explain later. It didn't sound like she was in trouble though and for that Kenzi was grateful. Bo had sounded happy and in the young Succubus' terms happy usually meant full and well satisfied after a night of feeding. It left the Djinn wondering though. Normally, Bo would have taken her with her when she went out unless this was something the Morrigan initiated. The image of her best friend in bed with their leader made her cringe but she immediately shook it off again. Bo wouldn't. Even if Evony was powerful, making her chi very potent as the Succubus had once explained to the Djinn. Even the Morrigan herself couldn't persuade Bo into sleeping with her if she didn't want to and from what Kenzi had gathered over the years her best friend was definitely not interested. The Djinn kicked back one of the shots standing on the small table in front of the couch to rid her of the image completely when she heard the roar of an engine in the driveway, making her smile to herself. There was no engine that sounded like the old yellow Camaro's. Even when Bo had 'her baby' redone after it finally gave up on them a few years back she had paid unorthodox sums and seduced way too many people to get it done just the way she wanted it. The very specific roar of its engine had been one of the things most important to her so the 'beast' sounded like it always had. Kenzi sat up on the couch as the engine was cut off and turned to face her best friend when she heard her key in the door a little while after.

She had expected a happy Succubus but what she hadn't been prepared for were the beaming grin on Bo's face and the almost-skip in her step as she burst through the door. "Hey Kenz!" She exclaimed as she made her way over and practically jumped onto the couch next to the Djinn who raised a suspicious eyebrow. "Hey Bo-Bo, the Morrigan was good I take it?" Just because it was a repulsive image didn't mean she couldn't use it to tease her friend Kenzi reasoned with the side of her brain who was still trying to forget she ever thought about that scenario. The question did the job though, popping Bo's happy-bubble, the Succubus' brow furrowing as she tried to figure out what the question meant. When she did her eyes went wide and she quickly blurted out "No no no no!" Before she got any further Kenzi started to laugh at Bo's shocked face, making Bo realize that she was being made fun of.

"Sorry couldn't resist." The Djinn winked before she scooted over, laying her head on the other brunette's shoulder and looking up at her expectantly. "So what's really up, Succubut? Just like that, Bo's huge smile returned. "I told you I was going to see the Morrigan, right?" She began and Kenzi nodded before perking up "Don't tell me that was a code for something, 'cause it would totally ruin my rep if I didn't get that."

The Succubus chuckled. "No, noob. And stop interrupting if you want to know what happened." She shot her best friend a fake-annoyed glance, making the Djinn throw up her hands in resignation and put on her best you-have-my-undivided-attention-look. "So I went to see what the Morrigan wanted, turned out the Ash had a problem with what happened that night. I walked in on the two of them having a chat about it." The way she said it made it clear which night she was talking about. Kenzi's brow furrowed in slight confusion as she was suddenly serious again. "Dude, what does the Ash-hole have to do with this? I mean yeah, it wasn't the best night of our lives but I called the clean-up crew. That's what they're there for. Things like this happen like every other day and his smugness can't tell me it isn't like that on the Light side of life."

Bo sighed. "I know and the woman wasn't the problem. I.." she hesitated before she took a deep breath and continued "I may have drained another human on my way here, the cab driver that was supposed to take me here to be exact. I thought he was dead but apparently he wasn't so he ended up being found by the Light, barely alive and in a coma."

As soon as Bo ended the silence that came over the two women was deafening. Kenzi looked at her best friend with her mouth hanging slightly open, trying to comprehend what she had just been told. "You should have told me." She finally said but it was void of any judgment. Bo nodded slowly. "I know. I don't even remember that night fully, I was just.." She was stopped by a hand on her shoulder. Kenzi had a very good idea about what had triggered Bo's reaction. "I know, Bo-Bo. Now, are you going to be expelled from school or what?" She winked and it made the Succubus give her a small smile of relief. "No." Her smile turned into a chuckle. "Evony went all that's-none-of-your-business on him, which it essentially isn't and he waltzed off pissed as hell." Kenzi nodded. "Yup that sounds like our bitch on wheels. I think she's right, though. But what I still don't get it how does all of this make you so happy you look like you're about to spit rainbows?" Again, as soon as Bo was brought back on topic she started glowing and by now it was really starting to weird Kenzi out.

"Well, somebody had to explain all the medical details in order for the Ash to make his point so he brought his chief of medical department with him." Bo smirked and that's when it dawned on the Djinn. She rolled her eyes dramatically. "So you got to see Dr. Hotpants again. That woman really must be something for you to be this happy just from seeing her again." Bo's grin just got bigger as she shook her head slightly. "No, not just that." She sighed happily, "I may have given her a ride home, had dinner with her and stayed the night?" The Succubus was by now grinning like a Cheshire cat and Kenzi's jaw all but hit the floor before she flung herself at her best friend, squeezing her tightly. "Finally Bo!" She rocked back and forth with a startled Bo still in her grasp. "You know what this means right?" She paused for effect before she rambled on. "You have your record back! You're officially irresistible again! We need to go out and party, find ourselves something hot and sexy to celebrate with!" She was up in the air before Bo even knew she had been released from the bone-crushing hug. The lights started to flicker as the Djinn happy-danced in mid-air, announcing again in her best game show voice that Bo was now back to her perfect record. The Succubus laughed at her crazy best friend's antics but she didn't think that she really got why Bo was so happy. When Kenzi finally stopped giving every light bulb in the room a run for its money and started to race towards the stairs to get changed Bo stopped her. "I'm going to come with you but maybe I'll be your wingman for once tonight." She smiled and added sheepishly "I'm really full." Kenzi's jaw hit the floor for what felt like the hundredth time in the last half hour. "Damn, what did that woman do to you? I never heard you say things like that before." Bo smiled again. "I know. She's so amazing, her chi.. God she just tastes so good and I still feel the warmth of it inside of me." Kenzi cringed but smiled. "Bo-Bo when I say I want the deets I don't mean that kind but still, what do you mean, the warmth?"

"Her chi Kenz, it's hot like fire because she's a Phoenix." Bo had actually asked Lauren about that fact at some point during the day and the blonde had found it incredibly intriguing, stating that it could very well be because of her fire nature. She said she would need to run tests to know for sure though and so Bo made certain she did her tests, over and over again. "I can still feel it and it's really powerful. So yeah, I'm full. I feel like after the greatest meal ever where you don't want to drink anything because you don't want to lose the taste. By the way, I'm going back on Saturday." She grinned and Kenzi shook her head with an equally big grin on her face. "I didn't think I would ever say that but that woman really has you whipped, doesn't she?" Bo just shrugged and so the Djinn decided to leave it there. She turned and, raising a finger to point upstairs, stated "Well, get changed Bo-Bo, you have wingman duties to fulfill. Mama wants to party!" The Succubus laughed in response and followed her best friend up the stairs.

Much later, when Bo was lying in her bed she tried to relax but sleep wouldn't find her easily. As if it wasn't enough that she could definitely hear Kenzi had made the right choice when she picked her 'fun' for the night she could also feel the pheromones in the air, drifting down from Kenzi's room. It made her eyes flicker blue briefly and her Succubus quietly nudged her to go upstairs and join them but Bo pushed the feeling back the second it came over her. This was Kenzi for god's sake. Normally Bo always had a feed with her when Kenzi decided she was going to have some fun as well so it was never a problem but now all she could do was press a second pillow over her ears and try to calm down. She thought of Lauren but it really didn't help her cause at all. It made it sufficiently worse though so it was only when things finally quieted down upstairs that Bo fell asleep with a small ironic smile on her face. Usually, things were the other way around with her and the Djinn and maybe, just maybe she would from now on have a little more respect for what Kenzi called her 'beauty sleep'.

-x-

Dyson and Tamsin were sitting across from each other in their basically deserted office. It was late in the evening and they were the last ones still there as all their human colleagues had already left. Even Hale had left about an hour or so ago, stating that he would go to the Dal and see if he could snag a few free drinks from Trick. He had asked them to join him but they refused, reasoning that they still had work to do. The Siren has shrugged but left quickly when he saw that there was no changing their minds. It was true after all, they really had work to do. Much to their dismay the chief had asked them to take over a case from two other detectives who couldn't get anywhere with it. Problem was, it was a human case and while it was not their usual field of expertise they had no choice but to comply. After all, they were the best detectives in the division. It was a serial killer case and both Fae had quickly come to the conclusion that the killer was somebody who definitely knew what he was doing. The crime scenes were clean, no trace of the killer anywhere and it bothered them both immensely.

After staring at the files for another half hour Tamsin finally groaned and threw the file she was currently reading back onto the table. "Nothing. I can't find a thing that sticks. The crime scenes always look the same, yes, and that means absolutely no clue whatsoever anywhere to be found. This reeks Fae but we were there and you said you couldn't sniff out anything so right now we've got squat. I say we leave this until tomorrow and go get hammered." She crossed her arms, her face saying that she was very convinced of the point she was making. Dyson looked up at her and sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "You're probably right. We're not getting anywhere here. Still, I would appreciate it if we could go someplace Light this time for drinks."

"Aw come on, what happened to the big bad wolf? You know I don't do Light bars, they are boring as hell." Tamsin stood, looking down at Dyson with a displeased face. "Yeah, but I don't want to run into Bo again. It was bad enough last time I saw her." He stated and Tamsin threw her arms in the air. "You have got to be kidding me! Again, with the pity-parade? What are you, a scared little puppy? I've had enough with this Bo bullshit. Man up already or she'll probably make even more fun of you the next time she sees you." The Valkyrie wasn't lying, she was fed up with Dyson's constant whining. She had to sit through him telling her all about seeing Bo at the Dark compound and about her driving off with Lauren of all people. Now that was a part that had interested her but she hadn't let anything on of course. She wanted to know if there was a connection here to Bo's terrible mood a few weeks back because when they met up the last time for their workout the Succubus had been awfully chipper again. Suddenly, the Valkyrie had an idea. "You know, if I can get you whiny puppy off my ass with it I could see what I can find out about this Lauren thing from Bo." Dyson perked up immediately and Tamsin mentally patted herself on the back. She knew he would. "You'd do that? I mean I'd ask Laur myself but.." Tamsin sighed. "Yeah, I know. You're not wolf enough to do that. So yes, I'll do it but I want a promise that once I find out what's going on here there will be no more whining. Why don't we go find you something nice to snack on tonight, huh? Even if it's in a shitty Light bar. Ugh, why did they have to allow everybody to cross territory whenever they want to? I wouldn't have to deal with this if I still had to stay on the Dark side of town." Tamsin looked at Dyson expectantly and when she saw him grin she knew she had won. "Deal." He slapped her on the shoulder in a way that wouldn't fit his new whiny image at all. "Let's go. And Tamsin, by the way, I think I could get used to you." Tamsin shot him a crooked grin. "Yeah, right. Keep telling yourself that, puppy. Now shut up and let's get tanked." She pushed him out of the office and as she turned off the light she thought about how all of this could get really interesting for her really soon.

-x-

Lauren smiled when she found the abandoned tea cup on the banister upstairs. She hadn't even realized she had left it there but then again, there had been a lot of things she hadn't paid any attention to as Bo touched her. Grabbing the mug to bring it back downstairs and wash it with the rest of the dishes from their meal, her mind wandered back to the memory of the Succubus' hands on her, her lips on every inch of her skin, her teeth as they sometimes bit down with force only to nip that much softer at others. She shuddered as she walked down the spiral staircase, the hand not holding the mug coming up to touch her left collarbone near the shoulder where Bo had left the most prominent reminder of their night together. Not that Lauren needed it. She was deliciously sore all over and now that the Succubus had left she felt the loss of energy that came with Bo feeding from her so thoroughly. It was a feeling she had never encountered before, like drowning but flying at the same time. Pure ecstasy shooting through her every vein as she stared into those haunting blue eyes. It wasn't all about that, though, she reminded herself when she arrived in the kitchen and started to absentmindedly place plates into the dishwasher. No, if it had been all about the sex she could have just given into Bo the first time, let the Succubus ravish her all night and be done with it. This was something else entirely. She felt it in the way Bo held her close as she brought her back from the stars only to take her there again, slow and loving this time, no biting and no nails digging into her thighs. It was in the way the brunette looked at her, whispering how beautiful she was into her ear. She did it when they were in bed, yes, but she had also done it when she came out of the shower the next morning, clad in only a towel. When she reached Lauren in the kitchen preparing the promised late breakfast, she kissed her on the cheek from behind, murmuring those few words once again. It had made Lauren's heart beat faster, a fact that she tried to deny to herself once Bo left, blocking out what the Succubus made her feel. Lauren knew what it was and she knew she couldn't. She stopped her hands that still held a wine glass and leaned on the counter in front of her. She couldn't fall for Bo. Dark Fae, Succubus, McCorrigan, maybe-killer, feeling like betraying Dyson, the Phoenix started to go through her list again why she couldn't, or rather why she shouldn't. It helped until there was a small voice in the back of her head. You've already fallen for her. She squeezed the stem of the glass harder. Even if Bo was going to come back this weekend, even if it had looked like this was more for her than another fling, who said that was the truth? Maybe she just liked what she had and would come back for more of the same. The thought made her heart clench as well as her stomach but in an entirely different way. She set the wine glass on the counter, ignoring the fact that it was now slightly deformed from the heat she had unconsciously produced. The Phoenix pushed herself back off of it. "Get a grip Lauren." She told herself.

"I'd like that." A voice from behind her said, effectively startling Lauren enough for her to turn around to the intruder with bright golden-red eyes. She recognized her sister immediately, her pose relaxing slightly, eyes becoming darker again but the golden hue wouldn't quite leave them. "Slow down, it's only me." Charlotte said smiling but it didn't really reach her eyes like it usually did. Lauren ran a hand though her hair, trying to regain some of her composure. "I'm sorry, Charlie. I'm just a little tense today." It was a lame excuse but it was the best the older Phoenix could come up with right now. Charlotte discarded her black coat, putting it right where Bo's leather jacket had been only half an hour ago. "I bet." She said in a strange voice that made Lauren's brow furrow. "Nice blouse by the way." She added offhandedly making her older sister look down at herself. Lauren closed her eyes briefly. She hadn't noticed she was still wearing the Succubus' black blouse. "No, keep it for now. It looks so damn sexy on you." Just the memory of Bo's husky voice as they were getting dressed after what was their final round on the couch made her heartbeat quicken again. She pushed the feeling down with force, willing herself to be calm as she looked back up at her younger sister who was watching her intently. "Thanks." Lauren said flatly, running her hands over the still obviously ruffled garment. Charlotte nodded once and looked around the apartment, taking in its so un-Lauren like appearance right now. The amount of dishes that seemed way too much of just one person, Lauren's two Rapiers leaning against the wall a few feet away from the door, the slim vase on the small kitchen table with a single red rose in it and finally the way her older sister seemed so utterly out of it and shaken in the black blouse that was obviously cut to fit someone with way more generous curves than Lauren. Namely Ysabeau McCorrigan. The garment hung slightly off the blonde's shoulder because she had neglected to button it up all the way, exposing about half of what Charlotte was sure was the darkest and largest love bite she had ever seen.

"She sure knows how to impress her girl." It came out a lot sharper and more bitter than Charlotte had intended. Lauren looked at her like a deer in the headlights. "Excuse me?" She asked, praying to every deity she could come up with that her little sister hadn't seen Bo anywhere near her apartment but she just got a humorless chuckle in response. "You know this place reeks of sex, right?" The shocked expression on her sister's face told her that she didn't. "Well, now you do. Oh and by the way, you might wanna button up her blouse. Seriously, that thing on your collarbone's got to hurt." Lauren's face turned from shocked to mortified as she quickly buttoned the blouse.

"Charlie, I.." The younger Phoenix held up a hand, effectively silencing her sister. She looked at her legs crossed in front of her when she finally broke the silence she had created. "You know Lauren, I can deal with you leaving me out of the loop on basically everything in your life. I know you don't like to talk about your past, ok, I won't ask as much as I really want to know and understand you better. It's hard being like a tenth of your age, not even that. The things I learnt in history class? You were there, you lived through them and yet you only tell me what you have to about your life. A life so long I can't even really comprehend. Still, I thought I was special. I thought I knew more than anyone, save our family but then this Succubus comes along and guess she must've really swept you off your feet. She even brings you flowers. A Succubus of all people!" She finally looked up with a pained smile on her face and gestured towards the rose in its vase. "I texted you that I was coming but you're so caught up in her that you don't even hear your phone anymore. You even wear her clothes and all it took was like what, three weeks? Tell me Lauren, how much does Ysabeau know about her new girlfriend?" She ended, her gaze locked on her sister's. At first it seemed like Charlotte had succeeded to crack Lauren's shell, that the stoic blonde would crumble, but just like that the moment passed, the older Phoenix' face hardened and her back straightened, the crack Charlotte's words left in her golden armor sealing shut like nothing had happened. "Bo's not my girlfriend." She told her sister in an even and collected but not unfriendly voice.

"Bo? That's cute." Charlotte stood, facing her older sister just as stoic, crossing her arms in front of herself. Two could play this game she figured. "You know how I asked you about her last time I was here? You said there was nothing going on and now I walk in on you cleaning up an apartment that smells and looks like the two of you fucked all night and day." Her voice was bitter again as she spat the words at Lauren.

"I didn't tell you when you asked because there was nothing to tell back then." Lauren replied flatly, purposefully ignoring the fact that their sister was obviously desperate to start a fight that could end badly for both of them for multiple reasons. "Really? Well, then please, enlighten me. What's going on now?" Charlotte was growing angrier by the second and from what she had heard Lauren figured a lot of it was jealousy. She didn't blame her sister, she knew she had been unfair not telling her about her past when she asked but Lauren just didn't talk about what happened back then and she hadn't for a long time. Except she did, she had told Bo about Nadia just earlier this day. Maybe it was time to stop pining over the past and stop trying to shut it out.

"I honestly don't know. This was the first time she stayed the night and I didn't even plan for that to happen." Lauren knew that it didn't make any sense right now to try and downplay anything so she just tried to calm her sister down before she lost her in this. She could already see the golden color mixing into Charlotte's eyes. "Why couldn't you just tell me, just this once?" Her younger sister pleaded and now there was something else entirely showing on her face. Something that should never be there because of Lauren, something that the older Phoenix had sworn the day Charlotte was born to never let happen. Her younger sister was crying, or very close to it. It was angry and Lauren could tell that she was fighting it but she was losing miserably as the streaks started running down her round face.

"Charlie, don't." Lauren's voice was soft, almost pleading as she walked over and to her surprise her sister just fell right into her arms, clinging to her as if her life depended on it. "You know why I can't tell you something like this." She was squeezed even tighter as Charlie nodded slowly. Her voice was muffled by the tight embrace and the tears still pouring from her eyes when she finally answered. "I won't tell anyone, you know. I couldn't. You're still my sister." There was a pause before she continued even lower than before. "I will end her though, if she hurts you." The last part was barely audible but when Lauren heard it she laughed and it was like a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders. Charlie finally looked up from her place on Lauren's shoulder with a small smile on her face, tears starting to subside. Something caught her attention and when she pushed Lauren's blouse to the side a bit Lauren wondered briefly what she was doing but then she saw it, too. The love-bite was gone, the skin still a little red where it had been. "I healed you." With a certain amount of wonder in her voice Charlotte stated the obvious and it was true. Lauren felt like all her energy had been restored and the soreness was completely gone as well. "Your tears did." She told her little sister before she softly added. "I'm sorry." She raised a hand to wipe the last tears from her sister's cheeks, making Charlotte smile ever so slightly and in that moment Lauren made a decision. She untangled herself but held onto her sister's hand as she pulled her with her towards the stairs. "Come, I want to show you something that somebody who once was everything I lived for made." When she turned her head to look back Charlotte's smile was bigger than she had ever seen it.

Chapter 16: Changing Positions

The brunette jumped back as she dodged a heavy blow of the blonde's right fist. Another punch directed at her face she caught with her own right hand, palm open, muscles straining and twitching as she slowly got the upper hand and pushed the other woman's fist back. Her opponent used the moment where they both could only use one hand and swung another hook towards Bo but the Succubus saw it coming, ducking away under the blow, throwing her opponent off balance when her hand hit thin air instead of the desired target. Bo snatched her chance and with a swing of her leg she pulled the blonde's feet out from under her, making her hit the ground hard, face first. In the blink of an eye the Succubus got on top of her, pressing the hand she still held in her own onto her enemy's back, her other palm coming up to press onto the woman's shoulder blades, holding her down. Bo was panting heavily as was her blonde opponent who struggled for a bit before she realized that it was no use. She growled in protest while the Succubus smirked. "You lose, Tammy."

The Valkyrie just huffed in response before she started pushing against her captor again, trying to break free from Bo's vice grip but like before, her strength wasn't enough to push the Succubus off of her, the brunette's position was too good. Bo laughed at Tamsin's many tries to break free but although the Valkyrie was very strong she easily held her down because she had the better angle. She let the blonde struggle for a while before she grew tired of it and announced "Admit it, you lost and there is no way you are getting out of this without saying it." She was rewarded with another attempt to get her off Tamsin's back, this time with a lot more power behind it but Bo held on. She had known that this would come. Before training they usually agreed to not use their powers, especially because it would be really unfair considering Tamsin got a lot stronger as soon as she used her Valkyrie powers. In situations like these though, they sometimes tended to forget and so, when another violent buck almost threw Bo off balance and made her relinquish her hold she responded in kind by sending a strong pulse into the blonde beneath her. Normally, such an action pulled a moan or a sigh from the person on the receiving end but Tamsin made a noise that sounded almost like a grunt. Nevertheless, the pulse fulfilled its cause and the Valkyrie stopped fighting, panting heavily. Bo pushed the hand she still held higher on Tamsin's back, making the hold painful for the blonde. She growled but didn't give in. "Say it, Tammy." The Succubus demanded, pressing even harder.

The Valkyrie was quiet for quite some time before she grumbled "Fine. You win, Succubitch." It wasn't very loud but Bo let it be. Getting Tamsin to even say these few words was a huge accomplishment on its own and she didn't need to push it. Not that she didn't want to. The blonde would just wait for the perfect moment to take revenge and the Succubus didn't need an angry Valkyrie on her hands. So she released her and stood up, taking a few steps back immediately, ready for an attack that didn't come. Tamsin pushed herself off the gym floor, dusting herself off before she stretched her arms in front of her, joints popping. "As much as I hate to admit it, that was a good fight." She told Bo "Means were even now, huh?" The Succubus nodded with a small smile playing around her mouth. It was true. They had fought twice today, the first time Tamsin had won, pressing the brunette's face up against a wall and holding her arms like Bo had just done to her. It was an outcome they could both live with in the end since they were both terribly competitive. That was what made them such good training partners.

"Well, I need to get to the cop shop soon, puppy dog and I are on this new case and it's a real joy." Tamsin said, sighing in the end to show how much fun she was actually having there. Bo chuckled. "You should clean up first. You look like shit, Tammy." They we're slowly making their way over to the locker rooms, realizing that it was already getting dark outside. They had lost track of time and were now the last two people in the gym but they didn't care. Both women liked being alone from time to time, the blonde even more so. She laughed loudly at the Succubus' comment. "Well, we can't all have sexual healing. I got you good a few times, too and still you look only half as bad as I probably do. Care to share about that?"

"About what?" Bo asked as they rounded the corner of a small corridor and walked through the door to the locker rooms.

"About your new super fuel. Hale saw you at the Dal yesterday but you didn't take anyone home with you. At first I laughed and told him that he must've seen the wrong Succubus, but he said you had Kenz with you and that you stayed a bit even after she went home with her pick of the night." Tamsin paused for effect and to discard her sweat and blood-soaked white top before she continued. "Not your typical style huh?"

Bo eyed her suspiciously while she, too removed her top and went on the search for the other one in her duffle bag. "What's it to you when I choose to feed?"

"Nothing." the blonde shrugged. "Just that you normally have a new thing to snack on every single day or so. Losing your touch?" Her tone was mocking but Bo still didn't quite buy it.

"Well I found a sufficient food source the night before." The Succubus answered nonchalantly.

"Must've been a good one." Tamsin shrugged, making Bo laugh as she put on her tight leather pants. "Is the big bad Valkyrie jealous? You know I still have a few cuts…" She started, wiggling her eyebrows but the blonde immediately held up her hands, laughing as well. "Woah, slow down there, Succuwhore. I don't even want to know where your mouth has been." Bo started laughing fully this time, joining the Valkyrie in a ridiculous sort of inside joke. Once the brunette had calmed down enough she stated more seriously "I'm just wondering why you're suddenly so interested in this."

Tamsin shrugged again before answering with a grin. "You didn't feed last night yet you still heal a lot better than I do now. You know how I hate secrets."

Bo let out an internal sigh. Finally, an explanation that made sense. Of course she hadn't shown it but she had thought about Lauren for a short second, wondering if Tamsin was actually digging for info. The Succubus told herself she was being paranoid. How would the Valkyrie have even so much as a hint that there was something going on between her and the Phoenix? No, Tamsin was just being her usual self and true to her motto 'knowledge is power' she wanted to know whatever she could. Bo was just reading too much into it.

"Well, like I said, I found a great food source the day before." Bo smirked and Tamsin raised an eyebrow as they gathered the rest of their things and started to make their way out of the gym. "That's all you're gonna get Tamsin." She added and the blonde shot her a fake-annoyed glance but let it go. It soothed the Succubus' worries as she parted ways with Tamsin after a brief goodbye and went to her car. The blonde hadn't pushed and she had asked things like this before, many times actually. She always said she liked to have as much information as possible. She was right, information was power after all and Bo agreed, which was why she hadn't told her more than she did just now. Tamsin was obviously not thinking about anything in particular when she asked and the Succubus intended to keep it that way.

Before Bo drove off she checked her appearance in the mirror and came to the bitter conclusion that while she did look better than Tamsin had she didn't look presentable in any way and she still had a day to go until she was going to see Lauren again. This wouldn't do, she realized. Lauren's chi had been extremely powerful but its effects were wearing off and so Bo knew she would have to refuel before she went to see the Phoenix again. She sighed but with a small smile on her face. Time to go home and tell Kenzi about that plan.

-x-

Lauren was engrossed in a report from one of her assistants on a very rare and dangerous species of Underfae. They had been lucky enough to capture the last one they encountered and now Lauren and her team were trying to find out as much as possible about the creature. Unfortunately, her position as head of the medical department kept the Phoenix busy almost all the time, forcing her to leave the research to her team. She only got the reports and she read them whenever she found a few spare minutes which wasn't often at all. She just didn't have any time. Yes, Lauren would have the weekend off again but that was for another reason entirely. Maybe she would get some more reading done before Bo showed up but she highly doubted it. Just the thought of having the brunette near her again made every hair on her body stand straight up, a trail of goose bumps rising on her arms when she inevitably remembered the Succubus' touch. She wouldn't be able to concentrate like that. Lauren closed her eyes, trying helplessly to shield herself from the mental image. A knock on the door startled her from her deep thoughts. Trying to collect herself she took a deep breath before she called out "Come in." Her gaze settled on the carving on the back of the door, waiting for it to open. When it finally did it revealed Dyson in his usual 'detective outfit': simple jeans and a shirt with a black vest over it. His hair was as unruly as ever and Lauren thought that maybe he should cut it again soon as one curly blonde lock threatened to fall into his eyes. He smiled widely at her but the blonde could see the tiredness behind it. "Doctor." He greeted her, nodding his head and making Lauren smirk. "Detective." She answered, gesturing towards the chair across from where she herself was sitting. He gladly sat down and exhaled before his smile widened and he chuckled. "Laur. Long time no see."

The blonde playfully rolled her eyes in response. "You saw me a few days ago, Dyson. The day before I was forced to stay at home while I heard all about you dodging those orders." Her eyes twinkled mischievously and Dyson at least had the decency to look a little guilty when he shrugged. "Well, not everybody is a workaholic like the good doctor." He told her. "Some of us even stay home on weekends, imagine that." He wiggled his eyebrows and Lauren shook her head at his antics.

"Thanks for reminding me that I have been forced to do so for the past few weeks." She answered, making the Wolf perk up. "Something planned for this one?" He asked and Lauren knew that if she answered no she would be hauled off for a night at the Dal. She really didn't need that when Bo was supposed to show up on her doorstep tomorrow. The blonde sighed. "I was thinking of visiting the Mansion again for a change since I really should sometime soon. Might as well do it now." That wasn't a lie, she was planning to do that as well.

He leaned his head to the side. "Oh, are we in the middle of another human rights discussion?" His voice was somewhat playful but it had a serious undertone. He had seen this a lot of times. Whenever Lauren and her parents, especially her mother, would get into another major argument about the same thing again the Phoenix resorted to staying at her city apartment for a while. She didn't do it because of weakness though, he came to realize over time. No, Lauren just liked some time to let things cool off before she went back and faced the problems again.

"Don't even get me started." the blonde said, effectively dismissing the subject. She didn't want to have another discussion about this with Dyson but most of all she didn't want him to realize that his assumption was wrong this time. After all, she couldn't tell him that her mother had been on her case about Bo, the woman he was still after, could she? She should, she knew that. Yes, Dyson was usually a sucker for the law and that everything should be handled traditionally but Lauren had a feeling he would still support her and Bo if it ever came to that. She was, of course, way ahead of herself again. Yes, they had sex so what? That surely was nothing special to a Succubus, let alone one with Bo's reputation. Still, there was something, Lauren knew that and just that fact made her feel incredibly guilty all of a sudden. Dyson had absolutely no claim to her, the brunette wasn't interested so where were those feelings coming from?

"Laur?" She suddenly refocused on Dyson who was looking at her with a confused look on his face. Lauren realized that she had zoned out again. "Sorry, Dyson." She said "I'm just not really looking forward to that." She half-smiled and obviously the shifter bought her excuse because he nodded reassuringly. "It always works out so no worries." He told her with a wink before he stood. "Anyway. I just wanted to pop in for a few minutes before I handed this off to your team." He held up a blue case file that Lauren hadn't noticed until now.

"What's that?" She asked, her curiosity getting the better of her. Now it was Dyson's turn to sigh. "That's a human case that was handed over to Tam and me because nobody could get anything on it. It's great fun." He huffed to show just how much fun it actually was. Lauren nodded and smiled reassuringly but didn't ask more about it.

"Well, Laur, always great talking to you but I have to go, I'm meeting Tam at the cop shop in twenty." He nodded his goodbye before he turned and opened the door. "Have fun with your parents." He added on his way out and left Lauren's office to the sound of a laughing Phoenix.

-x-

Friday evening was spent very differently by everyone. Tamsin and Dyson were headed to yet another crime scene only that this time they finally got lucky once they arrived. Finally they had some sort of evidence, not much but enough to tell the shifter that the killer was indeed human. The most skilled human killer there had ever been obviously but human nonetheless. It finally made the whole thing more tangible and the mood of the two detectives a lot better. Later, at the Dal, Dyson teased Tamsin for her still slightly bruised face and black eye while she admitted that she didn't get anything from Bo that could be considered useful in any way. After a few beers he asked her if she mentioned Lauren's name which caused Tamsin to laugh loudly and question his interrogation skills. Overall, they had a good evening and they both went home and fell asleep contentedly, and admittedly, very drunk.

On the outskirts of town, Bo was drunk on lust and pleasure. She and Kenzi had gone to a smaller Dark Fae establishment that night, a club named Pandora's Box. It was only a few streets from the Clubhouse and the Djinn had heard from a few of her other friends that it had been redone and since was a great place exclusively for Dark Fae to come and have a filthy good time. It was underneath an old abandoned industrial building, pumping with energy. The air in the dark room was stuffy and filled with the smell of sweat and alcohol. Kenzi had been dancing a bit to the dark beats before she struck up a conversation with one of the bartenders. He kept making sure that her glass was never empty and in turn she kept him entertained, not only by impressing him with the amounts of liquor she could drown. Bo on the other hand was always dancing with at least two Fae at once. The energy in the room was off her personal scale, the flashing lights outmatched by the auras of the people around her. She was the centre of attention as usual and she danced and tasted herself through a good part of the crowd before she decided that she was having way to much fun to leave this place with a chosen one so the Succubus took a sip here and a nip there. She let handsome men and beautiful women of her choosing buy her drinks before she coaxed the chi out of her willing victims. She was having a blast and when she thought of Lauren later that night she knew she was more than ready for meeting the Phoenix again. Of course, every stream of pulsing energy she consumed paled next to the memory of the blonde's burning hot chi but it was what she needed right now and with that she went back to tilting a petite redhead's face up to hers.

In her apartment Lauren was concentrating on her movements and breathing while the air around her flickered with heat. It was already completely dark outside but the blonde didn't notice. Since she came home from the lab she had been doing little else. Very uncharacteristic of her usually organized self her bag was still where she had dropped it on the bed upstairs along with her work clothes which she had discarded in favor of her wide white pants and black belt. The only interruption to her dance with the flames had come when Lauren went to gather one of her swords. They weren't ideal for this training as they were battle weapons and while the silver guard was masterfully crafted and beautiful it hindered her. It was useful in direct combat but at the same time it made whirling the sword around the way she wanted to a challenge. The blades she usually used were at the mansion though, simple with a black hilt and crossbar. She only trained with a sword on rare occasion so she didn't think to bring that weapon with her; the rapier would have to do and so it did.

The Phoenix whirled around into her next position, the blade cutting through the air around her with a high swishing sound, red and golden sparks flying off of it and igniting little flames that died again instantly. Her next moves were slower again, bare feet making no sound as she repositioned them. It never creased to surprise Lauren how her Tai-Chi worked to erase her mind completely. Of course, now and then thoughts shot through her mind like bullets and since she met Bo, most of those bullets had the brunette's name on them. Still, right now Lauren could pride herself with the fact that the Succubus didn't cross her mind as often as in the beginning. Also, the thoughts weren't so much unwelcome and disturbing anymore but small memories of a touch, a kiss or her voice, of her wide, dimpled grin and sparkling eyes. Her developing feelings for Bo still made the Phoenix nervous but she found herself looking forward to tomorrow immensely.

With a last move Lauren brought her feet together, stood straight gracefully and pushed her sword back into its sheath. She closed her golden-red eyes and just took a moment to rest before opening them again and realizing that it was already way later than she had thought. The blonde chuckled. Her training finally did its job again and had occupied her so completely that she forgot reality and time almost completely. Well, almost, Lauren thought as she went to put her sword back on the wall, thoughts of Bo already making their appearance once again.

-x-

"Yes mother, tomorrow afternoon." It was early Saturday afternoon and instead of preparing her overly-tidy apartment even more for her soon-to-be guest Lauren was scolding herself for telling Charlotte to inform their parents that she planned on coming back to the mansion on Sunday. She should have just called herself but when her little sister suddenly showed up right after Bo had left, catching Lauren completely off guard and with no excuses it had left the older Phoenix quite drained. Her first day with Bo after their first night together, being found out by Charlotte even though it turned out to be a good thing. After all of that she didn't want to talk to her mother in person and her sister completely understood so she agreed to deliver the message. Charlie had been so genuinely happy to finally be let into her sister's life completely that it made Lauren realize two things. One, she should have never left her sister out of the loop in the first place and two, even if nothing more ever came of her and Bo, unbeknownst to her the Succubus helped Lauren open up a bit more again and for that the blonde was grateful.

"No, I don't know when exactly. I still have work to do and I'm waiting for some test results from the lab that should be here tomorrow but I will definitely be there by evening at the latest." At least it was only a lie by omission. Yes, she was waiting for results from the newest tests on their captured Underfae species but they would probably arrive first thing in the morning. What Lauren was really aiming at was more time with Bo. She wasn't foolish enough to assume that the Succubus wouldn't want to stay the night, not after they had crossed that line once and not with the sexual tension they immediately tended to create when they were in the same room for more than a few moments. If last time was any indication she would have to put her foot down to even make it to the mansion at all.

"Very well, mother. I'll see you tomorrow." Lauren disconnected the call and put her phone down. The conversation could have seemed a little cold for anyone listening but it was just the way she and her mother talked. After more than a millennium they were over all the nice things people said to keep up appearances. It was not like they were on the same page often anyway, Lauren thought, smirking to herself.

She went to dust off one of her modern low cupboards for the umpteenth time that day but was interrupted by a knock on the door that made her almost literally drop the dust mop. She stood up and didn't move for a few seconds, as if the sound hadn't registered with her, had not gotten through to her brain. She had been preparing all morning for this moment and now she didn't know what she should do next. Only when the knock repeated itself, more insistent this time, did Lauren snap out of her haze and, quickly placing the dust mop onto the cupboard, moved to open the door.

If having to wait for the Phoenix to open the door had somehow thrown her off her game, Bo didn't show it, still leaning in the slim wooden door frame and smiling coyly. She was wearing her usual leather pants and jacket, her hair open and hanging down over her shoulders in loose curls. To Lauren, who was smiling widely at her, she held out two red roses, making the blonde's smile turn into an adorable grin before she rolled her eyes and took the offered gift. "Hey." The Succubus said in her full voice, her eyes twinkling. "Hi." The Phoenix answered as she stepped to the side to make room for the brunette. "Come in." Bo nodded and walked into the apartment, her eyes never leaving Lauren's. Their gazes stayed locked even when the blonde started to walk to the table to put the flowers into the vase where the single rose Bo had brought her last time still stood. It didn't look quite as fresh anymore, it's leafs hanging a little but that didn't matter. Lauren only cared about what it represented. She finally broke the eye-contact to arrange the roses in the vase. Missing it with her hand because she was staring at the Succubus would have been really embarrassing, she figured. It gave Bo the time to appreciate the blonde's from. She was dressed in her usual tight jeans, and a simple red button down with golden ornaments around the buttons. The clothes clung to her like a second skin, obviously fitted to accentuate the Phoenix' stunning beauty. Bo silently wondered if she would ever get enough of looking at her.

Lauren still had the vase in her hands when she felt an arm snake around her waist from the right, the side closest to Bo. The hairs on her arms stood immediately when the Succubus invaded her senses, her scent, the feel of her hand against her hips. She turned her head to find chocolate eyes watching her intently, so dark that even from this close she couldn't make out where the iris ended and the pupil started. It made for a stunning contrast to the white around it. Her heart beat loudly in her chest when Bo leaned in just a bit, her eyes fell to the blonde's lips but she waited. Lauren just stood there, breathing heavily, watching as those eyes flickered back up to meet her own. The look in them was somewhat pleading but still confident, something the blonde didn't know how to really place at all.

The next moment their lips were moving together, neither and both had made the first move, it just happened suddenly. Bo's taste was heaven, Lauren thought but maybe, she corrected herself, it was more like hell, dark and sweet and promising. Her last conscious thoughts were directed at placing the vase back onto the table without breaking it and as soon as that was done she turned to face the Succubus fully, her hands going to the lapels of Bo's leather jacket immediately and pulling, crashing their bodies together with force. The brunette's hold on Lauren's waist tightened as she pulled her impossibly closer, her mouth finally yielding to the Phoenix' surprisingly gentle demand of entrance. As soon as their tongues touched, though, all gentleness was forgotten and both women seemed to melt together, curving their limbs around each other, their kiss becoming more of a battle for dominance than a show of affection.

Neither woman could answer how long they stood like this, Lauren knuckles turning white from pulling at Bo's jacket as if her life depended on it. Surprisingly, it was the Succubus who slowed down the passionate encounter until she was only nipping at her lover's lips or the corner of her mouth. Finally she gave her a last tender kiss and leaned her forehead against Lauren's. Her hands that had been holding the blonde tightly let go, giving way to a more tender hold, the palm of one of her hands slowly stroking up and down her back affectionately. They looked at each other when they finally opened their eyes again and Lauren was surprised to find only a faint hint of blue in the Succubus' eyes that she could have just as well been imagining.

"Thank you." The blonde whispered, her breath mingling with Bo's. Dark chocolate eyes looked back at her a little confused, causing Lauren to chuckle at herself. "The roses." she added with a smile and in response the Succubus' mouth twisted into a dimpled grin.

"It was my pleasure." She answered before placing anther kiss onto the Phoenix' lips. "I missed you." Lauren's eyes twinkled mischievously. "Did you now?" Bo nodded her head proudly, the grin never leaving her face. Thinking of how cute the brunette could be when she wanted to the blonde kissed that same grin once more before she pulled away and walked over to where their meal for later was already cooking slowly in a pan. She stirred it once, feeling Bo come up behind her. The Succubus placed her hands on Lauren's hips again but this time it felt more like an affectionate gesture, not the possessive hold from before.

"Want me to help with something?" She asked, placing a kiss on Lauren's shirt-clad shoulder from behind. Once again the blonde was struck by how domestic and normal all of this felt, like this was their usual routine, just another dinner as a couple. The happy image in her head was destroyed mere moments after though, when it occurred to her that it wasn't even up to them if that dream could become a reality. Even if, and for Lauren that was a huge if, Bo would want this with her, they would always have to hide. Two members of the most powerful families of Light and Dark together? It would be like signing their own death sentence.

Slightly shaking her head to rid herself of those thoughts Lauren smiled at Bo who was still looking at her over her shoulder, inching closer again. "No, it's almost done anyway, it just needs to simmer."

The Succubus shrugged as much as she could in her position. "Ok. So what do you have planned?"

Lauren chuckled and leaned back into the brunette's embrace a bit more. Just now she realized that she had never thought of anything they could do once Bo arrived. "Nothing actually. What do you want to do?"

The Succubus eyes narrowed in a mischievous way, lips curving into a sensual smile. "That's a dangerous question to ask me, Dr. Leavold. I hope you know that." She leaned in a bit further so that their breaths were once again mingling, eyes flickering between Lauren's eyes and her lips. The blonde just hummed and closed the distance to catch the Succubus' lips in a slow and sensual kiss. Surprisingly it stayed that way, varying in intensity but never becoming overly passionate. Bo's hold on Lauren's hips just became a bit tighter while the blonde caressed her cheek with one of her hands.

They breathlessly broke apart minutes later and just looked at each other again. "I have an idea what we could do until dinner." Bo said lowly and smiled. Lauren just raised her eyebrows and turned to face the brunette fully, waiting for her to continue.

"Why don't you teach me how to fight with a sword?" The Succubus asked with an almost childlike expression of curiosity. The proposal made Lauren laugh out loud. She had though that Bo would just sweep her up into her arms and carry her to bed as fast as her feet would move but obviously her lover wasn't as predictable as the blonde had thought. She loved it.

"Ok. Why not?" she finally answered, shrugging. Bo beamed at her and eagerly followed her to the other part of the apartment where they had had the fight that lead to their first night together. Lauren took both of her swords off their spots on the wall and handed one to the other woman. "Let's get started then." She said and drew the blade with one fluid motion.

-x-

Dyson, Tamsin and Hale were sitting in what had to be the shadiest establishment in the whole city. They were the only ones there except for a bored bartender who seemed to be half asleep and an obviously high and drunk guy in a corner of the small and dark room. He was still holding onto his dirty glass but threatened to fall over any second and had been for the good twenty minutes the three detectives had been there. Given his state, how he kept himself in a somewhat sitting position was beyond Tamsin as she watched him.

It had been Hale who came up with this wonderful idea of a Saturday evening, telling them that with what little evidence they had after their killers slip-up on the last crime scene they wouldn't get anywhere in the human world. You couldn't just examine the kill thoroughly and immediately have the killer narrowed down to a species like with Fae so the Siren suggested that they go to the one person in the city who knew almost every secret there was to know on the shady side of business. For a human he was crazy good, no one knew who he was or where he would be next. That Hale somehow got a hold of him or at least one of his many contacts was exceptional and an opportunity they would be stupid to waste.

Dyson had been hesitant at first, his morals had kicked in because he would technically be working with a criminal. Right now he was definitely second-guessing his final decision to come with them. His nose was wrinkled as he distastefully looked around the small run-down bar. Hale could sympathize, he smelled the somewhat foul stench in the air underlined with lots of sweat and cheap alcohol. If he thought it was uncomfortable how would it be for a wolf with a hypersensitive sense of smell?

Finally the person they had been waiting for appeared. Dressed in an expensive black suit that didn't fit the surroundings at all, a man walked up to them from seemingly behind the bar. He was tall but other than that there was nothing that set him apart. His hair was a mix of blonde and brown, loosely hanging down almost into his brown eyes. Also, he didn't really ooze confidence like once could expect from a man like him. He looked completely normal in every way and maybe that was his secret. "Detectives." He greeted. His voice was even and full, his smile inviting and charming. Dyson's brow furrowed even more. "You will help us?" He growled.

"I may." Answered the man with a small smirk playing around his mouth. "What do you have for me?"

Tamsin pushed a brown envelope towards him with a frown. It contained a list of what little evidence they had. The man smiled. "Ah, thank you. I will see what I can do for you. I will be in touch." He snatched the envelope and before anyone could react he was gone again, leaving the three detectives completely confused.

"What the hell?" Tamsin said, her voice full of barely controlled anger. Hale sighed heavily and shrugged. "I guess we will have to do this his way. He's the only one who can find out anything if there is something to find."

Dyson growled once more and slid off the stool. "Let's get out of this stinking shit-hole." The others wholeheartedly agreed and so they made their way to the door. Just as Dyson pushed it open and they got their first gulp of fresh air again there was a loud thump as finally, the guy in the corner had lost his balance and fell smack-dab onto his face.

-x-

Bo was panting heavily as she tried to get a hit just as Lauren had instructed but the blonde was proving to be even more superior to her than the Succubus had expected. No matter how she placed her strikes, how she timed them or changed their direction at the last moment the Phoenix always seemed to know exactly what she would do next and so the air was filled with Bo's loud huffs of breath and the high clinking sound of steel on steel.

Lauren had shown her how to correctly hold the sword and how to move her feet and arms in order to not run right into her opponent's blade with every attack. Right now the blonde wanted her to put to use what she had learnt in the last couple of hours so Bo had been attacking her for the last ten minutes, she was relentless but her attacks fruitless. Lauren initiated no attack of her own, she just parried.

Finally Bo gave up. "Lo, you're too good for me I won't hit you." she panted. Lauren smiled. "I know. But maybe you will next time, or the time after that. That's what this is about. You did well, Bo. I think you have talent." She moved to put her blade back into the sheath but the Succubus chose this moment to launch one last attack at the blonde. The strike was forceful and fast but that was also what made it easy for Lauren to parry it. She whirled her blade around and angled it just right so that Bo's just slipped across it, never coming close to actually hitting Lauren but she did hit the floor, stumbling as she lost her balance and landed on her knees next to the Phoenix. To Lauren's surprise, the brunette laughed out loud. "Damn, I thought I could surprise you." She stood back up and handed her teacher the sword. Lauren just smiled at her while she came very close to the flushed brunette. "Well, you can't." She said and kissed her quickly and moved to put away the blades but a strong arm around her waist stopped her, pulling her flush against Bo again. The Succubus leaned in, a small pulse escaping her hand as she turned Lauren's face to her. The blonde gasped but it was swallowed by Bo's lips on hers. They shared a short and passionate kiss before they pulled apart again. The brunette untangled herself and moved over to the kitchen to dish up dinner while Lauren put away the swords. Just as she pulled away she whispered into the other woman's ear "Cocky Lauren is so hot."

While she was putting away the swords and taking her time arranging them Lauren once again marveled at how everything came so easy with Bo now that they had both acknowledged the fact that they were incredibly attracted to each other. It felt right even though it was so wrong. Lauren had thought of that fact repeatedly when she and Bo had engaged in impromptu make out sessions every once in a while during their training. They were like a teenage couple in so many ways and Lauren hadn't felt this alive in centuries, if ever. At the same time a part of her brain that was shrinking by the second kept repeating the list of things that should make Bo the last person she would fall for but its voice was becoming weaker and weaker.

Her theory was proven once again when the Succubus called from the kitchen "Babe, are you coming? Dinner's ready." Lauren's stomach fluttered at the term of endearment and she immediately made her way over to the table where Bo was waiting to pull out the chair for her. The Phoenix thanked her with a kiss and then they were eating. Once again, the brunette complimented her on her cooking, they talked about nothing and everything and when they were done they cleaned up together like a couple would.

"Bo my sister knows." Lauren suddenly blurted out as they were cuddling on the couch with a glass of wine each on the small glass table in front of them. The Succubus' hand that had previously stroked the blonde's back languidly stopped.

"Ok." She said, her voice neutral. There was a pause before she continued. "That's fine, Kenzi knows, too. How wouldn't she I mean? She practically is my sister so I can see why you would tell your sister as well."

Lauren sat up slightly so that she could look into her lover's face. "It wasn't like that. She sort of barged in on me cleaning the apartment after you left last time." She rolled her eyes. "She may have seen you walk out of the apartment complex and she may have seen what you did to my collarbone."

That made Bo laugh. "Impressive, huh?" She received a playful slap from the hand that Lauren didn't have buried in her hair at the nape of her neck.

"You're incorrigible." She scolded the brunette. "This is serious. I know she won't tell anybody but you do know that this is forbidden, don't you?"

Bo just looked at her for a second before both of their expressions froze. Lauren was mentally slapping herself silly. It was true, it was forbidden. Relationships between Light and Dark were. Without wanting to she had opened the can of worms that was the question as what they qualified.

The Succubus at first thought that she hadn't heard right but the expression on Lauren's face told her she had. Actually, she had asked herself that question a few times over the last couple of days. What was Lauren to her? Just another accomplishment? Most definitely not, just the fact that she was here right now proved that theory a lie. A comfortable and great food source? Well, yes the Phoenix was that but she was so much more. Bo couldn't explain how she felt when she was with her or when she wasn't. She yearned for the blonde in more ways than her sexual appetite. Also, when Tamsin had asked about her feeding, she didn't want the Valkyrie to know about her and Lauren, like it was something she needed to keep secret. So, where did that leave her?

She didn't get any further in her thoughts because Lauren suddenly crashed their lips together. Immediately, her mouth opened and they were kissing deeply, pressing together on the couch as tightly as they could. The blonde was seemingly devouring her, moaning into her mouth when Bo grabbed her and pulled her to straddle her lap fully. Soon they were pulling at lips and biting down on each other's neck, a more or less silent agreement that they would ignore what happened only minutes before. Finally, Bo got up, hoisting Lauren up on her waist and carried her to the spiral stairway. Once upstairs they crashed against every wall available before they arrived at their destination, the bed.

The Succubus was on a high the second she took her first taste of Lauren's chi that night, the liquid fire burning her insides in a delicious way. The first time was semi-destroying every piece of clothing, craving skin on skin contact. When they finally sunk into each other's arms completely bare, it surprisingly slowed them down. Trails of kisses, soft caresses and loving bites were accompanied by soft cries of passion that got louder and louder. They twisted and turned as one, never once truly disconnecting their lips until Bo's head fell back against the mattress with a deep moan of satisfaction, Lauren following closely behind. For a few moments they just stared at each other in the semi-darkness. Then they wordlessly closed the gap between their mouths again and Bo flipped them around, taking control with blazing blue eyes that met their golden-red counterparts.

-x-

I can't wake her Bo thought as she sat on the side of the bed, the sheets ruffled and only barely covering the naked form of her lover who was still sleeping soundly. Lauren looked too beautiful like this, fast asleep with a smile on her face, the sunlight reflecting off her golden hair. She was on her stomach and so it was all Bo could do to not reach out and trace the outlines of the red and golden wings that covered the blonde's back. It didn't keep her for studying them thoroughly, though. They were amazingly intricate and detailed, making them look like they were actual wings and not just a painting. Every single feather was the same yet somehow different, shimmering in thousands of shades between golden and red.

Bo was completely lost in the sight but she knew she would have to leave soon. The Succubus was already completely dresses save for her leather jacket. She had decided that she would leave the garment here like she had her blouse last time. Lauren had given it back to her yesterday after dinner and Bo thought she should give her something else instead. It made her proud that the blonde would wear something of hers, like she actually belonged to the Succubus in some way.

Her phone went off again, buzzing in her pocket and the brunette was quick to stand up and get a few feet away before she answered it.

"Ysabeau, I told you an hour ago that I'm expecting you. Where are you?" The angry voice of her mother came through the line.

"Mom, some of us were sleeping when you called them so give me a little more time. I'm already on my way out the door." She whispered as she cautiously looked back at Lauren who was thankfully still out cold.

"If you didn't stay up the whole night with your feeds you would have been here on time. Hurry up I haven't got all day. This is important." The call disconnected and Bo sighed quietly. Of course her mother had to destroy the morning after the most perfect night of her life. Lauren looked so peaceful sleeping right now the Succubus didn't have the heart to wake her so she walked downstairs, gathered one of the roses from the vase and put it next to a note explaining that she had to leave. She had also put her phone number on it, asking the blonde to call her whenever she liked. Bo had taken her time, not wanting to leave her lover but now, after her mother had called again she knew she had to get going. Once more, she leaned across the bed and placed a gentle kiss on Lauren's temple before she stood, walking downstairs and out the door.

-x-

Two hours later Lauren woke with a start. The sun was bright in her eyes and as the last night flashed again before her eyes she instinctively reached out to her side where she knew Bo had to be. She pulled back immediately when she felt her skin being pierced by something small and sharp. Suddenly wide awake she sat up only to find the space beside her empty except for a rose and a small folded piece of paper. A smile spread across Lauren's lips while she licked the blood off her injured finger. Bo could be so cute sometimes. She reached for the paper and unfolded it.

My beautiful,

I'm sorry I can't be here when you wake up but something came up and I had to go. I just didn't have the heart to wake you, you looked so peaceful and happy. I will see you soon. Call me.

Bo

Underneath the Succubus had scribbled her phone number. Despite the sweet words a cold hand was suddenly clutching at Lauren's heart. Bo had left once she got her fill. After her slip up last night the brunette had bailed. The piece of paper crumbled in Lauren's hand as she clenched it in her fist. Of course a Succubus wouldn't want a relationship. She just liked the fact that she could have the Phoenix' powerful chi whenever she desired.

This time the small part of her brain that usually argued against Bo urged Lauren to think again. Bo had said no such thing in her letter. Maybe her words were true. They sounded true. The blonde chuckled sadly to herself and ignored the voice.

Chapter 17: Light my Fire

Lauren took a deep breath, looking up at the many balconies and large windows of the Leavold mansion once more from where she was sitting in her car. She had preferred to park in front of the spacious garage instead of inside this time as she didn't plan on staying longer than dinner. It was one of the reasons she was here as early as she was, the option to leave again after dinner without seeming rude. Yes, she wanted to talk to her parents again but she knew she and her mother would most likely butt heads again before too long so she decided she would avoid a tense next morning and leave. It also gave her a reason to see something positive in Bo leaving before she woke up. Had the brunette stayed, Lauren would have most likely arrived at the mansion at the latest polite time, wanting to spend as much time with the Succubus as possible. But Bo had left and, after an initial freak-out, Lauren had finally let the logical part of her brain do its work. Yes, the Succubus had been gone when she woke up but Bo had left an explanation, a somewhat sweet one at that with the rose next to it. She also left her phone number, asking the Phoenix to call her which she wouldn't have done if the horror scenario Lauren had immediately created in her head applied. There would obviously be a perfectly reasonable explanation why she left and explaining that she didn't want to wake Lauren was something the blonde found somewhat sweet and endearing. She also had a feeling that this kind of action was something very Bo although she had nothing to really compare it to. It was just that the Succubus had a side that could be very sweet and Lauren was beginning to see more and more of it. She decided that she would call the brunette as soon as possible. She had never considered herself clingy yet she felt a longing for Bo that she couldn't rationally explain. Like the Succubus was what lit her flame and kept it burning, quite literally sometimes, and maybe, just maybe that explanation wasn't as far off as she had initially thought.

Sighing, Lauren opened the door and got out of her car. It was a beautiful day and so she just stood there for a few moments, turning to face the sun and let its heat wash over her skin. She was glad she had decided to leave her hair open that morning, the breeze now playing with the golden locks ever so slightly. Lauren took another deep breath, this time not to steady herself but to soak up as much of the pleasant warmth around her as she could. Immediately her tense muscles, still deliciously sore from her night with Bo, relaxed. It was amazing how the sun could calm her down instantly, making the prospect of walking into the mansion to talk to her parents more bearable. It wasn't that she didn't want to see them or that she didn't somewhat miss them, they just seldom saw eye to eye, especially her and her mother.

Lauren's eyes sparkled with golden and red specks behind their usual honey brown color when she finally moved from her spot beside her car and started walking towards the white marble stairs that lead up to the large double door. Just as always she didn't even have to knock or make her presence known in another way before the right wing opened for her, seemingly without anyone behind it. She knew better though and as she stepped in she heard Derrick's friendly voice as he greeted her. It gave her a sense of comfort, of coming home. "Miss Lewis. It is a pleasure to welcome you here once again." Unlike most of the other humans working for the Fae he sounded genuinely happy like Lauren knew he was.

She answered his dimpled smile with a wide one of her own. "Thank you Derrick. I missed you, too." She winked and his smile got even bigger, his hazel eyes twinkling as he let them wander over her face in a way that was almost fatherly. "If I may say so, Miss Lewis, you look even more radiant today than you usually do. I have never seen you look so.. " He paused for a moment, searching for the right words before he finished "at ease."

Before Lauren could stop it from happening she knew a faint blush was already coloring her cheeks. "Thank you." She told him again, her smile never wavering as she asked herself if the change was really that obvious. Once again memories from the last few days flooded her mind, almost like she could feel Bo's hands and lips on her again, the velvety tone of her voice as she whispered into her ear, the Succubus' scent filling her thoughts, dangerously sweet in her memory but still not as epic as actually breathing her in. Lauren knew that while the intoxicating scent was engraved in her brain since the first time they met, the image her memory produced would always pale in comparison to the real thing. She had thought she knew the sensation but the when Bo had been close to her again yesterday it proved to be better than anything she could hope to remember.

The blonde was startled from her thoughts by her mother walking towards her with quick and precise steps, heels clicking on the white marble floor. "Lauren, dear. It's good to have you back." Before Lauren knew what was happening she was pulled into a hug that left her startled. Elizabeth Leavold didn't hug people. She usually just nodded with a polite smile on her face and she was no different with her two daughters. All Lauren could do was awkwardly wrap her arms around her mother, hugging her back lightly until she felt her pull back slightly but she still kept her daughter close, not releasing her from the hold completely.

"Mother." was all Lauren said in greeting, she didn't know what else to say in that moment as she looked into the brown eyes of her mother that mirrored her own, eyes that showed a lot more emotion than she was used to. Finally, her mother released her completely from the hug and took a small step back. "You shouldn't stay away for so long, Lauren. I know we don't seem like it but your father and I, we do miss you."

"Your mother is right." Evan said from the door to the sitting room he had just walked out of, making Lauren turn her head to look at him. He was dressed down, for his standards anyway. His black suit jacket was unbuttoned, revealing the golden shirt beneath it and his usually perfectly manicured hair was a little ruffled. When Lauren was younger he would only be wearing suits for the formal events when he had to but over time that habit changed and now one rarely saw him in something else.

"Father." Lauren smiled "You both know I prefer to be alone at times."

"We do." Her mother said. "We also know that you always do it when we had another argument about the same thing." Lauren was about to speak when her father chimed in. "Although this time it wasn't our usual discussion." He smiled before turning, gesturing for Lauren and her mother to follow him back to the sitting room. Elizabeth started walking towards the door immediately and Lauren followed but not before she threw a glance over her shoulder, giving Derrick an apologetic smile. Under normal circumstances they would have talked for a few minutes but the doorman didn't seem to mind. He smiled broadly and somewhat knowingly at her, nodding that he understood and that they would talk another time.

In the main sitting room Evan, always the gentleman, waited for his wife and daughter to take a seat on the plush couch before he sat down on one of the armchairs himself. They sat there in more or less comfortable silence for a few moments before Elizabeth finally spoke. "Lauren, I don't want you to leave whenever we don't see eye to eye. It always reminds me of when you were gone for longer times, times when I didn't know if I would see you again."

Lauren's eyebrows shot up. Her mother hugging her was something she found strange but this degree of emotion from a woman who the Phoenix usually knew to be stoic and always in control of all her feelings put her on edge fully, telling her that something was up. "Mother my apartment is in the city, maybe a twenty minute drive away. It's not like I simply disappear into thin air."

"I know but I just prefer you here." Her mother said. It wasn't really a possessive statement, nor an emotional one. It was just that, a statement, but it meant a lot coming from her mother. "I realize that I may have gone a little overboard about the dance with that McCorrigan girl. I read too much into it and I apologize." The apology surprised Lauren even more but then again, she still had a feeling that this was heading into a very suspicious direction and that feeling was growing by the second and with every word spoken. She wasn't even here for ten minutes and already she was in an awkward situation again.

"Your mother and I came to the conclusion that you accepting the offer to dance with her was probably just her charm, Succubae are very appealing creatures after all." Her father said in a soft tone, like he was trying not to anger her. Still, Lauren's eyes narrowed ever so slightly and she had to bite back the sarcastic comment that was on her lips. "Where are you going with this?" She demanded instead.

Elizabeth sighed. Her daughter was just too smart. "There is a banquet coming up next weekend. The Ash's idea. He wants the High Elder families of Light and Dark to get to know each other. He has this grand plan of reuniting the Fae, like in the times before the great war." She paused to roll her eyes "We were thinking that since Charlotte is bringing Alexander along that maybe you should bring somebody as well." All of a sudden it clicked in Lauren's head and she groaned inwardly. "Well, I don't have anybody to bring." She said dismissively, hoping to end the discussion there but apparently, she would have no such luck.

"You haven't had a serious relationship since that human woman in France all those years ago." Her father said.

"Her name was Nadia." Lauren stated, aggravated that they still refused to call Nadia by her name. She sighed. "I'm guessing I'm being set up on a blind date like a teenager again?" This wasn't the first time her parents had picked out a potential partner for her but it was the first time in a long time, the first time since Venice all those years ago and long enough that Lauren had hoped they had finally given up. Also, the blonde guessed, Charlie was probably only allowed to bring Alex because it benefited their parents' cause of convincing Lauren to agree to this. As far as the Phoenix knew, her baby sister's boyfriend wasn't a part of one of the elder clans. To her it didn't matter but Elizabeth, always a sucker for protocol, would have thrown a fit under normal circumstances.

"You know we wouldn't pick anyone we know you wouldn't like." Evan said in a diplomatic voice, obviously trying to get Lauren to listen before she whole-heartedly declined once again. Knowing that she wouldn't get out of this easily, she decided that she would play along for now. "Well, who did you pick then?" She asked nonchalantly.

"Crystal Valentine. She's beautiful, intelligent and she is part of one of the high elder clans." The way her mother focused on the last part told Lauren that this woman was probably part of one of the lower branches of the Valentine family, which in itself would mean absolutely nothing but it made her harder to place which was obviously the intention. Trying to avoid people Lauren knew already from many Light balls in order for her not to have a reason to turn her down immediately. The blonde knew the current High Elder of the family, Edward Valentine, but not well. He was head of a rather large clan with a lot of members who weren't a part of the noble family line but carried the same last name. This was common practice in a lot of Elder clans and she knew that a few of the higher Dark Elders married members of their lower families to keep bloodlines pure.

Lauren looked from her resolute looking mother to her father's neutral expression and came to the conclusion that they wouldn't back down this time. She wouldn't be able to deny them as she had the times before, it was too well played. Plus, it would maybe put her mother onto something different than Bo which Lauren would be grateful for. "And I presume she is already my date?" Sensing victory, Elizabeth allowed herself a small smile that caused her daughter's brow to furrow ever so slightly in frustration. "We took the liberty of arranging things, yes." She said and Lauren let out and exasperated sigh. "Very well, I obviously can't back out of this. When is this ball again?"

Both of Lauren's parents looked incredibly satisfied, her mother especially, personifying the cat who ate the canary to absolute perfection. "It's not a ball honey." She told her daughter. "It's a dinner, the High Elder families of Light and Dark and their guests only. To my surprise the Morrigan was quite fond of this idea, bringing the High Elders of both sides closer together. It will probably be a waste of time anyway but oh well, at least the food will be good."

"It's in two days Lauren." Evan added, noticing that his daughter's initial question hadn't been answered.

"Two days? That's on short notice." Lauren said surprised and somewhat shocked that she wouldn't have much time to prepare herself for this dinner, although her preparation would be more mentally than anything else.

"Well, we have known for a few days we were just waiting for you to get here to tell you in person." her mother said almost sheepishly, or what one could call sheepish by Elizabeth Leavold's standards. Once again Lauren was grateful that she had left her hair open that morning. She couldn't have run her hand through it in an exasperated motion right now if she hadn't. "You mean wait until it's too late for me to back out." She stated but her parents didn't answer. Her mother's smile though faltered for a moment and that told Lauren all she needed to know. She stood from the couch. "Fine. I will go to this dinner with Crystal Valentine but it will be the last time I'm being set up like this."

"We sure hope so honey, Crystal is a very nice girl and I think she could make you very happy." Elizabeth said matter-of-factly, causing Lauren to just clench her jaw tightly rather than replying. She stood there for a good minute before her mother asked "Was there something else?" in such a nonchalant way that Lauren had to fight hard against the reflex to let her eyes turn golden-red and show her anger. "No." She said with a controlled voice "I'll see you at dinner."

With that she turned and walked out of the room with fast steps, not leaving through the door she came from but through another one near the back that would lead her to the back of the mansion. She stormed through a corridor decorated with portraits over portraits and then another sitting room, this one smaller than the one she came from, long and narrow. The long back wall was completely made of glass and had a barely visible door to the yard in the middle which Lauren ripped open before she finally took a deep breath, standing on the soft and perfectly manicured grass. Out of reflex she kicked off her shoes, wanting to feel the ground beneath her, the sun on her face doing nothing right now to calm her. As she walked aimlessly away from the mansion she didn't really know what pissed her off so much. Maybe it was her parents', especially her mother's way of going over her head and choosing what was best for her. Maybe it was the way they went about it, as if they didn't see how wrong this was, how uncalled for. Maybe the way she was thrown into a situation she couldn't do a thing about to change. She hated not being in control. It probably was a combination of the three but it didn't matter. Her eyes shifted color shortly before the first flame appeared in her right hand. With a scream of unknown rage the flame grew exponentially, flying through the air before exploding silently but with a wave of scorching heat flowing over the garden.

Inside the mansion, upstairs in her room, Charlie heard the scream and walked to her window curiously, looking down. She came just in time to witness her sister release a massive heart wave that, while she couldn't really see it apart from the slight flicker in the air, she could certainly feel it. What the hell she thought, her sister was usually the epitome of calmness and controlled emotions. The heat wave was followed by a burst of flame and now Charlie was all but racing down the stairs, desperate to get to her sister as soon as possible.

Lauren's outburst didn't go unnoticed downstairs in the back sitting room either. Evan had silently followed his daughter until she left the mansion. He could feel the heat coming from some hundred yards away where Lauren stood, both hands aflame, the muscles in her arms shaking. Evan hadn't seen her like this, this magnificent, in a long time, if ever. This was the passion she had been missing, the Phoenix she had buried inside herself for so long. He didn't know what triggered this change but he had seen the signs of it for the last few weeks. Something gave his daughter back the fire she was born with. He still couldn't decide right now if this was a very good or a concerning thing but now he had a feeling that he would soon find out. Evan didn't get any further with his thoughts as he heard the quick footsteps of his other daughter approaching. He left the room on the other side just as Charlie burst through the door coming from the main hallway.

-x-

Bo was seriously pissed. Not only had Aoife called and made her come to the McCorrigan mansion yet again for an annoying attempt to get her to stay there again, but she had pulled her right from Lauren's bed to do so. All Bo wanted to do was have a lovely morning in bed and maybe a nice relaxed day with the beautiful blonde Phoenix but obviously that wasn't going to happen anytime soon. Initially she had thought that maybe if she was quick enough she could get to the mansion, endure whatever her mother had in store for her this time and return to Lauren before she even noticed she was gone. She had left the little message on her lover's bed just in case and that turned out to be a good decision since it was already early afternoon and Bo didn't see herself getting out of this situation soon.

She was currently having what felt like the longest lunch of her life with her mother and grandparents. Her grandmother she didn't mind at all, or maybe the least of all since she still had a very snobbish side besides her usually friendly nature. Her grandfather, or rather her grandmother's husband, was just as terrible as her own mother though, only focused on his appearance. Together they succeeded in making Bo's lunch living hell, dropping off-handed but purposeful comments about what she was doing wrong right now, what she had been doing wrong for years and how they weren't really sure if she was really a McCorrigan after all. Bo really wished that her father were here. For some odd reason her parents loved each other more than anything on earth although they weren't at all compatible in her eyes. The difference was that her father Thane loved his daughter just as much as he loved his wife. With him here she wouldn't have to listen to the rest of her family telling her how she wasn't living up to any of their expectations. Unfortunately, he was on a business trip which he was more often than not and Bo wasn't sure when he was coming back this time. The McCorrigan family owned a lot of companies as did most of the elder families to keep money flowing freely and those companies didn't manage themselves. Since Aoife was the High Elder of the family Bo's father had taken it upon himself to take care of business and being a nearly irresistible Incubus obviously didn't hurt either.

"Ysabeau are you even listening?" The aggravated voice of her mother finally broke through Bo's haze of thoughts, making her realize that she had zoned out completely, drawing random patterns into her food with the fork in her hand. She sighed. "Sorry mom, I'm just tired."

Right as she said it she saw her grandfather take in a deep breath and open his mouth to tell her off again. "I know grandpa, I'm a disgrace to this family, you don't have to point it out again." Bo cut him off and his face turned slightly red. The young Succubus knew how both her mother and grandfather hated it when she called them 'mom' and 'grandpa' so this time she did it on purpose just to see their faces. "You know if you just wanted to get me here so you could insult me again you're really wasting my time." Bo took another breath and said what she should have said hours ago. "So unless me being here has an actual reason I'll be leaving." She raised her eyebrow in challenge and saw her mother shake her head in disappointment.

"I guess your mother brought you here to tell you about the banquet in two days." A familiar deep voice said from the doorway and as everyone turned to the newcomer Bo found that finally her silent prayers had been answered. In the doorway stood a tall, black-haired man clad in an a black double-breasted suit and a black tie over a blood-red shirt. He looked like he had just walked off a magazine cover but then again, that was a quality featured in her whole family.

"Dad." She grinned and got up as he let go of his suitcase and held out his arms for her. Thane McCorrigan wrapped his daughter in a bone-crushing hug, only releasing her after almost a minute. Bo's grandfather had cleared his throat more than once already but disapproval had never bothered her father at all. Another reason Bo liked him as much as she did. He could be cruel and cryptic but out of everyone in her family he was the only one she felt somewhat genuinely cared about her. Thane finally pulled back to look at her with a twinkle in his unusual amber eyes. "My Bo." He said softly, a hand caressing her cheek. "More beautiful than ever." He placed a soft kiss on her forehead before letting her go completely and looking over to his wife whom he gave a soft smile. Yes, they loved each other but Thane knew his wife and therefore he would wait until they were alone to greet her properly. Bo's parents shared a long look before Aoife finally broke eye contact and looked at her daughter instead. "Your father is actually right. I wanted to tell you about the dinner in two days. The peace banquet, as the Morrigan likes to call it. Personally, I don't see why Evony would agree to something like this but she seems oddly thrilled and has insisted on the attendance of all High Elder families." Her voice was a little softer now, not as condescending as before when her husband wasn't in the room. Bo knew the routine, it was always like this but unfortunately her father was barely ever home, in fact this was the first time she had seen him in weeks.

"It will sure be enlightening in some way." Thane said. With everyone else, Bo would have thought it was supposed to be a joke and a very bad one at that but her father didn't joke. Ever. The way he said it implied that he knew something everybody else didn't, a tone she was all too familiar with. Aoife raised an eyebrow but didn't reply. Instead she looked expectantly at Bo who knew she was supposed to say something now. "So where do I have to be and when?"

Her grandmother said nothing, as almost always but her grandfather rolled his eyes to show his disapproval of her behavior once again. Surprisingly, or maybe not since her father was also there, Bo's mother did nothing but raise a perfectly manicured eyebrow before she answered "Be here at five pm sharp the day after tomorrow and Ysabeau, we were told this is supposed to be a casual dinner, so there is no need for another one of your little shows." Bo sighed but she knew what her mother meant. Usually the young Succubus made it a habit to show up to these events in her most daring attire but it seemed she wouldn't have an excuse this time. "Fine." She told her family before she turned to her father who was still standing in the doorway, a slender hand now on the handle of his suitcase. "Will I see you there, Dad?"

"Of course." The tall and ridiculously handsome man leaned his head to the side ever so slightly as he answered, a small half-smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"Well, then." Bo nodded once in the direction of where her family was still sitting before she gave her father a smile and brushed past him to get out of the mansion and home as fast as possible.

-x-

Later, when Aoife and Thane McCorrigan lay alone, tangled in the dark red sheets of their huge canopy bed and each other the Succubus finally voiced what she had felt earlier at lunch. "Do you think our daughter is finally maturing a bit?" While she spoke, her voice still somewhat raspy from her previous screams of pleasure, she slowly traced a bloody mark on her husband's chest where she had bitten down, highlighted in the reddish glow that filled the whole room because of the burgundy curtains drawn shut in front of the windows. Thane could have easily healed but a perk that came with age to all Fae was that they could choose whether or not they wanted to heal when they fed. He knew and he could feel what the sight of his blood did to his wife so he only ever healed after they were done for the night which they certainly weren't, the sun hadn't even fully set.

Right now he only chose to hum in response before thinking about a proper answer. In the mean time he pulled his wife on top of him again, a hand tangling into her long chocolate tresses. She gave a soft moan as he tugged slightly, her eyes flashing vibrant blue and finding their counterparts staring back at her. "I see a change in her." Thane finally told his wife and not a moment too soon as Aoife chose this moment to move her hips as only she could with a wicked smile, coaxing a strangled cry from her lover. His muscles constricted and with that a little drop of blood seeped through the wound on his chest, making his wife's eyes shine even brighter. In an instant he sat up, pulling Aoife into a bruising kiss that seemed to last forever. When they finally broke apart the Succubus whispered against her husband's slightly bloody lips "I hope you're right." before positioning her hips just right, a simultaneous moan filling the air as Thane effortlessly slipped inside. "More." Aoife whimpered and her husband chuckled darkly. "We've already had two today, my love."

"More." She insisted breathlessly as they slowly began to move, their eyes fixed on each other. Thane finally smiled and nodded, reaching over to a small device on the bedside table but never missing a beat with his wife. He pressed a small button on the intercom. "My wife wants another one." He looked up at Aoife, her aura blinding before he added "Female."

"Of course, Master McCorrigan." A somewhat mechanic voice answered over the intercom before only Aoife's whimpers filled the room. Thane resumed his previous position, this time wrapping his arms around his wife as he began to quicken his motions. By the time there was a knock on the door Aoife was screaming on his lap, on a high but nowhere near where they planned to take each other during the course of this night. Being not only husband and wife, but Succubus and Incubus certainly had its perks. He slowed his movements again before telling their servant to come in. The opening door revealed a young blonde man who kept his gaze lowered respectfully leading a petite redhead into the room. He bowed deeply and left, eager to seem like he didn't want to throw up any moment. The girl, who looked to be in her early twenties, fell to her knees, shaking, failing miserably trying not to look at the foot of the bed where two bodies, one male and one female lay discarded, a terrible grin on their frozen faces.

Aoife held out a hand towards the young human woman and as she had been taught by the one who had brought her here, the blonde guy with the haunted eyes, the redhead murmured "It's an honor" before she placed her hand in the one offered to her by the beautifully terrible couple on the bed and with a flash of orange lost herself and everything she had ever been to lethal pleasure.

-x-

"Laur!" Charlotte was running towards her big sister as fast as she dared, blocking the heat waves coming at her or dodging those she wasn't strong enough to block. When she was only about thirty feet away the heat go so intense that her eyes started glowing and her skin had to absorb the heat in order to not get burned. "Lauren!" She called again and this time it worked, her sister turned with eyes ablaze in a swirling whirlwind of golden and red. The flames were dancing around her and even if Charlotte knew that this wasn't by far the extent of her older sister's power, she was blown away by the raw display of might. Lauren looked beautiful like this, so beautiful and Charlie almost waited for wings to burst from her back but she knew it wasn't the time, not for another hundred years.

Through the flicker of heat around them the young Phoenix could see the recognition in her sister's eyes and soon after the heat started decreasing, flames wavering before they vanished into air that was still vibrating with power. "Charlie." Lauren sighed and then her shoulder slightly slumped, the last of the scorching flames dissipating. Finally, her sister could come closer. "Laur, what has you torching mom's garden?" She asked, the humor in her voice evident but also the curiosity. And Lauren laughed out loud. She never did that but she seemed to be doing it more often these past weeks. "Well" She told her sister when her laughter was nothing more but an amused smile again "I would say our mother has me torching her garden. I thought it would be better than setting her mansion on fire."

Charlotte grinned and chuckled. "Probably true. What did she do this time? I didn't even know you were here already until you went Flame on! out here."

"Went what?" Her sister inquired and after a brief moment of raising her eyebrows Charlotte understood. "Never mind." She told her sister. "What did mom do?"

Lauren didn't look pleased with not getting an answer but sighed at the memory of the conversation she had with her parents. "How long have you known about this banquet in two days?"

Charlotte looked a bit taken aback but answered anyway. "About five days, why?"

"Because our parents decided to tell me about it twenty minutes ago."

"What? Why would they do that? I mean I get the whole not really talking deal but why wouldn't they tell you this?" Charlotte looked even more confused but her sister knew the reason perfectly fine. "You are bringing Alex, right?" At the mention of her boyfriend Charlie's face involuntarily lit up. "Yes he's coming. I don't know what led mom to agree to that but whatever it was I'm glad."

Lauren had to smile at the puppy-love look in her sister's eyes. "That reason would be me." She informed her, smile fading as quickly as it had come. "I'm going to that dinner with Crystal Valentine and I guess Mother allowed Alex because that way I couldn't just say no."

"You are what?" Charlie looked completely out of it now. If it hadn't been a serious situation the changing expressions on Lauren's baby sister's face would have been almost comical. "What does.." she trailed off and looked around before returning her gaze to Lauren and lowering her voice "What does Bo have to say about this?"

The older Phoenix shrugged. "I have no clue but this wasn't my idea. Our parents think that I need a serious relationship so they set me up for this."

Charlotte snorted. "You have got to be kidding me."

Her older sister rolled her eyes. "Unfortunately, no. This is not the first time they've tried but since the last time happened long before you were born I thought they had given up."

Charlotte shook her head in disbelief. "So that's why you decided to burn down the yard." She figured and Lauren shrugged, looking around at the burnt ground where green and healthy grass had been before. "I have no idea what got into me. This isn't like me at all. I guess I just snapped."

"No shit." Her sister muttered before chuckling. "I think I know where this came from. Dad told me a while ago that you used to be way more passionate but buried that inside of yourself at some point. I think Bo lights that fire, I've seen it the last couple of days when I visited you." She paused before adding softly "She shakes you to the ground."

Lauren nodded, absentmindedly. "Until I don't know which way is up." She whispered but Charlie caught it nonetheless and smiled at the admission. "She's going to blow a gasket when she sees you with this Crystal woman."

The look in Lauren's eyes as she looked at her told her that her sister hadn't even thought about that yet. Indeed, if Bo saw her with another woman she would blow up. Lauren knew they weren't officially together but she knew all about how territorial Succubae tended to get about their lovers and Bo had the perfect short temper to go with that attitude. "Just perfect." She grumbled.

-x-

Bo was surprised when she stepped out of the shower that evening and saw her phone blinking at her, indicating that she had a missed call. Drying off quickly and leaving her hair damp as she wrapped herself in her favorite kimono she picked up the device and walked into her bedroom. She didn't know the number but the Succubus had a strange feeling that this could be a certain blonde she had to leave this morning. Surprised but devilishly pleased that Lauren had called her so soon she hit call and raised the phone to her ear.

The Phoenix picked up on the fourth ring, just when Bo had thought she wouldn't pick up at all. "Yes?" The brunette let herself revel in the sound of her voice for a second even though it didn't come anywhere close to hearing her talk in person. "Well, Dr. Leavold. It seems I was right, it was you who called me." Bo made an effort to let her voice practically drip sex and she was rewarded with a small gasp and the "Bo.." that she had learnt was the doctor's normal response to her showing up unexpectedly. And also to her calling unexpectedly, apparently.

"I'm sorry I didn't pick up when you called I just came out of the shower." Bo continued, pleased by the response she was getting. This time Lauren chuckled on the other end of the line. "You're doing this on purpose, Succubus." For a second the brunette wanted to feign innocence but she thought better of it. "And if I did?"

"I'm just stating a fact." Lauren answered, amusement in her voice and Bo hummed. A silence followed, but it wasn't uncomfortable, even over the phone. The Succubus could hear the blonde's soft breaths and even if she didn't want to admit it, she knew that she could listen this for a long time and never get tired.

"So, why did you call me?" Bo inquired after a short while. "Missed me already?" She added playfully. She could practically feel Lauren smile into the phone when she answered, equally playful "Maybe."

-x-

On the balcony of her room Lauren took a deep breath before continuing. "Actually, Bo I wanted to talk to you about this banquet in a couple of days." She didn't get a response immediately but then the answer was quick which told her that Bo hadn't known what she was talking about at first. "Ok. What about it?" Her tone was more or less serious right now, something Lauren was glad about. "It's just that this is going to be a pretty intimate setting, you know. Only the five High Elder families of both Light and Dark." Lauren didn't know what was wrong with her. She wanted to be straightforward with the issue but somehow she found herself tiptoeing around it.

"So you want me to keep my hands off of you or..?" Bo trailed off, her tone dipping into anger just a bit but it was enough for Lauren to become frustrated with herself. "No. Yes.. No." She answered and suddenly the Succubus chuckled again. "No?" Her voice was full of seduction again.

"Bo." The Phoenix scolded playfully. Just out with it, she told herself. "I'm bringing a date." There was another silence before Bo all but growled "You are what?" Lauren didn't answer immediately, stunned silent by the possessive tone in the Succubus' voice. "I mean, yeah of course, suit yourself. I would hate to impose on your love life." Now the venom was clearly audible. "No, Bo. That came out wrong. What I meant is my parents are making me bring someone. They set me up for it."

"Can't you say no?" Lauren sighed. "Believe me honey, I tried. No such luck."

And just like that, the smile was back in Bo's voice. "Honey, huh?" Only then did the Phoenix realize what she had said but decided that it was too late now to take it back. "Problem?"

"Definitely not, babe." Lauren was again amused at how fast her lover's mood could change, her stomach dropping deliciously at the tone of Bo's voice combined with the term of endearment. "Good."

"Ok."

"Ok what?"

"Ok I'll let you bring that date but only if I get to whisk you away later that night. And I want to take you on a date myself some other time." Bo's voice was still confident as ever but it had a slight edge to it that told Lauren she wasn't completely sure of herself.

"A date? And how would we do that?" She inquired, surprised by how straightforward and possessive the Succubus was being. But, she figured, she liked it. A lot.

"I'll find a way." Bo chuckled. "So what about whisking you away?"

"You are incorrigible." Lauren laughed and the Succubus just hummed. "I know. And I'll take that as a yes." This time they shared a laugh before the Phoenix heard a knock on the closed balcony door. She turned to find Eva there, mouthing that dinner would be served soon. Lauren nodded quickly and the human hurried off again, probably to find Charlotte.

"Bo, I have to go. I'll be having dinner soon." The blonde told her lover, looking out over the grounds around the mansion.

"With that woman?" Bo demanded and Lauren had to laugh. "No, with my family. If it helps, I don't even want to go to the banquet with her."

"A bit." Her jealousy was so endearing right now, the blonde thought. "I'll see you there, Bo."

The answer was a dark chuckle. "Oh, you will definitely see me, lover." Bo told her before she disconnected the call, leaving Lauren with a fuzzy feeling in the pit of her stomach and a ridiculous grin on her face.

When she entered the dining room a few minutes later her mother shot her a strange look and only then did she notice that she was juggling a small flame from finger to finger on her right hand. Charlotte, who was already sitting, grinned into her glass of wine and their dad smiled at his eldest daughter, motioning for her to sit down.

-x-

"Dyson?" Hale had popped his head into his fellow detective's office. "Yeah?" The Shifter asked, lifting his gaze to hold that of his former partner.

"I got a notice from him. He thinks he has our guy and he let me know where to meet him for more info." The Siren informed Dyson whose eyebrows shot up. "Finally." He grumbled in his deep voice. It was about time they got somewhere on this case. "Let me just call Tam." He told Hale and reached for his phone.

Chapter 18: Rhythm of our Night

"This one, Miss Lewis?" Eva came back into Lauren's room holding a black suit jacket she retrieved from the massive closet next door. The human woman gestured towards the tailored piece of clothing in her hands but stopped dead in her tracks when she saw the blonde Phoenix currently buttoning up her dress shirt. Lauren had a habit of buttoning her shirts from top to bottom rather than the other way around so when she stopped and half-turned to look at the jacket Eva brought, the human caught a glimpse of the perfectly creamy skin of the blonde's toned stomach, making her suck in what she hoped was a fairly quiet breath. If Lauren noticed anything, she didn't show it, instead turning fully and walking up to Eva with only the top two buttons of her tailored white dress shirt buttoned. She took the offered suit jacket from the human and looked at it closely before smiling. "Yes, that's the one. Thank you Eva." She chuckled. "I don't know how you find everything I ask for in that huge closet so quickly."

Eva smiled with the blonde, still trying to not stare at the tantalizing skin revealed to her. Thankfully, Lauren placed the jacket on a nearby chair before resuming to button her shirt, freeing the human of her awkward situation. "Well, everything in there has its very own order so when I know what I'm looking for I'm fairly quick." Eva finally replied when the blonde was just tucking her shirt into her tight black dress pants. Lauren smiled at her again before reaching for the jacket. "Then I'm glad to have such a capable woman helping me." Her voice was genuinely thankful and for some reason it made the human woman blush ever so slightly as she nodded and smiled in response. Lauren was always so kind to her, to everyone working at the mansion for that matter. She had a beautiful heart but as the Phoenix grabbed the suit jacket and pulled it on, fastening it in front with the two golden buttons right next to each other in the middle, Eva couldn't help but think that no matter how beautiful her heart was, it would probably still be outmatched by her stunning appearance.

Watching as Lauren put the final touches to her outfit Eva drifted off into thoughts. The banquet the Leavold family would be attending tonight at the Light compound was one of the few occasions only the High Elder families would be present. Even before the peace was signed the balls and dinners Eva had found dresses for almost always included the ten Light Elder families that were powerful themselves but bowed to the heritage and might of the High Elders. The human woman didn't really know much about Fae politics, barely anything except for the basic hierarchy and the Leavolds were definitely about as far up as one could go. A meeting between those who were the absolute most powerful of both Dark and Light Fae was something that gave Eva shivers just thinking about it, and not in the good way.

The whole family had been somewhat tense today, Madame Leavold losing it with one of the girls working in the kitchen because of something so minor that it would have not even been addressed normally. Her husband had hovered near her from that point on, trying to calm her somewhat. Charlotte was tense as well but more from excitement than anything else. Her boyfriend had arrived earlier and since then the young Miss Leavold hadn't been seen by anyone on the staff. Lauren was probably the calmest of them all although Eva didn't know about her grandmother who was only served by the most experienced humans in the mansion. The young woman didn't believe that High Elder Leavold was fazed by anything but the oldest Leavold didn't have her granddaughter's easy smile. The whole day that small smile had graced Lauren's face, somewhat tense sometimes when she checked phone which she did more often than usual today. Just now she was doing it again before releasing a small sigh and letting it slide back into the pocket of her dress pants. She looked up and caught Eva's eyes, giving her a smile that lasted about two seconds before there was a knock on the door.

"Come in." Lauren said immediately and the door opened, revealing Derrick in his usual black suit. "Miss Lewis, your date for the evening has just arrived. She's waiting for you in the lobby." He said and after receiving a nod from Madame Leavold's oldest daughter left just as quickly as he had appeared. Lauren took a look at herself in the large mirror to her right, straightening her jacket and fumbling with her open hair one more time although she certainly didn't need it before turning to Eva. "Let's do this, then." She said with a half-smile and Eva couldn't help but give her a full blown one of her own. The blonde started walking towards the door, her black dress shoes clicking lowly on the wooden floor. She paused when she was almost there, turning to look at the human one more time. "Thanks again, Eva. I don't know what I would do without you on days like this."

Eva's smile got even bigger and she answered truthfully "It's a pleasure. Enjoy your evening." The last comment made Lauren laugh. "I'll try." She winked and with that she reached for the door and was out of the room in a matter of seconds.

A hand on the buttons of her suit jacket Lauren quickly walked down the stairs. The moment she had been equally dreading and awaiting all day had finally arrived. She didn't know what to expect at all as she had refused to find out anything about Crystal Valentine over the past few days. Lauren could have easily looked her up in the Light Fae database which would have provided her with everything there was to know about the woman but the Phoenix had refrained from doing so for multiple reasons. First and foremost, using the Light Fae medical database for something non work related would have gone against her principles as a doctor. Secondly, even though she really didn't want to go to the banquet with a date she still wanted to give this Crystal a chance. Knowing her mother, Lauren assumed that her date didn't even know how the Phoenix had been set up for this whole thing, making the situation they were in none of Crystal's fault. No, Lauren had a feeling she would have her hands full later on if Bo proved to be only half as jealous as she had sounded and she didn't need to shoot herself in the foot even more by brushing off her actual date like she didn't even want her there.

Lauren rounded the corner to the main hall, throwing a last glance into one of the old mirrors mounted on the wall as she passed. She thought she looked a bit stressed so she concentrated on relaxing her posture and putting a small smile on her face before she walked into the lobby with steps way more sure than she actually felt.

Derrick was back at his usual post by the door, talking lightly to a slender yet curvy woman with blonde hair artfully pulled up into an ornate hairdo. Her medium-length silver dress sparkled slightly in the light of the huge chandeliers overhead, giving it an almost blue hue that only added to her natural beauty. Lauren remembered her mother's words about Crystal being beautiful but had chalked it up to Elizabeth trying to get her to agree to going to the dinner with the woman. Now she saw that her theory didn't apply, Crystal was indeed beautiful, very much so.

Derrick saw Lauren come closer out of the corner of his eye and his grin broadened, alerting the woman in front of him to the Phoenix' presence. She turned and when she saw her date for the night walking purposefully towards her with an easy smile on her face her mouth curled up into a lopsided smirk that exposed a row of pearly white teeth. Lauren halted right in front of her, extending a slender hand to grasp the other blonde's in a warm handshake. "Crystal." The Phoenix greeted her in a friendly voice and to her own surprise a warm tingling feeling spread up her arm from her hand at the other woman's touch.

"Lauren." Crystal answered in an equally friendly and slightly amused tone. To Lauren her voice sounded as if she laughed loudly and often yet it was deep and even a little sexy. The whole woman gave off a slightly sexual vibe as she looked at Lauren unabashedly. "You look stunning if I may say so." Crystal added cheekily and the Phoenix almost blushed. Almost. "So do you." She answered simply, making the grin on her date's face turn even more lopsided. Lauren found it made her look like she was thinking inappropriate thoughts which, judging by the way was still looking at her, she probably was.

There was a loaded but not uncomfortable silence where they just looked at each other. The moment Lauren decided that she should probably say something before it turned awkward they were interrupted by fast clicking of heels on the marble floor. "Ah Crystal. I'm sorry I was just now informed that you had arrived." Elizabeth was walking towards them, wearing a subtle yet elegant amethyst-colored dress that fit her figure snugly, ending just above the knees. The smile plastered on her face was so obviously fake that Lauren wondered how anyone could possibly buy it. "But I see you already met my daughter." Her mother continued and Crystal nodded politely before answering "Good evening Mrs. Leavold. It's a pleasure." As she said it she looked back at Lauren for all but a second yet it still made the Phoenix fight a blush yet again. She didn't know what it was about this woman but she found herself strangely drawn to her. This time though, her brain chimed in, reminding her that the tingling feelings she had when looking at Crystal paled in comparison to those Bo inflicted on her. The Succubus probably did have a decided advantage in that department because of her nature but still, the facts remained.

"Call me Elizabeth please." Lauren's mother commented sweetly, effectively snapping her daughter out of her thoughts. She had to refrain from rolling her eyes. It was just too obvious how her mother was already trying to pull Crystal into the fold, showing the younger Phoenix in a not so subtle manner that she wouldn't mind at all if the other blonde was here to stay. Too bad, Lauren thought, that she would disappoint her mother yet again.

"Of course. Thank you." Crystal chimed happily, seemingly oblivious to the hints Elizabeth was dropping left and right. There were footsteps to be heard again, not as fast this time and more relaxed, telling Lauren that her father was on his way towards them. It probably also helped that, besides herself, her father was one of the two people inside the mansion not wearing heels at the moment. The banquet was supposed to be casual, or as casual as it could get when the most powerful and snobbish of Fae families were dining together so Lauren had for once decided that she would be wearing one of her many dress suits she normally wore for the banquets she attended as Dr. Lauren Lewis, prized scientist in the human world.

True to Lauren's prediction her father appeared mere seconds later, wearing an easy smile that was not half as fake as his wife's. Standing next to Crystal, the Phoenix zoned out for the rest of the conversation as she didn't want to listen to her parents making overly sweet smalltalk with her date, of course with her father informing her that she was more than welcome to call him Evan. Lauren's thoughts drifted back to what would be awaiting her once they got to the banquet. The slightly fuzzy feeling she got around Crystal made her worry as Bo was sure to see it and she didn't know how the Succubus would react. Around Lauren, the Succubus mostly showed her tame side, only granting hints of the darkness that lay beneath when she had the blonde pressed against a wall, or a table, or the bed... Lauren shook her head slightly to get her thoughts back on track. Fact was, she didn't know how Bo would react but she did know that the brunette was controlled almost solely by her emotions and if her jealousy over the phone a few days ago was anything to go by, this wouldn't end pretty.

Lauren snapped out of her haze once again as she caught the intense gaze of her little sister who by now had made her appearance in the lobby as well. Charlotte was standing next to her boyfriend Alexander, his left arm draped casually yet slightly possessive around her waist. Lauren found it cute that he wore a tie in the same electric blue color as Charlie's dress that left one shoulder completely bare while it fell over the other one and loosely down her arm. The color reminded her of Bo's eyes when she would look at her with that devilish smirk of hers and the thought sent a shiver down her spine, the most powerful one yet today and so Lauren took a deep breath to settle herself, throwing a smile at Crystal who was looking at her from the side.

"I'd say we're ready to go then." Evan said as Lauren's grandmother appeared from an adjacent room and they all nodded, following him and his wife through the open double doors held open for them by Derrick with his head bowed deeply. He wished them a pleasurable evening as they walked out into the light of the setting sun, the air around them surprisingly warm for this time of day. Crystal made a point of staying very close to Lauren all the time but not inappropriately so. Once they were down the steps and stood in front of the Leavold mansion, the heavy wooden doors closing behind them, Crystal turned towards her. "I was brought here by a driver. He could take us to the banquet if you'd like?" The statement could have been understood as standoffish but it was spoken so sweetly that Lauren couldn't help but smile. She shook her head in response. "Thank you for the offer but no. I'll drive us."

Crystal's face lit up like a Christmas tree and she nodded. "I'll tell the driver to wait here then, ok?" Lauren shook her head again. "Tell him that you won't be needing him anymore. I'll drive you home later." If it was possible the lopsided grin on her date's face got even wider as she nodded eagerly and walked off to the black car parked some fifty feet away to tell the driver what Lauren had told her.

As soon as she was gone the Phoenix felt a hand on her arm. "Laur." Charlotte began. "I think the girl is already smitten with you." Lauren looked at her younger sister, seeing a hint of concern in her honey-colored eyes so she just nodded in agreement. Charlie waited for their parents to be out of earshot before she continued. "I have a bad feeling about this."

"You and me both." Lauren replied lowly as she watched Crystal give the driver instructions through the open driver side window while she glanced over to the Phoenix ever so often with a smirk on her face.

"Just don't do anything you'll regret, big sis. Something reckless. Promise me." Charlotte said in a quiet tone that revealed just how concerned she was. Lauren gave her a slightly amused look out of the corner of her eye. Understanding the meaning of the glance the younger Phoenix countered "I know you usually wouldn't. But I know how you get around her." The comment made Lauren steel her jaw while she slowly nodded. "I promise." She told Charlotte although she didn't even know if she was capable of keeping it.

Her sister's hand left her arm the moment the excited voice of Crystal drifted back towards them. "All done." Indeed, the moment she said it the black car already peeled out of the driveway. She smiled broadly at them and Lauren wondered, somewhat amused, if she would ever stop smiling this evening. "Then let's get going. My parents are getting impatient." She nodded towards her mother who was standing by the white Cadillac that would take her, Evan and Lauren's grandmother to the banquet. Charlie and Crystal chuckled as they started walking towards the garage themselves. "Laur, can I have the Audi tonight?" Charlotte asked almost innocently but her big sister still shot her a look. She knew how the younger Phoenix loved to drive her sliver car but thinking back to the one time she almost wrecked it Lauren didn't think it was a very good idea. She decided to be diplomatic though and make the best of it. Entering the spacious garage they found themselves face to face with Lauren's silver Audi R8 and Charlotte's red Porsche Boxster. There were other cars as well but those were their parent's and they wouldn't dare touch them without their permission. Cars were something the entire Leavold family seemed to have a soft spot for and so the huge garage followed naturally.

Lauren turned to Crystal with a smile and asked "So, which one would you like better, the Porsche or the Audi?" The other woman's eyes widened as she looked at Lauren first and then at the beautiful cars sitting in front of her. She chuckled lowly before she said "You're really going to make me choose between two cars as magnificent as this?" Lauren, Alex and Charlie joined her in her laughter that was cut short when Crystal said "Your car is beautiful Lauren but I simply love the Porsche."

"Then the Porsche it is." Lauren agreed and turned to her sister who was grinning like a Cheshire cat. "Just don't wreck it. Oh and don't open the roof, you'll ruin your hair and you know how mom gets." Charlotte nodded, eagerly accepting the keys to the Audi while she handed her own to Lauren. "You too, Laur." She said, making her sister roll her eyes good-naturedly. Seconds after, Charlotte and Alex were already waiting for the automatic garage door to open so they could line up behind the white Cadillac still waiting in the driveway.

"Shall we?" Crystal asked when Lauren didn't move immediately, breaking her out of her trance. The Phoenix nodded and, unlocking the car, walked around to the passenger side to open the door for her date. Crystal laughed and smiled her thank-you as she got in, Lauren closing the door for her as well before walking around the car and getting in herself. She let the car roar to life under them, the powerful engine purring like only that of a sports car could. Lauren waited for a moment as the roof closed, as always Charlie had left it down. When, with a final click it left the two women alone in the all leather and dark wood interior of the car, Lauren felt her heart begin to race for the first time that night. They would be heading off into an evening where nothing was given and she just hoped it turned out well.

"You're a great sister, Lauren." Crystal told her as the Phoenix threw the car into reverse. Another thing about her little sister was that she loved a stick shift so of course the Porsche had one. Lauren liked it as well but not enough to give up the comfort of just throwing a car into gear and letting it do the rest. As they slowly backed out of the garage, Lauren thought about Crystal's statement and chuckled softly. "I think I could be better but thank you." Crystal smiled at her and when Lauren shifted into first gear, signaling to the driver of the Cadillac that she was ready, the platinum blonde covered her hand on the gear shift with her own in a bold move.

Lauren was slightly startled but recovered quickly, easing off the clutch to follow her Audi's taillights and shifting into second, then third gear shortly after. While the hand covering her own was unexpected it wasn't unpleasant. Crystal's hand was warm and her grip soft yet firm. Once again Lauren felt a tingling shoot up her arm, settling into the pit of her stomach. If this continued, she thought as she sat in comfortable silence with the woman next to her and followed Charlotte towards the bright lights of the city, this evening would only get more and more complicated as it progressed.

-x-

"Hey Bo-Bo, make sure you cover your naked bits 'cause I'm coming in!" Kenzi called from behind Bo's closed bedroom door before she flicked her wrist and reappeared on the other side, almost face to face with her best friend who was wearing her trademark kimono. The Succubus didn't look very amused as she had just been on her way to open the door for Kenzi when the Djinn had just popped out of thin air right in front of her. There was only a certain amount of Kenzi-magic she was able to stomach and right now she wasn't only stressed beyond belief she was also sure she would be late. It all added up to her patience wearing thin, the last thing she needed was her best friend getting on her ass about something like she had been all day.

"You know, if you keep furrowing those brows you're going to get wrinkles." Kenzi commented, deliberately oblivious to the Succubus' mood. She was her best friend after all and as such they were allowed to get on each other's nerves, at least that was her interpretation. Also, it wasn't like she didn't have a good reason to do so right now. "Kenzi I swear to god if you don't shut up..." Bo began but was cut short by the Djinn's amused voice "I didn't know you were religious."

"I'm already going to be late and you're not helping matters!" The brunette exclaimed, bur her voice wasn't as harsh as before. "And whose fault is that?" Kenzi inquired but didn't receive and answer. Yes, she had been on Bo's back the whole day but it was actually more to try and calm her best friend down somewhat. The Succubus had been a pendulum from hell for the last two days, ever since she found out that Lauren would be bringing a date to this stupid 'peace banquet'. From what the Djinn had gathered either from rants of blind jealous rage or gag-worthy romantic plans plotted by Bo to whisk her lady away she knew that this evening would probably end up being the deal-breaker for the Light's best doctor if the small brunette didn't intervene. Kenzi didn't know much about Lauren but she knew that she and Bo were walking on very thin ice right now. Best case scenario: Bo behaved at least somewhat, managed to sneak Lauren away at some point and they would have the rest of the evening to themselves to act out one or all of the silly and sometimes borderline creepy fantasies the Succubus had told her best friend about. Kenzi was sure this scenario had a chance of happening way below zero with the way Bo had been giving the perfect expression of a headless chicken the whole day. Which was what left her with worst case scenario: Her best friend managed to completely make an ass of herself because of her jealousy, to rant openly about who she thought Lauren belonged to in a room full of Light and Dark High Elders which would lead to a major scandal that would ultimately end with her literally losing her head. Kenzi was determined to not let something like that happen.

Bo had just shed her kimono, revealing to the Djinn that she was actually good to go in a simple yet elegant black dress that ended just above the knees with a slit up to her thighs on the right side, which for Bo was almost modest. The only highlights were the small diamonds accentuating the daring neckline but again, this was nothing compared to what Kenzi usually saw her in. She still looked every bit as radiant as ever but kept fussing with her already perfect raven hair, pulled back and falling over her shoulders in loose curls.

Deciding that she wouldn't put up with this any longer, Kenzi took a few steps towards her best friend. "Bo." She said gently but didn't get an answer. "Bo-Bo." She tried again, this time in a sing song voice but still to no avail. Having had enough Kenzi angrily snapped her fingers in direction of one of Bo's dark wood bedside table, making one of the drawers fly open with a loud clatter before a pair of handcuffs rose from it. Another flick of the Djinn's wrist, this time in Bo's direction sent the metal object flying towards her best friend, clicking shut around first one then two wrists before the Succubus even had time to react. This certainly got her attention and she whirled around, hands restrained behind her back, angrily exclaiming "Kenzi!" but the small brunette wasn't done. A rope was next to fly out of the still open drawer, wrapping securely around Bo, pulling her back and tying her to her own bedpost effectively. She struggled for a few moments before realizing it was futile, opting instead to stare at her best friend with wild blue eyes while growling profanities.

Kenzi walked over to stand in front of her, crossing her arms. "Don't give me the blue eyes missy, if you had listened in the first place you wouldn't be tied up with your own ropes."

"What the fuck, Kenzi? I'll already be late as it is!" Bo's eyes were still blue but not as threatening as they had been before.

"That's your fault alone. You are more than ready to go, you probably were an hour ago but instead you fuss over everything again and again. Bo, you look positively gorgeous but you need to get your head in the game." Bo was about to reply but Kenzi held up a hand to silence her. "Don't. At this rate you'll ruin any chance for you and Lauren to have something real the moment you step out of your car. You know I thought it was all about getting your record back on track when you came back from her apartment after you spent the first night there but then I saw the way you kept coming back to her, never stopped talking about her and seriously, some of the stuff you said was borderline gag-worthy. But that doesn't matter. She makes you happier than I've ever seen you and you can't throw that away just because her parents decided that they would go all dark ages on her ass and set her up for a date. You need to get your shit together and dominate this evening, show her that she's yours if that's what you want but do it subtly. I hate to remind you that you are walking a very thin line with this thing you've got going on between the two of you, one misstep and heads will roll. I can't have that."

The silence that settled in when Kenzi had ended was deafening. Bo's eyes flickered shortly before they changed back to their usual brown and the Succubus hung her head, going almost limp in the ropes still holding her to the bedpost. "I guess you're right. I don't know what happened. I overreacted."

"You think?" The Djinn snorted before Bo looked up at her and they shared a small smile.

"What would I do without you, Kenz?" the brunette asked quietly, as if she was talking to herself but her best friend heard her anyway. She walked up to Bo, placing a hand on her shoulder. "You'd lose your head, in more ways than one. But that's why I'm here, it's what best friends are for." She shrugged and Bo grinned at her. "I would hug you but.." She trailed off and wiggled a bit in her restraints for emphasis, causing Kenzi to laugh and snap her fingers. The rope fell to the floor immediately, followed by the metallic clink of the handcuffs shortly after.

"I don't even want to know what you did with this stuff." She said in order to lighten the mood and it worked, Bo's grin widened and she wiggled her eyebrows suggestively before grasping her best friend in a tight hug.

As they parted and smiled at each other, Kenzi looked at the digital clock on Bo's nightstand reading 4:49 pm. "You know if you get started right now you'll actually have a chance of not being late at your parent's house. She winked at her best friend who now turned to look at the time as well, realizing that if her car didn't suddenly grow wings she would never make it on time. "I better get going." She said, grabbing her small black clutch from off the bed. She walked down the stairs with Kenzi right behind her, halting one last time at the open front door. "Thanks again Kenz. If everything goes well tonight, would you mind if I bring Lauren back here?"

The Djinn was a bit surprised but her confused expression quickly turned into a smile. Bo was most definitely smitten. "No probs, Bo-Bo. I got my headphones." She paused to wink again before continuing "Now off you go, sweep your lady off her feet." The Succubus shot her another smile before heading to her yellow Camero, waving as she sped off in the direction of her parent's mansion.

Closing the door behind herself, Kenzi hoped that Bo wouldn't screw things up. The Djinn had done everything to get her on the right track but the rest was up to her best friend alone. She wanted to be woken up this night by Bo and Lauren's screams as they practically destroyed the Succubus' bed, not by the Morrigan's lackeys bringing her in for questioning because of high treason.

-x-

Bo didn't know what had gotten into her earlier. Somewhere in between her strong feelings for Lauren, her irrational jealousy and the overwhelming pull to show Lauren that she was hers alone the Succubus had gotten lost in a whirlwind of emotions, sending her into a complete tailspin that took Kenzi at her best to snap her out of it. On the way to the McCorrigan mansion she had breathed deeply, calming herself because her best friend made her realize that she desperately needed to. The Djinn had been right with everything she said. Bo needed to focus and control herself or this evening could end very badly. She had tried to center herself while she basically flew down the streets to the mansion and judging by her mother's baffled expression when her daughter took her scolding for being seventeen minutes and thirty-two seconds late with a smile and a shrug it had worked.

Right now she was sitting next to her mother in the back of a black Bentley, looking out the window at the streets abuzz with people coming home from work or strolling casually down the sidewalks. They were smiling or frowning, laughing or hurrying along with determined expressions on their faces. As the car halted at a red light, Bo could easily make out two human lovers standing closely next to each other in front of a little Mexican restaurant, their auras glowing vibrantly for each other as they talked. The restaurant looked to be quite full even at this time of day so she immediately thought of bringing Lauren here someday but then she saw an obviously Fae aura shining through one of the small windows and her happy thoughts vanished. They couldn't go to a place frequented by their own kind, the risk of being recognized was just too high for them as they both belonged to what could be described as Fae royalty.

The Bentley started moving again with a gentle purr, the restaurant vanishing from Bo's sight and with it her thoughts of where she could take Lauren on a date. Instead she focused on the inside of the car, the black leather seats were warm but the tension in the confined space was thick. The brunette was seated behind her father who sat in front next to their driver. The poor man was sweating and trying very hard to hide it but failing miserably. Bo felt for him. Sitting amidst High Elder McCorrigan, her husband and their daughter was unsettling for almost any Fae under normal circumstances but right now one could cut the air with a knife and that certainly did nothing to help calm the driver.

Bo could see the relief wash over his face when they finally pulled up to a large skyscraper. It was in Light territory but not far, the facade already lit with bright lights. The Succubus guessed it would look magnificent as soon as the darkness had fully settled over the city, the light reflecting off the building that was modern yet designed to look as if it had always stood there.

The Bentley halted behind a shimmering sliver Audi that gave Bo the feeling as if she had seen it somewhere before. They were waiting in line as they slowly moved up to where two men in fitted suit and tie opened the car doors for the guests in front of the entrance, a third man welcoming the most powerful Fae of the region with deep bows and wide smiles. Valets accepted the keys to the precious cars or showed the drivers where to locate the garage of the building. It seemed to be to be further back but Bo couldn't really tell from where they were right now, just like she couldn't see the entrance to the building fully yet. Right now a valet was carefully driving a red Porsche towards where the Succubus thought the garage was but she lost track of the car when the Bentley started moving again, now third in line.

Bo still thought she was sitting on the wrong side to really see anything but obviously her mother on the other side had a good enough view. "That Leavold bitch again. God I hope they don't seat us next to them. Peace or no peace that's something they don't want to witness." Aoife spat with venom in her voice, looking straight ahead where Bo could now see the head of a beautiful blonde woman on the arm of a black-haired man in a suit followed by a blonde woman with the aura of a queen. She recognized them from the first time she saw Lauren, they were the blonde's parents and grandmother. Bo was disappointed when she didn't see the radiant Phoenix herself with them but hid it well in front of her parents.

"I don't think they will, my love." Thane commented from the front seat, his voice betraying no emotion whatsoever. Their car moved again and when the doors of the silver Audi in front of them opened Bo's heart skipped a beat when she thought that Lauren had stepped out of the car. Then she realized that this blonde, while slightly similar to the Succubus' lover was not Lauren herself but rather her sister. She was joined by a tall and handsome man who wrapped an arm around her before they started up the few stairs after the other members of their family.

Still wondering where Lauren was Bo got out of the Bentley in a daze, accepted the men's welcome wishes and compliments with a small smile before she walked up the stairs behind her parents to the entrance of the building.

-x-

Lauren could pinpoint the exact moment the energy in the room shifted. She and Crystal had been talking to the two oldest children of one of the Light High Elders. They were brother and sister, twins, Gemini to be exact and they looked shockingly similar, both with golden hair that fell down to the woman's waist while her brother's framed his face like the mane of a lion. They had the same aristocratic features and striking green eyes that would meet more often than not. The last thing Lauren remembered was that she had been wondering about what it had to be like to have a person who was literally your other half, what you saw whenever you looked into a mirror, to be one person in two bodies.

The casual but pleasant conversation as well as the Phoenix' thoughts were stopped short when Lauren felt a familiar heat race up her spine. It was exactly what she had been comparing the tingle she experienced whenever Crystal touched her to the whole evening, maybe even stronger than usual due to the location she was in. The twins excused themselves to greet other friends who had arrived while they were talking and Crystal shot Lauren a lopsided smile, leaning further into her than she already was. The platinum-blonde had been holding onto her arm since the very moment they arrived at the banquet and while the Phoenix hadn't exactly wished for it she wouldn't do anything against it either. Right now it actually helped as she could subtly look over Crystal's head in the direction where she knew she would find the source of her body's sudden reaction.

True to Lauren's instinct, there she was, in all her sinister glory. Hair pulled back, highlighting her cheekbones, her beautiful body clad in a short black dress that fit her perfectly. But what didn't. And of course she was looking at her. It was like her dark eyes didn't even have to search for her. Of course, Lauren thought, if the brunette felt only half of the fire she was feeling right now she could have found her in a crowd of thousands, never mind the about forty Fae there actually were in this room. Still, Bo made it seem like she had looked in her direction with the sole and innocent intent of scanning the room. Their gazes locked for mere seconds but it was enough to light Lauren's fire completely. Almost as soon as it started the moment broke again but like when a fire died down, some of its heat stayed in the air long after.

In an effort to center herself Lauren smiled at Crystal who had thankfully backed up a bit again. She still had her arm looped through the Phoenix' though, returning her smile tenfold in a way that Lauren by now knew for certain was typical of the woman in front of her. They casually continued their round, chatting gracefully with the families of the four other Light High Elders and the Elders themselves. An especially long stop was with the Valentines who were thrilled that one of them was accompanying Lauren this evening, expressing in the calm and sophisticated way that distinguished all elder families that they wouldn't mind seeing them together in the future as well. Lauren knew her mother had been complaining about her ever-single daughter behind her back so that part was no surprise. A surprise on the other hand was the wide and happy smile High Elder Valentine directed at them when they stopped to greet him. Edward Valentine was positively huge, broad and tall with strong muscles threatening to tear his suit at the seams. His face was covered mostly by an impressive beard that was as pitch-black as the full hair falling to his shoulders in soft waves though it held a certain greenish glow when the light hit it just right. The Phoenix smiled to herself when the silly thought crossed her mind that all he needed was a trident to completely look his part. The Valentines were Mermen and Mermaids almost without exception and Elder Valentine looked every bit like he could be the king of the sea.

In all the times Lauren hat met him before, he rarely smiled but now he was practically glowing. "I'm glad to see that you finally found the happiness you deserve, Lauren." He said in his deep bass voice, beard parting to show pearly white teeth and the blonde thanked him genuinely, although maybe not for the happiness he was probably talking about.

As if on cue Bo moved into her line of sight again, coming to stand casually next to a tall man wearing an impeccable black tux, both of them holding a drink in their hands. His black hair was slicked back neatly, exposing the same careless smile on his face that Bo always wore so well. Lauren immediately figured him to be the Succubus' father. Said Succubus seemed to have instinctively noticed the blonde looking at her, shifting her stance almost unnoticeably to look past her father and right into Lauren's eyes. Immediately the fire was back, especially when the Phoenix saw her lover's glance flicker to Crystal for a brief moment, pure anger evident in her dark orbs even from about forty feet away. The blonde would never admit to it but the sight of Bo's possessive expression fueled her fire even more as the Succubus looked back at her, seemingly telling Lauren with her burning glance that she wouldn't tolerate this much longer.

Their moment was broken once again, but this time by Bo's father searching for the Phoenix' gaze. Rather startled but desperate not to show it, Lauren met his unusual and haunting amber eyes. Surprising her even further, the older McCorrigan bowed slightly in greeting, the bow of a true gentleman, slow and respectful, never breaking eye-contact. It was all Lauren could do to nod back at him, showing him the same respect he had shown her. She didn't know what it meant but when the two Dark Fae started walking again she saw a soft smile grace Bo's face that soothed Lauren's nerves a bit.

Thankfully, Elder Valentine didn't seem to have noticed Lauren spacing out for a few moments. He was talking to Crystal who answered him in a light and cheery voice until the large man finally excused himself to get back to the rest of his family as dinner would be served soon. Those final moments before they would all be sitting at one table the two women spent rejoining Lauren's parents and grandmother towards the far end of the room. They had barely said hello before the large white double doors to the side opened, revealing a young Fae waiter who bowed as he slowly gathered the attention of the gathered families.

"Dinner will be served shortly in the adjoining room. If you wish to follow me." He spoke in an even voice, obviously trained to serve only the most powerful Fae in existence. Lauren was just glad he wasn't human. Then again, she probably wouldn't see one the whole evening because they would 'spoil' this meeting with their presence. Sighing, she let herself be led by Crystal as they followed the waiter into the next room. Due to where they had been standing they were almost the last to walk through the wooden double doors and Lauren felt a tingle run down her spine like a warning before a shock of pure electricity shot up her arm. She heard a chuckle in low timbre as Bo brushed past her, close enough for the Phoenix to catch the brunette's intoxicating scent. Their brief skin contact had a blazing heat emitting through her whole body from the point of contact. The effect this woman had on her was absolutely insane, Lauren thought as she looked back at Crystal who winked at her, pulling the golden blonde fire-spirit a bit closer. The Phoenix didn't think she suspected anything. Yet. The game she and Bo were engaging in wasn't only dangerous, it was sheer madness. Still, she found herself responding and wanting to retaliate. Their game would only get more and more intoxicating as the evening progressed, she figured.

-x-

Bo was very pleased with herself as she caught up to her parents standing near a huge expensively decorated table in the middle of the room. Considering the near mental breakdown she had to be pulled out by Kenzi earlier it was surprising, even for herself, how every bit of nervousness just fell away the moment her eyes found her blonde lover in the crowd igniting like a bonfire as she realized who was watching her. From that point on the Succubus had just fallen into her nature fully. Her subconscious knew instinctively how to pursue, how to move in a way that would surely but subtly gather her lover's attention. She enjoyed the way Lauren blazed so hotly for her whenever their gazes met.

When her father had greeted the blonde her heart sunk for a moment but whatever he knew or thought he knew he kept it hidden behind his unreadable eyes and disarming smile. The only thing he did say was "She is a true beauty." shortly after Bo had finally been able to tear her eyes off Lauren. The Phoenix looked so damn sexy in that black suit of hers, the brunette had trouble not envisioning twenty different ways at once to get her out of it. She had agreed with her father although she didn't fully get what he meant with "a true beauty". It could have been just the word choice but if Bo knew anything about her father it was that there was almost always a deeper meaning to what he said.

A waiter appeared, ripping Bo out of her thoughts as he respectfully showed them their seats for the evening, more or less at the far end of the long table. The Succubus thanked him briefly, sitting down next to her father. Across from them the Gardiners were taking seat: Dark High Elder Gardiner, a short man with pale blonde hair and piercing ice-blue eyes, his wife who was almost a foot taller than her husband and their son Neil with his wife. Bo surprised herself by remembering all this information about them but she assumed it was mostly because she had been dragged to their son's wedding about a year ago.

Said son gave her a wide smile as he greeted her, his eyes getting caught on her cleavage immediately. Bo answered as politely as she could when all she wanted to do was embarrass Neil in front of his parents and wife by calling him out on his ogling. He tried to engage her in conversation until he suddenly looked to his right and his eyes widened.

The Succubus followed his awestruck expression and felt her jaw lock when she saw another waiter leading the Leavold family towards the still vacant spaces next to her. Lauren wasn't looking at her and by the determined expression on her face she was forcibly restraining herself from doing so. Instead Bo found her gaze locked with that of Lauren's mother. Elizabeth Leavold was looking at her with so much distaste that the brunette was sure she would spit her right in the face any moment. No such thing happened though, instead the blonde woman's face contorted into an evil smile as she ushered Lauren and her poor excuse for a date to the seats as far away from Bo as possible. The Succubus almost laughed out loud at the poor attempt to separate her from her lover but refrained from doing so. Instead she leaned back in her comfortable chair, giving off a vibe of indifference. Elizabeth Leavold even went as far as sitting down next to her but as Bo would find out soon, that was only going to be the tip of the iceberg.

During the different courses Ysabeau McCorrigan and Elizabeth Leavold engaged in a sort-of conversation that saw Lauren's mother throw insults at the Succubus under her breath with Bo answering not at all or with sarcasm.

"I know all about you having your filthy eyes on my daughter. You're not going to get her." She whispered to the brunette as she leaned slightly to the side to allow the waiter to place the main dish in front of her. Bo concentrated on keeping her face neutral. Sadly, Lauren's mother obviously didn't know shit about what her daughter did and the Succubus intended to keep it that way. Let her think I don't have a chance with her precious daughter. I bet she would die on the spot if she were to hear how Lauren screams my name into the night before she falls asleep wrapped in my arms.

"So you decided to get her to bring this joke of a date?" Bo chuckled lowly. Elizabeth's grip on the fork in her hand tightened, knuckles turning white but she didn't respond for quite some time. Only after dessert had already been served and replaced by cheese platters did she address the Succubus again.

"I guarantee you, if you lay so much as an unwanted finger on her..." The rest of her statement was swallowed by Bo's amused chuckle. "I'm a Succubus. So I guarantee you, every finger I lay on someone it most definitely wanted."

A waiter came back to clear off the rest of the table, effectively ending their little conversation for good this time. Shortly after, the Morrigan and the Ash thanked everybody for coming, announcing that this would from now on be a yearly occurrence. A small band was presented that replaced the one playing during dinner, beginning to play and soon the floor around the table was beginning to crowd with Fae ready to dance. Bo watched as Lauren was dragged onto the dancefloor by her date, their eyes locking again from time to time as the Succubus was sucked back into another terrible conversation with Neil Gardiner.

It was probably an hour later when Bo finally managed to shake the annoying man, mostly because of his wife demanding his attention. The Succubus would have felt sorry for her but this was the way most Dark Elder family marriages went. They were all arranged and if the love didn't come afterwards like with her own parents they would just accept it the way it was, opting to find satisfaction elsewhere. Neil's wife was really trying though, and Bo was somewhat glad she wouldn't crush her feelings by giving in to his obvious advances.

She noticed that most Fae in the room were now dancing or standing in groups, talking. Even Elizabeth Leavold was swaying gently from left to right in her husband's sure hands. Bo took a moment to search the room for her lover, finding her like a magnet would find a piece of metal. Lauren was still, or again, dancing with Crystal. Bo wasn't sure which applied because she had lost sight of her while trying to dodge Neil's sometimes downright crude passes at her.

Thankfully for the brunette, the song ended shortly after, sparing her of watching Lauren dance with her date. It made her angry enough as it was. The only one the Phoenix should be dancing with was her but they had been there, done that even if it had been under completely different circumstances and Bo had gotten the verbal recoil of it just about an hour ago from Lauren's mother. No, this time she needed to be subtle yet determined like Kenzi had said and so she got up from her chair, ready to get herself into position.

Before she could do anything though, Lauren beat her to it. The Phoenix met her gaze over her date's shoulder, letting her eyes show desire and a mischievous glint that would have been lost on anyone not looking as closely as Bo definitely was. The blonde's focus for a second shifted back to the ice-blonde woman in front of her, telling her something that made the woman nod and walk off towards one of the many servants holding trays with champagne flutes.

Bo felt the heat inside of herself rising again when Lauren fixed her again with an intense gaze. The Succubus almost winced at the way her lover's aura flared and she had to physically restrain her eyes from flashing blue. She couldn't help herself from slowly moving in the blonde's direction though, her steps slow and seductive but not overly so. She was still very aware of where they were after all. Lauren noticed that Bo was coming towards her when the Succubus was about halfway there and it made a corner of the blonde's mouth turn upwards into a brilliant smile, her aura flaring hotter than in had the whole night, in its intensity almost causing Bo's step to falter.

Suddenly though, Lauren turned and started walking away, startling Bo until she threw her a smoldering look over her shoulder, most definitely screaming "follow me" at the Succubus. Subtly, she nodded and slowed her steps, following the Phoenix with her eyes only to follow her herself at a safe distance. The blonde lead her through the door they came through in the first place and down a small corridor before making a sharp left turn that had Bo losing sight of her. Fortunately for the Succubus there was only one door at the end of the corridor and it happened to be on the left side. Still, she approached it cautiously, thinking back to all the times she had been on missions for the Morrigan, approaching closed doors with her trusted dagger in hand.

Slowly, she turned the doorknob only to have the door yanked open mere milliseconds later. Before Bo could even do so much as move a muscle she was pulled forward, hearing the door slam closed again only for it to make contact with her back as she was pushed up against the solid wood roughly, arms trapped at her sides by a warm, strong body pressing up against hers. The impact slammed the breath out of her lungs and when she gasped to replace the lost air she inhaled a scent that had been implanted firmly in her mind, clear as the sky and powerful like a wildfire, so uniquely Lauren that her intake of breath quickly turned into a moan that should never be truly voiced. The moment her lips parted to give way to the sound they were covered by the Phoenix'.

Liquid fire immediately shot through Bo, startling her out of her momentary shock. As she concentrated on passionately kissing her lover back, she now felt Lauren clearly with every fiber of her body. The way her mouth tasted as their tongues dueled for dominance, teeth sinking into her lips without restraint, causing her sweet pain. One arm wrapped around the blonde's slim waist, holding her tightly to herself while the other one found Lauren's cheek, bringing her closer if that was even possible. The Phoenix' own hands were at the base of Bo's neck in her hair, pulling at the chocolate tresses. All their movement was for one sole purpose: bring the other closer, deeper even though it seemed already entirely impossible at this moment.

The Succubus had been an active participant in many heated encounters but not one could even begin hoping to hold a candle to what was happening between her and Lauren right now. Even behind closed eyelids the brunette could see the blonde burning around her, for her, only for her. The whole evening, every stare, every flare of her jealousy, every smile and move had been leading up to this moment and it was long overdue.

It felt like hours but in truth it was probably only minutes before they had to break apart for air, panting heavily but never loosening the passionate embrace. Bo found that barely anything had ever felt as good as the beautiful blonde's body pressing against hers so intimately right now. They fit together perfectly, one of the Succubus' legs wedged between Lauren's, the Phoenix's leaning fully onto her for support as she slowly slipped one hand up and down Bo's neck while the other trailed slowly forward and along her jaw.

"Hmm.. Bo." The blonde murmured against her mouth before she nipped sensually at Bo's lower lip. Finally opening her eyes she revealed two orbs blazing with swirling color, glowing red like molten steel hand just as hot. They met hooded cerulean blue, staring back at her like she was the only thing worth looking at in the whole world. Bo pressed another kiss to her lover's mouth. "Lauren." She murmured, suddenly very content with the position they were in. Seconds ago all she wanted to do was rip the blonde's clothes off as fast as possible and she still wanted to but it was just way too comfortable leaning back against the closed door, Lauren in her arms like she had always belonged there, only for Bo to hold.

The Phoenix' face shifted into a brilliant smile, her still red eyes looking like they were about to spark. Then she laughed, a beautiful sound even though it wasn't very loud, triggering an involuntary grin from Bo. "What's so funny?" She asked her lowly, biting playfully at Lauren's jaw. The blonde continued to chuckle, breaking eye contact to place her head on her lover's shoulder. The height difference due to the different types of shoes they were wearing this evening helped to make it perfectly comfortable and Bo just held her tighter still, another arm wrapping possessively around Lauren's waist.

"You know" The Phoenix started when she was settled perfectly against the brunette's warm skin "I actually brought you here so I could seduce you like you have been doing with me all night but the moment you opened that door my plan just flew out the window." Her voice was still low and slightly raspy from the earth-shattering kiss they had shared before and Bo found that she loved the sound. It was slightly different from the voice Lauren used when they were in bed together, it didn't have that slightly hoarse edge to it. She could have marveled in the sound all evening but what the blonde had said caused her to chuckle lowly, chest vibrating with her laughter.

"Sounds like you did miss me after all." Bo teased but realized immediately that it was the wrong thing to say because Lauren stiffened slightly in her embrace. Sometimes, the Succubus just didn't know what to do when the blonde suddenly shut down on her. It was happening less often by now but when it did, it normally left her baffled as it happened at the most random times, whenever Lauren would think Bo hit too close to actual feelings.

"Bo I.." She started but was cut off by a loving kiss pressed to her forehead. This one time Bo could think about something to say and so she did, going for brutal honesty. "It's ok. I missed you, too." The Succubus congratulated herself when she felt Lauren relax again in her arms, cuddling closer.

"Also, you should probably leave the seduction to the pros, sweetheart." Bo grinned and immediately found blazing red eyes staring at her from inches away. Just like that the mood had shifted again.

"So you think you're better at seduction than I am." Lauren practically growled, pressing her body to the brunette's in an entirely inappropriate fashion. It was the challenge Bo had been waiting for. The Phoenix was startled as she was pushed forward and pressed against the opposing wall of the small room they had found themselves in. It made the Succubus look around. "What is this place anyway?" She chuckled.

Lauren followed her gaze, finding mops and buckets leaning on the walls next to big cardboard boxes illuminated by the city lights falling though the small window to the right. "Storage closet I suppose."

"You suppose? So you didn't know where you were taking me?"

"Nope. I improvised and hoped for the best."

Bo laughed loudly. "You're incredible." But Lauren had other plans, starting to kiss up her neck. "Distracted so easily, Miss McCorrigan?" Both, her words and the touch of her lips sent the familiar fire back through Bo.

"Never." She purred, sliding her hands up to undo the two buttons of Lauren's suit jacket, slipping her hands under the soft material to first graze, then grasp the blonde's breasts firmly. The Phoenix arched into the decadent touch instantly, catching Bo's lips in another heated kiss. This one was different though. It was pure carnal need, triggering the Succubus to feed just a bit, just enough to make her lover moan loudly into her mouth.

All the while Bo's hands were making quick work of the buttons on Lauren's shirt. When she finally revealed creamy white skin by pushing the offending material out of her way her hands immediately sent strong orange pulses through the blonde who shuddered hard under the touch, pressing desperately into the Succubus' touch. Bo could see her arousal, burning like a wildfire but she could also feel it on the blonde's skin, taste it on her lips. She sent another strong pulse though Lauren who gasped again, offering a large amount of addicting chi for the Succubus to take at her will.

The blonde was trying to get the straps of the brunette's dress down her arms but her lover was having none of it. "Do you feel how good I am?" Bo growled into the Phoenix' ear when she cut off the stream of blue energy flowing between them. She flipped the blonde around, pressing her to the wall while she pressed into her from behind. Lauren just moaned in response but that wasn't good enough for the blue-eyed beauty behind her. When the blonde had teased her in the first place she had wanted to go slow, really seduce the Phoenix into complete submission but the beast inside of her won the moment she allowed herself to think about that other blonde woman courting her lover all evening. Her instinct to mark, to possess, was so overwhelming that even all of her self control from the whole night combined wouldn't have been enough to stop her in this moment.

"That woman. I will allow her hands on you no longer. You're mine." She breathed into Lauren's ear as she slowly, oh so slowly, started to unbutton her lover's pants. The blonde was receiving strong pulse after strong pulse and it took her to new heights. She found herself sighing, happily and readily submitting to her lover.

All of a sudden, the pulses stopped and she heard Bo say "You hear me, Lauren? You're mine." It sent another shot of pure heat though her, lighting her core on fire but also her heart. It also proved once again that Bo didn't need her natural powers of seduction, she was perfectly capable of seducing her without them. Lauren found the Succubus' possessive jealousy beyond hot and as Bo popped the last button of her dress pants she found herself whispering "Yes.. I'm yours. I'm yours."

She was so ready for the Succubus that the sounds of footsteps echoing outside the door almost didn't catch up with her until it was too late. She stilled, frozen in place. Suddenly it all came back. Where they were. Who they were. Why they should never be doing something like this here of all places. Bo heard it, too. She turned Lauren to face her again, pressing a soft, loving kiss to her mouth, her amazing eyes more expressive than ever before. I will protect you, they said, I will protect us. Breaking the intense contact Bo turned, putting her body in front of Lauren's protectively. Not a second too early, too, as in that moment, the door opened.

Chapter 19: Not a Choice

Behind Bo's protective posture, Lauren was hastily trying to make herself presentable again before the door opened completely. She quickly buttoned her pants and, realizing that it was far too late for her dress shirt, she at least tried to pull it somewhat closed. Her heart was pounding in her chest and it was making her hands shaky, causing them to slip off the fine fabric repeatedly. Finally, she just gave up and lifted her gaze again to where a woman stood in the doorway, an amused smirk on her face as she looked right over the Succubus' shoulder and directly into Lauren's eyes. The Phoenix didn't know if she should growl in exasperation or sigh in relief. "Charlie." she finally huffed in a mixture of both. Her sister really had impeccable timing.

Bo looked back over her shoulder, her gaze finding that of her lover before she visibly relaxed but still didn't move her body from in front of the blonde's. Instead she turned back to Charlotte, watching her intently but not saying anything. She seemed to be content for the moment, knowing that the woman who was just now closing the door behind her didn't pose a threat to Lauren or her.

"You know, Laur, I didn't know where or how I was going to find you but I surely wasn't expecting this." Charlotte smiled as her eyes flickered to her sister's open dress shirt and back to her eyes which had returned to their usual honey-brown color the moment the door opened. Now that she mentioned it, Lauren saw how ridiculous and juvenile this had to look. She and Bo, sneaking off to a storage closet of all places, and in the middle of a High Elder banquet, no less. For a second she didn't know what had gotten into her but then she heard her brunette lover's rich voice as the Succubus finally demanded her presence to be known, and knew exactly. Whenever Bo was concerned, Lauren didn't think at all, she just felt and reacted to it purely on instinct. Not in the very beginning of course, but even then, having a clear mind around the brunette was something she found impossibly hard.

"And why is that?" Bo questioned, her voice neutral but hinting at an anger Lauren knew was probably already boiling inside her. Charlie's gaze moved to the Succubus, a smile still on her face but it became somewhat weary as she was hit by Bo's intimidating presence. Hair slightly out of place and lipstick smeared a bit at the corner of her mouth she was still a sight to behold, her natural confident aura never wavering as she stared down her lover's sister. "Well, Lauren is usually a little more.. level-headed." Charlotte finally said, choosing her words carefully.

"Really?" The corners of Bo's mouth twisted up into a cocky grin as she flashed Lauren a smoldering look over her shoulder before adjusting her position slightly so that she was now standing next to her lover rather than in front of her. "Then I think we both know a different woman." Lauren rolled her eyes, immediately smiling back at Bo, somewhat scolding her for her brat-like behavior but playfully so as she had to inwardly admit that she loved it. They continued to hold each other's gaze while one of the Succubus' hands slipped around the blondes waist, a sparkle in their eyes until Charlotte cleared her throat and Lauren turned her head back to her sister, smiling somewhat sheepishly. Obviously it was now the younger Phoenix' turn to grin like a Cheshire cat as she looked back and forth between her older sister and her Succubus lover who were for the lack of a better expression, blatantly and obviously in love. They probably didn't know it or admitted to it but the way they looked at each other and seemed to gravitate towards the other, even when Bo's arm was already around Lauren's waist, spoke volumes.

"Yes, the Lauren I know definitely wouldn't run off from a banquet for a quickie in the storage closet. Especially since the complete Light and Dark Fae royalty are gathered outside." She said to Bo before addressing her sister again. "Crystal is looking for you Lo, and soon mom will be, too so I suggest you save the love until later and get your ass back out there." Charlotte was hitting the nail on the head again and Lauren knew it. She sighed, closing her eyes for a moment to gather herself, unconsciously leaning closer to Bo as she did so. The Succubus tightened her hold on the blonde, looking at Charlotte. "Crystal?" She asked, her voice near a growl and a dangerous glint in her eyes.

"Yes, Lauren's date. Lo obviously asked her to get drinks for the two of them and then disappeared. I figured she'd be with you so I went looking for you before anyone else noticed that you are missing as well." Charlotte answered but it seemed like Bo stopped listening after the word 'date'. Startling Lauren by pulling her even closer so herself, the Succubus' eyes flashed blue as she growled "Lauren is mine. That woman has no right to even be in her presence."

The blatant display of jealous possessiveness caught Charlotte by surprise, making her eyes widen slightly. She knew from her lessons on the different types of Fae that Succubae tended to be light-headed, overly dramatic and most of all, incredibly possessive of what they thought was theirs but it was one thing learning about it and another witnessing it firsthand. The young Phoenix found it to be downright frightening. The look in Bo's eyes as she spoke those words was nothing short of murderous, like she wouldn't hesitate one second to kill anyone who tried to take Lauren from her. Charlotte had no idea how to respond to the deadly beautiful creature in front of her, eyes bright blue as she stood in her tight black dress, Lauren pressed to her side like she had only ever belonged there.

"Bo." Lauren's voice finally ended the deafening silence in the storage closet. The Succubus turned her head to find an expressive honey-brown gaze searching hers. Not looking away from Bo's stormy eyes the Phoenix addressed her sister. "It's ok Charlie. Tell Crystal I'll be back in a minute." Silence engulfed them. Finally Charlotte said "Ok. It was nice meeting you Bo." but the Succubus didn't reply or make any notion that she had even heard the young blonde. There was another moment of silence before the sound of a door opening could be heard, immediately closing again after, leaving Bo and Lauren alone in the storage closet to listen to footsteps walking away from them and their own mingling breaths and beating hearts.

"Bo." The Phoenix said again softly after a short while. The brunette was still looking at her, her brows pushed together in anger, her hands never letting go of their strong hold on Lauren's waist.

"I won't let her come near you again, much less lay a hand on you." Bo growled. "I've tolerated it for too long already." Lauren smiled in response, one hand coming up to caress her lover's cheek, trying to calm her down.

"Bo, I have to keep up an appearance with her, you know that. I don't understand why you're so jealous. Don't get me wrong I'd rather be out there with you as well but you know Crystal doesn't stand a chance against you." She pressed a short but passionate kiss to Bo's lips, underlining her point further. When Lauren pulled back she saw that the cerulean blue storm in the Succubus' eyes had diminished quite a bit but they remained their electrified color.

"I know Lauren." Bo said, sounding adoringly like a child who had been told too much candy wasn't good for them. However, that sweet tone was gone as soon as it came when the brunette continued "But make that Selkie keep her hands to herself. I can't guarantee that I will tolerate her sticking to you like a piece of old gum."

"Selkie?" Lauren asked, surprised. "How do you know Crystal's a Selkie?" Bo's revelation baffled the blonde as she hadn't even thought about what type of Fae her date was yet. Now that she thought about it she had just naturally assumed that she was a Mermaid like almost all the other Valentines. Lauren knew Crystal wasn't from the royal family itself but still, she didn't think the differences would be that great. Now that she knew though, it actually made sense. While not as strong as those of a Succubus or Incubus, Selkies had powers of seduction and persuasion themselves. It explained the tingling feeling Lauren would get when Crystal touched her. Also, whenever the Phoenix' thoughts would unconsciously drift to Bo her date would look at her or press closer. Before, Lauren hadn't been sure but now it was obvious that Crystal could read her aura at least a bit, probably thinking the bursts of energy were for her.

"She left a mark on you when she used her powers on you. That's something I recognized as I felt it when I touched you. It's what made me angry in the first place." Bo explained. It got Lauren thinking. "Do all energy-bound creatures leave a mark on those they use their powers on?" She inquired and Bo nodded. "To a certain degree. Depends on how strong the powers are."

"So when you pulse me or feed off me you mark me for the world to see?" Lauren chuckled, suddenly finding it very amusingly ironic that they even spent their time hiding when she wore Bo's affection like a bright neon sign over her head. The comment made the Succubus laugh quietly. "No. I mark you, that much is true but it's only detectable through touch and only if you know where to look. That takes quite a bit of practice. The marking is also something I do unconsciously so it wears off after a day or two." She said, diffusing Lauren's worries as soon as they started to surface. "So before I was safe because I hadn't been with you for a few days and now we just hope that Crystal isn't as good at reading these marks as you are?"

Bo only grinned in response, her voice low. "Exactly, Doctor Leavold." She leaned closer again, her nose trailing down the side of her lover's face before she pressed an open-mouthed kiss against the back of Lauren's jaw, nipping at it lovingly. Immediately the heady sensation from before was back full force, shooting through the blonde like a bolt of lightning. It took all the willpower she could come up with to raise her hands and cradle Bo's face in them, pulling her delicious mouth off of her. When their eyes met this time, the Succubus' eyes were blue for a completely different reason.

"Bo we can't. We need to go back." She tried to reason but it was hard when Bo was looking at her like she was the most delicious thing in the world. Instead of answering, the Succubus pressed a heated kiss to her lover's lips before murmuring against them "Are you sure, babe? Your body tells me a very different story." Her hands slipped up and found no resistance from Lauren's still open dress shirt, palms sliding over twitching stomach muscles.

"Bo." This time Lauren's voice was more forceful, somewhere between a stern tone and a moan. Accompanied by a hand flat against her stomach, it finally got the Succubus' attention and she stepped back a bit with a dramatic sigh, rolling her eyes. "I'll make it up to you." Lauren promised with a smile, glad that her lover had listened. Bo could be very convincing and the blonde didn't have it in her to tell her no over and over again. "You can come by my place later tonight and we'll continue where we stopped." Once again, Lauren was in awe of how the Succubus' mood shifted from adorably pouting over being rejected to pure joy. She nodded eagerly but paused again before she asked "How about you come by my place for once? I'll give you the address. It's not that hard to find anyway."

Lauren knew where Bo lived from when she was trying to piece together what happened the night Stanley had been found but she decided that she wouldn't admit to it. She just nodded. "Ok. You can text me the address later. Right now we need to get back, we've been in here way too long already." The blonde answered and the Succubus nodded again, this time somewhat reluctantly. She came up to Lauren and to the Phoenix' surprise started buttoning her dress shirt back up with great care, tucking it into the blonde's pants gently. Next came her suit jacket but as it only had two buttons that didn't take long. Bo ran her hand through golden tresses, putting them back into place before she wiped a faint trace of her lipstick off Lauren's jaw with her thumb. Careful to not leave any more of it on the Phoenix' skin the brunette bent forward, pressing a feather-light kiss to the corner of her mouth. "I'll see you later my beautiful." She whispered before Lauren once again heard the door open and close, this time leaving her alone in the semi-dark storage closet. The blonde immediately missed her lover's warm and knowing touch as she leaned back against the far wall of the small room, trying to bring her heart rate back to a normal level. A few deep breaths later she knew that she had to get back so she told herself one more time to act normal before she, too, left the small storage closet to be as quiet as before Lauren and her Succubus lover decided to break its peace.

-x-

When Lauren got back into the main room she quickly found out that thankfully, her absence hadn't been noticed by many. Crystal immediately cornered her of course, pressing a glass of by now warm champagne into the Phoenix' hands while she asked her if everything was alright. After all, she had been in the bathroom quite a while. Lauren refrained from rolling her eyes upward as she diffused her date's worries with a charming smile and an offer to dance. She would have to speak to Charlie later on about making up good excuses. Nobody would really buy the 'I was in the bathroom' line when you were gone for twenty minutes.

Thankfully, Crystal was easy to distract and as they spun around dancing, Lauren noticed the subtle but very much noticeable pulses returning, trying to lure her into falling for the woman in front of her. She scolded herself once again for not noticing before that this tingling feeling couldn't be of natural cause.

After another hour of dancing and several occasions where Lauren would catch chocolate brown eyes piercing holes into her date's head as subtle as the Succubus could manage, Crystal finally admitted that her feet were starting to hurt. With a gracious smile the Phoenix led her back to the table, sitting with her and chatting while Crystal sipped another glass of champagne. Lauren had declined when she was offered another flute, stating that she needed to drive later on. She found once again that her date was actually a very nice woman, she was smart and easy to talk to and even besides the power she knew Crystal was using on her she thought that they did actually have a bit of natural chemistry. In a different situation Lauren could see herself at least trying for something more with this woman but right now she only intended to maybe make a new friend out of this. They way the ice-blonde smiled at her told her that she was smitten with her and it almost made her feel bad a bit. Crystal was trying hard, a little too hard maybe but, without knowing it, she was fighting a battle she had lost before it even began.

As if to underline Lauren's point even further, Bo appeared in her peripheral vision again, being spun around by her father with great skill. He pulled her back into him right after, their bodies pressing together as he smiled a smile that Lauren thought was just so Bo. He even had a dimple in the exact same spot as his daughter. They continued to dance together, completely mesmerizing the Phoenix watching them, making her shut out Crystal's chipper voice completely. Lauren found that she wouldn't ever dance with her father like that, it was way too sensual for a dance between father and daughter but then again, the lines probably blurred a bit there when you were a creature that fed off sex. She could see the trust Bo had in her father in the way she allowed him to spin her around and around, like she knew he wouldn't ever let her fall. At the same time Bo's father was touching her like she was the most delicate object in the world, as if she would break the moment he pushed or pulled to hard. Lauren had to admit that, in a somewhat dark way, they were beautiful as they finally came to a halt in a final position, Bo's father dipping her down with his daughter's arms around his neck. As they stood again, he made a point of kissing Bo's forehead before walking away gracefully to whisk a stunning brunette off the arm of a tall blonde man.

That was the moment Crystal finally managed to get her date's attention back. When she had noticed Lauren's lack of response she followed her gaze, finding it glued to two dancing Dark Fae. She wasn't sure but she thought the woman to be that Succubus a lot of people were talking about. She couldn't come up with a name though. "Distracted by a Succubus? Should I be offended?" she playfully asked Lauren who rolled her eyes in response and chuckled, hiding her initial shock at Crystal following her gaze very well. "You shouldn't." She told her with a smile that the ice-blonde returned tenfold.

"I'm just kidding. Succubae are hard to keep your eyes off, I know." Crystal looked back to Bo who had just turned in their direction. "She really is beautiful though." Just when she said that the brunette noticed them looking at her, crocking her head to the side just a bit before she winked wickedly and turned away. Lauren fought to keep from blushing at the sensation running though her while Crystal actually blushed a bit and laughed it off.

It was the last the Phoenix really saw of Bo for the duration of the banquet as she was pulled into an interesting conversation with Crystal asking about her work as chief of medical department before her parents as well as Charlotte with Alex joined them again. Leaving Crystal and Alexander with their parents, Charlie managed to get a semi-quiet moment alone with her sister before the evening slowly came to an end. "Charlie you really need a better excuse the next time something like this happens. The bathroom, really?" Lauren chuckled lowly and was met by a more or less sheepish smile. "I know. I couldn't come up with anything better though. Also, I sure hope this won't become a habit. The storage closet, really Lauren?"

"I know." The older Phoenix sighed, smiling and nodding at the Valentines who were just now taking their leave, following a few other families that had left already. Charlotte turned to do the same as politeness was something very important when dealing with other High Elder families before she addressed her sister again. "Well, what are you going to do about it?"

"About what?" Lauren asked, slightly confused, making Charlie roll her eyes. "About the whole BoLo deal." Her older sister gave her a confused look so she clarified "You and Bo."

"What am I supposed to do about it? We're Dark and Light and that normally doesn't go well, especially when you're part of a High Elder family." Lauren answered lowly, leaning a bit closer to Charlotte.

They looked up to smile and nod again, this time to the Cohen family. Dressed exclusively in white and light blues they made it perfectly clear which side they belonged to, returning the greeting of the Leavold sisters with great elegance before they, too, made their way through the double doors. As soon as they were gone Charlotte looked back Lauren. "I guess you're right but you can't keep sneaking around with her either. You'll get caught sooner or later and with the way you to behave around each other my money is on sooner. And then what?"

"Then you'll be the heir to the Leavold family because they'll want my head and I'm guessing they will not give up until they have it this time." Lauren stated as nonchalant as if she was talking about the weather. Her little sister's brow furrowed ever so slightly but she controlled her facial expression from slipping any further. "This isn't a joke Lauren. You're really willing to risk you're life for this?"

The older Phoenix shot Charlotte a glare that told her she wouldn't hear any more of it. Lauren reminded the young blonde a lot of her grandmother in that moment, the expression commanding respect, even from her little sister. "I couldn't stay away from her, even if I tried. I couldn't go back to the way I was before." Charlie just nodded, not meeting her sister's eyes. "I will go to her place tonight." Lauren added, softer than before, looking at the younger Phoenix. She could see the wheels spinning inside her head. "What are you going to tell mom?" Charlie asked and Lauren shrugged. "I won't tell her anything. You'll tell her that you think I'm still with Crystal if she asks. I don't think she'll mind that at all."

Before her little sister had a chance to answer they were interrupted by a cheery voice. "Won't mind what?" Charlotte almost jumped right to the ceiling but Lauren kept her cool like she hadn't just been discussing her relationship with Bo. She turned to Crystal's smiling face. "I was just saying to Charlie that our mother probably won't mind if I drive you home, like I promised." The Phoenix answered smoothly and her date's grin turned lopsided again. "Great. Your parents were just telling me that we should get going as well. Almost half of the guests have already left, including the Morrigan and the Ash."

Lauren nodded. She didn't see any reason to be here anymore either. Not only was the banquet clearly over and her duty of being here fulfilled but she really wanted to get to Bo's place as soon as possible. She needed to go to her apartment to change, too before she drove to the outskirts of town to see her lover. "Well then we should get going." She told Crystal before adding "That is, if you don't want to stay any longer."

The ice-blonde shook her head no, taking the Phoenix' offered arm as she answered "No. I think I had enough dancing and socializing with High Elders for one night." She and Lauren shared a chuckle, Charlotte chiming in until Alexander appeared to ask her the same question. The younger Leavold sister nodded eagerly, leaning into his tall frame for him to put an arm around her. "I'll see you later, Laur." She smiled but her eyes told Lauren to be careful. "It was nice meeting you, Crystal." She added and her sister's date smiled, telling her likewise. Alexander did the same with the ice-blonde before he turned to Lauren, bowing his head and telling her it was always a pleasure to see her. Charlotte laughed and poked him in the ribs but Lauren just smiled and nodded. Those who weren't of high birth were taught how to behave around the Elder families from a very young age and old habits did die hard. Alexander was a nice and polite guy and Lauren had long since stopped caring about the respect she was apparently due because of her last name. The first time she had met her sister's boyfriend a few weeks ago he had bowed deeply, expressing how honored he was. It had gotten better since then and by now he was almost at ease around his girlfriend's older sister.

Minutes later they were downstairs again, waiting in the heavily decorated lobby for the valets to bring them their car keys. Elder Leavold as well their parents had already left as their driver had pulled up in front of the building in his white Cadillac the moment the elevator doors had opened. Once they were gone Charlotte had chuckled that the driver had probably been waiting around the corner for the past few hours, just looking for a signal to show is impeccable timing. They all shared a laugh but Lauren wasn't so sure. She guessed that the staff had simply told him that the Leavolds were now ready to leave but she wouldn't destroy her sister's joke by saying it out loud.

They didn't have to wait much longer as mere seconds later a young man in a white suit and black tie made his way towards them, a silver and a red car key in his gloved hands. They thanked him and he bowed, informing them that their cars were waiting outside. The four Fae left the building, finding the man's words to be true. Two men in black suits and white ties stood next to the exquisite cars, opening the doors for them as they came closer. Crystal and Alexander got in first before the men closed the doors gently and moved to open them on the other side for Lauren and Crystal. As soon as the Leavold sisters sat behind the steering wheel of their respective cars, Charlotte was off with a roar of the Audi's engine. Crystal laughed and Lauren followed her sister for a bit, albeit a little more carefully.

"So, where do I drop you off?" Lauren asked as they drove down the illuminated streets. "Just turn left at the next light, I'll guide you as we go along." Crystal answered with a slight husk to her voice, shooting the Phoenix a smile that held a promise of things to come. Lauren felt the heat rising inside the car as the ice-blonde once again placed her hand on hers atop the gearshift, effectively trapping it there.

Crystal guided her along larger and smaller streets, caressing Lauren's hand slowly, deliberately, making the Phoenix shiver from the pulses she knew she was receiving although she couldn't detect any visible signs like the orange hue that appeared whenever Bo influenced her. She figured it couldn't be a very strong ability for it to be so subtle but it certainly fulfilled its purpose. Twenty minutes later they pulled up next to a nice little apartment building in a side alley not that far from where Lauren herself lived. By now she was officially hot and bothered, seriously considering just ignoring the promise she made to Bo and jumping into bed with Crystal. The Selkie's hand had started wandering about halfway through the drive, first up Lauren's arm, then slowly down her side to eventually come to rest on her upper thigh, squeezing every now and then before going back to drawing mindless patterns.

Lauren hadn't even really shut off the engine before her seat was pushed back and Crystal was on her lap straddling her, a hand on the side of her neck, the other undoing her seatbelt. "Crystal I.." Lauren managed to get out before there was a finger on her lips, silencing her. The hand on her neck ran lower, popping the first button of her dress shirt, the same button Bo had closed so lovingly not much more than two hours ago. Bo. That thought was the trigger for Lauren to look up into Crystals eyes, baby-blue and hazy with lust. The wrong eyes. Another shudder ran through her as the Selkie's hand slipped down, touching the newly exposed skin over the Phoenix' collarbones. Once again she tried to speak but this time was effectively silenced by warm, full lips on hers. Crystal was a good kisser Lauren found as she couldn't help but open her mouth to her advances, the hands on her skin not letting her think about anything else. The ice-blonde woman's body was warm against hers, hot even as she slowly rocked against her. Her lips were soft but the kiss was sloppy, lust and not real passion dictating it. Lauren broke the connection, her eyes staring into Crystal's, again seeing the wrong tone of blue and the wrong color hair. "I know what you're doing." She murmured but it didn't sound convincing at all, not when the other blonde was still influencing her with her touch. "I don't see you complaining." Crystal countered, smiling devilishly. Lauren was pulled into another kiss, this one only teeth and tongue as hands slipped further down her chest, popping two more buttons and those of her suit jacket before palming at her breasts hungrily through her bra.

Lauren gasped into the kiss and was suddenly rewarded with a more or less clear head. Crystal's hands were on her bra which meant they were no longer directly on her skin coaxing her into submission. The Phoenix pulled back from the kiss roughly, her eyes twinkling with a golden hue as she stated "We can't."

Crystal, who had been grinning at her, thinking her rough manner was part of their foreplay, finally blinked a few times before her brow furrowed. "What do you mean? Of course we can." She moved to place one hand on Lauren's cheek but the Phoenix caught her wrist before she could do so, taking it along with the other hand still on her breast and bringing them behind the Selkie's back, holding them firmly in place. "No." She stated and finally her voice had its authoritative tone back. It was still a little husky but it served its purpose nonetheless. Crystal sat back a bit, eyes widening as she tried to move her hands but found them to be pinned behind her back. Her gaze dropped and whole demeanor changed as she slowly realized Lauren wasn't going to give in, asking in a barely audible voice "What did I do wrong?"

The question startled the Phoenix who immediately answered with a question of her own. "Why would you have done anything wrong?" Crystal was quiet for a while and when she finally answered, she still couldn't look Lauren in the eyes. "When your mother came by last week, telling me and my parents that you wanted me to be your date for tonight I thought all my dreams had finally come true. I never thought you had even noticed me before while I a crush on you for the longest time. My parents spent a lot of money so that I could look my best tonight, telling me to make you happy. I tried but now, I obviously did something wrong." Her voice almost broke on the last part. "I can wait if that's what you want. If I'm moving too fast for you."

Lauren shook her head. Crystal's little story pained her more than the Selkie could know. Like she had suspected, her mother had indeed never told Crystal that she was the one who set all of this up. It made Lauren feel immensely guilty even though it wasn't her fault. "Crystal, you didn't do anything wrong. I just can't." She tried again, her voice a whisper. It made the woman who was still sitting on her lap meet her eyes for the first time in minutes. "Why?" She asked but at the same time she looked like she didn't want to know the answer at all. Lauren decided that she could probably release the woman's hands and so she did, bringing one of hers up to wipe away a stray tear making its way down Crystal's cheek. "It has nothing to do with you. I think you're smart, you're funny and beautiful and if I had met you a few years ago I wouldn't have said no to you. You are charming even when you don't try to influence me by touch and I think that we would have had a great time together but I can't fall into this with you."

Lauren knew she couldn't beat around the bush any longer. Crystal could have been her easy way out, a nice and fun relationship, probably even happy. Her parents would have been happy, Crystal's family would have been happy and Crystal herself, everyone but her, at least not truly because the eyes she saw when she fell asleep at night weren't baby-blue. The eyes in her dreams burned brightly like blue fire, like sapphires in the sun even when it was pitch black around them. Those eyes haunted her every night she wasn't with the Succubus they belonged to, making her wish Bo was with her to look at her like she was the only thing worth looking at. When she did, brown eyes or blue didn't matter. All that mattered was Bo.

"I can't try to give you my heart because it belongs entirely to someone else." Lauren finally finished and now it was her who couldn't look the woman on her lap in the eyes. The silence that followed was deafening. The only sound came minutes later when Crystal slowly got off her lap, returning to her own seat again. "I'm so sorry." Lauren finally got out, looking over at the woman still clad in the beautiful silver dress she had been wearing all evening, wearing for her. To her utter surprise, Crystal smiled, albeit a bit sadly. "Why would you be sorry? You can't choose who you fall in love with." She shrugged. "I just don't know why you asked me to come with you tonight in the first place."

"I didn't." Lauren sighed. "My parents told me two days ago that I would be attending the High Elder banquet with Crystal Valentine. I didn't have a say in it, I didn't even know about this until everything was already settled."

"Wow." Crystal chuckled but it still sounded sad. "I thought they were a bit much, especially your mother but I would have never expected that." There was another pause before she sighed and stated "I guess we found ourselves in an uncomfortable situation." When Lauren just nodded and started buttoning her shirt again the Selkie took it as a hint. "Well, I'm going to go then. Thanks for driving me home and again.. I'm sorry." She turned to open the red sports car's door but was stopped by a hand on her arm. "No, let me walk you up." Lauren said.

"It's ok. I know the way to my own apartment. Don't trouble yourself." She leaned across the middle console one last time, placing a soft kiss on the corner of Lauren's mouth. "Thank you, Lauren."

That made the Phoenix chuckle. "Why?" Crystal smiled. "For being honest with me. I would have hurt way more if you had taken me to bed tonight and told me tomorrow that we could never have anything more."

"I'm not like that." Lauren explained, receiving another warm smile. "I know. Whoever she is, she's a very lucky woman. You'll have to tell me about her sometime."

The Phoenix nodded with a smile. "I'd love to." It didn't matter that Crystal could never know about Bo, nobody could. For one moment, Lauren let herself believe that there would be a day where she could tell and show everyone what the Succubus meant to her, that there would be a happy ending. You can't choose who you fall in love with. Love. The words resonated deep inside of her.

Crystal turned to the door again and opened it, breaking Lauren's line of thought. "I'll see you around, Lauren. Good night." She told her, leaning down to look at the Phoenix one last time who nodded. "Good night." The car door slammed shut, leaving the blonde alone inside. Letting the car roar back to life she turned on the radio, some top 100 song with a steady beat thumping as she maneuvered the red Porsche back onto the main road. Fingers drumming to the song she didn't know or really care about she drove back to her apartment to get ready to visit Bo.

-x-

When Bo got home she wasn't only still hot and bothered from her venture to the storage closet with Lauren but also somewhat pissed off. She had left her car at the McCorrigan mansion, meaning she had to drive home with her parents before she could really go home. Her father wasn't the huge problem, for the most part Bo liked him, even trusted him. It was just that he shared his wife's kinks that were disgusting to his daughter. He loved Bo and he loved Aoife, something that would put pressure on any normal father and husband when the two women clearly didn't get along at all but Thane McCorrigan wasn't a normal man by any means. He just sat quietly through their argument like he did most of the time. It pissed Bo off that he would rarely ever take her side, brushing off the fact that he rarely ever took his wife's side either completely.

This time, in the backseat of the black Bentley, it was a very one-sided argument. Aoife had not stopped sneering and complaining about the Light High Elders and even some of the Dark for twenty minutes, starting immediately when the car had started moving. Finally, Bo had had enough as she could only ignore so much and stated without sparing her mother so much as a glance "Mom, we get it. You hate everyone but yourself."

She had known it would set the older Succubus off even more but there had been no way for her to endure her raving for one more second. Aoife had turned in her seat and started spewing venom at her instead. How she was the worst daughter a Dark High Elder could ever have, how she should be ashamed of herself and how she was so lucky that she was an only child because that meant they couldn't disown her as she was the only heir they had. Those things were easier for Bo to ignore. Her mother had run out of new arguments about fifty years ago and since then kept repeating the ones she had over and over.

Once again, the young Succubus had felt sorry for their driver. The man was paler than a corpse by now, maneuvering the Bentley through the streets a bit faster than necessary but not so fast that it would have been obvious. If she had to drive that car, Bo thought, she would probably react in a very similar way.

When they had finally arrived at the mansion, Bo had gotten out of the car without another word, not even waiting for the driver to open the door for her. Walking to her Camaro she practically ripped the keys from the servant holding them out for her. Aoife had tried to say even more but this time her husband had intervened, telling her to let it go for now. As Bo had thrown open her car door she had looked back only once, finding her mother wrapped in her father's arms. He was looking at his daughter over her head, his expression unreadable as always but his brow slightly furrowed.

It was that image that remained in Bo's head, even as she opened the door to her actual home. "Kenz, I'm back!" She called as soon as the door clicked shut again behind her. Seconds later her best friend appeared out of thin air with a soft crackle, leaning back against the couch. "Why hello to you, too Bo-bear. What's with the semi-pissed off attitude?" She asked when she really looked at her best friend for the first time.

"My parents." Was the only answer she got and it made Kenzi roll her eyes. "You know Bo, your mom has been like this since before the day we met and your dad is either never there or simply says nothing to it all so I'll just repeat myself on that matter: Fuck them."

Bo snorted. "Yes, because saying fuck-you to your parents is so easy when they are fucking High Elders." Kenzi sighed at the answer. As always, she wasn't getting anywhere like this so she decided to just change the subject. "Well, the positive side is, you're not pissed off because of your lady-love. Where is she anyway? I thought you were bringing her here tonight?" The words did their trick, the radiant smile was back on Bo's face in no time. It was a strange thing to witness for the small Djinn but she guessed, if the last few days were anything to go by, unpredictable mood swings were on the agenda now. "Well, she's coming over as soon as she gets out of that building and away from her parents and date. I already texted her the address." As if on cue, Bo's cell phone chirped and as she read the message her grin got impossibly wider. "She's on her way. Says she'll be here in about twenty minutes."

"That's great Bo-Bo." Kenzi smiled. "How'd it go at the banquet anyway?" The question made Bo laugh genuinely as she spent the next ten minutes telling her best friend everything about the banquet there was to know. She left out the part where Lauren's mother had tried to get on her nerves but other than that she told her everything interesting. "So her sister found you in the storage closet? Just before you got into her pants?" The Djinn chuckled. "That can't be good for your raging hormones."

Bo just playfully rolled her eyes, giving Kenzi a shove. "I'm a Succubus. I'm the queen of my raging hormones. But you're right I can't wait until Lauren gets here."

"You want to change before she does? I mean she has already seen the dress." Her best friend smirked and the Succubus looked down at herself, realizing that what the Djinn was saying was probably true. "You're right. I need to go change." Bo said and then her brow furrowed as she remembered something. "Shit! I need to clean up my room it's still a mess from this morning!" She practically flew towards the stairs but was stopped by Kenzi appearing on the foot of the stairway. "Bo, honey. What did I tell you about stress and wrinkles? I took care of the mess that looked like a clothing hurricane went through your room. It's back to sleek and sexy now. I even changed the sheets of your bed and put on the dark red ones you love so much. Figured you and Blondie wouldn't want to do the horizontal tango in your old used ones." The way she said 'used' made it perfectly clear what she was implying and she was absolutely right. Bo even felt a bit bad for not thinking of this sooner. Usually she changed the sheets whenever she felt like it but with Lauren she didn't want to lay down on the same sheets where she had been with others. Before Kenzi knew what was happening the Succubus had wrapped her up in a bear-hug, squeezing the air out of her lungs "You shouldn't have Kenz, but I'm so glad you did. You're a super star."

It took the Djinn a little while to get out of the hug but when she did she grinned. "No biggie. I literally stood leaning against the door while everything flew to its place." She winked but Bo insisted "Still, thanks so much Kenz. I owe you." Before the small brunette could reply that she could pay her debt in shoes there was a knock on the door, indicating Lauren's arrival. Bo's head whipped around and Kenzi swore her eyes flashed blue for a second. "Well, that's my cue. I'll see you tomorrow morning, Bo-Bo. Have fun." And with that, she disappeared into thin air, leaving Bo alone and frozen in place until she snapped out of her paralysis and walked to the door, careful not to make her steps sound too eager.

Just as expected, when she opened the door there stood Lauren, leaning against the wall in the small hallway between the always unlocked front door and the actual door to the clubhouse. Her head turned when the door opened, a mischievous smile on her lips. Bo's breath caught in her throat when she saw that, other than herself, the Phoenix did have time to change into something more comfortable. Worn dark blue jeans that looked like they had been painted on, a silver dress shirt that had probably been tucked in at some point but had escaped the low waistband on one side, giving the blonde a relaxed look. Either that, Bo thought, or she had done it on purpose. Lauren wore dark brown dress shoes with it but the Succubus' gaze lingered there for only a millisecond before moving upwards again, just now seeing the white details on her dress shirt, only visible when the light hit it just right. Bo couldn't make out everything but it seemed to be a complicated design, covering the whole shirt. What really caught her eyes though was the hint of creamy skin revealed by two undone buttons at the top. Immediately the image of Lauren with all the buttons of her shirt undone, eyes bright red, lips parted, standing in that damn storage closet flashed before Bo's eyes again, making her own eyes unconsciously change color.

She was so caught up in her memory that she didn't notice the blonde move until two hands were placed on either side or her neck, pulling her in for a kiss, Lauren caressing her cheek as their tongues softly tangled with each other. It didn't take long for Bo to respond by wrapping strong arms around her lover's waist, pressing their bodies together. Every nerve in the Succubus' body came alive as she felt the gentle curves of the blonde's body against her own. What seemed like an eternity later but still much too soon at the same time Lauren pulled back from the kiss, giving Bo's nose a little nudge with her own as she did so, smiling at the Succubus who was clearly a little out of breath. "Hi." She whispered.

"Well hello to you, too Doctor." Bo answered with her trademark grin, chin tilted up in that slightly challenging way of hers, dimple in full effect. Lauren chuckled. "I just thought I had to do something or you would stand there staring at me all night."

The statement caused the brunette's face to fall a bit but then she puffed out her chest, stating "Being stared at by a Succubus should be taken as a compliment, you know." She was only half-kidding, after all, it took quite a bit to render her speechless.

She received a full-blown laugh in response, something she loved hearing from the Phoenix. She loved seeing it as well. The way her grin would take over her whole face, eyes shining with joy. "You're too cocky for your own good sometimes." Lauren informed Bo before her gaze turned mischievous. "Let's see how much of that is left when I'm done with you." The Succubus was about to respond by pulling the blonde back into a fiery kiss but Lauren stepped out of her embrace, turning and gathering something from the hallway that the Succubus couldn't see. When the Phoenix turned around again Bo had to laugh. "You brought the swords?"

Lauren shrugged with an adorable hint of sheepishness. "I did." she confirmed. "You're not really going to get better if you don't train regularly." She paused, really looking at her lover for the first time since she arrived. "Also, you might want to change." Bo found it funny how Lauren could completely change the subject so effortlessly but then again, she was absolutely hot with her swords so the Succubus had no problem at all with the training session she had been offered. Bo had her own little surprise for her since this was her turf.

"You're right, I guess. I didn't really have time to change." She finally stepped to the side, gesturing for Lauren to come in. "Make yourself at home while I go change real quick. Oh, and put on that sword-belt. I've never had the pleasure of seeing you with it." She added while she led Lauren into the clubhouse, shooting the blonde a smirk over her shoulder and receiving a playful eye-roll.

"Just go change." Lauren told her, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek and Bo nodded, sprinting up the stairs to her room that was indeed cleaned up again. No more dresses and shoes on the floor and most importantly, the rope and handcuffs Kenzi had used to talk some sense into her this morning were back in their place. The brunette sent another mental thank-you to her best friend, vowing to buy her every single pair of boots she wanted.

Bo quickly stripped out of her dress, throwing it into the hamper in the corner of her room that she rarely ever used. Now was a good time to start though, she thought, a dress on the floor would just make a bad impression. Chuckling to herself she pulled one of her many black tank tops and leather pants out of her large closet. With anyone else she wouldn't have cared. She wouldn't have gone to change, she would have just walked up to them, gave them a strong pulse and pulled them towards her bedroom. Not Lauren though. She still couldn't explain what the Light Fae Phoenix did to her but unlike anyone else, Lauren made her want to laugh with her, just hold her and even have impromptu sword-fighting lessons with her when just five minutes ago all Bo could think about was getting her naked. Pulling on her pants and top she decided she wouldn't destroy this night by thinking too much about it. That would probably lead her to say something stupid and she didn't want that.

Before she went to get her little surprise for Lauren she pulled on her boots, flat heeled this time for better footing. Actually they did have a small heel but they were the flattest pair of boots Bo owned. Finally she made her way to her little weapon collection. It contained mostly daggers and throwing knives for when she was on mission for the Morrigan but it also held a beautiful Longsword her father had given her a long time ago. It had a simple black hilt and crossbar with a ruby embedded into the pommel. She preferred to hold the sword with one hand only but for stronger strikes she could use the other as well. Bo hadn't used the weapon in a long time, the Longsword always being too unhandy or big for her to carry on missions but for her fight with Lauren it should work perfectly. The weight still felt right in her hand and after a few strikes at imaginary enemies she made her way back downstairs.

-x-

While Bo changed upstairs Lauren put on her sword-belt, smiling as she looked down at herself. It looked a bit ridiculous combined with what she was wearing right now but she couldn't deny it felt good. The familiar weight of the rapier on her left hip gave her a sense of calm while she placed the second one on the large dark red couch more or less in the middle of the room. The whole lower of Bo's home seemed to be one spacious room that wouldn't fit the image of the slightly run-down building it looked like from the outside at all. It had a nice dark wood floor, a large couch, a small coffee table and a positively huge flat screen mounted on the wall. Lauren also noticed several gaming systems in a glass cabinet below and figured they must belong to Kenzi because she didn't get the feeling Bo was the gaming type.

On the other side of the room was a small but modern kitchen with a little island counter and two bar stools. In the middle of the counter stood one of those ridiculous waving cats, golden with black Japanese symbols on its belly. The blonde dismissed it with a raised eyebrow and moved on. She also noticed several bottles of expensive liquor lining one of the shelves, strangely placed right next to what used to be a vending machine but had been modified so that instead of throwing in coins you could just open it. It still looked like a vending machine though, blinking in several different colors and advertising its products. The whole place gave off a very relaxed and homey vibe but in a totally different way than Lauren's own apartment. It felt like it was the perfect place for two chaotic best friends to live in and obviously that was the truth.

"See something you like?" Came a low voice from behind the blonde before two arms wrapped around her, pulling Lauren into a warm body. She immediately relaxed into the embrace, turning her head to find Bo looking at her with a smile, her hair pulled up into a quick ponytail. "I did but it's no comparison to what I'm looking at now." The Phoenix mused and her lover chuckled, squeezing her a bit tighter before letting go. "Flattery will get you everywhere Doctor Leavold. But I believe you wanted to put me through a practice session first?" Lauren nodded and with a quick kiss told Bo "I left your sword on the couch."

"I don't need it." The Succubus said, smiling as she reached behind her back and pulled a Longsword from a sheath Lauren hadn't noticed before. She pointed the weapon at the blonde with a smirk to which the Phoenix just responded with a raised eyebrow, observing the woman in front of her carefully. "I'm guessing you prefer to wield it with one hand?" She received only a nod and that was all she needed. Slowly drawing her own weapon, significantly shorter and thinner but also that much quicker, she took her stance and started dancing with Bo to the beat and sound of steel on steel.

Almost two hours, multiple angry bruises and scorching kisses later a sweating Bo held up her hands, yielding for the fourth time that night. She had done well, significantly better than last time Lauren thought. The Succubus was a quick learner and it was obvious that the larger Longsword suited her better than one of the blonde's rapiers. "I think I had enough training for now, Lauren." She smiled and the Phoenix nodded, letting her own weapon glide back into its sheath.

"You're getting better. You weren't dead nearly as many times as last time." Lauren informed the brunette with a grin that earned her a playful shove. "Hey. I'll beat you one of these days. You held back again though this time. I'm dying to know what would happen if you stopped that." The Succubus said, genuinely interested.

"It wouldn't end pretty." Lauren simply stated but she underlined it with a warm smile that told Bo she didn't mean for it to offend her. She went to unclasp her sword-belt, placing it on the couch next to the second weapon she didn't use today when, once again, she felt arms around her waist. It wasn't as innocent this time though, as immediately after lips pressed to the side of her jaw, nipping gently and reminding Lauren that they did have some unfinished business. Despite the heat running through her body she decided to tease Bo a bit as she turned in her arms. "I thought you were too tired by now." She told the brunette with a mischievous grin that made Bo stop to meet her eyes. "You know, the great thing with us Succubae is that we're never too tired for a bit of extra workout." Her voice was low, playful but her eyes were already turning blue, informing Lauren that playtime would be over soon. It made her shiver in anticipation as this time, there was no way they would be interrupted.

"Oh so you want another round of sword fighting? I thought you just said..." She didn't get any further as in that moment she was scooped up into strong arms and pressed into the nearest wall, effectively knocking the wind out of her lungs with a huff. A human would have probably broken one or two ribs from the force of the impact but Lauren was a Phoenix, fire-made flesh. She didn't break that easily. Instinctively she wrapped her jean-clad legs around Bo's waist while her mouth met her lover's in a bruising kiss that left no more room for interpretation. The Succubus wanted her, she wanted her now and there would be no denying the blue-eyed beauty. Not that that thought crossed Lauren's mind even briefly. The whole banquet, every glance or subtle touch had been leading up to this. The sword-fight had just served to stroke the flames even higher before they finally consumed everything.

For the first, but definitely not the last time that night, Lauren cried out when Bo bit down harshly on her neck, even drawing a bit of blood in the process. The blonde's shirt was hanging open before she could think to help the Succubus with the sometimes tricky buttons. She was pushed higher against the wall by strong hands on her ass, lifting her enough so that Bo could effortlessly reach her stomach with her mouth and tongue, nipping and biting at the quivering muscles. Lauren's legs jerked when the Succubus bit down on her hip-bone, marking her. It caused them both to almost tumble to the floor as the blonde's legs involuntarily released their steadying hold on the brunette but Bo caught her, pressing her to herself with both arms around the Phoenix' lean body, under her open shirt.

That was when Bo touched her skin directly with both hands for the first time, her eyes flying open, a blue storm clearly visible in them. Lauren was panting through kiss-swollen lips, her hands on either side of Bo's neck but even though her lust-filled haze, she saw the hurricane coming before it hit. "She kissed you?!" Bo snarled and in that moment the blonde knew there was not an ounce left of the playful, charming woman she got to know so well over the past weeks. She saw glimpses of this side of her lover before when they were in bed together but Bo never let go completely. Lauren had wanted the brunette to completely let go with her because she knew she wouldn't break but somehow she never did. Now it seemed that Bo's raging jealousy had finally pushed her over the edge.

"She tried to seduce me when we were alone in the car but she didn't succeed." Lauren told her lover in a slightly hoarse voice, somehow knowing that the Succubus wanted an answer. She was pulled into another kiss and this time she felt Bo feeding from her. It was only a bit but it was enough to make her head swim and knees buckle. Once again only the brunette held her upright, steadying her as she kept feeding, the small bruises marring her skin from earlier already fading.

"I'll wash every memory of her from your body." Bo murmured as she finally broke the kiss, moving to pepper smaller kissed along the side of the Phoenix' jaw. Lauren's body went rigid when she felt a strong pulse of energy shoot through her body and directly to her core. "You're mine." was the last thing the blonde could clearly remember along with being pulled up into strong arms again and carried somewhere, probably upstairs, only to be unceremoniously dumped onto something soft before her world dissolved into pleasure beyond anything she had ever felt and the sound of screams that sounded strangely like her own.

Clothes were pulled and ripped off her body but Lauren didn't notice or care, all that mattered was the moment she felt Bo lay down on top of her, skin on skin as the Succubus bent down to pull another stream of intoxicating chi from her lips. They never stopped kissing, not when the Succubus rolled them around so that Lauren was now straddling her, not when she sat up, her hands on breasts, stomach, shoulders and thighs seemingly all at once, pulsing Lauren over and over. All the while Bo kept kissing her like it was everything she ever cared about. Lauren felt the burning life-force leaving her at almost alarming pace but her strength never creased as she pushed Bo back down on the bed, a thigh coming in between the brunettes, closely followed by a hand. The Succubus let out a high-pitched moan at the first touch, immediately swallowed by her lover.

Bo's hand mirrored Lauren's soon enough and together they set a pace both of them knew they couldn't keep up for long but they were too far gone to care. Moans turned into screams as their fingers slipped inside effortlessly, their mouths still locked on each other. The Succubus' body tensed first, closely followed by her lover's, their simultaneous release finally forcing their lips to part, Lauren throwing her head back, one hand on Bo's shoulder, sending a keening scream to the heavens. All the while the steady blue stream kept pouring out of her wide open mouth, flowing to feed her ever-hungry lover below her.

In that moment, looking at the ceiling of Bo's beautiful canopy bed, sudden clarity washed over Lauren. She would never feel like this with anyone else. This was not about the fact that Bo was a Succubus, at least not primarily so. It was in the way they fit so perfectly in everything they did, like they had always known each other. As she came down from her astronomic high, looking back into eyes in her dreams, those that glowed like two sapphires in the sun, she knew that even in the beginning all of this had never been her choice. She could have kept fighting forever and still, at some point she would have ended up right here. With Bo. You can't choose who you fall in love with. And as the Succubus flipped her to have her for second time that night, Lauren knew that no matter what Bo did or who their titles said they were or should be, she would be in love with the Dark Fae Succubus until her dying breath.

Chapter 20: My Dream, our Reality

With the sun only just creeping over the horizon, the first light of what would probably turn out to be a cloudy day broke through the lingering darkness of Bo's large bedroom. The Succubus lay on her side facing away from the window, one arm wrapped loosely around the slim body curving into her own. Her other arm was stretched out in front of her, looping under the crook of her lover's neck to be semi-used as a pillow along with the actual one already buried under a crown of golden-blonde locks. At some point during the night Bo had pulled the blood-red curtains surrounding the large bed somewhat closed so that now only a sliver of grayish light fell through the gap left in between them. It caressed the two Fae's naked hips and cast a reddish glow all around the small space where it hit the curtains.

The subtle change in lighting wasn't much but it was more than enough to wake Bo. While Lauren had dozed off almost immediately as soon as they finally sated their hunger for each other last night the brunette had no such luck. Her lover had just curled up in her arms, her breathing evening out mere seconds later but the Succubus needed what felt like and probably were hours to finally fall asleep. Not that having Lauren in her arms wasn't what she wanted or that the position they were in wasn't comfortable. It was, very much so even but the Succubus couldn't fall asleep regardless. She felt like running a marathon, swimming up against a powerful current or wrestling the world's strongest ogre, preferably the latter as she somehow ached for physical combat. The copious amounts of chi she had taken from Lauren still flowed through her, erasing every last bit of tiredness Bo may had felt before, making her muscles ache from having too much energy pent up inside.

The Succubus didn't need a mirror to know that as she opened her eyes to witness the first light of the new day her eyes were still bright blue, a testament to how much potent chi she had consumed. She guessed that she couldn't have slept more than two hours in total as it had already been late when Lauren came over last night and way past midnight by the time the blonde had finally collapsed in Bo's arms with a deeply satisfied but very tired smile on her face. Now the Phoenix' back was to her lover, leaving the brunette to slowly draw mindless patterns on her hip, face buried in blonde locks and inhaling the by now familiar scent. The ministrations seemed to be nowhere near enough to wake Lauren who was still out cold, her chest rising and falling with deep and slow breaths. It made Bo confident enough to partially free her left arm from under her lover, at least enough for her to sit up a bit and look at the blonde's face. The soft smile was still there, almost hidden by a few loose tresses of blonde hair but still clearly visible to the Succubus. Using her free right hand she slowly pushed the strands away from her lover's face, leaning down to press a loving kiss to Lauren's cheek and lingering for just a second with her nose grazing the blonde's defined cheekbone.

Bo noticed that this was actually the first time she and Lauren would really wake up together. The first time at the blonde's place she had already been up, leaving Bo to wake up in bed alone and the second time the Succubus herself didn't have the heart to wake her lover before she had to go. This time though, she had no intentions of leaving the bed before Lauren opened her eyes. Actually, she wouldn't leave this bed the whole day if she could somehow help it. Bo had nowhere to be and she hoped that Lauren didn't either because she wanted to hold her as she woke up, wanted to talk to her, wanted to have her again, never mind that she felt more full than she ever had in her life. It somehow wasn't about that. Somewhere in her mind the Succubus knew that she was quickly falling into deeply caring for the woman in her arms but she always pushed those thoughts back the very moment they threatened to surface.

Not right now though. For this one lazy moment as the sun slowly made its way higher into the sky and into the heavy hanging clouds, Bo let herself think of what it was that she felt for the blonde Phoenix in her arms. It was okay, she told herself, Lauren was fast asleep so she would never know. The Succubus slowly lay back down behind her lover, her right hand coming around to caress the beautiful colors on the blonde's back. She slowly, absentmindedly traced every single artfully pictured feather with nimble fingers as she thought about how this woman had wormed herself into a part of her that Bo hadn't even known was really there: her heart. She knew she had wanted the Phoenix from the second she saw her for the first time but somewhere on the unusually long way to getting what she wanted she found that Lauren was a fascinating woman, way beyond the fact that she was more beautiful than anyone Bo had ever seen. She found that she adored the blonde's laugh, she loved her cooking and Lauren lovingly calling her out on her cockiness. Never mind that she was insanely hot with that sword in her hand.

The Succubus had thought all of that would change the moment they finally gave into their desires for the first time. Instead she found herself talking to Lauren the next day when she should have left a long time ago, yet there was nothing she would do differently if she had the chance to do it all again and somehow the thought scared her. It was just like those ridiculous movies Kenzi made her watch all the time that she laughed at. The bad boy would always fall for the beautiful but different woman he couldn't have and they somehow ended up together. She quickly shook her head to get rid of the thought. Yes, she cared about the blonde but she surely wasn't in love with her. She couldn't be, she was a Succubus, not made to truly love anyone but herself.

Bo chuckled at her own ridiculousness as she pushed closer to Lauren, burying her face in blonde hair once again as she inhaled the scent. It didn't matter how often she had her or how exhausted the blonde seemed to be, she always smelled the same: like a clear morning after a storm, the energy of the elements still palpable in the air. The Succubus knew she would never tire of the scent and she would also never get enough. Unconsciously she wrapped her arm around Lauren again, pulling her warm body tightly against her own. It seemed that the hold was a bit too possessive to sleep in this time though as Lauren began to stir ever so slightly, mumbling incoherent pieces of words as she did so.

Quickly, Bo reeled her emotions back in as if she was somehow afraid that her lover would be able to read her mind once she was awake. She eased her hold, sitting back up slightly to see if Lauren would wake up. Somewhat to her relief, the blonde just rolled onto her back, the soft smile that was still clearly visible on her face getting bigger. Along with it Bo also noticed something else though. Looking down at the beautiful Phoenix' previously flawless body the brunette took note of numerous small bruises and bite-marks, accumulating on her collarbones and neck, then on her breasts and finally there were about two or three greenish marks on her hip-bones. It startled Bo a bit and for a second she thought that maybe she had been too rough with her lover last night but then she remembered clearly and fondly how Lauren had definitely given as good as she got. Also, most of the marks on Lauren's skin were already almost healed. The only one still clearly visible was on her neck where Bo had bitten down and drawn blood in raging jealousy. She knew she shouldn't have done that but there was no way she could have stopped herself. The moment she realized that this Crystal woman had made a serious move on Lauren something inside her had snapped. Just thinking about it now was starting to make her angry again but the fact that the Phoenix was here in her arms calmed her down again quickly. Wrapping her arms back around the blonde Bo took a deep breath to really get a grip again and settled in the crook of Lauren's neck. She pressed a soft kiss to her lover's throat and lost herself in random thoughts she knew she wouldn't remember by noon.

Almost two hours later Bo was pulled from her musings by a change in Lauren's breathing. It was becoming faster again, the gentle hold of the blonde's arms around the Succubus' waist tightening and telling Bo her lover was about to actually wake up this time. Once again, a few mumbled words escaped her mouth, the only one clearly audible being 'Bo' which made the brunette smile proudly to herself as her heart swelled in her chest. It was a few more moments before she felt soft lips pressing a kiss against her forehead, followed by a gentle nudge of the nose. The latter was something Lauren seemed to be doing more and more often by now and Bo didn't mind it at all as the affectionate gesture was usually a hint that the blonde wanted her to turn her head so that she could kiss her properly. This time proved to be no different as she lifted her head to meet sleepy honey-brown eyes with her own Lauren leaned in almost instantly, catching Bo's lips in a languid but passionate kiss. As satisfied as the Succubus was, the soft lips on hers, the tongue caressing her own and the hands slowly tangling into her hair at the back of her neck ignited her fire again, leading her to push herself up on one elbow for a better angle. The kiss however was still slow, a stark contrast to everything they did the night before. The times they had before had always been a mix of fast and slow, of hard and gentle but this last night had somewhat been about Bo staking her claim; not solely of course but to a significant amount. There had been no place for gentleness in the Succubus' mind so that it felt oddly satisfying to have that again now.

When, way too early for Bo, Lauren pulled back she let out a satisfied hum, pressing another kiss to the corner of the brunette's mouth. "Good morning." She whispered, a definitive rasp to her usually so clear and beautiful voice. Not that Bo didn't find this version sexy as well, she did, even more so because she knew why her lover's voice was like that. "Good morning" she grinned. When their eyes met, lazy honey-brown and bright cerulean blue, Lauren let out a chuckle, moving her hand to cup the Succubus' cheek. "Giving me the blue eyes again, honey? One would think last night was enough to satisfy even a Succubus of your heritage." She was obviously joking by the way the corners of her mouth twitched upwards and Bo found her humor somewhat sweet. "It was." She informed the blonde in the sexiest voice she could muster right now, her hand drawing slow circles on Lauren's taut stomach. "It was so satisfying that I can't seem to turn them off." That certainly got the Phoenix' attention, her eyes widening, every last trace of tiredness vanishing instantly as she cupped Bo's cheeks more insistently. "Really?" She asked, obviously very interested and the brunette nodded with a sly smile. She tried to return her eyes to their normal brown color to make her point and all they did was flicker before returning to a shining blue again. "That's fascinating." Lauren whispered, the fingers of her left hand drawing slow patterns on the skin of Bo's cheek. "Has this happened before?" She asked the Succubus who shrugged in response. "Not like this, no. I mean, yes after our first night I felt like I could lift a mountain but it wasn't this intense."

Lauren seemed to be lost in thought for a few moments before her eyes refocused on the Succubus. "Did you take more this time?" The question was careful and all the while the blonde never stopped caressing Bo's cheek. The brunette looked away briefly before she answered her lover in a slightly sheepish but also very sincere voice. "I took more than I ever have before." Seeing Lauren's eyebrows shoot up she quickly reeled back. "I mean, I don't know. Usually I just feed until I'm full but you just taste so good that I couldn't..." She was cut off by soft lips pressed to hers. It took Bo a second to register the sudden sensation but when she did she smiled into the kiss, feeling Lauren's mouth open under hers as it deepened. The blonde hummed as she pulled back slightly, softly chuckling at Bo's try to follow her retreating mouth like a cat would follow her prey. Instead of giving in to her wordless plea Lauren pecked her on the lips once before she simply rested her head back against the soft pillows of Bo's bed, pulling the Succubus even closer to herself, their foreheads touching. Once again glowing bright blue eyes met honey brown as they just looked at each other for minutes, Bo's expression slightly awed but otherwise unreadable while Lauren just kept smiling, gaze flickering back and forth between the two sapphires that right now made up her whole world. "I'll take that as a compliment." The blonde quietly told her lover. "By the way, you don't taste so bad yourself." She winked and Bo chuckled, making her eyes shine even brighter.

"But you don't really know what I taste like, Doctor." The Succubus argued with a wicked smile, pulling back to cross her arms over Lauren's chest and rest her head there. It made for a beautiful picture as they looked at each other for a while in this comfortable position until the blonde raised one perfect eyebrow in challenge, urging Bo to continue. "You don't know what it feels like to have the very essence of another person flowing down your throat." The Succubus whispered as she moved a bit to free one of her arms from under her head and started tracing patterns on her lover's skin, immediately leaving Goosebumps in the wake of her fingers. When she reached Lauren's neck she flattened her hand, touching as much warm skin as she could before she released a single orange pulse, pleased when Lauren's body went rigid under hers, taking in a hissing breath. Bo pushed herself up fully now, sliding to straddle her lover, the smile on her face turning sinister. All the while her hand never stopped wandering, tracing the valley between the Phoenix' breasts before grazing their undersides, pulling another gasp from Lauren whose eyes were starting to change color as Bo stroked her fire higher once more. Other than Bo's own eyes which always flashed from one color to another very suddenly the blonde's slowly melted from their usual honey-brown into a full gold before finally the red started to bleed into them. It was a mesmerizing thing to watch and Bo made it a point to hold Lauren's gaze, witnessing every swirling change as her fingers deftly traced down the Phoenix' arm. "You don't know what it feels like to have that essence fill your every vein, becoming a part of you, filling you completely."

Neither of them knew how the mood had changed from sweet to heated this quickly again but they went with it, by now knowing that these rapid changes were the nature of their relationship and Lauren, not one to be outdone easily, matched her Succubus lover every step of the way. She sat up slowly, pressing up to the beautiful naked woman in her lap and wrapping one arm around the curvy form of Bo's hips. "No." She told her. "But I know what it feels like to have liquid fire in my veins." The Succubus immediately felt the heat of a flame as Lauren held up her other hand, ablaze in orange and red. Their lips crashed together seconds later, a deep moan resonating from both of them but Bo pulled back from it quickly, panting. "Do you want me to show you?" She asked, her eyes now so bright with arousal they seemed to be glowing completely on their own, the white around them almost not visible anymore. "Show me what?" Lauren whispered against her lips, nipping at them in between words.

"Show you what it feels like to consume someone. What I truly taste like." Bo husked, still staring into the blonde's eyes that glazed over with realization before she nodded ever so slightly, accepting the gift the Succubus was willing to make her. This time when their mouths met it was more deliberate, Lauren's still burning hand coming to tangle into Bo's hair but it didn't hurt the brunette in any way, licking around the chocolate tresses but never harming. They kissed slowly but passionately for a while before the Succubus opened her eyes and started feeding only to reverse the flow of chi mere moments later, making Lauren's eyes shoot open as the red stream fed her Bo's life energy and caused the flame still engulfing her hand to shoot up her entire forearm from its intensity. A keening moan filled the bedroom, Lauren understanding exactly what her lover had meant by 'truly tasting someone'. Bo tasted absolutely divine, better than her skin or her mouth or the liquid fire between her thighs, her very essence seemed to caress her insides like a lover would as it spread through her, finding every last cell in her body and filling them with life. The taste was sinister and compelling like her Succubus nature, sweet like pure sugar melting on her tongue but so much better at the same time. It drew Lauren in, made her want more and more as she became lost in Bo's haunting eyes, her body shuddering and suddenly, with another loud moan, she felt release shoot through her. That's when the Succubus reversed the chi flow once again, feeding off her orgasmic bliss for just a second before the stream stopped altogether as Bo convulsed herself, a satisfied look on her face, mouth open as she gasped for breath.

They fell back onto the bed together, limbs tangled, panting heavily. "Wow, Bo." Was the first and only thing Lauren said after minutes and it made the Succubus chuckle, looking up blonde who had her head back on their pillows, one hand pushing golden tresses from her face. "Believe it or not Doctor Leavold, that's something I hear quite often." Bo smiled mischievously at the blonde who now moved her gaze back to her lover but what the Succubus saw wasn't what she had expected. The brunette had waited for a playful response but Lauren's eyes were unreadable as she looked at her, saying nothing. Bo didn't understand what went wrong and so she moved from her comfortable resting place on Lauren's chest, crawling upwards to place a gentle kiss on the Phoenix' cheek and laying down beside her, cuddling close. "What is it, babe?" She asked but the blonde just shook her head slightly, the smile coming back to her features. "Nothing. I just zoned out for a moment there."

"You sure?" Bo insisted, not quite convinced but Lauren nodded and leaned in for a soft kiss. "I'm sure." she said, with a wider smile adding "You taste amazing by the way. Thank you for showing me." The light tone of her voice set the Succubus at ease again and though she still didn't quite buy Lauren's explanation she figured her lover would tell her if there was something wrong. "It was very much my pleasure." Bo grinned, her eyes now fading into their natural dark brown color again. The chi she had pushed into Lauren had not only relieved her from her obvious chi-overload but it had also succeeded in healing every single one of the marks the Succubus had left on the blonde's skin. Bo didn't know if she liked that last fact all that much but then again, it was probably better that way. Lauren really didn't need an obvious bite mark on the side of her neck.

"You taste... dark, Bo. Really dark and also really sweet but in a way that draws you in and never lets you back out." The Phoenix tried to explain what she had felt minutes before. "This feeling.. It touched every part of me at once." The Succubus smiled at Lauren's attention to detail even in the throes of passion. She herself hadn't really thought about the taste of someone that intensely since her powers had awoken all those years ago. The exception of course was Lauren because her taste had been so different but other than that, in her mind there was just good or bad, dull or satisfying. "It's a powerful feeling. Easily addicting." Bo agreed, remembering how she went on barely controlled killing sprees just to have that heady feeling again but that was before her dawning, before she learned to truly control the beast inside her, before she developed a real taste of which types of chi suited her most.

"I can imagine that. But not everyone tastes the same, right?" Bo just had to smile at the look on Lauren's face, eyes shining bright with curiosity, fixed solely on the brunette and giving her undivided attention. Once again the Succubus was overcome by a feeling previously foreign to her. She couldn't describe it in detail but she knew she would talk to Lauren for hours if it meant that the Phoenix would make her feel like she was the center of her universe. "No but in the beginning, when my powers were just awakening everyone tasted great. It's like a shiny new toy or food you just discovered but after a while you develop a taste. For me that was after my dawning. I found out that I don't really care for human energy because to me it tastes kind of bland. I prefer Fae, especially powerful Fae. I just have to see their energy surrounding them and my mouth begins to water." Bo said, grinning at the last few words and looking directly into Lauren's eyes, making a beautiful blush spread up the blonde's neck. "It's what drew me to you in the first place."

"So I have my power to thank for meeting you? For having a chance at.. this?" For a second Bo had thought Lauren would say something else and her heart had stopped for all but the blink of an eye but, she found, not in a bad way at all. Like this, the Succubus just chuckled melodiously, trying to cover up that maybe, just maybe, she had wanted Lauren to say something else. "Essentially, yes." She could have told the Phoenix that it was so much more that made her special to her but Bo didn't want to open that topic again so she just pressed closer to Lauren under the satin sheets of her bed. They stayed like this for quite some time, just being close, breathing each other in. "Bo?" Lauren finally broke the comfortable silence. She received a soft kiss to the back of her jaw before the Succubus murmured "Yeah, babe?", making her smile at the beautifully crafted canopy of the bed.

"If every Succubus has her own taste, like what type of chi she prefers, does that also mean you all see different auras depending on what suits you most?" Lauren mused quietly, a hand slowly tracing patterns up and down Bo's side. The Succubus herself smiled once again at her lover's insatiable curiosity, taking a moment to reflect on lessons her teachers had given her long ago, when she was fist truly coming into her powers and heritage. She also thought back to a conversation she had with her father at that time before answering "Yes and no. We see how aroused a person is but we don't see who they burn for. It usually explains itself because couples sit together and when, for instance, they lean closer they start to burn brighter. Then our personal preference comes into play. Because I'm drawn to power I will notice the auras of powerful Fae much more easily than anything else, even if someone else burns brighter."

"Like a filter?" Lauren interjected and Bo hummed. "Exactly. My dad once told me he thinks he's drawn to power as well. He also said my mother is drawn to negative emotions like pain and suffering. You know, she likes to make him bleed when they have sex."

"Your dad told you that?" Lauren asked with a disbelieving chuckle but Bo just laughed and shrugged in her arms. "Succubus and Incubus family, what do you expect babe?"

"I guess you're right." The blonde said, pressing a kiss to her lover's forehead. "I should have guessed you also discuss your sex life with each other after that dance you and your dad shared at the ball. I would never dance like that with my father."

Bo just laughed again, enjoying the fact that Lauren was being so open with her immensely. It made her feel so close to the blonde, like they shared an actual emotional bond and she guessed they did, even without talking about it. The realization scared her as much as it pleased her. "Were you jealous?" She asked, seeing the Phoenix' aura flutter in response.

"Of that dance with you? Maybe. Even if it was with your father." Lauren confessed but her aura told Bo that she was most definitely jealous. She gave the blonde's jaw a small bite, slowly kissing her way up to her mouth afterwards and telling her lover in a husky tone "You know, I would have preferred to dance with you as well. There are a few dance moves that I reserve solely for the ones I want to seduce." When she looked into Lauren's eyes that were already turning golden, she again saw something she couldn't place. It looked like she said something wrong once more but then the blonde kissed her deeply and all coherent thought that didn't have anything to do with pleasure left her mind.

-x-

An hour later Lauren was walking down the stairs, her steps slow and comfortable, a permanent smile carved deeply onto her face. She was wearing Bo's black kimono over her otherwise naked form and, while still upstairs, the Succubus had told her that she looked dangerously sexy. When the blonde asked what that meant the brunette had explained that it put her in serious danger of being ripped right out of it again and they had shared a laugh while pressing close to each other at the door to Bo's master bathroom. After several long kisses and a promise of a bath together sometime later the Succubus finally relented to go take a shower while Lauren prepared breakfast for them and so they had parted, leaving the blonde to walk down the narrow stairway alone. She was prepared for a relaxing morning with the Succubus and maybe for the challenge of trying to make them a decent breakfast from whatever the brunette's small fridge and freezer combo contained but she definitely wasn't expecting to see Kenzi floating in mid air, deeply engrossed into a positively huge bowl of cereal and, by the smell, what seemed to be the biggest mug of coffee Lauren had ever seen.

The Phoenix had of course known that her lover's roommate was most likely to be somewhere in the house but for some reason she hadn't expected to see her, in fact she seemed to have actually forgotten all about her over night. In Bo's arms she had lost herself once again and now the realization that the small Djinn had probably been in the vicinity to hear all of it hit her like the proverbial ton of bricks. Normally, that probably wouldn't have fazed her that much because Kenzi was surely used to Bo's nighttime activities having lived with her for quite some time. The thought of guessing at how many nightly encounters she had witnessed firsthand made Lauren want to punch something but for some reason, the look in the petite brunette's eyes as she lifted her head from her love affair with the cereal bowl told the blonde that this was something she wasn't at all used to. Kenzi fixed her with a confused stare that Lauren found had a small but very noticeable hostile air to it and so she stopped on the last stair, forcing herself to not be particularly aware of the fact that she was only wearing a thin black kimono that was also Bo's.

"Shit a brick and fuck me with it." Kenzi chuckled lowly to herself, not at all amused, shaking her head slowly from left to right. She elegantly dropped to her feet from where she had been hovering near the kitchen island, legs crossed Indian style. She put down her cereal bowl, the sound oddly loud in the loaded silence that had settled over the room, the only thing that could be heard was the water running upstairs as Bo showered. To anyone watching it may have looked odd, a blonde in a black kimono and a small brunette in deep purple pajamas with aliens in flying saucers printed on it sizing each other up with stares until Lauren decided that she wouldn't let herself be fazed by her lover's roommate or her obvious pot mouth. "Good morning." She said before slowly but with confidence making the last step down the stairs, her jaw set, daring Kenzi to say anything negative as she walked over to the small fridge in the corner of the kitchen. That made the Djinn laugh, completely forgoing to wish Lauren a good morning of her own. "What the hell are you doing?" She asked, causing Lauren to close the fridge door with a loud click and turn. "I was trying to make breakfast for Bo and me, maybe for you, too but you don't seem to have anything in your fridge or freezer besides frozen vegetables that look like they have been in there for years, milk for your cereal and three racks of ice cubes, I'm assuming for cocktails."

The Djinn just crossed her arms, laughing once more. "Wow, doctor obvious. I finally learn why you're the Light's chief of medical department. You're like, scary smart." Kenzi's voice was dripping with sarcasm and it made Lauren's brow furrow, her stance straightening until she commanded respect even with a bed head and in a flimsy kimono.

"Kenzi, what is your problem?" She asked clearly, her tone hinting at an aggravation that was hiding just beneath the surface of her frosty expression. Lauren didn't understand what the Djinn was getting at and she hadn't from the moment the small Fae had broken into her apartment a few weeks ago, demanding to know what she had done to her best friend. A best friend Lauren had come to not only enjoy spending time with but had also just recently come to terms of being in love with; but of course she couldn't even begin to tell Kenzi that, and she obviously wouldn't.

"My problem, Blondie, is you. In case you haven't noticed, Bo likes you. She likes you a lot. She would have never behaved like this with anyone a month ago, she's even giving you her kimono to wear for crying out loud! What is it about you that makes Bo change so much? Why does it have to be you?" The Djinn sounded like she simply couldn't grasp the concept of what her best friend could possible want Lauren for other than what her Succubus nature needed, what set the Phoenix apart from everyone else she had bedded over the years. It left Lauren a bit dumbstruck but she refused to openly show it. She had asked herself something very similar already as well. Bo had told her that her chi was better than anything she had ever tasted but the blonde refused to accept that she was nothing more than an all-you-can-eat Succubus special. They spent hours talking, they laughed together and smiled at each other's antics. For Lauren, being close to Bo and waking up in her arms was something that made her happier than she had been in a long time, since Nadia or maybe even long before that. So no, Lauren whole-heartedly believed that they did have something more, even if the what scared her and the prospect of anyone finding out made her heart hurt and head spin. "What do you mean, why me?" She asked icily, the cleft between her brows deepening.

"I mean why couldn't Bo have found someone Dark to have this change of heart with. It would have been so much easier." Kenzi stated and Lauren had to scoff loudly. "So this is about me being Light Fae? That's rich, Kenzi, really. I didn't pick you for being such a stickler for the rules when you broke into my house, also I didn't think that you were team 'pure bloodlines'."

"I'm always team Bo!" The Djinn replied heatedly, not having the same calmness as Lauren in the face of confrontation but the Phoenix just stared down at her, now positively towering over her and demanding further explanation. "I don't want my best friend to get killed just because of this whatever you guys have! I just want her to be happy!"

"Well then maybe you should open your eyes because I think she is right now." Lauren growled without thinking further about it. Just like the last time in her apartment she was quickly losing her patience with Bo's hypocrite best friend. Kenzi chuckled. "So now you know what makes her happy? How long did that take, two weeks?" Slowly, ever so slowly the Phoenix' eyes melted into a deep golden color, openly showing her waning patience and without even having to say another word she saw the Djinn's stance cower slightly. Every Fae had a natural defense mechanism in them, warning them of attacking a much stronger foe. Kenzi was by no means a young Djinn anymore, she had seen and done many scarring things, becoming powerful in her own right but even in someone with as much unknown and crackling power as herself this mechanism kicked in, warning her that Lauren Leavold was not someone she should provoke any further.

Amidst their staring match both of them completely missed the fact that the water had shut off above and so they were completely unprepared when Bo suddenly stood at the foot of the stairs, the bright smile on her face already waning when Lauren finally turned her head. "What the hell is going on here?" She asked, tying her red silk robe a bit tighter, her gaze flickering from her lover to her best friend and back again.

"Nothing." Kenzi mumbled, turning to gather her cereal bowl and coffee mug and before neither Lauren nor Bo could say one more word she disappeared into thin air. The Phoenix' eyes were their usual color again when her lover turned to her, slowly crossing the room to stand in front of her. The brunette shot her a questioning glance, underlining it by saying nothing and before long Lauren sighed heavily. "I think it's safe to say that your best friend and I didn't really hit it off." Their eyes met and Bo frowned, but not in a disapproving way. All their playfulness from earlier was suddenly gone, replaced with something heavy that lingered for a few minutes while the silence between them dragged on. Eventually, the Succubus nodded lightly. "What did she say to you?"

"Basically that she doesn't want anything to happen to you because of.." She paused awkwardly before making a fleeting gesture between their bodies "because of whatever this is." She shrugged. "Kenzi thinks you'd be better off with someone like yourself. Someone Dark." Lauren leaned back against the counter, her brows furrowed. Now that she recounted what the small Djinn had told her it actually made sense. They were being way too reckless for two people who hadn't even grazed the surface of whatever it was that they had. If caught, Lauren knew that even if she shrugged it off as a one night stand the Light High Elders would want her head this time. An affair with a McCorrigan, however fleeting it may have been, would be the final straw to finally pass the sentence they wanted to lay on her hundreds of years ago when they had found out about Nadia. Suddenly, Lauren wasn't as sure as she had been this morning when she woke up in Bo's arms. Doubt was clawing at her heart once again, even if she knew that she was well beyond the point of no return with the Succubus.

"I think I'm perfectly capable of making that decision on my own." Bo growled, pulling Lauren out of her thoughts to witness her lover's face set in stone, her brown eyes shining almost black. "I will talk to Kenzi." She said and it sounded solemn like a vow.

"Ok." The blonde agreed, making a decision. "I'll leave you to it then. I need to get to the lab at some point today anyway." She moved to walk past Bo and up the stairs to get dressed but was stopped by a strong arm wrapping around her hip just as she moved past the brunette. She chuckled as Bo didn't leave it at that but turned to press into her back, the chuckle turning into a small gasp when the Succubus' hands easily found the small gap in her kimono, running over Lauren's bare skin. Almost innocently she placed her head on the blonde's shoulder, her lips placing an open-mouthed kiss on the lower part of Lauren's neck where the black garment didn't reach. "What happened to breakfast and the bath you promised me?" She asked, completing the difficult task of sounding adorably like a child and the sexy seductress she was at the same time. It was hard for Lauren to not just turn around and kiss the Succubus. She really wanted to forget what just happened and jump back into bed with Bo or wherever her lover wanted her but she knew that she couldn't. The argument she had with Kenzi got her thinking again and now she couldn't turn it off, never mind that she actually had to get to the lab. Between too many peace ceremonies and Bo she had somewhat neglected her work as Light Fae chief of medical department, something that had never happened before. If she kept it up people would sooner or later start questioning the sudden change of heart, she was after all a known workaholic to the point that she had to be reminded to eat sometimes and that side of her had definitely been ignored too long.

So instead of leaning back into Bo and just ignoring the world around her she sighed deeply, enjoying the feeling of her lover's embrace for just a second longer before placing her hands on top of the Succubus' and giving them a squeeze. She slowly peeled them off her skin, turning to face the brunette while still holding her hands. Bo looked at her with what could only be described as bedroom eyes and in combination with her still damp hair and in a red silk robe it made her impossibly hard to resist but somehow Lauren found her resolve. "Rain check?" She asked, squeezing the Succubus' hands once again. The words caused Bo's expression to change to a slightly unhappy one. She locked her gaze onto Lauren's before saying, more insistent than before "Or you could stay." and the Phoenix felt her heart beat faster, making her unconsciously step closer to the brunette. Bo had almost closed the distance between them, their lips already grazing before Lauren's brain caught on and she quickly stepped backwards, letting go of the Succubus' hands. Hands, the blonde found to still have an orange hue around them that disappeared quickly though. There was a small silence, the brunette staring at the Phoenix with something Lauren couldn't read in her eyes. "I.." She began but the blonde cut her off "It's ok Bo. I'll go change now." And with that she made her way to the stairs and up, trying hard not to look hurried. Once she was upstairs she was out of Bo's kimono and, after collecting the strewn items, into her clothes in no time. She quickly flattened out her slightly ruffled dress shirt and ran a hand through her tangled blonde hair before she deemed herself presentable, at least for the way to her apartment. There would be no going to the mansion now. She needed a shower because she was sure she smelled of sex and Bo; Lauren was not ready to run into her mother in this state and definitely not ready for the conversation about Crystal that would follow if Charlotte had told their mother what she had been supposed to if asked. No, Lauren was going to her apartment for breakfast, new clothes and a shower before she would head to the compound to hopefully forget what Kenzi had said this morning.

As she jogged back down the stairs fully dressed and ready to go she saw Bo leaning back against the kitchen counter almost the way she had left her. After being away from her for all but five minutes the Succubus' natural beauty hit Lauren like a dump truck once again. Her hair was still messy and the robe was hanging slightly off one shoulder but somehow Bo made it look like it all belonged that way, perfect in an imperfect way if that made any sense. It did to the Phoenix in that moment. She was in way too deep, was what shot through her mind immediately. The Succubus heard her footsteps and looked up, eyes still unreadable. Before she knew what was happening the blonde had already crossed the room and pressed their lips together, hard. It was the only way Lauren knew how to save this situation. Yes, Bo trying to influence her into staying before was not exactly something she appreciated but somewhere deep down she felt the desperation behind that action and she could understand it. She yearned as well. She also remembered what happened when she turned Bo down the first time, how one, almost two humans had to pay for it with their life. As much as their situation had changed, doubts remained in Lauren's heart and so she wanted, needed to dispel them as much as she could.

It didn't take long for Bo to reciprocate, kissing the blonde back with vigor, pressing her body up to her lovers and putting everything into their physical connection. They kissed wildly for minutes before they finally came up for air, just standing in each other's embrace, Lauren's hands fully tangled in long chocolate hair. "Sure you don't want to stay?" Bo asked with a small crooked smile but the blonde could clearly see that she already knew the answer. It was just her being playful now and it set Lauren's whirling mind more at ease. "Rain check. I promise." She smiled and the Succubus nodded, leaning in again for a slower, but now less passionate kiss. They drew it out as long as they could but finally their kiss ended and Lauren whispered "I'll see you soon."

"You will, my beautiful." Bo smirked, their eyes locking and the blonde had to bite her lip. They pressed their lips together one last time and Lauren finally stepped out of the embrace. She wanted to say something else but decided against it, smiling once more before she turned and walked out the door. The last thing she heard as she got into her car was Bo's voice, now angry and with a crack like a whip to it. "Kenzi!"

-x-

As soon as the front door closed, anger shot through Bo. All she had wanted was to spend a relaxed day in bed with Lauren, breakfast and lunch included. Instead she had come down the stairs to find her lover and her best friend in a staring match that looked like it was about to get out of hand. From Lauren's reaction and words the Succubus thought she knew where the problem was although she couldn't really understand it. "Kenzi!" She bellowed up the stairs and seconds later the Djinn appeared next to her with a soft 'pop', trademark cereal bowl in hand and looking seriously unimpressed with the situation. "What?" She mumbled through a mouthful of what seemed to be pure sugar, artificial colors and flavor. To be honest, Bo had no idea where the small brunette put it all, she was as tiny as ever.

"Care to explain what happened?" Bo asked, an obvious edge to her voice. "Just yesterday you give me the world's best advice on how to not screw up with Lauren, you even clean my room so she doesn't think I live in a pile of dirty laundry and then I find you two practically spewing venom at each other the next morning?" Her voice raised towards the end as she simply couldn't follow her best friends line of thought here.

Kenzi just sighed and rolled her eyes, pushing another spoonful into her mouth in a bored manner. "For the record, I didn't really move a muscle, I just made your room clean itself. As for what happened with Blondie, can I just take a moment to ask what the hell you're doing?" Bo just stared blankly at the Djinn, causing her to roll her eyes once again, this time in an exasperated motion. "Bo this morning your precious Lauren came down the stairs to make breakfast. Do you see anything wrong with that?"

"No, why?" Bo answered, her brows furrowing "We talked about it upstairs, she said she would make breakfast while I shower."

Kenzi groaned loudly. "Well then let me clear this up. A few weeks ago a certain wolf shifter made you breakfast and you ran out the front door stark naked just to throw him out. I remember clearly how we had to get rid of most things our fridge contained at that time because you didn't want any other feeds of yours to get ideas. Now, let me ask you again, do you see anything wrong here?"

Indeed, the explanation caught Bo off-guard. The last evening and night Lauren had occupied her mind completely, making her almost forget how she had kicked everyone she fed off out on their ass early the next morning. The Succubus couldn't imagine doing that with the blonde though. She loved waking up next to Lauren, running her fingers along the beautiful colors on her back, kissing her deeply as soon as she opened sleepy honey-brown eyes. Talking to the Phoenix was easy, she was extremely intelligent but not in a know-it-all way, more in a cute and slightly nerdy one. Not to mention that the sex was amazing of course as Lauren gave as good as she got and Bo found that she could barely contain herself around the blonde; she simply wanted her all the time. "Lauren is different." She finally managed to get out, sounding a bit meek in comparison to her best friend's demanding confidence before.

Surprisingly, Kenzi's features softened as did her voice. "I can see that. You know I only want you to be happy and if Blondie makes you happy that's fine but I just don't know why she has to be Light Fae. Why didn't this change of heart happen with someone like us, it would have been easier. It.. would have had a future." She finished quietly, her pale blue eyes deep and sad as she looked into Bo's brown ones. And The Succubus understood. Lauren confused everything for her, it made her question things she never would have before. The word relationship was still far from her mind but what else could describe what she and the Phoenix shared? It was more than just great sex and Bo was willing to admit at least that. That fact was also what made it illegal, though. One night stands between Dark and Light weren't uncommon and while not fully accepted they were a grey area that was left alone most of the time, at least with Fae of the normal community. Even one single night between Light and Dark Fae royalty like they undoubtedly were would cause huge waves and, as Bo knew from her many history lessons when she was young, far lesser things had started a war between the sides. All in all, Kenzi was absolutely right. Whatever Bo was experiencing with Lauren, it was utterly impossible for them to become anything more than what they were: lovers in a the back of a dark room, stealing kisses and moments until they got caught and what would happen then, the Succubus didn't want to think of. Fae were not known to be lenient, especially if it concerned their divide. "I know." Bo said after a long silence. "But I can't stop."

Kenzi simply nodded. "Then I will be here for you, best friends and all that sap." She grinned and it was obvious that she wanted to lighten the mood. Bo was grateful as she didn't want to think more about this topic. "You really don't like her, though, do you?" She chuckled and Kenzi's grin got even wider. "Nope. She just rubs me the wrong way. But I'll try to be better from now on." She winked and Bo simply rolled her eyes. Kenzi was never going to change and that was probably a good thing.

"You'll help me make it up to her." Bo stated matter-of-factly and after a quick moment of shock Kenzi fully burst out laughing. "My dearest Succubutt, I would say you got it bad but I would probably just get my ass kicked so I'll just say fine. Whatever you need, if it's in my power you shall have it." She bowed mockingly and now it was Bo's turn to laugh. It was a good feeling after the heavy thoughts that had crossed her mind before. "I need a place for a date." She smiled.

-x-

Lauren was pleased. After she had torn away from Bo's house like a crazed woman her nerves had settled again. She had showered, eaten and changed quickly, walking into the Light Fae compound barely an hour later. A huge pile of work had been waiting for her on her desk and so the blonde had allowed herself to just fall back into her usual routine of working and sometimes being interrupted by her staff asking how to proceed with cases that needed her clearing. To Lauren, this century-old routine was as relaxing to her mind as it was demanding and, throwing herself back into it like seldom before, she managed to work through the abnormally large pile of files on her desk in a record time of just under five hours.

Closing the last patient file and deliberately placing it on the wooden desk in front of her she allowed herself to lean back in her comfortable leather office chair. She took a deep breath, letting her mind settle from pouring over several different illnesses and causes of death. The files would need to be sent out soon and Lauren decided she would get up in just a minute and find one of her assistants to do just that but right now she wanted to relax for a moment. She let her eyes wander mindlessly from the digital clock to her right showing a little after five pm to the somewhat expressionistic piece of art adorning the otherwise blank white wall and then to her left where bookshelves lined the other wall. Finally, her gaze settled on the dark wooden door with its elaborate carving of the Light Fae symbol. Slowly, absent-mindedly, Lauren stood from her leather chair, walking over to the large carving. It was almost as large as the door was wide, a hand-crafted masterpiece that had been placed here for her eyes only and in perfect height for her to look at it thoroughly. Her hand touched the flourish in the middle before she even knew it, lightly placing her index finger in the very middle and letting it circle outwards, always following the intricate lines. She traced the outlines of the sun-like middle pattern, sure that she could just as well do it with her eyes closed because she knew the symbol so well. Back when she had still fought in battles against the Dark this symbol had always been emblazoned on her chest right above the bird-held sun of her family. It had given her a sense of pride and belonging, its counterpart marking the enemy. In fact, the Light and Dark symbol weren't that different, really. The Light symbol was smoother, the edges curling like flames where the Dark ones were jagged, looking like they had been made out of thorns. Lauren remembered asking her grandmother why they were so alike and the answer had shocked her at that time. Because the mixture of both was once the symbol of all Fae. That was before the great war, before Light and Dark.

The Phoenix knew that this time was so long gone that nearly no one remembered it or even wanted to. It was long before her time, long before her mother's even but still, with the memory of last night and this morning rushing back into her mind, she began wishing for it. Against all odds she wished for a world where she could happily stand by Bo's side if that's what the Succubus wanted, she didn't know that for sure after all. Lauren knew it was a hopeless wish, even more hopeless than her many tires to make Nadia immortal so they could live together forever. She chuckled sadly as she leaned her forehead against the cool polished wood. She was doomed to be alone, it would seem. Every time faith handed her a person she could truly love with all her heart it found a perfect way to destroy it again. Nadia had been human, Bo was Dark Fae and a McCorrigan while they were at it. She wanted to believe that everything could change for the better but deep down inside she knew that there was no way out of this misery but her and/or Bo's sure death.

Now frustrated again, she pushed back off the door, turning to gather the files she needed to bring to one of her assistants. She tucked them under her left arm, leaving her office without so much as another glance at the carving on the back of her door. In the hallway she ran into Ryan, a young Fae with curly dark hair, heading in the direction of her office when he saw her. "Oh, Dr. Lewis! I'm glad I found you. I may need a bit of advice with our newest patient." He blushed a bit, obviously a little embarrassed that he couldn't solve the problem completely on his own but Lauren understood and it made her smile. She encouraged her staff to ask her if they weren't sure about something and as they were all hand-picked by herself she knew that everything she taught them she wouldn't have to say twice. "Of course, lead the way Ryan but I have one request first." She answered and the young man's brows shot up, waiting for her to continue. The blonde pointed to the files still tucked under her arm. "These need to go out to the morgue as well as the Fae staff at the city hospitals. They are marked accordingly and please send a copy to the archives as well they will want them, too." She told Ryan who's face lit up in understanding and he nodded, quickly taking the files from Lauren's now outstretched hand. "Of course Dr. Lewis." He said and with that they were off to the patient Ryan wanted her to look at. As it turned out he had a rare disease that the young lab assistant couldn't possibly have recognized but in itself it wasn't anything to be worried about. The medication for this condition had been developed by one of Lauren's personal assistants quite some time ago and so, with explicit orders on how to proceed, the sick Fae was given over to the staff of the medical department who treated patients with minor and more or less harmless diseases. Ryan seemed relieved that he hadn't done anything wrong and, as there was little else that needed their immediate attention, Lauren took her time to explain the symptoms of the illness in great detail so that her young lab assistant would never fail to recognize it again. She was almost at the end of her impromptu lesson when they were interrupted. "So you see, Ryan. The permanent headache, the watering eyes as well as the strange blood work you showed me, they only appear with this particular condition. At least that I know of."

"Lauren Leavold in her natural element, always a sight to see." Ryan whirled around to see who had so rudely interrupted him while he had wanted to thank his boss for taking the time to explain all of this to him but Lauren didn't even need to fully turn as she had immediately recognized the deep, slightly parched male voice. "Dyson." She chuckled, now turning to shoot a smile at the tall and handsome wolf-shifter who was today dressed in tight black pants and a studded leather vest over a pale purple shirt, his police badge clipped onto his belt for the world to see. The only sign that he was off duty was the fact that he had ditched the tie that usually completed his outfit, opting to unbutton the top two buttons of his shirt. Wisely, Ryan had gathered that his presence would not be needed any longer so with a mumbled thank you and a goodbye he was gone quiet as a shadow, leaving the two older Fae alone in the main lab except for a few other assistants busy on the other side of the large, sun-flooded room that was right now hit by the orange early evening light.

"What brings you here, Dyson?" Lauren asked with a smile. The question wasn't meant in an unpleasant way, she was just surprised to see her friend. The wolf smiled his usual lopsided smirk, the one that had melted the hearts of many pretty women over the centuries. "Just stopping by." He said before he held up a thin manila folder that the blonde hadn't noticed before. "I also just wanted to drop off a status update for our current case. The Ash seems to be interested in it so we send in these reports every once in a while."

Lauren's brow furrowed for just a second before she remembered what Dyson had told her about a human case nobody was getting anywhere with. "Still the human one?" She asked and the shifter nodded. "Not as unsolvable anymore, though." He smiled. "Hale pulled some strings and we found someone who could help. I can't tell you much more because it's classified but we're meeting this guy sometime later this week."

"Sometime? Is that classified as well?" The corner of Lauren's mouth turned up as Dyson huffed out a small laugh. "Nope. We don't know. This guy, this contact of Hale's, he kinda makes the rules here." That made the blonde's eyebrows rise in surprise. She knew how much the wolf-shifter hated not being in control of a situation. Dyson read her expression like a book, he knew her well. "Believe me, I'm not a fan." They shared a laugh after that and Lauren found it was just what she needed. It made her feel a bit guilty, though. After all, she was positively in love with the woman Dyson thought was his mate for life but then again, she hadn't heard him talk about Bo for quite some time so she had hope that it had dissolved to nothing. She would have to tell him, and soon. He deserved to know but not in the middle of the Light Fae lab with ears and eyes everywhere. Lauren was just about to open her mouth and ask Dyson to come by sometime this week so they could talk when yet another one of her conversations was interrupted by a Fae in the doorway.

"Dr. Leavold?" A tall man with neatly-cut sandy-brown hair asked from the doorway. He was in a black suit and white tie, telling the doctor that he answered directly to the Ash. "Yes?" She looked him straight in the eye but the man didn't even flinch. "The Ash would like to speak to you. He says it's urgent. If you would please follow me." He stood straight as he gestured towards the door and for the second time in mere minutes, Lauren's eyebrows shot up while she wondered what this could be about. She hoped desperately it wasn't what she was dreading. "Of course." She answered calmly, showing no emotion on her face whatsoever.

"The I guess I'll see you around, Laur." Dyson smiled at her, giving her a brotherly pat on the back as she walked by. "Of course, Dyson." Lauren answered, winking back at the shifter as she moved towards the man still patiently waiting for her. What was this about, she thought to herself as she was escorted to the artfully crafted double doors of the Ash's office.

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.

Chapter 22: Turning Point

In that very moment, Lauren consisted of feelings only. It seemed that her mind had switched off minutes ago, the second she stepped through the heavy metal doors of Parallel Vertex and into a place she felt she could completely let loose in. Actually, it would have been more accurate to say that place was in Bo's arms but right now it mattered little. The Succubus was currently pressing into her back, hands placed possessively on her waist, making sure Lauren felt every dip and curve of her perfect body as they moved together. They hadn't really talked since they started dancing, just the occasional word here and there, always spoken with barely controlled urgency, with a desire burning not only under the surface but for everyone to see. Men and women alike had tried to dance with them, maybe with the intention of joining the two beautiful Fae for the night but one after the other they were all shot down. When the first one, a tall and somewhat handsome but very young human had made his move Bo had laughed in Lauren's ear before nipping at her jaw while looking at the young man. To the Phoenix it was clear that she was playing with him but he didn't seem to understand her not-so-subtle signs, misreading them completely instead. The game went on for a small while but when he moved over to try and place his hands on Lauren's hips the Succubus quickly put her foot down, pulling Lauren even tighter to herself before she gave the man a small shove to the shoulder that unmistakably said 'hands off'. This time he understood and, raising his hands in apology, moved off towards the metal stairway.

A few others, mostly men but also a few women tried their luck afterwards, all with the same result and so after a while Bo and Lauren were left more or less alone in the anonymous sea of moving bodies. The Phoenix was thankful for it because it allowed her to fall into her lover's arms without a conscious thought or worry more and more until Lauren couldn't even recognize herself anymore but she didn't care. She felt like laughing and so she did, turning in Bo's arms to face her lover and throw her arms around her neck again. Under the flashing lights and changing colors the Succubus seemed to glow, absorbing the energy around her. Her dark eyes glinted with every passing light, the shadows on her face moving like they were dancing a dance of their own and Lauren was left mesmerized. Bo moved like she was born only for this night, hands high in the air whenever they weren't wrapped around the blonde's waist. She soaked in the atmosphere, the beat and the feel of Lauren's body against her own and seeing Bo free and beautiful like this made the Phoenix' heart beat even faster, the wide smile on her face growing exponentially as she let herself be pulled into a high like little else she had ever encountered. Bo caught her gaze and her eyes almost sparked with electricity, Lauren thinking that she saw a hint of blue in them but, in between the flashing lights of every color, she couldn't tell for sure. What she could tell, though was that Bo had never before smiled at her as wide or as happy as she did now when she returned the blonde's own.

Later, Lauren couldn't tell if it was minutes or hours and it didn't matter, Bo pulled her out of her joyous haze when she leaned in so that their heads were next to each other, the Succubus' lips against her ear, her warm breath palpable even in the sea of heaving bodies they were a part of. "Care for a drink?" The brunette asked, loud over the music yet still barely audible, distorted by the base still shaking every molecule of their bodies to the very core. And so, acknowledging the fact that talking would continue to be a bit of a problem in this atmosphere, Lauren opted for showing Bo. She leaned in even closer, her nose pressed into the Succubus' cheek, breathing her in before she let her lips slowly wander from the small dip just behind the brunette's cheekbone down towards the back of her jaw. Lauren felt the hands already possessively curled around her waist tighten their hold ever so slightly, their fingers splaying a bit more to touch as much of the blonde as they possibly could. With Bo, it was the little things, Lauren came to realize once more. She wasn't sure if it was just her lover's Succubus nature or if the woman's character played into it as well but whatever it was, it set her apart from everyone else the Phoenix had ever encountered. The way she touched her, demanding but always gentle, almost reverent at times; the way she looked at her with barely controlled fire but most of all, the way she reacted to every single thing Lauren said or did in ways that were so subtle yet perfect. Even when they were in bed together, it was always the little things: the way Bo would only adjust her hands or her tongue by millimeters at most but with thunderous effects. She seemed to know Lauren like no one else, an understanding that the Phoenix knew had been there from the very first time they met. From the very first dance Bo had been so amazingly in tune with her, leading her elegantly like she knew the complete dance they shared that evening by heart. Lauren thought it had to be subconscious. Bo had been a brat at first, entitled and selfish and there was no way she could have been so attentive as a pure decision of the mind.

The Phoenix pressed her lips to the very end of her lover's jaw, her nose buried in the curling strands of long dark hair right in front of Bo's ear. All the while their perfectly calculated movements amidst the heaving crowd never faltered or changed, if anything they intensified. The Bo that held Lauren so possessively now was completely different from the women she had been only weeks ago. The blonde had come to know a passionate and fierce side to the obvious allure the Succubus exuded wherever she went, a vulnerability behind the cocky and condescending smirk and it only helped her process of falling helplessly in love with Bo.

Lauren pulled back, a smile on her face as she looked into the brunette's eyes once more, still alight with flashing colors but now also with curiosity, wanting to know what her lover's answer meant. A laugh involuntarily escaped the blonde's mouth, only seen but not heard over the thumping beat before she nodded once and again, Bo did one of those little things: her smile curled upwards on one side only while her hands dipped lower on Lauren's hips, only just enough to be noticed but far enough to speak of intimacy. She squeezed once and then, elegantly turning without even missing a beat, took one of Lauren's hands to slowly dance them towards the metal staircase and by default, the bar.

As it turned out, they never actually made it there. The club had seemingly gotten even more packed and even with Bo leading the way with a helping touch here and there they were moving through the crowd slowly at best, always close together but sometimes the shoving masses threatening to separate them. Finally up the stairs they tried moving towards the bar but it soon became obvious that even if they managed to get there, they would wait for their drinks forever. Lauren was just about to tug at Bo's hand more insistently, trying to get her attention and tell the stubborn brunette they could just go back when she was unintentionally shoved from behind, causing her to tumble and fall into the Succubus' side. The contact immediately pressed them up against the wall never far away on the narrow metal scaffolding, the masses shifting around them and using the small bit of space their sudden absence from the main path had created.

Bo looked a bit startled, the hand holding Lauren's pressed tightly in between them as they suddenly found their faces mere inches apart once more. Lauren's fingers were uncomfortably squished by their position but as she looked into Bo's eyes, dark and alive like molten chocolate, she found that she didn't care one bit. Like it always seemed to happen in those moments, everything faded into the background as if it was just the two of them. The flashing lights, the pounding beat ringing in the blonde's ears, it all vanished the moment her eyes locked with her lover's. Ever so slowly, probably even more prolonged by Lauren's attentive mind, Bo leaned in, her free hand coming up to tangle in blonde locks as their lips grazed at first before finally closing over each other. A deep, satisfied moan rang from deep in Bo's throat, inaudible to Lauren but she still felt the vibrations through her lover's touch. Impossibly, they pressed even closer and by now the Phoenix had all but forgotten her still trapped hand which was slowly going numb by now. All she felt was the Succubus' lips on hers, that familiar yet exhilarating taste that was so uniquely Bo filling her mouth and her mind, the feel of her lover's skin under her fingertips, soft as silk and so warm, hot even like the fire burning in the pit of Lauren's stomach. It would have been so easy to just use the energy crackling around them like invisible but definitely tangible fireworks, so easy to ignite them to dancing flames, initiating what Lauren knew would be her point of no return but she couldn't. Not here, not now. They were surrounded by humans who thought they were just another young and madly in love couple making out against the wall of a nightclub. Additionally, the Phoenix didn't even know if Bo felt the same for her. Sure, they looked at each other, held each other like they were in love, they kissed like they were and to Lauren, it tasted like they were as well. She wasn't sure though, and so, this was neither the right time nor the right place.

Her silent vow didn't take long to be broken, though. When Bo started kissing down the side of her jaw and along her neck, Lauren found that she couldn't keep her promise she had made to herself any longer. "I love you." She whispered as her free hand pressed Bo tightly to her neck where the Succubus was just now sucking softly, sure to leave at least a small mark. The brunette pulled back just a bit, just enough to look up at Lauren, fixing her with a wanting but questioning gaze, probably having felt the movement of the Phoenix' jaw. "Let's get out of here." Lauren growled into her lover's ear, explaining herself in a way that was no less true than what she had actually said and Bo just grinned, nodding her answer and using their still intertwined hands to lead them towards the exit as quickly as she could.

-x-

Dyson, Hale and Tamsin were standing in front of Parallel Vertex, the wolf-shifter almost face to face with one of four bouncers guarding the entrance. He was human of course, but still impressive in size, as tall as Dyson and two times his width, with black tattoos covering every inch of the muscled arms exposed by his t-shirt. "I already told you" He rumbled, his voice almost the same tone as the bass vibrating through the walls of the club. "We're full up. Nobody is getting in. Safety regulations."

It was all Dyson could do to not growl at him with wild yellow eyes. He couldn't believe it. Here they were, in the outermost part of town usually no Fae ever set foot in because there was nothing to gain here and they couldn't get into the club they were supposed to meet Hale's contact in. Normally, the three detectives would have just flashed their badges and entered the club with no further questions asked but the Siren had made it very clear that this interaction was not entirely in accordance with protocol or the law and so they had agreed to only use their position if nothing else would do. How were they to know that, by the looks of it, their contact had picked the most popular human nightclub in this part of town?

"And I already told you that we need to get into that club." The anger in Dyson's voice was clearly audible as he tried to keep the growl out of it but only succeeded partially. "You don't know what you're dealing with." He added in a huff under his breath, obscured by the loud bass. The bouncer's beefy face contorted in what would become anger very soon but he knew he was holding the whip hand here. "What part of 'we're full up' don't you understand? I suggest you stop trying to force your way in and get in line if you want a snowball's chance in hell of seeing the inside of this club tonight." To Dyson's surprise, Hale stepped up next to him, discretely opening his brown leather jacket part-way and allowing the bouncer a glimpse at his police badge for long enough so he could make sure it wasn't a fake. "Look." He said "We are on a case and we are looking for something very specific. We have leads that all point to this club right here so I suggest you let us in and let us do our job."

The brows of the mountain of a man in front of them raised before pushing together. He rumbled something unintelligible deep in his throat before nodding. "Since the club is full up I can't let more than one of you in." Dyson wanted to protest but before he could Hale said "Fine." The bouncer nodded again, this time as if to himself. "Figure out who of you goes in, I'll be waiting at the door. I have enough to do as it is." With that he turned and trotted back to his usual position in front of the metal double door that marked the entrance to Parallel Vertex.

"What the hell, Hale?" Dyson growled at the Siren who had already zipped his jacket back up, his brow furrowed. "We cannot afford to lose any more time. He said he would be here around eleven pm and it's almost midnight by now. We need this intel and cannot afford to lose it because of one bouncer not wanting to let us in." He informed the group and Dyson huffed while Tamsin, who had surprisingly remained quiet until now, crossed her arms defiantly. "I could have just instilled doubt in him and we would have been in twenty minutes ago and minus a lengthy discussion with tall, broad and meaty."

Dyson shook his head. They had agreed on their badges as last resort, completely ruling out their Fae powers. "There are too many witnesses here. I know it's dark and the neon light can obscure things but you wouldn't be able to instill doubt into four bouncers without anybody in this huge line of humans noticing." Tamsin huffed in response but finally nodded, fixing the shifter with a distasteful look all the same. "Fine. So who goes in?"

"Dyson." Hale said simply before explaining further "Tamsin's Valkyrie powers are too obvious if it comes to that and my whistle won't work here, the music is too loud. Dyson can smell our contact and locate him, even in a full club like that." Dyson didn't like the idea much but he saw there were no other options and so he nodded curtly. "And you guys?"

"We'll wait in the car. We're already drawing suspicious looks for just standing here, fifteen feet away from the line." The shifter nodded again. "Ok. I will be back as soon as I get what we came here for."

"Well, I sure hope so, partying alone in a human night club would make you even more sad and pathetic." Tamsin chuckled but Dyson simply chose to ignore her, turning to walk towards the bouncers again. On his way he inhaled deeply once more, his nostrils widening as he caught the same odor that had stumped him before, seemingly a mixture of Bo and Lauren's very unique smells, weak but still very much there and noticeable. He knew that some people strangely smelled like two other people combined; Ciara had smelled like a mixture of one of his former pack mates and a forest spirit named Flora he had believed to love a long time ago. It was rare but it happened and, in this moment, Dyson refused to acknowledge any other possibility. The day he saw Lauren get into Bo's car right after they had left the Dark compound flashed before his eyes, combined with the way he thought the Phoenix was acting a bit off lately. He had been putting it off, telling himself that the latter was just the stress of being dragged from one peace dinner or ball to the next but right now, he wasn't so sure anymore. He shook his head once, briefly closing his eyes to rid himself of those thoughts; he had a task to fulfill.

The bouncer was waiting for him by the door, like he said he would. He greeted the shifter with a curt nod that Dyson reciprocated. "Don't make me regret this." The human rumbled when Dyson was right next to him and gave him a stern look before opening the door just wide enough for the detective to slip inside. As soon as he set foot in the old industrial building that had been redesigned to fit the nightclub image Dyson cursed his enhanced senses, the abominably loud music instantly making his ears ring painfully. It took a moment for him to adjust and when he did he was caught in the next assault on his senses, his time his nose. The air in the club was thick with thousands of different scents, alcohol, sweat and pheromones swirling in it and making it thick and heavy to breathe. Dyson needed another moment to block out the onslaught, his nose wrinkling as he only managed to ignore it so far. Carefully, he moved through the crowd, taking deeper breaths in between being pushed and pulled by the humans around him. The bouncer had been right, this club was most certainly packed to the hilt.

Dyson caught whiffs of scents he liked from time to time, scents he could place as a specific type of alcohol when a human with a full glass pushed past him or scents he didn't like at all but catching one alone was rare. It all morphed into a befuddling cacophony of smells, that, no matter how hard the shifter concentrated, he couldn't block out completely.

About twenty minutes later he still hadn't found the man he was searching for, not even traces of his scent and it was beginning to frustrate him. He shoved himself through the crowd, coming to stand at the very edge of the metal scaffolding making up the upper part of the club. Placing both his hands on one of the metal beams serving as banister to keep his position amidst the ever-present push and pull of the crowd he looked down at the dancefloor, trying to make out a familiar figure but coming up empty, no matter how hard he tried. He was just about to give up when he felt a hand on his shoulder and lips way closer to his ear than he would have liked. "Detective." The voice was almost obscured by the loud music but only almost. "I was afraid you would not show." There was a mocking tone mixed into the words and it caused Dyson to quickly turn his head, coming face to face with muddy brown eyes and slightly lighter hair. The human smiled at him, the quirk in his slightly bushy eyebrows almost as mocking as his voice from before as he regarded Dyson with interest.

"You." The shifter huffed, not in a surprised way but rather in a way that spoke of his need to get back out of this building as soon as he could. "Yes, me. I believe you have been looking for me?" Dyson did not answer, instead looking at the conspicuously ordinary man next to him with obvious contempt. Their gazes met briefly and the human nodded once. "Very well, Detective." He reached into the inside pocket of his worn grey jacket, pulling out a small brown envelope and discreetly holding it out for Dyson to take which the shifter did with another huff, letting it disappear into the pockets of his vest. "This is what I could find. I believe this envelope will lead you directly to the killer."

Dyson nodded, the thank you on his lips refusing to completely leave his mouth, after all, this man was a criminal himself. "What are you getting out of this?" He asked instead, the question obviously amusing the human next to him as his face contorted in a chuckle, unheard over the music. He came very close again, close enough for Dyson to smell him clearly. "I am always partial to things that allow me to learn more about your kind." The human smiled slyly and Dyson's nostrils widened as, for the umpteenth time that night, he fought the urge to growl out loud. Another one of those humans who knew of the Fae and thought they could somehow be part of their world by immersing themselves in it and knowingly interacting with members of their society. His facial expression made his opposite laugh. "Don't look so shocked, Detective. Coming here tonight was one of the most rewarding decisions I've made in a long time. It's not every day that you get to see a Succubus and her lover locked in such a passionate embrace and in a human night club, no less."

Dyson couldn't help it, his eyes turned yellow for a moment so short he hoped the flashing lights had obscured it. What was this man talking about? "Oh, Detective. Flawless senses and yet you manage to overlook the one thing most important in this room." The man jerked his head at a point more or less behind Dyson, off to his own right. The shifter turned and, seeing nothing but more people, looked back at the man next to him to growl at him in earnest this time. Just that, to Dyson's utter confusion, he wasn't there anymore. How a human could move so silently and quickly in a space this full of shoving bodies was beyond him.

His head whipped back around to the spot the human had shown him, the last thing he would do before walking back out of this establishment as the masses would allow but in that moment the crowd where he was looking shifted, revealing a glimpse at two women locked in a passionate kiss, seemingly oblivious to the world around them. It took Dyson's brain a second to catch on, by now the sensory overload was really getting to him but when he did he clutched the metal banister harshly with both his hands until he felt it start to give under the force. A Succubus and her lover.. Rang through his mind and suddenly, painfully, he understood the words' meaning, understood why he had thought something was off with Lauren in the last few days and weeks, why she had gotten into that car with Bo and why he had smelled their combined scents in front of the club. Leaning against a wall no forty feet away from him were Lauren and Bo, their embrace speaking of a familiarity that made the shifter's heart lurch painfully, his brain desperately trying to understand what his eyes were seeing without a doubt.

Lauren was one of his oldest friends and he considered her a sister in many ways. She had been Ciara's friend, too. Ciara, who Dyson believed had been his one true mate, who had died valiantly on the battlefield with a sword in her hand as had been her wish and fit for the warrior queen she had been. Still, her death had ripped both his and Lauren's heart to pieces and it had taken a long time for things to return to normal after that. They had healed together, becoming very close in the months and years it took, telling each other about their past, about their triumphs and losses. Dyson believed that they knew everything there was to know about the other, that the quietly passionate and mysterious Phoenix he had come to know had revealed all her secrets to him as he had even the darkest and most painful of his own but now, as he watched her thread one hand through the dark hair of the Succubus she had personally warned him about, Dyson wasn't so sure anymore.

Was this the reason why Lauren had told him to stay away from Bo, from the woman that for some strange reason had made his heart race again? Of course, he had been searching for someone to fill the void Ciara had left for a long time but if, as he believed, the Fairy queen had truly been his mate, could there ever be another like her? He knew that the first time he saw Bo, she had appealed to him in a strange way and not with her obvious charms but rather like her almost palpable darkness was calling him in but the Succubus herself didn't seem to feel anything, using him for her own pleasure then kicking him out the very next morning. His want to make his own heart whole again had made him act stupid, a fool, even though he knew deep down that Ciara had been the only one for him.

For a few more moments, interrupted by humans moving in and out of his line of sight, he simply watched as Bo broke the kiss to move down the side of Lauren's throat, the Phoenix' sure hand clutching at her neck and keeping her there. Dyson had known the blonde a long time and he had never seen her like this, so carefree and happy. She and the Succubus had probably come here to be free for a night, he figured, after all their relationship was not something they could just make public and expect to see the next sunrise. Dyson had witnessed firsthand what happened to those who loved the wrong person often enough and the fact Lauren and Bo were both considered royalty by their respective sides would only make a bad situation worse.

He saw as the Phoenix head fell back against the wall, her lips slightly parted in pleasure before she did something that finally made the shifter turn away, averting his gaze in what felt like pain and tasted like betrayal. Her lips had moved quickly, not clearly articulating the words she spoke but they were unmistakable nonetheless. "I love you." She said, and it clawed at Dyson's heart as he remembered the last time those words had been mouthed to him, Ciara dying in his arms. He finally moved, pushing through the crowd and towards the exit, having gotten what he came here for. That, and so much more. He would have to think about what he would do in the following days, what side he would take but most of all, he needed to talk to Lauren.

-x-

The chill of the night air did nothing to quell the heat raging inside Bo. Lauren's body was hot against hers as the Phoenix pressed her to the door of her yellow Camaro, the strong metal of the car almost cold to the brunette's back. Thankfully, and also with purpose, Bo had parked the classic car in a side alley so small and dark it would be missed by most people driving and even walking by it. Not that there were many of those at this time of night. Far away from any working streetlight, the only light came from the moon above, shining brightly in the sky but not bright enough to reach the bottom of the alley, tinting it in a dark shade of gray instead.

After the loud music and thumping bass of the club, the utter silence of the night was almost deafening, the only sounds coming from Lauren as she pushed Bo further against the car, never breaking their hungry kiss. The Succubus could feel the blonde burning for her, see it even from behind closed eyelids and it drove the most primal parts of her being wild with the uncontrollable desire to have the woman doing this to her, to feel her perfect chi flow down her throat again. Bo moaned when Lauren pressed one of her thighs between her legs, forcing her to widen her stance and almost lose her footing on the gravely ground, one heeled boot slipping, the other now carrying her full weight. She could just as well have no foot on the ground, she knew, because Lauren was pressed into her in such a way that she would never slip from her position.

Bo's arms around the Phoenix' neck, one hand tangled in blonde locks, the other reaching down and clawing at her lover's back wherever she could reach, the Succubus was suddenly surprised when Lauren stepped back, pulling her with her. Truly, the brunette never really knew what the Phoenix would do next, especially when she completely let loose like she was doing right now and so she stumbled again, this time managing to plant both feet firmly to the ground and press back against the blonde, sending them crashing into the dirty brick wall behind Lauren's back with a huff. On impact, her lover bit Bo's lip, drawing blood to match the already bleeding cuts the uneven wall had dealt the Succubus' bare arms but neither woman cared. Bo's Succubus side growled in satisfaction, feeling that she had regained the upper hand as Lauren sighed, her head tipping back ever so slightly. Bo pulled back just a bit, eyes opening to brilliant blue as a small stream of chi flowed from her lover's panting mouth to her own but she cut it back off right after, wanting so savor the moment.

Like so many times before, Lauren knew how to use the small moment where the Succubus lacked concentration, pushing back off the wall and, to Bo's utter surprise, spinning her around before sending them crashing into the Camaro again. Out of instinct, both of the brunette's hands went to absorb the impact, the muscles in her still bleeding arms screaming as she kept them both from completely falling into the car's side. Immediately, Lauren's hands were on her hips, teasingly dipping under her vest like the gentlest of promises that would not fit their moment of wild passion. Bo felt herself being pulled backwards into a scorching hot body, her arms relaxing, the Camaro's springs creaking as they leveled out again.

"Bo.." was panted into her ear, dangerously low and so full of promise that it made the Succubus shudder with need. One of Lauren's hands dipped into the front of the brunette's waistband but never near enough for Bo to let out anything more than a strained and wanting whimper. The other hand travelled from her waist to her stomach, pressing her against the blonde with force and making her feel how incredibly hot the Phoenix's skin was becoming, hot like the fingers now drawing mindless patterns through the dark patch of soft hair at the apex of Bo's thighs. It should have burned her, the small part of the Succubus' brain that wasn't crazed with lust knew but it seemed that Lauren controlled even that. When the hand on Bo's stomach moved upwards, finally cupping a soft breast after seconds of slow torture the brunette couldn't help but moan out loud, her hips involuntarily bucking against the fingers giving her nowhere near enough. Her cry sounded loud in the cool night's air, echoing off the narrow-standing walls of the alleyway. Still, Lauren did not have mercy.

The hand on Bo's left breast slipped to the valley between them and under the stiff fabric of the Succubus' olive green vest to greedily palm the other, making the moan the brunette had released only seconds prior not be the last. "Bo.." Lauren panted again, her voice trembling with need as she softly nipped at her lover's ear. Bo could only whimper in response, hoping that would be enough and it seemed that it was. "Open the car." The Phoenix demanded and for a second the brunette did not know what to do. Finally, her brain caught on and she removed a shaking hand from the car's roof, sliding it down to the door handle only to find it locked. Another moan rang through the night when Lauren chose that exact moment to gently roll the Succubus' nipple between her fingers before removing them from her breast completely. Her hand found Bo's on the door handle, a warm key pressing into the Succubus palm from where Lauren had snatched it out of her cleavage. A few fumbling seconds, a creaking car door and a short struggle with the front seat later Bo found herself on the leather backseat of her yellow Camaro, turning just in time to finally meet Lauren's mouth with her own again, the door slamming shut behind the blonde.

The Succubus whimpered as she was pushed down into the worn leather seats, Lauren's still scorching hot body covering her own just moments later as their kiss became inconsistent, the pure contact of their lips on each other more important than subtle bites or caressing tongues. In the confined space of her car, Bo's legs were bent at the knee, spread wide to accommodate the blonde kneeling in between them. There was a clunk as the heel of one of the Succubus' boots made harsh contact with the side window but neither woman cared. Skilled hands undid the four buttons of Bo's leather pants, brute force pulling them down as far as they would go in their position which, given the angle of the Succubus' legs and the tightness of the black leather, wasn't far at all but it seemed far enough for Lauren. The blonde broke the kiss, their position making it hard to keep the contact but she stayed hovering over her lover, the back of her head against the car roof as she pulled Bo's foot that wasn't pressing against the side window over her shoulder, opening the Succubus wider for her advances. The brunette gave a whimper from deep in her throat at the strange position, the tendons in her lower back and upper thigh straining but not painfully so. She wouldn't have cared anyway. All that mattered were her lover's hands, one flicking open the buttons of her vest before slipping inside once more and roughly grabbing a heaving breast, the other on the inside of her thighs, teasing mercilessly.

Bo arched into the hand on her breast, not caring about how her whole lower body was slowly starting to ache from being trapped in this position but instead moaning again when Lauren increased the pressure on her soft flesh, her thumb finding a painfully hardened nipple. The Succubus' own hands came up to press against the door behind her head, creating leverage of her own that caught the blonde above her by surprise as Bo rolled her hips and caused talented flingers to slip off her thigh and to where she desperately wanted them most. Her brilliant blue eyes flew open as Lauren, finally, had mercy. Long, steady fingers plunged deeply into Bo's center, meeting no resistance whatsoever. The Succubus used all her remaining strength to push her hands back against the leather-cased interior, helping her hips meet every single one of Lauren's thrusts with vigor. Their eyes met, iridescent blue and sparking red, bright and hot light the sun, burning like every single one of Bo's muscles as she strained and pushed, never letting up even when the leather waistband of her pants started digging into the flesh of her lower thighs painfully, the leg pushing her foot against the window for even more leverage shuddering and cramping. The blazing hot aura of her lover, the fire spreading from wherever Lauren touched her kept Bo going until the blonde started rolling her nipple between her fingers again, thrusting into her in earnest now until the Succubus didn't know if the bright colors she was seeing were Lauren's aura or if she was close to passing out.

Finally, after what felt like hours to Bo and her straining muscles, the Phoenix above her pushed one more time, her fingers curling to hit the perfect spot and the Succubus screamed, her back arching until the only contact points she still had with the leather backseat were her head and her ass. Bo's twitching leg slipped from Lauren's shoulder, coming to rest between the driver's seat and her lover's still towering form. The Succubus craved to feed, to soothe her aching muscles and the burning need deep in her throat but she was too far gone to do anything about it, colors exploding in front of her eyes, moans and whimpers she didn't realize were her own still falling from her parted lips. Instinctively, Lauren seemed to know what Bo needed but couldn't take herself, removing the hand from the Succubus' breast and looping her arm under the still arched back, pulling her lover up and connecting their lips in a surprisingly gentle kiss. Immediately, the Succubus started feeding deeply, a weak hand threading in soft blonde tresses. Lauren tasted divine as always, the burning hot life force flowing down Bo's throat and giving her tired muscles new life until she was forcibly clutching the blonde to herself, her eyes wide and glowing in the darkness.

When their passionate kisses slowed down, turning into loving nips and bites before their lips finally parted and the blue hue connecting them disappeared, Lauren was panting heavily, her eyes still red but more golden by now. Bo smiled a brilliant smile that was returned wholeheartedly and she leaned in, placing another soft kiss on her lover's slightly swollen lips. "One word: Epic." She husked and to her surprise, the bold and wanting Lauren who had so mercilessly taken her just minutes ago vanished, being replaced by a Lauren that averted her gaze almost shyly, blushing so hard it was visible even in the near nonexistent lighting inside the Camaro.

Softly, Bo placed a hand on the blonde's cheek, lifting her face until their gazes met again. "You are so adorable." She pressed a quick kiss to Lauren's lips and contently felt them curl into a small smile. "What do you say, we go home and continue there?" Bo asked after a few moments of content silence and Lauren nodded, a sliver of her former confidence returning as she flashed the Succubus a wanting grin. This woman, Bo knew, would be the death of her, she could feel it in her very core.

-x-

Sunday morning came too soon, way too soon for Bo and Lauren who had spent the better part of the night giving into their mutual desire to claim the other as their own over and over again until exhaustion forced them to stop and rest. The Phoenix woke first, the warm sun caressing her bare back from its place already high above the buildings of the city. Clearly she felt it seep into her every pore, soothing the marks Bo had placed on her skin in her need to even the score after what Lauren had done to her in the backseat of the Camaro. Her every muscle ached in the most delicious way, every fiber vibrating with a feeling so content that Lauren never wanted to move from her place on the bed, one arm wrapped securely around the naked Succubus pressed comfortably into her front. Still, she blinked her eyes open, waiting for them to adjust to the midmorning brightness flooding her apartment because if right now, something was better than holding Bo, it was watching her sleep, her deep and even breaths dictating the rise and fall of her chest and Lauren's arm with it.

Slowly the blonde sat up a bit, enough to give her a better angle to look at her sleeping lover but not so far that she would completely lose contact with the Succubus' warm skin. Bo looked so peaceful like this, like she was just a woman sleeping in the arms of her lover, resting after a night of passion. After last night it could have been so easy for Lauren to trick herself into thinking that this was all this was, for her to block out everything that would always separate them but even now, in the bliss that usually was their morning after, the Phoenix couldn't help but think. Could she take on a whole species, the people that were her family, for the sake of a love that was as unlikely as it was unbelievable, as all-consuming as it was exhilarating? For a love she didn't even know was reciprocated, even if it felt like that in every last cell of her body? The answer was simple: of course she would, in a heartbeat. Rather would she perish fighting for the one thing she had found after having given up on it hundreds of years ago, believing she would never have it again than let that very thing go. Now that she had lived with Bo in her life she was sure she would never be able to live without her again, as pathetic as that sounded even in her own ears. She turned her head away, scolding herself and squeezing her eyes shut to prevent the tears in them from falling.

"Lauren?" The sleepy voice made the blonde snap out of her haze, turning again to find clouded chocolate brown eyes looking up at her from where Bo was still lying on the bed, now slightly turned in the Phoenix's direction. It must have been her hand, Lauren realized; the hand she had placed on her lover's hips and that she had involuntarily squeezed as she had lost herself in her poisonous thoughts. She should have paid better attention, Lauren scolded herself again before she smiled for Bo's sake only. "Hey, baby. I'm sorry, go back to sleep." She whispered but even in her waking state, the Succubus' seemed to sense something was off, her brow furrowing adorably before she rolled onto her back to look directly up at Lauren. A hand came up to caress her cheek softly in a way that the Phoenix had come to know as very Bo. "What's going on in that pretty head of yours?" The brunette smiled, her voice still sleepy but becoming clearer with every word she spoke but Lauren just shook her head in response, her hand covering Bo's on her cheek before she took hold of it and placed a soft kiss on its back. The Succubus' eyebrows knitted together even more, annoyance now seeping into her expression, threatening to taint their morning once and for all. "Tell me." She demanded again, her voice fully awake this time, maybe a bit parched from their nightly activities.

"It's nothing, Bo." Lauren said, putting as much conviction into her eyes as she thought possible. "I was just thinking about how beautiful you are when you sleep." Another kiss was placed to the back of the Succubus' hand and this time Bo seemed to relent, her face relaxing, hints of her deep dimples showing as she softly smiled up at Lauren. "Am I not beautiful when I'm awake?" She teased and just like that, the Succubus had made all of her lover's fears and doubts take the backseat again, vanishing like a puff of smoke in the morning air.

"No." Lauren grinned and immediately found herself face to face with a blue-eyed brunette, grinning at her through her acted annoyance. "Very sexy, though." The blonde added and this time she received a kiss, soft and slow like the gentlest and most loving of caresses, soothing their beginning haste. They sat there for what seemed like eternity and way too short at the same time, their lips sliding and closing over each other, tongues touching gently to a rhythm only they knew. From time to time, Bo would just drag the very tip of her tongue over the contours of Lauren's lips, kissing her softly wherever they went immediately after. The blonde felt like this was one of the most intimate kisses they had shared so far, it warmed every part of her being better than even a warm summer sun could as Bo, this ruthless and dark predator, this passionate and loving woman, touched her with the gentleness that only ever came from love. Their hands never let go of each other, their fingers threading together and holding gently as their heads turned slowly from side to side.

Like all great things though, it eventually had to come to an end. Their tongues parted ways, saying goodbye for now in a last delicious tangle, their lips following soon after though their soft caresses took far longer to crease. Finally, Lauren felt Bo nudge her nose with her own, initiating a whole new but different kiss that lasted only a few moments before the brunette finally pulled back.

The Phoenix opened her eyes to see Bo smiling brilliantly at her, lips parted and teeth showing, her dimples deep and beautiful but it were her eyes that made the blonde's breath catch in her throat this time. Their full brown was seemingly glowing from the inside, emanating a silent happiness that was so unlike the unforgiving Succubus Lauren had come to know but fit her so well at the same time, like this had been the missing piece to complete her already perfect beauty. "Bo.." The blonde began, like so many times before. This time though, she wanted to say something meaningful, something that would make or break them and her heart pounded in her chest at the prospect. Bo looked back at her attentively, giving her lover every single bit of her attention. They could have everything, Lauren knew, turning her hand in Bo's so that the Succubus' was holding hers from behind, freeing the blonde's palm to come up and cup the cheek of the woman she loved so deeply and against every odd this world had to offer. What if Bo didn't feel the same way? She couldn't lose what they had, it would break her clean in two before shattering her into a million pieces like a hammer to a glass figure.

"Lauren." The brunette answered, her voice way more sure than the Phoenix'. She was waiting patiently and so Lauren made a decision. "You are so beautiful." She whispered. It may have been the easy way out but in the end, Lauren's brain had once more won against her heart, at least for now. Bo wiped every thought from her mind when she pressed their lips together again in response, pulling the blonde to sit on her lap, their warm bodies connecting in the light of the morning sun. "So are you." She mumbled, placing kisses down the column of Lauren's throat, effectively igniting the glowing embers of their fire again, quelling every other thought lingering in their heads for hours to come.

Much later, when Bo was still downstairs, sitting on a leather couch and polishing the longsword she had brought with her, Lauren was busy upstairs, packing for her trip to Europe. It was only three pm, she had plenty of time before her fight left for Paris at nine but she wanted to make sure she didn't forget anything. She didn't need much, it was only for a few days after all and so she only packed a small suitcase and a carryon. Having checked the weather forecast she knew she would need to pack one or two coats, not the heavy ones of course but rather those meant for early fall. It would be cool and gray in Paris, a weather to match her mood once she got there. Going back to the French capital always felt like walking through history for Lauren because she had spent so many years of her life there, both glorious and terrible.

Sighing, she closed the zipper of her carryon, having double checked everything. She picked up the small brown bag, placing it over her shoulder before picking up the black suitcase with her other hand, moving to carry both down the stairs to face probably the biggest challenge of leaving Toronto for a few days: telling Bo.

True to her prediction, as soon as she had set her luggage down at the foot of the stairs Bo rounded the corner with the same addicting smile on her face that she had worn the whole day. It dropped in a second though, when her eyes fell to the bags at Lauren's feet, confusion settling on her face like a shadow in the warm afternoon light. "What is this?" She asked, almost as adorable as a child asking the meaning of life.

"I'm leaving for Paris tonight." Lauren told her as gentle as she could, knowing that going around in circles before finally saying it wouldn't make it better. "For how long?" Came the immediate answer, so fast it almost startled the blonde. "A few days. There is a medical conference the Ash wants me to attend. He told me a couple of days ago."

For a strange moment, there was nothing but silence between them. Lauren saw Bo's facial expressions change from confused to angry, then sad. "Ok." She finally said and for a second the blonde thought she might cry but the moment passed as quickly as it came. "Bo?" She tried but the Succubus just shook her head. "It's nothing. It's just a few days." Lauren nodded but kept her eyes on Bo as she walked closer to the brunette who still held her trusted sword in hand, a small polishing towel in the other. "Tell me, Bo." The similarities to this morning were not lost on Lauren, just that, judging by the brunette's next reaction, unlike Lauren, Bo was honest with her feelings. "It's stupid. My dad just left a few days ago on a business trip and now you're leaving, too." Her voice was so small as she looked at the floor between her feet and Lauren had to wonder once again how this adorable creature and the brash Succubus she had met could possibly be one and the same person. She smiled lovingly at the brunette and Bo shrugged, still looking at the wooden floor "Like I said, it's stupid."

"It's not." Lauren disagreed, pulling Bo into a gentle embrace. "I understand and I'll be back quicker than you'll know." She paused for a second. "You know, baby, I'll miss you, too." The words took all of the bravery the Phoenix could muster and to her pleasant surprise, she was rewarded with the same brilliant smile that had characterized Bo the whole day. The Succubus pulled her into a lingering kiss, slow but passionate, telling Lauren that their heart to heart time was definitely over.

Lying on the couch with her back propped up against the side, the Succubus' warm back to her front as she leaned back into the blonde was something new for both of them. They were fully clothed, just relaxing in each other's presence, enjoying their last few hours together before Lauren had to leave for the airport. True to the Phoenix' predictions, their small sentimental moment had stopped the second Bo pressed their lips together, ending in a satisfying quickie against the wall. Now they were just cuddling, talking from time to time while the Succubus still held her sword, polishing it with the same meticulous care she had been showing for the last hour or so. "Why do you keep doing that?" Lauren mumbled, pressing a soft kiss against the corner of Bo's jaw.

The Succubus just hummed in response. "So it stays beautiful and sharp, even if you make me humiliate myself with it every chance you get." She ended with a small chuckle, turning her head a bit so Lauren could see her content smile.

"You don't humiliate yourself." The blonde countered, thinking back to their small training session before lunch where Bo had again shown the progress she was making. It was still a far cry from the Phoenix' own talents with a blade but that was neither the scale Bo should measure herself to nor surprising in any way. It had taken Lauren hundreds of years, the best teachers and many cuts and bruises to become a master with the sword. "Let me see." The blonde requested softly, holding her hand out for Bo to place the weapon in. As soon as she, albeit reluctantly, did, Lauren whirled the blade away from her, turning it this way and that with lightning speed while the rest of her body stayed perfectly relaxed. In the end, she turned it so that the tip was facing the ground, enabling her to look at the small carving right below the handle that showed a hammer and a blade crossed in front of a round shield. "I knew it." She whispered as if to herself, Bo making a confused sound that lead Lauren to explain further. "This is a dawrven blade, forged with some of the greatest and best-kept secrets of our world. It will never lose its edge or its beauty, no matter what battles you fight with it."

Bo said nothing for a moment, holding her hand out so Lauren could give the sword back which she did immediately. As soon as it was back with the Succubus she resumed her meditative polishing, leaning further back into her lover as if to show her this was not meant to rebuff her. "Why do you keep polishing it?" Lauren chuckled after about a minute of silence, her brain not able to let the question go. Bo turned again, her eyes shining with amusement this time. "It's a habit." She stated simply. "And you are a showoff." A dimpled grin parted her lips as she leaned in for a loving kiss.

"I'm not." Lauren pouted through her smile, picking up on the Succubus' mood immediately. Her comment made the brunette laugh. "Yes you are." she paused. "But I think it's hot." Finally, she placed her sword on the floor next to the couch, turning in her lover's arms and connecting their lips in a delicate kiss. Surprisingly, they stayed that way, simply kissing and feeling how their bodies were connected, warm on the soft material of the couch. After a while they stopped and just lay there, basking in the warmth of their feelings, of the burning fire from last night and this morning that had once again reduced itself to gently glowing embers.

It was Lauren who broke the silence, sighing. "I think I need to get going soon." she mumbled into dark hair, feeling Bo tense ever so slightly before the Succubus raised her head to meet her eyes, nodding with a smile. It was the same smile she wore when they finally parted at the door after several kisses. "Don't you find a pretty woman to keep your bed warm in Paris." Bo warned, playfully so but with a dangerous sparkle in her eyes as she leaned in the doorframe, sexy and confident as ever, playing with the fingers of Lauren's hand.

"Oh I don't know. Maybe I will." The blonde grinned, then sighed when she felt a strong pulse race through her arm and straight to her core like lightning. She saw Bo's growl before she heard it, felt the Succubus' other hand on her neck clearly as she was pulled in for a passionate kiss that almost sent her stumbling into the brunette vixen in her doorframe. "You're mine." Bo whispered with blue eyes, pulling a small stream of chi from the Phoenix' lips. "I can taste it." She left Lauren like that, a wink of iridescent blue the last she saw of her as the Succubus walked down the stairs to the elevator with a deadly sway to her hips. Of all the ways their goodbye could have gone, this was the last Lauren had expected after the kind of day she had spent with her lover. Bo would never stop surprising her, it seemed.

-x-

True to the weather forecast, Paris was coated in a chilly and gray atmosphere when the airplane broke through the thick clouds above. After the cozy and warm hours she spent sleeping on her first class flight, Lauren was hit by the cold air just outside Charles de Gaulle airport like a fist to the face. Sensing this, the driver sent to pick her up did his very best to get them to his parked black car as quickly as he could but still, the blonde felt a definite chill race down her spine, waking a desire to ignite the air around her and warm herself. She could do no such thing, though, not in front of a human.

Inside the car, the heating quickly did its job and made the fire spirit comfortable again. She had just settled into her seat completely, watching as the cold countryside flew past them, when her phone rang. It thoroughly surprised her to see 'Dyson' blinking on the screen when she finally found it in the depths of her carryon shuffled by the overseas flight. "Yes?" She answered, just before it went to voicemail.

"Finally, Laur. I tried calling you twice already." Dyson's gruff voice rang through the device, so annoyed that it would have made Lauren chuckle hadn't it been for the slightly bitter note swinging in his words. "I was on a plane Dyson." She informed him gently. "What is so important?"

"On a plane? Where are you?" He sounded confused. "In Paris for a medical conference." She answered him, interested as to why he was seemingly in such a hurry but had the time to ask her that.

"Oh." He said. "I was hoping we could talk, Lauren." He stated and by now Lauren was completely thrown by the way he was acting. "We are talking. What is it, Dyson?"

"I meant face to face." He sighed deeply. "Just let me know when you're back, alright?" He asked but before Lauren even had time to answer, the line disconnected, leaving the blonde confused and with a strange feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"Doctor Lewis, we have arrived." The driver said from the front, his voice thick with his accent but adorably so. Lauren's door was opened seconds later, another man in the red and golden uniform of a hotel employee holding it and offering her a hand to help her step out of the car which she accepted with a smile and an nodded thank-you. He bags were already being brought inside for her and, as she followed, a brunette woman in a black pinstripe blazer welcomed her warmly, her voice almost void of any accent as she chatted animatedly. Lauren was given her room key without further ado and the offer that, should she need anything at all, she need only call the reception and ask.

Later that same day, while Lauren was slowly walking down the sidewalk in search of the restaurant that had been recommended to her at the reception, she walked past a small side alley, seeing a shadow move but thinking nothing of it. A sliver of a second later, her world spun as she was pulled into the alley so swiftly the movement could never have been human in nature. To her surprise, rather than being shoved up against a wall or punched, she was cradled softly in strong arms like the final pose of a masterful dance, a scent engulfing her that was both shockingly familiar but different and stronger at the same time; the perfect perfume, alluring and dark. "Doctor Leavold." A voice like the prelude of a deep symphony spoke, a hand taking a hold of Lauren's gently. "I was hoping we would have the chance to talk."

Chapter 23: Nudged marbles

Stare. That was all Lauren seemed to be capable of for a few seconds during which time seemed to slow to a near-stop. She was still in her tilted position but the strong arm holding her gave her perfect security, as if silently vowing to never even let her begin to fall. The Phoenix breathed out slowly, her breath coming out as the thinnest of fogs in the cold Paris air that was just chilly enough to produce that kind of acknowledgement of an exhale. She let her eyes wander from one eye staring right back at her to the other, both fixed on her with upmost attention and a bit of wonder as well. Their almost glowing amber color shone from under perfectly full black eyebrows even in the darkness of the small side alley on this gray day. He truly was everything he was made out to be and looked like from afar. His strong jaw lined by meticulously groomed stubble could have just as well been chiseled out of marble, his thin but nonetheless full lips just the same. He was a stature of perfection right until the corner of his mouth twitched in a way that seemed to be a family trait, the nostrils of his slim and long, minimally beaked nose widening and giving his face life, like making a painting of an ancient Greek god come alive.

The silence lasted a few more moments until finally Thane McCorrigan laughed, melodiously and low in his throat, his lips pulling apart to allow a glimpse at perfectly set white teeth and Lauren found herself righted back to a standing position though the Incubus remained close, closer than the blonde would have probably liked but still she couldn't bring herself to care. Bo's father showing up in Paris of all places, wanting to talk to her? There was one big question running through Lauren's mind over and over: why? It was only when her hand was raised to those smiling, almost mocking lips, the softest of kisses placed on its back that she took a deep breath, the coolness of the air around flooding her lungs and seemingly slapping some sense back into her. "Thane McCorrigan." She stated the obvious, her voice barely above a whisper but spoken with the confidence that came with being the firstborn daughter of a Light High Elder family.

"Lauren Leavold." Was all the Incubus offered in response, his tone light like he was addressing an old friend. He finally lowered and dropped her hand and it was only then that Lauren noticed he was wearing exquisite and fashionable black leather gloves. He seemed to follow her lingering gaze, his amber eyes glinting as he absorbed every detail presented to him. "I thought it might be appropriate. A sign of my intentions." His smile was bittersweet, a very teenager-like brand of mischief running over his features as Lauren raised her eyebrows. She regarded him with caution, her head turning slightly, tilting a bit to the left, trying to read his expression, to look behind it and discover his motifs. After another minute of silence she came to the single conclusion that he was not here to hurt her; had he been, he would have tried to do so already. What exactly he wanted Lauren couldn't tell though and it only made her stare intensify. There weren't many people that she couldn't read but the Incubus in front of her seemed to be a master at guarding his thoughts and emotions behind a careless dimpled smile that was so much like Bo's it almost physically hurt to look at it.

"You are a truly remarkable creature, are you not?" Thane asked and for a moment his eyes seemed to linger on her lips but then his amber gaze caught Lauren's again, making the Phoenix wonder what he meant by asking that question or if it was just rhetorical. She was about to open her mouth and ask but a raised gloved hand stopped her. "Don't answer that." Thane laughed. "I already know." He gave her a crooked smile before offering her his arm, a gesture that made Lauren look at him with raised eyebrows once more. "I was hoping we could talk a bit. Maybe over dinner?" He bowed slightly in a way that made him look very much like a true gentleman. "My treat of course." His offer made the Phoenix want to sigh but she restrained herself, letting that part of her brain that was used to dealing with Fae royalty take over. Usually, she thought, that didn't include Dark High Elders though. Still, with all the grace she could manage while still somewhat baffled to find this man here of all places for no really apparent reason, she took the offered arm, sliding her hand into the crook of his elbow and feeling the soft fabric of his black tweed double-breasted jacket as she was lead back out onto the main street at a quick but not hurried place. He waved for a taxi and almost immediately a silver Mercedes pulled to a stop next to them. Thane opened the door for her, Lauren thanking him with a nod as his soft but defined grip on her hand remained until she was seated comfortably inside the car. Only then did he softly close the door, allowing the Phoenix a moment alone while he walked around the vehicle, a deep but barely audible sigh breaking loose from Lauren's lungs, never stopping until the door on the other side opened and Thane slipped inside graceful as a panther, a hand on the front of his jacket, the very top of his handsomely ruffled black hair just brushing at the top frame. He directed an unreadable glance at Lauren before turning to the waiting driver, addressing him in a French almost void of any accent. If there was one, Lauren mused with a slight furrow of her brows, it was not an English one but rather something that sounded foreign, even to the blonde's trained ears.

"It's Hebrew." Thane remarked after about two minutes of surprisingly not at all uncomfortable silence, causing Lauren to do a double take. He had been looking at the taxi driver, there was no way he could have caught her slight confusion. Most people wouldn't have even picked it up if they were focused solely on her. Lauren looked at the Incubus whose head was slightly angled in her direction, a more subtle version of Bo's cocky smile just barely tugging at his thin lips. "You are not the only one with a well-travelled history, my dear Doctor Leavold." He murmured, the words rolling off his lips like chords dripping from the strings of a grand contrabass played by a masterful hand.

Out of reflex Lauren turned away from the glinting amber eyes, looking out the window at the cold and wet but still busy Paris streets moving past them slowly. Every second she spent in this man's presence made her feel more and more like an open book, a feeling she neither liked nor was used to. It made her uneasy, no doubt that was part of the intent behind it. Bo's father had seemed intimidating and somewhat superior when he had locked eyes with her at the High Elder banquet but never in a million years had Lauren thought he could so easily see right through her, like he wasn't even really trying. It was easy to see where Bo got her skill to read people from, even if she used it less often and less obviously, at least with Lauren. Still, it made the Phoenix worry. If Thane could read her thoughts from the smallest of frowns she gave, he could probably read his own daughter like she was shouting the words right at him. That meant he knew. And Lauren more and more dreaded what he wanted to talk to her about with every passing second.

The blonde was so caught up in her own head that she didn't even notice the car coming to a stop. It was only when the door opened and a by now familiar black-gloved hand extended itself towards her that she snapped out of her thoughts, quickly unbuckling and, with a quick thank-you and goodbye in her own perfect French to the driver, letting herself be helped out of the vehicle that sped off as soon as the door closed behind her. Again, Thane offered her his arm which she took without hesitation this time, realizing that he was holding an umbrella with his other hand, black and exquisite like his jacket, with a sleek silver handle. He pulled Lauren close to his side, shifting the umbrella to the other hand as to effectively shield them both from the soft droplets that had started to fall without the Phoenix taking notice of them. "Now." He smiled again, looking down at her from his impressive height. "Shall we?" Lauren only nodded and, with another gentlemanly nod of the head, the Incubus started leading the way in the same purposeful but not in any way hurried step as before.

For the first time since she stepped out of the taxi the blonde actually looked at her surroundings, recognizing the wide square she was on immediately, the trees lining its middle rustling softly under drops of rain. "Trocadéro.." She murmured as she was lead across the cobblestone road and up a few steps onto a patterned marble square cut off left and right by two large buildings held up by square stone pillars, eight statues standing witness as they walked past. "Yes." Thane answered, the smile obvious in his voice and this time it seemed to be sincere. "I know it is a rather obvious choice but when the world is at your feet, even the most obvious choice can be the most exciting one, wouldn't you agree?" He turned his head for a split second, his knowing eyes flashing as if they were creating light of their own and somehow Lauren was overcome by the feeling that he wasn't talking about his choice of scenery and restaurant, at least not solely. Choosing her words carefully, she answered "Yes. Sometimes the most obvious choice even comes at the most unexpected time."

That made Thane chuckle as he brought them to a halt just short of the low stone railing that ended the square, making both Fae look up at the brightly lit steel colossus reaching up into the sky before them. "You are a fascinating woman, Doctor Leavold. I bet your choices are the same." He said, making Lauren's eyes meet his in a shared knowing glance.

Suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere something occurred to the Phoenix, Thane reading it on her face and raising a perfectly curved eyebrow in response. "Lauren will do." She simply said, speaking her mind and he bowed his head to her deeper than he had before, taking her free hand in his own and kissing her knuckles softly. "Thane. You honor me." Again, Lauren was charmed by his gentlemanly gesture, thinking this behavior must be truly a part of the Incubus standing before her rather than a mask he put on. Then again, he seemed a master of not letting anyone see his true colors, a mysterious man in every sense of the word.

"Now, what do you say Lauren" He said, the dimples Bo inherited showing on his handsome face as he seemed to taste the name on his lips like he would a fine wine "Shall we begin our ascent and have dinner?" In that moment, something strange happened; something the Phoenix would have never thought possible in the Dark Fae Incubus' presence: she laughed genuinely, even if it was only a melodious chuckle. "Let's." She smiled up at the handsome man that was the father of the woman she loved with all her heart although she never even should have allowed her one kiss and he smiled back, nodding and standing tall again, the rain drops softly tapping at his umbrella as he lead her away from the stone railing and down a long flight of stairs so that they could begin their evening walk to the brightly lit Eiffel tower.

Lauren should have not been surprised when, as the elevator arrived at the second floor of the massive building, there was already a young waiter expecting them, dressed fittingly in black and white, his long hair a dark shade of blonde, nearly tied together behind his head. He smiled at them and gave a respectful nod of his head, addressing Thane directly by his name of course and welcoming him back before turning to Lauren and offering her a charming greeting as well. As the waiter led the way the Incubus threw Lauren an almost guilty smile "I seem to have a weakness for fine dining."

Fine dining it was indeed. Surprisingly, or maybe not as much if you knew Lauren well, the blonde had never been to the Jules Verne Restaurant built onto the metallic but somewhat beautiful framework of Paris' landmark. She visited the city often, normally at least once every year but she never found the time or want for the finer things it definitely had to offer, instead choosing smaller restaurants of cafés where she could value her solitude and look at people, wondering how fast the time had gone by.

Doing the same now as they were lead through the tastefully modern and expensively decorated restaurant, she couldn't help but feel like she wasn't really dressed for the occasion. All around her sat people in expensive suits or beautiful dresses, not the full spectrum of rich and mighty of course but still subtly telling Lauren that most of these people enjoyed showing their money. Again, Thane seemed to sense the slightest unease she hid under her usual armor of elegance and natural authority like she was made of glass, almost making her jump when a hand was placed on her lower back, his soothing baritone voice in her ear. "You shine brighter than any of them. You don't even need to try."

Lauren didn't have time to answer as they arrived at their table situated right next of a glass wall opening to a breathtaking view of a late Paris evening. Thane, seemingly unfazed by the vista thanked the waiter and he took the hint, disappearing quietly and quickly only to be replaced by a short young woman with glasses framed just as dark as her hair. She took Lauren's beige coat first before Thane handed her his double-breasted jacket, leaving him in a pale gray shawl cardigan over a simple white shirt and beautiful navy-blue chinos. It was all the Phoenix could do to not shake her head and chuckle while he pulled her chair out for her before taking a seat himself. This man sure knew how to dress, probably even better than she did herself. The Incubus wasted no time ordering a five-course meal for the both of them, fixing his intense stare back on Lauren as soon as their returned waiter had disappeared once more.

Playing a mind reading game they only looked at each other over the course of the first two courses served, both delicious and perfect for all the blonde could tell. "What is it that you're trying to figure out?" Lauren finally asked, carefully setting her fork down and running her tongue over the inside of her lower lip. The corners of Thane's mouth twitched again in response before he let his lips curl into the most sinister smile. "Oh, everything." He simply said, sitting back comfortably in his chair, allowing the waiter to clear the table.

This time, Lauren allowed herself a smile of her own. "You mean everything you didn't already know before you chose to abduct me." Her voice was low but very firm, her eyes finding Thane's across the table's surface, effectively pinning them to hers. That made the Incubus' smile widen even more as he leaned forward again, his intertwined, now gloveless, fingers forming a pedestal for his chin to rest upon. "Abduct. Such a harsh word for a mere dinner invitation." He mused and for a split second, Lauren thought his eyes turned the same electrified blue as his daughter's but it was so brief it could have just as well been the lighting.

The rest of the courses came and went without any further conversation, comfortable but somehow expectant silence engulfing them as they dined exquisitely, sitting there and looking out at the by now nightly city stretching below them as far as the eye could see.

"You pity this world's changes." Thane suddenly said when they were in the elevator bringing them back to ground level. It had gotten late, the restaurant emptying until the Dark Fae had finally asked for the bill. He led her out into the cool Paris air again, still damp from the rain but fortunately, no drops were falling at the moment. They walked in silence for a few minutes, Lauren's hand again placed in the crook of his elbow before she finally answered his observation with a question of her own. "Why would you think that?"

The Incubus gave a contemplating sound, slowing them to a stop at the same place they had paused on their way to the Eiffel tower. There he looked at Lauren with deep amber eyes again. "Because you look out at the glowing lights of this city for hours but you don't truly see it, at least not this version of it. You wish you could jump back in history, bring back a time you remember to be easier even though it wasn't. You want this city to return to the way it was before the humans built this tower."

The Phoenix regarded him with caution again, almost frightened now by the way he could see all her emotions and interpret them perfectly although they had never really met before. "You saw this city from above before everyone could, no? You flew over it a raging inferno."

Suddenly, Lauren's anger blazed. She knew her eyes were golden-red and she was thankful there were no humans around to witness them shining in the dark night. How could he even know? Yes, she had burned in this city, the wings depicted on her back breaking from her skin to carry her to the place of her first birth so she might be reborn again there from her own ashes. She had seen Paris blur beneath her, flickering through the heat and sometimes she thought of the time right before she had been reborn for the second time as the happiest of her life for all that happened in her third life seemed to be painful: Nadia's death and the downward spiral that came after, the temporary estrangement from her family, leaving Paris for a new place after the French city had been her home for decades, but most of all the feeling that she had, in between all that happened, lost herself. She had built walls around her soul so high she locked herself out and now that she felt like she could finally break them down again the woman who dealt the first blow was one she was forbidden to love. It was her deepest secret, her darkest secret and the fact that Thane had so easily unraveled it had sent her over the edge and into a sudden burst of rage that vanished as quickly as it came though the air hummed around her, ready to ignite at her command should she so desire.

Lauren was surprised to see regret etched on the Incubus' face when he stepped closer to her with a single cautious step. "I have offended you. That was never my intention Doctor Leavold. Forgive me." He said, bowing his head to her again. Lauren noticed how he went back to using her title, underlining his apology and somehow she believed him, her blazing eyes fading back to their usual color slowly.

"What was your intention then?" She asked him directly, not in the mood for his guessing game anymore and he smiled despite the situation. "Like I said. I wanted to talk to you, rather than just believe everything the Fae think they know about you." He shrugged and it looked like he wanted to say something more but then his amber eyes found Lauren's again and he simply continued "Sometimes the most obvious choices can change a stagnating world for the better." He smiled again, taking Lauren's hand in his own and placing a kiss on it one last time before he nodded his goodbye. "Thank you for granting me the pleasure of meeting you. You are a truly remarkable woman. I would offer you a drink at my hotel room but I fear it is not mine to offer." He chuckled in his soothing baritone voice. "We will see each other again soon." Without waiting for an answer, Thane McCorrigan let both his gloved hands disappear in the pockets of his jacket, walking past Lauren and away into the night, leaving the Phoenix speechless at yet another encounter with a member of the McCorrigan family.

-x-

Dyson was walking down the spacious corridors of the Light compound slowly but purposefully. It was almost time for lunch and so many Fae he knew more or less well walked past him in the opposite direction, heading for the cafeteria, issuing polite but minimal greetings he reciprocated as they brushed past. Having not slept well the night before the wolf shifter was tired, his muscles aching from the workout he had given them when he opted to run through the woods outside the city instead of trying to find a sleep that kept evading him. Still, the pain was a good one. Dyson liked the ache of tired muscles; it proved that he had pushed himself enough in his determined attempt at clearing his head.

The one good thing that had become of the night he, Hale and Tamsin had paid a visit to Parallel Vertex was the information given to them. It had made all the nonsense puzzle pieces of their case come together with the simple flick of a hand, making them suddenly fit perfectly. The killer they had been looking for had indeed been human but a human with a brilliance to him that rivaled even that of some of the oldest Fae. He had knowledge of their world, using it to his advantage to manipulate them in ways Dyson had never thought possible but once his charade fell to the careful analysis of a human with similar possibilities, it had been easy to find him and enough evidence to put him away for good along with him. The shifter and Tamsin had taken care of that yesterday evening, the Valkyrie her usual snarky and condescending self but since she wasn't a detective for nothing after all she noticed Dyson's slightly off behavior, calling him out on it when they were having a drink at the Dal right after. He had brushed her off, telling her it was probably the relief of finally having closed the case. Dyson knew she didn't believe him one bit but he was thankful that she didn't pry any further on a matter the shifter hadn't even fully waded through himself.

In fact, he was still stuck on this first question to this new puzzle presented to him in the human night club on the outskirts of town two nights ago. That question consisted of one word only but held so many shades that it could have just as well been a thousand more. How? he asked himself over and over again. How did perfect and careful Lauren Leavold fall in love with the most careless creature to be found for hundreds of miles? How did she manage to hide it this long? Yes of course, there had been changes in her behavior over the past weeks, even noticeable ones, resurfacing sides of Lauren that Dyson hadn't seen for centuries and had thought to be long gone, overridden by the calm and collected woman she had become. The more he thought about it, the more it seemed to fit. The Phoenix had been much the same way when she foolishly fell in love with that human woman so long ago but it hadn't occurred to him back then because Lauren had been free and full of the fire she was born with until the very moment Nadia had died and the blonde had changed, seemingly never returning to the way she was before.

Dyson could relate. The day Ciara had been taken from him had altered him forever as well but still, he thought that to be different. The fairy queen had been his mate, his one true partner that made every other woman, no matter how beautiful, pale in comparison. Nadia had been a human while Lauren was one of the most powerful types of Fae there were, one of the few that were truly immortal or at least very close to it. He knew from Lauren that her grandmother, the current elder, had been on this earth for over four millennia, a number that baffled even the shifter who thought of himself as hard to shock.

Also, Phoenixes didn't mate like wolves or animal shifters in general did. They weren't destined to meet their one and only, never capable of loving another. Of course they could form a bond to their partner by singing to them like Lauren had with Nadia but it wasn't the same. There was always the possibility of backing out, something Dyson didn't have. It all culminated to him, somewhere in his mind, putting Lauren and Nadia's relationship off as something not important, something that Lauren would forget over the course of her incredibly long life but that never seemed to happen. Never until now it would seem. The wolf shifter let out a thoughtful hum as he rounded a corner, the evening light reflecting off the white marble floors, tinting the whole hallway in a warm light.

Forget probably wasn't the right word, he thought. He remembered a tear-stained Lauren kneeling on the cold and wet ground of a Paris cemetery, her hands shaking as her tears dripped onto the freshly closed grave of her human lover. Come back to me.. don't leave me alone for eternity. Dyson remembered those words clearly as he held the desperate woman in his arms for hours until her tears finally subsided, the world dark and quiet around them as the sun had vanished without them noticing. After, Lauren had just held onto Dyson as if it was the last thing keeping her sane. "Why did I even.. I knew this would happen." She had whispered and it had been the first words not addressing the woman who couldn't hear her anymore. Dyson had asked himself the same question often whenever he thought about how happy Lauren had been with Nadia but in that moment he had just answered to the best of his knowledge. "Because it was love. And love doesn't leave you with a choice." They had fallen into silence again after that until Lauren had whispered into his shoulder, already half asleep from exhaustion and pain "How will I ever live past this?"

Dyson was nearing his destination, or what he thought was his destination right now anyway: the Ash's office. His purposeful step slowed when he returned to the present again, now thinking of a better phrase for what happened to Lauren in the past months. Finally, after centuries, it seemed that the blonde had let go. It had been long overdue and Dyson could only guess why it happened with Bo McCorrigan of all people. Had they already been together when he got to know the Succubus, when he spent the night with her? Or had he himself nudged those marbles into play when he asked Lauren to take a look at this woman for her? Just like that he was back to his initial question: how? How was it that a Dark Fae Succubus with a track record twice as long as her arm span and a closed off Light Fae Phoenix could fall in love with each other? It didn't really matter anyway, he told himself as he approached the ornamented double doors of the Ash's throne room. Like her relationship with Nadia, this was a forbidden one, even more so in fact. It was his duty as a member of the Light Fae to keep their rules, make sure they were lived by, especially because he was such a high-ranked member.

His gaze met that of one of the guards standing by the door, one right movement and those doors would swing open for him. Suddenly though, he was overcome by doubt. He didn't know the full story and surely the Ash would be interested in more than the mere fact of what he had witnessed. In the same moment the memory of himself comforting Lauren surfaced one more. Love doesn't leave you with a choice. Dyson's steps slowed even more. Was he acting out of true and pure duty or was he hiding behind it, masking the fact that it was in fact his bruised ego speaking? Lauren had withheld this information from him when he thought they could tell each other everything but had he been in such a delicate situation himself, would he have told her? One side of his brain immediately screamed yes but the other wasn't so sure. Relationships between Light and Dark were punishable by death. This could possibly be the biggest secret one could harbor in their society.

Dyson nodded at the guard by the door as he walked past the entrance to the throne room and on down the long hallway. A strange feeling was building in his stomach as he was seemingly hanging in mid-air, caught in between betraying the vows to his clan and side and betraying his dearest friend, a woman he almost considered his sister in every way but the true one. He wouldn't judge this until he had talked to Lauren when she came back from Paris, truly talked to her. It seemed there was a lot to be told. And maybe the Dark Fae Succubus herself could join them.

-x-

Bo was in bed, lying on her side facing away from the window. She was staring at the wall, watching but not really noticing as the wind blew clouds past the sun, creating an alternation of light and darkness on the wooden wall of her bedroom. At one point the brunette had considered turning the other way so that she could look directly through the window and at the clouds as they drifted by but she couldn't find the will in her for even that simple action. Also, the slow come and go of light and shadow was actually quite beautiful she mused, even if not seen directly but rather depicted on an object affected by it.

Bo chuckled as she stretched comfortably but kept her curled-up position, the thin emerald-green kimono she was wearing shifting against her skin, soft as the fine silk thread it was made of. When had she become so philosophical? The answer was probably the same as the one to most questions she had started asking herself in the past days since Lauren had left for Paris: the Phoenix had something to do with it.

Again Bo stretched, this time leaving her comfortable position until her legs were nearly stretched out, her toes moving leisurely as she took in and then let out a deep breath. The air in the room still smelled of sex and sweat along with the slightly ashy and sulfurous scent of the Cherufe she had bedded last night. Bo still felt the heat of his chi swirling in her body but it wasn't like Lauren's liquid fire brand of chi that enveloped every cell in her body and heated them up to a thundering but pleasant tingling warmth. No, this was more like she had swallowed a few pieces of glowing charcoal, scorching hot above all and dry like the desert in her mouth.

She didn't even know why she had picked him last night when she and Kenzi had gone to Carpe Noctem, Bo shouting out a quick hello to Vex before going on the hunt in the packed club. It wasn't hard, really. People were always practically throwing themselves at the Succubus and it wasn't like she didn't enjoy the attention; the complete opposite was the case. She had danced with some handsome and dark guy one minute only to leave him for a hot redhead with legs for miles in the next. The primal side in Bo always enjoyed men and women alike fighting for her attention, hoping to become the one she took home with her for the night, especially since she was not just any Succubus. She was Ysabeau McCorrigan and her reputation always floated around her like the rays of a glowing spotlight.

Last night had been fun but Bo couldn't help but think that it should have ended with her and Kenzi drinking vodka straight from one of Vex' best bottles, his treat of course. The Mesmer adored her best friend and that feeling was definitely mutual, making her and the Djinn regulars in his VIP area. Instead, Bo had, after jumping from one dancing and maybe short-time make-out partner to the next for about an hour, decided to leave with a guy tall and broad, his upper body consisting of muscle only as he had more than once lifted her effortlessly with one arm during their heated encounter. Only when flames had appeared from visible cracks in his skin had Bo realized what he was and honestly, she didn't really care. She had been hungry, that was all and so she had her fill then kicked him out the second he managed to catch his breath. She had changed the sheets before going to sleep, throwing the old ones into a corner of her bedroom in a heap where they still lay, untouched since that moment.

Finally, with a deep sigh, Bo rolled onto her back, staring up at the ceiling. Lauren had left for Paris four days ago and last night had been as long as she could go without a full meal. Having made it to Wednesday night had already been an accomplishment, the Succubus thought. It had gone like every other night she set out to find a feed but this was a morning after like she had never experienced. She was used to either having to kick clingy Fae out of her bed or complimenting herself on picking someone who wanted what she wanted: passing pleasure. Therein lay the problem though, she knew. Even since she had met Lauren, or rather bedded her for the first time, all the feeds she had taken to bed only did one thing for her: satiate the hunger she always carried with her. They had gotten fewer and fewer over the past weeks as Bo opted for revisiting the blonde Phoenix as a food source and as it turned out, so much more. Nobody seemed to be able to live up to the blonde Light Fae anymore, nobody seemed beautiful enough, intriguing enough or even worth the one night she gave them compared to her first real lover in decades. Bo knew she was developing feelings she shouldn't, feelings that could cost her everything on the off chance that Lauren felt exactly the same and that they were really mad enough to go through with this.

The Succubus chuckled, a smile spreading across her face. Who was she kidding, she was more than willing to go through with it. Bo had never been one for following the rules and usually they had just bent to her last name and heritage. She didn't want to work in the human world like most other Fae, no matter if Light or Dark, had to and so she didn't. The Morrigan had accepted that choice with a slight frown covered by the sweetest of smiles. After her dawning Bo even managed to escape most of her duties as the only daughter of a Dark High Elder family. She would be the elder herself one day but she hoped that day was still far away. Duty wasn't something she was born for, always doing whatever she pleased without asking questions or anyone stopping her. And right now, the thing she wanted was the Light Fae Phoenix. Like her father had assured her, Bo would have everything her heart desired but if that thing was Lauren she wasn't so sure she would get through with it. The brunette had broken a lot of Fae laws in her entitled recklessness but she had never touched on the oldest and highest laws, knowing that even her last name would never be enough to save her from the punishment surely awaiting her. Second only to the laws that protected their world from detection by the human population were the laws concerning the divide of the sides. One night stands were a gray area Bo had often made use of but more than that or even a relationship was something completely impossible for members of the two different sides. Now and again this law would be broken and Bo had seen firsthand what happened to those who disobeyed, a member of the Dark brutally executed like it was a show for the Elders, only because he had loved the wrong person.

The Succubus shook her head, squeezing her eyes shut at the thought before sitting up in bed with a determined look on her face. She wanted Lauren and she would have her, no matter what some dusty old elders said. After all, there were Fae from the different sides who had an affair for a time without being discovered. Bo stood from her bed, new determination in her steps. She was going to talk to Trick.

A short explanation to Kenzi and half an hour later Bo walked into the Dal. It was only just past noon and so the bar was almost empty, two lonely patrons sitting near the back, slowly nursing half-empty pints sitting in front of them. Behind the bar Trick was talking to the waitress on duty today, both of them looking up as the Succubus entered the bar looking as good as ever in her black leather ensemble with midnight-blue highlights, her hair pulled back out of her face and falling over her shoulders in garlands of dark chocolate-brown. Bo could immediately see the hesitation on the waitress' face as she recognized who had just walked through the door but Trick simply smiled politely at her. "Ysabeau." he greeted her.

"Fitzpatrick." She answered in the same fashion, raising one eyebrow and smiling as she stepped closer until she could lean onto the bar top. "I need to talk to you about something." Trick looked a bit surprised but he covered it well. "Sure. What can an old barkeep do for you?"

"In private, if possible. It's a matter of the Elders." She replied smoothly, throwing a side glance at the waitress who was trying to appear busy polishing glasses just six feet away. Trick nodded quickly, his eyebrows knitting together without hesitation this time. "Alice, take care of the bar for a while, will you? This seems to be an important matter." He said, barely addressing the woman as he walked around the bar and to the door leading to his office below, unlocking the door with the for Bo familiar large silver key. Silently he lead the Succubus downstairs, making her think about the last time she'd been here with Lauren. It seemed like an eternity ago. Back then she had still only hunted the blonde, never realizing that it was becoming way more than a crazy obsession for the perfect track record. Inevitably she had to smile as a memory of the passionate kiss they had shared that night flooded her mind but her pleasant trip down memory lane ended as abruptly as it started when Trick's slightly angered voice made her look at the small man, his arms crossed in front of his chest.

"Subtlety never ran in your family, Bo but what is the meaning of this charade?" He demanded and out of habit the brunette defiantly lifted her chin, staring back down at her grandfather until he sighed and relented. "Decency never did either. But fine, what is it that you want?"

"I need to talk to you." Bo simply said, offhandedly like she was making a comment about the weather. Her eyes fixed themselves on her grandfather's, trying to gauge the reaction that was sure to follow once she continued. "Tell me the story about you and Isabeau." True to Bo's prediction he did a double take, closing his eyes briefly and taking a deep breath before pressing an answer out between his clenched teeth. "Are you mad? You don't know who could be listening!"

Bo snorted, quickly growing impatient with the man. She wanted her answers now. "What little I know about this I know from you. And you told me right here in this room. I could have just as well asked you upstairs if it's not safe here as well."

Trick huffed out an exasperated breath but then his face relaxed like he knew Bo wouldn't let him off the hook. "Fine. But I will need to make sure nobody from outside will listen. It may take a minute." He walked over to one of his many shelves, though one that wasn't full of books in every size or shape but rather held little wooden compartments no bigger than shoeboxes at the most while some others were so small they could probably fit in Bo's open hand. Trick rummaged through a few of them, pulling out strange looking flowers and no doubt rare herbs, putting them together in a small bowl before starting to pestle them with precision. While he worked Bo walked around his office, running her fingers over dusty books and along shelves, looking at ingredients for all kinds of different tinctures, one more revolting than the other. She came to stand in front of a cage no bigger than one for a bird but much sturdier built. Inside was something that resembled a bat, hanging from a small wooden bar by the legs, leathery wings folded around its slim body. "What's that?" Bo asked, making Trick look in her direction before answering as he turned back to his task at hand "A form of pixie, an Underfae. Very rare. Lives off the blood of Fae exclusively. I have it for one of my experiments because I need its blood."

Bo wanted to ask more questions about the small creature but in that moment Trick started muttering under his breath, the fine powder he had made now a small pile on the flat palm of his hand. The Succubus watched him, coughing and waving her hand in front of her face when Trick suddenly blew the strange smelling dust into the room's air. "That should do it. Nobody from outside this room will be able to listen to our conversation." He stated, gesturing towards one of the red armchairs near the one where he himself was taking a seat. "Please Bo, sit. It will probably be a longer story."

Slowly the Succubus sat down, looking expectantly at Trick who by now had his hands folded in his lap, looking down at them like he was lost in memory. "I met her in a bar in Ireland, a way station like just like the Dal. We were both fairly young I would say, you know your mother is roughly a millennium old so you get the idea." Trick looked up at Bo who nodded quickly, signaling that she understood so he would continue. "Even back then the divide was strong, fiercely enforced by the Ash and Morrigan of Europe and nobody really thought of rebelling against it. After all the sides were at war during that time, one out of many smaller disputes over the centuries. One of the only places for Light and Dark Fae to even meet each other in a peaceful atmosphere was at way stations like that. They were on neutral territory and, like today, they were used for keeping track of all Fae movement across the continents so both Light and Dark could agree to keep them open because they served an important purpose.

Anyway, I was working there one night, in a bar called 'the winking lizard' when your grandmother walked through the door, soaked from the ongoing heavy rain outside. Still she was a sight to behold, the worn leather and wet cloth clinging perfectly to her body, her brown hair black from the water, dripping onto the floor. Some of the Dark Fae patrons recognized her, bowing their heads respectfully. You see, this whole royalty thing was taken way more literally back then."

"Was she the Elder already at that point?" Bo asked even though she should have known it from her lessons on the great elder families when she was younger. Trick looked at her for a moment before shaking his head. "No, your great-grandmother Valerya was still the High Elder at that time. Still, Isabeau was her heir and, especially in times of war, that counted for a lot. That night she came straight towards me, demanding a warm meal, a room for the night and a new horse saddled and ready for her by morning. You see Bo, 'the winking lizard' wasn't only a bar, it was also an inn but it was terribly full and, though I knew who she was, there was no room I could offer her. I told her as much but Carrick, the keeper of the way station overheard my apologies to the fuming young Succubus and swept in, immediately offering her my small room under the roof. She accepted and the moment she was gone up the stairs I asked where I was going to sleep but that only made Carrick laugh and shrug before walking away." Trick chuckled. "Your grandmother back then was a lot like you are now, not taking no for an answer whenever her will was concerned."

"A family trait." Bo smiled, thinking about how Trick had no idea how much. He shook his head, laughing at her comment before continuing his story. "I resigned myself to a night outside in the stables but I still needed to get some things from my room and so as soon as my shift was over I crept up the three flights of stairs it took, careful so that Carrick would not hear me and have me sleep in the pouring rain for possibly disturbing the Succubus princess. Hesitantly I knocked on my own chamber door and seconds later it opened, revealing Isabeau with her hair tied back and in new dry clothes, her face arrogant as she looked down on me, her eyes asking the question she didn't even care to voice herself. I told her I was sorry but that I needed my woolen blanket so that I might see the next day without a terrible cold and she chuckled, a glint I couldn't place in her eyes as she stepped to the side, allowing me in."

"She was hungry, wasn't she? She seduced you." Bo grinned, looking on as her grandfather visibly reddened at the question. "Yes." He relented, his eyes looking anywhere but at the brunette. "I don't remember much of that first night, just the words she spoke right before her hand touched my cheek. You need something of mine, and you will give something back. Be kind to me, you shall never regret it."

"Up until now it sounds like just a normal feed. What changed?" Bo wanted to know, the trigger her grandmother had for coming back to this barkeeper that was the father of her first child highly interested her.

"I honestly don't know. She left the next day like nothing had happened and I got beaten up by Carrick when I fell asleep during work the following night because Isabeau had definitely taken her fill from me without caring how exhausted it left me. Nothing happened for about a month but then she came back with a demand similar to the one she had made the last time. I kept away from her but she snuck into my chamber while I was sleeping and by the time I woke up she was already grinning down at me with the bluest eyes I had ever seen. I don't know what caused her to come back and I didn't dare think it was for me but she started coming by more and more often, sneaking into my room every night she was there and over the months I guess I fell in love with her. I don't really know if she ever loved me of if she just did it because it was convenient for her or even because it was forbidden but I didn't really care at the time."

"I understand." Bo chuckled with a wink. "We can be quite overwhelming." The comment made Trick blush even more, clearing his throat before taking a deep breath and continuing like nothing had happened. "It was all good until she came back one rainy evening, demanding what she always did and sneaking into my chamber as usual. She asked me if I loved her that night and in my foolishness I said yes. She got quiet after that, telling me that she would marry a member of the lower branches of the McCorrigan family in a week's time and that she would not come back to see me again. It devastated me and she could clearly see it on my face. She then did something that I wouldn't understand until almost a year later: she put my hand on her stomach and told me I will always have a part of you with me. I will not forget you. She left right after and I never saw her again but through Dark Fae patrons I heard that she married Icarus and that she gave birth to a daughter seven months into their marriage. I never saw the baby but I finally understood what she had told me. Aoife was mine, there was no doubt in my mind." He ended and silence filled the crammed room underneath the Dal. Bo was a bit taken aback. She didn't know what she had expected really, but maybe something more romantic she guessed even if that usually wasn't her thing. She had just always thought that there was more to this affair between Trick and her grandmother than coincidence and a recurring, for Isabeau at that time seemingly convenient, pattern.

"Bo why did you ask me all of this today?" The barkeeper regarded her with a questioning glance and the Succubus looked away for all but a second, trying to figure out if she should tell him the truth or try to make something up. In the end, she decided that being vague would probably serve her best. "It interested me how you could keep this a secret for months, how nobody ever found out about this."

Trick sighed and smiled at her in an almost fatherly way. "I guess we were just very lucky. As for why it never came out in the centuries afterwards, that's probably because we both know how dangerous this secret is and what it would cost if anyone ever found out." Bo nodded, her mind drifting back to the execution she had seen, making her close her eyes.

"Ysabeau." Trick had to use her full name to bring her back to reality again, making the brunette look at him in a way that made him ask one, very quiet question: "Is there anything else?" Bo pondered for a moment. Was there anything else? She could just say no and go on with herself like she had before, wait for Lauren to come home so they could continue whatever they had as long as they were lucky. For some reason Bo had thought there had been some grand secret as to why her grandparents managed to escape detection but now that she knew there wasn't, something that could resemble dread spread in the pit of her stomach.

"Bo?" Trick tried again when he didn't get an answer and slowly, Bo turned her head towards him, whispering while not looking him in the eye "I seem to have a problem."

"What did you do?" Trick demanded instantly, his own eyes widening as he slipped from his chair until she stood directly in front of Bo, hands on the armrests of her chair. The Succubus looked at him for only a second but it was enough for him to completely forgo his earlier question. He sighed deeply, simply asking "Who?"

Silence engulfed them for minutes, seemingly strangling the air out of the small room and the two Fae in its middle. It went for so long Bo didn't even know why she was holding back anymore, just that the name wouldn't come off her slightly parted lips. Finally, she forced it. "Lauren." Bo's tongue felt like the name was something unnatural, like it shouldn't be said but then, with a final effort she confirmed "Lauren Leavold."

Trick stumbled back immediately, falling back into his own chair and holding onto it like a lifeline. He took a few deep breaths while Bo was still defiantly looking away, her brows furrowed so deeply they cast dark shadows over her eyes, giving her a sinister look in the dim lighting of the room. It wasn't until minutes later that Trick finally found his voice. "You need to stop. While you still can this needs to end."

"I can't. I won't." Bo spat.

"You are both royalty, if this comes out the Fae will be at war over it!" Trick warned, the fear in his voice evident as the light of day. Isabeau had been royalty, it would have been bad for them because of that but he was nothing, something that would have soothed the sides, if only a bit. As terrible as it would have been for them anyway it would be no match for what happened the second this truth of Bo's became public, or even just council knowledge.

"I know!" The Succubus roared, eyes blazing blue as she stood so abruptly the armchair she'd been sitting in toppled over behind her. Now she was looking directly at Trick, intimidating in all her glory and heritage as if daring him to tell her what to do again. The barkeeper swallowed, she looked so much like her grandmother in that moment. "How did this even happen?" He asked, his voice trembling as if trying to grasp the concept.

The bright color of Bo's eyes faded a bit but they kept glowing on as she explained in short huffs that sounded like fired shots of a gun "The first Elder ball. I saw her, I wanted her but she denied me. I kept chasing after her until we finally ended up in bed together some weeks later. I cannot seem to stop myself from coming back for more. More of her, and more of myself every time I'm with her."

Trick was quiet for a bit, processing the information before he finally said "You need to decide for yourself if this, whatever it may be, is worth it for you."

"It is." Was all Bo answered without missing a beat, her posture relaxing slightly as she herself realized that what she had said was very much true.

"Does she think it is as well?" Trick dug further, looking his granddaughter in the eye. "I know Lauren a bit, not well though. I was under the impression nobody really did. But anyway, she seems like a person who knows what she wants and who doesn't just break Fae laws without a reason. Did you have that talk with her?" Bo's silence told him all he needed to know. "You need to talk to her. You need to be on the same page and if you're not you need to stop. I know how hard that is, believe me I do but there is no situation in which it's more important that you both know what you're getting into." Bo swallowed hard and nodded. "Thank you, Trick." she said and it made Trick smile before he sighed again. "I'm always here for you but I don't know for how much it will count if this comes crashing down on all of us."

Bo's brow furrowed in response, the Succubus stepping forward and crouching down, doing something she had never done before: she hugged her grandfather tightly, effectively startling him before he reciprocated the hold. After a few seconds the brunette stood back up quickly, turning towards the door where she paused, looking over her shoulder at the man who was looking at her with misty eyes. "Thanks Gramps." Was the last thing she said before she started up the old stone stairs. She needed to think before Lauren came back because when she did, there would be no more holding back, no excuses left for them to hide behind.

-x-

The morning air was quiet and cool, fog slowly moving over the damp grass as Lauren walked across it. It was Friday, the medical conference plus the small award ceremony was over and she would be flying home in a few hours. There was no time left to keep delay this visit any further, the blonde knew, but that didn't mean it made it any easier. Her steps were slow, the soles of her simple deep brown flats crunching on the white gravel as she walked along the deserted path engraved so deeply in her heart. After a few minutes of following the small white stones she ventured off onto the grass towards the historic parts of the cemetery where the graves weren't as well-kept anymore, the plants surrounding them growing wild and high, the old gravestones weather-worn, the letters in them barely legible after all those years.

With a last, heavy step Lauren came to a halt in front of a large tombstone that had once been white but now it was only gray, the once hard and skillfully carved edges rough, formed by centuries of rain and storm. The first sob was a quiet one that could have been mistaken for the soft sound of a bird far away but the second one was clear and sharp, a wet thump following as Lauren fell to her knees in front of the healed grass patch where there had once been only freshly dug up earth. One of the Phoenix' hands grabbed at the green blades, ripping them as fingers balled to a fist. For minutes and minutes Lauren simply knelt there, her shoulders shaking, tears streaming down her face as she tried to cry as quietly as she possibly could, somehow thinking that would keep her dead love from hearing the pain her death still brought.

It took almost half an hour before the blonde could finally breathe normally again though it still came out a little ragged. Another few minutes and Lauren could look up again, the sleeve of her coat wiping the last of her tears away before she addressed the woman buried here so long ago in that old version of French that used to be the language of their love. "Nadia." She tasted the syllables on her lips. "Like every year, I'm back. I know you didn't want me to keep visiting you, you told me that. But I want to show you that I haven't forgotten about you. I could never forget you, even if I tried. I still love you. I will never stop." Despite herself, Lauren smiled, lifting her left hand holding a single red rose and carefully placing it in the high grass covering Nadia's grave. "You also told me to move on, to be happy again. I may have found the woman that can bring me back to myself again. Are you happy about that?" The blonde paused. "I would have lived forever with you, you know that. For all the pain it brought me those years with you were the best of my long life." She laughed again, another small tear escaping her right eye and rolling down the beaten path across her cheek. "I know you never believed me when I told you that but it's true. Wherever you are now, I hope you know that you will always be in my heart. I love you." She ended like that, kneeling on the ground for a long while after. Finally, she brought her right hand to her lips, kissing it before pressing the palm to the ground again, hoping that through some miracle, Nadia could hear or feel her.

Lauren stood soon after, stretching her sore limbs. With a last glance she walked away, breathing easier with every step she took. She made it almost to the white gravel path again when a soft, brittle voice called out to her, making her stop dead in her tracks and turn, seeing a small elderly lady dressed all in gray walking towards her. Looking at her told Lauren that she was human, a kind smile etched onto her aged features as she came to a stop in front of the blonde, looking up at her from almost a head's length shorter. "Yes?" She asked, returning the smile.

"You still mourn for her." The old lady stated, her voice still brittle but it held a strength that wasn't typical for a human her age. The words startled Lauren. "What do you mean?"

The woman smiled wider, her deep wrinkles becoming even more prominent. "You don't need to pretend with me. I would have nothing to gain in telling someone about you. The woman you mourn for at least once every year, she has been gone for hundreds of years. Yet you come back for her and you never seem to age a day."

Lauren took a deep breath but she realized that she would not be able to talk herself out of this. "How do you know? Have you been watching me?" The woman smiled again and nodded, starting to walk towards the gravel path with slow steps and Lauren followed.

"Yes. I have been watching you for a long time. My dear husband Pierre, he died very young but I loved him dearly. He's buried here too and I visit him every day. That's how I see you every time you've come here for the past fifty years, never a day older than the time before. If you can answer me, without overworking my old brain" She chuckled joyfully. "What are you?"

For a moment Lauren considered bolting, knowing that no human could or should know about the Fae but this old lady seemed genuinely interested and not posing even the slightest threat. "A Phoenix." the blonde answered quietly, making the old woman turn towards her with wonder in her eyes "Really?" Lauren smiled widely at her expression and nodded, lifting her hand an making a small flame appear in its middle, the warm glow shimmering in the morning fog.

"You are a good creature." The old woman concluded after a few moments of silence like it was the meaning of life, smiling at Lauren's surprised expression. "I looked at the tombstone. That woman you loved, she died hundreds of years ago yet you still keep coming back. Much like I do with my Pierre though life is slowly coming to a close for me, my heart is weakening. But today I finally had the courage to speak to you." She paused. "Promise me though if it's not too much to ask, if you are truly immortal that you will find love again. It's never too late. You look different this year, maybe you have already found someone. I hope you can be happy again." She smiled. "Goodbye, Phoenix." She stated walking off but Lauren quickly caught up with her, placing a hand on her shoulder and effectively stopping the old woman. "Thank you." She said. "Let me repay your kindness." The woman furrowed her brows but nodded, awaiting whatever Lauren wanted to do to her and so, with deep concentration, the Phoenix placed two fingers on the coat over the human's heart, her eyes starting to glow as she did all she could to ease the woman of some pain and maybe give her a few more years to visit Pierre.

When she was done there were tears in the old woman's eyes. "Thank you." She whispered but Lauren shook her head. "I have to thank you. It seems the longer you live, the less you truly value your life and live it to the fullest. You have made a hard decision very easy for me today." Lauren smiled and the elderly woman smiled back before the Phoenix finally turned, walking off through the morning fog with a lot more determination than she came with. It was true, the old woman had, with her few words, made Lauren realize that even when you were Fae and nearly indestructible, life was too short to waste it. She would fly home and she would meet Bo with a smile on her face. She would finally tell her what hadn't dared to come across her lips anywhere the Succubus could hear her before. Life was too short and Lauren Leavold was finally going to start living again.

Chapter 24: Sink hernieder, Nacht der Liebe

Bo reveled in the few moments of peace climbing the stairs granted her, the clacking of her black heels on the wooden steps the only sound on the dark and narrow stairway leading up to her family's private loge. She sighed when she was almost at the top, her eyes fixing on the burgundy curtain that would reveal her assembled relatives. At least she wouldn't have to sit with all the other sleazy Elders and High Elders for this event, she though. That alone would make her evening more bearable but it would be like a single drop of sweetener in the most bitter of drinks: it wouldn't make much difference. It would have been a great offense to the council to miss this event though and so her mother had insisted on her attendance and Bo would once again humor her this evening, especially since her father had taken a leave from one of his many conferences to be here as well.

Slowly, the Succubus pealed the curtain at the top of the stairs to the side, briefly wondering why she had to do it on her own before remembering that no human was allowed to serve at this type of event or even be near it. It was too important, too great had been the offense against the Dark Fae. Bo stepped onto the dimly lit balcony tucked into the wall of the great ballroom like it was an opera house. As expected, the rest of her family was already there: her grandparents Icarus and Isabeau sitting with their backs towards her, facing the ballroom unmoving like marble statues with hair like liquid darkness. Her parents were standing a few feet away from them, behind the three still vacant chairs on the balcony. Thane in an impeccable black tux and fedora leaning down to embrace Bo's mother in a way that wouldn't have been acceptable hadn't it been for their very nature. The moment Bo fully stepped through the curtain and let it fall closed again behind herself his head turned, blue-hued eyes fixing his daughter with a deep look, turning amber again but a second later. The young Succubus simply held his stare; it had always been like this.

Sensing her husband's attention shift away from her Aoife turned her head as well, her shorter-cut brown hair falling down to her shoulders and fashionable blue dress in stiff but still effortlessly well-placed curls. "Ysabeau, dear." She greeted with a shimmering smile that showed blinding white teeth behind red lips, her hand leaving her husband's neck as she untangled herself. The Succubus walked over, kissing her daughter on both cheeks before letting Thane wrap Bo in the most delicate of hugs, barely there hadn't it been for his intoxicating cologne. "My Bo." He smiled and kissed her forehead.

"Would you finally stop calling her that, love? That disgusting nickname is starting to stick. I overheard one of the staff calling her that a few days ago." Aoife chided with an annoyed glance but Thane only chuckled. "Your mother is in a wonderful mood." He murmured into Bo's ear for only her to hear before leaning back and letting go, his daughter's soft laugh music in his ears. "She will have her dawning soon. Don't you think she's old enough to decide that on her own?" He addressed his wife as they all made their way to their designated places, sitting down on the soft black satin cushioning of the chairs, the rose and sword blazon of the McCorrigans stitched onto the backrests masterfully.

"She's our heir and she's not a small child anymore who needs a nickname to be cute. She will be Dark High Elder Ysabeau McCorrigan one day. Nobody follows a leader who goes by the name of Bo. It sounds so... common." Aoife's lips curled around the last word like it was something disgusting she wanted out of her mouth immediately. "Right?" She looked at her daughter and though she internally rolled her eyes Bo dutifully answered "Of course, mother." wishing she wouldn't feel like a dog patted on the head when Aoife approvingly ran the back of her index finger along her jaw line. One of these days, Bo thought. One of these days she'd learn to ignore her mother's antics and stop caring about what she thought of her, her father's eyes advising the same with a side glance only meant for her.

She didn't have more time to ponder as in that moment the previously dimmed spotlights illuminating the middle of the ballroom brightened noticeably while the other lights dimmed, drawing Bo's attention away from her parents sitting beside her with perfect posture. Instead, she looked over the ebony and gold rimmed banister to the middle of the large semicircle that now held the all the attention of the most powerful Dark Fae of the whole continent. It was deadly silent though it hadn't been loud before; no this show if you could call it that was only for the mightiest of them and in some way Bo even felt a dark sense of pride to know she was one of those chosen few. The silence continued for a small moment, Bo's attention wavering as her mother tilted her chin up in an expectant manner, her father's right middle finger stopping its tapping on the armrest of his chair. Then there was a step, harsh and loud in the quiet of the great hall but not obscenely so. The next one already sounded like the start of a familiar dance, elegant and graceful and so was the person stepping into the cone of light created by many spotlights hanging from the ceiling. His suit was black, fitted to perfection but open around his slender yet subtly muscular form. He came to a halt in the middle of the glow of golden-white light, standing straight but with an ease that only came from being used to standing in the spotlight, maybe even enjoying it. One after the other, beginning at his left side, he looked at each of the five balconies separately as if silently addressing every High Elder family. By the time he got to the second one Bo knew he didn't need to do this, he himself was one of them, if not the most powerful of them all and he was their host tonight. Nicolae Istrati wouldn't have needed spotlights in the middle of the theatre-like hall, he would have captured all their attention with only his presence just the same. Finally his gaze made it to the McCorrigans and to Bo it seemed like he fixed her a bit longer than the others, a fact that made her blood turn to ice-water in her veins. Her father liked to say that High Elder Nicolae's dangerous reputation was only put to shame by how dangerous the man actually was and in that moment the young Succubus felt it. Even from this far away eyes like freshly spilt blood pinned her in place, making her unable to avert her gaze from them. His pale skin, seemingly thin like parchment and his icy blonde hair curled wildly on top of his head like a piece of art only intensified the effect of his eyes, neither really alive nor really dead but intense and frightening like both. He didn't blink and a moment later the bloody orbs flicked away from studying Bo's face, finding their next victim on the last balcony, the one next to the McCorrigans occupied by the Gardiner family.

Only when Nicolae was finally done did he allow his pale, rose-colored lips to part into a smile that was as dazzling as it was blood-curdling, milky fangs showing on either side of his mouth, long and thin. He tilted his head to the side, spreading his arms wide like he wanted to embrace them all. "My dear friends." He started in a deep bass voice that perfectly fit his humbling appearance. "I am overjoyed that you would follow my invite and join me tonight." He paused and his smile disappeared like it had never been there. "But the reason for our meeting tonight is not a pleasant one. No." His gaze flickered from one balcony to the next again. "Our laws have been infringed upon in the filthiest way and guilt has been proven. It has been left to us, the purest of the pure and the darkest of the dark to see this punishment through." It was deadly silent once again until the Vampire that was their host lifted his marble hands and clapped them together once, twice. "Bring him forward." His voice boomed off the walls, echoing through the otherwise silent hall before he added, soft now like he was talking to himself. "Let's begin."

Like it had been perfectly choreographed the four remaining High Elders stood up from their chairs, Aoife the only one Bo could see clearly since she was standing right next to her. High Elder Gardiner was the only one to her left, his form small and hidden in the shadows of the room. The others to her right Bo could only make out as silhouettes but she knew they were there and who exactly was standing there in the darkness. To the McCorrigans' right, his balcony marking the middle of the semicircle, Nicolae suddenly appeared as if out of thin air, his blonde hair shimmering in ghostly light as below the now assembled council a whimpering and trembling man was brought forward. He appeared unable to walk on his own or even stand, being dragged on his gaunt knees by two pale-skinned and red-eyed guards, no doubt Istratis of lower descent. They dropped their prisoner into the cone of blinding light before darting away quicker than an untrained eye could follow, leaving behind the by now hyperventilating man.

"Friends." Again, Nicolae spoke. "This man has been found guilty in a trial before the Low Elder council. He betrayed our laws and all of those who call themselves truly Dark Fae when he chose to marry not one of our own but a Light Fae woman. The Ash himself informed me that yesterday she was.. taken care of. Which leaves us..." The Vampires voice was drowned out by a high-pitched scream that lasted until the prisoner's voice broke but the agony was still evident on his face, his eyes blood-shot and frantic. Bo knew he hadn't known of the fate of his wife though he had probably dreaded it. There was no escaping the law of the divide and Bo understood. It didn't change the fact that she found the execution disgusting even though she hid it under a mask of indifference.

Almost patiently Nicolae waited for the man to quiet down before speaking again. "Which leaves us to pass the sentence and conduct it accordingly. Liam?"

"Death." Answered High Elder Gardiner in his thin, almost brittle voice laced with disgust.

"Aoife?" "Death." Was the answer of Bo's mother as well, dangerously calm but no less appalled.

"Death." Nicolae stated himself in a melodramatic voice before continuing. Anong?"

"Death." A velvety hiss in the shadows.

"Agvald?" Nicolae asked one last time and once more, the answer was the same, this time in a voice loud like thunder. "Death."

"It's a beautiful thing when we all have the same opinion for once." The Vampire almost sounded like he was truly enjoying himself but Bo doubted that this was actually the case, even with someone as twisted as their most powerful High Elder. She was pulled from her musing when, again like it was choreographed, the Elders all spoke together in a choir as old and powerful as time itself, addressing the man who was kneeling in the light with a desperate but somehow resigned look on his worn face. "Our blood is pure. Our hearts are dark. We sentence you to die."

Silence followed and then a hoarse scream. Bo saw that the man's dirty shirt had a gash in it now, quickly turning red as blood poured from the open wound below it. Another scream and another gash, this time across his shoulder made him fall forward, his uninjured arm barely able to hold him up. Not that it mattered, though. When the next wound was dealt, Bo was ready and therefore able to see the blur of color flashing past the bleeding man, confirming that his executioners were indeed the two Vampires who had brought him here. They had waited in the shadows and now they dealt blow after blow in the lightning speed that distinguished their kind, not meant to kill immediately but torture slowly until there was no more pain left to feel, no more blood left to spill.

When it was over the room was silent again, the High Elders of the Dark as well as their families watching with expressions set in stone. They showed coldness or indifference, sometimes both as they regarded the pale and shredded heap lying in a sea of dark red shimmering blood, the eyes of what had once been a proud man staring at nothing. "Purity has been restored. I thank you again for accepting my invitation, dear friends." Nicolae's almost melancholic voice marked the end of their gathering and as one they all stood, not saying a word as they left.

...

It was still dark out when Bo opened her eyes, the canopy of her bed lost in the absence of light. It had been a dream. No, a memory. A memory in a dream, making it all the more real, like it had been palpable again much more so than a memory alone could ever be. All of it had actually happened almost ninety years ago and Bo found it odd that it would appear in a dream of hers now of all times. Actually, she didn't find it odd. She found it frightening, like her subconscious was trying to warn her. That's your future if you keep being this reckless, it whispered to her. No, she thought defiantly as she slowly sat up and rested back against the headboard. She simply wouldn't be caught. They wouldn't be caught. The man the High Elders had executed like it was a show had been stupid enough to wed the woman he loved, a Light Fae. He had also been of low heritage. Surely the McCorrigan name counted for something in this matter? Bo suddenly had to chuckled into the darkness of her room but there was no humor in it. She was going around in circles every time her mind forced her to think of her situation with Lauren in a more realistic way. She always came back to her name, her family, her heritage. It had always saved her but now it would count for nothing. The Elders would probably rather kill her whole family than forgive her. Something like this would be a welcome trigger for the rivalries between the great families to boil over. If not, Bo mused as she finally rolled out of bed, her mother would probably declare "Death" without a second thought when it came to the fate of her own loathed, imperfect daughter.

Bo's naked feet softly padded across her wooden floor to where she left her kimono last night, past a second heap of bed sheets that joined the one already there after her feed from last night had left the second he rolled off of her. Well no. He had left after he caught his breath. As she slipped into her red kimono and tied it in front Bo briefly let herself get carried away into smiling the sly smile of a pleased Succubus before it faded to nothing again with a low sigh. Her feet carried her down the stairs without her directing a conscious thought at it. Her feed from last night had once more eased the hunger gnawing at her insides but it had been no less satisfying than bedding the Cherufe a few days back. Maybe even less so. Lauren had ruined her. Effectively. Irrevocably. There was no doubt left in her mind. Even after a full feed that should have satisfied her it left her feeling empty, like she had eaten a large dinner without being able to taste it. Physically she felt strong, yes. There was no hunger, at least for now. But by now she knew it was the yearning that she had to worry about.

I cannot seem to stop myself from coming back for more. More of her, and more of myself every time I'm with her. What had just sprouted out of her mouth in a burst of emotion while she was at the Dal had engraved itself deeply into her mind, playing on repeat ever since. And even if she originally wanted to ask Trick about how he and Isabeau escaped detection and came back with no real answer other than sheer luck, the visit she had paid her grandfather had definitely answered another question once and for all. She was in love with Lauren Leavold and she wasn't going to stop, not even when a whole world would rise against them the moment she said it out loud.

Bo pressed a button on the coffee machine, making it beep and rattle to life in the semi-darkness of the very first morning light barely making it through the windows. She leaned back against the counter, watching the seemingly black liquid pour into the pitcher and create a softly curling white vapor of aroma. Bo smiled. She wouldn't quietly disappear into the darkness of secrecy and kept promises to never speak of something again. Backing out may had been an option for Trick and Isabeau, maybe the only one her grandparents had seen at the time but it certainly wasn't an option for Bo. No, the young Succubus had a habit of breaking every rule she ever came across so why should she stop now? She may have had scruples regarding the highest laws until now but somehow she had felt different the moment she woke from her dream. If she had to go down, she would not go without a fight and if her love for Lauren led to war like Trick said then bring it on. She would gladly fight, even if it meant fighting until all those who wanted them dead had met that fate themselves. Right there, leaning against her kitchen counter while the coffee machine buzzed repeatedly to inform the Succubus that her coffee was ready, Bo realized that she had made peace with the option of dying for what she wanted. It was better than living Trick's life: dreaming of long lost possibilities and imagining what could have been.

"For fuck's sake, shut off the noise some people are actually trying to sleep at this ungodly hour!" Bo was ripped out of her deep thoughts by Kenzi suddenly appearing out of thin air in front of her and practically punching in the button of the coffee machine while roaring with as much sleepy rage as she could muster. The Succubus hadn't even realized that the small machine had been beeping for a good minute now but Kenzi standing in front of her rather disgruntled in a baggy band t-shirt and boxer shorts effectively rattled her back to reality. There was a small silence where Bo simply looked at her best friend who slowly turned away from the now happily blinking coffee machine to return the stare. "What's up with you? You look like you've seen a ghost." the small Djinn mumbled sleepily, turning away again to pick a mug from the sink and pour herself coffee from the pitcher Bo had just made.

"I think that may actually be the case." Bo mused after thinking for a second, accepting the pitcher from her best friend and pouring herself a cup as well. Kenzi's brow furrowed in response. "I thought the man candy you came home with last night was a Minotaur for sure." She shrugged and took a large gulp from her coffee. "But again, what do I know?"

"I'm not talking about him." Bo stated, rolling her eyes for effect. She waited for Kenzi to make a quip but apparently her best friend was still too tired to be her normal self and so she continued. "I remembered something last night in a dream."

"What, like a vision? Hotpants withdrawal symptoms?" Kenzi shot Bo a mocking but at the same time genuinely interested look, now herself leaning back against the counter next to her best friend. The Succubus grumbled something unintelligible, taking a sip of her coffee before answering "Let's just say it made a lot of things way more clear."

Kenzi chuckled as the coffee was obviously already doing its work waking her up. "You finally realized you lurve yourself some Lauren?" she grinned.

"Yes." Bo simply answered without a doubt, slowly tuning her mug in her hands and realizing how easy it was for her to say it now after she had been fighting first her feelings and then admitting them for months. Immediately it got very quiet. Kenzi's grin simply disappeared from her face, being replaced with a look of first disbelief, then wonder. "Really?" She asked after a long while of silence. This time Bo didn't say anything more, she simply nodded at the coffee mug in her hands. "That's great." The Djinn finally stated quietly and it sounded like it really was everything that needed to be said in that moment. It was Bo who chuckled this time. "I thought you didn't like her?"

"She has a stick so far up her ass I fear they may have to surgically remove it." Kenzi winked before sighing deeply. "But that doesn't mean she can't make you happy. I already said as much. And I also think I owe you an apology. You and her both."

"Kenz, we've already talked about this." Bo started but was immediately interrupted. "I know but I still basically told her that I knew what is best for you. And I don't."

"You still told the truth that day, harsh as it was. That we could get killed because of whatever it is we have. And for some reason I think I needed to hear that because before that possibility never seemed real. Those things happened to other people, not me. Never me. You made me think and go see Trick to ask for answers. And I've made my decision. I actually made it a long time ago I think." The words all seemed to rush out of the Succubus though she spoke them clearly and without a single doubt. Silence engulfed the two best friends for long minutes but it wasn't uncomfortable in any way. Kenzi finally leaned into Bo's side and the Succubus wasted no time wrapping her arm around the Djinn's small frame, pressing her tightly against herself. "I'm proud of you, Bo." The small brunette whispered, her head resting on her best friend's shoulder. "Why?" The Succubus chuckled "Because my recklessness is finally going to get me killed?" She received a playful punch to the side. "No, dumbass. Because you made a decision. I said it once and I'll say it again: It would be great if she were to make you really happy."

Their happy moment was suddenly shattered by Bo's phone starting to beep on the kitchen island, completely bursting their bubble. For a second they both just stared at the blinking device but then the Succubus untangled herself, grabbing her phone and lifting it to her ear without looking at the screen first. "Yeah?"

"Guess who just got home and wants to test how fast your Camaro can possibly get you here?" Lauren's relaxed and happy song-like voice drifted through the line, stunning Bo into a wide dimpled smile that Kenzi immediately read like a book. With an eye-roll she snapped her fingers, disappearing into thin air with her coffee mug still in hand.

"I don't know but it has to be quite someone if you're calling just to make me aware of it." Bo finally found her voice and teased right back.

"Don't play games with me Miss McCorrigan." There was a small pause. "I mean it. When can you be here I want to show you something."

"I hope whatever you're planning to show me can be peeled off your body quickly. I'm not in the mood to wait." The Succubus grinned into the phone, her eyes turning blue as her hunger suddenly resurfaced with vigor. Bo expected Lauren to immediately chide her playfully but no such thing happened, instead the brunette's smile widened even more when loud and genuine laughter filtered through the line. "Just be here as fast as you can, babe." Was all Lauren said before there was an audible click, leaving Bo alone in the kitchen of the clubhouse, staring at her phone. She stayed like this for only a few seconds, darting up the stairs and completely forgetting all about her still almost full cup of coffee as soon as her brain seemed to catch on. Lauren was back. And Bo was going to pay her a visit as fast as her Camaro could get her there.

-x-

Lauren was deep in thought, leaning back against a simple concrete pillar next to the her silver Audi's parking spot in the garage of her apartment building. She had decided that waiting here for Bo was probably the safest option since she had meant what she said to her Succubus lover on the phone. She wanted to show her something, something very important to herself and to the whole Leavold family. By now Lauren knew how her and Bo's relationship worked and she hoped that waiting here in the garage would not lead to them forgetting all about the world around them as soon as they got to see each other for the first time in a week. Had she waited upstairs in her apartment they probably wouldn't have left it again until at least the next morning. Lauren closed her eyes as she felt the immediate onslaught of arousal coursing through her at the mere thought. No, she had something to show Bo, to say to Bo and since the moment she had made up her mind back in Paris she knew that she would not be deterred, not even by her own body clearly having other priorities.

Lauren's eyes opened again when she heard the characteristic roar of Bo's Camaro's powerful classic engine. She turned her head just in time to witness the Succubus cutting a corner and avoiding another concrete pillar by not even a foot before the yellow beast with the black racing stripes came to an abrupt halt in the parking space next to Lauren's Audi. The blonde wanted to push off the pillar she was leaning against but restrained herself, instead opting to watch with hooded eyes as the Camaro's driver side door opened, revealing Bo in all her glory as she slowly and gracefully stepped out of the car. Her dark eyes immediately found Lauren's, the corner of her mouth twitching upward and provoking the memory of her father doing the exact same thing in the Phoenix' mind but it was blown away as quickly as it appeared. Bo stepped around her car, heeled black boots clicking harshly on the concrete, the red leather jacket she had chosen today hanging open and inevitably pulling Lauren's gaze downward to the cleavage on display.

For what must have been only seconds the Succubus walked over to her lover but for Lauren it felt way longer and way too short at the same time, watching her lover stalk over to her before finally Bo's hands placed themselves on either side of her head as the brunette seductress leaned in close with the most wicked smile planted firmly on her face. "Waiting for me in the garage?" A finger slowly trailed down the side of Lauren's face, making every hair on the blonde's body stand at attention. "I'd say someone is eager to see me." Bo murmured against her lover's lips but never closed the gap, seemingly content with leaving them both hanging for now. This kind of patience surprised Lauren but if she had learned anything from her time with Bo it was that she never did what anyone expected of her. It was part of what made her so insanely attractive.

"I don't know what you're talking about." The Phoenix answered as calmly as she could while her heart thundered in her chest, her nostrils widening as they took up Bo's intoxicating scent for the first time in what seemed like forever. The statement caused the Succubus to chuckle and lean in even closer, their bodies now touching at the hips. "You're not fooling anyone, Dr. Leavold." Lauren smiled, her arms slowly wrapping around her lover's hips. "And neither are you." she said, finally closing the small distance remaining between their lips and effectively shutting out the rest of the world.

Kissing Bo had always driven Lauren crazy in the best of ways. That was something that had been there from the beginning. Their first kiss had felt like being struck by lightning and every single one after that had felt similar but what Lauren felt now as their lips moved languidly against each other was something that felt much deeper. The lightning was still there but now that the Phoenix was finally at peace with the fact that she loved the woman in her arms it also felt like she belonged right where she was. And so when Bo gently pulled back with a smile on her face, blue-hued eyes glinting seductively, Lauren remembered why she had waited for Bo down here. "I want to show you something." she whispered and the brunette grinned. "Then why don't we go upstairs and you can get to that?" Her voice was a full octave deeper than usual, sending the Phoenix' body into overdrive but Lauren forcibly pushed down the waves of arousal that were threatening to turn her eyes golden-red. "We'll have time for that later." she pressed out in a breathless voice "This is important."

That seemed to get Bo's attention as she pulled back so she could take a better look at her lover's face, her eyes still sparkling with a blue hue but questioning, one eyebrow arched high. The space allowed Lauren to breathe more normally again, her head falling back against the cool concrete surface behind her as she smiled. "It's why I waited down here. We're taking my car." Bo just looked at her for a second, seemingly contemplating her options before closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. The one hand still placed next to Lauren's face flexed and a second later the Succubus stood straight again only a pace away. When she opened her eyes again they were back to their normal chocolate brown though they held a certain inhuman glow that couldn't really be placed. "I will hold you to later." She smiled, again only the corner of her mouth lifting and curling into a seductive smirk. Lauren chuckled genuinely, pushing herself off the pillar and walking to her car, all the while holding eye contact. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

Their time in the car was surprisingly quiet. Feeling like it was interrupting their comfortable silence Lauren had turned off the radio after not even a minute and so the only sound left was the gentle purr of the sleek sports car's engine as the blonde guided it through crowded streets. More than one longing glance was cast at the spotless silver surface or the gently glowing headlights but since all the windows were tinted Lauren didn't mind who looked, they wouldn't be able to see anything of importance anyway. Over the middle console Bo had taken a slightly possessive hold of Lauren's hand the second she had reached to shift into drive. The blonde enjoyed the gentle yet strong grip of the Succubus' warm palm, something she never expected the woman next to her to want or ever do but some time before she left for Paris their relationship, if you were to call it that, had shifted from raging physical attraction to something softer. Still, those small gestures of affection made Lauren smile quietly to herself and this time was no different.

Finally, they pulled into the driveway of an inconspicuous brownstone home near the edge of the city. Lauren could feel Bo perk up as gravel crunched under the tires of the Audi but she didn't say anything, silently following Lauren's lead as the blonde got out of the car. They walked up the few steps to the front door, the Phoenix producing an older looking key from her pocket and unlocking the ornamented but worn wooden door.

"Lauren, where are we?" Finally, the blonde thought. She had already been wondering when the question burning behind her lovers eyes would finally break free. Before she could give an answer though, another voice, friendly yet undoubtedly respectful drifted towards them. "Madame Leavold?" Footsteps were the next thing they heard and seconds later a middle-aged woman stood in the doorway that probably connected the hall to the living room.

"No, it's me today." Lauren answered in a friendly voice and the woman, recognizing the eldest daughter of the woman she was expecting to see visibly relaxed. "Lauren." She greeted before her eyes fell on the unworldly beautiful woman standing at the blonde's side. She was just as beautiful as the oldest Leavold daughter, in a completely different way but still undoubtedly so and the mere fact made the woman slightly recoil. This kind of beauty was humbling even if one didn't want to admit it.

Standing next to Lauren Bo observed the situation, her brows slightly furrowed. She still didn't know where her lover was taking her but the woman who obviously lived here seemed to know Lauren. That alone was no shock, after all why would the Phoenix have the key to a stranger's house? What stumped Bo was the fact that the woman in front of her was undoubtedly human, her aura dull like one was looking at it through a dirty window. The respect she showed them told Bo she knew of the Fae but what her purpose was, the Succubus couldn't guess. Lauren then only made the situation worse when she broke the silence in her usual gentle voice "I came here to visit. We came here for that." The woman looked shocked, her eyes flickering from Lauren to Bo and back again in rapid succession before she bowed her head. "Of course." And with that she retreated back into the living room, leaving Lauren and an even more confused Bo alone in the hallway.

"Come on." the Phoenix said, already starting to walk towards a stairway but instead of taking the one that led upstairs like Bo had expected she took the one leading down into what should have been a basement but was actually an old tunnel behind another locked door. A low ceiling of unstable looking bricks lead into the darkness but the moment they stepped into the tunnel dozens of torches lit up on both sides, confirming to Bo that this tunnel was full of Fae magic. They started walking again, Lauren taking the lead and the Succubus' hand as they walked in silence for another few minutes before the blonde started talking. "That was Isabella. She and her family guard this entrance for my family."

"But she's human." Bo stated but it wasn't laced with malice. She was just wondering how a human woman with no powers could possibly guard anything in the Fae world, no matter what it was.

"You're right. But placing a powerful Fae in a location like this would have been suspicious. Isabella's great grandfather became the first one to guard this place just by living above it so no one else would find it by chance." Lauren explained and it did make perfect sense. Bo had not seen many Fae auras close to the brownstone and the few she had seen had not been very powerful.

"I believe I still owe you an answer?" The blonde asked after a few more moments of silence as they came to a halt in front of another door but this one looked massive like it would never give. It also didn't have a lock, just a mostly flat surface that shimmered gently in the light of the torches next to it. The door seemed to be of some kind of metal though what it was Bo didn't dare guess. She could see small runes engraved in it but they seemed old, much older than a place in this part of the world should ever be. Bo didn't have more time to study the strange door as Lauren slowly placed her right hand in the middle of it, her eyes changing color, melting into gold then red as the door did the same, the heat it produced making Bo take a few steps backwards and shield her face with her arm. When the scorching heat subsided the Succubus finally looked back up, finding the massive door blocking their path gone, replaced by a welcoming passage into what seemed to be a brightly lit hall. Where the small corridor they had come through ended so did the run-down appearance. Broken and dirty bricks became mosaics of polished white marble, the low ceiling exchanged for an expansive hall fit for a throne room. Inlaid work of black marble was fitted perfectly into the white walls, carving out what Bo recognized as hieroglyphs framing images in the style of ancient Egypt. The Succubus saw figures with their hands raised in prayer, figures half man half animal but every once in a while there were figures that looked way more detailed and elaborate, each decorated individually but they all had one thing in common: their eyes were made of red marble, their arms folded in front of their chests holding crook and flail. Only then did Bo's gaze fall to the seven tombs of white marble over which the respective images in black were almost enthroned. That was the moment it dawned on Bo. "This is a crypt." She whispered, her eyes still wide at the marvel in front of her eyes.

"Yes." Lauren affirmed from behind her, her voice quiet. The blonde had given her lover the space to take it all in. She knew how overwhelming this place could be when you saw it for the first time. "The Leavold crypt. I wanted to show you where I come from."

"Lauren..." Was all the Succubus said for a while and her lover almost chuckled behind her. Bo.. had been her standard word to say whenever she found herself surprised by the brunette beauty who was now standing where no Dark Fae, nobody who was not a Leavold, should ever set foot. It both soothed and amused Lauren that this loss for words went both ways. Slowly the blonde moved to stand next to her lover, following her gaze across the pictures of black and white telling stories of great victory and power. "Why is it all written in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs?" Bo asked quietly, as if a louder sound would disturb the beauty of the place.

"Because that's where my family's origin lies. It was long before I was born but some of my ancestors were Pharaohs, back when there was no divide between the Fae but only clans who were more powerful or less."

"And they are all buried here?" The Succubus sounded like she was in pure awe.

"Yes. It's not big for a crypt that goes back thousands of years but Phoenixes are immortal. We'll be born and born again from our own ashes until we are killed with violence. Also, only the heirs and their mates are buried here."

"The heirs?"

"Those who wore the title as head of the family, usually the eldest sibling if there is more than one phoenix in a generation. Also, when my mother becomes High Elder my father won't be buried here with her when he dies. He's not a Phoenix."

Lauren met Bo's surprised eyes and smiled lovingly at her. "He's a Thunderbird. Only a Phoenix will be buried in the Leavold crypt." The Succubus' expression still showed great interest as she nodded, absorbing the information given to her. "So your sister..?" Bo began but Lauren cut her off, nodding. "Yes. If I become the High Elder one day my sister will not be buried here." The silence that followed was slightly loaded but not uncomfortable. Lauren quietly watched as Bo's gaze wandered from tomb to tomb, comparing the images above them with each other. The oldest ones indeed wore the crown of upper and lower Egypt, marking them as Pharaohs, their expressions emotionless but graceful even as a mere likeness. Somehow the artist had managed to give them all an individuality that was almost frightening to witness from pieces of marble.

"This is so different." Bo mused after a while and this time, Lauren was the one giving her a questioning look. "From our crypt I mean." The Succubus clarified. "I was there only once or twice. It's in Ireland under a hill in the middle of nowhere. It's huge because we bury all those who bear our name in it."

"You mean all the lower branches of the family, too?" Lauren interjected and Bo nodded. "You probably know that the McCorrigans keep their blood pure by marrying their own. Two or three of the lower families are always ordered to breed the moment someone of the royal family becomes pregnant so that there will be mates to choose from when the time comes. My wedding to one of three Incubi from those lower McCorrigan families was set in stone from the moment I was born." She ended with disgust and now the silence was deafening. Lauren's brow furrowed as she fought with herself. Her passionate side was raging inside her, wanting to free the fire she held inside her heart and burn all those to the ground who threatened to take Bo away from her. It was a violent war but her rational side held the flames at bay, forcing Lauren to think of the fact that there was no real future for them. They were two colors at opposite ends of the spectrum, there would never be a way for them to live openly in wedded bliss even if that was what they wanted. She knew they were doomed to die the second someone who wasn't their loyal friend found out. There would be no escaping the divide.

Suddenly and completely unexpected though, the fire inside Lauren took over, wholly overpowering her rational side in a way that hadn't happened since the day Nadia died. Why was the divide a reason to hold back? In Paris she had told herself there would be no more hiding yet here she stood, trying to do exactly that. She had brought Bo here with the sole purpose of letting her in completely, of showing her all that she was and that she was all in. And so, with one final push Lauren let go of her rational side and let the flames engulf her completely for the first time in centuries. Bo saw the physical change when first her lover's eyes melted into the deepest and darkest shade of fiery red she had ever seen, seemingly sparking with power. Her whole stance relaxed like some sort of weight had been lifted off her shoulders and when the air around her ignited somehow Bo knew that she had nothing to fear.

Lauren felt more power coursing through her than ever before, a testament to how much she had been holding back and to how much her powers had grown since the last time she had made full use of them. Flames danced around her like a red hurricane but the heat only reached the Phoenix herself, not the preciously ornamented room nor her lover standing just a few feet away. She took one step, then two towards the Succubus who was looking at her with untamed interest, her eyes now bright cerulean blue, responding to the power coming off Lauren in waves. When the gap between them was so small it was almost nonexistent the burning hurricane around the blonde engulfed Bo along with her but still no heat hit the Succubus, just a pleasant warmth and wind like a strong gust, pulling her midnight hair with it as it did golden curls. "No." Lauren finally stated, flames dancing in her eyes. "I will not have you marrying some Incubus just because he has the same last name." The possessive tone seemed to trigger Bo's Succubus, her eyes becoming brighter still as she smirked her trademark lopsided grin. Her arms wrapped around the blonde's hips seductively, pressing her lover tightly to herself in the eye of the hurricane of flames raging around them. "And why would that be, Doctor Leavold?" Her voice was pure seduction, a sensual purr in the back of her throat.

"Because you're mine." came the immediate answer and for a brief second Bo's eyes widened before her grin got even more lopsided. The flames around them burned higher and hotter as the Succubus found herself shoved back against an ornamented wall right next to a marble tomb. "Do you hear me, Bo? Mine." With that she pressed her lips to her lover's, silencing every verbal response the brunette might have had to give and replacing it with a moan. Whatever Lauren had felt before when they had kissed in the garage, what she felt now shattered it all into millions of tiny little pieces. The fire wasn't only blazing around her, it was inside of her as well and there it burned twice as hot, pumping through every last vein and making her press even closer to Bo if that was in any way possible. She felt her Succubus lover feeding deeply from her but the usual euphoric feeling was almost completely drowned out by the pure ecstasy her finally freed fire gave her, making her burn brighter than ever before.

Their mutual need for air was what finally made them break apart, chests heaving only inches away from each other as they stared into each other's eyes, blue on red. With a great exhale from Lauren the flames around them died down, her power still humming in the air, almost palpable in its thickness. She noticed the sweat dripping from Bo's brows, a testament to how hot it had gotten even where Lauren had protected her lover from the blazing heat of the flames. "That was so fucking sexy." The Succubus nearly growled and it was all Lauren could do to keep the next inferno at bay. There was something more important now.

"Bo.." She started and suddenly she was afraid again; back to her usual way of whispering her lover's name in awe but the Succubus just kept looking back at her with the same expression, the same awe she felt mixed into the wanton cerulean blue glare. And so somewhere deep inside Lauren found the strength and the courage to finally say what she had fought for so long, what she had been afraid of for the longest time. Not anymore.

"I love you, Bo."

A heartbeat passed. It was like someone had sucked the air out of the room. Lauren was sure that if she was to produce a flame now it would instantly die from the lack of oxygen. Her body was still thrumming with energy but at the same time she felt weak, exposed, at Bo's mercy. If she rejected her now she was sure she would never recover. Another heartbeat passed. She could see Bo's brain working a mile a minute and still it felt like she couldn't breathe. Her gaze moved from one electric blue eye to the other, somehow burning brighter still. Then the Succubus' right hand moved from its place on Lauren's hip up to her chin, caressing softly before moving to cup her cheek. Another heartbeat. The brunette leaned in closer now, so subtly Lauren would have missed it had she not been paying utmost attention. The hand still on the blonde's hip tightened its grip, clutching at the fabric of Lauren's expensive gray button down and the soft skin underneath. Bo took a deep breath, making her lover wonder how that was even possible right now before nothing seemed to happen for a few more heartbeats. And then, just as Lauren thought she might burst and self-combust her lover answered her like only a Succubus, like only Bo could. "I love you, too, Lauren." Her voice was still a deep growl, like she had just asked Lauren to do the dirtiest of things with her but Lauren noticed the soft undertone and the same tremble in the words that spoke of the same fear the blonde had held in her heart.

There was no more time to ponder as in that moment Lauren felt Bo's lips on hers, a movement she somehow hadn't seen coming even though she had fixed her whole attention on her lover. Not that she minded in any way. The kiss they shared was soft yet deep, sometimes like they merely grazed each other's lips, sometimes a passionate duel neither of them could lose. Her warm body against Bo's as they leaned back against the ornamented white marble, Lauren knew this was more now. They didn't need to talk about it; they both knew how doomed their relationship was. Their confession was at the same time accepting the possible consequences and being ok with them. When the time came they could try to fight and change the world which would probably mean war once more but Lauren knew that she would take it all in a heartbeat if that meant she could have Bo until her dying breath.

The Phoenix felt the warmth of her power before it manifested this time. There were no dancing flames, no scorching heat. The only thing that materialized was a high-pitched song, somewhat like a bird's but much more powerful and beautiful, indescribable but to those chosen few who had heard the song of a Phoenix. Lauren didn't need to break the kiss, her power alone was enough to conjure the song that bound herself to the Succubus whose hold on her only tightened from the moment the first note reached her ears. This was no mating ritual, Lauren knew. Her kind didn't mate like shifters did, not for life and all eternity because usually, they were the ones left behind. Being one of the few types of Fae that could not only live several times a human lifespan but was truly immortal unless killed by force made for a lonely life most of the time. So when a Phoenix sang to the person they loved it was a promise. Yes it bound them and made their love stronger but first and foremost it said 'I will protect you and love you for however long you'll have me.'

Finally, their lips said their last goodbye and they pulled back, the song ceasing along with the contact. Bo's eyes were still blue when she opened them, meeting Lauren's gaze with curiosity. "That was beautiful." She murmured, her voice raw with honesty, the familiar lopsided smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. "Much like you." Lauren answered which made the Succubus chuckle, the smile finally breaking free. "Always the charmer." Her eyes twinkled in the golden light of the room, one eyebrow curving upwards suggestively. "What do you say, Doctor? Shall we take our leave?" Lauren just grinned in response. "I did promise you, didn't I?"

After Lauren had made sure that the crypt was properly sealed once more they were back through the run-down tunnel and out of the brownstone faster than should have been possible, never even stopping to say goodbye to Isabella. They practically raced to Lauren's silver Audi, grinning at each other like the lovesick fools they were. Tearing out of the brownstone's driveway, the Phoenix had a hard time not running every red light on the way back to her apartment but she controlled herself. Having to explain herself to the police was not something she had on her to-do list for the night although Bo greatly tested her control with heated blue-eyed stares and that trusted half-smile that made Lauren's heart race every time it was directed her way.

They were about three blocks on a frustratingly jam-packed street away from their goal when the blonde's phone, up until now resting peacefully in its mounting just above the middle console, started to ring loudly. Irritated, Lauren threw a side glance at the offending device and discovered it reading Dyson's name. Her brows furrowed as Bo looked from her to the phone expectantly, obviously giving her the go ahead but Lauren just shook her head. Whatever it had been that the shifter had wanted to talk to her about when she was in Paris had waited a week already and it could wait one more day. There were more important things for her right now. Things like taking home the woman, the Dark Fae Succubus she loved with all that she was. The phone rang a few more times before going to voicemail and Lauren sighed happily when it finally happened. Dyson would just leave a message and she'd listen to all of it tomorrow morning. Or afternoon probably; she and Bo would not get much sleep tonight the Phoenix thought with a smile and judging by her grin, the brunette sitting next to her was thinking exactly the same thing.

Their bubble brutally burst again but seconds later when Lauren's phone rang again, for the second time flashing Dyson's name at the two women. The blonde gave an irritated grunt that made Bo smile but the look in the Succubus' eyes told her lover that she should just pick up and see what the shifter had to say so they could finally be alone together. With a sigh Lauren nodded and, signaling for the brunette to be quiet, pressed a small button on her steering wheel. "What is it, Dyson? I'm kinda in the middle of something here."

"Lauren. You do remember that I wanted to talk to you as soon as you came back?" Dyson's rough voice filled the car, his slightly irritated tone carried over perfectly by the expensive speakers of the Audi. "I do." Lauren simply answered.

"This is important. Important enough that I took the liberty of coming to you apartment unannounced only to find it empty." He paused and it seemed to be for emphasis. "I need to speak to you. Now." The moment he said 'to your apartment' Lauren almost hit the breaks so hard the car came to an abrupt and unpleasant stop. Thankfully they were already on the small ramp that led down to the apartment building's park garage so that they avoided causing a pile-up on the busy streets. Nonetheless, the look on Bo's face spoke volumes, frozen somewhere between anger and shock that this day that had progressed so perfectly would come to an untimely end. As if on autopilot, Lauren nodded at the security officer waving them through the gates of the garage. She was still trying to find a way out of this but there was none; none but going upstairs and facing whatever the shifter had to say. "Lauren?"

The blonde hadn't even realized that she had remained silent for way too long, the car already parked in it's designated spot. She sighed, vocalizing her defeat. "Fine, Dyson. You're lucky I just came back home. I'll be right up."

"Thank you." The wolf actually sounded relieved and sincerely thankful, which for some reason made Lauren worry. She had put off whatever her friend had to say until now because her head was always full of a certain Succubus but in this moment she realized that Dyson seldom made this big a fuss over anything that wasn't as important as he said it was. Dread crept up inside her as the line went dead and she and Bo were alone again in the car. What did the shifter have to tell her?

"This is not how I expected this evening to go." Bo chuckled, smiling up at Lauren through the open window of her Camaro. At least she could still laugh about it. That fact made the Phoenix smile right back at her. "Yeah.. Sorry about that."

Bo simply shrugged and smiled another heartbreaking half-smile "We'll have all the time in the world, babe." The tone of her voice sent a shiver straight down Lauren's spine, making her close her eyes to try and block out the onslaught of arousal it brought with it and failing miserably in a way that she would never get used to around the Succubus. She would have to take her leave now or she would not be joining Dyson anytime soon. "Get out of here, Succubus." She grinned, leaning in for one last passionate kiss before letting go of the classic car's door, it's engine roaring to life. "Call me when he's gone, lover." Over the Camaro's deep thunder Bo's voice dripped with sex but before Lauren could do anything about it, the yellow beast's tires spun, leaving Lauren with nothing but a small cloud of smoke and an unbearable throb between her legs. If whatever Dyson had to say was not as important as impending doom she would turn him into a piece of char grilled meat.

-x-

On the other side of the world, Thane McCorrigan's phone rang in the pocket of his expensive suit jacket. Raising it to his ear, he answered in his usual smooth voice "Yes?" Naturally and handsomely pale as he was, the color still drained from his face, leaving it ashen as he listened to his personal secretary going on and on. Finally, he cut him off sharply. "Inform the council that I will be there by dawn." He hung up immediately after, his fist balling at his side as he stared out across the nightly Paris. "Nobody will hurt the people I love." He turned, picking up his packed suitcase and walking out of his expensive suite.

-x-

"Sanctuary!" Bo panted, her left temple bleeding from a sudden blow in the dark. A hundred sets of eyes were on her immediately, the Dal quieting down like someone had simply pressed mute. Kenzi stood next to her, looking at her with wide pale blue eyes, her hands still bloody from the fight they just barely escaped while walking to Bo's grandfather's bar to celebrate. Over the silence, Trick's voice bellowed "Sanctuary has been declared! Everybody out! Now!" His command was adhered to immediately as nobody wanted to get mixed up in what seemed to be a matter of the Elder families.

"Bo?" Trick asked after minutes of silence, his granddaughter still bleeding from her temple, the numerous cuts on her arms already closing. "What happened?" He sounded like he didn't want to know the answer. Dread was all the young Succubus could feel. Never in her life had there been a feeling that compared to this. She had always been safe. Not anymore. "Trick.." She whispered, feeling Kenzi's hand on her arm, reassuring her. She looked into her grandfather's eyes. "They know."

-x-

"What do you mean, they know?" Lauren stared at the two men in front of her, bewildered. Everything had been fine five minutes ago but then she had walked into her apartment to find not only her best friend but also the Ash himself standing in the middle of it, looking more than just concerned.

"It means what I just said, Lauren." The Ash's voice was his usual soothing bass tone though it was at the same time laced with more tension than ever. "The Dark High Elders as well. Someone or something tipped them off. They are calling a meeting right now."

Lauren's mouth was standing open. How could this be? Had someone seen them? Had someone talked? "Your sister is being brought in for questioning." Dyson said softly, pouring more oil into the Phoenix' already smoldering fire. "What?! Charlie has nothing to do with this!"

"That is not for us to decide, Lauren." The Ash answered soothingly. "There will be a hearing tomorrow and you will be called in front of the High Elders." He paused. "I will not lie to you. I can't see a scenario here that ends well. But for the good of the Fae, of all Fae, I'm willing to take your side. This may be the only chance we have."

Lauren stared at the ground. "For the good of all Fae?"

"For the happiness you deserve" Dyson interjected. Lauren's head shot up, her gaze finding his. "For Bo.." she mouthed, her eyes melting first into gold, then a fierce red.

Chapter 25: Royal Blood

The full moon was shining brightly in through the large windows of the otherwise dark apartment, casting long shadows where wandering garlands of cold silver light couldn't reach. It was way past midnight, the omnipresent city lights below dimmed down as even the most persistent of nighthawks slowly gave in to their bodies calling for rest. It was a normal night and like every other normal night there would come a normal morning, the sun rising high to whisk away the cold emptiness the darkness had brought. A normal night fading into a normal day - for the human world.

Lauren could feel the energy buzzing from where she sat, legs crossed on the impeccable parquet floor of her apartment. Even if it was only ever so slight, it was there. It was as if the moon was impatient to fade, waiting for the rays of the sun to finally touch this part of the world and begin the new day. The Phoenix had felt this way before. This was what the night had felt like when a way younger Lauren in leather armor had looked up at the seemingly insurmountable city walls of old Jerusalem, or when the by then battle-proven Phoenix had waited in damp mist and deadly calm before a cold and snowy battle took place near a small town then called Austerlitz. Lauren knew this feeling. The feeling of lives at stake, of a world about to change depending on the coming day.

She closed her eyes, shutting out the deafening silence engulfing her by falling into memories of the view from atop those insurmountable walls, of surprise and fear in the eyes of her enemies as her division charged up the hill, of her emperor's winning smile from the back of his white horse, his hand tucked into the front of his coat in a way still remembered. The memories were still vivid in her immortal mind: sounds of cannons firing, of injured soldiers screaming their pain, the feeling of blood tickling down her left arm where her armor couldn't protect her, the smell of the cold December morning air filled with blood. And Lauren came to the conclusion that all of that, all the glory and honor she had won and all the dread she had ever felt could never compare to what she felt now.

Her eyes snapped back open, deep red like slowly flowing magma. The scent and sounds and pictures of the past faded into nothing, leaving her alone on the floor of her apartment, the garlands of moonlight still flooding across her scarcely clothed form. Looking down, her gaze travelled across the two unsheathed masterpieces of dwarven blacksmithing sitting peacefully on her lap, their blades shimmering softly in the ghostly light. Finally she moved, her fingers slowly tracing one weapon's length. The smooth metal was warm to her touch. Lauren knew that the blades felt her energy humming no matter how still she tried to sit. They absorbed the vibrations the Phoenix involuntarily created in the air around her, heating up like they were preparing for a battle they knew was coming. In truth they were just reacting to their master in a way they had countless times before but the difference was that this time Lauren wasn't able to fully control it. It's why she was sitting as still as she was, moving slowly if at all. One fast or uncalculated motion, she knew, would cause a barely controllable burst of flame to fly from her body and Lauren was still struggling to harness the power she had seemingly unlocked yesterday. In addition to the fire she had kept hidden away for so long she could feel her bond with Bo pulsing white-hot inside her every nerve and vein, providing her with even more strength.

Ever since first the Ash, then Dyson left she had been struggling for control, quickly realizing that sleep was no option for this night. Rest didn't seem to be on her body's mind at all. No, the Phoenix inside her, stronger now than ever, wanted to spread her wings of fire and fly, wanted to burn right through all those who would find her guilty before she even stepped before the High Elder council tomorrow. She remembered the Ash's words though, warning her that every rash decision or action would seal her fate with devastating clarity and she knew it well. There would be no escaping the council but now it wasn't about escaping anymore. It was about withstanding. She would face the High Elder council head on even if it was the last thing she ever did. Fire instinctively shot through her veins. The blonde was sure she would take at least two or three elders with her if they didn't leave her a choice. The powers of a Phoenix had always been something the council had feared, even having one amongst them.

In a move as sudden as it was graceful the blonde stood from her meditative position, arms at her sides, hands lightly gripping the hilts of her two rapiers, their thin shimmering blades crossed in front of her. Her eyes were fixed on a point in the distance only she herself could see and all of a sudden, control came naturally. Two easy strides later she was in the middle of the room, her bare feet halting then sliding into a position so familiar it relaxed Lauren to even assume it: right foot pointing forward, the left one behind it at a square angle, apart exactly as far as her shoulders. Her knees bent slightly, giving her stance something nimble, like a panther ready to pounce but calm at the same time, at ease.

Lauren remembered the sword master who had so long ago taught her for nearly a century, his small frame and thin face but unmatched skill. He had been a Fae with no name, just a weapon meant to be used. And used he was by the council to eliminate Dark Fae leaders deemed a threat. The many scars on his body were his witnesses. Footwork. Nothing is more important. It's called the dance with death for a reason, child. was what he always said, his voice brittle like old parchment. Her never spoke much unless he was teaching her a lesson and each and every single one of them had paid off. Long after the Fae with no name became just another mark in the history of the omnipresent war between Light and Dark Lauren was still a master of the blade, her every move as graceful as it was deadly.

She let the thin blades whirl through the air at blinding speed, racing from position to position, the Phoenix' whole body accompanying the melody they played slicing through air still humming with energy. All the while her mind felt blissfully empty, focusing only on the perfect execution of each form, every part of her performing its designated task. A light sheen of sweat formed on her body, the short white top and tight pants she was wearing doing only so much to obscure strong muscles rolling beneath them, steeled by centuries on history's battlefields. After an eternity and way too short at the same time Lauren came to a halt in her final position, her chest rising and falling quickly as the blades disappeared into their heavily ornamented sheaths at her sides with a metallic grinding noise.

Lauren felt the fire thundering through her heart and every last cell of her body before she was acutely aware of it. She had subconsciously held it back like she always did when doing this kind of sword routine but now that the complete concentration she had while in it was broken, the fire came roaring back with vigor to engulf her entire being completely. The Phoenix closed her still red eyes as she felt her hands ignite in flame, her body crouching to this time accommodate a wholly different dance. It was slower, much more complex and complicated but Lauren mastered it just the same. Heat roared around her as her whole body moved to control the firestorm of her own creation, taming it with almost alarming ease. To her own surprise she found that all her control issues from before were gone, a testament to Lauren reminding herself of what she had to do: Face the council, never back down and fight for the love she never thought to find, for Bo.

Bright light suddenly piercing even her closed eyes finally forced Lauren to open them again and when she did it stopped her dead in her tracks. Her hands were in front of her, holding a hovering ball of flaming energy between them but it wasn't like all those other times when she had practiced Tai-Chi. This flame wasn't a softly glowing red, flickering gently. No, between Lauren's hands was an almost white orb of pure heat that turned a ghostly blue at its edges. Awed, the Phoenix stared at something she had been trying to achieve long ago when she was younger but had given up on. She had managed to produce blue flames before but mostly in moments she wasn't proud of; when Nadia had died for instance. The blue flames had been an indication of a greater amount of energy she had forced to ignite at once, just like hotter flames changed color. To achieve not only the blue color but even the white one was something Lauren never thought possible as she had never gotten past a dark red flame with a blue core when consciously trying to conjure it. Awed but ever curious, the blonde pulled her hands apart, breaking the energy flow and extinguishing the white flame that left behind nothing but a vibration in the energy around her. For all but a second the room was dark again, only the by now fading moon and the slowly beginning day illuminating the open space. Then Lauren brought her hands back together and without even having to do more than concentrate the white flame appeared again, burning just as hot and powerful as before. Directing her thoughts at it she was able to change the color of the flame from white to blue then red and back again, like changing the oxygen supply of a Bunsen burner. Lauren smiled a brilliant smile, the flame in her hands vanishing. This would give her a great advantage.

-x-

With mixed feelings Thane McCorrigan pulled his Jaguar into the long driveway of the McCorrigan mansion, white gravel crunching beneath the tires as the path curved through vast fields of meticulously groomed grass. Trees stood here and there, soaking up the morning sun that had just come up behind the left wing of the mansion. It wasn't high enough yet to reach the forecourt though and so Thane's black Jaguar came to a gentle halt in the shade of the huge gray manor house, a human servant in a black suit immediately rushing to open the driver side door. He bowed deeply as Thane got out of the car, running his left hand through his stylishly ruffled black hair like he didn't have a care in the world. "Master McCorrigan. It's an honor and a pleasure to welcome you back."

Acknowledging the man with nothing more than a side glance of his amber eyes, the Incubus flicked his silver car key into a waiting hand before casually starting to walk towards the front door that was being held open for him by two more servants. Quickly, he ascended one of the curved white marble staircases leading to the heavy oak double door, never even so much as looking at the two humans who respectfully lowered their gazes as he walked past them. Inside he was instantly bombarded with the familiarity of the place. The open space of the wide foyer, wooden staircases winding upwards guarded by statues of white marble, their chiseled features frozen in eternal pleasure. There was a faint smell, noticeable only if one hadn't been here for a while. It was a smell that was dark, decadent like chocolate with hits of exquisite spice. Thane paused to inhale it fully, his eyes flashing electrified blue before he could reel himself back in. He had missed this scent, her scent, his nature as well as his heart calling out for his wife and before he could help it a low rumble escaped his throat. There was only one scent better than this one and that was the tangy, salty note that would mix into it the moment he could finally bury his face in the crook of Aoife's neck when they were in bed together again. Nothing else mattered whenever they were together. It never had. Usually, the Succubus would have already welcomed him back home but she was nowhere to be seen. If this was a game she was playing it better be good, he silently mused.

"Servant." His voice was curt. The young man that appeared next to him bowed his head, his hands folded behind his back. "Where is my beautiful wife?" The Incubus asked, tone dropping dangerously low. The servant looked up for a second and, seeing deep blue staring right back at him, answered quickly. "Madame McCorrigan left for a High Elder council meeting last night. She has not returned yet."

Thane's face showed no indication of emotion but he moved his hand, dismissing the servant like he would chase away a fly. For a split second he wondered why the pale young human with the haunted eyes who usually answered to his beck and call, the one who always brought the food to his bed, wasn't the one who had given him the information now but he forgot about it just as quickly. He was probably off coordinating the staff somewhere else. He was important after all. As important as a human could be in this household.

The beautiful hardwood floors made his expensive dress shoes clack as Thane started to walk again. It was quiet in the large manor house, almost peaceful while he ascended one of the broad wooden staircases leading to the upper level. Reaching the top he went to move towards the master bedroom but in that moment another scent caught his nose, intrinsically out of place for the McCorrigan mansion: blood. Gracefully he whipped around, his eyes blue for a completely different reason now. An object at the end of the hallway immediately caught his attention. It was nothing really extraordinary, just a small silver cloche sitting on a side table under a window that was usually the place for a large bouquet of white roses; the reason he noticed the change in the first place. His eyes narrowed just a bit, the fingers of his elegant hand coming up to fix his beige tie: an old habit.

Slowly, Thane walked down the hallway, his footsteps on the dark hardwood now obscenely loud in his own ears. With every step he took he expected doom to come crashing down around him in whichever form but nothing of the sort happened. By the time he stood in front of the table the sun was reflecting off the silver cloche on it, partly obscuring his contorted mirror image staring back at Thane with blue eyes. Nimble fingers lifted the lid, setting it to the side. All the while the Incubus' gaze never left the small object it revealed. On the silver platter in front of him was a scroll, neatly rolled with a black ribbon around it. Sealing wax had been dripped onto it, marking it an official document of one of the High Elders. The fact that it was black with no seal pressed into it made a shiver run down the Incubus' spine like cold fingers drifting down his back. A dreadful puzzle was slowly coming together in his mind.

Thane quickly walked towards his office, the library of the mansion, unopened scroll still firmly in hand. He found the usually closed double door wide open as he neared, the smell of blood stronger now, increasing his inner anxiety. As he crossed the threshold everything seemed to be the way it always had been: hundreds of books lining the walls in dark wooden bookcases, his large desk and chair to the right. The two dark green armchairs next to the fireplace and even a book he had been reading before flying to Paris right where he had left it. Seemingly nothing had moved but the fact that a roaring fire was crackling in the fireplace told the Incubus a different story, making him grip the manuscript in his hand just a little bit tighter.

There was a gust of wind as if a window behind Thane had somehow opened on its own but when he slowly turned there was nothing. Nothing until his eyes fell on the back corner of the room. His white shirt was ripped and bloodstained on one side, face paler than it had ever been while still alive which in its own was an achievement. His wide open eyes stared at nothing. Thane walked closer. Around the body someone had placed the white roses from the missing bouquet in a manner that seemed almost grotesque since the young human obviously didn't have a peaceful end. One of his hands was cramped as if from clutching onto something but there, too was only an innocent white rose now. Thane sighed. He bent down until he was on one knee and reached for the dead man, closing his eyes gently.

"I never took figured you had compassion for humans." The voice that spoke those words was deep and lazy, barely above a murmur but held so much power it forced another cold shiver down the Incubus' spine. Calmly Thane stood again. "And I never figured you for an artist." He answered in his baritone and turned around once more, amber eyes finding full blood red as he came face to face with an ancient Vampire smiling the cruelest of half-smiles. A deep chuckle escaped Nicolae Istrati, his lips pulling apart to show bloody fangs. Comfortably, he leaned back into the armchair nearest to the fireplace. "He was quite delicious for a human. And you wound me. I thought we were both men who could appreciate a true work of art." Nicolae stood in a sudden move that seemed fast but in truth was nothing compared to what Thane knew he was capable of. "Why don't you sit? We have a lot to talk about." He pointed his elegant hand towards the other armchair, the fire still crackling next to him reflecting off his almost iridescently pale skin and silvery white hair.

Thane held the undead gaze for a second but figured he had no choice and so he moved towards the seat he had been offered in his own home. The moment he sat down another gust of wind whipped past him, Nicolae reappearing seated in the chair next to him not a split second later, relaxed as if he had never moved at all but Thane noticed that the double doors leading to the hallway were now closed. They would not be disturbed.

"Why are you here?" It was the first sentence spoken in nearly ten minutes. Before, the two men had just been looking at each other, trying to read the other. Thane had come to the conclusion that the Vampire lord wanted something from him, something only he could give him but he was being cautious about it like the master politician he was. Nicolae's lips twitched but he took his time thinking about his answer or maybe he was just playing. He ran his fingers along the front of the black waistcoat he wore, just barely brushing the single white rose he had pinned to it as if to mock the human he killed for no other reason than pure cruelty even more. It all gave Thane more time to think, to let his mind drift to his wife, to Bo, to the paper scroll sitting on the small ornamented wooden table between them. Even Lauren Leavold crossed his thoughts. He knew that most things the Dark knew, the Light knew just the same. He wondered if she was prepared for the battle they would have to fight; all in their own way. Across from him, Nicolae's haunting red eyes now fixed him more directly. It seemed to the Incubus as if his own battle was already beginning. "To discuss what we will do come the next High Council meeting in a few hours." The Vampire spoke as if he was talking about a dinner invitation.

"Wouldn't my wife be more suited to talk to you about this?" Thane asked and Nicolae smiled his fanged smile again, eyes flickering towards the still sealed scroll on the table. The Incubus' jaw clenched. Without breaking eye contact he reached for the document sealed with the sigil of the Istrati family: a black ground. As if they needed anything more to show how truly dark they were. The seal immediately yielded to Thane's pull, coming loose with a clacking sound. He read the few lines written in black ink by a masterful hand and this time his jaw clenched so tight it actually cracked. Another gust of wind he barely noticed blew past him but Nicolae's deep bass voice registered as if it was the only thing left in the world. "You should have a drink." The vampire pointed towards two generously filled tumblers now standing on the table, a ridiculously expensive bottle of scotch in between them. "I also believe this is yours now." Thane caught the small pendant tossed at him, the small sword and rose heavy in his hand. But never as heavy as his heart as he reached for the offered drink with his other.

"There is only one thing that matters in this world, Thane McCorrigan." Nicolae spoke clearly after long minutes of silence, his eyes seemingly brighter than ever. He was holding his own tumbler in hand, leisurely circling it and making the amber liquid in it follow his movements. "It's not money or a seat on a High Elder council. Not power. Because power in the common sense refers to the power that resides where people believe it resides. And so often they are sadly mistaken. No. Power, true power, comes from blood. Blood that is older than you or me or any legislature created by any creature. Old blood that runs through the veins of old families manifests itself in power, true power. Families like yours, like mine. Not like that scum Gardiner who is a disgrace to every council meeting he attends." The last sentence was spoken with utter disdain and the Vampire almost looked as if he wanted to spit the words out of his mouth like something revolting to his tongue. But Thane understood. Carefully, his eyes never leaving the bloody red across from him, he said "The Leavold family is a very old, very noble family."

Nicolae smiled brilliantly, nipping at his drink. "Indeed they are."

Nearly an hour later Thane walked into the bedroom he had always shared with his wife. Bitter was the hatred that continued to bloom inside him since he had read the manuscript that promoted him to High Elder Thane McCorrigan. The same manuscript that had informed him that his wife had been imprisoned for the impure relationship she was a product of. He shook his head, first loosening then getting rid of his tie by unceremoniously tossing it onto a chair in the corner.

"Master McCorrigan." A voice from the doorway caught his attention and he turned halfway, seeing the same servant who had answered his questions before standing there, two other humans, one male and one female standing behind him with gazes lowered respectfully. "You asked for two." The servant said and Thane nodded. He bowed once more then hurried off as if he couldn't bear to witness what would happen next. The Incubus walked over to the two humans still standing just in front of the now closed door, taking a gentle hold of their hands and giving them both a strong pulse that made their eyes fly up to meet his blue ones, their auras racing from a dull orange to a full red. He had two hours left before the next council meeting would take place and he intended to use that time to gather as much strength as he could. "It's an honor." Both humans said in unison as Thane led them towards the canopy bed.

-x-

"Trickster, you know I love you, but you're seriously not helping!" Kenzi exclaimed from where she was sitting at the far end of the bar, one of her hands turning a half drunk pint by its handle. Her usually so sly pale blue eyes flickered up to meet the barkeep's at the other end of the bar, her fingers snapping in the direction of the huge book he had been sitting in front of for hours now. In a flutter of pages it fell shut, startling both Trick and Bo who was sitting opposite her grandfather, chin resting on her folded hands. She too, now moved her gaze to meet that of her best friend. Kenzi looked pale, paler than usual but Bo didn't really take too much notice of that. If she were to look into a mirror herself she was sure she would be able to rival a bed sheet. This uneasiness she felt in her gut - that they all felt - of course it showed in their features. Kenzi was no exception and neither was Bo herself.

As if in slow motion she turned back towards the now closed leather-bound book Trick had been going through for hours now, informing them whenever he found something noteworthy in the ancient histories of both Light and Dark, something that could maybe be of help. One of Bo's hands moved from under her chin, coming to rest on the book's worn binding, her fingers slowly tracing the ancient runes imprinted on it. The symbol of the Light Fae, a stylized sun with wavy rays, was next to the symbol of the Dark which looked much the same but less gentle, harsh edges replacing the waves. Bo knew these two signs like little else. The only thing that could really rival their omnipresence in her life was her family's sigil, the silver sword entwined with a rose. When she was younger and still living at the McCorrigan mansion sword and rose as well as the dark symbol seemed to stare back at her from everywhere. Wherever she looked, there they were, seemingly whispering in her ear. You're a McCorrigan. Live up to your name. You're the heir. Don't disappoint your family. Live the life chosen for you. Even now the memories of her family members scolding her, of wanting to be perfect for them but never achieving still sent cold fingers ghosting down her spine, forcing her to close her eyes for the briefest of moments to block out the past. Back then she had tried to be everything her mother wanted from her only daughter but decades of never being enough finally made her realize something that sent her spiraling out of control for a long time. She realized she didn't want to be her mother's perfect daughter. She wanted to be the exact opposite. She wanted to just be Bo. And so she moved out right after her dawning and became the Succubus whose reputation preceded her by far. She only did what she wanted to do and when she found a friend in a Djinn named Kenzi who wanted the same things she thought she had finally succeeded in becoming truly herself. She couldn't have been happier.

A lie was what it turned out to be. Because only when she had met Lauren Leavold and in the weeks after did the brunette slowly realize that being herself was more than being the exact opposite of what her family wanted. The shadow of her heritage had pushed her from one extreme to the other but no further towards herself. The foundation had always been there but it was Lauren with her brightly lit fire who finally let her cast her own shadow, thus stepping out of her family's. With the gentle Phoenix Bo could be herself and after fighting the inevitable for long enough the Succubus finally accepted and embraced it. She now understood what her father had told her the day they had lunch together before he left again. She had changed.

Bo smiled crookedly but still a little sadly while her index finger followed along the gentle lines of the Light Fae symbol, tracing them again and again. It seemed to be nothing but bad luck that she would find a connection like this and fall so deeply in love with a Fae she could never even think of having a future with. Choosing anyone other than one of her three intended mates, all Dark Fae of course and all McCorrigans of lower decent, would have caused ripples to say the least. She may have had a chance of convincing her father to let her marry some other Dark Fae as long as he or she was highborn. Choosing a lowborn Dark Fae would have caused serious political disputes as such thing was unheard of with the Dark High Elders. But choosing a Light Fae? And, ironically, here it was even worse that Lauren was highborn but it wouldn't have made much difference anyway. Lesser things had started wars between the two sides and if the small conversation Bo had with Lauren's mother at the High Elder banquet was anything to go by, the Leavold family had already found their culprit. It wouldn't save Lauren of course but the Succubus had the feeling that Elizabeth and Aoife were two sides of the same coin: one Light, one Dark. If that was true a firstborn daughter was an acceptable price to pay for power, especially since the Leavolds even had another daughter.

Again, Bo looked down at the book in front of her but now more specifically at her own wandering fingers. There was dried blood still under her fingernails from last night when she and Kenzi were walking to the Dal from the side alley where Bo had parked her Camaro. It had happened fast, five ogres appearing out of the shadows to attack them. The Succubus believed they wanted to capture, not kill them but they had fought like it was all the same to them. She had never been so thankful for the dagger she always kept in her boot but in truth it had been Kenzi who had done most of the work. Her masterful and merciless control over inanimate objects made her a fierce fighter but her power to dematerialize at will was what won them the time to run for the Dal's entrance before even more bounty hunters could appear from the shadows. As the door to the bar that was their safe haven fell shut behind them Bo's ears were still ringing with what one of the ogres had shouted after them. "You're to be brought in for high treason, Succubus!" And high treason only ever meant one thing.

A loud bang from the door made her head snap up, eyes finding dark brown ones staring at her fixedly from under thick black lashes. "This is a place of sanctuary." Trick warned from behind the bar but the newcomer only smiled wickedly, a thin scar on his left cheek twitching. He was all in black leather, his jacket old and worn but he was still good-looking. There was no doubt though that he was dangerous as well, the sheath of a dagger poking out from his belt. "I know what this place is, barkeep." He drawled, a thick accent cruelly contorting the words.

"Who the hell are you?" Kenzi asked from behind Bo, the Succubus hearing her best friend slip off her barstool slowly. The stranger's grin only widened. "It's not important who I am." His eyes were still fixing Bo like he was trying to imprint every last detail of her face into his mind forever. "It's just important who you are." He raised a dirty finger to loosely point at the Succubus who was still sitting on her barstool, upper body turned towards the door. He chuckled. "Ysabeau, Ysabeau. You've been a naughty girl. The high council sends its greetings. They already know but they'd like to ask you again in person what exactly it was that you did with that Light Fae whore of yours."

There was a loud clattering sound as Bo's barstool tumbled over backwards, the Succubus now fully turned towards the intruder, her eyes bright blue. Trick moved in his place behind the bar, one of his hands raised towards his granddaughter, trying to soothe her. Sanctuary only lasted as long as neither of them attacked those they were hiding from. "Bo." He warned but it was drowned out by maniacal laughter coming from their unwelcome guest. "So short-tempered." He smiled again. "You shouldn't waste that on me. The council is waiting. As soon as you set a foot out of this building, we'll be there. We're all waiting." For the first time his eyes switched to Kenzi who had come to stand next to Bo. "For you too, Djinn." His gaze wandered to Trick. "I have a warrant for you too, old man." He turned, walking leisurely out the front door and as is closed his voice could still be heard speaking one last sentence while laughing. "Ever wondered where your blood pixie went?"

Silence engulfed the Dal for a good few minutes before Kenzi scoffed. "Our blood pixie? Is that supposed to be a joke?" Bo looked at her best friend and shrugged. She didn't know what the cryptic question meant either but when they both looked at Trick expecting him to be just as clueless they found him white as a sheet, his eyes staring into nothing, hands shaking on top of the bar. "Trick? What the hell is going on?" He didn't answer, though. He just all of a sudden walked off towards the entrance to his office beneath the Dal, leaving the two women behind in their confusion. Before they could ponder much about what was going on they heard footsteps on the stairs again. Seconds later Trick emerged again and in his hand he held what seemed to have been a cage at a certain point but now it was empty, the thin metal bars it was composed of bent at strange angles in some places.

Tick set the deformed cage on the floor and took a few steps back as if it was something worth looking at from a distance, his face still pale as it had been from the second the bounty hunter who had just paid them a visit had spoken that last cryptic sentence. "What's that?" Kenzi asked after another moment of loaded silence and while Bo had asked herself the same thing she didn't need explanation what it was anymore. She had seen it before when she came by to ask Trick about him and her grandmother. Just that the cage had been intact back then and housing a small Underfae pixie that Trick told her only prayed on blood - a blood pixie so to speak. "Where is it?" She asked, making her grandfather look at her with almost empty eyes, Kenzi throwing her a look as well but hers was curious.

The old barkeep sighed. "I told you I was conducting experiments on their kind. They are very rare and we don't know much about them so I wanted to study it but it broke free a few days ago. I thought of it as a missed opportunity and, of course, it annoyed me." He paused before continuing in a grave voice "But it seems this escape caused a lot more than I thought."

"Can someone please let me in on this, guys? What the hell has whatever lived in that thing to do with what's happening here?" Kenzi's exasperated voice rang through the Dal, reminding Bo and Trick that she was still there. Briefly, the Succubus closed her eyes before finding her composure again. Agitation roared through her. She could have been in bed with Lauren right now hadn't it been for that.. thing. "I came by a few days ago and asked about him and my grandmother. He told me the whole story and afterwards I told him about me and Lauren."

Trick nodded. "I had to make a small powder that would prevent ears from outside the room from listening to things they shouldn't be. I had a blood pixie in this cage and it was sitting in my office." He sighed, pressing his fingers to his temples. "I had no idea they were this intelligent. I thought they were just another rare species of Underfae."

Kenzi's brow furrowed, her gaze wandering from Trick to the deformed cage and back again. "So what you're saying is that this fairy thingy heard everything you said and ratted you out to the High Elders? That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard!" She threw her hands up in the air for emphasis and Trick nodded. "I know. But nothing else makes sense. The only thing that would lead to the High council wanting to arrest me as well would be them finding out about me and Isabeau. There is no other explanation."

"And you would be right." A gruff voice from the door interjected, starling the trio gathered around the broken cage. They all looked up towards the man standing in the door, his tall frame clad in jeans and a brown leather jacket. It had very telling blotches on its left side, quickly drying blood sticking to the rough material. There was even more on his face that looked like a blood covered hand had smeared across it. The red liquid was quickly turning black in his beard and eyebrows, making his features almost unrecognizable. It was obvious that he had to fight to get here, another testament to the truth in the bounty hunter's words from before. They indeed seemed to all be camped outside the Dal and the thought of being besieged like that made Bo's stomach almost turn over on itself.

"Dyson? What brings you here?" Trick's careful words distracted the Succubus from mulling over the feeling for longer. Now that her grandfather had said it, Bo immediately recognized the wolf shifter as well. Images from their night together flashed before her eyes but they seemed far away, like it had all happened centuries ago not mere weeks. The wolf regarded her for a quick moment, like he was processing something but the blood on his face obscured most of his facial expression. "I'm here by orders of the Ash."

Kenzi immediately scoffed humorlessly in response. "You could have saved yourself the hassle, wolfie. The second we step out of the Dal we're free game. Whatever the Ash wants, he's not going to get it from us."

"No." Dyson shook his head in response. "He sent me to update you on what happened in the last few hours." When all he received were confused and questioning glances the wolf sighed, walking over to one of the tables and perching himself against it before explaining further. "I'm guessing the most prominent news has reached you all." He looked at Bo. "Ysabeau McCorrigan is wanted by the Dark high council for high treason. McKenzie Malikov is also mentioned and to be brought in for questioning." His voice sounded like he was reciting the contents of an official document, which he probably was.

"We gathered as much when we had to fight off a bunch of ogres last night." Kenzi grumbled, crossing her arms in front of her chest while leaning back against the bar. Dyson looked at the small Djinn for a second and nodded. "There is also an order by the Light high council to bring in Fitzpatrick O'Sheehan, keeper of this region's way station. Charges are the same. In his case the Ash has made use of his right to offer his protection to members of his colony." He was now looking at Trick, the slightest hint of a smile playing around his features. "I always wondered why you were so fond of this Succubus here Trickster. You were not the best liar about it."

"My lies were necessary." Trick answered softly and Dyson nodded, pushing off the table. "I understand completely. Some things can only be made true again by speaking about them and it's better not to." Slowly, he walked towards the bar where he came to stand right in front of the old barkeep who had been one of his closest friends for the longest time. A smile passed between them and Bo could see the thankfulness in her grandfather's eyes as he looked up at the bloodied wolf shifter. Seconds later it was clouded with question marks, though. "Why has the Ash offered me his protection? I wasn't going to deny my guilt."

"He stands with you in this matter." He dealt Bo another quick look. "With Bo and Lauren as well. I believe he once told you about his ultimate plans for the Fae?" The words left the Succubus listening to them confused for the umpteenth time that day and she furrowed her brow to show it but she didn't have to wait long for her answer. Trick chuckled, shaking his head as if he was smiling at the antics of a child. "That fool is still trying to unite the Fae. And I had thought that idea had died long ago at the hands of harsh reality."

Dyson grinned a wolfish smile that looked terrifying through all the blood still on his face. "It surprised me, too when he told me last night. He always was a visionary but I didn't think he'd take it that far. Called me personally last night, telling me to meet him in front of Lauren's apartment. He was being very secretive until I was there with him. A Dark Fae contact had told him that the council had called an extraordinary meeting and that High Elder Aoife McCorrigan had been thrown into the dungeons beneath the dark compound."

"What?!" Bo roared, her mouth agape as she stared at Dyson recounting something she hadn't even thought possible. The wolf shifter nodded like it was nothing. "As you all figured correctly a few minutes ago the council learned more than enough through the blood pixie previously in Trick's possession. By chance she was caught by Dark Fae shortly after she escaped here and somehow she ended up being brought before High Elder Istrati. He's a vampire lord, he just needs a taste of blood to witness all his victim ever experienced. He was the one who set all this into motion. And since your mother is now officially only half McCorrigan she wasn't eligible to be the elder anymore. So it passed to the next pure blood McCorrigan."

"Isabeau? My grandmother?" Bo asked but Dyson quickly shook his head. "No she and her husband are nowhere to be found. It seems they got away. Your father. He's the new elder."

The revelation almost knocked the wind out of Bo completely. She had never imagined her father becoming High Elder. He was not from the royal family so he would have always been last in line but with her grandmother as well as herself out of the equation he was of course the one they would go to.

"But that's a good thing, right?" Kenzi interjected. "Bo's dad is alright. More so than most of her other crazy relatives. He can help."

Dyson just shrugged. "That I don't know. I just know that he officially accepted the ascent and that the Dark high council is currently debating on how to proceed."

"And the Light?" Bo wanted to know. She hadn't heard anything from Lauren and it worried her. She had checked her phone numerous times but she couldn't get a signal - no doubt the work of the vultures waiting outside for just one little misstep.

"The Light high council was just gathering when I left the compound. They're preparing for Lauren's hearing."

"There will be a hearing?"

"Yes. She means to face all of them head on. She said as much last night as the Ash told her all she needed to know. Her sister was also questioned last night but it seems she didn't know a thing. It doesn't surprise me. Lauren was always very secretive and in this case, she probably thought it would be better to not drag her sister into this as well."

Bo had to smile despite herself. She had only met her briefly but Charlotte Leavold had much more of her older sister in her than most people seemed to believe. The kid had obviously done the perfect job of leading the council to believe her sister had kept this piece of information from her. It was, of course, saving her own skin but having her with them in this mess would have done nobody any good. Dyson saw the smile on her face. "It seems you know something I don't here. Let's keep it that way. Walls tend to have ears at times like this."

They all nodded in agreement. "And now?" Trick asked after a while of silence. Dyson rose from his hunched position at the bar, taking a step back. "Now I'm going to get cleaned up. It's a mess outside. Hale and Tamsin are doing their best to keep everything under wraps so it doesn't get out to the humans but our world is shaking. More so the more information seeps onto the streets. I was ordered to stay here and do what I can to keep you all safe until we know how to proceed." He smiled, easing the weary faces staring at him. "I think we could all use a pint while we wait."

-x-

Lauren was staring out at the lush garden that made up the compound's inner courtyard. Her arms were crossed in front of her chest, jaw set tightly as she waited for the council to call on her. It was a waiting game of course, a psychological strategy to wear her thin before she even set one foot into the council chamber. She knew that and that's why it wouldn't work. The Phoenix had lived long enough to understand how politics worked. She had spent so many hours of her life waiting; for armies to attack, for generals to give orders, for her medical research to finally deliver results. It had all formed her as a person, making her patient to wait for her turn. Still, waiting right now gnawed at a certain part of her. It was that feeling again. The one that had befallen her the night before: the uneasiness of a changing world. She had felt it all morning while she had put on the ornamented doublet she used to wear at official gatherings. The heavy material was a dark shade of red embroidered with golden thread forming stylized suns held by equally golden birds with wide spread wings. The motif covered all of the doublet in different variants forming a beautifully composed mosaic.

Lauren had chosen it because it was as much a testament to her rank and heritage as it was practical when fighting. Combined with tight white buckskin pants and black boots the ensemble would allow her to move freely. It was heavy enough to offer some protection yet light enough to not hinder her in any way. Also it wasn't obvious like her light fencer's armor in the colors and style of her French army days. No, this was merely a formal appearance. Even her hair tied back behind back in a loose bun could be viewed as a mere tribute to the situation.

The only thing truly speaking of her serious intentions were the two ornamented sheaths hanging at her left side, red leather sword belts crossing her hips. Their familiar weight always put Lauren at ease but she resisted the urge to run her fingers across the delicate yet strong crossbars and knuckle guards. There were two Fae guarding the entrance to the high council chamber no twenty feet behind her. If she reached for her weapons now they could see it as a threat. She was now a traitor after all and so they wouldn't have to justify themselves for pointing their own weapons at a member of one of the royal families. So Lauren just kept staring down at the lone gardener trimming the hedges in the garden below. He seemed utterly engrossed in his work, so much that the blonde Phoenix almost envied him for his simple task. She didn't mean that it wasn't hard to keep a garden looking they way this one did. Just that his art was a straightforward one, one without politics or the heavy weighing duties that came with a last name like Lauren's.

Before she had more time to ponder one of the guards cleared his throat, making the blonde turn ever so slightly, looking at the man out of the corner of her eye. She could still see the weariness in his gaze. The old habits all Fae learned when they were younger, habits of how to treat those born to rule them, indeed died hard. The guard wasn't sure how to correctly behave in front of her. "The council will see you now."

Lauren acknowledged his words with a barely noticeable nod of her head. One last time she turned back to the gardener below who was now busy with the next hedge, having finished the one he had previously worked on. With a deep breath the Phoenix turned, loosening her arms at her sides as they had grown slightly stiff while folded across her chest. She was almost at the double door that was now open to reveal a wide corridor with expensive pieces of art adorning the walls when another voice stopped her. It was the other guard's. "You can't take your weapons with you." He informed her, immediately bowing his head when Lauren merely looked at him in response "I'm sorry, Miss Leavold." He added quickly. The blonde just smiled, letting her eyes wander over his youthful and toned features. This man was obviously a skilled fighter for his age but he wouldn't stand a chance against her. Neither would his partner; the bulky built his suit couldn't hide marking him as strong but slow. Lauren smiled at the guard who had addressed her just now. "And who do you propose will stop me from doing so?"

He visibly paled. Obviously her reputation as a master of the blade still preceded her by far but his voice still came out surprisingly calm when he spoke. "These are the rules, Miss Leavold."

"I'm sure they are. They don't answer my question though, I'm afraid." She smiled again, her left hand slowly wandering to calmly place itself onto the hilt of the upper Rapier. It was a subtle warning, but a warning nonetheless. The guard's gaze fixed itself onto the ornamented weapon at Lauren's side, seemingly contemplating his options. They stayed like this for long moments and finally the blonde found she had wasted enough time, with a flick of her fingers drawing her weapon about an inch out of its sheath but it was enough. The guards both visibly flinched, their hands flying to their respective weapons but they soon realized that Lauren hadn't intended to attack them. Still, their heavy breathing spoke of their fear. They looked at each other for a split second before simultaneously taking a step back and resuming their original positions with heads bowed. "Continue on, Miss Leavold."

The Phoenix gave nothing more than a nod, taking leisurely but sure steps through the double door and down the corridor, ignoring the fine artwork on its white walls. Instead she focused her eyes on the door that would finally open up to the council chamber. It was another double door, heavy and wooden. It had inlaid work so that, when closed, the two wings together formed the symbol of the Light Fae, its soft lines greeting Lauren like an old friend. She didn't have much time to admire it though. As she neared the two Fae guarding this last door silently opened it wide for her, revealing a view so bright it almost hurt the eyes after the slightly dark corridor. Stepping into the large council chamber gave her a feeling of finality. This was the moment she had been waiting for and whatever came of it, it would change the Fae world. Lauren felt it.

The chamber she had entered was not particularly large in expanse but it was high, its ceiling ending in a dome that was a trademark feature of the Light Fae compound though not many Fae ever saw it from the inside. The floor was made of slightly rough white stone, gray and beige mixing into it here and there. In the middle was again the symbol of the Light Fae, inlaid in black this time, making it stand out even more. It was in the middle of this symbol that Lauren came to stand, her back straight but posture relaxed, looking up at the council seats. They were arranged in a semicircle as wide as the room permitted, like terraces with white marble banisters, six feet off the ground dwarfing Lauren as was no doubt their intention. From each of the five places in the circle hung a banner that was about Lauren's height, the sigil of one of the five families holding a seat on the council depicted on each. It didn't take her long to fix her eyes on the golden sun held by birds on a red background, her grandmother standing regally at the banister above it, her face a mask showing not even a flicker of emotion. To High Elder Leavold's left stood High Elder Valentine, his impressive beard shielding most of his expression from view. His muscled arms were crossed in front of his chest clad expensively in blue silk. Beneath him was his sigil, a silver sea dragon winding around an equally silver trident on a field of turquoise. Across from them to Lauren's left stood the High Elders Tuwawi and Kaya, a wolf's head on a black background and a walking winged lion in an earth-colored field hanging beneath them. They were both looking at Lauren with interest and the blonde thought she could even make out the ghost of a smile playing around High Elder Alexis Kaya's lips. Her intelligent eyes, green like glinting emeralds, were looking right into Lauren, searching it seemed. At last the blonde's gaze fell on the Fae standing in the middle of the semi circle. He was looking at her with disdain, even open disgust in his mismatched eyes; one icy blue, one golden. Clothed all in white as always his gloved hands rested on the banister before him. An azure blue banner with an angel on it, gaze raised towards the sky hung beneath him, emphasizing his silent point even more. He was the self-declared head of this council though his vote didn't have more weight than the others. His family put so much effort towards fulfilling their so-called purpose but to Lauren they had always been not more than another family clinging desperately to power while trying to obtain even more of it. The Cohen family. Malakhim without exception. Angels.

It was him, Sariel Cohen, who addressed her in a voice like velvet but cold. "Lauren Leavold. You come before us to answer for your crime." His mismatched eyes bore into her but the Phoenix never wavered, looking back at him calmly. "I do." She said.

"We received information that accuses you of an impure relationship with Ysabeau of Dark High Elder clan McCorrigan, genus Succubae. Do you deny these accusations?" This time it had been Elder Kaya who spoke, her powerful melodious voice echoing like an aria in the quiet council chamber. Lauren took her time turning her gaze towards the woman before she shook her head. "I do not."

"Lauren!" It was a shocked exclamation, making the blonde turn in the direction of the voice that she knew didn't belong here. Her eyes found her mother's, standing about fifteen yards behind her in the entrance of the council chamber, Charlotte right behind her looking much like a deer in the headlights. "Mother." The Phoenix acknowledged her simply.

"You will not talk about having anything with that woman! That you let her put her filthy hands on you!" Elizabeth continued and started walking towards her but Lauren held up a hand, effectively stopping her mother in her tracks, a look of disbelief etched on her face. "But I will, mother." She turned back to face the council. "I will not deny the fact that I did what I was accused of by the council. I will also not deny that I love her."

Lauren heard the gasp from behind her but before her mother could say more Elder Leavold's voice cracked like a whip above them. "Elizabeth." It hadn't even been particularly loud but the tone of her voice alone made the whole room pause for a second. It also served its purpose, making Lauren's mother shrink back like a scolded four year old.

"By the law you are allowed to have your family with you here." Elder Valentine informed Lauren when everything had quieted down again. "To witness your sentence. Do you wish that?" And although the blonde resented the fact that her mother still judged her in this position, that Charlie had to witness this because there was really only one possible outcome, she still felt like they deserved to know. Elizabeth deserved to know that it hadn't been some rash decision that led her to Bo. That she had never chosen to fall in love with the Succubus. Or Nadia before her. Charlie deserved to know the whole truth, an example to go by in the long life she was going to lead. Lauren knew she hadn't been the best of sisters for a long time but Charlie was still young. She just hoped her baby sister would understand why she had to do what she did. So she nodded. "I do." The council nodded their consent in unison.

"You said you love her." Again, it was High Elder Cohen who spoke, his voice dripping with disdain. "You meant the Succubus?" Again, Lauren nodded, proudly looking him in the eye. The gesture made his lip curl up in disgust but then he smiled, leaning forward on the banister. "You are making this trial very easy. A relationship with a Dark Fae. Let alone a member of an elder family. The Succubus I can understand, I mean they are generally unstable but this particular one seems to bed everything that can't get up a tree by the count of three." He chuckled and Lauren had to roll her shoulders, her eyes melting into gold but otherwise she kept calm. She knew that he just wanted her to do something rash, wanted her to draw her sword and give him an excuse. "I don't think there is any use in insulting Lauren." High Elder Kaya interjected calmly.

Sariel just scoffed. "Why? It's a truth she has to accept."

"Because not only are we the keepers of the fragile peace between the two sides, but we are also talking about the heir to the McCorrigan seat on the dark high council. We would do good to remember her blood and honor it. Dark Fae or not." She ended and then, for the first time that day, High Elder Tuwawi set to speak in her deep and soothing voice. "This one speaks true. We are merely the keepers of the laws laid down by the generations before us. If we are to judge, we judge only by them."

Sariel's eyes narrowed a bit but he didn't say what Lauren could see running through his mind. "We should still take a vote then, should we not? To determine the guilt of Lauren Leavold and to act accordingly after a sentence is passed." The council agreed once more. Lauren's heart involuntarily started racing and she gripped the hilt of her trusted Rapier a bit tighter. She could hear Charlotte crying quietly behind her but she didn't turn. She knew that if she did, she would start thinking again and she couldn't allow herself to do that. She needed all her concentration and strength for what was to come now. There would be no way of getting out of this chamber alive once the sentence was passed but the Phoenix was sure she could take some of the Elders with her before her fire went out. She saw Sariel prepare to speak and her last thought was for Bo, a silent vow of love and the hope that her Succubus would somehow get out of this. Even if she knew it was a nearly futile wish.

The Angel above her opened his mouth to speak but he was interrupted by Lauren's grandmother before he could even begin. "I have one last thing to say." She started and the council members nodded their consent once more. "I have been High Elder for as long as such a thing exists in this world. As you well know but some of you choose to ignore, there was a world before Light and Dark, before the great war that divided us seemingly forever. Who joined which side in the end was merely a thing of allegiance in the war, or even just chance. I lived in that world. So choosing ones mate based on Light or Dark is pointless to me. Mates are to be chosen by blood. Power belongs with power. And powerful blood is something worth protecting.

Yesterday I felt ripples in the fire around me; today I know that was you, Lauren. You sang to the Succubus out of the love you both feel for another. Now that I'm in your presence I can feel the power radiating from you. None of us standing here would stand a chance in single combat now that your song made yours and the Succubus' power mingle." She paused and for the first time in her long life Lauren thought she saw her grandmother smile at her. "I am no longer the strongest Leavold. I have been waiting for this day for a long time and ever since your birth I've always known it would be you who would bring it about, Lauren. It is time for me to step down as High Elder and pass the title on to my deserving heir. I, Amunet Leavold, hereby give my seat on this council to my granddaughter Lauren Leavold. Her blood is pure, her heart full of light."

Nothing could match the silence that followed those words.