Hey guys! First of all, wow! The impact this story seems to have floors me. I'm so grateful for your kind words, and I do love reading your theories on what'll happen next. So, from the bottom of my heart, thank you. Enjoy!
Chapter 4
For a while, no words were spoken, the quiet tenderness of the moment only accompanied by their slowly calming breaths. Lauren's brain functions and speech had returned, but she failed to grasp the connection between them, which irritated her in a way. Her inner scientist's heart yearned to know what was happening, but her mind knew that science, if anything, needed time – especially when it came to uncharted realms such as the mysterious mating ritual between a succubus and her partner. Lost in thought, Lauren inhaled Bo's addictive scent – silently acknowledging the fact that all her senses seemed to be functioning normally in this environment – and ran her fingers up and down her exposed arm.
"I love you", she whispered. The words were out before she knew what she'd said. Gobsmacked by her own statement, she just lay there, eyes wide open, mouth agape.
Bo lifted her head and met Lauren's gaze. She looked so vulnerable, and Bo's heart clenched in her chest. Noticing the uncertainty and surprise in her eyes, she wanted nothing more than to take her fears away. Of course, this whole situation was… surreal, to say the least. How could anyone fall for another person so quickly, knowing next to nothing about them? Sure, the attraction between them had been instant and mutual from the start, but love didn't equal lust by a long shot.
And yet, neither the blonde's declaration nor their alleged bond scared Bo in the slightest. Propping herself up on one arm, she smiled at her lover, who still seemed to be overwhelmed by the array of impressions that had crashed down on her over the last few minutes.
"I love you, too", she replied with a smile and ran her fingertips over Lauren's eyebrows, cheeks and lips.
The blonde felt like falling. The turmoil inside her was too much, so she opted for the only way out, holding on to the only person capable of catching her. Urgently grabbing Bo's face, she crashed their lips together in a fierce kiss. For a long time, their tongues danced together, stroking and caressing, soft moans breaking the silence every now and then.
Paying no more mind to any concerns of hurting the blonde, Bo gave into the pull, savouring Lauren's delicious chi. Earlier, she'd been too wrapped up in the fear of losing control, but now, she noticed that the feed was a mere echo of what she'd experienced during their very first kiss outside the compound. But even Lauren's limbo-chi tasted better than anything she'd ever had before.
Supported by the complete awareness of the doctor's presence, Bo managed to fight the current right from the start this time, concentrating on interrupting the flow after each gulp, until finally breaking away altogether. Maintaining control like this was exhausting, and she was panting when she met Lauren's loving gaze.
"What is happening to us?", she asked, echoing Bo's question from before as an awe-struck frown creased her forehead.
"I don't know", Bo replied with a small shrug. "But we'll find out, I'm sure."
She could tell, that her "insatiably curious human doctor" craved to get to the bottom of all this. Lauren was a scientist through and through – that much had been clear to Bo right from their first encounter. And while she would've been perfectly content with spending her life with the blonde in blissful oblivion, she knew that the doctor wouldn't rest until she found out everything there was to know about their mysterious bond. So, in this moment, Bo vowed to support her in any way possible to help her achieve this goal.
Lauren smiled and pushed a strand of hair behind her lover's ear. "We're still almost fully dressed", she stated, causing Bo to cast a glance down their bodies.
"Unacceptable", she replied with a smirk and climbed off the bed to get rid of her clothes. The blonde wanted to follow suit, but Bo gestured for her to stop. "No, please… let me do that." Lauren bit her lip and nodded. Bo watched her intently, while she was making quick work of her own top, bra and pants.
Lauren's eyes glazed over and she clutched the sheets when Bo revealed her breasts. "My god…", she whispered, eyes fixated on the succubus's lush curves.
Bo found herself reminded of a few days back, when she'd sat on the doctor's examination table. Her flustered look was the same, but this time, there was open lust mixed in. The blonde's mesmerised gaze sent a surge of arousal to Bo's centre, firing up her desire once more. Carelessly discarding her panties, she climbed back on the bed to straddle her lover's hips.
Immediately, Lauren's fingers wandered up her sides towards Bo's breasts, which she'd wanted to touch since the very first time she laid eyes on them. Carefully, almost reverently, she placed a hand on each mound and closed her eyes to savour the feeling. "Fuck, you feel good…", she whimpered. "So soft… so perfect…" Framing Bo's nipples between her index and middle fingers, she lightly pinched them, coaxing a soft gasp from the brunette.
"Lauren", Bo husked, throwing her head back and grinding into her lover. She'd fully planned on undressing the blonde, but now, she was lost… completely at her mercy and utterly unable to resist her tender touch.
Lauren's movements grew more urgent, her hands kneading and squeezing the soft flesh, until she could no longer wait to taste her lover. Letting go of one breast to quickly push herself up into a sitting position, she wrapped her lips around one of the brunette's strained buds. Bo let out a soft cry and buried her hands in Lauren's hair to pull her closer. The feeling of the doctor's swirling tongue was out of this world. Over and over, she circled the hard nipple, while her hand worked the other one. "Lauren…", Bo repeated with a whimper. She was so turned on that her brain was no longer functioning, only ever producing the one word that was left on her dazed mind. "Lauren… Lauren… Lauren."
For minutes, the blonde devoured Bo's breasts, covering them in licks, bites and kisses, kneading and squeezing, pinching and caressing, listening to her lover's pleading moans, until she final relented and let go to lie back. "Sit on my face", she ordered.
The words made Bo even dizzier, but she didn't need a functioning brain to comply. All she needed to know was that within seconds, Lauren's tongue would finally touch her clit, and – if the dedication she'd shown her breasts was any indication at all – take her to previously unknown heights of pleasure. Eagerly scooting up, Bo straddled her legs and quickly sank down on her lover's face.
The sensation was indescribable and beyond anything Bo had ever experienced. Screaming with pleasure, she relished in the feeling of Lauren's heavenly tongue covering the entire length of her pussy in strong strokes, forcefully pushing into her core and greedily lapping up Bo's freely flowing juices.
Her fingers were squeezing the brunette's buttocks, firmly holding her in place, while she savoured her divine taste. Looking up, Lauren watched her lover squirm – back arched, breasts on full display and head thrown back in complete ecstasy. Never in her life had she seen anything more beautiful. Bo's perfect breasts gently swayed up and down with her grinding movements, while her softly curved stomach twitched with the anticipation of her impending release. Lauren moaned into her lover's pussy, burying herself even deeper to fully take in Bo's throbbing clit, devotedly sucking and making her scream.
She was close… so close. And she already knew that this was going to be epic. Desperately clinging to the bed's headboard, Bo felt the first ripples reach her core, when her orgasm hit her like a powerful explosion. "Lauren… Lauren…! LAUREN!", was all she could scream. Repeating the doctor's name over and over again, she kept grinding into her, watching mesmerised as her tongue relentlessly worked her folds. The sight was so arousing that she couldn't stop her hips from moving.
As soon as the brunette's orgasm subsided, Lauren stopped the direct assault on her centre, but when she noticed Bo's eagerly undulating midsection, she more than happily went along with it. Covering her outer lips in long, languid strokes, she kept dipping her tongue deep into Bo's core, basking in the moans and whimpers her actions where causing.
"Yes, baby, lick me…", Bo cried in between heavy breaths.
With a deep groan, Lauren carefully probed her lover's inner lips, running her tongue further upwards, until it made contact with Bo's clit once again.
"Fuck!", Bo growled, her eyes glowing a bright shade of cerulean blue. Her succubus came roaring forward, and Bo basked in her ferocity, letting go completely, trusting in the perfect safety of limbo, where she couldn't harm her mate.
Lauren watched, fascinated as Bo's eyes took on a bright shade of blue and her voice turned into a savage roar, as she rode her face with reckless abandon. Her second climax was wild and primal, and it drove the blonde crazy. Devotedly sucking Bo's clit, she relished in every urgent movement, every sound and every drop of the brunette's heavenly taste.
When her body stopped shuddering, Bo slumped forward, panting heavily, her eyes turning back to their normal colouring. "Wow", she gasped and with an immense effort lifted herself up, climbing off Lauren's body and collapsing on the bed next to her.
Immediately, the blonde scooted closer, raining kisses on Bo's shoulder and drawing circular patterns on her sweaty skin. "That was…" She searched for the right word, but nothing seemed to come to mind. "Yeah, I agree with 'wow'."
Bo chuckled… a low, rumbling sound coming from deep within, which instantly reminded Lauren of the sounds of the freed beast she'd just witnessed… as well as her own renewed arousal. With a low hum, she bit Bo's shoulder and roughly grabbed a breast, greedily kneading the pillowy flesh.
In a flash, the brunette seized Lauren's wrist, turning the both of them over and pinning her on her back. "How are you still wearing all these clothes?", she growled with a seductive smile.
Lauren smirked cheekily and shrugged. "Not my fault."
Bending down to claim possession of the blonde's mouth, Bo engaged her in a deep, slow kiss, that evoked the exact same strong pull as before. But now that her beast was satisfied, she found it a lot easier to focus on the intense sensation of tasting Lauren, while at the same time keeping an eye on chi flow. Straddling the blonde's hips once again, Bo lifted her up into a sitting position to rid her of the disturbing garments shielding her view.
With Bo's breasts right in her face, Lauren found it impossible to resist. Uttering a satisfied moan, she wrapped her lips around a nipple, pushing her face into the soft mound. Bo echoed her moan, but managed to unclasp Lauren's bra, ridding her of both it and the camisole in one swift move. Leaning back, she let her nipple glide out of her lover's warmth and pulled the garments over her head. Gently pushing her back, she bent down to graze her skin, while letting her gaze roam Lauren's exposed upper body.
"My god, you're…", she breathed, pausing for a second when she remembered Lauren's words from their first meeting back at the lab. "Stunning", she continued in an almost inaudible whisper. "Flawless. Immaculate. Perfect." Each word was underlined with a breathless kiss. Sitting back up, she scooted backwards to take her in completely.
Lauren's body was perfect indeed. Her slim form was covered in smooth, pale skin, which tightened around the impressive muscles on her arms and her toned neck. Fascinated with the view, Bo absentmindedly ran her fingertips all over her shoulders, arms, chest and stomach, when she spotted the inconspicuous little ring nestled in her bellybutton.
"Mmh", she hummed with a hungry gaze.
But it wasn't dinnertime quite yet. Bo first wanted to unwrap her woman completely. Scooting down, she kneeled between Lauren's thighs and started peeling off her jeans, taking the panties along with them. "Lauren…", she breathed at the sight revealed in front of her and then inwardly smiled at her own speechlessness. Usually, Bo was the seductress, but somehow, the blonde managed to reduce her to grunts and one-word phrases without even trying.
Positioning herself between Lauren's invitingly spread legs, she covered her with her own body and ground herself into her midsection, pressing their breasts together. The blonde growled and squirmed with need, when Bo's lips began their journey all over her heated skin. Holding herself up with her arms on either side of Lauren's body, she pushed her tongue between her half open lips, engaging her in a long, deep kiss. Never interrupting her grinding, she kissed and licked along her lover's jaw and neck, all the way down to her shoulders and chest. Reverently regarding Lauren's breasts, she let out an almost relieved sigh, when she finally bent down to embrace a nipple with her lips. Repeatedly circling, licking and biting the strained flesh, she took her sweet time worshipping Lauren's soft mounds, while rapturously listening to her cries and growls.
The blonde was in heaven. Bo's tongue felt incredible on her heated skin, and whenever she came up to pull her chi, it was like an explosion in her mouth. She could taste herself when Bo was feeding, and it was unlike anything she'd experienced before. "Bo…", she breathed, grinding her hips against the brunette. "Bo… Bo… Bo…"
The woman was filling all her senses, whipping them into overdrive, chasing her towards what promised to become the most intense orgasm of her life. She felt her move downwards, and almost came from the mere thought of Bo's tongue on her clit. The brunette's hands where everywhere at the same time, and Lauren didn't know anything anymore. Her mind was completely focused on her lover, and she only felt, letting herself fall into Bo, because she knew she would catch her.
And then, in a sudden explosion, she came. The first time. It had taken all of a flicker of Bo's tongue on Lauren's most sensitive spot to undo her. She was screaming, her whole body shaking from the force of the orgasm rippling through her. It went on and on, as Bo pulsed her lover, trying to pry every last sound of pleasure from the blonde. Never had she heard anything more beautiful than Lauren climaxing. Never tasted anything more exquisite than the blonde's soft, warm pussy and her godly chi. She could've gone on and on, giving her one orgasm after the next, so it was only when Lauren's body went limp that she finally let go of her clit and stopped the pulses.
The blonde was panting heavily. She had no idea how many times in a row she'd just climaxed, but it had to be a new record… one that put the old one to shame. Her heart was beating out of her chest, and her body felt like it was made of jelly. She couldn't move, not even an inch, so she just lay there, gulping down air, trying to stay alive. "You… broke… me", she managed to gasp and heard Bo chuckle.
The brunette was still positioned between her legs, staring in awe at the blonde's twitching flower. Lauren was so beautiful… all of her. But her pussy was definitely in the top three of Bo's favourite body parts. Carefully, she licked the last bits of wetness from the blonde's outer lips, before leaving her centre alone and climbing up to cuddle close to her. Slowly, Lauren's breathing calmed, and she even managed to drape an arm around Bo, who proceeded to cover both of them with the blanket.
They lay like this, whispering to each other for a while, trying to cling to their little limbo bubble for as long as possible. Eventually though, their eyelids fluttered shut. Deeply satisfied, they finally succumbed to exhaustion and drifted off…
Startling from slumber, Lauren opened her eyes and abruptly sat up. "Wow", she breathed and looked around. Unfazed by the sharp pain in her neck and arms, she grinned. She was alone, only surrounded by last night's research and her lab equipment. But she knew exactly what had happened last night, remembered every second of making love to Bo… the exquisite succubus, who within a split-second had stolen her very heart and soul.
Even though she'd spent the whole night sleeping in an awkward position on her desk, Lauren felt rested. And as satisfied as possibly never before in her life. Stretching her sore limbs, she got up from her chair to head to the shower and get ready for the day.
XXX
With a deep, inhaling gasp, Bo awoke, slowly coming back to her senses. Spreading out her arms to the side, she searched the bed for Lauren, but of course, she was alone. Carefully, she opened first one eye and then the other. Morning light was seeping through the boarded-up windows and trickling into the room. Finally remembering where she was, she couldn't help but wonder, whether it all had been a dream. But the question was short-lived. A smile lit up her face, and clarity hit her. She'd been to a world between the here and the beyond… a world, where she could feed from Lauren without killing her.
Well, not technically feed from her. Limbo-Lauren's chi wasn't real, after all. Bo's feeds had been illusions to help her learn control – just like the strange realm itself. But Lauren's presence had been just as true as Bo's, of that she was certain. Pensively, she furrowed her brow, wondering, how the place had come into being. And more importantly – would Bo be able to enter and leave at will? Could she see Lauren whenever she wanted to? Closing her eyes, she imagined going back to the doctor's apartment and walking upstairs, opening the bedroom door, picturing her lying in bed. But it didn't work. Sighing again, Bo decided to ask Alistair about it later.
The thoughts of Lauren made last night's events trickle back into Bo's senses. A warm feeling of happiness spread out inside her. She'd seen the doctor. And not only that – they'd made love, and it had been amazing. But the best thing was that she'd actually managed to stop her feeding – because she'd discovered a way to communicate with her succubus. Feeling adventuresome, she closed her eyes, trying to reconnect. Are you there?
No reply.
Hm.
Did she need this limbo place to talk to her, too? God, I hope not. That'd be really annoying. She'd have to ask Alistair about that, too. But in order to do that, she had to first go see him.
With sudden enthusiasm, she got out of bed, put on her red kimono and went to Kenzi's room to wake her friend – not an easy task, as the young woman liked to sleep late, and it wasn't even nine o' clock yet. But Bo had important business to attend to, and she needed Kenzi to contact her Reader friend.
After gently trying to shake her awake for a while without much success, Bo decided to take on more drastic measures.
"Kenz, c'mon, wake up. I know you're not sleeping; I saw you flinch before."
The other woman answered with a drawn-out groan that sounded less than pleased.
"Tell you what, if you're up when I come back from the bathroom, I'll have a juicy story for you", Bo added and was rewarded with another grumpy growl. "Okay, okay, how about we go to that diner you were swooning about the other day? My treat."
"You got no money." The mumbled statement was made matter-of-factly, but Bo did notice a change in tone. She'd at least managed to pique her interest.
"That may be true, but I got some skills, as you know", she informed her friend, whose body slowly came to life.
With sheer Herculean effort, she turned her head to face Bo. "You want to steal?"
"I'll pay them back as soon as I get some money", Bo informed her earnestly. "But I'm desperate here, okay? I need Alistair. Last night, some … things happened, and I need to ask him a few questions. C'mon, Kenz, think of all those delicious pancakes…" Kenzi growled again, this time supported by her stomach. "… and the coffee."
"Okay, okay, you got yourself a deal. You go ahead get ready, and I'll hit up Ali." She yawned and caught Bo's hesitant gaze. "I won't fall asleep again, promise. Now go!"
Bo beamed at her and hugged her as tightly as their awkward position allowed. "Thank you, thank you! You are the Kenziest Kenzi ever!"
"Yeah, yeah", the younger woman grumbled. "I know, I'm awesome. Now, let me do my thing and don't cramp my style."
Bo chuckled. Her friend's voice still sounded cranky, but even though they'd only met a few of days ago, she knew that Kenzi was a sucker for junk food and coffee. She pecked her forehead and got up to go to the bathroom.
When she came back out, Kenzi had got up and was typing something on her phone. "He'll be a while, but said we can meet later", she informed Bo. "Which leaves us enough time to fill my tummy with all of the delicious foods." She closed her eyes and rubbed her belly, her face splitting up in a wide grin.
Bo didn't have to wait long. After only ten minutes, she joined her downstairs, and they took off – this time in Bo's Camaro. On the way to the diner, she recounted what had happened the night before.
"So, you sucked her chi, and nothing happened?", Kenzi asked, when they were sitting in the diner.
"Well, I wouldn't say nothing", Bo answered with a salacious smile.
"Okay, okay, I got it, you and Hotpants bumped lady bits", she clarified, throwing a crumpled napkin at her friend. "What I meant was, you fed, but it didn't do anything for your hunger?"
Bo's smile vanished. "No", she answered flatly.
"Did she…" Kenzi paused, thinking whether she should really ask Bo this question, but her curiosity won. "Did she… you know, taste the same? And by that, I meant her chi, randy!", she added when she caught the brunette licking her lips.
"No, she didn't. But honestly, even Limbo-Lauren's chi tastes better than any other I've ever had", Bo said with a dreamy smile.
"Geez, you got it bad", Kenzi exclaimed with a snort. "How the hell is that possible? You don't even know her."
"Beats me", Bo said with a shrug. "But when I'm with her, it's… I don't know, how to explain. It's like I've known her forever. Like we're connected somehow. She's…" Bo made a pause and looked into her friend's clear blue eyes. "She's everything, Kenz. And I think, she feels the same way about me."
Kenzi sighed. "I think so, too", she said with an encouraging smile and took Bo's hand to give it a gentle squeeze. For a while, they sat in silence, Bo's thoughts wandering back to last night, and Kenzi clattering with the cutlery, as she was devouring a mountain of pancakes. Just as she swallowed the last mouthful of coffee, her phone went off. "It's him", she said. "Let's go."
Bo pulsed the waitress to get out of paying for their breakfast, and the two headed for the Camaro. Alistair had given Kenzi explicit instructions on where to meet him – a shady back alley, much like the one where Bo had first seen him. They parked the car around the corner and found the man leaning against a large dumpster. At the sight of them, he nodded and signalled them to follow. Nobody spoke a word, even though Bo's questions were burning on her tongue. But they had to be careful. It was incredibly nice of him to offer his help in the first place, and she certainly didn't want to repay him by getting him into trouble with his possessive family.
They followed him to another deserted alley, where they got into an inconspicuous car parked there solely for the purpose of taking them to an apartment at the other end of the city. It was one of the many places Alistair owned to hide away from his folks. The interior was just as average and low-key as the car had been. The apartment was small, with furniture that looked used, but not ancient, and the place was spotless.
"Nice shack", Kenzi said approvingly, running her hands across the dark grey surface of the kitchen counter. "So, how many of these places do you own?"
He double-checked the hallway through the spyhole and turned around to face his friend. "A few", he answered evasively. "My family can be very… persistent." He shrugged, like it was no big deal. "Having more than one hideout makes sense."
"Sure does", Kenzi said, and then, a little hesitantly, added: "But how can you own so many places? I mean, okay, your parents are stinking rich, but I have the feeling they're not much into sharing their fortune – especially since you ran off and all that."
Alistair smiled mysteriously and answered with a tiny shrug. Kenzi frowned, but before she could inquire any further, Bo chimed in, saving him from her curiosity. She knew the young woman still felt a little betrayed after finding out that one of her closest friends concealed from her for years, what he really was. But Bo thought he deserved some leniency. She knew what it meant to be constantly on the run, and after finding out about the fae and learning how dangerous they could be, she got why he never told Kenzi. He'd only tried to protect both himself and his friend, which Bo understood. And deep down, so did Kenzi.
The older woman cleared her throat, breaking the tension between the two. "Something happened last night", she informed the Reader. "Something big. I think I'm ready to see Lauren now." Bo beamed proudly at him, but he only sighed, shaking his head.
"Okay", he said in a non-committal tone. "Tell me what happened."
So, she did. She told him about going to bed and falling asleep, about the curious conversation with her inner beast in the hallway and her subsequent encounter with Lauren. When she'd ended, he looked at her for a long time, without saying anything. Bo was beginning to freak out over his silence, so she continued enthusiastically: "I want to see her again, as soon as possible. I mean, I stopped the chi flow several times, which means I can go see her, right? I can control it now…" She interrupted herself, catching his gaze. It was full of compassion and understanding. Not what she'd hoped for.
"Bo…", he started, gently taking her hand, and immediately, her heart sank. "I told you, it'll take at least a month, maybe longer, until that can happen." He raised his other hand to stop her impending protest. "I know you stopped the flow, and that's great. But you said it yourself. Her chi tasted different, didn't it?" She nodded wordlessly, and her shoulders slumped. Kenzi sat down next to Bo and took her other hand to squeeze it encouragingly.
The brunette didn't even look up. "I knew it wouldn't be this easy." She felt like crying. She knew it was ridiculous. It was only a few weeks after all. She'd feed off Ali, so she wouldn't have to kill anymore, and sometime soon, she would see Lauren again. But the wait seemed endless. She felt like a kid, a week before Christmas morning, when time just seems to stand still.
Sensing her distress, Alistair placed a finger underneath her chin to make her face him. "What you're experiencing is your succubus' inner turmoil, paired with your own", he explained. "Basically, this means you're currently dealing with the heartache of two people, instead of one."
Bo sighed. "Great."
"Hey", Kenzi said, putting an arm around her. "You'll be fine. You will see her… eventually. Right?", she added, throwing Ali a hopeful look, and he nodded. "See? You can do this. We'll get through it together."
The brunette smiled weakly and put her head on Kenzi's shoulder. She hadn't realised how much she'd counted on seeing Lauren again tomorrow or even today… to touch her and feel her body close to hers. God, how she yearned to touch her. Bo took a deep breath and then let it out in a long sigh. "Thanks, guys", she said quietly and then faced Alistair. "So, what's next?"
"You have to master three things, before you can risk seeing her… the real her, I mean." He held his hand out, holding up one finger. "One – you need to train to stop chi flow", he counted up. "You already managed to do that in limbo – and impressively fast, I might add", he praised, coaxing a small smile from Bo.
"What is this limbo anyway?", Kenzi chimed in. "I mean, can anyone enter it? Like… could I, by mistake?" She grimaced. "I mean, I love you and all, Bo-Bo, but I really don't want to stumble across you and your lady while you're in the middle of doing it."
Bo snorted, and Kenzi gave herself a mental high-five. Her comment was meant to cheer up her friend. But she did also want to know the answer, so she expectantly looked at Ali, who seemed to have answers to all questions.
Unfortunately, this time, he didn't. "Honestly, I have no idea", he said with an apologetic shrug. "I assume it must have to do with the bond between Bo and the doctor. There's probably a book somewhere in the archives that explains all this in detail, but I'm pretty sure their limbo is a place that cannot be accessed by anyone else… a safe place, if you will."
Kenzi breathed a sigh of relief and winked at Bo, who returned her smile weakly.
"Okay, so I've managed to do part one. What are the other two things I have to 'master'?", Bo inquired, rolling her eyes and lifting her hands to make air quotes. She found the term kind of ridiculous, but if there was one thing about the fae she'd learned by now, it was that they loved using big words.
Ali raised a second finger. "You'll have to learn to speak to your succubus whenever you want to", he said and raised finger number three, "and for that to happen, you'll have to accept her."
Bo exhaled in exasperation. "Right. Easy", she added sarcastically.
Kenzi got up and sighed dramatically. "Okay, this ain't working, Bo-Bo. You need to suck it up and put on your big girl pants now. What's with the no-can-do attitude?" Bo growled, and for a split-second, her eyes flashed blue. Kenzi was unfazed. "Don't give me your succu-glare, missy. I brought you here so you could get your gorgeous arse in gear, not mope around and drown in self-pity. Do you want to see Hotpants again or not?"
Bo sighed and let herself fall against the backrest of the sofa, slowly breathing in and out a few times. Then, she gave herself a visible push and straightened her back. "You're right. I can do this. Sorry about that, Kenz", she added a little sheepishly. The younger woman waved her hand in a dismissive gesture, so Bo turned to Ali. "Okay, let's start with the easier one – communication. Maybe acceptance will come once I get to know her."
Ali beamed. "That's the spirit!"
"Right", Bo said. "So… where do I start? We briefly talked in limbo, and there, it was easy. I focused on my reflection, and she just appeared. But when I tried this morning, nothing happened. I even looked into our mirror at home, but she didn't show. Why won't she talk to me?"
Ali pulled a face. "You did kind of ignore her most of your life. I guess she's… sulking."
Bo snorted, but turned serious when she realised that he wasn't messing with her. "But I didn't even know she was there", she exclaimed. "How was I supposed to…" The unfairness of the situation made her speechless.
"Okay, now you're sulking", Kenzi chimed it. "Way I see it, one of you has to give in to the other, before anything can happen."
"Huh", Bo said. "That's actually exactly what she said. That I should give in to her."
"There you go", the younger woman said. "C'mon, Bo-Bo. Be the bigger person. Remember why you're doing this. Who you're doing this for."
Lauren. I love Lauren.
We both do.
The growl in her head took her by surprise. "She just spoke to me", Bo whispered, as if raising her voice would somehow jinx it. She closed her eyes, listening intently, but nothing more happened. She looked at Ali, the despair in her gaze obvious. "She said something, but now, she's quiet. Can't you help somehow?", she pleaded.
He nodded and got up to crouch down in front of Bo, putting his hands on her temples like he'd done back in the forest. She felt her eyes shift and saw his turn bright yellow once again. Come out, please. Just like the first time, his voice resounded like an echo within her head. You both want the same thing, he reasoned with Bo's inner beast.
Yes. The voice sounded sober. Almost clinical.
I know you're mad, Bo hurried to chime in. But I'm trying here.
You never acknowledged me, the beast replied in an accusatory tone. You must accept me. You will never learn full control, unless you do.
But how?, Bo asked, instantly feeling defiant. You made me a killer.
For the first time in her life, Bo consciously sensed, what the creature inside her was feeling, and it wasn't pleasant. The succubus was frustrated with her. Your statement once again sums up the very core of the problem.
Bo huffed. What's that supposed to mean?
You call me 'you', but there is no 'you' or 'I', for I am you, the succubus answered.
What is this, Total Recall?, Bo countered.
Focus, the succubus replied, clearly growing more impatient by the minute.
Okay, okay, I'm sorry. Truly. Go on.
You need to understand that you and I are one and the same. We are two halves of a whole, and as long as we are separate, both halves only function to a certain limited extent. You have to let 'you' and 'I' become only 'I'. Only then will we be able to communicate whenever we want. She made a pause, and when her human half didn't reply, continued. Neither the human nor fae in you bears the blame for the deaths of all those people. Nobody does. Relieve yourself of your guilt, and give in to me. Accept me. Embrace me. Unite us, and the killing will stop. Only then will you be ready to face our mate. My mate.
Bo opened her eyes and watched them turn from blue back to dark brown in the reflection of Alistair's bright yellow gaze, which was also slowly fading.
"Okay", she stated. "Let's start."