The Dal

Kenzi, Trick, and Dyson were huddled up in the bar. The place was so busy it was hard for them to hear each other. Trick didn't want to go into his lair because he'd lose his liquor or customers The trio jumped when the doors came clean off the hinges. A brunette entered and the sight of her sent the others fleeing the building, hiding in closets, or under the tables.

"Now thanks to my mother, I was told that you little bitches have been looking for me. I don't have time for this shit, but since you want me, here I am. Mother! Bring him in! Isabeau screamed as the old Succubus came in with two bags. She dropped the smaller one and placed the large one before the Succubus.

"You! Open this! Isabeau screamed.

Dyson moved towards the bag almost like he was possessed. He opened the bag and growled.

"Take that out too! Isabeau gestured towards the small bag.

"Do it Dyson". Trick urged the wolf on.

"But Trick it is…". Dyson turned his head away.

"I said open it! Isabeau screamed.

Dyson opened the smaller bag and growled again. Kenzi bent over the nearest trash container and emptied the contents of her stomach.

"His name is Lachlan. He's been decapitated. He tried to overthrow me too. I have known him for years. But he fucked up last night. I have a little demonstration for you bastards. Little human, you might want to pay attention too". Isabeau stepped over Lachlan's body and turned around.

The crowds jumped back and gasped at the sight in front of them. The Succubus was on her knees and slammed his head onto his neck. She smiled as she pushed an orange stream into his mouth and laughed when his eyes opened.

"Stand". Isabeau said and washed her hands in the nearest sink.

"How did she do that? Kenzi whispered.

"I am the daughter of Hades. If you ever fuck with me or mine again. I will kill you and bring you back, to nothing like Lachlan here. He will stand there long enough for me to walk out of this filthy place and collapse dead again". Isabeau turned and left. Lachlan dropped dead to the floor. Just as the Succubus said he would.

"I must have her", could be heard floating around the room.

"None of you will ever have Isabeau. After this display, you would be stupid to fuck with her. She's truly the most powerful Fae in the world. And she's my daughter". Aife bragged and followed the Succubus out.

"Trick we have got to get her. We need that power. We need her". Dyson whispered.

"Not yet. You saw what she just did. She put a man's head back on and brought him back to life. You want to do something? Get his body out of my bar and bury him somewhere". Trick commanded.

"But Trick she will slip away from us again! Dyson growled. His wolf was turned on, and he needed her now.

"Do as I say Dyson. Get him out of here! Trick screamed over his shoulder.

"She still looks mousy to me. You sure you don't want to see what she can do for us yet? Kenzi asked.

"Kenzi you can't be here anymore. I cannot vouch for your safety". Trick replied.

"I know your secret. Would like you me to tell them?! Kenzi asked.

"The High Council knows I'm the Blood King. If I come out of retirement, they will have to step down. There is nothing you can threaten me with that won't come back to bite you either." Trick snapped.

"You, me and Dyson are family. We need to show them who's in control. The three of us. Not two Succubus". Kenzi shook her head.

"I cannot fight her until I know more about her. Besides, she's my granddaughter. She will come around when I get her away from her mother. As long as Aife is in her ear, she will not listen to me". Trick took a seat.

Isabeau did scare him. It wasn't right for a Fae to have that much power that he didn't know about. Aife probably loves it because she can kill and bring people back to life. He had never seen anyone put back together and brought back to life, long enough to die again.

"The old man is going soft in his old age. He won't let you go after the Succubus and we could use her powers. Now listen closely, I have an in. An in she won't be able to resist". Kenzi smiled.

"What are you talking about Kenzi? Dyson asked.

"She likes Lauren right? Lauren is a human. Lucky for us, I'm a human too. She won't be able to resist if I come under some kind of distress". Kenzi smiled.

Dyson twisted his mouth. It was not a bad idea. But it wasn't a good idea either. Kenzi had gotten into some trouble over the years, but never went up against a Succubus. Especially two of them.

Aife herself was like four or five as fast as she got around to killing people. But Isabeau is new. Possibly unawares of who really runs Toronto.

"I don't know Kenz. She's a Succubus". Dyson said.

"And? Kenzi laughed.

"Succubus can read auras. It's like a lie detector. She can tell if you are nervous so to speak. You make a fool out of her, and it might backfire. Let Trick and I handle this, ok? Dyson rubbed Kenzi's head.

"Dude it would work. If it doesn't fool her, maybe it would fool Lauren. We'd get two or three for one". Kenzi slapped Dyson on his arm.

Dyson shook his head again. Isabeau is quite intriguing. She's also quite dangerous, if she fell into the wrong hands. The Morrigan would salivate at the thought of her. She would probably have a Dark contract made up as soon as she heard about the Dal today.

"If we are going to get to Isabeau, we are going to need to use something more than you as a sacrifice". Dyson took a seat.

"That's what I'm talking about boy! I thought you were going soft. We know that's not you. You and I have always had fun taking unsuspecting victims down. Lauren is a human, so Trick won't interfere. He has no room to. Now that Isabeau has her away from the Light Fae". Kenzi smiled.

The Dark Fae compound.

"But Evony, you should have seen it.". Vex said seriously.

"There is not a single Fae more powerful than yours truly. You don't even have video of it, so why should I trust anything you say? The Morrigan laughed.

"She needs to be Dark Fae. We could use her. She would make the golden boy wolf chase his balls all day". Vex took a seat in front of the Morrigan's desk.

"I will go and see her when I am good and ready. I won't be bossed around. I am the Morrigan". The woman waved Vex out of her office.

The Mesmer gritted his teeth. If the Morrigan doesn't want the Succubus, the Elders will and he's a lot more popular with them than she is.

Lauren

The Doctor sat with chin to knees staring into nothing. That's all she had, nothing. Nothing to work for. Nothing to strive for. Nothing. She had worked her body to sheer exhaustion trying to cure Nadia. But Nadia had left her a long time ago. She looked to the heavens and wondered if Nadia had looked in on her during all of that time. She wondered where she was, and if she was finally at peace.

Peace was something her doctor never brought her. Not for one second of the five years she worked on Nadia's condition. Or the condition she thought she had. She blew out a breath across her kneecaps. Her hair fell in her face when she lowered her head. It hadn't been more than a day or two, but she felt dirty. She felt useless. Her one priority and she failed her.

A tear escaped as soon as she closed her eyes. A doctor is not supposed to do this. A Doctor is not supposed to fail. It would be embarrassing to the medical community if anyone knew she failed her human patient before the Fae got to her. She wondered about this Garuda and when he took Nadia. Was it when she went to the bathroom? Was it when she showered? Was it when she went to bed? When did he come in?

She was never going to get out from under the Light Fae. Never going to be allowed to be herself anymore. But who is she? She had sir'ed and yessir'ed her way through them for years. The only time she had to bow to the Morrigan was the one time they had drawn straws to see who she would serve. The Morrigan benefitted from Lauren's brilliance in the Congo too.

The Doctor felt nothing but sheer humiliation right now. Like they were always laughing at her. Dyson had mocked her over and over again, even when she wasn't talking to him or about him. Trick used her to help him when he would write in his blood. He wasn't even an Elder, just a bartender that the Fae feared. Kenzi even snubbed her the few times that they'd come across each other. She has Dyson and Trick wrapped around her finger because she plays the hopeless human like nobody has ever seen before. She has never known loss. She's only known gain. Her gain is whatever she steals from someone.

She snapped out of her thoughts and stood on wobbly legs. She had been in the same position too long. That's a funny statement considering everything she was just thinking about. How she'd been the Fae's puppet, even when they weren't the one's pulling the strings. How she'd bowed to people that never wore crowns. She stumbled to the bathroom and stepped into the shower. The water was a great way to hide her tears. She didn't know when it was actually water flowing down her face.

She wasn't crying for herself. She was crying for Nadia. The woman died alone. She probably didn't even know what happened to her and silently screamed for Lauren only her human ears wouldn't have been able to hear her if she had screamed outside of her body. She dressed and walked downstairs. She stopped when she heard a door close.

"Lauren. It is just me, Isabeau". The Succubus said softly. She flinched when Lauren's eyes met hers. They were cold for the first time since last night. The Doctor walked towards the couch and took a seat. Isbabeau stood waiting for her to make the next move.

The Doctor cleared her throat. "What do you want from me? Am I to be a pawn in the Fae world again? I don't have any human bodies to sacrifice again, except for my own".

"I am not them Lauren. I didn't do that to her". Isabeau spoke softly.

"But you are Fae. You are part of them". Lauren bristled.

"Yes Lauren, I am Fae, but I am not part of them. If I was their type of Fae, Nadia would still be in that pod. You would still be thinking she was curable. If I was their type, she would have stayed here, and you would still be there. If I was their type, you would be sleeping in that disgusting loft still. You deserve better than that. You deserve to be free. You deserve to bury her, however you see fit. You deserve to be happy. That is my goal. That is the only thing that I want". Isabeau never took a seat yet. Sitting down would scare the Doctor and she didn't want that. Lauren probably thinks she is plotting to kill her behind her back. She needs Lauren alive. Alive to live a life with her. When she earns the right to live in Lauren's life.

"I am tired. So tired Isabeau". The Doctor slowly stood.

"I know and I promise you will get plenty of rest and peace here. I only had to go out to handle some business, but after that errand, we will not be disturbed again. You won't be disturbed again." Isabeau popped her fingers.

Lauren picked up a few glasses and flung them across the room. Isabeau was behind her, so she knew she wouldn't hit her. They all went into the fireplace and small bits landed just outside of it.

"That's good. That's what I bought them for. There is also a batting cage outside". Isabeau stood in place. This is Lauren's time. Lauren's place to walk around and do whatever she wants to do.

Lauren turned and walked past the Succubus. She is right. There is a batting cage and a full baseball field nearby. She walked out of the house, dressed as she was and over to the field. She hadn't played softball in years. But these were baseballs. Hard balls for her to hit as often and as far as she can.

Aife had set it all up for Isabeau. She hit a few herself and left them alone. Lauren deserves to swing at everything. Swing at the Ash. Swing at the Fae. Swing at everyone that has ever disrespected her. Swing at the five years she lost. Swing at losing her family because of those five years. Swing at knowing she can never go home because they would always be a target. Lauren was a target the minute the Fae discovered her brilliance and manipulated her with it.

The Succubus felt the power of every hit. Every ball that went over the fence. Every curse word Lauren had spoken, just before making contact. It is probably not scientific therapy, but it is an idea that she Isabeau had come up with. From what she had seen of human deaths, they all grieve in their own way. On their own time, and Lauren is going to be given all of the time in the world.

The Dark Fae compound.

"Vexie. Vexie. Vexie. It has been too long". The Succubus laughed.

"No. Not you. We only want your daughter". Vex hurried away from the woman.

"Isn't one Dark Succubus good enough for you? Aife laughed.

"She's too powerful. The Elders are going to get her tomorrow". Vex laughed.

"You're a dumbass Vex. You walked right into my trap. Why did you think the Morrigan waved off your bullshit? I already told her what you were up to. You can't piss in the woods without me finding out". Aife laughed.

"You can't stop me succubus. I am far too powerful." Vex laughed again.

"My daughter can. But you saw that right? Isabeau is far more than a Succubus. She's hell on earth or shall I saw hell in Toronto? Aife laughed.

"Why are you here? Vex scoffed.

"Because I go wherever I want, and you, you better not go where you're thinking of going. I will have a front row seat to your immediate death, and she won't even be near you to do it". Aife slapped Vex on his chin. The man moved away from her.

"Why are you trying to save her miserable life? No Fae is going to stand still and allow her to run over us". Vex shrugged.

"Because she has saved my life. She found me in the nastiest of places and saved my life when I had inhaled some bad chi. She killed my captors before I ever saw her. She took that chi and blew it up their ass without ever bending over. She saved me from being raped again. I owe Isabeau my life. She can find me anywhere in the world, because I am her blood. Nobody will find your stank ass if you keep trying to fuck with her". Aife laughed and walked out of the room.

Isabeau and Lauren

"Lauren! The Succubus screamed and ran over to the Doctor.

Lauren was gritting her teeth.

"What is it? Does it hurt? Is it broken? Isabeau asked.

"I..think it is". Lauren started to fall but the Succubus caught her.

"Let me". Isabeau said as she carried her over to a bench. She gently set the Doctor down and sat down next to her. Her eyes flashed blue as she held Lauren's arm.

Lauren turned her head away thinking the Succubus was about to do something she didn't want to see. Her eyes went wide when she felt a hot sensation. Not hot enough to burn her, but hot enough to notice the change. She swung her arm when the Succubus had gently let it go.

"Better? Isabeau asked.

"How? How did you do that? Lauren asked. She had swung the bat so hard she was sure she had split her arm from her shoulder.

"I can heal anything. I can kill something and immediately bring it back to life. I could bring Nadia back to life, but I am sure you don't want that given how long she's been gone. I can do a lot of things no normal Fae can. Today I took a severed head and slapped it back on his body. Then I brought him back to life. He dropped dead once I left the building though. Mom told me he wanted to make you the Ash ward again, after he became the Ash. Nobody will do that to you. Nobody will be your master again". Isabeau answered as she checked Lauren over again.

Lauren stared at the woman. She was everything every Doctor aspired to be. A healer. An instant one. She knows how to heal human bones. How to bring dead Fae back to life. She is a walking medical book. She looked into brown eyes that often turned blue when she had been feeling down or in distress. There is a childlike kindness there. Something she never saw in the Fae she accused the Succubus of being. Isabeau is an unbelievable being. Something she hopes to learn about and hopes never changes.

"We're going back to my hideout. It is lunch time and you need to rest". Isabeau said gently.

TBC.