"You know what to do? Isabeau asked.

"I do, indeed." Aife smiled.

"Then handle it, and please don't contact me again. I need to be focused on Lauren right now, not bullshit going on back there." Isabeau spoke as softly as she could, given how angry she was. She wasn't going to answer that call, especially so early. But she was up and showered, so she did. Lauren is still asleep or at least her bedroom door is closed.

"Talk to you later, love. Take all the time you need. Mama's got this." Aife cooed as she hung up. She will never forget how she owes her daughter everything. She owes her, her life and so much more. Whatever she needs, her mother will get for her.

Isabeau gently sighed as she set her phone back down. She sipped on a cup of coffee and walked into the kitchen. She had called for some groceries, and they had been delivered. She pulled out some eggs, inspected them, and set them back in the carton. Once she checked that she had everything she ordered, she quietly went to work.

Lauren turned in her bed. She squinted when the sun hit her eyes through the window. She turned to look at the clock and gasped at the time. It was a little after ten. She suddenly remembered where she was and sat up in bed. If she's up, Isabeau must be up too. She had never liked oversleeping the host when she slept over somewhere. Not even at a slumber party. She stood to grab some fresh clothes and went to shower. The hot water felt wonderful on her bones. She closed her eyes as she stood under the nozzle.

Once she was dressed, she gently opened the door and the scents of the house hit her. Someone had cooked breakfast or had it delivered. She licked her lips as she rounded the corner heading towards the kitchen.

"Good morning." Lauren cleared her throat.

"Good morning, Lauren." Isabeau smiled over her shoulder.

"What's this? Lauren asked as she walked over.

"I'm fixing breakfast. Now, I don't know your actual diet, so I made veggie and meat omelets. Just pick a plate and it's yours to enjoy." Isabeau gestured as she flipped the last omelet.

Lauren smiled at the thought. She had rarely been cooked for. To see a Fae do it, is very touching. "I'll take the veggie one." She whispered.

"You don't have to whisper, Lauren. Nobody is here but us." Isabeau frowned as she picked up her plate. The Doctor is probably Fae trained to think she has to hide food in order to eat.

"I'm sorry." Lauren spoke a little louder.

"No. Don't to that either." Isabeau smiled softly. A smile would lessen her stance on the subject.

Lauren nodded and took her seat. They made small talk. Lauren asked a few questions about the Succubus old life, and she was quick and thorough with her answers. When Isabeau was done with her food, she pushed the plate forward and finished her coffee. Lauren was still eating, so she grabbed the newspaper to browse through. Humans were notoriously funny, and their articles always interests her. Once she was done, she set it down and sat still waiting for Lauren to finish.

"So, the yard is big in the back. The deck is nice too. If you want to go sit out, you can. I'm going for a drive to give you space." Isabeau took the dishes and put them into the dishwasher. Lauren was still sitting at the table, staring into nothing.

"I don't know what to do." Lauren spoke.

"Do nothing, then. It's okay, Lauren. There's no pressure on you to do anything. This is about you healing. That's all." Isabeau knelt beside the Doctor.

"I know you want me for yourself." Lauren spoke softly.

"You're right, I do. But I want a healed Lauren. A confident, I'm your choice, Lauren. I don't want you like this. Mourning her." Isabeau stood. Being that close to Lauren wasn't right. It wasn't fair. She backed far, far up.

"I'm sorry. I can't get into anything like this." Lauren gestured around her heart.

"I know. So, whatever you need to do, you do it. I'll be around but not hovering." Isabeau smiled as she turned around and walked to the living room. She grabbed her keys and nodded before she left.

Lauren sighed and screamed. She felt the sound rattle the room. She stood up and walked towards the back windows. The Succubus is right. The backyard is huge. She pulled the doors open and stepped out onto the patio deck. She smiled when she found a few wine glasses turned upside down and a bottle of wine chilling. There was also a small picnic basket with crackers and cheese inside. "Oh, Isabeau." She smiled.

She took a seat and poured herself a drink. She probably won't be tipsy because of breakfast. She needs the wine to unwind. To relax. To think. Isabeau is right and wrong. She's right that Lauren needs to heal. But she's wrong about why she needs to heal. Yes, she was treating Nadia, or she thought she was. But she was learning to let go. To take her feelings out of her treatments. She hadn't been in Nadia's arms in so long, she was starting to forget what they feel like. If she was warm in her arms or if Nadia was warm in Lauren's.

She turned her head to the side. She saw her new car just inside the garage. It looked like it had been washed overnight. What are you going to do Lewis? The Doctor asked herself as she sipped on more wine.

Isabeau

Isabeau didn't lie. She did go driving and finally parked. As much as she felt horribly for Lauren, she is angry too. Angry that those little shits back home think they can dictate her life. Angry that she wasn't there to deal with them herself. But she is where she needs to be. Just a few blocks from the house she was sharing with Lauren. "Not hovering." She spoke.

Trick

Trick exhaled and waited for the doors to be opened for him. He straightened his tie and walked inside.

"This better be good, old man." A raspy voice spoke.

"I know you are busy, but I need a favor." Trick looked straight ahead.

"My favors come with a price." The voice laughed.

"It's not that big of a favor. I just need someone hidden, until I can think of something else to do with her." Trick stood tall.

"That succubus is crazy-assed dangerous. If she's who you are asking me to take in, forget it, and see yourself out." The voice laughed.

"Blackthorn, please. Just keep Kenzi protected for a few days. That will give me time to try and settle things down. You know what's going to happen if I don't. It will be an all-out war. Bodies in the streets. Some of them maimed." Trick rambled off.

"Since when have you cared about dead bodies? You wanted the Dark to kill your own daughter." Blackthorn laughed again.

Trick swallowed hard. "You know about Aife?."

"Two succubus hit town, together, and you think we wouldn't notice? Come on old man. Don't insult my intelligence." Blackthorn walked forward.

"Aife has already told my granddaughter. You can't threaten to expose that. But you must help me hide Kenzi. She means something to me, but not as much as my blood does." Trick was now pleading.

"I'll hide the human. But it's your ass if something suddenly happens to us, blood king." Blackthorn waved him out. He called for guards to come and get their latest instructions.

Kenzi

Kenzi nearly crawled up the stairs. She kept telling herself to stay low. Be as quiet as a mouse, girl. She often repeated too. She finally stood when she reached the top step.

She breathed in relief that the bar was empty. She walked over to grab a bottle of vodka and then she could go back downstairs. Trick never called sanctuary for her, so Dyson went to get some help. Preferably Hale. She has no idea where Trick has gone, but she is happy to have the place to herself. She smiled and rounded the bar.

She took a few more steps and screamed when the ground suddenly shook beneath her. She screamed louder when someone appeared out of the ground and pulled her down with him. She kept screaming as the bottle was yanked from her hand and thrown back up the hole.

Dyson

"Hale, it's Kenzi. We have to protect her." Dyson growled at the siren.

"No. You and Kenzi have done this your whole lives. You get into jams you can't get out of without Fae help. She has you and Trick by your balls. I won't get in the mix between y'all and a crazy Succubus. I'm a Santiago, my family's name and reputation is on the line here. I won't waste that on something that could have been prevented had Kenzi kept her mouth shut. You and I know all about Aife from everything Trick told us over the years. She's crazy and doesn't give a damn about anything or anyone but her daughter. We don't know Isabeau. There's no record of her. Nothing. Nothing but what we've seen and heard about. Nobody is going to stick their necks out for that type of fate. Nobody." Hale turned and whispered to one of his staff. The man nodded and walked over to Dyson.

"The Heir of Zamora wants you out of here. Now, go." The man pushed Dyson until he was outside. The door guards were put on alert too.

The wolf growled at how he was so easily dismissed. Hale had never been that way with him before. He had never used his status to dismiss Dyson. He wasn't even coming to work at the precinct anymore. Not since those Succubus came to town. He turned and looked around. Nothing was the same since they arrived. The streets are practically empty. The woods are silent too.

He cursed himself for not training his nose to pick up Isabeau's scent. He could get her to change her mind. He could get her to mate with him. He could get her to love him. He could get her to care for Kenzi like he does. If she would only talk to him. Kenzi is not easy to get along with, but she does grow on you, over time.

Back to the Dal then, he thought as he jumped into his car. He and Trick will put their heads together before Isabeau makes a move on Kenzi. They don't want to see her beheaded and bloodied, or worse. He breathed hard as he climbed into his squad car and turned on the sirens. This will allow him space to get by the few cars on the road and back to the Dal. He pulled up and ran inside.

"Trick? What's happened?." Dyson growled.

"I don't know. Kenzi's missing." Trick braced for Dyson's wolf growl. It was loud and almost sounded like a kicked dog.

"How? Dyson looked around the old bar.

"I found this bottle on the ground and nothing else. No earrings. No shoes. No blood. Nothing." Trick replied.

"The Elders? Dyson asked.

"No. Blackthorn would take the bottle. He wouldn't leave it full like this." Trick held up the bottle.

Dyson walked around and used his nose. "The mole."

"What? Trick was startled.

"I smell the Mole, Trick. He's been here." Dyson growled.

"He wouldn't dare come without my calling him first." Trick gritted his teeth.

"Blackthorn might have sent him!." Dyson growled louder.

"I will call him to make sure. We can't lead Aife or Isabeau to him." Trick put his hands up so Dyson would know to stand down and not run out of there on a whim. Dyson watched him dial and stood where he was.

"Well? Dyson asked.

"He hadn't sent for her yet. He agreed to take her in until we could find out what to do to protect her. But his men hadn't gotten here yet." Trick explained.

"Shit. Who has Kenzi!?." Dyson asked.

Aife

"Well, the little shit has arrived." Aife laughed and waved her hand in the air.

"Insult me, again, and I'll tell the blood king of what you've done." The old Mole spoke.

"Forget who you're talking to again, and you will die where you stand. Now, you stink too much to have around. Strap her up and leave me be, right here." Aife gestured towards the other side of the room.

Kenzi couldn't move. She had been strapped to a large log before she was brought in to the old Succubus.

The mole placed Kenzi between two columns and backed up.

Aife clapped her hands and the fire started. "Remove her duct tape. I want to record her screaming to play it for Isabeau."

"Yes ma'am." The Mole obeyed. He has to. She's Trick's legendary daughter. Dark Fae had met terrible fates because of this Succubus. She wouldn't have any trouble busting his balls if she found the need to.

Kenzi couldn't do anything but scream. The fires roared beneath her. She could almost smell her wig cooking on the top of her head. Her clothes were warm too. She wore leather pants that would probably melt to her skin, if she's tortured much longer.

"You're lucky. Isabeau probably wants much worse for you. But this is my way of having a little fun. You will learn to stay in your own fucking lane and never try us again. We don't give a fuck about you, the blood bastard, or the dog. But she will tell you all of this, should she bless you with her presence again." Aife slapped at Kenzi's legs with a small whip. It stung too because she screamed a little louder.

After about another ten minutes, she had Kenzi removed. Her clothes were scarred, and her face was dirt and tears.

"Take her back to daddy and tell him I said to kiss my ass." Aife waved the Mole towards the doors.

He walked out and jumped back into the hole from which he came.

Dyson and Trick paced back and forth. They stopped when they heard the sound of feet.

"Well, Fitzpatrick where is the little mole you spoke of?." Blackthorn asked as he entered the Dal.

"I don't know where he is." Trick sighed.

"I meant, Kenzi." Blackthorn rolled his eyes.

The ground rumbled beneath them, and they all prepared for the hole.

"Kenzi! Dyson screamed as he took in the sight of her.

"Aife says, kiss her ass!." Came from the mole disappearing underground.

"Blackthorn, I'll get you for this." Trick spoke harshly.

"I told you, my people didn't have her. From the looks of her, I'm not sure we want her now either." Blackthorn coughed at the scene.

"I need her protected. You see how dangerous it is to have her around." Trick looked up in anger.

"Then protect her yourself and don't come to any elder again. We don't know what happened, but it smells like one of your Succubus." Blackthorn nodded for his men to turn and walk out.

Trick sighed. Dyson growled. "She needs a doctor!."

"We don't have a doctor that treats humans. You know that." Trick snapped.

"We could have. Let me go and get Lauren." Dyson gently laid Kenzi on the couch.

"Dyson! Lauren is gone. She's gone and untouchable. If Isabeau would do this to Kenzi, what wouldn't she do to us?!." Trick railed.

"Then what are we going to do? She needs help?!." Dyson screamed.

"Get a nurse here. She can help her take off her clothes and assess the damage. Lauren is out of the question, Dyson. I mean it. Do not disobey me on this." Trick looked at Kenzi as Dyson ran out. He went to get some hot towels so he can at least clean her face.

Isabeau and Lauren

The Succubus pulled into the driveway and gently climbed out of her car. She didn't want any sudden noise to startle the doctor. She pulled her jacket off and climbed the stairs. She walked inside and hung it up on the coat rack.

She walked towards the kitchen to get a drink. She looked outside and frowned. "Lauren." She set her glass down and walked out to get the Doctor. She gently picked her up and carried her inside.

"I'm sorry." Lauren mumbled.

"Don't. You just need to eat something. I'll have something ready in no time. Rest right here." Isabeau laid her on the fainting couch and ran to fix some food. She chose vegetables and a small amount of meat for protein. She pulled a chair up next to Lauren while the food cooked. When it was ready, she fed the Doctor.

Lauren felt embarrassed. She didn't mean to drink so much, just so this wouldn't happen. She's drunk in front of a Fae. But she trusts this Fae. She trusts her to make it better and not mock her making it worse.

"Let me put this away and I'll be right back." Isabeau gently smiled as she took the plate and utensils to the sink. She returned with a sports drink and water. "Here."

Lauren opened her mouth and drank the entire bottle. Isabeau set the empty bottle on the nearest table and turned back with the bottle of water. Lauren nodded and took it from her.

"Easy." Isabeau smiled as Lauren tried to sit up on her own.

Lauren took a good long gulp of water and handed the bottle to the Succubus.

"Are you okay? The Succubus held a cold towel and offered it to Lauren.

The Doctor took the towel and leaned into it. She closed her eyes and took some much-needed deep breaths.

"I'm better." Lauren smiled. She was a little better. More alert of her surroundings.

Isabeau smiled and reached for the towel. Her hand was warm against Lauren's.

Lauren looked at her and pushed forward to kiss her. The succubus could do nothing but adjust their weight or they would fall to the floor.

"No. No, Lauren. Not like this." The Succubus gently pushed the Doctor back on the couch.

"I'm sorry." Lauren sighed.

"No. Don't be sorry about that. Our time will come." Isabeau bit her lip.

"It certainly will." Lauren panted.

"Tv time? Isabeau had to change the subject. Everything else in her wanted to pounce all over the doctor.

"Okay." Lauren stood to grab the remote. She needed to be away from the woman too. She had never kissed a Fae before, and she was definitely looking forward to kissing that one again.

Behind the doctor, the succubus was patting her own face with a fresh cold towel. She blew out a breath and smiled when Lauren turned back to sit.

TBC