Chapter Eight

Thanks to Tamsin's driving, she and Bo arrived at the Dark compound first, and Bo leapt out of the truck before it could come to a complete stop. Tamsin remembered to put the thing into park before she too hit the ground running. They sprinted up the long drive to find two Dark Fae guards running to meet them. "We've been expecting you," the first man said. Bo grabbed him by the front of the shirt and slammed him into the wall by the elaborate archway he'd just come through.

"Where are they?!" the succubus and Valkyrie demanded.

"Hospital wing," the guard replied meekly. "Through the door, two rights and then your second left."

With a smack to the chest but no word of thanks, Bo and Tamsin sprinted into the compound, following the guard's directions until they reached a wing filled with exam rooms and medical equipment. Hearing voices coming from one of the halls, the two women bolted in that direction and came to a screeching halt in front of the first open door.

"Oh!" Bo exclaimed softly, shoulders slumping in dismay as she took in the sight before her.

Evony was sitting on an exam table as Lauren treated a deep gash along her calf. That wasn't what bothered the succubus, though. What bothered her was that the Morrigan and the doctor were locked in a passionate kiss, Lauren's arms around Evony's waist while the Dark Fae wove her fingers through the human's hair. They broke apart at Bo and Tamsin's entrance, Lauren with guilty horror and Evony with smug amusement.

"About time you got here," the Morrigan snarked. "Some rescuers you are."

"You're lucky we came here at all," Tamsin shot back, but Bo said nothing, still staring at Lauren. After a moment, she turned and left the room without a word, shaking her head in confused shock.

"Bo, wait!" Lauren called, running after her.

The two Dark Fae watched them go before turning to each other. "That kiss wouldn't have been a purposeful move, would it?" Tamsin inquired, her voice casual but challenging.

Evony smirked. "Believe what you want, Valkyrie. Now go eavesdrop like I know you want to."

Tamsin wasn't bothered by the Morrigan's very correct assumption. While Evony continued to clean up her leg, the blonde backed towards the doorway and listened in on the inevitably awkward conversation taking place.

"Bo, I'm sorry, it's not – "

"No, Lauren, it's ok," the succubus cut her off. "What we had ended a long time ago. It's none of my business who you sleep with."

"It's not like that, Bo. It's nothing serious."

"I saw the way you were looking at her, Lauren." Bo's voice was gentle and understanding. "If that's what you want, then I won't stand in your way."

"I'll always love you. You know that." The doctor's words widened the cracks in Tamsin's already fragile heart.

"And I'll always love you, Lauren, but not the way I did before. Not the way we did before. You'll always be special to me, but we can't hold onto what's already gone." Tamsin could almost hear the succubus put her hand on the doctor's shoulders. "Be happy, Lauren. Don't let me stand in your way."

There was silence for a moment before Lauren spoke again. "Thanks, Bo." Her voice was heavy with unshed tears.

Tamsin and Evony decided they'd heard enough and left the room just in time to see Bo give Lauren one last hug with a kind smile on her face. When the two turned to meet the approaching Dark Fae – Evony walking with a limp – Lauren immediately rushed to the Morrigan's side. Wrapping her arm around Evony's waist, the doctor pulled the Fae's arm over her shoulder so she could take the weight off her injured leg. The Morrigan was surprised by the overt show of affection, but she didn't question it.

Bo sighed, and in that sigh she let Lauren go.

Dyson and Hale chose that moment to come jogging towards them. When they saw the way Lauren and Evony were standing they both blinked in shock, but neither commented. "Did you see what it was that attacked you?" Dyson asked.

"Not very clearly, but they were some kind of dog," Lauren replied. "Really, really big dogs."

"Where'd they go?"

"That's just it – they vanished. They chased us out of the Archives and one of them managed to claw Evony, but then they just stopped. When we turned to look, they were gone."

"Why would they attack you and then leave like that?" Bo wondered, frowning.

"Another warning, maybe?" Tamsin guessed. "But if they were chasing you, it suggests that you were their targets."

"But they vanished," Evony retorted.

"Which could mean they realized you were the wrong targets," Tamsin continued.

"Any description you can give us besides 'big dogs,' 'cause we're kind of standing next to one now," Bo quipped.

"Hey!" Dyson protested as the others tried not to laugh.

"There was one really weird thing," Lauren noted. "They were trailing water, like they'd just come out of a lake or something."

"If you show me where they were then maybe I can track them," the shifter offered.

"Ohhhh, no," the Morrigan cut him off. "You aren't getting anywhere near the Dark Archives."

"Could you track them from the cut on Evony's leg?" Tamsin asked.

"Also a big no. I am not having that man sniff my leg; I'm afraid he'll pee on it."

Bo, Lauren, and Hale completely lost it, doubled over with laughter. "Really?" Dyson protested, his voice becoming an angry growl.

"Down, boy," Evony replied, unable to hold back her own grin. "Lighten up, Light Fae. Chances are they'll be coming back – if not for us, for one of you, so be on your guard."

"Come on, Evony, you have to rest," Lauren insisted, trying to guide her to the living quarters.

"I'm fine, human."

"Right. And I'm not medically qualified enough to tell you that you're not. Let's go." Evony gave an exasperated, exaggerated sigh, but followed nonetheless. Bo took that as her cue to head for the exit, and Dyson jogged after her, calling for the succubus to wait up.

"Ten bucks," said Hale.

"Not even betting," replied Tamsin. The two Fae crept just far enough down the hall for a second round of eavesdropping.

"Bo, listen – "

"Not now, Dyson."

"Look, I just want you to know I'm here for you."

"…Ex-cuse me?!"

"If you need to talk or – "

The sound of a hard slap echoed back to the siren and Valkyrie, and both winced.

"How dare you. Five minutes I've known about those two and you're already trying to get back in. Really Dyson? You're really going to stoop that low?"

"Bo – "

"No, Dyson! What, you figure that now that Lauren's out of the way you'll come in and stake your claim? Leave me alone. Just…leave me alone."

Bo stormed off with such vehemence that Hale and Tamsin heard her shoes clacking on the tile floor. Both Fae took that as their cue to follow, Hale throwing a sympathetic arm around the kicked puppy's shoulder while Tamsin went after the succubus. The Valkyrie found her leaning against the truck with a defeated look on her face.

"Can we go home?"

"Sure thing, succulette."

Only when they were halfway back to Tamsin's place did the significance of her words hit the Valkyrie with a clue-by-four. Bo had called her apartment home. Tamsin felt her heart reach out to the succubus but forced the pull aside. Still, when Bo got out of the truck, Tamsin flinched at the force of the pain in her chest.

…

Tamsin woke to the feel of someone running their hand along her arm. "Bo?" she mumbled as she tried to wake.

"Shh," the succubus whispered, not ceasing her touch. The glide of skin against skin was forbidden heaven, but Tamsin couldn't let herself feel it.

"Bo, what's wrong?"

"I…I just…" And then her mouth was on Tamsin's.

The Valkyrie couldn't stop the whimper that escaped her as Bo's lips met hers, soft and warm and sweet. It was everything Tamsin remembered from Brazenwood and more: fire and life and passion, but also overwhelming sadness and desperation. The blonde was drowning in the movements of the kiss, but was jolted back to wakefulness at the feel of Bo's tongue sweeping along her bottom lip.

"Bo, wait – " Tamsin pulled back.

"I need you, Tamsin, please…"

Bo tried to kiss her again, but Tamsin put her hands on the succubus's shoulders and pushed her back. Were it any other night at any other time she would have given herself to Bo without a second thought. But the succubus wasn't coming to her because of her – she was coming to her because she was hurt. Tamsin knew the feeling all too well: the desire to try and feel something when all you could feel was numbness. The yearning need to feel like someone could bring you joy when you could find none. The Valkyrie had been to that dark place more than once and each time had tried to heal the way Bo was trying now. It only left her feeling worse: hollow and empty and ashamed.

"Bo, this isn't what you need," Tamsin murmured. "I know it feels like you do, but you can't. If you do this, you'll regret it in the morning."

"I could never regret you," the succubus gasped, still fighting to press herself against the Valkyrie. Those words nearly broke Tamsin's resolve, but she held firm.

"I will always be here for you. You know that. But not like this. Not this way." Tamsin ran her hands along Bo's arms in a soothing, calming motion, kissing her forehead. "You're hurting, Bo. You want this because you're hurting. I know, I understand. But this isn't the way to fix it. I don't want you to wake up hating yourself. I can't let you do that to yourself. I won't let anybody hurt you, and that means keeping you from hurting yourself, too."

Tamsin could feel Bo shivering beneath her palms, and she could just barely make out her tears in the darkness. "But you'll be here for me?" Her voice quivered.

"Whenever you need me."

"It hurts," Bo cried, falling into Tamsin's embrace. The Valkyrie held her tight, rubbing her back as she sobbed. "I've let her go and I've accepted it but it hurts."

"And it will, for a little while. But you will make peace with this," Tamsin soothed. "But for now, just let go. It's ok. I've got you."

Bo broke down in Tamsin's arms, sobbing her grief and regret and resigned acceptance. The Valkyrie murmured soft comfort as she stroked her hair, rocking her back and forth. In the safety of night and Tamsin, Bo cried herself into exhaustion, the Valkyrie holding her through every tear.

"Thank you." The succubus sighed raggedly. "For knowing me better than I know myself."

"Anytime, Bo."

"You'll be here when I wake up?" she pleaded in a small voice.

"Always."

For the third night in a row, Bo slept soundly, wrapped around the Valkyrie. And for the third night, Tamsin lay awake, the words left unsaid dancing circles in her mind.

Always, mo laoch.

My warrior.

So now you have your translation for "mo laoch." A couple people looked it up and found "my hero," which is also correct. I wrote this song to my Blackmore's Night Pandora station before settling on their song "Castles and Dreams" for the ending. Definitely give it a listen; it's gorgeous.