To everyone thanking me, don't worry, I like putting out quick.

What was that? Did I only answer because I found a hilarious, if not inappropriate, innuendo?

Well…yeah.

Oh, just so's ya know's, I figured screw it, I'll throw in some tasteful smut. It does, however, verge on the M rating…I don't know why I'm warning you about that, because I know you'll all just wanna read it more…dirty yet tasteful perverts…

Also, if you listen to the song 'Edge of Desire' by John Mayer, it just adds a little bit of mood to the flashback.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Lauren

"Hey sexy lady." A warm voice purred in my ear as I slowly opened my eyes. Bo was propped up on her elbows, facing me on her stomach, a smug smirk on her face. I smiled slightly before letting my eyes fall closed again. I hadn't slept in weeks, day or night, kept awake by pain, nightmares or fear of having nightmares. I pretended to to make Tanner sleep, but mostly I'd lay awake worrying about everything that could go wrong. About everything that did go wrong.

But lying here with Bo gave me a kind of peace. Like the missing puzzle piece had been found and now I could stop wondering where it went and enjoy the picture it made.

"Last night was…wow…" she breathed and I opened my eyes again, running the back of my hand over her bare shoulders.

"Yeah…wow…"

We'd just watched all the Shrek movies twice before Tanner had finally passed out and the succubus carried him into his bedroom. I took the time to get myself prepared mentally for what was about to happen. I hadn't been…intimate with Bo, or anyone for that matter, since the warehouse. And so much had changed since then.

I didn't know how my body would react to being fed from. I didn't know if it would go into attack mode or if it would accept it. So, I looked at myself in the mirror, adjusting the shirt awkwardly, trying to decide if I should just take it off before hand or leave it on. My ruby eyes glimmered in the light of the bathroom, sending a rush of shame through me. I turned on the tap and washed my hands out of nervous habit and opened the door to my room.

Bo waited for me in the bed, sitting cross legged by the head board. The room was lit by a dozen or so candles scattered around. I was careful to get my wings out of the way before shutting the door. I felt like a kid again, all awkward and shy.

"Hi," Bo murmured, adjusting her position on the bed.

"Hi." I said softly, playing with the hem of my shirt.

"how are you?" I shook my head, unable to keep the smile off my face.

"Worried, confused, a lot of other emotions I can't exactly name." She moved over after a moment, patting the space she'd been sitting. I moved and sat down slowly, facing her.

"Lauren," she took my hand gently "if you're not ready—" I kissed her hand, silencing her for a moment.

"No, I'm ready…I'm just nervous, I guess."I looked into her eyes, seeing the hunger there, both the need to feed and the need to be with someone you cared about. I pushed up onto my knees, slowly forcing her to fall back on the mattress, my arms on either side of her head. I watched as her eyes began to glow. "Not to put any pressure on you…" I said, feeling her fingers carefully reach up and under my shirt, trailing over the skin of my stomach, sending small waves of ecstasy through my body. I took a deep breath and dug my nails into the mattress. She definitely wasn't worried about putting pressure on me. She was enjoying it. "But, when manticore mate…they mate for life." She froze, no doubt having Dyson flash backs. "I mean, I have no idea if it'll effect me, but I thought you should know in case—"

"are you willing to do this with me?" she asked and I stopped, staring down at her face, determination on her features. "Are you willing to make this bond with me if it means we'll be connected forever?" I looked at her, trying to understand the emotions she was feeling. It was like trying to read a blank piece of paper. Honestly, I would've thought her to be a little worried when it came to something about being giving myself to her in more ways in one. But looking down at her face, I felt that pulse in my heart that happened when you knew you loved someone undeniably. That you would do anything for them, no matter what the cost. So, instead, I told the truth.

"Yes." She nodded once briskly.

"Then so am I."

She was trying to make this easier for me, to sooth my feelings of self-restraint and carefulness, to bring allow me to let loose. And it was working. Her succubus touch was allowing me to let go of my fear and just be. While her promise allowed me to unleash my heart. "You look so beautiful…" she whispered in a raspy voice. I swallowed against the shiver that ran through my body.

I leaned down and touched my lips to hers gently, instantly feeling a sharp tingle where my skin met hers.

And I let go.

I let her take as much of my life force as she needed.

It was like flying, feeling her healing, feeling her filling that void part of her biology that she'd been neglecting. Knowing I was the one helping her get better. Knowing I was the only one she wanted to help her. I stayed perfectly still as she fed, her hands cupping the sides of my face gently.

The strange part was, I didn't feel tired. As Bo let out a soft moan and stopped feeding, instead moving to lay soft kisses on the side of my neck, I was almost sad.

I looked over at the window, the shutters closed on the outside turned it into a kind of mirror. In my dim reflection, I distinctly saw something that shocked me, but made me smile at the same time.

My eyes were glowing a brilliant violet colour.

My fascination lasted only a moment as Bo pulled my face back to hers and kissed my lips softly, a sort of reliant desperation in her strong, but slow, movements, her eyes glowing the same beautiful purple that mine were. I held her body close to my own, kissing her shoulder, pulling the tank top over her head and throwing it to the floor before tearing the shirt I wore in half, knowing it would be easier than trying to get it off the limbs protruding from my back.

She smiled up at me, adoration in her eyes as I sat back on her hips, fingers resting on her waist band, just slipping under it. "I love you…" she whispered, resting her hands over mine. I looked into her eyes, at the succubus who had stolen my heart, and I lifted her hand to my lips, placing soft kisses on each of the knuckles.

"I love you too."

Her lips touched mine again gently, tucking my hair behind my ear. "You're like a succubus battery charger." I smiled and wrapped my arms around her tightly.

"You also did your part for me too." During the night, Bo had been so…super charged, I suppose, that she managed to breathe some chi into me too, helping my wing to repair itself faster than I thought possible.

"We make quiet a team, don't we?" She said teasingly and I nuzzled my nose against hers.

"We do." She gave me a seductive smirk and kissed my lips tenderly.

"Ready for…what round are we on? Eighteen? Twenty? I've lost track" I laughed and looked up at the ceiling.

"You need to stop exaggerating." I said looking at her and her child like mischievous grin. "It's way less than round twenty…I can't say exactly how many, but it's less than that." I glanced at the clock and sighed. It was nearly eight. "And, we have to get up. Tanner will be up soon. It's like he runs on clockwork or something." Bo sighed dramatically, but got up.

We dressed slowly, she helped me cut a new shirt and slide it over my wings. We cut the sleeves off, and cut it right down the seams on either side so it was essentially in two pieces, then tied together the top corners and the bottom corners, securing them in place while my wings went through two slits in the back.

If you're wondering how I managed to do it the first time, don't ask. It's really embarrassing and awkward. Trust me.

She wrapped her arms around my waist when we were dressed, her fingers gently brushing against the long feathers of my folded wings. I wrapped my arms loosely around her neck, resting my forehead against hers.

That was when I heard it.

The crunching of snow under heavy footsteps. The clicking of guns as they were loaded. I held my breath and looked at the boarded windows, my heart taking off on a marathon. Someone was here. Somehow, they found me.

"You know, if Bo is really with the Half and the Shadow Child," the Morigan's muffled voice said, maybe a hundred feet from the house "she'll be found as a traitor to the Fae world."

"I know." Dyson's voice answered, a little bit closer.

"And you're okay with that?" Kenzi's voice added to the mix.

"What is it?" Bo asked quietly and I looked back at her.

"Get Tanner and stay in his room until I tell you otherwise!"

"Lauren!"

"Don't ask questions and don't argue!" I snapped hearing the foots steps getting closer to the front door. "Just do as I say!" She stared at me for a brief second before taking off through the house towards Tanner's room.

I clenched and unclenched my fists, feeling the throbbing beginning again in the base of my skull. I staggered to the bathroom, locking the doors and windows as I went. I stared at my eyes in the mirror, seeing past myself and into me. "I know you're there." I whispered to the part of me I've been supressing, the other being residing within my soul. A low rumble started in the centre of my chest, vibrating outwards. "I know because I've had to suppress you for a long, long time…" Slowly, the pounding in my skull spread until my body thrummed to a single, animalistic rhythm. "but I need your help now." The clicking of guns sounded just a few yards from the house. "I can't protect Tanner and Bo on my own anymore…I'm just too tired…I need you to keep them safe…" I stared at my eyes as they slowly changed to a bright blue, far brighter than Bo's.

Suddenly, my hands slipped from the counter and I fell to the floor, my body feeling numb, not listening to my panicked commands to get up. My vision began to blur. A strong voice echoed through my mind as the world faded away.

"It will be done."

Kenzi

I walked behind Dyson and Hale, beside Simba who lugged the other equipment behind him on a sled. You would think that the tons of pounds of net launchers and tranquilizers would be hard for him, but he pranced along like it was nothing. I had to remind him to slow down more than once so he wouldn't knock all the stuff over.

I was nervous, to say the least. The Dark Fae, other than Amelia, wanted Lauren dead or in captivity, while the Light Fae peeps wanted Lauren to come peacefully, but were armed and ready in case things didn't go their way.

My biggest worry was Bo. She'd go ape shit crazy if someone tried to hurt her or do anything to her lady lover. Now, I had firsthand experience with Succubus strength when you simply disturbed her meal. And that was when she was more or less a faeby succubus. There was no telling what she could do now that the Doc had helped her out with stuff.

Ivory cocked her tranq gun and held it against her shoulder. The Darkies were really jonesing to take her down. I shook my head at the thought of them firing at Lauren like she was an animal.

"Fire on sight." Dyson said, raising his own gun.

"We can do this an easier way!" Trick said, sounding aggravated and worried. "If you stress her out there's no telling how she could react!"

"Old timer," The Morigan said, strutting along behind her beefcakes. "We don't have time to play nice with the freak. We need to get it back home before there's yet another war, alrighty?"

"She is not an it!" Amelia snapped, clenching her gunless hands in tight fists. She would never raise her hand against her leader, but it doesn't mean she didn't really really want to. I didn't blame her. I really, really wanted to too.

"Whatever I still think—"

The door to the log cabin swung open violently, crashing against the wall with enough force to make the solid wood shudder like it would explode into slivers. Everyone shut up and stayed deathly quiet for a long, long time. I swallowed, my heart pounding in my ears.

Simba's ears perked up, a low whimper coming from his muzzle.

I looked around nervously.

It was only when Trick drew in a quick gasp that I focused back on the house.

In the doorway stood a figure, a human body with wings stretching out on either side, muscled limbs stepping out barefoot into the snow, its head bowed.

When it looked up, the bright eyes hit me first, then the blond hair and the pointed ears

"Lauren?" Trick asked and the world seemed to stop. No expression crossed her face. A chorus of voices answered him.

"Our name is Harbinger."

Oh ho! Sorry it all just slowed down with the updates, I needed a mental break from writing for a while. Last week before winter break sucks a big one.

Did you hear? The mental institution is letting me pay my way out with reviews! The only thing is, I'm short a lot of them. A little help here please?