Dyson stepped carefully down the stairs under the Dal Riata, ducking as he crossed the threshold into the large room. Trick had sent for him, saying they had some pressing business to discuss that was incredibly time-sensitive.
"Trick?"
The barkeep was sitting at a table, looking seriously at a stack of files. "Thanks for coming, Dyson."
"Of course." Dyson took a seat on a weathered arm chair. "What's going on?"
"We have a serious problem." He passed Dyson a photo of a familiar face.
Dyson frowned and looked up at Trick. "This is Lauren."
"I trust you're on good terms?"
"With Lauren?" Dyson replied. "I guess. Better than we used to be."
Trick turned to his old colleague and looked at him seriously. "I need her research. I want you to get it for me."
Dyson laughed. "You think she's going to just give that to me? I think you have the wrong Fae. Isn't that a job better suited to Bo?"
The Blood King looked to the floor, almost shamefully. "That might be impossible now, I'm afraid." When their eyes met again, Dyson knew something wasn't right.
"What did you do?"
"I have to keep the Fae safe, Dyson. Even if it is from someone my granddaughter loves."
Dyson shook his head. "I don't understand."
"The Morrigan wasn't acting alone."
"What?" Dyson whispered harshly.
"Lauren stepped beyond the boundary, Dyson, using the Fae as experiments. She has to be dealt with."
"I can't believe you," he shook his head again, positive he must be dreaming.
"I'm doing what needs to be done to keep the Fae safe," Trick defended. "And you'd be wise to do the same."
"I'll admit Lauren and I haven't always agreed, but haven't her actions earned her some respect?"
"Her actions have proven her loyalty lies with her kind, Dyson."
"Her loyalty lies with Bo, Trick. I can't believe you don't see that."
Trick sighed. "Are you going to help me, or not?"
Dyson's lips tightened, his breath turning to a low growl before he righted it again. "I'll do what I can."
Trick watched him get to his feet and walk to the stairs that led up to the bar. "Dyson." The seasoned cop paused and turned back. "I have great respect for Doctor Lewis' intelligence and talent. I would be a fool to take her lightly."
Bo's hunger was back and it scared the hell out of her. She yearned for Lauren's touch, but she remained aloof. She knew Lauren was afraid of her and it broke her heart. If she could undo all the damage that one act had caused she'd gladly wave it away, a wisp of a truth that she held in her heart.
Sitting on her bed, lost in thought, Bo imagined a time when things were simple, except things were never simple or easy, there was always strife and struggle, that was her lot in life. It would be easy to resign herself to this fate but she was bound and determined to break the cycle. To reclaim her Fae and restore her relationship with Lauren.
The top step creaked and Bo perked up, watching the empty doorway. It was a moment before Lauren appeared. She smiled at Bo and crawled onto the bed. Bo knew her signals and curled around Lauren in response. They lay together, bathed in the lamp light, and it was ten minutes before Bo spoke.
"You okay?"
She nodded against the pillow. "Yeah."
"Because we haven't really talked since you know…"
Lauren pulled Bo's arm tighter around her. "I guess we can't avoid it any longer."
Bo pulled the hair back from Lauren's neck and kissed her in the soft spot behind her ear. "I wish I could take it all back," she whispered. Bo chewed her lip and squeezed Lauren's hip. "I miss you."
The silence that followed was physically painful. It was agony as each second ticked by and no answer came. When she thought she might self-immolate, Lauren spoke. "I love you."
Bo's legs tangled with Lauren's. "But…?"
"I'm scared, Bo." Lauren threaded their fingers together.
"I am, too."
Lauren looked over her shoulder at Bo before falling onto her back beside her. "Now what?" She sighed.
Bo covered Lauren's lips with a finger. "We do what we always have done: we fight for what matters."
Pressing a hand against Bo's cheek, Lauren let go of her fear and fell into the abyss of Bo's smile. She exhaled and pulled Bo's mouth against hers. It was a tentative kiss, one that bubbled up around the edges and quickly morphed into something fierce, threatening to grow out of control with each passing moment.
Bo moved over her then, holding herself aloft with a well-placed hand behind Lauren's head. She pulled away feeling the need in her blood.
"What is it?" Lauren asked, already knowing the answer. She brushed the hair from Bo's face, one hand coming to rest at the back of her neck and the other smoothing over her cheek with the back of her hand.
"Lauren…" Wanting nothing more than to push forward into the unknown, Bo was aware of the danger they both faced, trusting that she would possess enough control now could be deadly. Her hand found the lush pile of hair cascading from Lauren's pillow and she sighed.
She lifted her head and covered Bo's mouth with her own. It was a slow, calculated exchange, Lauren kept the pace even, teasing her and leading her on. It was a slow burn, igniting the fire in their bellies like tinder.
Bo unbuttoned Lauren's shirt and pushed it open against her shoulders. She wrenched open her jeans. A hasty hand plunged past her zipper and in between Lauren's legs. She arched her back. "Oh," she said, drawing out the vowel as her breathing slowly gained momentum.
One hand nestled above Bo's glorious cleavage and the other behind Bo's neck, Lauren's pupils were discs as she looked up at Bo. The hunger Bo saw in Lauren's eyes made her pause. She wanted Lauren so badly that the ache between her legs was a dizzying distraction as she watched Lauren's hips undulate against her hand.
Lauren's eyes fell shut, concentrating on the sensations coursing through her body. Tightening her grip on Bo's neck, she pulled herself up to capture Bo's lips once again. This time, however, Lauren was losing control. Her lips worked greedily against Bo's mouth, sucking on her bottom lip, her hips lifting from the bed as Bo sunk into her depths.
She hummed her appreciation. Bo's mouth was on her neck, making a trail goosebumps rise up on her skin. She reached out for Bo's breast only to be turned away at every glancing caress. Lauren's breath was coming faster now and she was threatening to find oblivion on her own. "Bo," she moaned. "Let me touch you."
Bo looked at her then, blue eyes flickering. "I don't trust myself."
"I do," Lauren said.
Bo bit her bottom lip as she made Lauren's back arch once again. "This isn't so bad, is it?" Her lips brushed the whorls of Lauren's ear.
"No, but it could be," her teeth flashed from behind her lips, "so much better for you."
Lauren sat up, stilling Bo's hand between her legs and pushed Bo onto her back. A flurry of clothing drifted to the floor, until finally, Lauren was lifting Bo's hips and peeling away her pants. When Lauren crawled up Bo's body and covered her with her own, Bo sighed.
And when Lauren kissed her, she was at her mercy again. Soft and slow, like a dance, long forgotten. Finally, this was Bo's homecoming. A fleeting smile chased away any doubt Bo had. Lauren's hair fell around her face like a blonde corona. Her beauty was blinding and Bo found herself squinting as she looked up at her.
A quiet moment unraveled between the pair, filling in the space between them with an air of contentment and an underlying current of lust. Nestled between Bo's legs, Lauren began a slow grind. Their hips moved together, the delicious contact ramping up Bo's arousal.
A flash of blue and Lauren braced herself for what was to come. She wasn't afraid of Bo now, but she was conscious of the risks. A quick reversal found Lauren on her back, a soft "Unf!" escaping her as Bo pressed her into the mattress.
Stealing a kiss, Bo's hands explored her body, taking a leisurely route to her destination. Lauren tensed as Bo's hand slid between their bodies. Her mouth covered the spot on her throat that throbbed with her heart under pressure. She worked her hips back and forth, rocked them side to side as her fingers left their indelible mark on her core.
When Lauren reached out for her, Bo's eyes slipped shut, lost in the sensations. Undulating against each other, hips jumping in concert, they moved together, a magnetic show of perfect rhythm and desire. Bo swallowed the moan that threatened to rise up as she luxuriated in the emotional response Lauren had on her.
Sparks ignited behind her eyelids when release came swiftly. Lauren held her body tight against her own as the quaking subsided. Lauren's voice was in her ear repeating her name. "Bo," she said, breathless.
Bo lifted her head from the crook of Lauren's neck and brushed the blonde strands from her face. The smile Bo uncovered was unmatched by anything she was prepared for. Lauren rolled her eyes at herself.
"What?" Bo kissed her chin.
She shook her head. "Nothing."
Bo rolled away, flopping onto her back beside Lauren. "You're a terrible liar."
Lauren propped herself up on one arm and cast her eyes over Bo's nude form. "You're amazing."
Bo laughed at that. Their post-coital banter and the doe-eyed gaze Lauren was throwing her way landed like an atomic bomb in her belly. Lauren scooted towards Bo, resting her head on her shoulder and draping an arm across her midsection. "Doctor Lewis," Bo teased. "Flattery will get you everywhere."
The door swung wide open and Evony appeared in its frame, hand on hip. It was mid-afternoon and the Dal was deserted except for Trick, who read a newspaper behind the bar. He looked up as Evony approached, hips swaying, and closed the paper.
"Thank you for coming on such short notice," he said.
"Let's cut to the chase. You want what Lauren has and you've tried all of her allies but they all refused to help you."
"How did you know?"
"You're a predictable little imp, I'll give you that."
"Can you help?"
Evony closed her eyes. "I'm afraid not. I've given my blood oath to Bo that I'd leave her and that burgeoning lesbian commune alone."
"This affects all Fae. She could bring about our extinction. Especially if the humans become aware of our presence."
"I'm not going to shake down your granddaughter again, though your competitive run for Grandpappy of the year is endearing." Evony flicked her wrist and the leather gloves she was holding slapped her other palm. "I'll tell you what I'll do for you." She opened her purse and pulled two crisp hundred dollar bills from her wallet. "Here's two hundred dollars. Get some therapy."
THUMP
She sat at attention on the couch and eyed her beloved sword, Geraldine. A shuffle of feet and Kenzi was on hers. She jumped into the door frame, Geraldine gleaming in the fluorescent light of the clubhouse.
Lauren dropped an armload of equipment. "Jesus!"
"Sorry Doc," Kenzi set her sword down and helped Lauren pick up the fallen science junk.
"Good to see they haven't broken your spirit, Kenz." Lauren smirked as she dusted her knees off and stood.
"Hey…" Kenzi said looking Lauren over. Her hands were dirty and her jeans were muddy, especially on her knees as were the boots she wore. Kenzi smiled. "Well, look at you, butching it up and stuff."
Lauren laughed. "I was just setting up a perimeter." She walked past Kenzi and into the clubhouse, dropping the equipment she was carrying by the door, she washed her hands in the kitchen sink and dried them before making her way to her laptop. A few key strokes and the lights dimmed momentarily. She smiled.
"So that's going to go off if someone tries to break in?" Kenzi looked through the discarded pile of equipment that Lauren had been using.
"That's the idea. This is just a temporary grid." Lauren made a few well-chosen keystrokes. "But it will give us some advance warning until I can have the professionals put in the real deal."
"How does it work?" Kenzi asked, looking over her shoulder.
"The grid is set up by placing stakes around the yard equal distance apart. They send information back to the computer and will alarm if anyone crosses the barrier between two stakes." Lauren pushed back from the laptop and smiled, satisfied. Kenzi watched the screen and the window that played a stream of video from their front and side door. "We'll get something a bit more high-tech when we have more time. Something a bit more catered to our… pursuers."
"Like a Fae detector?"
Lauren nodded. "Something like that."
"Speaking of Fae detectors," Kenzi started, spying a plastic bag floating past their side door. "You're looking better."
Lauren frowned at the screen. "What?"
"Well…" Kenzi wandered away to the couch, leaning against the back of it. "I'm no doctor, but my ribs are still killing me from our run-in a few days ago and, well…" She admired her boots. "Judging by last night's soundtrack, you and Bo didn't seem to miss a beat." She cleared her throat.
Lauren shifted uncomfortably. "I didn't realize you paid that much attention." She tapped a few keys on the keyboard.
"Well in this place, it's kinda hard not to."
A few more keys pressed. "I see."
Kenzi tapped her heel against the floor. "So are you going to tell me what's going on, or do I have to wait for the Twitter storm?"
"Something's not working."
"What?"
Lauren looked up at Kenzi before getting to her feet. "The perimeter, something's come apart, I have to fix it."
Kenzi watched Lauren grab her jacket and glide through the clubhouse like she was on air. Kenzi could barely get up without her body complaining, but somehow Lauren seemed unaffected. "Sure," Kenzi told her. "We'll continue this some other time."
The rest of the day had been quiet, but the atmosphere still had a an air of unsettling electricity. The knowledge of a constant stream of assailants despite having some sort of a warning system in place left the women in a sort of captive limbo, hoping the silence remained at the same time waiting for it to be shattered.
They were halfway through dinner when their conversation about the highlights of Nineties television was interrupted by the sudden scream of the perimeter alarm that Lauren had set up earlier that morning. The clatter of forks hitting plates was followed by stools scraping against the floor as each woman sprang to attention.
Bo pulled the dagger from its holster and stood in front of the door at the ready, Kenzi pulling up the rear with Geraldine. Lauren rushed to her laptop as there was a solid knock on the door and pushed a few keys, keeping a close eye on the entrance. Her heart pounded as the knock came again and she squinted at the video feed.
She sighed heavily. "It's okay," she said, holding up a hand. "It's Dyson."
Kenzi's arms fell to her sides in relief and she returned to the table, reclaiming her fallen stool. "I don't know if my heart can take this, Doc." She shoveled a heaping forkful of pasta into her mouth.
Lauren watched Bo open the door for Dyson and sat back down next to Kenzi. "I know."
"Sorry to interrupt," Dyson apologized, noting the intensity from each woman. He turned to Bo when she stopped beside him. "We need to talk."
"I figured," she replied, gesturing to the couch. They sat next to each other facing the fireplace, their backs to the kitchen. Bo could feel Lauren's eyes on her, burning a hole in her skin. "So?"
Dyson wrung his hands. "I found out some information today that's… concerning."
"Concerning for who?"
"You… Lauren…" He half-glanced over his shoulder. "Me."
"Well spill it," Bo told him. "I've got other things I need to worry about right now."
"That's the thing, Bo." Dyson looked back at the kitchen this time, his eyes meeting Lauren's in a brief, but knowing glance. "It's not the Morrigan gunning for Lauren, it's-"
"Trick, I know."
Dyson was surprised. "So you know what he wants."
"He was pretty clear," she said. "Why, did he send you here to take it?"
He shifted uncomfortably. "In a manner of speaking."
"I can't let you do that."
"Bo, I don't…" Dyson lowered his voice again. "I didn't promise him anything, but Bo… he's prepared to kill her."
Bo set her jaw. "Then he'll have to go through me."
"Bo…"
"No, I'm through with this Fae 'family' bullshit." She shifted away from Dyson and looked into the kitchen. "He can throw whatever he wants at us, I don't care. If Lauren doesn't want to give up her research, then she shouldn't have to."
Dyson took a deep breath and smiled at Bo. "Then at least let me help," he said. "I have to be at a meeting with a witness, but I'll send Tamsin over to keep an eye on you guys tonight. You look terrible."
Bo smirked and slapped his shoulder. "Thanks."