Lauren walked into the Dal, coming to meet Trick at his request. He said he had some information for her, so she had planned on stopping by before going home for the night. Bo had promised a night in after Kenzi and Alexie went to bed, and Lauren found she was ready for a break from being out so much. The dinner with her parents last month was intense, and then the night after at the Red Door was just as intense. When she still had minor bruising on her inner thighs from the mechanical bull two days after the event, Bo had no trouble kissing them to make them better. A month after the event, she still had no trouble kissing them, even if they were better.
Bo had taken the opportunity this month to add to that "around the city" chart, taking a long vacation from work for some reason. She wondered why her wife was avoiding the fae leaders whenever they would call; it seemed extremely unlike Bo to avoid anybody when they needed help. Bo seemed more intent on being with her. Lauren had never eaten out so much, gone to so many movies, or been dancing so often in her entire life. Bo had even done things for her, like going to an art museum and bowling. Lauren didn't mind getting out that much, but she was more of an introvert, so she thrived on being in her bubble not surrounded by many people.
Lauren felt light, which was an odd feeling for her. She normally was holding so much stuff in because she still had a need to keep her guard up at all times, avoiding so much stuff with Bo because she was afraid of fighting or losing her, and brooding a bit because she was in a difficult situation with the fae. Right now, though? She just felt…light. She felt like she could breathe easier, she had a renewed confidence, and she was not as stiff.
Her patients noticed, too. Usually, she had trouble with most fae when it came to telling a human, doctor or no, about what was wrong with them or even what type of fae they were so she could treat them better. This week, though, she had minimal issues. This could be with the amount of people coming in for blood fever treatments. They could very well die, so if they weren't civil towards her or didn't tell her what was wrong, there was no other option but to die. The fae were a proud race, but they were still survivalists to a degree. If something big and apocaplytic threatened them, they didn't fight; they usually ran. However, they did not like that something so simple as a disease would be their end.
Trick was standing behind the bar counter, but there were not many people here, despite it being a normally busy time for the establishment. Dyson and Hale were playing pool; she hoped they were at least off duty. Ciara was sitting on the couch in one of the separate rooms, reading an old book that was obviously from Trick's more antiquated bookshelves. The woman didn't look well, and the doctor in her made a note to ask her what was wrong before she went home for the night.
Lauren came up and accepted the beer mug that Trick poured for her when he saw her walking towards him. She smiled in greeting at her wife's grandfather before sitting down and palming the mug in both of her hands.
"It's normally busier than this. Not many takers for Bingo night?" Lauren took another look around, thinking she may have missed some people hiding in corners, but she had observed everybody here.
"Well, it's still early, but with the blood fever alienating all my clientele, I thought a Bingo night would be fun. Clearly, I chose the wrong kind of fun." Trick looked like he had not slept in days and like he was the one that needed the fun instead of his clientele.
"Two words, Trick: Mechanical bull." Lauren smiled, trying to hide her blush at the memory of riding his granddaughter like that bull. She took a long sip of her beer but kept light eye contact with the older man. He seemed like he was seriously considering it before sobering his thoughts. "You wanted to see me?"
"Oh, yes. I didn't think you'd come now, but since you're here and…nobody else seems to be, now is as good a time as any." Trick sent Dyson a look, which Lauren translated as "watch the place," before he motioned for her to follow him to his living quarters.
"Must be serious if I'm getting a tour of the castle." Lauren felt slightly uncomfortable being alone with him. She liked him; she highly respected him, but it was hard to look him in the face sometimes knowing what she had done to his daughter, Aoife, and what she does to his granddaughter quite frequently. Her guilt and embarrassment at being alone with him was a heady, overwhelming combination. It must be what Bo felt when around Gram. "So…"
"I may know what's causing the blood fever, but I need you to promise me that you won't react without hearing me out first." Trick went to pull some books and journals from the shelves built into his walls. "I've been worried of saying anything in case I was wrong, but it's become blatantly obvious that this is all my fault."
"You're healthy, Trick. I tested your blood, remember? It's not your fault." Lauren knew he was powerful; his blood was one of the most intricate and complex things she had ever seen. Since his powers came from his blood, she was not surprised he thought a blood fever could be his fault. "This is just something that's happened."
"Or a consequence of something that I made happen." Trick winced, and Lauren gathered that he honestly believed he was at fault. "I've only written in my blood twice since Aiofe's capture so long ago. There are always consequences, so I am extremely careful not to abuse my power, but I became scared and wanted to protect Bo."
"Protect her from what? Did something happen?" Lauren panicked slightly. Bo didn't tell her all the details about her work all the time. Had something happened that she didn't know about that was bad enough for Trick to panic? He was Bo's grandfather, and they had formed a closer familial bond since she found out they were family. It made sense for her to go to him if she was scared about something. Bo was forever trying to protect Lauren from the crazier and more intense aspects of her job, even if she had gotten better about sharing lately.
"Lauren, I want you to know I never meant any harm. I let old scary stories dictate my actions, and I will never be able to apologize enough." Now, he wasn't making much sense. "When you and Bo bonded, I was worried that you were both too young and hadn't given enough thought into the consequences of your actions. Bo had been so distraught when you were imprisoned, thinking you were pregnant, and I didn't know how to console her. She had just found out I was her grandfather, and I felt guilty for not helping her more, but, honestly? I…panicked more myself."
"What do you mean?" Lauren's eyes widened, feeling the increase of air drying them and causing her to blink more often. Still, she kept strong eye contact and stiffened in defense.
"I wrote in my blood begging for you not to be pregnant because you weren't ready. Bo wasn't ready. The elders would have imprisoned you longer, possibly killed you, if they found out you were a hybrid pregnant with a fae baby. I saw how destroyed and destructive Bo was, and I just wanted to help. I did what I could to prevent a bad situation from getting worse." Trick was smart not to stand too close to her right now. Lauren could feel her own dangerous dormant demons surfacing from his admission, even if part of her understood his rationale. "Like I said, I can never apologize enough."
"You…wrote that I wouldn't be pregnant." Lauren processed that, but it still didn't make sense why he felt responsible for the blood fever. "What does that have to do with the blood fever?"
"I don't think you were really pregnant after you mated, but you'll remember, after that first scare, it's when the first case surfaced?" Trick waited for her to nod or say something, but Lauren stood still. She wasn't sure what she should or even could say. "I think it was in my wording; there are always consequences. I wrote that you weren't ready in that entry, and I believe the blood fever started getting worse and more widespread after that last pregnancy scare you had. Dyson said he smelled it on you; he said he could smell your hormones had changed."
"So…I was pregnant that last time? Then, what? The blood fever destroyed the baby because I wasn't ready?" Lauren felt herself breathing heavier, though she wasn't sure if it was from her anger or from shock. What Trick was saying would change things with her and Bo. She had been pregnant and lost the baby? How was that possible without her knowing? Why hadn't she exhibited normal symptoms of a miscarriage? Sure, when she finally got her period, it was heavier than usual, but nothing that alarmed her.
"I messed up. I have no excuses." Trick did take a step forward, but Lauren stepped back from him. How was she supposed to tell Bo that her grandfather was the reason they couldn't get pregnant? "But I think when you lost the baby, the energy of the universe changed. You lost your blood, so the world decided to translate that elsewhere."
"Bo. She had part of your blood in her and Samael's; she's powerful. Her blood is powerful. If I was pregnant, then that means that the blood fever is…" Lauren stared off sides, no longer looking at anything but focusing in her mind. She recalled all of her tests, all of her patients, every conversation, every treatment. Then, she remembered her own blood samples and how they sparked like Bo's energy after sex. "Trick, do you have idea what you've actually done?"
"I think I do." He sounded confident yet mildly hesitant. She could tell he was a little scared of her right now, so she must have that crazy doctor look Bo mentioned she got when she was so focused that she lost sight of everything else.
"All of the fae affected were…" Lauren had to take a deep breath, because she had considered the possibility because she had to consider every possibility, but she didn't think it would be true. She had hoped it wouldn't be true. "Bo. You brought about a new fae disease that's being transmitted through…some means. It explains why the symptoms remind me of my studies on HIV and AIDS during my residency."
"So, you're saying this is Bo's fault?" Trick said the wrong thing. Lauren felt her dormant anger surface completely. He did good to flinch when she made eye contact again. "That doesn't explain why it's so widespread, though."
"It's a bloodborn pathogen, Trick. If it was transferred during sexual intercourse, then anyone infected could infect whoever else they were with afterwards. It wouldn't even take sex; just blood. Blood that is easily transferred from a succubus with open wounds, a need to heal, and lost inhibitions due to hunger." Lauren closed her eyes and took a deep breath, wanting to reel in her anger. This gave her answers, and she could figure out a way to solve the problem better now that she knew the source. It was her and Bo. "Bo is powerful because of who she is, Trick. You said so yourself. Think about it."
"Lauren, I can't apologize enough. If I try to fix it, I'm afraid I'll just make things worse." Trick couldn't make it worse. Bo was acting extra primal because she had sensed the baby. Gram had sensed the baby. Dyson had apparently even sensed the baby. Gram was not wrong when she said that Bo's instincts to impregnate her was a response to losing the baby, to filling the void. How was Lauren going to explain to Bo that she couldn't get pregnant now? What did this mean for curing Bo's primality?
"Your wording said it was because we weren't ready. We're ready now." Lauren had never felt more confident in this declaration. "If you're the reason we are never able to have children, Trick, Bo will never be able to forgive you for this. I'm not entirely positive she will as it is. I'm not entirely sure that I can."
"Despite my own initial fears about your offspring, I am wholeheartedly behind your coupling now. I can only pray that my bad decisions can be resolved." Trick walked forward to hand her the books he had grabbed earlier. "This is the book that I wrote it in, and these are some books on blood sage powers and bloodborn fae diseases, including the epidemic you cured."
"We won't be around for awhile." Lauren knew she was going to have a hard time explaining this to Bo. How was she going to admit to Bo that she carried a fae STD that was in existence solely because her grandfather had written that they shouldn't have a baby when they first got together? Okay, so it wasn't as difficult to explain as she thought it would be, but there were two possible reactions from Bo. Neither of them were good. Either Bo was going to go insane with guilt for passing on something to all of those people (well, the fae at least), or she was going to go insane and possibly kill her grandfather. Lauren was convinced there would be one extreme or the other. There was no doubt her wife's response to the baby part. Not when they had been trying so much lately for just that. "I wouldn't recommend calling us unless it's an emergency. Trick, I understand why you did it because I've done desperate things to keep Bo safe, too, but this crosses a line."
"I understand." Trick just nodded and didn't move as Lauren exited alone the way she came, leaving the older man in his living quarters. Nothing else existed in her mind right now; her focus had shifted from happy to an angry need to make things right again. She had to get home to Bo. So much for date night.
Bo paced the living room floor. The boards should have all caved by now because she had paced so much the past few days. It didn't matter how much time she took to calm herself before reacting, Bo couldn't stop herself from being extremely angry. Lauren had even winced when her first reaction the other night was a painful, primal howl. It had even woken Alexie, so Kenzi had come out to discover the problem, too. The young girl let out several curses and expletives in Russian when they told her, as well.
Bo didn't understand. Not really. It didn't matter how many times Lauren explained or did tests on her. How could her blood really be the cause of people dying? She was the one who had passed on the disease through her sexual encounters. She had been safe, though, so it didn't make sense. Even with the women she slept with, Bo had been safe. No blood was exchanged; minimal bodily fluids. Lauren had given her clean bills of health several times. Her last weekly check up had come back just fine, so what was the problem? How could she pass it on to others but not really have it herself?
The thing that bothered her the most about the situation was that Lauren had been pregnant. Trick's meddling had caused Lauren to lose a baby, their baby. Lauren explained that the consequences of the blood writing should alter once they were truly ready for babies. Bo knew they were, though, so she had spent last night taking out her depression through energy exchanging sex. Lauren had protested slightly because she was so focused on work, concerned and distracted at finding a cure and reading the books Trick gave her, but Bo knew when Lauren gave into her it was because she was equally as upset and needed comfort and reassurance. Bo's succubus instincts reacted to the news and wanted to prove this new information wrong. If Lauren didn't get pregnant from the last week's constant marathons, then Bo didn't know what else to try.
Lauren was drained and tired by this morning; Bo had never taken that much from her before. She wasn't in control, but she had still stopped before it was too much. In all of her years of being sexually active, Bo had always been safe. What was different now? Why her? Why did Lauren have to be punished for something she did? How could Bo still have sex knowing this? Lauren was human, but she had mentioned there were similar patterns in her own blood, so Bo was to blame for making her wife sick. Okay, so Lauren wasn't sick, but she was still affected by it directly. The doctor had ran tests for the past year, especially when doing her research on explaining the glowy sex after effects, and said that the changes and "sparks" left her system after several hours; something about human antibodies naturally fighting against fae diseases.
What didn't make the most sense was that people she had slept with long before Lauren were infected, too. That meant Dyson had it, which was why he was supposed to be making an appointment with Lauren soon. Ciara, too, since she was active with Dyson after he had been with Bo. Bo was nervous about the results and didn't like the uncertainty or the not really knowing much about it.
Lauren said she was fine, even if it was in her blood. Bo just wasn't so sure. She wanted to howl again and actually understood why Dyson said he sometimes had the stereotypical wolf urge to go out in the woods to howl at the moon.
Lauren had gone to work today, and Bo was upset to be away from her wife. She had never felt so clingy before, but she felt an urge to be there to protect her even more. The doctor was going to start some major research projects to figure out an actual cure now that they knew the cause. She seemed certain that she would have answers soon, and she had even hinted that making love would be in their near future. It was the cutest thing when Lauren tried to tell Bo directly that she wanted sex. This time was a little more awkward and desperate sounding.
Bo decided to go somewhere she had not been in a while, since she had been ignoring the woman's awkward voicemails and texts. She was still a little leery around the Morrigan and had not accepted much work from her – none directly – but options were limited. She refused to talk to Trick; it was going to take a lot longer for her to get over his deception this time.
Lauren had taken Kenzi and Alexie with her to work. Gram was going to watch Alexie while Kenzi rode out to the fae cabin to gather some files that Lauren needed. Bo had been asleep, brooding really, when they left this morning. In retrospect, she should have gone with them. Bo never did well when left alone with her guilt-ridden and angry thoughts. She grabbed her leather jacket and keys, not even caring that she forgot to lock the door again. If she got back before the others got home, Lauren would never know.
When she got to the office, Bo didn't even wait to greet the receptionist before walking in. She stopped, the intense lust and sexual energy in the room overwhelming her senses and turning her eyes blue on instinct. The Morrigan was currently occupied on the edge of her desk, bare legs grasping the young man in front of her and pushing him into and out of her. Bo couldn't help but admire the woman's leg strength. She wasn't even sure how long she stood there watching them.
"You can go." Evony noticed Bo standing there and stopped her controlling leg movements before Bo even had a chance to snap out of her sensory gaze. The young man backed away, looking shocked and pained, before zipping his pants back and quickly exiting the office. Bo thought she recognized him from TV, but she didn't really watch enough non-educational television to know thanks to Lauren's love of all things knowledge and Kenzi's obsession with Jungle Jeeves. "To what do I owe this surprising pleasure?"
"Trust me, pleasure is far from my purpose for being here." Bo was worried that Evony would turn her attention onto her even more since she had just cockblocked in the middle of a sexual appointment.
"Finally change your mind about my latest mission then? It's the hardest item to get, but it's the last one I'll need, so I will pay more than handsomely for your services." The Morrigan finally moved off of her desk and fixed herself. It was almost like she was waiting for Bo to finish what she interrupted. "You'll finally be able to afford that cozy little house in the suburbs you always dreamed of owning, complete with 2.5 kids and picket fence. It's still disturbing to picture a succubus living in such domesticity."
"You know my terms for taking that final offer." Bo narrowed her eyes, challenging the woman. Honestly, she needed this distraction. Evony always had a way of distracting her, even for the most random things. "Either you tell me everything about why you need it, or there is no deal."
"I mean to be immortal; you surely figured that part out by now. You're not that stupid." Evony smoothed her dress down again before sitting in her chair and swiveling to face Bo. "But that's not why you stormed into my office like some underfae decided to make your little girlfriend its afternoon snack. Why are you really here?"
"Wife, and I'm here about the blood fever. What do you know about it?" Bo did something she rarely did in this office. She let her guard down and came to relax in the seat across from Evony.
"Other than it's killing and infecting fae?" Evony leaned forward in her seat. Bo actually liked her like this: when she wasn't trying to put on a show for her; when she was just being a leader and acting like Bo was a general in her army. "Isn't this a better question for your doctor wife?"
"She's looking into it, but I need high clearance answers. You and Lachlan always seem to know everything going on in the fae world. Has there ever been anything like this before?"
"Once, in the Congo. It was why Dr. Lewis was brought into the fold initially, so she's the one most qualified to get you the answers you need." Evony was being too complacent. Bo didn't trust this freely offered and easy conversation. Where was her unnecessary sexual banter? Where was the overly confident powerhouse woman who loved messing with Bo for fun?
"What caused the Congo thing, though? Lauren explained what it was and how she cured it, but I get the feeling she doesn't know the whole story. You fae are notorious for leaving out important details. I was hoping you would know the cause " Bo stayed eye contact with the woman, but she found it hard to read the woman's energy. She almost read like a blank page, and it almost felt like an instinctual defense mechanism. Maybe Evony was more hurt about the rejection than Bo had thought. "I just need to know answers so I can fix it."
"I'm not sure you're the one who can fix it, honey. The only thing you can do is stop spreading it; you'll need to stop having sex with fae." Evony smirked, and Bo did sense a spark of relief. If she had already learned about Bo being the cause of the blood fever, then there was no doubt now that she had come to the right place for answers. Bo was honestly surprised she didn't know about Lauren's formula yet; Maureen was the only person to know besides her, Lauren, and Kenzi. It was refreshing to have things kept from the fae leaders for once. "Guess you did me a favor, really, when you said no, though it only fortifies exactly why I need the Chai Crystal sooner than later. You have caused more death and destruction in this county than there has been in centuries. I don't want to take my chances, since it's obvious you're not going anywhere anytime soon."
"Then why keep me around?" Bo leaned forward, feeling her stress directly in her forehead.
"Like I could get rid of you at this point?" Evony did have a point. Bo would fight anybody who tried to get her to leave. Lauren still wouldn't be granted the leave, and there was no way Bo was leaving her wife behind to face these whackjobs alone again. "Besides, keeping you around makes life more…interesting."
"So…let's make it even more interesting. Tell me how to stop killing people." Bo let her irrational responses return. She felt like a monster again; her adopted parents were right, after all. Sex was the devil, and she was genetically both.
"Only strong blood powers can cause something like this to happen, though it is usually more of a consequence than actual intention. Any blood sage who wrote about ending or even saving a life would be able to start an epidemic, but I haven't seen anyone this powerful since the Blood King disappeared centuries ago." Evony had no idea Trick was the Blood King, and Bo wasn't entirely sure that Lachlan knew, either. Bo hated living with all of these secrets, but she did understand how powerful her grandfather is. Revealing that information to the wrong people could be just as powerful a weapon as Lachlan's venom or Lauren's formula. "I love that you think I have all of life's answers. It gives me power over you, and I really love that."
"Is there a way to fix it without medicine?"
"Other than you reviewing your feeding habits?" Evony took a deep breath. It looked as though she was almost fighting giving her the information but realized she had no choice. For some reason, Bo felt like she actually had the power right now because of this small gesture. "Your seeming desperation in this matter almost makes me wish I had the answers to give you."
"But you don't." Bo knew it had been a longshot, but she had to try something. Being cooped in the house was not helping her mental stability. "Evony, about…me rejecting you."
"Oh, honey. I'm not one to brood. I leave that for you. Rejection happens everyday; okay, so it hasn't happened to me since Rome burned, but you didn't exactly break my heart." Evony was hiding something; Bo could definitely sense that much. "I just thought it'd be a little fun after a boring day, and I haven't had a succubus or incubus in decades."
"Still, I'm sorry." Bo said it out loud, more wanting to say it to someone since she had a lot of people to apologize to, especially Dyson. She made eye contact again and decided to change topics. She really needed the distraction, and she didn't even care if Evony had actual clients to see today. The woman didn't seem to care, either, yelling into the intercom at her assistant whenever she would buzz in to say so-and-so was here. "Why immortality?"
"Well, it's not complete immortality. Such a thing doesn't exist. Think of it as a failsafe to guarantee a long, long life. I want to be the Morrigan for a very, very long time." Evony sounded too confident, and Bo actually found that she liked the idea of Evony being the leader for a long time, too. Bo knew how to deal with this woman; she had a certain working rapport with her. She didn't think that a new Dark Fae leader would be as eventually easy like Lachlan was as the new Ash, even if he was an ass at the beginning of his term. It was hard not to hold a slight grudge against someone who had no qualms about imprisoning your wife in one manner or another.
"If I make the deal to get you that crystal, I need that money promised plus a future favor. You'll owe me for a change, and I don't want any stipulations whatsoever." Bo didn't think the woman would agree to her counteroffer, so she was surprised when the Morrigan rolled her eyes in defeat. "No stipulations at all. You'll owe me on your…"
"Blood oath, blah blah. I know the schpiel. Whatever, yes." Evony hesitated slightly before holding out her hand for Bo to shake. Bo leaned forward to tentatively accept. "I guess I can admit that I would have paid double what I offered. Too late now."
"The favor will make up for it, I promise." Bo felt her dormant power cry out in victory. She wasn't sure what she would use her favor for, but she would definitely make it count. She may need it within the next few weeks if Lauren couldn't figure out a cure. Bo really hoped she did; she liked the Morrigan owing her for a change.
"Knowing you, you'll probably waste it trying to fruitlessly save somebody. You're so predictable." Evony rolled her eyes again, but she seemed more relaxed now. "I can give you a week before you should leave. Sex up the doctor enough, and she'll have this thing figured out before then. You'll need a boraro and an afreet for this mission; it won't be easy, and you'll need backup. I'll book you an open ticket to Ramallah, where you'll need to start looking, and send over some names of afreet and boraros and some old books tomorrow. If you get stuck with the translation, just ask Lauren. She speaks a beautiful Hebrew."
"She does." Bo had never heard her wife speak Hebrew, but she didn't like the idea that Evony knew this fact and she didn't. Bo wondered if she would ever know everything about Lauren. Part of her wished she wouldn't, so that she could learn something new every day. After the surprising mechanical bull ride last month, which Bo still needed to write an angry letter that Lauren was disqualified from the contest for being human, she was excited to learn the little things. "Can you send me exact directions this time, so I don't get stuck in a pit full of spiders again? You were lucky they were just normal spiders and not creepy underfae. If they were, I would so have come back and kicked your ass."
"I'm sure you would have tried." Evony smirked again, and the easiness in their conversation returned. "Now, can I get back to work? I do have a business to run."
"I saw what kind of business you run. The succubus part of me heartily approves." Bo sent her a knowing look, being a little more pervy in her expression than usual. The Morrigan just narrowed her eyes in response. "I'm gone. Lauren'll probably be home soon anyways."
"Wouldn't want to miss that reunion, huh? I'm honestly surprised you managed to let her leave your side for more than two seconds. When a succubus mates, they really mate."
"Tell me about it." Bo let out an amused breath before standing to leave.
"Well, if a succubus ever decides to mate, which is rare, she will…" Evony stopped talking when Bo placed a concerned hand on the one the woman had on top of her desk.
"I didn't mean actually tell me." Bo sensed something wrong with the woman. Was she sick, too? Did she actually have the blood fever? If so, who did she sleep with that Bo had slept with? Or did she have something else? Is that why she was so desperate to get these items and immortality? Bo chose to leave it for now. If the woman was sick, she was dealing with it much better than Bo would. Plus, she had the whole of Dark Fae resources to help her. Something told Bo that if Evony was sick, she would not hesitate to jump all over the chance to visit Lauren. "I'm gone. If you find anything on this, please let me know immediately."
"Of course." There was no hesitation, no games, and no hidden agenda behind Evony's claim. Bo let herself ponder on that as she exited the office and drove back to the clubhouse.
