A/N~ Hope you guys are continuing to enjoy this story. It's about to get harder for me to write but I'm going to try and keep up with the schedule that I'm currently working with. Enjoy everyone and don't forget to give positive feedback. ~A

Chapter 13

Bo left the hotel room where the young couple were still sleeping off their night-time athletics. She had really not wanted to sleep with total strangers but the young couple a pair of humans had seen her at a local restaurant. She had been unwinding after her shift at the Dahl had been over. She had siphoned enough chi from both to finally satisfy and salve the awful pain in her head that had started plaguing her again.

Most fae didn't even know what lack of chi did to the succubi. There was the general dizziness, weakness, but there was also the pain in her head. Then of course there was also the potential danger from having a half-starved succubus running around. You never knew when the hunger would become too much and they might attack whoever crossed their path and just drain them dry. Bo really didn't want to go back to those days .

So when the couple had approached her wanting to do a little experimenting at this stage in their relationship, she had been more than willing even if it warred with her developing sense of self. She figured though that since there were the two of them, they should be able to share the load from her draining of their chi. Indeed although the pair had been exhausted they had also been breathing easily, no noticeable after effects that a hot shower and a good meal with plenty of fluids wouldn't cure.

The male had even awakened enough to try and offer her money when she had acted offended, he had explained that he and his lady had discussed it after Bo had apparently run to the bathroom during the night. They explained that normally after such a night they would have at least purchased flowers, breakfast, and a gift for the partner. Since she had to leave, they wanted her to have money for said amenities and at the very minimum a cab ride home. Bo had finally accepted the cash when the mention of breakfast had caused her stomach to rumble rather loudly.

At his not unkind suggestion she had taken a shower before getting dressed. Taking her time in the rather luxurious bathroom and taking advantage of the provided products from the counter, Bo had left the hotel room feeling fresher than when she had entered several hours earlier.

Eschewing the cab ride because there was no way she would be finding a taxi this early in the morning even in this part of town, the succubus instead walked to a local diner she knew. She pushed her attractiveness to a higher level with the amount of chi she had just absorbed. If only so she might be able to avoid the looks from the other patrons.

Bo counted it as progress in her personal development that she knew the sex was meaningless. She also counted it as progress that she knew she wanted something more from her partner than just sex. The problem was most normal people couldn't handle a long steady relationship with a succubus for obvious reasons. Heck even most fae found it a challenge to have a long-term relationship with a fae. They found it draining, no pun intended.

She'd had a discussion with Hale one time in which they had actually talked relationships. Hale had told her that all relationships were a serious thing they required time, hard-work, and communication. Bo agreed with that but in her case they also came with the aspect of potential loss of life. How were you supposed to bring that up on a first date or even a fourth or fifth?

There were times like right now that she wished Hale were still here so that they could talk about these sorts of things. The siren may have been young by fae standards but he was clever about relationships and had insight into the human heart that most other fae didn't bother with. He had always understood her better than any other fae she had ever met, even her own grandfather. She really did miss the other fae.

~O~

Dyson and Kenzi are going al over town trying to locate various spell components for the ritual on the vernal equinox. Of course they were also trying to avoid any other fae. Both the light and dark fae still saw Kenzi as a threat for some reason. Her association with Hale the former Ashe and the unaligned succubus marked her as a dangerous human.

To be honest the wolf was also concerned that his mate was overdoing it so soon after returning to life, but as his mother and father had both advised him when he had just started spending time with women. Give them what they wanted and you'll both be happy. Truth was his parents were both wiser than he would ever be.

He found following Kenzi around the city both invigorating and exhausting. He trailed her as she stepped into the Asian market The fifth market they had been in just this morning. He heard the woman behind the counter say something under her breath he was pretty sure was an insult, only to have Kenzi blast back in the same language and with a few colorful invectives that at least she could pay for her goods. The woman burst out laughing and came out from behind the counter to give the grey eyed younger woman a warm hug.

The two chattered back and forth for several minutes with the older woman giving Dyson several sly side glances. She ushered Kenzi behind a beaded curtain to the back of the market only to find a very old man behind another counter. The old man didn't come out from behind the counter but he did give Kenzi a slight bow. Then they got down to business.

He shop looked very much a traditional Asian apothecary shop. Candles were placed all around the room, incense smoke wafted from various burners and two kettle emitted steam from a nearby hot plate.

The younger woman would read off of a list of ingredients she had in her pocket. The older man would bring a jar, box or bag from the innumerable shelves and drawers lining the walls of this section of the shop. The older man kept up a running chatter as he pulled out each ingredient the Goth asked for. The young woman asked question in English about each ingredient and he explained in a language that was an amalgamation of English, Cantonese, Mandarin, Latin, and possibly others he didn't understand.

When they were about two-thirds of the way through her list she finally started to lag. Dyson moved closer and the gray eyed young woman leaned against him gratefully. When she stumbled over the words the old man glanced over his shoulder at her sharply. He called out to the woman in the front of the store and came around the corner of the counter and moved very spryly for someone of his obvious age.

He had ushered Kenzi over to a nearby table and chairs and had her sitting down almost before Dyson knew it. He began an exam of the younger woman and when the woman appeared in the entrance to the back room he began giving her instructions and she moved behind the counter and began pulling down the ingredients and put them in a tea ball. She also piled some onto a piece of paper.

Kenzi suddenly piped up an what she said had both people freeze in their tracks and stare at her in awe and perhaps a little fear. The man repeated what she had said with a few slight changes and she apparently agreed or was confirming what he had said. He looked at Dyson for a moment and said something to the younger woman behind the counter, "My grandfather wants to know if Kenzi really did just come back from the dead or if she is perhaps exaggerating a bit?"

The werewolf gave Kenzi a pained look but the only response she gave was a sheepish little shrug of her shoulders. Dyson gave her a look that clearly said, "We will discuss this later," before telling the shopkeeper quietly. "Yes, I brought her back a few weeks ago now."

The old man spoke again and the woman repeated in English, "What method did you use?" Dyson's blush had the younger Asian woman respond without an answer from the shape shifter. The grandfather spoke sharply to her and she indicated the ginger's clear blush before responding rather sharply to the wizened man. He harrumphed a little rudely before firing off another question, "Where did you get the ritual?"

Dyson stiffened and glanced quickly at Kenzi before saying, "I had a…friend who let me use an archive they had access to. It's not normally open to the public, but he knew I was desperate to get her back."

The old man seemed to ponder this until his granddaughter brought over the handle less cup of tea for Kenzi. Then he brought over the paper wrapped package of tea, and handed it to the young Goth. He spoke for several minutes and Kenzi spoke to him a little tiredly before taking a few fortifying sips of the brew she'd been given.

Dyson found he was curious and walked over and sniffed the cup. He found his sensitive nose actually twitching with pleasure. "That's good," he said before leaning down and kissing Kenzi's forehead. Then he took the list out of her hand and walked back to the counter with it. The woman took it from his hand and was reading the list and comparing it to what they already had, the old man spoke sharply to his granddaughter.

She snapped right back at him and then poured a cup of water into an already prepared cup then covered it with a tea cozy, before going back to what she was doing.

"May I ask…well pardon me for saying so. You seem awfully calm about Kenzi literally coming back from the dead," Dyson said to the apothecary's granddaughter.

"There is a very good reason for that wolf," the wizened old Asian said as he sat next to Kenzi, "We've just never seen a human do it before." Dyson turned back to the table and the light hit at an odd angle off of the glass top of the display case. At least that's what he told himself for a few seconds as he saw the old man's shadow cast on the wall next to him. He kept telling himself that, even as the old man's eyes began to glow golden yellow.

The shadow cast behind him was what kept drawing Dyson's eyes though. The shadow was shaped like a horned serpent with wings. Kenzi actually giggled as she said, "Told you, you guys weren't the first fae I'd ever met."

~O~

Lauren crawled out of bed when the knocking at her apartment door became even more insistent, she was still exhausted and a bleary glance at the clock on her stove had her realizing she had only been home for three hours. She was already yelling by the time she got to the front door.

"Whoever you are you better have a damned good reason for waking me up. I've been up for five days and sleep deprivation is a convincing argument for the temporary insanity defense in cases of murder."

Even though she felt like her head was buzzing with a nest of angry bees she was still rational enough to use the peephole in th door, to find the hallway beyond apparently empty. She growled to herself and couldn't have said if it was with aggravation or satisfaction. The lady doctor turned and was walking back to her bed, but only made it so far as her ktichen before the knock came again.

Admittedly it was a decidedly more timid knock but still sounded just as desparate, the bees had her picking up the knife sitting on her kitchen counter as she once again headed to the door of her apartment.

This time she didn't bother with the keyhole but opened the still chained door to find Vex kneeling on the floor his body curved protectively over the body of a young girl with long wavy blond hair. The Mesmer stared up red eyed through his messy dark locks and said hoarsely, "Doc, we need your help."

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