It had started out such a good week. Now here, tied to a chair in the Crack Shack, face bloodied and Bo standing over her, Tamsin was less sure about how it would end.
Tonguing her teeth the Valkyrie checked for losses. She could taste blood but thankfully she had appeared to retain her full set of whites. Tamsin watched as the Succubus backed away from her and paced the floor with hands on her head muttering incoherently to herself.
"Is this about that snake bite or are you really just not coping with me sleeping with the Doc?"
Bo responded with a fist to Tamsin's face.
The hit left Tamsin with a stinging in her cheek bone before she felt a rush of fluid as the swelling began to build. Upon opening her eyes the room was shaking, Tamsin quickly shut them tightly and shook her head in attempt to negate the inertia of it all. While her sight was broken, the Valkyrie could still hear the mutterings of the Succubus as she walked out of the room.
"Yo, TamTam, are you ok?"
Taking a deep breath the Valkyrie shifted her head to the left and saw Kenzi beside her with a genuine look of concern in her eyes.
Spitting out blood the Valkyrie gave the human a small nod, "how long has she been like this?"
"Bitch been cray for the last three days, but that is not Bo, did you see her eyes? Apparently all that glitter ain't gold "
A low sustained moan turned the attention of both women. Dyson, also tied to a chair next to Tamsin, was stirring.
"Oh thank god D-Man" Kenzi was only just holding in the tears now.
Dyson was barely able to string words together, he was clearly suffering the effects of two significant head blows in short succession.
Tamsin began to test her ties, checking for a weakness that might allow her to rustle herself loose, "I need to get him, us, out of here".
It was at that moment that the Succubus walked back into the room. Golden eyes blazing and breathing heavily.
Kenzi, wanting more than anything to help her friend began to plead "Bo, can you hear me, it's me, Kenz, you know, maker of margaritas, destroyer of robot zombie hookers... I know you're in there"
The comment did enough to gain the attention of the Succubus who wheeled around and brought her face down to the seated Kenzi as the small human held her breath in anticipation. Bo eyed her for a moment and then gave a laugh that left the her best friend cold. Seeing the fear in the human's eyes brought an even deeper laid smiled to the Succubus's face, leaning right down to her ear so that their faces were almost touching, she whispered, "you should be afraid".
Kenzi had seen the hardness of the streets and the low depths that life could be reduced to upon them. She was a strong woman, tough to her core, but seeing her best friend before her completely overwhelmed by whatever it was that had taken control of her body just about broke her. She was not prepared for this sense of loss and hopelessness.
"Is this the new Bo? Picking on the small and defenceless?", the Valkyrie enjoyed the opportunity to taunt the Succubus and she could see that the Kenzi was struggling to hold it together. As Bo turned her face towards her Tamsin could see the snake eyes that marked the absence of the inner Succubus once more. It was hard to know if there was anything of Bo left inside the creature now standing before her.
"Everything and everyone is small and defenceless before my power Tamsin, I'm only now beginning to understand that. I was already strong, but with his power running through me, I can feel everything, including your fear."
Tamsin could indeed feel the fear running through her body. Tied to the chair she was completely compromised. If the Succucbus wanted to kill her it would be easy, why she had not done so already was a mystery to her. While there had been a stubbornness in Tamsin that extended her life-cycle she had never really feared the end, knowing she would simply be reborn to the next life. But the fear that sat in the pit of her stomach now told the Valkyrie she wanted to live for completely different reasons, she was not yet ready to let this life go.
"Where's the Gram Sword Tamsin?", looking up at Bo it became clear now to the Valkyrie why she was still breathing. While she still had the sword, she still had power, a power the Drakkon wanted back.
"I have no idea what you're talking about Succusnake"
"I've seen you with the sword Tamsin, you can tell me where you keep it or I can go looking for it. Perhaps I should start with Lauren's apartment?"
Tamsin didn't meant to give it away, but the expression on her face was virtually involuntary. "You stay away from her you snake eyed piece of shit".
Bo put her hands into her pocket and pulled out Tamsin's phone. "Looks like the Doctor might be wondering where you are, so many missed calls and messages. She must be worried, I think she might need a friend."
Tamsin, normally calm in the face of her enemies was shaking with rage, trying desperately to remove herself from the binds of the chair in which she was seated, "I swear on all things holy that if you lay a hand on her I will make it the goal of every one of my lifetimes to destroy you and your fucking precious Drakkon clans".
Bo simply laughed and walked towards the door "I've got an appointment with a Doctor.."
xxxxxxx
Lauren was worried, there was no doubt about it. Tamsin wasn't answering her phone. When she had called the precinct she was told that the Valkyrie had left over 2 hours earlier with Dyson. Neither of them now were answering their cells.
Lauren had sent Tamsin some messages. At first they were playful, admonishing her for being late but as the evening wore on they had turned to messages of concern. Lauren had called Hale to see if he had heard anything but he had not and encouraged Doctor to relax, Tamsin and Dyson had more than likely just gone for an afterwork drink and lost track of the time he said. Lauren drew the line at calling the Dal, if the Valkyrie was there drinking she didn't wan't to be the type of girlfriend that called drinking establishments in search of their errant lover. Was she even Tamsin's girlfriend?
When Lauren heard the knock on the door of her apartment she felt a sense of relief overwhelm her. This was quickly followed by crankiness. The Valkyrie was nearly two and a half hours late for dinner. As she moved to open the door the Doctor decided that she was going to lead with cranky, "you've got some serious explaining to...oh Bo, sorry, I was expecting..."
The Succubus smiled, "you were expecting Tamsin?"
"I was, but she's running a bit late, come in", Lauren stepped out of the doorway and allowed Bo to pass into her home.
"I think she, Dyson and Kenzi are drinking at the Dal, or at least they were drunk at the Dal when I last saw them"
Lauren's heart dropped a little. Hale was right. She'd not seen Tamsin in a couple of days and had been so desperate to see her but clearly their 'date' had not played on the Valkyrie's mind in the same way. For a moment Lauren felt foolish in front of her former lover and slightly embarrassed. She didn't want Bo to think that the Valkyrie treated her poorly when the truth was normally so far from it. While Tamsin clearly enjoyed the drink Lauren had never for one moment truly expected the Valkyrie to blow her off for a session with the wolf. The Doctors's face was awash with a disappointment that caught itself in her throat, "oh...well, I guess I'm glad their having fun".
Bo walked towards her, picking up her hand and rubbing it, "Lauren, you know you can do better than Tamsin right? She's only going to hurt you."
Looking into the dark brown eyes in front of her Lauren couldn't sense what was behind the sentiment. Normally she could look at Bo and understand but now, as she looked deeply into her eyes she could only see an emptiness. There was no sincerity, no warmth or hurt and it startled her. This was no jealous former lover. Removing herself from Bo's grasp Lauren turned her back and walked towards her kitchen, "how are you feeling? I haven't seen a sample from you in nearly a week".
It was instinct, something in the gut, but Lauren knew this situation felt wrong although she could not quite understand why. She needed a moment to think of what next to say but when she turned around she was shocked to see how closely Bo was standing in front of her. Lauren gasped loudly bringing her hands quickly to her mouth. The beautiful brown bulbs of the Succubus were gone. She studied the now glowing gold eyes in front of her for a moment, eyes of a snake, she had seen those eyes before in the woods right before she was to be executed. Now on the face of a woman she cared for so deeply the Doctor stood frozen in shock.
"My god Bo! What's happened, are you ok?"
With a an evil smirk spread across her lips the Succubus grabbed Lauren by the neck with both hands, "I've never been better Doc".
xxxxxxx
Tamsin rocked her body in the chair in which she was tied, moving it from side to side until finally she and it fell to the ground. Once on the ground the Valkyrie began to use her impressive core to lift and then swing the chair hard into the ground. After several attempts she began to hear it crack under the force.
"Whoo, Tammy, you're doing it, keep going!", Kenzi's encouragement urged the almost exhausted blonde on until finally remnants of the battered chair began to fly across the room. Tamsin was then able to pull her arms free and untie her legs quickly before moving to her companions, Kenzi first and then the still barely conscious Dyson.
Untying the wolf, Tamsin looked desperately to Kenzi "do you have your phone? We need to call Lauren". Seeing the panic on her face Kenzi ran to her jacket and found that Bo had not removed her cell. Tamsin watched the as the human made the call, fidgeting with Dyson's ties before finally unburdening him.
Kenzi looked towards them and gave a sad shake of her head, "no answer". The Valkyrie flew into a rage "fuuuuuuck, lets go, we need to get to her apartment now".
Tamsin and Kenzi were able to drag the stumbling wolf to her truck. The three squeezed into the cab of the vehicle and took off with speed. Swerving through traffic, Kenzi let out a yelp, "ummm, Tamsin, I get the need for speed but I'm starting to worry that we might end up road kill rather than stopping a Bo kill". The Valkyrie simply put her foot down further.
Racing through Tamsin's mind was the possible events unfolding for Lauren. She was terrified that the Doctor was having to endure any more pain. They'd just finished with the pain. They were just starting with everything else.
As they approached the complex a light began to glow at Kenzi's feet, "what the what?" The Valkyrie, pulling the truck to a stop, bent over and revealed the Gram Sword, removing it from its wrapping in an old T-shirt. Kenzi was startled by the beauty and clear power of the weapon, "wow, is that the sword snakey Bo is after? Great hiding spot, I'm a big believer in hiding in plain sight". Tamsin picked up the Gram and felt an energy surge through her.
Jumping from the truck the Valkyrie went to the aide of Dyson, "let's go, I need you wolf, pull it together". Growling in his response "Tamsin wait, that's not Bo up there, you can't kill her". Tamsin looked at him and shook her head, "I won't if I don't have to".
Rushing to the apartment Tamsin didn't bother knocking. She knew by the glowing sword that a Drakkon was close. When she heard a smashing of glass behind the door the Valkyrie did not hesitate in kicking the thing to off its hinges. In front of her Lauren was laid out on the ground whimpering from pain and fear with the Succubus feral above her. It was all she needed to see.
Tamsin shot towards Bo, sword in hand. When the two Fae women clashed on this occasion the Valkyrie's strength was a match for the poisoned and possessed Succubus. The force of contact brought both women to ground, Tamsin struggled to ensure she held tightly on to the Gram as she shouldered the hard floor. Bo, like an animal desperately swiped at her opponent throwing her body atop her and turning the sword in Tamsin's possession towards the Valkyries own throat. Dyson then entered the fray, dragging the snarling Succubus away from Tamsin but he couldn't contain her long with Bo shrugging the wolf off her easily.
The Succubus picked up a shard of glass from the ground and launched herself at Kenzi who had gone to Lauren's side. Grabbing the small goth by the collar of her jacket Bo brought the glass to the pulsing jugular of her closest friend's neck. Everything in the room stopped. "Wait Bo!" called Dyson.
"Give me the sword or the human gets it", Bo pushed the shard of glass into Kenzi drawing blood and a small but terrified cry from the woman.
Tamsin looked around the room and saw behind Bo that Lauren was making a small move towards her medical bag which was no more than a foot away from her on the ground. Although she could not be sure of her intentions, Tamsin knew by the look the Doctor gave her that she needed to buy her some time.
"Ok ok, let Kenzi go and I'll walk you and the sword out of here, that's fair right?"
Bo laughed, "I get the sword then you get the human"
Tamsin shook her head, "no way, forgive me for not trusting you but you are more snake than Succubus right now."
It was a standoff, but the moment had Bo distracted enough that she did not see Lauren move behind her, syringe of antivenin in hand. The Doctor was able to expertly push the needle into the shoulder of the Succubus, startling her into a release of the little human. As Kenzi fell to the floor Bo grabbed at Lauren, forcing her up against the wall behind them. The Doctor saw the the Succubus's eyes flicker blue, but before she could say a word Tamsin had the Gram Sword to her back.
The Valkyrie didn't have an opportunity to drive the blade into Bo's spine before Lauren called out "Wait Tamsin, no!" The Succubus looked startled, panting with a desperate and pleading gaze across her face only for her eyes once more to revert back to the snake's gold. In the Valkyrie's hesitation Bo was able to flee, throwing Lauren to the ground, pushing past Dyson and out the door of the apartment. The wolf gave chase behind.
Lauren began to falter, sliding slowly down the wall as Tamsin rushed to catch her, "I've got you Doc". The Valkyrie brought them slowly to the ground and as she did they collapsed into each other. Lauren placed her head into the crook of the Valkyrie's neck and began to sob. Tamsin was not yet sure whether these were tears of relief, of shock or of concern for her lost former lover, but whatever it was it killed her to hear the Doctor cry.
Dyson walked back into the room looking green in his face, "she's gone..." He too became overwhelmed. Kenzi went to him and they held each other tightly in a moment of consolation. The Bo they all knew was trapped and not a one of them knew how to get her back. While she was alive there was hope for saving her but it also meant that each of their own lives would remain at risk. It felt like an impossible situation.
xxxxxxx
Bo had fled in her Camaro. Dyson and Tamsin agreed that an APB would only lead to disaster for any police officer that found her. They needed a plan and help to find the Succubus but nothing could be actioned on this night.
Kenzi agreed to spend the night with Dyson at his loft, it was not safe for her at the clubhouse. Before they left Lauren once again tended to another Dyson head wound and was satisfied that Kenzi would stay awake to ensure his concussion did not turn into anything more sinister. The group agreed to reconvene first thing the next morning.
It wasn't until Dyson and Kenzi had left that the Valkyrie laid bare for the Doctor her emotions. As soon as the door was shut behind them Tamsin went to Lauren and brought her in for a strong embrace, her voice breaking in the Doctor's ear as she whispered, "I thought I'd lost you".
For her part Lauren simply enjoyed the sanctuary of safety that her lover's embrace always seemed to bring her. She had been terrified by the events of the evening and could not shake the sense of responsibility for everything that was occurring. Bo had been bitten trying to save her from execution and now she was gone.
"Tamsin, we need to help her"
"We will, I promise, we'll get her back"
Lauren brought her face to Tamsin's and could see the sincerity in her eyes. It was enough to give her complete faith. Through everything, the Valkyrie had always stood by her word, she was more honourable than anyone had ever given her credit for.
When Lauren brought her lips to the tall blonde's she knew in that instant that she was falling in love and when the Valkyrie gently kissed her back and brought her in close into her body once more the Doctor felt sure that the feeling was mutual. Lauren allowed herself to hope in that moment, hope for her future and hope for her friend. She needed to believe.