Well, here's the penultimate chapter, I'll hopefully have the last one completed in the next few days. Thanks so much for the recent feedback, it's been really lovely to have particularly given this fic is a little dark! It can be hard to stay the course. Maybe the next one I do needs to be a comedy...
Just to be clear, I do lurve me some Lauren and hate having her hurt but her strength has always been her ability to take whatever is thrown at her and I really wanted to explore that. She's never never really given credit for being 'strong'. Anyways, I hope you enjoy. Thanks for taking the time to read this fic.
Tamsin could feel the Doctor's warm breath against her neck as she slept soundly with her head delicately placed between the Valkyrie's head and shoulder. Every so often Lauren's mouth would shift in her dream state and subconsciously she would place the most wonderfully soft kisses on Tamsin's neck.
With the sun creeping into the bedroom the Valkyrie knew that she was now simply delaying the inevitable. She needed to move, time was of the essence and she and Dyson needed to track down Lynne Munch today or Bo would be lost. It took a greater effort of will than anything she had ever done before but gently Tamsin was able to roll the Doctor out of her own willing arms and onto her side. Lauren gave out a weak growl in protest but when Tamsin leaned over her back and placed a gentle kiss on her cheek she melted back into sleep.
The Valkyrie reluctantly pulled herself from the bed and for a moment considered a shower but decided against it. Today was not the day to wash anything of her lover away. Even while getting dressed Tamsin kept her eyes on the warm body in the bed not wanting to waste a moment of watching her while she still could. When ready she pulled her phone out and made the call to Dyson, "you ready to go wolfman?" His response was sombre in tone, "are you?"
Tamsin hung up the phone and thought for a moment about whether she should leave the Doctor without saying goodbye, worried that if she did wake her Lauren might see the finality of it in her eyes. Deciding to risk it she moved to sit on the bed next to the sleeping Doctor and began to run her fingers through her hair. Eyes flickering out of sleep Lauren looked up and gave the Valkyrie a seductive smile.
"You're not going somewhere are you? It's still early, come back to bed"
The Valkyrie leaned down and kissed her warmly, "believe me, there's nothing I'd like more but we've got to follow with the Lynne lead while it's still warm".
Indulging in another kiss Tamsin gave words that she hoped would reassure the Doctor in days to come "Doc, I'd never leave you unless I absolutely had to, just know that ok?"
Lauren raised an eyebrow before pulling Tamsin in for a prolonged and deep kiss then whispered playfully, "that all sounds very serious detective, careful, I might get the impression you like me".
Tamsin felt her emotions rise and eyes begin to well, "like you? I fucking love you Doc". Lauren laughed and pulled the Valkyrie in for a hug, "I fucking love you too, now go so you can get this done and come back".
Tamsin kissed Lauren again and held tightly to her for a moment, breathing the smells of her skin and hair one last time before getting to her feet and turning to walk out the door. The Valkyrie was grateful that Lauren was still half asleep, she knew if she hadn't been she would have seen the tears waiting to fall as she walked away. As she made it out of the apartment door she stopped and leaned her back against it with the tears now flowing freely down her face. Taking a deep breath she just kept repeating the same thought in her mind you can do this Tamsin, you have no other choice.
xxxxxxxx
Dyson and Tamsin drove towards the warehouse where their teenage informants had said Lynne Munch spent most of her time. They rode mainly in silence with the wolf occasionally turning his head to face the Valkyrie for prolonged stares. Tamsin found the whole thing quiet distracting to her driving.
"Dyson, if you keep looking at me like that I might just have to top myself now and get it over with"
The wolf sheepishly looked back to the road, "sorry, it's just, I'm proud of you, I'm proud of what you're willing to do for Bo."
Tamsin rolled her eyes, "it's not for Bo wolf breath, I'm doing this for completely selfish reasons, don't you forget it".
Dyson smiled, his partner was going to hold the facade to the end. The end, the thought made the wolf sick to his stomach, "there's nothing to stop you from running once you kill the Drakkon Tamsin, you have enough networks to keep you safe". Tamsin gave a small nod, she'd thought about running, she'd thought about every way that this day could possibly end without it meaning her life but had come up with no solution.
"If I run I'd need to take the Gram sword with me, it's the only thing that will keep me alive. As long as I have that sword both Light and Dark would be gunning for me. I know the Morrigan Dyson, she'd use any means of leverage to get me and that sword back, including the people that I care about. I don't want that life. I'd rather just be reborn into the next."
"Even if that means never seeing Lauren again?"
"If it meant she was safe then yes"
As Tamsin pulled in behind the warehouse she brought the truck to a stop and exhaled loudly, "Dyson, she's going to hate me after this, can you please tell her I'm sorry?"
Dyson put his hand on his partner's shoulder and offered her a moment of reassurance, "she won't hate you, I'll make sure she understands I promise". There was little else that the wolf could offer her, his promise was one that Tamsin knew she couldn't hold him to, but it was enough to know that at least he'd try.
The two detectives jumped out of the truck. Tamsin leaned in and pulled the wrapped Gram sword from the floor and felt the familiar surge on energy envelope her. With sword in hand the Valkyrie felt a new conviction to follow through with what needed doing. A light glow emanated from the sword and the two detectives looked at each upon seeing it. Dyson looked questioningly at his partner, "what does the glow mean?" Tamsin's eyes narrowed and a small smirk crossed her lips, "it means it's game time, there's a Drakkon in the house."
xxxxxxxx
Lauren spent the morning testing new alkaline levels within the synthetic antivenins she was trialing. The Doctor felt such a rush from her experiments as they helped to clear her mind of unwanted distractions. All morning however she had enjoyed allowing her thoughts to occasionally wander to the night that she had just spent with the Valkyrie and when she did it gave her a warm surge of butterflies in her stomach. In her mind Lauren knew that if she could crack this antivenin then Bo could be saved and once that was taken care of she could potentially think of something of a normal life, a life potentially with Tamsin.
Recording the details of her next sample the Doctor spoke clearly into the digital recorded beside her, "trial sample 14b with increased protein levels of 25%". Looking then to her microscope to see the effect of the serum on Bo's infected blood cells Lauren gasped before removing her eyes for a moment and then going back to the microscope once more "oh my god, it worked, it worked!"
There was no one in her lab to celebrate with, but after testing an re-testing the sample over and over for the next hour she was satisfied, she finally had the anitivenin that could cure Bo. Pulling out her phone she immediately called Tamsin but the Valkyrie didn't pick up, so she sent her a message I have an antivenin that will work on Bo, we need to get it to her asap, call me!
After trying to get hold of Dyson also without luck Lauren called the Dal. Trick answered after a few short rings.
"Trick, it's Lauren, I've cracked the antivenin, I have one that should completely remove the Drakkon venom from her system"
"Lauren, my god are you sure?"
The excitement in the Doctor's voice was evident "I've been testing it for the past hour and every time it works, this is it Trick, if we can find a way to inject this into Bo then we'll have her back".
The reality of the situation dawned on Trick, if this antivenin really did work then Tamsin wouldn't have to kill Drakkon and maybe just maybe they'd be able to find a solution to her being set up by the Morrigan with the Gram sword, "Tamsin…."
Clearly unaware of the Blood King's thought process Lauren responded, "I've tried to call her and Dyson but neither of them are answering"
Trick's voice was suddenly desperate "Lauren, do you know where they were going?"
Slightly confused by the concerned tone Lauren searched her memory for what information Tamsin had given her the previous evening, "all I know is there was warehouse somewhere north of the city, why?"
"Lauren, you need to keep trying to call her and Dyson, I'll get in touch with Hale and see whether he knows anything"
"Trick, what's going on?"
"I'll explain later I promise but right now we need to try to find them"
Trick hung up the phone and Lauren was left with a sense of complete deflation. The joy of creating the antivenin all but lost now as she tried to understand the reasoning for Trick's concern, surely he should have been thrilled?
Lauren picked up her phone and dialed Tamsin once more, waiting hopefully as the phone rang and rang before it finally rang out and when it did Lauren simply hit the redial button and tried again.
xxxxxxxxx
Dyson and Tamsin were approaching the warehouse carefully when the Valkyire's phone began to ring, the noise startled both of them. Tamsin fumbled into her pocket and pulled out her cell and saw that it was Lauren calling. Even though she wanted nothing more than to hear her voice she knew right now the timing could not be any worse and so she flicked the phone to silent and put in back in her jacket pocket, looking to Dyson she whispered "you should do the same with yours, sneaking up on people is less effective when your phone is operating as an early warning system". Dyson nodded and switched his cell off.
The warehouse in front of them was terribly dilapidated with rust covering large portions of the extremities. Iron was pulled away in large sections allowing the detectives an opportunity to capture clear glimpses into the inside of the building. What they could see was old crates covered in parts with large dirty sheets that carried a thick layer of dust on them, this was no place to call home.
Tamsin pointed to a large open section of iron and moved towards it to enter. As she did the glow from her sword increased in its intensity putting the detectives on alert. Carefully Tamsin entered the warehouse and stayed hidden behind a crate as Dyson came in behind her. Now inside the two could hear low mutterings and guttural groans that told them clearly that they were not alone. Moving slowly between the crates Tamsin attempted to work towards the source of the noise. As she did she began to hear voices, two maybe three, intermixed with the low growling and groaning. Peaking out from her hidden position Tamsin could see the young Albtraum Fae, Lynne Munch pacing erratically in circles drooling onto herself. The girl was clearly unwell and looked almost nothing of the sweet young thing whose picture adorned the missing person file Tamsin has spent the past weeks reviewing. This Lynne was more beast than Fae.
Looking across to Dyson who was positioned behind some stacked barrels she saw his face turn to disgust and his eyes flash a wild yellow. Tamsin looked across his line of sight to see what he was seeing and when she did she threw her head back in despair, fucking Evony.
Watching the girl pacing was the Morrigan with a less than impressed look across her face. Tamsin moved closer, carefully inching towards the two woman in an attempt to hear what was being said. Stepping out from behind a piece of old crippled sorting machinery the Valkyrie now had full view of the situation. Not only was the Morrigan standing there but with her one of her henchmen bodyguards and the Drakkon protector himself, jackpot.
The Valkyrie now had full vision and hearing.
The Morrigan was clearly unimpressed, "I'm going to be very unhappy if my Succubus ends up a drooling mess like this little one"
The Drakkon moved towards the young girl "hush child stay still". Immediately Lynne turned to face the snakeman clearly under his control.
The Morrigan was still less than impressed, "I can see you have a mother's touch, how nice for you. All I want to know if whether your venom will have the same impact on Bo as it is this girl, because if it does then I've got to tell you, I'll have a serious case of buyers remorse"
The Drakkon turned to face the Morrigan now, "the Succubus is much more powerful than this little Albtraum, she'll not feel the effects in the same way but she'll still be very much controllable".
The Morrigan, slightly appeased but still holding a worrisome look snapped back at the old Drakkon, "you better be right".
Tamsin watched carefully as the Drakkon then moved towards the girl and without warning launch his mouth into the side of her neck biting down hard as the girl emitted a loud scream before he allowed her to sink to the ground. Turning back again to the Morrigan with blood smeared across his mouth and chin the Drakkon casually licked his lips "that additional hit of venom will have the poor girl out of her misery soon, I assume you can deal with the body?"
The Valkyrie thought of the girls parent's who were so desperate to find her, look at their daughter now. Looking to the whimpering body of the Albtraum now shaking on the floor Tamsin knew, now was the time to make this right.
The Valkyrie pulled a small knife from her boot and cut her arm, allowing her blood to reach the hilt of the sword and when it did a powerful energy force threw the crates around her in all direction. The Valkyrie emerged in front of the Morrigan and Drakkon and felt a sense of invincibility flowing through her. When Evony's henchman attacked Tamsin, almost with a subtle flick of her wrist, had the man's head off as his remains slumped to the ground.
The Valkyrie could see the terror in the Morrigan's eyes, her face a picture of disbelief. Although she desperately wanted to Tamsin thought better of the urge to take Evony's head too but was not intending on providing the same grace to the Drakkon. The snake shifted his eyes to deep gold and his face turned from that of an old man to serpent before he launched himself at Tamsin neck. Dyson emerged fully shifted to snap at his leg, tripping the Drakkon and bringing him to ground. Now stood above him with the Gram sword in hand Tamsin knew that this was going to be easy. Looking to Morrigan before briefly giving the wolf a wink and a smile the Valkyrie brought her sword down and cut the serpent's head clean off.
The Morrigan attempted to back away but Dyson, still in wolf form closed in on her, growling his displeasure at her attempt to leave. "Tamsin, darling, you're in a world of trouble I wouldn't make things worse by threatening my life".
Tamsin walked towards the Morrigan and threw the sword at her feet, "as much as I'd love to wipe that look off your face Evony, I'll reist. This is over, with the snake dead Bo is going to come back from lala land and the Dark Council is going to hear about what you've been up to with the Drakkon".
Smuggly the Morrigan stepped forward to be face to face with the tall blonde, "do you honestly think they'll take the word of a murdering Valkyrie who has already avoided a death sentence once?"
In that instant they heard coughing from the ground below and looked down to see Lynne Munch pull herself to her feet, "they may not take her word but I'm sure they'd be interested to hear from me".
Anger blazed in the Morrigan's eyes and Tamsin enjoyed the small victory immensely. Seeing the smirk across the Valkyrie's face Evony spat "I wouldn't look so pleased with yourself TamTam, holding the Gram sword and killing a Fae elder, you're a dead woman whether you like it or not".
Tamsin maintained the smile and it unsettled the Morrigan who had no idea that the Valkyrie was well aware of how her actions would ultimately lead to her demise. She was already in the acceptance phase of her own grief.
xxxxxxxx
Lauren had failed to get in contact with either Tamsin or Dyson and so she made her way to the Dal to speak with Trick. When she walked into the bar she saw the Blood King's face drop. What's going on?
"Trick, why do I get the feeling you're not overly happy to see me?"
"Not at all Lauren, have you been able to contact Tamsin or Dyson?"
"No, neither of them are picking up and I'm starting to get worried. What do you know about this tip to find Lynne that you're not telling me?"
Lauren watched Trick's face as he searched for his answer, there was an enormous amount of compassion in his eyes, "Trick, you're scaring me, what's going on?"
Before Trick could say a word he looked towards the entry of the Dal and Lauren saw his eyes light up. Turning around she looked over to see Bo walking towards them. Lauren panicked and searched quickly for something to use as a weapon before the Succubus put her arms in the air, "don't worry, please, I don't know how but I feel completely fine, I'm not going to hurt you, I promise".
Shocked Lauren looked back to Trick who nodded at her, "Tamsin must have killed the Drakkon. She did it".