Disclaimer: Lost Girl belongs to Showcase or SYFY and I am only playing in their universe.
A/N: Thanks to everyone who stopped by to check out the story. Thanks for the reviews, follows and favs, great to read some familiar names on the lists. The story takes a dark turn, it hasn't been an easy road for our girls. There is some stronger language and violence in this one. Interested and nervous to find out what you think…
It had been three months and Kenzi still had to smile when she woke up in the arms of Massimo. It had not taken long for their relationship to move to the next level, then the next level and so on. It was so intense and the pace so crazy that Kenzi could not help but loved it, even though she knew in the back of her mind she was just avoiding her real life. Massimo made her feel for lack of a better word, included. For some reason she avoided the word loved, when she easily could have gone there. He included her in all he did. The druid treated her as an equal as he taught her the ends and outs of his life as a druid. Where he made her feel like an equal, she cured his loneliness and filled that empty feeling he had inside. What they were feeling was lust, mixed with fun, mixed with who knew what, but it was something they both needed even if neither one of the partners could explain it.
Kenzi had laughed when she found that life as a druid was not much different from her life on the streets. She fit in without a struggle. A major difference was that instead of being the one following the rules set by others. She and Massimo were the ones in control, most of the time at least. Druid might just as well been Latin for master con artist. Well master con artist with the ability to manipulate nature to the benefit of faes and humans. None the less, it was still a game of supply and demand. Massimo was a master at the game and Kenzi wasn't too bad in her own right, a little rusty but still she had a trick or two up her sleeve that had come in handy when negotiating deals.
A strong arm pulled her close and Kenzi felt Massimo looking at her. "Good morning," he said and then smiled a sexy lazy smile as she met his eyes. She hadn't worked her way out of the van while he was asleep so drawing herself away from him might take a while. She blushed and seeing her emotions so plainly on her face the druid laughed and dropped his head down to kiss her gently. He did not stop and Kenzi didn't want him to. Massimo rolled the couple over and leaned in at better angle, with a low chuckle he began a trail of light kisses down towards Kenzi's neck and then lower. Massimo's hands began to drift down too. Touching and caressing, providing thousands of reasons why staying put for an hour or two might be just the way to start the day. Kenzi let out a sigh as she melted into the embrace of the man and pulled him tighter.
After a late breakfast and a weapons training session, Massimo got a call from a client and the pair hit the road for a business trip. Massimo had insisted that Kenzi be able to protect herself. It was the first step in building up her self-worth as he called it. The druid never let Kenzi forget that she needed to believe in herself. The feeling that she could protect herself in the supernatural world she lived in would go a long way to improve Kenzi's feeling of being an equal amongst her friends. Not having to rely on others to have to step in to fight her battles for her was a great idea to Kenzi. Massimo had lived a long life and was an expert with weapons of all types. So Kenzi got to pick the weapon she would be training with and much to Massimo's surprise Kenzi chose a samurai sword.
"Your weapon of choice is a samurai sword?" the druid was really trying not to laugh. The look on the girl's face was so serious. "Okay, the sword it is." Kendo had been the type of training Massimo had focused on with a bit of self-defense and street knife fighting thrown in for good measure. Kenzi was a natural with the blade and the training sessions became a challenge for Massimo as he had to find new and interesting ways to hone the woman's skills. The way he saw it she was almost his equal after three months and would surpass him in a year.
Jumping into the van, the couple traveled down the shoreline to work a deal with a local warlock. He needed medical attention for a cold but didn't trust the local fae medical center to help him out. "Too many do-gooders there. I don't trust them not to turn me into the light fae for … things in my past." The big man had grumbled then the warlock quickly turned his head and sneezed. The sound was so violent he knocked out two windows in his neighbor's house. "Crap." he groaned. "Good thing the bastard is at work."
"Hey, cover your mouth when you do that." said Kenzi taking a step back. The magically magnified blast was as scary as it was loud.
The warlock laughed, "Right and blow my arm off. No thank you. I never have control of that particular portion of my magic when I have a head cold." The man sounded only halfway apologetic.
Massimo pulled Kenzi behind him as the couple returned to the van and the druid worked up a tonic for the magic fae while she took a nap. It took the better part of the day and it was dark when he finished and handed the man four vials of blood red liquid. The warlock smiled at the familiar remedy. "Just like Mom used to make. I can never get it to work out right. Same price?" the warlock asked.
"You owe me a favor," said the druid with a smile as the men shook hands. The two parties parted company happy with the arrangement. Kenzi had learned that Massimo worked with a network of people, some more trusted than others. Getting the fae what they needed, anything they needed, was how he made a living. Trading favors was just as good as cash in a druid's line of work. The couple walked to the van and jumped in to find a place to camp for the night. Just as Massimo was about to turn the key there was a violent banging on the side of the van. Kenzi fought the need to scream in fear but a small squeak might have slipped out.
"Druid we need to talk," a slightly slurred voice said. No, it was a hiss, allowing herself a bit of time to process, Kenzi decided that there was definitely a hiss to the tone. Massimo let out a nearly silent stream of rancid cuss words. Kenzi looked out her window and saw the warlock pull the blinds in his house shut. No help was coming from his end. "Stay here," said Massimo and he was very serious. Popping the latch on the glove compartment he reached in and pulled out a small canister. Massimo gave it to Kenzi and said, "Get your sword out too. No matter what you hear do not open this door." The druid growled and knew by the look in Kenzi's eyes that the last part he said would be flatly ignored. Kenzi looked like she was about to speak but Massimo shook his head and pointed to the label. Her eyes went wide as she read the word grenade. He kissed her fast and hard. In disbelief, she watched him open the door and then slam it shut quickly behind him.
"Good evening," said Massimo. His voice was cocky and he sounded so sure of himself. Kenzi instantly knew that they were in serious danger. "Little early for you two to be up and at'em," the voice of the druid was that of the smooth con man. The calm sound masking the frantic 'Oh my God or what the hell' that was hiding underneath. Kenzi had used that tone in various situations all her life. To her dismay all those situations had been very bad.
"The early bird gets the worm," hissed a second voice. "Where is the woman?"
"I fulfilled my deal long ago with your people. The woman is none of your concern now." There was a sound of apprehension in Massimo's voice as he snapped his answer.
There was a cold hissing laugh and the first voice said, "You fulfilled the Valkyrie's deal to trap the succubus for the master, yes. But we were not done with you by a long shot." The cold laugh sounded once more then faded into silence. Kenzi's mind raced. The valkyrie? Was that Tamsin? If it was that meant the succubus was Bo. Kenzi felt nauseous, when was the last time she thought about Bo or Dyson or anyone besides Massimo. She tried to think back but last memory of her old life was of that intense kiss Massimo and she had shared at the campsite where she had asked him to turn her fae. Fighting to keep breathing Kenzi realized that she just didn't seem to care about much after that. The thought slammed her brain. Reaching for the door handle she almost threw it open but stopped at the sound of Massimo's voice.
"What the hell are you talking about? I have no debt to settle with you. We are even." The man's voice was angry and confused. "All I had to do was supply the tonics to Tamsin. There was nothing more asked of me." The last statement sound less assured than the others.
"See it in his eyes." The second voice hissed, "I love this part. When they realize how totally mind fucked they have been."
Kenzi could not take it anymore and she yanked the door to the van open and ran around to join the fray. "What the hell…." The words died on her lips. She had seen this type of creature before, vampires. Two of them stood in front of the druid with smug smiles on their faces. Massimo cursed and pulled her roughly to his side as she openly gapped at the two visitors.
"How nice of the little woman to join us." The vampire on the right said. He inhaled deeply taking in her human scent. His fangs grew long enough that the sharp ends were visible between his lips.
"Control yourself fool," said the vampire on the left. "Master will not be pleased if we feed on his prize before he gets to use her to make her friend more agreeable to his needs."
Pulling her sword up to a ready position, "I don't think feeding is something you want to consider tonight."
"Come now little one," the vampire said with in mild disgust. "A sword is a truly honorable weapon but for a little girl such as yourself, it is a ridiculous choice of defense." He waved his hand towards her and continued speaking, "Besides we are not here to kill you. A friend of yours, Bo is her name, is in need of some company. Our master is her host at the moment and would like to provide her some companionship. If you would join us…" the vampire was interrupted by Massimo's snorts of laughter.
"Your master is a very old, powerfully evil son of a bitch. He does not host any one. He captures them, and then feeds off them till he finally kills them. If Bo was captured she is not alive or she is among his undead swarm. Do not believe a word they say. You stay with me Kenzi. Better yet get back in the van." Massimo was tense and Kenzi knew that he would not let them take her if he could help it.
"Why on Earth would she want to stay with you? Oh that's right, you two have a little passionate affair going on." The vampire on the right smiled, "Only problem is the whole thing is a thrall." Massimo pulled in his breath. The vampire continued, "Yes, a wonderful little suggestion placed in your mind by our master. Hope you two have had fun playing house." Shifting his attention to Kenzi, the vampire smiled kindly, the girl shivered at the wrongness in the expression, "This man was given the task of stalking you and finding your weaknesses." Kenzi stole a look at the druid but never lowered her sword.
Seeing the slight shift in Kenzi's attention the vampire grinned wider and continued his explanation. "He and his friend, Tamsin, got drunk one night and offended the wrong being. To live as they were and escape the curse of existing as the undead under our master's power, they had to perform a task or two of our master's choosing. Tamsin, being the one most at fault, had to deliver the succubus of the blood king's family stock to our master. Our boy Massimo had to provide the spells she needed to get that done."
"Bullshit! You're lying, Tamsin's a valkyrie she couldn't be taken…." Kenzi was interrupted.
"True, true but if our master placed the suggestion in her mind that the Valkyrie are helpless against his powers, she might not have realized that she was in no danger of his curse. Maybe she still doesn't know that she's been thralled either." the two vamps tittered high pitched laughs at Massimo and Kenzi's confused faces. "Master is so good at this type of thing." the first vampire cooed with almost a lust like sound to his praise.
The second vampire now spoke up getting back to business, "You do know Massimo used the energy from your first kiss to create a trap for Bo. Your energy is the reason your best friend was taken so easy into a master vampire's tender care." Massimo looked quickly at Kenzi. There was pain in his eyes, the story was true.
"Tsk, Tsk," was the sound that left the vampire's mouth. "Well then it should not surprise you that Massimo here could not be let off with just some of his druid parlor tricks after offending the master. No, our master witnessed his tapping of your energy in the Dahl and used him for a future trap. Before the little druid left the Dahl, master placed a thrall on him to make him believe he cared for you." Reaching out with a hand, the movement so quick Kenzi didn't really even see the movement until it was over. The vampire ruffled Massimo's hair as if he was school boy, "He really doesn't have any true feeling for you or you for him. It is all an illusion placed there by our master."
The shocked looks on the couple just encourage the vamp to explain further. "Our master put a little extra kick into his thrall on the druid so if he kissed you again he would pass the gift to you too. Well it is so obvious that our druid did indeed kiss you again. It must have been a doozy too." The vampire smiled as the memory touched the two before him. "It gave the two of you the feeling of needing, even wanting each other. And now look at the happy couple, living in a van, forgetting former lives and responsibilities all to be together. I might need a tissue."
"It is not true Kenzi. You came to find me. Remember? Damn it, I do have feeling for you. I do love you. What we feel, it is real." said Massimo with desperation in his voice. The words made Kenzi's heart do flips. It was everything she ever wanted to hear from him.
"I love you too Massimo." The words shot out of her mouth and she almost lowered the sword to pull him to her. They looked at one another in shock and then horror and then with sadness.
"Mind fuck, ain't it a bitch," laughed the vamp. "Step aside druid, she truly means nothing to you. Check your heart if you doubt my words." Massimo went still. The looks on the two vampire faces were ones of pure satisfaction. "Druid, now your debt has been paid. Step aside and we will take the girl to our master and you will be free to go with the reminder never to cross paths with the Wanderer again."
Kenzi was frantic, "Massimo?" she said weakly. Her heart and mind broken and hurting from the jumbled feelings racing through her.
He turned to look at Kenzi, there was nothing in his eyes that she could read except for pain. "I guess… no I know we were good together," the druid said with a flat emotionless voice. "I have given you all I could in our time together. It is time to share your gifts with the master and his friends here." Kenzi lowered her sword. What was he doing? The man kept speaking, "I suggest you use those things quickly before they get you back to their master." Kenzi dropped her head and allowed her sword to drop to the ground as she felt tears fall down her cheeks. She placed her hands in her coat pockets.
"Massimo don't do this. Please." pleaded Kenzi and she raised her eyes to look at him. He winked and she pulled the pin on the grenade as she drew it from her pocket and threw it. Diving at Kenzi, the druid knocked her to the ground as an insanely bright light blasted through the night. There was hardly a sound and no concussive blast to the weapon. The contents just shot out of the device like opening a soda after it had been shaken, foaming material that released nothing but an unbelievable bright light.
The vampire nearest Massimo burned to ash in moments as the phosphorescent blast released its stored light energy. The second vampire was faster and had leapt away using the milliseconds of protection his companion's body provided as a shield. He was back now with a vengeance. Massimo fought to scramble to his feet and grabbed for Kenzi's dropped sword. He pushed Kenzi towards the van as he moved to the weapon. She fell, trapped under the van, and unable to prevent the crushing blow they both knew was coming. The vampire's hand moving at incredible speed slapped the sword from the druid's hands. Caught without any weapon the druid was no match for the creature before him and he knew it.
"Stupid little druid," the vampire was pulsing around him faster than Kenzi could follow. One moment the vampire was to the right of Massimo, next he was straight in front of druid. The vampire was playing with the man like a cat with mouse. "It didn't have to be this hard." The vampire's claw-like hands slammed into the druid's midsection like a spear. "You die and she still will be taken to the master to play with." The creature squeezed something deep inside the druid and he screamed. "Mores the pity that…"
The sword never made a sound as it sliced through the neck of the vampire. Kenzi, the forgotten one in the mix, lowered the weapon as she kicked the vampire's headless corpus away and he fell backwards pulling his hand from the cavernous wound in Massimo's chest. Falling to her knees Kenzi tried to find a place to put her hands to stop the flow of blood. A thick coughing sound stopped her motion.
"Don't Kenzi, they use poison in their attacks." Massimo rumbled, his voice weakening as he fought to talk. Kenzi tried to comfort him but they both knew he was dying. "Kenzi," the druid shifted in pain. "They… I do love you… I do."
Kenzi was crying. "I love you too." She grabbed his hand and held tight.
Massimo opened his mouth and shuttered, "I never would have hurt you… Bo…a mistake…we were tricked... I love you…I would have told you." He was close to losing conciseness as he strained to manage the agony he was in. He focused on her with tear filled eyes, "It was real… It was real… it was..." a bubble of blood erupted from his mouth and the druid went still.
"Massimo!" yelled Kenzi, "Massimo!" but she knew it was too late. She placed his hand over his chest and then grabbed to hold the other one. "It was real." she whispered, "It was…" she didn't finish as she leaned close and kissed his forehead gently. The tears finally stopped as she sat in silence holding her sword in one hand and the hand of her dead lover in the other. The love and contentment that had filled her body seeped away to be replaced with anger and rage. She would have her revenge if it was the last thing she did.
If Kenzi had learned anything from her times on the streets it was that she never had the luxury of time. There was no time to enjoy, no time to be scared, and now there was no time to morn. She moved as if she was acting out a part in a play. She pulled Massimo's body into the van covering him in the blankets they had shared as a bed. She pulled out a lighter and a bottle of vodka. It was no secret to anyone that vampires were nothing more than walking corpses with fashion sense. That made them good kindling for fires, Bo had taught her that long ago. With eyes as cold as ice, Kenzi poured the alcohol over the head and body of the vampire. She took a long tug from the bottle then smashed the container on the ground. Bending low she ignited the hair on the vampire's head then kicked the burning body part so it rested against the rest of him. She watched emotionless as the body flared brightly and then burned down to a pile of ash in mere moments.
The sound of sirens in the distance said that someone had called the cops. It wasn't the warlock but maybe his neighbor had finally come home from work. It didn't matter to Kenzi really. She walked calmly to a high-end sedan painted black with tinted windows. The vehicle screamed vampire and was not there when Massimo and she had arrived. Smashing the driver's side window with the handle end of her sword, Kenzi located the GPS and pried the unit out of the dash. Kenzi also found a cell phone, there was nothing more to take. Popping the trunk she found two bags of weapons and took them with her. Jumping in the van she pulled away from the scene. Kenzi drove all night and well into the next morning, there was only one place to go.
It was ten o'clock in the morning when she pulled into the parking lot of the Dahl. Slowing opening the door of the van she stepped out into the sunlight. At one time she might have worried about her appearance, but after driving through the night with the body of her dead lover in the back of her vehicle, Kenzi had other things on her mind. She stumbled the first few steps but soon had her balance. There was no change in her pace as she moved through the door and into the building. The familiarity of the tavern struck her and she almost teared up. Trick's voice sounded from the back, "Give me a minute, we just opened." Kenzi walked to the bar in silence and sat on a stool.
"Now what can I get for…." The bar keeps words died on his lips. "Kenzi, my god girl where have you been?" He had been smiling but the expression dropped and he was now just staring at her. "Are you okay? Where's Bo? She is with you, right?"
"I have a body in the back of my van," the words fell from Kenzi's lips in a quiet rush. "It's Massimo, he was ….. a friend," her voice cracked as she fought for control, "he was killed by vampires." She started to sway on her feet. Trick moved around the bar as fast as he could. He reached Kenzi's side in time to catch her as her legs gave out. Lowering them both to the ground Kenzi managed to say, "Trick, they have Bo, the vampires have Bo." She passed out cold in his arms.
Trick growled, "Kenzi," he shook her by the shoulders, "Kenzi, wake up!" but it was no use. "Damn it!" he yelled and gently laid the girl on the ground. He moved to the bar and grabbed the phone. In moments he had Dyson on the line.
"Trick, what can I do for you?" said Dyson with a question in his voice. The man never called him at the police station unless there was trouble.
"I need you do get to the Dahl right away. Bring Tamsin with you." It was an order not a request from the blood king. The wolf shifter became very attentive as the barkeep continued, "I am putting a call into Hale. We have a situation." Not waiting for the wolf to reply or accept the request, Trick hung up.
xxxxXXXXXxxxx
There it was. The tingle of power was unmistakable. The old master swallowed a last mouth full of the warm thick liquid and then made himself pull away from his favorite snack. The succubus's head rolled forward drained of her energy for the moment. He ran his tongue over his blood soaked lips and teeth. She was delectable of course he knew she would be. The offspring of a powerful line of succubus women and the grand-daughter to the blood king himself. To a vampire the blood she contained was the finest of vintages. Blood filled with lust and power flowing freely through a scrumptious living body. Holding his hand out, the Wanderer watched as the flesh of his body renewed. Plumping up to that firm youthful living flesh appearance that made him the envy of his swarm. He let the appendage drift down the body of the succubus, stopping to caress her breasts.
"Get your filthy hands off me." she growled. "Or I will…"
"Or you will do what my child?" he said and grabbed her breast more firmly then dropped his hand away from her body and licked her neck wound to gather a last quick taste of her. He saw her eyes flash blue as she focused her power. Laughing at her, "Bo, my dear, how many times do I have to tell you vampires do not have chi. You are so, so very slow on the up…." He froze. He felt the blood inside him shifting. Holding his hand up he gasp in horror as it began to age, loosing that youthful look he was just admiring. He reached out and slapped Bo hard across the face to break her concentration. He whirled around as he hid the fact that he was watching his hand for any more signs of regression.
The low laugh made the Wanderer turn, Bo was looking up at him with dark hate filled eyes, "There is a price to drinking my blood. I am getting better at controlling it. It is just a matter of time, you bastard, before I gather enough control to kill you."
"My dear, it has been three months. Yes, three months, you have been so generously sharing your power with me." He licked his lips and kicked at the chains that held her to the wall. "Delicious." Bo shuttered and tried to ignore the throbbing wound on her neck. "I am afraid you will be dead long before you manage that type of control over your blood." The vampire scoffed as he walked to the door. He opened the cell door and closed it quietly behind him. He listened to the woman scream in rage and breathed a sigh of relief that she did not see how badly she had hurt him. He really need to gain some type of leverage over the bitch.
In the empty hallway, the Wanderer pulled up his shirt and found his body covered in deep bruises. He called out and servants rounded the corner and moved around him, "Attend her," he said coolly. A vampire led three human women towards Bo's cell. They were slaves held in a thrall for the amusement of the swarm the Wanderer controlled. These human's lived out their lives never knowing they should be doing anything else but pleasing their masters.
The Wanderer reached out and grabbed the last one in line. He bit into the woman's neck with such intensity she whimpered in his arms. Normally swarm humans were used for quick snacks and sex but remained unharmed for the most part. The master drained this woman of her blood in moments and then dropped her lifeless body to the ground. "Clean that up." He growled and walked away. The servant vampire nodded. He opened the door to the cell and directed the remaining women inside ordering them to attend the prisoner. He closed and locked the cell door as he removed the body of the dead girl.
Bo head snapped up at the sound of the door and cussed at the sight of the two women moving towards her. The Wanderer was a such a bastard. Draining her blood and lowering her energy to levels that made her need to feed almost uncontrollable. The man must get his jollies from watching her fight her natural instincts. He saw humans as food and this was his way of feeding her and keeping her alive so he could continue his feeding on her. When she refused to feed fully with sex or kill the thralls he presented for their chi, it became a game to him to tempt her after each of his attacks. If he was hoping for a show he was disappointed. Bo would never let things get that far. She had practice being careful with humans and pulling chi. She had far too much practice being careful during other activities. Bo shook her head; she would not let herself go there. Not now when she could not do anything about that situation. Lauren was an issue for another time and place.
"Ladies you don't have to do this." Bo said and shifted her body as much as she could towards the wall. "I release you. Go away. Your services are unneeded." The first woman reached out and touched her face and then, carefully avoiding the bite marks, started to trail her soft hands down the succubus's body. Bo tried to ignore the feelings the woman's touch were generating, Bo tried "Your master is calling." The second woman giggled and pressed a soft kiss on Bo's shoulder and then moved to place a hard kiss on Bo's lips. The succubus responded in spite of herself and kissed her back.
Catching herself, Bo turned her head to free herself from the contact before things went too far. Once again there was no choice, Bo let her succubus rise. She pulled chi from both women until they fell to her feet unconscious. Swearing to herself she felt her body begin to regenerate. "Damn you." It was never a full recovery and she was slowly feeling the effects of the master vampire's feedings. If she did not find a way to free herself she would either end up killing one of the humans he brought in as food or dying herself. Bo let out a defeated laugh and pulled on the chains. "Free myself, fat chance," she thought. "They will come for me." The succubus was losing hope, "Who am I kidding?" she added, "It's not like anyone even knows where I am." and she sagged in the harsh biting hold of the chains.