Disclaimer: Lost Girl belongs to Showcase or SYFY and I am only playing in their universe.
A/N: Your response to the last chapter was awesome! Thanks so much. *hugs*
Trick watched the young Ash walk away and was seething. Thinking to himself, "He would be nowhere without me." The barkeep felt a presence over his shoulder and turned to see the Lead Council, standing directly behind him. The man had always been a necessary evil, so Trick pasted on a smile and said, "Lead Council what can I do for you?"
"My dear Trick, I think your question should be what can I do for you?" the Lead Council sneered and motioned Trick to follow him. Waiting for the tall stick thin man to turn Trick rolled his eyes in exasperation. Hale must have royally screwed up when he stepped out to make his phone call. The Lead Council and Trick were rivals and their association went way back. They were each on the front lines so to speak as the fae settled the new world. Trick making his mark as the Blood King ending the great fae war and forever earning him a place in fae lore as a savior of sorts. The Lead Council as a Herald, enforcer of the fae council, a level just below the council itself. He was charged with upholding the laws of the fae in the new land. Both had suffered from their roles but in different ways.
Trick who as blood king had used his blood to compose the fae treaty between the light and the dark lost his beloved wife and daughter, one to death and the other to madness. He became a sympathetic hero, who is thought of fondly and with empathy for his sacrifice. The Lead Council as Herald, over stepped his authority and was quietly forced from office in disgrace falling complete into obscurity. Each had found ways to make their way back into fae society over time. Trick taking a role in the background, not wanting the limelight again. The Lead Council bullied his way into one lowly position of fae government after another, making it to the fae council and finally assuming the Lead position five hundred years after his fall from grace.
Arriving at the fae council inner chamber, Trick shut the door behind the two men and then waited for the pompous man to speak. Pulling back the chair from his desk, the Lead Council looked down on the barkeep. Trick smirked and slouched down trying to make himself even shorter. This always made people endeavoring to use height to intimate have to bend lower or lean farther over, in the process becoming very uncomfortable holding that position. As in a blinking contest, the taller person would lean in for only so long and then have to straighten and move away, in a way allowing Trick to win the unspoken power battle. It took mere seconds and the man pulled back to right himself in the chair. Trick smiled at the small victory. With a velvet purr the Lead Council said, "We have located Dr. Lauren Lewis."
Trick did not response directly. Everyone knew it was only a matter of time before the fae found the doctor. The problem had been finding someone who wanted to put in the effort to locate her. To Trick and most of the elder fae's dismay, there was a general lack of concern about Lauren Lewis in fae society, she was old news. Truth be told, the general population of fae felt the most the doctor was guilty of was poor judgment. The mad man had been Taft and his death was the only justice they required. Trick and his peers felt it their responsibility to remind the masses of the high standards of the fae, these ideals needed to be up upheld. Lauren was a traitor, an indentured human who had turned against them, there was some question to her intent to harm the fae, but that was a matter for the fae courts. Trick's lack of congratulations was not that he wasn't happy to have the doctor caught but that he heard the tone of gloating pleasure drifting through the Lead Council's voice. There was more to the story.
"Your granddaughter is with her." The purr suddenly turned into something more feral. "The unaligned succubus is providing protection for the human traitor. This is a violation of our laws." The man leaned back with his hands pressed palms together as if saying a prayer.
Doing his best to bury his anger, Trick now had his answer to Bo's location and more than likely Dyson and Tamsin's too. "I am sure there is some misunderstanding." Trick said with a quiet but firm reply.
"Oh no," grinned the Lead Council, "I have used the council's resources to find the Lewis woman. When one of the…agents," he faltered trying not to say bounty hunters, "made an attempt to learn more about the doctor, your granddaughter about killed him with a chi attack from fifty feet away. I know of no one but your kin that can perform that particular stunt."
"I see," said Trick. His mind was working overdrive on how he was going to get Bo out of this one. "What is the council's plan?"
"As Lead Council I have been overseeing this development myself." the man said quickly. This caught Trick's attention. Something as large as the doctor's arrest was a matter for the entire council. Trick fought the smile that was coming to his lips, something wasn't adding up. He remained quiet and waited for the former Herald to speak again. The thin man continued having regained his purring voice, "Being the only one aware of Bo's involvement I believe we can make some type of arrangement to keep your family name out of this messy business."
Again the urge to smile was pushed back, "Indeed," said Trick. Here it came, the request for Trick to use his influence with Hale to get the young Ash to align with the ideals of the council. The council was so pitifully predictable, "I believe I can accommodate you with anything you need," now the blood sage smiled, "with the understanding that Bo and others under my influence be… distanced from the Lewis affair." Trick placed a hand behind his back and held out the other. Solidifying their agreement with a handshake both men had smiles of triumph on their faces.
xxxXXXXxxx
"So like you are a genie?" Kenzi said for about the tenth time, rewording it each time to hopefully get some type of more informative response. The Jinn looked over at her and just grinned. This human was killing her. At first she found her mildly annoying, but now she just was funny. Kenzi was on the floor and General had curled up next to her, his leg was sore but nothing had been broken. Between Lauren and Cappy the great beast was rapidly on the mend.
"Yes and no." said the Jinn with a twinkle in her eye. "You know…" She gave a noncommittal shrug and left the statement open. Jinn knew that Kenzi's mind would be on overload trying to figure out just what she meant.
Kenzi's eyes narrowed in thought then she said quietly as if testing, "I sure wish I had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich," as she faked not looking at the Jinn. Kenzi's eyes widened as the Jinn frame went rigid and she stood walking towards the kitchen. Kenzi attention was now fully on the woman.
Stopping at the doorway Jinn turned and said in a monotone voice, "Grape or strawberry?" then the Jinn couldn't hold it and busted up laughing, grabbing a beer for herself only, the woman yelled back "So Kenzi, how does it feel to want." The woman laughed harder when Kenzi good naturedly flipped her the bird.
"Ladies," said the Colonel using the term lightly, "Please join us at the table. We have much to discuss." Having pulled several of the bar's tables together there was plenty of room for the growing group of fae and humans to sit. Dyson had just walked in, he waved away Kenzi with a soft smile when she approached, reaching out instead for Tamsin's hand when finding a seat. Gunner positioned himself between Dyson and Kenzi, a move the wolf did not miss. Jinn pulled up next to Kenzi and then the original crew filled in the rest. Lila came through the doors as they just sat down. The Colonel said, "And Lauren and Bo will be here…" seeing the look on his wife's face, "shortly." They left two spots open on the end.
Waiting for the Colonel, they all settled in. "Welcome to everyone. I believe a debrief is in order. Cappy, Gunner and Cook, then all the… visiting troops." The military man smiled a confident grin and it set the others at ease.
The shaman, who had been asked to go first, was still pulling himself together. It wasn't like Bo and her battle with the vampire toxin. It was the thought of his friends in danger that had made his heart pound out of control. In the desert he had felt the call of his wards. Only magic could have set them off. It was daylight but he put nothing passed the vampires including the use of thralls to catch the group off guard. As he explained this to the crew, the group agreed and all thanked the shaman for his forethought of placing the wards.
Kenzi's cell phone rang and she tossed the group a guiltily look and quickly shut it down. Cappy gave her a quick smile and then added to his report that the tea for Bo would be ready as soon as he had a free minute to tend to it.
As if on cue, Bo and Lauren walked into the Fort, "Good to know and thanks." said Bo with a grin on her face. She pulled out Lauren's chair for her then took the one at the doctor's side. The shaman nodded back at her, Bo was a powerful fae and it would be good to have her on the mend. "Good and much safer for everyone," he thought to himself thinking just how fast she had dropped every one of them with her attack.
Gunner and Cook gave their reports as to the bounty hunters and what had happened. Both were more than a little concerned that fae were popping into the Fort like it was a terminal for fae airlines. With a serious tone, Gunner said "If Jinn hadn't said anything we would have been totally taken by surprise I mean…" This time Kenzi's phone started to buzz with the telltale sound of a cell on vibrate. Dyson gave her a bit of a look but Kenzi quickly shut the phone down again. The group refocused on Gunner who raised an eyebrow at the girl next to him. "Anyway, I just don't like the idea of anyone just appearing here without warning."
"I have the answer to part of that one." said Tamsin. "I gave Bo and then Dyson and myself the means to get here. The good news, it is a one way trip and no one can trace either path. The bad news is that one must know the destination before the method works. Bo got the address from Kenzi, but we," she looked at Dyson, "we overheard bounty hunters talking about Lauren and Bo in a bar. It wasn't hard to find out exactly where you were." She left out the part about a werebear almost beating a Trollgre to death for the information. "Someone saw you and they are sending a full on extraction team to take Lauren back." The buzz of Kenzi's cell interrupted again and this time she stood quickly and with a mumbled apology walked from the table. The group watched Kenzi go and then refocused on Tamsin, "They knew about Bo being here too."
"It is more than that," said Jinn. "The fae council is involved, or at least the Lead Council anyway. That is how I got involved." The group was so focused on the newcomer she became a bit overwhelmed. Clearing her throat she continued, "As you have figured out I am not only called Jinn, I am a Jinn. Just frick'n saves so much time and I am …" she was already to add, "sort of like a genie" but the one person who would have appreciated it was taking a phone call.
Continuing quickly, "I was called in by the Lead Council to move this whole bounty hunter extraction team to Red Valley." She laughed, "Like that is even close to a three wish request, am I right? Trollgres weigh a damn ton and …" She looked at the others around her but met blank looks. "Well anyway, I was going to have to do it because the man reduced my sentence by three years to spring me early and that type of favor earns you a…." seeing the looks change from blank to concerned she cursed quietly. "The lead guy, Mike, Mark or whatever, he was in the first group I transfer over. I jumped a bond on him a ways back, but he pulls a few favors and gets me out of my deal with the Lead Council guy, so I now owed him three wishes and he uses them to sneak up on you all and then the fight thingy happens and now I don't owe any one anything. Freedom Baby, Freedom!"
If the magical fae had expected a show of support for her newly earned life situation, she was sadly mistaken. The whole group had shifted to look at Lauren who had dropped her head into her hands. Every time a new detail was revealed the good doctor cursed softly. Every person aware of her situation knew that this woman, their friend, was in total misery right now. Bo moved to touch her but Lauren gently pushed her hands back with a quick squeeze to reassure her lover. Being enveloped in the love and concern Bo would pass her way was not what she needed, she needed a clear head. Finally after an uncomfortable silence Lauren looked up and said, "I have to run, there is no other choice. I can't be here when they arrive. You are all in danger because of my presence. The Colonel will glamour over everyone and I will leave an initial trail that a child could follow to get them away from you."
"Won't be enough honey." the Jinn said. She felt empathy for the woman as she had been forced to live on the run too many times to count, and knew how much it sucked to be forced away from a safe place. "The owner of the bounty hunter agency mentioned other powerful fae in the area that shouldn't be here. They want to take everyone at this location back to face the council as a whole. The Lead Council had a real jones on for you people. If you want my advice I say all of you all need to hit the road and soon."
"Not going to happen," said Kenzi from the doorway to the kitchen. She was pale but her voice was strong. "Nobody is going anywhere. The vampires are coming for us and the humans of the valley. We leave this place unprotected and it will be a blood bath." Seeing Kenzi's distress Gunner stood and walked towards her, holding out his hand to lead her back to the table.
"The calls I was getting were from friends that I have made as I tracked the swarm. Information from them and their contacts say we have huge vampire problems heading our way. A call to war if you will," Kenzi took a deep breath to calm herself, "I crossed that information with a breaking news search and there are reports of attacks that stink of vampire from everywhere. Groups of people missing or found dead with suspicious circumstances, strange witness reports of dark moving mists through clear night skies, everything that throws up a flag for me," she steadied herself. "The reports started last night. If the factions of the swarm traveled fast and had protection from the sunlight they could be here now or will arrive tonight." She felt a tremor run through Gunner. "The worst part is that these news reports are coming in from all directions. We are surrounded."
"Vampires!" said the Jinn, "Are you telling me you have Trollgre bounty hunters, the fae council and now vampires after you?" Seeing the slight nods of the heads around the table, her eyes went wide, "Too hard core for me. I just dug myself out of a pile of shit, not going to get myself killed before I can enjoy it. Good luck to you." With a flash the woman was gone, then immediately she was back with a crash on the floor.
Cappy stood with a smile and reached out his hand to help the startled woman stand, "Ya, about using your magic around me, not such a good idea. Have a seat my dear and we will let you know when it is time to leave." The Jinn's eyes flared but Cappy just chuckled as the woman's threat fizzled out with a small pop. "We will talk later young one." He flashed his shaman eyes in her direction and she turned away quickly with a touch of fear crossing her features.
Bo let out a laugh that made everyone jump, "Well since nobody is leaving before the party starts, I guess we figure out how to make it one hell of a get together." She nodded and reached out quickly for Lauren. Grabbing her hand and pulling her close so their bodies touched. The wave of protective energy that hit Lauren was almost too much to handle. As Bo's eyes started to snap, the Jinn almost felt sorry for anything that came to cause trouble.
xxxXXXxxx
Master Blood, the vampire had taken quite a liking to his assigned name, was deep in the cave system of the foothills. The Malek had left him in charge of organizing the incoming warriors. The vampires of the swarm had answered his call to war with a relish. More of his brothers and sisters had survived the hunter's attack than he suspected. In their race to flee from discovery many had encountered rouge vampires in various hiding places that were more than willing to join their cause. They all had responded to his call and had been arriving in steady streams for the last ten hours.
The biggest disappointment was that no master would step in to join the fight. Some of the more powerful of the swarm members had contacted known associates of the Wanderer but when the master vampires were told of the location of the battle any interest in the war died. One of the oldest of the masters had hissed, "The treaty and the promised land are nothing but a myth, leftovers of a fool's mission. Taking your swarm to that cursed place will more than likely get everyone killed." Blood had pushed the old one's warning away as a veiled attempt to get the remains of the swarm to join his group.
What had been the most pleasant surprise was the overall acceptance of the Malek as the swarm's inspirational leader. The team of Blood and Flesh, as Malek had named them, made an impression on the first arrivals. It had been unfortunate that several members of the first group were violently dispatched as a show of strength but word had quickly spread about the savage beauty and strength of their new leader. What Blood did not share with the Malek was that every time a vampire pledged fidelity to the team, it was a power boost for the once lowly swarm member. He gained with every newly given oath and knew he would be flowing with the power of a true master soon.
Hearing shuffling in the tunnel, he turned to receive reports of the new comers that had arrived. The vampire who had brought the report also carried a message, "The Master of Flesh wishes you to join him in the large chamber." Looking over the latest numbers there were now easily over hundred vampires in the hills with only one or two groups yet to arrive. As Blood walked through the narrow tunnels, he was hit with the smell of rot and blood. He smiled that he had thought to tell some of the groups to bring tributes. The Malek had been very pleased to receive his gifts and was now making a show of playing with his food.
As the chamber opened before the vampire, the scene that revealed itself spoke to the cruel, twisted world of the Malek. He sat upon the ground with a group of twenty vampires around him. He had done for them as he had for Blood. He shared the blood of his prey and then feasted on the flesh. Rendering the humans they offered helpless then giving them over to the others to feed first. The wendigo had taken to sitting amongst the feeding vampire swarm. He was enjoying their delicate mouths and fangs, studying them as they fed. The violent man would stroke the strong backs and arms, even pulling back the hair of the swarm members while offering encouraging words as they pulled blood. The behavior had disturbed the swarm but when Blood asked about it the Master of Flesh just said he had been alone for so long that being with others with of his same calling was very satisfying and he found the contact while the others fed to be sensual. Blood left it at that.
Catching the moment of his second's arrival, Malek smiled broadly. "Master Blood, I insist that you feed." With a strong arm he pulled a vampire from the neck of a nearby body and then placed the blooded mass over his shoulder. Malek walked with his prize towards his vampire second with powerful strides. He dropped the warm flesh so it lay at his feet. The Malek's eyes were glazed as he watched to see if Blood would refuse his offering. The vampire did not want to feed but this was not really about nourishment. Blood knelt on the ground in front of the Malek and then bend forward to feed. As the vampire fed the larger man ran gentle fingers through his second's hair.
Pulling Blood to his feet when he showed signs of finishing his meal, Malek let out a huge barking laugh and used his large hands to gently wipe blood off the vampire's chin. "Master Blood tell me that our feasting has just begun. We need more to share with our family." The vampires in the chamber were casting wide pale yellow eyes at the twosome in the dimly lit cave. Blood saw the looks of total devotion the beast was receiving. The man was a total genius and had the lower swarm members' undying loyalty in less than a day. They would tell others and the admiration for the man would grow.
"Master Flesh, our family deserves all we can provide." said Blood tipping his head slightly showing his apparent agreement. Malek smiled as his second was now learning to play the game. Blood continued, "We can take out the old fae compound tonight at your command. This will leave the human community of Red Valley unprotected and ripe for the picking." The Malek beamed and let out a savage roar that shook the cavern and echoed down the tunnels.
Reaching out to take his vampire second's face in his hands he said, "Nothing fancy, we attack at full dark, half of our number by sky, half by ground. We hit them with everything we have. I want total destruction of that vile remnant of the fae and their blatant disregard for our kind." The man pushed Blood from him and moved to walk away. Stopping he spoke over his shoulder, "The bodies of the fae must be left for me. Kill them or leave them for me to dispatch, but all the bodies are to be left for me to quench my hunger." He smiled and nodded to the room. He started to whistle and walked out of the chamber with the growling of his hunger calling for fae flesh. "Tonight," he said to himself with a beastly grin.
xxxXXXXxxx
The fact that Lauren Lewis was holding a discussion of how to use a rocket propelled grenade launcher with Kenzi told Dyson just how desperate the situation was. "How the hell did Lauren get her hands on RPG launcher anyway?" He said aloud but more to himself than anyone else.
"Hmm…," was all that the wolf got from Tamsin who was straining her ears to listen in on the lesson. With a sigh Dyson put his hand on the valkyrie's back and gave her a push in the direction of the other women. She smiled back at him but hurried over to catch the end of what Lauren was saying.
Bo, Lila, and Cappy had adjourned to the kitchen to brew tea and talk to the succubus about how not to overpower Lauren with her emotions now. The Colonel and Cook were looking over Lauren's extensive maps of the area. Kenzi, Lauren, Gunner and Jinn had moved to go over the arsenal to be found in the shop and Kenzi's van. That had left Dyson and Tamsin on the outside. Tamsin had initially moved to join the weapons group but sensing Dyson's hesitation she held back. Something had gone on when Lila had pulled him away. It had to do with Bo so of course his emotions would be running high.
Dyson had felt the mate bond break but to his surprise it was not painful but more of an unsettled feeling that gripped him now. It was as if he had a secret he was dying to tell and no one to hear it. It didn't feel right to keep this thing to himself. Tamsin had sensed his discord and remained close. If he had his way he would be happy to give the bond to the gorgeous valkyrie right now but he would not be that careless. Watching her eyes, he saw her attention on the others preparing for the battle and that she was itching to get involved. Pushing her away he grinned seeing the relief in the woman warrior as she moved towards the deadly toys, the wolf turned to take a walk and clear his head.
"Dyson," he spun to see the Colonel waving him over. "We need your help." The gremlin lord smiled a look that spoke of how many battles the man had prepared for. To have a smile like that meant that he had mostly been on the winning side. "The vampires will become from the sky and by the ground. What we don't know is how the council will make their approach. Tell us about this extraction team and what we will be facing." Dyson initially thought the man had just included him to keep an eye on him but quickly changed his mind as tough pointed questions started to come his way and Dyson's own battle savvy kicked in.
There was a slamming of the door of the shop, and Bo came boiling through the opening. Her eyes were watering so much it looked like she was crying. Cappy and Lila were hot on her heals. Bo voice sputtered, "Holy Hell, I can't even see." She stopped and placed her palms to her eyes. That was when everyone saw how flushed her face was, "Did you just make me drink battery acid?" She made a gagging noise. "I was set for wet dog hair, this is not what wet dog hair tastes like." Dyson and General look up with interest. Bo groaned and made a low urpping sound and then gagged a bit.
"If she hurls, I will pop too. Just giving you all fair warning." said Jinn looking pale just at hearing the noises coming from the distraught succubus. Lauren handed a weapon to Kenzi, double checking the safety first, and then ran to Bo.
"Bo, I know it is unpleasant but…," said Lila with concern, rubbing the succubus's back with a mother's touch.
"Unpleasant, sheesh Lila that is one heck of an understatement." said Bo with a look not of anger, but of total discomfort on her face.
"Wait for it." Said Cappy with is arms crossed and an expression that said he didn't really appreciate the critique his handwork was receiving.
Bo straightened then groaned, her face smashed into an all new type of grimace, "Okay, now I taste the wet dog hair." She turned and leaned into Lauren who now was standing next to her. "I want to help but I've got to lay down just for a minute, okay." The doctor made a soft sound that was almost a laugh and then held up a hand in a nonverbal request for five minutes.
"Remember what I said," cautioned Lila and Bo nodded as Lauren pulled her through the doorway to the shop safe room. Bo flopped on the little bed while Lauren pulled a couple of bottled water from the mini fridge. Handing one to Bo, the succubus drained the sucker in seconds, not batting an eye Lauren handed over the second one and then took a seat next to her lover.
There was a puffing sound and then Bo growled, "For making me have to drink that crap, I will kill every vampire heading our way." Hearing Lauren's soft chuckle she reached a hand out and touched the doctor's back. After a moment Bo said, "I am sorry if I zinged you in the Fort. I didn't notice how you reacted to my touch when I grabbed you. Lila said that it won't take long for your body to learn to handle this…stuff." Bo didn't have another word for it. "But I need to be more careful…"
Turning Lauren put a hand on Bo's lips, "Please don't apologize. There are so many worse ways to be…zinged" Lauren smiled at the term, "than with overwhelming feelings of love. I think I can handle it. If I have learned anything it is that you never do anything half way. Lila is a cupid and you are a succubus and although related you are a touch more passionate by nature."
"You think," Bo reached up to pull Lauren to her. She had that sexy grin on her face that made Lauren melt. The doctor gently put her hand to Bo's lips again. Bo gave her an interested look.
"Not until you brush your teeth, twice." giggled Lauren who then kissed Bo's forehead then stood turning and walking back towards the door to the shop. "Five minutes succubus, and then I need you back to work." Bo let out a growl and then covered her head with a pillow and laughed.
When Lauren re-entered the space there was a flurry of activity going on. Kenzi, Jinn and Tamsin went running by in a loud jumbled group, women on a mission. Cappy was with Dyson over the maps and they were pointing and nodding as if they had just found something important. The Colonel, Lila and Cook were on their way outside. Seeing Gunner standing alone she walked over, "What's happening?" she asked. Gunner gave her a big smile and then tossed her a can of air freshener. "Do I even want to know?" she asked again and the metal worker just beamed and waved her over to his workbench.
The crew worked like they never had before. No one knew if it would be enough but history wouldn't fault them for not trying. It was almost dusk and there was little left to do. They had as much in place as they could, now it was just a waiting game. Lauren had grabbed some food from the Fort but no one was really interested in eating except for Kenzi and Jinn. "So how does that wish thing work again?" asked Kenzi through a bite of sandwich.
"Truly Kenzi, it is more trouble than it's worth. No one ever believes me when I tell them that but it's the truth. All magic come at a cost…" said the Jinn but she was interrupted by an all too familiar voice.
"You can say that again." Trick stood at Kenzi's side. The man looked like he had already been in a battle, his hair and clothing scorched, scraps and cuts to his skin.
Every member of the crew felt their heart stop. Here they had prepared for everything and yet an enemy had just appeared amongst them without any problem. Trick would have smiled at their reactions but the feel of the cold metal barrel pressed to the back of his head had him frozen on the spot. "Trick," said Lauren, "You better have a damn good reason for being here."
How Lauren had gotten there so fast when everyone else was frozen spoke to how long she had been training and practicing her escapes. "I do." the man stammered, "I am here to make amends and right some grievous wrongs done in my name without my knowledge." Reaching out slowly, Trick pointed down. The sword that Kenzi had trained with during her time with Massimo hung at his side. "I used Kenzi's attachment to this sword to find her. I need to warn you of the danger you all are in."
Lauren stepped back and pulled the gun with her. Trick swallowed and then turned to see every face looking at him with concern and worry. "The council is at the most, ten minutes behind me. I would have been here sooner, but there is one hell of a ward on this place and I had to fight my way in." The old fae took a second to dust himself off. Cappy raised an eyebrow seeing the damage the intruder had taken, and he figured any normal fae could not have made it through his defenses and relaxed. Trick continued, "The Lead Council and his bounty hunters have no way to work through your defenses like I did, but their man power is extensive. They will simply batter down the walls sooner or later."
"Trollgre bounty hunters, we know." said Bo moving to position herself by Lauren. She loved her grandfather but she would no longer stand for his disapproval or heavy handed tactics with her or her friends. If he was here to get in the way, she would not stand for it.
Trick feeling the hostile gaze of his kin was going to ask how she knew about the bounty hunters but Bo's head snapped up and she yelled, "We have company."
The Colonel stepped forward in full command, "Jinn take him to the safe room and lock the two of you in. Your part in this is over, but it is unsafe for you to leave now. We thank you for your help." The woman nodded her thanks and grabbed Trick's arm and pulled, the gremlin's strong voice called. "First phase people," he glanced out a window and smiled with a wink at Lauren he said, "With any luck we will only need to hold them for twenty-three minutes and eighteen seconds. Get on it." Everyone in the place moved at once.
Like most great plans it was born of desperation and dependent solely on luck. How do you fight off two separate attackers at once when you are massively outnumbered on both fronts? You don't, you make your enemies face each other instead. With all the battle experience of the crew, the valkyrie, and the wolf, it had been a quick conclusion. With the vampire coming for them, any fae would be fair game. The Trollgres would be forced to face the threat of the vampire attack just as the crew would. The tough part would be to holding off the council's thugs long enough for them to be caught in the midst of the vampires' charge.
"When the Sun reaches eighteen degrees below the horizon, dusk's light levels are nearly zero. Evening ends and night truly begins. With consideration of our latitude and the season were looking at…" Lauren hated estimation but she had to do it. There was also the whole discussion of what dusk they were really talking about: civil, nautical, or astronomical, but she had pushed that out of her mind in consideration of the time crunch. "Twenty-three minutes, eighteen seconds. That is a really rough estimate." The doctor clarified. The group laughed at the idea of that being a rough estimate. They all had kept a careful eye on the sun and its journey down towards the horizon. When it had appeared that without Jinn the Trollgre threat would be pushed back towards nightfall, Lauren had calculated the time between the arrivals of their two foes.
At the Colonel's orders, the crew was on the run with weapons at the ready. There was almost a joyous tone as Cook shouted, "Remember don't kill them, just hold them back." Heading out side, there was a moment of hesitation for all of them but Lila, Cook and the Colonel who had taken charge of the outer defences. Stone barriers had been raised around the whole fort. Bars and metal pipe that Lauren recognized as large versions of her spring loaded spikes were between the rocks. Strong cables, like engorged barbwire, laced around the structures to tie it all together. A peppering of thick stone posts extended from the fortified walls in all direction, allowing for only a maze like approach to the crew's location.
"Tower groups at the ready," yelled Cook. The Colonel held an arm out to Lila who took it and they walked to the corner. With a nod at the Stoneling, Cook raised a hand and a pillar of thick stone shot into the air with the two fae along for the ride stopping some thirty feet into the air. There was a crunching noise as thin sheets of rock popped from the sides to provide a solid railing of sorts that surrounded the top. The same was done for Tamsin, Cappy and Gunner on the other side.
Dyson, Bo, Lauren, Cook, Kenzi and General were spread out along the walls. They felt the bounty hunters before they could see them. Lauren let out a small gasp. She remembered the thundering approach of the one Trollgre but a force of twenty five or more of these massively powerful fae in their true form approaching at high speed was terrifying.
Bo had downed another two glasses of the vile tea but it seemed to vaporize out of her system as she felt the fear grow in Lauren and her friends. The growl started deep in her throat and those near Bo saw the snapping blue eyes of the riled succubus. Instead of fighting it, Bo decided to embrace the feeling and used her need to protect to fortify her. Lauren shot Bo a small smile and moved to her place beside Kenzi with a serious look. The proud succubus sensed that Lauren would be doing her own protecting for the time being.
"You okay?" asked Dyson who had shifted form to a manwolf.
"Never better," Bo replied in that dangerous two toned voice as her eyes burned into Lauren's shape. She felt a presence at her side and General was looking up at her. He let out a soft uffing bark and then bumped her hard as he started to trot off to the left. With a look at Dyson, they turned and started to jog after the dog.
A call rang out from the Colonel, "I see them, cover going up." As everyone watched the outside defenses of the fort vanished and it looked as if the building stood as it always had. Kenzi gave a small but slightly alarmed laugh; this was a cool but brutal tactic, if it worked.
The sound of the pounding footfalls increased and then even those on the ground could see the line of attackers in the distance. "Hold on we don't want to scare them off." yelled Tamsin. She had pressed Gunner's large machine gun down and shouted the warning so he didn't think she was just talking to him. The seconds seem to stop as they allowed the threat to come upon them.
Dyson and Bo followed the fae beast around to the side of the Fort. It was a terrible approach from a vampire and Trollgre point of view as it was naturally blocked but a rock formation and there was a climb up to get to the Fort. Peering over the edge Bo and Dyson smelled the fae, two Trollgres and something else. There was no discussion; the three crew members went on the silent attack. General shot off, heading the long way around, Bo and Dyson scaled the rocks in seconds.
There was a pompous voice, "I will use my pyrotechnic abilities to ignite that shack of a building, and then you two will let loose with the gunfire. Take out what you can but remember we are the diversion for the major attack. They will have seen them and be totally focused on defending that direction. We draw that attention our way for a few seconds and our forces will have them." The voice sounded so sure of himself. "Now let's fire this up." The grunted replies of the others were all that the lead fae most likely allowed.
Bo nodded to Dyson, he would take out the Trollgre on the left. Bo smiled and then leapt from the top of the rock crashing into the Trollgre on the right; he toppled with the force of her impact to crash into the tall thin man that had been talking. There was a roar as Dyson then rammed a shoulder into the second bounty hunter, flattening him. An eerie howl broke off to the side as General thundered into the mix, the dog evidently was not happy with Trollgres as he was on the throat of the one Bo had downed and was not going to let go for a while.
The thin man wobbled to his feet with a screech of rage and threw hands out before him signaling his attack. Watching the glowing mass build at this man's fingertips, Bo dropped low and came up fast under his attack. With her forearm, she pushed his arms up then slammed chi into his being. The ball of flame that erupted out of the man's hands was massive and the fireball shot over the Fort and passed the veiled defenses. The massive pyro attack shot so far off course it slammed into the Earth behind the line of Trollgres cutting off any path of retreat.
Not really knowing where the attack had come from, the Colonel wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. "Hit them now," he yelled and phase one of the battle truly began.