Author's note: Guess who's back? Back again? Mischief's back, tell a friend. Missed ya fae-heads. Enjoy. No lemons this chapter, sorry.
Disclaimer: Sadly, I own nothing. If I did, Dyson and I would be enjoying a nice bubble bath in which we would find creative uses for my loofa.
"This has got to be the lamest dude on the planet." Kenzi complained. "Who knew rich people could be so boring?"
Bo hummed in agreement and picked up her glass of wine.
"I mean, I didn't expect to see a charge for an escort service or the devil himself or anything, but Reader's Digest? Book of the Month club? Four Seasons Golf Resort?" Kenzi scoffed in disgust. "No wonder he ran away. His life was like a scoop of fat-free vanilla ice cream."
Kenzi pushed the credit card statements away from her in disgust and picked up her own drink.
"Hmm," Bo mumbled in interest this time, and leaned closer to her page.
"What?" Kenzi asked, peering over Bo's shoulder.
"He was getting a dog." Bo said.
"A dog?" Kenzi asked skeptically.
"Goldendoodles of Eden, fifteen hundred dollars." Bo held out the statement to Kenzi. "Must have been a deposit."
"Do husbands usually buy expensive dogs and then run away?"
"Not unless they're taking the dog with them." Bo said. Sighing in frustration she rubbed a hand over her forehead and stood up. "Okay, I'm going to call the dog place and see if they're still open," she said eyeing the clock. "Why don't you go start getting ready and we'll hit The Dal when you're through."
Kenzi squealed in excitement taking off in a slippery run with her socked feet and Bo couldn't help but laugh. She couldn't help but notice that Kenzi seemed to be stressed about something these days. When she actually saw her, that is. She spent all of her free time training with Dyson these days.
Bo knew it was over between the two of them, but she couldn't help that twinge of longing she felt when she thought of all that they could have been. And seeing Kenzi with Dyson all of the time, well, she couldn't help feeling a little jealous too, even though she knew they're wasn't anything going on between them.
Furthermore, that jealously was overshadowed by the happiness she saw on her best friends face when she "found" her first muscle in her arm.
"A bicep!" Kenzi had screamed over breakfast a few weeks ago. "I found my bicep!"
"It wasn't lost," Bo had laughed to her.
"Tell that to my bicep-less arms!"
Tonight will be good for us, Bo thought. A chance for the two of them to catch up. And who knows? Bo thought. Maybe I can get Hale and Kenzi back together again too.
With a cat-that-got-the-canary grin, Bo picked up her phone and rang the dog place.
"Did Hale happen to mention what he wanted to talk to me about?" Kenzi asked.
Arms looped together, heads tucked in close, they made their way through the entrance of The Dal.
"I can give a few guesses, Kenz." Bo laughed and Kenzi simply groaned in response. "Look at it this way, we're just four friends getting together for a friendly drink or two. It's about time things start getting back to normal around here."
"Normal," Kenzi scoffed. "A succubus and a human walk into a fae bar to go meet their ex-boyfriends, a werewolf and a siren for a platonic drink between friends." She said bemusedly. "What's normal anymore?"
"Good point." Bo sighed. "Twelve o'clock. You ready?"
Kenzi looked straight ahead to where Dyson and Hale were grinning about something as they leaned against the bar. Her heart skipped as she gave them a once over.
Dyson. Why did he have to look that edible. White button down, gun holster and tight jeans that cupped all the right places. Shit-kicker boots. Check.
Hale. Button down, tie, sweater vest, suit, fedora. Check.
"I'll grab us a table." Kenzi said cheerfully as she spun around and headed toward the exit.
"Uh uh uh," Bo scolded grabbing her by the elbow and steering her onward again. "Nice try though."
"Normal." Kenzi said. "Normal, normal, normal." She repeated the mantra to herself as she was dragged along. "I'm the picture of normal." She mumbled, adjusting her spiked collar choker.
Bo held in her laugh. "Totally." She agreed.
He knew the moment she was walked in. The murmuring crowd always paused for a moment before resuming their hushed whispers. The succubus who chose no sides, and her human pet. They would always be the talk of the crowd. The fact that they were both stunning didn't help matters any.
His wolf also knew when she arrived. Where usually his wolf would become antsy, riled up with a woman he was interested in, his reaction to Kenzi was always a surprise. The wolf became downright docile. More like a golden retriever than a centuries old wolf. Unless she was threatened, he thought, feeling a dark haze come over him which he quickly shook off.
Kenzi inspired those feelings in everyone she met. The urge to protect, to trust. It was just who she was. He had known that his wolf reacted differently to her from the very start. He had simply believed it to be a baser, animalistic instinct to protect one of the only humans he had ever cared about. But now he understood better. It wasn't Kenzi's human status that drew his wolf to her, it was Kenzi. Brave, trusting, vulnerable, beautiful little Kenzi.
Hale had his back to the door so Dyson let himself enjoy their entrance. A grin tugging at his lips as he watched them have some sort of pep talk as they came towards the bar.
The Garuda, slimy fae monsters, trolls, Una Mens, none of that seemed to scare Kenzi as much as facing her ex-almost-lover and her soon-to-be-lover. Not that he could blame her. He dreaded having to tell Hale that he had feelings for Kenzi. But he knew that their bond could withstand anything. He just wished Kenzi would have that same faith.
He pulled his attention back to Hale. He'd let her have her little moment with Bo without the added pressure of him staring her down as she collected herself. He promised himself that he would abide by her wishes of more time. That he would let her make the next move. At least for the night, he grinned to himself.
"Detectives," Bo called out coyly in greeting.
"Well look what the fae dragged in," Hale said to them. "Can we get you ladies a drink?"
"Please!" Bo smiled back.
"Bo, Kenzi!" Trick called out in greeting. "Always good to see you here. Drinks?"
"Got anymore of that Buckhorn mead?" Kenzi asked. She slid onto one of the stools behind Dyson. "Mama needs something with a kick."
"Coming right up," Trick smiled indulgently.
"Did you get anywhere with the credit card statements?" Dyson asked Bo. He'd let Kenzi retreat for a few minutes, gather her wits, if that was what she needed. She couldn't ignore him all night after-all.
"Maybe," she said. "Did you ever follow up on the charge to the Goldendoodles of Eden?"
"The dog breeder's?" Hale asked. "What does that have to do with our boy?"
"We don't know yet." Bo said. "Call it a hunch."
"Why don't we grab a table?" Dyson asked as Trick passed the women their drinks.
"Here's fine," Kenzi chirped into her drink loudly before taking a healthy swallow.
"A table sounds great," Bo said. "Don't you think Kenz?"
Kenzi looked up and caught the look on Bo's face. "Oh fine," she huffed. "Lead the way, Twinkle Tits."
Kenzi stood and began to follow Bo just as Dyson placed a hand on her lower back to guide her way through the crowd. She felt the heat instantly follow.
"Speaking of twinkling," Dyson grinned to her. "Training is going to come awfully early tomorrow." He reminded. "I wouldn't over-indulge in the Buckhorn tonight."
She shot him a sour look, regardless of how right he was.
"Yeah, so what's all this I hear about you being badass all of a sudden?" Hale asked as they said at a wobbly table.
"Hey!"
"She's always been a badass." Bo defended Kenzi.
"Thank you Bo-bo, love of thine life." Kenzi said. "For your information Hale, this little human just got a minor upgrade."
"No offense meant, lil' mama." Hale put his hands up in surrender. "I just haven't seen you in a few weeks and Dyson mentions you've been realm-hopping." He gives her a worried look. "Sounds dangerous, that's all."
"It's better than her being defenseless the next time she goes head to head with a fae," Dyson growled.
"Is it?" Hale countered. "From what I understand there's twice as many dangers in these other realms than in ours."
"Which is why I'm training her to defend herself." Dyson said.
"She doesn't need to cross into other realms to defend herself." Hale argued.
"Boys, boys," Kenzi called over them. "It's my life, my decision. End of story."
"And how do you feel about all of this Bo?" Hale asked heatedly.
Bo raised her eyebrow at him. "Kenzi knows how I feel about her training. No matter how I feel, it's her life. I'll support her no matter what."
Kenzi smiled at her best friend and raised her glass to clink with Bo's. She glanced at Dyson. "My best friend is better than your best friend," she sang proudly.
"Better looking too," Dyson teased Hale. The tension dissipating just like that.
"Ah shoot, sorry mama." Hale said. "I just worry, that's all."
"Don't worry," Kenzi smiled. "My trainer isn't half bad."
She grinned at Dyson who leaned into her.
"I'll show you 'half bad'." He laughed. "You'll regret that comment tomorrow when we're going on our run at 6 AM."
She gulped, "I regret it now."
"Five miles?" Bo teased. "I don't think she can even do one."
"Hey, hey!" She called out, "This is not Pick on Kenzi day. And I'll have you know, I actually have muscles now."
"It's true," Dyson agreed. "She's fast too. Now we're working on endurance."
"Oh we're working on endurance, huh? Funny, it feels like I'm the only one on the struggle bus here."
"Oh we can work on my endurance," Dyson grinned at her and winked.
Kenzi couldn't help but laugh, her heart light. "You wish, Dog Breath."
"Not to beat a dead horse, but can we talk about the fact that my best friend disappeared into another realm and came back out a looking like a frozen popsicle today?" Bo asked incredulously.
"I'd like to hear more about this myself." Dyson said pointedly. "You shouldn't be realm jumping outside of our training."
"Well it wasn't exactly planned." She said to him. "It was like something pulled me across, and I was just along for the ride."
"I don't like that Kenzi." Bo said. "You couldn't stop it?"
"I don't know," she told them honestly. "It's not like I've exactly figured out how to even start it yet."
"How many times has this happened?" Hale asked.
"Crossing over? Once on purpose and once by a accident."
"And you we're able to come back both times without any trouble?" Bo asked.
Kenzi hesitated. "Yeah. No problem Bo-bs."
She wasn't sure why she didn't tell them the truth. That she barely made it back the first time. That the second time, she couldn't come back. Someone had pushed her back through.
Kenzi was waiting at the bar for another drink when she the slow felt heat crawl up her spine.
"You look good," Dyson said softly into her hair as he moved past to lean against the bar beside her. "The new look suits you."
"Oh," she said in surprise. She twirled a piece of her now chestnut and mahogany hair. "Thanks. New Kenzi, new look, ya know? I'm thinking of going even lighter actually."
Dyson nodded slowly. "It brings out your eyes, I like it."
"Thanks," Kenzi replied, looking at him straight on.
Neither one spoke for a few minutes, just watching the other and taking them in and letting the heat build between them.
"Tonight wasn't as bad as you thought it would be, eh?"
"Hmm," Kenzi hummed sipping the last of her drink. "Night's still young," she teased, hip checking him lightly.
"Just think—"
"Kenzi," Hale called walking up on the other side of Kenzi. "Mind if we talk alone for a few minutes?"
Hale shot Dyson a not-so-subtle look and inclined his head back towards Bo. Dyson's smile fell flat. Turning to Kenzi he lightly hip-checked her back.
"You good?"
She was good actually. Despite her teasing, she had a really good time tonight. It felt a bit like old times. Yes, they're we're still hard times ahead but tonight felt like a step in the right direction.
"Yeah," she smiled reassuringly. "Catch ya later Wolfie."
Dyson nodded to Hale and headed back towards Bo. But not without a warning look at Hale. He may be Dyson's best friend, but he would not hesitate to put him through a wall if he upset Kenzi.
"What's up dude?" She asked.
Hale looked embarrassed for a moment. "Well, ahh— I know we talked about this earlier but I just wanted to try again."
"Hale—" Kenzi interrupted.
"Just—let me finish Kenz." Hale said. "When I talked to you earlier, I had thought there might still be a chance to work things out. And maybe there is."
He rested his arms across the bar, bringing his head closer to her. Kenzi, for once, was as a loss for how to respond, how she should let him down. How much, or how little should she say? She didn't plan on getting into a relationship with him anytime soon. Especially with the way her heart raced anytime she was around Dyson. Or how she was up half the night just thinking about him. Wondering if he was thinking about her too. When she didn't reply right away, he continued.
"But I realized something tonight," he said. "I've been waiting for you to come back, to realize that you need me." He let out a self-depreciating laugh. "But you don't need me mama."
She felt her heart constrict. "That's not—"
"It is true," he continued. "And it's okay. You're not the same Kenzi that you used to be. You're better."
"Well, I don't know about all that."
"That's okay, because I do." He swallowed, hating his next words. "You don't need me like I want you to."
"I—" She was at a loss for words. "I'm sorry."
"No, no," he put his hands on her shoulders. "That's okay. It just took me longer than I care to admit to realize it. At least now I can move on."
Kenzi nodded, feeling the loss already.
"But hey, you and I? Like Ebony and Ivory. We're always going to be best dudes, okay?"
"Okay," she replied.
"Okay," Hale replied, and just like that the moment was over. He reached up to scratch the back of his neck in embarrassment. "I think I'm gonna need another drink. How about you lil mama?"
"Better not. I've got training early with our favorite wolf-shifter."
"Yeah," he drawled. "You be careful with all that, you hear? That's dangerous water you're playing in."
"Who's says I'm playing?" She teased as she backed away from the bar. "Adios dude."
"Adios Kenz."
And with that she set off to find her succu-bestie, go home, and analyze every word that was spoken tonight. And then catch some much needed rest.
After all, she had training tomorrow.