CHAPTER 24

Lauren walked over to Dyson and slapped him. Her hand flew to her mouth. She was shocked, surprised and a bit disturbed by her reaction. She allowed herself to lose control of her emotions; something that she normally would never let slip.

Do no harm.

Do no harm.

It was the tenant she had lived by for over seven years now and in all that time she had never raised her hand in anger to anyone.

She bit off the apology that wanted to bubble forth. She knew it was an automatic reflex on her part but she clamped down on it.

She wasn't sorry.

In fact, she wished she had punched him instead and knocked him on his ass.

Lauren did briefly wonder about the consequences her actions might bring later on, Dyson was Fae after all. If it hadn't been for the pendant that identified her as a ward of the Ash... who knows what would have happened.

But Lauren felt a perverse sense of pride when she saw the imprint her hand had left on Dyson's cheek. She may not have knocked him down, but he would feel that for a little while.

She watched him carefully as his muscle twitched. If he wanted to hurt her, she knew she wouldn't stand a chance against him.

Dyson's eyes shone briefly before he looked down and slowly rubbed his cheek. He had been hit harder and worse than this before. "Was that your best?" he asked his voice low and menacing. "Because," he stepped closer, smiling inwardly when he noticed Lauren take a step back. "That will be your last." he brushed past her and walked to the bar.

How dare she strike him!

Had she been anyone else... he would have tasted her blood as he tore her throat out.

"Human." he snorted.

He needed to calm down.

He needed to think about what to do next.

He needed Bo.

He wanted to go after her, but he knew he had to give Bo time to process everything.

Like it or not, she was carrying his child.

His felt his chest puff up with pride.

Bo would give him a son, he was sure of it.

His son would grow up to be brave, strong and honorable.

He would teach his son the ways of their clan.

There was nothing Dyson would not do for his son, including laying down his life to protect him.

And there was no way he would allow the doctor to have anything to do with his son's upbringing.

This relationship with Lauren would come to an end.

"Dyson." Trick said as he watched him walk over. He had winced not only when he heard what Bo had said, but when Lauren slapped him as well.

Dyson did have the decency to look down briefly before addressing Trick. "I'm sorry you had to see that." he said.

"Dyson, I have known you for many years now. I have trusted you with a part of my heart, with my family." Trick said reining in his anger. "The Dyson I know is an honorable man. He would not have done this. He would have been... upfront about this," Trick stressed, "If nothing else. You would have asked and expected the same if the situation was reversed."

"Trick."

"No!" he slammed his hand on the counter and leaned forward. "You obviously are not listening to a word anyone has said, except that Bo is pregnant. Your stubbornness, your heart and pride has made you deaf and blind."

"What are you talking about?" he was confused. Surely Trick would be overjoyed by the prospect of a great grandchild. He should be buying him a drink instead of getting upset with him.

"You are going to be a father Dyson, there is no doubt about it. But listen very carefully, Bo is not the mother. Do you understand what I'm telling you? Or must I knock some sense into you? Lauren," Trick said glancing in her direction. "Is the mother of the child."

Dyson scoffed and looked over towards Lauren who had yet to move. "Don't tell me you believe her as well? She's lying. She's done it before. This would be par for the course."

Trick slowly shook his head. He felt sorry for him. Dyson was in for a rude awakening and no matter how much he wanted to take him aside and talk to him privately. He could not, he had given his word.

He would help Bo.

"I am not lying about this." Lauren said, unable to stand idly by.

"Please! You want to keep Bo by your side and you will say anything. But this is low, even for a hu… even for you."

"Human. That's what you were going to say? Isn't it?!" she said pulling him by the arm so they were face to face. "You've never liked me..."

"No. I don't." Dyson finally told her how he felt. He was unwilling to keep this inside any longer.

"Dyson! Do not say another word." Trick knew Dyson was well within his rights to act the way he was and Trick had his own feelings about the entire situation, ones he would not share with his granddaughter.

"Don't worry Trick," Lauren said glancing in his direction. "Trust me when I say the feeling is very mutual."

"This is ridiculous."

"It is highly irregular Detective Thornwood, but I assure you, what Dr. Lewis, Miss Dennis and the Blood King have all been trying to make you understand is true."

"And who the Hell are you?" Dyson bellowed at the stranger.

"Salus? Salus Quintus?" Trick gasped. "When did you get back?

Jacob nodded formally. "All in good time your Majesty, you have my word." He looked at Lauren, silently berating himself. "Lauren, I could not wait in the car any longer and I am sorry I let you come in by yourself."

"It's okay Jacob... Salus." Lauren acknowledged.

"Jacob." he said smiling. "If you don't mind? I've grown rather fond of the name." He had not heard his given name; except by Madeline, in a very long time.

He was not surprised to hear the Blood King use it, their relationship went back centuries. He had signed in at the Dal as protocol demanded two years ago but had not been back since. He could not. He had heard that Lauren spent a lot of time there and could not afford to run in to the Blood King again. Not yet when the possibility of his true identity could be revealed.

"I don't care who you are or what you call yourself..."

"Dyson, you will stand down – now!" Trick demanded. "You will show this man respect. I am sorry." Trick said.

Jacob shook his head. "No apologies are needed your Majesty. Are you okay?" he asked Lauren.

"I'm... fine. But I'd rather go find Bo. I want to make sure she's okay."

"Of course. I'll take care of things here for you."

Lauren nodded. "Thank you." she said rushing towards the bathroom.

Dyson started to follow Lauren when he was stopped. "Move aside."

"I think not." Jacob replied steadily.

"Do you know who I am?"

"As a matter of fact, I know more about you than you think." he said smiling briefly.

"Dyson, don't make this situation more difficult than it already is." Trick said as he walked around the bar.

"How do you expect me to believe anything she says?" Dyson asked his hands clenched tightly by his sides.

"Salus..."

"I'd rather not go into all the details," he started saying. "But perhaps you'll believe this?" he said as he opened the briefcase he brought with him. "You have seen these before have you not Detective Thornwood."

Dyson snatched the file out of the interloper's hand. He did recognize the forms he was looking through. They were DNA results; he had had to collect them before when working on a case. So, he was quite familiar with them.

He smiled when the results showed he was the father of the child. His smile slowly turned into a frown. He growled low in his chest. "What kind of trickery is this?" he demanded.

"None." Jacob told him. "In fact, if you were to use any human laboratory, the results would come back the same. You and Dr. Lewis are the biological parents of the child Miss Dennis is carrying. She is simply," Jacob shrugged, "A surrogate. I'm sure you've heard of those Detective Thornwood."

"No!" Dyson roared.