Lauren
The drive was a lot longer than I had anticipated. We had to stop a few times so that I could relieve myself. Thankfully there weren't any thugs in the area but I did lock the truck up tight so that Nadia would be protected. I washed up and stopped inside the gas station long enough to get another cup of coffee.
After checking on Nadia again, I settled back into the driver's seat and took off again. So many things were going through my mind. Was I really free now? Was the Ash really dead? Even if he was that still left a huge mark on my back. I threw that awful necklace out of the window once we passed a wooded area.
I took a deep breath and refocused on the road. I know what the Light would do. They would send their shifters after me by tracking my scent. Good luck with that dogs, I am wearing skunk ape secretions and so is Nadia just in case they remembered her scent too. I laughed thinking of how I left that pod. They would likely think she finally wilted away. But I was aware that they would open it in their search for me.
I have never been one to sit back and rest. But this would be good for me. For the both of us. I can finally find out what the hell is wrong with Nadia and hopefully Isaac's compound is far advanced than the Fae labs.
Over the years they watched everything I did. Everything that didn't look like Fae business to them that is. I was stumped so many days and nights trying to wake her up. In a way that was a good thing that I didn't wake her up with then. The minute she did wake up would have been the minute we both would have been in danger.
They will likely send Dyson after us since he knows my scent very well. I am sure he will find it all over Bo's house. Her couch. Her bed. Her sheets. Her pillows. I cringed at that thought. I would hope she washed those things. Bo.
What to think of Bo. She was so angry that my absence should not matter to her. It is what is its. Even if she tried to deny it. Tried to sleep the memories of that night away by hiding in Dyson's bed. His showers. His couch. His desk at the precinct. Kenzi hates me so much she may have offered her bed to them. Kenzi.
Kenzi has no reason to hate me. She's like a teenager in high school who believes everything she hears through notes, gossip, and text messages. She better be glad she is Bo's claimed human once the Fae discover that I have left, they won't take too kindly to humans of any kind lurking around their territory. But of course Dyson will protect her. He hates humans but loves Kenzi. Whenever I came across Bo and Kenzi, Kenzi would roll her eyes as if she was thinking Bo had all the humans she needed in her life with her beside her. Who was she to control who was in Bo's life? But she was desperately trying to control who was in Bo's bed. It's humorous and ironic that a human hates another human to the degree that she hates me.
Enough about her. Thinking of any of them won't help me find the answers that I need right now. And I do need a lot of them. I have no idea what I will be walking into going to the compound. Taft was human there shouldn't be anything that he has that I won't recognize. Doctors always appreciate other Doctor's work. We always try to up one another.
Bo
Well this is shit. Lauren left and I have no idea where she went or where she would go. I knew not to ask the Morrigan. She would never tell me if she knew. But she did enjoy telling me that she left. How could I do this? How could I not know they were planning to get rid of her?
That's another reason I left Dyson behind and ordered him to stay away. He likely knew. Which means Trick knows too. They are like a married couple what one knows, the other knows too.
I am going to have to rely on my street smarts. Sure it would have been easy to hand a garment to Dyson and say go fetch boy but this is my problem. Lauren doesn't or may never mean anything to him other than being a human in the Fae world. A threat to him in my world.
Shit. Shit. Shit. This is my fault. I promised her that we would talk and I just let it go. Let her go. So do I really have a right or reason to go after her like this? If the Morrigan is right and she knows how to cover her tracks, I may never find her.
I nearly wrecked my car when an idea popped into my head. If I want to find out anything about her at all. I need to start at her place. I pulled a u-turn and raced back to her loft. I need to be quick about this if the Morrigan knows she's gone the others will know too. I just hope there is something there that will tell me where to start.
Lauren is in a lot of trouble and danger with the Fae after her. That's if they already sent out a search party. I warned Dyson not to interfere. He better have listened to me.
The Dal
Kenzi and Dyson had stormed into the Dal knocking Trick out of his thoughts.
"Trick! We have a problem! Dyson screamed. Looking around at the large crowd, he hoped he would spot Bo and that she had come to her senses about going after Lauren.
"I already know. Calm down Dyson". Trick said.
"Trick you can't be serious or this calm! We need to do something! Dyson screamed again. When the Blood King raised his chin he backed off a bit.
"I have people out looking for her. She won't get very far". Trick said coolly. He didn't want to disturb his customers. He had a huge crowd for a Monday night and the liquor was constantly flowing.
"Her? Which her are you talking about? Because either her would cause all kinds of hell". Kenzi said pouring herself a shot.
"Dr. Lewis". Trick answered.
"Dude! Bo was adamant that we don't follow her or contact her. How do you think she will act when she finds out you sent people after Lauren just because she went Faewol". Kenzi said.
"He did the right thing Kenzi. If we find Lauren then we will find Bo". Dyson said.
Kenzi shook her head in disbelief. "It's like I was talking to myself. Bo doesn't want any help. Not even mine. You are both screwed when she finds out".
"Bo will come to learn that we only have her best interests at heart. There is nothing she can do to stop the Fae from seeking Lauren out". Trick said.
"Dyson? Kenzi asked looking at the wolf.
"He's right. We have to find Dr. Lewis and we can handle whatever Bo throws at us". Dyson answered. Kenzi didn't know how the Fae worked. Whatever was best for the Fae always trumped whatever their personal feelings were.
"What's wrong with you? This is Bo we are talking about? She asked you directly not to go after her. Surely you have more respect for Bo than this! Kenzi snapped taking in the man's demeanor.
"It's nothing". Dyson said lowering his head. Trick however looked back and forth between the two and noticed what Kenzi did. There was something off with Dyson and he needed to find out what it was. He couldn't have one of his most trusted soldiers wounded or out of sorts.
"Kenzi could you excuse us? Trick asked softly.
"If you two are going to talk about how to fuck up Bo's life anymore than it already is. Then I need to know. It's my life too! Kenzi snapped.
"I need to speak with Dyson. It's a private matter". Trick said handing Kenzi a fresh bottle of Whiskey.
"Ok. I'm going to pick out a room downstairs but I will be back. My ass is on the line too. Remember that". Kenzi said.
Kenzi stomped down the stairs cursing in Russian. Those two were not helping the situation. She had never seen the look that Bo had in her eyes when she told Dyson to stand down. But she could tell Bo would not be at all happy with anyone interfering. She was the one that found Bo in her bed in tears crying over Lauren after they slept together.
She was the one that rocked Bo to sleep when she couldn't sleep but needed to after being awake for 24 hours. Admittedly she didn't like Lauren and still doesn't but she had to swallow her feelings if she wanted Bo to trust her again. The way the Succubus pushed Kenzi away showed that she didn't. Not when it came to Lauren. Her snide remarks about the Doctor must have not gone unnoticed by Bo.
Kenzi finally picked out her room. It was a bit dusty but then again the Dal always was. She placed her bags on the bed and set her bottle on the night stand. Taking a deep breath she snuck back up the stairs trying to hear whatever Dyson and Trick were talking about. It was her job after all as a PI. As Bo's claimed human whatever they were plotting could bite her in the ass from the fallout.
"What have you done? Trick asked.
"It's nothing". Dyson said trying to wave off Trick's concerns.
"What did the Norn do to you Dyson? Trick asked. He hadn't forgotten their talk about her.
Dyson sighed. He didn't want anyone to know. To top it off it was embarrassing. He could live without his wolf but he couldn't live without what she took.
"Dyson! Trick screamed.
"I offered her my wolf". Dyson said softly.
Trick looked him up and down. "Dyson!
"It's ok. She didn't take that". Dyson said trying to assure Trick that he was still useful to him.
Trick looked him over. He didn't see any defensive wounds. So what could she have taken since he was still alive. "What did she do Dyson?
"She took my love for Bo". Dyson said slowly.
"Forget about finding Bo". Trick said.
"What? You don't want me to find them? Dyson asked. This was not Trick. His standing orders had always been to watch and protect the Succubus. Even from herself if she needed him to.
"You need to go and get your love back. Without it you are no good to me or to Bo". Trick said angrily. Idiot boy.
"She won't give it back Trick. She already said no and you of all people know how Norns work". Dyson said.
"You're the fool that went to her in the first place! Bo didn't need you to fight her mother! She already had my help". Trick admitted.
Kenzi lowered her body on the stairs and snickered covering her mouth. If they only knew.
"I can't get it back". Dyson said. Even if he wanted it back, he was a man of his word. Especially when it came to someone as evil as the Norn.
"Either you go and get it back right now or I won't send you after Bo. You without your love for her is like Bo without her Succubus. Neither one of you would be whole without them". Trick snapped.
"Can you talk to her? Dyson asked.
"No. She would take more than I would be willing to give". Trick said.
"I sacrificed my love for Bo! Surely you have something you could give the Norn to get it back for me! Dyson snapped. He was angry now.
"No! She stole your love for her. There's a difference between sacrificing something and having it taken away". Trick said. He was tiring of Dyson's stalling.
"She won't give it back Trick. She won't". Dyson said softening his voice.
"You better make her because if you don't I will send another shifter out to find Bo. Possibly Cayden". Trick said.
"Trick you wouldn't! Dyson said.
"Go and get it back right now. Come back when you have it". Trick said.
Dyson bowed his head. He had no choice. He had to do what Trick told him to do. He didn't like Bo when she first hit town. She was arrogant and defiant. But he had no choice but to get close to her at Trick's insistence. He never said Dyson had to sleep with her. Trick only said to keep her distracted and out of Fae business since she was new to their world.
Dyson had been in the hall when the Ash ordered Lauren to distract Bo. He never said Lauren had to sleep with her, only to keep her busy until they got Vex out of town. How dare she sleep with what was his. What is still his. He would go and get his love back and Bo would come home to him where she belongs.
Lauren
We finally arrived. I needed help getting Nadia inside and I figured out how to do it. I introduced myself as an associate of Dr. Taft and that Nadia was a patient that I had agreed to bring to him to study and to treat.
They bought it and helped me wheel her in. It was just how I imagined it. Sophisticated and loaded with medical equipment and books. There were floors and floors of empty rooms. I ordered them to take me to the farthest room. I wanted to be able to treat Nadia with a bit of privacy. Once we were settled in, then I could walk the grounds and see what he had. He was a medical genius in our field. He had to have something useful for me.
So many guards. It works for me because as long as Taft is dead they can never question him about knowing me and I need lots of privacy. I am sure they know nothing about the Fae and if they did I could easily find out. That's when I would need to move again which meant I need to cure Nadia as soon as possible. For the time being I will curl up on the couch next to her bed holding her hand and sleep.
Bo
I had been searching for what felt like hours. The Fae had already been here. The place was ransacked. Papers were scattered all over the floors. I picked them up and placed them in stacks on the coffee table. This was still Lauren's home and it should look like it.
I looked in every filing cabinet. Every desk. Every closet. Every cabinet in her kitchen. Come on Lauren. Talk to me. Help me find you.
I thought of looking in her bedroom but I would never go there unless she invited me and looking at her empty bed without the both of us in it would break my heart. We haven't even been in it together yet.
I had never even been here before tonight. I only know it's hers because the guard outside told me it was hers when I pulsed him. I laughed for a few seconds thinking of how she must have lived in the labs. Everything there was spotless so her home should be.
There is weird shit all over the place. Bottles of liquids and wine. I finally caught a break when I saw a half opened drawer.
Inside I found a book and it looked a bit worn but I found some recent notes. Lauren must have been reading it because there was a book marker in the middle with a recent date at the bottom of the page. The woman is so organized she marks what page she was on and when.
I looked on the back and found a clue. Dr. Isaac Taft. Should have known it was a medical book. I didn't see much about him. Just a small history on him. He had a stint at Yale and that must have been where Lauren attended as I saw a Yale sweater in her coat closet.
I will start with him. Nothing about him looks Fae and I know he must be in a phone book or on Google somewhere. Kenzi is a whiz at this shit but I don't want her help. She will only bitch about Lauren. Which would piss me off and slow me down at the moment. I pulled my phone out and typed his name in and waited.
After scrolling a few times I finally found a link. An address. I bookmarked the link and looked around. I was ready to go but not before I somewhat put her home back together a little more. I looked up and noticed the air conditioner had been ripped out. I picked it up and carried it over setting it on the floor for the time being. I grabbed a chair and used all of my strength to put it back. I found a folder in the vent and pulled it out. Tossing it on the floor with my mouth I replaced the a/c.
Now having a new mess I bent over and picked the folder up. The papers had fallen out of it and I had to pick them up to put them back. One was a picture of Lauren looking right at me. I read through the writing and saw she was a fugitive. Red hair does not suit her. It had to be a wig.
This must be what the Fae has on her. The reason she had been enslaved and ran. I swallowed hard. Lauren is a walking target. Humans and Fae are after her now. Shit. I needed to go. I need to get new wheels too so that nobody spots my Camaro. I'm coming Doctor I whispered to myself in case the place was bugged.
I locked her door and ran down the stairs. Luckily the same guard was on duty. I pulsed him to forget I was ever there. I needed to go and fast. There was a car rental place down the street. I didn't have any cash on me but as I had learned over the years, a Succubus didn't always need money.
The Dal
Kenzi had gone back upstairs. She kept her mouth shut about everything she heard from Dyson and Trick's discussion. She had sent Bo a quick text but knew she wouldn't answer it.
"Hit me". Kenzi said.
"Kenzi I just gave you an entire bottle". Trick said pouring her a shot of Whiskey.
"I know. I know. I am saving that for a rainy day". Kenzi laughed.
Trick sighed and shook his head. Someday he would make her pay her tab.
"Was Bo right? Will I be safe here? Kenzi asked noticing all of the muscular Fae walking around.
"As Bo's human you will be. But please stay out of my barrel rooms. I haven't done inventory yet". Trick said softly.
"No promises", Kenzi winked. Trick shook his head again. Bo had already influenced Kenzi with her short answers.
He was worried about her but after what Bo had done when she first hit town or when she was discovered he knew she could protect herself. He didn't know her well yet so his men needed to be discreet in their search for her. He didn't lie about calling up Cayden to come and send him out searching for either Lauren or Bo. One would lead them to the other.
Dyson came running in and Kenzi nearly dropped her drink when he slammed his hands on the bar.
"Dyson you look..better". Trick said worriedly. Dyson's complexion had improved but he looked flush in the face.
Dyson growled and slammed an entire bottle of Whiskey.
"Dude I was drinking that". Kenzi said. That's all she would say. She wasn't about to let on what she heard them say earlier.
"Something wrong? Trick asked again.
"I'm fine...it's just". Dyson sighed as he growled again.
"It's just what? Trick asked.
"That damn Norn! Dyson said slamming his hand on the counter.
"What did she do now? Trick asked.
"She gave me my love back". Dyson admitted.
"That's great! Now I can send you after them! Trick beamed. This was great news. Fantastic news. Dyson wouldn't stop at anything dragging Bo back if he had to.
"That's not the problem! Dyson screamed watching Trick pour him and Kenzi shots.
"What now? What did she take? Trick asked looking the wolf over.
"She took his balls". A woman laughed. Kenzi spit her Whiskey all over the counter.
Trick sighed hard turning towards the door. "Aife".
"Daddy". Aife winked.
"She's right. She took my balls". Dyson muttered but loud enough that the Succubus heard him. It was a big lump of nothng in his pants now.
"Yes. Now how are you going to find Isabeau if you can't use your erections as the compass that usually leads you to my daughter? Aife laughed stepping towards the trio.
TBC.