Bo
After Tamsin had walked out. Bo looked at the invitation again. She looked at the front. At the back. At anything that could lead her to a clue why it was sent. The gang met up at the Dal and went their separate ways after agreeing on who would attend the party. Vex would hang at the Dal after being snubbed on the guest list. What could he really contribute? He's only been really close to Kenzi, not Bo.
Bo hoped Lauren really was going to attend. She could change her mind for something going on in her lab. She smiled thinking of that lab and what they had done in it the night before. As she headed to a party, she thought of Evony's party. When she saw Lauren then and kissed her, she thought they were back together. But this time, she needs to actually talk to Lauren about it and not just assume they are because they slept together. She smiled as she jumped into her car. She put her sheath in the backseat. She closed her eyes and tried to calm her succubus down. It feels like a date, but she knows it's not.
Dyson and Tamsin
Dyson dialed the Valkyrie's number and knew she was in a mood. "Tamsin, we need you to come to the party tonight".
"What party? Is Bo throwing a get back together with Lauren party?". Tamsin rolled her eyes.
"Look, this isn't about them. We think the Ancients are going to try something. We need every Fae we can get. Vex wasn't invited so he's not coming". Dyson shook his head. He tried to warn her about Bo and Lauren. But she thought she knew better than him when to stand down.
"Since I hate that bitch, I will go". Tamsin hung up and looked for a dress to wear.
Lauren
The doctor raced into her loft and up the stairs. Grabbing a remote from her desk, she pushed the button as her closet literally turned in circles. Silly, really, but it came with the loft Evony suggested. Half of it was lab coats, her old clothes and new dresses she'd recently splurged on. Finally, settling on a dress, she pulled it out and changed. The color reminded her of her high school prom. Ick, she thought.
It feels like a date but she knows it is work. Otherwise, the rest of them wouldn't be going. Like the time they went to see the Lich show. That was almost a date considering how it ended with a kiss. Part of her is happy to be doing something that could lead to a scientific breakthrough. If she's not on a date, that can be her distraction. She sat on her bed and piled in everything that she thinks she will need. She had never had a normal purse like normal women wear. It is small but big enough for what she put in it.
Ancient Party.
Bo and Tamsin were walking and talking. Tamsin still refused to move back in with Bo and no impending threat would make her change her mind.
"Tamsin, please. I worry about you". Bo said.
"There's no need for you to worry about me succubus". Tamsin said, slightly rolling her eyes. "I have a bed to sleep in and it won't be your bed".
"Tamsin...". Bo shook her head.
"No Bo. I won't do it. Kenzi may have heard your sexual exploits but that is something I don't need to hear or see again". Tamsin said. She shook her head too. She had done the one thing she never did before. She fell for someone. The rest had only been one nighters or repeats
That cut Bo a little deep. She knew she did in fact have a parade of lovers come in and out of the crack shack. Her nature forced her to. She had to feed to fill her sexual needs and thirsts. Although sometimes it really was just sex. She didn't have it in her not to. But if she was once again serious about Lauren. She needs to make some adjustments. She knew the Doctor had come full circle. Lauren was free and didn't need to prove herself to any human or Fae. One more step and the woman would be out of her life completely. The doctor is that good at her job. Job. Bo mentally kicked herself for that time she made being a doctor seem so easy. She remembered watching Lauren on her computer. Some of those words Bo needed a spelling bee contestant to pronounce. Then there's the medical doctor. The way she healed Kenzi after the soup. The way she pounced on the Ash to try and save his life. Even though he didn't deserve it. The way she tried to bring Dyson back after Bo had killed him. Taft's. Evony. The woman is brilliant and far out of Bo's league. But she needs to stay on her A game if she's going to win the doctor back. The night in the lab felt like the old them. But she can't be sure until she talks to the blonde.
"Isabeau".
"Yeah? Who's asking?". Bo turned around.
"Isabeau. It's me, your uncle Zeus. But you can call me, Z". Said Z.
"You're supposed to be a dude". Bo laughed. "Try again".
"Why is everyone laughing at me today?". Z asked with massive insult in her voice.
"Look, Tamsin the ancient is sensitive". Bo mocked.
"Don't mock me little one". Z snapped.
"Yeah yeah. What do you want?". Bo turned serious. But she kept her eyes on everyone around them.
"Well daddy is coming and you need to be ready". Said Z
"Yeah. Where is he? I've been waiting months now...nothing". Bo said.
"Arrogant I see". Said Z.
"Look sir...errr lady you invited us to this party. So yeah we're a little miffed". Bo snapped back.
"I am not your enemy. So you can lose the attitude". Z said.
"I don't know what you are. Hell you said you are my uncle, but all I see is a woman". Bo said.
"You need to listen to me. We don't have a lot of time". Z said.
"I don't need to do anything but get the hell up out of here". Bo turned to walk away from the woman.
"Bo! Screamed Dyson running up.
"Dyson? What is it?! Bo looked him over.
"It's Lauren". Dyson grabbed the woman's arm
"What about Lauren? Bo asked, looking around for her.
"We split up and now I can't find her". Dyson said.
"What?! Bo screamed. She looked around like a child that had lost its toy.
"Z here tried to take her but we got away from her. When we went to look for you, Lauren disappeared". Dyson explained to a stunned succubus and valkyrie.
"Damn it. Where is Lauren!?". Bo said, turning slowly back to Z.
"Don't look at me. She wouldn't listen to me". Said Z. Brilliant but a little naive.
"If anything has happened to Lauren I will kick your ancient ass". Said Bo.
"I don't have her!". Z protested.
"You better hope your flunkies don't either". Said an increasingly angry Bo.
"Everybody spread out and look for Lauren. Look everywhere. Look in everything". Bo ordered the duo surrounding her.
Z rolled her eyes and walked away. The succubus really was wasting time and now she's wasting even more on the human, Z thought to herself. The gang looked for almost an hour and couldn't find Lauren.
"Bo. I couldn't find her". Dyson ran up to the woman. Bo was bent over talking to one of the guests. She had her phone out showing the man a picture of them. She wished it was a better angle of Lauren, though.
"I didn't have any luck either". Tamsin rolled her eyes as she joined them. Bo actually had her out looking for the woman she dumped her for. What sick bastard does that?
"She has to be here somewhere". Bo stood up and walked away from the cocktail table.
"Dyson, did you try detecting her scent? Bo looked up at the wolf.
"Damn it. I haven't tried yet. I thought she would be in one of these rooms, collecting samples". Dyson raised his nose in the air.
"Well, try it now". Bo demanded.
Dyson tried for nearly twenty minutes and couldn't detect Lauren. He growled in anger. "Bo I'm not getting anything". He snapped.
"Shit. If you can't smell her, maybe she left the party already". Bo said. She really wants to talk to the doctor too and not just about this boring ass party.
"She wouldn't leave without telling us Bo. She has to be here somewhere". Dyson looked around. Their presence had drawn every eye in the place.
"Where is Mark?". Bo asked.
"I don't know, I haven't seen him since we last split up". Dyson growled. If anything has happened to his son, he would definitely let his wolf out.
"Well can you detect his scent then?". Bo had already lost what little patience she came to the party with. She wanted to drive over with Lauren, but the doctor chose to be driven over and dropped off by one of Evony's men.
Dyson found Mark but he was in one of the bedrooms having sex with one of the guests.
"Mark! This is not what I told you to do". Dyson snapped.
"Well Iris blew me off and left". Mark pulled his shirt on, first.
"She left the party?". Dyson asked.
"I don't know. I tried to pump her for information and she blew me off for one of the other guests". Mark was pulling his pants back on.
"Hurry and get dressed. We have to find Lauren". Dyson said.
"What? Lauren's missing?". Mark turned his head sideways. He thought she and Bo were joined at the hip after he walked away from them.
"We think so. We can't find her". Dyson said. "Maybe the Fae are still mad about her serum".
Bo had been walking around and it was taking all of her strength not to release the succubus. She took a few deep breaths trying to assure herself that they would find Lauren safe and sound.
"I shouldn't have let her go off by herself. No telling what these bastards had planned for all of us when they were making their guest list". Bo said to herself. "Hello?
"Bo get here quick!". Dyson screamed
"Where are you?". Bo started walking. She wanted to run but is wearing the wrong shoes.
"I'm in the room farthest to the exit! Hurry, Bo!". Dyson screamed again.
"Dyson, what's wrong? Just tell me!". Bo marched down the short hall.
"Bo just get here, hurry". The wolf said, dropping the phone.
"Shit!". Bo screamed as she started running.
"Now that is not very ladylike". Z mocked.
Bo grabbed her and said "You're coming with me. I'm tired of your bullshit". They ran and almost fell over their dresses.
"Dyson?! Bo screamed at the top of her lungs.
"In here!". He screamed back.
Bo and Z walked in. Z stood shocked and Bo fell to her feet.
"No! No! No! No! No! It can't be!". Bo cried.
"She still has a pulse Bo but the other part of her is fading". Dyson gently used his wolf to listen for a heartbeat from the blonde. He helped Bo stand when she was ready to.
"This is shit. She's a doctor and we need her skills but she's the patient!". Bo snapped.
Bo walked over to Lauren who was still alive but her breathing was irregular. She took her right hand in hers and started to cry. Her eyes flashed back and forth from brown to blue. The left half of Lauren's body looked like she had been dipped in charcoal. "Who did this?! The succubus snapped.
"Bo...". Z started.
"Do not Bo me. Who did this!". Bo asked.
"I can give you both answers but both will cost you". Z replied.
"Fine. Give them to me and the third better be how we can fix this". Bo said.
"Iris must have touched her. Everything she touches dies". Said Z. "There's no reversing this. Unless I help you."
"That can't be all". Bo said bristling as she turned to face Z.
"No that's not all...". Z shrugged.
"Tell me!". Bo screamed in agony. Lauren being ill was making her ill too.
Mark ran in and said he couldn't find Lauren but when he saw her, he knew the damage had been done. Tamsin soon followed and couldn't believe her eyes. She and the doc may not be the best of friends but even she wouldn't wish this on her.
"Bo?". Tamsin asked.
"Not now. Z here was about to tell me how we can fix Lauren's condition." Bo gritted her teeth.
"Well, Bo there is something you can do, but if this shakes you up, you won't like it". Z shrugged again. None of them know what love or concern feels like. For her niece to feel this is almost embarrassing.
"If you don't tell me, you won't like what I am about to do to you". Bo snapped back.
Lauren started to stir. She felt Bo's warm hand on hers and called out to her. She was still only able to speak in whispers. "Bo?". She mouthed. Bo couldn't hear her but Dyson told her Lauren was waking up.
"Lauren. I am going to fix this. Please sweetie, just hang on". Bo said with tears in her eyes.
"Succubus, you can help her. But in order to help her, you will need to release your father and send Iris back". Z finally explained.
"What? Send Iris back? Can't you do that?!". Bo screamed.
"No. If you send Iris back, you will need my help to defeat your father". Z yanked at her hair. Her niece is so young and naive.
"Bo? Who is your father?". Dyson asked.
"Hades". Bo answered with a cold stare facing Z.
"What?! It can't be!". Dyson felt his wolf shivering at the name.
Lauren squeezed Bo's hand. "Bo, you can't release him". She said.
"Lauren...". Bo bent over the bed.
"No, Bo. Do not trade my life for his". Lauren whispered again.
"No, Lauren. I can't lose you. There has to be another way". Said Bo turning back to Z.
"There is not. If I send Iris back, I have to go too. I'm not ready for that. There is much work to be done."
"How do I even send her back?". Bo asked.
"Your father sent you a box right? It looks like what today's humans consider a jack in the box". Z walked halfway to the bed.
"Yeah and?". Bo asked.
"If you wind it, it will open and Hades will turn up. He would prefer turning up near someone close to you and right now that would be the good doctor". Z pointed at the bed. "So, you see. It's a lose, lose situation for you succubus".
Bo could not believe it. To save the love of her life on earth she would have to release a man who would bring hell on earth. The gang stood stunned. None of them wanted Lauren to die but were they all really strong enough to stop Hades without Lauren's medical genius and knowledge of the Fae? Yes, Trick is good with his knowledge but nothing like Lauren is.
"Wait if I open it, can't I send them both back? Bo asked.
"No only one can fit. Tick tock succubus". Z pointed at her wrist like she was wearing a watch.
"Bo...you can't release him. You have to let me go". Lauren said with tears in her eyes.
"No. No, Lauren. I won't lose you". Bo was wiping back her own tears.
"Bo. I am just a human. Hades is a god, my life is nothing compared to his. He will stop at nothing to destroy you. He can't love. He can't feel anything but darkness". Lauren said.
"Losing you would destroy me more". Bo bent back over the bed.
"You have to let me go, Bo. I know all about Hades and none of it is good". Whispered Lauren.
"Shit. What can I do?". Bo asked no one in particular.
"You can let me go". Lauren whispered. She wanted to touch her neck to try and get some moisture to it. But her only free hand is completely black. Bo is still holding the other one.
"Not happening Lauren". Bo squeezed her hand. She looked up at the group. "Dyson. Go get the box. It's sitting on my bed. Mark and Tamsin, find Trick."
The three ran off. Half an hour later, the group of three returned as a group of four.
"Here". Dyson handed Bo the box.
"Stand back". Bo spoke softly. The group watched her sit on the bed with the box. With her free hand she started winding the box. When it opened, she threw it to an empty spot on the floor
"Now go find your Iris. If daddy's coming for Lauren, he's coming for me too". Bo rolled over and laid on top of the doctor. The group gasped when her right arm started to turn black like Lauren's left hand.
"No!". Trick and Dyson screamed.
"Scream all that you want. If Lauren must die, so will I". Bo mouthed off and closed her eyes. She rested her forehead against Lauren's. She was warm like every time that they kissed.
TBC