She watched Lauren war internally with herself. The human doctor’s biggest vulnerability next to her succubus, was her sense of compassion. Lauren sighed and grabbed her bag. She walked over to the small seating area next to the archive shelves and crouched in front of the Morrigan. She moved her feet off the couch, gently turning Evony to face her before beginning an examination. Evony smirked as she watched her move, her eyes searching, studying, her fingers quick and precise.

”You have a gentle touch, doctor,” Evony purred.

There was only a moment that their eyes met before Lauren looked away, pulling her medical bag off the chair next to the couch. She pulled out two pills and a bottle of water and handed them over. Evony swallowed the pills and took her time with the water, the sudden thirst overwhelming her.

”What was that?” she asked.

Lauren rearranged the contents of her bag. ”Something for the pain. Give it twenty minutes.”

Evony made a noise somewhere between disgust and disappointment. ”Over-the-counter?” she said. ”Really, Lauren. You don’t have a special succubus recovery secret?”

Lauren smirked. ”No, sorry. Though I have read that Taoists believe human chi can be nurtured through good nutrition and good deeds.”

”Ugh,” Evony groaned. ”Come on, what do you do after that sexual vacuum of yours cleans you out?”

Lauren blinked a few times and took a deep breath. ”I wouldn’t know,” she said quickly, closing up her bag. The uneasiness of the doctor’s tone was obvious. ”Bo doesn’t feed off me.”

Evony couldn’t help feeling shocked, but then immediately grateful for the information. ”Oh, honey,” she said with a sly smile. ”You don’t know what you’re missing.”

”After seeing what transpired tonight,” Lauren replied, pulling herself up from the floor and sitting in the chair across from the Morrigan. ”I’m happy I don’t.”

”Bullshit.” Evony shifted, this new game was a welcome distraction to the pounding in her head. ”You’re a scientist, doctor, driven by the unknown, by your incessant thirst for knowledge.” She watched the words crawl under Lauren’s skin. ”You don’t care that your lover doesn’t share her most primal need with you?”

She watched Lauren’s quick breath, the narrowing of her eyes, only slightly, and the faint curl to the corner of her mouth. Lauren had changed since the first time Evony met her all those years ago, that frightened little human, always at the Ash’s heel. Now she was emboldened, standing at the side of one of the most powerful Fae she knew. Evony couldn’t blame Bo, Lauren really was extraordinary.