Chapter 24

The old woman in front of her managed to look somehow even older and brittly wizened and more than a little miserable. "You know," Baba Yaga stated simply in her native language.

"I guessed when I heard about the substance that poisoned Hale, about woodworm in it, when I remembered seeing the weed hanging around your hut," Kenzi explained with an out-of-place calm. The Yaga was wary of that collectedness, nevertheless, aware of how quickly a kitsune could squall into an outrage.

"Why?" the word rang out, short but fraught with a life-deciding significance.

"A customer asked for a concoction capable of unleashing a fae's darker emotions and blowing them out of all proportion, rendering him half-delirious and incapable of self-control," Yaga answered obediently.

"And you never thought of asking why someone would need something like this, never thought you might actually harm people with it, a lot of people?" the fox continued her interrogation without sounding accusatory or riled, just sad and tired.

"Well, what can I say, the price was good – where do you think the computer and Internet access came from? And the customer was the one you would hardly want to get on the bad side of," the old witch shrugged her shoulders.

"The Morrigan?" Kenzi's question was only half a question.

The Yaga nodded vigorously. "You can't say no to the leader of the Dark and expect to live a long and healthy existence. She spelled it out quiet clearly, she promised to make a rug out of Vasiliy if I didn't comply," she carried on. "I made the concoction, she picked it up and then I heard about the way she used it. A little birdie informed me about the Ash going on a rampage but I didn't care enough. But then you slipped your way into my realm… and into my heart, little fox," the Yaga's voice dropped, the unfamiliar expression of affection difficult to frame, "And then I found out about the full extent of the damage my creation had wreaked. About your crippled lover and your friends and the new Ash. And I felt guilty, so guilty as I've never had felt before in the hundreds of years I've spent on this earth without doing much credit to my name. That's why I helped you – to repay for the ripple effect of my actions that had nearly killed you and your wolf."

Kenzi's transparent silvery eyes were boring into the old tired face without an indication as to her further intentions as regards her vis-a-vis.

Under the strangely impassionate stare the Yaga made herself take a step forward coming closer to the girl. "At the time I actually thought I didn't need a favour from you, I just extracted a promise to act the part but now I have reconsidered. I am calling in the favour you owe me, I am asking you to forgive me, child," the old woman's face crinkled as if she was about to cry or laugh or she was expecting a blow.

When Kenzi spoke up, her voice lost all of its collected interrogatory tone, she sounded panged and in turmoil, "In my days as a human I would have never found it in myself to forgive something like this, my blood still boils when I think about how much people that I love have suffered because of you. But now that I am a fae, now that I myself know what a tall order it is to walk the line between using your powers and not hurting anyone in the process, my forgiving powers also seem enhanced. The more power you wield, the more responsibility rides on every decision you take and some of mine were obviously far from responsible." Kenzi's hand touched the other fae's shoulder lightly and her words were full of raw sincerity, "I grant you my forgiveness, Baba Yaga. Just keep in mind that I know where to look in case I get wind of a hint of Yagaesque mischief."

Dyson stooped awkwardly over the bed he had occupied a memorable short while ago. Hale's face, considerably paler for the blood loss, was still a dark contrast against the whiteness of the pillow.

"I am so sorry, bro," the wolf whispered and saw the black eyelashes flicker and crack open.

"As well you should be," the siren croaked in what seemed for an uncomfortable second the best crazy-jealous Ash mode but then his cracked lips spread into a real, if weak, Hale-smile. "You've torn a hole in my chest and delivered me of good many blood cells. Though doc said it helped to cleanse me of the poison."

"Torn or not, I am happy to have you back," the wolf tried for a smile.

"Thanks for not killing me," Hale went on, wincing at the effort of talking but in dire need to get the words out, "I guess I deserved death three times over."

"It wasn't you, bro," Dyson hurried to reassure, "doesn't count."

"It was my body obeying the mind that was not obeying me," the siren strived to explain and his face contorted with pain and horror, "I was like in a fog but now it's coming back all clear. What I did to you, the way I treated Kenzi."

"Water under the bridge. I wasn't at my gentlest with you either. And I meant what I said the last time, I mean the part about me being an inconsiderate bastard regarding my best friend's feelings," the shifter lost spectacularly at trying to keep an unemotional exterior.

"Will I ever repay for what I did?" the younger man asked looking up in the wolf's scruffy face searchingly, "And I don't need your best bedside manner, supposing you have one, and reassurances. I need the truth. Will you and Kenzi and the rest of the gang ever forget and forgive and take me back?"

Tongue-tied and a grappling for words, Dyson nodded and squeezed his ex-partner's hand, "I already have and Kenzi is Kenzi, you know. Can't vouch for the others but I am pretty sure Trick is already scouting his cellar for the most expensive staff to flog you at your welcome-back party. All on the Santiagos tab."

Immense relief flooded Hale's features as he whispered emotionally, "I am happy to promise you a hell of a party, my friend."

"Mind you, Kenzi's drinking abilities have augmented as well as her kistune powers," Dyson smiled, "Wait till you see the bill."

The siren was still smirking goofily when his eyes fluttered close with exhaustion.

"Rest, get your strength back, we need you," the wolf instructed with awkward solicitude as he took his cue out.

Bo's eyes were lasering her little stubborn friend. "That's all you have found?" she asked again.

"I've found confirmation of the culprit," the kitsune made a show of picking twigs out of her hair, "The Morri-bitch is well and truly behind all of this mess. I have it on good authority."

"Whose authority? That's what I need to know if we want to start a proper case against the leader of the dark," the succubus plumped down next to her bestie, slung a hand across her shoulders and went off on a tangent, "Feels good, yeah? It's been a while since we had any sister hugs, tell that usurper of a wolf he has hogged my Kenz."

"And suddenly I am in great demand with pretty much everyone. Next Trick starts complaining about me frequenting his establishment less and drinking less of his watered-down stuff these days," the kitsune laughed giving a requested hug back.

"No way," the bar-tender chipped in from his spot at the desk poring over some accountancy books, "If you keep cutting down on your alcohol intake, that is commonly coming to you on the house, I might actually start turning some profit."

"And back to the case, I am sorry, Bobo, but don't think I can help any further. I have to protect my confidential source, I can't put them on the witness stand without making them the butt of the Morrigan's sick idea of a joke," Kenzi explained apologetically and went on to reassure her high-powered bestie, "We'll get her hide for a fire-side rug sooner or later, just not this time, Bobo."

"You might start by getting a place with a fire-place," Trick muttered skeptically without raising his head from the book.

"The residence of the Ash might do," the kistune observed casually but a deep crease in the succubus smooth forehead made her break off.

"No fire-side and no residence until I am fully sworn in and that, courtesy of my far-sighted Gramps here, implies pledging to the Light. Which, in its turn," Bo added not without a hint of gloating, "implies you pledging to the Light straight after me. That is tomorrow."

The younger girl's lips formed a perfect pout ready to pour forth a vocal outrage, which Bo pre-empted with glibness worthy of the new Ash, "Unless you fancy doing time in a dungeon as an unaligned criminal still wanted for murder."

Kenzi's pout dissipated faster than footprints on the sea-attacked beach. "I am all Light at heart and all at your sevice, your Ash-ness," the fox claimed with deep conviction, "Though I thought we might cut some red-tape here."

"That's the only way I can protect you," Bo admitted solemnly, "And that, in its turn, was one of the few reasons I have undertaken this job at all. Though another reason has just sprung to mind." The succubus's face composed itself into an expression of combative resoluteness as she got up and tucked an extra knife in her boot. "I am off to see my favourite political chew toy. Guess it's time to start off things on the wrong foot in my official capacity," she declared.

"You are the Ash now," Kenzi softly reminded her bestie, "No need for sharp pointy things. You can drag around an army of bodyguards to kick asses for you while you are lounging, languidly sipping a cocktail."

"Not my style," Bo shook her ponytail defiantly, "Besides, old habits die hard."

"And while you are butting heads and locking horns, I'll be getting some wolf-time," the kitsune beamed, "The privilege of not being a political animal, just a simple fox in love."

With a half-envious sigh of missing the good old days of being just a succubus Bo strode off, with Kenzi making her own exit but not before grabbing a stray wine bottle on her way out of her Dal.

The Morrigan looked up languorously from a glossy she had been scrutinizing like a game hunter looking for a prey. "You, so soon?" she singsonged, "and again bursting through my security and through my door. Can't but appreciate a departure from protocol. You are such a breath of fresh air, darling."

"You poisoned Hale," Bo cut to the chase skipping the preliminaries and not bothering with the interrogative intonation, "with some hallucinogenic mind-altering concoction."

"Spiked champagne is my specialty," the Morrigan drawled without flinching.

"Why?" Bo moved over and planted her both hands on Evony's desk, burning her with what she hoped was a withering enough glare of her deep brown eyes. The leader of the Dark, however, seemed much more impressed by the close-up of the succubus assets made all the more visible due to the posture and a deep-cut top.

"Why?" she repeated tearing her sultry eyes from the sight and smirking, "I was bored. I hated the siren's sharp suits and was driven up the wall by his insistence on protocols and fair play. I wanted someone more …exciting to play with. So, I decided to get the little spoilt brat out of my way and, frankly, debated offing him for simplicity sake. Luckily, I settled on a more humane way."

"More humane?" the succubus couldn't believe the earnestness of Evony's tone, "You drove him crazy causing him to put his best friends in mortal danger! Check the dictionary for the definition of humane."

"Bottom line, everyone is alive, and his actions eventually put you in two positions I would most like to see you in – that of the Ash and that of being … well… marginally reined-in," the brunette dangled the koushang on a golden chain around her slender neck, "I am admittedly talking in half-truths, the position I most like to see you in is of a horizontal variety and not only this little trinket prevents you from going for my jugular right away, succubus. There is also the fate of a certain quippy blonde valkyrie, my underling, to consider and you don't want me to interfere in the highly ticklish matter of whitewashing the young kitsune in the Courtaud case."

In a heavy-breathing moment Bo made her fuming outrage subside and marshaled her thoughts, then she straightened, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "You are right, it's not yet the time to take you down, Evony. First, we will play but I can't promise you'll enjoy it," the succubus announced giving the dignified stance her best shot before sauntering out.

Kenzi at the same time was having a no less intense, though infinitely less aggressive, interaction behind the closed door of Dyson's loft. When they were finally both in the mood to do any talking and caught back their breath enough to actually do some, Kenzi made the wolf repeat his conversation with Hale again.

"I'll go see him tomorrow," she said tentatively and saw Dyson frown, "Do you mind? Still afraid he mind fly off the handle?"

"No, he is back to his former precious self, Lauren wielded her doctory magic on him. And seeing him would do you both good," the wolf admitted but hurried to add, "But I'll tag along, just in case."

"Relax, D-man," the girl climbed to straddle his lying form with a naughty smile tugging at her lips, "I declare it the beginning of the Denzi era proper. Nothing and nobody will stand between us any more."

"Nothing and nobody," Dyson repeated with conviction and went on with a twinkle suddenly lighting up in his eye, "Apart from occasional ass-kicking and battles, and enemies popping up, and helping out our dearest Ash, and fair ladies from my thousand-year-old past making an appearance …"

"And making a swift disappearance," the fox picked up his line of thought smoothly, "plus minor squabbles over household chores –if you want your washing done, take it from me, you'd better hustle your butt with it yourself."

"Seems like I am looking at an eternity of dirty shirts and messed kitchens," the wolf summed up and pulled a very happy Kenzi closer to him, "Well, I am deeply enthusiastic as long as it is an eternity with you."

THE END