Wicked Game

Chapter 24

By the time we made it back to the jeep and Derek's car, night had long fallen. Defeat clung heavy in the air, and all we had was Fallon's skateboard.

My phone began to ring in my pocket as I climbed into Stiles's jeep. I go to answer it, the door still hanging open. I take a deep breath, ready to explain to my mom where I'd been all day.

"Hey Mom," I answer, waiting for the storm.

Instead of lecturing me, I get a different message.

"Kasey's brother went to the police," she informs me, and trails on, "... is that what you've been doing all day? Looking for her? The school called me."

"Uh, yeah, how did you know?" I ask, and then the other part hits me, and I bring my fingers to my temples.

"The word spread pretty quick."

Of course it did.

"Okay," I answer, attempting to declutter my mind. "We're about to call it for the night, I'm going to go by the Hera house and check on them."

"Alright, be home soon," she sighs, and before I could hang up, she barges with another question, "Scott, honey, what's going on?"

"Don't worry about it Mom. We're going to find and bring Kasey home," I assure her.

A long pause follows before she adds, "Okay, I love you."

"I love you too," I respond, and wait for her to end the phone call.

I bring it down from my ear to see the numerous missed texts from Allison and a couple from Lydia, wondering where we were at. I grimaced at what I was in for for not answering my girlfriend all day.

Tired and exhausted from the day, I put my phone back in my pocket, telling myself I'd answer everybody once I was home and relaxed for the night. I gaze out the window, watching the shadows of the trees pass by us. The jeep was silent. Isaac slumped in the backseat, fidgeting his fingers. Stiles was even more beat than we were, quiet and focused on driving. Derek followed us back into town.

All of the lights were on in the Hera house, despite how late it was. By this time, Derek had split, leaving the three of us to check in on Kasey's family. I let Isaac out of the jeep after myself, and the sounds of the doors closing made the curtains in the window shutter. Gemma opened the front door.

Isaac and Stiles follow me up the driveway, and I meet the girl's hopeful eyes. I shake my head slightly, seeing all of that hope disappear. She lets us in, no greeting needed. Gemma didn't say anything.

The house was warm, and the smell of food lingered in the air. It was alive in here, even with Kasey gone. Knowing her family though, they were going to keep it this way for her return. It felt safe.

"Gemma? Who's here?" Lou asks from the kitchen.

"It's Kasey's friends," she calls back, and vanishes down the hall.

Fallon and Duke struggle to stay awake, feet on the coffee table as The Lost Boys plays on the television. For a moment they only glanced at us, but Isaac steps forward and holds out Fallon's skateboard. His eyes go wide.

Louie enters the room at this time wiping his hands on a dish towel.

"Where did you find this? I lent it to my sister the night..." Fallon trails off, waking from his couch coma. He gently takes the board from Isaac, glancing at it and then back at us with the questioning expression. Louie waits too.

I turn my head to the older brother, "We went looking for Kasey too. All we found was Fallon's skateboard."

Louie had a hard time beginning, "Wh... where?"

"In the woods, not far from here," I partially lie.

I exchanged glances with Isaac and Stiles when Louie ran a hand through his hair, looking away and gaining a thoughtful look. He was troubled.

"Lou, I'm sure she'll turn up. She has to," I offer an apologetic look, knowing that it's just a matter of dead or alive.

He gathered himself for a moment before acknowledging me, "Thank you, Scott. Kasey found some pretty great friends."

I nod, happy that he thought that. But that was exactly why we needed to find Kasey and bring her home safe. She was apart of our pack.

The neighborhood was quiet by the time Stiles dropped me off at home, in the middle of the night with the full moon shining bright. I would have to try and sleep now, and hopefully wake up in time to get an early start on tomorrow's search.

I slumped up the stairs, my body worn from the day we had. My bed welcomes me with instant relief as I flop face down onto it, letting my muscles melt into the mattress. I glanced at the time on my alarm clock.

12:43 AM

My eyelids were heavy. Before I can even think about shutting the light off, I let my eyes rest for one moment and drift to sleep right away.

Derek's POV

I stand at the front window of the loft, arms folded over my chest. Hours had passed since the others went home to rest, but I continued searching after everyone had left. Nothing. I clench my jaw, frustrated at the hunter's skill.

The sun was rising now, and I watch the streets down below. Waiting. Waiting for a sign of the hunter, waiting for some sign of Kasey. Everything remained quiet in the early morning.

I squeeze my eyes shut before turning away. The only light that shone in my apartment came from the slightly drawn curtains, the rest swirled with shadows. I slowly stepped towards the couch, pulling my hands down over my face, and then tangle my fingers behind my neck. I couldn't get Kasey out of my head. If she was dead...

I collapsed on the couch, leaned back, and rested my palms over my eyes. I inhale slowly, and pause after noticing something off in the air. I draw the scent from all the rest and as soon as the picture came to mind, my blood boiled. The hunter was here.

I stood to watch the front door, as she was somewhere out in the hall. Approaching the door, I prepare myself to lunge. I just have to avoid killing her right this moment, or else we'd never find out where Kasey was.

I tuned in to the sound of the slow footsteps. They were... dragging? And there wasn't anything radiating from her except exhaustion. I knit my eyebrows together, and rest my hand on the knob as I heard the feet drag right in front of the door, and stop. I had the gut feeling to just open the door. I was ready.

But it wasn't the hunter.

It was Kasey.

She swayed on her feet, hand weakly raised to knock on the door. It was a matter of seconds from when I opened the door that her eyes rolled back in her head, and she collapsed at my feet.