Becoming The Shadows (Shadow Series #4)

08 - Focus

I twirl the small dagger between my fingers, boredly. I stifle a smirk, remembering how Stiles had a semi heartache when I slipped it out of my boots and started throwing it up in the air. Of course, I always had to have some kind of weapon on me. If I was somehow left without a weapon, I could fight without one easily, but I just prefer to have something.

Stiles works on the engine behind Lydia and I, who have been leaning up against the jeep every since he started working on it. At first, Lydia seemed on edge of me playing with my dagger, but it only took her a few minutes before she was at ease. 

"You seem pretty talented with that." Lydia nods to it. 

I balance the blade on my knuckles before flicking it up in the air and catching it by the dark handle. "Lots of practice."

"Did you teach yourself?" Lydia watches me play with it. 

I half nod. "Sort of. My dad taught me some, friends taught me a lot, but I mainly taught myself. You can learn a lot when you only have yourself."

Lydia flicks her eyes up to stare at my face. Her eyes squint together in concentration. I keep silent, hoping that she is putting the pieces together. All of this would be so much easier if someone knew who I really was. 

I turn my head to the side after tucking my dagger away. "Maybe we should just walk." I suggest to Stiles. "We-"

"Hey!" Stiles points his finger at me after talking the screwdriver out of his mouth. "I will never abandon this jeep. You understand me? Ever. Ever. Ever."

I roll my eyes. "If you had let me finish, I was going to say that after we found Derek, we'd come back for your jeep. I know how important it is to you."

"Oh." Stiles mutters. 

"Work faster, Stiles." Malia says with her back to us. She stares out  into the sandy hills and desert around us. "There is something out here with us."

I quickly pull my dagger back out. "I'm just going to keep this in my hand then."

X

Night had fallen upon us quite quickly. Unfortunately, Stiles still has not been able to fix his jeep. Malia, Kira, and myself have taken it as our duties to protect everyone. Malia has her claws, Kira has her katana, and I have my dagger with me. Honestly, they probably assume I'm the weakest link here, but if they knew who I really was, they wouldn't think that.

I stand in front of the jeep, right between the two headlights to keep the area ahead of us lit. Malia stands a few feet ahead with her eyes peering through the darkness. I decided to hang back. My desire being the need to protect my friends, meaning I will stand as close to them as possible.

"Lydia," Stiles breaks through the silence. "Could you please hold the light still for a second? It's really hard to see anything if you keep shaking it like that." 

I half glance behind me to see Stiles fully on top of the jeep with a wrench in hand. 

"I'm shaking it like this because we're in the middle of nowhere with your broken down jeep and we're being attacked by yet another razor-clawed monster...and I'm terrified." Lydia snaps at him.

"Well," Stiles waves his hand at her as he works on the engine. "-just be slightly less terrified and hold this."

"What's this?"

"I don't know. I'm hoping it's not important."

I ignore the two of them. I peer out at the darkness, wishing I was able to see better. Malia is able to using her coyote eyes to see, but I don't have that ability. I stand my ground at the front of the jeep, using the small reflection in Kira's katana to see behind us.