Everyone Has Demons [Teen Wolf]

30

I sat the bullet down on the examination table. Scott and Stiles just looked at it. "What's that?" Stiles asked.

"I found it when I got back to the loft today," I told them. "It was sitting on the table. I asked Deaton, he said the skull is the symbol of a family of hunters in Mexico, the Calaveras."

"Why is one of their bullets in your loft?" Scott asked.

I shrugged. "Have any of you seen Derek recently?" I asked.

They shook their heads. "Haven't you heard from him?" Stiles asked. "He's your boyfriend."

"No, I thought it was the bad signal in South America, but now I'm worried."

"What would they want with Derek?" Scott asked.

I pressed my hand against my face. "I don't know."

"You don't think they'd kill him, do you?" Stiles asked.

I looked at Lydia who'd been watching us, while leaning against the counter. "That's why I wanted you here." She nodded and held out her hand, I put the bullet in it. For a second she didn't do anything, and then she dropped let go of it. The bullet hit the table with a metallic cling. "Is he dead?" I asked quietly.

"No." She shook her head. "But, there's something not right. I don't know."

"We've got to find him," I said.

"Where do we start?" Stiles asked.

I shrugged. "Mexico."

OoOoO

"You're really bad at relationships, you know that right?" Lydia asked as we walked down the sunny, dusty streets of the tiny Mexican town.

"I am not," I protested.

"Must I remind you this is not the first time your boyfriend has vanished without so much as a text?"

"I like space, he likes space. I don't get worried easily."

"It's been two weeks, Ava," she said shaking her head. "Two weeks."

"In her defense, she called us as soon as she found the bullets," Stiles inserted.

"Who knows how long those bullets have been sitting in the loft, she's been sightseeing around California."

"I wanted a vacation," I said defensively.

"Good girlfriends invite their boyfriends on road trips!"

"He wanted to visit Cora in South America, I didn't want to intrude." Lydia just rolled her eyes. "This is where we part ways. I'll see you inside, kids."

OoOoO

The hunters had their base in a club. The place was packed with dancing teens in tight clothes and the DJ played loud Spanish dance music. There was a mix of locals and vacationing Americans, so I didn't have a problem blending in. I danced my way to the middle of the crowd.

From my spot I could see Malia dancing a few feet away, Kira lounging in the corner, and Scott in the shadows by the wall. I was in my element. For a moment I could forget that I wasn't here for fun.

"Ava!" I cringed at the familiar voice. I continued dancing and moved away. Before I could escape, the source was directly in front of me, as if she'd transported herself across the room. Actually, that's probably exactly what she'd done.

"Not now, not now," I mumbled turning away. A dancing couple gave me an odd look.

"Come on, Ava! You've been avoiding me for weeks!"