*ARCHIVED* Truth Or Dare (Sciles | Dark Descent, Book 1)

Chapter 18

FEBRUARY 21, 2016
SUNDAY
4:15 A.M.

    Stiles's hand was disgustingly sweaty, yet cold, but Scott refused to let go. Allison hadn't stopped petting Stiles's head, either, despite the blood that now covered her. She'd moved his head into her lap after she'd stopped crying, probably half an hour ago. Her hands shook as they curled through his matted hair. Scott stared at Stiles, trying to find something beneath the blood that he recognized, but he found nothing.

    "He's so cold," Scott whispered. "That can't be good."

    Allison shook her head, biting back the threat of a fresh wave of tears. "I noticed. I don't understand how he's still alive."

    Scott looked at her red, bloodshot eyes and wished he could cry. But he couldn't. Here he was, looking at Stiles's life barely hanging by a thread, and he couldn't cry, despite the heavy, crushing weight inside his chest.

    "I don't understand either," he said. "I don't understand any of this." He glanced at Derek's unconscious body lumped at the foot of the stairs. He hadn't moved since Laura had thrown him down the stairs.

    Right on cue, Derek groaned and slowly moved into a sitting position. Allison froze, her and Scott trading a look before fixing their eyes back on Derek. He blinked at them, looking gaunt, shining with sweat. He was paler than normal, as well. His eyes moved to Stiles and suddenly he was beside Scott, dropping to his knees, grasping at Stiles's chest. Derek called his name several times, but, of course, Stiles didn't answer. Allison and Scott were too surprised at Derek's sudden movement to do much but stare.

    "What happened to him?" Derek asked. He looked at them both in turn, eyes shining with tears, only shocking them even more into silence. When they didn't answer, he growled. "What happened? Where are we? What's going on?"

    "Laura did it," Allison answered. "She shot Stiles. She took me and Scott. And you. Why would she do that?

    Derek shook his head, dumbfounded. "I...I don't know. But Stiles will be okay." He sat back on his heels, as if a great weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

    "No he won't," Scott said. "He's dying. It's a miracle he's even still breathing."

    Stiles wheezed then, and groaned weakly. His eyelids fluttered. Scott, Allison, and Derek all exclaimed his name in unison and leaned forward, staring down at Stiles anxiously. Scott tightened his grip on Stiles's hand. Derek grabbed his shoulders. Before Scott could tell him to get his hands off him, Stiles squeezed Scott's hand, so weakly that it was like a ghost. And then he opened his eyes.

    Stiles opened his eyes and felt daggers stabbing into them. His head was still on fire, so heavy that he could barely lift it. It felt like there were needles inside his head, stitching everything back together. It tingled and hurt, burned like ice and fire. The first thing he saw once the pain in his eyes faded was Derek, and then Scott and Allison, shoving their way into his line of vision on either side of Derek.

    Once again the scent of fresh rain, the scent of Scott, invaded his senses, followed by the scent of pine needles - Allison, he realized. He didn't smell anything from Derek. Stiles opened his mouth to speak, not even sure of what he was meaning to say, but it came out as a weak, "Whaaaa...."

    Scott shushed him. "Don't speak."

    The stitching and tingling sensation in Stiles's head intensified for a second and then decreased to a dull throbbing suddenly. A small chill of strength coursed through him. He sat up slowly, Allison and Scott pulling him up by the arms, despite telling him he shouldn't sit up.