Slightly Reminiscent (Slightly Awkward Series / Book Six / Teen Wolf)

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN---genotype

While Scott, Liam, Theo and Mason were looking for both halves of the anuk-ite before they merged, Lydia, Malia and I were checking on Hawlyn's body in the morgue.

"Well, it's still here, still dead," I told them. "What else were we supposed to do?"

"Figure out how a hellhound led me into the woods to find another faceless body while being technically dead," Lydia answered.

"Technically?" Malia repeated.

"I don't think I would have been led out there if he was fully dead," Lydia told us.

"I don't think we should be hanging out here waiting for him to spring back to life," Malia told us.

"We don't have to wait if we can figure out how he was able to reach Lydia," I told her.

"How do we do that?" Malia asked.

Lydia looked down at Hawlyn. "I'm just gonna have to ask him."

°

Lydia was laying on a table next to Hawlyn, trying to fall asleep so she could talk to him.

"Anything yet?" Malia whispered.

Lydia opened her eyes in annoyance. "As opposed to when you asked three minutes ago? No."

I sighed. "Ugh, it's not working." Lydia stood, walking toward where Malia and I were standing next to Hawlyn. "Maybe you should touch him."

Lydia chuckled without humor. "That's ridiculous. There's no way--"

Malia grabbed Lydia's wrist, putting it against Hawlyn's shoulder. "Anything?"

"Nothing," Lydia answered.

Malia put Lydia's hand on Hawlyn's chest, making her groan in disgust and wince and close her eyes. "What about now?"

Lydia opened her eyes, shaking her head. "Nope."

Malia put Lydia's hand on Hawlyn's head. "Now?"

I pulled Malia away from Lydia. "Okay, stop."

Malia turned Hawlyn's head to the side to expose his neck, flicking out her claws. "I could try it."

I shook my head. "You could damage his brain, maybe even more than the bullet already has." I sighed, turning to Lydia. "How did it work last time?"

"Last time, I was unconscious," Lydia answered.

Malia nodded. "Unconscious." She looked around, finding a hospital mallet on a nearby table. "Okay, we can work with that."

°

Malia tapped the hospital baton against something metal, holding it up for us to see. "See? It will be quick."

I shook my head. "No. Mm-mm, not like that."

"Stacie, Lydia wants us to knock her out, right?" Malia asked.

"Render unconscious," I corrected. "Preferably without pain."

Lydia looked around, getting an idea, looking at Malia. "Okay, this is what we're gonna do. You're going to press against my chest hard, constricting the flow of blood and oxygen to my brain. It'll drop my blood pressure and render me unconscious."

"That sounds totally unsafe," Malia told her.

I nodded in agreement, giving Lydia a look. "Oh, extremely. Are you sure?"