Burn It Down || Stilinski || Book One

Twenty-Nine

STILES QUICKLY EXPLAINED that Scott had been following Jackson and Derek, but Jackson ended up disappearing, and Scott concluded that he was now in a club. He had told Scott he would be there as soon as possible; he just wanted Sierra to be there, too.

Understanding the time crunch, Sierra didn't say anything. Instead, she just got inside the jeep and put her seatbelt on. Stiles thought he knew why she was being so quiet, but in reality, he had no idea that her thoughts were clouded because of one person: him.

"I know you probably don't want to talk about what happened," he said slowly, "and I'm not going to force you to open up to me. But I want you to know that whatever is happening with you, I'm not leaving. Okay? We'll get through this together." Though he kept his eyes on the road, he leaned over to grab her hand in her lap.

Sierra squeezed it, already feeling calmer. "We can talk about it later; now, let's focus on getting Jackson."

When they arrived at the club, Scott watched the entrance, his head peeking around the corner. As his friends hurriedly approached them, he jumped but relaxed at their faces. "I lost him," he informed them, referring to Jackson—who was still in deadly kanima form.

"What?" Stiles demanded, "You couldn't catch his scent?"

"I don't think he has one."

"So, is there any clue as to where he's gone? Or where he could be?" Sierra asked, shivering slightly from the night air.

"Somewhere to kill someone," Scott answered obviously.

"Well, that certainly explains the claws and fangs and all that," Stiles stated sarcastically. "It makes perfect sense now."

Scott huffed, giving his best friend a knowing look. Now wasn't the time for Stiles' sass.

Stiles defended himself. "Scott, come on. I'm one hundred and forty-seven pounds of pale skin and fragile bone, okay? Sarcasm is my only defense."

"What about your baseball bat?" Sierra wondered, and Stiles shrugged.

"I guess that too, but it's at home."

"Can you guys just help me find it?" Scott interjected the pair.

"Not it, Jackson," Sierra corrected. "Don't forget who that is, alright? It's not just a random monster; he's our classmate and your co-captain."

Scott sighed; she was right. "I know," he told her.

"The bigger question is, does he know that?" Stiles asked because the last time he checked, the kanima was scared of its own reflection and didn't even know what it was. "Did anyone else see him back at your house?"

"I mean, I don't think so," Scott tried to remember if he saw anyone but came up short. "He passed Derek's test anyway."

"I'd like to know how he passed that test," Sierra stated with her arms crossed. It could be an either-or thing, right? Derek said a snake can't be poisoned by its own venom, and if Jackson wasn't the kanima, then he would've been open to being inflicted."

Stiles smiled proudly at how quickly Sierra figured it out, but Scott still didn't fully understand. Seeing his confused face, Sierra asked him a simple question. "When is the kanima, not the kanima?"

"When it's Jackson," Scott caught on, feeling stupid he couldn't have figured it out sooner.

Stiles was going to congratulate him on his realization but was soon too scared to speak. "Uh, g-guys?" His eyes were locked on something on the club's roof, and Scott and Sierra backed away from where Stiles was standing to see what he saw. "What is he going to do in there?" Stiles asked once they figured out he was now inside.