Void of Life [Steo]

Chapter 2: Love and War

Stiles writhed in his chair, pulling against his restraints. Theo laughed at him. "Are you really going to try and undo a knot tied by someone with super-human strength?" Stiles stopped his struggle and looked at the ground, contemplating this. He let out a great sigh, almost seeming to give up. Theo didn't want him to give up that easily, he wanted to have some fun.

Theo sat down in the chair across the desk and opposite from Stiles. "Do you know why I've taken you Stiles?" Stiles looked at Theo as if he was stupid and rolled his eyes. Theo finally caught on. "Oh, right..." Theo stood again, crossing the room and untying the gag from his mouth. Theo back handed him again, then leaned in uncomfortably close. "That'll teach you to get cocky, Stiles." Stiles shrank away from Theo's breath, making Theo grin gleefully. "So, answer the question. Do you know why you're here?"

Stiles looked at Theo coldly. "Yes. I'm here because Liam didn't kill Scott. I'm you're 'Plan B'. You need me to get to Scott and the rest of the pack. Well, I've got news for you. My friends will come and they will kill you. You and your pack of chimeras." 

Theo sat calmly through his answer, listening politely. He let silence fill the room before he responded. He was a sucker for dramatic flair. "Well, Stiles, I've got news for you. If I even get a whiff of a scent I don't like near this building, Lydia will be dead before she can even scream for help." The colour drained from Stiles' face and the life from his eyes.

Theo began to smile again, finally enjoying himself and the anguish he was causing Stiles. "Or maybe I'll let her scream. I'll let her scream and open the doors so you can hear it. What will you do then? Tied to a chair, unable to help as I end her life." To Theo's joy, a tear trickled down Stiles' smooth face.

"What are you going to do to me?" His voice was raspy and slightly choked up.

"I think the real question is what am I not going to do to you?" Theo chuckled. "You're a weak, little human boy tied to a chair and I'm the big, bad chimera. Scared, Stilinski?"

Stiles took a deep breath and shook his head, then raised his gaze defiantly to meet Theo's. "I've been in more sticky situations than you've had full moons, Theo. Hell, I've even been possessed by a Japanese demon!"

Theo raised his eyebrows teasingly. "You know, it's funny that you mention that actually. Malia told me all about your little Nogitsune problem."

At the mention of Malia's name, Stiles' expression turned concerned again. "You leave her out of this!" he growled.

"I will happily leave her out of this. Except the poor girl won't leave me alone. She's obsessed; she's all over me. In my eyes, if she seeks me out, I'm not to blame. All is fair in love and war."

"This doesn't have to be a war, Theo!" snapped Stiles.

"It already is, my dear Stiles." Stiles shuddered when he called him that. Another weak spot. "Anyway, back to the Nogitsune thing. A few years back, I met a man who had been consumed by a Nogitsune. He had beaten it, with great effort, but his soul had been left noticeably scarred. He was a man forever on the edge. A darkness like that never leaves you, not completely. You can ignore it, but it will stay, forever.

"Little did we know how much of the Nogitsune remained. The man's wife died in an accident. The loss pushed him over the edge. The Nogitsune returned and killed and tortured everyone that he loved. Almost everyone anyway. The point is, we both know the Nogitsune is still inside you, waiting for you to snap."

Stiles looked at the floor guiltily, silently acknowledging this horrible truth. Then he looked up at Theo with more fear in his eyes than he had ever shown previously. "That's your plan, isn't it? You're going to awaken the Nogitsune in me, aren't you?"

Theo nodded, the corner of his mouth curling up in amusement. Stiles had caught on to his plan. Apparently, he was smarter than Theo had thought. He wouldn't underestimate him again. "Yes. And once you're evil again, I will use you to destroy what is left of Scott's pack."

Stiles smiled this time, determination in his brown eyes, but something else too: desperation. "It won't work. I'm stronger than you think, Theo. You won't break me."

Theo stood and leaned across the desk. Stiles shrunk away from him a little, which thrilled him for some odd reason. "If you want to convince me you're strong, try convincing yourself first." Theo crossed the room to the door, twisting back around. "See you later, Stilinski. I have a pack of chimeras to deal with. And don't try screaming, this room is sound-proofed." Theo winked at the other boy, then turned and left.

On the drive to the basement or 'Chimera Headquarters', Theo thought about how he was going to deal with breaking Stiles. He already had Lydia as an asset. She was the end phase of his plan, the icing on the cake. Stiles loved her so much, it was certain to make him crack. But only if Theo did reasonable damage before that point. Perhaps he could use Malia...