Chapter 35

By the time Scarlet got back to the house, Stiles had already left for the game. She raced over to the school, but Stiles was nowhere to be seen. She paused next to where Alison was sitting on the bleachers with an older man.

"Hi Alison," she said easily.

"Hey Scarlet, this is my grandfather, Gerard. Uh, this is Scarlet, she's Stiles' twin sister," Alison said quickly.

"You're the sheriff's daughter," Gerard replied nice to meet you. "Where is your brother? I thought he was on the team?"

"He is, I'm actually looking for him myself," Scarlet replied with a smile.

"I think he went back up to the school, he said something about forgetting something," Alison said as she glanced briefly at her grandfather.

"Oh, well I see if I can find him up there. You guys enjoy the game," she said before heading to the school. She figured he was probably in the locker room so she took the shortcut through the pool area. She only got a few steps before she found Erica on the ground near the wall.

Scarlet rushed over to her and felt her neck. She still had a pulse and was breathing, but she was out like a light. Scarlet glanced around and saw Stiles and Derek in the pool. She strode over to the edge of the pool and shook her head at them.

"What the hell are you two doing," she demanded. Stiles glanced over his shoulder in shock.

"Scarlet, run," he shouted.

"What," she said as she glanced around. That's when she saw it, the creature on the other side of the pool. It was slowly creeping toward her. She stumbled back, but slipped on a puddle of water. She hit the ground with a thud, her head slamming into the concrete.

Scarlet groaned as her vision swam before her eyes. She sat up slowly, pressing her hand to the back of her head. She opened her eyes and came face to face with the creature. She screamed and scrambled back from it. It roared right in her face, raising its hand to claw her, but she fell back into the pool.

She spluttered as she broke the surface, coughing up water as she swam back from the wall. Of course, she had fallen into the pool opposite from Stiles and Derek.

"The good news is it can't swim," Stiles shouted.

"Oh yeah, excellent news," Scarlet called back. "Any plans to get out of here?"

"Working on it," Stiles replied. She could hear him talking to Derek about something, but couldn't tell what. Suddenly she heard Derek shout her brother's name and then a splash. She tried to see what was going on, but couldn't get a clear view.

"Scott," Stiles shouted. He groaned in frustration and Scarlet heard another splash.

"Stiles what is going on," Scarlet shouted.

"Your brother just tried to drown me," Derek shouted back.

"What? Why?"

"Look, I'm trying to get us out of this mess, do either of you have a plan," Stiles demanded.

"How about not drowning Derek," Scarlet shouted.

"I'm with her," Derek replied.

"I'm sorry, I didn't do it on purpose," Stiles cried.

They all fell silent after that. Scarlet didn't know how long they been in the pool, when she heard a roar followed by two thuds. There was a crash followed by the creature rushing up the wall and out the skylight.

Scarlet swam to the edge and pulled herself out. Scott was kneeling on the ground staring back at Stiles and Derek. Scarlet tiredly pushed herself up off the floor and trudged toward them. "So, who is going to explain what is going on," Scarlet asked.

"We have to get your computer Stiles, I know where the beastiary is," Scott said as he pulled Stiles to his feet. Derek pushed himself up and waved Scarlet over.

"I'll explain it to you," he said as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "You ok?"

"Yeah, what was going on? Were you hurt," Scarlet asked as they walked over to Erica.

Derek knelt next to Erica and shook her. She stirred and groaned as she slowly opened her eyes. "Why are you guys wet," Erica asked. "Did you think pool sex was a good idea?"

"Oh my god," Scarlet mumbled as she pressed her hands to her face.

"No, but now that you mention it," Derek said as he shot a wolfish grin at Scarlet. She gave him an annoyed look and he returned his attention to Erica. "You ok?"

"Fine," she said as she pushed herself up.

"What was that thing Derek," Scarlet asked as she held out her hand to help Erica up.

"Its called a Kanima, it has a paralytic toxin, that's why Stiles was having to hold me up, it scratched the back of my neck and paralyzed me."

"And that's what killed Isaac's dad," Scarlet asked.

"Yeah, it was, because it wasn't one of us."

"Does Isaac know," Scarlet asked.

"No, not yet," Derek said before running a hand through his damp hair. "Let's go tell Scott and Stiles."

Derek wrapped an arm around Scarlet's shoulders and led her out of the building. Erica trailed beside them, glancing between the two of them occasionally. Scarlet could tell that Erica wanted to say something, but was refraining from it.

"How are we even supposed to figure out what this thing is," Scott said as they approached.

"It's called a kanima," Derek called.

"You knew the whole time," Stiles asked in frustration.

"No, only when it was confused by its own reflection," Derek explained.

"It doesn't know what it is," Scott said.

"Or who," Derek replied.

"Well, what else do you know," Stiles asked.

"Just stories, rumors."

"But its like us," Scott asked.

"Its a shapeshifter yes, but its not right, its like a," Derek trailed off as he looked for the right word.

"An abomination," Stiles and Scarlet said together.

Derek nodded silently before glacing at Erica. They started to walk away, but Scott stopped them.

"Derek, we need to work together on this. Maybe even tell the Argents."

"You trust them," Derek demanded.

"Nobody trusts anyone, that's the problem," Scott cried. "While we're here arguing on who's on what side, there's something scarier, faster, and stronger, than any of us and its killing people, and we still don't know anything about it!"

"I know one thing," Derek said as he turned and began walking away. "When I find it, I'm gonna kill it."

Scarlet stared after him for a moment. "I'm going with him, someone has to tell Isaac that the kanima killed his dad," she said quickly. "Are you guys ok?"

"Talk to him Scarlet, he'll listen to you," Scott said emphatically.

"I'll try Scott, you know how he is though. He might not listen to reason on this."

Scarlet hurried after Derek and climbed into the backseat of his car. Erica shot her a look in the rearview as Derek tore out of the parking lot.

"So, how are you planning on convincing me to work with Scott on this," Derek asked nonchalantly.

"I think you and I need to have a conversation about you listening in on my conversations," Scarlet replied with a cheeky grin.

"Werewolf hearing," Erica reminded her.

"Yes, I know, but that doesn't mean you have to listen to everything."

"Like the two of you having some really intense sex this afternoon," Erica asked.

"I thought you kicked them all out," Scarlet exclaimed.

"I did," Derek said as he shot a look at Erica.

"Werewolf hearing, not like I'm going to tell Isaac and Boyd about it. You two want to go at one another like rabbits, feel free. Just give me a little longer to get out of earshot."

"I'll keep that in mind for next time," Derek replied.

"Fuck that, there isn't going to be a next time there," Scarlet muttered.

"So what is the plan here? How are we going to figure out who it is," Erica asked.

"It can only be one of two people," Derek said as he parked the car and climbed out.

"Who," Scarlet asked as she trailed after him.

"Who do we know that's been bitten or mauled and has not changed," Derek asked.

"Well, I was, you bit Jackson, and Peter mauled Lydia."

"Right, and its not you, because you saw it tonight, so that leaves Lydia and Jackson."

"You really think that Lydia or Jackson is running around as a giant lizard thing, and killing random people? That doesn't make any sense, it has to be someone else. Maybe Peter attacked someone that we don't know about. Or maybe its someone new in town," Scarlet said quickly.

"Look," Derek said as he paused on the stairs and took her hand. "I know that they are both your friends, and you don't want it to be either of them, but its incredibly likely that it is. We just have to find out."

"And how are we going to do that," Erica asked from the bottom of the stairs. Isaac and Boyd came out to see what was going on.

"You are going to get Jackson, and we'll test him."

"Test him how," Scarlet asked.

"Don't worry, if its not him, we won't hurt him."

"I'm more worried about what you are going to do if it is him," she muttered before glancing at Isaac. "I need to talk to you Isaac."

"Whatever it is, I didn't do it," he quickly replied.

"We know what killed your dad," Scarlet said gently. She reached out and took his hand giving it a squeeze. "Derek said its called a Kanima, he thinks he knows who it is. I'm so sorry Isaac."

"We can kill this thing," Isaac asked as he glanced over Scarlet's head to Derek.

"Yeah, if we know who it is, we can figure out a way to kill it."

"Then let's kill it," Isaac said stiffly before walking away from them.

Erica came over to Scarlet and watched him walk away. "Let him go, he'll be ok. Can I talk to you," Erica asked.

"Uh, sure," Scarlet said nervously. She followed Erica into a seperate subway car that she had converted to her own room. Scarlet perched on one of the seats and glanced around. "I like what you did with the place."

"Its not much, but, its better than before."

"So what did you want to talk about," Scarlet asked.

"I'm sorry, for kissing Derek. He was right, I was trying to hurt you. Part of me wanted to take him away from you, I didn't understand the bond between the two of you, but I get it now, and I'll stay out of your way."

"Oh, wow, uh, thanks I guess."

"What is it like? I mean how did you know that you were his mate?"

"It just happened, it happened really fast actually. I think he knew, before I did. You know the mark between his shoulders? Well, he kissed me, and one appeared between my shoulders too. Of course, Peter found out about it and tore it to shreds so it doesn't look like much of anything now, but it ties us together. Like he said, I belong to him and he belongs to me."

"You really love him, don't you," Erica asked.

"Yeah, I really do," Scarlet said with a smile. She ended up spending the rest of the night getting to know Erica. Derek came in at one point and told them to stop with the giggling. Scarlet curled up in his bed with him, and they fell asleep together. The final peace before the storm.