Disclaimer: The Darkest Powers trilogy belongs to Kelley Armstrong. The dialogue and a few other parts of this are taken directly from the book The Reckoning. No copyright infringement intended.

Chapter 17

Derek's POV

I fidgeted, trying and failing to focus on the page in front of me. I scowled and glanced out the window at the setting sun. Where were they?

Simon and Chloe had been gone since dinner and Simon had promised they'd be back before dark. They probably just lost track of time walking home...That thought made me itch to do...something. I stopped myself from following that thought process farther, scowling again. So what if they had lost track of time? It wasn't any of my business. I glared once more at the book in my hands, then gave up and set it on the table beside me. I stood and strode towards the back door with intentions to track them into the forest and bring them home. Having a great time is no excuse for compromising their safety. As I pushed the door open I saw Chloe trudging up the lawn towards me.

"No," she whispered. "Not now, just go back inside..." I realized she was talking about me and felt a flash of irritation. Simon was nowhere in sight. I kept walking.

She glanced around and I abruptly saw that she may not know where Simon was either.

"Where's Simon?" I asked, the words snapping with my temper.

She seemed to deflate slightly and pointed behind her into the woods. So much for her not knowing his whereabouts. But that indicated that he had purposefully gone in another direction.

"He left you? Out here? At night?" I couldn't believe he'd do that, he cared for her too much. I felt a twinge at this thought but ignored it.

"He dropped something," she said quietly, attempting to walk around me. "He isn't far."

Bullshit. I sidestepped, cutting her off. I faintly smelled salt and inhaled deeper, trying to place it. Suddenly I noticed her eyes were slightly reddened.

"You're crying?" I asked, confused.

"No, I––" she looked quickly down and away. "Just dust. From the path. Simon's that way," she said, gesturing weakly once more. She moved to step around me again, but I ducked down trying to catch her gaze. She stubbornly kept her face averted. I reached out and gently grabbed her chin to tilt her face up. She flinched back from my touch and I heard her heart stutter. What happened? I wondered. She couldn't be afraid of me still...of course she could. My heart sank.

"You have been crying," I said, my voice softening. What could have happened to make her upset? What could Simon have done? Simon. Anger lashed through me. "What did Simon––?" I broke off, flushing as I realized the reaction I had just instinctively had. Simon probably hadn't made her cry, and even if he had, I shouldn't be getting so worked up about it. "What happened?" I asked, more calmly.

"Nothing. It just didn't work out," she replied.

"Didn't work out?" How could it have not worked out? They were obviously good for each other. What could have gone wrong? "Why?"

"Talk to Simon."

"I'm talking to you. What'd you do to him?" She tensed defensively. Well, I doubted it was something he did. He was good with girls, and she had obviously hurt him if he had gone out by himself.

"I screwed up. Again. You're shocked, I'm sure. Now, let me go inside––" I stepped in front of her again, ignoring her tone.

"What'd you do, Chloe?"

She sidestepped. I copied her.

"You like him, don't you?" I didn't see what the problem was.

"Yes, I like him. Just not..." she trailed off.

"Not what?"

"Talk to Simon," she hedged. "He's the one who thinks..."

"Thinks what?"

Step. Block.

"Thinks what?" I persisted.

"That there's someone else," she finally blurted out. She took a shaky breath. "He thinks there's someone else."

"Who?" Who else could there possibly be? She hadn't had time to meet any boys since Lyle House, only Simon and myself.

She hesitated and I felt a jolt, realizing what that must mean. There was no way. She shouldn't like me. The idea couldn't possibly have crossed her mind. And Simon was the one to suggest this? "Me?" I asked, dumbfounded. "Simon said he thinks you and I are––"

"No, not that. He knows we aren't––"

I cut her off. "Good. So what does he think?"

"That I like you." It seemed as though she hadn't quite meant to say that, even though it was the correct answer. I stared at her in shock, not knowing what to say.

"I don't," she said quickly. "I don't," she emphasized, catching a look at my face.

"You'd better not," I said, finding my voice. My heart was thudding, but thankfully she couldn't hear that. I scowled at her again, leaning back slightly. "You'd better not, Chloe, because Simon likes you."

"I know," she answered in a small voice.

"Simon's had girls calling him every day since he was twelve. They follow him at school. They even talk to me, trying to get to him. Cute girls. Popular girls."

"So I should be thrilled that a guy like him even looked my way, right?" she accused.

I backtracked. "Course not. I didn't mean––"

"Oh, I know what you meant. I should count my blessings that I happened to be around when his choices were, well, none, really, because otherwise I'd never have stood a chance."

She was misunderstanding. Where had this gone wrong? "That's not–– I never said––"

"Whatever."

She spun and started back the way she had come. I darted in front of her.

"Simon likes you, Chloe. Yeah, he's dated a lot of girls. But he really likes you, and I thought you liked him back."

"I do. Just not...not like that, I guess."

"Then you shouldn't have let him think it was like that." I thought of all the times I had seen them together, her blushing and smiling to Simon's advances. I felt another twist of pain.

"You think I led him on? For what? Kicks? I don't have enough excitement in my life, so maybe I'll tease a nice guy, get his hopes up, then laugh and skip away? How could I know how I felt until we went out and––?" she cut off her rant abruptly. She turned and set off along the edge of the woods.

"Where are you going?" I demanded. Surely she didn't think she could just stroll out into the woods alone?

"You won't let me into the house. I'm sure Simon doesn't want me around him either. So it seems like I'm going to take a moonlight stroll in the forest."

"Oh, no, you're not." I blocked her path. "You can't go wandering around alone at night. It's not safe."

She glared up at me. Then her anger wavered, being replaced by something else. She turned towards the trees and continued walking. "I'll be careful. No dead will rise tonight. Go back inside, Derek."

Did she think that was why I was worried? Admittedly, I didn't want her to raise anything, but I was far more concerned with her safety than that of anything she could raise. "You think that's all I'm worried about? The Edison Group––"

"Could be camped out there right now, waiting for us to venture into the deep, dark woods. If you believed that, you'd never have let Simon go out."

I growled under my breath. "I didn't like it. But he promised you'd be back before dark, which is why I was at the door, getting ready to come find you two." I snatched at her arm before remembering what had happened back at Lyle House, and released her for her sleeve instead. "Just––" I broke off, whipping my head around. I could have sworn I just smelled...

"Don't pull that."

"Pull what?" I asked distractedly.

"Pretending you smell something out there. Someone."

"No, I thought––" I breathed deeply again, trying to place the scent. I shook my head. "Nothing, I guess. Just––" I rubbed the back of my neck, wincing. I was going to need to Change soon. It was making me tense. I needed to calm down.

I let go of her sleeve. "Fine, take a walk."

She set off across the yard and I followed silently a few paces behind her. She turned and saw me following. She sighed. "Derek..."

"I need some fresh air. Go on." I wasn't about to let her go out on her own, but I could stay behind her if she'd rather pretend I wasn't there.

She continued for another twenty feet and then turned and glared up at me. I looked back at her.

"Fine. I'll go in the house. You can track down Simon before the Edison Group snatches him."

I followed her to the back door and watched her go inside before I turned to go find Simon.