A/N: Thanks to AwaywardHunter for betaing this chapter!
rymilu Thanks for pointing out that I posted this by accident as chapter 14. Chapter 14 is now posted correctly.
weregrrrl13 There won't be a shortage of very necessary snuggling sessions :D But I'm afraid later on Allison will come back into play ...
Chapter 15: Of Crypts and Crystals
Walking over the cold ground, Lydia's bare feet sunk into the muddy ground. Her nightgown was not remotely warm enough and sweat was running over her body that made it cling to her body at the most unfortunate parts. Worse, it was windy and the air was moist, clouds passed over the moon and she knew it was about to rain. At least no one was around. However, something seemed to watch her from the darkness.
Lydia was not even sure where she was at. There were ruins, trees and a set of huge stones. It did not seem like it belonged to the vicinity of Beacon Hills. It was not like she had the chance to appreciate her surroundings given that it was too dark to make out more than the silhouettes. Then there was that sound, almost like a werewolf growling but somewhat more unnatural.
Even without seeing anything it was obvious that whatever was making those sounds was coming closer. She felt grass under her feet when she headed over to the ruins to get some form of cover. She could hear something scraping over the large fallen stones. When she looked around she could not make anything out.
She heard squashing sounds in the mud and by the time she reached one of the buildings, the snarling sound was dangerously close. Only when she pressed herself against the crumbling wall and looked around there was nothing there, not even the shadow of a movement. Just darkened shapes created by the light of the growing moon.
It slowly occurred to her that she was dreaming and this was why nothing seemed to feel real, except the fear. It did not matter how unreal the scenario was, her heart was still beating as if it wanted to jump out of her chest. Lydia knew she needed more light if she wanted to make sense of this, it was not like was in that scary crypt dream.
Then the drops started falling, trying to stay calm she listened into the semi-dark around her when another growl went through the darkness. She thought about her flashlight but could not make it appear, with the rain she doubted she was able to think up torches. Then it hit her: maybe lightning would work.
She focused on the air around her, imagining the rain becoming stronger, the wind blowing harder until she heard the faint rumble of thunder. The storm was coming and within two more very close sounding growls the first lightning appeared. At this moment, she saw them. She had no idea what they were but they were the single most terrifying things she ever saw.
Tracking backwards hands and back against the wall, she finally felt an opening. Almost without thinking Lydia slid into what was left of the doorframe.
When she noticed what it actually was, it was already too late. In the dark and without being able to see, she missed the first step and and tumbled down into the darkness. Stony steps jabbed into her body. A sharp pain went through her wrist and it felt like she had broken something. When her fall ended, she was in an all too familiar place: the moldy, wet crypt and she wasn't alone. It came closer and Lydia panicked.
A loud scream resonated through the house and Lydia felt a breath of relief as soon as it ended. If the twins had not been awake already, they had to be now. Sitting up properly the bumps and bruises she had gotten in her dream felt terrifyingly real. This time it was her left wrist that hurt the most, but it felt not as badly injured as in her dream.
"Lydia, are you alright?" Aiden asked through the door.
"Yes, just another nightmare …," she said and flinched as she attempted to use her left hand to throw back her cover.
He obviously heard it. "You don't sound okay."
"Mind getting me one of those ice-pads from the fridge?"
After he agreed she made her way out of the bed and unlocked the door. Feeling her body hurt in several different parts, she remembered Peter's warning from last night. If only she had known that the thing was creative enough to completely change the dream and lure her into its grasp by having these grotesque creatures scare her into that opening. At least that's what she thought had happened.
It was still dark outside, her clock said it was shortly past 6 am. She was about to reach for her robe when Aiden had hurried back with the pack. "Do you have a headache?"
"No, I think I've sprained my wrist."
"Your wrist? How did that happened?" Again Aiden sounded overly worried.
"I fell down the stairs," she replied truthfully and when she saw the disbelief on his face she explained it was the thing from the dream and how it had tricked her.
"This is really serious," he said and looked again at her other wrist. "It really happened in your dream?"
That was of course the problem, they had not believed her. She wondered how much of what she had told they, including Allison, Stiles and the others had brushed off thinking that she was under some form of mind-control or whatever they imagined.
"Yes, I told you it wasn't Peter."
At least his genuine concern made her sound less aggressive but Lydia felt that Aiden was not yet ready to accept that Peter was not behind her dream problems. Technically he was since without him attacking her over a year ago her banshee powers might not have come to the surface. Finally, taking her robe Lydia tried to slip her left arm into it when a sting went through her wrist.
Naturally, Aiden noticed. "Not trying to sound too overprotective but maybe you should have that checked out?"
Lydia couldn't help but think that this was a good idea. They agreed that they would eat something and then drive her to the hospital. Getting dressed took her a bit longer but she refused to get help. She could do most of it with one hand, telling herself the pain was not that bad. It could have been worse. Peter had been right that the thing from the crypt was coming for her.
Lydia hoped the hospital visit would go fast, so she would not have to wait too long since she was keener than ever to ask Yoon about the crystal. If she was honest she was itching to call or at least text Peter and tell him about that dream.
Part of her wondered that if the thing could do that much damage already the crystal was going to be enough. Hopefully, Yoon would be able to answer that, too. She would just have to be patient.
Breakfast went over rather smoothly, she described her dream, the strange creatures in it and they immediately thought what she had been thinking: That those things sounded like they did the animal killings. For a change they did not argue much, they finally seemed to have realised that there was something else out there threatening her and it was doing far more harm than Peter.
On the way over to the hospital they suggested texting the others or calling them but Lydia did not really feel like talking to either Stiles, Scott or Allison. Allison had not called her either and she knew she had to be back by now, the cabin was not that far away. Lydia knew they would find out soon anyway given that they ran into Scott's mother in the ER.
Suddenly, Lydia was alone with her, the twins muttering something about needing to make calls. They obviously they had not given up on their idea to have her talk about what had happened with nurse. Ethan never fell short of praising Melissa McCall.
"So how did this happen?" Melissa asked her as she positioned her arm for an x-ray.
"I fell down a couple of stairs," Lydia repeated hearing from the tone alone what Scott's mum thought.
"Scott told me what happened," she said with motherly compassion. "You know, if you need to talk."
"No, thanks there has been plenty of talk already," Lydia sighed really not feeling up to talking to anyone. "Only nobody is listening."
"I can listen," Melissa replied. "Just a second."
Leaving the room, the x-ray was taken and then they walked back to a room, where the doctor would join them after it would ready to be looked at. Lydia didn't really want to discuss any of it but she figured maybe if she convinced her, she could convince Scott.
"Everyone acts as if this was the worst thing that Peter did to me, but it wasn't. It was actually really good sex." It made Lydia smile a bit to see the shocked looked on her face.
"But you didn't ask for it?" Melissa wanted to know.
Shaking her head Lydia sighed. "No, of course not, but I did not say No either." A smile rushed over her face as she suddenly realised that they didn't know about the drug.
"That doesn't equal consent."
Just in that moment the door opened and the doctor walked in with the x-ray. "Well, Miss Martin, let's see what we got here." He snapped it into place and hit the light switch. "That looks good, no sign of a fracture, so it probably is just sprained."
Coming closer he took her wrist and touched it asking her what hurt and what did not. He commended her for cooling it and then told Scott's mother to compress it with a bandage and keep cooling it every 3-4 hours. "Lastly, keep your wrist above your heart as often as you can. Otherwise, rest as much as you can. If the pain gets too much take an advil - but don't overdo it."
Then the doctor hurled out of the room. "He sure is in a hurry," Lydia commented his speedy exit.
"Tell me about it, but Dr. McCoy is actually quite good," Melissa said reassuringly.
After spraying something cold on her wrist, Scott's mum began wrapping a bandage around her sprained wrist.
"I didn't think it was broken but since Aiden is already so overly concerned I didn't want to argue," Lydia tried to explain.
"Where do the bruises on your other wrist come from? They don't look like they come from the 'fall'."
"If you need to know, I got them from something attacking me in my dreams. That's also where I fell." Seeing Scott's mother opening her mouth with that doubtful expression, she quickly added: "And before you say 'that is impossible', let me remind you - your son is a werewolf."
Instead of a comment, Melissa sighed, then said: "That's still hard to believe."
"Yet, it is quite real," Lydia told her.
Finishing with her wrist, she asked with a worried look. "How can you protect yourself from something like that?"
"Peter has an idea," Lydia said noticing Melissa tensing when she mentioned Peter, "but of course I can't tell anyone. He did help me a lot before they found out."
"I don't know what I should say to that except …" Melissa began sounding uncomfortable and worried like everyone else.
Nodding Lydia finished for her. "That I should not trust him, that I should stay away … except that nobody seems to care that he's our best chance of stopping these killings."
"You shouldn't be alone with him," Melissa told her.
Of course, Lydia knew she was right. There was also the fact that with everyone else around conversations went nowhere.
Lydia had to be alone with him and if she was honest that prospect didn't scare her as much as it should. Even with everything Deucalion had said about him not going to stop, she could not help but think that it was unlikely that Peter would try the ritual on anyone else. It would mean open conflict with the others and Lydia had the distinct feeling that Peter was not going to risk that on top of everything else that was going on. As soon as they had stopped the killings, she would know better than to engage him alone. Although there was still the question of how she could deter him in the long run without having to rely on the constant presence of Aiden, her not quite boyfriend.
Thinking of him, she heard a knock on the door and the Twins strolled into the room.
"Well, we're done here," Scott's mom said towards all three of them and more directed at her. "If you cool it regularly, there should be little to no swelling and you can probably do without pain -killers."
Which Lydia knew, it was not her first sprained something and she had read all about it. Which is why she had asked for the cold pack in the first place. As usual she just agreed and asked the twins if they were ready to take her home. Since they didn't have to wait too long it was barely 10 am and thus too early to head to the esoteric shop.
"Yeah about that," Ethan began after Melissa had left them. "We spoke with Scott on the phone about what happened."
"They are at the cemetery and they can't find the crypt with the two grimreapers," Aiden finished.
A year ago she would have told them that Scott probably needed his eyes examined. Now she knew there were other explanations outside the realm of the most obvious. Despite not being particularly keen on meeting Scott or Stiles so soon after last night's scene, Lydia knew she needed to revisit the cemetery if they were to figure out why she had the vision.
"Then maybe we should head there."
Doing her best to hide her lack of enthusiasm about it, she strode forward towards the parking lot. They followed her and began asking her about her wrist, she explained it really was just a mild sprain and that it would heal soon enough. For once she didn't mind that they hovered about and opened doors. Even with the bruises on her other wrist she was quite capable of doing this by herself. On top of that, the compression bandage on the other did gave her a sense of stability that also made it easier to move light items.
On her way to the cemetery she kept thinking how fortunate it was that Mrs. Allen had taken Prada in. Since her birthday he had not gotten the attention he needed and Lydia had a feeling that would not change any time soon. Besides he rather liked playing with Happy, Mrs. Allen's dachshund.
The twins parked her car behind Stiles' Jeep. The two of them had waited at the gate after Ethan had texted them, that they were coming.
"How are you?" Stiles said but without really looking at her.
"Just a sprained wrist, nothing serious."
Scott clearly had something on his mind and when she looked at him, he finally let it out. "Last time it just left one bruise per dream, didn't it? This time it caused you to fall down a couple of stairs - if those injuries are real .. then ..."
"Then I could die - but it won't come to that," Lydia assured him.
"Yeah why not? Did you get your hands on some hypnocil or something?" Stiles asked curiously.
As so often she had no idea what he was referring to, but Lydia did not want to get into details about it anyway. If the others found out about Yoon and Peter knowing each other, she might get into trouble and Lydia wanted to keep her out of the ongoing feud. "I looked something up, I hope it'll work."
"What if it doesn't?" Aiden asked.
Lydia shrugged and turned to look up at him: "Then it's to plan B, which I will tell you about after plan A doesn't work." Aiden was certainly better off not knowing that she already knew one method to keep the thing from the crypt out of her dreams for good. The really terrible part was she wasn't exactly opposed to the method. Since those grotesque creatures appeared in her dream, since she had tumbled into the crypt, she could not help thinking that sharing her bed with Peter was infinitely nicer than that. If she was absolutely honest with herself, it was not that bad on its own.
"Somehow I have the feeling, I'm not going to like Plan B," Aiden grumbled back.
The others didn't look happy about her being so evasive either and probably guessed that it involved Peter in some capacity. It made her think about what Stiles had said a few days ago, about there being no scenario in which she would ask Peter in her bedroom. That would be one, she told herself.
Sighing she replied. "I'm rooting for Plan A, but now let's see about the crypt."
They went to the spot where they had been told to wait after Scott's father had arrived and talked to them. From there she traced her steps back to her little walk and found the crypt. She could understand why Stiles and Scott had not identified it. There were no grimreapers statues guarding it: instead two praying and crying angel statues were in their place. Moss and weed covered the rundown building, the name plate had fallen off and was no where to be seen but the doors, the doors were fake stone impressions. The layout was just the same, it was definitely the crypt. When she walked closer towards it, she felt something creep over her and in a flash she saw the change. The building became clearer, the statues morphed and yet the name plate remained gone. Breathing hard, she stepped back and snapped out of it, the moment she felt a hand on her shoulder.
"That's it?" Scott asked her.
Lydia nodded, realising that Aiden was touching her shoulders but he was not hugging her like before. In fact, he had been somewhat more distant than before. "When I get close to it, I see it change." She also did step away further from the building and Aiden. "It makes me feel weird just looking at it."
Stiles on the other hand had approached it and was looking up at the folded hands of one of the angels. "I don't know about the grimreapers but those are creepy …" For some reason seeing him so up and close with the angel turning grim reaper in her vision she felt like telling him to back off. Then Scott stepped up to and they examined the fake door.
"Why would someone build a crypt with a fake door? How did they bring the bodies in?"
"I think they sealed them in after everyone was interred," Stiles touched the fake door. "It's made of stone and cold enough to fend the freaking blob off. Stone cold, ha."
Scott joined him and had to agree, it was way colder than the outside temperatures would allow. Almost as if something inside was cooling outside. "If I'm honest," Scott said, "this place is making the hair on my neck stand up."
They disappeared out of sight as they walked around the building. As they came back they confirmed that there was no other entrance, no sign of any name attached to the mausoleum.
"Maybe we should punch through the door and open it," Ethan suggested.
"No," Lydia said sharply and then with all eyes on her, she explained. "I don't know what is up with that tomb but maybe there is a good reason why nobody can get inside."
"You mean like something is sealed inside? But what if that thing is your dream demon?" Stiles said waving his arms around.
"What if we set something lose, that should never be freed?" Scott pointed out. "Lydia is right, we need to find out more about who was buried here and when."
"Great, research session my place?" Stiles asked enthusiastically then realised that she and the twins had other plans. "Scott and me, my best buddy." Putting his hand on Scott's shoulders he tried so hard to act cool that Lydia felt almost sorry having no interest in participating. With all that had been said recently she felt more comfortable avoiding him. There was also the fact that she needed to talk to Yoon and get that crystal.
"I need to get something from a store downtown."
There was nothing more to do here and with one last uneasy look back at the creepy crypt, Lydia and the others left the South Lane cemetery. Just as they were getting in their car, Scott got a text. "Ehm guys, it's Allison. That corpse they found - it's Jennifer."
"Wasn't that body half-buried?" Lydia asked recalling the twins mentioning something about it.
"Why would someone want to bury her in a shallow grave in the woods?" Ethan asked out loud what everyone was thinking.
"Maybe Deucalion went back to deny her a proper burial? He can be quite spiteful, if you get on his wrong side." Aiden's suggestion was certainly one explanation but just hiding her in the woods would have done enough damage and if he really wanted to keep her hidden, he probably could have dug a deeper grave.
"Well, we escorted him out of town, so we can't ask him," Scott said.
Ethan raised an eyebrow: "You did?"
"Given that he isn't an alpha anymore, he was very easily persuaded by Scott," Stiles revealed. "Was very entertaining to watch."
"I told him, that if he showed up again, we would invite Allison's father to the discussion."
It was good to know that Scott basically had thrown him out of town and threatened to turn him over to the Argents if he did not comply. Yet, Lydia was not entirely convinced that he would heed that warning. The look on his face had told her that Deucalion had death on his mind and risking his own was certainly not far from it either. For now he was probably hoping that the poison he had planted was taking effect. It made her regret telling Aiden about enjoying the sex ritual, she hoped that somehow he would think it had just been anger speaking.
On the way back Ethan was driving and she happily sat in the back, texting with her phone. Lydia thought about sending one to Allison but she had no idea what to say. It would be better to wait or see if her friend had calmed down enough to have a rational conversation. In the end, she realised there was something she could text. "Sorry for hanging up - but I'm okay. I just don't want to talk about it."
Aiden turned to her a few minutes after they had left the cemetery. "So this store you're going to - what are you hoping to gain there?"
"Spiritual advice," she was intentionally being mysterious about it. "Look, I think there is Chinese restaurant around the corner, maybe you could get something while I talk things over with the owner?"
"One of us should come with you."
Lydia had thought as much. "I'm sure a few hundred yards won't be a problem if trouble shows up."
The twins didn't seem convinced but she hoped that she could keep them out of the book store, so she could ask Yoon about Peter as well. Whom she was texting while talking to the twins. "Hope that crystal works, I think last night I saw what was doing the actual animal killings, ended up in the crypt."
Just as they stopped downtown, the reply came in. "Hope you didn't get hurt - let's talk about it later tonight."
Not wanting to reply right away, she put her phone back into her handbag. The twins decided that Ethan would wait outside the door and Aiden was going to order some food to take back home. Back in the store, Yoon was already expecting her. Looking at her wrist, she took her hand.
"Did that happen in the dream?" Yoon sounded worried, almost like she hoped the answer would be "No". Lydia described the dream to her and how she woke up as Yoon led her to the back of the store. In a small room that had a fridge, a kitchen sink, a water heater and coffeemaker as well as a couch and a small table, Yoon made her sit down. Using the opportunity to let her injured wrist rest on back of the couch, Lydia also saw the small package on the table.
"So Peter told you about what is going on with my dreams?" Lydia asked Yoon.
The other woman was opening the fridge, leaning down to look inside it and giving Lydia a good view of the tattoos on her back as she was wearing an outfit that left most of it free.
"I had to know, to find hopefully the right method to protect you." Yoon turned and handed her a cold pack. "Believe me, if I had known more - I would not have given you the book without some form of protection," Yoon sounded a bit guilty.
It was clear that neither Peter nor Yoon had expected her to make such strides. If he had read something in a book about banshees it probably hadn't detailed how long it would take her to develop her abilities, just what they were. From the surprised tone Jennifer had used, banshees were not all that common.
"Nothing bad happened so far - although given the creatures I saw - I really don't want to face those again."
Yoon sat down at the edge of the table. "Why don't you open it?"
With an encouraging smile at, Yoon's eyes went to the black box on the table. Curious Lydia lifted the lid and was surprised to see a rather matted semi-transparent crystal. It was as long as her hand and slim enough so she could wrap it easily around the hexagonal body. The length was rather carefully cut with well defined edges, while both tips were more blunt almost sloppy looking.
"Take it."
The moment her fingers touched the crystals she felt something; Lydia was not sure what to make of it. Yoon's smile widened as her fingers tightened around it and she lifted it from the box.
"The crystal absorbs negative energies. Negative meaning those that harm your life force, either by draining or disrupting it."
"This whole thing is really quite normal for you, isn't it?" Lydia asked feeling quite overwhelmed.
All of it sounded so real and it even made sense, given that Peter had told her about it before. Yet, there was no scientific basis to this and she had to rely on them telling her the truth. While she could not deny that there was something supernatural, she wished she had a method to make sense of all this.
"I grew up with it all. If you take all the small glimpses and step back, it does make sense." Yoon said sounding very sincere. "Most people never encounter the real thing, even those who do, only see a small portion of it. You've already seen so much more. The more you learn, the more you'll be dragged into this world."
That was not quite what Lydia had hoped for, she had counted on learning how to switch her powers on and off. She wanted to put a stop to these kinds of killings but she also wanted to be able to leave that world of death behind her. Almost as if realising her worries, Yoon went on to console her.
"It's not a bad world. A dangerous one but it's also full of wonderful things."
"I haven't seen too many wonderful things happening," Lydia said not quite convinced by Yoon's assurance. It wasn't just the fact that she'd seen nothing but harm come to her friends, innocent people being murdered and then everything that had happened to her was the exact opposite of what she would call wonderful.
"I can't deny that. But you also have to understand - Peter already dragged you into this world, that is something that can't be undone. But you have a choice. You can either stand in a dark corner facing the wall trying to get on with your previous life or you can turn around and step into the light and have a look around."
Looking at the crystal in her hand, Lydia had to say neither options were appealing to her. Although the thought that maybe not everything would always be about death was something she liked to believe. She was just not ready to. "What happens if I do try to just get on?"
"Deucalion knows what you are, he already told others - eventually word will spread there is a banshee in Beacon Hills. If you're facing the wall - you won't see them coming."
It was clear that Deucalion was not the only one who had been talking. "Since when have you known?"
"About you being a banshee? Since last night."
"Last night?" Lydia realised that Peter must have gone to Yoon right after he had left her place. She could not help but wonder what kind of relationship those two actually had. A better question was probably why this unreasonable feeling of jealousy rushed over her. Taking in a breath, she added: "It seems I'm not the only one he feels free to visit anytime."
Yoon burst into laughter. "Well, lately I encourage it."
Suddenly something clicked and it became so obvious to Lydia: the knowledge about the supernatural, the books, the handing out of advice and then the hint that she had an open ear policy anytime. "You're a druid. You're Peter's emissary."
"Wow, he was right - you are exceptionally smart." Yoon seemed not at all mad about her discovery, she was more amused and impressed at the same time.
"But you have been here for a while …" she wondered out loud.
"I was sent here to have an eye on Deaton - I also trade in antique books pertaining to the supernatural. That's how I met Peter," Yoon explained. "After he became an alpha, he asked me if I wanted the job."
Yoon suddenly sat up almost alarmed. "What is it?" Lydia asked.
"Someone came into the store," Yoon said.
Moments later, she heard Ethan calling her name. She could not help but sigh. It really was impossible to have a conversation with her two overprotective bodyguards butting in every fifteen minutes. She wanted to yell back, when she felt the crystal in her hand pulsing. Looking at it she could not see anything different and then the feeling was gone again.
"Negative energies do not come just from the outside .."
Even though she was not as cryptic as Deaton, she clearly had the druid thing down in her own much more helpful way. "Give me a minute," Lydia eventually called out then turned back to. "So what do I do with it? Just hold onto it?"
"Yes, but be warned - the crystal can absorb a lot of negative energy but if there is too much energy it will burst. Have someone with you tonight, someone who can wake you immediately if that happens," Yoon said quite sincerely. "By trying to see more, you will open a wider channel - that will make it even easier for it to attack you.
Somehow she had the feeling she was not going to like asking Aiden for that favour, not when things were so awkward at the moment. "Does this mean I won't be attacked or that I just won't be harmed in real life."
"Good point," Yoon nodded and was making serious face. "The dream will be just as threatening - but if it works, then injuries in the dream won't happen in the real world. I'm just afraid you won't know until you wake up."
"If I wake up …"
Yoon touched her shoulder. "You will - your mind is strong, very focused - it might seem in a dream that you can't control it, that you can just react. But you can, you just need to focus, then you can influence the dream. Just as you did with the lightning, don't go against the dream - work with the scene."
That was from the book, and Lydia had to admit it was working well for her. But whoever the woman who had written it was, she had not known about banshees or whatever it was that lurked in the dark of the crypt.
"I'll figure it out."
When she was just about to leave, Yoon gave Lydia her calling card. "If there is anything else, you can also call me."
Since Yoon showed no sign of wanting to leave the back room, she said goodbye there and went back to meet Ethan in the store. She thought it was a bit strange but given the track record the twins had with Emissaries maybe it was not that surprising after all.
"Got everything you need?" he asked.
"I hope so - what is that look on your face?"
Lydia saw that he obviously had been sniffing around. She could bet he wanted to know whom she had been talking to. If he had not listened in anyway. That was the annoying thing with werewolves, they always heard things that they were not supposed to.
Ethan shrugged, then he put his hand on her back as they walked out of the door. "I don't know - this place smells of cat."