A/N~ So thank you again for everything. My uploads may continue to be sporadic but I'm going to try and keep them at least weekly. Encouragement is always appreciated folks and criticism is read swell but not always followed. Please continue to read, enjoy, and review. ~A

Chapter 20

The Darach glanced up at the fridge to see her grocery list and nearly shrieked in horror. Her voice caught in her throat as she realized what she was seeing in the stainless steel surface of the refrigerator was her own true reflection.

She drew a deep breath and strengthened the glamour, so that now the reflection looked more like the surface mask she showed to the public. It took more energy she was trying to conserve, she would need it in the coming battle facing the Alpha Pack and possibly the Hale Pack. She hadn't counted on the young Alpha being able to resist her charms.

That had forced her to change her plans but when this was all over and Kali and her fellow Pack members were dead and she was able to focus more of her energies on the matter. She really did want to investigate his apparently innate resistance to her magic.

She needed to find at least two more healers, more warriors and more sages. The loss of the Martin girl did make thinks a little uneven right now and the fact the warrior last night had fought so hard had been a blow to her ego. She knew what a banshee was, she just hadn't really anticipated running into one here in Beacon Hills.

She had barely managed to escape before the girls scream had shattered the illusion of her appearance or before the girl had actually seen her face. Jennifer realized that she was becoming almost reckless as the time of the eclipse grew closer. What else could she do though, she was running out of time. Even now when she was working to maintain her glamour she was also jittering in place with a keen need to track down her next victim.

She actually had an idea for the next victim. Like Lydia it was a little closer to home, or in this case her work than was probably a good idea but she was desperate and he would kill two birds with one stone. A warrior and a philosopher, all in one. Then she would send her little minions in search of her next target, or targets. At least no one had figured out what she was doing yet. If they ever recognized the pattern realizing who or what she was would probably follow soon after. She wasn't stupid, just desperate at this point.

With that final thought the Darach took the grocery list off the fridge and Jennifer Blake went shopping for groceries. Later that night she would go shopping for her next victim.

~O~

With a little hint of panic he called Scott and only got his voice mail. He then tried to call Melissa and only got her voice mail as well. Usually Mama McCall would answer knowing that Stiles only calls when he has a medical question, or needs some advice or needs to vent about Scott or… Okay maybe he called a lot. Plus she still hadn't exactly forgiven him about his rant over the hospitals security measures.

Now wasn't the time for resentment though it was the time to get hold of Mama McCall and do their best to keep their de facto mom safe. Although it was frowned upon he tried calling the hospital directly, only to be told by the receptionist that the staff weren't allowed personal calls on the direct line. A last ditch effort has him calling Scott again. When the cheery drone of his voice mail message came on the line again, the Spark lost his temper.

The only thing that saved his phone from hitting the wall and either putting a hole in it or shattering on impact was an Alpha who had crawled through his bedroom window and caught the device mid-air. "Just because you're having a disconnect day from social media is no reason to abuse the equipment," Derek said with an adorably shy grin.

"This from the guy who still thinks howling is the best way to get hold of everyone," Stiles said back and felt as if a ton of weight had suddenly shifted from his shoulders. "So how's Erica?"

"Doing much better actually. They're talking about letting her go in the next day or so after they get her set up with a little physical therapy to build her muscles back up. She and Boyd are both very happy about it," Derek said as he very carefully and deliberately put the phone down on the night stand. A few steps away from the Spark who simply gave him a look of dry humor.

"That's great. Although knowing werewolf healing, she probably won't need it. Still it should give her a little bit of re-education in control. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing." he said thoughtfully. Then added in realization, "Hey you didn't happen to see Ms. McCall while you were at the hospital did you?"

"Actually I did, she still hasn't forgiven you, huh?" Asked the Alpha raising a single eyebrow at the other young man.

"No, which is really annoying when you consider the new security service basically told her the same things and then some." Stiles said in a frustrated tone, then gave the green eyes werewolf a glare when the smile he was giving Stiles took on a mock horrified expression.

"Please tell me you didn't actually bring up the new teams findings when you spoke to her last?" Derek asked in amused horror.

"Well yeah, why?" the teen asked and Derek just shook his head.

"Remind me to have a talk with you about diplomacy some time….On second thought I'll see if Kenzi can do it instead. Anyway yeah I saw Ms. McCall her shift was just ending. You can probably catch her at home in just a few minutes I'd imagine." he said as he moved forward into the younger man's space.

Stiles snuggled into his arms easily and said softly, "Thanks, that does take a load off of my mind."

Derek frowned as he asked, "Why, are you still worried? She'll get over it soon enough. You know that, you know she loves you."

Reassured the Spark said, "No, no. It's not that, its just I've been doing more research on Druids and the elements and so forth and one of the groups that they revere. Other than warriors and scholars are healers, and since Melissa is…."

Derek is already moving back to the window, "Call Scott see if she'll answer him." he advised.

"I've already been doing that," Stiles informed his boyfriend desperately before the Alpha made it to the window and disappeared. "He's not answering either."

"Call everyone else." Derek said shortly the need to move, to do something like ants crawling under his skin, stinging him trying to get him moving.

"Derek it's probably nothing." the Spark said in a self-deprecating tone.

The werewolf took a moment to reassure his mate. "You're a Spark, Stiles. You have insights, you need to respect them. Besides you haven't been wrong so far. I'm more than willing to give you the benefit of the doubt in this and I'm not going to risk anyone in this pack for anyone who doubts you or isn't willing to listen to you in this." he said before he kissed Stiles thoroughly holding the back of his head gently as he plundered his lips. Then the Alpha practically dived out of the window to try and track down the missing nurse.

~O~

Erica and Boyd practicing fighting out in the open right behind a brick structure either her home or his apartment. They're going slow but its obvious that Erica is straining at the bit and keeps trying to fight harder and faster, more werewolf like. Boyd is trying to stick to the guidelines laid down by both Stiles and Mrs. McCall.

When Erica became frustrated and came at him with claws extended, Boyd caught her by the wrists and held her in place. Which only seemed to frustrate her more as she screamed, "Why is everyone treating me like some fragile little thing? I'm a werewolf."

"Yeah who was in a coma for several weeks, after being near death for a while in a broom closet. Even our Alpha couldn't hear your heartbeat Erica." Boyd said in a low voice as he shook her just a bit to get the message across before releasing her as he continued.

"We were kidnapped and held in a bank vault for several months and before that, we were kidnapped again and tortured after being so full of arrows we looked like that knight from the Monty Python shows." The blond laughed which was the intention but he didn't stop there. "I came this close to losing you," he said seriously, while holding his thumb and forefinger so close together you couldn't tell they weren't touching. "I'd rather not go through that again for a while. So sorry but for a while you're going to have to get used to the over-protective boyfriend looming around. Okay?"

She burrowed her face into his throat and letterman's jacket, scenting him as she practically purred her affirmative. Then the pair walked back inside, unaware of the beady eyes that followed them. They had potential but even she knew better than to try and take the two werewolves on.

She had other targets to take, these though would be her final sacrifices. Ones she would hold on to in order to keep this wolf pack in line until she could eliminate the Alphas. They were her main goal, especially Decaulion and Kali. She trudged off toward the Sheriff station, her next targets were there.