“This is what you wanted, Kasey. I’m not hurting him anymore.”
I held my hands up to my ears as the screams in the basement echoed around the hall. I don’t know why they’re so loud or how I can even hear them but it’s killing me. They’re dying and I can hear it. I can hear all of their pain, hell I can practically feel it coursing through my veins.
When he took me, he made me steal Lydia’s car— which I felt extremely bad about, and forced me to drive to an empty lot where I could dump the car. And then he brought me back to Eichan House. I don’t know what his deal is with this place, or why he keeps bringing me back here, but it’s starting to eat away at my resolve. I can’t keep coming in here.
He’s dying. He’s dying.
I clenched my jaw as they continued to chant the words that were making me sick to my stomach. I can hear woman and children screaming; begging for their lives. I can hear people sobbing and shouting for help. I can feel the panic and the anxiety dripping from the ceiling. I can feel the fear and horror puddling at my feet on the floor.
It's a never ending supply of pain, chaos and strife, and I can't escape it
“Can you hear them?” he asked me. How I was able to pick out his voice over their screaming is beyond me. Maybe it’s because he sounds like Stiles, and my ears are tuned to hearing his voice anywhere. I have to keep reminding myself that he's not Stiles though. He just looks like Stiles, but it's not him.
I glanced down the narrow pathway and found him walking towards me. The tips of his shoes were kicking up leaves as the blue tinted lighting hit the side of his face. He was Stiles, though. He was a carbon copy of Stiles. Every last fraction of an inch was the exact same. The slope of his nose, the curl of his lashes, the various amounts of scattered moles on his cheek and the base of his neck. It's all the same.
“Louder than before, isn’t it? Well that’s because a lot of bad things happened down here and you’re trying to warn them all, even though their dead. You know, I was already amazed at what you could do before, but know that I know you can connect yourself to memories from the past— memories of pain and loss so great that they practically come back to life when you’re around, it just makes me want you so much more.” he smirked as I attempted to get away from him.
The tunnel was getting smaller, at least it felt that way, the pipes on the walls were cold and my hands were already freezing. I can't stop shaking, and I can't seem to lose this dull ache that's pumping through my body. It hurts to walk, hell, it hurts to breathe.
“What are the voices telling you? Are they saying that Stiles is dying? He is you know, you couldn’t save him…you can’t save anyone.”
I continued to stumble down the tunnel, trying to ignore all of the voices and sounds until I could think of a better way to get them to stop. Stiles isn’t dying— he’s lying to me. He’s just trying to play another trick. The voices were morphing into Stiles' voice, screaming out for help like he did that night in the woods when I found him. I nearly fell backwards as they forced themselves into my head. This isn't real, Kasey. It's just another trick.
That’s what he does, he plays tricks.
“Stop it.” I whimpered. My temples were throbbing and my body was shivering from an unknown source of ice inside of me. I don’t know what’s happening to me. I mean, I never know what’s happening but this—this is just odd.
“He’s dying. They’re all going to die, Kasey.” he chuckled.
I found a set of stairs that led to a gate. I practically fell down them, grabbing the door and shaking it before it finally registered to me that I couldn’t get it to budge.
“You said you wouldn’t hurt him, you lied. I’m not letting you in anymore. I’m not going to help you.” I said quickly, I could hear him walking down the stairs. He was getting closer.
My eyes widened when I felt his breath on the back of my neck, “You don’t have a choice anymore, Kasey.”
I spun around, only to have him grip my waist and push my back against the iron bars of the door. The metal was rusted and it was scratching at my shoulders. I swallowed thickly as the Nogitsune moved his head from side to side as he assessed me, as if he knew something about me that I didn’t.
“You know why you’re so cold? Or why you’re whole body has that nagging dull ache?” he breathed out, his breath pushing my hair away from my red cheeks.
Regardless of it not being Stiles, he looked like Stiles and my body was still just as flustered by him. His hands were Stiles’ hands, they were holding my waist differently, but they were still his. It was making me extremely uneasy.
I didn’t want to answer him. I didn’t want him to give me an answer because I had a gut-wrenching feeling that the answer was bad. I think I’m dealing with enough bad things right now.
He smirked, “You’re connected to him right now…and he's dying.”
My stomach dropped. I squeezed my eyes shut and shook my head from side to side rapidly. He’s lying. He’s fucking lying to me. Stiles isn’t dying. He can’t be dying. I could feel my knees buckle beneath me as I slid to the ground, the Nogitsune was laughing and it was echoing around the halls.
Stop it, I thought angrily. I couldn’t speak. My throat was swelling shut, preparing itself for when I started to cry. I can’t take this anymore. It’s too much.
I think I’ve finally hit my breaking point.
My actual breaking point. I can feel any and all hope just leaving my body. It’s over. He won. He lied to me and said he wouldn’t hurt Stiles. He said he would leave him alone once he could have me and he lied. He lied. He tricked me and I fell for it because I was an optimistic idiot, thinking that for once I could save someone. For thinking that maybe, just maybe I wouldn’t be a useless burden.
I wanted to scream— literally scream, like Lydia can. I wanted to let everyone know where I was so they could possibly help me destroy the Nogitsune for putting me through this. I can’t do this anymore.
“You know, it really is a shame that I had to go through all of this… I really just wanted you.” he mused.
I glanced up at him, tears brimming, “Why didn’t you take me then? That night— why didn’t you just take me instead of Stiles?”
He grimaced and shook his head from side side, putting his hands behind his back and pursing his lips, “I tried. You were connected to him, which I’m assuming you already knew. I tried to get to you, believe me sweetheart I tried, you’re heart rate was too fast. I had to find someway for you to slow it down so I could take up residence in that pretty little head of yours.”
“The bathtub…” I breathed out in horror.
That night, it was him. The hallucination when he tried to drown me, he was trying to do exactly what had been done to Stiles, Scott, and Allison. He was trying to even out the playing field so he could have me.
He nodded sarcastically, “It didn’t work though because you were pulled out of that dream too fast.”
I swallowed thickly. Isaac had busted through the door. He had pulled me out of the water. I had thought I was hallucinating Scott doing it to me… but this whole time, all of my hallucinations they’ve just been the Nogitsune trying to get a deeper hold on me. Every time I almost die, it’s him.
He’s been with me this whole time.
“I have to give Noshiko some credit though. She knew that I was back, and once she caught wind of you and what you were… she acted pretty fast.” he revolted. His eyes were narrowed in annoyance and I could tell he was beyond pissed that he had been outsmarted once again.
If only he knew what I have in store for him, my thoughts sang loudly in my head. I have a plan now. A plan that will destroy him once and for all, and I just hope I can keep it hidden from him long enough for me to be able to set the pieces in place.
I ran the back of my hand across my lips to remove the excess tears that have fallen onto them, “And all those times when I was with Stiles… those thoughts that wanted me to hurt him and make him feel awful for leaving me…” I trailed off.
He smirked, “You’re catching on quickly.”
“Why? Why did you want me to hurt him like that?” I snapped, the memories of actually acting upon hurting Stiles were smacking me in the face.
The Nogitsune quirked an eyebrow, “It’s just like when you had sex with him, Kasey. You opened yourself up to me and I was able to almost get through. If it weren’t for that block, I could have taken over that night. When Stiles and I both took that monumental step and made love to you.”
I was disgusted that he was saying this, but it was true. He had been a part of Stiles when we had sex. He had been trying to get me to connect myself to Stiles so he could take control.
He literally has ruined everything for me.
“It’s kind of ironic, don’t you think? That the one time you decide to give into your hormonal impulses, happens to be the one time that you shouldn’t?” he chuckled. I wanted to kill him for finding amusement in this entire situation.
It’s not funny.
“Shut up,” I snapped, finally letting my rage boil over. I can’t deal with him saying these things on top of my headache and connection to my potentially dying boyfriend.
He smirked, “Don’t be so snippy, we’re going to be seeing a lot of each other… you better start getting used to me.”
"No, believe me I'm not." I argued. He's not going to be part of me for very long. I'm going to make him sorry for what he has done. I'm going to make sure he's stopped and will never be able to hurt people like this again.
He chuckled, "Did you ever figure out the answer to our riddle?"
"Wh--what?" I stammered as I glanced up at him, what is with him and these stupid riddles? Why does he always want to play these stupid games with me?
His eyes widened slightly, "Our riddle... everyone has it but no one can lose it, what is it?"
"I don't know," I sighed, sliding back to the floor. I don't want to do this anymore. I pulled my knees up to my chest and pressed my forehead against my kneecaps.
The Nogitsune sat down on the lat step, a few feet in front of me. I could hear him clicking his tongue in distaste, "What get's broken without being held?"
"I don't know," I repeated in annoyance. How am I supposed to know these things? I don't spend my free time looking up riddles online so I could know the answers for these situations. I hate riddles. I hate puzzles. I hate not knowing things.
I hate all of this.
He clenched his jaw, "Think, Kasey."
What get's broken without being held? I don't know-- is it something that you do or say? A bone, maybe? No, that's too easy. A heart? Hearts can break, yes, but the people that break them do touch them. I don't know. I honestly don't... oh.
"A promise." I mumbled.
"What has teeth but doesn't bite?" he continued.
I wired my jaw shut as I tried to think of the answer. What has teeth that doesn't bite? What has teeth that doesn't bite? It can't be something living because if it doesn't bite that more than likely means that it physically can't bite.
"A comb, or hairbrush." I sighed.
"What has a neck but no head?" he fired at me quickly. It's like this was a game to him, giving out riddles is a game.
It's a game that I do not want to play.
"I don't want to play anymore." I breathed out shakily. My body was starting to hurt even more and I couldn't stop shaking. I'm cold. I'm sore. I'm tired.
I just want to go home and sleep in my bed and not have to worry about this anymore. I just want to be okay and for Scott and Stiles to be okay. I'm ready to just throw in the damn towel and call it a day.
"You don't get a choice. What has a neck but no head?" He snapped in annoyance.
I swallowed down the bile that was rising up the back of my throat and tried to think of what the answer could be. Think, think, think. A neck but no head. A neck but no head. It's not alive, it's an item. It's something that people say has a neck... but no head.
A bottle neck?
I glanced at him uneasily, "A bottle?"
He smirked, "Everyone has it, but no one can lose it."
"I don't... I don't know that one." I stuttered. Why does he keep asking me this one. This could be anything. Your personality, your spirit, your soul. I have no idea.
The Nogitsune clenched his jaw, "Everyone has it but no one can lose it."
"Stop asking me that! Screw your stupid ass riddles. I don't know!" I shouted. I was losing it, I was starting to seriously lose my mind and I don't give a shit anymore.
He clenched his jaw, "Stiles knew. Stiles figured it out."
"I'm not Stiles, okay?! I don't know!" I screamed, my hands running through my hair as my heart lurched in my chest.
He chuckled, "You will know... you will."
☾ ☾ ☽ ☽
“They’ll find me. They’re going to find me.” I snapped at the Nogitsune.
He was letting me wander around the tunnels, trailing behind me making off-handed comments about Stiles and my abilities. He was taunting me, trying to get me to break under his pressure.
I had found another staircase, this one was longer and had another door at the bottom. The door had thinner bars and shook as I tried to push it open. It was weaker than the one before. It led into a circular room made of all concrete. Well that certainly isn’t going to be of any help whatsoever.
I’m not going to let him in. I don’t care what he says about the damn wall that’s up in my head, I still have a say in it. I have to let him in, and if I don’t then he’s going to have to find somebody else.
Which wouldn’t be good because then we have a whole new set of problems to face.
“You think so?” he mused from the top of the stairs. I turned my head to face him, he was perched at the top, his elbows on his knees as he watched me in amusement. “I, myself was kind of wondering what they’re doing right now. What useless lead they’re chasing. I wonder if maybe some of them have bigger problems to deal with right now. Are they really spending every minute looking for you? Or… are they waiting for nightfall? Focussed on some hopeless gesture to pass the time.”
I took a deep breath, “Why are you doing this? What do you want?”
“More,” he stated adamantly. I swallowed nervously as he stood up and began to walk towards me again. The last time he had me pinned against a door he put too many things in my head.
My eyes followed him carefully, “More what?”
“The Trickster stories are all about food, Kasey. The Coyote, the Raven, the Fox. They’re all hungry. I’m the same. I just crave something a little different. I eat what you feel.” he explained as his face carried him down step by step.
I turned my head and squeezed my eyes shut as he grabbed the back of my neck and pressed his lips to my ear, “And I’m insatiable.”
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Oh goodness. I hope all of your questions about the Nogitsune's motives with Kasey were answered in this chapter. I think I covered up all the loose ends in the plot for you guys if you were lost. This next chapter is going to be hard to write, omfg.
There's only three chapters left!!!
Be sure to fan, vote and comment! -Sasha xx