4. New Monster in Town

Feels like I'm falling, into a worldInto a world I can't controlI hear it callingDown in my soulGripping my bonesIt won't let goWake me upWon't you wake me up?Caught in a bad dream ~ Bad Dream ~ Ruelle

And my heart won't beat againIf I can't feel him in my veinsNo need to question, I already knowIt's in his DNA ~ DNA ~ Little Mix

Cody was two steps through the front door when Gerard stepped in front of her. She jumped, her hand clutching at her chest.

"Sorry," he said with a chuckle. "I didn't mean to scare you." She shook her head as if to say it was okay. "I was hoping to talk to you, Cody," he said.

She nodded, running her hand through her hair tiredly. "Okay, what's up?"

"Well, anytime I ask your dad about you he always gives me some vague answers," Gerard said. Cody didn't like his voice. It was a little too high, a little too scratchy. He continued, "So I thought I'd go straight to you with my questions."

"Okay," she said. "What do you want to know?"

"I want to know how much you know," he said. His gaze was intense.

Cody shrugged, plastering a calm look on her face. "About what?"

Gerard let out a chuckle that made a chill run up Cody's spine. "You know what. Your dad won't tell me what you know and anytime I bring up hunting he shuts me down. So, how involved in this family are you?"

Cody didn't break her gaze from his. "I'm not as invested as Allison," she said. "It's just harder, knowing I don't really belong to this family."

Gerard's voice rose a little bit. "Blood has nothing to do with it. You're an Argent, even if it's not by blood." He paused, thinking. "So you know everything Allison knows?" She nodded. "So why are we not training you like we're training her?"

"Kate tried," said Cody, crossing her arms over her chest. Her voice was bity. "It's not really my thing."

"I see a lot of Kate in Allison. But I also see her in you."

"I'm nothing like Kate," Cody seethed. "I'm not a murderer."

"Kate was doing what she was taught," said Gerard.

Cody's phone rang in her back pocket. She pulled it out and hung up without even looking at it.

"I don't want to be 'taught' to kill anything," snapped Cody.

"It's what we do," said Gerard. "You're just going to have to trust in that. You'll have to trust me."

Cody got a text and glanced down at it, then back up to Gerard. "That's the thing," she said, slinging her bag over her shoulder. "I don't trust you." She turned, walking quickly out the door before he could follow or protest.

She dialed Stiles number once she had started her car.

"Dude?" she said. "What's going on?"

"I'll explain later," said Stiles, his voice shaking. "Just get your witchy ass over here and protect me."

"Scott was right. It's not a werewolf," said Stiles when he climbed in the passenger seat of Cody's car. "Its eyes...they looked like a reptile. There was something about it..." said Stiles.

"What do you mean?" asked Cody.

Stiles let out a shaky sigh. "You know how when you see a friend in a Halloween mask, but all you can see are their eyes? You feel like you know them. But you just can't figure out who it is?"

"Wait, you-you know who it is?" asked Cody.

"No," said Stiles, shaking his head. "I'm saying I think it knew me."

***

"—I know because I love you. I love you more than- oh my god! You and Allison need to find a better way to communicate!" Stiles snapped at Scott.

Cody sat down on the step next to Stiles and faced the boys. "Oh, I thought that was really sweet. I almost walked away to give you a moment."

Scott laughed, then turned back to Stiles. "Come on," he said. "You're the only one we can trust."

"Wow," said Cody. "Thanks guys."

"No," said Scott, trying to backtrack. "I just mean, Stiles is less suspicious and you said you didn't want to get involved. Even though you're already involved thanks to Derek." Scott turned back to Stiles. "Is Allison coming to the game tonight?"

"Hey, what about your boss?" asked Cody. "What did he say?"

Scott looked around for anyone who might be too close, then said, "He thinks your family keeps a record of all the things they've hunted. Like a book."

"Like a bestiary," said Stiles, his excitement popping through.

Scott chuckled. "I think you mean bestiality."

"No," said Cody and Stiles together.

"It's like an encyclopedia of mythical creatures," said Stiles.

"How is it I'm the only one who doesn't know about any of this stuff?" asked Scott.

Stiles shrugged. "I don't know man, but we need that book." They both turned to Cody. "You gotta find it," said Stiles.

"What am I supposed to do, go up to Gerard and say 'hey, you know I hate you but can I have your mythical monster record so I can help my werewolf best friend?' Yeah that would go over well," snapped Cody. "No, he'd never help me. And if I started being all nicey nice it would totally give me away. We need Allison's help with this."

"Okay, well have you seen him with anything suspicious?" asked Scott.

"The guy's a psycho monster killer. Everything he does it is suspicious. What would this...bestiary look like?"

"Like a big book," said Stiles. "Maybe bound in leather. Ever see anything like that laying around your house?"

Cody shook her head. "No, but maybe Allison has. He likes her a lot more. I think he knows what I am."

"How would he know that?" asked Scott. "I mean, how would he know you're using your power?"

"I don't know," said Cody. "But when he looks at me it's like he can see into my head. Like it's so easy for him to know all my secrets." She shuddered.

Scott turned his attention to Stiles. "Will you please go talk to Allison?"

Stiles let out an exasperated sigh. "I have to do everything."

***

Cody's locker door slammed shut in front of her. She turned to find Jackson leaning against the lockers and smiling deviously at her.

"Hi, Jackson," she said, her face stoic and irritated.

"Hey, Codykins." His smile somehow got wider.

Cody raised her eyebrows. "What do you want?"

"You coming to the lacrosse game tonight?" he asked.

"Yes," said Cody with a sigh. She turned and started walking down the hall.

Jackson followed her. "Good. I'm glad you're coming to see me."

Cody rolled her eyes. "I'm not going for you, Jackson. I have friends on the team, remember?"

"Please," said Jackson. "You can't honestly tell me you're going just to watch Stilinski sit on the bench."

"Scott's my friend too," she reminded him.

Jackson grabbed her arm and turned her to face him. "Come on, at least cheer for me a little."

Cody took her arm from his grasp. "Why would I do that? We're not friends. And I don't like you."

"Don't be like that, baby—"

"I am not your baby," Cody snapped.

"Come on, Cody," said Jackson, his voice flirty. "I'm just a guy trying to get a pretty girl's attention. Let me have your attention."

Cody pretended to think for a minute. "No," she said. She turned and kept walking down the hall.

***

Cody sat awkwardly next to Allison who sat awkwardly next to Gerard. The two sisters had a plan. Allison would take Gerard's keys, and give them to Cody who would go to his office and look around. Gerard wouldn't care if Cody ran off.

Allison gave a fake shiver. "I knew I should have brought a warmer coat," she said.

"Oh, you're cold," said Gerard, his voice full of concern. "Take my coat."

Allison put on his big wool coat and stuck her hands in the pockets. Slowly she pulled the keys out, her hand wrapped completely around them so no one would see. She pressed them into Cody's waiting palm.

"I'll be right back," said Cody, loud enough for Gerard to hear. Allison nodded and Gerard barely gave a grunt of acknowledgment.

Cod made her way down the steps of the bleachers, locking eyes with Stiles would got off the bench and met her at the end of the bleachers. They walked off together, hoping no one would find it suspicious. After they were several feet from the field they broke into a run. They ran back through the parking lot and towards the school, only to have Stiles come to a screeching halt. It only took Cody a moment to realize what he was looking at; Lydia was crying in her car. Stiles shot Cody a pleading look. Cod rolled her eyes, told him to go comfort her, and kept moving.

Cody walked quickly down the hall, the heels of her boots clicking on the tile floor. Once she reached the principal's office she quickly unlocked the door. She definitely could have gotten in using magic, but it would have left the door in ruins, so she used the key. She was rummaging through the drawers when Stiles ran in, gasping and out of breath.

"'Bout time you showed up," said Cody. She pointed to a filing cabinet. "Look in there."

After a few minutes Stiles slammed the drawer shut. "It's not here," he said.

"Just keep looking. It's got to be—"

"Hello, Stiles," someone cut her off. The two turned to see Erica standing in the doorway.

Cody groaned. "What the hell do you want?"

Erica flashed her a glare. "I'm just here for Stiles." She grabbed him by the ear and began hauling him out the door as he squirmed.

"Hey, wait!" Cody shouted, running after them.

She followed Erica, who led them to the pool. They turned the corner and there was Derek, standing in front of the pool, holding a basketball. Erica stood next to him looking very proud.

"Oh, of course," Stiles grumbled.

Derek looked from Cody to Stiles. "Wow," he said, smiling. "Two for one. What a deal. So, what did you see at the mechanic's garage, Stiles?"

"Uh, several alarming EPA violations that I'm seriously considering reporting," said Stiles. Cody was the only one to chuckle.

Derek's claws came out and he popped the basketball with ease, letting it fall to the floor.

"Oh my god," said Stiles. Cody rolled her eyes.

"Let's try that again," said Derek.

"Wow," said Cody. "You're so bossy. You know, we're not afraid of you."

Stiles elbowed her. "Speak for yourself." He looked back at Derek, who was glaring. "Alright, the thing was pretty slick looking. Dark. It looked like it had scales. Is that enough?" Stiles sighed and kept going. "Okay, its eyes were yellow and slitted. It has a lot of teeth. And a tail. Are we good now?"

Cody didn't like the concerned look on Derek's face. He was looking right above her.

"Have you seen it?" Stiles asked. "You have this look on your face like you know exactly what I'm talking about."

Cody and Stiles followed their gazes up. There it was, sitting on the bars, just looking at them with its yellow eyes. It roared, showing a set of razor sharp teeth. It jumped down in front of them and batted Erica away with ease. She fell to the ground, unconscious. Derek roared at it, then turned to push Cody and Stiles away.

"Go!" He demanded.

"Derek, your neck," said Coy, her eyes landing on the cut across the back of his neck.

Derek just had time to reach up and touch the cut before he was stumbling. Stiles caught him and struggled to hold him up. Stiles began hauling Derek away as Cody followed, trying to look out for the creature.

"Call Scott," Derek commanded.

Stiles reached for his phone but it slipped out of his hand and fell. He went to pick it up and Derek lost his balance, falling into the pool with a shout. Stiles dove after him as the creature lunged at Cody. She pushed it back with magic, but it only gave her a couple seconds. She sprinted to the other end of the pool. Stiles supported Derek and looked around the huge room.

"Where did it go?" he asked. Cody looked around too, unable to find it. Stiles asked, "Do you think it left?"

There was a roar and Derek's face turned to its normal irritated resting position. "Maybe not. Now can you get me out of here before I drown?" he snapped at Stiles.

"You're worried about drowning?" Stiles snapped back. Did you notice the thing out there with multiple rows of razor sharp teeth?"

"Did you notice I'm paralyzed from the neck down in eight feet of water?" Derek shouted.

"It's only seven feet, Derek, don't be such a drama queen," said Cody.

"I'm serious, Cody!" He shouted.

Cody looked around, still in her fighting stance. "I know you're serious, Derek. It's your default setting."

Stiles started swimming to the edge of the pool to retrieve the phone but Derek stopped him when he saw the creature's shadow. It was creeping towards them slowly.

"What's it waiting for?" asked Stiles.

"Cody, can you do something, please!" snapped Derek.

"Magic just pissed it off," said Cody.

The creature was slowly making its way around the perimeter of the pool, its eyes going from the boys in the pool to Cody. She moved around slowly at the same pace as the creature, keeping the entire pool between them. It crawled over to the side of the pool and tentatively stuck its hand in, only to pull it back out and stagger backwards.

"Did you see that?" asked Stiles. "It can't swim."

"I don't think I can do this much longer," Stiles huffed.

"Don't even think about it!" said Derek.

"Would you trust me, just this once?" asked Stiles. "I'm the one keeping you alive."

"And when the paralysis wears off, who's going to be able to fight that thing, you or me?" said Derek. "You need me to survive which is why you're not letting me go."

"Cody," said Stiles. "Hold him up."

He didn't give her a chance to answer. He dropped Derek and began swimming like crazy towards the edge of the pool. The creature was moving towards him quickly, as quickly as Derek was sinking. Cody reached down as if she were grabbing the water and pulled it up, throwing it at the creature. It moved away from Stiles and Cody reached down to grab Derek. She tried to pull him up as quickly as possible. His head broke through the surface and he gasped for air.

"Did you get Scott?" Cody asked Stiles.

"He didn't answer."

Her magical grip on Derek was slipping. "Grab him, I'm about to drop him." Stiles reached him in time to hold him up.

The thing was coming towards Cody again and she splashed it. She threw her hands forward and it went flying back. It didn't seem hurt at all, just angry. It charged towards Cody.

Something dropped between them. Scott roared and lunged at it. It grabbed his ankle with its tail and threw him against the wall. He hit the mirror and shattered, the pieces of glass falling to the floor with Scott. He picked up a piece of the glass as a weapon. The creature stopped, looked very closely at the glass, then turned and ran. It climbed up the wall and burst through the glass of the ceiling, completely gone into the night.

***

"Is that even a language?" asked Stiles as the three of them stared down at the computer screen.

"How are we supposed to find out what the hell this thing is?" asked Cody.

"It's called a kanima." The three turned to watch as Derek made his way over, Erica right behind him.

"You knew the whole time?" asked Stiles, his voice irritated.

Derek shook his head. "No. Only when it was confused by its reflection."

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

"Or who it is," said Cody.

Stiles was still mad. "What else do you know?"

"Just stories," said Derek. "Rumors."

"So, is it like us?" asked Scott.

"A shapeshifter, yes. But it's not right. It's—"

"An abomination," Stiles finished for him. Derek nodded.

"We have to work together on this," said Scott. "Maybe even tell the Argents."

"You can't trust them" snapped Derek. "They're murders. They're more monster than we are."

"Thanks a lot!" snapped Cody, sending Derek a glare.

"What, now you're allegiance is with them?" asked Derek as he rounded on her. "First Scott, then me, then yourself—it's impossible to know whose side you're on!"

"I've been helping you," she snapped back. "But apparently that's not good enough for you!"

"Helping me? You did nothing in there! You were completely useless!"

Cody's face turned to one of pure anger. "If it wasn't for me you would have drowned. You're welcome you jerk."

"Hey—hey," said Scott, putting a stop to their bickering. "No one trusts anyone. That's the problem. While we're here arguing about who's on what side, there's something bigger, faster, and scarier out there and it's killing people! And we don't even know anything about it!"

"I know one thing," said Derek. "When I find it, I'm going to kill it."

"Yeah, cuz that's your answer to everything," spat Cody.

Derek went to move towards her. "You know what—"

Scott stepped between them. "Knock it off, both of you!"

"Lover's quarrel," said Stiles.

"Shut up, Stiles!" Derek and Cody snapped together. At least Stiles constant "lovers" jokes could get them to come together.

***

Cody was laying in bed staring at the ceiling when a knock on her window made her jump. she threw the covers off and marched over to the window, fully intending to tell Derek to go away. She was surprised to see not Derek, but Isaac staring back at her. She opened the window.

"How did you find my house?" she asked.

"Hello to you too," he said with a chuckle.

Cody cracked a smile. "Hi."

Isaac gave a sheepish smile. "I followed your scent. to find your house."

"God that's so creepy," she said, though she was still smiling. "What's up?"

"I heard about what happened tonight," said Issac. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

Cody took a deep breath. "Yeah, yeah I'm okay." Her face gave her away. I'm not okay," she said, her voice weak. "I'm scared. I don't know what the hell that thing was and I really thought it was going to kill one of us and my magic barely did anything against and..." she trailed off, wiping the tears from her cheek. "...and I don't know why I'm crying."

Isaac reached out and wiped a tear away. "It's okay. I get it."

Cody shook her head. "No," she said stubbornly. "I shouldn't be freaking out like this." Her crying only got harder. "I'm strong. I should be able to fight it but I can't I'm--"

She got cut off when Isaac kissed her. It wasn't very long, just a couple seconds as his hand brushed her hair away.

When he pulled back he said, "I'm glad you're okay." He smiled. "Goodnight, Cody."

"Goodnight, Isaac," she said. And then he was gone.

(A/N: above: Cody and Isaac. I have no idea where I'm going with them but hey, we'll see. Also Derek is kind of an ass in this chapter so please enjoy this collage of Cody being done with Derek's bullshit)