The house was empty, something that Pepper was used to living with Sam and Dean. Some of their hunts were local, they'd leave early come home, go back out like any other work day. Sometimes they'd be gone for days or even a week or two. But, her and Dean always made some sort of time for each other on the phone, though, she'd let him call her; interrupting a hunt was not exactly a way of getting on Dean's good side. He never liked to bring his work home with him either, but who could blame him?
Sometimes it was just like clockwork, if he was away for an extended time, she could almost predict when he'd call down to about five minutes. Of course she would deny his little shots at how she, 'was waiting for him to call' or 'watching the clock.'
She sat in the, what she called, lake room in her chair facing the large floor to ceiling windows. The room wasn't large, but the windows made it seem much bigger, especially with the valley across the lake that sparkled under the moonlight. The crisp fall air always made this room a little colder, especially with no lit fireplace. However, her Uggs kept her feet toasty warm, with her sweats stuffed down into them, and Dean's jacket draped over her shoulders kept her comfortable while she read under the single lamp next to her chair.
A cold chill or draft wasn't unusual to experience in this room, however the feeling of being watched was. Pulling his jacket closer she sank lower into the arm of the chair she sat across and tried to push the gnawing thought away from her mind. But the paranoia chewed at her like a hungry animal.
She thought her eyes played a trick on her, almost catching the light dim quickly but flick back on. She looked up and the bulb sizzled and cut off with a pop. Making her jump and her blood run colder than the air outside, her adrenaline numbing her whole body as she sat in the dark, the full moon the only source of eye straining light. With a slow breath out, she could see the puff of steam as if it was the dead of winter. And the chill bit right through her heavy clothes and his leather jacket. The flare of her nostrils felt stiff with how cold it became. Dean's told her about this. But now she realized that it was a warning. Focusing on another part of the room, she felt all the color drain from her face, and all the life being sucked out of her. A dark figure stood just at the other end of the room. Maybe eight or so feet from her chair.
Pepper heard a sickening, guttural growl rumble in the corner just diagonal of her, the wall opposite of the windows. And in the pale moonlight, she could see the large paw prints being burned into the wood floor, the ribbons of gray and white smoke wafting from the burned prints. She's only heard of hell hounds. She's never seen one for herself. But that was the thing..they couldn't be seen.
"Ello, deary" The rough accented voice broke through the silence and she shot to her feet. "Now now, no sudden movements, Virginia."
"Crowley.." She gasped and started backing up, nearly tripping over the table stand behind her.
"And so we meet again. Come!" He barked to the hound in the corner, and she could sense the motion of the giant invisible creature cross the mantle of the fireplace. The paws not able to burn through the stone, but they charred the surface. "Good boy" He patted the indefinite figure.
"What do you want" She spat and her wide eyes stayed glued on where his hand was resting on air.
"A favor"
"Hell no"
"How many times have I heard that" he grumbled and rolled his eyes.
"Apparently not enough" She scoffed back.
"Miss..Or are you Missus yet? I'm afraid you will not be able to back out of another deal so easily. You see. Stakes are much higher now."
"I'm not buying into that shit, Crowley!" She spat and started standing her ground.
Kay's senses lead her right to the familiar lake house that she frequented, and to no one's knowing; not even the brothers. She could smell the rotting and charred death of a hellhound. Ever since Pepper had shared the little run in she had with Crowley in town, Kadence stayed close, but out of sight. It was hard staying out of a demon's sight, and Crowley was just a whole different creature entirely. Tuning into her canine sight, her eyes flashed a silvery white like the moon that hung in the night sky, she could see the hound from the large windows as she hid in the low brush.
The creature was the least pleasing thing to look at. Certainly something that was meant to instill fear. Kadence swallowed her fear down even. The animal was a scorched black, no fur, and with some type of dry, hard hide. Its neck and shoulders were broad and muscular, a flat snout and sharp pointed ears. Its legs were a work of a greek statue with the musculature. The creature had no bit of lose skin, even his jowls showed of hard, bone crushing muscle. The slender back allowed it to be extremely fast and agile.
Kadence had never before gone against a hell hound, and she never believed that she would. But not only was she a hunter. But she made an oath of her kind, she was sworn to protect the human race. And her best, and only friend was at the top of that list, even if the brothers weren't fond of her. The creature's eyes glowed red and she caught a glimpse of the razor sharp fangs in its mouth, nails that were like daggers on its feet. Slinking back into the bushes she started to make her way to the house and inside. Things were going to go south, she knew they will. They always did.
"Crowley, nothing you do is going to convince me to make a deal with you" Pepper told him, now finally having the courage to stand her own ground against the king of hell. Whether it was her own mind controlling this, or the bit of Dean's sturdiness rubbed off on her, she felt momentarily proud of herself.
"Oh.." He spoke sadly and shook his head, dropping his hand as another howl entered the night. A ghostly howl, that didn't sound like any other wolf she's heard. This chilled right to the soul. "I feel as though I must resort to…more drastic measures" He looked down to the hound next to him and Pepper instantly let her walls fall around her.
She unstuck her feet and made for the door, and she wasn't sure what she wanted to grab first, Dean's spare gun or her phone. Sure..she knew how to shoot, but Dean was doing this his whole life..
"SICK EM BOY" The roar from the room thundered through the house and the howl was loud and ear piercing as the creature stormed through the house. Tearing open doorways, just giving way to its sheer unseen size. The nails dug deep into the floors and tore into carpet. Pepper's fear kicked into overdrive and she scrambled to find his gun. Trying to tune into her frantic mind long enough to remember where he said it was. Glass broke as the creature neared and she felt teeth clamp down around her ankle, and she let out a blood curtailing scream as she fell to the ground, the hound dragging her violently backwards. She pulled a pile of something from the counter and her phone clattered to the floor.
She couldn't see where this creature was, but if her foot was in its mouth, she had a good idea where the rest of his head was. Coiling her free leg back she delivered a swift kick with the soul of her foot, coming into contact with something that felt like muscle and bone. A loud yelp rang out and her foot was free, but twisted and sprained, making it hard for her to get to her feet. She scrambled and reached for her phone, but it was just out of reach. She pulled her weight on one arm to get closer, allowing her to grab it. And in that split second she had the line alive and ringing. "Come on… Damn you" She hissed into the receiver and tried getting to her feet again going to the closet. Opening it and pulling out everything she found the pump shotgun leaning against the back.
"Babe I told you-"
Just as the line went alive she dropped the phone feeling paws swipe at the leather jacket, thankfully only catching that with a snarl and a loud gunshot shook the house and knocked her back into the closet.
"Pepper!" Dean roared into the phone that laid on the floor. "Pepper you there?! What's-Pepper!" He yelled again but the only thing he got in return were snarls, screams and gunshots.