If there was one thing Sam Winchester had grown accustomed to in all his years of fighting the creatures of the night; it was the efficiency of running.

Whether it concerned them escaping from a ferocious werewolf or only just dodging the clutches of a blood-thirsty vampire neither Sam nor Dean found running to be the equivalent of a foreign language. Were language a compatible analogy, they were fluent linguist at that.

Tonight's events were no different than any other hunt they'd pursued.

The only difference…..what they were facing was more fierce and cunning than what either Winchester was familiar with. With abnormal strength unlikely of a typical human, and speed that matched a Wendigo's pace. This was something else indeed.

"Sam!"

He heard his brother's voice from somewhere in the darkness, terror-stricken and muffled, but Sam was too busy focusing on the monster that maintained pace while it tailed him through the cavernous sewers of Central. He could hear his blood pulsing, his arms pumping in time with the gait of his running, causing the light of his flashlight to dance about from one damp and dirty spot to the next, barely lighting his path with its seizure-like movements.

The thing behind him was quick for all of its monstrous size, something Sam was made well aware of with its ability to move at such a rapid pace without stopping. Back during its initial attack he'd barely caught a glimpse of a massive shape that was short and stout before firing off a couple of shots only to realize how useless that was for the thing had kept coming. In the split second he'd come to this conclusion, the two brothers had made the rhetorically mutual decision to make a run for it instead of facing this creature head on. Without the right weaponry, and add on the fact they were clueless in regards to what they were facing, neither stood a fool's chance.

Sam wasn't sure what had become of Dean, but he couldn't allow his worry to overshadow his common sense, which was screaming at him to keep moving and find someplace safe. They'd gotten separated at some point, unknowing that a danger such as the very thing that pursued him would be lurking in such a place. They'd received an eye-opener tonight for sure.

Whatever it was, it found the situation humorous for Sam could hear a series of short-lived maniacal giggles from behind. Random spurts of whooshing noises followed by muffled thudding sounds made evident that the thing was dancing about as well as giving chase. Sam could hear it jumping from wall to wall every now and then in between it's dashing along the corridor. Once or twice he was certain the thing was right behind him, breathing down his neck, but Sam wasn't sure if that had been true or the result of his current state of minute paranoia.

A shot rang out. Then another, and another at which point a bullet whizzed past Sam's ear, but in the next instant he heard the sound of someone being startled followed by a ferocious bellow of pain. There was a series of grunting noises, and what sounded like something heavy falling to the ground. Sam didn't need to turn back to know that whoever had fired off those shots, he assumed it was Dean, had thrown the monster off its course for the rapid shuffling of feet pounding behind him was gone and in the next instant…Sam was alone in the darkness. With only the beam of his flashlight to keep him company.

He slowed down, coming to a complete stop once he realized his pursuer was absent now, and Sam was left standing in a pitch black world that his flashlight fought to penetrate. Trying to catch his breath, he whirled around gun raised and flashlight following his aim as he studied his shady surroundings. The only thing to behold in a place like this was the musty smell of city water prior to being cleaned and the occasional rat family braving wayward strangers in search of food. No sign of his monster enemy, not even a whisper of movement. And Dean was nowhere to be seen, which only increased Sam's worry to an even more elevated degree. The only explanation for that had to be that something had happened to him, and now Sam had to backtrack and find his brother or he was sure to lose him.

Slowly turning about, he faced the direction from whence he came, flashlight trained on the path before him, his only guide in the darkness. Moving carefully Sam crept forward, his movements slow and calculated so as not to make too much noise. The only sounds to be heard were his rapid heartbeat, the quick inhale-exhale of his breathing, and the steady drip-drip-dripping sound of water somewhere nearby. It felt like ages before he'd made it ten feet or so from his former location, and still nothing to be seen or heard other than the typical sounds of "sewer life". Uncertain of what else to do, Sam thought it only necessary to call out for his brother.

"Dean!"

In the distance he could hear the faint echo of Dean, Dean, Dean, but his call went unanswered, leaving Sam to assume only the worst….whatever had attacked him had obviously gone after Dean… and was more than likely waiting in the shadows to capture Sam as well.

If it came down to a question of loyalty, of whether or not he'd risk his own life to venture forth and rescue his brother, there was no doubting his decision to brave whatever lay before him. Never in the past had it mattered what he were to be facing, the risks meant nothing if the life of his brother was hanging in the balance. This time was no different, he'd take his chances with the dark, with the impeccable speed of that nameless creature…for Dean.

Because family looked after family….no matter what. Bobby hadn't spent the last few years hounding that lesson into their brains only for it to have been in vain.

Walking more briskly now, and with less stealth, Sam strode forward with every intention of battling whatever beast was lying in wait for his approach. He maintained a cautionary aura, keeping in mind to play it smart when dealing with a faceless enemy he knew nothing about. Continuing forward, Sam pressed on, wading through the darkness for several moments, his anxiety increasing for every second his searching turned up with no sign of his opponent or his brother.

"You are either very brave…..or very foolish to wander this way."

Sam spun around, aiming both gun and flashlight in all directions searching for the source of the voice. It sounded like a woman had spoken, her tone sounded intrigued but with a hint of annoyance, as though his very presence here had caused her distress. Was this the monster that had been chasing him through the sewers?

"You humans never cease to amaze me, predictable as you are…"

Sam continued turning about but his meandering eyes couldn't turn up anything.

"…..but you hunters on the other hand…you are truly something else."

What the Hell did that mean? And where the Hell was this woman? Even with the aid of the flashlight Sam couldn't see her. Her voice was like a lifeline at the moment for he clung to her every word, wondering if he could figure her out. Her voice was smooth and seductive, and Sam wondered vaguely if her form was as equally sensual, if the profile fit.

"Don't exert yourself too much; I'm certain the strain isn't good for your sensitive eyes."

"So you can see me?" Sam retorted, making certain to keep his voice calm and even. He didn't want her reading anything into his voice…..if he could help it. His only option currently, was to keep her talking, for he was at a disadvantage if she could see him but he virtually was blind.

"Perceptive aren't you?" he could practically hear the laughter in her tone. She was finding his misgivings amusing.

Abandoning his efforts with the flashlight, though making sure to keep his gun at the ready, Sam continued staring into the shadows. "Who are you?...Or should I say what?", he retorted in a cynical tone.

This time her laughter was aloud, "That's a tad bit rude don't you think? I do believe it's customary for humans to retain some level of tact."

"Sorry. Fresh out," Sam shot back, his uneasiness being swiftly replaced with anger. "And I don't plan on restocking."

She laughed again, obviously finding hit brazenness entertaining. Sam was finding the noise was beginning to grate on his nerves. "So what then?" he challenged, "Are you going to kill me?...Or are we going to continue hanging around here in the dark trading snarky banter?"

A short-live silence ensued, leaving Sam to wonder if she'd disappeared somewhere. But the quiet was quickly bunged when she spoke again. "Are you going to just stand there feigning an aura of machismo? Or do you plan to use that gun of yours any time soon?"

Sam wanted to keep her occupied, making it less than likely she'd attack again, but his worry was escalating more rapidly with the knowledge that he still needed to find Dean….wherever he was.

"Nevertheless any gallantry you present from this moment on will be useless," she purred.

There was the unmistakable sounding of a thud nearby. Not wanting to appear frightened, Sam deterred from addressing it vocally, continuing instead with his former plan to keep her talking.

"What do you mean?"

"It's quite simple really…..I have no intention of letting you escape from here tonight…."

Thud.

"Although…..you could prove to be of some use…."

Thud. Thud.

"How so?" Sam queried, keeping his hearing trained on the noise…it seemed to be coming from somewhere close by.

"Enough talking. You are in no position to be asking questions here."

Thud. Thud.

"And if I don't continue to play your little game?" He shot back. The sound was even closer.

She laughed again, "There's nothing left to discuss…..in a few seconds this conversation will cease to hold any value."

Sam suddenly became very aware of heavy breathing, and what sounded like a slight growling sound that accompanied the thudding noises he'd been hearing. In the midst of the darkness, he could hear a croaky, breathy voice utter, "Oh is that him?" It sounded like a man…..a strange man.

"Yes that's him," he heard the woman reply. "And with that Hunter, here is our goodbye."

Slightly perplexed Sam barely had the chance to utter "Wha-?" before something heavy and smothering slammed flat against his back. Startled, he whirled the flashlight around to catch a glimpse of his attacker, but the beam was cut off with a definitive whack against his right wrist. Pain shot up through his arm and to the tips of his fingers, he cried out and stumbled, gun and flashlight flying out of his hand and landing somewhere nearby. The fall must've jarred the flashlight severely for the light flickered and was instantly gone. The gun landed with a deafening crack against the asphalt, while Sam struggled to right himself before he too could make contact with the ground. Gentle prodding of his arm left Sam certain that the bone was broken, and a new wave of pain rocketed through his right limb and as he attempted to assess the extent of the damage.

His opponent however was not of a very giving nature as to allow Sam a moment of pause, for he ruthlessly made a grab for Sam's neck with both hands and squeezed hard whilst hoisting him off the ground, leaving his feet to dangle. Sam couldn't see the monster's face, and his eyes were beginning to glaze over with the constant lack of oxygen to his brain. He struggled against his captor, hands grasping helplessly at the pudgy fingers wrapped around his throat, but to no avail. Sam was beginning to feel light headed, and his feet kicked aimlessly but made no contact with anything.

"Can I now? Can I?" it asked the woman in that same croaky sounding voice, his tone expressing utter delight at having caught his prey. His breath smelled of something sinister and utterly foul, and for a split second Sam was glad he couldn't breathe for that stench could certainly kill a vulture.

"Yes, yes you may," she replied in a sweet voice, seeming to be the massive creature's maternal influence with how she spoke to him. "But try not to make a mess".

Try not to what?

The creature giggled, and Sam realized that his pursuer from before had not been the woman…but this thing. He had that same maniacal giggle, and come to think of it his breathing and hulky form were similar as well.

The creature shifted his grasp from Sam's neck to his head, and instantly he felt the sweet relief of air returning to his lungs. But the small victory was short-lived as the thing brought Sam's fact closer to its own, and its foul breath stung the hairs in Sam's nose and made him feel nauseous. Suddenly its eyes went from being practically nonexistent to a couple of rounded beams of red light, and in the pale glow of it Sam could see what appeared to be an obscenely fat nose in the midst of a largely rounded face. Its mouth was visible and the sneering smile it sported mimicked that of the Cheshire cat from Alice in Wonderland.

But what caught Sam's attention the most was the thing's tongue. It was larger than anything he'd ever seen before….and Sam had seen a lot. The slippery bit of muscle wriggled and stretched to lather against Sam's face, making him gag and nearly vomit. Then the creature stretched out its tongue even further, and Sam caught a glimpse of what looked like some king of marking.

It appeared to be a winged snake eating its own tail. An Ouroboros tattoo.