Now.
Cold steel touched his trembling lips and his breath ghosted over it. 'How did the night ever get like this?' he thought, pausing his hand. Should he take the shot, or not? He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment. His brother... oh god. He would understand. It would hurt him, but he would get it. And his best friend... his heart clenched. Was he still his best friend after this? Images of the night flashed before his eyes, especially the stunned look on his best friend's face. No way... this night would definitely change their friendship. He raised his hand again, this time more steady, and he took the shot. It burned like fire down his throat and he welcomed the sting. Lowering the flask, Dean blinked into the dark night. The cold metal of Baby's hood crept through his jeans and the flickering neon sign of the motel threw wonky shadows on the motelroom door behind which Sam and Cas were right now. Cas... he had looked so spooked. He raised the flask up to his lips again, his mind racing back to yesterday afternoon, the beginning of this hunt from Hell.
Last Wednesday afternoon.
"Come on Sammy! Three mummified corpses not enough for you?" Dean had teased his baby brother, resting his butt on the back of the cheap motel chair. The Sam Winchester Original Bitchface he got only made his smirk stronger. "Shut up, Dean. It could be any number of monsters." Cas sat on the edge of one of Sam's bed, watching the brothers banter with a slight smile. "Sadly, I must agree with your brother, Sam. You are overlooking one crucial fact, which narrows this down to just one." Sam turned his head around to Cas so fast, his hair whipped him. Brushing it away irritably, Sam snapped. "And what would that be, then?" Happy to not be the one bearing the brunt of Sammy's annoyance, Dean leaned back and sipped his coffee. Cas tilted his head to the side a bit. "The fact that all victims were in some state of undress, Sam." he said, as if it was obvious. Sam cussed under his breath and leaned his hands on the table. "Crap... You're right. Only one left: succubi... Geez." He straightened. "Well, that means you're out of this one, Dean."
Dean shoved himself to his feet. "What? Why?!" He got a double incredulous look from Cas and Sam. "Really, Dean?" Sam just huffed, and Cas pulled the corner of his mouth up in half a smile. "Of us three, you are the most sexual. We wouldn't want the succubus to get it's claws on you." Agitated, Dean tuned away from them. "Sure. Right. Well, lemme know if either of you get the thing to show itself." he huffed and threw himself on his bed. He grabbed his phone and had started to punch in his unlock-code, when Sam sighed. "Come on, Dean. Don't be like that." Dean glared at him. "You know we're only trying to keep you safe." Sam plead, but Dean scoffed at Sam. "Yeah, when has that ever worked for us?" Cas walked over, and Dean looked up at him. "Dean, we are not trying to make you feel incompetent. It is a simple fact that with your libido, you are very appealing to succubi. And if there is more than one, things could get pretty ugly, pretty fast." Lowering his gaze, Dean mumbled something, near unintelligeble. "I know you have an active one, Dean. Don't try and downplay it, just so you can join Sam and me." A blush crept up Dean's cheeks. "Damn angelic hearing." he muttered and angrily turned on his side, his back to his brother and best friend, who were both sniggering, damn them.