Don't Let Them In
I looked around the room and sighed. Dean and Jo sat on their bed, asleep, Arisa and Cass were curled up on theirs, and Sam was breathing deeply on the couch. I could either shift into my cheetah form and sleep on the floor like a normal animal, or go sleep in my car. I decided the less degrading option was my car, so I slipped silently out of the room.
The night had a distinct fall chill to it, but my small red Focus still held some of the day's warmth. I crawled into the back seat, thankful for my need to sleep curled up. I hit the lock and lay down, trying to get comfortable. It took an hour for me to realize that sleep wasn't going to happen, so I uncurled and went for a walk.
I really hated sharing hotel rooms. There usually wasn't enough room for the six of us. Sam or I were typically the ones without a bed, too, which sucked worse. I hadn't slept well in almost three months and it was starting to interfere with my hunting.
I wandered along the sidewalks, lost in deep thought, allowing myself a small pity party. By the time the sun was up fully, I was back at the crappy hotel. I sighed and unlocked the door. Everyone was still asleep. I went to the bathroom and changed, brushed my teeth, and used a bit of makeup to conceal the dark shadows under my eyes. I pulled on my fingerless gloves before entering the main room again. Seven A.M. Perfect.
"Alright, everybody! Up and at 'em!" I called out, starting the coffee pot. I was greeted with groans and grumbles. "Don't complain, boys and girls, we have a job to do," I said in false cheer.
"Do we even know what we're hunting? Exactly?" Dean asked.
"Sam thinks it's a shape shifter," I said, wincing at the word and waiting for the jokes.
"A brother of yours?" Dean asked. I glared at him. The urge to get up and walk out at that moment was almost overpowering.
"My brother is dead, Dean," I said coolly. He blinked, obviously surprised at my tone. "So let's not joke about it and get down to business." I turned to my bag and pulled my favorite knife out and buckled the sheath to my belt. I turned to face them. "Yes, I'm bitchy this morning. I didn't sleep last night. Deal with it." I pulled my bag up and made sure everything I needed was in place before strapping a silver knife to my calf and tucking my gun into my belt. "What's the plan?" I was answered by silence, and then Sam spoke up.
"We need to find it before it kills again," he said. I almost said something snarky, but held back. "I think we should split up and search the best areas for it to keep its lair." He sighed. "Sewers and abandoned warehouses will probably be the best bet." Dean, Sam, and Jo took to the sewers, Cass and Arisa took the warehouses, while I headed to speak to the witnesses. Again.
I parked at the first woman's house. I wandered up the walk to the door and spotted several red drops on the shaded porch. "Damn," I hissed, moving to the window and looking in. the woman lay dead on the floor, a puddle of gooey flesh next to her. Very fresh. The shifter was close. I pulled the knife at my waist and checked behind me. It was clear, so I broke the door open and rushed in. An exact copy of the dead woman stood in the hallway.
"Well, well, don't you have a lovely form?" It asked. "Maybe I should've waited." It moved to me and dove at her. She laughed and caught my wrist. "Iron and silver," she said, looking at my blade. "Clever." She squoze my wrist, making me drop the knife. I turned in and elbowed her in the stomach. She grunted, releasing me. I knelt down to grab my knife, but she tackled me, grabbing it before me and forcing it into my left ribcage.
The pain was sharp and intense. Then she twisted the blade. I screamed, and my exhaustion caught up with me. I blacked out. I woke seconds later, the shifter kneeling over me. "I was hoping you would stay out longer." I growled and reached to her. She backed up, laughing. "Too bad, I'm gonna go before someone else shows up."
Careful not to strain the wound more, I crawled to the couch and pulled myself up. I knew that if I'd slept the night before, I'd have been fine and the shape shifter would be dead. I panted as I grabbed my knife and made it to the door. I felt blood trickling from my nose and mouth. The bitch punctured a lung.
If I could make it to my car, I could call Arisa for help. Breathing hurt, and moving hurt more, and I was losing blood fast and feeling dizzy. Somehow I made it. I pulled the passenger door open and grabbed my phone. I dialed 2 and after a couple seconds, Arisa answered, sounding testy. "What's up, Li?" My defensive instinct was to say something sarcastic. I didn't have the energy and I didn't know what to say.
"I'm-" I cut off, a cough bring a rush of blood to my mouth.
"Selirra?" she asked, sounding worried now.
"306 Prairie Street," I managed.
"Cass and I'll be there in five seconds," she said. I hung up the phone and pressed my shaking hands to the wound. Blood seeped through my fingers and my vision started to dim. My door was yanked open. "Hell," I heard Arisa swear. "Cass, now."
I barely registered the gentle touch and warm feeling that flooded my body. The wound sealed and my dissipated a little. "Let's get back to the hotel," Arisa said, going around to the driver's side.
Once there, Ris slipped into the office and came out with another set of keys. She parked outside the room next to ours and she and Cass helped me out of the car. I was able to stand, but even Cass's healing hadn't been enough. "She needs food, Cass," she said after making me lie down on the bed. A rush of air sounded in the room and the angel was gone. She looked at me. "Why the hell did you go in there?" she asked. I just made a noncommittal noise. "Are you going suicidal on me, Li?" I thought I heard tears in her voice.
"No," I sighed. She was about to say something else, but I stopped her. "Look, Ris, I'm tired and I really don't want to be grilled right now. Can this wait? Please?"
"Fine, but I want answers later." I gave her a nod and dozed off before Castiel got back.
It took me a couple hours to recover some and for the others to return. I was out with bleach and a cloth cleaning the passenger seat of my car. The red stains were a gory sight and I didn't want civilians freaking out over it. The Impala pulled in and parked next to me. I tossed another soiled rag on the ground and dunked a clean one in the bucket of bleach water. Thank the gods for Clorox 2.
Sam, Dean, and Jo got out and gave me curious looks. I sighed. "I got stabbed," I said blandly. "It happens." I got a round of heads shaking at that one. Then Sam knelt next to me.
"What happened?" he asked.
"The shape shifter got to the witness just minutes before I did," I said, guilt I'd been holding back came to the surface. "I went in to see if I could find it in the house. It almost seemed as if it was waiting for something." Or one of us, I thought. Sam looked concerned. "I'm fine. Cass and Risa got to me in time." I looked back to the seat I was cleaning. Almost finished. I started scrubbing again. Sam grabbed my elbow.
"Stop, Li, and take a break for once," he said. I shot him an irritated look. "You are always working, always doing something, take a break." Arisa and Castiel stepped out to greet the three of them. Sam didn't look up; he just waited for me to finish protesting before pulling me up to stand. I rolled my shoulders and let them relax. Ris nodded to the door of the second room and we all went inside.
I sat down at the table, earning glares from Arisa and Sam. I sighed and moved to the bed. "Really, guys, I'm fine now." I got ignored. Story of my life. I let them talk. I didn't really care to listen at that moment, and I had a feeling I would be kept at the hotel until the shifter was dead. Not that I would stay. I hated feeling caged up.
As the day wore on, I began to doze off. By the time evening came, I was out, when I woke up around midnight, I was alone. I felt panic seize my heart for five seconds before I forced myself to relax. They were either in the room next door or out on the hunt. It would just take one look outside for me to tell. The Impala was gone. They were hunting. Joy. All alone in a creepy hotel. Weighing the pros and cons, I decided to get out of there. I really didn't want to stay there.
That, and my poor little car was sitting outside looking lonely. I knew the best way to best way to get rid of all the negativity and tension I'd been feeling lately would be a long drive away from everyone. I pulled my keys out of my bag and got in my car. I could see the faint blood stains on the passenger seat. I winced inwardly and turned the key. The engine purred and I backed out and drove to the interstate. By sunrise, I was miles away in a smaller town. My cell phone was off and I decided to take the day for myself. I found a secluded park and curled up under a tree with my favorite book and music. I read for two hours, enough time to finish Beowulf, and a Nightwish playlist. I leaned my head back against the tree's trunk and just thought.
My dagger's sheath was pressing into my back, so I took that as a sign to get my ass up and back to my car. The first thing I did was check my phone. Seven missed calls from the group. "Joyful," I muttered. I'd gotten over my odd depression and I had a feeling going back would send me right back into it. With a sigh of sadness, I dialed Arisa.
"Li? Where the hell are you?" she asked, almost sounding relieved.
"On my way back. I needed to get away for a while," I said drolly.
"Lirra, we're on a hunt, we need you!" I snorted.
"Which is why I woke up at the hotel alone last night," I said. "Look, Risa, that damned shifter almost killed me, okay? Excuse me if I'm a little leery at being alone in the town it's terrorizing." Then a dark thought entered my mind. How was I to be sure that it was Arisa I was talking to? I'd left her and Jo and the boys alone in town. It was very possible the shape shifter had taken one or more of them hostage, or killed them, to take their form. "Arisa, prove to me it's you," I said, panic starting to make my heart race.
"What are you talking about?" she asked, outraged.
"Prove to me you aren't that shifter, Risa," I said. I heard a sigh.
"Fifteen years ago you lost your entire family to demons, the Trickster saved you and gave you powers. You said you'd never told anyone that," she said.
"You're right on that," I said softly. Still, my gut told me something was off. "I'll be back in a few hours. Don't do anything stupid while I'm away. Got it?"
"Sure thing, Li."
The main room was unlocked when I got back. I was getting tired again.