"Phone's ringing."
I nodded at Devon and grabbed the beer. "'Lo, Maggie Salvatore speaking." I said, swinging myself on to a stool.
"Salvatore?" the voice on the other end echoed, and I belatedly checked caller ID. I groaned, cursing my stupid trusting nature. I'd been so sure it would be Stephen. "Really?"
"Whatever, Sam." I took a long swig. "Just tell me what you want."
"You." He said, seriously, and my hand itched to throw a punch. "You know that I burn for you, I scream your-"
"Fuck off, Winchester." I advised. "If you don't get to the point, I'm hanging up."
I heard a chuckle on his end, and groaned again. So the Fantabulous Duo was back together? Ya-frickin'-hoo.
"Touchy." Sam commented. I rolled my eyes and drank again. "We need you to cover up some stuff."
I raised my eyebrows. "What stuff?"
"Stuff." He said, evasively. "You're in Wisconsin, right? We'll be there in a couple of hours to talk it over."
"Wait, wait." I nearly spilled my beer over myself as I stood up. "You're coming here? To Peshtigo?"
"Yeah." He sounded as surprised as I felt. "Is there a problem?"
"Um, no." I said, nervously. "I'm just on a case right now."
"And?"
"As in, a kind of serious case. Which requires a partner."
"Ah." He dragged the syllable out. "A partner."
"Yes." I affirmed, not enjoying his tone of thinly-veiled disapproval.
"You mean…a very human, very male partner."
"What do you think, Winchester?" I barked, and he chortled. "What're you giggling about?"
"Nothing, nothing." He said hastily. Then the smirk re-entered his voice. "Dean wishes Tyler the best of luck to escape alive."
"Tell Dean to shove it up his ass." I said grouchily. I had no idea why everyone thought my hatred of Tyler was a riot. The guy was a douche of the greatest degree, and everyone just treats him like he's one of the better angels. "Look, do you want my help or not?"
"Hey, Babyluv." Dean sang, and I figured Sam had handed the phone over. "Miss me?"
"I was just telling your bitch of a brother how I'm pining away for you." I snapped, and smiled automatically when Devon seated himself on the chair opposite mine. He smiled back. "Listen, I'll call you back later, alright?"
"You on a date?" he asked shrewdly.
I swore inwardly. "Fuck off, Winchester."
"You know, that's why I love you. You're so original with your comebacks."
"I don't need originality when I smash that pretty face of yours with my fist." I pointed out, willing to give the battle a precious few seconds of Devon Time.
"See what I mean?" he said, and I heard Sam yell something. "Oh, and Sammy says you should try and contact Ash or Jo. Says that it's important."
"Sure, sure." The mention of my oh-so-perfect cousin did it for me. I hung up and smiled sweetly at Devon. "Now, where were we?"
"We," he said, this adorable smile curving his lips, "were discussing who these mysterious Winchesters were."
I rolled my eyes. "You haven't heard of them? They're like freaking celebrities, turn up wherever I go."
"Actually, I have." In the dim lighting, his blue eyes looked almost black. "Dean and Sam, right? The names turn up every now and again in the grapevine."
"Speaking of which, have you heard from Bella lately?" I stabbed my steak with a fork. "I'm getting worried."
"I'm sure she's fine. She's a big girl, she can take care of herself." He reached across the table and clasped my fingers in his. I practically choked, and his eyes danced with amusement. "Let's talk about something else."
"Like what?" I managed, still trying to calm down. His fingers were long and warm, and I loved the way his fingertips traced gentle circles on the back of my hand. I could totally get used to this.
"You, for instance." He said, his voice light and playful, at odds with his intense dark eyes. "I find your life very interesting. Your job, particularly."
"Really?" I somehow doubted this. "Banking isn't all that fun. I mean, it's good enough, but only-"
"Maggie, I think we can stop pretending." He said, invitingly. "I know you're a hunter."
This matter-of-fact statement sent my world spiraling. "And you are…"
He smiled, and a sickening feeling spurned in my stomach as I saw the over-long incisors. "Take a wild guess."
"Vampire." I whispered.
He smiled again, a normal, devastating smile. "Do you care to go outside? You look faintish."
He guided me out the door before I could so much as fully grasp what was going on. He leaned me against the wall and stood in front, effectively blocking me with his shoulders. No part of him touched me, yet I could feel the danger and coldness rolling off his aura, practically drowning me.
It was then the questions arose. "But how-"
"It was a simple matter of getting through your extensive mental barriers." He said, gently. My heart sank, and he leaned fractionally closer. "I'm so sorry, beautiful Maggie."
"And there I was, thinking vamps had good eyesight."
Devon froze. Over his shoulder, Tyler was shaking his head in mock-disappointment, the silver blade he held against my date's back glittering in the moonlight.
Devon looked back at me, his expression one of admiration. "Very good, sweetheart. I acknowledge a game well played."
His head dipped towards my throat, and Tyler growled, "Don't even think about it."
"I think your lover's jealous." Devon whispered in my ear, his lips slightly grazing the tip. I shivered suddenly. He hummed in appreciation. "You're so talented, little faerie. It takes skill to fool a vampire, one as old as I am."
"Who's your leader?" Tyler snapped.
"I'm my own man." Devon replied in such a condescending tone even I was impressed. "Even if I wasn't would I be inclined to tell you, hm?" His fingers trailed across my jugular, leaving a trail of fire in its wake. "But give me a night with this enchanting creature, and maybe I'll tell you."
For a second, I though Tyler would agree. Hunting vampires was his specialty, and not one had escaped without talking yet. But then he said, scornfully, "No deal."
The vampire made a disappointed noise in his throat. "Crying shame."
The next few seconds were no more than a blur.
Acting faster than my eyes could follow, he spun around and threw Tyler straight across the parking lot. He landed with a crash on some cars. While I was staring open-mouthed at Tyler, Devon disappeared.
"Tyler!" I forced my legs to move forward, feeling like I was in a horrible nightmare. Sadly, my nightmares were indistinguishable by my daily life. I knelt down near him. "Ty, you okay?"
He opened his eyes drunkenly. "Mags." He said, a look of relief crossing his features. He looked strangely vulnerable, sprawled out on the tarmac like that. I decided that he'd hit his head before he commented, "Wanna kiss it all better?"
"Fuck you, Lockwood." I snapped, trying to mask a smile. No matter how much I disliked him as a partner, I didn't want him dead. Maybe. "On your feet, soldier."
I hauled him up, and he immediately leaned against me. I shot him a look of suspicion, but he genuinely seemed too weak to stand straight on his own.
"So, did you do it?" he asked, as we stumbled towards his VW Bug.
I scoffed. "When have I not?" Before Tyler had shown up, I'd slipped a GPRS tracker in Devon's coat, completing part three of our elaborate plan.
He collapsed on to the passenger seat once I'd opened the door. "Look at you, Sadler." He said as I revved up the engine. For such a pretentious son of a bitch, Tyler sure had a great car. "You seduced a creature of the night. Congrats."
"Yeah, you know me, I'm the Queen of the Night People." I said drily, shifting gears. "D'you think it'll work?"
"It will if those damn Winchesters get here on time." The Winchester brothers were the thorn in Tyler's side as much as he was theirs. He thought they used brute force too much, and they hated his complicated plans. Me, I didn't mind either method all that much, making me a little ray of sunshine in their otherwise dismal lives. Besides, I had great hair.
I mentioned this to Tyler, and he just groaned. "Whatever that'll make you happy, Maggie." He said, as I pulled up near our motel. "Whatever that'll make you happy."
A/N: I'm pretty high, so I won't be surprised if none of you read this.