Castiel woke up slowly to the sound of voices and a pounding headache.
"Why was she specifically targeting him?"
"I don't know, Dean. Wish you hadn't killed her right away. We could have gotten some information from her to why she was following him."
"There wasn't time. I had the element of surprise and who knows if there were any of her demon cronies with her."
Everything came rushing back to him. Wrecking his car, being followed, a woman with black eyes about to attack, Dean Winchester knifing her.
Demons? They believed that woman was a demon? Castiel had thought her eyes were black when he had looked up at her, but he had hit his head. Were these two men psychopaths that were going to kill him too?
Castiel's heart sped up in fear and he fought to keep his breathing under control so not to make the men aware that he was awake.
He chanced opening one eye, praying they wouldn't be looking his way. Luck was on his side for they weren't looking in his direction, but at each other.
It was the brothers that he saw yesterday. They sat at a small round table in what appeared to be in a dingy motel room. Sam had a laptop in front of him while the other brother, Dean was cleaning a hand gun.
Castiel watched Dean's broad hands as they deftly took the gun apart. They were the same hands that stabbed the young woman who was about to attack him.
Oh god, I witnessed a murder…is he going to kill me too?
Castiel's breathing became rapid which must have alerted the Winchesters because suddenly there were two set of eyes, one hazel, the other green, staring at him.
"Hey Doc. How ya feelin'?" Dean asked as he got up from the table and walked toward the bed, Sam behind him.
"Where am I?" he asked hoarsely, watching both men warily.
"We're at the Glenwood Motel just off the interstate." Sam supplied, his voice soft as if Castiel was a wild animal that he didn't want to startle.
Castiel's heart pounded as they approached and then he spotted the knife sitting by the gun that Dean had been cleaning. Fear filled him causing him to lash out instinctively. He grabbed the closest thing to him which happened to be the bedside lamp and threw it with all his might.
"Shit!" The lamp had clipped Sam in the shoulder before shattering against the wall. Both men stared at him with wide eyes as if they couldn't believe what Castiel had just done. Castiel took advantage of their shock to scramble off the bed and toward the door.
He didn't get very far when a hand clamped down on his upper arm and swung him around.
Narrowed green eyes studied him and he started to speak, but Castiel didn't give him a chance. He swung back with his free arm and punched Dean in the eye.
"What the fuck man!" Dean dropped Castiel's arm, freeing him. Castiel didn't make it far before Sam rushed forward and tackled him to the ground. Castiel's lungs compressed as the larger man's weight fell on him.
"Dr. Milton, please…" Sam begged but Castiel missed the note of desperation in the younger man's voice before Castiel managed to elbow Sam in the ribs.
Sam rolled over, holding his side and groaned. Castiel got up and made it to the door and was in the process of turning the handle but he was pushed against the door, his hands grabbed and wrenched behind his back. A solid body pinned him to the door.
"Let me go." Castiel snarled, struggling to get out of the hold, the side of his face pressed to the door.
"You need to cool it, Doc. We're not going to hurt you." Dean's voice growled in his ear.
"Why should I believe you?" he snapped back, grunting from his efforts to get himself free.
"We saved you from that demon bitch. No telling what she would have done to you after she got what she wanted." Dean pressed his body tighter against Castiel, trying to stop him from struggling.
"Demon…you're crazy, both of you!"
"Think about it Castiel," Sam came into his field of vision, "I know you saw the black eyes and we saw your fear, which was justified because deep down you knew there wasn't something right about her. You just took down two hunters, if she was simply a woman, you wouldn't have a problem controlling her."
"Well, Sammy, I wouldn't say he took us down…" Castiel couldn't see Dean's face, but he could clearly see the annoyed look Sam sent to his brother. Castiel relaxed in Dean's grip.
Castiel's mother always told him to trust his instincts; it was his most powerful God-given gift. Despite how crazy the whole thing sounded, he felt like he could believe them. Sam was right, he wouldn't be afraid of the woman if she was simply that. No, Castiel had sensed something innately dark and evil and he didn't need to see the black eyes to know that.
"You can release me, I won't run." Castiel stated quietly and with as much dignity as he could muster.
Dean slowly backed away and gave the professor some space. Castiel straightened his damp and dirty clothes before turning around to face the brothers.
Now it was the Winchesters that eyed him warily, waiting to see if he was going to go off the deep end again. Castiel winced when he saw Dean's swelling eye.
"Demons? They really exist?"
"Unfortunately, yes." Sam said wearily, walking back to the table. Dean continued to stand in front of Castiel, watching him.
"Don't believe in demons? Thought you would since you teach all that religious stuff." Dean huffed out, finally moving away when it became clear that Castiel wasn't going anywhere.
Castiel cleared his throat and followed Dean to the table. "I teach religion because I find it fascinating but it doesn't mean I believe it."
Sam, who was seated again in front of his laptop, raised his brows in surprise at Castiel. "You're an atheist?"
"No, I believe there is some powerful force out there, that there is a God, but I just don't believe in what organized religion tries to sell. I think it's up to each individual person to decide how they choose to define their spirituality."
Dean just looked at Castiel blankly before shaking his head. "Whatever you believe, you better get used to the idea of demons because for some reason they're after you." Dean said as he walked to the mini fridge in one corner of the room and pulls out a cold beer to place on his eye.
Castiel looked between Dean and Sam before sinking down wearily in the chair opposite of Sam. "But why?"
"Apparently you have something they want. Maybe they came to you for the same reason we did." Sam mused and started to type something on his computer. He then looked over at Castiel and stared at him thoughtfully. "How many people would know about these Enochian symbols?"
Castiel shrugged helplessly, still trying to wrap his mind around the thought that demons might actually exist. "It's not rare to find some information on it, but not to sound arrogant, I'm probably the most versed in the Midwest."
"Do you know others that are?" Sam asked, tapping his fingers idly on the keyboard.
"I know of two, they were my professors and mentors when I was in college." Castiel said slowly, knowing that Sam would want their names. He felt uneasy about revealing their identities just for the simple fact if there was danger involved for knowing how to translate Enochian, he didn't want to shine a spotlight on them.
Dean stepped away from the wall he was leaning against and walked over to the table, sensing Castiel's hesitancy.
"Doc, you need to tell us, they could be in danger as well. Trust me, whoever found out about you will find out about them." Dean stated gently, his face devoid of any of the strange smugness that seemed to normally permeate his face when he looked at Castiel.
Castiel sighed, knowing that Dean was right. He gave them the names of the two men that weren't only his mentors but his friends. "Good luck finding Dr. Trico. He disappeared to who knows where shortly after I got my undergraduate degree." Castiel told them as Sam got to work looking up the names.
"Thanks for giving us the names. I don't blame you for not wanting to tell us, but they could be targets too." Dean said, sitting down on the edge of the bed that Castiel had previously occupied.
Castiel nodded and looked back at Sam, feeling a bit disconcerted by Dean's earnest stare. Castiel barely knew Dean, but he'd rather have him being sarcastic and arrogant than kind and empathetic.
"This Dr. Trico, was he taken or…?" Sam asked, gaining Castiel's attention.
"No, he just told people he needed a break and just took off. He sends me occasional postcards from all over, so I know he's fine. What exactly are you looking for?"
"I was looking for disappearances, but since you're positive that Trico is fine, now I'm looking into any strange behavior. It could be possible that they're being possessed to get to the information in their heads."
"Possession? Is there any way to avoid that?" Castiel barely managed to get out before he heard a low laugh come from the bed.
"Oh yeah there is. Doc, we need to get you inked." Dean grinned almost like he relished the idea.
Castiel blinked. "I hope you're not suggesting I get a tattoo."
Sam shot his brother an annoyed look. "I'm sorry Castiel, but it's necessary. It's an anti-possession tattoo. Keeps the demons out."
Castiel's nerves were beginning to fray as the events of the night started to catch up with him. "I don't want a tattoo. I just want to go home." he snapped out.
"Sorry, but you're going to have to stick with us. Too dangerous for you out there and you're just too easy for the picking."
Castiel glared at Dean, frustrated that he was basically a prisoner. All he wanted to do was go home and pretend all of it was a bad dream. "I can't put my whole life on hold. Maybe she was the only one…"
"I doubt it. She looked like she took orders, not gave them so that means she had a boss." Dean went back to cradling the beer to eye again.
Something that was said earlier niggled at the back of Castiel's mind.
"You called yourselves hunters. What exactly is a hunter?"
Dean and Sam exchanged a long glance before Sam sighed and turned to Castiel. "We hunt and kill supernatural beings."
Castiel felt his stomach drop. There were more than just demons out there? Sam and Dean must have seen his face and Sam rushed to reassure him.
"Don't worry, we'll keep you safe."
Castiel quickly pushed his shock and fear away and shook his head vehemently. "No."
Dean shot him an incredulous look and scoffed. "No? Whaddya mean no?"
Castiel scowled at the man. "You're going to teach me what you know so I can take care of myself."
Dean started to laugh, his eyes crinkling at the corners in mirth. "You for real? Being a hunter is not something you can just learn in an hour or even a day."
Castiel gave Dean a cold stare. "I'm a quick learner. I refuse to just sit idly by and have the two of you 'protect me'. I'm not a child."
"Well, you're kind of acting like one." Dean shot back, sending a Castiel a glare of his own.
"Guys," Sam hastily interrupted the two snarling men, "now's the time to work together. Castiel can help us with the symbols and we can teach him how to protect himself."
Dean rolled his eyes at Sam but relented. "Fine." He then smiled sardonically. "But first, where do you want your tattoo and second, where do I sleep?"
Castiel ignored the first question and zeroed in on the second. "Sleep? What are you talking about?" he asked suspiciously.
"Well Doc, we're moving in. If you want to be a hunter, best for us to stay with you so we can watch out for you until you're ready. Hope you don't mind roommates." Dean's lips twisted into a mocking smile while Sam sent him an apologetic one.
Castiel simply clenched his jaw in frustration.
A little short, I know, but wanted to update this since it's been nearly a month. Hope you liked it! Thank you to all that had reviewed, followed and favorited this! :)