Smiling faces sometimes pretend to be your friend.

Smiling faces show no traces of the evil that lurks within.

-The Temptations

Chapter Three: Smiling Faces

I turned away from the sunlight that was bleeding through the window, covering my head with the pillow beside me in an effort to better block out the light. It seemed like just moments before I had finally been able to fall into a deep sleep. So much for that. Time to get to work.

Begrudgingly I shuffled out of bed, throwing a plush robe on as I shuffled into the kitchen. Making myself a cup of coffee, I sat down at the dining room table in search of any new leads. I didn't like to stall between hunts. It would only send my mind to places I preferred to steer clear from. Hunting was the only thing that proved to ease my mind in any situation, and after last night I was ready to kill something. Preferably Crowley.

Something finally caught my eye, and I shut my laptop, pushing it aside. I immediately started restocking my bags with fresh clothes and necessities in preparation for the drive. It would be at least a two day journey from here, but I wasn't too concerned. I loved being on the road. It always made me feel free. There was nothing to tether me to any specific location to begin with. So many people live their lives restrained and controlled, but not me. Sitting still has never been in my nature. That's one of the reasons why this house is always a chaotic mess.

"Hello, darling." Crowley was leaning against my wall, giving me a sly smile. "Miss me?"

The mischievous glint in his eye was evident.

"Not really." I said as I continued throwing things into my bag. "I'm starting to get the impression you like showing up uninvited."

He rose his brows. "I like seeing that pinched look you get whenever you see me."

I glared at him in response, pursing my lips as I folded one of my shirts.

"Yes, that one." He pointed at my face as he moved closer to me. "Never gets old."

I pushed his hand away, turning my back on him once more as I attempted to ignore him. He took a seat beside me on the bed, looking up at me as though he were waiting for me to snap at any moment. I reasoned with myself that if I did give in and chew his head off, he'd probably just hang around here more. He got pleasure out of my annoyance, so not giving him attention would probably send him off. Maybe permanently if he got too bored.

"Where to?" He finally broke the silence as he grabbed one of the many knifes from my bag, twirling it teasingly. "I didn't realize you carried an arsenal with you. Perhaps I should have been more concerned when I met you."

I took the knife from his hand, stashing it back into the bag. "Don't touch."

"Aren't you a stunning ray of sunshine."

I gave him a warning look.

"What kind of bullets were in that gun anyway, Scarlett?"

I paused, glancing down at him for only a moment. "They're made with iron that's infused with holy water."

"That's all?" He scoffed.

"I also had them blessed by priests. Multiple times."

"Huh." There was a little surprise in his voice. "Come up with that on your own, did you?"

I nodded.

"I didn't know you were such an innovator." A chuckle escaped his throat. "Does it even work?"

"It has so far." I told him as I zipped up my bag, throwing it on the floor. "I've killed at least fifteen demons with it so far."

"I doubt they could do anything to me, darling. After all, you haven't dealt with many higher-level demons, have you? Try not to shake the hornets nest."

"You wanna' find out?" I offered, tilting my head with a wicked grin on my face. "It's already loaded."

"Thanks for the offer, but I think I'm good." He clasped his hands together, an unsure expression on his face.

I went into the bathroom, changing my clothes as quickly as I could, and then returned to my room. Crowley was laying across my bed now, one arm supporting his head as he eyed me suggestively. Instinctively I flipped him off as I threw my bag over my shoulder and started heading for the door. He was instantly on my heels.

"Shouldn't you be mad that I've been killing demons?" I asked as we exited the house. "After all, they are your goons." `

"I don't care what you do to those idiots. There are plenty more where those came from."

"Such a devoted king." I commented sarcastically as I stashed my bag into the trunk of my car. He just gave a dry laugh as he stayed by my side, and I felt uneasy by how comfortable he seemed to be in my presence. His actions made it seem like he had known me for much longer than he actually had, and I was growing to accept the fact that it was a part of his twisted personality.

Accept? I chided inwardly to myself. You're a hunter, you shouldn't tolerate a demon at all. Shoot him while you have the chance.

I let out a sigh, putting my hands on my hips as I glanced around, making sure to look at anything but him. Morning dew was dappled across the yard surrounded by a thick expansion of trees. In the distance you could hear birds singing peacefully, their pitches varying by species and age. On the edge of the woodland stood a deer that was munching mindlessly on some shrubbery, and when she caught sight of us she immediately stopped in her tracks. Staring us down fearfully until running away, white tail raised.

"I feel like I'm on a nature adventure." Crowley muttered gruffly. "How much more remote can you get? There's nothing out here."

I gave him a sideways glance. "That's the point. No one's saying you have to keep showing up here."

"Oh, you know you'd miss me, love." He slid his hands into his pockets, looking down on me with a smirk. "You're just begging for some excitement."

I crossed my arms. "And you know this how?"

"I can see it." He lifted his chin. "In your eyes. It's evident. Besides, I like tormenting you, Scarlett. Your reactions are priceless."

"Why don't you go find someone else to latch onto you parasite?"

He snapped his fingers. "That's exactly what I'm talking about." Then he leaned in closer to me, our faces inches apart. "I think it's sexy when you get mad."

"And you think that doesn't make me want to shoot you in the face more?"

Without letting him finish, I stormed into the house, grabbing the remainder of my gear and hurrying to the car. He didn't follow me, but he didn't leave either. All he did was watch me as I rushed by, my face contorted in anger as I jumped into the drivers seat. I locked the doors, pulled my seatbelt on, and started the engine. Crowley nonchalantly strode over as I fiddled with the radio in an attempt to find a station to listen to for the drive. Suddenly, I heard a series of knocks on my window, and I glanced up to find him waving at me provokingly. I frowned in response, putting the car in drive and accelerating down the driveway as fast as I dared to on the gravel road. My eyes kept flashing up to the rearview mirror, and I sighed in relief as I saw him still standing where I had left him.

Hopefully he wouldn't follow me.

What did I do to deserve this kind of punishment? Never in my life had I imagined myself being practically stalked by a demon, let alone the King of Hell. Hopefully he'd get tired of coming around soon, or I might finally get the nerve to put a bullet in his brain. Whichever it was, I didn't care. I just wanted him out of my life for good, but I had a gut feeling he wasn't anywhere close to being finished with me yet. Though, deep down I had to admit it was refreshing to have someone around, and I got some enjoyment from our banter. Living on the fringe has it's perks, but having a variety of people in your life was not one of them. He was sarcastic enough to keep up with me, and I could appreciate that in itself.

Come on, Scarlett. He's a freaking demon! You kill them. Get it together!

I shook my head, trying to focus on the task at hand. People were dying and I needed to be as concentrated as possible. Demons aside, I started singing along to the song on the radio, getting my game face on. This was exactly what I needed to get my mind off things.

Michigan, here I come.