Calling All Angels

Chapter 3

By: Renny Autumn

Beatrice tiptoed out of the hotel room where her latest conquest lay sleeping. She wasn't really big on goodbyes or the awkward "where-is-this-relationship-going" conversations. Besides, Tyson (or was it Dylan...she could never remember), didn't seem like he was the kind of guy that was looking for something more than just a one night stand.

She opened the trunk of her Subaru Impreza and threw her bag inside, trying to avoid looking at the devil's trap she'd inscribed inside. Just because she no longer wanted anything to do with the family business, didn't mean she had to go out unprepared. Beneath the panel of the trunk lay an NRA member's wet dream. Rifles of all shapes and sizes, bullets made of silver, rock salt, and lead, and more knives than the Iron Kitchen were carefully hidden away.

She shook her head to clear it and fired up the car. She'd have to ditch this one soon, but boy she'd miss it. The bluetooth synced perfectly to her phone and played all the classic hits that Dean used to play. This was the only time she'd let herself think about him. Although if Dean were here, he would not approve of the method used to play them. He'd accuse her of "douching them up."

But Dean wasn't around to say those things. And it was all her fault.

Though the rational side of her told her that there was no way she could have prevented Dean from being mauled to death by Hellhounds, she still blamed herself for not finding something in time. She'd let Bela waste their time, and hadn't protected Dean from her.

God, she'd f-ed up.

She drove until she needed gas, which happened to be just outside of Texarkana, TX. She ditched the car and found herself a hotel for the night. She was still pretty weary from her long night of partying-both at the club and the hotel afterwards. She usually didn't stop this early. The loneliness must be getting to her.

She picked up her phone and tried to call Jayden, her middle sister, but the message told her that Jayden's line had been disconnected. She made a silent prayer to whoever was listening to keep Jayden safe. She didn't think the family could take another dead Winchester.

They'd had far too many already.

She tried to think of the last message Jayden had sent her. She'd sent a picture of herself about to jump off a bridge in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee...any way she could risk death.

She looked around the town for something to do and found a hunter's haven: a bar. She really didn't need the alcohol, but she figured that she could at least get a cheeseburger and maybe someone's number.

She sat at the bar, glancing around at the other patrons and noticed an attractive redhead staring at her. His dark green eyes roved up and down her body and she was glad she'd remembered to take a shower and change her bra and underwear before heading over to the bar.

It probably didn't hurt that she was wearing one of her lowest cut shirts and tightest shorts. Her excuse was that even though it wasn't summer anymore, it was still hot in Texas. She ordered the bacon cheeseburger, her "old faithful."

She probably shouldn't have. Every time she ate one, she thought of Dean. Though, to be fair, almost everything made her think of Dean. God, no matter how hard she tried, the same mantra kept repeating in her head.

Dean is dead. Your brother is dead. He's never coming back.

Shit, she wasn't going to start crying. Not this early. She turned around in her seat once more and headed straight for the redhead behind her. He seemed a little surprised at her forwardness, but he certainly didn't seem disappointed.

She just needed to lose herself again. Lose the pain with the ecstasy that only sex could bring. And she was certain that he would be capable of at least providing a short respite from that pain. But first she needed a nap, that is, if her nightmares would let her get one.

"I know this seems a little forward, but can I have your number? I'd love to get to know you better later tonight."

She gave him a pointed look that told him exactly what she meant and he hastily checked his pockets for a pen. She dangled the one she'd swiped from the last hotel in front of his face, handing him a small sheet of paper that she'd gotten as well. She was nothing if not prepared.

He hastily scribbled his name and number down on the sheet, nearly tearing a hole in the paper.

He held the paper out to her, but before she could grab it, a hand whipped out in front of hers and snatched it from his hand.

"I'll be taking that. And she'll be calling you...never."

Beatrice's veins turned to ice as she heard the voice. She stared, dumbfounded, as Dean's face crouched closer to hers. What the everloving f- was going on?

The fake Dean yanked her up from the chair and began pulling her out of the bar. Once they were outside, she twisted her arm out of his grip and punched him square in the nose. She reached for her trusty silver knife, tucked in her boots, and held it out at the fake Dean.

"You stay the f- away from me, shifter. I know what you are."

Fake Dean tried to calm her, but she wouldn't listen to any of it.

"Will you relax already? It's me. God, I'm getting sick of people pulling knives on me."

"F- you, liar. My brother is dead. Do your research before you try and mess with me."

With that, she slashed her knife at Fake Dean, aiming straight for the bastard's heart. Suddenly, someone's arms wrapped around her, and she felt her knife get knocked from her hand. Shit. He had friends. She struggled to free herself from the person who was restraining her, when she heard a frantic voice in her ear.

"Geesh, Bea, calm down! It's him. We already tried everything. He's not a shifter, or a demon."

Cassidy? Here? Last Beatrice knew, Cassidy was waist deep in a liquor store's worth of booze. And suddenly she was sober and surprisingly strong.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"We could ask you the same question."

Dean had his "neutral face of disapproval" on, but before Bea could sass him, Cassidy butted in.

"You should be asking who she was doing here."

Both Dean and Beatrice sent Cassidy steely glares, but she merely shrugged. It wasn't the first time she'd mouthed off and gotten herself into trouble. Dean began dragging the two of them toward the car, a douchey-looking mustang (the girls had lost a bet with Sam, so he'd taken Baby).

Bea pulled herself from Dean's grip, and shook her head.

"No. I'm done. I can't go back to hunting. I like what I'm doing now."

"What, whoring up and down the south?"

Beatrice sent Cassidy another death glare before responding.

"I like being free. No responsibilities, no worries, and best of all, no monsters."

Dean broke open the trunk of the Impreza she'd been driving, which Dean had parked the mustang beside. Well, that explained how they'd found her so easily.

"Oh, really?"

Beatrice crossed her arms in a pout. She knew she'd been caught. Once a hunter, always a hunter. The only way to get out of this business was to die. Beatrice glanced at Dean before shaking her head. I guess even dying didn't cut it.

"Bea, I'm gonna ask you the same question I asked Cass. Did you make a deal to spring me from the pit?"

"Are you crazy? As soon as you came back you'd kick my ass. It might have crossed my mind, but there's no way I'd be that reckless."

Dean pursed his lips, his frustration growing. Well, that was two sisters down, one to go. Well, two if you counted Sam. With that long hair of his...Dean shook his head to clear his thoughts. Either way, he needed Beatrice's help if they were gonna find Jayden.

"Bea, we're taking you with us. We have to find Jayden. And then we're going after Sam."

Beatrice made a lemonade face, and sighed in resignation.

"Fine. But we're stopping in Nashville."