Dusty stared out the large window which faced onto the backyard. Maybe it didn't appear as if she was listening, but she was paying close attention as the two brothers asked Sara questions.

"Just tell us what happened, and then we'll go from there?" Sam asked gently. Yes, Dusty thought, he does seem to be the gentler of the two, yet he has steel under that velvet. For Dean it was the opposite. Any softness he held within was kept under deep cover of his hard outer shell. Two very different men. Yet both were intriguing.

Sara Madison sighed deeply and began. "My oldest daughter, Isabelle, is…was, twenty three. She was taking classes at the college to become a veterinary technician, she loved animals so much, and she worked part time for our vet Dr. Spezia. She was a beautiful girl. She was to be married in two weeks time at the festival. Anthony isn't pagan, but they were doing two separate ceremonies. One for his family with a justice of the peace, and one for her. He's a good boy. Very respectful. They've been dating since they were juniors in high school." her voice became choked and she stopped speaking. Pulling herself together, she continued. "Isabelle was on her way home from her evening class when she was taken. Anthony was already here waiting for her. When she didn't show up we called the police. They found her vehicle and knew there had been foul play. She's the fourth youth in the past six weeks to go missing after leaving the campus."

Dusty saw the look in Dean's eyes. He was wondering why they'd decided to come here. Just a random kidnapping, nothing supernatural she could almost hear his thoughts. "Sara, tell them the rest. How Isabelle was found. About the others."

Sara looked at Dusty and nodded once. "She was found within twenty four hours. She'd been tied to a stake and burned. We thought maybe religious zealots, but it's something different."

"Why do you say it's different?" Dean asked.

"Because her heart was removed without wound, and her tongue was missing." Sara stated with simple anguish.

Sam winced. Dusty spoke. "The other three were found in exactly the same manner. All four were members of the pagan community. All were to be hand fasted at the festival."

"Well, it's definitely in our line of work." Dean said quietly.

Dusty nodded. "But you will need help with this. Not only will you need me to help you speak with all of the families, but you will also need access to our history. Our lore."

"She's right." Sara said finally. "No one will speak to you without Ceridwen. And no matter how good you might be at computers, there is no way you'd be able to access all of our records."

"Some of them aren't even on computer." Dusty added. "And I know you'll need me to get access to those records." She almost smirked at Dean's expression. "My people do need your help Dean, Sam. I can only do so much."

Sara's head whipped around to look at her. "But you too are in danger Maiden. Probably more so than others."

"Why do you say that?" Dean asked.

"She's the same age as the other victims were, and she's one of our most important treasures." Sara explained. "Ceridwen's line has almost always held the positions of Maiden, Mother, and Crone. It was no shock when she was born with the mark. And now we have no Mother."

Dusty stood and walked to the back door. Here it comes she thought.

"What happened to the Mother?" Sam asked.

Dusty turned to face them. "My mother was murdered six months ago." she said abruptly, and with some finality.

"Okay." Dean said finally. "Well, obviously we need Dusty's help, and we should start thinking about where to start."

"I insist you stay here." Sara offered.

"Thank you sister, but it isn't necessary. We have a place to stay this evening." Dusty told her with a warm smile.

The three said their goodbyes and headed for the vehicle. She gave them directions, and there was silence in the car as they drove. They pulled up outside of high-rise condominiums, and Dusty showed them where to park in the underground garage. They rode in the plush elevator to the top of the building and she pulled a key out of her pocket. Dusty opened the door and motioned for the two men to enter. They did so, and she quickly locked the door behind them. They both turned to look at her as she muttered several words while placing her hand on the center of the wooden door.

When she saw them staring at her with raised eyebrows she smiled. "I have money."

Dean looked around at the spacious condo. "Apparently."

"The master bedroom is through the door to our right." she explained and pointed to double doors that were shut. She motioned to the left. Through that doorway is a hall way. There are two bedrooms and they share a bath. I'm going to shower. Make yourselves at home." She headed through the double doors and they heard the door click as it shut.

The men looked around themselves. The short foyer led down three stairs into a large open living area. A sofa, loveseat, and recliner were spaced comfortably around an entertainment center. It appeared that Dusty had nothing but the best. To the left before reaching the hallway an open area was set up as a dining room. The kitchen was attached to the dining room, with a bar area separating the two rooms. The living and dining room were done in greens and neutrals, the kitchen was mainly black and white with slashes of bold red accents. The art in the condo was stunning. Illustrations of faery, mythos, and mythical times. A curio cabinet in the living room held an assortment of crystal stones, a large crystal sphere, and a dagger collection. Another set of shelves held a book collection and there seemed to be several extremely old, but well maintained books. There were also pictures placed sporadically through the space of Dusty and others. It appeared that Dusty had been the beautiful swan from birth and on.

Sam and Dean made their way to the guest rooms and weren't surprised to find that the two rooms were just as nice as the rest of the condo. Both rooms boasted queen sized beds, dressers, chest of drawers, and a nightstand. The bathroom also surpassed their expectations with a Jacuzzi tub and a separate shower with six strategically placed shower heads. "I think when she said she had money that was a bit of an understatement." Sam murmured.

Not knowing how long they'd be staying they unpacked their few belongings and took turns showering. By the time they made their way back to the living room the double doors which led to the master bedroom were open and they could hear sounds of tinkering in the kitchen.

"Something smells good." Dean announced and they made their way to the bar.

Dusty stood at the stove stirring something in a pot. Her tumbling hair was still damp from her shower, and hung to the middle of her back. She was dressed in a gauzy, white, sleeveless shift which appeared to be made of some type of thick linen and she was barefoot. A tattoo encircled her left ankle, and it appeared to be symbols of some sort, but they weren't close enough to get a good look. She turned to face them with a smile. "Hope you guys are hungry." she said and padded over to the bar. Several old books had been laid upon the bar. "I found some of our folklore we've passed down for many generations. I also have a laptop that we can set up on the dining room table. I thought perhaps after we eat we could look through them?"

They ate at the bar, and Dusty fed them homemade stew and bread. "You're a good cook." Dean told her as she cleaned up the dishes.

"My mother taught me." she said with a soft smile. "She owned a restaurant and was the head chef. She started teaching me as soon as I could walk and talk."

"I'm sorry about your mother." Sam told her.

Dusty turned to face the two that had become so silent. "I know. Ironic isn't it? Two men that are practically strangers know more how I feel than the people that were my family and friends." She gave the counter one more swipe with the sponge and then sighed. "Loss comes to all of us. I'll lose more in my life before it's all said and done. "

"Where's your father?" he asked.

Dusty picked up the books and moved them to the large oak table that dominated the dining area. Then she began setting up her lap top computer. "My father never really understood that my mother was a true witch. When he finally figured it out I'd already been born. He didn't think I'd have to follow in her traditions. When it was found that I had the mark he couldn't handle it. He couldn't handle that marked or not, I am who I am."

"Did your mother expect you to follow her path?" Dean asked as he opened the first book.

Dusty laughed, and the sound was almost musical. "Oh no. She would never have done that. It was my choice. She made sure that I knew about other religions. She made sure that I respected all religions. I'll do the same for any children I might bear. But I'm a witch, and I embrace everything that goes along with that. It isn't always easy. In fact, it isn't easy a lot of the time, but it was my choice. I don't regret it."

The three got to work quickly. Whether he wanted to admit it or not Dean was impressed by the way she took such pride and care with her background and history. The books in front of them had to be several generations old, but they were preserved immaculately. There was nothing in the most recent book, so he went to the oldest book in the bunch. When he opened the cover he was greeted by a handwritten text in a foreign language. "Dusty. I can't read this."

She moved over to him and looked at the book he was holding. Sam was busy using the laptop. "This is my great-great-great-great-great-great grandmother's, Kathleen's diary. It's in Gaelic." she murmured. "I've not read this for many years."

"You can read Gaelic?" Sam asked looking up from the computer.

"Yes. It's been a while since I have. I should really do it more often that way I'm more fluent with it, but I tend to procrastinate." she said sheepishly. Dusty sat down and pulled the diary in front of her. They worked quietly for a time. "Well a majority of it is just a journal telling of daily activities. Kathleen was the healing woman for her coven. There are a few really interesting concoctions that I find interesting." She continued to peruse the book but they could tell she was captivated by it. "Then she starts to talk of a woman. An evil practitioner by the name of Black Helen. She was banished from their coven when it was found that she'd performed the worst of all sacrifice. The White Goat."

"The White Goat?" Sam asked. "Wait a minute, isn't that human sacrifice?"