Chapter 4

A bleary-eyed Dean met Sam and Josephus at the door, opening it before Sam could insert his key. Dean blinked in the sunlight, glancing at his brother, then his guest, before turning and gesturing them in. Dean sat in the chair next to the small table, swirling his coffee and taking a distasteful swig.

"Ugh," Dean muttered, then glanced up at the two, still standing. Dean pointed to Josephus with his coffee cup. "Well, sit down. I'm sure there's a story here somewhere."

Sam sat on the edge of the bed and while he filled Dean in, Josephus sat gingerly on the edge of the other chair across from Dean. When Sam finished, Dean gave Josephus a complete once-over stare.

"Heavy cell phones? Reappearing cell phones? What are you, some kind of trickster?" he finally asked of the man.

Josephus cleared his throat, politely concealing a smile behind his fist. "Something like that, you might say," he replied.

Dean slammed his fist down on the rickety table, making both Sam and Josephus jump. "I don't want riddles, trickster. I don't want 'something like thats'." Dean pointed a finger at the lean figure, his bloodshot eyes boring deep. "I want answers."

Josephus nodded solemnly, a pout on his lips. "I understand. Answers," he sighed deeply. "From where to start...Sam, I understand you are the brains of this group - ," Josephus glanced sideways at Dean, " - so tell me what you know of the Greek messenger, Hermes."

Sam looked surprised. "Sure, Hermes – the messenger of the gods of Greek mythology. He was a known trickster, and could shape shift - ,"

"Another trickster? A Loki?" Dean interjected. It wasn't very long ago that the Winchester brothers realized that the angel Gabriel had been hiding on Earth as a trickster known as Loki to a group of pagan gods he had been cavorting with.

"Well...a Loki is of Norse origin," Josephus explained. "Somewhat barbaric and short-sighted."

"Are you Hermes?" Sam asked. His laptop was open on his lap and he began typing.

"No, but most honored to be a close relative. Family business, you might say."

"Here, here...," Sam began to scan the computer screen. "Hermes...messenger, guide to the Underworld, patron of travelers, of orators and wit, literature and poets..."

Josephus nodded. "All true. Hermes with the winged sandals and the caduceus. Such a striking figure," he placed his hand on his heart and looked skyward. "Gods bless him. I am merely here in his stead, to help right a wrong. You see, it is our family duty to aid in the delivery of souls to the afterlife. But one particular soul escaped Hermes thousands of years ago, and we have not seen her since. Only now has she raised her ghoulish head. I am here to find, deliver, and banish her to – well, I believe you call it – hell."

"The demon we've been chasing," Dean stated. Josephus nodded.

"I do not want to play games, but Sam, have you figured out who she is?" Josephus asked. Before Sam could speak, he snapped his fingers and Sam's baseball hat disappeared from his head and reappeared on his lap. "That's your clue."

"She?" Dean responded. Sam could only sit on the edge of the bed, staring at Josephus, mouth agape. His hand reached up slowly to smooth down his short, tousled hair. He finally closed his mouth and licked his lips, and croaked out the name,

"Delilah."