Decided to re-rate this fic down to "T" as it's not
turning out as 'naughty' as I thought it might. :)
Chapter 7
-oOo-

The female daemon shook her head as she stared through the cage bars at the delirious man inside and considered what her options might be. She didn't need to think for long. The human clearly needed far more than she was prepared to give. She'd started this business to make money, not waste it.

"Ain't nobody gonna buy this lump o' rotted meat. Hell, we'd likely have t'a pay to get it off our hands! No point wastin' effort on it...Jethro, get this outta there an' get rid. An'do it right! I don't wanna see any raw pieces of it left lyin' around. You make certain it all catches this time.

"Hey! Bitch lady. He's a somebody, not an it. And you can't just end him. Youcan't! It's murder!...Listen to me! I'm talking to you, you scrawny assed, disease riddled old slapper!"

-o-

Natalie gave no sign of having heard the voice of shock, outrage and disbelief coming from the second cage.

"You'll need to get some bleach in there to tackle the stains, an' I want both the cage an' the floor round it hosed down real good. I don't want nothin' passin' onto the next piece of merchandise to use it. Get Jonah to give you a hand to clean it out if you need to."

Jethro grimaced at the thought of having to handle the man, coated as the guy was, in his own faeces and vomit, but he wasn't about to openly refuse Natalie's orders. Jethro knew he was already on thin ice with her. He cast around for something to protect himself from the bodily fluids, his eyes falling on a pile of worn and threadbare, but clean, woollen blankets on the floor, there to be used by the occupants of the cages.

"Sure boss."

-o-

While Natalie watched, Jethro grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around his waist. With not enough spare to knot it in place, he tucked the top edge down the waistband of his denims and, his lips curled in disgust, he approached cage number four and undid the padlock. The man who had been laid silent and unmoving, seemed to recognise something was happening and, with a fear filled whining, he moved his limbs weakly, attempting to shuffle backwards, away from the front of the cage. Not saying a word to the man, Jethro reached inside the cage with one thick, muscular arm. Grabbing one of the man's shoulders, he forcibly dragged the increasingly distressed man out from the cage. Leaving him lying on the floor, Jethro went to grab another blanket, returning to see the man had begun trying to scramble back into the cage.

-o-

The guy in number two began shaking the bars of his cage and straining to either push or pull at them, trying to loosen them, desperate to break free, to do something to try to help the other man, to stop outright murder. Dean admired number two for trying, whatever the risk to himself. With a sigh, the Hunter opened his eyes and gritted his teeth while he adjusted his position, trying get a line of sight down the row of cages. Number two was still yanking at the bars keeping him imprisoned in fury and frustration, continuing to yell at Natalie as, finally acknowledging him, she strolled in his direction. No-one else joined in the man's protests.

"What kinda cold hearted stinking slab of toilet scum are you, bitch? Look at me...Look at me! ...I...What the fuck...?"

"Awe...What's the matter now honey? I thought you wanted my attention?"

Natalie had wandered over and squatted herself down in front of cage two, fluttering her eyelashes theatrically. The inhabitant of the cage reacted by suddenly jerking back, away from the bars, staring in shock and fear at the sight of Natalie's dead, black eyes.

"Wh...What in Holy Hell are you?"

-o-

Natalie laughed in sheer delight before casually waving one hand, sending the well built man crashing against the bars that formed the back of his cage, an invisible force pinning him there painfully. An increasing pressure against his chest made it hard for him to breathe. Natalie's voice turned to warm liquid honey and she gave him a sly wink. Behind her, watched only by those few men who's inner fears didn't make them turn away, Jethro walked past, the unhealthy man swaddled in a blanket and slung over Jethro's wide shoulder, his head bouncing loosely against Jethro's back each time the big daemon's heels met the floor. The occupant of cage 12 continued to bang his head against his cage bars, but his lips now moved as he began whispering to himself, so quietly that no-one heard.

"Well now baby. I can tell you for certain; there's absolutely nothing Holy about Hell!"

Her cold laughter as she walked away sent a chilled shiver fleeing down the man's spine, as the pressure against his chest lifted. He remained sat for a while, motionless, and stunned into silence. Jethro carried his load out of the storage space and let the door swing closed again behind him, cutting off the sight of him and his burden from the rest of the captive men. Number 12 stopped his whispering.

-o-

The door to Dean's cage opened a fraction and Jonah threw something to the floor next to him.

"Food. Don' like, don' eat, really don' care."

Something else, heavier this time, bounced off Dean's thigh with a sloshing sound.

"Make that last. No more till tonight...If we bother comin' back later. Oh, nearly forgot. Bathroom facilities. Stand up jobs, I'd aim as far as you can. If it's a sit down you need? No problem, seen as you're already sat. Catch my drift Hunter?"

Dean's gaze went to the small plastic bottle of water and the fairly unappetising looking gas station pre-packed sandwich, labelled 'Reduced', before he looked calmly up at the daemon.

"Tell me what's gonna happen to number four."

-o-

Jonah smiled unpleasantly, savouring what he was about to tell the Hunter, knowing that he would rock the Hunter's outer calm. He squatted down in front of Dean's cage.

"Well now. The lady likes the place kept clean an' smellin' sweet. She ain't happy seein' things left untidy. Number four's gone out with the rest of the trash...An' he'll burn with it... Hey, don' you worry 'bout him though Hunter. Guy's weak, won' take him too long to die once them flames get a hold."

Sickened to his stomach, Dean narrowed his eyes and glared with hatred at the grinning daemon. He had seen and heard enough. Quickly Dean started murmuring soft, indistinct words to himself, watching in satisfaction as Jonah's stance stiffened. With a snarl, Jonah scrabbled to his feet. Moving quickly, he reached inside his coat

-o-

Dean's words stuttered to a stop at the nauseating kick of the cattle prod in the big daemon's hand. He gritted his teeth against a second jolt of electricity.

"You puke faced piece of filth! You fuck! But guess what, shit-for-brains? That pathetic exorcism's wasted on me.I ain't possessin' anyone! You don't get to drive me outta my own body, asshole."

A third hit curled Dean up in the bottom of his cage. Jonah managed to let rip a couple more times before Natalie's furious voice cut in.

"Jonah! Back off! What is your problem? You brain donor reject!"

-o-

Dean sensed rather than saw Natalie glaring through the cage bars, trying to assess the damage. He kept his eyes closed, panting for breath.

"But Nat!...This prize asswipe was tryin' to exorcise me!"

"Well, I think you made it pretty clear how upset it got you. Now. Back off from him you imbecile. Go get a move on with feeding and watering the rest, we gotta get back to the house...I so don't need all your crap, I got work to do. Our newest lot needs advertising, that means I've gotta update the catalogue, as well as contact a couple of players personally about the opportunity to bag themselves an infamous wanted hunter we're offerin'. You do realise, this human's name's gonna guarantee us a full house for our next auction? But that's only if he's still breathin'...Comprendé, cretin?"

Jonah kept his head bowed, hiding the fury on his face at Natalie chewing him out in front of a Hunter. Natalie stared at Jonah in silence for a moment, trying to decide who was the biggest liability out of the two cousins. With a shake of her head, she spun around on her heels.

"I'm goin' outside while you and Cousin It finish up in here. Make sure this one gets an extra blanket, don't want him gettin' even a sniffle...Oh! Nearly forgot. No food for number two, he's water only. And Jonah? Listen to me carefully...Any more of your towerin' stupidity? I'm likely to find me with just the one business partner. Think on that awhile baby."

-oOo-
Chick