Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

The drive to the abandoned church was of the cold silent variety. Sam, after hearing what his brother and Anna had been planning to do, refused to talk to either of them. Sam had even gone so far as to push Dean hard in the chest and yell, 'I can't believe you thought I was going to shoot you.' To which Dean replied 'I'd never ask my little brother to shoot me', while looking at Anna. Sam had exploded then at her, yelling that he couldn't believe that she would kill his brother and betray him like that, that he had thought that she was his friend. That after tonight, he never wanted to see her again. Anna – to her own credit, refused to back down as the enraged Winchester towered above her. She stood her ground and yelled back, 'Sam, if you want to be mad at me, fine! I earned it! But don't think that Dean was going into this blind. He knew exactly what was going to happen and accepted it. So be mad all you want to after this is done, but right now we've got work to do, so suck it up!'

Now, they were speeding down the black top, Sam sitting in the front passenger seat with his arms crossed over his chest and staring out the window. Anna was in the back, behind Dean, staring at his reflection in the rear view mirror. All the while Dean's mind was jumping up and down, rejoicing that he wasn't getting shot tonight. Sam would calm down eventually, but he may insist on being taken to a motel after the ceremony instead of back to Anna's. He could sleep in the car for all Dean cared. Dean fully intended on going back to Anna's place to celebrate his new lease on life in style. He was even considering staying awhile. He didn't want to run out on Anna again.

Dean's mind wandered to Ruby. Poor Ruby, who was tied up and gagged in the trunk of the Impala. It wasn't as if Dean liked Ruby, he had never trusted her and hated that she had been stringing Sam along with promises of being able to help him save his brother. Ruby had even confessed to him that there was no way of saving him from the pit. Dean was just going to keep telling himself that Ruby dying in his place was a kindness they were going to do her. She would die and not have to return to the pit ever again. She was a demon after all, it takes a real idiot to think that the alligator in the backyard is tame. She could turn on them at anytime because it's in her nature. 'Just keep telling yourself that, boss.' Dean thought darkly to himself.

They arrived at the church around eleven. It was definitely abandoned. The windows were boarded up, grave markers were over turned, some punks had even spray painted swastikas on the side of the building. Anna led them to a spot near the back of the church that had an area cleared of head stones that was about ten feet in diameter.

She took out a spray can and started laying out the first part of the summoning circle. The circle was actually two concentric circles, one inside the other. The larger, outermost circle was the summoning circle itself while the inner circle was a demon trap. That way, she had explained, the demon couldn't reach the outermost part of the circle in a chance of finding a way out and escaping to kill them. The moon sometimes caught on Ruby's knife that was tucked into Anna's belt, she was going to study it later in hopes of finding out what made it work. When Anna had finished drawing the symbols in the grass, Sam and Dean went to work tracing her outline with thick lines of salt. The salt was an extra precaution but one that didn't need explaining. If anyone knew the virtues of salt, it was the Winchesters.

Once finished, Sam and Dean stood back with their empty bags of road salt and watched Anna work. She began to chant softly, placing various bundles of herbs in stone bowls at different points along the circle. When she finished this, she began to place different colored candles next to the bowls. Her chanting took on a deeper timbre, more earthen, more eerie. Still chanting, she lit the candles from a green taper she held in her hand, this candle being made from lamb's fat. Dean had no idea what she was chanting, all he knew was that it was creepy as hell.

'It's time,' she whispered, her voice still that earthier tone. 'Bring Ruby.'

Dean and Sam went back to the Impala. Opening the trunk, they found that Ruby was still unconscious. Sam grabbed her under her shoulders while Dean grabbed her ankles. Together, they carried her back to Anna and the summoning circle, Sam didn't make eye contact with Dean once. Careful not to disturb the salt lines of the circles, they laid Ruby down in the center, cut the cords that were binding her, and quickly got out. Dean didn't like the sensation he got when he entered the circle, it felt like the air inside it was vibrating, like standing too close to high-voltage wires. Anna threw some water onto Ruby's face, normal water, not the holy water Sam had made earlier. Ruby twitched, so Anna tossed some more water on her. Ruby groaned and tried to open her eyes. After a moment, she struggled into a kneeling position. She stared at the faces looking at her and finally came to rest her gaze on Sam. Swaying slightly, she squinted, like she was still trying to make Sam's features come into focus. It was then that Dean thought she realized where she was.

'Sam?' Her voice wobbled slightly and Dean tried not to feel sick. 'Sam, don't do this,' she pleaded.

'Dean,' Anna said softly. 'If you're ready, you know what to do. Remember, once he's here, you have to act fast, don't let him get his power up.' The colt, tucked into the waist of his jeans, was a heavy weight pressing into his lower back, insistent on the job it had to do tonight.

Dean glanced at Sam, who was staring resolutely at the ground. Taking a deep breath he stepped up to the edge of the circle. Ruby took her gaze from Sam to look into Dean's face, and he caught the faintest hint of a tear forming in her eye. Drawing his hunting knife from the sheath on his belt, he held his hand out over the ground in front of the kneeling demon. He had made sure the knife had been honed to razor sharpness, so he didn't feel a thing when he pulled the blade across his palm. The knife was so sharp that he didn't even bleed right away, he had to open and close his fist a few times to get the blood flowing. As the droplets splattered on the grass at Ruby's knees, the tear slid down her cheek, leaving a trail across her blackened and bloodied face.

Dean stepped back to his place between Anna and Sam. Looking for Anna's approval, she nodded at him to continue. Dean looked at his brother. Sam gaze was locked with Ruby's, his lips were set in a firm thin line and his jaw was clenching. Then, Sam met Dean's eyes for the first time since before they got in the car, and nodded for him to keep going. Whatever weak semblance of loyalty Sam felt towards Ruby was over-shadowed by his desperate need to save his brother. Dean could feel bile rising in his throat at what he was about to do. Demon or no, Ruby was a sacrifice.

Clearing his throat, in a voice that sounded like it belonged to someone else, he recited just what Anna had taught him earlier. 'Exorior Hazra, nos voco vos.'

The wind started blowing just then. Ruby looked up into Sam's eyes and whispered with a small smile on her lips, 'I knew you had it in you Sam.' Then her head flew back and her mouth opened to spew black smoke into the air.

'That can't be good,' Dean said worriedly, looking skyward. 'Where'd she go?'

'Don't worry about that right now,' Anna commanded.

The three stood there, looking at the body that was once Ruby's host, now bearing a sick resemblance to a marionette that had had its strings cut. She was still upright on her knees and her head was still thrown back, but there was no denying that there was no life left in that body. The wind picked up even worse, leaves were scattering around their feet, and Anna's hair was whipping around her head. Sam continued to watch Ruby's body while Dean and Anna scanned the skies.

'Maybe he's not gonna show,' Dean said quietly.

'Shhh,' Anna hissed. 'Do you feel that?'

Dean did feel something. He felt like he had when he stood inside the circle when he and Sam had placed Ruby there.

'He's coming,' Sam whispered.

There was an oily black smoke issuing from the ground within the summoning circle. It swirled over Ruby's body, almost like it was caressing it, before seeping into her still open mouth.

'Get ready Dean,' Anna whispered, but Dean had already pulled the colt from behind his back and had it leveled on the body's chest. Dean tightened his grip on the gun, already putting a little pressure on the trigger, just waiting for that son-of-a-bitch to open his eyes.

'Put the gun down boy,' came a gravelly voice that could never come naturally from a woman's vocal chords. Dean watched in horror as the blonde in the circle raised her head and opened her eyes. Orange eyes. Orange the color of dancing flames, and they were burning right into him.

'Dean! Shoot him!' Anna cried.

'Dean!' Sam yelled at him but all Dean could do was stare back into those hellfire eyes. He knew he should shoot him, he had to shoot him, but it was like his limbs had stopped taking orders from him, like his hand wasn't his own anymore.

'Put the gun down.' Ruby's former host got to her feet in a way that was far too fluid and graceful for any human, it was as if she had floated up into the air and landed lightly on her feet.

'Dean! Please!' Anna cried again but the colt just started to shake in his grip. It started to vibrate and he was finding it hard to hold onto, the weight of it seemed heavier somehow, and he couldn't keep it leveled on the demon.

'That's a good boy,' Hazra intoned as Dean slowly lowered the pistol. 'A good soldier always does what he's told. Old John trained you well, I'll give him that.'

'Dean!' Sam commanded.

'Ah,' Hazra said, looking in Sam's direction for the first time. 'The Boy King, what an honor this is,' the demon mocked him. Sam glared darkly back at him. 'You know, from all I've heard about you, I'd have thought you'd be bigger.' He chuckled at his own joke.

'Dean, snap out of it!' Anna moved to grab the gun from Dean's limp hand but the demon turned his gaze on her, and Anna was forcibly stopped in her tracks by an unseen grip.

'Not so fast Missy,' Hazra hissed. 'I know all about you Annathea. You've stolen a lot of souls from the pit, and sent some of my demons back to it. You will pay a heavy price for meddling in our affairs. Your arrogance in dealing with creatures vastly superior to yourself will cost you very much indeed.'

'Vastly superior creatures?' She repeated, 'Are you serious? And here I thought I was dealing with Hell's mangy little minions.' She retorted haughtily.

'Do not fool yourself little girl. When I'm done here, I'll take you back to the pit with me, and those mangy minions you speak of will make the lakes of fire seem like a steam-bath.' Anna stood her ground and stared defiantly into the orange eyes of a demon every bit as powerful as old Yellow-Eyed Azazel had been.

Dean watched helplessly, unable to move, as Anna squared her shoulders off to Hazra. 'Big talk from a freak who is going to be dead in thirty seconds.' She turned to grab the gun from Dean yet again but crumpled to the ground, writhing and screaming in pain.

'Every bit as arrogant as your precious Grandmere, aren't you Annathea?' He taunted her, but Dean didn't think she could hear him through the screams. Dean could feel a tear forming in his eye. He wanted to help her, she was in so much pain and all he had to do was lift the pistol… 'It will be enjoyable to break your spirit child, a century or two as my whore should prove to be very satisfactory.'

'Never!' She gasped.

'Let her go!' Sam ordered, taking a step closer to the demon wearing Ruby's former face.

'Just you wait your turn you little upstart. If you think you're getting out of this alive, you are sadly mistaken. I came here to claim one trophy,' he nodded at Dean, who was still holding the colt limply at his side. 'And instead I'll return with three.'

'I don't think so.' Sam took a step towards Dean.

'Stop!' Hazra commanded. Sam took another step towards his brother. 'I said stop!' But Sam just gritted his teeth and took another step. It looked to Dean that every step was causing him immeasurable pain. Sam reached his side, and grabbing Dean's right hand in his own, helped him raise the colt to point it at the demon's chest.

Sam placed his other hand on his brothers shoulder and whispered in his ear, 'Pull the trigger Dean.' And it was like whatever spell was holding him broke and Dean squeezed the colt's trigger.

The sound of the shot was deafening, the crack echoed through the night air and was answered by a crash of thunder and a flash of dry lightening in the distance. Hazra, in his host's body, was lifted off the ground by the force of the bullet striking him in the chest, and then crumpled back to earth. Anna's screams stopped and the sudden silence engulfed them. She scrambled to her feet just in time to catch Sam before he fell to the ground. Sam looked like he had just ran a marathon and was about to pass out.

'Sam?' She called frantically, lightly slapping his cheek. Dean helped her lower him gently to the ground. 'Sammy, answer me!' She begged him, pushing his sweat soaked hair from his forehead.

'What's wrong with him?' Dean asked her. 'God, let Sam be okay,' he silently prayed. Dean put his fingers to his brother's throat and let out a sigh of relief to find a pulse.

'I think he's just knocked out,' Anna confirmed.

'M'okay,' Sam grumbled, trying to open his eyes, and then closing them right away with a grimace, as if he were about to be sick and closing them would stop the inevitable.

'We have to get him home,' she said urgently. 'Let's get out of here.'

'You don't need to tell me twice.' Dean agreed, ready to put this church and its grounds behind him.

'Help me lift him,' she said. Instead, Dean leaned over his brother's body and caught Anna's chin in his hand. Tilting her face up to look at him he mouthed the words 'thank-you' before kissing her on the lips.

'Guys,' Sam broke in, 'can that please wait until later? Like – when we're out of here, and I'm not under you?'

'Right. Sorry Sammy. One get-away coming right up.' Dean placed his arm under his brother's shoulders and helped him to a sitting position. They waited for Sam's nausea to pass before he and Anna lifted him to his feet. Sam had his arm around Dean's neck and was leaning heavily on his brother, while Anna had her arm around his waist trying to help. 'Sam, did you put on weight?' Dean joked. 'I swear, no more of Anna's cooking for you.' Dean winked at her around his brother's bulk. She smiled in response.

They only made it half way to the Impala when Anna collapsed to her knees, nearly sending all three of them to the ground. Dean, only just managing to keep himself and Sam upright, said urgently, 'Anna, are you alright?' But he got no response as the stink of sulfur surrounded them and a black cloud engulfed her. 'Oh shit!' Dean cursed.

'Don't swear sweetheart, I'm just fine.' She said as she raised her head and looked at Dean with soul-less black eyes.

A/N: Exorior Hazra, nos voco vos – English translation is 'Come forth Hazra, we summon you.'