Hunter's Moon
By: Sandreline
Hello everyone! I am so glad to know that you are all enjoying this story! You know, I had noidea that in season six, they send them back in time to the Westerns. I am just starting finishing season four at the moment. Haha. What do you know, great minds think alike!
Thank you again for all of the wonderful reviews! And don't forget to check out my love's profile – JamesPhilipson. He does some amazing work, and he put a lot of effort into it, so I promise that you will not be disappointed!
Chapter 9: The Western Front
Serenity wanted so badly to swipe the gloating smirk right off of his face. Dean's body was all-but-glowing in male satisfaction and sexual appeal. Oh, Sam had been correct all right; Dean had gotten the information about where Rosa Mae was living. However, that did not stop the prostitute he had been speaking with from melding her lips with his. The Lunarian had no idea why she reacted the way that she did, she just remembered ripping Dean away from the woman and pulling him away. She pretended not to notice Sam's contemplative gaze at her actions, and instead called out for him to follow, reminding the brother's that they did not have much time to solve the case.
This of course led to Dean wearing a dreamy look on his goofy face as he walked beside her and Sam. He was most likely enjoying some kind of perverse daydream about the prostitute and thus causing Serenity's temper to rise, with the proof of said ire being in her redden cheeks. "What's the plan?" Sam asked in hopes of cutting away some of the tense atmosphere.
"We go to Rosa's house and do some surveillance." She told the younger Winchester after making the decision to completely ignore Dean and his smug expression. "I can feel something dark approaching quickly. We need to figure out what we are dealing with if we have any hope of saving this town."
"Won't that mess with the time line?" Sam asked. "If we save the town, we would change the entire history of this part of the state - we would have no idea what we would be going back to."
"While that is a brilliant observation, the answer is no." She told him. "Time is a mysterious thing. Think of it like the snow thawing off a mountain and running down to the stream. The melting water has no one road - it breaks off into several rivers, and each of those breaks into more, so on and so forth. We have simply jumped back one fork in the road, meaning this: The town's history cannot be changed; however, if we were to figure out what caused the townspeople to be cursed and fix it, we would be able to free their souls in the present day."
"That's too complicated for me." Dean commented.
"She means that while we can change something here and relieve the curse, the town would still be abandoned but the souls would be saved. The murders would still happen because Duncan Blake controlled spirits, but there wouldn't be any demons inhabiting the town." Sam tried to help his brother understand.
"You are a freak of genius, you know that?" Dean snipped to his younger brother. "All this time talk is confusing the crap out of me, and bringing down my mojo. Let's finish this so I can get back to talking to lovely Ginger at that saloon."
Sam let out a sigh as Serenity ignored the comment, coming to stop before a two-story home. The front porch was littered with sick men, all of them pale and sweating with a blanket over them. Serenity could see that they were all infected, but not with a human illness. Their souls were being tainted by a black shadow. She nearly jumped out of her boots when one man suddenly jumped to his feet, his eyes wide with wild rage as he looked around. Running, he grabbed a pair of scissors that a man was using to cut towels into strips to put in water, and stabbed the man in the neck. Serenity's dark blue eyes widened as the man that was stabbed fell to the ground, brown eyes wide in fear as he gurgled and choked on his own blood. The crazy man held up his weapon, red life-blood dripping down the blades as he looked for his next victim, most too sick to try to stop him or too far gone to care.
Two gun shots went off within half a second after each other from beside her, causing her to jump slightly once again. Two bullet holes embedded themselves in the man's head before he fell over like a lead weight, blood oozing from the wounds. Serenity turned to see that both Winchester's had pulled out their guns with regular bullets in the shafts, their faces in complete Hunter mode.
All eyes were on the strangers standing on the steps of the house belonging to Rosa Mae. "Oh hell no!" Dean began. "Hell fucking no!" He turned around and began to make a beeline back to the town. "We are getting out of here, and I mean now." Sam didn't hesitate to follow his brother, his face grim as he went down the steps as well. It took the two a few moments to realize that Serenity was not following them, but when they did they turned around to face her. "Well?" Dean asked, anger lacing his tone. "Are you coming or not?"
Serenity was still slightly in a daze, still not use to this sort of battle. She had to admit that when it came to the supernatural, these two were much wiser and faster than she was. However, Dean's last comment struck her out of her stupor and she lowered her eyes in anger. "No."
"What do you mean: no?" Dean snapped. "We're leaving. I'll throw you over my damn shoulder like a sack of potatoes if I have to."
"I said no, Dean." She stated. "I will send the two of you back if you truly wish to go, but I am not leaving until I have helped these people."
"Serenity, you don't understand." Sam tried to cut in, ever the peacemaker. "We've gone up against this before, and there is nothing that we can do." He took his cowboy hat off of his head for a moment, running a hand through his hair. "Dean and I barely got out alive last time; we tried to save the town, but it was useless."
"And I, for one, have no desire to repeat it! So let's go, Princess!" Dean began to march back up to the blonde female, fully intent on grabbing her and taking her with him. There was no way in hell he was going to leave her here by herself; she attracted enough trouble as it is!
Serenity's eyes flashed silver for a split second, but it was more than enough for Dean to pause in his approach. "Then how about you boys give me a history lesson and leave the rest up to me? I will not give up on these people."
Sam could tell that there was no way she was going to budge on this. He didn't need his visions to tell him that. Her very being radiated with her choice- there was no way they were going to get her out of here without telling her what was going on.
"Ok, you want a little history lesson?" Dean argued.
Sam cut in again. "What do you know about the word Croatoan?" He asked in a calmer voice than his brother, leading her away from the house to where there were no prying eyes or ears.
"It was the only clue about the sudden disappearance of a colony on the east coast a couple hundred years ago. Why?" She asked.
"Because that's not the only time that's happened." Sam told her as they slipped between the spaces of two houses.
"The damn town wasn't abandoned; they were infected before going on a killing spree that lasted all through the night before suddenly disappearing." Dean cut in, his patience wearing thin. He wanted to get out of there, especially since many were already infected, if the crazy scissors killing freak was any clue. "And I, for one, have no intention of repeating that night, so let's get the hell out of Dodge!"
"I am not going." Serenity told them, using every ounce of regality in her voice. "I am staying. I can help."
Dean cut Sam's reply off. "No, you can't. You may have some serious magic mojo, but this is suicide. So let's tell Ginger goodbye and leave, the sun is already starting to set."
Sam's eyes widened as he looked out of their little alley and towards the sun. "That's not the sun setting, Dean." He pointed towards the sunset, only to be greeted by a large, black cloud making its way slowly closer to the town.
"Shit-a-ma-fuck!" Dean called out, grabbing Serenity by her wrist as he and Sam ran into Rosa's house. They locked the doors behind them, Dean moving to close all the windows as Sam went to find salt. The few people that were inside the house were looking around at the strange new people, a few screaming as Sam and Dean pushed there way through. It was only a moment later before the vision of Rosa Mae appeared at the bottom of the stairs. "What do you people think you are doing? Remove yourselves from my home!"
"Can't do that, lady." Dean started and he and Sam began to line the windows and doors with as much salt as they could. The black shadow had picked up pace. Screams from the town loudly filled their ears, suddenly dying out when the people were touched by the blackness. All the negative energy made Serenity feel sick, and she could feel her crescent moon flaring to life underneath her cowgirl hat.
"We don't have enough time!" Sam cried out.
"Yes we do!" Dean challenged, moving faster.
"What is that?" A sickly man from the living room cried out, pointing out the large windows as the black mist began to engulf the home.
"Silence Wall!"
Purple light flared out around the inside of the house, blinding the occupants inside. Dean and Sam turned to find Serenity standing in the room facing the front door, the same deadly glaive from before being held in front of her. The power seemed to infuriate the blackness, and it pulled back before slamming itself against the purple barrier just outside the walls of the house. A demonic screech wailed out from the depths as the same barrier repelled the attack with another flash of purple light. However, the darkness did not give up, continuing to batter the barrier despite the repercussions.
"What in the name of all Saints is going on?" one of the sickly men cried out.
Rosa Mae suddenly fell to the stairs behind her, her skirts billowing out in a flurry. "So it is time."
Dean whirled on the prostitute. "Time for what exactly?"
"She is here to collect her bargains." Rosa spoke.
"Lilith." Sam spoke up with resolution in his voice. "Who is she?"
The few townspeople that were safely inside the home shifted nervously, glancing at each other and not saying a word.
"If someone doesn't start talking, I'm going to get very trigger happy." Dean warned them.
"You have to understand, sonny." A very old man spoke from the couch. "The town was desperate. We would have done anything."
"It is alright, Albert." Rosa spoke up. "Save your strength, I shall speak to the youngling's." The prostitute spoke up.
Serenity would have snorted at that comment, if all of her attention was not on keeping up the barrier. Rosa continued. "Bodie has suffered through terrible winters. Not yet fifteen years ago, we suffered the worst yet. Nearly all of the town's population perished from the cold and starvation." She looked down to her folded hands she rested on her skirts. "We had to do what we could to survive."
"You made a Deal." Sam stated. "You made a Deal with a Crossroads demon."
The Lunarian was confused as she listened to the tale. What was she missing?
"Yes." Rosa continued. "She came to us many times, but we knew better. We are not strangers to the paranormal kind, as well as the consequences of making such a deal."
"So why did you do it?" Sam continued.
"We had no choice." Spoke another older female, clearly a former business partner of Rosa Mae. "As the years went on, the town got worse." There was a pause. "She promised the town would grow and prosper..."
"Let me guess, tonight is the ten year anniversary of the Deal." Dean stated. "Well la-di-fuckin-da, we planned this trip perfectly!"
"Where?" Serenity asked, still straining against the force of the barrier. "Where is the demon?"
It was like a vacuum was suddenly turned on. Everyone watched as the black clouds pulled away from the house, rolling backwards at an incredible pace. The previous townspeople that had been flurrying around the streets had vanished.
Left alone to stand on the doorstep was a young little girl.
Serenity did not drop the barrier, but she was relieved at the cease of onslaught on her powers. Sam and Dean moved to flank Serenity on either side, everyone focused on the small girl standing on the other side of the glass door.
She smiled kindly, and she acted the part of a sweet innocent child. Until her eyes turned completely white and her voice took on a harsh tone. "Hello. Who are you?" She asked. "You are taking away my fun, and I don't like it when people take away my fun."
"Cute." Dean commented. "A psycho ten year old thinks this is all just fun and games. Great."
"It's not every day you see two mortals playing with a goddess, now do we?" The little girl spoke, her voice carrying through the door just fine. Her eyes landed on Serenity, her face twisting into a scowl. "You cannot interfere, Moon brat. They freely handed over their souls, and I am here to collect."
"Well, that puts a damper on my fun. You see, I am here to save them." Serenity replied back.
"No!" The small girl cried out. "They are going to be my new playthings! You cannot have them!"
"Release your contracts on this town, and we will leave in peace." Serenity called out with a stern and Queenly tone. "If you do not, I will show you no mercy."
"Well, what do we have here?" Spoke another voice as a man suddenly appeared on the porch beside the girl child. His eyes were a glowing yellow, and once Sam and Dean saw his eyes they pulled out their guns. Dean held the colt firmly in one hand, eager to shoot the son-of-a-bitch a second time. "You bastard..." He growled.
"Are you having a party without me, Lilith?" The man asked with a sickly sweet voice.
"This is none of your concern. Leave me alone!" The child cried out, stomping her foot down.
"Oh, but it is my concern." The yellow-eyed demon purred. "Sam and Dean Winchester are very much my concern."
Lilith seemed to loose some of her authority at those words, turning to look over at the trio who dared to defy her. "Fine," the demon said. "But this isn't fair!' She wailed.
"Of course it isn't." Yellow eyes spoke. "Now beat it."
The girl child scowled before vanishing into thin air. Yellow eyes smirked at the two Winchesters through the door. "See you boys later." He vanished just as quickly as Lilith had, leaving no trace but sulfur behind.
Serenity sunk down to her knees, panting. The strong negative energy of the two demons clashing with her own purity for so long took a toll on her strength, especially having to use the powers of Saturn for so long. Dean moved to help her, picking her up with an arm under her knees and the other supporting her back.
Sam turned to Rosa Mae, whose eyes were as wide as the rest of the occupants in the town. "I think that will just about do it..." He said slowly, still off-set at just how easy the confrontation had gone.
"Just...like that?" The older woman from before spoke. There were at least a dozen in the living room and kitchen, not including those that were sick upstairs. Sam took note that those who were sick no longer looked as pale as they had a few moments ago.
"Are you alright?" Dean whispered to Serenity, looking into her eyes as she rested against his chest.
"Just tired." She told him, fighting the blush off of her cheeks. She couldn't help but notice the strong scent of 'male' that came from him. Was that a hint of Old Spice after shave? Yummy...
"Just making sure, Angel." He told her, adding a smirk to the stretch of his lips as he stood up, taking her with him.
"Thank you." Rosa spoke, approaching the three young adults. "I am not sure who or what you are, but thank you."
Serenity smiled, but Sam is the one who replied for her. "It was our pleasure, ma'am." He spoke with a slight cowboy accent as he dipped his hat to her.
"Really?" Dean asked.
"What? I couldn't resist." Sam retorted with a shrug.
"We need to get you to watch more Clint Eastwood movies, man." Dean scolded. Sam rolled his eyes as Dean continued, "So how do we get back?"
A maroon light blinding his eyes was his answer.
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They appeared next to Dean's Impala, out of the ghost town that now seemed to have a peaceful air to it even from a distance. Dean gently set Serenity on her feet, waiting until he was sure that she wasn't going to fall before letting her go.
"Welcome back." Artemus greeted from beside Luna, both of whom were sitting on the hood of the classic car.
"I'll never get use to that." Dean commented.
"Hey!" Sam smiled. "Where's Rosa Mae?"
Luna purred. "Gone." The feline's tail swung around to her other side. "We assume it was because you accomplished your task."
"Not really." Serenity spoke. "Can we talk later? I want a nap." She paused. "Ice cream, too."
"Back to the amazing hotel?" Dean asked with a hopeful glint in his eyes as he already began to make his way to the front seat. He opened the driver door, running a hand over the metal body as if it was a pet. "I've missed you, baby!"
Serenity quirked up an eyebrow at Sam, who simply rolled his eyes at his brother's actions and opened the back door for her. She smiled her thanks as she slid in; the two felines joined her before Sam closed the door and got in the front seat himself. As Dean sped off the dirt road, the Lunarian turned around one last time to take a look at the town.
Lilith's angry gaze returned her.
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So, what do you all think?
For those of you that are curious – I really am using real locations. If you google the towns I have used and will use, you can see the pictures that I am describing in the story.
I think you are all going to like where the story is now – things get BIG as we hit a town in Pennsylvania that even the GOVERNMENT has taken off of maps! What could be lurking under ground? Just stay tuned, and I'll show you!
Feel free to review! Love you all!
~Sandreline
