Dean's shoulder throbbed painfully – not helped by his hands being cuffed and chained behind him. His head pounded with exhaustion and a mega sized headache too, but Dean was way too tense to pay much attention. Raf had spent an hour stroking his brothers face, his lips, his hair, his throat, his chest. Raf was stroking Sam like he owned him. Dean watched and glared and clenched his teeth until they hurt.
Every now and then Raf would look at him with amusement. Daring him to complain. Daring him to say something and risk Raf breaking Sam's arm like he'd threatened to do.
It was probably only because the other Vamp, Steven was in the car that Raf didn't do more to Sam than he was doing. Steven was quiet, but he'd shoot glances through the rear view mirror. He'd glance over at Dean sometimes too and Dean could have sworn that sometimes, they were sympathetic glances.
Dean watched as Raf lifted a finger and traced Sam's jaw line. He felt a shudder ripple up his spine. If looks could kill, then Raf should be a steaming pile of vampish goop on the carpeted floor by now. Dean had glared at him until his face hurt. The glare only eased when he looked at Sam and then he'd been worried instead. Sam hadn't stirred even slightly through the journey, not even when Raf removed the cuffs binding him. His face was so still that Dean found himself checking at Sam's chest or throat to make sure he was still breathing.
He found himself tensing up each time the Vamp started stroking Sam. It reminded him of someone petting a dog – only this was more sensual – and way creepier. It was driving him nuts trying not to tell Raf to keep his hands to himself. Driving him nuts with worry that Sam wasn't waking up. By the time they got to Rugby, Dean's jaw was aching from being locked up so tight over his protests.
Rugby was a tiny town with only two or three thousand people in it. Pretty much deserted at the hour that they drove through it. Finally they pulled up outside a high metal electric security gate about ten miles out of town and waited for the automatic gate to open. Dean noticed the row of spear like spikes on top of the two meter tall fencing.
The house took another five minutes to drive up to on a private tree lined road. But Dean wouldn't have called it a house. The place was massive – like something from the deep south in that old Gone With The something or other movie. Although it was still dark, Dean could see that the house was white, three stories tall and had enormous pillars under the roof with a wrap around verandah. Massive oak trees stood all around the house, shading it from the last of the nights moonlight.
Steven stopped the car outside the front door, and the other Mercedes and the Impala pulled up behind. Another Vampire opened the front door of the house and came out, brushing a hand through his spiky brown hair, and sticking both hands in his jeans pockets.
It made Dean wince, to see the Vamp, Nathanial getting out from behind the drivers wheel of his precious Impala. But that was nothing compared to the sight of Raf climbing out of the car cradling Sam's limp body in his arms like a child.
"Hey Raf, guys. I thought you were never going to get here." said the Vamp on the stairs, rocking to and fro on his feet.
"Benjamin," said Raf with a smile.
"I've unpacked and got everything set up. I've also restocked the pantry and the fridge for your guest." Benjamin's eyes fell on Dean. "Ahh, guests," he modified.
"Well done, Benjamin," said Raf. He carried Sam effortlessly into the house, followed by Nathanial who grabbed a medical kit from a cupboard near the front door. Steven left the handcuffs on Dean and led him in behind the other two Vamps.
There was a chandelier in the foyer, lighting up a tastefully, but simply decorated area with a broad, carpeted winding staircase leading up to the next floor. Raf carried Sam up the stairs. Dean watched Sam's head and an arm swing limply with each step. Raf traveled down a hallway and paused. Nathanial opened a door and stepped aside to let Raf go into the bedroom first.
Steven led Dean into the room. There was a bed and a beautiful cherry wood chest of drawers that looked to be at least a few hundred years old. There was a door leading into an enormous ensuite and two french doors led out onto a balcony with plants and some chairs on it. All together, Dean thought it looked like one of the better motel rooms that they'd come across. Steven opened one side of the handcuff on Dean's wrist and refastened it to a steel hook fixed into a thick exposed beam in the wall on one side of the room. "I'll find a length of chain so that you can move around. and we're gonna need another bed in here." he murmured, walking out.
Raf, I should examine the boy," said Nathanial hesitantly, shuffling from one foot to the other, waiting for permission.
Raf lay Sam down on the massive king sized bed, and with a frown at Sam's still form he nodded his agreement to the examination. "Nathanial, remember they're hunters. Don't let yourself get attached."
Dean frowned at that, wondering what Raf meant.
Nathanial tucked some of his longish blonde hair behind his ear. He set a small doctors bag down on the bed and started examining Sam carefully. He took a temperature reading first. "How long has he been like this?"
"About two hours," said Raf, "I think it may be the result of my blending with him."
Nathanial glanced up at Raf nervously, and pulled back Sam's eyelids to shine a small torch light into his eyes. "Equal and reactive," he murmured, "but his temperature is up a bit. None of the other people that you blended with had this sort of reaction, did they?"
Raf shrugged. "I generally didn't stay around once I'd finished blending."
Nathanial felt Sam's skull carefully and titled his head to the side to concentrate on hearing Sam's heartbeat. "It's possible that he's still reacting to the concussion injury he got when you first caught him. I don't see anything else wrong with him physically, although when he wakes up, I'll want to ask him some questions. I'll monitor him through the day, if you want."
Raf shook his head. "There's no need for you to lose sleep, Nathanial leave him to me, you can talk to our guests tomorrow. In the mean time, please check their car over, you know what to look for. Then park it in the garage."
Raf waited until Nathanial had left the room. He picked up a length of chain that was attached to something that Dean couldn't see. Raf removed Sam's shoes and socks and attached the other end of the chain to Sam's ankle with a manacle. Then he sat down on the edge of the bed and started stroking Sam's hair again.
"Will you quit touching him," said Dean. "He's not a damned pet."
Raf lifted an eyebrow at him in amusement. "It might have escaped your notice, Dean but you are mine to do with as I please."
Dean cursed him. "Why don't you go feel up your mate then. Sam needs …"
"I will … 'feel up' whom so ever I please. You will remember your status here."
Dean tugged at the cuffs again in anger.
"You and your brother will be remaining with us for some time, and if you both behave you might survive relatively intact. You will both remain chained in this room until I no longer have need of your brother."
Dean shot Raf another glare. "You still haven't explained exactly what you want with my brother or what this ceremony's all about."
Raf ignored Dean's interruption pointedly, and went on as if Dean hadn't spoken. "Your health and comfort will depend on each others' good behavior. Your chain will be long enough to allow you to use the bathroom, the beds and the balcony. My kin and I will come and go as we please. I warn you now, Dean" said Raf with an icy stare. "You will not harm any of my family in any way, or the consequences to you and your brother will be most severe." Raf picked up a wooden bowl on the bedside table and carried it over to Dean. "Turn out all of your pockets. I want your cell phone and any and all other items and mind, I will be checking."
Raf watched as Dean started emptying his pockets. He picked up the cell phone and crushed it in his fist leaving only a pile of small broken bits behind in the bowl. "Your belt too," said Raf .
Dean sighed and pulled the belt out of his jeans and dropped it into the bowl too. Then Raf stepped over and patted Dean down carefully. Dean tried not to cringe away as the Vamp stepped into his personal space and ran his hands over him. His survival instincts were screaming for him to run for his life. From this distance, even he could tell that this Vamp was a type of predator that shouldn't exist at all. Raf was so freaky, so out of place, it was like being touched by something completely foreign, completely alien.
Raf looked him over carefully, and smiled at him. "You look tired Dean. You should try to sleep more," he said ignoring Dean's glare, he patted Dean on his cheek and took the bowl back over to the bed. Raf sat beside Sam and started going through his pockets. Sam's phone got destroyed the same way that Dean's had. Raf removed some loose coins and then rolled Sam's limp body over to take his wallet and a small notebook from his back jean pockets, dropping everything into the bowl.
Raf rolled the body back over and Sam flopped limply back onto the bed with a barely heard moan. His shirt and hoodie had ridden up during the search and Raf paused for a moment, looking at Sam with desire. He slowly ran his hands over Sam's exposed stomach and lower ribs, pushing the shirt up higher.
"Leave him alone!" spat Dean, suddenly terrified of what Raf might do.
Raf glared, losing his temper. "You require another lesson, Dean," He twisted and placed his lips over Sam's unconscious ones, running his hands over Sam intimately.
"No, don't! Leave him alone, you blood sucking bastard!" yelled Dean yanking hard at the hook on the wall. He twisted and put both feet on the wall near the hook and leaned back, pulling with all of his strength. The bolt didn't move at all. "Get your filthy hands off of my brother!" yelled Dean.
Sam chose that moment to wake up.