A/N: Okay, here it is, chapter 11. I've had this written for about three weeks now, but I was doing a BIAW challenge with some writing group friends and one week became three and I'm still only about 6K into the book. Blaeh. In any event, posting these chapters should come quickly. I've been working on this story when I got blocked on my book. Thanks for all your patience, guys. single tear I love you all!
Disclaimer: Never read angsty Quizilla stories when writing something like this. The rewriting when ready to post!!! I can't believe it. I read a story and was like, "He'll never ask her to 'go out' meaning 'be my girlfriend.' There's no way this 200 year old vampire- oh, holy crap he did. Wait, I just made Dean cry. Damnit!" And that's my story about the rewriting.
Anna smiled sheepishly and held out the small jar. Sam reached out and took it, unscrewing the lid. She turned away and pulled her hair forward over one shoulder revealing an angry mass of bruises from shoulder to hip. Dean stared for a moment then leaned over the papers to take the jar from Sam and hooked a finger into the waistband of Anna's shorts, pulling her back to sit on the bed between his legs. She bit her lip and looked over at Sam who gave her a reassuring smile then moved away to set up the food. Behind her, Dean sniffed at the contents of the jar trying to place the vaguely sweet smell.
"What is this stuff?" He stuck the tip of his finger in and licked at the orange goop. Dean grimaced and stuck his tongue out at the taste. Anna grinned over her shoulder at him as he eyed the jar suspiciously while she answered.
"It's an organic salve made with wild yam and a kind of dandelion- I forget what it's called. It's amazing on bruises and sore muscles."
Dean eyed the little jar in disbelief and Anna smiled over her shoulder at the way he sniffed at the contents. Dean shook his head and dipped a couple of fingers in and smeared the gooey mess into his palm then handed the jar to Anna. She turned away and he began rubbing the slave into her muscles in slow, deliberate circles being careful not to hurt her.
"These look really bad," he said in a low voice, the guilt returning.
"You should see the other guy," Anna said mimicking Groucho Marx.
Dean stopped and stared at the back of her neck. Anna's breathing stilled and she cocked her head as though listening for his next move. He looked over at Sam who shrugged and shook his head as if to say "Women" and Dean sighed before continuing to rub the salve into the bruises.
"You never laugh at my jokes," Anna said after a long moment of silence.
"Your jokes aren't funny," said Dean. "Hell, Sam's funnier than you."
"Hey!"
Sam and Anna had shouted in unison and Dean just grinned and concentrated on getting all the bruises with the balm. He tried not to laugh when Sam began rooting around under the spare bed with the silver case, questioning the necessity of three bags for one woman to which Anna gave an indignant snort, saying something about feminine necessities. Dean just shook his head and stayed out of the conversation as he finished his task then handed the jar back to Anna. She mumbled her thanks and returned to the bathroom to pull her shirt on, capping the jar on the way.
When she came back out fully dressed for sleep Dean and Sam were seated at the table, the food set out and the bottles Sam had brought flanking Anna's bottle of Jack. She grinned at Sam and pulled a twenty from her wallet.
>
Linnea stalked back and forth, shaking from her rage. She'd had him, willing and wanting, and then she had come in and ruined everything, her and the brother, Sam. Well, she would just have to get rid of them, somehow. If she couldn't bend Dean to her will, she would break him. The girl would be easy to take care of, Linnea mused. She was already injured, so another "fall" should finish the job. Sam might be tricky, though. The power was there, inside him, alive like it had been for the witch who had done this to her. Linnea closed her eyes as the memory of her screams played in her head, and smiled. Sam, though, would not be as easy as the witch.
Dean cared for his brother, more than he desired the girl, and that devotion could prove difficult to overcome. The girl didn't matter… one lover is easily replaced by another. No, Sam was the key. If she were to just capture him- but no. That would only make Dean angry, and he'd have the girl as backup. No, the girl had to die first. Then she could take Sam and Dean would come willingly, to save his brother, to feed her-
Linnea froze at the thought, unwilling to complete it. The bloodlust of her stone beast strained inside her, eager to be free and what remained of her humanity was afraid. Today had been the first time she had ever called on the change, and it had been useful but it was still an hour to sunset and she hadn't been able to return to her real body. She bit her lip in concern, but decided the time for panic would be the dawn. For now, she had a whole night of planning and preparation. She had watched the hotel long enough to realize that the men were sharing her room for the night, making returning impossible.
She had briefly considered taking Sam then, when he had left the room, but leaving Dean alone with that girl for too long could have disastrous results. Instead she had returned to the place she had called home for the last few decades and tried to force the change back to her human form. Now, though, she would simply prepare for the ceremony and the end of this curse. All she had to do was find a way to bring Bowden and the curse would be lifted. But, how?
>
The strains of "Disco Science" screamed through the earpiece. Dean checked his corners, though the action took on a whole new meaning in a cave. Keeping the flashlight resting along the barrel of his handgun, Dean played the light across the surface of the tunnel's walls and ceiling. Three notes of something Indian played before cutting off and Queen started playing. Dean grinned and turned the corner into a new tunnel.
"Sam?" He kept his voice low.
"Nothing. You?"
"Nope. Annie, how is it topside?"
"Wet. Sorry, nothing here- Wait." Dean heard the crunch of gravel and figured Anna was crouched close to the ground. "Holy crap."
"What is it?" Sam sounded worried.
"Big. I'm going to follow it; track me on the GPS."
"Hell no," Dean hissed. "Stay there."
"We'll lose it, Dean. I'll be careful."
Dean found himself suddenly beside Sam. He looked around the passageway disoriented, then recognized where he was.
"No," he whispered. "Annie!"
A scream pierced his eardrum, echoing through the tunnels. The ground shook and Sam took off running, shouting and beckoning to Dean. Dean ran after Sam, both sprinting following the dot on the GPS screen. Light exploded around them as they finally reached a large open cavern. Candles and lamps burned throughout the open space, and a huge thing lay bleeding on the ground bleeding. Dean stared in alarm at the piles of rock.
"Find her," he said and the brothers split up.
"Dean! She's here."
Dean ran over to Sam's side and fell to his knees. Anna, his Annie lay half buried in rock.
Here eyes were closed, her dark hair gray from the dust. Scrapes and bruises on her cheeks and shoulders show the signs of a fight before being nearly buried alive. Dean's stomach dropped and he began clawing at the rubble, Sam helping at his side.
"Dean."
He stopped moving, not believing his ears.
"Dean," she whispered.
Dean spun and cradled her face in his hands. Her eyes were clouded with pain, unshed tears glistening. She was alive, and Dean could breathe again. He bent and pressed his forehead to hers, stroking her hair with a shaking hand.
"Hang on, baby. We'll get you out."
"No, you have to go." Anna closed her eyes.
"We aren't leaving you here," Sam said still digging at the rocks. Anna shook her head and opened her eyes, pleading with Dean. Then her gaze shifted and her eyes opened wide in terror and she screamed, echoed by Sam.
"Dean!"
Dean sat straight up and his forehead slammed against something hard. He fell back and rolled away only to fall off the edge of the bed onto something hard, banging his elbow on the way. He sat up and heard a safety click and Sam moaning.
The lamp burst to life and Dean winced in the glare. He found himself on the floor and the barrel of Anna's gun aimed at his face. She blinked, yawned and put the safety back on, tucking the gun back under her pillow. Dean rubbed a hand across his face and climbed back into bed in time to catch a pillow in the face. His vision cleared and he saw Sam holding his jaw and glaring at him.
"Cave?"
"Sorry, man." Dean couldn't stop from grinning at Sam's rumpled appearance and turned away to Anna. "Go to sleep."
"I had to squeeze the towels for the unicorns to hatch," she said and fell down onto her pillow, fast asleep. Dean's jaw dropped and he just stared for a moment.
"Dude," Sam groaned behind him, jerking Dean from his stupor. He clicked off the light and lay down.