Family Secrets Chapter 10
I don't own Supernatural or the characters. I just write because I'm obsessed and they keep telling me their story, so I have to share.
Sometimes you walk
Sometimes you crawl
Other times you're flying
You feel the thrill not knowing where you'll land
Give me, give me that rush
I need wings and I need healing
In my veins and in my blood
Give me, give me that rush
Sometimes it's gold
Sometimes it's brass
Sometimes you're fire
You feel the mount of Venus in your hand
Give me, give me that rush
I need wings and I need healing
Don't need drugs, I don't need dreaming
Give me, give me that rush
If it never comes is the damage done
Nothing that I can't believe in
It's just another face, don't I know your face
It's just the joy of receiving
Edwin – Rush
"Bait's the easiest and the fastest way to catch the ghouls."
"Sam, don't go there with me."
"I'm not going there..." Sam sighed. "I'm just saying..." He'd forgotten about the incident with the djinn and she was right. He really didn't want to go there with her again. "So anyway, that means a stakeout."
Farmland flew by out the window of the Charger as Sam and Alta led the way toward Idaho. Samuel followed in the van with Christian, Gwynn and Mark. The plan was to drive straight through... only sixteen hours.
"Get some sleep."
Alta put her head back on the headrest and closed her eyes. "Just let me know when you want me to drive." She was quiet for a few minutes but couldn't sleep. "You know, I hate stakeouts."
"What do you mean? It's part of hunting."
"I know, but I guess you could say it's not my long suit."
"So, what's the problem?" The idea of hating anything to do with hunting completely escaped him. All parts of the hunt fit together like pieces of a puzzle.
"I'm just more of an action person. I like to be moving." She shifted in her seat trying to find a more comfortable position. "Too much waiting around…"
"It's not waiting around. You're watching. You have time to learn the environment. You can actually memorize it… what's available if you need it... escape routes..."
"Yes, I know... It's just my mind wanders. I can't concentrate on one thing that long."
"You have to learn to focus."
"So I've been told all my life."
She's more like Dean than I thought. "All the more reason to use bait and draw it out."
"Sam!"
"It's ok. Just stick with me and try to keep still and focused."
She shifted again so that she was seated sideways facing him, her legs curled up and her chin resting on her knees. She stretched out one leg and playfully kicked his thigh. Sam glanced at her. She was smiling so sweetly. It occurred to him that she was the only person he knew who was at ease with him. He felt everyone's tenseness around him. He could smell the little traces of fear. He made everyone as least a little uncomfortable. He didn't mind it… didn't care. He found it useful and he never would have noticed except that he felt the difference with Alta. She trusted him even though she had plenty of reasons not to. He wondered if that was part of love. If it was, it was a weakness. Her trust of him made her vulnerable. He didn't intend to use her or hurt her, but that weakness made it easier… if he needed to…
Sam smiled back at her. "Need a break?"
"We're not fucking at the rest stop, you HornDog!"
Sam laughed at the thought. "It was worth a try."
"Sam, I believe you're developing a sense of humor. Nice…"
"Well, don't tell anybody." It was true. He was developing a sense of humor. At least with Alta. He was more relaxed with her than with anybody. Her motives were so clear to him. He didn't trust anyone... except Alta.
Alta laid her head against the seat. She sat still, quiet, her eyes closed. He could sense her drifting off into peaceful sleep. Good. He eased down on the accelerator. Time to eat some miles. He was quickly out of sight of the van and Samuel and the rest of the clan. He was alone in the night with Alta, at least until the next stop.
xxx
"Sam, you and Alta take the north end of the cemetery. Christian and Gwynn take the south, I'll watch on the east and Mark, you watch on the west. You four," Samuel gestured toward Sam and Alta, then Christian and Gwynn. "You've got the main entrances. If these things want to roam tonight we're going to stop them.
They sat at a large table in the back of a local restaurant. Sam was pushing the remainder of his steak around on the plate.
"Head shot's the way to kill em. But we need to bag em. Got any ideas, now's the time." Samuel scanned the table for responses.
"Silver's useless… so is salt, holy water, iron… all the usual's." Sam glanced at Alta. She could see the almost imperceptible eye roll meant only for her. Christian's comment was stating the obvious.
"Can't poison them. They drink embalming fluid for lunch." Now Samuel was stating the obvious.
Sam's impatience was almost tangible. He sighed and tossed his fork on the plate. It fell with a loud clank. "We bag them." Sam gave a little shrug. "Literally. Heavy duty canvas, strong rope, chains." They all looked at him. "Seriously… What else can we do? We need the element of surprise. That's why bait would be the way to go."
"No!" Samuel was adamant. "You just won't let it go, will you?"
"Fine!" Sam let out a huff. "We need to get the supplies and get out to the site. It's going to be tough. It'll take stealth along with brute force." He glanced at Alta. She nodded. He knew she was on board with him. "Let's roll."
Samuel downed the last of his coffee. It was obvious he would just have to share power with Sam. "Ok folks. Let's go with the plan."
xxx
They parked outside the north end of the cemetery. Samuel and the others were at the south end. At the trunk of the Charger they shared the hunter's ritual… loading up for the hunt. Sam wanted to share this ritual with her many more times. The heavy canvas bags Sam had in his duffel along with thick rope and chains. Guns were loaded and packed. Blades were stowed. Sam closed the trunk and pulled Alta around to face him, his hands on her upper arms, he fixed her with his eyes. She knew the look. Whatever he was about to lay out to her, he wouldn't take no for an answer. She had a sinking feeling.
"We'll find the right spot and lay out the canvas next to you. I'll try to wound the sonofabitch. You throw the canvas over its head. I've got rope and chain on me. I'll secure it." He gestured to the items hanging from his belt. "I'll draw it to me. You come up behind it once I have it focused on me."
"What?" Her eyes were as wide and crystal green as he'd ever seen them. "You're gonna be the bait?"
"Of course. It's the only way to catch it." He let her arms go. "If they come in a pair, we'll have to kill one and bag the other. But if there is only one, we capture it and be ready. The second one will be close behind it."
"How do you know?"
"Intuition. It's what I would do." He shrugged. "Think about it. They're hunting together. They'll either be together or they'll at least back each other up." He made it seem so simple. She nodded. Good. She gets it. Sam eyes were dark, deadly serious. "Ready?" She nodded.
They moved silently into the cemetery, slipping through the opened gate, keeping to the shadows. They were in the oldest part and Sam could smell the stench of moldy graves and the faint scent of rotten flesh. The breath of a carnivore. The ghouls had been through here. Alta found a spot in shadow that gave her a wide view. She nodded to Sam. He nodded in approval and they laid out the canvas for her. She found her perch and held her gun ready. When he was satisfied she was set, he found his perch further into the cemetery, hunkered down, disappeared into the shadows and waited.
Sam had always been able to remain motionless, focused, silently watching and listening for long periods of time. Now that he was soulless his capacity to focus was almost limitless. He ignored the pains that inevitably came from sitting in one position for so long. He methodically sifted through the sounds around him, separating out the normal night sounds, distant traffic, and night breezes in the trees rustling the leaves. He listened for anything that didn't fit. Focusing his eyes on nothing he could notice the slightest movements around him.
Alta admired the way Sam became undetectable in the darkness. All hunters could do this but she thought Sam took it to a new level. It was as if he disappeared. She knew he had her in his sight and if he moved she could see him. So she trusted and watched. They waited and watched until late into the night.
Sam knew Alta was in pain. He could see her slight shifts as she tried to rearrange cramped muscles. The waiting in a motionless crouch for hours was difficult but remaining focused in the midst of quiet nothingness was impossible for her. She struggled to keep her mind from wandering. She focused on the pathway, watching for any movement. But her mind wandered. She relived Sam briefing her on the hunt, them together cleaning their weapons, the rituals of hunters and the rituals of lovers... She reigned her mind back in to the hunt. She was staring at the place where she knew Sam was. She couldn't see him but she knew he was there.
Alta felt a tiny bead of sweat roll down her neck. It inched its way down her back. Man, she wanted to scratch! And her mind was off, wandering again. With an imperceptible movement Sam became visible. His eyes caught hers. When he knew he had her attention, his eyes narrowed slightly. Focus! His message was clear. She knew he was right, knew the consequences were life or death. She willed herself to focus, forced herself not to watch him, but to watch the area around him looking for any movement. Focus! Damnit! Focus! She chided herself.
She saw it… He smelled it. The stench of the carnivore's mouth became stronger and he could hear the breath that carried the putrid smell. The ghoul had taken the form of its last victim. It was a male, mid-thirties. He looked strong. He looked like a person, not a monster. Sam knew it was the creature they hunted, Alta was not so sure. She had only sight; Sam had sight, smell and an innate sense that came from being soulless. He was more akin to the creature than he could know. Alta trusted Sam and she would follow his instincts.
Sam glanced toward Alta. Wait… wait until its close enough… don't jump too soon. She knew… knew she had to wait. She read Sam's look, knew what he was telling her. She understood the hunt. She waited. He waited until it was nearly on him before he jumped from his perch and face to face he swiped his silver blade across the creature's belly. A thin red line of blood appeared from the cut and the creature returned a low angry growl. Sam dodged a swipe from the creature's knife, and then hit it with the butt of his rifle. It stumbled backward but got its footing quickly and came up with a thrust of its blade. Sam dodged again, but not enough to miss getting a slice that ran diagonally across his midsection from left waist to right shoulder. Red began to show through the cut fabric of his shirt. Sam swung and made connection again with the ghouls gut. It doubled over but once again came up with the blade, this time swinging in a high arc that landed deep in Sam's left shoulder. It felt like he'd hit bone and the pain shot down his arm and his fingers began tingling with the electricity of a damaged nerve. Alta reached them just as Sam brought up the sawed off in his right hand to make the head shot and end this. But he didn't need to shoot. She shoved the canvas over the creature's head pulling as hard as she could to get its arms inside the bag.
Sam's left hand was useless. He dropped the gun from his right hand and struggled to release the rope from his belt. Alta held the canvas tightly around the screaming ghoul as it slung her around trying to free itself. Sam was able to pull the rope around it and they both tied its arms tightly to its sides. Alta grabbed up Sam's gun and popped the ghouls head with the butt. It stilled, finally silent and she followed the rope with the chain.
They waited… watching and listening for the other ghoul. Nothing. Sam couldn't smell it, couldn't sense it near. They saw no movement, heard nothing. Maybe there was just one. Alta's eyes questioned. He gave a slight shrug but remained alert. Suddenly there was a gunshot from across the cemetery. Sam glanced down at the creature, then at Alta. He thought for a moment. Then they heard a second gunshot followed by Gwynn's scream, then another shot. Sam saw Alta's reaction. He knew she and Gwynn were friends as well as cousins. He didn't want to leave his prize and he didn't want to leave Alta. Christian should be covering Gwynn. They stood staring at each other over the motionless body of the ghoul.
"Sam!" Samuel's voice rang out across the cemetery. Sam's mouth tightened into a thin line and his head tilted to the side giving Alta that almost eye roll. "Sam!"
"He needs you."
"Alta, I…" He struggled to keep his feet and it was then that she noticed the amount of blood from both wounds beginning to saturate his shirt and jacket. She saw his face become pale and his eyes began to lose focus. He turned toward Samuel's call and tried to go to him.
"Sam!" Samuel's voice was closer.
"He's down!" She screamed. And he dropped. Alta caught Sam, holding him by his jacket collar. She could see him fading and worse she could hear him wheezing. That was definitely not a good sign with a chest wound.
Sam was on his knees gasping. "If that … gets lose … shoot ... head shot ... " He choked on a cough "... kill it." He held her eyes. "If … other one …"
"Head shot. I got it… Sam? ... Sam?" He slumped onto her and she held him upright checking his chest, trying to assess the extent of his injury.
xxx
Christian and Gwynn had found perches on either side of the south entrance to the cemetery. Deep in the shadows the two were invisible from the pathway. They waited for the ghoul to make its appearance. It came into sight slowly, creeping along the shadows on the edge of the pathway. Something seemed to make it cautious. It hesitated just in front of Gwynn and glanced back in toward the graves. Christian's shot rang out across the graves hitting the creature in the gut. It doubled over but came back up quickly in a rage as Gwynn jumped and flung the canvas over its head, following immediately with a rope.
Christian spotted the second ghoul. They were both running toward Gwynn, but the ghoul was closer and reached her first. Gwynn screamed as it swiped her with a long blade and left a gash across her thigh. The creature grabbed her by the waste its blade moving to slit her throat. Christian aimed and fired a shot directly to the head. A second shot hit immediately behind Christian's from the opposite direction and he and Mark ran to Gwynn's side. The creature slumped and Gwynn fell free.
xxx
Alta kneeled next to the bagged ghoul. She held Sam cradled in her arms pressing against the wound on his shoulder. Sam was unconscious and she was desperately trying to stop the blood loss from the shoulder wound. It was bleeding worse than the gash across his chest. Panic was clawing at her. Sam had lost a lot of blood and his labored breathing and wheezing was bad, really bad. But she pushed her panic down and remained intent on Sam's needs as well as her environment. She was alone in a dangerous place. She was vulnerable. The hunter in her would not forget that. Sam had been sure there would be a second ghoul.
Alta heard the shuffling steps coming up the path toward her. She gently lowered Sam to the ground and reached for his sawed off shot gun. As the second ghoul came into sight she aimed for its head and shot, but it was too far. She readied for a second shot. She had to let it get closer to make a good shot. But it was Samuel who came up behind the creature and threw a canvas over its head, quickly following with a rope, then a chain, then a solid butt of his rifle to the creature's head. Samuel nodded to Alta and sighed with relief.
Relief was short lived as Samuel's eyes fell on Sam lying at Alta's knees. She had gone back to putting pressure on the bleeding shoulder as Samuel rushed in to help. His hand went immediately to Sam's neck to check for a pulse. It was weak but steady. He nodded to Alta.
"Let's get him out of here."
xxx
Was I asleep? I don't sleep. He was confused. He remembered the last time he woke up. He'd been drugged and Alta kidnapped. This can't be good. I have to remember. What happened? He opened his eyes to see a strange room… a motel room… about like every other motel room… He tried to retrace the steps that led him here but couldn't remember past the ghoul. The ghoul! The cemetery! The night's hunt began to come back to mind. "Alta?"
"I'm here." She sat beside him on the bed and ran her hand through his hair.
His ran his hand across the stitches on his chest. "That's gonna leave a scar."
"Not a bad one." She smiled at him. "I told you before, I'm good at stitches."
He tried to rise up but pain seared through his left shoulder and shot down to his fingers. He lay down and lifted his hand watching as he flexed his fingers, feeling the electric shock from the shoulder to the tinkling numbness in his fingertips.
"Here." She handed him a glass and some pills. "You need antibiotics and some pain pills."
"No pain pills. I don't need them."
"You need to rest. And you need fluid. You lost a lot of blood."
"The hunt… the ghoul?"
"We bagged two. Gwynn took a hit but she'll be ok. Samuel and the others are on their way back to the compound with the prize."
"Good." Sam sighed and relaxed.
"I don't like this new way, Sam. It's so much more dangerous. We take a lot more hits trying to capture these things. I'd rather just kill them and be done." Worry showed on her face. But he didn't feel the fear, didn't feel the worry and he didn't understand hers.
"The job's changed, Alta." He shrugged. "It just is what it is."
"You almost died, Sam."
"I'm still here."
"Yea, well how's your hand?"
For the first time in this conversation Sam showed concern. "It's not good. My fingers are numb. Nerve damage maybe?" He tried to move his hand and realized his control of arm and hand was limited. If I can't use my hand, I can't hunt. I'll be useless. That possibility began to work its way into his mind.
TBC
Big surprises in store for next time. I'm planning a whole new turn of events. Hope you are enjoying the story so far.
Thanks for the Comments and the Alerts and Favorites. I like to know what you think.
