Dean's fingers roughly grasped her thighs, eliciting a moan from Elena. Her breathing was ragged; the feel of Dean's bare chest against hers had pushed her into sensory overload. His lips were warm against her throat. Elena bucked her hips against him, begging him to touch her. She wanted him more than she ever had.
Elena's hand slid down Dean's arm. She faltered when she felt tender, raised skin. Elena glanced down to see a red, swollen mark on Dean's forearm. She pressed her fingers against it and Dean let out a hiss. Dean tilted his head back and groaned.
"Dean?" Elena whispered.
He looked down at her, his eyes completely black.
OoOoOo
Elena shot up, a mixture of fear and arousal pulsating through her. She looked down at Dean's sleeping form. He had not even moved at Elena's outburst. She steadied her breath and slowly got out of bed. She knew that it couldn't be a coincidence. Two dreams of Dean where he had eyes of a demon, it had to mean something. She felt a pit in her stomach. She made her way into the kitchen and poured herself a glass of water.
"Elena." Castiel's voice appeared behind her. She gasped and turned to see Castiel standing there. She set the water down and glared at him. "You scared me." Elena bit out. She softened once Castiel smiled apologetically.
"That was not my intention. I just wanted to check in with you." Castiel explained.
Elena nodded slowly, "I'm okay, how's Sam?"
"He is focused," Castiel studied Elena, "But you seem anxious."
Elena dryly laughed, "Well I met Katherine."
Castiel raised his eyebrows, "But you appear to be uninjured."
Elena grinned and then refocused, "She just wanted to talk. She said she had a similar bond with a man when she was human, like with what I have with Dean now." Elena felt confusion seep in as the words settled. Her and Katherine were connected in more ways than she thought.
"And then what happened?"
"He died and she became a vampire shortly after," Elena paused, "Uh…she said that in order to feel the bond more completely I would have to consummate my relationship."
Castiel nodded slowly as Elena's cheeks warmed. She felt like she was having "the talk" with her Aunt Jenna. She just needed to tell someone what had happened, process it aloud.
"Is this a problem?" Castiel questioned, confused.
Elena shook her head, "No…it's just. I haven't."
Castiel still seemed perplexed, "You and Dean have not consummated your relationship?"
Elena shook her head, hesitated, and said, "I haven't had sex with anyone."
Castiel smiled softly. Elena flushed.
"Do not be embarrassed. Dean has had sex with many women." Castiel attempted to be comforting.
Elena rolled her eyes, "Yes. I know. That doesn't make me feel much better."
Castiel seemed focused, "I believe Dean has a profound love for you."
Elena sighed, "Dean and I aren't…we haven't…we haven't really sorted through that."
Castiel seemed to understand. Elena rested against the countertop and let out a heavy sigh. "I had another dream about Dean." Elena whispered.
"Where he becomes a demon?" Castiel questioned, a frown forming.
Elena nodded, "It has to mean something."
Castiel responded, "I will see what I can find."
"It felt too real." Elena shook her head and looked away from Castiel.
"Have you told Dean about this?" Castiel asked.
"No." Elena felt the guilt wash over her.
Castiel stayed quiet. Dean had his hands full with Sam and Gadreel. Elena did not want to further burden him, but that didn't mean she felt guilt free. Elena cleared her throat and shrugged.
"Anyway, Sam is doing okay? What have you guys been up to?" Elena diverted the subject.
"We're trying to find Gadreel. We have a plan." Castiel spoke softly.
"Are you going to tell me?" Elena asked.
Castiel glanced up stairs, "Dean is awake. I think it is better that he not see me. I'll see you soon Elena." And then Castiel disappeared. Elena heard Dean's footsteps as he came downstairs.
Dean walked in, a sleepy look in his eyes. He smiled softly at her, "Couldn't sleep?"
Elena nodded, "Yeah, guess I'm just ready to be on the road."
Dean knew the feeling, "Tomorrow."
He bent down and kissed Elena softly. It was a quick kiss, but felt so comfortable like it was part of a routine. It was enough to push everything that was wrong from her mind, even if just for a moment.
OoOoOo
They had driven for a few hours and decided to stop at some bar and grill on the just off the highway. Elena had snuck out of the house in the morning. She left a quick note to say that she was okay and to thank her family. And now she was back on the road with no new objective.
Dean grinned at Elena, a flirtatious glint in his eyes. Dean actually felt better. He had allowed himself to forget about everything that was wrong. And then Crowley appeared abruptly. He stood at the edge of the table, his signature smirk on his face. He winked at Elena, whose smiled had vanished.
"So...is that boudoir smile for me?" Crowley turned his attentions to Dean. Dean was briefly shocked to see Crowley, but his hand was already reaching for the demon blade hidden in his jacket.
"At least buy me a drink first." Crowley teased.
Dean frowned, "I said the next time I see you-"
Crowley waved his hand nonchalantly and moved to sit beside Elena. She moved over reluctantly but kept her eyes on Dean. She watched Dean's hand linger on the blade underneath his jacket. She knew that Crowley was not going to hurt her, but she did not trust him.
"Dead. Yes, rings a bell, but let's not dwell on the past, shall we? This bar is a bust. That waitress is trouble with a capital VD, and your prey, Gadreel, has left the building. So, it's time to move on to more pressing matters, like destroying Abaddon." Crowley explained.
"I'm assuming you have some brilliant plan?" Elena gave a bitter smile.
Crowley chuckled, "Right dear, right you are."
"What exactly would that be? The Knights of Hell aren't exactly the dying kind." Dean muttered.
"But there is something that can kill a knight. The weapon that the archangels used to execute them - the First Blade." Crowley stared at Dean.
Dean shrugged, not interested, "Never heard of it. Can I kill you now?"
Ignoring the comment, Crowley continued, "I've been chasing that blade for decades. The closest I got to it was when one of my droogs - Smitty - got wind of a protégé demon of Abaddon's who claimed knowledge of the blade. Sadly, before Smitty
could nab the guy, a hunter by the name of John Winchester nabbed the protégé. I'm here to see if there's anything in the John Winchester memorial library that might lead us to the first blade - to killing Abaddon."
"You want to hunt?" Elena stared at Crowley. She had to admit her interest was piqued.
"With me?" Dean questioned, not quite believing what he was hearing.
Crowley smiled, "I do love a good buddy comedy," he turned to Elena, "With a splash of romance. Just to liven things up."
Dean rolled his eyes and took out his father's journal. Elena watched as he began to delicately flip through the pages until he found what he was looking for. He clenched his jaw and tapped his finger on the page.
"Oh, yeah. Here it is. Yeah, he picked up a protégé who had bones with Abaddon, but that's about all it says in here."
Crowley leaned across the table to glance at the old pages, "What do those numbers in the margins mean?"
"None of your business." Dean responded.
"You're gonna play hard to get? We have time for a montage?" Crowley countered.
"It's a code - one of my dad's storage lockers. He may have put something about the case there." Dean explained.
"And what does the "T" next to the numbers mean?" Elena asked.
"I don't know." Dean spoke softly to her, more gently.
"Let's go find daddy's man cave, then, shall we?" Crowley proposed.
"And how do I know this isn't a trap?" Dean asked the million dollar question.
"You...don't. That's what makes it fun." Crowley had a gleam in his eye. Clearly this was entertaining for him. Crowley stood and made his way out of the bar. Dean shook his head and finished his drink.
"You think this is a good idea?" Elena asked.
"If this gets us closer to Abbadon what can it hurt?" Dean shrugged.
He and Elena walked out together.
OoOoOo
They had gone to the storage locker only to find that Crowley had been telling the truth. John had captured a demon with another hunter, Tara. Elena glanced up at the sign on the building. Apparently she owned a pawnshop now.
They walked into the building, the bell on the door dinging as they did. Elena saw the woman behind the counter. She was blonde, her arms incredibly muscular. She didn't look like a hunter, but Elena knew it had to be Tara.
Dean cleared his throat, "Tara?"
The woman looked up and eyed the three of them. Elena thought they looked like un unlikely trio, "That's what the sign says. Can I help you?"
"Yeah. Hope so. John Winchester ring a bell? I'm his son." Dean explained.
Tara raised an eyebrow, "Sam or Dean?"
"Dean."
Tare tensed and grabbed her knee, "Well, didn't you grow up pretty. Still in the family business?"
"Yeah, born and raised. Listen, bunch of years back, you worked a job with my dad. Well, me and my, uh, associate h—" Dean didn't get a chance to finish his sentence. Tara raised a shotgun at them. Dean moved to stand in front of Elena, his mouth in a hard line.
"Ever since '92, I get a painful little tickle in what's left of my knee whenever a demon is around." Tara looked between Elena and Crowley, unsure of which one was the demon.
"Point that thing somewhere else would you." Dean spoke gruffly.
Crowley rolled his eyes, "Hunters. So trusting. I'll go grab a latte while you get this sorted." Crowley moved to snap his fingers, but nothing happened.
Tara smiled, "Devil's trap under the knock-off Persian, jackass."
Elena scooted back the rug with her foot. A red devil's trap appeared. Dean sighed, "Tara listen, my, uh, associate-"
"Friends - besties, actually." Crowley smiled.
"Shut up Crowley." Elena glared at him. He smiled in return.
"Look, I'm the King of Hell. He's a Winchester. There's a reason why we're working together." Crowley's voice oozed confidence.
"Yeah, whose she?" She pointed towards Elena.
"She doesn't have anything to do with this. She's human and she's with me." Dean cut in before Elena had a chance to speak. Elena felt a wave of possessiveness wash over her. She realized that it was coming from Dean. She tried to will it away, but the feeling wouldn't budge. Tara seemed fascinated albeit unimpressed.
Before Elena knew it, she and Dean had been splashed with holy water. Elena let out a breath and wiped her face, "See, still human." She attempted to smile at Tara but her annoyance shined through.
"Okay? Yes, you're right. He is a jackass, but he's helping me on this." Dean said
"Helping you with what?" Tara asked, her interest piqued.
"You and my old man found a demon who knew something about the First Blade. We need to find that blade." Dean told her.
"Well, hell. You are as handsome as John. And as dumb, too, if you're looking for that old relic."
"We're hunting a Knight of Hell."
Tara shook her head, "Why? They're all dead."
"One came back, Abadon." Elena told her. Tara pulled out a manila file from beneath the counter top.
"The demon said the archangels used a weapon that could kill the Knights of Hell. We'd never heard of anything like the Knights of Hell or a First Blade. Your dad thought he was lying, trying to save himself. We took him out, and we had a lovely weekend together. Then we went our separate ways. But I could never let the blade go. Something like that could really give a hunter an edge, you know? I looked all over the world - destroyed my knee and my life. And all I found," she moved to the safe on the wall and took out a tray of ingredients, "A location spell for the blade That I could never finish. Couldn't find one ingredient - essence of Kraken."
Crowley stepped closer, "Kraken? I got a warehouse full of Kraken essence in Belize. Break the trap, I can be there and back before you say, "presto"."
Tara replied completely deadpan, "Presto."
Dean was getting frustrated, "He wants Abaddon as dead as I do."
Tara shook her head, "If your daddy could see you now." Elena winced at the words. Tara moved around the counter and further pushed back the rug with her foot. With one quick blast the Devil's Trap outer ring was broken and Crowley disappeared. "You know, even if that blade is real, it ain't worth being bosom buddies with the King of Hell." Tara looked at Dean.
"Abaddon? Way worse. I'll deal with Crowley after. Trust me."
"You sound just like your dad... when he said he'd call me." Tara gauged his reaction. Dean was at a loss for words. Elena wondered what John Winchester was really like. She had seen Dean's memories but she thought the in person experience would be vastly different.
Before Dean could respond, Crowley reappeared. He handed Tara a small jar.
"Shall we?"
Tara mixed the spell while Dean laid out a map over the countertop. She poured the liquid over it. Dean lit a match and tossed it onto the map. Elena waited for the flames to dissipate and when they did only one state was left visible.
Missouri.
OoOoOo
They pulled up to a small cabin like home. The drive had been tense, quiet. Crowley got out of the car first. Elena was about to follow suit when Dean stopped her. His hand rested on top of hers.
"What's wrong?" Elena asked.
Dean stared ahead, "Stay close to me."
Elena nodded, "I will."
"I don't know what's going to happen and I'd ask you to stay back, but I know you won't." Dean smiled.
"Well at least you know that." Elena smiled at him.
Dean nodded and then moved to get out of the car. Elena did the same. Crowley cleared his throat, "Well if you two are finished…I'm feeling something."
"What, cramps?" Dean responded. Elena cracked a smile at Dean's quip.
"I feel something dark." Crowley retorted. "What, darker than you?" Dean questioned.
The Elena looked up and saw a man in a beekeeper suit. He was walking between hives, not looking at any of them. Crowley's face contorted and he looked back at the Impala.
"Oh, no. We need to leave here now." He stated firmly.
"What, are you allergic to bees?" Dean asked.
"That's not a beekeeper. That's the father of murder." Crowley looked to Elena, thinking she'd have enough sense to run.
"Who?" Dean questioned.
"It's Cain." Crowley said.
"Cain…as in Cain and Abel?" Elena asked. She wasn't very religious but she knew that tale, like most people did. She stared at the beekeeper. He didn't look menacing in any way.
"We need to be a world away from here - from him." Crowley turned to leave, but Cain appeared before the three of them.
"You're not going anywhere." Cain spoke, his voice gravelly and firm.
OoOoOo
The inside of Cain's house was nothing spectacular. It was shockingly homey, comfortable even. Elena sat beside Dean, her hand resting on his thigh. Crowley sat on the other side of them. Dean looked around scoping out the room.
Elena glanced at Crowley, who looked uncomfortable and ready to panic. "Crowley, why don't you just leave?" Elena asked
"I'd never leave my partners in crime." Crowley retorted.
Dean was not amused, "Yeah, like your heart grew three sizes. You can't zap out of here, can you?"
Crowley huffed, "Cain's doing something to me."
Elena felt a small twinge of satisfaction. "Since you're stuck here with us maybe you could tell us a little bit about Cain?"
Crowley grinned, "Anything for you dear," He glanced at Dean who was far from smiling, "After Cain killed Abel, he became a demon."
"What do you mean "became a demon"?" Dean interjected.
"I mean he became the deadliest demon to walk the face of the earth. Killed thousands. The best at being the worst. And then he just... Disappeared. Everyone thought he was dead or, at least, hoped he was." Crowley finished as soon as Cain came into the room.
He was handsome, a little older. His hair was graying and he had a full beard. Cain dressed like someone from another time, and then Elena realized he was from a completely different time. She stared at the tray of tea he carried. This was not what she had been expecting.
"Do any of you keep bees? It's very relaxing. They're such noble creatures. And the honey? Well, I keep it right on the comb." Cain explained as he set the tray down. He handed a cup to each of them. Crowley's hands shook as he began to sip.
"They're dying, you know. Without bees, mankind will cease to exist. So, what are the King of Hell and a Winchester doing at my house? And a Petrova doppelganger…" Cain looked at Elena. Elena looked up from her cup of tea and at Cain. She didn't smile, but continued to study him. She was used to those she didn't know recognizing her at this point.
"You know who we are?" Dean asked.
Cain nodded, "I'm retired. I'm not dead. What I don't know is why you're looking for me - more importantly, how you found me."
Crowley began to speak, but Cain silenced him. He waved his hand and Crowley immediately began to stutter. If the situation weren't so tense Elena would have laughed. Dean was able to make light of it, "Oh, you gotta teach me to do that." Elena glanced at him, unsure of what he was thinking. How was he able to stay so calm? It struck her that she was extremely relaxed as well. She wondered if Dean was influencing her somehow and if that were even possible.
"Why are you here, Dean?" Cain asked.
"We're looking for the weapon the archangels used to kill the Knights of Hell. The First Blade. We need it to kill a Knight of Hell - Abaddon." Dean told him.
Cain absentmindedly moved a ring on his left finger. Elena watched him intently. She noticed that Dean was watching him too. Dean cleared his throat, "Look, I get it. You're retired. We're not here to get between you and the demonic AARP, but it's bad out there, and I'm just looking to even the odds."
"One last time - how did you find me?"
Elena cut in, "The spell wasn't for you, but for the blade."
"Anyone else know you're here?" Cain questioned.
"No." Elena answered evenly. She moved her hand from Dean's thigh and began to feel her heart race and her face began to flush. Anxiety and stress hit her like a brick. She subtly placed her hand back on Dean's leg, just barely touching him and she began to feel more at ease. Dean wanted to ask her what was wrong, but it wasn't the time or the place.
Cain began to stand, "Well, it's been a pleasure having company, but once a century is enough for me. You can let yourselves out."
Dean shook his head and followed Cain; Elena immediately felt the loss of him being near her. Dean spoke with conviction, "Hey, listen, pal. We're not leaving here without the Blade."
"You have quite a reputation, Dean. I see the part about you being brave rings true."
"Well, what can I say? I'm an all-in kind of guy. Abaddon is the last Knight of Hell, and if you're out of the game, what the hell do you care if she dies?" Dean asked.
"If your friend here could talk, he would tell you that I trained the Knights of Hell. I built that entire demonic order with my own hands - Abaddon included." Cain glanced to Crowley. Elena immediately knew that Crowley was withholding something, that he had a secret agenda of his own.
Dean turned to glare at Crowley, "Well, that is information I could have used five minutes ago!" Crowley tried to explain but no noise came.
Well, here's something your friend doesn't know, that no one knows, in fact - outside of Abaddon. It wasn't the archangels that slaughtered the knights. It was me." Cain told Dean.
"Why did you turn on your own?" Dean asked.
Cain was not budging. "Once again, I admire your bravery. But if you'll excuse me, I have errands to run in town. Goodbye, Dean Winchester. Never return."
Dean said nothing else, but motioned for Crowley and Elena to follow him out. Elena took a last glance at Cain, something about him drew her in and she couldn't figure out what it was.
She just knew it was unsettling.
OoOoOo
As they walked towards the Impala Elena felt like they had spent the whole day accomplishing nothing. Cain was not going to help them in any way that much was clear. But she could see Dean was determined and the chance he would be giving up was slim.
"Well, that was lovely. Can we leave the country now?" Crowley quipped.
Elena looked to Dean. "You said the First Blade was our only shot at killing Abaddon. This is the closest we've been to it. We're not leaving." Dean was adamant.
Elena stepped closer to Dean, "Are you sure this is a good idea?"
"Yes, Dean…listen to reason for once." Crowley chimed in.
Dean looked down at Elena, "Hey, this is the closest thing we got. We'll wait till he's gone, come back, bust in, take what's ours." Dean made it sound much more simple than it was going to be. Crowley was hesitant, as was Elena. But she trusted Dean. Crowley threw his hands up and walked over to the Impala to wait.
When he was far enough away, Elena turned to Dean. "Did you feel that in there?" Elena asked him.
"What do you mean?"
"Were you trying to calm me down?" Elena pressed.
"I was calm, but you seemed fine." Dean responded.
"Yeah, only when I was touching you." Elena pointed out. Dean ran a hand down his face and let out a breath. Elena knew he was frustrated. He abruptly put his hands on her shoulders and stared intensely at her. Elena raised her eyebrows, she felt nothing.
"Feel that?" Dean asked.
She shook her head, "No." She was unable to stop herself and smiled slightly.
Dean nodded, "Okay, new plan. After we get the first blade, you and I are going somewhere. We're going to sort this, whatever is happening between us, we're sorting it out." Dean said almost forcefully. Elena was surprised at how willful he was.
"Okay?" Dean asked.
"Okay." Elena whispered.
She wasn't sure what to expect.
Kind of a long note here, but I am not abandoning this story. I write when I can and I know this chapter took a long time to get out. I'm still really excited to write more. So, if you are sticking with this and still reading, thank you!
Now to the actual story, I decided to break this into two chapters or else it would have been far too long. Next chapter, Supernatural fans know what's going to happen in regards to the blade, but a lot of things are going to be happening between Dean and Elena Thanks for reading and for your patience!
