Chapter 13

The dust settled to reveal a pile of rubble. The figure that had been silhouetted by the dust came forward. Sam was surprised and managed to gasp, "Cas?"

Castiel stepped forward to look at the scene he had created. He looked at the pile of rubble and then up at the demon that was holding fast to Sam. The younger Winchester didn't look too good as he took in the dead Lupei and the slowly moving hell hound and the demon that was glaring at him with a pair of red eyes.

Katherine looked at the angel with glowing eyes. Her fun had been interrupted. "Castiel, the angel of Thursday."

Castiel looked at Katherine and gave a brief acknowledgement along with, "Katherine."

By then what collided through the wall managed to get up. Also Dean managed to stumble through the hole in the wall. He was looking at the damage in wall. "Damn Cas." He looked and saw Sam struggling to get up and breathe. "You okay Sam?"

"I'm fine."

"Enough," Katherine said. Her voice had become more warped than usual when she was in her mode. "You will all pay for this."

Alighieri looked at Katherine and noted that she was really pissed. He saw the dead Lupei and could guess why and it didn't help that he had a really pissed off hellhound growling at him from behind and there was the angel looking at them. He wasn't about to risk his skin. Besides Katherine was pissed and even though she was known as a screw up on the job in a normal sense, she could be vicious when provoked.

"No you will leave or you will suffer the consequences," Castiel replied.

"Cas, not the best idea now," Dean said as he helped his brother up. He noticed the purple bruising that started to appear. All he could think of was that Angela was going to be pissed at this and a session of mother henning.

"Oh I think now is perfect," Katherine replied as she looked at the pair of brothers. "Orders were not to harm you or your brother too seriously. Just as long as we don't kill you."

Cerebus was on his feet and growling low and ferocious. His previous injuries were forgotten now that there were demons around and his alpha's alpha and the beta were there. They needed to be protected since his alpha couldn't do it. She was looking for the pup. He was ready to go into his extreme mode for that.

Katherine looked at the group. She looked at Alighieri and then at the boys. "Shall we have our fun?"

Alighieri was tempted and he was taken with the prospect. It would be two against one angel and the Winchesters if they were successful at anything that could be harmful to a demon of their pay grade. "Lead on."

Katherine grinned and looked at the Winchesters. They would pay for Tippy. She grinned and raised her hand. She saw the hellhound start to charge and she sent it flying. "So you still think to challenge me?"

"Just a good distraction bitch."

Katherine turned to see Dean coming at her and give her a couple of hard punches. Well they were certainly hard for a human. She looked at him and her red eyes blazed in fury. She blocked the last one and grabbed Dean by the front of his shirt. She shoved him hard enough to send him flying backwards and into the wall.

In the meantime, Castiel was engaged with Alighieri blocking his strikes and countering with his own. Of the two Alighieri was the most aggressive and it made tactical sense but Katherine was equally up to the task once she was put in the mood. It was not a good situation for either of them. The one good thing was that Castiel had his angel blade which he brought out and started swinging it and tried to get inside for a strike.

Alighieri knew the capabilities of the angel blade. It was the one thing he knew of that could kill an angel. He could try to wrestle it free from the angel but that was a risk that could possibly be worth more than the reward. It was like he and the angel were equally matched at the fist to fist thing. Hell colliding with the wall and making the hole was something. Still he could play dirty if he had to.

When Castiel came in, Alighieri batted the blade aside and grabbed the angel by the lapels of his trench coat. The force of moment carried them backwards and right where he was aiming for. He grinned in satisfaction when he saw the iron fixture pop right through the angel's shoulder. The sound of flesh being punctured was always a nice sound to hear. He looked at the angel with a grin and reached up and grabbed the fixture and pulled it down, bending it to keep Castiel from getting out of it too easily. "Stick around for a bit, Castiel."

Castiel struggled against his being pinned while the demon turned to head towards the Winchesters. They weren't fairing too well with Katherine having her way with them. Dean was sporting a cut on his forehead and Sam was not doing too well with the bruising on his throat. He gripped the iron fixture and started tugging to try and get it free. Pain was meaningless.

Dean hit the wall and fell. He rolled once he hit the ground and gave a slight cough. He had been winded and felt like he was going to collapse or maybe like an asthmatic or something. He slowly got to his hands and knees and muttered his favorite curse. Looking up he saw Sam struggling to breathe and started to panic since Katherine was wheeling in on him. "Sammy," he muttered as he got to his feet.

As he started to run to help his brother, he was pummeled by Alighieri grabbing him and slamming him into the wall. The demon said, "Now we can't have you interrupting Katherine's fun now can we?"

"Sonofabitch," Dean grunted. He was held fast and he couldn't really use his feet to get away. "Leave Sam out of this."

"I don't think so." Alighieri threw a punch and made contact with Dean's face. He did it twice more, creating nasty black eye. The third time as he brought his arm back, he was yanked by astronomical force and took Dean with him.

Dean fell forward onto the demon and was dragged a bit of the way until he was released. Looking up, he saw Cerebus yanking hard on the demon's arm. Blood was coming out of the wound as the mutt shook his head hard as if trying to tear the limb off. The only time he let go was when the demon gave a hard punch to the mutt's head.

Dean took the opportunity to leap forward and delivering punches. He even pulled out the knife Castiel brought and stabbed him in the shoulder. It was a surprise when the demon roared in pain and pushed him away. Dean knew of only two knives that could do that and one he knew was Ruby's knife and the other was Angela's and he was sure that she would have it. He watched as the demon pulled it out of his shoulder and throw it aside.

Alighieri looked at Dean and said, "Damage is done as far as I'm concerned. Good luck trying to save her from an old friend." With that he was gone.

Dean blinked at that and turned in time to see Castiel and Cerebus save Sam from Katherine's wrath. He went to his brother while Cerebus growled and Castiel advanced to continue the fight. Katherine didn't smoke out but disappeared after saying that she won't forget about Tippy and one day they would get a pay back. His attention was on Sam as he tried to comfort his brother, "Damn. Sam you must be a magnet for getting the air choked out of you. This is like the second time you've got bruises?"

"Whatever," Sam replied as he rubbed his neck and got to his feet. "She's just mad because I killed her pet by calling Cerebus."

"I can see that though I don't get how he was able to get in." Dean gave a look of acknowledgement towards the hell mutt who had snorted and trotted up towards Sam.

"Cerebus is of hell origin. None would think twice," Castiel replied as he came up holding the bloody iron fixture. He had managed to get free and fend off Katherine. Now that they were gone and the brothers were more or less unharmed, it was time to continue with the plan.

"Well I always knew the mutt was good for something," Dean replied as he gave a pat to Cerebus' head. He really wasn't a big fan of dogs but Cerebus was one of the few that he tolerated and could honestly say that he liked. It took a while especially one had to negotiate the fact that he was a hellhound and not only that but the hellhound bred to guard the gates of Tartarus according to Greek legend.

Cerebus gave a harrumph and bumped Dean's hand. He then turned his attention to Sam and bumped his hand. He also gave a slight mouthing of his hand, sort of like a kiss, and it was meant to be reassuring.

Sam made a slight face, relieved that he could finally catch his breath. His neck was sore and he was certain that was going to have a few choice words later when this was all over. He rubbed Cerebus' head to say that he was grateful for the mutt's jumping in. He replied, "He's only doing what he has been told to do."

It was a gross simplification of Cerebus' loyalty and the dynamics of dog packs but Sam wasn't going to bother explaining. It was easier to say that since it was essentially true. He rubbed Cerebus' head to let him know that he didn't think that about him. He looked at his brother and Castiel and saw they were all virtually a mess. "So any idea what next aside from the obvious?"

"The plan calls for immediate transportation outside the facility once you both have been located," Castiel replied as he tossed the fixture aside. He looked at his injury as if it were no consequence. Unlike demons, angels were much more gentle on their vessels when it came to injuries.

"Right and whose brilliant idea was that?" Dean looked at the angel and continued, "Cause I know this ain't all of us. There's still Ninja and Angie to get before we book."

Castiel stared at Dean and then Sam. Sam picked up what that expression meant and glanced over at Dean. "Dean, I don't think Cas is here to help Angie."

"That's bullshit Sam. We don't leave anyone behind."

"Dean, stop." Sam had raised his voice and it sounded raspy. "Angie is the one that came up with this. She sent Cas in here to find us and she's in here looking for Hibah. Right Cas?"

"The Malachi is here. We saw what she did Dean," Castiel replied, not really confirming Sam's query. He looked at both of them. "The Malachi will retrieve the Jewel but the means are… not the kind you should see."

"Oh I get that she is pissed. The bodies said plenty on that," Dean countered after shooting a look at Sam that said he was not to say anything. "I know what she's capable of and I don't have a problem with it. The point is that we aren't leaving until all of us are out. You understand?"

Castiel studied the look of determination on Dean's face. He wondered if she had expected this which was why she sent him. He could just as easily transport them from where they were to the Impala but he suspected that would just make them attempt to go back in.

Dean was about to get frustrated with the angel's nonresponse. He looked at Sam and then back at the angel and said, "Look, we find Angie and maybe along the way find Ninja. We don't leave family behind."

Castiel looked at the Winchesters. They were both going to do this no matter what. "The Malachi wished that you be taken to safety."

"And you know Angie will say that no matter what. So no dice," Dean countered.

A sound came through the halls. It distracted from the conversation. Dean looked around and demanded, "What the hell?"

At that moment, Sam glanced at his wristwatch. When he saw the time he said, "It's midnight."

"Yeah?"

"Dean, Hibah is no longer what her kind considered a child. I think that is the reason why Angie wants us out."

"What the hell?!"

"Put me down you bastard!"

"Shut up already you brat."

Hibah found herself being tossed onto the ground none to gently. She grunted slightly but managed to strike out with a kick. She got satisfaction at making contact as she looked up at the one who grabbed her and dragged her to this room. It was the same one that grabbed her back at that house. She didn't like him. "You're a bastard."

Lykos rubbed his shin where the girl kicked him. She was proving more trouble than she was worth but it was the one thing aside from the bloody Winchesters that was important to Absolution. He could appreciate that she knew where to make it count but that didn't mean that he liked the feeling of it. He growled, "You have yet to see a true bastard."

"Yeah and everyone keeps telling me that. I'm not stupid asshat." Hibah got to her feet. This was a different room and the demon Alistair was nowhere in sight. She could get away if she was smart about it. Angela had taught her how to do those things and it was almost like a game. Yet Hibah knew that this was no game. She could understand why her Ima was worried about her using her powers so freely and Uncle Cas would tell her that being responsible was one of the most important things for someone like her.

Most people were quick to think that because she was nine, she was too young to understand the world. Ima, Abba, Amitz and Uncle Cas didn't treat her that way but instead preferred to speak to her like she was an adult. Occasionally she didn't understand something and it was explained to her. She also did things that she knew wasn't what she should be doing. It was how she was able to learn about a few things about Ima. They were not good things so she said nothing about it. It was probably the only thing she kept as a secret.

Lykos looked at Hibah and took in the defiant look. She was not intimidated by him and he was perplexed by this. "Well then you must be a genius."

"I'm pretty smart to that you should be in prison," Hibah retorted as she crossed her arms over her chest. She then pointed at something resting on the table nearby, "And that is a Shadow Book."

"You are a bright little child," Lykos replied as he advanced towards Hibah. He gave her a patronizing look but was otherwise annoyed that she knew things that she should know but shouldn't know. He kneeled beside her and gently caressed her locks and said, "Your Ima must be feeling terrible about missing you. I did see a ruckus on my way to see you. She must love you terribly so if you wish to see her again you better behave."

"I only behave for my Ima and Abba. What makes you think I'm going to do it for you?" Hibah glared at Lykos as she put her hands on her hips.

"Because your Ima and Abba wouldn't want you to see what they are truly capable of when they are provoked to extremes," Lykos replied. He then got closer and said in a low voice, "And they wouldn't slip poisonous things into your bed. When you were sleeping."

"No they wouldn't," Hibah replied. The idea of poisonous things was a little nerve wracking but Hibah maintained her cool. "The only reason they would fight so hard is because they care about people."

Lykos laughed at what sounded like a childish answer. It sounded like the beliefs that the pathetic believers he had met before that did nothing but laude praise on Absolution. It sounded like his brother and his wife. Yeah he found out about that while he was in prison and he learned that his brother had a son. How Lycan managed to keep them a secret for so long had him baffled since Lycan was not one to be sneaky or deceitful. Lykos could only conclude that Absolution had a part in that. It was right up her alley.

"What's so funny?"

"You are little one."

"Why? Because I speak the truth?" Hibah raised her brow at Lykos. "It is true. It is in their nature you stupid animal."

Lykos growled and bounded forward. He didn't shift into his were form but he was pleased that the girl flinched even if it was only slightly. He would like to see her scared but she was being stubborn about it. He let his eyes flicker slightly and replied, "And what would you know about it? The bigger animal is your Ima."

Hibah looked at Lykos. She narrowed her eyes. "You don't know anything."

"I know plenty. I know about you little one. You are the Jewel of the Nile, the one born to a goddess and some other thing, more likely a meat bag human and you probably have your mother's ability of seeing into hearts and souls of men."

"I know who my mother is. And I know my Ima."

"Yes but I know things you don't. I'm sure you've heard from Alistair that he knows your Ima and your Amitz is it? So I won't deprive him the pleasure of telling you if you ever meet him again. I do know that your Ima is a killer and so is your Abba."

"They are hunters stupid," Hibah replied, "They hunt things. They kill them because those things were hurting people."

"Oh I'm sure it was bad things but I know that they are both killers. Believe what you want but I know that you won't believe me unless you see for yourself what they are capable of. Oh and don't forget your Amitz. Now I'm sure you know…"

"Yeah he was in hell for three months," Hibah countered. She knew this well because she had seen Dean's memories by accident and she asked about them. She had told him what she had done and apologized for it and in return he gave her the short hand version. "He did bad things because Alistair did bad things to him."

Lykos studied the girl. "You really came prepared didn't you?"

"I may be a kid but I know how to do research," Hibah offered. Some things did bother her even though it was the truth. It was the way that it had been said that was bothersome. She was well aware that this man didn't like her Ima or Abba. "I was taught to think."

"And a lot of good that has done you now." Lykos stood up and looked around. He moved his head to better be able to hear what was going on. He heard the noise from the other rooms. Apparently things were going along to some point. Probably Absolution had caused havoc. He wouldn't expect anything less. "So what is it you think you can do?"

Hibah had been looking around too. She had noticed a few points that she recognized as a means of getting out. She was thankful that her Ima had taught her how to observe her environment. Abba and Amitz showed her a few things too. She had been waiting for the right moment.

It came when she glanced at the wristwatch that Abba had bought her. It didn't look like Ima's but she had wanted on. She saw the time and gave a slight smile. There was one thing that Ima hadn't told her but Sherlock did. It was known amongst her mother's people and maybe a few did outside that circle and it occurred when a godling officially became of age.

Hibah looked at Lykos and said, "I think I can get away from you."

"I'd like to see you try."

"Maybe you will."

Lykos frowned when he heard that. He turned to take a look and was launched back with extreme force. He hit the wall and fell down. Sitting up he looked up and saw the little girl looking at him. Her eyes were like yellow-orange orbs. He didn't know she could pack a punch. "So the little godling has bite," he grinned as he got up. "I reckon I'm going to enjoy this."

Hibah looked at Lykos as he got up. Instinctively she reacted by tossing him into another wall. She added to it by making a waving motion with her hand and a heavy stone dais came his way. She took the opportunity to run and was out the door. She didn't care at that point since she was trying to get away and maybe find Abba and Amitz. She had faith that Ima would find her.

She turned blindly in the halls. She wasn't sure of which way she was supposed to go but right now she felt the need to put some distance between her and Lykos. She came to a junction and looked around. She had to find her people.

Bonds go deep little thing. Gods can sense beings they are particularly close to. Your grandmother knows that. It is a bond that touches the heart and sometimes even the soul. You can see that.

Hibah remembered what Sherlock told her. She closed her eyes and the only thing she could pick out were Ima and Abba and they were in two different directions. She was not experienced enough to pinpoint exact people out and even less with the godlike ability to go wherever. So she picked a direction and ran.

She came across a demon. It was accompanied by one other. Hibah was outnumbered but not outgunned. They started running towards her. Looking around, she found an iron torch hanging on the wall. She gripped it and pulled it off the wall and started running towards them. She used it like a club and managed to knock one down. The other she took out by using her powers to extract it much like an angel would. She paused when she did that, not sure what it was she just did.

She didn't have time to think about it much further. She continued down the hall until she found herself in a large room. It looked strange but almost like home. She didn't mean home like being with Ima and Abba. This was more like a home she should know. She paused a moment and looked around. She had no idea what this place was.

She was almost in the middle when a huge wolf jumped out and grabbed her weapon. With a twist of his head, she was flung aside with the torch. It fell away as she skidded on the floor from the impact. It didn't hurt her much except for maybe a scrape that she found when she looked at her elbow. She looked up and saw the wolf growling. The hair was raised on his hackles as he approached. His jaws were open and she could see the teeth.

Hibah felt her eyes widen and she tried to control her breathing. She got to her feet slowly and started to back away. Her eyes never left the wolf and she could tell that it was ready to attack. She didn't know what to do as the thing sprung except shut her eyes.

The attack didn't come and Hibah opened her eyes. She saw that someone had come and was wrestling with the wolf. She blinked as she recognized who it was. The name came out in a whisper, "Ima."

A/N: Looks like things are getting rough in the fight and Hibah has full use of her powers. Stay tuned for the conclusion of Heart and Soul...