Chapter 14

For a moment, Dean lost himself in the kiss. Damn, was she a good kisser. But still…his mind was so focused on Sam that he didn't find himself enjoying the woman's arms around him as much as he should.

Pulling away with a sigh, he looked her in the eyes. "I'm sorry…I can't…my brother could call any minute."

"Oh, I see. You're a good boy then. What a shame." She bated her eyelashes at Dean and swirled the glass she was holding in her hands.

"Well, I never said that. Just…later alright? You can give me your number…"

"Yes, later. Okay. But a little kissing won't hurt, right? I'm sure you'll be able to still hear your phone. Whatta ya say handsome?"

"Uh, well…" Dean couldn't really argue with that one. And she was fricken' hot.

"I'll take that as a yes…" She grabbed Dean with surprising strength for a woman her size and shoved him into the near corner, grabbing his head to bring him down into a kiss.

"Okay," Sam said, playing along with the demon's game. What the hell else was he supposed to do? Try and grab the remote and throw it at the creature? "What will you offer me?"

Azazel smiled at Sam. "Good, now we're getting somewhere. As I said before, little Jessica here would be granted safety, which I can't say would happen if you refused." His grin turned wicked. "Oh and your brother who you love so much, I wouldn't lay a finger on him. You see there's a plan in this for Dean as well…"

"What are you talking about?" How the hell was Dean involved in this too? Did he also have demon blood inside him?

"Well, this is all part of your destiny. The Winchester brothers are supposed to play a big part in things to come. You, with leading my army and Dean…well Dean's set to die, Sammy. I can't tell you why just yet, but his death is essential to set things into motion."

"If his death is so essential then why are you offering me his safety?"

"Oh Sam, you see…while it is important…it's not necessary. You're the main part of this whole thing Sam. You…not Dean. As long as you're on board, everything else can be…altered. Including your brother's death. I know how much he means to you, and I can find someone else that could take his place to play out my plan. Dean would be the best choice, but there are others."

Sam closed his eyes and felt his heart pound against his chest. Now would be a good time to show up, Dean, he thought. Stop making out with that girl and come here. Can't you see she's a demon? Can't you feel that I'm in danger?

Eventually, Dean would come to his help. At least, Sam hoped he would. But Dean was waiting for his call. He didn't have any reason to come early. He wouldn't want to barge in when Sam and Jess had a serious talk about breaking up. Still, stalling was his only chance and Dean was overly protective. Hopefully his constant worry would come into play now. Funny how something Sam was usually annoyed with, was something he was desperately wishing for at this moment. Sam needed to draw this out and bide his time, but he also wanted to know what the hell the demon was talking about. He couldn't deny that he was at least curious. "You're saying that if I agree to this, Dean and Jess will be safe."

"Of course. I can't lie to you when making a deal. It's against the rules. Jess will be able to go about her life. And Dean…I'll add some icing to this deal."

"What's that?" There was a wicked glint in the demon's eye that Sam didn't like.

"I'll allow him to stay with you. While you will be taken somewhere to learn about what will happen and what you're expected of, Dean can be with you. I'd have him off-limits to all demons, confined to your room of course, because I don't trust him…but he'd be with you. I know how much you'd need him. Just think about it. You and your brother would be untouchable by demons…no need to worry anymore."

While the idea of Dean being kept safe and with him was pleasing to Sam, it would never work. "Dean would never be okay with me working for demons."

"Maybe not at first, but he'd understand. He wouldn't be allowed to leave anyway, so he'd have to come to terms with it. It's not like you'll have to do much Sam. For a while, a few years, you'll just sit back and relax. I'll do most of the work; you don't have to do anything at all. Just say 'yes' when the time is needed."

"Say 'yes' to what?" Sam hissed. "Is there more than leading your army?" What the hell was going on here? It was all happening so fast that it was difficult to follow. What was this huge plan, and why was a crippled boy like him so important to it? Why couldn't the demon just grab up someone that could walk instead of going through all this trouble? Bleed in some other baby's mouth and start over with someone who wouldn't be stuck in a wheelchair.

"That doesn't matter now. It's something you'll learn later. So what is it then? Safety for Jess and your brother by your side? Or will it be death for both of them?"

Sam had to stall as long as possible. "And what about my father? I want his safety guaranteed too."

The demon shook his head. "No can do, Sammy. Papa John is living on borrowed time already." Sam cocked his head to the side in question, but Azazel, once again, brushed him off. "Anyway, he's caused me way too much trouble. At least you'll have your brother, right?"

Sam couldn't believe what he was hearing! So even if he agreed to this plan, the demon was still going to kill his father? "And what if I don't agree to your plan? What happens then?"

"You're really asking me that Sam? Seriously? You should be lucky that I'm sparing Dean's life! The illiterate moron dropped you. He broke you. He's the reason why I have to go through all this trouble in the first place."

Sam felt a deep anger flare up inside him at the demon's insult toward his brother. "Don't you dare call him illiterate!"

Azazel smirked. "What? It's true! Close enough, even you have to admit it, Sammy."

Sam scowled at the demon. He wanted to get under Sam's skin, to weaken him mentally. It wasn't going to happen. "You never answered my question."

"Oh, about what I'll do if you don't agree? Well, your father will die either way, but Dean….you know, I may not kill him after all. I have a better idea, a fate worse than death."

Sam cringed. Oh god, what could be worse than death? What was this sick bastard thinking to do to his brother? He regretted even asking the question…

"If you turn me down today, I'll tell you what I'll do to Dean…I'll cripple him." The demon laughed cruelly at Sam's wide eyes.

No way, no. If Azazel crippled Dean…his brother that already had so many self-esteem issues, it would destroy him. It would really be worse than death for him. It would kill him inside.

"No…" Sam found himself saying, his throat closing up when he thought of Dean in that situation, of having to see him like that every day. "No, you can't do that!"

"I think I'll take it a step further and break his back a little higher up, make him lose the feeling in his arms, how does that sound?" The demon's eyes glistened with delight. "Oh, but I'd make sure he wouldn't be able to die, just be stuck in a body that won't move. And you'd have to watch your big hero brother rotting away inside, having to take care of him but unable to help him get better."

The intense fear of having to see Dean trapped inside his body for the rest of his life had Sam think about what he was being offered, seriously considering everything. If he disagreed, idled for too long, the demon would kill his father, permanently cripple Dean, and kill Jess. If he agreed here and now, Azazel would still go after John, but two of the people he loved would remain untouched. He'd even be able to keep Dean by his side…

Sam swallowed. Shit, this was serious. But what if Dean was on his way? He had to have realized the girl at the bar was a demon right? Dean was smart, he'd figure it out. He had to buy his brother some time. "You need to give me some time…"

"I know exactly what it is that you're doing!" The demon was no longer pretending to sound friendly. "You're stalling….you mistake me for a fool. Well I'm not messing around…"

Azazel held his hand out toward Jess and Sam watched in horror as her body began to slowly slide up the wall.

"Make your decision or this innocent girl is going to go up in flames…just like mommy."

There was something about this woman that was throwing Dean off. While her kisses were nothing short of amazing, she just seemed…very forceful. Dean was all for taking his time, making the kisses slow and passionate. This…it just seemed off. She wouldn't even allow him to catch his breath and since they weren't taking this any further, Dean didn't see the point in being so aggressive. It was actually pretty uncomfortable.

He pulled away, this time not as reluctantly. He should check his phone just in case. Or text Sam to see how things were going.

"I can't do this anymore," he told the woman while searching his jacket pocket. "It's too…" Dean froze. His phone…where…he checked his other pocket…his jeans…it was gone. "Shit, shit!"

"What is it?" the woman asked.

"My phone! Damnit, it must have fell…shit! My brother could have called!"

"Maybe it's back by the bar, let's look."

Dean nodded, hurrying over. He checked on the ground…on the counter…the bartender still hadn't cleared their drinks…

Something caught Dean's eye, and it wasn't his phone.

No. This couldn't seriously be happening.

On the outside of what had been the woman's glass was a yellowish-green powdery-like substance. Something that Dean was familiar with. Sulfur.

She was a demon. It all made sense now. She was here to distract him. Which meant Sammy…

"I have to go now!" Dean wasn't about to deal with this demon right now. He pushed past her, only to feel a strong hand tug on his arm, stopping him from advancing.

"Looking for this?" Her voice was wicked now and when Dean turned to look at her, she was smirking…her eyes black. In her hand was his phone, now crushed by her demonic power.

"You bitch!" Dean pushed away, trying to get free, but she was too strong.

"Watch your mouth Winchester. You have no idea what I could do to you."

"You're not gonna kill me, you would have done so already."

"Wow, maybe there is a brain in that dense head of yours. But I have to say I'm unimpressed with finally meeting one of the great Winchesters. Thought you'd be a better kisser and oh…" She poked Dean in the belly with her other hand. "You should think of lying off the burgers and fries, Dean. Though I will say you have a pleasing face."

Dean ignored her insults, though they stung a little, he knew not to listen to a demon's mockery. He had to get to Sam, this wasn't a good sign. But the demon's grasp was too strong, he couldn't pull away. "If you're not here to kill me, then what do you want?"

"Just because I can't kill you…yet…doesn't mean I can't hurt you. We will have our time though Dean, you're on the list, your death will come. We just have to wait for the green light from our leader."

"Your leader, Yellow-Eyes?"

"What a childish name. Looks like you speak as well as you read." She laughed at Dean's wince. "He has a name, idiot, Azazel. And he has a plan. You should be happy someone as insignificant as you plays such a big role, you and your brother. He will join Azazel and you will die. But don't worry; you're going to die for a great cause."

Dean had no idea what kind of shit was coming from this disgusting demon's mouth or if it was true or not. But he couldn't worry about any of that right now. "And just because I can't kill you doesn't mean I can't hurt you either, bitch."

"Oh, is that so…" The woman's words turned into a scream of pain. Dean had swiftly unscrewed the flask of holy water in his jacket's inside pocket with his free hand and splashed the contents onto her face.

"Not so stupid now, huh?" Dean spat at her and backed away. "She'll be paying," he told the bartender pointing back at the woman and hurried out of the bar. He had to get to Sammy, and fast.

"Don't you touch her!" Sam yelled but Azazel didn't listen. He turned to Jess and without even lifting a finger, he made her slowly slide up the wall. Her eyes were staring straight at Sam, pleading for him to do something. Damnit! He never felt so useless in his entire life. What could he do? There had to be something…

"This is exactly what happened to your mother, Sam. All that we're missing is the fire." The demon snapped his fingers, and instantly the wall and floor around Jess burst into flames. Her mouth opened in a silent scream, only prevented by Azazel's doings.

Jess stopped inching her way up the wall and the flames, while close to her, didn't reach as far as to burn her. But the flames proved their point, there was a serious danger here. Azazel was going to go through with his plan. He was going to kill Jess and John and cripple Dean. But Sam could stop it…he could stop it all if he just said 'yes'.

Sam's brain seemed to be frozen. All he could think was No, no, no, no, no. This can't be happening. The demon would force him into leading his damn demon army. A demon army, bound to destroy every human on Earth. And who knew what plans he had ahead of that. He couldn't do that. He just couldn't say yes. So many innocent people would suffer if he did. But if he didn't Jess would die for sure and he couldn't that let happen either. Jess trusted him, she'd already been through hell and he wouldn't risk her safety again.

Despite the knowledge that he couldn't help her, Sam dragged himself nearer to the wall. He wanted to be near her, as if he could give her some confidence by doing this.

Azazel laughed. "Just look at you, Sammy. You're so pathetic. Tell me; is it fun to humiliate yourself like that? You know you have to say only a little word and you can stand up, get your girl to safety and meet with your brother, knowing that he also will be safe." He clicked his tongue. "If you prove to be a good soldier we might even talk about your father's life. Maybe you can talk me into sparing him. How's that? You have to admit that I'm willing to give you a lot in return for one little word."

The smoke wasn't wasting its time as it began to fill the room, the flames were nearly licking Jess's skin…he could see that she already had blisters forming, the fire was so close. Her mouth opened into what should have been a pain filled scream and it was even more terrifying when still no sound came out.

She didn't deserve this. He couldn't let it happen. He hoped that Dean would understand the choice he had to make and that it wouldn't break his heart into pieces, that John would forgive him for not being strong enough, for not finding a way out…

Azazel got impatient. "I need your decision. Sam. And I need it now. What will it be? Consider that I'm the only thing that's containing these flames. All I have to do is snap my fingers again, and Jessica here is engulfed in them. So what is it going to be?"