19

CHAPTER 12

Just as Castiel was replacing Ruby as the first man on the front line inside the building, Erin felt herself come into sensing distance of Ahriman. She moved with swift efficiency, sprinting down the girder and swinging like a trapeze artist off the edge of it with her hands in an advanced swing, sweeping down and pushing out with her legs, using them like a battering ram.

Everything happened at once. The momentum of the swing made Erin hit the glass pane of the window like a wrecking ball. The glass shattered inward with a crash, casting razor sharp, shining bits of confetti into the room before her.

The others on the opposite side of the door didn't miss a beat, as soon as they heard the first shard of glass break Cass flung the door off its hinges with a sweep of his arm, sending it careening into the room like a great war general. Dean and Sam flanked him, guns cocked and aimed, fingers already squeezing triggers. Ruby brought up the rear, a hex bag in hand and a Zippo lit to set fire to it in the other, the flame only centimeters from the fabric.

Erin caught her feet landing like a cat, coming up in one smooth motion, her sword in one hand, a gun in the other and was about to launch herself at Ahriman, who was dead center of the room. Beth was clenched in his hand in a death gripe by her throat, covered in blood, her clothes ripped and torn, jagged wounds sliced into her body. Ahriman's back was turned to the door, he'd turned to face Erin's oncoming presence and the maniacal smile of malicious glee on his face, eyes red as heart's blood from corner to corner, the twisted and perverted image of Christian, would haunt her for the rest of her life.

It was apparent that both of Beth's arms and legs had been broken in several places. She dangled like a disjointed doll, limbs twitching, a nausea inducing wet gurgling managing to escape from her open mouth and Ahriman's other hand was buried in her abdomen nearly to the elbow, slick with blood, the only stain marring his otherwise pristine formal attire. He moved faster than any of them could, it was like time had slowed down and they were moving through viscous fluid trying to move quicker and he was on fast forward. None of them could stop it. Not even Castiel. Ahriman chuckled low in his throat and wrenched his arm from Beth's body, her spinal cord clutched in his hand, ripped from her. She couldn't even scream in agony her throat was crushed so tightly in Ahriman's hand.

Erin screamed in grief and fury, a heart-rending sound, catapulting toward him, firing bullets rapidly. Castiel beat her there, moving so fast one second he seemed to be standing where he'd entered and the next Ahriman went flying through the air, thrown by the force of a palm to chest shove only an angel had the strength to deliver. Beth's mutilated body lay in a heap in the floor where Ahriman had dropped her when he'd been sent flying. He'd been struck so hard, the wall cracked with the force and he slid to the floor.

At the same time, Dean and Sam followed Ahriman's moving form and fired, hitting him dead on with salt rock rounds. They never penetrated, they hit, they should have torn through him like a rock through a taut sheet of paper. Instead, only his clothing showed that the rock salt had hit anything at all, small holes torn where it had hit. Beneath, the skin was as pink and healthy as it had ever been.

Ruby held back, genuinely concerned. Castiel hadn't been able to phase Ahriman, the rock salt hadn't. She didn't want to use the hex bags until she had to. What might knock Ahriman for a loop might well kill her. She wasn't as high in the ranks as he was, he was far more powerful even without an Immortal host.

Cass leveled a cold look at Ahriman, his own angel sword sliding into his hand from his trench coat sleeve and flipped it deftly into position and stalked across the room for him, intent on ending this before anything else could go wrong. His own blade might not be enough to kill Ahriman, but he figured it wouldn't do him any good either. They had never had a chance to save Beth and he'd known it. But, he'd also known Erin and the boys had to try. Ahriman got to his feet laughing and tilted over a piece of drywall that had not yet been hung. Behind it was scrawled a sigil in blood. Beth's blood. Dean and Sam recognized it immediately.

"Cass!" Dean shouted. Cass stopped in mid-step. He knew all too well what the sigil on the wall was. But it was too late.

"Thanks for the ride. Have a nice trip," Ahriman taunted and slammed his hand flat on the center of the lit up like a Christmas tree, brilliant white, and everyone was forced to cover their eyes or be blinded. Erin screeched once in shock and pain, flaring the same incandescent white, then she stuttered and skewed like a light distortion before stabilizing. It left her panting.

When they dared to look again, Castiel was no longer among them. He'd been banished by the sigil. Save the weapons he'd brought, of which Erin had only brought the dagger, they had just lost their most powerful chance against Ahriman in this fight. Erin had almost been banished along with Cass. Either something had kept her from it or her human half had kept her where she was.

"What the hell was that?" Erin gasped, angry.

"Angel banishing sigil. I guess you're immune... sort of," Dean said.

This was no longer a search and rescue. It was a fight to get out alive. Without Cass or all the weapons he'd brought them, they were toast. Dean jerked a flash of holy water from his jacket pocket, flipped the top and flung it at Ahriman as he lowered his arm, all it did was get the demon wet and, apparently, amuse him based on the smirk on his face.

"Not so tough after all, afraid Cass would smite your ass back to Hell?" Sam snarled.

Erin, teeth bared like a wild animal, used Sam's insult as a diversion. While Ahriman turned his gaze to Sam, she traded her gun for the dagger in her boot and tried to bury it in Ahriman's back, since it was now turned to her. Ahriman, as if he knew it was coming, spun, catching her by the wrist with his blood soaked hand and squeezing until the bones cracked and she was forced to let go, the dagger falling useless from her hand.

"Lovely piece of work. Where'd you get it?" Ahriman purred, continuing to squeeze, trying to force Erin to buckle as he swept out his other hand in a gesture, throwing Dean and Sam against the wall and pinning them there with a dull thud. Erin gritted her teeth and bore it, she'd suffered more than this at the hands of Tiberius Trajan, only a stilted growl showing that she definitely felt the pain of her crushed bones.

Ruby figured now would be a good time to try those hex bags, quickly she held the flame under them. Somehow, she'd managed, so far, to escape being thrown across the room. She cursed silently as, despite the gasoline, the bags took a moment to catch fire.

Dean began forcing out the words of an exorcism even though he was trapped as securely as if he had a two-ton boulder on his chest, "Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus, omnis satanica potestas, omnis incursio infernalis adversarii."

He never got further, Ahriman closed the hand he had out and twisted it as if he were turning a lever and Dean uttered a groan of pain as his voice was cutting off, pain flaring in his chest as if someone were squeezing his heart.

"Stop!" Erin barked terrified Ahriman would kill Dean. This was a mistake, they might all die here. Ahriman paid no attention to her. He snapped back her arm. The sound of the bones breaking were like the snapping of wet, dead branches and Erin gave a bitten off yelp of pain as her knees wobbled in spite of her best efforts not to waver. The break would not mend until the cause of the injury was removed. Namely, Ahriman, forcing her arm back into an unnatural position.

Sam, as inescapably trapped as his brother, stared hard at Ahriman, unable to move his arms he made himself concentrate as hard as he could on Ahriman. Willing himself to exorcise the demon from Christian's body or kill him to save them all. His body shook with tremors he tried put so much effort into it, blood beginning to trickle from his nose.

"Sammy, no!" Dean managed to gasp desperately through the pain of having his heart clenched in an invisible iron fist. Using his powers was the last thing Dean wanted Sam to do. Sam didn't listen, certain he had to do it or they would all die. He concentrated harder; his head felt like it was on fire, on the verge of exploding. If he'd had the demon blood he needed he knew he could have done this without a thought. If Ruby hadn't been too busy to return his calls and give him what he needed. Now it might cost them all their lives.

Ruby finally caught the hex bags on fire and threw them right at Ahriman. They hit the floor at his feet and exploded like dynamite, filling the room with smoke for a moment before it cleared. Ahriman roared in anger at the intrusion and moved his focus from Dean and Sam long enough to slash his arm through the air like a whip, hurtling Ruby into the far wall with such force she went nearly through it and collapsed unconscious onto the floor, her clothing and exposed flesh seared like cooked meat by whatever had been in the bags. It had been something she'd been willing to risk. Injury just proved how self-sacrificing she was, how innocent of any deception she wanted them to think she was. It fed into her plans for Sam beautifully.

The tactic had two effects, it freed Dean and Sam from Ahriman's gripe and it drew enough of the demon's attention away from Erin that she could fight. She pulled back and kicked Ahriman in the stomach, shoving him and breaking loose of his gripe, her injured arm cradled close to her side for the moment. As soon as Ahriman stumbled backward, she did the unthinkable for an Immortal. She dropped her sword in favor of the rifle she carried. Flip cocking it, she shot one handed, blasting Ahriman in the chest. It didn't do him any harm, but it did send him careening across the room. Giving them time to make a move.

Dean took it, diving for the dagger Erin had dropped and rolling as he hit the floor in a slide. Ahriman was on his feet again in a blink. Sam picked up where Dean had left off with the exorcism, "Omnis legio, omnis congregatio et secta diabolica. Ergo, draco maledicte," arm outstretched, still trying to use his abilities to at least stay Ahriman.

Erin tossed off her rifle to Sam, who caught it with a well practice hand, and she darted for her sword, as Dean came up on his knees in a spin with the dagger and Ahriman launched himself at Erin. He beat Erin to the sword, using his foot to catch the blade and flip it into his hand. Erin stopped dead, trying to fling herself to the side as she saw what he intended to do but she was bound by mortal speed, unlike Ahriman. Being Immortal didn't grant her superpowers. It just made her hard to kill. He'd brought the sword around in an arch, catching her on her knees. Dean flung himself into the fray, sinking the dagger into the back of Ahriman's leg and pulling it back out as he dashed away.

"Ecclesiam tuam securi tibi facias libertate servire," Sam kept going.

Ahriman yelled in infuriated pain and surprise, his knees buckling part way, but he caught his balance ignoring the pain. The dagger had slashed deep, blood welling down his leg. It stopped the sword blade from severing Erin's head. Instead, the blade sliced along the side of her neck, leaving a deep gash but the blade remained there. She didn't dare move. Dean got to his feet and Sam had brought the rifle to bare on Ahriman, stopping in mid sentence. They were at a standstill. They couldn't attack Ahriman. Not without him taking Erin's head in the process. Sam, desperate to try and save them, finished the exorcism, "Te rogamus, audi nos."

Ahriman only flinched as if an insect had bitten him. "Ow, that kind of hurts a little," he snarked turning his gaze to Sam, eyes brilliant red, the sword blade still against Erin's throat. Erin's eyes darted from Dean to Sam, who looked at each other and then at her trying to figure out what to do. If they could stall long enough maybe Cass would make it back before they all ended up dead. Maybe Ruby would wake up and somehow distract the demon long enough for them to get away.

Ahriman's gaze shifted to Dean, whose own expression went dark as their eyes met. "What you did, on the other hand. That really did hurt. Neat trick. Where did you get that dagger?" he said as his gaze traveled down to look at the dagger, still clenched in Dean's fist.

"Come over here and find out, you spineless, repulsive bastard," Dean provoked. He was trying to draw Ahriman away from Erin. If she could get out from under his blade, maybe they could at least whoop this demon's ass. Ahriman just laughed as if Dean had told him a joke instead of insulting him.

"I don't think that's helping Dean," Sam pointed out.

"Oh no, I'm not that stupid. But I'm tired of this game. Let's play a new one," Ahriman suggested maliciously and flung Dean and Sam against the wall again with a wave of his hand. They hit the wall with grunts of pain and Ahriman returned his gaze to Erin, who stared back at him, her eyes full of hate and grief. This was still her brother, this was still Christian. Behind the red eyes and the sickening smile lay the man she'd called family for three hundred years.

"Christian. I know you're in there. Fight it. Let me, let us, save you. Don't let him win," Erin pleaded desperately. If Dean and Sam could have, they'd have winced in pained sympathy. Her voice sounded so much like theirs had when one or the other had been forced into similar circumstance.

Ahriman chuckled again and shook his head in amused disbelief. "You just don't get it. None of you knows what you're dealing with do you?"

"Oh I get you're gonna die like the piece of scum you are," Dean growled. Ahriman shot him a dirty look and closed his hand, causing Dean to writhe in pain as his chest seized.

"You think Erin's the innocent victim here? You think she's some poor lost Immortal who's beloved brother has been possessed by big bad me? Allow me to let you in on a little secret. Erin's got more blood on her hands than you can even dream of," Ahriman intoned darkly, his eyes blazing as the room grew cold. Behind him, two forms began to coalesce. Erin looked truly afraid then, her face had gone white as ivory.

The shapes formed into a man and a woman, dressed in ancient rags. They terrified Erin, ripped at her soul more than Trajan or Ahriman ever could. Both were mangled so badly no one could have recognized them. Except her. Dean and Sam looked both mortified and annoyed. They knew the specters were nothing but illusions but they were hideously mangled.

The man, his name had been Cynan, was missing all of his toes and fingers, his body was criss crossed with cuts that went to the bone, the flesh flayed away, his teeth were missing and a gaping slit ran from the base of one ear to the other. That was just what they could see; Erin knew there was so much more hidden under the tattered rags of the clothing he wore. Enid, his wife was a charred mass of walking flesh, she'd been burned alive in the end, but beneath the charred remains lay garrote marks, bruises and broken bones, her fingernails and toenails pulled out by the roots one by one. Erin knew intimately what every one of their wounds were. She knew because she'd been the one that had done it.

Ahriman reveled in the expression of abject horror and guilt that plagued Erin.

The man and woman, their eyes blank and flat with death for centuries, stared at Erin pleadingly as they advanced. Their mouths opened, they spoke, and Erin wanted to claw her own ears off just so she wouldn't be able to hear them.

"Why?" they asked, over and over again.

"They're not real Ahriman. They're an illusion. It won't work this time," Erin insisted. But her face said otherwise. She knew they couldn't be real, she knew it was another of Ahriman's tricks. But she couldn't bear to face what they stood for, the past they made her remember with horrid clarity. Tears glistened unshed in her eyes, for them, for what she'd done and couldn't undo.

"Does it matter? We both know who they are. We both know what you did. They're just two of how many? A hundred? A thousand? Do you even know how many lives you took? Or were there so many you just stopped counting? Two hundred years of cold blooded torturing and murder. But you didn't tell them about that did you? Just like you never told Christian or Duncan," Ahriman said gleefully.

Dean and Sam both looked mortified. Dean didn't know what to think, Erin didn't strike him as someone who'd do something like that. Hundreds, maybe thousands killed in cold blood? Why? Why would a prophecy declare her its hero if she were such a murdering bitch? It didn't make sense.

"Don't listen to him Erin," Dean said. He didn't believe it. He couldn't.

"He's screwing with you," Sam added.

Ahriman slid the blade of the sword so it sank deeper and Erin winced at the pain, she could feel a thick stream of blood seep down her chest from it. Ahriman's wounded leg had healed within moments of the injury and he cocked his stance into something mocking. "Tell your naive cohorts how many Erin."

Erin squeezed her eyes shut, the two phantoms were so close now she could feel their cold dead breath. "How many?" Ahriman pressed digging the blade deeper.

"Five hundred seventy six," Erin confessed in deep shame, but it was Sam and Dean she looked at when she said it. They gaped at her. Horror and betrayal foremost in their expressions as she admitted to what she'd done.

"And how many were Immortals Erin?" Ahriman pushed. Erin swallowed hard, licking her lips, her face contorted with fifteen hundred years of guilt.

"A hundred and twelve."

"So that means you killed four hundred and sixty four mortals. Innocent men and women whose only crime was attracting the attention of a sadistic Immortal," Ahriman said. The ghostly man and woman wailed as if they'd been stricken. It made their skin crawl, chilling them to the bone. Ahriman looked triumphantly down on Erin then at Sam and Dean. "This is the monster you're trying to help. She's worse than I am. I, at least, don't deny what I am."

"Shut your pie hole, you worthless son of a bitch," Dean spat at him, but all the sympathy he'd felt for Erin, the connection he'd thought he'd found with her fled like vapor. She wasn't who he thought she was. She was as much a monster as Ahriman. She was one of the things they hunted. But Cass seemed so certain of her. He vouched for her. He even seemed deeply fond of her. How could Erin have managed to deceive an angel? They could look into your soul and see it all. It didn't matter. The only thing she was good for now was preventing Ahriman from succeeding, for fulfilling the prophecy. He no longer cared if she died. Let her, he'd kill her himself when this was all over if it came to that. He felt hurt, he'd begun to care about her and she'd deceived him.

Erin saw it in his eyes and she looked crushed, unable to hold his gaze she looked at Sam who looked almost as hurt and angry. He'd warned Dean not to let his heart get tied up in this and Erin had turned out to be as much a monster as Ahriman. But was she? Wasn't he a freak and a monster for what he was doing? Hadn't Cass stood by her? He questioned more than Dean did in this. Maybe because he was walking on the edge of a knife himself. Was Ahriman's story as simple as it sounded? Or was there more to it?

"Erin why?" Sam asked, beseechingly looking for an answer from her that he could accept.

"There's no reason I can give you that justifies it," Erin breathed brokenly.

Sam grimaced in a mixture of sympathy and anger. She looked absolutely mortified by what she'd done, guilty to her core but her explanation seemed to leave no doubt that she was a cold blooded torturing murderer. The imitations of the poor souls Ahriman had called stood rock solid testimony to the pain and wrong she could do. Their expressions mournful and angry. Their bodies mangled beyond recognition. It took an incredible dark streak to do something like that. Dean squeezed his eyes shut as her answer stabbed at him more. A monster, she was a monster in every sense of the word. The faith he'd had was gone.

"Now that you know what an abomination you've been trying to aid, I'll let you in on something else," Ahriman said viciously. "I'm not alone in my plans. You see Christian's awake in here," he said tapping his temple,"Has been the whole time and he's the mastermind behind part of this you idiot humans don't have a clue about. He doesn't want to be saved. He never did."

Erin sucked in a breath, eyes wide. "No, you're lying. Christian would never," she insisted.

Ahriman feigned surprise, "Oh? Like you would never kill over five hundred people in cold blood? Don't believe me? Why don't I hand over the wheel for a little while. He can tell you himself."

Ahriman's posture changed becoming almost casual, his shoulders dropped a bit, the cant of his head became more lacks, the red receded from his eyes, and Christian took over. Eyes as brilliant blue as Castiel's but colder than ice staring down at Erin with utter and complete disdain. Inexorably, Dean and Sam remained pinned to the wall unable to move. Even if Christian was the one in control now, either Ahriman was still capable of using his abilities or somehow Christian was capable of subverting them for his own use.

"You poor, stupid, gutless, bitch," he snarled, even his voice was different. Slightly higher than it had been, it sounded more like the painfully young man he'd been when he'd become Immortal, barely more than a kid. Erin looked heartbroken, tears escaping the confines of her lashes and slipping down her cheeks leaving tracks where the soot from the hex bags exploding washed away.

"Christian," she breathed. He bared his teeth in a grotesque smirk and dug the blade in deeper, harder than even Ahriman had done. Erin gasped in pain, sagging forward and bracing herself on one hand, the blade still firmly to her throat. If things kept up this way, she'd be beheaded a centimeter at a time. The rag clad man and woman moved with her.

"Killer, murderer, monster," they whispered loud enough Dean and Sam could clearly hear them. The tremor that shook Erin when they said it was hard to watch, even if they did know now, what they hadn't before. To watch anyone on their knees pleading for their brother to see reason before it was too late was still heartbreaking.

"You had it all. You could have been a God among men. Trajan tried to teach you, tried to show you the power, the potential, you had and you killed him for it. I suppose you never told me in three hundred years because you were afraid I'd see it. See the power Immortals could have and seize it. You lied to me, all your talk about doing what's right, honor, charity, morality. You're a hypocrite and a coward," Christian hissed.

"That wasn't power Christian. This isn't you, it's the dark quickening talking or Ahriman. He's lying to you Christian. That was murder and torture. It was innocent people killed for no good reason, killed because Trajan was a sadistic monster who made more just like him and then offed them, when they were no longer any use to him. That's not power it's evil," Erin reasoned with desperately him but to no avail. He just shook his head in disgust.

"Oh trust me, this is all me. No dark quickening, no Ahriman. Just me, with my eyes wide open to everything you kept hidden. You were a vicious killer. He honed you until you were the perfect weapon. You were a cold and cruel God who welded power that terrified any who saw it. And you threw it all away because of what? Because your conscience got the better of you? Because you suddenly gave a damn what happened to the people you tortured and killed? Or were you just too afraid of having real power? You're weak Erin. You always were," he rebuked her.

"Christian please. I'm begging you. Don't ally yourself with Ahriman. He's going to kill Duncan, and everything he holds dear. Some of those people are your friends. You care about them. What about Joe? Methos? You know Duncan, he's your friend. You've known him for two hundred years. He tried to come here and help me save you but I wouldn't let him. Because I care about him. I didn't want Ahriman to kill him. Those people, me, we're your family, Christian. Immortals get the rare gift of being able to pick who they call family. How many people can say that? Please, you're my brother. Don't do this," Erin pleaded, her voice breaking, hoping against hope, that it was the dark quickening talking, or Ahriman. Duncan had said many things he never would have when he'd been under a dark quickening's influence. She held on to that hope with a vengeance.

"Too late. I've seen what I can be and I'll be damned if I'm going to buy into your simpering, do-gooder bullshit again," Christian snapped, anger flashing in his eyes. Erin leaned back on her heels and the man and woman, her hapless, defenseless victims, grabbed her by the arms holding her locked between them. Christian carefully kept the sword blade at her neck, refusing to relinquish the advantage he had. She looked almost like she were praying she was looking up at Christian with such fervor.

"Ahriman is going to kill Sam and Dean, the two men you've got pegged to a wall like hunting trophies over there, just because it will screw with the angels' and demons' plans. How many Immortals have you and he killed in the last week? How many mortals? Thirty five, Christian. How many did you know? How many did you call friend? Beth was your friend and Ahriman ripped her spine out like she was nothing but an altar sacrifice. How many had nothing to do with any of this? How many were innocent bystanders you and Ahriman killed for no reason? What's so great about that? Who ends up with the power in the end? Not you. Ahriman will subjugate you just like any demon subjugates the person they possess when you aren't any more use. He's just like Trajan and you are dangerously close to becoming the same thing," Erin pleaded desperately.

"You stupid son of a bitch," Dean said in a hoarse voice, "Even if she is a monster. She's right. Ahriman is using you, you idiot. You really think a demon is going to share power with anyone? You're going to kill your whole family just because a demon is dangling a power up in front of you? Something is wrong with you."

"I don't have a family," Christian bit back at him.

Christian slid the sword along Erin's neck, cutting deeper until the hilt touched it, he grabbed a hand full of her hair and wrenched her head back, exposing her throat, moving the blade so it rested there, threateningly.

"You know what I'm going to do? You think this whole thing is just about revenge on Duncan MacLeod and screwing with a few demons and angels we happen to be kin to?," he hissed into her ear, but making it loud enough everyone could hear it. All of them started as the realization that he knew exactly what Immortals were hit them, and still he was set on aiding Ahriman. He'd gone drunk with the notion of power he was never going to have.

"Don't look so surprised," he said to Erin, whose mouth hung open in horror. "Who do you think told Ahriman who would cut you deepest? Hm? Who do you think had the idea to use Beth as bait? Why do you think we've been killing Immortals in record numbers? I'm going to be the one who wins the prize with Ahriman's help. I'm going to have the power of a demon and all the Immortals at my beck and command. I'm going to be more powerful than anything you've ever seen. All those mortals? They were just fun. I watched every one of them die in terror and I loved every minute of it. Beth was just one more stupid cow to be slaughtered. You were a fool for ever letting this kind of power out of your grasp Erin. Now you'll die like all the rest. You thought you could save me but I don't want to be saved. Not by you. We were just stringing you along, twisting the knife," Christian said laughing.

Erin's mouth shut and her eyes welled with fresh tears she didn't bother to stop from flowing. Sam and Dean blanched. The very idea of a demon possessed Immortal winning the prize was enough to terrify even them. As it was, Ahriman cum Christian was already nearly invincible. What would winning the prize do? What kind of super monster would it create given what they knew the prize really was? Did Christian even know what he was saying? Or had Ahriman neglected to tell him that part?

"Oh my god, you really are insane," Sam breathed. Christian ignored him.

"You could join me Erin. I'd spare you if you'd take up the mantle again. Take back the power you once had. You were Trajan's best student. None of his others ever compared to you. You proved that by being able to kill him. That pitiful dagger of yours isn't going to do more than cut me. Though it is ingenious. Didn't think anyone could come up with something to even do that. You always were bright Erin, be all you can be. Stop pretending you are anything like these pathetic mortals," he tried to persuade her waving in Sam and Dean's prone direction.

"I'll show you pathetic you sorry son of a," Dean began, but Christian flicked his wrist and Dean's throat closed on him. He couldn't breathe.

"Dean!" Sam cried alarmed. Dean thrashed against the wall. He'd have been scrabbling at his throat if he could move his arms. Christian silenced Sam the same way he had Dean, closing his esophagus and cutting off his air with a gesture.

"Shut up. Can't you see I'm having a family discussion with my sister?" he growled sarcastically.

Erin swallowed hard and looked Christian straight in the eye. Utterly broken. Any hope she'd had fled with the realization that her beloved Christian, her brother, had gone completely dark side. He'd become her worst nightmare. Another Trajan with infinitely more power and hungry for more. Her eyes hardened, her mouth set. Now she had two enemies. This was a moment every Immortal dreaded. That they would be forced to take the head of someone they had taught or had taught them, a friend, a lover, family because they'd turned evil.

"I'll die first," she said harshly. She was heartbroken and bereft, held in the literal clutches of her sins. Ahriman had won. There was nothing left. He'd destroyed everything she cared for, save Duncan.

"So be it," Christian snarled in rejected anger. He'd been certain he could convince Erin to join him. They had been so close once upon a time. He leaned in so only she could hear him and whispered, "Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die." He stepped back and relished the look of desolation it left on Erin's face. With that one phrase he'd left no doubt in Erin's mind that he was in complete and utter control of what he was doing. That it was his choice and that he wasn't just a puppet to Ahriman's whims.

"You better kill me now," Erin seethed through clenched teeth.

"Oh? Or what?" Christian taunted. Dean and Sam could hear what was being said but they were coming close to blacking out. Neither could get a breath.

"Because if you don't I will find a way to kill you, both of you. I won't stop," Erin promised, careful to refrain from telling either personality residing in Christian's body that she already had a way to kill them.

Christian grinned wickedly, his stance unconsciously mimicking the way Ahriman stood when he was in control. "I know you won't. But you're powerless. What are you going to do? Have your mortal monster hunter over there poke me with that dagger again? It's useless, a child's toy. No matter what you do, what choices you make. It all ends the same. I win," His voice had changed again, the voice deepened. Ahriman had taken back control, his eyes flipping to red like he had a nictating third eyelid.

"You're wrong," Erin glowered.

"We'll see. Remember, I told you you'd beg me to kill you before this was over. You have nothing left, as soon as that sinks in you'll come crawling to me to take your head just to be free of it all. Call me," Ahriman gloated, his hand to his ear in imitation of a held phone and then he just wasn't there. Erin's sword clattering to the ground where he had been. With his sudden departure, Dean and Sam slid to the floor in crumpled heaps gasping in precious air in great gulps. But Ahriman's illusions, illusions that obviously had the ability to physically affect you, hadn't gone with their Master.

They remained and now they were free to do as they willed or maybe they were just doing as they'd been constructed to. With gleeful cackles, they hefted Erin up off the ground, still holding on to her arms and raced for the broken window Erin had swung through earlier. Erin didn't fight them, she sobbed once as they reached the sill. She had no protest she could offer that absolved her from what she'd done to them. She deserved it, anything they chose to do to her, she'd deserve and more.

"I'm sorry," she whimpered once in pitiful apology and then they hurtled her out the window fourteen stories up and disappeared as if they had never been there.

"No!" Dean yelled without thinking as he and Sam bolted for the window, leaning out still gasping to fill their lungs as Erin plunged like a rock to the cement on the street below them. She hit with a surprising soft but sickening thud, very dead.

"Erin!" Sam called unconsciously reacting on gut instinct. You saw someone fall out of a fourteen-story window and you completely forgot for a brief instant that it wasn't going to permanently kill them, or that just seconds ago they'd been outed as a brutal killer.

The fall had probably broken every bone in her body and even now people gathered around her fallen form. She'd revive sooner or later, probably later given the amount of damage that had been caused. Somewhere in the back of their minds Dean and Sam knew it was only temporary but it still made their stomach's twist to see Erin smashed on the pavement like an eggshell. No matter how they felt about her now, Erin was the only certainty of killing Ahriman cum Christian.