Chapter 21: Lessons from Hounds, Truth from Demons

"Dean!" She yelled. He turned to see her standing on the porch, her face bathed in moonlight. Her scar glittered translucent against her skin, and he swallowed as messy brown hair fell across her forehead, tickling her cheeks. Her dark eyes met his, and she looked out of breath, like she'd been sprinting after him. He noticed as she swallowed a large gulp of air, and descended down the steps. Crossing the dewy grass quickly until she was standing underneath him. "I have something I want to say." She told him. Her voice breathy.

"Yeah?" He asked. Waiting for the angry spark, but instead her arm went around the back of his neck and she kissed him fiercely. Dean was surprised as her tongue flicked into his mouth, chasing it's way over the top of his mouth and across his own tongue. Dean felt a thrill pass through him, and he kissed her back. He could feel the heat of her anger pulsating into his mouth. He shivered. He'd been kissed before, and kissed girls before, but the heat of her passion overwhelmed him. But only for a moment. He began to find his feet, and started to press his advantage. His arm wrapped around her shoulders and he tugged her against him. Kelly's mouth moved, almost expertly, which surprised him, to his lower lip. She took it between her teeth and pulled it into her mouth. Her tongue coursed over it. Flickling and licking, as Dean felt himself begin to rise. His hand moved down the small of her back, gripping her ass. He felt her gasp in response, and he found that to be satisfactory, as her nails dug into the back of his head. Then as quickly as she'd started, she closed her mouth and pulled back. [I]Dear god.[/I] Dean thought. [I]What was that?[/I]

"Don't die." She said. Patting him on the cheek, she turned around and started to walk back towards the house.

"Hey!" He yelled after her. She turned around and stuck her tongue out at him. Dean suppressed the urge to hurry after her, sweep her up, and drown her in another intense kiss. [I]Press her down on the hood of the Impala.[/I] Do very dirty naughty things. [I]Very dirty things.[/I] He thought, admiring the slope of her hips.

"Survive and we'll talk." She responded. Dean raised an eyebrow at her. She turned and climbed the steps. "Go on." She said. "Go." Silently, Dean marched up the stairs and gave her another heart thundering kiss. A few minutes later he let her go. Kelly was breathless and flushed, she looked up at Dean with pupils dilated, and her eyes glowing. Bright gold. [I]Well, that's the natural state of her eyes.[/I] Dean thought.

"That's all I wanted to say." He said. Smirking down at her. But Dean Winchester was in no way prepared for what was about to happen next, as inside the Hudson house the clock struck twelve.

"Get down!" Kelly yelled. She took him by the arms and shoved him down the steps. Dean landed in the dust with a thud. He struggled to get back on his feet, as he felt the air currents shift and something flew over his head. He gaped as he watched her arms come up, watched her grab something, and then heard the crash as she went through the door. He heard her scream. He cocked his pistol, and lifted it, trying to find the hounds. "Go!" He heard her yell. "GO!" Dean didn't pause. He knew that there was nothing he could do for her. [I]I'm just gonna have to trust in Sammy.[/I] He thought, and charged across the grass to the Impala. He heard a frightening howl, but he revved the engine and backed down the driveway.

"I swear Kelly." He muttered. "If you die I'm marching down to hell and dragging your sorry ass out by myself." He almost swore he heard her laughing. Dean spun the Impala, its tires squealing on the gravel, and took off at breakneck speeds towards Lloyd's bar.

***

[I]Puppy.[/I] Natasha growled, as Kelly landed hard onto the hardwood and skidded into the wall with the monstrous black animal on top of her. Claws cut into the skin of her shoulders. [I]What are you doing so far from home?[/I] Kelly yelped, and slashed with her knife. Surprisingly it drew blood, the hellhound shrieked and leaped off of her. The small black female's long curved nails cut into the floor boards, and she lowered her head, lips curling back to reveal harsh red gums and gleaming black teeth. Black blood dribbled down her leg to pool on the floor. [I]It's more advanced than I gave it credit for being.[/I] She snarled. Kelly growled in response, bringing her knife to her chest. [I]But it still fights like a human.[/I]

"I am human." Kelly snarled. Lunging forwards, she moved on all fours to slash at Natasha's chest. Her booted feet slid sideways on the smooth floor, and she hit the other wall. Natasha skipped backwards onto her haunches, her fiery red eyes glittering with amusement.

[I]This one is pathetic Gabriel.[/I] She said, taking Kelly by the back of her neck and hurling her down the hallway. Kelly hit the far wall, the wooden siding creaked beneath her weight, splintering, and she went through. Hitting the concrete, Kelly coughed. [I]Shall I teach her a lesson?[/I]

[I]No.[/I] Gabriel said. Kelly watched with blurred vision as the tall black wolf-like beast stood on his hind legs. His shape twisted, and suddenly she saw the pale skin of a man. [I]Today our cousin's teaching is mine.[/I] He cracked his knuckles. Kelly shivered. The man looked like a walking zombie. Terrible scars cut across his face, glimmering in the light like terrible craters, pockmarks covered his chin, and he had no eyebrows or lips. The iris of his eyes burned bright flaming red, the dominating portion of his face. A nose that had once been hawk-like was now missing large chunks off its end. Kelly could see the bite marks on his shoulders. She tried to ignore the fact that he was stark naked. But it was hard to as he strode forward, directly in the eye line of her vision.

[I]Gabriel![/I] Natasha snarled. [I]You dare to wear that form before her![/I] She charged forward, but the tall man caught her by the scruff and hurled her away. Gabriel roared. It was deafening, and Kelly through the dimness of her mind heard Evan Hudson scream. But the Hounds had not gone for him yet. No they were here with her, waiting to see her fall.

[I]I lead this Pack![/I] Gabriel said. His voice was deafening in Kelly's mind. Even now he did not open his mouth. Even in a human form. That lead Kelly to wonder if he had ever been human at all. Kelly gasped, and struggled out of the wall and onto her feet. [I]We will do what I say.[/I]

[I]Yes Leader.[/I] Was the unquestioning response. Though there was something mutinous in Natasha's tone. Kelly charged forward, her knife raised. She slashed down across Gabriel's chest. But he caught her hand, freed the knife from her grip and tossed her again. She hit the wall on the far side. Scrambling to reach the knife.

[I]You rely too much on human weapons.[/I] He told her. The voice in her mind was steely, but not unkind. [I]A hunter must reach for his weapon.[/I] Gabriel bared his sharp teeth. [I]Ours are here.[/I] Kelly glanced down to his fingernails, extending dark and pointed in the electric lights. He lifted them and pointed at her. [I]If you cannot at least do this, then I shall kill you.[/I]

[I]Gabriel.[/I] Nathan whined. [I]The Hudson man.[/I]

[I]In due time.[/I] Gabriel said. [I]We shall sink our teeth into his flesh.[/I] Kelly lifted her hand to stare at her fingernails, her anger flared. Her eyes brightened, and she sensed Gabriel's approval. [I]This is the first step.[/I] Gabriel informed her. Kelly looked for her knife.

[I]When we are finished with her shall he die?[/I] Natasha asked. Again, Kelly heard the soft sarcasm in her voice.

"I'm not dying today." Kelly said. Her voice gurgled through the blood now coagulating in her throat. "But I'll fight on your terms." She struggled to stand once again.

[I]Fight in the manner of our kind, Puppy.[/I] Gabriel said. [I]For if you tread too long here, you'll fall like us.[/I]

"I've already fallen." Kelly snarled, and she rushed him. But this time, she left the knife behind and leapt onto his body. She sank her teeth into the pale dead flesh of his body, and his blood bubbled into her mouth. "It wasn't fun." Her fingernails sank into his back. Gabriel chuckled in her mind, and she felt his chest rumble. Then he grabbed her by the shoulders and tore her off of him. Driving her into the floor. She cried out. There was a loud crunch as she went through the floorboards. The wood dug into her back.

[I]The next one will be worse.[/I] Gabriel promised. His breath stank of flesh and blood. Kelly snapped at him. She struggled against his hands, and kicked out with her feet. Grasping him by the wrist she rolled him off of her. She kicked hard, and sent him rolling across the floor. She felt the snort in her brain as he slid gracefully to his feet. Kelly stared at his shoulder in shock. Instead of human teeth marks, there were the deep jaw marks left by some kind of animal. [I]Very good.[/I] He admonished.

[I]It was simple luck.[/I] Natasha growled. [I]But even so we should kill her.[/I]

[I]How can you be so cruel Natasha?[/I] Gabriel asked. [I]After all we were once her siblings.[/I]

[I]I do not like to be reminded of my failure.[/I] Natasha hissed. Kelly watched as she raised her nose to scent the air. [I]Her human also brought hoodoo.[/I] She growled. The rumble shook the air and Kelly shivered. Blood dripped down her shoulders, trembling across the curve of her bicep and pooling at the bend of her elbow. From there it splashed onto the floor. [I]That alone is enough for her to deserve death.[/I]

[I]She denies the Law of Exchange.[/I] The third hellhound said. The large black male with a cross-shaped scar below his right ear growled softly, his claws flexing against the hardwood. [I]That gives us the killing right.[/I]

[I]I decide who dies.[/I] Gabriel said. He still wore a human shape. [I]Unless you wish to challenge my reign Nathan.[/I]

[I]No.[/I] Nathan lowered his head. [I]I simply wish to be released on the hunt. Evan Hudson must die.[/I]

"He's not going to die." Kelly snarled. She crouched low, her arms spread wide, and her teeth curled back to reveal a mouth filled with white gleaming teeth. She charged Gabriel again. She hit him in the stomach and sent him sprawling to the floor. Quick like a rabbit she hopped onto his chest, and pounded her fist into his face. Her first blow squashed his nose. In her mind Gabriel continued to laugh.

[I]She still fights like a human.[/I] Nathan said.

[I]She will learn.[/I] Gabriel responded. [I]Already her inner self lends the proper power into her punches.[/I]

"What the hell are you talking about?" Kelly roared. She pounded another punch into Gabriel's face. She had a feeling he was simply toying with her. Desperately she opened her hand, and ripped away at his skin. She wasn't sure where that had come from, but she was surprised when three chunks of flesh were ripped away. The smell of rotting skin assaulted her nose, and she nearly fell backward, trying to escape the stench.

[I]See.[/I] Gabriel said. [I]It is clear why Azazel wants her.[/I]

[I]You have always been on good terms with him.[/I] Natasha said. Kelly saw her inching towards the door of the study. The girl roared again, the inhuman snarl rippling out of her throat as she launched herself off Gabriel and sprang across the room in a swift bound. Powered by something far stronger than normal human haunches. She crashed onto Natasha's back and sank her teeth into the hellhound's shoulder. Natasha roared. Kelly felt like something was sprouting out of her tailbone. Like a large and bushy tail. [I]I fucking hate beasts like them.[/I] She growled, rearing up on her hind legs and throwing Kelly back into another wall.

***

Dean buried his picture in the box. He smoothed it over with dirt and gravel, above him the moon burned brightly. He worried about Kelly. Guilt knotted his gut. He hated that he'd left just as she was being hurled through a wall. [I]But I have to trust that she can take care of herself.[/I] He'd learned that in their last mission together, where he'd gotten her in more trouble. [I]More of a hindrance than a help.[/I] He sighed, wiped off his pants and stood. He turned and saw a brunette bombshell standing in front of him. Her dark hair was tossed casually over one shoulder, and Dean could immediately see why so many men had fallen captive to her promises. [I]She's a wily one.[/i] He thought. "So?" What brings a guy like you to a place like this?" She asked, and Dean could see the smile on her face. She wanted to trap him, but he had other ideas. She raised an eyebrow at him when he was silent. "You called me?" She asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I'm just glad it worked." Dean said. He carefully kept his hands in his pockets, not wanting to reveal any surprises. "You know, I was worried you might not show."

"First time?" She asked. There was a hint of sexual lust in her smile as she looked at him. Chills raced up Dean's spine. "One would think you might have done this before."

"You could say that." Dean said. "I've never had the reason to call one of you out."

"Well I'm just pleased it's me." The Crossroads Demon said as she walked forward. "I'd hate to think of you playing with someone else." She patted his cheek, then she turned. "Dean Winchester." She smiled. "This is a surprise." Her eyes turned bright red. "I know all about you."

"Really?" He asked. A smirk played on his lips. At their motion his mind shot back to the last kiss he'd shared with Kelly. [I]I watched her get hurled through a door.[/I] He'd traded that kind of fight to come here and match wits with this thing. [I]Not a fair trade.[/I] He didn't know of any hunters that had ever tangled in a head to head with a hellhound. [I]That makes Kelly the first.[/I] And the strangest. [I]Those monsters normally aren't interested in us.[/I] Which begged the question of what exactly the girl was.

"I get the newsletter." She said.

"Well don't keep me in suspense." He said, as she moved in close. "What have you heard?"

"That you have a delectable girl running with you." She said. Her lips pursed into a tiny smile, and Dean knew she was hitting a sore spot. "One that's not entirely human." She smiled. "Actually she's not human at all."

"Why are you giving up information so freely?" Dean asked as she examined him with chocolate eyes. Eyes that were very similar to Kelly's.

"I have a soft spot for lost puppies who are in over their heads." She said. "But we had business?" She smiled. "Did you want to send the little lost doggy home?" She patted his cheek again. "Since, you know, you can't do it yourself?"

"Maybe we should do this in my car." He said. He smiled tightly. [I]Why the hell does everything evil know about her?[/I] He wondered. [I]But we're all left in the dark.[/I] The only clue he had was the Wild Hunt, and he remembered it being vaguely linked into the lore of the Black Dogs, spectral beasts that acted as Death Omens, and haunted the paths of the Spirit World. But Kelly was flesh and blood, not a spirit, so that didn't really work in her favor. [I]Still, she's been seen a black dog.[/I] But in retrospect that could mean anything. "Nice and private."

"Fine by me." She said.

***

Study

Evan Hudson's House, Greenwood Mississippi

Completely aware of the crashing and banging going on outside, Sam Winchester was busily trying to cover every inch of the walls with George's hoodoo. While he wanted to run outside the study with guns blazing he knew that it wouldn't do him very good. [I]Kelly can take care of herself.[/I] He repeated it like a mantra inside his skull. [I]She can take care of herself.[/I] He thought, but cringed every time he heard another crash, echoed by the splintering of wood. Evan Hudson was also wincing, though Sam was certain that it was for an entirely different reason. [I]She's going to be fine.[/I] Sam knew that he couldn't risk opening the door of the study and giving the Hellhounds an all access pass into the room. [I]But I still want to know what's going on.[/I] He was forced to admit that she did a surprisingly good job acting as a human meat shield. [I]Dean's not going to like that observation.[/I] And to be fair, Sam didn't either. [I]I want her as far from danger as possible.[/I] But there was a sinking feeling in his gut that suggested she may have kissed his brother. [I]But that doesn't mean I should back out.[/I] A heart could always be changed, he knew. [I]Especially if Dean can't handle all the weirdness going on with her.[/I] He moved off the wall and walked over to Evan Hudson.

"What's that?" The frightened man asked.

"Hoodoo." Sam replied. At the disbelief on Evan Hudson's face, Sam added. "Goofa dust."

"You're serious?" Evan asked.

Sam paused in his creating of a circle and looked up at the man again. "Afraid so." He said, and continued to make a circle. Outside the room there was another crash and Evan winced. "Look, believe me, don't believe, whatever you want, just don't leave the circle." He said.

"You really can't hear the snarling?" He asked. "It sounds like they're talking to one another."

"I think they're fighting." Sam said. "At least, I'm pretty sure that's what Kelly's doing."

"Kelly…" Evan trailed off. "The black dog that was watching my house earlier?"

"Yeah, her." Sam said. His dark hair fell across his brow as he squatted in a duck walk and created a circle around Evan.

"Why would she fight for me?" Evan asked. "She doesn't even know me, and she looks like the others."

"The others?" Sam asked. He was curious about what Evan saw in Kelly, he thought that maybe it leant itself to helping them figure out what exactly Kelly was. "She looks exactly like the others?"

"Well, she lacks the scars and the eyes." Evan paused. "And now that you mention it, she's a bit more lanky than the others. Smaller too, with big ears and golden eyes. Sort of like a German shepherd puppy, but bigger, or," He shrugged. "Kind of like a black werewolf I guess." His voice trembled and he glanced anxiously at the door, as if he was afraid mentioning them would bring the monstrous hounds down on top of him. "You really can't see her?"

"No." Sam shook his head.

"And this stuff is supposed to protect me?" Evan asked.

"Yeah, it should." Sam said. He was doing his best to be reassuring, but inside he was burning up with questions. [I]Lanky with golden eyes?[/I] He wondered. [I]Like a German shepherd puppy?[/I] None of that made any sense. It was jumbled together in his brain.

"Should?" There was a squeak of fear, as something heavy hit the doors of the study. There was a crack as they bent inwards and Kelly flew through them. She hit the fireplace, and she yelped, sliding to the floor. Sam looked up to see a very ugly and very pale man standing in the doorframe. Sam looked down and realized the man had used the doors and Kelly to make a line through the hoodoo. [I]That's not good.[/I] He thought as he looked up into those glittering red iris's, completely different from any kind of demonic eye.

"Okay." Sam swallowed. "Him I can see."

"Gabriel, I'm going to rip you're fucking head off!" Kelly roared, jumping back onto her feet, her eyes glowing bright gold, she leapt at him and knocked him back out of the door. Sam felt a rush of wind, and he knew the others had found their way into the study.

***

"So I was hoping we could strike a deal." Dean said as they walked towards his car.

"That's what I'm here for." The Crossroads Demon said. "What can I do for you Deano?" She asked. A tiny smile on her lips, and Dean wondered where the hell she'd heard that reference.

"I want Evan Hudson released from his contract." Dean said.

"Sorry, no can do." The Crossroads Demons said. "If you'd asked for anything else, even saving you're precious little hound, I could do it. But this I can't."

"I'll figure out Kelly's problem on my own thanks." Dean said. Surprised by his quick response, and even more by the fact that she'd goaded that one out of him. "Can't?" He asked, trying to get back on track. "Or won't?"

"I'm afraid that's just not possible anymore Deanie." The Crossroads Demon said. "She's already been touched by powerful players, she's a knight on the chessboard, take her or not, she belongs in this world now."

"What are you saying?" Dean asked. His ears were suddenly alert. [I]I can't trust anything this demonic bitch says.[/I] But he wanted to know the secret's behind Kelly. Still, if he could get information that helped Kelly. [I]Then maybe I wouldn't be held back.[/I] And he could compete openly with Sam. [I]Because he's too slow to move on his own.[/I]

"She belongs here." The Crossroad's Demon said. "She's lost her memory hasn't she?" At the confusion on Dean's face she laughed. "What she hasn't told you?" She lifted a finger and pointed her finger into his chest. "Here's how you tell if she's meant to stay here. Ask her about her family, her parents, where she was born. What her first grade teacher's name was, or even her birthday. If she knows any of that, you'll have a chance to send her home." The Crossroad's Demon's lips twisted. "If she doesn't…"

"Then?" Dean asked. He realized that the woman was stalling, but somehow he couldn't help but barrel onwards.

"Then the power players have their monster." She said. "And you're too late to save her."

"You're stalling aren't you." Dean said.

"I'm just trying to cut a deal here, Dean." The Crossroad's Demon said. "You could save her, forget about Evan Hudson, and think about her. Scared in this world, lost and alone, you could save her, send her back where she belongs. No more fear. No more terror. No more battles. She could be at peace." She leaned forward and all it would cost you is ten years."

"Yeah." She said. "A life for a life, and ten years on top of it." She smiled. "It's a pretty fair trade."