"Let your brother go. Will needs to take care of him the same way I need to take care of you...your brother is in no danger from Will."

Dean kept staring even after Graham was gone, taking his little brother with him. He wasn't sure what was worse, letting Sammy out of his sight or not watching the thing in the room with him. Because Lecter was a thing, a dangerous, deadly monster in a human suit and he wasn't holding back out of the goodness of his heart. He had made that quite clear. Keeping Sam here with him would only put the other boy in just as much danger as Dean was now in. Lecter was right. Sammy wasn't in danger from Graham. The real danger was in this room, just waiting to 'take care' of him.

Lecter set down what he was carrying and crouched before Dean. "Your arm, if you would please."

There was no helping it. Dean turned to face him head on, eyes wide, heart pounding, trying not to hyperventilate right then and there. What did the man want his arm for? Did he still have the knife? He'd need more blood if he was going to do more magic, right? Which was horrifying enough to even think about a thing like this using any part of him for something evil, but what if he wanted more than just a little blood? It was going to hurt so bad, Dean knew it, but there was nothing he could do now, nowhere he could run, and no one still sane enough to help him. Lecter had Graham so thoroughly rolled it was a miracle the guy could still string two words together that wasn't just parroting back whatever Lecter said.

Lecter stared back at him as passively as a statue, or something else equally cold and dead inside. "Will says it was injured during this unpleasantness. I am a trained doctor, even if I no longer practice."

Dean managed to get his tongue unstuck. "…I'm fine."

"No, you are not," Lecter corrected before holding out his hand. "Your arm, please. I have many other things yet to do this night and I would like to get this matter sorted out and taken care of before proceeding with more important things."

Dean wasn't offended at not being an important thing. He'd be happy to go the rest of his life never coming to the attention of something like what was before him. If Lecter wanted to make this quick, then Dean might as well bite the bullet. It wasn't going to get any better stalling. And if he were honest, he was scared to try that tactic. This was the monster still trying to play nice, at least for now, and it was probably in Dean's best interest not to piss it off if he could help it. Not when he was just some dumb kid without a weapon in sight.

Still, it was hard to bring himself to uncurl his arm. It ached, bad. The kind of deep ache that meant something was seriously wrong with it, hidden underneath the skin. He didn't really want anyone touching it, much less Lecter.

But there was nothing horrifying about the man's grip. His skin was cold and still a bit damp with blood in places. But there wasn't a scorching burst of magic. There was no scaly hide or gross disfiguration. And perhaps most shockingly, he didn't squeeze or twist or yank on Dean's arm. Not even a little bit. He maybe wasn't as tentative as Graham had been, but there was nothing but professionalism from the man. He turned Dean's arm carefully and felt along the bone. His questions were clear and precise and familiar. Did this hurt? Could he bend each joint? Push back when pressure was applied? He did squeeze a little along the length of Dean's forearm, checking for a reaction each time. It was sore, and Dean winced, but it there wasn't the shooting, binding, mind numbing pain of something broken.

"Most likely a severe sprain," Lecter announced as if they were two normal people having a reasonable conversation and one of them was not an evil, murdering witch. "I am afraid we are limited in what we can do at the moment, but it is likely Will has some medication we can give you to numb the pain until such a time as we can have it properly treated."

Dean stared at him. Treat him? Like he was likely to survive long enough to need that. Dean knew what Lecter was, and Lecter had to know that Dean wasn't going to sit by idly and let him corrupt and destroy Graham – much less get his hands on Sammy. They both knew what was happening here.

Lecter looked up when he finished his inspection. He was still crouched in front of Dean, his hands now hanging loosely between his knees and deceptively harmless. His face was unevenly lit, the lines on it dark with shadows while his hair was brightly haloed. Except for where the blood was streaked through it. "The vampires are dead, Dean."

Yeah, he figured that one out for himself, thanks. Most things were very dead when you sawed off their heads.

"I understand this may be difficult for someone from your background to understand, but it was Will and I that did that. And it was he and I that saved you and your brother from what would have been a very violent death. That is the reality you will have to come to terms with. Will's growth and potential is something I will not compromise on. This is much more important than whatever notions you might entertain, and I will not see it endangered by any rash behavior on your part. In the interests of that, please allow me to clarify that my primary concern is William Graham. I have been watching him for some time now, as I am sure you are aware."

Christ. He had known when he met Graham that something was stalking him, that there was something seriously wrong with the guy. He had had no idea how serious it was. A ghost maybe Dean could have handle on his own. Or some kind of creepy spirit. But a full fledge witch, with some kind of sinister European heritage, and the ability to take down vampires like it was nothing – that was way beyond Dean's level. Hell, even Dad would be hard up to deal with something like this. And this thing had been stalking poor Mr. Graham for who knew how long…

Lecter seemed to almost smile and Dean suddenly understood what people meant when they talked about a shark's smile. "This – introduction – of his to the world you and your family inhabit was perhaps a bit premature, but certainly not insurmountable. Will has always had a weakness for helpless things such as you and your brother, and Sam shows a great deal of potential. It would be a shame to waste such an opportunity."

Dean's head reeled. This thing wasn't just a threat to Sam because it was generally a blood thirsty monster but it was specifically targeting him. Why'd it have to be Sammy? Lecter claimed he saw something in him, but Lecter was a freakin' nutjob. Why couldn't he have fixated on something else? But Sam had been the first one to meet Graham. He'd been the one to see the evil deer spirit thing when Dean had seen nothin'. Maybe there was something special about Sammy, but it had nothing to do with Lecter and it was not something Dean wanted Lecter even thinking about. Not that there was much Dean could do about that now. Lecter had been holding all of the cards since day one. That whole bit about how good it would be for them to stay with Graham, sticking around in case they needed help, playing family with Graham – that was all just part of this fuckin' plan. And Graham had led them straight into it like blind idiots.

"As I said, however – Will is my primary concern," Lecter repeated as if he were giving his word on something. "So if the means by which I ensure your continued obedience and noninterference requires threatening, harming, killing or eating your brother, I will do it. Just so we are clear with one another, Dean Winchester." He smiled. "You are expendable Dean, but I don't have to threaten you, do I? You understand the situation perfectly well." He tilted his head slightly, clearly examining Dean as if he thought he might find a use for him one day, perhaps as an ingredient or some else equally messed up. "Perhaps it would comfort you to know that this is what is best for your brother and for Will. They will never be normal and they will need the strength I can give them to withstand the things in the world that would happily destroy them. And who knows, maybe one day you too can come to benefit from this. You want to kill the monsters, do you not, Dean?"

It was hard to focus on exactly what Lecter was saying when his brain was too busy freakin' the fuck out. But Lecter wasn't going to be ignored and he waited with thinly veiled impatience for Dean to reply. "Yes."

"Good. I do too." He reached down and patted he blood bag by his side. "This is how you do so. It is far more advanced than the fumbling about in the dark that your father has done, and much more effective at defending yourself and your territory – if done properly and fully embraced. I will make sure another vampire never touches your brother again."

"By turning him into something even worse." Damn him. Damn him to hell. Dean might be scared shitless but he wasn't going to swallow that without fighting back.

Lecter merely shrugged. "If that is how you wish to see it. You will not survive with that manner of thinking any more than my family did, but I will. And I will see to it that Will does as well. Your brother may be a bonus, but he is not necessary. Remember that.

"Now then, I have some work to do in the kitchen. Will will be back shortly with your brother and then we can all sit down for a pleasant meal."