Chapter 38

Dean stared out the window for a moment, and then he pulled out his cell phone. Which reminded me that I had one too. Now if I could only figure out what I had done with it. I frowned for a moment, what was I doing with a cell phone? I wasn't human. I gave myself a mental shake. We were definitely in trouble; well at least Dean was, for I was perfectly fine.

"No signal," Dean muttered, "Damn it!"

"Calm," I warned.

"We can't be calm Kelsey," Dean struggled to maintain a low voice, "you don't understand, we're screwed."
"No we're not," I told him. "Now if you would just calm down and trust yourself, we'll be fine."

He blew out his breath hard and then calmed down. He gripped the steering wheel tightly while keeping his eyes on the town. There was no movement from it.

He reached behind him and pulled a bag that I hadn't noticed from the back seat. I frowned but said nothing. He rifled through the bag for a moment and then looked back at the way we had come. He was alert and I had to admit that John trained him well. Now he had to use that training without his father there to guide him.

"How good are you in a fight?" Dean asked.

"I can be helpful," I offered.

"But?" Dean sounded like he expected the worse.

"I said that I'd take care of it," I explained.

"What does that mean?" Dean demanded.

"It means," I grabbed his chin, "That I will take care of it."

His eyes narrowed briefly and a fleeting emotion flickered but it was gone before I could figure it out.

Dean pulled open the door and I followed suit. We walked to the edge of the wood and stopped to listen. There was only silence. It was deafening. Dean shrugged and placed the correct ammunition in the weapons. He offered me one, which I declined.

"Kelsey," he whispered, "you're going to need one."

"No," I told him.

"Then how're you going to take care of it?" he sounded upset.

"Never mind," I dismissed.

"You're worse than Dad," he muttered.

"Who said you could insult me?" I teased him.

Dean said nothing.

I stood still and trained my senses to see what was really there. Then I sensed it and I frowned. This was no skin walker. I pulled Dean back.

"Go back and wait in the car," I ordered.

"Kelsey, I can take of myself," he argued.

"Dean," I could tell it was coming closer, "You need to get to the car and wait there."

"Kelsey I'm not leaving you," Dean said stubbornly.

"Oh!" I was exasperated, he was worse than Elkins the first time I ever went hunting with him.

"I'm a good hunter Kelsey," Dean was quiet.

"I didn't say that you weren't," I countered, "But this isn't a skin walker and you can't fight this."

His eyes widened at that statement. Then there was a slight movement to the side of us. I had to move quickly. I grabbed his face and sucked his breath from him knocking him unconscious. I swung him over my shoulder and sped with him to the car. I opened the door and secured him inside. Then I broke off a branch and drew symbols and a protective circle around the car with him in it. Then I heard the footfall and the low growl.

I turned slowly and saw the creature. It was huge and stank of sulfur. It bared its teeth and flexed its claws. It was one of the Forbidden. I glanced at the town across from us and realized what had happened. It was going to be necessary to purge the site. I wasn't looking forward to that with a human hunter in tow, but I had promised John I would keep his son safe. Besides, taking on one of the Forbidden wasn't exactly within the purview of human hunters. I flew into the trees spreading my appendages knowing full well that one of the Forbidden wouldn't be able to resist attacking an angel. It took the bait and followed me into the forest.

I stayed above its head and waited. This would take precision and timing but most importantly it would take patience. I knew that Dean was safe and that fortunately he would have no recollection of anything, however I also knew that I would have to face his anger. I saw the movement out of the corner of my eyes. The Forbidden growled. This one was old, much older than the one that Michael had faced in that churchyard. I wasn't pleased, these older ones were supposed to be chained and for it to be loose meant that it had help. Hellhounds were tame compared to these things, and Hellhounds came from crossbreeding the Forbidden with wolves. Of course, no human knew this, but that was why we had a Keeper of the hounds in Hell. I waited for the creature to make its move.

It leapt up into the tree and I became light so that its claws wouldn't injure me. That threw if off – balance. I unsheathed my sword and sliced it open. It fell to the ground, stunned that it had been so easily taken. I waited and trained all my senses, but there was nothing else. Whatever had been there had long since moved on. I dragged it back down to where it was kept and secured it. I then returned to the surface.

I checked on Dean in the car and he was still asleep. I examined the protective circle and found no attempt to breach it. I therefore crossed the river and walked through the town. It was deserted. There was no sign of anyone present. I checked a newspaper I found in a machine. It was dated two months before. I looked through the entire town and found no trace of life. Whatever had moved through had been exceedingly thorough. I wondered how many were infected by the Forbidden and what they had become. I shook my head and returned to the car. I sat on the hood and waited. Then I heard it, a bird singing.

It gave me some measure of hope. I hopped off the hood and removed the protective circle and I opened the car door. This was the part I wasn't looking forward to. I sighed and returned the part of his breath that I had taken. He coughed and sat forward grabbing the steering wheel for support. His eyes opened and focused on me. Then they changed to anger. That boy had so much anger in him and it was about to be leveled at me.

"What did you do?" he growled.

"What I promised your dad," I explained.

Dean pushed me out of the way as he got out of the car. He narrowed his eyes as he glared at me. The level of anger radiating from him was palpable.

"I know you're upset," I began.

"Upset!" he roared, "You have no idea how upset I am!"

"Being angry at me isn't going to bring Sammy back," I said softly.

"What?" he sounded incredulous. "You think that's why I'm angry?"

"Isn't it?" I asked.

"No!" he screamed, "This is about you simply knocking me out and then putting me away like I'm some child!"

I raised my eyebrows at him. He was upset that I had saved him? That was certainly a surprise. Then I thought about what he said, I had treated him like a child. I then understood.

"Oh," I murmured.

"Oh!" Dean's face purpled.

"You know, you're going to blow a blood vessel if you continue like that," I observed.

"Kelsey!" he struck the top of the car.

"I get it," I attempted to placate him, "you're upset with me because I simply took you to the car and saved your life."

Dean growled at me.

"Okay," I nodded, "you're upset with how I took you to the car and saved your life."

Dean grimaced. He was going to be sulky for a bit.

"Look, you couldn't face that," I told him.

"Who are you to decide that?" Dean demanded.

"Hmm… Let me see, someone who knew what was hunting you?" I returned evenly.

"Oh really?" Dean sneered.

At this point I felt like hitting him upside the head, but I knew that I had taken control of things in a manner that hurt his pride. So I calmed down.

"Yes," I answered gently, "look, Pastor Jim fought something similar once and he's never been the same since. You couldn't handle the sight of that thing."

"I've seen plenty," Dean disagreed.

"I'm not disputing that," I touched his shoulder and he didn't back away.

"Then what?" he pleaded.

"Maybe," I touched his hair, "I'm guilty of being too maternal."

Dean flashed a smile at that. He stepped toward me and placed his head on mine, "Don't do that again."

I pulled away from him and studied him for a moment, "So, you're telling me that I should let you die?"

"No," Dean sounded exasperated.

"Then?" I made a face at him.

Dean shook his head, "I'm not going to win am I?"

"Nope," I confirmed.
Dean walked over to the passenger side and pulled open the door, "Get in the car."

I crooked an eyebrow at him.
"Look, I don't want to fight with you anymore," he looked defeated.

I got in the car and he slammed the door shut. He got in the driver's side and we began the drive back to Bobby's.

"You know, you're not really that angry with me," I said.

"Drop it," he warned.

"You have to talk to him," I continued.
"Drop it," he repeated.

"I'm just saying," I glanced at him sideways. He tightened his grip on the steering wheel and pressed on the gas. I decided it was wise to remain quiet after that, after all, I would survive a crash but he wouldn't.