Sorry for the long wait. This chapter gave me a lot of trouble, but I hope you like it.
Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural
Smack!
Adya woke up with a start, feeling a dull throb at the back of her head and a stinging pain in her cheek.
"Do be careful, Wyatt." The sinister edge to the casual way the male voice spoke made Adya go rigid. "You've already caused a bit of damage to her meat suit. I do need her in good enough condition for her to talk."
Mentally praying to Lucifer that that wasn't who she thought it was, Adya rolled her head up and withheld a flinch when she saw it was indeed Azazel. Wyatt stood off to his side, emotionless, but exuding a threatening presence.
Not wanting to take her eyes off the former king and the other demon, she took a quick survey of her surroundings. It looked like she was in an abandoned building. She was in a chair but wasn't tied down, though she might as well be by the weight of Azazel's stare. It was like pressure was pressing down on her body, making her immobile.
Behind her growing terror was confusion. Why was he here? Did Lilith send him to make sure they carried out the job correctly?
"I can tell you're wondering why I'm here, Adya." He smiled, then pulled up a chair and sat down. "You see, Wyatt has informed me of some disturbing news, and I was hoping you'd be able to tell me if it was true or not."
Adya licked her lips. "I don't-" An intense pain in her abdomen cut her off. She gasped, blood spilling from her lips. The pain lasted for nearly a minute, then it stopped, leaving the female demon coughing weakly.
Throughout her torture, Azazel's expression hadn't changed, but it was sharper.
"I'm not a big fan of liars, child." He said, voice as smooth as a knife's edge. "Did Lilith send Abraxas after Selena Winchester?"
Knowing it was useless to try and lie, she nodded.
"W-why do you care...Sir?" Adya asked, quickly adding the last bit on.
"Why?" He raised a brow. "I didn't want to ruin the surprise, but I guess it can't be helped. Selena Winchester is under my protection." The demon prince winked playfully as her face blanched. "But let's keep that a secret between us three." His smile slid off his face, instead, being replaced by a considering stare as his head tilted.
Adya was getting more nervous the longer time went on. Was he going to kill her or what? Or maybe he was going to torture her first.
Finally, Azazel spoke, breaking Adya out of her thoughts. "I think I have other plans for you, Adya. "
His slowly growing smile did nothing for Adya's peace of mind and she mentally cursed Abraxas and Lilith for putting her in this situation. If she refused, she was dead. And if she went back to Abraxas and Lilith, she was still dead by either Lilith's or Selena's hands.
This is not what she signed up for, damn it!
Xxx
"For God's sake, someone pull her off!"
"Go get the tranquilizers! Quickly!"
Chaos was all around Alex, but she was deaf to it. All her focus was on the sharp taste of blood and chewy flesh in her mouth.
"Pull her off now!"
Hands grabbed her arms, trying to pull her off her victims, but Alex held on tight. Blood spurted as the flesh gave way, quickly pooling underneath the unfortunate nurse she had attacked.
Alex struggled, almost throwing the hands of the orderlies off with how much strength she had.
She vaguely heard footsteps rushing into the cafeteria, voices of guards.
"You can't-"
"The hell I can't!"
Alex paused briefly when she heard the voice of the Omnivore. Right. Today was visiting day. Her momentary distraction cost her, however, when she felt a prick in her neck.
"Let me-Move!" A door banged against the wall. Everything was becoming fuzzy. "What the fuck do you think you're doing to her!? Alex!"
"Detective, unfortunately, she attacked a nurse…"
Alex snarled, renewing her struggles despite the pull of the tranquilizers. That bastard doctor. She'll tear him apart! Darkness crept into her vision. The noise around her fading until she couldn't hear anymore, then…
Everything was too much.
Her ears were ringing, clogged with so much sound that she wasn't even sure if she had any thoughts left. She cracked an eye open and was greeted with a cold, dark room void of her brothers.
She was glad. She didn't want anyone to see her while she was weak. Inhaling, she carefully ignored the urge to gag when she tasted the scents in the air, then exhaled. If her brothers were gone, then Dean must've gotten her the things she asked for.
She was proven correct when she caught a flash of white out the corner of her eye. Sitting up, ignoring the way her skin itched where her clothes and the bed covers touched her skin, Selena reached over and picked up the plastic bag, bringing it over to her.
Opening it, she saw earplugs, aspirin, and a bottle of water. She would have to thank Dean. This was exactly what she needed.
Selena opened the box of earplugs first and quickly put them in, body relaxing when everything became muffled. She could still hear, but the noise was now at a much more acceptable level. Next, she took two pills of aspirin, washing them down with water.
Gradually the aspirin was working and with the noise muffled, Selena could finally think straight.
'Cheshire?' She called mentally.
:Finally.: The feline rumbled. :I've been waiting. I hate it when you have an episode like this.:
Selena nodded in agreement. It had taken her by surprise earlier, so she didn't have time to plan accordingly like she usually did whenever a sensory overload happened.
:Are you well enough to hunt?: Cheshire asked.
'I'm as well as I'm going to be.' Selena responded. She reached over for her phone, checking the time. It was nearing 7. Sam and Dean were probably heading back soon.
She sent Dean a quick text saying that she was awake and feeling better. She then noticed she had a message from the police herbivore and Crowley. Selena decided to check Daniel's text first.
P-Herbivore: I think I have one that will stump you. When is 99 more than 100?
Selena tilted her head in interest and she even felt Cheshire perk up. The herbivore seemed to have found a more difficult riddle. The temptation to not move and just solve it was strong, but Selena decided to hold off until after they solved the case. She turned her attention to Crowley's text message.
Hound: Hello dear. Juliet and I miss you, but I miss you more.
The strange feeling in her heart that she associated with Crowley appeared and she rubbed the area.
:You're smiling.: Cheshire's words caused the small quirk of Selena's to disappear. The snow leopard laid down, voice softening slightly. :You're allowed to be happy, Selena. And he seems to be making you happy if only a little bit. Why not mate with him already?:
'He is my enemy. And our relationship is still too weak to even think about mating with each other. Let us not also forget the small fact about our hunger problem.:
:Two out of three of those is an excuse.: The feline huffed. : He is indeed your enemy. However, he also doubles as someone who won't judge you for being who you are. Serial killer tendencies and your eating habits otherwise.:
Selena couldn't but raise a brow in bemusement. 'You were all for killing him when we first met. What's changed since then?'
:You shared your kill with him and his overgrown dog.: Cheshire replied resolutely.
Selena couldn't deny the feline's words, so instead, she settled on replying to Crowley's text. Cheshire's laughter was loud in her ears as she hit send. She went silent as hunger abruptly hit, clawing at Selena's stomach, causing the female hunter to frown briefly.
:Shall we try our luck with fresh meat tonight?: Cheshire purred out, the tip of her tail twitching.
Selena set down her phone and got out of bed, stretching. 'With my brothers and an unknown creature around, it is too risky. We'll have to settle for store-bought meat again.'
Selena could feel Cheshire's dissatisfaction at the back of her mind. She couldn't blame her. Store-bought meat was okay, but nothing beat fresh meat that was still warm and wet with blood.
Saliva pooled in her mouth at the thought, making her stomach clench with hunger again.
She was so caught up in her thoughts that she almost didn't hear the sound of her brother's heartbeats approaching the room. Selena quickly collected herself and looked towards the door as she heard the jangle of a key, then it opened.
Dean turned on the lights, then jumped when he noticed her standing there.
"Son of-Selena, a little warning next time." He said. His expression then got confused. "And why is it so cold in here?"
Selena grabbed the notepad and pen off the nightstand and wrote on it before showing it to her brothers.
Sam and Dean approached, reading the note.
A side effect of my powers. Sorry.
Sam's expression brightened, a look of interest in his eyes. "So, you can affect the temperature around you, like a ghost?"
She nodded.
The acidic stench of nervousness hit Selena's nose and she looked at Dean, who rolled his eyes.
"That seems counterproductive if we ever hunt a ghost."
Selena lowered the notepad and wrote something else before holding it up.
Trust me. You'll know the difference between me and a ghost. Also, thank you for getting what I needed."
Dean had a look of disbelief on his face at the first part. "No problem, Lil sis." He passed to her, heading towards his bed. "Anyway. We checked out the families of the kids. They said that they didn't notice anyone strange lurking around. Neighbors said the same thing."
"Was thinking of checking out the places where the bodies were disposed of tomorrow." Sam added from the other bed, in the process of taking off his shoes.
The notepad tapped his shoulder and he grabbed it, looking at the written words.
Since I was asleep most of the day, I can go check them out tonight. Nobody will be there to stop me.
And it would let her satiate her hunger for a while.
Sam looked at Selena, expression unsure.
"Think it would be best if one of us went with you." He said.
"Go where?" Dean paused in taking off his shirt, looking up at them.
"She wants to go take a look at where the bodies were disposed of."
Dean frowned, "uh, no." Selena turned to stare at Dean, a challenge in her stance. "First of all, you're not in the best condition to hunt. Second of all, we still don't know what the creature is, so no.
Selena narrowed her eyes and was about to write again when her phone rang. The siblings simultaneously looked down at the mobile in silence for a moment, then Selena leaned over and grabbed it off the bed. After taking a quick glance at the caller ID, she gave a hard stare at Dean, indicating that the conversation wasn't over, before leaving the room.
She accepted the call as she walked a few feet away from the room.
"Herbivore."
"I've told you, Kitten, I'm a full-blown carnivore, among other things." His voice lowered to a purr.
Selena let out an amused hum but didn't comment.
"Putting that aside, are you okay?"
Her head tilted slightly. "I'm fine. Why do you ask?"
She heard the rustle of paper followed by a squeak of some material. Sounded like leather. "Well, you didn't reply for a long time and I thought you were on a hunt. It's nearing 9 on the surface if I'm not wrong?"
Selena looked up at the cloudless sky to the waning moon. It would be a good time to investigate those crime scenes, maybe hunt along the way.
"You're not wrong." She began to walk. She wished there weren't so many lights on. She could barely concentrate with them glowing like a supernova. "You are in Hell right now." Her words were more of a statement than a question, but she couldn't hide her inquiring tone.
Crowley sighed. "Yes. Curious?" He chuckled. "Ever heard the saying about the cat and curiosity?"
"I value my life at the best and worst of times, but this curiosity is the least threatening." Selena replied.
"Confident. Hope you're not squeamish, love." Crowley let out a breath and began. "Hell is everything you've heard about and worse. The smell of burnt flesh and blood permeates the air, and the screams are endless."
"Sounds...annoying."
There was silence, then she had to pull the phone away from her ear as Crowley laughed. It was a full belly laugh and the female hunter frowned as a fluttering sensation entered her stomach. She needed to hurry and get this over with so she could eat.
When his laughter died down, his tone was filled with amusement and something else. "You...Kitten, you are interesting indeed. But I'm not finished. It's dark here, with an abysmal dungeon aesthetic; cells, chains, torture, and torches included." He huffed. "Thankfully, I can decorate my office however I wish."
She crossed the street, the sign for the motel had disappeared around a building. "Office? So it's more like a business?"
"More like a kingdom and a business mixed together."
Her frown deepened. "Troublesome." Her ear twitched and she paused. Head tilting, she listened, tuning out the sounds of cars and the humming of electricity flowing through the fluorescent lights of the signs and street lights. Selena sniffed the air; sulfur, blood, fear, and-she blinked and sniffed again. There was a scent that she knew intermingled within.
Wyatt.
"-Lena. Selena, are you there?" Crowley's voice pulled Selena from her thoughts and she resumed walking.
"Crowley, it seems I have a stalker. May I call you back?"
"Do you need assistance?" He asked. Cheshire perked up at the dangerously low tone in his voice.
"That is not necessary, but...thank you."
Crowley's voice was hesitant, but he did not persist. "If you are sure. Do be careful, Kitten."
She grunted in affirmative, then hung up. Entering an empty lot, she turned around and waited. Soon, a figure stepped from around the corner of the lot entrance. It was a woman dressed in a blue T-shirt and white and blue floral long skirt. She looked harmless, but Selena was not fooled. Her hackles had risen the moment she stepped into view.
Exuding an air of wrongness, the woman gave Selena a raised brow.
"What gave me away?" She asked.
"You aren't subtle, even for a demon." Selena replied. Cheshire paced in her mind.
:The eyes...the eyes are the window to the soul, but that demon has already gotten rid of theirs. Fang against fang, claw against claw. What happens when two predators meet?:
They fight for dominance.
Selena's fingers flexed and a clone materialized beside her, making the demon eye it with interest. Without needing instructions, the clone took off in a cloud of mist.
"Interesting trick, but your brothers won't get here in time to save you." The demon said mockingly.
Selena narrowed her eyes. "I tire of these assassination attempts. Lilith is wasting her time if she is spending resources on one person."
The demon shrugged in a nonchalant motion. "I personally don't care, but I'm having fun here. My last two victims had such wonderful lungs." A twisted smirk came to the woman's face and her eyes turned inky black. "The reaction of their parents was beautiful. I'll savor it for centuries to come."
With a snarl, Selena waved her hand and the demon was sent flying back into one of the walls encasing the lot.
"You killed those little girls."
"Yep. No need to look so angry, I had to do something to get your attention. My enjoyment was just a bo-Arrgh!" She was interrupted by a spike of ice injecting itself into her stomach.
Selena watched the demon grunt and scream as the ice began twisting slowly. Her brows furrowed when the sounds turning into soft chuckling.
"I-I would be careful if I were you, Selena Winchester." She grinned, blood staining her teeth. "Or my new little toy is going to be torn apart. Death by hellhound is a messy business, even for a child."
The ice instantly stopped, then dissolved. Selena's teeth were clenched as she released the demon. The sick feeling in her stomach grew when she saw that smirk on its face. The demon sighed as it stood up, rolling its shoulders and straightening its shirt.
"Glad to see you're not as cold-hearted as the rumors make you seem." She said. Cheshire hissed and spit in her mind as three demons appeared around Selena, restraining her.
Selena glanced towards the entrance when she heard the familiar roar of the Impala a mile away. Her gaze then turned towards the demon approaching her.
"This was a letdown, Winchester. I hope you can put up a better fight later."
Selena lunged forward, only for a bag to be put over her head. She struggled, ice spikes shooting up around her to defend herself.
"Somebody, restrain her!"
"Shit!"
Selena hissed when something collided with her head, then she knew nothing.