Seven Devils
Chapter 26 / ...Ye Who Enter Here
"I looked, and behold, an ashen horse; and he who sat on it had the name Death; and Hell was following with him. "
— Book of Revelation 6:7-8
The moment Marlene opened her eyes that morning, she knew the day to come would inevitably suck. And it wasn't because they were to confront the Devil himself — not just because of that — but also because Marley couldn't remember what she'd dreamed about. Come to think of it, the nagging hangover certainly didn't make the matters any better.
At least it wasn't another nightmare, she figured, putting on her army boots. But there was a strange feeling of missing something crucial, something vital. It was almost like she'd been pushed out of her dream and forced awake before the finishing act.
There was a lake, of that she was certain. Golden manes of forest trees reflected in the water. It smelled like pine and autumn chill, and hot cocoa with too much sugar in it. A house by the creek. Ringing laughter and clumsy kites floating in the wind. And Marlene had felt...at peace. But then why was she so unsettled now?
Shaking her head at her own ridiculous thoughts, Marley poured herself a cup of steaming hot coffee. God, it smelled good.
"Good morning."
Marlene startled, "Shit!" she hissed, spilling some of the the hot liquid on her hand.
Sam was by her side in a moment with a kitchen towel and a very guilty, almost pained expression on his face, "I'm so, so sorry, Marlene — "
She wiped the deadly ambrosia off her hand and her shirt, "It's fine. My fault," Marley shot him a brief smile, "Too jumpy." Add a drunken make-out session on a half-dead Ford. Boy, that day was getting better and better by the minute.
Marlene averted her eyes at the memory, a deep blush blooming on her cheeks. Holy shit. She hadn't even been that drunk and if she remembered correctly, neither had Sam. Somehow, it only made things more complicated. He was an amazing kisser, though. Shut up, Marlene shrieked internally, because the other culprit was right there, sipping on his coffee and stealing quick glances at her profile. Marley's lips tingled with the memory of the kiss. She wanted to tell him to stop gazing. But also to kiss her again, please and thank you.
"Marlene — "
"I'll have what you're having," Dean's voice boomed as he walked into the kitchen, startling both of them. He frowned at the strange tension. You'd think Marley and Sam were making out on the counter from how flustered they'd suddenly become at his appearance.
Marlene cleared her throat and turned to Dean, leaning back against the sink, "Good morning."
"Is it?" he quirked a brow.
"You're, uh, ready?" Sam asked.
"Yeah," Dean popped a few pieces of leftover bacon into his mouth, "Jo and Ellen's loaded the truck."
Marley put her cup of coffee down, "When are we heading out?"
"Right now?" Dean told her with a full mouth. Then he stilled, face growing more rigid as it finally registered, "What do you mean 'we' ?"
Sam gawked at her, "Marlene, you can't come."
"Look — " she broke off with a loaded sigh, "I know, okay? But..." Something was itching in the back of her mind. What was it?
Come.
"...I feel like I should."
Dean stared, "You feel like you should?"
"Yes —"
"Well, I feel like you shouldn't," he retorted plainly and dropped the uneaten piece of bacon on the plate, "Come on, Sammy. We gotta go."
Marley glared at him, endearing in her quiet, composed anger. The prick.
"Marlene, even me being there is a huge risk," Sam reasoned tentatively, "But you..." he trailed off, expression so sympathetic, she wanted to kiss him again.
"Don't you think I know that, Sam? Because I do," Marley looked at him and then at Dean, who was standing in the hall, arms crossed in impatience, "I can't explain it. I...I just have to come."
"Caught the bullshit radio station with those angelic antennas of yours?"
"I'm being serious, Dean."
"Did you see something?" Sam asked, remembering the visions he used to have himself not that long ago.
Marley shook her head, "No, nothing like that. But I have to go. I need to be there."
He wants me there. A flash of red. A suave, husky voice. You come, I spare them. Easy as that, pumpkin.
"Marlene?" Sam called in concern, noticing how still she'd suddenly gone, "What — "
She blinked a couple of times, horror-stricken expression quickly replaced with unwavering resolve, "I'm coming, okay? Please don't stop me," Marley told both of them. She could never quite assert any sort of dominance.
"Like hell you are," Dean blocked her way to the door, "You'll get killed out there, or worse. You know why? Cause we don't know squat about the crap that's waiting for us down in Carthage. And we're not gonna be able to protect you."
"Good thing I can protect myself, then," Marlene told him fiercely. Dean snorted. She glowered, "I know how to shoot now: rifle, shotgun, handgun — you name it. Pretty damn well, too. Go ask Bobby if you don't believe me. "
"Ahh, I'm sure cans are quaking when they see you. But demons aren't sitting ducks, sweetheart," Dean patronised. Sam gave him a look behind Marlene's back: "Too far, dude." Dean had never seen such fury on a woman's face. At least those he hadn't slept with, "Alright, look — "
"Get out of my way, Dean Winchester, or I swear to God I'm going to find a much better use for those cans," she hissed dangerously and then added, voice maniacally sweet, "Sweetheart." Dean regarded her with surprise and a tinge of bewildered fear, "Now get me a rifle and let's go, yeah?"
The Winchesters exchanged a long, foreboding look, unsure of what to do. Done waiting around for two males to allow her to do anything in the 21st century, Marlene walked past Dean, grabbed one of the rifles from the bag he'd left in the hall and walked out of the house. She felt like cadet Kelly.
Bobby, Jo and Ellen were gathered by the Wagoneer, all three looking at Marlene as she trudged up to them with an awfully sour and pissed-off expression on her face. Bobby raised a brow, noticing the rifle crossed over her chest.
Sam and Dean came out after her, the latter bearing the same disgruntled look. One didn't have to be a genius to make that connection.
"Where's Castiel?" Marlene asked.
"I am here." Indeed, the angel was standing right beside her. Really close to her. Too close to her. Marlene made a pointed step away from him. It didn't faze him one bit.
"Well," Bobby gave all of them a long, solemn look, "I s'pouse it is time," he said gravely.
Dean nodded, "Let's go gank the motherfucker."
"Be careful, ya hear? Don't do anything stupid."
"What, like going after the Devil?"
Bobby cut Sam a glare, "Don't get smart on me, boy. You know what I'm talkin' about."
Ellen patted him on the shoulder good-naturedly, "Don't worry, old man. I'll keep an eye on them," she said wryly.
"And I'll keep an eye on her," Jo grinned at her mother.
"Smartass," she replied.
"Alright, let's get going," Dean announced, "We'll have time to chat later."
Marley turned to Ellen, "Can I ride with you?"
The woman glanced at Dean, amused, "Sure thing, honey. Hop in," she said with a knowing smile. With a glower at Dean, Marlene got into the backseat and nearly had a heart attack when she saw the walking and talking trench coat next to her.
"Holy crap, Castiel," she breathed, "Ever thought of using the door, like a normal person?"
A pause. "I'm an angel."
Marley sighed, leaning back. The day to come would inevitably suck.
𖤐𖤐𖤐𖤐𖤐𖤐
The ride had been silent — no one felt like talking or blasting music on the way to what was possibly the most dangerous hunt of them all. Strangely, though, the quiet wasn't filled with tension or a suspenseful sense of foreboding you would expect. No, it was surprisingly calm, a feeling of determination palpable in the silence — at last, the ultimate bad guy would be dead. It was their Hail Mary.
After six hours of driving, they finally passed a dingy sign that welcomed them to Carthage, Missouri. Marlene felt a chill run down her spine as they crossed the unseen threshold into what was ground zero.
It was a ghost town. Every corner — a scene from a post-apocalyptic film with no actors, devoid of vibrancy, of hope, of life. It was grey and quiet and so, so empty, the air soaked with doom and the smell of ashes. The smell of death.
Sam and Dean drove off to check the Police Department, while Marley, Ellen, Jo and Castiel parked in the town square to check if there was any sign of life. Marlene hopped out of the car and stretched her legs with a groan — six hours on the road non-stop spent next to an angel with severe personal space issues had taken its tall. If she'd ever bothered to do yoga, this wouldn't be happening.
Jo looked at Cas who was the only one still in the car. She knocked on the window, "Hey, ever heard of a door handle?"
"Of course I have," the angel replied, already outside. The blonde almost crashed into him.
"Goddamit," Marley muttered, rubbing her sore neck. But as soon as she looked up at the town square, all chiropractic ministrations ceased.
The town wasn't empty — in fact, it looked like a very sad Woodstock festival. Gaunt men and women dressed in black suits stood still, expressionless, waiting for something. They filled every corner of the square, every window of every building, even the roofs — they were everywhere.
"What are they?" Marlene whispered.
Ellen and Jo looked around, confused, "Who?" the older woman asked.
"Reapers," Castiel turned to Marlene, "You see them too?"
"Them? As in more than one?" Ellen asked.
Marlene ran her eyes over the creatures, "There's at least two dozens of them."
"They only gather like this at times of great catastrophe," Castiel spoke, thoughtful, "Chicago Fire, San Francisco Quake, Pompeii."
Marley quirked a brow, "Well, today's just the day for a great catastrophe."
"Excuse me," Cas said slowly, "I need to find out why they're here."
"Wait!" Marlene called. The angel turned back, "Are you sure, Cas? Maybe we'd better stick together on this one."
He gave a single solemn nod, "I will be back."
Marlene watched as Castiel walked through the sea of motionless Reapers and then disappeared into one of the abandoned buildings. She had a bad feeling about this — all of this — and hadn't been able to shake it all day.
Marley had never wished she was wrong more than she did now.
𖤐𖤐𖤐𖤐𖤐𖤐
Thirty minutes and a search party later, dozens of creepy old servants of death were still the only ones populating the small town of Carthage. There was no one, nothing — not even animals. It's like all life had been sniffed out.
Which is why seeing two men walking towards the car was slightly strange. But only for a brief moment until Marlene realised who they were.
Dean stopped, "Station's empty."
"So's everything else," said Jo.
Ellen noticed that the friendly neighbourhood angel wasn't with them, "Have you seen Cas?
"What?" Sam frowned, "He was with you."
"Nope. He went after the reapers."
Dean's brows shot up, "Reapers?"
"He saw Reapers? Where?"
"Well, kind of —" Jo trailed off and glanced at Marley, then back at Sam, "— uh, everywhere?"
"I've counted at least three dozens."
Dean's eyes flashed to the backseat, "You saw them?" Marlene nodded, feeling disturbed just from the memory of their lifeless faces, "Of course you saw them."
"Well, that can't be a good sign, can it?" Sam muttered and looked around the empty street as though they would magically reveal themselves at any moment.
Such miracle — or a blessing, depending on who you asked (Marley certainly wasn't enjoying the safari of death) — didn't happen. Ellen, Jo, Sam, Marlene and Dean had decided to walk around Carthage by foot and see if they could find anything that would lead them to Lucifer. So far, though, the Reapers seemed to be the only clue.
Marley gave one of them a side-eye; he looked particularly terrifying with his wide-brimmed hat and a long, hooked nose. Straight out of a Victorian horror-story.
Sam couldn't help but notice the revolted expression on her face. "It's right there?"
"Everywhere," she replied, "You just walked through one." He frowned and looked back, then felt compelled to touch his chest to make sure there wasn't a Reaper sticking out of there.
"Well, this is great," Dean grunted, "Been in town twenty minutes and already lost the angel up our sleeve."
"You think, uh, you think Lucifer got him?" Sam asked.
"I don't know what else to think."
"There you are," a chirpy, female voice called.
The group halted and whipped around to see a short brunette smirking smugly at them, thumbs hooked into the pockets of her jeans. One look at her mug was enough for Marlene to see who, or rather what, was hiding behind that sweet, heart-shaped face. That made pointing the gun at it all the more satisfying.
"Meg," Sam breathed in surprise.
Marley couldn't help but raise a brow at that. She recognised the name — yet another one of Sam Winchester's unfortunate dalliances. The man sure had a type.
"Kudos for brining Tinker Bell, boys," the demon told them, smiling at Marley like she was a monkey in the zoo. Marlene was about to offer a witty retort, but stilled — was that a ripple in the air, just beneath Meg's elbow? "Shouldn't have come here, though."
As she stared at it, the disturbance became more and more visible, and then Marley could make out a pair of glowing red eyes, stark against a velvety, black snout. Seven of them. "Holy sh — Dean, no!" she yelled.
The idiot stalked forward, aiming the Colt at Meg, "Hell, I could say the same thing for you."
Her lips drew into a smug grin, "Didn't come here alone, Deano," at that, the infernal creature next to her gave a loud growl, its huge paws splashing the water in the puddle.
"I can see them," Marlene whispered to Sam, eyes fixed on the dogs who kept barking, baring their sharp fangs.
He glanced around, trying to appear calm, "How many?"
"Seven"
"Hellhounds," Dean gritted out.
"Yeah, Dean. Your favorite!" Meg told him excitedly, "Come on, boys. My father wants to see you."
"I think we'll pass, thanks," said Sam.
Meg shrugged, unfazed, "Your call. You can make this easy or you can make it really, really hard."
Dean's hand wavered with hesitation. He looked back at Ellen, eyes questioning. She gave him a single, resolved nod.
He faced the demon again, gripping the Colt tightly, "When have you known us to ever make anything easy?" Meg shook her head, disappointed by his decision. Shifting his aim from the demon, Dean shot one of the Hellhounds instead. And their fates had been sealed.
"Run!" Sam yelled and grabbed Marlene by the arm. She could barely keep up with his herculean strides, constantly looking back to see seven infernal beasts biting at their heels, jaw snapping over empty air, hungry for the taste of flash. Or was it nine?
"Dean!" Jo screamed.
Marlene, Sam and Ellen turned back and saw Dean being tackled to the ground by one of the Hellhounds, "Jo, stay back!" he told her. It was prowling closer to him, sharpening its claws. But Jo ignored the command and fired the shotgun in the creature's general direction.
"Higher, Jo! To the left!" Marlene yelled. Heeding her directions, Jo hit the Hellhound, black blood mixing in with the dirt on the pavement. She kept firing at it, drawing the beast further and further back from Dean. When Marlene noticed the other one shooting towards Jo, it was already too late, "Jo, behind you!"
"No!" Ellen screamed when the Hellhound's claws ripped into her daughter's body. Taking advantage of her sight, Marlene darted forward and started firing at the beast again and again, and again until it was but a squealing, bloody mess. Dean quickly swooped in and hauled Jo into his arms. He ran past them, heading for one of the nearest convenience stores.
"Marlene, go!" Sam yelled over the din of fire, constantly shifting his aim in the nothingness. But Marlene only recharged her shotgun, hands shaking from the adrenalin that suffused her body. Had it not been for that hormonal shot, she would've fallen into stupor and been ripped into shreds.
Ellen opened the door to the store and Dean walked it, carrying Jo's unmoving body. "We have to go inside!" Sam began to retreat as the Hellhounds kept coming onto them, "Marlene!"
She glanced over to him for a split second, but that was all it took for one of the bastards to knock her over. Marley tried to push it off of her, turning her head away from the waterfall of disgusting drool dripping from the dog's snout. She shrieked in searing, unimaginable pain when the Hellhound's jaws closed over her arm, warm blood soaking up the coat.
Marlene thought she heard Sam's voice and a deep, guttural snarl close enough to her face that she could smell the hot stench. Was she dying? Perhaps, all of it had been a dream. A nightmare. That's why she didn't remember any details — it wasn't over yet.
But then why did she see the devil when she woke up?
"Sam, shut that damn door!" Dean yelled from the inside. But Sam was staring at the fresh blood on the pavement where Marlene'd been a moment before, "Sam!" A loud growl snapped him out of the bewildered daze. Firing a series of shots at the beast, Sam retreated into the shop and closed the door, wrapping a heavy chain around the handles to make sure it didn't bust open. He and Dean grabbed a bag of rock salt and slit it open to line the windows and all the doors to keep the Hellhounds out and, consequently, lock themselves in.
"Okay...okay, breathe now —" Ellen whispered, cradling Jo's body. Hesitantly, she peeled her daughter's hand away from the wound, and shuddered when blood came spurting from her shredded side. The older woman glanced up at Dean and Sam, terrified.
Jo wouldn't make it.
𖤐𖤐𖤐𖤐𖤐𖤐
There was no way to stop the bleeding completely, but they did the best they could to slow it down, using what little could be found in the convenience store. Sam watched as Ellen whispered something to Jo, who was too delirious to understand, pushing bloodied blonde tressed from her sweaty face.
"Here," Sam handed Ellen a bowl and more bandages. He felt like he was intruding on a very private moment and was quick to make himself scarce, joining Dean in the electronics isle.
"How's she holding up?" Dean asked, fiddling with some gadget. It looked like a transmitter. When Sam didn't reply, he glanced over at him and got his answer from the look on his brother's face.
"Dean — " Sam broke off, anxious, "Dean, she just up and vanished. What if she's in danger? I gotta go look for her — "
"Hey, hey, listen," Dean stopped his tinkering and turned to his brother, "We're stuck in here, okay? That door opens and we're dog fodder."
Sam inhaled sharply. He knew that, he did, but..."She's out there, Dean. She could be dead — "
"She could be safe," Dean reasoned, "It might've been her mojo, Sammy. She's done it before."
"Yes, but she was hurt, Dean. Pretty badly," Sam hissed, trying not to raise his voice, "It could've killed her."
Dean stayed quiet for a moment, mulling over a thought with a pensive expression, "Or it could've been something else."
"What?"
"You heard Meg. Her father's here."
Sam's face blanched — he hadn't thought about that, "You think Lucifer did that?"
"Hell, I wouldn't be surprised. The bastard's really here, Sammy," Dean's eyes were glimmering vehemently, "This is our one shot. We gotta take it, no matter what."
𖤐𖤐𖤐𖤐𖤐𖤐
When she finally felt solid ground underneath her feet, Marlene's knees buckled and she fell, too weak to stay up. She didn't know how much blood she'd lost, but could still feel the warm liquid seeping out through the deep bites on her arm, her coat long drenched in crimson.
Through the hazy delirium, Marlene could make out the line of the horizon in the distance — she was on a hill, looking over a forest and — a lake — The sky was blood-orange, almost the color of her coat, growing darker by the second...how much time had passed?
"My, what a mess," a voice cooed. Marley felt a gentle hand on her shoulder, and then a feathery touch on the forehead, "We can't have that, now can we?"
In a split second, the pain disappeared completely and her mind was her own once again. Only when Marlene looked up, she wished she was delirious all over again. Or dead altogether.
Lucifer smiled at the expression of shock and badly concealed disgust on her face, "Hello, little niece."
He looked different, but then again, she'd never seen his true form. The devil was in the details, and this one had come in the crimson of her father's eyes, in her best friend's smile, in Sam's embrace. Now, he appeared before her as a middle-aged man with blistered, molten skin — this body couldn't handle him. Not for long. He needed Sam.
"The dream," Marley spoke tentatively, "It...it was you. It was — " she looked at the golden trees, and the lake, and the cabin downhill, "— it was here."
"Nothing gets away from you," Lucifer smirked. Marlene turned to the other side and saw dozens of people lined up, motionless, "Sorry about the pups. Personally, I'm more of a cat-person — "
"What did you do to them?"
The devil seemed confused by her question for a second. Then he followed her eyes, "Ah, that. Well, you know, just a little something for my little ritual. Everyone get their own demon. Care to help?" Lucifer gestured to the hole in the ground. Marlene frowned at the size, wondering what could he possibly need it for, then noticed he was leaning on a shovel like a regular farmer in plaid.
"What ritual?" she asked, voice shaking. Marley wasn't sure she wanted to hear the answer.
Lucifer looked like he was about to tell her, but then changed his mind, "Why don't you guess?"
"I'm not going to play your games," Marlene gritted out.
"Too bad. Cause you already are," Lucifer told her rather good-naturedly and started filling the hole again.
"Why's this town empty? Where're all the people?"
"Some are over there," the devil pointed to the group of motionless bodies, then paused, letting out a heavy sigh one could easily mistake for sadness, "Some over here," he said, scooping dirt and throwing it into the hole. Marlene stared into the fresh, wet earth. She stared so long, her eyes were starting to prickle. Or maybe, it was just tears. "I know, I know, I'm a monster, yada yada yada. You don't have to give me that look."
"Why...why are you doing this?"
"I kind of have to," Lucifer answered simply, "Death is one demanding prima donna."
It hit her then, what he was doing. Dean and Sam had already dealt with War, they knew Famine and Pestilence were somewhere out there, but there'd been no word of Death — the greatest, most ruthless Horseman of them all. That explained why so many Reapers had gathered in this small town. They were waiting for their master's arrival.
"Why did you want me here?" Marlene asked after a moment, fearful yet curious.
Lucifer piled more dirt onto his shovel and tossed it into the hole, "To have a civil conversation, of course."
"Of course," she echoed sceptically.
Smirking at her tone, Lucifer stuck the shovel into the ground and regarded her more closely, "My brother's greatest sin," he sighed in delight. Marley shrunk, uncomfortable, "Much better than mine. But don't tell him that."
"Tell me about your powers." She stared silently at him, taking a step back when he started to move closer, "The mark is gone — I could feel it. You must be buzzing with them," Lucifer appeared almost giddy, "Well, are you? Buzzing?"
"No. I'm dying," Marlene replied, gauging is reaction, "But you already knew that, didn't you?"
Lucifer gave a long, dramatic shrug, "Maybe. But that doesn't really matter. You know why?" She said nothing, "Because we're gonna fix it."
Despite her better judgement — and Marlene knew how absolutely ridiculous it was — she couldn't help the glimmer of hope that flashed through her eyes for a moment. Of course, it didn't escape the devil's shrewd attention.
"We're on the same side, you and I, Marls," Lucifer stalked closer, prowl slow like a predator's. Marlene didn't take her eyes off of him for a second, "Angels cursed you and they betrayed me, their brother. I owe no loyalty to them. I despise them," he shook his head, "They are nothing but mindless sheep; no will, no thought, no ambition — just blind obedience. And you know what that makes them? Expendable."
"Says the devil," Marlene muttered.
"I am what they made me. It's not like I wanted to be the great bad guy," Lucifer huffed, "I simply...rose to the occasion."
"That occasion being the destruction of all humanity?"
Lucifer considered it, "Among other things. See, my father thought humans were so perfect, so...pure. His new, faultless playthings. And I proved him wrong," his expression grew rueful, "I proved him wrong and he punished me for it. Because he couldn't accept the fact that his greatest creation was a bunch of sinful, corrupt weaklings."
"Sounds to me like you were jealous," Marlene said, cautious not to sound too cocky.
"I was disgusted," Lucifer spat vehemently, "To create something so puny and have the gaul to call it flawless..."
"Parents never see faults in their own children."
Lucifer raised a sarcastic brow, "And yet he banished me?"
"I mean, you were pretty much asking for it..."
"My father feared strength. That's why he made humans so weak and that's why he cast me down to Hell. But I..." Marlene narrowed her eyes at the strange expression on his face. She couldn't quite decipher it, "...I would never do that to my children."
"Well, there aren't many places for demons to go — "
"Oh, I'm not talking about these imbeciles," Lucifer waved her off.
Marlene wrapped her blood-soaked coat tighter around her body, the evening chill seeping into her bones, "Then what are you talking about?"
Lucifer's eyes flashed red, "I'm talking about something new. Something better. Something stronger," he came closer, and Marley stumbled back. She would've tumbled down the hill if Lucifer hadn't caught her by her arm, "You are the perfect mix of the three, Marlene."
She tried to wriggle free of his hold, "Let me go."
"The power in your blood," but Lucifer only gripped her tighter, "And the power Sam will yield once he finally gives in — together, we will have the best of both, Marlene. Now that, would be the perfect creation."
Marlene gawked at him, "You...you're sick."
"My father saw strength in their weakness," Lucifer went on, unperturbed by the terrified look in her wide eyes, "I see strength only in power."
"Hey!" Marlene's eyes filled with tears at the familiar voice. Slowly, Lucifer let her go and turned to Sam, assuming his usual cheery expression, "Get away from her."
"Alright, alright," the devil raised his hands in mock surrender and stepped away from Marlene, "So territorial, Sammy."
Sam's face grew furious at the nickname, but he stayed silent. Marley caught him running his eyes over her, making sure she wasn't hurt — the last time he'd seen her, she was bleeding out on the pavement.
Sam walked through the crowd of demons to approach Lucifer, shotgun at the ready, "You wanted to see me?"
"Oh, Sam, you don't need that gun here," Lucifer spoke gently, nauseatingly so, "You know I'd never hurt you. Not really."
Marley saw a figure emerge from the shadows, steal glimmering in the moonlight as it found its way to Lucifer's forehead. His smile fell. "Yeah? Well, I'd hurt you," Dean snarled, "So suck it." And he pulled the trigger. Marlene shuddered from the piercing sound, and right when Lucifer collapsed, ran over to Sam's side.
Together, they stared at his unmoving body. So, that was it then? The Devil was gone? "He's dead?" A suspenseful minute later, the quiet was disturbed by a sharp inhale. Marley stumbled back into Sam when Lucifer rose back to his feet, groaning from pain.
"Where did you get that?" he moaned and struck Dean so hard, he smacked into a tree and landed on the ground, unconscious. Lucifer turned back to Sam and Marlene, fully recovered now, "Now, where were we?"
All Sam could do was stare at the devil in disdain and utter helplessness. They'd been so close...all that effort, Ellen and Jo...All in vain.
"Don't feel too bad, Sam. There's only five things in all of creation that that gun can't kill, and..." Lucifer spread his arms, "I just happen to be one of them. But if you give me a minute," he held up a finger, "I'm almost done."
While Lucifer was busy filling the hole again, Sam hurried over to Dean and checked his pulse. He gave Marlene an affirmative nod, visibly relaxed.
"You know," Lucifer spoke again, leaning on the shovel in a very casual manner, "Marls and I were just talking and...I don't suppose you'd just say yes here and now?" Sam stood up and walked back to Marlene, shielding her away, "End this whole tiresome discussion? That's crazy, right?
"It's never gonna happen!" Sam growled.
Lucifer gave a noncommittal shrug and went back to filling the hole, "Oh, I don't know, Sam. I think it will. I think it'll happen soon. Within six months. And I think it'll happen..." he stopped scooping up dirt and looked back at Sam, "...in Detroit."
Sam shuddered with fury, "You listen to me, you son of a bitch. I'm gonna kill you myself, you understand me? I'm going to rip your heart out!"
"That's good, Sam. You keep fanning that fire in your belly," Lucifer spoke, breathless from the physical exertion. He was looking ironically human, "All that pent-up rage. I'm gonna need it."
The words'd had a sobering effect on Sam — just to spite Lucifer, he willed himself to calm down, refusing to give the devil what he wanted, "What did you do?" he asked, looking at the motionless men, "What did you do to this town?"
"Oh, I was very generous with this town," Lucifer told him, body filling up the hole, "One demon for every able-bodied man."
"And the rest of them?" Sam asked, already knowing the answer.
Lucifer paused and turned to them, "You gonna tell him, Marls?" Marlene's face crumpled with unshed tears again at the thought of all those innocent people buried together in an unnamed grave. Murdered. Sam's jaw tightened — he knew what that look meant.
"I know, it's awful," Lucifer sighed, "But as I've already told Marlene, these horsemen are so... demanding. So it was women and children first...I know what you must think of me, Sam. But I have to do this. I have to. You of all people should understand."
Sam frowned, "What's that supposed to mean?"
Lucifer discarded the shovel, "I was a son. A brother...like you, a younger brother," he walked closer to Sam and Marlene, "And I had an older brother who I loved. Idolised, in fact. And one day, I went to him and I begged him to stand with me, and Michael — Michael turned on me," The devil's face grew harder, "Called me a freak. A monster."
Marlene chanced a look at Sam and saw the familiar struggle in his eyes, the pain. Lucifer knew just what words to use to push his buttons, and it was working. The devil took Sam's greatest nightmare and turned it against him.
"And then he beat me down. All because I was different. Because I had a mind of my own. Tell me something, Sam. Any of this sound familiar?" Lucifer went on, seeing what effect his suave speech had on Sam. But then his expression changed, as though he grew tired of their conversation, "Anyway. You'll have to excuse me. Midnight is calling," Lucifer spread his arms dramatically, "And I have a ritual to finish. Don't go anywhere," he pointed a mockingly threatening finger at them, "Not that you could if you would."
Once Lucifer turned their back to them, Marlene crouched in front of Dean's body, "Hey, Dean," she gave it a gentle shake, "Dean, come on."
The Devil began chanting an incantation in the language even Marlene couldn't understand. Then he turned to the demons, "Now repeat after me: 'We offer up our lives, blood, souls—"
Finally, Dean stirred awake right in time for the show. The demons chanted back, "'We offer up our lives, blood, souls'—"
"To complete this tribute."
"'To complete this tribute'."
Dean, Marlene and Sam stared in shock as the demons fizzled gold one by one before tumbling down like a set of dominos. Lucifer smirked at the sight, pleased, and glanced over at his silent audience, "What?" he asked self-consciously, "They're just demons."
With that, he faced the hole again and spread his arms wide, waiting for the culmination of the ritual. The ground beneath them started shaking, a faint light emerging from the hole, growing brighter by the moment. Marlene watched Lucifer, transfixed and horrified by the sight: it looked almost biblical, that perfect demonstration of spiritual obsession.
Just when she thought they were completely doomed, Castiel appeared before them. He urged them to be quiet and put his arms around the three of them — and they were gone. Lucifer threw a look over his shoulder.
He was a man of his word, after all.