Another week passed, so it's time for a new chapter. I really hope you'll like it. Enjoy :)


I rub my face and huff tiredly. Meg is on the couch, all covered in bruises but she looks much better now than an hour ago when she was with messy hair, dirty clothes and covered in blood. She has dyed her hair blonde. I liked her more dark but it is her choice… Plus, what do I care about this demon… Cas is sitting awkwardly next to her on the couch and I can feel the sexual tension between them and by his face I can tell this is making Cas very confused and uncomfortable. I push away these thoughts and take a sip from my beer. Benny's leaned on the doorframe, quietly drinking his favorite A+ from a glass. He's eyeing me carefully; I can see the worry hidden in his blue eyes.

"Well, well" Meg purrs "Miss Perfect Hunter living with a vampire, at odds with the Winchesters… Who would know?..."

"Shut up, Meg" I give her a death glare and she returns me a smug grin that tempts me to punch her in the face but I stop myself because of Cas

I still can't comprehend completely what Cas and Meg told me – Naomi bossing around Cas and making him kill Samandriel and do other things, Crowley torturing Meg for the location of the tablet, Cas trying to kill Dean because of Naomi's compulsion and the angel tablet itself that is now of possession of the angel… Now Cas and Meg are fugitives, hiding from both Heaven and Hell. It is too much, even for me. Benny's patient and waits for my decision. I can't back down now. Cas needs help and I'll do my best to help him. I won't let him down.

I bite my lip while considering the possibilities. I can always take the angel tablet to Kevin but my gut's telling me it's a bad idea, I'm not sure why but I trust my inner feeling. Plus, the kid's preoccupied with the half of the demon tablet and closing the gates of Hell. The last thing he needs is another tablet that has to be translated. I can trust the tablet to Cas, now that he's not under Naomi's control and is being his normal self. I'm not sure about Meg but something tells me Cas won't be happy if I separate them. So we need a safe place for both of them and the tablet.

"We need to find you two a safe place to stay and lay low…" I shake my head and look over to Benny "Any ideas?"

"Actually, yes" he shrugs and gives me a reassuring nod


"Man, this place's huge" I exclaim while turning on my heels to look around

The house is really luxurious, full of expensive stuff and fancy furniture. Benny's old nest knew how to live.

"So this is the vampirates nest, huh?" I start to calculate what warding the house's going to need "We've got a lot of work to do…" I sigh and look to Cas and Meg who are studying in interest the interior

I'm not sure I can trust the demon. But she helped Sam and Dean to find the angel tablet, so that must be something. And Cas trusts her, for whatever reason he has. Still, I'm going to keep an eye on her. I look over to Benny. He seems sad and resigned. I know it's hard for him to come back here, where memories of his old life, of his love rest. I'm really proud of him for suggesting this place to keep Cas and Meg save. I approach him and gently put my hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, you okay?" I ask in concern

"I'm fine, sweetheart" he answers in gruff voice and covers my hand with his palm

I cup his stubble cheek and make him look at me with his sad blue eyes. He leans into my touch

"Thank you for doing this" I say and put a kiss on his cheek.

"For you" he quietly says "anytime"

"Oh…" I hear Meg's voice purring "Aren't you all Beauty and the Beast, uh?"

With a swift move I turn around to face her, shortening the distance between us before Cas or Benny can react, and I grab her for her throat, pushing her against the wall.

"I don't like you" I snarl, squeezing her neck "I don't trust you" I push her again against the wall "And I sure as hell don't want you here. But you're the lesser evil and I have to put up with this. But watch it. One wrong move and I'm gonna carve your heart out from your chest with my bare hands"

I let her go and she smiles smugly at me but keeps it quiet. Cas's watching me with warning in his sky blue eyes but I don't care. I'm doing this for him. Benny raises his brows, silently asking what this outburst was all about but I just shake my head. Both of them, Cas and Benny, know pretty well that this was not a hollow threat and that I'm absolutely capable of doing it without blinking an eye. I only hope Meg will never find out how deadly serious I am. For her own good.

I grab the duffel bag with all the paint and head out of the room.

"C'mon, leech" I call over my shoulder "I'm gonna need help with all of this warding"

I am on the edge. I can feel it. I need to keep myself calm and busy or I might start throwing punches. I'm nervous and edgy. My anxiousness only calls memories of Purgatory back in my mind. I hear Benny's steps as he follows me through the house. I toss him one of the spray paints I've brought and instruct him what to do. He silently obeys me and I wonder exactly how grumpy I look, is it so clear I have murderous intends on my mind. Probably, I'm not good at keeping my emotions to myself. I've never been good at that. Bobby always said I was too emotional for a hunter, still this was the thing that kept me human. Now that he's dead, years later I understand what he meant – that I'm brutal when hunting but my emotions help keep the human in me, they help me make the difference from right and wrong.

I realize I've stopped painting and my hand is frozen in the air while making another symbol. I sigh and take a step back to see what I have to finish.

"You okay?" Benny quietly approaches me, we've been working for hours over the wardings all over the house and we still have a lot to do

"Yeah…" then I shake my head, he takes my hand in his "No… I don't know" I sigh and turn to face him

He's so close it surprises me and my breath stops. His gentle sad blue eyes are watching me with care and worry. I can feel his strong body, hovering protectively over me. Only millimeters separate us and suddenly I want to lean forward and kiss him. All I have to do is raise on my toes and our lips will connect. Obviously my intentions have written over my face because Benny deeply sighs and whispers almost pleadingly

"Don't"

"What?" I ask confused

"Don't kiss me" he says and I can swear I hear pain in his voice

"Why not?"

Benny takes a step back and rubs his neck. He looks really distressed and I can't understand what I've done wrong. I know it's not the best place or time to straighten what we have between us but still, I can't help myself but wish to wrap my hands around Benny and kiss him. I watch at him expectantly, waiting for an explanation.

"You don't like me that way?" I start to wonder if I was the only one who felt the building sexual tension between us

"That's never been the problem, sweetheart" Benny says in deep voice, eyeing me carefully

"Then?" I raise my hands in the air "What is the damn problem?"

"Your heart belongs to someone else"

I stare at him in complete confusion. I am totally shocked. He thinks I'm in love with someone else? Oh, the irony. If I was in love, then why no one bothered to inform me? After couple of seconds of complete stupefaction, I find my words.

"Last time I checked" I say trying to ignore my anger and offence "My heart was exactly where it should be" and I point to my chest "Right here!" I glare at Benny "So if you don't want me, find a better excuse" and I storm out of the room.

"Braeden!" I hear Benny calls after me "Braeden, wait!"

Stubbornly, I continue walking down the hall. Before I can make another step, Benny's in front of me. Damn vampire super speed! I clench my jaw and point my previous anger to him. I aim at his chin but he catches my fist before I can punch him. I growl in anger and yank my hand away, shifting my body and kicking him hard. And then the next couple of seconds everything turns in blows and punches and kicks… I push Benny so hard he leaves a hole in the wall. He tries to punch me so I take a step back but I trip over and I stagger back, knocking off an antique vase, and its shatter echoes through the empty house. Benny's fast and strong - faster and stronger than me, but we've been together in Purgatory and I know every single one of his moves and attacks, as well as he knows mine. This is a vicious circle and I know well enough I can't really hurt him but I'm so mad and angry that the satisfaction of hitting something is too much to stop. Benny grabs my arm and pulls me hard towards him. With my free hand I try to hit him but he catches it and wrings it behind my back so I try to kick him in the balls but he knows me too well and foresees my intent so he blocks my kick with his thigh. Our legs intertwine and we both lose balance, and then with a thud we fall on the floor. Benny shifts his body not to hurt me, still his grip on me is strong and I growl trying to free myself. After couple of seconds of pointless wrestle I give up with a hiss.

"So supposedly" I bark at him "who am I in love with?"

Benny hovers over me, his body pressed against mine so tightly I can't move. His blue eyes are piercing me while he's looking at me intensely. I breathe deeply and my chest presses against his and I see how his eyes widen. I bite my lip and manage to wrap my legs around his waist. I feel him against every inch of my body and my blood rushes through my veins excited, I know he can hear my heart bumping loudly in my chest. We're so close to one another and I can feel I get hot and he shifts uncomfortably. I raise my head and whisper next to his ear

"Listen to my heart, Benny. Do you really still believe I want someone else?"

I am just about to kiss him when I hear steps. Benny quickly stands up and with a swift move lifts me up, putting me on my feet. Second later Cas and Meg show up at the end of the hall, both with their weapons in their hands. Benny and I quickly separate from each other. Cas looks in confusion the hole in the wall with the shape of Benny's back and the shattered vase, then his eyes stuck to us. It takes only two seconds for Meg to realize what has happened and her face turns into a smug all-knowing grin.

"We heard struggle" Cas says, his brows furrowed, putting the angel blade away

"Yeah… We…" I try to come with some explanation but fail "I accidentally knocked down the vase" I shrug

"Yeah, right" Meg purrs "And it made hole in the wall"

Before I can bark back at her to fuck off, Benny leans forward, and steps in front of me protectively, hissing at her with his fangs out.

"Drop it!" Benny snarls at her

What surprises me even more is Cas's reaction when he stands between Benny and Meg with stern face and warning shining dangerously in his eyes.

"Leave her alone." Cas says in his low gruff voice

I lean and meet Meg's eyes. For the first time today, we're in agreement. We have to interfere.

"That's cute, Clarence, but totally unnecessary" she steps close to Cas, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Too much testosterone here" I say as I wrap my hands around Benny's shoulders "C'mon, leech, help me finish the warding" and I take his hand and guide him to the room we left just couple of minutes ago

Cas and Benny aren't best friends but in Purgatory they had enough trust to keep each other safe. And now almost getting into a fight because of me and Meg is just ridiculous. I grab the paint and finish the last sigil in the room. I hear footsteps and turn around to see Cas followed by Meg entering the room. All of us act as if nothing really happened.

"We need to secure the tablet" the angel says in his deep voice

"Then go and hide it" I insist so he nods and heads out of the room

Meg is just about to follow him when I pull a knife out of my boot and toss it. It flies inches from her head and pins into the wall and she stops taken aback.

"I said Cas to go and hide it. You…" I trail of and shake my head at her "are staying here."

Cas sighs deeply but crosses the threshold and vanishes into the house, or wherever he's decided to hide the angel table. Meg just rolls her eyes on me.

"Still don't trust me, huh?" she asks in her mocking tone that I hate so much

I march to her and put my hand on the knife that is still pinned in the wall on the left side of ger head. Our faces are separated just by mere inches.

"Doesn't hurt to be cautious, right?" I say with a raised eyebrow and pull the blade out of the wooden wall

Then I turn to Benny and give him a bright smile

"We're not nearly done here. We've got only couple of hours until our shift in the bar, so I suggest we get down to work"

I stride out of the room, followed by Benny and Meg. Ah, the irony – a hunter, a vampire and a demon under the same roof, working together and not trying to kill each other. I shake my head with a smirk - the rest of the day is going to be pretty intense and interesting.


It took me a while while I decide how I want the things between Braeden and Benny to develop so I'll really appreciate your opinion on this one, guys :) Drop me a review and tell me what you think about the new chapter :)