Hi, guys :) Time for a new chapter, hope you'll like it.
Also, want to tell you all that after this chapter I'll take a brake for a while, I'm really falling behind with writing the story and there's so much going on around me that I'm not sure I'll be able to keep the same posting schedule, especially after the last couple of chapter were posted with delays.. So I'll post whenever I can (hopefully often enough) but really no promises. Hope you'll understand :)
"Braeden! Oh, my god!" the voice is somehow distant "Braeden!"
I force myself to open my eyes only to see Kevin's panicked face hovering me. I blink a few times, trying to remember what's happened. My left shoulder hurts like a bitch. There's blood, not much but still…
"You shot me!" I growl at Kevin in disbelieve and push him aside so I can sit. "Freaking idiot!"
"Sorry" Kevin offers me an insecure smile "I guess I freaked out a bit"
"Freaked out a bit?" I repeat sarcastically as I push myself up "Give me that gun" and I grab it from his hands "It's not a toy…"
"I didn't recognize you" Kevin defensively says standing up "Where's Dean?"
"Gone" I blankly say and go to the driver's door "Get in!"
"Gone!?" Kevin's worried voice follows me as I slide in the car and adjust the seat so I can reach the car pedals "What do you mean gone?"
"Demons got him" I don't look at him while he takes the shotgun seat
"What!? How?" Kevin starts to hyperventilate
"Hey!" I shake him with my good arm "Look at me!" when he does, I continue "Take a deep breath, good. Now, listen." I start the car and drive down the road, speeding to get to the bunker as fast as possible "They got him alive which means they need him for something. They'll keep him alive. That gives us time to get him out. He's a Winchester. He'll survive this."
I'm not sure for whom I'm saying this - for me to calm my anxiousness or for Kevin. The Asian boy nods and then asks
"How's your shoulder?"
"I'm fine, don't worry about it." I answer, trying to ignore the stinging tentacles of pain that rush through my shot shoulder down to my fingers "Sam 'll patch me up when we get home"
The rest of the trip we spend in silence. My shoulder hurts and I still feel dizzy but I force myself to focus on the road. Kevin doses off after some time. I speed up down the road. The sooner we get to the bunker, the better chance for coming with a good plan to save Dean. Then I realize that Dean's phone has to be with him. So if Crowley's the one who's got him, I'll be able to talk to him. An idea forms in my head and after couple of minutes I've got a plan. All I have to find out now is what the demons want from Dean. I dial his number.
"Hello, darling" a voice with British accent answers almost immediately
"Crowley" I hiss in anger "Where's he?"
"Squirrel's here and he's fine… For now"
"What do you want?" I growl as I stay focused on the road ahead
And he tells me. Panic rushes through me, I'm worried about Dean and I force myself to think straight – I can't let my emotions cloud my judgment, not now when the stake is so high. It's bad but I find a quick solution - the only plan that for sure will get Dean safe out of Crowley's hands. I cast a glance at Kevin but he's asleep so I bravely make my offer to Crowley and I'm not surprised when the King of Hell accepts it. Later he'll text me the time and location where we'll make the exchange.
"Charlie!" I exclaim in surprise as I see the red-headed woman sitting in the library next to Sam
I haven't seen her since she helped us with getting the demon tablet and I'm surprised to see her here. I know Sam and Dean have met her on a LARP games while investigating a case during the time I was away with Benny. I wonder what she's doing here. Kevin hesitantly follows me down the steps, looking curiously around. Sam furrows his brows seeing only the two of us.
"Where's Dean?"
"Crowley has him" I simply say
"What?" he stands up so quickly he almost knocks down his chair "What happened?"
"Demons came and got him"
"You just let them…"
"Careful, Winchester!" I say dangerously low "Do you really think I didn't put a fight?"
He's taken aback with my response and he mumbles something apologetically. I wave him off and go to greet Charlie, trying to ignore my worry.
"What are you doing here, girl?" I ask with a smile
"I was in the neighborhood so I stopped by" she says and hugs me but as she wraps her hands around me I flinch "You okay?" she asks and I see Kevin cringes a little
"I got shot" I decide to spare the kid the embarrassment of telling who shot me
"Let me see" Sam insists
The next ten minutes we spend in patching me up and discussing what we should do. Kevin listens carefully but does not intervene. I can tell Charlie likes Kevin and he's a bit taken aback by her lively and cheerful nature.
"Why would Crowley want Dean?" Charlie asks while bandaging my shoulder
"He wants me" I lie without blinking, feeling a bit uncomfortable being only with my jeans and bra on around Sam and Kevin, but I've been half naked around Sam so many times when I needed patching that I really don't care…
"What?" Sam exclaims
"I mean he needs something Booby had and he sent the demons after me but somehow they got Dean"
"So what are we gonna do?" Charlie looks at me and pats me on the back giving me a sign the bandage is ready
"We'll give him what he wants" I shrug and pain shoots through my shoulder as I put clean shirt on "It's some stupid old book my Dad had. It's not a big deal…"
"Braeden" Sam's tone is the one he uses when he tries to reason someone "If the King of Hell wants this book, then for sure it's a big deal"
"He's right, you know" Kevin intervenes for the first time
"Do you have better idea?" I snap "And I already talked to Crowley"
"You what?" Sam shouts "Are you crazy? When?"
"Right after he got Dean. He'll text me where to meet him. We're giving him the book, he lets Dean go. That's the deal."
"This book" Charlie starts "What's it about?"
"I don't remember really…" I shrug "It's an old book my old man had for forever. But Crowley said it's the only copy and he needs it. If that's the price for getting Dean back, I'm more than willing to pay it."
"Right…" Sam frowns "Well, you know where we stashed Bobby's stuff so…"
"I'll go get the book" I state and head out.
I roll my eyes at myself. Now I have to find some really old book so Sam and Charlie won't ask questions. I really hate lying to them but I know that otherwise they won't agree on my plan. It's really stupid plan, but it's the only one I've got that I know will work for sure. Everything else is uncertain and I can't risk it. Not with Dean's life on the line. Because I have no delusions – if it goes to this Crowley will kill him without second thought. I push aside all my worries and concerns, doing my best to ignore the anxiousness I feel and I start going through all the boxes that we managed to save from the fire that destroyed my home. There are a lot of things here. I start pulling books and papers out looking for something that looks really old…
"Hey" Charlie shows on the door about half an hour later
"Hi" I greet her from my spot on the floor where I'm sitting surrounded by supernatural folklore, books and files.
"How's it going?"
"Slowly" I shrug "But I think I found it" I hand her an old ancient looking book in Greek about minotaurs
She doesn't bother to open it and I secretly sigh in relief. I'm not sure how I'll explain the pictures in it. I notice Charlie's staring at me.
"What?" I arch my brows
"You're up to something" she calmly states and for a second I'm not sure how to respond
"Yeah, I'm up to saving Dean"
Charlie narrows her eyes but then she just waves it off.
"When he gets back you should talk to him" she cautiously states
"Really? What for?"
"Last time I saw him… we talked and he… he really missed you" she shrugs but I know there's something more to her words, I just can't figure it out
"It wasn't my fault" I make a face "Okay… maybe it was but… I don't get it, what's your point?"
"He cares about you more than you think"
I furrow my brows, puzzled.
"What's that supposed to…" in that moment my phone buzzes with a text and I look at it - it's from Crowley "Sorry, gotta go" I murmur and, grabbing the book, I run out of the room to find Sam - we have to go.
The warehouse looks abandoned. No demons are to be seen around. It's suspicious enough so I manage to send Sam to the back to check if it's a trap. The moment his tall figure hides behind the corner of the building, I jump out of the car, holding the book tight and march to the door. I quickly enter only to see Crowley in the middle of the room, Dean next to him with tied hands and cloth over his mouth. He looks fine and I sigh in relief.
"Crowley" I say
"Braeden, it's a pleasure, darling" he half smiles at me
"Let Dean go" I demand "Then you'll get what you want"
Dean angrily grumbles something but I can't understand him. Crowley pushes him ahead and the hunter stumbles, casting the demon angry look. But he comes to me. I can see how tensed he is. I don't know how much he knows of the deal I struck with Crowley but since he's coming to me voluntarily, he probably doesn't know much.
"You okay?" I ask him and gently cup his cheek, he rolls his eyes and I chuckle "Good" I nod at him "Trust me on this one, okay" and I raise on my toes kissing his cheek and sliding a knife in his hands "Wait for me to get to Crowley" I whisper to him and he silently nods, I can see the thousand questions in his eyes
But he trusts me and he'll do as I asked him to. I faintly smile at him and I can see the hesitation growing in his eyes. I quickly walk to Crowley, muttering under my nose only for the demon to hear me.
"Let's get out of here before they realize what's happening"
"Fine with me, darling" he says, snickering
I turn to see Dean freeing himself from the ropes bounding his hands. I feel Crowley's hand on my shoulder. Dean manages to remove the cloth from his mouth. Our gazes meet and I see how his green eyes widen when he realizes what I'm doing.
"Braeden!" his worried and angry yell is the last thing I hear before Crowley takes us to…
I look around. It looks like a dungeon from some video game. It's cold and it smells funny. There's a huge chair on a platform on the other end of the room. Crowley heads to it. There are couple of demons that quickly move out of his way, fear and respect in their motions.
"Where are we?" I ask as I look around the gloomy room
"Welcome to Hell, darling" he says taking the few steps to the chair and once he's seated he looks at me expectantly "Now, keep your part of the deal. Tell me where's the angel tablet"
I smile at him, a chuckle escapes my lips.
"It's hidden" I state and look at him firmly "I told you I have information about it but I never promised to share it with you"
"Is that so?" he leans forward in his chair, anger glowing in his eyes "One way or another, you'll talk" he says, threat obvious in his British accented voice
"We'll see" I shrug and smile all-knowingly at him spreading my hands mockingly "Bring it on" I provoke him.
And with this I know I just signed my sentence of permanent torture from here to eternity, until they get what they want from me. And it all begins immediately.
I know you'll probably hate me for not being able to post on schedule after this cliffhanger but I promise to update as soon as possible. Meanwhile, I'll be happy to know what you think about the last chapter so drop me a review and have a nice weekend! :)
