Tandy was silent, standing, with her hands on her hips, beside the door. She felt safer positioned here, closer to sanctuary, to a means of escape, if it was needed. The alley way was tall and narrow, lit dimly by the silver glow of the crescent moon and it smelt revolting; a sickening medley of stale beer, urine and garbage. She shuffled her feet on the uneven pavement, kicking loose some gravel and glanced up at the gathering rain clouds overhead. She could feel moisture in air, hot and sticky, like a damp blanket caressing her skin. She didn't think that it would rain tonight, it seldom did, but then again, the weather was unpredictable.
She watched Sam through the thin veil of light. He stood motionless. His fists were jammed into his pockets and his expression was grim. Admittedly, he looked a little nervous. And for good reason.
"Hi there, Sam. You brought a friend?"
Tandy turned towards the feminine voice. Slowly, out of the shadows, a young woman with long, brown curls and a shit-eating grin emerged.
Tandy felt her whole body grow tense, activated by the mere presence of danger. She wanted to hate her, this vile creature, this darkness. She wanted to and she tried to, but then she remembered that it wasn't fair to hate her; that her face - her deep, brown eyes and wide-set mouth - it wasn't the face of evil. This woman was innocent; a vessel to the monster that lurked, uninvited, within her.
Tandy drew in a deep breath. It tasted of sulphur, potent and rotten, and she stifled a gag.
"Ruby, this is Tandy." Sam announced, coming between the two women. "Be nice."
"Am I ever anything but?" The demon purred, her voice like honey that had been laced with strychnine.
"So good to finally meet you in the flesh." She breathed, stepping past Sam so that she could appraise the slight hunter behind him. She extended her hand, her eyes intense, vulturine.
Tandy stared at her hand, affronted, and then met the demons shallow gaze. "Wish I could say the same, but then, that ain't your flesh, is it?" She challenged.
The demon - Ruby - chuckled softly and offered Sam a brazen look. "You didn't tell me she was feisty. I like her."
Her gaze then slid back towards Tandy. "Actually," She began, taking a bold step towards her, "there's just little 'ol me in here. The original owner checked out right before I decided to call this little slice of paradise home, so, I guess that actually does make this my flesh. See, I recycle."
"Well, ain't you just a regular environmentalist." Tandy seethed, trying, with every fiber of her being, not to slug the black-eyed skank in the jaw.
Sam turned his reproachful gaze towards her and she shrugged, impudent.
"Don't look at me." She breathed. "I'm innocent."
"Is that so?" Ruby challenged.
Tandy glared at her. She decided that, despite her facade, she did hate her. She hated her and she didn't even know why. A part from the obvious fact, of course, being that she was a demon - evil incarnate - but if Sam had trusted her, surely he had a good reason to. So then, why did she still hate her? What was it about her that just felt so ... off?
Tandy ran her tongue over her teeth, feeling twitchy. She didn't want to dwell on her feelings for this demon any longer, or why she found her so terribly resentful. She also didn't want to waste any more time with 'pleasantries'. Fatefully, she didn't need to. At that moment, a garbage can toppled towards the ground, startling the others.
Sam turned his head towards the noise, to identify the culprit - a stray cat – and Tandy took the opportunity to draw her Colt Mustang from out of its holster and pistol whip him across the back of the head.
Sam dropped to his knees and groaned, disoriented but still concious. He moaned and fell forwards, onto his hands, catching himself on broken glass.
Tandy spun towards Ruby, wasting no time, and began to chant in Latin, her voice low and purposeful. Rain started to descend, lightly at first, and the smell of wet concrete quickly pervaded her nostrils.
Ruby choked and her eyes widened, turning blacker than coal. She attempted to speak, to flee, but she gagged on her own inner essence and clutched at her chest, gasping. Plumes of smoke began to surge from her every orifice, flowing, in rivers, out of her body and towards the ground. Her entire body became rigid, crumpling in upon itself. She convulsed, her limbs twisting and turning in grotesque angles as she battled to keep herself contained within her human vessel. She coughed loudly and spluttered, dispelling more black smoke.
"Tandy, no!" Sam screamed, dragging himself to his feet, still somewhat befuddled. He lunged forward, unsteady, and Tandy side-stepped him, almost losing her footing on the wet gravel as she did so.
Tandy continued the chant, focused, unwavering. The demon spasmed and wretched again.
The rain grew heavier, falling in thick, fat globules around them, and Sam lunged a second time. This time, Tandy was unable to dodge him. His large hand came down over her mouth, slick and wet, and he hoisted her, with ease, off of her feet, holding her cradled against him. Together, they stumbled to his left, through a puddle of water and fell backwards. Sam caught himself on the brick wall and pressed his back against it, utilising it for support. His grip was beginning to slacken. Carefully, he snaked his free arm around her waist and pulled her flush against him.
Tandy grunted and cursed him; her voice subdued beneath his uncomfortably large palm. She brought her hands over his and tried, with every ounce of strength that she possessed, to uncover her mouth but the rain made it difficult and her fingers slipped.
No longer under the influence of the incantation, smoke began to infiltrate Ruby's vessel once more and she panted, her eyes slanted, obsidian.
Tandy struggled against Sam, determined to free herself and attempted to jam her elbow into his rib cage. He caught her elbow between his bicep and torso and held it firmly in place. His strength was immense, abnormal. It was like fighting against a shit brick house, and though she noted that he was making every effort not to harm her, his mere hold alone was powerfully constricting, squeezing the breath out of her lungs each time she attempted to writhe free.
"Ruby, get out of here!" Sam grunted, reinforcing his hold as Tandy squirmed against him. She was trapped, locked in place, barely able to draw in breath, but still, she thrashed against him, her muscles aching, growing tired and fatigued.
"Next time," Ruby wheezed, breathless, "No friends. This is why I tell you to come alone."
Sam nodded and gestured for her to go. "I'll call you." He muttered. "Just go!"
"T'hell'ou'will!" Tandy yelled; her voice muffled beneath his palm.
Sam waited for Ruby to disappear; her footsteps muted by the sound of rain as it splattered against the concrete.
"Tandy, what the hell was that?!" He barked, releasing her only when the distant rumble of a cars engine could be heard tearing off into the night.
Tandy stumbled to her feet and peered up at Sam through the downpour, her lashes dripping and wet.
"Oh, c'mon! What'd you expect?! She's a demon, Sam!" She yelled as the rain trickled down the sides of her face. It soaked through their clothes, their skin, making them feel heavy, sodden.
Sam stepped towards her, his towering frame far more intimidating now than the gentle giant who had embraced her amicably a few weeks before.
"You told me you were going to help me. I trusted you!" He spat, glowering down at her, his chest pressed against hers.
"I am tryin' to help you!" Tandy hissed, just as mad, unwilling to back down. She glared up at him, wilfull. "And it starts with sendin' that black-eyed skank right back to where she belongs!"
"Ruby isn't like the others. She's on our side!"
"How can you say that? Are you even listenin' to yourself?!"
"This was a mistake." Sam mumbled, dropping his shoulders in defeat. He stepped back, recoiling as though she was toxic, poisonous. "You were never going to give me the benefit of the doubt, were you? You'd already made up your mind about Ruby, about what we were doing, didn't you?"
Tandy sighed, taking a step forward, to close the distance that Sam had just put between them. It may have been a mere few steps, but to her, it felt like miles. "I'm sorry, Sam, I just don't see this endin' well for you. I'm tryin' to save you."
"From who?" He replied begrudgingly. "The angels?"
"From yourself."
Sam sucked in a deep breath. His hazel gaze fell to the floor, filled with hurt.
"Well, gee, thanks, I really appreciate it." He murmured, dejected.
"Sam, I ..." Tandy attempted.
"You know what? Save it." He growled. "You and Dean really are perfect for each other. I'll finish this on my own. I don't need your help."
He turned and took off in the same direction that the demon had, his large frame fading into the shadows, swallowed up by the rain and darkness.
Tandy slumped against the brick wall. Sweat rolled down her cheek, or maybe it was tears, or rain, or a combination of all three.
She was frustrated, angry.
Why couldn't Sam see reason? What did this demon have over him? Why was it so important that he be the one to stop this? He and Dean were a team. When did that change?
Tandy frowned. She was tempted to call in her favour at that moment, to request that Baron Samedi show himself - if he even would - and demand that he serve her that rotten demon's head on a platter.
The rain began to ease, going just as quickly as it had come, and she brushed her fingers over her cheeks, collecting the few drops of water that still lingered there
She exhaled. She didn't want to spoil their night, but she needed to speak to Dean. She needed his help. She was worried about Sam, now more than ever. If she was going to save him then she needed his brother. She needed Dean. Sam needed Dean. He always did. And he always would.
Tandy removed her cell phone and punched in a brief text message.
Dean, drop Cadence home and meet me at Bonne Huerre. We need to talk.
She hit send and slid down the wall, glancing up at the milky, black sky.
She needed to do this, it was the only way, she just hoped that it was the right way.
