Chapter Twelve

"How many were left?"

"I saw six leave, I've killed three so far"

"Three? Way to go Sammy, Nicki here got herself one"

"So I saw, good job with the car"

"Thanks, I doubt it'll be able to run over anything, let alone start again though"

"I don't think it's as bad as you think"

"Really?"

Sam smiled fully at the young woman. She was quite something, having kicked the head of the female vampire out of the way so that Dean could walk without obstacle to the door.

That was something.

Sam clung harder to his brother's arm as he felt Dean give over more of his weight. Nicki walked in front , she'd insisted on carrying the crossbow and leading the way. They crept quietly through the corridor which led to the stairs and then the main door into the warehouse above.

So far they hadn't encountered another Vampire. So far.

Dean clung to the handrail with as much strength as he clung to Sam. He hated to admit it but with every step his thigh was on fire and his ribs, from the way he was being carried along, were screaming for forgiveness for whatever crime they had committed, the pain in his wrists was hard to distinguish from the pain everywhere else.

God he just wanted to lie down and have himself a nap.

As they walked into the main warehouse the sound of cars pulling up outside made them all stop in their tracks. No one daring to breathe.

Four car doors closed, one after the other, four vampires were back.

Not good.

Sam set Dean on the ground at the back of the room and motioned for Nicki to follow him, Dean began to protest but saw it was useless, he really wasn't going anywhere fast right now.

But to be protected by little brother and a girl.

Ah Dude life could be so cruel sometimes.

Sam moved along the wall with Nicki in tow, he held the machete out to the side, she held the crossbow upright and straight.

The four vampires entered the warehouse noisily, each one talking over the other. Two males, two females. They liked to do everything in pairs.

"Hey Pete do you know that there was a guy there checking you out?"

"What?"

"Seriously, a guy in that bar was checking you out"

"Shut your mouth Matt before I shut it for you"

Sam moved forward and silenced Matt before Pete would ever have a chance to.

In a blurry of movement he managed to take out one more vampire before the other two advanced, one knocking Sam back, the other making a b-line for his throat. Sam brought the machete through the air, cutting through the arm of one. With a scream to scare the hardiest warrior the one armed vampire grabbed Sam by the collar and dragged him forward, teeth bared as he moved to bite down on his neck, only to be stopped when an arrow pierced his throat, Sam reached for the machete but it was too far away. Nicki unable to help as blondie flashed her a goofy grin. She watched in horror as the second set of teeth, the deadly knives descended into place and he stepped forward, she backed up with every step he took, he relished the fear, relished the dominance.

Sam writhed against the hold on his collar as the vampire moved to his neck, mouth open, ready to rip apart his artery and drink him dry, suddenly the vampire stopped, looked at Sam quizzically and turned it's head to the side, the head continued to move to the side, before falling off completely and rolling away from the body as it fell to the ground with a thud.

Dean stood above him, smiling triumphantly.

"Thanks man" Sam breathed out.

"Couldn't be the only one who hadn't killed me a vampire tonight"

Nicki backed up another step then stopped. That's it, enough, she'd been attacked, run off the road, tied up and had to watch her new found friend being beaten and stabbed. Enough already, there was only so much a girl could take. She took aim and fired an arrow into blondie's head. He went down instantly, then had his head severed completely by Dean and the machete.

"Thanks"

Dean was about to respond, he really was, but just at that moment his world lurched and he found himself face down on the ground, the feel of hands under his armpits, the feeling of movement, hushed voices, all fading away into the distance as he decided now was as good a time as any for his nap.

Sam hefted Dean onto his back and they made their way carefully out of the warehouse.

He pointed up the hill and Nicki nodded, leading the way, crossbow at the ready. As they advanced up the hill the sound of another car arriving quickened their steps. Sam stole a look behind and saw the last two vampires making their way into the warehouse, he barely had to count to three before they came running back out again, scouring the landscape for the attackers, spotting them almost instantly from their naked place on the side of the hill.

"Nicki!"

Nicki turned and gasped as she saw the two vampires making quick work of the distance between them.

"Get into the forest, quickly"

Sam ran as fast as his legs could carry his burden, they ran to the left, further into the forest. Carefully lowering Dean to the ground he covered his brother with as many branches and leaves as he could, dusting him with the ashes from Nicki's first vampire and pulled her off to the side.

"Cover yourself in this" He whispered, handing her the bag full of ash.

"What is it?" She asked as she shook the substance across her hair and clothes.

"Vampire ash"

"What?" Now she was repulsed, vampires and beheading she could cope with, but this?

"It hides your scent, once a vampire has your scent it's for life, so unless you want to be on the run I suggest we kill these two"

"Ok"

Sam looked at her with a mixture of shock and appreciation. He was right when he'd told Grace she was strong. She was proving that more and more the longer he spent with her.

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