Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural or its characters and am not making any money on this…just having fun!

Den of Thieves

Chapter 16 – Ritual

Thomas picked up the book of spells and began the incantation over the chalice containing Dean's blood. Adding a few ingredients from various jars on his shelf, he grinned as the mixture was almost complete. Moving over to see how his captive was doing, he noted that Dean was still unconscious. "Come on Dean…you need to wake up soon so that I can finish the ritual."

Dean moaned, but did not open his eyes. Thomas was angry at himself for giving in to his hunger…he knew that Dean was weakened by the previous assaults. But then, Thomas wasn't too concerned as he was sure that his pixie friends had finished off the brother by now. Too bad he couldn't use the boy; his powers would have made Thomas even stronger.

Suddenly, Thomas felt a disturbance…"No…it can't be!" Thomas could feel the deaths of the pixies that he had sent to take care of Sam. While he couldn't see what had happened, he felt it as each life was extinguished…making him weaker. If he hadn't fed on Dean earlier, he would not have had enough power to return to his corporeal body in the house. He needed to return there to bring the body back to the sacred room before he could complete the ritual.

Dean groaned as he opened his eyes. He had a terrible headache and his body ached in every joint. As he looked around the room, he noticed that Thomas appeared to be upset about something. The spirit was actually pacing as if he was trying to decide what to do. If Dean hadn't known better, he thought that the spirit actually looked a little more translucent than before…maybe he was weakening.

Thomas heard movement from the altar and walked over to see how Dean was doing. "Glad to see that you finally decided to wake. But, I need to take care of a few things before we can finish the ritual…I'm going to close the outside door and leave my friends on watch outside…we wouldn't want any interruptions…don't worry, I won't be gone too long!"

"Hey…don't hurry on my account!" Dean rasped, surprised at how weak his voice sounded.

He watched as Thomas went over to talk to his pixie friends. "Guard the door well, my friends, we are too close now to have any interruptions. If the other is still alive, I promise that you will be able to have him once I have taken over the older hunter's body. I will bring the rest of your friends that are guarding my old body with me from the house when I return." Thomas closed the door and vanished from sight right before Dean's eyes.

"Great…I was hoping he would leave soon!" sighed Dean as he opened the hand that he had clenched since Sammy left. Thanking his lucky stars that the Swiss army knife that Sam had placed in his hand had not been discovered; Dean started to saw through the rope binding his wrist. It was a slow process as the angle was difficult and his wrists were already sore from the chaffing of the ropes. But, finally after a few more minutes of trying, Dean was able to cut himself free.

Dean slid off the altar onto the floor, his knees almost buckling as his vision began to swim. Dean shook his head and squaring his shoulders staggered over to the discarded back pack. It sounded like Sammy had done his part by escaping the pixies….now he needed to do his. Pulling out the salt, lighter fluid and lighter, Dean hurried over to the area where he had seen the shallow grave. As he grabbed the shovel, he only hoped that his guess was right. The buried bones had to be the remains of Thomas. But just in case, Dean had already decided to torch the rest of the bones in the place.

Sweat poured down Dean's face as he dug into the grave. "Man…why do I always get the dirty job!" Dean said out loud as he dug out another shovel full of dirt. "Sammy's going to owe me for this one…next time he gets to be the sacrifice!"

Luckily the grave was only a few feet deep. Dean hit the wooden coffin and using the sharp edge of the shovel, broke it open revealing the bones within. He quickly salted and put lighter fluid on the bones. He then decided he better get the rest of the bones ready as well, once he started the flames, the small area would be consumed.

As Dean reached for the lighter, he felt a cool breeze behind him. Turning he only had a moment before he felt himself being slammed against the wall. Thomas had returned….

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Sam and his father were making slow but steady progress back to where Sam had come from. Every so often, Sam's father would let him rest while he placed a large white X on the wall of the tunnel. His father had given Sam a pain pill which was helping, but Sam could still feel himself getting weaker. His anger at Thomas and his little friends was getting stronger with each minute that passed. Sam couldn't shake the last vision he had of Dean lying dead on the altar.

"How much further do you think Sammy?"

"Not far…I walked for about 30 minutes before the pixies decided to have their little party. Dad, we gotta hurry...I don't think Dean has much time left."

"Ok Sammy…just let me give you a hand…we should be there real soon!" John didn't like the look of his youngest son. It was taking him longer to get up after each rest and his breathing was labored. He wanted to just leave Sam here, but knew that his youngest son would not obey…sometimes he wished that he was more like his brother.

Suddenly, Sam stopped and grabbed at his head, sinking to his knees. "Sammy…what's wrong!" John asked, but his son was no longer with him…"Damn it son, now is not the time for this!"

Sam was back in the hidden room. He saw his brother holding a lighter, getting ready to torch the bones they had discovered. For once, it looked like something might be going right. Obviously, Dean had been able to use the knife Sam had hidden in his hand before he was dragged off by the pixies.

Before Dean could toss the lighter onto the bones, he was slammed against the wall. Thomas appeared in front of him, eyes blazing pure hatred.

"How dare you! You think you can get rid of me that easily! You're time has finally run out hunter…prepare to die!"

Sam watched in horror as he saw his brother being lifted up the wall, gasping for air as he was being choked. Dean appeared to be looking at Sam, begging him to help…but Sam could not do anything but watch…watch as the life left the eyes of his brother.

"No…No…Please God!" Sam couldn't breath…the pain in his head and ribs was so intense he thought he was going to be sick.

"Sammy…Sam…just tell me what to do son…how can I help?" John watched helplessly as his son struggled for control. Dean would know what to do, but John had never been alone with Sam when he had had one of his visions.

"Dad…oh God!" Sam cried as tears started to run down his cheeks. "He killed Dean…Oh God Dad, I think we're too late!"

"Samuel…listen to me…I said LISTEN TO ME!" John used his military voice, trying to get his son's attention. Slowly Sam's eyes focused as he stared at his father.

"We are not too late…just tell me what you saw so we can be prepared to help Dean…come on son, you can do this…I know you can!" John held his breath as he watched his youngest son gather himself together. He knew that Sam had to be running on empty, and yet he was able to tap into some inner source of strength.

Sam told his father quickly about what he had seen in his vision. "Ok, so you didn't see any pixies in the room…only Dean and the Spirit?"

"Yeah Dad…I think…no…I know that the door was closed to the room. They must have been outside the door…probably guarding it."

"Great job son…now this is what we are going to do…"

TBC

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