Author's Note: This chapter contains some dark elements and violence/implied violent imagery. Sensitive readers should take caution.
"Azazel," Dean said, trying not to show how terrified he was.
"Wrong brother," the demon replied, "but, oh, Dean, was he ever proud of what he did to do." He shrugged, looking at Alicia. "Course, he was rather pissed off to hear Alicia had you fixed up like some supernatural Florence Nightingale. He flew into quite a rage—took out a whole battalion of demons before we managed to calm him down." He just continued staring at Alicia, creeping out the young woman.
"So, which one are you?" Sam asked snidely. "Dopey, Grumpy," he raised an eyebrow, "Douchey?"
"Ramiel," the demon replied, bowing in a mocking fashion. "Pleasure to finally meet you. Now, sit." Two chairs, moving on their own accord, scraped across the floor and hit the back of Dean and Sam's legs, forcing the hunters to sit. "Stay." The brothers were pressed against the back of their chairs, and they grunted and strained but couldn't move. Ramiel turned to the four security demons. "You can leave now."
"But, sir," one of the demons said, "Azazel told you to—" He was interrupted as Ramiel waved his hand, and all four demons instantly dusted.
"That's better," Ramiel said, unfazed, as he blinked and his eyes returned to their normal brown. He walked over to Alicia, who looked at him, her eyes daggers. He smiled, his expression a mix of admiration and lechery. "Hello, Alicia. It's good to see you again."
"The feeling is not mutual, I assure you," Alicia replied, trying to move but finding herself unable to even lift a finger.
"Look, I get it," Ramiel said. "Why trust a demon, right? My brother killed your mothers—"
"You killed my father," Alicia spat.
"Technically, you did, Inigo," Ramiel pointed out, "but why bother with semantics, right?"
"What do you want?" Sam asked.
"I assume you mean to ask 'why am I here killing tourists'?" Ramiel corrected. "I answered that yesterday."
"And you expect us to believe that?" Dean asked.
"It's the truth," Ramiel replied. "Those tourists all died of natural causes, I assure you. I had nothing to do with them—no demon did." The hunters looked unconvinced. "See, that's the problem with you hunters: always seeing monsters behind every death you read about. Sometimes, a cigar is simply a cigar—or, in this case, a heart attack or stroke. I've only been here a year, and you wouldn't believe how many deaths there are in a place like this. Humans are risk-takers by nature, gamblers in particular, so all I do is provide the noise, the spectacle, the nonstop consumption of alcohol and bad food…and then I just sit by and watch them destroy themselves. It is, for lack of a better word, heaven."
"Then why use magic?" Alicia asked.
Ramiel grinned. "That was a nice touch, wasn't it?" He leaned close. "You know who's magic it was? Little bit of everyone's we've siphoned, but mostly your mother's." Alicia's expression faltered as her eyes flashed with rage. "Look, when I heard you'd finally met up with the Winchesters last month, I needed to get your attention, and what better way than to use your dead mother's magic?"
"So, you put a little something on the vic's hearts?" Sam asked. "Along with that mental attack, and hidden message. You knew Alicia would come."
"Like a moth to a flame," Ramiel replied, his eyes moving appreciatively up and down Alicia's body, admiring it.
"To do what?" Alicia asked, her teeth clenched. "Kill me?"
"'Kill you'?" Ramiel asked, almost laughing. "On the contrary, I'm here to save you."
"Okay, pump the brakes," Dean said. "What the hell are you talking about? What do you mean, 'save us'?"
"Oh, not you, Dean Winchester," Ramiel replied as he leaned against his desk, looking between the brothers as he folded his arms. "My brothers and I want to rip the flesh off your bones, along with everyone else's," he glanced at Alicia, "except hers. We—well, I, really—want to keep her intact."
"Thought you needed her magic to open the gates of Hell," Sam said. "Start the Apocalypse."
"We do," Ramiel replied. "We wanted to get it earlier, believe me, but magic such as Alicia's is most powerful during certain events, and it was just rather boring waiting for the last flower to blossom, so we all took up different—"
"Residences?" Sam interrupted snidely.
Ramiel glowered briefly at the insinuation. "Hobbies," he finished. "But, like I said, it was boring. So, I was a bit curious to see how Miss Singer was faring after the unfortunate loss of her mother—"
"After your brother murdered her?" Alicia spat.
"Semantics," Ramiel replied, waving a hand. "Anway, I paid the Singers a visit—keeping my distance, of course—remaining undetected. I observed you, Alicia: what you like, what you hate…what scares you. I learned everything I could about you, and soon, much to my surprise, something in me sparked."
"Homicidal tendencies?" Dean snarked.
"A fondness," Ramiel retorted, standing up straighter and walking over to Alicia, who was still frozen in place. "I mean, boys, just look at her. She is a vision, isn't she?" He stood in front of her, gazing at her like a dog looking at a piece of meat. "Hair and skin flawless. Appalling sense of fashion with all that flannel and jeans, but this outfit more than remedies all that." He sighed. "And I couldn't imagine taking her life." Dean and Sam glanced at each other in disbelief at what they were hearing.
"You telling me you didn't want to kill Allie because you think she's hot?" Dean asked, looking disgusted and confused.
"Oh, Dean, Dean, Dean," Ramiel said patronizingly. "Of course you would think that. All you see when you look at a woman are perky boobs and a tight ass, wondering how good she'll be between the sheets. Then, when you're finished getting your kicks, you toss her aside and move on to your next conquest."
"What, so you think you're better than me?" Dean asked, trying not to feel insulted. "You're a freakin' demon, you…freakin' demon!"
"I see beyond the canvas," Ramiel replied, walking behind Alicia, putting his hands on her shoulders. The young woman tensed under his touch, but she couldn't move away from him. "I saw a young girl, isolated because of the power inside her, who persevered through so much adversity in her life when others would have just given up. I finally had to admit to myself I was attracted to her—not her magic, not her outward appearance, but her strength—and I didn't want to see her die when my brothers and I opened the gates." He saw the disgusted expressions on the faces of the brothers and walked around in front of the young woman. "I know, what's this world coming to, right? My brothers reacted the same way at my…newfound feelings. Then, when I suggested leaving Alicia alive, they tried to kill me."
"Too bad they didn't succeed," Sam replied sarcastically.
"Well, I managed to talk them into giving me one chance," Ramiel continued, ignoring the hunter. "One chance to prove Alicia's strength was just as much an asset to us as her magic. It took some convincing, but my brothers finally decided on the test: Azazel wanted to handle it personally, but I could tell he'd be…overzealous in his enthusiasm to prove me wrong, putting Alicia's life in danger, so I undertook the task myself."
"What task?" Alicia asked.
"Possessing a werewolf had never been done before," Ramiel explained. "Even with my level of power, I was just barely able to keep it under my control, using every bit of strength I had to make sure your infection was subtle and keep your injuries to a minimum."
"How altruistic of you," Alicia muttered, feeling the tears in her eyes as she clenched her jaw and stared coldly at the demon. "So, that was the point of infecting me? To see how much pain I could handle?"
"What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger, right?" Ramiel replied. "And, boy, did you become strong. You killed your father and then spent the next five years living with all this darkness and guilt inside of you, on top of the anger you already had. Most people would have just blown their brains out and been done with it, but not you. You lived with it, used that pain and guilt to make yourself a better hunter." He saw the fury in the young woman's eyes. "Now, I know what you're thinking, but—"
Alicia shook her head. "Don't presume to know what I'm thinking, you bastard," she said. "It's because of you both of my parents are dead."
"My brothers wanted to kill Bobby as well," Ramiel countered. "They relished in wanting to cause you as much pain as possible. They thought it would be a great incentive."
"You ever thought about using cookies, you freak?" Dean muttered.
"I talked them out of it," Ramiel continued. "I said it would push you too far, that you'd be driven out of your mind, making it impossible for us to accomplish our goals."
"So, what, you want me to thank you for not killing Bobby?" Alicia asked angrily as a few tears slipped down her cheeks.
"Yes," Ramiel replied. Alicia stared at him in disbelief, and the demon sighed as he walked over and put his hands on her shoulders, his expression softening as his hands moved to cradle her head. "My brothers just want you to open the gate; they don't care what happens to you afterward. They didn't even really care if you remained infected."
"And you do?" Dean asked.
"Of course," Ramiel replied. "I find the stench of werewolves quite nauseating, and having to monitor a lunar cycle would make protecting Alicia more difficult if she experienced mood swings. So, yes, I am relieved to find out that Alicia," he leaned over and sniffed the young woman's hair, "no longer has that stink on her."
"What do you mean 'protect'?" Sam asked, trying not to look repulsed.
"As strong as Alicia is," Ramiel answered, "if she survives the gates opening, she won't stand a chance during the Apocalypse, but I am more than capable of protecting her."
"You're a demon," Alicia said. "Why would I trust you to protect me from anything?"
"Because you're the one human I can't bear to see slaughtered," Ramiel said. He paused, seeing their surprised expression. He took a deep breath. "I know this sounds crazy, Alicia, but I love you."
Alicia's eyes widened in shock, but before she could react, Ramiel leaned over and pressed his lips to Alicia's, kissing her desperately. Both Dean and Sam raised their eyebrows, too stunned to move, as Alicia gave a muffled protest, trying to squirm away from the demon.
"I think I'm gonna be sick," Dean said, looking nauseous.
After a few moments, Alicia managed to push Ramiel away a split second before she slapped him hard across the face. "Get the hell away from me!" she demanded, breathing hard.
"Look, I know you've desperately longed for someone who cares about you," Ramiel said, undeterred by her behavior. "I can give you that." He saw her glance at Dean, and he chuckled, amused. "You think Dean Winchester honestly cares about anyone but himself? He'll say what he knows you want to hear, tug on your heartstrings, but that's just a game to him. And the more challenging the prey, the more patient the predator—and he sees you as nothing more than the brass ring waiting to be plucked." He tilted his head, staring right at her. "He said he'd wait until you were ready, correct?" Alicia didn't say anything, but her expression faltered slightly.
"Allie, don't listen to him," Dean spoke up.
"Hush," Ramiel said, waving a hand. Both Dean and Sam grunted as they were forced back into their chairs, and the demon looked back at Alicia, his expression almost desperate. "Look, I know this is a lot to take in, and I understand you being confused, but I'm doing this to keep you from getting killed."
Alicia stared at him, then looked at Dean and Sam, who were silently pleading with her. The young woman looked back at Ramiel. "If I choose you," she replied, "it'll be worse than being killed."
Ramiel just stared at her, and the young woman saw his jaw tense, his features slowly hardening, as his eyes flashed with betrayal. "I'm sorry you feel that way," he replied calmly after a few moments, backing away from her. He stopped between Dean and Sam's chairs. "I truly am." He glanced at the brothers, his expression hard. "Maybe I should just pick up where dear big brother left off a month ago." He raised his hands.
"Stop!" Everyone looked over and saw Alicia with her hand raised, her index finger against her throat. The end of her finger was glowing and crackling with purple energy. She glared at Ramiel with a hard expression. "Leave them alone."
"Or what?" Ramiel asked calmly.
"Or I kill myself," Alicia threatened.
"Really?" Ramiel asked, unimpressed.
"Allie," Dean said, looking stunned.
"I have enough magic aimed at my neck," Alicia threatened the demon, "to take my head clean off with just a flick of my finger."
"You do know I have the power to bring you back to life, right?" Ramiel asked.
"And I'll just kill myself again," Alicia replied, determined. "And I'll keep doing it as long as I have to. Hell, I'll keep doing it until the Solstice comes, and then what happens to your freakin' Apocalypse?!"
Ramiel stared at the young woman, seeing the rage on her face, then he slowly smiled. "I believe you," he replied. "You wanna know why? Because I know what you've already sacrificed to make sure others stay safe." He exhaled, lowering his hands as he stepped away from the brothers. "The question now, my dear Alicia, is what would you sacrifice to keep yourself safe?" Alicia tilted her head, confused, then Ramiel blinked, his eyes turning yellow again, and the young woman was suddenly flung backward. She shouted as her back slammed hard into one of the walls, pinning her.
"Allie!" Dean shouted as Alicia struggled, unable to move.
"You know," Ramiel replied calmly, "I think it's time we revisit an old family favorite." The demon raised his hand, and the hunters watched in horror as Alicia started sliding up the wall, her heels slipping off her feet and falling to the floor. "I know it's a rerun, but I sure do love the classics."
"No!" Dean shouted as he and Sam grunted as they tried to break free from Ramiel's power. "Allie!"
Alicia struggled with every ounce of strength she had as she slid onto the ceiling, but she couldn't do more than wiggle her fingers and toes. She stopped over Ramiel and the Winchesters, and panic began setting in as tears streamed down her face. "Let me go!" she pleaded.
"Leave her alone, you son of a bitch!" Sam shouted, grunting as he struggled.
Ramiel ignored their shouts as he watched the young woman on the ceiling a few more seconds before flames burst around her, spreading over the ceiling. Dean and Sam continued struggling, feeling completely helpless as they heard her screams echo through the room. Suddenly, the flames started rolling in reverse, and even Ramiel stopped and stared as the fire was absorbed into Alicia's body, which didn't so much have a scorch mark on it, before she dropped from the ceiling. She landed with her feet wide apart, supporting her weight with one hand on the ground, her other hand outstretched behind her. The three men stared in shock as she looked at the floor, breathing hard, before her head snapped up, her eyes glowing brightly.
"Son of a bitch," Dean whispered, stunned.
"Oh, bravo," Ramiel said excitedly, grinning from ear to ear. "Now, that's what I'm talking about! Look at what—" He was interrupted as Alicia threw her hands out at him, blasting him with the flames that had just recently been consuming her. The demon went flying through the air and slammed into the far wall, crumpling to the floor. The hunter collapsed to her knees, gasping for air, as blood drops trickled out of one of her nostrils, her entire body shaking.
Dean and Sam felt Ramiel's power vanish, and they could move again. They both leapt from their chairs and hurried toward Alicia, but they barely took two steps before they were flung in opposite directions. They crashed into cabinets, groaning, unable to move.
Alicia looked over as Ramiel slowly got to his feet, raising a hand. The young woman stiffened as she was suddenly pulled to her feet and forcefully turned around. She tried struggling, but it was as if an invisible pair of hands was pushing her forward, pinning her against the desk and pushing her down, her face pressed against the wooden surface.
Ramiel approached from behind her. "That was not a good idea, Alicia," he said, his voice low and serious as he leaned over, his lips brushing her ear as he talked. "You may be strong, my dear, but don't think for one moment you have what it takes to overpower me, and while my offer to keep you safe is still on the table, don't mistake my affection as a substitute for what I intend to accomplish. Now, since you've just shown that you're going to make things…difficult," he put his hand on her lower back, "you've left me no choice but to do this the hard way. But," he ripped the fabric of her dress, exposing the anti-possession tattoo, "we need to get rid of this pesky thing first."
"Get your freakin' hands off me," Alicia said, lifting her neck, but Ramiel used his other hand to pin her down.
"Don't worry, Alicia," Ramiel said in a soothing tone as he smoothed her hair to the side. "Possession isn't painful, as long as you don't fight it, and I promise to be gentle. And I'm a man—well, demon—of my word: I will protect this body like I said I would."
"Why should I trust you?" Alicia said, angry tears spilling down her cheeks.
Ramiel leaned over and planted a tender kiss at the nape of her neck, causing her to shudder. "Because I've been hoping for years to be inside you," he replied. He reached down and put his fingers on her tattoo.
"Incendo!" Alicia spat out. Her eyes glowed purple, and the black ink on her tattoo suddenly glowed hot orange, singing Ramiel's hands. The demon shouted in pain as he jerked his hand away, looking incredulous as the young woman craned her head, smirking. "That's holy ink, you son of a bitch, so there's no way in hell you're taking me over unless you do a skin graft."
"That can be easily arranged," Ramiel said through clenched teeth as he violently grabbed Alicia's hair, jerking her up. A high-pitched noise suddenly resonated loudly through the room. Ramiel shouted and let go of Alicia, covering his ears; the noise was so intense the three hunters quickly did the same. Alicia craned her head around, meeting Dean's eyes as the room was filled with a blinding white-light.
(End of Chapter 9)
