Sam was sitting in the corner of the nice room they were in, his foot was sitting on his knee leaving his leg partially crossed. He had his laptop in front of him as he sat in the comfortable armchair.

"Who would have sent that letter?" He questioned to no one in particular.

Dean was sitting on the end of the bed cleaning his gun, his eyes intent on what he was doing.

"There's no telling." He muttered back as he checked the barrel of his gun.

Sam shook his head, his brother was no help, but he knew that Dean was thinking about it in his own way. He began to run the information about Mercy through his mind. They knew that she made her living by appraising supernatural artifacts and that she has lived for over one-hundred years, at least. But, what else did they know about her? She had a longer story to tell and he knew that. She only talked about the first twenty-five years of her own life, but what about her eternity so far?

"Dean, I feel like she hasn't told us something." He said as he closed his laptop and looked over to his brother.

Dean was just staring down at his gun now, the gears in his head were turning and Sam could see that.

She had to have had something go wrong in her life that has caused some sort of retaliation against her.

"Someone wants her taken care of." He muttered as he looked over his gun once more. There had to be more of an explanation and he was going to find out.

"If we're going to be involved in this, I need more information. I'm not going to risk our necks for some vampire who created her own problems." Dean said harshly, getting tired of being in this small town with no other leads than some vampire chick who is acting all high and mighty as if she owned the town. "I need something." He stood after putting his gun back together and putting it at the small of his back.

"Well, don't go doing anything stupid." Sam called after him as he watched his brother leave the room.

Dean threw on his jacket and walked down the street, his hands tucked neatly in his pocket. He soon noticed their favorite undead woman and followed after her. She was wearing a pair of bellbottom jeans, a bell sleeved shirt, as well as a pair of wedges and a sun hat. Mercy was often seen around town, day and night, but she was always covered up as much as she could be. Even if the sun was something she could be in, she felt nothing but the burning of her skin if she was out too long without being covered. Mercy quickly caught Dean's scent, but she didn't let on that she knew he was there. He continued to trail after her, leaving a distance between them so as not to give himself away. He seemed to forget that once a vampire catches someone's scent they can track it for life. Mercy turned the corner and walked into the local butcher, her white teeth revealed as she smiled at the butcher.

"Hello there, Markus." She greeted cheerily. It was always a good day when she was out shopping, she usually received a fresh stock of blood. "The usual please."

"Why, of course!" He said happily as he began to pull meat from the glass case and pack it up for her. He moved to the back room and brought a few wine bottles filled with a dark liquid and bagged those up for her as well.

Dean watched wearily through the window, realizing this was the man that was supplying her with her blood. Was she having him do her dirty work or was it animal blood? He would need to ask him a few questions.

"By the way, there is a hunter out there watching what we are doing right now. If he has any questions, just answer them honestly. I don't want anything happening to you on account of a misunderstanding." Mercy said as she paid for her groceries and left, giving the butcher a little wave as she walked out the door. Markus looked over toward the window and saw a man walking toward the door while watching Mercy walk out. She tried to make her time in the sun as short as she could, so she headed directly for her home.

"How can I help you today?" Markus asked, his blue eyes focused on Dean.

Dean approached and saw the man a little more clearly now, the lettering on the windows and Mercy had blocked his view of him previously. He had thick dark hair and a clean shaven face - he looked like an upstanding citizen.

"I was just wondering about the young woman who was in here a few minutes ago." Dean answered as he approached the counter by the register.

"Ah, she said someone would come around asking questions." Markus started as he leaned against the counter. "What do you want to know?"

Dean looked perplexed for a moment and then it was like someone had turned on a light in his brain. She obviously knew he was following her, he should have known better.

"Well, I saw you giving her a supply of blood. Where does it come from?"

"That's animal blood. We get animals in that we slaughter for people and the blood would generally go to waste. We have a vampire in town who is more than willing to take care of that for us though."

"So, you know she's a vampire, then?"

"Yeah. We have all kinds of strange people here in town. But, most everyone here is harmless."

"So, no one is out killing people or anything like that?"

"Well, no. Not that I've noticed anyway. The people in this town come here to get away from life in the rest of the world, they try to live as peacefully as they can."

"But, you all still have problems from time to time, don't you?"

"It has been some time since we had any issues here. The people here are usually pretty quick to take care of it. We like our peace and quiet."

"I see." Dean said, still a little baffled by how a town like this could exist.

"We haven't seen any hunters here for business in awhile. Well, not for hunting type business anyway. They come in from time to time to ask about different objects and such, but that's about it." Markus soon added as he noticed Dean's expression.

"Well, thanks for the cooperation." He said, tapping the counter with his fingers for a moment before turning to leave. He made it half way to the door before he turned and looked at the butcher, who had yet to take his eyes off Dean.

"So, are you human or…?" He trailed off. Markus merely smiled and looked down a moment. Dean could tell that the man was debating whether or not to tell him.

"I'm a lycanthrope, but I haven't harmed a soul in awhile." He said with a smile on his face. Dean felt that there was something else to this man, but he simply nodded his head and left.

After Dean had left his shop, Markus's face dropped into a grimace and his eyes were less cheerful. He walked to the back and growled under his breath. He disliked hunters, but he disliked vampires even more. He hated serving some of the people here, but he just had to wait a little longer before he made his move. He paced back and forth for a moment before walking to the front door, flipping the sign from "open" to "closed". Markus walked into the back room and to his office, a little more agitated than usual. The sight of hunters and vampires being in so much contact with one another annoyed him, Mercy talking to him like she owned the place angered him. She needed to be taught a lesson.

Markus wasn't always this way. As a natural werewolf, he was born into a family of werewolves who have been around for generations. They kept to themselves for a long time, until one of his relatives was murdered by a vampire. His family was a pack and they were always together. Every time they told stories, there was one story that always came up and it was to teach the children the family history, but it was also to teach them to hate vampires. At least, to hate a very specific vampire. Markus was more loving toward everyone when he was younger, until he heard this story over and over again. Markus's great uncle had a few children, but one was particularly loved by his father. They entered into their twenties and his father was beginning to settle down with a family while some of the other young ones were traveling, learning about the world and finding mates for themselves as well. His father's cousin fell in love with a woman who had been alive for quite sometime, turns out she was a vampire. The story he was told ended in tragedy - his father's beloved cousin was killed by this vampire for no reason other than she wanted him dead. She was done with him and had no use for him anymore. This story taught him that no one could be trusted, that he needed to hate those different than him and he has never been told differently. Markus's siblings and parents felt the same way as well. He decided, instead of finding a mate, that he would hunt down the woman responsible. His family told him this vampire was named Mercy, it was a name they would never forget because she had no mercy on their family.

Markus had kept this all quiet, acting as if he were a perfect member of the community. He made "friends" and even associated himself with Mercy as closely as he could. One day his plan will come to fruition and should lead to the death of the vampire.

"That note should have worked. Most hunters would come in here, kill monsters, and leave. They haven't done that." He growled angrily, his fists clenched until his knuckles were white. He had sent out the tip about a vampire in town that was harming the residents. How could he have known they weren't going to be the shoot first, ask questions later types.

What Markus told Dean was entirely true, every word of it. He even revealed that he wasn't human himself and all the hunter did was turn and walk off. That was something that was bothering him.

He had started throwing stuff around his office, sweeping his arms over his desk and pushing everything off as hard as he could. Markus stopped and breathed heavily for a moment, deciding tonight needed to be the night that he worked to destroy everything Mercy was or would ever be.

After taking a few deep breathes and straightening himself up again, he sat down and picked up his phone. Markus hesitated a few moments and then dialed Mercy's number. They had known each other for several years and he acted as if he had fancied her in some way. She answered the phone after looking at the number for a moment, finally remembering who it belonged to.

"Hello?" She said in as nice a voice as she could muster.

"Hi, Mercy!" He said, playing as if he were happy.

"Oh, hi there, Markus. How can I help you?" She asked as she put her groceries away.

"I was wondering, if…" He trailed off, acting as if he were nervous to ask. "If, well, maybe you and I could have dinner this evening? Just us. Together."

Mercy was really good at acting these days. She gave a small giggle over the phone as if she were somewhat excited about the thought.

"Of course! Why don't you come to the house? We can cook together." She said.

"Sounds great!" Markus replied as if he were excited by her answer. After a moment of chatter back and forth about who would hang up first, they were finally off of the phone.

Mercy looked down at her phone after she had hung up and looked around, her face back to its usually dark demeanor. It had been a long time since she had felt anything other than sadness and anger. Sometimes she just didn't feel anything at all unless it was a negative feeling. Her theory was that as she became older, saw those people around her that she loved die, that the ability to feel happy things was removed from her. It was easier to remember the things that hurt rather than the things that lifted her up. Maybe it was because she thought her soul was dead. It's not like she had a vampire teacher to help her understand this after life she had. She sighed, realizing she would have to play at being happy and enjoy his company. Markus wasn't a bad guy, he was really charming, but she just didn't have it in her anymore to entertain the idea of having a date. It wasn't the fact that he wasn't a werewolf either, she had been with one before and he was a wonderful person. Well, he was a great person until he changed. Mercy thought back on the men she had once loved, there were only two in her life and she missed her first love dearly. She sighed again and began to prepare for her dinner date.

Some time later, the doorbell rang through the old house and Mercy made her way to the door to find Markus waiting there looking charmingly nervous. "

"Come in, Markus." She said with a smile on her face - she had become a good actor in the years she lived. He walked in and looked around her home, it was nice. It was better than what he had and this realization just seemed to fuel his anger even more, but he didn't let it show.

"Thank you for having me over." He said as they both walked toward the dining room where dinner was ready and waiting.

Mercy, when she had company, still consumed regular food to keep up appearances. She didn't need meat or vegetables to survive, but she wanted to look somewhat normal. Although, she wasn't doing this to look normal in front of Markus, she knew what he was. She also knew that he probably wouldn't be to keen on drinking blood for dinner. Werewolves were carnivorous.

Markus went and pulled out a chair for Mercy at the table and then sat next to her.

"I'm glad we could make time to do this. It doesn't happen often." Mercy soon chimed as she poured herself a glasses of wine for both of them.

"No, it doesn't." He said as he raised his glass in appreciation and then sipped at it. His plan was forming in his head as he sat there. Markus had a small vial of dead man's blood in his pocket, as well as a knife hidden away.

"I forgot something in the kitchen." Mercy noted as she began to stand, but he put a hand out to stop her.

"I can get. What do you need?" He asked as he stood.

"Just a knife for the bread."

He smiled and walked off toward the kitchen, this was the perfect moment. Markus slipped the knife from the waist of his pants and the vial from his pocket. He poured the dark, sticky liquid over the blade and left the vial on the counter. Mercy had obviously become to comfortable around Markus, hardly noticing the smell of the blood as she began to serve food onto the plates she had set out, her back to him. He quickly approached and thrust the knife into her lower back, she let out a gasp of surprise and swung around to face him.

"What are you doing?!" She growled, her vampiric teeth sliding out quickly. She barely had time to react any further when she began to feel weak, the world began to turn on its side as she fell to the floor. It felt as if she were in slow motion, her vision becoming distorted.

Markus slowly walked around to her, the friendly face of his becoming distorted with his pent up rage.

"Do you really think that a vampire and a werewolf could ever work out?" He asked, his voice dark and full of contempt. Her mind was moving at a snails pace, nothing she thought to say was coming from her mouth. All Mercy could do was listen as she sat helplessly on the floor.

"Really, Mercy, I thought you would be more intelligent than this. Did you not realize who I was?"

She looked at him as if she were trying to understand him.

"What?" She asked, just barely getting the word out.

Markus simply laughed as he slowly walked around her, his eyes fixated on her. He lashed out and kicked her the rest of the way to the floor. She groaned as she hit the floor, the knife sticking from her back. She was moving so slowly, her body was shutting down from the poison that was running through her.

"You were with a werewolf one time, supposedly loved him." Markus worked to remind her. She kept her forehead to the wooden floor as she thought, but her mind was becoming foggy.

"Joshua. That was his name. Don't tell me you forgot about him." He growled as he grabbed her by the hair. She was unable to react, soon falling unconscious.

Markus had moved her body to a chair and tied her tightly to it, then began to wait, leaning up against the dining room table.

Mercy began to stir, her head was rolling back and forth for a moment before she finally lifted it. She felt heavy, as if she had been filled with lead.

"Oh, look, sleep beauty wakes." He hissed as he eyed her.

"What do you want?" She said, her voice hoarse.

"Do you remember Joshua?" He asked as he held the knife he had stabbed her with. He had apparently removed it before moving her.

"Yes. Joshua was someone I loved, I wouldn't forget him."

"I think you're a liar. You killed him." Markus sneered as he bent down to meet her eye to eye.

"I wonder what story you heard." She said as she began to try to wiggle her wrists out of their bindings.

"The story I heard was that you loved him, became tired of him, and killed him."

"That's the lie." She responded with confidence in her tone, her head lifted high even though she knew she might be facing her last day on Earth.

"Please. Enlighten me."

"Joshua traveled a lot, seeing the world and trying to find someone to live his life with. He never expected to find a vampire to love and I never expected a werewolf. We were in love."

He held up a hand and stopped her right there.

"If you loved him, he would still be alive."

She just stared at Markus for a moment trying to adjust herself in her seat the best she could. He didn't want to hear her side and she knew it, but she would continue on.

"When you love someone, you've got to let them go. He and I were happy feeding off animals, until one day he ended up consuming a human heart. He wasn't the same after that. Joshua became different. He was mean, vicious, and wild. I couldn't let him continue on living that way, he was hurting too many people."

"NO!" He yelled as he hit her across the face. "I don't believe you!"

Markus began to pace back and forth, his face twisted in rage. He had not poured all the blood he had onto the blade and stormed back to the kitchen to grab the vial. Mercy was still weak from the original dose of blood and she knew she couldn't escape even if she were to get free.

"That's the truth. Believe whatever you want, but I didn't kill him just because I wanted to. I loved him." She said almost as if she were trying to plead with him or to stall for some time so she could figure out what she could do. He clenched his teeth and stared at her for a moment. Markus was trying to decide on what he wanted to do next.

Mercy struggled against the bindings that kept her held to the chair, but there was little room to move.

"I have an idea." He chimed as if happy with himself, tapping the vial with one of his fingers. He had a dark look in his eyes that led her to believe he was just going to kill her on the spot, but then there was something else. Markus began to change, to transform into his more beastly self. Since he was a natural werewolf he could do this at will, Mercy knew that and she knew what might happen next.

"You won't feed on me." She said trying to sound confident, but she really wasn't sure of herself at the time. Markus's yellow eyes focused in on her, a guttural growl poured through his clenched teeth as he approached the chair she was fastened to.

Dean had decided to go for a walk that evening to clear his head. He had an odd feeling about the butcher, but he couldn't place it. It left him feeling as if he were off his game. He stopped walking and stood in the square letting the cool night air brush against his face. There were several nights lately where Dean just needed a little fresh air, he felt like he was getting too old for all of this. So many things had happened to them lately and he wanted a break. Maybe this was there break, maybe nothing would happen here in Meredith. He could only hope it was all some prank. The more he stood there, the more he realized he wanted a drink and someone to talk to that wasn't his brother. Sam had a tendency to have plenty of chick flick moments with everything going on.

"I wonder if Mercy wouldn't mind a drink." He muttered to himself as he turned to head toward her home. "Now I'm having drinks with vampires. Huh. Weird."

Dean stuffed his hands into his pockets and began to walk toward her home. He had gotten most of the way up the foot path to her porch when he heard screaming from inside, the hair on his arms began to stand on end as he pulled his gun from the small of his back.

Dean ran quickly, but quietly, the rest of the way to her home and noticed the lights on. Nothing looked like it happened outside, but he quickly noticed the silhouettes of two figures through the windows and they looked like they were struggling.

"Great." He grumbled as he ran up the porch and burst through the door to find Mercy being attacked by Markus. She fought back as best she could, he had managed to force more dead man's blood into her system and she was struggling to stay on her feet. Mercy was thrown on the floor once more before Dean had the chance to react. She hardly had the strength to stand when she suddenly notice Dean launch himself into Markus, who was taken completely by surprise. The two of them struggled to overcome the other while rolling about on her floor, blood smearing across it as they fought. Mercy brought herself to her feet with the help of her furniture and zigzagged her way into the kitchen. She reached the china cabinet as quickly as she could and thrust a drawer open revealing silver cutlery.

"I think this will do." She muttered weakly to herself as she wandered back to the den where the fight continued. Dean had been slammed onto her glass coffee table by now and it left shattered glass all over the floor.

"Stop!" She shouted as she stood there with the knife in her hand. Both Dean and Markus stopped to look directly at her, there was a level of hate in her eyes that they both knew was for Markus.

"You come in her, try to wine and dine and kill me, and then you mess up my house." Mercy said as she waved the knife around, Markus couldn't take his eyes off the silver - he didn't know she would have something like that.

She moved quickly toward Markus and had the knife held tightly, ready to thrust it through him. He dodged and received a small cut from the blade on his arm. Mercy stumbled past him and he jumped on her again, knocking the knife from her hand. She felt the floor, damp with blood from all three of them, against her back as he sat on top of her with a clawed hand around her throat. The claws dug into her neck as he squeezed it tighter and tighter, his other hand raised in the air as if he were going to thrust it down into her chest. Suddenly, Markus' eyes widened and his mouth fell open with labored breath coming from it. He hunched forward slightly and Mercy could see Dean just over his shoulder, he had thrust the knife quickly into Markus. It was like cutting through butter. Dean's hope for a small vacation quickly left him that night, but he realized that there was satisfaction in knowing that he had saved another life.

Markus fell sideways to the floor as he reverted back to his human form and died. Mercy lay on the floor, clearly taking a moment to bask in the relief she felt flowing through her at that moment. She looked at Dean, she was very surprised that he just happened to come at the right time. A hunter had saved her. That wasn't likely to happen again.