The next day, they started working the case. As soon as they checked the news, it was obvious their dad was right. Something weird was definitely going on.
Three people had been killed in the last month, attributed to animal attacks. A quick trip to the Coroner had solidified the vampire theory.
Tracking down their nest wasn't too hard. There was an abandoned factory just outside town, and when they went to check it out, bloodstains were apparent on the doors.
"Wow," Sam huffed quietly.
"What?" Dean whispered.
"Nothing, it's just...this is too predictable. If it's such an easy hunt, why didn't Dad just take care of it?"
"You know he's in California...tracking down the Demon that killed Mom."
"Which means he purposely looked through the papers for a case as far away from Cali as he could find. To keep us away from him." Sam spat angrily.
"Dude, is now really the time?" Dean unsheathed his machete. "Let's go."
Sam shook his head, but quietly pushed open the warehouse door.
Less than 30 seconds later, they were rushed by the vampires. Six of them, which left them seriously outnumbered.
Lucky for them, Dean was in a reckless sort of mood.
He attacked with just as much intensity as the vamps, focusing on dealing out blows instead of blocking them. He swung and slashed until all six vampires lay dead at their feet.
"D-dude..." Sam blinked. "You just took out four vampires all by yourself."
"And you got two. Go team." Dean said flatly, wiping his machete on his pant leg. "You okay?"
"Yeah," Sam nodded. "Are you?"
"Yep." Dean's pulse was still racing, the adrenaline blocking any pain. He could've sworn those vamps had gotten a few good hits in, but he couldn't feel it. When they got back to the motel he'd hop in the shower and see what the damage was.
They got in the car, and Sam kept looking at him. That, "what the hell is wrong with you" look.
"Can I help you with something?" Dean asked sarcastically.
"You sure you're okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine."
"What the fuck happened back there?"
"Let's see, we were hunting, and we killed a nest of vampires. You got amnesia or somethin'?"
"Very funny. Seriously though, you just...the way you went at them..."
"What did you want me to do? Sit back and let them kill us?"
"Well no, but-"
"Then what's your problem?" Dean gripped the steering wheel tightly. A sudden pain flared in his side, and he didn't even have to look down to realize he'd been scratched. Fuck vampires and their creepy-long nails.
Sam just shook his head. His brother was obviously not in the mood to talk.
They arrived at the motel, and Dean gasped in pain when he tried to stand. The adrenaline had finally worn off, and he was already silently cataloguing his injuries.
Possible concussion. Scratches to right side and thigh. Torn up left arm.
"Dean!" Sam was at his side in a second.
"Oh, stop." He said through clenched teeth. "I'm fine."
"Yeah, you look fine."
"Shut up."
Once inside, Sam started removing Dean's jacket and shirt.
"Woah, you gonna buy me dinner first?"
Ignoring his comment, Sam glared. "Did you even try to block these blows?" He asked, examining the deep scratches on Dean's side.
"Nah." He shoved Sam away and limped to the fridge for a beer.
"Why the hell not?"
"Dunno."
"Sit down, we've gotta patch you up. Can't let any vamp's blood get into these..."
"Shit," Sam was right. Forgetting modesty, Dean shrugged out of his jeans as well, wincing at the pull of the fabric on the wounds to his thigh.
"Jesus," His brother just stared.
"You gonna get the first aid kit, or...?"
Sam swallowed hard, but quickly grabbed the kit out of their duffel bag. He used alcohol wipes to clean the area, and Dean flinched.
"Sorry," the younger Winchester said.
"'s fine, you don't have to baby me. I could probably do it myself."
"Yeah, but you don't have to." Sam worked quickly, stitching up the wounds on Dean's side and arm while his brother applied pressure to his own thigh.
"You okay, Sammy?" Dean tried to keep his mind off the pain by studying his little brother's face. Sam's lips were set in a tight line, and there was an emotion in his eyes that Dean couldn't quite read.
The younger Winchester hated this part of hunting. Well, he hated pretty much everything about hunting, but this was the worst part for him. Unlike Dean, he hated stitching wounds and cleaning cuts. Setting broken or dislocated bones was worse though...
"Yeah. Couple bruises, but I'll live."
"Good." Dean exhaled sharply as Sam started in on the scratches to his thigh. "But that's not what I meant. You look-"
"Pissed? Yeah, probably cause I am."
"Why? Dude, I probably saved your ass."
"Yeah, and you almost got yourself killed while doing it!"
Dean shrugged. "So?"
"What's that supposed to mean!" Sam glared at him, yanking a little harder on the needle than he probably needed to. "Is one near-death experience not good enough for you?"
Dean winced. "I shouldn't even be here. Maybe I'm just trying to restore the balance of the universe or whatever." He mumbled.
Sam froze. "You mean..."
"Nevermind." Dean shook his head. "Don't listen to anything I'm sayin', I think I've got a concussion too."
Sam finished stitching his wounds and gently cleaned the blood from Dean's temple. "Probably. You shouldn't be drinking." He took the beer out of Dean's hand.
"Hey!"
"Shut up." Sam watched as Dean gingerly leaned back against the headboard. "So, you gonna tell me what you meant?"
"Dunno what you're talking about." Dean mumbled, closing his eyes. "I have a brain injury, let me sleep."
"You technically shouldn't be sleeping, you could slip into a coma-"
"You know that's actually a myth, right? Look it up."
Scowling, Sam set up his laptop. "You're not getting out of it that easy. Were you seriously trying to get yourself killed back there?"
Dean didn't answer. Dammit, he was already asleep.
Sam quickly searched the internet for a few minutes, and discovered that Dean was right. As long as the person was able to walk around and hold a conversation, they could sleep without risking a coma.
"Huh. You really could've been a doctor." Sam mused. He sighed. Brain injury or not, they were gonna talk about this in the morning. He knew Dean was still messed up about the Reaper killing that random guy in his place, but he couldn't actually be trying to get himself killed, right?