Thanks again for the reviews. I'm taking vacation next week so I won't be able to post the next chapter till I get back. Hope everyone has a good weekend.

The Mermaid

Chapter seven

Without hesitation they both took out their knives and dove into the water then swam toward the struggling couple. They had just about reached them when the couple suddenly disappeared under the water. Both brother dove under the water and swam toward the last spot they had seen them.

As the mermaid pulled the man down she put her lips over his mouth and began sucking his life force out of his body, the man struggled briefly then went limp. Sam managed to grab hold of the man's shirt while Dean went after the mermaid. When the mermaid was touched she whipped her tail around hitting Sam hard on his injured ankle. He winced in pain and momentarily let go of the man but quickly recovered and once more grabbed him and headed toward the surface. In the meantime Dean was determined to shove his knife into her heart and began stabbing at her trying to get her to turn around. She suddenly spun around in the water and looked into his eyes. For a few seconds he was mesmerized and lost focus, it was just enough time for the mermaid to react. She grabbed Dean and planted her mouth firmly over his. He tried to react but he could already feel himself growing weak as his life force began to be sucked out of his body. Just as he was about to black out he felt someone grab his arm. Sam managed to pull his brother away from the creature and then pulled him to the surface where he sucked in a much needed breath.

"Dean you okay?" Sam asked as he kept his hand wrapped tight around his brother's wrist in case the mermaid tried to pull him down again.

Dean nodded as he caught his breath.

"Where's the man?" He finally managed to get out.

Sam spun around in a circle looking for the man, he had to let go of him when he saw his brother was in trouble and had lost him.

"Damn!" Sam dived under the water repeatedly trying to find the man's body but it was gone. "I lost him." He told Dean when he finally gave up the search. He blinked back tears realizing that the man was probably dead because he had to let go of him in order to save his brother.

Dean knew Sam had saved his life but by doing so had lost his grip on the man who now was presumed drowned. He knew he would have done the same thing if it was either his brother's or a stranger's life, but he knew it still hurt to know they had to make that choice and a man was now dead because of it. He was just about to thank Sam for saving his life when he saw the blood pooling around his brother.

"Damn it Sammy why didn't you tell me you were hurt? Did she cut you?"

"No….she hit my leg with her tail and opened my cut."

"Well there's nothing more we can do tonight. Let's get out of here."

They swam back to the clearing and walked out of the water. Dean looked down at Sam's leg and could see that the bandage was now saturated with blood.

"Damn her!" Dean swore as he knelt down and unwrapped Sam's leg and could see that blood was now bubbling out of the reopened wound. Dean looked up at Sam. "I'm going to have to stitch it this time, that bitch really ripped it open. He could tell Sam wasn't paying any attention but was looking out at the water. "Sammy?"

"I couldn't save him Dean." Sam said softly. "I tried….I tried but I had to choose…I had to choose between you and him. I couldn't save both."

Dean ripped off a piece of his shirt and tied it around Sam's leg before standing up.

"Sam you didn't kill that man, that bitch did…. Don't feel guilty; I'm alive because of your choice."

"I know…I know…I just wish I could have saved both of you."

"Sam you tried, there was nothing you…" Dean stopped in midsentence as a car suddenly swerved off the road and drove over to them.

Grady and four of his friends got out.

"I thought I told you two to stay away from here." He said as he and his friends surrounded the brothers.

"That thing you think is so beautiful just killed another man." Dean said as he kept his eyes on the circling men. He and Sam stood back to back prepared to fight if they had to.

"I don't see a body." Grady said looking around.

"It hasn't washed up yet…but it will."

"How do I know you or your brother didn't kill him?"

"You don't." Dean said meeting Grady's stare.

"That thing almost killed my brother." Sam said. "It's not something you want to mess around with; it's got to be destroyed."

"The mermaid is mine! I've been after her for months and I'm not about to let you two destroy her! I would have thought you would have learned your lesson the other night but apparently you're hard to convince. Maybe me and my boys need to teach you both some respect."

Grady and his friends pulled out knives and began moving closer to the brothers.

TBC