Hey all! Next instalment, sorry it took so damn long to put up, but I hope you all enjoy!
Sam chuckled as they booked in to a motel in Hibbing, Minnesota. Dean still refused to let Selene walk, for fear of tearing open the wound in her side. With one hand around her waist, the other under her knees, Dean carried the demon into their room.
It had been a few days since she'd been shot, and the wounds were closing over, but they could still open if she over-reached herself. That didn't mean that Selene would go quietly though. The spirited little demon made sure to give Dean an earful for not letting her use her own two legs.
Chasing a lead on a mysterious disappearance, Sam and Dean found themselves dressed up like sheriffs. Sam was still smiling about what Dean had done to Selene. The brothers had walked out to the living area, to find Selene grabbing her clothes. Dean had immediately grabbed her bag, piled all her clothes in, and dumped it in the boot of his car, claiming that if she couldn't get dressed, she wouldn't leave the motel room. He'd then proceeded to scoop her up into his arms, and settle her in his bed, telling her that they were just gathering information and that if she was good, all three would go out for a drink later that night. Sam wiped the smile of his face before knocking on the door before them.
Sam and Dean walked into the living room, smiling at the woman and her son. "I know you're just doing your job," Mrs McKay told the brothers, "But the police have been here all week already. I don't see why we have to go through this again. The more he tells the story, the more he believes it's true." Sam nodded, trying to appease the boy's mother. "Mrs McKay," Sam replied, "We know you spoke with the local authorities." Dean cut in, "But, uh, this seems like a matter for the state police, so…" Sam cut his brother off. "Don't worry about how crazy it sounds, Evan," Sam told the boy, "You just tell us what you saw."
"I was up late," Evan told them, "Watching TV, when I heard this weird noise." Sam nodded, "What did it sound like?" Sam asked, intrigued by the boy's tale. Evan thought for a moment. "It sounded like…a monster," he told the brothers. Dean and Sam exchanged a small glance before turning back to the boy. "Tell the officers what you were watching on TV," Mrs McKay told her son. Evan looked around a little nervously. "Godzilla vs. Mothra," Evan told them.
Dean's eyes lit up with boyish glee. 'That's my favourite Godzilla movie," Dean told him excitedly, "It's so much better than the original, huh?" Evan nodded his head enthusiastically. "Totally," Evan agreed. Dean smiled widely, he was liking this kid more by the minute. "Yeah," Dean agreed, nodding his head towards Sam, "He likes the remake." Evan's face showed a look of great disgust. "Yuck," Evan exclaimed, making Dean smile.
Sam glared at his brother before clearing his throat. "Evan, did you see what this thing was?" Sam asked. Evan shook his head. "No," he replied solemnly, "But I saw it grab Mr Jenkins. It pulled him underneath the car." Dean's eyebrows rose, and Sam became more intrigued. "Then what?" Sam asked the boy. Evan looked out towards the window, before turning back to the brothers. "It took him away," Evan replied, "I heard the monster leaving. It made this really scary sound."
"What did it sound like Evan?" Sam asked. Dean was staring at the boy with total interest. "Like this...whining growl," Evan replied. Sam and Dean exchanged a brief glance before turning back to the boy. "Thanks for your time," Sam replied, before he and Dean left the room.
Sam spent the rest of the day researching urban legends, while Dean checked out the parking lot for evidence. The brothers had a brief interlude for lunch, stopping back at the motel so Selene had some company, before heading back to work. Once the sun had slowly begun to disappear from the sky, Sam and Dean decided to call it quits for the night and take Selene out for some fun.
Sam and Dean waited patiently in the living area while Selene got dressed to go out. They had decided on visiting a bar. Something that got Selene out of the motel room they knew was driving her crazy, while still having a relaxed atmosphere.
Selene stepped out of the bathroom wearing tight, black jeans, a black halter top and a black leather jacket. Her long dark hair was left out to flutter in the breeze. Sam and Dean stood, both offering her an arm. Accepting both, Selene walked between them as they made their way to the car.
Inside Kugel's Keg, Sam sat at the table, beer in hand, while he flipped through his father's journal. Dean was attempting to beat Selene at a round of darts, but it seemed her cat-sight gave her an edge when it came to hitting the dart board.
"So," Sam told them, eyeing their progress, "Local police have ruled out foul play. Apparently, there are worse signs of a struggle." Dean shook his head. For someone who'd never played before, Selene caught on quickly. "Well," Dean replied, "They could be right. It could just be a kidnapping. Maybe this isn't our kind of gig."
"Yeah," Sam agreed, "Maybe not. Except for this…Dad marked the area Dean." Dean and Selene strode over to the table to take a look at the journal. "Possible hunting grounds of a phantom attacker," Sam continued. Dean grabbed the journal, taking a closer look. "Why would he do that?" Dean asked, returning the book back to Sam.
"Well," Sam explained, "He found a lot of local folklore about a dark figure that comes out at night. Grabs people, then vanishes. He found this too…this country has more missing persons per capita than anywhere else in the state." Dean took another look at the journal. "That is weird," Dean mumbled. Sam stared at his brother, nodding his agreement. "Yeah," Sam replied.
"Don't phantom attackers usually snatch people from their beds?" Dean asked, watching as Selene made her way over to the bar, "Jenkins was taken from a parking lot." Sam shook his head. "Well," he responded, "There are all kinds. You know, Springhill Jacks, Phantom Gassers. They take people anywhere, anytime. Look Dean, I don't know if this is our kind of gig either."
"Yeah," Dean agreed, "You're right. We should ask around more tomorrow." Sam nodded. "Right," Sam replied, pulling out his wallet, "We should head back to the motel." Dean looked at his brother, stupefied. Sam may be a great people person, but he really needed to relax. "Whoa, whoa, easy," Dean told his brother, "Let's have another round."
Sam sighed. "We should get an early start," Sam told his brother. Dean shook his head. "Yeah," he replied, "You really know how to have fun, don't you Grandma?" Sam smiled as Dean glanced over at the bar. "Alright," Dean told him, his focus still over at the bar, "I'll meet you outside. I gotta take a leek." Dean grabbed his coat, while Sam collected the journal and other research material, and headed out.
Dean slipped his jacket on, before striding over to the bar. Selene was standing at the edge of a very interested group of men. "Well, uh, that's very kind of you," Selene stuttered, "But I already have a drink for now. Thank you anyway." Dean rolled his eyes. For someone so intelligent, she really was stupid when it came to advances from the opposite sex. She was so innocent and naïve. "Sorry boys," Dean smirked at them as he wrapped his arms around Selene's waist, tugging her firmly backwards to his strong chest, "This one's mine."
Seeing she was about to open her mouth, Dean crashed his lips to hers, effectively silencing any protests she may have had, while walking her steadily backwards towards the door. "What was that about?" Selene demanded once they reached the open air. Dean glared at her.
"They were trying to get you drunk," Dean yelled at her, not holding his anger back for a moment, "They would've plied you with alcohol until you didn't know what you were doing. Then they would've had their way with you. You wouldn't have been mated, you would've been raped by every single one of them. Is that what you wanted?"
Selene shook her head, trying not to show Dean her embarrassment. Taking a deep breath, Selene's wide eyes filled with worry. "Dean?" she breathed out. Dean refused to look at her, barely managing to control the rage still surging inside him. "I can't smell Sam," she murmured, instantly gaining Dean's undivided attention.
Dean raced to his car, spotting the journal on the hood. Opening the car door, he couldn't see his brother inside. Looking up, he watched as Selene's eyes widened to allow for her perfect night-sight. Staring into the darkness, Selene slowly turned around. "He's not here," she replied, "I can't get a visual, but he was standing here."
Following her nose, Selene tracked Sam's steps, before halting. "Sam's gone," she murmured. "Where?" Dean asked, gripping her shoulders tightly. "Where is he?" Selene winced from the pressure of Dean's grip. "It just vanishes. I can't track him, because the scent stops," she cried out, "Dean. You're hurting me." Dean released her, realising he had grabbed her wounded shoulder.
Looking confused and desperate, Dean began to ask anyone in sight if they'd seen his brother. "Sam!" he called out, still glancing around frantically, "Sammy!" He saw a surveillance camera on top of a streetlight. Walking to the middle of the road, Dean gave it one last look. "Sam!" he cried out, stopping only when Selene's hand rested gently on his shoulder.
Dean strode into the Sheriff's Department. He'd left Selene at the motel, but not before they'd had a massive fight about it. Selene hadn't liked the idea of Dean going after whatever this was alone, and out of the two of them, she was less likely to be injured if it came to a battle, but Dean had prevailed. He'd already lost his brother, and didn't want to lose her too, and she was injured.
Dean handed over a fake ID to a deputy. "So, what can we do for you Officer Washington?" the deputy asked. Dean cleared his throat, taking his ID back. "I'm working a missing persons," Dean told her. The deputy looked at him strangely. "I didn't know the Jenkins case was being covered by the state police," she replied.
"Oh, no," Dean replied, "No, there's someone else. Actually, it's my cousin. We were havin' a few last night at this bar down by the highway. And I haven't seen him since." "Does your cousin have a drinking problem?" the deputy asked. Dean shook his head. "Sam?" he replied, "Two beers and he's doin' karaoke." The deputy smiled at that comment. "No, he wasn't drunk," Dean continued, "He was taken." The deputy nodded, sitting down at her computer. Dean followed, sitting down beside her.
"Alright," she agreed, "What's his name?" Dean cleared his throat once more, smiling at the deputy. "Winchester," Dean replied, "Sam Winchester." The deputy smiled slightly. "Like the rifle?" she asked, trying to lighten the mood. Dean smiled slightly, appreciating her efforts. "Like the rifle," Dean agreed. The deputy entered Sam's name into the computer. Glancing at the page, she clicked up on Dean's record.
"Samuel Winchester," the deputy told him, "So, you know that his brother, Dean Winchester, died in St. Louis. And, uh, was suspected of murder." Dean tried to appear nonchalant about the news. "Yeah," Dean replied, "Dean. Kind of the black sheep of the family. Handsome, though." The deputy raised her eyebrows slightly, sensing that something was a little off. "Uh-huh," she replied, typing away at the computer, bringing up more search results, "Well, he's not showing up in any current field reports." Dean jumped in. "Oh," he replied, "I already have a lead. I saw a surveillance camera by the highway."
"Uh-huh," she acknowledged, nodding slightly, "The county traffic cam?" Dean nodded once more. "Right," Dean told her, "Yeah. I'm thinking the camera picked up whatever took him. Or, whoever." The deputy regarded him for a moment, before nodding once more. "Well," she told him, "I have access to the traffic cam footage down at the county works department, but-well, anyhow, let's do this the right way." She strode over to the filing cabinet, grabbing some paperwork from inside. "Why don't you fill out a missing persons report and sit tight over here?" she told Dean, handing him the clipboard.
"Officer," Dean replied, accepting the clipboard, "Look, uh, he's family. I kind of…I kind of look out for the kid. You gotta let me go with you." The deputy started to shift anxiously. "I'm sorry," she told him, "I can't do that." Dean sighed, before hardening his features once more. "Well, tell me something," Dean asked the deputy, "Your County has its fair share of missing persons. Any of 'em come back?" The deputy looked down regretfully. "Sam's my responsibility," Dean continued, "And he's comin' back. I'm bringin' him back."
Dean sat on a bench outside the County Works Department while the deputy had a look for the footage from the traffic camera. "Greg," she called out, walking up to him, holding the results, "I think we've got something." Dean stood up as she handed him the pages. He began to flip through them. "These traffic cams take an image every three seconds," she explained, "As part of the Amber Alert program. These images were all taken around the time that your cousin, Sam, disappeared." Dean flicked from page to page. "This really isn't what I'm looking for," he told her.
"Just wait," she replied, "Wait…next one." Flipping the page, Dean saw a rusty old truck driving away. "This one was taken right after Sam left the bar," she explained, "Look at the back end of that thing. Now, look at the plates." Turning another page, Dean saw a close up of the licence plates.
"Oh, the plates look new," Dean replied, "It's probably stolen." The deputy nodded once more. "So," she explained, "Whoever's driving that rust bucket must be involved." A beat-up old van slowly drove by, its engine whining loudly as it passed.
"Hear that engine?" Dean asked, glancing back at the photographs in front of him. "Yeah," the deputy replied, nodding slowly. She didn't know where Dean was running with this. "Kind of a whining growl, isn't it?" Dean asked. The deputy nodded her head once more. "Sure," she agreed, still not knowing where Dean was headed. Dean watched the old van drive away. "I'll be damned," he muttered quietly.
Selene watched the sun slowly sink from the sky. Dean wasn't back yet, and she was starting to worry. Pulling on a black, leather cat-suit, she slipped out of the window. It was time she started her own investigation.
Dean began to wonder how Selene was doing back at the motel. He hadn't been there since that morning, and it was now past dark. The deputy suddenly pointed out a traffic camera. "Okay," she told him, "The next traffic cam is fifty miles from here, and the pickup didn't pass that one, so…." Dean nodded, he was getting closer to finding his brother. "So, it must've pulled off somewhere. I didn't see any other roads here," Dean finished.
"Well," the deputy told him, "A lot of these backwoods properties have their own private roads." Dean's face shifted to annoyance as he stared at the road ahead. "Great," he bit out. New information suddenly appears on the deputy's computer. Reading it, her face becomes one of concern. "So," she began, "Gregory." Dean turned away from the road to give her his attention. "Yeah?" he asked, desperate to know if she had any new leads on his brother. "I ran your badge number," she informed him, "It's routine when we're working a case with state police. For accounting purposes and what have you." Dean nodded. "Mmhmm," he grunted out.
"And, uh, they just got back to me," she told him, pulling the car over, "It says here your badge was stolen." Dean feigned surprise. "And there's a picture of you." She turned the computer screen to face Dean, showing him a picture of a man who doesn't even look remotely similar.
"I lost some weight," Dean chuckled, "And I got that Michael Jackson skin disease." She unfastened her seatbelt. "Okay, would you step out of the car, please?" she told him. Dean's calm resolve began to break. "Look, look, look," he told her, making her stop, "If you wanna arrest me, that's fine. I'll cooperate, I swear. But, first, please…let me find Sam." The deputy's eyebrows rose, coming dangerously close to being lost in her hairline. "I don't even know who you are," she reminded him, "Or if this Sam person is missing."
"Look into my eyes and tell me if I'm lying about this," Dean pleaded. She was his last chance at finding his brother. "Identity theft? You're impersonating an officer," she reminded him. "Look, here's the thing," Dean explained, "When we were young, I pretty much pulled him from a fire. And ever since then, I've felt responsible for him. Like it's my job to keep him safe. I'm just afraid if we don't find him fast-please," his voice began to break, "He's my family."
"I'm sorry," she told him, "You've given me no choice. I have to take you in." Glancing up at the visor above the driver's side, her eyes pass over a photo of herself and another man. A glimmer of remorse crossed her face. "After we find Sam Winchester," she sighed.
Selene slipped back into the motel. She hadn't managed to find anything that night. Sighing to herself, she stripped off, pulling on her comfy jeans and a tank top. Settling herself on the couch, she slowly drifted off, not noticing the man walking through the front door.
Dean glanced over at the sleeping demon. Walking over to her, he cupped her face gently, stroking a few errant hairs away from her face. Over the past few days, Dean had begun to wonder if he'd been reluctant to let her walk for fear of her wound re-opening, or simply because he liked the feel of her in his arms.
The previous month had been depressing. He would never admit to it, but he'd actually missed their verbal wars, and watching her 'die' had left him more broken then he'd ever thought he could be. Since her return, he'd begun to notice the small things, like the soft scent of the forest that seemed to cling to her skin, the way her fingers always smelt like the herbs she'd been mixing, or the fire that burnt in her eyes every time they fought. "Good night, Princess," he whispered, gently tugging the blankets up to cover her form, tucking her in, before walking off in the direction of the bedroom, not noticing the two violet eyes following his progression.
Dean awoke just as the grey light of dawn reached the window. He wanted an early start today. The sooner he found Sam, the better. Walking out into the living area, Dean knelt beside the sleeping demon. "Sleep well, Princess," he murmured, placing a chaste kiss on her forehead before walking out the door.
Dean and the deputy strode towards her car, both carrying a cup of coffee. "Hey, Officer?" Dean asked, "Look, I don't mean to press my luck." She shook her head slightly. "Your luck is so pressed," she told Dean, who shrugged, smirking slightly. "Right," he agreed, "I was wondering-why are you helping me out, anyway? Why don't you just lock me up?" The deputy thought for a moment, then decided Dean had the right to know. "My brother, Riley," she told him, "Disappeared three years ago. A lot like Sam. We searched for him, but…nothing. I know what it's like to feel responsible for someone, and for them…Come on. Let's keep at it." The deputy stepped into her car, waiting for Dean to do likewise, before driving off.
Driving down the road, Dean suddenly spotted a turn-off. "Wait, wait, wait," Dean cried, "Pull over here. Pull over." The deputy stopped the car. Stepping out of the car, both began to walk toward the forest. "It's the first turn-off I've seen so far," Dean told her.
"You stay here," she told him, "I'll check it out." Dean jumped in front of her. There was no way he was going to let her go off and have him do nothing to find his own brother. "No way," Dean replied.
"Hey," she replied, stopping to face him, "You're a civilian. And a felon, I think. I'm not taking you with me." She began to walk forward once more, only to have Dean catch up to her. "You're not goin' without me," Dean told her, his face determined. She sighed. "Alright," she began, "You promise you won't get involved? You'll let me handle it?"
Dean nodded. "Yeah," he told her, "I promise." She regarded him, nodding once more. "Shake on it," she told him, extending her hand. Dean gripped it and shook her hand, only to have her place one side of a set of handcuffs on his wrist. "Oh, come on," Dean cried, before handcuffing the other side to the door handle of her car.
"This is ridiculous," Dean cried out, as she began to walk away, "Kathleen, I really think you're gonna need my help." Kathleen shook her head, pulling her keys out of her pocket. "I'll manage," she told him, "Thank you." Pressing the central locking, Kathleen began to walk away, stuffing her keys back into her pocket. "I gotta start carrying paper clips," Dean sighed.
Dean began to look around for something to unlock the handcuffs. Finally, Dean noticed the antenna on the car. Stretching his arm across, Dean tried to grab it, falling just short. Dean suddenly heard the screech of a truck. "Oh, son of a bitch," Dean exclaimed, suddenly trying ten times harder.
At the sound of groaning, Sam looked over at the woman in the cage beside him. "You alright?" Sam asked, concern evident in his voice. Kathleen sat up, staring across at Sam. "Are you Sam Winchester?" she asked, hands gripping the bars as she peered at him. "Yeah," Sam nodded. For someone to recognise him, it meant Dean was close by.
"Your, uh, your cousin's looking for you," she informed Sam. Sam relaxed against the bars of the cage. "Thank God," he sighed out, "Where is he?" Kathleen held her head, trying to remember. "I, uh…I cuffed him to my car," she admitted sheepishly. Sam sighed, resting his head against the bars once more.
Stepping into the barn, Dean looked around disgustedly. Seeing the cages, Dean walked forward. "Sam?" Dean asked, catching sight of his brother, who smiled at him, "Are you hurt?" Sam shook his head, glad that his brother had found him without being caught. "No," Sam replied.
"Damn, it's good to see you," Dean exclaimed, smiling at his little brother. Kathleen stared at Dean, not daring to believe he was there. "How did you get out of the cuffs?" she asked. Dean spun around to face her, grinning superiorly. "Oh, I know a trick or two," Dean told her cryptically, "Alright." Dean moved to the front of the cages, analysing the locking mechanisms. "Oh, these locks look like they're gonna be a bitch," Dean told his brother.
"Well, there's some kind of automatic control right there," Sam told him, pointing to the control panel. "Have you seen 'em?" Dean asked, walking back to face his brother. Sam nodded. "Yeah," Sam replied, "Dude, they're just people." Dean chucked softly at his brother. "And they jumped you?" Dean asked, "Must be gettin' a little rusty there, kiddo." Dean walked over to the control panel, trying a few buttons. "What do they want?" Dean asked.
"I don't know," Sam admitted, "They let Jenkins go, but that was some sort of trap. It doesn't make any sense to me." Dean continued to push away at the control panel. "Well, that's the point," Dean told him, "You know, with our usual playmates, there's rules, there's patterns. But with people, they're just crazy." Sam tried to peer around the bars of the cage to see Dean. "See anything else out there?" he asked.
"Uh, he has about a dozen junked cars hidden out back," Dean replied, "Plates from all over, so I'm thinkin' when they take someone, they take their car, too." Kathleen's interest peaked. "Did you see a black Mustang out there? About ten years old?" she asked with baited breath. "Yeah, actually, I did," he replied, walking back to the cages, "Your brother's?" Kathleen nodded sadly. "I'm sorry," he told her, "Let's get you guys out of here, then we'll take care of those bastards." He faced Sam, pointing to the control panel. "This thing takes a key," Dean asked, "Key?"
"I don't know," Sam told his brother, shaking his head. Dean took a quick glance around the barn. "Alright," Dean replied, "I better go find it." Dean began to walk off when Sam's voice halted his steps. "Hey," Sam called out, "Be careful." Dean smiled, glad to know his brother was still safe. "Yeah," Dean replied before leaving.
Dean wandered through a dark room. Turning on a flashlight, the beam illuminated several jars lining the shelves on the walls. Some contained various body parts suspended in fluid, while others were filled with unrecognisable items. "Yikes," Dean exclaimed, his eyes still wandering the rows of 'trophies'.
Continuing his search, Dean stumbled upon a wall of Polaroids. Each picture showed the same two men standing next to a dead body. Finally his eyes land on the picture of Jenkins' corpse being held by the men. "I'll say it again," Dean muttered, "Demons I get. People are crazy." Dean exited the room, climbing the stairs.
Dean crept through the house, listening to a record playing softly in the background. Looking around the room, Dean spotted a long, wooden pole leaning against the wall. Grabbing the staff, he crept toward the living room. His eyes landed on a small tray of keys on a nearby table.
Checking on the man in the kitchen, Dean reached for the keys, only to stop short at the sight of a jar of teeth. Picking it up, Dean began to examine the contents disgustedly. Setting the jar back down, Dean spun at the sound of creaking wood behind him.
"Shh. It's okay," Dean told the young girl before him, "I'm not gonna hurt you." She grinned, holding up a knife. "I know," she told him, thrusting the small blade at Dean, pinning him to the wall by his jacket, "Daddy!" Dean dropped the pole in order to grab the knife. "Jeez!" Dean exclaimed, wondering just how screwed up a family had to be before a little girl attempted murder.
"Daddy!" she cried once more. Dean removed the jacket as two men raced down the stairs. "Daddy!" The first grabbed Dean, who instantly began to fight back. Stepping backwards into the room to give himself more room, Dean fought with all the vigour of a tiger sensing his end.
While he could've held his own against one, Dean soon felt the beginnings of a thorough thrashing. Picking himself up, after being slammed into the wall once more, Dean stood staring at the men before him. "I'm gonna kick your ass first," he told them, pointing to one, before shifting his gaze toe the other, "Then yours." Dean's world faded to black as he felt a sudden force collide with the back of his head.
Dean slowly began to wake up, groaning as pain began to shoot from the back of his head. Shifting, he felt the ropes binding his hands and feet to the chair. "Come on," Lee begged, "Let us hunt him." His brother Jared nodded enthusiastically. Dean actually had spunk. "Yeah," he agreed, "This one's a fighter. Sure would be fun to hunt." Their father began to laugh maniacally. "Oh, you gotta be kiddin' me," Dean swore, "That's what this is about? You yahoos hunt people?"
"You ever killed before?" the old man asked Dean, stalking slowly towards him. Dean shrugged his shoulders. "Well," Dean replied calmly, "That depends on what you mean." "I've hunted all my life," the old man replied, "Just like my father, his before him. I've hunted deer and bear-I even got a cougar once. But the best hunt is human. Oh, there's nothin' like it. Holdin' their life in your hands. Seein' the fear in their eyes just before they go dark. Makes you feel powerful alive." Dean shook his head. He couldn't believe humans could do this to each other. "You're a sick puppy," Dean spat.
"We give 'em a weapon," The old man replied, "Give 'em a fightin' chance. It's kind of like our tradition passed down, father to son. Of course, only one or two a year. Never enough to bring the law down, we never been that sloppy." Dean looked at him, disgusted once more. "Yeah," Dean spat, "Well, don't sell yourself short. You're plenty sloppy."
"I'd have to say," a rich, sultry voice replied, "I agree." All heads in the room turned to the other end of the room. Dean almost sighed with relief when he saw who was standing before him. Leaning against the doorway, clad in a black, leather cat-suit, arms crossed lazily with one heeled boot resting against the door frame, stood Selene. Her long, dark hair pulled into a high ponytail, revealing her elvan ears.
Selene turned her head, her violet eyes flashing coldly as she bore them an icy glare. Stepping casually into the room, she stopped in the very centre, shifting her feet to distribute her weight evenly. The men watched her momentarily, before launching themselves at her.
Dean watched in disbelief. What had started so well, was quickly going from bad to worse. Selene's blows lacked their usual strength, and she didn't seem to be able to sense them like she normally could. One final blow left Selene on the floor, gasping for breath as she coughed up blood.
Gripping her injured shoulder, they dragged her backwards to Dean's chair as she cried out in pain. Sitting her on the floor in front of Dean, the brothers quickly bound her hands to the chair legs. Dean's eyes closed as he winced in sympathy for the demon before him.
"So, what, you with that pretty cop? Are you a cop?" the old man asked. Dean opened his eyes to stare at the man. "If I tell you," Dean asked, suddenly feeling Selene's claws working on the bonds around his ankles, "You promise not to make me into an ashtray?" The old man glared angrily, as Lee walked over and punched Dean.
"Hey," Jared spoke up, "Can we have some fun with the bitch before we hunt her?" Both brothers leered at Selene, each kicking one of her legs further apart from the other. Dean swung his leg around, placing the heel of his boot at the apex between Selene's thighs, while his knee protected her injured shoulder. He shifted his other leg to cover her wounded side. "Looks like we got a protective one here," Lee remarked, making Dean growl.
Selene rested her bruised cheek on Dean's thigh, gently trying to calm him down. "Only reason I don't let my boys take you right here and now is that there's somethin' I need to know," the old man told Dean. Walking to the fireplace, he removed a burning hot poker. "Yeah," Dean asked, "How 'bout it's not nice to marry your sister?"
"Tell me," the old man asked, "Any of the cops gonna come lookin' for you?" Dean rolled his eyes. "Oh, eat me," Dean retorted, "No, no, no, wait, wait…you actually might." Jared walked over to Dean, wrenching his head into place and holding it there.
"You think this is funny?" the old man asked, "You brought this down on my family. Alright, you wanna play games? We'll play some games. Looks like we're gonna have a hunt tonight after all, boys," he then turned to Dean, "And you get to pick the animal. The boy or the cop?" Dean's eyes widened at the implications of his next decision.
"Okay, wait, wait," Dean cried, "Look, nobody's comin' for me, alright? It's just us." The old man came closer. "You don't choose," he told Dean, "I will." Pain shot through Dean's shoulder as the old man placed the poker to it. Dean screamed, while trying not to tense his legs and hurt Selene.
"Oh, you son of a bitch!" Dean cried out when the poker was taken away. The old man brought the poker back, this time almost touching Dean's eye. "Next time, I'll take an eye," the old man warned. Dean glanced around in indecision for a moment before answering. "Alright," Dean sighed, "The guy, the guy! Take the guy!"
Jared let Dean go as the old man put the poker back on the fire. Taking a key from around his neck, he passed it to Lee. "Lee," the old man replied, "Go do it. Don't let him out, though. Shoot him in the cage." Lee was almost to the door when Dean's voice made him halt. "What?" Dean cried, "I thought you said you were gonna hunt him. You were gonna give him a chance."
"Lee," the old man told him, "When you're done with the boy-shoot the bitch, too." Lee left the room, rifle in hand. "Better clean this mess up before any more cops come runnin' out here," the old man continued. Dean's eyes widened in fear for his brother.
Dean began to struggle against his bonds, when he heard a gunshot go off. "You hurt my brother, I'll kill you," Dean bit out, "I swear. I'll kill you all. I will kill you all!" The old man walked to the door. "Lee!" he hollered.
Down in the barn, Sam jumped on top of Lee, slamming him in the face with the butt of the gun until he finally blacked out. Checking the gun, Sam swore when he found the gun wouldn't work. Glancing down, Sam shook his head at the unconscious form of Lee.
"Lee!" the old man yelled once more. Not getting a response, he turned to face his two children. "Jared, you come with me," he told the boy before turning to the girl, "Missy, you watch him now." Jared grabbed two rifles, handing one to his father as they left. Missy walked over to Dean, holding a knife dangerously close to his eye.
Nudging Dean, Selene brought his attention to his legs still protecting her. Dean slowly shifted his legs back to their original position, wondering what Selene was thinking. Grabbing his ankles, Selene supported her entire weight with her hands.
Stretching her legs out, Selene bent her body up into a handstand. Bringing one leg down, she hooked the heel of her boot below Missy's hand, before snapping her leg back into the vertical position, sending the knife flying to stab into the wood above their heads. Another swift kick sent Missy flying backwards to collide with the wall, as Selene swung herself back down to her original seated position.
Selene leant her head back against Dean's thigh. Although her little manoeuvre had only taken a couple of seconds, she felt drained. Listening to the rain outside the window, Selene sighed, why did it have to be today?
"Selene?" Dean asked, now that a knife wasn't being thrust in his face, "What happened? I mean, you and I both know that you could've taken those to idiots and not even break a sweat. So what happened?" His voice was soft and concerned. Selene sighed softly, she knew she'd have to tell him eventually.
"It's the rain," she replied, "That's why I've lost my strength." Dean's eyes widened at her statement. "I draw my power from the stars," Selene continued, "The stars are constant, therefore so is my power, but I am also subject to times of frailty. When it rains, the water acts as a barrier between myself and the stars, rendering me as weak as any human. My abilities are still usable, like my night-sight, but they are weaker as well."
Selene sighed once more, pressing her bruised cheek against Dean's leg. "I just feel so stupid," she spat, "So pathetic." Dean gazed at her, shocked. Both by her frailty, and the fact that she obviously trusted him enough to tell him.
In an attempt to take her mind off the rain, Dean nudged her with his knee. "Have I ever told you how much I love a lady in leathers?" Dean smirked, staring at her leather-clad frame. Selene smiled slightly at his attempt to cheer her up. "Multiple times," she replied. "No," Dean replied, "That's how many times I'd like to DO a certain lady in leathers." He nudged her with his knee, making her laugh. "In your dreams," Selene retorted. Dean bent forward, his lips gazing her ear. "Princess," he told her, "You have no idea."
Both threw their heads back and laughed, before the reality of the situation hit them, making them laugh even harder. Here they were, bound to a chair, completely at the mercy of a few humans who lived to hunt other humans, and they were laughing. "Hey Princess," Dean murmured, "If my hands weren't bound…I'd be giving you a big hug right now." Selene smiled at the absurdity of the comment, resting her head back down on his leg. "Well," she replied, "If my hands were bound and yours weren't, I'd be kicking your butt."
Down in the barn, Sam and Kathleen were playing a dangerous game of 'cat and mouse'. Hiding behind bales of hey in the dark, Sam ad Kathleen tried to stay hidden. Noticing a cabinet, Kathleen slowly opened the door, stopping when she heard a noise.
Jared made his way over to the cabinet. Opening the door, he was suddenly jumped from behind as Kathleen began to wrestle with him, before he finally knocked her to the ground. "You stupid bitch," Jared told her, aiming his gun.
"Hey," Sam cried out, making Jared turn to face him. Sam dodged was Jared's gun was fired, making the bullet hit the old man instead. Sam leapt at Jared, grabbing his gun. Slamming the butt of the gun into Jared's head, Jared finally passed out.
"I'll watch this one," Kathleen replied as Sam returned from placing the brothers in the cages, pointing the gun at the old man's head, "You go ahead." Sam stared at her for a moment. "Go ahead," Kathleen continued. Sam nodded, then left to find his brother.
Sam walked into the house, shocked to hear laughter. Walking in to the living room, Sam's wide eyes took in Dean and Selene, laughing helplessly while bound to a chair, the figure of a small girl slumped against the wall. Sam strode up to them, making his presence known.
Ceasing their chuckles, Sam's eyes took in their dishevelled state. Dean had a few small cuts, a lot of bruising, and one burn on his shoulder. Selene looked mostly in tact. Despite the small river of blood trailing from her mouth and one large bruise covering her cheek, she still looked as proud and regal as ever.
As they stared up at Sam, the small knife suddenly dropped from the ceiling, landing neatly in Selene's palm. Taking in the irony of the situation, both Dean and Selene collapsed into yet another fit of laughter. Sam chuckled softly, shaking his head at their antics.
Dean and Sam walked out of the front door, Selene a little behind them. The brothers walked over to Kathleen. "Where's the girl?" Kathleen asked. Dean shrugged nonchalantly. "Locked her in a closet," Dean replied, "What about the dad?" Kathleen paused for a moment. "Shot," she replied, "Trying to escape."
Selene leant against the fence, watching the boys as Kathleen spoke on her walkie-talkie.
"I think the car's at the police station," Dean told Sam, while Kathleen listened to the voice on her radio. "Backup unit en route to your location," the voice told her. Kathleen made her way over to the boys.
"So," she told them, "State police and the FBI are gonna be here within the hour. They're gonna wanna talk to you. I suggest that you're both long gone by then." Dean smiled slightly. "Thanks," he replied, "Hey, listen, I don't mean to press our luck, but we're kind of in the middle of nowhere. Think we could catch a ride?" Kathleen smiled at his boldness. "Start walking," she replied, "Duck if you see a squad car."
"Sounds great to me," Sam cut in, preventing his brother from speaking, "Thanks." Dean shifted feet. "Listen, uh….I'm sorry about your brother," Dean told her. Kathleen smiled. "Thank you," she replied, "It was really hard not knowing what happened to him. I thought it would be easier once I knew the truth…but it isn't really. Anyway, you should go."
Sam and Dean walked towards the road, Selene just a few steps behind. "Never do that again," Dean told his brother angrily. Sam smirked, before quickly wiping it off his face. "Do what?" Sam asked innocently, even though he knew the answer. Dean glared at his brother. "Go missin' like that," Dean replied. Sam threw his head back and laughed. "You were worried about me," Sam stated.
"All I'm sayin' is, you vanish like that again, I'm not lookin' for ya," Dean replied, trying to feign indifference. "Sure, you won't," Sam replied infuriatingly. Dean glared at him. "I'm not," Dean told him, with as much conviction as he could.
Sam began to chuckle. "So, you got sidelined by a thirteen-year-old girl, huh?" Sam teased. "Oh, shut up," Dean bit out, not liking his brother rubbing his nose in it like a naughty puppy. "Just sayin', gettin' rusty there, kiddo," Sam replied. Dean began to laugh. His brother was using his own lines against him. "Shut up," Dean replied, reaching behind him to wrap an arm around Selene's waist, bringing her between them. Sam laughed, wrapping his own arm around the demon's waist as they walked.
Later that night, after Selene had dressed both brothers' wounds, she sat in a chair, facing the beds. Sam had fallen asleep a while ago, but Dean was still awake. Normally Selene would've been sitting on the tree outside by now, instead she was watching them sleep.
"What's wrong Princess?" Dean asked, sitting up to face her. Staring at her face, he saw two tear trails winding down her cheeks. He rushed to her side, pulling her into his warm embrace. "Hey," he murmured softly, "Shh, it's okay. Tell me what's wrong."
"You weren't there," she mumbled, "I woke up and you weren't there. I was so worried." Dean held her even tighter to his chest. "Sam and I aren't going anywhere," he told her as he grabbed one of his shirts and a pair of boxers, "Here. Go to the bathroom and put these on. Come back when you're done." Selene's violet eyes widened as she stared at the clothing in her hands.
"How do I know you and Sam will still be here when I return?" Dean cupped her cheek with is hand. "I promise you," he told her, "I will be standing right here when you get out, and a Winchester never breaks a promise to a lady." Selene smiled slightly before stepping into the bathroom.
Changing as fast as she could, Selene stepped out of the bathroom wearing Dean's clothes. "Now come on," he smiled at her, leading her over to his bed. "Climb in," he told her, holding the covers back. Selene slipped in, while Dean climbed in the other side. Tucking the covers back in, Dean wrapped his arms around the demon once more, pulling her firmly against his chest. "This way you can sleep knowing that I'll still be here when you wake up," Dean told her softly.
Selene fell asleep instantly, listening to the metronome of Dean's heart. Dean soon slipped off, breathing in her delicate scent, both completely unaware of the two eyes watching them. Sam smiled to himself, before settling back down to sleep.
Well, I hoped you all liked it.
Please read and review, as your comments make me a better writer.
May your thoughts and creativity flow,
Lady Ami DragonHeart