Chapter 4

Two months later.

Dean sat on the couch at the end of their bed, arms stretched out along the back, whisky glass hanging from the fingers of one hand. The sun would rise in another hour or so, he could smell it, that faint tang the air took on just before dawn. It had been something he'd been aware of even as a human and back then it had brought a strange kind of comfort, the knowledge he'd survived another night, that soon the monsters would merge back into the shadows.

Now it frustrated him, to be so powerful yet limited to when he could freely move around. As a human he had been ignorant of how lucky he was to be able to choose to walk in the light or the dark. And he was feeling restless now, he had things he wanted to do but would have to wait until the sun once again sank below the horizon. His phone buzzed beside him and he reached for it with his whisky free hand.

"Yeah"

"Dean?"

"Yeah. Go for it Sam"

"You were right Dean. They're long gone from the address Aoife gave you"

"Shit"

"Trails pretty cold. I'd say at least a month. Managed to pick it up until I got out front. They must have had their car parked there. And its been too long even for a vamp's nose to track a vehicle"

"Yeah, sure. Shit" He drained his drink. "Ok Sam. Thanks anyway. I'm sorry to drag you out there"

"Not a problem. It's actually pretty close to us"

"So I figured"

"Look Dean..we're with you on this ok? We'll find them"

"You got enough problems Sam"

"No, thanks to your help. The nest know they owe you big for the wolf thing. And you're still my brother Dean, human and vampire remember?"

"Yeah, I remember" Dean eyed the whisky bottle still sat out on the side. Their turning had been nothing like his Children's, or his mate's. It had been brutal, and it had hurt like a mother fucker.

"So, you gonna tell me your next lead then?"

"Don't have one"

"Liar"

"Bitch"

"Jerk"

He rolled his eyes. "Bobby left a message a few hours ago. A couple of hunters turned up at some bar of a friends bitching about an Irish prick who had started in on them. Apparently they were pretty beaten up but said he looked worse"

"They always say that. We always said that"

Dean snorted quietly. "Yeah"

"Where they run into him?"

"Sam.."

"Stop being a stubborn bastard Dean"

"Stop being an interfering bitch Sam"

"Dean.."

"No"

"I swear…you drive me insane!"

"Good"

"Tell me"

"No"

"Don't make me call Bobby"

"Not quite the same threat it once was little brother"

"But he will tell me where you're headed"

"Asshole" Muttered Dean.

"So you may as well just tell me"

"How can you still be this annoying as an undead abomination?"

"It's a gift"

"Uh huh" The glass was plucked from his hand and he watched his mate go over to the drinks cabinet. "Place called Blessing"

"A state would help Dean"

Aoife was pouring two glasses of whisky, he watched her shoulder blades move under the thin straps of her nightie.

"Dean?"

"Texas"

There was a pause. "How close Dean?"

"By car, about 550 kilometres"

"You want me there?"

She was standing in front of him, one arm stretched out as she offered him the glass, and she must have been there a while because she was faintly frowning at him.

"Dean? Is there something wrong? You need me there?"

He took the glass and watched as she returned for her own drink. The whisper of silk sounding loud in his ears.

"Dean?"

He took a gulp of the amber liquid. "Yeah Sammy"

"I'll leave on the next sunset. Don't do anything dumb"

The phone went dead, and he listened to the dial tone for a minute before hanging up his end and throwing it back down next to him. Aoife came to stand between his legs before kneeling and placing her glass on the floor. Cool hands slid up his denim clad thighs. "You can stop"

"No my love" He ran his fingers through the red waves.

His mate tilted her head. "550 kilometres, that is about..340 miles"

"Very clever"

"Not particularly" Aoife smiled.

Dean rolled his eyes. "It is close enough baby girl"

"They can't know I'm here Dean"

"It's too close, it makes me edgy"

Fingernails ran through his hair and he growled quietly, head tipping back slightly. "It is nice to hear you speak with your brother"

"We are family"

"Still?"

Dean lowered his head and looked at her. Cool green eyes stared into his. "Yes" He pressed his lips briefly against hers before leaning back again. "Twelve years apart is a drop in the ocean when you're going to live forever"

"We can not truly expect to live forever"

"Perhaps not. I guess we'll run into something eventually, or maybe tire of life. But we have a while yet, and Sam and I…we just needed time"

"Could your nests join?"

He raised a brow. "Interesting question"

"It would make both of your families stronger, and you would be close to Sam again"

"Sam isn't the leader of his my love. He joined them by choice, swore allegiance. And they accepted him despite him not being in their bloodline"

"A kind act" She picked up her glass and took a sip.

"Yeah, or they just wanted a really big vamp on side"

"Your brother is…large?"

"Abnormally tall"

"Oh" She took another sip, eyes staring at him over the rim of the glass.

"Don't think about saying it baby girl" He pinched the bridge of his nose, apparently vampire's could get headaches and there was a nice one currently threatening behind his eyes. Aoife's presence in his life brought him a lot of pleasure and contentment but her family were the thorn in his side. They were being surprisingly evasive and none of his sources, or himself, could discover exactly what it was they were doing. And the longer they were free from him the more anxious he became.

"You will wait for him before you go there"

"I'll see"

"It was not a question"

Dean refocused on his mate. She was still watching him with those eyes. "Are you issuing an order my love?"

"Yes" She stood and took his once again empty glass.

Dean leant forward, arm wrapping round her waist, tugging her down into his lap. "Aoife.."

"I think I only feel the surface of your anger Sire" She wriggled round so she could look at him again, those eyes that so closely matched his own searching out his dark places. His mate made him feel open and exposed like no other had ever done, even Sam. "I don't want you to get hurt, or do something that could endanger the life you've built here. I won't destroy that"

"Not you baby.."

She nodded. "Yes me, the difference is me"

"We had crisis' before you Aoife, and there will be more in the future"

"I just want us to be happy Dean"

"Are you not happy my love?" He frowned.

"Yes, I have never been so…I have a wonderful family. And you" She watched her fingers trailing over his open shirt. "But I want this sick feeling to go, it is like I am waiting, waiting for something that will happen no matter what I do"

Dean closed his eyes briefly then took her hand, placing a kiss to her knuckles. "It is my anxiousness you are feeling baby girl, and I'm sorry. I didn't realise I was projecting it on to you"

"It's ok. You're tired, and worried"

"I'm also very happy to have met my mate Aoife, it is important you know that. You bring me so much pleasure, you are my everything"

"Then forget my family"

"I can not" He forced a sigh as she slipped from his hold, moving back to the whisky bottle. "And even if I could move on from what they did..now I have started looking I am even more suspicious of their movements. There is something there that bothers me"

"Do you think they could be something supernatural too?" His mate dropped two cubes of ice into her glass. Despite his continued disgust at her contaminating his best whisky that way Dean couldn't shake her from her preferred taste.

"I would have smelt it"

"Even if they were something other than vampire?" Aoife made her way back to him, returning to her position between his legs before offering him his refilled drink.

"Yes. They smelt fucking terrible but it was all human my love" He trailed his fingers through her hair watching the gold flecks catch the light. Taking a sip of his refreshed drink he took in the view of his mate knelt before him, red waves tumbling over her pale shoulders, the deep purple of her nightie a beautiful contrast against her skin. He reached out, tracing the soft swell of the top of her breasts above the silk, watching the nipple peak under the material. His tongue flickered over the tips of his own fangs. "Come back up here baby girl" His mate shook her head before taking a sip of her own drink, tongue darting out to catch a stray drop.

Dean growled his displeasure. Aoife smiled and placed her glass by his feet, the purple silk shifting slightly, almost but not quite giving him a perfect view of her nipples. Leaning forward he slid a hand into all that hair, fingers curling, clasping the back of her head, lips pressed firm against hers, tongue forcing its way into her mouth. His mate made a disgruntled sound but he could smell her arousal, feel the beginnings of the dropping of her fangs. He ran his tongue over the tip of one, filing both their mouths with his taste and their bond began to spark and fizz as she whispered his name in his head.

Curling her hair tight in his fist he pulled her head back, moving his own lower so he could lick over her throat before remapping the slick trail with his teeth. Catching the beads of blood that settled on the surface with his tongue Dean enjoyed their merged taste, her quiet whimpers as his mate began to squirm in his hold. He slid his mouth up, nipped at her ear as cool hands slipped into his shirt, fingernails gently dragging over his chest.

He hummed in pleasure, sometimes he felt more like a giant cat than a vampire, the way Aoife stroked over his skin and ran her fingers through his hair did really strange things to his insides. He resisted the urge to arch into the touch. Then there was a not so gentle scrape over his nipple and he growled, pulling back from her skin. His mate instantly leant forward, her tongue collecting his blood as he had done hers only a moment ago, then the warm wet swirls travelled across the planes of his chest, the occasional nick of sharp teeth smearing more red across him.

Dean sat back against the couch, forcing her to lean forward even more, and closed his eyes. It seemed his mate was in a playful mood tonight and for now he was content to let her do so. Also it was sometimes nice to let her take the lead, explore, he had always thought his perfect match would be someone with experience, the same confidence as him but teaching Aoife had brought about some pretty amazing experiences and he had found he loved to watch her discover new things, see the look on her face when she found somewhere or something that made him twitch, or growl.

He felt the buttons pop open on his fly, the pressure ease slightly on his increasingly hard dick. Dean cracked an eye open but his mate wasn't looking at him, at least not his eyes, she was taking in her handy work on his chest whilst drawing patterns along the skin that had been exposed through the opening of his jeans. He watched the red fingernail caress the top of his dick, could feel its sharp lines along the sensitive skin. He closed his eye again, tongue running over his own teeth. "Careful my love" He murmured. He may be a vampire but sharp objects near that part of him were still as worrying as when he was human.

"Yes Sire"

He smiled but kept his eyes closed. His Children often addressed him with the same term but the way she said it, the weight that seemed to lurk behind those words always made his balls tighten. He had made her, taken her, no other would ever touch her and as much as her happiness and safety was his main priority if you stripped away all the other bullshit she was his, Aoife belonged to him. And there was nothing his Alpha side liked better than knowing that, driving him to take her over and over again.

Her fingers slipped into the top of his waistband and he lifted his hips slightly so she could slide his jeans down, he felt them pool over his feet. Cool, soft hands whispered over his thighs before moving up and over his hips in a slow caress. Dean licked his lips and opened his eyes, taking a sip of his drink as he watched Aoife touch him, pressing her hands to the inside of his thighs, gently urging them apart, still stroking his skin. "Not too much play darlin'"

Aoife looked up at him through dark lashes, hands still rubbing slow circles. "Just for a while" He raised a brow at her. His mate dipped her head to press kisses along the inside of his legs. "You're so beautiful"

"Don't think I've been called that before" He ran a finger through her hair and took some more whisky. His mate stopped her movements, raising her head. She was so close to his dick now and the view from his vantage point was exquisite. "But thank you" He stroked a palm down her cheek and she nodded against it before he once again sat back.

Her hair tickled across his balls as she pressed more kisses to his thighs, her teeth grazing the sensitive juncture at the top of his leg before they sank in. Dean growled again, fingers tightening around his glass as she took a long pull of his blood, her own slenderer fingers wrapping around his dick. He grit his teeth as strong smooth strokes ran up and down his length, pre-cum pooling in the slit already. Finally his mate released him from her bite and raised her head, meeting his eyes as a trickle of blood ran from the corner of her closed lips. Dean narrowed his gaze at her. Aoife stopped her movements on his dick, hand grasping his base, foreskin pulled tight exposing the sensitive and glistening head. It twitched in her hold. "My love.." A gentle warning, for now.

Her lips slipped over the head and his still warm blood poured down his dick from her mouth. Dean groaned at the sensation, and the sight. He watched himself sliding past her lips, red smearing over her mouth and chin, running down her hand, and then there was wet heat and firm pressure as his mate sucked, slow, deliberate movements that drew curls of pleasure from deep within. "Hmm, yes baby" Fuck, her mouth was good, and she was getting better and better at this and he couldn't tear his eyes from the way his blood was being slowly licked clean from his own dick.

Then it stopped and his dick was left cooling in the air. He grunted in frustration as Aoife moved away and became nearly hidden from his perusal as she pressed her mouth over his balls, sucking tenderly on one then the other. He drained his drink with only the slightest shake of his hands and placed the glass as far from him as he could. Slinging one arm across the back of the couch once more Dean then returned his other hand to the back of her head, forcing her in closer whilst he rocked his hips, dragging his balls across her open mouth, feeling them move over her tongue. He growled and curled his fingers into her hair, pressing her even harder into him as he altered to thrusts so his dick was getting some of the wonderful contact with her face too.

His mates fingernails dug into the flesh of his thighs as she gave a muffled growl and he yanked her head back with the grip on her hair. Aoife's mouth and chin still held the slightest trace of his blood and now they also shone with a mix of her own saliva and his pre-cum. Her eyes were fiery and her fangs visible through her parted lips. Dean smiled at her. "Better. Now, my dick baby girl, and no more playing"

She gave another low growl but ran her tongue up the underside, flicking into the spot just under the head that always made him spin a little. "Yeah" He loosened his grip but kept his hand buried in her hair, sitting back intent on enjoying his mate bringing him off with her mouth. Aoife licked the head, once, then blew cool air over it. "I fucking mean it Aoife.." Her mouth engulfed him again and his heels started digging into the front of the couch as she sucked hard, taking him in deeper and deeper with every down stroke.

His hips started to roll and he forced himself to stay flat in his seat, fighting the need to just thrust. He could smell both of their arousals now and the bond to her was letting him know just how much pleasure Aoife was getting from this too. Dean groaned as he felt her climax building along with his. His mate was going to cum just from sucking his dick. He became aware of a tugging on his hips and Dean increased his hold in her hair again, the other hand moving from the tight grip it had on the couch to her shoulder, fingers curling into her skin. She moved her hands to her back and he growled, long and low, at the sight of his mate knelt before him, dick sat halfway in her mouth, lips locked tight around him.

Not bothering with the usual tentative rocking of his hips to help her adjust he pushed in on one stroke, feeling his head tapping her throat. He pulled back. "Open up my love" Dean pushed in again and this time kept the pressure up on the resistance at the back of her mouth until it opened a fraction and he slid into her throat, her muscles flexed around him as she tried to swallow. "Fuck yeah. Keep wide open for me baby girl" Dean knew even without the need to breathe or swallow this could still be uncomfortable, and it was still the most amazing feeling bar being buried deep inside her sex. He thrust in over and over, letting his orgasm build nicely as his mate did her best to accept him time and again into her throat.

Dean cursed as the feeling of spinning and soaring told him he was about to come apart and Aoife was going to be right along there with him. He pushed in as deep as he could get and held her there. "Swallow" That beautiful flex rippled around his dick. "Again" Dean growled as every muscle in his body tensed. "Again" His head thunked back onto the couch and he tried pulling her impossibly closer as the first streams of cum left him. "Fuck" He ground out. "Again baby girl" As he shot into her mouth with every swallow Dean's feet left the floor, thighs tensing under the power of his climax.

As his dick dribbled out the last of his cum he relaxed his body, licking his lips, enjoying the last small sparks that ran over his nerves. Then he hissed as his dick was pulled from her throat and his sensitized skin hit cool air. He looked down, his mate's lips were swollen, eyes sparking in the low light, a trail of his cum running from her mouth. Dean smiled lazily at her and caught it with his finger, sliding it into her mouth as she opened up for him. Withdrawing it again he pulled his feet from his jeans and sat forward to slide his shirt off. "Now, come here my love"

Aoife stood slowly, hooking her fingers under the straps of the nightie that was still somehow impossibly in place. It slid from her body and pooled at her feet. He made an appreciative noise in the back of his throat and she smiled slightly before slipping into his lap. Drawing her into a soft kiss Dean slid a hand between her legs, he knew she'd cum right along with him and he found what he was looking for. He cupped her sex, fingers curling to gather the liquid that dripped from her folds. He moaned into her mouth before pulling back, tongue running over his own hand, eyes closing in the pleasure of her taste.

She squirmed in his lap and he opened them again, refocusing on her. His mate silently pouted at him from her seat in his crotch. Dean brushed her hair from her face. "I know my love. Why don't I run us a bath then I'll return the favour?"

"In the bath?" Aoife's voice had a raspy edge to it.

Dean frowned. "Did I go too far baby girl?"

His mate shook her head, tousled red waves bouncing over her shoulders. "No, never"

"I don't want to hurt you Aoife, there's a fine line"

"And you didn't cross it Sire" She nuzzled into his neck. "You would have felt it"

His mate was right, any flash of true pain across their bond would have physically knocked him back but now he was sated…he pulled her in closer. She was so special to him but she also drove him to the edge when it came to sex. "I just worry baby. I know I'm not always the gentlest"

His mate started to lick his throat."I like it"

"Where has my shy virgin gone?"

"You killed her and brought her back as an undead monster"

"Very funny" Dean tugged her head back. "And enough of that. Haven't you tasted your fill?" Aoife smiled at him through her lashes. He rolled his eyes.

"You also taught her the pleasures of the flesh"

"Aoife.."

"Bad vampire" She slid her arms round his neck.

His lips twitched. "As are you my love" Dean stood with her hooked in his arms and padded over to the bed, dropping her down.

Aoife bounced slightly and gripped the comforter. "Hey" She frowned.

"I am going to run a bath" He rested one knee on the bed and leant over for a kiss. "Which is going to be a relaxed one with no sex" His mate pouted at him again. Dean grinned. "Rest my love, I won't be long" He pulled the fur throw from the bottom of the bed and lay it over her.

She licked her lips. "Are you sure you do not wish me to do it?"

"I am sure. You're my mate baby girl, not my slave" Pouring her another drink Dean placed it on the bedside. "Try to drink something, it will help with your throat"

"According to you it helps with many things"

"Be careful my love" He shot her a look before heading to the large en suite and turning on the water. Looking over the dozens of bottles his mate seemed to have developed an obsession for Dean wondered which one would not leave him smelling completely like a girl.


Aoife twisted her head, bringing her arm up so she could draw him into a kiss. Her Sire, lover and soul mate issued a deep purr as his tongue ran lazily over hers, his hard chest pressed against her back, slowly softening dick still twitching inside of her. His touch and his taste was still as intoxicating as it had been the night he had first taken her to his bed but now the bond, the love that travelled between them intensified her pleasure even more.

She was greedy for his attention, his touch, never wanting to stray too far from his side and three weeks after she had arrived at the house she had plucked up the courage to ask Dean if it bothered him, that she was always there, craved his presence, any contact he was willing to give. He had assured her it was normal, that he felt the same, and encouraged her to quietly observe John and Cameron together. The other two vampires in the house indeed seemed to spend much of their time together, and she had noted the way they brushed a hand across each others backs when they passed during their everyday activities, or John would curl a hand around Cameron's waist, press a kiss to his throat.

So she had decided to go on instinct, allow the bond to lead her as she explored everything Dean was willing to show her. Aoife should be happy, contented, her Sire was more than she had ever imagined any future partner to be, if she had been allowed to have any at all, and he seemed to truly worship her, her every need and desire met. And John and Cameron were kind and made her laugh, they had also easily accepted her into the family, telling her a little of their past lives, friends and family they missed.

But this obsession Dean had with her family made her feel uneasy, and she knew it wasn't just her Sire's projected feelings making her feel this way. They were still messing up her life and for the first time that she could remember she felt angry. Not the white-hot rage that made you want to scream and throw things but a slow burn that sat in her chest that she forgot about until he mentioned them, or she was briefly left alone and wondered why she couldn't settle.

He ended the kiss and Aoife brought herself back from her thoughts. He was frowning down at her. "What is wrong my love?"

"Nothing Sire" She wriggled round in his hold, slowly so he could slip from her without too much discomfort.

He gave a small moan at the motion before focusing on her. "I can feel it baby girl, tell me what is wrong"

"I..it is nothing Dean. I promise"

"No lying" He ran his fingers down her arm, trailing them over her hands before lacing them with hers. He brought their hands up and kissed the back of hers. "Tell your Sire"

"You are referring to yourself in the third person again"

He raised a brow above their joined hands. Another kiss then the contact was dropped. "Is this about your fucking family again?"

She glared at him. "No, it is about your obsession with my fucking family"

Another brow raise. Aoife fought the ingrained urge to apologise. She never cursed, a long-standing survival instinct still present in her afterlife, the beating she would have gotten probably so severe it could have killed her. "You know why I'm doing this Aoife, you agreed"

"I just want it gone Dean. I want us to be left in peace, to move on" She studied his chest rather than meet his eyes. "They're still here and I..I wish they weren't"

Her chin was cupped, head tilted up to meet his eyes. "I know baby. And I'm sorry" She stared back at him. Her Sire licked his lips. "Let me check out this last lead with Sam, if it's nothing, if they've moved on I will drop it ok?"

"Why not now?"

"It's too close Aoife. If anything happened to you.."

His panic flashed across the bond making her stomach swirl. She moved his hand from her face and pressed a kiss to his palm. "I know. Just..please be careful. I worry about you also"

"Always baby" He smiled at her. "Theres no way I'm dying now I'm getting laid regularly"

Aoife rolled her eyes. "I think I am insulted, and being lied to"

"Is that so" Her Sire dipped his head, trailing soft kisses over the base of her throat.

She rolled onto her back and away from him, he growled. "Yes. I am quite sure you were getting laid before" Aoife raised her hands, examining her fingernails, checking for any traces of blood she'd missed the first time round.

"You got it all baby girl" Dean smirked at her. "And I'll have you know I was suffering a serious dry spell when I met you"

"You have never suffered a dry spell my Sire"


Two nights later.

John looked up at the vampire standing in the entrance hall of the house, and up again. "Holy shit" It wasn't often he felt dwarfed standing at six-foot but his Sire's brother must be a good four inches taller, if not more, and his broad shoulders and hazel eyes that burned gold made him a definite presence. At least spending three years in the company of his rather dominant Sire meant he was able to collect himself a little quicker than his mate, who was stood by his side blinking at the newcomer. "Um, sorry. John" He held out his hand which was shaken gently.

The other man smiled. "Sam, let me guess, Dean is held up?"

John cleared his throat, ignoring the tension being sent down the stairs from Dean's room. "He's here, will be down in a couple of minutes. I believe his mate wanted to uh, go over something with him"

Sam raised a brow. "Is there a problem?"

"Um, no?" John ran hand through his hair. "Why don't you come through? They won't be long"

"Sure, why not?" Another smile. "It won't be the first time"

John eyed him. "Um, right, ok" He gestured towards the large open plan living area. "This way, but you probably remember"

"Yeah" The other vampire wandered through, trailing a hand over the large island in the kitchen space. "Been a long time"

He exchanged a glance with his mate who shrugged. Neither were quite sure what the protocol was here, and Dean and Aoife seemed to have been locked into some kind of disagreement for nearly an hour now.

"You need anything?" John gestured to the fridge. "We have the usual, and also some cake things that Aoife made yesterday"

Sam turned. "She did?"

"Cooking helps her relax..supposedly"

"Ah" He moved over to the large french doors, looking out into the darkness. "A disagreement"

"No idea"

Sam turned his head and grinned at them over his shoulder. "Dean and I share a Sire, we may not spend much time together these days but I can still sense him"

"Ah" John opened the fridge door, brushing fingers over Cameron's cheek. "You want something baby?"

His mate nodded. "Yeah please" Their earlier love-making had depleted both of their blood levels.

"Go sit, I'll bring it to you" He pressed a quick kiss to Cameron's lips before shoving him gently towards the couch. "Sam?"

"Um, oh yes. Please. I have a feeling it's going to be a long night" The older vampire moved from his place at the windows and moved towards the chair that was placed nearest the fire.

John kept his face blank and nodded, reaching for the bags of blood sat in the door compartment.

"There are no others here?'

He began pouring the blood into crystal tumblers. "No. Tara is still away, I think even Dean is surprised how long this one has lasted.." Sam snorted quietly. .."and Matthew is trying to set up his own nest with his mate Jenna. But they call frequently" John padded over and offered the glass, it was taken oh so gently from his fingers.

"Thank you"

John nodded again and moved to snag the other two drinks from the counter, joining his mate on the couch. "We were expecting Natasha as well?"

"I thought it best to leave her in the safety of our nest for this one. Dean and I have a nasty habit of running into trouble when we get together"

He smiled into his drink. "I have only been a told a few brief stories"

"Becoming vampires was one of the least terrible possible outcomes of our old lives" He watched Sam swirl his glass. "I guess an eternal life is better than no life at all" He looked at them. "Is there trouble?"

John felt his mates cool hand rest on his thigh, a light squeeze. "I think Aoife is concerned about Dean's…interest in her family"

Sam smiled, a little sadness seeming to reflect in it. "My brother has always been able to become scarily fixated on something once it piques his interest"

"I think it was bad..what they did"

His Sire's brother rose a brow. "Bobby touched on it lightly. But still, she is free of them now"

John shifted. His Sire had eventually shared the details of his mates continued abuse after he and Cameron had raised the same point for the third time.

"John?"

He clasped his glass between his two hands, fingers pressing into the cut crystal. "Did he tell you about the scars?"

Sam leant forward, elbows resting on his knees. "No"

John stared into the shining red liquid. "They were bad, all over her back…and lower. Dean said it looked like belts and canes. That they were deep, she would have bled a lot" Sam closed his eyes briefly. "And when he found her..her brother, he was…he wanted..more"

Sam hissed quietly.

John raised his eyes, forced himself to stare into the golden irises. "If that was Cameron, if I had found him like that..I'd have ripped their fucking throats out"

"John.."

"Baby, you know it's true" He moved his gaze to smile at his mate."They would have had to pay, and that's how Dean feels. Even worse because he didn't know, because he let her talk him out of it when they were right there for the taking"

"I know" Cameron squeezed his leg again before taking a sip of his drink.

"And she still wants them to live?'

John refocused on Sam. "She wants them to have a chance, and she's worried about what all this will do to Dean, and their bond"

"It won't affect their bond" Sam leant back, "But it could change Dean, and he is already an Alpha"

"What does that mean?"

"It means that Dean has always walked a fine line, especially when it comes to those who he cares about. But his soul, his beliefs, they keep him straight, even as a vampire..but if something happens to Aoife or he kills in pure rage…" Sam ran a hand over his face, "It could change that"

"And she's picking up on it?"

"Maybe. Aoife may not even know it, but she will feel some uneasiness"

Cam frowned. "How do you know this? And be so sure?"

"I walked the same line as Dean, maybe even closer" Sam drained his drink and pushed himself up from the chair, moving to study the whisky bottles. "A year into our bond something happened to Tash, I lost it, nearly went bad"

"You killed?"

"Yes, over and over" Sam plucked a new glass from the side and selected a bottle. "They deserved it, for what they did to her, but still..it's nearly impossible to come back from. To pull your control back in'

"But you did?"

"Pretty much"

John raised a brow. "Pretty much?"

Sam opened his mouth then his expression shifted. "You must be Aoife" He smiled and dipped his head. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you"

John twisted in his seat. His Sire's mate was dressed in a rather fetching silk jumpsuit that was black at first glance but his sharp eyes caught the hint of deep purple when the light travelled over it as she moved further into the space. He watched her run her eyes over Sam before smiling. "Welcome, I am sorry we were not there to greet you"

"You have settled it?"

Aoife nodded.

"Did you win?"

"Partly"

John snorted and stood. "A drink sweetheart?"

"Please John. Two cubes"

"Of course" He smiled at her. "Everything ok Mom?"

"John if you continue to call me that I will rip out your spinal cord and beat you to death with it"

Sam huffed a laugh. "Awesome" He gestured to the end of the couch that was nearest to him. "And where is my brother?"

She sat gracefully, smoothing the material over her legs. "Just getting ready" Aoife smiled at John as he passed her a glass. "Thank you John. No Natasha?"

"She's at home, I thought it best"

Aoife's eyes flickered briefly to the doorway before returning to Sam. "Please, don't let him do anything stupid"

"My life's goal" Sam grinned at her then nodded. "Of course"

"Thank you"

"You know you are better here Aoife. If we run into anything, Dean would not cope well with you being in trouble"

"I know" She took a sip of her drink. "But if he is in trouble I shall not be so happy either"

"Understood" He offered a strange sloppy salute. "Arse kicking by Mom if Dean gets hurt"

John snorted as Aoife narrowed her gaze and growled at a vampire twelve years her senior, and about a foot and a half taller than her.


"Hi" Dean turned on his best smile, sending out his Alpha vibes as well as he could without showing her the beast. "I was hoping you could help me"

She smiled, fingers twirling through one of the blonde pigtails. "Hi, and I sure will if I can"

He grinned and leant over the counter of the small motel's reception. "Always a pleasure to meet someone so..accommodating" She giggled. He ignored his brothers eye roll. "I'm looking for a friend of mine, came to town about three weeks ago, Irish, he got beat up pretty bad. I'm here for payback"

"Oh" Big blue eyes gazed up at him, wet pink tongue running over her lips. and yeah a couple years ago he'd have had her on her back and screaming his name in a matter of hours. "Um, well, maybe"

"He staying here sweetheart?" Another smile.

She chewed on her lip then nodded. "Umhmm, but I'm not supposed…" She trailed off.

"I understand" He stroked a finger down her cheek, staring deep into her eyes. "You won't see no trouble I promise. He's a friend"

She shot a look behind her, the darkened doorway that led into the office seeming to worry her. "I know, I just..he gets real mad"

"Your boss?"

Another nod. "Umhmm"

"How mad?"

"I can't afford to lose this job"

Dean backed off, resisting the urge to grin as she subconsciously followed him, leaning forward over the counter. "How about you start booking us in, ten nights, and need something from back there?'

"Ten?"

"Money makes the world go round sweetheart"

She blinked at him, and it seemed she was smarter than she looked, or liked people to see. "My boss will forgive me for being desperate for booking someone for that long?'

"Exactly"

She sighed, fingering the brochures that sat on the counter. "S'ok. He's in 7. Save your money. Go see your friend"

Dean raised a brow. "And your boss?"

She shrugged. "If it's not this it'll be something else. But.." She looked up at him. "If he is your friend, you really know him…be careful"

"What?"

"We get all kinds in here" She smiled sadly. "But..your friend, he's nothing like I seen before"

Dean exchanged a look with Sam before turning back to her. "What do you mean sweetheart?"

"Just be careful" She rummaged below the counter and produced a key, offering it to Dean. "And get him out of here. He freaks me out, and he's scaring the other guests"

"Why? How?"

Another shrug. "Couldn't say"

"Try" There was a low rumble in the back of his tone and Dean saw her flinch. "Like that sweetheart? He scare you like that?"

She stared at him then nodded.

"Stay here"

Another nod. Dean stalked out of the reception.

"Dean, if they're vamp's.."

"They weren't when I left them Sammy, hell of a coincidence don't you think?"

"Be careful"

"If they are they're babies Sam, we can take them"

"And if they're something else?"

Dean stopped, three doors away from 7. "What?'

"We aren't the only things that growl Dean"

His jaw twitched. "Wolves" He whispered.

"And more" Sam raised a brow. "We have to be careful. It's just us, recon remember?"

"Since when have our recon missions ever been just that Sammy? And we can't leave a monster here whilst we formulate some fucking plan. They'll be killing, and not nicely either. They were human a few months ago Sam, baby vamps, baby wolves, whatever, they won't be a match for us"

"Didn't you say her brother was nuts?"

"Yeah"

"That could give him an edge"

"We're not exactly freaking sane Sam" Dean glared at him, something was making him even more antsy than he'd expected. "And when I get hold of him I'm not exactly looking to ask nicely for an apology and a bunch of roses"

"Yeah, yeah" Sam eyed the door a few feet away."And I am perfectly sane thank you"

"Bullshit"

"And didn't you promise Aoife a chance to speak with them?"

"Shut up"

"She'll be pissed Dean"

"She'll get over it"

"She's kinda scary"

Dean stared at his brother. "You're shitting me right?"

"She may not be out slaughtering the innocent big brother but you're not telling me her…experience hasn't followed her into this life"

"Maybe"

"So?"

He closed his eyes, trying to concentrate. Whatever it was that was sparking off his nerves was getting stronger. "Ok, we recon. But if they go for us you're my witness that I had no choice"

"Great, thanks"

Dean opened his eyes and grinned. "No problem"


As they neared the door of Room 7 Sam licked his lips, there was something in the air, and it was unsettling his brother too. He tilted his head subtly trying to get a better hold on it.

"You smell it too Sammy?" Dean's voice was a whisper. He was positioned beside the only window that looked into the room from the street.

He nodded.

"I don't like it" His brother scented the air. "Screw recon, I need to find out what the hell that is"

Sam nodded again, it was making him feel a little sick. "I'll check for back exits. Go slow Dean. Watch your back"

"You too little brother"

He slipped down the alley that separated Rooms 6 and 7, and 8 and 9. There was another small window that seemed to lead to the bathroom and, unusual for this kind of motel, a back door. He silently moved towards it, placing his back against the wall between the window and door. He brushed across Dean's mind. "There's another door. Ready when you are"

"Ok, on three" His brother's voice reverberated through his head. "One, two, three"

As the door easily gave way beneath the shove of his shoulders Sam raised his arm to his nose, trying to block out the suddenly overpowering smell. "Jesus" He hissed. The room had been trashed, rotten food was spread over nearly every surface, half abandoned burgers and pizza's, doughnuts, milkshakes..it looked like someone had started in on a binge then changed their mind. It smelt bad but it wasn't what had been bothering him outside.

"That fucking bastard" He shifted his gaze to Dean who was stood by one of the narrow beds. "I don't fucking believe it"

"Dean?" Sam stepped closer, could feel the earlier whisky beginning to rise and burn in his throat as the scent got heavier. His brother stepped aside to give him a full view of the bed. He swallowed. "Bloody hell Dean"

"Some fuckers killed him..I was supposed to do that"

"Stop sulking Dean, we need to figure out what the hell happened here. And which one of your mates family this is. If it's them at all"

"It is. I can smell them"

"You can smell rotting food and a hell of a lot of blood" Sam wrinkled his nose. "And he also seems to have emptied his bowels at some point"

"Don't blame him" Dean moved to the head of the bed. "Must have hurt like a mother" He lifted the matted hair. "It's her Dad. Shit"

Sam forced himself to peer closer, even as a vampire the sight before him made his skin crawl, the skin on the mans chest and stomach had been literally shredded and there were chucks taken from his sides. He examined the marks and whistled. "This was a wolf"

His brother straightened. "If her Dad had been turned he'd have been able to fight back" He fingered the bindings round the dead mans wrists. "And break these"

"So he was still human. Killed by a rogue wolf?"

"No" Dean ran hand through his hair. "He's been tortured Sammy, and if it wasn't her sadistic freak of a brother I'll burn the Impala"

"Her brother got turned, tortured and killed his Dad. Why?"

"Cause he's a sick fuck Sammy. And their Dad made their lives hell, albeit in different ways" Dean turned and looked over the rest of the room. "All the food, he must have been starving, not knowing how to satisfy it"

"Well, he obviously figured it out eventually"

"But why were they apart, what the hell happened to them? Its only been a couple of months"

Sam moved round the room trying to not step in anything squishy. He swung open the bathroom door and flicked on the light. There were bloody towels on the floor and the shower tray was stained red. "He tried to clean up" He crouched down, inhaling discreetly over the towels. "Gotta be a week ago"

"Crap" Dean kicked something. "He ain't coming back either, too smart for that"

"He's gonna be a menace Dean, we need to find him"

"Kinda what I'm trying to do little brother"

"For revenge Dean. This is now a hunt. He's nuts, he's not got a pack..he quite happily ripped his own Dad into tiny little pieces" Sam spun slowly in his crouched position coming to a stop facing the small cupboard underneath the sink. He slid it open. "Uh, Dean.."

"What?" His brother filled the bathroom doorway.

Sam pulled the bunched up material out, slips of paper scattered over the floor. "I've smelt this before"

Dean raised a brow then frowned. "So have I" He growled, Sam watched his brothers eyes flash. "Aoife.."

"This must have been hers"

His brother spun on his heels. "Move Sammy"

"Dean.."

"He's got her scent Sam!" The other vampire was nearly at the door now.

"Dean! Wait!" He ran after him, sliding on something he didn't want to think about as he tried to catch his brother who seemed to be rapidly descending into some kind of rage. "Dean..! Shit!" He was slammed up against the wall outside the room, his brother lifting him clean from the floor, teeth bared.

"No waiting" Dean snarled.

Sam resisted the urge to descend into a full blown fight out in the car park, he didn't want them to be connected with anything in that room. "We need to cover our arses with the reception girl Dean, and find out if my guess at a week is correct. She could also have some useful information, she knew something was wrong"

Fiery green burned into his own eyes, but there was still a flicker of recognition. Dean hadn't completely lost it yet. "You do it" The words were ground out.

"Yeah, I think that's best" Sam felt himself be slowly lowered. "You call the house. Reassure yourself"

"We leave in five"

"Of course" As his shirt was released from the death grip he turned and pulled the door shut behind him, he couldn't lock it due to the fact his brother had ripped it open but it should delay suspicion for a while, or until the smell started to bother people. "Go to the car Dean. I won't be long" He watched the other vampire stalk over to the Impala muttering to himself. If the bastard left Sam in this shit hole he was going to pay.


Dean gripped the steering wheel, phone on speaker by his side ringing, and ringing, and ringing. "Damn it" He growled. He started the engine then there was a click.

"Dean?"

"Jesus John, where the fuck have you been?!"

"Um..in the shower"

His knuckles turned white and he willed himself not to shout at his Childe. "Where's Aoife?"

"Downstairs with Cam"

"Get them both upstairs John. Lock everything"

"Dean, what's wrong?" There was a slight edge to the other vampires voice now.

"Her brother..we think he's on her trail..and he's not human anymore John"

There was a hiss. "Shit"

"Keep together. Don't let any fucker in. I'll be as quick as I can"

"You think he's here?"

"I think he's way too close for comfort"

"Can we take him?"

"You don't try"

"Dean..?"

"Probably, but only as a last resort. He's insane sweetheart, that counts for a lot in a fight"

"Yeah I know"

"Aoife.." And Dean could hear the desperation on his own voice. He eyed the reception door.

"He won't get her Sire, I promise. We're good at this, we'll do everything we can"

He nodded then rolled his eyes at himself. "Ok, ok. Just…get it done, now" He flipped shut the phone and stared at the place his brother had disappeared into five minutes ago. Suddenly the door swung open and Sam was running towards the car, Dean frowned, going to exit the car. Then his brother gestured to him to keep the engine going and suddenly he was there, back passenger door opening and Sam tumbling in with his baggage. "Uh, Sam?"

"Go Dean, shit" His brother leant over the bundle as the car gunned out if the car park.

"What the fuck have you done Sammy?"

"Nothing, well, not like you think"

He pressed down harder on the accelerator. "Sammy..?"

"When I got in there the boss was in the office. He found out she let us in Dean..he was beating the shit out of her"

"What is it with these crazy fuckers?"

"I think she's dying Dean, I think he caught her funny, on the head"

"Crap, crap. This is not what I need Sam"

"You wanted me to leave her there Dean?"

"I can't Sammy, I'm sorry…Aoife..I need to get home"

His brother met his gaze briefly in the rearview mirror. "I know. I'll fix this"

"No Sam"

"Isn't this what you do Dean? Hm, how many have you saved like this?"

"How many have you?"

They glared at each other for a moment before he focused back on the road, ignoring the desire to descend into panic. "Shit Sam, this is not good. What about the boss man?"

"Dead"

"Shit"

"He pissed me off"

"You can't kill people cause they piss you off Sam"

"He's killed this girl Dean, and he could identify us"

"This is seriously walking the line"

"And your little revenge trip isn't?"

He stared out along the dark road watching the white lines disappear under his wheels, he'd always driven fast but with his vampire reflexes he was confident to be pushing the 130 mark. "Things like this Sam, they can push us over the edge"

"You were prepared to take the risk Dean"

"She's my everything"

"I know"

His eyes flickered to the girl half laid out over his brothers lap, he could hear her heart slowing, her breathing shallowing. He gripped the wheel a little tighter and nodded. "Fix this Sam"

"Always"


Meanwhile in Colorado Springs..

Major Evan Lorne threw himself on the couch in his new apartment and cracked open a beer before pulling out the file he'd had to sign no less than five separate release forms to be able to remove from the base. His new posting excited him in a way his work hadn't done for a long time but the amount of paperwork there was to get through before being allowed within twenty feet of the gate was monumental. O'Neill had given the nod for him to take some home which Evan had a funny feeling had lowered the amount of security checks by about four release forms, and possibly an invasive personal pat down.

He snagged the top piece of paper, eyes skimming over it for anything that merited his attention, now he was up to the year 2005 he'd honed this skill to perfection, figuring out halfway through 1999 that if he read every mission report, medical report and scientific analysis word by word it would take him five years, four months and three days to get through them all.

He took a pull of beer and made a note on the pad sitting on the low table in front of him before placing it to the side and picking up the next page. He ran his eyes down it before setting it down on top of the other one. Reaching for the next paper Evan frowned and paused in his movements before going back to his previous page. Sitting back on the couch he settled in to read it again, this time word for word, something had caught his eye and he wasn't sure what.

Nearing the end of the page he frowned again, maybe he had been mistaken. But no, there it was, a name sat two lines from the end of the report. Lieutenant Colonel Cameron Mitchell. Evan placed his beer on the table and sat with the paper in his hand, elbows propped on his knees. He stared at it. That name, it was tied to another, one that had haunted him for the past three years and Mitchell had been absent from the annual get together last year.

He put the piece of paper next to his beer then turned back to the file, all thoughts of studying mission reports out the window as he searched for any other mentions of his old friend. But it turned out he got a lot of studying in too because Cameron Mitchell was in every single one.