Okay folks, here is the next chapter. The showdown begins. Enjoy.
Cindy.
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Lilith stopped abruptly when Sam's scream carried down the hall and met her alert ears. She chuckled as she trailed her fingers over the wooden banister, her eyes rising to the stained glass window just above the landing ahead of her. She listened for sounds of Sam's movements and stepped down one stair when she heard the tell tale signs of the young hunter rising from his bed. She waited patiently to see if he would leave the sanctuary of his no doubt protected room to venture into the hallway.
Lilith scoffed at the crude protections the hunters had erected in the hopes of keeping them safe. Mere salt lines and wards weren't enough to keep the likes of her out. They weren't enough to keep Alastair out either and the white eyed demon briefly wondered what had become of her subordinate. Lilith's thoughts turned back to Sam when she heard soft, shoeless footsteps in the hallway beyond her. She waited as the cautious footfalls neared the head of the stairway before stepping up and onto the landing. She smiled coldly as wide, surprised eyes met hers, the young hunter before her swallowing convulsively as they stared each other down.
Lilith crossed her arms over her chest as she cocked her head to one side. "Hello Sam," she said, her voice soft and sinister.
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Sam stepped out into the hall and gazed down it's length, his eyes pausing on the stained glass window above the landing. He sensed that Lilith was near so he pushed any thoughts of calling out for Dean aside, deciding that silence was best for now. His barefeet padded lightly down the hall and he became more nervous the closer he got to the landing at the top of the stairs.
Sam sensed the presence before he saw the movement and stopped just before a small, blonde woman stepped up onto the landing and smiled coldly in his direction. Sam swallowed nervously as he realized he recognized the woman. He could still feel her touch on his cheek, her lips on his. This was the woman from his nightmare. Sam's heart pounded in his chest as he came to the realization that Dean and Bobby could very well be dead. The pounding was so loud in his ears that he barely heard the woman's cruel voice as she greeted him.
"Hello Sam," the woman said as she took a step forward.
Sam held his ground, anger rising up in him at the sound of her. "Lilith, you were stupid to come here," he hissed as he too stepped forward.
Lilith was momentarily caught off guard by Sam's bravery. She expected him to cower before her. She expected whimpers of fear. She hadn't expected his strong voice and defiant attitude. She shook off her surprise and her sudden urge to take a step back.
"Where's Alastair?" she queried, feigning disinterest.
"He's around…somewhere," Sam answered casually.
"Sam, do you really think you should be jerking me around? I can crush you with a blink of my eye," Lilith snarled.
"As I remember, the last time you tried to kill me, you couldn't. Besides, even if you can, you won't. No fun in that now is there? You'll want to drag it out…make me suffer. I beat you at your little game and it pisses you off Lilith. You want to tear me to pieces, but you want Alastair too. You don't know where he is and you need me right now because I can take you to him," Sam replied, a slight grin creeping over his lips as he saw the demon's uncertainty.
"You must be suicidal Sammy. You have no powers anymore. You're a pathetic piece of human crap. Your powers were never strong enough to take out the likes of me or Alastair anyway. I can't figure out if you're really this brave or just plain stupid."
"Stupid…brave…really, what's the difference? I won't bow to you. I don't fear you. I pity you Lilith. And the name's Sam you bitch! Dean is the only one who can call me Sammy."
"You pity me? You're about to die and you pity me? You make me laugh Sam-my."
"At least I'll die my own man…without Azazel's vile blood flowing through my veins. You lost Lilith. Whether you kill me or not, I won. You can't change that," Sam said with a smile.
Lilith glared angrily at the young, defiant hunter. This was not how she had planned this meeting to go. A small trendil of fear began to creep through her as she stared at Sam's confident face. She shook the fear off, secure in her belief that he could not harm her. She smiled coldly as she stared him down.
"I could kill Dean. That would matter to you, wouldn't it? Dean and Bobby? Two more deaths to add to the list? How many have died because of you Sam? How many more will?" Lilith hissed.
"I can't change what's already happened, but I can control what happens now. You aren't hurting anyone else Lilith. You're done," Sam said, hope rising in him, knowing that at least for now, Dean was alive.
Lilith chuckled lightly, covering the deep seed of doubt that had implanted itself in her mind. She needed to find Alastair. She needed to kill the pathetic hunter before her. She hadn't decided Dean and Bobby's fate yet. Somehow the thought of leaving them to find Sam's beheaded body filled her with intense pleasure. She knew they would continue to be a pain in her ass, but it would be worth the grief and pain they would remain in for the rest of their lives. Sam would get off easy. The others would suffer until the day they died.
"Take me to Alastair. Take me now and I won't touch your precious brother and the old man. Defy me further and they die. I mean it Sam. They'll die slow, painful deaths."
Sam glared hatefully at the demon before he began to move. "Follow me," he said lightly.
Sam stepped past Lilith and started down the stairs, knowing she would follow. As he came to the bottom of the stairs his gaze fell upon Bobby's limp form and he had to restrain himself from running to his side. He felt Lilith nudge him roughly from behind and he turned his eyes away from his friend as he stepped onto the wooden floor. He turned toward the kitchen and that's when he saw Dean. Sam could not stop himself from crying out and running to drop next to his brother's side. He reached shaky fingers out to press them against Dean's neck, sighing with relief when he felt a strong pulse.
Sam hissed as he was hauled to his feet by his hair and he spun around, slapping Liliths hand away.
"They're fine Sammy boy. Now, let's go!" Lilith snarled.
"Fine. Just…don't touch me again," Sam snapped as he started to move once more toward the kitchen.
Lilith put her hands up in mock surrender. "A bit touchy there Sam," she said.
"Shut up…" Sam mumbled.
Lilith chuckled as she followed the tall hunter. He stepped into the kitchen and up to a closed door. He turned the deadbolt then pulled the door open. He turned and motioned for Lilith to go down the stairs and rolled his eyes when she refused.
"No Sam," Lilith said as she shook her head. "You first."
Sam reached up and grasped a string that hung from the ceiling. He pulled the string and a lone lightbulb came to life, barely illuminating the steep staircase that led to the basement. He started down the steps and listened as the light footfalls of the small woman who Lilith had possessed followed after him. Sam silently prayed that he would have the strength to succeed in his endeavor. He also prayed that he would live to see his brother and Bobby again.
Sam moved across the concrete floor, his eyes taking in the huddled form of Alastair. The once defiant and vile demon lay on the cold floor within the devils trap, his body trembling. Sam's eyes widened as the demon uncurled when Lilith's voice called out for him. The damage that had been done to him was atrocious and Sam couldn't help but think of the irony of the whole situation. Dean had most likely used many of the torture methods that he had learned from this very demon.
"Answer me Alastair! How could you be so stupid as to get yourself captured by humans!?" Lilith spat.
Sam swallowed nervously. If Alastair revealed his secret, all could be lost. He needn't have been worried. As Alastair opened his mouth it was quite apparent that he would not be telling any secrets. Sam was overcome with nausea when he saw the demon's ruined mouth. The flesh within was literally eaten away and what flesh remained was severely blistered. Sam could only imagine what his throat looked like.
Lilith turned on Sam, fury making her eyes blaze. "What the hell did you do!?"
Sam looked at Lilith and smiled. "Me? Nothing. That would be Dean's handiwork. He did learn from the best," he answered.
Lilith moved toward the hunter with sudden speed, her eyes flying wide open when Sam lifted his hand up and stopped her instantly.
"Wh-what…" Lilith started, her voice cut off by the movement of one long finger.
"As I told you before Lilith, you were stupid to come here. You and your little lackey are going to die today," Sam hissed as he stepped toward the silent, struggling demon.
Lilith narrowed her eyes, hate pouring from her as she realized what was happening. She fought against Sam's hold and with a loud shriek, found her voice.
"This isn't possible! How can you be doing this!"
"The powers were mine and only mine. And since the demon blood was taken from me, they are mine to control as I wish."
"You can't defeat me! Your powers are nothing compared to mine! You are a pathetic human!"
Sam merely smiled and flicked his wrist, sending the small woman flying backward into the devils trap. When she met the opposite boundary of the trap, she stopped abruptly as if hitting a brick wall and dropped to the floor. Sam stepped up to the trap and watched as Lilith climbed to her feet.
"You hurt my brother. You hurt my friend. You hurt me. Today…you pay," Sam said, his voice cold and controlled.
Lilith chuckled as she stepped up to the edge of the trap. "Do you really think you can kill me? Do you think this can hold me? You are so naïve Sammy. You are not strong enough."
"Maybe I'm not as strong as I could be, but I'm stronger than you think. I will defeat you Lilith. I may die doing it, but I will defeat you."
"Bring it on Sammy. Bring it on."
Sam smiled and with a cock of his head, the basement door slammed shut, the iron bar slamming down to seal it shut from any who tried to open it from the outside.
"You got it bitch 'cause it's definitely on…"
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Dean came around slowly, a soft patting on his cheek bringing him out of the darkness and back into the light. He pried open his heavy eyes and stared up at the worn face of his friend and comrade.
"That's it Dean…open your eyes," Bobby coaxed as he continued to tap Dean's cheek.
"Okay…okay…I'm awake old man," Dean grumbled as he pushed up onto his elbows.
"Let me help you up," Bobby said, grasping Dean's arms and pulling him slowly up.
Once Dean was on his feet and not swaying, Bobby let him go and took a step back. Dean glanced up at the older man, his eyes hopeful.
"Sammy?" he asked softly.
Bobby shook his head and lowered his eyes. "He's not in his room Dean. I don't know where he is."
"Shit!" Dean cried. "That bitch better not have hurt him!"
Both men were startled as the house around them suddenly began to shake at the same time an agonized scream tore up from the depths of the basement. The shaking stopped, but a steady rumble continued from beneath them. Dean took off toward the basement door, Bobby hot on his heels. Dean grabbed the doorknob and pulled frantically, but the door would not open. Bobby joined him, but they could not budge the door.
"Damn! The iron bar must be in place…" Bobby started.
"Iron bar?"
"To keep the creepies out…or in this case…in…"
"So…Sammy's down there with Lilith and Alastair? Son of a bitch!"
Another gutwrenching scream sounded from the basement as the house shook again and Dean started to frantically pull on the door in complete and utter panic, his brother's name screaming from his lips.
"SAMMY!!"
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Well crap! Another evil cliffy! Can you freakin' believe it? Please review.
Cindy.