As soon as he closed his door his phone began to ring. He picked it up and glanced to the passenger seat. "Put your seatbelt on." He answered the phone. "Sammy, what's the verdict?" He heard Kayla's belt buckle clip shut.

"This guy was not marked by Cupid, but his death is definitely suspicious."

"Yeah well we just went through the police blotter and counting him, that's eight suicides since Wednesday and nineteen OD's. It's way out of the seasonal average."

"There's definitely something going on but it's not just love. This is a lot bigger than we thought."

"Alright, I'll see you in ten." He hung up. "Another crazy suicide."

"Things sure are cheerful around here. He's going straight to the hotel?"

Dean smirked at the hint of disappointment in her voice. "Straight there, by the time we get there…there's not nearly enough time."

"Fine, fine."

He pulled onto the road and headed back to the room. She had been a little more than affectionate over the last few days. He hoped whatever was wrong with this town hadn't gotten to her. "You sure you're feeling okay?"

"I don't know, I guess I have been…off, lately."

"Not that I'm complaining, but I mean, how off? You need to see a doctor or something?"

She laughed, Dean had never suggested a doctor to any of them. "No, I don't think a sudden uprise in hormones constitutes a doctor's visit."

"Well, just let me know."

"I will." She shook her head; he sounded genuinely concerned about this.

He pulled up to the room and glanced around the parking lot, looking for anyone looking for them. They seemed to be clear for now. When he opened the hotel room door he did a quick sweep of the room before he'd even let Kayla go in.

"Come on."

"Is it safe?" She teased and followed him into the room. "You know you've been a little tense yourself."

"Yeah I know." He shrugged out of his jacket and tossed it on the bed before sitting down. "I guess I'm just being paranoid."

Kayla climbed onto the bed behind him and squeezed his shoulders. "You're not letting this whole, end of the world nonsense get to you are you?"

"No." He defended, and closed his eyes as she rubbed his shoulders. "Maybe."

"We'll be okay, I mean, to hell with…heaven, I guess."

He lowered his head as she kneaded into his neck and he sighed quietly. "That's what we're trying to avoid."

"Well you know what I mean." She kissed the side of his neck.

The tingle ran through his spine and he inhaled sharply with a laugh. "Why are you trying to start something, you know he's on his way. He says that, but then he always stops at the store, or gets body-snatched…" She kissed the other side.

"Yeah I hate it when that happens."

"Either way, he's always late." She tilted his head towards her.

He really did wish he had more willpower, most the time. He kissed her and reached back to pull her onto his lap.

She pushed his shoulders back onto the bed. "I don't know why you bother arguing."

"Me neither." His hands trailed up her thighs. "I definitely don't want to."

As she leaned down to kiss him the door rattled and she sat up. "Really? Today you're on time?"

Dean chuckled as she moved to get off the bed and he sat up.

Sam came in with a black briefcase. "I'm officially lost on what we're dealing with."

"What's with the suitcase?"

"I got it off a demon." He set it on the desk.

"A demon?"

"Yeah, he was coming out of the coroners office, I saw him there before. I followed him, cut him with the knife and he dropped the thing and ran."

"What the hell's a demon got to do with this anyway?"

He shook his head. "Believe me, I got no idea." His focus was on the case, but he looked troubled, maybe even a little pained.

"You okay?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I'll be alright."

"Let's crack her open. What's the worst that could happen, right?" He looked back at Kayla. "Back up."

She raised her hands and backed up behind the bed. "Open away."

They leaned down and popped the sides, the case opened and a blinding white light came from it. They shielded their eyes until it died down.

"What the hell was that?" Dean said.

"It was a human soul." They turned to see Cas standing by Kayla with a fast food bag in his arm. "It's starting to make sense." He took a large bite out of the burger in his hand.

"What about that makes sense?"

"And when did you start eating?"

"Exactly." He pointed the burger at them. "My hunger, it's a clue actually."

"For what?" They said in unison.

"This town is not suffering from some, love gone wrong effect. It's suffering from hunger, starvation, in fact. Specifically, Famine."

"Famine? As in, the horseman?"

Cas nodded as he chewed.

"Oh that's great. I thought famine meant, starvation." Sam questioned. "Like as in, food."

"Yes." Cas agreed. "Absolutely, but, not just food. I mean everyone seems to be starving for something: sex, attention, drugs, love…"

"Well that explains the puppy lovers that cupid shot up."

"Right, the cherub made them crave love, and then Famine came, and they became rabid for it."

"Damn." Dean shook his head and looked to Kayla. "And here I thought I was just getting better looking."

"You are." She shrugged. "It's a bonus."

He smirked. "What about you Cas? Since when do angels secretly hunger for White Castle?"

He looked at the mostly eaten burger longingly. "It's my vessel, Jimmy. His appetite for red meat has been touched by famine's effect." He took another bite.

Dean smiled as Kayla came up behind him; she understood it, but she couldn't control it. "So what famine rolls into town and everyone goes crazy?"

"And then will come famine, riding on a black steed. He will ride into the land of plenty and great will the horseman's hunger, for he is hunger. His hunger will seep out and poison the air." Cas quoted. "Famine is hungry, he must devour the souls of his victims."

Dean looked back at the case. "So that's what was in the briefcase, the Twinkie dude's soul?"

H nodded. "Lucifer has sent his demons to care for Famine, to feed him, make certain he'll be ready."

"Ready for what?" Sam asked nervously. He didn't really want to know.

"To march across the land."

"Great. Excuse me." He went into the bathroom, he felt like crap and he turned the sink on to rinse his face.

Dean was still a little in disbelief, Kayla sat next to Cas to try to control herself a little more. "Famine?"

"So what," Sam said from the bathroom. "This whole town is just gonna eat, drink, and screw itself to death?"

"We should stop it." Cas was barely audible with a mouthful of food.

"Hey, that's a great idea. How do we do that?"

"How'd you stop the last horseman?"

Dean went and retrieved the ring from his jacket pocket. "War got his mojo from this ring, and after we cut it off, he just tucked tail and ran. Everyone that was effected by it just snapped out of it, like they woke up out of a dream. You think Famine's got a class ring too?" He couldn't help but notice Kayla, who was fidgeting uncomfortably on the bed.

"I know he does."

"Great, let's track him down and chop that sucker off. Kayla you should stay here."

"But…"

"Wait, too many demons around. You're gonna have to come."

She laughed quietly. "Didn't even have to argue."

"Sam, let's roll."

He looked into the mirror; he was a mess. His withdrawal symptoms had him practically panting. "Dean, I can't. I can't go." He leaned in the doorway.

"What do you mean?"

"I think it got to me Dean, I think I'm hungry for it."

"Hungry for what?"

"You know."

"Demon blood?" He sounded disgusted. "You gotta be kidding me." He looked at Cas. "You gotta beam him outta here, anywhere but here."

"It won't work, he's already infected. The hunger is just going to travel with him."

"Then what are we supposed to do?" He couldn't leave Kayla with him, not if he was jonesing for demon blood. Shit.

"You go cut that bastard's finger off. But Dean, before you go, you better…lock me down. Good."

"I'll do it." Kayla offered.

"Yeah right. The condition you're in? You just wanna get to put Sam in cuffs."