Time, Tattoos and Trouble.

Third in the Decebal Trilogy

Disclaimer: Not mine never was and never will be...sigh just my own fevered imagination and the odd original character.

Author's Note: I have loosely based this small town on Sleepy Eye Minnesota, now I have never been there, or for that matter, I have never left Australia. So after researching the town etc, I have created one of my own based on it. If there is a Sleepyville in Minnesota or anywhere else that sounds remotely like what I describe then I humbly apologise.

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Chapter 5 The cost of life in the lap of luxury

A soft moaning from the bed brought Decebal out of his private musings; he glided across the room and sat on the edge of the king size bed. Sighing with delight Decebal relished the feel of the heavy brocade bedspread beneath him, it was all so rich and luxurious, and it was divine. 'Beats the demon realm that's for sure.' He muttered focusing his attention on the young man stirring in the bed. 'Time to wake up Sammy.'

'Where ... what happened?' Sam asked groggily shaking his head and immediately regretted it.

'You are safe Sam and I promise nothing like that will happen to you again.' Decebal said taking Sam's hand in his own he gently caressed it, rubbing circles on his palm with the pad of the thumb. 'I beg your forgiveness if I had know what Ruby intended...'

'Why apologise you knew exactly what she was going to do to me.' Sam snapped out yanking his hand away from the demon. 'Where am I now?'

'In my suite.' Decebal said trying to hide the disappointment he felt at Sam's reaction.

'Your suite? I'm in your bed?' Sam cried out horrified, 'no, no I am not going to be your bed-mate.'

'Calm down Samuel, you will make yourself ill.'

'Take your fucking hands off me.' Sam cried out, trapped in his memories and fears Sam pushed away from Decebal and toppled off the bed.

'Sam please calm down.' Decebal appeared next to Sam and tried to take him arm again, 'let me help you back to bed.'

'Get your hands off me.' Sam ground out, 'or I swear you will regret it.'

'Don't make me punish you Samuel, I brought you here for you to recuperate that is all.'

'No, I don't believe you Decebal; you have never done anything for anyone unless it suits your purposes.'

'I can make this easy or hard for you Sam it is your choice.' Decebal snapped.

'Go fuck Ruby; the two of you deserve each other.' Sam snapped pushing himself upright he leant back against the wall until the room stopped spinning around him.

'Sam please just get back in bed,' Decebal spoke to him as though he was a petulant child needing a scolding.

Sam remained silent and stubborn, his legs wobbled and burnt with the effort but he refused to give in, deciding he could last as long as Decebal wanted to draw the stalemate out.

'Behave yourself Sam and I will help your brother.' Decebal said deciding on a different tact where Sam was concerned.

'What are you talking about?'

'I was the one who charmed the tattoo; I am the one who can stop it.'

'How do I know that you are telling the truth and anyway what do you gain out of this?'

'I gain your co-operation it is as simple as that.' Decebal said with an elegant 'Gallic' shrug, 'but first you have to agree to a few things.'

'Things? I thought all you wanted was for me to behave.'

'That is the most important condition, Sam please will you go back to bed before you fall down.'

'No.'

'That is not behaving yourself.' Decebal snapped waving his hand Sam found himself lying flat on his back, spreadeagled on the bed with his hands and feet tied to the bed with leather thongs.

'Gee now this seems familiar.' Sam quipped angrily, 'nice way to get me to behave.'

'I will untie you when you are in a better mood.' Decebal sighed, 'I am trying so hard not to punish you Sam but you make it so hard.'

'This is punishment believe me ... tied to your bed is definite punishment.' Sam shot back unable to stop himself, he ached, he was tired, hungry and thirsty and his head felt as though it was about to explode.

Snarling with fury decibel produced a cat-o-nine-tails and brought it viciously down on Sam's bare stomach. A startled gasp came from Sam as Decebal struck him again, the long strips of leather cutting across his skin without splitting it. Startled he stared up at the demon, his eyes wide with fright and pain. ignoring Sam's reaction, Decebal let fly with the whip again this time he hit him with such a force that he split the taut skin across Sam's lower ribs.

A scream of pure agony filled the bedroom, startling the demon breathing heavily he stared down at Sam with a look of disgust on his face. Dropping the weapon, he disappeared leaving Sam alone and bleeding.

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Shivering Dean finally stepped out of the cold shower and wrapped the thick towels around his waist and shoulders. Twisting himself around he could see the tattoo spreading across his back. With a deep sigh, he limped into the bedroom to get dressed, he had to forget about it for now and concentrate on finding Sammy.

'Bobby?'

'Downstairs Dean.' the older man called from his living room, using the minute or so to calm himself down, thinking that he had done the right thing in calling John, Bobby soon found it that it was a futile attempt. In the middle of a hunt, John sounded distracted and uninterested; claiming that he knows the boys will 'handle Decebal.'

'How you feeling Son?'

'Better thanks, at least it is down to below a roaring furnace of heat, what's wrong Bobby?'

'I ah, I rang your father.'

'And?'

'He wants to come and help but...'

'But he's in the middle of a hunt and can't come.' Dean finished for him a world-weary look in his eyes as he stared at Bobby, 'nothing new there Bobby.'

'So, we gonna go and get Sammy back or what?'

'Get Sammy back.' Dean grinned, 'and then deal with this freaking tat.'

'You know a lot of people would pay a fortune to have one like that.' Bobby quipped.

'Yeah well they're welcome to it.' Dean gave Bobby a cheeky grin and wink, 'so you up for a little visit to the bar?'

'Yeah okay.' Bobby answered giving Dean a confused glance, not sure exactly what the younger man had in mind, he decided to go prepared with everything, including two full bottles of holy water.

Dean squinted and waited for his sight to adjust to the darker surroundings, the tattoo started to itch again, pulling at him like it wanted to go further into the building.

'Bobby I'm not losing it but the tattoo...'

'What about it Dean?'

'It's pulling me inside, not just in the bar but...'

'Hmm it could be a trap Dean.'

'Yeah I know but what choice have we got?'

'True so lead on tattoo-boy.' Bobby quipped before moving further into the building not waiting for Dean's reply, cursing at his friend under his breath Dean pushed past and headed straight for a curtained off area to the rear of the bar. He could feel eyes watching his every move and it made his skin crawl.

'Hey Deci I'm back!' he shouted as they walked through the curtains and stood in a hallway lined with cherry red wood panels. 'Honey I'm home!'

'Oh my Darling Dean how I have missed you.' Decebal appeared, clapping his hands excitedly, 'I was only just talking about you, and who is this ruggedly handsome man with you?'

'Cut the crap Deci where's Sam?' Dean snapped.

'I'm Decebal,' the demon held his hand out at Bobby, dropping it as the hunter ignored the gesture. 'Strong and silent type huh?'

'Bobby is a friend.' Dean snapped, 'where's Sam?'

'Resting comfortably,' Decebal said, 'he is feeling a little under the weather.'

'What have you done to my brother?' Dean ground out, wanting to wrap his hands around the demon's neck.

'Nothing yet, although depending on how you behave I might be tempted to soon.'

'Cut the dramatics Decebal and just take me to my brother.'

'Still so demanding I see Dean oh and tell me where is that sexy father of yours?'

'Somewhere where you can't touch him.'

'Really Dean someone should teach you some manners.' Decebal sighed, 'children are just so disrespectful.' He sighed, 'tell me Dean how is the tattoo? Do you like your little gift?'

Dean opened his mouth to speak when he started coughing; a vice like tightening around his chest squeezed his breath from him. 'What the...?'

'Oh what is wrong Dean having trouble breathing?'

'What have you done to him?' Bobby snarled as he helped Dean to sit down, not leaving his young charge's side he stared up at the demon, 'what are you doing?'

'Nothing.' Decebal smiled innocently, suddenly the tightening stopped and Dean was once again able to breath properly.

'Dean?' Bobby asked staring hard at Dean.

'M'okay, damn that hurt.' Dean muttered, 'fucking bastard, he's made the tattoo grow again.' Carefully Bobby lifted Dean's shirt to inspect the demonic body art.

'The dragon has completely encircled you, which was probably what was squeezing you.'

'Well done Bobby, go to the head of the class.' Decebal giggled, 'now I am being a bad host aren't I!'

'Where's Sam?' Dean asked between each shuddering breath.

'You are like a dog with a bone aren't you,' Decebal sighed, 'fine look at the screen.' He waved his hand and a television appeared, the screen flickered and then an image of a bedroom appeared. Lying spreadeagled on the bed was Sam, sleeping soundly, almost too soundly for Dean's liking, especially when he saw the red stripes and cuts lacing Sam's chest and stomach. 'What did you do to him?'

'Oh that ... just a little play that got out of hand.' Decebal said mentally cursing himself for forgetting to cover Sam up before he left.

'Take me to him.'

'All in good time, my boy, all in good time first we have a lot of catching up to do,' Decebal grinned mirthlessly, 'if I remember rightly you and Sam did some damage to my home last time you visited, and to myself also.'

'Obviously not enough damage, you're still here.'

'Dean, Dean, Dean what am I going to do with you?' Decebal sighed mockingly, 'perhaps I should entertain your friend while you cool off.' Decebal said a glint of mischief in his black eyes made both men shudder.

Dean gasped as the dragon tightened around Dean again, this time the images of the woman and demon moved out of position, each movement sending sharp slivers of pain slicing through Dean's muscles. Unable to catch his breath Dean stared helplessly at Bobby as blackness swirled in front of him, his hands flailing frantically at his throat and chest he slipped to the floor writhing in agony the fire started to burn inside raging through him in seconds.

'Stop it, you're killing him.' Bobby cried out.

'Hmm well we can't have him dropping dead just yet can we.' Decebal said pretending to think things through. Immediately the pressure lifted from Dean's chest, but not all of the way this time. He kept it up just enough to control the volatile young human.

'So Bobby is it?' Decebal cooed as he glided over to the hunter, 'you are gorgeous.'

'Get your perverted hands off me.' Bobby snarled flicking the stopper off his holy water; he splashed it over Decebal. The demon screamed in agony, his essence escaping from the body he possessed, it howled around the room until it disappeared.

'Dean? Come on Dude we haven't got much time.'

'Bobby?'

'I got him with some holy water, come on we have to get to Sammy before he gets himself a new meat-suit.'

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Sam watched the screen fixed on the wall by the bed, he could see Dean and Bobby arguing with Decebal. The demon had done this deliberately so that when Sam woke he would witness his brother's demise.

'Dean?' He whispered watching his brother collapse, fighting for every breath and clutching at his chest.

Then he saw Decebal moving towards Bobby, Sam's eyes widening when he saw Decebal advance on the hunter but then Bobby pulled out the holy water and Sam watched as it scorched the demon.

Stifling a laugh Sam kept watching long enough to see the body collapse and the black essence of the demon escape; at least they slowed him down a little. Now it was time for Sam to join the fray, but first he had to get out of Decebal's bed.

Desperately Sam tried to loosen the leather thongs but the more he struggled the tighter they became until they cut into his skin and blood ran down making them even stronger and tighter.

'More you fight the worse they are.' A new voice startled Sam, turning his head he saw a large man hovering near the bed end.

'Decebal?' Sam whispered his eyes widening in shock, 'new look?'

'Don't get fresh with me Samuel Winchester you know damn well what happened.' Decebal snarled angrily he brought his fist down in a jaw breaking punch snapping Sam's head back against the pillows. Blood spurting from his cut lip. 'What was in that bottle?'

'Holy water.' Sam spat out along with a globule of blood and mucous.

'And you think that it is funny?' Decebal swung again this time catching Sam's nose snapping the cartilage.

'Yeah well there was a comic element to it.' Sam shot back his voice now sounding nasal as air whistled through his fractured nose.

'Perhaps I should have let Ruby use the nails on you.' Decebal hissed, angry at a complete stranger besting him and at the smugness of the Winchester brothers. Sam sniffed and glared up at the new face of Decebal.

'Man you did pick a fugly ugly one this time.'

Decebal roared with fury and with a vicious swipe of his hands Sam found himself half-seated on the bed, invisible hands held him down and nails impaled themselves into his palms nailing him to the bedhead. Sam screamed in pain until he was hoarse, the pain too much for him to handle his mind shut down his body and his thoughts. His eyes glazed over and his head slumped forward, unconsciousness gaining the upper hand.

Decebal stood heaving breathes into his new body feeding off the strength of this one, his anger abated he stared down in horror at what he had done.

'Sammy!' the demon could hear Dean's frantic calls, he would be here any moment, he stared down again at the unconscious boy lying so deliciously in the bed, a cold smile formed on his face as he bent down tangled his fingers in the dark brown locks and tugged his head back, then kissed Sam on the lips. 'I will be back my darling pet.' He whispered into Sam's mouth, kissing him again he let go of the silky strands and watched the head slump forward before disappearing just as the doors crashed open and Dean and Bobby raced to the bed. Horrified Dean seemed transfixed at the sight before him. Nails protruded from Sam's palms, blood dripped down his hands and arms soaking the white pillow cases crimson red. Blood trickled from Sam's obviously broken nose and split lips, and his chest and stomach were a mess of red stripes and cuts.

'Damn it Bobby,' Dean whispered, 'is he?'

'He's alive Dean, we have to get those nails out.' Bobby said swallowing the rising vomit, 'before he comes too.'

'I am gonna fucking kill him over and over again Bobby!' Dean vowed as he tried to pull the nails out with his hands. Slick with blood and not completely embedded in the hollow bedhead the nails came out easily. The suctioning sound as they pulled them from Sam's hands made both hardened hunters cringe and swallow.

Wrapping strips of the sheets around Sam's hands Dean cradled his brother to him as they carefully carried him out to the car, ignoring the half-interested looks on the patrons of the bar.

TBC