Chapter Twelve

Sam wasn't exactly sure what he expected a werewolf prince to look like but it certainly wasn't this. The guy in front of him looked more like a friendly grocer, dressed in black slacks and a green, button-up shirt, and still wearing that same, small grin.

But the smile didn't quite reach his eyes and that put Sam on edge, even more so than he already was.

Gabriel walked into the cell and Dean backed away as the prince came to a stop in front of Sam and reached for the vampire's face with both hands.

Too weak to resist, Sam allowed the man to turn his head to either side before tilting it up so that their eyes met.

"You're not the first vampire I have ever seen but you are the first I've ever gotten this close to." Gabriel murmured thoughtfully. "You don't seem half as scary as the last one I met but that was over ten years ago now. I was only a child at the time and things always seem scarier when you're young, don't they?"

Sam didn't answer, pretty sure that the question was rhetorical, and instead posed a question of his own.

"What do you want with me?"

Gabriel let go of him and Sam was barely able to keep his head up on his own anymore.

"Me?" The prince gave an incredulous laugh. It was a cold sound, devoid of any humour and Sam could see the amicable mask that Gabriel wore begin to slip. "I don't want anything to do with you. In fact, I'd be quite happy to let you rot down here. Or have you executed as you were supposed to have been. But my baby brother…he's not as forgiving as I am."

Bobby stepped in and began to undo Sam's bonds as Gabriel explained.

"Twelve years ago, your kind attacked one of our carriages, killed those within it and stole their possessions. My parents were among those that were slaughtered."

"That had nothing to do with me," Sam growled as he was hoisted to his feet and held in a firm grasp. Was he seriously being blamed for something that happened when he was only six years old?

"But you made a mistake." Gabriel continued, as though there had been no interruption. "In your haste to retreat, you didn't check the cargo hold thoroughly enough and you left witnesses. Two Young boys who hid but saw everything. Boys who swore vengeance. They shall taste at least a little of that today."

"But it wasn't me," Sam protested.

"It doesn't matter!" Gabriel raged, all friendly pretences now done with. "You are a vampire. You may not be guilty of this particular crime but you are nevertheless guilty. You feed on human life and take the lives of innocents whenever it suits you. You are a monster. And you cannot be allowed to live."

For a brief moment, Sam wondered how fair it was exactly for a werewolf to be freely tossing about the word 'monster' but then he was being pushed out of the cell on wobbly legs and it took all of his concentration just to put one foot in front of the other.

His heart raced painfully in his chest as he was marched up the stairs and through a maze of corridors that seemed to blur and sway around him. At some point, Garth led Gabriel through a different set of doors, leaving Sam alone with Bobby and Dean.

As they walked, part of Sam began to wish Gordon had just killed him when he had the chance. That way it would all be over and he wouldn't have to worry about what werewolves did to their most hated enemies.

Dean objected throughout the entire journey. Much of what he said in the beginning was drowned out by the rushing sound in Sam's ears but it was clear he was unhappy. When the sound finally receded, Dean was still arguing.

"This doesn't have to happen right now. Maybe if I could just talk to Prince Castiel - "

"Dean, just stop." Bobby huffed. "This is happening whether you like it or not. I know you have a soft spot for this vamp but - "

"This isn't about that. Even if I hated guts, this isn't right. If this was an execution then fine, I'd get it. I wouldn't like it but I'd understand. But this? This is sick. We're just gonna hand him over and let a werewolf tear into him when he doesn't even have the strength to defend himself?"

"I'm not a huge fan of the idea myself, son, but we need this alliance."

"There was a time, we used to hunt Weres too, remember? What's changed?"

They came to an abrupt stop behind a plain, white door. "This is it." Bobby said, finality lacing his every word.

"Bobby, please."

"No, Dean."

Dean finally fell silent and came to hold Sam's Arm as Bobby unlocked to door. He leaned in close until warm breath ghosted across Sam' ear. "I'm sorry, Sam, I wish we didn't have to do this."

With a click, the door opened and Sam was pushed through quickly before the door was slid shut again.

He found himself in a small room, even smaller than his cell with grey carpeting and walls so white, it hurt to look at them. There was another door directly opposite the one he had just come through, with a small, square window near the top.

He wasn't alone in the room.

Luther stood in the opposite corner, leaning against the wall and looking about as bad as Sam felt.

He too had been rid of his shirt at some point, making it blatantly obvious that he had lost a dangerous amount of weight; his frame almost skeletal and face gaunt, with translucent skin stretching over bone in a way that looked painful. His chest was a mess of cuts and bruises that were struggling to heal and his nose was so swollen, it had to be broken.

He appraised Sam with a hollow gaze. "Well aren't you a sight for sore eyes."

"You don't look too hot yourself," Sam quipped.

Luther snorted. "You didn't talk?"

"No."

"Good man."

Sam leant against a wall of his own. "Do you know what they plan to do with us?"

"I can hazard a guess." Luther replied tiredly.

"They're giving us to a werewolf."

"Oh," Luther said, eyes widening a fraction. "I didn't actually see that one coming. What did we do to warrant that kind of special treatment?"

"Nothing." Sam shrugged. Trying to appear nonchalant about the whole situation but feeling more scared than he could remember ever being. "But vampires killed his parents and now he wants revenge."

"Makes sense, I suppose. Explains the other room in any case."

"The other room?"

Luther jerked his head towards the door with the window. "Take a look for yourself."

Sam slowly unpeeled himself from the wall, made his way to the door and peered through the window. The next room was much bigger but just as bright, with its white tiled flooring and white walls. There was a large window across the length of one of the walls but from this position, Sam couldn't see what was behind it.

"I still don't get it." Sam said.

Luther sighed. "It's an execution chamber, Sammy. Back in the day, that's where they used to kill the prisoners that were in for murder and the like. That big window you see? People would sit behind it and watch."

Sam's stomach churned at the thought. Humans pretended to be so high and mighty but they were just as twisted as the rest of the world.

"You think they're gonna watch us? When we fight the wolf?"

"I'm certain of it." Luther replied, dragging himself towards Sam to clamp a bony hand on his shoulder.

It was a little surprising, Luther trying to give some form of comfort but they were about to die. They both knew it. And that kind of knowledge can do things to a person.

"Sam, before this ends, I have a confession to make."

"Shoot," Sam said, past caring by this point.

"I know what you are."

Sam choked on his next breath. Not quite as past caring as he thought. "What?"

"I know you're a half blood." Luther said.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Luther gave a small smile. "Why bother denying it now? It's not as if it really matters anymore."

He was right, of course, but being found out had been one of Sam's biggest fears all his life. It was hard to let that kind of thing go.

"Commander Orlov knew as well. Actually, he was the one that told me. He'd been suspicious of you for a while but after we fought the hunters outside the wall, he knew for sure. When you came back, you just stank of human."

"Because I'd just been fighting humans and they bled all over me." Sam said, forcing himself to stay calm.

"It's not just the scent. It's everything. Your lack of appetite, the way you heal slower than you should, the way you would look at humans…like you felt sorry for them."

"You're wrong,"

Luther tightened his grasp, nails digging painfully into Sam's skin. "No, I'm right. And Commander Orlov was right. He knew he was. And that's why he ordered me to kill you."

Sam's stomach dropped at the words. This couldn't be true. It just couldn't.

Luther chuckled lightly. "You think I threw the grenade at you just for the fun of it? We may have been rivals in school, Sammy, but I never wanted you dead. Not really. But then I find out you're a half-blood. A freak. An abomination. We couldn't just let you go, once we knew. You had to die and I was given the perfect opportunity to make sure that happened."

Hurt stabbed through Sam's heart with each word but he refused to let it show. He just glared at the vampire with every ounce of anger he could muster.

"Of course, I failed. You somehow made it through the explosion and okay, I was miffed at first, but right now, I'm thinking maybe there's a reason you made it through and maybe there's an up-side to you being half human."

Luther pulled Sam in closer till they were practically nose to nose. For a skeleton, he sure was strong. "The way I see it. If we go up against a werewolf in this state, we die. No question about it but maybe…maybe if one of us had a little more strength, that one person kills the werewolf instead. And sure that person is still trapped here and will most likely still be killed but I'm willing to bet that that death will be cleaner than getting mauled on by a rabid dog."

Sam watched as Luther's eyes slowly shut and then snapped back open. The hollow look was gone completely, replaced by something Sam could only describe as hunger.

"I don't want to get mauled by a rabid dog, Sammy."

Before Sam could even struggle, Luther closed what little distance remained between them and bit into his neck, sharp fangs slicing through his skin with ease.

Sam gasped in pain as he felt the drag of his blood as it was drawn from him, and tried to push Luther away but the vampire was a solid wall of flesh and bone and could not be moved no matter how hard Sam tried.

"Stop," he growled, hitting at every inch of Luther he could reach, since pushing didn't seem to work. "Get off me."

Seemingly unaffected by the blows, Luther just drove Sam into a wall, keeping his mouth firmly latched to his throat.

Instinct kicked in and Sam was no longer in full control of his body. It moved by itself, his hands ripping at Luther's hair, fingernails scratching, feet kicking but nothing worked. Sam only grew weaker as Luther grew stronger.

A wave of exhaustion washed over Sam as the lapping became more frenzied and he slumped back against the wall, waiting for the end.

Eventually, Luther stopped and slowly retracted his fangs. "You taste amazing, Sammy," he murmured into his neck.

Sam shuddered in disgust and pushed again at Luther.

This time, the vampire stepped back willingly and already he was looking healthier. The skin on his chest knitting itself back together, bruises fading and colour returning to his cheeks.

He laughed, obviously pleased with himself. "I feel like I could take on a whole army right now."

"It won't make any difference," Sam muttered. "That wolf is still going to kill you."

"He can try." Luther smirked.

A howl suddenly ripped through the air, causing every hair on Sam's body to stand on end and the door to the chamber slid open.