Au Contraire

-4-

Author's Note: This has truly been the never-ending chapter. Its been written and re-written a million times, and I was positive I'd never actually be able to accomplish finishing the damn thing, especially once I lost the first draft. But its finally done, and finished, and I hope you enjoy it. I'd also like to dedicate it to Fi, because some chats with her brilliance finally inspired me to just finish this thing. So thanks fi!! I never would have finished this thing without an awesome writer such as yourself to vent to.

Three Months Later

"C'mon dude, this sucks. Job, friggin' middle of nowhere..." Dean couldn't believe it, all the demon shit going down in the world and they had to take a hunt in some backwoods town in the Midwest. Why the hell didn't these things ever happen in the city?

"The job's at a strip club." Sam said, if anything could motivate his brother to get to the job, was the job being a strip club.

Dean turned to look at his brother. He had to be dreaming. Never in a million years would the words 'strip club' and 'job' come out of goody two shoes Sammy's mouth unless it was chastise him for being in one while he was supposed to be working a job. That thought...it was just too good to be true.

"The job is at a strip club." Sam repeated slowly, amused by the look on his brother's face--like Christmas had come early, and Santa was a Hooters girl.

"Strip club?" Dean repeated his brother's words. "Sammy, so help me this better not be a cruel joke."

"Dean. People are disappearing from this place like crazy. So yeah, our next job is at a strip club."

"Yeah!" Dean whooped enthusiastically and Sam grinned, Dean was like a child on Christmas day. He hadn't seen his brother so happy since that boxing match they took in last year in New York where the ring girl lost her top.

Dean turned up the radio, and Sam groaned as his ears were accosted with Motorhead at a volume he wasn't sure it was healthy to listen to music at.

He couldn't help but to think that he just might regret taking this job. Especially when he was going to have to do all the research while Dean charmed every girl in the place.

It was going to be a long job. At least it would if Dean had anything to do with it.

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"I'm gonna go...research." Dean told his brother, not taking his glance away from the stage.

""I'm sure." Sam sighed, yep, he was going to regret taking this job. "I'll go talk to the bartender."

Sam couldn't blame his brother, and it wasn't like he was going to give him shit for wanting to have some fun. Dean had three months left...he deserved it.

Sam waited until the area by the bar emptied out fairly well and then he zeroed in on her. If anyone would know what was going on in a strip club, it was the bartender.

"Hey," she smiled brightly, "What can I get for you?"

"Actually, I was hoping to talk to you." Sam said.

"Strippers are that way." She pointed, "I just serve the drinks."

"Oh, no." Sam blushed, horrified. Damn, he hated these places. He pulled out his FBI identification. "Special Agent Sam Johnson. I was hoping to ask you some questions about the disappearances around here."

"Time for you to disappear dude." Dean told his brother.

Not a problem, Sam thought quietly, "Keys?" He asked his brother.

Dean looked down at the keys, to his brother, and back. He handed them over begrudgingly. "Take care of her." He warned.

"Relax Dean...She'll be back in one piece." Sam grinned.

"Where the hell are you going?" Dean asked, ever since they left the hospital Sam had been acting weird.

"Library." Sam lied, "Gonna do some research." He kind of was, he reasoned, it wasn't a total lie. Just not researching demons...but Bela. He was determined to figure out this thing between them before she reverted back to going out of her way to make their lives difficult.

"Dude, you are so boring. Do you realize how many pretty girls are just waiting...I mean, c'mon, this is a college town. You could be banging a sorority girl."

"I'l pass." Sam left, if only Dean knew what he was doing instead, he might prefer that he was at the library.

The bartender blushed, equally embarrassed at her faux pas, "I'm so sorry I just..."

"Not a problem." Sam said, "Now, you wouldn't mind my asking you a few questions?"

"No. Of course not." She replied, handing him a beer. "On the house." She told him.

Sam took it with a smile, "Thanks."

"Its good to see that the FBI is stepping back in. The disappearances have a lot of us really creeped out. Over the last year, our patronage has just dropped like crazy...men just disappearing and some of the girls are with them."

"Some of the girls who work here?" Sam questioned.

"Well, yeah, to tell you the truth, I think the owner tries to cover up the missing girls. Otherwise, they get scared and don't want to work here. But whoever it is, they're definitely targeting the men. Everyone thinks that maybe some guys wife cracked or something. This one guy, he was a regular, really nice guy...he was one of the ones whose bodies were found. It was horrible...he was mutilated."

"Mutilated?" Sam questioned, that hadn't come up in police reports either. "Mutilated how?"

"Well, sexually." She replied, "It was cut right off."

"Right..." Sam said, "Thank you..."

"Sarah Michelle." She supplied.

"Thank you, Sarah Michelle."

"Not at all, I just want it to stop happening."

Even though he knew that this was going to have to stop happening like this, Sam couldn't help himself. Dean was going to kill him if he ever found out but...there was no way he could leave without seeing her one last time. And it wasn't just about the sex...the amazing sex...she was drawing him in and it was stupid of him he knew, but he was falling for her.

"Sam." Bela stepped into the main room of her suite, a short and seductive red dress that left just enough to the imagination to drive him nuts and that told Sam she knew damn well that he was going to be coming. "So...decided to make yourself scarce?" Bela smiled, god, he looked good, he looked really good. It had to be something in their genes because even in plaid and jeans she couldn't help the urge to want to just jump him.

"Yeah." Sam smiled shyly, but damn it, she just brought it out in him. "You know, you're door isn't locked. Anyone could just walk in."

"Mmmm...but I wasn't waiting for anyone. I was waiting for you." Bela said, "Looks like it all worked out."

Sam was speechless, "I...yeah." He finished lamely.

"You know," Bela started, walking over to Sam and stopping in front of him, "I'm sorry, would you mind..." she gestured to the zipper on her dress.

Sam unzipped it for her, a little surprised, but hey, nothing should surprise him with Bela anymore.

"Right. Well, I think we should just skip over all this awkwardness." Bela said, letting the dress fall to the ground and stepping out of it gracefully. She turned around and unbuttoned Sam's top as she spoke. "The way I figure it, we have a few hours...lets make the most of them." She tossed Sam's shirt to the floor and pulled him into her bedroom. "Any objections?"

Sam stared at her, the one thought going through his mind that she'd changed into a different bra and panties since he'd seen her at the hospital

"Sam?"

Sam nodded his head, "Okay." God, this was wrong. And yet so right...he'd talk to her after, he was sure she'd be quite compliant once…

"Sam?" She repeated, giving him an odd look when he didn't move.

"C-coming." Sam managed, god forget talking he couldn't even get his brain to work around Bela.

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Naturally, Dean had somehow gotten lost in everything and so Sam was a bit lost wandering about aimlessly trying to find his brother was being the pain in the ass he was, wasn't answering his phone.

Sam grabbed his phone and dialed his brother once more. "Damn it Dean." He muttered, "Answer your phone."

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"Aren't these girls just fantastic?" Dean said, his hazel eyes sparkling with complete happiness.

Sam rolled his eyes. This so had nothing to do with the case. Using a considerable amount of Dean Winchester charmwith the female security guard--because most guys would never go for his brothers shtick--and mumbling to Sam something about important research for the integrity of the job, they were now in the VIP room, and Dean was doing what he did best in such a place--making friends.

Currently his 'friend' was dancing in front of him and if this went on much longer, Sam was worried his brother might start to go blind, as Dean's eyes didn't seem to be blinking at the pace that a normal person's eyes should; he was pretty positive that wasn't healthy. His brother was enjoying this way to much.

Suddenly, she stopped dancing in front of Dean, taking a step back. Dean frowned, why had she stopped? She shouldn't of stopped. He was having fun. He didn't want her to stop.

"Hi there cutie," Dean's friend said to Sam. "Why don't you just look as lonely as a single pea in a pod."

"Um...no." Sam said uncomfortably. "I'm good. Really."

"Why we can't have you being such a lonely boy. It wouldn't be right to let your friend have all the fun."

"No," Sam said, "Really, its all right, he can have all the fun he wants. Really, please, I'm good."

This was just too good, Dean had to fight the urge to burst into laughter. Sammy...trying to deny a stripper. Oh, it was just too good, where the hell was a video camera when he needed one.

"I'm gonna go and get a special someone for you, honey." she told him with a smile. "You are just too cute to be sitting here all lonely-like. You'll like her hon, I promise. Everyone likes Candy."

Dean grinned as she walked away, even if he wasn't getting all this attention from Sandy? Mary? Eh, he didn't remember her name, but the embarrassment of Sammy made it all worth it. He was blushing like a kid. He really had to invest in a camera for such moments as these. Dean looked at his brother with a shit-eating grin. "Sounds tasty."

"Shut up." Sam shot back, giving an uncomfortable glance around the place.

Dean chuckled, oh, it was just, it was too good. As a matter of fact, the only thing that could make this day better was if this whatever it was that they had to hunt took itself out, and if he had a beer...luckily for him, the second one was at least manageable.

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Dean fell into a coughing fit, choking on his beer when blonde what's-her-name and Candy walked in. He'd been quite absorbed in his beer and enjoying Sam's obvious discomfort when his brother's hand went flying up knocking the neck of his beer into his teeth quite painfully. He reached over to smack his brother across the back of the head and saw exactly what his brother had seen. Those legs. He knew those legs. The sound of laughter—evil laughter, in his opinion drew his glance up to her face.

Bela.

Dean couldn't believe it. It was a nightmare. No, it was worse than a nightmare.

Bela stealing the foot was a nightmare.

Bela stealing his winning lotto tickets was a nightmare.

This was just sheer cruelty. Out of all the hunts she could ruin...it would be this one. He didn't even have to hear her open her mouth to know that the joy of strip clubs would eternally be ruined for him by this memory of Bela tarnishing the happiness that strips clubs were for him.

She was heartless.

"Son of a--" Dean's objection was acutely cut off as his brother's hand smacked him across the back of the head, and looked at him pointedly.

"Shut it." He hissed warningly. He wasn't sure if it was just Dean's mind slipping away in the degradation and immense amounts of cheap bear, or his dislike of Bela but...it clearly hadn't occurred to his brother that if he blew Bela's cover he was going to blow their's too and probably get all three of them killed.

"Is everything okay?" Dean's stripper asked.

Dean was looking at his brother angrily, his fingers itching to get Sam back for smacking him in the head. Friggin' Bella.

"Oh. Oh yeah, every thing's just great." Dean answered, looking over at Bela furtively.

"He's just..." Sam scrambled for something to cover up. "Stunned by how beautiful you ladies are. I just think its too much for him."

"Well, well..." Bela said trailing a finger down Sam's cheek and looking over at Dean as she spoke. She was sure as hell going to take advantage of this situation. "What a shame. We don't want your partner to over think...might give himself a nasty headache."

Sam closed his eyes. This was a nightmare. If Dean didn't figure this--that, he reminded himself, it was past tense now after all--thing out between him and Bela, or if Bela didn't completely blow it out of the water by the time this hunt was over...it would be a miracle.

Dean's stripper just giggled. "No, we don't want you to have a headache sweetheart, it would ruin all the great fun we've been having."

"No...don't want to ruin all the fun..." Dean said distractedly his attention somewhat pulled over to Bela and his brother.

Bela was dancing right on top of Sam practically and Dean was alternating between fuming that she'd ruined this hunt, and being jealous that she was dancing for his little brother because she was good. Really, really good actually.

"Enjoying yourself agent?" Bela asked Sam with a smirk. There was something undeniably hot about his discomfort. Maybe it was that he was kind of shy, and that wasn't exactly common among hunters. Yes, she was pretty sure it was the shyness. But then again, his shyness wasn't the only turn on, when he'd left her penthouse in a fury…the anger was just as hot.

"Um. Uh...yeah." Sam stuttered. God, she made him nervous; and it so did not help that Dean was sitting there and he could just picture his brother piecing together the last couple of run-ins with Bela. He blushed at the memory of the hospital alone...he didn't even want to imagine Dean finding out about that. Never mind that hotel room, the hot tub, the terrace—Sam blushed at the memory, still unable to believe she talked him into that—and god, he'd be better off taking his chances with a pack of hell hounds then letting Dean find out about the time in the Impala. No doubt about it, his brother would kill him. Especially if he found out that he let Bela drive it.

But then again, as he remembered her unforgivable indiscretions...he'd like to kill her too, he thought.

"So, Sam," Bela said suddenly, handing Sam a glass of gruner veltliner. "I'm curious."

"What?" Sam asked, careful not to let his guard down too low, he'd learned the hard way that they just couldn't do that.

"Considering a Faustian pact?" Bela said, looking him square in the eye, no judging in her tone, just interest.

Sam felt his blood run cold as he heard the words leave her mouth. She had found something, she had gotten damn close to something and it scared him that she even knew that he and his brother could be involved in anything involving the crossroads demon. Because she could ruin it, everything, all his research...all his work would be gone and he'd never be able to save Dean. "What do you know Bela?"

"I'm not a hunter, but I know more about demonology than most hunters do. You have the Lemegeton in your car."

Another time, another situation and Sam would have corrected her on the faulty use of Latin, but he had a bigger concern--she knew about the Goetia.

"Hunters don't just carry that around, and its not like its in mass production--that book, its an original--it might even be the original from the 14th century. Its worth millions." Bela said pointedly, even she couldn't get her hands on one. she hadn't even been sure it existed until she caught a glimpse of it in the Impala.

"How did you...?"

"When you were putting your pants on. I'm a thief Sam, I couldn't help myself."

"Did you touch it? Bela, so help me god..." Sam grabbed her by the throat, that book was his last chance at figuring out how to break the deal.

"I didn't touch it." Bela managed, genuinely scared of a Winchester for the second time in her life. "Sam I--"

Bela's statement faded into the air as Sam grabbed his keys and ran out of the room.

"Could help you." She finished, with a sigh. Or not. Bela Talbot had stopped putting her life on the line for people a long time ago, why should she do it again for another damn hunter.

"You know," She whispered, her mouth inches from his ear, "It's funny. You being so nervous about kissing in a room near your brother's and here I am dancing on your lap...just a foot away from him." She smiled, "It must be killing him, isn't it?" She decided to enjoy this, pushing away any and all memories from the night in her room with him. She had forgotten it, this would be fun. It wasn't like she had any kind of attachment to Sam, he was good looking and even better with his hands…it would be fun.

"Do you get off on the knowledge that your being here is driving him crazy?" Sam asked, once he remembered how to speak again, making a similar decision to forget about the night in the hotel room. To forget how close he came, and how badly he nearly screwed up.

"Maybe. But maybe I'm just so turned on to see you again. After all, last time, it seemed like you were rather upset with me." Bela moved her hands, nimbly unbuttoning a few buttons on his shirt, trailing her fingers down his chest.

Upset? He'd wanted to tear her apart. She could have ruined everything that he'd spent months putting together.

Bela's hand's crept lower, and lower…

God, he was never going to survive this hunt in one piece.

Bela glanced over at Dean, he was perfectly well occupied. Such a predictable guy...Sam on the other hand, not so much.

"C'mon," she whispered pulling on his shirt collar and bringing him to his feet.

"What are you doing?" He hissed, as she pulled him into the room she had just came from. He glanced back nervously at Dean...he was going to have a panic attack before this was over with.

"The question Sam, is what am I going to be doing?" Bela grinned and pulled him away, in the direction that she'd come from.

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"What's your name again?" Dean asked the new stripper, he had to admit she was great. He had been disappointed when Candy left but, he liked the new one even better. Maybe these cow towns weren't so bad after all. He slipped a twenty in her brassiere, sure that Sam wouldn't mind he borrowed his wallet.

"Sarah." she said with a wide smile, reaching back and nibbling on his ear, she had realized quickly that Dean enjoyed that. "Sarah Michelle."

"Like the Vampire Slayer?" Dean said with a grin, not yet having noticed that Sam and Bela were gone.

"Right, except…" Sarah Michelle paused, and grinned, "I slay men."

Dean laughed, "I bet you do."

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"What the hell are you doing here Bela?" Sam repeated his question, keeping her at arm's length, because truth was, even though she'd delved into his personal business, he knew that if he let her get close, he wasn't going to be able to push her back. Bitch and hindrance or not, he definitely had feelings for her as much as he wanted to not have feelings for her because then it would be a hell of a lot easier.

"Same as you I imagine."

"Dean and I are on a hunt." Sam said, with a raised eyebrow, "Change of conscience suddenly, decided to use your knowledge for good instead of evil?"

"Don't be such a drama queen Sam," Bela grinned, he was so cute when he got all worked up. "Evil's a bit of an overstatement, wouldn't you agree."

"No." He said bluntly, determined to stay on track. He just wanted to take care of the damn demon and get the hell out of here.

Bela sighed, "Come on Sammy, now you're starting to sound like Dean."

"It's Sam." He corrected, "Don't call me that."

"Right, that's only Dean's pet name for you."

"I'm serious Bela, why are you here. Dean and I are hunting there's a--

"Succubus." Bela interjected, "Yeah, I know its why I'm here."

"You're hunting?"

"No. I am being paid a nominal fee for getting rid of a hindrance."

"The succubus?"

"Yes. I just haven't figured out who it is yet."

"How much are you being paid?"

"Now, why would you care Sam? I thought getting paid to do a job was some evil thing."

"Curiosity."

"Well, you're just curious about all sorts of things aren't you." Bela said, "You know maybe it would be a smart idea for you and Dean to…" Bela's voice trailed off as she glanced into the room that they had come from.

"To what?" Sam asked, "Stay out of your business? You were the one who kept jumping right in the middle of our hunts, or have you forgotten that."

"Sam." Bela said.

"I mean, you shot me, you stole Deans lotto tickets, you stole our rabbit's foot…."

"Sam!"

Sam turned to look at her, "What?"

Bela swallowed nervously, god she hated hunts. "I know who the succubus is."

"Great." Sam said, "That's fantastic. Who? Dean and I can waste her and be out of here."

"I don't think its going to be so easy." Bela said, pulling the curtain aside ever so slightly to reveal the succubus in its partially true form. "Dean is a bit occupied."

Sam had never seen a succubus before but he knew that their were hunters who had, even though he was thrown by the sight. The wings looked like those of a bat, except they stretched for what must have been a span of nearly six feet. Two, slightly curved, horns protruded from her forehead, but the face remained the same. It was the bartender he questioned, Sarah Michelle.

"I questioned her…she's the bartender." Sam said, "I never thought she could have been the one."

"Why, because she looks like a busty grad student? That's a pretty sexist view." Bela said off handedly, stealing another glance at the demon. "Whatever you're going to do, I recommend you hurry before she steals his soul."

"She can stand in line." He muttered under his breath. "C'mon." He said, "You can't stay here it's too dangerous, I need something from the car."

"Chivalry, how charming. "Bela rolled her eyes, "How about you stay here, keep an eye on her, and make sure Dean's virtue stays intact." Bela stifled a grin at the thought, she never imagined she'd utter the words 'Dean' and 'virtue' in one sentence. "I'll get what you need from the impala."

"Like I'm going to trust you?"

Sam gave one glance back to his brother who appeared to be in a drunken stupor, half-asleep; then pulled Bela along with him.

"There's an exit back through here, right?"

"Straight ahead." Bela said, pulling out of his grasp--she didn't like being dragged--and following him as she didn't quite have a death wish either.

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It took Sam a minute to pick the lock on the Impala, alternatively mentally and verbally cursing his brother for not letting him have a copy of the key to the car.

"At this rate, he's not going to have a soul left." Bela said, "As tarnished as it is, it's a bit necessary."

"Shut up!" Sam growled at her angrily. "A succubus slowly drains their victims energy and then steals their soul. This one operates on the traditional principle also mutilating the body…" The trunk popped open. "…When its done."

"Lovely." Bela said, taking a look at the arsenal, it was nice. They had some quality pieces, she could fence it for a serious buck. Hunters just didn't know how to appreciate the value of the things they used, it was really lost on them.

Sam pulled out the colt, and Bela looked at him in shock. "You do know a gun isn't going to deter her ladyship, at best you'll piss her off."

"Not with this one." Sam said, slamming the trunk shut. Bela jumped back abruptly wishing he'd given her some kind of warning. She wondered if Sam and Dean realized their people skills were seriously lacking when they were in a bad mood. "It'll be dead before it realizes I've shot it."

"Oh. My god." Bela said suddenly as it hit her. She followed after Sam, as it pieced together in her mind. That gun was an antique colt revolver, circa 1800's she'd guess. She'd bet her life that some of the rumors were true, like the one that the Winchester boys had Samuel Colt's Colt. "That's the colt. "

Sam ignored her, racing back into the club before another demon tried to lay claim to him brother's soul.

If that rumor was true, Bela wondered fleetingly just how many other rumors about the Winchester boys were.

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Sam went back in the way he came, and ran past the curtains to where the demon and Dean were. He took a shot while she was distracted, and that was when his first mistake came in--he missed. Her attention was now also on him.

His first mistake.

"Dean!" He yelled, hoping his brother would regain consciousness in the near future and he tried to avoid the succubi's claws. "Dean!"

"Hunter…" Her--It's voice had been reduced to a hoarse hiss.

Sam tried shooting at it, but it was hopeless. The succubi was lightning fast, and impossible to hit. As he tried to avoid it's grasp he felt himself growing lightheaded, it's presence draining his energy. He knew he had to do something or they'd both be dead soon. He ducked it's grasp again, tumbling behind her and aiming at her back. It had him by the neck with her claws before the bullet reached the spot where it had been standing.

Her hands tightened until all he was a bluish-white haze and the colt dropped from his hand; and then it all went black.

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Bela hadn't intended to follow him back into the club.

But she did.

Bela hadn't intended to stand there in harms way, a few feet away from a demon that could snap her neck like a twig.

But she did that too. She rationalized that all she had to so was wait for Sam to shoot it with the Colt, and then she could collect the other half of her payment and would be good to go, on her way to Nepal to see about a demonic pendant for sale that would be worth millions once she got a hold of it. She had a buyer that was willing to overpay for it by nearly five hundred thousand dollars.

Bela didn't intend--didn't expect--to care when it knocked Sam to the ground and wrapped its talon-like claws around his neck.

But she did.

No, she didn't. She didn't care at all.

It was a job. The colt was in perfect reach. She could kill the demon, collect her payment, and escape with the colt…all is fair in love and war, right?

As it proceeded to set Sam in the other chair, waiting for the moment where his soul would be forfeit, Bela shot at it.

She didn't miss, she rarely ever missed.

She glanced down at Sam, he was breathing, he'd survive…this one at least. "You're welcome." She told him.

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Dean came to consciousness slowly with a headache that beat any hangover he'd ever had. He felt like he went ten rounds with a block of concrete and had his ass kicked. As he looked up at saw Bela standing across from him he realized that the freaky nightmare about a woman with double D's and bat wings clearly had not been a nightmare. Or it was a nightmare, just a really bad one…he couldn't believe he let a freakin' succubi get the better of him.

"Where's Sam?" He managed.

"Same you were about five minutes ago." Bela told him, gesturing to the chair to his left. "Don't worry, he should be fine."

Dean groaned, "So…"

"Don't strain yourself to thank me." Bela said, tossing him the colt. "I don't need it. Just call us even. I owe the two of you nothing."

"Okay." Dean said, feeling like he'd missed a step. She was angry…with him? At least she seemed angry, or bitter, but then again, this was Bela why was he surprised. She was a bitch…who just saved your life, the voice in his head reminded him. The same bitch who cold have stolen the colt and…didn't? Dean really was sure he had to have missed something, or else this was apparently the one that got away.

"You might want to remind your brother…Faust wasn't just a legend."

Bela walked away without another word, leaving the brother's in silence, Dean trying to figure out what she meant by Faust. He knew he heard it before, he just couldn't place it.

Sam would though.

Wow, so this is officially my longest posted chapter ever! I hope you enjoyed, and I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed the last chapter, and its not over yet, one last chapter is in the works for this fic. Thanks for reading!