Disclaimer: Don't own, but I'm playing with them and I'll put them back on the shelf when I'm done with them. Oh and the lyrics I also don't own. They are from a real musical that I'm not making up. If you know which one, a free internet for you.
Warnings: In-universe slut shaming, some sexual content, blood-letting, general grossness, typical to higher than typical violence.
Word Count: 12,387
AN: Enjoy!
SPNTMI
Chapter 19: Punch drunk-moon struck.
Sam rubbed his eyes, trying to focus as the clanking of gas pumps rang through his ears. Out of the corner of his eyes, Isabelle shifted in the backseat. Her eyes pinched shut. Her long black hair fanning out in a frightening tangle. Color had come back in her face. Even with a healthy flush, clear sliding tracks stood out against thick eyelashes and pink cheeks. Sam twisted around and filled the gas tank, hand keeping a tight grip on the gas pump. He looked down to see his hands white-knuckling the cold, greasy handle.
"Yeesh, grip that any tighter and it'll break Samsquatch."
Sam jumped. He whirled, hands fumbling for the pump as oil spilled onto the ground. Gabriel, who's hands were full of plastic bags full of snacks. He gave a little hop backwards to avoid the spray of oil. Gabriel's laugh had a bit of a leer to it and Sam scoffed, putting the pump back in its slot with a frown.
"Your fault."
"Oh of course." Gabriel gave another little laugh. "It always is."
Sam's gut twisted in an odd fashion, as if his intestines had been rankled around his kidneys. His lips burned in memory from the faerie court. His frown etched over his face and his voice came out snappier than intended.
"Well then don't sneak up behind me."
Gabriel threw up his full hands, eyebrows riding high as his lips quirked and Sam felt another stab of irritation. The back of his neck felt hot and he pushed past Gabriel and went in to pay for the gas. When he came back, Gabriel was already in the passenger seat, a candy bar unwrapped. Sam clambered into the drivers seat. He adjusted his rear view mirror to catch Isabelle's face. She was staring back up at him with red, dry eyes that glared back at him. He swallowed his words and pulled back onto the freeway.
SPNTMI
Rain pounded down on the windshield and Sam gritted his teeth. He peered over the steering wheel. Red hazard lights blurry against the glass of the wet windshield. The outlines of cars in front of him shimmered. Sam drove over a pothole and the car jumped. They all jolted forward. Isabelle hissed, teeth bared and eyes narrowed. Gabriel snapped forward. He chuckled, popping a piece of chocolate into his mouth and clapped his hands.
"Ten points for Sammy!"
"You know, you could help. Tell me where to go, I can't find the interstate."
Gabriel chewed on the candy bar. His mouth twisted up, nose scrunching up to its bridge. Sam shook his head, with a thick noise in the back of his throat. Isabelle shifted in her seat. Leaning forward, she pointed to sliding map on the dashboard.
"We're supposed to be over here."
Her finger bumped onto a thick line, a black scrawl that stayed unbroken for at least a mile. It made the paper rustle before it slid off the dash and fell onto her arm. Growling, she tried to shove it back on the dash. Sam winced as the edges of the spazzing map hit him, corners flapping with loud crinkles. His hands twitched on the steering wheel and Isabelle yanked the map and took it into the back seat with her as she leaned back.
Isabelle's legs gave another little kick as they went over another pothole. Sam swerved a bit, angry honking following from the left. Gabriel smirked as Sam swore. Isabelle folded the map, going back to the page it was at before and pressed the pages together tightly. The creases were sharp and precise. She pointed again to a thin unbroken line. Her fingers hovered over it, following it.
"I know where we were, but, yeah we're probably lost now."
"Ain't the the truth." Gabriel said. "Even Jesus's sense of direction was better than this."
Sam did a double take, glancing at Gabriel. Another sharp honking from the right this time made Sam swerve. He ignored the traffic sounds and rubbed the inside of his windshield with his hand. He glared at Gabriel out of the corner of his eye and the archangel winked. Isabelle, watching all of this, huffed and the thrust the map forward finger tapping at a state highway icon.
"Here, turn here. It should be coming up, in about five minutes. On the right."
"Fine fine."
Sam stepped on the gas, rocking the car forward, tires sliding as he took the turn-off on the far right lane. Isabelle and Gabriel shuddered back and forth as Sam tried to control his car's descent down the twisty lane. He slowed down long enough to get to the end of the turn-off and into the merging traffic lane.
"Go to the right." Isabelle said.
"Alright."
Sam went down the lane, his pace steady as lightening flashed through the sky. It lit up the sky, blazing so bright that it could have been mistaken for day for just a moment. Sam had looked up to the right in time to see a hotel with neon trimmings. He could even make out a name.
'The Crimson Lotus Hotel and Casino.'
"Ok, Hell I'm turning over there." Sam squinted. "Is that the parking lot?"
"Looks like it, yeah turn now." Isabelle said.
Sam turned into the lot, parking up front and taking one of the remaining spots. The three clambered out, taking only a single duffel bag and racing inside the hotel. Warm air hit them as soon as they rushed inside. Sam shivered in appreciation as the air circulated around them. Inside the hotel was bustling with activity. The lobby was grand, three stories visible because of the high vaulted ceilings. Plaster made out in the shape of Corinthian columns as they pseudo held up the floor of the next level. On the ground floor itself a oriental rug sprawled all along the lobby floor. The front desk seemed far away, sequestered in an alcove beneath the ceiling of the second floor. Gabriel whistled.
"Nice digs for Des Moines.''
Sam gave a little shrug. He opened his mouth but Isabelle made a scoffing noise. She shoved past him with a huff.
"Let's just get a room already."
SPNTMI
The two adjoining rooms were just as plush looking as the rest of the hotel. Gabriel and Sam were sharing a room, leaving Isabelle with a room of her own. She watched them bustle around their room for a moment, Sam letting his duffle bag hit his bed with a heavy 'thunk' and then setting up his laptop onto the desk. Gabriel wasn't much help, as he had flung himself on his bed-the mint on his pillow already devoured- and flipped through the channels on the TV by snapping his fingers.
She left the moment Gabriel's teasing had more of an edge to it and Sam's retorts increasingly barbed. Before she shut her adjoining door with a sharp click just in time for the main door to her room rapped with a brisk pace. She opened it to see her bellhop with a golden trolley heaped with luggage.
"I have your things here ma'am. Where would you like me to put them?"
He couldn't be much older than her, little wisps of blond peeking through an old fashioned cap. His uniform was pressed and starched, the maroon an unnatural bright thing to her eyes, but the longer she stared at it, the less that bothered her. He fidgeted but Isabelle continued her assessment.
A slightly bland face. Not to say that he wasn't handsome. On the contrary, he was. Just that it was a kind of vague handsome that could be found in magazines. His boyishness was leaving his face and probably within another year or two he would be striking. Although his dark blue eyes seemed a bit too muddied, or at least too shy to keep Isabelle's gaze for long.
"Ma'am? What bags?"
Her tone was sharper, more alert. He dropped his gaze and flushed hard, the bright redness made Isabelle blink rapidly. It curiously got her hackles raised. His sheep-like mundane-ness slapping her in the face, but as his voice stuttered and she longed to snap out the sentence for him, the flush in his face set a tingling in her guts.
"W-w-w-wwell ma'am-miss I'm, I mean miss. Ms. The bags from your car. We-I've-the staff, well, anyway, I've collected your bags as per hotel policy." He swallowed audible even with Sam and Gabriel's arguing.
Speaking of Sam cleared his throat. He leaned in the doorway. He frowned.
"I didn't know there was valet services here."
The bellhop gave a little smile. "Yes sir, we've got the whole nine yards and pride ourselves on it."
Sam strode forward, fishing some bills out of his pocket and handing them to the young man. His eyes widened and he beamed.
"Thanks sir."
"No problem."
"Where would you like your luggage?"
"Here is fine." Sam pointed to his bead. "Here let me give you a hand. Oh, we're not staying long, so do you think it would be possible for you to tell the maids not to disturb us?"
"I can sure try."
"Great, thanks."
The bellhop scuttled back to his trolly that he left in Isabelle's room and dropped his gaze once more.
"Ms.?"
"Right, put it on the bed."
"Y-yes Ms."
Isabelle crossed her arms, leaning on the wall as she watched the bellhop. The longer she watched him, the more her gut curdled. The she shivered and the bellhop went over to the heater and turned it on. He met her eyes and gave a little shudder of his own and Isabelle nodded at him. As his eyes flashed and became concealed by his eyelashes, she couldn't tell if he was smiling or not. When he began to wheel his trolly out the door, he gave a little pause. Isabelle saw Sam and Gabriel out of the corner of her eye. Still in the same rhythms. She slammed the adjacent door. The bellhop gave a little jump and Isabelle had to force the grin that threatened to come up on her face away.
"W-well, hope you have a good stay here miss."
The bellhop darted out of the room, banging into the trolly as he made a hasty exit. He tried to shut the door behind him, hands slipping on the handle before he got a firm grip and shut the door. When he was gone and Isabelle alone, she finally let loose her grin, laughing to herself. Isabelle gripped her arms tight, insides still warm. She went to the TV, turned it on and kept the volume up on some action movie she didn't recognize.
Isabelle walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower. She let her dusty travel worn clothes hit the floor. They had been traveling for days after the faerie court, not stopping until they left Jersey and taking a different car after they passed out of the east coast. They had taken a supply run and Isabelle's bag had consisted of essentials: bar of soap, hairbrush, and toothbrush. No shimmering make up or dresses. She only had one seraph blade and her whip, which she discarded now and let it rest on the sink. No, real clothes to speak of. Even if she did, she wouldn't want to wear them as she hadn't bathed in days.
She stepped into the spray of the shower. The warmth of the water made her shudder and the motion brought her thoughts back to the bellhop. A mundane. She huffed, water fanning out from her nose and mouth. Isabelle reached for the bar of soap, lathering her hands before putting her hands to her shoulders.
"Hmmm the mouth on him."
She stopped her voice as her hands slid on suds, wandering down past her navel. Biting her lips as she saw him in her minds' eye, flushed and stuttering beneath her. Fingers grew bold, moving quicker as her body trembled under the shower head.
SPNTMI
Sam's dreams were full of blood. It was warm on his hands and he could feel his grin stretch over his face like pliant fabric, like a favorite sweater. Bodies were sprawled all around him, the ground cruddy with dried blood, broken glass, and dirt. A man with black eyes stood in front of him, face broken in, a malicious glint in iris-less pools. Sam lifted one hand, fingers ripping the man's throat with ease. Sam caught the man before he sagged to the ground. As the wound from the demon's neck poured, Sam bent down, putting his lips to it, as if he wanted a kiss. As soon as his mouth touched the liquid, he opened his mouth wider. Groaning, he tipped the head back and pressed the body to him. The sweetest taste of all, a heady, burning finish finer than any whiskey. Power thrummed in his veins, vision sharp as his heart sang. As he gulped down the blood, he could hear Lucifer chanting from behind him.
"Mine, mine mine mine mine mine..."
SPNTMI
Gabriel woke up the earliest, lured by the candy colored whirls of slot machine lights. Even in the morning hours, when by all rights, only the steadiest of gamblers came out to play, people parked their behinds on rich chairs to test their luck. The bar had yet to be full, people were greeting the day with coffee as opposed to alcohol.
He passed Sam on the way downstairs, trying to check out. Sam's voice increasing in pitch. The man behind the counter held up his hands. He was sweating.
"I'm sorry sir, but due to the weather travel is ill advised. There is a flood warning alert for the whole county, not to mention the wind and hail. It's much too dangerous and this facility is equipped to deal with those kinds of hazards. I must insist that you at least stay until the worst of it is over. We'll give you a discount and ten free plays over at the casino."
Sam snorted. "...All right."
The clerk's shoulders slumped. "All right then, thank you. Now, would you like to be upgraded to a suite?"
Gabriel tuned out Sam's response and went down to the casino. Sleepy-eyed and bored dealers stood chatting at their tables, a few lonely black jack players leaning forward on their stools. As he passed by the craps table, he watched the dice mid roll as they skimmed just inches over the table. Gabriel curled his fingertips just a bit, turning his hand at angle and the dice tumbled, flipping over even as they hit the green of the board. A few men gave little cheers and Gabriel smiled.
This casino was larger than he initially thought it to be, but didn't pay it much mind. His hands seem to tingle in their own right, making it all the way down to his feet. He hummed a few bars of an old song he could no longer remember the name of. Gabriel wandered until he went to the very far back of the casino, in some tucked away corner. A few slots looked promising, but none more so than a green machine decorated with plastic smiling shamrocks. 'Luck of the Irish' emblazoned in sparkly letters. It promised a grand prize of ten thousand.
It was occupied by a voluminous old woman in a fur coat and broad frilly hat. Her makeup was thick on heavy cheeks and fleshy, sagging jowls. She was bedecked in jewelry, large chunks of shimmering stone. It was so brazen that if Gabriel didn't know better, he'd assume that she was wearing the faux plastic kind that could be found at any strip mall. She wore a bright purple and black dress of old velvet, the softness of the fabric giving way to a kind of mothball fraying texture. The purple too shiny even in its age. The frilly-top half of the blouse did nothing to hide the strain that the corset-like mid-section tried to manage. Her bosom, for lack of a better word, heaved with the effort of being kept in tight confines best left to a younger generation. The dress mercifully ended at the knees but didn't take into a account the runs in the woman's stockings. Her lacquered and pointy black shoes tight over swollen ankles. Her fur coat was also in black. Its bulk draped over her with a kind of ease that it probably had when she first got it.
The slot machine next to her was unoccupied, a pink thing with fat winking cherubs holding bright red bows and arrows. Its title in a looping scrawl. 'Cupid's trick shot.' It promised a prize much to the same amount as the luck of the Irish. He saw down at the cupid machine and fiddled with the lever. The woman eyed him, purple eyeshadow making her brown eyes bright.
"It works better when you have money." She gave a cackling rasp and handed him ten dollars. "Don't spend it all in one place." She winked.
Gabriel touched the mottled hands and the brush of sickness wasn't enough to make him wince but he schooled his features all the same. He grinned.
"Trouble is, I aim to do just that." He winked.
She gave a little chuckle, not quite blushing but she lowered a fur coat for just a moment to reveal mostly bare shoulders before shivering and putting it back on.
"I am Madam Patterson and you are?"
"Gabriel. Gabriel Jones."
They shook hands and Gabriel put in his ten dollars just as Madam Patterson pulled the lever on her machine. It flashed and lit up, giving a prolonged jingle as numbers racked up. She gave a little wiggle in her seat that was a odds with her throaty chuckle.
"Sit here, you're a good luck charm."
Gabriel laughed. "I like to think so. Everybody else not so much."
"Oh? Sounds like there's a story behind that."
"Hoo boy."
"I've got time."
"How much?"
Madam Patterson gave another laugh, throwing her head back. Her hat miraculously managed to stay in one place and Gabriel caught flashes of red curls beneath it. Her hooked nose prominent as her profile back lit by red lights from overhead.
"I've got all the time in the world."
Gabriel pushed the spin button, eyes tracking the reels as hearts, arrows, and angels blurred past him. He began speaking.
"Weee-lll. I've been an a road trip with girl with a bad attitude and a Sasquatch of a guy whose got issues even bigger than him. Said issues arise from my crazy family."
"Ah, aren't all families just?"
The simple-ness of the statement, a universal knowledge of this conversation, the natural sympathy on commiserating of the nature of crazy families. It made Gabriel laugh far more than it should.
"Oh yeah, trust me when I say its total Armageddon. So I've got these brothers who cannot live together without trying to kill each other."
"It's the same with my ex-husbands."
"Oh? Played a little fast and wild?"
"I still do. I'm of the impression you do the same."
Gabriel laughed. "Oh yeah, been doing it for years. It's the only escape I've got. Problem is, this kid, well this guy I'm traveling with just keeps bringing it back."
"Much like my own children. You can't divorce them." She paused. "Although you can disinherit them."
Gabriel nodded. "Mhmm. Amen to that."
"How did he get mixed up in your adventures?"
"By existing."
A waitstaff pushing a trolly of drinks went past and Gabriel snagged to large clear plastic cups of coke. Madame Patterson made a hum of appreciation, sipping and smacking her lips. He handed her one and she nodded her head, raising the cup higher before taking a drink. Gabriel continued as she took another swig.
"No, ah I was working at a University when he and his wild as the hills brother showed up. Words ensued...and then fists. Seriously, we met off and on for a couple of years because messing with the brother of his is waaaay to entertaining than it should." Gabriel gave a shrug. "I dunno, I didn't really plan on sticking around to get to know em', but it just kind of happened."
"Then enter your brothers."
"Yes. Enter from stage right. Enter and take over the whole show." Gabriel pushed the button again. "So since they do nothing but fight-"
"And drag everyone down by the sounds of it. My daughter is just like that, always has to but into everyone's business with her big ideas that nobody wanted-"
"Exactly, exactly! It's like, this path of destruction, like they have to wreck everything just because they can't make sense of the world around them."
"If you haven't already, I'd say drop them. Drop them like radioactive waste."
"Tried to. With minimal regret." He added.
Madam Patterson snorted. "Regrets are a waste of time."
"Ain't that the truth. That why your here?"
She gave another laugh. "Of course darling. This is where dreams flourish and die all in one moment, I love it." She took a gulp of her drink. "Here's to making it last."
Gabriel raised his cup, ice melting as condensation made the plastic go foggy. For a moment he was transported back to the groves of old, human revelries sang underneath stars with praising eyes, hope in their hearts. A sudden pang went through him, to be standing on earth, and watching it all go by. It's a small moment, but that's all that matters. People have been having these small moments ever since they've been people, maybe even before. His machine suddenly stared whirring with bright jangly noise and flashing lights from the little LED bulbs in pinks, yellows, and reds. His eyes widened a bit as Madam Patterson gave a raspy cheer in response and Gabriel downed his drink in a single swallow.
SPNTMI
Isabelle breezed past the gift shop, entirely intent of blowing over it when something caught her eye. She had turned the corner and swimsuits caught at her vision's edges. Doubling back and hurrying into the store, she headed straight to the discounted swimsuit rack. There, staring back at her was a revealing white one piece. Isabelle grabbed it and headed for the dressing room. She breezed inside the small cubicle of a room, mirror to her back.
Isabelle shimmied out of her old jeans and tight top. Sliding into the bathing suit, it didn't take much adjusting and she almost gasped at it. Almost. It was a pristine white and very tight, particularly in the bust. The tops of the suit, where the strings began just at the tips of her bust, were thin-almost flimsy. Although that wasn't what caught her attention. The cups on the suit were firm and held up reasonably well. Even more so, they brought her chest up and tightened it in a way, to the point where it not only enlarged her breasts but challenged them to spill out of it. Only a slim chain in between the two cups kept them close together as the suit dipped low in the middle, exposing her belly button before scooping up to cover the mound in between her thighs. Thick white straps rode high on her hips, letting them remained uncovered as the rest of the suit connected to her sides. She turned around to see that there was no back, only a strip of white coming in between her buttocks.
As she turned round and round, she could see no unflattering angle. Even the lighting in the dressing room was favorable. Her stomach was taunt and and firm, with muscles peeking out as sculpted. Unblemished and hairless skin flattering her suit even more. Long legs that tapered off to high arches in her feet and slim toes. She turned to catch a glimpse of her backside. A well rounded rump that stood out without any sagging. Her hair was even blacker thanks to the suit. She let it hang down, strands tickling the small of her back.
She put her clothes back on and strode out of the dressing room and out of the store. Isabelle walked around the halls of the hotel until she found an employee, uniform stiff and name tag gleaming. Another cut boy. Another curl of her gut. She tilted her head, not even sure at the suddenness of it.
"Which way to the pool?"
He blinked. "Oh. Follow this hall and then take the stairs. The main area is right in the center you can't miss it."
"Thanks." Without thinking, she winked.
"No problem."
She strode off without a word and sure enough found the pool with ease. The pool stood in the center of a wide floor. No gates to enclose the pool as it's layout was strange. It was on the ground floor of the hotel in the center. It was surrounded by what appeared to be a rec center that originated on the far left, with small eateries, a mini arcade, and a lounge. All of the spaces were occupied as Isabelle made her way to the pool. She found a lounge chair and shucked off her clothes, tossing them onto said chair before slipping into the pool.
The cool water had just enough heat to keep her in it and she dunked down, letting herself slide inside the water like an otter. She didn't know how long she stayed in the pool. Water slip-streamed around her body, enveloping her like an old friend. She could take from it all she wanted. All she ever needed was this concrete tank of water.
Isabelle's head shot up from the water and the chill made her eyes open wider. She slid out of the water, hands clutching at the guard rails and pulled herself up. She went over to her clothes, looking through the pockets and finding nothing she wanted, stood up. Only out of the corner of her eye did she see the stares. That men averted their gaze, only a few open about their gawking. Isabelle squared her shoulders and left the pool, leaving her clothes behind in a heap on the chair, and made her way to an elevator on the far right.
Turning, it was as though the elevator doors opened just for her. Including the fact that at least four business men in sharp suits stood waiting in the elevator. She stepped inside, not missing the way they eyed her as she kept her back to the elevator door and stared them down. Instead of the typical elevator music, Aerosmith's 'Love in an Elevator' thumped from hidden speakers. Isabelle only raised an eyebrow.
"Up or down gentlemen?"
The men exchanged looks, the handsomest flushing as he gave a grin to the rest. The one on the far right looked her up and down as the two remaining men on the left nudged each other, whispering too low for her to hear. Aforementioned handsome man spoke first.
"...Down please." He gave a smirk.
Isabelle smirked back. "Of course. I shouldn't be surprised. So will all of you be going down?"
The man flushed harder, looking down for a moment at her unblinking eyes, but she leaned forward, her chest hovering by his chest. He blinked rapidly, lifting her head, but struggling to raise his gaze to her eyes. She raised an eyebrow.
"Seriously?"
"What do you think?" She took her time eying each an every one of them. "I'm a pretty generous gal."
"I'll say." One of them muttered.
The handsome man turned behind to look at his friends, catching their grins before turning back to Isabelle with a brisk nod that didn't hide his widening grin. Isabelle returned the look.
She turned around, putting her backside out a little as she pressed the emergency stop button and turned back to them. Isabelle smiled.
SPNTMI
Sam wiped his forehead with the back of his hand and then ran his fingers through his hair. The air conditioning was acute on the back of his neck. As he wandered around the hotel, he continued to listen to the rain slam onto the windowpanes. Staff and guests alike bustled around him, but there was a whooshing sound in his ears, rattling around in his head, making Sam blinked the sweat out of his eyes.
After he left the front desk and ended up booking another night, walked off and found the casino but didn't stick around for long. He passed the main lounge, limbs heavy as he climbed a set of stairs. His shoulders sagged and he moved with a slowness that surprised him. As he made it up to the second floor and walked down the hall, did he realize that he took a wrong turn. Sam shrugged and as he began to turn, knocked into someone.
"Sorry, I-"
He brought himself up short. Whatever unpleasantness he had been feeling didn't compare to now. Sound dropped out, as if his ears couldn't hear but only from a great distance. His heartbeat-no wait it was the other man's heartbeat that he was hearing, that drowned out all other sounds. His breath came up short, trickling into his lungs at a snail's pace. He grew dizzy. His shoulder from where he knocked into the man froze. Sweat broke out underneath his clothes and he shivered, teeth suddenly chattering. Sam fully faced the man, who happened to be wearing a staff uniform. His name tag gleamed up at Sam, but it hurt to look at, so he didn't catch the name.
"No the fault was mine. Is there something I can help you with?"
Sam turned his head around to see where the man had come from. A door at the end of the hall. It was only open a sliver, pale light trickling through the cracks. A wave of dizziness overcoming him the longer he stared at it. A shadow of movement fluttered from behind the door. Sam's throat convulsed. Fresh sweat broke out on his face. He leaned to the door, shoulders sloping and straining while the rest of his body tried to twist away, making his legs shake. A small movement from behind the door and the sensations gripping his body became greater. He frowned. Swallowing heavily, he turned back to the man and nodded.
"I uh, got a little turned around. Could you show me where room 203 is?"
"Certainly."
As the man led Sam back to his room, the feeling increased and Sam rubbed his arms, skin crawling. His stomach growled, loud enough that the man in next to him winced in sympathy.
"Here you are. Room 203."
"Thanks so much."
"Say, do you want me to send up some room service?"
"Huh?"
"From the sounds of it, you haven't had anything to eat, and no offense, but you don't look so hot."
Sam was about to shake his head, giving a little laugh. "No, I...sure why not."
"Very good sir. Anything in mind?"
"Anything, really. Anything's fine. Thanks."
"No problem."
Sam nodded to the man, hands fumbling for a tip before slamming the door. He stumbled to his bed flopping over, eyes shutting against his will. Only when the rapping on his door became too much to ignore, did he crack his eyelids open. His body protesting when he stood up to answer the door. As soon as he yanked it open, did he have to stumble back to let the same staff member wheel in a cart heaped with food.
"W-wow. That's uh, that's a lot."
"Yeah, I wasn't sure what you wanted, so I just grabbed a bit of everything."
"Uhhhh...thanks."
The man beamed at him. "No problem. Call me up again if need anything."
"Will do."
He waited until the man left to check out the food. He sniffed at a sandwich. A fancy cheeseburger, its lettuce adorning it like a frilly skirt. Dark sauce oozed out of the meat, dressings heaped over it and topped with a bun thick with sesame seeds. He gave it a poke, frowning. Sam lifted it up with both hands and took a bite. Delicious. He took his time in finishing it, but as soon as it hit his stomach, he cleared his throat and grabbed the soda they brought up with it.
The carbonation hit his throat, sliding down his esophagus and he gagged. Sam stood up, abrupt and urgent. He bolted for the bathroom. He barely had time to flip the lid of the toilet before getting violently sick. When he was finished, he leaned back on his behind. The cold tiles seeping up and into his bones. Sam shivered, the sweat breaking out anew. His stomach growled and he frowned. After a few moments he stood up and went back to the main room.
Sam took a few sips of his soda, letting out a shaky breath. He waited for a solid ten minutes before trying the plate of spaghetti, peeling off the saran wrap and placing a fork in the center of the dish. He could only take a few bites before rushing back into the bathroom again. Sam repeated the process, next with the salad, and then with the bread sticks. Yet each and every time, between plates, his hunger only grew. Sam took another shaky breath and wrapped the plates back up and carried them to the door. He opened the the door and the very same staff man stood in the entryway. The man's eyes flashed black. Sam froze.
"Heya Sam."
SPNTMI
Isabelle sauntered over to the bar, swimsuit turning gambler's heads as she went over. Now that night had fallen, the gambling floor and bar were both in full swing. A band was playing from a stage that was in the back of the bar, a circular little stage. Isabelle peered into the smoky haze and saw a familiar face. The bellhop. His cap was off and a shock of blond hair fell neatly about his eyebrows. He leaned forward on the bar, one elbow on the bar's counter top and and his other arm slung over his chair. The hand that rested on the counter top, lingered over the glass of his drink. His legs were crossed at the ankles. The very picture of repose.
She made a beeline for him. When he finally looked up he did a double take at the sight of her, eyes going wide as she she sashayed forward. Isabelle took a seat next to him and leaned forward so that her breasts spilled through. The bellhop's gaze ping ponged up and down, darting his gaze away from her cleavage. Isabelle slowly crossed and uncrossed her legs, the water long since dried from them.
"So taking a break?"
"Y-yeah." His gaze fluttered up to meet hers before dropping back down again. "I come here when my shift changes. I know the bartender." He blushed. "W-would you like a drink?"
Isabelle wriggled in her seat. "I'd love one."
The bellhop gestured to the bartender and pointed to Isabelle. A moment later a squat glass with amber liquid that gleamed under the lights. Taking a sip, her throat gave a pleasant burn. She smacked her lips.
"So, what's your name? I've been calling you bellhop this whole time."
"O-oh? It's Greg."
"Greg." She smiled. "Is that a common name?"
Greg flushed, eyes shuttering as she shifted in his seat.
"How about your name then?" The challenge died out of his voice when she stared back at him. "Please?"
She huffed. "Isabelle."
"Pretty."
She laughed and gulped down the rest of her drink. "Follow me."
SPNTMI
Gabriel, after leaving Madam Patterson, moved back to the tables. The rumble of thunder was faint over the cheering gamblers. The craps table was crowded, onlookers pressing close to the players. Gabriel weaved past a drunk gambler, avoiding being splashed by the drink in his hand. Gabriel moved closer to the table and stood next to a young man rolling a pair of dice. The young man gave a small smile when he came up. There were seven players in all. Three women and four men. The former of the three were all younger women this time around, tight glittering dresses enveloping bodies of varying curvaceousness. Two of them, both on the far left, were loosing. The last women was betting high and coming up. Many men were cheering her on. As her dice made their mark, she wriggled in place and raised her arms in the air. When the rest of the onlookers began to cheer her on, she kept going.
Almost as if her hips summoned it, the occupied slots machines began to light up and jangle out their tinny victory music. Their players whooped and cheered as they all hit the big payouts. Most, if not all began to frantically put more money back into the slots, only for the process to repeat. However some did leap from their stools to rush the cashier's or the machines.
Gabriel looked up, fiddling with the speakers as the patrons beside him ordered more drinks. 'La Guracha'. No one looked around in surprise but instead began to dance with abandon. Soon the music sequestered into a musical number as the players and the dealer at the blackjack table got up and formed a can-can line. On slot player shuffling out money bills from the palm of his hand.
'What the fuck was that?
Your sister just turned into a zombie
What the fuck was that?
Your girlfriend was a demon too
What the fuck was that?'
Soon the entire casino was dancing, singing, and making exaggerated motions as they pretended to gamble. Gabriel watched one young man beaming up at him in a never ending expression as he moon-walked past Gabriel, huge wads of cash in his fists. Gabriel mimicked the dance as all the gamblers moved in coordinated moves as one man twirled an elderly woman while the man across from him did the same with her walker. After a beat, they traded partners. The twirling granny was caught by expert hands before she was tossed into the air.
'She just ripped my pre-ripped Abercrombie
'What the fuck was that?
I just got some Shelly on my shoe
What the fuck was that?
What darkness lurks behind this wooden sanctum?'
Gabriel laughed and gestured to the crowd and found himself enveloped. A few people were still shuffling in the back, staring with slack jawed stares as Gabriel danced alongside the crowd. As the swarm around him grew, they began to lift to him over their shoulders. Gabriel sang the rest of the chorus as he crowd surfed back to the craps table as the roulette table beside him trembled as patrons scrambled around it. He passed a man sitting on top of a lucky triple seven machine. His drink sloshed over himself as he screamed out.
"Bitches out for blood!"
An elderly couple shouted out the dialogue to each other, clapping their hands as a young dealer responded in kind.
'What the fuck was that?
Now I'll put an end to this vacation
What the fuck was that?'
Gabriel lifted himself up and jumped onto the craps table, kicking aside the piles of chips that accumulated. They scattered into the crowd, people scrambling to pick them up. As the room's lights began to flicker, but didn't quite diminish the song was rising in pitch, belting out. Gabriel threw back his head and spread out his hands, interjecting just as the final words were being sung.
"I am magic!"
'What the fuck was that?
It's the e-"
A scream cut off the rest of the song and the lights went back to their usual glare for a second before the light bulbs shattered and kept the lights dim. The half light was only more pronounced with the swirling, colored lights from the slot machines. A single blub from the cashiers window. A single teller woman peered from beneath the panel and straightened when she saw that people had finally stopped moving. The only sound came from the slot machines' theme tunes. People looked around, finally murmuring to themselves, if only for a moment before another brief scream started up again.
The teller grabbed at the glass in between the counter and herself, slamming her palms into the glass before it cracked and gave way. It fell in clumps and the teller pulled herself up over the counter and dropped down the other side of the floor. When she stood up, even at that distance, Gabriel could see that her eyes were pure black.
People began a flurry of movement. Some hurried back to slot machines and tables, pulling at levers and pressing buttons in abandon. Gabriel turned to see Madam Patterson pressing buttons on a slot machine over and over, not noticing the sharp cracking her fingers began to make as they broke one by one. Droplets of blood staining the buttons as she kept pressing them. The slot machine's lights made her face glow and illuminated her wide glassy eyes.
Blackjack and poker dealers flung cards at players, not caring about the number of cards. One dealer shoved players out of the way, scrambling to get chips. An elderly woman punched said dealer in the face with just enough force to get him to stumble back before he responded in kind. At the roulette tables a middle aged man pounded on the spinning wheel where the ball zipped in a circle, the white ball flying past the red and black squares and rolled on the floor.
More people mobbed the bar and restaurant as the bartender himself grabbed an obscenely large bottle of vodka. He ripped off the cap and the pour spout and began gulping the vodka down straight from the bottle, clear liquid running down his chin and to his his shirt. He ignored the patrons that climbed over the bar and grabbed bottles off the shelves.
Those with plates of food started scarfing down their helpings. A young woman rushed over to an empty table with its section riddled with leftovers. She started shoving a piece of chicken in her mouth, elbows slamming into the table, and a small cup of sauce tumbled off and splattered onto her dress. Double doors from the kitchen burst open and a chef came racing out. He made a beeline for the young woman with the platter of chicken wings and shoved her as he slid into the booth seat beside her and began shoveling chicken wings into his mouth. The woman beside him elbowed him just as he began to put another piece of chicken into his mouth. It only got half way in, but his eyes bulged all the same as the young woman began to claw at her own throat. His gurgling drowned out her gasping and in moments both were dead.
Gamblers hands swarmed around Gabriel's feet and ankles as they shouted out nonsensical bets, screaming as chips were flung back and forth. Dice rattled around, hitting peoples teeth and eyes as they leaned far into the table and the dealer yanked at fluttering money. Gabriel however, kept still staring forward. A slow clap emerged from somewhere in the front of Gabriel's direction. Quite a few black eyed onlookers stared back at him, stock still until they parted in unison. One demon pushing along a decrepit old man in a wheel chair. Said old man was the one doing the clapping. The demon stopped his chair in front of the table.
"Indeed." He said. "Bravo."
"Famine."
SPNTMI
Isabelle yanked the bellhop down to her and she wrapped her legs around his waist. He tried to get his hands beneath her shoulders as the two tumbled down on the bed. His hands fumbled with the strings tying up her bathing suit at the back of her neck. She gasped, arching a bit as his thumbs dug too deep into her neck. The bellhop succeeded and the cups flopped back and he pulled them away, groaning at the sight of her bare breasts. She bit her lip as he began to play with them and pressed herself even closer to him. Isabelle gave a little laugh at the bulge that pressed back at her. The bellhop moaned into her neck and she she replied in much the same way as the heat of him enveloped her. Isabelle's hands struggled to maneuver to the bellhop's belt buckle and after a few seconds of struggle, she tugged it free and yanked down the zipper of his pants.
Said pants slid and pooled down at his ankles. As Isabelle's fingers played with the hem of his boxers, a loud bang came from the Sam's room next door. She turned back to the bellhop and the sound grew louder. The bellhop was about to pull back and Isabelle yanked him down again. The adjacent door slammed again, giving a prolonged groan that couldn't drowned out a muffled shout. The doorknob rattled for a second before stopped groaning.
The bellhop shrugged and pressed down and began to move his hips to start a rhythm. Isabelle exhaled through her nose as her stomach trembled and let the bellhop bite her neck again. The adjacent door burst open, knocked off its hinges as Sam collapsed into the room, head stopping at the foot of Isabelle's bed. Three black eyed people in suits rushed forward. The bellhop shot up, eyes wide and mouth wide, opening and closing like a fish. The only female demon of the group waved her hand and snapped the bellhop's neck.
He fell back on the bed just as Sam rose up, knife in hand. It was free of blood and Sam panted. Isabelle scrambled up,the top half of her swimsuit sliding down to her waist. The three demons didn't gape so much as laugh. Sam did a little turn before doing a double take as Isabelle stood on her bed at a half crouch. He did gape as Isabelle moved to the nightstand. Her fingers curled out to grab the glittering strands coiled beneath the lamp. It shot out with a flick of her wrist, slicing the throat of the demon woman. Her eyes widened in surprise as she fell backwards, blood spurting out of her neck.
The two other male demons eyed Isabelle as she raised her whip up high. She kept part of her gaze on Sam. At the sight of the woman roll backwards, he startled. He stared at the redness about her neck and shoulders as she slowly twitched, hands clamping around her wound. Sam was pale, sweaty, and his eyes darted as his throat convulsed. Isabelle stared as the tendons around his adam's apple stood out and pulsed. He was clamping his jaw tight, mouth pressed in a thin line.
Isabelle flicked her whip and the two demons pulled back. Their gaze flickering in unison back and forth between Sam and Isabelle. One demon crouched down to his felled companion and Sam darted. He grabbed Isabelle's wrist, yanking her forward. The demons darted, the third one staggering to her feet. Sam pulled Isabelle's door so hard the knob cracked loose, sagging in its confines as the door screamed in protest. Sam turned right and sprinted down the hall. It was only thanks to Isabelle's training that she could keep up.
"What's wrong? We could have taken them back there."
"Just hurry." He panted. "When was the last time you saw Gabriel?"
"Not since last night. I think he went down to the casino."
"Shit. How much you wanna bet this place is over run by demons?"
"That's not even a gamble. It'd explain why things have been so strange. How could we have missed this?"
"...We've been had."
They turned another corner away from the maze-like halls and into a wide area. A sign on the right stated the ballroom was up ahead. On the left were a series of elevators. The one closest to them on the far right had a sign taped to it, proclaiming that it was out of order. Two escalators up ahead were stuck, their tread unmoving. It was silent save for a muffled sort of groaning from some corner.
Isabelle looked up to see the second floor's halls littered with fallen bodies. Sam followed her gaze and flinched. A little girl bled from the nose and mouth, stomach bloated as she leaned on the railings. Another man lay face down in a food tray from room service. A couple still clutched at each other, slim rings gleaming on their fingers as they pressed bloody cheeks together. The man was still moving his hips as the light died out of his eyes.
The halls of the second floor wrapped around the right, the turn down the hall was visible for a few meters before turning out of sight. The bodies lined down each door. Isabelle lowered her gaze and tied the top of her swimsuit back up before adjusting her whip. Sam gripped his knife harder in white knuckles. No footsteps greeted them as they stood in the main room, carpet stained in reds, dark browns, and a few grayish-whites. A collapsed stand with a cracked vase lay by the doors of the ballroom. Sam tapped Isabelle's shoulder. She stiffened, but turned in his direction. He nodded to the ballroom doors.
She nodded back and they strode over to the doors. Each took a side, wrapping their fingers around their respective handles. Sam pressed his ear to the door, gritting his teeth. He nodded and the two opened the doors, bursting inside the room.
Shouts came at them in response. At least twelve demons startled and rushed at them. Isabelle's whip sang in the air as she swung it in wide arcing loops. It cracked sharply and those closest pulled up. The trio of demons from Sam's room shouted at the others, the woman rubbing her neck as she did so. Sam however, kept his gaze on the center half of the ballroom. Gabriel stood opposite a man in the center. An old man slumped in a wheelchair. Flesh sagged around his face, exaggerated by the fact that the man was baring his teeth. Teeth that were as square as tombstones, and just as cloudy. They were yellowed with rot and the color stood out sharp against thin, pink gums. Tufts of white hair stood up against the vain attempt at a comb over and bushy eyebrows managed to keep the eyes unobstructed. Said eyes were the color of the dregs found in a coffee cup and they glittered like wet beetles inside the man's skull. They were sharp, the only part of his body that seemed sharp and on its feet.
He raised one knarled hand riddle with age spots and pointed to Sam. The tape that held together the respirator tube about his wrists was fraying. The man's whole hand shook. His body creaked as he tried to lean forward, wheels on his chair squeaking. The demons froze, gazes trained on the man and Sam.
"There you are. I wish you didn't keep us waiting. I thought it was because you were preoccupied with your dinner that I sent up for you." He stared at Sam. "Shame that it's not."
Sam swallowed hard and after a moment shook his head. His eyes wide and dark and trembled. Isabelle kept her whip low to the ground. Gabriel's smile was tight, fixed on his face as he clamped his fists tight to his side. His whole body was rigid, shoulders making odd little twitches as he regarded the old man.
"Who is this?" Sam ground out.
"Famine." Gabriel said. "The horseman. Should have known."
Famine wheezed. "Yes you should have. You would have if you hadn't let your powers as an archangel atrophy so to speak." He gave another wheezy chuckle. "Didn't you think it odd that you couldn't even sense my presence? You've been playing the trickster for so long you've forgotten what you truly are."
"I'll still smite you to the ground, horseman. You've been letting yourself go too. My brother promise you something he couldn't keep?"
Famine laughed just as Isabelle lunged, whip snaking out. Demons leapt helter-skelter as it swung wide. The demon she previously cut snarled and her two companions raised their arms. Isabelle's feet skimmed the ornate carpet, gathering in speed as her whip slipped off her wrists, sailing into the air as she was flung backwards. Isabelle slammed into the wall. She grunted, teeth rattling in her head, as stars burst in her vision.
"Do something." she snapped at Gabriel.
"Would if I could sweetheart." he snapped back.
"Now Sam, I'm beginning to find your lack of apatite rude. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you weren't hungry." He gestured to the demons around him. "Please by all means."
Sam glowered at Famine. "No."
Famine smiled, features twisting until what his mouth was doing could no longer be categorized as a smile. "Now, now it's only natural. You're the intended vessel of our dear Lucifer after all."
Isabelle whipped her head forward, straining to move the rest of her body.
"Sam-"
"Could it be that you're shy?" Famine asked.
Sam side stepped to the right, movement slow as he inched forward to Famine. A demon dashed to the old horseman's side, avoiding Gabriel with a sharp turn.
"Maybe you need a push." Famine said. "After all, you've got to be big and strong for Lucifer."
Sam ducked, dodging the tackle and the demon spun on its heel. It slammed into Sam, hands about his neck. It kneed Sam in the groin and he doubled over, knife falling to the floor. Two other demons rushed to Sam's side, fist slamming into any piece of skin they could get to. Sam twisted away from a pair of hands and curled his own into fists. He punched the demon closest to him, once in the stomach and once in the face. The sharp crack from the demon's nose echoed in the room seconds before it's blood spurted in Sam's face.
Sam stumbled back, squinting and licking his lips. The bloodied demon pressed his advantage, grabbing at Sam's shoulder just as he rose up, knife in hand. In one swift movement, he sliced upwards, catching at the demon's jaw. A spurt of blood trickled down and Sam pounced. His hand slammed into the side of the demon's head and pulled the demon's jaw to his mouth. Sam bit down hard, shaking like a pit bull a hold of a piece of prey. Blood splashed over Sam's face, flecks going up to Sam's cheeks and even underneath his eyes. The demon struggled but Sam kept a firm grip as his hand snaked up, thumb pressing into the demon's eye.
Said demon squealed, twisting the sound into cursing. Sam pressed harder into the demon's eye. Sam's hand shook as hard as the demon's head. It's eye burst like a grape. It howled, collapsed to the floor. Blood spread to the carpet, but Sam paid it no mind and turned to the next demon. The female demon snarled as the demon on her left feinted. She race straight for Isabelle. Sam leaned forward, eyes glittering. Isabelle caught their look and shivered against her invisible bonds.
Sam pushed the other demon back and it stumbled back, tripping over the first felled body. Sam's hand shot forward with a raised palm. The female demon stopped dead in her tracks. Her eyes widened as her feet came out from under her and she slid down the carpet and back to Sam's feet. He hoisted her up and sliced her neck. Her wound bled anew and Sam put his mouth to her neck and drank.
Coldness went all over Isabelle. She could felt the blood drain from her face, hair on the back of her neck standing up, sweat beading along strands that went down her hair and shoulders. Her teeth chattered as she was unable look away from Sam sucking down blood from the demon's neck.
The demon woman slumped down and the demon that had begun the feint charged for real. Sam held up a hand again just as Isabelle slumped down to the ground. She pressed her back against the wall, palms sweaty as she tried to lever herself up but she legs shook too much.
Gabriel's eyes darted in between Isabelle and Sam. He caught the gaze of the former and she felt herself nod. Her whip was only a few feet from her, but the clattering of demon's feet kept her from getting close. Gabriel's hands opened from their fists and curled his fingers until they got into position. He snapped his fingers and Isabelle's whip slid past the other demon's feet and into her hand. As soon as her fingers curled around it, the muscles in her arms were shot through with energy. Isabelle leapt up, uncurling her whip and flinging it into the air.
She caught a glimpse of Sam's hands darted this way and that, like a demented conductor directing a chorus of destruction as black smoke poured out of people, who then crumpled to the ground. Isabelle's whip made for Famine. The demon responsible for wheeling him around blocked the whip's progress for a moment before being flung cross the room by Sam. Sam's knife dropped to the floor once again. Isabelle's whip nicked Famine's respirator. He gasped, almost sharp enough to be a scream on its own merits. Isabelle flicked her wrist once and her whip darted up and wrapped around Famine's neck. She twisted her arm above her head, forcing his head upwards. His eyes rolling so that the yellowed whites showed, thrashed in his chair. Pestilence tried to grab the wheels on his chair. Gabriel leaned for a second and then dived for Sam's fallen knife.
Isabelle and Gabriel went to Pestilence's side. The whip strung tight, red lines appearing on on the skinny chicken neck of Pestilence. He gurgled, arms flailing. The back of his right hand smacked the side of her face. His signet ring cracked the bridge of her nose, the sickly gleam of the ring's metal blasted her eye before it moved out of her vision. It spidered up the side of her face, finding root in her hair, fingers wrapping strands of her hair around spindly digits. He jerked his hand down, Isabelle yelped, quickly followed by Famine's deep wheeze as his own neck bowed down sharp and concise as Isabelle's whip continued to dig into his flesh.
"Please." He rasped. "You gave into your desire so easily, so quick to satisfy that pound of flesh." His raspy voice spiraled into laughter. "Does that plaything between your legs make the loss of your family any easier?"
Isabelle tightened her whip, the strands shining bright against Famine's pale neck. His tongue leaned out of his mouth swelling as his mouth gaped as his eyes looked ready to ping pong out of his head. Gabriel darted to the side, knife hand hovering.
"Do it!"
Gabriel brought the knife down. It sliced past stands of Isabelle's hair and rustling small currents of air around her cheek. It bore down on Famine's fingers. Isabelle's head shook as the knife sawed through Famine's bones. The heat of the horseman's blood splattered onto Isabelle's hair and eyelashes. Famine gave a small gasp, chest fluttering for a moment. The tiny thump of something hitting the carpet. Isabelle glanced down to see three fingers, smaller than sausages roll onto the floor, a slightly dirty ring lying beside them.
As if released, Isabelle slumped. The absence of weight that was only there moments before, her whip went slack, slithering down an empty wheelchair. Isabelle shifted and the weight made the wheelchair rattle. She moved out of the way as it collapsed to it's side and she growled as strands of hair got caught and pulled in the handles of the chair. Isabelle sunk to the ground, shaking as her arms strained to keep her even halfway off the floor.
Famine's ring winked up at Isabelle, blood giving it more shine against the ruddy band. Fingers shaking, she picked it up with her thumb and forefinger. She rolled it in the palm of her hand. It was still warm.
Sam thudded onto the floor, wiping the blood off his face with the back of one shaking hand as he gagged. Isabelle shivered even as Sam's eyes became warm again and filled with horror. His hazel eyes turning a brighter shade of green as his eyes went glassy. He turned, over and over neck cricking as he stared at the sprawled bodies of the people around them, blood only pooling around a couple of them.
Only Gabriel was able to stand, his shoulders set in an odd way, as he fiddled with the knife in his hand. He turned to the hunter.
"Sam."
Sam took a few minutes and it was only when Gabriel called his name a second time that he met the archangel's eyes. Gabriel tossed him back the knife. Sam caught it and stared at the blood that adorned its blade before wiping it on his shirt. Gabriel extended his hand and Sam stared at the hand. He kept staring at it even as he pulled himself up without it. Isabelle braced herself with shaky palms and stood up, giving a shaky exhale when she she did. She stared at them both, gaze avoiding the ground. She could barely keep her eyes on Sam but it was the better alternative. His face was the picture of desolation. Brows twisting as he tried to keep his expression in check. The eyes, not so much open doors as a bursting dam. Lips pressed in a slash of a line, almost gray in their paleness. Sweat made his hair appear thinner than it really was. His whole body shook. Isabelle had to take a moment to realize she was shaking too.
Gabriel tore away his gave from Sam to regard Isabelle and then looked back to Sam. "What, no witty one-liner?"
SPNTMI
Sam and Gabriel's room was a mess. The two bed's mattresses shoved on their sides, the nightstand overturned completely, and the lamp shattered. The adjacent door still lying on the floor, hinges giving a slight swing. Isabelle looked around the decimated room, catching her reflection in a spider cracked mirror so that ten Isabelle's stared back at her. Bruises bloomed all over her, the beginnings of a shiner where Famine's ring had smacked into her.
The longer she stared the more something trembled in her gut and she kept her gaze firmly trained on her reflection and not what used to be her room. She ignored the sounds of Sam and Gabriel's voices. Her hair was uneven, she squinted. A chunk of hair was shorter than the rest and she frowned. The dried blood on her mouth exaggerated the expression further. She rubbed at the spot, but it only served to irritate the skin around her mouth. Isabelle strode into the bathroom. She held up Famine's ring and smacked it down onto the sink's top, next to the bar of soap. The tinny echo made Sam jump and both men turned to her. Gabriel pursed his lips as he stared at the ring and Sam frowned.
"...Is that what I think it is?" he asked.
"Yup." Gabriel said, drawing out the word. "Each one has a ring of his very own."
"Yeah I know. We already got War's." Sam said.
"Did you now?" Gabriel raised an eyebrow. "Did you know that if you collect all four you have the key to Lucifer's cage?"
Sam and Isabelle turned to him. He trembled, ashen faced and wild eyed as he looked to Gabriel. Isabelle went taunt, frowning with her held at a slight tilt. She put her hands on her hips, fingers still twitching and stained with Famine's blood. She opened her mouth but Sam beat her to it.
"What?" He stuttered for a moment. "What are you talking about what does that mean?"
"And explain fast." Isabelle said, moving closer.
Gabriel held up his hands. "When my old man put Luci in prison, he got a special section of hell all to himself. Dad must have made the key in case Lucifer felt bad about it and wanted to come home." Gabriel snorted. "Fat chance of that. Anywho, collect all four rings and presto the key to open the cage. Play our cards right and we can push him back inside."
"Oh, and you expect him to waltz back inside I suppose."
"What, why didn't you tell us this before?"
Isabelle and Sam said in unison. Gabriel lowered his hands. His back was straight but his smile was lazy. "One you didn't ask and two no I didn't because like all Winchester plans, this one was a dark horse."
"Ok, point." Sam said. "But you still should have told us. Anything helps."
"Ok ok ok." Gabriel rolled his eyes. "So, I'm guessing gotta catch em' all?"
"Yes."
Sam wiped his brow as Gabriel hummed the theme tune for pokemon. Isabelle huffed, watching as the two men shuffled around her and their voices began to grow distant.
"You'll have to tie me up." Sam said.
Isabelle perked up at this and twisted her head to regard the two men.
"Tie up what now?" she asked.
Sam lowered his gaze as if the sight of her burned. "To keep me in check. There could be more demons around and I..."
"Might drink their blood too?" Gabriel offered. "At least it'll be easy to stop."
"Easy?" Sam's voice rose. "I could have killed all those people. Hell I probably did and I-"
"Do it again?" Gabriel cut in. "Kiddo, I don't know how to tell you this, but I'm an archangel despite what ironside said back there."
Gabriel fished out a pair of handcuffs from seemingly no where and tugged Sam into the bathroom. Sam grunted after he nearly got smacked into Isabelle.
"Fine." she huffed. "I'll just find somewhere else to be then."
"Sorry." Sam said.
Isabelle waved her hand. "Not your fault."
She strode out of the room and went out the door, shutting it behind her with a bang.
"Nice. Real nice." Sam said.
"Yeah, cuz' that's my biggest concern right now." Gabriel replied, cuffing Sam to the bathtub's facet.
Sam gave another exasperated exhale as he shifted his weight so that he sat comfortably within the bathtub. He growled as Gabriel shoved himself next to him in the tub, already cramped as Sam extended his legs over the rim of the tub.
"So you are concerned?"
"Sam, I'm shocked that you'd ever suggest otherwise." Gabriel smirked. "I get concern, I'm totally down with concern. These are some of my favorite things." He ended his word on a sing-songy note.
Sam rolled his eyes. "My hero."
"I'm here all week. I get paid by the hour."
Sam laughed. His chest ached.
"What? I'm so much more accessible than batman."
"You know you'd be downright sleazy if you weren't so charming."
"You think I'm charming?"
"It's the detox talking." Sam gave a shaky exhale. "You're just taking advantage of me."
"Not true. The ladies love me."
Sam snorted. He was about to reply but Gabriel leaned in close enough for Sam to count the strands of his eyelashes. Sam inhaled sharp and took in Gabriel's aftershave, or maybe it was something it else. It was that same scent that the archangel had in the faerie court and Sam shuddered, chills enveloping his body.
"What are you doing?"
Sam winced. His voice coming out softer and more frayed than he would have liked, but when Gabriel replied, his heart snapped to a stop, blood hovering in his veins, refusing to move. He never quite heard the that tone from the archangel's voice.
"Taking advantage of you."
Gabriel placed a light kiss on Sam's lips. Sam's whole body shook and his lips burned even as Gabriel pulled away, the contact so momentary that Sam reasoned that he could have imagined it. He wanted to shrug, but his shoulders burned and even then, something held him back. Held him back enough to make his vision blur and go black around the edges. It was the reason why he suddenly found himself unable to truly move and it crashed all around his ears.
He wanted to not want to pretend it didn't happen. Now he knew why. Sam swallowed heavily, throat barely able to preform the action. He barely heard Gabriel's words, let alone his own response, but was glad that his voice didn't shake.
"Seriously, what was that?"
"Can't I just be the mysterious one?" Gabriel wriggled his eyebrows.
Sam choked back a laugh. "No. Not when you've been acting so strange."
This time it was Gabriel's turn to laugh and it seemed more biting than usual. "You don't know anything about me."
Sam growled and it made his throat burn. "I know enough to see right through this crap. Dean does the same thing. Drop the act."
"You gotta stop comparing me to your brother, I'm starting to think you've got a complex." At Sam's look, he held up his hands, eyes getting a slight far away look in them. "Alright alright." His gave shifted and Sam frowned, more in thought then anything else. "You really think so?" Gabriel asked.
"...I know there's more to you than meets the eye."
"Oh. Transformers. Classy."
"Gabriel. Please."
After another look at Sam, Gabriel huffed. "Fine. So Famine wasn't entirely lying. My angel mojo has...'atrophied' in a way. I...was...am a trickster." He rubbed the back of his neck. "To the point that I can't even tell if Cas is still alive. Course that could be as much him as it is me, but still...Guess I gotta grow up too."
Sam sensed the last part of his sentence was more to himself than it was to Sam, but he didn't care. Something tightened in his chest, in a not-so-unpleasant way and he resisted the urge to put his hand on Gabriel's shoulder or even nudge him. As if sensing this, Gabriel tilted his head closer in Sam's direction raising an eyebrow in what Sam was beginning to realize was a trademark expression. Sam couldn't help smiling back even as his thoughts whirled.
'Oh shit, I'm in trouble.'
SPNTMI
Isabelle wandered back down to the main floor. She walked back to the pool. Her clothes were gone and a few people floated face down in the pool. She stared down at her reflection, chlorine overpowering her and she snorted before walking away. Walking back into the shop where she took the swimsuit, she pulled clothes off the racks and stuffed them into her arms. Grabbing a duffle and few more toiletries before she went into the dressing rooms.
She clicked door behind her and ripped the strings holding the suit up, tugging the thing off her and once it puddled at her feet, she kicked it under the door. Isabelle flicked her wrist and her whip came to life. She grabbed the slim point at the very end of it, not caring how it pricked her fingers. Isabelle's whip slip-streamed through her hair, slicing until black locks littered the linoleum. She only finished until her hair brushed her shoulders.
Isabelle stared at herself, naked, bruised, and bloodied. Her expression didn't change. The same flat eyed, mouth lax look. Eyebrows pencil thin and immobile. There was no glitter in the eyes, just a dull blackness. She gave a sudden bark of laughter and began to put on clothes. She stuffed the rest in the duffle and pulled the rest of her hair up in a spiky bun. Strands still stuck to her face but she didn't pull them away from her face.
She wound her whip around her wrist and left the room and the store. Isabelle wandered around for a while, with the only the dead to keep her company until she found a small corner just past the lobby. Isabelle sat on the raised counter, resting against the window as her duffle cushioned her back. The rain still pounded against the windows and went streaks of lightening flew past, her eyes barely acknowledged the light. Her fists clenched hard enough to draw blood, but she she didn't avert her gaze from the window.
A tap on she shoulder and she turned to see Sam and Gabriel. Sam didn't look as shaky as before as she eyed him up and down, then gave a little nod. Some tension left Sam's shoulders, his eyes a bit brighter but not by much. Gabriel gestured to the doors that Isabelle had ignored previously. Isabelle unwound herself from her perch and followed them out the double doors. They stopped at the lobby. A few people slumped onto the ground, the desk clerk's head face down on his keyboard. Sam's gaze swept through the grand entrance before he bowed his head for a few minutes. When he lifted his head back up, his eyes were dry and set but his voice and shoulders tired.
"Lets get the hell out of here."
The rain pounded at them the moment they stepped foot out of the hotel, yet none of them hurried to get inside the car. Isabelle slid into the back, watching the hotel get smaller and smaller from the rear window. The thick, pouring rain crashed against her vision, the lightening doing nothing to help, even as it showed an empty lot the farther they moved down the road. Isabelle shrugged and closed her eyes, going to sleep.
SPNTMI
TBC...