Chapter 35

Grace

The house was silent except for the thoughts from my kids that filled my head as I searched for the last werewolf, hidden somewhere in my house. Liberty was calm; she had discovered a coloring book from when she and Jody played together in the panic room, countless times before. Glory was asleep, comforted by her cousin's presence as Levi slept beside her. Everett had been crying since the battle began. His anger rattled through my brain making it hard for me to concentrate. He lay next to Liberty, screaming at the top of his lungs, but because the kids were all used to him being close to inconsolable, it didn't seem to bother them.

I tuned him out, knowing they were safe behind the iron door, and continued my search upstairs. I was out of bullets, but I had my blade, and if I could destroy fourteen vampires next to my sister with my hands and my knife, then one werewolf wouldn't be able to stop me.

I got to the top of the stairs and weighed my options. I knew she understood that the kids were safe, hidden away in a place she couldn't get to, so her only focus was on me. Hesitating in the breezeway, I listened hard, my senses were on high alert, so much that I could distinguish each kid's heartbeat from two stories above them.

I turned, catching a whiff of something unfamiliar. The fans were on, circulating the air throughout the house. Heading back towards the bedroom I shared with my husband, I could see her reflection in the full-length mirror in the back of the room. She stood erect, back to human form and was completely nude.

"Dean Winchester killed my family," she said, her jaw set and her hair amiss.

I lifted my blade, pointing it at the woman. "Yeah, well, Grace Winchester is about to kill you," I said, approaching her slowly.

She looked up with tears in her eyes. "He took everything from me! My parents! My sister!" she gasped for air and ran at me, leaping up into the air and shifting back into a werewolf as she did so. I dove out of the way, keeping my blade close and she was on me in a heartbeat, gnashing and snarling as she attacked. Kicking her hard, I sent her flying across the room, breaking the mirror she had been in front of, only seconds before.

I could hear the rumble of an engine as I fought and I tried to distinguish if it was the Impala or the El Camino. I couldn't tell them apart when I was locked in battle with a raging werewolf lunatic, but a few minutes later, I didn't have to. "Grace!" I could hear Sam's voice echo through the house as he pounded inside. "Grace!"

The werewolf attacked again and we rolled across the room. Every time I tried to get my palm down on her head, she tried to bite me, sending me into a defensive position. I swung my blade at her again and again, to no avail. "Sam!" I shouted, trying to be loud enough to hear over the fight. "Sammy!"

He threw himself up the stairs and joined the fight, but as she let go to attack him, I slashed at her hip with my blade, cutting open her thigh. She turned her attention back to me and at a full run, tackled me hard enough to send us both through the second story window.

We seemed to fall in slow motion, turning and twisting in mid-air, her fangs dangerously close to my face and neck. We landed, rolling, into the field below and she got up, not missing a beat and tried to take off into the grass. I was on her in a second, right on her tail when all of a sudden, I could hear the Impala's engine roaring up the road. Grinning, I knew she was headed straight for it.

I pushed harder, chasing her right passed the Small House and into the wheat across the road from the house. We tore through the field and burst out into the highway, right in front of the Impala, with Dean behind the wheel. He made eye contact with me, glanced at the werewolf and didn't slow down, hitting her doing about eighty miles an hour, and sending her flying into the air.

I knew Serra didn't even wait for the car to stop before she was out in the middle of the road, raising her gun and hitting the werewolf six times in rapid succession, clustered in her chest as she tried to run. I caught up at the exact right time; she stumbled, only slowed down by Serra's shots. They must not have been silver.

As I reached her, she fell into me, still snarling and I sunk my silver blade deep into her spine, getting a sharp gasp as Dean joined the fight. He grabbed her by the shoulders, pushing her to the ground and Serra stood above her, holding her .38 level, completely reloaded and ready to fire.

Finally, she collapsed, bleeding out into the highway. "You," she whispered, staring up at Dean.

"Yeah, me," he said, narrowing his eyes, staring back down at her. "Am I supposed to know you?"

At last, she breathed her last and I collapsed next to her body, lying in the middle of the road, completely spent. "Are you okay, Gracie?" Serra asked, bending to my side. "Did she bite you?"

I shook my head, struggling to open my eyes. "No," I answered. "Did they go after you, too?"

She nodded, "Yeah, I got two. Dean got one." Serra smiled. "You're the lucky bitch that got to take on three by yourself."

"Kids okay?" Dean asked, bending to help me up.

"Yeah," I breathed. "I threw them in the panic room as I heard them coming." I smiled to myself. "Everett is probably still crying."

Pulling me from the ground, Dean wrapped me into a hug and supported my weight. Serra hugged the both of us and we dragged ourselves to the car. Dean dumped me into the passenger seat and headed back to the middle of the road, rolling the werewolf to the side and pulling the angel blade from her back. He wiped it on her fur and got into the Impala, putting her back into gear and handing me my knife.

"We'll let animal control deal with this one," he said, smiling lightly. He put the car in gear and tore off, headed for the Big House.

…

Serra pulled out her phone and talked to Alana and Lindsey, telling them we were okay and that the werewolves were dead, and Dean checked in with Doug, telling him he would be in later that night to clean up the mess left by the wolf in the shop.

I listened to the conversation with my eyes closed, "Dean, don't worry, man, we already had animal control come in here and take care of it. The insurance on the shop will pay for the damage." Doug paused and took a breath, chuckling lightly, "You saved my life, son."

Smiling, Dean nodded, "Anytime, Dougie. I'm gonna call it a day and spend the rest of it with my kids and my wife. That okay?"

"I'd be upset if you didn't." He paused, taking another deep breath. "I heard about what happened at the hospital. Alana told me."

I opened my eyes and watched Dean's reaction. He eyed me slightly as we turned into our driveway in front of the Big House. "She's okay, right?"

"Thanks to the Winchesters," Doug replied. "Not just a grease monkey, huh?"

My husband chuckled and put the Impala in park, holding the phone in between his ear and his shoulder. "Yeah, you could say that."

"We'll talk more tomorrow, son. Go hug your babies."

"Thanks, Doug."

He pulled the keys from the car and Serra leapt out, heading for Sam as he came down the steps to the porch, holding Levi. They hugged, almost falling into the tall grass that surrounded the steps. Johnny came tumbling out, with Liberty hot on his tail.

I ran to Lib, arms out, and she grinned as I picked her up. Running up the steps, I checked on Glory and Everett. Sam had taken all the kids out of the panic room and Glory was in her highchair, eating puffy snacks while Everett cried, lying on his back in the middle of the carpet.

"Everett, it's okay," I said, bending to pick him up as well. "You're okay."

Libby petted her brother's head and immediately, he nuzzled into my neck, rubbing his face on my skin. He was hot to the touch and exhausted, considering how long he probably cried. Dean followed me in, greeting Lib as he walked past, kissing her on the head as he continued to Glory. "Hey, Cheese Puff," he said, lifting her out of her high chair. She squealed in delight at his touch and he glanced towards me, holding her close.

My family was safe. I sighed a breath of relief and closed my eyes, leaning towards my kids.