CHAPTER 17
Sam sent a quick text to the girls and stepped boldly into the open room. "Hey, any of you guys see a little dog in here?" he called over. They all looked up sharply. "I seem to have lost him. He's an ugly mutt, goes by the name Succorbenoth," the hunter added in his best cocky Dean imitation. Didn't quite manage to pull it off, but he was getting better.
All six rose aggressively to their feet, a couple of them blinking black eyes at the hunter and thus confirming they were indeed demons. Three of them started moving towards him but a seventh appeared from the shadows, a grey-haired man in his mid-fifties, holding his hand in the air. The others all froze at his signal.
Great, Sam thought, that must be Succorbenoth.
"Who are you and why are you looking for me?" the leader demanded.
"Name's Sam Winchester," Sam informed him, not sure whether it was a good sign or a bad one that the demon seemed to recognize the name.
"Sam Winchester," Succorbenoth repeated before addressing his minions. "Great rewards to whoever kills his pest."
They all charged instantly. Sam knew he couldn't take all six minions out at the same time and still get Succorbenoth in one of the traps back in the equipment room so he just turned and ran, hoping like hell the girls were ready and the traps would snare at least some of the possessed bodies now chasing him.
He skidded into the large room to see Ruby and Tasha rushing in from a door on the far wall. He ducked in to the side of the door, flattening himself against the wall in hopes of gaining the element of surprise in the upcoming fight. Tasha and Ruby fanned out, moving themselves to the far side of two devils traps covered with scraps of plywood. Tasha had Ruby's knife drawn and Ruby had a borrowed silver blade of Sam's doused in holy water. Sam couldn't help but liken them to bookends as he took in the two brunettes' similar physiques and practically identical fighting stances.
The demons barely slowed as they filed through the doorway one at a time, eyes gleaming black and angry scowls on their borrowed faces. The two in front spotted the women and immediately lunged for them, both slamming to a halt as they hit the invisible supernatural force field that contained them in the hidden devils traps. The demons behind them clued in and attacked a little more warily, coming in from the sides over bare concrete floor. Sam waited until Succorbenoth himself entered, bringing up the rear behind his minions and pausing to look around as soon as he stepped over the threshold. Sam launched himself at him, hoping to tackle him into the large devil's trap in the center of the room. "This is Succky!" he yelled, making sure Tasha and Ruby knew which one they needed to keep alive.
His attack failed. Succorbenoth spun to face him and raised his hand as if to blast him with a shot of demon mojo. As with Lilith on the night Dean had died, it had no affect on Sam, but the demon still possessed super strength and Sam's giant bulk barreling into him wasn't enough to knock him off his feet. The demon grunted with the force of impact and slammed a fist back at the hunter, sending him reeling backwards onto the ground. Stepping away from the devil's trap, Succorbenoth advanced on Sam as the hunter rolled quickly to his knees and back to his feet.
He stole a worried glance across the room as he righted himself, not liking the numbers and the extreme danger he'd clearly placed Tasha in. He was heartened to see she was not only holding her own but had in fact just taken out the first demon that attacked her with a vicious stab of Ruby's knife and was dancing out of reach of the second one charging at her.
Ruby, on the other hand, was not faring as well. Not having the advantage of a lethal weapon, a tall, wiry demon had landed a blow to her stomach that had sent her flying backwards into the brick wall behind her.
Sam's attention was snapped back to his own situation the instant he reached his feet since Succorbenoth was coming at him fast. He lashed out again with his fists at the demon, hoping to get a lucky strike in and knock him into the chalked trap. But Winchesters were never lucky. His fist connected with the demon's face but had little effect. Succorbenoth grabbed him by the collar and flung him, this time sending him slamming into the doorframe behind him. He fought for breath and struggled unsuccessfully to stay on his feet. As he sank to his knees, he caught in his peripheral the lights of death flashing from beneath the skin of the second demon Tasha had just slashed across the neck with Ruby's knife. She spared him a quick glance also but obviously decided 'Chrissy' needed her help more for she turned and charged the demon that was using Ruby as a punching bag.
Sam dodged the fist that crashed into the door jamb above his head, splintering the wood with a loud crack. He lunged upwards, wrapping his arms around Succorbenoth's waist and pushing the demon backwards. They toppled to the ground in a mass of flailing fists and feet. He took a couple of hard hits and had the sinking feeling the few he landed in return weren't having the desired effect. He managed to roll out of the way and sprang back to his feet.
Tasha was also getting back up after being thrown across the floor by the last of the free minions, a short, pudgy man that Ruby was currently grappling with. Ruby caught Sam's eye and hissed at him. "Take him down, Sam!"
Succorbenoth was coming back at him and Sam knew Ruby was telling him to use his powers. He was well aware that a hand-to-hand fight was not going to end well for him against a far stronger and faster opponent. He growled in frustration but lifted his palm towards the high-level demon. A quick glance back up, however, had him meeting Tasha's brown-eyed gaze and he stopped. He didn't want her to see him do this. He didn't want her to know what he could do, what he was. In a strange way she represented his brother, his conscience, and he couldn't bear the thought of letting her down or letting her see that he had betrayed Dean's dying request, that he had turned into a blood-sucking monster. He took a step backwards and lowered his arm.
"Sam!" Ruby snarled, glaring first at Sam then narrowing her eyes at Tasha, who was making her way towards Ruby, clearly stiff and in pain from the last hit she had taken. Sam shook his head, letting Ruby know he wasn't going to expose his secret, and pulled his Glock from his jeans, firing a few rounds at the demon coming at him. It did slow the possessed man down but wasn't enough to force him backwards into the devil's trap.
"Sam! Goddamnit!" Ruby screamed her disapproval at him. She dealt a particularly hard blow to the demon she was fighting just as Tasha reached the pair with the demon-killing knife. As the slim hunter raised the blade to stab the demon Ruby had just knocked down, Ruby stepped behind her and struck her at the base of her skull with the butt of Sam's knife.
"Ruby!" Sam cried in anger as he watched Tasha's eyes roll back in her head and her body crumple onto the floor.
"Damnit Sam, now do it!" Ruby snapped back impatiently. "Get control of him or we're all dead!"
He couldn't help but be thankful to the petite demon for finding a solution to his dilemma, albeit not a perfect one, and gave her a curt nod of acknowledgement as his initial shocked anger subsided. He was only partially aware of her prying her own knife from Tasha's unconscious hand and making quick work of the last of the free demons by ramming the six inch blade into his chest because Succorbenoth was suddenly upon him and he returned his attention to his own fight.
He dodged a blow to the chest and stepped backwards, raising his arm up and thrusting his palm out towards Succorbenoth and sending a blast of mental power in his direction. He felt a wave of satisfaction sweep through him at the look of fear the demon gave him when he realized what was happening. Succorbenoth's borrowed body was flung backwards but he managed to stop himself short of the chalk lines Sam had been aiming for.
The demon couldn't throw Sam but he seemed to be able to resist Sam's energy blast. The hunter increased his efforts, concentrating on moving the strong demon backwards, rather than the usual exorcizing routine. He needed Succorbenoth here but he needed him inside the devil's trap. Sam could feel his heart pounding in his chest and his breath quickened as he struggled against Succky's will, the two of them facing off with their arms outstretched towards each other.
After a long, difficult moment, the high level demon had clearly seen that he was outmatched and was trying to make a break for it. Tiny tendrils of black smoke started to snake out of his mouth but Sam wasn't going to let the bastard get away. He threw everything he had at the demon, forcing him to stay inside the grey-haired man. Succorbenoth was by far the strongest demon he'd come up against since he'd started training with Ruby and he could feel himself getting lightheaded but he kept pushing. He tasted his blood trickling into his mouth and realized his nose was bleeding but still did not back down. In fact, he pushed farther, pain hammering in his skull and his knees starting to quiver as his strength reached its limits.
It was with his last ounce of energy that he finally forced Succorbenoth off his feet and sent him tumbling into the devil's trap behind him. He was vaguely aware of Ruby's cheered "Yes!" before his knees gave out and he dropped to the floor, a blanket of blackness catching him as he fell.
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He awoke to find Ruby kneeling next to him on the cold, hard floor of the equipment room. "Hey Sam? You still with us?" Her voice didn't sound particularly worried but instead held the usual hint of sarcasm that all demons seemed to have.
He pushed himself up onto his elbows to see Succorbenoth lying still on the floor inside the large devil's trap, his meat suit's eyes closed. Blinking to bring his eyes into better focus, Sam surveyed the room to see six other bodies littering the floor. The situation came back to him in a rush and he took note of the two dead people lying in the plywood covered devils traps before giving Ruby a disapproving look. They had been trapped and could have been saved.
She clearly caught his accusing glare because she raised her hands in innocence. "I didn't kill them," she defended. "I had to pretend to go check out a noise outside while your little girl-scout exorcized them the old fashioned way. Not my fault the demons had ridden them too hard and they didn't make it."
"Where is Tasha?" he asked, his throat raspy.
"She's scouting the perimeter," Ruby told him. "Salting every door and window," she added with an annoyed eyeroll.
"Alone?" Sam sat up straight.
Ruby snorted. "I don't think you have to worry about her. She and my knife make quite the lethal pair. I was impressed and I don't impress easily."
Sam relaxed with a grin. "Yeah, she can handle a blade alright." He realized even as the words escaped his mouth that was a gross understatement. Brian Malick had trained his daughter well with the best and most practical defense against a psychotic stalking vampire, a knife covered in dead man's blood. Tasha was a competent hunter in general but she was the best Sam had ever seen with a knife. To see her in action was honestly a thing of beauty. "How long have I been out?" he asked.
"Twenty minutes, give or take," the demon answered. "And by the way, thanks for leaving me so long with Ms. Chatty. She's not exactly the small talk type, huh?"
Sam gave her another smile as he pushed himself wearily to his knees. "Don't worry, you wont have any trouble keeping up the Chrissy ruse," he told her. "Tasha won't ask you a single personal question. She makes a habit of not getting to know people."
"She seems to be friendly and personal enough with you," Ruby accused.
"That's an extension of what she felt for Dean," he explained. "They had the whole in-love thing going on."
Ruby let out another snort of disbelief. "Dean? In love? Mr. Jack-ass commitment-phobe?"
Tasha appeared at the doorway at the far end of the room. "You know Dean?" she asked the demon, having clearly heard Ruby's last comment. Not for the first time, Sam noticed that Tasha was still referring to Dean in the present tense and wondered exactly when he had made the switch to past tense.
Ruby gave the other brunette a sheepish look. "Uh, we crossed paths a couple of times on hunts," she said carefully. "Can't say we hit it off, exactly."
Tasha laughed. "Actually, I thought he was an ass too, first time I met him."
Ruby raised a questioning eyebrow. "Then why…" She wrinkled her nose in obvious distaste at the mere thought of getting cozy with the elder Winchester.
Tasha shrugged. "I was upset at the time and he's hot and he offered a distraction. Can't help where it went from there."
"You okay, Tasha?" Sam interrupted, cutting off any derogatory remark Ruby might have been contemplating.
"Yeah," she assured him, rubbing the back of her neck. "That last demon musta been quick coz he clocked me good. How 'bout you?" she returned the concern.
Sam made it to his feet and rolled his shoulders in a feeble effort to loosen his aching muscles and lessen his pounding headache. "Succky put up a good fight," he admitted. "Gave me a pretty good whack on the head."
All three were suddenly distracted by a well-timed groan from the large devil's trap. "He's coming round!" Sam announced unnecessarily, taking two of his giant strides to the edge of the trap and peering down at Succorbenoth.
The demon still seemed weak but had pushed himself up and was now sitting cross-legged in the center of the devil's trap, glaring icily up at the towering form of the hunter.
Sam chose to ignore the nasty look, not wanting to initiate a conversation with the demon since it would inevitably end with his secret being revealed to Tasha. "Get the stuff for the binding ritual," he ordered Ruby.
"Already done," she answered him, gesturing towards an array of candles, talismans, and symbols arranged on the floor in the far corner.
"All the doors and windows are salted,' Tasha added, "so we don't have to worry about more demons sneaking up on us. We're all clear."
Sam realized he would have to be discreet when breaking a salt line for Ruby to get out when they left, but hopefully that would be with his brother in tow, alive and well. A new wave of giddy but terrified anticipation hit him at the thought. Ruby moved over and started lighting the candles.
Tasha stood behind her, demon-killing knife held tightly in her grasp as she eyed Succorbenoth warily. "How did you know how to do all this?" she asked Ruby.
"Every hunter has a specialty," was Ruby's evasive answer.
Sam explained further. "You're a bit of a vampire expert," he told Tasha. "Let's just say Chrissy's more of a demon expert. Not to mention pretty versed in witchcraft. She can make hex bags for practically anything."
The setup now complete, Sam pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and began to recite the Latin words scrawled on it as Ruby mixed rank-smelling powders and ignited them over the various symbols on the makeshift altar.
Succorbenoth suddenly let out a blood-curdling scream, his head tipping back as flames shot up out of the symbols of the altar. The lights in the room started flickering on and off and the bulbs all exploded in unison, blue lines of electricity darting about the room between them. The visible currents intensified before finally all stretching down to zap Succorbenoth, still trapped within his chalked prison.
"The blood!, Now Sam!" Ruby shouted, spurring Sam into action. He sliced a small blade across his palm and stepped into the devil's trap, planting his bleeding palm on Succky's forehead.
"Remidio nos!" he said loudly, completing the part of the Latin spell that would give him control over the demon. "Remidio nos!"
He felt a wave of energy pass through him and took a step back out of the devil's trap as the room fell into a calm silence. Succorbenoth was on his knees, hunched over and panting. The hunters and Ruby stood staring in silence for a moment before Tasha finally spoke.
"Did it work?" she asked, her question directed at Sam.
"I think so," Ruby answered, also looking up at Sam. "Test it," she suggested. "Give him an order."
Sam took a deep breath. It was his blood used in the ritual so Succky was only bound to him. "Stand up," he commanded.
Succorbenoth glared daggers at him but pushed himself to his feet.
"Make him bow," Ruby sneered.
Sam rolled his eyes. "Bow," he said simply.
Succorbenoth bowed.
Tasha laughed. Encouraged, Sam let a grin slip and gave another command. "Spin three times and clap your hands."
If looks could kill, Sam would be dead ten times over, but the grey-haired demon turned in his prison three times and clapped his hands together. "If you're done with the juvenile theatrics, Winchester," he spat, "Tell me what you want with me."
"I want you to get my brother out of hell," Sam replied, his grin disappearing.
Now it was Succorbenoth's turn to laugh. A deep, malevolent rumble escaped his throat and his shoulders shook with his apparent amusement. "I can't," he said.
"You can if I tell you to," Sam retorted. "In fact, you have to."
"I mean, I can't from in here," the demon fired back, pointing at the chalked lines of the devil's trap he was in.
"Why not?" Tasha asked, her eyes narrowed in suspicion.
He tore his glowering eyes from Sam and laid them on the smaller hunter standing at his side. "The heptogram renders me powerless, you morons."
Sam looked to Ruby, who nodded. "That's true," she admitted.
He turned to Tasha. "You still got that knife handy?" he asked her. She nodded, giving Ruby's blade a showy twirl in her skilled hand. "Use it if he so much as hiccups without my say so," Sam instructed with a pointed look at Succorbenoth. Tasha nodded in understanding and Sam bent down and scraped a narrow line in the outer ring of the trap.
Succorbenoth smirked and took a sideways step over the chalked line.
"Stop," Sam commanded. The demon stopped short, growling his displeasure.
Sam bit his lip in anticipation. "Now open a gate and bring my brother back from the pit, you son of a bitch."
"I can't," the demon snarled.
"Wrong answer!" Sam seethed. "Do it or I'll finish you right here!"
Succorbenoth made no show of hiding his derogatory eye roll. "Like I said, I can't. I can't simply will a gate to hell, you mindless ingrate. There's a ritual that goes along with it."
"I did my homework, Succky," Sam fired back. "For the size of the gate we're looking for, big enough for just one, you need something important to the soul in question and a door." He pointed to the ground next to the altar that Ruby had setup. Dean's amulet had been placed in the center of an elaborate Enochian symbol. He then pointed to the door to a small storage closet on which a series of symbols had been drawn.
"That should do it," Sam said in an authoritative tone. "You know the words, you've done this before. Do it now."
"What makes you think I can find your brother?"
"I'm pretty sure he'll be a bit of a celebrity down there. He'll be well guarded, you'll be able to find him." Sam gave him a warning look. "You'd better be able to find him."
Succky sneered but started chanting in a low, guttural voice.
Tasha leaned over to Sam and whispered. "Are you sure we don't need Dean's body to be here?"
It was Succorbenoth who answered her. "You'd be amazed what I can do, Sweetheart," he grinned before returning to his chanting.
Sam knew the bound demon couldn't disobey but threw Ruby a glance to ask if the unknown words he was chanting were the right ones. She just shrugged. Not a reassuring response.
The air in the room suddenly grew heavy and a strange vibration passed through Sam's body from nowhere, giving him a weird, ominous vibe. He felt a breeze though all the doors were closed and he glanced down to see Tasha's hair billowing in the quickly increasing wind. Soon it was howling all around them , so much so that Sam lifted a hand to shield his face and the windows in the room suddenly shattered, sending a shower of glass down on them. They all stood their ground, however, until there was a distinct knocking coming from the other side of the closed and marked storage room door.
Someone was in there. Someone brought here from hell.
"Dean!" Tasha cried and rushed towards the door, yanking the metal handle and pulling it open.
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A/N: I will admit that I hated Ruby because she was a conniving bitch but of course, that was what made her so great. I cheered when she got killed but that doesn't mean I didn't thoroughly enjoy her character and I hope I am portraying her as the backstabbing (but convincingly 'good') bitch she was on the show. Let me know what you think, either way. I always love hearing from you so please leave a review :)