No, this is not a crossover fic. Please review.

They were moving again. Ernesto never let them stay in one place for long, if he ever did it was never for more than two weeks.

As time passed them by, the elder Russos couldn't help but wonder what had become of their parents. Had the assassin gotten to them? Were they alive somewhere, also hiding? Their minds were plagued by these questions...and there was still no word form Max.

Ernesto stopped suddenly, growling softly. He sniffed the air for a moment, then changed direction, the gravel crunching underneath his paws. The Russos, alarmed, hurriedly searched the surrounding are, wands drawn, eyes trying desperately to penetrate the black of a moonless night. Finding nothing, they hurried to keep pace with their uncle.

Justin's mind was reeling, still recovering from the shock of discovering that his uncle, a man he had known all his life, who had taken him to baseball games and given him rides on his shoulders when he was younger, was a God Hound, a champion of Heaven.

Justin knew he should not have found it surprising; he knew he inherited the trait from his mother's side of the family. And yet, surprised he was.

And angry. And afraid.

He was angry because he was thrust into a situation he didn't understand, given abilities he couldn't control. This God Hound business put his family in danger (thankfully, Harper was visiting with Zeke's family); it set on a killer his heels. On their heels.

He was afraid because he had no idea when he would see his family again. He was afraid because his abilities were still unstable, because his visions had were becoming stronger more vivid; they were slowly stripping him of his sanity.

He needed to find a cure for his affliction, before it damaged him irrevocably.

Justin smiled as he felt Alex squeeze his hand, and squeezed back. Even though their mind link, she always seemed to know what he was thinking, what he was feeling.

Alex had reacted quite differently when they had discovered Ernesto's secret. She'd taken it all in quite calmly. In fact, she had been the one asking all the questions that first, as they huddled around the fire (Ernesto preferred wooded areas), and their uncle had offered to answer any questions they had.

She listened to Ernesto's answers carefully, holding Justin's hand throughout. Ernesto explained how he had felt Justin merge with the wolf spirit, how he resolved to come to him, to help him in any way he could. He also explained that Theresa knew nothing of her family's heritage, that those who did not possess the ability to change were kept ignorant of its existence, to keep them protected.

Alex listened to everything, filing it away for future reference. At the end of it all, she'd smiled and said, "I knew that crap about cat-sitting for the president of Mexico was a joke."

Justin could only stare and marvel at her.

But he wasn't really surprised; she had always been the stronger one.

"We're staying at a hotel for the night," Ernesto said, stepping out from an alley where he shifted back to human and dressed. "We're going to meet up with the Winchesters in the morning.

"Max has worked with-"

"We know who they are," Justin said. "We've met."

"Good!" Ernesto said, clapping his hand. "Spares me the agony of introductions."

Silence ensued as they walked.

"There's something that's been bugging me," Justin said after a moment. "Why is this guy after me? What does he want? Who is he?"

"A God Hound's soul is a valuable commodity; in terms of power, only an angel's Grace is more powerful. It can be used for any number of things: curses, invocations, resurrections, you name it.

"Your would-be killer, whoever he is, needs your soul, and that is cause for concern."

"Why?" Alex asked.

"Like I said, God Hound's soul possesses a lot of power. A spell that requires would be equally powerful. Years ago, a sect of occultists attempted to free Lucifer from Hell using a God Hound."

Complete silence.

"Max and I stopped them, and Lucifer was prevented from rising a second time. But he came pretty close."

Ernesto turned to Justin. "That is why it's extremely important that you stay alive. And that is why I am with you. A divided Hound is a dead Hound."

Justin stared at his uncle. "How do you kn-

"I know everything Max knows."

With that, the conversation ends. They enter a hotel and Ernesto checks them in.

"Uh, there are only two beds," Alex said when they entered the room.

"Is that a problem?" Ernesto asked. "I thought you were used to sharing."

The two Russos whirl around, shocked.

Ernesto was already asleep.

HOURS LATER

"So how much do you think he knows?"

Justin thought for a moment before answering. "He said he knows everything Max knows, and Max has known about us from the beginning..."

"If he had an issue with the two of you, he would have voiced it already."

"Max!" Alex exclaimed. "Are our parents okay?"

"They're safe," was his reply. Max walked over to Ernesto and woke him up. "We need to move, Malakai is on his way here."

"Malakai?" Ernesto asked, shocked. "We sealed him!"

"Not well enough, apparently."

"We're supposed to meet the Winchesters."

"They're busy. You'll have to make do with me."

Max narrowed his eyes, he seemed to be listening to something.

"He's here."

Justin heard a low growl, and saw that Ernesto had transformed, his hackles rising. And then they were outside, running.

How the hell...

Max was running beside him, occasionally glancing backwards.

Oh.

"Damn," Max said.

"Is that your new favorite word?" Alex asked, trying to lighten the mood.

"Max Russo," a voice said. " I should have known you would try to meddle in my affairs."

"Malakai. I wish I could see it's nice to see you again, but that would be a lie."

Malakai was standing on the rooftop of a building not too far off, his katana drawn.

The other Hound is here as well. That is interesting, but it make little difference.

Malakai jumped, landing gracefully mere feet from his prey.

Ernesto charged, lunging when he was close enough.

Malakai blocked his bite with his blade. He picked Ernesto up by his fur, and slammed him against the concrete. Then again. And again.

The assassin dropped his limp, bleeding form.

"I owed him for last time," he said conversationally.

Max drew his own blade, the runes along its body pulsating softly. "I need you two to run," he said.

"Now."

As the elder Russos fled, Max stepped into Malakai field of view, blocking them from his sight.

"You are only delaying the inevitable, archangel."

"Nothing is inevitable."

They fought then, the angel and the hellspawn. They matched each other, move for move.

As Max feinted to the left, Malakai caught a glimpse of his prey. He and the girl had gotten very far, but it was not a distance he could not cover.

Forgoing his blade, he elbowed Max in the face, causing him to stagger backwards.

Delving into his wrist brace, the assassin procured one of his throwing knives...and let it fly.

TWHACK!

Justin staggered, falling to his knees as the dagger embedded itself in his back.

"Justin!" Alex screamed.

As her brother, the man she loved more than anyone else ( though he would never hear her admit that) ay bleeding, dying, Alex felt something change inside of her.

She was angry. Extremely angry. She turned to face their attacker, unaware that her eyes had gone feral.

She ran at him, screaming.

Another one of his knives came at her. She jumped and it missed.

When she came back down, she was on all fours.

Malakai stared at her, the angered God Hound.