A/N: I don't own anyone but my OC's….though I wished I owned the guys…*sighs*

Dean wrapped the sheet around her body and spotted the collar around Brooklyn's neck. His eyes widened in shock and disgust.

"What the hell is this?" He hissed.

"My collar," she hung her head in shame.

"This has to go," he sneaked his hands around and unhooked the leather collar. He dropped it in disgust and gently rubbed her neck.

"Thank you," she whispered. Dean tilted her chin up seeing the deep humiliation in her eyes.

"Never again will you have to bow down to him," Dean struggled to keep his anger in check for Brooklyn's sake. He ran his hand gently down her back and paused. The raised lash marks felt rough against his skin.

"What did he do to you?" Brooklyn looked away not wanting him to see her tears. "My god, he degraded you didn't he?"

"Yes," she choked a sob. "He beat me, a lot. He would…..he would…" Dean put a finger to her lips.

"Don't say another word Brooklyn. Tonight I'm giving you what you so desire the most: freedom."

Brooklyn nodded unable to look him straight in the eye. She felt dirty and below him after the treatment she received from Alaric. He had beaten it into her that she was nothing more than property, a commodity for his twisted pleasure. Dean felt her cower on the bed and the vampire gave her comfort in his arms. She had been through Hell at the hands of Alaric and now sat before him a broken and dejected human.

"I'm going to kill him for what he did to you," he growled.

Alaric sat on deck enjoying the cool evening air. The vessel continued down river with the current pushing it onward. He looked along the riverbanks spotting slaves farming on the plantations that bordered the Mississippi. The vampire noticed this part of the country was more slaves but then again there was a huge concentration in the West as well.

"Alaric," William sat down beside him noticing the smile on his friend's face.

"William, I see you are enjoying the passage to New Orleans?"

William nodded and smiled, "Of course. The winters in Michigan are so brutal and cold. New Orleans is warmer and humid offering some comfort for us."

"Yes indeed," Alaric leaned back in the chair watching the other boats and barges pass by heading north to Saint Louis and Chicago. The odors of human sweat and tears crossed over the river blending with the smells of the river. The vampires reveled in their victory as the captain maintained course to Louisiana but were unaware of what was occurring below.

"We need to go now," Dean said with urgency. Brooklyn nodded and swallowed hard. This was it; she was going to escape the cruel hands of Alaric. Dean flung open the trunk and found a light dress as they were going to have to swim.

"Here," he helped her dress and noticed she was shaking all over. Though she was elated to be escaping, the part of her soul that was broken by Alaric was in control. Dean was determined to break his mental hold on her and show the human she didn't have to be afraid anymore.

Dean quickly tied her hair up and looked at her once more. Her eyes reflected the fear and uncertainty inside but saw the specks of hope peering through the dark slate.

"It's okay," he reassured her again. "Brooklyn look at me," he held her face in his hands.

"I'm scared," she said in a voice barely above a whisper.

"I know you are and please you have to believe me when I say you don't have to be scared after this. I won't let him find you. I promise."

Brooklyn nodded and wiped her eyes before letting him take her by the hand and quietly slip from the cabin. She didn't look back as they hurried down the hall to the steps and noticed the light above from the moonlight growing stronger with every step they took. Fear still gripped her soul but Dean squeezed her hand gently as if to remind her he was there with her. She forced herself to breathe as they started up the steps. Behind them one of the doors opened and a human slave peered out. She saw the vampire and human and quickly shouted out in alarm.

"Escape! Escape!" She screamed. Dean and Brooklyn raced up the steps and ran along the deck to the backside of the boat. Alaric and William heard the frantic cries and looked at one another.

"Winchester!" They hollered in unison. The vampires bolted from the chairs and charged to the back where Brooklyn and Dean were headed. Dean heard the racing footfalls of the vampires close in on them and he pushed his legs harder and spotted the back of the deck several feet ahead. Alaric and William spotted the white cotton dress of the human and Alaric pushed on determine to get his slave back.

Dean saw the lantern hanging on the side of the ship and snatched it along the way. He turned around long enough to smash the oil fueled lantern and feel the heat of the flames behind them. Alaric and William froze as the flames grew higher and fiercer blocking the vampires.

They reached the back of the ship and saw the drop wasn't very high to the river below.

"Brooklyn, you go first," Dean helped her up but she froze and gripped onto the railings with a death hold.

"No, I can't," she shook her head and cried. Dean knew he didn't have a choice and pried her fingers off the cold metal and pushed her over. Her yelp of shock followed her down before she splashed in the river. Dean saw her start to swim to the Western shore and prepared to take the plunge. The vampire leapt off the top of the deck house and pounced on Dean knocking him back on the deck. Both displayed their fangs as they battled and rolled around. The fire had spread blocking the way for any other vampire to help.

"I am so going to love watching you burn Winchester," the vampire snarled. Dean freed a fist and belted the vampire in the jaw and felt him roll off. He jumped to his feet and raced to the rails. With one leap the vampire hoisted his body over the edge and into the cold waters of the Mississippi.

The current was swift but Dean was a strong swimmer. Brooklyn, despite being a strong swimmer herself, was becoming exhausted as her movements were erratic then slow then became erratic again. She was gasping hard for air as her arms and legs ached and screamed with every thrash and kick. The human pushed and pushed her body but fatigue was winning and she could feel her head slipping beneath the surface. Brooklyn broke through the surface and inhaled then felt her body give way and fall beneath again. The riverbank was so close but her body couldn't hold out and gave out. The water was cold, like a million needles stabbing at her exposed skin as she fell further in the murky depths.

She didn't feel the strong arms wrap around her and pull her up to the surface.

Dean carried the unconscious human on the bank and in the woods away from the vampires' line of sight. He gently laid her down on the ground and noticed she wasn't breathing.

"Brooklyn," Dean started to panic as she remained unresponsive. Her lips had turned blue and her skin had an ashen tone to it. He started to resuscitate her and compressed his hands on her chest. Still, she didn't wake up but Dean wasn't ready to give up. He had come so far and wasn't going to lose her. The vampire continued chest compressions and mouth to mouth until she started coughing and he rolled her on her side to help clear her lungs of the silt and water. Brooklyn promptly vomited up water and food and breathed hard and painful. Dean steadied her with an arm around her waist as her body continued to purge itself.

The human pressed her palms on the ground and breathed in and out hoping to calm her rattled nerves down. She wasn't in the ice cold Mississippi but dry land. Solid hard dry land. She coughed hard feeling a fit set on and the large hands of the vampire continue to comfort her. She turned her head to the right and saw the blonde haired vampire looking back with concern in his deep jade depths. Brooklyn just fell into him, weary and weak from the difficult swim.

"We need to get out of here," he whispered.

"I can't…..I'm so tired…." Brooklyn groaned and closed her eyes. Dean hoisted the small human over his shoulder and darted through the woods unsure of where he was.

The second schooner arrived to pick up the slaves and vampires from the burning wreckage. Alaric was wrapped in a blanket and stared at the flaming remains of his family's vessel sink beneath the surface. His eyes burned with hatred as the flames reflected off his dark dangerous eyes giving them an even darker appearance. William came by his friend's side and noticed the vampire seething in the loss of his favorite slave. In his hand was the collar that was made for Brooklyn.

"When I get her back she will suffer for her mistakes. I will make sure she never entertains the idea of escaping me again," his hand curled around the leather band. "As for Winchester, death will be too good for him."

"What do you suggest we do Alaric?" William turned and looked over at Alaric.

"We dock at Cape Girardeau and return to Saint Louis. I will need to gather the funds necessary to retrieve my stolen property."

"What about your father and brother?"

"They will understand. After all, they did destroy the love between John Winchester and the slave Mary. It is nothing more than collateral damage to us."

The coldness in his tone sent shivers down William's spine. He knew what the Saltzmans were capable of and whatever he had planned for the slave and vampire would make death look like desirable.

Dean hurried along the old trail following it to the side. He didn't want to leave a trail of his own and kept to the underbrush. The steady beating of the human's heart was music to his ears as she was still alive and breathing. The vampire maintained his hurried pace and came upon an abandoned cabin in a clearing. It looked as if it had not been used in years. Dean paused at the edge of the trees and listened for movement. His sharp hearing heard the crickets and animals around them and nothing more. His sense of smell picked up nothing human or vampire and he cautiously headed towards the building.

The door was unlocked and quickly Dean headed indoors. He gently put Brooklyn on the nearby bed and looked for firewood to start a fire. He was in luck. A cord of wood was on the rack and dry to the touch. The vampire opened the flue and loaded the fireplace and got a fire going. His attention turned to his human who was clothed in soaking wet clothes. He stripped her down of the cold heavy cotton and hung them up by the fire. Some blankets and towels sat in a nearby cabinet and he made good use of them. As he headed back, Dean spied the tub and got an idea.

Brooklyn woke up to the warmth surrounding her cold body. She opened her eyes and looked down at the water noticing she was in a tub of some sort. Dean continued cleaning her body and hair until the silt and dirt from her little swim was gone. Her posture was calm and relaxed as she sat in the hot water and continued to warm up.

"You don't have to look over your shoulder," Dean said softly. Brooklyn tensed up at his voice and searched around for Alaric. She still feared he would jump out at any moment and take her back to Michigan where she would suffer at his hand.

"Brooklyn calm down please? It's just us out here," Dean pleaded with her.

She could only nod and hugged her knees to her chest as the vampire poured water over her one last time. Dean gently helped her to her feet and got a good look at the scars that crisscrossed her back legs and bottom. The vampire was horrified at the length Alaric went with beating her. Some were healed and started to scar while others were still fresh but scabbed over. His heart sank as he thought of the pain and anguish she suffered.

"I will never let him hurt you again," he vowed.

Next update soon.....