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

Sam tried reading but tossed the book to the floor in a huff. Jessica was going to recover but with Maximilian at the estate, he wasn't exactly welcomed there, especially after Dean had fled with Brooklyn. But Nancy, Jessica's personal slave, did come by on the way to town to keep him updated on her progress. The human had even managed to slip letters to the young lovers which helped to ease his aching heart. But it didn't take the place of having the petite blonde vampire in his arms.

John worried for his oldest as Alaric had dispatched the best bounty hunters to track Dean and the human slave down. He hoped they had found somewhere safe until he could reach them. He planned to leave and allow Bobby to run the day to day business of the manor as he had done so before. Sam would be there for face value as his youngest hated running the manor but knew the basics in case he needed to. He trusted the human as he had proven his worth several times in the past. The light rapping on the door made him look up to see the human standing in the doorway.

"Master John you wished to see me," John waved him in.

"Close the door," Bobby closed the door and crossed the spacious office to the desk. He noticed the vampire appeared distracted and preoccupied.

"Bobby, I need to leave for a few days. As you know Dean has left and went to Saint Louis but with bounty hunters looking for him I need to find him before Alaric does. I need you to keep the estate running in my absence."

Bobby nodded, "Yes Master John."

"Good," John nodded. "You know what to do if the Saltzman's come here. The Law prohibits them from vigilante action but they are underhanded and deceptive so keep alert."

Bobby nodded and watched in silence as John packed and gathered several weapons. He grabbed a wad of cash for the trip down and made sure he had plenty of supplies. The vampire looked up at the older human seeing fear ringing his eyes. John smiled sadly at him and rounded the desk towards him.

"Bobby," he placed a hand on his shoulder, "Tell Sam to keep his chin up and be there for Jessica. We owe her so much for what she did for Dean."

"I will," he assured the vampire.

"Take care of Sam," John hugged the human then grabbed his bag and headed out the door. Bobby turned letting his eyes follow the vampire's backside until he vanished down the stairs and out the front door.

Nancy returned from the market and hurried upstairs for she had note from Sam to give to her mistress. She spotted Maximilian leaving her room and waited until the vampire was walking down the hall. Once she figured it was safe, the human walked briskly towards Jessica's room and closed the door behind her. She turned around to see the vampire sitting upright and looking at the fire. Her father had put her on a sort of house arrest for her part in Dean's plot and kept it from the Council.

"Mistress Jessica," Jessica looked over to see the human standing at the foot of the bed. In her hand was a letter Sam had written. Her eyes lit up as Nancy passed it over to her.

"Thank you Nancy," she clutched the letter to her chest. "My father won't let me leave even now as I am getting stronger by the day. I suppose I should be grateful for his silence. But I don't regret what I did."

Nancy admired the vampire for such steel will and determination. She bowed then turned to leave but Jessica called her back.

"Yes Mistress Jessica?"

"Come back a little later as I will have a letter for you to take to Sam," Nancy smiled at the vampire and nodded before leaving. Jessica knew she would have to figure out a way to tell Sam she was being held prisoner within her own home. For now, she would read his letter and let his words soothe her soul. Her father and brother knew Sam was fond of her and frowned upon the budding romance between the two but neither one cared and continued to see one another.

Nicholas Saltzman was a ruthless vampire. His family had ruled the former Upper Midwest for centuries and reached the status through blood deception and corruption and anyone who dared to question the patriarch's power suffered at his very hands. He stood watching the slaves out in the courtyard scurrying to clear the snow from the drive and walkways. His dark flashing eyes were like those of a shark, hollow and empty but somehow managed to strike fear in the hearts of this enemies and victims. He had arrived but hours before and learned of what Dean Winchester had done in Missouri. The patriarch of the Saltzman clan did not tolerate common thievery of what belonged to his family. He knew the Law prohibited him from taking matters into his own hands, but that didn't mean someone else couldn't do it for him.

"How is your sister?" He turned to see Maximilian standing in the center of the room.

"She is better, Father."

"Excellent," he returned to watching the slaves. "Has your brother made contact with you?"

"No but he remains in Cape Girardeau at the house."

"Knowing your brother I suppose he wants to oversee the reclaiming of his slave personally. I hope he succeeds in finding her."

"And what about Winchester?"

Nicholas turned around with a sinister grin plastered upon his timeless face.

"Leave that little detail to me my son."

Maximilian grinned with an equally disturbing smile then made his exit leaving Nicholas to watch the humans toil in the snow.

Dean and Brooklyn soaked in the tub, taking in one another's company and basking in the afterglow. The bond was sealed connecting both human and vampire's souls and wouldn't break unless one died. Brooklyn smiled to herself and leaned further into Dean.

I never would've imagined that I had a soulmate….Let alone a vampire…..

Dean heard her amusing thoughts and was thinking the same thing. He didn't think after Cassie he would find another one to share his heart with. But he did and the vampire was alright with it.

"We should leave soon," Brooklyn said breaking the comfortable silence they shared.

"I know," Dean said. "If one bounty hunter can find us, then more won't be too far behind."

And I'm not going to let them get you…..

"I saw a map on the desk and I think I know where we are," she turned around to face her vampire. Dean noticed her eyes light up.

"Alright, well we better leave at daybreak," Dean started up and out of the tub taking Brooklyn with him. She was starting to feel tired and let him dry and dress her before they both retired for the evening. Dean watched over Brooklyn as she fell asleep in his arms. The tense fearful look he had seen that day in the auction was nowhere to be seen. Instead, a serene expression was now in control.

Tomorrow they would leave the place they had called home for but a few brief days and make the journey to freedom.

Alaric sat in the study waiting for news of his slave's whereabouts and possibly her capture. He stood by the fire watching it snap and crackle within its confines. It had been two days since she escaped and it was two days too long for him. The need to taste her blood was becoming harder and harder to ignore driving to the brink of madness. The blood he had been feasting upon didn't have the same richness and sweetness that would put him in an intoxicated state of ecstasy.

He picked up the glass and hurled it across the room watching it shatter against the wall covering it in streaks of red and coating the carpet in shards of glass. Her blood was a drug and the vampire was addicted. He heard a knock on the door and growled in irritation at being disturbed.

"Who is it?!" He shouted in anger.

"Master Alaric, I have a letter from your father," the slave calmly replied. Alaric hurried to the door and almost ripped it off the hinges when he flung it open. The human held out the envelope and presented it to the vampire. Alaric took it and closed the door behind him as he wanted to be alone. He slumped in the chair and ripped the envelope open with shaky hands. The familiar penmanship illuminated in the light of the flames as he read Nicolas' words.

Alaric,

It was brought to my attention that one Dean Winchester brazenly stole your slave two nights ago. I will provide whatever funds and/or resources that you will need to see to it she is returned to you. As for Winchester, do not, I repeat, do not lay a hand upon him no matter how angry and enraged you are. Leave Winchester to me as I will make sure he gets what is rightfully deserved.

We are Saltzmans and we always get what we want even if someone else pays the price.

Father

Alaric folded the letter then tossed it in the fireplace ensuring no evidence of what would transpire was left. Their family had bottomless resources and money so it wouldn't be a hindrance in his quest. The vampire sat down with a deep look of concentration on his face as he plotted out his next move. He had heard back from several bounty hunters but waited on two. So far the immediate area had turned up nothing as he had suspected and told the hunters who had returned to spread out further and deeper even if it meant encroaching onto Westrna lands. The Council had an unspoken agreement that hunting for runaway slaves was permissible on other vampire's lands but it had to be discreet for the Law was clear on hunting slaves.

The vampire resolved to respond his father's letter and request more money to increase the bounty. He needed her back!

John had driven all night to Saint Louis and spotted the docks in the distance. He wasn't tired and had fed on enough blood to sustain him through the drive. The pickup truck eased into the downtown area and John immediately headed to the market. He hoped to find one of his allies doing business there and maybe information about Dean. John scouted the alleys as he rolled by hoping to spot the Impala. He knew Dean would put it somewhere no one would think to look or rather no elitist vampire would think to look.

It was the last alley he saw the car. It had been untouched despite being out in the open.

"Dean, I knew you'd do it," John pulled up behind the Impala and pulled out the spare set of keys. He opened the door and noticed nothing was disturbed which brought a sigh of relief to the vampire. John locked the car back up and left the truck in the alley to head towards the market. He hoped someone would be there, someone who knew where Dean may have taken off to. But the vampire knew to exercise caution as any of the Council or Saltzman clan could be around and that was the last thing he needed.

The crowds of vampires and their slaves provided some cover for John while he searched out for any familiar face. He heard murmurs of a vessel catching fire and sinking over night along with a human escaping her master. John quickly realized it was his son Dean and the human Brooklyn who the vampires talked about. They had made it! But now he feared Saltzman was closing in or rather his cronies were. John continued to weave through the throngs of bodies picking up mingling scents of body odor, fear and blood. The market in Saint Louis was notorious for the off the street brothels where humans serviced vampires both sexually and for blood. Though the Law prohibited open markets of such a nature, it didn't prohibit it from occurring underground.

He drew the cloak tighter around his neck and pulled the hood over his head as he spotted the telltale uniform of the Saltzman's elite guard. John ducked to the right and ventured to the auction area where a new arrival of humans were being sold and bought. He paused to watch as the two young women were shivering in the cool morning air and holding onto one another in desperation as the vampires shouted out bid after bid. Though he owned slaves, John didn't agree with how the slave traders treated the humans prior to auction.

"Even cattle are treated better," he muttered with disgust and turned away. John continued to dodge the elite guard and allies of the Saltzman clan as he reached the edge of the crowd.

As he cleared the last person, a hand clamped down hard on his shoulder. John froze feeling fear creep in.

Next update soon.......