I know I said the next part will be a while, but I couldn't resist!

Chapter 10 :Let him who holds the devil hold him still (PART II)

Thankfully working in a bar meant she could score quite significant discounts on whatever liquor she could want. So, where the Johnny should have cost her about $200, she didn't pay more than $100. The perks of working a pub were small, but they did come in handy sometimes. Besides, her creepy ass boss is always more than willing to see her outside of office hours for a favor; in a similar vein to Crowley, he always enjoyed having something over her. Perhaps he was part demon, she wouldn't be shocked.

Rufus lived quite a few states over, and so she would be gone for a few days on the hunt. Crowley wasn't too pleased.

'We have an appointment in two days, and you'll not miss it,' he warned sternly.

'My truck is slow, Rufus lives hundreds of miles away, and if I can recall, it was on your orders that I see him in the first place.' He clicked his tongue impatiently.

'You bargained for that job and I granted you lenience, even if you won't tell me what that bargain entails.' She turned away, not even sure if what she wanted from him would truly be a wise decision. He thankfully did question her further. Perhaps he knew she did not have it in her to request anything overly damaging to him; perhaps he saw her as too weak, too good to bargain for the darkest of requests. Though he couldn't deny the power paradox had shifted in her favor.

'If you're not back in two days I will find you, and see our appointment met on the road.'

Well, she can't say she didn't see that coming.

She packed a few days worth of clothes into the trunk of her car and set off. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't worried; Rufus was temperamental at the best of times, and he never really looked kindly upon inexperienced hunters. She concocted a convincing back story as to why she knew of the demon, despite his well covered tracks. She only hoped he'd believe her; even hinting to him of her collaboration with Crowley would very quickly find its way back to her mother, not to mention finding herself thrown out on her ass before she got the chance to finish stating his name.

The trip would take just over a day, and she didn't plan on staying at Rufus' for long. But, if Crowley insisted on meeting with her, she would have to rent a motel room. Bloody hell, she thought, the bastard better pay for it. Working for Crowley, among taxing her emotionally and physically, has started to hit her hip pocket painfully also. Working a bar doesn't pay good money, and she wasn't dishonest enough to run credit card scams like most hunters.

Still, driving for this long gave her opportunity to consider her bargain with Crowley. He owed her a rare favor, and she should think carefully about what she could get out of it. Perhaps a little freedom; perhaps he would let her see Michael? But, would that really work? Could she honestly start a relationship with someone whilst constantly chained to the bed of someone else? There would be no trust, and she could never let herself grow close to him. No. She couldn't do it, she didn't have the heart to involve a third party in her messed up life. It wouldn't be fair.

But then, what about extended lenience? Why not ask of him to reduce the time spent together each week? When the deal was first forged they had sex no more than twice a week. But now it was bordering on four or five times. Why no ask for a retreat to lesser rendezvous? It would sure as hell make life a lot easier for her.

And what about her mother? Her family? Why not just let her return to the Roadhouse for a few days, just to catch up. No assignments to complete, no demons to sleep with, no living in constant fear that a hell damned demon would show up in your face and demand satisfaction. But no, there would be no guarantee that she wouldn't slip up, and that, at then end of the day, she would return to Duluth. To him. If he granted her that freedom, she would not willingly submit herself to servitude again.

He would never let her walk away; she held power over him, yes, but not enough to get her out of it; she was too valuable to him. Otherwise he wouldn't have agreed in the first place.

Her only bet was to ensure he could make the best out of a bad situation.

Maybe she could request of him a night where they could just be together. Like a regular, normal couple. Of course, there was nothing regular about them, but if she could just pretend, then maybe this would all be easier. She can't have a night out with anyone else, and she knew Crowley had it in him to fulfill her request even if he didn't want to.

But could she stomach the thought of it afterwards? He was good at what he did, yes, but could she really submit herself to the pleasurable, intimate attributes of sex with someone she truly resented? She's experienced him do it; her body, time and time again, betrays her where her mind does not. But to render herself completely vulnerable? It scared her.

But couldn't deny it thrilled her right to her core. Imagine what he could be capable of?

Damn Oxytocins.

The rest of the road trip passed in a similar vein; her inward struggle of whether or not she could make love to the demon instead of just – for lack of a better term – fucking him.

She made it to Rufus' place early the next morning. She did not sleep, she couldn't. There were too many thoughts running through her brain to even comprehend the idea of rest.

The house wasn't attractive, though no hunter's permanent abode ever was. She was cautious as she walked up the front steps; how would he react to her presence? Noticing the camera staring at her as she approached the front door, she knew it was too late to turn around now. He knew she was there. Go time. She knocked on the front door.

'Rufus?' She called out. There was a scramble behind the wall.

'What do you want?' Came a gruff old voice.

'I have some questions about a demon you were tracking a while ago,' she said. There was no point in beating around the bush about it. The door opened a smidge.

'Don't know don't care! Not interested!' The door slammed.

'It's just,' she yelled, pulling out the bottle of scotch from her bag, 'I have this bottle of scotch on me. Hear it's quite good.' There was a pause. The door opened and he smiled; she tried to ignore the fact he had the crazy eyes.

'Come in Harvelle,' he said. Clearly he remembered her.

He led her to his table and brought out two glasses, cracking the bottle she just gave him.

'You drink it, yes?' He asked. She nodded. 'So you're chasing a demon.' He stated, clearly in a far more accommodating mood than he was before.

'Yes, Hastur.' He gave her a quizzical look, 'I found an Islamic man dead a few days ago with racial vilification on the walls and sulfur remains. I made the connection to a hunt you were on a few years back. Remember it?'

'Yeah yeah I remember it. In over your head aren't you? That's a powerful demon that one.' He said, taking a large gulp from the glass.

'I was planning on getting help from the Winchesters,' she heard him snicker, but ignored it, 'but I need info first. Can you help me out?' She asked. He got up and went to a cabinet just in the other room.

'Here's everything I have on the thing,' he said, opening it over her shoulder. 'I was tracing it a few years back across the Western border, but I lost it somewhere up in Washington. Haven't heard boo from it since.'

'I have intel he's looking to make a power play in the underworld, perhaps he's resurfaced to claim certain parts of the country.' She immediately regretted mentioning so much. He shot her a suspicious look.

'How'd you know that?' He asked.

'I got it out of a demon I had trapped last week.' She lied, trying to affect an ease she did not possess. It was clear he didn't believe her, but thankfully did not press the matter.

'Yeah. Okay. But what makes this thing so hard to find is he changes meat suits regularly. The only real thing we have to go on is they're usually from a persecuted minority, hence the remains.' He pulled out half a dozen photographs from crime scenes of the used vessels; each one had a different scribe on the wall.

'How can you track it?' He let out a laugh.

'It's not easy, but it does have a few real specific demonic signs before it surfaces,' he grabbed a map from a different folder, 'generally you'll find a convergence of two or more electric storms about three hours before he moves in for possession. They tend to disappear after he rises, making it more difficult to see where he's travelling to.' She nodded.

'When's the last time you saw this?' She asked.

'Few days ago over Eau Claire. But I've given up on it. Too hard to find, too hard to kill. I tell you, you've got your work cut out for you girl.' He said.

'Here, keep all this. I don't need it anymore,' he said. She nodded in appreciation. 'Does your mother know what you're doing?' He asked. She panicked.

'N-No.' She stammered.

'Dun worry. I won't tell her. Keep yourself safe Harvelle.'

'Cheers Rufus.' She downed the last of her scotch and left the room. Well, that was easier than she suspected.

But, now for the hard part; confronting Crowley about their bargain.

They were supposed to meet later that night, but she needed sleep. Badly. She rented a motel room for the rest of the day and collapsed onto the king size bed, falling asleep immediately.

What seemed like five minutes later, Crowley shook her awake. Looking at the clock, she noticed it was past 10pm. She'd slept for 12 hours, something she desperately needed.

'Good evening love.' He said sitting next to her on the bed.

'Surprised you came. Didn't think you'd do motels,' she said, rubbing her eyes sleepily.

'I don't. I just came to get you.'

'Let's just stay. I can't be-be-be bothered leaving,' she yawned, eyes still closed, 'and I want to talk about our bargain.' His head snapped around, clearly interested.

'Did you get the information from the hunter?' He asked. She nodded and pointed lazily to the pile of folders near her overnight bag. She felt his weight leave the bed as he walked to the table. There was silence for about five minutes while he assessed them. She was just about to fall back asleep when he threw a pillow at her. She growled and threw it back.

'No rest for the wicked Harvelle. Now, this bargain?' He asked. She sat up against the headboard, facing him. She was stupidly nervous.

'You won't let me see anyone other than you.' It wasn't a question, 'I've come to terms with it. Whatever. But you need to give me something in return.' She was tiptoeing around it; just spit it out!

'I want, for one night to just be normal.' He clearly did not understand the concept.

'We're not normal, Har-'

'Yes I know that. I was just thinking that despite our abnormality, we could just spend a night, I don't know,' she was searching for examples, 'kicking back; watching a movie; eating dinner, normal things.'

She didn't know if he was even listening; he still looked annoyed at the fact she'd interrupted him.

'You've deprived me of having anything that resembles normality. So for one night, as per my bargain, we are going to act as a normal couple.'

He looked thoroughly disgusted at the concept.

'No.'

'It's my bargain!'

'Still no.'

She turned away, clicking her tongue in frustration. Evolution, not Revolution, she said to herself. It was asking a lot for a demon, she conceded.

'Fine. Then for our next appointment, we take the business out of sex.' She said.

'Meaning…?'

'You give me everything I wanted that day after Ash's death; everything you said you couldn't.' She proposed.

'We've been through this,' he said, rising from the bed, 'I physically can't do it.'

'No, you physically can, you just won't. Demons lie all the time, this shouldn't be any harder for you. Just suck it up, and do it.

'You owe me, as per our agreement. The next time we meet, you sleep with me.' She couldn't fathom the idea of using the vernacular "making love". It sounded too sappy, even for her. He considered her offer, never removing his eyes from her. He ran his fingers through his hair in frustration before finally speaking.

'Fine. But I'm just warning you; if anything changes, if you let any of your messy human emotions get involved, then you're going to have to deal with them alone. Nothing is to change afterwards, I certainly won't, but can you guarantee that you won't either?' He asked.

No. She couldn't guarantee that. It would be impossible for her to guarantee such a thing in the aftermath of what she was asking; her feelings towards him were already mixed; how would they be after a night of passionate sex, instead of detached screwing?

But, for the sake of appearances, she replied steadily, 'you have my word.' He stared at her for a long while, trying to detect any sign of doubt. She gave him nothing. He sighed in obvious defeat.

'Well then I guess our appointment will be re-scheduled for tomorrow night then.'

She got up from the bed and crossed the room to him, grabbing his neck and pulling him into a soft kiss which he returned with a surprising amount of restraint. She pulled away and blinked. He was gone.

Oh shit.

Curiosity did kill the cat after all.

A/N:

The next chapter will be rated M.

That's all I have to say.

Squeeeee!

-thesolitaryone-

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