Chapter Thirteen: Adulthood
(Dead Man's Blood – Pt 2)
Sam glared after his father, until his truck disappeared into the night.
"Come on, Sam," Dean snapped. He held out some ash in his hands. "We have work to do."
Sam didn't even try to speak, he was so angry. He beat the ash onto his clothes.
"Save it for the vampires," Dean said. Sam turned to glare, but he found Dean's hard eyes boring into him. "All of them."
That made him stop. Sam froze, giving his brother a questioning look.
"You don't seriously think I'm falling for that 'protecting you' crap Dad was spouting, do you?" Dean demanded. "So let's go. The faster we can take care of the nest, the quicker we can be there to watch Dad's back."
For a moment Sam was shocked, then relief flowed over him. "We're following Dad?"
Dean glared. "Of course we are. Right after we take care of the nest." Sam must have given Dean an odd look because he said, "You don't want them dropping down on us at the worst possible time, do you?"
"No." Sam shook his head. "I don't."
Dean went to the trunk, pulled out two machetes. "Let's do this."
Sam felt a small grin build. "Yeah. Okay. Let's do this."
The vampires hiding out in an old barn were no match for the two of them, the Winchester brothers. Sam wiped the gore dangling from his blade off on a tree as they approached the car. Dean swiped at the beaded sweat on his forehead. Beheading supposedly extinct nasties was hard work.
"Any ideas?" Sam asked.
Dean used a rag from the trunk to clean his machete before passing it to Sam. Then he took out the crossbows and more of the blood-soaked arrows. "I figure we'll need to be stealthy, at least at first. Not even Dad knows we're coming, so we definitely have the element of surprise."
Sam grinned, accepting a crossbow. "You got it, big brother."
Dean returned the grin. "So, you're finally admitting I'm right because I'm older."
Sam snorted. "Dream on, bro'."
Dean rolled his eyes as he slammed the trunk closed. "Let's do this."
"But where are we going?" Sam dogged as he got in the passenger seat of the Impala.
"Dad and I picked out the spot for the exchange," Dean replied, starting the motor. "I know exactly where he is."
"What?" Sam stared at his brother in disbelief. "You helped him plan it? Where the hell was I?"
Dean held up one arrow. "Busy work, remember?"
Sam groaned, slumping in the seat. "But why wouldn't he want me in on it?"
That cold smile crossed Dean's face, the one Sam hadn't seen since they ran into that idiot insurance guy. "Because you don't follow orders like I do."
"You knew?" Sam asked. Not accusing, not this time, he just wanted to know. "You set Dad up?"
Dean gunned the big motor. "You'd better believe it."
Relieved, even more than when Dean promised they would be there to watch Dad's back, Sam stretched out as much as the car would allow. He needed to be loose and ready when the time came, which would probably be in less than five minutes.
"I loved it when you said boo, right before you took off that dude's head," Sam said, rolling his head to the side to watch Dean's reaction.
Dean shrugged, but Sam thought his brother seemed pleased. "Don't tell me I'm starting to rub off on you."
Sam grinned. "It's probably driving Dad nuts."
Dean snorted a laugh. "Probably. He claims he likes a smart ass, until he finds it directed at him. Daily."
Sam smiled widely. "I'll bet."
Dean did not glance his way. "So, why do you put up with me?" That quality to his voice, like a kid, set Sam's nerves on edge. Seriously, did Dean really need more confirmation than what had happened with Hanes?
"We're brothers," Sam replied, trying to keep the tightness out of his tone. He just might have to beat that through Dean's thick skull – with a jackhammer. "You put up with all my crap: nightmares; visions…"
"Bitching and moaning," Dean added with a groan. Sam smiled at Dean's discomfort. At least he managed to get Dean off this topic.
"Are we there yet?" Sam asked as he peered out the window.
"Keep your panties on, princess. Almost there." Dean turned off onto a winding dirt road. "We'll have to come in through the woods, or everyone will hear the car."
"Wish I'd worn my old jeans," Sam grumbled. The pair he had on now, which started the day relatively new, already had two rips and blood splatters down one leg.
The car slowed to a stop. "Dad should be leading them to the section of road right past these trees," Dean whispered. Sam now saw the advantage in already having their weapons at the ready, no trunk to slam closed. Dean motioned at him not to close the car door all the way, to leave it partially open. Sam nodded in acknowledgement.
Sam followed Dean through the trees until Dean gave him the hand sign to break off. He moved around, disturbing as little of the undergrowth as possible, to flank the enemy. He hoped. When he was able to see the road, it was clear. Sam wondered if maybe Dad, anticipating their disregard for his orders, had changed the plan. Then he heard the rumble of a truck barreling this way. Sam let out the breath he didn't realize he had been holding. He heard a sharp whistle, Dean letting him know Dad was on his way. Yeah, he figured.
Another engine whine in the dark, another car on the same road, also approached their position. Sam tightened his grip on the crossbow, his pulse racing. Even in the low light, his eyes could pick out every detail. Ah, the wonders of adrenaline.
The other car raced from the opposite direction. Sam watched as it spun in the middle of the road, blocking the truck's path. He hoped this was all part of Dad's plan. The black truck squealed to a halt, stopping an uncomfortably close distance to the car. The head vampire, a woman, and another man stepped out into the road.
"Get out!" the head vampire shouted. The driver's door of the truck opened. Dad hopped easily to the ground. "Who are you?"
"Name's Winchester." Dad's low voice rumbled in Sam's ear. Sam had wondered how Dad acted when he hunted alone. This would be educational.
"Where are your friends?" the vampire demanded.
Light glinted briefly off Dad's teeth, so he had to be smiling. "Cleaning out your nest."
Sam directed his attention back to the vampire to watch how he took that. His shoulders slumped briefly, the most Sam could see from his vantage point behind the vampires. "Where's Kate?"
That's it, Sam thought, get to the important part.
Dad returned to the open door of the truck. Sam watched him take a rope out and tug on it. "Come on, sweetheart." Dad's voice rang out. Sam trained his crossbow on the other man, confident that Dean was covering the leader. The woman vampire they had helped Dad capture earlier stumbled as she got out of the truck.
"Kate? You all right?" the leader asked, full of concern. Sam could relate, in a non-blood-sucking kind of way.
"Dead man's blood," she said weakly, but Sam could see that the poison was already wearing off.
"You son of a bitch," the vampire ground out. Wow. Irony. Sam's trigger finger ached from being in the same tensed position. When would he be able to shoot one of them?
"We want the Colt. Elkin's gun. Even trade." Dad tugged on the rope again as he pulled out a knife and held it to his captive's throat.
The leader vampire laughed. "Is that what this is all about? I mean, you can't shoot us all, right? We'll kill you."
Any second now, Sam thought as he increased pressure on the trigger.
Dad shook his head. "Oh, I don't need it for you. I'm saving it for something else. Now put the Colt down, or she goes first."
"All right." The vampire held up the gun. "Just don't hurt her." He set it on the pavement barely a step away.
"Back up," Dad demanded. He took a few steps back. "Further." He took two more steps back, too far to get the drop on Dad. Dad shoved the woman forward until he could kneel down to reach for the gun.
"That's a nice move," the leader said as Dad reached for the gun. "You almost made it."
When she moved, Sam realized that they underestimated how long the dead man's blood would last in her system. With lightning speed, she snatched the gun and tossed Dad aside, into the grill of the truck. Shit! Sam headed out of his hiding place, still covering the other male vampire.
He saw the gun on the ground and the leader moving toward it. The vampire hit Dad first, hard. Dad slumped down to the ground. That did it. Sam shot at the other male, gratified when his arrow hit its mark. Sam had time to slip another arrow into place before the others noticed. He and Dean both ran in as Dean took a shot. A vampire Sam hadn't noticed before jolted, an arrow sticking out of his throat. Well, if the only way to kill one was to take off the head, then it made sense to shoot it in the throat. Why didn't Sam think of that?
Then he was closer than he thought, almost right on top of the leader. Before Sam could lift his crossbow, he felt the blow. Dazed, he found himself lifted off the ground by his throat. What was it with things always wanting to strangle him?
"Don't!" the leader shouted. "I'll break his neck. Put the blade down."
Sam squirmed to look over. Dean held up his hands, lowered the machete to the ground. "Don't hurt him," Dean pleaded.
Sam gasped, unable to draw a breath. As much as it happened, he should be used to the sensation of being unable to pull in air. Instead Sam pulled at the hand around his throat, the iron fingers constricting his windpipe.
"You people," the leader said, giving Sam a little shake. "Why can't you just leave us alone? We have as much right to live as you do." Dark spots danced in his vision.
"I don't think so." Dad's voice. Sam felt his body turned rapidly, heard a gunshot. Then he could breathe again. Sam hit the ground running, right to Dean. Dean snatched the machete off the ground, ready to cover him.
"Luthor!" Kate shouted.
A thin trickle of blood ran out of Luthor's nose, but it was his forehead that drew Sam's attention. There was a hole straight through the vampire's head. Sam could see the trees beyond through it. As he watched, flashes of lightning came from the hole. Sam's eyes widened as a storm, centered around Luthor, erupted out of nothing. Swirling winds picked up his hair as the lightning increased. Next dust could be seen in the wind. It took a moment for Sam to realize that was because Luthor was so old. As the bullet from the Colt killed him he was returning to his actual human age. Dust to dust. The winds picked up all of him, blowing the grains away.
"Wicked," Dean breathed. He glanced over his shoulder at Sam to whisper, "Think we can find another one of those?"
Sam could only shake his head in wonder.
"Kate!" the other woman vampire shouted. "Come on!" The only survivors of this nest jumped into the car and left, a pair of rubber tracks on asphalt.
Sam turned to face Dad. Dad grinned triumphantly as he lowered the Colt.
Sam folded his blood-spattered jeans, stuck them into the dirty side of his duffel. He cast a sidelong glance at Dean. His brother's face was tight and a little pale. They were leaving, and Dad would be going after the demon alone. It was enough to make Sam feel sick to his stomach. He could only imagine how bad Dean had to feel.
The door opened and Dad walked in. "So. Boys."
Sam turned in tandem with Dean. They faced Dad. Together.
"Yes, sir?" Sam asked, mainly to save Dean from having to do it. He was used to Dad being mad at him.
"You ignored a direct order back there." Dad stated.
"Yes, sir," Sam replied instantly. It was always better to agree with Dad totally after acting against him.
"But we saved your ass," Dean said clearly, head up in defiance. Sam cringed. Shit. This was NOT going to be pretty.
Dad sighed and nodded. "You're right."
"I am?" Dean asked, amazed.
"He is?" Sam asked, equally amazed.
"It scares the hell out of me," Dad said, shoulders slumping in defeat. "You two are all I've got. But I guess we are stronger as a family." A thin smile played across his lips. "I never thought I'd say that with both of you in the room." He took a deep breath. "So. We go after this demon. Together."
Finally! It was all Sam could do not to pump a fist in the air. "Yes, sir," he snapped in perfect sync with Dean. That demon didn't stand a snowball's chance, not now.