CHAPTER 29
"Okay, what do we do about this horseman?" Leigh asked that evening when everyone was at the manor.
"Well, we've faced them before but, you can't kill them." Piper said.
"We've faced off with 'War' too." Sam said. Leigh looked at him, shocked and impressed.
"Well, how did you beat him?" Coop asked.
"We cut off his ring. It's where he got his powers from." Sam explained.
"So, we just do that with Famine?" Paige suggested, pulling away from Dean who was kissing her shoulder.
"Famine is stronger than war. He removes our inhibitions, brings out our deepest desires." Sam said furrowing his brow.
"So, there's not a big chance of getting close to him." Piper concluded.
"Maybe we could help with that." Phoebe suggested.
"How so?" Dean questioned.
"We could do a protection spell." She explained.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, remember last time?" Leo interjected.
"What happened last time?" Leigh asked.
"You don't wanna know." Paige rolled her eyes.
"Okay, well not that spell, but I could write a spell to protect your inhibitions and desires." Phoebe said.
"That could work." Leo said thoughtfully.
"How about this, you three do the spell." Dean said pointing to the sisters then turned towards Coop and Leo "You guys find out what you can about Leigh." He looked at Sam. "You and me will go nab famine's ring."
"Well what about me?" Leigh asked.
"You stay here; we don't know what you're capable of yet." Dean said.
"What? No way!"
"Leigh." Sam pleaded.
"No! I'm not just gonna sit here and be useless." She said stubbornly. Sam and Dean looked at her, as if trying to decide what to do.
"Dean...I, um...I can't. I can't go." Sam said.
"What do you mean?" Dean asked cocking an eyebrow.
"I think it got to me, Dean. I think I'm hungry for it..."
"Hungry for what?"
"You know."
"Demon blood?" Dean asked. Sam hung his head. "You got to be kidding me." Dean looked at Leo. "You got to get him out of here. You got to beam him to, like, Montana. Anywhere but here."
"It won't work. He's already infected. The hunger is just gonna travel with him." Leo told him.
"Well, then, what do we do?" Dean asked.
"You go cut that bastard's finger off." Leigh interrupted.
"But, Dean...before you go, you better...you better lock me down - but good."
Dean nodded and sighed.
"We'll go start on the potion." Paige said and the sisters headed to the attic.
"Let's go to the elders." Coop suggested. Leo nodded and orbed up, followed by Coop disappearing in the heart shaped glow.
"Okay, so you're just gonna lock Sam up and go after Famine? And I'm supposed to sit here and do nothing." Leigh scoffed.
"Yes." Dean stated.
"Come on I've gotta do something." She said sincerely.
"You can stay with Sammy." Dean decided. Leigh nodded and the three walked up to the guest bathroom.
Dean cuffed Sam to the bathroom sink pipe. Sam leaned his head against the bathtub helplessly and Leigh sat beside him. Dean closed the door and pushed a nearby set of drawers in front of the door, shutting Sam and Leigh inside.
"All right, well, just hang in there. Cas!" Dean said and the angel appeared before him.
"Yes Dean?" Castiel said in his usual monotone.
"I'm going after Famine. You comin?"
"Yes, and I know where he is." Cas nodded.
"We'll be back as soon as we can." Dean said to Sam.
"Be careful, and...hurry."
"Hey, Marty. Is Dr. Corman around?" Dean asked, entering the morgue.
"You haven't heard?" Marty, the receptionist replied.
"Heard what?"
"Guy's been dry for the last 20 years, but this morning, he left work, went home, and drank himself to death."
"It's Famine." Castiel interrupted.
"Pardon?" Marty asked, confused.
"Would you give us a minute, please?" Dean asked Marty.
"Sure."
"Thanks." Dean said and waited for Marty to leave the room "Crap! I really kind of liked this guy."
Castiel placed his hand on Dr Corman's body above his ribcage. He stared intensely into nothing as Corman's chest started to faintly glow beneath the skin.
"They haven't harvested his soul yet." Castiel said.
"Well, if we want to play 'follow the soul' to get to Famine, our best shot starts with the doc, here."
Dean was waiting for Castiel in the Impala outside the hospital when Cas appeared beside him with another burger.
"Are you serious?" Dean asked loudly.
"These make me...very happy." Cas replied with a small smile.
"How many is that?"
"I lost count. It's in the low hundreds. What I don't understand is...where is your hunger, Dean?"
"Huh?"
"Well, slowly but surely, everyone in this town is falling prey to Famine, but so far, you seem unaffected."
"Hey, when I want to drink, I drink. When I want sex, I go get it. Same goes for a sandwich or a fight."
"So...you're saying you're just well-adjusted?"
"God, no. I'm just well-fed. Look there." Dean finally saw a man in a suit holding a black briefcase, exactly like the last demons, walk out of the hospital.