I DO NOT OWN SUPERNATURAL OR ITS CHARACTERS.
Music Credit/Song Suggestion: "Man's World" - MARINA
'Cheeks are rosy, like a Boucher cherub.
I'm a strawberry soda.
Raise my lashes to heaven, stars in my hair, running like a waterfall.
Clouds in the whites of our eyes, we saw it all.
Burnt me at the stake, you thought I was a witch, centuries ago.
Now, you just call me a bitch...
Spring appears, when the time is right.
Women are violets coming to light.
Don't underestimate the making of life.
The planet has a funny way or stopping a fight.'
Chapter Nine:
I groaned, as I slowly woke up to Cas peppering my face and neck with kisses. My breath hitched, when his mouth fused to my neck and he started to suck. I gasped and arched my back just enough to press my chest firmly against his. The sensations from his mouth was doing things to me that I had never felt before. God, I'm so inexperienced.
Cas' hand inched its way up my torso and came to rest on my hip, over my panties. He moved his mouth off of me, so he could search my face to make sure this was okay. He raised an eyebrow and I nodded. He gripped my hip and fused his mouth to mine.
My response was immediate. I kissed him back and opened my mouth. He slipped his tongue into my mouth and kept his touch PG. I pressed myself closer to him and moved his hand to my backside, as the kiss turned filthy. It was toe-curling and needy, and I was putty against him. I ground myself against him, as he hooked one of my legs over his waist, so I could press closer. I moaned, when I felt him hard against me.
I moved my mouth away from his, sucking in greedy mouthfuls of air. He shifted, so he hit just right with the friction. I whined and barely sounded human. His eyes were so dark, as they bore into mine. I licked my lips and watched him, unfamiliar with the thick wave of want filling my body. I've never even touched myself like this before. I've never had the drive to.
"Is this okay, Dean?" He rasped. I nodded, still moving my hips.
"Yes," I moaned. I bit down on my lip and his gaze flicked to my mouth.
"Do you want to stop?" He asked. I shook my head.
"Don't stop, Cas." I breathed. He took that as permission to kiss me, again. I gasped against him. My body felt like it was on fire. His touch feels so fucking good. He pulled me taut against him, and matched his thrusts with mine. My mouth fell open, as I felt something inside of me coil and snap. I wailed and clutched his shoulders. He jutted forward and cursed, before dropping to the bed, letting his weight fall onto me. "What was that?" I asked, still feeling aftershocks of whatever that was.
"Dry humping?" He supplied. I nodded, still trying to get my bearings.
"I've never felt that before." I whispered, embarrassed.
"An orgasm?" He asked, propping himself up on an elbow, so he could look at me.
"I came?" I guessed, as it registered. "God, I'm so dumb. No, I've never… before. I've never felt the need. I know I've heard a lot of people talk about sex and being horny, and I know what it is, but I've never felt it. On a good day, my body hurts and is healing. I guess staying alive and keeping Sammy safe just took precedence." I muttered. Cas gave me a soft look of adoration and it made me melt, all over again.
"You know that's okay, right? There is no right time or age. There isn't any expectation here. You can tell me to stop anything and I'll never get upset with you. I hope you know that. I wasn't… what we did wasn't planned. I was more than happy to just get to kiss you, and make out, before we had to start our day." He promised. I smiled at him, as my heart threatened to beat out of my chest. He's perfect.
"I know. I do, Cas. And it's as far as I want to go… and I'm glad that it was with you. I've never felt safe enough to… you know." I whispered, as I blushed scarlet. He touched his forehead to mine and moved us, so I was laying on him, and he wasn't crushing me. He wrapped his arms around me and held me for a while. "You can shower first, if you want." I offered.
"In a minute, I want to enjoy holding you for a little while first."
I gave myself one more once-over, before getting out of the Impala. I opted to wear my hair up, in a high ponytail. I had on black leggings, combat boots, a dark Henley with most of the buttons undone, a push-up bra, smoky eyes, and a bold crimson lip. I opened the door to the club and saw a pretty redheaded woman waiting for me. She smiled, as she saw me. I gave an awkward wave.
"Jesus, you're pretty." I marveled, before I could stop myself. Her smile widened and her eyes shone with fondness.
"Aren't you a sweet one, Dearie. I'm going to enjoy working with you, I can tell. Let me take you under my wing. You'll have the masses groveling at your feet, and rightfully so. A gorgeous, little thing like you will easy to train. I've heard that you're quite the spitfire. It seems Alastair was right to pair us, birds of a flock and all that. We just need to have the men think that they run things, when really, we're the ones with the power." She said, nonchalantly.
I liked her, instantly. I knew that I should have some reservations and I won't give my secrets out, but maybe a friend wouldn't be so bad to have.
Her fingertips brushed over the small anti-possession tattoo I have, below the right side of my hairline on the back of my neck. She tutted in approval. She stepped back and circled me slowly, taking inventory of my person. She gingerly picked up my hands and traced over them with her fingers.
"Do you ever wear gloves, Dear?" She asked, like she was trying to figure something out.
"I'm not opposed." I said, slowly, not sure where she was going with her train of thought. She beamed at me.
"Wonderful." She exclaimed, clapping her hands together. "Well, let's go. We have people to see, places to go, shopping to do, and charms to set. I'll have you shadow me tonight, but you need to look the part, and I want you protected, before we're thrown to the wolves." She decided.
"You're a witch?" I asked, surprised. She nodded, merrily, taking no offense. "What charms?" I asked, my curiosity getting the better of me.
"I prefer fingerless, leather gloves, with cast iron knuckles inside them. A simple spell makes them indestructible, comfortable, and a bit more effective. Should you need to throw a punch, it will be to your benefit. And should you encounter a vengeful spirit, the iron will allow you to defend yourself against them. I've found a journal that used to belong to Samuel Colt and I found a way to have them lay damage to demons, too." She explained. I nodded, mulling over her words. That's so friggin' impressive.
"That's genius. Dad and I just used to load rock salt into shotguns for ghosts." I mused. She looked thoughtful at that.
"That's not a bad plan, either, but I always like to be more prepared. Us girls can never be too safe. These boys have it easy. We're at a disadvantage. We let them underestimate us, and then we desecrate them. And we have a backup plan for the backup plan. Stick with me, Dean, and I'll have you well off." She promised, before whisking me out of the club and into her car.
"You weren't lying. These are comfortable." I marveled, as I flexed my hands, still getting used to my new gloves. Rowena had been a dream. Most people probably don't realize just how dangerous she is. She's that sickly sweet on the surface, but barely a hair underneath, she has a cutthroat villainess waiting to gut you and rip your teeth out. I fucking loved it. I watched her interactions, studied them. Everything is important. This was going to be my life now. I needed all the help I could get.
"Of course, Dearie. I would never lie to you about protection or fashion." She assured me. I smirked.
"You're lethal and amazing." I told her, meeting her gaze, even though she was a bit taller than me, especially with her heels.
"We're kindred spirits, you and I. Follow my lead and I can take you far, Love. Men think with the appendages between their legs. Women think with everything else. I know you didn't choose this life, but that's no reason that you can't rise to the top, exceed their expectations, and turn the tables on them, before they realize just powerful you are, and what you're capable of." She advised.
I felt my nose burn and I blinked tears away, before it was obvious that I was far more emotionally affected than I cared for anyone to know.
"I wish… I wish I could have known you, when I was younger. My mom died when I was four, and I've been raising my brother ever since. I'm sure you've met John. I've never had a female role model… or any role model, really." I breathed, before I fixed my posture and forced myself to stand taller.
"I have had the misfortune of meeting the man. I cannot say that I was impressed. My own father was a lot like him. I know that Fergus has his faults, but much like you, I did my best. You'll meet him, soon enough. Everyone else calls him Crowley. He's made quite the name for himself. Our mother was never involved. From what I've heard, you've done far better that I, in raising your kin." She said, as she grabbed my hands and gave them a squeeze. "We're diamonds, Darling. Pressure becomes us. This is but another bump in the road, and we are not yet in our prime."
"You're not what I was expecting." I admitted. She had a bit of a laugh at that.
"I never conform to expectations, Love. That sounds so dreadfully boring." She teased.
I grinned, as she ushered me over to the shoes that we picked out. She began chanting the same spell that she used on the gloves. They'll be comfortable and won't break. A girl could get used to this.
To say that I was out of my element was a massive understatement. I wasn't used to drawing attention for myself. I just bought my first lipstick, last week. She added a few darker colors to my lipstick collection – matte black, royal blue, midnight blue, and a dark plum that was almost black. She gave me tips on how to apply them. I didn't make any arguments on her suggestions. She found bolder eyeshadow colors, and more severe highlight. She didn't do anything by halves.
I had thigh high black suede boots with high heels. I loved the look of them and what they did for my legs. I was thankful that the spell allowed me to walk easily in them, and not trip and break my neck. I preferred boots to just heels, but I had some of those, too. She found a pair of black Mary Jane's that were at least four inches. They made me feel sexy. She also found a studded pair of black peep-toe pumps. Rowena insisted on heeled combat boots, in lieu of the pair I usually wore. They were cute.
The theme for all of the clothes seemed to be a lot of black, a lot of leather, and a lot of things that stretched. Everything was tight and tailored to my body. I had fishnets – so many pairs of fishnets, short dresses, mini-skirts, crop tops, a couple of leather vests, and sheer clothing. She got an obscene amount of black undergarments – push-up bras, lace boyshorts, thongs, and I don't even know what else.
"We have one more stop, then we'll get you changed, and we'll go back to the club." She told me. I nodded, not sure I was ready for another stop or not. When we approached a salon, I looked at her in surprise. "With us, Dear, appearance is everything. We'll be getting you the works, hair, lash extensions, nails, and toes." She decided.
I nodded. I've always cut my own hair. I've never had anyone else do it for me, before. We've never had the money.
"I think we'll add in some color to yours, platinum, so we can add some pops of green, silver, and blonde." She decided. I nodded, slowly, trusting her to make decisions that I didn't really care about. It's just hair. It could grow back. "The green won't be overwhelming, just subtle little bits of color. It'll do wonders for your eyes, Love."
I shifted uncomfortably, as Rowena fussed over my appearance. I was in a sinfully tight pair of black, pleather leggings; thigh-high boots that went almost all the way to my kitty; a short black, leather vest; and my hair up in a high ponytail. The vest stopped at my navel, and the bottoms were high-waisted, but I wasn't used to showing so much skin. I looked down at my black polished nails and had to admit that they did look good.
She left my lips painted the same deep crimson color, added some highlight and blush, before giving me a dark green smoky eye, that matched the dark green streaks in my hair. I looked good, but I didn't look like myself, but I guess that's the point, isn't it? She pressed my phone into my hand and told to take a picture and send it to my beau. I did as I was told took a few, before sending them to Cas.
I took a deep breath and tried to mentally build myself up for the night. I'd be shadowing her as she helped take care of the front of the house. Bartending would be tomorrow's adventure.
"Remember, confidence is key. You deserve to be there. This is your domain. The writhing masses are simply passing through. Don't afford them more attention or energy than you ought to. They aren't the important ones here. We are.
"They are lucky just to be there with us. They know that. Our behavior will reinforce that. One word or gesture from us, and they will be tossed out. Those are the rules and this is the reality. If it helps to think of this as a persona, then do.
"You don't have to lie, but you don't need to give away more information that need be, either. Let them assume. You're a rare, coveted delicacy, and they're hungry little dogs vying for your attention. Are you ready?" She asked me. I gave her a stiff nod. She beamed before pouring us both a shot of liquid courage. "Cheers, Dearie." She clinked her glass to mine and we tossed them back.
She took my hand into hers and we stepped out of the private quarters and into the club. Much like the one I went to with Meg, it was dark, sleek, and suggestive. Rowena wore a tight, dark purple dress that stopped above her knees, and a pair of sky-high black strappy heels. Her presence demanded attention. It didn't matter what she was wearing. She was a work of art and she knew it. I threw my hair back and did my best to mirror her confidence, as I walked with her. People were definitely noticing us. She was right about that.
The music wasn't too loud by the bar. I ordered a club soda and lime, along with a dirty martini for her. The nervous thrum of energy surrounding us was obvious. No one knew who I was and their curiosity was peaked. Rowena let her fingertips skirt along the back of my hand, softly, laying a claim to me. It seemed to have the desired effect. I was off-limits, and I was important.
If I wasn't so in love with Cas, I'd probably be smitten. I'm ninety percent positive that Rowena bats for my team, but other than my budding gaydar, I had no proof to back up my hunch, not that it mattered. Men would trip over themselves for her, regardless. We both knew that.
I peered up at her, through dark heavy lashes and she nuzzled her face against mine, fondly. I smiled, softly and touched my forehead to hers. The touch was intimate and made the tension around us thicken. She rubbed her thumb along my jawline. She pressed a chaste, little kiss to my lips, before we took our drinks and she led me away from the bar. She was marking me as off limits to the masses.
We were both smirking, as we left the patrons staring. Her eyes scanned the bodies around the club, looking for someone. Her smirk turned into a smile, as led me over to a shorter man. He's still taller than me, not that it's hard, but a bit stout, with dark hair, appraising eyes, and a short beard.
"Fergus, I'm happy to see you." She said, before kissing his cheek. He rolled his eyes, but the twinkle of mirth gave him away.
"Must you call me that, Ro?" He sighed, in a velvety baritone, with an accent just as delicious as Rowena's.
"I'd like you to meet Dean, Dearie. It's her first night. You can help show her the ropes." Rowena told him. Her tone was light, but there was a hint of steel that left no room for argument.
"Of course. I'm Crowley. It's nice to meet you, Darling." He introduced himself. He took my hand and placed a gentle kiss on my knuckles.
"It's nice to meet Ro's brother." I said with a smile. He looked surprised that I knew that much about him. Rowena looked amused, that we had taken him off guard. "I've been raising my brother, too." I added, before drinking my club soda. I finished it, as my eyes surveyed our surroundings.
Someone with yellow eyes and smirk that oozed depravity, was eying me hard. I stiffened and let my eyes flick up to Rowena. Something flashed over her eyes, but it was gone, as quick as it came. What's his deal? Crowley noticed, too, and he looked murderous.
Yellow Eyes sauntered over to us and his smirk morphed into a predatory grin that was all teeth and bite. I looked at him, schooling my face to stay neutral and unimpressed.
"You're new here." He announced, as he reached us.
I snorted and Crowley was beside himself. He laughed at my reaction. Rowena did her version of the same. The smile on her face was placating and obviously forced, much like you'd use on a misbehaving child. Mr. Yellow Eyes narrowed his eyes, when he took in our collective reactions.
"You always were a bit slow on the uptake, weren't you, Dear?" Rowena mused, before sipping her martini. Crowley bounced on the balls of his feet with glee. He looked like he had just been given a Christmas gift early.
"Weren't you thrown out of here, with the rest of the riffraff, Ferret?" Crowley asked him, leveling him with his serious tone.
Rage danced in across Yellow Eyes' face. He didn't even try to hide it. What's his problem?
"Alastair agreed to give me a second chance. I'm awfully persuasive. What can I say?" Yellow Eyes purred with a shrug. I rolled my eyes and did my best not to snicker.
"Dry, Love?" Crowley asked me. I nodded. "Vodka soda?" He guessed. I nodded, again. He took my empty cup from me, and stared down the man before him. "He may have given you one last chance, despite your latest tantrum, you insolent child, but I haven't. You would do well to remember that. I have no qualms defending what is mine or killing misbehaving pests, no matter how small, and insignificant they are." Crowley's voice was low and dangerous.
He didn't need to spell out his threat anymore than he already had. Interesting. Rowena looked proud, but only slightly. She still kept the condescending look in place.
"I'll be right back, Darling." Crowley promised, as he sauntered away to the bar.
"I'm Azazel." Yellow Eyes introduced himself. He offered me his hand and I just looked at him, visibly unimpressed.
"And?" I pressed. His eyes narrowed and he stepped closer to me. Rowena's mask dropped and she raised an eyebrow.
"Someone's feeling awfully brave, aren't they?" She mused. Azazel looked at her, but didn't move back. He looked like he was considering it.
"You'd do well to remember me. You remind me of someone, but I can't place who." Azazel told me, searching my face.
"That's nice. Are you done wasting my time now? There a lot of people I'm supposed to meet, and you weren't important enough to be one of them." I told him, keeping my voice even and bored.
I smirked, as I made eye contact with him. They really are an eerie shade of yellow. They reminded me of snake eyes.
"Oh, you're a delicious, little thing, aren't you? I wonder how you taste." He appraised in would-be seductive purr.
He moved his hand to stroke my cheek, but I slapped it away with the back of my hand. As soon as I had done it, he looked hungry. He clenched his free hand together in a tight fist. He licked his lips, as he bore his eyes into mine. I stared him down and didn't flinch.
"I'm bored now, and tasting me isn't something you'll ever have to worry your little head about. Bye now." I dismissed him, shooing him with my hand.
I wasn't going to let him out of eyesight. He grinned at me, and left, looking like a cat who ate the canary. Crowley walked up to us and handed me a drink. I drank most of it, as I watched Azazel's retreating form.
"Tell me about him, later." I said to both of them, making it clear that it wasn't a request. They both nodded, before steering me away.
I lost count of how many people I had met, but it had gone infinitely better than I thought it would. Surprisingly, I even had fun. The music was good, and I enjoyed Rowena's and Crowley's company. I laughed more than I thought capable, and I slowly felt like I was getting comfortable in my skin there.
Alastair made an appearance, before I left for the night. He praised me on the impression I was leaving and told me that he knew I would be a great fit. Inferno is Crowley's club, and he and Rowena run it. Alastair told me that I would be staying there, instead of splitting my time between different clubs. Both Crowley and Rowena had asked for me to stay there, and Alastair had no reason not to agree.
Crowley had tried to bring up Azazel to Alastair, but he just said they would discuss it after I went home. One look from Rowena told me that she was livid, but knew better, than to say something.
"Come, Darling, I'll see you home." Rowena told me, as she slipped her arm through mine.
I just nodded. My car was here, but I could get it tomorrow. We climbed into her car and she had the driver take us back to my apartment.
"I don't want you alone with Azazel, ever. If you are, use whatever force you deem necessary. Brush up on exorcisms. Memorize these. The notes tell you what they do and what they mean." She instructed me, as she slipped a small notebook into my bag.
"I will." I promised. She gave me a curt nod.
"Fergus and I will pick you up at noon and take you to lunch. We will go some place private and explain what we can then. Until then, I've checked the wards on this property and added a few of my own. You'll be safe there. Line the door with the steel bar I left for you, like you would with salt. That's what it's filled with, but won't be as easily broken. Try to get some sleep, Dearie."
I laid in bed and didn't know what to make of everything. There was so much swimming in my head and it made me a little dizzy. It seemed so daunting. Above all, I just felt exhausted. I had already texted Cas, Meg, and Sam. I set my alarm, and let my eyelids fall.
'Mother Nature's dying.
Nobody's keeping score.
I don't wanna live in a man's world anymore.
I don't wanna live in a man's world anymore.
If you have a mother, daughter, or friend, maybe it's time,
Time you comprehend the world that you live in, ain't the same one as them.
So don't punish me, 'cause I'm not a man.'