Bloodline (Supernatural)

7 - Better Than Books

"I'm sorry, Sam."

"We've lost a lot of people, Willa. The life we live, it's practically written in the job description. We lose really good people. We fight some really terrible monsters. It's a dangerous life, whether you choose it or get thrown into it."

"I got thrown into it," I murmur.

"Unfortunately, yes, you did." He's collected two dusty books in his arms. His hazel eyes continue to search for more. "It happens a lot more than you think. Sometimes it goes through the motions, but then it sometimes smacks you in the face with a new monster."

"In my case, demons who wanted me dead, but instead want me captured. Is that why Cas isn't around as much? Is he digging into their motive?"

"Yeah. He's a little harder to track than we are."

"Oh, to be an angel. It must be nice." I exit out of the browser on the laptop. "Hand me the books, my eyes are starting to burn from the screen."

"There's another book I can probably get you, if I remember where it got put last..." Sam plops the books on the desk in front of me. I cough, feeling the dust enter my mouth. Sam looks about to sneeze, but he stops it before he can shower anything in projectile boogers.

"Since you guys seem to be walking Monster Encyclopedias, what can you tell me about demons?"

"Besides the fact they fester in Hell and are pains in the ass, I can tell you a lot. It depends on what you want to know."

"Well, I want to know their weaknesses."

"Salt. Holy water. Certain weapons can kill them. You can exorcise them, we'll need to start teaching you that. Maybe set you up with a recording of it for you to keep on hand. I think for now we'll just equip you with more tangible protection."

"Define 'tangible protection'."

"Salt. Holy water. Blades that can hurt demons. There's a good form of protection to prevent demon possession...how high is your pain tolerance?"

I swallow. "Honestly, it's not something I've played around with. Why?"

Sam pulls down part of his shirt collar to show me a tattoo. "Anti-possession tattoo. If you really are serious about this, it might be worth getting."

"I'll shelve that for now." I've never even thought about getting tattoos, even when I'm old enough to get one without Mom's permission. I shouldn't rule it out, especially if this takes some time. "So...circling back to demon-hurting weapons...what do you guys have?"

"A few angel blades—deadly to both demon and angel. We have a knife that can kill demons, but I think Dean's been using it, so he keeps it on him."

"You said exorcism. Does it...does the demon die when it's performed?"

"No, they exit their host and get sent back to Hell. The, uh, problem is," he places his hands against the desk, leaning in, "their hosts don't always survive."

I avoid Sam's gaze. "I see."

"We'll do everything we can to save him, Willa. We've gotten a better handle on saving the hosts. Whatever injuries he has, Cas can heal him."

I nod. "Ways to trap a demon?"

"Devil's Trap."

"How can you tell you're talking to a demon?"

"Well, while we should probably say it all the time, utter 'christo'. You'll know very quickly who's a demon and who isn't." Sam frowns slightly.

"Pft, who needs these dusty books when I've got you to talk to."

* * *

After I spend some time with Sam and get the down-low on demons, Dean takes his turn to show me how to load a gun. He explains it to me in the best terms I can understand. I try and replicate what he does. I've never held a gun before, so it gets me a little nervous at first. But the more I hold it and the more I learn to load it, I grow less afraid.

This gun can help me in a world of monsters. Granted, it's not my future to become a hunter—after this I'm totally going home to Mom. But the idea itself, of the gun, eases me.

"When you go back to school, you'll be the most badass kid in your grade," Dean boasts.

We're in the kitchen eating takeout. Ever since I've been subjected to training, Not Cole hasn't tried to ambush anyone when they step outside the bunker. I, of course, am not allowed outside.

"I'm not carrying a gun to school," I protest. "That's a big spot on my clean record that I really don't want. My mom would also have a freaking cow." My heart drops a bit. Mom must be devastated and assume the worst about me.

"We'll get you back home," Dean tells me adamantly. "You can't be wasting your good years in fear. You'll get back home, finish school, and then enjoy adulthood properly."

"I guess you guys haven't done that, huh, enjoy adulthood properly?"

"Wills, we didn't even enjoy childhood properly." Dean's lips dip into a frown. He stares at his leftover food for a second before he takes a bite.

"Sam's told me bits and pieces, not a lot," I say abashedly. Dean shoots his brother a dirty look. "We just got talking, that's all."

"I didn't spill our life story to her, Dean," Sam sasses.

"And I honestly don't expect to hear it all." I flex my healing hand carefully. "I can't wait until we set the trap for the demon." That's a sentence I'd never hear myself say.

"We need a backup in case it falls through, 'cause knowing our luck that might happen."

"We can track the demon down ourselves if he doesn't come to us."

"Still missing the big picture here," says Dean. "Demons went from wanting your head to...recruitment."

"Your guess is as good as mine, dude, really." I finish off the last bits of my food. "I haven't offended any demons, unless you count the bitches at my school. Would demons even use a high school girl as a host?" The second that question finishes out of my mouth, I mentally smack myself. Duh, they don't care who they inhabit. Marley was proof.

"Everyone's got their thing, I guess." Dean shrugs. "Do you really want to ask that question, though? I mean, as much as we sometimes don't like our jobs, you got two hunters with a lot of years of experience. You could learn a lot from us."

"Oh, like what?"

"How to survive, for one. How to hunt if you ever cross a monster, for another."

"Yeah, well, I'm not going monster hunting once this all blows over." I crack my neck. "So, back to work?"

"Oh, Wills, we're just getting started."