Dearest Readers,
This chapter and the next one were written together, and ended up being super long so I split it in half. I hope you enjoy this next piece of the puzzle!
Not to mention, Lou Ellen makes an appearance, so that's cool.
XOXO Ally Layne.
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Persie managed to jump into the passenger seat just as Sam was about to take off in the Impala.
His answering glare was cold and withdrawn, nothing like the younger Winchester she used to know.
"Have I really changed in your eyes that much after what that demon told you?" She asked, clicking on her seatbelt as he took off, racing into the night.
He didn't say a word.
His focus was on speeding though the roads through town, not slowing until the Van Allen house was in sight.
She sighed. "We need a plan."
He glared at her again. "I have one. Save my brother."
"Dear Hades, I never thought I would be the one to say this, but that's not a plan, Winchester. That's an outcome," she insisted. "If your pet demon is right and whatever is in there is as strong as she thinks it is, we need a plan-"
He was out the door as soon as he threw the car in park and took the keys from the ignition. Persie cursed as she had to practically jump out and run after him to keep up with his long, determined strides.
"I'm not kidding, Sam," she told him in a whisper as they came up to the door. "We need a-"
He kicked the door open, holding up the Colt he grabbed from his waistband, and cocked it right in the direction of the screams.
"Dear gods, we're gonna die."
Is this what Annie feels like whenever I go into something without a plan?
If the answer is yes, Persie was pleased she had started to listen to her best friend more often.
The screams ended up coming from Elizabeth, Renee, and Tammi (who was still giving Persie the creeps), who had been sitting by an altar.
She paused, a wave of disgust flowing through her at the negativity and the dark magic that was flowing in and out of the room that made her feel sick.
Sam wasn't having such issues, however. "Let him go!" he demanded, holding the Colt up in their direction, making them throw their hands up in surrender.
"Let who go?" Renee countered, her fear quickly turning into anger. "What are you doing? You're insane, get out!"
"It's not the smartest thing to call someone who is pointing a gun at you insane," Persie commented, picking out some crud from underneath her nails as she gazed at the situation in boredom. "But you do you, I guess."
Sam glared at the women in front of them, ignoring her words that made Renee's eyes flash with frustration. "Look if you know me, you know about this gun, you're killing my brother- now let him go. Get away from the altar."
"What?" Renee squawked.
Persie's eyes narrowed as she let some of her raw power show through them, making the woman shiver and back away a few steps in fear.
"Now!" Sam demanded.
.
.
.
Annabeth couldn't find the hex bag, and would maybe admit to some panic, but after placing an important call- she knew they would be fine.
"You're lucky we were having a Head's meeting. I'll be there in 30 seconds."
"Thank you."
Luckily, most campers were still at Camp Half Blood following the Winter Solstice celebrations and winter break for most schools. The camper that she needed most specifically happened to be one of them, which Annabeth could only chalk down to the perfection of fate and timing.
"Good news, Winchester," Annabeth spoke to Dean, who was hunched over the floor coughing up blood. "You're not gonna die. Well, not yet, anyway."
He looked up at her cautiously.
It was around 23 seconds when Nico walked from the shadows, followed by a determined Lou Ellen, daughter of Hecate. She had long, dark hair that cascaded down her back, and her eyes the green shade of earth.
If he wasn't busy dying, Dean might've been shocked over the beauty of the newcomer, but he had other things going on, like coughing up blood.
Lou hurried over to Dean with her cross-body bag, and started to pull things out before forcing them down his throat.
For his part, Dean went along with it willingly.
"What kind of shit are you mixed up in?" she asked airly as he stopped coughing up blood and finally looked like he could breathe.
Dean looked over at her in shock. "Who the hell are you?"
Annabeth sighed. "She's our friend, Dean. Her name is Lou Ellen, I think Persie might've-"
The door to the motel room was kicked open, setting Nico and Annabeth into a warrior calm, whereas Lou continued to assist Dean and grabbed him some water. "Here, it's always good to stay hydrated after being hexed. Don't ask me why, but it always feels like you deal with a massive hangover."
"That's one ugly demon," Nico commented, pointing his sword in Ruby's direction. "Can I kill it?"
Annabeth sighed. "I think she's Sam's pet."
"Huh."
"Yeah."
Ruby looked between the two of them, then over at Dean behind them in slight shock. "You're... not dying."
"Astute observation," Annabeth said dryly.
The demon's eyes narrowed at the blonde. "How?"
Lou stood up and slowly walked over to Annabeth's side. "Leave, demon. Or you will face my mother's wrath."
Ruby blinked.
And disappeared.
Lou turned to her friends with a small smile. "Being a daughter of Hecate has some benefits."
Nico snickered. "Especially after that one sold her soul for being a witch."
Dean looked over at the son of Hades. "You can see that?"
"Uh, yeah. One of the perks of being me."
Annabeth rolled her eyes before looking at the other two demigods, focusing in on Nico. "Not to always use you as a method of transportation-"
His eyes flashed. "You and Persie really need to start using Mrs. O'Leary-"
"But Sam and Persie are going to need our help, wanna come with us?"
Lou grabbed Nico's sleeve. "Oh, that'd be fun! I've been wanting to see some witches-"
Dean looked over at Annabeth over their shoulders. "She serious?"
Annabeth shrugged. "Lou's a daughter of Hecate, like I said. It's not really that surprising."
Nico looked between Lou and Annabeth before nodding once. "Fine. But that's another two Happy Meals."
"Two?"
"Do you want me to make it four?"
"Fair enough."
.
.
.
Back in the Van Allen house, Persie found herself lurking back into the shadows as she watched Sam direct the women around with the Colt. Her eyes were firmly trained on Tammi, watching her every move.
"Go," Sam demanded, nudging his gun toward the fireplace, making them huddle there.
"What... we-we weren't hurting anyone," Elizabeth begged.
"Please, we don't even know your brother," Renee pleaded.
Sam's eyes narrowed. "Stop the spell or die, five seconds."
"What?" Renee looked between them, shocked.
Sam stared at her cooly. "Four."
"No, please, please don't kill us," she cried.
"We were just getting Renee a lower mortgage rate," Elizabeth tried to explain.
Sam looked confused as Persie huffed out a laugh. "Is that what you were told? Do you even know what you're chanting? Who you sold yourselves to?"
Renee and Elizabeth glanced at each other for a moment in fear, shaking their heads.
"You have no idea what you're conjuring or what you're doing. My brother is being killed because of you idiots, so you better stop!" Sam demanded.
Persie tilted her head. "But it's not them, is it?"
Sam quickly caught on as he pointed the Colt over to Tammi. "Maybe it's you."
Tammi held up her hands, eyes wide in terror.
But Persie could see what lingered underneath.
"I don't even know what he's talking about, what are you even talking about?"
"I mean all of you, everyone in your little coven, you've all had runs of good fortune. News worthy good fortune, really, except for you, Tammi." Sam spoke. "Now, tell me why is that? You didn't want anything for yourself? Or is it because you were already getting what you wanted, these women's souls?"
Tammi's eyes widened even more. "I can't... I-I'm not... I-I-I don't..." she began, before sighing and putting her hands down.
In an instant, she changed from a terrified, startled woman to a pain-in-the-ass smirking demon with black eyes.
"Nice dick work, Magnum."
Sam's grip on the Colt tightened. "Let my brother go."
"What's wrong, couldn't find my hex bag?" She tilted her head. "Sorry, sweetheart, but your brother's lungs should be on the floor by now."
Sam fired the Colt.
But the bullet stopped in midair when Tammi held up her hand, allowing it to fall to the floor.
Persie bit her lip. This was going to be a fun monster to fight.
Elizabeth gasped.
"You're in a lot of trouble, Sam," Tammi sighed. She flung out her arm and both Sam and Persie went flying back and were pinned against the wall.
At least, Persie was allowing herself to be pinned.
For now.
"Tammi, what's wrong with your eyes?" Elizabeth cried.
"She's a demon, you idiot!" Persie snapped against the invisible force holding her. "Run!"
Of course, they didn't listen to her.
Just like Sam didn't listen to her about a plan, and now they don't even have a pla. And it wasn't as if this was some sort of episode of Friends where that would be somewhat fine.
Tammi had whirled back around on Elizabeth and Renee with the same smirk.
"Tammi, what are you doing?" Renee demanded.
"Renee, shut your pained hole." The demon glared at her.
"What? I... I will... you can't- not my house, Tammi Fenton!"
Persie opened her mouth to warn the woman, as Sam called out, "Renee, don't!"
But it was too late.
Tammi waved her hand, snapping Renee's neck. Elizabeth screamed shrilly as she fell to the floor, dead.
"Look, you got me, now let the girl go," Sam called out to Tammi, trying to draw her back from Elizabeth who had stepped back into a corner and was crying.
"Wait your turn young man," Tammi told him over her shoulder, before looking back over to Elizabeth with a plastered fake smile. "Shh, Lizzie, it's okay."
"You're not T-Tammi," she said, looking up at the demon with wide eyes.
Tammi shrugged. "No, but I'm wearing her meat. I had to break the ice with you girls somehow."
She shook her head slowly. "You killed Renee."
"Renee, Amanda... that's what happens to witches who get voted off the island."
Persie blinked. "Tough crowd."
Tammi winked at her over her shoulder. "Don't think I haven't forgotten about you, missy."
Elizabeth was still looking at Tammi in fear. "Who are you?"
"I think the question is actually what is she," Persie threw out there, smiling as Tammi threw another glare at her over her shoulder, and the invisible restraints tightened. "Yeah, she's definitely a what."
Tammi turned back to Elizabeth. "It's a funny story, actually. You remember all those dark demonic forces you prayed to when you swore your servitude?" She let out a low, menacing chuckle. "Just who did you think you were praying to?"
"This... this isn't... this can't be-"
"What did you think it was?" Tammi asked, her eyes narrowing in annoyance. "Make believe? Positive thinking? The secret? No, no, it was me. You sold yourself to me, you pig."
Elizabeth let out a gasp in horror as her hands clasped her cheeks.
"All I had to do was bring one good book to the book club and you ladies lined up to kiss my ass."
Elizabeth's gasp quickly turned to sobs. "No... no, we didn't know."
Tammi tilted her head once again before laughing. "Oh, yes you did. You knew every step of the way and now your ever living souls are mine."
She turned back to Sam and Persie with a wicked smirk. "Comments? Questions? Hm, Sammy Winchester, wow! Right here in our little town. You know, my friends and I, we've been looking for you."
"Why?" Sam asked, from where he was being held up against the wall. "Oh right, 'cause I'm supposed to lead some piss-poor demon army."
Persie blinked.
Well that's certainly news to her.
Tammi glared at him. "No, not at all. You're not our Messiah, we don't believe in you. But, there's a new leader rising in the west. A real leader That's the horse to be on Sam, the one who's gonna tear this world apart. Thing is, this demon, it doesn't like you very much and doesn't want the competition."
Oh, so another powerful demon was out to get Sam? Great.
Tammi raised her hand, sliding Sam up the wall, and Persie could see that she was adding pressure as he struggled against the force. "Nothing personal, it's a PR thing, so, buh-bye."
"Pick on someone your own size, demonic bitch," Persie growled.
"What, are you feeling let out over there, Persephone Jackson? Don't think I haven't heard of you and your heinous deeds."
Persie grinned. "Of course, you have. You wouldn't be worth anything if you haven't. But did you realize I don't care much for the psychopath demonic types?"
Tammi raised a brow. "I believe that you have shown yourself to have similar characteristics in the past, dear girl. Maybe there's hope for you to join us yet."
"Yeah, no. I got plans."
"Plans?"
Even Sam was looking at her oddly.
She nodded. "Plans. Plans to kick your ass back to the hell hole you came from."
And that's when chaos broke loose.
Persie allowed herself to drop to the floor, bending the blood and molecules in her body to move out of the restraint that the demon had made for her. "Surprise, bitch."
She unleashed Riptide with one hand and with the other she burst the pipes from the kitchen and walloped the meat suit, holding it still long enough for her to slice through it- killing the demon completely.
Tammi's body fell to the floor just as Sam's hit the ground.
The door burst open, and standing there was a shocked Dean, Annabeth, Nico, and Lou Ellen.
"Shit, you didn't save any for me?" Nico whined.
Persie sighed, capping Riptide before looking over at her cousin. "How many Happy Meals do we owe you, now?"
Elizabeth was still in the corner of the room, sobbing, and Lou Ellen looked over at her curiously. "The demon you sold yourself to is dead, so your soul is now free."
The woman shook her head, crying into her hands. "They're dead, they're all dead..."
"They made some wrong choices, as did you. You are lucky to be alive, Elizabeth." Annabeth told her, seeing the bodies of Tammi and Renee on the floor. "The demon killed Tammi while inhabiting her, and... it seems we were too late to save Renee."
Elizabeth looked up at Persie with faint anger in her eyes. "Why did you free yourself after she killed them? Why not before?"
Persie pursed her lips. She looked over to Sam, knowing that his eyes held the same question as the woman's. "Because it was not the right time."
"Who are you to decide that?"
Persie shrugged. "No one, really."
Lou snapped her fingers, and Elizabeth fell asleep before she could say or accuse the demigod of anything else. "It will be as if she were never a part of the coven when she wakes," she spoke, closing her eyes, and moving her hands as she manipulated pieces of the Mist. "She will never remember what happened, but she will also have caution and sensitivity to dark magic as well. It will be for the better, as she is the only one left."
Annabeth helped Persie, and checked her for wounds as Dean did the same thing for Sam. "We need to get out of here," Sam said, looking over at the sleeping Elizabeth and the bodies.
Lou walked over to where Persie and Annabeth were standing, and pulled Persie into a hug. "I have missed you, Persie. A lot of us at camp have missed you, but I think you know that already."
Annabeth squeezed her shoulder as she nodded.
"Yeah, I think I do."
"I don't hold anything that happened against you," Lou told her softly as she pulled her in for another hug, before letting go just as quickly. 'You deserve everything, Jackson. Let me know if you need me to save your ass ever again and I'll be there."
Persie blinked. But why?
Lou was as insightful as always. "I'm the daughter of a minor god, remember? You gave me a home, Persie. The least I can do is help you find yours."
She let her eyes stray down to her converse-clad feet, and sighed.
Is that what this was? Was she looking for a home?
Or was she just running away from the only home she ever had?
After finishing cleaning up and saying her goodbyes to Nico and Lou, she hopped in the Impala and closed her eyes.
She thought about Lou, Elizabeth, and the Mist.
Sometimes she wishes that she could just forget, too.