The Impala zoomed up a two-lane, driven by Dean. He was in a good mood, grooving along to the music.
"Whoo!" Dean cried. "Listen to her purr! Have you ever heard anything so sweet?"
Sam glanced at his brother. "You know, if you two, want to get a room, just let us know, Dean."
"Oh, don't listen to him, baby, he doesn't understand us," Dean said.
"You're in a good mood," Sam noted.
"Why shouldn't I be?"
"No reason."
"Got my car, got a case, things are looking up."
"Wow. You hear a couple of severed heads and a pile of dead bodies and you're Mister Sunshine."
"How far to Red Lodge?"
"Uh, about another three hundred miles."
"Good." Dean floored it.
They reached Red Lodge and entered. The three entered the lodge and a sheriff with an impressive mustache began talking to them; they were posing as reporters.
"The murder investigation is ongoing, and that's all I can share with the press at this time," the sheriff said.
"Sure, sure, we understand that, but just for the record, you found the first, uh, head last week, correct?" Sam questioned.
"Mm-hmm."
"Okay, and the other, a uh, Christina Flanigan-"
"That was two days ago. Is there-" A young woman knocked on the door and pointed at her watch. "Oh. Sorry boys, young lady, time's up, we're done here."
"One last question-"
"Yeah, what about the cattle?" Dean asked.
The sheriff frowned. "Excuse me?"
"You know, the cows found dead, split open, drained... over a dozen cases."
"What about them?"
Cataleya raised an eyebrow. "So you don't think there's a connection?"
"Connection... with..."
"First cattle mutilations, now two murders? Kinda sounds like ritual stuff."
"You know, like Satanic cult ritual stuff?" Dean added.
The sheriff laughed. "You -- you're not kidding."
"No."
"Those cows aren't being mutilated. You wanna know how I know?"
"How?" Sam asked.
"Because there's no such thing as cattle mutilation. Cow drops, leave it in the sun, within 48-hours the bloat will split it open so clean it's just about surgical. The bodily fluids fall down into the ground and get soaked up because that's what gravity does. But, hey, it could be Satan. What newspaper did you say you work for?"
"World Weekly News..." Dean said.
"Weekly World News," Sam corrected.
"World-"
"Weekly World-"
"Weekly... I'm new."
"Get out of my office," the sheriff ordered.
As soon as they exited, Cataleya glanced at Dean. "You're an idiot."
"You're the idiot... idiot," Dean retorted lamely.
"Is that the best you've got? Wow. That is... That's spectacular."
"Leya, shut up."
"Aw, I made you mad, huh?"
Dean glared at her and she smirked as she walked away.
HOSPITAL
Dean, Sam and Cataleya entered the morgue, still wearing their shirts and ties, and blouse and skirt for Cataleya, and wore lab coats. The intern on duty had a name tag that read J. Manners.
Dean looked the name tag, calculating. "John."
"Jeff," the intern corrected.
"Jeff. I know that. Dr. Dworkin needs to see you in his office right away."
"But Dr. Dworkin's on vacation."
"Well, he's back," Cataleya said, offering an intimidating look for effect. "And he's pissed, and he's screaming, dude, so if I were you, I would... okay."
The intern ran off and Dean questioned, "Hey, those Satanists in Florida, they marked their victims, didn't they?"
"Yeah, reversed pentacle on the forehead," Sam said.
"Yeah. So much f-d up crap happens in Florida."
Cataleya shot him a look. "What did Florida ever do to you?"
"Do you ever get less annoying?"
"Touché."
He rolled his eyes and she smirked lightly.
Dean handed Sam and Cataleya a pair of latex gloves and put on a pair of his own. Sam opened a compartment and wheeled out a corpse to see a box between its legs.
"All right, open it," Dean said.
"You open it," Sam shot back.
"Wuss."
Cataleya rolled her eyes and carried the box to another table and flipped off the lid. Sam and Dean approached, cringing.
She glanced between the brothers. "God, you two are babies."
Dean looked over the lid. "Well, no pentagram. Be nice, Leya."
"Wow. Poor girl," Sam commented.
"Maybe we should, uh, you know, look in her mouth, see if those wackos stuffed anything down her throat. You know, kinda like Moth in Silence of the Lambs."
"Yeah, here, go ahead."
"No, you go ahead."
"What?"
""Put the lotion in the basket.""
"Right, yeah, I'm the wuss, huh? Whatever."
Cataleya rolled her eyes and started poking her fingers in the mouth.
Sam gagged. "Dean, get me a bucket?"
"Leya find something?"
"No, I'm going to puke."
Dean told Cataleya, "Wait, lift the lip up again?"
Sam frowned. "What? You want me to throw up, is that it?"
"No, no, no, I think I saw something." He pushed Cataleya's hands away and pulled back the lip. "What is that, a hole?" He pressed on the gum and a narrow, sharp tooth descended.
"It's a tooth."
Cataleya looked closer before saying, "Sam, Dean, that's a fang. Retractable set of vampire fangs, you've gotta be kidding me."
"Well, this changes things."
Cataleya met his eyes. "Ya think?"
BAR
That night, they made their way to a bar and Dean went around to park. They walked inside.
The three approached the bar and a man, Gordon, was at a table to one side, watching them.
"How's it going?" Dean asked the bartender.
"Living the dream," the bartender replied. "What can I get for you?"
"Three beers, please."
"We're looking for some people." Sam said.
"Sure," the bartender noted. "Hard to be lonely."
"Yeah. But um, that's not what I meant." He pulled out a $50 and dropped it on the bar and the bartender took it. "So these, these people, they would have moved her about six months ago, probably pretty rowdy, like to drink..."
"Yeah, real night owls, you know?" Cataleya told him. "Sleep all day, party all night."
"Barker Farm got leased out a couple months ago. Real winners. They've been in here a lot -- drinkers. Noisy. I've had to 86 them once or twice."
"Thanks," Dean replied.
They left their half-finished beers on the table and left. The man who was watching them was gone, a smoldering cigarette left behind. As the trio left, the man watched, then began stalking the them. They went down an alley and he followed. He lost sight of them and he turned. Dean, Sam and Cataleya were suddenly there, pinning him to the wall, Dean with a knife to his throat, Cataleya with a knife aimed at his heart.
"Smile," Dean ordered.
"What?" Gordon questioned.
Cataleya narrowed her eyes. "Show us those pearly whites."
"Oh, for the love of -- you want to stick those things somewhere else? I'm not a vampire." Sam frowned. "Yeah, that's right. I heard you guys in there."
"What do you know about vampires?" Sam demanded.
"How to kill them. Now seriously, bro, little girl. Those knives are making me itch."
Dean cocked his head. Gordon started to pull away and Sam pinned him harder while Cataleya inched her knife closer to Gordon's heart.
"Whoa. Easy there, chachi," Gordon said, slowly bringing his right hand to his lip and pulled it back to reveal normal gums. "See? Fangless. Happy?" Dean and Cataleya let up. "Now. Who the hell are you?"
They followed Gordon to his car. He pulled out his arsenal.
Gordon glanced between them. "Sam and Dean Winchester. Cataleya Delgado. I can't believe it. You know I met your old man once? Hell of a guy. Great hunter. I heard he passed. I'm sorry. It's big shoes. But from what I hear, you guys fill 'em. Great trackers, good in a tight spot-"
"You seem to know a lot about our family," Dean noted.
"Word travels fast. You know how hunters talk."
"No, we don't, actually," Cataleya deadpanned.
"I guess there's a lot your dad never told you, huh?"
"So, um, those two vampires, they were yours, huh?" Sam asked.
"Yep. Been here two weeks."
"Did you check out that Barker Farm?" Dean questioned.
"It's a bust. Just a bunch of hippie freaks. Though they could kill you with that patchouli smell alone."
"Where's the nest, then?" Cataleya demanded.
"I've got this one covered. Look, don't get me wrong. It's a real pleasure meetin' you fellas and lady. But I've been on this thing over a year. I killed a fang back in Austin, tracked the nest all the way up here. I'll finish it."
"We could help," Dean offered.
"Thanks, but I'm kind of a go-it-alone type of guy."
"Come on, man, I've been itching for a hunt."
"Sorry. But hey, I hear there's a Chupacabra two states over. You go ahead and knock yourselves out." He got in his car. It was real good meeting you, though. I'll buy you a drink on the flip side." He drove off.
Cataleya stared after the car. "There's something untrustworthy about him."
"Leya, I'm sure it's fine," Dean reassured.
"No, trust me, Dean. Something stinks."
"Quit being pessimistic. He's a fellow hunter and he wants to help."
She glared at him and pointed sharply at his chest. "You'll come to see I'm right."
"Pointing and a vague threat. Real mature."
"Oh, you're one to talk."
Sam looked between them, rolling his eyes. "Guys, come on."
---
Later that night, the trio made their way to the mill and saw Gordon pinned under an electrical saw, close to being decapitated.
Sam and Cataleya pulled Gordon to safety. Dean attacked the vampire, getting him pinned under the electrical saw. He lowered the saw, decapitating the vampire.
"So uh, I guess I gotta buy you that drink," Gordon said.
Sam and Cataleya stared at Dean, stunned.
---
They made their way to a bar.
Gordon, Dean, Sam and Cataleya were sitting around a table. A waitress brought them another round and Dean reached for his wallet.
"No, no, I got it," Gordon told them.
"Come on," Dean argued.
"I insist." He looked to the waitress. "Thank you, sweetie." He raised his glass. "Another one bites the dust."
"That's right."
Dean and Gordon drank a toast, Sam and Cataleya sat back with their arms folded.
"Dean." Gordon laughed. "You gave that big-ass fang one hell of a haircut, my friend."
"Thank you," Dean replied.
"That was beautiful. Absolutely beautiful."
"Yep. You all right, Sammy, Leya?"
"I'm fine," Sam said as Cataleya nodded sharply.
"Well, lighten up a little, Sammy, Leya," Gordon told them.
"They're the only ones that get to call me that," Sam replied.
Cataleya stood and pushed in her chair. "Call me that again, and I'll cut your throat out. I'm calling it a night."
Gordon looked surprised at them before saying, "Okay. No offense meant. Just celebrating a little. Job well done."
Sam offered a tight smile. "Right. Well, decapitations aren't my idea of a good time, I guess."
Cataleya clasped her hands tightly. "Ain't mine either."
Gordon looked between them. "Oh, come on, man, missy, it's not like it was human. You've gotta have a little more fun with your job."
Dean smiled. "See? That's what I've been trying to tell them. You two could learn a thing or two from this guy."
Cataleya's eyes flashed. "Yeah? Well, I'm glad to say that spending time with psychopaths isn't my idea of fun." She mockingly patted Dean's shoulder. "But you have fun."
Sam stood as well. "Yeah, I bet I could. Look, I'm not gonna bring you guys down. We're just gonna go back to the motel."
"You sure?" Dean asked.
"Yeah."
"Sammy? Remind me to beat that buzzkill out of you later. Leya, chill out and grow up." He tossed Sam the keys.
Gordon frowned. "Something I said?"
"No, no, they just get that way sometimes. Tell you what. Match you quarters for the next round."
---
Sam and Cataleya returned to the motel room and Sam dropped the keys on a hook.
---
In the bar, Dean and Gordon were still talking. "...So. I pick up this crossbow. And I hit that ugly sucker with a silver-tipped arrow right in his heart. Sammy's waiting in the car, and uh, me and my dad take the thing into the woods, burn it to a crisp. I'm sitting there and looking into the fire, and I'm thinking to myself, I'm 16 years old. Most kids my age are worried about pimples, prom dates. I'm seeing things that they'll never even know. Never even dream of. So right then, I just sort of-"
"Embraced the life?" Gordon finished.
"Yeah."
"Yeah."
"Yeah. How'd you get started?"
"First time I saw a vampire, I was barely 18. Home alone with my sister. I hear the window break in her room. I grab my dad's gun, run in, try to get it off her. Too late. So I shoot the damn thing. Which of course is about as useful as snapping it with a rubber band. It rushes me, picks me up, flings me across the room, knocks me out cold. When I wake up, the vampire's gone, my sister's gone."
"And then?".
"Then... try explaining that one to your family. So I left home. And then bummed around looking for information: how you track 'em, how you kill 'em. And I found that fang -- it was my first kill."
"Sorry about your sister."
"Yeah. She was beautiful. A lot like your friend. I can still see her, you know? The way she was. But hey, that was a long time ago. I mean, your dad. It's gotta be rough."
"Yeah. Yeah, you know. He was just one of those guys. Took some terrible beatings, just kept coming. So you're always thinking to yourself, he's indestructible. He'll always be around, nothing can kill my dad. Then just like that," he snapped, "he's gone. I can't talk about this to Sammy and Leya. You know, I gotta keep my game face on." He cleared his throat. "But uh, the truth is I'm not handling it very well. I feel like I have this-"
"Hole inside you? And it just gets bigger and bigger and darker and darker? Good. You can use it. Keeps you hungry. Trust me. There's plenty out there needs killing, and this'll help you do it. Dean, it's not a crime to need your job. You and Cataleya. What happened between the two of you?"
"It's always been like that."
"Hmm. Well the two of you do make an interesting pair."
"An interesting- There's nothing between us."
"Suit yourself, man."
Dean frowned and sipped his beer, wanting to put an end to the discussion of the woman who both infuriated and, much to his annoyance, made him happier than anyone had.
MOTEL
Cataleya tapped her nails on the table. "Sam, I think you should call Ellen. There's something about Gordon. I would call, but my phone's dead and I can't find my damn charger."
"Good idea. Borrow mine." He pulled out his phone and dialed a number as Cataleya got his charger and plugged it into the wall, then plugged her phone in. "Hey, Ellen, uh, Sam Winchester."
"Sam, it's good to hear from you. You boys and girl are okay, aren't you?"
"Yeah. Yeah, everything's fine. Got a question."
"Yeah, shoot."
"You ever run across a guy named Gordon Walker?"
"Yeah, I know Gordon."
"And?"
"Well, he's a real good hunter. Why are you asking, sweetie?"
"Well, we ran into him on a job and we're kinda working with him, I guess."
"Don't do that, Sam."
"I-I thought you said he was a good hunter."
"Yeah, and Hannibal Lecter's a good psychiatrist. Look, he is dangerous to everyone and everything around him. If he's working on a job, you boys and girl just let him handle it and you move on."
"Ellen-"
"No, Sam? You just listen to what I'm telling you, okay?"
"Okay." He hung up.
"What?" Cataleya asked.
"You were right. Gordon's trouble."
"You realize persuading Dean will be next to impossible."
"Yeah, I know."
BAR
"Know why I love this life?" Gordon asked.
"Hmm?" Dean hummed.
"It's all black and white. There's no maybe. You find the bad thing, kill it. See, most people spend their lives in shades of gray. Is this right? Is that wrong? Not us."
"Not sure Sammy would agree with you, Leya might, but uh..."
"Doesn't seem your brother's much like us. Hard to tell with your friend." Dean stared at him, startled. "I'm not saying he's wrong. Just different. But you and me and maybe your friend? We were born to do this. It's in our blood."
"Leya and I aren't friends."
MOTEL PARKING LOT
Sam bought two sodas from a vending machine and started walking back to the room. He paused, hearing something, cautiously opened the door, and looked around. He got inside and leaned against the door, relieved. His eyes widened, seeing Cataleya passed out on the floor. A dark figure jumped him from behind. He knocked his first attacker down, then the second. The first attacker rose up behind him and slammed a heavy telephone into the back of his head, knocking him out.
The truck crossed a bridge.
Sam and Cataleya were both bound to a chair and gagged, sacks over their heads. They were pulled off by the bartender. He showed fangs and advanced on Sam and Cataleya, who struggled.
A woman, Lenore, appeared in the doorway. "Wait! Step back, Eli."
Eli pulled back, his fangs retracting. The woman walked over and pulled off Sam and Cataleya's gags. "My name's Lenore, I'm not going to hurt you two. We just need to talk."
"Talk?" Sam repeated. "Yeah, okay, but we might have a tough time paying attention to much besides Eli's teeth or how he's eyeing my friend like food."
"He won't hurt you two either, you both have my word."
"Your word, Oh yeah, great, thanks. Listen lady, no offense, but you're not the first vampire we've met."
"We're not like the others. We don't kill humans, and we don't drink their blood. We haven't for a long time."
Cataleya narrowed her eyes. "What is this, some kind of joke?"
"Notice you're both still alive."
Sam frowned. "Okay, uh, correct me if I'm wrong here, but shouldn't you be starving to death?"
"We've found other ways. Cattle blood."
"You're telling us you're responsible for all the-"
"It's not ideal, in fact, it's disgusting. But it allows us to get by."
Cataleya raised a brow. "Okay, um, why?"
"Survival. No deaths, no missing locals, no reason for people like you two to come looking for people like us. We blend in. Our kind is practically extinct. Turns out we weren't quite as high up on the food chain as we imagined."
"Why are we explaining ourselves to these killers?" Eli asked.
"Eli!"
"We choke on cow's blood so that none of them suffer. Tonight, they murdered Conrad and they celebrated."
"Eli, that's enough," Lenore warned.
"Yeah, Eli, that's enough," Sam and Cataleya repeated.
"What's done is done. We're leaving this town tonight."
"Then why did you bring us here?" Sam wondered. "Why are you even talking to us?"
"Believe me, I'd rather not. But I know your kind. Once you have the scent, you'll keep tracking us, it doesn't matter where we go. Hunters will find us."
"So you're asking us not to follow you."
"We have a right to live, we're not hurting anyone."
Cataleya's eyes narrowed once again. "Right. You keep saying that, but give me and him one good reason why we should believe you."
"Fine. You know what I'm going to do? I'm going to let you two go." They looked at her, startled. "Take them back. Not a mark on them."
Two vampires led Sam and Cataleya back to the truck, their heads covered in the sacks again. They drove off.
MOTEL
Dean and Gordon sat at the table, discussing strategy over a map.
"This is the best pattern I can establish," Gordon said. "It's sketchy at best."
"Looks like it's coming from this side of town," Dean noted. "Which means the nest would be around here someplace, right?"
"Yep, that's what I'm thinking. Problem is, there's 35, 40 farms out there. I've searched about half of them already, but nothing yet. They're covering their tracks real good."
"Then I guess we'll just have to search the other half." Dean looked at his watch. "What time is it? Where are Sam and Cataleya?"
"Car's parked outside. Probably went for a walk. Seem like the take a walk types."
"Yeah, he is, she's not, but..."
The door opened and Sam and Cataleya entered. They shot Dean a look.
"Where you two been?" Dean asked.
"Can we talk to you alone?" Sam questioned.
Dean turned to Gordon. "You mind chillin' out for a couple minutes?"
The trio left the motel room and to the parking lot.
"Dean, maybe we've got to rethink this hunt," Sam said.
"What are you talking about? Where were you two?" Dean asked.
Cataleya met his eyes. "In the nest."
"You two found it?"
"They found us, man," Sam told him.
"How'd you two get out? How many did you two kill?"
"None."
"Well Sam, Leya, they didn't just let you two go."
"That's exactly what they did," Cataleya retorted.
"All right, well, where is it?"
"We were blindfolded, we don't know."
"Well, either of you've got to know something."
Sam looked at his brother. "We went over that bridge outside of town, but Dean, listen. Maybe we shouldn't go after them."
"Why not?"
"Catty and I don't think they're like other vampires. We don't think they're killing people."
"You're joking. Then how do they stay alive? Or undead, or whatever the hell they are."
"The cattle mutilations," Cataleya explained. "They said they live off of animal blood."
"And you two believed them?"
Cataleya held out her arms. "Look at us, Dean. They let us go without a scratch."
"Wait, so you two are saying... No, man, Leya, no way. I don't know why they let you two go. I don't really care. We find 'em, we waste 'em."
"Why?" Sam and Cataleya demanded.
"What part of 'vampire' don't you two understand, Sam, Leya? If it's supernatural, we kill it, end of story. That's our job."
"No, Dean, that is not our job," Sam said. "Our job is hunting evil. And if these things aren't killing people, they're not evil!"
"Of course they're killing people, that's what they do. They're all the same, Sam. They're not human, okay? We have to exterminate every last one of them."
"No, Dean, Catty and I don't think so, all right? Not this time."
"Gordon's been on those vamps for a year, man, Leya, he knows."
"Gordon?" Cataleya repeated.
"Yes."
"You're taking his word for it?"
"That's right."
"Ellen says he's trouble."
"You called Ellen?"
"Sam did."
Dean frowned at Sam. "And I'm supposed to listen to her? We barely know her, Sam, Cataleya, no thanks, I'll go with Gordon."
"Right, 'cause Gordon's such an old friend," Sam replied sarcastically. "You don't think Catty and I can see what this is?"
"What are you talking about?"
"He's a substitute for Dad, isn't he? A poor one."
"Shut up, Sam."
"He's not even close, Dean. Not on his best day."
"You know what? I'm not even going to talk about this."
"You know, you slap on this big fake smile, but Catty and I can see right through it. Because I know how you feel, Dean. Dad's dead. And he left a hole, and it hurts so bad you can't take it, but you just fill up that hole with whoever you want to. It's an insult to his memory."
"Okay." Dean started turning away, then punched Sam, hard.
Cataleya shoved Dean back and balled a fist. "I'm not gonna hit you. But get your head out of your ass, you dick."
Sam paused and turned back slowly, not rising to the bait. "You hit me all you want. It won't change anything."
"I'm going to the nest," Dean said. "You and Cataleya don't want to tell me where it is, fine. I'll find it myself."
"Dean?" Sam and Cataleya called.
Dean returned to the motel room, Sam and Cataleya following, and they found Gordon gone.
"Gordon?" Dean called.
"You think he went after them?" Sam asked.
"Probably."
"Dean, we have to stop him," Cataleya warned.
"Really, Leya? Because I say we lend a hand."
"Just give her the benefit of the doubt, would you?" Sam replied. "You owe us that."
"Yeah, we'll see. I'll drive. Give me the keys."
Sam pointed to the table where he'd set them earlier and they were gone.
"He snaked the keys," Sam and Cataleya said.
They made their way out to the Impala and Dean hot-wired her with a grimace. "I can't believe this. I just fixed her up, too." The car started. "So the bridge, is that all you two got?"
"The bridge was four-and-a-half minutes from their farm," Sam informed.
"How do you know?"
"We counted," Cataleya explained simply.
Sam started tracing a path on the map in his lap. "They took a left out of the farm, then turned right onto a dirt road, followed that for two minutes slightly up a hill, then took another quick right and we hit the bridge."
"You're good," Dean complimented. "You're a monster pain in the ass, you both are, but you're good."
As they drove, Sam sighed, staring at the map. Dean glanced at him, then looked back at the road. Sam frowned at Dean before glancing back at Cataleya who was eyeing the road with a stony expression.
They arrived at the farmhouse and Gordon dipped the knife into a jar of blood. Lenore was sitting in a chair, covered in cuts, pale and sickly. He circled around her before slicing the bloody knife across her chest and she gasped. The trio arrived.
"Sam, Dean, Cataleya," Gordon called. "Come on in."
"Hey, Gordon," Dean greeted. "What's going on?"
"Just poisoning Lenore here with some dead man's blood. She's going to tell us where all her little friends are, aren't you? Want to help?"
"Look, man-"
"Grab a knife. I was just about to start in on the fingers." He dragged the knife across her arm.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, hey, let's all just chill out, huh?"
"I'm completely chill," Gordon answered calmly.
"Gordon, put the knife down," Sam and Cataleya instructed.
Sam and Cataleya stepped towards Gordon. Dean stopped Sam with a hand on his chest and grabbed Cataleya's wrist.
"Just step away from her, all right?" Sam said.
"You're right. I'm wasting my time here. This bitch will never talk. Might as well put her out of her misery." He pulled out a larger knife. "I just sharpened it, so it's completely humane." He turned towards Lenore.
Cataleya moved to block him. "Gordon, we're letting her go."
Gordon pointed the knife at Cataleya's chest, stopping her. "You're not doing a damn thing."
Cataleya chuckled darkly. "I'm not? Then you don't know me, Walker."
"Hey, hey, hey, Gordon, let's talk about this," Dean said, trying to stay calm.
"What's there to talk about?" Gordon replied. "It's like I said, Dean. No shades of gray."
"Yeah. I hear ya. And I know how you feel."
"Do you?"
"That vampire that killed your sister deserved to die, but this one..."
Gordon laughed. "Killed my sister? That filthy thing didn't kill my sister. It turned her. It made her one of them. So I hunted her down, and I killed her myself."
"You did what?"
"It wasn't my sister anymore, it wasn't human. I didn't blink. And neither would you."
"So you knew all along then?" Sam said. "You knew about the vampires, you knew they weren't killing anyone. You know about the cattle. And you just didn't care."
"Care about what? A nest of vampires suddenly acting nice? Taking a little time out from sucking innocent people? And we're supposed to buy that? Trust me. Doesn't change what they are. And I can prove it."
Gordon grabbed Cataleya's arm, sliced the knife across it, then laid the knife against her throat, dragging her towards Lenore.
Dean and Sam pulled their guns and demanded, "Let her go. Now!"
"Relax. If I wanted to kill her, she'd already be on the floor. Just making a little point."
Gordon held the cut on Cataleya's arm over Lenore so the blood dripped on her face and she hissed as her fangs extended.
"Hey!" Dean and Sam yelled.
"You think she's so different? Still want to save her? Look at her. They're all the same. Evil, bloodthirsty."
Lenore controlled herself. She retracted her fangs and turned her face away. "No. No!"
"You hear her, Gordon?" Cataleya said.
"No! No!"
Cataleya kicked Gordon away. "We're done here."
"Sam, get her out of here," Dean told his brother.
"Yeah," Sam agreed.
Sam picked Lenore up in his arms. Gordon took a step towards him, but Dean still had the gun trained on him. Cataleya had picked up a knife and had a dark look on her face as she pointed it at Gordon.
"Uh-uh," Dean said. "Uh-uh! Gordon. I think you and I've got some things to talk about. Seems Leya wants to chat as well."
"Get out of my way," Gordon demanded.
"Sorry."
"You're not serious."
"I'm having a hard time believing it too, but I know what I saw. If you want those vampires, you've gotta go through us."
Gordon nodded, considering. He looked at his knife, then jammed it into the table. "Fine."
Dean and Cataleya looked at the knife and their guns and knives. Dean pulled the clip out of his gun and set it aside. Cataleya kept a firm grip on her knife. Gordon punched them and and they started fighting. Gordon grabbed the knife again and Dean groaned. Cataleya slashed at Gordon and was elbowed back.
"What are you doing, man, girlie? You doing this for a fang? Come on, Dean, we're on the same side here."
"I don't think so, you sadistic bastard."
Gordon threw Dean across the room and tried to attack Cataleya, but she just barely avoided him. "You're not like your brother. You're a killer, like me. I still suspect you might be the same way, Cataleya."
Dean kicked Gordon down, hauled him up against the wall and elbowed him in the face, knocking him out. He pinned Gordon under his elbow and slammed his head into another wall. Cataleya set him in a chair and tied him up.
She said in a snide tone, "You know, we might be like you, and we might not. But you're the one tied up right now."
Sam returned to find Gordon tied to the chair, Dean pacing, and Cataleya pointing her knife at the twisted hunter.
"Did I miss anything?" Sam asked.
"Nah, not much. Lenore get out okay?" Dean questioned.
"Yeah. All of them did."
"Then I guess our work here is done. How you doin' Gordy? Gotta tinkle yet? All right. Well, get comfy. We'll call someone in two or three days, have them come out, untie you." He jammed Gordon's knife into a table behind him.
"Ready to go, Dean, Catty?" Sam questioned.
"Not yet," Dean replied. "I guess this is goodbye. Well, it's been real." He hit Gordon, knocking him to the floor. "Okay, I'm good now. We can go."
Cataleya brought her knife to Gordon's throat. "I imagine we'll be seeing you again. So here's to next time, bastard."
The trio existed the farmhouse and winced at their recent injuries. Dean stopped, setting himself on his feet like a boxer.
"Sam? Leya? Clock me one."
Sam frowned. "What?"
"Let's go, you two can get a freebie. Hit me, come on."
"You look like you just went 12 rounds with a block of cement, Dean. I'll take a raincheck."
"I wish we never took this job, just... jacked everything up."
"What do you mean?" Sam and Cataleya asked.
"Think about all the hunts we went on, Sammy, our whole lives."
"Okay," Sam replied.
"What if we killed things that didn't deserve killing? You know? I mean, the way Dad raised us..."
"Dean, after what happened to Mom, Dad did the best he could."
"I know he did. But the man wasn't perfect. And the way he raised us, to hate those things; and man, I hate 'em. I do. When I killed that vampire at the mill, I didn't even think about it; hell, I even enjoyed it."
"You didn't kill Lenore," Cataleya reminded him.
"No, but every instinct told me to. I was gonna kill her. I was gonna kill 'em all."
"Yeah, Dean, but you didn't. And that's what matters," Sam said.
"Yeah. Well, 'cause you're both pains in my ass."
"Don't mention it," Sam answered, getting into the passenger's seat.
Dean turned to Cataleya. "You were right. I should've listened to you."
She nodded. "Yeah. You should've. Dean, I know what I'm talking about when I say someone is of concern."
"I'm sorry I didn't listen."
"You came around in the end, so that's what matters."
Cataleya turned and got in the backseat. Dean stared off into the distance for a moment before climbing in and driving away.