"You allowed a hellhound follow you here?"
"Yeah Sam. He was just so cute and cuddly I wanted to bring him home with me!"
Sam's yell becomes a distant murmur when I enter the room again with Crowley. Silently, I stalk the edge of the room whilst Crowley drags over a seat. Slowly, prolonging out the impending conversation. Brady's eye catching mine, I offer him a tight lipped grin. Hoping he gives me the open I'm desperately seeking to punch in square in the face.
"Look...Do the math yourself" Crowley regains Brady's attention, "If Lucifer wins, he'll turn this place into his kingdom. When The Morningstar cleans house we all get the mop."
"He created us. Why would he destroy us?" Rolling his eyes, Brady brushes off "That makes no sense."
"Look at who-at what- he is. Then take a look at what we are."
"Maybe you should be a little less worried about our necks and be a little more worried about yours."
"Has crossed my mind" Crowley shrugs off his words. Water gliding off a ducks back "That's not really the point."
"Actually, Crowley, that is the point. No one will know greater torment than you. Lucifer is never gonna let you die. As for me, I know the score. I'm dead, whether I tell you anything or not. So I think I'll die on the winning side, thanks."
"Why choose to die at all?" Brady's gaze slides to look at me from the corner of my eye. Shrugging, I wonder "Why let death take you away from all the freedom you have topside? All you've gained for yourself?"
"You want to talk about gain?" Brady bluntly laughs an obnoxious laugh, throwing his head back "A Guardian Angel without her wings? Please, don't make me laugh. You could be as strong as an Archangel and yet here you are dealing with Demon's and Winchesters."
"Good talk. Cheers." Crowley taps his leg, nodding for me to follow him out. Clearing my throat Crowley halts his pace. With a roll of his eyes, his pulls out a wade. Crossing the room to smack it into my outstretched hand. "Completely unethical" He mutters with disagreeable shake of his head, leaving the room "And unprofessional."
Dean jumps on us the moment we shut the door, "Well, how'd it go?"
"Honestly?" I raise my brow, nodding towards Crowley by my side "Thought there would be more bone breaking but we're up ten Benji's so it's hard to complain."
"After we save the world you're more then welcome to a tour in the basement Alexander", Crowley side bars me. Averting his gaze around the room, Crowley agrees "In short no. He didn't by the girl scout cookies. Not yet, anyways." Pausing, Crowley ponders gazing around "Where's moose?"
A brief glance upstairs by Dean pin points exactly where he is and just how well the conversation went once we'd left. With a small shrug, Dean only offers for us "He's cooling off."
"All right, then." Tapping my arm, Crowley ushers holding out his hand "Come along Alexander."
"Wait" Dean smacks down Crowley's hand "You going somewhere?"
"Well, he won't budge" Crowley rolls his eyes "So now I go stick my neck out with your girlfriend."
Again, Dean smacks Crowley's hand down from reaching for me "What're you gonna do?"
"Exactly the kind of desperate swashbuckle I've been trying to avoid" Crowley explains "I said before I require your girlfriend in pristine condition and it appears that times come." Shifting my weight I feel my adrenaline kick up a notch when Crowley tells him "Now we go kick open a hive of Demons."
Crowley reaches for me again but this time Dean inserts himself between us, "Bring me along."
The time Crowley takes time to look Dean up and down "Settle petal. With Eleanor's unique refined skill set you should not be concerned."
"Dean" I step around him, getting into his eyeline "Killing Demon's is a walk in the park for us."
"El" Dean level's with me, "You have no back up-"
"I don't need it. I know how to handle myself", I entwine our fingers. Dean humming along I can see him trying to remind himself that it's not my first rodeo. Raising my fingers, I promise "I solemnly swear my heart won't give out this time."
Tracing his rough thumb under my jaw, Dean mutters "Still not funny."
"Just a little bit?"
Gentle kiss pressed to my lips, Dean murmurs "Come home safe."
A touch of my hand I let Dean curl my Demon knife into my palm. Accepting it, I give his fingers a small assured squeeze. "Promise" Another kiss rested on his lips, I step out of his arms to face Crowley. Waiting with a tiresome stare on his face. Flipping the blade, I motion "Come on. Let's go kill some son's of bitches."
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"What happened?"
"Nothing."
"My ass."
"Dean, I'm fine."
"Yeah? And what about Brady?"
"Like you said we need him-JESUS!" I don't move an inch when Sam and Dean stumble to a halt in the doorway of our interigation room. Sam clutching his heart at the sight of me I don't miss the way Dean searches my body top to tail for injury. Shame, he won't find one. At least not through the blood that drenches me.
Staring up at Sam, I silently return the Demon knife by the handle. Slicking back hair drenched in blood, I tiredly mention to them "We cannot bring me to the state of California for at least eight years. Specifically Target."
Unable to unglue his eyes from me, Dean blurts "Why the hell not?!"
I struggle to tug off my cargo jacket. The blood covering me so thick that the process is stuck somewhere between dry and wet. "I'd rather we all add this to the long list of topics we avoid discussing." Huffing, I toss aside the jacket with a slap on the floor. Turning on Brady who's now sitting sour in his restraints, I offer him a small cynical curtsy "Congratulations asshole. I just bumped you all the way up Hell's hot list."
Brady's eyes twitching, he sternly questions "What did you do?"
"Went over to a Demon nest and had a little massacre" Stepping closer to Brady, I mention "You've got Crowley to thank for that. Would've never predicted an entire night shift floor staff for Target would be a bunch of low level Demon's. Must be losing my touch." Leaning my hands against his armrests, I maintain Brady's unnverved gaze. Enunciating every syllable to ensure Brady hear's my words crystal clear. "Bloodied one of them and let him think he escaped by the skin of his teeth. Somewhere along the way I might've given the impression that you left your post last night because you and Crowley are- wait for it he was very specific- Lovers in league against Satan." The heavy sigh that falls from Brady's lips is the only indcication I receive that Crowley's plan to dupe the gossiping Demon's would in fact worked.
I would never confess the plan's genius.
Crowley hovering over Brady's ear, I lean away and step side. Trying my best to avoid any windows or reflective surfaces as I go. "Hello, darling. So, now Death is off the table you get to be on the boss's eternal torment list with little old me."
Lips pressed into a hard line, Brady viciously tugs against his restraints "Oh, no, no, no, no. No."
Rounding Brady like a predator, Crowley revels in his misfortune "Something else we have in common- apart from our torrid passion, of course- Craven self-preservation." With a halt in his line of sight, Crowley asks "So, now, why don't you tell me where Pestilence is at?" A howl suddenly cuts through the silence that the room had delved into. Immediately, my gaze turns to the window. Trying to squint into the night as i hear it again.
The unmistakable howl of a hellhound.
Finally, the panic we'd been trying to set off in Brady is brought to the forefront "Oh God, Crowley."
More serious than I've seen him, Crowley begins turning out his pockets "Eleanor check your cracks and crevices please."
Rolling my eyes, I move. Checking my hair, my bra... my back pocket that has a coin tucked into it that most certainly shouldn't be there. Groaning, I pull the sticky golden coin from my soaked jeans "Don't tell me this is what I think it is Crowley!"
The way Crowley ceases searching himself I quickly understand this is exactly the coin he'd planted on us. Ditching it aside, I mutter "Awesome."
"Wait- What's that?"
Tucking his hands into his pockets, Crowley explains "Remember I was telling you about my crafty little tracking device?"
"Yeah."
"Demon's planted one on Eleanor."
Snapping his neck to glower at me, Sam snaps "You allowed a hellhound follow you here!?"
"Yeah Sam" I sarcastically snap back at Sam, sick of being his emotional punching bag "He was just so cute and cuddly I wanted to bring him home with me!"
"Enough!" Dean scrambles "We should go- Damn it!" There are no last words. Crowely disappears in seconds leaving us with a hyperventilating Brady and a hellhound on our ass.
Sam doesn't even waste a beat "I told you both!"
My lip curling up at Sam, Dean pulls a stupid mocking face when he sings "Oh, well, good for you!" Tapping my sticky shoudler, Dean directs already half way outta the door "I'll get the shotgun. We have salt in the kitchen-"
Sprinting from the room before Dean finishes his sentence, Sam calls "I'll watch Brady."
"Watch me? Get me the hell out of here!"
Rushing back inside I begin salt lining the room. The second I reach the window it smashes in ways. Dropping to my knees I protectively raise my hands to cover my head. Cringing as glass rains down on me from the hellhound that's crashed inside. The shot gun goes off a foot away and suddenly Dean's large familiar hand wrap around my bicep "Come on Evil Dead." Hauled with a grunt to my feet he shoves me into the room behind him and fires off another round.
It's been months since we delt with hellhounds. Somewhere along the way I forgot just how terrifying they truley are. To have something so mosterous that you're unable to see... utterly terrifying. The snarl it emits shaking the rafters draws my attention to the lasting scar on my thight from my last altercation. Burning as if it remembers who gave it to me.
Dean's shotgun tilting downwards my adrenaline begins to spike. We're out of salt shells. Bringing my boot up I'm quick to palm my dagger but not short of Dean noticing, "What's that shank gonna do against a hellhound El? Seriously?"
Bouncing readily on the balls of my feet, my gaze is glued to the direction of the snarling hellhound. My hand flips the dagger, trembling with anticipation "I never allow killing me to be easy."
"Damn it, get me out of here!"
Immediately, the three of us whirl on Brady, "SHUT UP!"
"Hey!" Snapping my neck back around I raise my brows towards Crowley. Stood there, giant calm smirk on his face, watching us panic at the hellhound rearing to shred us. Murderess glare on my face, my twirling dagger slows it's spin. The calm demenour Crowley wears giving me the slight indication he came back with a plan.
Unlike me, Dean furiously spits "You're back?"
Shrugging, Crowley nods "I'm invested. Currently." A deeper snarl shakes the building and Crowley orders "Stay!"
"You can control them?" I glance back towards the hind at our heels.
"Not that one" he motions towards us "I brought my own." With a proud grin, he raises his hand to pat something... something massive. The fact it's as large as me has me shrinking back on my heels wondering what i'd be like to gaze upon one of them. "Lucky for you mine's bigger" Sharp whistle cracking through the lower floor, Crowley commands "Sic him, boy!"
Chaos erupts.
Snarls whip to barks and whines. Shoving my shoulder into Dean I shove him against the wall as the hellhounds crash past us through a supporting wall. Biting, clawing, snapping; all of it resounding through the house. "They're gonna bring this place down", I scramble over the Brady. If we don't get him out of here this place is going to collapse in and destroy our chance of locating Pestilance. Slicing at his warded restraints, I shove his fumblling body into Sam's awaiting grasp. A hold I don't think is any less them iron clad from the way he hauls Brady behind him out the back door.
Shoved forwards, I protect my head as a rush of snapping jaws whoos past my head. Bricks and plaster breaking over me the hellhounds smash through another supporting wall. This house won't stand to see it's next sunrise- not at this rate.
"Go, go go go" Dean hauls me back upright, hand latching onto mine pulling me right out the door after him.
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Arms crossed over my chest, I watch Brady reluctantly hand Crowley a peice of paper "Yeah. I'm sure Pestilence will be there. Thanks." Facilitating the middle transaction, Crowely hands the paper to me. Taking it in the tips of my fingers, I glide my gaze over the address.
Leaning over my shoulder, cracking open the salt canister, Dean checks "What'd you think?"
"It's good" I tuck the paper into my pocket, assuring Dean with a nod back towards Brady "Look at the dude. He's got no reason to lie."
"Like I said" Crowley extends a tight smile towards Brady "You're in my boat now."
"You've screwed me" Brady snaps back, pouty glare flicking between the both of us "For eternity."
Glancing over my shoudler at Sam, I look his murderous stance up and down "Doubt you'll get that far mate."
Striding away, I grasp Sam's arm as I pass him by. Dean half finished with his salt circle. None of us needed to voice the plan when we pulled up in this alley. Possessing Sam's friend for years... I'd have made him suffer if the shoe was on my foot. Yet it's not and if this is the road Sam watns to take, he's got no complaints from me.
Hell, I handed him the knife.
Walking to the edge of the circle Crowley glances expectantly towards me when Dean spitefully completes the circumferance around us and Brady. For all the times he dropped us in the shit, Crowley did return and pull us right back out. Granted it was for his own selfish reason's, but he still did it. Hand extended, Crowley snaps his fingers "Bargin is a bargin Huntress." Rolling my eyes, I relent the cash. Taking the wad of hundreds I'd won off him and handed it right back. Slipping it into his pockets with a smirk, Crowley tips his head "Expect to be in touch."
"Sure" I roll my eyes, Crowley stepping slowly through the circle "Just don't keep me waiting again. It's incredibly rude."
In a moment, he disappears into the night and I let Dean re-solidify the salt circle around us.
"What is this?" Rounding back on Brady, the three of us stare at him like a meal. Yet Sam is tense and he's pissed. Vengeance is walking, talking and breathing right before him just out of arms reach.
"All those Angels, all those Demons, all those sons of bitches- They just don't get it, do they, Sammy?" Dean drawls cynically, toying with Brady.
"No," Sam grinds through hiss teeth "They don't, Dean."
"You see, Brady..." Extending his hands, Dean motions between Sam and I "We're the ones you should be afraid of."
Brady scoffs, yet the moment Sam closes in Brady begins to babble "I bet this is a real moment for you, big boy. Gonna make you feel all better?"
"It's a start."
"Gonna make up for all the times that we yanked your chain- Yellow eyes, Ruby, me? But it wasn't all our fault, was it? No, no, no, no. You're the one who trusted us. You're the one who let us into your life, let us whisper in your ear over and over and over again. Ever wonder why that is, Sammy? Ever wonder why we were so in your blind spot? Maybe it's because we got the same stuff in our veins and, deep down, you know you're just like us." Lunging at Sam i watch him grab Brady by the throat. Nicking him with the demon blade. Fighting through a painful shriek, Brady continues his emotional assault on Sam "Maybe you hate us so much because you hate what you see every time you look in the mirror. You ever think of that?! Maybe the only difference between you and a demon...is your hell is right here."
The moment Sam drives the blade through Brady's chest I take my cue to leave. Brady's cackling the last sound I hear heading for the car with nothing more then a hot shower in mind to scrub the blood of tonight from my skin.
Tugging out my phone, I speed dial Bobby's number "Hey Bobby? Yeah it's me. I went AWOL but we're back on track. Got us a hit on Pestilence. Will be home in a day or so passing through to can this fucker. Leftover take out's still in the fridge. If you eat my last boa bun I will riot."