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“You know, I really hate to do this Sammy.” Dean and his brother stalked along the tree line that curved against the edge of a dark and secluded lake.
“Do you want more people to boil to death? That’s not a nice way to go, Dean.” Sam shuddred.
“I know, but these things are pretty damn hot, you must admit. I’m just sayin’, it’s a shame they kill people… ‘cause now we have to kill them.”
“You remember what the plan is, right? Don’t get distracted.”
“Why are you always telling me not to get distracted?”
“Because you always do get distracted.”
“Do not,” Dean argued, proving Sam’s point.
“Dean, focus!”
“Okay! I’m goin’ around the other side.”
Dean left Sam and snuck off to another part of the woods where he settled in to a new hiding spot. The full moon cast a bright reflection on the still surface of the water. A moment later a ripple appeared near the center of the lake, spreading out to the shore, and a soft and sultry voice called out.
“Deeean… Dean Winchester…”
Dean’s body tensed as the figure of a beautiful woman emerged from the water to hover above it. She was adorned with many glittering jewels and her skin gleamed with the presence of shiny silver scales that wound in spirals around her half-bare body.
“Come out, come out, wherever you are,” the woman’s voice beckoned, dripping with allure.
Dean stepped out from the safety of the shadows and she smiled.
“There you are! You’ve come back to me.” Her shimmering red hair floated around her as if still underwater and her dazzling emerald eyes were piercing. “Come to me.”
“Oh sweetheart, I’d love to,” Dean said with a wink, “but I’m afraid I’ll get boiled if I step into your water there and that’s not really my idea of a good time.”
“I promise not to hurt you, Dean. In fact, I want to make a proposal.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yes. I will come and live with you on land and be your wife.”
“A trophy wife sounds tempting I guess…”
“I will bear your children and keep a wonderful home for you.”
“And just why would you go and do a thing like that?”
“I’m lonely. I want your company, and your love.”
“Alright.”
“You must agree to my conditions first.”
“Oh? And what are those?”
“You must replace the treasures I cannot take with me to land, and you must never tell anyone where I came from or I will leave and take your fortune with me.”
“Fine, but I think your scales might give you away and I don’t have much of a fortune for you to run off with.”
“If you agree to my terms, step into the water.”
“You sure you won’t burn my feet off?”
“You shall not be harmed Dean Winchester. I need you to enter the lake so I can assume a human form.”
“Right. Well as long as you promise,” Dean said with false confidence and stepped forward.
“Good, now come closer.”
He did and the woman took a deep breath, closing her eyes, and the water began to tremble below her feet. Larger ripples formed now until they turned to waves, lapping at Dean’s legs. The woman’s eyes reopened and she began to walk towards him. With each progressive step she sank nearer to solid ground, her scales faded away and her jewels fell off with heavy plunks, back into the dark depths of the lake. Her red hair fell limp, pulled down by gravity.
The woman walked until she finally stood before Dean, naked and dripping wet.
“You’re human now?” he asked.
“Yes. And now I shall be your bride.”
“Yeah, about that… I don’t think I’m quite ready to settle down just yet.”
“What?” she asked with flaring anger.
Dean gave her a slow up and down. “Well, now that I see you up close and everything, you’re not really as perfect as I thought you were," he shrugged.
Her brilliant green eyes flashed in rage.
“I am perfect! Nothing in this world is comparable to my beauty!” she seethed.
“I don’t know about that. Your eyes are kinda close together and your face is a little pinched. Not to mention one boob’s bigger than the other.”
“Liar!” She bent over the water to examine her own reflection so as to reassure herself of her own stunning beauty.
“Here, let me help you take a closer look!” Dean grabbed her head and dunked it under the surface of the lake, holding it there.
The water demon thrashed violently, fighting against his hold with super strength. The struggle made Dean lose his footing and he went crashing into the water but Sam was right behind him to take hold of the creature and continue the drowning.
Dean righted himself and the brothers held down the resisting figure until it went limp. When they were sure the thing was dead they looked up at each other.
“Well that was pretty intense,” Sam gasped for breath.
“Yeah,” Dean agreed. “And kind of traumatic. I don’t like the fact that we just drowned a naked chick in the lake… even if she wasn’t really human… and even though she was pretty evil.”
“We did what we had too.”
“Well I just hope no one saw us. I’m not up for going to the big house… again.”
---
A little while later the boys were walking up to the porch of Bobby Singer’s house. The door opened and Bobby himself stepped out to greet them.
“You boys look awful wet! Did you run into a lot of trouble with that Aloja?” Bobby asked.
Sam’s shoes squished as he walked. “Not too much. We tricked her into turning human just like how you told us to, and then we drowned her in her own reflection… not fun though.”
“Well why don’t you two get in here and dry off.”
They did, and after they changed Dean and Sam joined Bobby in his study.
“What are you working on there, Bobby?” Sam asked in reference to the plethora of papers spread out across the desk.
“I just got wind of a new job that needs to be handled. It’s a weird one,” Bobby replied without looking up.
“Great! When do we start?” Dean asked enthusiastically.
“Who said anything about giving you two knuckle-heads the job?”
“What? Well who else would you give it to?” Dean looked bewildered.
“Someone more qualified perhaps?” Bobby said with an implied Duh.
“More qualified? Bobby, we’re the two best hunters you know," Dean argued.
“Maybe, maybe not - but I need more than just hunters on this one. A whole town has been overtaken by a violent group of creatures that seems to only speak some weird language no one can understand.”
“So? Let’s just go in an’ waste ‘em!” Dean suggested.
“Not everything can be solved by ‘shoot first, ask questions never’, Dean. They’ve started taking hostages and the only way to get them back is to figure out some way to communicate with them.”
“So what are you gonna do?” Sam asked.
“I know a couple of hunters that sort of double as linguistic specialists. I figured I’d call them in for the job.”
“Do we know them?”
Bobby shook his head. “I don’t think so. They don’t really associate with other hunters much. I just happened to cross paths with them a couple times... I’ve dealt them specialized weapons and stuff. I think you’ll like them. ”
“Fine, call them in. I still think Sam and I could handle it ourselves though,” Dean argued.
---
The sound of a car pulling into the driveway caught the attention of the ever vigilant, napping hunters. A minute later a loud knock sounded at the front door with Bobby already on the way to answer it.
“Konichiwa, Bobi-san!” A voice said brightly as Dean and Sam listened from the adjacent room.
“Ça va, Bobbie?” another voiced asked in a perfect French accent.
“Oui, ça va. Et vous?” Bobby responded. “Êtes-vous bien?”
The brothers exchanged raised eyebrows.
“Ouais! Mais, quel est la poste pour lequel vous avez besoin de nous?”
“Come in and I’ll tell you all about it. There’s actually a couple of guys I want you two to meet.”
Dean and Sam stood up as Bobby led the visitors in.
“What the-” Dean balked.
“These are the two specialists?” Sam asked incredulously.
“These are the two you wanted us to meet?” Madalyn and Kara Kershaw asked with matching smirks.
“You guys know each other?” Bobby sounded surprised.
“Yeah, we’ve had a couple run-ins with them,” Madalyn admitted. “Something’s wrong though,” she added with a suspiciously concerned look on her face.
“Sam, what happened to you?” Kara demanded with worry, studying Sam’s invisible outline.
“What?” Sam seemed caught off guard. “Nothing!”
“No. Something definitely happened to you,” Kara insisted, stepping closer. “You have a black aura! It used to be a fun purpley color like your toothbrush. What’s wrong?”
Dean and Bobby looked at each other and Sam took a step back as Kara started him down.
“I don’t know what could have happened,” Sam shrugged stiffly with a warning glance at his fellow men.
Kara’s eyes narrowed. “I’ll get it out of you eventually,” she dismissed with her hands on her hips.
“Dean, you don’t look so hot either,” Madalyn commented.
“What do you mean? I look fine!” Dean defended.
“I mean you’ve got a bunch of spirits hanging around like vultures over your head. I’d say something wants you for a dead man.”
“Ha.” Dean laughed nervously. “Maybe they just think I’m a fun guy.”
“Right,” Madalyn agreed, unconvinced. “Who have you pissed off lately?”
“No one…”
“Uh, well seeing as y’all are already acquainted I guess we can skip the intros and get straight to the point,” Bobby suggested. “The job I brought you girls in for’s a bit of a sticky situation. There’s a band of bad guys taking people hostage in the next state over. The thing is, we can’t really negotiate a release ‘cause no one understands their language.”
“What makes it our kinda job, though Bobby?” Madalyn inquired.
“Witnesses have reported the gang as having superhuman strength and black eyes.”
“So they’re demons,” Dean asserted. “Maybe they’re just speaking some weird Devil tongue, then.”
Bobby shook his head. “No, I don’t think so. I mean they probably are demons, but the guy who asked me for help on this job knows what demons sometimes talk like. He said this was different. He said it almost sounded made up.”
“Kay, well we’ll check it out for you,” Kara shrugged. “It’s probably just some archaic Latin. That always sounds like it was made up by four year olds.”
“What’s the address?” Dean asked.
“Who said you guys were going?” Madalyn asked rhetorically.
“I already told you boys I wasn’t giving you this job,” Bobby said sternly.
“But why not?” Sam and Kara asked in unison.
“This thing doesn’t need four hunters.”
Dean scoffed. “A whole gang of non-English speaking demons? I’d say it’s a job for more than these two.”
“We can handle it,” Madalyn assured, arms crossed and leaning against the doorframe.
“Well it’s not like we have anything else to work on, right Bobby?”
Bobby frowned but shook his head in agreement with Dean. “No, I guess not… not besides–”
“Great! Then we’re in!” Dean clapped his hands together and brushed past Madalyn on his way out of the study.
“Only until something else comes up,” Bobby allowed, “and I don’t want you boys to get in these girls’ way!” he called after them.
---
“So Sammy, are you gonna tell me what happened or what?” Kara glanced at her passenger. She took one hand off the wheel so she could give him a playful poke in his side.
Sam shifted uncomfortably. “I don’t know what you mean,” he mumbled, not looking at her and just staring out the front window.
“Come on, you’re a terrible liar! What the hell have you gotten yourself mixed up in?”
“Nothing! I’m fine!”
“Don’t lie to me! Your black aura is telling me otherwise…” her voice got quiet. “Is it permanent?”
“I dunno…”
“How the hell did I get stuck with you again???” Madalyn was meanwhile complaining from the passenger’s seat of the Impala.
“You know, I can’t say you’ve changed much,” Dean grimaced.
“Well sorry if I’m tired of getting paired off as Kara’s wingman time and time again.”
“She’s not afraid of showing how much she has a thing for Sam, does she?”
“Kara’s always been a “heart-on-her-sleeve” kind chick,” Madalyn shrugged. “So are you gonna tell me why you’re such a dead man walking?”
“I don’t know why you see a bunch of ghosts hanging around, I haven’t noticed anything. Maybe they came with you,” he evaded.
“Nope. I don’t think so. They’re all you Whoopi.”
“A lot of stuff’s happened since we last saw you guys,” he conceded. “Since you took off without saying goodbye,” he added.
“Was I supposed to? I thought you’d prefer it that way – more your MO.”
“You know I don’t think you know me as well as you think you do. I’m not really that kinda guy…”
“Okay Stinson, whatever you say.”
“What? I know our flings didn’t really mean anything but you didn’t have to take off after each time.”
“Right. They don’t mean anything.”
“Okay, that came out wrong,” Dean tried to back track. "I mean it doesn't have to be awkward or anything."
“No, I’m agreeing with you. They were just matters of distraction and getting caught up in the moment. We don’t need to read into it. We don’t even need to talk about it. I thought I was doing you a favor, taking off. Anyway you’re just avoiding my question. What have you guys been up to that’s gotten you both all ominous?”
Dean shrugged, “Just the usual, you know.”
“No, I don’t know, except now you have death omens hanging around and Sam’s energy has been altered.”
“Just hazards of the job.”
“Whatever,” Madalyn huffed.
Dean changed the subject. “How’s the tattoo?”
“Long gone – thank god.”
“Yeah?”
“Ever since-” she cut herself off and shut up, choosing to listen to Cat Scratch Fever playing over the stereo instead.
---
Both the Impala and the Mustang pulled into Kingsland Middle School just a few hours later.
“So this is where Bobby said everyone is holed up?” Sam implored. “I thought he said the whole town was infected.”
“Wykoff only has like four hundred and fifty people. That stretch of Route 80 is the biggest road they have here!” Madalyn explained.
“Who takes hostages at a middle school?” Dean scoffed.
“There’s some town function going on it looks like… Bobby said his hunter friend should be around here somewhere.” Kara began to lead the way.
As if on cue a man suddenly appeared with a salutation much in the form of Halt! Who goes there?
“We’re Kara and Maddie Kershaw, the linguistic specialists Bobby Singer sent to help you with your demon problem,” Kara introduced.
“I’m Alexei,” the man replied. Taller than Dean but not quite as tall as Sam, Alexei was rather imposing in frame with broad shoulders and a thick mustache. “Who are your body guards?”
“Oh they’re not our body guards. We’re hunters too,” Madalyn clarified. “They’re just here for–”
“Dean and Sam Winchester,” Dean offered before Madalyn could say anything too derogatory.
“So what’s the current situation?” Sam asked.
“It looks like the whole town is stuck inside for a convention of some sort. It seems that only a dozen are actually possessed but the rest are being held hostage. I tried communicating with the demons to see what they want but they just keep speaking gibberish.”
“Like real Gibberish?” Kara asked.
“Bittacagittagause ittagif thattagat igittis thegidhe cittigase thegidhen ittagit wittagill bittaghe attagah snattagap,” Madalyn rattled off.
The men looked at her as if she was the possessed one.
“What? That’s Gibberish! Ubor ubit cubould bube ubububi dubububi ubif thubey wubatch PubeeBubeeubesS.”
“Oughthay Iay inkthay atthay eeway ankay uleray outay igpay atinlay,” Kara commented.
“Mavais paveut-avêtrave avils savont fravançavais!”
Dean threw up his hands. “Okay, you lost us.”
“We’re not called “Linguistic Specialists” for nothing, Dean,” Madalyn pointed out.
“Just because you’ve never heard of the language doesn’t mean we haven’t. They could be speaking any number of things! Esperanto, Verlan, Nadsat, Sona, Newspeak, even Globish!” Kara listed off, becoming more excited and more animated with each name.
Madalyn lit up. “Ooh, I’ve always wanted to try out my Esperanto with someone!”
Kara sobered up. “Ugh, I never had the patience for that one… too much like learning Latin if you ask me. And if it’s any of the French argots you’re on your own there too.”
Alexei furrowed his brow. “Well it doesn’t sound like anything you just spoke. It’s more vulgar… almost like they’re trying to spit.”
Kara and Madalyn shared a disbelieving yet ecstatic look.
“You don’t think…!” Kara started
“…but how would demons know?” Madalyn said quizzically.
“I thought all nerds went to Heaven!”
“Maybe growing hairy palms is bad for your eternal health...”
Again the guys regarded the girls with utter confusion.
“Do you know what it is?” demanded Alexei, cutting to the chase.
“We have a theory,” Madalyn amended.
“It could be bunnies!” Kara burst out. “Or maybe midgets!” Even Madalyn gave her a what the hell, are you crazy? look. “But we’ll have to hear it for ourselves,” Kara shrugged without explanation.
All five hunters crept to the window of the gymnasium and peered inside. The room was filled with display tables and rummage bins and people sitting on the floor.
“Costumes – check; prop weapons – check; comics, swag, nerds – check, check, and check! Looks like we have ourselves a bonafide convention here,” Kara announced.
“I didn’t know podunks had cons,” mused Madalyn.
“Why not? They’re the perfect thing for a town full of grandma’s basement dwellers that doesn’t even have a roller rink!”
“Well let’s not be mean…”
“I wasn’t hatin’, I’m just sayin’.”
“So do you guys know what’s going on or what?” Dean was getting antsy.
The girls listened closely but they could not make out anything the demons guards were saying.
“We’re going to need to get inside,” Kara ascertained. “Where’s the nearest party store?”
“For what?” Sam asked warily.
Kara got a far off, glassy eyed look on her face. “Costumes!”
---
An hour later the quintet was headed back to the gymnasium to try and sneak in undetected.
“Man, for a town with five churches you’d think they’d have more than one grocery store!” Kara asserted.
“It’s lucky they still had their Halloween stuff out.” Madalyn was adjusting her make-shift costume.
“What are you anyway?” Dean looked at the crown she was attempting to pin down over a red fro while holding a soccer ball. “A soccer… clown… king?”
“Exactly. And just what are you? Tinfoil Man?” she retorted.
“I’m Han Solo stuck in Carbonite,” Dean explained with a self-gratified look.
A collective “Oohhh…” went around the group.
“And I assume you’re Obi Wan there Sam? Aren’t you a bit tall for that?” Kara asked.
“I was going for more Luke Skywalker, but I guess they have similar outfits,” Sam said, somewhat dejected. “What are you supposed to be?”
“It’s anime – you wouldn’t get it,” Kara waved off, tugging at her shorter than short skirt.
“I’m just gonna wait out here,” Alexei decided, costume-less. The other four shrugged and crept around to the back door of the school.
“Okay, what’s the plan?” Sam asked.
“I say we go old-school Holy water on their asses,” Dean suggested.
“But how?”
Kara looked through the small window. “Sprinkler system?”
“But what about actually exorcising the demons? Those are innocent people trapped in there with them.”
Madalyn’s face lit up. “PA system!”
“Okay,” Kara nodded, “so once we sneak in, Dean and Maddie you guys go holify the water and Sam and I will locate the loudspeaker. Once we’re good to go we’ll set off the sprinklers and start administering the incantation over the PA.”
“How do we get in?”
A few minutes later Dean was lowering the girls to Sam in through an unguarded window in the locker room. They were just sneaking out into the corridor when four demons appeared to flank them. One spoke in a weird way as if he was trying to muster up some phlegm in his throat.
“tlhIngan Hol Dajatlh'e'?” Kara tried.
“nuqneH,” came the reply but Kara looked at her companions helplessly.
“That’s the extent of my Klingon.”
“They’re speaking Klingon?” exclaimed Sam.
“Why, do you know it?”
“No.”
“Really, Sammy? I thought that was right up your alley!” Dean clapped his brother on his back. “This guy learned Elfish after watching those creepy cartoon versions of the Ring Lords.”
Kara shuddered at the thought of cartoon hobbits.
“Elvish…” Sam correct, “and it’s not–”
Dean cut him off. “That’s what I said.”
“And I didn’t learn it… Dad wouldn’t allow anything but English and Latin to be spoken.”
“Well, then not for lack of trying, huh?”
The demons grunted again and harshly forced the hunters into the gym with the other people. The four new hostages huddled around.
“Now what?” Sam asked.
“We’ll stick to the same plan – we just need another one to get us out of the gym and into the rest of the school,” Dean figured.
“And what’s that plan?”
“I’m working on it.”
“Wait!” Madalyn jumped, “We’re at a con! There’s gotta be at LEAST one person here who speaks Klingon! If we can just find out what these demons want we might be able to get past them or get rid of them or whatever.”
“Okay, fan out,” Dean instructed.
The four hunters maneuvered around the room until they had completed a full sweep and came back to their huddle.
“Anyone?” Madalyn asked.
“Nope. They aren't the dorks we're looking for. It seems like those demons costumed themselves as the only Klingonites here.” Dean gestured over his shoulder at the hostage takers.
Sam shook his head. “They’re just called Klingons, Han.”
“Dude… whatever.”
“Do you think that’s why they’re talking like that?”
“How do you figure?”
“Like maybe their hosts were all talking Klingonese, or whatever, when they got possessed and somehow that stuck?”
“But what do these demons want?” Kara wondered aloud. “They don’t seem to be much threat to anyone unless someone tries to stand up.”
“Yeah, I don’t get it. It’s like they’re waiting for something,” Madalyn considered.
“Or someone.”
“Who?”
“Kahn? Maybe he got all wrathy again…” Kara suggested facetiously.
“Can’t we just figure out a way to communicate? I thought you guys were specialists!” Dean sneered.
“We are! We’re just not also Trekkies,” Madalyn explained.
Kara nudged her cousin. “Fancy Phone! See if there’s an app for this!”
Madalyn flipped open her Droid. “Okay got it: English to Klingon Dictionary. Oh, it’s called “Klingonaase” Whoa! Did you know they have Hamlet translated into Klingon???”
“Get on with it!” the other three insisted.
“Okay. Oh, here! “Hello; lit. What do you want?”.”
Kara looked over her cousins shoulder. “nuqneH!” she said to one of the nearby demons.
“Hey I think that’s what one of them said when they found us. Was he being friendly?” Madalyn wondered.
“’Iwchab,” the demon answered.
“Oh, nope. Not friendly – that means blood," she translated.
“Whose blood? Our blood?” Dean demanded.
“Hold on! ‘Iv?” Kara tried.
“ra’,” went the demon.
“Yup. Our blood. They want our blood.”
“For what?” Dean looked worried.
“qatlh?” Kara asked.
“Lilith,” was the response.
“What does that mean?” Sam asked.
“I don’t know – it’s not here…” Madalyn continued to search though the dictionary as the demon wandered away.
“Lilith? Like Lilith Fair or something? Are these demons trying to start a bra burning?” Sam wondered.
“You think it’s a name? Like Adam’s first wife Lilith?”
“Adam was married to Eve,” Dean corrected incorrectly.
Madalyn shook her head. “Only after Lilith refused to be subservient to him and left the Garden of Eden.”
“Well, that’s one version,” Kara amended.
“So bra burning,” Dean confirmed.
“What? No. I dunno…” Madalyn shook her head again.
Sam looked around. “Well whoever this “Lilith” is, is she one of the demons here?”
“No, I don’t think so. I think she’s the one that they’re waiting for.”
“And they’re gonna slaughter us all and drink our blood?” Dean asked.
Madalyn shrugged. “I guess so.”
“Well no because we’re going to stop them before that happens,” Kara corrected.
“Oh, well yeah.”
Kara’s phone made a funny little sound and a random person's voice called out, “You found something!”
Kara reviewed her text. “Alexei says something’s happening on the outside. Like a giant dust cloud or something.”
“More like earthquake!” Madalyn said loudly as the ground began to shake and the light fixtures began to swing and flicker.
People gasped and clung to each other as displays toppled over and metal roofing clattered overhead. Suddenly a great rush of wind blew through all the double doors that sent shivers down everyone’s spine.
“Uh, tell me again why we’re not better armed?” Dean inquired.
“Because we were trying to blend in and we had a plan that didn’t really need weapons,” answered Madalyn.
“Yeah well we shoulda thought of a Plan B,” Sam said. "Or - Plan C."
“We can still stick to the plan guys. If we hurry we can sneak away now while the demons are distracted,” Kara directed.
“Okay, then let’s go before whatever it is gets here!” Madalyn led the way out the back of the gym and into a locker lined hallway.
“Alright, the sign says the office is this way. Kara and I will set up in there – call us once you guys are done on your end,” Sam instructed.
Dean and Madalyn nodded and ran off in the opposite direction towards the stairs.
“Okay, Sammy. We got it. You guys ready?” Dean was saying into his cell phone a couple minutes later.
“Yeah, we’re good,” Sam responded. “You guys better see if you can seal off the exits around the gym – keep the demons contained. “What happened to Alexei?”
---
“Poor Alexei,” lamented Madalyn. She had just put him out of his misery.
“So he was a demon this whole time?” Dean asked. “This was supposed to be a trap?”
“Yeah, but a trap for what? The demons in there didn’t seem very concerned with us. And not even Alexei knew much about this Lilith person.”
“Should we be worried?”
“I say we just proceed with our plan,” Madalyn shrugged. “Was that the last door we needed to secure?”
“I think so. I’ll tell Sam to start the exorcism.”
Latin rang out through the loud speakers and the demons immediately dropped to the ground, writhing in pain.
“Hey, watch it Bucko!” Kara warned as she smacked some kid’s hand away from lifting up her skirt. They were herding the traumatized humans back outside a short while later. “Well, that was easy…” she commented after turned back to her companions.
“Yeah, like too easy?” Sam added.
“This whole thing is über fishy…” Madalyn concurred.
Dean came up next to them. “So the geek squad got their English back but they didn’t have much to say.”
“So what was this?” Kara asked.
Dean shrugged. “I dunno, but I don’t think I want to stick around to find out.”
The four hunters headed out of the building after the herd when someone called out to them.
“Leaving so soon?” They turned around to see a little Asian girl in an old style peacoat. “I was hoping we could play?”
The four looked at each other.
“Hey, little girl, party’s over. Need help finding your parents?” Dean patronized.
“Oh Dean, I don’t have parents!” she exclaimed with a giggle.
“Wait – how do you know my name?”
“You’re famous, Dean. Everyone Downstairs knows who you are. Your brother too!”
“Excuse me?”
“You and Sam,” she smiled, “You two are part of something big…”
“Who are you?” Sam demanded.
“Oh, how rude of me! I guess I never learned my manners… no parents and all. I’m Lilith!”
“Lilith?”
“Oh you know… just the first demon and all, no big…”
“You’re the first demon?” Dean asked incredulously.
“Lucifer had to start somewhere, and after I got kicked out of Eden for not being submissive to Adam I figured what the heck.”
“So now you’re Lucie’s bitch?”
The little girl tilted her head to the side in annoyance and her eyes turned white. “Watch your mouth, Dean, there are children present.” Her voice was threatening. “And no,” her eyes slipped back to normal and her voice got sweet again. “I’m not.”
“What is up with the little girl suit anyway?” Kara asked. “Majorly creepy, hun.”
“I like to maintain my youth.”
“Well I think you went a little too far on the ‘youth’ bit, sweetheart. You’re not even tall enough to ride a roller coaster!” Dean taunted bravely.
Lilith giggled again. “Well what I lack in height I make up for in brawn, trust me,” and with that all the doors slammed shut and bolted themselves closed.
The hunters each gripped what weapons they had.
“Oh, sillies! Those won’t work on me!” With a flick of her hand, Lilith sent all knives and guns flying to the other side of the gym.
“What do you want with us?” Madalyn demanded.
Lilith seemed to consider this for a moment. “Well I was planning a mass virgin sacrifice but since you let the crop go… Do you know how long it took me to gather such a large number of virgins?”
“I thought geeks met en masse quite frequently like this,” said Dean.
“Even geeks can get their freak on, Dean, you’d be surprised.”
“Huh…”
“Well, sorry to bust up your plans but we’ll be going now…” Kara took a step back.
“Oh, you’re not going anywhere! I still need a virgin!”
Kara balked.
“Is one enough?” asked Madalyn. “I mean, you seemed to go through all the trouble to get so many… why bother with just one?”
“One will tide me over until I can find a new batch. Besides, it’ll at least make my trip worth it!”
“Okay, now just wait a hot second. Nobody’s killing any virgins!” Dean asserted.
“You’re right – just one.” Lilith reached her hand out towards Kara.
“Hey! Why me? I mean – no offense, M.” Kara took a step back, not liking the whole idea of becoming a demon sacrifice.
Madalyn’s mouth hung open. “Uhh…”
“You’re the only virgin here, doll face," Lilith smiled.
Kara looked confused. “What?”
“And at your age too! I’m surprised! What are you? Mormon?”
“No, but –”
“You’re not killing anyone, Lilith.” Madalyn interrupted. “It’s four against one – and don’t forget that three outta the four have special demon fighting gifts. It won’t be an easy fight for you.”
“Ah, but the other one’s going to be my bitch soon enough!” the demon smiled brightly. “Oh dear, it seems I need to wash my mouth out with soap too," she chastised herself. "You guys are a bad influence on me!”
“What do you mean The other one’s gonna be my bitch soon enough?” demanded Dean.
“Who do you think holds your contract, Dean?”
“What?”
“You know, like for your soul?" Lilith extrapolated. "You thought it was that broad you sucked face with back and the crossroads? Oh Dean. She’s just the messenger… the file clerk… the secretary.”
Dean looked at her warily. “You own my soul?”
“Uh huh!”
“Then you’re gonna die, bitch!” Dean lunged at the little girl but she slipped away.
“Catch me if you can, Winchester, but I think it’s about time I blow this joint!” and with that she was gone.
“Dammit!” Dean exclaimed in fury.
Madalyn turned on him. “Dean? What did Lilith mean about her holding a contract for your soul?”
Kara turned on her cousin. “Madalyn? What did Lilith mean about me being the only virgin here?”
Sam was the voice of reason. “Don’t you think we should bail incase this Lilith chick comes back with reinforcements?”
The issues were dropped for the present and the hunters headed out to the cars.
---
“Lilith? Like The Lilith?”
“Yeah, Bobby,” Sam nodded, “seems like.”
“What did she want?” Bobby asked.
“Virgins," said Dean.
“That reminds me – M, we need to have a little talk.” Kara shot a look at her cousin who pretended not to hear.
“For what?” Bobby pressed.
Sam shrugged. “Spa Day? She didn’t quite make that clear…”
“No, but she made it quite clear that she owns my ass!” Dean erupted. “At least she will soon!”
“What do you mean?” asked Bobby.
“Yeah, Dean,” Madalyn interjected, “what does that mean?”
Dean turned around. He had forgotten that the girls didn’t know about his deal.
“Because it sounds to me,” she continued, “like you sold your soul to a crossroads demon!”
“You don’t understand…”
“You’re right, I don’t. I mean, man Dean! Come on! I knew you weren’t the brightest bulb in the batch, but this? Even you should’ve know better!” she chastised harshly. “How could you have been so frickin’ stupid!?”
“I had to, okay?"
"Oh, yeah. I'm sure whatever it was you got in exchange is worth your soul's weight it gold. How much is that again? You're lucky they don't pay per IQ point or you'd've gotten squat!"
"Just stay out of it. It’s none of your damn business!” Dean snapped.
A shadow seemed to pass over Madalyn’s face. “You’re right. It’s not.” She turned to leave the room but Kara caught her by the arm.
“What did Lilith mean, M?” Kara inquired in a hushed tone.
Madalyn yanked her limb away from her cousin. “I was engaged to Justin for nearly a year, Kara. Get over it.” Then she was gone.
“Dean, if this demon has the contract to your soul…” Bobby was saying, “…do think she’ll be willing to make another deal to give it back?”
Dean shook his head. “Do you know what it took to get the deal in the first place? Bobby, if a demon’s going to renegotiate for something like that I’ll need a pretty big counter offer.”
“We could take it from her,” Sam suggested.
“Oh yeah? And just how do we do that?”
“We’ll find a way. Whatever takes. I’m not gonna let you go to Hell, Dean,” his brother said firmly.
“Would someone like to explain to me why Dean’s going to Hell in the first place?” The three men turned to look at Kara standing with her hand on her hip. “Well?”
“Something came up,” Sam brushed off.
“I’m not stupid,” Kara said with a sour frown. “What was it Dean? What could be so important that you had to sell your soul? A six pack of beer and big blonde cheerleader?”
Dean glanced at his brother. “No.”
“Well why did Lilith say she’d have you soon? I thought you got ten years at the crossroads.”
“Not me,” Dean said with a stiff smirk, “I’m prime real estate!”
Kara gave him a disgusted look. “Cut the bullshit Dean. How long do you have?”
He clenched his jaw for a moment, then said, “A year.”
“Since when?”
“A few months ago, okay? Look - no offense, but I don’t know why it’s any of your damn business.”
“Because, I’m a caring person. And you’re Dean Winchester, and it seems like whatever you do always has a ripple effect on the rest of the world.”
“What do you mean?”
“Besides the fact that we keep crossing paths with you guys?" Kara pointed out. "We hear stuff and it inevitably seems to always come back to you two. You know I heard a whole bunch of bats were let outta Hell a few month back? I’m guessing that was you guys then too, am I right?”
“It’s not that cut and dry,” Sam tried to explain, “and everything Dean did, he did for me.”
“That’s right. You still need to tell me why you’ve got a death shroud around you Sam.” Kara’s eyes opened wide all of a sudden. “Oh! Oh my god…” She looked quickly between the brothers who looked both annoyed and slightly guilty. “I get it now… Sam, did you… did you die?”
No one gave an answer.
“And Dean… you made a deal to get him back! That’s the only thing that makes sense!”
Sam let out a sharp breath. “So now you know. Now what?”
Kara considered things for a moment. “Now we get Dean’s soul back from that bitch!”
END