Saints or Sinners | {BOOK 3}

62| Killing a Hound of Hell

Dean and I were placing lines of goofer dust along the doorways and window sills while Sam handcuffed Noah, Cindy and Alice to the furniture.

"I don't... Who are you people?" Alice asked him.

"We're here to help."

"Like you helped Margie?" Noah spat.

"When the hellhounds get close, you might start seeing things, hearing things," Sam explained, ignoring the old man. "It's gonna feel like you took the brown acid, and it's trying to kill you. The handcuffs are so you won't hurt yourselves."

"And when one of you starts bugging out, we'll know who's on tap to be puppy chow," Dean added.

We moved into the other room to talk away from the Cassitys.

"So... what's our play?" Sam asked.

"Well, you camp here, figure out who whored their soul. I'm gonna go scout the grounds- see if I can gank Huckleberry Hound before he makes his next move."

"Wait, you're not going alone, Dean. Ellie and I are coming with you."

"Wrong."

"Uh, they're on lockdown, and you need backup."

"No, I don't."

"Yes, you do."

"No, I need you and Ellie to be safe, Sam, okay?" Dean snapped. "That's what I need."

I didn't wait to hear any more of the argument, slipping out into the night alone. Dean had already given Sam and I each a pair of holy oil glasses so we could see the hellhound, and while I knew Dean wanted to be the one to kill it, I decided to go after it myself. Part of it might have had to do with the nightmares and missing my kids, but I was itching to kill something.

As I walked along the rain-soaked path, I pulled out the pair of glasses Dean gave me, slipping them on my face. My surroundings immediately changed to a more muted tone, like looking through cellophane. As I approached the barn, muffled music met my ears. As I slipped inside, I started to make out some of the lyrics.

"I want you to love me when I feel down, I want you above me.
I search myself, I want you to find me.
I forget myself, I want you to remind me.
I don't want anybody else, when I think about you,
I touch myself-"

Moving in the direction of the music, I came to a closed door.

"I'd get down on my knees,
I'd do anything for you.
I don't want anybody else-"

I slipped into the room quietly to see Ellie dancing to the music, drinking a beer, and wearing a lacy camisole.

"-when I think of you,
I touch myself.
Oh-oh-oh, I don't want an-"

The music cut short as I turned it off. Ellie whirled around to face me.

"I thought-"

"-I was Dean? Yeah, hate to break it to you, but he and I are kind of married. Are you okay?"

"I'm good," she nodded.

"Okay," I nodded skeptically. "Listen... whatever happens, whatever you hear, you need to stay in here with the door locked. Sit tight, okay? This is gonna sound crazy, but there's something evil out there."

"I know," Ellie told me.

"You know?"

"It's coming for me."

She moved over to sit on the foot of the bed and I took a seat next to her.

"When my parents split up, my mom took a job here," she explained. "This was before the Cassitys had money, but it was the best she could do. So I grew up on this farm."

"That's how you met Crowley?" I asked.

"They had this big dinner, and after, I saw him kissing Margie. I ran. I didn't know what to do. But Crowley found me. We talked. He seemed so nice."

I scoffed at that.

"The best con men always do."

"He asked me if I had one wish, what would it be? So I told him."

"And he made you sign over your soul."

"He didn't make me do anything," Ellie shook her head. "My mom- she had Parkinson's- early stages, and I knew how that story would end. So I took the deal. Ma is retired down in Phoenix now, plays gold every day."

"That was a stupid move, Ellie."

"I did it for my mom, Eleanor. What would you do for your mom?"

"You had to know this was coming," I avoided the question.

"No. How?"

"Crowley didn't tell you about the 10-year ticking clock?"

"What?" Ellie raised her eyebrows. "I knew that when I died, I wasn't going to Heaven, but he never said anything about that or monsters."

"What a douchebag," I muttered. "He probably didn't say anything to Carl or Margot either."

"Margie made a deal? So she's..."

"She's gone."

"Oh, God. I... A few years ago, Carl got drunk. He told me about some kind of magic at a crossroads- summoned a demon. I put two and two together, and when I saw what that thing did to him... I just never knew about Margie. I thought I was next."

"And you didn't run?" I questioned her.

"Where would I run? All I wanted was one last meal, some good tunes, and maybe..." she trailed off and I knew she was thinking of Dean. "I don't want to die."

I swallowed hard as there was howling in the distance. Ellie gasped as she looked over at my face.

"Eleanor, what's happening?"

"Ellie, whatever you're seeing, it's not real. It means the hellhound, it's close," I assured her. "Look, I need you to stay in this circle, okay?"

I drew a circle on the ground using some of the remaining goofer dust from my pocket.

"Now."

Ellie stepped into the circle, looking at me worriedly.

"Eleanor..."

"No matter what happens, you stay in that circle. You understand me?"

She nodded her head yes and I slipped back out the door. As I moved back through the barn, I put my glasses back on. I opened the barn door, taking out the demon-killing knife I'd swiped from Dean when he wasn't paying attention. When I got out in the main area of the barn, I saw the hound in the doorway to the outside.

"Oh, so you're Crowley's bitch," I smirked. "I guess pets really do look like their owners."

The hellhound growled, moving behind some farm equipment.

"What are you waiting for?" I asked it. "Come and get it!"

Snarling, the hound attacked me, clawing at my left side. I was thrown into the wall, dropping the knife and losing my glasses as I fell to the ground. Touching my side, I pulled my hand away, bloody.

"Ah," I winced.

I could no longer see the hound, but paw prints appeared in the dusty floor as it moved toward me and I could feel its warm breath on my leg. Suddenly, there was a gunshot and the hellhound whined in pain as blood spewed on the ground.

"Ellie!" Dean yelled, running over to me. "What the hell were you thinking?"

"Wanted... to kill... the son of a bitch," I gasped out.

On the other side of the barn, Sam had shot the hellhound a second time, causing it to whine and growl. Spotting the knife I'd dropped, he rolled toward it. The hound continued to bark and growl as it attacked Sam. He laid on his back, using one hand to hold back the hound while he used his other hand to slit its belly using the knife. He was drenched in blood as the hellhound died. Grunting with the effort, he pushed the hellhound off of him and got to his feet, looking over at where Dean and I were watching.