Saints or Sinners | {BOOK 3}

75| Starting the Third Trial

We found an abandoned church for Sam to do the third trial in. Dean and I took Crowley inside while Sam got ready out by the Impala. I chained the demon in a chair while Dean drew a Devil's Trap underneath him with spray paint. Crowley shook the chains, still wearing the demon handcuffs.

"You really think this is going to hold me, that you're gonna cure me or whatever it is?"

Neither of us answered, Dean shaking the can one last time before tossing it aside. He smirked at Crowley, and then draped his arm over my shoulders as we exited the church. Thunder rumbled overhead.

"He's primed," Dean informed Sam as we approached. "How you feeling?"

"Honestly, for the first time in a long time, it feels like we're gonna win. I'm good."

Sam chuckled and I couldn't help but smile a little.

"Alright, well, no dancing in the end zone until we're finished," Dean said. "What's the good Father's playbook say now?"

"Well... Now that we got the consecrated ground, I just, uh," Sam cleared his throat, "I slip Crowley one dose of blood every hour for eight hours and seal the deal with a bloody-fist sandwich. That should do it."

"Your blood's supposed to be purified, isn't it? You ever, uh- you ever done the 'Forgive me, Father' before?"

"Well, once, when we were kids. Which is why I have no clue what to say now."

"Well, I mean, I could give you suggestions, if you want," Dean shrugged.

I swallowed, glancing at him as Sam nodded his head in agreeance.

"O-okay. Yeah, sure."

"Alright. Well, I'm just spit-balling here, but if I were you, uh... Ruby, killing Lilith, letting Lucifer out, losing your soul, not looking for me and Ellie when we went to Purgatory..."

"Thanks," Sam cut him off, turning away.

"...for starters," Dean finished. "Or, hey, h-how about what you did to, uh, Penny Markle in the sixth grade. Why don't you lead with that?"

"Well, that was you," Sam pointed out, turning back.

Dean paused, thinking hard, and I smacked him upside the head.

"You'll come up with something," I said. "You've got this."

Sam gave me an appreciative look, sending a glare of disdain Dean's way before heading into the church.

"Really?" I snapped when he'd disappeared.

"What?"

"What the hell is wrong with you, Dean?"

"Look, it wasn't that big of a deal. It was just a harmless-"

"I'm not talking about whatever happened with Penny Markle," I rolled my eyes. "You know those things weren't Sam's fault."

"I'm sorry, where have you been the past five years?"

I opened my mouth to argue back, but was distracted by the sound of wings.

"Dean, Eleanor. I need your help."

"Little busy, Cass," Dean replied. "Take a number."

"I'm afraid this can't wait. Naomi has taken Metatron."

"And you know Metatron how?" I asked, raising my eyebrows.

"I've been working with him on the angel trials."

"The what?" Dean and I chorused.

"We're going to shut it all down- Heaven, Hell, all of it."

We both gaped at him, not quite believing what we had just heard.

"Metatron, the guy who was full-on crazy, cat-lady-hoarder angel yesterday- now he wants to save Heaven?"

"Yes, he wants to," Cass nodded in confirmation. "But I'm the only one who can. I can't fail, Eleanor, not this one. I need your help. Both of you."

"Look, Cass, that's all well and good, but you're asking us to leave Sam, and we've got Crowley in there tied and trussed," Dean sighed. "Now, if anybody needs a chaperone while doing the heavy lifting, it's Sam."

"You should go."

Dean rolled his eyes, and we turned to see Sam standing there.

"Seriously," Sam insisted.

"Oh, what, and leave you with the King of Hell? Come on."

"I've got this. And if you guys can lock up the angels, too... That's a good day."

There was another crash of thunder, and I looked up at the dark sky.

"Look, I... I'm down with sending the angels back to Heaven, just 'cause they're dicks," Dean nodded. "But the demons? This is on us. I'll go with Cass, Ellie will stay here just in case. Start the injections now. If I'm not back in eight hours, finish it, no questions, no hesitation."

Sam looked like he wanted to protest me staying, but consented anyway.

"Yeah."

After gathering supplies from the trunk, Dean and Cass disappeared with a flutter of Cass's wings.

"I can stay out here, if you want me to," I told Sam after a moment.

"No, you can come inside. The storm looks like it's getting worse."

I nodded, following him into the church where Crowley was still trapped. I headed over to the corner, sitting down so I was out of the way while Sam worked. I knew this was his thing, but still wanted to make sure he knew I was here if he needed me. I watched as he groaned, injecting a needle into his arm and drawing his own blood.

"You really think injecting me with human blood is going to make me human?" Crowley smirked. "Did you read that on the back of a cereal box?"

As he spoke, Sam walked over and injected him in the neck with the blood.

"Aah!" Crowley groaned, then chuckled. "You're miles out of your league, Moose. See you in an hour."

Sam didn't respond, walking over closer to me by the altar table. His arms shone with the same orange light from the first two trials and he winced in pain, exhaling sharply.

"Sammy?" I asked gently, speaking quietly so Crowley couldn't hear.

"I'm good. I'm fine," Sam assured me.

I bit my lip, but nodded my head. At hour three, when the storm had cleared, Crowley took the opportunity to bite a chunk out of Sam's arm. We headed out to the Impala, and I helped Sam patch himself up before we headed back in to continue the trial. At hour five that night, Crowley started singing.

"How we doing, Moose? Ain't it about time for the next love injection? Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes, turn and face the strange. Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes, just going to have to be a different man. Time may change me, but I can't trace-"

The church began to rumble, and Sam whirled around from his spot at the altar to face Crowley with me. The demon king seemed surprisingly calm about what was happening. My eyes widened as the floor boards began to crack until they reached the edge of the Devil's Trap Dean had painted around Crowley, penetrating the trap.

"Did you really think you could kidnap the King of Hell and no one was going to notice?!" Crowley shouted.

The doors flew open and Abaddon entered the room.

"Hello, boys. Eleanor."

"That's my line," Crowley pouted. "Abaddon? They told me you were dead."

"So not," the demoness purred.

"And the rest of the cavalry?"

"Oh, no, it's just little, old, unkillable me."

Sam and I both lunged for guns laying on the altar, but Abaddon used her powers to throw us across the room. One of the guns fired, but didn't hit anyone. Sam and I both were struggling to get to our feet, Sam groaning in pain.

"Brilliant," Crowley smirked. "Why send a few grunts when you can send a knight? Say your prayers, Moose. Puppy."

With another flick of her wrist, Abaddon sent Sam and I flying through a window.