this is me trying, spn [ 3 ]

074. end of michael

The group quietly enter the house, separating to find who they're looking for.

"I got nothing." Sam says, walking into the kitchen where everybody else meets up.

"Aw, come on." Dean groans.

"Seriously? How does this keep happening? I thought we had him this time." Sam says.

"Look at this, he's all cut up. No restraints like last time." Dean says.

"He was killed recently, too. I suspect he was very much alive when the cutting started." Cas says.

"Ugh." Nathan grimaces.

"I don't understand. Why don't any of them fight back?" Jack asks.

"Yeah. Who would just let themselves be eaten? Hey, I'll say it again, my money's on witchcraft." Dean says.

"Och, you." They turn to see Rowena. "Always blaming the witches."

"Because a lot of times it's witches." Dean says.

"Rowena, your tracking spell was supposed to make things easier." Sam says.

"Huh! There I was, in the middle of a glorious rosewater and vanilla oil massage, hidden away at an exclusive desert spa, when you called me, begging for my help." Rowena says.

"Well, because we've been chasing this guy for weeks. What's your point?" Dean asks.

"My point, Dean, is that you asked for my assistance, and I obliged. And while the killer eluded us, it certainly looks as if he was here quite recently. I'd call that a success." Rowena says.

"Oh, yeah, that's a success. Sam." Dean tosses his brother a wallet.

"Hello, Castiel." Rowena greets, walking over to him.

"Okay, looks like our dinner guest here, his name is Dennis Barron. He's 43 and this is his house. No signs of forced entry and no restraints." Dean says.

"It's all the same." Sam says.

"Yep." Dean mumbles.

"Well, not... everything." Jack holds up a snake skin.

"No, thank you." Libby backs away from him.

"Maybe it's his pet." Dean suggests.

"I mean, no pictures in his phone. And, uh, this place doesn't exactly scream "snake guy."" Sam says.

"Not enough "Pantera" posters, for one." Rowena says.

Jack starts coughing, the others looking at him.

"There was some pepper on something." Jack says. "I don't know. I'm fine. I'm not dying." He states.

"Okay, so, what? This guy's some real Houdini?" Dean asks.

"Well, however he's avoiding us, he's now claimed the lives of at least six people in northern New Mexico." Cas states.

"That we know about." Dean adds.

"Aye, but this is the first one I've seen in the flesh. Did they all have these blackened lips?" Rowena asks.

"Yeah, or just black patches of skin around their face and neck." Sam says.

"Yeah, but we've been more focused on the "missing eyeballs and cannibalism" angle." Dean says.

"Do the black lips mean something?" Jack asks.

"Darling boy, everything means something. Be a dear and bring the snakeskin." Rowena tells him.

+++

Sam, Natalie, Jacob, Larissa, and Rowena are researching. Athena is on Sam's lap and asleep and the twins are asleep on one of the beds while Libby sleeps on the other bed.