𝐏𝐄𝐀𝐂𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐃 || 𝑑. 𝑤𝑖𝑛𝑐𝘩𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑟

𝐢𝐯. 𝐛𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞

IM ARGUING WITH MY MOM, the tension inside the roadhouse is at its boiling point, about to snap.

"I'm your mother I don't have to be reasonable," my mom shouts at me, a hand placed on her hip. "You were hurt on the job with Dean and Sam. What makes you think you could even stand a chance of doing it on your own."

A week after the carnival incident, I overheard my mom talking to some hunters about another case down in Philadelphia.
I put together a folder, convinced that it would be time to follow in my father's footsteps. However, when I told mom, she didn't react like I had hoped.

"It was only a small cut!"

"Don't play it down! Especially you should know what can happen when you're fighting supernatural," mom states, implying my dad's death caused by supernatural. My chest tightens and I wince, images of dad flashing before my eyes from the times he came home after being away for so long.

"Just because dad died on a hunting trip it doesn't mean I have to," I snarl and throw my hands in the air.

"Don't you dare talk of your father like that, young lady."

"Well you can't keep me here for ever!" Arguing with my mother is like talking to a brick wall, it's pointless.

"Oh don't you bet on that Adeline," she points her finger at me and my blood pressure is going through the roof.

"What are you going to do? Are you going to chain me up in the basement," I taunt, challenging her with raised brows.

"You know what, you've had worse ideas than that recently. Hey you don't wanna stay, don't stay. Go back to college." Mom shrugs and wipes her wet palms on a towel, my anger flaring up at her bluntness.

"I didn't belong there! I was a freak with a knife collection," I protest, frowning at the thought of ever going back to college.

Too freaky for college, too normal to be a hunter.

"Yeah and getting yourself killed on some dusty back road, that's where you belong?!" She scoffs and turns her back to me the moment the main door to the saloon swings open.

"Guys, bad time," mom warns the two young men who I notice in my peripheral vision as they walk in on us arguing. When I realize it's Dean and Sam who just came through the door, an idea pops up in my head.

"Yeah, we rarely drink before ten anyway," Dean mutters, turning on his heels already halfway out the door.

"Wait. I wanna know what they think about this."

"I don't care what they think!" Mom's eyes are narrowed, wrinkles forming on her otherwise smooth face.

"Too bad," I snap glaring at my mother. Our stare down is interrupted by the cellphone ringing, mom stalking over to it.

With a snickering sound I turn to Dean and Sam. Finding the older brother's gaze, I start talking,"Three weeks ago a young girl disappeared my from an apartment in Philadelphia." I hold out a the folder I put together to Dean.

"Take it, it won't bite," I urge him.

"But your mom might." Dean shoots me a skeptical look and then, reluctantly, takes it from me, his fingertips grazing my hand lightly.

Dean mumbles the words printed on one of the pages and I take my chance, explaining to them what it is about exactly.
"This girl wasn't the first. Over the past eighty years, multiple women have vanished. All from the same building, all young brunettes. Only happens every decade or two so cops never eyeball the pattern. So we're either dealing with one very old serial killer, or-"

"Who put this together? Ash," Dean interrupts me, still rifling through the papers.

"I did it myself," I admit and cross my arms over my chest, ready to defend myself if Dean tries to comment on that. However, he nods in approval.

"I gotta admit. We hit the road for a lot less," Sam claims as Dean passes him the folder.

"Good. You like the case so much, you take it," mom suddenly interferes and I bite my tongue, to prevent any insults escaping my mouth.

"Mom!" Disbelief is written all over my face.

"Adeline Dakota Harvelle, this family has lost enough. And I won't lose you too. I just won't," mom says standing her ground.

Sam offers me an apologetic smile, his soft eyes boring into mine.

"Now help me in the kitchen and do the dishes." Mom throws me an apron and I clench my fists.
I'm gonna do shit.

_________

"It's so convenient," I 'admire' the building, walking down the hallway next to the landlord, Ed.
After the heated argument with mom I decided to set off secretly and asked, rather forced Ash to cover up my tracks. The brothers had hit the road very soon again, probably not feeling comfortable with the tension filling the air in the roadhouse.

"Yeah it's a great building, fixed it up real nicely and all the apartments come furnished too," the man says and flashes me a warm smile.

"It is so spacious. You did a really good job with this place." We continue our way down the corridor and my gaze roams along the walls, searching for something unusual.

All of a sudden Ed and I bump into Dean and Sam who walk around the corner right in front  of the apartment.
"What the hell are you doing here," Dean asks with a sharp voice, eyeing me with such an intensity I feel like I'm a child who got caught stealing candy.

"There you are, baby." I'm quick to react because the landlord shoots me a confused look. And if Dean ruins my plan I'd be furios because all the blabbering about how awesome this place is would be for nothing.
"This is my boyfriend Dean and his buddy Sam," I lie and snake one arm around Dean's waist, the cold material of his brown leather jacket laying against the skin of my arm.

"Good to meet ya. Quite a girl you've got here." Ed extends his hand, shaking Dean's in a welcoming way.

"Damn straight," Dean beams at the guy and I force a smile on my lips, pretending to be a couple not being one of the scenarios that I had thought of before coming here.

He suddenly pulls me closer, cupping my face in his hands before bringing his lips to mine in a tender kiss. The unexpected touch of his lips on mine sends a wave of warmth coursing through my body.

Then Dean breaks the kiss and pulls back, leaving me somewhat overwhelmed and confused, a tingly sensation lingering on my lips.

The older brother's eyes meet mine, holding my gaze for a moment, before I manage to pull myself together and speak up. "Now Ed, when did the last tenant move out," I ask in an attempt to direct the conversation away from the 'relationship'.

"Oh about a month ago. Cut and run. Avoided paying for the rent." Ed shrugs, obviously having no clue about anything that is happening inside this building.

"Well her loss, our gain." I twist my lips into an exaggerated smile and nod. "We'll take it." I straighten my spine, pulling out a wad of cash.

Ed's eyes visibly widen but he accepts it without another comment and gives me the keys. When he is out of sight, I narrow my eyes and step in front of Dean to stop him from entering the apartment.

I want to say something but I can't.
My heart fluttered when his soft lips claimed mine and I feel stupid for reacting that way.
I'm confused. What the hell.

Dean tilts his head, a lopsided grin plastered on his lips as he walks past me, his shoulder brushing against mine briefly, leaving me standing in the hallway with my clouded mind and messed up thoughts.

_________

short chapter but whatever — next one is going to be longer
i hope it wasn't too bad I'm currently having an immense writers block 😩