Reckless [Dean Winchester]

18. "It Could Always Be Worse."

18. "It Could Always Be Worse."

"I need to take a leak," Noah Cassity says about ten minutes later.

"Hold it," Sam orders.

"Yeah, at my age? Not really an option, so either you let me go or get me a bottle."

"Ugh," Cindy groans. "You're disgusting."

"Tasha," Sam calls, gesturing to me. I join him at the window when we see it: the Hellhound. Well, the outline of it, at least.

"You think it's coming to the house?"

"We'll find out."

I snap my head round at the sound of fleeing footsteps. I just barely glance at the back of Alice Cassity.

"Wait!" Sam bellows. Instead of one staying behind with the other two Cassitys, we both barrel after Alice. Sam is the first one the door. I only make it to the porch; the Hellhound's growling stops me. It sounds close.

"No!" Alice shouts as Sam retrieves her at her car. "No, no, please. Just let me go, please. Please." Sam grabs a hold of her, lugging her back towards the porch. Tears are down her face. "No! Please, don't hurt my family."

"We're not," Sam tells her firmly. "We're trying to help you."

"Sam," I squeak as they stop. They hear the hound too. Sam and I can see it. I tuck my shank away and keep the gun out in front of me, directed at the hound. "Get her inside."

"Get in the house," he tells Alice.

"What? What?" she stammers.

"Go!"

"Oh, God!"

"Go!"

With a little help on my part, I help Sam get Alice back into the living room. He recuffs her.

"So the prison break was a failure, huh?" Cindy mocks Alice.

"I've had enough out of you," I snarl.

"You have to believe us, Alice," Sam tells a blubbering Alice. She's still hysterical. "We're doing this to help you. You take off again and if by some chance we're not around, you're dead. We're here for protection. That goofer dust"—he points to the black line—"is for protection."

"Now, can we please have some quiet time?" My head is pounding from the glasses. I join Sam back at the window. The Hellhound isn't near the house any longer; it's changed course.

"It's heading for the barn," I note under my breath. I take count mentally. Somehow, for some reason, of all times, my mind connects the dots. "It's Ellie!"

"What?"

"Ellie, Sam! It's not these mooks in here who made a deal, it was her!" My mouth parts in horror. "Do you think Dean's found her and she's told him by now?"

"I guess there's only one way to find that out."

I turn my attention to the Cassitys. "None of you move. None of you try and escape. If you pee yourself, that's your own fault for downing all those glasses of wine."

"You can't just leave us like this!" Noah snaps as Sam and I begin to walk away.

"Oh the hell we can't. Don't worry, we won't leave without letting you go. Keep this shit up and we might just do that."