Third Generation {Third book in the "Born to Be a Hunter" Series}

The Portal

We snaked through the camp, passing tents and sleeping soldiers. I had my pistol ready with the axe in the other hand.

"I just got word from the Master." I heard a man say. I pushed Matt behind a tent and listened to the two men. One was short and one had long hair. "Put the camp on lockdown. The demon and the angel have escaped."

"What happened to the guy on security detail?" said the other man, his long hair touching his shoulders.

"What do you think? The Commander wasted the poor guy." Said the short one.

"Kat." I whispered to Matt and he nodded.

We took off into the woods and ran away from the camp. We went for a few miles and I needed to stop.

"How much farther?" I asked as we both bent over and panted.

He pointed to my left, "About half a mile that way. There's a ridge and the portal's over on the other cliff."

"Too bad you aren't gonna make it." Kat said as her blade slipped over my shoulder and pressed against my neck.

"Kat, let me go." I said. I closed my eyes and felt for the blade in my sleeve.

"I can't let nyou go, Jay. Adam will kill me." Kat said, her voice shaking. I felt the blade pinch my skin. "Well, it doesn't matter. He isn't when I get y'all back to camp."

Matt spoke next, "Come with us, Kat. We can get through the portal and you can go back to earth, live a full life."

"He'll find me, Matt. He always does." Kat continued.

I heard stomping. It was Adam's army.

"Matt, I hear it, the army." I winced, blood running down my neck and staining my collar. "We need to go now."

"We'll make sure he won't, but it's now or never." He said, holding his hand out toward the two of us.

She pulled the knife back and I turned to look at her, "Let's go."

We ran until we came to the ridge and when we crossed, an arrow stuck in the dirt next to our feet. We turned and Harry yelled, "Kat, you traitor!"

"I was on their team first, jackass." She called, just before an arrow hit her shoulder. She fell and the portal started to swirl alive, blues and purples flying.

I grabbed Kat and lifted her toward the portal, "Come on!" I screamed over the loudness of the portal. I was screaming like the wind and hot air pooled from it.

She pushed me off and looked at me with fear in her eyes, "Go, I got this!" I shook my head and flinched as an arrow whizzed by my head.

"You can't take on an entire army!" Matt said, trying to block me from a few arrows.

"Look, I can't take 'em all out, but I can buy you some time!" she said, pushing me toward Matt.

He pulled me back toward the portal and she said, "Go, Jack!"

Matt pulled me into the portal and the last thing I saw was Kat getting hit by an arrow in the chest.

I screamed just as the portal closed and I fell into Matt's arms, crying and knowing that she was gone. I cried into his shoulder and he tried to hush my sobs.

"Matt?" I heard Sam call through the forest the portal dropped us in.

"Jackie?!" Dean called, bursting through the branches with Sam close behind. I kept my head on Matt's shoulder and cried.

*

After we got back to the bunker, Mary was asleep, Kevin was passed out on the couch. Me and Matt took a shower and got ready for bed. I was awake for hours, just staring at the wall until about four in the morning when Matt's arms slipped over me.

"You need to sleep, babe." He said, his voice husky and full of sleep.

"Tell me it again." I said, my voice wavering as tears swelled in my eyes.

He pulled me closer, "It wasn't your fault, Jack. She was the one who chose to stay. You can't beat yourself up; you need to sleep."

There was a knock on the door, "Mommy?" Mary walked, rubbing her eyes with her hands. "I had a bad dream. Can I sleep with you?"

"Yeah, come here, baby." Matt said, sitting up slightly.

She climbed in and I wrapped my body around her tiny one, her head resting on my chest. Then I finally fell asleep.

*

The next morning, I was up early and made a pot of coffee. I sat at the table and drank myself awake, chewing on some leftover bacon.

My back was facing the door, which made sense why I didn't hear Dean walk in, "Morning, kiddo."

"Mornin'." I grumbled, sipping my mug.

"I just talked to Matt. You okay?" he asked. I nodded, not making eye contact. "You sure?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" I asked, glaring at him.

"Your friend was killed, you're a Winchester, and we tend to dwell on these types of things." He said, sitting across from me at the table and taking a sip from my mug.

"I'm fine, Dean." I said, crunching on bacon. He shot me a look, "Okay, I will be. I just . . . need some time."

Sam came in and put his hand on my shoulder, "We're sorry for your and Matt's loss. Kat was the one who helped Matt and you get back from Hell, right?" I nodded and stood, putting the mug in the sink.

"I'm going to see if I can find a case." I said then left.