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"Do you know anything about horses?"
"Uh..... Honestly? No." I said shyly, hoping my pathetic demeanor would make the short stocky man take some pity on me as I flashed a smile, "I'm new at the paper so they gave me something I actually had to research in detail." I lied smiling and tucking my hair behind my ear. My black slacks and flowing chiffon shirt that had no place in a barn must have helped seal the deal as I scribbled things down.
The jockey nodded with sympathy, "I see, well. These guys have to be exercised daily which is why there's always so many people here. Most of them get three meals a day with lots of supplements..." I zoned out as he talked, managing to nod at the right times and smile appropriately. My main mental focus was to mumble 'christo' and erase something when people walked by to judge their reaction.
After I got nothing from this I decided it was time to pry.
"What about the weird deaths? There's some talk of it in town." I asked biting the end of my pencil.
"How did that get out? Who is your source?" He asked, suddenly quite apprehensive.
"Just bar talk, I didn't give it much credit until you reacted like that. What's been going on?" I asked looking up at him (which was tricky because he was shorter than me) from below my lashes as I waited to write something.
He sighed and gave me a wary look, "would you believe me if I said they were horse suicides?"
I raised my eyebrow at him as if to say 'maybe if you gave me more details' but before he could continue another jockey called him away and I was left to wander the barn.
Horse suicides?
As I meandered down a maze of breezeways and stall doors I began to feel like I was being watched. I turned around and looked for people behind me or hiding behind tack boxes but there was no sign of anyone. I shook my head and continued walking. One of the horses whinnied at me so I went over to him and reached my hand in to pet his nose. He snorted and tried to bite me before I yanked my hand back in surprise.
Then he blinked and I jumped back a few steps. His eyes went from chocolate brown to glazed black.
"Possessed horses?! What the hell?!" I muttered as I tuned to get back to my truck.
Somehow I found my way back to the parking lot without being run over by race horses and tractors at a very brisk walk.
Why the hell would they want to do that? Just to fuck with people? Maybe it's trapped? How many are we dealing with here? I guess I can come back- oh. My. God.
As I rounded the corner and caught sight of my truck I also noticed a 67 Chevy Impala parked right behind it so I couldn't back out.
Sam was nowhere to be seen but Dean was sitting on my lowered tailgate twiddling his thumbs.
Before I could duck back behind the corner he saw me and hopped off the truck to make his way over. I stood completely still as he approached, not sure what to do or say or if I should run or not.
"Please tell me you've picked up horseback riding as a habit and you aren't here because of the omens?" Dean begged enveloping me in a hug.
"You want me to lie?" I asked into his chest as I hugged him back, my emotions getting the best of me.
"No." He sighed kissing the top of my head, "I do want you to go home and forget about it though." He added.
"My turf, go back to Kansas." I said with a sad smile as I pulled away from his ever so comforting hug.
"I can't just pull Sam off this. I didn't let him see the truck so you can still run if you want." Dean argued shaking his head.
Sam. He was within a mile of me right that second. I could have run around a corner and found him. My heartbeat started to escalate no matter how hard I was trying to calm myself down.
"Dean.... You know this is close to my sister's...." I sighed running my hand through my hair in stress.
"Yeah but he doesn't. And I wasn't going to bring it up to him now was I? It had been three days since he cried, that's a record Gingy." Dean interjected with a pained look on his face.
"He's still...?" I trailed off on my question as I noticed movement over Dean's shoulder.
"Yeah. If anything it's gotten worse lately. Evelynn are you even listening to me?" Dean asked as I locked eyes on the now frozen Sam standing on the other side of the parking lot.
"Shit...." Dean mumbled after following my gaze.
I watched as Sam swallowed hard and slowly began walking towards us.
No! Run! Anything! The protective side of my brain was screaming, trying to get me to turn away but now it was my turn to be frozen.
"Ehvs?" Sam asked quietly with a cautious expression as he reached Dean and I.
"H-hey Samson." I breathed in greeting.
"You're hunting?" Sam raised his eyebrow at me and I wanted to melt. It took every ounce of self restraint not to throw myself at him.
"Well, it's kind of a habit now.... I did spend a year with you guys." I murmured gesturing to the boys and crossing my arms, once again making myself small.
"Yeah..." Sam agreed running his hands through his hair. I hadn't realized until then that I picked up that habit from him.
"Sooooo! What did you get Gingy?" Dean changed the subject clapping his hands together and rubbing them in anticipation.
"Horse demons." And that's when we started working the case together.
Dean took point on most everything while Sam and I made our informational contributions quietly and without eye contact.
"Okay. Got it all then right, nerds?" Dean asked flopping himself onto his motel bed a couple hours later.
"Yeah." Sam and I agreed in unison sharing an awkward glance across the small table.
"Good then we can wait till 11 and go exorcise some horses." Dean winked as he chucked at his own pun.
"Very funny... How about 11:30? I have to work till 11" I piped up.
Dean, being the little shit that he is, looked to Sam for approval.
"Yeah! Sure. A half hour won't make much difference." He shrugged, getting up and rummaging through his bag. I could see his muscles rippling with movement under his t-shirt as he pulled a book from his bag and ran his hands through his hair for the umpteenth time that day.
"I uh... I finally finished that book. The Agatha Christie one. It was good. I thought you might want it back though..." Sam rambled handing me the black leather bound book. Our hands were the closest they'd been all day making the air so dense with sexual tension you wouldn't even be able to chop through it with an axe.
"It has an odd twist doesn't it?" I whispered as I dared a glance up at his eyes.
He smiled slightly, finally letting go of the book, "Surprising yet simple. I love it."
I was losing myself in his eyes and my self control was just about to snap when my phone rang.
"Yeah?" I answered.
"Hey Missy got sick, can you come in a little early?" My boss practically begged on the other end.
"Sure, I can make it there by 5. Sound good?" I asked.
"Great sweetheart." He confirmed and hung up. I cringed away from the phone at the pet name but it was small and didn't lead to any panic attack so I thought I was in the clear.
"You still can't do the Crowley names?" Sam asked, the pain in his voice was obvious even though he was trying to mask it.
I nodded slightly and stood up before things could get awkward, "I've got to go get ready for work.... See you at the barn at 11:30?"
They boys nodded and I quickly collected my purse and hurried out of there.
What the fuck is even happening right now?