An Unexpected Visit

[bloodnbadthings]

They'd been at it over a month now with still no sign of Dad. There had been hope once when an old acquaintance of John and Dean's called for help on another case and informed them that he found Sam's phone number by calling John's. Suddenly the phone that had given them nothing but disconnect redirects was now clicking over to voicemail in their father's voice informing people to call Sam if they needed help.

Sam had... not liked that development. Dean could understand why. Sam didn't have anything against helping people, but to have proof that their father was still out there and knew Sam was hunting... presumably knew Sam was looking for him... but, he was still staying out of communication? Dean could understand why that was upsetting. All he could do was keep trying to track the man down and hope when they did, Sam could get his answers.

They were in the middle of nowhere Illinois, Dean still recovering from his first and last airplane flight, when their hunt met with an unexpected snag. Dean walked into their motel room after sitting with Sam through his dinner to find their room occupied. A blond vampire was stretched out on Dean's bed, lounging. Inwardly, Dean started cussing colorfully while he pushed Sam as casually behind him as he could.

"Hello, Eric."

Comments

[thinkshesosmart]

Sam was getting beyond frustrated with Dad, who was giving them nothing... just ditched on him, apparently... but not before changing his voicemail to call Sam if someone needed help. That meant Dad had to know he'd left Stanford, that he was hunting again... and just couldn't be bothered getting in touch or something.

And all they could do was keep looking because Sam would find him and get some damn answers, whether Dad wanted to give them or not.

At least it had been kind of amusing to see Dean terrified on a flight. Big tough vampire, humming Metallica to keep from spazzing. It had been kind of pitiful too though... now he knew why Dean really hated to fly.

Sam stepped into the room only to be greeted with some other vampire in their room and Dean trying to push him behind again. Sam didn't even pause to protest the gesture as he eyed the vampire cautiously. He frowned a little, confusion clear on his face. "Dean, what the hell?" His eyes darted to his brother, voice low.

[bloodnbadthings]

Even though, if there was a God, He almost certainly didn't answer the prayers of vampires, Dean was praying Sam would stay quiet and out of this. It was definitely not a social call, whyever Eric was there and Dean knew he didn't have a hope of fighting him off if he took a notion to do either of them harm.

"Not now, Sam," he murmured back, watching Eric get to his feet. It struck him again how tall the man was. Same height as Sam.

He put on a smile and watched Eric brush imaginary dust from his shirt. A very human gesture done only to be irritating. Then he gave a half smile, eyeing Dean thoughtfully. "Hello, Dean. I just thought I'd drop by and see how my young charge was handling himself in the great, wide world on his own."

The blond man glanced around the motel room with obvious distaste and looked back to Dean. His gaze flickered to Sam and a more amused smile appeared when he noticed the marks on Sam's neck. "Well. I see that, after all your insistence you wouldn't drink human blood, you've finally found a flavor to your taste. Must be quite special if it's overcome your dislike for the practice." He tipped his head to get a better look and took a breath, trying to catch Sam's scent.

"He's mine." Dean answered back without a hint of amusement. The last thing he wanted was for Eric to get designs on Sam.

[thinkshesosmart]

Sam frowned stubbornly, but he went quiet. He didn't know what they were dealing with here and as much as it irritated him to do it, he should probably stay out of it... even if this guy did break into their room. He crossed his arms, straightening up a little when Eric stood. He was tall... not too often did Sam meet people who matched his own height.

It wasn't until the vampire turned his sights on him, made those comments that he was glaring hard at him and trying to bite back the flush of color. Not like he wanted those things pointed out like that, used to taunt.

And then Dean said that so seriously. "Dean..." He was about to ask what the hell again because he was not Dean's... what the hell did that even mean? Once again, he bit it back. Stayed quiet. Hopefully this was going to be over with soon.

[bloodnbadthings]

Dean felt the bed move when Sam got up and heard him moving around the room. Really should get up and do something productive, but he was comfortable where he was, still enjoying the latent body heat from where Sam had been laying. Maybe h'd get up when the blanket and the bed got cold again.

"You're imagining things, Sammy." He did finally roll over to speak more clearly. And to take over the spot Sam had been laying in. "I'm wide awake. Bright eyed and bushy tailed."

[thinkshesosmart]

Sam was soon settling on his own bed, pulling the covers up around him as he got comfortable. Might as well try to get as much rest as he could... sounded like they'd have a case to work on tonight..

"Yeah, well, you can be as awake as you want, Dean. Think I'm going to get more sleep."

[bloodnbadthings]

"Go ahead, Sam. I'm gonna make that shopping run I was headed for earlier." He didn't need blood tonight, but he wasn't going to plan to feed off Sam any more than his brother was comfortable with, so bottled was necessary. Plus, he needed a few things for tomorrow night.

He got up and stretched, went to splash some water on his face in the bathroom, then headed for the door. "Sure you don't need anything?"

[bloodnbadthings]

"I'll be fine. Just be careful." It wasn't the world's greatest plan. Sam was likely still in shock and there was no telling how or when the vampire blood would hit him. Dean couldn't see a better option, though. He had to get Sam out before he could release the captive.

He fished the keys out of his pocket and handed them to his brother. "Go, Sammy. I'll see you in a couple of hours."

[thinkshesosmart]

He wanted to ask Dean what- exactly was going to happen now. He'd had... a lot of his blood or at least, it had felt like it. He didn't know- if there was a difference between fresh vampire blood or what was sold by these dealers, if one was more potent or... what.

But all he could do was pocket those keys and pull away from Dean. "Okay. You be careful too, man... I mean it."

There'd be time for questions later.

Provided he didn't go into some kind of bad reaction to the blood like he'd been told about. Fuck.

He climbed the stairs and walked to where they'd parked the Impala before slipping in and driving off, back to the motel room where he could get cleaned up.

[bloodnbadthings]

It was definitely more potent. Dean was still a young vamp, so his blood wouldn't give crazy amounts of strength and speed like Eric's might have, but Sam could give any human (or two or three) a run for their money right about now. Some people did okay and didn't freak out on the blood, so Dean was going to hope like Hell Sam was one of those.

Once he'd given Sam time to get away, he pulled a knife from a sheath in his boot and set to work digging those bullets out of his chest. It took a while and hurt like a bitch, but eventually, they fell to the floor. Once he could move again, relatively freely, he pulled on his leather gloves and went to work freeing the vampire still trapped there. Unfortunately, he was a little too weakened by the blood loss and the silver effects to stop the other vamp when it shot by him and up the stairs. Dean got to the top of the stairs in time to hear on of the three captives scream.

God, he had a mess on his hands.

It took some time, but Dean eventually got the other vampire under control and clear-headed enough not to kill anyone else. For now, anyway. The bodies were dragged to the basement and he used gasoline siphoned from the dealer's car to set one hell of a fire, engulfing the whole house in flames from basement to the top. By the time the fire really got going, though, he was already gone.

He took the dealer's car and drove the vampire, along with the two remaining dealers, their stash of V, and all the silver chains back to the local vampire sheriff. In hindsight, it might have been kinder to kill the dealers at the house and leave them, but turning them over bought him points with the locals and would, in turn, get Eric off his back. Especially since he delivered the other vampire alive, if not exactly in the best shape.

By the time he got back to the motel room, he was exhausted and in dire need of a damn shower.

[bloodnbadthings]

He nodded at the answer. Expected as much, since Sam said he wasn't very hungry. At least at a place like this, you could pretty much expect them to do a decent burger, if nothing else. Man, he missed burgers.

And he was kind of starving. His eyes lingered on the waitress as she dropped off their drinks and then left again. She hadn't seemed too freaked out by the whole blood thing, either. Hmm.

"nope. I'm clear. We can leave whenever." He fiddled with the blood bottle, not really looking at Sam. "Sorry for the delay. I was trying to avoid them by staying out of... stuff, but it looks like it'll be easier to just play along a little."

[thinkshesosmart]

Sam was looking at Dean, so he hadn't exactly missed that look Dean was giving their waitress... and it earned the same eye roll it always did. Figured Dean was thinking with the wrong head again, like usual. "Alright, sounds good."

He pased at the apology, shrugging even though he doubted Dean'd notice... considering he was looking at everything but him. "Sorry... I guess I'm just not- used to this yet, man. I mean, I know what you are, but... I never really stopped to think about what your life might... be like now when I came for you." And it was just- weird to think how different they were now, to think they didn't really have the same kind of lifestyle in common anymore, in any sense. "I don't want you to get killed or whatever because of me, dude."

That's what that vampire from yesterday had threatened, right?

[bloodnbadthings]

The wrong head and his stomach. Sam didn't need to know that, though. He finally looked back up and shrugged a little. "If I get killed, it won't be because of you. It'll be because I'm really just not very good at being a vampire."

The black sheep of the nest, for sure.

[bloodnbadthings]

Like before, the moving around didn't do much for him, sleeping-wise. Each time the car stopped, though, he faded out a while. By the time Sam stopped to get a room, he was aching for rest. The lack of motion gave him a chance to catch some while Sam cleaned up and figured out where he'd be going.

[thinkshesosmart]

First things first, he had to get a look at that body and see what was up... which meant using some of their money to bribe his way in at the morgue. Definitely right up their alley after he got a glimpse of the guy. Eyes didn't look like that after a stroke or whatever they were claiming.

Then it was talking to the family and seeing what the hell was up on their side of the story.

Eventually though, he made it back to the motel and made sure the trunk was open by seven... didn't want Dean trapped in there. Had to be crappy enough being in there all day, but to wake up stuck? Yeah, not something he was going to put Dean through.

[bloodnbadthings]

Dean pushed himself up out of the bag. He was glad the trunk was open on time. The hours spent in it were plenty without additional time. He nodded his thanks as he crawled out past Sam and got to his feet.

"So, how was your day?" He asked wryly as he rubbed at the blood dripping down his face and moved around to grab his bag from the back seat.

[bloodnbadthings]

"That's beside the point," he answered back cheerfully. "You're still my favorite."

[thinkshesosmart]

"Okay, Dean. Thanks." He snorted, pushing himself up slowly and running a hand through his hair before going over to the laptop. Needed to focus on some work and Dean was a little too tipsy for this right now.

He'd have to remember not to let him do that until after their job's done.

"So... I guess I'll see if anyone named Mary has died around here?" In any unusual ways anyway. "It's all we've really got to go on right now."

[bloodnbadthings]

Dean pulled through the drive-thru of the first halfway decent place he found and got Sam whatever he wanted. Then he drove them back to the motel in relative silence. Sam didn't seem to be in the mood for conversation and he didn't have much to say. The case details were going around and around in his mind. What were they missing?

He pulled into the parking lot and killed the engine, climbing out to open the room door and head inside.

[thinkshesosmart]

When they got back to the motel, Sam settled at a table and quietly ate the salad he'd gotten. He dragged his laptop back over to him and started to do research again. It was probably pointless to keep searching knowing full and well that they were going to come up short, but... it gave him something to do and his mind kept straying to the case anyway.

Better than anywhere else it could stray too.

[bloodnbadthings]

Dean sat on the edge of Sam's bed and picked up the remote to turn on the TV. He flipped around the channels until he found something that appealed to Sam. He didn't much care what they watched.

[thinkshesosmart]

Sam shifted a little when Dean sat down, giving him a little more room in case he wanted it. Didn't mind if Dean wanted to sit on the bed with him and he still remembered his offer to let Dean- have some of his blood if he wanted it, so it'd make things easier anyway. For right now though, his eyes were focused on the TV with interest in whatever Dean had flipped it to.

[bloodnbadthings]

A cold shiver went down Dean's spine and he froze in place inches from the window while Sam climbed in. As soon as the invitation was given, though, he felt his muscles relaxing and pliant again. He handed over the duffel bag and climbed in behind his brother. Finally. They could get some work done.

He grabbed the EMF meter from the bag and started a careful sweep of the room.

[thinkshesosmart]

Sam spoke quietly to Charlie a moment, asking how she pulled this one off before he asked her to kill the lights. It'd have to be dark for him to use the camera he'd brought, flipping it over to night vision so he could scan the room for anything.

Nothing in the mirror in the bedroom closet or in the bedroom at all. It isn't until he gets to the bathroom mirror that he finally, finally catches something unusual. "Hey, there's a black light in the trunk, right?"

[bloodnbadthings]

The way Sam curled into him like that almost felt better than the blood rush itself. It felt good to be trusted, even though he was one of the things Sam should have killed on sight. The human still in him wanted so badly to still be family and still be a part of Sam's life. The monster knew it probably wouldn't last. Sooner or later, the vampire nature would show through and his brother would have to decide to run or to destroy him.

Tonight, though, he was just going to enjoy the closeness and trust while he still had it. After a few moments, he bit himself to heal the bite wound and stop the blood flow. Still, he stayed close a while, lapping away and spilled blood and enjoying the rich scent of it, so close to the source.

[thinkshesosmart]

He knew what he should have done as a hunter when he saw what his brother had become, knew he shouldn't be sitting here, letting him feed and actually enjoying it in some way.

When Dean was finished, when he settled for just lapping at the wound the way he always did, he turned his head a little to look at him. "Feel better?"