"Does he know that?" Eric asked Dean, grinning wider. He started to step around Dean to move closer to Sam, but Dean put himself between them again. The smile slipped from the vampire's face and his expression went cold. "Very well. To business, then."

He grabbed Dean by the front of the shirt and snatched him up close, nose to nose, holding him off the ground. "What was my one request when you left the nest, boy?"

"Don't embarrass you," Dean answered back instantly, kind of proud of himself for having a steady voice when he did. He couldn't think of what he did exactly to embarrass the other vampire, but he knew he was about to get an earful.

"For our little ruse to work, we have to at least pretend that I've instructed you in some sort of politics. That means playing the game." He dropped Dean back to his feet and snatched a card from his pocket, thrusting it into Dean's hand. "You will present yourself properly to the sheriff of this area and you will do it in such a way as to not bring shame on my house. Then, you will see to the issue I've just handed you. Are we clear?"

"Crystal." Dean answered, then added as an afterthought, "Sheriff."