This Curse

I sat myself forward on the motel bed, placing my head in hands as I try to supress the memories of last night. Behind me, still sleeping in the creaky bed, lay someone who should be my enemy, but in recent months had become my salvation. Ruby was a demon. She was one of those that I hunted for a living. She was one of those that killed my mother, and my father, and the one girl I had believed would one day be my wife and soul mate. The vision of Jessica planted firmly in a bed of fire on my ceiling is an image I will never be able to extinguish.

“Sam,” Ruby stirred from beneath the covers. Her main of brunette hair- a difference from the old vessel who was a blonde- covered the off-white pillows as she pushed her body into a sitting position.

“I’m here,” I replied, but not taking my hands away from my head. I could feel her move closer, and soon her delicate hand was against my bare back, caressing the tense muscles that decorated my pale skin.

“Was it another nightmare?” She asked, though her voice wasn’t exactly sympathetic, but then again, nothing about Ruby was sympathetic. I had learned to accept that when we became something close to lovers. But I think we both knew there were only two reasons that kept me around. Dean’s absence and Ruby’s blood!

I simply nodded my head to her question, standing up from the bed and walking over and into the adjoining bathroom. I stood in front of the mirror above the sink and stared at the face looking back. It didn’t belong to me, it looked like a completely different person altogether. The person looking back was thinner, with hollow eyes that were beginning to look as black as demons. Under them sat unhealthy black bags that reminded me that I hadn’t slept a good night’s sleep in a very long time. My skin was almost translucent, making me feel sick to realise the only thing that could boost my energy at this moment was the one thing I was trying to resist.

Since I had watched Dean mauled by hell hounds and dragged to Hell, I had done everything to get him back. Too many run-ins with crossroad demons to beg them to exchange my soul for his, but for some reason, nobody would accept my offer. I had then turned to revenge. Lilith was a living target for me to set all my anger out on, and with this new death wish I had going, it seemed like the perfect idea.

I had contacted Ruby because only she could really bring out the best of my ‘powers’, which would then hopefully help me defeat Lilith once and for all. I knew Dean would be turning in his grave if he could see me, but he was gone and I needed to do what I could to survive… Or die. I wasn’t fussed anymore.

“Did you want a drink?” Ruby’s sweet and flirty voice had a way of comforting me, and although it annoyed me I needed her for that comfort, I was finding it hard to care more and more by each passing day.

“No, Ruby, I don’t always need a drink.” I seethed, turning harshly around watching her sweet exterior change and her eyes flicker black before returning to their former colour.

“Don’t get snappy with me, Sam Winchester.” She hissed, thrusting a bottle of whiskey at me that she must have picked up before finding me in this cramped and distasteful bathroom. “At least have a drink of this, if you don’t want what I’m offering!” Ruby looked a little hurt that I was rejecting her. A big part of our bond came from when I was drinking from her; it brought us closer in a twisted sense.

“Thanks,” I mumbled, taking the bottle of Jack and heading back to the room. I sat on the edge of the bed again and took a long healthy swig from the bottle. Ruby was standing at the bathroom door, her body leant against the frame and her arms crossed across her half naked torso.

As I carried on indulging in the warm sensation of the whiskey tickling down my throat, I watched Ruby from the corner of my eye as she walked across the room to the cabinet that held a few glasses.

Her back was to me, but as soon as the smell hit me, I knew exactly what she was doing.

I opened my mouth to protest, but my mouth grew dry and my breath hitched in my throat. I felt suddenly dehydrated, like all the whiskey had evaporated from my body and left me craving more… Something much more satisfying.

Ruby turned and in one hand she held a blade that was dripping with the crimson liquid. The cup in the other hand was almost full with the sticky substance. And on her face was a smile that told me that despite how hard I could try and fight, we knew how this would end.

She crossed the room and soon the transparent glass was sat firmly in my hand, the whiskey bottle in the other. I dropped the bottle, not caring that the yellow liquid was pooling around my feet.

I stared at the red blood that looked beautiful sat in the knock off vintage glass. The light from the cracked curtain caught it and it gave the liquid a new kind of beauty. Lifting the glass to my lips, I allowed it to tickle my lips before I finally couldn’t hold back any longer. As the liquid surged through my body, I could feel myself beginning to fully awake.

My eyes felt open and more alert than before. My body felt lighter, the burden of my heavy weight no longer on my shoulders. I could feel my body rejuvenate and grow stronger by the second. But before I knew it, the glass was empty and I wasn’t satisfied.

“Come here,” I growled, pulling Ruby towards me by her hips. She let out a small chuckle as she straddled my lap. The wound of her arm was fresh again as she ran the blade through the smooth skin. My eyes met hers and with that one look, I attached my lips to the skin around the wound and began draining the blood.

The taste was sweeter than human blood. It felt thicker and sweeter than anything I’ve tasted, but no matter how much I drank, it didn’t fill me up. I sucked harder, groaning when a flood of the blood flooded down my throat and oozed itself into my system. Everything I felt before was heightening. I felt like no matter what happened, I could defeat anything or anyone. My strength felt infinite and whatever Lilith threw at me, I could take down, just like those hounds took down Dean.

Suddenly remembering my brother and picturing both the look of disappointment he would give me, and then seeing the mauled remains of his body, had me pulling away. Ruby sighed and attached her lips on mine for a brief moment.

“I thought you were going to drain me empty,” She laughed, frowning as I removed her small frame from my lap. I stood and began dressing in yesterday’s clothes. I reached for my worn out green jacket just as Ruby grabbed my arm.

“You’re not ready,” She warned, her eyes flicking back to the demonic black. “You leave now and Lilith will kill you, Sam.”

“I need this, Ruby!” I cried, gripping my growing hair and clenching my eyes shut. I opened them after a moment and stared into her pools of black, “I need to do this for Dean.”

“I understand, but you’re no good to him dead. Just please, think about this before you do something stupid.” Her eyes were back again and a shred of compassion flitted through them.

I let my shoulders sink as defeat rolled over my body. She was right. I couldn’t revenge Dean if I was six feet under. I needed to think logically not hastily.

“Look, I ordered some pizza because you can’t just live off my blood. Food will give you energy too, Sam.” I nodded my head agreeing that I could eat. I dismissed myself so I could shower. Yesterday’s clothes suddenly felt like a heavy burden, like a reminder of the past. I had to focus on today and the future.

I let the Luke warm water wash over my head, soaking through my matted long hair and soothing my aching body. The initial effects of the demon blood were beginning to subside and although I still felt strong, I missed that feeling of pure ecstasy.

I shut the water off and slipped into some fresh clothes. The shower had helped a lot and my limbs felt less constricted together. I towel dried my hair and ran my fingers through the brown strands to smooth it down. In the other room I could hear a knock at the door. Suddenly thinking of pizza, my stomach began to growl.

“I think we got the wrong room,” An eerily familiar voice spoke as I opened the bathroom door and checked to see if Ruby was okay. Not like she couldn’t handle herself, she was a demon after all.

“Hey, is…” I began to speak, turning my head towards the front door. I froze and stared, blinking a few times to will my head to stop messing with me. But every time, he was still standing there.

A silence engulfed us for a moment as all we could do was stare at each other. Bobby looked between us, silently willing one of us to speak. But Dean was supposed to be dead, or at least shredded to pieces. It was impossible how he was able to be standing before me. So of course I had nothing to say.

I looked between Bobby and Dean.

“Heya, Sammy.” Dean finally spoke, a soft smile on his lips as he spoke to me with his usual pet name.

I began to feel like I was hyperventilating. This couldn’t be real, he couldn’t be really Dean. Suddenly it clicked and I knew that somehow, a demon must possessing my brothers body.

As ‘Dean’ walked closer, I drew the demon knife and pushed him against the wall, ready to slice this bastard back to the pits where they came from. But Bobby was pulling me away, tearing the blade away from Dean.

“WHO ARE YOU?” I shout, seething at the nerve of this demon to show up here and weaken me with the one person I care for most.

“Like you didn’t do this!” Dean replies as bobby strains to hold me back with the little strength he does have these days.

“Know what?” I growl.

“It’s him!” Bobby shouts over us and at me, “It’s him, Sam, I’ve been through this already… It’s really him!”

I stop fighting and calm in bobby’s grip. I don’t even hear what’s said next as I approach my alive brother, and embrace him in a hug. We grip each other tightly, both scared that this moment wasn’t real and we’d be ripped apart again.

I fight back the tears as Dean tightens his hold. I didn’t know how or who was involved in bringing Dean back from the dead, but I was forever indebted to them.

As we pull away and I see the sincere smile on my brothers face, my stomach begins to fall. Ruby is standing off to the side and I know soon enough Dean will want to know who she is. Last time he met her, she was a blonde chick with a shitty attitude. Not much had changed, but she was now in a completely different vessel.

All I knew was that if Dean found out about the Demon blood, I could possible lose my brother all over again. And I wasn’t prepared to let that happen, not this time. Not ever again.