Chapter One

The house was dark as Dean searched each room on the first floor. Finding them empty, he made his way to the staircase at the opposite end of the living room. As always his movements were quick and silent, but beneath his feet a floorboard betrayed him, letting out a faint groan. Dean flinched and a burst of adrenaline shot through his system. He stood perfectly still, his senses fully alert as he waited and watched. Time was imperative, but if he moved too soon he could bring an abrupt ending to the girl's life - or his own.

What felt like an eternity passed as the cautious hunter held his ground. He detected no movements, no unusual sounds or odd smells so he knew the creature wasn't nearby. Being careful to step over the creaky board, he continued on. As he made his way up the steps, gun in hand, Dean began to hone in on a distant sound. It was soft, muffled.

Reaching the top of the stairs, he realized the sound he was hearing was the girl's whimpering. He eased along the wall using those soft cries as a guide. He slipped stealthily passed the first door and paused just outside the second. It was slightly ajar and there was a faint glow emitting from within.

Dean's eyes closed for just a second as he prepared himself for the battle ahead. Sometimes these went fast, but they were never easy. Especially when someone's life was in the mix. No, not just someone's...Leah's. The image of her beautiful face with those big innocent brown eyes sprang into his mind but he pushed it out just as fast as it had entered.

"Stay focused, Dean. Damn it, stay focused!" His inner voice reprimanded.

One steadying breath and he reached out to touch the door. Gently, so gently, he began to open it. As the room came into view, Dean could see her lying on the floor. The sheer bit of silk and lace she'd been wearing had been shredded, leaving most of her lean body exposed. She was silent now and her skin looked deathly pale in the dim lighting. That was when he noticed the small pool of blood around her head. The sudden realization that the beast may have already killed her hit Dean full force.

"I'm too late!" The words blasted through his brain and all logic fled.

Dean was about to burst into the room when a strong hand clamped down on his shoulder. He jumped and swung the gun around aiming it at his attacker, his finger beginning to put pressure on the trigger.

Sam's eyes were large as he looked down the barrel of his brother's gun. He shook his head and lifted the crossbow into view. The arrow was silver, which was needed to put an end to the evil thing's existence. Lowering the pistol, Dean nodded and reached for the weapon.

Seeing the wild look in Dean's eyes, Sam hesitated to hand it over. There was no question he trusted his brother's abilities, but Leah was in there and that could taint his judgment. Despite the fact that Dean refused to admit it, Sam knew how he felt about the girl.

Giving a sharp tug, Dean gained control of the weapon and turned back toward the door. He swung it open and stepped inside. The beast had moved to stand over it's helpless victim, prepared to feast, but jerked around as it sensed the presence of new prey.

A slow, dark grin spread across Dean's face as he raised the crossbow and pointed it at the center of the monster's chest.

"Come on, you son of a bitch!" he growled.

It's hideous head angled sideways, almost in contemplation before it abandoned the still form of the girl and gave it's full attention to the tall tasty treat before it. Clawed hands stretched out as it approached, eager for fresh blood.

The shot was there, an easy target. Yet Dean refused to take it.

Sam grew anxious as he waited for his brother to finish this. He glanced down at Leah's body worried that not only was she already dead, but that Dean might join her. Then he saw her move.

"Dean, she's alive!" he called out.

Dean released his breath, unaware that he'd even been holding it. The hulking mass advanced on him hoping to add a second human to it's main course. With great pleasure Dean squeezed the trigger, setting the arrow free.

"Back to hell where you belong." he said as the silver tip easily found it's mark.

The creature let out a high pitched scream and dropped to the floor, it's massive body bubbling and foaming before disintegrating in a swirl of white smoke.

Dean dropped his weapon and moved to kneel beside Leah. He gently rolled her onto her back to do a quick check of her wounds. Despite the situation, her nakedness stirred him and he could feel himself growing hard. It wasn't something he felt good about, but it also wasn't something he could control. He'd wanted her for such a long time so seeing her full breasts and her long shapely legs with the dark thatch of hair covering the mound between them was enough to set his blood boiling.

Shaking himself mentally, Dean forced himself to concentrate on what needed to be done. The damned creature had apparently only been toying with her because her body was covered with superficial scratches and there was only one deep wound that he could see. It was a gaping slash above her brow and it concerned him. Dean knew how badly those could bleed which would explain the amount of blood around her head.

Yanking off his jacket, he covered her nakedness and carefully lifted her in his arms. "Sammy! Let's go!" He brushed past his brother and hurried down the stairs.

Sam opened the passenger door and Dean eased into the car, cradling the girl on his lap. Dean found the pocket of his coat and pulled out the car keys, handing them to his brother as he slipped in behind the wheel. He looked down at the unconscious girl and gently brushed her hair back from her face so he could examine the wound more closely. It would need stitches and leave a scar. Gently running his fingers through her hair, he found a large lump that he hadn't noticed earlier. It was on the left side just above her ear.

"This isn't good. She's not waking up." he said, glancing at Sam.

Pulling off his sweatshirt, Sam handed it to Dean and said, "Press that to the gash on her forehead. I'll get us to the hospital." As he backed out of the driveway, he tried to reassure his brother. "She's gonna be fine, Dean. You got there in time."

Dean wondered if Sam was right as he laid the shirt over her wound and applied pressure. Had he been on time? He gingerly kissed Leah's lips and whispered, "Wake up, baby. You gotta wake up for me."

Leah stirred and moaned softly. Her eyes fluttered open and she stared briefly at Dean before they closed again. He knew then that she'd heard him and he hoped that was a sign she'd be okay. It was his fault that she had been in danger in the first place and even if she could forgive him, could he forgive himself?

TBC