Chapter 31

The next day Sam and Dean were in another motel room. They had to book another room with two queen sized beds because Dean had only bought out a room with a single bed when he came to New Jersey. The manager rolled his eyes but kept his mouth shut. He had no right to question his sketchy customers or their…fetishes.

Sam sat on his bed, and Dean was sprawled across his. He had gone to the hospital the previous night because of the bullet wound. Sam and Bobby were scared that because the bullet had pierced such a fragile area that it may have damaged the bone. However, luck seemed to be on their side because it barely even grazed the bone. The doctors removed the bullet, and patched up Dean's leg. He had to wear a knee brace and keep off that leg for a few weeks.

Needless to say, Dean wasn't thrilled.

Dean laid on his bed, and began flipping through channels on the television that only got about twenty channels. And there wasn't even anything good on pay-per-view.

Suddenly, the television began to flicker and then became nothing but static. Dean clicked the button on the remote so that that the TV would shut off, but it only flickered back on.

Sam stood, and then grabbed for his shotgun that lay by the side of the bed and cocked it. He held it in front of himself defensively.

Then, Castiel came into view before their eyes. Sam sighed with relief, and put his gun back on the ground as he sat back down on his bed to face the angel.

"Cas." Dean said with relief clearly flooding his voice.

"Excellent job with Lilith." Castiel congratulated, he didn't have any emotion on his face or in his voice, and he never made eye contact with Sam.

"Thank Sammy here, it was all his idea." Dean credited. Still, Castiel made no effort to look at Sam.

"Yes, so I hear. Good job, Sam." Castiel said, still keeping his eyes on Dean.

"So, um…Lilith's in the pit, which means the angels work is done right?" Dean questioned curiously.

Castiel shook his head. "If only it were that simple."

"Why isn't it that simple?" asked Dean.

"There must be guardians. The ones who make sure that Lilith does not break free from her cage. I, and a dozen others in my garrison have been appointed with this task."

"So you're gonna continue to just hang around?" Dean prodded curiously.

Castiel gave a simple half smile. "Not quite. We have been assigned to protect countless Devils Gates all over the globe. I have been moved to Indonesia."

"Oh." Dean nodded in understanding. "Sounds exciting."

"However," Castiel continued in a low voice, "the threat of Lucifer rising is still at large."

"How?" Sam stepped in and questioned suddenly.

"Lilith is in Hell, she's locked away. How can he still rise if Lilith isn't around to raise him?"

Still, Castiel didn't look at Sam. "There are other ways Sam."

"What other ways?" Sam prodded angrily.

Finally, Castiel looked Sam dead in the eye and replied simply. "You."

"Sam?" Dean questioned nervously. "What the hell does that mean?"

"It means," Castiel continued as he turned to face Dean again, "that you need to keep Sam on a short leash. Killing him could break the Seal as well."

"But I'm still human!" Sam exclaimed. "Partially anyway, but I can still die. You're losing me here, Cas."

Castiel sighed, "If your blood is shed, if you die violently, that will break the Seal. Protect yourself," Castiel looked squarely at Dean, "protect your brother."

Dean smiled, "Like always."

Castiel nodded, and then was gone as if he'd never been there. Leaving the boys to contemplate what had just been said to them.

xXx

Later that night, Sam was in the alleyway next to the motel by himself. He had made sure Dean was fast asleep before leaving. Sam then closed his eyes and concentrated on something he had never done before, but somehow knew he could do it.

He held his arm outwards in front of him, and his face began to turn beat red. He called out in his mind.

"Come on, I know you're there!"

Suddenly, the ground before him started to scorch and turn red, and then grey with burning ashes. It was a perfect circle in the pavement before him. Then, a medium cloud of black smoke rose from the scorch marks, the nose searing scent of sulfur rising with it.

Sam heard its agonized screams.

As the black mass hovered in front of him, he lowered his hand, and his eyes turned black.

"Find a body, leave it unharmed, and then come back to me!" Sam ordered it in his mind.

The black cloud quickly raced to the mouth of the alleyway, and then upwards. He stood there in the alleyway alone with his arms now across his chest, waiting for the demon impatiently. He needed to talk with it while he still had the nerve. Dean would be pissed at him if he ever found out.

"So," came a velvety female voice from behind him. "Sam, you decided you need me after all?"

He didn't need to turn around to know it was the demon that he had just raised from Hell. He turned and faced the demon, and smiled. She was in her early twenties, petite figure, with long brown hair, and soft green eyes. She wore dark blue jeans, a black t-shirt, and a black leather jacket.

Her soft green eyes suddenly flickered black, and then back to green. Sam's remained black.

"Hey Ruby." He greeted, he seemed genuinely happy to see her.

She nodded once, and then walked up to him slowly. "So word on the street is, you got Lilith. Congrats."

Sam nodded once, "She isn't dead, but she's rotting in a corner of Hell so deep I'm positive that bitch will never see the sun again."

Ruby nodded in understanding. "Also…I hear that the new head honcho…is you."

Sam nodded once in confirmation. "You heard correctly."

Ruby shrugged, but she couldn't help the smile from crossing her face. "That's m'boy."

Sam rolled his eyes, and then sighed. Ruby looked him dead in the eye and asked, "So where do we go from here?"

Sam shrugged, "I don't really know. I mean now that Lilith's gone, what the hell am I gonna do with a big ass army of demons? And I can't exactly send them all to Hell."

Ruby nodded. "Just make sure they stay off the humans' backs, but at the same time make them remember why you're the boss."

Sam nodded, he could do that. And he knew that Dean and Bobby would be there to help him every step of the way.

"Why exactly did you bring me back up here Sam?" Ruby questioned hesitantly.

Sam shrugged. "Manipulative or not, you still helped me. Taught me how to go on without my big brother there to back me up, taught me how to gank Lilith. I dunno, I guess I'm just grateful."

Ruby nodded, and Sam looked at her with a little spark of admiration in his eyes. Not in a romantic way, but like he said in a grateful way. She had given him what he needed to take on the demons. The blood that was once like a drug to him still pumped through his veins. He felt it every second of every day.

Her blood. His blood. Demon blood.

-Fin-

This is it guys. I really hope you guys liked reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Critique this story however you want, but this is my first try and the response it got is explosive. So thank you guys so much.

I'm thinking about another story soon, if you guys like werewolves/vampires (i dunno which one i wanna use yet. haha.) keep reading my stories.

Thank you all again! Seriously!