Now the devilâs in a rush
And this duct tape makes you hush
Hey there Sedona let me cut you a deal
Iâm a little hungover and I have to steal your soul
– Sedona – HoundmouthThe first thing Ketch noticed upon waking was just how stiff his muscles were. Sure, heâd been a little more physical than usual the night before, but he could barely move his legs and his arms⊠he didnât think heâd been that rough on his body.Â
âMorning, sleeping beauty,â the voice of the previous nightâs bed mate call out from the in-suite bathroom.Â
Ketch attempted to roll over, to lift himself off the mattress, but was unable. All at once the sensation of thick, coarse rope around his wrists, the tape plastered to his lip, and sticky, dried sweat came to the forefront of his awareness. Well, that explained the stiffness, then.Â
Dean, the man heâd shared the night with, came out of the bathroom, straight razor in his hand. He was wearing the same thing he had been before, a blood red shirt over a dark t-shirt and jeans and a wicked smile that promised all manner of new troubles.Â
âSorry about the restraints but I canât exactly let a Man of Letters out of my sight now, can I?â Deanâs eyes flashed black as he spoke, beating the flat back of the razor against his palm.Â
Ketch glared at him. Thatâs the punishment for forgoing proper demon checks with his dalliances then.Â
âNow, Iâm a little short on time, and as much as Iâd like to drag this out a little more I canât afford it. So, hereâs the deal; you tell me what I want to know and I slit your throat. You waste my time and I make sure you never walk again and dump your ass in the middle of the desert for the buzzards to deal with. Capisce?Â
Ketch rolled his eyes and mumbled behind the tape.Â
Dean huffed in response. âYou know, all you gotta do is shake your head.âÂ
Ketch let out an indignant puff of air and nodded. Only then did Dean rip the tape off his mouth, taking a good portion of the skin on his lips with it.Â
âYou bastard,â Ketch muttered, sucking his bloodied bottom lip into his mouth.Â
âIâve been called worse,â Dean said, pressing his thumb to the edge of the blade. âNow,â he said, âI know you know where the American base for the Men of Letters is. Youâre going to tell me.âÂ
âLebanon, Kansas,â Ketch said.Â
âOkay well if youâreâŠ. wait, what?â Dean froze mid-gesture to stare down at Ketch. âJust like that?âÂ
âJust like that,â he said.
âYou got a death wish or something man? âCause I gotta say, youâre killinâ my murder high here.âÂ
âIf you kill me, Iâll just come back. Itâs an inconvenience, at best.âÂ
âYouâre not a witch.âÂ
âNo, but I happen to know a very powerful on. Have known a very powerful one since the 18th century.âÂ
Ketch smirks as Deanâs eyebrow raises. âWell then Iâll kill them, too.âÂ
âI doubt your King would be too pleased with that,â Ketch said.Â
Deanâs expression grew tight as his gaze skimmed up and down Ketchâs nearly naked body, spread out like a starfish on the bed.Â
âYou have your location. You can kill me now if you want, though Iâd ask you to hurry if youâre going to. I have a schedule to keep, too.âÂ
Dean shrugged, raising the razor to Ketchâs throat.Â
âOr,â Ketch said, âI can tell you the easiest ways to counteract the magic that makes the bunker impenetrable to demons. And where they keep their best artifacts.âÂ
Deanâs hand stills, and with one swift movement, he moves the razor away from Ketchâs throat and slashes through the rope that binds his right wrist to the headboard.Â
âThatâs what I thought,â Ketch said with a smirk.Â