Half-Hearted Promises

The day had flown by quickly. It was 11 pm, and Brooke was heading home from work. Her roommate, Jamie, had informed her she wouldn't be home that night due to a date.

Brooke couldn't shake off what Dean and Sam had said about her brother's death. Despite her reluctance to believe them, the attack seemed unusual, and she couldn't fathom how a human could possess powers like the one that had flung her across the room.

Reaching the apartment she shared with Jamie, Brooke sighed and ascended the stairs. Lost in her thoughts, she failed to notice she was being followed or pay attention to her surroundings.

Entering the apartment, she placed her keys on the table. "I definitely need my own car so I can avoid this late-night walk and Jamie doesn't have to wait for me to go to work," she muttered as she made her way to the living room.

Brooke shrugged off her jacket and draped it over the couch. She deposited her phone and bag nearby before yawning and ascending the stairs to the bathroom.

The apartment, a townhouse, featured three bedrooms, a bathroom, and a kitchen. Jamie had opted for three bedrooms to accommodate the possibility of Max returning from college. Though not expansive, it was cozy and adequate for the trio.

Reaching the bathroom, Brooke paused at the hallway closet for a towel. Inside the bathroom, she illuminated the space with the light, casting away the darkness.

The brunette disrobed and stepped into the shower. As the warm water cascaded over her tanned skin, she yawned again. Unaware of approaching footsteps, she closed her eyes and let her fingers run through her hair.

The soothing water gradually eased her weariness after a long workday. Opening her eyes, she noticed a flicker in the lights.

"What the heck!" Brooke muttered, watching the lights suddenly go out. They'd paid their bills, so there shouldn't have been an outage. Biting her lip, she reached for a towel. "It might be a power outage," she said.

Brooke stepped out of the tub and wrapped the towel around herself, walking out of the bathroom. She tried to turn the lights back on, but they wouldn't work. "Please, let it just be an outage," she whispered. But something told her this wasn't ordinary.

Athena, her dog, barked from outside; Brooke had let her out before getting in the tub. She walked slowly to the closet where her flashlight was, grabbed it, and turned it on.

Brooke moved the flashlight around, relieved to see how bright it was. "Maybe I should call Jamie, but I don't want to disturb her," she whispered, walking back to her room to change before going downstairs.

Brooke pondered, "I should call Sam. Maybe he can see what the problem is." Shaking her head, she thought, "No, because he'd just say it's a demon."

She slipped on a dress, eager to get dressed quickly. Unbeknownst to her, someone stood behind her as she arranged her hair.

When Brooke turned, she let out a scream. A man from the dinner stood there. She pointed the flashlight at his eyes, biting her lip. It was the same man who had murdered her brother.

"Get that out of my face!" the white-haired man sneered, slapping the flashlight from her hands. He backed her into the dresser. "Why... are you here?" Brooke stammered, perplexed as to why he was there.

The man smirked. "Oh, I'm bored. I wanted to toy with you." He brushed his hand against Brooke's cheek. "And I believe I never gave you my name."

Swallowing the fear coursing through her veins, Brooke protested, "But I haven't told anyone about you, I swear." She wanted to remove any reason for him to harm her.

"Oh, but you would surely tell the Winchester brothers," he countered. "They won't rest until they have their answers."

"How?" Brooke asked, casting her gaze around for an escape route.

"How do I know about the Winchester brothers? Every demon knows them," he said with a smirk. "I am Axel, son of Corey and nephew of Lucifer."

He pinned Brooke against the dresser, his words accompanied by a sinister grin. A frightened whimper escaped her as her back hit the hard surface. She had to escape, to protect herself and Jamie from harm.

Desperate for a weapon, Brooke reached behind her and gripped a heavy object from the dresser. With newfound determination, she resolved to call Sam for help.

Axel leaned against her, smirking. "You've changed since the last time I saw you," he said. "I'm here on a mission. My father wants me to marry, and he said I can choose my bride, or he'll choose for me. And once I find someone, my brother will find someone for him as well."

Brooke bit her lip. There was no way she would let him take her and force her to wed some stranger. She grabbed the nearby object and swung it as hard as she could against Axel's head. Seizing his moment of distraction, she ducked under his legs and fled.

Axel let out a frightened yowl, clutching his bleeding head. "That was a mistake, you fool!" he sneered, turning and chasing after Brooke, who had vanished out of the room.

Brooke rushed out of her room and headed downstairs, but the darkness enveloped her like a cloak. She couldn't find the flashlight that had fallen from her hand. She ran her fingers along the railing of the stairs, feeling her way cautiously.

"You won't escape," Axel sneered as he left the room. Darkness posed no obstacle as his keen eyes pierced through it. He observed the brunette frantically searching the hallway for the stairs.

Approaching her as she reached them, the white-haired man taunted, "You shouldn't have fled, love." With a cruel laugh, he pressed his hands roughly against Brooke's back.

Brooke gasped in alarm, her voice trembling. "Please don't," she pleaded, clutching the stair railing. Axel's smirk widened as he tightened his grip. "Don't struggle excessively, or you'll tumble," he warned.

"Or perhaps I should pummel you senseless for striking me!" Axel growled, pinning her against the railing. "No, stop!" Brooke sobbed, attempting to resist his strength, but he was too powerful.

Axel chuckled at Brooke's feeble attempts to escape his grip. Tightening his hold, he lifted her roughly. "Release me!" she demanded, kicking frantically. "Not yet," he sneered, "I believe you require some rest." With that, he pressed his fingers against Brooke's face, casting a powerful sleep spell.

Brooke's mouth parted in a silent cry before she slumped over Axel's arms, unconscious. "There, now sleep," Axel uttered, hoisting her over his shoulder. Summoning a portal, he disappeared into it, taking Brooke with him.

Meanwhile, Athena barked and clawed at the door, sensing something amiss. As soon as Axel departed, the lights flickered back on.