Ryleigh just pulled into the parking lot of the motel that she was staying in while working a job in Greenwood, Mississippi. She walked up to the front desk with a smile on her face, handing one of her credit cards over "can I get a room for the week?"

The woman behind the desk smiled, "sure thing sweetheart."

Ryleigh nodded "thank you." Her card was handed back to her, and her room key was placed in her hand. She exited the office walking back to her baby blue 69' Camaro, that car was her baby, she grabbed her two duffle bags and headed to her room.

The Winchester girl had read all the reports and they all said that the victims saw a wild, vicious black dog, but nobody could find the dog, so she figured that it looked like demon deals and hell hounds. So, to start with, she stopped by and got a list of all the reports for anything remotely dog-like.

She headed out, starting at the top of the list and she was knocking on the door of the fifth house on the list, and a lady answered the door, "I'm with animal control."

The lady looked at her "someone came by yesterday."

Ryleigh smiled at the woman "this is just a follow-up ma'am; I'm looking for Dr. Sylvia Pearlman?"

The lady let her in and they walked into the kitchen, "the doctor well, she... I don't know when she'll be back. She left two days ago." And then there was another knock on the door, "excuse me for a moment please." A minute later she came back with two guys, and then she continued speaking as I was telling Ms. Stapleton here about Dr. Perlman, she left two days ago and I don't know exactly when she'll be back."

The tall guy Sam Winchester, not that Ryleigh knew that though, "okay, and you are?"

The woman looked at him "I'm Ms. Pearlman's maid."

Ryleigh smiled at her again "where did the doctor go?"

She shakes her head "I'm not sure, she just packed and went didn't say where. That stray dog did you find it finally?"

"Not yet, but we are putting all our resources into" the tall one answers again "uh yes what she said you uh didn't happen to see the dog yourself did you?" with that Ryleigh concluded that they were there for the same reason that she was.

The woman shook her head "Well no I never even heard it, I was almost starting to think the doctor was imagining things, but she's not like that, so..." she trailed off.

Then the short one Dean, her father not that she would realize that until later though starts talking "you know I read she was the chief surgeon at the hospital, so she got to be what, 42, 43?"

Ryleigh caught where he was going with that and cut him off "that's pretty young for that job."

"Youngest in the history of the place, she got the position 10 years ago"

Ryleigh nodded to herself 'so this is so demon deals I mean 10 years that's how long they give ya.' "Huh and overnight success 10 years ago." After she had all of the information that she needed the huntress smiled at the woman "thank you so much for your time, ma'am."

Once she was outside, the two guys from in the house stopped her, before she could get in her car, Ryleigh looked at them "what can I do for you boys?"

Sam looked at her "who are you?"

Ryleigh smirked, she didn't see the harm in telling them her first name, since they were hunters like she was after all, "I'm Ryleigh and I was here first this is my case, so why don't you boys run along and find a new one?" With that the Winchester girl climbed into her car and headed to her next stop, Lloyd's Bar, which she found was the common denominator between both victims.

She pulled up at the same time as the black Impala from earlier, Ryleigh stepped out of her car and glanced at the two boys, "I thought I told you boy, to get lost?"

Dean gave her a look "nope we are going to get to the bottom of this."

Ryleigh rolled her eyes, she really should have known that they wouldn't leave, "fine, will you at least give me your names? And I mean your real names."

Sam shrugged and told her their names "I'm Sam and this is my brother, Dean."

As they were walking toward the bar, Ryleigh heard Dean say "Hey." and Sam says "Yeah?"

Ryleigh stopped and turned around to see what Dean had found, and she saw the yellow flowers, growing on the corners of the crossroads, "that's weird."

The huntress nodded agreeing "I agree that is very weird."

Sam looked at them "what?"

"Think someone planted these?"

Sam looks at his brother "Middle of all these weeds?"

"These are, uh, what do you call 'em."

Sam goes to answer but Ryleigh cut him off "Yarrow flowers they are used for certain rituals more specifically summoning rituals"

Dean looked at the two of them "Heh. So, two people become sudden successes about ten years ago. Right around the time, they were hanging out here at Lloyd's."

Sam gives him a look "Where there just happens to be a crossroads. You think?"

Ryleigh smirked at the two of them as she and Dean say "Let's find out" at the same time.

Dean walks to the center of the crossroads and looks around, measuring. "This seem about the dead center to you?" He walks over to his car and gets a shovel out of the trunk then comes back and crouches down and digs a few inches into the hard soil and hits something solid. He stops. "Yahtzee" He drops the shovel and digs with his hands, pulling out an old, rusted box. He opens it. It contains, among other things, several small bones and a small, stoppered jar that I take out of the box.

Ryleigh looked between them, "I'd be willing to bet that's graveyard dirt. And a black cat bone."

"That's serious spell work. I mean, that's Deep South Hoodoo stuff."

"Used to summon a demon."

"Not just summon one. Crossroads are where pacts are made. These people are actually making deals with the damn thing. You know, 'cause that always ends good."

"They're seeing dogs, all right. But not Black Dogs, they're seeing Hellhounds. Demonic Pitbulls."

"Yeah, whomever this demon is, it's back and it's collecting. And that doctor lady? Wherever she's running? She ain't running fast enough."

Ryleigh gave them a look; it was just as she suspected "Well it looks like it's just what I suspected Demon deals."

They looked at her Dean was the one to question her though "you suspected?"

She rolled her eyes and nodded "yeah, I mean come on vicious black dogs that nobody else can see... Overnight success 10 years ago typical things surrounding demon deals... plus demons are my specialty. There is no way I am convincing you boys to back off is there?"

Dean shook his head "not a chance."

Ryleigh sighed and rolled her eyes, "didn't think so, but I'm not backing off either meaning that the three of us are going to have to work together, to solve this." They both agreed to work with her.

Now the three of them were standing by Dean's impala, Sam was talking "so it's just like the Robert Johnson legend, right? I mean, selling your soul at the crossroads, kind of deal?"

"Yeah, except that wasn't a legend. I mean, you know his music."

Sam shrugs and Ryleigh gives him a 'seriously' look while Dean says "You don't know Robert Johnson's songs? Sam, there's, there are occult references all over his lyrics, I mean, Crossroad Blues? Me and the Devil Blues? Hellhound on My Trail?"

Sam frowns and Dean rolls his eyes and Ryleigh interjects "The story goes, he died choking on his own blood, he was hallucinating, and muttering about big evil dogs."

Sam looks at them "And now it's happening all over again."

"Yeah," Dean and Ryleigh say at the same time.

"We've gotta figure out if anyone else struck any bargains around here."

"Great. So, we've gotta clean up these peoples' mess for 'em? I mean, they're not exactly squeaky clean. Nobody put a gun to their head and forced 'em to play Let's Make a Deal."

The huntress looked between the two boys "Dean has a point."

Sam looked at them "So what, we should just leave them to die?"

Ryleigh rolled her eyes "There isn't exactly anything we can do to stop it"

Dean nods agreeing with her "Somebody goes over Niagara in a barrel, you gonna jump in and try to save 'em?"

Sam gives him a look "Dean"

Dean rolls his eyes "All right fine...For rituals like this, you've got to put your own photo into the mix, right? So, this guy probably summoned this thing, let's go and see if anyone inside knows him. If he's still alive."

They look at Ryleigh who shrugged "I said I wasn't going to back off so looks like I'm in."

After finding out about the guy in the photo Ryleigh was following Sam and Dean in her own car to the apartment building. The three of them are walking up to the fourth floor of the building Sam asks "What's this guy's name again?"

"George Darrow. Apparently quite the regular at Lloyd's. Though this house probably ain't up next on MTV Cribs, is it?"

"Yeah. So whatever kind of deal he made."

Dean looks around "Wasn't for cash. Oh, who knows. Maybe this place is full of babes in Princess Leia bikinis."

Sam sighs and the huntress lets out a chuckle "No, I'm just saying, this guy's got one epic bill come due. I hope at least he asked for something fun." Once they get up the stairs and stop in front of apartment 4C. The floor is dusted with a fine black powder.

Sam nods "Look at that"

"looks like pepper" Ryleigh stepped back as the door opens to reveal George a middle-aged man with graying hair, wearing a grimy t-shirt and open button-down.

He looks at the trio " Who the hell are you??"

The Huntress gives the man a look "George Darrow?"

He looks at the three of them again "I'm not buying anything."

Dean steps forward a bit "Whoa, whoa, whoa, looks like you went for the wrong shaker there. Heh. Usually, when you want to keep something evil out you go for the salt."

George looks at him "I don't know what you talkin' bout."

Dean holds up the picture "Talkin' about this tell me. You seen that Hellhound yet?" he lets them in after that and pours himself a glass of whiskey. Looking around the studio apartment is filled with paintings, completed and half-finished, and a table holds painting supplies.

Sam looks at him "So what is that stuff out front?"

"Goofer Dust" the three of them look at him blankly "What, you think you know somethin' about somethin' but not Goofer dust?" he tosses Dean a brown pouch tied with twine.

Dean catches and looks at him "Well, we know a little about a lot of things. Just enough to make us dangerous."

The female Winchester looked at him "What is it?"

"Hoodoo. My grandma taught me. Keeps out demons."

"Demons we know"

George looks at the trio "Well, then. Maybe it'll do you some good." He takes a seat in a chair "Four minutes left."

Sam takes the lead "Mr. Darrow. We know you're in trouble."

"Yeah, that you got yourself into." Ryleigh sighed thinking 'I am only here now because I said I wasn't going to back out because I know you can't get out of a Demon deal.'

"But it's not hopeless, all right? There's gotta be something we can do."

"What'd you do it for?"

"I was weak. I mean, who don't want to be great? Who don't want their life to mean something? I just... I just never thought about the price"

"Was it worth it?"

He shakes his head "Hell no. 'Course, I asked for talent. Shoulda gone for fame. I'm still broke, and lonely. Just now I got this pile of paintings don't nobody want. But that wasn't the worst."

He pauses and Sam looks at him "go on"

"Demon didn't leave. I never counted on that. After our deal was done the damn thing stayed at Lloyd's for a week. Just chattin'. Makin' more deals. I tried to warn folks, but, I mean who's goin' to listen to an old drunk?"

Ryleigh looked at him "how many are there?"

He thinks for a minute "Uh, the architect, that doctor lady — I kept up with them, they've been in the papers. At least they got famous."

Dean looks at him "Who else, George? Come on, think."

He thinks for another moment "One more. Uh, nice guy too. Hudson. Evan, I think. I don't know what he asked for. Don't matter now. We done for."

"No. No, there's gotta be a way." Sam argues

George looks at him "You don't get it! I don't want a way!"

"Look you don't-"

Sam starts but George cuts him off "I called that thing! I brought it on myself. I brought it on them. I'm going to hell, one way or another. All I want is to finish my last painting. Day or two, I'm done. I'm just trying to hold them off 'till then. Buy a little time. Okay, Time you went, go help somebody that wants help."

Raleigh took the hint and stepped out of the door but Sam doesn't give it up "We can't just-"

He gets cut off again "Get out! I got work to do."

But once again Sam doesn't give up "You don't really want to die."

George looks at him "I don't? I'm... I'm tired."

After that Sam finally gives up and they walk out of the door and the trio walked down to the cars they go back to do some research to find this Even Hudson person to see if they could help him it's nighttime now.

The trio decided to just all take one car this time and the boys will drop her off back at the motel to get her car after they finish this.

They are walking up to Evan's front door and the huntress knocked on it and Evan opens it "Yes?"

"Even Hudson?"

Dean then asks "You ever been to a bar called Lloyd's? Would have been about ten years ago." Evan looks terrified and slams the door in their faces Dean calls out through the door "Come on we're not demons"

Ryleigh looks at Dean "Any other bright ideas?"

Dean takes a step back and kicks the door open they walk into the house and Dean is about to kick the door to the backroom open but Sam stops him and turns the handle and opens it gently Ryleigh steps into the room "Evan?"

He jumps out from behind the bookshelf "Please don't hurt me"

The huntress holds out her hand in a calm motion and gave the man a gentle smile "We're not going to hurt you, alright? We're here to help you."

Dean looks at him " We know all about the genius deal you made."

He looks surprised "What? How?"

"It doesn't matter now all that matters is, we're trying to stop it."

Evan still looks weary of the trio "How do I know you're not lying?"

Dean looks at him "you don't but you're kinda running low on options there, buddy-boy."

Ryleigh nodded her head towards Dean "He's got a point"

Evan looks at them nervously "Can you stop it?"

"Don't know but we'll try"

"I don't want to die"

Ryleigh smiled at the man "Of course you don't"

Then Dean adds on to what his daughter said, (though he doesn't know that yet.) "well not now anyway."

Sam gives him a look "Dean stop."

But Dean doesn't stop he keeps going "What'd you ask for anyway, Evan? Huh? Never need Viagra? Bowl a perfect game? What?"

Ryleigh rolled her eyes 'what is it with these boys and not taking a hint?'

Evan looks at them for a moment "My wife"

Dean looks at him and laughs "Right. Gettin' the girl. Well, that's worth a trip to hell for."

The huntress rolled her eyes at him as Sam says "Dean stop."

"No. He's right, I made the deal. Nobody twisted my arm, that... woman, or whatever she was, at the bar? She said I could have anything I wanted. I thought she was nuts at first, but... I don't know how to— I was desperate."

Ryleigh looked at him"Desperate?"

he nodded "Julie was dying."

Sam nods in understanding "You did it to save her."

"She had cancer, they'd stopped treatment, they were moving her into hospice, they kept saying... a matter of days. So yeah, I made the deal. And I'd do it again. I'd have died for her on the spot." 'it's kind of sweet in a messed-up way.'

Dean looks at Evan "Did you ever think of her in all of this?"

"I did this for her"

Dean walks a little closer to him "You sure about that? I think you did it for yourself. So you wouldn't have to live without her. But guess what? She's going to have to live without you now. But what if she knew how much it cost? What if she knew it cost your soul? How do you think she'd feel?"

Sam puts his hand on Dean's chest and pushes him back and says to Evan "Okay, that's enough. You just sit tight, all right? We're going to figure this out."

They walk out into the hallway Ryleigh looked at Evan "we are going to figure something out"

After a few minutes, Evan calls out to the boys "I think I hear it! It's outside!" and a minute later Sam walks back into the room.

Sam is sprinkling the Goofer Dust in a line in front of the windows and doors then makes a big circle with it Evans asks him "what is that stuff?" "Goofer Dust"

"You serious?"

Ryleigh nodded "I'm afraid he is."

Then Sam answers him "Yeah. 'Fraid so. Look. Believe me, don't believe me, whatever you want. Just whatever you do, stay inside the circle, all right?" Evan nods and Sam finishes the circle and they both step into it with Evan.

Evan whirls around Sam and Ryleigh look at him "What?"

He looks at the duo "You hear that?"

Ryleigh shook her head as Sam says "No, where?"

"Right outside the door" The door starts rattling violently and Sam steps back into the circle.

The three of them are staring tensely at the rattling door "Just don't move, all right? Stay where you are."

The rattling gets louder then stops the female Winchester looks at Evan "do you still hear it?"

He shakes his head "No is it over?" A rumbling sound comes from a grating by the wall. They both whirl to stare at it; it bursts outward, kicking dust into the room. Evan looks panicked "It's here"

Sam looks at Even "No back, stay in the circle" Deep claw marks are gouged into the floor in a path towards the circle; they stop just before the edge. The wind starts blowing and eating away at the protective circle and once it's broken.

Ryleigh looked at the two boys "Circles broken let's go"

The three of them run out of the room and into the laundry room Sam is leaning against the door keeping it shut while the hellhounds pound against the other side.

The violent pounding stops; everything goes quiet the three of them look around the room.

Dean comes back and picks Sam and Ryleigh up, he takes and drops her off at the motel, she leaned against the driver's side window for a minute "It was nice meeting you boys... maybe we will get to work together on another case sometime."