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Rowena caught their eye when they sat down at their designated spot. Sam had been kind enough to provide every one with their own working space…in the form of a rectangle. Rowena still had to listen to Charlie's incessant humming and the annoying swish of that Angel’s hideous outerwear. Now a new person meant a new annoying quirk that Rowena will learn in just a few long hours.
“What are you in here for, dearie?” Rowena asked pointedly as she batted her eyelashes cutely at the newcomer.
“I can read,” They answered coolly. The bookworm understood that Rowena is a witch, Castiel an angel, Charlie a human like them but really good with computers, and that everyone was trying to rid Dean of a dangerous ancient spell. They also didn't feel like striking up conversation. This building was damp, old, and musty, they didn’t plan to stay for long. The quicker they got to work, the quicker they got out of there.
"Not to be crass, darling, but no shit, reading isn't exactly news anymore," Rowena retorted rather quickly. "Well, is it?" Rowena asked to the room, drawing in attention from the others. Charlie stopped typing, Castiel cleared his throat uncomfortably, and Sam made a face— like always.
"No, I suppose it isn't," Castiel answered with an air of confused finality.
"I read a lot, like everything and anything," The bookworm answered, "so, here I am."
"They're underselling it, they're the fastest reader I know," Sam hyped their friend up. "I wish I could get through case files that quickly."
"You're ridiculous, hush," Their voice sounded agitated, but they had a smile on their face.
"Perfect, we're trying to undo a spell as old as time and Samuel brought a nerd," Rowena complained dramatically. Wistfully she sighed as she sat herself back down in her chair.
A few hours had gone by without anyone talking again. Not to each other at least, there were some mutterings and mummerings from each person to themselves as they worked, but that was all.
"Is there anything here to eat or drink?" The bookworm was the first one to break the silence.
"No, we all just came straight here, I guess," Charlie answered quickly. "Why? Need snacks? I'm down for study snacks."
"We can't go anywhere, not with Rowena here. We need to watch her," Castiel spoke up, trying to preemptively squash any idea of leaving the distillery.
The bookworm smiled at Charlie before turning to Castiel. "You're the only one here potentially stronger than a witch, so you stay with her and we'll go," They gestured between themself and Charlie.
Rowena pouted and held her shackled wrists up, "or the handsome stoic one can set me free and we can all get out of this dump."
"No!" Charlie and Castiel shouted at the same time.
"Aw, guys, why not?" The bookworm asked out of genuine curiosity. All they heard about Rowena was her dealings in witchcraft and a roundabout age of the woman.
There are many ways one could answer that question. Even as a wee lass she was untrustworthy, coniving, and scrappy. Put plainly, she was a woman doing whatever-- literally what. Ever. She needed to survive. Including abandon her own son lying in his own sick in a ditch. It was difficult for Castiel to explain Rowena in short, but he made do. Of course, Rowena offered up some tidbits of her own and corrected Castiel’s anecdotes when necessary, often to her own detriment.
"So, what do you say, nerd, think you could use your brain to get me out of these things," Rowena asked. The inquisitive tone of her voice paired with her sharp hazel eyes made them feel acutely aware of her power. Not purely magical, purely Rowena.
The bookworm shot a glare at Rowena, she was using that name again, and they didn't care for it much. Especially not coming from a beautiful like herself.
"Oh," Rowena gasped in surprise before a sly smile appeared on her face. "Have I struck a nerve, dear?" Rowena asked before erupting into sweet laughter.
The sight of the daring witch made heat rise to the bookworm's cheeks. Although the sound of her laughter fused the heat of attraction with anger. They marched over to Rowena and yanked the chain attached to her shackles. Another gasp parted Rowena's lips as she lurched forward. The bookworm had a wonderful view of just how tightly the fabric of Rowena’s dress clung to her body.
"Do you want me to leave you here, hm?" They demanded an answer.
Rowena's surprise quickly gave way to something more sinister. The bookworm could see the shift in her eyes, in the set of her jaw, in her aura. Still Rowena found them amusing, though for their sake she didn’t show it. Well, not overtly.
She didn't tease, not yet.
All she did was smile or smirk, it was hard to tell, or maybe it was somewhere in between. Despite their arrangements with Rowena at a clear disadvantage, the bookworm felt like prey. It was clear to them, Rowena liked to play before going in for the kill.
"I'm not the kind of woman you can leave," Rowena practically purred when she spoke.
The moment the words fell on their ears, they knew it was true. They could already feel it, the pull Rowena had on them was dangerous. They wanted to know everything about her, and they wouldn’t stop until they did. When they set their mind on a goal, they achieved it, no matter the cost. While it served them well it has also been a pitfall.