[h2]Esme Stirling[/h2]

Esme was pretty much out of it by now. She hardly noticed when Cason moved hair from her face, she just barely took in what he said to the others. She dipped her head and closed her eyes, trying to compose herself from the massive amount of emotions to hit her all at once, not to mention the blast that came from Annabeth. When that hit her it was excruciating. It had felt as if her chest was going to burst. She could just make out them talking about the vault and where it was, giving a small smirk at how Bobby answered Dean. 

When Cason mentioned bringing in his dogs, she thought about it and almost jumped at the thought that came to mind. He didn’t mean Hellhounds, did he? She pushed the thought from her mind for the moment and concentrated on her breathing, trying to keep it slow and steady. She heard several sets of footsteps leave the room to check out the vault, and she knew Cason was still at her side. Esme opened her eyes when he pulled her face towards his. She watched him as he looked her over. 

It was still weird to her having a demon worry about her wellbeing. By the way he was giving her, she knew she must look pretty rough. Possibly worse than she did at the hotel. At his words, she looked away and closed her eyes. “Ha, so you noticed that?” she asked tiredly, with a smirk. She opened her eyes again and looked at a book that happened to be on the floor. “I’m starting to realize that as well.” She sighed heavily and shook her head gently. 

“They’re going to be the death of me, not some monster or angel.” she mumbled in the same tired tone as he picked up her hand. She shifted to the side and moved her legs out from under her. She stretched her left one out and bent her right. Esme then leaned forward, crossing her free arm over her knee and rested her chin on her arm. It was then she fully realized that he had her hand. She looked down at their hands, then at him with a raised brow. “Have you figured out my secret?”