I held my hands up saying, “I’ll help you get home, I promise.” She whispered, “You have on a mask.” I reasoned, “Well, yes… that’s true… but they didn’t, and they kidnapped you. I’m rescuing you. I guess we are doing this back to front, in your mind…” Humans would easily expect the other way around and she had no idea there was Ring or opposition to it.
She studied me for several minutes then nodded. I cut her zip ties off and got her into my car. She was shaking really badly. She whispered, “Thanks for saving me from those weirdos. They were crazy.” I took off my mask and she continued to study me.
I asked, “Why do you say that?” She snorted, “They said they were Demons. I think they actually believed that. Can you imagine? Demons. They need mental help.” I replied, “We couldall use some help. I’m Melanie but people call me Ashley. What’s your name?”
She sighed, “People call me Adair around here.” I asked, “What’s your real name? Because… trust me, I’m kind of the expert on saying people call me Ashley… when my name is Melanie. So…” She admitted, “My mom said I can’t tell people my real name.”
I asked, “Where is your mom?” Adair sighed, “Off with her boyfriend of the month.” I snorted, “Well, I won’t tell your mom if you want to tell me your real name. I don’t tell anyone that I’ve told some people my real name… I actually usually have someone with me to say my name. I’ve been told I’m a truly atrocious liar… which sounds harsh… I’m not great… which is annoying… but atrocious seems harsh.” She snickered but didn’t answer.
I put on the radio which Adair started to hum to. Wow… she had a great voice. I told her, “I play in a band. If you want, you could sing with us sometime.” She smiled admitting, “I love to sing.” I nodded, “I’d imagine so. You hum very well… so logically you are a good singer.”
Adair said, “Maybe I could sing with you guys. I usually work to help keep the electricity on in my apartment. Do you guys pay?” I looked at her, “Your mom doesn't keep up with the bills? Yes, I pay people. We get paid for the gigs… so it wasn’t like a for fun offer… though we do play together for fun sometimes…”
Adair sighed, “No, my mom doesn’t pay for anything. The rent is usually paid by her boyfriend of the month. Sometimes her boyfriend’s pay everything so I don’t bother them. Or the landlord doesn’t. My mom thinks I try to steal her boyfriends, but I don’t. They’re creepy.” Fury filled me.
I told her, “Yeah my aunt's husband is a creep, so I get it. How old are you?” She smiled, “Thank you for saving me. I didn’t say it back there, but thanks. I just turned sixteen recently.”
I told her, “Saving people is my thing. Don’t worry about it. I teach self-defense classes. You should stop by.” Really, she should. She was Supernatural; she just didn’t know it. Her Supernatural genes meant she’d be good at fighting; she just needed to train.
Adair’s face lit up. She whispered, “Really? Where?” I parked at a hotel and wrote down the address. I told her, “Don’t go back to your apartment. I’ll get it shut down for some reason and set you up with a new place. Ok, Adair?” I was hoping if I said her name enough, she’d want to tell me her real one. I’d know better than anyone you just want to hear your actual name sometimes.
She whispered, “Odette. My real name is Odette.” I smiled, thanking science for that win. I replied, “That’s a beautiful name. What’s your last name?” She sighed, “I don’t have one. Well, not that I know of. My mom is super paranoid about someone taking me from her.” Not paranoid enough considering someone had just successfully taken her.
I asked, “Why would she be?” Odette explained, “My older brother’s dad took him from her. My brother didn’t like her though, so I don’t think his dad took him so much as he willingly left. I miss him.” I offered, “I could help you find him.” Odette smiled, “Thanks. I’m looking for him myself though. I’ll find him.”
I nodded, “If you change your mind, I’ll help you.” She nodded. I asked, “So is your mom scared your dad will take you too?” Odette frowned, “She says so. All I know about my dad is he gave me some blood disorder and doesn’t want me. So, I don’t know why she’s worried he’ll take me.”
I frowned knowing that the chances that was a lie were highly likely. That was my guess since this girl had NO human blood and no Supernatural had a blood disorder unless they were being poisoned. I asked, “Do you move a lot?”
Odette nodded, “Oh yeah. Ever since my brother left, my mom shuffles us from one place to the next following some guy. They eventually break up with her. She has a few days of wallowing with ice cream and wine, then we move onto the next city and guy.” I frowned.
I took out an extra phone I kept on hand and handed it to her. I said, “If you ever need me, call. If I don’t see you Thursday for self-defense classes, I’ll come looking for you. Your new apartment address and keys will be delivered to you tomorrow. The hotel is paid for.”
Odette asked, “Why are you helping me?” I told her, “Helping people is what I do. My family abandoned me too, but I’ve made new friends. They’ve practically become my family. You can do the same.” She nodded tentatively at me.
I explained, “The front desk clerk will just give you a key. Call if you need anything… seriously. I’ll send someone… or come myself. It depends on what’s going on.” Odette smiled and got out of the car. I watched her get inside safely.
My inside man texted he’d given her the key. Now I needed to handle her new place. I’d make sure she had everything paid for so she could be a kid. She deserved that. Everyone did. I couldn’t have it, but I could give it to Odette. I drove away planning how to keep her safe.
Flashback Ends
I shook off the past. I’d gotten Odette to open up with us. She’d learned self-defense and took to it easily like I thought. Now, she was just gone. I was supposed to be able to find people. My friends thought I was being obsessive about it… and I was… but people should NOT be able to hide from me like this. She needed us… needed me. She was only sixteen.
Because of this ordeal, my friends decided I needed a vacation after our gig in Louisiana. I did NOT need a vacation.LORD knows the trouble my brother could get into while I was missing for two weeks. Without me watching his dang back… he’d be dead. Multiple times over by now. My friends all PROMISED they would watch out for him.
This was all because of Morgana. That vapid, evil hiding Odette from me woman… If I could find the new name she was going by… I would be going to kick her butt to the east river! Morgana was Odette’s missing in action mother. She’d returned, apparently.
I imagined she flew in on her broomstick. The Wicked Witch of Nashville was on the loose. I hadn’t heard from Odette for a few days, then she’d missed a gig. She loved to sing in our band, and I paid her generously when she did.
She had an amazing voice everyone loved… she was popular with our band and fans. Odette was beautiful with blond hair and blue eyes. She was a sweet kid despite being abandoned by her mother. Even after being kidnapped... albeit briefly… she was still the kindest soul with a killer voice.
We were working up to telling her about the Supernatural world. Sierra came up with the plan because… I was not exactly subtle and usually blurted things out. Odette was skittish as it was… So we had a plan.
After she’d missed the gig, I’d gone to her apartment and found the phone I’d given her with a note. A note from Morgana to leave her daughter alone… she threatened me. ME! Like I would care. My life was in constant danger for a multitude of reasons.
I couldn’t stop my snort. Leave her alone? Like she did? My mother would NEVER do what she did to Odette. It wasn’t fair that my mom was murdered and mother’s like Morgana were still out there. I didn't have much to go in my search for finding Odette’s dad.
None of the men I could find linked to her wretched mother had a blood disorder, which confirmed my suspicions that Odette was taking some placebo thinking it was for a disorder, so she didn’t look for her dad. I really didn’t know what Werewolf could even have a condition. I’d never met the evil woman who happened to be her mother… so I couldn’t tell. If she did have some weird disease she kept it on the down low.
