Huntress: The Hunter's Daughter Book 4 (A Supernatural Fanfiction)

Carol Perry: The First Thanksgiving

I drive down the long street, bright signs lighting the pathway. I've been driving around for a few months now, Emma growing more and more each day. We have been living in my car, never having enough money to stay in a motel, but I think it's time for a change.

My account is still heavily packed with money for food and clothes, the last thing my parents gave me before I left. Neither of them has met their granddaughter. Nor were they there for me when I gave birth, a memory that still stings four months later.

Finally finding a nice enough looking motel, I turn into the parking lot and park. I gather Emma's diaper bag and unbuckle her from her car seat. My arms full, I walk into the main office where a woman stands behind the counter, her makeup thick and her skin dark, her brown eyes focused on a fashion magazine in her hands.

"What can I do for you?" The woman says, not looking up from her magazine.

"Uh," I say, placing the diaper bag on the ground. "Just one room, please."

"How many beds?"

"One, p-please," I say. The woman looks up at me and raises an eyebrow. I'm sure it is very obvious I have never done this before.

"You seem a little young," she says and I feel my cheeks go red. Of course I do. I'm only seventeen. What the hell am I doing here?

"Uh," I say and I shake my head and give a nervous laugh. "I get that a lot, actually."

The woman looks at me blankly and I give another nervous laugh. "I'm twenty," I lie, going for my wallet where my fake ID is. "Here." I show her my ID and she analyzes it for what feels like forever.

"Okay," the woman says. "Your room number is one-oh-six. When you check out, I'll give you your bill."

I smile and take the key from the woman. Gathering my things once more, I make my way to my room. After several trips to the car, I finally have everything I need. Emma sleeps soundly in her car seat and I can't help but look at her sadly. This wasn't the life I wanted for her. Sometimes I regret not staying, but she deserves so much more than the life of a hunter.

Sighing, I lay down in my bed and close my eyes.

***

The next morning, I find a cute little diner down the road. Our waitress is nice and continuously makes faces at Emma when she brings me a refill or more food.

"Any Thanksgiving plans?" The waitress asks and I smile shyly.

"Not really," I say.

She tilts her head to the side. "No? Don't you have any family to go back to?"

I bite my lip and shake my head. "Nope," I say. "Just Emma and I." I look back up at her and try to give her the best smile I can manage, but she looks at me sadly.

"Well," she says. "I'm working Thanksgiving, so if you come in on Thursday, I'll treat you to a nice meal, sound good?"

I smile at the woman. "That would be lovely, thank you."

She smiles back at me and continues on to another table.

***

For the next two days, I make sure every one of my meals is at the diner, the waitress, Emory, being one of the nicest people I have come across in a long time. She sits with me during her breaks and coos over Emma and goes on and on about how strong I am for being a single mother.

Thanksgiving rolls around and I make my way to the diner for dinner. Not very many people are there tonight, seeing that most of them are out with their families. Emma hiccups on my hip as I enter the building and Emory looks up from the table she is wiping down.

"Hey!" She says, smiling. "Please! Have a seat. I'll be with you in just a moment."

I smile and take my usual seat in the corner booth. Emory brings over a high chair and I place Emma in it. "So," Emory says, handing me a menu. "We have some Thanksgiving specials today. Our chef has been cooking a nice turkey all day and is just about done. We also have all sorts of different Thanksgiving sides that you can choose from. But if none of that sounds good tonight, you are more than welcome to order a burger."

I laugh. "A nice Thanksgiving meal does sound amazing," I say and she smiles.

"That will be right out then. You two just sit tight." I watch Emory leave back into the kitchen and I feel my heart pick up a little. Something feels... Off. Though I can't quite figure out why.

Moments later, Emory comes back out, her apron off and her name tag gone. I give her a confused look as she sits across from me. "Done working for the day," she says. "And it just so happens I don't have a family to go to for Thanksgiving, either."

She gives me a small smile and I feel my heart beat pick up again. Something really does feel off... Or maybe I'm just starting to gain feelings for this woman sitting across from me?

I mentally shake my head at the idea. Since when are you attracted to women, Carol?

"So," Emory says and she takes one of my hands, intertwining our fingers. I look down at our hands, my heart racing now, but I make no move to remove my hand from hers. "What happened?"

"What do you mean?"

Emory looks at me and then to my baby sucking on one of her many toys. "There's obviously a story here. Young mother, no family. Where's the father?"

I bite my lip. "I don't know where he is," I answer honestly.

She nods her head. "One-night stand?"

I shrug. "Kind of," I say. "More like a boy who was only with me to get in my bed. I should have known I meant nothing to him."

She gives me a sad smile. "I can't imagine why he would only want that. You're absolutely beautiful. And you have an amazing personality."

I blush. "Oh," I say. "Thank you."

"I say that man is an idiot for leaving such an amazing woman behind," she continues, her hand tightening around mine. "His loss, I guess."

I blush even more and she makes her way around to the other side of the booth so that we are sitting shoulder to shoulder. "If I were him," she says, her voice low and her face inches from mine. "I would never have left."

I feel my face heat up more as she leans in and kisses me, her lips tasting sweet. When she pulls back, she gives me a smile. "You look like an angel."

My heart skips a beat as she leans again and that's when it hits me. The putrid smell of sulfur hits my nose as she leans in a kisses me again. I quickly pull back to see her eyes dark and she smirks at me.

"Get away from me," I snap and I bring my feet up and kick her off the booth. I quickly grab Emma and try to make it to the door, but two more demons stand there, blocking my path.

"You're not going anywhere," one of them says.

I whirl around to see Emory standing there, a smirk on her face. "I'm surprised she didn't figure it out sooner, honestly," she says. "Guess mom and dad never taught you much about figuring out who is who, now did they?"

I hold Emma closer to my chest, trying to figure out how I was going to get out of this. I should have been more careful. I have hunters, demons, and vampires alike wanting me and my daughter dead. Hell, even my own parents wanted me dead.

"I said get away from me," I snap and I call to my powers. All around me, black smoke fills the air as the demons leave the human bodies they have kept hostage for who knows how long. One by one, they fall to the ground and I race out of the diner and to my car.

Without looking back, I take off and never return.