Daughter of Odin

by S. K. Gregory

  I looked outside, but the wolf seemed to have fled. No sign of Fen either. He clearly let his pet do the dirty work.

  “We need to get him to the hospital. My car is outside,” Francesca said. We helped Bob to his feet, leaving blood smears across the diner floor.

  “We can’t go out there. Some psycho set a wolf on us,” I said.

  “I didn’t see anyone. Besides, Munin and Hugin kept the wolf at bay.”

  “Who and what kept the wolf at bay?”

  She smiled and stepped outside. I watched in astonishment as she whistled and the ravens, my two ravens both perched on her outstretched arm.

  “What the hell?” I muttered, moving closer.

  “This is Munin and Hugin. I’m not sure which is which. They belonged to your father and it appears they now belong to you.”

  “Pet ravens?”

  “More than just pets. They are guardians.” She gave her arm a small shake and they flew off.

  “Please tell me what is going on,” I said.

  “Not here,” Eaton croaked. “Let’s get in the car.”

  Once we were on the road, in Francesca’s Chevy, I started asking questions. “Who is my dad? Why is that Fen guy after me?”

  Francesca glanced over at me. “Why don’t I start at the beginning? It would be easier.”

  I nodded. “Okay, I want to know everything.”

  ***

  Spring

  1968

  Francesca

  “Order’s up!” Sal called from behind the grill. I grabbed the plate, wincing as it burned my fingers.

  “Careful, it’s hot,” Sal said, grinning at me.

  “Thanks for the heads up,” I said.

  Sal was a jerk, but he was also the owner so I couldn’t exactly tell him off. I needed this job.

  I took the plate to table four, painting on a smile for the customers. Waitressing sucked, but it was the only job available in town. I hoped to only spend a few months here then save up enough money to head to California, but then my car died, and my landlord raised my rent and now it looked like I was stuck here. I certainly wasn’t getting enough in tips to make a difference.

  I returned to the counter, where a man sat facing away from me. “Coffee?” I asked.

  He turned in his seat and my breath caught in my throat. He was the most beautiful man I have ever seen. Thick chestnut hair, a strong jawline, icy blue eyes and full lips. When he smiled, I felt my knees go weak.

  Don’t be ridiculous, you act like you’ve never seen a man before, I scolded myself.

  “I’d love some, thanks,” he said.

  I poured him a cup, discreetly checking his left hand. No ring. That didn’t mean much, most men took them off, but there was usually a mark left behind, there was no mark on him.

  “Beautiful day,” he said.

  “It is. Although I hear it’s supposed to rain later.”

  “Nothing wrong with a bit of rain. Good for the crops…” he paused while he checked my name tag. “Francesca.”

  “You got it right. Most people mangle my name.”

  “It’s a beautiful name. Italian?”

  I nodded.

  “My name is Odin.”

  “That’s an unusual name. Where are you from?”

  “My family hails from Norway originally.”

  “Are you just passing through?” I asked.

  “I was.”

  “What changed?”

  “I met you,” he said, leaning forward on the counter.

  It was definitely not the cheesiest pick up line I’d heard, but it was up there. So why did I find myself smiling back?

  I agreed to meet him that night for a drink. A drink turned into two, then three, and then I went back to his place.

  We spent the next three days locked away in his room, ignoring the world, making love, talking about everything and nothing.

  I found myself falling for him. He was funny and charming. I started to imagine a life with him.

  About two weeks into our relationship, I finished my shift and headed for the bed and breakfast where he was staying. Jean, the owner, met me at the door.

  “Hey Jean, is Odin here?”

  She gave me a sympathetic smile. “I’m afraid he has moved on.”

  “What do you mean? We were supposed to meet up tonight?”

  She gave a small shrug. “A man came looking for him, young fellow with long hair. Odin looked spooked when I told him. He left ten minutes later.”

  How could he just leave? There has to be some mistake.

  “Did he leave a note?”

  She shook her head. “Sorry, no.”

  I forced myself not to cry as I walked away. I really thought Odin wanted to be with me too. We talked about leaving Redwood Cove together, about traveling the country. How could he just leave without even a goodbye?

  I returned home, hoping to find him there, but he wasn’t there. I cried myself to sleep that night, but I had to face facts. I was nothing more than a fling and he had walked away without a second thought.

  A few weeks later, I was working in the diner when my head started spinning. I don’t remember hitting the floor. At the hospital, I discovered that I was pregnant. It felt like the universe was against me, giving me another thing to tie me down, to keep me from leaving town.

  I tried to hide it for as long as I could. The gossips in this town would tear you apart for being an unwed mother. Soon though, it became impossible. I didn’t have enough money to leave town, I couldn’t quit my job, so I continued to work, taking every comment and barb with a smile on my face.

  Then one day, he came back. He just appeared at the counter, a smile on his face as though no time at all had passed. I wanted to punch him, to kiss him. It was like I was in a dream.

  When his eyes found the bump, the smile faded.

  Dumping the plates I was holding onto a table, I yelled to Sal that I was taking my break and stalked outside. Odin followed me.

  When we were far enough away from the diner, I turned on him. “You son of a bitch!”

  “Francesca, please. I can explain.”

  I crossed my arms. “Go on then.”

  “I left town because someone from my past tracked me down. I had to go before he caught up to me.”

  What the hell was he involved in? Two ravens hopped up to us, heads cocked as though they were listening to our conversation.

  “And you couldn’t have left a note? Called me?”

  “I thought it would be better if I cut ties, in case he found out and thought you knew where I was. Besides, it doesn’t look like you waited around for me.”

  He waved a hand at my stomach.

  “You stupid son of a bitch, it’s yours!”

  The color drained from his face. “What? No, it can’t be.”

  “Do the math. You left six months ago and I am six months gone. Don’t worry I’m not looking for a ring on my finger. I can manage just fine by myself.”

  I pushed past him to go back inside, but his hand wrapped around my wrist. He turned me toward him. “Francesca, I’m sorry. There’s so much you don’t know. This child. It would be in danger.”

  “Danger from who?” I said.

  “My grandson, Fenrir. He believes I owe him a fight, so he can fulfil his destiny.”

  Grandson? How old was he? I thought he was maybe 25 at most. “A fight? That’s why you ran?”

  “It’s a fight to the death. Not only mine, but many of my people. He wants to burn our home to the ground. I had a plan, but this changes things.”

  For a moment, I had a spark of hope. That he would take me away with him and we could be a family.

  “The child needs to be sent away. Hidden. If not, Fenrir will find it and use it against me.”

  I yanked my hand from his. “Go to hell. This is my child and I will decide what happens to it.”

  “Francesca if you keep the child, Fenrir will take it from you. He will use its blood to undo my magic and Valhalla
will fall.”

  My mind reeled at what he was saying. He was completely crazy. Psychotic. Why didn’t I see it before?

  “Just leave, Odin. I don’t want to see you again.”

  “I’m not lying to you. I can prove it,” he said.

  He checked to see that no one was watching us, then using me as a shield from the diners, he opened his left palm and I watched in shock as electricity danced across his skin. He flicked his wrist up and thunder rumbled overhead.

  I gasped. “What is that?”

  “I’m Odin, the All Father. Ruler of Valhalla.” He pointed to the two ravens. “That is Hugin and Munin. My messengers.”

  I vaguely remembered hearing about Norse mythology at school. “You’re a…”

  “God.”

  Taking a shaky breath, I placed a hand on my bump. “The baby?”

  “Will be a demi-God. It might have powers, it might not. What’s important is the blood. I plan on sealing Valhalla off from Fenrir and saving my people. If he had my blood, he could use it to undo it.”

  My head was spinning. What he was saying couldn’t be true, but somehow, I knew it was. This was no magic trick, no smoke and mirrors. It was real.

  “Then take me with you. To Valhalla. That way he can’t get near the baby.”

  He shook his head. “Only the dead enter Valhalla and only the fiercest warriors. I cannot take you. Send the child away. Make sure no one can trace it back to you and the child should be safe, as will you.”

  “So, that’s it? You’re just going to leave forever, make me give up my child? How can you do this to me?” I started crying.

  “It’s the only way. If you don’t do as I say, you’ll watch the child die.”

  “You’re a monster,” I snapped.

  “No, the real monsters are closing in though. You’ll see, when the wolves are at your door.”

  He turned and walked away, leaving me standing there.

  Bob found me, sobbing in the rain. We had been friends since I came to town, he was always looking out for me.

  “Francesca? What’s happened?”

  “Odin came back. He told me to give the baby up.”

  Bob pulled me into a hug. “To hell with him. Look, I know I said it before, but you could tell people its mine. We could get married.”

  I shook my head. “I’m sorry, Bob. I don’t want to burden you.”

  “You wouldn’t be.”

  “It’s not right. He said that…that the baby would be in danger, if I kept it. Some grandson of his would hurt the child. I don’t know what to do.”

  “Come on. You can tell me all about it,” Bob said, leading me back to his car.

  I told him everything, as crazy as it sounded. When I was done, he just stared at me as though he thought I’d gone mad.

  “Francesca…”

  “Ignoring the magic stuff for a moment, what if he is right? What if someone does try to hurt the baby?”

  “I won’t let them,” he said.

  As a deputy, he could protect me, but he couldn’t be my guard 24-7. “I can’t keep this child. Even if I could afford it, which I can’t. I can’t spend my life looking over my shoulder.”

  “Then we’ll leave town. Go somewhere new.”

  “Bob, your job is here. Your mother. You know she’s been sick, you can’t leave her now.”

  He sighed. “Then I can get you some money and you can leave.”

  “I know how much you earn. No, I could never take money from you. Besides, I couldn’t work to support myself.”

  “So, what do you want to do?”

  “I’ll have to give the baby up for adoption.”

  “That will leave a paper trail. People will know who the baby belongs to.”

  I stared out the window at the pouring rain. “What if they found an abandoned baby?”

  “There will still be questions.”

  “Well we have a few months to make a plan.”

  I ran a hand over my stomach. Of course, I wanted the child. At first, I had been terrified, but now…I started to think about whether it would be a boy or girl. What its little face would look like. Giving the baby up would be awful. But losing it would be so much worse.

  Six

  I listened to Francesca’s story, steadily growing to hate my father as it progressed. He just walked away, leaving us both in danger. When she told me what he was, I didn’t know what to think. A God? It was impossible. Crazy. But then I thought of the lightning bolt that struck Hank down. Hank himself. My raven bodyguards and what Fen said. I was a demi-God, whatever that meant.

  “Why did the ravens come to me?” I asked.

  “I assume they were locked out of Valhalla. I guess they just went to the next in line. They followed me in the last month of my pregnancy. When I saw them, I thought that perhaps Odin was nearby, watching me. I was wrong.”

  “He sounds like an asshole,” I muttered.

  Francesca reached out and placed her hand on mine. I wanted to push her away, but I didn’t. “Why the dumpster?” I whispered.

  She sighed. “I had no time. I tried to lead them away from you. I knew that Bob would find you. I’m sorry.”

  There it was. The words I had been wanting to hear for years. I’m sorry. I expected to feel better, but I didn’t. It didn’t change anything.

  “What happens now?” I asked.

  “We’ll get Bob to the hospital, then you can take my car and leave town. Go as far away as you can. You will have to hide, Kari. Change your name. It’s the only way.”

  “Because I can open the door to Valhalla.” Saying it out loud made it sound even more nuts. “Maybe I should open it. Let Fenrir kick Odin’s ass. He deserves it.”

  “No, Kari, you can’t. Have you ever heard of Ragnarök?”

  I shrugged. “No, I don’t think so.”

  “It’s a mythical battle said to be between Odin and Fenrir. It will destroy Valhalla and bring about the end of the world. No matter what happens, you cannot open the door.”

  “This is insane. All of it. How do I know you’re not just making all of this up?” I said.

  “I wish I was,” she said quietly.

  We arrived at the hospital and helped Sheriff Eaton inside. He could barely stand under his own power.

  “You should go too, Francesca,” he said. “Get out of town.”

  “I’m not going anywhere,” she said.

  I watched as she fussed over him, wondering if they were ever together. He definitely cared about her, considering he asked her to marry him and was willing to take on a child that wasn’t his. I wondered what my life would have been if she had accepted his offer. I would have grown up in Redwood Cove with loving parents. No foster homes, no asshole foster parents.

  Or they could have kept you and you would have been murdered in your crib by Fenrir.

  A nurse took Sheriff Eaton through to get looked at, leaving Francesca and I alone. She wiped her hands on her coat, they were covered in sticky blood from Eaton’s arm.

  She removed her car keys from her pocket and held them out to me. “Take it and go.”

  “No.”

  “Don’t be stubborn. Just go.”

  “I’m not being stubborn. He knows I’m here. If I leave he will only come after you.”

  “I’m not afraid of him.”

  “Francesca.” I sighed. She called me stubborn. “I’m not going to take away your only way out of this town.”

  She gave me a sad smile. “I’m never leaving this town. I accepted that a long time ago. I’ll have Bob to back me up. Please go.”

  What good was Bob going to be? He was probably being doped up on painkillers as we spoke.

  I hesitated and she grabbed my hand and put the keys in it. She reached out to touch my cheek, staring at me with tears in her eyes. “Did you have a good life?” she whispered.

  I wanted to scream no! I didn’t have a good life, I had a shitty one. Moved around, never having a family to call my own, thinking my o
wn mother thought I was garbage. But the words wouldn’t come.

  “Yes,” I said, finally.

  She nodded. “Good. Go, Kari. Go live your life. Forget about me and Redwood Cove.”

  “Okay,” I said. I left the hospital, taking her car. I had no idea where I was heading, as long as it was far away from Fenrir, it would do.

  Francesca’s car was old, but well maintained. She kept it clean and there was a pair of fuzzy dice hanging from the mirror. I guessed that working as a waitress, it was one of the few things she owned. It made me think about my battered Walkman.

  I’ll never see that again.

  I remembered Francesca’s words – I’m never leaving this town.

  Was that a goodbye? As in, I’m never leaving this town alive? Fenrir would come for her and Eaton couldn’t protect her. If Odin was a God, and had powers, then so did Fenrir. He at least had a wolf at his command.

  And what do I have? Two overprotective ravens and possibly the ability to make lightning bolts.

  If I went back, I would be facing someone I knew nothing about. With a possible power that may or may not work.

  I thought of Denver. Did I kill that guy? Something definitely happened when I touched him. Nothing as obvious as a lightning bolt, but still…

  As shitty as it sounded, I owed Francesca nothing. If anything, I was doing what she wanted. Fleeing. Like my father had.

  Seven

  Francesca

  Standing in the dark diner, I waited for Fenrir, ready to face him at last. He was the monster lurking in the shadows. The wolf at my door. The last time I saw him was over nineteen years ago, the night Kari was born. Right here in fact.

  When the first contraction hit, I was cleaning down the counter after closing the diner for the night. It was late and I was alone. Since I was due in a couple of weeks, Sal seemed to use every opportunity to get as much work out of me as possible. He didn’t care that I was ready to drop, he cared that he was going to be short a waitress.

  I doubled over, groaning. “Not yet. Please don’t come early,” I whispered.

  We had a plan, Bob and I. I would leave just before my due date, have the baby and leave her at a fire house to be found. Then I would return and tell everyone that I had given the baby to my sister to raise. I did have a half-sister, but we hadn’t spoken in over a decade. She would never know that I was using her as an excuse.