Disclaimer- I do not own Supernatural or any of its characters.

Shadow, people! The daeva was freakin' creepy…..

Thanks to everyone who reviewed!

Garideth- Thanks! Would it be a bit lame if I said that I was super happy about the name of the chapter most of all?

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CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX- WHAT LURKS IN THE DARK

I fidgeted, uncomfortable in my new outfit.

"All right, this is the place," I heard Sam say, and I stepped out apprehensively.

I tottered in my heels, silently cursing the need to wear them.

Dean shot something of a grin my way, guessing my predicament.

He nudged Sam, who glanced over, considerately trying not to laugh.

Dean had no such inhibitions.

"Sorry, Odette," Sam fought a smile. "Nobody's gonna believe you're older unless you look a little…." He coughed awkwardly.

Taller.

Of course.

I flushed, turning even redder when I tripped and Sam decided to help me navigate the cobbled street.

Dean's snickers were embarrassingly loud.

~Supernatural~

I flinched, the stench of death and decay strong in my nose.

"Thanks for lettin' us look around," Sam smiled at the landlady.

"Well, the police said they were done with the place, so…." We moved further into the room.

Dean shut the apartment door, gesturing to the chain.

It was broken.

The carpet in the living room was spotted with dark, clotted blood.

"You guys said you were with the alarm company?"

I tried to nod convincingly.

I'd always been a bad liar.

"That's right," Dean inserted smoothly, shuffling me behind him.

The landlady scowled. "Well, no offense, but your alarm's about as useful as boobs on a man."

There was an awkward pause.

"Well, that's why we're here," Dean recovered quickly. "To see what went wrong and stop it from happening again."

"Now, ma'am, you found the body?" Sam looked at her expectantly.

"Yeah." She replied tersely.

"Right after it happened?" Sam persisted.

"No. Few days later," she surveyed the room with distaste. "Meredith's work called- she hadn't shown up. I knocked on the door. That's when I noticed the smell."

"Any windows open? Any sign of a break-in?" Dean crossed his arms, waiting.

"No, windows were locked, front door was bolted." She answered. "Chain was on the door, we had to cut it just to get in."

"And the alarm was still on?" Dean's eyebrow rose.

"Like I said, bang-up job your company's doin'."

I tried to stay out of her sightline.

~Supernatural~

"So, get anything from the cops?"

Sam waved the EMF meter, and it beeped frantically.

"Uh, yeah," Dean smirked. "I spoke to Amy, a, uh, charming, perky officer of the law."

"Yeah? What'd you find out?"

I knew what was coming.

Dean's eyes unfocused. "Well, she's a Sagittarius. She loves tequila, I mean—wow. Oh, and she's got this little tattoo-"

"Dean!" Sam sighed heavily.

I had half a mind to join him.

He blinked rapidly. "What? Yeah. Uh, nothin' we don't already know. Except for one thing they're keepin' out from the papers."

"Hm?" Sam tugged out the toolbox.

"Meredith's heart was missing."

We were both stunned.

"Her heart?" Sam repeated.

"Yeah. Her heart."

"So, what do you think did it to her?"

Dean pursed his lips. "Well, the landlady said it looked like an animal attack. Maybe it was—a werewolf?"

I concealed my squeak of surprise.

"No, no werewolf, the lunar cycle's not right," Sam replied, perfectly calm.

"See if you can find any masking tape around," Dean picked up his toolbox.

~Supernatural~

Dean connected each pool of blood with the masking tape, stepping back to take a look.

"Ever see that symbol before?" Sam poked at it experimentally.

"Never," Dean answered.

"Me neither."

We exchanged a look.

~Supernatural~

I tapped my foot by the car, impatiently waiting for Dean and Sam to come out of the bar.

Ever since the Benders had captured me, I'd been afraid of being on my own in most places.

Not that I would ever tell them.

I sighed with relief, then paused in confusion when I heard Dean talking.

"Who the hell was she?"

"I don't really know. I only met her once. Meeting up with her again? I don't know, man, it's weird."

I pinched my nose worriedly.

What was going on now?

"And what was she saying?" Dean demanded. "I treat you like luggage? What, you were bitchin' about me to some chick?"

I poked Sam in the ribs.

He blinked at me, then got the hint. "Yeah, I ran into somebody I met back in the bar."

Dean glared at him.

Sam exhaled heavily. "Look, I'm sorry, Dean. It was when we had that huge fight when I was at the bus stop in Indiana. But that's not important, just listen-"

Dean wasn't having it. "Well, is there any truth to what she's saying? I mean, am I keeping you against your will, Sam?"

Both of us were staring at him now.

"No, of course not," Sam sounded exasperated. "Now, would you listen?"

"What?" Dean snapped, much the same way as he answered me, most of the time.

"I think there's somethin' strange going on here, Dean."

"Yeah, tell me about it," he snorted. "She wasn't even that into me."

I bit back a smile.

"No, man," Sam waved it aside. "I mean like our kind of strange. Like, maybe even a lead."

"Why do you say that?" Dean's eyes narrowed.

"I met Meg weeks ago, literally on the side of the road. And now, I run into her in some random Chicago bar? I mean, the same bar where a waitress was slaughtered by something supernatural?"

"I don't know," he shrugged. "Random coincidence. It happens."

"Yeah it happens," Sam's tone was skeptical. "But not to us. Look, I could be wrong, I'm just sayin' that there's something about this girl that I can't quite put my finger on."

Dean smirked. "Well, I'd bet you'd like to. I mean, maybe she's not a suspect, maybe you've got a thing for her, huh?"

I chuckled quietly, and Sam met my gaze, rolling his eyes.

Sam became serious again. "Do me a favor. Check and see if there's really a Meg Masters from Andover, Massachusetts, and see if you can't dig anything up on that symbol on Meredith's floor."

"What are you gonna do?" I asked Sam.

"I'm gonna watch Meg."

Dean burst out laughing. "Yeah, you are."

"I just wanna see what's what," Sam said, a tad too defensive. "Better safe than sorry."

"All right, you little pervert," Dean's tone was almost gleeful.

"Dude."

"I'm goin', I'm goin'."

He grabbed me by the elbow. "C'mon, kid, we got work to do."

~Supernatural~

I knew he was there.

"Hello, Odette."

I turned to face him.

"Hey, Castiel."

He surveyed me impassively.

"The symbol you are looking for is Zoroastrian. It is old, ancient even."

His blue eyes hardened slightly. "Thousands of years before Christ, in fact. A sigil to control a daeva."

"Daeva?" The unfamiliar word fell hesitantly from my lips.

He dipped his head. "Savage, animalistic demons. Creatures of darkness."

"Thanks, Castiel."

"Don't thank me yet," He raised his head, eyes pulsating with a strange light. "You have not found it yet. Tell me what the victims have in common, Odette."

I stared at him in bewilderment. "Nothing, they-"

It hit me with a sick swirl of nausea.

Both victims were born in Lawrence, Kansas.