So the kid that had showed me around was part-flamethrower. The more you know. But as impressed as I was with Leo's 'barbecue' I couldn't help but notice something.
My hearing was pretty amazing as a god. I discovered that a while ago. Which is why, when something started running about fifty feet up the stairs in the direction the Hydra came from, I heard it.
"You good?" Leo asked me. "You're looking a little spaced out there. I know it can be a bit surprising—"
"Hold on," I told him.
I didn't transform, but I didn't have to in order to clear every single step in one jump. My steps formed cracks on the floor of the subway as I propelled myself forward. I squinted as I ran, trying to track where the sound was coming from. Then I caught a glimpse of white.
An ear that was way too big and covered in white fur was disappearing around a corner. The thing was fast… but I was faster.
When I got to the corner, I jumped forward, tucking in my knees. I slammed into the wall feet-first. From there, I kicked out, propelling myself faster than if I was running.
The furry creature heard me coming. Not only that, he was a different one of the same race, unless they possessed some healing power I didn't know about, because this one had completely working arms. He drew a dagger from its belt and spun, the blade whistling at my temple.
My arm snapped up and caught his wrist as I flew forward. My knees collided with his chest. I wanted to say that I heard something break, but really, I think most of him broke.
His chest caved in as we flew together into the far wall, his ears fanning out like flags in the breeze. He glared at me right up to the moment he dissolved into dust. He was definitely tough, I'd give him that.
As I stood up, I scratched my head. Maybe I overdid this. I wanted to ask some questions, but it's a bit hard when you turn the one with the answers to dust in seconds. Oh well. Anything tough enough to glare at me with a fractured skeleton wasn't likely to tell us anything important anyway.
I heard footsteps in the direction I came from. Leo appeared around the corner, followed by the rest of the men. Even though they were mortals, they didn't hesitate to charge. They might have looked rough on the outside, but they definitely had guts on the inside, which counted for a lot more.
Leo looked between me and the cracked wall I used as a springboard.
"Could you show me how to do that?" he asked.
"Only if you can teach me to catch on fire," I said.
"Oh, that's easy. We just need some gasoline and a match…" Leo's face got serious as he looked at the dust beside me. "What was that?"
"Dunno," I admitted. "It was white and furry, with ears that went all the way to its hips. I saw one earlier too."
I thought about adding more details, but Leo had already gotten pale. The men behind him were whispering something to each other. It sounded like, "Pandai…"
"Uh-oh," Leo said. "That's no good."
"What's so bad about these guys?" I asked, looking back at the pile of dust.
"Everything?" he said. "Each of them is tougher than a hydra. They're fast, strong, and fighting is in their freaking blood. But most importantly, they hear everything. If they've caught our position, we'll have to move."
The mortals shifted when he said 'move.' It clearly bothered them. Considering they were willing to charge a Hydra, it had to be something bad if it was enough to make them squirm.
Leo looked at the dust pile for a little bit longer. Then he said, "Artemis will have to be told."
"Let's tell her then," I said, shrugging.
Leo grimaced.
O-O-O
"No matter what they do, don't make eye contact. Their vision is based on movement, and they can smell fear! Definitely do not check any of them out. Do not talk to them. Do not crack jokes, even to the room in a general vague way! That can be enough to set them off…"
"Dude," I said to Leo, who was trudging through the tunnel beside me. "These are just mortals we're talking about, right?"
"Not just mortals," Leo said. "Women."
The tunnel around us went from narrow and dim to much larger and better-lit. It was a station like the one the men were occupying, but this one was on a major route. It was bigger, with at least five times as many people and real tents. Not everyone here looked like fighters. I saw at least two little girls moving around, and there was a preteen warming herself beside a fire with other women. When Leo and I stepped into view, more than a few looked our way.
A big copper bell had been fixed on a post right next to the entrance. Leo reached up and grabbed the rope, ringing it. His hand was shaking as he did. I couldn't tell how much of it was an act. He was definitely the type to play up his nerves for effect, and he was hard to get a read on.
When the bell made its noise more women looked at us. Heads poked out of tents. I felt like a new kid arriving on the first day of class— and if anyone would know what that felt like, it would be the guy who couldn't make it more than a year at any of his schools.
Before we could wait long, a familiar face walked briskly toward us. Katie had shed her bow and arrows, but was still dressed like a hunter, with the trademark silver coat. She smiled.
"I know you have questions," she told me, "but Artemis is touchy about visits without a good reason—"
"We've got a reason," I said.
"A really bad reason," Leo said. He blinked. "No, a really good reason. I mean like, a reason that's really bad, so it's a good reason to come here and tell you, because you need to know the thing that's so bad."
"What?" Katie said, completely reasonably.
Leo sighed, sliding fingers through his oily hair. "Pandai," he said.
Katie paled. "Where?"
"At our camp," Leo said. "Percy killed it."
"Why is it such a big deal?" I asked. "If I got rid of it, surely that's a good thing."
Both of them shook their head at me, which made me feel stupid for asking what I thought was a pretty good question.
"Pandai never work alone," Katie said. "They were mercenaries before. Krios hired them as his personal guards, just to make sure no one could escape his notice. If one found us, then whether it's tomorrow or in a week, the rest will come too. Artemis needs to hear this."
"That's why we're here," Leo reminded her.
Katie looked between the two of us. She seemed to be hesitating over something. Eventually, she said, "Leo, you go and tell her."
"Not me?" I asked.
"She's… I don't know how she'd react to you right now," Katie said apologetically.
"So she still thinks I'm a fake."
"You did come back from the dead," Katie said.
"Yeah, whatever," I grumbled. "I get it. Just go alone, Leo."
He looked past Katie at the the other women staring, then trudged forward. He hung his head as he did so, meandering toward a silver tent right in the middle that actually had complete walls and didn't look in danger of falling over.
"You'd think he would enjoy being the center of attention," I said.
"Most of the people who survived this long aren't very good at laughing," Katie said. "I get it. Leo gets it. But telling a joke and getting crickets really throws him off. Anyway, he'll live." Katie glanced over her shoulder. "I should go too. I want to be there for this conversation. Head back for now, Percy. But… It's good to see you. I'm glad you're okay."
She gave my hand a quick squeeze before following Leo. I watched her go, then turned around and trudged back into the tunnel, feeling like I wasted a trip.
The irritated part of my brain thought Artemis was being paranoid. I knew it was really me, so I wanted her to recognize that too. But really, could you call someone paranoid after surviving here for so long? You definitely didn't escape Pandai, hydras, and a genocidal Titan by trusting easily.
I would just have to wait for now. I'd get a chance to turn things around soon.
O-O-O
Leo came back three hours later and promptly passed out. He did it face-down, but I could hear him snoring. Dealing with that camp really did take a ton out of him.
I stuck around the edge of camp, sort of keeping guard. I was bored, to tell the truth. I know that's a bad thing to say. When an attack would probably mean deaths, even with my help, I really shouldn't be wishing for one. But when the alternative is just sitting around a tunnel, staring at the same patch of wall, that takes a toll in a different way.
It got so bad that I wandered out into the tunnel, finding the nearest Moonlace plant. That was a bad idea.
Staring at those glowing leaves only made my heart ache. Suddenly, instead of being bored, I was bored and sad. I used one finger, brushing the spine of one of the leaves, feeling the faint prickling. My mom had been here. Where was she now?
I had no answer. None at all. There was a small part of me that wanted to charge out of here right now and search for her, even if I had to do it aimlessly. But that was stupid. She would never forgive me if I gave up on the world for her sake.
"They're great plants."
I jumped. I'd been so absorbed in my own little world that I didn't notice Katie approach until she spoke. Some guard I was.
"It's pretty neat," I admitted. "Almost… magic."
"That was cheesy."
"Super cheesy," I agreed.
Katie wasn't dressed for battle. In fact, she'd even left her Hunters coat behind. She wore a simple white tank top and pants designed for movement. While I was looking at her, she looked at me. We both sized each other up, taking in the ways we'd each changed.
"The Pandai won't be back for at least two days," she said. "Artemis is confident in that. We have some downtime before we need to move."
"Downtime. My favorite."
"Are you bored?" Katie asked.
"A little," I said, trying not to feel childish for it.
She just smiled. "Come on. I'll show you my favorite spot."
She took me in a different direction. We followed the subway line past two more stations, before reaching the smallest one yet. It was both completely unremarkable, and completely special. Let me explain.
Half of the space had been filled with rocks and dirt after a cave-in. Pipes had burst, spraying water down like a waterfall, although the actual water had dried up years ago now. The platform that was left was about the size of a big living room, with plastic seats that had somehow stayed as good as new throughout everything. A blanket had been laid over them, and there was even a pillow at the end.
What made it special was honestly pretty simple. Where the water had been, there were plants.
They looked like types of mosses, but they covered multiple rocks, turning them a deep green. Their growth was unnatural, even for moss. They'd ballooned up and out, thriving where they should have struggled.
"I spruced the place up a little bit," Katie said, referring to both the blanket and the plants. "I helped it grow, and made sure it was healthy. I come here, sometimes, when I can afford to get away. It makes me feel a little bit better about everything.
I walked forward, brushing my fingers against the moss. You could feel how alive it was. After weeks in the barren, artificial desert above ground, the only flora I'd seen were the Moonlace plants, and this felt natural in a way those clearly weren't.
Katie climbed onto the platform, walking to the bench and sitting down. She patted the spot beside her, indicating for me to join her.
"I kept this place a secret," she said when I sat down.
"But you brought me here?"
"I did. You're the first person I showed it to."
"Why?"
"Because seeing you reminds me of old times," she said. "And because this is the place I would go to feel better when it all became too much. And recently, it hasn't been cutting it."
She laughed, but it wasn't a happy sound. When she looked at me, I could see that she wasn't nearly as relaxed as she tended to portray herself as. She was just as scared, and worn-down, and exhausted as everyone else. But she didn't show it. Because it was easier for them if she didn't.
"Did Annabeth make it?" Katie asked.
My silence said it all.
"I'm sorry," she said. "Could… Could you comfort me, then?"
I wonder if being a god changes your moral compass. I know that they were always sleeping around, but I thought that was just their personality and the effect of living for so long. But recently, my attitudes toward sex had loosened in a similar way. Not so much for pleasure, maybe, but I was exposed to the practical benefits, including what it could do for a weary head.
Maybe it wasn't about becoming an immortal, but about what the world had become. That might make more sense. Whatever the cause, the change was here now.
I leaned in. So did Katie. Our lips met.
I genuinely didn't know what to say that could help make her feel better. From what I could see, she desperately deserved a break. I could give her that with my body, and my power would grow in return. There was no reason to turn her down.
I willed our bodies clean with a thought. Katie broke the kiss, gasping.
"That's new," she said.
She sounded excited. She looked excited. I smiled as we kissed again.
Even with the blanket laid on it, the subway seats were far from comfortable. I leaned Katie back, then rolled us so that she was on top. She broke the kiss, rising up and straddling me. Looking into my eyes, she pulled off her top.
She wasn't wearing a bra underneath. Her breasts were small, with areolas the color of fresh soil. I sat up, cupping her back with one hand as I bit and sucked against her chest.
Katie moaned. She grabbed my head, holding me close. My cock hardened inside of my pants, and feeling this, Katie began grinding against me.
I looked up at her as I took one of her nipples between my teeth, giving it a tug. I could feel her shudder. We separated, but only long enough for me to get my shirt off.
Katie returned the favor when my shirt was gone, biting my own chest and rubbing her hands along my muscles. I slit my hand underneath her pants to cup her butt. She responded by popping the button on her pants, beginning to shimmy out of them.
Suddenly, Katie yelped. I had grabbed her bare hips and lifted her up. I inserted my head between her thighs, my tongue sliding inside of her.
She moaned, grabbing my wrists for support. Her head rested on my thighs, her hair fanned out behind her, while I held up her hips. She arched her back. I used this to dig my tongue deeper. Her clit trembled as I worked on it, pulling out every trick I'd learned from constant practice with Calypso and other women.
"You're amazing!" Katie moaned. "Don't stop, Percy!"
Instead of stopping, I was just warming up.
I spread my legs and tilted her even further, so that her back was resting on the bench between my calves. My tongue attacked her from above, and at this angle, she was completely defenseless. Her hands released my wrists in order to press on my thighs, helping to support her weight. With a wanton cry, she offered up her first orgasm.
I smacked my lips to taste the sweet fluid. Katie was breathing hard, telling me she wasn't used to cumming like that. I flipped her around, so that her head was lying on a pillow, before dragging off my own pants.
She reached down past her thighs, cupping my penis and rubbing its different sides. She stared at it with so much longing that I almost felt embarrassed. Then she spread her legs, looking up expectantly. I moved my hips so that I was in position, and she guided me to her entrance.
I planted my elbows on either side of her body, resting my weight on top of hers. I could feel Katie's warmth beneath me… and around me, when I pushed my hips down and entered her properly.
Katie's legs hooked around my hips seconds later. I eased through her with consistent, rhythmic thrusts. I didn't want to break her, or be rough in any way. This was about letting her relax. I wanted to bring out her pleasure in the gentlest way I could.
As my body rolled against her own, Katie looked up at me with love. Not the devotional kind, and not even a strictly romantic kind, but it was still love. We were both Camp Half-Blood campers. We knew each other for years, and fought side by side. In a world like this, that meant a lot.
Something was starting inside of me. It was a flicker in my chest, one that scared me at first, because I thought I might accidentally assume my true form. But this feeling was a little bit different. It was more peculiar, and unfamiliar. But it was also minor, and I soon ignored it in favor of focusing on the girl underneath me.
With my elbows still planted beside her, I reached up with one hand, stroking her brown hair. It was still soft and luscious, despite the hard living she'd gone through. Katie's back arched again, pressing her breasts into my chest. I could hear the pillow beneath her head sliding as I pressed myself deeper inside of her.
"Thank you," Katie moaned, her voice high-pitched from pleasure. "Thank you, Percy…"
"You don't have to thank me," I grunted. "It's great for me too."
I wasn't lying. Katie was tight and particularly warm, like her body was one big bundle of energy. I hoped Artemis wouldn't find out about this, but I didn't think it would matter if she did. I'd felt that Katie wasn't a virgin before this, so Artemis must've learned how to compromise in the time since we last met.
That feeling in my chest was growing. It was becoming stronger and stronger, until it felt like someone was electrocuting my heart, just with a low enough voltage that I could ignore it if I chose to. I couldn't make sense of it.
Katie's head darted up. She dug her teeth into the side of my neck. That was when something strange happened.
Her head dropped back onto the pillow, moaning sharply. While I watched, a hickey appeared on her neck, splotchy and pink. But I hadn't bitten her! As I looked at it, I realized it was in exactly the same spot she bit me.
What? Since when could I do that?
There was no more time to worry about it. Katie certainly wasn't. She hooked her legs behind my ass and squeezed, as if trying to drive me even deeper inside of her. Her mouth was hanging open, while her eyes shut from pleasure. My hips kept up their rhythmic thrusts, and that was enough to bring us to an orgasm.
Just like when I ate her out, Katie came hard. Her face twisted up, while her voice escaped as a wail. Her arms flopped out to the sides, hanging off of the bench. I felt her walls clench around me as I came too, orgasming inside of her.
I'd done this plenty of times by now, out of both pleasure and necessity. Every single time I orgasmed inside a woman boosted my powers, but when it was my first time doing it with a specific woman, the effects were always a bit more pronounced.
But they'd never been like this before.
I gasped. While Katie's body went limp as she recovered, I rolled off of her, landing on the floor on my knees. I was terrified of going into my true form, but it didn't happen. Instead, my whole body shook from the inside out. A sense of power swept over me… but I could tell it was incomplete.
Gradually, my breathing leveled out. The feeling faded. But the echo of it lingered. I looked down at my hand, flexing my fingers and staring at my palm.
Something was very close to happening. I didn't know what it was, and I didn't think it was a bad thing, but it was definitely big. It was intimidating, in a way, and also more than a little exciting. Mostly, though, it was confusing.
Katie tugged on my shoulder. I looked over to find her staring at me, a little bit concerned and very much still aroused. I stood up, and she smiled the moment she saw I was still hard.
Katie rolled over, going up on her knees.
"We should have at least a few hours," she said. "I'd like to use all of it."
"That can be arranged," I said.
Even when I thrusted back inside of her, the feeling didn't return, leaving me to wonder just what it could have been.