Chapter 1: Half-Bloods? Are they some sort of vampire?

Seven half bloods shall answer the call.

To storm or fire the world must fall.

An oath to keep with a final breath,

As foes bear arms to the Doors of Death.

I gasped as I hit the ground hard, the breath knocked out of my lungs. Scrambling to my feet I took off again; following that blasted satyr up the hill, the Laestrygonian giant right on my tail. Clutching James' shoes in my hand I launched myself at the satyr, my momentum and weight sending the both of us over the hill and tumbling down the slope.

Yelping as my shoulder jarred against a rock I slid over onto my back to try and slow my rolling. I cried out again as the satyr kicked me in the face making everything go black.

When I woke up I was lying in a bed, a thin white sheet over me. Turning my head I was surprised to see a girl not much younger than me sitting next to my bed.

She grinned, 'you're awake!'

I frowned, taking in the girl's appearance. Wavy, light brown hair, shot through with streaks of violet cascaded over her shoulders. Two wide moss green eyes twinkled at me from under a straight fringe of hair. She wore a bright orange t-shirt with the words 'Camp Half Blood' printed on the front, a pair of three quarter shorts under denim mini skirt and was bare foot.

The girl stood up and grinned again, 'stay still. I'll grab Chiron so he can check up on you.'

I watched suspiciously as the girl ran off, weaving around empty beds and heading outside. As soon as she was gone I sat up, gasping as pain shot across my forehead. Reaching up carefully I was surprised again to feel no evidence of the cut that I had before. Scowling at the latent pain I threw the sheet off myself and got up. I was still in my jeans and jacket. That was good. At least I knew I wasn't strip searched or something.

Pursing my lips I frowned at my bare feet, and spun around, hoping to find James' shoes and inwardly cursed myself when I couldn't see them. White sheeted beds stood neatly in rows, while cupboards stocked full with glass vials and bandages. Curtains hung limply over windows as the wooden floor creaked under my weight. Running a frantic hand through my hair I bit my lip; that weird little, purple streaked hair girl and the Chiron guy that she mentioned would be back soon…so I ran. Skipping around the beds I leapt down the stairs two at a time.

Without a thought I took a left at the bottom of the stairs and headed towards a very large tree, gasping for breath as I collapsed against the trunk, feeling weak and exhausted. Where was I? Sticking close to the trunk I looked around. It seemed to be some sort of camp. Kids of all ages were running around the place. I frowned and shook my head. The majority of them were dressed in what looked like bronze armour and were carrying weapons that ranged from spears to swords and maces. Girls that looked like their skin was made of tree bark and guys that had the legs of goats were gathered in a little circle every no and then…and the kids in armour weren't even saying anything! I shivered. What was this place?

'Newbie hey?'

I nearly jumped out my skin, I was so scared. Spinning around I groaned at my throbbing head, and tried to glare as best as I could at the girl that had surprised me.

She was tall, at least a head more so than me, possibly a bit older and had an annoying grin plastered across her face. Spiky, dark auburn hair rimmed her angular face, two bright green eyes twinkling mischievously. She had the same orange t-shirt on as the girl from the building and was wearing dark blue jeans and around her neck, I noticed, was a necklace with seven patterned beads. She stuck out a hand, a checkered red and black bandanna tied loosely around her wrist, 'I'm Blaire.'

That's when I saw the shoes. They could have been any ordinary pair of blue sneakers, but I knew immediately that they weren't ordinary.

'You're a thief!' I cried, pointing a finger in the girl's general direction, I didn't even care that she was towering over me like the empire state building.

She stole James's shoes, I thought grimly, must be some kind of delinquent camp for crazy kids or something.

Blaire's empty, open hand turned into a waggling finger, 'Excuse me,' she raised an eyebrow, 'my Dad gave me these as a gift for your information.'

'Then you Dad's a thief,' I growled. I ignored the rumbling sky but frowned as Blaire turned her gaze to the sky.

'Oi! She does have a point you know,' the girl yelled cheerfully. She looked back at me and jabbed her thumb at the sky just as another, louder rumble came from above. 'Look kid, my father may be the king of thieves, but that doesn't make me a thief too,' She paused when I raised my eyebrow, 'Okay maybe it does but that's not the point.'

Before she could say anything else I cut in, 'Yeah sure whatever, where am I?'

With a smirk, Blaire withdrew her hand, 'Camp Half-Blood.' She pointed at the words on her t-shirt. 'A kind of safe-haven for kids like you and me.' She wrapped an arm around my shoulders and despite my protests led me back to the hospital like building.

'I don't understand,' I growled trying to pry her fingers off my shoulder but dear god was she strong.

'Do you know anything about Greek mythology?'

'Like Zeus and Hades and stuff?'

'Yeah.'

'A bit,' I scowled as we climbed the stairs and as she pushed me through the door. I froze. Next to the bed that I'd been lying in was that other girl and…I blinked… 'That guy's half a horse?' I murmured stupidly.

Blaire laughed and led me back through the beds. 'That guy is Chiron,' she said, making me sit back down on my bed.

The horse...uh Chiron...came forward, the bottom half of his body; a white stallion the girl from before right behind him.

'Running off on me won't help you at all,' she pouted.

'That's enough Threasa,' Chiron chided gently, he turned to me, 'My dear, do you have any idea as to what your circumstances are at the present time?'

I frowned, 'I was attacked by some sort of giant on steroids, taken here by an incompetent satyr and now I've woken up to find my shoes stolen from me and that I'm talking to a guy that's half an ass.'

Blaire stifled a bout of laughter as Chiron whinnied indignantly.

'My dear, I'm a centaur,' he pursed his lips, 'half human and half horse.'

I could sense Blaire shaking with laughter behind me. 'Sorry,' I held up my hands and paused, 'Alright then, where am I?'

Suddenly Blaire's head was next to mine, 'Camp Half-Blood remember?'

The girl…Threasa raised an eyebrow, 'do you believe in myths and Gods?'

'Not really.'

Chiron sighed, 'what are they teaching them at school these days?'

'Practical stuff?'

'Mythology is practical!' Chiron raised an eyebrow at me, 'considering it's real.' He paused, 'do you know who your parent is child?'

'My dad's name is John and he's an archeologist,' I shrugged, 'and my mum left when I was a kid.'

'Athena,' Blaire said from behind me, Threasa and Chiron nodding in agreement, 'no other goddess would get it on with someone who has such a boring job.'

I was so tense that I jumped when thunder cracked through the sky, 'Athena? Isn't she like the goddess of wisdom?'

Chiron nodded, 'but you would have already known that if she claimed you…'

'Claimed?'

'Obviously she hasn't,' Threasa noted, her moss green eyes staring at me.

'They've already started breaking their promise,' Chiron mused.