A/N: Yes, one of the dreaded authors notes. I promise, this one's short. Just wanted to say thank you for reading, and that this is all Kyrra's past, and what she is writing about in the prologue.

Stone Embrace – Chapter One

A bracelet and First Times

The house was dark as a small figure dressed in black slipped inside through an open window, her booted feet landing silently on the carpet. She froze for a few seconds, to calm down her erratic heart thundering in her chest long enough to detect any noised that should not be there. The apartment was supposed to be empty, the owners of the apartment gone. Hopefully, they didn't take that pretty bracelet with them. That was what she came here for anyways.

When no noise was detected, Kyrra Stone decided it was safe to move. She was in a boy's room, with sports posters and dirty clothes littering the floor. She stepped over a pair of boxers with a smirk, shaking her head. All boys were the same, she decided. Messy slobs.

The hallway was deserted too, so she felt safe to make a bit more noise. She wore gloves on her hands to prevent prints, and her hair was done in a tight bun and tucked under one of those black caps. The black cap wasn't one hundred percent necessary, but she loved clichés. She also believed she looked good in it, and it was one of her trophies. She had stolen that from one of her clients, who had tried to jip her on a pair of earrings she had, er, had acquired. Of course, it also made her look more like a boy, something she found useful at times. People trusted males more than females, for some reason.

The other doors down the hall weren't helpful. All she found was a closet, and a bathroom. The other door, besides the one at the very end of the hall, opened into a den, where a computer sat, still on. Kyrra looked around, almost sheepishly, before gliding into the room on silent feet, shaking the mouse. On the computer screen was the home page to a school, Goode High School. Boring. She almost thought of turning it to a porn site, but decided against it. It wouldn't have been subtle, and she didn't want anyone knowing someone else had been in their house. Then, they would do annoying things, like calling the police. People could become so attached to their belongings. She had no belongings to be attached to.

Since the computer had been a complete bust, she left the den, making sure to leave no trace of her presence. She even placed the computer mouse back in the same position it had been in. Or, as close as she could remember. Then she was on to the next room, opening the door carefully, waiting to see if it would creak. Creaking doors were the worst, and the hardest to sneak into.

Bingo. The next room was the master bedroom, and it only took a minute for her to locate the thing she wanted. The bracelet was just lying on the bedside table among a bunch of magazines, half-hidden behind Time Magazine. It was easy to snatch, as if it had been waiting for her there.

Kyrra allowed herself a moment of satisfaction, clenching her prize in her hands before unzipping a small pack that was strapped against her thigh and gently putting the trinket in the special-made bag. If the bracelet was damaged in any way, she'd get much less money for it, and it wasn't worth risking. She needed money to survive; even a pitiful amount could get her something. After her childhood, the one thing she promised never to steal was food.

Sneaking back into the hallway was easy, child's play. Since she decided she had some extra time, she made her way into the living room, looking around aimlessly. There wasn't anything too exciting, a backpack, a briefcase, a lot of paperwork. It looked like any other home she'd been inside. A little messy, but the mess was comforting. It meant that people lived there, and not just stayed there. It looked…inviting.

The kitchen was just as messy, with dishes in the sink and a box of cereal lying on the counter, open. Cheerios. She ran her hand along the granite counter tops, a small smile on her face as she remembered her own kitchen, back when her mother had been alive. The walls were painted a baby blue, she recalled. The color had been her choice, and there was still a bit where the paint was darker, when they had run out of the first batch. It always had some mess, some spill, that made it seem…real. No one had a clean house twenty-four, seven. Not if it was lived-in.

"Mom, we can do it tomorrow. Take the night off." A young male voice called, the front door thrown open. Kyrra froze, her eyes opening as she let herself sink down, hiding behind the island in the middle of the untidy kitchen. They couldn't see her from the door, and she couldn't see them, but she detected three different sets of footsteps.

"I can do it tonight, too. I know I won't want to do them in the morning." A woman replied, and one set of the footsteps came closer, toward where the doorway in the living room was. Kyrra cursed silently, mentally willing the footsteps away. She couldn't get caught now, not after finding the great prize that she did.

"Come on, darling, listen to Percy. Tomorrow…" It was another male voice now, but older. A second set of footsteps followed the first, but both stopped. The sound of a kiss, only a slight peck, was heard, and she made a face. Adults kissing was just disgusting.

"Get a room, you two." The first male voice said. Apparently, she wasn't the only one who thought so, either. And when it was your own parents, it was worse.

"Fine." The man called, and suddenly the kitchen was flooded with light. Shit. The two footsteps were getting closer, and Kyrra knew she had no choice. She was going to make a break for it.

Standing up quickly, she assessed the situation in the blink of an eye. Two adults, near the side of the island, in a passionate embrace, but not in lip lock. They looked at the figure that had just sprung out from behind their kitchen island in surprise, and the woman screamed as the figure launched herself over it, using the countertop to pull her weight over it, to the other side.

I'm doomed, Kyrra thought to herself, charging down the hall. The sound of pursuit sounded behind her, and she put on a burst of speed. The boy's bedroom door was wide open, and she launched at it desperately, slamming it shut. The window was still wide open, and she climbed through it, onto the fire escape. The bedroom door was thrown open, and she quickly looked down. The stairs would take too long. There was only one thing to do.

She stepped onto the railing of the small fire escape ledge, peering off the edge for an instant. It wasn't that far, she tried to tell herself, before she pushed off, arms spread for balance. Only, there was no sound of rushing air, no cutting wind slicing into her. Only a tight jerk on the back of her sweater. Then there was the falling feeling. The wrong way. She was being pulled backward, toward the window. A steely arm was wrapped around her middle, tugging with all its might. She went limp, hoping to be let go. She wasn't about to be caught now.

"Don't let him go, Paul! He might be a burglar, or a murderer!" The woman was saying, in a rush. Kyrra let out a sigh, keeping her head down. If they wanted to believe she was actually a boy, fine. It was what she was aiming for anyways, right? Bulky sweaters and loose jeans worked wonders, didn't they?

"Want me to call the cops?" The younger male piped up. Shit, shit, shit. She closed her eyes and began praying, to anyone who was listening. Please, don't let them do that. Please, please.

"No, not right now. First, we should have a little talk. See if he stole anything." With that, the arms were jerking her through the window. She clamped her mouth shut to stop from squealing in protest, and just let him do all the work. She was his captive, after all.

She was dropped unceremoniously on the floor, the window slammed shut from somewhere above her. A hand squeezed tightly on her shoulder, keeping her from standing. That worked for her, it was easier to hide her face. Her full, red lips and thick lashes always gave her away to being a girl, and she didn't know these people. Who knew what'd happen if they found out she was actually female.

"Talk." It was the older male who said that, his voice full of anger and authority. He'd make a good teacher, she mused, and then remembered the school page on the computer. Maybe he already was. She wasn't about to be bullied by a teacher, however, and shook her head obstinately.

"Just talk to us, and perhaps we can help. Did someone put you up to this?" That came from the woman, and she came closer, kneeling in front of Kyrra, who ducked her head down further. Kyrra shook her head again, but slower, to show it was her own idea. She decided if she played along long enough, she'd finally be able to escape. Hopefully. There was always a chance.

"Why were you going to jump?" That was from the man. His grip loosened on her shoulder, and she took the opportunity, jumping to her feet and twisting, shoving the man backwards a bit with her shoulder. The bedroom door was blocked by the boy, who she knocked down by wrapping her foot around his ankle and pulling. He toppled over, but not after he grabbed her hat, pulling it off. Her long red hair spilled down her back, causing everyone in the room to gasp, but she kept going.

The hallway was clear, and the living room. Of course, the deadbolt on the front door threw her a little bit, but she eventually yanked it open. It shut as soon as it was, though, from a hand above her head. She turned, looking into the face of the man, Paul she assumed. He wasn't that bad, for an old bloke, even if the hair was too salt-and-pepper for her taste.

"Young lady. You have a lot of explaining to do." He growled, grabbing her arm. This time, Kyrra allowed herself to cry out, half-faking. He was strong! And, if she was already unmasked, might as well use it to her advantage.

Paul dragged her into the kitchen, sitting her down at the table, on the side furthest from the exit. He sat next to her, the son on the other side. The woman was standing in the doorway. All three had their arms crossed, and all three's faces were the same mask of anger. Kyrra sighed and lowered her eyes to the table ashamedly. She was royally screwed, she thought angrily.

"Oh, my god. You're a thief?" That was from the woman, who had finally sat down across from Kyrra, who was now fiddling with a nickel she had found in her pocket. Apparently, none of them thought that a nickel could do much damage, so they let her keep it. Unfortunately, they were right. She was good and well trapped.

"Yes ma'am." Kyrra answered. She had only told them the basics, about being homeless, one who stole things for money. She also told them that she wasn't violent, and actually attended a high school. They asked little questions, allowing her to explain as fast or as slow as she wanted, as long as she kept talking. None of them gave her faces of pity, which she welcomed. She didn't want their sympathy.

"You stole from us." The son mused, and once again Kyrra answered an affirmative, even pulling the bracelet from the special pack and setting it down on the counter. The boy reached out for it, and as they did their hands touched.

An electric current sprang between them, shocking Kyrra lightly. The feeling wasn't unpleasant, but still odd, sending a shiver down her spine. Her arm was covered in Goosebumps as she pulled her hand away, eyes widening. The son was giving her the same wide-eyed stare with his own green orbs, but it slowly morphed into curiosity, and finally shock.

"You're one of us." He whispered, then looked over Kyrra's shoulder, at Paul. "She's a Half-blood."

A/N: I thought about making this chapter longer, but decided against it. I also wasn't going to add the part after she talked about her past, but it HAD to be added. It left a nice little cliff-hanger there. Well, not much of one. Most of you probably could figure out she's a demigod. But, now you're probably wondering who's child she is. And to crush all of your dreams of thinking you're clever, and saying it's Hermes, since he's the God of Thieves, it's not. And it IS a God, not a Titan. Well, it narrows the playing field, doesn't it? And, if you're paying attention, another God is eliminated in the prologue. . That was way more info than I wanted to give you. Thanks for reading! And reviews are lovely, please!