Disclaimer: RR owns PJO not me. I only own my creative plot bunnies and OC's that plague me so much.

Author's Note: Hello everyone! This story is now being cowritten by myself and Olympus - 117. Ollie, thank you so much! You are wonderful. :) There are some pics for this story up on my page, in case you're curious to see what the characters look like. Again I'm using songs to set the tone throughtout this story and the song of choice is : 'Rip It up' by Little Richard.

Thanks to our wonderful reviwers! 8D

It was Saturday night and the crowd at the arena was jammed packed from wall to wall. I could barely hear myself think over the people crammed into the stadium were making.

Shouts of encouragement came roaring from the crowd, accompanied by various groans and excited whoops as the two men inside the arena viciously slugged it out.

Slam!

Erickson jerked back from the savage right hand hook my dad had thrown him and hit the side of the cage with a sickening crack, rattling the wire.

I was standing outside the octagon, jeering at Erickson. My dad had hit him in the face several times and Erickson was bleeding out. Serves the son of a bitch right.

My dad hit Erickson with another series of blows, each harder than the last. The referee was itching to call it; Erickson was swaying slightly on the spot, on the verge of losing consciousness. One more right hook from my dad straight to Erickson's jaw did it, the other man staggered back and collapsed into an unconscious sprawl on the floor.

The crowd roared its approval. The ref lifted my dad's hand in victory while paramedics busted into the octagon to aid Erickson. My dad came out of the cage and took his gloves off. As he passed me, he patted my cheek and smiled, I could see the satisfaction glimmering in his eyes. Oh yeah, someone got their revenge!

"Hey Torrey! Torrey!" I turned around, searching the crowd for the familiar voice. I didn't have long to wait before I spotted a brunette girl pushing her way through the throng of people congratulating my dad and I, shouting out my name and waving her hands in the air.

I waved back at her.

I should probably back up and explain, Natalie Wright was my best friend, ever since I was ten years old. She's trying to become an actress, she definetly fits the general criteria. Tall, gorgeous, and a winning personality. She was everything I'm not. Both of our fathers are UFC fighters, so she knew the life. Our life. The perks and the down sides. I didn't have to give her the bullshit answers like my other "friends".

Natalie somehow managed to squeeze though the crowds and appeared at my side, looking a little disheveled but grinning like crazy.

She playfully punched me in the shoulder, before giving me a hug. "Your dad totally kicked ass tonight. Erikson was floored. Literally."

We both shared a laugh. "Yeah, it was pretty good. God knows that bastard deserved it."

Natalie shrugged, "Yep, he got what was coming to him. Hey! We should celebrate at Dante's tonight."

I broke away from the hug. "Okay" I said, before plucking uselessly at the plain shirt and jeans I had worn to the fight.

"But I didn't bring any clothes with me Natty, we're gonna have to go by my house."

She nodded, understandingly, "That's cool." We linked arms and began to head towards the exit.

"We'd better tell Lexi though," Natalie said, as we pushed though the crowds, "That way our Dad's won't kill us for being out late."

I snorted, "Oh please. Dad's going to be so high off of this win he won't care if I stay out.

Besides," I added, "You're eighteen already. You could probably get us in."

Natalie laughed, "You're joking right? You're Torrey Nolan! All you have to do is arrive; no one would dare card you."

I raised an eyebrow skeptically, but eventually gave in to Natalie's pout. "Yeah, okay," I sighed, finally, "But at the first sign of trouble, we are out of there. Agreed?"

Natalie bobbed her head, brown hairs escaping from the bun she had pinned it up in, "Agreed," she promised.

While Natalie was fixing her hair back up, I looked across the octagon to watch Erickson helped up by paramedics into a stretcher. The sight of him unconscious and drooling on a stretcher gave me a momentary stab of guilty satisfaction.

As I looked behind him however, a stranger sight met my eyes. The same guy that had been at the weigh-in was there again to watch my dad's fight. I knew that my dad has male as well as female fans but man, this guy was dedicated. The biker reject was obviously eyeballing me through his shades. I scowled at him, and I could almost swear that he smirked back at my direction.

Jerk. Honestly, what kind of idiot wears sunglasses at night?

Natalie's head popped up beside mine. She had a suspicious look on her face. "Dude," she said, gesturing across the octagon, "That guy is seriously checking you out!"

"Sorry, I don't have a biker fetish." I snorted, "I only ride motorcycles, not their drivers." At her incredulous look, I frowned, "Forget it Natty, he practically oozes trouble."

"Uh, huh," Natalie nodded, obviously still not convinced.

I rolled my eyes. "Come on," I said, "Let's get going," and dragged her out of the stadium into the cool night air.

Half an hour and about a dozen outfits later, we stood in the hallway, just about ready to leave. I fingered the red halter top I was wearing uneasily. Natalie had picked it out and seeing as it was to only piece of clothing that we hadn't argued over, I had put it on, just to appease her.

"Can we take one of your dad's cars?" she said hopefully.

"No." I deadpanned. "You know the rules. If there is gonna be any drinking involved, then we don't drive."

Natalie screwed her face, "I don't think your chauffeur likes me very much."

"Jerry?" I snorted, managing to mask it as a cough. "Why would he? Every time we go out together after one of our Dad's win a match, he knows that he has to haul your heavy – not to mention unconscious - ass back to your house."

"Oh. Yeah." She grinned sheepishly. I shook my head in resignation.

We had gotten to Dante's, this new club in downtown L.A. And as Natty suspected, we got in with ease, the owner personally bought us drinks. I sure as hell didn't like his fake smile, or his tattoos, or the way too obvious fact that he was trying to work his way into Natalie's pants, and with the amount of alcohol that she'd had, it was a miracle she wasn't in some back room right now.

I pulled Natalie on the dance floor with me so she would stay out of trouble. JC Chasez's song 'Some Girls Dance with Women' came on and Natty totally lost it. We had danced with each other while drunk or sober before but this time I was kind of weird about it. I looked behind me and saw the biker reject at the bar staring at me and my drunk best friend grinding. Yeah, not creepy at all. Maybe I should get Natalie home, I thought, suddenly lost my appetite to party. I seriously started feeling uncomfortable being under biker reject's gaze.

I took Natalie's arm and led her to the door of the club. "C'mon Natty, let's bail outta here."

"Noooo. I don't wanna, I wanna dance." Natalie wailed, right before falling asleep on my shoulder. Someone was going to have a hangover tomorrow. Fun. I was just glad I wasn't going to be there when she woke up.

Jerry my chauffeur pulled up outside Natalie's house. Strangely, all the lights were on, normally her Dad would be out with my Dad at some club. They weren't at Dante's thank god, because that would have been a lot of explaining to do. Jerry parked in Natalie's long driveway and walked over to her side of the car. He unlocked the door, picked her up bridal style and walked right up to her front door. He left her with the family nanny and returned to the car. He'd given me a look through the mirror that said 'You're friend is a lush'.

Meh, I know that. I love her flaws and all. If I didn't have Natty as my best friend I'd probably would have killed one of my dad's ex-girlfriends by now.

We were making our way back home in silence, me in the back seat and Jerry driving. I had started to nod off, my head pressed against the window when a flash of white caught my eye outside. On impulse, I tapped the back of the driver's seat, "Jerry, can you stop here for a sec?"

Jerry looked up at from the mirror, suddenly suspicious. "Why?"

"Just do it. I thought I saw something back there."

Jerry mumbled under his breath but pulled over to the side of the road none the less. I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and opened the door, stumbling out into the chilly night air.

I carefully took stock of where we were. It looked to be a road running in between two warehouses, deserted except for us. I recognized it as a shortcut to get home. Overhead, streetlights flickered, making the shadows around me move. Pools of yellow light fell on the sidewalk all the way down the street. In the distance, I could hear the faint hum of traffic.

My heart began to pound against my chest. What I was afraid of, I wasn't entirely sure, but there were known to be gangs in this area of town.

Shaking my head, I turned back to the other end of the street. I narrowed my eyes, I was sure I had seen something ... There! A flash of white amidst the night.

I stepped out from behind the car and slowly began to approach where I had seen the white flash.

As I got closer, the night seemed to part and it was revealed to be a white rumpled figure lying by the curb. A woman. She had a flowing white dress, like a sheet, clinched at the waist with a belt. Long dark hair flowed down her back and her body was splayed in an unnatural position. Even from the distance, I could see the trickle of blood running down her chin.

"Oh God ..." I trailed off and started running towards the woman. "Jerry! Jerry! Get out here!" I called back. I was vaguely aware of the car door slamming shut and Jerry's boots hitting the pavement behind me.

As I neared, I realized that the woman's arms were covered in scratch marks, some still looked fresh. "Fuck ..." I whispered quietly.

I knelt down beside her still figure and put my hand at her neck, trying to feel a pulse. At which point the woman's eyes snapped open and her arm lashed out, fingers clamping tight against my throat.

Several things happened after that, all of them shattering everything I thought I knew about this world into smithereens.

"Hey! Are you alright ma'am?"

"No. But I will be once I slice you to pieces demigod!" the woman said.

She got up from her position on the road; I was able to get a good look at her. What I once thought was awe striking beauty was a cover up. She had flaming hair, white skin, red eyes, fangs, and one prosthetic bronze leg and one donkey leg. What the hell? What the hell happened to this bitch's legs? As I mused over all of this I nearly got my head lobbed off by said hybrid bitch.

"What the hell lady? I was trying to help you out, but you know what I think I'll just be on my way."

"You're not going anywhere! I will kill you demigod, very slowly, and then I will feast on your flesh."

"What are you? A vampire? This isn't Twilight, you are seriously disturbed."

"I'm an Empousa, you simpleton! One would think that a daughter of—

"Oh! I get it. This is some elaborate hoax to get my dad to notice you. Well let me tell you honey, it won't work. I don't think my dad could look past the donkey leg you've got there."

"I will enjoy killing you!"

"Bring it on, bitch!"

The Empousa had swung at my head again but I dodged out of the way. I knew what she was; I remembered reading about Empousa when my father and I did research on his role for King of Sparta. I looked at my surroundings, not much to help me with this situation. I thought that Empousa were just myths, the gods aren't real! Thunder and lightning boomed over head, that's strange the weather man said nothing about it raining tonight. It started to rain, at first it sprinkled but now it's pouring. I kept on slipping in my boots, and I was trying to run from a mythological creature at the same time. Not a good combination but it's the hand that I've been dealt. I slipped into the mud and landed face first into a huge puddle.

"Well looks like you weren't much of a challenge at all, I'll kill you now."

"Will you at least tell me why you have to kill me?"

"Might as well, demigod. You will meet you're end soon enough."

"That! Why did you call me that?"

The rain had picked up and wind had begun to whip my hair into my face. I needed to know why she called me that. There is no such thing as Greek gods, right?

"Oh dear…you don't know who your father is?"

"Um, yes I do."

"No child, you're godly parent! The gods are real, child. Oh, this is juicy; he must be hiding you and just my luck to have come across his second daughter. My patron will give me such praise!"

"You're patron? I'm an only child woman. I have no idea what you're talking about! The gods aren't real! You're just some lab creation gone wrong!"

I got up from the ground and got into my fighting stance. If I was going to die tonight, I'd go out swinging. She came at me with her fists, I blocked and sensing that the Empousa was off guard. She probably thought I would be an easy kill. What she doesn't know is that I'm learned in Mixed Martial Arts and Kickboxing. I roundhouse kicked her in the face; she fell to the ground with a loud splash. I didn't waste any time jumping on top of her and nailing punches. She threw me off of her with inhuman strength. I landed several feet away from and she got up and was making her towards me. I saw a something flicker to the left of my vision. I crawled quickly to the shimmering object. It was a dagger. I held it up, it was a bronze dagger, and it looked very old. Like something that hadn't been discovered by historians yet. The handle felt comfortable in my hands, like I knew what I was doing with it. I was still on my knees on the ground as the Empousa sought to attack me from behind but I quickly turned around sticking the dagger into the Empousa's heart.

I honestly had no idea how that happened. It was like my hand moved on its own accord. The Empousa had a shocked look on her face, like getting stuck by an amateur was the end of the world. She fell to the ground in a huge cloud of dust. The dagger had remained with a sticky residue on it. I grabbed the handle tightly and ran my finger across the substance. It wasn't what should have been on the dagger. I expected blood. Instead it looked like golden blood. I've never seen such a thing in my life. I nearly died tonight. And I will be ready the next time I get jumped by some weird thing. As I mused over this freakish revelation the dagger shimmered out of my hands into thin air. This night just keeps on getting stranger by the minute.

One thing's for sure, I need answers.

I made my way back to the car to see a frantic Jerry. I climbed into the back and sat down; I put my hands over my eyes. I can't believe I came this close to meeting the pearly gates. And Jerry was not letting up.

"You just let an innocent and injured woman burn to death!"

"Jerry, she wasn't innocent and she damn sure was not injured. She jumped me and it was either me or her."

"That's not what I saw."

"I don't care what you saw…you don't say a word about this to anyone. Ever."

And with that Jerry started the car and drove me home. I had so many questions running through my mind. I had to get down to the bottom of this. In the morning I'll grab Natalie and head to library for research. Natalie's great with research so despite the hangover I know she will have, I'll make her help me. As Jerry parked in my driveway I bolted from the car. I want to get some sleep and try to figure out what my dad's keeping from me. I opened the door and head towards the stairs, I almost would have made it too but my dad surprisingly was home.

"Hey! You're home early. Shouldn't you be out celebrating your victory? Don't you want people to bask in all of your glory? I mean come on…you being alone on a Saturday night."

"Nah, I didn't feel like it actually and I've been enjoying watching ESPN. You're back early, Natalie wasn't good company?" He smiled nervously.

"She was, but I guess I wanted to turn in early too."

I looked at the front room coffee table to see two beer bottles on it. Hmm maybe dad wasn't home alone after all. What is he hiding from me? Maybe if I offer to watch TV with him I might get a reaction.

"Well, I'm here now, I could watch with you. Oh I can get you another beer. I'll go clean the table off for y-"

"No! You go to bed. You look tired honey. I'll be fine by myself."

"Okay."

Oh yeah, he's hiding something, more like hiding someone. He rarely yells at me and he didn't even ask about why I was soaking wet. I'll just pretend to be asleep and after a few minutes I'll eavesdrop on them talking. I had my game plan all set, now I'll go change and pretend to sleep. I took the stairs two at a time and made it to my room. I quickly took off my boots, halter and leggings. I put the halter and leggings on a hanger; they would need to be taken to the dry cleaner's. I rushed to my closet for my pajamas and quickly put them on and got into bed.

I know my dad well enough, he's going to check to see if I'm asleep in five…four…three…two…one. And like clockwork my door opened slightly and my dad poked him head through the door. I was making slow and even breaths to fool him. The door closed and I knew that I had to wait for him to go down the stairs. I waited for about five minutes before I got back up and opened my door, slowly padding my way down the stairs. Voices drifted up the stairs.

"You can't have her!" A slam of a fist on the wooden table. "Why are you suddenly interested in her life?" My Dad snarled. "You've been gone for nearly eighteen goddamn years."

"I have been watching, Steve. I've been at every single one of your matches and Torrey's. I know more about her then she knows about her herself. She's a chip right off the old block."

My head spun. Who was that? I'd never heard this person before. I moved my way towards the opposite wall; I could hide behind the tall plant to see who my Dad was yelling at. I quietly padded behind the foliage, the leaves hiding me from sight and listened closely.

"She's my daughter, not yours, mine. I raised her. I have been there for her and now you're telling me that you want her to go to some camp across the country? Go to hell!"

"I'm starting to lose my patience, Steve. You know what you signed up for when you hopped into bed with me." The stranger's voice got lower, almost menacing.

"No, I didn't!" Dad growled. "Get out of my house; I don't want you near Torrey. I don't want to see you ever again!"

"Aw baby! You don't mean that. Don't tell me you don't miss all of this?" The other man said in a soft voice, a sharp contrast to all the yelling previously.

A pregnant pause stretched on. I struggled not to scratch an itch on my leg. I closed my eyes and counted to ten. It didn't work. I was just thinking that I'd have to call it quits and go to bed, find out more tomorrow when, finally, Dad spoke.

"No…but I miss what you did."

My eyes bulged. What? My dad hooked up with a guy! Since when did mister 'steal your girl' ever hook up with a guy?

I didn't have a problem with it but he didn't tell me. And now he's making out with his ex-lover in our house while I'm supposed to be sleeping. Damn, rude much? I never bring a female or male back home. I expect the same courtesy from him.

I thought about busting them. I could just imagine strolling into the living room, smiling and saying 'What up?' I restrained myself with enormous difficulty. But I had to find out more, like how does this guy fit into all this? I still couldn't get a good look at him. I think he had my Dad pinned to the wall.

Oh. Oh. Hell no! They are not about to have sex on that couch. That's my favorite couch! Groans came from the living room along with the sound of tearing clothes.

That was my cue. I hightailed out of my hiding spot as fast as I could, up the stairs into my room. Shutting the door softly, I slid down the back, the wood cold and hard against my back, a million questions flying though my mind.

Who was that guy? Hold on - my Dad was gay? Why had he never told me? And what the hell had happened before with that creepy as hell woman? And how come Jerry hadn't seen it at all? Before I knew it, my head lolled to the side and I fell into an uneasy sleep, troubled thoughts still churning in my head.