Markos didn't know what to do, he stood there motionless in the door way, his eyes fixed upon her face. Annabeth's eyes flickered up meeting his for a fleeting moment before she turned her blue eyes onto Clarisse and smiled at her kindly. Percy stepped forwards extending his hand to Clarisse

"Been a while Daughter of Ares"

"It certainly has Son of Poseidon, I assume you had a safe journey" Clarisse asked

"What are you doing here?" Markos interrupted his eyes locked on the daughter of Athena she took a deep breath and looked up at Markos but avoided his eyes,

"Clarisse called us, said you needed aid" her voice was exactly the way he remembered it, smooth like silk. He studied her for a moment, it had been a long time since she walked away, there were slight dark circles under her blue eyes, she had a tan to her skin, probably from being outside a lot of the time and he hair was longer, probably been cut many times since they had last laid eyes upon her.

Markos was about to say something when the satyrs walked back in with trays of food and bottles of wine from their vineyard, they pulled out chairs for all of the demigods. Percy sat at the head off the table with Markos and Clarisse to his right and Annabeth opposite them to his left. The older Satyr stood at the corner of the table

"Good evening young ones, welcome to Naxos Vineyard" he clicked his finger and the others rushed forwards with the food trays and wine bottles "Please enjoy yourselves, rooms have been prepared for you all up stairs" he took a few steps back and just stood in the corner.

The food looked amazing, Roasted chickens and an array of vegetables the smell alone was to die for. Clarisse not sensing or not caring about the awkward air in the room began to dig in, piling her plate high, she took a long gulp of wine

"Wow, that's amazing" she took another drink from it "Brother try this" she pushed his goblet towards him, but he did not even look at it, he still watched only Annabeth and she knew it, but she did not meet his eyes, instead she began to eat a little. Underneath the table Markos's fists were turning white and beginning to shake, he bit down on his tongue to make sure he would not speak the words he wanted to say. The trembling started to make it's way up Markos's arms, he could taste blood from biting his tongue so hard. He stood suddenly, causing everyone to look at him, Percy's hand going for Riptide, even Annabeth was now looking up at him, he could see fear in her eyes, fear of him, he needed to leave this room.

"Excuse me" he said through gritted teeth and turned leaving the room, satyrs rushing to open the doors for him, he kept walking until he was in the middle of one of the vineyards away from prying eyes. There was a tree nearby, he launch his foot into it creating a large splintered dent in the dark. He slumped against the tree sliding down till he sat on the dusty ground, he took deep breaths trying to calm the storm that raged in his heart.

He stared up at the moon, it was almost full, so many times he had watched the moon during his isolation, 28 moon cycles he had watched alone. That was the only way he knew how much time had passed, the counting of the days and the rise and fall of the moon. He sat there for a long time until he heard footsteps close by, he turned his head looking through the vines but he saw no one.

"Hello Markos"

The son of Ares whirled around drawing his sword but it was knocked away easily, in front of him stood the beautiful mortal form of Aphrodite.

She smiled at him coyly tilting her head slightly, her hair was brunette this time and pulled round onto one of her shoulders in a plat that looked very familiar to Markos.

"We have to stop meeting like this young Markos" she stroked his cheek, taking a step closer.

"Maybe not creeping up on me would help" Markos tried to step back but Aphrodite mirrored his movement "What are you doing here?"

"You remind me so much of your father" her hand was still rested on his cheek "So handsome, so dangerous"

Markos stepped back again out of the Goddess's reach "Do you have any news for me Aphrodite?" he asked losing his patience with the Goddess of Beauty, she didn't reply, but instead sauntered around the tree. Coming to stand behind Markos, a hand on his upper arm.

"I wanted to see you… and your progress finding your father" her fingers trailed up to his shoulder and then to his neck. Markos felt his eyes getting heavy, his mind becoming cloudy, the fingers on his neck feeling like nothing he had never felt before.

"I err… I, we… we have only just arrived" his head rolled back slightly, as her fingers ran through his hair.

Aphrodite turned him with her hand, but when Markos's eyes fell upon the Goddess of beauty, she wasn't the one he wanted, he snapped out of her magic and stumbled back barely standing. He took some deep breaths and his eyes focused back, his reality returning to him. He had heard of Aphrodite's amokinesis and her ability to control emotions and bend others to her will, but he had never begun to think he would ever experience it. He looked up at the sound of someone gasping, there standing in the middle of the vineyard, moonlight reflecting her soft features. Annabeth, eyes wide and mouth open stood there motionless unsure on what she had just witnessed. Aphrodite looked between the two of them, a small smile still playing on her lips

"Well I will take that as my cue to leave" and like that she was gone in the night air leaving the two demigods staring at one another.

Markos straightened, putting away his sword, he wanted to say something, anything in fact but his brain would not work, he just watched her, astounded by her beauty in the moonlight. He shook his head trying to get rid of the excess of Aphrodites powers.

"We have been looking for you" Annabeth said quietly, finding that she could not tear her gaze away from him "Um… Percy and Clarisse are speaking to the satyrs" she turned and started back towards the house.

Markos ran forward catching her arm

"Wait" he said, she turned but looked at the floor, it was then Markos realised he didn't know what to say, he could feel her warmth through her jacket, smell the sweet scent she always seemed to have.

"Please" she said pulling out of grip "Please don't"