Autumn POV

After a lengthy discussion with the other two, we finally parted ways back to our separate cabins. Our cabins were actually fairly close to each other, much to Damon's displeasure.

We all decided to continue to go to camp together. We had boarded the train near Chicago and thus we figured we'd be somewhere in New Jersey by noon the next day or so. We would then decide how to move forward from there.

I was exhausted. I have been lately and I opened the door gleeful to our sleeping compartment, it was small but cozy. I slung my bag in the corner as Damon surveyed the room.

"Here." I grabbed a heavy textbook out of my bag and tossed it to Damon. "I got you something."

Damon caught it with ease and read the cover. "An American History book?" He inquired.

"Thought I'd give you something to do while I sleep." I nodded. "Besides, I really need you to be more modern." I insisted.

"Thank you." He tossed it on the lower bed to read later.

I smiled but in a few seconds I went into a coughing fit. It took me a few seconds but I recovered and caught my breath.

I claimed the top bunk and dragged myself up the ladder.

"Since when are you so nice?" I joked though I was truly confused.

"Since when do demigods rescue monsters?" He raised an eyebrow; his tone was of the utmost seriousness. "Demigods slay monsters."

I paused my climb up to the bed.

"Why deceive your own kind?" He shook his head. "Why pretend I am one of you? You know this is a farce that they shall see through eventually. Why even save me at all?"

I swallowed. "I honestly don't know. I just felt… that you were worth saving." I finished lamely continuing my ascent.

"What about this is worth saving?" He choked raising a hand. I watched as his hand morphed growing longer, his nails lengthened and grew sharper similar to knives. His pupils began to glow similar to a cat's eyes glinting at night. He snarled opening his mouth and baring his fangs. His two incisors were razor-sharp and expanded just past his lower lip. He had sliced his own lip and a line of blood trickled down in his chin.

I slipped on a rung and almost fell off the ladder.

He was beside my side in a second looking like a normal human. The blood on his chin since dried. He had a light grip on my waist supporting my body so I wouldn't fall.

"Don't hide from the truth Autumn. You're fearful of the true monster that I am." He looked down pained. I felt the self-loathing radiating from him.

I hesitated.

I didn't want to lie but of course, I was afraid of him. He was a monster. I didn't think he was going to kill me. I trusted him with my life. But I am entirely aware of the fact that if he wanted to, he could. He could kill me in an instant.

Damon composed himself looking up at me. "Just know that I will never hurt you." He smiled slightly, but still, it was a sad smile. He brushed a stray lock of hair behind my ear.

"I have sworn to protect you. A demon always keeps his promises." He began setting up the pillows into a comfortable sitting position and grabbed the book to get started.

I didn't know what to say.

I don't know if there was anything I could say.

Climbing up to the bed I quickly got myself comfy. Damon got up to turn off the light.

"You can leave it on so you can read." I offered.

He shrugged. "I don't need the light."

"Right… A demon thing?" I assumed.

He nodded. "I cannot see in utter darkness. My eyesight is, however, much better than any mortal."

He pointed to the crack under the door. "This light will be plenty."

"Oh." I nodded too. "Interesting."

"I suppose to a human it would be."

"There are so many things I want to know about you," I revealed my curiosity. "Where did you come from? Why were you in that circle? Can you die? How do you steal a soul? Did yo-"

He raised a hand cutting me off. "Thy lady needs to rest. We shall be more acquainted as time passes."

I guess that meant he wasn't in the sharing mood.

"Okay, but important question. If I swipe you with my celestial bronze dagger will it kill you?" I asked a bit worried. I haven't always been the most graceful.

"Nay, we demons precede Greek monsters. However…There are ways to vanquish us." He looked off into the distance forlornly. "And when we demons are slain, we perish."

I shuddered. I guess demons didn't regenerate out of Taurus like other Greek monsters.

A sense of guilt rolled over me; I knew I had drug up sad memories in him. I rolled over as Damon turned off the lights. It wasn't long before I fell asleep, it seemed like I was exhausted all the time.


I awoke to a light hand on my shoulder. I realized I was sweating profusely and the light was on.

Damon's hand was on my shoulder. "Autumn." He spoke softly.

I bolted up hitting my head on the ceiling. I groaned laying back down.

"Be more careful." He scolded. "You were speaking in your sleep. Something about monsters." He frowned. "I wasn't aware mortals could talk during their slumber. What is the meaning of it?"

"Demigod dreams," I explained rubbing my forehead. I couldn't quite remember what happened in my dream though.

All I remembered was the feeling.

The fear.

"Hmph… "Damon lowered himself with a scowl. "Dreams."

I shivered sitting up and surveying the room, it was the same as the night before. I was unsure of what I had expected to change. Maybe I thought that all of this was just a wicked nightmare.

"The train has ceased. We have arrived." He informed me.

I nodded and climbed back down the ladder.

Damon and I gathered our things. I changed clothes quickly with Damon outside the room and cleaned myself up a bit. We walked outside our compartment and immediately ran into the other two demigods from before.

"Greetings." Damon offered coldly, however, I think it was an attempt to be nice.

"Morning Autumn." Eric grinned at me. I returned his smile.

He nodded turning to Damon. "And Damon."

Ivy paid no attention to us.

"So what city are we in again?" I asked them. It hadn't occurred to me to pay more attention to our tickets.

"Philadelphia." Ivy uttered.

So she was paying attention to us.

"It's always Sunny in Philly." Eric joked.

"No way, I love that show!" I gushed.

Ivy and Damon looked uncomfortable but we both continued talking about our favorite episodes while we got off the train.

We walked out to the street and took in our surroundings.

The building we had just walked out of was a large rectangular white building with Grecian columns on the front. A familiar sight. But many of the other buildings surrounding us were skyscrapers made of glass and various other modern buildings.

Damon's mouth hung wide open and I shoved him in the shoulder giving him a look.

Pretty sure they didn't have glass skyscrapers back before WWII.

"So how are we getting home?" Eric asked the group.

Everyone shrugged.

"Uh…Uber?" I suggested.


"I still don't understand this Uber." Damon frowned. "This is just a car, nay?"

I hushed him. Damon sat on my left and Eric sat on my right. Ivy was sitting up front. Her gaze was constantly scanning the surroundings checking for any signs of trouble.

We were speeding towards Camp Halfblood and we were just about to get off. We had used up all of our money on the fare. But we still fell short of Camp.

Damon and Ivy had been silent most of the trip. Meanwhile, Eric and I had been chattering away. We were talking about everything from TV shows and movies, to books and music, even our childhoods. We had incredibly similar tastes.

"Autumn," He turned to me. "It hasn't occurred to me to ask. Have you been claimed? Do you know who your godly parent is?"

"Yes…" I sighed. I knew the question would come up eventually. "My father is Zeus."

Eric lifted his eyebrows in shock. "What?! I didn't know we had any children of Zeus at camp?"

Ivy turned around giving me a once over, before turning away again in disapproval.

Damon, thankfully, didn't decide to look at my any differently.

It had been years since Thalia, Nico, or Percy were at camp.

"I'm somewhat newly claimed," I explained. "Who's your parent?" I asked trying to change to subject.

"Oh, my dad is Hephaestus." Eric grinned, he was very proud to be his son.

"For the ever loving son of a-" I felt Damon tense up beside me swearing under his breath. I wasn't sure what was wrong but I made a mental note to ask him about it later.

"Damon's unclaimed," I added just so that no one would ask him.

"Time to get out kids." The Uber driver pulled over on the beach, relieved to finally get rid of the four weirdos.

We quickly exited the vehicle and looked out along the ocean.

"Camp is a couple hours north of here, it's better to walk along the beach than through the forest," Ivy explained. "More visibility."

"For monsters to see us," Damon grumbled.

Ivy turned and snapped at him. "I don't recall asking for your opinion!"

"Tis based on fact not mere opinion…"

She got up in his face. "Do you have years of fighting experience? Have you ever lead a team into combat? It's not like-"

Damon's anger flared. "How dare you-"

I quickly gripped his arm and squeezed it trying to calm him down. He froze instantly not moving at all, his mouth snapped shut.

She carried on while Eric walked to her side trying to calm her down.

"Cool it, Ives." He put a hand on her shoulder.

Ivy spat at Damon's feet.

Damon's gaze was focused solely on the horizon and this infuriated Ivy even more but she turned north and started walking.

Her long silvery blonde hair grew past her hips. It blew in the breeze revealing her outfit. She wore a white V-neck t-shirt tucked into gray jeans with black combat boots to match. She walked ahead of the group as the lookout.

Eric and I attempted to lighten the mood more by chatting about everyday things but eventually Damon fell behind us. I guess to defend us from our rear.

We'd only been walking for half an hour or so before I heard Damon chuckling behind us.

We all froze and turned back to him.

"What's so funny?" I asked my heart sinking into my stomach.

"Monster." He smirked pointing towards the water. "More specifically, monsters."

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