Two in one night!? Oh that crazy girl! Okay, you guys can go ahead and tell me how awesome I am… Go ahead. :P Haha! Not really… :P
This chapter kind of hit me in the face, which meant another 11:30 writing session. I've been having those more and more since joining this website. Coincidence? I think not!
Thanks to everyone who has commented and followed, etc. I really do appreciate it!
A special thanks to tinkerbell427, who is really nice. :)
Sorry to anyone who isn't into romantic things, you won't like my stories, I promise. I'm a die-hard romantic, and that will never change… :P
And oh my gawl, this is the tenth chapter. We've hit double digits people…things are gettin' cray. :P Haha!
I carefully walked into the arena, trying to avoid any of the Ares campers. Nico was on the opposite end, engrossed in his duel with Clarisse. It was amazing to watch how they moved. Clarisse was easily one of the best fighters at camp, and even though she didn't like me all that much, I had to admit that she really was talented.
I watched them intently, wishing I had their stamina. If I ever got into a fight, I had to end it quickly or it was a guaranteed loss.
Clarisse glared fiercely at Nico, and charged. Nico easily dodged, spinning at the same time. He took the offensive, slashing his black iron sword dangerously close to her stomach. She tried to block as he hit her in the chest with the butt of his sword, but she wasn't quite fast enough. She ended up sprawled on her back, her chest heaving.
"Not bad, Di Angelo." She said, standing. She turned to leave, and almost ran straight into me. Her frame towered over me, and felt myself take an involuntary step back. As if sensing my fear, she smirked.
"Gonna go hide now?" She asked, taunting me. "Too afraid to get into a real fight?"
"No Clarisse," I replied dryly, having regained my composure. "I just don't want to get arrested for animal cruelty."
Her brow furrowed, and I prayed silently that I hadn't over done it.
"You. Me. Now." She said, pointing first at me, them herself, then the hard packed ground beneath our feet.
"Mm'kay." I said, pulling my sword from my belt and twirling to face her. "You sure you want to do this?" I asked innocently. At that moment, I felt anything but innocent. It felt like I was on fire, every hair on my arms stood on end.
As her answer, Clarisse charged. I ducked as she swung at my head, and slashed at her stomach in return. She started laughing, her cabin mates had made some joke about my tiny body. I was enraged, I was starting to see red. I resisted the urge to turn and attack her siblings, I used her momentary distraction to my advantage.
Her face was a mix of rage and shock as I stepped in front of her and swing the butt of my sword down into her shoulder. Which was harder than it sounds when you're small.
With anyone else, I would have shown some sort of restraint. I knew Clarisse would never return the favor, that she would more than likely be angry with me for showing mercy.
She curled up on the ground and muttered a few choice Greek curses at me before standing and shaking my hand. Strange though it was, I thought I may have earned her respect.
I heard a chuckle from off to my left as Clarisse stormed off. I really didn't want to turn and face who was standing behind me.
I slipped my sword back into its sheath, and placing a hand on my hip, turned and looked at Nico.
Holy Hephaestus, I thought. Stop it! You are very angry with him! I inwardly screamed at myself.
Nico's dark hair was a mess, and the sun was hitting it, making it look incredibly soft. His hazel eyes looked at me, and I stepped forward.
My nerves were still tingling, but fighting with an Ares kid does that to you. The more powerful ones, like Clarisse, have a very angering affect on people. It had nothing to do with Nico's eyes. At all.
"What?" I spat defensively, cocking my hip out to the side.
He unsheathed his sword, looking pointedly at me. "You up for one more?" He asked.
I ripped my sword out this time, suddenly feeling angrier than I had in a long time. I could hear my pulse pounding in my ears.
"You sure?" I asked, bringing back memories of our first meeting. He looked a little confused; like he was wondering if that should terrify him or make him laugh.
I charged at him, swinging my sword with so much force that if the blow would have landed it would have taken months to heal fully. Nico looked at me angrily, and swung at me.
"What in Hades are you so angry about?!" He yelled, dodging another one of my furious blows.
"If you were any smarter than Clarisse, you would be able to figure it out on your own." I said, breathing heavily.
He charged again, and I wasn't paying attention. Blinded by my own anger, I had taken my eyes off of his.
I felt something heavy hit my un-armored chest, and I hoped nothing was broken. My head hit the ground, and everything started spinning.
"Gods, Nico." I said, curling into a ball.
"I'm not falling for that." He said, and I heard the stygian iron sword slice through the air.
"Nico, I'm not kidding." I said, tears starting to build up behind my tightly closed eyelids.
"I'm sure." He chuckled dryly, and I struggled to sit up.
"Ah!" I screamed, I had tried to open my eyes but the mid-day light in the arena had forced them closed again.
"Hey, are you okay?" Nico rested a hand on my shoulder, kneeling down next to me.
I forced myself to stand, my rage making it easier to ignore the shooting pains all over my body.
"Yeah, I'm fine." I said, just as my knees gave out. Nico caught me before I had hit the ground, and carried my limp body into his cabin.
"Why aren't you taking me to the infirmary?" I asked, trying to get up off of the bed Nico had set me on.
He made me sit back down and handed me a square of ambrosia. "Because you would kill me if I just passed you off to someone else. That and you have a bit of a peeve when it comes to people seeing you in pain."
"Yeah, well." I said, nibbling on my ambrosia square. I felt like my body was being poked all over with little needles, and I laid down. The affect of the godly food was almost instantaneous. I felt my eyes drifting closed, and the scent coming up from the bed I was lying on seemed to be making it worse.
"Nico," I said. I'm pretty sure that my words were slurring. "Why can't I stay awake?" I struggled against the pull, but nothing was going to stop my mind from drifting.
"I had the Hecate and Hypnos campers put a spell on it." He said, brushing my bangs out of my eyes. He was smiling, and somewhere in the back of my foggy mind, I thought about how adorable his smile was.
"It keeps the nightmares at bay." He looked down at me, and slowly it crept into my mind that I was in Nico's bed.
"Nico," My voice was muffled by the sheets, but he heard me. "Thanks."
Right before I drifted off completely, I saw Nico slip out of the cabin.