We had a good laugh watching Lizzie moan, and the passengers reactions? PRICELESS! We spent the rest of the train ride playing Truth or Dare, 20 Questions, singing, talking, and playing stupid road games. Nico was starting to actually have fun. He would laugh, joke around, talk.

"Hello, Chicago!" Lizzie yelled as we got off the train.

"Oh, my legs are killing me." Andrea complained.

Henry rolled his eyes, "We were just sitting, Drea."

" My point exactly! "

"Let's walk it off, " I suggested, "The train to Seattle doesn't leave until 8 pm, and it's..." I checked my watch, "It's only 5:30!"

"She has a point ... " Nico stated.

I smiled, "I always have a point."

We walked out of the store, laughing our heads off.

"Oh my gods, Julie, that was hilarious." Lizzie said, laughing.

I smiled, and bowed, "Thank you, thank you very much." I looked back at the store and saw the cashier still looking at me, as if I was some sort of freak. Not my fault I got dared to make a big scene at the grocery store. We were walking, trying to stop laughing, when we bumped into someone.

"Oh, uh, sorry." Henry said, looking up at the girls. "W-Woah." I looked up to see what was wrong and found me looking at two skinny, teenaged girls. They both had long, wavy, brown hair, with hazel eyes. Both of them looked like they were 15, and were wearing short cheerleading uniforms that made the boys just stop and stare. They looked like they could be sisters, maybe they were.

"So sorry," I said, but the girls seemed to be looking uncomfortable with Nico & Henry drooling over them. Luckily, Andrea came to the rescue,

"You'll just have to excuse them. They're a little... ah, out of themselves, right now." She said.

One of the cheerleaders smiled, "It's okay," she held out her hand, "I'm Natasha, and this is Ashley", she pointed to the girl next to her.

I shook her hand, "I'm Julie."

Natasha looked at Ashley and both of their smiles widened. "Oh, so you're Julie, we've heard about you," Ashley said.

Suddenly, I had a bad feeling about this. I glanced over at Lizzie & Andrea and knew they were thinking the same thing.

"Ha, and I thought Artemis would choose better than... this," Natasha gestured to us, "You're just some little 13 year olds. No practice, no skills. You won't even survive this quest."

I reached for Argo, which was a great idea, since right then, the cheerleaders began to transform. Their teeth grew into fangs, the color drained out their bodies and they became as white as chalk, and their eyes? Blood red.

"W-W-What are you?" I yelled.

"Empousae," Andrea muttered. I remembered the myths, they were servants of Hecate. Sort of like vampires. But worse. We backed up, while Nico & Henry had just begun to see what they really were.

"What do you want with us?" I asked. Stupid question, but I figured it would buy us some time to figure out what to do.

Ashley smiled, "Isn't it obvious, half-blood?" I backed up slowly while she continued, "We have orders to kill you."

I brought my sword up and pointed it at Ashley, who flinched, but didn't back up.

She reached in her cheerleading uniform and pulled out a sword, "I don't need it, but if you get to use one ..." she smiled, "You have what? One day of training? While I have hundreds of years."

I charged for her and our swords met. I saw Natasha charge Lizzie, while Andrea went to get Nico and Henry completely out of their daze. Me and Ashley went back and forth until I made one wrong move and my sword clattered to the floor, a few feet away from me. I looked over at Lizzie, who was pinned to the floor, her dagger over by Nico's feet.

"Say goodbye, little demigo- OW!" Ashley turned around, and Henry had his bow and arrow ready. The empousa smiled, "You don't have to do this, Henry Schein. You can join us. We will be very powerful with your help." I turned and saw Natasha was in that same position. She just kept backing up until she met Ashley's back.

"Nico di Angelo, Henry Schein, lower your swords." Natasha said, in a calm, soothing voice. "You can be with us," she touched Nico's cheek, and I saw him lower his sword a bit, "Yes, good boy."

Henry had lowered his bow and arrow and was inches away from being eaten by Ashley, but he didn't even realize it. "That's it Henry, come closer," Ashley said, "Let me give you a kiss. You know you want to."

I know, I know. By that time, I should have already been vaporizing the empousae. But it was all happening so fast. What seemed like minutes, was only seconds. I finally ran over and picked up my sword, just as a heard a hissing sound and I saw gold dust in the place where Ashley should have been.

"Nice, Andie!" Lizzie yelled. Bad choice. Natasha, now aware that her 'sister' had vanished, and that she was surrounded by me, Lizzie, Andrea, and a almost-back-to-normal Henry, grabbed a hold of Nico and threatened, "Take one more step and he is gone."

I met Nico's eyes. Obviously, he thought she was going to kiss him. I rolled my eyes and gave him a stern look. He seemed to snap out of it for a second, but then went back to Natasha's tempting. I continued giving him stern looks, and gave him my best glare. He faltered for a while and then started blinking, as if just waking up from a nap. He took aware of his surroundings and realized what was happening. He quickly put a hand to his pocket and, next thing I knew, he was pointing his Stygian Iron sword to Natasha's throat.

Shocked, Natasha tried her tricks again, "Nico. Lower the sword. Listen to me. We can be together. I know you want me. I know you think I'm hot, and sexy, and you just want to be with me. Lower the sword, and we will be together. I know you want me to kiss you, do all sort of things to you." He hesitated, but kept a firm grip. He slashed forward and where Natasha was, only some monster dust was left.

I ran up to him and gave him a hug, "Thanks," I muttered. When I pulled away, I looked at him and slapped him. I walked to where Henry was, being scolded by Andrea, and did the same.

He turned around, shocked, "What was that for?"

"For almost getting us all killed!" I yelled.

"Wasn't our fault that she was wicked hot, ain't that right Nico?" He joked, and Nico grinned.

"This is not funny, Henry!"

"I'm sorry, gods."

"Did you even know that me and Lizzie almost died? And Andrea couldn't come to help us, because she was busy taking care of you two babies!" I was furious. How could he joke when we had almost died like that? "That is, aside from you both almost being ripped apart by she-demons!"

"I said I was sorry!"

"As if you meant it!"

"Come on Jul-" He tried grabbing my arm but I just shoved him aside,

"Let's just get back to the train station." They nodded.

So, I think this chapter was better than the last one. What did you guys think? AND, bonus point for me cause I updated faster, yay! lol.

So, how did you like this chapter? Better than the last? Worse than the last? What did you think of Nico & Henry? Do you think Julie had the right to get mad at them, and especially at Henry for making stupid jokes about it? What do you think should happen next? Stay tuned! ... lol, that just sounded like a soap opera.

REVIEW!