Annabeth's eyes fluttered open. Fatigue washed over her as she gazed at her surroundings, blinking rapidly. Her head was throbbing like mad and her long blonde hair was tangled and stuck to her face with sweat. Panic rose within her.
Where was he? What had they done with him!? Was he alive? She shook her head to clear her thoughts of any negativity. Now was not the time to duel on the 'maybes' and 'what ifs?,' she had to get out of whatever mess had befallen her ( it was probably Percy's fault!)
As she looked around, she saw she was in a decrepit old cottage, made up of splintered wood. Sunlight seeped through the small gaps in the walls. There was a bed in one corner with thick iron chains tangled around the bedposts, the covers dripping in inking red blood. A large cabinet covered in intricate designs of vines of flowers was positioned against the far wall. And a small kitchen adjoined the room to Annabeth's left.
There was a rickety chandelier hanging above Annabeth's head, swinging side to side. It looked like it would crash down at any minute.
She'd better hurry.
'HELP ME! PLEASE, ANYBODY! HELP ME!'
No answer.
Good. No one was around. Which meant her captor had not yet returned. Annabeth's tried to keep her calm as she struggled against the chains binding her to a chair, but in reality she was freaking out.
This shouldn't have been anything new, in all her years of being a demigod, she'd encountered much more dire situations than this one. She should have no trouble keeping her composure. But something was just... different about this. This wasn't a normal cabin. This wasn't just an average kidnapping. There was something nefarious going on here. She could sense it. She could smell it. It smelled like... death.
Whoever... whatever, had captured her wasn't from this world. At least, not anymore. It had been cast out, and was here against the will of the gods. Annabeth could practically hear her mother calling out to her from above to break free, run away, get help and never look back. This wasn't her fight! This was something much larger and more dangerous. Well beyond her training- even as a tenth year camper.
She wriggled around, trying to see if it was possible to slip out of the chains, frantically blowing hair out of her eyes as she did so. But it was impossible. The binds were too tight. Annabeth started screaming maniacally as she thrashed and shook the chair.
Looking down, she realised with a growing panic that she wasn't wearing a shirt. She was only dressed in a flimsy black bra.
Annabeth choked as adrenaline pounded through her. The events of the previous night flooded back to her in a sea of unwanted memories.
It was him! Where was Percy!? WHAT HAD THEY DONE WITH HIM?
Annabeth felt herself begin to hyperventilate. She was perspiring at an astronomical rate. The room seemed to be spinning, while at the same time becoming increasingly warmer. Annabeth sucked in strangled breaths as she slowly lost consciousness.
The last thing she saw before her eyes shut tight, was a shadowy figure standing in the doorway. He slowly came into the light just as Annabeth passed out.
YOU!
The previous night, there had been a meteor shower. It had been highly anticipated- since it was predicted almost a hundred years ago. People travelled all the way from other countries just to catch a glimpse of the shower. Everyone was bustling to get the best view possible. But Percy decided that they needed an even better view.
It had taken hours, but they'd finally hiked the entire of the Adirondack Mountains. As demigods, they were barely puffing. So it was all worth the trip. Annabeth had agreed to stay with Percy in New York for a few months- just to try out the whole 'boyfriend-girlfriend' thing. They thought it would be terrible for their new relationship if it straight away became a long-distance one.
They sat and leaned against each other's shoulders, each comforting the other. The meteor shower had been beautiful- brilliant explosions of colour and light. Magenta, Blue and Indigo soared across the sky as Percy slowly bent his head and kissed Annabeth gently on the lips.
They both smiled internally as they enjoyed the warm sensation of the other's careful touch.
Annabeth moaned slightly as she felt Percy's hands entwine in her hair as the gentle pecks became a passionate embrace. Percy's hands travelled from her head, down her neck and all the way to the small of her back. She gasped as Percy's frantic hands moved down her shorts.
She pushed him away. Not in a rough, angry way, but in silent awe.
Percy looked sheepishly down at his lap. He was still so much a boy. He had barely started to sprout peach fuzz. They were both only sixteen, and Annabeth wasn't sure she was ready for this step. Plus, if it should happen, neither of them knew what the outcome would be.
'I- I've been thinking lately,' he stuttered. 'I thought we could maybe take the next... I know it stupid, but I-'
Without thinking, Annabeth cut him off by surging forward and kissing his vigorously on the lips.
'I'm ready.'
Suddenly, it was like someone pressed a 'play' button on Percy. He returned her kissed by anxiously but carefully throwing himself on top of her. Annabeth looked him in the eyes, stunned, as he rose up above her and began to pull of his navy shirt.
Annabeth put her hand to his stomach to tell him to stop. She brought her lips to his abdomen and slowly kissed a trail up to his neck, tracing his lips with her index before bringing her mouth to his ear.
'Not here,' she whispered provocatively.
Percy visibly perked up as she quickly tugged his shirt back down. He reached out and grabbed Annabeth by the hand, a boyish grin spread across his handsome features.
He helped Annabeth as she rose to her feet. They sprinted down the mountain, not caring if anyone saw the alarmingly inhuman rate they were moving at.
Percy tripped over once and crashed down the hill, splitting his knee open. Annabeth laughed furiously the whole way to the closest river bank.
They charged through the city, barely waiting for the pedestrian light to turn green. They normally wouldn't have been this careless, but teenage hormones were flooding through them, keeping them moving. They remained holding hands as they determinedly scoured the city, not even know what they were looking for.
They'd been running for an hour and still they kept at it. Annabeth sighed in exasperation as she gazed around. All she spotted was an old dusty dank alleyway. A torn old mattress was lying, discarded on the floor, with a 'For Sale' sign propped up against it.
Annabeth scoffed at the irony. Here they were searching for the perfect place, and here was the most imperfect place she could think of.
And yet it was perfect.
Annabeth halted and playfully dragged Percy into the alleyway. She put her back to one wall and cheekily put his hands on her breasts.
'HERE?!' Percy asked incredulously.
'Spent half my life living in alleyways, hiding from the monsters. This seems like the most appropriate place in the world.
Percy looked at Annabeth adoringly and smiled. 'I love you, Wise Girl.'
Annabeth chuckled, 'Shut the hell up and kiss me, Seaweed Brain. I wanna enjoy this.'
'Oh, you will! I'm pretty sure you'll find my abilities almost... godly.'
Annabeth glared at him. 'What did I say about shutting up?'
Percy gasped joyfully as Annabeth stuck her hands up his shirt and rubbed his stomach up and down sexily.
He threw his shirt off in one swift motion, Annabeth grasping the sides of his face.
As she kissed him with burning passion, she jumped up, so as her legs were wrapped around his torso in a sitting position.
His super human strength allowed him to carry her whilst kissing to the end of the alley way.
'Percy, you devil!' Annabeth laughed as Percy eagerly tried to unbutton her shorts. She laughed at his meagre attempts to get in.
'Oh, screw this!'
Percy forgot about Annabeth's bottoms and focused his attention on her shirt. Anticipating his failure to remove it, Annabeth threw it off, revealing a showy lace black bra.
The shirt flew all the way over to the other wall, landing in a skip. Percy and Annabeth looked at each other guiltily, before they both laughed it off. Percy went to lay his lips on Annabeth's, but before he could touch her, some kind of clear barrier appeared around Percy's head.
Annabeth realised a moment too late that it was a clear plastic bag covering Percy's face, sucking the air from his lungs. He gagged and spluttered as he slowly lost consciousness.
'No,' Annabeth gasped, sprawled on the floor after having been dropped by Percy.
Percy suddenly fell limp to the floor as the person behind him removed the plastic bag. After Percy fell, the figure behind him was revealed. They had been careful in not exposing their face, and wore a white Halloween mask.
Annabeth scampered backwards, whimpering and screaming as the figure drew closer, holding a knife.
'No, please.'
The figure drew so close that they hovered over Annabeth as she mumbled: 'How? Alive? Achilles... sevenfold!'
They raised the knife up high, a helpless Annabeth screaming in protest.
But instead of plunging the knife deep into Annabeth's heart, they stuck it into the wall beside them.
They went back and held up Percy's lifeless body like it weighed nothing. They reached into their jacket pocket and when their hand protruded, they were holding two long bundles of rope.
They sauntered back over to Annabeth and pulled the knife back out. As Annabeth watched, helpless, they held the knife up against the small of Percy's back.
It was a threat. Cooperate or he dies.
How did this person know about Percy's Achilles heel?
After Annabeth was securely tied up and gagged, the figure raised his hand high above her head. As he brought his hand down, he grabbed hold of her long golden locks, yanking them and pounding Annabeth's head against the wall.
Darkness closed in around the corners of Annabeth's eyes, until she was completely submerged in it.
A son of Poseidon and a daughter of Athena- attacked and kidnapped... war was brewing.
'You son of a bitch!' Annabeth screamed, as the masked figure from before approached her. 'Whatever war you're evidently trying to start, I'm telling you, Percy and I know nothing!'
The figure bent down and retrieved a piece of broken glass from the floor of the cottage. 'Oh, no. You see, my sweet Annabeth... you know everything.'
Annabeth winced as the figure sliced through the iron chains with the glass, as if they were silk. The figure must've read Annabeth's mind.
'They're cursed chains. They only obey my commands. Also, sorry about your shirt. I looked all over for it and couldn't find it, so that bra will just have to do. Besides,' he looked at her with lust in his eyes. 'I prefer you this way.' He licked his lips.
Annabeth was shocked speechless. 'Cursed chains!?' she said, ignoring the last comment. 'But you can only acquire those if you've been to the underworld. And you can only get an audience with Hades if you're a...'
The figure paused a few moments to let Annabeth contemplate her words. Panic hit her like a blow to the head.
'You- you're a demigod!'
The figure chuckled sinisterly. 'Yes, yes. Good deductive skills, dear Annabeth. You see, after I died that year, I knew I'd made the wrong choice. Despite my sacrifice, the gods chose to throw me into the pits of Hell, sentencing me to eternal torture.'
'You deserve every last bit of it,' Annabeth spat. 'You mother-fucking psychopath!'
Even though Annabeth was free, she was still cautious about moving. Something told her that if she did she would regret it.
'Now, now, now. Language,' said the figure. That voice! Where did she know that voice from?
So, whoever this was was armed and dangerous, un-killable and had access to information that no one but Annabeth and Percy should know.
'Now, I knew that if I didn't find a way out I would go mad.' Annabeth scoffed at that. 'So, you could say I... made a deal with the devil. I was able to organise a meeting with him because of my demigod blood. You know, a handy thing about the underworld: Hades can't recognise or distinguish your soul from any other. So, when I asked to be sent back to earth for some unfinished business, he had no idea who was asking. Surprisingly, he was more lenient than I had expected. I only had to allow him to claim the soul of the one I loved the most.'
Annabeth tensed up. Did he mean her!? Was he going to sacrifice her soul? That bastard!
'Don't worry, my sweets. It wasn't you. I was able to convince that moron that it my not-quite-right-upstairs mother who was the love of my heart. I played the whole reluctance act as I murdered her and handed her to Hades.'
'You- you would sacrifice your own mother?' Annabeth spluttered. 'Just to get another chance at the life she gave you. A life you screwed up!'
'Now, now, Annabeth. Be nice. I could have killed you too anytime I liked. But I've chose to spare you. Can't say the same for your little aquatic boyfriend, though!'
Annabeth screamed ferociously, surging forward. She flung herself on top of him. He lay flat on his back on the floor as she repeatedly punched him mercilessly in the face.
'That's why you were able to hurt Percy without feeling the effects sevenfold. That's how you can do all of these... things! You're fucking dead! You took advantage of us, of me, and you're gonna pay.'
Annabeth continued to punch him hard, until an idea occurred to her. Without hesitation, she eagerly ripped the mask from his face, finally exposing his true self.
As she did so, an invisible force hit her hard across the chest, sending her flying high. She crashed into the wall on the other side of the cottage and collapsed to the floor.
She struggled to keep her eyes open as she lifted her head and looked into the fathomless ones of her captor. His dark blond hair shone in the sunlight streaming in through the cracks in the walls, a maniacal smile playing on his lips.
'Did you miss me?'
Luke.