A/N: Hi there! I know it's been a while, but I'm focusing on my new story, We Stand Together, for the time being. If you want, go check it out - it's a Harry Potter and PJO crossover, and isn't your typical "the demigods go to Hogwarts" story. Anyway, here's the next chapter for y'all.

POV: Percy

Disclaimer: I own neither of these series. I am writing this for fun. :)

Chapter 19: Set Course for Volterra

I woke up again about five feet below the surface of the ocean. I was relieved to find that I could breathe normally – well, as normally as I could as a son of Poseidon. I realized that there was something bronze shining blindingly in my eyes, and realized it was Festus' bronze-plated body reflected in the sunlight, hovering only a couple feet above the water. No doubt I was already visible to Jason and Renesmee, who might think I could have just fainted.

I willed the power of the ocean and the waves to eject me from the water, and a familiar tug in my gut sent me flying up, almost into Festus' hovering body. Jason grabbed my arm and willed the air around me to push me back onto the dragon's neck, and I coughed and spluttered water. "Dude, what was that? You just basically fainted off of Festus' neck, and fell to the sea!" Jason exclaimed with concern. "I mean, it probably didn't hurt you at all, but try not to fall off of any more metal dragons than necessary from now on!" he added.

Renesmee was staring at me, completely open-mouthed as to why I hadn't died, or just maybe because I wasn't wet at all. I shrugged it off and got as comfortable as you can on ancient Greek bronze, then reassured both of them that I was okay before telling Festus to take us to Italy.

"Why Italy?" Jason asked, confused. I explained my dream to them, and Renesmee completely blanched when I described the red eyes and dark cloaks – if that was even possible. I mean, she was a half-vampire, palest creatures on earth, for the gods' sakes.

"Do you know them, Nessie?" I asked her. She nodded, suddenly looking quite sick.

"They're the Volturi." Jason and I waited a long time before she spoke again. "The Volturi are human-feeding vampires who consider themselves the closest our world has to royalty. They make and enforce the laws. They almost killed me when they found out about me, right after I was born. You see," she said, seeing our confused expressions, "they thought I was an immortal child – a child bitten by a vampire, which are severely outlawed in the vampire world. So my entire family had to call witnesses to show that I was a harmless half-human." The tone of bitterness in her voice was unmistakable.

"The Volturi are very dangerous if you're not on their side, and they consider my family a threat because we're such a large coven. If you're having dreams about them, it isn't good. Especially Aro." She sighed. "But it would be our best bet to set course for Italy."

Suddenly, she leaned over to tap the dragon's side. Festus' head whirred and clicked in a strange language that I was sure no one but Leo could understand. "Set course for Volterra, Italy, Festus. We have to see why Percy's dreams are leading us in that direction."

"And if it has any connection to the prophecy," said Jason. I suddenly remembered the prophecy; how was it that I'd forgotten it these past days?

Festus turned in mid-air, pointing his nose in a slightly more northern direction than we had been traveling in. "Volterra, Italy, it is," I said, and held my breath as Festus started off in the new direction, this time heading for a place so dangerous we might be killed by basically rabid vampires.

Oh, well. Just another day in the regular life of a demigod.