Thalia's eyes drifted open, and for once, she felt relaxed. There was a warmth next to her that felt like Reyna. Considering she had been cuddling with the other woman for two days now, Thalia wasn't too surprised. She relaxed against the woman, until she heard talking.
"Nico, we have to do this," Reyna pleaded softly. Her voice sounded weak and tired. "We're so close. Let's just work with Bianca and be done."
"It's never done with Bianca. She will hold this over my head," Nico said. His voice sounded like it was traveling through the room, and Thalia could feel the soft pounding of his footsteps as he paced around.
"Who cares?" Reyna questioned. "Will can finally be avenged. Isn't that all that matters?"
"Is revenge the only thing you care about?" Nico countered in a brusque tone. Thalia closed her eyes as she listened to the two of them bicker. She focused on the soft wheezes that left Reyna. While she was conscious, she definitely wasn't back to normal. Reyna didn't respond. "I know it is."
"How many more people need to die because of Luke? We can stop that."
"Luke's power has been cut down ever since you took out all of his associates," Nico commented. "The Hunters of Artemis can handle him. Without your help, let alone mine."
"Nico, if we are a united front-" Reyna began. She suddenly tensed, and the room fell deadly silent. Thalia felt the hair on the back of her neck stand straight up.
"Who are you to talk about a united front?" Nico demanded. He sounded like he was standing right over the bed, probably glaring down at Reyna and Thalia. "First, Hazel. Now, Thalia. You have let your infatuation with revenge hurt the people around you, if not get them out-right killed. And, you don't even care. No matter how much you pretend to."
Reyna fell silent. Thalia heard the door click close. Part of her debated saying something, but she kept her mouth shut. A hand wrapped around Thalia, but the same hand was shaking from rage. Reyna suddenly went into a rant in Spanish. It ended with her hand slamming into the backboard of the bed.
"Fuck!" Reyna yelled. She slammed her hand down again and went back into another rant in a different language. Thalia would have been impressed if she wasn't so scared, and she felt herself tensing. The rant stopped almost instantly. "Thalia?"
"You shouldn't slam your hand against things," Thalia began. She opened her eyes and looked at Reyna. This was the first time the two had been awake at the same time since they were brought into the base. Thalia focused on the bruises and cuts that littered Reyna's face. "How are you feeling?"
"Like total shit," Reyna grumbled. She laid her head back angrily and sighed tiredly. "Fucking Orion. That fucking piece of shit."
"He won't bother you again," Thalia promised. She slowly sat up, and her body didn't ache this time. Between the nectar she had been given and all the resting, she finally felt great. Thalia smiled down at Reyna and studied how broken and defeated the woman still looked. Reyna's injured arm rested against her stomach. Her face painted a small frown.
"I killed him," Thalia continued. Reyna stared at her in shock. "In case no one told you. I don't think you've been awake and cognitive since they brought you in."
"How?" Reyna slowly asked. She watched Thalia with wide eyes and looked like she wanted to sit up. Instead, she laid her head back.
"Turns out I'm a demigod," Thalia answered with a small shrug like it was no big deal. "After watching what he did to you, I just snapped. I attacked him and used lightning to hurt him. Then, Nico helped me fire the gun to kill him once and for all. Bianca found and brought us back here, which I'm sure you guessed."
"Yeah. Nico chewed me out for forcing him to interact with his sister," Reyna muttered.
"It wasn't your fault. Bianca set us up," Thalia said softly. Reyna nodded and didn't look like she was surprised. "I guess that's another reason that Nico doesn't want to work with her. Why can't everyone not be a fucking asshole and just work together for once?"
Reyna didn't answer. She closed her eyes for a few moments. Then, Reyna slowly tried to sit up. Thalia quickly stopped her and made her lay back down. She spoke, "You got fucked up pretty bad, Reyna. You need to rest."
"I need to get the hell out of this place," Reyna grumbled. "How long was I asleep?"
"Days," Thalia answered. She gently laid the blanket over Reyna, being careful of her injured arm. "This base isn't too bad either."
When Thalia wasn't staying in the room with Reyna, she had been given the grand tour by Piper. Most of the Hunters of Artemis were welcoming to her. A few seemed suspicious, but Thalia did her best not to be offended. The base itself had plenty of things, from a miniature gym all the way to a game room.
Piper didn't bring up joining the Hunters of Artemis, but it felt like the topic loomed over every conversation they had. Thalia did her best not to think about it. Everything about her entire situation still felt someone was pulling the worst kind of prank on her. Nothing felt real.
Immortality at first glance sounded great. But, it would be without Jason. It wasn't like she really had anyone else that she loved. There had been Luke until he revealed himself to be a sick, twisted bastard. Jason had been the only other one she really cared for. Now, she had no one. Who the fuck would she even live for?
Thalia still remembered how she felt when she was watching Reyna get destroyed by Orion. It not only pissed her off, but also broke her heart. Thalia wasn't sure if she had feelings for Reyna or if she just wanted to fuck her. And, she didn't care.
"Do you remember what we talked about after being drunk at the bar? That we just blame being wasted for the reason why we were going to have sex?" Thalia asked. Reyna looked at her and slowly nodded. "I don't want to blame myself for being drunk anymore. I just want to fuck you."
"No," Reyna said. She swallowed painfully and averted her eyes. "I can't do this, Thalia. I know how this is going to end."
"I don't give a fuck how this ends," Thalia replied. She suddenly straddled Reyna, being extremely careful to not put too much weight onto her midsection. Reyna stared up at her. "I only want to fuck you. Fuck feelings. Fuck a relationship."
"My entire fucking life has been one shitfest after the other. There haven't been many good things in my life. Jason was the best thing, and he was taken from me. Ever since Luke showed me what he did to my brother, I have been a dead woman walking. I know that my time is limited if we don't kill Luke."
"Thalia," Reyna began. Thalia kissed her. Despite what sounded like protests leaving her mouth, Reyna kissed her back after a few moments.
"I am going to take what I want," Thalia whispered as she pulled away. "And, I want you. As much of an annoying, piece of shit asshole you may be, I can't help but fall for you."
Thalia didn't give time for Reyna to answer. She just kissed her again. This time, Thalia shoved her tongue deep into Reyna's mouth, claiming the realm as her own. She felt one of Reyna's arms wrap around her and pull her closer. Thalia deepened the kiss.
Thalia pulled away to take deep breaths. Then, she pressed her forehead against Reyna's and spoke, "I know you're hurting, but I'm going to fuck you. I'll be gentle."
Reyna stared up at her, and there was clear hesitation on her face. She finally shook her head and spoke, "Fuck it."
Reyna pulled Thalia even closer and into a rough kiss. Thalia kissed her back. She didn't care what happened after this. All she wanted to do was relieve stress and tension through sex. Then, they could worry about how they were going to kill Luke because there was no way in hell Thalia trusted the Hunters of Artemis to get the job done.
"No strings attached to this," Thalia whispered into the kiss. Reyna nodded and continued to kiss her. Thalia found herself lost in the woman's black eyes. She wasn't sure if she should tell Reyna that she knew the truth about what she was. If it even mattered.
Because the only thing that mattered to Thalia was revenge for her younger brother.
"Fuck," Thalia gasped as she came down from her high. She let out small gasps, trying to breathe after her orgasm. A small moan left her as Reyna retracted her two fingers that caused Thalia to come completely undone. Reyna stopped sucking on Thalia's nipple and collapsed onto the bed next to her. "Shit."
"You weren't the worst lay I've ever had," Reyna commented in a tired voice. She rolled onto her back and cradled her injured arm. Pain appeared on her face, but something told Thalia that she didn't regret it.
"I told you that you didn't have to fuck me," Thalia said as she sat up and started to grab their discarded clothes. It had been rather impressive for Reyna to fuck her with only one good arm, and the woman was clearly experienced. It seemed like she also buried her emotions through sex.
"You can't be the only one having fun," Reyna said. She slowly pulled on her clothes, but when she got to her shirt, Thalia helped her. Thalia couldn't help but gawk at the numerous scars that had covered Reyna's entire body. The woman was a picture of war.
"Yeah," Thalia agreed as she kissed Reyna again. She pulled away. "You should rest. I'll get us some food."
Reyna nodded and slowly laid back down. Her eyes looked Thalia up and down. Thalia smirked and slowly put on her clothes, making sure to take her time. Then, she turned and left the room. Thalia hadn't even made it down the hall when Piper seemed to appear at her side.
"Hey Piper, how's it going?" Thalia asked. She saw Piper studying her face and neck. There were a few love bites on Thalia's neck, and she knew her hair was a disheveled mess. She also may have been a little loud. Piper frowned.
"Thalia, be careful," Piper began. Thalia stopped walking and frowned. She turned to look at the other woman. "I don't want to see you get hurt. Or killed."
"If you can convince your lieutenant to actually work with her brother, I don't think we would have to worry about it," Thalia countered. Piper shook her head. "You know it's the truth."
"I meant about Reyna. She's just using you," Piper warned. Thalia stiffened and glared. "She just wants you for sex. Like she used me."
"She said that you used her," Thalia said as her glare hardened.
"And you believe her?" Piper questioned. She shook her head. "Reyna used me."
"Or you're just lying," Thalia interrupted. She raised both her hands. "You know what? I don't even care. You and Reyna can hate each other all you want. The only thing I care about is killing Luke, and that is what I'm going to do."
"Don't be so focused on revenge that you don't live your life," Piper warned softly. Thalia remained silent, and Piper looked down. "Just be safe. Please."
"If you want me to be safe, get Bianca to work with Nico. None of us are safe until Luke is dealt with," Thalia ordered.
"That's something we can agree on," Piper whispered. She sighed and turned away. Thalia watched her leave and then made her way to get food. Truthfully, she wanted nothing more than to go right to Luke's house and shoot him in his blackened heart, and that was exactly what she was going to do. One way or another.