This chapter is kind of rough, but we do get Percy's moment of 'I need to take control and switch things up' at the end so that's nice.
Undeath9087: See, Grover is smart, smart enough to know that if everyone knew that Percy was with Alabaster they'd be too panicked and worried to get anything done- especially Annabeth, Rachel and Luke. And yeah, Grover's not having a good time but Tartarus is distant enough that he can only get a very rough sense of what she's going though- so he knows she's in a lot of trouble but can't connect easily.
Percy wasn't sure how far she got before the magic of the bracelet kicked in- all she knew was that she felt a red hot burning sensation shooting up her arm, and all of the strength left her legs.
She cried out as she fell forward onto the slick glass ground, her chin cracking against it, the taste of blood filling her mouth even more as the impact made the cut on the inside of her cheek from where he'd backhanded her start bleeding hard again.
Her whole body suddenly felt heavy, like she was being weighed down by a dozen sandbags attached to every part of her, but she couldn't stop- she desperately tried to claw herself forward, trying to force her body to cooperate, her knees to get up under her just a little bit- and gods but her ribs were aching like something else.
Somehow she managed to lift her head, to force herself up on shaking arms even as she heard the footfalls of Alabaster closing in on her.
Then he was crouching in front of her and his fingers were curling around her chin- and it was funny how the mind worked- all she could focus on was the feeling of his fingers pressing into her jaw as he tilted her head up to force her to meet those too familiar eyes.
"You're good- you really are. You almost had me feeling bad- but then you were sleeping and I kept thinking about it and I realised what you were doing-"
"I wasn't doing anything." Percy almost sobbed, "I was telling the truth." at least the pain that the bracelet caused when they were apart was fading, though that was not much of a consolation.
"No, no because you try and act all innocent as if you didn't lead me on, as if you didn't deserve any of it- you belong with me- you always have and we both know it but you- you fight it every day do you know how much that hurt me-"
"Bas please-" Percy's voice was begging, desperately trying to remind him that he claimed to love her, desperately trying to pull back fond memories even if she knew it would never work.
"No-" he pressed a finger to her lips, "No, no no excuses Princess. You know better than that love." his grip on her chin tightened, nails pressing into soft skin, little half moon points of pain. "I love you, I love you, and you gave me those
sweet smiles and I knew, I knew you were mine and I make one little mistake-"
"Little mistake-" his hand hit her face again, snapping her head to the side.
"It was a mistake! I shouldn't have tried to throw you in, I am sorry that I scared you I am sorry that I hurt you but you will never get over it! You refuse to move on and forgive me- everything I ever did for you and you just spit it all back in my face! You'd be nothing without me! I saved your life-"
"You were the reason my life was in danger." Percy choked out, "You're not the victim here Alabaster you're the abuser-"
"I am not!" His hand was in her hair and Percy cried out when he yanked her head backwards and up, hands flying up to claw at his wrists.
"Stop it! Stop it you're hurting me-"
"You think I'm hurting you now?" Alabaster's knee hit her chest and she doubled over "I'll show you what pain is Percy. Show you that you belong to me-" and she was slumping forward onto her belly again, sobbing as he pressed his knee between her shoulder blades.
She felt a sliver of pure terror shoot down her spine when she felt her top being pulled up to expose the small of her back- and then all Percy felt was pain.
It was like nothing she'd ever felt before- it was as painful as bathing as the Styx had been except it was all concentrated in one spot.
Percy screamed, she screamed and screamed and screamed, kicking her legs frantically, clawing at the glass beneath her until her fingernails bled while she felt that horrendous pain.
Just putting pressure on the small of her back had been painful, which wasn't surprising since it had been her mortal spot, but Alabaster wasn't just putting pressure on it but cutting into the sensitive spot.
It was nothing like anything she'd experience before. It was a level of torture that Percy had never imagined- and there was nothing she could do to get away.
Percy lost track of time, lost track of everything other than the pain, it was all she could feel, all she could think of.
By the time Alabaster was done Percy wasn't sure she could move ever again- she was shaking violently, and it hurt,
even as he moved off of her it hurt too much.
She felt like she couldn't breath- and she didn't even struggle as he pulled her up so that she was leaning against him, didn't try and turn her face away as he carefully brushed her hair out of her face. "There you go." his voice was soft,
"There's my beautiful angel." he pressed his lips to the top of her head, and Percy could see the blood on his hand- her blood she realised, could feel it when he brushed his fingers over her cheek. "I'm sorry- I'm sorry but I had to make sure you understood your position. You're mine Percy. You belong with me."
"P-please-" Percy's voice cracked. "Please don't- please don't- it hurts. It hurts so much."
"I know my love." Alabaster breathed the words into her hair, pressing his lips to the top of her head again. "I know it does. But that's what happens when you try to be smart with me. You can't manipulate me. You can't make me feel guilty because you're mine Percy, mine to do whatever I like with you." his fingers curled into her short hair, tugging slightly. "And now you have the mark to prove it."
"T-the mark?" Percy almost didn't want to know- and she sucked in a sharp breath when one of his hands pressed over the small of her back, it hurt, it hurt a lot but she forced down a scream.
"Hush now- it's going to be okay. My mothers symbol with a scythe behind it." Alabaster told her proudly, "It looks good on you. A bit bloody right now but it'll clean up nicely-"
"I- I don't- I don't want you touching it again." Percy shifted, trying to pull away from him- except his grip on her hair shifted, tightening, not pulling yet but a clear threat.
"Percy you don't get any say in this." His voice was sharp, "Or haven't you learned your lesson yet? Do I need to-"
"No!" Percy gasped the word, "No, no I understand I- I understand." she forced back her tears, "I'm sorry for- I'm sorry I won't-" she needed to figure out a way out of this.
Gods but she'd have been better off out there on her own, she'd have been better off pretty much anywhere other than where she was. But- Nico and Leo needed her and she knew for a fact that if she'd tried to find her way back to the Phlegethon on her own she'd have never made it in time. The only reason she was still alive was Alabaster's enchanted bottle.
Still, Percy doubted she'd last long if she had to stay with him- not just physically, though- Percy had a horrible feeling that she'd end up dead because he took it too far, but mentally. Because being around him was the worst of torments.
She just needed to survive until she reached the Phlegethon. Once she was there she might be able to follow it and find Nico and Leo, even with the bracelet hurting her. It was probably her only chance.
And to survive- she was going to have to try and keep him happy. Gods but she felt sick at that thought.
"You understand?" Alabaster's hand was gripping her chin again, and Percy swallowed hard.
"Yes." she felt like she was about to puke, like genuinely puke. "I'm sorry. I-I'll be good."
"Good girl." Alabaster smirked slightly, shifting so that he could press his lips to hers- and Percy forced herself not to pull away- she could do this. She had to do it right but she could do it. If she could get his guard down she stood a better chance of surviving this. Of course, he'd see straight through her if she suddenly pretended to love him but- she could make it work, she was going to do it no matter what. She would survive this.
Those were the thoughts that got her through the kiss- and the smile he gave her was almost gentle.
"That's more like it. You'll get used to it." he shifted slightly, "And since you were good-" he slipped his hand into a pocket of his jacket and held out a dagger.
The sight made Percy's breath catch- it was bloody from cutting her back. And gods but he was sick, he was so so fucking sick.
"Y-you-"
"Arachne had it." Alabaster told her, "I picked it up and tucked it away after I saved your life."
And Percy took it from his hands carefully, her own hands shaking.
It was Annabeth's dagger- it must have fallen into the pit before they'd reached her. Percy's chest felt tight. That meant that Annabeth didn't have it- that she didn't have her most trusted weapon.
Percy ducked her head, gritting her teeth, hiding the flash of anger that crossed her face from Alabaster. She couldn't let him see that she was worried about Annabeth- and it wasn't like she wouldn't have any weapons up there.
Rachel would undoubtedly give her one of her own daggers.
It took Percy a long moment to speak. "Thank you." she slowly lifted her head to meet Alabaster's eyes, giving a shaky smile, trying to look as grateful as she could. "Thank you Alabaster." and she hadn't missed the fact that he used Annabeth's dagger to carve his personal symbol into her skin. "That- it was really kind of you to pick it up and save it for me."
"See." Alabaster seemed pleased at that, almost preening at her words, "When you behave I can be kind to you."
Behave. Like a damn animal. Percy forced herself to keep breathing slowly, as calmly as she could. Forced herself to ignore the hate churning in the pit of the belly, the desire to grab his hair and bring up her knee to smash his nose in.
Thoughts like that were never actually helpful, not like this.
"It's sweet of you." Percy managed, carefully tucking the dagger next to the one Luke had given her- the one Kronos had killed her with what felt like a lifetime ago. "I'll be good. You- you won't have to get angry at me again."
"Good girl." Alabaster kissed her cheek, "If only you were always like this." he pulled back slightly, his eyes raking over her. "But I do think you're finally starting to learn."
Not in the way you're thinking." Percy wanted to snap the words but she held back.
Restraint. That was all she needed.
Brute force never seemed to work against Alabaster.
As sick as it was it was time she put her acting skills to a test.
One thing was for sure.
When this was over she was going to make him scream, just like he had her.
And she would enjoy every second of it.
