A/N: I love this chapter. Dunno why . . . I just do . . . I have the final book of the Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel! I love it! It's been amazing so far! So enjoy your chapter!

Cora: Strange Train Ride and a Demon

Well, the visit had certainly been interesting. Hunter's dad, I mean Pierre, was eccentric, full of energy, and almost to be called crazy. Anyway you got the picture. Although I did get the chance to learn Hunter's last name (I never asked since I didn't know my own). As the father-son conversation had progressed it had gotten increasingly hard to keep a plain expression. Seriously, if you had heard their conversation you would have understood.

As we boarded the train, Hunter had visibly relaxed. I mean, I could understand if he was like, embarrassed of his dad or something. But he had acted almost . . . frightened. I wanted to ask what that had been about, but I had had a feeling in my gut I shouldn't.

Anyway, the train pulled away from the station and began rumbling north. I was half excepting someone in the train to turn into a monster and attack us. Maybe that only happened on buses though (Oh, I should tell mention, Percy had told me his adventures. Which I had to admit, sounded pretty cool. Aside from the whole immortal-trying-to-end-the-world thing).

A voice gargled over the intercom that the ride would be four days; with a one day lay-over included. I turned around to tell Percy and Annabeth. Then I saw they were having their own conversation, so I let them talk. I'd just tell them later.

Sighing, I turned around and sank down into my seat. I suddenly started feeling hot, and judging by the look of other passengers, I wasn't the only one. I wasn't sure why, but I also felt like someone was watching me. I quickly scanned the passengers. No one was paying us any attention. I figured I must have had a weird look on my face because Hunter snapped his fingers in front of my eyes.

"What?" I asked him annoyed.

He shrugged. "You had an odd look on your face," he told me. I raised an eyebrow at him, trying to act indifferent.

"And how is that surprising?" I said.

"Because you looked almost . . . nervous?" why he stated it as I question I didn't know. I sat up straight and folded my arms.

"You're imaging things," I snapped. "Why would I be nervous?"

"You will never admit to anything, will you?" he said. I almost glared at him. But I didn't because it was probably going to be true . . . so far I hadn't really admitted anything.

"Don't count on it," I replied, smirking slightly.

"I won't," Hunter muttered rolling his eyes. I leaned back in my seat, half tempted to put my feet on the table. Random, I knew, but sometimes I just had weird urges. It was probably the ADHD I most likely had . . . figures.

I was considering how this quest was going to go when some strange man slid into the seat across from us. I looked at him coldly.

He had deeply tan skin, with dark hair matted into dreadlocks. His eyes were pitch black with red ringing the pupil and they were sunken into his wrinkled face. His clothes looked . . . old. I mean, not just were they traditional Native American clothes, but they looked like they were about a couple hundred years old. Stained, wrinkled, ripped, and patched. That pretty much summed them up. Needless to say, he was a little creepy.

I gave a wayward glance at him, then looked down and tried to not look uncomfortable. Hunter was doing the same thing. Unfortunally Percy and Annabeth were either 1) blind, 2) unable to see over us (which was impossible since they were taller) or 3) they were still oblivious to everyone but each other. My money was on the last one.

The man gave us a smile and I could have gagged. His teeth were mottled yellow and black. He leaned forward, a gleam in his eye. Why did I feel like that guy wasn't normal? Probably because he sure didn't look it . . . unless he was a really proud native.

"Hey, what's a couple of kids doing on a train alone?" he asked slyly. Kids? We weren't that young. I mean, he was questioning two 15 (I thought I was 15 . . .) year olds, but when according to Percy people didn't question 12 year olds? Another tip off that this guy was abnormal. I glanced at Hunter, since I had no idea what language he was speaking. Hunter was looking at him warily but with clear comprehension, so the guy was speaking French. Since he was looking tongue tied I figured it was up to me to reply.

"Just going to visit relatives," I lied. The man raised his eyebrows and gave another gruesome smile.

"You two don't look related," he commented. This guy just had to be observant, didn't he?

"We're . . . cousins," Hunter put in.

"Really?" he mused. "So you two are going north? Interesting . . ." We were on a northbound train and he called that interesting? Unfortunally he decided to continue. Looking back I wished we had just moved our seats . . .

"You two shouldn't be pawns of the gods," he said quietly to us. I glanced at Hunter then stared at the strange man, hoping it looked like I thought he was crazy. Instead the man grinned even more. "Aw, no point tryin' to fool me girl. I can tell a half-blood on a quest from a mortal a mile away."

I was seriously getting creeped out by this point. How did this man know so much? After this I planned on slapping Percy for not noticing. I would have slapped Annabeth, but that might have end badly. Percy was at least used to me whacking him (he somehow always managed to annoy me. Annabeth said it happened to everyone).

"We have no idea what you're talking about," Hunter told him. I nodded and scowled at the man. He just gave us another smile, flashing his gruesome teeth once more. Gods, I wished he'd stop that, it made me sick.

"Aw, come on kids, don't try to fool me. I can tell you're lying," he said. "Just thought you'd like to know you're little quest is a waste of time."

"We don't know who you are and you don't know what you're talking about," I said; part of me wanted to gut him, an instinct that came from somewhere I didn't know.

"You don't know why you're really out here, girl. Just wait; you'll see how dangerous the world is."

"I can believe it's dangerous. Just not the way you make it sound," I replied through gritted teeth.

"Don't sound so sure." Then he lunged.

His body changed; turning into a man made of flames. His hands reached out and wrapped around my throat. In and instant I knew what he'd do and I let out a strangled gasp. Without really thinking I grab my dagger from my belt and plunged it into the fire man's chest. Sadly, it didn't kill him.

My eye sight grew slightly fuzzy. Everything was tinged with red from the fire burning inches from my face. My neck was burning beneath his grip. I wanted to scream, but I couldn't because I thought my vocal cords were melting or something. I couldn't get in any air.

In the corner of my eye I dimly saw Hunter pull out his dagger and stab the fire man's back. I heard commotion behind me and I saw movement in the aisle. Celestial Bronze flashed dimly in front of me. My body was heating up even more, searing painfully, and my mind growing dimmer. My lungs were screaming. Any oxygen was being burned up. Spots danced in my eyes.

Suddenly in a brilliant flash the fire man disappeared; turning into a bright dust, and then vanishing in an invisible wind. I fell back against my seat; sucking in air as my body stopped burning in heat. The air felt blessedly cool, and colours blurred as they settled. For a few minutes I gasped and regained myself, but eventually I was feeling well enough to sit more upright and faced my friends.

Percy and Annabeth had settled themselves in the seats across from me. They were looking at me with concern. I drew a shaky breath and my throat burned. I coughed. My pain must have shown on my face because they looked even more worried.

Percy pulled out a canteen of Nectar and slid it across the table to me. I nodded my thanks and took a deep draught from it. It stung a little, but it did make me feel a whole lot better in the end. I put it down and looked apologetically at them. I mean, I had taken not even five seconds to realize the guy was abnormal, but it took him strangling me to know he was a monster. That was just plain stupidity.

"How are you feeling?" Percy asked me. At least he didn't ask if I was okay, he did that most of the time; especially when the obvious answer was 'no'.

"Better," I managed hoarsely. My throat burned in protest.

"That's good," Annabeth said. "You should get some rest now. You're body will need to mend. We'll find out what happened when you wake up. Okay Cora?" I nodded and leaned back. I didn't even want to argue. I gave a quick glance at Hunter, who was staring at me intently. I tried my best for a reassuring smile, but I didn't think it worked.

I closed my eyes and immediately I started to drift off. It still took me a little while to relax. I was all worked up. Eventually I fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

A/N: Took out, like, three sentences where Cora questions her sanity because when I wrote it, I had a moment where I had none. Anyways. Just a head's up for next week's chapter: I have brought in a bit of my own fiction combined with actual mythology. So if you get confused . . . that's why. A head's up for next week. Now what did you think? How was it? Wasn't that flame man . . . interesting? *evil smile* So tell me what you thought through either fav or alert or review!