Nik's POV

I didn't mind the noise around me; even if five gods and their children were cheering harder than a pep rally.

As long as I could stare at her.

Ever since Thalia Grace literally dropped by, it was like something changed in me. I didn't know what. I just felt something snap.

'Attention!'

Next was the hard stomping of feet on the ground.

'Parade rest!' Ares commanded.

Everybody sat down hard.

'Nicole, start!' Ares said.

'Yes sir!' Nicole found herself shouting. 'Thalia Grace—'

'Objection.' Thalia said, bringing us back to courtroom mode.

'Sustained.' I said. 'Nicole, you can't kill someone who's killed you recently.'

Nicole scowled. 'Why?'

'Because that'll make the game go… diagonal.' I said.

'That's not in the rules.' Nicole protested.

'It is now.' Thalia said.

I caught myself staring. 'Yes. It is. By the way; the next three rounds should be dare.'

'Really?' Nicole asked.

'Are you deaf or something?' I retorted. 'You heard right.'

'So I can dare anyone except Thalia?' Nicole asked

'Have you completely forgotten how to play this game?' I asked.

'Maybe her Alzheimer's disease is kicking in.' Thalia said.

We laughed.

'Yes,' Nicole said, breaking our perfect connection. 'or no?'

'Yes.' I said, annoyed. 'Anyone else but Thalia.'

Thalia; I thought. Even her name was beautiful.

'Nik!'

I blinked. 'What?'

'That's the third time I called you.' Nicole said. 'Are you deaf or something?'

'Burn.' Cecil, Connor and Travis said.

I stared cruelly at them. 'Of course I'm in.' I said. 'I'm Maleficent.'

'Okay then.' Nicole said, smirking. 'I dare you to kiss Thalia.'

'Excuse me?' Me, Jason and Thalia asked.

'Nicole, do you have any idea what you're asking Nik to do?' Jason asked. 'What if Nik kisses Thalia and she becomes evil?'

'And I'm a Hunter.' Thalia said. 'I can't kiss anyone.'

'Yeah.' I seconded. 'She can't do that.'

'Correction; you can't fall in love.' Kardashian said with distaste. 'Luckily, you have met your match.'

I just realized that the make-up made Nicole look— sinister. 'So, Mal; are you in or out?'

Thalia looked disappointed. Artemis seemed to be giving me the stink eye.

I figured there was no way, no matter what oath was made, that I would get out of this in my own body. Or alive.

'Could I talk to you?' I asked Thalia. 'Alone?'

'Ooh.' Aphrodite Cabin cooed.

Thalia blushed. 'Okay.'

We walked out of the amphitheater.

###

Thalia and I came back with huge grins. 'We're ready.'

Jas' face paled. 'What did you guys do out there?'

'You know,' I said. 'Just preparing ourselves.'

'You're really good at preparing people, Nikki.' Thalia said.

'Why, thank you; Lia.' I said with an exaggerated bow.

Jason, Leo, Percy, Connor and Travis retched collectively.

'Just do it, Nik.' Nicole said. 'Stop beating around the bush.'

I smirked. 'By the way, Cole, you should've been careful about that dare.'

Nicole arched a purple eyebrow. 'Why?'

I knelt on one knee and kissed Thalia's hand. 'That's why.'

I turned to Zeus. 'Your thundering majesty; I dare you to strike Nicole di Angelo on the butt with a not lethal but painful bolt of lightning.'

Zeus' master bolt appeared and he sent a hot bolt of lightning to Nicole's derriere.

After that she looked like she was— well— struck by lightning. Poufy hair, charred trousers; the works.

'I hate you, Nik Strano and Thalia Grace.' Nicole said.

'Why hate us?' Thalia asked. 'We're doing you a favor. I'm guessing your butt's stiff after last night.'

Nicole took a millisecond to realize the joke.

Once she did, she charged at Lia and started to throttle her. 'You stupid, racist, dirty minded bastard.'

'To be fair,' Thalia choked. 'we're all bastards here.'

Zeus, Artemis and Hades pulled them apart.

'We still have one dare left, right?' Thunderman asked.

'Yes sir.' I said.

The god's eyes sparked with electricity. 'Meaning if I choose someone now; they cannot back out?'

'No they can't, sir.'

Thunderman turned to his fellow higher powers; most especially Pretty Boy. 'Speaking of bastards…'