Disclaimer: Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Trials of Apollo, Heroes of Olympus, The Vampire Diaries, and The Originals do not belong to me.
English is not my native language, so I apologize for the mistakes I might make.
Hi, I apologize for taking so long to update this story. I hope all of you are safe and taking the necessary precautions against the COVID-19!
The truth is that life has been a complete disaster, and I'm usually very busy with college. But mostly, if I'm honest, I was a little sad to receive so much negative feedback, because I loved writing this story. I know that the first chapters are a little bad, but, in my defense, I was around sixteen-seventeen years old when I wrote them.
I've gotten 'hate' because of some mistakes I've made while writing, especially one I made regarding the distance between California and Virginia, but hey, as I've previously said, I'm not from the US and google is not really a trustful source. I'm sorry about that. I'm trying to be better at my English too, I've tried to fix some of the mistakes I have. I've also gotten complains that the story is too dark, and I am sorry for that, I was just trying to make a realistic portrayal of how depression feels like. I apologize if it is an inconvenience. I only wanted to create a good, enjoyable story.
However, a particular comment that I received (that still makes me slightly confused? and high-key angry lol) is that got called a Trump supporter? Um, first of all, how on Earth can someone reach that conclusion from reading a story about vampires and demigods? Secondly, I don't like nor care about politics, so I'm obviously not intending my story to come out as any political thing? That being addressed, I only have one more thing left to say: I am certainly not a Trump supporter because, wait for it, I'm Puerto Rican. I'm Latina. So, what the hell?
Anyways, all that being addressed, I hope you guys like this chapter! Thank you to all of y'all that commented and made sure I knew you liked the story! It means a lot to me 3
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Chapter 20
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Stefan looked through the rearview mirror, staring at the two mortals that were distractedly talking to one another, oblivious to the tension surrounding both immortals. At Stefan's side, in the passenger's seat, Damon attempted to hide his annoyance at their pointless chattering by staring out of the window, masking his face from them. The oldest brother glanced to his side as the youngest one drove out of the neighborhood.
"I hope this is not a mistake," Damon told him, in a voice too low for the mortals to hear.
Stefan pursed his lips, hands tightening on the wheel until his knuckles were white. "Percy says this is for the best at the moment. We have to trust her."
"Your blood-lust is acting again," Damon started, still using a hushed tone of voice. He observed his brother, recognizing on his features some of the symptoms that portrayed that he was on edge from too much contact with humans. Despite being on good terms with his brother for the first time in countless years, he couldn't stop himself from taunting him. "My, my, Stefan. How low has the mighty fallen. Lusting for our friend's parents' blood?"
Stefan shot him a look. "Everything's under control."
Damon snorted, looking away disdainfully. "It has to be. If not, you know what Percy will do to us if we harm her parents." The rest of his sentence wasn't spoken, but it was clear as a day. And you know I can see right through your lies.
Paul laughed at something Sally said, one of his free hands going to her stomach, which was starting to show her pregnancy. The handsome man gently kissed the tip of her nose, his eyes full of adoration, and she smiled right back at him, eyes twinkling.
Damon had turned back to glance at them upon hearing their laughter but promptly looked back towards the road when the scene brought back a feeling of longing that he had almost completely forgotten about. He couldn't remember the last time he had been like that with someone- actually, he could, it had been with Katherine, but that wasn't something he wanted to remember. He wanted that level of intimacy with someone, he wanted to be loved. He rolled his eyes, both at the scene and at his own feelings, knowing that his brother was watching him.
Stefan merely smiled, heart-warmed. It had been extremely difficult for him to control his humanity switch after Elena offered him her blood to help him heal, a few weeks prior to that moment, when the she-werewolf from Mason Lockwood's pack had tried to murder them, but it had started to get better. He thought that, perhaps, if he could still find himself moved by displays of affection such as the ones constantly exhibited by the Jackson's, his ripper side wouldn't manage to overcome him so easily.
There was still hope.
"So, tell me, Sally," Damon started, a charming smile appearing on his face, his façade back on. "What did your lovely daughter invent to excuse herself from this trip?"
It hadn't been a surprise for the Salvatore brothers to find the green-eyed teenager at their living room when they arrived at the house, for almost everyone in town constantly entered their house without announcing themselves, but they'd been extremely confused by her request. Without much explanation, she had told them that there was something she had to do with her cousin that could endanger her parents and that, thus, she needed them to do her the favor of distracting them for the whole day. Take Elena, too, she had told them- and then they realized how truly dangerous the situation was, because Percy had never liked the doppelgänger enough to think of her well-being. And, as was to be expected, the brothers were immediately out of the door with the doppelgänger in hand at the first sound of trouble.
Damon had fought with Percy, demanding to know what she could be doing that was dangerous enough for all of them to have to leave, but, as he had so annoyingly imagined, the teenager refused to give him a concrete answer. Stefan had also demanded answers, but he had also accepted long before that moment that their friend would never be completely open with them, something that allowed him to push the subject aside and concentrate on what mattered: keeping them safe.
And thus, the Salvatore brothers had approached Paul and Sally early in the morning, inviting them to a trip through Richmond, claiming that they wanted to show them some places they liked. To make a better show of it being an actual trip and not an excuse to keep them away from their home- because both brothers knew that Elena would, most definitely, want to stay if she knew there would be something dangerous around- they invited Jeremy, Alaric, and Jenna.
Elena had wanted to travel with the brothers, but after hearing that Percy's parents were going, she decided to go with her family in their car, which followed Damon's Camaro through the busy streets.
"You know my daughter," Sally chuckled, though a brief look of concern crossed her features. "She always finds something to excuse herself from our plans."
Unknown to the Salvatore brothers, both Sally and Paul were completely aware of the reality of their trip to Richmond. Percy had approached them, right before going to the Salvatore's house, to tell them that there was a very dangerous, very important situation that she had to deal with- aided by her cousin- and that it could endanger them, for which she needed them to be away from town for a little bit. Even though both adults were thoroughly concerned, there was nothing else to do but listen to her. It was how it had always been- demigods couldn't ignore a mission, any mission, and, after all, it was the life that Percy had been forced into by being born one. They were mortals, they couldn't survive half the things that she had; they knew that she only ever wanted to protect them, so they didn't protest when she told them she needed them to leave with Damon and Stefan to be sure they were safe during her mission.
Paul chuckled, though severely worried about his stepdaughter's safety. "Let's just hope she doesn't burn the house down in our absence."
The brothers shared a small look, one that both adults didn't miss. In the few months they had known the young girl, they had come to realize that she was perfectly prone to accidents of the such, more so if it seemed to be- somehow- involved in her world.
"She'll be fine," Sally said, thoroughly believing her words. Her daughter seemed to always be fine, no matter how hard the situation was. The green-eyed demigoddess had the same resilience that her mother loved from the sea- from Poseidon himself.
A sad smile made its way into her face, though she hid it from her husband. The young woman wanted to believe that Poseidon was proud of their daughter, that he would- as he had promised almost eighteen years before- always look out for her during hard times. But the Greek god hadn't done anything of the such, that much Sally had gathered from how distraught her daughter looked every time he was mentioned, and it was breaking her heart.
If Poseidon wouldn't look out for their daughter, who would? Sally couldn't do much, even when she wanted to, because she was only a mortal.
Paul, oblivious to his wife's train of thought, merely added a: "She'll be fine. Nico's with her."
Damon looked away, settling for staring out of the window. He was annoyed at Percy, their latest argument making him all the more frustrated, but what really pained him was the realization that she didn't trust him enough to tell him what was going on. They'd been inseparable- almost joined at the hip- for months, and yet her whole life was a complete mystery to him. He couldn't understand, what could she possibly be doing that was dangerous enough for her to send all of them away from town?
...
The raven-haired, green-eyed teenager knocked on the door, her fingers lingering on the wood before moving to her hoodie's pocket nonchalantly. There was a sudden silence coming from the house, but before she could wonder if she had taken the right decision, the door swung open.
Emma stood in front of her, an unknown emotion crossing her otherwise warm eyes, reminding the young demigoddess of what her cousin had said.
I think she's being possessed by a vampire.
Emma plastered a smile into her face, eyes darkening slightly with a barely-hidden annoyance that the older girl had never seen on her face before. "Persephone, what a surprise. To what do I owe this pleasure?"
There was a smell lingering through the air, a familiar stench that made her feel intoxicated. It was strong enough to make her feel breathless, similar to how intoxicated she often felt around the Originals, but also different, for it seemed to be a mixture of both the stench of a vampire and a werewolf. Niklaus.
Percy wanted to scream in frustration.
How come she hadn't noticed the obvious before? Emma never called her by her full name, she was much more affectionate, and she had never looked at anyone with any kind of hatred whatsoever. Out of nowhere, she had started behaving very out of character, and Percy, consumed with her own life, hadn't even noticed before it was too late. She felt like the worse friend in the whole world. She swallowed and looked away for a moment, unable to stop herself, and sighed deeply.
She really hated her life.
"Can I come in?" Percy forced a smile into her face, though she was sure that her eyes remained as hard and calculating as Emma's at that moment. She glanced up, their eyes meeting for a short moment, "We have to talk."
Emma moved aside, holding the door open with one hand and gesturing to her to pass through with the other. "Is something wrong?"
Percy's shivered when she passed through Emma and accidentally brushed against her, a reaction that made Emma's eyebrows raise once more as she observed the young girl stop right in the middle of the living room and turn to face her. Something was wrong, the demigoddess' silence had been enough answer. The young girl clearly wanted something; he could almost feel it.
"Where's Mr. Darcy?" Percy asked innocently, turning around, and forcing another nonchalant smile into her face.
Emma's mouth curled in distaste, unable to stop the gesture, and answered with a bored tone of voice: "Out."
"And your brother?"
"Also out," Emma stared right at her, dark eyes watching her every move. A small, almost threatening smirk started to cover her lips as she added, in a sickly-sweet tone of voice, "It's just us here."
The statement brought a shiver up Percy's spine, though she knew that it was for the best. Being alone with the Original hybrid, although extremely dangerous, was better than having innocent mortals around.
As their eyes met, Percy felt cornered. There was a dangerous gleam on Emma's eyes, one that did not belong to her entirely, and the young demigoddess knew then that he had figured it out. She thought of the way a predator would analyze its prey before attacking- it was how he had been staring at her ever since she appeared at the door. If Nico's assumptions were correct, and she knew now that they were, her analogy was not far from the truth.
Percy's face turned serious then, eyes narrowing as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Very well. I suppose you already know why I came," She paused, then plastered a pleasant smile into her face, "Mr. Mikaelson."
Had she been another person, she would have found herself trapped against the wall as he choked her for her insolence, for having dared to discover him, but Niklaus found her intriguing.
The Heroine of Olympus was young (the same age as his dearest Emma) but the power that he could feel coming from her both overwhelmed and unnerved him. Niklaus had never, not even when he recalled all the powerful witches he'd encountered, met someone of her age that made him feel as though he were facing a ticking bomb.
It was clear that the ocean that lived inside of her was alive and strong. As a supernatural creature, Niklaus could feel it.
Unconsciously, Niklaus' mouth watered. He needed to have her on his good side to be able to manipulate her in the future; she could be a useful ally.
As that thought crossed his mind, Kol's face flashed before his eyes, and he gritted his teeth, knowing that his brother (who was probably awake, considering that Elijah had stolen all their siblings' coffins) would find a way to murder him if he even dared to breathe in her direction. The demigod of the prophecy. He wondered what his little brother would think of the fact that the demigod he obsessed over had actually turned out to be a demigoddess.
Niklaus wondered, moreover, if it would be possible to appease his little brother's anger at being daggered by giving him the demigod he had always obsessed over.
As soon as that thought crossed his mind, the immortal vampire pushed it aside. Percy was the Heroine of Olympus- the most famous demigod that graced Earth up until that moment, the one demigod with enough power to bring Olympus to its knees. There was no way that he would let Kol have her all for himself when she could prove to be useful for him, too. Breaking his curse, taking control of Mystic Falls, and even dealing with his father if he appeared would be easier with a demigod ally.
"Let me guess, love," Emma chuckled, thoroughly amused. She walked past her and into the living room, moving towards the small table where the liquor was kept. "You have come to stop me, to thwart all my plans and- would you like a drink?- to kill me."
"No, thank you," Percy declined his offer politely, watching his movements with a tense posture, clearly expecting him to pounce on her at any second. He found it even more amusing, though he did not show it. "You don't seem surprised that I discovered you're possessing Emma."
Emma's lips curled lightly, "I must say I'm not surprised, Ms. Jackson. I knew this moment would come, sooner or later. I had hoped, however, for our proper meeting to be delayed. I mean no offense, but I'm much more preoccupied with attending to my plans than I am with dealing with you right now."
Percy seemed almost amused, one eyebrow raised as she moved to sit in one of the couches, watching him take a seat across from her. "Do you honestly think me to be stupid enough to come here wanting to attack you?"
"No, of course not," Emma said, something similar to curiosity crossing her eyes before disappearing completely. "Which brings me to ask, why are you here?" A smirk started to cover her face, "Ah! Don't tell me you've grown tired of working for my boring brother and decided to side with the future winner."
Despite herself, she found herself amused by his words. "No, Mr. Mikaelson. Firstly, I don't work for your brother. Secondly, I know which battles to fight and which to ignore. This- your presence in Mystic Falls, as well as your attempts to break your curse, and your issues with your siblings- are none of my business. I wish to keep it that way," Percy held his stare, then continued, voice unwavering, "I came here because I'm curious."
"Curious about me?" Emma smirked, mirthlessly. "Haven't you heard, love? Curiosity killed the cat."
"But satisfaction brought it back," Percy countered back, unyielding. "I would like to talk to you- the real you- if it's no problem." She received a calculating glance, and she continued before he could reply, remembering that he was described as an extremely paranoid man. "It unnerves me to see a glint of the devil in my best friend's eyes."
"You'd rather see the devil itself?"
Percy would be lying if she said his words didn't amuse her, but she did all she could not to show it, not wanting to anger him. "I've seen my own share of 'devils' through the years. I assure you, I'm not that easily frightened."
"That, I am curious about."
Even though Emma's face remained stoic, Niklaus was sincere about that. For many years, he and his older brother had collected all the information they could find on demigods (and, consequently, on her) so that once they woke their youngest brother up, he wouldn't have to start searching on his own. Throughout the years, as they discovered all she had done, Niklaus and Elijah had come to realize that Persephone Jackson was one of the most intriguing figures they had heard about.
No other demigod had been chosen twice to participate in a war such as the ones against Gaea and Kronos. Most specifically, no other famous demigod seemed to have survived the things she survived.
Nonetheless, Niklaus' interest in her could never be compared to his desire to break his curse. He would strike her down if she attempted to stop him, but he would rather remain out of the Greek gods' focus. To do so, he knew he had to do things right- he couldn't go around threatening or provoking the most important demigod in the world. He was impulsive, that much he could easily admit, but he wasn't an idiot.
Sensing that the soon-to-be hybrid would get bored of their interaction if she didn't act, the young demigoddess returned to their initial topic. "I also wanted to see if you're as handsome as they say- or if Elijah is the only one with good genes in your family."
As soon as her words came out, Percy recalled Elijah and Niklaus' younger brother, the one she had awakened and that had wanted to drain her. He had been extremely handsome, though she could never admit so out loud. The Mikaelson family seemed to be full of eye-candy.
Instantly, her words seemed to catch his attention, and she hid a smirk as she watched Emma's eyebrows raise in a challenge of their own. So predictable. Arrogance seemed to come with immortality.
"You've heard of me," Emma purred, sounding pleased.
"As have you, of me."
Emma raised one eyebrow. "What are you really playing at?" Suddenly, she was right in front of the demigoddess, who jumped at the sudden proximity, but held his inquisitive gaze, "I assure you, love, I'm not the brother you go to if you want to play games. So, tell me, what do you want?"
"I told you. I want to talk to the real you," Percy hesitated, then decided to be sincere. She figured that someone like Niklaus, who didn't trust anyone, would react better if she were as sincere as could be. Still holding his gaze, she answered, "I hate knowing that Emma is suffering, trapped inside of herself. I was hoping to get you to return to your own body, so you don't hurt her anymore."
Anger crossed Emma's eyes. "How convenient," The young girl probably wanted him to go back to his own body so that she could harm him (or even kill him, he wasn't sure of the effect her weapons could cause on him) without taking her mortal friend down as collateral damage. She broke their stare, angrily looking away.
Niklaus knew that the demigoddess had met his brother already, something that made him question her actions. Narrowing his eyes, the soon-to-be hybrid wondered if his brother had planned something involving the demigoddess (who had a connection to beings of higher power than them) to thwart his plans. He hoped to be mistaken, because it would be unconventional to have to murder Persephone Jackson before his younger brother had a chance to meet her; not to mention that he was aware there could be bigger consequences if he harmed the Heroine of Olympus: the gods wouldn't be happy, and while it wasn't their world, those beings were in control of everything, no matter what species is involved.
Emma would never forgive him, either.
It made him pause and reconsider.
Knowing what the Original vampire was thinking, Percy sighed and rolled her eyes, hands moving to wave a hand through her hair. Why did every big dangerous vampire think that she wanted to kill them? Because she was a demigoddess? She didn't even know that vampires were a thing until she moved to Virginia, she really could care less about the Originals and their ongoing war against each other, much less about Niklaus's desire to break his curse.
Mystic Falls could burn for all she cared, as long as no mortals were directly harmed- and even then, she was starting to find inconveniently annoying having to protect everyone around town when half of them didn't know her, and the others didn't like her. In all honesty, the young girl was tired of that town and all the drama it constantly had, she wanted peace.
While the demigoddess remained lost in thoughts, the Original in disguise continued observing her, recognizing the exhaustion he saw reflected on her eyes.
Percy Jackson intrigued him, not only because she was the most famous demigoddess in the whole world, but because, despite everything she had done, was still no more than a young girl. He could only think about how unnerving it was to see a teenager with such old eyes. It made him wonder, briefly, about the horrors she had been forced to see throughout her life.
At that moment, he realized someone like Persephone Jackson, who had saved the world more than once, couldn't possibly be worried or even faced about vampires, werewolves, curses, and even about Mystic Falls in general. It seemed pointless.
But, he realized with a start, she had come there to ask him not to hurt Emma, the one human he cared the most about.
"You care about Emma."
It wasn't a question, but Percy found herself nodding anyways. "I wouldn't be here if I didn't. Contrary to popular belief, I don't currently have a death wish."
Wouldn't it be ironic if she did, though? She would have had survived two wars, the Greek epitome of hell, and countless other monsters to die, at the end of it all, in a small, boring town in Virginia. In the hands of vampires. Mortal monsters. Blood-suckers. Weaklings, compared to all the titans, gods, and monsters she had faced. She refused to die there, that way, in their hands.
The immortal vampire observed her for one last moment, almost calculatingly, then he made up his mind. "All right, love. You make a compelling argument."
Percy looked back at him; eyebrows raised.
The immortal vampire had already managed to taunt the doppelgänger and her friends without them knowing where he was, thanks to his disguise, so he had no other reasonable reason to remain hidden. He didn't want to continue hurting his daughter. Moreover, his brother had stolen their siblings' coffins, and if he wanted to encounter his siblings and make amends before they all turned their backs on him again, he had to be back on his own body.
"You're serious?"
"Get comfortable, love. I'll get my witch so she can place me back on my body. Then, you'll be able to judge for yourself which sibling you find more attractive. If I recall correctly, you did mention you were curious."
It took an hour for Greta (the soon-to-be hybrid's witch) to get there, but only five minutes for her to place him back on his own body.
As soon as the witch was gone, and Emma, exhausted, fell asleep in her room, Niklaus moved downstairs, each step deliberated and slow, knowing from the demigoddess' heartbeat that she was nervously waiting for him.
Percy wondered if she was making a mistake the second she sensed he was back on his own body. The power she had felt coming from Emma, as well as the stench, was nothing compared to how it felt coming from the real Niklaus Mikaelson.
He strolled gracefully into the room, moving to stand in front of the demigoddess as they, for the first time, saw each other for who they were.
The soon-to-be hybrid met the demigoddess' eyes and smirked. "Well, hello there, love. Is your curiosity satisfied?"
Niklaus Mikaelson was not what Percy would have expected an Original vampire to be if she had not seen him already on Elijah's memories. He was extremely attractive, with his well-built complexion, his dirty-blond hair, and dark blue eyes; that much she could not bring herself to deny, but what caught her attention was the charismatic smile he bore. It made her remember, once again, how deceitful appearances really were. The devil in disguise, indeed.
"It is," Percy answered easily, "Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Mikaelson."
The air around them felt tense, a familiar feeling of imminent danger threatening to emerge at any moment.
"Please, call me Klaus," The Original vampire grabbed her hand and moved it to his lips, kissing gently. "The pleasure is all mine."
Nico's words came back to her in that instant. Whatever you do, do not make him angry. You know what he's capable of, you've seen it all on Elijah's memories. You know he killed Katherine's family when she angered him. We need to make sure your family- and the Salvatore's- are safe until you strike a deal with him. You know what the deal has to be about- there's no other way. He won't cooperate unless he gets something that benefits him.
"So," Percy started, feeling vulnerable under his intense stare. For a moment, she wondered if having him back on his own body had been a good idea. Their eyes met for a moment, and she said, "I want to make a treaty with you."
"I'm aware, love. Our worlds are not meant to collide," Niklaus said, making her realize that he knew more about her world than he let on. "It's only reasonable that you and I seek common ground while we reside here in Mystic Falls."
"Indeed," Percy nodded in acceptance of his words. "I feel like I should remind you, Klaus. My main duty as a demigoddess is to protect mortals around town, no matter what happens or against whom I have to stand. I imagine there will be casualties as a consequence of your attempts to break your curse, I'm afraid I won't be able to step back and allow that to happen."
The tension that surrounded them ever since she arrived grew thicker at her words. Threatening an immortal monster as impulsive as that Original vampire was could cost the young demigoddess her life, something that she was aware of, but she had never been one to allow fear to stop her from protecting others.
"Well, love," Niklaus started. The charisma that seemed to characterize him had suddenly disappeared, being replaced by a coldness that accentuated the intensity of his stare. As he spoke, his body had adopted a barely-hidden posture of defense, making Percy realize that he could (and would) jump on her at any given moment. "We already have a problem. I won't back down until I break my curse."
Niklaus started to approach Percy dangerously, but the effect wasn't as threatening as he would've liked, because they were almost the same height, the difference being that he was slightly taller. "I will strike you down if you even attempt to stop me."
Raising to the challenge, Percy Jackson narrowed her eyes as she stared at the immortal vampire standing right in front of her. Her lips curled almost cruelly, and the daughter of Poseidon then replied, her tone of voice cold enough to make a lesser man tremble. "I'd like to see you try."
Nico's words came back to her at that moment, (do not make him angry- do not tempt him) and she forced herself to appear collected and level-headed.
Niklaus noticed, and tilted his head. There was something about her...something about the look on her eyes that was familiar. He had seen that look a thousand times before, on his siblings and on himself, and he realized that the daughter of Poseidon was impulsive, unstable even. It was a realization that made him even more curious, and he allowed the emotion to show on his eyes, to see how she would react. He wondered, briefly, if she was impulsive because it was in her nature as the daughter of the sea, or if she had been through more than he had heard. Two wars at seventeen; something must've happened to her, he was sure. He knew, better than anyone else, that war always shaped someone, for better or for worse. He wanted to see how explosive she could get- to see her full potential; to see how he could use her in the future.
But Percy merely forced a smile into her face, one that didn't reach her eyes. "However, I never said anything about wanting to stop you."
Niklaus narrowed his eyes. As unpredictable as the sea, indeed. "Don't play games with me, little one. I think you'll find I can be far more dangerous than any other creature you've ever encountered."
Percy believed him. Every monster from her world was far more dangerous, there was no doubt about that, but none of them had proven to be as unexpected and explosive as the Original hybrid. The young demigoddess couldn't ignore the fact that he was, perhaps, the biggest threat that could ever come to Mystic Falls.
Niklaus smirked at her, as though reading her mind, then continued, "Apart from the gods, of course."
"Careful there, Klaus. You shouldn't speak of things you don't understand."
"And you shouldn't go around making deals with devils you don't know."
"It wouldn't be the first time."
"But it could be your last."
Amusement flickered in Percy's eyes, and she, unable to stop herself, chuckled. "Yeah, I've heard that one before. It doesn't particularly scare me. If you wanted me dead, I would be already."
"I must say I'm intrigued," Niklaus admitted, shrugging as he moved to pour himself another drink. The young girl didn't seem to be much of a threat at the moment, considering she had not attacked him, but he didn't completely believe her claims of being unbothered by the idea of him breaking his curse. He continued as he finished pouring his drink, and turned back to look at her. "You're not the first demigod I meet, but you certainly are the most famous one. It came to me as a great surprise to discover that the Heroine of Olympus was here, in Mystic Falls."
"It's not an ideal place," Percy agreed carefully, shrugging. "But it's home now."
"The thing is, love, that I don't play by anybody's rules but my own," Niklaus raised his eyebrows, mouth curling into a lopsided smirk that, on another occasion, would've made her heart skip a beat. "Give me one good reason as to why would I even begin to consider making a deal with you," His eyes ran over her dangerously, seizing her up, "What's in it for me?"
Carefully choosing her words, Percy said the words she had practiced before, hoping that it turned out well. "In exchange for peace, I willingly offer my services to you."
Niklaus' blue eyes shot up to meet hers, mouth instantly curling into a heart-stopping smirk that sent shivers down her spine, not because he was an extremely attractive man, but because she recognized the hunger for power that she saw reflected on his eyes. It was the same hunger she constantly saw in ambitious, cold-hearted deities. The demigoddess knew then that nothing good would come out of their deal if he accepted. She was, although she disliked the analogy, quite literally making a deal with the devil.
"The daughter of Poseidon and the son of Hades, working for me?" The soon-to-be hybrid could not keep the interest off of his voice.
Percy found herself shaking her head, disagreeing. "I'd rather we leave my cousin out of this. He's only a child, and merely visiting town."
Niklaus rose his eyebrows, wondering how a teenager could consider a 'child' someone only a few years younger than her, but didn't voice his thoughts. It reminded him of his family's own attitude towards other vampires- but, being Original vampires, they had all the right in the world to feel superior to the others because they were the first, the oldest of them all. His eyes trailed over her young features, observing in a calculating way the little details that conveyed her status as the Heroine of Olympus, a title that he imagined gave her the same sense of superiority over other demigods than their status as Originals.
"Alright, love," He conceded, fighting against a smirk. "You said you don't plan on stopping me from breaking my curse. So, what exactly is it that you ask for?"
"Peace," Percy said, without hesitation. "I want mortals around town to be safe. I want my family to be safe, my mother, my step-father. I want my friends, Damon and Stefan, to also be excluded from the list of 'collateral damage' that will certainly come out of your attempts to break the curse."
"Careful there, love, don't you think you're asking for too much?" Niklaus knew that the Salvatore brothers would be a problem. He needed the doppelgänger, Elena Gilbert, to break his curse, and the Salvatore brothers seemed to be her protectors.
"No," The demigoddess shot back. For the first time in her life, she decided to meet someone's arrogance with her own, needing to remind Niklaus that while he was powerful and feared in his world, he was nothing more than a little vampire in hers. By doing so, she hoped to make him accept the treaty and, consequently, assure her that he wasn't going to hurt her loved ones. "I'm the daughter of Poseidon, one of the most powerful gods that have ever existed. I have survived two wars, killed countless monsters throughout my whole life, been the two-times savior of Olympus; I have all the power of the sea in my hands. I'm offering myself and my powers to you as an ally, and you think that I'm asking for too much?"
"No," Niklaus was in front of her in a second, his glass of alcohol forgotten. "In fact, I believe that you can find yourself useful to me," His eyes gleamed dangerously, and, for the first time in months, the demigoddess felt the weight of her mistakes. "As useful as you've been to Elijah, I believe."
Percy's heart dropped. Did he know that she had been the one to 'steal' the coffins from him? As soon as that thought crossed her mind, she disregarded it. There was no way that he would have let her live if he knew.
"Do we have a deal, then?"
"Let us recapitulate, love. I'd have you to aid me in whatever I desire, whenever I ask, no conditions, no questions asked…as long as I promise not to harm your little friends and your family?"
Percy ignored all the signs that were telling her to stop, to reconsider, and said: "Yes."
Niklaus smirked. "Then we have a deal, Ms. Jackson." What they say is true then, he thought, she would risk it all if it meant protecting her loved ones. Her fatal flaw is, indeed, loyalty.
What have I done? Percy felt breathless, overwhelmed with the realization that, to protect those she loved against the Original vampires and all the danger that being around them produced, she would have to become their little puppet. It was like being forced to aid the gods in everything they wanted all over again, only that this time she had caused her own downfall, she had been the one to choose to offer her help.
"However, Persephone, I do believe there's something about my curse that you should understand."
"I know that some sacrifices have to be made," Percy nodded carefully, frowning. "I imagine, due to my own experience with curses, that to break yours and become a hybrid you have to sacrifice both a vampire and a werewolf, since they symbolize both sides of yourself."
"Beauty and brains," Niklaus praised her, observing her to see if he could find some indication that she regretted their deal. "That, however, is not all I have to sacrifice."
"As long as it's not an innocent human-" She shrugged, "You do what you got to do. In all truth, I do believe that you breaking your curse is a good thing. No one should be forced to contain a part of themselves."
Niklaus didn't want to dwell on her easy acceptance, he didn't want to acknowledge it for the moment. He was more interested in seeing how she would react once she discovered what the doppelgänger's fate was. Having disguised himself as Emma, Niklaus had been able to notice the mutual dislike that existed between Percy Jackson and Elena Gilbert, but he wondered to what extent it went.
"I'll let you in a little secret, love," Niklaus took a small sip of his alcohol, watching Percy's movements through the corner of his eyes. "To break my curse, the doppelgänger has to die."
Percy's heart stopped at that particular piece of information, her fingers, which had been distractedly playing with one of her bracelets, stilled. The doppelgänger has to die. Her eyes flickered upwards to meet Niklaus' inquisitive stare, and she couldn't hide how startled his words have made her, not even when she knew that he had wanted her to have that exact reaction. Elena had to die. It was something she hadn't expected but that, now that she came to think about it, made sense. She closed her eyes, dreading opening them and seeing the monster in front of her looking right back at her.
It took her a moment to be able to speak, and once she did, she almost choked on her own words. "But she's just a kid."
"She's a doppelgänger," Niklaus corrected her, unfaced. "Oh, don't look so worried now, love, Elena's not an innocent mortal, she's a supernatural creature. By killing her, I won't be breaking our deal."
"But Damon and Stefan-"
"Sadly, I won't be able to use them in the way that I originally planned, but rest assured, your little friends won't perish at my hands. I'll find other vampires to sacrifice. A deal's a deal, after all."
This is not my business, she is not my friend, Percy told herself, but there was a small voice, similar to Annabeth's, on the back of her head telling her: Elena's just a girl, you cannot let her die.
…
While Percy Jackson negotiated with the Original vampire, Nico di Angelo had, somehow, managed to shadow-travel back to Camp Half-Blood to visit Will, then traveled to Camp Jupiter to aid Hazel in a mission, to then, finally, return to Mystic Falls.
When the green-eyed demigoddess arrived, moving towards the music room to relax, she found her cousin already there, laying on the floor, clearly exhausted.
"I told you this morning, Nico, you should've stayed in Camp today," Percy said, as gently as she could. She moved towards one of the couches in the room, and allowed herself to fall back on it, ungraceful and unceremoniously as a sigh left her mouth. "Shadow traveling so far and so much was bound to exhaust you."
"I'm fine," Nico waved her worry aside. He paused for a moment, then continued once he imagined she had managed to control the adrenaline that he was sure still coursed through her veins. Negotiating with a monster as dangerous as Niklaus Mikaelson was bound to make anyone nervous, especially demigods, who were already almost constantly submerged in a constant state of adrenaline. "How did it go?"
"Surprisingly well," Percy winced, remembering what she had discovered, but pushing it aside for the time being…until she knew what to do; until she knew how to prevent an innocent's death without breaking a deal in the process. "He agreed to the deal."
Nico wasn't surprised. Offering an ambitious vampire her services as a demigoddess (as a more powerful being) was like offering drugs to an addict. There was no way he could have been able to turn her down.
"So, how was it?" Nico was curious. "What did you think of him?"
Percy considered it for a moment. "If I'm honest, it wasn't that bad. At first, I thought he was going to attack me, but that's what I think of everyone when I first met them-"
"And that's on being demigods," Nico chuckled, having learned to live with that same paranoia throughout most of his life.
"-but he didn't. We managed to have a cordial, almost normal encounter," She paused, remembering the tension that had surrounded them before, and added a quiet: "I have to admit, though, that there were times in which I found myself scared."
Nico tilted his head to the side, his curiosity peaking. "Of him?"
Percy nodded. "There was just so much…rage coming out of him. Do you know the feeling it comes with meting a god for the first time and not knowing how to behave? That moment when you feel like blinking the wrong way could get you pulverized? Well, meeting Niklaus felt like that. It's a little overwhelming, you know, being in the presence of someone that can easily end your life if they wanted, but hoping that they don't. I had forgotten how it felt."
Nico stared at the ceiling for a brief moment, allowing silence to surround them for a moment as her words settled in.
A life without gods sounded peaceful. He could get used to Mystic Falls if it meant that the interactions with their world (with gods and monsters) were scarce.
After a short pause in which he had started to feel his eyelids heavy, he turned sideways to have a glimpse of Percy. She had unconsciously moved so that she was now facing the other side of the room, where some of the instruments were kept, and he knew where her mind had wandered off.
"Do you miss him?" The question was out of Nico's mouth before he could stop himself, and he winced when he saw her blink at his question, startled.
The son of Hades had started dating Will recently, and he kept hearing the blond demigod complain that he didn't know what was happening to his father, that he was worried about what Zeus could be doing to him. He had forgotten, for a moment, that Percy shared Will's same concerns.
"Not as much as I used to, but yes," Percy replied quietly, allowing the stillness and sudden quiet in the room to relax her tense muscles. She closed her eyes for a moment, feeling the last rays of sun coming from the window warm her face, and sighed quietly, "I'd rather we went back to talking about the Originals, though."
"Okay," Nico answered easily, nodding, to then add a careful: "I'm sorry if I hurt you by asking about him."
"No, no, Nico, you didn't hurt me," Percy replied swiftly, "I just- I don't like remembering that Apollo's hurting as we speak and there's nothing I can do to help." He had helped her about a million times, but she couldn't help him when it mattered the most. It made her feel like an awful person.
"You have got to stop worrying and stressing over protecting and helping everyone you care about," The son of Hades sighed, looking at her in a soft way that made her chest ache. "You have to protect and help yourself now."
"I find it ironic that you say this now, after I made a deal with the most dangerous vampire in the mortal world, to protect my family and my friends."
"There was no other way," Nico shook his head. "Besides, it was my idea, remember? We had to come up with a plan to make him leave Emma's body. On the bright side, your parents and the Salvatore brothers gained his protection-"
"-but on the downside, I just signed up to become someone's pawn," Percy pursed her lips, "Again."
"To be fair, you were already sort of helping Elijah with whatever he needed," Nico shrugged, unfaced as he recalled his first meeting with the 'noble' Original.
Percy nodded in agreement, hesitating briefly. "Yeah, but Elijah's just so-"
"-so polite that it almost makes you forget he could rip our hearts out at any given moment?" Nico finished for her. "Yeah, I think that's his tactic. That, if you ask me, is his most dangerous trait. I'd be more scared of him than of Niklaus; being impulsive is more predictable than being plain stoic."
"So, basically we have the so-called noble brother, the impulsive soon-to-be hybrid, the homicidal maniac, the female version of the impulsive one, and then the one that's been asleep his whole life," Percy raised her eyebrows as she recalled the other Originals. "This is definitely going to be fun."
"As fun as Dracula and Edward Cullen babysitting your parents," Nico snorted, imagining how stressed Damon and Stefan must have been feeling while having to hang out with Sally and Paul while also entertaining Alaric, Jenna, Jeremy, and Elena.
The Gilbert siblings, along with Sommer and Saltzman, already knew how the Salvatore brothers behaved on a normal basis, but Sally and Paul had only seen Damon's charming side, meaning that they didn't know how 'dick-ish' he was.
"We should call them," Percy chuckled. "To let them know we're okay and that it's safe to come back home now."
"Better yet, we could get there-" The son of Hades raised one eyebrow, considering that possibility. "We could have a nice time, all of us together. Have you been to Richmond yet?"
"Don't be stupid, Death-Boy. No more shadow-traveling, you've exhausted yourself today. You're about to fall asleep right there on the floor."
"You know what I say, with great power comes great need to take a nap," The young boy chuckled at his own joke, then closed his eyes. "Wake me up in half-an-hour. We can go to the Grill for dinner."
"But-"
"Stop complaining. We are going and that's final, you haven't even had breakfast today."
Percy paused, surprised that he had noticed. "You are taking seriously the whole 'helping me' thing, huh?"
"Duh. Now, shut up and let me sleep before I change my mind."
As the younger boy drifted off to sleep on the floor, the raven-haired girl sighed, exhausted, and moved out of the music room to let him rest. She stopped in the hallway, taking a moment to decide what to do, then moved towards her room.
Once Percy entered, blindly turning on the lights, she glanced around for a moment. Her room had stayed the same throughout the months because she never had time to change it, being extremely busy with school. Her bed remained pushed against a wall, the small water-fountain had been disregarded to the other side of the room, almost forgotten as she hadn't used it to send any Iris-Message nor to connect with her other side of the family in months, and the small mattress in which Nico slept ever since arriving at Mystic Falls had been pushed to the side for the time being.
As she moved to disregard her jacket, throwing it into the bed, she found herself glancing out of the windows, towards the Salvatore's Boarding House. She wondered, briefly, how her parents were, also wondering if they were having fun. Then, as she moved to sit on the edge of her bed, she sighed, waving a hand through her hair.
I need to talk to Damon, Percy thought, dreading the confrontation that she knew would happen once he discovered what she learned about the curse and how she learned it. It was going to be a complicated conversation, that much she was sure of, but he deserved to know the truth…
After some time in which she remained on the bed, resting for a while, Percy gathered her strength and then pushed herself off the bed, sighing and moving towards her vanity mirror as she stretched her sore back.
She looked at herself in the mirror, sighing once more when she realized how pale she had started to look ever since coming to Mystic Falls, a place where she hadn't even been able to relax. More than it being just because of Mystic Falls, however, the truth was that she didn't want to go back to the beach (not after that one incident) because she feared her father would sense her and know that his absence pained her. The least she wanted was his pity or his contempt. If he appeared on her life again, she wanted it to be because he wanted to be there, not because he heard or felt her missing him.
But she missed the beach, missed the sun on her skin, the salt in the air…
Percy sighed once more, pursing her lips as she pushed her thoughts aside and concentrated on her reflection. Since they would be going out to buy dinner once Nico woke up, she decided she had to fix herself and look more presentable, feeling underdressed in simple, ripped-up jeans and a blue top. She looked down, searching for a hairband, but when she looked up, a scream died on her throat at the sight she was met with.
Kronos, whom she had thought would no longer invade her life, since she had stopped hallucinating after a while, stood behind her. His face, once as handsome as Luke had been, morphed until it resembled a monster, and then he smirked.
Percy remained frozen, wide-eyed as she glanced through the mirror how her recurring nightmare seemed to come to life. Fuck, fuck, fuck, not now, not again. She couldn't feel him this time, but seeing him was enough to frighten her to her very core. Her heart thumped wildly against her ribcage, her limbs trembling as she tried to remind herself that it was not real, he wasn't there, it was just her mind playing tricks on her… but then she blinked, and the image changed.
Kronos disappeared. On his place stood a tall, handsome man dressed in old fashioned clothes, his brown hair styled back. Percy's heart dropped, recognizing him as the Original she had woken up.
For a moment, she remained quiet, wondering why her mind had changed Kronos for him. Although she was extremely confused, she couldn't complain- Kronos' presence frightened her more than she would've ever felt comfortable admitting. Kol's presence, on the other hand, startled her.
She hadn't thought about him much, mainly because she didn't know him at all, for which she couldn't understand why her mind had conjured him right after conjuring her worst nightmare.
Suddenly, Kol's reflection moved. In a second, Percy found herself pushed against the vanity mirror, her neck spread out for him as his arms circled her waist, and her heart dropped. Before she could try to remind herself that it was all on her head and that the Original vampire was not there, he tightened his hold on her, his touch becoming desperate, and his face descended into her neck. Percy's scream died on her throat, uncomfortable as she tried- and failed- to remember once more that it was just an illusion.
"Seaweed Brain?" Nico's voice echoed through the silent hallway, his steps approaching.
Percy had looked towards the door at the sound of his voice, but when she looked towards the mirror again, her heart dropped, an actual scream leaving her mouth when she saw Kol's face had morphed, allowing the monster to emerge, and that he seemed more than willing to sink his fangs into her neck.
Nico entered the room, sword in hand as he looked around frantically. "Percy?"
Percy blinked, and the image was gone; she was alone in her room, with her cousin watching her concernedly from the door.
"Hey," Nico called again, concerned. "What happened? Are you okay?"
She couldn't bring herself to answer. Embarrassedly, since it was the first time in a while that she had a hallucination in front of someone, she turned away from Nico and hid her face behind her hands, which continued trembling almost in sync with her agitated heartbeat.
Nico held his ground for a moment, to then realize what had happened. Percy remained quiet, hiding behind her hands. Swallowing, he put his sword away, and moved towards his cousin, carefully approaching her until he found himself at her side. "Hey, it's okay. It happens, there's no need to be ashamed."
"I'm sorry," Percy said, slowly moving her hands off of her face.
Nico gave her a confused look, scrunching his nose. "Don't be stupid, Seaweed Brain. You don't have to apologize for things you cannot control. Are you okay?"
"I am, I just-" Percy closed her eyes again, aghast. "It's just been a while since it last happened."
It felt weird, being able to talk about it with someone. Nevertheless, Percy told him all she had seen, knowing she could trust him. He was, after all, the one person (apart from Annabeth) that knew and understood what she was going through.
"Huh," Nico scowled. "I think you're just stressed. It's been a few eventful days. You're surrounded by too many vampires; it was about time your subconscious pictured one of them drinking your blood. Not to mention that yesterday Kol did try to drink your blood. As for Kronos, well, I don't think we're ever going to be able to forget about him."
Percy nodded, knowing he was right. "Let's just- let's just go get food. I don't want to think about this anymore."
"Fine by me. The Grill?"
"I guess. There's nothing better here in town."
…
Damon observed Elena and Stefan cuddle as they watched the sunset together. Close to them, Alaric and Jenna laughed as they heard Jeremy complain about his classes, although he was doing much better in school now. Sally watched the sunset alongside them, but her eyes seemed to be glued to the ocean in the horizon, an edge of melancholy on her stare, although she managed to hide it very well.
Damon tore his eyes away from Stefan and Elena, grabbing his phone in an attempt to distract himself. There were no new messages, which made a frown appear on his face until he remembered why.
"You know," The blue-eyed vampire told Paul, who had been watching him observe Stefan and Elena, clearly wondering why he seemed miserable seeing them together. "I find it very annoying and inconvenient that your daughter doesn't have a phone."
Paul found himself amused. "I find it inconvenient too, but Percy's not exactly agile when it comes to technology."
"She's a teenager," Damon raised his eyebrows, using a sarcastic tone of voice.
"She's also never been normal," Sally shrugged, tearing her eyes away from the ocean and smiling at her husband before moving to sit by their side. The young woman wondered, more often than not, why her daughter hadn't told the Salvatore brothers what she was, considering she spent every day with them. "I'm surprised she hasn't told you already."
Damon scowled, thoroughly confused, "Told me what?"
"Sally," Paul warned. He had noticed that Elena's eyes had drifted towards them at those words, a scowl appearing on her face as she tried to eavesdrop on them. "That's for Percy to tell."
"I know it is," Sally waved him off, sweetly, before turning to glance at the younger, blue-eyed man. Her eyes trailed over his figure with an intensity that would've made a lesser man squirm; it was as though she tried to see through him. "I'm just curious."
"About?" Damon prompted, meeting her gaze, and giving her one of his charming smiles.
"You," Sally replied, returning his smile easily. "We've been neighbors for months now, and yet I don't know much about you. I would like to know more, if it's no trouble for you Damon, honey. I'd just like to know what kind of friends my daughter has."
As Damon charmingly replied, the young woman remained smiling politely at him, nodding every once in a while to portray that she was listening to him, but all she could think was that her daughter, even after befriending him all those months ago, had not trusted him enough with her secret. What are you hiding, Damon Salvatore?
Paul, knowing what was going through her mind, shook his head as he guided his beer to his lips, taking a small sip before going back to observe them interact with one another. As much as he would've liked to ignore it, he also wondered, from time to time, what were the Salvatore brothers hiding. They weren't normal, there was something about them…something about them that made both Sally and Paul think of the Mist.
Sally caught Paul's eyes, and he knew what she was thinking about. What if they're monsters?
No, Paul shook his head distractedly. We would've noticed already.
And Sally, despite herself, relaxed slightly. She had always been able to see through the Mist, and even as it was a talent that was deteriorating as she grew older, she could still recognize monsters when she saw them.
She nodded, agreeing with Paul. Besides, Percy wouldn't put herself at risk like that- she wouldn't befriend a pair of monsters.
"Hey," Stefan approached them, smiling. "I was thinking we should head back home now. It's getting pretty late."
"Yes," Alaric rose from his spot with Jenna, chuckling when the beautiful woman complained at the loss of contact. He glanced at the two teenagers, and added, "Tomorrow's a school night, after all."
Sally and Paul were the first to pick their things and carry them to the car, more than eager to get back to Mystic Falls. They were worried, although they wouldn't voice their concern, about Percy and Nico's safety.
Unknown to them, Stefan and Damon shared their same concern. The blue-eyed vampire, moreover, hoped to be able to talk to his mysteriously infuriating green-eyed friend before the night was over. He needed to know what she could have been doing that was dangerous enough to send them all away.
…
The two demigods had dinner at the Grill, conscious of the fact that most people seemed to observe them. Even the blonde vampire, Caroline, stole glances their way as she dinned with Tyler and Bonnie. Similarly, Matt, the sweet human that had always been nice towards Percy, couldn't tear his eyes away from them as he served other tables around the establishment, momentarily stopping to greet his girlfriend and their friends, to then pass through Percy's table and greet her animatedly.
"Hey, Percy."
"Sup' Matt."
Once he was gone, Nico turned to Percy, raising a single eyebrow. "So, is everyone in this town that nosey?"
Percy laughed at his words, "Oh, Death-Boy, you have no idea."
In all truth, Nico was indifferent about most of the town's inhabitants, but he thought he ought to know about them. After all, Mystic Falls was going to be, for the time being, his home. For that reason, after finishing their food, Percy gave him a small tour throughout the town square.
"Can we get ice-cream?"
"Oh, sure."
"Urgh," Nico groaned. "I feel like a child asking for ice-cream, nevermind."
"No, no, I want ice-cream now, so we're getting it," Percy smiled at him gently and fondly once she realized he was honestly embarrassed. "Let's go to the supermarket really quick, we can also get some other snacks."
The daughter of Poseidon thought, at that moment, that they could help each other out in more ways than she previously imagined. Nico was planning to help her overcome her trauma and to learn to control herself and her powers. She, on the other hand, planned to help him have a (relatively) normal life, to act like the fourteen-year-old boy that he was, and, most of all, to feel loved and cared for in a family.
After a quick stop at the supermarket, both demigods arrived home. Percy's parents weren't home yet, but they didn't worry since it was a long drive back. As they carried the bags inside, Percy told him to choose a movie to watch together, and Nico, even though he was feeling a little overwhelmed after having so much social interaction in a day, found that he liked the idea, and obliged.
After securing some of the other snacks they brought in the kitchen, Percy handed Nico his ice-cream box along with a spoon, and got her own, following him into the living room and throwing herself in one of the couches.
"Hey, so, what are we watching?"
"Uh, a movie?" Nico smirked at her, "What else would we watch?"
"Ha, ha, very funny," Percy rolled her eyes, though she smirked right back at him. "Which one are we watching?"
"Just wait and see, it's already starting."
"No, but I want to know beforehand-"
Nico laughed. "Don't be such a child-"
Percy stuck her tongue out. "Don't be mean. Just tell me which movie it is."
The son of Hades laughed again, fondly rolling his eyes at her antics, and the daughter of Poseidon smiled a little to herself, guiding her spoon to her lips.
Sally and Paul arrived two hours later, only to find both demigods asleep on the couch as a movie played in the background. The young girl had fallen asleep on her side, and the young boy, unconsciously, had fallen asleep on her stomach, as though seeking comfort from her on his sleep.
"Oh, Paul," Sally sighed, seeing them safe. "Look at our babies."
Paul smiled at her choice of words. Our babies. "They're safe."