Chapter 24

Luke POV

When the new kids turned into some weird hybrids I was confused, not because they could, I mean come on our parents are gods. However because I couldn't for the life of me figure out how we were supposed to A) turn them back, B) help them adjust to their new appendages especially when Percy wouldn't let anyone within 15 feet of them, yes ALL of them. He was making a strange gurgling growl and had Leo wrapped in his tail and Nico cradled in his arms, as he was still out cold, both were actually.

Not even Apollo could get closer than 10 feet. Even Percy's pet Ms.O'Leary seemed to think we were all threatening them and growled at us. Or C) get Percy to calm the fuck down. The spines of his fins flare dangerously and he flashes fangs at anyone who tries to get close. Finally Apollo decided it was time to call for help, because honestly one more water whip slap and I think ichor will start to pour. Within a few seconds Artemis herself flashed into camp, startling Percy and starting another round of gargling. I wondered if he could actually breathe what with the gills on his neck and horse sides. His front hooves kept shaking as he tried to stand and kept falling down as his muscles were weak and new. Artemis stared for a few moments. Finally she sat down, criss cross applesauce, and sang.

"We were sailing along

On moonlight bay

We could hear the voices ringing

They seemed to say

You have stolen my heart

Now dont

Go way

As we sang loves

Old sweet

Song on

Moonlight bay"

Percy's eyelids drooped and he swayed to the song like a python to a snake charmer, eventually he cooed at Artemis, taking that as her cue she got up slowly and walked over, all the campers dead silent as she closed the distance, waiting for a water slap. No such thing occurred, she knelt in front of him and ran her fingers through his hair as he gurgled softly,

"Percy honey, I know it's hard but I need you to focus ok?" she whispered. He cocked his head to the side, Annabeth tensed next to me, glancing over I notice the soft blush coating her cheeks. I smirk and poke her, she whips her head to me and glares, a silent threat, the blush increases for being caught. I look back to the newly dubbed 'weres' in my head. Artemis kept trying to get Percy to focus on speaking, not the strange noises he now made. After about a minute of trying we all heard a soft,

"m-mom?" followed by another coo. Artemis smiled and Apollo whooped, they were getting somewhere.

Then Nico had to wake up. An ungodly screech filled the air as he thrashed in Percy's arms, but Percy held on, a small frown marring his face, Bianca sobbed from her distance of 15 feet. Percy shifted Nico in his arms, pulling him into a strange hug and stroked his back, as he tried to calm down. A soft bleat came from the boy and Percy cooed rocking him. Finally Nico looked up at Percy, his head tilted and Percy made some more strange warbles, but I guess Nico understood because he nodded and responded with another blaa.

Artemis went to touch Nico's horn out of curiosity I suppose, that was a wrong move, Percy lashed out, all claws and teeth, and Artemis lunged backwards to avoid being shredded. Everyone froze. No one attacked Lady Artemis without being killed, or so I was told. Even Apollo looked pale and stopped glowing. A low rumble echoed across the field, Percy's eyes darkened to an almost black, possessively curled around Nico and a limp Leo. Nico made a distressed bleat and Percy relaxed.

Nico reached up and touched his horns, flinching at the sensations. Percy warbled worriedly, carefully lifting his hand, Nico pressed his horn into it softly and seemed to shudder. Then Leo woke up. Loud squawking and distressed chirps poured from his mouth as his wings flapped erratically his nails digging into Percy's tail. Percy winced and tightened his hold on Leo, making soft cooing noises and Nico made little bleats, after a few seconds of flailing he seemed to realize he wasn't getting free and slumped over a mournful chirp drawn out of him. Percy slowly reached over and tapped him, he turned his head and looked at Percy and Nico cradled in his arms, another one of those head tilts and a chirp. A bunch of warbles and bleats and Leo seemed to be up to speed, now comfortable in the hold Percy had on him.

Nico made some more bleats and reluctantly Percy let go of them, they stumbled to their feet, Nico unused to his hooves and furry legs, and Leo to his thinner legs that became more and more bird like the closer to his feet you were, his actual feet looking like a cranes. They attempted to regain their center of gravity and balance then leaned on either side of Percy and helped him stand, without the extra weight it was easier but he could still barely stand. Chiron stepped forward, and strangely enough Leo squawked and flared his wings, a threat. His fiery orange eyes promised pain. Chiron held up his hands and cleared his throat, a soft neigh tumbled from his lips, Percy whipped his eyes to him.

"Ah it seems young Percy understands horse still, wonderful, though I must admit I haven't spoken it in so long i'm a tad rusty." We all stared in shock, I'm pretty sure I can speak for everyone when I say we all had no idea he could do that. Nico made a confused bleat and Percy cooed nodding, Leo lowered his wings.

" Ahem right, i'll start with something simple, like if he recognises us."

(Italics will now be words in animal sounds)

""Percy can you tell me what my name is?"

A few beats of silence then a soft neigh back,

"You're Chiron right? A, teacher or something..."

"Yes Percy, do you know where you are?"

"No." Chiron frowned at whatever was passing back and forth between them, at least Leo and Nico looked just as confused.

"You're at Camp Half-Blood, do you know who the woman to my left is?" Percy looked at Artemis who was still ramrod still, and hardly breathing now that I look.

"She's my mom right?"

"Yes and do you know who is holding you up?" Percy glanced at both Nico and Leo,

"Family, m-my brother and, and my my..." his eyebrows furrow and he looks at Nico a soft coo, questioning and Nico turns red and rubs his horns on his face, Leo makes a sharp chirp and Percy becomes even redder than Nico. We all watched as the trio conversed in their strange language infinitely confused. Finally Percy responded to Chiron whose eyebrows raised so far up they disappeared into his hairline.

"What? What did he say?!" Artemis asked.

"Uhm, well now. Not sure if I should repeat that actually."

" . ?" she repeated slower.

"Well first of all he knows who you and I are, but not where he is, and he views Leo as his brother and Nico as his uhm well..."

"His what?" "..." Chiron blushed and mumbled,

"I'm sorry what? I can't hear you Chiron." She grumbled. Sigh,

"He views Nico as his mate."

Dead silence.

Percy's so red and it at least makes sense now, considering we were all just as red and it wasn't even us being talked about.. Nico looks red as well but is a bit oblivious to the stares and seems mostly embarrassed by Percy. Artemis had frozen, her face drained of any color and she stumbled allowing Apollo to catch her, who seems equally shocked but not as mortified. I glanced at Annabeth who was just crushing on fish boy, to see her expression matched Artemis.

"Oh."

Pov Percy

Why are they staring at me? Who are all these people? Why are there so many males? I tighten my arms around my family, my bird brother and, and my ram mate. Right? That's what we are, mates? W-what's a mate?

A lover... something whispers in my mind.

Lover? Mate? D-Do I love mate? I glance at him, his black horns gleaming still wet with blood, black hair disheveled and wet, his pale olive face with the smattering of faint freckles and the way his pupils had slanted to the sides, horizontal rectangles surrounded by glowing purple. I can admit he is pretty, and kind, easily excited and small, his thin arms wiry and graceful. Warm. That's what I feel where he touches me, not the same kind of heat Leo makes, softer more gentle. Maybe, maybe we are lovers. I coo at mate and he blushes harder, feeling steadier on my hooves I raise to my full height which is about an inch taller than both brother and mate. My tail feels heavy and dry, I curl it so I can stand easier. Mate and brother slowly let go and we all turn to the large group of people in front of us.

"Why are you all staring at us?" I ask, they all make strange noises, all clacks and tongue and teeth. We glance at each other. Shrugs from both brother and mate. I sigh I guess I'll try talking to the horse man, Chiron.

"What is going on?" He looks at me, and shakes his head,

"Come with me, we'll talk in the Big House." Was all he said. I repeated it to brother and mate, mate seemed to be staring at one girl in particular, with the same black hair and pale olive skin.

"I think I know her, I- I do know her that's Bianca, THAT'S MY SISTER!" He made excited bleats and bounded over to her glomping her in a hug. She squealed in delight and hugged him back, she started speaking rapid fire gibberish, mate looked back to me, but I couldn't translate. I shrug and he pouts. The girl, Bianca... Sounds familiar, get's dragged over by mate excitedly he waves his hands and chatters on and on about what horns feel like and hooves, but Bianca just blankly stares at him and he deflates. I feel something in me well up at the sight, I don't like that look, I hate it on his face.

No one should look like me.

He should be smiling, always smiling...

White teeth, gentle smile, soft laugh, brown hair, blue eyes, blue... BLUE.

I gasp, slammed with sudden flashes of the woman I stumble, I don't know her, but she's warm, so so warm. Like something I should know, I feel like I've forgotten her, and it's IMPORTANT that I remember! Slipping, she's slipping into the black... Apple, hands, smirks, greasy, touching, HIM. I clutch my hair in my webbed fingers, horrible laughter, beatings, bed, scared, breathing, body. KNIFE. TOUCHING, USED, MINE, BITCH, DIRTY, WHORE, PROPERTY OF GABRIEL. SCREAMING.

.

It's dark, and warm, something is over me, scratchy. Blanket?

Footsteps, heavy with a thousand threats, smell of absinthe and sweat, the click of the door handle too loud in my tiny ears. The blanket is ripped from my body, it's cold, huge hands, grimy with pizza grease and clammy to the touch grab me and jerk me off the bed. The ground is cold.

"Get up you lil' shit, this ain't a goddamn halfway house, you'll earn your keep. I want the bathroom spotless and no dishes in the sink by the time I get back from the store, am I clear?" Hot breath laced with venom, a bruising grip and fear.

"Yes d-daddy." I whisper,

"Don't fuckin call me that!" he bellowed, pain lances across my face, I clutch my cheek.

"Y-yes s-sir." I whisper, eyes never leave his stained shirt stretched too far over his enormous pot belly.

"Good." He grumbled and dropped his grip, i'd bruise again.

.

RUN.

I panted for every breath, a stitch in my side or was that a fractured rib? Thunderous footsteps pounded behind me, HAVE TO KEEP RUNNING. I can feel a scream building in my chest, people laugh as I run past. Just another child, just another kid running from their parent like a game of tag. What a sick game i'm playing. I round a corner and he grabs my shoulder, i'm done for. I shouldn't have said it. I know I shouldn't have, why did I say it?

"You didn't think you'd get away did you?" he panted in my ear, a slimy tongue licks the shell of it,

"I'm not done with you yet bitch, I haven't even started. Now be a good whore and be quiet." A hand clamps over my mouth as I try and scream one last time.

No one heard a sound.

.

The woman was crying, why was she crying? I look at my body, broken and defiled, she didn't know. No one knew, that's the way he liked it, liked me, hidden away, silent and crying. She wouldn't like me if she knew just how much he'd done, no one would. Quiet, you have to be quiet.

.

Why did I take that stupid apple?

.

There was a moment of heat, red blazed across my vision, and darkness seeped around me, water clung to my hair and fins. Humid, I noticed idly, humid and dark. There was a loud ringing in my ears. I wasn't breathing. How can you breath when you're screaming.

Screaming.

That's what this loud high pitched wailing cry is, it's me isn't it, that's what I sound like? I can't remember the last time I screamed, someone's touching me, warm and soft. Crying, i'm crying, the hands wipe my tears away, I can feel a gentle press on my forehead, and it's quiet. They stopped screaming... I stopped screaming. Were they screaming? I didn't notice. There was a lot of noise, I suppose I couldn't have made it all. I slowly opened my eyes, when did they close? Glowing wide purple eyes stare back at me, a wall of fire and darkness surrounds us, brother has his wings spread and was lobbing fireballs. Someone was still screaming, I reach up and touch my face, not me.

Breathe little one... Who is that? I breathe, I didn't realize I needed to, mates face breaks into a smile his eyes watering and a breathy laugh escapes him. Blood matted hair and horns, dirty face and furry legs. Freckles, aviator jacket, hooves, and slanted pupils.

Gorgeous.

Someone was still screaming.

I look around, and through the wall of fire I catch sight of two glowing lights, white and gold, most of the screaming came from them.

I think.

I call out to brother, a warbled cry. Instantly he drops his wings and scurries to my side, nearly tripping over his new bird legs in his haste. He drops beside me in the mud, mud? It's raining, I notice... When did that start? The wall of fire goes out, scorch marks litter the field, and only the horse man Chiron and the two glowing ones are still here. Good, I didn't like the males, though i'm not sure why. Hands, touching, groping, slimy, too many.

Right. I breathe, mate croons, and brother chirps, i'm safe.

The glowy lights are people, actually, mom, and uncle? I think. They look so shaken, so pale, so

.

Hollow eyes stare back at me, sunken cheeks, a grey pallor and chapped lips. A fresh bruise forming on my neck, the porcelain sink is yellowed and I eye his razor blade. How quick could it be?

.

I shake my head. Focus.

They rush over, and I can't even find it in myself to growl. Uncle touches my forehead, a frightened look in his eyes. More teeth and tongue and words in a language I can't understand, rapid fire sounds almost harsh but his touch gentle. I can barely keep my eyes open, I whine and mate is in my view, worried amethyst eyes and a protective set to his jaw. He cradles my head as I collapse, more gibberish pour from uncle's mouth but all I can see all I can hear and smell and touch is him, as everything fades away. I can hear panic in the sounds, but I just, can't bring myself, to, focus... My eyes slide shut and I fall into my memories, once more, forced to relive all the locked away touches and thrusts, beatings and musk, sweat and fear, dying.

I don't want to die again.

AN:

Soooooo...

Yea that happened. A little more backstory to Percy's time with Gabe. I kinda realized you guys don't know the full extent of Percy's hell, and I intend to rectify that.

Anyways a lot can happen in a year and a half.

Muhahaha i'm a terrible person and I'm going to hell for writing this.

Message me about any ideas, comments or questions guys. Not too late with my update, right? Also I had someone point out that I kinda left out Luke, Annabeth and Thalia and don't worry they will be a part of the story, just not maybe in the way you think.

Love, Wolf