There is only one step from love to hate, they say... Could this be happening between Pearl and Thalia? And what is going on in Zoe's lap?
(Lemon alert)
CHAPTER 7 – butterflies everywhere
After sneaking out of Zeus's cabin, Pearl quickly stopped by her cabin to retrieve her things. Seeing Annabeth's magic Yankees cap on her nightstand brought tears to her eyes. Her fingers lingered on the soft material.
She pocketed the cap, 'Who knows, maybe I'll need it,' and ran towards the Big House.
She was pretty confident in her ability to make it on time until a little chat with Nico – which led to her promising to look after Bianca "even if it means you have to join the Hunters" – thwarted her plans.
She was late. So, so late. The others were all there when Pearl reached the meeting point. All except for one huntress. The lieutenant was fuming, her hands flying everywhere. 'How can Zoe have that much energy at this ungodly hour of the morning?'
"It cannot be cured," Zoë was saying. "Not quickly, at any rate."
"What happened?" Pearl asked, rubbing her eyes.
"A foolish prank on Phoebe," the huntress growled. "Those Stoll boys from the Hennes cabin. Centaur blood is like acid. Everyone knows that. They sprayed the inside of that Artemis Hunting Tour T-shirt with it. She'll be bedridden for weeks – with horrible hives."
"That's terrible!" Bianca exclaimed at the same time Grover asked "Wait but who will replace her?"
"She'll live. As for your question satyr, there is no time to pick another huntress. We must leave at first light"
"But the prophecy –" Pearl argued, only to be cut off by a wave of Zoë's hand.
"Listen… I can't explain, but I have a sense that we should not pick someone else. It would be too dangerous. They would meet an end worse than Phoebe's. I don't want Chiron choosing a camper as our fifth companion. And... I don't want to risk another Hunter."
"What about Thalia?" Grover insisted.
"NO!" Pearl and Zoë shouted.
Bianca sent a disapproving glance to her lieutenant. "Did you ask Pearl to take care of her like you said you would?"
"I already told you I don't want her on this quest," Zoë stated, gritting her teeth.
"Because we can't lose Pearl, yes you already explained it to me. And yet, the more I think about it the more I realize that perhaps she's what you couldn't be, in a relationship with –"
Pearl was lost. 'What is going on here?'
"I have thy word not to talk about that," Zoë said. She sounded really anguished. The lieutenant cleared her throat, "There is nothing to say. Now come. Dawn is breaking."
They hit the top of Half-Blood Hill just in time to see the camp's van appearing down the farm road. 'So Argus will be the one taking us into the city. And after that we'll be on our own,' she thought, coming to a stop behind Grover. Chiron had also joined them.
"Grover," Chiron said upon noticing her, "perhaps you'd let me have a word with Pearl?"
"Sure," he nodded, leaving them alone.
Chiron sighed and knelt on his horse legs. "Pearl, I won't pretend to be happy with you going on this quest. Especially after knowing what the prophecy entails."
"Yeah," she said. "Two deaths in a row."
Chiron winced, before turning around to face her. "It's a good thing that you and Thalia aren't going on this quest together. It would just complicate things."
"Why?"
"Frankly," he said, "you and Thalia are much alike."
She raised her eyebrows, not knowing what to make of that statement. "Thanks a lot."
He smiled. "The difference is that you are less sure of yourself than Thalia. That could be good or bad. But one thing I can say: both of you together would be a dangerous thing."
She grew pensive, "Why is Thalia considered as a threat by Zoe?"
Whatever he was going to answer was cut short by the horn of the van.
"Well, I guess it's your cue to leave, demigods" Chiron said, wishing them luck on their quest.
The three demigods and the satyr piled up in the van, Bianca calling shotgun next to Argus. The others were piled in the backseat, Pearl squished in the middle.
Argus – their multi-eyed security chief – was speeding down the road. Unnerved by the silence, Pearl pulled Riptide out of her pocket and held it between her hands.
When she saw the pen, Zoë grimaced. "Why don't you keep it in your pants?"
Pearl nearly fell out of her seat. "Wha – What?" she asked, eyes as wide as saucers.
Grover snorted. "Yeah Pearl, stop seducing everyone here"
The two Hunters sported confused frowns. In the front seat, Argus smiled. He didn't say anything, but one blue eye on the back of his neck winked at Pearl.
"Nevermind," she huffed out, curling up on herself.
The lack of sleep was catching up with her, and she soon found herself leaning heavily on Grover, eyes dropping close. She was lulled into sleep by the soft humming of the van and the hushed conversation taking place in the front.
If Pearl had been hoping for a dreamless sleep she couldn't have been more disappointed.
The first dream was confusing to say the least. Pearl saw herself walking down the beach, then entering the water, as if summoned there. 'Probably by the hippocampi again,' she thought, internally groaning.
Anytime she was near the beach, the hippocampi would ask her to help them with their problems. And they had lots of problems. Beached whales, porpoises caught in fishing nets, mermaids with hangnails — and each time they'd call Pearl to come underwater and help.
This time she watched on as she rescued a cow with the back end of a serpent 'The fuck?' wedged halfway under an overturned boat and tangled in a fishing net. 'It's like watching myself on TV or something.'
"It's okay, Bessie" dream-her said as the hippocampi whinnied in joy.
The scenery shifted. She was now back in the cave where Annabeth was held, kneeling under a pile of boulders. She only caught snippets of this second dream.
A male voice booming from the shadows, the "General". Luke pretending to look after Annabeth's health – "She will die soon. You can save her". Artemis bound and thrust into the blonde's place. Her friend's near death. And finally, "We must greet your Hunters and make sure their quest is... challenging.". The laughter of a man echoing in the darkness, chilling her to the bones.
The darkness of the cave gave way to Blackjack's black fur. 'What is he doing in my dreams?'
She looked up and saw Thalia riding her Pegasus, looking murderous. 'Oh no'
Pearl woke with a start. Her head was resting on a soft pillow, and her senses were invaded by fresh and delicious scents. A hand was playing with her hair. She hummed. As she folded her hands under her head, she felt something twitch against her fingers. The hand in her hair stilled.
"Are thee finally awake? We're almost there" said a melodic voice.
The sleepy girl quickly sat up. She had been lying quite comfortably on Zoë's lap, like a cat. 'Why does this stuff always happen to me?' she mentally facepalmed.
"Sorry" she muttered, her cheeks flushing bright red under the lieutenant's knowing little smile.
'Wait a minute. If I was on her lap… then why did something twitch there?' She lowered her eyes to the other girl's lap. Something was pressing against her own cotton pants. Pearl almost felt her heart give out. 'Is that…?'
Her investigations were interrupted by Argus, "Here's where I must leave you, demigods"
They left him near the Lincoln Tunnel and Zoë drove the rest of the way like a crazy person. Pearl floated in and out of consciousness, opting to stay in the car when the others made a quick stop at a convenience store.
She couldn't stop thinking about her dreams, Annabeth laying crumpled and lifeless in Luke's arms, her sea rescue and her nemesis coming for them. Also Zoe… Everything was jumbled.
"Here's our stop" Bianca announced a little while after crossing the Potomac River into central Washington. Everyone got out and followed Grover. They walked a bit before Grover stopped in front of a big building that said National Air and Space Museum. 'Annabeth would have loved this' she thought sadly. They slipped inside.
And then everything went to shit again.
'At least I got a cool jacket out of this' Pearl thought, trying to sound upbeat.
No more Nemean lions in sight. No helicopter. No General. 'And we even got helped by a homeless man. We're back on track, baby!'
They were rumbling west in direction of San Francisco. Zoe and Bianca were crashed out in a Lexus on the top deck and Grover was play driving a Lamborghini. As for Thalia… Let's just say that Pearl was avoiding her like the plague.
She had a lot of questions to ask her, yet was too afraid to show her face. She hated not knowing what was happening, and interrogations were piling up in her mind. Who was the monster? What did the General mean? What was happening in San Francisco? What was Zoe hiding in her lap?
'If only Annabeth were here… She would have had the answers'
Pearl stretched out in the Maserati she had claimed on the freight train, and in doing so caught Thalia's glare. Just her luck. The brunette got out of her own Mercedes, making her way over to Pearl.
"Mind if I join you?" Thalia asked her in a cold voice.
Pearl shrugged – trying and failing to appear unbothered – and put the radio on, her hands shaking badly.
The other girl shut the door so hard it shook. "You tricked me" she hissed out, lowering the volume of the radio. 'Too bad. I really liked that Lana del Rey song'
"Yeah, about that… I'm really sorry. Zoe wanted me to –"
"Of course she's the one behind this," she scoffed angrily, crossing her arms and in doing so accentuating her ample chest.
Pearl stuttered, averting her eyes. "What's your problem with her? Did she reject you or what?"
"As if," she glared out the windshield. "Ask her. Since you're both so close"
Pearl put her hand on Thalia's thigh, making soothing gestures with her fingertips. "Please, Thals. Will you tell me instead of acting all jealous over nothing?"
The brunette shook off her hand, "I won't fall again for one your tricks"
The daughter of Poseidon was hurt, feeling a weird pinch near her chest. Her face closed off and she decided to stare straight ahead. "I wouldn't do that do you again. I shouldn't have used you in the first place" she muttered, her voice breaking at the end.
For a moment, neither girls said a thing. Thalia shifted in her seat and Pearl thought she was leaving.
"The Hunters tried to recruit me once, when I was younger. I almost joined them," she admitted. "Luke, Annabeth and I ran into them once, and Zoe tried to convince me. She almost did, but…"
Pearl turned her head to the side. "But?" she prompted softly.
Thalia surprised her by taking her hand and putting it back where it was, their fingers now intertwined. "I would've had to leave Luke. Zoe and I got into a fight. She told me I was being stupid. She said I'd regret my choice. She said Luke would let me down someday"
"Do you? Regret your choice I mean"
Her eyes got dangerously bright. "No. I have faith in Luke," she asserted.
'She still loves Luke? After everything…' Pearl really hated him.
Thalia turned in her seat and took Pearl's face in her hands, "And I get to do this"
"Do what – ?" she was cut off by the feeling of soft lips on hers.
Her lips tingled all over, little bolts of electricity flashing before her eyes as Thalia kept on kissing her. She felt as though her insides were burning, her body coming alive under the brunette's ministrations.
"Turn the radio on," Thalia said, breaking the kiss.
"Why?" Pearl asked.
"Just do it," Thalia ordered, her bossy voice making Pearl shiver, "Please".
Pearl stood shell shocked. The other girl never said sorry or please unless necessary. She turned the volume up with fluttering fingers as Thalia began to massage her thigh.
"Thalia, wait – I – I can't focus! Please, if this is about yesterday –" Pearl said, not quite sure what was going on.
"Less talking more doing" Thalia shushed her, fingers coming dangerously close to where Pearl needed them. The demigod felt so hot, her face was turning bright red. She fanned herself and Thalia laughed.
"I want to make you feel good. Make as much noise as you want, no one can hear us now"
Pearl was so horny she didn't care about the others at this moment. She took Thalia's hand and just shoved it between her legs.
"Oh shit, you're so wet!" Thalia exclaimed, eyes widening.
"Please just do something!" Pearl implored, her own eyes unfocused. "I'm really sorry about what I did"
"You're really sorry? That's all you have to say, baby girl?" the brunette teased, her fingers skimming over Pearl's hot centre.
The daughter of Poseidon buried her head in her arms, ashamed by Thalia's implicit request and how it turned her on. But her nemesis was having none of it. She gripped Pearl's chin, tilting her head up. Her other hand stilled between soft thighs.
"Well?"
"I – I'm really sorry – daddy" Pearl stuttered, chest heaving from both the embarrassment and excitement.
"Much better" Thalia rewarded her with a quick kiss, as she started rubbing Pearl's clit, "Take your boobs out, baby girl"
"Ye-yeah" the other girl completely surrendered, unbuttoning her shirt. Then she lowered her bra cups, revealing her ample chest.
"That's more like it," Thalia smirked, "Let's move this to the backseat. I'll take care of you"
The minute they took off their clothes, Thalia was all over Pearl's body.
"Oh fuck… Thalia! We don't have much time for this!" Pearl moaned as she pressed her hand on Thalia's head, while the girl was eating her out.
"Don't worry about it," Thalia whispered "It'll be quick"
"Yeah?" Pearl asked, lost in pleasure.
"Oh yeah," Thalia said, pushing two fingers inside Pearl's pussy.
"Oh yes! Make me cum daddy!" Pearl asked for it.
"Beg for it!" Thalia smirked, though her gaze softened.
"Oh please! Make me cum! Please, daddy!" Pearl begged.
Pearl's wish was granted not a few minutes later. The demigod squirted, twitching and doubling over in the backseat, releasing all of her pent up frustration.
"Come here" she beckoned Thalia forward.
The other girl did as she was told, leaving butterfly kisses on tanned skin. Pearl was feeling more and more confused. Aftercare wasn't something they did, usually just leaving after fucking. She tried to get up, but strong arms forced her down.
"Thalia?"
"Yeah?"
"Do you not want me to – ?" Pearl asked, feeling safer than ever.
"Let's just cuddle for a bit" she sighed, lips gently pressing against her neck. "We've both had an eventful day"
"Do you think we'll find Annabeth before it's too late?" came Pearl's broken whisper.
Arms tightened around her, creating the safe heaven she needed. "Yes. I almost lost her once, I won't lose her now. We're in this together"
Their eyes met, open and vulnerable for the first time, and butterflies erupted in Pearl's stomach. 'What is this feeling?'
"Together"
"Now sleep, darling"
And that's how the two girls drifted off to sleep, their skin warm and their hands linked, both thinking of the missing piece to their puzzle.