Chapter 6: Love of the Demon

Piper POV

I went to the camp infirmary to get my wound healed up without anyone escorting me. While being healed, I looked at the dagger and Blue Rose, wondering about Nero. He called himself a monster just because he killed two demigods for justice and revenge. I know he's not, because I'll make sure of it, if he comes back.

Third Person POV

Somewhere in the Sabino Canyon in Arizona...

A large deer with golden antlers and shining bronze hooves trotted on the dirt, searching for a place to eat properly. The Ceryneian Hind lifted its head up from the grass, sensing an unwanted precense. Before it could leave the scene, a bunch of lead pellets hit its golden antlers, stunning it. A figure pounced on the creature and wrestled it to the ground. The figure was a rather frustrated Nero Redgrave.

"Stupid idiot, calling me a freak!" he screamed as he punched the Ceryneian Hind every time he said something.

"Stupid Neptune, disowning me!"

"Stupid wisdom b****, cheating on me!"

"DAMN THE BETRAYERS! DAMN THEM ALL!"

Another voice, a female one, was heard before the furious demigod ended up killing the Hind.

"Stop, Perseus!"

Pissed, Nero drew Coyote-A again, and turned to the source of the voice. Standing in front of him was a beautiful young woman with auburn hair, a silver jacket, jogging pants, and combat boots. She also held a silver bow with a nocked arrow.

"It would seem that anger dulls your senses." she said.

"You...dare...call...me...Perseus, Artemis?!" the son of Vesta hissed.

"What are you talking about? Perseus Jackson is your rea-"

"SHUT UP! THAT'S NOT WHO I AM ANYMORE!" Nero cut off the moon goddess, who winced in shock.

"Calm down. What happened to you? And why do you have 12th Legion tattoos?" she asked.

"I was cheated on, replaced, disowned, and banished. AND FOR WHAT?! BECAUSE I WAS NOW DIFFERENT COMPARED TO OTHER DEMIGODS?! BECAUSE MY ARM LOOKED DIFFERENT?! Had it not been for Vesta, Mars, and Minerva, I never would have found a new purpose in life, a new family that will never turn their backs on me just because I was different."

Artemis became stern at his words. The subdued animal remained on the ground, too injured to move. For a while, Nero had told her everything: his arrival at Camp Jupiter, Jason, the test, who Reyna was in his past, entering the Fifth Cohort, the War Games, the false quest where Dakota died at the hands of Ladon, and the execution of Mars's two traitorous sons.

"Thalia has a brother? She's never said that before." the moon goddess said, confused that her former lieutenant had kept a secret from everyone.

"I was as shocked as you are. Perhaps someone had separated them when they were kids." the son of Vesta replied.

"So now, you really are a member of the legion. Ever got a girlfriend?"

"Y...Yes, sort of. Why?"

"Well, you better cherish her properly or I will shove this arrow up your ass. But why were you beating up my deer?"

"Blowing off some steam. Why?"

"Well, go release your anger on something else. And, uh, go sneak out of New Rome sometimes, will you? Thalia and the Hunters haven't been the same without you. Now, I should flash you back to Camp Jupiter."

When she said this, the moon goddess morphed into her Roman aspect: Diana. She looked the same except with a stola.

"Oh, that's fine. I'll ju-"

Nero was rudely cut off by Diana when she grabbed his arm and flashed him near the Senate House.

Meanwhile...

Jason and Reyna had called for a meeting with the centurions and select legionnaires. After the incident and execution in the cemetery, two new demigods: Sara Wilson, daughter of Mars, and William Parker, son of Mercury, became the new centurions of the Second Cohort. Piper looked really worried as she clutched Katropis and Blue Rose.

"Well, as you guys know, last night, the very much alive Nero Redgrave, ran off to who knows where." Jason said.

"Sadly, we don't know where he's gone to." Reyna muttered.

"Hey, guys! What did I miss?" someone asked.

Everyone turned to the entrance of the building and the demigod in question was there, along with a rather embarrassed Diana.

"Found him taking his anger out on my deer." she muttered before flashing away.

"NERO!" Everyone screamed.

Reyna walked over to the son of Vesta and gave him a hard slap. Now, there was a red mark on his left cheek.

"What was that for, Warrior Princess?" he asked, still holding on the pained area.

"You don't run off without explanation after a fair execution!" the daughter of Bellona screamed. "Oh, and 'Warrior Princess'? Seriously?"

"Well you're praetor and the daughter of a war goddess."

"Whatever. Have a seat next to Gwen. And under suggestion from your cohort, you're their new centurion, taking Dakota's place."

Confused, Nero took his place beside Gwen. He briefly looked at Piper, who turned away, blushing. Jason cleared his throat and spoke again.

"Anyway, after that little reunion, there's...actually nothing else to talk abou-"

The son of Jupiter stopped talking when someone flashed inside the Senate House. Arriving was Lady Diana herself.

"Great. Now, I need a quest." she grumbled, pulling the strings of her bow.

"Lady Diana? What's wrong?" Piper asked.

"Romans, the reason why I came back is because I heard from my brother that a pack of monsters led by Kampe is dangerously close to the mortals. I need about two to three people to slay them. I can't help because there are a few matters I have to deal with."

"I'm going alone. Point me at them and they're going down." a voice said.

Everyone turned to the source of the voice: Nero Redgrave himself, who looked stern.

"Kampe should not be underestimated. Don't be foolish, Centurion Redgrave." the moon goddess scolded.

"Like I said. I'll do it alone. I'm not letting any of my friends die on my watch."

"But...but...(sigh). Fine. They're somewhere on Ocean Beach here in San Francisco."

With that, Nero walked out of the Senate House, not even bothering to say a word to everyone. He didn't request a reading from Octavian (as if he really needed one), or ask for supplies. Instead, he tested Coyote-A's pump, swung Red Queen a little, and twirled a sheathed Yamato.

"Nero!" someone called, snapping the son of Vesta from his thoughts. He turned to see a serious Piper McLean.

"Hey, Piper." he muttered. "What's up?"

"I'm going with you on this quest." she admitted, shocking Nero, who glared at her.

"No. You're staying here."

"What's wrong with you anyway?! I'm not a child!"

"It's because what I don't want is losing another friend! I lost Dakota to that monstrosity, Ladon, because I felt so stupid, even if Minerva was my patron."

Piper winced at his words. Shaking a little, she pulled out Blue Rose and presented it to the son of Vesta. He reluctantly took the revolver and placed it back where it belongs: in one of his coat holsters.

"Now, can I go with you or what?" the daughter of Venus asked. Sighing, a defeated Nero replied,

"Fine. Just the two of us, Piper. It'll be dangerous."

"I'm a dangerous girl."

"That, I believe." (AN: Lost Hero, anyone?)

Both turned red during their conversation and they still were.

Before leaving, Piper wore a black leather jacket, a plain red t-shirt, jogging pants, and hiking boots. She kept Katropis and her golden dagger.

They walked to Nero's motorcycle. Piper's jaw dropped in surprise and excitement as a modified Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R (minus the sidecar) emerged from flames right in front of her.

"Girls and guys alike are going to be so jealous." she muttered.

"Get on the passenger's seat, and here." Nero said, handing her an orange motorcycle helmet with red flame designs. They wore the same kind of helmet as the son of Vesta revved up his motorcycle to life, with Piper hanging from the back, resting her head on Red Queen's cold, metal blade and wrapping her arms around his waist.

"Glad you're hanging on. We're going high octane!"

With that, they took off. Piper screamed for dear life at first, but she was able to adjust and laughed at how fast they were going. They ended up stopping at a stop light, where another motorcyclist with a blue dirtbike stopped beside them. He wore a purple motorcycle helmet, and racing gear.

"Nice ride, man!" he remarked.

"Thanks! You too!" Nero replied.

"Is that your girlfriend?" the biker asked, laughing a little.

"Close enough!"

They kept talking until the light went green again. Nero and Piper took off, speeding and weaving through traffic and adjusting to avoid speeding tickets. A few minutes later, they were near Ocean Beach and parked there.

"That'll do. I hope you're healed up, because Kampe's mine." Nero said as they both got off the bike.

"Damn right I am." Piper replied.

The two snuck slowly tiptoed into the beach, watching Kampe roaming the sands, followed closely by the Manticore, a pack of wild centaurs, and two Laistrygonians (Nero recognized one of them as Joe Bob).

"Lady Diana wasn't kidding." the daughter of Venus muttered.

"We can take them. I'll go distract the tough guys, you sneak up on the centaurs and Manticore, and eviscerate them. Cue for you to move is me shooting my gun twice."

"Sounds good."

Nero kissed her cheek before running towards the pack, guns drawn.

"Hey, meatheads!" he taunted, vaulting over one of the centaur's heads and shooting Joe Bob with Coyote-A before he exploded. The other Laistrygonian, clearly female, was pissed. She had a tattoo that said: "Babycakes luvs JB".

"Get over here, demigod!" Babycakes screamed, throwing flaming dodge-balls at Nero. He continued running to the other side to turn their attention away from where Piper is.

"You!" Dr. Thorn yelled, running as he ran towards Nero with Babycakes and Kampe. The centaurs charged, but are shot by the son of Vesta with his revolver. Piper snuck up on some of the savages before picking them off one by one with her two daggers.

Meanwhile, Nero shot Dr. Thorn with Coyote-A until Kampe started charging at him with her signature dual scimitars. He retaliates with Red Queen but bad news: Babycakes sees Piper and starts chucking flaming dodge balls at her.

"Piper! Look out!" the son of Vesta screamed, dashing towards her but Kampe stops him.

"Uh, uh, uh." the monster teased.

Angered, Nero lunged at Kampe, dodging and parrying her scimitars and striking her whenever he gets the chance. Meanwhile, Piper was constantly dodging the giantess's balls of death while charging at her. When she was close enough, the daughter of Venus threw Katropis at Babycake's forehead, destroying her as it plunged itself into her brain.

The son of Vesta dodged and parried again and again until he found an opening underneath Kampe's swings. So, he slid underneath and plunged Red Queen into the monster. He revs up, and Kampe turned into a living skateboard as her head and upper body skidded across the ground. Nero jumps off Kampe and the monster hit a rock with a thud. When she turned, the first thing she saw was the barrel of Coyote-A.

"Hasta la vista, baby." Nero said before pulling the trigger, blowing Kampe's brains out as she disintegrated and left her scimitars behind. Satisfied, the son of Vesta put his shotgun back.

"Nero?"

When Nero turned around, he saw his companion smash her lips into his. The son of Vesta returned the kiss with equal fervor and passion. A minute later, they pulled away, begging for air.

"I...I..." he stuttered at what just happened. "I love you, Beauty Queen."

"I love you too, Hotshot."

Both Nero and Piper smiled as they kissed again, only a bit longer than the previous one. When they broke away, they smiled and walked back to the bike, with Piper taking Devil Bringer on her left hand.

"It feels human." she muttered.

Approximately half an hour later...

"I thought Nero was going alone." Reyna said to Jason in the Principia. When they heard Piper was not around, they realized that she went with him.

"Piper's a tough girl, Rey. She'll be fine." the son of Jupiter replied.

"Hey, guys! They're back!" Gwen called until she spoke again. "And they're holding hands!"

Both praetors turned to the daughter of Ceres, jaws dropped and eyes of awkward silence later, they ran to the entrance of Camp Jupiter, where they saw the two demigods, holding hands, talking, and laughing.

"Uh...are you two a thing now?" Jason asked nervously.

"Dang right, Golden Boy." Nero replied.