Chapter Three:

Celena hated that Eric had been right.

Three Demigods stood before her. Two she didn't know. But the middle, she had known for the better part of several centuries.

He just wouldn't die.

"Aren't you tired of doing what daddy asks?" Celena played with the grasp on her sword as she eyed the two flanking Hephaestus' youngest son, Kyros.

Kyros chuckled as he stepped forward, his black as night orbs sweeping over her. A wicked grin spread across his lips as his gaze rose to meet hers. "At least I've met my father."

"That's very unfortunate for you."

His head tilted to the side. "Are you hiding behind your words again, dear Celena? Too afraid for a repeat?"

"As I remember, I had you on your back the last time," Celena reminded.

Kyros scowled. "I still stand here; just another failure."

Her orbs darkened. "It won't be a mistake I let happen again."

The Demigod to his right charged at her first, only a mere dagger in his grasp. He was younger, Celena could tell, easily dodging his attack and sending him flat onto his back. He was barely older than a teenager – he hadn't even reached maturity for a Demigod. Hephaestus was growing desperate if he was sending practically newborns after her.

His army was weakening.

Or was he just that confident?

It did nothing to ease her worry as the next came from her left. She side swept him with ease, sending him to the ground just as easily as the first. Her sword met with the boy as he began to rise, pressing the blade to his throat.

"You are so young; don't be so foolish to follow these idiots," she tried to reason with him. "Go back to your family. Bring honour to them. Don't die because of this."

"Recruiting, Celena? That's unlike you," Kyros snickered. "I'm a bit disappointed already that you brought a friend."

"You were brought here because he found me. That's the only reason you're here," she snapped back before returning to the boy.

Only he wasn't there.

Teleportation.

Crap.

Celena sighed as she turned to find the boy back at Kyros' side. He eyed his leader hesitantly, however, and it was the only hope she had for him. He needed to realize this mission would only lead to his death should he follow Kyros and his father. She hadn't survived this long to be taken down by a teenager.

A roar and scream filled the night sky and Celena's blood boiled. The Viking was already winning. Damn it.

She had her first defeat not long after, though. The second that had charged rose to his feet behind her. She caught his movement out the corner of her eye, using her sword to block his own dagger, knocking it to the ground. She kicked it away as she gave the Demigod a look of warning.

"This won't end well for you."

A smirk identical to Kyros' spread across his lips as another dagger appeared in his hand, materializing out of thin out. She cursed the gifts the teenager held, and barely had time to move out of the way before the blade could find itself protruding from her. The tip, however, ripped through her side in her attempt to avoid more damage. It felt barely more than a tickle as she struck him through the heart. The Demigod fell to the ground, his eyes wide and lifeless. A part of her wanted to feel the sorrow and guilt that she had killed yet another being, but her inheritance from her father left her without a care. He had just been another enemy, another casualty in a war that had been waging for 3,500 years.

"Isn't this enough, Kyros? How many more men do you need to…" her words were cut off as a golden rope suddenly wrapped around her neck, yanking her hard to the ground.

Celena grunted as her free hand flew to the rope, finding it glowing as it kept her prisoned to the grassy floor. Her orbs followed the rope that was in fact a whip that Kyros gleefully controlled. Of course his father would ensure he had the greatest of weapons to use against her. She was stronger, of course.

Raising her sword, Celena meant to cut herself free, but a new rope branched from the original whip, grasping onto her wrist and forcing it to the ground. She struggled, searching within herself for every ounce of energy she could muster. It was no use.

"Well look at you, all defeated," Kyros' laugh echoed as he approached, kneeling at her side. He reached a hand out, the backs of his fingers caressing her cheek. She flinched away from his touch, only for the whip to tighten around both her neck and wrist.

"Daddy give you a new toy?" her teeth clenched. He couldn't kill her, not permanently. His father had spent millenniums searching for the relic that could end her immortal existence, but had never been successful in finding it. She doubted that had changed. No, Kyros was merely enjoying taunting her. He enjoyed watching as she died over and over again. Celena couldn't wait for the day that his blood would be on her hands.

Only he wouldn't awaken like she could.

"You're going to have quite the evening," his gaze dropped to her side, his smirk widening. The wound was already infected, he could tell. It wouldn't take long until she was squirming in agony. It was too bad he would have to miss it. "I wish I could watch."

"Don't worry, you can watch your own death," her fingers wiggled around her sword, but the cord around her wrist tightened until she was certain the bones would break.

"But not today," Kyros rose. "You cannot escape your fate, Celena. Your death is near. Your true death. And then father shall rule."

"I don't think Daddy is going to be doing much of anything, should I live or die," she spat out. "I don't think Zeus likes him too much. Granddaughter, and all," her nails dug at the end of the whip around her neck. "Either kill me, Kyros, or take your empty threats and leave."

"We'll be seeing each other again soon," he promised.

And then they were gone.

She didn't understand. They just left. They just walked away and left.

Something more was going on, and Celena was worried.

"Only one? I'm disappointed," Eric appeared beside the Goddess' only defeat, an eyebrow raised as he nudged the body with his foot. "I have two bodies to account for. Your father would be ashamed."

She hardly heard a word he was saying, her gaze trained on where Kyros and his follower had disappeared. Why had they just left? There had barely even been an attempt on her life. Only threats that still rang in her ear.

"Come now, Goddess, lets not drag this out," Eric strode over to the fallen girl. "I believe there is a bet that I just won."

"It shouldn't have been that easy," she muttered to herself, her eyebrows furrowing. "They just left, just like that."

"Perhaps I scared them off," the Viking smirked to himself. It wouldn't be the first time.

"They don't scare easily," Celena shook her head. "They've never just left before. There's more to this. Something's happening, something's wrong."

Eric rolled his eyes. "Stop with the dramatics. They're gone, which means we can as well."

He grasped her by the arm without another work and yanked her to her feet. Celena hissed the moment she was upright, shoving the vampire's hand from her with a dark glare.

"Do that again, and you won't have a hand," she warned before her hand flew to her side, stifling a wince.

But Eric heard her, his gaze moving to her now bloodied shirt. Brushing her hand away, he inspected where her shirt had been ripped. "Did the poor Goddess get a scratch?"

"I will not warn you again," she stepped out of his reach, the palm of her hand pressing against the wound. It was small and minuscular compared to the battle scars she had received in the past. They always healed after a night's rest, if not a few hours later. But this felt different. The pain was a constant throbbing, excruciating if she moved too quickly. Pain was different for her. She could be stabbed over and over again, and she would barely feel a thing. Even in death, pain was nothing more than an annoying tickle. Nothing like this, however.

Eric sighed as he lifted his hands. "My apologies, princess."

Celena's eyes narrowed. "I believe I warned you about calling me that."

His smirk only grew wider. "Enough stalling. I won, if you recall. Off to Dallas, yes?"

There were countless excuses she could use. She could render him immobile even, and escape. But what would that prove? She couldn't remain here. Now that Hephaestus knew of her whereabouts, it wasn't safe. Once again, she would have to move on. And with her wound, Celena doubted she would be able to get very far that night. Lingering would only cause them to return. She couldn't risk that.

She hated the fact that she lost.

She never lost.

"Trying to get out of it?" Eric braced himself to take her by force if need be.

Celena sighed as her shoulders fell, exhaustion falling over her features. For the first time since laying his eyes on her that evening, Eric could see the beginning of her true age. She may appear as young as some of his infamous conquests, but she was anything but. Thousands of years were taking a toll on her, just as he had witnessed with his own maker.

"I'm sure you'll return soon enough," he gestured to the cabin. Though he wasn't sure why anyone would want to.

"I doubt I will be seeing Bulgaria anytime soon," Celena shook her head. "It's not safe. The cleaners will be here soon enough. It would not be wise to be here when they arrive."

"Please don't tell me the fight has left you," he quite enjoyed how feisty she was.

"I'm a woman of my word," she begrudgingly stepped forward. "I'm assuming we'll be taking flight?"

Eric frowned. She was giving in this easily? "Just like that? If I knew a mere battle was enough to make you comply, I would have led with that."

"I agreed to some silly wager and I lost. And anyways, it's no longer safe here; for anyone."

"I'm a little disappointed."

"And I really don't care. Are we leaving or not, Northman," the pain was beginning to grow worse. She wanted to get this out of the way, to rip the band aid off as quickly as she could.

Eric snickered as he nodded. If she wanted to obey, who was he to argue? Grasping the Goddess around the waste, Eric tugged her to his side. His other arm moved downwards, but he hissed as the silver of her sword dug into the palm of his hand.

"Don't you dare," she warned. Celena would not be carried like a little child.

The Viking grinned. "If you insist."

Tucked under his arm, shifting to ensure her beloved sword would not reach any bare skin, Eric took off into the night sky.

Celena forgot how much she had enjoyed flying. Godric had taken her plenty of times, always at her insistence. She loved the freedom, the ability to just leave, to never be tethered down to one location. Roaming free, on the ground and in the sky, it had been so liberating when she was younger. How things had changed. All she wished for now was a home, one that she knew she would never truly have.

"Lost in thought, Prin…"

"I can still castrate you," she threatened, shooting him a glare as they began descending. Frowning, she peeked over Eric's shoulder to find themselves overtop of a brightly lit city. "What are you doing?"

"It's nearing dawn," he explained, his pace quickening until he dropped to the ground in an abandoned alleyway. "I for one would not like to burst into flames. But if you insisted…"

"Where are we?" Celena shoved his arm away the moment their feet were back on solid ground. She clenched her teeth together as she stumbled away from the vampire, her side burning in agony. She needed to rest, to sleep and wait for the wound to heal itself. If it even would.

"Lisbon," Eric eyed her carefully, his orbs flickering to where she held her side. He was curious that he couldn't smell the blood. He had been curious he hadn't been able to smell her at all. Was she able to hide her scent? It would make sense. He doubted even at a thousand years, he would be able to control himself around a living Goddess.

"Already?" Celena was mildly surprised at his speed. Godric had always been fast; it was a gift Eric must have inherited.

He chuckled at her surprise. "I should be insulted," at her glare, he continued. "I'll arrange for Anubis air to take us to Dallas tomorrow at sunset."

"That will be fine," she gazed around the alley. "Are you to sleep here in the open, or was there a reason he came here?"

"So impatient," Eric rolled his eyes. "Come come, Princess."

"I will follow through with my word, Viking."

Eric merely laid a hand on the mid of her back as he led her out of the alley and around to the front of the building they had landed behind. A vampire hotel, of course, Celena noted as he brought them to a stop just outside of the entrance.

"You're hiding your scent, aren't you? You're blood as well," he glanced down at her.

She was impressed. "You're not as stupid as you look."

"That hurts," he shrugged off his leather jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders before she could protest. "They may not smell you, but if they see the blood, they'll be interested."

He was right. The one thing Celena hated more than being beaten was being outsmarted. Curse this Viking.

As if reading her thoughts, Eric smirked down at her form. "I have to say, you look quite good in my jacket. I can just imagine what you'll look like in one of my shirts."

"Keep dreaming, Northman."

"Come now, Princess, lets thaw some of that ice," he tapped her cheek before returning his hand to her back and leading her inside of the hotel.

He left her standing alone in the lobby as he moved to the check in counter. Celena rolled her eyes at the googley eyes every female, and even some males, in the hotel sent Eric as he moved passed them. She could admit that he was good looking, but this display was just pathetic. She was jut as disgusted as she caught a few gazes focused on her. She sent them sharp looks, before wrapping Eric's jacket around herself. The Goddess needed to keep herself calm to compose her abilities. It may have been well over a thousand years since she had lost control, but her side was throbbing just enough to cause the energy swirling inside of her to become frantic.

"Ready?" Eric appeared at her side, nodding at the elevators behind her.

She had never been so happy to be trapped in an elevator with a vampire before. Sighing as the doors closed after them, Celena leaned against the wall and began breathing heavily. With each breath, however, the sharp pain would course through her, her hand beginning to shake as it continued to press against the bloody gash. She had been hopeful that it would heal even the slightest during flight, but it had only grown worse.

Eric kept a close eye on her, but didn't utter a word about the wound. When they arrived at their floor, Celena was relieved they were only a room down, hurrying inside the moment Eric unlocked the door. One step into the room, however, and a wave of nausea fell over her as her legs threatened to give out. She did her best to keep herself upright as she gazed around the room.

"One bed?" she raised an eyebrow at the vampire. "I'm not that kind of woman, Northman."

"Goddess of Love, and yet so hateful towards any advances."

"You're confusing me with my mother," she moved further into the room, her gaze falling on the couch. Celena considered if it would make her seem weak to immediately go towards it, but after a moment she didn't care. Her legs heavy, she moved around the coffee table and gently lowered herself down onto the plush cushion.

Eric continued to watch her as he walked over to the mini fridge at the bar and grabbed himself a Tru Blood. He detested the crap, but he doubted the Goddess would be offering anytime soon. It was too close to dawn to be requesting a donor, and after what had occurred earlier, Eric wasn't so sure an unknown guest would be the wisest of decisions.

"I assume we'll be safe here for the day," he fetched the bottle out of the microwave, his lip curling in disgust at the first sip.

"They wouldn't be stupid enough to piss off an entire hotel of Vampires," Celena shook her head, shifting to find even an ounce of relief from the throbbing. "They don't like it when the odds aren't in their favour."

"I wasn't aware Demigods were smart creatures."

"Usually they aren't," she mused, her lips twitching ever so slightly. "And I wasn't aware you actually drank that shit."

"Why, are you offering?"

"Would you like to be poisoned?"

Eric's eyebrows rose. Poisoned?

Celena chuckled. "How much did Godric actually tell you about me."

"Not enough it seems," he settled in the chair across from her. "Care to elaborate?"

"Not really," she leaned her head back, her eyes fluttering close as she pressed her palm harder into her side. The bleeding had stopped, thankfully, but the pain was still very real.

His eyes narrowed. "I'm not just asking."

Celena snorted. "You came searching for a Goddess that you barely know anything about? Isn't that a bit foolish of you?"

"You haven't exactly impressed me."

"Give it time."

Eric leaned back in the chair, content on just watching her. He could have offered to heal her, though he wasn't exactly sure he wanted to be tied to a Goddess. Especially one that was Godric's. He was once again unimpressed with the girl. One little scratch and this was how she acted? Eric expected more from all of Godric's praise.

"As tantalizing as this conversation has been, I need to rest," Celena waved a hand at the king sized bed. "And it's nearing Dawn; you need your rest as well."

The Viking raised an eyebrow. "Are you acting as the gentleman and offering me the bed? How modern of you."

"I've slept in worse places," Celena began lowering herself onto her back across the couch. It wasn't exactly as comfortable as the mattress that had taken the Goddess a week to decide on in Bulgaria, but it was better than the ground she had slept on the first thousand or so years of her life. "Now shut up so I can heal."

"Aren't you just the sweetest," he snorted, but rose from the chair anyways. His barely touched blood sat on the coffee table forgotten as he sent the Goddess one last glance before moving towards the bed. "You will answer my questions eventually, Princess. It's a long flight to Dallas."

Celena ignored him, her eyes closing as she forced herself to rest. Using the little energy she could muster, she was tucked into a dark solitude, far from the rest of the world. Only the memories from a thousand years ago remained heavy on her mind.

A/N: I'm having way too much fun writing this! I have a heap of fantastic ideas that I'm excited to run with, so there may just be quick updates coming your way. There will be some more of Godric in the next chapter, with Celena and his first official meeting!