I don't own the Wardstone Chronicles. Or Percy Jackson&the Olympians. * Grabs by shoulders and screams* "I DON'T OWN IT. I DO NOT OWN IT! I'M AM NOT NOT NOT JOSEPH DELANEY OR RICK RIORDAN". * Someone screams; wild animal and shoots her with stun gun*. Sleep well! And enjoy this. ( Ps; I might might have finally lost my mind. That, or I have had too much sugar. The only explanation I have for this randomness above;p )

Athena looked at Lamia for so long it made her slightly uncomfortable. And extremely nervous and wary. She couldn't decipher the way Athena was looking at her. She looked very thoughtful, but also something else. It could be practically anything. Curiousity, interest and pity. On the other hand, it could also be hate, contempt or disgust. Which one was it?

Lamia started to feel more anxious with every minute that passed. Every minute that those startling grey eyes stared at her. Every minute she felt like she was trapped. She wouldn't be suprised if Athena could see into her very soul. If she still had one, which she begged she had.

But after all she had done, could she still hope for a better place after her life? Sure, her change and all the murders had been a result of the murder of her children. She had been crazy at the time, hadn't had any control of herself. But still, she couldn't deny part of it was her fault. She wasn't innocent, far from it. She wasn't that creature anymore, that beast that would kill just to hear someone scream. The vicious creature that didn't know the word mercy. That creature that could never kill enough people. She wasn't that monster anymore.

Her time with John had changed her, made her a better person. It had cured her insanity, you could say. It had stopped her hate and anger. It had made her the person she was today.

She hadn't expected she would grow to love John. She had expected he would stay the same to her; just some sailor, the only special thing about him the fact that he had saved her life.

Sure, he had been handsome. But Lamia had been a queen once upon a time. Rich, powerfull and beautiful. And she had once been the lover of Zeus. And a powerful enchantress. And at the moment she met John, the Lamia. What could he, a ordinary sailor, ever do for her?

She wasn't one to be easily men had tried to charm her, to take her heart, but before John only one had succeeded. It had taken a god to steal her heart the first time. And a sailor the second time.

They were so different. Zeus had been like a king; high, mighty and untouchable. John had been like the servant of that king; low, powerless and easy.

But Lamia didn't believe that anymore. She had thought he was low considered to Zeus; that he was unimportant, just a pawn of life. But he had sailed the seas and survived every blow of it, every storm. And he had managed to get to her, to melt her heart when she was at her lowest. When she had no morals, no rules, no heart. It had always amazed her of how he, who seemed so trivial, could have done such things. He had seemed ordinary, just a sailor, but he had done so much more than any sailor could ever hope to do. And she would always thank him for that.

And powerless? She had believed he was powerless. After all, she was Lamia. If she choose to, she could take his life in a second and he could do nothing about it. And there were beings stronger than her, beings that ruled the world even when not all people knew they did. Gods. Lamia knew all too well how powerful they were, how did could both make life and destroy it in seconds. Zeus had done that to her. If she looked back at it, he had captured her the second they met. He had hold her attention, conquered her body, mind and soul. He had made her fall in love and he had made the following months the happiest of her life. He had had made her life something worthy. And had taken all her joy, love and innocence away, the life inside her, the second it had become clear he wouldn't help her and their children. He had crushed her.

What was John compared to these beings, who could do all things considered impossible. What was one human, one sailor, compared to the gods, who ruled all? Lamia hadn't believed John could mean anything, she had believed he was just another human. Even if he wasn't ordinary,even if he wasn't just another man. Even if he had saved her life and asked nothing in return while others would take everything and give nothing. She hadn't believed it would matter in the end.

But she had been wrong. He hadn't been powerless. He might not have had power like her, magic. But he had another kind of power. He was kind, caring and unbreakable. He would go on forever and nothing would make him stop to help those he cared for. The second thing Lamia found admirable and changed her opinion of him. That changed her feelings. Slowly.

Easy, as in it would be easy to get him to love her. To get him to do everything she wasn't. Zeus hadn't been like that. Being king of the gods, he wouldn't obey commands; he gave them. He took and didn't give. He wanted everything, while you could get nothing from him. Well, not love anyway.

The thing she had always wanted most, and had believed she had, had been his love. But that wasn't what he had felt, she knew. If he had, he would have come and saved them. He would have helped her and not left her to face Hera alone. All he had felt was lust. He had probably just seen her as a way to past time, something to play with. A toy. He wanted to play with her, but would dispose of her whenever he was done playing. When he lost interest.

But John, oh John. He had been so different. She had been right about some things. Like the fact that , from the moment he had seen her, he had wanted her. But he wouldn't just take her. She had been wrong about that. The first time she ever let him touch her, he had asked her if she knew sure. He had always put her needs before his.

Sure, he was a man and even he didn't have to control to keep refusing it when he wasn't sure she wanted it. But he hadn't been as easy as she expected. He had always had a opinion. Of course, usual she could make him do what she wanted, but he wouldn't just give in. He would only give in when it wasn't against what he believed in. And the was the third thing that interested her, that had changed her feelings for him; his beliefs and strength. He had always stuck to his beliefs, even when she was the one to ask him to put them aside. Not that she had ever really asked it, but when he felt he didn't want it, that he wasn't sure it was the right thing to do, he would say no.

And he had always kept his opinion, he had never been weak. In the beginning, she had seen him as a way to reach her purpose; destroying the fiend. That she had been willing to sleep with him, to bear his children, just to accomplish this, had proven how crazy she had been back then. She had been willing to marry without love. She hadn't even believed in love, love hadn't even occured in her mind. All she had been thinkinh about , was destroying the fiend.

She was so thankful John had managed to change her, to make her believe in love again. That he had given her seven beautiful sons, whom she loved so much she thought her heart would burst, and had made her happy again. She could never thank him enough for that. And to think, she hadn't even really liked him in the beginning...

[ Flashback ]

Lamia looked at the man on her bed with slight interest. They were in her home, in her private chambers. She had put some clothes on before she would help him. Not that she mind being naked, but she didn't want him to give the wrong idea. The idea he could have her.

She would kill him if he tried anything. And for the first time in a very long time, Lamia felt something like mercy and pity. He had saved her and she wouldn't take his life, she didn't want that. He somehow had caught her attention and she wouldn;t just take his life. Not even when his blood smelled so good and she was hungry. Not even when he was a man and Lamia believed men only promised trouble.

But I have the idea, this man is worth the trouble Lamia thought when she looked at him. He looked so different than the men Lamia had known. And acted so different.

She studied him again while she searched her closet. There was no denying he was handsome; he just was. He might not have been breathtaking, but he was definetely handsome and Lamia suspected he wouldn't have that much trouble finding willing women. With his straight teeth, strong jaw, mesmerizing green eyes and wild, brown hair, he was very attractive. And he wasn't scrawny either; he was very muscular. Despite the fact he was a simple sailor, women would be very interested in him. He just had something. Even Lamia had to admit this.

She wasn't interested in men anymore; the only thing she wanted from them was their pain and blood. She wanted to hear them scream, beg and die painfull. She wanted to hear their painfilled moans when she sunk her fangs in their necks. She wanted them to pay, to pay for what he had done to her. She wanted them to suffer, just like she had suffered.

All the tears of their women and children, all their own tears for themself and their family, wasn't enough to calm her, to stop her bloodthirst. All the men, women and children had lost their lives, hadn't been enough. They hadn't made the feelings, the pain, disappear. They hadn't make the world seem cleaner. And they certainly didn't make her feel guilty. She didn't mind all those beings being dead. Why would she?

She looked at John again, who was clearly trying very hard not to think about where exactly he was. Lamia almost laughed when she saw that. He was a sailor and must have seen so many things, have been in so many places and undoubtly had so many women and yet he looked nervous and very tense now he just sat on a bed.

She finally found the thing she had been searching for and walked towards him. He tensed even more when she came closer and she smiled at him. He blushed a little, clearly very uncomfortable.

Strange. I would never have anticipated this. For a sailor, he is very nervous around women Lamia thought, fascinated. She hadn't expected he would be so nervous. She had expected him to be confident and take advantage of the situation.

She showed him the vial in here hands, knowing all too well he wouldn't understand her if she tried to tell him her intention. Which might be better, considering it would take more time if she had to explain burned skin needed help now. That couldn't wait.

He didn't say anything, but she was convinced it must hurt. His skin was really burned and she knew enough of wounds to understand she needed to do something about it now.

Normally, she wouldn't help him and just let him take care of himself. But something about this man was different. Something inside her told her she should help him.

And he had saved her life. If he needed some help, why wouldn't she help him? She rubbed the medicine into his burned skin. She tried to be as gentle as possible, but his sharp breaths and muffled moans of pain told her it must still hurt a lot. Not that he said anything. He just gritted his teeth and let her rub the medicine into his skin.

She started at his shoulder, working her way down. Slowly, the medicine started to work. He clearly relaxed and even seem to enjoy the rubbing.

However, he frooze again when she climbed into his lap to reach the front of his shoulders and his chest. His chest, bare arms and legs were burned severly and he hissed sharply when she touched him, seemingly forgetting she was sitting on his lap.

For a moment, he only focused on the pain and not on the fact that she was still sitting at his lap. But when the pain lessened, his body tensed and she saw he was very nervous. Lamia smiled reassuringly at him and continued rubbing, this time her hands on his strong legs.

He leaned back a little, closing his eyes. Now the pain had lessened, he seemed to enjoy the rubbing. He even made a soft mm sound and sighed.

Lamia smiled. Normally, she would have felt very annoyed by now. She wouldn't have done anything like this in the first place had he been a ordinary man, but he wasn't. He had saved her life. And he hadn't even tried something inappropriate when he had the chance. Other men would have tried to violate her, Lamia was sure of this. But he hadn't. And he had been angry when he had seen the pin through her hand. He had cared.

This man, Lamia decided, was something special. And she didn't mind helping him heal his wounds. She actually enjoyed it. And to her utter suprise, she felt a little bit aroused when she felt his body close to hers and the expression on his face.

Although she had to admit, when she looked at his neck she almost started drooling. She could see his carotid artery, could almost hear his blood flowing and smelled it. The sweet and yet sour smell made her loose it.

And before she knew what she was doing, she bent forward and bit in neck. Hard. Not with her fangs, but it must hard. The second she understood what she had done he regretted it , to her suprise, when she thought about what this man had done for her.

It must hurt and she already started retreating when she heard his moan and froze. She had expected him to be in pain, but that didn't sound as pain. His eyes opened and Lamia couldn't move. She was a fearless, cruel creature, but something about his eyes made her feel dizzy and confused.

She swallowed, her throat suddenly a little dry, when she saw the look in his eyes. The same look she had seen so often. The same look almost any man had when he saw her. The same look Zeus had had. Lust.

She seemed to stop breathing. One part of her anticipating the expected kiss, needing it. That was the part that had remained burried for the past decades, but it was still there. And the other part, the part that had led her the past years on her journey of murder, screamed to hurt him. To avoid it. To ignore the growing desire and show him what would happen to men like him.

Still, Lamia wanted to listen to the desire. She hadn't felt like this in a long time and wanted it. It made her feel more alive. It made her feel better. She closed her eyes slightly, leaning forward a little...

And opened her eyes in suprise when he suddenly lifted her and lay her on the bed. She had expected him to climb on top of her, but he did something very different. He got of the bed and walked backwards, with a haunted look in his eyes.

Lamia frowned; she really didn't understand this. Why..? Why is he walking backwards, like he is trying to get away. He wants me, I can see that. Any other men would have lost control and take this opportunity. Why not him?

Lamia watched with disbelief how he tried to get to the door. Tried to, because she wouldn't just let him go.

Faster than ever, not more than a blur, Lamia ran towards him. She closed the door he had barely opened and looked at him. His pupils were dilated, his breathing was quicky and uneven and certain regains of him were more than ready for action. Lamia could also hear his fast heartbeat and saw the lust in his eyes. Yet, he didn't try anything. Not even kiss her.

And that was the moment Lamia recognized the feelings going through her. She hadn't felt much, apart from anger and hate, these past years. But she recognized the feeling she was having. Disappointment. She was actually disappointed he didn't try anything. For the first time in a very long time, she felt attracted to a man. She wanted him. She wanted to kiss him and push him on the bed and feel his mouth on her, on her lips, on her neck, on her breasts, everywhere.

He was as aroused as she was , at least, and yet he didn't try anything. Lamia didn't understand him, but decided there she had to know more about this man. She would try to learn his language, so she could at least talk with him. She might kill him later, but right now she certainly wouldn't.

She saw he was still staring at her, confused and hungry at the same time, and decided something. If she wanted to know him, she had to start at the beginning.

So she offered him her hand and said ' Lamia' . He stared at her hand for some time before he smiled and took it, apparently deciding to ignore his lust. For now. He smiled, a very charming smile she noticed, and said ' John ' .

[ End Flashback ]

Lamia blinked a few times, a little confused. She had trouble remembering where she was and what she was doing.

She looked around, noticing Artemis and Athena looking at her. Athena was still looking at her like she had before, except Lamia could have sworn she looked a little concerned. And Artemis didn't really move, seemingly lost in thought.

Lamia smiled at Athena, deciding to ignore the painful memory, and cleared her throat. " Anything you wanted to ask?" she said. Athena nodded. " Tell me about your encounter with my me about your change. Tell me about your life"

"And most importantly, tell me the reason you keep going back to your former form whenever you have that weird glance in your eyes".

Lamia didn't understand at first, but the she looked down at herself and understood. For what had been smooth skin, was now scales.