Chapter 9

Once it was done Annabeth stood moving to the other side if the truck, hiding herself from the others, needing a moment to compose herself, she leant against the back wheel cover looking down at her hands which trembled and were coated in Markos's blood, staining her own skin, she tried to slow her breathing, tried to think rationally. The echoes of his pain engrained in her brain, she closed her eyes, wiping away the moisture that threatened to tumble down her cheeks, inhaling deeply, calming her heart as best she could, it was the only logical way to save him.

"You ready?" Percy came to lean next to her, he didn't look at her, there was still the feeling in his gut after seeing Annabeth's hands caressing Markos's face, the tears forming in her eyes because she had to hurt him, he still didn't understand her connection with him, but even he was not blind to see Annabeth's interest in Markos, but to what end he did not know

"He's in the truck" Percy stated, he pushed himself up and went around to the passenger door climbing in, he paused for just a moment "You did the right thing Annabeth" he said softly

Annabeth took another deep breath, pushing her blonde hair from her face before opening the door, Markos was slumped against the opposite door with a jacket wrapped loosely around him. His eyes were drooping, he was slick with sweat, they had tried to clean him up a little but there were still blood smeared his skin, darkening as it dried.

Annabeth slid in the truck trying to keep her eyes off the semi-conscious, half naked man beside her, but she couldn't help peering over to the red angry burns that crossed his chest, burns that she had caused, her stomach churned but she held it down.

It was silent in the truck and for one of the four it was extremely uncomfortable, Grover tried to ignore the obvious tension in the confined space, he glanced nervously at the son of Poseidon next to him then to the two other Demi-Gods in the back seat, Annabeth's eyes still a little red and puffy

"So…" he began, shifting in his seat "Does anyone wanna stop for the night?"

There was a long silence before Percy shrugged "Just keep going, if you get tired I'll drive" he continued to stare out of his window at the lights whizzing by "We need to get home"

Meanwhile in the back Markos was wide awake, his eyes were closed but his body burned with pain, every inch of his chest still felt like it was ablaze, it took everything in his power to remain calm as pain and anger flowed through him, he remembered the Hell hounds then waking up to the sizzling sound of his own skin under Annabeth's knife.

His mind flickered back to the look in Annabeth's eyes, she had held the blade, her fingers caressed his cheek, it was clear that she hated every second of inflicting him with that pain. Such conflicting emotions flooded his mind about the blonde Demi-God, his mind started to grow heavy, he felt at ease slightly with Annabeth by his side, she had tried to save him and that is all that kept him calm, whether he would make it or not was another matter. His head rolled, leaning against the cool glass and he was unconscious, the events of today taking its toll.

The sun was rising when they pulled up to Camp Half Blood, Percy had called ahead and the healers were there waiting with a stretcher. Before the truck had fully stopped Annabeth was out, making her way round to see the healers bringing Markos out. His wounds now in the morning light looked even more gruesome, some of the burns had blistered. He was still unconscious as they carried him away, his arm falling from the stretcher.

Annabeth turned away her feet carrying her to her cabin, ignoring the aged centaur trying to question her, she couldn't ocus right now, her mind drained, her emotional roller-coaster over the past couple days had taken its toll on the young Demi-God. She didn't know when it had changed, she had known of Markos most of her life, they had both lived at Camp Half-Blood for years but he kept to himself and the stories she had heard from the other camper growing up, it had scared her when she was younger, but now… now when she looked at him her skin flushed and when she looked into those deep emerald eyes or their skin touched her stomach did backflips.

Annabeth finally entered her bedroom and with a heavy sigh, she fell onto her bed, eyes shutting instantly falling asleep, her body relaxing slightly, green eyes engrained in her mind.

"So… what's up with Annabeth" Grover said, his hooves dipped in the water as he and Percy sat at the pier over looking the lake, Percy sighed running a hand through his black hair

"I don't know she's been acting strange" he looked out across the water "She warned me about Markos before the journey, told me he was dangerous and know shes…" he didn't even know how to finish his own train of thought

"Is she… y'know… interested in him?" Grover asked confused. Percy thought back over the past few days, the looks between them, the touches, the blush that formed on her cheek, the two of them sat there, silence filling the space.

"All I know for certain is that I have not seen that look in her eyes since Luke" Percy admitted

"But she has never even spoken to Markos before the quest, she grew up with Luke" Grover tried to make sense of everything

"I don't know Grover" Percy said, unintentionally causing the water of the lake to grow rough, annoying the sunbathing daughters of Aphrodite