Charlie,

As we got out of the car and the valet took the car to park it, I looked up at the Las Vegas casino that we had been sent to. The Lucky Coin stood proudly, modern and sleek. The building was a mixture of black and regular glass, and it all reflected the sun towards us, making me put on my sun glasses. The sign took pride as The Lucky Coin was printed in black in the center of a giant golden coin. Even down here, I could see it was a drachma.

It seemed like the kind of place that someone like Apollo would have a penthouse or maybe even Aphrodite, not Hermes. I didn't think Hermes stayed in one place long enough to want to get a penthouse in a hotel, but he did.

And now we had to meet him.

With Noah leading the way, we started through the busy hotel, and Sam smiled wide as we walked through, picking up a drink from a pretty woman carrying a tray of drinks through the lobby. He relaxed, and he looked over the beautiful women and the door to the casino and club.

"Why didn't we come here first?" Sam smiled a wicked smile, "This is my kind of place."

"Grow up, Sam," Kate rolled her eyes at her older brother.

It was often hard to remember that Sam was the eldest by two years in their family. Over the years, they grew up in very different ways. Kate grew mature fast, and Sam was mature in some ways though he mainly just wanted to enjoy his life of being young, well-off, doing what he loves, and hot. It was an easy life to enjoy, but sometimes we thought he enjoyed it too much.

By the time he was graduating high school, Kate might as well have been the eldest and Sam the immature young child.

"How about you young down, Katy-Cat? You're only young once. Have fun while you still can. Follow my example. I am enjoying these resources while I still have them," Sam winked at a passing girl, and she blushed.

Sam had an effect on women that could never be explained. He was the human version of kryptonite to women. You knew he was going to love and leave you, but he made it look so appealing. His devilish smile and fun antics pulled you in, and his sweet and secretly serious side kept you. When you looked at him, you knew you had found a true amazement. But he just wanted fun, and you found yourself on the curb before long.

I understood this, though I wish I didn't.

And I knew that, if there wasn't such an age difference, I might have felt something for my cousin.

But there was an age difference, and I simply understood how women got roped in by him, not being roped in myself though.

It was odd though. To me, Noah was more appealing. They were both handsome in different ways, but most considered Noah cuter. He wasn't as wild or fun, but he was fun and definitely funny. He was sweet while not being too mushy, and he was smart and could be serious without being boring.

But Noah's heart had always belonged to Kate, and he had never to put it out there when it wasn't his to give away. And women seemed to know that.

Kate opened her mouth to say something back to her older brother when a young woman approached us.

She wasn't like the silent and seductive waitresses or the flirty and wild party girls. She wasn't a marveling tourist or a perky employee. No, there was something else about her. I began to wonder if she was a small, lower goddess. I knew she wasn't a high up goddess, but she wasn't a mortal.

She put her hand on her hip as she looked through us, her dark brown eyes darting between us, and she gave us each an once-over. She didn't look dissatisfied with us, but she didn't look impressed either. It was clear that she didn't exactly like doing this chore of finding us.

The woman was beautiful. She had long brown hair that was in perfect waves and was without a single flaw. Her features were pretty but also serious. And she wore a full-length sparkling black gown that draped around her like a toga, which felt odd at noon in the hot summer. She seemed fine though, and that was all that mattered I supposed.

"You're Charlie Jackson, aren't you?" her eyes fixed on me.

My spine stiffened, and my stomach twisted.

Noah's hand inconspicuously moved to his pocket, where I knew he kept his favorite weapon, a little toy that Chiron turned into a weapon for him. Noah used to play with a little toy sword, and, when he was twelve, Chiron made it a real sword.

"Yes," my own hand moved to my dagger in my back pocket.

"Good, you're expected. You almost kept him waiting."

She flipped her hair, and she turned around, walking in the other direction. We had to struggle to catch up to her, not that she seemed to care, and all of the employees watched her with awe and fear, letting me know even more that she was important.

The woman walked into the elevator, which was big enough to carry us all without having to stand too near to her.

She pressed the button and put in her key for the penthouse, and we rode up in silence.

But then Sam opened his mouth.

"I'm Sam," he smiled at the woman, and she looked back at him, not having the usual smile women did when they looked at him, "May I ask your name?"

I knew this line, it was the one he used most of all.

He would ask a girl's. It could be absolutely anything, the weirdest name ever, but he would simply smile and say, "A beautiful name for a beautiful woman."

He had created the line when he was in high school, and he had used it ever since.

"You just did."

The woman shrugged at him, and Sam look a little disappointed that this wasn't playing out like he wanted.

"You couldn't pronounce it either. So for you Americans, I changed my name to Angelique, daughter of Hermes and Photreppa, the minor goddess of photography. I am a goddess," Angelique flipped her hair off her shoulder, and crossed her arms, "Not a servant. But my dad seems to think I am. I had plans for this week, you know. But Father wanted me to visit him, and now I have to pick up his little friends."

She pouted, and I stared at her.

A goddess wanted me to feel sorry for her because she had to take a few moments out of her immortal life to come and meet us?

She turned back to Noah and smiled wide at him, and Kate did her best not to look pissed. But it was a tall order. Angelique seemed to get the hint, and her eyes drifted over to Aiden.

"You're Aiden Cinna, right?" her smile turned flirty.

His last name is Cinna?

I suddenly realized that I never asked his last name….

"Yes, my lady."

"I hear you are on your way to being Praetor of New Rome, that's an amazing achievement," she bit her lower lip, and I stared at her, suddenly realizing how hard it is for Kate not to look mad.

"Thank you, one can dream," Aiden politely answered.

Romans were taught a very strict set of rules when it came to gods, even if they were minor, and he was following them by being polite and not stirring things up.

And I had never been so mad at him before…

"You know, I dated someone from New Rome a few years ago. Maybe you know him. Andrew Langdale, son of Venus."

"Yes, I know him. He's my cousin actually."

"Really?" Angelique twirled his hair, and I felt like I was going to puke.

Finally, the elevator stopped, and the door open. Angelique stayed close to Aiden as she led us into the penthouse.

Angelique lead us past statues, old relics, and architecture that would make my mother stop and marvel at the perfect combination of urban modern and ancient Greece. Though architecture had never been my thing, even I had to stop and notice everything.

There was no way this could be anything but a god's home.

"Father says that he wanted to represent the gods with his primary home, modern and up-to-date but still traditional and ancient," Angelique smiled, looking around the place, and her eyes moved back to Aiden, "What do you think, Aiden?"

As Angelique and Aiden began to talk about how New Rome, Aiden's home, was very similar, I felt my blood boil and my stomach twist. I wasn't sure if I was angry or disgusted, but I wanted to throw up either way.

"So, Aiden's hitting on a goddess, I expected that more from Sam," Chester whispered, and I found myself letting out a whisper-laugh, and my mind got taken off Aiden and Angelique at least for a minute or two.

"Come on, don't you ever feel like just hitting on a goddess?" I smirked.

"Oh yeah, all the time. It always goes the same way though."

I looked at him for him to continue.

"I hit on her hard. She hits me hard."

I laughed, louder than I meant to, and Angelique looked back at me like I was insane, which just made me laugh more.

Chester smirked that I kept laughing, and I elbowed him.

"Oh, Daddy?" Angelique pulled us into an office where I heard a familiar voice talking on the phone.

"No, no! The roses were supposed to go to her weekend house! Yes, it's a bloody big problem! The flowers are from Apollo with a key to have her go to with him! You just sent that key and the note talking about how much 'fun' they had last time to a house where her husband lives as well! Fix it, now!" Hermes yelled in the phone, and he let out an exasperated sigh.

Angelique kept walking towards the room where the voice was from, pushing open a door without even knocking.

"Daddy, I'm here."

Hermes looked up from his desk, and his smiled wide.

"You're here."

Kate,

As servants rushed around filling up glasses as we waited for them to finish lunch, Hermes continued on with a story of an incompetent employ, Herald, who just sent a bouquet of amazing roses from Apollo to Aphrodite's home in Olympus and how it was currently a race against the clock to get the roses back and deliver them to Aphrodite's home in Santa Barbara, where she had been staying for the last week, before Hephaestus saw them and found out about her affair.

When we got here, he was on the phone with him, and he seemed to forget about his work troubles to welcome us grandly. As soon as he found out we hadn't eaten yet, he ushered us into the grand dinning room, and he motioned for lunch to be served.

Angelique was sitting beside her father, making sure that Aiden sat beside her, and Charlie sat beside him. At first, Charlie had been glaring at the two of them, not that Aiden could help the fact that Angelique took an interest in him, and she spoke to Chester, which made Aiden look like he might be sick. Across from Angelique, her other interest, Noah sat next to Hermes, and I sat beside him.

I didn't hate Angelique as I had hated Breanna, but I found myself making my claim a little clearer so we wouldn't get to the point I got with Breanna. I knew that he wasn't mine and that he probably never would be, and I knew someone else would have him instead of me. But I didn't want to have to see it.

Angelique got the message easily, and she moved on to Aiden.

Aiden didn't like her, but he was polite. And he had been taught a staunch respect for all gods.

But I kept noticing that, when Angelique wasn't looking, he kept looking back at Chester and Charlie.

They were something I will admit.

They could barely speak, almost forgetting about the other. But, as soon as they did speak, it was there again. They got along perfectly…

"But, what can I say? I will just have to fire him tomorrow. But let's talk about something happier. I hear you two have been talking to teams in Europe," Hermes looked to Sam and Noah, and I stopped breathing.

"Yes, Sir," Sam smiled proudly, "Manchester United is our number one choice, of course."

I swallowed heavily as I tried to think about Noah living on a different continent.

"And I hear they are particularly interested in you, Noah. You are known for bringing up the New York Team."

My stomach twisted.

"Well, I hope they are."

Hermes turned his attention to me.

"And, dear Kate, what are you interested? I remember you as a very well-rounded child, what did you ever decide on?" Hermes smiled.

"I am very interested in being a playwright," I pushed my hair behind my ear.

"Really?"

Hermes looked like he would have continued this conversation, but I could see Angelique getting tired of not being in the conversation.

"I heard the three of you were just in a movie with Breanna Blue. What brings you here now?" she took a sip of wine, and Noah answered for us.

"We are here on a quest, Hera told us that we should see you, Hermes."

"Let's not discuss business now. We're in Vegas, and I want you all to stay as my house guests. You should really enjoy Vegas while you can. Angelique," Hermes turned to his daughter, "You should take Kate and Charlie shopping. You know all the best places."

Angelique made a face, and I was pretty sure I was making the same one. Charlie looked like she might growl at the thought.

"But-" Angelique began, and Hermes looked at her dead on, making her stop, "of course, Father."

Hermes smiled.

"And I can take you guys out," he turned to Noah and Sam.

The boys didn't look so happy either.

"And you guys should all come out with me tonight. The club here is amazing."

I began to wish we could go ahead and get the drinking under way to survive a day of shopping with Angelique.

"The club is to die for," Angelique smiled at Aiden, twirling her hair.

Charlie's green eyes shot daggers at Angelique, and Aiden swallowed heavily.

Before, he hadn't been flirting with her, but he had seemed to enjoy her attention to some extent.

Now it seemed to be freaking him out…

"I'm afraid I'm only fifteen."

"Well, we can work out something for the underage kids, I'm sure. Vegas is fun for all ages."

Hermes seemed a bit determined that we should stay and have fun in his current home city.

I had never really known Hermes. I met him once or twice as a child, and maybe once when I was on a quest. But I never helped him with anything or really spoke to him. I never knew his character, but I was a little shocked by this.

From what I had seen, he was all business.

He worked all day long, he was a slave to his phone. He was a trickster and was known for his thievery.

And now he seemed to be fatherly, trying to spend time with his daughter and us as well, but he still had a playful glint in his eyes.

"Oh marvelous!" Hermes smiled as dinner was served, each of us getting our favorite dishes.

I smiled at the smell, and everyone at the table had a big smile as food was delivered.

"And of course, the offering to the gods," Hermes snapped his fingers, and a fire appeared in the middle of the table.

We all threw in a bite of our food, and I began to pray.

Usually, my prayers were to gods of success, love, marriage, or art.

But today, I found my prayers being directed to the fates.

Oh, Divine Fates, let us survive this prophecy, I prayed, and I found myself adding another part, And let us survive shopping with Angelique…

I decided to go ahead and show shopping with Angelique instead of Noah hanging out with Hermes and the guys.

Charlie,

"Here," Angelique gave Kate and me each a credit card, annoyed that she was stuck babysitting us.

After lunch, servants showed us each to our rooms in the penthouse, and we got time to freshen up before going out. I changed out of my shorts and tee shirt, and I put on a dress that Apollo had given me. The boys all took showers, and I went to Kate room while she changed so there would be no chance of having to see Aiden.

I wasn't sure why I was so angry at Aiden, but I just knew I didn't want to see him and have to think about it.

But I was stuck going shopping with Angelique, so I had to remember it whether I wanted to or not.

When the boys were safely gone, Kate and I moved to the living room to wait on Angelique. She took forever, and we found out why when she got out of the bathroom. She had pulled her hair into a complicated bun, completely re-did her make-up, and she changed out of her ball gown and into something a little more human.

"I am going to meet my girlfriends for shopping, and you don't really want to spend time with me either. So spend as much as you want, buy as much as you want. Meet me here at four, and we can play nice when we get back to the guys because none of us want to get in Daddy's bad graces, alright?"

I nodded, and the limo pulled to a stop.

A servant from the house opened the door for her, and she put on her expensive sunglasses as she got out. By the time Kate and I had gotten out of the limo, Angelique had disappeared into the crowd, and she was off to see her friends.

We had left the crowded casino's and tourist areas of Las Vegas, and we were in an upscale shopping area full of outrageous outfits with outrageous price tags. The people who milled weren't tourist aiming their cameras at everything and wearing the cliché embarrassing Hawaiian shirts.

This part of Vegas reminded me of New York.

I began to think back to my home.

I lived in a beautiful pocket of New York City. It was built mostly by Mount Olympus Architectural Company, my mother's company. It was a family friendly spot, and it was pretty safe, though parents still never let their kids too far out on their leash in New York. It had little house developments, parks, kids areas, and there was a more urban area that was still part of it but separate at the same time. My best friend, Emily-Rose, lived there. Her parents, Grover and Juniper, opened an eco-friendly store in a large building. The first floor became the shop, and the next two floors became their home where they raised their three children.

"Well, where to?" Kate looked down at me, and I shrugged.

We began to walk around, and we decided to randomly inter a store.

As we looked through racks of dresses, I found myself obsessing over Angelique and Aiden.

My feelings of jealousy had morphed into anger for the two, though I wasn't sure why. But I also had fear in the pit of my stomach as I began to wonder if Aiden liked her as well.

I mean, she was a goddess, a minor goddess but still a goddess. She was beautiful, and she was mysterious. She could guarantee him a spot as Praetor, and, if things worked out really well, he could end up marrying her and becoming eternal as well.

And I…. I was thirteen. I was the Daughter of the Mind and Sea. I guess I'm pretty, but I still hadn't truly grown into myself. He seemed to know me like I was an open book. And, if anything at all happened between us, it would be a miracle if my brother and father didn't kill him.

And then there was Chester…

Chester was funny, he was charismatic, and he kept things interesting. He was unpredictable, and he had that seductive smirk that made you just want to smile like an idiot. There was just something about him…

"So, do you think Aiden liked Angelique?"

Kate, who was just picking out a dress from the rack, looked back at me with a smirk.

"Is somebody jealous?"

"No, of course not. I just couldn't tell. She was so busy flirting that he didn't even get a chance if he wanted to," I tried my best not to sound bitter, though I didn't think it worked, "So, what do you think?"

"Well, I think he has his eyes on someone else."

"Who?"

Kate almost laughed.

"You, Charlie! You're telling me you really didn't see the way he was glaring at you and Chester! Gods, why do you think Aiden hates him so much? He likes you, and he doesn't like having another guy in the picture."

I rolled my eyes and told her that she was imagining things, but I couldn't stop thinking about the two of them until it finally just popped out of my lips.

"How did you choose between Austin and Noah?"

Kate's head darted back to me.

It had been the love triangle in her life that we didn't much talk about.

Austin and Noah were best friends in middle school through high school. Noah met the son of Hermes through soccer. Austin didn't take it as seriously as Noah did and quit at the beginning of high school, but they stayed friends.

Kate was friends with Austin, too, and Austin picked the two of them to go on a quest with him. On the quest, Kate began to fall for Austin and Austin for her, but Kate felt something pulling her Noah as well. After a month of a gruesome love triangle, Kate picked Austin, and they were happy for a few months.

But everything changed. Noah couldn't speak to Austin and he rarely did to Kate. School started up, and Kate and Austin felt like they had ruined things, even if they did like each other. The couple that everyone at Camp adored ended five months in.

Austin faded away. He made new friends, joined the football team, and he lived a completely separate life.

But we still never spoke of it…

"What?"

"How did you suddenly know to pick Austin?"

Kate's eyes darted back to the dress in her hand, and she took a deep breath.

"And make the wrong decision, you mean."

I looked down.

"I didn't really know. I didn't want to ruin things with Noah .Things looked definite with Austin, and I liked him. So, when we got back from the quest, I kissed him. And I almost broke up the best friendship of my life. In the end, I'm not even friends with Austin. Noah isn't either. We haven't seen him in years," Kate pushed her hair behind her ear.

I nodded, and I began to feel sick.

Kate looked back at me, and she seemed to take a minute to piece together why I brought up such a touchy subject.

"Wait, you like Chester and Aiden, don't you?"

I blushed, and, before I could deny it, Kate jumped on it.

"Oh my gods! Both of them, go, Charlie!"

"Kate!"

She wasn't listening.

"Oooh… the bad boy and the soldier."

"Kate!"

"I wonder which one is a better kisser," she thought to herself.

Now I was as red as a tomato.

"Kate!" I hid my face.

"You'll probably find out!"

Now I basically screamed it.

"KATE!"

"Oh, sorry. But, come one, it's the first crush I can really get involved in! So tell me everything."

"Everything?"

"Yeah, like when it all started."

"When it all started?" I swallowed heavily, trying to remember.

For both, it was basically instantaneous.

With Aiden, I felt something immediately, though that might have been because I first met him when he was shirtless. But the moment with the guitar kind of sold me, and he just grew on me from there, becoming a great friend. Easily, we could be more than friends…

And Chester was the charismatic bad boy you knew not to go near, but it was almost an obligation to…

"Well, I guess my feelings for Aiden, though I'm not completely sure what they are, started when he showed up to the front door shirtless…."