Hi everyone, I'm back! I'm sorry for the delay. As mentioned in my other story, my immune system sucks and I got sick again for like two months. Thank you for you patience while I got back into editing/posting condition. Hope you enjoy the latest update.

~secrethalfblood

Lpov

I wasn't sure what to expect when Dex and I walked through the doors. Camera flashes? A party coming to a crashing halt, everyone turning to stare at me like some sort of creature in a zoo?

I'd braced myself to smile and fend off questions as well as a surge of people asking for photos and attention. The reality wasn't nearly so dramatic.

In fact, no one seemed to notice anything at first, and I felt the tension that had settled over me relax slightly as the doors swung closed behind us and I looked around, curious.

The room was dark, multi colored lights flashing along with loud music that, honestly, seemed a bit bizarre with how nicely everyone was dressed. As if they'd gotten ready today thinking they were going to an extremely lavish wedding, only to end up in a night club.

A wave of relief went through me at this realization, and my heart skipped a beat as I felt Dex's arm slide around me, guiding me through the crowd, and I couldn't have hid the smile it had caused even if I'd wanted to.

The feelings that had accompanied such a small gesture hit me like a bull and I had no idea why.

'Get it together.' I thought shaking my head, so distracted I hadn't noticed when the heads started turning.

It was obvious people had spotted him in the crowd, seeing as he was taller than most of them and immediately dropped their gaze to me. Whispers began and I saw the news of our arrival making it's way through the crowd like a physical force, but strangely… it didn't really bother me.

I felt oddly insulated from the stares as Dex pulled me closer, heading towards a table a few of his friends had gathered by. It was pushed up against the wall, rows of snacks like cupcakes, cookies, and little glasses of punch scattered across its surface.

"That went better than expected." Ellie said encouragingly handing us both a drink.

"We'll see how long it lasts," Michael muttered over the rim of his own glass, eyes darting towards the people on the dance floor.

Many were whispering, heads turned in our direction quickly looking away and at first I couldn't figure out why, until I caught Dex's expression.

It almost made me laugh.

I'd sort of forgotten that at camp, Dex was known for being ill tempered. He'd been so great the past few weeks I'd forgotten that if you weren't on his good side, Dex could be pretty intimidating. Scary even, if he wanted to be.

"You look so annoyed." I said unable to help but grin a little, feeling my heart flutter slightly when his eyes slid to me.

Gods what the hell was wrong with me? I suddenly felt as if I'd downed about four coffees and had just way too much energy that I wasn't sure what to do with, and Dex's whole, 'angry grizzly bear' routine wasn't helping the situation.

I had to bite my lip not to laugh and his eyebrow darted up.

"What?"

"You're cute when you're annoyed."

He looked as if he wasn't sure what to do with this information, and this time I did laugh.

"Want to introduce me to your teammates?" I asked spotting Amber and Cole speaking to a group of guys I recognized as some of the lacrosse players, but had never actually spoken to.

"No." he said letting out a sigh. "But I will anyways."

Something about the way he said it had me almost certain it this had nothing to do with meeting his friends, and the fact that tonight, Dex wanted to keep me all to himself. It was all but confirmed when he nodded to his friends and I gave Ellie a quick wave before his arm slid around me again as we made our way towards his teammates, and something about this realization felt strangely… thrilling. Even if I had no idea why.

I couldn't help but notice as the night went on Dex's introductions had started to shift. Meeting his lacrosse team, I was his friend Lorelei, a half an hour later, when talking to some of Jenny's friends on the student council, he'd said I was his date. Not long after that, his coach had introduced me to one of the parents chaperoning the event as Dex's girlfriend. He'd looked a bit surprised at the term, but he didn't challenge it and I felt my heart pound as it's beating picked up.

"Girlfriend?" I asked curiously as the coach walked away and Dex scratched the back of his head looking a little awkward.

"Yeah, I'm sorry I think he just kind of assumed…"

"I'm not." I said catching myself off guard by admitting it and he looked confused.

"What?"

"I'm not." I repeated feeling a little uncertain when he himself looked so unsure. "Sorry I mean, that he assumed that."

His expression was one of total shock and I looked away, a strangling sense of panic starting to take hold as I realized what I'd just done.

'I shouldn't have said that.' I thought looking away, my cheeks burning, the anxiety gripping so tightly at this point it was difficult to breathe. 'Oh my gods, I'm an idiot. That was too much…'

What if Dex had apologized for his coach not because he was surprised, but because Dex had thought he'd over stepped? Said something he shouldn't have. That Dex didn't want him to.

'This can't be happening.' I thought mortified, ready to walk right out of the building and never see any of these people ever again. 'How could I have misjudged this so badly? Was I stupid? How on Olympus-'

But the spiral of shame was cut short as Dex's hand slid into mine.

I glanced up at him, slightly terrified, only to feel some of the panic filter off when he smiled at me, looking almost, relieved.

"Well then," he started and while the words were awkward, his tone wasn't. He sounded happy. "I'm not either."

I smiled.

Neither of us said anything more about it, but maybe it was because we didn't really have to. His hand stayed in mine however, as we walked back to his friends, and I noticed that despite the term being used several time over the next hour, he didn't correct it, even with his friends, and he didn't apologize for it either.

It felt significant. Frankly, it felt amazing and as the night continued, I found I was further and further at war with myself. My head and my conscious appalled with the events of the evening, and with how willing the rest of me was to let Dex drag me away from the dance floor as the music faded, and the principal took the mic at the DJ's stand.

"What's going on?" I asked curiously as the crowd turned eagerly to the spotlight that appeared at the front of the room, apparently under the influence of a collective anticipation, but Dex shook his head and continued walking.

"Probably going to announce prom king and queen."

"Wait that's a real thing?" I asked with a laugh but following him all the same. "I thought that was just something made up for movies."

"Yeah it's actually a thing." He said shaking his head sounding amused, heading for a pair of glass doors towards the back of the room.

"You don't want to see who wins?" I asked curiously.

"Nah." He said threading his fingers through mine.

Curious, I let him pull me towards what I'd seen was a court yard earlier. It was pretty, with a fountain reflecting twinkle lights woven between vines and plants strung above us, the music soft but still audible from inside the building.

It had been crowded earlier, students taking a break from the heat and noise on the dance floor, but the announcement seemed to have drawn everyone back inside, leaving the space entirely empty.

"This is gorgeous." I said turning, taking in our surroundings and smiling at him.

"Yeah, it's nice." He said sparing the court yard a glance before looking back at me.

"Why'd you want to come out here?" I asked sitting on a stone wall in front of several tall plants.

The doors had shut, but I could still hear the voice over the speakers, though it was muffled.

It sounded as if Jenny and her date were in the running and it struck me as odd that the position of prom 'royalty' was one that was elected.

'That doesn't make any sense.' I thought vaguely but the rumination of democratically elected monarchs was pushed from my mind as Dex sat next to me.

"I dunno." He said shrugging. "It's just been kind of a busy night. Been talking to a lot of people. Thought I'd take the chance to get a moment alone."

"You want me to leave?" I asked raising an eyebrow, gesturing over my shoulder at the door and and he rolled his eyes.

"No, I wouldn't." He said and I smiled as he slid an arm around me. "It's actually a little disturbing to me that I never seem to not want you around."

He shot me a sidelong look and grinned.

"Most people annoy me."

"Probably because you're famous." I said and he laughed, letting me put my head on his shoulder.

I must have missed the announcement, because people were cheering now and a slow, sappy pop song was drifting into the court yard from the speakers inside. Probably so the newly crowned couple could dance as everyone they knew watched.

I could tell from the spike of emotions in the building that it was a big moment for a lot of people, excitement, adoration, jealousy.

It seemed like the sort of situation that would have been my worst nightmare, and I was glad I was out here with Dex rather than inside.

"Look, I know we haven't really talked about it." he said quickly and I felt a spike of nervous energy puncture the air between us, and I honestly wasn't sure who it was coming from, Dex or me.

Maybe it was both.

"About what my coach said."

"You need to talk about it?" I asked a shock of something cold dart through me as I sat up, dispelling the glow of what I'd realized was starting to feel like contentment.

I stood in a surge of anxious energy and I looked at him, feeling my eyes widen a bit and my pulse start to pick up in fear.

"No." He said shaking his head, and while I felt like panicking, his tone was calm. "I just know that this sort of thing. It's not as easy to figure out with you."

"Because of my dad?" I asked.

"Actually, I think his agent is the problem." He said shrewdly startling a laugh out of me.

"He is most of my problems." I sighed and Dex grinned.

He reached out offering his hand and pulling me to sit next to him again on the wall.

"I just know our lives are very different." He said quietly. "And that can make this sort of thing kind of complicated."

I let out a humorless laugh and looked at the floor figuring 'sort of complicated' was one hell of an understatement, and wondering if this was it. His coach calling me his girlfriend had brought the reality of the situation home to Dex. That he'd decided it wasn't worth it.

"But I don't care what people think Lore," he said surprising me and I looked at him. "Or how things have to look, or if they look like anything at all. As long as you and I are on the same page."

"The same page?" I asked hesitantly, not entirely sure what he meant by this and he nodded.

"I really like you." He said quietly. "A part of me still can't believe how much sometimes. And if someone had told me months ago back at camp that I'd be in this position, especially after everything with Heather and Caleb, I'd have thought they'd lost their damn minds. And sometimes even I think I'm crazy."

He sighed, running his fingers through his hair in a motion that I realized was starting to be familiar to me. Something he did a lot when he was thinking.

"You're kind of a complicated person." He said glancing at me. "But honestly, I think that's what I like about you."

"Really?" I asked more surprised than flattered and he grinned, as if he knew what was on my mind.

"I know, but the more I think about it, the more it makes sense." He shrugged and looked out at the light reflecting in the fountain. "I've always liked complicated things."

"Why do I feel like this is just a roundabout way of calling me crazy?"

He laughed.

"Lore, you are a bit crazy."

"Dex-" I started, getting to my feet in frustration but he laughed and I let out a yelp of surprise as he reached out, pulling me towards him as he stood.

"Normal people don't go around killing monsters with high heels, or making prom dresses for people they barely know, or getting banned from France."

"Kind of a low blow there, Dex." I said quietly.

"I'm not insulting you Lorelei." He said shaking his head, still sounding amused. "It's what I like. All of it. All of you."

And it was this that made me realize what Dex was trying to say. Unlike the rest of the world, Dex saw me. All of me. Not just the part's that suited him. And it felt almost unreal to realize this. That my kind of complicated was something someone wouldn't just put up with, but actually want.

"I really like you, Lore." He said quietly, absent mindedly brushing a strand of my hair behind my ear as his eyes met mine. "I just don't want to go out on a limb here, only to realize I'm on my own."

"You're not." I said unable to stop myself, knowing it was stupid.

It was as if, as I was speaking, I could hear door after door closing. The illumination of the path ahead of me dimming with each opening bolted shut, exits sealing themselves, locking away any chance I had at escape. The last chances at stopping what I knew was a mistake.

But I didn't care.

"I like you too, Dex."

My heart gave a powerful thud as the last door closed, but I hardly noticed. Even if the road ahead of me was dark, and I had no idea what was going to happen, none of that seemed to matter at the moment. All I saw was him.

Gods I was such an idiot.

Why wasn't my brain working? How had I let this happen? How on earth did Dex manage to do this to me?

I wasn't sure when we'd gotten so close to each other or when I'd suddenly just… forgotten how to breathe. His hand slid through my hair, as the distance evaporated between us, his arm wrapping around my waist.

I wasn't stupid. I knew what was about to happen and Hades crawling out of the Underworld himself couldn't have convinced me to stop if it wasn't for one, tiny flicker of hesitation. A cool, cold little flame of guilt that flared just bright enough for me to momentarily regain my senses, culminating in an arctic feeling settled over my heart. Centered around the locket resting over it.

"Dex?" I started quietly.

"Yeah Lore?"

"I-I need to tell you something."

"What is it?" he asked his expression shifting to one of concern as the clouded quality to my thoughts drained and a shudder of dread went over me. "Are you alright?" he sounded anxious. "Are you cold or-?"

But his question was cut short by a terrified scream.

We looked at each other in shock for a moment, then at the door to the party and both started running towards it.

People were fleeing, scrambling for any exit they could find, and I was about to ask one of Amber's teammates what was happening as she sprinted past when there was an earsplitting crash causing, if possible, even more panic.

I hastily stepped aside as a boy darted to the door behind us and slipped, my heel sliding over a puddle of punch spilled from an abandoned cup and felt Dex's arms lock around me.

Crazed laughter filled the room as a second, deafening crash bounced off the walls, and I saw the DJ's station had been reduced to nothing more than expensive rubble.

"Where is she?" a rough voice asked. "Where is the girl?"

A strange chorus of hisses drowned out the noise of the escaping students, and despite the chaos around us, I found that when the woman stepped out from behind the wreckage of the soundboard, I wasn't surprised that it wasn't hair growing from scalp, but snakes. And she wasn't alone.

"Gorgons." I said muttered and Dex sighed.

When he spoke, he sounded exhausted.

"Yeah." He said quietly with a nod, releasing me and reaching into his pocket. "Demigods trying to go to prom, that sounds about right."

I wasn't sure what he'd grabbed, but suddenly, there was a battle hammer in his hands. There was a pop, and a shower of sparks as the lights to the room went out, and by the way the weapon glowed in the half light, I knew it had to be made at least in part of celestial bronze.

The gorgons seemed to notice it too, because the first one tilted her head a little, then she smiled showing pointed teeth.

"A hammer?" she asked curiously.

The hissing grew louder, less uniform and for an insane moment, I thought it sounded like laughter.

"You wouldn't happen to be a child of Hephaestus, would you?" the second monster asked, eyes narrowed with interest.

"What's it to you if I am?" Dex asked scowling at her.

She laughed, and this time there was no confusion about it.

"I guess what they say is true." She said sounding amused. "Nothing new under the sun is there sister?"

"It seems the demigods are as doomed to repeat history as much as we are." She sneered. "Poor boy."

She tutted a forked tongue, slit pupils darted towards me, sending a shiver of what I realized was fear throughout me.

"What would your father say?"

Her tone was sympathetic, or pretending to be at least, as was her expression, but her eyes glittered wickedly and I took an unconscious step back. It felt cowardly, especially as I'd killed monsters before, plenty of them, and while the experience was never fun, I didn't like the way these ones were looking at me.

Dex must have noticed, because his eyes became slits as he looked at the gorgons.

"What are you talking about?" he asked suspiciously. "What do you want with Lorelei?"

At this, the second gorgon laughed.

"You're asking the right questions to the wrong people boy." She said smirking.

The room had emptied now, leaving nothing but Dex and I in the remnants of the party along with the monsters.

"What do you mean?" he asked shifting in front of me as the gorgons continued to approach, their smiles cruel.

"Maybe you should ask the child of Aphrodite behind you what she wants with you?"

Her eyes darted towards the locket, and a wave of genuine, paralyzing fear washed over me bolting me in place.

I didn't know what to do. And before I had time to say anything, let alone think, the monsters had struck.

...

The fight with the gorgons had been a bad one. Both Dex and I had been pretty roughed up by the end of it, and it was a miracle by the time we got out of the event space that the press seemed to have cleared off, probably assuming they'd missed us in the chaos.

We'd gone to Jake's house, seeing as it was closest to the board walk, only to find it empty.

"Jake must be with Celeste." I said shrugging off Dex's jacket and almost wincing as I saw the state of my dress.

It was torn in several places, as was Dex's shirt, claw marks and scratches littering the both of us.

"That's his…" he hesitated before saying. "Girlfriend? Right?"

"Probably the closest word we're going to find for it." I said shaking my head. I'd actively avoided asking questions about that relationship. "I'm going to go change." I said handing him the jacket. "If you want I can grab you something of Jake's. It's the only thing that would fit you."

"Sure." He nodded. "Thanks."

I headed towards the stairs, trying not to think too much about anything that had happened tonight, and trying to ignore the sting of several injuries as I started to, very carefully, change, feeling extremely disappointed when I laid my dress on the bed and saw just how destroyed it was. Slash marks making it little more than ribbons in some places.

I tossed my heels in the corner, one of which had broken and pulled out a pair of sleep shorts and a tank top, rolling it up as not to irritate a deep set of scratches from where one of the gorgons had managed to get a hold of me during the fight.

When I crossed the hall to Jake's room, I saw the bathroom light was on and figured Dex must be looking for either divine food or some sort of antiseptic for his own wounds.

It didn't take long to go through Jake's drawers and return to the hall, holding a pair of jeans and a camp shirt, his usual uniform over break, even if the sleeves had been cut off.

"I know it's not really your style." I said grinning as I opened the door holding up the make shift muscle shirt. "But I figured it was better than the mesh tank to-"

I cut myself short when I spotted Dex's jacket and shirt were thrown over the shower rod. They were as trashed as my dress, a long split in the fabric across the back matching the slash from his shoulder blade to his ribs he was attempting to peroxide. Obviously hoping to avoid an infection.

"Sorry." I muttered looking away quickly, feeling my cheeks burn though I wasn't sure why.

I'd never really been shy around guys. Growing up surrounded by professional athletes, you sort of got used to what attractive people looked like. And it wasn't something I'd ever particularly noticed before.

This was different.

"It's fine." He said sounding a little amused, probably unsure as to why I was acting so awkward.

'This is ridiculous.' I thought glancing at Dex but quickly looking away. 'You know what he looks like.'

Dex was built on the same general model as Jake. Tall, broad shouldered, and the muscles of a person who obviously worked out. Jake walked around shirtless all the time, and it had never meant anything to me. I hadn't felt the need to stare at him.

"Do you need help?" I asked as he struggled to reach over his shoulders.

"Yeah, if you don't mind."

I hesitated for a second as he turned, but eventually grabbed the peroxide and got to work, a stab of guilt going through me as his shoulders stiffened at the contact.

"Sorry." I said quickly, pulling back the cotton ball and he shook his head.

"I'm alright, trust me that hurt a lot less than actually getting the injury."

"I'm sorry you were injured." I muttered feeling strangely responsible for the situation, though I wasn't exactly sure as to why.

The way the gorgons had been speaking however, when they realized who Dex's father was… It felt as if they knew something.

"It's not your fault." He said incredulously, bringing me back to the present and I looked at the slash, feeling my brow furrow.

It was pretty bad but already healing, and I found myself wondering if it would leave a scar.

I set the bottle on the sink and jumped up to sit on it as he turned, grinning a little when he gave me a once over.

"What?" I asked heart skipping a little and his smile widened.

"Nothing." He said sounding amused. "It's just, you kind of look like you stumbled out of an action movie." He continued stepping closer and lifting my chin a little, as if to inspect my face with an almost critical attention. "All bloodied up," his thumb brushed over a small scratch on my cheek bone, his touch so light, it didn't even hurt. "But the make-up is still flawless."

"I had a friend enchant a bottle of setting spray for special occasions." I said grinning, which did hurt the scratch, but I ignored it. "No idea what mortal movie heroines use."

He laughed and let me go, reaching for the shirt I'd brought and asked.

"So what was it you wanted to say back at the hotel?"

"What?"

"Back at the hotel, before we were attacked. You said you had to tell me something."

"Oh." I said my amusement evaporating instantly as I remembered. "I-"

I had to tell him.

I had to tell Dex the truth, about everything. What I'd done, was still doing, trying to combat the monumental amount of stupidity I'd displayed in running to my mother after everything with Caleb. I needed to be honest with him. We were getting in way too deep, he needed to know.

But I just couldn't do it.

I felt my body go rigid, numb as a blank sense of panic went through me, hollowing my brain with nothing but an overwhelming buzzing anxiety and despite the fact I was screaming them in my mind, the words just wouldn't come out.

My hands gripped the counter tightly, and he must have noticed because his eyes darted to them, before he looked back at me.

"Are you ok Lore?" he asked uncertainly.

"You didn't really find out about Caleb and Heather on your birthday, did you?" I asked quietly and he let out a short, humorless laugh before a sigh.

"No I did." He said running his fingers his hair, and while I figured most people would probably be wondering why I was bringing up our exes at a time like this, he didn't seem to be all that bothered. "Kind of the worst birthday present ever. Sort of wish she'd stuck to giving me nothing."

"She didn't even get you a present?" I asked quietly and he shook his head.

"I'm guessing she had other things on her mind."

"I'm sorry she was so awful to you."

Dex didn't deserve what Heather had done to him, or what I'd tried to do. Jake was right. I should have just stayed away from him. Never gotten him involved, and now it was too late.

I felt my eyes start to burn and I quickly wiped them, well aware that there was only so much even magic setting spray could do.

"Dex, I'm so sorry." I said my voice going tight and his eyes went a bit wider, clueing me in to the humiliating fact that I appeared to be on the verge of a complete meltdown.

I didn't want to be like Heather. I didn't want to hurt Dex.

"I-" I started, feeling my throat close completely as I tried to force the words out. "I-"

My heart was absolutely slamming inside my chest at this point, and I could tell I was on the verge of hyperventilating again.

"Lore." He said gently, stepping closer and resting a hand against my face. "What-"

"I wish I didn't go visit my dad that summer you were doing the dagger making class." I said the words tumbling out, completely uncontrolled. "I wish I'd talked to you in the arcade and before I'd ever met Caleb. That my dad wasn't famous and my mom wasn't an emotional psycho and-"

"Lorelei, what the hell are you talking about?"

Anyone but Dex and the question would have sounded irritated, and maybe a few weeks ago, I would have thought he was, but right now, he just looked confused.

This seemed to change however, when his eyes met mine, clearly searching for some sort of understanding and suddenly, something shifted.

I could see the moment things were starting to slip into place in his mind, see him working to some sort of conclusion and I looked away. Not wanting to witness the anger or hurt, distrust or maybe disgust even as he arrived to at least some part of an answer.

"Whatever you mom's mad at you about." He said and I winced as he continued. "Does it have something to do with what happened with Heather and Caleb?"

Slowly, I nodded, far too terrified and ashamed to even consider looking at him, but what he said next surprised me.

"Does that change anything?"

"What?" I asked so confused by the question, I actually did look at him.

His expression wasn't what I expected, and while he was frowning, he didn't appear to be upset. Just, thinking.

"Does it change anything?" he asked.

"I don't think you understand, Dex." I said quietly, feeling panic rise within me again. "The situation with my mom, it's so bad-"

"I don't care about your mom, Lore." He said softly. "Or your ex, or my ex, or what's going on with your dad. Or his agent, or whatever insane thing Jake wants to do or say. I only care where your head is at, and you said we were on the same page earlier. Is that still true?"

"Dex-"

"Yes or no, Lore?" He asked and his gaze left me frozen, unable to look away. "Because I don't want anyone else."

"I don't either."

The words were out before I could even try to stop them, and it was hard to describe the expression Dex was giving me. But the intensity of it was so strong, it left me unable to think let alone breathe.

"Then we'll figure it out." He said quietly before closing the space between us, and kissing me.