Kidnapped

22: The Death

Percy POV

"Seaweed Brain, you're okay. You're more in shock than anything else," Annabeth whispered.

"We don't have much time. Where's the drug?"

I absent-mindedly took the pill out of my pocket. Annabeth took the drug and gazed at it.

"Percy, this is the best chance to make our move. They'll believe that you died because of the dog. This is the best opportunity to 'kill' you." Nico used air quotes around kill because the drug shouldn't kill me. That's what we hoped.

"I don't want to die," I whispered as I shook my head.

"Seaweed Brain, you can save us. It's the only plan that we have, but this is your decision," Annabeth expressed calmly.

I gazed into her beautiful gray eyes. They were sparkling with passion and tears. I wanted to save her. I wanted to save them all. Also, I wanted the chance to live with Annabeth in the real world. I didn't want to be a pawn for Elysium's experiment or entertainment anymore.

I took the Somnus pill into my hand. I couldn't let anyone down when I can do something to help them. I have to try.

I stared at the black gel-like pill in my hand.

My sea-green eyes watered at the possibility of death. I could take this drug and simply not wake up. Honestly, this was the most likely scenario.

Regardless, there weren't any more options for getting out of Elysium. The black pill glistened to the sunlight as I gazed at it. Annabeth and Nico were crowding around me to block any camera from getting our exchange.

I slowly raised the pill towards my mouth.

Suddenly, Annabeth grabbed my wrist. I looked into her beautiful gray eyes, which were fierce but emotional.

"Percy," she whispered.

Without hesitation, she leaned forward and pressed her lips into mine. At that moment, I lost all sensations and perceptions. I was no longer in the labyrinth. I was floating in the clouds where only Annabeth and I existed.

My mouth moved against hers as the kiss deepened. The emotions and feelings deepened as well while the pain and hopelessness dissipated. I was slowly falling in love with her, and I realized it during our first kiss.

Annabeth broke the kiss first. Her forehead leaned against mine as I caught my breath. She wasn't breathing that heavily since she wasn't injured, but I was.

My sea-green eyes locked onto her stormy gray ones. A light smile graced her beautiful face as her thumb rubbed my cheek.

"You'll be okay, Seaweed Brain. Just come back to me."

"I will, Wise Girl. I promise," I whispered.

I leaned forward and kissed her again. This was a quick but passionate kiss. I absorbed as much love, warmth, and comfort as I possibly could in the kiss.

Finally, I leaned back. The pill was heavy in my hand while gazing at Nico and Annabeth. Nico was flushing slightly, but he still maintained eye contact. I nodded at them both before lifting the pill to my mouth again.

This time, Annabeth didn't stop me. A small, dirty part of me wanted her to stop me again as she did before. But, she didn't.

I popped the pill into my mouth and bit down on the capsule.

A thick liquid spilled out of the capsule and invaded my taste buds. The Somnus drug was very bitter and rancid. It smelled bad, and it tasted worse.

Despite my hunger, this drug tasted like moldy blue cheese. Unfortunately, I've had moldy blue cheese when I was younger. I was obsessed with anything blue, and I stupidly assumed that blue cheese would make me blue.