In which, Adira Lancaster falls in love with her rival, Percy Jackson
OR
he falls in love with her first, unknowingly.
She only seemed to think about a rivalry. Nothing else. Zilch. Nada. Zip.
-disclaimer- I do not own the Percy Jackson Books, or an...
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The back door of the limo opened right next to me. Before I could step away, the point of a sword touched my throat. Adira stopped with me, since she was grasping onto his hand. Her free hand moved to her dagger, immediately.
I heard the sound of Zoe and Bianca drawing their bows. As the owner of the sword got out of the car, I moved back very slowly. I had to, because he was pushing the point under my chin.
He smiled cruelly. "Not so fast now, are you, punk?"
He was a big man with a crew cut, a black leather biker's jacket, black jeans, a white muscle shirt, and combat boots. Wraparound shades hid his eyes, but I knew what was behind those glasses—hollow sockets filled with flames.
"Ares," I growled.
The war god glanced at my friends. "At ease, people."
He snapped his fingers, and their weapons fell to the ground.
"This is a friendly meeting." He dug the point of his blade a little farther under my chin.
"Of course I'd like to take your head for a trophy, but someone wants to see you. And I never behead my enemies in front of a lady."
"What lady?" Thalia asked.
Ares looked over at her. "Well, well. I heard you were back."
He lowered his sword and pushed me away. "Adiraleise, daughter of Artemis. On a quest to find your mother? Unfortunate."
"Die in a ditch, asshole," Adira scoffed.
"Oh, I wish I had, many, MANY times."
"Thalia, daughter of Zeus," Ares mused. "You're not hanging out with very good company."
"What's your business, Ares?" she said. "Who's in the car?"
Ares smiled, enjoying the attention. "Oh, I doubt she wants to meet the rest of you. Particularly not them." He jutted his chin toward Zoe and Bianca. "Why don't you all go get some tacos while you wait? Only take Percy a few minutes."
"We will not leave him alone with thee, Lord Ares," Zoe said.
"Besides," Grover managed, "the taco place is closed."
Ares snapped his fingers again. The lights inside the taqueria suddenly blazed to life. The boards flew off the door and the CLOSED sign flipped to OPEN. "You were saying, goat boy?"
"Go on," I told my friends. "I'll handle this."
I tried to sound more confident than I felt. I don't think Ares was fooled.
"You heard the boy," Ares said. "He's big and strong. He's got things under control."
Adira looked at me, then wrapped her arms around me. She kissed my cheek, then pressed her hand on my cheek. My friends reluctantly headed over to the taco restaurant. Ares regarded me with loathing, then opened the limousine door like a chauffeur.
