Wildfire (Leo Valdez x OC) (1)

Which blind person thought werewolves were hot?

"Wolves." Piper said. "They sound close."

Jason rose and summoned his sword. Leo and Coach did the same but Piper looked as if she was going to pass out.

"Stay there." Jason said. "We'll protect you."

I could tell Piper was infuriated. She huffed as she drew her dagger.

I joined Coach, holding a knife in each hand. Then, just outside the firelight, at the entrance of the cave, I saw a pair of glowing red eyes.

I saw Piper pale; I tightened my grip on my knives.

More wolves edged into the firelight – black beasts bigger than Great Danes, with ice and snow caking their fur. They snarled and snapped their jaws, their red eyes flickering hungrily.

The wolf at the front was as tall as a horse, his mouth stained red.

Jason stepped forward and said something in Latin. The alpha wolf curled his lip. One of his lieutenants tried to advance but he snapped at his ear. Then all the wolves backed into the dark.

"Dude, I gotta study Latin." Leo said. "What'd you say Jason?"

Hedge muttered a curse. "Whatever it was, it wasn't enough, look."

The wolves had come back but this time their leader wasn't with them. They circled the edge of the firelight, snarling, but they didn't attack. They just made a wide semi-circle, so that they blocked the exit.

"Ok, here's the plan." Coach hefted his club. "I'll kill them, you escape."

Piper sighed. "Coach, they'd rip you to shreds."

"Nah, I'm good."

Then the silhouette of a man came wading through the wolf pack.

"Stick together." Jason said. "They respect a pack, and Coach, no crazy stuff. We aren't leaving you or anyone else behind."

The wolves parted and the man stepped into the firelight.

His hair was greasy and ragged, the colour of soot. He wore a crown of what looked like finger-bones. His robes were tattered fur – rabbit, raccoon, squirrel, deer, and several others that I couldn't quite identify, they didn't look cured either. His pale skin was pulled tight over his skull and his teeth were sharpened into fangs. His eyes glowed bright red like his wolves, and they fixed on Jason with a look of hatred.

"Ecce," He growled. "filli Romani."

Speak English, wolf man!" Coach bellowed.

The wolf man snarled. "Tell your faun to mind his tongue, child of Rome, or he will be my first snack."

"Faun?" Hedge said indignantly. I lightly smacked his arm.

He studied our group. "So, it's true. A son of Hephaestus, a daughter of Aphrodite, a faun, a child of Rome and a daughter of Pan, all travelling together. And none of you have killed each other yet?"

"You were told about us?" Jason said. "By whom?"

The man let out a bark of laughter. "We have been searching you for all along the West Coast, demigod. Hoping to be the first to find you. The giant king will reward us greatly when he rises. I am Lycaon, king of the wolves, and my pack is hungry."

"How many people are looking for us?" I said. "We have literally accomplished nothing so far; I don't even know why you're worried."

Lycaon smirked.

"Leave." Jason said. "There's no food for you here."

"Unless you want tofu." Leo said. I slapped a hand to my forehead.