Rain: A Twilight/Percy Jackson Crossover

7|Waking Up

     "...going to tell them?"

     "We have to tell her family something."

     "An accident when she was hiking, maybe? It's not far from the truth..."

     And then, finally, the burning ended nearly altogether, with the exception of only the base of her throat, which still scorched like a red hot iron had made contact with it. Her heart made its last few final thumps, never stuttering, but continuing, strong as always.

     Thum, thump.

     Thum, thump.

     Thum, thump.

     Silence.

.x.X.x.

ANNABETH OPENED HER eyes, and immediately heard a sharp intake of breath from somewhere to her right. She jumped up and backed away, crouching low, her natural instincts creeping in. Across the room from her were Esme and Carlisle Cullen, and though both looked more concerned than hostile, she didn't let her guard down, a smaller part of her brain noticing that her eyesight was much, much sharper than it used to be.

     "Please, dear, let us explain what's happening," Esme began. Annabeth straightened up at the familiar voice, a bit of her humanity making its way back into her consciousness, never letting her eyes stray from the two across the room from her, though she did vaguely realize that Emmett, Jasper, and Edward—her cousin's creepy boyfriend—were standing in the doorway of the room, on alert.

     "What's going on?" she asked, before blinking in surprise at her voice. It sounded different.

     "What's the last thing that you remember?" asked Dr. Cullen. Annabeth trained her sight on him, before answering slowly,

     "I was in the woods, walking on my own, and then... I guess I was attacked, by some monster." Annabeth let out a son of frustration. "And I didn't even have time to fight. Ten years of training, and I'm caught unaware."

     "Training?" asked Edward from the doorway. Annabeth glared at him.

     "Do you know..." Esme began slowly. "Do you know what attacked you?"

     Annabeth's thought back. "I don't remember it clearly. The thing looked human—I think—but there was something off, I don't remember what. It...I think that it was. . . . Was it drinking my blood?" She asked the last bit in a very small voice.

     "Yes," answered Dr. Cullen. "You were attacked by a vampire, Annabeth. It would have killed you, but you just happened to be in the right place, and the wol—well, I'll explain that bit later, but you were saved. And now... now you are a vampire."

     Annabeth felt like her world was collapsing around her. "Vampires, you say. Like Empousi?"

     "What's an Empousi?" asked Jasper, looking confused. So, no, not Empousi. Actual vampires. It wasn't hard for Annabeth to believe that they existed, as her whole life had been filled around supposed myths, but...

     "How do you know about vampires?" she asked, though she was almost positive that she knew the answer.

    "Because we are vampires," Dr. Cullen answered. Annabeth turned to Edward again.

     "And you're dating my step cousin? Does she even know?" she asked, suddenly feeling an odd bout of protectiveness over Bella.

     "Yes, she has known for a while now."

     "She actually wants to become one of us," said Emmett, grinning. Annabeth swallowed, which felt strangely unusual and unnecessary, and instantaneously remembered the burning in her the base of her throat, which now seemed to intensify.

     "You need to hunt," said Esme. Annabeth's eyes widened. "Oh, no! No, no, we don't hunt humans," she added quickly, seeing Annabeth's expression. "We drink animal blood. We're not like the one that found you in the woods." Annabeth let out a sigh of relief, mentally applauding herself on how well she was taking this new information in stride, despite everything

     "Let's go," said Dr. Cullen, turning towards the door. Annabeth made to follow, when out of the corner of her eye she saw her new dagger, which she had kept with her ever since leaving Camp Half-Blood, lying on a small table on the other side of the room. She rushed over in an instant and grabbed it, spinning towards the Cullens.

    "Who took this," she asked accusingly.

     "We found it when we brought you back here," said Dr. Cullen, surprised.

     "Yeah, well, don't touch it again, alright?" She made to follow them again, when the familiar feel of her knife in her hand brought a name to her head, the one who gave it to her. Annabeth froze on the spot.

     "What's wrong now?" asked Emmett, annoyed.

     "Percy," she whispered.