A/N: I've been owing you guys some bonus chapters for quite a while, I apoligize for not having delivered, but you can expect more this week!
Peace!
And as always...
Good reading!
[Blood Diary Entry]
Rebekah and I made our way back to the car, where my mother was waiting for us, accompanied by three demigods.
The trio walked with extreme caution, their hands hovering near their bronze weapons, eyes scanning every corner, every person who seemed 'suspicious'.
I chuckled at their antics. "You can relax."
"You don't understand… We have to-" Thalia tried to justify their wariness, but I interrupted her.
"Keep an eye out for monster attacks, I know. But I'm saying you guys can relax, because whatever comes, we'll deal with it."
"Easy for you to say…"
"Indeed, it is."
The rest of the walk was quiet and uneventful. No monsters to jump out of the shadows, and no old lady turning into a winged freak.
And even then, they didn't seem to relax even the tiniest bit. Still eyeing everything with caution.
I'm not sure whether to find this behavior amusing or irritating.
Though I can understand where it comes from…
Through their divine heritage, the demigods are granted power beyond any normal person's wildest dream. But in turn, they are hunted by creatures even more powerful and frightening than themselves.
Most demigods end up either dead in the middle of nowhere or become epic martyrs and tragic heroes. One can probably count on one's fingers the number of demigods that escaped such a fate.
Whereas I… Well, I possess strength that would make the scariest of the monsters seem like harmless kittens, not to mention I'm quite hard to kill.
Due to that, I've managed to escape the fate of infinite paranoia and endless living nightmares.
When I saw my mother in the distance, washing the car's windshield, I came back from my own musings, a warm smile on my face.
Mother also seemed to notice us, as she finished what she was doing and walked towards us. A curious expression on her face.
"And who is this?" She asked, her gaze fixed on the newcomers.
"These are Luke Castellan, Thalia Grace, and Annabeth Chase," I introduced each of the demigods to my mother. "And this is my mother, Isolde Salvatore." I finished my side of the introductions.
"A pleasure," my mother said.
"So, you're Darian's mom?" Annabeth said with a glint in her eyes.
Mother smiled sweetly at the cute child in front of her. "Indeed, I am."
"Are you as strong as he is?" Annabeth asked.
Mother laughed. "No, no, my son is quite special in that regard."
Annabeth tilted her head. "Then is his father strong?"
My mother's expression turned a bit awkward—as did Rebekah's and mine. "Uhm… Darian… Well… Yes and no." Mother said.
Thalia and Luke frowned, while Annabeth's expression just became the epitome of confusion.
"What do you mea-" Annabeth tried to speak again, but Luke put a hand over her mouth, silencing the small child.
"Annabeth. You are being rude." Luke said in a chiding tone.
My mother and I laughed out loud. "It's alright. You can't blame a child for being curious." Mother waved her hands dismissively.
Annabeth beamed, clearly encouraged by the lack of reprimand, though Luke shot her a warning glance anyway.
"Excuse my son and me for a second," my mom raised a finger with an apologetic expression, before dragging me away. "Who are they? What are they doing here?"
"They were the source of that scent I caught earlier."
Mother's face went deadpan. "That doesn't answer much."
"I'm getting there..." I said. "The three are demigods."
"Demigods?!"
"Yes... They are also being hunted by a god."
"Hunted? What did they do to be hunted by a god?"
"They?" I asked, and my mother nodded in confirmation to my obvious question. "Nothing."
"Then why-"
"Out of spite, or petty revenge. Possibly something caused by the divine father of one of the three, and the other two are simply being caught in the crossfire."
"And what do you want to do?" Mother rubbed her temples in frustration. "Do you intend to keep protecting them?"
"No. We have no time to play babysitters to a bunch of divine children. We are to escort them to a refuge. Nothing more." I replied.
"I see... And where is this 'refuge'?"
"Long Island."
She nodded. "Not very far. And not out of course for our own destination either..."
"Why do you think I offered them a ride?" I smiled.
"Let's get back then."
Thus, we made our way back to the car, where Rebekah and the rest of the demigods were waiting.
"Well then," Mother clasped her hands together, "shall we get going? Standing around on the street tends to invite unwanted attention."
That was an understatement if I ever heard one.
We piled into the SUV soon after. Rebekah took the front passenger seat beside Mother. Luke sat on the right side of the backseat, his posture straight and alert, as if ready to leap out at the first sign of danger. Annabeth slid into the back atop Luke's lap, her eyes immediately wandering over the interior with fascination, fingers lightly brushing the leather seats and the stitching along the doors. Thalia hesitated for a moment before grudgingly sitting beside Luke, arms crossed and gaze fixed firmly out the window. I was the last to enter, as I occupied the seat beside the left window, and by proxy right by the side of Thalia.
I could practically feel the tension radiating off her.
The engine rumbled to life, and we pulled back onto the road, Philadelphia slowly giving way to longer stretches of asphalt and fewer buildings. Streetlights flickered past in rhythmic intervals, casting brief shadows across the car's interior.
For a few minutes, no one spoke.
Then Annabeth leaned forward, looking straight at me.
"You don't feel like a demigod," she said matter-of-factly.
The car went very quiet.
Luke turned his head slowly. "Annabeth."
"What?" she asked innocently. "They all feel… different." She pointed at Rebekah and me. "Like ozone. Or metal. Or rust. Hard to tell..." She sniffed the air.
Rebekah raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. Thalia shifted uncomfortably beside me.
Mother, however, didn't even glance back. "That's because my son isn't one," she said calmly.
Annabeth frowned. "But he's not mortal either."
"No," I replied. "I'm not."
She stared at me for a long moment, violet eyes narrowing, not in fear, but in concentration. I could almost hear the gears turning in her head, assembling theories faster than most adults could keep up with.
"Are you dangerous?" she asked finally.
Luke inhaled sharply.
I smiled faintly. "Not to you."
Annabeth nodded, apparently satisfied with the answer, and leaned back into her seat. "Okay."
That was that.
The road stretched on, the hum of tires against asphalt filling the silence once more. Outside, the city lights thinned, replaced by darker patches of land and distant trees swaying gently in the night breeze.
Thalia finally spoke, her voice low. "You really think we'll make it?"
Luke didn't answer immediately.
"Yes," Mother said instead. Her tone was soft, but carried an unshakable certainty. "You will."
Something about the way she said it made even Thalia glance away, biting her lip.
I looked out the window, watching the darkness roll by, and felt it then, a subtle shift. Like the air itself had become aware of us. Not hostile. Not yet. Just… strange.