fic: Death's Dare [PJO, Rachel/Nico, R, 15/?]
Title: Death's Dare
Rating: R
Characters/Pairings: Rachel/Nico, with appearances from the rest of the cast and the gods
Warning: This chapter contains some graphic violence.
Summary: After an attempt on her life, Apollo decides Rachel needs a bodyguard and who better to take the job than a certain son of Hades? Too bad they're not going to make things easy for each other, especially when it comes to their feelings.
Notes: Would've had this updated sooner, but life and work interfered, as it usually does. But the important thing is that it didn't take me a year and a half this time!
Chapter 15: Bloodletting
The sickly smell of must and rot hit Rachel’s nose as soon as she was dragged from the room, Jake’s meaty fingers wrapped around her upper arm and he pulled her along a dark hallway. The only light came from the room behind them and the hallway grew dimmer and more dank as they walked.
Even though the furnishings in the room she'd been held had been a little old, Rachel had assumed they had been holding her at one of their homes. But wherever they were, it appeared that room was the only somewhat nice spot left; from what she could tell, everything else about this place was falling apart. Were they in one of the condemned warehouses near the docks?
"Shit!" Liv squeaked as stumbled over a piece of concrete in the dark. Rachel heard a clatter of metal on stone; she must've dropped that ugly dagger. "Ugh, why couldn't we have done this someplace civilized again?"
"Summonin’ gods isn't exactly somethin' you do in a crowded place," Kate snapped, bending to pick the dagger up. "And please be more careful with the priceless ritualistic artifacts."
Liv huffed. “Whatever. You hold it now, witch.”
Kate’s form tensed in the darkness, but she kept walking and said nothing.
The hallway was getting lighter again and soon a crumbling, spiral staircase became visible in the gloom, natural moonlight filtering in from above. Eric pulled out his cell phone and flicked on the flashlight app to illuminate the staircase as he began to climb. Kate and Liv followed him, each one at a time, walking slowly and carefully up it.
The staircase couldn’t hold all of their weight at once, Rachel realized, and that meant they would let her walk up by herself. Adrenaline began to flow through her, giving her weakened body strength again. She was beginning to recover from the possession, but she had just enough energy to break away and run -
Jake pressed himself up behind her. “Now, you’re going to be a good girl and walk up these stairs and stop at the first landing. No running, otherwise I’m going to break your legs. You got that?”
Rachel nodded furiously and he shoved her forward. Her legs wobbled underneath and she climbed, listening to the creaks and groans of the rusted metal beneath her. The staircase rocked with each step, shaking dust from the levels above, and twice Rachel almost lost her balance and fell.
She made it to the first landing after a few minutes, stepping into what must’ve been a grand entrance hall at some point in time, when the paint wasn’t peeling and sections of the ceiling hadn’t fallen in. There was still furniture and what looked like a old hospital equipment in place, but it was all covered in dust, rust and was falling apart with age. Glass from broken windows littered the floor and tree was growing through one of the window frames. They certainly weren’t in a warehouse of any sort.
As soon as she set foot on what she hoped was steadier ground, Kate was by her side, grabbing her bound hands and pressing the tip of the dagger into the middle of her back. Liv and Eric were nowhere in sight in the large hall, although their light from their flashlights bounced back from one of the adjoining hallways.
“I’ve got her now,” Kate called down the stairs to Jake. “But I need ya to get the spell scroll. Her highness Liv forgot it and I can’t do shit without it.”
Jake’s cursed echoed downstairs. “What am I, an errand boy?”
“Just do it! We don’t have much time.”
He grumbled one more time and then she heard his footsteps walking back toward the holding room. Kate spun Rachel around and they followed the other two.
“I can’t believe you,” Rachel said quietly, glaring at the green haired girl. “Nico trusted you. I trusted you, and you were working for them the entire time?”
Kate said nothing for a long moment and then, she leaned in close. “If I can get ya out of this alive, I will. My coven’s in debt to Liv’s mother, and I was not aware you would be involved in this until tonight.”
How convenient for Kate, Rachel thought bitterly, unable and unwilling to believe her.
“And this has absolutely nothing to do with a jealous hissy fit over Nico, huh?”
Kate leveled a incredulous stare at her. “Please. If I wanted to claim Nico for myself, I could do it without killing you. I am a servant to the Underworld, and the last thing I would do is hurt him.”
“You spelled this place so he can’t find me!” Rachel exclaimed, her voice echoing.
Kate dug the point of the dagger into her back. “Be quiet, will ya? I have to do what Liv tells me to do, otherwise she has the right to kill me and I’m not much use to ya dead, am I?”
Rachel didn’t want to believe what Kate was saying, but at this stage, why would she lie? Kate should be gloating like the other three, not looking drawn and concerned. Besides, Rachel was helpless and alone, and Kate’s offer to help would only complicate things for her with the other three, so why would she bother if she wasn’t sincere? To mock her or be unnecessarily cruel by giving her false hope?
“Do... ” she swallowed her doubts. “Do you have a plan, then?”
“Somethin’ of the sort,” Kate replied with a strained smile. “You have to understand, though. I’ve been compelled to complete the ritual, and it needs your blood for that. Not much, necessarily, but... the more hurt you are, the easier it will be for Nico to find you. The spell can’t hide death.”
Rachel’s stomach lurched. “You... you want me to get hurt on purpose? Hurt enough to risk dying?”
“What part of you’re gonna die otherwise, don’t ya understand?” Kate snapped, turning her down another hallway. Bright light flooded out of a set of open doors at the end, and Rachel’s mouth went dry. “Listen to me. Once you’ve been injured, you’re going to have a very small opportunity to run, and you’ll have to take it. There’s a stage door to your left that leads you outside. Nico should have no trouble findin’ you once you cross the threshold and those idiots will be too caught up waiting for their gods to arrive.”
Rachel knew she didn't have many other choices. And while she didn't completely trust Kate, her only other option - waiting for some good fortune to befall her or for the opportune moment - would probably end up getting her killed. She had to trust her instincts, and her instincts were, once again, screaming for her to believe Kate.
As they reached the edge of the hallway, she nodded slowly. "Okay."
"Okay what?" Jake’s voice demanded suddenly from behind him. Rachel jumped, having not heard him approach and hoped that he hadn’t heard much else of what they were saying.
"I was tellin' her how I was going to take good care of her boyfriend when she's dead," Kate said quickly, sneering at her. "She just didn't want to hear anymore from me."
Jake turned his suspicious gaze on her, and Rachel didn't have to try hard to look angry and desperate to convince him. He seemed satisfied and held up a battered old scroll. "This what you needed?"
Kate nodded. “Keep hold of it, will ya?”
She didn’t wait for his answer, pushing Rachel forward into the lit room.
It was an abandoned auditorium, in just as bad shape of as the rest of the building. The seats were torn up and mouldering, some of them looking like they’d been wrenched out of their bolts and tossed across the room. Part of the ceiling had fallen in, revealing a dark sky above, and the light was being provided by dozens and dozens of black candles on the stage.
Even though it was clearly rotting and sagging, stage was the only part of the auditorium that was intact. Liv and Eric had stopped in front of it, watching the rest of the group approach. Eric had a hungry look on his face and Rachel shivered as Kate led her past them, toward the stage’s steps.
One of them asked Kate a question, but Rachel could barely hear her response over the frantic pounding of her own heart. Even though she knew she might have a way out of this, she couldn’t fight the terror welling inside her. If this didn’t work...
Kate wove a path through the candles toward the middle of the stage where she had drawn a giant rune circle in a sticky brown substance - blood, Rachel realized with a shudder.
"In the circle now," Kate said, nudging her forward.
Rachel's heels dug into the surface of the stage, resisting, knowing that once that line was crossed, there was no going back. But another shove from Kate and she was over the line.
She felt something (magic) overtake her body as soon as she stepped in the circle, and her legs propelled her forward against her will to the middle of the circle. She dropped to her knees, her limbs as heavy as lead, and completely unable to move.
"What are you doing?" Eric asked as Kate slid the dagger between Rachel’s bound hands and cut the ropes free. Rachel winced as the blood rushed back into her fingers and they swung around to her front.
"Once she’s in the circle, she can't go anywhere until the spell is complete," Kate replied. "Now shut up, and let me do my job."
One of the trio muttered something in dissent, but obviously didn’t want to test Kate’s temper too badly and risk the success of the ritual. Rachel turned her head to look them, and Eric met her gaze, the candlelight stretching his triumphant smirk into a shadowed, demonic grin.
“We’ll be sure to tell your daddy dearest that you died for the cause. I’m sure he’ll enjoy that,” he called, stepping as close to the stage as he dared. “Got any last words, Rachel Elizabeth Dare?”
"Yeah,” she rasped, fury flooding her voice. "You three are dead. Dead."
The flames on the candles stirred restlessly, as if blown about by sudden gust of wind, but Rachel had no idea if her declaration had caused that or a breeze from the exposed roof. It was still enough for Eric to remember what had happened a few minutes ago with the Oracle, and he stepped back, eyeing her like a wild animal.
Rachel’s attention was drawn away by a loud thump! as Kate set an enormous stone basin in front of her. It was almost as tall as she was on her knees like this. Rachel had never seen an artifact so old outside of a museum, even in the Camp Half Blood storage, and she could feel the ancient power radiating from it. She could make out intricate carvings on the sides of the basin, each one appearing to depict a different act of mortal cruelty in the world.
This wasn’t the first time an Oracle’s blood had been spilled in that basin, she realized with horror. Rachel had believed she was special, but she was nothing but a long-standing pawn in a millennia long war game.
Kate stepped in front of her, clearing her throat as she unrolled the scroll. Her eyes met Rachel’s for a moment, regret shimmering in them, and then she began to chant in ancient Greek.
The candles flickered and dimmed, elongating the shadows the five of them the crumbling walls, and a true wind stirred as Kate spoke. Rachel’s skin prickled, and she felt like her body was being compressed and squeezed as the pressure in the room changed. She couldn’t help her wince when her ears popped.
After no time at all, Kate snapped the scroll shut and then bent down, grabbing Rachel’s arms and holding them over the basin. She wanted - no, needed - to pull free and fight Kate off, but the magic wasn’t letting her and Rachel watched in horror as the other girl lifted the dagger above her head, the silver blade glittering sinisterly in the candlelight.
“To the gods of the North, I offer the blood of the Oracle,” Kate intoned, pressing the blade to her wrist. “To open the road once more!”
Kate sliced down her arm so quick that Rachel didn’t even feel it - at first. She cried out in agony as white hot pain sizzled up her arms, tears springing to her eyes as blood poured from her veins, dribbling, into the bottom of the basin’s bowl. Kate squeezed her arm, forcing the blood to move faster and the basin began to glow a wicked, sickly green color as the blood pooled.
“That won’t be enough,” Kate murmured, and Rachel screamed again as she sliced her other wrist too.
Her hands twitched and curled under Kate’s grip, spasming out of control as blood seeped out of her body in a hot, liquid pain. Rachel was in complete agony and her veins throbbed her heart pumped, pumped, pumped more blood to the open wounds. Kate must’ve gotten an artery and oh gods, there was so much blood...
“Look!” Liv shouted, her voice distant to Rachel’s eyes. “I think I see something up there!”
Weakly, Rachel met Kate’s gaze and the other girl nodded subtly, although she didn’t loosen her grip on Rachel’s arms. Rachel understood. She had to make her escape look real... if she could.
Rachel braced herself and wrapped her spasming fingers around Kate’s forearms, grabbing her and yanking her forward. She bent her body enough so Kate went toppling over her head instead of landing on top of her and Kate made a grab for her, her hands twisting in Rachel’s hair, but she lashed out with her feet, catching the other girl in the side. Rachel heard something snap and Kate cried out, going limp.
The other three were shouting, trying to get up on the stage as Rachel struggled to her feet, already feeling woozy and light headed from the blood loss. She knew she had to run, but first...
She shoved her hip into the glowing basin and knocked it on its side, spilling the liquid contents on to the grimy floor.
“You whore!” Eric shouted, and Rachel ran, knocking over candles as she sprinted out of the circle, hoping she hadn’t wasted what precious time she had left.
She burst through the door Kate had mentioned, smearing blood on the handle, and gasped as the cool night air flooded her lungs. She ran toward a wooded area, past the ghostly outline of other abandoned buildings the darkness, and tried not trip over broken concrete and other hidden obstacles.
Her wrists were burning, blood dripping down her arms and splattering on her clothes, and she felt faint, but she had to keep running, had to get to -
An unearthly shriek split the air and seconds later, Rachel screamed as sharp talons dug into her back, a fresh wave of agony breaking over her. She landed on her side, curling into herself, her body wracked with pain and knew she had no more strength left within her.
Her heart stopped when a pair of clawed feet landed near her head. She glanced up, trembling from exhaustion, and stared into the red eyes of the same demon that had appeared at her bedroom window weeks ago.
“Oh gods,” Rachel whispered, trying to crawl away from it. Each drag of her injuries against the ground was like flames leaping up her back and still there was more blood...
Please, she prayed, please let it be quick.
“You stupid bitch.”
Jake appeared beside the monster, panting and maniac with rage. He pushed forward and something in his hand flashed in the moonlight - the knife.
“Did you really think you’d get away? You’ve fucked up everything and now - ” he said, bending down beside her. His eyes were crazed, pupils blown wide and darting back and forth. “Now you’re really going to get it. I’m going to slit your pretty fucking throat and when I’ve got all the blood we need, my friend over here and all the beasties in the woods are going make a snack of your corpse.”
The monster shrieked, delighted, and Jake moved in -
Suddenly, the ground rumbled and the sliver of earth between them split open as a skeletal hand shot upward, grabbing Jake’s wrist. He dropped the knife in shock and tried to claw it off, but then another hand was on him... and another...
“What the fuck!” Jake screamed, spittle flying from his mouth. The veins popped in his forehead as he struggled to free himself. “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!”
“Not me,” Rachel whispered, turning her head as two figures materialized behind her. Her vision was dimming, but she’d know the tallest man anywhere.
“Nico.”
*
Five seconds.
That was all the time Percy had to take in the scene in front of him before a hideous bat monster was on him and trying to bury its claws in his skull. But that was enough time to know the sight of Rachel’s pale and blood spattered body was going to haunt his nightmares for the rest of his life.
He threw himself to the ground to avoid the monster, bashing his elbow against a stone, and rolled to his feet, uncapping Riptide. The monster dug its claws into the ground, swinging itself around to face, and shrieked before it charged.
He was sure that this monster would be a more formidable opponent higher in the air, but low to the ground like this, it was clumsy, unsure and an easy target. Percy knew it’d try to get higher and sure enough, it changed its trajectory upwards right before it could strike a blow, hoping it would catch him off guard.
It didn’t, and Percy sank Riptide into the creature’s chest with a sickening squelch. It let out a surprised squawk before turning into dust.
“Too easy,” Percy murmured, sliding Riptide into the loop on his pants before hurrying over toward Rachel.
Four skeleton soldiers had joined them in the time it took Percy to dispatch the monster, and had surrounded and dragged a bulky man away from Rachel’s body. Nico was bent over her, desperately trying to wrap her bloody arms with scraps of fabric from his T-shirt and whispering, “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” to her over and over again.
Rachel’s face was ghostly pale, but she was still breathing and alert, although Percy didn’t know how much longer that would last. The cuts are her arms were very deep and Nico’s bandages were already soaked. If they didn’t - if they had been too late -
No. He wasn’t going to think that. Not about Rachel.
“Nico,” Percy said, grabbing his shoulder. “We need to get her to a hospital. Right now. There might be more of those things on the island.”
Nico nodded, his face calm, but Percy noticed his hands were shaking. He didn’t want to know what the other boy was seeing with Rachel's life’s aura. “Rachel, I’m going to have to pick you up. Is that okay?”
“Yes,” Rachel replied, her voice weaker than Percy’d ever heard it. “Hurry, please.”
Percy took a step back as Nico slid his arms under Rachel and hefted her into his arms. Her agonized cry cut through him and... gods, her back! What had they done to her?
“It’ll be all right, Rachel,” Percy said, reaching for her hand. “Just hang in there for a little - ”
“She’s gonna die, you freaks! Say your goodbyes now!”
Nico stiffened and his eyes snapped over to the man his skeleton soldiers had captured. Percy knew that look on Nico’s face and it wasn’t good sign for any of them. If Nico lost control of powers, Rachel would die for sure.
“I’ve got this.”
Percy strode over to the skeletons, who parted for him, and glared down at the mortal. He looked vaguely familiar, but he wasn’t anyone Percy encountered in his day-to-day life.
“Son of Poseidon, right?” the mortal asked, grinning maniacally. “You’re the one with the hot blonde piece of ass - ”
Crack!
Percy’s fist connected with the mortal’s jaw and he went down, groaning. He normally wasn’t the type to delight in causing other people pain, but if anyone deserved a dislocated jaw, this bastard did.
The skeletons formed a tight circle around the mortal again as Percy turned and hurried back to Nico and Rachel. Rachel was unconscious now and Nico was trembling with barely suppressed emotion. He grabbed on to Nico’s jacket and met the younger man’s hardened, hateful gaze, knowing there was no way the son of Hades was going to let the mortal get away with a punch to jaw.
“Do it,” Percy said. “And let’s get the hell out of here.”
Nico nodded and glanced at his soldiers. “He’s all yours. Do with him what you will.”
Percy turned away as the skeletons closed in, but he needn't have bothered. In the next instant, the darkness wrapped around them and they were gone, leaving the mortal to his fate.
Next
Rating: R
Characters/Pairings: Rachel/Nico, with appearances from the rest of the cast and the gods
Warning: This chapter contains some graphic violence.
Summary: After an attempt on her life, Apollo decides Rachel needs a bodyguard and who better to take the job than a certain son of Hades? Too bad they're not going to make things easy for each other, especially when it comes to their feelings.
Notes: Would've had this updated sooner, but life and work interfered, as it usually does. But the important thing is that it didn't take me a year and a half this time!
Chapter 15: Bloodletting
The sickly smell of must and rot hit Rachel’s nose as soon as she was dragged from the room, Jake’s meaty fingers wrapped around her upper arm and he pulled her along a dark hallway. The only light came from the room behind them and the hallway grew dimmer and more dank as they walked.
Even though the furnishings in the room she'd been held had been a little old, Rachel had assumed they had been holding her at one of their homes. But wherever they were, it appeared that room was the only somewhat nice spot left; from what she could tell, everything else about this place was falling apart. Were they in one of the condemned warehouses near the docks?
"Shit!" Liv squeaked as stumbled over a piece of concrete in the dark. Rachel heard a clatter of metal on stone; she must've dropped that ugly dagger. "Ugh, why couldn't we have done this someplace civilized again?"
"Summonin’ gods isn't exactly somethin' you do in a crowded place," Kate snapped, bending to pick the dagger up. "And please be more careful with the priceless ritualistic artifacts."
Liv huffed. “Whatever. You hold it now, witch.”
Kate’s form tensed in the darkness, but she kept walking and said nothing.
The hallway was getting lighter again and soon a crumbling, spiral staircase became visible in the gloom, natural moonlight filtering in from above. Eric pulled out his cell phone and flicked on the flashlight app to illuminate the staircase as he began to climb. Kate and Liv followed him, each one at a time, walking slowly and carefully up it.
The staircase couldn’t hold all of their weight at once, Rachel realized, and that meant they would let her walk up by herself. Adrenaline began to flow through her, giving her weakened body strength again. She was beginning to recover from the possession, but she had just enough energy to break away and run -
Jake pressed himself up behind her. “Now, you’re going to be a good girl and walk up these stairs and stop at the first landing. No running, otherwise I’m going to break your legs. You got that?”
Rachel nodded furiously and he shoved her forward. Her legs wobbled underneath and she climbed, listening to the creaks and groans of the rusted metal beneath her. The staircase rocked with each step, shaking dust from the levels above, and twice Rachel almost lost her balance and fell.
She made it to the first landing after a few minutes, stepping into what must’ve been a grand entrance hall at some point in time, when the paint wasn’t peeling and sections of the ceiling hadn’t fallen in. There was still furniture and what looked like a old hospital equipment in place, but it was all covered in dust, rust and was falling apart with age. Glass from broken windows littered the floor and tree was growing through one of the window frames. They certainly weren’t in a warehouse of any sort.
As soon as she set foot on what she hoped was steadier ground, Kate was by her side, grabbing her bound hands and pressing the tip of the dagger into the middle of her back. Liv and Eric were nowhere in sight in the large hall, although their light from their flashlights bounced back from one of the adjoining hallways.
“I’ve got her now,” Kate called down the stairs to Jake. “But I need ya to get the spell scroll. Her highness Liv forgot it and I can’t do shit without it.”
Jake’s cursed echoed downstairs. “What am I, an errand boy?”
“Just do it! We don’t have much time.”
He grumbled one more time and then she heard his footsteps walking back toward the holding room. Kate spun Rachel around and they followed the other two.
“I can’t believe you,” Rachel said quietly, glaring at the green haired girl. “Nico trusted you. I trusted you, and you were working for them the entire time?”
Kate said nothing for a long moment and then, she leaned in close. “If I can get ya out of this alive, I will. My coven’s in debt to Liv’s mother, and I was not aware you would be involved in this until tonight.”
How convenient for Kate, Rachel thought bitterly, unable and unwilling to believe her.
“And this has absolutely nothing to do with a jealous hissy fit over Nico, huh?”
Kate leveled a incredulous stare at her. “Please. If I wanted to claim Nico for myself, I could do it without killing you. I am a servant to the Underworld, and the last thing I would do is hurt him.”
“You spelled this place so he can’t find me!” Rachel exclaimed, her voice echoing.
Kate dug the point of the dagger into her back. “Be quiet, will ya? I have to do what Liv tells me to do, otherwise she has the right to kill me and I’m not much use to ya dead, am I?”
Rachel didn’t want to believe what Kate was saying, but at this stage, why would she lie? Kate should be gloating like the other three, not looking drawn and concerned. Besides, Rachel was helpless and alone, and Kate’s offer to help would only complicate things for her with the other three, so why would she bother if she wasn’t sincere? To mock her or be unnecessarily cruel by giving her false hope?
“Do... ” she swallowed her doubts. “Do you have a plan, then?”
“Somethin’ of the sort,” Kate replied with a strained smile. “You have to understand, though. I’ve been compelled to complete the ritual, and it needs your blood for that. Not much, necessarily, but... the more hurt you are, the easier it will be for Nico to find you. The spell can’t hide death.”
Rachel’s stomach lurched. “You... you want me to get hurt on purpose? Hurt enough to risk dying?”
“What part of you’re gonna die otherwise, don’t ya understand?” Kate snapped, turning her down another hallway. Bright light flooded out of a set of open doors at the end, and Rachel’s mouth went dry. “Listen to me. Once you’ve been injured, you’re going to have a very small opportunity to run, and you’ll have to take it. There’s a stage door to your left that leads you outside. Nico should have no trouble findin’ you once you cross the threshold and those idiots will be too caught up waiting for their gods to arrive.”
Rachel knew she didn't have many other choices. And while she didn't completely trust Kate, her only other option - waiting for some good fortune to befall her or for the opportune moment - would probably end up getting her killed. She had to trust her instincts, and her instincts were, once again, screaming for her to believe Kate.
As they reached the edge of the hallway, she nodded slowly. "Okay."
"Okay what?" Jake’s voice demanded suddenly from behind him. Rachel jumped, having not heard him approach and hoped that he hadn’t heard much else of what they were saying.
"I was tellin' her how I was going to take good care of her boyfriend when she's dead," Kate said quickly, sneering at her. "She just didn't want to hear anymore from me."
Jake turned his suspicious gaze on her, and Rachel didn't have to try hard to look angry and desperate to convince him. He seemed satisfied and held up a battered old scroll. "This what you needed?"
Kate nodded. “Keep hold of it, will ya?”
She didn’t wait for his answer, pushing Rachel forward into the lit room.
It was an abandoned auditorium, in just as bad shape of as the rest of the building. The seats were torn up and mouldering, some of them looking like they’d been wrenched out of their bolts and tossed across the room. Part of the ceiling had fallen in, revealing a dark sky above, and the light was being provided by dozens and dozens of black candles on the stage.
Even though it was clearly rotting and sagging, stage was the only part of the auditorium that was intact. Liv and Eric had stopped in front of it, watching the rest of the group approach. Eric had a hungry look on his face and Rachel shivered as Kate led her past them, toward the stage’s steps.
One of them asked Kate a question, but Rachel could barely hear her response over the frantic pounding of her own heart. Even though she knew she might have a way out of this, she couldn’t fight the terror welling inside her. If this didn’t work...
Kate wove a path through the candles toward the middle of the stage where she had drawn a giant rune circle in a sticky brown substance - blood, Rachel realized with a shudder.
"In the circle now," Kate said, nudging her forward.
Rachel's heels dug into the surface of the stage, resisting, knowing that once that line was crossed, there was no going back. But another shove from Kate and she was over the line.
She felt something (magic) overtake her body as soon as she stepped in the circle, and her legs propelled her forward against her will to the middle of the circle. She dropped to her knees, her limbs as heavy as lead, and completely unable to move.
"What are you doing?" Eric asked as Kate slid the dagger between Rachel’s bound hands and cut the ropes free. Rachel winced as the blood rushed back into her fingers and they swung around to her front.
"Once she’s in the circle, she can't go anywhere until the spell is complete," Kate replied. "Now shut up, and let me do my job."
One of the trio muttered something in dissent, but obviously didn’t want to test Kate’s temper too badly and risk the success of the ritual. Rachel turned her head to look them, and Eric met her gaze, the candlelight stretching his triumphant smirk into a shadowed, demonic grin.
“We’ll be sure to tell your daddy dearest that you died for the cause. I’m sure he’ll enjoy that,” he called, stepping as close to the stage as he dared. “Got any last words, Rachel Elizabeth Dare?”
"Yeah,” she rasped, fury flooding her voice. "You three are dead. Dead."
The flames on the candles stirred restlessly, as if blown about by sudden gust of wind, but Rachel had no idea if her declaration had caused that or a breeze from the exposed roof. It was still enough for Eric to remember what had happened a few minutes ago with the Oracle, and he stepped back, eyeing her like a wild animal.
Rachel’s attention was drawn away by a loud thump! as Kate set an enormous stone basin in front of her. It was almost as tall as she was on her knees like this. Rachel had never seen an artifact so old outside of a museum, even in the Camp Half Blood storage, and she could feel the ancient power radiating from it. She could make out intricate carvings on the sides of the basin, each one appearing to depict a different act of mortal cruelty in the world.
This wasn’t the first time an Oracle’s blood had been spilled in that basin, she realized with horror. Rachel had believed she was special, but she was nothing but a long-standing pawn in a millennia long war game.
Kate stepped in front of her, clearing her throat as she unrolled the scroll. Her eyes met Rachel’s for a moment, regret shimmering in them, and then she began to chant in ancient Greek.
The candles flickered and dimmed, elongating the shadows the five of them the crumbling walls, and a true wind stirred as Kate spoke. Rachel’s skin prickled, and she felt like her body was being compressed and squeezed as the pressure in the room changed. She couldn’t help her wince when her ears popped.
After no time at all, Kate snapped the scroll shut and then bent down, grabbing Rachel’s arms and holding them over the basin. She wanted - no, needed - to pull free and fight Kate off, but the magic wasn’t letting her and Rachel watched in horror as the other girl lifted the dagger above her head, the silver blade glittering sinisterly in the candlelight.
“To the gods of the North, I offer the blood of the Oracle,” Kate intoned, pressing the blade to her wrist. “To open the road once more!”
Kate sliced down her arm so quick that Rachel didn’t even feel it - at first. She cried out in agony as white hot pain sizzled up her arms, tears springing to her eyes as blood poured from her veins, dribbling, into the bottom of the basin’s bowl. Kate squeezed her arm, forcing the blood to move faster and the basin began to glow a wicked, sickly green color as the blood pooled.
“That won’t be enough,” Kate murmured, and Rachel screamed again as she sliced her other wrist too.
Her hands twitched and curled under Kate’s grip, spasming out of control as blood seeped out of her body in a hot, liquid pain. Rachel was in complete agony and her veins throbbed her heart pumped, pumped, pumped more blood to the open wounds. Kate must’ve gotten an artery and oh gods, there was so much blood...
“Look!” Liv shouted, her voice distant to Rachel’s eyes. “I think I see something up there!”
Weakly, Rachel met Kate’s gaze and the other girl nodded subtly, although she didn’t loosen her grip on Rachel’s arms. Rachel understood. She had to make her escape look real... if she could.
Rachel braced herself and wrapped her spasming fingers around Kate’s forearms, grabbing her and yanking her forward. She bent her body enough so Kate went toppling over her head instead of landing on top of her and Kate made a grab for her, her hands twisting in Rachel’s hair, but she lashed out with her feet, catching the other girl in the side. Rachel heard something snap and Kate cried out, going limp.
The other three were shouting, trying to get up on the stage as Rachel struggled to her feet, already feeling woozy and light headed from the blood loss. She knew she had to run, but first...
She shoved her hip into the glowing basin and knocked it on its side, spilling the liquid contents on to the grimy floor.
“You whore!” Eric shouted, and Rachel ran, knocking over candles as she sprinted out of the circle, hoping she hadn’t wasted what precious time she had left.
She burst through the door Kate had mentioned, smearing blood on the handle, and gasped as the cool night air flooded her lungs. She ran toward a wooded area, past the ghostly outline of other abandoned buildings the darkness, and tried not trip over broken concrete and other hidden obstacles.
Her wrists were burning, blood dripping down her arms and splattering on her clothes, and she felt faint, but she had to keep running, had to get to -
An unearthly shriek split the air and seconds later, Rachel screamed as sharp talons dug into her back, a fresh wave of agony breaking over her. She landed on her side, curling into herself, her body wracked with pain and knew she had no more strength left within her.
Her heart stopped when a pair of clawed feet landed near her head. She glanced up, trembling from exhaustion, and stared into the red eyes of the same demon that had appeared at her bedroom window weeks ago.
“Oh gods,” Rachel whispered, trying to crawl away from it. Each drag of her injuries against the ground was like flames leaping up her back and still there was more blood...
Please, she prayed, please let it be quick.
“You stupid bitch.”
Jake appeared beside the monster, panting and maniac with rage. He pushed forward and something in his hand flashed in the moonlight - the knife.
“Did you really think you’d get away? You’ve fucked up everything and now - ” he said, bending down beside her. His eyes were crazed, pupils blown wide and darting back and forth. “Now you’re really going to get it. I’m going to slit your pretty fucking throat and when I’ve got all the blood we need, my friend over here and all the beasties in the woods are going make a snack of your corpse.”
The monster shrieked, delighted, and Jake moved in -
Suddenly, the ground rumbled and the sliver of earth between them split open as a skeletal hand shot upward, grabbing Jake’s wrist. He dropped the knife in shock and tried to claw it off, but then another hand was on him... and another...
“What the fuck!” Jake screamed, spittle flying from his mouth. The veins popped in his forehead as he struggled to free himself. “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!”
“Not me,” Rachel whispered, turning her head as two figures materialized behind her. Her vision was dimming, but she’d know the tallest man anywhere.
“Nico.”
*
Five seconds.
That was all the time Percy had to take in the scene in front of him before a hideous bat monster was on him and trying to bury its claws in his skull. But that was enough time to know the sight of Rachel’s pale and blood spattered body was going to haunt his nightmares for the rest of his life.
He threw himself to the ground to avoid the monster, bashing his elbow against a stone, and rolled to his feet, uncapping Riptide. The monster dug its claws into the ground, swinging itself around to face, and shrieked before it charged.
He was sure that this monster would be a more formidable opponent higher in the air, but low to the ground like this, it was clumsy, unsure and an easy target. Percy knew it’d try to get higher and sure enough, it changed its trajectory upwards right before it could strike a blow, hoping it would catch him off guard.
It didn’t, and Percy sank Riptide into the creature’s chest with a sickening squelch. It let out a surprised squawk before turning into dust.
“Too easy,” Percy murmured, sliding Riptide into the loop on his pants before hurrying over toward Rachel.
Four skeleton soldiers had joined them in the time it took Percy to dispatch the monster, and had surrounded and dragged a bulky man away from Rachel’s body. Nico was bent over her, desperately trying to wrap her bloody arms with scraps of fabric from his T-shirt and whispering, “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” to her over and over again.
Rachel’s face was ghostly pale, but she was still breathing and alert, although Percy didn’t know how much longer that would last. The cuts are her arms were very deep and Nico’s bandages were already soaked. If they didn’t - if they had been too late -
No. He wasn’t going to think that. Not about Rachel.
“Nico,” Percy said, grabbing his shoulder. “We need to get her to a hospital. Right now. There might be more of those things on the island.”
Nico nodded, his face calm, but Percy noticed his hands were shaking. He didn’t want to know what the other boy was seeing with Rachel's life’s aura. “Rachel, I’m going to have to pick you up. Is that okay?”
“Yes,” Rachel replied, her voice weaker than Percy’d ever heard it. “Hurry, please.”
Percy took a step back as Nico slid his arms under Rachel and hefted her into his arms. Her agonized cry cut through him and... gods, her back! What had they done to her?
“It’ll be all right, Rachel,” Percy said, reaching for her hand. “Just hang in there for a little - ”
“She’s gonna die, you freaks! Say your goodbyes now!”
Nico stiffened and his eyes snapped over to the man his skeleton soldiers had captured. Percy knew that look on Nico’s face and it wasn’t good sign for any of them. If Nico lost control of powers, Rachel would die for sure.
“I’ve got this.”
Percy strode over to the skeletons, who parted for him, and glared down at the mortal. He looked vaguely familiar, but he wasn’t anyone Percy encountered in his day-to-day life.
“Son of Poseidon, right?” the mortal asked, grinning maniacally. “You’re the one with the hot blonde piece of ass - ”
Crack!
Percy’s fist connected with the mortal’s jaw and he went down, groaning. He normally wasn’t the type to delight in causing other people pain, but if anyone deserved a dislocated jaw, this bastard did.
The skeletons formed a tight circle around the mortal again as Percy turned and hurried back to Nico and Rachel. Rachel was unconscious now and Nico was trembling with barely suppressed emotion. He grabbed on to Nico’s jacket and met the younger man’s hardened, hateful gaze, knowing there was no way the son of Hades was going to let the mortal get away with a punch to jaw.
“Do it,” Percy said. “And let’s get the hell out of here.”
Nico nodded and glanced at his soldiers. “He’s all yours. Do with him what you will.”
Percy turned away as the skeletons closed in, but he needn't have bothered. In the next instant, the darkness wrapped around them and they were gone, leaving the mortal to his fate.
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