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Of Wine And War	By : KiriNoTenshi Category: M through R > Percy Jackson & the Olympians Views: 28996 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 2
Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Rick Riordan does. I'm not making any money for this.

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Hey everybody!! Sorry for the long wait, but I've back now and with a new chapter no less. Finals, Holidays, work, and life in general were all conspiring against the creation of this chapter, but somehow I managed to pull it off. It's a transitional chapter so it might seem a little slow at the beginning but it is longer then some of the others so that should make up for it. Plus, I even threw in a special, and very obscure, guest. Enjoy!

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It was good to be home. Mom was surprised to see me home so soon. When she asked why, I just told her that things at camp were awkward since Annabeth and I had broken up, which wasn't a total lie.

“Percy,” she started. “I wish I'd known you were coming home so soon.”

“Yeah, sorry. I would have called or Iris messaged you, but the whole thing was kind of last minute.”

“It's not that,” she shifted uncomfortably and looked at Paul who was sitting on the couch next to her. “It's just that, with you at camp and it's summer, so Paul doesn't have to teach, we had planned to go on a vacation.”

I have to admit I wasn't expecting that, but it made sense. I guess I hadn't thought about what my mom and Paul would be doing while I was away.

“Oh,” I tried not to sound to disappointed. “That's okay. I can just stay here and look after myself while you're gone.”

“I don't know,” Mom didn't sound very convinced.

“Come on. I'm almost seventeen not to mention I helped save the world last summer I think I can handle a few days by myself.”

“Actually, we'd been planing to be away for about a month,” Paul said.

“It's not that I don't trust you to be alone,” Mom said quickly. “I just think you'd have more fun at camp with your friends then sitting around here.”

“I'll be fine,” I said, trying to sound like I believed that. “Besides there will be plenty for me to do.”

“I don't know,” Paul said hesitantly.

“Really, I'll be fine, you two go and enjoy yourselves.”

After that discussion the next week went by rather uneventfully. Mom and Paul seemed happy enough to have me home. I got the feeling that they didn't completely buy my excuse for coming home so soon, but they didn't bring it up. Soon it was time for them to go to the airport. I helped carry down their bags as Paul loaded them into a taxi.

“Ok, so you have the numbers we can be reached at and our itineraries,” my mom said as she dug her keys out of her purse. “Remember to lock the door, even during the day when you're by yourself. Oh, and the windows at night. If you have any problems call the tenet. Don't go out after dark. And when you go out during the day don't talk to strangers, look both ways when you cross the street, and—”

“Mom, I'm not five. I know how to take care of myself.”

“I know, but I'm your mother. I can't help but worry,” she said as she pulled her apartment key off of her key ring and handed it to me. “Oh and no parties, either.” She paused and grinned. “Unless you clean up afterward.”

“Sally, it's time to go,” He walked over to me and put his hand on my shoulder. “Take care of yourself, ok? We'll see you in a month. And take this,” He handed me his credit card. “That's for food and cab fare and maybe a little fun on the side. Just don't go crazy.”

“I've managed to stay sane so far so I don't think I'm in any danger there,” I said with a small laugh. Paul looked a little concerned, but before he could ask me to elaborate my mom pulled me into a hug.

“I love you, Percy,” She whispered in my ear before she pulled any. “You know what time we get back and I'll call you before our plane takes off.”

I waved as the taxi pulled off of the curb and made it's way to the end of the street. The cab turned left and disappeared from view. My heart sank a little and I turn and went back inside the building.

For the next few days things went pretty smoothly, aside from the one night I tried to cook my own dinner and nearly set fire to the kitchen. I woke up at around noon, ate left overs for lunch, and played video games on my xbox360, which had been a Christmas present from Paul. At around 6:30 I would grab Paul's credit card and head down to a diner that was about three blocks away, and doggy-bag whatever I didn't finish. Then I would come back home and watch TV until there was nothing on but infomercials and go to bed. Pretty boring, I know, but hey after everything that had happened, I wasn't about to complain. I should have known better then to think this calm would last.

The first of July was the same as any other day had been up to that point. I had finished up my lunch time left overs and was brushing my teeth. I left the tv in the living room on for background noise so that the apartment wouldn't feel so empty.

“Reports are still coming in about a resent spike in the numbers of missing persons,” a man's voice said in that halting newsman cadence that made him sound a little robotic. “Police are urging New Yorkers to remain vigilant and to report any suspicious activities to the authorities immediately.”

“And one family's worst nightmare realized when they discovered that their one year old son had been brutally murdered in his crib last night,” a woman's voice chimed in. “This is the latest in a string of murders involving infants. Our own Candie Kane has the latest on that story. Candie.”

“Cassie, I'm here at the home of...” I turned the tv off at that point. I had enough things to worry about as it was. Why is it that the news never seems to report on anything happy? After that I went about my day as usual.

I was on my way back from the diner that night carrying my left overs in one arm. The sun was starting to set as I made my way through the throngs of sweaty people. I was getting a little impatient so I decided to take a shortcut I knew that would lead me home without having to deal with this crowd. I made my way down one of the vacant alleys but as I passed the dumpsters I heard sobbing. I looked back to see who was crying and I saw a woman hunched over in the shadow of one of the dumpster. Her back was to me and her long black hair shielded her face, but I could tell by the way that her shoulders were shaking that she was the one crying.

“Excuse me,” I said softly as I approached her. “Are you alright?” I know stupid question, but what was I supposed to say? She tensed for a moment before letting out a shaky breath.

“I can't find them.”

“Excuse me?”

“I can't find them!” She wailed still not turning to face me. “My children. Where are my children?”

“Your children are missing?” I was startled, they don't teach you how to deal with this sort of thing at camp. “Where did you see them last?”

“She took them away!” She was sobbing harder now.

“She?”

“She was jealous. He fell in love with me and she was jealous.”

“Who was jealous?” I had a bad feeling about this, and maybe I should have listened to my gut but this woman needed my help. I couldn't just walk away.

“Hera!” She screeched. “Hera took my children. Zeus loved me, but when she found out she grew angry. She took them!”

Hera took this woman's children. The anger I had felt for what Hera had done to me was nothing compared to the rage that ran through me at that moment.

“When did she take them? There might still be time to save them.” I said frantically. The woman paused and raised her head a little as if sniffing the air, but she still didn't face me.

“If only we could save them,” she said softly. “But how would you be able to do it? You can't even save yourself, little brother.”

“I can save them! If we hurry we-... Wait. What did you just call me?” I asked.

“Your father is Poseidon, correct? This makes us siblings,” she whispered.

“Who are you?” I asked as I stepped closer. She began to turn towards me. As her face came into view I almost feel back in shock. Her face was beautiful, soft features, plump red lips, high check bones, but instead of eyes only two empty bloody sockets stared back at me.

“When she took my children I was so distraught. In my madness I tore out my own eyes. But after some time I realized something.” She stepped away from the dumpster. A torn up teddy bear lay in the spot she had been covering. The once light brown fur was covered in thick, dark red, blood. “I realized that if I can't have my children then I should take my vengeance on the children of others.”

Her smile grow to show a row of pointy teeth that resembled a shark's. I took a step back as I slowly reached into my pocket and clutched Rip Tide.

“Why? Why would you kill innocent children for what Hera did to you? How could you think that that would make things better?”

“Oh little brother, don't you understand,” she said as she took a step closer. “She is a goddess of motherhood. Every child I kill means one more mother in grief.”

“You're insane!”

“No, little brother, I am completely justified,” She sneered as she took another step closer. “I am Lamia! Queen of Libyan, mother of Skylla, Akheilos, and Sibylla. Daughter of Poseidon and lover of Zeus. Devourer of children and enemy of the Queen of the havens!”

“Yeah, your crazy,” I breathed out as I draw Rip Tide from my pocket and uncapped it.

“Believe what you wish, brother. It doesn't matter, seeing as you'll be dead soon enough!” She leaped at me and I slashed upwards.

She dodged and came at me from the side, her mouth open and ready to bite me. I side stepped her and brought Rip Tide down, aiming for her neck. She spun out of the way and began to circle me. Her empty eye sockets trained on my face. She snapped her jaws at me as she lunged at my neck. At that same moment I thrust riptide up into her stomach as her teeth sank into my shoulder.

Her jaw clenched as her body shook just before she burst into gold dust. I stumbled back as I recapped Rip Tide. Golden Ichor flowed from the wound on my shoulder as I sank to my knees.

My moment of relief was short lived as a shadow fell over me. A shadow of someone very big. I turned to see who it was, but with the sun setting behind him, all I could make out was his silhouette.

“Took long enough, but now I've finally have you, Percy Jackson,” a deep voice rumbled out and in that instance I knew who it was.

Tityos had found me.

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Lamia has got to be one of the creepest people I've ever written, defiantly not someone I'd want to run into in a dark alley. Poor Percy can't catch a break.

I don't know if Hera is actually the goddess of motherhood. Some sources say her, others say Demeter, and others say Leto (goddess of fertility) so I just went with Hera on this one.

Read Lost Hero, loved it. Can't wait for next fall and the release of The Son of Neptune. It'll be nice to see Percy kicking ass again, like the good ole days.

Thanks to everyone who's reviewed. And thank you all for being so patient. I'll try to get to work on the next chapter as soon as possible (and hopefully my muse will be a bit more cooperative). Have a Merry Christmas or Happy Chanukah or Happy Kwanza or Happy Ramadan (even though I think that's over but have a happy one anyway) and of course a Happy New Year. (hopefully I'll be back before then but if not.) See you in 2011!!
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Of Wine And War