BLOODSHOT . . . piper mclean

50.

THEY WERE FUCKED.

Perfect Jason and Percy charged each other, but Tempest and Blackjack balked long enough for Piper to leap out of the way.

Eden looked on, dazed and horrified, as the boys crossed swords, gold against bronze. Sparks flew. Their blades blurred— strike and parry — and the pavement trembled. The horses pulled away from each other — Tempest thundering in protest, Blackjack flapping his wings.

"Stop it!" Piper yelled.

For a moment, Perfect Jason heeded her voice. His golden eyes turned toward her, and Percy charged, slamming his blade into Perfect Jason. At least Percy turned his sword — maybe on purpose, maybe accidentally — so the flat of it hit Perfect Jason's chest; but the impact was still enough to knock him off his mount.

Blackjack cantered away as Tempest reared in confusion. The spirit horse charged into the sunflowers and dissipated into vapor.

Percy struggled to turn his pegasus around. Eden was just telling Blackjack, don't do it, don't do it, please, you've never wanted to listen to me anymore than in this moment.

"Percy!" Piper yelled. "Jason's your friend. Drop your weapon!"

Percy's sword arm dipped. Piper might have been able to bring him under control, but unfortunately Perfect Jason got to his feet. Fucking jerk.

Perfect Jason roared. A bolt of lightning arced out of the clear blue sky. It ricocheted off his gladius and blasted Percy off his horse.

Blackjack whinnied and fled into the wheat fields. Perfect Jason charged at Percy, who was now on his back, his clothes smoking from the lightning blast.

"Piper!" Eden called, talking to Blackjack in her mind. Please stay, stay calm, I promise, we'll figure this out.

Will you?

She's my owner, bitch, Techno cut in, and Eden almost let a smile grace her face. With her and lover girl, they could probably do it. Maybe with dying.

Fabulous, thanks.

"No!" Piper screamed. "Jason, stop!"

He froze, his sword six inches from Percy's face.

Perfect Jason turned, the gold light in his eyes flickering uncertainly. "I cannot stop. One must die."

Something about that voice . . . it wasn't Gaea. It wasn't Perfect Jason. Whoever it was spoke haltingly, as if English was its second language.

"Who are you?" Piper demanded.

Perfect Jason's mouth twisted in a gruesome smile. "We are the eidolons. We will live again."

"Eidolons . . . ?" Kaleidoscope looked over at Eden, who shrugged. "You're — you're some sort of ghost?"

"He must die." Perfect Jason turned his attention back to Percy, but Percy had recovered more than either of them realized, and Eden had just forgotten about him. He swept out his leg and knocked Perfect Jason off his feet.

Perfect Jason's head hit the asphalt with a nauseating conk.

Percy rose.

"Stop it!" Piper screamed again, shouting in sheer desperation.

Percy raised Riptide over Perfect Jason's chest.

Eden started lashing her whip when Piper said, "Eidolon, stop."

Percy froze.

"Face me," Piper ordered.

Eden's brother turned. His eyes were gold instead of green, his face pale and cruel, not at all like Percy's normal ugly face.