TONGUES & TEETH; Luke Castellan [ 1 ]

< JUST A GIRL >

"No, no, no." The dark voice filled his head driving nails into his skin. "I'm trying! I'm trying I am!" Darkness filled his vision as he scrambled desperate to be rid of the dreadful god.

"Pandora! Annabeth! Jer!" He spun around in the darkness, "Pandora, anyone please!" His voice was hoarse from screaming, it couldn't be happening again. He was awake, he was awake. He was—

"Luke." He steadied himself on the tree beside her, breathing calmly at the sound of her voice. "Calm down, we'll win." Dressed in dark steel armour beside him was Pandora, her large sword tucked beside her waist. Reaper stood a few metres behind, simply observing.

Occasionally the hound would growl at a passerby but stayed behind the pair loyally.
"Confident princess, I like it." The horn sounded, Chiron had skipped his usual speech. No new campers had joined for at least a few weeks so everyone knew the rules.

Luke's fingers brushed past her as he took off following Annabeth's lead. Luke was to lead his cabin and Apollo's cabin towards the flag placing it thick into the forest well hidden. Annabeth would lead her cabin as an offence splitting off to both sides and attacking Are's from behind. 

Pandora however had a different job. Distract Clarisse. After 10 minutes of waiting patiently she enacted the plan. She placed her fingers in her mouth lightly whistling loud and clear. She knew it wouldn't take much to provoke Clarisse. Her pride would get in the way of her sensuality.

"Girl of death." The drag of her spear clattered against the hard ground. "Taunting me are you?" Pandora smirked to herself swivelling back around to face the muscled teen.

"Don't know what you mean." She brushed her hand against the ground, fire wrapping around the pair. She knew fear when she could see it. Not from Clarisse of course, more her companions wrapped just outside the ring of blue fire.

"You've made your choice." Clarisse spun around missing Pandora's face inches with the spear. Pandora hated Clarisse's spear more than any other weapon. She could gain more ground than anyone. With a loud clash, Pandora revealed her own sword meeting Clarisse's.

"Sloppy Clarisse, dad would be disappointed—" Clarisse's cheeks flushed red hot with anger, knocking Pandora's side. She hunched over almost losing her balance as Clarisse swung up blood spilling from the right side of Pandora's face.

She let out a frustrated sigh, removing the row of flames to kick Clarisse directly in the gut sending her flying backwards. "Wrong move, asshole." She cursed swatting Clarisse back further. Clarisse could hardly catch her breath, as Pandora continued pushing her back, swing after swing until finally Clarisse lost her balance tumbling to the ground below.

"PANDORA!" She swung again pausing at the shout for her name. Her sword clattered to the ground as she realised what she was doing. Clarisse was on the ground, seconds away from meeting the end of her sword.

"Go on kill me death." She exhaled shakily. Cheers erupted from Pandora's side, indicating they had won. Luke's voice had been the one stopping her from impaling Clarisse. Instead Pandora reluctantly offered Clarisse a hand.

The head strong girl swatted her hand away pulling herself up instead. "You won't get the chance again." She spat flushed as she wandered off to join her sulking siblings.

"We won!" Her frown was quickly replaced when hands wrapped around her waist from the behind lifting her up. "It worked." Luke beamed placing her back down in front of him. His smile dropped slightly as his hand moved up to brush across her cheek.

"Okay Pans? You're really hot." He rolled his tongue over his cheek as he recognised his words, Pandora smirking as she pulled away from him.

"I am? Oh dear, I'd never— I mean." His lips against hers shut her up, as cheers continued throughout the forest. "Still hot Castellan." He shook his head wiping the blood from her cheek as he moved to hug the twins, who were sprinting around like lunatics.

Pandora hunched over breathlessly as she squeezed her eyes shut. She'd almost killed Clarisse again. Old habits mustn't die hard.
"Grover." Pandora shot up at Annabeth's soft tone beside her. The girl had snuck up on her again but this time with good reason.
In the distance she spotted Thalia's tree beside an injured Grover clutching to the tree.

"Annabeth, go find Chiron." She reluctantly obeyed taking off towards the camp. Pandora moved towards the tree ignoring whispers that had begun circling as more campers noticed the injured satayr. Pandora picked up her pace as she ran to Grover's side, helping him to sit.

"Monster— Percy he's- killed— food— food." Grover lost the last of his strength his eyes fluttering shut. She heard Luke ordering some of his cabin a few metres behind. Pandora couldn't help but step past the barrier ignoring the call for her name.

At the end of the hill appeared the young teen unconscious, clutched in his hand a horn. Pandora stumbled to his side ensuring the boy was still breathing before she went to pry the horn from his grip.

SLAM.

"..There is a new golden age coming..he'll ..be apart of it.."

Water. Water filled her vision. Filling her lungs, her eyes, her skin.

"The underworld is under threat. It's up to the offspring of Hades to restore it."

She swore she could taste salt water on her tongue. Snap out of it! Snap out of—

"Pandora!" She shuffled back startled as her hand jolted from the horn. Luke stood beside her concerned as her gasps slowed down. The voice was familiar, too familiar.
With another strangled gasp she diverted her gaze quickly to the young girl crouched by the unconscious boy.

"Annabeth." She strained looking across the scattered students on the hill. Annabeth eyes widened as she looked back down at the boy. She didn't need to say anymore for Annabeth, to know. He could be the one.

'Percy was like her.'