A Dangerous Path (on hold)

2. We Play Netball With Vampires

A/N- Going back to present tense in this, its just easier for me to write.

Who do you guys think Lucia's godly mom should be? I'm tossing up between Athena and Aphrodite.

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"I'll ask one more time, Miss Evans. Did you, or did you not have a hand in the destruction of the library?" Headmaster Franklin's sharp words bring me back to reality with a jolt, and I glare up at the tall man from my place on a wooden chair. It has now been tree days since the fireball, and it amuses me slightly to see that I'm the first one that is brought in for questioning.

"And I will answer you one more time, Headmaster. No, I did not. I had no part in it, and am appalled that you would blame me for such a crime." My voice is emotionless and cold, but I fidget as if I've had too much sugar. Stupid, annoying hyperactive disorder.

"You're fidgeting as if sitting on a lie, Miss Evans," the headmaster says pointedly, and I can't help but laugh. I sober quickly, though, and reply, "Right, right. So we're now playing 'blame the ADHD child because she can't help but fidget', are we? And let's add the fun twist: 'even though you know she didn't do it'!" I couldn't help but explode slightly; the injustice of it all was completely ridiculous.

I stand up, and face him. "Don't even think about blaming me, because I didn't do it. You want to blame someone for the spread of the flames? Blame the library. Blame a spark from a light. I don't know. Just don't blame me because I'm the only person in this school with ADHD."

He only looks at me, stunned for a moment. I feel a small tingle of satisfaction when I see the expression on his face, to see the shock and disbelief. I could have sworn he knew, though. "ADHD? We were never informed ..."

I give an amused huff, crossing my arms and tilting my head slightly to the right. "Wow. And no one even thought to ask me what my problem is? That's a bit sad. I've got hayfever as well, if you didn't know that either."

The headmaster shakes his head, apparently mystified at this revelation. "No, I certainly did not know ... you may go, Miss Evans. Home, if you wish." I frown slightly as his words tumble over each other for a moment; is he kicking me out? But then I hear a knock at the door, and Will pokes his head around the frame.

"Luce, sir ... you might want to see this." His tone is strained, as all three of us head off to see whatever was making such a commotion.

As we head out onto the grounds, I stop short. Three young women stand there, surrounding one of the jocks, making cooing, hissing sounds. They have one metal leg, one donkey leg, and chalky skin, and I look at Will. "They look like vampires," I whisper to him.

As the Headmaster strides off to shoo them away, I see the three vampires' forms flicker, and momentarily become three scantily clad cheerleaders making out with the jock. Will nods, and beckons me behind a crate of sports balls of different sizes. When he begins to explain, I remember my question from a moment before. "You could call them vampires," he whispers to me, "but the proper name for the species is empousai."

I gulp, remembering the history lessons on Greek monsters. "As in, the Greek legends? But how?" Will shakes his head, looking terrified. "I don't know, but this is bad news. We have to get to camp."

Camp? What camp? I take a trembling breath, look at Will, and shake my head. "No. I've got to save him. The em-empousai will kill the guy." I stumble over the word for a moment, but remember the pronunciation. As if I've just done something right in a test, Will smiles. "Okay... so what are you going to do?"

I pick up the nearest object; a netball. "I dunno," I mumble, before I draw my arm back, and lob the round object as hard as I can at one of the freaky beings.

It bounces off the head of the biggest, glamour-failed, nastiest-looking vampire. I swear under my breath as she turns glowing red eyes on me, and croons, "Ooh, look! A demigod!" I glance at Will, trying to convey a simple, What the hell is a demigod?

Will, looking annoyed (not at me, I hoped), pulls out a simple flashlight. He holds the button down, and the flashlight elongnates into a bronze sword. My eyes widen, and he throws it to me. I catch it, grasping the hilt, and find that the grip fits my hand perfectly. Weird.The empousa lunges for me in that moment, and I swing the sword in a wide arc, instinctively. Suddenly, the vampire explodes into sand, and I blink.

The other two monsters look at me in surprise, having abandoned their 'meal' to watch their comrade get slaughtered. Then, without another moment's thought, they both charge at me, and acting purely on instinct, I block one set of claws with the sword, and push the attacker away with the flat of my blade. Then I twist, and jab at the other vampire, who disintegrates into glittering sand instantly.

Then, I turned to my last adversary, and once again caught her claws on the blade. Then, pushing her away once more, I flicked the tip of the sword, and the monster disintegrated. I straightened after a moment, trembling and breathing heavily. I look around. First at Will, who looks mildly impressed; then I notice the principal and jock have vanished.

Will clears his throat after a moment. "Press the bottom of the hilt. There's a button on it, it should-" I cut him off by pressing the concealed button, and the weapon shrinks back into a harmless flashlight.

"That. Is. So. Cool," I say, my jaw dropping.

Will smiles at me, and I return the expression for a moment, but it turns into a puzzled frown as I remember something he said earlier. "Will? What did you mean by camp?"

His expession becomes unreadable, and he takes a breath. "Luce, it's a camp for people like you. Don't take this the wrong way, but you're special. You have gifts, which was how you managed to kill those three. And how you can see the sword, and not some sort of pole. I want to take you there, and the life will be well worth it, but the journey will be dangerous, and it means running away from the school."

I can't help but give a mirthless laugh. "Give me ten minutes to pack."