Jason stepped forward. "You're not killing anyone, wolf man. Not without going through me."
Lycaon howled and extended his claws. Jason swung his sword at him, but the weapon passed through the werewolf as though he was a ghost.
Lycaon laughed. "Gold, bronze, steel- none of these are any good against my wolves, son of Jupiter."
"Silver!" Piper cried. "Aren't werewolves hurt by silver?"
Persephone took a step forward, sword raised.
"Back off mutt." She growled at Lycaon. He snarled at her.
From the corner of her eye she saw a wolf advance on Leo. She whirled round to strike the wolf, leaving an opening for Lycaon to attack. The wolf howled and fell, melting into a puddle of shadow. Claws narrowly missed Persephone's back as Leo sprang into action, throwing the glass bottle onto the ground. The liquid splattered onto the floor and covered the wolves around them, he grabbed Persephone's arm and yanked her back as he lit the puddle with his fire.
Several wolves caught fire, yelping as they ran into the snow storm outside. The rest of them retreated, even Lycaon looked uneasy, staring at the wall of flames separating the five of them from the wolves.
"Aw, c'mon," Coach Hedge complained. "I can't hit them if they're way over there."
Each time a wolf came closer, Persephone swung her sword and Leo shot a new wave of fire from his hands, but Persephone was still weak from her gold treatment and the curse, Leo seemed to tire with every burst of flame. The gasoline was slowly dying down.
"I can't summon anymore gas!" Leo warned. If it hadn't been a life or death scenario, Persephone would've laughed. He blushed. "Wow, that came out wrong. I mean the burning kind. Gonna take the tool belt a while to recharge. What you got, man?"
"Nothing." Jason said. "Not even a weapon that works."
"I have mine," Persephone panted. Jason watched a bead of sweat roll down her face, the colour in her face seemingly turning grey.
"You can't take them all, not in the state you're in." He told her. She bit her lip in frustration, before nodding slightly.
"What about your lightning?" She asked.
Jason concentrated, but nothing happened. "I think the snowstorm is interfering or something."
"Unleash the Venti!" Piper said.
"Then we'll have nothing to give Aeolus," Jason said. "We'll have come all this way for nothing."
Lycaon laughed. "I can smell your fear. A few more minutes of your life, heroes. Pray to whatever god you wish. Zeus did not grant me mercy, and you will have none from me."
The flames began to sputter out. Jason cursed and dropped his sword, crouching like he was ready to fight the wolves hand on. Leo pulled his hammer out of his pack. Piper raised her dagger. Persephone readied her sword, glaring into the dying flames. Coach Hedge hefted his club, a crazily amused glint in his eyes.
However, before either side could attack, a ripping sound cut through the wind. The wolf writhed and fell, melting into another puddle of shadow.
In a matter of seconds, more arrows whizzed through the air, and more wolves fell. An arrow flashed towards Lycaon, but the wolf king caught it in mid-air. Then, he yelped and dropped the arrow, letting Persephone catch a glimpse of the charred smoking gash across his palm. Another arrow caught him in the shoulder and the wolf king staggered.
"Curse them!" Lycaon yelled. He growled at his pack, and the wolves turned and ran. Lycaon fixed Jason with his glowing red eyes. "This isn't over boy." Then he turned to Persephone. "She will see you as a trophy, spawn of Hades."
The wolf king disappeared into the night.
It was silent for a few moments, letting that information sink into Persephone.
Wolf howls broke through the shocked silence, causing Persephone to raise her sword again. But these didn't sound like the werewolves; they sounded calmer, less murderous, like they were hunting. But Persephone wouldn't let her guard down.
A white wolf, smaller than the werewolves, burst into the cave, two others following it.
"Kill it?" Hedge said.
"No!" Piper interjected. "Wait."
The white wolves tilted their heads, their golden eyes studying the group of demigods plus their killer goat. Half a dozen, maybe more, girls strolled into the cave, clearly having followed the wolves. They all wore silver parka jackets, hoods pulled over their faces, and carried bows, quivers on their backs which glowed with silver arrows.
One of the girls crouched in the firelight and snatched an arrow from the ground; the same arrow Lycaon had smugly caught in his own hand.
"So close," She muttered. Persephone's blood ran cold, breath stilling. She knew that voice. "Phoebe, stay with me. Watch the entrance. The rest of you, follow Lycaon. We can't lose him now. I'll catch up with you."
The other girls mumbled their agreements, before turning and disappearing out of the cave, tracking the wolf pack.
The girl in white turned to the group, face still hidden by her hood.
"We've been following that demon's trail for over a week. Is everyone alright? No one got bit?"
Persephone let out a sob, catching the girl's attention.
"Persephone?" said girl nodded and stumbled forward, the taller girl catching her, and squeezing her into a tight hug. "We looked everywhere for you and Jackson. How are you here?"
"You're her." Piper guessed from over Persephone's shoulder. "You're Thalia."
Thalia tensed under Persephone's grip, pulling away from the hug and letting her hood drop. The familiar spikey black hair greeted Persephone, paired with a silver tiara across her brow. Her eyes were a shocking blue, like the sky, and she glowed with youth, literally.
"Do I know you?" She asked.
Piper took a breath. "This may be a shock, but-"
"Thalia," Jason cut her off, stepping forward. Persephone picked up on the tremble in his voice. "I'm Jason, your brother."
YOU ARE READING
Where there's smoke // L.Valdez
Fanfiction'Glancing to her left, feeling the seat next to her shifting, Persephone's eyes locked onto the side profile of a boy. Black, curly hair, pointed ears, tongue sticking out in concentration of whatever he was fiddling with in his hands. Feeling her g...
