Olympus Drive Book 2: Nothing to See Here

Chapter 16

Jasmine

"What are you thinking about?"

"How glad I am you're here with me," Hector says, his pretty soft eyes staring lovingly at me as he runs a hand gently through my hair. I curl up next to him under the silk sheets, finally warm in this cold damp place. His skin is weirdly cool and damp itself like he died long before he was born.

"What do you think of what my dad said Stamos has been on about?"

"The parties or whatever? It's hardly any of us we don't like people do we?" he asks, frowning, "It doesn't even connect to any of us."

"Thyme influences people to fight—there was a riot everyday in high school," I point out, "He gets it from his mom."

"Who can only influence things on a micro scale—she does a few people at a time," I say.

"So far as we know. Your powers have grown and changed---when you were a child we didn't know you could command the legions of the dead," I point out, "What if she can influence people in a general way like Thyme?"

"Why would she do it though?"

"Does a big sex orgy party thing sound like a fantastic way to trap my dad and kill his current lover, or not?" I ask.

"Oh fuck," Hector says, putting his face down in the black silk pillow, "You're probably right."

"I'm just saying, we don't want another Maria incident," that was bad. I forget how she found out but it took my dad electrocuting her to get her not murder poor Maria, then it took Luke to get Helen off of my dad. After which point Maria understandably had a nervous break down and my dad still feels guilty about it.

"Okay what's the plan then?" Hector asks.

"Well she's bound to be there—and nobody can tells us if she is or isn't cause everyone lives in the laundry room and my dad is typically sneaking off to spend the night with his secret family we aren't supposed to talk about," I say.

"Shit yeah---no you're probably right."

"If I'm wrong and it's dumb kids then it doesn't matter but, I'd prefer to stop needless bloodshed," I say, propping myself up on one elbow to look down at him.

"You feel like it's going to happen," he says.

"Some blood will be spilt soon—I mean that's natural and it may not even have to do with us," I say.

"But if it is to do with us, let's not recruit more innocents through pointless arguments," Hector says, sighing, "Do you want to tell your mom then? And Raven? They can deal with our sister."

"Why don't we go?" I ask. I'd rather see if I'm right for myself. I'd like to have more faith in my dad. I'd like my dad to be deserving of more faith.

"You said you felt weird up there," he says, rubbing my bare arm.

"Yeah well it wouldn't be for long, and I have to show my face sometimes," I point out, dropping down to curl up against him.

"Well you fooled them for the last two months, I think we can make up dumb excuses for the next five can't we?" he asks, wrapping a strong arm around me, "Then we'll—whatever. I don't want anything happening to you and I can't protect you up there—not like I can down here. And you said yourself that you were worried about it."

"The baby's just stronger here, like you are," I say, moving his hand down to cup my stomach. He leaves his cool fingers there, just ever so slightly rubbing my skin. "I was just worried at first that's all. I was fine this time."