Stubborn, A Leo Valdez story

Chapter 5: Camp Half-blood

Elora's pov

We all scramble up to our feet, Conner looks terrified and Leo is already on the move to find out where the scream is coming from. I quickly follow him dragging Conner with us. We reach the hallway outside the library and see Brittany cowering at the end of it. And what I can only describe as a demon cheerleader standing above her. The thing looks like it's part donkey, part cyborg with a mix of cheerleader. Empusa, I remember from when Percy fought one in the first series.

"Where is she half-blood, I smell her on you!" The empusa sneers at Brittany. "I-I don't know who your talking about!" Brittany sobs. "HEY! LEAVE HER ALONE!" I yell and start running towards them sidestepping Leo who's trying to stop me. Anger now filling me, yah Brittany might be mean as hell but I still remember the girl who I thought of like a sister and no way was this demon cheerleader going to lay a claw on her. The thing cocks it's head at me and grins, the look so full of evil it freezes my blood but I don't step down. It starts stalking towards me, " and there she is the one and only, I knew I smelled seafood." She looks at Conner and Leo and then back at me. "Wow that's fucking rude" I mutter.

       "What do you want from me?" I ask trying to keep my voice steady. She laughs in response stopping a few feet in front of me, "I would really love to rip you to shreds but I will have to settle for your friends, cause my master wants you." She finishes. "Well hate to break it to you cyborg, but you aren't touching them and you sure as hell ain't taking me alive," I sneer back at her. She cocks a eyebrow the smile never leaving her face. "Cocky aren't we, must run in the family. Your brother was just as annoying."

       Brother, what the hell is this thing talking about, but before I can respond Leo speaks up. "Yah but didn't he beat you also." I glance at him and he has a cocky grin on his face. I look back at the Empusa, her smile twisting into a sneer and next thing I know she's lunging at Leo. My body started moving before my brain could catch up. Next thing I know I'm ripping the seashell pendant off my neck and five seconds later it's a bronze full length sword in my hands with a pearl and aquamarine encrusted hilt. I step in front of Leo and slash at her, I miss but she backs up eyeing me up and down a little more cautious now.

       We are walking circles around each other for a few seconds and then she lunges. I sidestep but a little to late she slashes the same arm Leo cut earlier, great two scars I think, I regain my composure and next thing I know I'm lunging at her. She tries to sidestep me but isn't quick enough I managed to stab her through the Abnehmen. "El!" I hear one of the boys yell at the same time Brittany screams. And next thing I know I am showered with a curtain of gold dust. I drop my sword and go to fall to my knees but someone catches me. Before the sword can hit the ground it shrinks back to the seashell pendant on my neck. I look up to see who caught me and am met with Leo's grinning face.

       "Wow princesa, where did you learn to fight like that?" He asks and I can feel the blush rushing to my face. But before I can answer Conner is grabbing my hands and is helping me up. I look at him and Brittany and they both have a look of shock on their faces. "Why did you help me?" Brittany asks after a moment of silence while looking at the ground. "That's the question you have after seeing that?" I ask back laughing. "Well you didn't have to but you did, even after I have been so horrible to you." I sigh "we can talk about it later, okay." Really not wanting to get into that right now.

       "Yah we all really gotta go." Leo interjects. "Wait all of us?" I say my head snapping to him. "Well yah obviously they are both demigods to, you guys are probably why we were told to come here. Even tho I'm still confused why they wanted all of us to come." He answers running a hand through his hair. "But first we need to heal those cuts on your arm." He finishes cutting Brittany off as she was about to say something. He lightly grabs my arm leading me towards the water fountain. "And how are you going to do that?" I answer slightly teasing. "I have a theory I want to test out." He has me take off my jacket and actually cuts the sleeve of my turtleneck off with a small knife he pulled from his tool belt. I watch him look my arm up and down obviously noticing the faded bruises. But he doesn't say anything just pushes the button on the side of the water fountain and places my hand under the water.

       And much to my surprise the water starts going up my arm to the cuts, and just like that the bruising and cuts were gone. I ripped my hand back and my arm is completely dry. I'm staring at my arm not able to form a single thought when Conner speaks up, "so uhh where do you think your taking us?" He asks sounding a little sketched out. Leo grins and looks at him "why the one and only camp half-blood. Come on we gotta go." And starts to leave the school. Me Conner and Brittany all look at each other, I shrug and follow him this time not putting up a fight and hear both of their footsteps behind me.

Leo's pov

       We are all standing outside the school, I pull a gold drachma out of my pocket and flip it into the air and say the offering to contact the others. Pipers face appears seconds later and I hear Conner and Brittany gasp. I side glance at Elora and she just looks like she's in deep concentration. I turn my attention to Piper and fill her in on everything that just happened. Before I left with Elora I told them to find a place to hang out near by until I could convince her to come with us. She says their on the way but hazel and frank were called back to camp Jupiter and nico had something to do so it's only going to be her and Jason. I nod "okay see ya soon beauty queen." And at that she rolls her eyes and wipes her hand through the mist.

       "Okay you guys must have a lot of questions, but they are all going to have to wait till we get to camp" I say before any of them can open their mouths. "What?!" Brittany almost screeched, "what if your a psychopath that is just going to kill us?!" Conner finishes for her. Before I can respond Elora intercepts, "if he was going to kill us he would of done it already" she say pointedly. The other two nod and we spend the next few minutes in silence until I see three big shadows coming in from the west side of the parking lot. Within a few seconds three pegasi land in front of us with Piper and Jason on two of them. I head towards the black one with no one on it and climb on. "Hi blackjack long time no see," I say petting him he neighs in response. I look over to Elora and she's staring at the pegasus with a look of shock on her face. Conner is already on Jason's and Brittany is climbing on with Piper, "h-he just talked" she says. I laugh, "just climb aboard princesa, we'll figure it out when your safe."

       She takes my outstretched hand, and I feel those tingles again as she sits behind me and wraps her arms around me. This time a completely new feeling fills my body. I have never felt this with anyone before, not even Calypso and I thought I loved her. And I knew at that moment I never wanted to let this girl out of my sight. I look back at her and grin, "looks like I was right princesa." She narrows her eyes at me as blackjack heads higher into the sky, "what do you mean Valdez?" She asks. I laugh "well looks like your traveling with me." At this she rolls her eyes but laughs a bit, "keep your eyes ahead Valdez." I salute her and turn forward still grinning, which causes her to laugh more full hearted this time and she wraps her arms around me a little tighter.

       The rest of the ride was silent, but in a good way. I see the strawberry field's come into view and then seconds later all of camp half-blood and I hear Elora gasp. I look back again and smile harder, "welcome to camp half-blood princesa."

A/N I hope you all are enjoying ❣️