Loveless Daughter of Love

Ch 2: With a Bit of Luck

I sigh trailing behind Brittany as we walk towards the beach where everyone is waiting for the fireworks to begin. Once we reach the crest of the sand dune with the beach spread out in front of us, I freeze in my tracks. The entire camp is spread out on the sand before me, in couples. Every towel occupied by two bodies. I even see Nico, the son of Hades, sitting with a girl. My chest clenches at the sight and I stagger back a step like someone punched me in the stomach.

"Brittany, I can't do this..." I choke out still frozen in place.

She stops and turns to look at me and sees the cornered animal look in my eyes. "Alyssa, calm down. Just breathe alright? You can sit with me and Mike-" Her eyes go wide when she realizes her mistake. Before she can say anything I'm already gone. I sprint away from the beach as fast as I can, my legs carrying me to the one place where I can forget everything: the training arena.

I barrel in to the arena and pull two clips from my hair that each transform into a foot long dagger. Before I know it, my body is moving on it's own. My arms bringing my daggers down in vicious slashes at a practice dummy that had the misfortune of being in my way, my body twisting and turning avoiding imaginary attacks. I feel my body go weightless as my body launches over the dummy, the daggers in my hands crossing each other, decapitating the dummy sending it's head rolling across the floor.

I stay crouched waiting for my breathing to return to normal when I hear a slight rustling carrying on the wind and I stand up looking around for the source. There's no one else in the arena with me so the sound couldn't have come from here. I slip my daggers in my belt and start walking towards the entrance. The sounds are getting louder, coming from the woods, twigs snapping and bushes getting pushed out of the way. I pull out my daggers again nearing the tree line. Just as I'm about to walk under the cover of the trees a body comes hurtling out of the bushes crashing to the floor beside me. I drop to my knees beside them and roll the person on their back and gasp in surprise. It's a boy, and he is the most beautiful person I've ever seen.

--------

His hair is a soft chocolate color falling straight over his forehead stopping at his eyebrows framing his jaw that ends in a cleft chin that's just dimpled enough to make it noticeable. A straight perfect nose that sits just above a soft pair of lips with a perfect Cupid's bow on his top lip. I can feel my heart beat fast just looking at him.

I shake myself out of my daze and press my fingers to his neck and feel a slight pulse. I sigh in relief that he's alive and run to the emergency first-aid box and pull out the canteen of nectar. I bring it with me to the boy's side and open his mouth and pour a few drops on to his tongue hoping he not too far gone. When the scratches covering his face and arms start to heal I know he's going to live. His eyes flutter open and I'm literally breathless. His eyes are the purest silver I've ever seen.

"You're alright," I say calmly once I find my voice. I gently rest my hand on his shoulder. "My name is Marina. What's your name?" I ask softy.

"Kalen. Kalen Michaels. What, what am I doing here?" He asks as he sits up on his elbows rubbing his forehead. "Where am I is a better question."

"You're at Camp Half-Blood." I say sitting back on my heels to give him some space. "Do you remember anything? Why you came here? Who sent you?"

"No one sent me. I got chased here. This... monster, some sort of dog-thing, started chasing me and I just ran. It stopped chasing me for some reason half way through the woods but I just kept running until I tripped and knocked myself out." His voice catches on the word monster. Most first years struggle with the concept that all the old myths are real.

"It's alright, you're safe now. Who's your parent?" I ask glancing back at the woods making sure nothing else is going to be coming after us.

"My dads? What do they have to do with this?"

"Wait, dads?? You know both your parents?" I ask in awe looking at him shocked.

"Well not my real parents. I was adopted, my parents are gay." He says liked it's completely normal which for him I guess is normal.

"So you have no idea who your parents really are?"

"No, the adoption agency told my parents' that my father dropped me off at the hospital when I was just a few days old."

"So it's your mom then.." I mutter to myself looking towards the camp.

"Wait my mom? What about my mom? I've never even met the woman." He asked clearly confused.

"Well she's not exactly a woman, she's a goddess. Greek goddess to be specific. You're a demigod." I say bluntly deciding to just get it out of the way.

His eyes open wide in surprise. "A what? B-but those are just myths. Stories you're told about in school."

"No they're not. They're very real, and one of the goddess is your mom." I say standing up holding my hand out to him. "Come on, you need to talk to our camp supervisor." When he takes my hand a spark seems to travel from his hand up my arm that I ignore and pull him to his feet.

"What?" He asks looking at me confused and I realize that I'm staring and shake my head trying to get myself back to my senses.

"I'm just trying to figure out who your mother could be. There are a lot more goddess recognized here at camp so there's a harder time figuring out who your mom is unless she claims you." I say as I turn and start walking back towards the camp.

"Claims me? What does that mean?" He asks walking beside me, his hands visibly shaking still.

"If you're lucky, she'll send a sign soon showing who she is." I say as we pass the arena and the camp is spread out below us, momentarily lit by the bursts of light from the fireworks. "Welcome to your new home."