Myths & Legends Collide

Evasion

I couldn't have been more glad that this was my final year of high school. I had too much on my mind to even properly focus on my schoolwork, but with a quick letter from Dad, I was clear to only do my best. I couldn't stand being near Bella at all, so Leah drove me to and from school. "Living at home is a nightmare." I told Leah. "And trust me, I have enough nightmares."

"You haven't shared many of them." Leah admitted. "I mean, I know a little about your past, and the guys don't know much either so..."

"Are you sure you want to know?"

"Of course." Leah replied pretty much instantly. "I mean if...if you want to share..." Leah looked at me and then back at the road.

"Well...according to Dad, I...rose from the ground as a newborn." I mimed the action with my hand. "Cradled in a flower. Dad knew what I was almost instantly. Because he is a Demigod himself, he knows what dangers lurk around me. So...when I was about fine, he sent me to Camp Half-Blood, just off Long Island Sound. I would spend my summers there, learning, training how to be a fighter, to learn my history."

"And...that's where all the other...Children of Gods go to live?"

"Some people stay year-round." I said. "If their Aura is weak enough, then they can leave and spend their school days in the Mortal World, that's what I did. I have very...potent blood, if that makes sense. I have three-quarter Godly Blood, I attract...a lot of things that want to kill me."

"Are you ok?" I could hear the worry in Leah's voice.

"I'm fine." I assured. "I know how to fight. Aside from that, a couple years ago, the Titan Kronos rose from Tartarus. I fought on the front lines. I fought against old friends, creatures of darkness..." I sighed. "I did get hurt." I could feel Leah's concerned eyes on me.

"What? You..."

"And...I still get nightmares about...all the bloodshed...we lost...hundreds of Demigids..." I felt tears well up in my eyes. "I lost my little brother...he was ten Leah, he shouldn't have been fighting in the first place."

"I'm so sorry, Aspen..."

"And now, another war is brewing with the actual Earth and I don't know how to protect my family."

"Aspen..." Leah pulled into the school and parked. She turned so she was facing me. I looked over at Leah. "You're not alone anymore." Leah reached over and took my hand, and I felt tingles up my skin. "You have the Pack, we'll fight by your side."

"Thanks, Lee." I said softly, smiling. Leah returned it with a small one of her own. I shifted forward, kissing Leah's cheek, feeling the skin grow even hotter under my touch. "See you after school." I grabbed my bag and headed out of the car. I went through classes as normal, but then at lunch, as I was passing through the cafeteria, I saw Alice had...frozen, staring at nothing. I frowned, approaching the table with soft clacks of my heels. "Alice?" I wondered softly, setting my hand on her back. Alice jumped in her seat, looking up at me. "Are you ok?"

"Sorry." She apologised. "I was daydreaming, I guess."

"Daydreaming's better than facing two more hours of school." Ben, Angela's boyfriend commented.

"Call me later, ok?" I requested. Alice nodded. I smiled at her before I headed off. The rest of school ran smoothly, and Leah picked me up again that afternoon.

"How was school?" Leah asked.

"Alice had a vision." I said as I got into the car. "I told her to call me."

"You still talk to the Vampires?" Leah drove off, heading to Emily's house and ignoring the stares from both the students and the Cullens.

"Yeah. I mean, technically Carlisle is my cousin. Besides, with everything that's going on in my world, I need to know that everything that's happening in this one."

"That makes sense." The two of us drove in comfortable silence until we neared the house.

"Hey, wanna go for a run?" I suggested.

"Sure." Leah said with a smile. "Think you can keep up?"

"Oh, I can keep up." Leah and I shared a laugh. When we got to Emily's place, we got out and I headed inside. "Hi Emily." I greeted, setting my school things away in the little cubby next to the door.

"Hi, Aspen." The Imprintee replied. "You staying long?"

"No, I'm just changing, Leah and I are going for a run."

"You and Leah seem to be spending a lot of time together." Emily commented as I stepped into the bathroom to quickly change.

"Yeah, so?" I wondered, stripping and putting on my workout gear. "She's fun to hang out with." I pulled my hair into a ponytail with a vine as I exited the bathroom. "And trust me, it's nicer to hang here with the Pack, I can be...me here."

"Well, we love having you here." Emily assured, reaching out and squeezing my arm. I shot Leah a smile before heading outside. Leah was waiting for me in her wolf form. I always paused wherever I saw it. She looked like she had been blessed by Artemis herself. She may be smaller, but she was still larger than any of the wolves that Lady Artemis had with her. Leah's entire coat was silver, so she would have shone in the moonlight. I swallowed thickly and approached her. Leah turned and her face broke out into a wolfy grin.

"Alright, alright." I chuckled, walking up to her, my toes curling into the dirt. "Race to the river and back?" Leah let out a bark. I grinned...and booked it away. I could hear Leah's confused yelp before she started to follow me. Racing the Dryads back at Camp gave me an advantage.

That night, Leah dropped me off at home. Heading inside, I saw Bella scurrying up the stairs. "What was that all about?" I asked Dad, passing by him to enter the kitchen.

"Well..." Dad trailed off, following after me. "I just gave her 'The Talk'."

"Oh..."

"Do I have to give you...The Talk?"

"Dad." I snorted. "No, I don't need that."

"You're twenty, Aspen, I think-"

"Dad, I love you to bits, but I'm old enough to know everything." I turned to Dad. "I did my own research. Besides, being a lesbian makes it a touch easier to be careful."

"O-oh...oh..." I chuckled, approaching him with a couple of snacks.

"I'll see you in the morning, Dad, goodnight." I pressed a quick kiss to Dad's cheek before heading downstairs.