Blood Gifts (A Percy Jackson AU Fanfiction)

Chapter Two

(Almost a year has passed since the young Gift made his choice...)

Part V: A Quest

"Hey, Percy, Chiron wants to see you." Beckendorf called to Percy as the biological son of Poseidon Olympia passed the camp's forge on his way to the sword fighting arena.

"When did he tell you to tell me?" Percy asked.

"Whenever I saw you. So, about five minutes ago."

"Thanks. Hope your... blacksmithing? Is that what it's called?--goes well." Percy waved to the tool-savvy vampire and dashed over to the Big House.

"I see Beckendorf relayed the message. Sit." Chiron gestured to the couch. Percy sat.

"The Olympias have a mission for you. Two of Hades' adopted children, who have been missing since the second World War, have finally been spotted, and they want you to go, with a retraction team, to take them here to Camp Blood."

Percy was silent for a minute, trying to process the information. "Are they both vampires, or yet to be?"

"Neither. You have heard of Hades' affinity to bless some of his adopted children with shadow magic?"

Percy nodded. "So these siblings are shadow-casters? How strong?"

Chiron sighed. "Pretty strong from what Grover said, since that's actually where he is at the moment. Do you accept?"

"Sure. Can I choose who I want to come with me?"

"I'm guessing you want Annabeth along. I already briefed her on it."

Percy smiled. The ages-old vampire knew him well. "Where are these kids now?"

"At a boarding school a couple hours north from here, driving. Only five minutes with our speed." Chiron watched the Gift of Poseidon rush out eagerly to pack and to get his friend for their mission.

-^--^-

Annabeth was helping her cabin with a small sculpting project in the Arts and Crafts cabin when Percy found her, a backpack already on his back.

"Ready, Annabeth?"

She nodded, giving last minute instructions to Malcolm while she cleaned up her work space. Percy grabbed a grey backpack that was next to the door and handed it to his friend. "Let's go."

The two stepped out of the camp's boundaries, and sped off. In five minutes, as Chiron promised, they were at a large wooden door, the entrance to the boarding school where Grover was waiting.

Annabeth pushed her way in, and Percy followed, hand resting on the hilt of the hand-me-down sword from Poseidon. They were crouched in the shadows, following the music and flashing lights to the decorated gymnasium.

"I see him. I bet those two kids near him are the shadow-casters." Annabeth gestured first at the donor, and then to two dark-haired kids playing a card game about a couple feet away from him.

Percy scanned the edges of the room, watching for any monsters in disguise. Something about the heterochromia guy in the corner near Grover and the kids was causing shivers to go up Percy's spine.

"The guy in the corner--Annabeth?" Percy glanced wildly around, then shrugged. She probably already slipped into the dancing crowd of students, and was currently making her way toward the shadow-casters.

Percy did so too, but on the edges of the crowd instead of in the middle, to avoid being attacked by girls with little more on than a T-shirt. He finally came upon his target.