The Daughter of Apollo

Chapter Thirteen: What the Hades?

Chapter Thirteen-What the Hades?

I sighed when I saw it wasn't a monster, but got worried again as soon as the sigh left my lips.

There stood Nico Di Angelo, jacket torn to shreds, a black eye, shirt in pieces, and a few new holes in his jeans.

"Nico! What the Hades happened to you?" I asked worried, placing my bow down and racing towards him, gingerly touching the bruising eye. "Who did this?"

Nico only swallowed, sounding as though he was deprived of water. I called out to Meg.

"MEG! GET ME A GLASS OF WATER! STAT!" I called as if it were life or death in a hospital.I could hear footsteps rushing around and the sound of glasses clanking together as Meg fished around for a glass. I continued to examine Nico's wounds-discovering a few scars that looked suspiciously like claw marks.

When Meg entered, I had Nico hunched over so I could tend to the wounds on his back that didn't really want to stop bleeding. Good thing Aunt Sally had given me that Neosporin. Meg handed me the glass of water, and I set it down on the table as Meg pounded Nico with questions he wouldn't be able to answer. As I continued to look at the wounds, I noticed they were deeper than I thought, like someone had taken a knife and used Nico's back like a sharpening post. Oh, gods, I thought. What am I going to do? What am I going to do? I don't know how to heal anyone like the rest of my cabin!

I tenderly touched the scar that was forming, blood now staining my fingers. I prayed to Apollo to help me with this one. I closed my eyes as the warm, sticky wetness of Nico's blood continued to cover my fingers. I pictured the wounds closing, or at least stop bleeding, until the scars were just that, scars.

When the warm, sticky wetness wasn't as warm and sticky at my touch, I opened my eyes slightly. Nico was still hunched over as I'd left him, but his scars were no longer pouring out blood like a waterfall.

I did it! I thought. I did it!....Thank you....Dad. Even in my thoughts that was a bit awkward. And I definitely didn't expect a response.

No problem, girlie! You'll get the hang of it, I'm sure! Oooh! Haiku time!

Jay can heal people

She can heal peeps with my help

I am so awesome!

I decided there was a good place to stop talking to him. Who knew the god of poetry wouldn't be too good at it?

Nico must've noticed that he was no longer bleeding like a mad man, as he reached his own hand behind his back and felt along the edge of his new scars. He then grabbed the glass of water eagerly and gulped it down. He wiped his mouth and sighed.

"Thank you," His voice was still a little raspy. "And sorry. I meant to go to Percy's room, but ended up here instead. But your singing was wonderful!" Sure, that compliment was probably another I'm sorry I barged into your room, so I'll compliment you to get off the hook! I just rolled my eyes and Meg and Lana smiled. They glanced at each other then at me.

"What?" I asked them. Sometimes they were really annoying with their silent conversations. Though I knew what they were thinking. Like that'd ever happen! I wouldn't allow it to happen! I scowled at the two.

"Well, Di Angelo, you still haven't answered my question on who did this to you."

"Oh, that...." Nico trailed off. "Well, I was just walking around when Cole and his buddies showed up and decided it'd be a good idea to beat on me. Gave me the black eye, but nothing else. Then on my way back home-ish so I could get a good home cooked meal, a couple dracaena attacked me from behind. Ripped my jacket and t-shirt to shreds while they were at it."

I raised an eyebrow. "How exactly do you even live in the mortal world?"

"I try to walk around in crowded mortal areas. You know, mask the death and just look like any other Emo on the street. At least that's what Thalia says I look like." He shrugged then made his way to the door and tried to walk out of our apartment like nothing happened. Then he stopped in the middle of the hallway, and stuck his head into the frame.

"And I almost forgot! I stopped by Camp Half-Blood and as Connor ran away from a cursing Clarisse, he told me to tell you 'hi' and that he and Travis may need to hide out here for a while....though I think he was joking...." Nico said.

I raised my eyebrows in shock. Seriously? I hope they were joking! No, they better be joking, cause if those two show up crawling through my window from the fire escape and complimenting my singing, I don't know what I'll do.

Nico started to walk out again, but right when his fingertips hit the handle he stopped yet again. "And Jaycee? Your brother says that if any guys hit on you, just call him. He'd be more than willing to put a few arrows through their heads."

And instead of opening the door, Nico melted into the door as the shadows darkened around him as he shadow-traveled back to Percy's apartment, probably to get that home-cooked meal Sally's making.