The Invisible Demigod

Claire - XXXIV

Surprise, surprise. We stole more cars.

None of us liked it, but it was necessary. We had eleven total, ten new ones and the Blueberry.

I was too exhausted to care about the dangers a car ride could bring, I crawled in and collapsed across the seats. Nico laughed at me before lifting my head into his lap.

We made it so each car was driven by a camper who was sixteen or older. Sure, none of them had driver license but they still knew how to drive. Each car had five people each.

For some reason, a little girl with a teddy bear was hanging onto Marry's leg and kept begging Marry to let her ride with her.

She ended up in another car, but it was still cute to watch. Marry just smiled and told us she'd tell us later when I asked about the little girl.

I slept through the first day of driving. I woke when we pulled over for gas and lunch. I stepped out and stretched in the sunlight.

I volunteered to get food while Marry refilled the tank and Sam and Nico used the bathroom. I entered the Mexican restaurant and order four burritos. I came out the door and almost instantly a hand clamped over my mouth and pulled me around the building to the back, out of view from the rest of the parking lot.

I tried to scream, but their hand muffled it. I felt the food being snatched from my grip. I realized it was three guys that had me. The one with their hand over my mouth let go and put a knife to my throat.

"Scream and you're dead." he growled. I bit the inside of my cheek to stop the wave of insults that begged to be released. One of his friends set the food down and looked at me in a way that made my stomach turned. It was the same look Morphis gave me when he had stared down at me. Hunger.

"Hello, pretty thing." The guy on the left pinned my arms behind my back and used duck tape to keep them there. He leaned in and sniffed my hair, I flinched. "Nice to meet you. Care to join us in a game?"

I felt the tears threatening to spill, this was too much. I was terrified for one reason.

This is exactly like Morphis.

He would pin me and kiss me and I'd be helpless. This was another thing to add to my list of fears. Wolves, cars, black sand, and now being harassed by men.

I couldn't believe what was happening. I was too afraid to move or make a noise as one of them slipped a hand under my shirt. My brain was shutting down, I could only think one thing over and over again.

Someone help me...

"How about we have some fun?" One of them growled. I felt one of the men reach around the pinch me in a private place. I was still unable to move.

"Hey!" We all turned to see Nico standing there, looking completely terrifying. The shadows seemed to thicken and become deadlier around him. His eyes burned with a black fire. His hands were clenched in tight fist. "Get your filthy hands off her!" The men laughed.

"Or what?" One challenged.

Like a flash, Nico punched on in the jaw and kneed another in the gut. He then grabbed another by the back of the neck and slammed his face into the wall. All three men were groaning and clutching their various wounds. Nico pulled the duct tape off me and I stumbled mutely after him. He scooped up the abandoned burritos and walked into the parking lot.

He didn't say a word the whole time, he just calmly lead me to the car. I knew he was beyond furious.

Marry smiled when she saw us, but it faded when she saw my ashen face and Nico's trembling hands. I slid into the car and pulled my knees to my chest, then placed my head in between them. I tried to breath normally, but they were just wheezes.

I was going into a total break down, Morphis' sickening face kept swimming in front of my eyes. I felt a hand on my shoulder and I stiffened.

"No," I moaned. "Please, no more." All I could think about was those men touching me and Morphis pinning me. "Please." I whimpered.

"Claire," Nico murmured. "It's okay, no one's going to do anything to you." I started to rock back and forth, my brain wasn't working correctly. I couldn't think or breath.

Nico rubbed soothing circles on my back and I calmed down after a minute. I looked up and met Nico's dark eyes. Sam was there and was smiling like the idiot he was, but he quickly noticed the change in atmosphere.

"What happened?" he asked.

"I-I was getting th-the food a-and these guys j-jumped me," I stuttered, my voice thick and trembling. I hated being this way, weak and afraid. I cursed Morphis in my head. "Th-they were going to-to-" I couldn't handle it, I burst into tears and buried my face into Nico's shoulder.

He wrapped his arms around me and just let me cry until my tears were spent. Marry started the car and we silently drove for a few minutes, the only noise was my hitched breathing and sobs. Nico whispered sweet nothings into my ear and rubbed my back.

"I hate this," I sobbed. "Feeling helpless. I couldn't do anything with Morphis and I hated every minute. Those men, I could have fought them off, but I didn't. I was too scared, to petrified to move. All I could think about was Morphis."

"It's okay," Nico murmured. "I'm just glad they didn't do anything worse." I nodded and continued to sob for another minute or so.

"I-I'm fine," I said after a while, using the heel of my hand to wipe my tears away. "Really." Nico took my head in his hands and stared deeply into my eyes.

"Claire," he murmured. "You don't need to hold it in, you can tell me anything. I'll always be here for you, no matter what happens. You don't have to keep your walls up anymore." My breath caught in my throat, no one had ever really cared about me this much. It was hard to believe, but I did. I believed every word.

"Every night," I whispered. "When Morphis visited me, he would kiss me and hold me." Nico tensed, but I went on. "But, after you and me kissed for the first time, the dreams changed. I didn't care about him anymore, but he still came and he forcefully kissed me. He'd pin me there and kiss me against my will. It was terrifying, I couldn't do anything to stop it." My lower lip trembled, but I took a deep breath before continuing. "When we got out of his castle, I felt free. I knew you'd never do anything like that, I knew I didn't have to be subjected to that anymore, but when those guys pinned me down and started to touch me." I swallowed. "All the fear came back."

"Where did they touch you?" Nico asked in a quiet voice.

"One touched my stomach, another was touching my hair, and the third one touch my," I swallowed and looked down. Nico understood and grit his teeth angrily.

"I can't wait to meet them in the Underworld." he growled and I smiled.

"I'm okay though," I said. Nico pulled me protectively to his chest. He kissed my forehead before leaning down.

"I'm never letting another guy touch you without your permission every again," he said. "I swear it on the River Styx." I nodded and closed my eyes.

Nico didn't let me leave his side for the rest of the trip.