The Demigod Games Book One: Knives of Blood

Chapter Fourteen: Battle

Disclaimer: I don't own Hunger Games or Percy Jackson

Chapter Fourteen: Battle

Jason smoothed Piper's caramel hair out of her face. She had to wake up. If she didn't...

Jason had woken up to find a needle jammed in his leg and Piper passed out on the floor, covered in blood. When his shock had faded, the worry had set in.

He'd pulled the needle out and examined his leg, which felt much better. He had cleaned Piper's wounds and washed all the blood from her face. He had force-fed her some stew, which had arrived in a silver parachute a few minutes ago. Then he had waited.

"Ugh," Piper peeled her eyes open and blinked at the bright light flooding the cave. "What happened?"

Jason sighed in relief. "Thank god. Do you have any idea how worried I was?"

Piper opened her mouth to respond, but Jason cut her off. "I was very worried, Piper. I thought that you were going to die!" Jason sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Just promise me you won't do it again."

Piper smiled. Then she leaned over and kissed Jason on the cheek.

Jason grinned. "I'll take that as a yes."

"It's a 'if you stay alive than I will, too'. So you stay alive, okay?" Piper laced her fingers through Jason's

"I can work with that," Jason said, grinning. Before he could think about the clarity of his actions, he leaned over and kissed Piper.

And Piper kissed him back.

The two of them sat there, together, unaware of anything else except for each other. As they kissed, Piper couldn't help but think that this felt so right. Her and Jason, being here together, kissing... it felt better than anything else in the world.

When they finally broke apart, Piper gasped for breath. "That was..."

"Wow," Jason finished.

"Wow," Piper agreed.

After a moment, Piper said, "We should get going. Luke won't wait forever, and I personally can't wait to get home."

Jason smiled. "I couldn't agree more."

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The two of them stood at the edge of the forest, the Cornucopia behind them. Their hands edged towards each other's, their fingertips touching and then lacing through each other's.

Jason opened his mouth to speak when suddenly Luke burst through the brush in front of them, barreling towards them. Piper pulled a knife from her belt and threw it at him, but it bounced off his chest and landed in the grass. Luke ran past them and sprinted towards the Cornucopia.

"What's he running from?" Jason asked.

Piper shrugged. "I have no idea. But if he's that scared, we should go, too."

Suddenly, a creature burst from the brush. It was covered in fur, and had a long snout, like some type of canine. It's eyes were strangely intelligent, and it regarded Jason and Piper like a predator regards its prey.

"Mutts," Jason breathed.

"Come on!" Piper shouted. She scooped up her knife, grabbed Jason's hand, and ran for the Cornucopia.

The mutts ran after them, howling as they loped towards them, their eyes glinting.

Piper reached the tail end of the Cornucopia and scaled up the side of the softened metal. Jason climbed up behind her, going slowly due to his leg. Piper grabbed his wrists and hauled him up.