River Island

Five

Thalia

I was on my back my breaths short and rapid. My body weak. Sweat was making my shirt cling to me. Jasper was on his back next to me. A big, satisfied grin on his face. Of course he was satisfied. His eyes were closed. Not a single drop of sweat on him. I know what you're thinking and no that's not what happened.

Amelia thought it would be fun to make me go up against Jasper in hand to hand combat. I did not hit him even once. And he didn't hit me. He didn't have to. I was already tiring myself out. I had dropped to the floor on my back out of exhaustion. Jasper just decided to plop down next to me.

"It's not fair. You have powers. You kept teleporting in and out." I say in between breathes.

"My mother also has powers princess. And so do you." Jasper said his eyes still shut. "You should be good at this; you're the one who's a direct descendant of the god of war."

"Why can't you fight her?" I asked Amelia.

"Because it's your fight not mine." She said. "I probably won't be here when it happens."

"So my father let's you watch me when I'm in no danger whatsoever. But when the actual danger comes you guys are off guard duty?" I say. "That's very thoughtful of him."

"We don't question Ares."

"Of course you don't he'll probably kill you if you did." I sighed. I turned to Jasper and poked him. "You're going too?"

"You promise to make it worth my while if I stay?" He asked looking at me mischief dancing in his eyes.

"Forget I asked." I sighed getting up. "Are we done yet? Because my body is seriously sore"

"I didn't even touch you." Jasper whined still on the ground.

"One more round and that's it." Amelia said ignoring Jasper.

"But- "

"Do you want to live long enough to get off this island?" She asked me.

"Yes." I said crossing my arms across my chest.

"Then one more round." She said walking away from us.

Bitch.

"Language princess." Jasper said behind me. It took a moment for his words to sink in. Please don't tell me he could read my thoughts. I've had a lot of dirty thoughts today.

"Please tell me I said that out loud." I said.

"More like whispered it." He laughed. Good he couldn't read my thoughts. "So are you on for another round."

"No. Please have mercy." I begged.

"I'm not familiar with that term. 'Mercy'... What is that some weird animal species, a name?" He asked with a straight face. He wasn't serious was he?

"Of course you don't know what mercy is." I said shaking my head.

"Oh I know what it is. I just like the adorable little expression on your face when you thought I didn't." He laughed.

I stared at him in complete shock. How was it even possible that someone this annoying existed. I looked down shaking my head.

"Come on don't just stand there gawking let's go." He said I looked up at him and he was in a fighting stance.

I don't know why I thought I could beat him the second time. This was absolute torture. I was only able to tackle him once and that's coz he wasn't paying attention. Technically we had stopped fighting half an hour before and he thought I had left. I just wanted to get the upper hand. I really took him by surprise because he went into attack mode. He flipped us so that I was under him his hands pinning mine to either side of my head. When he saw it was me his grip and expression softened.

"Don't sneak up on me again. I could kill you." He said not getting off me.

"Funny. I thought that's what you were sent to do." I retorted. His eyes narrowed at me an unreadable expression on his face.

"I knew I couldn't leave you two alone." I heard Amelia say.

"Is that jealousy I see in those pretty brown eyes Lia?" Jasper said looking above my head. And he's back ladies and gentlemen.

"Just get off her Jasper."

"Why don't we let Thalia decide?" He looked back at me a small smirk on his lips. "Do you want me to get off you princess?"

Nope

"Yes." I said.

"As you wish ma-lady." He said winking then getting off me.

I stood up and walked away from both of them. I went to check on Peyton and she was fast asleep. I layed down next to her. The sun was starting to set and I was exhausted. Closing my eyes I allowed sleep to take over.

......................

I opened my eyes almost suddenly in the middle of the night. I sat up and looked around me. Peyton was still fast asleep next to me. I stepped out of the hut and into the cold night air. I made my daily trek to the crash sight but never got there. On my way I saw someone standing at the water's edge near waterfall. Her distinctive red hair flapping in the wind. I walked to her slowly.

That's impossible.

"Mom" I whispered almost to myself. She turned around slowly and faced me.

"Hi baby." she said a huge smile on her face. This has to be a dream. I'm dreaming.

"This can't be real. This isn't real." I said tears running down my cheeks. It's not real. It's all a dream.

"Of course not sweetheart. I'm dead." she said wiping away a tear from my face. "You killed me remember."

"W-What?"

"Oh Thalia. Your father and I are dead because of you."

"Mom what are you talking about."

"Peyton is lucky to be alive. They probably spared her because you're a brat and couldn't survive on your own. They'll kill her too as soon as you can fend for yourself." I looked at her in disbelief. Looking closely I saw her eyes were a pitch black and my blood ran cold.

"You aren't my mother." I said stepping away from her.

"Of course not. I found you in a blanket on my door step. And look what happened to me." she grabbed my arm and started applying pressure to my wrist.

"Let go of me." I said struggling in her grip.

"She's coming for you." She said not letting go. "You don't want her to be the one to kill you. I'm doing you a favour sweetheart."

She started dragging me towards the water with her. I felt a sudden rush of adrenaline. My free hand searched frantically in my dress pocket for my knife. My fingers circled around it just as she dragged me under water. I kicked her but she still wouldn't let go. My instincts seemed to take over. I grabbed the knife and closed the distance between us shoving it into her side. Her grip loosened and I kicked her away from me swimming to the surface leaving the knife in it's place.

I got out of the water and started running towards the beach. I stopped by the forest edge to catch my breath. Just as I was starting to breath I felt hands wrap around me and I panicked. I shoved my elbows into the persons stomach and turned my knee ramming into whatever part it could. I saw them drop and heard them groan in pain. I grabbed the nearest branch and was about to hit them when I saw familiar jet black hair glimmer in the moonlight.

"Jasper?" I asked dropping the branch.

"I'm gonna just sleep here for a minute." He said getting on his back his eyes closed.

"Are you f*****g kidding me!" I yelled at him. "What the f**k were you thinking?"

"Well I was trying to prove how easy it is to kidnap you. But you kind of proved me wrong."

"This is the second time today you've tried to drown me. If you want to kill me stop..."

"What?" he said his eyes shooting open. " I didn't try to drown you."

"Yes you did!" I said.

"No I didn't Thalia." he said getting up and standing in front of me.

"Yes you did. Just now." I said kind of panicked. "Please tell me that was you that tried to drown me just now. Please tell me you somehow can shape shift into people and tried to drown me."

I would rather have it be him than know there was someone else on the island trying to kill me.

"Thalia I just got back from New York a minute ago." he said lowly. I looked him in the eye and saw genuine concern.

"You...It really wasn't you?" I whispered. He shook his head. I felt my knees go weak. I couldn't have imagined it. My clothes were still wet. I leaned onto the nearest tree and sank down to the ground. Jasper knelt down in front of me.

"Are you okay?" he asked softly. I was about to answer him when we heard Amelia's voice behind him.

"What happened?" she asked. I watched Jasper's eyes become darker. He let out a shaky breath then stood up slowly.

"Where the f**k were you?" He asked through clenched teeth. Allison popped up next to Amelia.

"We had a meeting with Ares." Allison said. "Why is Thalia wet?"

"Well while you were having your little meeting someone tried to kill her." He said.

"How sure are we it wasn't you?" Amelia asked.

"You're really pushing it with the disrespect." Jasper hissed his fists clenching at his side. "We both know if I wanted her dead she wouldn't still be breathing right now."

"How sure am I you aren't trying to scare her first? She's not only a threat to your mother; she's a threat to you too. You're the current heir to Hades throne after all. Besides no one can come here without you or Ares' permission." Amelia said. Jasper took a step forward and Allison steeped in between them.

"You have one job Lia. One f*****g job. To keep her safe. But you can't seem to do that." he said before vanishing. Allison let out a shaky breath and turned to Amelia.

"Don't poke him Lia. It won't end well."

"Just because Ares trust's him doesn't mean I do." Amelia said.

"Just let it go already it's been centuries. He won't hesitate to kill you." Allison scowled. Did they forget I was still here? I cleared my throat and they both turned to face me.

"Are you okay?" Allison asked helping me stand.

"Some one just tried to kill me and you're asking me if I'm okay?"

"You seemed fine a minute ago when Jasper was here." Amelia said.

"Jasper didn't try to kill me." I said defending him.

"You don't know him like I do Thalia. Don't forget his mother sent him here to kill you. You're the prophesied heir to the throne his been promised. Jasper doesn't share. He may have convinced you that he's not trying to kill you but I'm not convinced. All his known his whole life is darkness. As your guardian I..."

"As my guardian! You were supposed to be there when someone that looked like my dead mother tried to drown me!" I snapped at her. "I don't care if you know him better than I do. I don't care about whatever history you have with him. All I know is it wasn't him."

I walked away from them and went to my hut sitting down on my 'bed'. I was trying to calm my nerves when something Jasper had said made me get up and rush out of my hut. I found Allison positioned outside my door. She looked at me quizzically.

"You should be getting some rest after what happened." She said.

"Yeah right. um....Do you know where I can find Jasper?"

"No. Why?"

"No reason. I just wanted to ask him something."

"You can ask me." she said.

"No I'll just ask him tomorrow." I said turning. "If he comes back"

"He will come back." she said chuckling.

"What makes you so sure?" I asked stopping.

"Because...You're still here." she said before turning to face the ocean. okay. I went back inside and nearly had a heart attack when I saw Jasper asleep on my bed.

"God!" I said putting my hand over my frantic beating heart.

"Close. But I usually go by Jasper, son of darkness, sexiest man alive. And a couple others you're probably too young to hear." he replied his eyes still closed.

"You scared me."

"Apparently." he said still not opening his eyes. I stood there and continued staring at him.

Just ask the guy Thalia. It's a simple question.

I heard him sigh. He opened his eyes then sat up slowly. He looked me straight in the eye and raised one of his perfect eyebrows questioningly. Focus T!

"What?" He asked.

"What do you mean what?"

"What do you wanna ask me?"

"What makes you think I want to ask you something?"

"You're making that face you make when you're trying to talk yourself out of something. I've seen it enough times today to know it. That and I may have possibly overhead your conversation with Allison just now."

"Oh."

"Yeah oh is right. So what do you want to know princess?" He said. "I am an open book. Sometimes."

"Well I was kinda wondering if possibly you could maybe..."

"If you want me to sleep with you, you really don't have to ask." He smirked.

"What?! No. How is that the first thing that pops into your head? How dirty minded are you?"

"Hey! Despite popular belief I do not have a dirty mind. Or dirty thoughts for that matter."

"Really?" I asked crossing my arms across my chest.

"Yes. I have unapologetically normal thoughts which happen to be intensely erotic."

"Oh my god. We're heading off topic here."

"I'm perfectly okay with where this conversation is heading."

"Well I'm not."

"What did I say about lying to me?"

"Nothing. You said absolutely nothing about lying to you."

"Are you sure? Because I remember..."

"Jasper! Earlier you said you had just come from New York right?"

"Yes."

"Well I was wondering if maybe..."

"I could get you off this island?" he asked smiling.

"Well can you. I mean I know you 'can' but can you?"

"Sure."

"I know you're gonna say no but...wait did you just agree?" He chuckled softly shaking his head.

"Yes Thalia. I'll get you off this island. When do you want to leave?" He asked getting up and standing in front of me.

"Right now."